章節 8: Chapter 8
Jiraiya straightens his back and shuffles with only a hint of nervousness when he approaches his godson's apartment.
He has never met Naruto before. Some godfather he is. But Konoha had been suffering under the weight of the Kyuubi attack, and as a strong proponent of the continued existence of his home, he had taken upon himself to expand his network of spies in order to protect Konoha from the kinds of threats that it is facing right now.
So his visit serves a dual-purpose. Try and connect with Naruto, and also obtain any intel possible from him and the Uzumaki girl he'd stolen. What a good lad he sounds like. Making an effort to rescue his family. It's hard to find conviction in younger generations.
Jiraiya knocks on the door. One of the only times he actually uses one instead of coming through the window.
"Coming!" A much younger female voice calls out, and Jiraiya hears the pitter-patter of a child's feet run to the door.
It opens, and instead of a redhead or even Naruto as he had been expecting, there's a silver-haired four or five-year-old with calligraphy ink all over her face in ridiculous patterns.
"Hi!" She chirps up at him.
"Hello, young lady." Jiraiya can't help but smile. "I wanted to see if this is where Naruto lives?"
"I'll get him!" She slams the door in his face and the familiar pitter-patter comes back.
Soon enough, the door opens and this time it's a red-head girl instead of Naruto. Her face is also covered in black ink with patterns that cannot possibly be construed as a seal template.
"Naruto's kinda busy. Whaddya want?" What a delightfully polite girl.
Jiraiya's grin doesn't stray from his face. It's almost... heartenning, being treated like a normal man instead of a legendary Shinobi.
"Hey kid, I'm here to talk to you and Naruto about the Kusagakure spy. Tsunade gave me your address." As if he needed the address with Naruto's chakra screaming to everyone in the village 'I'm right here'.
"Naruto! Some weird old man is asking for you."
The words are a lance through his heart and pride. Figures Minato's brat would collect a girl just like Kushina.
"Let him in." The only male voice in the house calls out.
Jiraiya steps in and respectfully shakes off his geta at the door.
He is witness to innumerable pieces of paper and scrolls pinned-up to the walls. All of them are clearly for learning purposes and practicing finding the perfect seal that he wants to use. Not unlike his father's apartment, even after he'd met Kushina. He could even see the beginnings of an Eight Trigrams Seal on one above a bedroll. The apartment is clearly only one bedroom, so he guessed Naruto would have to sleep somewhere until they got a bigger place.
And then... he finally catches sight of his godson.
A mane of black hair, dark eyes, and fair skin. He has a strong jawline and is tall for his age. Just as Tsunade said, he really doesn't look anything at all like Minato. Or Kushina for that matter. But blood doesn't lie, and Naruto's hospital record confirms his genetic relationship to his parents. Any other relative he has is too far removed to correctly determine with current methods.
His face however, is also completely covered in black ink. Done extremely poorly in comparison to the girls. And the silver-haired one sitting in his lap is not letting up on her artistic expression. The ink does well to hide the dark bags under his eyes but not well enough to hide them from his keen eyes. Looks like the kid has been up for much longer than he should be trying to research the correct seal to use in the creation of a Jinchuuriki.
Naruto for his part seems to be ignoring the efforts of the girl, and is instead devouring anything he can from the scrolls on the wall.
Now or never.
"Naruto?"
The kid looks his way. Rather dully.
"Who are you?"
Jiraiya grins. "Name's Jiraiya."
Naruto looks more interested now. "The Sannin?"
"One of 'em." Jiraiya affirms, but his grin gets weaker. "I heard you had a bit of trouble the last time you met one."
"It's over now, and we're no worse for wear anymore." Naruto gives a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Good to know you're in high spirits. What's all this for, then?" Jiraiya gestures to the scrolls hanging up.
"Tsunade probably already told you." Naruto's reply is prompt, making it clear he has more on the mind than reiterating a known task.
"True, but this seems a bit unnecessary if you've already uncovered the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style. That seal will be more than enough to put the Nibi inside your little girlfriend."
Karin turns red and looks about ready to steam from the ears.
"I don't know how to use it." Naruto's eyes droop even more. "I haven't discovered the hand-signs needed to use it. It's too complicated for me to figure it out and I won't have time to create a sealing ceremony."
Jiraiya nods at that logic. Chakra placed into sealing ink would quickly dissipate if not used within a very short timeframe. It would likely vanish before Naruto even finishes his first match. Using hand-signs is the work-around, but a Fuinjutsu powerful enough to seal a Bijuu would take dozens of signs. Deciphering Fuinjutsu to determine what signs were needed is an advanced art. Good thing Jiraiya has been witness to it dozens of times.
The 'Sealing Ceremony' being a pre-established area in which the seal had been written in its unraveled state using blood or ink. Using hand-signs wouldn't be required if the seal just pieced itself together in one quick flourish. Of course, the Eight Trigrams Seal is in reality two of the same seal put together to make a stronger one, so it becomes immediately more complicated than most seals entirely and the time required to set it up in a potentially dangerous situation would be too short.
"Here, kiddo." Jiraiya takes one of the blank scrolls without permission but Naruto doesn't seem to care. "I know a thing or two about Fuinjutsu, I'll show you this one for free."
Jiraiya saturates a pot of ink with his chakra and draws the diagram for the Eight Trigrams Seal.
"This is the most time-consuming way of deciphering a seal, but the most effective. What you want to do is find how each sign resonates with the seal you're trying to create." Jiraiya puts his hands into a Ram sign, then a Bird sign, and then a Snake sign.
Naruto watches as this generates no reaction from the seal diagram, until Jiraiya puts his hands into a 'Clap Hands'.
The seal lights up blue, before the light dies down and returns to normal ink. The pattern has dismantled very slightly.
Jiraiya does the same thing again, finding another seal to dismantle the Eight Trigrams. He uses Ox, which unravels it even more.
Naruto leans over the scroll in fascination, watching as Jiraiya 'unbakes' the seal and steadily fills the entire scroll. It looks to Jiraiya that the kid has figured out it's a game of elimination. Any sign that does not garner a reaction at whichever stage the seal is on, is not the correct sign.
Soon enough, the complete formula for the Hakke Fuin Shiki is revealed in its entirety. It's nearly twenty-minutes after he started but Naruto didn't look away once. He completely misses the pouting girl climbing out of his lap to receive attention from Karin instead.
"And that's how you find out what seals to use. You start from the finish line and make your way back. The first sign I used is the final one, and the last sign I used is what you start it with." Jiraiya had gone right up to one-hundred hand-signs.
"What about the key? Does the key have seals too?"
Jiraiya shakes his head. "Nope! That's the beauty of the seal. The key is grafted automatically to the body of the person using it. Using the same signs or sealing ceremony again won't create another Hakke Fuin Shiki, but instead prepare the key for transfer to another holder. The key holder can be the same person who the seal is grafted to, or it can be another creature. I can use my Toad Summons to be a key holder in the event that I'd need to use the seal again."
"And how would I use the key if it's grafted to me?" Curious kid. That'd serve him well going forward.
"Grafting the key to your body essentially makes you the key. Any time you would interact with the seal, your chakra will automatically bring it out."
Jiraiya can see the cogs in Naruto's head turning. The way he's heard it, Naruto has a habit of interpreting information and Jutsu use in creative ways.
"You've got a familiar look on that face of yours. Reminds me of someone else I taught." Jiraiya comments nostalgically.
Naruto looks him dead in the eyes. It surprises Jiraiya that the kid can look so calm and serious despite being covered in ink.
"My father?"
Jiraiya blinks. His face then settles into something more akin to exasperation.
"Alight. Tsunade told me you knew more than you let on... why let me know now that you're aware? How do you even know anyways?"
"You'll find out how I know during the final stage of the exams. Probably." Naruto's lips twitch in a way that makes it clear he's having fun leading everyone along. "But as to why, I think it'd be the best way to keep you here, helping me."
"Dunno what you think I can teach you besides this, brat." Jiraiya plays dumb and petulant.
"Oh, but I think you do." Naruto insists, his own grin widening. "I'm sure there's something of the Yondaime that can be of particular use to me. An inheritance, almost."
"You want his money? His house? I ain't an estate holder, kiddo."
"I don't want his belongings. There's not much value in the half-empty box of condoms with holes evidently poked through them found in his bedside drawer."
Jiraiya gives him an unimpressed look to disguise his amusement.
"You're gonna need to be specific then."
"I want to learn the Rasengan."
"Oh, well... I suppose I can help you out a little. I'll come back tomorrow, same time. Who knows, maybe I can tell you the story about how your parents met."
"I'd like that."
What is she planning?
Danzo has needed to act with extreme caution for the last five years. Itachi had been all too keen to tell Tsunade of his involvement in the culling of the Uchiha Clan. There are only four people alive with knowledge about that incident. Himself, Itachi, Tsunade, Koharu and Homura... and the Ghost of an Uchiha.
He has been denied the ability to provide counsel to the Hokage, and publically had his ANBU faction dismantled. But shadows would never disappear from Konoha. He reached out to another victim of Konoha's all-encompassing light; Orochimaru.
In exchange for genetically enhanced children to bolster his private faction, Danzo would in turn provide Orochimaru with the means of obtaining one Uchiha Sasuke. Having Sasuke removed from the picture subtly, would turn Itachi's fearsome eyes away from him and onto Orochimaru instead.
But Kakashi has proven to be an effective teacher for Sasuke. Every day the Uchiha boy becomes more zealous in the protection of Konoha and its people. Under normal circumstances, Danzo would consider this conditioning to be exemplary on the part of Kakashi. Unfortunately, Orochimaru would not be satisfied with only an opportunity to send Sasuke into his den. The deal is for him to obtain the Uchiha boy, and in exchange, Orochimaru would kill Tsunade and free the seat of Hokage.
Konoha's Shinobi respect power, but openly challenging a Hokage who's rule has proven extremely satisfactory to nearly the entire population of the village, would put him in the 'bad books' of their public scrutiny.
The results of an assault of this level would remove Tsunade from the equation, which would take the most likely of people who knew the truth out of the equation to contest his impending rule. It would be hard to find someone living besides Kakashi or Jiraiya that can fill the chair in Tsunade's wake, seeing that Koharu and Homura do not possess the strength required.
And that is why Shisui's Mangekyou would prove the most effective. To convince either person who would be elected that their efforts are better spent elsewhere. Kakashi is an active and dedicated father, but he may very well step up to the occasion for the sake of Konoha. Jiraiya would be easier to deter but on the off chance that he did become Hokage, any hope that Danzo would have at obtaining that seat would be forever lost. Jiraiya is a menace to society but has a well-earned reputation. Public favor would be towards him instead of an aging relic of a Konoha long-past, especially one that has been kept out of public affairs for quite some time.
With Danzo as Hokage, he could contain Kakashi's influence over Sasuke and soon have him shipped and packed off to Orochimaru with the sweet promise of power to obtain vengeance or as Kakashi had conditioned him, protection of Konoha. If he is convinced that the Shinobi system of Konoha is broken, then he would seek out the power to obtain it from someone who had already provided him with it. A well-laid trap to allow Orochimaru to obtain his long sought-after Uchiha body, and then the boy's motive for leaving would be irrelevant. Itachi would then likely kill Orochimaru, and then one traitor that could cause him problems going forward would be eliminated.
But Tsunade knows more than she is letting on. All reports following the preliminary stages have not been written, and instead are likely exclusive to word-of-mouth. Every Shinobi she converses with knows something but not the whole picture, making it impossible to know what she plans to do. She is clearly aware of Orochimaru's temporary village planning an attack due to a resource grab, but that mission to arm Oto Shinobi served its purpose of providing false-intel that it would only be one village participating in Konoha's destruction.
Jiraiya has seemingly uncovered the leak Danzo had been using to get information to Orochimaru, but the purpose of it remained elusive. It meant no more intel would be making its way to other nations, but now it's too late.
Tsunade is an effective Hokage but Konoha can always have more. Konoha can have a better Hokage than any who had come previously.
Konoha may fall. But its tree would grow back with deeper roots than ever before.
He is the only option for Hokage. He would achieve his dream.
No matter the cost.
Naruto vs Sasuke
Yugito vs Neji
Shino vs Sakura
Karui vs Kankuro
Dosu vs Gaara
Temari vs Omoi
Aburame Shibi puts down Konoha's newspaper and a thrum of pride runs through him. It pleases him to no-end that his boy has made it this far in what is probably the most difficult Chuunin Exam held in Konoha since its inception. Genius prodigies and Jinchuuriki, and the Kazekage's own children. If he were being honest with himself, he hadn't expected Shino to make it this far.
His insect hive inside of him buzzes in response to the positive hormones running in his body.
Unfortunately, the other parents of participating Konoha Genin are not so pleased.
They were gathered at a tea stall not too far from where his clan compound is. A very rare occurrence that their schedules aligned enough to have a meetup.
Not present is one Hyuuga Hiashi. He never deigned to just 'chat'. He hoped his daughter wasn't going to be on the receiving end of some negative treatment, but even he should understand that Neji is not just a Hyuuga, but a talented and hard-working boy on his own. Hiashi could take some lessons from his brother about positive reinforcement, in Shibi's humble opinion.
And Hizashi generally spent most of his spare time with his son, not often making it to their little functions.
"We were right." Tsume holds her forehead between her thumb and finger in frustration. "Shino was the only one out of all our kids to get through."
He supposes he can understand. He'd watched the tapes given by Inoichi's friend. Kiba had been completely destroyed by Yugito. It hadn't even been a contest. The Inuzuka hadn't stood a chance against that level of speed and agility. Precise strikes between Kiba's attacks had him and Akamaru down for the count.
Shino had fought strategically against this 'Zaku' from Oto, only sustaining some minor bruises from the concussive energy of sound waves.
The Akimichi boy had been beaten soundly by another Oto Genin. No surprises there. Ino had been thoroughly decimated by Kakashi's Genin, something that seemed rile Inoichi up to no end.
"A civilian girl! Beating my Ino!" Inoichi slaps his forehead and bemoans.
"One taught by Hatake Kakashi." Shikaku points out, but that is their whole reason for pushing the nomination, wasn't it?
They'd slowly collected bits and pieces of information from their kids about what they were being taught by their Jounin Sensei and had been left wanting. They had hoped that the Chuunin Exams would be an appropriate wake up call to make the Sensei start to take their responsibilities as teachers seriously, seeing as they seemed content on raising a new generation of friends instead of Shinobi.
Shikaku's boy probably had the best chance along with Shino, but he'd gotten the misfortune of being pitted against Uchiha Sasuke. That mite of a chance turned to no chance very quickly.
"Shino understands the risks better now. He has already approached me for additional tutelage." Shibi states, revelling in the fact that his reserved son at least trusts him enough to seek help from him instead of struggling on his own.
"Ino is sulking. I'll see what happens when she gets over it. But I'm still going to have words with Asuma about this." Inoichi does not seem pleased with the lack of progress over six months.
Tsume stands up and throws down some change for her share of the tea at the stall.
"And I'm going to beat some skill into my boy. Later." Tsume stops before leaving. "Tell Shino 'good luck' for me, won't you?"
"I think he already knows." Shibi hides a smile.
Shino walks around the corner after basically being called out by his father. He'd clearly been waiting patiently for him so they could continue training.
"Thank you, Tsume-san."
Tsume ruffles his hair fondly before she and Kuromaru run off.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio stands and makes their way to pay. Shibi puts his money down and turns to his son.
"Shall we go, then?"
Shino nods as eagerly as he is willing to express.
Sasuke grips his shoulder in discomfort as he leaves his apartment.
"That seal will only be as strong as your own desire to refuse it." Kakashi gives him the run-down on the Evil Sealing Method. "For as long as you contain your own desperation, that mark will remain suppressed."
It brought up the value of having strength, so that he wouldn't be in that situation. He'd gotten packed the night before and is setting out to meet Kakashi for some private training. If he is strong enough on his own, then he won't need to resort to the tainted power of Orochimaru's curse-mark. Especially against Naruto, who has yet to reveal his full strength to anyone.
"Sasuke? Are you alright?" The woman from the young couple who owns his favorite bakery asks him in concern. Himari, he remembers her name as if it were written on his hand.
"I'll be fine." Sasuke follows up his half-truth with a deflection. "Just a bit beaten up after the exams."
"That's right! I saw in the paper that you made it to the final stages! Congratulations!" She reaches over to tussle his hair.
Sasuke manages a smile. This makes her immediately pull on his cheeks.
He bats her hands away and huffs. She doesn't take it personally, one of the many things he likes about her and her husband.
They'd been there for him for a long time now. Even after they'd just gotten married and were in the process of opening their bakery, they would often see him pass on his lonesome and invite him over. Very slowly, they earned his trust enough for him to give them his keys whenever he left the village for extended periods. It was them who taught him how to live on his own, seeing as he didn't have anyone left to do it. And out of the kindness of their own hearts, never expecting a single Ryo in exchange.
'How could you be willing to put people like this at risk?' Sasuke wonders, asking Naruto in his mind regarding the selfish words he'd heard in the forest.
Civilians are always the easiest targets in Shinobi warfare. It's a disgusting practice, taking out suppliers of food and tools so that Shinobi would be less prepared for battle. Innocents should be left out of the affairs of killers.
"Is that Sasuke I hear?" The 'lesser' half of the couple walks through the door flaps to the bakery.
"Look Yuito, Sasuke made it to the finals of the Chuunin Exams!" Himari gushes again, pulling Sasuke closer and embarrassing him.
"Himari-san!" He most certainly does not whine.
"Hahaha! I knew you'd do it!" Yuito claps a hand on Sasuke's other shoulder. "All those nights of staying up past your bedtime have paid off. We'll be rooting for you in the finals!"
Sasuke's unintentional smile falters a bit.
Yuito and Himari notice immediately.
"Sasuke?"
"Ahh it's nothing, just- my first match is against Naruto."
"Naruto?" Himari taps her chin in thought. "Your teammate?"
"Not just my teammate. He's probably the strongest out of every single Genin and Chuunin in the village. And he hasn't even shown his full capabilities yet."
"Even stronger than you? But weren't you the highest graded in your class?" Yuito's brow furrows.
Sasuke wishes his outlook was still as simple as that of the civilians.
"Naruto is on a whole different level. But... don't worry about me. My Sensei is training me personally for the next stage. He said that he's arranged trainers for Naruto and Sakura, but there's something only he can train me in right now."
"I have faith." Yuito closes his eyes and nods determinately. "You'll damn well give him a run for his money, even if you don't win."
"That's right." Himari adopts the same look.
Sasuke is overwhelmed by their open support of him. He would often receive "Of course he can do it, he's an Uchiha!" but no one besides Kakashi and his teammates would ever think he could do something of his own merits.
'Naruto, If you ever put these people at risk... I will do everything to end you.'
The couple tactfully pick up on Sasuke's struggling expression.
"Y'know, Sasuke. We've got some pretty important news too." Yuito starts off slyly.
Sasuke looks up at them curiously.
Himari cannot contain the bursting emotion.
"We're having a baby!"
The Genin looks gobsmacked.
"I-" Sasuke shakes his head. "That is the last thing I expected to hear today. Um... Congratulations?"
Yuito laughs and Himari pulls him into another hug.
"Himari has deigned to let me name it if it's a boy, but I can't think of anything that I like enough."
"What about a girl?" Sasuke asks, not really sure what else to say.
"Well... we were thinking Tsukimi. After my grandmother." Himari instinctively rubs her belly with a sheepish expression.
"That's a good name." Sasuke approves genuinely.
Yuito grins, but pauses a second later. "Wait, before you go."
He rushes back into the empty bakery and comes out with a brown paper bag with a couple of buns in it.
"Here, for your training." He puts the bag in Sasuke's hand.
Sasuke admires their generosity. "Thank you."
"Good luck again, Sasuke. We'll be cheering you on!"
Sasuke turns and waves them goodbye
"You disgust me, weakling filth."
Jiraiya watches with wide eyes as the fiery redhead from Uzu knocks the teeth out of a Genin boy. Apparently, the girl was being targeted by bullies and took matters into her own hands. When one of the bullies went crying to his Nii-san, the girl put him and his friends in their place too. The girl hasn't even graduated from the Academy yet.
"She's amazing." Minato, his little protege and all-around skilled brat, looks down at the violent girl dreamily.
'I hope you don't get that from me, kid.' Jiraiya thinks to himself with a sweat drop.
"Oh? Is she your girlfriend?" Jiraiya asks teasingly instead.
Minato goes red and sputters out a no.
"Maybe you should go introduce yourself then." Jiraiya pushes him over the guard-rail.
"SENSEI!"
His student crashes into some bushes right next to the redhead.
"That's cruel, Jiraiya." Tsunade shakes her head, who has tagged along with him on a 'not date'.
"Hmm... nah. Kid's got guts."
"I don't mean getting him to ask out a girl he likes. I mean putting him in Kushina's way."
"What?"
The redhead 'Kushina', turns to the bushes and invites out its occupant with a menacing aura.
"More trash? Come out and face me!"
"I- I'm not here to fight!" Minato stumbles clumsily out of the bush, white jacket covered in leaves.
"What do you want then?" Kushina's gaze is unrelenting. Even Jiraiya almost feels nervous looking at those scary violet eyes.
"Willyougoonadatewithme?!" Minato burst out his question with a completely red face.
"Huh?" Kushina replies eloquently.
Minato recomposes himself enough to not rush.
"Will you go on a date with me?"
Kushina looks dumbstruck.
From their little perch, Tsunade comments something to Jiraiya.
"I don't think Kushina has ever been given positive attention from a male that wasn't her father. But still... Kushina is not anything close to a normal girl."
Back on the ground, the silence in the wake of his question has made Minato ghostly pale.
"Fight me." Kushina demands, looking like she's holding down an embarrassed reaction. "If you're strong enough to beat me, I'll go on a date with you."
Minato looks stunned, but he clearly likes Kushina enough that being beaten up a bit is a calculated risk for this situation.
"Alright."
Kushina hands his ass to him. But she is not disparaging of him like she was with the bullies.
"You're not strong enough to date me. But I like your courage."
Minato wipes blood off of his chin, looking up at her with unholy determination and fire in his eyes.
"I swear, I'll get strong enough. I'll get that date!"
Jiraiya slaps his forehead. "Yep. He gets it from me."
(Some Years Later. Minato and Kushina; Age 17.)
It was almost like a sporting event at this point. People would come to watch Minato vie for Kushina's affections. Jiraiya and Tsunade watch the most eagerly, putting bets on them and egging on their respective prospects.
Tsunade has been betting safe for the first time in her life, something Jiraiya is rather sour about. He's losing a lot of money watching this freak of nature pulverise his apprentice.
But today is different. Minato's dedication to his training has made him a formidable force, even elite Jounin cannot compare.
Jiraiya thought it a little sad that Kushina had no other 'love interests'. Not a single boy is brave enough to even attempt what Minato is. But Minato's bravery and valiant efforts are rubbing off on Kushina, she becomes more interested in him each spar and Minato gets closer to the end goal.
'Settle it brat. Go get her.' Jiraiya mentally cheers.
And they go hard at each other, fighting with such vicious power and strategy that they had never done so before. Jiraiya and Tsunade wait patiently over the course of the five-hour-fight. At no point is it evident that either one of them is getting the upper hand over the other. But they persist, their unnatural stamina prolongs the match and some spectators are outright frightened by the sheer skill and power. Futon Ninjutsu blasts off the concrete walls of the exams stadium, Katon scorches the ground. Minato's Raiton and precise wind leave scars everywhere in the arena. Kushina is fast. Minato is faster.
The Habanero throws up a barrier through her chains and prepares a final Katon.
Minato dashes at the barrier with his brand new Jutsu; The Rasengan, and smashes the powerful barrier to pieces.
And then, for the first time ever...
Kushina lands on her back.
Her clothes are caked in clumps of dirt. She is heaving for air desperately and her golden chakra chains lay around her slackly and form a glowing halo around her head and long hair.
Minato has her at the point of one of his signature kunai, but he is still standing. His clothes are shredded and burnt, his face is bruised and his wounded body is on display.
The stadium is in dead silence.
He holds his hand out to her, in a gentlemanly gesture.
"Will you go on a date with me?"
Kushina takes it, looking more girly than she ever had since Jiraiya first set eyes on her.
Minato helps Kushina to her feet and she buries her head to his chest, looking up at him with shy violet eyes.
"Y-Yes!"
Jiraiya is the first to spring up and cheer, and the entire stadium follows him.
"THAT'S MY BOY!"
Karin has hearts in her eyes at Jiraiya's story.
"Wow!" She looks entirely overwhelmed and has spreckels of tears at the corners of her eyes. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard in my life!"
'Must be an Uzumaki thing.' Jiraiya thought dryly, but smiled at Karin's appreciation of his storytelling.
Naruto sits crossed-legged, palm in his chin and wearing a close-eyed smile. Minako is asleep near him, on a perch made from dining-room chairs, blankets and pillows that they'd made while playing.
"No one's ever told me about what they were like. Thanks, old man."
Jiraiya would normally puff up at being called 'old man', but reciting the story has him feeling nostalgic about his relationship with Minato and he comes to realise that he doesn't mind.
He ruffles Naruto's spiky hair instead.
A knock on the door draws Jiraiya's eyes to it, and he quickly notices how dark it has gotten.
"Ah, Minako's mother?" Jiraiya comes to the right conclusion when Naruto nods.
"Yeah, we were just babysitting while she trained my teammate." Naruto confirms.
"I'll let her in on my way out." Jiraiya offers, giving Naruto's shoulder a light bump. "Be ready tomorrow, I'm gonna put you through your paces if you wanna learn the Rasengan in time for the final stage."
"I will. And thanks again."
Jiraiya slips on his geta and opens the door.
"Jiraiya-sama!" A woman who'd only been a young girl the last time he saw her, is standing outside.
"Shizune?" Jiraiya is surprised. "That kid is yours?"
The woman stammers slightly. "Y-yes, Minako is mine and Kakashi's daughter. We live next door."
"Well I'll be damned. I had no idea." Jiraiya grins. "A guy like Kakashi having a kid? Looks like you both really did grow up."
Shizune looks sheepish but still proud.
"Well, I'll be on my way. Say hi to that Kakashi-brat for me, won't you?" Jiraiya steps down the walkway and makes his way out.
"Of course, Jiraiya-sama. Have a good night." Shizune bows politely in respect to him.
"Later!" He waves over his shoulder.
What a long day. He wishes all days were as simple as this.
The blonde Jinchuuriki is in bed after receiving orders from her Sensei.
"You are to kill Uzumaki Naruto, no matter the cost or collateral damage. We cannot have another Uzumaki Kushina sweep the nations."
Matatabi insists differently.
"Yugito... Please, listen to reason."
"You saw what that lunatic did to his fellow Konoha Shinobi! If that's what Konoha does to its own people in an exam, what do you think they're going to do to us in order to keep us working for them! Kumogakure has sinned, but at least we don't treat our own people like that!"
"It will not be that way if you surrender voluntarily. Your home continues to drive itself towards destruction by angering the Sons of the Sage, you do not understand the nature of man as I do! I have seen over a millenia that peace is only a temporary stasis of conflict between factions. Kumogakure is as the phrase says, 'punching above its weight'. Instead of guaranteeing its existence, they seek to greedily consume all around them, and it is hurting them! They are manufacturing a conflict that they cannot walk away from!"
"You defy even your fathers teachings! Kumogakure has collected you and the tools of the sage in order to bring peace to the world, under one mighty rule!"
"HYPOCRISY!" The Bijuu thunders its accusation. "I do not agree with fathers teachings anymore, but what you say is the exact opposite of the purpose that his children and those tools were created for! We were created so that we could harmonize with humanity, and spread the word and religion of Ninshu to everyone in this world! To bring peace through cooperation, not domination! Those tools are only a last resort to defeat those who would destroy humanity, and now you humans use them to do exactly the opposite!"
"I am done listening to you." Yugito unintentionally says aloud, but unheard in her hotel room.
"Then this is goodbye, Yugito. You were my favorite Jinchuuriki, but you have failed to acknowledge the world as it is instead of what you want it to be. I wanted you to grow, but you will be another dead autumn leaf that feeds the ever growing tree that is the Rikudo's bloodline. I warned you."
Yugito is struck with chills, making it difficult to sleep.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, kid."
Dosu whirls around to face a giant of a man.
He'd been planning to kill the guy from Suna who could control sand, that boy being instrumental in the upcoming plan to destroy Konoha. He is feeling rightfully bitter about him and his teammates being thrown at Uchiha Sasuke, freshly tagged with the strongest of the Curse-Marks.
Jiraiya looks down at the Oto kid in the moonlight.
"If you want to get back at Orochimaru, I can think of a few things better."
Dosu is eventually convinced that throwing his life away like this might not be a good idea.
In the fight against Orochimaru, information would be a bigger player.
"Jiraiya is nice." Karin comments sleepily.
"Yeah, he seems alright." Naruto replies, but clearly in thought.
She's resting her head against his shoulder while in her pyjamas that he'd given her money to spend on. She seemed to like being given the agency of buying her own clothes instead of being forced to put up with tacky hand-me-downs like she's gotten in Kusa.
"Whatcha thinkin'?" Karin rubs her eyes, glasses discarded for the moment on the arm of Naruto's old two-seater couch that was enough for them to sit on but not long enough for either to sleep on comfortably.
"I was fully prepared to betray Konoha to keep you." He seems a bit conflicted. "There are good people here, like Jiraiya. My father, and my mother. The orphanage matron. I was ready to turn away from that in order to protect you. I don't regret saving you, not even a little. But I can't help but feel like I'm in the wrong somehow. I was... taught to treat Konoha as disposable. But I guess I've grown to like the people here more than I thought. I've made bonds and haven't been betrayed."
"Don't be a worry-wart." Karin flicks his nose. "It's like the story with your Kaa-chan and Tou-chan, you just need to prove yourself. The choices you make will be looked on better if they're for everyone's benefit. Isn't that why you need to learn this Fuinjutsu scribble?"
"Yeah." Naruto rests his head back and waits for Karin to conk out.
"Then don' worry. Jus' get stronger."
Her head slides into his lap. She's asleep by the time she stops moving.
Naruto is reminded of the time he learned about how Shinobi react to power. When he fought those Chuunin at the ramen stall.
You're always treated better when you're powerful in the Shinobi world. He can have what he wants, so long as he has the strength to affirm his might to anyone who might dare to oppose him.
His Sharingan memorizes Karin's sleeping, delicate face.
"Family is wonderful." Naruto quotes his orphanage matron.
-----------------‐-
When will Naruto reveal the Sharingan?: The very next chapter, which will be the finals for the Chuunin Exams.
Naruto and Karin Jinchuuriki Status: Naruto will not become a Jinchuuriki, Karin will.
Why Naruto didn't take Zabuza's sword: Naruto was only using a sword in an earlier chapter due to his lack of reach, which is explained in the chapter. Naruto sees little value in the sword if he doesn't often fight like a swordsman.
Naruto still being on Team 7: The point in having him be on Team 7 is for the interactions with Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura. I like to think that I've been doing a decent job of 'setting up' in the past few chapters, especially with Naruto and Sasuke. If the complaint is that Naruto is on Team 7 when a whole bunch of other things have been changed, maybe take a closer look at the way they interact with each other and determine if that would have been possible with any other teams.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票