Would you look at that you guys didn't have to wait like half a year or so for an update! it's a miracle! please, please don't cry!

Anyway enjoy

Naruto CH62: Reminder

Sasuke's eyes were wide open, they saw everything with sharp detail as it rendered before him, he saw as his brother flinched back, his eyes involuntarily squeezing shut in what could be no less than actual real-world pain. The results of his conflict with his grandfather. The grip of his hand around Sasuke's neck felt nonexistent as the peak of the counter-attack fully washed over Itachi and at that moment Sasuke made his move.

He'd had what felt like an eternity between the dismantling of the Genjutsu to formulate a plan of attack. He booted one foot into Itachi's chest, not full force but enough to get him to stumble back far enough for Sasuke to get in a full snap kick on Itachi's chin making his head and the rest of him reel back. In this state, it surprised Sasuke to see that he was packing more power than he realized as Itachi was sent off his feet and onto his back, but Sasuke didn't take that as having extended his window of opportunity by much.

As Sasuke was sliding down the wall back to the floor his hands were already in his pouches and retrieving shuriken and wire, the moment his feet touched ground he was done forming the final necessary knots to keep them together. He stirred his chakra and sent a small charge through them, just as Itachi was done rolling back onto his feet Sasuke threw them out. One went out the window with a small crack of glass and the other sliced through the guest room wall before both came back into the hallway through their respective walls and began wrapping around the now erect Itachi before zipping off and slicing through a fresh path hallway and back out again.

Sasuke was doing his best to keep just enough control on the shuriken in order to pull this off before having to let control go to seal his trap. He let it go and drew forth two kunai, he threw the first one up to the ceiling just as the two Shuriken were coming towards each other and then threw out the second. The two Kunai clashed and the trajectory of the first one was drastically altered sending it downwards over Itachi to meet the two Shuriken just as they crossed over stabbing into the absent spaces at their centres, pinning them to the floor and pulling the wires taught around Itachi.

Now the elder Uchiha stood immobile: arms folded in a failed attempt to guard against the wire, the metal string digging into his cloak and the palm of his visible hand, crinkling the previously creaseless black and red patterned robe. Itachi stared at his younger brother over the collar off his cloak with unflinching, placid Sharingan "so, what now Sasuke?".

Sasuke dropped into a crouch and pushed his left arm down after weaving through a few precursory signs "now you die!" declared Sasuke, eyes glowing, molten markings spreading over his form as his hand became sheathed in chirping lightning that lit up his face in a furious light.

Itachi, on the other hand, didn't seem at all affected by this "really?".

Sasuke's focused gaze didn't waver to his brother's lack of reaction as the markings settled on his body. He squinted before rushing forward, the lighting in his hand eating a ridge into the floor that did zero to slow him down. Once he was just about in range he shot his hand out, Itachi tensed and his eyes narrowed.

Sasuke was only a few feet from avenging his clan when an orange, grey and white mass stole that from him. His Chidori slammed into it and fizzled out, it's power sapped away in the blink of an eye along with the markings on his hand, Sasuke instantly pulled back, falling about a few feet away so he could take in whatever just happened.

Kisame now stood between him and Itachi, having used his sword to stop his Chidori while still being used to restrain Naruto who was currently pinned to the ground beneath it, planted there with enough force to leave a slight dint in the ground. Naruto at this point seemed to barely be holding onto the waking world as Kisama's sword kept feasting on his chakra.

"Well at least you were able to damage my cloak" cut Itachi's voice through the newly establishing silence, it was like a wasteland where only words flowed, no one in the hallway was really able to tell if Itachi was just taunting his younger brother or commending him for his efforts.

Kisame grinned, he just loved how unbelievably impossible it was to read into anything the guy said: "you good Itachi?".

There was a confirming hum from the elder Uchiha "I'm fine, there was no need for you to get involved though".

"Oh, really now?" asked the shark man, his grin widening "because from where I was standing you seemed in desperate need of a good rescuing".

Itachi seemed to do the closest thing possible to a sigh "I'm sure it did seem that way" there was a sharp twang that echoed through the hall as the wire that bond Itachi came undone, revealing him to be holding a pristine Kunai.

Kisame's beady eyes widened...somehow, and his grin returned "oh, I see, you didn't need my help after all" the shark man stood tall, placing only one hand on the skull-shaped butt of his sword, almost seeming to relax on it "hmm, my bad"

Itachi seemed not at all bothered "don't concern yourself with apologising you didn't interrupt anything major in the least"

Sasuke's eyes widened at this sight, his hands that were loose and ready now curling into shaking fists at seeing that even with the most prime opportunity he was perhaps ever going to get he still wasn't good enough to do anything. Under his breath and in his head Sasuke cursed, again and again, hoping that it might calm his trembling, fury charged nerves before he did something he knows he'd instantly regret, right now was no time to act without thinking, not when the lives of everyone he cared about was on the line.

Kisame shrugged "eh fine" he said, briefly seeming to smirk "I didn't mean it anyway" he then turned and stared down at Sasuke, the young Uchiha's body flinching back and his face flashing with apprehension at the sudden attention being given to him by the massive homo-aquatic. Kisame turned back to Itachi who was paying more mind to the slice in the sleeve of his cloak than anything else, Kisame found that moment of uncharacteristic distraction mildly amusing. "Hey, Itachi" the Uchiha looked up, showing his attention "what do you wanna do with him?".

The elder Uchiha didn't appear to have to even waste a nanosecond on coming up with an answer to that question "leave him, we have what we need, he's of no concern". Kisame himself even seemed surprised by the flippant disregarding of Sasuke as a problem, from what Kisame witnessed the young Uchiha wasn't deserving of that little concern, the boy did indeed display some serious skill for his age and accomplished something Kisame has never before witnessed by managing to break out of Itachi's Tsukuyomi of all Genjutsus.

Kisame's eyes shifted back to Sasuke, his pupils shrinking slightly, a part of Kisame shivered at thinking what this boy might one day grow into. Sasuke's skin began to chill at witnessing the scrutinising stare of the shark man, behind Kisame Itachi's Sharingan narrowed, both Uchiha's wondering what the rogue nin was going to do.

The silence gaining weight as Kisame made no move to leave like Itachi instructed, just continuing to stand there staring down at Sasuke, they were just about passing ten seconds when something unseen happened.

Ever so subtly Itachi's Sharingan morphed back into Mangekyou.

Another five passed and Sasuke swallowed a lump.

Another five and Hirofumi advised Sasuke to stand his ground.

Another two and Kisame narrowed his pupils a little tighter and unveiled his bloodthirst.

It washed over the area, a mixture of fear and pure prideful defiance were fighting for control over Sasuke's facial features, he wanted nothing more than to run or attack, to do something but what few rational scraps of thought he could keep a grip on and the still fresh command from his grandfather to stand his ground was all that was helping him to stay put against the insane wave of immense killing intent being laser-focused upon him.

Unseen behind Kisame Itachi's powerful eyes slightly narrowed.

Gradually Kisame's blood lust ebbed away and his intensity eased up followed with an impressed grin "well you're certainly something. Hey, Itachi" called Kisame, not taking his eyes off the boy "this little bro of yours is certainly made of some tough stuff, I think it's a mistake letting him run free, he could certainly become a problem for you later".

"If it's bothering you so much then why are you hesitating to do anything about it?" asked Itachi with what seemed like mild interest.

Sasuke tensed up, his mind picturing the many negative answers that could be in store for him now, maybe Kisame wasn't doing anything because he saw him like Itachi's property and that killing him would be like stealing from Itachi or something.

Kisame grinned, the look that never seems to come across as anything less than a signal for your inevitable demise "well that's simple, he's your problem, not mine and besides" Kisame turned to Itachi "I'm interested to see what kind of terror he'll become by the time he decides to come after you".

Itachi added nothing further to that topic "come now, we must be going" with that Itachi turned to leave. Sasuke's Sharingan widening in pure and utter panic.

Kisame shrugged and went to lift Naruto off the ground by Samahada but failed to do so, it felt like the boy had suddenly put on a few dozen boulders worth of weight. Everyone looked down and to everyone's shock they saw the floor was turning into a fleshy sponge that was swallowing the Jinchurriki, Kisame frowned and attempted harder to pull the boy out.

Kisame was about to attempt real hard but was halted by Itachi "don't Kisame! we can't afford to injure him, we need him alive".

Kisame frowned knowing what this meant but grinned anyway as he willed Samahada to let go "heh, seems you're a pair of lucky little bastards" commented Kisame looking at both Sasuke and Naruto while skipping backwards before turning around and chasing after the fleeing Itachi.

When both fell out of sight Sasuke all but collapsed to his knees, his forehead to the floor not caring that it wasn't even ground anymore, his breaths coming in and out with broken shudders. The reality of what transpired slowly beginning to dawn on him and now feeling more tired than he has in a real long time. Suddenly the fleshy ground was gone, replaced with grass and cool air, he looked up and saw his Grandfather looking down at him, his face stern and his eyes equally so, unjudging but looking like they made a decision that Sasuke couldn't quite figure out.

"Catch your breath," softly said Hirofumi.

So Sasuke did, the exhaustion he felt seemed to follow him even here it seems, he felt so...drained, in every way possible. In what felt like a few minutes he felt ready for whatever it was Hirofumi had to say to him and he seemed to notice he was ready. So Sasuke was now sat waiting for it.

Hirofumi stared Sasuke dead in the eyes "go home".

Those two words made Sasuke flinch back "w-what?" he sputtered.

Hirofumi sighed "you've been shaken".

"I'm fine" Sasuke insisted.

Hirofumi grunted dismissively "Nobody who says they're fine after something like that is fine"

Sasuke scowled, jaw clenching "I can go on!" he insisted.

Hiro's eyes showed no room for debate as much as words came to "no, you really cannot".

Sasuke wanted to keep insisting he was fine, but...he just couldn't seem to muster the will to do so, he thought of Hinata, he did, her alone back at Konoha in a hospital bed waiting for them all to come back and fix her broken heart but even that was being drained of its place. Right now there was only one thing weighing on his mind, Itachi and that crimson night.

Seeing him again, feeling his presence, hearing his voice, being abused by him again stirred old feelings that Sasuke hadn't truly realized had somewhat settled and cooled over the years. He hadn't gotten over the death of his family not by any means but now he saw in himself that during all these years of peace he had been able to make room in himself for other things besides his past. With Itachi's sudden humiliating resurgence into his life, he finds his mind overflowing with thoughts of the elder Uchiha the likes of which he hasn't experienced since the early day of the massacre.

Sasuke's fingers wormed into the grass before him, snapping into clenched fists, ripping grass from the dirt as the Uchiha began to tremble, his eyes trying to beat back tears, his bottom lip quivering as he felt a pit form in his stomach. Sasuke fought with all his might to try and speak with some semblance of dignity "h-he's...he's in m-my head again, gramps, he's a-all I can think a-about!" the pathic look of hopelessness began to mix in with rage as he next spoke "AGAIN! AHHHHH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, ripping grass from the ground slamming his hand back down furiously before weeping broke out.

Sasuke felt for the second time that day being pulled into a warm embrace by the ghost, patting his back and rubbing his head "go home, this ain't a war Sasuke, you don't need to push yourself to the breaking point for this, you need time, safety and familiar surroundings right now, it's ok, I know you want to be here but right now young Shinobi. You ain't fit for duty" said the ghost, now with both his hands firmly placed on the boy's slouched shoulders.

Sasuke stumbled to respond, his last ember of defiance growing cold "b-but Hinata, Naruto and Saku-"

"You know they'll understand" he did know, with that Sasuke had nothing else left to argue with, his head bowed, his thoughts turning on himself yet again for his weakness. "Listen" softly demanded the ghost as he sensed Sasuke's mind turning to poison itself "I've seen even the strongest crumble under the weight of their losses but I've also seen them pick themselves back up, some even from beyond the brink, a deep and open wound cannot begin to heal unless it is given the time and attention to be sewn shut".

The boy swallowed his pride, removed what was left of his mask of strength and bowed his head in defeat to the care of the spirit "I-I'll go home".

Hirofumi smiled soft and pleased by his Grandson's willing acceptance of his best intentions "good".

When Sasuke came back to the real world things had changed, the hallway was back to normal though still damaged, Neji was back and Jiraiya was present currently trying to help bring Naruto back around from the multiple concussions he seemed to have suffered. Sasuke switched his attention back over to Neji who looked cross, Sasuke could see he probably wanted nothing more than to get back at his brother. Sasuke could sympathise with that. Sasuke looked around and noticed Sakura wasn't here and he felt worry bud within him and rushed to his feet with a stumble and worked his way over to the room she was supposed to be in.

He saw her and an orange and black toad crumpled on the floor, kneeling beside her he felt she was in a Genjutsu and promptly broke it and then did the same for the toad. Sakura groaned as she came around, rubbing her hair and with what seemed like muscle memory straightened it back into place "w-what?" she mumbled out as she took back in her surroundings "Sasuke? When did you? Naruto, the door, two men" then she gasped "NARUTO!". She seemed ready to start running before Sasuke grabbed her wrist halting her.

"It's ok they didn't get him" said Sasuke low, still gazing at where she had been.

Relief washed over her "oh, thank god" she settled back down, memories returning with increasing clarity before one detail returned, she wound up wording it without thought "Itachi". She internally kicked herself the moment she realized what she said when she noticed Sasuke vividly tense all over. She scrambled for an apology but was halted by Sasuke.

"It's ok" he said weakly, there was a silence that soon followed this some more clearly needing to be said but Sasuke needing time to say it "I'm going back to Konoha".

Sakura was silent for a moment as she processed this news, Sasuke was worried she may call him a coward like she did back in the forest of death. Sakura simply did two things nod and say "ok, I understand".

Sasuke too didn't do much in response "thank you" he said bowing his head before standing and leaving the room to go tell the others. Once he told everyone else Sasuke asked to be alone with Naruto for a moment, who was sitting against one of the walls trying to regain his strength. "I'm sorry" said Sasuke "I'm pathetic".

Naruto looked at him with a blank look like he was an idiot, the Uzumaki picked up a piece of rubble and without explanation threw it at Sasuke's face, it jounced of his headband with a ding! and the Uchiha only looked surprised and then mad, his eyes shouting for an explanation. "Say you're pathetic again and next time it'll but a shuriken! Ya got that idiot!"

Sasuke scowled "well I am p-" he stopped short as a shuriken instantly found it's way into Naruto's fingers, blue promising, the Uchiha dared not challenge Naruto's word, he knew the blonde never made threats he was too afraid to keep.

Naruto lowered the throwing star and looked off to the side "listen I don't know, not really, what it is you're going through right now, well maybe something of an idea at the moment but, well, what I'm trying to say is that, well that guy has left an impact on you and I'm guessing seeing him again has made it all feel fresh again. Ya know every once and a while I think about Orochimaru".

Sasuke lifted his head in interest at this change of topics "you do?".

"Yeah, I think of how maybe I could have done something to stop him from killing the old man, I blame him but sometimes I blame me, I know I shouldn't but I just can't help thinking maybe I could've done something" Naruto curled his knees to his chest, his eyes dimming "I bet that's a feeling shared by a lot of people back home".

"Yeah" Sasuke said low.

Naruto's brow creased with intensity "I imagine if I see Orochimaru again I'll be furious but he didn't take everything away from me, not like Itachi did for you, so what I'm saying is that I get it because I don't get it, heh! ya know, if that makes any sense?" admitted Naruto, sheepishly grinning.

It was all enough to make Sasuke smile "yeah, I get it".

Within a short five minutes, Sasuke was bidding everyone a clipped farewell and making his way back home to Konoha. Naruto was worried, this was perhaps gonna be the first time he'd be disconnected from Sasuke, the seal him and the Uchiha share linking them to the garden would be out of range for the Uchiha so he'd be without them for the time this mission lasts. But Hirofumi did say Sasuke needed this time and Naruto was inclined to agree.

Naruto wanted to be there for Sasuke but right now Hinata needed Tsunade, the village needed a new Hokage and Naruto knew Sasuke would never forgive him if he bailed on such priorities just because of him. "Well, I guess it's just you, me and Kurama eh gramps?"

"So it would seem"

A day or so passed and the group moved on, finding themselves in a town situated in what seemed to once upon a time be a quarry. A festival looked to be taking place within the town and despite all that transpired not too long ago, Jiraiya suggested that everyone go have some fun while he went to gather information on Tsunade's potential whereabouts. The group required quite a bit of insisting from the Sannin to loosen up, eventually, the toad sage whipped out a fat purse and stuffed a few small handfuls of notes in each of their hands and told them he didn't want to see them until that was all gone and they came back in better moods.

Jiraiya wept at having given away his money just like that.

Though the Sannin's generosity was not in vain as an hour or so into there forced venture for fun the three Genin started actually having fun, competing to see who could scoop out the most gold fist, see who could score the highest on precision target games all before stuffing themselves on all sorts of food and passing out back at the small hotel.

The next day when everyone woke up they were informed by the toad sage that he has no leads yet, so they were free to do as they wished with the day until then. Neji said he was going to train in the nearby woodlands, Sakura wasn't still in any state to train so she said she'd remain here and study up on medical remedies. Naruto like Neji said he'd go up into the woods to further hone the Rasengan, the Uzumaki hoping to regain that moment back during the fight with Garra where he did it one-handed, ever since then he's been unable to do it at will.

So here Naruto was, completely alone, well sort of "hey Gramps want to come out?".

"Yeah sure, seems like we're alone, and should be out of the young Hyuga's current range so go on then".

Naruto gathered about two tails worth of chakra and then performed the Spirit Clone Jutsu and in a burst of smoke stood Hirofumi, it always surprised Naruto to see his grandfather in the daylight, it made him look so different, giving him a sort of otherworldly glow, and when it caught his odd golden rimmed brown eyes it gave them quite the intensity Naruto noted. The Uzumaki was so used to seeing him in the cool calming varyingly sourced light of the Garden not like this, it was clear to him that this was going to take some getting use to but he was confident he would soon get over it.

Hirofumi looked up and squinted when the sun slipped through the tree leaves and directly glared into his eyes, he chuckled to Naruto's brief surprise "I forgot how much the suns glare can sting, but it's nice to have a moment to appreciate its beauty like this again".

Naruto fidgeted awkwardly at hearing that "being dead must mean you miss a lot about being alive huh?" he asked, unsure whether or not Hiro would be ok with him asking.

"hehe, yeah, indeed I do" to Naruto's relief he seemed quite ok talking about it.

"What do you miss most?"

Hirofumi looked at Naruto with an eyebrow arched in ponder "hmm, let's see, food, haven't had a decent meal in forever if not food I'd say sensation while I stand here in the living world, as a ghost I can feel but not when I'm in this vessel. A pity I would love to feel the sun on my skin and truly smell the air". Naruto couldn't help feeling a little bad for hearing that and Hirofumi didn't miss that look of guilt that crossed Naruto's face "it's ok Naruto, I'm alright as I am, it's more than I honestly could have asked for".

A grin returned onto Naruto's face, the Uzumaki could always tell that he was being sincere and not just trying to spare his feelings "heh, well you're welcome for my awesome gift old man!".

Hirofumi smirked at the unhumbled recovery "honestly Naruto you're such a yoyo sometimes, anyway aren't you here to perfect your Rasengan?" Naruto stiffened, seeming to have briefly forgotten. Hirofumi folded his arms and growled lowly in disappointment "hop to it then!". An hour or so passed with seemingly little progress and the Uzumaki growled and blustered in frustration while Hirofumi watch from a tree stump of to the side, finding the whole show incredibly entertaining to watch.

"AHHHH! COME ON YOUR STUPID BALL FORM! FOR GOD SAKES!" screamed the Uzumaki at the whirling tornado of energy hovering over his palm, performing tumbling circles, collecting into a sphere before promptly dissipating apart them repeating. Sweat was pouring down the boy's face and veins bulged on the sides of his head and his eyes, so wide and glowering that they seemed ready to pop out of his head. A minute or so later the blue chakra ceased one more time to form a ball but this time did so in a violent eruption that blasted Naruto back.

The boy screamed as he was soaring but found himself softly saved from meeting any ridged stop by his grandfather who caught him "you alright?" asked Hirofumi as he took Naruto's right hand to inspect.

"Yeah I think" said the Uzumaki rubbing his blonde mopped head.

"Hmm" said Hirofumi as he noted the chakra burns on the boy's palm but didn't see it as anything to worry about, especially for someone of Naruto's calibre of regeneration "yeah you're right you're fine, you're up to keep going?".

Naruto didn't answer right away, his face the image of frustration "I don't know why I'm not making any progress; I can make the Rasengan easy with two hands! why can't I do it even a little with one?".

Hirofumi lowered himself into a seated position on the ground, one arm perched on his leg to rest his chin "difficult to say, the method for forming a Rasengan if I'm correct is rotation and power, mix them and you should have a Rasengan, simple in theory but in the same way as trying to shovel water out of a sinking boat with only one bucket".

Suddenly an idea struck the Uzumaki, it felt a bit lame but he was lost and he really needed to get this down fast, especially after the encounter with Itachi. "Hey, graaaaamps" Hirofumi turned his attention to Naruto who was grinning bashfully "what if you learned the Rasengan?".

Now Hirofumi was arching a questioning eyebrow as to why he would want him to do that.

Naruto grinned sheepishly "well you're like really good at this stuff, aren't you? You were always good at explaining the Ninjutsus you taught to both me and Sasuke growing up and I figure that's because you know them yourself and therefore have insight in how they work, if you tried learning the Rasengan I'm just thinking you might be able to figure out what it is I'm missing maybe". Naruto felt lame asking for help like this, during his training with Jiraiya the guy would leave him alone telling him to do it himself only coming back to occasionally refresh him with something of an explanatory demonstration. Now he was hoping with his grandfather if he learns it he might be able to give him some insight that the sage might not have thought important but could be key to Naruto mastering the Rasengan completely.

Hirofumi, in Naruto's eyes, was a master when it came to teaching him, even from day one, he always seemed to know how to explain things in a way Naruto could grasp, knowing what details seemed to be key for Naruto to fully comprehend whatever subject was being taught to him. Even when he was teaching both he and Sasuke at the same time he never seemed to have to split his attention between them.

Hirofumi leaned back on one hand "are you sure? You've been doing well learning this solo".

Naruto nodded firmly "after meeting Itachi and what happened to the village I don't think I can afford not having this fully mastered gramps, so please" his tone gaining a pleading edge "help me".

Hiro sighed "very well" with that he lifted out his right hand with the palm open skyward "I have chakra that rotates to the right just so you know" commented Hirofumi with a smile, for some reason that made Naruto grin. Hirofumi's eyes sharpened with focus and Naruto nudged back as he watched his gramps attempt to form a Rasengan.

Naruto arched an eyebrow as he lifted up two scrolls which he filled with balloons, water balloons and rubber balls "hey don't-".

"It's fine, besides would I be worthy as your elder if I couldn't do the beginners parts without aid, now let me concentrate" with that Naruto stayed silent and just watched. He watched wisps of silvery chakra begin to circle over Hirofumi's palm, he saw it picking up speed and density, he could hear the air beginning to whistle as the Rasengan began to form over Hiro's hand until a ball three times bigger than a water balloon was formed. It was a Rasengan but it was imperfect, not concentrated enough, more like a chakra balloon at the moment but it was none the less amazing for Naruto to witness.

The boy looked at it with wide-eyed awe at the silver sudo-rasengan "no way, he really just made that on his first go!? I always knew gramps was good at Ninjutsu but not that good!" Naruto then scowled at his gramps with suspicion.

Hirofumi turned to his grandson when he felt the sensation of a hole being burned into the side of his head "what?".

"Did you copy the Rasengan?".

Hirofumi internally smirked, oh he sees what Naruto was saying "yes" he said blankly and relished the sour and accusing eruption about to come out of the boy "just like you did" that hit Naruto like a flash freeze, leaving him seemingly frozen on the edge of outrage. Hirofumi smirked pure smug arrogance "that's right boy I didn't use my Sharingan! I'm just that good it seems! Hahaha!".

Naruto was seething, his face red and steaming, his teeth gritting. This would yeah save a lot of time but come on it took him like nearly a whole month to get that far, training himself to exhaustion day after day trying to learn and just watching his gramps, chilling there only to outstretch his arm and attain the same accomplishment with little to no effort at all. It was infuriating, he couldn't hold the noise that left his mouth.

That noise instantly caught Hirofumi's attention "oh? I see you are annoyed by this then huh?" commented Hiro looking between the whistling sudo-sengan and the blonde "it's understandable, you worked hard to get this far but know this Naruto, you aren't the only one who worked hard to get where they are". That seemed to rub a bit of the sulking off the Uzumaki's face in place of curiosity. "I think I'm just simply more honed in areas of raw skill that best help in the moulding of this Jutsu, don't forget Naruto I'm much older than you, your friends and the Sannin all combined, so, it's natural I'd have a bit of an edge over you".

Hearing that now made it hard to disagree, not that he was really looking, Naruto unfolded his arms and slouched "yeah, I guess you have a point".

Hirofumi smiled "I'm glad you understand, now! Let's see if I can't figure out how to concentrate this" with that said Hiro narrowed his eyes on the ball, picturing it three times smaller and much denser, he held firm to that image and willed for the spiralling energy inside to come closer together, imagining every spinning ring of energy making the ball up as a noose or knot that needed tightening. Ever so gradually the ball shrank, Hirofumi's hand trembling to keep the Rasengan in a balance between being afloat and anchored down. Naruto continued to watch with amazement as the Sudo-Rasengan shrank and shrank until it was what it was supposed to be, a perfect Rasengan.

"Wow" was all Naruto could think to say at seeing it, the silver no longer transparent in the least.

Hirofumi rubbed his chin as he felt the Rasengan, he had little difficulty making it, it seems, it really was a simple Jutsu once you knew the theory behind it so why was Naruto having such difficulty on the final step? Hiro felt the answer was simple and probably right in front of him, with Naruto, the problem was never really in the big details but in the tiny ones no one ever thinks should be problems in the first place, though as Naruto was getting older, he was slowly starting to get over that.

Hirofumi reflected on Naruto's practice till this point in the day, he was having trouble forming the Sudo form one-handed so that needed to be tackled, but then focusing it would probably come naturally afterwards. From what Hiro could assess the problem was simple, Naruto's biggest and oldest flaw "chakra control" announced Hirofumi.

Naruto looked at him dumbly "huh?" slowly the gears began to turn "w-what!?" he shot up onto his feet "you serious!? That's it!?" he shouted so loud, some birds up in the trees flew off in fright.

Hiro nodded "yeah, chakra control, this Jutsu is simple in its design it just demands a high chakra quantity and mastery over that power, it's a Jutsu of power and control of that power, if you lack on either side its fails" Hirofumi stood up and brought the Rasengan down to eye level for Naruto to have a good look at "it's a Jutsu of perfect balance, simple as that".

Naruto felt like he could stare at that rotating sphere of silver energy all day, for Naruto it was quite beautiful to look at but he didn't want to be looking at his Gramp's all day no he wanted to be looking at his own. Naruto turned his blue eyes up at Hirofumi "so, if I want to form my own I need to master chakra huh?" Hiro nodded "that simple?".

"Well practise makes perfect but I do believe it'll give you the strength in the area I believe you are lacking to make it real" Hiro waved around the Rasengan "hell I think this thing is a chakra control exercise all in itself, once you can start forming these single handily that is".

Now Naruto was beginning to grin with newly restored confidence "whoo, yes! I knew I could count on you gramps, you're the best!" he shouted jumping up and down.

Hirofumi smiled at the childish praise "I know I am" he admitted with no hesitation before finally letting the Rasengan dissipate and rubbing his chin with his newly freed hand "now what exercise could give you the refinement you need but is within your skill range". Hirofumi stood silent for a few seconds before straightening up and snapping his fingers "got it! The Fuma Leaf Exercise" announced Hiro before he jumped up, retrieving four leaves from a tree.

Naruto arched his eyebrow "Fuma Leaf Exercise? What's that?"

Hirofumi smiled "a simple exercise really, invented by the Fuma clan some two hundred years ago, not widely known really but it was invented with the purpose of not just sharpening one's control over their chakra but their ability to focus, you can think of it as a variant of the leaf exercise but vastly more difficult. The Fuma clan as you can imagine were big on range weapons, anything that could enhance their focus on targeting at a range was key to their training".

Naruto found that kind of interesting, he didn't like the Leaf Exercise, especially after mastering wall and water walking, he imagined he wasn't gonna like this one much either but right now he had a goal, this was just a means to end and he will succeed. "ok so how does it work?".

"Lift your headband up and keep your hair off your forehead" instructed Hiro and Naruto did, his plate now pointing skyward "now I am gonna place these on your forehead, one pointing to the sky, one to the earth, one to the east and one to the west now your job is to keep them all on your forehead, not a single one can drop or fall out of alignment, it must be like the shuriken, got that?".

Naruto nodded firmly

"Ok here we go" so Hiro as he placed the four leaves on his forehead.

Naruto knew the moment he placed them on that this was gonna take time.

End of Chapter

So I thought I'd leave this until the chapter is over for those of you willing to stick around and hear my words, I just want to say thank you to those who don't just only read my chapters but leave comments letting me know you enjoy what I'm putting out. I don't get paid to make fanfiction but that would be a dream job, so really this thing runs on pure motivation and passion that your comments really help provide.

So thanks to those of you who give that little bit extra time and love to this fic.