Chapter Fifteen

Konohagakure

Jiraiya wasted no time running off to the hot springs while Shikaku lazily walked out of the office. The Hokage, having just taken down the extra privacy seals, was about to smoke some extra while there were no new papers to look at. He was just about to light his pipe when a messenger burst in.

"Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen winced at the man's tone, no doubt bringing bad news. He pinched the bridge of his nose before exhaling. "Yes, what is it?"

"There are two people claiming to be Hyuuga Hinata and Fujino Natsuki. They are at the interrogation cells."

"INTERROGATION CELLS?!" The Hokage exploded. "Who the hell decided to chuck them there?!" Hiruzen was already outside the building as he finished screaming. The messenger was rooted to the spot, too shocked by the old man's outburst.

Civilians and shinobi alike gave way as an irate Hokage stomped his way angrily towards the T&I building, all while muttering, "If they find out, this will cause a great political scandal. The fools. Who on earth thought it would be a great idea to place the heiress there?! Even if she was an impostor."

Scene Break

Uzushiogakure Ruins

As soon as the Hokage's meeting with Jiraiya and Shikaku ended, the ghost that was spying immediately headed to report to Naruto, who was training Karin at the moment.

"What are you going to do about it, then?" Karin asked after Naruto told her of the news.

"Heh." Shrugged Naruto. "They can take credit all they like. I'll just tell the citizens of Wave not to deny or agree with Konoha's claims."

"But won't it make the Leaf look too strong?"

"Exactly." Naruto replied, grinning.

"I don't understand."

"Their rival villages, especially Iwa and Kumo, will try to match the strength they are trying to display. Once they acquire the power to attack Konoha, it will be an overkill."

Karin nodded in understanding and decided to resume her training. After some concentration, several chakra chains burst from her body and speared several rocks.

Meanwhile, Naruto looked contemplative. He wanted to participate in the coming chuunin exams to tempt Iwa into joining the event, despite its recent losses. His only problem was the lack of a third member, and an acting sensei. Yugito was not an option, as she was the key to creating a rift between Kumo and Iwa. Secondly, it would only cause the Raikage and all of Kumo's resources to go after them. He could not pull someone from his Shadows in Kiri and Konoha either, as it would be simply too foolish.

Suddenly, numerous dark chains erupted from his body, impaling a huge rock nearby Karin's practice targets, startling the girl.

Karin looked at him in awe as the huge rock broke down into smaller pieces. The chains then caught the debris and crushed it into powder.

"Now that you got the speed down," began Naruto as he pointed at the girl's rocks which had numerous holes. "I want you to work on its strength. After a month I'm going to make you spar against Yugito in her tailed beast form."

Yugito, who was also training not too far away, of course heard him with her enhanced senses. She appeared beside Karin in a burst of blue flames. "You called for me?"

Naruto smirked. "I told Karin to work on her chains' strength. You will be fighting against her in your tailed beast form a month after."

"But… but…" Stammered the younger girl.

Naruto interrupted. "Karin, you will be in charge of capturing Shukaku. If you can at least hold your ground against Matatabi, then you will have no problems with the tanuki. The container's off his rocker by the way. So you should be prepared."

"Do you really think I could do it?" Mumbled Karin, her head bowed.

The boy lifted the girl's chin gently so he could look into her eyes. "You're an Uzumaki, aren't you? You can do it." Naruto gave her a kind smile, something he rarely gave these days.

"Y-yes… yes, of course." Face flushed, Karin stuttered out.

Naruto ignored the heated look Yugito sent towards Karin. "Good. I'm heading out."

"Where are you going?"

"Looking for more Uzumakis. Karin and I can't just join the chuunin exams without a third and fourth member."

"Why don't you just include me on your team?" Huffed the Nibi Jinchuuriki.

Naruto sighed. "Yugito, I already discussed this with you. You have a different task to do in Earth Country."

Yugito pouted before averting her gaze and chose to glare at Karin instead. Naruto rolled his eyes before walking towards a shadow and reappeared somewhere else.

"I just know an incoming bitch fight when I sense one." The Kyuubi informed Naruto as he extended his senses and tried to feel for an Uzumaki chakra. "Yugito's so protective of you like a momma cat. Karin's just too shy to admit her obvious feelings but is fierce. Once she gets around, they will be amusing to watch."

"Kurama, I'm too young to be worrying about girls anyway." Naruto replied before shadow travelling and appearing nearby a cliff.

The beast scoffed. "You're literally resurrecting the Uzumaki Clan, but eventually, you too will have to start your own family."

Naruto sighed in exasperation before once again extending his senses. "Oh, that was fast."

"What?" Confused, the fox asked.

"I found one. A female. Her life force is rather small but fluctuating. Either she's old or she's got a unique ability." Naruto replied aloud as he surveyed the mountain opposite the cliff he was standing on. At the bottom was a small town. There were about forty buildings.

"Naruto!" Kurama shouted urgently. "There's someone else not too far who contains my chakra! I want it back!"

"Oh? Interesting. How is that even possible?"

"Look up there! I can sense it! Kill its container, I want it back!" The Kyuubi raged.

Naruto's gaze returned to the mountain and higher, until he saw a building and realized it was a temple. The last time the great fox that was sealed inside him became enraged was almost seven years ago, back when the Lawliets tried to kill Naruto.

The boy sighed as he began his hike. The other Uzumaki would have to wait. He would deal with this kyuubi jinchuuriki pretender first.

Scene Break

Back at Konoha, the Hokage ordered the immediate release of one Hyuuga Hinata once he arrived at the building. He saw the truth of the girl's claims by simply asking her to activate her Byakugan.

Natsuki, on the other hand, was given to Inoichi to get her mind scanned.

"How did it go?" The Hokage asked as the Yamanaka opened his eyes and released his hold on the girl.

"She's who she says she is. During the ambush, I found out that Natsuki here substituted herself. She wasn't the original target but the bridge builder."

"Perhaps I could blackmail Tazuna and make him agree to tell everyone in Wave that is was Konoha who saved them." Thought Hiruzen. "What else?"

"Their attackers were indeed Zabuza Momochi and an unknown accomplice. After that she woke up and found herself in a cabin. The Hyuuga Heiress was with her, and they were not bound. Upon exiting the cabin, they found themselves to be on a warship."

"A warship?"

"Indeed, Hokage-sama. The warship looked old, like the ones used before the Second Shinobi War. It was manned by only a few people. A person who calls himself Naruto Uzumaki informed the girls that it was him who saved them from the nuke-nin."

The Hokage took a sharp intake of breath. "Was it really him?"

"He had yellow-orange hair that reached his shoulders. Had blue eyes and whisker marks. His other facial features were a combination of Yondaime-sama and Kushina Uzumaki. About his hair getting a darker shade to orange, I suppose it could be his Uzumaki genes becoming more active as he ages. I do believe it really was him, Naruto Uzumaki, or Naruto Namikaze."

Sarutobi was silent as he mulled things to himself. After a while, he asked another question. "The ship… the boy couldn't have manned it by himself alone. He's got to have companions. Did you recognize them?"

"Ah, that. From what I could count from the girl's memories, there were four other people. They all wore old-fashioned battle armors. Hinata was always with her and they did not explore the ship, so there could have been more. Another thing worth mentioning is that they all had red hair. I have an idea who they could be but I'm not so sure… I mean, they're dead."

"It's them. There were survivors. And they found Naruto…" The Hokage said more to himself.

"My assumptions could be wrong. Who do you think these people were?"

"I'm going to have to talk to Jiraiya and Shikaku again regarding this." Hiruzen sighed before answering. "The Uzumaki."

Scene Break

Naruto waited until nightfall before he made his move. He spent his afternoon observing the boy, Sora, who always had his arms covered. But Kurama sensed its chakra was sealed in the boy's right arm. Naruto found it odd that is was sealed there when commonly it was contained in a person's stomach.

He decided to give the boy a chance. If he cooperated and allowed Naruto to extract the Kyuubi chakra from his arm, then he would be spared. While he was a fake jinchuuriki as he only contained a portion of the fox's chakra, Naruto still felt pity on him, if only a bit. He saw how the monks would glare and keep their distance from him. It was like him back in Konoha. Funnily enough, Naruto later found that he was at the Fire Temple.

Naruto slowly crept near as the moon gave light to the night. It was a good thing that Sora trained by himself. It was time. He would give the boy only one chance. He had no connection with him after all. Naruto only held the Uzumaki dear, as well as the people who were kind to him when he was younger.

He was about to make his presence known to the boy when a monk, probably the head, Naruto surmised, appeared in front of him.

"It's about time you showed yourself." The monk began. "I've been waiting for you. It was your dark aura that allowed me to sense you, but for some reason I could not pinpoint your exact whereabouts. Those who are able to hide like that are no doubt powerful."

"Step aside, monk. I have no business with you." Growled Naruto. He was frustrated for having been detected.

"I am Chiriku –"

"Head of the Fire Temple. Yeah, I know. You have something of mine. I came here to take it back. Step aside, now. I still have business to do after." Naruto ordered. He was getting riled up.

Chiriku glanced at Sora, who still haven't noticed them, before taking a fighting stance. "I'm afraid I cannot allow you."

"Tsk. If you really have a death wish then I shall grant it." Naruto stepped back into the shadows and vanished.

The moonlight became dim. The shadows all over the area elongated. Darkness slowly took over. A hundred shadow tendrils from multiple directions shot towards the monk, who looked unfazed.

Chiriku radiated golden light. An avatar with many hands appeared and easily batted Naruto's attacks off. "It was very foolish of you to come here. We monks are blessed with the Light. You, of the Dark, shall be conquered."

Naruto ignored the taunt and remained in the shadows. The commotion did not escape Sora and was now aware of Chiriku's presence and the unknown enemy.

"Naruto. You're no match against him at the moment. You were able to defeat Jounin-level shinobi back then because you had the element of surprise. In this case, you do not have it. You cannot go into Tailed Beast Mode either, for I fear some unexpected effects, what with another container of the same demonic chakra present. Just grab the boy and get out of here." The Kyuubi advised.

"Damn it." Naruto cursed before this time, sending out several chakra chains from his body. His move momentarily shocked the monk, clearly recognizing it as one of the Uzumaki bloodlines. Chiriku's surprise gave Naruto the opportunity to shadow travel and reappear behind Sora, who he promptly grabbed.

They reappeared in a cave not too far from the mountain. Naruto dropped the struggling boy, hard.

"What the hell is going on? Who the hell are you? Where did you bring me?" Demanded Sora.

"You know, Naruto, had your mother didn't become the Shinigami's next host and I wasn't close to her, you would have grown up to be like him. A loudmouth and an idiot. You'd probably be screaming you'll become Hokage or something." Kurama commented as Naruto restrained the fake jinchuuriki.

"Then it's a great thing that was the case. I could not imagine myself becoming a leader of a village who hates my very existence."

"Alright, you shut up and listen. I have a very nice proposition for you."

Sora glared at him but went silent.

"Good. You're listening. I'm not sure if you know, but you have a demon essence sealed in your right arm." Naruto pointed at said arm. "You give me permission to extract it from you and I will return you to the temple shortly after. The other monks hate you, don't they? Once I remove that you will be welcomed by all. How's that sound?"

The monk in training immediately shouted his answer. "No! How do I know I could trust you anyway? You fought with Chiriku-sama and abducted me!"

Naruto snorted. "News flash, Sora. Yes, Sora, was it? Anyway, you really have no choice here. I could and I would extract it from you. I was just giving you the formality because I felt some pity for you."

He actually planned to spare the boy, but his encounter with the head monk made him angry. Naruto did not wait for Sora's response and summoned his bound weapon, Kagutsuchi, who took the form of a dagger. Naruto aimed for the boy's heart and drove his weapon there. He formed some hand seals and slightly opened the seal on his stomach, and began absorbing the malevolent chakra on Sora's arm.

Naruto watched distastefully as Sora's lifeless body fell. He picked it up and shadow travelled back to the mountain and reappeared at the temple's entrance. He threw the body against the iron gates, giving enough commotion to alert the monks inside.

He gave the corpse a blank look. "I did say I'm returning you to the temple. But I never said you were coming back alive."

With that parting note, he melded with the shadows and reappeared in the small town below.

"I'll leave these monks in peace as long as they do not pursue me and keep today's events to themselves." The case with Sora was unexpected. He had no intentions of killing the monks. Their deaths will only draw attention towards him, and he could not afford that. Not when his plans were only starting to unfurl.

Scene Break

"I apologize for your sudden deaths. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not sorry at all."

Fuuka stared at her companions' corpses, and then at their killer. One moment they were peacefully having their dinner and the next thing she knew, Furido, Fuen, and Fudo were lying in their own pools of blood. She glared hatefully at the man, no – boy, in front of him and took up his looks. He had dark orange hair that touched his shoulders, wore an-old fashioned grey armor, and carried a bloody scythe. The most prominent feature were the whisker-like marks on his cheeks. She took a deep breath and forced her mouth into a sweet smile.

"They are quite strong, you know? For you to dispose of them easily you must be very powerful. How about I reward you with a Kiss?"

"If you were younger, I might have considered your offer." Replied the boy.

Fuuka smirked. "Oh, so, do you like girls your age? You can have me you know, I have already developed assets."

"I commend you for even trying, but your attempts at seduction will never work on me. You're old enough to be my grandmother."

Fuuka's flirtatious smile vanished then and was replaced with a blank look.

"I know who you really are. I also know the true reason why you joined these now dead people."

"Then why did you kill them? How am I supposed to carry out my vengeance towards Konoha now?!" She screamed.

The boy remained calm before giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "My name is Naruto. I am the Heir of the Uzumaki Clan. I, too, desire the destruction of Konoha and avenging the clan. My plans however, are grander compared to yours, as it includes not just Konoha, but the four other greater hidden villages as well. I want you, Fuuka Uzumaki, to become a part of that plan."

Chapter Fifteen End