Chapter 26: The Long History Of Seals

AN: This chapter mostly covers Naruto and Sakura's training under Miniko's ever-watchful gaze. It is also a good way to better flesh out the history of seals and to better explain the complexity of making them. Something I always felt should've been covered in the shows seeing as seals are used fairly frequently in the shows. Having read 100's of stories that has Naruto be a seal master that seem to just do the same old thing I feel like this could be a nice way to add to the lore of the world.

AN2: I'm going to try to make this one a bit longer than my norm as I want to push this story along some more. As always I hope you enjoy the chapter.

AN3: Ok so after nearly 30 chapters I have given Ino's mother a name. It means light or brightness in Japanese. Something I feel fits with the mother of a girl who works with flowers on her off-hours.

Over the past few days, both Naruto and Sakura could be seen sitting inside a small windowless room filled with ageless books and piles of parchment and bottles of ink. The room was lit by a set of three small lights overhead that was connected to a small rotary fan that spun slowly making the room at least somewhat more bearable to the two kids that had sat inside the room for hours already. The fact his pink-haired teammate had joined him in his seal training had initially surprised the boy but his grandfather had told him of her request to undergo training alongside himself, a fact he could honestly respect. He was still a bit upset at the fact his own grandfather, something he was still getting use to saying in regards to the older blonde had kept the fact he had family away from him. But after some deep thought on the matter, he guessed he could understand the man's reasons somewhat. His father was a man that many nations still hated even after 13 years and the fact he had bore a son to continue on in his name would've likely seen the number of attacks on his life jump up immensely. So, in the end, he guessed anything that could aid him in fighting back against his father's old enemies, namely the Hidden Stone and Hidden Cloud villages was something he needed to take full use of. For most of his life, he had just guessed that the village had given him the name because he was clearly not a mind walker like Ino-chan or Inoichi-san. But now he knew better. He was the son of the fourth Hokage. A fact he felt needed to be respected and in his mind, the best way to go about doing that was by being the best he could possibly be in all fields of the ninja arts. That was his nindu, his ninja way.

"Good Naruto-kun you're getting much better but that line there is incomplete and that part of the seal matrix is just flat-out wrong. No way would it hold the chakra needed to work. Start again and try to correct said mistakes". Miniko said as he walked past his grandson and over to his teammate. Looking over her work he could see she had the basic idea down but understanding the theoretical theories behind seals and actually applying said knowledge to a real-life seal was something else altogether. She was likely weeks away from even being allowed to make even the most rudimentary of seals. Even so, the fact she was this far was telling. If it wasn't for the fact he knew of her clan name and birth records he would've guessed she was a missing Uzumaki clan member that had been taken in by the Haruno clan.

A few minutes later Naruto handed him his newest seal with no small amount of gusto. Looking it over he could tell it was useable but it was far from the best thing he had seen. It would need far more chakra then such a seal of such low level should ever realistically require but for a few months tutelage in the ageless art-form, such skills were understandable he guessed.

"It works Naruto-kun but I think you may want to reread the chapter on in/out gates...again. It may also do you well to read about multipliers and the number a seal of this level needs. Contrary to popular belief adding more chakra to a seal doesn't necessarily make it more powerful. In fact, it has the opposite effect in most cases and that is if the thing works at all. This is passable but far from what one should be handing in Naruto-kun with the sort of gusto you just did". Miniko said as he gave it back to the boy who seemed somewhat upset at the man's words. But just as fast his face turned from mild disappointment to stoneface seriousness in an instant. For but a second Miniko was taken aback at the boys expression. He looked so much like his father had at his age. He looked so much like his Minato-kun. But he pushed past that and waited for what had made his Naruto-kun look so serious.

"How much longer until we try...that thing"? Naruto asked softly so as to ensure Sakura didn't overhear the inquiry. Miniko at once knew what he was asking and as much as he wanted to unseal his son from the scroll that sat inside that house that housed that long hallway of doors now just wasn't the time.

"Weeks yet my boy. Your skills in the art-form are far from adequate for the task necessary. You have a ways to go yet before we should even think of such a thing". Miniko answered before returning his gaze upon Sakura's own parchment.

"No Sakura-chan that is wrong. You're thinking of his son's contribution to seals and their overall construction. The right answer to that is his father Lord Hiroshi Eto in 1241, and not 1244 otherwise you look good so far on your understanding on the history of seals and their masters". Miniko said making her smile at the man's words.

"How do you know so much Miniko-sensei"? Sakura asked turning to face the skilled seal master. Her green eyes meeting his own blue.

"Our clan has or had a fairly sizeable list of books. Much of that were on seals and their history. The oldest seals even predate the use of chakra and needed a living sacrifice to enact. Nowadays of course ink has long since replaced the use of blood as the means of making them which I think we can all agree is a far better thing". Miniko said as he could tell his answer had shocked the two genin. He couldn't rightly blame them either, after all, he too was taken aback at the revelation that seals of ages past had used blood and human life to enact their powers. The pair soon returning to their tasks. One making the most basic of seals while the other was busy reading over the insanely long storied history of the art-form.

Ino meanwhile wasn't idle as she too took to her own training with gusto. Inoichi making sure she had the skills to safely walk the minds of any living creature. A fact he was happy to see as she had been falling behind others of her age group. As the next clan head, such a thing was simply unacceptable. She had been at this for hours and it showed with the copious amounts of sweat that was falling slowly down her face and onto the wooden floor below. Yet her eyes were locked on the small bird flying in small figure eights.

"Good Ino-chan it looks like you can take over birds now. But you're still a ways off yet from being able to do the same to a human". Inoichi said as he watched as she released the bird from her mental jutsu. Taken a few long sizable gulps of water from her water bottle Ino eyed her father with a look he had only seen on her mother's face back when she was a ninja. Before the fox had seen to it her life as a ninja was over and the life of a model housewife was her future.

"Daddy, can I go see Naruto-kun today"? Ino asked after regained her breath. The training taken far more out of her then she had first guessed.

"Sadly no both Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan are busy today. It's unlikely your see him until around the Chunin Exams". Inoichi said to which her ears twitched at the words chunin exams.

"Chunin Exams...what's that daddy"? She asked her father. it was times like this that he had to remind himself that she was still just a thirteen-year-old girl who knew little of the world and the goings-on inside it.

"As the name implies my dear flower, it's the next step in a ninjas career. It's a set of tests that will see you likely kill for the first time if you hadn't already. It is extremely dangerous and can only be attempted if you're Jounin instructor believes that you are ready for the exams or until you have been a Genin for two full years. Guy-san's team is likely to take part but I have yet to hear anything about if his team is, in fact, doing so this year". Inoichi said already seeing her gears in her head spinning.

"Do you think Naruto-kun's team will be in it"? She asked finding the idea he wouldn't nonsensical. He was Naruto-kun he would be upset if he missed such a thing.

"I don't know it's possible...I guess but Kakashi-san has yet to say anything about doing so. Sasuke likely could be ready maybe even Naruto but Sakura-chan is the deciding factor. If he feels she isn't ready then the answer is no". Inoichi said before the call to enter the house could be heard.

"Come on it's time to eat". Inoichi said as the two walked inside to enjoy another meal made by his beloved wife Akari Yamanaka.