Chapter Six: Night before the Finals

With Naruto…

He was at his wits end. Everyday he would get called to the Hokage's office, everyday Sarutobi would try to convince him to stay after the exams. Jiraiya showed up at his apartment, followed him to the ramen bar, even to Hinata's place. Sarutobi ordered chunin, jonin, even a couple anbu to offer training to the former blond but Naruto rejected all their attempts. However the Hokage went a little too far when Naruto caught an Anbu after he snuck into his apartment to steal his mother's sword. Naruto sent him to the hospital with many second degree burns and a warning to other anbu not to make attempts like that again. Currently Naruto was flying high in the sky, watching over the village, taking notice of several shinobi watching him, most likely on the Hokage's orders.

"Father wanted me to be a living weapon, the ultimate shinobi. He ruined my life, hid everything about my mother, and basically tried to run my life from the grave. I should leave this village, never look back and take Hinata-chan with me"

"It is a good idea brat. Though the hokage would most likely pursue you to the ends of the Earth. After all you were meant to be Konoha's weapon"

"I know and these attempts to make me quit training to become a flame haze are getting harder to ignore. He's got shinobi trying to steal my mother's things now and that pervert Jiraiya is getting more serious about trying to train me"

"Your powers have really improved, you're still not on par with your mother but you are getting there. I'd say you're about a third in strength against her and that's against normal denizens. If someone like Hecate shows up you don't stand a chance"

"Then we'll up the training after the exams. I'll travel to Wave Country or Spring Country to escape Konoha. They'll keep me safe since I'm a national hero there"

Hyuga Estate… Hinata Hyuga

She had never seen Naruto like that, he was usually so happy and carefree but now… he had changed. This situation with the Hokage, his father and his mother was really getting to him. She told her father that Naruto may wish to leave Konoha after the finals; Hiashi gave her permission to pursue him as long as she did everything in her power to keep the clan secrets safe. She was also very careful outside of the compound, more then once she felt the eyes of Anbu black ops watching her. It seemed Naruto's condition as a future flame haze was a huge deal.

Looking at herself in the mirror she sighed and flipped off the light. Noticing how the Anbu outside her window leaped away to report in.

Hokage Tower… Sarutobi

"He's stilling refusing your training?" the Third asked in disbelief. "Yes, and I must say it was foolish of you to try and steal his mother's sword. Now he's even more determined to avoid me and anyone you send to offer training" Jiraiya voiced. "From what my Anbu tell me Naruto's powers have grown since I last saw him. He can fly for up to two hours now and can use his fire powers without the sword. Not to mention he has countless spells thanks to Margery's training" Sarutobi sighed. "None of the anbu have managed to find the chanter, she vanishes into thin air and leaves no trace" Jiraiya replied.

"Redouble your efforts, if he still refuses we may have to take drastic measures" Sarutobi voiced with a serious tone. "Like what? Memory seals to lock away everything he's learned? Imprison him until he chooses to be a shinobi? You can't just use force sensei" Jiraiya pointed out. "I may not have a choice, Kumo has two demon containers, so does Iwa and Mist has one, hell even Waterfall has one and all of them are under the rulers control. Konoha must have Naruto under control or we'll look weak, and we must ensure no one from the Akatsuki get a hold of Naruto. With the way he is he may willingly join them now that he knows just what the Kyuubi is" Sarutobi voiced.

Far From Konoha…

Nine figures appeared, each standing on the finger of a giant statue of a beast with nine eyes.

"Itachi Report" Pein spoke.

"Naruto Uzumaki has found his heritage. He is the son of Minato Namikaze the fourth hokage" Itachi replied.

"No shit? Damn just wait tell my old village finds out" Deidara smirked

"No, Iwa will not learn of this. We cannot allow the vessel to fall into another villages hands" Pein voiced, glaring at Deidara.

"Also it seems Naruto-kun has grown angry at the Third Hokage, it seems his mother was kept hidden from him and his father tuned him into a vessel in hope he would become the ultimate weapon for the village" Itachi reported.

"Interesting, just who was his mother?" Konan asked.

"Kushina Uzumaki and she was something called a Flame Haze" Itachi replied.

Pein and Konan seemed to go stiff, their eyes shifting to each other.

"A flame haze? You are certain" Pein asked.

"That's what the info suggests. He has been seen flying around Konoha with flaming wings" Itachi spoke.

"Continue surveillance on him, report any finds directly to me" Pein ordered as he and Konan flickered out. One by one the other seven figures vanished, returning to their bodies to continue whatever they were doing.

Land of Rain: Ame Tower…

"A Flame Haze with fiery wings" Pein spoke softly. "You think he's related to her? Konan asked. "I don't know. But if he is related to her then I must meet him soon, I will not allow him to fall into Madara's hands if he is a member of her family" Pein voiced, tightening his hands into fist. "It has been many years since we last saw her, it was the day after we lost to Hanzo, she took care of us" Konan smiled.

"I wonder if he is related to Shana" Pein voiced.

Crimson World… Hecate…

"Aster"

She voiced as she fired thousands of laser beams, killing hundreds of low level denizens before her. She couldn't get them out of her head, the Flaming Haired, Blazing eyed hunter and the pearl eyed blue haired girl, them standing together looking out over the village. Narrowing her eyes she cleaved another denizen in half with her staff, absorbing its Power of Existence as it died. Sighing she floated up to the large castle hanging in the sky, she needed some time to rest. She knew approaching him would be difficult since she attacked him the last time they crossed paths, but she was confident in her own abilities to take him on if things became violent.

Konoha: Naruto's Apartment Complex…

Having activated the security seals he sat down and pulled out the small black book with his mothers name on it in gold. He had discovered it was his mother's diary and had been reading it ever since he began his training to become a Flame Haze. It told all about his mother's childhood at Alastor's Castle, how she met Yuji and formed a deep love with him after many years. It also told of Yuji's death, how he had been killed saving Shana from being killed by a powerful Denizen called "Silver" that had been fully resurrected after absorbing the Midnight Lost Child a second time. Yuji made Shana swear to find her happiness after his death and she left Tokyo in search of her happiness.

Many years later she came to the elemental nations during the last Great War. She stayed in the Land of Fire and ended up joining the way when Iwa wanted to capture her for her flame powers. It was during a great battle she crossed paths with Minato Namikaze and ended up impressing him so much he became infatuated with her. At first Shana rejected him as she was still recovering from the loss of Yuji but shortly over time she began to open up to him and accept him as a friend and then a lover. A few years later she told Minato everything about herself and the Crimson World, much like she had Yuji when they first met. Minato still accepted her and later asked her to marry him.

However that was when everything turned sour. While looking around his estate one day Shana discovered the original Tri-Bladed Kunai Minato had used to develop the replicas for his Flying Thunder God Technique. It was a powerful treasure of the Crimson World capable of transporting the wielder through a space/time dimension for very short periods, something a normal human should never wield. She had been eight months pregnant at the time and forbidden from using her powers, training, or fighting that could endanger the baby's life. When she confronted him about him he turned violent, claiming Shana wanted the treasure for herself and wanted to take his power away. She tried to tell his she didn't, that she was concerned for his safety and whatever affects the treasure was having on his body and mind but he didn't listen. Things continued down hill from there, Minato ignored her or treated her like a second class citizen, demanding to want more info on the Crimson World and any other treasures that existed in the human world.

She knew Minato was becoming obsessed with the power of the Crimson World had and decided to take measures to ensure she didn't lose her own treasures. She created a seal her friend Hitomai showed her, a seal she would place on her child that held the items that were precious to her. Things like her cloak, sword, diary and treasures like the Fire-Repelling Ring and Blood-Sucker sword that Naruto couldn't wield just yet. She had wanted to seal Alastor's pendant as well but feared she may need its power to protect herself.

Then came Oct 10, the day of Naruto's birth. It was the very last entry in the diary and it was this entry that made Naruto's blood boil. Shana had been in the hospital getting ready to give birth, her friends Hitomai Hyuga and Mikoto Uchiha were there helping her. It was then a portal to the Crimson World appeared and from it came Kyuubi no Kitsune. No one was sure how the Kyuubi had been summoned but now Naruto knew his father was somehow involved with it. Minato had come to the hospital to speak with Shana, claiming she should just rest and make sure their child was safe while he held off the Kyuubi. Shana never noticed her pendent with Alastor's power in it was missing until much later. Right after giving birth she placed the seal under Naruto's arm and used an advanced spell to hide it from being detected; she had complications during the birthing process and according to the doctor would not live very long due to blood loss. It was at this time that Minato returned, Shana's eyes seeing that he had become a torch thanks to having his Power of Existence ripped out of him. Seeing that Shana was dying and he would cease to exist soon anyway he decided to brag about his plan that Sarutobi was already starting, how he would use Alastor's power to seal the Kyuubi into their son and he would become the most powerful force in this world. She begged, pleaded for him not to do it but he ignored her, ripped Naruto out of her arms and left to finish the sealing process.

His mother's last words were about how much she loved him despite his father's blood running through his veins, and that to follow whatever path he wishes as long as he was happy.

He grit his teeth as he read once again what his father did to him and his mother, how he wished he could meet him and cleave his head off before burning his to ashes. Once the chunin exams were over he was going to leave this village for good and take Hinata with him, they were going to find someplace where they could be happy and free from the shinobi world.

"Night Kyuubi" he whispered as he turned off the light.

"Night kit, give'em hell tomorrow and don't take any shit!"