And here is Chapter 21 of the story you didn't want, but got anyways.

...I'm very busy.

I'll fix things later.

"I want three copies of all of your novels!"

...

"Huh?" The Toad Sage stared at Naruto, who was grinning like crazy. "What was that?"

"You heard me. I want three copies of all the books in your Icha Icha Paradise franchise."

"I heard you, it's just...I didn't expect that." Jiraiya sat on his summoned toad's head with what looked like disappointment. "Don't you want to want to learn the Summoning Jutsu? The Rasengan?" An orb of chakra appeared in the man's hand, disturbing the steam around them, but Naruto simply waved it off. "Besides, why do you want three copies?"

"It's common to want three copies. One to read, one to lend out, and another for display. And as for those two techniques, it's something you already owe me." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. With so much steam obscuring his view, he couldn't make out Naruto's face.

"Oh? And who are you to speak to me, The Great Jiraiya, like that?" Before he could blink, the man soon found himself on the ground face first.

"There's my reason," Naruto replied haughtily. The Sage got up and knocked foreheads with the blonde. The two initiated a battle for dominance to keep the other at bay.

"The hell was that for, you one eyed brat?" Naruto's grin grew wider.

"You really don't know, do you? Perhaps this will make you realize." Naruto lifted his eyepatch to reveal his gift and curse. Jiraiya was so taken aback, that he leaned backwards. The result was Naruto face planting from lack of resistance. "Now, do you know?" He was picked up by the toad's slimy tongue, and was brought face to face with his godfather. He examined the boy's face, taking notice of the whisker marks on his face.

"No way," he muttered. "I couldn't see very well with all the steam, but now that I get a good look, I can see the resemblance to those two. You even spoke with a verbal tic." Naruto's nose scrunched up. He never noticed the way he spoke.

"Now that we got that out of the way, I still want my three copies." The toad launched him towards the hot springs, where he was met with scalding hot water. Naruto couldn't be affected by any fire, but he was certainly not invulnerable to hot water. The boy emerged from the water as red as a lobster. "Hey! You owe me big time!" Jiraiya crossed his arms.

"For what?"

"Well one, you're my godfather. Second, you never once checked up on me as a kid. And third, I am a fan of your works. Don't you have any sense of gratitude for your readers." Naruto felt the Sage's fist drive onto his skull.

"You idiot," Jiraiya sighed. "First off, a kid like you shouldn't be reading these kinds of things. Also, you seem so sure that I never looked out for you, but let me ask you this: Who do you think gave you that wallet?" The blonde looked at the man with genuine surprise. He never knew where Gama-chan came from. One day, it was just there in his house back in the forest. "That's right. I tried to always be in the village on your birthdays, and leave you presents." Naruto looked down in shame at yelling at the man. He always wondered who left him the birthday cakes and clothes.

"You should have at least said 'hi,'" Naruto mumbled with a pout on his face. "I was lonely, ya know?" Jiraiya sighed again, and rested his hand on his godson's head.

"I'm a very busy man, Naruto. I have a whole intelligence agency to run. I can't just be your godfather." Naruto pulled the older man's hand from his head.

"It was hard to grow up without mom or dad." Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "I had to teach myself to survive. I had to work from the bottom to get to where I am now. And I'm still far from the top." It was one of the few moments where Naruto acted like the lonely child that he really was.

"Argh. Enough with the guilt trip, kid. I can't take it anymore." Jiraiya crossed his arms, and thought about his situation. "Look, seeing as you're doing the exams, why don't I train you? It's the least I can do." He saw the blonde's eyes sparkle with life.

"Seriously? You're going to train me?"

"Yeah, I got some time. We'll start tomorrow, so you better be ready. Where do you live now? I heard that you moved out of the forest."

"Hokage-jiji gave me the key to the Namikaze estate. I'm living there with a bunch of people now." Jiraiya smiled at the joy in his voice when he mentioned his friends. His right eye sparkled like the blue sky, in contrast to the darkness looming in his left one.

"Looks like you're already making a family of your own." He rubbed Naruto's head, and the blonde immediately swatted it off. "I'll be there by morning tomorrow. You go and prepare." Naruto nodded his head vigorously, and set off with the intoxicated Zabuza.

"Come on, you drunk. Haku-chan's gonna give you an earful when she hears about this."

"Be nice to Haku," the former Nuke-nin slurred. It was clear that he didn't handle liquor very well. "She'll make a very good wife one day."

After dropping off Zabuza by literally dropping him, Naruto decided to go on a walk. His life wasn't one where he could take a relaxing walk anytime, but he wasn't gonna let that stop him from doing so. The blonde stretched under the warm sun.

"I can't believe I got to meet Jiraiya so quickly," he said to himself. "I thought I'd have to search for him for a few years." A grin made its way onto his face. "But now I get to train under him. This is gonna be awesome! I could just imagine what I could do with the Rasengan." He had read about the technique, amongst other things, from Minato's notes. The Hiraishin that he had mentioned in his farewell letter wasn't something he could master anytime soon, but he felt that the Rasengan could be done by the time the exam started again. Overall, he couldn't have been happier.

"Mommy," a voice said, catching the blonde's attention. He spotted a child with his parent walking in the same path as him. "I got good grades in school today. You think I'll be able to become a ninja?" Naruto heard the mother giggle. She patted her son's head affectionately.

"Of course. You're going to be the best ninja ever. Come here." The woman pulled the boy into a hug that was warmly returned. "You're a good boy." Naruto continued to watch, not noticing that he was staring. There was a jealous look in his eye. The blonde brought his hand to his head, trying to remember how the Sage had done the same to him.

"Hm," Naruto grunted bitterly. "What's so nice about being patted like a dog?" There was a pang in his chest as he said that. His eye directed to another family. The mother and father were sitting on the grass, watching their child play with a kite. He was having trouble getting it in the air.

"You can do it," the parents encouraged. "We believe in you." After a few moments, the kite began to rise. It soared through the sky like a bird. Seeing this, the kid was jumping in delight. He ran to his parents, where he was met with an embrace from the two. "You see? I'm so proud of you." By now, Naruto was glaring. He was feeling bitter.

"It doesn't take much effort to fly a kite. Why are they so proud?" His light steps became stomps. Naruto didn't know why he was so angry. He had seen these things before, but it never bothered him until now. Then again, he never thought about his parents until recently. The fact that he was living in their house didn't stop the thoughts. Was he jealous? Barely anyone commended him on his deeds, big or small. No one ever told him that things were going to be okay when he felt discouraged.

"Hey, it's that boy." Naruto's ears pricked up at the voice. He could tell it was being directed towards him. People were looking at him now, but the blonde wouldn't meet their gaze. "Isn't he that?"

"Shh. We can't talk about that. You know the rules."

"Let's get out of here. I don't want my child to be affiliated by him."

"Yeah. There's no telling what can happen with him around. Only bad things, I suppose." Naruto's teeth gnashed together.

"Yikes! Let's go quickly." The surrounding people left the area, leaving Naruto by himself. It wasn't packed to begin with, but the area felt even emptier than usual. Naruto stopped his walking, and clenched his fists.

Those damn pricks, He thought. They're lucky I didn't tear their heads off. The boy stopped in his tracks at his thought. Since when had he been so violent? What kind of person his age thought those sorts of things?

Naruto shook his head. It was a bad idea to think that he could enjoy a walk among the people. Meeting Jiraiya had made him too optimistic.

(Namikaze Estate)

As the dejected Naruto walked through the gates, he was met with the sound of music. Passing the comatose Zabuza, he followed the notes to the fountain out in the front of the house. One of his clones was lying down on the ground as it listened to Tayuya playing.

Tayuya... From the many times that he had popped his clones, the memories he got back were always of her playing. The girl had barely gone out of the estate, finding it more satisfying to be away from the other villagers. If I remember, she's some of the only people who ever showed me gratitude.

The music stopped, bringing Naruto back to his senses. Tayuya was staring at him.

"So it was a clone again," she said, referring to the "Naruto" next to her. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "I figured that was the case." The clone exploded into smoke, and Naruto received images of her endeavors. He chuckled at the memory of Tayuya failing to make herself a meal. Haku found her sulking, and made her lunch. The girl reluctantly accepted. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing. Don't mind me." He took a seat next to the redhead, who promptly made a bigger gap between them. There was an awkward silence. Tayuya began swinging her legs, secretly hoping for the boy to either say something, or leave. She soon found that it was up to her to poke at him.

"Your glare is kinda making me uncomfortable. Did something happen?" She heard him sigh.

"Nothing worth mentioning. Just some personal things." He left it at that. Tayuya seemed to accept this, not being one to pry.

"Alright then." She brought the flute back to her lips, and continued to play. It helped improve Naruto's mood, but there was a nagging question in his mind.

"...Hey, Tayuya." The girl looked at him, and put her flute down. There was a pensive look on his face. "Am I...a good person?"

"...What?"

"Am I a good person?"

"The hell does that mean?"

"I don't know. Just tell me." Tayuya's eyebrows furrowed.

"I mean...you're nice." Naruto nodded.

"Okay, I'm nice. But am I 'good?'" The girl stood up. She was beginning to feel frustrated from being interrogated randomly.

"Look, I can't answer a question that you can't explain. You're a nice guy, so you should be satisfied with that." She began to walk away.

"Tayuya!" Naruto ran towards the girl. As he neared her, his face became more troubled. Tayuya was getting nervous from the boy was getting too close for her liking. "I have a request."

"And what's that?"

"...Hug me." Tayuya lost her footing, and nearly fell forward. Luckily, or unfortunately, Naruto was there to catch her. Tayuya tensed up at the contact, and jumped away.

"You idiot!" she exclaimed. Her face was red with embarrassment. "Don't just say those things."

"I'm being serious. Hug me."

"I ain't hugging you! Why do you want me to, anyways?"

"I need to know what it feels like. I never really focused on what it felt like being held." When Hinata and Haku had held him before, he was too surprised to register anything but warmth.

"Then pick someone else like that Momo girl."

"But you're here right now. I only need...1 hour."

"I don't want to touch you for one second!" Tayuya broke into a sprint, catching Naruto by surprise. He chased her around the estate.

"Come on, just do it!"

"Hell no! Leave me alone!"

The two ran towards the garden, where Haku was watering the flowers. The girl took notice of the game of tag that they were having.

"Get away from me!" Tayuya yelled. She jumped in the air, only for Naruto to do the same.

With that trajectory, Haku realized that the two would trample the flowers. Her eye twitched and her hands turned into blurs.

Just before they ruined her hard work, Haku yelled, "Sensatsu Suisho!" The water from her watering can burst out as needles. They shot towards Tayuya and Naruto, and hooked on their clothes. The pushing force caused the two to change direction mid-air until they were pinned against a wall.

"Naruto-kun," she said malevolently as she walked towards the two. Her face retained a smile, making her even more scary. "Tayuya-san. Could you please enlighten me as to why you two are being so rowdy?" The water needles disappeared, but the two stayed where they were. They went into seiza position.

"This punk is trying to start a fight," Tayuya exclaimed. Haku nodded, and looked at the blonde.

"I was just asking a favor, and she's making a big deal of it."

"That doesn't mean you can just cause trouble. You could have broken something." She put her hands on her hips. Haku reminded them of a teacher. "Now I want you two to think about your actions, and get to a compromise."

"Yes ma'am," They said in unison. Satisfied, Haku nodded and left to get another watering can.

"Control freak," Tayuya muttered. Haku heard this, and pulled out her senbon.

"What was that?" she asked sweetly. The redhead bowed her head.

"Nothing." After a glare, Haku walked away. Tayuya and Naruto stayed in seiza silently, until Naruto decided to speak up.

"I'm sorry for springing that request on you," he apologized. "It wasn't right for me to try and force you to do something you don't want to do." He bowed his head, making Tayuya feel uncomfortable and guilty.

"Don't be so polite. I'm sorry for pushing you away. For all that you've done for me, I was a bit unreasonable." Naruto stood up.

"I'm going to my room. Sorry again." Just as he was about to take his first step, Tayuya grabbed hold of his coat. She was fidgeting.

"...One minute."

"What?"

"I said one minute. I'll hug you for one minute." Naruto stared with surprise at his new friend. He didn't think that she would actually accept his request. Tayuya stood up, and faced him. She was shorter than the jinchuuriki. "I swear to you. If you touch me anywhere, I'll rip your junk off." Naruto nodded, and stood awkwardly. Due to their neglected childhood, neither of the two knew how to initiate a hug. "Crouch a bit, fishcake." The blonde did so until they were equal height. "Now close your eyes." Once he did, he heard her take a deep breath. "Alright, here we go."

Tayuya hesitantly brought her arms up, and wrapped them around his head. The first thing Naruto thought of, was the softness that was pressing against his cheek. He felt his face heat up, but he didn't dare say anything to the girl. As for Tayuya, she wasn't faring well either. Naruto tried to focus on the feeling. It was warm and soft...and she smelled nice. He wondered if this was what all girls felt like. Tayuya's breath tickled his head. She imagined that Naruto's hair smelled like what warm sunlight felt. After a while, the girl brought one of her hands to his head, and lightly patted it. The feeling reminded her of a fluffy puppy's fur.

"...You're a good person, Naruto," she said softly. She never felt so girly in her life. Meanwhile, Naruto was a bit stunned. It was probably the first time she had ever called him by his name. "Don't let other people bring you down. You are much better than them." The boy opened his eyes, and found himself staring at Tayuya's red hair. He imagined it would have seen the same sight if Kushina was alive to hold him.

"...Tayuya." Her warmth instantly vanished. The blonde found Tayuya standing a few feet away, playing with a strand of her hair. She was trying to mask her blush by frowning, but Naruto couldn't help but find it cute.

"That was one minute. Time's up." Naruto scratched his head, still feeling embarrassed.

"Fair enough. Is 'thanks' something I should be saying in this situation?" Tayuya turned away.

"Just don't mention it ever again, and we'll be even." She quickly walked away, but Naruto sent a clone to accompany her. "Stop following me, ya stalker!" she yelled. Naruto let out a chuckle, and turned in for the day. Tomorrow was going to be the start of his training.

(Tomorrow, Team 7 Training Ground)

"So you know tree walking?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes," Naruto replied without interest.

"Water walking?"

"Yup."

"How about the Bunshin no Jutsu?"

"OF COURSE I DO!" Naruto finally snapped. For the past 30 minutes, the Sage had listed simple techniques, asking if the blonde knew them. It was a given that he did, but it seemed that Jiraiya didn't know that. "I know the Kawarimi, I know the Henge, and I know how to freaking throw a shuriken!"

"You never know. What if you somehow skipped a basic technique? Even something as simple as the Bunshin can turn the tide in battle."

"I already know the Kage Bunshin. Isn't there something you can teach me that I don't already know?" Jiraiya cupped his chin, and let out a hum.

"Hmm...Tell me, do you know about your Chakra?"

"Huh? Of course I do. What kind of question is that?"

"I guess I should ask a different question. Have you ever heard of the Nine Tailed Fox?"

"Oh, you mean Momo?" Jiraiya stared at his student in confusion.

"Who?"

"Momo. Here, I'll introduce you." Naruto sent some chakra to his seal, and called for his prisoner. The girl appeared in a puff of smoke instantly. Once there, Naruto's focus went to her red hair. It was more crimson than red, but it was still in that color group. As Naruto stared, the previous scene with Tayuya flooded back into his mind, marking his cheeks with a pink hue. He wondered of Momo felt the same as her. Unbeknownst to him, or maybe he forgot, she read his thoughts and sent a jealous glare at him.

"Naruto-kun?" she asked. "What did you call me for? I was in the middle of something." She noted the Sage next to Naruto, and the two made eye contact.

"Naruto, who's this?" Jiraiya asked. He noticed his student's flustered state. Seeing this, he chuckled at the possible relations between the two. Perhaps he could get in a volume or two from them. Boy, was he unready for the truth.

"This is Momo. The Kyuubi!" Jiraiya's shot open like popcorn. He could his breathing stop as he instantly fell back, looking very close to having a heart attack. His lips started sputtering like a fish.

"The K-k-k-k-k-Kyu! The Kyu-"

"Ubi," Momo finished. "Yeah. That's me. I'm going to guess that this is someone important that you'd reveal my identity, Naruto-kun." Naruto nodded. He unconsciously inched closer the girl with twitching arms.

"This is Jiraiya, the Toad Sage. My godfather." Momo noticed his slow advances, making a smile form on her face. There was a burst of elation in her from knowing that he wanted her touch.

"Oh, I remember someone by that name. Back when I was sealed in your mother, there was this huge pervert that sometimes visited her and the Fourth." The two stared at the still sputtering Sage. He had evolved from sputters to large wheezes. Naruto shook his head as his fascinations of the legendary Jiraiya shattered right in front of him.

"He told me that he'd train me for the exams, but we're not getting anywhere." Momo gave the blonde a small pout. She inched away, if only to torture the blonde. Apparently, he was desperate for contact.

"You should have come to me for training. I would've taught you some useful Jutsus and moves." The tone she used suggested something more than she let on.

"Yeah, but I need to at least give some of the other competitors a chance. If I train through your regime any more than I have all these years, then I'll definitely win in the first minute." Naruto was only a foot away, but there was a constant distance what with her moving away.

"Since when did you care about things like that? You even came up with-"

"JUST WAIT A DARN MINUTE!" Jiraiya screamed. He grabbed the two, effectively separating them. The two showed signs of annoyance, with one being more oblivious than the other. The Sage ignored them, and shunshined them in a secluded area outside the Forest of Death.

"Home sweet home," Naruto sighed, looking at his former kingdom. He started to get teary eyed.

"Who cares about that?" Jiraiya pulled the blonde to his side, and pointed at Momo. "You're telling me that this is the Kyuubi?" Naruto nodded nonchalantly, confusing the man even more.

"Yeah, I just said so. She said so too." Here was a Jinchuuriki, a term that signified that a Bijuu being sealed inside of them, declaring that the demon they are supposed to hold back is out in the open. It was normal for anyone to be freaking out like Jiraiya was.

"Why are you saying this like it's nothing? The Kyuubi should be sealed inside your stomach! Quick, take off your clothes!" Naruto's face blanked, before fear overcame him. The Sage began to tug on his clothes, fully intent on taking them off. He let out a very feminine scream that Momo was stunned to hear

"No! I'm just an innocent boy! RAPE! RAAAAAPE!" Momo couldn't help but find amusement in the boy's predicament. The blonde found himself on the ground without a shirt, rocking to and fro.

"Stop overreacting, kid, I just wanted to look at your seal!"

"You should've just said so," Naruto cried. "I feel so violated." He stood up, and faced the Sage. The seal appeared for him to examine.

"Hm...There doesn't seem to be anything wrong. Nothing has been removed, and nothing has been added. If that girl is the Kyuubi as you've said, then how is it-"

"She," Naruto and Momo interjected.

"SHE. How is she outside?"

"Well, that's a long story."

"I have time." Naruto stomped his foot.

"We're supposed to be training!" he complained. "He may not be my opponent, but I need to be able to beat someone like Gaara." Jiraiya scratched his head.

"I don't know what to teach you." Naruto let our a tired sigh.

"Just teach me the Kuchiyose and Rasengan!"

"Those two, huh? Well, I guess I owe you that much."

"You owe me a LOT more." Jiraiya grunted, and took out the scroll that hung on his back. He nearly smirked at the sight of the blonde continuing his advances.

"The Kuchiyose will be easier, but I don't think you'll be able to use it in your match. First, just watch me." The Sage bit his right thumb, and smeared it on his left palm. "The hand seals go: Boar, dog, bird, monkey, then ram. After that," Jiraiya slammed his palm on the ground, where an array of seals appeared and spread out. Just like in the hot spring, a plume of smoke appeared where the sage was. Once it was clear, the man was sitting on a large toad. "And that's it. Simple enough, right?" Naruto nodded. "Okay. Catch." The blonde stretched out his arms to finally catch Momo, but instead caught the scroll. He grumbled at the Sage, before unraveling item on the ground. The contents consisted of writing written in blood. "Utilizing the Kuchiyose requires you to make a blood contract with the type of familiar you want to summon. This is the scroll for the toads. Sign away."

"Neat," Naruto said, before biting his thumb. "Can you do something like this, Momo-chan?" The Bijuu scoffed.

"I am a powerful being just by myself. I have no need of any familiar." She smirked at Naruto. "Except for you, that is." Naruto returned her smirk tenfold.

"I'd say it's the opposite." Naruto smeared the blood to all his fingertips, and pressed them at the bottom of his name. "There you go." He stood up to examine his work, when he noticed the name next to his. His lips curled up slightly. "Minato Namikaze...Hey, dad. Second generation Namikaze summoner is on the way."

"Okay," Jiraiya said, taking the scroll back. "I'm going to take you somewhere else to do this Jutsu." His student tilted his head in confusion.

"Isn't this place fine? I'm just going to summon a regular toad, right?"

"Actually, because of your large chakra reserves, I want you to try and summon the boss toad. His name is Gamabunta. But to do that, I have to make you pull out the large amount of chakra needed to do it. There is a special place we're going to go to." Jiraiya grabbed Naruto and Momo's arms, and shunshined them on a cliff. At some point in the shunshin, though seemingly impossible, Naruto had finally closed the gap between him and his tenant. Before Momo could realize it, she found the blonde's arms wrapped around her waist. She let out a quiet moan at the sensation of the blonde nuzzling his head on the crook of her neck. Naruto himself let out a satisfied sigh. Just as he expected from a being of Chakra and fire, the girl emanated a sensation like a kotatsu, or a fireplace. Her scent reminded him of the forest that had raised him for so long. "AHEM!" Jiraiya was fuming from being ignored, and had enough of the little scene in front of him. Though secretly, he couldn't be happier for his godson. He was even a bit jealous. "Sorry to separate you from each other, but you're the one who wanted to start his training." Reluctantly, Naruto contracted his arms and walked towards the Sage. Momo growled at Jiraiya, which was enough for the old man to nearly wet his pants. Naruto looked down to see a chasm filled with spikes. If he were to fall in there, it would be near impossible to get a grip with the slippery stalagmites. "To make you summon Gamabunta, I'll have to put you in a life or death situation."

"I really hope you're not going to drop me down there," he voiced. Jiraiya tried to look innocent, and shrugged his shoulders.

"I mean I could. If that's what you want."

"You're not seriously trying to make it sound like I want you to, are you?"

Just telling you, Naruto-kun, Momo's voice sounded. From what I've seen in Kushina, the toad boss is very irritable and doesn't like Jiraiya that well. Do with this information as you will. Naruto raised an eyebrow, and looked at his teacher.

The two stared at each other, while Momo stared at her prison. She really hoped that he would do what she was thinking of.

"...Tell me, Jiraiya-san," Naruto inquired in a sickly sweet tone. "How do I know if I summoned the boss? I don't know how he looks like. Perhaps you can show me." Jiraiya gave his student a suspicious look. There was a clear mischievous tone in his voice, but there seemed to be nothing to gain. He shrugged, thinking that it was a genuine question.

"Sure, why not?" Jiraiya performed the summoning again, and summoned a large toad with size that rivaled Momo's true form. Naruto could feel a rumbling in the air. It took while to realize that it was a voice.

"JIRAIYA!" it bellowed, making the trees shake and bend. "What reason have you summoned me to this bleak place? I have told you many times to not call me at all!" Jiraiya stammered, realizing that he had been played.

"W-well, you see-" He didn't get to finish, as Gamabunta took the Sage in his huge oily hands.

"NO EXCUSES!" The toad reared its arm, and threw his summoner down into the chasm. The man's scream could be heard as he fell lower and lower towards the spikes. Gamabunta turned his attention towards the pair, who stared blankly at the receding image of Jiraiya. One look at the blonde, and he thought he was seeing ghosts.

"Kid," he boomed. "You're Minato's..."

"Yup," he deadpanned. The two locked eyes.

"Contract?"

"Uh-huh."

"Sake?"

"If you want."

"3 Barrels."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Good."

"Good."

"See ya." Naruto nodded, before finally jumping down to save Jiraiya. Gamabunta looked at Momo, who smirked and traced a line across her eye to mock their battle. She followed the blonde down. "Hmph! Damn vixen."

(Later)

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as he slammed his palm on the ground. In a puff of smoke, he found himself on top of a large toad. "And what's your name?"

"I'm clumsy, but my name is Gamaken. Are you the new summoner?"

"You don't look clumsy, and yes, I am." Naruto grinned, as he wrote the name of the toad. "Be prepared when I summon you again."

"I will take that into consideration. Please make good use of me. You see, I'm quite clumsy." With that, Gamaken disappeared. As Naruto summoned numerous toads for training, he wrote down their names and features so that he could remember them. Among the toads were the sons of Gamabunta; Gamakichi and Gamatatsu. They were a interesting pair, and appeared more than the other toads.

Naruto stretched his arms. "That's it," he groaned. "I'm done." Finally feeling the effects of multiple summons, the blonde's knees legs lost their strength. Momo was there to catch him, and immediately held his body close to hers. She looked at Jiraiya, who was still bitter from Gamabunta.

"I'm going to take him home, and let him rest," she informed. "I hope you will train him again when he wakes up." Jiraiya nodded, before adopting a serious look.

"Tell me," he demanded. "How well can he handle your chakra? Can he..." He traced a line from his back, and away of his body to symbolize a tail. Momo looked down with despair in her eyes.

"I don't like training him on controlling my chakra. It hurts him too much."

"There are rumors out there. Of a group hunting down tailed beasts. The jinchuuriki of the Yonbi and Gobi has gone missing." Momo's eyes furrowed.

"Goku," she mumbled. "Kokuo." Jiraiya took note of the conflicting looks the girl gave him. She bit her lip. "Is it really imperative that I train him in that?" Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. He was still suspicious about Momo, but they way Naruto interacted with her showed a close bond. He wanted to confirm that her feelings were genuine. He had forgotten how many lives he had taken of those who pretended to care for the blonde. Despite being a seemingly all-powerful construct of Chakra, the Sage was not afraid to raise his blade for betraying his godson.

"You act as if you're concerned for him. You'd think that a powerful being like you would be vengeful towards her prison." There was a faraway look in Momo's eyes, as if she was recounting every minute of her life.

"A man once told me and my siblings that we would always be connected to each other. He was a great man who believed that love and cooperation were the keys to peace. Before he died, he predicted the emergence of a person who would teach us the true meaning of strength and power." Her hand rose to Naruto's face, and stroked his face affectionately.

"And you believe that Naruto is that person?" A soft shade of pink bloomed on her face. She held Naruto's body closer as if the boy would slip past her fingers if she loosened her grip.

"I don't know. But after that man died, I roamed the land and fed on the darkest emotions that humankind had to offer. I was filled with so much anger, that I started hating him for leaving us to fend for ourselves against a world that rejected our existence. But then the Uzumaki clan got a hold of me. Thus began my imprisonment. Mito and Kushina tried to befriend me, but I kept pushing them away. I saw them as only food when they felt depressed. But they barely were. They always thought of me as a person. And then I was sealed into Naruto-kun, who unlike Kushina and Mito, grew up without the love of another. I watched him grow up into the man he is now. I sensed his emotions. No matter how much he hated the people of the village for ostracizing him, he tried his best to forgive them. Even love them. I had no idea why he thought this, but I found out that its just how he is. I have a strong feeling that he represents what Hagoromo predicted." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow on the name Hagoromo. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember anything. Instead, he had another question.

"And how do you feel about Naruto-kun?" A small smile adorned her face, and a chuckle left her lips.

"...It's stupid, really. Someone like me shouldn't feel like this. It started out as a stupid crush..." Her eyes widened at realizing that she had said too much. Jiraiya looked at her with a small grin on his face.

"I see..." Momo growled at the man, daring him to make any comment about her slip up. "I'm glad to see that my godson has such good company. That's all I need to know." He bowed politely. "Please continue being with him and keeping him safe."

"I will. I kinda have to." Standing up, Momo started her journey back to the estate.

"One last thing." Jiraiya looked into Momo's eyes, trying to find any hint of dishonesty. "Can I write about this?" He chuckled perversely. Momo's eye twitched, and the Sage found himself spiraling back into the chasm.

"TO HELL WITH YOU!"

(3 days later)

Naruto grunted, signaling that he was about to wake up. His eyes fluttered awake to find a black sharp object hovering above his face. Before his mind could even process it, his body acted by grabbing the object, and pulling sideways. He heard a surprised gasp as he grabbed the outstretched arm. Whatever the person was saying, he didn't recognized it right then. Naruto pushed forward, standing out of his bed, until the person was pressed against a wall.

"Stop it, Naruto!" he heard, putting him back in reality. He noticed the pineapple haircut, and the drone in the person's voice. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Shikamaru?" Naruto groaned, still groggy. He let go, and let the Nara heir fix the kink in his arm. "Shit, I'm sorry, man." He looked down, and saw a marker.

"God, you troublesome blonde. Control your strength. How do you have this much strength right when you get up?"

"Sorry, it's just...instinct. I acted before I thought." Shikamaru winced as he moved his arm.

"I think you dislocated my shoulder. Still..." He shrugged. "I guess this is a good excuse to skip training." It was then that he noticed the absence of pain, and the green glow. Sakura was beside him with a glowing palm. "Dammit."

"I won't have you insult us who aren't advancing by not taking your training seriously," she scolded. Naruto looked around to see the rest of his former classmates minus Hinata, Sasuke and Chouji. He knew that Hinata and Sasuke wereinjured, but he wondered where Chouji was. He could use one of his snacks. Among the visitors were Haku, Kiba, Shino, Ino, and Tenten. He had a hard time believing that Ino and Tenten would visit him, not conversing with them that much.

"Where's Chouji? Were his injuries that bad?" The dog boy shook his head with a chuckle.

"Nah," Kiba said. "He ate too much and needed to go to the hospital." Naruto rolled his eyes, and smiled. It had been so long since they had all been together, that he had forgotten how fun it was.

"I should visit him later," Naruto mumbled.

"When did you learn healing Jutsu?" Shikamaru asked Sakura. The pink haired girl played with her now short hair, and glanced at Naruto.

"I had strict teachers," she replied curtly. "It helps to learn when being pelted with senbon, ice and fire. Naruto and Haku shared a small smirk.

"So you all came here to visit me?" The blonde inquired.

"Well it's been three days since you've been awake," Ino answered, placing a bouquet on his bed. "Just a present. Anyways, Haku-san visited my family's store. She's a regular customer. When she came that day, she mentioned that you were knocked out after intense training. So I told Sakura, she told Hinata, Hinata told Kiba and Shino, and they told everyone else."

"I came here to deliver this," Tenten claimed as she brought out a long and thin box. She opened it up to reveal a flute. "An order was made to my family's shop for a battle flute under the name Naruto Uzumaki."

"Tayuya..." Naruto deadpanned. Before he could take the box, it disappeared. The red blur came in and exited faster than most of them could track.

"But I guess I could spare time for you."

"I brought this," Shikamaru announced, producing a basket of fruits. "I was going to give them to Chouji, but I have a feeling the nurses won't let me. But if you don't want it, you can have this." From his pocket, the pineapple head produced a single round cracker. Naruto's eye twitched as he took it.

"This is a cracker...for deer."

"I know." The Nara soon found himself on fire. He began to panic and do the old stop, drop and roll, only to find that there was no pain. He glared at the Uzumaki, who's eyepatch was in his hands. He began to cackle at his friend's dismay.

"The look on your face!" The others joined him, filling the room with the sound of laughter.

"Shut the hell up!" Zabuza whined as he stumbled into the room. He collapsed a second later, from another hangover. This only made them laugh harder, though Haku was not amused at her surrogate father.

(Later)

After a few hours, they gang began to leave. Naruto accompanied them to the gate.

"See you later!/Woof!" Kiba and Akamaru exclaimed. Shino accompanied him with a slight buzz as his farewell. "That was a good prank. Though you might want to look at your face." Naruto's eyebrows scrunched up, before running to the fountain. His mouthed shaped into a grin as he saw that his right whisker marks had been connected with his left.

"That damn Nara," he grumbled. Said boy emerged from the building with a satisfied grin on his face. "You got me."

"And you got me," he replied. "Come on. Let's visit Chouji."

"Sure. Let's eat the fruit in front of him."

"You troublesome blonde."

(Hospital)

Naruto and Shikamaru made their way to the hospital where Lee, Hinata, and Chouji were located.

"Chouji Akimichi," Shikamaru said to the woman at the counter. She replied with the room number. The Nara heir motioned for Naruto to follow him.

As they walked up the stairs, Naruto suddenly stopped. His sensitive ears thought he heard something unnatural.

"What is it?"

"...Nothing," Naruto assured hesitantly. "I thought I heard something." He took another step, when he heard it again. That raspy sound. Of sand rustling in the wind. Naruto's face took on the look of horror and anger, as he broke into a sprint. "Shikamaru! Follow me!" The boy was confused, but he didn't object the urgency in the blonde's voice. They neared a room with an open door. "Your shadow, Shikamaru!"

"Right! Kagemane no Jutsu!" His shadow stretched into the room, and grabbed hold of a person standing. Naruto ran inside to find Gaara standing above the sleeping Rock Lee. His sand levitated in the air, spiraling above them. Naruto reared back his fist, and caught the Jinchuuriki by surprise. Gaara grunted, and staggered back, making Shikamaru do the same.

"Watch it," he yelled, getting an apologetic look from Naruto. The blonde focused back on the redhead. Where his cheek had been struck, was a crack with spilling sand.

"Gaara," Naruto growled. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I am going to kill him," he rasped calmly. The pair's eyes steeled. Shikamaru was surprised to see that Gaara could move, albeit very slowly.

"Why?"

"Because I want to. Do not get in my way, or I will kill you too."

"Don't try to anger him," Shikamaru warned. "He's a monster."

"That makes two of us," Naruto whispered. Gaara turned to Naruto.

"We are the same, but why do you resist the bloodshed?" There was a genuine curiosity in his voice.

"That's because we are not. Not fully, anyways. I found what keeps me sane."

"What, you mean that he has one in him as well? Jeeze, what lovely parents he must've had." Gaara's forehead twitched.

"Love," He growled. "You know what I have to do with love? My family is only meat to be slaughtered. I am the Kazekage's son, and the village's masterpiece. My father taught me the life of Shinobi. I was spoiled, and was allowed to do as I please. I thought for sure that that was love." A manic grin ran across Gaara's face. "But then it happened. My father, for 6 years, tried countless times to assassinate me! I was the village's trump card, and its greatest threat. That's when I realized that I was just an object to those people. They didn't care for me. That's why I questioned my existence. Killing is my way of knowing that I was alive. Without a reason to live, it would be the same as being dead."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, knowing full well what he was talking about. It was the same for him. Had he not resolved to protect his friends and himself, he would've engulfed the village in flames long ago.

"I would advise against fighting here," Naruto warned. "More than just you will die."

"I will not die so easily," Gaara threatened. "Not like you." The Jinchuuriki looked ready to do battle, when Gai suddenly appeared.

"Seize!" He yelled. He glared at Gaara. "Unless you want to stay here for the night, I suggest you don't try my patience. Save it for the exams." Gaara gave a deathly stare, but then grasped his head in pain. Shikamaru released his Jutsu, allowing the boy to walk away.

"I will kill all of you. Remember that." It took a few minutes until the three released the breath that they didn't know they were holding.

"I thank you," Gai said to the pair Genin. "You have saved my student from death. Though..." He looked to the still sleeping Lee. "I don't think he'll handle the news well."

"What news?" Naruto asked.

"The doctors have all agreed that in his state, Lee can no longer be a ninja. Such a pity." Naruto already knew, but it still made him sad for his fallen comrade. From what he saw and Tenten mentioned, Naruto knew that Lee was very cheerful, and proclaimed his strength to the world everyday. Knowing that he would never be a ninja was going to destroy him.

There is nothing you or I can do, Momo sadly claimed. I'm sorry.
Naruto assured her that it was okay.

"Come on, Shikamaru. Let's visit Chouji." Shikamaru could only nod, and follow his friend.

(Later)

Second day of training with the Pervy Sage.

"The Kuchiyose was easy," Jiraiya informed. "The Rasengan will take much longer to master. Especially with your chakra."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Simply put, your chakra control is not at the level to use this technique. You've been getting used to flaring your Chakra uncontrollably, that you've been neglecting your basic training. Both in your mission in Wave and the second exam, rumor has it that you were dishing out high level Jutsu left and right. I also heard that you developed a technique to imitate the Hyouton. Do you think something that requires small amounts of Chakra? I bet you can't even make a healthy looking Bunshin anymore." Naruto scoffed.

"We'll see about that. Bunshin no Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke, a cartoonish and deflated clone appeared, and sank to the ground. "What the hell? I know I did it right! Bunshin no Jutsu!" Another clone appeared, looking just a bit better. "What is wrong with me?"

"You see? The Rasengan is pure Chakra control. You manipulate, shape and compress Chakra into a spiraling ball. Recently, you've traded control for pure impact. But I will fix that. For this, there are three steps." Jiraiya took out a scroll, and unsealed a bag. Naruto peered inside to see water balloons and balls. Each was the size of the Rasengan. "Now you actually already know two things about this technique. Your tree walking required focus and concentration for long periods of time. After that, your water walking required a fixed amount of Chakra continuously. Those are needed for the Rasengan. This is your first step." Jiraiya took one of the water balloons, and held it out. It was to Naruto's surprise when the ball began to convulse and eventually rupture. "You need to use the constant Chakra flow of water walking for this. See if you can do what I did."

"This'll be easy," Naruto claimed with confidence, not knowing the real challenge it posed.

(Skipping Training because of laziness)

It was the day before the exams.

"Again!" Jiraiya yelled. Naruto gripped his wrist, and focused on the center of his palm. No matter how many times he saw it, Naruto found the technique beautiful. Blue chakra materialized in his hand like a miniature spherical tornado. But unlike Jiraiya's, his was bigger and lighter. It was like a water balloon with too much air, and not enough water.

"HaaaAAH!" Naruto shouted as he rushed towards the dummy. But as he thrust the sphere on the stomach area, the Rasengan dissipated without a lot impact.

"Again!" Naruto cursed, and jumped back. He tried again, with the same results.

"Dammit! Why won't it hit?"

"Remember your training, Naruto. What you are lacking is proper compression. You have the sphere shape and the rotation, but the ball is too big for the amount of Chakra you're putting into it. Unless you're thinking to make a globe sized Rasengan, either add more chakra, or find a way to compress it further.

"I am TRYING!"

"Then try find a different way! Again!" Naruto clenched his teeth. He was running out of his normal Chakra, and getting near to Momo's. This time, Naruto hovered his hand above his other. The extra hand acted as a boundary to help restrict the size of the ball. He figured smaller was better in this case. With this, he charged the dummy and targeted the stomach once more. There was a clear difference, with the Rasengan making a huge impact. The dummy flew backwards, spinning like a shuriken. Jiraiya nodded in approval. It surprised him just how fast he was mastering Minato's technique. Perhaps he was a prodigy in his own right.

"Good! Now, why don't you train with two hands, and eventually keep it with one? This will be our final day of training." Naruto looked at his teacher with gratitude.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-Sensei! I won't let you down." The white haired man put his hand on Naruto's head. This time, the blonde didn't push him away.

"You better not. With each passing day, you remind me of your father. Perhaps at some point in the future, you'll surpass him. Good luck on your exam."

"I'll definitely win. I have a promise to keep." The blonde waved his teacher goodbye. "Now..." Naruto used two hands to replicate the technique, but didn't move to do anything else. Instead, he stood still, and let it run for a few minutes. He tried to memorize every little aspect of the sphere in his two hands. "Now with one..." He removed his other hand. The sphere he created was smaller than the last time with one hand, but still too big for the damage he desired. It was going to be a long night.

(Few hours later)

"Naruto-kun," Haku called as she neared the training hall. "We're about to have dinner." She knocked on the large doors, waiting for a response. When no response came, she opened the door to find the blonde lying on the floor and breathing heavily. He had exhausted himself, and was feeling the repercussions of it. As Haku walked inside, she noticed the many holes that riddled the wall. Some were bigger than others. The girl knelt next to her friend, and stared at his face. Despite the exhaustion, there was a content and peaceful look on his face. She stroked his hair, making his eye open. The two stared each other for a while as Naruto tried to find his voice.

"Haku-chan," he wheezed. "I...did it. I think." She smiled, and used her ice to cool Naruto down. He was more than appreciative. "Thanks. You were saying something about dinner?" Haku giggled and grabbed his arm. With a grunt of effort, she put the blonde on her back, and carried him to the main building. Naruto settled himself against her body, and wrapped his arms around her upper torso. His head hung over her shoulder, making his cheek touch hers. It seemed he was still yearning for the touch of a woman.

Haku, whose face lit up like a lantern, let out a small squeak. "N-Naruto-kun?" She nudged her head to get his attention, but all that came out was the sound of snoring. The girl sighed. "Please do not tease me so, Naruto-kun." She put the boy in his bed, and saved a serving of the food for him.

(The next day)

Naruto stretched his arms with a satisfied groan. As he made his way towards the stadium, his excitement grew. He would be able to show his strength to everyone.

"Today's the day," he said to himself. "That bastard is going down." The image of the prodigy in his mind made lowered his mood.

Taking a scenic route near the forest, Naruto stopped. His ears picked up the sound of repeated thumping on wood. The boy followed the sound to Team 8's training ground to find Hinata practicing her Gentle Fist on a log. Her fluid motion reminded him of flowing water, as she twisted around her target. Hinata slammed her open palm on the middle of the log. There was a slight pause, before a sudden gale blasted the wood from its resting place. Hinata stood still to catch her breath.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto finally called. Hinata's body stiffened from hearing his voice. "You're better now?" The girl hid her bruised hands behind her back, and faced Naruto with a gentle smile.

"Good morning," she greeted. "Are you on your way to the exams?"

"What were you doing?" The heiress froze.

"I'm just practicing some simple katas." Naruto nodded, but knew that she was lying. The way she was striking the log was more forceful than she let on. He glanced at the fallen piece of wood to see small holes where she had been hitting. There was an indent where she had made her last blow.

"You just got out of the hospital, Hinata-chan. You shouldn't be injuring yourself like this." Naruto walked to the heiress. The closeness made her blush, as Naruto reached around her back to grab her arms. She winced a bit. "See? You're hurt." He took her hands in his as gently as he could. A green glow enveloped his hands. Hinata could feel the warmth radiate from his touch as her pain slowly faded away.

"You're going to be fighting Neji-niisan, aren't you?" Naruto nodded. "He's incredibly strong and smart. He's a true prodigy. No doubt, it will be hard to beat him." Her lips curved up into a smile. "But even though, I have no doubts that you'll win." The blonde looked at her with surprise.

"You really think so? You would think that Hyuugas would boast the strength of their clan members." Hinata shook her head.

"Neji-niisan may be strong, but you're stronger than him. After all, you're fighting for something other than yourself."

"I'm fighting for you." Though her hands were already healed, Naruto still held them in his. "I'll be knocking that prick off his high horse, Hinata-chan. I hope you'll be there to see it."

"Of course I will...You can let go of my hands now. You need to get to the building before they think you're forfeiting." Naruto's cheeks turned pink. He slowly released his grip. Hinata's hands instantly felt cold, so she clasped them to preserve the warmth. "Good luck." Naruto matched her smile with a grin of his own.

"Of course."

(Stadium)

"Sasuke isn't here," Naruto noted as he looked around. The blonde stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the fighters, waiting for the opening statements.

"That bandaged guy from Oto isn't here either," Shikamaru groaned.

"Enough with the whispering," Genma scolded. "Face the audience." Genma was the new proctor, replacing Hayate. This made Naruto wonder where the sickly man was, but he dismissed it as being unfit to continue his proctor duties.

"The Kazekage has arrived." Naruto, instead of looking at the newly arrived leader, turned his attention to Gaara. The redhead stared at the Kazekage. It must have been a trick of the light, but he thought he saw a small look of surprise. Naruto looked at Sarutobi's counterpart. There was something...off about him. His face was obscured by a veil, revealing only his eyes. It was peculiar dress for such an event. From what he could see, the Hokage and the Kazekage were having a little conversation.

Hokage-jiji should know about the planned invasion, Naruto thought. There must be many guards and such both outside and inside of the area. He figured that the reason for Sarutobi to not cancel the exams was for the reputation of the village, and the risk of war starting inside the village.

The Hokage rose from his seat, and addressed his and the other village's people. "Welcome," boomed his voice with the authority he carried. "and thank you, for those who are here to witness Konohagakure's Chunin selection exam!" His words caused a wave of cheers to fill the stadium. "We will now begin the matches, so please stay until the very end!" With that, he sat down. Genma held a piece of paper for the Genin to read. They noticed the absence of Dosu's name.

"Question," Naruto announced. "Sasuke's not here, so what are we going to do about that?"

"According to the rules," Genma answered. "If he is not here by the time of his match, then he is disqualified." The blonde nodded, understanding his friend's situation. If it was the case that Sasuke was disqualified, he was going to make sure that his fist was well acquainted with the Uchiha's face. "That's that. The stage is different, but the rules remain the same. Death or forfeit determines the winner. The first fight is between Neji Hyuuga, and Naruto Uzumaki." As the rest of the fighters made their way to the waiting room, Naruto and Neji stood face to face with mutual glares. Naruto broke eye contact to look for Hinata. He smiled when he found her sitting next to Kiba They were separate from the rest of their classmates. He also saw Hiashi and Hanabi, the latter of which was fervently waving at him to get his attention. Haku sat with the rest of the academy graduates. Then his eyes narrowed. It seemed Kiba also noticed the ANBU sitting behind them, though there was something peculiar about that particular agent. Naruto was unable to think about it any further, due to his fight.

"You will not win," Neji said coolly. "Fate will decide me the winner."

"We'll see," Naruto replied. The prodigy clicked his tongue, before going into the familiar stance of the Gentle Fist. His Byakugan was activated.

"Begin!" Genma announced. Naruto immediately summoned several Kage Bunshin to test his opponent's skills. By the way the Hyuuga was looking between the clones, he could tell that the Byakugan had trouble distinguishing the clone from the real. Naruto ordered his copies to charge.

"Do not take me for a fool!" Neji broke his stance to fight all of the clones at once. Not once did the copies hit him. The Hyuuga's hands were like blurs as they ripped one body after another.

"I hate to admit it," Naruto mumbled to himself. He winced as he felt the pain of his clones. "His taijutsu is superior to mine...Not that I have a style to begin with." The last of his Kage Bunshin were popped with the same palm strike that Hinata had used on the log. He returned to his stance with a calm face.

"Is this the strength of the future Hokage? With destined weakness, there is no way you will rule over me." Naruto's teeth gnashed together. His talk of destiny and fate really pissed him off. "You seem to believe that hard work and will are the key to shaping a life, but it is time for you to face reality. If you are to be Hokage, then fate will make it so. If not, then failure is your future."

"Do not speak to me of fate!" Naruto yelled as he rushed to his opponent. Neji smirked, and ducked the blonde's punch. But before he could close the tenketsu in the blonde's arm, he retracted it. The prodigy was surprised to find a hand grasping his wrist. "I will not have any of it." Naruto planted his foot on the ground, and pulled on Neji's limb. He threw the boy aside like unwanted garbage. As Neji righted himself, he took out a kunai to deflect a rain of projectiles that threatened to skewer him. With his Byakugan, he noticed more clones being created. The copies jumped in the air, creating a sort of dome around him. "Show me what you can do." Naruto and his clones performed the Kunai and Shuriken Kage Bunshin. There was nowhere that projectiles weren't coming towards Neji, but the boy was unfazed. In fact, there was a smug look on his face. He began to spin in place with his arms outstretched. Under the barrage of steel, a dome of rotating Chakra was created. The dome deflected every single projectile, even sending them back at the owner. Naruto watched his clones pop. "The Kaiten. As expected of a genius." He knew of the technique from from what Hiashi and his daughters had told him. It was the absolute defense of the Hyuuga, taught only to those of the Main Branch. Glancing at the Hyuuga head, he saw the surprise on his and Hanabi's face. The same went for Hinata.

After deflecting all of the projectile, Neji slowed to a stop. There was a circular indent the size of the Kaiten where he stood. "As you can see, your efforts are futile. There is no way you can pierce the Hyuuga's Kaiten." It was his turn to attack, and he rushed towards the blonde. Naruto backpedaled to dodge the numerous finger thrusts that nearly made contact with his body. "You are smart to keep your distance, but it will not help." Neji sent his open palm towards Naruto's abdomen. "Hakke: Kuushou!" Naruto was unable to block the pressure that launched him backwards. Neji rushed towards the spinning blonde, and got into a stance that Naruto had only seen in the Hyuugas' scrolls. "You are within my field!"

"Shit!" Naruto exclaimed. Before he could even think of dodging, he felt two strikes to his body.

In the stands, Hinata gasped. "Oh no," she mumbled. "Not that technique!"

"Two strikes!" Neji yelled, before continuing his attack. "4! 8!" Naruto felt his tenketsu closing. Alarms went up in his head, as he called for Momo. "16! 32! Hakke: Rokujuuyonshou!" Neji finished his technique with a particularly hard palm strike. Naruto landed face-down on the ground with a lour groan. His breathing was ragged, and his body trembled. Nothing responded the way he wanted it to. "Do not try to stand, Naruto Uzumaki. I have sealed all 64 of your tenketsu." Naruto lifted his head to meet the cold glare that Neji was pointing at him. "Do you see it now? Your untruthfulness. That you were caught in my technique proves that you are subject to fate. Did you really believe that hard work will be enough to beat me? You never had a chance. Just like Hinata-sama."

Hinata's breath hitched. Her blood boiled at the sight of her cousin mocking Naruto. It must've been the few times she was ever angry. Suddenly, she began to cough violently. A small bit of blood was left in her hand.

Drowning out Neji's rant, Naruto focused on the girl. No matter how she tried to hide it, Hinata had not completely recovered from her fight with her cousin. He could smell the scent of her blood from where her laid, and it made him bare his fangs. Beyond his pain, he struggled to move his arms. He could hear the shock that everyone voiced as he began to rise from the ground. Even Neji stopped monologue to voice his disbelief. From where he stood, he saw the suspicious ANBU healing Hinata.

"How dare you?" Naruto growled, finally standing. He spotted Momo watching him along with his friends. "How dare you decide the fight before it started. How dare you blame your suffering on fate." His fists clenched. "And how dare you insult Hinata-chan in front of me? Who do you think you are?"

"Do you know the pain of fate?" Neji countered. "The destiny of the Hyuuga is nothing but hatred. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Hyuuga's curse mark?" Naruto didn't say anything, though he had heard of it. He shared Hinata's goal to someday change that certain aspect of the clan. Neji removed his headband to reveal the mark of the Branch family, their very own cursed seal. "This is my curse. I am a bird in a cage to the Main Branch of the family. Without freedom, and without love. With a single hand seal, I can be killed." Naruto could barely keep focus from the pain as Neji explained the death of his father under the Main branch. He knew from Hiashi that Hinata was once kidnapped by a man from Kumo, right after a treaty was signed. The country used the treaty to demand the body of the head of the Main Branch. Sarutobi also told him about the incident, and recalled how war would've broken out if he did not comply. He cursed himself to be subject of a loophole. On the day of the exchange, Hizashi, Hiashi's twin brother, replaced his brother. With his death, the Byakugan and his blood were safely disposed of. "My father, equal to that of Hiashi-sama, was branded as inferior. He was sent to his death because of his destiny!" Neji reared his palm to the still recovering Naruto.

Dammit! I haven't gone around to reopening my tenketsu! The next thing he felt was the assault on his heart. He was launched back into the ground from the hit.

"Proctor. End this match." Genma was about to do so, until Naruto groaned.

"No!" The Hyuuga stared in disbelief at the stubbornness of his opponent. Naruto struggled to stand once more. "I will not lose to someone like you. Not to a coward who blamed his misfortune on fate. You're not a bird tied by rope. You're a bird who never thought to break his own bindings." Neji let out a growl. He would not take insults from a half-dead fool.

"And how can you understand what it's like to be burdened with a seal that you will never rid yourself of!?" There was a silence among Naruto's comrades. It was a thick silence that made the Hyuuga feel like he was choking. He felt the killer intent of multiple people in amounts he had never felt before. It made him shudder. Neji made contact with the blonde's face, and his breathing stopped. The brightness of the sky was absent from his eye, replaced with dullness. His face held no emotion. Before long, he met his gaze, and offered up a glum smile.

"You have no idea," Naruto said. He stopped to look at where Hinata was. He saw the ANBU strike Kiba. His eye connected with Sarutobi, who nodded in understanding. The invasion was nearly upon them. "I have had enough of your ranting. Destiny this, fate that. You're like a broken record. Do you think I complain so much with everything I've gone through?" With trembling hands, he took a kunai and cut through the shirt and mesh that covered his body. The cloth and chain parted, letting Neji see the seal on his stomach. "I was burdened from birth as well. I was inferior to everyone's eyes as well." His eyes hardened. "I was without love as well. And yet here I am, still fighting." Neji's eyes widened. By blocking his tenketsu, it should have been impossible for Naruto to draw Chakra. So why was it that the circulation still flowed? The Byakugan could see the crimson red Chakra replacing the regular blue. But beyond all that, he saw something darker spinning around at his core. It felt like he was being stared at. "How about I show you what those from the bottom can do?"

"I can't let you do that! You forget about my abilities." Neji got into a familiar stance. "If I can close your Chakra once, I can do it again." Naruto doubled over at the first two strikes. He was subject once more to the devastating power of the Hyuuga's taijutsu. "2! 4! 8! 16! 32! 64!" At the end of the attack, Naruto found himself in the ground once more. His eyes were wide open, and his breathing stopped.

He laid there, devoid of life.

Omake

Haku was in the Forest of Death on her weekly rounds for herbs and other plants. With a full basket, she took a break in her previous abode. Even though they didn't live in the forest anymore, Haku made it a habit to clean the house now and again. It was like a Summer house.

As she cleaned, she heard the sound of someone crying. Thoughts went to why anyone even thought of coming into the most dangerous forest in Konoha. If it was a child, then she needed to escort them out immediately.

Imagine her surprise, when she spotted Naruto in the distance. He was the one crying. But he was not alone. He was engaged in a literal bear hug with the beast he recognized as the same bear he had wrestled with when the ANBU agent created the Momochi pair's house. The bear was also crying.

"Kuma," Naruto sobbed. He was referring to the bear. "It's been a long time how have you been?"

"Roar. Roar. Roar." Kuma let out a series of grunts and snorts.

"Yeah? You got a family now? There are little cubs running around in the forest?" Kuma nodded. "Look at you, all grown up." His voice quivered. "My empire belongs to you now, Kuma. May your dynasty be long and prosperous." He turned away from the beast, and spared him the tears that flowed down his cheeks. "Now GO! Don't waste your time on an old man like me! You have a world to rule. You're the man now, bear!" Kuma sniffed, and disappeared in the forest's foliage. Naruto raised his head to where sky shone through the thick leaves. "And one day...when we are old and brittle, we'll meet again. On that day we will fight for old time's sake." His voice turned into a whisper. "In the future..."

Chapter end.

Man, is my mind going to shit.

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