Chapter 9
Hinata was eager to meet her friend again.
After returning home yesterday, she had scoured her clan's library for techniques other than the traditional juuken style that could be used alongside the byakugan.
She was met with little success… up until, out of a sense of intuition, she'd explored her father's bookshelf –figuring that any non–orthodox clan technique would end up there and, lo and behold, she found her mother's notebook.
As it turns out, her mother had been on the cusp of discovering something that could change the perspectives on her clan's techniques entirely. She had a theory based on juuken and elemental chakra, with members talented in the juuken more likely to have an affinity with the earth chakra as compared to those who did poorly as they had other chakra affinities. Through having an earth affinity, one could have the rigidity and strength to perform juuken techniques as it was intended whereas those of other affinities couldn't.
It was a theory that was simple, but had almost no merit as 99.9% of Hyuuga clan members had an affinity to earth thus it wasn't completed before she passed away.
Hinata finally had a direction to explore in. What a stroke of luck that's crossed her path recently. First she'd met this kind, funny, rather goofy, handsome–
–she blushed. No, he was her friend. Nothing more. She was just too eager to jump headfirst into different levels of a relationship due to her inexperience in having them.
Correction, she met a kind person who gave her his time and made her feel…enormously better about herself. In just two days, no less!
That was better, though it still sounded a bit too reverent in her mind.
'Take it easy, Hinata or you'll scare him off!'
"Yo, Hinata-chan!" A voice called out.
"Eeep!" She yelped, startled.
It was the subject of her thoughts who called out to her. Brown hair, warm brown eyes. She was still unsure if that was even what he truly looked like, considering the fact that he hid his name. She respected him too much already to use her byakugan against him. It would be an invasion of privacy, especially after he told him he trusted her.
"N–naruto-kun!" She responded.
"Ho? So you know his real name?" A voice said from beside her.
"Eeeep!" She yelped again, startled once more. Then she realised who it was that scared her. "L–lady Uzumaki! G–greetings from the Hyuga clan!"
Her formal greeting was so ingrained into her that it just came out the moment she'd laid eyes on the red-haired matriarch.
Kushina smirked. "My, my, at least this one knows how to greet someone at my station properly…"
Hinata scrambled to attention. Back straight and bowed to the head of the Uzumaki clan. As diminished as the Uzumaki clan was, she still had immense power as the sole seal-master of Konoha, though she received much criticism for not remarrying to repopulate the clan. After the example she made of the person who'd initially said that though, everyone had politely chosen to not voice their opinions in front of her again. She'd always had a reputation for being an untouchable, powerful, and short-tempered mistress. She was the beautiful flower no one can have, so they say.
And at the moment, she was here. Eyes bearing into Hinata's skull.
Hinata almost fainted.
"Oy! Mo–I mean, Kushina-sama! Please don't scare her away! She has a habit of fainting, dattebayo," Naruto said as he ran over.
Hinata blushed. She didn't have a habit of fainting!
…she only faints occasionally!
…when she gets surprised…
…or scared…
…or nervous…
…or excited…
…alright, maybe she had a small fainting problem.
Naruto didn't take long before reaching the two of them. "Yo! Glad you could make it!"
Hinata nodded. "H-hai, I wouldn't miss this for anything."
"Oho~" Kushina said, "She'd put you on her high priority list, hm?"
Hinata blushed.
Naruto poked his mother on the side, a sensitive spot he found out over their breakfast tussle this morning.
"Hey!" Kushina squawked as she jumped. "What was that for?"
"For being mean," Naruto said, scolding her.
Kushina grumbled something about harlots taking her son away from her and teaching him a lesson.
Though, Hinata was too distracted at just how close they both seem. "How do you two know each other? If it's alright for me to ask?"
Naruto beamed. "Of course! Turns out I'm related to her late husband. Who knew!"
Kushina nodded at her son's backstory–one they spent a brief amount of time making up this morning. It would take until Hiruzen was convinced that he was her son and gave him a proper excusable identity that Naruto would finally be able to introduce himself to the public.
Naruto must have shown great trust in Hinata for him to let her know his real first name already. From what she'd heard of the girl, the Hyuga heiress was timid and overlooked. It seemed that the clan was leaning towards having her younger twin sister primed to take her position rather than her.
That would be no good. Especially if she was to be a candidate for her son's love interests.
"Is–Is that so?" Hinata said, "Does that mean you're a Namikaze?"
At his face Hinata back-stepped her conversation. "R–right. It's one of your secrets. I didn't mean to–"
"--No, no it's fine. It's still in the process of being confirmed so I can't tell you too much yet."
To Hinata, due to the village never disclosing Lady Kushina's child's name, she didn't realise that the person in front of her had the same name as the child of the fourth Hokage, who passed away along with him during the Kyuubi tragedy.
Hinata just uses her fingers to bring a lock of hair behind her ears.
"I hope I can get to know more about you, Naruto-kun," Hinata said.
"Same here to you, Hinata-chan!," He responded eagerly, "have you eaten yet? We were just having lunch!"
In response, Hinata's stomach growled.
…and once again, she wondered why Kami saw fit to even allow her to exist up until this point.
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"Hokage-sama," A voice called out.
It was Neko, one of his most trusted Anbu. She handed over a piece of parchment. Hiruzen already knew what the letter contained. Last night, he'd dropped by the medic-nin ward to have his most trusted medic-nin discreetly do a DNA analysis between two people, under the cover of receiving an ointment for his knee. The result of which will be an S-rank secret, not stored in medical records and the only copy being the one in his hands right now.
Hiruzen nodded and handled the parchment with utmost care.
"Leave me," Hiruzen said, and all the anbu cleared from his room.
Then, after listening to the boy's story, Hiruzen decided to take precautions of blocking any unwanted spiders from spying on him. He placed a short-range privacy ward given to him by Kushina on his desk, activating it. It would block everything within 2 metres diameter of its vicinity, though the length was adjustable by the amount of chakra channelled into the seal.
'Root bastards,' he thought, 'I thought I got rid of that program years ago. To think that Danzo would…'
Hiruzen bit his lip. He had decided to bide his time for now, pretending to remain ignorant of the shadows lurking beneath Danzo's feet.
He opened the letter, containing the results inside. This would once and for all, prove whether the boy was just a lookalike pretending to be Kushina's son…but who was he kidding. Even the deepest parts of him knew that none other could look so much like the child birthed from Kushina and his successor.
He opened the letter, revealing the files and to his surprise…
…they were unrelated.
Hiruzen looked closely at the results. He wasn't even an Uzumaki!
'What does this mean? Was he lying? Is he a spy? Is Kushina in danger?'
Then his quick mind caught up to him. He was a veteran ninja that had served for 5 decades, he knew a liar when he saw one. That boy…didn't even attempt to deceive him once. Unless he was as deceptive as Danzo Shimura himself, the only other possible explanation was that he was…not an Uzumaki by this world's standards.
It could be a very real chance that the very gene that gave the Uzumaki's their unique traits were coded completely differently in other worlds.
'This is…so strange…'
He had very little knowledge of multi-world theories, preferring to spend all his time looking into jutsus and ninja-related research. That would mean that this…Naruto wasn't related to this world's Kushina at all, despite looking the way he does.
'I need to ask Kamazaki to do a further analysis I suppose. Perhaps he'll match with something…He can't be just someone posing as Naruto Uzumaki. Things line up too well with his story, despite the outlandish way it ended. Fighting gods was unbelievable…but he knows things no one should know at all. Why would he even allow a DNA test if he wasn't confident that it would match?'
Hiruzen would have to share the result of the test with Kushina, but he doubted that it would change her mind about anything. He could already tell that despite their few days of interaction, she already loves the boy as her own. Hiruzen, himself, would hold on to his own conclusions until he saw just who the strange boy really was…and what he could do.
He would treat the subject matter with caution, though he needed another way of confirming the boy's story…
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Hinata, Naruto, and Kushina were having a pleasant lunch. Luckily, Kushina had decided to pack extra bentos this morning just in case her son wanted seconds. Naruto didn't mind sharing at all as Hinata politely took that second serving, but Kushina would see to it that he had plenty more to eat next time. He was 17! He definitely still had plenty more to grow…despite already being a bit taller than his father was.
"This is…rather interesting," Naruto said, reading from the notebook Hinata brought. "At least it's something we could try. Do you have any chakra paper by any chance?"
Hinata and Kushina both shook their heads.
Naruto formed a shadow clone and ordered him to go buy some from the Higurashi weapons store, giving him the necessary ryo, of which Hinata objected to (to no success).
Naruto's clones had become more obedient ever since he learned to take orders himself, considering the fact that they were a reflection of him. In the war, while most of the orders came from him, he learned to listen to precise commands given by those around him without hesitation. Nothing was worse than disobedience in highly critical, life or death missions. Kakashi had been his sole mentor in this regard.
It took until the end of their lunch break until the clone returned with a few pieces of chakra paper, to keep just in case he needed it.
"Here," Naruto said, handing one over to Hinata, "just put a bit of your chakra into it."
"H-hai," She said, doing just that.
It immediately became soggy, indicating that she had a very strong water affinity…which was the absolute opposite of the earth affinity theorised to be good for juuken.
"Well," Naruto said, "This is certainly a step to proving your mother's theory. Though we do have a limited sample size."
Naruto thought of all the times he'd fought or witnessed a ninja with water affinity in combat. Momochi Zabuza, Hoshigaki Kisame, Terumi Mei, Suigetsu…
He thought of their abilities in Taijutsu. They had all been fierce but had this…seamlessness within their movements. It was like each of their attacks connected to another, unrelenting like the constant battering of a wave against a cliff side, slowly eroding it with time.
Naruto nodded. He was no expert in this but at least he had an idea to explore.
"Say Hinata, how about we try…"
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It was evening before Naruto had some time alone to train again.
Over the past few hours, Hinata, he and even his mother engaged in a few friendly spars. As it turned out, his mother was excellent in Taijutsu although she was a bit rusty. It was good for them all, with Hinata painstakingly trying to break the habits ingrained to her to explore new techniques, Kushina relearning her close quarter combat capabilities and Naruto learning to control his new strength.
Naruto had suggested that Hinata use her flexibility as an asset rather than something to be pried out of her. He explained how water users connect their attack to each subsequent one, sometimes lulling like still water and other times crashing like a raging torrent. He demonstrated it in a taijutsu form to the best of his ability from memories of how Zabuza moved. He didn't think much of it but Hinata looked at him as if he was a genius.
Now, Kushina was back at the picnic area, enjoying the sunset, and Hinata had bid them farewell, saying that she had to catch her sparring session that was scheduled today. She stated that she didn't want to show them that she was working on something new yet and would keep today's training in her back pocket for now.
Naruto smiled. She was already showing signs of the Hinata that he knew from his world. She was finding herself amidst all the noise, becoming the princess that everyone would respect and revere.
Naruto glanced out at the book he had in front of him. He too, would become better than he was now.
No matter what happens, he'll move forwards.
Forward, always.
…maybe that should be his new motto rather than never give up? It was more succinct.
He opened the first page and began reading.
'The first step is to channel chakra into your eyes and concentrate. View the world as it was meant to be viewed.'
That was all it said. Simple, Naruto supposed.
He did just that, concentrating his chakra into the Rinnegan.
At first there was nothing.
Then he felt a tingle in his left eye, almost as if it started waking up. Then, for reasons he couldn't explain, his right eye started burning. The completely normal, non-rinnegan one.
"ARGHH" He screamed, and he immediately heard Kushina calling out his name.
It felt like an army of fire ants had crawled their way into his sockets, stinging every available surface in the meantime..
"Ah, Shit!" Naruto swore as he bowled over. Kushina was immediately at his side, asking him what was wrong.
Yet, Naruto could feel the darkness claiming him, and could barely hear his mother's last words.
"Naru–your–Rinnegan!"
Then he fell into sleep's embrace.
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Naruto woke up.
And the world around him almost sparkled through his eyes. He'd always had pretty good eyesight but for some reason, things were sharper now, clearer.
He found that he was in the living room coach. His mother must've carried him home from the training grounds.
He shook his head, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes but never has anything been so…clear to him.
"M–mom?" He called out, and he immediately heard a gasp coming from the kitchen.
He sat up as he saw two people entering the living room. It was Kushina and Hiruzen.
"Naruto!" Kushina said, immediately coming in for a hug. He hugged her back, the reaction almost as natural as anything to him despite their limited time knowing each other.
"Are you alright boy?" Hiruzen said as he approached.
"Jiji…" Naruto said, "I feel…fine. What happened?"
Then he felt his mother unlatch herself from him and held his face close, gazing into his eyes, her own flicking in between each of his.
"Take a look at the mirror, Son," She said. For some reason as she called him that, she glared angrily at Hiruzen, who in turn looked away, pretending not to notice.
"A-alright," Naruto said hesitantly, and did as he was told.
He went to the bathroom, and almost tripped as he first caught a glimpse of himself. Then he rushed towards the mirror, peering close. His eyes…both of his eyes had become rinnegans. Each with concentric black rings and six tomoe.
He looked back at the two people behind him. "W–what just happened? Did someone transplant another Rinnegan into me? Why?"
Kushina shook her head. "No one transplanted another eye into you, Son. When I came to your side when you collapsed, I saw …I saw the Rinnegan appearing in your right eye as well, almost like it was mutating or…or creating a copy of itself from your left eye."
He stared at her in stunned silence.
"H–How?" Naruto muttered under his breath, "How could such a thing happen?"
He looked into the mirror again. With both his eyes turning into rinnegans, none of his crystal blue eyes remained. All that was left were purple sclera, black rings and tomoe.
Then, as if catching a memory from the currents in his mind, Naruto's eyes widened.
'That's…convenient…and don' you mean my 'eye' as in singular?'
'Hm,' Hagoromo responded.'
…
'The eye is not transplanted, boy, it belongs to you now…amongst other things.'
Was this what Hagoromo meant by 'amongst other things'? That the rinnegan would take over his other eye, as well?
"Are you feeling any side effects, son?" Kushina asked worriedly.
Naruto shook his head. "No, I just, I'm just surprised, is all…"
He then glanced towards the third Hokage. "Old man…what are you doing here? –not that you're unwelcome or anything–just–"
Hiruzen smiled. "It's quite alright, boy. I'm just here because I wanted to share the results that I found–"
"–Hiruzen," Kushina cut off.
The tone of his mother's voice set the hair on Naruto's back on end.
"He deserves to know," Hiruzen said.
"Even still. It. Is. Not. Your. Call. To. Make." Kushina punctuated, and with each word, Kushina stepped forwards and Hiruzen stepped back, hand in the air to placate her.
Who knew that all it took to intimidate the strongest man in the village was an irate mother…an irate mother who just happened to be named Kushina Uzumaki.
"Of course," he said, "I apologise, Kushina. It's your responsibility to handle this."
Kushina calmed at his words, though she still looked irritated as she crossed her arms underneath her bosom.
Naruto just looked at the situation with raised eyebrows.
"A-anyhow," Hiruzen said, coughing and regaining his composure, "I will have the written test ready for you by tomorrow boy, be ready."
With that, Hiruzen shunshin'ed away.
"What was that about?" Naruto asked curiously.
Kushina bit her finger nails, showing another anxious habit of hers.
"Mom?" He said, walking until he was in front of her, "Is everything alright?"
Kushina nodded but said: "There's something we need to discuss, son."
She emphasised the word 'son' as if she wanted to assure him of something.
"Alright…" Naruto relented, still confused.
They both sat down on the coach and Naruto had observed that the privacy seals were already on, the seals glowing as they were.
"Son, the DNA results…" Kushina said, jumping right in.
Naruto suddenly had a sense of trepidation. His eyes flicked to the piece of parchment that she'd grabbed before sitting down.
"I just want you to know that, this means nothing and changes nothing, alright?" Kushina assured.
Naruto nodded, but swallowed lightly.
"The results showed that we're unrelated. Completely."
Yet for the second time that evening, Naruto looked like a gaping fish.
"Wha–But–"
"Let me finish, son," Kushina said. "There isn't a single doubt in my heart that you are who you say you are. My Son."
Naruto nodded, yielding to her words.
Kushina continued. "Hiruzen came up with a theory that due to the existence of alternate worlds, thereby having alternate possibilities, your world's Uzumaki DNA may be designed completely different from our's. I'm not quite sure how it works but the bottom line is that…we're not…related at all–though that doesn't mean that you are no less my son than the Naruto I birthed."
Naruto just looked at her, blindsided by what he was hearing, "but…but this means that…to you guys…to this world, I'm not even an Uzumaki."
"That's not true!" Kushina retorted, fearing panic in her son, "You are an Uzumaki, but one of your world, just with a different set of genes from one of ours. We just happen to have the same traits."
"I…see," Naruto responded shakily. He took a shaky breath. "Mom?"
"Yes, Naruto?" Kushina answered, worried.
"I'm not lying to you that I'm your son. I'm no spy or infiltrator or…or fake…you know that right?"
"Of course not!" Kushina said, jumping to hug him, "if you aren't my son, then I'm not Uzumaki Kushina. You are my son, Naruto. It doesn't matter what the tests say."
Naruto gave out a relieved breath. "Alright. If it's okay with you, then it's okay with me. This…changes nothing."
Kushina knew why Naruto was desperately trying to latch on to their relationship. She knew his pain because she, too, wanted a family for so long.
"That's right," Kushina confirmed. Then she looked into his eyes. His eyes, the purple sclera and black rings with tomoe. They were enchanting. "I told you, didn't I? No matter what happens, I'll be by your side even if you don't want me there."
Naruto smiled and gave her a bone crushing hug back, to which she responded similarly. "I would never. If I had my way then we'll be together forever."
Kushina's heart clenched.
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