What is he hiding?

Naruto and others finished their ramen,

"Thanks a lot for the meal," Naruto said.

"Anytime!" Ayame waved her hand as the four left.

"Sensei!" Kakashi called out.

"What is it?" Minato asked.

"Do you need help with the house?" Kakashi asked.

"Mm?" Gai looked at Minato.

"Nah, Its all right,"

"Naruto is here after all," Minato smiled.

"Got it,"

"We'll meet tomorrow," Kakashi said.

"Mm!" Minato nodded.

"Naruto, I'll see you at the office tomorrow," Kakashi said.

"All right!" Naruto grinned.

("Tomorrow I am going to make him reveal what's under his mask at any cost!")

("This mystery has gone on for long enough!") Naruto thought as he waved to Kakashi and Gai.

"Bye, Naruto!" Gai also waved back.

"Shall we go?" Minato asked.

"Yeah!" Naruto said enthusiastically.

---------------------

Back in the restaurant…

"What a touching Reunion…" Orochimaru smiled.

"Orochimaru," Tsunade and Jiraiya were surprised.

…

Orochimaru sat at the side between Tsunade and Jiraiya.

"Orochimaru,"

"You never got along with us for a drink or any normal meeting since the old days," Jiraiya said.

"It's not too late for one I suppose," Orochimaru laughed.

"Why are you here?" Tsunade asked.

"Well, considering that I am now locked up in this village by that old geezer with nowhere else to go,"

"I thought why not just join your little baby chit chat for a change," Orochimaru said.

"Tsk!" Tsunade turned her face away in embarrassment.

"Don't think for a second we have let down our guard against you," Jiraiya said.

"I guess, it is hard to swallow the fact that I have changed," Orochimaru sighed following which he turned towards a waiter nearby and asked for a sake cup.

"However, I never imagined things would be this complicated in the future…" Orochimaru said.

"Mm…"

"The sage of six paths, his brother, his main clan…" Jiraiya counted one by one.

"Naruto overworked himself to keep up with everything," Tsunade pitied Naruto.

"…"

Tsunade took a sip from her cup.

Hah! She breathed a bit of hot air as she looked out from a window that was located at the top of a wall beside her.

"It's quite the complicated situation we are in right now,"

"The five nations will be against us if we train secretly,"

"However, if we do them a favor by setting up an academy then that will be like handing over free food," Orochimaru said.

"…" Jiraiya was silent as he took a sip from his cup.

"What do you think we should do?" Jiraiya asked.

"Who knows, we should let fate play it out," Orochimaru said thinking back to the time he watched from the sidelines as Sasuke slowly claimed his honor and strength as he fought in the war alongside Naruto.

"Maybe it would be for the best if I stopped the Impure Reincarnation jutsu," Orochimaru said with his usual smile.

"And what about the bodies which you sacrificed for this jutsu?"

"Wouldn't it be all for vain?" Jiraiya asked.

"Considering that they were my cute subordinates who would listen to anything I said, I don't think it's a waste," Orochimaru said.

"You!" Tsunade and Jiraiya stood up.

"Calm down you two, I just suggested the idea," Orochimaru said.

"Hmph!"

"Where is that boy Uchiha Shin now?" Jiraiya asked.

"Oh,"

"You mean the boy whose body I used to cultivate those multiple Sharingan eyes and implanted his arm onto Danzo using the first's cells?" Orochimaru asked innocently.

"Yes, that boy," Jiraiya said.

"Who knows?"

"He must be enjoying his freedom right now," Orochimaru said.

"What?" Jiraiya stood up.

"Calm down,"

"I closed that research facility long ago,"

"As you have already seen from that boy's Naruto's memories,"

"Uchiha Shin wouldn't show up for the next twenty years at the minimum" Orochimaru explained.

Jiraiya slowly sat back down in his seat.

*Sound Of footsteps*

"Here you go," The waiter said as he placed a sake cup on the table.

"Mm!" Orochimaru nodded.

Jiraiya took a bottle in his hand.

"Here…" Jiraiya said.

Orochimaru smiled, following which Jiraiya emptied the contents of the bottle.

Orochimaru took a sip.

("This is what alcohol tastes like huh…")

("Too bad I am resistant to this and various other drugs…") Orochimaru thought as he gulped the drink in one go.

"How's it?" Jiraiya asked.

"Not appealing to my taste…" Orochimaru commented.

"I am going…" Tsunade got up.

"Tsunade," Orochimaru called out.

"Hm…?" Tsunade looked at Orochimaru who sitting next to Jiraiya on the mat next to the table.

"The first time I started experimenting in forbidden jutsu was when Nawaki died," Orochimaru said.

Tsunade continued to stare at Orochimaru without any change in expression.

"I wanted to see how I could make human body get over its frailty,"

"I experimented jutsus after jutsus; however, each of them required a life in return," Orochimaru continued.

Jiraiya also listened quietly, for in the past he was also on the search for Orochimaru's experimentation with innocent human beings.

"My experiments took life, one by one,"

"However, after seeing that boy's memories,"

"I realized that it was easy to reap life away, but how difficult would it be to create life?" Orochimaru asked.

Tsunade's expressions quivered for a moment as she thought back to the Orochimaru that appeared in Naruto's memories who patiently attended PTA like a regular parent would for Mitsuki.

"I want to experience the life that the me from the future was living."

"One which is peaceful, while also dealing with the toughest of research and experiments," Orochimaru explained.

The three remained silent for a few moments to hear Tsunade's thoughts on the matter.

"Do as you wish," Tsunade replied as she walked away.

("Looks like she hasn't completely opened up yet…") Jiraiya thought as he stared at Tsunade's departing back.

…

Jiraiya and Orochimaru continued drinking for a while,

"Jiraiya," Orochimaru called out.

"Hmm…?" Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru.

"Since I am going to create artificial human beings…"

"Should I help…" Orochimaru paused as he observed Jiraiya raising an eyebrow at Orochimaru.

"you both out?" Orochimaru asked.

Jiraiya spat the sake in his mouth out, following which he stared at Orochimaru with wide eyes.

--------------------

*Door Opens*

Naruto and Minato walk into the house, following which Naruto lights up a torchlight and walks a few steps ahead.

He then turns back and looks at Minato.

Minato smiles as he takes out a few light bulbs.

A few moments later.

*squeaking sounds*

Naruto screwed a bulb into the placeholder.

"Light her up dad!" Naruto said.

*switch*

The room lights up showing the handiwork of time on the room itself as the duo observe cobwebs and piles of dust all over…

"Time to clean up," Minato shows Naruto a cleaning mop and a pail of water.

"Hehe," Naruto smirked as he brought his fingers perpendicular to each other.

< Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu! >

(Poof!) About three shadow clones appeared next to Naruto.

"Shall we do it?" Naruto asks.

"Yeah!" the clones shout enthusiastically with cleaning rags and cleaning solutions in their hands.

"Naruto," Minato called out.

…

The scene changes to a line on the floor where Naruto, his clones, and Minato are half kneeling behind the line.

Minato took out a coin.

"The moment it lands,"

"We go," Minato said.

"Mm!" Naruto and his clones nodded.

"Ready?" Minato tossed the coin into the air.

The coin flips about twelve times,

*clang!*

(Bang!) the five launch off the line.

< Flying Thunder God! >

Minato vanishes.

"Hey,"

"Not Fair,"

"That's a foul!" Naruto shouted.

"hehe" Minato laughed as his apron flew about from the speed he was moving at…

About five minutes later…

"Whew…" Naruto wiped his sweat away as he stared at the living room which was sparkling clean…

Same for the Kitchen, Bathroom and the two Bedrooms as well.

Minato looked at Naruto,

"I'm going out for a bit," he said.

"Where are you going, dad?" Naruto asked.

"I've got a feeling that someone might need help," Minato smiled.

---------------------

*Footsteps with one being dragged*

Orochimaru had the look of uneasiness he had back when he saw Naruto removing Minato's talisman out.

"Orochimaru," Jiraiya called out in a drunk voice.

"What?" Orochimaru grunted as he dragged Jiraiya along.

"Think you are the only one who has snakes?" Jiraiya asked.

"Hm…?" Orochimaru weirdly stared at Jiraiya.

"I've got a one-eyed snake above my balls," Jiraiya said as he brought his hand near his groin region.

Orochimaru felt pissed upon hearing that comment.

"Orochimaru-san…" Minato called out in an awkward voice.

"Hmm…?" Orochimaru looked at Minato who stood a few meters away with Naruto by his side.

"Thank you for coming," Orochimaru said as Minato teleported to appear right in front of him.

Orochimaru then handed Jiraiya over and walked away.

"Naruto,"

"I'll meet you at the house," Minato said.

"Mm!" Naruto nodded.

(Whoosh!) The three left at the same time through the Flying Thunder God Technique...

---------------

In a particular house...

*Shelf Opens*

A man shifted a few books in the left-hand shelf of his closet to reveal an envelope,

"What are you doing?" the man heard a voice right from behind him.

He slowly turned around to see a boy staring at him.

"Shikamaru..." Shikaku sighed in relief.

("What is dad hiding?") Shikamaru thought.