The Story Begins

The Story Begins

Suna

I would consider my stay at Mt. Myōboku as time well spent. I had achieved my primary goal which was fully linking with Kurama as well as learning sage mode. I will admit that becoming a sage was on my list of things to do but I had been fully willing to push it off if I had to. Luckily for me, I had found the time for both.

The abilities of the two modes had some similarities but were distinct.

They both enhanced the physical body. The Kurama chakra mode, or KCM, gave more linear speed. From point A to point B, it was faster than sage mode. In return, sage mode allowed for greater understanding of one's body and surroundings leading to faster reaction times. Strength went to sage mode and stamina was hard to decipher due to neither mode having a limit that I could test. KCM came from Kurama while sage energy came from nature. One would take a long time to deplete while the other was infinite as long as I had a way to continuously absorb it. Which I did. Durability went to KCM mode.

Regarding extrasensory abilities; KCM provided much greater range and precision to Yin-release: Empathy, but only for negative emotions. Sage mode improved my chakra sensing by a wide margin. It had greater range, was more precise, and was a passive ability unlike my chakra radar. As an extension of the greater understanding of one's body and environment, sage mode allowed for better situational sensing. Stealth maneuvers against a sage were almost impossible due to these traits.

Sage mode was the better enhancement for techniques. It provided both a boost in power along with greater control. A medic-nin would benefit greatly from using Senjutsu. Assuming they had the large chakra pool and strong body to evoke sage mode. KCM only augmented power as it allowed for more chakra to be used.

They had other traits unique to each state. Using Frog Kata, which I was surprised to learn was its actual name, a sage could take the natural energy and surround themselves with it. From there it could be used as an extension of their body to increase the range or power of their strikes. That energy was completely invisible to all senses unless one was also a sage.

KCM allowed for the use of chakra limbs. They could essentially come from anywhere on the cloak which added another degree of unpredictability. They helped close the strength gap that existed between that form and sage mode. And finally, there was the Kurama avatar. Although only the Yang half, it was still the full size of Kurama when he was let loose on the Leaf village; something that Jiraiya and later Gamabunta confirmed. That was one of the reasons I had been happy to unlock the seal and then test my abilities far away from the Elemental Nations. Keeping something of that size private would have been impossible. And I was all for having secret moves in my back pocket.

The training the two forms required had been different. They both added onto my baseline stats but only one of them gave me perfect understanding of how to make use of that boost in abilities. So, unlike sage mode, I had to learn to maneuver with KCM. Learn how much effort to exert to get the desired outcome. After that came incorporating all aspects of combat while in the shroud.

Upon getting a good grasp of using the chakra cloak, I had moved on to learning to harness Senjutsu. Something that Jiraiya had been refining while I was busy. Either due to having me there with him or just having that span of interrupted time to train, but he made great progress with his sage mode. The day he was finally able to enter that state by himself with only the standard changes was one to remember. It was interesting to note the difference in the color of the pigment around his eyes compared to canon Naruto. His were red, a color already associated with him while Naruto had had orange, a color that he was infamous for. Lead me to think that personal preferences played a role in the final outcome.

Until I obtained sage mode with orange pigment as well. So, either preference didn't matter, or I had vestiges of Naruto in me. It was disappointing either way.

Casually inferring about the benefit of clones in sage training had seen Jiraiya passing another benchmark. I was happy that both of us had gotten something out of the trip.

In the end, I had managed to stack the two modes to get the best of both worlds. Furthermore, I had been able to control the KCM to the point where I hovered just under the threshold that would bring forth the full shroud. It provided a fraction of the physical enhancements but was more discrete, I only gained the golden eyes from the full transformation. It had no specific name, but I could maintain it as long as I was conscious. I'd like to think it looked like a personal dojutsu.

Our departure from Mt. Myōboku had been heartfelt; they were a nice bunch and their hospitality had been great. I had also gotten the confirmation that Gamakichi and his friends had completed their training and were okay to be summoned. I likely wouldn't need them for battles much, but they were enjoyable to be around.

With a month left before Tsunade would expect us to return, we had gone to the capital where Jiraiya introduced me to a craftsman specialized in metalwork, specifically armor. He had seen most of the designs that ninja villages used and was able to give sound advice on what would work. After some compromise, we had settled on something reminiscent of what they wore during the Warring Era and the anbu vests. Of course, the color scheme was as I had decided early on during the training trip. A matte black that did a great job of not reflecting any light with golden trim and highlights.

It consisted of a plate that covered both of my shoulders, a portion of my upper back and chest, and came with a raised collar. Two other plates were then used to cover both sides of my torso. Connecting them all were a series of straps made from something that looked like thick ninja wire. One went from the top of the chest plate to the top of the back plate holding them up over my shoulders. Another was used to hold those plates tight to my body and were connected at the side. The last set were straps that went into my pits and held the shoulder plate down. Due to the way they were positioned, only the ones at my side were visible. Not that any ordinary strike could sever them; they were very durable. In that manner, the three separate pieces combined to form one cuirass that didn't limit my range of motion while protecting the essentials.

Besides that, I had also gotten a set of vambraces and a new forehead protector. My old one hadn't been damaged; I had simply wanted a different one. It was a replica of Jiraiya's except it had more prominent horns that pointed straight up and rather than [KANJI REMOVED] it was engraved with [KANJI REMOVED]. A rather appropriate act of symbolism that everyone should strive for, not just me.

Drawn onto the equipment were a number of seals. They were numerous and had taken quite a bit of time, but being able to anchor seals onto something close at hand was one of the reasons for my purchase of armor. With sage mode and KCM in my back pocket, I had natural defense measures for high level combat where the odds of being injured were present. But the armor provided me with a convenient place to have seals rather than depend on scrolls which took extra time.

So, that whole endeavor may have been a result of my vanity, but I appreciated the appearance and functionality of the get-up, nonetheless. A person had to know when self-reward was appropriate after all. It was the least I deserved after wrapping up a training trip that had seen me rise from a mere pawn in someone's plan for world domination to a significant player in the game. Because regardless of how much I had known, being weak would have doomed me in the end.

But circumstances had changed and thus, fate would be re-written.

-GoS-

We had been making our way back to the Leaf village when a messenger toad had reverse-summoned itself to us. Urgent news had come from Suna, so in an attempt to hasten the process, Tsunade had sent the notice through her summons. From the home of the slugs, it had taken only a few hours to get to Mt. Myōboku, and from there they simply sent a toad with the message. It was a rather crafty way of communicating between two summoners when location was unknown.

Our hasty journey had taken us on a path that bypassed Konoha and lead directly to Suna where we had picked up the trail left by Kakashi and the gang. One stop to rest and then another for Jiraiya to summon the clone left behind to gather nature energy and then we had been in position to blitz in. Honestly, Sasori and Diedara were not the type of ninja that posed a legitimate threat to us. They were the kind that used their special techniques at range so being landlocked and in a cave with only one exit? Might as well be sitting ducks.

Gaara had already died but Lady Chiyo had revived him like I had hoped. That possibility had been what I had banked on when I decided to make no mention of sending a two-way scroll to Tsunade. Fortunately, it worked out.

Anyways, after the events of yesterday, it had not been the right time for a proper reunion, so we had made plans to get breakfast before retiring to our rooms. Rooms comprising of an entire floor in the best hotel Suna had. They were a grateful bunch.

Or most of them were.

…

Walking down the sand pathways, I was discreetly scanning the people up and about and those still in their homes. At first, I had set out this morning to get the lay of the land and to check out their odd architecture. I had thought it was interesting how they designed their round buildings out of what looked like clay. They likely had earth users who could create more of them as needed. Similar to Konoha and how Yamato could create wooden buildings.

But buildings could only hold my attention for so long before the people took it. They seemed friendly enough, with the civilians offering smiles and morning greetings while the few shinobi were more reserved yet still welcoming. Empathy detected traces of wariness and tension hidden under calm exteriors but that could be attributed to foreign ninjas walking around unmonitored. Nowhere near the results I was expecting from people who had conspired with another village to attack their ally.

But they hadn't been given a choice in that, had they? The kage commanded and they obeyed like the fatalistic patriots they were trained to be. That probably helped in putting the experience behind them. It also hadn't been their home that was invaded.

Taking note of the sun's position, I looped back towards the hotel. Across from it was the restaurant we had picked and since Jiraiya's signature was in there, the others were probably there too.

I pushed the cloth entrance aside and yup, everyone was present.

"Naruto, over here!" Yelled my pink haired classmate from where they had combined multiple tables to fit the whole group. The three actual adults were sitting on one corner talking which left the teens to converse amongst themselves.

"Sorry for the wait. Woke up early to go exploring and lost track of the time." I explained taking the open seat between Sakura and Neji. "Didn't mean to keep you all waiting."

"It is no problem Naruto-san. We haven't been here long." Lee spoke up.

"Good. So," Looking around the place for a server, "should we get to ordering now? Give me a quick moment to look at the menu."

"Actually Naruto, we already ordered." Jiraiya informed me from the adult corner. "I picked something that I'm reasonably certain you will like; steamed rice, miso soup, soybeans, and some water to wash it down. My treat."

"Sounds good. Thank you." I gave him a nod before turning back to the others.

Unlike the adults, they had all changed over the last two and a half years. All had gotten taller and filled out into proper teenagers. The attire was similar enough to what I remembered from the second part of the series; all customized rather than the usual wear of chunin and jonin ninjas. The closest to that standard would be Lee and that's only because he's wearing a flak jacket over his green tracksuit.

Mentally, I changed the possibility of Lee being Gai's son from maybe to likely. That resemblance is uncanny.

"It's good to see you all again. We haven't had the chance to speak properly until now so how is everyone doing? Been keeping busy I would assume?" Although I didn't feel the same way about these people as Naruto did, I was still happy to be around familiar faces. There was a sense of nostalgia there.

"Busy is an understatement. You would not believe how hard Tsunade-sensei has been driving us." Sakura responded. "Can't say it wasn't effective however. Aside from that, I can't really complain. The last few years were good to me."

"That's what I like to hear." It's not too surprising really. Tsunade took a girl who knew almost nothing about the medical arts and in three years turned her into, not exactly an expert, but something close to it. Make-up guy was alive because of Sakura after all. "How about you three? Actually, do you still go by Team Nine?"

"Not anymore, we're all past that now." Tenten replied blithely before mock saluting. "Team Gai, at your service."

"Indeed." Nodded Neji. "Since every member of our team advanced past genin, our old team number was inserted back into the cycle. Tenten and Lee are chunin while I am a jonin."

"Jonin? Congratulations Neji, I always thought you would be one of the first to make it. You and Shikamaru." He just gave me another solemn nod before I turned to the others. "Not that making chunin isn't an accomplishment you two, or three? Sakura?"

"Yeah, I got promoted too!" She confirmed.

"Okay, you, I did have my doubts about but I'm happy to see you proved them unfounded. Good job." I nudged her arm and smiled to make sure she knew it was a joke. She rolled her eyes but smiled back. "But really though, I missed a lot." It was for the best however.

"You honestly did." The pinkette replied with a smirk, I sensed a comeback. "Out of our class, you're the only genin left. Kiba isn't going to let you forget that."

"Hmph, you make it sound as if I spent my time away doing nothing." I scoffed. "Let him say something, I'll teach him better." Won't win by farting in his face this time either.

"I am most curious Naruto-san," Started Lee, polite as always. Stressing over honorifics isn't my thing but I realize it's a custom here, even among peers, so I don't let it get to me. At least he didn't call me Naruto-kun. Or chan; I became somewhat accustomed to it at Mt. Myōboku but that's only because the elders are decades older than me and mean well. "You are stronger than before, very much so, what tactics did you use to fan the flames of your youth?"

"Hmm, funny you should ask that," I leaned back and panned an eye over the group to see everyone watching me. Guess my entrance really caused a stir among them. "I followed in your footsteps and placed special emphasis on taijutsu and my physical capabilities."

"Truly?" He looked really excited to have found another taijutsu enthusiast. Can't blame him as it's a good thing to be skilled in. A ninja's bread and water. And a better base body means my various amps become more potent.

"Yeah. Lots of spars with Jiraiya and training with weights. Don't know how it compares with your training but I think it worked well for me." Really well I would say.

"But you also learned new jutsu didn't you?" Asked Neji. "I had not been aware the rasengan was a ranged technique. Assuming I am correct regarding the jutsu you used."

"Don't forget the jutsu he used to freeze the cave. He didn't have that before he left either." Sakura pointed out.

"You're right, both of you. I have a few techniques which complement my current fighting style. Not so much the second one but the rasengan will always be a favorite."

"Makes sense. It's a strong technique. What I want to know is where you went during your trip, anywhere interesting?" Despite Tenten's open-ended question, her eyes ran over my forehead protector and my armguards which keyed me in as to what she really wanted to know.

"A lot of places, but most recently the Capitol." I saw no reason not to answer that bit. Not many ways it could come back to bite me. "Jiraiya has a contact there who helped me design and forge the various pieces I'm wearing now and the armor from yesterday. If you're ever there, ask for a smith named Hanashi and tell him I sent you. Might get a discount."

"We'll keep that in mind. Why 'infinite'?" She pressed.

That was a good question.

My horned forehead protector was based off Jiraiya's but when it came to what I wanted engraved on it I ran into a wall. Ideally, it should have been something that I identified with like how the old pervert chose 'oil' due to his summons having a connection with the substance. I like the toad clan but I certainly wasn't as close to them as my sensei was so that was a no go. I already have the Uzumaki patch on my right shoulder and putting the Leaf's symbol on it would have made getting a unique protector pointless so those options were struck off the list. I also considered putting a rinne-sharingan there purely for the image that horns and a third eye would paint but I ultimately decided that was a bad idea. If certain parties in the know saw that, it would raise questions and make them wary of me.

No, it's best if they keep underestimating me.

In the end, my mind returned to my goal. The purpose that I had set for myself from the very beginning: to rise to the top and thrive in this world.

The more I though about it, the more obvious it became that reaching S-rank was not enough. Not even the upper tier of that class. To really thrive, I needed power. Power that probably hasn't been seen in this land for centuries. My mind had catalogued all the issues I had to deal with; the Akatsuki, Sasuke, Orochimaru, Black Zetsu. Aside from them were potential threats. Madara Uchiha being resurrected and getting his original rinnegan. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the lady hidden in the moon. And then whatever Kishimoto, or whoever it was, put into Boruto. Following after the war arc means that those antagonists would have to be incredibly powerful to have any meaning to the storyline. Either that or cheats.

The problem is that I never took an interest in the sequel to this series aside from the occasional YouTube fight. I would be going in blind. Meaning the only way to ensure victory was to be stronger. To have such overwhelming power that when the time comes, I'd curb stomp my enemies like Madara did to the Shinobi Alliance. But with no real knowledge of what the other horny aliens or ninjas could do, there was no way to know when I had reached their level. So surpassing them and leaving them helplessly outgunned became the only path to success.

Hence infinite.

"It symbolizes a promise I made to myself before I left the village. If I want to be able to face the threats that are after me, I need to strive for constant improvement. To keep getting stronger or risk being killed."

"These threats… do you mean the Akatsuki by that? The same group that attacked the kazekage in his own village?" Tenten asked tentatively.

Hmm, was it possible she didn't know? She's a chunin meaning she could be more aware of what went on in the Leaf but she's also part of my generation so perhaps that had something to do with it.

"Yes. The Akatsuki. A group of S-rank criminals who have made it their goal to hunt down all jinchuriki and take their tailed beasts. Killing them in the process." I confirmed for her. And then to test my hunch, "And I am on their list of targets. I hold inside me the nine-tailed fox that attacked our village years ago."

My attention went to Neji after I said that. His impassiveness wasn't just a good poker face, he actually wasn't surprised unlike Tenten and Lee and to a lesser degree Sakura. Resignation and even pity but no surprise. Interesting.

"As long as they are around, I won't be able to exist peacefully." I broke the heavy silence. "Either they will come for me like they did with Gaara or they'll catch me on a mission. Conflict between us is inevitable. So, I decided to prepare myself and take my future into my own hands."

"Your dedication is admirable Naruto-san," Lee spoke up after meaningful looks with the other Leaf nin, "But as your comrades we can not in good faith allow you to bear such a burden alone."

"And I appreciate that Lee. Only time will tell just what kind of threats they'll throw at us but perhaps it's best if we leave that subject to a different setting. I don't want to ruin the light atmosphere."

"Certainly, Naruto-san." Lee nodded.

"So, did you decide to pick up a weapon at all? If so I wouldn't mind having a sparring partner." Thankfully Tenten was there for convenient subject changes.

"As much as it annoys me, getting some type of primary weapon is one of the few things that were neglected over the training trip." I sigh. "I'm a wind user so any bladed weapon would have been downright deadly in my hands but there's only so much we could pack into the short amount of time we had."

That and the fact that extending myself to cover everything that interested me would have meant sacrificing proficiency in other areas. And Jiraiya doesn't really use swords so he wouldn't have been a good teacher.

"Really? I'm a weapons mistress myself. Perhaps I could help you out, some one on one training?" She offered.

"Perhaps. But just to clarify, would you be showing me how to properly wield them or how to throw them at my opponents?" I couldn't help myself.

To my side, Sakura snorted and quickly looked the other way. Tenten's teammates likewise found other things that grabbed their attention.

"… I'm going to pretend you didn't say anything." She said with a glare.

"Hey, that's a genuine concern," I laughed, "Last time I saw you fight, you did exactly that. Against a wind user."

"I didn't know she was a wind user until it was too late! Besides, that was the past. I would definitely beat that 'I wear a kimono while fighting' fan-girl now."

That got a little laugh out of me. Guess she wasn't fully over the fan to the back thing. The Sand siblings used to be vicious back in the day. Even the makeup guy.

"I'm sure you could," I lied, don't really know who would win at this point. "And I had originally planned on just paying a sword user to spar with me. But I'll see if I can fit you into my busy schedule Tenten."

"You make is sound like it would be you doing me the favor."

"Like you wouldn't benefit from having another moving target?" Sensing something, I raised a hand to her. "I think the food is coming."

Indeed, a couple servers were wheeling over a cart laden with steaming plates. The smell emanating from them made me even hungrier. Nothing beats having hot food prepared for you. Almost nothing.

…

Our stay in Suna had finally come to an end. And because I had friends in high places, the kazekage and his associates had come to see us off. The rock steps and setting sun created a nice backdrop to touching moment.

"I suppose this is goodbye, Naruto."

"More like 'until next time'. I have a feeling we will see each other soon. Stay safe, Gaara."

"And you as well." He responded, taking my outstretched hand.

"Make sure to stay in contact. You have no excuse now." Lowering my voice some, "And deal with that too."

"I will." He replied, head dipping just a slight bit to signal he had received the message.

I nodded and stepped back, ending the handshake. "Well, I'll take my leave now. Its about time Naruto Uzumaki returned to the leaf. Temari, Kankuro, until next time."

"Bye Naruto."

"Farewell."

With one last round of goodbyes, we began our trek back home.

He should be fine now. Since Shukaku was removed, the Akatsuki had no reason to come back to Suna. None that I knew of at least. And with a pair of dual-end scrolls linked to me and soon Tsunade, Gaara should be able to communicate with us faster in case something does happen.

Only time would tell.

-GoS-

"Good work Teams Gai and Kakashi. I expect written mission reports by noon tomorrow, but for now, you're dismissed." Tsunade commanded the members of the Gaara rescue mission.

Falling out of attention, they trickled out of the room. Sending one last look over her shoulder, Sakura closed the door behind her leaving inside the exact group of people who had been present when I left for the training trip.

Moving to stand directly in front of her desk, I compared that day to the present. Not much had changed. Shizune was still wearing her black outfit and standing behind Tsunade. The hokage looked the same on the exterior. Jiraiya had found the same wall to lean against with arms crossed. The room looked just as underwhelming as last time.

I swear, if I ever got swindled into taking that position, I'll rearrange some things. With the squad of clones I would have helping me, we'd need more space and more seats. The wallpaper would likewise have to go, hours staring at such dullness would get to even the most work-oriented person. Maybe a personal computer, or four, if they can advance technology that fast?

Yeah, that could work…

"I can see the training had great results." Started Tsunade bringing an end to my thoughts of ergonomics and office décor.

"Of course. What were you expecting? The same kid with a bigger rasengan?" I joked.

"No. I had complete faith in you." She smiled. "I'm happy to see it was worth it."

"It wasn't all me. Although he may be lazy at times, Jiraiya has a lot to offer." He really did. I can't make excuses for his canon counterpart, but this one just needed a slight push and an attentive student to really shine. I can see how he helped produce some of this world's strongest shinobi.

"That he does," She cast a glance to where he stood getting a thumbs up in reply. Turning back to me, she pulled two things from her drawer and placed them onto her desk. "Jiraiya sent me word of your progress and the missions you did. Here, this is well deserved."

Catching the sealing scroll and releasing its contents, I held a green flak jacket draped over my arm and a smaller scroll in my hand.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you are hereby given the rank of special jonin and the responsibilities that come with it. Do the village proud." Tsunade declared officially. "That scroll has the basics of your new position. I don't think I have to tell you to read it soon, do I?"

"No, you don't." I put the items back into the storage scroll. The jacket would likely remain there as I had no desire to wear it. The manual would be read later. "I didn't ask for it, but since you offered, I'll accept this promotion."

She snorted, letting go of the hokage air, "Was there any possibility of you turning it down?" She asked.

"Not really. I wouldn't want to be the only genin from my graduating class." Sakura's taunt got to me. And genin were heavily restricted in the departments they could access in the village. This would unlock some doors for me.

"I'm sure it would have been amusing watching you take the chunin exams again." She said with a laugh, "I could have won big betting on you."

"I doubt anyone would look at me and then bet against me." I countered.

"You do have the look of a strong ninja." She agreed and then talked over my response, "A bit pretentious but strong nonetheless."

"Jealousy is not a good look on you Tsunade." Wiping a hand across my new forehead protector. "What's in the other thing?"

"Oh, this is your key to your new apartment. I signed the papers in your name and used the rest of the money to furnish the space. The address is written down."

"Thank you," I reached out for the parcel. "What about food?"

"A genin team was assigned a D-rank mission to stock your fridge and shelfs. I believe it was Konohamaru's team actually."

"Perfect. And actually, I have something for you as well." Sending a pulse of chakra into a seal on my left gauntlet, I handed over what came out.

"A scroll? Wait, one for storage. And blood and chakra identifying elements." Tsunade commented while analyzing it, "It's better than a common storage scroll, but why exactly do I need this?"

"Prime it and then I'll tell you. Go on, its not dangerous."

"Hmph." Doing just that with a drop of blood and a chakra infusion, the ink flashed red and then went back to black. "It's done."

"Good. Now, that seal is something Jiraiya helped me create," I explained. As my spiel came to an end, both Tsunade and Shizune who had crept forward for a better view were looking at it with calculating eyes.

"My Lady! Think of the possibilities. We could-"

"I know Shizune. So simple in concept yet this could be extremely beneficial to our ninja." She sent a glare at Jiraiya, "Why didn't you tell me of this earlier?"

"It's not his fault." I butted in. "He helped me yes, but it wasn't his creation. As such, it was entirely up to me regarding who got to know about. And I decided to keep it close to my chest until I found a way to secure the mechanics behind the seal." No one would be benefitting from my creation for free.

Taking in Jiraiya's nervous smile and my unapologetic expression, she huffed before turning back to the scroll.

"This is connected to the one the kazekage holds?" At my confirmation she continued, "Could you make some connected to me on one end but open on the other?"

"I can. I have a system in mind that could work, if you are indeed thinking what I am thinking. Give me a day or so and I can make you multiple sets."

"Fine. I have other questions, but I suppose you would want to settle in first. Stop by the hospital tomorrow around midday and then return here."

"Got it. See you tomorrow. Bye Shizune. Later Jiraiya." While heading to the door, I pulled out the parcel with the key and address.

'Now, where exactly is this place?'

…

My first reaction upon walking into my apartment was a positive one. Located in a nicer district with a greater shinobi presence, it was a real upgrade from my old one.

The front entrance opened up to the main room with an alcove to the left side where the kitchen was located. A short hallway at the back led to two doors, one was the bathroom and the other the single bedroom. As Tsunade had promised, each area had the appropriate furniture and the kitchen was well stocked. It still lacked the personal touch to show someone was currently living in it, but it would make quite the bachelor pad. Just needed some decorations. And one more thing.

Going about unsealing various scrolls from my armguards and then unsealing my belongings from those, I placed everything onto the bed. It wasn't a small quantity; clothes, souvenirs, cooking supplies, and other miscellaneous items. I kept almost everything I owned in seals, which is why I had gone to such lengths to protect them. It just so happened that the method I used had other applications as well.

Setting aside my sealing equipment, two shadow clones came into existence and grabbed them. They had the task of adding protections to the apartment. Nothing outrageous like the 5 Seal Barrier but convenient all the same. Proximity seals around the door and windows to detect people who would try to enter the apartment. Privacy seals that aren't public knowledge; these were used in the hokage's office and other important buildings. They prevented members of the Hyuga clan from gazing through walls at their leisure. Needless to say, they were a well-guarded seal and only Jiraiya being my sensei had given me access to them.

Other privacy-oriented seals would be added but they were of lesser affect.

Moving around the room and organizing my belongings, I thought of my plans for the immediate future.

The hokage expected more dual-ended storage seals tomorrow, which was easy to manage with the aid of clones. As long as she provided the scrolls for them. They weren't overly expensive, but I would need a large number as each set required two of them. My funds were rather low after my recent expenditures.

She also wanted me to get a medical examination before going back onto active duty. Or that was my reasoning for the hospital visit. It was likely though, my information from years ago needed to be updated for the registrar.

Going to see some old faces was on my list of obligations as well but reunions would be postponed for a while if I couldn't get them done soon. Because in a few days I would have to leave the village for a special rendezvous with some snakes.

When I had silenced Sasori before he could expose his secret, it hadn't been because I forgot about his little spy. Rather, it had been because I already knew that I didn't give him a chance to talk about it. The meeting being exactly 10 days after his defeat had made it easier to remember the when. And approaching the where like a multiple-choice exam on a map of the Elemental Nations had gotten me the Tenchi Bridge. It was the one of two that sounded familiar and the other one was where Kakashi's life had gotten derailed.

So, with the necessary information, there had been no need to allow others to hear about a spy with connections to Orochimaru. Because after seeing how it went down in canon, I had an idea of what following that route would have led to.

At my current level, it wouldn't have been too farfetched for Tsunade to ask me to capture the spy and bring them back. Even if it did turn out to be Kabuto. In fact, depending on the composition of the team, she might have expected for Orochimaru to finally be caught as well. The infamous traitor imprisoned and made to pay for his misdeeds at last. The Leaf would rejoice, and everyone would feel safer.

Unfortunately, that's not what I wanted.

I wanted them dead. I wanted them out of the picture with no chance of returning.

There was a reason why I considered Madara and then Kaguya as potential threats. If I could prevent the resurrection of the ultimate Uchiha, then the war arc was almost guaranteed to not happen. At the least it would be shorter. Kaguya may have been released and used as the big bad guy, but Madara had done most of the leg work. In fact, I have doubts about Naruto and Sasuke being capable of victory because unlike with the Ōtsutsuki, they would have had to kill Madara to win.

Therefore, Madara should not be allowed back. Short of using the rinnegan, there was one other way people could be brought from the dead in this world, Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation. A kinjutsu that the rogue sannin had stolen and one which Kabuto would use to great effect in helping Obito fight his war.

Its not impossible that others knew how to use it. With Black Zetsu having spied on and manipulated many important figures over the years and Obito having the ability to warp into protected locations. But Zetsu wasn't capable of jutsu on his own and Obito could never be as great with that technique as Kabuto would be. Furthermore, those two were hard to pin down until later on.

The snakes on the other hand, they would essentially be coming to me. Propriety would dictate I go forth to receive them.

It was not written in stone that capturing them would end with them escaping again. Rather, the possibility of them being executed for good was there. But the consequences of either one escaping could be disastrous. As such, I would deal with them myself.

Besides, it was about time I met the latest reincarnation of Indra.

-GoS-

HINATA POV

With deft movements cultivated from experience, she carefully unfolded the paper to reveal the dried pink tulip within.

Bit by bit, Hinata gently peeled the plant from the paper and flipped it onto its face. She reached to the side for the special adhesive and applied a few drops to the main part of the flower and the thickest area on the stem. She made sure her fingers were clean before lifting the plant and laying it onto a white canvas and softly pressing it down.

Eyes roving and not finding any mistakes, the Hyuga sat back with a smile of satisfaction. It would take a short while to dry out fully but after that the process would be complete. Another pressed flower to add to her collection, pink tulip for caring and good wishes.

Would fit right in with the others, patiently waiting to be gifted to their intended recipient. Someday.

Hinata had taken up flower pressing at a young age. Even before the academy provided a lesson regarding the art to all its young kunoichi in training, the Hyuga clan had seen fit to introduce it. Being traditional and elegant, not to mention feminine, the heiress simply had to learn it. Learn it, enjoy it, and be good at it. An appearance had to be kept after all.

That's not to say she didn't actually like it. The art became an honest pastime of hers and finding new flowers to immortalize on canvas became something to look forwards to. It also helped that she had a teammate who's signature partners could point her towards interesting plants. And a classmate who knew flowers and could share their meanings with her.

A soft knock on the door drew her attention.

"Hinata-sama?" She recognized that voice.

"Neji-san?" She stood and made her way to the entrance, sliding the door aside to see her cousin. "Welcome back. Ah, would you like to come in?"

"I would like that." He accepted her offer with one of those soft smiles she still hadn't gotten accustomed to and stepped into the room. "I see you made another."

"Yes, I had some time for myself. How was the mission? Did it go well?" She questioned him as they both sat down.

She hadn't seen her cousin for almost two weeks because of a mission his team accepted. It had sounded rather simple for a team of their talent, so she'd expected him back much sooner than today. Needless to say, she had worried as the days went by with no sign of his return.

"It went well Hinata-sama." Neji responded. She wished he would stop addressing her so formally, but she understood he did it as a way to atone for his treatment of her in the past. Something she has already forgiven him for. "We were returning when hokage-sama sent word for Team Gai to provide assistance to another. Team Kakashi had been assigned to help rescue the kazekage after his abduction and seeing as how we were nearby, our team served as support."

"Abducted?" She voiced. He was young but no one could deny the power Gaara wielded. His chakra reserves and creativity made his sand dangerous to most shinobi, especially in the desert where Suna was located. She was not quite certain just what measures would be required to abduct one like him. "Was he recovered?"

"In a fashion, yes. But with further assistance aside from my team. That's also the reason for this visit in fact." Another smile passed over his lips. "It seemed hokage-sama had informed Naruto-san his friend was in danger as he and Jiraiya-sama arrived in time to defeat the Akatsuki members."

To her mind, Neji may as well have stopped talking halfway through his last sentence.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Excited as she was, she almost didn't note the stuttered speech she had been working so hard to eliminate. "Naruto-kun was there?"

"He was." Neji indulged her and went on to relay his last mission and the conversations with her blonde interest.

Hinata's mind was abuzz by the end of it.

It sounded like his time away had been used to great effect and she couldn't be happier for him. For so long Naruto-kun had had his sights fixed to the hokage position and now he had the means to support his case. He was much closer to his dream than before he left which was a good thing. So she was definitely happy. But also to a lesser extent worried. Being powerful attracted attention both good and bad and it seemed Naruto-kun already had powerful enemies after him. She agreed with Lee-san in this case; the blonde should not have to carry that burden alone.

She wouldn't allow that after he'd already endured so much by himself.

Determination bubbled within her as it became obvious what she had to do. No one could say Hinata had been lax in her training over the last two and a half years, yet it was apparent she had to take it further. Reach new heights if she wished to stand beside the one who inspired her so. She may have shied away in the past, and even now lack the self-confidence to admit her feelings to him, but she could do this at least.

And perhaps that newfound strength would lend itself to more personal matters.

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Info-dump in the beginning but I felt it was necessary. Next chapter brings the first major change caused by the MC.