The Red Flash Chapter 18 (Senju Blood) (Patreon)

Hokage Tower

The pile of papers in front of him was growing like trees, but the old hokage couldn't bring himself to even move a finger. Smoking on his pipe, his gaze returned to look outside the window, to look at the village that he had fought for and protected for so many years. The wounds he took and how many friends he had seen die. How Tobirama-sensei and Hashirama-sama talked about the Will of Fire. The Hidden Leaf Village, a place no child will ever be harmed and they can grow with their families and not be sent to Wars.

But now Hiruzen wasn't sure at what he was looking anymore, the people of the village had changed or maybe they were always like that and he just didn't see it. Hiruzen wasn't sure anymore. So many things looked different, Jiraiya had been furious when it had happened. And for some time, Sarutobi was sure that his student will abandon the village, just like Orochimaru, and Tsunade who still felt grief over her losses. Jiraiya had stated that he would return Naruto when he thought that he was ready, if ever? Sarutobi couldn't really blame him, Naruto was only a kid.

It had been two years since Jiraiya had left with Naruto to train in Mount Myoboku. Hiruzen was sure he had made the right decision, his surrogate grandson needed peace, Sarutobi knew if they kept treating Naruto like that. Would be only a matter of time before Naruto betrays the village, or even worse do something completely reckless like freeing The Kyuubi, he knew Naruto was in good terms with him but Sarutobi still didn't fully trust the demon fox. The old hokage knew if Naruto didn't feel any kind of attachment with the village, he would leave to find another place to call home.

His mind went to Uzushiogakure. Jiraiya had sent letters that Naruto was a prodigy in Fuinjutsu and Ninjutsu in general. That warmed Sarutobi's heart, Naruto was just like his father, he learned quick. Take it around ten more years and he was sure Naruto would be a new Fuinjutsu Master. Just like Jiraiya, and by the time he reached his twenties, he would be just as good as Fuinjutsu masters of Uzushiogakure.

A week after Naruto had left, he had earned a visit from his old teammate.

' Working behind a pile of paper was the old hokage who at this point wanted to just rest and read his favorite book and relax for a little bit. After an hour of trying to fight the surge to just burn the evilspawn. Signing the last paper, he sighed in relief, but as if the god himself was against him. The door suddenly opened, revealing his old friend walking with a cane. Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, he didn't know why he was here. But whatever the reason, wasn't a good one. Sarutobi never truly understood why Danzo needed the cane, they are old but in same time proud shinobi and walking around with a cane wasn't something he thought Danzo would like.

His face showed irritation, Sarutobi knew Danzo was good at hiding his emotions but he could clearly see behind his emotionless mask.

Danzo walked in the center of the office and his gaze was at the old hokage. Hiruzen just brushed his gaze off like a fly and decided to just be blunt and not waste time dancing around the bush.

"What do you want Danzo? I know very well you're not here to talk about the old times" Hiruzen asked, his eyes narrowed, piercing Danzo's soul like a sword.

"I want to know where the *weapon* is?" He asked with an emotionless tone. Hiruzen stood up, his hands slammed on the desk and leaking his KI, making even his own ANBU sweat, and shake slightly.

"Listen to me Danzo, his name is Naruto and he's not a Weapon" Hiruzen stated with a strong tone, promising pain to his old teammate. Danzo clenched his hand around his cane, his eye narrowed. He always hated to be talked like that by Hiruzen.

"Is that so? That's rich when you remember that his own father made him a weapon" Danzo stated with a small smirk that caused Hiruzen to leak KI that made the desk in front of him crack, the floor close to his feet cracked slightly. Danzo felt a sweat on his forehead.

"I would be careful if I were you, many people suddenly die of old age, a heart attack, blood pressure, many things can Suddenly happen" Hiruzen stated with a tone that made the message clear to Danzo.

His old teammate cleared his throat and washed away the sweat with his forearm. Taking a deep breath. "Where's *Naruto* then?" He asked slowly and quietly.

Hiruzen sat down, he picked his pipe and smoked from it, Danzo stood there waiting for his answer. After a minute, Sarutobi pulled away his pipe and spread his hands in front of his desk.

"That information is classified, I know where he is and that's what's important, and you better remember that you're talking to your hokage and you can't demand anything from me. If I wanted to, I can tell Naruto to never return here" Hokage replied quietly and calmly, his voice so low almost like a whisper. Danzo heard him and greeted his teeth, but he suddenly smirked.

Danzo stood up and looked down at the old hokage. "I noticed that some trees has started growing in unusual places around the village. Especially one a week ago" he said which made the old hokage narrowed his eyes and a shadow covered his eyes. The air in the room suddenly felt cold, almost freezing. Danzo felt a shiver on his entire body. But kept his confidence.

The ANBU in the office were confused what the old hawk was talking about, except one of them who wondered how could a kid do that.

"Leave" he ordered and Danzo left without saying another word. Sarutobi felt a headache, he really wished that Minato was still around. He was getting older to deal with the problems of the village. With Minato around, Naruto would be safe and he wouldn't have to deal with Danzo's shit.'

Remembering that made him feel another headache but the problem with Danzo was only the tip of the iceberg. A month after Naruto had left, the word had spread that Naruto was dead, and around the village, the villagers and some shinobi had started *Celebrating*!!. . .

When that had happened Sarutobi felt terrible, the village he was protecting was celebrating for what they thought the death of a child. The very same day Shikaku had burst on his office. Looking pissed, Sarutobi couldn't remember the last time he had seen him so angry. The old hokage quickly told him that Naruto was safe and training outside the village. Shikaku had sighed in relief but still angry with what the village was doing.

Then Kakashi had come to his office asking where Naruto was. He returned eleven days after Naruto left the village.

'Sarutobi was reading his favorite book, when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in" Sarutobi ordered and the door opened to reveal Kakashi, who despite his mask, looked worried.

"What can I do for you Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked already knowing what he wanted from him.

"Hokage-sama. I checked Naruto's home and didn't find him anywhere, I checked the training yard but He's No Where to be SEEN" he stated with a worried tone. His tone slightly higher than usually. His hands were fist. His breathing heavy and his right eye slightly widened.

Sarutobi raised his hand as a sign to calm down. "Don't worry Naruto is safe, he's outside the village. Jiraiya is with him, you don't have to worry about him". Kakashi sighed in relief but then looked up at the hokage in confusion. "Why?" He asked knowing there must be a reason for Jiraiya-sama to take Naruto away from the village.

Sarutobi pinched the bridge on his nose. "He was beaten by the villagers, and Jiraiya-sama took him away to train" He stated. And noticed Kakashi clenched his fist, his body moving slightly around. And leaking a small amount of KI.

Kakashi was about to ask, no demand where are the idiots who did this, but Sarutobi beat him to it. "They're dead Kakashi, and believe it or not. Naruto was the one who killed them" Sarutobi said but in same time feeling bad for his surrogate grandson, he was only a child still. And being forced to grow up before his time. Never knowing what a childhood is like.

Kakashi on the other hand felt a sense of proud and dread for his student, he was strong but killing in such a young age. Hell even he didn't killed until he became a genin which he was when he was five year old. Silence took over the office. Kakashi felt his throat dry, he finally found his voice to speak.

"How?" Kakashi asked quietly. Sarutobi then explained to him what happened, but not including the part where he could use Mokuton. Instead he told him that the Kyuubi had helped him.

It was January when it happened and some had said to make it a celebration day for the 'death of the demon'. Sarutobi had quickly declined the offer and those that had suggested were send to Ibiki.

Now, the academy had started, he knew Naruto would have started the first year of the academy last month if he was still here. The civil council of course was happy and saying that their children were safe now to go to the academy without Naruto around.

Things for the village hadn't gone well, For so many years Hiruzen had tried to mantain peace, hoping that he could somehow bring peace for the five Shinobi Villages. Last year Kumo had said that they wanted peace between villages. He felt it as a right step to peace, Sarutobi was happy for it, the hostility between them would end, but all that had gone downhill. Kumo had tried to kidnap Hinata Hyuga. Resulting in Hyuga Hizashi's death to keep the peace.

Things between Kumo and Konoha were hostile right now. The only alliance that Konoha had was with Suna, but alliances between Villages weren't known to last long. One minute he's drinking with you, the next he stab you in the back. The only alliance that they ever had that actually meant anything was with Uzushiogakure.

The strongest Fuinjutsu users to ever exist, they valued strength and honor but most importantly, they valued Family.

Thinking about his old allies, he remembered Jiraiya mentioning that Naruto had said that he would wanted to visit the old ruins of his homeland, as Naruto called it. It hurts to Hiruzen knowing that Naruto didn't see Leaf Village as his homeland. But the old hokage couldn't really blame him.

Hiruzen of course was impressed with how quickly Naruto learned. He knew when Naruto would arrive, he would be far stronger than any student in the Academy.

Right now he needed to worry about The Uchiha Clan, they were becoming more hostile every day. Itachi had given him valuable information. Fugaku Uchiha was in the center of all of it, he didn't know yet if they will try to a coup d'état to overthrow the village. Sighting, he returned back to his paperwork and hoping everything would be fine.

Naruto

Panting, he felt tired. His legs were shaking like leaf, sweat rolling down his face and falling in the ground. His hands on his knees. The sun wasn't making it any easier to train. The hot was all around the air, making it the air itself to feel hot.

It has been three months since his spar with Fukasaku and they had leveled up his training. Now he needed to run 300 times around the Mount Myoboku. With 70 pounds on his legs and 50 on his arms. Climb up 100 meters with the same weight, and not using chakra. Naruto couldn't really complain, he wanted to get stronger to rebuild his homeland when the time came, and he wouldn't get stronger by sitting around and being lazy. Taking a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air. He felt relaxed and continued his morning run, he had reached his 319 run, but wanted to reach 350 runs around the mountain. Naruto always did that, every morning, when he was doing 200 runs, he would do 250 instead.

As he kept running and running and running, and still running. Kurama inside was watching with amusement, but not helping in any way. Naruto had told him to not help him in running exercise. Or at any kind of exercise that wasn't required his help. He wanted to do it on his own. Kurama only helped when Naruto lost consciousness or if he was hurt during a spar or when seals blowed up on his face.

After running for one more hour, Naruto finished his last run around the mountain and falled on his knees panting, sweat was everywhere around his body, even his clothes looked slightly transparent. Lying on the ground, trying to rest. The seal on his stomach started glowing red. Naruto felt himself recovering slightly faster, he could feel the weird feeling on his stomach and still didn't understand 'Why?'.

Kurama seemed to have no answers and neither did toad-jiji who had seen the seal glowing red. But he just said that as long as the seal did him no harm, it was 'probably' fine. And so far it had helped Naruto.

Naruto suddenly saw Fukasaku in front of him with a skin bottle, he grabbed it and started drinking water.

"Easy, no so fast" Fukasaku said and Naruto slowed his drinking. After a minute, he felt relieved and followed Fukasaku back to his home.

"Jiraiya-boy will arrive today. He will start your elemental training" The old toad stated and Naruto was happy to hear that. As soon as he finished his elemental training, he could start practicing one of ths jutsus that his Kaa-chan had left for him. He knew all of them were dangerous, but he hoped he could at least do, Fire Style: Phoenix. That one seemed the least dangerous, and with him having high fire affinity, he was sure he could do it.

"Kurama, you said my people had the Phoenix Contract, do you think someone could have stolen it when they destroyed it?" Naruto asked with a hint of anger on his tone.

"I don't think anyone did. I'm sure no one can enter the most valuable places of the Uzushiogakure. They knew how to secure their good jutsus and secrets and not to mention that the Phoenix Contract won't accept anyone else but an Uzumaki to use it. Uzumaki clan made sure of that" Kurama replied with a melancholy on his tone.

Naruto felt a relief, the thought that someone who wasn't an Uzumaki would use the Phoenix Contract angered him. Especially someone who had stole it. Reaching the house, he saw his toad-jiji standing in front of the house with a smile. Naruto already knew he was here but still smiled and ran at him and gave him a big hug. Jiraiya hugged him back and rubbed his red hair, which had reached his shoulders.

"How are you Naruto? I hope you're training well" Jiraiya asked taking a step back and giving his godson a good look. He seemed to have grown, and most importantly, his sadness and wary on his face seemed to have disappeared and instead. His face was full of light almost like a sun shining to him. He was wearing a red jacket, a white shirt underneath. Black pants with black shinobi sandals.

"Yes. I'm running around the mountain like crazy, I will soon reach your level. Dattabayo" He stated with a fist on the air. Jiraiya smiled and reached a scroll from his pocket and toss it to Naruto who grabbed it on his hands. Confusion filled his face but he opened the scroll to see what was all about.

Opening the scroll he read the name of the jutsu. "B-Rank: Shadow Clone Jutsu" he read and a smile spreaded from ear to ear.

"You're gonna teach me the famous clone Jutsu of the Second Hokage" Naruto said to be met with a shook of Jiraiya's head.

"No. You will learn it without my help, let's see how fast you can learn it" Jiraiya stated looking down at Naruto, who looked surprised for a second but immediately nodded his head and ran away somewhere to learn the jutsu alone without any interruption. Jiraiya saw his grandson leave and he wondered if he would be able to learn the secret of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. If he didn't he wouldn't tell him, until Naruto learned it himself.

Naruto ran deep in the nearby forest and opened the scroll, the place was quiet. The wind brushed his hair, Naruto felt the warm wind against his face. The grass beneath his legs caressing his skin.

He started reading and wanting to learn as fast as possible, but in same time Naruto was slightly confused. He knew he needed to know a clone jutsu. But he thought his toad-jiji would help him in elemental training and couldn't understand what Shadow Clone had to do with it. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and decided to turn back to reading the scroll.

After one hour

Jiraiya was drinking tea with Fukasaku and Ma, they seated around a round table. The tea tasted sweet like any other time before.

"Will you find her soon?" Fukasaku asked taking a sip from the tea.

Jiraiya nodded his head. "I'm sure. Once I find Tsunade. I will tell her to come here and see Naruto, I'm sure the first hokage's necklace that she has will react to Naruto" Jiraiya replied and thought about his old teammate. He knew she has suffer, everyone has suffer, but in same time he wondered why she wouldn't stay to take care of Naruto. She was always close with Kushina.

He knew there was something more there other than just not caring about her godson. And Tsunade wasn't someone to just not care about him. Glancing outside the window, he saw the sun was high in the sky, it must be around 11:oo. He wondered how long would take for Naruto to do Shadow clone jutsu. In the same time he couldn't stop thinking about what Fukasaku told him three months ago. According to him Naruto was able to create a small crater with just his fist alone. Fukasaku had tested Naruto again, same results. His fists were quiet strong.

Just like Tsunade!!?? Jiraiya thought and before he could think more about it, he heard a shout outside the house.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu" Naruto shouted outside. Jiraiya immediately burst the door open to see around thirty Naruto's jumping around with their fists in the air. Who he assumed was the real Naruto walked in the front with a beaming smile. He raised his fist in the air.

"I DID IT DATABAYO" All Naruto shouted together in the same time. Jiraiya smiled proudly and so did Fukasaku and Ma who looked impressed that he was able to do it so fast.

"Naruto" Jiraiya shouted grabbing his attention and walking closer to him.

"Now that you have done it, let's start with a spar" he suggested cracking knuckles. Naruto jumped and nodded immediately.

"Good and use everything you have. No holding back in any way" Jiraiya stated seriously. Naruto understood. The clones disappeared leaving only him and his toad-jiji. Ma and Fukasaku moved away to give them space.

Naruto cracked his knuckles and moved his legs around. Jiraiya noticed that he didn't remove his weights but decided to bring Naruto to his limit. Secretly he hoped to force Naruto to use Kyuubi's chakra, he knew Uzumaki blood would make it easier to control it.

"Kid fight me with the intention to kill me"

Jiraiya stated. Naruto's eyes widened slightly but turned to normal again. Without saying another word, Naruto rushed at Jiraiya with all his speed, his speed was easily genin speed, but Jiraiya knew he still had his weights on. Naruto throwed a punch at him but he quickly grabbed it, Jiraiya noticed the power behind the punch. Naruto punched again and again trying to find an opening. Jiraiya noticed his moves, he was using the same style with his. Toad Fighting Style but was slightly changed.

Naruto jumped high in the air and made a few hand seals.

"Fire Style: Fireball" he shouted and a giant fireball moved towards him. Jiraiya backed away but Naruto was behind him. He hit Jiraiya in the back, he immediately backed away from Naruto. The strength behind his fists was very good. Jiraiya knew Naruto was stronger than he was at his age. Naruto moved again but his right hand was glowing in chakra. Jiraiya smirked and in purpose blocked the fist with his palm. That made the ground beneath shake slightly from the strength.

Jiraiya grabbed his whole arm and threw him in the ground only for him to poof. Before Jiraiya could look to see where Naruto is a fireball headed towards him. Jiraiya did a few hand seals. "Water Style: Massive Water" from his mouth came out a huge amount of water that vaporized the fireball. The field was covered in steam.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes but then he heard a shout. "Wood Style: Ground Spike" spikes immediately grew from the ground making Jiraiya jump high in the air to avoid it but then Naruto jumped in front of him with his unsheathed sword. Slicking his chest only for Jiraiya to turn into a log.

Naruto landed and Jiraiya was in front of him and punched him in the gut, but Naruto turned to smoke, much to Jiraiya's surprise who immediately turned around to block a fist from Naruto.

Jiraiya knew about Naruto's sensing skills, so he decided to be s bit harsher. Grabbing his hand, he used his knee on his stomach. Leaving Naruto breathless, but still jumped away.

"Is that all You Got. I'm disappointed" Jiraiya stated, but Naruto could feel he was lying but still felt hurt by his words. He made a hand seal and his weight seals turned off. Jiraiya smirked. Naruto rushed again but this time with Medium Chunin Speed. Throwing punch after punch, Jiraiya blocked all of them but noticed that Naruto valued his speed more than his strength. Naruto unsheathed his sword and swinged at his head, but Jiraiya grabbed it with two of his fingers and punching Naruto in the stomach and again on the face and again on the chest and throw him against a wall.

Naruto felt pain all over him, he knew his toad-jiji was strong but he was much stronger than he expected. He then noticed that his mother's katana wasn't on his hands. He noticed that his sensei was holding on his hands.

Naruto gritted his teeth, that sword belonged to his mother. "You want it? Come and grab it" Naruto made another sign and his whole body was filled with chakra.

"A Storage Chakra Seal" Jiraiya murmured impressed by his student. Naruto grabbed a kunai, and threw at Jiraiya who quickly dodged it but then he felt a a small cut on his cheek. Naruto's whole right arm covered in chakra and was in front of Jiraiya with High Chunin Speed.

Jiraiya moved away and Naruto's fist hit the ground causing a huge crack on the ground, the ground split, causing small rocks to fall in the ground. Breathing heavily Naruto felt a sharp metal against his neck. "You lost control" Jiraiya stated but then he felt a sharp pain on his leg. He turned to see another Naruto with a kunai. Jiraiya smirked and poof out of existence. Naruto quickly grabbed his sword and turned to the real Jiraiya walking towards him.

"When did you create that clone?" Jiraiya asked not knowing.

"When I first used my fireball jutsu" Naruto replied at him. Naruto of course knew all the time he wasn't fighting the real toad-jiji but he knew if he couldn't defeat a simple clone then it was pointless to fight the real one. Jiraiya understood what Naruto had done, at first he thought he had created only one clone but he had created a second that hide in the forest. Then he had acted like he lost control to leave an opening for the clone.

Jiraiya smiled proudly, at first he was annoyed that Naruto would lose control so easily but it seemed that wasn't the case. But then his face turned dead serious.

"Very well, time to test your full power" Jiraiya stated and immediately was in front of Naruto and slammed a seal on his forehead and backed away.

Naruto suddenly felt Kurama's chakra filling him. His eyes turned red, his whiskers grew. His red hair looked even more red. A red cloak suddenly showed around Naruto. He slowly stood on his four, and a tail slowly raised behind his back. His nails grew.

Jiraiya smiled and was ready for the attack.