The Red Flash Chapter 21 (Alone) (Patreon)

Naruto woke up after sleeping for seven hours now. It had been three days since he spared with toad-jiji, since he was able to use one tail worth of chakra. Kurama stated that now going to Two tails worth of chakra will be easier than from zero to one. Of course Kurama had warned him the real challenge would be when he would want to reach four tails worth of chakra. Kurama didn't elaborate why holding four tails was harder, Naruto decided to ignore it for now since it was irrelevant for now.

His sensei warned him that just because he could use Kurama's chakra, he should not be dependent from it, use it only as last resort.

"Naruto while I'm happy that you can use Kyuubi's chakra, you should use it only if you have no other choice" Jiraiya stated seriously. Naruto was about to open his mouth when the old sannin raised his hand.

"I'm sure you know about the Sharingan Naruto, is a very useful tool, but The Uchiha clan highly depends on it, they would be far stronger if everything they do wasn't connected to their Sharingan in one way or another. Same is for you, get stronger on your own, I know you are already doing that but don't change your mind" Jiraiya stated and they returned to their walk towards Taki.

Naruto was already using Kurama's chakra only if needed. Right now he was trying to complete the second exercise that toad-jiji told him he should do. It was slowly driving him mad, the exercise was much harder than he had thought. But Naruto couldn't help but wonder what exactly was he doing. He knew this wasn't a chakra control exercise, so what jutsu was he trying to do.

"So Naruto tell me, how do you feel that you will soon return in the village?" Jiraiya suddenly asked in front of him. He was walking one meter further from Naruto. He kept quiet waiting for Naruto's response.

The red hair frowned and lowered his head slightly, if he was honest the only thing he was looking forward was to meet his old friends, and that's about it. Naruto was sure that the village had not forgotten, for all they care, They probably thought he was dead somewhere. And the moment he returned, it wouldn't take long for word to spread that the 'Demon Fox' had returned ready to kill them all.

Naruto snorted at the question and looked up again at his sensei. "Not really looking forward to it. I don't think much has changed for three years" he replied honestly. Jiraiya didn't turned to him but just listened to his answer.

"Well, we still have nine months left in our belt, and don't forget you will go to the academy" he reminded him. Naruto raised an eyebrow, he was slightly looking forward to the academy, wondering what they taught them there and how strong were students there.

"I hope the academy is something" Naruto replied and they keep making their way towards Taki.

After 6 Days

They had keep on walking for how many days now . . .

Naruto didn't know but Jiraiya-sensei told him, they were getting closer. He had made improvements in his jutsu. His already good chakra control helped him to make improvements in the jutsu.

They soon stopped walking and Jiraiya-sensei walked away in the nearby town for 'Research'? Naruto didn't know what that was but decided to ignore it, since it was probably something important that didn't involve him.

Naruto stood in the middle of grass, a tree close to him. Wind on his face, his res hair dancing with the wind. Naruto slowly raised his hand and fully opened it and tried to concentrate. He didn't know what was jutsu but the chakra control needed to do it, spoke that it was a powerful one.

Slowly his chakra gathered in the middle of his palm and slowly became a blue small sphere, chakra was moving violently everywhere around the sphere. Naruto gritted his teeth slightly since it wasn't easy. He felt a pain on his hand. Looking at the jutsu, Naruto understood what jutsu his sensei was teaching him.

"Rasengan" Naruto whispered shocked written all over his face. A smile spread on his face, he had learned a powerful jutsu of his father. He had intended to learn it, but he thought that he was ready for it.

Naruto could feel the winds moving violently around, even making small scratches in the skin of the tree nearby. He felt the pain growing in his right palm, without thinking twice. He rushed at the tree and slammed his right hand on it. The Rasengan drilled the tree through, piercing it like a knife through butter. The sound of a tree falling was heard throughout the forest.

Naruto was panting, he slowly looked at his right hand to see it bleeding from various places, he even felt a sharp pain on his big finger. Gritting his teeth from the pain, he knew his finger was probably broken but he didn't let himself to scream. Naruto kept his mouth shut and screamed inside but not leaving a single complain leaving his mouth.

"I did it Tou-chan" Naruto said with a low tone, smiling looking upwards at what was left of the tree, due to the damage, the upper part had fallen in the ground. Kurama was slowly healing his hand. Naruto slowly rested his head in the ground, his left hand behind his head to use as a pillow, his blue eyes smiling looking up at the blue sky. Clouds moving around, now he understood why Shikamaru found this relaxing.

"You did it" Naruto heard a voice and turned to look at his sensei smiling who glanced at the tree. He smiled and walked close to his godson.

"Why didn't you tell me, I was learning Rasengan?" Naruto asked looking at His right. Toad-jiji chuckled and rubbed his red hair.

"I wanted you to be surprised, and congratulations for breaking my record. It took three years for your father to create it, 16 months for me to master it" Jiraiya stated smiling proudly and turned to look at Naruto.

"You, you needed only two weeks of training" he finished, his face smiling and brightened up from sun. He slowly sat beside him, he glanced at his right palm and turned to look at Naruto. Then suddenly his face turned to serious again.

"Naruto, I . . . I know you hold no love for the leaf village. I can't blame you, all I'm asking for you is whatever happens, don't change, don't seek vengeance. This world has enough of it" he said quietly and turned to look at the sun slowly hiding behind the mountains.

"The shinobi world is full of vengeance, hate, love and greed. In this world, as long as there's a concept of more and less, there will always be those that will want more. And the want for more will awaken the worst nature in humans . . . Greed" The Old Sannin stated, his eyes looking at the mountains, his face showed pain.

"Whatever happens Naruto, wherever life guides, you should know, no matter what. You will always be my godson" Jiraiya stated.

Naruto looked at his toad-jiji with a smile, hot tears slowly rolling down his cheek and falling in the grass. He wiped his tears with his forearm and looked at his grandfather in all but name.

"Thank You for being here for me, grandfather" Naruto stated softly, his head resting against the old sannin's back. His white hair resting against Naruto's red ones.

Jiraiya closed his eyes, a sad smile spread on his face. Being with Naruto, made him think of . . . Tsunade. Of their loss, sometimes he dreamed of how could have been if only . . .

Sighing, he took a deep breath and enjoyed the moment with Naruto.

Hidden Place

Somewhere in a dark underground cave two figures stood together, where the only sound that could be heard was the slow dripping of water falling from stalactites.

After a few minutes six more shadowy figures appeared, one after the other, where the only discernible feature that linked the eight figures together were the red clouds on their black cloaks, indicating that they were members of the Akatsuki.

"The last time we all met like this...was three years ago when Orochimaru joined the organisation" said one of the figures. "So what's the occasion?"

"We have a new member in the Akatsuki, Itachi Uchiha" The man spoke with a strong and deep tone. His purple eyes with four dark circles around. With black orbs around his face. Three on his nose and several in both of his ears. Orange hair and the emblem of The Village hidden in the rain with a long cut through the forehead protector, indicating that he was a missing-nin.

Everyone turned to look at the new member, Itachi moved slowly, his fully matured Sharingan showed to everyone. One of the shadow figures licked his lips with a very long tongue looking at Itachi. His yellow eyes like that of a predator. Looking for a worthy prey.

Itachi looked at the eyes of the leader, his Sharingan focused on his eyes. "Rinnegan" he whispered. He had heard of the eye but to see someone wielding the legendary dojtusu.

He stooped in front of the leader and kneeled, beside him was a woman with blue hair, a flower made of paper in her hair. Her face emotionless.

Itachi stood up, but he knew there was a third one in the cave watching them. A man with a mask. Hiding his pain for the world.

"Itachi Uchiha, our newest member of the Akatsuki. From now on you will call me Leader-sama" he stated and hand him a ring. Itachi took it and put it in his ring finger.

"The objective of the Akatsuki is to reach true peace. Our objective is to collect all the tailed beasts" the leader stated to him with a firm tone.

Itachi nodded in understanding and closed his eyes for a second. I hope you keep your promise.

Hidden Sand Village

"This happened today?" The fourth Kazekage asked without looking up from the paperwork on his desk.

"Yes. But actually... its been happening more frequently than I've been letting you know."

The Kazekage finally looked up at Yashamaru who was standing in front of his desk with his arms behind his back.

"How frequently?"

"Well, you know he's always had these little outbursts, but lately... they have become more... severe. I think I started noticing an increase in his violent behavior after his fifth birthday."

"So this has been happening for over a year then?"

"Yes Kazekage..."

For the first time in his life, Yashamaru noticed an uneasiness in the Kazekage. He leaned on his desk with his elbow and rested his head in his hand. With his free hand he rapidly tapped his fingers on the desk as if trying to beat down some kind on internal panic.

The Kazekage took a deep breath and looked up at Yashamaru once more. "But... he's always had these outbursts. What makes this one any different? Exactly what happened today?

"It was in the playground. He attacked two other children."

The Kazekage stared past him and was silent. Yashamaru felt that he should continue to explain. "Like I said before, we both know he's always behaved this way. I'm not saying that this time is any different. I'm just saying it was a more severe attack. In fact... I'm certain he would have killed them if I hadn't intervened.

The Kazekage reverted his eyes back to Yashamaru and stared at him for a few moments as if studying him. Then he raised his brow noticing his bandages for the first time. "Are those from him?"

Yashamaru nodded.

The Kazekage closed his eyes as if to escape the world. Another moment of silence followed, then, "I knew this day would come. I created this child... this monster, in the hope that he would be a successful weapon. Yes... the ultimate weapon. With him our military would be unstoppable."

These words made Yashamaru sick. He cringed internally remembering the Kazekage's dark secret that so few knew about. The secret that unfortunately Yashamaru was cursed with knowing about. He knew about the Kazekage's overpowering hunger for power and military strength. He knew about the demon, and the unwilling human sacrifice that was used to seal the demon inside the child. The child... the Kazekage's son... Gaara... The ultimate weapon.

"The ultimate weapon..." The Kazekage continued, "But now... now it seams he has become more of a threat to the village than something to aid the it in becoming powerful." The Kazekage opened his eyes and shook his head. "I knew this day would come." He repeated. "I've known for quite some time. There have been rumors for years."

Yashamaru felt another wave of nausea. He knew what rumors the Kazekage was talking about. The rumors that have been spreading ever since the Kazekage's wife was killed in a mysterious accident, right after the birth of his third child. the Kazekage's wife... Yashamarus's sister... the unwilling human sacrifice.

"I can't let this go any farther." The Kazekage said. "I can't let people keep talking about things that they don't understand." He shot a threatening glare at Yashamaru as if accusing him of being involved in the rumors. But Yashamaru was without fault. He had kept quiet about the ordeal for six years. Because honestly, he was afraid of his sick and twisted brother in law.

"This has to stop now." The Kazekage said. "Today. He must be destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Yashamaru asked as if contemplating the meaning of the word.

"I want my son Gaara to be killed. Tonight. You... you will be perfect for this job Yashamaru. Tonight. That is an order."

"Killed? Tonight?"

"Yes. You are going to follow your Kazekage's orders aren't you?"

"Yes Kazekage... its just... I don't know... he's so strong... the sand... I don't know if anyone can accomplish killing him"

"You fool. Let me remind you that Gaara is the very reason your sister is no longer with us."

Yashamaru looked at the floor. Yes... he knew this was true. Gaara was the cause of his sisters death. Not the Kazekage. The Kazekage was working toward making the village more powerful. He was trying to improve things. He wasn't really doing anything wrong. It was Gaara that was at fault. He was the cause of all this pain. Yashamaru had lied to himself for years. Telling himself that the Kazekage was a psychopathic monster, when the real monster had always been Gaara. He had convinced himself that he loved Gaara. That he was all that was left of his sister. But now he found that he was being truthful with himself. He hated Gaara. He always had. Everything wrong is his life could be traced back to Gaara. Gaara was the reason his sister was dead. Gaara was the reason he was no longer allowed to spend time with his other nephew Kankuro or his niece Tamari. It was because of Gaara. Gaara was to dangerous, and Yashamaru had to devote all of his time to making sure that Gaara didn't kill anyone... throwing himself in front of Gaara's victims. He looked down at the bandages on his arms and reached up and touched the one on his head. He had been ordered to take care of Gaara from birth... six years of torture. But now the Kazekage's orders were different. Now Yashamaru could finally be free of this demon that was his nephew.

"So have you changed your mind?" The Kazekage asked realizing that he had successfully convinced Yashamaru.

"Yes... I'll try my best... but his strength... I still don't know..."

Night

Yashamaru walked through the endless dark alleys and streets of Suna. The sun had set, and the usually scorching desert air was cool. It was quiet, hardly anyone out on the street tonight. Silence. Yashamaru paused for a few seconds and stood motionless on the street trying to remember exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it. He thought of the Kazekage, then thought of the Kazegage's wife, then of their two children Tamari and Kankuro. As he thought of his family a smile crossed his masked face. He pictured all of them standing in front of him with smiles on their faces as well. Everything had once been so wonderful. They had all been so happy. His thoughts reverted back to his sister again and he remembered the day that started it all. "Yashamaru! The Kazekage has asked me to merry him! I'm so happy Yashamaru!" she had yelled as she wrapped her arms around her brother. His mind began to fill with other happy memories. "It's a girl Yashamaru... a daughter. Her name is... Temari. Isn't she beautiful? I'm a mommy. And you're an uncle Yashamaru! An uncle!

"I have to admit that I was hoping for a son... but something tells me that this little princess will be as tough as any son that I could have had!" The Kazekage had said.

Yashamaru then thought of how happy the Kazekage was when he found out that the their second child was a boy. Yashamaru felt his smile fall into a frown as he thought of the third child. He pictured the red headed demon that had ruined everything. Then his thoughts reverted back to his sister once more, and he confirmed with himself that what he was about to do was justified. Revenge...

Gaara stood alone in a rooftop staring at the full moon, the wind flying over him, when he heard a sound behind him, before he had time to look who was behind. His sand moved behind his back, protecting him from three kunai. Gaara turned to look who attacked him, only to see a man wearing a dark hoodie. He saw the sand moving towards the man, he wanted it to stop, not hurt anymore. He wanted to yell, to scream but all his words died on his throat when the man pulled out a short sword and jumped in the air to slash his head. Without thinking, without saying anything, his hands moved on his own and the sand flew towards the man like ocean.

He soon was covered everywhere in sand, stronger than steel. Gaara couldn't understand why no one loved him. Closing the fist a cry was heard, as Gaara felt rain on his face. Rain? His right hand slowly touched his cheek, but he saw blood instead. All around him blood.

Gaara looked at the man who attacked him, shaking he grabbed his hood and removed it to see his uncle. His hands started shaking and so did his voice.

"W. . . Wh . . . Wh . . ." He stuttered, unable to talk.

"I'm sorry Gaara, but your father ordered me to kill . . . You" he said. Spitting out blood, His face pale, his blood all around his clothes.

"You coul. . . Couldn't sa . . . say N . . . Noo" Gaara said as more tears toll down his cheek.

"I could. But I hated you Gaara, you were the reason my . . . sis . . . sister . . . Di . . ." His voice stopped. Gaara screamed in grief and everything went dark.

Naruto

Takigakure. Few foreigners would ever lay eyes upon this, one of a small handful of truly hidden villages among the Elemental Continents. A pity, because it was a truly beautiful place; made up of traditional, eastern style buildings, most of which were carefully and caringly constructed as if by a master carpenter, built around the walls of a small, circular valley full of plant life, around a massive, crystal clear lake, at the heart of which lied an island where their administration building lied, resting at the base of the gargantuan, sacred tree of Taki, whose canopy covered the entire village. Beams of sunlight shined through its branches, illuminating the concealed village.

The roof of the valley was hidden under a powerful genjutsu which was constantly monitored. It was an S-class secret of the village and any outsider that stumbled upon it was quickly dealt with. Even the commonly used entrance was well, if a little obviously, hidden; an underwater cave system behind a massive waterfall.

It was thanks to the lengths they went to keep their home hidden that the village had only once been successfully invaded, and that mark on their village's pride had occurred solely due to the actions of a traitor.

Naruto suddenly came out from a lake. He turned when he heard others emerge from the water's surface behind him. Out of the clear, blue water came a kunoichi of the village, wearing Taki's standard shinobi attire, followed by Jiraiya of the Sannin, blindfolded and by the look on his face, none to happy about having been dragged sightless through the hidden entrance of the village.

Naruto held back a snicker as he used his chakra to rise out of and stand on the water, his sensei and their escort doing the same a moment later. Due to the crisis at the time, Shibuki had been forced to show him the entrance to the village, making blindfolding him a moot point.

As he rose, Jiraiya took off the blindfold and turned his eyes to the tree. Taki was certainly a nice place, though in this Sannin's opinion it was a short on public bathhouses and hot springs, but, oh well.

"If you'll follow me, I'll escort you to see Lord Shibuki." The kunoichi said as she turned to the teacher and student duo. "He's been expecting you, Master Jiraiya. I'm sure he'll be surprised to see who you've brought along."

"So, you never said. What is it you want to talk to Shibuki about anyway?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Sorry kid, it's a secret." He said, smirking at his student's obvious annoyance.

In short order, the trio had entered the entered the administrative building and walked down its halls. The kunoichi opened the door for them and allowed them to enter.

Shibuki sat behind a desk, filing away a completed form and reaching for the next one when he heard the door open. Thankful for a brief respite from the never-ending monotony of paperwork, he looked up and smiled amiably.

"Welcome, Master Jiraiya. It's been quite some time since you last visited us. So, what brings you here Master Jiraiya?"

"For business" he replied. And glanced down at Naruto who rolled his eyes before leaving the office.

Naruto walked across the bridge leading from the center island to the village proper, wondering what he was going to do with himself while his sensei was talking about whatever it was he was being so secretive about. It annoyed him to no end that the man kept this from him, but there was no point dwelling on it.

Stepping off the bridge and walking the streets, the blond looked around at the people that went about their daily business.

As he looked around, Naruto noticed that he was receiving many looks. Because of how secretive and secluded the village was, even though it was fairly large, outsiders stuck out like a sore thumb. He could see them staring at him and feel their gaze on his back and every once in a while, whispers concerning him would reach his ears.

It was something he was fairly used to. After all, he grew up receiving hateful glares and cruel whispers of the people of his own village as he grew up.

Naruto kept walking when he heard a huge amount of chakra in a large forest close to the village. He didn't know where this chakra came from.

Kurama inside could feel his sister close and was about to tell Naruto to go and check it out when Naruto already started moving towards the forest.

"Kurama do you feel this?" Naruto asked him since he could feel this had huge amount of chakra almost like a . . . Bijuu.

"It seems you noticed it, looks like my sister is close by" Kurama replied smirking.

Naruto smiled and moved even faster. Soon he reached the center of the forest and was surprised to see the biggest tree he had ever seen. But his gaze turned to two girls fighting close to the lake. But Naruto froze when he felt the chakra of the red head.

"She's an Uzumaki!!"