The Red Flash Chapter 24 (Return to Konoha) (Patreon)

Naruto

The sun started shining over the mountain bringing light over the village hidden in the leaf. The villagers had just woken up, some had started their daily routine, opening shops, restaurants, some shinobis going to their new missions. Two shinobi made their way to the gates of Konoha, to look for anyone coming inside and going outside.

Close to the walls of the village were two figures walking towards it. One was Jiraiya who kept his gaze at Naruto, his student and godson has been dead silent since yesterday and it was worrying him. He tried to start any conversation with his favorite red head but he would just either ignore him or when he asked him, he would just make a simple and short answer indicating that he wasn't in mood for a conversation.

Jiraiya knew his godson wasn't looking forward to it but he hoped that four years had been enough for the villagers to 'forget' him and possibly not be hostile towards him any longer. From what he had heard from his spies, and he himself, the chances were low. Villagers were still celebrating The Kyuubi's defeat and the Day 'The Demon Died'. Just the thought that they celebrated that, made him sick, and couldn't possibly understand, how could people go so low.

He sighed and looked at his left, Naruto kept his gaze at the gates getting closer, his red hair reaching his shoulders. He wore a new jacket, black color, with a red Phoenix symbol in the back. The same symbol that is in his sword, the eye of the Phoenix looked like Uzumaki Symbol, beneath the jacket he wore a tight white shirt with the symbol of fire in the chest.

Despite the jacket, his muscles from training could clearly be seen, and everyone that was a shinobi and even civil people could see Naruto was strong. He kept his chest high and his sword tightened on his hips, he stood 140 cm tall, that was tall for a eight year old kid. His blue eyes looked brighter from the sun. He wore bandages under his clothes in his elbows and forearm. A seal on both of his shoulders that couldn't be seen from naked eye. His weights still on his body, 350 pounds on his legs and 330 on his arms. Jiraiya had tried to tell him that he didn't need that much weight but was like talking to a wall, hell even a wall would understand at some point.

Naruto had completed his Elemental Manipulation last month, that meant he could finally start training on some powerful jutsu, like that his mother left for him, Jiraiya-sensei told him that Rasengan wasn't a finished jutsu, his father had never completed it. Naruto wondered if he could complete it and make a more powerful jutsu, the technique was already dangerous and could easily kill someone if is used in vital areas. But if he added more into it, he could make it to be a S-Rank Jutsu.

Before he had left, Naruto had given Asha a copy of Uzumaki Style: Phoenix.

' Naruto was walking with toad-jiji towards the lake that would lead them outside the village. Behind him came Fuu and Asha, Naruto felt horrible to leave Asha, she was an Uzumaki like him, she and Fuu understood him, they both knew his pain and now he was leaving them just so he could go to a village he didn't like. Naruto knew the hidden leaf village had good shinobi too but still he couldn't see the village as his home and he knew that would never happen. He wondered what Uzushiogakure was like before it was destroyed mercilessly, how it looked. How people were there, would they see him as normal or just like in The Hidden Leaf. Naruto didn't know, there were no pictures or anything anywhere of the village to know how it looked.

Naruto turned to look at Asha and Fuu who gave him a sad smile, Naruto had told both Asha and Fuu that next time they meet, they would made plans how to rebuild Uzushiogakure. Fuu had agreed with it as well, she told them that Taki wasn't a home to her and would happily follow her two only friends everywhere in the world.

Naruto wanted more than anything to rebuild his homeland but he needed to be strong first, Naruto knew he wasn't weak now but he was nothing compare to the likes of Hokage-jiji, toad-jiji and other Kage around the Elemental Nations.

"Ashara-chan and Fuu-chan, we will soon meet again" Naruto promised and handed Asha a red scroll that could only be opened by Uzumaki Blood. With the help of Jiraiya-sensei, Asha was almost done with Level V, toad-jiji had left her enough books to reach and complete Level X.

Asha smiled back and grabbed the scroll before hugging him tightly much to his surprise, her fingers softly touching his red hair. Naruto couldn't help but blush by this. "We will meet again Naruto-kun" she whispered and gave him a quick kiss in the cheek that made Naruto turn red like his hair.

Asha giggle and tried to fight her own blush, from her porch, she grabbed a purple scroll and gave it Naruto, she winked at him and took a step away, so Fuu could say goodbye.

Finally managing to catch his breath, he turned to look at Fuu, her orange eyes looked. . . Beautiful. . . . Wait Beautiful? Stop it Naruto, he thought to himself.

Naruto had decided to give Fuu the scroll how to do Rasengan, since she had high Wind Affinity. He was about to give it to her when she jumped on him, and hugged him tightly, rubbing her cheek against his, making him blush even more. "I know we will meet again soon Naruto-kun, and Don't forget We Are Friends" she shouted the last part. Naruto could see sadness behind her beautiful. . . Orange eyes.

"Yes we are friends Fuu, we will always be and will always rely on each other" Naruto stated. Fuu blushed at his words and gave him a big smile, her eyes were smiling too, her eyes looked at his blue ones and then gave him a quick kiss on his cheek that had the exact same effect as Asha. Naruto started rubbing his hair nervously and avoiding their faces, while Jiraiya was slightly giggling at the scene in front of him. Young Love, Jiraiya thought proudly for his godson. Not even 10 years old and he has started stealing hearts of beautiful girls, just imagine when he reaches 14 years old?? Jiraiya thought rubbing his hands together.

Naruto grabbed his scroll and gave it to Fuu, she looked at the scroll smiling and looked back at him. She then grabbed a scrolls from her backpack and gave it Naruto but put a finger in her lips, "This is my strongest jutsu that Chomei taught me. I hope you like it" she whispered. Naruto felt happy from the gift. That filled him with happiness.

"Thank You for your gifts Asha-chan and Fuu-chan" Naruto thanked them.

"Is nothing Naruto-kun" Asha replied slightly looking downwards and not looking at his eyes with a blush on her face. Fuu thanked him as well.'

It had been one month since he had left Taki, the jutsus they had given him were.

Uzumaki Style: Water Flash (A-Rank - Low S-Rank)

The Jutsu could collect the water close to the user, then threw at the Enemy with fast speed, the speed enough made water penetrate anything, even metal. The water could easily reach Low Kage Level Speed if used with Wind Release.

Wind Style: Crumble Wind

The Jutsu needed both Wind and Earth Release to work. It crates a large wind area that could be thrown that destroys trees and ground everything in his way. The jutsu could also be used to create small wind blades inside to slice the enemy apart. The ground close and inside would crumble almost to the point to become like sand.

High A Rank - High S Rank

Cost: Low Kage Level Chakra

Naruto still hadn't started to try and learn any of them. Jiraiya-sensei told him that the last month left he was forbidden to train and just rest. Spend his time having fun and feel like an actual child, Naruto find it funny, as long as he could remember, he never saw himself as a child.

The only thing he could do is keep his weights and make them heavier if he wished but not any other kind of training. Naruto at first had complained but then quickly accepted when even Kurama told him that he needed to rest.

Naruto had finished Level V in Fuinjutsu and now he needed to Complete Level VI, he was looking forward reaching Level VIII, since once he completed it, he could start training his Hirashin, and Naruto knew that technique was what made his father. 'The Yellow Flash' Flea on Sight in his bingo book, and SS Rank.

Naruto had asked Kurama what kind of level were Hashirama and Madara on their prime.

'I Don't know exactly how your rating works, but if your old man was SS Rank, then Hashirama and Madara were SSS Rank" Kurama had replied with venom when he mentioned the strongest Uchiha to have ever existed and The First Hokage.

Jiraiya suddenly stopped walking and turned his head to Naruto. The young red head stopped as well and turned to look at Toad-jiji and wondered why he stopped.

"This is where we part ways" Jiraiya stated looking at Naruto who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why is that? I thought you would come with me to explain everything to jiji" Naruto said glancing at the village ahead of them and then turning to the old sannin again.

"I'm sure you can do that yourself, I have something important to do" Jiraiya stated, thinking that now he would find Tsunade and tell her about Naruto. He hoped to find her soon and wondered what she will do once she understands the truth about Naruto, he hoped she would find in her heart to return back to the village, but if she did and saw how The Village treated Naruto. . .

The young red head didn't really understand his reasons, he could feel there was something toad-jiji was hiding but he knew was nothing to worry about.

He shrugged his shoulders and decided to ignore it. "Very well Jiraiya-sensei, and Thank You for these four awesome years" Naruto thanked him and hugged him tightly, Jiraiya was slightly taken aback by his hug but he quickly returned it and rubbed his hair. "Is nothing Naruto" Jiraiya replied. Naruto smiled hearing his words and pulled away.

"Wish me good luck" Naruto said before turning to walk towards the gates of the village.

Jiraiya chuckled at his words. "Good Luck" he whispered once Naruto was out of ear hearing area.

He turned around and quickly Shunshin away.

Naruto soon reached the gates, he looked at the walls and wondered why it looked smaller but overall nothing had changed. He took a deep breath and started walking again, soon he reaches the entrance, immediately being stopped by two shinobi who apparently guarded the gates, Naruto could feel two hidden ANBU in each side of the gate.

Sighting he walked towards them. "Who are you that you want to enter?" The man asked kindly, looking at his face, the man could have sworn he had seen that face before.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, I'm supposed to meet Hokage-sama today" saying that, no voice could be heard. His pencil falled in the ground and he looked at Naruto in the face, both he and his friend saw the three whiskers in each side of his face. He looked taller and more muscular but the whiskers and the red hair were a straight give away.

"Ohhh, you have grown up. Ahh you can enter of course" the man replied with a small smile happy that the poor kid was alright and wasn't truly dead as the village celebrated. Naruto felt his honesty and smiled at both of them. Turning to the village, he started walking forward.

People were everywhere around the roads. After a few minutes of walking, Naruto could notice some people were giving him glances of . . . Curiosity and a hint of anger. Naruto sighed thinking that wouldn't take long now. Soon everyone would know that Naruto was back. He gave it two days at max before the whole village found out about it. He looked up at the Hokage faces in the mountain, his eyes looked at his father. How much he wished for him to be with him.

As he kept walking, Naruto passed the academy, he could feel the . . . Chakra of the students in there and what caught his attention was that none of them were not even Chunin level except for the teachers. He knew he had huge amount of chakra because of his Uzumaki blood and Kurama, but still most of the genin didn't even have genin level of chakra, below that. He wondered why, and hoped that the academy wouldn't be a total waste of time.

Deciding to ignore it, he kept walking towards the hokage tower. Naruto wondered how Jiji looked now, or maybe he looked the exact same but slightly older, he then wondered about his apartment and if anyone was ever there to clean or it had done nothing but collect dust for four years, or maybe someone had just put it in flames. Naruto didn't know but he knew he could use Shadow clones to clean the house if needed. And maybe Wood Style to build one but that would raise too many eyebrows.

Walking closer, Naruto knew some villagers were following and talking to other people, some started pointing their finger towards him probably thinking he couldn't see them. Getting bored by this, he jumped up and landed on the rooftop of the nearest building. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he ran with speed towards the hokage tower.

He soon reached the tower, walking upstairs he soon reached a room that the secretary apparently worked. Naruto could feel two ANBU inside the room but he ignored them.

The woman saw him and stood up. "What can I help you with?" She asked kindly but couldn't help but notice the look of the warrior on his face. Naruto turned to look at her. He smiled and decided to act innocently.

"I'm supposed to meet hokage-sama today" he replied not wanting to stay longer here.

"I sorry....But the Hokage is a very busy man and you have to make an appointment to see him", said the Secretary politely.

"Well the Hokage will be expecting me, as he knows I'm arriving here", spoke Naruto although the Secretary did not look convinced as to what he is saying.

"Look...Could you just to him and say that Naruto is here, he will know who I'am and if he doesn't then I leave...ok", said Naruto. As he didn't want to waste any time on trying to convince the women.

Her eyes widened slightly at the name. "Very well then" said the Secretary with a sigh, But when she entered the Hokage office and told him that a young red haired boy carrying a Katana on his back named Naruto was outside his office wanted to speak to him and saying that he was expecting him. The Secretary was surprised to see an eager and happy look appear on the old Hokage's face, where he quickly called his ANBU that were hidden in his room rafters and told them to leave. After which he then told her to tell the ANBU that where outside his room to leave as well and told her that she was dismissed for the rest of the day and she was to tell Naruto to come in.

Naruto walked inside and saw his Jiji smiling behind the desk.

"Naruto my boy is good to see you" he said happily, Naruto hugged him, he pulled away to give him a good look. He saw that Naruto had grown, his face looked sharper almost like of his father, his blue eyes like ocean. The old hokage noticed he looked slightly larger and wondered how much Naruto had trained throughout the years.

"Is good to see you too Jiji" Naruto replied, his eyes glanced at his father's photo before turning to the old hokage something that was noticed by him.

"I take you have grown stronger" The old hokage said with a chuckle but in same time could feel the aura of power surrounding Naruto. The kid in front of him wasn't an ordinary genin. He wondered how strong Naruto was now since Jiraiya had been pretty vague when it came to talking about his training.

Soon Naruto sit close to his desk and they started talking about what he had done the last four years. His thoughts about Mount Myoboku, if he made any friends. The old hokage was impressed when Naruto told him that he had reached Level VI in Fuinjutsu and wondered that would be only a matter of time until he reaches Level X, to reach the same level as Jiraiya. Naruto then went on and talked about how peaceful and quiet Mount Myoboku was and how friendly the toads there were, he talked about his visit to Taki.

His frienship with Fuu and Ashara, Sarutobi was impressed to hear there were other Uzumaki out there. He was happy to hear that Naruto had new friends, he needed them more than anyone else.

After a long talk that lasted two hours, Sarutobi grabbed a key and a note from his desk and gave it to Naruto.

"These are the keys of your apartment, the letter is for the teacher of your class, gave him to explain him why you will start today" Hiruzen said. Naruto nodded his head and stood up. "See you later jiji" Naruto said waving his hand at him and soon jumped from the window much to the annoyance of the old hokage who hoped that Jiraiya hadn't showed his books to Naruto.

Naruto

He was walking through the village towards his apartment, it was probably around 11 of the day, the teaching had already started and Naruto knew would be a waste of time to go to the academy now so he decided to go tomorrow morning like everyone else. While walking Naruto wondered what they would taught them in the academy, he hoped they would teach them about Fuinjutsu. He soon reached the apartment, reaching his floor, he saw the door to his apartment had words written all over it. Even the wall close to the door had words written.

Demon

Child of Sin

Killer

Burn in Hell

Kyuubi

Naruto sighed and opened the door, "What a warm welcome" he murmured walking inside. He saw the whole place looked messed up, probably because of the last accident, since after he got beaten, he never returned to his apartment to fix the mess they had made. Sighting he crossed his fingers and ten clones suddenly showed up.

"Fix the house" he simply said and the clones started working while Naruto decided to visit his favorite Restaurant until they were done.

Naruto left the apartment and made his way towards Ichiraku Ramen, he wondered how they would treat him, they treat him well last time.

He soon reached the restaurant ignoring the annoying glances from the villagers. Walking inside he saw who he thought was Ayame, she looked taller now and probably around her 14. She looked more beautiful.

Ayame noticed the new customer and turned to look at him but her eyes immediately widened when he saw the familiar red hair and the whiskers on his face.

"Naruto is that you" she almost shouted happily, he was about to reply when his head suddenly got gripped by two hands and got in a bear hug from Ayame.

"Is so good to see you Naruto" she said hugging him tightly. Naruto tried to talk but couldn't. " I ca . . . can . . . Bre ... th" he tried to say and she understood his position and let him go. Naruto gasped for air, his hand on his chest.

"I'm sorry Naruto" she quickly apologized.

Finally catching his breath, he shooked his head. "Don't worry Ayame, is good to see you too" he replied smiling at her, and his eyes looked around in time to see the old man walking towards them. His eyes still closed and Naruto wondered how could he even cook without looking, unless he had some kind of secret Dojutsu.

"Naruto is good to see you" he said happily to see him back but most importantly that the village had been wrong about his supposed 'Death'. Naruto then went and explained that he had been training for four years.

After a little while Ayame handed Naruto a large bowel of hot Ramen and told him to enjoy it, which he did for the moment that the hot noodles were in his mouth Naruto had stars in his eyes as this was the best Ramen, just like how he remember it. Within seconds Naruto quickly ate everything in the bowel.

"That was great Ayame-chan", said Naruto, which made the girl smile.

"Thanks, my Tou-san thought me everything I know about cooking", she replied.

"Is there anymore?" asked Naruto as he was still hungry and was hoping to have more of Ayame's delicious Ramen.

"Sure as much as you like", said Ayame with a smile and went to get more Ramen from the large pot.

Once he was full Naruto thanked Ayame and Tenchi for the free meal and promise to comeback again soon, both Ayame and Tenchi said that he was more than welcome to. Although Tenchi did joke that next time Naruto would have to pay, which caused Naruto to smirk a little.

Walking towards his home, he had a thought in his head, Tomorrow is the academy, I wonder what is like there? I hope my friends hasn't forgotten me, thought Naruto. He knew the likes of Shikamaru probably didn't but he wasn't sure when it came to Ino and Choji.

Reaching his apartment, the clones had already cleaned the whole house, he smiled and they soon pop out of existence.

"Naruto, I'm thinking for you to start training with two tails worth of chakra after a year" Kurama suddenly said. Once he reaches two tails, reaching three tails will be even easier. Four tails would be much harder, probably the hardest part.

Naruto thought about it and nodded his head in agreement. Sitting in the couch, he started making a security seal for his house, to stop any idiot trying to break in.

Jiraiya

He was walking throughout the forest, in his pocket was a photo, he had kept it for three years now. Always looking at it from time to time. Looking down at it, the photo was made in Mount Myoboku, one year after Naruto had arrived. It was him in the photo and Naruto smiling standing on his shoulders. Jiraiya smiled looking at it, how much Naruto reminded him of Minato, scared him sometimes.

I'm sorry, but he couldn't make it

Jiraiya remember those words extremely well. Sometimes even in nightmares. It has been 32 years now and it still hurt, whenever he remembered that tragedy. He quickly used his hand to wipe away a tear, putting the photo on his secret pocket. He continued his road.