Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Fuinjutsu ❯ Changes ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 6.

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Hokage Tower; the Hokage's Office; 07:01 GMT.

Naruto nodded politely at the two ANBU guards stationed outside the Hokage's office as he was finally granted entrance. He'd been out of the hospital for three days now and the encounter he'd had with Orochimaru was nearly forgotten as nothing more had happened after their little chat. Now, he'd been summoned by the Hokage and Naruto truly had no idea what the old man wanted of him this time. He guessed he'd find out soon enough.

“Hokage-sama,” Naruto greeted politely as he stopped a short distance from the old leader's desk.

The Sandaime glanced up from the reports he was reading to grant Naruto a small smile in greeting. “Doing better I hope?” the Hokage enquired as he shuffled his papers and put them away.

Naruto nodded. “I was fine the moment I woke up, but Tsunade-hime insisted on some rest and more tests before she let me leave. I've been back to work for three days now,” he said to reassure the person he'd once considered a grandfather.

“Good, good,” Sarutobi said absently, “I'm happy to hear that you're up and running again. As the situation is now, we need as many functioning shinobi as possible.”

At the serious words, Naruto straightened his stance imperceptibly as he slipped into a more professional mode. “What do you mean, Hokage-sama?”

The old man sighed as he rose from his seat. “The conflicts along the border are escalating. More and more sightings of unauthorised travel across the border are reported by the day. In addition to that, the Iwa-nin you caught along with Namikaze-san was assassinated some time ago.”

Naruto frowned as he absorbed what he was hearing.

“How are you coming along with the jutsu I gave you?” the Hokage abruptly changed the subject while Naruto was still caught in his thoughts.

Naruto did a double-take before he finally registered the new question. “Well enough,” he answered almost at once. “I'm up to a partial transformation at the moment. The technique hurts as hell and it uses an insane amount of chakra, but I think it will be very useful in the approaching times,” he said.

The jutsu-scroll he'd been handed by the Hokage after he'd signed his contract was a very advanced transformation technique. It wasn't an illusion like the low-level Henge they taught the academy students, but rather an actual physical transformation of the user. As such it required enough knowledge about anatomy to make sure that you didn't scramble your insides when you activated the jutsu.

At the moment, Naruto was able to make small adjustments to his appearance. He could change his hair-colour and his hair-texture, in addition to small changes to his facial structure. When he fully mastered the technique, he'd be able - in theory - to even physically change his gender.

The transformation technique literally worked on a cellular level. As such, it was possible for Naruto to transform from a twenty-year old natural blonde with facial markings to an old bald man (or woman) with wrinkles as long as he didn't loose or gain any mass in the transformation.

The fact that the technique worked on such a basic level was also the reason behind all the pain. Naruto hadn't really thought much about how much pain a human could endure before he's started to rearrange small parts of his molecular structure. The pain nearly rivalled what he'd felt during Akatuski's extraction ritual and it pretty much scrambled his concentration, which was why he'd never managed to transform anything but smaller parts of himself.

At the moment, the advanced transformation technique was the only jutsu requiring hand-seals that Naruto was able to use. This was because the technique focused solely on affecting internal parts of the user. Naruto very much doubted he'd be able to use it to transform anything else, like a tree-trunk or another person. In fact, he didn't even know if it would be possible to perform the technique on anything other than oneself even if he'd been able to properly channel his chakra.

When he'd fully mastered the technique, it would be invaluable to him as a spy, seeing as nothing short of a blood test or a person adept at sensing and distinguishing chakra would be able to reveal who he really was. And from what Naruto had learnt from Minato when they'd first met, it was impossible for anyone to sense his chakra unless they were in physical contact with him.

Naruto thought that to be awesome, seeing as he'd previously sucked at hiding his chakra.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Naruto focused on the situation at hand again.

“Why do you wonder?” he asked the Hokage.

The Sandaime sighed heavily as he pondered silently to himself. Finally he seemed to reach a decision.

“I need you to be able to move invisibly from now on,” he said. “I know I promised you free access to the library, but I really need you out in the field now. Would you be willing to take on missions outside the border and continue your research when time allows it?” he asked carefully.

Naruto regarded the old man in front of him carefully before he spoke. “The situation is really that bad?”

The Hokage nodded.

Releasing a small sigh himself, Naruto smiled in grim amusement. “Nothing to it then. I'll do what you ask of me. I know you haven't known me for a long time, but I can honestly say that I really like you. I think you're a great leader.”

The Hokage blinked in bewilderment at the sudden change of topic and the unexpected compliment he'd received from the most baffling man he'd ever known. “Then I thank you for your willingness to help me,” he finally said when he'd collected his scattered thoughts again.

Naruto broke into a wide grin. “Don't mention it. So, I gather that you want me to operate incognito and under a disguise from now on?” he ventured cheerfully.

The Sandaime nodded. “Yes, in accordance to your position as my personal shinobi, you'll go under the codename Yuurei when you employ any form of the transformation technique.”

Naruto couldn't help but quirk and amused eyebrow. “From Rei to Yuurei? Not much of a codename,” he said.

Naruto couldn't deny that he was tickled by the name though. It too meant `ghost', but it was considered a more malevolent form of the word Naruto had adopted to be his name. In addition it suited his position as a ghost operator. He found he didn't mind the new codename at all.

Sarutobi smiled, showing that he too found amusement in the name he'd given him. “Maybe not, but with the disguises you'll be wearing, no-one will connect you to your undercover persona.”

“As you say Hokage-sama,” Naruto agreed affably.

The old Hokage tilted his head in thought. “Didn't we agree earlier to drop the formality between us?” He reminded the blonde chuunin in front of him. He got tired of all the superficial politeness people insisted on using and he'd found it refreshing that Rei had been willing to use his last name only instead of his title.

“As you say Sarutobi-sama,” Naruto answered, this time cheekily.

The Sandaime chuckled.

“About the mission you require me to do…” Naruto prodded gently.

The monkey summoner sobered up as they returned to the heart of the matter.

“Right. First I need you to visit the border-post where the captured Iwa-nin was held. Enquire discreetly about anyone who visited the post in the days before and after the assassination. Maybe you can get some clues to who one of the traitors might be if they were careless enough to show themselves…and if indeed the assassination was made by a shinobi from Konoha. After that, I wish for you to infiltrate Iwa-”

Naruto blinked in surprise at this as he regarded the venerable leader with incredulous eyes. The old man ignored him completely as he continued giving out his orders.

“-Use the transformation technique. I don't care how you fulfil this mission, but I need you to obtain any information you can get on who the traitors in the village are, what the Iwa are planning and what they consider to be Konoha's greatest strength. I imagine the last objective will be the easiest to figure out.”

No doubt, Naruto thought sullenly to himself. The objectives he was receiving were not exactly easy to complete. He began to wonder if the old man had smoked something stronger than the usual tobacco.

“You have a lot of faith in me old man,” he said before he managed to censure his thoughts from his spoken words.

The Sandaime quirked an eyebrow at the way he'd just been addressed, but he let it be, not entirely able to convince himself that he didn't find it both endearing and somewhat amusing. The only bit of protest he could come up with anyway was that he wasn't that old.

“Yes, but I do not believe it to be unfounded,” Sarutobi said as he started to search through the mountain of files he had on a table to his left.

Finally finding what he was looking for, he pulled out a non-descript file and tossed it to Naruto.

“The file contains relevant information about border-patrols along the Konoha border as well as any information we've managed to attain concerning Iwa's border. In addition you'll find some maps and some information about hidden safe-houses beyond Konoha's border. The last paper in the file contains information of the shinobi that will be your contact while you are on this mission. I believe this particular person to be above suspicion so you can trust him with anything pertaining to your mission.”

Naruto flipped through the file `till he came to the last paper. He was curious as to who the Sandaime would trust at this point in time and with such critical information. When he saw the picture of the man he was supposed to report to he couldn't quite manage to hide his humour.

“Jiraiya, the Seal Master? My contact is Jiraiya? Well, I can't deny that this will be interesting.”

The Hokage raised an eyebrow in obvious surprise. “You know of him?”

Naruto chuckled. “Hah! He's the biggest pervert currently in existence. Who hasn't heard of the author of the Icha Icha-series?”

Sarutobi groaned. “I find it disconcerting that my student is known to you because of his amoral hobbies.”

“Hobbies?” Naruto snorted again. “For him I gather it's more of a life-style.”

The Hokage sighed.

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Konoha Proper; Ichiraku's; 10:35 GMT.

Naruto sighed in contentment as he inhaled another bowl of delicious ramen.

The Hokage had told him to leave the next morning so he was supposed to use the day to get his affairs in order as well as to prepare and pack for the extended mission he was undertaking.

Before he did all that though, Naruto figured he deserved to reward himself with a healthy intake of the heavenly food known as ramen.

“Rei-san.”

Naruto broke into a small smile at the somewhat familiar voice that greeted him from the open street. Turning around in his chair, Naruto waved the kid over as he signalled for two bowls of ramen, one for him and one for the new arrival.

“I trust you like miso ramen Obito,” he said to the young Uchiha.

Obito nodded, somewhat surprised at Naruto's easy acceptance of his presence.

“Do you eat here often?” Naruto enquired as he accepted the two new bowls of ramen that the owner passed over the counter.

Obito fidgeted. “Not really, only when sensei's girlfriend drags him and us with her. …She's crazy about ramen,” he added as an afterthought.

Naruto smirked. “She's not crazy. She's just intelligent enough to know good food when she tastes it,” he said.

Obito gave him a weird look and Naruto shrugged carelessly.

They ate in companionable silence after that.

When they'd finally finished eating, Naruto sat back to regard the black-haired genin in front of him. “So, what brings you here?” He asked.

Obito shrugged helplessly, suddenly seeming a lot more down than he'd been before. “Ah… it's nothing,” he denied.

Naruto didn't believe that for a second. “You don't look like it's nothing,” he wheedled.

“Ano…” Obito hesitated. “Could you keep a secret?” He asked slowly.

Naruto regarded the young shinobi in front of him seriously as he weighed the question. Obviously something important was going on, or at the very least something Obito felt was important to him.

“Sure,” He finally answered the Uchiha. “I'll keep your secrets if you want.”

Obito sighed. It sounded as if it was in both relief and in resignation. “My clan is filled with stuck-up assholes,” he said in a serious, but still despondent voice.

“Oh?” Naruto stalled as he tried to keep an amused twitch from appearing on his features. He knew plenty about Uchiha's acting like assholes from his own personal experience.

Having actually started to talk about it seemed to get the ball rolling for the young genin. “Yeah, all they care about is their blood-limit and their standing in the village. My parents are always harping at me because I haven't activated the Sharingan yet. They…they say that I'm worthless to them if I can't get it activated. The clan-head is the worst. That's Fugaku, he's married to my big sister and she just got a kid. I feel really sorry for her though. Fugaku doesn't treat her right…” he trailed off despondently as he swirled a single remaining ramen-strand in the left-over broth. Finally he continued somewhat hesitantly. “The clan head… I overheard him in a conversation with my father once. He said that if I'd been his son, he'd have had me assassinated ages ago for my incompetence. He said that Uchiha without their Sharingan should be put down like stray dogs because of their weak genes. In addition to that I'm even more of a disappointment because I have an eye-condition where my tear-ducts don't produce enough moisture for my eye. Sometimes it can affect my vision and in the long term I may go blind…”

Naruto's brow furrowed. He'd been aware that both Itachi and Sasuke were a couple of complete assholes, but he'd never really known anything about the clan's values or its strictness. By the time the massacre occurred, he'd only been five years old. At that point in his life he'd been more concerned with surviving himself, than the loss of Konoha's most infamous clan. He realized with discomfort that if Obito was telling the truth, that the Uchiha clan may well be even worse than the Hyuga in some ways. If that was true it wasn't really a wonder that Itachi did what he did.

He could remember perfectly clearly all the stories Hinata had told him about what was expected from her as the heir of the clan. The pressure she'd received was enormous and she'd had major troubles with her confidence as a result of her father's and the clan's expectations and demands.

Itachi had been a child prodigy surpassing anyone the Uchiha had ever allegedly produced before - barring perhaps the founder; Uchiha Madara. How would he have responded to all the pressure laid on him? If he was already doing everything perfectly and it still wasn't good enough…

Naruto's thoughts trailed off as a sudden clarity of what he had to do struck him. He'd already wowed to himself that if he was stuck here, he'd change as much of the future to the better if he could. Maybe…maybe he should start already? Maybe the most important changes he could make were the small ones…

That's it. He resolved to himself. I'll do my best to help the people I come across so that they can get happier and feel safer in their place here in Konoha. If they're content with their lives, they can only get stronger.

Naruto was going to do something no-one had bothered doing before. He was going to stand up for and help the new generations in Konoha to the best of his ability. Starting today with Obito.

“Have you talked to anyone else about this?” Naruto asked slowly as he fished out some notes to pay for the bill.

Obito shook his head. “No, I'd talk to my sister, but she's already under enough pressure as it is, being married to that asshole Fugaku and having to take care of her newborn kid. And my team… Well, sensei knows about the… eh… eye condition I have, but nothing more than that. I'm not supposed to talk about clan matters with anyone outside the clan and if I told sensei we'd both get in trouble. Other than that my team-mates really wouldn't understand. Rin's nice and all, but she's not from a strict clan and Kakashi's an asshole. He'd only make more fun of me if he knew. I just…I just don't know what to do.”

Naruto sighed as he signalled that they should take a walk. Obito willingly rose to follow him.

“Why did you decide to talk to me about it? If it could get us both into trouble I mean?” he prodded as they veered off from the main street and started to walk towards the Hokage Monument.

Obito shrugged lightly as his eyes lighted up as his mood improved marginally. “Eh… I don't know. You're just… I feel like I can trust you. In a way you really remind me of sensei,” he said. “…But, you're new to the village too so you don't really have any preconceptions and your also really cool and strong. The way you sparred with sensei…it was awesome!”

Naruto chuckled as the mood lightened even more.

After some minutes of silent walking Naruto finally decided to say something to lighten Obito's worries a bit. “You shouldn't take Fugaku's words to heart. There's no way the Hokage would let anyone get away with blatant assassination in his village - especially not from a clan-head. In addition to that, the conflict that's worsening will probably keep your clan's attention diverted for the moment.”

Instead of making Obito feel better, it only sobered him up from the light mood they'd just achieved.

“I know that. I don't think any of them would really kill me…maybe disown me, but not kill. It still hurts though. And I really worry because I want to get the Sharingan. If I don't get it I'll always be weak and a disappointment to my family.”

Naruto sighed heavily as he glanced at the depressed teen walking next to him. What did you say to something like that? Naruto had plenty of experience with derogatory remarks, but he'd never had a family - a blood relative - tell him he was worthless. In a way it made Naruto happy that he'd never known his parents. He wouldn't have been able to withstand the open hatred he'd inevitably get from them just because he'd been chosen to be a jinchuuriku at his birth.

When he broke out of his thoughts he was a bit surprised to find that they were at the top of the Hokage Monument. The Yondaime's head hadn't been added yet so the view was a bit different from what Naruto was used to, but they still found a nice spot to sit on where they could see the entirety of Konoha village.

“Listen,” Naruto finally broke the silence again. “I really believe you'll get your Sharingan eventually. You're probably just a late bloomer and you know what they say about late bloomers,” he comforted the boy. “You'll definitely become the greatest Uchiha ever. You'll probably even surpass Madara himself.”

“You're just saying that.” The young Uchiha remained unmoved.

Naruto sighed again, this time in slight exasperation. “You know what makes a ninja really strong?” he asked, remembering back to what seemed ages ago, when he'd learned the most important lesson ever from the most unlikely source.

“What?” The black-haired youth wheedled.

Naruto smiled gently as he ruffled Obito's hair. “The strongest ninja in existence are those that have something or someone precious to protect. That's why the Hokage is so powerful, he loved Konoha and he's willing to do everything to protect it.”

Obito glanced up at Naruto with wondering eyes. “Really?”

“Yes. Really. Just find what's precious to you. Do your best to protect it and you'll grow stronger than any of those stuffed-up, glorified turkeys belonging to that clan of yours. You're a good kid Obito and you have a lot of hidden potential. All you have to do is bring it out.” Naruto said confidently.

Obito's face lightened up considerably as a wide grin broke over his face. “Thanks, Rei-san,” he said gratefully.

Naruto ruffled his hair again as he returned the blinding grin. It only widened further at Obito's loud protests at the perceived manhandling.

When they'd finally calmed down again Naruto sighed softly. “I'm going away on a mission for the Hokage tomorrow,” he confided in the young genin.

Obito snapped to attention, not really liking that his newest role-model was leaving him.

Naruto saw the kid's expression, but forged on anyway. “It's a really top secret mission so you can't tell anyone what I'm telling you now. Do you understand?”

Obito nodded seriously, feeling honoured now that such a capable shinobi as Rei-san was willing to confide in him.

Naruto smiled. “Good. I'll be gone for a long time. There's no time-limit at the moment, but I suspect months, maybe even a year depending on how successful I am.” Fishing in his pocket, Naruto pulled out a blank key. “This is the key to my apartment. I'll show you where it is later if you agree to a favour I want to ask you.” He said.

“A favour?” Obito asked. “What kind of favour?”

Naruto continued to smile gently. “I want you to look after my apartment while I'm gone. Just look in on it whenever you have the time, but don't let it get in the way of your personal life or your missions. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course!” Obito promised excitedly. “It'll be no problem.”

Naruto chuckled. “Good. In return you can sleep there whenever the clan gets too much for you and you just need a break. I'll even teach you a couple of jutsu I know when I get back.” I promised in return.

Obito lightened considerably. “Awesome!” he cheered as he jumped up with a fist in the air. “Come on! Let's get to your apartment.” He began pulling on Naruto's sleeve in his excitement and Naruto couldn't help but laugh out light.

“I'm coming, I'm coming. Sheesh! Calm down!”

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Konoha Forest; North-west bound; Nearing Konoha border-post; 22:35 GMT.

Naruto began to slow down as he neared the border-post he was supposed to do some investigation at.

He'd activated the transformation jutsu even before he left Konoha and was now travelling as a brunette with hassle-brown eyes. He'd managed to straighten out his hair some with the help of the jutsu, resulting in a less wild look. In addition he'd managed to make small changes to his face - like removing the whisker-marks - and lifting his cheek-bones some. No-one who'd ever seen him as Rei would recognize him as the same man now.

Finally arriving at the border-post he slowed down completely so as to approach at a non-hostile pace.

The shinobi at the border-post received him with a harassed air about them. It was obvious that the border situation hadn't gotten any better since Naruto had been her before. Naruto showed them his `official' papers as a registered mercenary operating in the shinobi countries.

Mercenaries were not really usual in the shinobi world and they were mostly regarded with great disdain by the professional shinobi. As far as ninja were concerned, professional mercenaries were even less worthy than samurai. At least samurai swore fealty to one particular person - mainly a daimyo. Mercenaries were not afflicted to anyone and were notorious for changing master at the drop of a coin - that is - they followed the money-flow.

Naruto figured the mercenaries would become even more unpopular as the conflict escalated, but at the moment - with everything else going on - Naruto's disguise could only help him. Mercenaries were the least gifted fighters in the shinobi world. They were the ones who didn't make the cut to either become ninja or samurai, but still wanted to be fighters or warriors. The only reason that they even got jobs was that they typically were willing to accept any job no matter how distasteful. As such, Naruto would be severely underestimated by the shinobi he dealt with at the border patrol. As far as they were concerned, ha wasn't even worth the time they had to use to register his passing presence.

…Which suited Naruto just fine.

After getting himself registered, Naruto retreated from the presence of the shinobi to relax in the open lounge offered by the border-post to the travellers.

Once alone in the lounge, Naruto drew out a small parchment containing a seal he'd fashioned after waking up in the hospital. He'd gotten the idea for the seal while sparring with Minato.

Normally, he would've spent a minimum of weeks to design a brand new seal, but he was so used to the particular effects of what he wanted to accomplish that he'd managed to make the seal at record time. He couldn't quite help the proud grin that overtook his face as he activated the seal with a small drop of chakra-enhanced blood dropped at the exact centre of the small circular seal.

The seal began to glow.

With a puff of smoke an exact copy of Naruto appeared in front of him. The particularities of the transformation jutsu's effects on Naruto's cellular structure even guaranteed that Naruto's current appearance was conserved. It was the activating drop of blood that determined the identity - and the appearance - of the user and the clone that appeared.

Naruto had in effect created a solid clone - like the shadow-clone - with the use of blood, written seals and chakra instead of the usual shadows, hand seals and chakra. He very much doubted he'd be able to do this unless he'd been a Master shadow-clone user before his run in with the Akatsuki.

From the few experiments he'd performed with the seal before he left the village, Naruto knew that the clone could be dispelled as easily as the original shadow-clones, but he was confident that he would be able to create more durable seal-clones if he only put more time and effort - and probably more blood and chakra - into it.

Smirking silently in triumph, Naruto left the clone alone in the lounge to begin his own unofficial tour of the border-post.

Naruto quickly realized that the post was severely undermanned at the moment. He didn't run into any guards patrolling the hallways and with his chakra completely hidden by his messed up coils, he didn't have to worry about anyone detecting him in that manner.

The holding cells were ridiculously easy to find, particularly since he'd seen them when Minato had delivered the captured Iwa-nin here the last time he ventured through.

Peeking through the reinforced, small glass windows on the doors to the cells, Naruto was quick to find the - unlocked - room where the assassinated Iwa's corpse was kept. The corpse was well kept and Naruto assumed that the ninja running the post had used some sort of preservation technique on the dead body.

Naruto had to roll his eyes at how easy this was turning out to be.

Quickly letting himself into the room, Naruto opened the dead man's shirt as he bit his thumb to draw forth some blood. It was time to put Minato's teachings to good use.

Completing the seal he was drawing as fast as possible while still making sure to not make any mistakes, Naruto pulled a pre-drawn sealing scroll from an inner pocket. Activating the two seals, the corpse disappeared into sub-space as the sealing took effect.

Naruto let out a sigh in relief. Now he only needed to get out of the basement and return to the lounge where his clone was. After that, he'd start to discreetly get information from the ninja managing the post. Either that or he'd steal the log detailing the comings and goings that were registered by the shinobi running the post.

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Grey-border-zone; North-west of Konoha; 03:35 GMT.

A black-haired Naruto sporting sky-blue eyes with a marring scar running across his face from under his right eye to his lower cheek skidded to a panting stop as he arrived to a small - but still wide - river cutting across the path he'd chosen for his trek to the village of stone.

The change of appearance was the result of having had to requisition the border-post's log. He'd left the border-post as soon as he could after that. Obviously. What with a double thievery occurring Naruto didn't really think it prudent to stick around.

No doubt the border-patrol would report the disappearance of the corpse and the log, but the Hokage already knew that Naruto would be behind it so hopefully he would call off all the men chasing the `thief' as soon as possible. As it was now, Naruto was content with the change off appearance.

Currently Naruto was in the grey-zone of the border between the Fire Country and the Grass Country. The grey-zones were the areas between land borders where patrols weren't moving from either of the nations bordering each other. It was the unofficial neutral zone between nations.

Finding the area to be the safest possible for him at the moment, Naruto made camp by the river. He'd have to figure out a way to cross the river before he could continue anyway. Not being able to perform water-walking would be a real pain in the ass, he realised as he pondered on his next move.

He fell asleep quickly that night considering the hour and all the exertion he'd been doing it wasn't really strange. When he woke up early the next morning he managed to wake himself exceptionally fast by taking a freezing morning swim to cross the river.

When he was a relatively safe distance from the river, but still within the grey-zone, Naruto pulled out the log he'd pilfered from the border-post. He quickly found the names of the individuals that had worked at or checked in with the post in the time shortly before or after the assassination.

Amongst the names of various chuunin and genin teams - one of the teams even consisting of an Uchiha - Naruto found a name that stood out as clear as the sun would do if it ever appeared on midnight sky.

Apparently Orochimaru had visited the border-post on the very same day that the assassination had occurred.

And wasn't that interesting?

After dutifully burning the rest of the log - and sealing the ripped-off piece of condemning evidence away on a small paper hidden in the stuffing of his jacket - Naruto pulled out the scroll containing the dead corpse of the assassinated Iwa-nin.

He was glad that he was surrounded by a thick bamboo-forest that provided excellent cover when he released the sealed body.

What he did now would undoubtedly get him killed immediately if any Iwa-nin - or maybe even Grass-nin - saw him and realized what he was doing.

Regarding the dead body in front of him dispassionately, Naruto began to search the body for any signs of external damage. He learned plenty of anatomical knowledge as a requirement before he could achieve the jounin rank he'd held before he'd accidentally travelled to the past. That knowledge had only increased while he was studying how to successfully perform the advanced transformation technique.

It wasn't difficult to find the mark of the killing blow. It seemed to be a clean cut from some sort of single-edged blade - most likely a katana - that had pierced the nin's cervical spine between the 4C and the 5C vertebrae. The death would've been instant.

The blade had entered from the back, but had not pierced through the front of the neck, suggesting that the killer was exceptionally gifted with a sword. Either that or he'd had extensive education in control and anatomy.

Naruto couldn't help but remember the sword Orochimaru was able to summon in the future. He was probably able to perform the summoning now too…

After inspecting the corpse Naruto re-sealed it - this time using a slightly different seal that would only release if hisown or the Hokage's ring was used to activate the releasing seal.

With the ugly business taken care of the journey continued through Grass Country and towards the border of Earth Country where the village of Stone was located.

When he arrived at the border, he was stopped by an Iwa-nin patrol faster than he could blink.

Luckily he'd been prepared for this before he'd even exited Grass' border and had acted a part ever since.

He pulled on the rucksack-strap he was carrying absently as he wavered drunkenly with a half-empty bottle off cheep liquor in his free hand. “Greetings shins…shinosh…shob…eh…” He stumbled slightly as he played at gathering his thoughts. “…Ninja!” he finished his greeting far too exuberantly.

One of the Iwa-nin that had stopped him for inspection - and possible interrogation - groaned loudly.

Naruto blinked stupidly as he desperately tried to keep from laughing. A bit of liquor sloshed out of the bottle when he wavered too much and tipped the bottle until some of the liquid inevitably spilled over. Naruto affected a truly mournful expression when he noticed the unnecessary loss of good alcohol.

Many of the ninja in front of him rolled their eyes in exasperation.

The apparent leader of the patrol finally decided to get to business. “State your name, profession and purpose for entering the Land of Earth,” he said self-importantly.

Naruto blinked again before striking a pose eerily similar to what Gai would use in the future when he babbled on about `the Springtime of Youth'. (You could always sense the capitals he used.)

“I'm the great and terrible free-lance seal-grafter known through all the ninja countries as the…the…damn. I can't remember.”

The talker took an audible deep breath as he fought for patience. “And what is your name?”

“Inu.” Naruto said decisively.

They all looked at him weirdly.

“Your name is `Dog'?” The leader asked sceptically.

Taking a deep swig from the bottled, Naruto proceeded to nod vigorously. “It's a long story.” He started. “My mother, who was the daughter of my father's great-uncle, grew up in the Land of Waterfall. She always thought that-“

He was cut off by the leader.

“I don't care about your life story. Tell us what business you have here.” He demanded.

Peering down the neck of the now empty bottle, Naruto stumbled slightly to the left before he managed to regain his balance again. “Why, I'm here to offer my services,” he declared as if it was obvious.

The assembled enemy shinobi regarded the apparent drunk in front of them with open disbelief.

“What kind of services?” an obviously female voice asked from the back of the group. “Prostitution?” She was being sarcastic.

Naruto could already tell he liked her and as he leered openly at her he answered in an overly sultry tone. “For you baby, that too.”

He got a fist in the face and landed decidedly hard on his posterior.

The incensed female had to be held forcibly back from killing him.

“You perverted little ogre. I'll-!”

“Your purpose?” The leader demanded, completely ignoring the ruckus happening behind him. Naruto could practically see the killer intent building up in the man, though he didn't know if it would be directed on him or on the noisy female.

“My expertise at the arts of sealing of course,” he said as he picked himself gingerly and slowly up off the ground. He shook his head and then grabbed it in apparent dizziness and pain.

“There's no way a moron like you know anything about the arts of sealing,” one of the ninja holding the female said in denial.

“Sure there is,” Naruto said cheerfully as he began to tick some of his knowledge off on his fingers. “I know of explosion seals, binding seals, storing seals and even some summoning seals. Though those last ones are a pain in the a-… eh…” He gave a nervous glance towards the irate female-nin before he changed his mind on the word he was about to use. “…Posh…poll…post? Posterior,” he finished.

The entire group of enemy shinobi rolled their eyes again.

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Village of Stone; Civilian district; Hotel room 13; 12:24 GMT.

After talking himself out of not having any official identification papers (his great-grandfather's dog stole them and gave them to a chipmunk - long story - who apparently used them as toilet paper when it did the number-two in the forest under the great pine-tree which… - you get the picture). Naruto was given some documents to grant him temporary passage through Earth Country provided he went straight to the Village of Stone to clear his presence with the officials there.

The whole affair had gone surprisingly smoothly, but then seal-grafters were highly sought after no matter how shitty or incompetent they appeared to be - or were.

At his arrival at Iwa, Naruto had proven his profession by grafting an easy seal used to store very small items like soldier-pills or vitamin-pills. Even small seals like that were greatly appreciated and sought after in a war effort; which both Naruto and the Iwa-nin knew were coming.

His knowledge of sealing granted him permission to live in the village as long as he sold his creations to the shinobi of Iwa while he was there.

Naruto very much doubted they'd let him leave at all now that they knew he had at least rudimentary knowledge about seals. But that, as they say, was a problem for another day. All that mattered now was that he'd successfully managed to infiltrate the hostile village.

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