Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ To Measure My Capacity ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

 

Naruto stood in the middle of a grassy field located on the outskirts of a smallish town. He was panting quite heavily, the strain of what ever he was trying to do evident on his face. Seemly giving up on whatever he was attempting, he collapsed backwards, his fall padded by the long grass.

“Stupid Ero-sennin,” Naruto muttered under his breath for the hundredth time, gazing at the blue sky. He was thinking back to all the times he'd found himself in a similar situation to what he was in now - alone and getting nowhere. Jiraiya had left him alone almost every day for the past year to `practice and master his current jutsu', while Jiraiya himself left on `important missions'.

“Argh!” Naruto yelled in exasperation. “'Learn to use Hari Jizo without using hand seals' he tells me. Does he tell me how? No. Does he teach me anything new? No. Same damn thing every day! `I've got a mission, practice your jutsu.'”

Naruto sighed. He knew for a fact that Jiraiya didn't go on any missions. Not long after Jiraiya had started leaving on his so-called `missions', Naruto decided to follow him. As it turned out, `I'm going on a mission' translates roughly to `Gotta gather data for my perverted book'.

Sick of sitting around getting no where with his supposed training, Naruto decided to search for Jiraiya and make a few demands. He stood, stretched a little to loosen his muscles a bit, and proceeded to head to where he knew he'd find Jiraiya - the town's hot spring.

----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------

The streets of the town were bustling with activity when Naruto arrived. Various lunch bars were full with people hungry after their mornings work while others were hurrying about doing various chores and tasks that were required of their business or families.

Naruto arrived at the entrance of the hot spring just in time to hear a large crash and see Jiraiya fly overhead. `What the hell?' Thought Naruto, peering through the large hole in the fence Jiraiya's exit had produced.

What he saw was a large number of towel-covered females looking rather embarrassed while one, a young blonde woman with her hair tied back in two pony tails, looked ready to kill. “Goddamn pervert!” She screamed. “He actually had the balls to come into the baths? I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do!”

”Uhh, I don't think you should try that, lady.” Naruto said.

The woman turned to see a youngish looking boy peering through the hole in the wall she had sent Jiraiya through just moments earlier. Her eyebrow twitched. “What the hell are you doing, brat? You shouldn't be looking in to the woman's baths like that! Didn't your mother teach you any manners?”

”I didn't know my mother, so no.” Naruto responded, before turning away from the scene to find out where Jiraiya landed.

He found the crater which held Jiraiya about 100 meters outside the town, near where he was `training' earlier.

”Ne, Ero-sennin, teach me something useful.”

”...” Jiraiya replied.

”Yeah, that sounds like you. Useless.”

”You again, brat?” Naruto turned to see the woman with blonde hair from earlier approaching, this time not dressed in a towel.

“What're you doing here?” Naruto was actually surprised that the woman would try to follow through with her threat to kill Jiraiya, especially after Naruto's warning not to approach him.

“I just thought I'd teach my friend here a lesson. He went too far this time.”

Naruto made an incredulous face. “Ero-sennin actually has friends? Female friends?”

The woman laughed. “Nice nick name, brat. He's more my team mate than a friend.”

Naruto thought about that. Jiraiya had told him about his team mates in the past. There were three of them all up - known as the Legendary Sannin, each with their own summon and claim to fame. There was Jiraiya, known for his perverted books and to a lesser extent known as the teacher of the Yondaime, Orochi-someone, who was a famed missing nin of Konoha, and Tsunade, praised as the best medical nin and worst gambler ever. So that would make the woman standing in front of him Tsunade.

”So you're Tsunade then, old lady?” Naruto questioned.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched with that comment. “Do I look old to you, kid?” She asked, her tone extremely menacing.

“No,” Naruto responded calmly, “but you are old.”

Tsunade sighed. “Whatever, kid. I have to have a little talk with Jiraiya here for a minute.” Her eyes held a small glint of madness at that.

She made her way into the crater and approached the prone form of Jiraiya. She proceeded to lift him off the ground by his long hair, looking intently into his face.

”So, Jiraiya,” she growled, “what miserable excuse have you got ready for me this time?”

Jiraiya opened his eyes, which were filled with fear and apprehension, something Naruto had never seen before. They'd encountered various obstacles in their travels, but never once did Naruto see Jiraiya afraid or anything other than confidant.

“Ahh, Tsunade,” Jiraiya gulped, “you see, I was sleeping on a tree branch when it broke and I fell into the hot springs and -“

Naruto snorted at Jiraiya's excuse. “More like you were `gathering data' when the tree branch broke, you perverted old man.”

'Damn' Jiraiya muttered in his mind `He knew what happened exactly'.

“Who's the brat, Jiraiya?” Tsunade asked, still holding Jiraiya up by the hair.

”Uzumaki Naruto. I'm sort of looking after him.” Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that.

Tsunade frowned slightly. “So this is the-“

”Yes, he's my apprentice.” Jiraiya cut in, sending Tsunade a guarded look. Naruto stopped his laughing, noticing the look and change of mood. He didn't know what it meant, but he intended to find out. Itachi had always said that information was the most powerful asset a ninja could have.

Tsunade let go of Jiraiya suddenly, letting him fall on his face. “I'll be seeing you soon, Jiraiya. You're lucky I let you off this time. I just remembered I have to be somewhere soon.” Tsunade turned began walking back to the town, leaving Jiraiya and Naruto alone.

”Damn scary woman,” Jiraiya muttered. ”So,” Jiraiya started, gathering himself up and walking out of the crater, “why are you here and not training?”

”Teach me something useful and new that will make me stronger.” Naruto demanded, his eyes steeled, his posture showing that he would not take `no' as an answer.

Jiraiya's face became thoughtful, looking off in to the distance with a slightly glazed look which could have been a result of his flight. “Naruto, have you ever felt that you have two different types of chakra?”

“Yes,” Naruto replied, clearly thinking. “Sometimes when I was training pretty hard with Sensei I felt another type of chakra begin to start flooding my body. I guess if I had to explain it in colors, my usual chakra is blue while this one was red. I could never use it properly, though.”

”I see.” Jiraiya had a far away look on his face, before he turned to Naruto. “I'm going to teach you how to control that chakra, Naruto. If you can harness that power you will become very powerful.”

”You're actually going to teach me something useful?” Nartuo asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowed. “And why do I have this other chakra anyway?”

”I'll tell you another day, for now I'll start teaching you this new jutsu to help you control that red chakra. You've probably heard of the technique, it's called Kuchiyose no Jutsu. It allows the user to summon animals or weapons by using a blood contract. It's a very useful jutsu, but it can require a huge amount of chakra, depending on what you're trying to summon. That is why it is useful to you - it will force you to use your other chakra.”

Naruto nodded. “Show me the hand seals.”

Jiraiya shook his head, partially because of the sudden change in Naruto's attitude, and partially because of his demand `He sure takes his training seriously when it matters'. “You can't summon unless you sign a contract or have scrolls with the required seals. Here” Jiraiya took the large scroll he always carried around on his back off and handed it to Naruto “sign your name in blood on that. It's the summoning contract for toads.”

Naruto did what was asked of him quickly. “Now show me the hand seals.” Jiraiya did so, which Naruto practiced before saying “Okay, now show me the jutsu.” Jiraiya quickly did the hand seals required before saying Kuchiyose no Jutsu and slamming his hand to the ground. There was a loud `poof' noise and a lot of smoke, which cleared to show Jiraiya standing on top of a large red and yellow spotted toad dressed in battle armor.

”I see,” Naruto said simply. Jiraiya jumped off his toad and dismissed it.

”You try now. Put as much chakra in to the jutsu as possible, without passing out. It will be the quickest way to deplete your chakra.” Jiraiya advised.

Naruto nodded, going through the hand seals required slowly one more before continuing. He then did the required hand seals quickly before shouting Kuchiyose no Jutsu and slamming his hand to the ground. When the smoke cleared Naruto was sitting on an orange toad with blue spots, twice as large as Jiraiya's was. Even though Naruto was almost completely drained of chakra, Jiraiya was impressed. `He has more chakra than I thought, and better control too. Maybe I should have given him more attention, he does have potential. Oh well, I can't change the past but I can help him in the future.'

”Very good, Naruto.” Jiraiya praised. “You're pretty much out of chakra though, but we can work on increasing your chakra capacity later. Now, do you feel any of that red chakra in your system?”

Naruto dismissed his summon, falling to the ground. He landed on his feet before falling back and lying down. “No,” Naruto panted, “I don't feel any different, only drained.”

Jiraiya frowned. “I see.” `What causes Kyuubi's chakra to start affecting him if it's not chakra depletion?'

“Naruto, when did you say you started feeling that red chakra?”

”Uhh, usually when I was doing some intense sparring with Sensei.” Naruto replied.

”I see,” Jiraiya said, becoming thoughtful once more. `It must only be in extreme situations, possibly life threatening situations that triggers Kyuubi's chakra to activate. Arashi must have designed the seal that way to protect Naruto.'

Naruto looked up to see Jiraiya approaching. “Nehan Shoja no Jutsu” Jiraiya said, quickly making 3 hand seals. “Wha-?” Naruto began, before seeing feathers fall around him. His eyes slowly drooped before Naruto gave in and fell asleep. ”Sorry, kid,” Jiraiya said, picking Naruto up and draping him over his shoulder, “but you'll thank me for this, one day.” Jiraiya began to move further away from the town, to a place where he knew he could awaken Naruto's second chakra.

”I really should teach him to dispel Genjutsu techniques.” Jiraiya said to himself as he moved quickly through the forest.

----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------

Naruto awoke to the sensation of falling. `What the…' Naruto looked around him to see rocks of all sizes flying past him at an alarming rate, while the holes roof which he had somehow fallen in to was getting smaller and smaller. Thinking quickly, Naruto tried to grab on to the rocks near him using what little chakra he had left. It wasn't working. `Crap, I'm going to die at this rate'. His heart beating faster and faster, Naruto tried everything he could think of to grab on to the slippery rocks, but to no avail.

Suddenly Naruto found himself in some strange sewer type complex of corridors. Having no idea what was going on, Naruto proceed to make his way to the strange red glow that was emitting from the largest pathway, seemingly drawing him towards it. He followed it and came across some rather large bars, red chakra seeping out from inside.

”What the hell?” Naruto exclaimed.

”Hmm? What have we here?” A loud, demonic voice asked. “Oh, it's you. The damn child that annoying man sealed me in. What do you want?”

Naruto looked up to see two huge, red, lusting eyes looking down at him. He did his best to hide his fear.

”So you're the source of that red chakra?” Naruto questioned, making sure to keep his voice as calm as possible.

”Yes, that would be my chakra, the chakra of the great Kyuubi no Kitsune.”

”Wait, wait,” Naruto said, unable to hide his surprise. “The Kyuubi's dead, Yondaime killed him, sacrificing his own life in the process.”

”Ha! Like any mortal could kill me. He just imprisoned me in a container, which just happened to be you. How did you get here if you did not know of my existence, kit?” Kyuubi asked, its booming voice echoing around the room.

”Uhh, I'm sort of falling to my death, I guess that's why I'm here. I'd say that if I die, you die, so how about you help out here?” Naruto wasn't about to sit there pondering whys and hows when he was falling to his death, he'd think about the nature of the Kyuubi when he wasn't seconds from death.

”Oh, you're a brave one to be asking me for help! I like that attitude, kit. I'll help you out this time, but expect to hear from me soon.”

With that, red chakra surrounded Naruto and he was sent crashing back to his own consciousness.

”This is the felling,” Naruto muttered, feeling Kyuubi's chakra flooding his body. Drawing on it, trying to control it, Naruto quickly made hand seals.

”Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” Naruto shouted, throwing his hand out below him. Through the smoke a large shape emerged, with soft skin that Naruto roughly landed on. “Safe,” Naruto sighed, before passing out.

”Jiraiya!” Gamabunta screamed. “Why have you summoned me in this place? Jiraiya!”

----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------

When Naruto woke once more, he was laying on a comfortable bed in what seemed to be an inn. Turning his head to the side, he saw Jiraiya leaning against a wall, looking upon Naruto. Seeing him brought back all the memories of the time before he passed out - the fall, the Kyuubi, the summoning.

”Why?” Naruto asked, his voice hoarse. “Why didn't you tell me?” Tears threatened to overcome Naruto as he continued. “Why didn't someone tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did everyone know but me? It all makes sense now - their hate." Naruto choked. "That's why they wanted me dead, why they always called me a demon. Why was I never told?”

Naruto began sobbing. After a few minutes Jiraiya finally spoke. “It was Yondaime's wish for you to be seen as a hero, but most only saw you as the Kyuubi reborn. Sandaime passed a law that forbade anyone of speaking about the Kyuubi and your involvement. He knew he couldn't change the views of those who knew, so he made sure the children didn't know - to give you a chance at a normal life.”

”That didn't work,” Naruto said bitterly, his sobbing lessening slightly. “The children all hated me anyway. Their parents never let me play with them, always telling their children to stay away from me.”

Naruto looked to Jiraiya, “Did Yondaime really want me to be seen as a hero?”

Jiraiya nodded and smiled. “Yes, that was his dying wish. It is the village's fault it didn't come true.”

Naruto's depression seemed to ease slightly. “Then I'll make it come true.” He looked to Jiraiya with determination in his eyes. “I'll make them see that I'm a hero. I'll gain their respect and prove to them I'm not a demon. I'll become Hokage!”

Jiraiya's sad smile widened at Naruto's words. “That's good to hear, Naruto. I tell you what, I'll put my book on hold for a while and spend more time training you, how does that sound?”

”Alright!” Naruto exclaimed, his depression disappearing at the thought of becoming stronger. “When can we start?”

”Tomorrow. We'll practice mastering your current jutsu.”

Naruto frowned. “I want to learn more, not practice my current ones.”

Jiraiya shook his head. “Knowing many jutsu does not make you a good ninja. You can know over 1000 jutsu, but if you know 5 really well, you won't need to use the rest. The famous shinobu Hatake Kakashi is one who has copied over 1000 jutsu with his Sharingan, but what's the point if he only uses 10?”

”Hatake? Why does he have the Sharingan?” Naruto asked. “Only Uchiha are born with it, and they were wiped out.”

Jiraiya was surprised Naruto new about the Sharingan and the Uchiha massacre, but he supposed that his previous sensei had told him about it.

”Kakashi had the Sharingan given to him as a gift by his dying comrade. It was the focus of many disputes between himself and the Uchiha for quite a time - while they were around. Anyway, we'll start your training tomorrow. I've even thought of a way for you to continue using that Taijutsu style of yours.”

”Really?” Naruto asked.

”Yes, all you need to do is avoid using it around Hyuuga. Simple isn't it?”

”That's not a very good way. But it doesn't matter, I've been practicing it anyway, I just said I'd drop it so you'd teach me.” Jiraiya was shocked. 'That manipulative little… argh! I should've figured he wouldn't give up such a powerful style so easily.'

”I see… well, get some sleep Naruto. We'll start early.”

”Hai, Ero-sennin.”

Jiraiya twitched.