So first and most importantly I want to congratulate Team 13 for their great performances in the chunin exams in Suna five days ago and of course well done to my son Naruto for winning the chunin exams." Minato said as he sat behind his desk.
In front of him stood Naruto, Itachi and Anko with the two boys covered in bandages. Naruto had his right hand covered up as well as his shoulder and had a few patches on his face. Itachi had the same on his left arm but had bandages wrapped around his chest and a few patches on his cheeks. Anko though was mostly okay and just had a set of bandages around her chest from breaking two ribs during her fight with Itachi.
Since the end of the Chunin exams five days ago most of the bruising and small cuts had vanished thanks to Tsunade and Shizune personally looking after Naruto and his team and pouring medical chakra through their systems.
They stayed in Suna for two days to rest and recovered before all the Konoha visitors left and took three days to arrive back home in Konoha.
His father though had talked with him a lot during those three days and Naruto had a feeling it was because he was curious at Naruto's strength and how he managed to attain it.
Once he got home he was expecting some kind of interrogation from his parents since when they arrived back home his mother had a curious gaze on him as if trying to figure him out. His sibling though welcomed him back happily and Mina had clung to him ever since. It had taken some blackmail with ice cream to get her off him since he and his team were requested in Hokage's office.
Around the room multiple members of the Konoha shinobi council stood watching and smiling at the three young shinobi and clapped lightly. On that side was also Mikoto who was smiling the biggest proud smile she could muster with a feeling that she had done a good job with her team and that she had helped three great future shinobi.
On the other side was Tsunade and Hiruzen who were standing with Kakashi, Kushina, Shizune, and a few more of the Konoha Jonin. Then on the other side of Hiruzen were his former teammates and fellow Konoha elders Homura, Koharu and Danzo.
The two elders he did not mind though Naruto found them both to be a couple of sticks in the mud, always acting very serious. While the other guy Danzo gave Naruto an eary feeling. Plus his jiji, Tsunade and Shizune had warned it was best to stay away from him.
"Now I think everyone here would agree with me when I say these three have all proved themselves ready to become chunin."
Around the room everyone murmured in agreement.
"Then in that case I believe it's only fitting to have these handed out." Minato said as he pulled out a scroll from his desk and unsealed the contents of it. Out of the scroll he revealed three chunin flak jackets and handed them out. First to Anko, then to Itachi and then to Naruto who he happily ruffled his hair. Naruto though did not react from it and just stood there as he listened to his father.
"Then today I would like to congratulate Anko Mitsarashi, Itachi Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze on becoming chunin." He said as more murmuring and clapping rang out through the office.
Many of the clan heads stepped forward to congratulate the three new promoted chunin and shook their hands, telling them well done in the exams and how well they thought they all fought.
Mikoto eagerly came forward and wrapped all three in a big hug telling them all how proud of them she was and how sad she was now that they were technically not a team anymore.
Since her team became chunin Mikoto decided to return back to being a full time housewife since now that her oldest was a chunin and proved he was strong and had good friend with him, she wanted to turn her attention in now helping her middle and youngest child. Though she would still help the trio train when she could and maybe go on a mission from time to time, her duty now was to help Sasuke and Ria.
Though when Mikoto had past Kushina and the others Konoha moms she smirked at them.
"I told you. One year and my team became chunin." She said proudly as the other moms nodded that she was telling the truth and had lived up to the expectations that Mikoto liked to brag about.
Kushina thought scowled and internally promised that she had to somehow beat her eternal rival.
"Chunin Uzuamki Namikaze now." Hiruzen said as he, Shizune and Tsunade came up to Naruto with Shizune hugging and kissing him on the forehead with Tsuande also doing the same thing. "You have come far since we began teaching that little five year old who wanted to learn to be a ninja."
"It feels like only yesterday that I found you in the park trying to read that book on chakra," Shizune added.
Naruto smiled as he hugged his older sister figure. "I never did thank you for helping me with that."
Shizune smiled and settled her head on top of his. "And you never have to."
"Well now that the exams are over it means we can get back to training. Don't think because you're a chunin now that we have nothing left to teach you. Because we all have heaps loads to drill into that hard noggin of yours." Tsuande said as she tapped his head.
"Good because I would have it no other way." He said as Tsuande grinned down at him.
Around them the heads of Konoha began to pile out with the elders of the village following after them as well as some of the shinobi. Kakashi and Shizune followed on out along with Itachi, Mikoto and Anko behind them.
Naruto and Tsuande was about to leave too but their leave was cut short.
"Naruto, Tsuande I was hoping the two of you could remain here for a moment." Minato said as he sat back in his seat with Kushina at his side. Kakashi nodded to Minato as he shunshined away while Jiraiya was out of the village.
Naruto and Tsunade raised eyebrows simultaneously which looked a little odd but they hung around.
Mikoto, Itachi and Anko looked back in surprise but after Naruto nodded to them they left. They did the same with Shizune and Hiruzen who were surprised at the action.
Naruto stood in front of his parents who eyed him curiously while Tsunade stood a little to the side.
"Is there something wrong?" Naruto asked his parents as they continued to gaze at him.
"No there is nothing wrong." Kushina answered taking a step forward and looking at her son. "But we have some questions we need answering."
"Naruto while you showed great promise in the chunin exams myself and your mother were surprised at just how far along you were in your studies and we both noticed you use jutsu's that were in the our library with the rasengan being the most noticeable. Can you please tell us why we had no knowledge of this?" Minato asked.
Naruto looked at his parents looking at him and raised an eyebrow while putting his hands in his pocket. He looked over at Tsunade who just nodded at him.
"Because neither of you cared enough to help me so I took matters into my own hands." He said giving them both an answer neither were expecting to hear.
"What? Naru-chan that's not true." Kushina said defending herself and her husband but Naruto just gave her a light glare.
"Really? Okay then tell me in the past what have either of you actually helped me with? What did you train me in?" He asked and watched their reactions closely.
Both looked ready to speak but suddenly stopped and then had a thinking look appear on their faces. Kushina bit her lip as she thought while Minato looked up at ceiling as if both were trying to avoid their sons glare.
'What did we teach him?' Both thought.
Minato then had a please look on his face. "Well we helped you with your fuinjutsu. I know we helped you with that." He said but both parents were a little taken back when Tsunade scoffed from her spot.
"No you didn't. Jiji helped me with my fuinjutsu. All you did was give me a book on level one fuinjutsu when I was six. The rest Jiji taught me or I taught myself."
Kushina looked ready to say something but held it back and realized he was right. "What level are you at in fuinjutsu?" Minato asked rather delicately as Kushina leaned in.
"I'm just starting level five." He said plainly as his parents looked surprised at the answer.
'Level five? I only started level five when I was thirteen.' Kushina thought while Minato was in the same boat.
"Neither of you helped me with anything nor did Kakashi and that pervert of a Sannin Jiraiya," He said which surprised Minato and Kushina since he normally called Jiraiya Uncle Jiraiya or when he was very little grandpa. They guessed he grew out of it.
"Shizune nee-chan help me with my chakra control and taught me the uses of poisons and some medical ninjutsu, Tsunade sensei taught taijutsu with Guy-sensei and conditioning my body while jiji taught me ninjutsu and fuinjutsu. Nowhere in the last six years did either of you actually help me.
"As for the jutsu I took them from your library yes but I made my own copies of the scrolls and then put the originals back.
"And the rasengan? Naruto that was an A ranked jutsu and a dangerous one at that and one enemies would love to get a hold of."
"Well I needed some kind of ace in the hole for the exams. I am grateful for learning the super strength from Tsunade sensei but I needed a last resort card. Something no one would see coming. Deception is part of being a shinobi after all."
Kushina then spoke. "Naruto how long did it take you to master the rasengan?" She asked since she knew it took Minato around three years to create and Jiraiya and Kakashi spent months learning it.
Naruto just looked at her. "I got the basics down in a week then refined it during the month." He said leaving both parents gob smacked.
Now both parents including Tsunade looked at him in shock. One week to learn the rasengan was unheard of. In fact it bordered on the downright impossible. Minato, Jiraiya and Kakashi, three of Konoha's best shinobi had been out shined by newly made chunin.
"Naruto if you wanted to learn the rasengan so badly then I would have showed you how to." He said but Naruto looked away.
"If I had asked you all you would have done was brush me off as always and told me you were too busy or that you needed to help the twins."
Minato looked down as he began to see that Naruto might have been right when Kushina looked at her son sadly with concerned eyes.
"We would have trained you if you had asked us Naru-chan. I don't remember you asking for much help." She said and both saw Naruto look at her in disbelief at the question.
"Ask you? ASK YOU?!" He said shouting at them as Tsunade shook her head. "You are my parents. I shouldn't have to ask you."
"For the first four years that I training to be a shinobi all I ever did was ask you to help me and train me. But every time you brushed me off for the twins. You pushed me aside like I didn't even matter and Eiji and Mito got everything."
"I understand for the first year or two since they were babies and needed the added attention but neither of you ever even tried. It was Mito this, Eiji that. And then Mina was born and then things got even worse. Now I don't hate my sibling, far from it I love each of them very dearly. But do you know how hard it was seeing you spend so much time with them and having no time ever for me for almost six years straight."
"You were supposed to be my parents and you let me down because you favored your other children over your oldest when you should have treated them equally."
After his rant was finish he wiped away a stray tear that went down his face and turned around and left the office leaving two very stunned parents behind. Tsunade still with her back leaned against a wall sighed.
"I hope you realize the damage you have caused to him." She said finally speaking up and drawing the attention of the stunned blonde and red head.
Neither said anything at first, they just sat there playing over what Naruto had said to them as if trying to figure out what they just saw and heard actually happened.
Minato struggled with is wording as he spoke. "That…what Naruto said. I-I was not true was it? I mean did w…..we favor the others more so then with Naruto. I just don't know what to make of this." He said still struggling with what he just saw and heard.
Kushina shook her head defiantly. "It can't have been true. We would not favor our younger children over our eldest. I know it. It has to be some kind of mistake. Naruto….he…he is just confused and he is tired that's all. He needs his rest, the exams were taxing on him."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes and walked over to the pair and stood a little in front of Kushina. When she did a loud slap echoed through the office and Kushina went stumbling back and dropped to the ground.
Kushina held her cheek as a red mark began to show and it began to sting. Minato got up and went to his wife. When he did Tsunade stood over the two of them glaring down at them with her hazel eyes making both feel rather small.
"You both really don't see the damage the two of you have been doing to him do you? Just because you two idiots have not seen it does not mean no one else has seen it." She said surprising both of them.
"I have seen you ignore Naruto for the good part of the last three years. The last few years were not as bad but it still happened. I noticed it, Sarutobi sensei noticed it, Shizune, Mikoto, hell even Mikoto's kids and Naruto's friends saw it. I wouldn't be surprised if other shinobi or even civilians began to see it."
"If that's true then why did no one say anything?" Minato asked a little angrily but backed down at the glare Tsunade was giving him.
"No one said anything because Naruto asked us not to. He got in his head that you would finally see what you were doing and that you would finally start paying attention to him, yet you never did. In fact it got worse to the point that he even started feeling like he was a stranger in his own home."
By now the down Kushina was doing her best to stay together but it was evident in her eyes that she wanted to start crying.
"All he ever wanted was for the two of you to notice him, to teach him how to be a shinobi like all the other parents in the village and the other villages do. You two are suppose to be two of the villages best, You are suppose to be setting an example for the younger generations and you are suppose to look after this village."
Tsunade's glare intensified and picked them both up by their collars and brought them close to her face.
"How are you supposed to do that when you can't even see when your oldest child is in pain? Whether you want to admit it or not, you two have failed Naruto."
She then dropped them to the ground and walked out and slammed the door behind her.
As she left Kushina and Minato just sat on the ground with emotionless faces as Tsunade's words began to hit them as Minato's eyes widened in shock while Kushina put her hand to her mouth muffling the sound of her sobs.
Home
Naruto didn't stop as he arrived into his home and went up the stairs, not listening to the sounds of his siblings welcome him home.
He went to his room and slammed the door shut as he threw his chunin flak jacket against the side of the wall.
'The nerve. How dare they think that I'm lying to them. They really can't see what they have done wrong can they?' He shouted in his mind as his anger got too much and he punched the side of the wall making a fist sized hole in the wall.
His breathing was a little ragged as he dropped down onto his bed as he just stared up at the ceiling allowing his eyes to get a little red ad a letting a few tears stroll down his cheeks.
As he laid back he heard his door open and heard little footstep coming towards him. He already knew who it was by the footsteps.
He looked over to see Mina standing there with a few crayons and a piece of paper, no doubt wanting Naruto to join her in some coloring.
"Hi Mina-chan. You want to do some drawing?" He said sitting up but Mina's looked at him with a tiny crease in her brow.
She then shakily and with a bit of help from Naruto got on the bed and waddled to Naruto and put her hands forwards to his cheek and to his surprise began wiping away the tear marks.
"Naru no cry." She said squeakily as Naruto gave her a little smile and put her in his lap making her giggle a little.
'I wonder how much you understand Mina-chan.' He thought as he put the piece of paper on his bed and took the blue crayon from Mina to her delight and together began drawing pictures on the paper together.
When Minato and a still teary eyed Kushina came home they had tried to speak with him but Naruto quickly left the house and made his way to Hiruzen's where he planned on spending his dinner and evening, not being able to look at his parents right now.
A Month Later
Naruto strapped his sword to the side of his hip as he began making his way out of his room and to the training field where he would be meeting up with Itachi and Anko to get some morning sparring done.
It was early morning so the only person who was up was Minato who had already embarked to his office while Kushina was still asleep as was his siblings since it was a Saturday.
The month had been awkward to say the least. Minato and Kushina had tried to speak with him but Naruto just had nothing he wanted to say to them. Kushina had made more attempts then Minato since everyone knew that before the twins and Mito was born, Naruto and Kushina had a very close bond to one another and it was rare not to be seen together. To her, what she had done to her eldest child was unforgivable and she was going to make it up to him somehow.
As he was about to open the door he heard light footsteps behind him and turned to see Mito standing their rubbing her eyes.
"Onii-chan where are you going?" she asked gazing up at him curiously.
"I'm going to train with a few friends." He stated simple and Mito's face had a delighted look appear on it.
"Let me go with you, please." She asked looking at him with her big round blue eyes and gave him a puppy dog look. Naruto could feel himself breaking as she stared at him.
"Pleaseeeeee." She asked again make her lip quiver a little before Naruto sighed.
"You have five minutes to get dressed." He said as she squealed a little before jumping up and giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek before she ran upstairs.
Naruto went into the kitchen and left a note behind telling Kushina when she woke up that Mito was with him and that she would be back by lunch. A few minutes later Mito came rushing down the stairs in her day clothes with her hair tied up in a little pony tail and the two set out.
As they walked Mito grabbed a hold of Naruto's hand making him raise an eyebrow but he smiled as she hummed a little song and kicked her feet as they walked.
After about twenty minutes of walking they arrived at their training ground to see Anko already sparring with Itachi. The purple haired girl was annoyed that she missed out on her teammate's battle but had sworn that eventually she would train until she was up their level and could stand beside them.
As they fought, Mito looked star struck as she watched them and her presence eventually went noticed when Anko and Itachi stopped their sparring. They both headed over with Anko smiling towards Mito.
"You brought a little munchkin with you today huh Naruto?" She said as she patted Mito on the head making the younger girl smile up at the older girl.
"That was so cool. Can you teach me how to do that snake move thingy?" She asked using her puppy dog eyes like she had done to Naruto earlier but thankfully Anko was immune of such a move.
"Maybe when your older munchkin." She said making Mito pout.
Itachi and Anko looked at him and he explained why she was with him today. Both patted him on the shoulder.
"Ria-chan does the same with me." He said understanding the situation while Anko rolled her eyes.
For the next few hours the trio trained and sparred with one another while Mito sat safely away a good distance with wide eyes and a big happy smile as she watched them. The three older kids sparred one and one with the other sitting with Mito and talked with her and answered any questions she had on some of their moves or techniques.
For a lot of it, it was Naruto sparring with Itachi and Anko would point little things out to Mito who was paying close attention to the older girl.
During their small breaks when Mito asked if they could show her how to do one of their techniques, they thought about it and figured there was no harm in it. She had not unlocked her chakra yet so they focused on her kunai throwing.
Itachi and Naruto helped her with her aim while Anko helped with the speed she threw them at.
Since they only had metal Kunai's on them, Naruto made sure the end was blunt and that he was always within a close distance to his little sister.
"Oni-chan can I see you sword please?" She asked as she eyed Naruto's blade in his right hand.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at the request but he thought there was no harm in it. He unsheathed his blade and Mito got a little closer as she looked it over with big excited eyes. She went to touch the tip but Naruto quickly placed his hand over her.
"No Mito-chan. It's very sharp and you might cut yourself." He said as Mito nodded but the message obviously did not go through quite enough when she had an excited look appear on her face and grabbed one of the Kunai's on the floor but picked it up at the sharp end.
She gasped a little as she held her hand and gave a small wail and a cry.
Naruto dropped his blade next to him and took Mito's hand as he gave her a reprimanding look.
"Mito-chan I told you, you need to be careful and not to pick any of them up without asking one of us first." He said though he said it softly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean too." She wailed out as she sniffled. Anko came up behind her and gave her a hug from behind.
Naruto sighed and gave her a small smile. "Here, let me heal it for you." He then took her hand into his own and gently uncovered her other hand which was covering the cut. The cut was not very big or deep and was just a straight line staring at the bottom of her thumb and stopped at the start of the middle finger.
Naruto's hand glowed green and went to heal it when his eyebrow furrowed in confusion. Itachi and Anko saw the look and looked at Mito's cut and their faces then did the same.
Mito's cut lightly glowered red as the cut slowly began to heal itself.
As he looked at it Naruto's shosen jutsu hand grazed over Mito's stomach as his focus was on the cut and from the corner of his eyes he saw black markings appear on the bit of her stomach that was showing through her shirt.
"Mito-chan can you show me your tummy for a minute?" He asked.
"You won't tickle me will you?" She asked as they all laughed.
"No I won't tickle you." Naruto said smiling at her as Mito gently lifted her top to show her stomach. When she did Naruto and everyone else's suddenly had a serious and focused look on their faces as they saw a black spiral pattern with eight points, four on top and four on the bottom.
"Is that…..a seal?" Anko asked looking confused at Naruto who nodded.
"Yeah but it's very advanced, so advanced that it can only be my parents work. I mean the spiral is the symbol of the Uzumaki's so my parents must have put this on her."
"Why thought? Why would they put a highly technical seal on a five year old?" Itachi asked as Naruto's chakra hand went forward.
His fingers tips touched the seal on his sister's stomach but when he did everything went black and a pair of giant red eyes with black slits stared at him before he suddenly heard a loud roar. As quick as it came it ended and Naruto fell on his butt and looked at the seal with wide and shocked eyes.
"What is it?" Itachi asked as Anko looked curious as well, wondering what could have had their friend look so shocked and even look a little…..frightened.
"I….," Naruto said before he shook his head. 'I can't tell them what I saw. At least not here with Mito in front of us.' He thought as Mito looked at him curiously.
'I get it now. I know why they pushed me aside. And they did this to her.' He thought angrily before mentally calming himself down.
Naruto breathed in and got back on his feet before looking down at Mito. "Is your hand better Mito-chan?" He said as he took her hands in his again and saw that it was completely healed.
"It's better, thank you." She said quietly before putting her hand in front of his mouth. "Kiss it better."
Naruto smiled at his little sister and planted a big kiss on her hand before he kissed her again on the cheek making her laugh before he picked her in her arms.
"Come on Mito-chan. It's about lunch time and I kind of fancy some ramen." He said as Mito's eyes shined bright.
"RAMEN!" She called out whilst Anko and Itachi declined his offer and went back to their own homes, leaving the siblings to eat by themselves.
They stayed at Ichiraku's for about almost an hour leaving ten bowls from Naruto and three bowls from Mito before they made their way back home.
Mito's giggling was the first thing Kushina heard as Naruto and Mito walked through the door and the five year old went straight to her mother and wrapped her in a hug.
"Kaa-chan, Naruto Oni-chan took me with him and his team to train and they were really, really good. The taught me how to improve my kunai skills, but then I got cut but Oni-chan healed me and then he took me to get ramen." She said Kushina tried to follow the words that came out of her daughter's mouth.
"That's very nice sweetie." She said as Naruto walked in not looking at her and said hello to his other siblings.
"Hey Eiji-chan." he said as he patted his brothers head.
"Hi Oni-chan." Eiji said as he ate his sandwich before he turned to Mina who was pouting at him and was puffing out her cheeks.
Naruto thought she looked adorable and wet down to her level. "Mina-chan are you mad because I didn't take you with me this morning?" He asked as Mina just continued to pout at him and her little cheeks went red.
"Next time I will take you with me." he said staring at her before a couple of seconds passed at her pout turned into a big smile as Naruto leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose making her nose wrinkle in the process.
"Naruto." Kushina called as Naruto turned around and looked at her, not showing any emotion on his face. "I was about to make some lunch. I know you have had ramen already but maybe I could…"
"No thanks. I'm still full from lunch. I'm going to my room." He said and before Kushina could say anything he left the room making her sigh sadly and look down at the floor before she took a seat.
"Naru-chan, how far have I pushed you away from me?" She said quietly as she listened to Naruto's footsteps go up the stairs.