Naruto Repurposed

Chapter 7

The Final Wave

That same night, while Kakashi was busy planning and working out everything for their assault on Gato's headquarters, Naruto was back in his clearing training his ass off and trying to grow his control over the Adamantine Sealing Chains technique. All around him were clones in various stages of progress, some trying to strengthen and lengthen the single chain they were now capable of performing, while others were working on trying to split the chain into many, and others were seeing if they could sprout the chains from other parts of the body. He had been going at it hard for several hours, and was really working himself to the bone, as he felt this technique was something precious to him and very personal.

Not only was it an Uzumaki Clan technique, but was one his mother was well known for according to Jiji and Kakashi, and therefore beyond important for him to master and use in order to be connected even more to her and his Clan. He had been getting a pretty steady stream of memories throughout the day of his clones exploring the Ruins of Uzushiogakure, and often falling prey to left over traps and seals as they explored every square inch of his Clan's home and legacy. He was determined to get this technique down, and help preserve and carry on the legacy of the Uzumaki Clan, and wanted these chains so badly to prove he belonged.

The Ruins of Uzushiogakure were beautiful in a desolate and sad kind of way, as it was easy to see from the remains how the city looked and functioned, and yet the obvious signs of destruction constantly brought back the emptiness of it being gone. There were a few spots among the Ruins that his clones felt there might be something else there, but were waiting until all their exploring was done before checking those places in case it triggered more defences. They did however find something that Naruto though was really cool and couldn't wait to get his real hands on, and that was an old Uzushiogakure hitai-ate pretty banged up, but definitely a memento he wanted.

It was nearing the time he usually turned in for the night, but something was keeping him outside in the clearing, almost a feeling that he needed to be there for something really important. So, he stayed and continued to train and push himself past the point of exhaustion, continually trying to improve on the chains with his steadily diminishing clones. Over the next hour, more and more of his clones popped as they too exhausted their chakra trying to pour their all into the sealing chains, until the original finally succumbed to his own tiredness and fatigue, and fell asleep right on the forest floor.

Naruto woke up in the early dawn to the feel and sound of another person in his clearing approaching his position on the forest floor just next to a large tree. He looked up as the figure approached and had a moment of total confusion, thinking he may still be dreaming at the beautiful looking girl around his age that was wearing a very pretty pink kimono and carrying a small basket tucked under her arm. She shyly lowered her head as Naruto continued to stare at her with an open mouth look of wonder, which finally made him realize he was probably making her uncomfortable, and quickly scrambled to his feet and shyly smiled back, while nervously running his hand behind his head.

"Um ...are you an angel?" Naruto asked almost in a whisper, still not entirely convinced he wasn't dreaming, as he had never seen someone so beautiful or prettily dressed before, and it made higher thought difficult.

"Hehe," came her wonderful tinkling laugh at his completely blunt and honest question, "no ninja-san ...I am Haku ...I was just collecting herbs for a sick friend."

"Haku," whispered Naruto with a dopey sort of grin, as he continued unashamedly staring at the slightly taller girl with very pretty dark brown hair, not knowing what to say, "d-do you ...need help?"