Strength From Within (A Naruto Neglect Book)

16

-Edited-
Naruto arrived at the training ground right at the time he had been supposed to. To his surprise, the copy ninja and ex anbu was there right on time, reading a blue scroll that Naruto was pretty sure was Anko's. He'd seen it in her pouch as he had been searching for the green one he had been supposed to obtain. It figured that Kakashi would want to know about him before training, but it was also a sort of compliment if he had been expecting him to finish so early. Unless he'd happened to go past Anko, who was probably eating dango, when he was walking around. She had said she was planning what to train him next week, and it was plausible that she could have made a list of his abilities on one scroll so that she could make a roster on another scroll.

He wouldn't put it past Kakashi, who he'd heard was laid back, borderline lazy, to take someone else's list of his skills instead of taking time to learn skills himself. Especially Anko, who he had likely worked with during his time in the anbu, making her more trustworthy than other ninja. At least Kakashi seemed somewhat impressed with what he was reading about, and sent a fully sharpened kunai at him to try and catch him off guard. Naruto simply substituted himself for a log, having activated his weight seals once more after resting up. If he had them off he probably could have dodged. He could have shunshined, too, but hadn't felt like it, or knocked the kunai off course with one of his own, or used a wind jutsu to send it flying back at Kakashi. But substitution was the most practical and least flashy.

"Ichigo Daidai. My first impression of you, you're average chūnin level at best. My students could beat you easily working together, perhaps a tougher match one on one though. But something tells you you're more than what you appear to be," Kakashi mused, watching him carefully. He was pleasantly surprised to see there was no outburst or big reaction to being compared to his students, though he could see a mischievous glint in those crimson eyes that lead him to believe he was better than he let on.

"Your students, Namikaze-Uzumaki Katsuko, Namikaze-Uzumaki Motoshi, and Hyuuga Neji. Quite the team right there, I'll admit that a three on one would be quite difficult to win. But that's because there are things that I cannot show many without being questioned as to how I obtained those abilities. But the simple answer is, I do not know what my heritage is, and if I have awakened any traits of this village it was not through any harmful means." Kakashi stiffened having heard this, it did cause him to become slightly suspicious. He did have to admit that he would have been more suspicious if he hadn't been warned and the boy had simply used the abilities. He would ne on the look out as to any doujutsu that the village possessed, since that would be something more likely stolen. He paid attention as the boy continued to talk.

"Having said this, I will show you some of these things for the sake of what I need to be trained in. An anbu specialist such as yourself will have greater insight as to where certain skills will be useful, as opposed to my trainers who have not been a part of such areas in the village. There was a considerable amount I didn't show Anko-san, Hatake Kakashi." Naruto gave him a closed eye smile, that seemed just a tiny bit fake to the copy ninja, but perhaps that was just him being paranoid.

Kakashi coughed and kept his indifferent act on, only a few subtle signs showing how he really felt. "Anyway, lets start with your chakra control and nature affinity. Gai, who you'll meet tomorrow, will work with you on more physical things such as taijutsu and fitness. I will work with you on advanced use of kunai, shuriken, and jutsu. Anko will be working on a range of things, such as using senbon, learning to use poisons more effectively, creating and both dismantling and noticing traps more efficiently, among other things that she will explain to you in person."

Naruto nodded and did as Kakashi said, explaining his chakra affinities (which to the older male seemed odd as fire overpowered wind and so it was unnatural for one person to have the two affinities). He then went through what he usually did for chakra control, and Kakashi soon found out that it was pretty much as good as he would be able to take it due to his chakra reserves. He just had to continue his control as his chakra reserves grew bigger, because they were massive already and Kakashi had no doubt that they would continue to do so.

After going through that Naruto demonstrated the wind jutsu and application s of wind chakra that he knew. Applications were things such as using them to increase sharpness of weapons etc. Following that came the fire jutsu, and then the combination of wind and fire jutsu. All of them he did either one handed or without hand seals, so as not to give away the jutsu to his copycat of a sensei. Then came his supposed 'bloodline abilities' that he'd mentioned earlier, which were the chakra chains and sensor abilities.

Kakashi was rather shocked about those, especially since the chains were a black colour instead of the usual gold that Katsuko and Kushina had. Along with questioning of fūninjitsu capabilities, Kakashi soon came to the conclusion that one or both of Ichigo's parents had been of the Uzumaki bloodline. He even had a theory as to why he might have been given a different last name, and why it was Ichigo.

When it came to his Katongan and other related abilities gifted by Kurama, Naruto kept that a secret. He didn't want to give away all his tricks, there were some things best left hidden for now, when he was mostly keeping his true identity a secret. They continued on in their training without talking about it, following closely on schedule, and before long it seemed to be that night time was arriving. Kakashi had decided that he was not just average chūnin and was probably low jounin at best, which was better than Kurama ranked him. Though, the nine tails had mainly seen the level of the previous generation's ninja such and if he were being compared to that sort of skill he was high chūnin. Needless to say, there was obviously a discrepancy in strength between Senju Hashirama's time and Naruto's.

Kakashi finally decided to confront him about his theories just as the sun was starting to set. "Daidai, I would like to have a little talk to you now that your training is finished for the day, how about we go on a little walk to somewhere special," Kakashi said, offering a hand to the boy who was sitting beneath a tree drinking water from his canteen. Naruto was a bit taken aback and was immediately more on guard, but he took his sensei's hand anyway, agreeing to it. "So, you said you didn't know your heritage? I think I might have an idea of what clan you come from but I need to ask a few questions first. Did you know your parents at all?"

Naruto sighed and ran a hand through his hair, seeming hesitant to answer but slowly deciding to play along with Kakashi and see what his theory was. "Hai, I knew my parents. My mother was a woman who looked similar to me in terms of hair, skin and eye colour. Though my face looks more like my father, a man with red hair, pale skin and eyes that seemed sometimes green and sometimes blue. It was almost three years ago that they smuggled me into the village saying that it would be safer for me to be here. I never knew my real last name, we often used Ichigo when we went out."

"I think your father was an Uzumaki, Daidai. The Uzumaki was one of the greatest clans to have existed, strong in kenjutsu, sensory and fūninjitsu, having large chakra capacities, and longevity. They were one of Konoha's greatest allies, but they were all but wiped out years ago. It's no wonder that your parents tried to hide you here, with we who cherish those of your clan. And your name makes sense as well. Daidai for the hair, and Ichigo for you and your mother's eyes, and your father's hair. I'll ask Tsunade-sama to have a look into it for you if you would like, but I'm certain that you're an Uzumaki," Kakashi told him with a gentle look in his eyes. He knew many Uzumaki went into hiding because their DNA would be useful to some of the more disgusting people that wanted to use their bloodline qualities and things like that.

Naruto stayed blank for a moment, which was understandable since it would only be natural that he would be thinking something like this through. He was deciding whether or not to go along with it, before nodding and giving Kakashi a small smile. "I already know Tsunade-baa, but I will ask her. She wasn't able to find any clear bloodlines but maybe if she's looking specifically for Uzumaki blood it'll be more obvious. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," he said. It was a logical conclusion, and it would make sense. Tsunade could easily cover for him as well, and it meant he would be able to use his Uzumaki traits more freely. The thing about 'Ichigo', his last name, being chosen for a reason was interesting. He'd merely been inspired by the fruit in the markets at the time, because he had been in quite a rush to choose a name.

"Anytime, Daidai," Kakashi said with an eye smile. "Now, go home for dinner and rest up, I'll see you at the same time tomorrow. Once the week is over though and you've completed your test, there are some people I'd like you to meet. I've heard you don't have many friends your own age, so it might be nice for you to meet some of your relatives. I'm sure Motoshi and Katsuko would love to meet you, and Katsuko might be able to help with your chakra chains. What do you say?"