Roller Coaster

Crap, crap, crap! You're doing a fantastic job of making good impressions. Naruto thought contemptuously as he leapt from roof to roof. He had woken eighteen hours after falling into fitful sleep, making it six in the evening already, which was a considerably late and rude time to request any meeting with any authority – not that he had cared before. He cursed. This Sandaime hadn't developed the affectionate leniency towards him that his Old Man had. And probably never will, his mind despaired.

Waking up to the approaching sunset, the blond had eyed his disgusting Hunter-nin uniform before throwing it aside for thorough scrubbing and slipped into an extra set stored in one of his scrolls. Now heading to the Hokage Tower, he could finally appreciate the beauty of the village bathed in orange light.

Peace.

Everything felt so peaceful. There was no evidence of strife or disrepair like the Konoha in his time. None of them knew of the Third Shinobi World War already building in the shadows. Civilians lived without fear, and shinobi joked about missions. He watched children playing in the Academy playground, so similar to the scenes from his own childhood before shit hit the fan. A tiny smile formed behind his mask.

I have to protect this.

"I hope you enjoyed a good night's rest, Naruto." Sarutobi chuckled at the rude apology tumbling out of the boy's mouth.

"Actually yeah, I feel refreshed, but I'm having major problems with chakra control. I might have dislodged a bunch of roof tiles on my way here." Naruto confessed sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck with a nervous arm.

Sarutobi nodded in amusement. "Yes, a side-effect of chakra overload. I will place you on post-mission recess for one week. Spend that time settling down and training. I expect a detailed report on your progress at the conclusion of the week. Then, you will be assigned duties depending upon how far you have recovered with your control." The Hokage formed a suspiciously innocent smile. "There is always need for mission filing and catching wayward cats."

Naruto's expression turned to one of horror. "Please, not mission filing or the cat! I'll work hard so we won't ever need to consider that."

He shuddered mentally. 'Kyuu, I bet ten bowls of ramen that it's Tora's great-grandfather.'

'Pity there is no way to prove it,' the sleepy fox replied with a rumbling chuckle.

"I will also need to assess your skills. We will schedule theory and combat exams once you recover. You will also need to be evaluated mentally and physically."

Naruto felt like whimpering. "Exams! Have mercy…" He hated those exams! He hated exams in general. They didn't sit right with him, and he didn't want to sit for them either. It was a long-standing hate-hate relationship in which he always lost, no matter how many times he tried to sneak his way out.

Sarutobi couldn't stifle his laughter at the poor boy's desperately begging eyes. He had suffered through the same pain and dread when he was part of the ANBU many years before, which was why he was sympathetic to their suffering, but felt next to no remorse at assigning those exams. All effective leaders needed a sadistic streak in them to succeed, after all. On the other hand, this boy looked like he needed a little break from life's own sadistic streak. "Very well, I will be lenient this once. This impromptu assessment in June will replace the coming semiannual fall evaluations, meaning your next full evaluation will be in the spring, eight months from now. Is that satisfactory?"

"Yeah, you're the best! Thank you, old man!" The blond grinned ear to ear, bouncing out of his misery as quickly as he had fallen in. Sarutobi noted with a frown, he would need to ask Yamanaka-kun to perform a more thorough mental examination for this one.

"Let us continue on to more serious matters." Sarutobi's countenance shifted into one of powerful authority. "I met with a frantic Uzumaki Kushina-san earlier today; she confirmed Kyuubi is missing. She reported feeling him being 'warped' out at around the time you arrived in this timeline. I assured her that everything is fine, but she may still be sensitive to its demonic chakra and therefore it will be best for you to stay away from her for now. We must label Kyuubi's condition, as well as your background, an SS-class secret, only known between the Hokage and yourself, and if we wish for another to learn of this information it will only be through both our approvals."

Naruto donned his Hunter mask, suddenly becoming Akashiori, the professional operative. He'd learned his lesson on idiocy just two days ago, and it was a lesson he wasn't going to ignore for a long while.

"Furthermore, we must decide how to proceed with your knowledge of our future. While it will be of great assistance in political affairs, I am aware of the dangerous consequences of meddling with time. To maintain our advantage, we must not be hasty." He paused. "How much and how well do you know of the shinobi history?"

"I was required to extensively study both history and politics in preparation for my possible future role in the village. While some details may have slipped my memory, I retain a clear timeline of events, catalysts, and outcomes."

"Future role? Elaborate."

"I was a candidate for the Rokudaime Hokage selected by the Godaime Hokage. However, I know that is no longer feasible. Instead, I could be of better use as personal advisor to the Hokage." Naruto hesitated before continuing carefully. "…I do not fully trust the Council."

Sarutobi immediately understood; Naruto was giving his first hint, warning him of internal conflict or possible treason within his ranks. He nodded gravely. "Your proposition has merit and your counsel will be a valuable asset to the village, but first I must ask you: how can I trust your word and intentions?"

Naruto tensed before squaring his shoulders and walking purposefully to stand in front of the Sandaime Hokage, leader of his beloved home.

"Hokage-sama." The Hunter-nin held his mask over his heart. He kneeled on one knee at the Sandaime's feet and bowed his head. "I swear in the name of Oinari-sama that I will not intentionally misguide Konohagakure or abuse my knowledge of the future for personal or malicious gain. I will protect Konohagakure from long-lasting strife and destruction to the best of my abilities. I have in my possession a Divine Contract to hold me to my word. Through the contract, I tie my loyalties to Konohagakure's Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Only by order of the Hokage in office can my loyalties be reassigned to future Hokages of Konohagakure. I will never go back on my word – this is my nindo."

Sarutobi stared at the complex man in front of him with respect. This man was offering to bind himself to this village by the highest order of contracts, one which would have the Great Fox Deity curse him to hell if breached. His unwavering honor and integrity were astounding and Sarutobi could now clearly see why Uzumaki Naruto had been nominated for Hokage-ship. The Will of Fire burned strongly within him

To respect this extraordinary young man and the honor – yes, receiving his protection was a great honor – bestowed upon the Hokage and this village, Sarutobi gladly accepted the offered pledge. "Uzumaki Naruto, also known under Akashiori and Uzuhara Naruto: I receive your vow of loyalty and appoint you as my Personal Advisor. You will answer to Konohagakure's Hokage and only to the Hokage."

Naruto extracted the contract scroll and held it out for Sarutobi to finalize. When both had signed in blood, a small seal in the form of a flame resembling a fox marked his left arm to match the Hunter-nin tattoo on his right as evidence of his dual pledge and bond. From the shadows, Naruto would guide the Will of Fire and eliminate enemies of Konoha.

The blond raised intense, blue eyes to meet the Sandaime's wise ones and held the gaze steadily, wordlessly communicating his determination.

Then Naruto grinned widely, abruptly shattering the mood. "Sandaime-Jijii, I'm hungry! Wanna treat me to Ichiraku ramen?" His eyes transformed in to those of a puppy dog begging to be fed. "There is an Ichiraku here, right?" He looked mortified by the idea of Ramen Ichiraku not existing.

After a moment of awkward silence, Sarutobi tossed his head back and guffawed.

"I have not laughed this much in years, gaki. You will be a joy to have around. Let us head to dinner and yes, it will be my treat. Worry not, Ramen Ichiraku has a long history in Konoha."

"Great! You better get your wallet ready because I eat a lot."

Naruto was once again lying comfortably on his bed, deep in thought.

Tonight, Naruto examined the seals on his arms. The left held the flame of Konoha and the right held the swirl of an assassin. He had always been proud of his Hunter tattoo, distinguishable from the ANBU tattoo only by its placement on the opposite arm. Now he sported another tattoo to be proud of, although this seal would be the heaviest. The assassin marks, simple but elegant, held meanings only understood between those who wore them, but he alone carried the weight of the flame. He feared he was not ready to shoulder the responsibility, yet he knew he would be ready out of necessity.

He just needed to believe in the flame.

Throughout Naruto's short life, his loyalty to Konoha had never faltered because to him, Konoha was his precious people. His loyalty to the Sandaime had also never faltered because to him, the old man was the guardian of Konoha, of his precious people. Now he had knowledge and ability to express his gratitude to the grandfatherly figure and precious friends who had guided him through childhood.

This time he would be the guide. Whether it was for the people of his past or for the people of his present was irrelevant. There was so much to protect. The smiles on people's faces were like a balm for his abused soul, and he had been reminded of the happiness twice tonight.

He had felt contentment in sharing the joy of ramen with Sandaime-Jijii and exchanging stories, several of which he had already heard before but enjoyed hearing again regardless. And seeing Teuchi of Ichiraku had been an unexpected but pleasant surprise. He was so young – only in his twenties! The man was apprenticed to the current owner of Ichiraku, his father Teuji, a kind man who handed out generous smiles so similar to Teuchi's in the future.

Oh, what he wouldn't give to guzzle Teuchi's ramen next to Iruka-sensei or watch Sasuke attempt to eat elegantly.

'Ramen isn't made to be eaten strand by strand, Teme! Slurp it like you mean it!' He had shouted only two months ago.

The time traveler let out a chuckle before sinking into melancholy. Those desires would be forever beyond his grasp. Iruka-sensei would never again be his teacher, and Sasuke would never again be his rival. They would never again share the same relationships and connect in the same way.

He growled at himself. At this rate, he was going to fall into chronic depression. If he didn't snap himself out of it, he would hinder his own growth as a shinobi and integration into this world.

Jumping off the bed, he changed into comfortable sweatpants and t-shirt and headed to the laundry room with his blood-soaked uniform. This would give him something to do. Clothes this bloody had to first be scrubbed thoroughly by hand, and only then could they be dumped into the wash.

Naruto sat before a bucket of water scrubbing angrily. Anger is good. Better than nostalgia. Much better than grief. The water tinted dark brown as blood melted out of the stained fabric and a coppery stench filled room. His Hunter-nin uniform was the favorite set of clothing he owned. It was identical to the ANBU uniform except in color. Whereas the ANBU vest and arm guards were steel grey, Hunter garb was fully dark grey, allowing agents to meld with shadows at night and blend into shadows in daylight. To him, the dark grey represented protection and safety. It allowed him to hide, both physically and emotionally when he knew he wasn't welcome. It also allowed him acceptance among those who may not have accepted Uzumaki Naruto. It was the shield he carried when he was too tired to fight back.

"You!"

Naruto whipped around to face the shout, almost upending the bucket.

"So you're the one leaking chakra all over the place."

The Hunter-nin choked as a figure came into view. The man had blond hair and bright blue eyes.

Blue like his own.

This was no doubt Namikaze Minato, his father, Konoha's Yellow Flash, the future Yondaime Hokage, Savior of this World, the bastard who died sealing Kyuubi into him.

"Hello, is anyone in there?" The man peered intently at his face.

Naruto snapped out of his daze. "Sorry, what?"

"I said that you're leaking chakra. I haven't been able to sleep because of it!"

The jinchuuriki took in the image of the man, not sure how he should feel. Here was the man who had been his idol. But this was also the man who was responsible for much of his misery. Naruto may have resolved things with his father when they met in his mind, but he couldn't simply forget the deep scars even when offered sincere apologies and heartfelt tears. Naruto had rarely felt hate, but he often felt resentment whenever he recalled the beatings and hurtful words from sneering villagers. There had been times where he was consumed by resentment from which only his precious people could pull him out.

But this Minato was an innocent stranger. It was wrong to feel anger toward this man who had not yet done anything. Taking a deep breath, he decided to treat this Namikaze Minato as he would any stranger on the street.

But he wasn't ready to deal with this stranger yet!

"I was about to search for you and ask what's wrong, but your chakra faded out before I could. Lucky I bumped into you here. Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." Naruto stuttered and flushed at his own awkwardness.

"That's a blatant lie." Minato countered firmly. "Your chakra is crying. No, it's howling. Even shinobi who've lost their family have calmer chakra."

Naruto looked down and began scrubbing in earnest. "Well…"

"You…oh." Lost something precious.

"Yeah…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Minato asked softly.

"Uhh…" Naruto decided the uniform had been sufficiently scrubbed and hastily dumped it in an empty machine.

"It always helps to get it off your shoulders, and I'd be happy to lend an ear."

"I-it's alright. Sorry, I'vegottogonow!" After making sure his laundry was cycling, Naruto dashed from the room as if hounded by all seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He ran six flights at full speed to his room and slammed the door, panicking on the emotional roller coaster that never seemed to end. He slid slowly down to the floor and leaned his head back on the locked and bolted door, attempting the futile task of calming his breathing.

What a mess.

He had lost his entire world; he lived near his father; he couldn't control his chakra; and apparently his chakra was howling.

I'm messed up.

The walls felt like they were closing in and he had to get out of there! Hurriedly changing into his extra uniform and donning his mask, Naruto leapt out of his window. His dark form melted into the shadows as he headed to the Forest of Death where there would be trees and predators to blow up.

He needed make sure the stranger with blond hair and blue eyes would have nothing to complain about after tonight.

Minato swept through Headquarters in confusion. He couldn't find him anywhere. After the incident in the laundry room, he had sat frozen, thinking about the stranger for half an hour until the machines beeped. No one, aside from his enemies, had ever run so quickly to escape him. The kid hadn't returned to dry his clothes, and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be back any time soon.

Partly out of courtesy and a much, much larger part out of curiosity, Minato decided to dry the Hunter-nin's uniform for him and hold onto it for safekeeping. Or he just wanted an excuse to meet to the tortured young man again. He felt like a budding stalker when he checked the roster for the new guy's identity. Uzuhara Naruto. Interesting name. Why is he staying with ANBU?

By noon, his frustration was about to reach its boiling point. He couldn't feel Naruto's turbulent chakra anywhere in the building or anywhere in the village, in fact. He must have left the village…

That wasn't possible. Hokage-sama would never send anyone so unstable out on a mission. Obviously he was both mentally and physically traumatized. Furthermore, all shinobi required permission to leave the village. Minato doubted the Hokage would have approved that either. There was a third option which was just as impossible: Naruto could have gained control over his chakra. But no one could fix something so out of sync in mere hours.

After waiting three more hours with no sign of the smaller blonde, Minato gave in and made a visit to the Hokage Tower.

"Hokage-sama."

"Good afternoon, Minato-kun. What can I do for you today?"

"Sir, I would like to make an inquiry about a fellow ninja."

Sarutobi arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? And who might this ninja be?"

"Uzuhara Naruto."

His eyebrow rose another inch. "And for what reasons are you requesting his information?"

"He is staying in the room next to mine in ANBU Headquarters. Due to his current lack of chakra control, I felt Uzuhara-san's emotional agony leaking out. Coincidentally, I met him last night while doing laundry, but he all but ran from the room. I may be encroaching on his privacy, but I would like to help him. I cannot comprehend how he retains his sanity."

Sarutobi eyed the ANBU Captain thoughtfully and nodded. "Only because I know you will not abuse this knowledge, I will provide you with the bare minimum. Uzuhara Naruto is a Hunter-nin of one year. Eighteen years-old and very efficient. He returned two days ago from a long-term mission. As you can tell, he has indeed suffered emotional trauma and life-threatening distress to his chakra coils. I fully trust him with my life, as should you. You will have to discover anything more on your own. I strongly advise discretion while handling his case."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise at the Hokage's high praise of the elusive Hunter-nin. "Thank you, sir."

"Additionally, he will undergo a full shinobi assessment in a week or two…," Sarutobi hinted.

"Hokage-sama!" Minato bowed deeply. "Please allow me to face him for the combat evaluation."

Sarutobi smiled. "I was hoping you would say that. Permission granted. Do be careful with him. Uzuhara-kun is a fine young man, but even I do not know the full extent of damage he is suffering."

"Yes, sir. I will do my best to help."

"Is that all Minato-kun?"

"There is one more thing…" Minato shuffled in embarrassment. "I can't seem to locate Uzuhara-san. It seems as if he is no longer in the village."

"O-ho? He is able to elude even you?" Sarutobi chuckled. "He is most certainly still in the village. You will just need to put more effort into finding him."

Minato left the Hokage Tower reassured but also feeling like a full-fledged stalker. He only met Uzuhara less than a day ago and was already developing unhealthy obsessive tendencies…

A week later, Minato still hadn't seen hide nor hair of the younger blonde. He'd been on constant lookout between missions but found nothing. Nothing at all.

He fumed when Sandaime-sama insisted Naruto was in the village but wouldn't tell him where. He had looked everywhere. One thing was certain: the kid's chakra was perfectly under control now. For heaven's sake, if he, ANBU Captain of Konoha's fourth best ANBU unit, couldn't detect him, Naruto most definitely deserved his position on the Hunter-nin force which demanded, high prerequisites of control. Minato, a confident and talented shinobi elite, only barely admitted the blow to his pride.

Now he was again standing before Sandaime-sama's desk waiting patiently for a mystery guest who was already ten minutes late for the meeting.

"Hokage-sama, I am curious as to who…" Minato began, but was interrupted by a figure flying through the open window and somersaulting into a crouch.

"Hokage-Jijii, sorry I'm late!" Naruto gasped for air. "I got held up by a pack of giant hyenas!"

"Uzuhara-san!" Minato exclaimed, recognizing the blond hair and scarred cheeks.

Naruto froze. "Oh. Hello."

"Right, we haven't been introduced yet." The larger blonde turned to the amused Hokage sitting behind the desk. "Hokage-sama, if I may?"

"Go ahead, Minato-kun."

Minato turned to fully face the younger boy and nodded his head with a charming smile. "My name is Namikaze Minato, age 19, and part of the ANBU force. It's nice to finally meet you properly."

"Uzum…Uzuhara Naruto. 18."

"Hokage-sama told me you've been a Hunter-nin for a year now. That's impressive." Minato praised.

"Uhh…well, your uniform means you're an ANBU Captain, right? To rise through the ranks: that's even more impressive."

"Maybe, but you're good. Really good. I couldn't sense your chakra at all! Where were you all week?"

"I was around…" Naruto answered evasively.

Minato huffed. "Well, you certainly made yourself scarce."

Naruto replied with one word. "Apes."

"Apes…apes…you don't mean the Nin-Apes in the Forest of Death…do you?" Minato threw an incredulous look at Naruto's flat stare. "Then I was right to worry about you."

"Worry about me?" Naruto cocked his head in confusion.

"That's right, I was worried since you went missing for an entire week."

"But…we hardly know each other!"

"Which still means we know each other to some degree, so I'm allowed to worry." Minato stated resolutely.

The corners of Naruto's lips twitched upward. "You're weird, but I appreciate the sentiment."

Minato's eyes lit up as he grinned. "So what were you doing all week with those giant nin-apes in that mad jungle?"

With a deliberate cough, Sarutobi cut him off. "Minato-kun, you will have time to question Naruto later. Now that we have been properly introduced and brought up to date, we shall move on to the next order of business. Naruto, your assessment is coming up. What progress have you made in your recovery?"

"I'm fully recovered, old man." Naruto smirked.

'Old man'? Minato repeated in his head, directing another incredulous look at the ninja next to him.

Sarutobi, on the other hand, was obviously untroubled by the rude nickname and nodded with an approving smile. "Wonderful! Please submit a written report at a later time. Let us first schedule your assessment for two days from today. Minato-kun will be evaluating you in combat, which will take place at nine in the morning at ANBU Training Ground 4. The rest of your assessment will follow throughout the day." He examined the exposed faces of the two talented shinobi for signs of disagreement. Naruto's face had fallen into a frown, clearly unhappy about the prospect of facing off against Minato.

"I will treat the winner to five free meals." Sarutobi added slyly.

Naruto perked up. "Really? Five?"

"Yes. All-you-can-eat."

"All-you-can-eat…" Naruto whispered reverently.

The Hunter-nin grinned widely. "Alright then, anything for my ramen. See ya later, old man!" With a mock salute, he hopped out the window before anything else could be said.

Minato stared owlishly, stunned by the first happy expression he had seen on Naruto's face.

"Minato-kun?" Sarutobi inquired.

"Oh…I apologize." The blonde tore his gaze from the empty window and bowed. "Thank you for the opportunity, Hokage-sama. Enjoy the rest of your day." Pretending not to hear the Sandaime's mumbled complaints about paperwork, he jumped through the window and swept keen eyes across rooftops for any sign of Naruto. The image of the grin warmed his heart, leaving him relieved that the younger man was still able to smile.

Over there! He increased his pace.

"Uzuhara-san! Wait up." Minato called out.

The figure in dark grey Hunter-nin garb slowed to a halt. "Namikaze-san." Naruto greeted politely. "Hello again."

Minato landed soundlessly in front of him. "Call me Minato. I wanted to ask if you'd like to have lunch with me. I'll let you choose the place."

Wary eyes flitted side to side as if searching for an escape. "I don't know…I really have to train."

"It's just lunch.," Minato pressed. "You have to eat at some point right? So why not with me?"

"…Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you keep following me?"

Minato looked put out by the question. "That's obvious. I want to get to know you better, of course. And I want to be friends with you. You seem like a great guy."

Naruto studied the other's face through narrowed eyes. He couldn't understand why his father was focusing his attention on him. Had he given any reason to be singled out? They only had minutes of contact – fifteen at most! He wondered if Minato was just stringing him along or if he genuinely wanted to be friends. Here was a person who could make friends with anyone he wanted, a person who everyone would love to be friends with, but here he was, attempting the task with the one person who didn't want his friendship.

When reading only sincerity, Naruto's eyes softened. "Alright. What do you think of ramen at Ichiraku?"

Minato happily nodded his agreement and they were off, running over the buildings silently as one blur in the sky.

Before arriving at the ramen stand, Naruto paused to cast an expert henge on himself, changing his appearance to a nondescript jounin in his 40's. Minato looked at Naruto curiously, asking for an explanation with an arched eyebrow and slight tilt of his head.

"I'm keeping my return hidden for now." Naruto explained. "No one aside from you, the old man, and the director of ANBU Headquarters knows who I am and that I'm back. I haven't even reported to the Commander of Hunter forces yet."

As they claimed corner seats, Minato wondered aloud, "Why do you call Sandaime-sama 'old man'? I'm surprised you can get away with it. He usually looks down on disrespect."

Naruto shrugged. "I've always called him that." Then he snickered. "I was pretty rude when I was a kid – had no sense of respect at all – and after a few months, the name just stuck."

Minato was ecstatic. The tight-lipped Hunter-nin was finally opening up to him and the concept of friendship didn't seem so impossible anymore.

As they waited for their orders, Minato asked casually, "I'm curious. What were you doing for one week in the Forest of Death?"

"Training."

Minato huffed at the one-word answers that Naruto seemed to be fond of. "Would you mind telling me more?"

Naruto chuckled at the ANBU Captain's frustration. "I was in Training Ground Forty-four doing basic chakra exercises for the first two days. My coils were shot, so I had to start from scratch." Naruto grimaced. "Like tree walking, water walking, containing chakra to specific body parts while doing physical training… On the third and fourth days I worked on ninjutsu. It took me a while to stop accidentally obliterating the trees. The next two days were spent playing with tenketsu points of attacking animals, and the last day was spent channeling chakra into physical forms."

"Wow, quite intense. All that in one week?"

Naruto shrugged again, digging enthusiastically into his miso ramen. Pausing between bites, he stated firmly, "I believe hard work trumps innate genius."

Minato nodded in agreement, chewing thoughtfully on his own noodles. He himself had been labeled a genius, but what good would a quick mind have done for him if he merely sat on his ass and twiddled his thumbs at scrolls? "Wait, if you were working on basic chakra control for the first two days, why couldn't I sense you?"

Naruto grinned in triumph and ordered another bowl. "What did I say back at the office?"

"Apes. Nin-apes. Chakra."

"Correct, young grasshopper." Naruto answered cheekily. "I stayed all week with nin-apes so their naturally thick chakra covered my own. Nin-apes have chakra coils like humans do but can't control them at all. They gave me protection as long as I proved I was friendly." Over more ramen, they shared their many trials in the Forest of Death. What was supposed to be an awkward thirty-minute lunch extended two more hours, four more bowls, and two orders of the newly imported sponge cake called Kasutera from the far land of Japan Country.

As they exited the ramen stand, the ANBU Captain posed a question about Naruto's fighting style.

"That…is a secret." Naruto answered mysteriously with a mischievous smirk. "You'll find out during our fight, but you better be prepared. I'm going to sweep your feet from under you. Like I told Sandaime-Jijii, I'll do anything for my ramen, especially free ramen."

Minato acquiesced with a laugh, happy that Naruto was comfortable enough to joke around. "Alright, fine. I won't ask."

Naruto frowned as his dratted conscience kicked in. He recalled that he already knew several of Minato's moves and felt uncomfortable with the unfair advantage. "Actually, I'll tell you one thing. I'm a master of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"Solid clones?" Minato's eyebrows rose in surprise at the seemingly straightforward technique. "Well, I can't wait to see what you can do with them. I'll tell you something of myself. I–"

Naruto waved his hand to cut him off. "Don't. I've heard the impressive rumors about ANBU Captain Namikaze Minato. I just want to make it a fair fight." Minato smiled, impressed by Naruto's sportsmanship.

They strolled around a corner, walking aimlessly, when Naruto saw a child – a child who could only be identified as Umino Iruka. The child no older than six or seven years was walking towards them, holding hands with both his mother and father, chatting happily about nothing and everything. The proud father suddenly swept the boy up into his arms, and the laughing mother handed the giggling boy a new set of child-safe kunai.

Naruto couldn't stop himself from faltering. He made a barely noticeable misstep before steeling his mind to regain control over his body and continue walking nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. But Minato had noticed. He noticed the slight tensing of Naruto's shoulders, how his breath had hitched, and how the henge had rippled for a moment. There was no denying that something was wrong, and it happened when Naruto saw the happy family of three. Minato was sure this was directly related to the loss Naruto had unintentionally let slip in the laundry room.

Abruptly, Naruto's skittish awkwardness returned but this time it was accompanied by thick tension in the air. To anyone else, he looked like any laidback, between-missions shinobi strolling down the street with their habitual alertness, but Minato could feel the subtle turmoil escaping Naruto's chakra control and the clench of his jaw.

"Namikaze-san…there are two days left to the assessment. I should…get back to training to make sure our fight is worth your while."

Naruto shunshin-ed to the Forest of Death to scream his heart out for the loss of his own family.

Two days crawled by for Minato but passed too quickly in Naruto's opinion.

Following the incident with the child-Iruka, Naruto's chakra control had slipped for hours. He could physically feel his own chakra 'howling', and this time, even the generally lenient nin-apes refused him entrance to their territory. He supposed it didn't matter anymore since Minato already knew where he was, so instead he shredded trees and giant, human-eating spiders with angry chakra whips and cried silently in a tight huddle at night.

When the two blondes met up at ANBU Training Ground 4 two days later, Minato mentioned nothing about the volatile chakra he sensed faintly throughout the past two days. He merely greeted Naruto warmly and received a tiny smile in return.

Naruto examined the terrain around him as he tactfully replaced his Hunter-nin vest and arm guards with ANBU issue. There were boulders to one side, a small pond lay on the other, and the rough ground was hard and uneven. He could work with this, Naruto thought as excitement of battling his someday-legendary father grew.

The Sandaime arrived at the clearing followed by two men and a woman. Naruto recognized the features of one man to be a Yamanaka and guessed he would be evaluating the condition of his tattered heart and fractured mind which had been carefully glued back together by the strongest of his and Kurama's will. The others were introduced as examiners for the physical, medical, and written tests and all examiners would act as witnesses throughout the entire assessment.

'Kyuu, what do you think?'

'As long as nothing triggers memories of the past, you will be fine.'

Naruto began warm-up stretches. 'How do you think I'll fare against my father?'

'I only know your father as he was at age twenty-five. If you fought the older Namikaze Minato, you would last perhaps fifteen minutes. However, I sense that you can evenly match the current version. Use your insane luck, creativity, and stamina to your advantage. Unpredictability is most effective against one as disciplined as he.'

'What if something flips a trigger and I lose control? Should I pull out or endure?'

'If it is a minor loss of control, I will help you reground yourself. If it is something more, I will warn you to pull out. If it is extreme, I will pull you out myself. In your case, loss of mental and emotional control is a danger to you and everyone in the vicinity.'

Naruto sent the fox a mental nod of gratitude.

"Shall we get started?" Sarutobi laid out the rules. "You have a time limit of two hours. The fight, limited to this training ground, will end once either is unable to fight or unconscious. As this is an evaluation of skill and reasoning during combat, do not aim to kill."

"And the winner is rewarded five free meals," the Hokage added as an afterthought.

"Combat Assessment, Uzuhara Naruto vs. Namikaze Minato. Begin!"

Neither fighter moved. They stood silently, sizing each other with intense, critical eyes. Uncharacteristically, the typically patient Minato was the first to burst into action.

He threw a punch, which Naruto fluidly brushed aside and returned with a jab. Minato twisted sideways to shift around the attack but felt something tug at his feet.

A moment later, he was airborne.

Minato yelped in surprise before flipping over and catching himself.

"Hah! I told you I'd sweep your feet from under you!" Naruto was bent over laughing from where he leaned against a boulder.

"How…?" Minato stared, flabbergasted.

"At the very beginning, you didn't think I was just standing there enjoying the view, did you?" Naruto teased, wagging his eyebrows.

A light shade of pink dusted Minato's cheeks as he registered the insinuation.

"What's that important ninja rule? 'Look underneath the underneath'," the Hunter-nin explained mirthfully. "I just took it a bit more literally than most."

"I don't understand." Minato frowned and looked to the four audience members. They didn't seem to have any clue as to what happened either. It had looked like Minato suddenly slipped as one does on ice. "You didn't pass through my guard."

"Fighters are often most off guard at the very beginning since they're so focused on their opponent." Naruto explained lazily. "I was lucky that you made it even easier for me. Think about what you know of me and my training."

"You have large chakra stores and incredible chakra control."

"That's right. And I told you I spent an entire day channeling chakra into physical forms…"

Minato gaped. "You sent chakra underground! But I've never heard of anyone pulling off something so precise. Maybe Iwa-nin but…"

"I can only do it standing still. The hardest part is finding you with chakra so I can connect with you. I was extending chakra feelers underground, waiting for you to step on one of them. Then I just wrapped it around your feet and yanked. Hard!" Naruto made an exaggerated jerking motion with his arm.

"Ingenious!" Sarutobi murmured under his breath.

"Ok, enough wasting time. There's ramen on the line here." This time, Naruto charged and engaged Minato in a full-on taijutsu spar. While Minato utilized the most flawless display of the Flowing Fist style he had ever seen, Naruto's taijutsu looked like a strange mix of Long Fist and an unknown style which left viewers wanting for more. The fluid strikes were so aggressive that they kept Minato on the defensive. But every now and then Naruto would make a slicing motion that seemed to sweep almost unnoticeably longer than necessary. After watching it happen several more times, Minato reevaluated. It wasn't a mistake, and it certainly didn't make the impact any less deadly. There just seemed to be more to them. The hit intentionally extended past the target point, but he couldn't see why Naruto would incorporate unnecessary movement into his form.

He leapt away from his opponent and raised a hand to signal a pause. "Uzuhara-san, I have a question for you." Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Do you use a short-range weapon?"

The Hunter-nin looked at him in surprise. "I use a wakizashi which is part of my daishou, but I lost it in the last mission."

Minato nodded. "You sometimes use sweeping motions which fit into your form but extend a little farther than optimal. I'm guessing you often incorporate short-sword kenjutsu into your fights. Those motions would be even more deadly if you held a weapon."

"Yeah, I haven't had time to replace it. You're right, I do feel dissatisfied with my attacks. I guess my body and mind are still a bit jumbled if I'm affected by muscle memory."

"Wait a moment." Minato dug into the pack to pull out a containment scroll from which he unsealed a short sword. "Here, use this. Since this is an evaluation, we want to see your best form."

Naruto studied the beautifully forged sword in his hands and smiled softly. "Thanks."

They started again, blurring in and out so quickly that the bystanders, who were elite shinobi themselves, had difficulty discerning their positions. Naruto's taijutsu now felt complete and was certainly more deadly. With sword in hand, the form was seamless between its flow and unpredictability. He eliminated the wide transitions between a taijutsu attack and a swipe of the blade, often aiming for two hits in one attack.

Minato grimaced at his own performance; he hadn't been this pressed in a very long time, especially against a younger fighter. Most of his attacks were countered by Naruto's offensive moves. And that sword! Kami, he already hated that sword. It always appeared at the worst times in the worst places in the most unpredictable manner. Minato may be more skilled, but Naruto was aggressive and wild, sometimes throwing the ANBU Captain off balance and forcing an opening.

It was time to up his game.

Kawarimi, Katon: Endan (Flame Bullet)!

Minato performed two jutsu in quick succession, first switching with a rock at the other end of the clearing, then shooting compressed blasts of fire.

Naruto dodged and bared his canines in an eager, feral grin. "So we're finally adding ninjutsu."

Fuuton: Shinkougyoku (Vacuum Sphere)!

Forming one-handed seals, the Hunter-nin blew out wind chakra at and around Minato, trapping him with a barrage of bullet-like wind. By instinct, Minato was able to twist around almost all, but one bullet pierced his shoulder and another scratched the fabric over his thigh.

Kanashibari no Jutsu (Temporary Paralysis Technique)!

Unable to dodge in time, Naruto's body suddenly froze as if restrained by taut ropes, arms glued to his sides and legs refusing to move no matter how hard he struggled. He cursed loudly as Minato charged at him with a chakra-reinforced kunai. Naruto flicked his fingers, the only appendages retaining mobility, in Minato's direction and materialized chakra whips perfected over the last week of training to trap the ANBU Captain in the same manner he himself was. Once the man was contained, he silently formed five shadow clones to surround both of them and discreetly switched places with one. Basic jutsu were the simplest but most versatile tools in battle. He and the four unrestrained clones leapt at Minato, ready to deal out a thorough beating.

Kaze no Yaiba (Blade of Wind)!

Minato snapped his wrist upward to slice at the space in front of him and expel a compressed gust of cutting wind. Immediately, the chakra whips dissipated and three clones dispelled. A fourth clone, instead of dispelling, grunted in pain as the wind sliced deeply into his stomach. The real Naruto!

In one smooth motion, Minato unsheathed his own katana from his back. The attacking sword was blocked by the fifth and final clone's kunai, while the real Naruto leapt back from Minato. As soon as the clone dispelled, Naruto called forth another wave of shadow clones.

"I'll show you what my bunshin can do!"

A mass of Naruto clones wearing identical grins covered the clearing. There must have been at least two hundred and they all burst into action. Minato observed the chaos around him. There was no way to use Hiraishin in this mess without smacking face first into one – or ten – clones. He needed to dispel them in masses, now, before they all jumped him with weapons and jutsu.

Fuuton: Shinkuu Renpa (Vacuum Serial Waves)!

Sweeping his head from left to right while exhaling thick, powerful blasts of wind, Minato demolished all clones in his way. Even as he took a bone-shattering elbow to his ribs, he continued the wind attack for another sweep. Satisfied that only a quarter of the clones remained, Minato shunshin-ed to the safety of a cleared area of the training ground to prepare his next move.

But as soon as he touched down, the ground under his feet exploded.