7 New Life - Chapter # 7

- Congratulations, - the young guy could not hide his sincere smile, looking into the cold eyes of his laconic interlocutor.

The man across from him closed his eyes wearily and exhaled, shifting on the warm ground. Solitude was a great outlet after the ordeal, but even this fate refused him, throwing gifts in the form of annoying acquaintances.

He could even call him a friend, but they were painfully different. Only a few ideas crossed paths between them, giving rise to rare meetings outside of prying eyes. Open communication was not forbidden, but still, unnecessary questions would burden both.

- Well, you don't have to thank me for that, - the brunet put his hands behind the collar of his green chuunin vest, which had many pockets. Probably, none of those who reached this title ever learned the whole mystery of their purpose from the designer of this element of shinobi clothing.

- I didn't do anything to make it look like a holiday, - the boy replied slowly, lowering his eyelids and taking a deep breath. Now the main thing was to relax and feel the energy flows around you, pull them together to enjoy the unity with nature and its gentle, almost healing touch to the tired mind. - Why did you come this time?

- Just to congratulate and talk, - the guy grunted, offended by the indifference of his friend, although he understood that it was all one-sided, - the blonde did not push away, but did not let him too much either. As if he did not trust, as if something in his life made him suspicious of all representatives of the Uchiha clan. Or as if everything around brought only problems that I didn't want to get into. - You won't refuse me, genin?

- Oh, you decided to play subordination, chunin? - Naruto grinned, blue eyes flashing caustically. - But I'm not obligated to obey outside of a military regime or mission, so there's no need to continue pushing me with rudeness any longer. I'll ask again and hopefully hear what I want to hear. What do you want?

- To Find a way to you - sighed Kishio, sitting down opposite. - You don't have any friends. You spend most of your free time in the forest of an abandoned training ground. One. Like some kind of hermit.

- And I feel great when no one bothers, - the Uzumaki smiled, looking into his burning red eyes without fear. He, even after so many years, still could not get used to the fact that the Sharingan can be found on any corner in Konoha. The Uchiha clan was numerous, because the wars ended long ago, and the younger generation managed to sprout green foliage on this age-old tree. But once, in a past life, meeting this dojutsu was akin to winning the free lottery. The main thing is not to end up in a coffin. - You don't look like the representatives of your clan.

Naruto knew that Kishio was Shisui's son and Kagami's grandson, and these guys were real white crows among the relatives, even though they respected their strength as shinobi. But the blond remained silent, having no plans to arouse suspicion and inappropriate questions about his knowledge of such personal matters.

- Why? - Chunin was sincerely surprised, studying the facial expressions of his interlocutor, but it was difficult to read even with the help of the Sharingan.

- Too annoying, - the Uzumaki said after a minute, squinting at the blinding sun that had already risen even higher above the horizon.

- Come on..., - Kishio burst out laughing, wiping his tears. - I haven't been this amused in a long time. How do you know what we are, Uchiha?

- It's enough to know a few to judge everyone as a whole, - Naruto replied gloomily, clearly making it clear that he did not intend to delve into this topic. This intrigued the brunette, but he did not impose the direction of the conversation. So what did you want to talk about?

- Why are you hiding your true self from everyone? - The chunin didn't play around.

- Haa, do you know that?

- No, but I can say with confidence that you, at least, do not show your true abilities to the public. You are not a fool, you are not lazy and you are not mediocre, but you want to seem like him so much.

- It's only my business, - the son of the Hokage grunted, shifting his gaze to the side, as if hoping to find an answer there that would satisfy the interest of the guy opposite. - Let people see me the way they want. There would be a desire to get answers, but there is always a way.

- After so much time, it didn't work out for me, - the Uchiha muttered, making an annoyed face. From his sharp gaze, it was not hidden how the corner of Naruto's lips twitched.

- Trying, falling, getting up and overcoming, - Uzumaki repeated the phrase he heard as a child many years ago when he traveled with Jiraiya. Yes, it was a great time filled with some of the most precious memories. He was not trained then in the art of shinobi, he was prepared for life outside the Leaf. Where there are no friends, where you are just a traveler, going in any direction, wanting to comprehend and see something new with your own eyes. Wonderful years, partially sunk into oblivion. - Perseverance always bears fruit, the main thing is not to despair. And then any blow of fate will be on your shoulder.

- Have you ever thought about writing memoirs?

- I thought.

- Kagami asked me not to speak, but she knows that I see you often. - She Asked to look after and help for you as far as possible, - Kishio suddenly changed the subject, causing Naruto to shudder. Talking about family was one of his least favorite things.

- And?, - he began cautiously, - why did you think I was interested?

- I don't want you to think badly of your sister. She is your relative, even if she behaves rather coldly, but she still worries.

- It's not for me to judge her decisions if that matters to you.

- Glad to hear it, Naruto. Thanks.

The Uchiha got up and dusted off his pants, then walked past the Uzumaki, leaving him behind. Even such a short conversation, from which Kishio fished out bits of information, brought him some strange and incomprehensible satisfaction. It was as if step by step he was getting closer to understanding who Naruto Namikaze really was.

- No, Uchiha, thank you for this truth.

The smiling brunette left the clearing.

Boringly. It's so boringly that you want to crawl into the deepest hole and whine there about the burden of being a genin.

Sasuke looked up and glared at Hinata, who was crouching before him. The short blue shorts were tight around the girl's thighs and other elastic part of the Huga's body, from which the guy blushed slightly and shook his head, driving away stupid thoughts. Their clans hypocritically greeted each other at a meeting, but pouring bile and insults behind their eyes. It didn't take a genius to notice the tension in Konoha's air. Two ancient clans, the main strength of the List and his support, for decades could not find a common language and, at any convenient opportunity, they never missed the opportunity to put spokes in the wheels.

Hinata, feeling someone's eyes on her, turned her head in surprise and stared at the Uchiha's blank face. There was thoughtfulness in his eyes, but still they were directed where they should not have been. The girl clenched her teeth, stepping on a lump of dry earth with her heel and crushing it, after which she tugged and threw it at Sasuke's face.

- Khe, - the guy spat out dirt and rubbed his eyelids with his knuckles, skipping this deliberate prank, - are you crazy, Huga ?!

- You will know, - the brunette hissed, turning with her whole body and crossing her arms under her breasts protruding through a white loose T-shirt, - where you should not stare.

- What? - the genin was taken aback by such impudence, even taking a step back, feeling Hinata's anger with his skin. - I don't know what you're thinking, crazy, but you're not even my type!

- What? Huga twitched, rolling her eyes. But just a second later, a shadow fell on her face and the following phrase sounded with distinct fury: "Well, repeat one more time, what did you call me?"

Sasuke swallowed and wanted to shrink into an inconspicuous lump, but in his mind, like a spring, the thought of pride in front of and for his clan reacted, which cannot be disgraced under any circumstances.

- Crazy! - puffing out his chest like a wheel and making a serious face, the Uchiha repeated.

He immediately had to duck sharply so as not to get a broken nose and a couple of knocked out teeth. The girl attacked sharply and clearly, with only one desire: To hurt the offender. The next knee strike choked in the block with the forearms, and dojutsu was already burning in the eyes of both. One saw and knew where to hit, the other read and knew what to defend. But the voice of the third member of their team did not allow them to continue this brawl: "Hey, guys, - mockingly threw Naruto, not straightening from his garden bed and not turning around. - It would be better to spend your fuse on training."

- Yeah, - Hinata replied angrily, - if they were.

- Exactly, exactly, - Sasuke supported her, still following the girl. - Is there anything she has on her mind?

- Oh, if you don't understand why we are doing this, then it's time to turn on that part of your body that you so mistakenly call brains, - the sneer was clearly heard from Uzumaki, but no one saw his impudent grin.

- Don't forget who you're talking to, you bastard! - Hinata stood up straight, completely forgetting about revenge on the brunette. - I won't see that you are the son of the Hokage and much weaker than me.

- Girls go ahead, - the Uchiha smiled, - but I will also be happy when she finishes you, Namikaze.

Naruto straightened and arched, straightening his shoulders and letting his back rest. There was a crunch of bones as he made several circular motions with his torso. The guy was in his pants, not embarrassed to expose his torso. Unlike the same Sasuke, who had pale skin and a thin physique, like most of his fellow tribesmen, the blond was swarthy and already ten kilograms heavier, turning all this mass into muscles. Even Naruto himself could not exactly answer why his body was in such good condition here, but assumed that this was due to the normal amount of proteins and carbohydrates in the daily diet, as well as the workout thought out to the smallest detail. He indifferently glanced at the two heirs of the great clans of Konoha, from which they faded away, feeling an invisible superiority in the aura of their partner. There was something about her that made people listen and listen, even if they didn't want to. Follow Naruto, follow his orders. Even die if need be.

Now Uzumaki saw in the eyes of his comrades what he himself experienced many years ago, when he met Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. Awe, bordering on admiration and fear, awakening the darkest sides of a person.

- Well, what are you waiting for, Hinata? - the smile that cut through the guy's face, for others, was more like a crack that appeared on the stone. - A special invitation?

- Me, - the girl stammered, looking down. Something changed in her voice, and everyone noticed it. - I…

- And you, Sasuke? - Blue eyes darted to the brunette. - I seems that you also had some claims?

- Naruto, we… - the Uchiha began, but he was cut off with a wave of his hand.

- Sorry, - suddenly the metal in the partner's speech disappeared, giving way to calmness, - I didn't mean to offend you. Indeed, what was I thinking about, rolling a barrel on such serious opponents as you?

He laughed uncertainly, scratching the back of his head with his fingers, and the wind carried this laughter throughout the field.

The crown of one of the trees on the left swayed, and next to the guys, as if out of nowhere, Kushina appeared. She examined each one carefully, feeling the dissonance that had arisen.

- Do you have fun while taking a break from work? she asked in a casual tone that did not bode well for those who were intimately familiar with Namikaze's explosive nature.

- No, - Naruto shook his head, drawing all the attention to himself, - we just decided to take a break and talk closer.

- Really? - the woman looked at her son with a squint, looking for a catch in his words. But I have a different opinion...

- it's all trivia, Kushina-taicho, - Uzumaki smiled guiltily, - we are one team.

- Hinata, Sasuke? - Kushina looked at the two teenagers. - Just tell me, if this lazy person gets you, I will ...

- It's okay, sensei, - Huga spoke confidently. - We really just wanted to stretch the stiff bones a little. Yes Sasuke?

- BUT? - The brunette chuckled, then nodded vigorously. - Yes Yes.

- Okay, then finish here and go to the shower. We were called to the Hokage, I'll be waiting for you there.

Minato leafed through folders with endless reports that came in tons to the residence every single day. If he had been a little more experienced and smarter many years ago, by hook or by crook he would have resigned from his position. It would have been better if he had not torn his veins to prove to everyone that he was better than any of the great trinity. He loved the village too much to allow it to be turned into a laboratory, a brothel or a gambling house. The Hokage chair opened up new possibilities, but as the years passed, Namikaze began to realize that none of them were worth the cons.

He was so bogged down in his thoughts that he did not even notice his wife who came in after knocking on the door. Kushina snapped her fingers a couple of times, then coughed into her fist, and when that didn't help, she simply slammed her palms on the tabletop, throwing mountains of papers into the air. Lightning movement of the hands returned everything to its place.

- I spent many hours sorting them, - Minato began dispassionately, looking up at Kushina, - and you still haven't learned to appreciate my work.

- I've already said a bunch of times that it's better to crawl on the enemy in the mud in pouring rain or snow than to sit here for days, - she grunted, turning gracefully and, playing with her hips, heading for the sofa. The red-haired woman slightly turned her head, noticing that the desired result had been achieved, after which she sighed languidly and ran her teeth along her lower lip. - Sometimes I get so lonely…

- Stop..., - Fourth breathed noisily, putting the waste paper aside, - stop teasing me.

- And what will the Great and Terrible Yellow Lightning of Konoha do to me? - She smiled cheekily.

- I do not even know.

A fraction of a second, which even shinobi, not to mention ordinary people, would not have been enough to perceive what had happened, and Minato loomed over his wife, practically touching her lips.

- Maybe this?

- I put my marks everywhere, - Kushina tried to look away, but her hand, which rested against the back of the sofa, did not allow her to do so.

- Who said you don't have them?

- I would have noticed!

- Sure?

- Absolutely!

The Hokage gnashed his teeth, and mischievous lights danced in his blue eyes.

- It's funny...

- What exactly?

- When a person tries to deceive, he himself is not completely sure of his words. I'm a sensor.

- I also!

- What is, - Minato's lips touched the hot skin on his wife's neck, giving her a few gentle kisses, - that is.

- Well, which one of us should stop? - Clutching the edge of his cloak, Kushina whispered, never taking her eyes off the bottomless ocean she could stare into forever.

- I didn't start it.

- But you continue successfully, - the woman pushed her husband in the chest, pushing him away from her. - Tonight you will spend the night at home, otherwise I will smash this building brick by brick.

- Well, well, - smiled Namikaze, returning to his chair. - Anyway, that's not what I called you and your team for. I will give you a mission outside of Konoha.

- They completed too few tasks inside her to throw them out of the gate so quickly, - Kushina changed sharply, regaining her seriousness. - The world may seem like a harmless thing, but in fact it is a meat grinder. Especially for kids like them. One is already an heiress, and the other is a potential contender, besides, both with the strongest dojutsu. I won't talk about Naruto.

- I've already informed Hiashi and Fugaku about this and they agree with me. - The guys need to gain experience, because they are the future not only of their families, but of Liszt as a whole.

- I categorically disagree with this decision, - the woman continued to stubbornly cross her arms over her chest.

- I'm sorry, but now you are not a mother and not a friend. You are a jonin Konohagakure no Sato, who obeys the orders of his leader, - placing his elbows on the table and interlocking his fingers, he severely cut off Minato, openly pointing his wife to her place. Even though he allowed himself liberties with her in his office, he still never forgot about that fine line where family and service balance. It was at home that Kushina could make scandals, but here she had to obey unquestioningly. - Am I being clear enough?

- More than, - the woman squeezed out through her teeth, - Hokage-sama!

- No need to be angry, Kushina, Minato continued affectionately to bring down the tension that had arisen, - you yourself will understand that this is necessary. - They must sniff the gunpowder if we want to get strong and reliable shinobi.

- And what kind of mission is this? - the redhead changed the subject.

- Delivery of the trade agreement to Suna, - Namikaze answered, taking out a folder from the table. - Classification of the task ... B-rank.

- This is not a war time when there were not enough ninjas to complete missions! - Kushina jumped up from her seat, as if shocked. She stared into her husband's eyes with ill-concealed anger. - They are kids who graduated from the Academy a couple of weeks ago! Genins without any experience!

- Each of them has a potential that needs to be revealed as soon as possible, - without reacting to his wife's violent expression, the Fourth said. - The Chunin Exam is coming soon, and we must show the other villages that we are rightfully called the strongest.

- Only because of some fears and ambitions, - bitterness was clearly heard in the woman's voice. - And how did I miss that you became so…

- What? - Minato cut her off sharply, hiding his face behind his intertwined fingers. - I am the leader of the military village. I am responsible for her safety, for every inhabitant and shinobi. And I must know that I will leave the legacy of our ancestors in the safe hands of people who will not look at the world through a pink prism that distorts reality. You may not want to understand it, but they are no longer children. They are, already now, the fighting power of Konoha.

- Is that all, Hokage-sama? - Kushina asked indifferently, looking behind Namikaze with empty eyes, where the said village was immersed in the sun. Reluctantly, she accepted the reality of her husband's words.

- Go, - breathed out the Fourth wearily, returning his attention to the papers. - And prepare your team well for the mission ahead. In three days you will have to move out.

The door closed with a loud bang, leaving Minato alone with his work. The man tossed aside another Suna spy report as he leaned back in his chair. Judging by the latest news, the most dangerous renegade in the history of the Sand was recently spotted within the confines of his native village.

If, - Namikaze said into the void, remembering the words and facial expressions of Hiashi Huga and Fugaku Uchiha, - if you can overcome this test, then you will return to the Leaf as completely different people. Earn your name by deeds, not by birthright, otherwise Die...

The leaders of the great clans and the Hokage himself had other children, just in case...