What it takes to be Hokage

Chapter 31

A fire far more agonising than anything Naruto had ever felt before began to consume him from within. A chakra he had once been born accustomed to was now too much to bear. Kurama's chakra was far more potent than it had ever been, full of all the vitality of a tailed beast who'd lived freely for the past 60 years or so, and man did it make a difference.

The poison's effects meant he endured this pain alone, and silently.

Perhaps it was in defence, perhaps it was due to the poison, Naruto wasn't sure, but his mind struggled to remain in the present. As his sensing faded away, and his world moved to the distant past, he could only hope that Madara would work things out.

"Hashirama!"

Naruto waved wildly at the approaching Senju, "You're just in time!" he grinned as Hashirama skidded to a stop in front of the waiting shinobi.

"Wait, give me a moment to catch my breath." Hashirama huffed, hands on his knees.

"Since when are you ever fair to us when it comes to cliff climbing?" Madara grinned, remembering the first time they planned to climb the cliff and subsequent times after that. Hashirama waved a hand, not in the mood to defend past actions as he focused on evening out his breathing.

"Oh come on brother, you can't be winded from that small run." Tobirama smirked. "I made it here before you and I'm fine."

"Oh yeah!? You had a closer mission," Hashirama whined.

Izuna didn't comment, but smiled at the antics.

"Ready?" Naruto asked, pulling out two kunai.

"I just got these kunai," Izuna whined, looking at his own pair. "This may be training but it's going to absolutely slaughter the blades."

"You can always sharpen them again?" Naruto offered, looking at his own blades. His were different, the last couple he had from his time in his past, and their future. Couldn't be helped, he'd just have to be careful with the ones he had.

"On your mark, set," Madara announced loudly when all five appeared ready, before in unison all five boys yelled "GO!"

The kunai were slammed into the wall, used to pull the boys up to the top of the cliff using nothing but the strength of their arms. All five started strong and fast, clawing and hacking at the rock face in their rush to reach the top first. None of the boys wanted to fall behind, as that would mean falling victim to all the flying pieces of rock face.

Madara took the lead only to be immediately over taken by Hashirama.

Naruto would have laughed if he had the breath to spare. As it was, he was neck and neck with Izuna and Tobirama. The boys were younger than him but he was sure he didn't hold a candle to their skill. No one in his year from the academy could say they could out right beat the boys currently climbing the cliff face with him.

He'd grown, he'd improved. If he were to go back to his present right now, his classmates and friends would not recognise him.

Yet, the four boys were miles above what he'd ever hoped to be at their age.

He forced his pace to increase, grinning madly as his arms ached.

"No way am I letting you beat me Naruto!" Madara screamed as he too picked up the pace.

Less than a minute later and they were all lying on the ground panting and laughing.

"Oh man, I wish we could stay like this forever." Naruto's grin was the widest he'd ever thought it could be.

.0.0.0.

Menma stared in mute shock as a malicious red chakra engulfed his brother's body. Whisker marks not unlike the ones the 'Shodai' had begun to etch into the skin on Naruto's cheeks, his clouded eyes sharpened as crimson bled into the bright blue irises, elongated canines protruded forward just barely visible, nails grew and sharped into vicious claws, and Naruto's hair stood on end making it appear wild and feral.