Strength From Within (A Naruto Neglect Book)

10

After a few hours spent at Tsunade's house, the older woman had to return to her work, and so that left Naruto to go out with Shizune. During their time spent together, while it was mostly relaxing, they had gotten down to business and talked about schedules.

Currently they were sitting down together at some place that sold curry, discussing their plan of action. Now that he was further along with his training, both with his chakra levels and control, Naruto was going to start learning more skills. While he wouldn't learn more than simple healing spells (the complex ones required more control than he could ever hope to have, with his ever expanding reserves), he could learn about poisons, botany and types of medical things that weren't chakra based. For example, what leaves and berries could be used to make different medicines or could be eaten if he was out on a mission, how to treat different types of wounds without healing jutsu, and plenty of other things.

Anyway, this would require time to learn. Even if he could now make twenty copies of himself using shadow clones and maintain them for a day, there was only one Shizune. He was planning to use five of his clones for learning this field, two could be reading books and making notes (studying), and the other three could be for more practical based things or doing whatever they were told to do, which could also include studying.

That meant that his other ten clones could do what he usually did, and he could continue to work. As much as he and Kurama hated to admit it, Naruto's younger siblings were actually extremely skilled and composed, as to be expected if they were trained by two of the strongest ninja in the village. This meant that it was a must for Naruto to train, so that he would be able to keep up with his younger siblings.

Speaking of which, Naruto's siblings just happened to be nearby where he and Shizune were sitting and eating their curry. Minato and Kushina accompanied them, and they entered the restaurant as they had heard of the good reviews it got from people. That also meant that the room was pretty packed and one of the only spots left was the booth table that Naruto and Shizune were sitting. They quickly ordered before moving over to where they were, sitting down without even asking.

"Good afternoon, Shizune. I hope you don't mind, but we must sit here or else we'd have to leave without trying the curry. It was supposed to be exceptional here," Minato said, almost completely ignoring Daidai. Kushina was almost exactly the same in her treatment, and she hadn't even met Daidai before. Usually Kushina was open and friendly towards people, especially children, with Naruto being the one exception.

"That's awfully suspicious, kit," Kurama said, slight confusion lacing his words. Naruto had to agree, quickly sharing his observations with Kurama while Shizune made conversation with the two other adults. "I'll think about what it could be, but I can't promise I'll come up with something anytime soon. It's definitely odd, though."

Naruto sighed a bit, silently continuing to eat his curry, ignoring the stares from the two children near him. There was something about Daidai that seemed familiar, but they couldn't quite place it. It was almost like they had met him before, but with the red eyes and dusty orange hair, they definitely would have recognised someone like that.

Katsuko gently tugged her mother's sleeve, glancing at Naruto as it was rude to point. Kushina looked at him, frowning and pointing him out to Minato, who apologised profusely for not noticing him. "How have you been, Daidai? I trust Shizune has been looking after you well?" he asked politely, giving him a smile that looked genuine enough but Daidai knew was anything but that,

"Hai, Shizune-nee has been looking after me. She's wonderful!" Daidai exclaimed, beaming up at Minato before smiling happily at Shizune.

"That's good," replied the hokage, who thought before questioning the boy while using words he believed Daidai would understand. "So, how do you feel about becoming a ninja and joining our academy early? We have a new school program this year and we believe you to be a person good enough to get through to become a tokubetsu chūnin. You could be in a class with my two children, Motoshi and Katsuko, they're clan heirs and I'm certain you'll be good friends with them."

Shizune was about to speak up when Naruto decided to take matters into his own hands. "No thank you, Hokage-sama, I am happy to wait until I am ten as is still the recommended age for joining the academy. I feel like I will be better prepared for the real world if I do not start when I am extremely young. Personal achievements such as 'the youngest ninja' do not matter to me."

All of the Namikaze-Uzumaki family were taken aback by this statement, but nobody said anything as it was not the right time. Minato and Kushina knew this boy was smart by choosing not to become a child prodigy, and that intimidated them slightly as their own children could not be persuaded to wait a few more years to join the academy. Even so, Daidai would make a fine ninja, and Minato wanted him on his team as soon as he could get him, even if he hated the boy. The longer Naruto resisted the academy, the less he could be influenced by the good teachings of the leaf village and the more likely he was to become a Rouge ninja. A ninja who had no will for protecting the village was not a trustworthy ninja, after all.

Kushina spoke up next, trying to at least keep this boy on their side even if there was something about him that she hated, since he was obviously quite powerful with those massive chakra reserves for someone his age. "It's okay if you don't want to join, sweetie, just take your time. We're always here if you change your mind, it is an honourable and just path to become a ninja and protect your village after all."

'Heh, honourable and just? This village just loves sprouting propaganda doesn't it. The life of a ninja is anything but honourable and just." Kurama growled, sighing a bit. "I got nothing, kit, I can't focus when they're around. There's something about them that disturbs my thought ever so slightly, like I'm being touched by something ever so slightly. It's weird, but I'm willing to bet it's something to do with Kushina and Minato."