What Do You Say, Naruto? [Hiatus]

Chapter 7

Hey, I know I don't do many A/Ns(Author Notes), but I had wanted to let everyone know that this book will be updated once a month, but the actual date of the release will be at random and I apologize for that. Also, as a reminder, the person chosen to be with Naruto ended up being chosen as I had asked 17-20 friends of mine on a poll on Discord, with Shikamaru being 1st place, Kurama being 2nd, and Itachi/Sasuke tied for 3rd. Votes can still be entered until deemed void in the chapters where the relationship will be built upon in a serious form; i.e., official relationship/non-flirting and temporary feelings. I look forward to seeing if Shikamaru or someone else will end up being chosen! And some of my friends over on Discord still haven't voted and Shikamaru is only ahead of Kurama by a few, same goes for Itachi/Sasuke being a few points away from being 2nd or maybe 1st place; so I await their and your responses!
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(3rd Person P.O.V.)

     Hiruzen and Shiro stared at one another, not backing down from the other's intensive gaze of determination. It was only when a small blonde had called out to the pair in confusion did the tension snap.

     "What are you two doing?" Naruto questioned, hands on his hips with an eyebrow risen. He couldn't seem to figure out what the two were trying to accomplish and had decided against paying it anymore mind when Shiro began to speak,

"Nothing, now may I ask what you're doing here and not over at the training grounds? I thought I gave you a strict regimen to follow?" Shiro interrogated.

"May I ask what you're doing here and not over with me at the training grounds helping me train?" Naruto grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Shiro let out a sigh and a tired chuckle as he reached to ruffle Naruto's hair, a gesture that the two had grown fond of over the 10 months of training and the almost year of Naruto being Shiro's ward. Shiro had called out to the Hokage that they would be discussing the matters later, as the pair of Sensei and student exited the main office. Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively as he began on his paperwork not before complaining to himself.

"So squirt, what's got your briefs in a twist about the training that you had to come find me?" Naruto looked away absently. "Nothing, I just thought that we could spar since I finished the training for today."

Shiro looked at Naruto in fascination, "Really? How did you do that?" Naruto looked up at Shiro as they continued to make their way to the training grounds, "Remember how you told me I had to use shadow clones to fight instead of regular clones because of my large reserves?" Shiro hummed in confirmation, "Well I had decided to spar with a clone to get used to fighting someone while also having a clone be in existence and when I had dispelled it I was able to gain it's memories?" Shiro could tell Naruto didn't really get what had happened and that was fine, he personally used normal clones that weren't solid since his chakra was very limited, so he himself didn't have much experience with using them, besides knowing how to make them.

"And? How does this tie into you finishing your training regimen a few hours earlier?" Naruto whined, "Well if you didn't interrupt me I would have already told you!" Naruto snapped at Shiro playfully. 'Geez this kid.' Shiro thought to himself.

"When I figured out that I had gotten the memories from the clone I had decided to make 4 clones that would focus on their own section of the training regimen you had given me. I had done the pushups, a clone the running, etc. and I had found that when I had dispelled then I felt my muscles get tighter. I then made more, groups of them and continued the process, and when I finished I had dispelled them group by group feeling my muscles, calfs, and joints get tighter with each release. I then thought of the possibilities that this could lead for chakra training so I guess I still need to do that." Shiro was caught off guard with Naruto's ramble, but he found it oddly endearing since this was the most he had gotten him to speak about something other than the Hokage, himself, or ramen.

"Really? That's amazing Naruto! Now I can double the regimen! Hahaha, you don't know what you've done to yourself by letting me know about this! You can be twice as strong, maybe three, or even four times as strong as I had originally anticipated for at the time of you attending the academy! Ah, there's so many things to prepare! I'm so excited, aren't you?!" Shiro looked expectantly at Naruto with gleaming eyes and Naruto couldn't help the shiver that had gone through his spine at the mere mention of more work. Although he hated to imagine it, he couldn't help but agree with the ecstatic atmosphere Shiro was emitting.

—————TIME SKIP: 76 HOURS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: GORE WARNING DOWN BELOW—————

(3rd Person P.O.V.)

In the room of darkness say the mysterious figure. An 'ANBU' member perched on one knee, their eyes casted downwards in a twisted sense of fear for the person in front of them. There were a total of 4 other 'ANBU' members presenting themselves in front of this person.

"Are the preparations complete?" A voice boomed from the darkness, eyes gleaming red. The 'ANBU' refused to look up as they felt the gravity of the man's gaze.

"Yes, sir. Within the next two week everything will move accordingly." The darkness clad stranger chuckled, "Good. Make sure nothing deviates from the plan. If anything is to go awry, consider all of your heads gone. Dismissed." The 'ANBU' bowed their heads lower and proceeded to disappear from the room. All alone the man was left to his own devices. A choking silence filled the room as the man began to softly hum to himself a basic tune, his battle hardened gaze shifting towards the bookcase to his left. Making his way towards it, a sickening grin stretched across his face. As a certain book was pulled, the wall gave was to blood stained stairs. He entered, following the scent of blood by instinct and habit. The wall closed behind him, leaving the office barren and lonely.

As he made his way down the cement staircase, covered with stains long ignored, he could begin to hear the faint dripping. His grin stretched impossibly wider. Once he had seen the other, he let out a sickeningly sweet chuckle followed by a manipulative voice.

"Are you okay, dear?" The man held captive looked up suddenly, his eyes quickly filling with anger.

"YOU BASTARD! What have you done to me?! Where's my brother, you bastard!!" The captive wanted to lunge at the other but found himself unable to, he was suspended by large metal rods imbedded into his palms and forearms. His ribs were missing and his legs no longer there, visibly torn off and thrown askew onto the filthy floor, leaving only shredded stumps in their wake. The man's throat was left into the open, his skin being pulled back, exposing the inner workings of his windpipe and nerves. Tables and tubes were perched about near the man, supporting up his intestines within trays and open jars.

Blood still poured from the mans gaping wounds and the other just continued to grin.

The man picked up a tool from the table farthest from the bloodied man and waved it into he view of the other. "I'm here to play. Didn't you miss me, darling?"

The burgundy haired man's screams echoed, just as the man kept grinning.