Naruto : The Shinigami's Screw Up

A Meet With The Shinobi no Yami

"...That is indeed very worrying Naruto-kun...You should have told me earlier you know?..." A tired and very old Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and massaged his temples.

Naruto hung his head lower in shame and refused to meet his disappointed eyes, "...I'm sorry Ojii-sama...I was scared..."

"It's okay...I understand...Now just let me recapitulate what exactly happened. You knew about the Kyuubi inside you for many years now...She is in fact your 'Zanpakuto Spirit'...And she wants you to kill the orange masked man that attacked your mother that day...Now you have been training without your mother's supervision for years now...And one week ago you unlocked your Shikai while fighting Itachi...And you were able to stop Itachi from killing Mikoto-san and Satsuki-san...Correct?" The old Hokage asked as he took a drag from his pipe.

Naruto nodded, "...Yes. I believe that our conversation will not reach my mother's ears right?" Hiruzen nodded seriously and waved his hand as if to say, 'Don't worry'. Seeing that Naruto continued, "...Then yes. Everything I have just told you is true Ojii-sama..."

"...*sigh*..." Hiruzen released a tired sigh as he rested his tired head on the desk he was sitting on.

Naruto continued, "...Although I have some questions for you Ojii-sama..." The Sarutobi clan head perked up and listened to Naruto, "...I feel like Itachi did not actually want to massacre his clan –"

CHOKE!

The old Hokage choked on his pipe and started to cough as soon as he heard Naruto say that, '...No. No. No. Does he know about the real reason?! Sure Itachi disobeyed Danzo's order to slaughter the entire clan barring Satsuki and saved the children and his mother but I'm sure he didn't tell Naruto anything...Is he connecting the dots together?' Hiruzen thought worriedly. The elders had order the massacre without his consent and he was worried that someone may discover the truth. Entire Konoha will go down into anarchy is if that happens.

"...I'm sure that you're misunderstanding things Naruto-kun. I'm pretty sure Itachi-san went insane. I want you to understand that Itachi-san didn't exactly have a good childhood. He was always pressurized by his clan to become the best. All that pressure came down too heavy on him and he must have snapped. His mental sanity was already mediocre at best..." Hiruzen trailed off in the end trying to dissuade Naruto from thinking down the path he currently was.

"...Maybe you're right..." Naruto said hesitatingly, "...But I promised Satsuki that we will bring him back...Whatever happens..."

Hiruzen released another very tired sigh. If Itachi somehow came back into the village and the truth was released then...He shuddered to think about the consequences. The old man knew once Naruto put something on the goal he always. Always achieved it. It was perhaps a general Uzumaki gene.

"...*sigh* Maybe you can Naruto-kun...Maybe you can..." He said encouragingly not trying to break Naruto's determination.

Naruto stood up from his chair and bowed formally, "...Thanks Ojii-sama...I shall take my leave now..." With that a nearby shadow slowly approached Naruto from the nearby wall as Naruto dissipated into 'bubbles' of dark black smoky chakra.

Hiruzen's eyes momentarily widened at that, '...I swear that boy's a fan for dark theatrics...What was that now? Kage Shunshin? (Shadow Shunshin)?' He wondered with a dry chuckle.

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Naruto in his 'Shadow Walker' form moved through the shadows of Konoha towards his training ground. It had been about a week since he was released from the hospital and he had completely immersed into his training since then.