The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 169-THE PRINCESS

West Aturia

"So, the man who looks like you, is he related to you?"

"Of course he is," Naruto answers, "That's my father, the 4th Hokage."

"Do I look like my father at all?"

"You have similar eyes."

Naruto guesses that relaxing causes the childish side of Hannah to come out. She has been excitedly asking him about all kinds of things since they started to move after the Sacred Sword. Most people would have gotten bored of answering by now, but he is patient with his student, knowing that she has gone through much to earn this freedom.

"And Kushina is your mother?"

"Yes."

"And the baby is your sister?"

"That's right, her name is Mito."

"And Himawari is your daughter?"

"Yes, she is."

"You're probably asking yourself why I look older than my father," Himawari remarks.

"He probably understood divine energy younger than you, right?"

Himawari is reminded of this truth. Most people from Homeworld don't know that this version of her father is actually from the past, arriving from the aftermath of the war. Fortunately, the mechanics of divine energy have given them a feasible explanation as to the age difference between them. She decides it's best not to correct Hannah for the moment, the whole situation is at times so confusing that even she loses track of it all.

"Hannah, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Kushina asks.

"Spare time? I've been moving around on instinct all this time, so I haven't had much control over what I've been doing. I've never really had much time to get a hobby."

Kushina rests her head in her hand for a moment. Having been moving around for over a year and not even having a hobby, that's immensely depressing. They were running from the Imperial Guard at that time, but at least they had each other. At least they could draw in the dirt, cook with local herbs, or sing.

"What do you like to do Claude?" Minato asks the owl.

"I like to fly above the water and watch the fish."

As the hours pass and Hannah's questions continue, they soon get to know each other very well. Their conversation stops only when they see an enormous tower beginning to creep into view. It is made up of a strange dark material and seems to be split into several tiers, almost like a cake. They presume that this is where the Sacred Sword is waiting for them. They send Claude up above to scout it out as they continue their approach.

Claude descends five minutes later, reporting a more detailed description of the tower. He tells them that the architecture is ancient but is a known Homeworld style from the past. This tower was almost certainly crafted by humans and not beasts. He tells them that if the content is half as grand as the exterior then it will be worth investigating for them.

Claude also reports one more peculiar thing. There seems to be a horse waiting at the bottom.

They pick up the pace, running at the speed of the slowest movers in their group. They approach the tower, their view getting better every moment they do so. It takes about ten minutes before they enter the shadow of the spire. They estimate that in another two they will be at the entrance to the structure.