The Will of the Future

2.

—I DO NOT OWN NARUTO—

As the three shinobi exited Naruto's mindscape and became aware of their surroundings, it became apparent that they were outside of reality for nearly 2 hours.

"ANBU leave us this man is not a danger nor an enemy." Hiruzen quickly ordered, and Naruto felt 5 chakra signatures disappear from the shadows of the room.

"Ehm." Naruto cleared it throat as shifted in his seat. "It would be nice to feel my chakra again." Naruto said lightly as he pointedly looked at his restraints.

"Of course, Inoichi if you please." Hiruzen said with a small smile, the previous tenseness of the room having already left. As Naruto lightly rubbed his wrists where the restraints had been, Hiruzen spoke again, "I believe we should move this to my office yes?"

Naruto quickly nodded and before either could realize, he grabbed both their wrists and disappeared with a flash of yellow.

—Hokage's office—

Landing in the Hokage's office, Naruto immediately put up high strength silence seals as Hiruzen's eyes went wide with unhidden surprise at the use of the familiar jutsu; while Inoichi was fighting the urge to regurgitate his lunch.

"That jutsu was—!" Hiruzen began only to be cut off by Naruto who wore a small but proud smile.

"Hai, old man. An improved version of Tou-san's Hiraishin."

"What about a marker? When did you leave one here?" The professor questioned curiously.

"I devised it so I wouldn't need one for short distances or places that I am very familiar with. I still need them for long distances though. I need markers for anything beyond a radius of about 100 meters for unknown areas, as for familiar areas I can teleport without markers basically the entire radius of the village, which is how I got us here—anything beyond that I need markers, no matter how familiar I am." Naruto paused to gauge his jiji's expression.

Hiruzen simply chuckled. "To think you would grow up to be this powerful is a surprise indeed. Although, you are the most unpredictable ninja, as Kakashi said." Hiruzen finished with an air of familiarity, but the only response he got was a soft hum and smile from the dubbed 'most unpredictable ninja.' It saddened the Third Hokage to see that this man was once the exuberant child that he knows now. War had changed him, as it does everyone, it had made Naruto stronger physically, but he can see that the young man lives with a tortured mind and is now a shadow of what he once was.

Inoichi, having finally recovered from his nausea and vertigo, turned to Naruto and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Never use that technique on me again! Or I swear I'll—" Inoichi began but stopped after hearing the soft chuckle of amusement that left Naruto's mouth.

"Minato..." Both listening shinobis thought.

"The jutsu definitely takes some getting used to, and it's not for everyone." Naruto said with amusement clear in his eyes as he thought, "who knew a guy whose specialty is interrogation could be so carefree and silly. I am the one to talk though, I still acted silly until the last year of war when the casualties increased at a steeper rate."

Hiruzen coughed in his hand to compose himself and turned to Inoichi.

"Understand Inoichi that the information discovered today is labeled SS-Secret." Hiruzen started with upmost seriousness and a small threatening demeanor. Seeing Inoichi straighten with seriousness and nod, the Third Hokage gave an approving nod and finished with, "good you're dismissed."

Seeing Inoichi bowing and turning to leave through the door, Naruto strengthened the silence seals further as Hiruzen turned his serious attention towards the young blonde.