Chakra Chains and Chakra Gates

Hiruzen Sarutobi, fabled God of Shinobi and still widely accepted strongest living Kage, held a hand over his head lowered in shame. More shame than he cared to admit. To think Naruto was not only able to take the Forbidden Scroll of Seals, but literally while he was in the room to catch him. That stupid Sexy jutsu of his shouldn't work at all. It was just a basic transformation; yet the form was just…

Luckily no one saw, but Naruto. Perhaps his old and lonely heart was truly bringing out his softest for the blonde Jinchūriki. It weighed heavily on him all the boy had been through. How he wished he had kept his status a secret like with his mother Kushina, but Minato insisted. The Golden Child, Yellow Flash of Konoha, was so sure everything would work out. That Naruto would be seen as the Hero of the Leaf and his sacrifice would be worth all the pain.

Looking at the pouting Naruto felt differently than usual. It lacked the childishness and held a sense of betrayal? That made sense given he was manipulated by Mizuki; Ibiki will have fun with that one. The scarred man always seemed pleased to speak with traitors to the Leaf.

"Let me start by saying your punishment will be mostly light. In truth the Academy and thus myself have done you a disservice Naruto-kun. If an Academy student cannot trust their Sensei instructors than who can they trust?" the Third asked while smoking his pipe.

"That being said, you still stole from the village and must be punished. I hope you can understand why I have to put you on Genin Probation."

"Gee thanks…" Naruto grumbled not being able to look the old Hokage in the face.

The wizened Hokage sighed out a plume of smoke and braced himself for what was to come.

"I am sorry, Naruto-kun… I should have told you about the Kyūbi…" The Third started, but Naruto couldn't contain himself anymore!

"YEAH YOU SHOULD HAVE! You told all the adults about it but not the ONE person it effected most! All those years of not knowing ANYTHING!" Naruto screamed so loud his hair spiked up more, reminding the old man of a certain red head.

"You also should have told me I come from a clan that helped found the village. I know I didn't pay attention in history, but I know I never heard any tales of the Uzumaki! Hell some of the villagers even called me a Clanless Loser so clearly no one has ever heard of it! What gives!" Naruto bombarded the Third with all the questions that boiled inside him the whole time he was inside the time-space tomb.

"You're absolutely right, Naruto." The Third admitted once Naruto calmed down.

"I may be known as the Professor, but I am still an old man. I am long passed my prime and had given my hat to someone I saw as young enough to keep it long enough for me to die in peace…" Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke for once as a tired old man.

"When the Kyūbi attacked we all lost so much. I lost my wife, someone I wished to retire the hat and kunai with, and the village needed me once again… You lost your parents and any chance of a normal life… the village itself lost many great Shinobi. I just wanted to protect as many people from it all as I could." Hiruzen spoke to Naruto.

"The life thrust upon us both is so dark… I… wanted to stay in the peaceful light for as long as possible." Hiruzen tried to explain.

Naruto didn't know how to take what was happening. He never saw the old man look so vulnerable. Sure Naruto was pissed he felt the Old Man had both lied and manipulated him just like everyone else seemed to. To see him so hurt that he let Naruto down was more powerful than the blonde was ready to handle. He didn't sense any lies in him. He only felt true regret and caring from the Old Hokage. Whether that was because of his status as a Jinchūriki or because he actually cared was still up for debate, but Naruto decided he would at least hear him out.

"Forgive me, Naruto-kun… It is rare I get to be truly honest with anyone. The truth is I was selfish and wanted to wait until I felt you were ready for such information. If it is alright with you, I will be more honest about what I know of your heritage." The Third assumed his Hokage demeanor yet with a soft smile.

"Eh… It's alright Old Man. I always knew that hat weighed a ton. I'll just have to raise in the ranks fast so I can take it off your head." Naruto assured the Third.

"There is one thing I want to know though." Naruto said with an air of seriousness.

"Which of my parents were Uzumaki and why aren't they known?" Naruto asked.

"It was your mother, Kushina Uzumaki. You take after her personality wise. Kushina was just as loud and hyperactive as you were at that age; though she beat up way more guys than you have." The Third reminisced fondly, chuckling when he thought of the Red Hot Chili Pepper in her youth.

Naruto felt warmth bubble in his gut to the point he could actually feel it on his hand when he went to touch it. He felt reassured by the warmth and smiled. He asked the Third Hokage for a photo and the wizened man gladly supplied him with his mother's old kunoichi registration photo. He didn't stop there, he also gave the blonde boy a photo of her where she was older and in civilian clothes. Naruto looked at the photo and wanted so badly to have memories associated with her. To be able to bring up mental images of his mother smiling and laughing with him, playing ninja in the backyard, and having her tell him about their clan. Speaking of the Uzumaki clan,

"So why doesn't anyone know about the Uzumkai clan? Did we actually help start the village or did I hear that wrong?" Naruto asked.

"The Uzumaki clan share distant blood with the Senju. I do not know much of the history of their separation, but I do know the 2 clans remained close. Even when the 1st Hokage began establishing Konohagakure, the Uzumaki already had their own village called Uzushiogakure or the Village Hidden in the Whirling Tides." The Third explained woefully.

What the Third revealed to Naruto was not something he wanted to unload onto a 12 year old boy. All those years of war was to prevent children from dying needlessly for the sake of a clan name alone. Roughly 30 years before he was born, Uzushiogakure was attacked by the combined might of Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri in a one time alliance. The clan had become too powerful and too isolated due to the raging whirlpools that surrounded the village. It made invasion unwise, but not impossible.

Konoha had sent aid in the form of most of the Senju clan and Kurama clan, but none made it through the several borders and seas separating the two villages. In the end, the Uzumaki lost their village, their once mighty clan decimated and their members scattered throughout the world. Their numbers were almost myth now. The Senju clan suffered heavy loses along with the Kurama clan. It was one of the village's biggest loss and is when they began to wear the Uzumaki symbol, but in red as an remembrance of their red hair. The village lost 2 of its founding clans and the Uzumaki took their fuinjutsu and kekkai genkai with them.

"Whoa wait now hold up! The Uzumaki have a bloodline limit?" Naruto asked astounded!

"You'd think Old Man Uzumaki would have mentioned that…" Naruto thought to himself internally.

"Not in the way most think of, but yes, Naruto-kun. You in fact have been using it your whole life." The Third pointed out much to the confusion of Naruto.

"It is more of a body bloodline limit than say ocular like the Sharingan and Byakugan. Uzumaki were known for their longevity and that translates to having strong bodies and massive amounts of chakra." The Third explained.

"The scary part is even without the Kyūbi you still have more Chakra than I did 10 years ago. 30 years ago mind you…" the Third couldn't help but think to his glory days as the God of Shinobi.

"There was also a variant to your bloodline limit that dealt more with Chakra manipulation and adding Yin or Yang released Chakra… Er shaping your Chakra and giving it special abilities. Your mother was able to make Chakra chains so strong they could restrain even the Kyūbi itself. In fact, it was because of your mother's variant that she was the Kyūbi Jinchūriki before you." The Third revealed to Naruto.

To his credit, Naruto took it all in stride. He wanted to know as much as he could from someone who would know about his clan that was outside of it. That way he could better understand both Konoha and Uzushio customs and try to bridge the distance that seemed to develop between the two.

"According to your mother, the Chakra Chains manifested only from the female of the clan; and only a select few. Her chains were special because she made them so. I'd go into details, but that is for your Jonin Sensei to explain chakra affinities and the like. Just know she worked real hard to get them the way that strong." The Third explained.

Naruto could see why the Third Hokage thought he took after his mother. Hard working must run in the Uzumaki genes!

"Your mother also told me that select men in the clan made Chakra Gates, but I have never seen it done before myself and your mother wasn't too sure about the details. Her best guess was it was an advanced storage seal." The Third explained.

Naruto was a little deflated at the thought of either not having the special bloodline limit variant or it being as lame as a storage seal. There had to be more to it, perhaps Ashina would know more about these variants. He was so focused on being mad at the Third he almost forgot what he told him in the beginning.

"Wait. Genin Probation? Does that mean I'm officially a Genin?!" Naruto asked hopefully.

"You still need to take your Shinobi Registration picture, but in the official books you are a Genin for Konohagakure." The Third assured while going over the paperwork needed.

"Congratulations, Naruto-kun. I heard the reports from Iruka and the Anbu and was impressed. I am curious how you managed to get inside the Uzumaki Clan Mask Storage Shrine along with where you got such a powerful version of the paralysis seal." The Third quizzed.

"I just walked right in. Must be an Uzumaki thing. I also got the seal from in there inside a dusty book. If it is alright with you, Old Man Hokage. I'd like to visit the place more and tidy it up. Honestly why hasn't anyone been keeping it up?" Naruto asked.

"No one is allowed to. There are barrier seals that usually reject anyone who stays for longer than 10 minutes and won't let them return. You're the only person who has been allowed inside for the past 12 years." The Third explained.

"Now about your probation…" the Third Hokage began while blowing out smoke.

Naruto could only stare in disbelief of his probation. After his stunt, the Hokage's Advisors along with someone named Danzo brought up the possibility of the blonde Jinchūriki going rouge. Pointing out that losing the Kyūbi to another village was not an option, they sanctioned to have Naruto under more supervision. Danzo offered up one a rising Shinobi seemingly out of nowhere.

The Third Hokage made it clear he stood with Naruto and did not question his loyalty. He also had faith in whoever would be his Jonin Sensei, but to appease his Advisors and avoid any distrust to Naruto, the Third offered up his own rising Shinobi. It was clear Naruto didn't really have much choice. He didn't like it, but he had committed a crime that could be seen as treason. The punishment was rather light if all it was involved being watched by someone the Old Man Hokage trusted over whoever Danzo had selected…

I'll end it right here and keep this short by saying the chapters will get progressively longer. Don't expect 3 chapters a week. I have decided to build up a collection of at least 3 chapters before updating a new chapter. This is just to test the waters and because I felt it would be a good stopping point before chapter 4 titled Mishandled Snake. That and I am seeing Avengers Endgame Saturday so my original plan of updating then to fit a weekly basis was scrapped; good for you.

Last note. If I title it than it is in the works or almost complete. As it stands Mishandled Snake is almost done, chapter 5 is titled the Rabbit hopped over the Cherry Blossom tree. Chapter 6 is untitled.