"That's part of the reason why the Uzumaki were a clan to be feared, son," Minato states, patting his son comfortably on his shoulder.
Naruto doesn't notice his father's hand beginning to fade as Minato continues, "they have strong bodies, special chakra, and techniques that can mitigate the loss of chakra and blood. If it wasn't for your mother helping me, it would've been impossible for me to survive composing the contract.
It was the most taxing technique I ever learned, but it served me and my loved ones greatly."
"And you think I can," Naruto asks.
"I do," Minato answers. "You may look like me but you are Uzumaki strong.
The clan I married into, your clan, has the greatest anthology of Finjutsu seals and they all required a strong life-force and chakra to function, making it nearly impossible for their work to be stolen without an Uzumaki to facilitate the task." When Minato's arm disappears to the elbow, Naruto frantically examines the rest of his father's state before fearfully realizing the only time in his sixteen years of life that he's ever spent with his father is moments away from coming to an end.
"From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were your mother's son, Naruto," Minato softly professes. "And she was the strongest person I knew."
For the first and final time, matching blue eyes of father and son gaze respectfully, affectionately, and pridefully at one other, and when Naruto tries to voice all the things he's always wanted to say to his father, his quaking voice struggles to be heard. "Tou-chan"
"When you're done, you should place the Fin scroll somewhere where no one will get to it," Minato says. "I buried mine on Mount Myboku. Don't worry if you don't get to go there."
"Tou-chan, I" Naruto tries but his throat closes as his clear blue eyes begin to water.
"Remember, I utilize attacks that don't require performing seals, for even if it takes you less than a second to create all the necessary hand-seals for a jutsu, a faster shinobi will stop it, and possibly kill you.
So, please, son please be careful Live a full life, find love, and have many children."
Naruto can't say it alla solid decade of questions and confessionsbut with his father nearly gone, Naruto declares the most important sentiment he's always wanted to say. Letting the tears fall where they may, he confesses, "I love you, tou-chan!"
Smiling, Minato says, just as he disappears, "I love you more."
And when Minato fully evaporates, an emotional Naruto allows the unheard, "thank you, tou-chan," escape his lips.
"And you haven't alerted your sensei, as I have no doubt Kakashi-kun would've set up such an alarm," Orochimaru states looking at the wall very near Sasuke's hand.
Looking around the dark room, Orochimaru happily notes, "I find it fitting we first meet in the Forest of Death and then again in pure darkness; but we see the best in death and darkness, do we not. It's where mankind create their finest accomplishments.
When everything that you know and love is taken away from you so harshly, all you can think about is anger, hatred, revengethe darknessand no one can save you."
"No one but you, is that it?"
"Only you can save yourself," the legendary snake nin answers. "To achieve your revenge, you must become the wind of change strong enough to move the world and that will not happen without power."
"And I'm just supposed to trust you will give me power without something in return," Sasuke skeptically reasons. "I'll ask you one last time, what do you want?"
"But I've already told you, my dear boy," the smiling missing-nin asserts. "The world is still and I but want it to move. Bringing about your own gain will bring about my gain as well."
"Then tell me everything you know about Itachi," Sasuke commands.
Orochimaru laughs greatly. "Ku ku ku, has your hate made you delusional? Do you truly believe you stand any chance of defeating Itachi as you are?
Your teammate would fair better, I would imagine," Orochimaru expresses with clear glee, angering Sasuke near to the point of recklessly attacking the legendary ninja, however, clenching his fists, Sasuke manages to restrain himself. "I'll ask you this one time, Sasuke-kun.
Do you desire to remain as you are; attain friends, find love, create a family, like the complacent dead perfectly still?" Orochimaru takes out a vial of small medicine pills and outstretches it toward Sasuke as he continues to ask, "or do you crave the power to remodel the world as you see fit?"
And Sasuke looks from the amused and confident eyes of a legendary nin, to the small vial of pills and removes his hand from the alarm switch Kakashi had installed by his bed
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