Back to the Beginning (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 16

It has been three weeks since Minato had seen Naruto. He was pretty sure that he was purposefully avoiding him, but when he asked the others, they all said that they hadn't seen him either. Where could he be? Minato decided to make his way to the Hokage's office for the third time. He had been going there once a week since Naruto disappeared.

Minato entered the office when he heard "come in" from the other side. "Lord Third." Minato began to speak up when he was interrupted.

"Minato, I don't know where Naruto is." The Hokage already knew what Minato was there for.

"But Lord Hokage! No one has seen him in almost a month! There has to be something wrong!"

"Minato. Wherever Naruto is, I am sure he can handle things himself."

"But sir! I know he hardly sleeps and he doesn't eat very much. It's not his strength or combat skills I'm worried about!" Minato was willing to try anything to get information on where Naruto had gone, but the Hokage had different plans.

"Minato, I understand that you are worried about him. But I think he wants to do things alone right now. I promised him I would not say anything."

Minato was surprised by what the Hokage said. He wants to be alone? Why? His mind was racing with ideas as he reluctantly left the Hokage's office. Oh I know! I bet Jiraiya-sensei will know! He's the best person to ask when it comes to gathering intel. And I know just where he is.

Minato made his way to the next village over, he knew that Jiraiya was staying there. He walked past inns, restaurants and bars. He didn't need to guess as to where he would find his sensei. Minato had stopped outside the bathhouse with a sigh. Jiraiya-sensei, you are so predictable. With that thought in mind he entered the bathhouse.

"It's good to see you again, Jiraiya-sensei!" Minato spoke a little louder than normal just so that he could get Jiraiya's attention.

Jiraiya, a middle-aged man with long and spiky white hair that was tied in a ponytail turned to face Minato. He had a red line going from the corner of each eye down to his jaw line and he had a guilty look on his face. "M-Minato! It's good to see you! B-but what are you doing here?!"

Minato was shaking his head at Jiraiya and the fact that he was trying to hide what he was so obviously doing. "Jiraiya-sensei, you can drop the innocent act. I do know what you were doing. As to why I'm here, I need your help with something."

"Whaaat? Minato... you only come to see me when you need something." Jiraiya was pouting now.

"You know that's not true. Kushina and I have you over for dinner all the time."

"That's true." Jiraiya nodded his head to what Minato was saying.

Minato, noticing that Jiraiya was only half paying attention, decided to get straight to the point. "Jiraiya-sensei, over the last few weeks, have you gotten any intel on a seventeen year old blonde? His name would be Naruto. He wears orange pants, a black long sleeve shirt with three orange bands around each arm, and he often wears a red high collared cloak that has black flames on it."

Jiraiya listened intently to the description that Minato gave him. "Yes, I believe it does sound familiar. Let me check." Jiraiya pulled out his small notebook that he used to keep his notes in. As he was looking through his eyes suddenly widened. "This is impossible!"

"What is it, Jiraiya?!" Minato's worry was starting to grow.

"Well, yeah, I've gathered info on the kid you're talking about, the only strange thing is, he has been seen in four hundred different places." Jiraiya couldn't even believe what he was saying. "Shadow clones are possible. But to make that many?! That is unheard of. The amount of chakra alone is unthinkable."