Sword of the Thunder God

Early the next morning, they reunited with Feng at the village gate, reluctant to say goodbye. Naruto, as a tailed-beast host, quickly became good friends with Feng and Shino.

"Come visit again sometime," Feng said.

"Of course, we'll do our best," Hinata replied.

"Hey, Feng," Naruto said, making everyone raise their eyebrows.

"This is for you." Naruto handed her a three-pronged kunai. "It's a very special kunai. If you need help or just want to talk, throw it on the ground, and I'll appear immediately."

Feng gladly accepted the gift. There were not many people who treated her well.

"Thank you," Feng said, watching them leave until their figures gradually vanished into the distance.

A few hours passed before Kurenai Yuhi could no longer restrain her curiosity.

"Naruto, I have a question," Kurenai Yuhi said.

"Go ahead."

"That kunai you gave Feng wasn't an ordinary kunai."

"It contained the formula of the Flying Thunder God Technique."

"The Flying Thunder God Technique? That was the Fourth's technique." Kurenai Yuhi stopped walking and stared at Naruto.

"Looks like you figured it out," Naruto said. "That was my inheritance. Minato was my father."

Shino was equally shocked.

"How was that possible?" Kurenai Yuhi asked.

"The old man gave me the surname Uzumaki, after my mother, because my father had many enemies, especially in the Hidden Rock Village," Naruto explained. "When I think I'm strong enough to protect everyone I care about, maybe after I become a Chunin, I'll have the old man announce it."

She replied, "I can't believe I never realized it. Blond hair and blue eyes—only the Fourth Hokage had such a distinctive appearance."

"Even Kakashi-sensei didn't realize it."

"You told Kakashi?"

"Yes. I trained with him sometimes over the past few weeks," Naruto answered.

She muttered to herself, "I should have realized it when you used the Rasengan on Sasuke."

Remembering his brief conversation with his father, Naruto said with feeling, "My father really was a genius. I still can't handle that kind of speed. Every time I try multiple jumps, I crash into something."

Hinata laughed as she remembered Naruto crashing into walls and trees.

## Hokage's Office ##

"Old man, here." Naruto tossed him two scrolls. "One scroll contains Aoi Rokusho, and the other contains the Sword of the Thunder God he stole."

The Hokage's eyes widened. Aoi Rokusho had stolen the Sword of the Thunder God many years ago, and he had not expected him to still have it.

The Hokage unsealed the sword's scroll and channeled chakra through it. The sword instantly lit up with yellow sparks.

After pondering for a moment, the Hokage tossed the sword back to Naruto.

Naruto caught it and looked at the Hokage in confusion. The old man sighed and erected a sound barrier.

"What I'm about to tell you is a secret known only to me," the old man said. "Can you keep it?"

The Hokage was mainly looking at Kurenai Yuhi and Shino. Both nodded.

The Hokage considered where to begin.

"This sword is yours, Naruto," the Hokage said.

"What do you mean?" Naruto still looked confused.

"You have Uchiha blood, but you are the heir of the Senju Clan," the Hokage said, leaving everyone in the room stunned.

"How?" Naruto asked quietly.

"You know your mother was Kushina Uzumaki, and that she came from Whirlpool Country, right?" the Hokage asked. Naruto nodded.

"I'll start from the beginning. Hashirama Senju and his wife, Mito Uzumaki, had two children, a son and a daughter. Their daughter was named Tsunade Senju. In her later years, Tsunade gave birth to a child named Kushina Senju. But because of the war, the Senju Clan was nearly wiped out, leaving only Tsunade and Kushina to rebuild the clan. Since they were both women and did not want to become breeding tools, they faked Kushina's death, which led to the birth of Kushina Uzumaki," the Hokage said.

"You know the rest..." the Hokage finished.

"Kushina married Minato, and then I was born," Naruto said. The Hokage nodded.

"Wait, then what was all that information about the Uzumaki Clan I found at my father's home?" Naruto asked.

"During the war, the Uzumaki Clan was wiped out, but your parents went to Whirlpool Village and salvaged as much as they could. That was also one of the reasons your father was so skilled in sealing techniques," the Hokage said.

Naruto nodded until he remembered Tsunade.

"Granny Tsunade is still alive... did she abandon me?" Naruto asked, though he did not really want to know the answer. Hinata went over and took his hand.

"No," the Hokage began. "Tsunade lost everything she had. Her lover and younger brother both died in the war. Then the Nine-Tails attacked. She wasn't in the village at the time, but she received the news and fled. She might not have known Kushina had a child," the Hokage explained.

Naruto frowned as he thought.

Then Naruto said, "So this sword is mine."

He then asked, "But what about Granny Tsunade? Isn't she the heir?"

The Hokage smiled and replied, "She hasn't taken a mission in over ten years. Since you've completed missions, you are now the heir."

Naruto channeled chakra into the sword, but something strange happened. Instead of flashing with yellow sparks as usual, it blazed with a brilliant blue light. The power within the sword was far greater than anything he had seen before.

Naruto shouted, "What's going on? Why is it blue?"

"Perhaps because of your high affinity for lightning, the sword reacted more strongly to your chakra, possibly making it more powerful."

Naruto grinned. "Looks like I'll have to replace my iron sword."