Naruto disappeared.
Neji's Byakugan tracked him instantly.
The crowd barely had time to react before the black-clad Genin crossed the first stretch of battlefield, his footsteps completely silent against the packed earth.
But Naruto's mind went somewhere else.
Back seven days.
Back to the last week of training.
Back to something he'd been putting off for far too long.
Naruto sat alone at his kitchen table.
Eight small packages rested in front of him.
His fingers tapped against the wood.
He'd spent weeks trying not to think too much about the vision.
Sometimes that worked.
Usually it didn't.
Fire.
Screaming.
Shinobi fighting through Konoha's streets.
People running.
People dying.
And somewhere inside all of it—
His friends.
Naruto stared at the packages.
He didn't know exactly when it would happen.
He didn't know exactly how.
Hell, he didn't even know if the future he'd seen was guaranteed anymore.
But he knew one thing.
Doing nothing was stupid.
So Naruto had spent most of the previous night making something.
Not weapons.
Not really.
Insurance.
Sakura was first.
She opened her apartment door and stared at him.
"Naruto?"
"Here."
He shoved a small wrapped package toward her.
Sakura looked down.
Then back up.
"What is it?"
"Something for the Finals."
"I'm not competing."
"I know."
Sakura's eyebrow twitched.
Naruto pointed at the package.
"Just keep it on you, okay?"
That stopped her.
His voice had changed.
Not much.
But enough.
Sakura opened the wrapping.
Inside were three sealing tags.
Each was marked with a compact formula she'd never seen before.
"What do they do?"
"Barrier seals."
Naruto pointed to the first.
"Rip the activation strip and throw it down. It'll make a barrier for a few seconds."
Sakura examined the formula.
"A few seconds?"
"Yeah."
"That's it?"
Naruto shrugged.
"A few seconds is a lot when someone's trying to stab you."
Sakura looked at him.
Naruto didn't smile.
Her expression softened.
"Okay."
Naruto nodded.
"Keep them with you."
"I will."
He turned.
"Naruto?"
He stopped.
"Thanks."
Naruto grinned over his shoulder.
"Obviously. I'm awesome."
There he was.
Sakura rolled her eyes.
Ino received the same three tags.
She immediately became suspicious.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you giving me emergency barrier seals?"
Naruto stared at her.
Ino stared back.
"...Because we're friends?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"That sounded like a question."
"It wasn't."
"It definitely was."
Naruto started walking away.
"KEEP THEM ON YOU!"
"WHY?!"
"BECAUSE I SAID SO!"
"THAT MAKES ME WANT TO LESS!"
Naruto spun around.
"Ino."
She stopped.
For once, Naruto wasn't yelling.
"Please."
Ino blinked.
Then slowly slipped the tags into her pouch.
"...Fine."
Naruto smiled.
"Thanks."
Ino watched him leave.
Something about that bothered her.
Choji was easier.
Naruto handed him the package.
Choji opened it.
"Can I eat these?"
"No."
Choji looked disappointed.
"They're seals."
"Can I eat seals?"
Naruto stared.
Choji stared back.
"...No."
"Good."
Naruto pointed toward him.
"Three barriers. Emergency only."
Choji tucked them carefully into his equipment pouch.
"Thanks, Naruto."
Naruto nodded.
Choji opened another bag of chips.
"You want some?"
Naruto took a handful.
This had been the easiest visit by far.
Shikamaru was not easy.
He looked at the three tags.
Then at Naruto.
Then back at the tags.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Naruto froze.
"...Nothing."
Shikamaru sighed.
"Troublesome."
Naruto immediately became defensive.
"What?!"
"You've spent your entire life being terrible at hiding things."
"I hide things!"
"No, you don't."
"I hide lots of things!"
"Name one."
Naruto opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Shikamaru sighed again.
Naruto sat beside him beneath the tree.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Naruto looked toward the clouds.
"I've just got a bad feeling."
Shikamaru glanced at him.
"About the Finals?"
"Maybe."
That wasn't an answer.
Shikamaru knew it.
Naruto knew he knew it.
But Shikamaru didn't push.
He tucked the tags into his pouch.
"If something happens, three barriers aren't going to save everybody."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"No."
Then he looked at him.
"But you might."
Shikamaru blinked.
Naruto stood.
"Later."
Shikamaru watched him leave.
"...Seriously troublesome."
Kiba laughed.
"You made me safety seals?"
Akamaru barked.
Naruto's eye twitched.
"They're emergency barriers."
"Safety seals."
"Emergency barriers."
Kiba grinned.
"Did your mom pack me lunch too?"
Naruto punched him extra hard. The mom comment didn't sit right with him.
"OW!"
Akamaru barked happily.
Naruto shoved the tags into Kiba's chest.
"If things go bad, use one for Akamaru first."
Kiba stopped rubbing his shoulder.
Naruto's expression was serious.
Kiba looked down at Akamaru.
Then at the seals.
His grin faded slightly.
"Things gonna go bad?"
Naruto shrugged.
"Hopefully not."
Kiba studied him.
Then tucked the tags away.
"Fine."
Akamaru barked.
Kiba scratched behind his ears.
"Yeah, yeah. He likes you now."
Naruto grinned.
"Everybody likes me."
"No they don't."
"Shut up."
Shino examined the formulas for nearly thirty seconds.
Naruto waited.
Shino turned one over.
Then another.
"These are well constructed."
Naruto smiled immediately.
"Finally."
"Finally?"
"Everyone else made fun of them."
"I see no reason to mock equipment designed to prevent death."
Naruto pointed at him.
"THANK YOU."
Shino adjusted his glasses.
"However."
Naruto's finger lowered.
"The outer line on this seal is approximately two millimeters wider than the others."
Naruto stared.
Shino stared back.
"You're spending too much time with Jiraiya."
"I have never trained with Jiraiya-sama."
"Somehow it's spreading."
Shino stored the seals.
"I will carry them."
Naruto smiled.
"Good."
"Naruto."
"Yeah?"
"If there is a specific threat you believe Team Eight should know about, withholding information would be counterproductive."
Naruto went quiet.
Shino waited.
Naruto eventually shook his head.
"I don't know enough yet."
That was true.
Shino considered him.
"Understood."
Naruto blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"...You're weirdly reasonable."
"I am generally reasonable."
"Yeah. That's weird."
Hinata's visit lasted longer.
Naruto found her training alone near one of the Hyūga grounds.
She noticed him almost immediately.
"N-Naruto-kun?"
Naruto waved.
"Hey."
Hinata smiled.
"You came to train?"
"Nope."
He held out the package.
"I brought you something."
Hinata became red.
Immediately.
Naruto noticed.
"It's not like a romantic thing."
Hinata became redder.
Naruto panicked.
"NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH ROMANTIC THINGS!"
This was getting worse.
"It's just—"
Naruto stopped.
Breathed.
Jiraiya's training had taught him many things.
None were useful here.
"Emergency seals."
Hinata blinked.
Naruto opened the package himself.
Three barrier tags rested inside.
Her embarrassment faded as Naruto explained them.
Then she noticed his expression.
"You're worried."
Naruto looked away.
"A little."
"About Neji?"
Naruto snorted.
"No."
Hinata smiled slightly.
Of course not.
Naruto placed the tags into her hand.
"Just promise me you'll keep these with you tomorrow."
Hinata looked down at them.
"I promise."
Naruto relaxed.
"Good."
Hinata carefully stored them.
Then looked back at him.
"Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah?"
"Please be careful too."
Naruto smiled.
"Always."
Hinata stared at him.
Naruto scratched his cheek.
"...Okay, sometimes."
Lee was at home.
His arm remained immobilized.
So did his leg.
Naruto sat beside his bed while Lee stared at the barrier tags with tears already forming in his eyes.
"Naruto!"
"Oh no."
"EVEN WHILE PREPARING FOR YOUR OWN BATTLE—"
"Lee."
"YOU HAVE THOUGHT OF YOUR COMRADES!"
"Lee."
"SUCH IS THE BEAUTY OF YOUTHFUL FRIENDSHIP!"
"LEE!"
Tears streamed down Lee's face.
Naruto desperately looked toward the door.
Guy wasn't there.
Thank God.
Lee clutched the tags against his chest.
"I WILL TREASURE THEM!"
"Don't treasure them!"
Lee froze.
"Use them!"
Naruto pointed.
"If something dangerous happens, you use them. Got it?"
Lee's expression changed.
The joke disappeared.
Despite the casts, Rock Lee was still a shinobi.
He nodded.
"I understand."
Naruto stood.
Lee smiled.
"And Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"Defeat Neji."
Naruto grinned.
"That's the plan."
Sasuke was last.
Mostly because Sasuke was impossible to find.
Naruto eventually located him leaving Training Ground Three late in the evening.
Sasuke looked exhausted.
Naruto threw something.
Sasuke caught it.
He looked down.
Three barrier tags.
Then at Naruto.
"What are these?"
"Emergency seals."
Sasuke inspected one.
"You made them?"
"Yep."
Sasuke immediately inspected it more carefully.
Naruto's eye twitched.
"They work!"
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Sasuke stored them anyway.
Naruto blinked.
"No insult?"
"No."
"No 'I don't need these'?"
"No."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
Sasuke started walking.
Naruto followed.
"Seriously."
Sasuke glanced at him.
"If you're giving these to me, you think I'll need them."
Naruto's smile disappeared.
Sasuke noticed.
There was a pause.
"You know something?"
Naruto looked ahead.
"I know something bad might happen."
"How bad?"
Naruto remembered fire.
Screaming.
Blood.
"Bad."
Sasuke stopped.
Naruto did too.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Then Sasuke looked down at the pouch containing the tags.
"Fine."
Naruto blinked.
"Fine?"
"I'll keep them."
Naruto smiled.
"Good."
Sasuke started walking again.
Naruto remained behind.
Then Sasuke spoke without turning.
"You better not lose to Neji."
Naruto's eye twitched.
"YOU WORRY ABOUT GAARA!"
Sasuke raised one hand.
Naruto couldn't tell whether it was a wave or an insult.
Probably both.
There was one person Naruto hadn't visited.
Neji.
That one had been deliberate.
Giving Neji protective equipment before fighting him seemed stupid.
Naruto wasn't that nice.
But he had prepared something anyway.
One small barrier tag rested inside his jacket.
Neji would get it after Naruto beat him.
Naruto had already decided.
The rest of the week blurred.
Blood.
Hand seals.
Smoke.
Toads.
Failure.
More failure.
An unbelievable amount of failure.
Naruto slammed his palm against the ground.
"SUMMONING JUTSU!"
POOF!
A tadpole appeared.
Naruto stared.
The tadpole stared back.
Jiraiya laughed for eleven minutes.
Naruto timed him.
The Nine-Tails was worse.
Naruto stood ankle-deep in dark water.
An enormous cage disappeared upward into darkness before him.
Two red eyes opened beyond the bars.
Naruto swallowed.
"So."
A growl vibrated through the sewer.
Naruto scratched his cheek.
"I'm Naruto."
The eyes narrowed.
"I know who you are."
Naruto paused.
"...Right."
Excellent start.
He looked through the bars.
"I need some chakra."
Teeth appeared in the darkness.
"Then take it."
Naruto frowned.
That sounded suspiciously easy.
Jiraiya had specifically warned him that anything involving the fox being helpful was probably terrible.
Naruto crossed his arms.
"Only a little."
The Nine-Tails laughed.
The sound shook the sewer.
Naruto's knees bent against the pressure.
Still, he didn't move.
"Yeah, yeah. Very scary."
The laughter stopped.
Naruto immediately regretted speaking.
Red chakra seeped through the bars.
Naruto reached toward it.
"Let's try this."
The next few days hurt.
Red chakra burned.
Naruto lost control twice.
Jiraiya punched him out of it once.
Naruto punched Jiraiya afterward.
That had been worth it.
Slowly, though, Naruto learned.
Not control.
Not yet.
Something simpler.
Touch.
Pull.
Stop.
Three steps.
A thread of red chakra.
No more.
Then came the cliff.
Naruto looked down.
Very far down.
He looked at Jiraiya.
"You wouldn't."
Jiraiya smiled.
Naruto's face went pale.
"You would."
Jiraiya kicked him.
"YOU BASTAAAAAAAAARD!"
Naruto fell.
Wind tore at his clothes.
The cliff raced past.
Naruto formed the hand seals.
Blood.
Chakra.
More.
He needed more.
Naruto reached inward.
Past his own enormous reserves.
Toward something hot.
Red.
Angry.
Give me chakra!
Something answered.
Naruto's eyes flashed red.
He slammed his palm against the cliff.
"SUMMONING JUTSU!"
The world exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
Smoke swallowed the valley.
Jiraiya looked down from the cliff.
Two enormous eyes opened inside the cloud.
A pipe shifted between massive teeth.
Red skin emerged.
Then a blade.
Then a mountain-sized toad wearing a blue happi coat.
Naruto sat on top of its head.
His entire body shook.
Then he looked down.
And down.
And down.
Naruto's mouth opened.
"HOLY SHIT!"
Gamabunta's eye moved upward.
"Who's the brat?"
Naruto froze.
Jiraiya started laughing.
Naruto pointed downward.
"I SUMMONED YOU!"
Gamabunta's eye narrowed.
Naruto suddenly remembered that he was standing on something roughly the size of a building.
His finger slowly lowered.
"...Sir."
Jiraiya laughed harder.
Back in the arena—Present TIme
Naruto's foot touched the ground.
Neji turned.
Too slow.
Naruto appeared inside his reach.
Neji's palm moved.
Naruto's shoulder rotated.
Basic Toad Fist.
His body slipped around the Gentle Fist strike instead of retreating from it.
Neji's eyes widened slightly.
Naruto's fist drove forward.
And inside Naruto's jacket rested one final barrier tag.
Neji's.
Naruto grinned.
First he had to earn it.