Author's Note: This story is inspired by Naruto: Shifts in Life by The Engulfing Silence which is one of my all-time favorite stories. Shifts in Life centers on the question "what if the Third Hokage had told Naruto about the ability of the Shadow Clones to relay information". So, the first chapter is heavily modeled after the first chapter of this work. This got me thinking and recently while rereading/watching Naruto, I realized Kakashi should've trained his team more and HE should've told Naruto much earlier. So, this fanfiction is the story of Namikaze Naruto, one trained properly by Kakashi along with a properly trained team 7. Finally, one fairly important thing. (Probably not that important but still) I refuse to pair Naruto with Hinata or Sakura. But, if you wanna see someone else, let me know!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I wish I did though.
"Hey" – character speech
Hey – thoughts
Hey – Demons/summons/big things
The Tale of Naruto Namikaze.
Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day in Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The sun, still low in the sky, crept its warm, yellow light onto the city creeping the light into the windows of the city. The earliest sounds of life in the city picked up as various shops unlocked their doors and flipped their signs from "closed to open". Slowly people began to trickle down the street and the chatter of conversation filled Konoha's air. Ninja patrols leaving early for missions began leaving the city off on various important tasks.
In the homes, parents began to wake up their children, announcing that it was time for school. The warm smell of breakfasts filled the many houses and apartments. As the light slowly flooded into one specific apartment, a young blond boy mumbled and turned over nestling just a little deeper into his worn blankets refusing to let the dream in his head escape. This was a particularly good dream where he, the Hokage, sat on a throne using Sasuke-teme as a foot rest while Sakura-chan fed him ramen.
Unfortunately, his alarm wasn't having any of that. Three harsh beeps woke the startled boy, who quickly shot up and rolled swiftly out of bed. Then, groggily realizing he wasn't under attack, he turned off the clock. Yawning, Naruto stretched out and looked at the time on the clock.
There's something important I'm missing. He thought as he relaxed. It was only 7 am. Why had he woken up so early? Then, it hit him. "Today's the graduation exam to become a ninja!" He shot into the bathroom jumping into the shower which was frigid. The cold water always forced a yelp from him, the shock of the cold suddenly contacting his skin. He adapted fairly quickly to the cold. He'd never had any hot water to his room, probably a result of how much his cranky landlady hated him.
Finishing up his shower, Naruto threw on a pair of green boxers with ramen bowls on them, a gift from the Hokage one year on his Birthday, followed by one of his customary orange and blue jump suits that he'd managed to obtain from the trash of nearby clothing store since he couldn't afford any of the clothes at most stores. From a small rickety table beside his bed, he grabbed his kunai holster and tied it to his right thigh. He grabbed his shuriken pouch and attached it over his left back pocket. He moved quickly to his kitchen and grabbed a cup of instant ramen from a cabinet and filled it with water and tossed it into a battered microwave that'd come with the apartment. As soon as the microwave beeped indicating that the ramen was finished, Naruto grabbed a pair of disposable chopsticks and rushed off towards the ninja academy.
Naruto arrived at the ninja academy and walked into his usual classroom. He glanced quickly around the room in search of a seat and grimaced as he realized that the only seats open were the two beside the genius of the class, Sasuke Uchiha. Sighing, he sat down in the seat furthest from Sasuke.
"Teme." Naruto greeted casually hoping to get some form of response and maybe rile up his rival.
"Hn."
"I'm gonna steal that Rookie of the Year spot from you Teme!" Another attempt to rile up the stoic boy.
"Hn."
Naruto grit his teeth angrily and prepared to yell at the brooding boy when suddenly he noticed his crush, Sakura Haruno, walk into the room. She was a beautiful pinkette who tied her hair back by a red ribbon that matched her red Chinese style dress. She wore black skin tight pants and blue sandals. Unfortunately she idolized Sasuke just like every other girl in the class.
As she moved close to him, Naruto decided that it wasn't worth his time to focus on Sasuke and turned 100% of his attention to Sakura. "Hey Sakura-chan! I was wondering if after class you-"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, Sakura's fist had smashed into his face knocking him back against the seat. "Shut up Naruto-baka! I don't want to hear your stupid annoying voice! Move! I want to sit beside Sasuke-kun." She shoved past him and sat beside her crush.
"Hi Sasuke-kun! How're you today? I was wondering, do you want to go on a date sometime?" She asked staring coyly at her crush.
Naruto sighed as he picked himself up listening to Sasuke simply "Hn" in response to Sasuke. He'd gotten used to Sakura rejecting him and of course hitting him immediately after. Some of her worse rejections even left him wondering what he saw in her.
As he shifted back into his seat, he sat up rubbing his hurting face and looked on as their sensei, Iruka entered the room with his assistant, Mizuki.
"Alright everyone. Quiet down. It's time for the test. Today, you'll be required to enter as your name is called and perform the Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu)" Iruka called out.
And as soon as those words left Iruka's mouth, Naruto felt all his confidence crumble. He could do any other jutsu required but for some reason the Bunshin no Jutsu was impossible for him. His confidence only got lower and lower as student after student left the exam room proudly wearing their headbands signifying their new induction as genin, as ninja.
No. I can do this. Naruto thought. I can pass this test.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" came Iruka's voice.
Naruto masked his apprehension with a big grin and walked into the room where Iruka and Mizuki.
"Okay Naruto. Whenever you're ready, go ahead. Good luck." Iruka said, secretly cheering his disciple on especially considering how similar Naruto was to how Iruka had been in the past.
Naruto took a deep breath and channeled chakra before performing the appropriate hand seals for the jutsu. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" He called out. A large puff of smoke surrounded Naruto and as it cleared it revealed there was only a single dead looking clone on the ground.
Iruka's face first took on a look of sheer shock and then slowly turned red. "YOU FAIL!" He yelled out.
Naruto's eyes widened and his head dropped. I worked so hard. I thought I could pass this time.
"Iruka, I think we can pass him this time. I mean, it is his third time taking the test and he did reproduce a clone." Mizuki said turning to his colleague, surprising both Iruka and Naruto.
"No." Iruka said shaking his head. "Everyone else in the class made at least three clones which were fully functional. Naruto made one clone and it wasn't even a proper one." He turned to Naruto. "Sorry Naruto. I can't pass you".
Naruto frowned, holding back tears, and slowly left to go sit outside on the swing he'd always sat on after the last two times he failed.
As he sat outside, Naruto watched as the many genin from his class met with their parents who praised their children. This was probably the worst part of failing. The reminder that he was an orphan, and that no matter what in the end his parents weren't going to be proud.
"Thank god that child didn't pass."
Naruto turned his head towards two women who were glancing in his direction and tuned in a little, hiding how much the words hurt him.
"I know. Can you imagine what would happen if he became a ninja? I mean after all he's"
"Sshhh… You know we aren't allowed to talk about that."
Naruto frowned as he heard this conversation. He was about to get up and yell at the women when he noticed Mizuki walk up to him. "Sensei?"
"Hey Naruto, come with me for a bit. I wanna talk to you."
"Iruka didn't want to fail you, you know." Mizuki said smiling a bit at Naruto as they sat on top of the roof of the Academy. "He just wants to see you succeed and make sure that you're ready for the pressures of being a ninja."
"I know." Naruto signed sadly. "I just really thought I could do it this time."
Mizuki hid a sinister grin and then smiled at the young academy student. "Well, I suppose I can tell you about the secret test then!"
Naruto smiled to himself as he snuck past the guards in into the Hokage's office. It felt a little too easy for him but who was he to complain about such an easy test. It was probably his awesome skills anyway.
"I wonder where the scroll is" Naruto mused to himself. He'd been in the office plenty of times before visiting his jii-san. He began looking at the bookshelves searching for the scroll he wanted. He found a big one that seemed like what he wanted. He strapped the scroll to his back with some ninja wire and made his way to the door.
As he approached the door, the door opened and in stepped the Third Hokage.
"Naruto?" Sarutobi exclaimed, his eyes widening slightly. "What on earth are you doing here at this hour?"
Naruto panicked quickly and threw his hands together into a fast hand seal and exclaimed "Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy no Jutsu)!"
Naruto snickered to himself as he sat in the forest and opened the scroll he had. Man, I kicked ji-san's butt just now. He might as well just make me the Hokage.
He looked down at the scroll and looked at the first jutsu in the scroll intent on learning whatever jutsu it offered. Instantly, he groaned. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu). The one type of jutsu I struggle with. Whatever, let's do this."
The description in the scroll offered a quick synopsis of the jutsu. It seemed to Naruto that allowed the user to make solid clones which would dispel if hit hard. However, there was also a warning about the chakra needed and something called memory feedback which Naruto didn't understand. With that, Naruto set to learning his new jutsu.
An hour passed and Naruto found himself surrounded by 10 clones of himself. Slowly he reached out and poked one which responded by poking him back.
Naruto blinked and then let a wide grin grace his face. "YATTA! WE DID IT!" The clones and the original cheered. He quickly dispelled his clones. He got ready to turn and head back to Konoha when he heard a very familiar voice.
"Naruto! There you are!" Iruka exclaimed as he walked up to his student.
"Iruka-sensei! I found you! Hah!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Baka! I found you!" Iruka yelled as he punched Naruto on top of his head.
"Heh! I guess you did!" Naruto said excitedly. "I only had time to learn one jutsu".
He's been training. And really hard too. Iruka thought.
Meanwhile, Naruto was hopping back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Hey! So, if I can do this one jutsu I managed to learn, it means I pass right sensei? That's what Mizuki-sensei told me!"
Iruka's eyes widened as he realized what happened and as the familiar whizzing of kunai shooting his way. He shoved Naruto out of the way even as his arms and legs were impaled by kunai and shuriken.
"Mizuki" Iruka growled looking up into a tree.
"Haha! Iruka! You got here fast. You really do know the brat well" Mizuki laughed from his place on the branch. "I'll deal with you later." He turned his attention to Naruto. "Give the scroll to me Naruto."
Naruto stared back and forth between his two sensei. "What's going on? Mizuki-sensei?"
"Naruto! Do not give him that scroll!" Iruka yelled. "Mizuki used you to get his hands on the scroll. He's a liar and a traitor."
Mizuki let out a cruel laugh before leaning forward. "I'll tell you who's really lying here Naruto!"
Iruka's eyes widened. "No! Mizuki! Don't!"
Mizuki didn't so much as turn to acknowledge him. "After all, the village's been lying to you for twelve years! Didn't you wonder why the village treats you the way they do? Why they ignore you? Why they speak badly of you? I'll tell you why Naruto. You see, Naruto, the Yondaime didn't kill the Kyuubi. Instead, he sealed it into a newborn baby. The baby born on that day…"
Naruto began to tremble. He might not have been very bright or talented, but he did develop a keen ability to understand people and common sense from having to survive alone. And he finally understood everything.
I am a demon. That's why everyone hates me.
Naruto was so distracted by this revelation that he didn't realize that a large fuuma shuriken was flying his way. As he realized, he felt his muscles tense but then he hit the ground on his butt with Iruka kneeling above him with, the fuuma shuriken sticking out of his back.
"Why?" Naruto asked, voice cracking.
"Because we're the same. I was just like you when I was in the academy. I know the pain of not having anyone, the pain of loneliness. I'm sorry Naruto. I should've done more." Iruka said the pain from the fuuma shuriken lacing his voice.
"Don't lie to the demon Iruka" Came Mizuki's taunting voice. "After all, he's the monster that killed your parents."
Naruto's eyes widened and he responded to the new information in the best way he could. He grabbed the scroll and ran.
Naruto jumped through the trees as fast as he could, avoiding both of the chunin who were behind him a while ago.
"Naruto!"
Turning, the blond saw Iruka running close behind him. "Naruto! Mizuki was lying! He's just trying to confuse you! Give me the scroll so I can get it back to the Hokage."
Rather than listen, Naruto simply span and tackled Iruka knocking him out of the trees into the ground below.
"How? How did you know I'm not Iruka?" Iruka said as he grabbed his stomach and in a puff of smoke turned back into Mizuki.
Naruto simply smirked. "That's easy. Because I'm Iruka." He snickered a little as he collapsed at the base of a tree and reverted to himself.
Mizuki scowled at his former colleague. "Why are you protecting the demon Iruka? He's the reason your parents are dead. You know what's in his hands. He'll just use that scroll to destroy Konoha. That's what demons are like."
"You're right." Iruka said from his collapsed position breathing hard surprising Mizuki. "That is what demons are like.
Naruto, who was hiding behind a nearby tree, froze at the words. As the tears began to spill from his eyes, he thought, I knew it. Iruka-sensei thinks I'm a demon too. He hates me like the rest of them.
"But that's not what Naruto would do. Naruto isn't a demon. He's my proud student, a citizen and future ninja of Konoha, and I believe in his dream. Naruto Uzumaki is the future Hokage of Konoha! I acknowledge him!"
Instantly, Naruto's mood flipped. He had someone who acknowledged him. Iruka-sensei believed in him. Finally, someone besides the old man Hokage and the couple at his favorite ramen stand believed in him.
"You know Iruka, I was going to keep you for later. But, now, I think I'm just going to kill you here." Mizuki's voice, cold and bitter, drew Naruto from his thoughts. Mizuki drew a second fuuma shuriken and began to spin in preparing it to throw. Just as he prepared to let loose the shuriken, a blur of orange and yellow rammed into him knocking his arm wildly off course forcing the shuriken in a totally different direction.
"Don't even think about touching Iruka-sensei! I'll kill you if you do!" Naruto proclaimed hand in the air with a defiant grin.
"Hah! Stupid demon! I'm a chunin! You're not even good enough to be a genin!" Mizuki responded grinning like a madman.
"I'll show you! Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu(Multi-shadow clone jutsu)!"
Iruka and Mizuki stared as Naruto multiplied into hundreds of clones of himself, so many clones that there was almost more orange than green in the forest.
"What's wrong Mizuki-teme? I thought you were tough!" One of the clones from behind Mizuki yelled.
"Here we go!" yelled one to his right.
Then, all the clones shot off toward a very scared traitor.
Naruto smiled to himself and stood tall as he stared down at the bleeding pulp that had once been his former sensei.
"Maybe I overdid it a bit. Hehe." the blond said scratching the back of his head.
Incredible. Iruka thought to himself as he watched Naruto. I wasn't too serious earlier when I told Mizuki that Naruto was the future Hokage but with that just now, I'm starting to believe it.
"Naruto. Come here. I have something I need to give you." Iruka said.
Naruto sighed a little, apprehensive about what would happen, before walking over. "What's up Sensei?"
"Close your eyes Naruto".
Naruto closed his eyes and waited. He felt some Iruka remove his goggles and then felt some cloth tighten on his own forehead. "Okay Naruto. Open your eyes."
Immediately, Naruto opened his eyes and his hands flew to his forehead, feeling the cold metal and tracing the familiar grooves of the leaf symbol that he'd felt the times Iruka had let him one. Iruka was grinning proudly at him, holding the goggles in one hand.
"Congratulations Naruto! You graduated! How about we go and get some Ramen from Ichiraku to celebrate?"
Naruto smiled and looked down holding back tears of joy. Then, he tackled Iruka with a giant hug. "Thanks Iruka-sensei!"
"Ow! Naruto! Ow! That hurts!"
Iruka patted Naruto on the back as they entered the office of the old Hokage. "Come in Naruto. You too Iruka. Have a seat." Iruka and Naruto had gone to get ramen before coming to see the old Hokage, though Iruka had Naruto send a clone to deliver the Forbidden Scroll. However, Sarutobi still wished to talk to Naruto to make sure everything was fine and that there would be no problems.
"Well Naruto. Tell me what happened." He knew of course. But, the boy didn't need to know that.
Naruto relayed the story to his adopted grandfather, explaining in detail about how Mizuki tricked him into stealing the scroll, about learning the jutsu, and about learning about the Kyuubi. As the story progressed, Naruto became more quiet and downcast. And upon reaching the part about the Kyuubi –
"Ji-san. Is it true? That I'm…"
Sarutobi sighed and looked at the portrait of Minato that hung from the wall directly opposite of his seat and directly behind Naruto and Iruka.
"It is."
Naruto looked down, the tears flooding out of his eyes and down his face.
"So it's true. I am a demon."
This time, Iruka was the one that intervened. "No! You aren't a demon Naruto. You're the prison and the Kyuubi is your prisoner."
"Indeed" Sarutobi said. "If I were to seal a kunai into a scroll, would it become a kunai? No. The same thing applies to you."
Sarutobi glanced out at the village. "The Fourth, when he sealed the Kyuubi into you, wished that you'd be viewed as a hero by the village. But, people are scared. They don't understand sealing. They are unwilling to accept you because of that fear."
Naruto frowned. He understood what the old man was saying and it made sense in some twisted way. But, how I can I make the village acknowledge me? What should I do to make them respect me? But, I can do it. I'll become the Hokage still.
Naruto looked up at Sarutobi with a determined face. "I'll do it ojii-san. I'll make everyone in this village acknowledge me. I'll become the Hokage!"
Sarutobi smiled at the young boy for a little bit before adopting a sterner face. "I'm proud of you Naruto. That is a good dream. A great goal. But, if you want to become Hokage, you will have to work much harder than you have till now. You won't have time for pranks and you'll have to train and study much harder. Learn how to become a real shinobi. After all, the hokage is the strongest ninja in the village of course. More than the strongest though, he's the most knowledgeable and the most cunning."
"Huh. So, you're a pretty smart guy, ojii-san."
Sarutobi chuckled. "Do you know why I'm called 'The Professor'?"
Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Because you're smart?"
"I earned my title of "The Professor" because of my ability to read a battle field situation and my ability to fight. As I lived, I gained information from the many books I ready ranging from politics, to ninja theory, jutsu, and such. Such information is essential to becoming a Hokage. A Hokage must be smart as well as smart."
Naruto nodded eagerly, soaking up all the information the wise old Hokage was giving him.
"I'm sure tomorrow, Iruka would be willing to work with you and go over with you what you could work on." The Hokage turned expectantly to the chunin instructor.
"Of course! I'd be happy to help out! It's my job after all." Iruka said smiling towards Naruto and throwing him a thumbs up.
"In two days, you'll be assigned to a jonin sensei with three other genin. He'll be responsible for training the three of you. I expect you to follow what he says and learn well. Till, then get home and get rest. You too Iruka. Take care of those wounds."
Naruto smiled. "You got it ojii-san! I'll see you at 8 tomorrow Iruka sensei."
Iruka nodded to Naruto. "Hai Hokage-sama. See you."
The Hokage watched as the two left and relaxed. He pulled out his pipe and lit it. There. Minato. Kushina. Now, I hope Naruto is set on the path to becoming a ninja like both of you.
So, there you have it. The first chapter. For those of you who've read Shifts in Life, I'm sure you see the similarities. I promise the next chapters will be much more unique. I'll try to update ASAP. I also really recommend you check out The Engulfing Silences work. Be sure to review so I know what I can do better.