disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.
This is something I decided to write on a lark as I untangle the story threads of my Naruto/Nanoha crossover fic.
warning: OOC (due to his changed upbringing) and bordering on uber-Naruto (but he'll remain humble) inside. There may be a little bashing and out-of-canon moments, and it may be crack, but I'll try to make it coherent crack.
You'll have an inkling as to who the Master is when you read the title, and be absolutely sure who it is when you read the last sentence. Enjoy.
Naruto: Moeagare Toushi
Chapter One: Sunrise
"You have done well, child."
They were the words his Master had said before he handed him a headband. A headband with a metal protector on it, the front carved with several curved lines, forming a whirpool.
"That is a part of your family's legacy. Now that you have finished training under this school and myself, you are now fit to reclaim the rest of it."
"B-b-but Master, where do I begin?"
"Your journey's first stop will be Konohagakure - your birthplace. Farewell!"
With a wave of his hand, he was gone, galloping into the horizon on his faithful steed. Just like that.
He had remembered his Master's first appearance, wandering into a festival on a white horse.
He remembered the anger of the townsfolk, and their fear upon seeing the slightest glimpse of the man's fearsome power.
Before he knew it, he was taking the same journey as this man, walking his path and learning from him.
And now, he had made it - they were now theoretically equals. This didn't enlarge his ego, though, because the boy knew that he had a long way to in terms of actual fighting experience to keep up with his Master.
He smiled, wiped a tear or two from his cheek with a sleeve, picked up his bag, and decided to start his own journey from that point on.
After several weeks of travel, he had finally arrived: there they were - the gates of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Konohagakure.
After eight years of apprenticeship, he had been deemed by his esteemed Master to return home, his training completed. While he might not have borne the mark that was the incontrovertible proof of his mastery, he did not need to, as there was one within him that had known - and respected - the journey taken to reach this point.
The boy smiled as he remembered the victories and defeats, the trials and tribulations, and the lessons about life, the universe and everything in between that he learned from his Master. It was several days after his twelfth birthday that he finally achieved the heretofore impossible: the Succession Technique of his esteemed Master's school.
Walking with a calm, graceful gait towards the entrance, he whistled a long-forgotten melody about battle, preparation, and victory.
After what he had been through, he felt confident that he would be well-prepared for any and every surprise in the future. Why not, because he was, after all, trained by the best.
The two Chunin at the gates didn't quite understand what to make of the boy about to enter the village.
He looked about the age of a newbie genin, but carried himself with a calm confidence they only saw in those of higher rank. His outfit was also a strange mix of styles: a worn ninja vest over a gray shirt, an orange sash tied at the waist, dark purple silk pants, and kung-fu shoes. Strangest of all was that he was wearing the forehead protector of the Village Hidden in the Whirpool, a hidden village that was thought to have been wiped off the map in a prior Ninja World War when opposing villages unleashing forces of nature were part and parcel of ninja combat.
"Name and business here in Konoha?" one of the Chunin asked.
"I come to meet with the Third Hokage. My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
When Naruto had been ushered into the Third Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen at first did not know what to say about the boy - no, young man - standing before him.
The incident during Naruto's fourth birthday had shown that even after several years, fear and hatred still reigned among the populace.
What was worse was that someone had actually organized a surgical strike against the boy - creating a diversion for the ANBU guarding him to leave his side, and then take that opportunity to attack.
They would have succeeded, if not for a traveling martial artist seeing them - and blowing all of the boy's assailants away in a single move.
The master had thus volunteered to take custody of the boy for seven to ten years, by which he would teach the young Uzumaki Naruto how to defend himself, should he run into the same situation once more.
And now, the very same Uzumaki Naruto walked into the door of his office, changed by his travels with this unknown master of the fighting arts.
"Hokage-sama," Naruto began, bowing respectfully to the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
"Naruto-kun. It has been so long."
"Eight years and two weeks, to be precise, Hokage-sama."
"How have you been?"
"Pretty good so far, sir," Naruto replied, smiling. "My Master had said that I had exceeded his expectations, which is why I have come here a full year earlier than we both had expected."
"And you wear the forehead protector of Whirpool?"
"I wear it in my Mother's memory. My Master had given it to me when I had finished my studies with him."
"That is plausible," Sarutobi answered. "Now that you have returned to Konoha, I'm at a loss to what your intentions are."
"My Master was given secrets about me that even now I am not privileged to - I shall offer Konoha whatever I can in exchange for that information."
"Very well," the Hokage answered. "Do you have any plans of attending the Ninja Academy?"
"Of course, Hokage-sama," Naruto answered. "Training with my Master only focused on what you call taijutsu. Some of our more... esoteric feats can be classified as ninjutsu or genjutsu as well, but my Master had insisted I learn all about being a ninja. After all, 'the horizon of the East is infinite'."
"Hmm," the Hokage said, taking a puff on his tobacco pipe, "the Academy's class in your age group will take their graduation examination in six weeks. Do you think that would be enough time for you to catch up?"
"I'll do what I can, Hokage-sama. After all, a genin who knows only Taijutsu serves under you, does he not?"
"Well put, Naruto-kun... well-put. And as to that protector of yours..."
"Oh," Naruto replied, untying the band's knot and returning it to a vest pocket. "It seems I can only wear it when I have passed the Academy here, Hokage-sama. I apologize if it seemed impertinent."
"No, no need to apologize, Naruto-kun. I have had a unit in an apartment building downtown reserved for your arrival. It's not that opulent, but..."
"You've done more than you think, Hokage-sama. This is more than enough for my return," Naruto said, bowing low in thanks.
"You can pay it back by doing your best in your studies and your ninja career."
"I shall, and I give you much thanks," Naruto said, standing up straight and bowing once more before turning to leave.
"You forgot your keys, Naruto-kun."
"Oh! My mistake," Naruto answered, going over to the Hokage and respectfully bowing after being handed over the keys to his new home in Konoha.
"I shall head to the Academy first thing tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I shall take a tour of town, Hokage-sama."
"All right."
And as the boy bowed again before leaving (and closing the door behind him, to boot!) the Third Hokage smiled. I'm sure he can look after himself... after all, it is truly rare for someone with such a heroic legacy as Naruto to be trained by someone like the Undefeated of the East...
Chapter 1 - END
afterword: And there you have it, the start of a Naruto-trained-by-Master-Asia fic. Yeah, he'll be absurdly broken, but not to current-manga-Sasuke-levels. Think of a much more soft-spoken Domon Kasshu, that's how Naruto will be portrayed.
And "Moeagare Toushi" comes from the title of the G-Gundam BGM whenever Shining Gundam goes into Super Mode: "Moeagare Toushi: Ima wa Shiki Shukumei wo Koete". A rough translation would be "Overcome Destiny with Burning Fighting Spirit".
(No, as of right now, I don't intend for Master Asia to appear in this fic, except during flashbacks. The guy could take on the Narutoverse by himself and win by a landslide.)
p.s. Mobile Fighter G-Gundam isn't mine as well.