Nin·ja (nnj)

n. pl. ninja or nin·jas

A member of a class of 14th-century Japanese mercenary agents who were trained in the martial arts and hired for covert operations such as assassination and sabotage.

Chapter 1- Deception

In order to pass the Konoha Ninja Academy, one needed only to be able to use the three basic nin arts. First the henge or transformation technique. This allowed one to take on the image of anything the could imagine, the better the mental image, the better the henge. Second was the age old kawarimi or substitution. This allows one to avoid taking damage, by trading places with an object of their desire. Most tend to use a log, but any object you can create a link with will do. And the final technique is the bunshin, the clone technique. This allow the nin to create an illusionary double that help fool your opponent, leading to either escape or another technique strong enough to take out your target.

On his 9th birthday, Naruto Uzumaki entered the Ninja Academy. By his 10th, he knew the kawarimi roughly enough that he could dodge attacks 6 out of 10 time. By his 11th he had the kawarimi down as well as a normal genin and was beginning work with the henge. On his 12th year, he fail the graduation test for the first time, with a half assed henge and defunct bunshin. On his 13th he recreated the henge by accident and mastered his new technique which allowed physical change into the object of desire. Upon failing on his 13th year due to the bunshin technique being to overpowered, Naruto sought out a method to rein in his chakra. Without proper teaching, he had no way to learn the conventional control techniques and instead began to create his own control abilities. After blasting away yet another stone that he was lifting with his chakra in anger, he began to think. Contrary to what the village believed, the blonde jinchuriki was far from stupid. Ignorant in book knowledge yes, but he more than made up for that with pure ingenuity and insight. He was also wise with how the world worked, more so than any of his classmates were. And as he sat thinking, feeling his chakra, he stumbled upon an idea, an idea that would come to astound he mentors in the future.

Then as his 14th year ended, he managed two bunshin, but it still wasn't enough, his control wasn't where it needed to be for him to pass the test. Beaten and bothered, he sat alone thinking on how to improve his technique when his Sensei Mizuki offered him a way out.

_LOOK INTO THE ABYSS YOU FOOL_

Naruto grinned as the clone popped into existence beside him. He had done it faster than he expected to, learning the Kage bunshin in only an hour and a half. There was something familiar about the way the clone was formed that made it easy for him to figure it out. Looking around, he noted that his clone was sitting in front of the scroll, looking at it intently.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked his clone...'And now I'm talking to myself hehe'

The clone looked up with a wide grin. "Well boss, I got to thinking. If one jutsu allows you genin promotion, then two would surely bump you to chunin right." The logic was flawed and they both knew it, but the chance to learn another technique was too great.

And so Naruto unrolled the scroll, revealing it's entirety to the two blondes and they began to look over the techniques, hoping to find one that caught their interest.

"Hey boss how about this one, Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Says here that it's for skilled shinobi to summon various lifeforms when needed." The clone failed to read the entire description and thus when it was dispelled a few minutes later, it passed on partial information. Information Naruto should have read before attempting the technique.

_STAND ALONE ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD_

Naruto stared at Mizuki with wide eyes as he processed what his former teacher was telling him. The Kyuubi, the set up, the hate. It was as if he had lived a lie his whole life. In another life, Mizuki may have been a good teacher. In another life Iruka may have intervened in the fight. But in this life, Iruka had fallen to the first strike to his spine, forcing Naruto to flee with the scroll on his own. And Mizuki was able to follow the blonde unhindered.

And as he stood the frozen, Naruto never registered the Fuuma Shuriken heading his was, it was only when it got too close to dodge did his mind pick up on the flying death. And it was only because of his control technique that he was able to use kawarimi at the last second.

"Hahaha stupid demon couldn't even dodge. This is great, I've finally got my revenge, now I just need..." Mizuki was so caught up in his dark plans that he didn't notice the blonde until there was a ten of them in front of him.

"Yo sensei, your probably right. Maybe I was a demon in another life...who knows right. But what I do know is that you broke the law and tried to kill me." Naruto stated glaring at the silver haired nin.

"Oh what are you gonna do about it. You think you can intimidate me with a bunch of weak ass clones. 10 times 0 is still 0 you idiot!" Mizuki launched seven kunai, faster than most could dodge and was awarded with several plumes of smoke. "See that demon, you and your clones are nothing!"

Naruto's face was shadowed by the smoke, and because of it, Mizuki never noticed the smile. Never noticed the clones he thought he hit reappearing behind him, from a well placed substitution. The clones where angry that much could be seen, pissed that their former teacher tried to kill them and pissed that he constantly called them demon. Of the seven, three transformed into blades, slightly longer than a kunai, but not long enough to be daggers. Three of the remaining for grabbed the blades, while the last positioned himself behind Mizuki.

"Mizuki-sensei let me tell you something. My name is Naruto Uzumaki Future Shinobi of Konoha!" Naruto's face twisted into a fierce glare as he raised his arm. "You want a demon so bad, then go meet some in HELL!" He jerked his arm down, giving his clones the okay to attack.

The two clones still beside him sprung into action, charging at the man with speed he didn't expect. The twin power hits to the gut knocked him backwards and into the grip of the clone behind him. Before he could utter a single word in surprise, the three armed clones ended his life with a blade to his stomach and two in his chest.

Naruto looked down at the corpse, feeling slightly detached even as one of his clones tied the scroll to it's back. He knew he would kill, it was in the job description, but he never imagined it would leave him feeling so empty, so...he couldn't describe it, but taking a life was something he would never get used to, he vowed that. Looking at the body again, he reached down, ripped Mizuki's hitai-ate off and with a bit of his blood, he wrote the man's name on the metal plate. A reminder that he had to do what was needed. Turning from the corspe he set off, his clones in formation all around him, the one with the scroll in the center of them. Pausing at the edge of the clearing, the Naruto's looked back at the body and nodded once before leaving.

_DARE TO PLAY A GAME OF CHANCE_

Naruto blinked as an Anbu squad surrounded him. "Uzumaki-kun you are hereby ordered to report to the council chambers." Naruto nodded before turning to the clones carrying Iruka.

"Take him to the hospital, then head back to the house." Naruto stated as the clone with the scroll handed it over. "Alright I'm ready." Naruto stated to the black ops nin.

The Anbu placed a hand on his shoulder and with a pulse of chakra, shunshin'd them to the Hokage Tower, just outside the council chambers. The door was closed, but Naruto could hear voices calling out. Several times he heard mention of demon, which annoyed him to no end, but he pushed the anger down. No use getting in more trouble for yelling at the council. Taking a deep breathe Naruto pushed open the door and walked in as the room went silent. In the minute of silence that passed, Naruto managed to get what he assumed was a decent read on the occupants. The first read was on the members of the civilian council...most likely involved because he had yet to be made a nin. Most of them were nonchalant, not caring in the slightest about the situation going on, they were merchants they only made an appearance because the Hokage called them. Three of them however were different, being heads of spcific divisions in the village. He knew Haruno Mebuki by reputation. Retired nin, head of the civilian library, and what she and the other nin mothers coined The Allied Mothers Force. He knew she hated him and resented the fox, but the look on her face as she stared at him only showed indifference, not quite contempt. Next was the two he was sure was calling him demon, the look of disgust on their face as they glared at him said it all. The first was Genji Kotaro the Head of the Estates Department and in Naruto's opinion a total ass. He was the main reason Naruto was the tenant of the dinky apartment in the red light district. Last was Wabisuke Jinnouchi, Head of the Civilian Academy, someone Naruto disliked with a passion.

On the other side was a group of people Naruto knew by association with his classmates. The clan heads, Inuzuka Tsume, Hyuuga Hiashi, Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Chouza, Yamanaka Inoichi, Nara Shikaku. All six were looking at him with indifference, though mostly they looked bored, the Nara head was even snoring lightly. Looking towards the Hokage, he noted the two advisers alternately glaring at him and the Hokage, who had a plain look on his face as he stared at the blonde. Standing against the wall in a corner was Shimura Danzo, a man Naruto had met only once, when he was younger.

All of this took no more that three seconds. During which Naruto had continued walking and was heading towards the Hokage's seat. The council member stared at the boy as he walked, each waiting to hear what was said.

Naruto paused before the wizened and bowed. "Hokage-sama. I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused you tonight."

The Hokage's face stayed neutral even as he pulled out his pipe and lit it. Taking a slow drag from it, he gestured with his hand, summoning two Anbu members.

"Return the scroll to my office and double the guard until I arrive, none may enter." The Anbu nodded, took the scroll from Naruto and vanished as silently as they entered. "Now on to pressing matters. Uzumaki Naruto you have been summoned here for charges of treason, however in light of the situation, we shall hear you side of the story before issuing punishment."

Naruto let out an unnoticeable sigh as his body shuddered into a standing position. Looking the Hokage in the eyes he opened his mouth and began his tale.

"Upon failing the graduation test, I was confronted by Mizuki who lead me to believe that there was another test to become genin. I was instructed to steal the large scroll hidden in the Hokage's office by 21:00 and learn a technique from it before he arrived at 21:45. Shortly after succeeding in learning the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, I was found by Iruka-sensei who after a moment explained that I had been tricked into stealing our villages prized possession. During our conversation, Iruka-sensei was assaulted by several kunai and shuriken, taking multiple shots to his back and one to the spine. As he fell, he instructed me to take the scroll and run. I managed to out run Mizuki for a moment, but he caught up in no time. His first words to me was an offer for power in the hands of another, when I refused, he revealed the...um my burden." As he said those words, his hand unconsciously gripped his jacket over the seal.

With his eyes cast down, he missed the sympathetic looks shot to him from around the room.

"After that, he proceeded to attack me as I was distracted, which I managed to avoid with a well timed kawarimi. While he was preoccupied with gloating, I managed to summon several kage bunshin and employed the kawarimi and henge to...dispatch Mizuki. After which I returned to Iruka, who had passed out from blood loss and returned to the village."

Silence enveloped the room as the council processed the new information. The Shinobi council was slightly surprised. If Narutp was to be believed, then he took down a veteran chunin with basic ninjutsu. I mean sure the Kage bunshin was an advance form of the clone, but it was still virtually worthless for an academy student with zero training
The civilians, however, took it upon themselves to begin grumbling lowly to each other. The words passed around were whispered, but eventually even that went out the window, when one of the spoke up.

"Hokage-sama we call for his immediate arrest, for stealing village property and minor acts of treason, with a sentence of at least 5 years." Genji Kotaro stated, his eyes staring at Naruto as if he was filth.

Tsume growled lightly. "What the hell kind of bullshit do you think your pulling!" Her hands slammed against the table, startling more than a few of the civilians.

"Inuzuka-san, we are simply doing what's best for the village. I can assure you that before we arrived for this meeting, more than a few of my fellow villagers were beginning to show signs of panic." Genji spoke. "The last thing we need now is civil unrest. Locking up the...boy... is simply a way of keeping things at ease."

"You lying dirty assho...!" Tsume began.

"ENOUGH!" The Hokage's words cut through the room like a blade, freezing everyone and silencing the area. "While I do agree that it is a bit extreme, no one is above the law. This is not the first time an instructor has tricked a student and I don't believe it will be the last. However I cannot and will not excuse the incident. Uzumaki Naruto you are to report to my office in immediately for details of your punishment. Dismissed."

_TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET IF ONE OF THEM DIES_

Naruto scowled at the ceiling of his cell as he laid on his bed. Moments after his meeting with the Hokage, he was allowed home, to instruct his clones on their duties and what he wanted to experiment with, before being whisked away to Konoha's maximum security prison with chakra suppressant seals placed on his wrist and back. Lying against the bed as he had been for the past hour, he thought back to the meeting with the Hokage.

-FlashBack

"Naruto my boy..." Sarutobi started, but the dejected look in Naruto's eyes sent a stab of pain through him. "I...I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I had hoped to tell you myself when you became a genin, but things never seem to go as planned with you do they."

Naruto snorted lightly. "Life's to long for things to be easy. I understand what you wanted to happen, but I can't help but be mad."

"You have every right to be... however this isn't what I wanted to speak with you on. I know you've been through a lot and you have passed the 'requirements' you former academy teacher set for your...unique... exam. However I wish to administer my own exam." Sarutobi laced his fingers and rested his head on his hands. "In one week all of the graduates will be put into teams, if you want to be apart on one of those teams, then you need to complete this exam by then.
"Your mission is as such, you are to infiltrate Konoha's Maximum Security prison and seek truth to the rumors of corruption. With your unique ability with the henge and your...secondary chakra source you should have no problem with bypassing the seals we have in place. We are the only two who will know about your entrance into the prison, you will be going under the cover of a henge, I trust you can maintain it long enough to be processed?"

Naruto nodded, his eyes blank, his face expressionless. "Hai Hokage-sama. One question, what is my cover?"

The Hokage took a puff of his pipe and stared at the boy. "I understand that you learned the kage bunshin tonight correct? And I believe you sent nine of them to your apartment. Firstly, you will be going under the cover of someone out to kill Uzumaki Naruto and you will set fire to your apartment, my anbu will arrest you and have you in the prison within an hour. Secondly, your clones are to report to my lodging, I'll show you a secret with the clones while you're on your mission. When you return, I will have your apartment renovated and ready for you. Is that understood?"

Naruto nodded. "Hai Hokage-sama, I accept this mission." Naruto henged, becoming a middle-aged man with dark blue hair and violet eyes. His whisker marks were replaced with various scars and his skin paled considerably. "Well then 'okage-sama, 'm off ta silence our res'dent deamon. By 'ur leave."

So here's chapter one of this story. It will be a team seven story. Next chapter will focus on Sasuke up to graduation and how small changes effect his choices. Hope you guys like it, I'll try to post frequently. Happy Late New Years.

Rase Out