Ok. Complete new story here because I can't think of what to write for my other one which I will continue. That's a promise. This is a story including one of my favourite characters; Ryuuzetsu. As such, it will be a Naruto x Ryuuzetsu pairing but will start from a younger perspective. If ya want to read a different story including Ryuuzetsu, then check out "Master of the Shadow clones", a good story by itself but, with Ryuuzetsu it really gets ya (quietly sobbing).

I don't own Naruto. If I did, Naruto would meet Ryuuzetsu when he was a child with Jaraiya travelling the world.

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Kyuubi"

Small Summary: It has been five years since the Kyuubi attack on the village Hidden in the leaves; Konoha. 10th October is the date today.

-Hokage's office-

"You're sure about this Naruto. Being outside the walls by yourself is dangerous, especially for a child. I know your four and very grown up; sort of. Are you sure you don't want someone with you as protection? What about ANBU Inu (dog), you two are like brothers when he's off duty?" Spoke Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage.

"I know that Jiji but it's MY training and mine only because I want to get stronger by myself. Even in the Academy, I will train by myself before and after hours" stubbornly retorted Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze.

Hiruzen is wearing a white and red cloak covering his body up to his neck. His chin is covered by a small beard and lips are covered by a small moustache. Adorning the top of his head is a pointed-tipped hat half white, half red. Dark eyes, some wrinkles due to being in his 50's and a straight nose.

Naruto is NOT wearing that horrible orange crap they call clothes. Seriously, I'm surprised he lived past his 12th birthday (clears throat). No. Instead he wears a pair of dark ninja pants that are baggy around his short legs with pockets on the sides for small weaponry and taped from the ankle to his knee. A dark blue shirt with mesh underneath, tightly rapped to his small frame to show his already well toned figure for a young man with dark green linings with long sleeves and tape wrapped from his wrist to his elbow's and finally, a silver/ white coloured coat that goes to his mid thigh. A collar that protects the sides and back of his neck; steel coated for protection.

And a pair of black, mid-calve Shinobi boots that were steal plated and the bandana that his father wore on his left bicep, as did Naruto.

"Very well, you're a stubborn young man, your father would be proud. Not just as the Fourth, but as a determined ninja. So is I. Alright then you may train outside the village but there will be a squad of ANBU who you know, placed around your training grounds just in case. Far enough to help in an instant, but also far enough to not sneak-a-peak on your training OK" Hiruzen said in finality.

"Yeah that's cool" smiled and started to walk out the office; but not without a smile.

-20 minutes later, Naruto's apartment, bedroom-

"Alright, now to get out of here before the festival starts. Damn civilian bastards" the young blonde spat in disgust. He couldn't figure out why the civilian's didn't understand that he's the seal and not the kunai inside it. All the ninja understood, from Genin the Elite Jounin. Heck, even the Academy students understood that he's the seal and not the weapon sealed inside. No, the civilian's just had to be idiots, always looking at him in disgust, whispering for him to die however, there are some who liked him. Mr Ichiraku and his daughter Ayame are always kind to him, always smiling when he enters, acting like a family.

He went to his bathroom, washed his face. Bright blue eyes with a slit instead of a pupil. A small nose due to his age, three whiskers on both cheeks and a small chin on a round but toned face for a five year old. His golden blonde hair with two spiky bangs covering his ears which have very slight points. A pony-tail reaching his mid-back, able to hurt if directly swung at bare skin, and streaks of silver running through his hair; a handsome young man. Definitely his father's son, but with mothers funny, immature and cheeky attitude but deadly all the same. Two Wakizashis strapped to his hips, both two feet long.

Two weeks he would be gone for, training like a madman. He wanted to, no, needed to if he was to become strong; he would not stop training for a single day. Not until he's able to protect all of his precious people.

"Time to get my stuff and go" he spoke quietly before heading back to his bedroom, grabbing his kunai, shuriken, and scrolls with food for a month; he is a growing child after all. He needs to eat is he wants to get to his fathers staggering 6'2 in height.

He at the moment was about 4'7, 4'8 and lean muscle build for a five year old but he wasn't normal. No chance. He trained every day. Push-ups, sit-ups and door-lifts (lifting himself up on his door frame) after he woke up, read through his fathers note's on seals and techniques after breakfast. Went to the 'Forest of death' for four hours for stealth; lunch after that and then reading his mother's note's for an hour. After that he went to 'Training ground seven' for four hours working on Taijutsu, Kenjutsu, and Nin jutsu and Genjutsu. He is a very determined child. Went back to his apartment for tea including vegetables, meat, bread and rice and mixed it up every night but, every Wednesday he went to Ichiraku's for dinner to spend time with his surrogate family.

"Double checked everything, seal's are in place to stop anyone form getting in, and weapon's and food accounted for. Awesome!" he shouted before leaving his small apartment. "Three more years until I can live in the family compound. Just three more years" he said before jumping onto the closest roof before running towards the front gate where the ever-present combo of Izumo and Kotetsu gate guards, his surrogate brothers.

The story of how these three met went a bit like this:

Flashback no Jutsu – nine months. Naruto's age - Four years and three months old.

Izumo and Kotetsu were walking to the Hokage's office to give in their daily report of who came in and who went out the infamous gates of Konoha. They were walking past Naruto's apartment complex when they smelled blood coming from the alley that held the bins for the renter's of apartments to throw their rubbish.

What they saw angered them beyond belief. Naruto was being punched, kicked, and stabbed once or twice with a piece of glass that now was stuck into his left shoulder, about two inches above his heart. The puncture bleeding profusely while his left arm looked broken, his right eye bleeding as well as nose and mouth. His clothes ripped and tattered like an old rag from a meat grindery.

The two high Chuunin rushed in a second later, grabbing the civilians and throwing them in the wall while exerting their chakra for the ANBU to appear.

"What happened" asked a Lion masked ANBU. "Naruto-Kun" shouted another as she rushed over to the beating, bleeding and half-living boy. Her long purple hair swaying as she did. Picking up the boy, she immediately started to heal his shoulder while removing the glass slowly as to not upset his broken shoulder anymore then it already was.

"ANBU Lion sir, we suspect that Naruto was taking his rubbish down here as he usually does on a Tuesday evening and was jumped by this group of people. We were walking to give in our report when we smelled blood coming from this alleyway. We were walking this way because we usually help him because sometimes he can't reach that's when we discovered him like this and acted immediately by removing the civilians from continuing their attack on Naruto" spoke Kotetsu.

Kotetsu was wearing a pair of black pants with tape around his calves. A grey shirt under his High-Chuunin flack jacket. A sharp face with dark eyes, bandaging across his nose and around his neck. Dark blue spiky hair with two bangs over his ears and a pair of blue Shinobi boots. His Hiti-ate around his forehead keeping his spiky hair from going into his eyes.

Izumo wore the same as Kotetsu except his boots were grey. He also had a sharp face, his chin covered by a small face mask and his Hiti-ate as a bandana covering his hair except for a piece that covered his right eye with another covering his left ear. His eyes, a dark brown.

"Very well, we shall take the civilians to Hokage-Sama while you two and Cat take Naruto to the hospital and guard him till he is all ok again. Clear?" Lion asked

"Yes sir" was the reply he got from Kotetsu, Izumo and Cat.

Flashback no Jutsu Kai – Present, Konoha gates.

"Hi Kotetsu, Izumo. How are you guys?" asked the young blonde while walking over to give his surrogate brothers a hug each. "Were alright Otouto (little brother), where are you heading off to" asked Izumo. "I'm going on a two week training trip so I won't see you guys for a while. Don't worry I got weapons, food and seal's so I'll be fine and before you ask yes, I already have Jiji's approval"

"Well that's always good. Just sign here and you can go" said Kotetsu handing Naruto the sign in and out sheet. "Done. See ya guys in two weeks" Naruto shouted, running off into the forest with a group of ANBU following him just seconds behind.

-Three days later, four miles North West of Konoha-

"Damn. I'm tired" slurred Naruto before falling to the ground exhausted, sweating excessively and very hungry. "Wow Naruto-Kun, you worked really hard today. Again. The others are starting to get jealous because of how hard your work scheme is" spoke a woman's voice from a tree in front of Naruto.

"Yeah well, if I want to get strong then I have to train hard everyday" the blonde spoke back "And besides Yugao-chan, just because I work hard doesn't mean you should stop no does is it" Naruto said teasingly to the long purple haired ANBU woman "That's it Naru-kun, you asked for it" spoke Yugao before pouncing on Naruto and began tickling him "Ah Yugao-chan that tickles. Ahahahaha. Stop it" giggled the blonde as the tickling assault continued "Not until you say I work harder and am sexy" spoke teasingly did Yugao while grinning "Never!" Naruto shouted defiantly.

This continued for the next three minutes with the other ANBU making bets on who would give out first.

"Ok ok ok. Yugao-chan you win. You do work hard and you are sexy. Now stop tickling me Ahahahaha" giggled the young boy as Yugao stopped her tickling as three ANBU groaned about loosing the bet while the other three cheered for Yugao.

"You see Naru-kun, wasn't that hard now was it" Yugao said while slightly panting from tickling Naruto so much, "Whatever, I let you win" he said before running off while being chased by Yugao and as such, this happened for the next three hours with Yugao chasing Naruto. Until… Yugao finally caught Naruto

"Good try Naruto-kun, but not good enough yet" she said flirtingly as she got up from straddling Naruto. His cheeks red as a tomato.

-Week one finished, week two, first day start. Sunrise-

"Ah, that was a good sleep" Naruto said while stretching his body to release the tense muscles. "Now for some breakfast" he stated while getting out of his tent. What surprised his was that Yugao aka ANBU Cat was standing there with her team.

"Naruto-kun, were leaving to go and get the other ANBU team. Be good while we gone ok and also, its Kakashi's team" she whispered to him before kissing his forehead then leaving while putting her mask back on.

"Meh, breakfast is more important then waiting Kakashi's team" he stated while going over to his fire, lighting with a match, grabbing a scroll and putting some soup into it.

"Now hat to do today..." he never finished. 'What was that' he thought 'should I check it out'… "There it is again" three seconds went passed and another scream hit his ears.

"That's a girl's scream. It's not Yugao's because she went in the other direction. "Better check it out" he said before grabbing his coat and putting it on while grabbing a food pill and swallowing it before rushing of North as to where the scream resonated from.