A Story That Inspired Greatness

by G1Park

Story that shows why promises must always be kept and why it's important to never give up. This is the story how Naruto would become Hokage. And like the title says, this is the story that inspired greatness.

A STORY THAT INSPIRES GREATNESS

I Don't Own Naruto

Once upon a time I, a small orphaned blonde, walked the streets of Konoha. Loneliness and pain etched upon my young face. Not understanding why I deserved such a pitiful life, I looked up to the skies and shouted, "Why! What did I do to deserve this?" But even yelling at Kami with all of my passion wouldn't provide a response. As I continued to stare into the heavens, my eyes focused upon the Hokage monument. I bet they didn't suffer like I did. After all, they are the most respected ninjas of the village. Then I widened my eyes in realization and smacked myself at what I thought of. The Hokage didn't suffer like I did. They were respected and loved by all the villagers. The silent chant of, 'I will become Hokage,' filled my impressionable mind and my eyes gathered a strong glint of determination. I quickly made my way to the Hokage monument and climbed up the mountain. Panting and wheezing, I stood up straight and closed my eyes as a slight breeze blew by and refreshed my unfortunate soul. Then I took a giant breath, opened my eyes, and proceeded to shout at the top of my lungs, "ONE OF THESE DAYS, I SWEAR I WILL BECOME HOKAGE." And then all of the villagers would have to acknowledge my existence. I made a promise to myself and to the rest of the villagers; I would become the Hokage. Mark my words, I always keep my promises.

Resolved with my new nindo, I scratched my blonde hair and pondered over my current situation. Even though I would get recognition when I became Hokage, I still didn't receive any attention at the moment. Plus, I knew that being Hokage meant to be the number one ninja of the entire village and would require a lot of hard work to accomplish. Coming up with the most ingenious plan that a seven-year-old mind can come up with, I decided I would play pranks on everyone. I would have everyone's attention one way or the other and I also had a vague idea that setting up traps is something a ninja did. So with a foxy grin on my face, I spent the next few years pranking anyone and everyone I could while trying my best to train my body and qualify for admittance to the ninja academy. Even with my success into entering the academy, I failed to shine as a great ninja. In fact, the term dobe was attached to my name as I suffered through the years in the academy, despite all the effort I put into my training. Through some miracle and disbelief of my fellow students, I managed to pass and take the first step in having a career as a ninja. Excited that I had a team I can socially attach myself to, I quickly accepted my teammates as my family regardless of their faults and quirks. I didn't like my sensei at first, after all, he was a pervert but I couldn't deny that he was an outstanding jounin and could claim to be one of the best ninjas of the village. My male teammate was a bit of an arrogant stiff that pissed me off in ways I couldn't handle, but I secretly looked up to him as an inspiration to become better. My male teammate was the academy's number one student and was quickly making himself known as the number one rookie gennin of Konoha. I was also quite pleased to know that my female teammate was a very beautiful kunoichi with an unusual hair color and a brilliant mind. The only thing that irked me about her was her unhealthy infatuation for my other teammate. And for my sake, please don't tell her any of this, because I will tell all of you guys now; not all women are weak. Her punches hurt.

After awhile of service to Konoha as a gennin, I rapidly grew in skill and talent as a ninja because I finally received proper guidance through my sensei. Recognizing my potential, the Hokage agreed to me receiving solitary training. The Hokage granted my sensei, the Toad Hermit, a three year training trip away from Konoha. Saddened to leave my village, but determined to grow stronger, I agreed as well to the training trip. "I have promises to keep, and I will become Hokage." That's what I said before my white-haired sensei and I left the village with the purpose of returning stronger than ever. After three years of hardship and learning, both for the student and the teacher, we returned to Konoha as new people. The bond we formed with each other amplified our training and we pushed each other beyond what our limits would allow us. With war edging around the corner, Konoha would never know how grateful they should be to us. But that's okay; a Hokage protects the village without expecting anything in return. Throughout my ninja career, I formed many friendships and supporters through my sheer will and determination. Amazed at what I could accomplish regardless of the odds and how impossible my goals were, my friends and supporters gave me the strength to move forward and push myself in the following years of war. Fighting battle after battle, my strength and reputation grew. I was finally being acknowledged. Walking through the streets of Konoha, I was finally receiving looks of gratitude and admiration. The first day that I realized the positive stares were directed towards me, I couldn't stop smiling. It took years and years of hardship and training, but it was all worth it. No longer was I alone and no longer did I live with the constant pain that loneliness brought.

Before I had a successful career as a shinobi, I was fighting alone in an uphill battle against life. Back then I was barely managing to stay alive. Now, I have the love and support from the people around me and life is no longer a war. I have friends and precious people to thank for that. So I renewed my vigor to keep my promise of becoming Hokage and protecting my loved ones. I would take the hardest of missions, and successfully complete all of them. I lead teams after teams with the two goals in my mind: Complete the mission and make sure everyone on my team returned to get paid. I protected all my friends and defeated all my enemies. I trained harder than ever to become stronger than the strongest. I woke up every morning and went to sleep every night with a single thought, 'I am the ninja that will become Hokage.' So when the Hokage, at the age of fifty-five, declared retirement to all of Konoha, the search for the next Hokage brought me the chance to fulfill my life-long goal. I was nominated as a candidate, but I wasn't a very favored prospect in the eyes of the village council of elders. My rival for the position was far more knowledgeable and was overall a better ninja than I was. It was believed that I was far too young and unpredictable to make responsible decisions and my services to lead teams into war and missions were too valuable to lose. But I kept my head straight, continued with my missions, stayed steady in my training, and waited for the decision.

Then one day, I was called into a meeting held by the Hokage and the council. The Hokage addressed me and said, "You're probably wondering why we called you in here. I know you have a short attention span so I'll get straight to the point. The council and I have finally reached a decision and we would like to congratulate you on your promotion."

Being the idiot I was, all I could say was, "Huh?"

Now smiling, the Hokage said, "You finally did it. Your dream is no longer a dream but a reality. Lead this village well, and may the village flourish under your rule, Hokage-dono."

Surprise engraved upon my face. I was the Hokage? How did I become Hokage when a better candidate was available? The now ex-Hokage plainly said I had an immaculate reputation and the heart of a true leader. While the other candidate was older, wiser, and stronger, he didn't have the heart that could lead Konoha.

So here I was, the orphan troublemaker who now achieved the highest position in Konoha. The next few days after that was a daze, as the village prepared for my inauguration ceremony. The only thing that I could remember during that time was right after the ceremony. The Hyuuga Hiashi, the Hyuuga clan's head leader, came up to me followed by all of the respected ninjas of the village. Then he said something that I will never forget and caused me to make a vow to give everything I had to protect Konoha. He said, "Hokage-sama, congratulations on your promotion. We, the ninjas of Konoha, petitioned for you to become Hokage. We are a village full of ninjas and our jobs are to protect our home. We do not need the strongest and smartest ninja as Hokage. We need a ninja who we would willingly follow into death as Hokage. We wanted you to be our Hokage. May your time as Hokage be long and prosperous." This brought tears to my eyes as I saw Konoha's greatest ninjas bow in respect for me. Finally, my acknowledgement was complete.

So that is how I became Hokage. I can't stress enough how important it is to never give up. As long as you try, and try even harder after that, you can accomplish anything. In my youth, I had many doubters and many people who told me to give up. They told me I was worth nothing. People told me that I could never become Hokage; it wasn't my fate and destiny. What people say is true, fate and destiny exists. We will become what we will become. Just make sure you become what you decide to become. Never. Give. Up. Decide your own fate and make your destiny. Life is hard and nothing of importance can be just given to you. Make goals and dreams that are impossible; that way, you'll never stop growing. Plus, when you finally attain your goals and make your dreams into reality, it will be that much sweeter and you'll never have regrets. Anyone can do anything; some will have to try harder than others, but in the end even an orphan and a dobe like me can become Hokage.

Story Break and Author Change

Hello everyone, my name is Jiraiya, the GREAT TOAD SENNIN. I know I have a reputation in writing in a different genre, but I hope people will give this book a chance and share this with others. What you read above was written by that hyperactive, blonde brat who was my greatest student. Yes, I was his sensei on that three-year long training trip. He wrote what you read above as his inspirational speech for those at the orphanage and students in the ninja academy. In fact, the first things he did when he became Hokage were return to the orphanage and academy to give that speech. He always remembered where he came from and always tried to give back more than he needed to. The reason that I'm writing this book is to finish his story. His story is a true heroic story that not even a fictional story could compare to.

He grew up abandoned and alone. No one deserved a childhood like his, but despite his tragic background, he persevered and became the greatest of the Hokages. Armed with only his willpower and his heart, he went from a boy with no chance of becoming a successful ninja to a man who became the village's number one ninja. He would selflessly put others safety before his and gave hope to all, even the hopeless. He changed people with a single meeting and turned even the hardest of killers into one of the most faithful protectors. With all of his impossible accomplishments, he turned his harshest critics into hypocrites. The single-most incredible talent he had was he didn't understand how to stop. He never gave up in whatever he did and made the impossible possible. In fact, he once single-handedly decimated an army of a thousand ninjas by himself. You can call me crazy, but I think defeating an army of a thousand ninjas is impossible. Good thing for Konoha that idiot student of mine doesn't think so.

His time as Konoha's Hokage was great but much too short. As you all know, the Kyuubi was released somehow even when most thought the demon no longer existed. Facing the Kyuubi, our village stood no chance upon its rage and we suffered many losses. It was over; many of our ninjas held the same belief as the villagers and believed we were doomed to eradication since it was impossible to defeat the Kyuubi. But impossible holds no meaning to our beloved Hokage as he did what all the Hokage in our history could do so easily: Sacrifice their life for the village. For reasons that are classified, I cannot dispense where the Kyuubi came from or how the Hokage defeated it.

As I looked into his bright, blue eyes, I saw a level of determination that only true heroes have. Knowing that he wasn't coming back, he said his goodbye to me and gave me a final request. That brat always took his promises to the extreme, so I immediately promised him without even questioning what his request was. I watched as he summoned Gamabunta and rode off to fight Kyuubi. And for one last time, I saw him do the impossible as he defeated Kyuubi with what seemed like relative ease. As the Kyuubi seemed to somehow disappear into thin air, Gamabunta vanished and Konoha's greatest hero fell.

This is his story of inspiration. He always kept his promises and he never gave up. All the strength you will ever need is within yourself. Believe in yourself and never stop trying; then, you can accomplish the impossible, just like he did. But don't stop there. Don't strive to be just like him. If you do, then you're only limiting yourself. Be yourself and strive to surpass him; that's what he would have wanted from you.

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The little boy closed the book. He was a small, skinny little thing because of malnutrition and mistreatment. An orphan that was caste out even by the orphanage, he stumbled across this book and decided to read it. Being only eight, he had a hard time reading and understanding some of the words, but he worked through it and read it all. Right after putting the book away in a secret spot, he put his clothes on and headed out. He started walking in the streets of Konoha and since it was late into the evening, the streets were deserted. Imagining villagers all around him, he began to picture what the people looked like when his new hero described the looks of gratitude and admiration on the villagers face. When he finally reached his destination, he looked up at the Hokage Monument. He didn't know all of the Hokages' name, but when his gaze fell upon his new-found hero, he smiled. 'This is the spot. This has to be the spot. This is where he decided to become Hokage.' Taking a deep breath, the boy started running full speed towards the mountain. When he reached the monument, he began climbing to the top. He didn't once stop running and by the time he reached the top, the boy was out of breath and panting. Once his wheezing no longer racked his tiny body, the boy took a big calming breath. He closed his eyes for a moment to let the breeze brush his hair. Then he opened his eyes and yelled as loud as he could.

"MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARUTO AND I WILL SURPASS ALL HOKAGES BY BECOMING THE BEST HOKAGE EVER!"

The young boy was breathing hard after yelling his new promise. He swore, just like the Yondaime did, that he would become Hokage; and then, the villagers would have to acknowledge him, just like they acknowledged his new hero. He would give his everything and never stop trying, just like the Yondaime did. He would make promises and always keep them, just like the Yondaime did. He swore that Uzumaki Naruto would never give up and do the impossible, just like the Yondaime did. And he swore that he would protect this village, just like the Yondaime did.

And like Yondaime wanted, Uzumaki Naruto promised he would do better than Yondaime ever did.

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Hearing a little boy yelling at the top of his lungs, the Sandaime looked up from his paperwork. Wondering if someone was in trouble, he quickly made his way towards the source of the sound. He saw the little boy and recognized him right away. Sensing someone else hidden, Sarutobi looked around and found his student watching over little Naruto. He landed softly behind the white-haired sennin and said, "I remember the moment when Arashi did the same thing as a little boy. Thought someone was in danger so I made my way out here to help. I was pretty surprised when it was just Arashi standing there much like Naruto is now." After a moment of silence, Sandaime continued, "So what brings you out here?"

Not turning around and keeping his gaze on the unfortunate demon-vessel, he responded, "Just keeping an old promise with someone."

Quirking an eyebrow, the aged Hokage said, "Well, seeing how Naruto is doing the same thing Arashi did way back then, I'm guessing Naruto finally read the book?"

"Yeah, took the little brat forever to read it, but he read it all tonight."

"I must admit, I read the book myself and found it to be quite good. You should have made more than just one copy of it." When Sarutobi received silence as a response, he quietly watched the boy with Jiraiya. "Well, I hope that the next book you write won't have only one copy."

Jiraiya simply grinned perversely. "Don't worry, it won't. And you'll be the first to get a copy."

Once both the men's perverted smiles died down, they continued to watch Naruto. They didn't know it, but they were the only ones privileged to see the beginning to Naruto's journey towards Hokage and the beginning of Naruto's own story of inspiration.