I DO NOT OWN NARUTO or ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS
Chapter 1 & Prologue
Prologue
"Years ago the leaf village came under attack by the nine tailed fox. It caused devastation and destruction. It wreaked its havoc among the citizens of Konoha. The Fourth Hokage, the strongest ninja of our village made his biggest sacrifice to save the village. And it's not his life that I am talking about. Minato Namikaze was a master at sealing jutsu, and to save our village he sealed the nine tailed fox inside his own son. His son who grew up not knowing who his father was, who never knew his mother's kindness, who never knew what it feels like to have a family. Who never had friends, he grew up not as a hero he should have been but a demon that he saved the village from" narrated the old toad sage. He sat in a white room, opposite to a blonde boy who sat up, bandaged and hooked to an IV. The boy was no older then 6 years old, and had no idea what was going on. The people in the room surrounding his bed were Kakashi Hatake, the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and his beloved adopted brother Iruka.
"I don't understand what are you trying to tell me old man?" he squeaked.
"Naruto, I am telling you Konoha's biggest secret…"
"Why?"
"Because you are the son of the Fourth Hokage… You are Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, son of Minato and Kushina Namikaze, Nine Tailed Jinchuriki of the village Hidden in the Leaves" Jiraiya replied to the boy who looked at him with a blank look of surprise and wide eyes of a man who had received the knowledge he had been waiting for.
"Why? Why would he do this to me?" he whispered out to the ninjas in the room.
"He did it, because he couldn't ask anybody else too, he did it because he believes in your strength, he did it because one day you will surpass him and become the greatest ninja and lead the world into a time of peace. He did this in the hope you would end the war and bloodshed of men and women all over the world…" The Third was the one to clarify Naruto's goal in life. He infused this into his head so Naruto would grow into something else entirely. Something of a Legend.
And so for the next 6 years Naruto found his way through all the lands. He travelled with Jiraiya, he learnt from the history he shared with Naruto's father and many others. He met amazing people throughout, people like Tsunade, Shizune, Orochimaru, Nagato… Many helped him in his journey, many sought to destroy him. Many helped him realize his dreams, one in particular was the beast of hatred inside him. Naruto has travelled, helped, bled, believed, and grew to become an amazing shinobi. Now he has returned to the village that hates him, to change it, to nurture it, to believe in it. To show them what he was truly made for - To be a Hero…..
Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter…
Konoha village -
Sasuke, and Sakura are on their way to the Hokage's office with Kakashi and an unruly cat. As they come to a halt they knock on the door and here the firm call of their previous teacher Iruka to enter the room.
"Come in"
"Ah! Kakashi, and team 7, how fared your mission?" the Sarutobi Hokage asked the masked Jounin.
"The mission was successful1!" he replied
"Good to hear, now what to assign you next?" he said looking towards Iruka.
"We have this babysitting job, that can be perfect for this team" Iruka replied scratching his neck.
"NO!" a grouchy voice yelled. The room's occupants found their eyes at its originator. The unruly Uchiha.
"Excuse me?" The Hokage said to the boy.
"I'm getting tired of these ridiculous jobs, we're ninja not little kids running around doing chores!"
"Sasuke let me explain to you how this works so you may better understand!" Iruka yelled back
"No need Sensei I know how this works, Since we're gennin we only get D class jobs, would it kill you to assign C- class jobs every once in awhile to test our strengths?"
"Sasu-" Iruka was cut off
"There might be one job!" The Third Hokage
"Which one is that Sir?" Kakashi asked
"There is an escort mission it's a C class job that is right up your alley Kakashi..hmm… yes it will do just fine!" The Third Hokage ended.
"But sir, the mission you are talking about is a dangerous one, and on top of that Team 7 only has two gennin, which has been a disadvantage to them!" Iruka said.
"That's for a reason Iruka, I thought he would be back by now to resume his studies here, not that he would need it…" Iruka and Kakashi looked down in sadness while the rest look confused to what they were talking about.
"I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't want to return" Kakashi put out.
"I agree" Iruka replied.
"Look I don't know who you're talking about and I couldn't care less, Sakura, Kakashi Sensei and I can handle this mission no problem!" Sasuke ordered.
"Anyway Kakashi take a couple of the other genin with you, they can fill in" The Hokage said ignoring the the little boy, who was acting very arrogant for someone who was still a gennin.
"Okay, Iruka is anybody available at the moment?"
"Two, the other are on mission, off duty, or on training leave, Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyuga"
"That's fine take these two, they will be good help, now go on ahead you will find your client at the gates tomorrow morning at the gates his name Tazuna the bridge builder and your job is to escort him to the land of waves got it?" Sarutobi Hokage ended once again.
"Yes Sir!" they yelled and left for the day.
"You two head on home and pack for a couple weeks, I will go inform Hinata and Ino" Kakashi ordered.
"Damn I thought I'd get some quality time with Sasuke since I was the only one assigned to be with him - like destiny - and now I have to deal with that Ino pig!" Sakura's angry personality thought within her mind. While Sasuke was grinning all the way back home. The Hokage had finally gave him a job worthy of the Uchiha name.
The Next Morning at the gate were the four genin packed for their journey to the Land of waves with Kakashi arriving late with Tazuna.
"So these are the ninja who will be escorting me, say is it just me or do they look like a bunch of kids!" Tazuna said.
"Hey Watch it!" Ino yelled back while Hinata just stood there twiddling her thumbs in nervousness.
"Calm down Ino" Kakashi said yawning under his mask. "Don't worry sir they are all highly qualified for the job and have been trained very well. And if there are any big threats then they will have to go through me" Kakashi ensured his client.
"Alrighty then let's head out we don't have all day now do we?" Tazuna replied and headed out the village.
"Isn't it going to take us an entire day to reach their anyway?" Hinata mumbled.
"Did you say anything Hinata?" Kakashi asked the shy girl to which she just shaked her head and surrounded Tazuna on his left side, while Ino took his right, Kakashi in the back, and Sakura and Sasuke up front in the lead.
A few hours passed by in silence after a very serious threat Kakashi had made to the gennin about doubting their Hokage. Kakashi walked in pace with the group but lately his mind had been distracted.
"Oh Naruto…. I wonder what you're doing right now, with the legendary Sannin you must have grown to become a great shinobi. I still remember the day I found you surrounded by the a group of ninja's who didn't deserve to be called shinobi. But you still stood up and respected them because of what they wore on their heads. The symbol of the leaf… the very symbol you saved right when you were born had never given you anything. While you-" Kakashi's thoughts were cancelled when Sakura caught him in his thoughts.
"Kakashi sensei?"
"Sorry Sakura, I was lost in thought" he replied.
"I was wondering who it was you were talking about with the Hokage and Iruka sensei. I remember the Hokage saying that he was suppose to be part of our team, our third member?" Sakura asked.
"Huh, you were suppose to have a third member?" Ino asked
"Yeah, I was wondering too?" Sasuke asked.
"Well this is a coincidence, I was just thinking about him"
"Well who is it?"
"He is about your age, if he hadn't left I would guess him to be in your class. When he was a child he was picked on a lot. People misunderstood him to be a demon, a monster. While all he was a little child. All he wanted was a family but his parents, who died protecting him, had left him all alone. On his birthday he was pushed around by this group of ninjas. He kept taking it because they were leaf shinobi and he wasn't going to disrespect anyone wearing this" Kakashi said pointing to his headband.
"So what happened to him afterwards?"
"After he recovered from his beating, it was decided that he should travel with his god-father on his research trips, and learn to become a fine shinobi like his father" Kakashi ended.
"Who was his father?"
"That's classified!" Kakashi replied ending the topic there.
Meanwhile the group ended up covered in mist. Kakashi's senses got a tingling. Kakashi looked around and brought everyone to a halt. The Genin's came to a guard position around Tazuna while Kakashi looked around.
A sword came at them while Kakashi ordered them to dodge. Sasuke helped Tazuna move out of the way, while Ino, Sakura and Hinata dodged on their own moving a few paces behind.
"Well would you look at what we have here, Kakashi Hatake, otherwise known as the copy ninja" a mysterious voice announced while it's owner stood upon the sword that had dodged and sliced into a heavy trunk of a tree.
"Zabuza Momochi, otherwise known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist" Kakashi replied.
The girls assumed the Manji Formation while Sasuke advanced to help Kakashi. But he held his hand up to notify him.
"You've been in my bingo book, for a while, it will be nice to have your name crossed off of it" Zabuza said with a devilish grin.
"Hmmm, I think it's good to be confident, but overconfident…" Kakashi replied revealing his Sharingan. To which Sasuke went into a shock. He never knew his Sensei possessed the power of his clan.
"What's this a bunch of kids? I knew I should've sent the Demon brothers, but when I heard your name I couldn't help myself."
"I think you're about to be disappointed" Kakashi replied. "These kids are some of the finest Shinobi in our land." Kakashi replied.
"I wouldn't say that Kakashi, you and I both know they are nowhere near our level" Kakashi was getting a bit irritated now.
"Why don't we get this over with" he replied to the mummy looking nin.
Kakahi sped forward while his enemy did the same thing. They met each other halfway tied each others attacks. One after another the fight continued on, Kakashi's Sharingan was formidable. And Zabuza's technique was formidable. He almost led Kakashi into a trap but luckily Ino caught his Idea, and sacrificed herself into the trap before Kakashi would get caught in it. Kakashi replied with going all out. He couldn't help it, his enemy was very strong. Once the fight came near an end. The Konoha nins were caught off guard to face a faceless Anbu Ninja who had struck two needles in Zabuza's neck. The fight was pretty short, Zabuza had grievously underestimated his opponent and that had caught him off guard. Kakashi felt Zabuza's pulse before letting that Anbu nin near him, yet that didn't matter. A few moments after he felt his silent pulse. Zabuza's body was snatched up from under him. The Anbu Nin, explained himself. He told them he was a hunter nin, here to kill and disperse of Zabuza's body. When he left, the Sharingan showed its effects on Kakashi. He collapsed and had to be dragged to Tazuna's home.
A day later,
Kakashi finds himself surrounded by four girls staring at him with a worried look. Kakashi sat up pulling his sheet down.
"Kakashi sensei you should stay in bed! That fight took a lot out of you" Sakura says.
"The girls right, you haven't fully recovered yet" A beautiful stranger said.
"Uh-" Kakashi replied.
"I'm Tsunami, Thank you for saving my father" She said.
"No problem, I am fine now though the Sharingan does take a lot out of me" Kakashi said putting a quick glance towards the Uchiha who was glaring at him with questions.
"Yeah Kakashi Sensei, how did you ever get that eye?" Ino asked.
"That doesn't matter right now, what matters is what comes next" Kakashi said
"What comes next?" Tazuna asked approaching with a towel around his neck.
"Yeah, Zabuza's alive, and for sure he's gonna attack again" Kakashi said shocking everyone in the room.
After the long discussion of how Zabuza had survived. Kakashi promised the four Genin's some training in the forest. So they can ready themselves for a fight. And so on throughout the week Sasuke, Sakura, Ino and Hinata practiced climbing trees with just their chakras. It took a little for Sasuke, but the three girls found it to be very easy. Soon they were all protecting old man and his bridge. Hinata was assigned to stay behind at their home in case they attack his family to gain leverage. A full week passed by and nothing happened. Everything went really smoothly. The bridge was about done, Sasuke's training finished. Now the only thing left was Zabuza.
"The bridge should be finished in 2 days, then you guys are home free!" Tazuna yelled at the 4 ninjas.
"Hmm Zabuza should've atta-" Kakashi was cut off by Zabuza's perfect timing as a sudden mist rolled over them.
"Speak of the devil!" Ino said.
"And the Devil appears" Sakura finished.
-Back at the Tazuna's house-
"MOM! WHERE ARE YOU!" Inari shouted out inside his home.
Meanwhile Hinata went on full alert. Something was wrong, she sensed it as she stepped outside to find Inari leading her way to a suppressed Tsunami being dragged away by two samurai's.
"HEY! STOP!"
"Get Back!" Hinata spoke out as she got in front of Inari holding him back in a battle stance.
"Let go of my MOTHER!" Inari yelled.
Suddenly Hinata fell into a trance remembering her sadness when she missed her mother.
"Oh yea! What are you gonna do about it?" One of the samurai's said.
"Wait! Stop you need me get away from them if you hurt them I-I swear that I'll bite my own tongue and kill myself!" Tsunami yelled out as Hinata fell into a deeper trance.
The samurai didn't stop he continued his way as he unsheathed his sword. Hinata still in her battle formation activated her Byakugan when suddenly.
"Ahhh!' The other henchmen yelled as he spiraled across the field leaving Tsunami in the hands of their rescuer. They looked towards them to notice a new player had joined the field. A tough built kid, as tall as Sasuke. Wearing an orange and black outfit with a red overcoat reaching to his the ground (Think the outfit when he was fighting Pain but smaller since this would be when he is younger). In one arm was Tsunami the bridge builder's daughter and the other hand was a blue ball of chakra still spinning from his attack. He turned around with Tsunami to see the rest with his sharp blue eyes and blonde hair. The same blonde hair that widened Hinata's eyes as she remembered a distant memory of the boy who saved her from some bullies. The same boy who had blonde hair.
"You've got two seconds to get your friend and run to your master before I tear you apart in 9 different places" He warned with a foxy grin on his face.