Hokage Tower ~
Third person POV~
Team Kakashi had just returned from a mission and were blaming Naruto for the failure. Throughout all the blame and insults Naruto kept quiet and took it all. After getting the mission report Team Kakashi was dismissed except for Naruto.
Tsunade POV~
I looked at him, he hasn't said a single word the entire time. I didn't believe the first few times my apprentice complained about Naruto and I still don't but I need to teach her a lesson that blaming someone isn't an answer all the time, she needs to feel guilty, and maybe, just maybe my words will encourage him to speak up or step up his game.
"Naruto, what's wrong with you? Is this what Jiraiya and Kakashi has taught you? Stop being a child and start acting like a Shinobi would you?" I demanded sternly.
Naruto was looking on the floor, hair shadowing his eyes and continued keeping quiet for a minute or so then he looked straight in my eyes and said firmly, "You know what, for once if I had a teacher who actually taught me something then I wouldn't have been like this but you're right Tsunade-sama it's time I become a proper Shinobi."
I was shocked by what Naruto just said I couldn't utter a word and Naruto continued, "As of now I, Uzumaki Naruto resign from Team Kakashi for the time being. I refuse to stay like this any longer, I am done being a punching bag and someone to just brush off. If no one is going to pay attention to me and teach me something then I guess it's time I start helping myself. If that is all I would like to be excused."
I was dumbfounded, Naruto has never talked like that before. Where was all that formalness coming from? I didn't know what to say so I just nodded. He bowed respectfully and said, "Hope you have a good day, Hokage sama."
I flinched. Him calling me with formal terms hurts. Damnit! Did I accidentally do something wrong? I cannot help but ask myself, "How will this turn out to be?"
Heaving a sigh and hoping nothing goes wrong, "Shizune! Bring me some sake!"
Naruto POV~
I never planned today to go like this.
Well one good thing happened though, I have no limits anymore... And no help either. I sighed heavily.
I headed home thinking that maybe I could try talking to Kyuubi, whenever I'm angry he seems to lend me his chakra, so that could mean either he knows my feelings or practically knows every fucking thing about me which is quite scary and amazing at the same time. I shivered at the thought of Kyuubi blackmailing me.
I was so lost in thought in thought I didn't realize I reached home.
I looked around and sighed questioning myself, if I am a pig who can spin rasengan.
Tch. Let's clean up shall we?
I made the hand seal and performed my signature jutsu and exclaimed, 'Kage bunshin no Justsu!'
My 25 carbon copies appeared and I started instructing them.
"Okay minna, as you heard Baa-chan, it's time we show people we can be a serious ninja too. I'm going to divide you all for tasks so we can get the trivial things done sooner."
A chorus of "Hai taichou!!" made me chuckle.
Right!
"Right, so 2 of you will clean the fridge and throw away all the the spoilt or rotten material and keep the cup ramen in a systematic manner."
"Hai." two of them separated from the crew to get to their business.
"5 of you clean the whole apartment, throw away thrash and paint the walls, take care of the ceiling. Basically your duty is to make this sewer into a livable apartment."
"Hai!" 5 of them were quick to separate, they were sharing the sentiment with their boss of making this place livable.
"I'm dividing this work into more people. We all know the villagers won't sell us fresh food and if they do the price will be high like a teenager on cough syrup." the crew nodded sagely as if that made sense and didn't hurt their feelings. Maybe it didn't, they were used to it by now. "So 8 of you henge yourselves into civilians, women I suggest, and get fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy products and other necessary food materials."
"Hai!" divide, henge, disperse.
"2 of you will set the clothes in a proper way and get the dirty clothes in the laundry."
"Hai." the duo grumbled.
"4 of you get some lightweight furniture and stationary. And also a few books when you are at it."
"Hai!" they nodded and left.
"The last 4 henge yourselves and get normal clothes and shoes, mattress and bed sheets. This is so hard for me to say but try to get.." deep breath "try to get orange minimum in Shinobi attire. We know our taste and read about what kind of clothes we should wear, so get accordingly. Civilian clothes you guys are allowed to get any just try not to keep the shades overly bright yeah? No need to go for Shinobi gear today, but do get training gear, I'll get the weapons tomorrow so need to think about that either. After all of your assigned works are done, dispel yourselves. I am going to find Iruka sensei and will be back after having dinner. Ja ttebayo!"
"Tata!!" A chorus again made me laugh.
Locating Iruka sensei wasn't hard. The man, as expected, was in academy going through a pile of papers. My eyes softened seeing him, he's such a hard worker. I didn't need to knock, he had sensed me already. I am going to have to work hard on that, given the reserves I have, it is hard to mask my chakra completely, though I am always masking almost half of it all the time, it is, obviously, very detectable. He looked up with an apologetic smile, "Hey Naruto. I'm sorry I'm busy at the moment we can get Ramen later okay?"
"Sure! But I actually came to you for something else tteba, I won't take long."
"Oh sorry!" he smiled sheepishly. "Come in. What do you need?"
"I was wondering if you could lend me some books from the curriculum."
He rose an eyebrow skeptically, "Graduating class?"
"From the basics to graduation actually."
He frowned, "Why?"
"I need to refresh my memory."
"You mean you want to actually read it for the first time."
I rubbed my back of neck sheepishly and grinned, "Oh come on! I wasn't so bad."
He eye rolled shaking his head. "Wait here I will bring them."
He returned after a couple of minutes with a bunch of books. "These are the books you wanted and also a few extras with chakra control, history, basic healing and taijutsu. They are just lying around, if you don't find them necessary you can return them anytime."
I nodded, "Can I stay in the classroom to read for a while? My apartment is a little occupied right now. And by the way, the ones that I asked for, when do I have to return those books?"
"Is everything alright? How is your apartment busy? Did something happen? Did you-"
"Relax, Iruka-sensei. I am doing some redecorating and stuff."
"I could've helped if you had asked for me. Is there anything I can do to lend an arm?"
"I'll manage myself but thanks for the offer anyway. You didn't answer my precious question though, can I stay here and when do I return the books?"
"Oh yeah. You can stay, I'll be here for the evening anyway, I have to complete checking at least half of these papers by today. The books, you can keep them. Don't worry about it."
I grinned thankfully and hugged him quickly before taking the books from him, "Thank you so much Iruka-sensei!"
"Anytime. You need anything else, ask me."
"Thanks for the help ttebayo!"
I reached up to one of the empty benches and started reading. It took me two hours to note down several things that was much needed.
For example, how many kind of categories a ninja could master and needed in general.
I listed them all:
Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Bukijutsu, Senjutsu, Fuinjutsu, Kenjutsu, Shurikenjutsu and Iryou ninjutsu.
Let's summarize my current status...
Hmm.. I am good with ninjutsu but my ninjutsu arsenal ain't good or bad. It can definitely use expansion. After all I only know a couple wind jutsus and rasengan and it's different variations.
Let's face it I suck at genjutsu. Well this is going to be something to work now.
My taijutsu is fine, neither quite average nor high level. Just above average. I might even use a personal style. Yeah I'll do that!
Bukijutsu, Ero-sennin did teach me to adapt to a new weapon. I could expand my knowledge on this, which will obviously help me.
Senjutsu? Huh? I have no idea whatsoever.
Fuinjutsu, Ero-sennin had taught me basics when we were traveling. He had said I was a natural at it, quick learner and would teach me further but like always, he had left me alone to go a brothel or some shit. Though I hadn't missed the way his eyes held longing and sadness and relief when I was learning sealing, It looked like it pained him to see me using this skill but in his voice it was also as if he had already anticipated I would be natural, not to mention I did like what Ero-sennin did with scrolls and my life has basically revolved around a seal so why not learn more about it.
Kenjutsu is pretty cool and I always wanted to learn it.
Shurikenjutsu.. I guess more practice than I already know of wouldn't hurt.
And lastly Iryou ninjutsu Eh? I know civilian way of healing. I have always been good with plants. So, I am good with healing without chakra but not with chakra. They don't pay attention to my chakra control and never have they paid attention to me to begin with. Tch. Though they always keep complaining. I'll learn medic and show them I can have good no great chakra control as well, Dattebayo!
"Oi Iruka-sensei, I am done. Do you want some help?"
"No I'm fine. I'll be done in an hour myself."
"Do you want me to bring you a supper ttebayo?"
"No Naruto, thank you."
"Okay then I'll take your leave."
"See you later."
"Ja ne Iruka-sensei!"
With that I ran off towards my next destination. I headed towards the library.
It's good I had been thoughtful enough to fetch my old library card before leaving home and let's see, I have enough wads of bills left.
It's already 04:00 in the evening so I'll start training tomorrow right now I continue studying.
*Time skip 3 hours*
How have I been such a fool? How did I even survive outside the village? Dammit! With the way I have been I should've been 6 feet under on my first C rank mission gone wrong.
It's official I'm dumb as fuck.
After dinner I was walking back to my apartment thoroughly berating myself and my foolishness when I stopped abruptly in the middle of the street. I suddenly had a slight headache which passed just as fast as it came. I blinked, I wasn't in the apartment doing that to the wall in the evening and I definitely didn't go in that part of the village in afternoon and neither did I get involved with gossiping ladies at tea house. How do I have the memories of all those places and talks if I wasn't there? Because boy I definitely don't remember toying with a dango with Miko-san while she complained about her marriage and lack of sexual actions with her husband.
Wait!
My clones!
My clones were in my apartment and in the village here and there. But... How do I have memories of the stuff they all did? Isn't Kage bunshin just copy of mine?
Hmm..
I entered my apartment and walked around thoughtful, this looks exactly like what I can remember though I wasn't here in person.
Everything's clean, organized with painted walls. Orange, grey, blue.
The closet is packed with clothes of different colors and also sets of same training gear.
A few pairs of shoes of different length, mostly navy blue or black color, just one pair of burnt orange color open sandal. The utensils are stacked properly. Well good job my clones!
Anyways, I can always experiment. I made a Kage Bunshin, "Go outside and do something." I ordered.
"What do I do?" The clone asked with a small yawn.
"Anything. Just do something and then dispel yourself, I'm trying something."
"You're a slave driver ttebayo. You know that right."
"Hai hai. Just go please."
"Uhn." The clone nodded and left the apartment.
A moment later I blinked and blushed. Of course my clone would strip and do that perverted dance Kiba and I had seen in a movie a day before yesterday. What was the name of the movie again? Something like magic...yeah! Magic Mike XXL.
Goddammit! Why didn't I notice this before!? Calm down Naruto, now you know. Yes! Now I know. Then a shit eating grin crawled on my face. I was right to assume, whatever my clone does I get memories of it as if I, as in the in the original was performing the tasks, I even have the muscle memory of my clone. Also, considering today's gossip incident I have another great idea for training.
Information gathering!
I don't like lying to my village's people but.. If I think of this as an elaborated prank I wouldn't feel so guilty. Not to mention, all this could help me in the long run. Learning more about the village and it's people, Shinobi and civilians alike.
I can henge my clones into animals, birds or objects and scatter them around to gather Intel! I can see how much they can endure, how long they can go on and if transformation reduces the time of each of my clones. Genius Naruto! Where were you, my overly intelligent mind!? *hehehe*
Thinking about the new beginning of my new life and all I would be able to do with my clones I sighed in content with a grin, that would've creeped anyone out, and drifted off to sleep.
Taichou - Captain
Kage Bunshin - Shadow Clone
Tajuu Kage Bunshin - Multiple Shadow Clone
Jutsu - Technique
Dattebayo - Believe it!
ttebayo / tteba - y'know
Ninjutsu - Ninja Technique
Genjutsu - Illusionary Technique
Taijutsu - Body Technique
Bukijutsu - Weapon Technique
Senjutsu - Sage Technique
Fuinjutsu - Sealing Technique
Kenjutsu - Sword Technique
Shurikenjutsu - Sword Hidden In The Hand Technique
Iryou ninjutsu - Medical Ninja Technique
Sensei - Teacher
Ero-sennin - Pervy Sage
Ja ne - Well then
Genin - Junior Ninja
Chunin - Middle Ninja
Jounin - Elite Ninja
ANBU - Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai / Special Assassination and Tactical Squad (a.k.a. ANBU Black Ops)