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In a different world Naruto did not fear death. It was a natural part of his world. At four he saw a person die for the first time. He had slipped out of the orphanage like he did every day to get away from the evil glares of the caretakers and the kids who had been told not to play with him.

The orphanage was in the poorer part of the town and just as he had passed two streets away from it he saw an ANBU masked man cut the head of a kneeling man. The words he spoke would stay in the small boys mind for years to come.

"For as an enemy of Konohagakure no sato your sentence is death."

Only when the sword the bear masked ANBU held had just separated body and head did the he see the boy in front of him. It shocked the man greatly. This was his first solo mission and a child had watched him kill.

He dropped the sword and disappeared instantly in a body flicker before he could even begin thinking of protocols leaving body and sword behind. He would later report mission success and retrieve a new sword from the armory.

Naruto meanwhile walked up to the collapsed corpse. Even as the sword was dripping blood he picked it up and held it reverently. He watched as the red substance seemed to harden and quickly wiped it off. Looking around desperately for something to hide it in he slipped of the dead man's blouse and tied it around the sword. He had never had such a possession before. It wasn't a long sword but a short kodaichi. The young boy hid the sword between his shirt and undershirt. Naruto sprinted towards his secret hiding place which was really a small clearing in a Shinobi training ground.

Sitting down Naruto started unwrapping the gleaming blade from its impromptu holster.

Unconsciously Naruto started pouring chakra through it as he stood up and started experimentally swinging it. His enhanced chakra reserves aligned to wind and so the sword cut straight through the tree that he experimentally swung it at while imitating the stance of the ANBU member.

With the enhanced cutting effect the blade cut through the wood as if it was butter. Naruto was delighted at his find. Surely he could help deal with the enemies of Konoha if all it took was such a cut. Now he just had to learn to pronounce the sentence and how to bring the enemies to their knees.

Naruto started experimenting with what felt natural to him while going through different motions with his sword.

For three hours he imagined enemies coming at him with strikes and kicks while he experimented with how he would cut down enemies coming in this or that stance. Correctly he assumed that his sword would cut through the limps as he started a habit that would follow him for years to come. Exhausted and dripping with sweat Naruto once again hid the sword behind his back and slipped back into his room. It wasn't much but no one ever came there anymore. The staff had made sure he could deal with getting dressed and managing his stuff when they found out that ANBU members checked on him at random intervals. They didn't want to incur the hokages wrath and so they spent a bit of time teaching him to avoid spending time doing it for him every day. But nor did they want the demon to influence other kids and so they had given him a small room for himself.

Naruto found that he had a much easier time learning to read and write the day after when he had spent all his excess energy waving the sword, and putting in extreme amounts of chakra though he didn't know this. Instead of being jumpy and having his mind go everywhere and nowhere he simply stayed still, listened and did what was told. They had classes from eight to twelve and Naruto kept learning the entire time. It was even interesting to him most of the time.

In the coming months he spent all the time he could sneaking out of the orphanage to practice with the sword. Somehow he knew that nothing good would come if anyone found out about the sword and so he kept it carefully to himself.

The day Naruto turned five the hokage himself came to visit to the boy. In a different world he would have come to get Naruto to stop getting into trouble when he would have explored the village and gotten his appearance known by the villagers. In this world the hokage had simply been told that the boy did well in his classes and spent hours playing outside. Even Danzo couldn't help but admit that the boy seemed to be doing well with the choice that had been made for him. Obviously the man had heard of the boy training too but he wouldn't reveal that information to anyone. No he was quite satisfied with a five year old using wind chakra and for hours at a time who would serve the village as a regular Shinobi. He wasn't stupid after all. He knew who the kid's parents were and he knew who knew. He did not want to make an open enemy of Jiraya or Kakashi. Nor did he want to force the Hokage into a position where he had to have Danzo executed.

Naruto had just exited the last class of the day. It had been an introduction to adding and detracting numbers and Naruto felt very used mentally. He was itching to go train with his sword and just as he started heading for his room he came to a stop at the sight before him.

A man was standing there in a white dress, a funny hat on his head and a pipe in his mouth. To Naruto he seemed ancient with his wrinkled face and hands. Somehow though, he kept a commanding air about him that was relaxing and sure of its authority. Naruto couldn't help but gasp as he felt the carefully suppressed energy the man was giving off. Even the ANBU members, that Naruto occasionally went by was nowhere near that level.

Sarutobi watched with interest as the boy who would have no knowledge of his position took in his attire and seemed to see so much more. If the boy could sense him at this age he would be a powerful sensor one day. Not many could feel anything at all even up close when a Kage suppressed he chakra.

"Hello Naruto-kun. I was just looking for you, how would you like to come eat with me?"

Naruto could only nod and follow the commanding presence.

"My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi and I am Hokage in this village."

Finally Naruto understood why he felt so little before the man. He was the leader of the village controlling even the ANBU.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The orphanage had taught all the kids to speak only briefly and with utmost respect to the old man.

The hokage took the boy to his own home and spent it introducing his family to the boy hoping that it would make him more comfortable in his presence. He had never wanted the jinchuriki of Konoha to be shunned or hurt. Perhaps giving him some time experiencing a family would help him. Besides the man did not want the boy to be around during the kyuubi festival. It would simply give the villagers ideas and spending the day with his family was an opportunity he didn't want to miss out on.

Asuma was there visiting after a year in the twelve fireguards and Hiruzen wanted to mend some fences.

Naruto spent the next few hours playing with a one year old Konohamaru and his mother. He felt nice to have someone who wanted to spend time with him. That it was the family of their Hokage made him feel even more special.

When the woman had to put Konohamaru to sleep Naruto searched the building for the dojo that the Hokage and his estranged son were sitting in. As he came in he saw several holders off to the side holding several wooden swords and staffs.

Forgetting who was in his presence Naruto immediately grabbed a wooden sword of the same size of his real sword. It was a little lighter but not by much as the ANBU grade swords were made of very special metal strengthened with chakra and several layers of metal during their making.

"Can we spar?" Naruto interrupted the two men while looking at the Hokage with his best puppy eyes.

Asuma and Hiruzen both broke out laughing before the Hokage picked up a staff figuring he might as well indulge the boy a little.

Asuma was given a good laugh as Naruto expertly launched his first attack actually making the old man dodge him in surprise.

The man mock growled before disarming Naruto with a single strike. Naruto let himself roll onto the floor picking up the practice sword and standing in a fluid motion.

Hiruzen started enjoying himself as he spent half an hour sparing with the kid while absently giving instructions to the boy.

Naruto took in all the corrections immediately and tried to apply them but he still didn't get a single hit in on the man.

It was funny that the time Asuma spent watching his father teaching a kid did more towards his reconciliation to the man than spending hours talking to the man. Funny perhaps that even after forty years in politics the man was still more of fighter and teacher than a politician.

This more than anything would be the thing that caused Asuma to return to Konoha seven years before he planned.

Naruto was enjoying himself even as his body was getting bruises all over. That didn't concern him really. After all even semi-deep cuts wouldn't be visible on him in just hours.

When they were finished the Hokage told him he did very well and that he could become an expert with a sword if he took up practicing it as he seemed to be a natural.

Naruto grinned and bowed before Asuma took him back to the orphanage before he strangely thanked Naruto and left.

Naruto simply wrote it off as one of those strange things adults without ANBU masks said and went to sleep. Truly no one was as cool as the masked special ops in the boys mind.

The next week the Hokage decided it was time to sign Naruto up for the academy even if he was three years younger than the other students. The boy simply had too much Shinobi in him. He decided he wouldn't mention it to the council but just go through with it. They had after all made their stances on clear enough and there was no need to ask for their opinions on the matter. It was after all well within the Hokage's jurisdiction to sign someone up for ninja training.

The director of the orphanage was surprised when a message came concerning the boy. She hadn't been given any complaints from anyone from anyone for the last year. The boy did well enough in his studies, stayed out of the way and didn't make any trouble. Most of the staff simply forgot he was there or pretended he wasn't when they had to deal with him. He never asked for anything but simply did as he was told and as she read the message that he would be attending the ninja academy by order of the Hokage she couldn't even be surprised really. Her late husband had fought in the second great Shinobi war and had once told her of fighting a jinchuriki with a whole squad of chunin. They had been lucky to get away alive. As such she wasn't surprised that the Hokage wanted that kind of power for Konoha and she felt it was best to simply tell the boy where to go and not make any fuss about it. Rumors were such harmful things after all.

As Naruto sat in a room full of students older than him he felt at ease for some reason. He sat in the back and was reading some text on the basics of being a ninja.

When the teachers came in they didn't take attendance as the teachers had done in the orphanage but simply checked that the right number of people were there, they had been shown pictures along with files of each new student. Naruto didn't speak to anyone but simply stayed quiet and listened trying to learn.

Despite his small body his secondhand clothing and his placement in the room ensured that no one gave him a second glance.

As the teacher went on about the importance of stealth and the different aspects of Shinobi life Naruto felt at ease. It was what he had trained every day. Sneaking away out of sight, keeping a bearing like he belonged somewhere, and finally know yourself and your weapons to the optimum.

As the days went on and the classes moved on to the practical application Naruto began to stand out. He didn't get the top spot in anything but despite his young age he was always in the top five in everything. His classmates respected him since they saw him at the practice fields spending hours practicing everything they went over in class. Yes things came to him quickly but he still put in the work to master it all.

Improvising in fights remained his greatest strength but the lessons in planning and strategic thinking stuck with him too.

Naruto continued to practice with his sword whenever he had time. His chakra capacity was growing every day with the seal syphoning chakra into him constantly. Only the fact that he used it all the time allowed him to remain in control.

The only subject Naruto consistently was number one in was stealth. It was really held as a big game of tag with bonus points for not getting seen before you tagged someone. It was held in a training ground and Naruto for some reason seemed to know exactly where everyone was. It kind of frustrated the teacher when he joined in and Naruto had him tagged after five minutes.

Naruto found it weird that none of the classes dealt with how to dispose of enemies but figured it would simply come later. After all the taijutsu classes did teach them how to bring enemies to their knees. They had recently gone from simply practicing punching, kicking and blocking different attacks to actually sparing. The teacher went through different combination attacks and taught them both how to switch from a neutral none threatening stance to attacking in an instant. Deception was after all the key to defeating a stronger opponent and nothing was quite as it seemed in the world of ninja. He even had them go through the different motions ways of fighting an opponent who had weapons and how to fight while you were outnumbered.

In one of these lessons Naruto found himself put against four opponents each stronger, more skilled and with greater reach than him and each with a wooden knife. He immediately started moving to avoid being encircled. Always keeping only one opponent within range he blocked a strike delivered from above towards his shoulder with the underside of his left wrist letting his hand twist slightly to grab hold of the arm, at the same time striking the persons jaw with his right hand with a regular punch. The strike ended with his hand to the top of the persons arm. Bringing it lower he grabbed on to the arm that his left still kept at bay, to not get tagged with the knife, twisting it around he took the knife and jumped to the left to not get trapped in between the three others. Naruto threw the wooden knife towards the one who had started circling around him so they could attack from both sides. They guy dodged and that knife was out of the way. Naruto jumped backwards and started circling again to keep only one attacker within his reach.

The next one to move into range held his wooden knife in a backwards grip going for slashing.

The attack went towards Naruto's chest. Naruto pulled his hands to the front of his chest as he jumped backwards avoiding the mock blade. Bring his left foot forward he twisted and brought both his arms forward to block the arm as it came back. Seconds later he punched the guy's ear and twisted the hand as he brought his arm back after the strike. Grabbing the wrist again he twisted the knife free and threw it at outside the sparring ring.

This time however he hadn't been quick enough to avoid getting one of them behind him.

Just as he started moving back from the now disarmed attacker he scanned the place behind him seeing another knife coming towards him.

Immediately Naruto brought his arm back to block harshly at the wrist and sent his right leg out in a backwards kick hitting the knee even as he trapped the knife holding arm and twisted the knife free.

The kick brought the attacker to the floor as it hit just right nearly damaging the knee.

Now only three attackers remained and only one had a knife.

Naruto kept all of them in view as he threw the knife as he started moving again.

One of the unarmed attackers approached him moving into a strike. Naruto pushed the attack aside while twisting right side forward to let the strike pass right by him. As he came in close to the attacker he bended slightly downwards and snapped his right knee to the groin of the attacker. He followed through with a jab to the neck and let the now pained and wheezing attacker fall to the ground.

The armed attacker moved right past his defeated ally and went for a forward strike with the knife.

He underestimated Naruto however as the boy kicked the hand that held the knife sending the small object flying out of the way. Naruto snapped the foot backwards before twisting to the side and hitting hard on the knee once more, leaving only one opponent to be dealt with.

The last attacker burst forward hoping to catch him off guard. Naruto simply used the same movement from before to push the attack aside and lashed out with a strike to the neck.

Naruto jumped back and scanned his surroundings before realizing he had won.

The teacher told him that he did great but that he should focus more on his surroundings while moving through techniques1.

Overall Naruto was rated as the best in his taijutsu class for the first time.

When Naruto was done for that day the Hokage shoved up just as he entered the orphanage building. Once again Naruto was invited to have dinner with the family and a good

1 The techniques that I described were all taught to me during Krav Maga lessons. So I figure that if I could learn them in half a year a school training ninjas would be capable of teaching them to kids, though they probably don't look anything like Japanese fighting styles they are what I can explain. They were the simplest for me to go with as I know that they are doable in a controlled environment, though I figure that they would hit somewhat harder with access to chakra healing – also to get the kids used to the real world of hurt. The Krav Maga lessons also teach similar ways of dealing with several opponents and I wanted to do something fun. I'm rambling aren't I? Nevermind hope you like it.