CHAPTER 1: WHERE IT ALL STARTED

WARNING: This is not going to be retelling of canon story, if you don't like those stories, then it is time that you leave through the back button.

Human beings have produced a lot of crazy minded people, from geniuses to literal psychotics. They can be of any age, from any time period. No matter what people have to say about the ancient time, human stupidity was present in those times just as it is present in current time.

Then what's there to say about shinobi world? Considering the kind of situations they have to deal with on constant basis, it is truly fair to say that the shinobi are much more crazy and as a result, definitely dangerous.

Take Orochimaru for example. He used to be a child, a little bit abnormal child at that, but a child all the same. But then he fought in two wars, saw his parent's deaths, became obsessed with immortality.

What about Naruto Uzomaki then? Why would he be counted among such people, especially seeing as he is still just a child?

Simple.

First of all, his birth did not happened in a normal environment at all. It was chaotic, from a mask man attacking the village, and his father being forced to protect it, sacrificing himself and his mother to save that village.

At least he wasn't always like that. Well, not from the very beginning. As he was just a child, the little one did not understand any complex thoughts.

But as he grew up a little, became two years old, he started to comprehend exactly that.

(Time skip, four years later.)

Naruto always got the attention of the leader of the village, called Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Hokage, was forced to take the position again after his retirement because the candidates were either unfit, were too old, or too young.

He always kept an eye on the boy, because he contained something that attacked the village four years ago. Of course, he also cared for the boy.

Currently, they were discussing the latest prank by Naruto.

"Naruto, I think you shouldn't have done that," Sarutobi said admonishingly. "I mean, the woman, she is the head of this place."

Of course, since Naruto was a child, these things always went over his head.

"Why does it matter? I am sure she is enjoying her new hairstyle."

"Still, don't you think that you have gone overboard?" Sarutobi said again, though he found the head lady's new hairstyle quite amusing.

"Nope. No need to be concerned." Naruto replied cheerfully.

Sarutobi just sighed and told himself that no matter what, no one can stop the prankster.

(After the time Sarutobi left.)

It was night time, all the children were asleep. Though someone clearly didn't seem to get any sleep at all.

Naruto. He was restless. Why, you would ask?

Power.

It always had been an interesting concept to Naruto. People thought that since he was just a child, he would be oblivious to these matters. How wrong they were.

In fact, he thought there are many types of power. 'Let's consider some examples.' He thought.

The lady, who is the head of this orphanage, has the power of authority. All the children, the staff, everyone obey her without question.

He has also observed on his trip to the outside world that it was clear to see how people behave with proportion to their power.

'Then there is the old man.' He knew that he is important. And it would appear that he not only has the power of authority, but he can back it up as well. But how? He doesn't have a clue.

(Time skip: One year later.)

Five years old Naruto Uzomaki had decided certain things over the course of the past one year.

Though it can't be pointed out in one direction, the pranks had increased towards those people who annoyed him the most. This included staff, children, people outside of the orphanage, the list is long.

He also taught himself how to read and write, since people try to avoid contact with him, and Sarutobi did not having time to come as often, so he had to do that by himself.

Progress was slow at first. But it improved greatly with practice. Now, he could write at least better than those children who have just started learning. Though his efforts weren't acknowledged, he stopped trying to impress the teachers.

(Two years later.)

Naruto was now seven years old, and is about to attend his first year at hidden Leaf's Ninja Academy. Inwardly, he was annoyed that he would have to suffer the contact with other children of his age. Indeed, his resolve to befriend other children and to be included with them had crumbled. Instead, what was left inside is a kid who never let the world know how much different he is from others.

Though on a positive note, he finally has a name to put on that power with old man Sarutobi. He not only holds the power of authority, but the power of a warrior as well.

The condition was same as earlier in the orphanage, Naruto's efforts to be acknowledged through performance failed. He went largely ignored, and was not given the credit. Again, his interest in that started to fade out.

But he never stopped improving himself, even if he kept doing that in secret. 'Best to let them think that I am a weakling.' Were his thoughts.

He also realized that he seriously needs to control his emotions. Not suppress them, but to control them, so he can take rational decisions.

For this purpose, he managed to get his hands on a book about meditation and how to calm the mind.

One of which led to him meeting his prisoner for the first time.

Needless to say, that meeting went just as well as you can expect.

'Though I have a great power source on my command.' He realized. 'But how to use it? If I draw his chakra too much at once, I am sure there will be an alert.'

He decided to control his chakra. First his own, then the fox's. He learned to draw it in such amount that no one would be able to sense it.

"That shows them, pesky teachers telling me I have no control. I bet I have better control in comparison to any child of my age of chakra, even fox. Well let's just say it is greater than anyone could ever think." He says out loud in his empty little house, chuckling in happiness with his achievement.

Any orphan who decides to attend the academy would get a small stipend and their own place to live.

(One year later.)

Naruto was jealous. It shouldn't be said that he doesn't have a reason for it.

Today, there was a birthday party of some rich kid of the academy. Naturally, being an outcast, he wasn't invited.

So he decided to sneak and observe how these occasions work since he had never had a party for himself.

'What will be the point?' he always asked himself whenever these kinds of urges struck him.

There is no point spending a fortune on a party which would not be attended by anyone.

To the end, he realized that there is other power, and very important one at that.

Money.

(Time skip)

Life goes on for Naruto normally, no one realizing how strong he is, and what kind of person he truly is.

He could have easily graduated from academy, but it took literally a freak accident to happen.

Then he was put in to a team, had many adventures with them, most of them not much important in his eyes, except for one. And finally was about to go on a training trip.

But, would he return same as he is while going?

That is a question, which only the time can answer.

(End.)

Author's notes:

Thanks ChibiTala for beta reading this chapter.

Also, that is the reason why there aren't any new updates to the story for a while. As soon as all the chapters have been beta read, the new chapters will start to come out.