Looking back, he didn't know what prompted him to do it.
But no matter how he felt about it now, the fact remained that he did.
And so, filled with confidence and the absolute belief that he could not fail, the boy had stepped in front of the girl, holding his arm out expectantly as he proclaimed his intention in front of the entire elementary school.
"Sakura-chan, go out with me!"
As expected, the crowd had gone wild.
"Eh?!"
"The dweeb and Forehead?!"
"No way, he confessed?"
"What does that idiot think he's doing?"
Sakura too, had only managed to widen her eyes in shock, her hand rising up to her chest as she gripped her shirt in light surprise and horror.
"Ah, Ah…." The pinkette whispered, her green eyes staring back into the expectant gaze of her friend, "I-I'm sorry… but that's not going to be possible…"
His eyes widened a fraction of an inch.
What?
She was rejecting him, and in front of the entire school no less? Certainly, he admitted the latter part was most definitely his fault, but-
Did their many years of friendship mean nothing to her?
His hand outstretched toward her ever so slightly, watching as she turned and ran off, muttering apologies over and over.
Already he could hear the amused sounds of the school.
"Eh? Really? She ran off?"
"Man, sucks for him. What does that idiot think he was doing, asking her out in front of everyone like this?"
"Serves him right!"
"Aren't they a little bit young to be dating anyway?"
He heard them all, but failed to comprehend. He was focused on far more important matters. Sakura Haruno, someone he was accustomed to seeing on a daily basis, had just run away from him. Things were bound to get awkward from that point on.
After all, rejection hurt.
Especially when it came from the one who was your best friend.
Luckily for him, he nor Sakura would see each other again for quite some time. By the next time they met, everything would have changed.
NARUTO: Path to Kage
Chapter One
Target
Blue eyes stared toward the ceiling of the room, a free hand running through his ruffled blonde hair as he loosed a disappointed sigh.
"Really…" he muttered, yawning before leaning up in his bed, "Why'd I dream of such an annoying memory on a Monday. Way to be Naruto, way to be."
Naruto Uzumaki. Age Sixteen. If you asked one of his classmates, he was just as average as the next guy.
This was only natural of course. He'd taken many precautions to have himself portrayed as such ever since moving in with his Godfather several years ago.
New home, new friends, new life.
That was the choice he had made.
A life away from violence….
It was a shame his parents didn't quite feel the same, but nonetheless, they let him do as he pleased. His life was his to live, or so they said.
Naruto yawned, shaking his head a few times before finally taking those first few steps out of bed. He didn't have any more time to waste thinking on that particular situation. Glancing at his nearby alarm clock it was easy enough to tell he was running late as it was.
Groaning, he turned, rushing into the bathroom of his Godfather's home to get ready.
It would be another half hour before he came back out.
Again, he glanced at the clock.
7:45
Classes started at 8:00, and it was a half hour walk to the school as it was.
He'd be late.
Of course, that was if he walked as a normal person.
Grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder in a hurry, Naruto rushed out the house, not even bothering to say goodbye to the drunken stupor of a godfather that was slouched over several women in the living room.
It wasn't likely he'd get a response at this time in the day anyway.
The sliding door slammed shut behind him as he tossed on his shoes and ran out into the street.
Naruto glanced to his right.
No one around.
And to the left…?
Little more than a few empty houses and wandering housecats, the same as it had always been.
Perfect.
Glancing upward, the blonde scanned the nearby rooftops, searching for the perfect landing spot. If he couldn't do make it to school on time as an average human, then it was only natural for him to try as a shinobi instead.
Certainly, he never quite liked resorting to such tactics, as they only served to remind him of the life he'd turned away from as a child. But, despite that, he absolutely couldn't be late! If he received even one more tardy, if he had one more slash by his name, then his teacher, Iruka-sensei would-
His eyes steeled themselves, a fierce determination to survive etching itself upon his very soul.
He couldn't worry about what could happen right now, not when he could still work to prevent it. However, Naruto knew full well the risks that came with using the abilities of a shinobi in broad daylight. For starters, it was daylight. Even the most uneducated of beings knew that shinobi and sunlight did not mix. It went against everything they stood for, stealth, security… the sun left them exposed, with their tricks free for all to see.
And the blonde couldn't even begin to worry about what would happen if he got caught.
The mere existence of ninja was a highly guarded secret after all. Sure, there were tales of shinobi in legends and history, beings that fought in the shadows with disguises and tricks… but if word got out that there was an entire society of such beings living amongst the populace… that there was an entire other world filled with secrets and forces the average man couldn't even comprehend… it would be disastrous. As such, the revealing of such a thing came with the harshest punishment: Death.
But that couldn't concern the blonde at the moment.
He had been sure to scan the area, no one was around.
And so, as he planted his eyes on his target, the blonde bent down, preparing to use his highly honed senses and techniques to push off from the earth beneath him and-
"Naruto-nii-san!" the eager young voice of a high school freshman called out from beside the teen, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps flourishing through the air and immediately grasping all of Naruto's attention.
The blonde squawked, snapping back to his feet in and instant before turning to face the voice. "I-Inari!"
"Hmm?" the young boy frowned, tilting his head curiously toward his boss while folding his arms in confusion. "What do you look so confused for? It's not like this is the first time I've come this way you know."
Naruto gathered his wits, sighing in relief inwardly as his heart began to slow down. He'd thought he'd been caught for sure. He smiled slightly, setting his eyes on the young boy in front of him.
Inari. The grandson of a self-proclaimed Master Bridge Builder. He had been one of the first people Naruto had run into upon arriving at his new home, and at some point in time had taken to calling the blonde his older brother. Naruto never quite understood why. It wasn't like he had really done anything to warrant such preferential treatment.
"Ah, nii-san is running late too then?" the boy wondered aloud, glancing at the blonde curiously as he awaited a response. His head tilted strangely after a few seconds of silence. "Wait, what were you doing?"
A steady bead of sweat dripped down the back of Naruto's head.
"Of course Inari would be the one to notice something was strange." He thought with a sigh, quickly formulating a suitable response.
"Ah, nothing important. You know, just tying my shoe. You know how it is, right Inari? You have to tie them every once in a while or else they'll… get loose."
Certainly one of his lamer excuses.
"Oh. Okay then." Inari blinked.
"He accepted it?!" Naruto thought furiously, his face slackening slightly.
"Anyway, it's good if you want to look presentable and all nii-san, but shouldn't we be more worried about getting to school? I mean…" Inari pulled back the sleeve on his uniform, revealing the watch beneath, "it's already 7:50."
The color drained from Naruto's face.
"7-7:50?! Idiot, why didn't you say so earlier?!" he spewed at his kouhai, turning and sprinting down the road towards the high school, "We're gonna be late!"
His eyes widening in shock, Inari too took off down the road, "Wait for me Naruto-nii!"
As they disappeared around the corner, neither noticed a pair of emerald green eyes watching them cautiously.
By the time they arrived, Naruto noticed that the silence could only mean one thing. They'd gotten there too late. Inari himself had begun to sweat bullets, bidding the boy a hasty farewell before sprinting towards the first-year classrooms. The blonde would have waved back, but he already had his own problems to deal with.
So he ran.
A storm swept through the empty hallways, nothing being seen but the fluttering black color of Naruto's coat. He ran, turning another corner with his eyes bolted wide open.
He was late.
The blonde sped up slightly, grateful for the fact that no one was around for him to bump into. He really didn't need another distraction. Konohamaru had already ruined his plan as it was.
"I can see it!" he exclaimed aloud, his eyes gleaming eagerly as his designated classroom finally came into view. "With this…" he murmured, grasping his hand around the handle and swooping the door open, "I've made it!"
Naruto was greeted by the sound of Iruka in the middle of a lecture, the entire conversation drawing to a halt as everyone turned to look at the blonde's announcement. His eye twitched in annoyance as he heard the class snicker, only to widen in shock when he saw the teacher slump down from his podium.
"Naruto…" the disappointed, eerie voice of Iruka murmured as he turned toward the blonde as if a creature from a horror story.
His eyes gleamed sinisterly.
"YOU'RE LATE!"
Naruto stumbled back from the force of the yell, much of the class themselves covering their ears and wincing. No one knew how it was possible, but Iruka always managed to release a voice so loud and destructive that one couldn't help but want to show up on time.
"I-Iruka-sensei," Naruto countered, "it wasn't my fault!"
"Oh?" the man sighed, folding his arms impatiently and looking upon the blonde expectantly, "Then what's the excuse this time?"
"I uh…" Naruto frowned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly as he thought up a line to use. "I… got lost on the road of life?"
The blonde could only cry out in pain as Iruka smashed him atop the head once for using such an idiotic excuse.
"Really Naruto, what am I gonna do with you? You've been late nearly every class!"
"Iruka-sensei, it's really not my-!"
"That's enough." Iruka sighed, "Take your seat."
Naruto grimaced, drooping his head down with a sigh before slumping toward the back of the room. He slouched into his chair, dropping his head down onto the desk as the voice of his "neighbor" chuckled lightly.
"Late again huh? Keep this up and you might get an award for being the only person to never show up to class on time."
"Shut up, stupid Sora." Naruto grimaced, glaring at his fellow teen half-heartedly. "It's not like I try to be…"
"Well, have you ever tried, you know, setting your alarm clock?" the dark-haired boy laughed.
"Obviously." Naruto yawned, "Sleep through it. And it definitely doesn't help that recently I've been having-" he trailed off slightly, his eyes narrowing somewhat as Sora tilted his head curiously.
"Huh? What was it you were about to say there Naruto?"
The blonde sighed, waving his friend's concerns off. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Well, if you say so I guess." Sora shrugged, before giving the blonde a fiery grin, "But hey, have you taken a look at the girls today? With all the good weather lately, it seems like they've finally decided to start wearing their- Guh, Ack!"
Naruto blinked in confusion at the sudden sounds of pain. He turned his head slowly, only to see Sora's head reared back with white smoke rising from the center of his forehead. The blonde's head swiveled back to the front, where Iruka stood firm with his arm outstretched, chalk no longer in his hands.
"You two in the back there! Stop talking!"
Naruto sweat dropped. It looked like he'd be in for a rough day of lecture as usual. He buckled down, drooping his head back to the cool, supportive surface of his desk to drift off.
The exam was a long ways off anyway.
-PtK-
"…and that concludes today's lecture. Please be sure to do the homework as listed on the board. That means you, Sora." Iruka sighed one last time at the slight snickers amongst the class before gathering his notes and leaving the room.
It wouldn't be until several seconds later that the daily gossip finally broke out amongst the classroom.
"Man, that Iruka can be really hard sometimes!" Sora complained, tilting back in his seat and wrapping his arms back behind his neck relaxingly, "I don't think I understood any of what he was saying." He grinned, "Well, I guess that just means I'll have to work that much harder, right?"
"You'd probably have an easier time understanding if you just paid attention in class." Naruto retorted with a deadpan look, earning an affronted gaze from his friend.
"Eh? Like you're one to talk, dobe!" Sora frowned, pointing at the blonde accusingly.
Dobe.
Dead Last.
Loser.
It was a term Naruto knew well.
Naruto snorted. "I may be the dobe, but it isn't because of my grades. Remember Sora, I've still got the third highest grade in the class! Che, the only reason I was given that stupid nickname was because that annoying Ami noticed I'm always the last person in class… because I'm always late. Tch, Dead Last indeed."
"If it bothers you so much you could always just show up on time you know." Sora rebuked, earning a nonchalant wave from the blonde, "Ah, that reminds me, why were you late anyway?"
Naruto stared at the boy beside him with a deadpan gleam in his eye. "Overslept, obviously."
"Again?! You need to get your alarm fixed, really."
"The alarm works fine. I just don't care for waking up to it." Naruto explained, "And even if I did, I'd still probably to find ways to be late you know."
Sora smiled lightly, tossing his books in his bag before standing from his desk. "Sure, sure… but Naruto," he eyed the blonde cautiously, "you may want to invest in a new hobby. Iruka-sensei won't let you off with easy all the time."
Rising from his own seat, Naruto again shrugged Sora off. "It's no big deal. Iruka-sensei isn't as mean as he seems. He really cares for his students you know, that's the only reason he makes such a fuss about my being late all the time. Besides, there shouldn't be a problem as long as I keep doing well on the tests, right?"
"Guess you've got a point there." Sora relented, leading him out the room into the crowded hallways. "So, you wanna hang out? I've still got a few hours before work so-"
"Ah, sorry, sorry." Naruto apologized, "But I've gotta head back early today. That worthless old godfather of mine had this meeting he's been planning for the last week, so I've gotta head home and find out what it's all about."
"Man, that drunken old pervert…?" Sora wondered, "Well, guess if you've gotta go you gotta go. Next time then?"
"Definitely, sorry about this, Sora!" Naruto apologized once more before turning to leave.
Sora shook his head and smiled, watching the blonde go.
"Really," he sighed, "you're making such a big deal out of things, Naruto."
He would watch the blonde disappear into the crowd before hearing himself be addressed by another of his friends, and turned, forgetting all about his friend for the time being.
They could hang out whenever after all.
-Entrance Gate-
Naruto yawned as he walked through the school courtyard, glancing at the road ahead of him. Many students walked the same path every day, and it wouldn't be until the final stretch that he'd find himself alone.
He eyed the many students laughing and hollering about with their friends, feeling not a small bit jealous of their own circumstances.
Why did he have to go to this stupid meeting thing? He doubted Jiraiya had anything important to tell him anyway. More than half the time he'd only end up going on and on about his latest porn novel, or about how his good friend Tsunade again rejected his advances.
Naruto had never met the woman in person, but if she knew enough to decline an invitation from his godfather, then he supposed she had to have at least some sense. He sighed, thinking back to the women he'd seen his sleeping godfather draped over when he had left the house that morning. So many women ended up finding their way into the house through Jiraiya's antics, but Naruto normally left things be because things never went anywhere. After all, Jiraiya was first and foremost a super pervert, and that meant that no matter how hard he tried, it was only a matter of time until he ended up getting slapped and left in the house alone as a broken shell of his former self.
Of course, it went without saying that it only took a few hours or so before the old geezer was back on his feet and ready to try again.
That was how it was with Jiraiya.
The man loved porn (and writing it) more than anything, and if it hadn't been for Naruto having known of the man's history as a great ninja hermit, there would have been an entirely new reason for Jiraiya being dubbed a "Sage".
Naruto sighed again, shaking his head as he thought of the old man.
"What the hell does he want to talk about? He's been building it up for the past week so it must be important… but if this is just about me reading another of his stupid books so help me I'll-"
"Hey, Pervy Sage! I'm home!" Naruto shouted, sliding the door shut behind him as he reached his destination.
It was amazing how quickly time could pass when you were lost in thought.
"I'm back here!" came the man's reply, and Naruto frowned, tossing his bag to the side before stepping further into the house.
He had expected him to be waiting in the living room, not all the way in the back of the house. There wasn't anything back there except the bedroom and-
Naruto grimaced.
"Oi, Pervy Sage! You better not be back there hoping to flash me with some new perverted look of yours or I'm gonna-"
"Oh stop complaining and get back here!" Jiraiya replied eagerly, "I've got something I want to show you."
"Show me?" Naruto questioned, making his way to the room, "Listen, Pervy Sage, this is the last time I'm telling you, I'm not reading anymore of your Icha Icha porn novels-" he paused, his eyes widening as he glanced at what the man was holding in his hands. It was- "What… What is that?"
Jiraiya grinned happily, a small chuckled bellowing from his lips as he held up the suit so Naruto could see it clearly. It was an all-black bodysuit, lined with several thin cuts along the shoulders to reveal one's skin. Attached to its shirt was a thick white vest, which Naruto could only assume was meant to be used in the same manner as Kevlar- blocking projectiles.
"What… is that?" Naruto found himself repeating, his eyes narrowing at the suit in suspicion.
"Hmhm… you like it?" Jiraiya asked, rubbing his chin victoriously as he thrust it out in front of the blonde eagerly. "It's your father's old Konoha uniform. I had it refurbished and upgraded of course, to get rid of the rips and tears, but as it is now… it's pretty hip, don't you think?"
"Huh? My old man wore that…?" Naruto glanced at it for several seconds before his eyes narrowed, remembering the initial problem. "Wait, that's beside the point! What's this thing doing in here, in this house?!"
"Like I said, I dug it out and had it refurbished." Jiraiya laughed, "I thought you might want to try it out once or twice. Especially with it being that time of year-"
"Like hell I'd want to wear some old-fashioned ninja gear!" Naruto shrieked, ripping the uniform out of Jiraiya's hand and onto the floor.
"Well, what were you expecting?" Jiraiya questioned, "An orange jumpsuit?"
Naruto scowled, "It has nothing to do with the color and you know it! I told you, I'm done having anything to do with ninja!"
"Naruto…" Jiraiya sighed, lowering the hand he had outstretched sadly, "So you're still sticking with this decision of yours after all these years?"
"Yeah. I have no intention of leading that kind of life." Naruto reaffirmed.
Jiraiya ran a hand through his spiky white hair in frustration. "Well, that's going to be a problem in the immediate future. You see, Naruto, things are quite as clear-cut as they used to be. I've been holding off on telling you this, but your father-"
The sound of a stumbling vase in the kitchen drew both their attention.
"Friend of yours?" Jiraiya asked the blonde curiously, earning a steady shake of the head in return.
"I don't bring friends home." Naruto grimaced, "And you know why."
They stared at each other for several seconds, an unspoken conversation taking place. It only took a single second for the two of them to nod and head out towards the location.
In the world of ninja, assassination attempts were an everyday occurrence. That being said, an attempt on the life of one of the three Sannin was quite rare, and whoever it was would be more than skilled enough to avoid clashing against a mere vase.
So, that meant one of two things.
One, the target was not Jiraiya, but rather, the young blonde who lived with him…
Or
Two, the culprit was not an assassin sent to kill them, and they either had nothing to do with the ninja world in general, or wanted to be found.
Naruto grimaced as he entered the room with the broken vase, a small kunai equipped in his right hand, as much as he hated to use it. Hiding in the shadows, he took a single step forward. He could see the shadow of the culprit… but just who was it-
His eyes widened, recognition turning to shock as he locked eyes with the emerald green orbs he hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime.
The kunai he'd been holding only a second earlier clattered against the ground noisily, and the person's pink hair swished through the air when she turned her full body towards him.
She smiled happily, clasping her hands together almost as if she'd been anticipating that very moment for quite some time.
Naruto inhaled.
"S-Sa…kura…."
"It's been quite some time," the girl smiled, taking a single step forward toward the blonde, "hasn't it, Naruto?"
-PtK-
Jiraiya laughed.
"I see! So that was you who had made that noise! You really gave us quite a scare there, Cherry Blossom."
"Hai, I apologize for the disruption Jiraiya-sama, I had arrived earlier than anticipated, and when I thought about seeing you both again after all this time…"
"Oi, Oi, Pervy Sage!" Naruto grimaced, slamming his hand on the table much to Jiraiya's bemusement, "What the hell is she doing here?!"
"Eh? Jiraiya-sama, do you mean to say that Naruto was not aware of my coming here?" the pinkette frowned, tilting her head to the side curiously.
"Ah… well, I tried to tell him, but things kept getting in the way…" the Sannin laughed.
"Liar," Naruto deadpanned, "You've been writing all that porn in your bedroom the past three weeks! Not to mention all those outings hunting for women!"
"Oh? You seem to be… far more perverted than I remember you being, Jiraiya-sama." Sakura frowned, closing her eyes. "It would seem the civilian lifestyle has made you even more lecherous and obscene than before. Shall I commence reeducation?" she cracked her knuckles.
"Now now, let's not get hasty." Jiraiya smiled, subtly moving towards the closest door while glancing at Naruto for support.
"Don't look at me Pervy Sage," Naruto scowled, "You'd deserve it. But that's beside the point!" he slammed his fist on the table again, "Sakura!" he pointed at her angrily, "What's going on? Why are you all the way out here?!"
Sakura glanced up at him calmly, intending to answer without pause.
"Due to a nearly successful assassination attempt on the Yondaime Hokage, I have been ordered to watch over one of several possible targets. Due to my prior history with you, it was deemed that I'd be most compatible with you, and so, here I am."
"Ah, I see. So you were sent here because you know how to work with me…" Naruto smiled, "As if! What do you mean Tou-san nearly got assassinated?! Weren't his guards doing their job?!"
"Sorry…" Sakura apologized, her head bowed down solemnly, "They did the best they could… but, the attack happened so fast-"
Naruto felt his chest tighten and his palms grow sweaty. Several condensed beads of sweat began to roll down the blonde's head. He dry lips parted, and he breathed out the question he severely wanted to know the answer to.
"Tou-san… is he…?"
An uneasy silence hung in the air.
"Naruto, please…" Sakura began, "try to understand that the medics… they're doing everything they can. With their help, Yondaime-sama has gotten out of any immediate danger, but… sorry, Naruto. I don't know how to tell you this kindly… but Yondaime-sama has entered a coma."
The blonde billowed over as if he had been punched in the stomach.
His father?
Coma?
Those words… it was impossible for them to go together, and yet there he stood, doubled over with his eyes wide, listening to the words he never thought he'd hear.
"This… you said this… happened nearly a week ago, right?" Naruto gasped, "Why… Why wasn't I told?"
"You just were." Jiraiya spoke solemnly, setting a hand on the blonde's shoulder in a show of support, "But, I'm afraid the news doesn't stop there Naruto. With Minato… incapacitated, the Clan is looking for a new leader. Your mother has been able to keep most of the dissenters at bay for now, but… It's only a matter of time before they come for you."
The blonde's eyes went wide, and before he knew what he was doing he had torn Jiraiya's hand off of him and was out the door.
"Naruto, wait!" Jiraiya's voice called after him, but the blonde couldn't hear it.
How could he, when his peaceful life had been torn asunder in a matter of seconds?
"Baka Sannin." Sakura scolded back inside the house, making to stand as she watched the elderly Sage narrowly, "You should have known better than to tell him such things at a time like this. He only just found out about what happened to his father."
"Yeah…" Jiraiya sighed, "I suppose I should go after him."
"Don't bother." The pinkette muttered with a huff, grabbing her equipment and turning to leave, "I'll go. Protecting the target is part of my mission, after all."
She was just about to take off after him when Jiraiya's hand grabbed her by the sleeve.
"…?"
"In that case," the Sannin frowned, his eyes gleaming in the dim light of the building, "I suppose you wouldn't mind taking something with you when you go?"
Sakura turned back, her eyes blinking curiously when she saw just what it was Jiraiya intended to give her.
-Outside-
His father was in a coma.
The Clan was intending to make him the new head.
It was too much to take in at one time.
Naruto panted heavily, a hand clasped supportively against a wall as he eyed the empty road in front of him. What was he doing, running away like that? Certainly, that had seemed to be a promising route at the time, but to actually take it?
His head drooped, wondering what the two thought of him now. That didn't stay in his mind for long however. He had much more to be concerned about.
"Tou-san is in a coma…." He mumbled beneath his breath, "Impossible… the old man I knew was unbeatable… there's no way he could have been defeated… no matter how it was done! And those Clan members… what the hell do they think they're up to?! There's no way I could be…"
"Naruto…" the soft voice of his former childhood friend called out, drawing the blonde's attention.
"!" Naruto looked up, staring into the green eyes of the woman before sighing. "Sakura… you came after me?"
"Of course I did, silly." She responded kindly, "Jiraiya-sama really should have known better than to throw everything on you at once like that."
"So it's true then…? Tou-san is really…?"
Sakura furrowed her brow, her gaze softening slightly while she spoke to the boy. "Hai… I'm afraid so. The medics we had on staff at the time were enough to remove any immediate danger to Yondaime-sama, but as far as a full recovery goes… his body is fine, but his mind is…"
Naruto exhaled, allowing his body to slump against the wall.
"A-Ah, we have of course sent word to the best medics available!" Sakura hastened to add, "But, until they arrive at the main compound, there's no telling what the situation may be."
"I see." Naruto replied in a detached manner, gazing across the street at nothing in particular.
Sakura frowned, moving to lean against the same wall Naruto was before glancing up into the night sky.
"I… apologize." She offered, "This was not exactly how I envisioned meeting you after all these years. I never intended to bring up your father…"
"It's fine." Naruto muttered with a sigh, turning his head downward to cut the girl off. "If it hadn't been for you bringing it up, I likely would have never found out. The old geezer procrastinates like that. Were you there when it happened?"
"Eh?" Sakura blinked, "N-No… I'm afraid not. I had been on a diplomatic mission in Iwa's territory at the time. Of course, the second I found out the mission was immediately cut short as deemed by protocol-"
"I see." Naruto smiled wryly, eager to steer the conversation away to something else for the time being. "Being sent on diplomatic missions already, you sure have gone far, Sakura."
"O-Of course I have!" the pinkette agreed, "Ever since that day, I've been training to the best of my abilities to become a proper kunoichi! I made sure to work twice as hard as everyone else, just to make sure that-" she flinched before she could go off on a tangent, as if realizing what she was saying.
"What?" Naruto asked curiously, tilting his head slightly to gaze at the girl.
"N-Nothing…." Sakura replied, turning her head away from the boy for several seconds.
An awkward silence fell between them.
"Hey, Naruto…" the girl spoke up again, "I've been meaning to ask you all these years… Why did you… Why did you decide to quit? Was it… Was it because of me, because if that's the case-"
"Don't be naïve." Naruto sighed, sliding his hands into his pockets as he straightened his back. "What happened back then… doesn't have anything to do with why I stopped being a ninja. It was embarrassing sure, but hardly traumatizing. Besides, you had your own reasons right? Your family had to move, or something. I won't lie and say I was pleased with how you ran off," the blonde chuckled dryly, "but we were little kids back then. It's understandable."
"E-Eh?" Sakura glanced at him in shock, "But, in that case, why did you-?!"
Naruto grimaced. This was hardly the person he wanted to be talking about such things with.
"There are techniques in this world that should have never been used. Let's just leave it at that, alright Sakura?" the blonde muttered, his eyes darkening as he spoke. "I'd rather not think on such things at the moment. Especially with everything else going on right now."
Again, his mind drifted back to the fact that his father was in a coma, and that the Konoha Group was bent on making him the next head.
"Ah… right…" Sakura nodded, "I apologize."
"Don't. It's not your fault after all." Naruto sighed. "Did they find out who was responsible?"
"No…" Sakura spoke apologetically, "It's part of the reason why so many of us have been dispatched to protect high-quality targets. We can't be sure if this is just a single, isolated event or the start of something greater. Nonetheless, besides myself, several qualifying ninja have been given orders to protect their own targets. Last I heard, your mother was being protected by Hatake Kakashi himself."
"Kakashi?" the blonde asked, raising a brow, "I think I've heard that name before. Dad mentioned it every so often when I still lived back with them. Is he someone important?"
"Eh?" Sakura blinked, raising her arm in an instructor-like fashion to explain. "He's only one of the strongest shinobi to have been raised by the Clan! He's rumored to know over a thousand techniques, and has the ability to copy any move after seeing it only once! He's really something… It's not surprising that you've heard his name, he was trained by your father, after all."
"Eh? This guy was….?" Naruto asked, taking a pause before smiling softly again. "I guess that means Kaa-san will be safe too then… But I have to say I'm surprised. I never thought they'd send someone my age to watch over me. What, am I not worth the very best?"
Sakura grimaced, "Despite whatever your beliefs about my qualifications, I can assure you I've completed my training and am capable of acting as a proficient kunoichi. Really, it's your own fault. The Clan deemed it unlikely that anyone would bother going after someone who hasn't had anything to do with ninja for the past several years. Combined with the fact that you are an adolescent teenager, the Council felt it would be best if you were dealing with someone your own age. Seeing as I'm the one who can boast knowing you the best, it's only obvious that I'd be chosen for the job."
"I see." Naruto sighed. "So simply put, they didn't want to waste resources watching over some snot-nosed brat, so sent another snot-nosed brat to take care of the job…"
"E-Eh?! Who are you calling snot-nosed?!" Sakura snapped, "Even if you're an old friend, I won't have any problem pounding you into the ground, Shannaro!"
"!"
"!"
The pair cut off from the friendly argument they were about to delve into to scan the surrounding area. Something was off. Neither of them had noticed it until recently, but they were no longer alone. In fact, there were numerous people streaming through the area, and this feeling… lined with killer intent…
"Naruto." Sakura muttered, her eyes hardening defensively.
"Yeah, I felt it." The blonde confirmed, his own eyes scanning the crowd. "Think it's one of those assassins you were talking about?"
"I can't tell. There's too many people around here, they could be anywhere."
"I got it. In that case…" Naruto grimaced, pulling away from the wall and looking toward the many civilians, "we'll just have to flush them out!"
Sakura nodded, and the two took off in the same direction.
The feeling of Killing Intent followed.
Through the crowd, down the populated street, the pair ran.
They needed to get somewhere unpopulated, where not a single civilian was in sight. It was the first step of being a shinobi. But that worked both ways.
As long as they were in the crowd, their enemy couldn't act either. At least, not in a way that could draw much attention. Naruto supposed that was the allure in being known as an assassin. Depending on their skillset, one could easily kill a man in the midst of a crowd. Even as something as simple as a scratch could have fatal effects.
It was why both he and Sakura were so focused on getting somewhere unpopulated. With no one to hide amongst, the assassin would be forced to confront them directly, and then…
They could take them out!
Naruto scowled as he barged through a roof access door, stumbling onto an unfinished construction site as Sakura stalked in behind him.
"Dark, concealed…." Naruto muttered, "This'll work."
"Hai." Sakura agreed, scanning the area with a frown. "The person seems to have fallen behind. Given this sensation… I'd say we have maybe five, six minutes before they arrive."
The blonde nodded, "I understand. What supplies do you have on you? Kunai, senbon?"
Sakura frowned, loosing a scroll concealed in her back pocket and running her hand along it idly. In a soft flash, several barrels of equipment flourished outward, and she scanned the contents hurriedly.
"Nine sets of shuriken, five rolls of kunai, two ninjato, five rope darts, and twenty two first aid kits."
Naruto stared at her with a deadpan look in his eyes. "Sakura… ah… why do you have so many first aid kits?"
The pinkette glanced at him frustratingly, "Do you mean to say you're no longer the reckless, easily injured boy I befriended when I was little?"
"No." Naruto answered immediately, "I don't get injured if I can help it." He sighed, "Whatever, now isn't the time for this conversation anyway. Let's split up this equipment, we still have a few minutes before whoever's hunting us gets here-"
"Ah!" Sakura shouted in surprise, another flash erupting from the scroll as the suit Jiraiya had shown Naruto earlier flourished out its pages.
"Is that….?" The blonde stared at the woman impatiently.
"This is…" Sakura frowned, "Jiraiya-sama intended for me to give it to you after you'd calmed down. I know it's not exactly orange or anything, but…"
"No. It's fine." Naruto sighed, "The clothes I'm wearing at the moment won't do for holding ninja gear anyway. And being honest…." He glanced at the clothes with a frown, "I don't think they look all… that bad."
Sakura's eye gleamed. "So you'll wear it?"
Taking a swift step back as Sakura approached him with sinister intentions, Naruto sweatdropped. "Ah, well, that is to say-"
"No turning back now." The woman decided forcefully, "We're running low on time as it is."
She leapt forth, and not in one way, Naruto would find his privacy violated.
-Five Minutes Later-
The kunoichi and her ninja-hating companion stood firmly in the center of the roof, both of them decked out in full ninja gear.
Holsters and sheathes lined their jeans and back respectively, providing quick and easy access to their weapons whenever they so pleased. They stared at the entrance to the roof expectantly, but their focus was on everything around them.
They couldn't honestly expect a skilled ninja to come in from the front after all.
That would be… well, stupid.
After several seconds passed, the two exchanged eye contact for a single moment, a single thought passing between them.
'He's here.'
As if on cue, a small senbon lined with a clear fluid shot forward from the depths of the roof toward Naruto's neck, and Sakura sprang into action.
Quickly freeing a kunai from her pouch, she leapt to the side, swinging her arm in a condensed, perfect motion so that steel met steel, and the kunai deflected the small needle down into the ground below.
"You'll have to try harder than that." She muttered, glaring out toward the location where the attack had originated.
"Hu hu…" a nasty laugh erupted from the darkness of the construction site, "I must say, I certainly wasn't expecting a ninja of Konoha to arrive so soon. Perhaps I should have acted sooner." A flash of white hair emerged from the dark, and a pair of dull, green eyes gleamed beneath them. "No matter," the man's voice continued, "I guess I'll just have to take you out too."
Suddenly he erupted out from the shadows, leaping forth into the moonlight for the first time. Puling his arm back, the assailant loosed the great shuriken latched across his back, and swung it forward, towards the pair.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, raising her kunai defensively. "Move!" She leapt upward, toward a construction beam.
"I know!" the blonde muttered, grabbing a kunai of his own before dodging to the side, allowing the giant shuriken to pass through the space they stood moments prior.
The white-haired assailant grinned beneath his ninja mask, lunging after Naruto and driving a kunai of his own forward. "Kehaha!"
"Guh!" Naruto grimaced, deflecting the thrust with his own kunai as he quickly backpedaled.
As the man began swinging his kunai skillfully, Naruto struggled to dodge and deflect each blow, continuing to leap backward after each motion.
"Damn…!" he thought, "I haven't been in practice for some time…. I could really use some help here, Sakura!"
It couldn't have come any sooner. Just as the assassin was about to lash out once more, a sudden rope shot from the shadows lashed out and wrapped around his arm, before being pulled inward, dragging the man away from the blonde.
"Grah!" the man snarled as he was tossed into the concrete floor, rolling several steps before finally cutting the rope loose with his kunai. "Not bad. It appears you have some skill after all… but tell me Konoha nin, can you keep up with this?"
Not even a second after the man stopped talking did he erupt into a fluid of motions, numerous copies of the man appearing throughout the roof all wielding a kunai of their own.
Naruto grimaced at the scene.
"This is… the ability to duplicate oneself with a number of harmless illusions! The Bunshin no Jutsu! But… that's a basic ninja technique that everyone should know!"
"So, how about it Konoha nin?" the man asked, his voice echoing amongst all the clones as they moved throughout the roof, "Will you be able to tell which of us is the real deal? Hehehehah!"
"The Bunshin Technique…." Naruto thought, "Once it's in motion it's nearly impossible to figure out which of the clones is the real one without some kind of eye ability. But… if you know where to look…" The blonde's eyes flashed as he watched one of the clone's step down upon the concrete. It dented slightly, and the blonde launched his kunai forward. "You'll be able to spot small changes in the environment that a mere illusion couldn't produce!"
The assailant hissed as the kunai tore past his leg, leaving a small gash that had interrupted his casting of the Jutsu.
"Now Sakura!" Naruto shouted, and Sakura launched down from above, driving her fist toward the man's head.
The man barely managed to dodge before the pinkette landed, shattering the ground beneath her fist and leaving a small crater in its wake.
The assassin whistled.
"That's quite some power you got there girl… too bad it's being used for such a pathetic cause."
Sakura scowled in reply, quickly leaping back beside Naruto and readying her stance once more.
"I don't need to hear the words of a nameless assassin," she spat, "and no matter what your plans, I won't allow you to lay a finger on Naruto!"
"Nameless?" the assassin giggled, using his free hand to pull at his mask. "Fufu… I assure you girl, I am anything but nameless. Behold, I am none other than the invincible Mizuki!"
He pulled down the black scarf eagerly, freeing his sinister face for the world to see. Both Naruto and Sakura stared at him blankly.
"Ah, Sakura…" Naruto muttered, pointing at him, "do you know this guy?"
"Not at all," came her reply, "I suppose he must not be very important after all."
"The hell's up with that response?!" Mizuki snapped, yelling at the two angrily. He smirked, leaning back before raising his kunai once more. "Well, I suppose if you don't recognize me by my name… I'll just have you remember me as the one who killed you! Haha!"
He launched himself forward, grabbing another kunai before confronting both of them in battle directly. He'd swing upward, and the blonde would block the attack with a subpar defense, he'd swing to the right, and the female would duck below while retreating fluidly.
He scowled.
"Take this!" the man snapped finally, turning on his heel and flinging his left leg into Naruto's side.
The blonde winced as he attempted to block it, but the force was stronger than he expected, and he was sent flying into the ground.
Mizuki grinned, "And now… for you!" he continued, changing the grip of his kunai as he moved into a turn. His weapon's edge gleamed in the night as it swooped forth, and Sakura was forced to pull back, barely managing to block the blow herself before flipping backwards.
"Heh. Perfect." Mizuki grinned.
"What-?" Sakura muttered, her eyes narrowing curiously at the words before realizing what had happened.
She was on the separate side of the roof from Naruto!
"Haha! Time to die!" Mizuki laughed, quickly changing the grip of his kunai once more before he completed his turn, tossing the weapon toward Naruto in what would be a fatal blow.
Sakura's eyes went wide.
"He moved so quick… at this rate Naruto won't be able to dodge! So…" she grit her teeth, and launched herself forward as well.
It'd be close, the girl doubted she'd have the time to block the attack. But that was fine, as long as Naruto was safe.
"….!" Sakura coughed, blood splattering the floor beneath her as she pressed a hand to her side.
Mizuki's kunai was embedded firmly in her skin. She could already feel the wetness of her blood begin to soak through her clothing.
"Ah… Ah…?"
She fell.
"S-Sakura?" Naruto managed to utter out, quickly leaping back to his own feet. "Sakura!"
"Ah… Na…ruto?" Sakura asked.
"Hey, Sakura, what the hell are you doing? Hurry up and get up! We've still gotta beat this guy-!"
"Sorry, Naruto…" The pinkette apologized, "But… it doesn't look like I'll… be able to continue… much longer."
"Eh? No way… Sakura, come on… stop fooling around, you've gotta get up, before he attacks again-"
The pinkette raised her bloody hand, allowing it to brush against the blonde's cheek. "Naruto… I'm sorry… you must have been lonely all these years and yet… and now… just when I finally get to see you again… I've done nothing but give you bad news… I'm sorry, Naruto…. So sorry…!"
Naruto grabbed her hand in surprise, "S-Sakura… no… you, you don't have anything to apologize for… both this time, and the last, you can't be blamed for either of those, so…"
"You always were so nice…" Sakura coughed, "It's a shame… I had to leave... If I… hadn't, my answer back then… most certainly would have been…." She trailed off, her hand slipping through Naruto's grip and falling back to the ground as she turned her head to the side, closing her eyes.
"Sakura? Sakura…?" Naruto asked again, cradling her body slightly.
"Kehahahahaha!" Mizuki laughed, bellowing humorously as he eyed the situation. "So she took it instead? Guahahaha! How grand, how exquisite! Truly, what a wonderful specimen she would have been…" he chuckled, "but I suppose that's worthless now…" quickly, he grabbed several shuriken and tossed them toward the pair.
Naruto's mouth curled into a grimace, and he quickly spread himself in front of Sakura's body defensively, deflecting each shuriken with his kunai.
"Oh… he blocked it?" Mizuki's brow rose curiously.
"Sakura… you always did get dragged into my sort of nonsense…." The blonde muttered, "Even now… years later, you got injured protecting this worthless loser…. Maybe… that's what made you you, you know? But… having regrets… living your life uncertainly… you couldn't have been very happy either… and that's why, I won't allow you to die here. Sorry, Sakura… I'll make sure you get some help. But first…."
Mizuki frowned, feeling an unwelcome aura erupt from the boy's being. It was a massive wave of killing intent, one that the man suspected belonged to something far greater than the boy standing in front of him, but it was gone just as fast as it came. His eyes narrowed, watching the blonde carefully as he rose his head, animalistic red eyes staring back at him.
"I'm gonna pound you." Naruto muttered, and he launched himself forward.
He was upon Mizuki in a second, kunai meeting kunai in a mad clash for power. The white-haired assassin scowled as he leapt back, reaching for another shuriken as the blonde charged in head-first, ignoring any risk of a counterattack.
"Ugh!" Mizuki winced, reeling back as blood flew from his gut.
Naruto had caught him with that last attack. It wasn't thorough, but it was enough to cause lasting damage.
The two landed apart from each other, with Mizuki panting softly as he gripped his wound.
"Interesting… So you inherited it after all… Naruto Namikaze."
The blonde said nothing in reply, shifting his stance before slowly reaching for the ninjato sheathed across his back.
"Ho…? You really think you can best me with such a weapon?" Mizuki asked, readying his kunai for the assault that would no doubt come.
He didn't have to wait long.
Naruto had launched himself forward before Mizuki even finished talking, and the sound of his blade clashing with kunai echoed across the roof.
"Stronger, faster… indeed! This is definitely the power of the-!"
Again, Mizuki found his thoughts and words cut off as Naruto tore through him once more.
The man gagged, blood flying from his lips as he was sent rolling into the concrete.
Naruto stood above him, the blade aimed at the man's neck.
Mizuki scowled. As if he would let some brat finish him off so easily. He threw his arms upward, releasing several shuriken at point-blank range, thinking the blonde would become little more than a pincushion.
He thought wrong.
Naruto flipped back, allowing the weapons to soar harmlessly into the sky before landing gracefully back on the roof. He stabbed the ninjato into the ground before making several quick seals.
"Earlier…." The blonde muttered, "You demonstrated your use of the Bunshin no Jutsu, did you not?"
Mizuki continued to pant as he rose back to his feet, glaring at the blonde angrily. "What of it?" he spat, reaching for another kunai.
He found he had none.
Naruto grinned. "Why don't I show you what happens when you take it a step further."
He finished his seal, "Behold Mizuki, the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A cloud of smoke tore through the roof, enveloping the area in a dense fog that lasted several seconds. When it cleared, Mizuki could do little more than bulge his eyes.
Hundreds of Naruto clones filled the construction site, all of them glaring at him with those horrid, red eyes. He scowled. It wouldn't matter, they were all just illusions anyway!
And then he was punched.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Attacks assaulted him from all sides, so much so that he knew it was impossible for one person to be making so many so quickly.
"Impossible-!" he thought, grimacing in pain as he fell backward, "They're real?! Real clones?!"
He found himself lacking further thought when a final clone kicked him over the edge of the building, down toward the street below.
He would have fallen, if not for the sudden use of a rope dart by the original Naruto just after the clones vanished.
The blonde frowned angrily, holding the rope tightly as he glared at the dangling Mizuki facing him upside down.
The assassin had no further weapons to use. His kunai were expired, and his shuriken were used.
He was trapped.
"So this is the extent of your abilities…" Naruto grimaced, as if disappointed. "Mizuki."
The man panted, blood dripping from his wounds as he stared back at the boy. "You… You better not underestimate-"
A sudden kunai whirred past his face, cutting him just enough to draw blood.
"That's my line." The blonde retorted, pulling the rope tighter.
Mizuki hissed as his body was forced upward, the sudden movement drawing even more blood from his wounds.
"It's obvious someone as weak as you wouldn't be capable of defeating the Yondaime alone. Did you have help, or are you just here working for somebody else?"
"Tch, as if I'd tell you anything, you little brat-!"
There was a moment of silence, and Naruto loosened the rope.
"You're not in a situation to refuse, Mizuki." The blonde continued, "You'll either tell me what I want to know… or I'll drop you."
"Damn…." Mizuki grimaced, glaring at the street below.
It was a long way down.
"Fine, I'll tell you." He decided, though glaring to make his displeasure known. "Your father, no… your entire family…. I'll tell you who they were targeted by."
The rope tightened.
"Well?" Naruto asked.
"We call them…. Akatsuki."
"The Dawn?" Naruto questioned, "Why? What's their motive?"
"I couldn't tell ya." Mizuki grinned, "But, I do know they were highly interested in the elimination of the Namikaze family. Heh, they even had me track you Uzumaki down all the way out here in Nami no Kuni."
"So… this 'Akatsuki' is responsible for my father's state then? And they'll be sending more than just you next time…." Naruto frowned, "What else do you know about them? Number of members? Names?"
"Well… I can't tell you any specifics," Mizuki smirked, "But… rumors say that both Itachi Uchiha and Nagato Uzumaki are part of this organization."
The rope slipped, and Naruto barely caught it amongst his sudden tremors.
"Na…ga…to?"
Standing alone amongst a world of flames.
His rippled eyes sought out an absolute power.
"The Kyuubi is mine, Kushina!"
"No!"
Naruto smashed his eyes shut, stumbling backward as he tightened his grip on the rope. "Urk… Che…!"
"Oh…? So you do know of him…" Mizuki chuckled, slowly growing into a full belly laugh, "Beware, Naruto Uzumaki! For when Red Clouds descend upon this city, they shall mark your-"
"I've heard enough."
Naruto released the rope, propelling Mizuki down toward the streets. His yell was heard all throughout the rooftop.
"Akatsuki…"
"Na-Naruto?" Sakura asked, slowly, leaning up from her place on the floor.
The blonde's brow furrowed, and he turned to gaze back at the woman who addressed him. "Ah, Sakura... You're alive…?"
"Of course I am, baka." Sakura smiled lightly, "It'll take more than a kunai wound to kill a medical ninja." She glanced around, "But… what happened to the assassin? Last I saw he was still…" she glanced at the scene, several thoughts coming to mind as she noticed a rope dart was missing from her person. "You… You didn't-?"
"I didn't kill him." Naruto assured, "Probably."
"Naruto-!" the pinkette hissed, leaning upward as she pulled the kunai from her skin to allow it to heal, "What about the sanctions! You can't just drop a corpse into the middle of the street, if they find out-!"
"There's no need to worry about that," the blonde again assured her, "besides, I've come to a decision."
"Eh?"
Naruto turned towards her, a soft smirk pulling at his lips as he spoke.
"Sakura… I will become Hokage."
-Chapter One-
END