Chapter 1: Class Clown
10-year old Naruto ran down the street with a bucket of paint in each hand, and a big grin plastered on his face. 'This makes my 13th prank in the last 4 days' he thought to himself, and i have a feeling this with be the best one yet. He had spent a whole hour planning this one. He would paint a message on the the fourth hokages face saying that Suna was going to attack the village, then while everyone was running around getting ready for the supposed invasion he would throw kunai off the top of the buildings.
Well that was his plan except it had now been 45 minutes since he had painted the message and atleast 50 people had looked at the message, half of them shinobi and there was no frenzy. Naruto was no genious but even he knew something was wrong, 'why is everyone so calm' Naruto thought...
...Mean while Hiruzen Sarutobi the current hokage was watching the young blond write the message. 'painting the hokages face is one thing, but telling everyone in the village that Suna is going to attack, he's crossed the line' he thought as rage filled him, rage he hadn't felt in years. He made a cross with his fingers and created a single shadow clone. You know what to do he said to the clone as he got up and the clone sat down and started to do paperwork.
Hiruzen appeared behind Naruto who was sitting on top of the hokage monuments. When Naruto felt someone behind him he turned around and saw his jiji and smiled then said "hey jiji how do you like my prank its awesome right". Naruto waited for an answer with a happy expression on his face, which changed to worry when he realized that his jiji was glaring at him.
The hokage couldn't contain his rage any longer and shouted at the blond saying "you've crossed the line Naruto, how dare you right something like that, you keep saying that you'll be hokage one day but you will never ever be hokage if all you do is pull pranks, and until you start taking the role of ninja seriously you will never be hokage".
By the end of the long winded speech Naruto was in shock and tears silently fell down his face. 'He's right i'll never be hokage if i keep acting like this, but no one at the academy teaches be anything what should i do' Naruto thought as he started to back away from the hokage, then turned around ran. Sarutobi watched the young blond run away from his and thought 'what have i done'.
Naruto ran and ran he didn't even know were he was going but he didn't want to stop. He was barely aware that he was now leaving the village and entering the surronding forest. 'No one at the academy teaches me anything, so how can i learn how to be a ninja, i need a teacher someone who will make me strong' Naruto thought.
Naruto didn't know how long he had been running but his legs were getting tired so he stopped at a small clearing. It was now nightfall and Naruto fell to the ground panting. Knowing that if he didn't find someone to teach him he would never become a ninja Naruto made a desperate plea to the heavens and yelled "PLEASE I NEED I TEACHER".
Mean while in the forest a little more than a mile from konoha's walls a man sat leaning against a boulder. He was tired, tired of having to avoid hunter ninja, tired of not getting to sleep in a warm bed. But alas this was the life of a rogue ninja, but still he wished he could live in a village with people. His dream was once to rule Kiri, but now all he wanted was those hunter ninja to stop chasing him.
The man wore no shirt instead he wore camouflage wrist bands that extended all the way to his elbows, and his face was covered in white bandages from his nose down. His pants were light blue, and he had the same camouflage bands that were on his fore arms but went from his knees to his ankles. Finally he wore shinobi sandles and had a huge balde next to him.
He was about to close his eyes and rest for a bit when he heard someone yell "I NEED A TEACHER", and he immediatey tensed. Then after a minute and nothing happened he decided to check it out. He picked up his abnormally large blade and stealthily walked in the direction of the voice. When he got there his jaw dropped, in the middle of a small clearing lay a boy no older then ten, the only catch was he was the spitting image of konoha's fourth hokage.
'Whats a kid doing in the forest at this time of night' the man thought, as he was debating what to do. After a minute he decided, and he walked out into the clearing. By now the boy had noticed that he was not alone anymore, and stood up and looked at the man with scared eyes. The man grunted 'coward' then quickly said "its ok, i'm not going to hurt you".
The blond kid relaxed a little, so the man continued "why do you teach a teacher". At this the blonds face sadened, and then he said "i need to become a powerful ninja so that i can full fill my dream". The man lookded at the blond with piercing eyes then said "i see, so what is your dream". At this the boy gave a small smile looked the man straight in the eye with a fierce determination and said "my dream is to become the greatest hokage".
The man's eyes widened and slowly an idea began to form in his mind, after a minute to work out the flaws in the plan he had finished it. He looked at the boy then said "boy what is you name". The blond looked at the man and gave a wide grin "my name is Naruto Uzumaki". THe man looked at Naruto then said "ok Naruto i'll make you a deal, i will train you to become a powerful ninja if when you become hokage you promise to take me in as a konoha shinobi".
The man looked at Naruto who was looking into the sky obviously thinking. Then after a minute Naruto looked back at the man and said "its a deal". The man nodded and said "good, but there are some very important rules that you have to follow". Naruto tilted his head to the side, i sign of confusion so the man elaberated.
"first off you must NEVER tell anyone about me or your training". Naruto nodded with a determined look on his face obviously wanting to impress his new sensei. The man continued "second you are to meet me here everynight after everyone in your village is asleep and make sure you are not followed". Naruto nodded again, so the man finished by saying "and finally you are to act, talk, and fight like you didn't get any training from me until i give you the ok to show your new abilities". Naruto nodded one last time and once again trying to impress his sensei by being polite said "please forgive my rudeness sensei, but what is your name".
The man stared at Naruto then said "you may call me Zabuza-sama". Naruto stood up straight then said "hai, Zabuza-sama". Zabuza smiled underneath his bandages then said "so i take it your in the academy". Naruto nodded so Zabuza said "now Naruto everything i teach you is important you must remember that, that said we will start with chakra control".
So for the rest of the night (about 6 & a half hours) Zabuza had Naruto climb trees with out using his hand and instead applying the right amount of chakra to his feet. By the end of the night two things had happened, one was that Naruto had managed to get 3/4 of the way up the tree. The second was that zabuza was in shock, the entire time the boy had not stopped and wasn't even panting. 'This kid easily has 5 to 6 times the amount of chakra i have, and he's just a kid'.
Zabuza then realized that the kid would have to be at the academy soon, so he got up and walked over to the boy. When he got to the boy he said "Naruto thats enough for tonight you did well". Naruto smiled at Zabuza who was looking at him intently. After a moment Zabuza said "after the academy go and buy some different clothes preferably black shinobi pants and sandles along with a shirt thats not orange". Naruto frowned at Zabuza but after seeing the look on his face said "ok, got it".
Zabuza sighed then said "remember only wear the new cloths with me". Naruto nodded then said "hai, Zabuza-sama", and ran off towards the village. Zabuza sighed as he watched the blond run off, the decided to buy a shit load off kunai, shuriken, and ninja wire for the blond. and with that he headed off as well.
Since Naruto had about an hour until the academy started he decided to get his new cloths before instead of after. And there was only one place in all of konoha that sold what he needed and did not kick him out when he walked in the door. Naruto ran through the streets getting glares thrown at him left and right until he stopped at a store and walked in.
"Hello how can i help you" the man at the register said looking at Naruto. "Just browsing" Naruto said, and after 5 minutes Naruto had picked out 4 pairs of all the cloths he needed and set them nect to the register. The man looked at everything Naruto was buying then said "that'll be 600 ryo please". Naruto nodded and put the money on the counter then frowned at the amount left in his wallet.
As Naruto walked into his appartment he put the cloths in his closet, then took a shower. After the shower he got dressed in his normal orange outfit, then he heard a knock on the door. When Naruto opened the door he saw the third hokage standing on his doorstep who said "Naruto would you like to get some ramen". Naruto stared at the old man in front of him then stepped out of his appartment closed the door and brushed passed the hokage not saying a word. The hokage frowned then said "Naruto show some respect for your elders". Naruto looked back at the hokage then said "hn, respect is not given on a silver platter, it is earned", and with that Naruto was on his way.
Class that day was boring as usual but then a thought occured to Naruto 'if i'm going to be hokage then i need to learn this stuff, even if it is boring'. and so from that day on Naruto started to listen to listen to the lectures and study for the tests. and soon days turned into weeks, and weeks turned inton months, and after 8 months Naruto was becoming so skilled it frustrated him greatly that he had to hide his true strength when he sparred in the academy.
Naruto speed and strength were currently that of a chuunin thanks to this adjustable weights, along with his taijutsu tactical skill and style. His genjutsu was still academy level, and his ninjutsu was chuunin level. He had mastered the replacement jutsu, the shadow shuriken jutsu, and even the shadow clone jutsu. He even figured out that his elemental affinity was water thanks to chakra paper, and he had been using his shadow clones to speed up his mastery of the different water style jutsu he knew. Zabuza had taught him the ninja art:hidden mist justu, the water style:violent water wave, and the water style:water dragon jutsu, which he had now mastered to the point were he could use water jutsu's were there was no water.
Naruto was laying in his bed with his hands behind his head. He was getting stronger all the time, once he even beat Zabuza in a taijutsu sparring match. His sensei always tried to beat Naruto as quick as possible because of his huge chakra reserves. He remembered Zabuza once saying "with your huge chakra reserves and precise chakra control you'll be able to using far more jutsu then everyone else in one battle, that is one of your greatest strengths".
Naruto turned his head to look at his clock and thought 'well time to train' as he slid out of bed and put on his training clothes. He attatched his kunai holster to his right leg and put his shuriken holster on his right leg as well below the kunai holster. Then Naruto got out a scroll and released its contents: an anbu katana that Zabuza had gave him. Once he was ready Naruto jumped out his window and landed like a cat on the ground, then began to silently run to his and Zabuza's training location.
When naruto got to the training spot he found Zabuza was standing in the center with some scrolls in one hand. Zabuza looked at Naruto then said "we have some matters to discuss". Naruto nodded saying "hai, Zabuza-sama what would you like to talk about". Zabuza looked at Naruto intently before saying "first i know that you failed the test to become a genin on porpose to have more time to train with me, during your second try to pass the test in one month i order you to pass". Naruto stood tall and said "hai, Zabuza-sama".
Zabuza nodded his approval then continued "this leaves us one month to train you, in that one month you are to master 2 a-rank water jutsu's, and then there is a suprise test once you do, and i think 100 shadow clones would be sufficient". Naruto nodded and said "what are the 2 jutsu's". Zabuza looked Naruto in the eye and said "before i tell you there is one other thing, once your a genin you will go on missions and i wont help you anymore so i took some scrolls from your village that contain water jutsu that the Nidaime Hokage used, you are to practice these by yourself".
Naruto noddd then said "ok, but when do i get to show my true strength". Zabuza looked into the sky for a moment then back at Naruto who was waiting patiently for an answer and said "during the chuunin exams which i'm confident you'll make it two, but before those exams i want you two hide these scrolls somewere outside of your house because once you show your true strength people will be suspicious of you and the hokage might search you house".
Naruto sighed as he looked down then looked back up and said "ok fine, but anyway what are the two jutsu that i have to learn". Naruto could tell that Zabuza was smirking and gulped this meant is was going to be really hard work. After a moment Zabuza said "first is and offensive one called water style:grand waterfall jutsu, and the second is a defensive jutsu called water style:water wall jutsu".
Naruto smirked and asked "i think i'll start with the grand waterfall jutsu, so how is the jutsu done". Zabuza showed Naruto the hand signs, and after 5 minutes Naruto could do the hand signs perfectly at top speeds. Once Zabuza saw this he said "watch me", Naruto did as he was told and one the jutsu was finished he realized that it was basically a giant water blast were the water is rotating at high speeds giving your opponent a large quantity of shallow gashes.
Naruto turned back to the clearing and just as his sensei instructed summoned 100 shadow clones then said "alright guys you no what to do". And with that all 100 of them began to practice, and Naruto and Zabuza moved a far enough away so as not get hit by the powerful water jutsu's. By the time it was morning Naruto had created and recreated over 6000 clones and had now mastered the jutsu perfectly.
Zabuza looked at Naruto in awe and thought 'he never ceases to amaze me, mastering a jutsu like that at his age its unheard of, let alone in one night'. Then he noticed Naruto fall off the tree he was standing on unconscious, Zabuza caught him and said "well well, i guess even he runs out of chakra", and at that Zabuza stealthily brought Naruto into his village and to his appartment and placed him on to his bed. 'Man, this place is such a dump' Zabuza thought as he pitied the boy.
Iruka stood in front of his class very frustrated, 'were is Naruto' he thought, it was already third period and he hadn't shown up yet. To be honest Iruka was getting worried, even Naruto didn't skip class not anymore anyway. Iruka looked back at his class and said "Mizuki, please take over the class for the time being, i'll be back in a bit". Mizuki nodded and with that Iruka walked out the door and then sprinted to Naruto's appartment.
When Iruka made it to Naruto's appartment he knocked on the door, no answer, 'i should go in just to be sure' he thought. So he opened the door and walked in only to find Naruto sleeping, and he was about to hit the blond over the head when he noticed atleast 20 shallow gashes along the boy's torso, back, and arms. Iruka lowered his arm and thought 'he's been training, but what in the world could have given him those gashes'. "Well i guess i'll let him sleep" he said quietly, and left.
3 weeks later
Naruto stood in front of Zabuza at there training grounds, Zabuza staring intently into Naruto eyes as if to confirm something. After a moment he spoke "Naruto, not only did you master the 2 water jutsu's i showed you also mastered a jutsu even i couldn't, the water style:water shockwave jutsu". Zabuza paused taking in Naruto's expression which was pride in himself then continued "now i have a suprise test for you". Naruto looked up at his sensei attentively waiting for the test.
"You will be leaving konoha for one week to hunt down and kill a rogue chuunin ninja, and you will bring me his head as proof" Zabuza said handing him a storage scroll which Naruto took. Naruto sighed and said "i guess i'll have to do it sooner or later, but people will notice that i'm gone". Zabuza chuckled then said "that is why i will be posing as you until you get back". Naruto nodded as Zabuza gave him the description and location of the rogue ninja, and already having everything he needed he set off in search on the missing ninja.
It had been 3 days since Naruto left and he had found his target. The man was about 22 and wore an standard Kiri chunnin outfit, he had his kunai holster on the thigh of his left leg. Naruto looked at the man, 'nows the time to strike' he thought as he threw 6 shuriken at the man. Just as the shuriken were about to hit there mark the man whipped around and deflected them with a kunai, only to be puched in the gut and then kicked in the jaw sending him flying into the air.
The man landed on his feet and turned to look at his attacker then started to laugh "he's just a kid" but stopped laughing when a very thick mist covered the area and he heard the kid say "ninja art:hidden mist jutsu". The man smirked the kid just gave me his position by saying his jutsu. Suddenly he heard the whizzing sound of a kunai slicing through air coming from the direction of the kid, 'hn, kids just a rookie he didn't even move' he thought as he deflected the kunai with one of his own.
The man's eyes widened when cold steal against his neck, and suddenly the mist dissappeared revealing the kid in front of him bursting into smoke, 'a shadow clone' he thought, but that was his last thought as his head was chopped off and sealed into a storage scroll. "Well, time to head back home" and with that he headed back to his village. Little did he know he would be having nightmares all the way back about his first kill.
later in the week back at konoha
Zabuza transformed as Naruto was walking down the street back to his temperary appartment while recieving glares left and right. All the time fighting the urge to kill every last one of the villagers. 'So this is what Naruto must go through, how can he stand it, we figured out he had the Kyuubi sealed with in him but that probably made things worse for him' Zabuza thought. "Well i doesn't matter he'll be back tonight" he said.
But a voice behind him said " who's gonna be back tonight" this made him stop and he turned around to see a guy he recognized as konoha's taijutsu master might guy. Zabuza looked at the man as calmly as he could and said "oh i um, was just reeciting a line in a book i read", 'that was the lamest excuse ever'. Guy looked at him and said "very youthful my friend, what was the books name anyhow". By now Zabuza was starting to sweat and without thinking said "1,000,000 ways to fool an idiot".
Guy looked at him for moment then started to laugh and said " very youthful indeed my friend" and with that he sped off in a direction unkown for he was too fast for Zabuza too see. Zabuza sighed and continued to walk to his temperary appartment. When he got there he took a shower and then went to bed early.
Zabuza woke up at midnight and headed to his and Naruto's training spot, 'if he's still alive then he'll be back by now' he thought. When he got there he saw Naruto sitting on a tree and quickly noticed the bags under his eyes. Zabuza undid the transformation and returned to his old self then looked up at Naruto and said "your having nightmares of your first kill aren't you". Naruto just threw down the scroll in response, which Zabuza opened and unsealed its contents revealing the head of the man Naruto was sent to kill.
Zabuza sighed and said "Naruto come here for a moment" and Naruto obliged and jumped off the tree and landed next to his sensei. Zabuza put his hands on Naruto's shoulders like a father would and said "Naruto this is the life of a shinobi, but think of it like this we do not just kill for fun, we kill to protect our villages, that ninja you killed could've become a threat to your village one day". Naruto looked into Zabuza's eyes and said "yeah that does make sense, thanks Zabuza" ending the sentence with a genuine smile on his face.
Zabuza's face truned serious and he said "Naruto this is the last time we will see eachother for a while, when the time is right i will contact you and you will know that its me, and here are the scrolls and make sure that you hide them good" as he finished he handed Naruto the scrolls who accepted them. Zabuza looked at the blond one last time and said "and make sure you pass the test to become a genin, got it" Naruto nodded gave one last wave then walked off ready for the life of a ninja. Zabuza watched his apprentice walk away and for the first time in a long time he let a tear drop slide down his face: he felt he was happiest person alive.