I don't like writing summaries since I would reveal way too much of the plot, but I will say things are not as they seem. As usual I do not own the characters the OC's that will appear are mine. I am also in search of a co-writer and reader to help me with this fanfiction. So by the time this posts I will have already started writing chapter 2 titled "Masks of the Past". Oh and this will have a pairing but it won't be revealed until later.

It was all for nothing, that's what his train of thought led him to. He lived to train, to become strong to gain power in order to become the next Kage. So what was left of him?

Liar

Killer

Demon

He was nothing but a shell of what he had been. And it had all started that one God forsaken day, the day he lost everything that he held dear.

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An eighteen year old Uzumaki Naruto couldn't help but grin to himself. In his mind he was the luckiest man alive, how else could you describe. Here he was getting ready to depart with Hinata on their honeymoon having just been married the day before, he set out of his hotel room just trying to contain himself and not act like a kid who had just received mass amounts of candy.

Setting out into the streets he saw the town that he called home begin to come to life in the morning bustle.

"Oi Naruto!" A voice sounded from the streets.

Looking into the passing populace he noticed a blur of green with black hair. Not even a second later Lee was standing in front of him blurting something about the flames of youth burning strong within him.

He couldn't help but grin the at the other Konoha-nin, sure lee was overdoing everything a tad, but he had good intentions.

"So Lee I missed you at the reception after the ceremony yesterday." Stated Naruto matter-of-factly.

"Yes, Gai-sensei and I decided to train to commemorate your merging of the flames of youth of Hyuuga Hinata and Naruto Uzumaki, we ran one thousand laps around konoha just mark the occasion." Lee replied while doing his nice guy pose.

Naruto couldn't help but sweatdrop at that, not that he had anything against Lee and certainly not with his teachers more unorthodox methods of teaching he had to admit that this sort of training was for lack of a better word crazy.

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He couldn't help but shed a tear thinking about what transpired on that day. Here he was now a

hermit living miles away from the village in a rundown shack having nothing to do with the village that had shunned him in his youth. He tried to gain their trust and for years of work it seemed to have paid off, but after what happened he couldn't force himself to go back.

Getting up and making his way over the makeshift sink that sat in the corner of his small abode he looked in the cracked mirror that was pinned to the wall with a kunai. His hair was past his shoulders and beard that he never bothered to shave. Long gone was the boy that could easily change frowns into smiles all that was left was a man who lost everything. His aquamarine eyes that were once filled with life were frankly downtrodden and weary.

Oh how the mighty have fallen was all that his mind could muster now, the old frog hermit taught him everything he knew, he knew he probably wouldn't have been the next Hokage but the next spot was actually looking quite promising. Looking over to what he called his home he eyed the calender that hung on the wall.

"Happy twenty third birthday Naruto." He whispered to himself.

His ears perked at that second someone was close, he could sense four distinct chakra sources and they were coming towards him fast. He was sure of it they were shinobi a jounin and possibly three genin.

He didn't know whether to be relieved or insulted he might have been an ex-ninja but he was still at least a anbu level before he left. He didn't know who would be crazy enough to accept this mission but they were seriously asking for a lesson in humility and proper concealment of chakra.

Only one certain thought came to his mind at that moment.

If it's a fight they want they sure chose the wrong person to start it with.

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