Hello readers, this is a prototype test chapter to test a theory of mine. If it produces enough interest, I may continue it.
Basically, I had a theory that perhaps my stories generate limited interest because of the use of O.C's for main charecters, and therefore can use no charecter tags. As such, this chapter is a test in that the main focus will be Naruto in future chapters (and a romance with Ino in future chapters if I make it)
Just as a warning, the basic plot starter points are borrowed from FreeTheKyuubi's fanfic New Beginnings, New Fate. While the writing style and O.C, alongside several plot points are of my own work, the basic plot direction was borrowed from his work. While I have sent a message to him regarding permission to use it, the fact that he has yet to re-emerge on FF for nearly 2 years means the chance of reply are pretty low, so i'm continuing with it, but leaving a shoutout to him for having borrowed the plot points. If I continue, due to the vast difference between our O.C's, the influence on Naruto's development will be so different that our plots will diverge rather obviously, it is only the very start that will match.
Anyhow, read on and enjoy!
(P.S I have changed some minor plot points, most noticable that Kakashi was made aware of Naruto's heritage before he was born e.g. Minato told his pupil he was going to be a father. I'm just putting a warning out so as not to complicate things.)
DISCLAIMER: I in no way own anything to do with Naruto, other than the design for the O.C featured herein, that was my idea!
The young child pushed through the bushes as he ran as fast as he could through the darkness, his mind fearful and desperate, his body too tired to even try crying out for help as he forced his already exhausted limbs to push forward, as fast as his small frame could carry him away from the vengeful shouts of his pursuers from far away, lights from their burning torches flickering in the darkness, enhancing the brown glow of the autumn leaves from the tree's about them as they searched for the target of their needless fury, even more enraged that he had escaped them this time. Then again, it wasn't like crying for help would stop them, or draw others to protect the child anyway, for it was the villagers themselves that hunted for him.
It was always like this, every time the year swung around to this day, they hunted for him. The young boy could never understand why they did this, even when it wasn't this day, the villagers always looked at him with thinly veiled disgust and hatred, so much so that the boy was afraid every night for his life, afraid that if he dared walk out of his door during the darkness, that they would come for him, and beat him once again, leaving him battered and crying in a heap of rubbish on the side of the street. He had learnt from an age that no child should that the only place he could be safe was behind the locked door of his tiny apartment, and so he rarely ventured from his dingy home unless it was absolutely necessary.
It was always like this, and he could never understand why. It was like the whole village hated him; when he had done nothing to earn their ire other than exist. But as horrible as they treated him, he would be safe enough if he never strayed upon the streets when night had fallen, if he hid himself in that apartment, curled up protectively on the bed that was in dire need of repair for all of its broken springs, it would give him some measure of protection from those villagers.
However, even the relative safety of the rundown, dingy apartment that he hid inside every night was not safe on this day, no, nowhere was safe on this day for him.
Not on the one day any child should be at their happiness, on October 10th, the day of Uzumaki Naruto's birthday.
No doubt the front door of that apartment had already been caved in earlier this day as the hunt for him began. However, this year, he hadn't stayed in that room, curled up in the corner as he waited in fear and weary resignation for them to come for him, hoping that by showing no resistance, the beating would at least have some restraint and he wouldn't have to suffer too many blows before those Ninja's arrived to stop them from going too far, but even as they forced the irate villagers, still spewing curses and insults at him to leave, many of them often looked down at him from those animal-like masks with thinly veiled disgust as they broke apart the mob that had come for him, as if saving his life was what they had been forced to do by orders they could not willingly ignore.
No, Naruto had had enough. Earlier that day, he had decided he was going to run. At seven years old, the boy had chosen to run away from home, perhaps forever. He needed to get away from this life, where he lived in neglect and always in the baleful stares of the other villagers. He had taken what few things he owned from that dingy apartment and packed them in an old rucksack which was now slung haphazardly on his back.
For the rest of that day, he had watched the guards at the front gates of the village, waiting and watching for the change in patrol. He hadn't been noticed while he watched, years of learning how to avoid the villagers attentions paying off as he stayed out of the ninja guard's perception. When his chance came, when the guards greeted one another as the first group was relieved by the second, he had ran. At first, he thought the guards may have seen him as he got passed the gate, but even if they had, they must have ignored him, for it had been almost a full half hour before the irate villagers had realised the child had escaped their grasp, and started pursuit for their target.
As he continued to run, the angry shouts of the villagers fading into the distance, now unnoticeable behind the heaving of his lungs as he desperately tried to draw breath, the young child was relieved as he had escaped unnoticed. However, his tired run was cut short, a branch snagging his sandal, sending the boy tumbling head over heels until he smashed headfirst into a solid tree trunk. As blood started to pour from the wound, the boy saw stars before his eyes, realising dimly that it hurt as the darkness engulfed him.
Nearby, amongst the treetops, a shadow seemed to let out a sigh, giving away the presence of the man hidden within the darkness, looking down at the child from behind its mask, a shock of silver hair emerging from above the dog mask as the ninja looked down at the child from his single visible eye with a concerned gaze.
With a small gust of breeze, the man vanished from the treetops, instantly appearing beside the unconscious child. After a quick once over, he realised the child's injury wasn't severe, it was just exhaustion, coupled with the collision that had caused Naruto to lose consciousness. As the ninja stood straight once more, his gaze turned towards the slight light that trembled in the distance. With some relief, he gauged that the light was decreasing, obviously the villagers had started searching in the wrong direction, and it wouldn't be much longer until they gave up their search and returned to the village.
To this single eyed ninja, it was a duty that he often chose to carry out, to search for the child and watch over him on this day. It was a duty he often carried out, but one he was not authorized to do. Many years before, only days after the birth of the child, Hatake Kakashi had stood before the village elders, demanding the rights to become the guardian of the child, the son of his late mentor, but the village elders had chosen otherwise, overruling his honest wish, even though the Hokage had spoken in his support, banning him from even seeing the boy outside of official missions.
To the silver haired man, it was his own shame that he could not even guard the child from the villagers, for without authorization, he couldn't even intervene if the boy was attacked, the best he could do, year after year, was alert the Hokage the instant the boy seemed in danger. But this year was different, the boy had chosen to run from the villagers, and Kakashi had felt no need to stop him. It had been a simple matter to cause a diversion when the boy had ran for freedom, a single smoke bomb had seen to the guard's attention as the boy had run through the gate.
He knew there was going to be no way to hide this from the Hokage, and he would face punishment for this act, but he couldn't let the child of his mentor suffer any more. Even now, the ninja reached behind his head, for the knot that held his Hitai-ite in place, the symbol of his allegiance to Konoha, hoping that his long gone father would forgive him for what he was about to do for the child's sake.
But a rustle nearby stayed his hands, his mask turning rapidly as he sought the disturbance. As a precautionary measure, the ninja drew a kunai from the pouch at his waist, melding into the shadows as he awaited whatever came.
"I'm sorry Jii-san, but I can't take it anymore!" Naruto cried out in his dream, staring up at the old man at his desk, in the familiar room. Although the room was indistinct, seemingly immaterial as the boy could not remember the details, the Hokage was almost as perfect as he was in life, the large red and white hat perched perfectly atop his head, the old, yet kindly face watching him, a pipe held in one gnarled hand as the man smiled down at him.
Even though the old man smiled at him in his dreams, the boy was rent emotionally. The old man had been one of the very few people who had always been kind to him. When he had been sad and alone, the man had taken the time to come down from his lofty office to his dingy apartment to visit him, even though he was the leader of their village. The old man had always smiled kindly, laughed at the young boys eager jokes, even at some of the pranks the child had pulled. He also took the boy out at times, taking the child to the Ichiraku Ramen stand, his favourite place in the whole world. The old man was like family to him, the only family he had ever had.
However, the old Hokage had been left behind, even now, the kind face started to disappear, just as the room broke up behind him. Naruto couldn't hold back his tears as he shouted after the vanishing man "I promise I'll come back! I'll become really strong, and I'll come back! I won't give up on my dream to become the Hokage, I promise!"
"I…pro…mise…" the child murmured slowly as he awoke. He felt the hot tears stream down his warm face as he tried to open his tired eyes. His head felt oddly fuzzy as he struggled to raise an arm to wipe the tears from his face, brushing the liquid away from the whisker like birthmarks. As he did this, he felt something strange under his fingers, cloth.
"I wouldn't pull at that if I were you." A man's voice called softly from nearby, the accent strangely smooth and soft as whomever it was spoke. As the child struggled to turn and see who it was that spoke, he realised quickly he was somehow in a sleeping bag. It also seemed that he was in a small enclosure, lit brightly by the nearby campfire, the air warm and smelling distinctly of cooked fish. Across the fire, the boy's eye's slowly adjusted enough to the sudden light to see who was there.
Smiling softly, his eyes seemingly closed, a man sat leant against a tree, strangely dressed in pale blue robes, a rather strange choice for a person walking amidst woods, yet the robes seemed unmarred by dirt or grass, testament to the man's skill in picking his paths well amidst the rough brush. Around his shoulders fell medium length black hair, framing his slightly narrow face, which was unmarred by scars or marks. Across his lap rested a sheathed blade, the sheath the same pale blue as his robes, the guard strangely intricate as if the blade was a ceremonial sword rather than one for practical use. However, the worn material about the wrapped handle of the sword indicated it was a blade that had seen a lot of use.
Even as the boy watched, the man unfurled his legs, resting the sword now on the tree's as he made his way to the campfire, now adjusting the obviously cooking fish to make sure they cooked evenly. Even as he did this, his eyes remained seemingly closed, as if he could see even with that expression. "Are you hungry?" the man suddenly asked, startling Naruto out of his thoughts.
Before he could even ask, the loud rumbling that emitted from his stomach obviously gave the answer the man sought. The man's smile widened slightly in good humour as he replied "It seems so, but I'm afraid these won't be finished for a while longer." As he stood once more, brushing lightly at his robes, he turned once more to the boy, that warm smile comforting to the child. With deft movements, the man walked over, easily hopping over a wooden stump before seating himself on the stump's opposite side, facing Naruto who still lay in the blankets.
The man lightly laced his fingers, looking down at Naruto as he started "It surprised me to find one as young as you alone within the forest, since we have some time before the fish cooks, perhaps you could regale me as to how come you ended up here?"
Naruto shifted uneasily at the question, drawing his legs up from underneath the sheets before hugging his knees, looking downwards. It wasn't that he didn't trust the kind man, the man had obviously taken care of him, and bore him no ill will, the question truly just a curious one. However, even if he was nice and kind, the man would obviously take him back to the village if Naruto revealed he had run away, after all it was the responsible thing to do for any adult.
"I'm sorry if the question offends you somehow, I was just concerned as to how come I found a child alone. I know you were probably taught not to talk to strangers, and a wise choice it is, I shan't ask again unless you wish to tell me." The young man said softly, his smile still as kind as it was before as he made to get up from the seat atop the stump.
Naruto thought for a second that he may have offended the kind stranger, and quickly blurted out "No, wait! It's not that I don't trust you, after all you're a nice person, but… it's just that I don't want to go back, if I don't tell you where I came from, you can't take me back…"
The man's pencil thin eye brows rose when he heard these words, his smile faltering slightly in surprise as he frowned, before saying softly "That's a surprising thing to say… but there's no need for concern, if you don't wish to return, that will be your choice, and not one I shall interfere with."
"Eh?" Naruto said in surprise, unable to hide the dumb look that spread across his features as the stranger smiled anew, replying softly "Every person must learn on their own, be it from experience from mistakes or experience from successes. It is not mine, nor do I believe any others place to interfere unduly with another's path; I helped you out of concern for your wellbeing, since you were injured and unconscious. So long as you are of sound mind and sound body, the next path you travel down is completely up to you, be it the path of safety or of risk. So long as you can walk it with your head high, and look back at it upon its end and say you learnt from it, then it is the right path to walk."
"Earlier, I believe in your exhaustion, you tripped and hit a tree, correct?" The stranger asked the child. "What did you learn?"
Naruto could only look up dumbly at the man. The words he had spoken seemed to be important ones, but most of what he had said made little sense to his young mind. Now, he had been asked something about what he had learnt from hitting the tree, and only one answer came to his mind.
"It hurt."
The man's smile widened as he heard the words, before he softly replied "So, what does that tell you? What did you learn from knowing that hitting a tree with your head hurt?"
"Umm…not to hit a tree with my head again?"
"Exactly. You have learnt not to do it again. It hurt you, but hopefully by knowing this, you will aim to not do it again. You have learnt. In that same reason, you must learn whether or not by running away you made a right choice or a wrong, so I shall not interfere no matter what you tell me. I may advise you, but never force you; it shall be all up to you."
As the stranger finished speaking, his smile ever present alongside his strangely closed eyes, Naruto could only look up at him dumbly as he tried to digest what he had been told.
"Ah, it looks like the fish has finished cooking, what perfect timing." The stranger suddenly said, jumping up lightly with a strangely graceful movement, before crossing the clearing once more, humming a light tune as he knelt beside the cooking fish.
"Umm…who are you?" Naruto asked to the man's turned back as he tended to the food. The humming paused for a second, before the man replied softly "Who indeed? As of right now, I'm the man preparing your food. As of right now, you're the child hungrily awaiting the food. Once the food is cooked and the child's appetite sated, maybe we shall both know more, but until then, patience young child."
Naruto shook his head, ignoring the protests of his cramping stomach as he said energetically "I meant your name, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the man who will become the Hokage!" However, he realised he had said too much, but old habits were hard to break.
"Ah, so you must hail from Konoha? A very prosperous village indeed, although a place with many prejudiced values and grudges, it is warming to know that such a village can produce an honest, upstanding child like you, after all, lofty goals are the best for any child to have."
Naruto bristled slightly at the last part, before vehemently returning "It's not *lofty*, I will become the Hokage…when I go back that is…" the child's words petered out slightly as he remembered he had just ran from the village, his gaze falling back to his knees as he wrapped his arms around them tighter.
"So you do intend to return? That is good to hear, having a definite destination is reassuring, many people leave, saying they won't ever return, but that is a foolish path, I'm glad you have considered returning, and I said that your goal was *lofty*, that does not mean I think it unattainable." The stranger calmly replied in that soft voice.
"You think I can do it?" Naruto asked hopefully as he looked back up sharply. However, he quickly leaned back in surprise, having nearly knocked the plate the young man had brought out of his hands with his sudden movement.
The man smiled warmly still as he offered the plate a second time, replying "I think if any person can, I would believe a person as earnest as you can. Many people believe that the heights are unattainable, and never try, but it is those who believe they can make it are those who will."
Naruto couldn't help but smile brightly at the man's reassuring words as he quickly took the plate from the man's hands, before practically tearing into the fish. He was so busy with eating the fish with gusto that he failed to notice that the young man who sat back atop the stump, watching him with interest, did not hold a plate for himself, nor was there any more fish cooking in the fire for his meal.
Instead, he seemed to reach into his robes, taking a small packet from within before taking out what seemed to be a dried persimmon from within, contentedly eating some of those instead. Hardly a fitting meal, but Naruto hadn't realised that the man had only caught enough fish for one earlier, and had sacrificed his chance at a proper meal for the child.
As Naruto continued to eat, the man asked "Well, now your appetite is sated, perhaps you feel like sharing more? I have learnt your from Konoha, and you chose to leave, but why and what made you chose to leave is the ones I would like to know."
Naruto stopped eating, lowering the plate as he hung his head once more. The man didn't say a word, merely waiting patiently atop the stump, his fingers once again clasped as those seemingly closed eyes watched the boy.
"I…I just had to…get away from…from it all…" Naruto spoke hesitantly, quietly. That was about all he said for half a minute, but the stranger waited patiently, not pushing for him to go on, lest the child stopped. For a while, it was all silent, only broken by the crackling from the burning wood, until Naruto spoke once more.
"All of my life, as far as I can remember…the villagers have always hated me… they used to glare at me, insult me, refuse to let me in the stores…even beat me and kick me… nobody wanted to be friends with me…they even told their children to keep away from me so I was always alone…they would throw rocks, shout at me, curse me…sometimes the beatings were so bad I thought I might die, and even when those masked guys stopped them, they would glare at me too…I just couldn't take it anymore…I needed to get away…"
The stranger didn't even stir, his smile lost as he heard the young boys words, saw the painful, empty look in those eyes that had been shining so brilliantly and innocently only moments before. For a few more seconds, there was nothing but silence, before the man said softly "I can understand now why you wished to escape, but to be honest, I'm amazed that you wish to return, let alone become the Hokage, may I ask why?"
"To prove them all wrong!" Naruto suddenly declared back. The stranger's brows raised in surprise as he watched a fiery determination suddenly light within the boys eyes. Heatedly, the boy continued "I'll show them all, I'll become the greatest ninja that ever lived, and become the Hokage! I'll show them all I'm not some monster!"
Once again, the stranger was silent, before asking, even more softly than his usual tone "What will you do if they don't believe in you? What if they don't believe in you? Can you say you will still be able to lead them all as the Hokage without wavering in your duties?"
"I will!" Naruto declared confidently, steely determination ringing in his voice and burning intensely from those cerulean eyes.
Several seconds passed after that moment, before the man spoke once more.
"Kouta."
"Huh?" Naruto blurted out in surprise, not recognising the term the man had used.
"Kouta, my name is Kouta. It is perhaps a name not appropriate for me, but since I no longer bear any family name, I bear it with pride, but I do go by the more appropriate title of The Wandering Sage." The man said calmly
"Oh, so your name is Kouta? And *The Wandering Sage*? That's a cool name!" Naruto replied with a brilliant smile.
"Thank you, but it may prove troublesome to know me, for you have piqued my curiosity with your determination, and life tends to get rather exciting whenever Sage's are involved, even if it is merely a nickname, and not what I am." Kouta replied with a smile, confusing the child.
"As I was saying, I would like to offer the choice to travel with me."
The boy just gaped at him as Kouta continued saying "If you chose to accompany, I shall impart what knowledge I have to you, and train you in what ways I can. While I do not regard myself as a ninja, merely a traveller, what I can teach you will hopefully help you along your path to become the greatest ninja. You will also travel with me across the five nations, learning as much as wish about the cultures and individual nations. When you think you are ready, or if you find the wanderer's lifestyle too difficult or not suitable for you, I shall return you to Konoha whenever you so wish."
Kouta merely sat still after this declaration, curious as to whether the boy would wish to throw his lot in with him, or if the boy would choose otherwise. What he didn't expect was a blonde missile to the stomach as he was practically tackled off the stump, falling down to the grass as the child wrapped his arms around his midriff, shouting "THANK YOU!" again and again at the top of his lungs.
His surprise turned back to a gentle expression, his kind smile back on his lips as he laid a hand atop the blonde mess of hair around his midriff, saying "There's no need to thank me, but if you wish to follow me, you will need your rest, we rise early and you will need a clear mind to learn as we go."
With one more loud "Thank you!" the boy vanished at a surprising speed, diving into the bed that he had been resting in before and closing his eyes, as if he could force himself to sleep faster. Kouta smiled gently as he looked at the child, curious as to how the future would be with this excitable child as his student.
As the fire died down, a beautiful tune could be heard echoing around the campfire, slowly rising and falling as if the pure notes echoed the movements of the waves against the shore. Beside the boy, now resting peacefully with a smile across his features, the acclaimed Wandering Sage sat atop the wooden stump, a small wooden flute in his hands as he focused, playing the soft tune as if to lull the child to sleep restfully, his own features calm as he enjoyed his favourite pastime.
As the moon rose in the night sky, the fire finally died down, plunging the encampment into darkness. Slowly, Kouta finished the tune on one more pure note, before carefully stowing the beautifully crafted flute into one of the packs about the fire. With this movement, he rose, calmly pushing his robes straight once more, before casting his eyes to the right, quietly calling out in his soft voice "So, how much longer do you plan to hide behind that tree before you reveal yourself? The child sleeps peacefully now, so it is time to settle whatever reason you have come."
With a soft breeze of air, a shadow emerged from the darkness, becoming solid once more as the ninja walked out, one eye watching the man carefully as he said "You're pretty good to have noticed my hiding place that easily."
"That is hardly praise, coming from one who deliberately let himself be noticed easily." Kouta replied softly, stepping away from the campfire and towards the man with the mask.
As the man came to a stop, Kakashi could finally appreciate the man before him in his wholeness. Although the impractical soft robes about the man's body at first made him look to be a commoner, the way he had walked had belayed Kouta, experienced movements with grace and finesse which would have put any dancing performer to shame
'Or martial artist' Kakashi thought dryly, wishing he had bothered to uncover his Sharingan before approaching the man. With a critical eye, he quickly evaluated the man's body. Once again, the robes made it difficult to judge, but Kakashi was willing to bet that the lean frame of the man, surprisingly tall at around 6 ft, was covered with perfectly sculpted muscles, well used to exertion at long times from a man who had lived a dangerous life despite the deceptively flawless appearance of the man's skin, no scar or mark marred the man's body, as if he had never faced a situation where he had been hurt in his life.
"If even half of what the child has told me is true, then I'm afraid I cannot let you take the child back to that village." Kouta said bluntly, his soft voice now unusually hard as his tone changed, those eyes still closed as before, but the silhouette now angled, as if giving his features a sharper, more dangerous look.
However, Kakashi shrugged, replying in a soft tone "I have no intention of doing so; my intentions were to guard him from the shadows until he was safe, and if there was no other option, to take him away myself."
"So that's why you were testing me earlier? I have to say you were thorough, it took quite some skill to dispel it all, that Genjutsu with the flock of giant eagles was particularly impressive, if a bit naïve to try shocking me into making a mistake." Kouta replied softly once more, his tense posture relaxing as he realised he wasn't facing an enemy.
"It's you who surprised me; I tried every single one I could think of, and none of them worked, you didn't even fall for the drunk man stumbling into the encampment, and I thought that one was pretty believable. Are you sure you're telling the truth when you said you're not a Ninja?" Kakashi replied in a more relaxed tone, crossing his arms as he leant against the nearby tree.
Kouta chuckled softly in reply, answering "One can know the techniques of a Ninja, yet not be one. I guess in a way, you may call me an *uninitiated* Ninja, same as the young child, but I did not receive the formal pre-initiation training of any village, everything I have learnt has been learnt through my travels across the five nations."
Kakashi nodded, but, with absolutely no warning and in complete silence, stabbed a Kunai forward, aiming at the Sage's heart…
And consequently coughed and gagged painfully, acutely aware of how the world had changed about him to look like the night sky, a single leaf falling down and blocking the view out of the single hole in his mask for his eye to see from, his mind going over what he had seen in that instant.
As his Kunai stabbed forward, the Sage had, rather than dodge, retreat or block, had moved into the attack, the Kunai barely missing his chest as Kouta had reached forward, one hand holding the extended arm in a vice grip, stopping Kakashi's movement as a second one grabbed onto the opposite shoulder. Moving in with fluent ease, he had thrown the ninja over his leg, softly to the floor. It would have been a light impact, but dint of bad luck placed a root from the nearby tree sticking out, and that impact on his spine had stunned him.
"Now now, I'm sure you said I passed your tests only a few seconds ago, was there any need for that?" Kouta said, his soft voice ringing from nearby with a strangely cheerful camaraderie despite having just narrowly avoided being stabbed. As the breeze blew the leaf from covering his mask, Kakashi looked up into the face of the still smiling man looking down at him, now offering a hand to lift him back up.
'Knew I should have used a Kage Bunshin…' Kakashi thought regretfully as he suddenly spun his legs rapidly, aiming to sweep the man from his feet. However, the Sage easily leapt over the movement, turning his jump into a graceful backflip as he moved away from any more counter attacks.
Tensing his stomach muscles, Kakashi flipped up from the floor himself, the Kunai swung about his fingertip via the hole in its handle once as he pointed the weapon towards his pack, sheathed the weapon by pushing it through the Kunai pack's opening. Having done so, Kakashi settled into a Taijutsu stance instead, clenching his fists up in front with a tight stance. Across the way, Kouta smiled amicably as he also settled into his own stance, an almost opposite of Kakashi's own, arms stretched wide to the back and front, with palms open in a wide standing stance that Kakashi couldn't recognise.
Once again Kakashi regretted his choice to not remove his mask as he eyed the Sage's stance warily, realising that he could have memorized the unique Taijutsu stance of the Sage if he had fought with the Sharingan. But it was too late now, some instinct warned him in the instant he would have been distracted to throw the mask aside, he would face instant defeat from the man before him. Instead, he closed the gap instantly with a kick to the ground, his right fist thrown forward at the Sage's smiling face.
With a pivot, Kouta brought his forward arm about to the attack, his wrist pivoting as his open palm almost *slapped* Kakashi's fist, sending the attack downward, Kakashi's arm following the movement due to the spiral motion of Kouta's arm as he brought the second palm forward, using the distance he had kept the second arm as momentum to strike faster, aiming to strike Kakashi's chest.
However, Kakashi blocked the lunge with his own left fist, using the armour on the reverse of his glove to deaden the blow, grabbing onto Kouta's first arm with his right arm, pinning it to his body as he aimed a kick at Kouta's forward leg, hoping to force him off balance for a throw.
The Sage predicted the move though, and rather than simply try to dodge, turned the movement into a counter-strike, his knee flying upward to smash into Kakashi's unguarded torso as the kick the Ninja sent missed its target. The Ninja ground his teeth slightly as he was forced to use a messy manoeuvre, falling backwards and pulling Kouta with him, barely managing to ram his own knee against the Sage's strike to stop it. Continuing the movement as he fell, Kakashi used the momentum in mid-fall to his advantage, lifting his other leg up to push at the Sage's body, performing an impressive aerial throw to send the Sage over his body and flying away.
As Kakashi kicked outwards, landing on his back as well, the extra momentum from his backwards fall, combined with the kick sent the Sage hurtling over Kakashi's body, where any normal person would have fallen uncontrollably and slammed onto the ground back first. However, it seemed Kouta had experience with this form of martial arts as well, easily correcting his fall in mid-air, curling his body inwards as he forced his legs down, landing hard on his feet instead but facing the wrong way to Kakashi, who quickly flipped up from the ground once more to close the distance.
Quickly spinning on the spot, his blue robes whipping at the air with the speed he moved, Kouta aimed a kick for the charging Ninja, but Kakashi ducked low, under the attack, swinging his fist for the opening. Leaning back at an almost impossible angle, the attack merely brushed against the Sage's robes, as he quickly grabbed the attacking arm with his own, completing his impossible lean by spinning about on one foot, disorientating the Ninja as he was now being pulled off balance.
It was a fast move, but one that could easily be recovered from, if it weren't for the very solid tree Kakashi was being pointed at, environment working against him for a second time as Kouta aimed to slam him off the tree.
Cursing quietly, Kakashi pushed a hand off the tree instead, bracing off it and giving him enough time to get a supporting leg down to stop what could have been a headfirst impact with the tree. But that had bought the Sage a second as well, and with it, he released Kakashi's arm, before grabbing onto the Ninja's uniform about his navel with one hand, and the opposite shoulder with his other.
In this strange, awkward pose, both combatants paused. Kakashi sighed irritably as he muttered "My loss." In the pose the Sage had him, Kouta had complete control over Kakashi's next move, anything he would have tried, Kouta could have countered by throwing him solidly into the tree. While it was a bit annoying that essentially the tree had won the short martial arts clash between the two for Kouta, it was also knowledge of the environment that Kouta had wisely used against Kakashi, so it was still his victory. Even as he thought this, he wondered if that root which he had landed on earlier had also been part of the mysterious stranger's strategy.
If the battle was one of pure Taijutsu, the Sage had easily won. While Kakashi could have used the Kawarimi no Jutsu to escape, he had already decided to test the Sage out with pure Taijutsu movements.
There was no doubt, despite his rather peaceful appearance, the man was a master of close range combat. While he was sure if he had used the Sharingan, he could have put up a better fight, he wasn't 100% sure if he could beat the calm man. He could also dispel Genjutsu with incredible ease, a rarity amongst ninja whom Kakashi had faced before, not even his strongest one had trapped the man effectively. He was dying to find out if the Sage could actually use jutsu, but that would make Naruto aware of his presence, and right now that was no longer necessary.
As the Sage released him, both men straightened back up, Kouta taking a step back to give Kakashi space to recover, that ever present smile upon his face, his breath smooth and even, as if this had been no exertion for him whatsoever.
As Kakashi brushed the stray leaves and grass off of his uniform, he muttered "Hatake Kakashi, when you return Naruto, that name may get you somewhere if you say you're a friend of mine to the gate guards…"
Kouta bowed slightly, before replying "Kouta, The Wandering Sage. You're a good man, Kakashi, I could tell from how you talk, and how you move in combat that, even though you have faults, your heart is a good one, I would be glad to be counted as amongst your acquaintances. If you were telling me the truth, you would have been willing to betray your village for the child's sake, a ninja that abandons a village may as well have forsaken their lives for how the world would view them, you are truly a better man than many."
Beneath his mask, Kakashi cocked an eyebrow, before asking "You don't see Missing Nin as automatically traitors?"
"If two people have opposing views, does that mean that one must be right, and one must be wrong? That one is good, and the other bad? Every man has that which they must do to follow what they believe is right; if it leads to conflict, then that is how it must be. As long as one's heart is pure in committing the act, then their actions are pure, even if it seems the wrong path to others, as long as you believe it is the right path, and you are driven by the right emotions, then it is the right path, no matter what the result will be."
Kakashi's lone eye widened at the speech, his thoughts going back to his own personal dogma, the words the Sage spoke fitted his own words, even if the situations were vastly different, his belief that those that abandoned their friends for the sake of a mission were greater scum than those who abandoned the mission for the sake of their friends fitted perfectly with the Sage's words of his own belief in human actions.
As Kouta turned to leave, he only, ever so quietly asked "…how much does Naruto know about what dwells within him?"
Kakashi's body almost rocked as he heard the words. With a quick movement, the kunai was back in his hand, his other hand ready to lift the ANBU mask and reveal his Sharingan, his voice barely a whisper as he asked "…How did you find this out? Compared to how you answer, I may be forced to take you down, now answer!"
Kouta turned slowly, taking no actions that may seem to be an offensive one, the smile on his face now sad as he answered.
"While there are many smarter than I, I pride myself on my perception as to such things. Today marks the 7th year since the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, the young boy looks about 7 years old. Coincidence perhaps, but during my travels, I have met several of this generations current Jinchuuriki, and as such, have noticed that they tend to share traits with the beast within them. Naruto has whisker shaped marks across his face, which I doubt can be explained as a genetic trait. Finally, that injury on his head healed at an almost inhumane speed, in fact he no longer needs to wear that bandage, but just in case he, like I suspect, doesn't know, I made him keep it on. Adding these together, I can surmise that he may be the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, but it was your response that confirmed it beyond a doubt."
"But…" Kouta said suddenly, his voice changing once more into the hard tone he had taken earlier, in fact now there was something dangerous in his voice as he spoke. "…if I am right, then this means that all the abuse he has suffered has been because of being that beast's container, because he, when he was nothing more than a babe, was forced against his will to become it's jailor! There is no excuse good enough as to why your village has dared let the child be so badly treated, for being the method to protect them from that monster! For the first time in many, many years, I am furious…! This Hokage of yours should have taken care of this boy, but instead he was cast out by society, beaten and abused, such a pure and honest hearted child like he was made suffer a stigmata he had no right to be labelled with! There is no excuse for any man, let alone the Hokage, to have failed so badly in his duty!"
As he spoke, he suddenly walked forward, grabbing Kakashi's uniform, ignoring the Kunai the ninja still held as he brought his face close to Kakashi's, almost whispering "Return to your village, and make sure that no one stops you from having an audience with Hiruzen. You tell him just exactly WHO will be caring for the boy, and tell him that I will return with the boy, and if he doesn't have a good enough explanation for what he has done and what he has failed to do when I arrive…"
At this, Kakashi's heart almost failed, the pure waves of rage and killing intent the man before him poured out threatened to crush him to the ground, his legs losing strength and no longer able to support him, the Kunai falling to the forest floor, the only reason he didn't follow was because Kouta held him up by his uniform.
With this, Kouta leaned in close, for the first time his eyes opening partially, revealing what would normally have been beautiful sky blue eyes, a rarity which many people would have killed to have been born with, but ones that seemed now to almost burn with rage and anger, drilling into Kakashi's own visage as Kouta stared deeply into the singular eye hole of his mask. With finality, the Sage whispered these last words.
"…He will answer to me!"
With this, the man released his grip on the Ninja's uniform. Kakashi barely managed to bring his limbs under control in time to save himself from dropping to the ground, but he was breathing hard, sweat pouring across his body underneath his clothes, his heart hammering in his chest.
'What is this man!' Kakashi marvelled as he tried to remember how to breath. Never once in his life had he felt such fear as the man had just inspired with merely his words. He felt like he had been killed numerous times just by the man's words. He felt such a difference between him and the man in robes, the gap between what they were truly capable of so wide that it may as well have been a Kage itself who stood before him.
With that, Kouta took a deep breath, as if to re-centre himself. After a few seconds, that smile returned once more to his face, as if to wash away the anger that had momentarily been released with that peacefulness that he had shown before. Almost apologetically, he lowered himself down beside the ninja, helping the silver haired man back to his feet as he said once more in that soft voice "Sorry, but when I get emotional, I don't quite know how to hold them in check, I'm sorry if I may have frightened you there."
As Kakashi finally managed to get himself standing straight, Kouta bowed apologetically, before saying "If it's any consolation, don't forget to say to the Hokage that I will not be very happy if you are punished for this, make sure he knows exactly who I am, if my story is as well-known as I hope, the Hokage wouldn't take any action against you."
Kakashi could only look at him with surprise, thoughts suddenly filtering in as he remembered that only moments ago, the man had used the Hokage's first name. 'He's hiding something, if he referred to the Hokage by first name, then he must have met the Hokage before!'
However, he said nothing, instead putting his fingers into a seal form, saying "I shall pass on your message to the Hokage, please, take care of the boy."
As Kouta nodded silently, the leaves seemed to sweep up about the ninja, hiding him from view. As they vanished, so did the ninja with the dog mask.
The Hokage could only stare out of the large window of the Hokage's office sadly at the bright festivities below, the brilliant festival that took place each year to mark the defeat of the Kyuubi. While for many, it was a time of celebration, it was also a time of sadness for many, and the Hokage was no exception.
Every year he was reminded of the numerous ninja who had died trying to defeat the demon fox. What was worse for him was the knowledge that they had all died under his command. He was meant to be the greatest ninja of Konoha, but before the force of nature that the Kyuubi had been, he was helpless, only able to try his best to save as many as he could, even as ninja's died screaming all about him.
It had taken for the newest Hokage, barely elected only months before by the old man, to give up his own life to seal the fox away into his own newborn child, sacrificing his own soul to do so. With his death, the foxs reign of destruction had ended, and the village had been saved thanks to his heroic actions. But it was in this was where the greatest failing had been.
It had been the wish of Minato, the 4th Hokage, that his son be raised as a hero, and to become a splendid ninja capable of protecting Konoha. However, the villagers had been unable to see past their hatred and grief in the deaths of their loved ones. The moment it was revealed the Naruto Uzumaki had become the living prison of the Kyuubi, there had been mass riots, people screaming in the streets, hungry for the death of the newborn babe, it had taken nearly every ninja still alive in Konoha to stop them.
It was at this time that, in order to protect the child from what had now become a curse for him, that Sarutobi had passed the ban of all knowledge regarding the Kyuubi from the child, that no villager may ever pass on their knowledge of the Jinchuuriki to any of the next generation of Konoha.
It had been the hope of the old Hokage that, by restricting information, that perhaps the child could grow up peacefully with the next generation of children. However, the villagers could not forget their hatred, and many still resented him even to this day. Even though knowledge was restricted, parents told their children to keep far away from the boy, and children were very impressionable, so they adopted their parents distrust of the boy, even though they knew not why.
Every day, he had to keep a vigil over the boy, for it was far too often that the villagers would turn on the child. The orphanage had even kicked him out from under their roof, leaving a poor child to fend for himself on the streets. After learning this, the Hokage had procured an apartment in the central district for the boy, and through thinly veiled threats of retribution, *impressed* upon the neighbours to not react badly to the young boys presence.
It hurt the old man's heart to know that the boy had to fend for himself. He had been so hopeful years ago, when merely days after the riots, one man, still barely a boy by his reckoning, stepped up before him, asking to be released from active duty, almost pleading to be given guardianship of the new-born child.
It didn't take much to realise that somehow, the young Hatake Kakashi had somehow learnt that the baby was indeed the son of his mentor, and out of respect for his deceased mentor, wished to take care of the young child. While he would have regretted losing the services of the young genius ninja from his ANBU forces, he knew there would have been no better candidate than the young student of the child's father.
But Danzou had interfered, persuading the council that, not only could the village not afford to lose the services of the Ninja, but that leaving the future Jinchuuriki in the care of Kakashi would be too much of a danger for the Jinchuuriki, as it presented a possible leak of information should it become known outside the village that the genius Ninja Sharingan Kakashi had adopted a child, and that would lead to discovery of Naruto as a Jinchuuriki.
Even if it was the case, Sarutobi refused to agree, again and again appealing otherwise, but the persistence only made things worse, as the council judged that no contact between the child and Kakashi was to be permitted. The young ninja couldn't do anything to stop what happened to the child, he was restricted to merely watching at a distance, he couldn't even step in if the boy was attacked, only report it to the other ANBU, who were often deliberately slow at coming to the boy's aid.
He knew the risk of it was even worse on this day, that every year, on this day, something happened to the child, and he was helpless to do anything. All he could do was increase the number of ANBU watching the streets, with orders to break up any group that looked potentially dangerous, but he knew that it would not be enough, for so many of his ANBU would willingly wait and watch until the boy had been attacked, and only intervene when he life was truly at risk.
It disgusted him, but he also knew it was because of the upset and grief many felt at the loss of loved ones. At least that's what some of them were, there were also those who just attacked the child out of fear of what he was, ones who had never even been hurt by the Kyuubi. It was these people that truly sickened Sarutobi, but as usual, there was little he could do to help the child, for anything that brought undue notice to the child, could bring undue notice to other villages spies.
As he drew another tired breath, he felt a presence enter the room behind him silently. Turning about, he was surprised to find the silver hair poking out atop the dog mask that the ANBU operative wore.
"Kakashi? This is rare, I would not expect a visit from you on this day of all days." Sarutobi said slowly, moving about to sit at his desk and face the Jounin.
Kakashi stood to attention, before reporting "My apologies, Hokage-sama, but I have an urgent report to make."
Sarutobi's heart dropped as he heard the words, fearing the worst as his thoughts strayed to the young child Kakashi would normally be tailing this night. Within an instant, he jumped clear of his desk, his gnarled frame strangely agile as he picked up the wide hat that represented his office as Hokage, putting it atop his head as he made for the door, saying "You can explain it on the way!"
"My pardon, but I would rather do so here, Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied stiffly, not moving from the spot as the elder man's forward motion slowed to a stop. The old man's arm that had been reaching for the door fell slowly to his side as he swallowed the lump in his throat, asking "Report."
Kakashi nodded stiffly, before explaining "As of 1700 hours, Uzumaki Naruto attempted to run away from Konoha. Thanks to the restraining orders that are in effect on me, I was unable to stop him from leaving Konoha."
The old man breathed out slowly, rubbing a hand over his eyes before he slowly returned to his seat once more. With a weary sigh, he looked down at the photo on his desk, of Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage.
"I can trust that, since you're here, that the boy is safe? What happened?" The old man asked wearily. Kakashi remained silent for a second, composing his thoughts, before he spent the next ten minutes explaining the child's escape through the forests, the incident when he was knocked unconscious, and the sudden appearance of the man who took care for him.
It was at this point that Kakashi hesistated. The Hokage had remained silent throughout it all, wizened eyes watching him intently, but it was here that things could go wrong.
"The man, after speaking at lengths to Naruto, and hearing of the… for lack of better words, mistreatment that the child has suffered, offered Naruto the option to travel with him until he felt he was ready to return…and the child accepted his offer."
Once again, the man rose from his seat, picking back up the old pipe from his desk as he turned his back to the ninja. For a while, there was silence between them, the old man quietly watching the flashing lights of fireworks and listening to the sounds of jubilation from the festival that paraded happily on the streets viewable from the offices windows.
Without looking back at the ninja, Sarutobi spoke quietly "Kakashi, you have served the village faithfully for many years, and I have come to value your opinion, and trust your judgement… so I shall ask you now, with your truest and most honest opinion, do you believe this is the right choice for Naruto's future?"
The answer was almost immediate, Kakashi only stopping for one second to lift his gloved hand up, to lift that dog mask, revealing the true face of the silver haired shinobi beneath, the one he always hid behind a mask, one eye regarding the window, where Kakashi could see the old man's reflection watching his reaction intently. In the reflection of the window, the Hokage could see him clearly, his one good eye filled with a determined gaze, his one scarred eye closed, lips forming words clear for the Hokage to see, the words read by those motions as well as heard by his ears
"Without a doubt."
Once again, silence filled the room, the old man's free hand now rummaging quietly through his robes. A few seconds later, a lighter was procured in those gnarled hands. With slow, deliberate motions, the pipe in his hands was lit. With another slow motion, the lighter was stored away within the recesses of those robes as the pipe was raised to his lips.
As the Hokage thought in silence, so too did Kakashi, hoping in his mind that the Hokage would see reason. True, the situation in one way was disastrous; Konoha's Jinchuuriki had fled, and was now travelling with only a sole guardian to protect him from being targeted by other villages.
But, for Naruto, this was also the greatest opportunity ever. His new Guardian seemed to be a well-travelled man, with exceptional intelligence, experience and strength far beyond the normal even amongst shinobi, so much so that even Kakashi himself would not want to fight the man in real combat.
The man was practically immune to Genjutsu, capable of an extraordinary level of Taijutsu, also possibly a Kenjutsu master considering he bore a blade. Even if he hadn't shown himself to be capable of Ninjutsu, just on instinct, Kakashi doubted that there were few people who could claim to be as strong as this mysterious Wandering Sage.
"So, who is this guardian that you so willingly entrusted the boy to? Is he a trustworthy man?"
"Hokage-sama…?" Kakashi said, almost as if in disbelief, accidentally opening his Sharingan eye as both normal and special eyes each widened. The words the Hokage had said indicated that perhaps he was considering allowing Naruto to go.
As the old man did turn about, Kakashi was once again struck by how old the leader of their village was, his face old and world weary even as he smiled sadly.
"Indeed, Kakashi. We have done the boy who should be our saviour too many wrongs. However, thanks to our stations, neither you, nor I could intervene directly to alleviate his suffering. But, if you truly believe that this is the best option for him, as long as you can trust that this man will not lead him astray, then I shall trust him too, and entrust the boy's future to him, rather than leave him to his suffering here."
With this, the old man reached a hand down to his desk, gnarled fingers brushing against the picture there of the man who should have succeeded him, eyes sad once more, but only for a moment.
"Yes…" the old man repeated again, his eye's gaining some old spark as he continued "…why not? I'll make sure that the council see's our view, I'll force them to if I must, I'll deal with Danzou once and for all on this issue. I was too weak and stepped down the last time a Guardian stepped forth for the boy, but this time, I shan't, I am the Hokage after all, there has to be some perks to having this title. Don't worry Kakashi, if you believe Naruto will benefit the most from this, I swear I will make it happen."
For a second, the eyes flicked up, catching Kakashi off guard as he quickly covered his chin and mouth with his gloved hand, but not fast enough for the old man to miss seeing the ghost of a smile across his face.
Coughing almost in embarrassment, Kakashi continued "I trust that this man is both wise enough and strong enough to safeguard Naruto, and if my instincts are right, he will be perfect as a mentor as well, perhaps even better than having Naruto attend the academy. He also seems to have Naruto's interests solely at heart; he made the offer so that Naruto could gain the knowledge and strength to achieve the goal of becoming Hokage."
At this news, the Hokage finally cracked a smile across his weathered face. The boy's unbelievable earnest ambition to surpass him never failed to warm his heart. "What an interesting man, to so surely think that he can be the way for Naruto to achieve his dream, did you catch his name?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama, he called himself Kouta, The Wandering Sage."
*CLATTER!*
Once again, Kakashi's eyes widened as this time, he heard the loud noise of a falling object bouncing off the floor. To be exact, it was the pipe that the Hokage had been holding merely seconds before. The man himself was staring wide eyed at Kakashi.
"…Kouta-san… I almost can't believe I'm hearing that name again…" The old man said, almost in disbelief, grabbing hold of his desk to support himself.
"…Sorry?" Kakashi said in confusion, but the old man still seemed shell shocked.
"…Is it really just coincidence? That it would be that those two would cross paths...I knew the boy was to have a fate alike no other, but for it to run him headfirst into the Wandering Sage?"
Kakashi could only look on as the old man started to mutter to himself, worrying the silver haired ninja. For a second, Kakashi doubted his decision, his body moving into action, his mind already recounting the steps necessary to reach that camp where the boy slept in what he had believed to be safety, but the words of the Hokage now made him believe might not be.
"…huhuhu…"
A low chuckle, which as Kakashi paused, turning back towards the old man, suddenly broke into raucous laughter, the old man bending over double under the weight of this outbreak of spontaneous humour, wheezing slightly as he tried to draw breath and fight back the laughter.
"HAHAHAHA…hah…of course this would be the case, it is always in the most mysterious of circumstances that man comes and goes…but this…this is perfect!"
As the old man finally recovered, for the first time in seven years, on the 10th October, on the date of the Festival of the Kyuubi's Defeat, on the date of the child Naruto Uzumaki's birth, for the first time on this day, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face broke out into a wide smile, one full of mirth and happiness. As if this turn of events had taken away the toll of age from his wizened body, the Hokage easily bent forward, stooping down as he picked back up the dropped pipe, before quickly returning to his full height, popping the pipe back between his lips before returning to look out the window as he drew deeply from the pipe, his face now smiling at the festivities below for the first time.
With another chuckle, the now rejuvenated man spoke "Yes, this is perfect; there is no man in this world I would entrust the safety and fate of that boy to more than that man. I expected never to hear of a sighting of that lone wanderer again, let alone be able to employ his services in this method. Yes, this is perfect, the boy will travel the five nations with the wanderer, there is few greater paths in life than to follow in that Sage's footsteps, I am glad that fortune smiled upon that poor boy in this way."
"There may be only one problem though…" The Hokage said finally, turning his head slightly to see Kakashi, regarding the stunned man out of one eye, his smile still in place even as he said "…I doubt it will be the same boy that we remember who will return to this village, that man has a habit of changing the fates of those his path intertwines with, only time will tell, for now, let us wait in hope for Naruto's return."
And that's a wrap! Anyhow, please let me know how you felt about the story, if I receive enough positive comeback, i'll continue with the storyline, since after writing this, i've gotten attached to this story, and would be dissapointed if it had no interest.
The next chapter, if written, will be several years later, after years of journeying with the Sage. I will be purposefully skipping their journies for now, but as the story continues, more will be revealed about both Naruto and Kouta's travels, where they have gone, who they met, and what Naruto learnt along the way.
As a warning, Naruto will go through quite a bit of a charecter change. While his basis will still be hyper jumpy kid, the travels with the Sage will have tempered him, in mind, body and soul into a unique personality compared to before.
Anyhow, please review if you can, feedback will be most appreciated!
UPDATE: Holy-! I thought it was the lack of charecter tags that made my stories less popular (alongside their M status, which i'm thinking of changing), but this damn well proves it, 12 reviews in one night? Bloody hell... anyhow, since there have been multiple points made (some nicer than others 0.0), and it will be a while before I can start the next chapter, i'll put some notes here.
1. Sorry for the seeming god mode on Kouta, but I wanted to make it clear that he could be entrusted with Naruto, since Naruto will be travelling alone with him into potentially dangerous areas, he needed a Guardian who was more than capable to handle himself. As for Kouta vs Kakashi, Kakashi was limited in that he used no Ninjutsu, no Sharingan and no flashy tactics due to Naruto sleeping nearby. Kakashi isn't regarded as a high level Taijutsu master, he's more than competant, but it's his balance between the three arts and variance which is his skill. In terms of pure Taijutsu, Kouta has knowledge of abilities from across all five nations, and has mastered them to an extent which would make him a Taijutsu specialist, so he could defeat Kakashi purely in that aspect. Also, this is Kakashi as of four years prior the start of the series, and 7 years prior part 2, suffice to say Kakashi is far from the power he exhibited in series, so this is nowhere near the extent of Kakashi's A-rank skills
2. No problem, Naruto is the main charecter of this story, not Kouta, and he will be gaining a lot of skills and strength, and he will be coming back at 12 and pretty powerful, but I have my reasons.
First off, Naruto recieved little additional training as a child, nobody was willing to teach him. Just about every other Gennin would have trained with their family to learn their own techniques, but Naruto had no teacher at all, yet he has an amazing capacity to pick up A-Rank Jutsu, I mean, mastering Kage Bunshin in a few hours? Mastering Rasengan, which is chakra control at it's most extreme in the entire series within a week, and creating an entire variety of jutsu branching off it?
Face it, Naruto has an incredible aptitude to develop given the right mentors, and now a Sage who travels the whole nation with impunity has just become his personal mentor, and will be doing so for many years. Hell yeah, Naruto has a good enough excuse to become far stronger, he wont be god-like, but for several chapters until a villain appears who can handle him, he will appear so, so bear with the seeming godliness of these charecters for now, until an enemy or rival appears that can match them, they may appear to be overpowered, but just be patient please XP
3. Finally, Naruto will go through a personality switch, but in no way will he become a darker person. Let's say, without spoiling too much, Kouta will hammer out his extreme recklesness and stupidity. The new Naruto will still be as upbeat and sunny as before and i'll try to keep some humour in him, hell, I may even keep his pranker spirit, but he'll be a bit calmer than the previous Naruto, and a lot more intelligent to boot, no more *run up in front w/ tons of bunshin and clobber* strategies that never work, but Kouta will be teaching him practical knowledge and battle strategy. He won't be a Shikamaru, but he will be a lot smarter than before. He'll also develop an interest in nature, which iv'e just added for a common ground between himself and Ino, who is the flower shop girl.