Notes: First my apologies to the lateness of any form of writing and secondly to anyone that has been waiting (not many I know) for the fact that it isn't either of my other stories but to cut a long story short my computer wasn't feeling well so I'm on a new machine and must wait to get my other chapters off of the old 1 before I up date, my apologies again. Now onto my description, this is set unlike the 2 and a half year break like the actual anime but instead after a 5 year making them all 18 (if I am wrong please correct me and I shall change the time gap). That's all you really need to know and the fact that although I have seen a lot of Naruto I am still slightly behind so please don't hold any in corrections that may appear as to be frank its more than likely not that important anyway. So after all the pleasantries onto the story.

Naruto: The Chronicles of Beginning

Book One: Ending Old Paths

Chapter1: Ending the Path of Learning

Naruto walked the path he had walked many times before only this was not some long mission that he was coming home from. This was a training session that took longer than anyone would have guessed. Naruto was used to long training sessions, after all he pulled so many all-nighters that waking up in a forest was more common to him than a warm bed, but 4 and a half years was a lot longer than a week of forest sleep. He almost didn't recognise the path that he walked; then again the trees that once were destroyed further up the road have re-grown and there seemed to be more trees in the forest than before so he supposed it must have been expected. He felt no different than when he left; a little les excitable but nothing more than that. He caught a glimpse of himself in a puddle, his long blond hair was dirty and so was his face. Well he had been in the wilderness for most of his training so cleanliness was not a top priority. He really hadn't changed but Jiraiya almost reading his mind spoke and made Naruto take another look at himself. "You know, I would be shocked if anyone remembers you", he said with a small grin on his face.

"What are you saying? I haven't changed at all!" Naruto said almost offended by the remark that his friends had forgotten his face.

Jiraiya laughed again as he said "you might want to check that again. With your height, muscles, hair, face, eyes and overall body and personality change I will bet only one person will recognise you at first glance".

Had he changed that much? Now Naruto thought about it he was much taller, 6ft6 and his muscles were more apparent as his chest was wider. His hair was obvious and his face was more man-like and less child-like (though he still had no facial hair and Jiraiya took great pleasure pointing out whenever he could) but his eyes? He never saw a change in them. Maybe Jiraiya was stating more changes than there actually was. Like his personality! He was still the care free guy he was before, ok yes he thought better in battle and life and in general, and yes he had grown a slight more mature, and possible that he had developed a less immature approach to emotions but bar that he was the same Naruto he ever was.

Jiraiya smirked as his young apprentice walked and thought of all his changes. Yes he was no more the boy that once would do anything; even foolish things; to get what he wanted. H was now the man that would do anything; even foolish things; to get what he wants. At lest now he thinks before he acts. That's the biggest change Jiraiya saw in Naruto. Whether it was battle or a simple conversation, Naruto was thinking more like a skilled ninja rather than a blabbering idiot. Jyari specially found this out during a training session where Naruto had him pinned 10 times before Jiraiya stopped the lesson. It wasn't the fact that Naruto had done it (though that was impressive) it was more that he did not gloat of jump around claiming his greatness, well not until Jiraiya tried to pick up some girls and Naruto announced it to them!

Jiraiya smiled at Naruto who merely blinked at him. "Hey what are you looking at? Or are you in another one of your fantasies Pervert Hermit?" Naruto said smiling as he knew what was coming.

"I told you to stop calling me that! I am you Sensei and you will treat me with respect" came the babble from Jiraiya's mouth as he always did whenever Naruto called him that. Naruto was glad he was occupied as he was to happy to fight anyone right now and it seemed the Leaf Village Ninjas that had been tailing them were about to attack.

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Sakura looked through the documents that had just been handed in. she had so much to do and it wasn't getting any lighter. There was so much medical support needed from the last ninja mission, thankfully it was a success but there are still many wounded so now its her job as head of Ninja Medical Physicians to distribute the specialised team to each who needed it and a good few of her team were already on specialised missions so she was stretched thin. The new team was created by the Fifth who wanted the best new medical students in it and put Sakura in charge of it as she had shown most promise in medical curing and organisation in critical situation. It was all to many words for Sakura to handle but the most of it was it put her under pressure that if it was possible a more speciality medical ninja was needed for a mission or for the hospital she was to choose how many and who. It was a difficult job but she had been doing it for 2 years now and seemed to be getting it but with all the new difficult missions and after this one it seemed that all her team were being used. It was looking better as none of the ninjas were critical anymore but some could easily relapse again if she wasn't careful. Sakura was happy that the Fifth had also put her talents into use as she performed sugary this very morning and saved a man that, without it, would have died. Sakura was also a Medical Advisor on the official council, which was less about medical than it was about money to the hospitals and her own unit. She found this very frustrating as the majority of times she did not need to be at the meetings; listening to old men and women talk; unless it was about money but still it was her duty as the Fifth new her strong will would be a great asset.

These things meant that she was not on any missions unless she decided she should be as a medical support, which was few and far between but she didn't have a team so what would she do anyway? This always troubled her but Tsunade would always say the same thing whenever Sakura told her this "you do more here than most do out on the felid! Anyway if I didn't have you who would keep me company?", this was true as her former assistant/apprentice, Shizune, had been killed three years ago during a highly difficult mission but it was believed that if another medic was on the team she would have been saved, Sakura believes this is why the Fifth created the new team.

Sakura had a lot of hassle as of late but the most important she had no one else to blame for bar herself as she volunteered for it herself. It had been the day before last when a unexpected letter arrived notifying them of a return of a "gifted ninja no one could forget!" and though it had no name on it she knew straight away from the writing and from the language that it was Naruto. It said he would be coming on the day after this so she was making a party for his return. She was thankful she had another day because she had too much to do but she couldn't wait to see the goofy guy she remembered as part of her old team. She couldn't believe how excited she was over seeing him but it had been 5 years and she really did want to see him. He at first sent letters to her but in his last which she got over a year ago it stated that he couldn't anymore in case of interception. It would be so great to see him and she was going to make sure he would be welcomed back with the honour that he deserved.

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The five man team had been tracking the old man and young man for some time now. It seemed that they called themselves Hoka and Gennia and these names were not common to the Village hidden in the leaves and so they must be detained. Making his hand signals the ninja and his team jumped and surrounded the two men in a Hex-man position. "Who are you?" demanded Joha.

Naruto was afraid of this. The five ninjas had been tailing them for some time and because Jiraiya insisted they use assumed names on all travels they had no idea who they were. Naruto went to speak but Jiraiya spoke first. "It is none of your concern who we are we are on our way to Konohagakure and our business is our own" he announced changing his stance to a more aggressive pose. He and Naruto both new they were wanted by many enemies and more of them did not know what they looked like anymore so would use disguises to get them to reveal themselves.

"We can not let you pass with out a notification of what you will be doing there" spoke out Joha the team leader "we do not wish to take you by force but we will if necessary!"

"HA! Don't make me laugh" shouted Jiraiya "What do you say Naruto? Fancy a little…"

"Stop" Naruto said holding out his hand. He did not want a fight; he would rather re enter his home in cuffs than with blood on his hands. He looked around the team that was surrounding them. He could tell their leader was a Jonin and could also tell that the rest were all Chuunin, possible the girl to the side of him was Jonin as well but he wasn't sure. He could take a single Jonin down without a sweat but 2 and 3 Chuunin would be a little harder even with Jiraiya. "We mean no harm we are quite well known ninjas in this village".

"Then why have we not heard of you?" demanded Joha pointing now at Naruto.

"Because the names you have heard are not our real names" responded Naruto trying to keep his cool as well as one eye on Jiraiya and the other over the whole group, Naruto couldn't believe he let them use a Hex-man stance.

"How can we believe such crap?" asked Joha as he let his eyes go back on Jiraiya who seemed more ready to fight than Naruto.

"Listen! We will go back to the village with you and let you take us straight to the Fifth. She should be able to sort out this mess" Naruto said knowing if this didn't work their only chance left was to fight these ninjas.

"Ok, we will bring you to the Fifth" Joha said still shocked that these ninjas new of the fifth "but if the Fifth tells us that she dose not know you we will have to arrest you!"

"She knows us believe me" Naruto said with a grin.

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Tsunade had been busy all day and it seemed thing weren't going to let up. After doing surgery this morning she had to do progress reports on how that mission went then go through the members that were hurt and have their families notified if they had not been already. Then it was more tedious paperwork and forums for the missions underway and those just recently completed. If she didn't have Sakura helping her, Tsunade wouldn't know what to do. She had just finished another mission report analysis when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in" she said in a tired voice almost dreading who it will be and what else she will have to fill out.

"I see you're still enthusiastic" said a pleasantly surprising voice. Sakura had just walked in with a grin on her face "I came to inform you that all patients from today's mission crises are all stabilizing"

"Well that's some good news" Tsunade said with a smile. She had hoped that they were all going to make it. They were all good ninjas and good people so they deserve to live. Just as this thought was in her head the door knocked again and before Tsunade could even say enter a man opened the door and spoke to her with a stern look on his face.

"We have to men here who claim to know you and yet have no passes for arriving here or any documentation of any kind" he said in more an informative tone than anything else.

Tsunade thought for a second of who it could be but coming up blank said "ok show them in" and she sat back ready to examine whoever it was.

Sakura turned to look at the door wondering who on earth thought they could get up here without any documents at all and if they really thought they knew the Fifth or if it was a trick. Either way Sakura was prepared for an attack against her Sensei, she was not however ready for who walked through the door. Escorted by three guards was an old man who Sakura known as one of the Sannin and name was Jiraiya but the one that really surprised her was the young man just after him, his hair was longer, his height had grown quite a lot and his muscles were much more apparent but his face still had the same eyes and smile and just plain foolishness that she remembered and before she knew it she had run up and hugged him with tears in her eyes saying "Your back! Oh my god your back!"

Naruto smiled and hugged her back then said "so you do remember me then?" but without warning Sakura hit him right over the head knocking him to the floor.

"You idiot your not suppose to be back till tomorrow!" she screamed glaring down at him.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise if I came a day early" Naruto said rubbing his head and wincing "I guess I was wrong then" he said with a grin.

Sakura couldn't stay mad at that grin and had to grin herself then hugged him again "it's good to see you again Naruto"

At this the three team members turned and looked at him. It had been quite shocking that Sakura knew him at all but this was the amazing Naruto? Thank god they hadn't fought him thought Joha. "Well that explains him but what about this one" Joha asked gesturing towards Jiraiya.

"Well yes I know the younger one but I'm afraid that this old fool doesn't seem to look familiar so if you could throw him out that would be appreciated" Tsunade said with a smirk as she looked back down at her paperwork.

"WHAT!?!" Jiraiya screamed as the three turned to him "How can you do that to a old friend you?" he asked staring right at Tsunade.

"Ok fine" Tsunade said with a sigh "that old fool is Jiraiya so he is allowed to be here"

"Ok miss" Joha said with a small nod "we are sorry for any inconvenience" he said addressing Naruto and Jiraiya then left the room thinking out of all the people he could have almost thought he had to choose two of the toughest this village had produced, what a day.

"Well Jiraiya I'm sure you a Naruto have a lot to tell me about your journeys but I have a lot to do right now so if it could wait?" Tsunade said with a hope it would wait as she really did have a lot to do.

"The majority can wait but I have some information you will want right away" Jiraiya said with a stern look on his face.

This must have be serious Tsunade thought so she said "fine but just you and just the important stuff I really am busy"

"Well if its ok then me and Naruto will leave you to it" Sakura said and when she received a nod and a wink from Tsunade she turned to Naruto and said "she might not want to here it right now but I want to know everything and I have quite a lot to tell you to" and she grabbed his hand and took him out into the sunny day that just seemed to get a lot sunnier.

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Notes: well that's it all over so please read again if you dare, review and wait for my next chapter. And by all means flame me but give it in a critical way because if you just say it sucks and don't say why or how to improve then I will delete it, anyway please review and thank you for reading.