In the forest outskirt of the Hidden Leaf

Note, the story from the beginning of the series is relatively unchanged so far, so I decided to skip it entirely. I'll be coming back to it in the future.

"Naruto, give me the scroll!" Shouted Mizuki

"NO NARUTO, RUN!" Iruka screamed, "HE'LL KILL YOU"

"Die, Uzumaki rat!"

Mizuki propelled a giant shuriken towards Naruto, but Iruka launced himself towards Naruto taking the hit for him

Naruto stared at his maters painful eyes "Iruka... why?" said Naruto.

"Because... we're the same, you and me..." replied Iruka "I grew up without my parents... no one payed attention to me..." his vision began to get hazy "Now... Run!"

Naruto got up and ran for his life, adrenaline pumping through his veins. No way was he going to let Mizuki kill him, not while he has his whole life ahead of him.

"It's so sad, it almost brings a tear to my eye, Iruka. I'll save you for later. But before I go, what's with your attachment with that kid"

Naruto's feet drove him through the forest, tailed by Mizuki. The two dashed through the trees, barely visible in each others sights. Only sound kept each other aware of the other's presence. Mizuki wanted this fiasco over quickly, plotting different precise plans he could do to Naruto. This one sounded attractive. Take the form of the trusted master and lead him into a false sense of security.

"Yeah, that'll ensure a cruel death. He can watch as his sensei betrays him, right before his eyes" He transformed into Iruka's form, speeding up his chase. He found himself in a clearing, faced with the young student.

"Now, Naruto... Give me... the scroll and run... Value your life..." Deep down, he was resisting the typical bad guy, shit eating grin. He couldn't believe how easy it would be.

"But, Iruka. He-he'll get you too" Naruto replied

"Don't... Don't worry about me..."

With hesitance, he approached the defector ninja.

Mizuki believed his disguise was no longer necessary, with the scroll just out of arms reach. He let his smirk travel it's possible width.

The young man before him, was falling for his trick, pleasing Mizuki.

"Deception wasn't your greatest skill, Mizuki" The being thought to be Naruto, erupted into a cloud of smoke.

Mizuki panicked as he was met with the fist of the struggling chunin.

"God dammit, Iruka. You're such a pain!" Mizuki drew a kunai from his pouch, unaware of Naruto's presence. "It's a shame you've pushed me to kill you now. Might've been good for you to hear the demon's screams"

"Demon?!" retorted Iruka "You're one of them who see him as a demon? You disgust me! I thought you better than that!"

"It's interesting how you seem to still think highly of me, when it seems like I should be your 'sworn enemy', Iruka"

"Well, my mistake. But that only makes you more of a monster you seem to think he is"

"That's because he is a monster. Come on, you don't blame him for what happened to your parents? I'm disappointed in you Iruka. I know you're a soft man, but I didn't think you were naive. Clearly, he's the demon fox. The demon fox that murdered your parents"

"Hey, you shut up about that. That was not Naruto's fault. He had nothing to do with it!"

"Nothing? Please. You can tell he's the demon. You can see it in his eyes. They make it so blindingly obvious that I'm surprised people can stand to treat him as an equal. I know your true opinion, Iruka. You do blame the fox for their deaths. There's not a day that goes by where you wish death upon him."

"It's... it's true... I do blame the demon. Such a monstrosity..." Naruto felt betrayed and abandoned. One of the people that had shown him warmth turned his back on him. "The fox killed my parents, and I hate them for that. I blames the fox. But I don't blame Naruto..."

Naruto's mind went fickle again. He misunderstood Iruka's words and his new found understanding brought back his sense of gravity.

"So poetic... It's a shame that they'll be your last words" Mizuki raised his blade, but was interrupted by a familiar shout.

A thousand clones spawned around Mizuki "Charge!" shouted Naruto and the clones rushed at Mizuki. The first one dealt a heavy punch between his jaw, launching him upwards.

Midair, another clone slid under him and gave a powerful stomp kick to his back. A large group of clones dispersed around Mizuki and juggled him with a barrage of kicks and punches. Pain grew in Mizuki, as he began to lose all control of his body. He was becoming weaker and weaker, until eventually he began to give up on a victory. His fight was a clear loss and no amount of resistance would solve that.

Finally he was slammed in the stomach with an overhead kick and was lodged into the. Naruto grabbed Mizuki's collar and cocked his fist back.

"If you ever threaten my sensei again, your last words will be your begs for mercy"

Naruto delivered one final blow, which sent Mizuki out cold.

Iruka was lay by a tree that would've been his grave if not for his student's intervention. He called Naruto over too him and told the young student shut his eyes. Naruto obeyed his wish, and was met with an oddly familiar sensation around his head.

"You can open your eyes now, Naruto"

Naruto observed the blue fabric, barely visible from the angle he observed it. His eyes met with Iruka's face and noticed a distinct lack of a certain piece of uniform. One that was mandatory for all Leaf ninja.

"Your... your headband..." Naruto pondered.

"Naruto... I would like to announce that you... are now a full fledged genin. Congratulations, you pass the test" Iruka's warm words burrowed deep into Naruto's heart. A feeling barely familiar to him. It was a feeling that Naruto only felt, when his mother would present him with the rare words that uplifted him from the terrible months.

"Ir... Iruka sensei..." Naruto's emotions were starting to derail. "Wh-why?"

"You demonstrated what it means to be called a ninja. If that doesn't warrant your approval, I don't know what does"

The words were getting to him, a wave of happiness reigned over Naruto. A happiness that deserves the tears of a young ninjas delight.

"Now, maybe to celebrate, we could get one of our favorites. Ramen."

At Ichiraku Ramen

"So Naruto" Kushina said with a motherly compassion "You're a ninja now, do you understand what that really means?"

A grin stretched across Naruto's face. "Of course, kicking ass and knowing lots of cool jutsu!"

"Hmm, naive as ever, Naruto." Exclaimed Iruka.

"What do you mean?"

"There's much more to being a ninja than having a bunch of flashy ninja moves and a sticker on your shirt that says 'Hello, I am a ninja', to be a ninja" Explained Kushina

"No, that's exactly what it takes"

"Shut up and eat your food before force it down your yap hole"

"Jeez Kushina, you don't need to be that rough on him"

"With a kid like Naruto, you kinda do. He's strong willed and a lot more intelligent than he lets on, but it still takes a bit of rough housing to get him to get the point"

"I'm right here, mum" grumbled Naruto

"That you are, kiddo. That you are"

Teuchi asked the group "Who's paying the bill?"

Kushina replied with "don't ask me, I'm the over excited teacher here"

"But your his mu-... He ate over..." Iruka returned these words, but couldn't argue with that tomato smile that blanketed the redhead's face. "I'll pay..."