Author's Notes
Hatsudenken = "the right to speak"
Chapter 1
He awoke with the sun shining on his face. He felt great! He wasn't sure why, but he was pretty sure something fairly important had happened last night.
Waking up, he quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. It was when he looked up that almost jumped back. He stuck his tongue out. What was that tattoo on his tongue? Another weird marking. And it was glowing blue? What was going on. He shrugged it off.
He ate bugs and played in mud on a daily basis. To a four-year old Naruto, a mark on his tongue was just another strange thing about the world he couldn't explain. On the way to his bed, he remembered his encounter with that strange old man.
Suddenly, the mask came to mind. Where did he put it? After half an hour of turning his room into total chaos, he looked in the only place he went to when he thought: the toilet. The toilet, Naruto decided long ago, was the best spot for thinking. Something about sitting down for a great bathroom break stimulated the mind like nothing else.
Sure enough, the mask was above the cabinet next to the toilet. Grabbing it, he examined it yet another time. The marking was disconcerting, that was for sure. But he had no way of getting it off. He tried peeling it off, but it stuck no matter what.
Now that he thought about it, how did he get back home, anyways? Last thing he remembered from last night was passing out as the mask flew onto his face. With a new resolve, he focused on the seal, searching for that blue, wispy lifeblood that kept the marking alive.
There! Faint, but very much there. Traces. Certainly not as strong as it was last night. Was it dying? Naruto wasn't sure. Maybe the mask would only work if that thing was alive? He tried to smudge the marking with his thumb.
What was it he saw that one ninja doing... He was doing something to that little boy to help him. Dammit, if only he were paying attention.
…
"He hasn't stepped outside yet, Danzou-sama."
"Hm... Most interesting."
"He's occupied with... well, we're not sure."
Danzou glared at his subordinate. "He's four. What could he possibly be doing?"
"Well, he just... he just keeps staring at the mask. At the Hatsudenken seal, thumbs it over, and keeps staring at it."
"Then no doubt he's noticed the seal on his tongue already. The question is if he can see trace chakra yet... If he's staring at it for so long, most likely he can. He's progressing quicker than I had anticipated."
"Trace chakra, sir?"
"Dismissed." Danzou replied curtly.
The man bowed and left.
If the Uzumaki could already see trace chakra, then it only meant one thing: his lineage granted him the right that only three others before in shinobi history could achieve. It meant he had to take Naruto in. The scroll besides him informed that the Hatsudenken was still active. In other words, so long as Naruto was under his control, he wouldn't be able to speak.
There were two reasons for this. The primary was insurance. Root recruited young – well before most children could speak fully. They placed the Hatsudenken early, forever preventing the kids from learning speech. Should they ever escape, it would be years before they developed speech so late in adult life. Danzou's secretes would be guarded against treachery.
Of course, not all of his assets had the Hatsudenken. There were modifications – some seals that allowed limited speech but barred discussing certain subjects. But he had a feeling Naruto would be... special, so he took the precaution of casting a full Hatsudenken on the mask.
The second reason was chakra molding. Hand seals, speech, visualization – all were necessary as a crude mechanism of molding chakra to ease the process of performing jutsus. Which is why as shinobi matured, jutsus that they had performed often and throughout their lives would come naturally, without hand signs or even words.
But this set up a system where physical molding became the primary mechanism of associating with chakra, rather than a spiritual connection. The perfect student could, theoretically, simply understand the nature of chakra. That person, barred from speech, would be forced to rely on spiritual and mental capabilities to mold chakra.
Certainly, learning jutsus would be painfully slow at an early age, but in the long run... The advantages that would come in battle almost made him giddy. No movements to read. No anticipation. No silly little requirements such as having two hands free. Just sheer, unadulterated power and an almost perfect molding of chakra. Instantaneously.
With this particular asset, there was one final complication: the Kyuubi. No doubt it would impede his chakra control, making jutsu formation through spiritual molding alone that much more difficult. Danzou smirked. He loved challenges. Especially when the rewards contained the possibility of a perfect Jinchuuriki. The final project Orochimaru never got to complete, despite all his experimentation of the Sharingan and their evolution.
It was long ago, when Danzou discovered a scroll he kept for himself. Within the Uzumaki clan, a select few had the possibility for awakening an consummate Rinnegan, unlike the perversions achieved by Madara during his Golden Age. Madara unlocked it with the ultimate price: his being. A contract with the Shinigami, that, in exchange for possessing the Rinnegan, your being would be split into two. Your powers, your knowledge, your body. You'd be cursed to live a half life. And worse, your other half would be pitted against you for as long as you lived. Essentially, you'd live out your few remaining days as a shell of a person. It was a bargain Madara made in envy of the Uzumakis, and the blood that flowed in the Shodai Hokage's veins.
But that was enough day-dreaming for one day. Uzumaki decided to leave the house at last...
…
What if the mask didn't work? Perhaps he should change his clothes, just in case. He opened the drawers. There wasn't really much of a choice. He had one other alternative: a single navy blue shirt with obsidian black pants. It would have to do. A part of him missed the bright orange jumpsuit. He liked its brightness.
Changing quickly, he anxiously put on the mask. This was it... now or never. Naruto peered outside his door. It was a beautiful summer day. He felt a breeze sweep in under the bottom opening of his mask. He couldn't explain what this feeling was. Was it... insanity? Ecstasy?
All he knew was that, despite getting beaten, mocked, leered, day after day, week after week, he felt today would be different. He had no real idea why he felt so. He just... had faith. That today, things would change. It was the first time Naruto had such a feeling. The seed of hope had just taken root in his young heart.
Perhaps he'd go to the market. He was meaning to buy some ramen anyways. The old grandpa told him shopping was a healthy activity, and that normal people did it a lot. As he walked, a sudden weight was lifted off his shoulders. Years of street life had accustomed him to sense killing intent, and the back of his neck would instinctively tingle anytime there would be eyes on him. But there were none. People passed him, like he was an ordinary sight to see.
He'd often receive an occasional nod, or smile. Nobody minded him. Some even saluted him. People weren't afraid to go near him... It was almost as if they felt... safe around him. That they were glad he was around, policing the streets.
It then occurred to Naruto that he'd have to act mature, whatever that meant. Jiji certainly spoke of maturity a lot. He remembered the last conversation he had with the man – "When you're older and more mature, Naruto-kun, I'll let you know." He didn't know too much about shinobi, but he figured they must have been really mature.
He approached the ramen shop quietly. This was it: judgement time. The last time he tried to eat here... He shuddered, remembering the awful day...
"Demon brat! How dare you enter and bother these customers. Leave!"
Naruto froze. Not to defy the man, but out of genuine fear. D-demon? There was that word again! Over and over. What did it mean? It must have been an insult. The next thing he knew the wind was knocked out of him, and he flew into the opposing building's wall.
The man had smacked him with the back end of a broom. Hard. "Never enter my store again, or I will kill you. Understand?"
Naruto didn't – couldn't. His head was swirling from the impact, his body still reeling from pain. His lungs, desperate for oxygen gulped in as much as they could handle.
Another smack, this time on his head. "Now get lost!"
He tried to get up, only falling on some mud. Some spectators chuckled, but most remained stoic. He staggered off, still dizzy, trying to find his apartment.
Getting up, on the stool, he quietly bowed when the owner looked at him.
"Ah! Shinobi-san, welcome!" His face was smiling, a genuine smile at that. "It is an honor to have one of Danzou-sama's elite forces among us. How can I help you today?"
Naruto was genuinely shocked speechless. Just a week before he had almost died, and yet this store owner treated him so differently. Unable to muster up the courage to say anything, he just pointed to the ramen.
"Ah," the man said quietly. "It was that kind of a night, I understand. I'll be quieter. Hangovers are brutal." The man whispered playfully, getting Naruto the ramen.
Now he was thoroughly confused. He had no idea what that kind of a night or a hangover was, but he was grateful that the man didn't expect him to speak. A part of him feared that the man would recognize his voice. A larger part worried he'd say something stupid and have his identity given away.
This was nothing compared to what happened next. When Naruto moved to get his wallet to pay the man, the man waved him off.
"Oh, no, shinobi-san. After all you've done for our village, risking your lives, it's the least I can do. Please, no need to pay me. Thank you for stopping by."
Naruto blinked. Twice. Bowed. Grabbed his ramen. And left, wondering exactly what kind of amazing power this mask brought him. It was incredible. Ramen cost an incredibly expensive amount! The last time he bought ramen it had cost him an entire year's savings! Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. One that made him very, very angry.
Perhaps ramen wasn't expensive... Maybe it was just expensive for Naruto... The more he thought about it, the more things clicked, and the more his blood boiled. They were raising prices for him for whatever reason – probably, he realized, the same reason everyone hated him. And suddenly, the mask seemed to be his only way out. He craved the anonymity it provided him. The amazing ability to just instantly shed away his entire past.
He looked at the ramen with a new disgust. He couldn't bring himself to eat it. He thought about throwing it out. 'No, that'd just be a waste of good ramen.' And then, he had an idea...
…
Naruto carefully went into the red-light district. He was familiar with the streets here. The people here weren't wary of him. They simply seemed to pass him by as they minded their own business, eyes glazed and breath foggy. He wasn't sure why, but he was able to infer, even at his age, that this place was barred off from the rest of the village.
Nevertheless, he liked the people here. They didn't judge. They treated all equally. And some of the women were surprisingly friendly, often asking him to "cum for them," whatever that meant. He stopped, reaching one of the shantytowns on the outskirts.
One of the women here had fed him, after seeing him lying on the streets, bleeding. Approaching her hut carefully, he took off his mask, waving hello to her. She, however, didn't receive him in the same manner. Staring at his mask, she instantly became distrustful.
"Please leave."
Naruto became puzzled. He didn't understand. Why was she treating him like this, all of a sudden, when everyone else seemed to admire the mask? He took another step forward, but this time her voice was much firmer, almost desparate.
"Please leave!"
Setting the freshly prepared food he had received with her, he departed, saddened.
…
He then decided to go to the one place he'd never had the chance to: the park the blonde girl had a birthday party at. Now he'd undoubtedly be respected.
He bolted off, heading toward his favorite spot in Konoha. For the first time, the park was empty. He smiled to himself. Nobody to stop him. Climbing over the fence, he wandered in barefoot, embracing every moment of the lush, soft grass beneath his feet. It was unreal.
Approaching a beautiful sakura tree, he lied down underneath its shade, admiring the clouds. It was a wonderful day. A perfect day. The clouds, care-free, roamed about, undisturbed by anything in the chaotic, miserable world below them. They calmly floated through, unhindered. He wished to be like that someday. Just peacefully passing through. Free to do whatever he wished. With whomever.
It had been perhaps an hour or so of bliss before some other children entered the park. As more people trickled in, Naruto felt a shiver. Would they know? Wasn't he too young to wear such an elegant mask? He shrugged off some of the nervousness. He was probably just not getting used to it. Besides, it had been working so far.
There. He saw the same girl as before – on the day of that party. She was... crying? A couple boys throwing stones at her.
"Ino-pig!"
"Gosh, you're so fat! Why don't you just eat some grass, you big cow!"
They each took a turn, pointing and laughing.
Naruto's blood was boiling. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but in a heartbeat he was right next to them. Honestly, he didn't even remember taking steps. It was as if he just... appeared. But he was unconcerned with this little trick his mind played on him. As the third boy was about to throw sand at her, he grabbed his arm, squeezing tightly and making him release the harmful grains.
The scene turned deadly silent. "Woah." One of the boys said. "Where did you come from?"
Naruto remained quiet.
"It doesn't matter." The boy Naruto was holding then turned and was about to punch him back, but Naruto pushed the kid back and knocked the back of his knee, causing him to collapse. It was a little trick he had learned... the hard way. Many times.
The group, naturally, didn't respond to this particularly well. There were four of them, one of them a girl with bright pink hair. Naruto paused, if only for a millisecond, to ask the natural question. 'Pink hair? Nani!' The girl remained behind while the three boys charged at him.
Group fights were certainly not a novelty to Naruto. He'd already had his fair share of brawl, but this one was unique insofar as they weren't adults attacking him. They, individually, certainly didn't overpower him. He felt a sense of satisfaction grow within him. For the first time, he wouldn't have to run. He wouldn't have to hide. He smiled. Perhaps the mask was just getting to him, but he was going to fight. And he would win.
A fist came at him, but Naruto ducked and kicked the kid in the crotch. No need to play nice. It was three on one. A part of him had a malicious curiosity. It would be the first time he could win. And he wanted to pull out all the stops. Everything that had been happening to him, he'd do to them.
The kid collapsed almost immediately. Naruto half-wanted to snort. They fought like the characters in the movies. Poised, dramatic, and slow. But Naruto knew better. Fights were messy. There was no such thing as a clean fight. The cunning, slightly luckier, and half-second faster ones won the battle.
But his arrogance had betrayed him. Out of nowhere, one of the kids had managed to sneak up behind him and elbow him in the neck, causing him to lose balance. Then, the pink haired girl snickered. "Defending little Ino-pig? Maybe you're just a pig, too, hiding behind that mask of yours." The girl pulled on Ino's hair. Hard.
'That's it.' Naruto seethed. It wasn't him getting hurt, this time. For the first time, he couldn't afford to fail. Honestly, he wasn't really sure what happened next. But everyone around him, barring Ino, was on the floor. It was as if he'd simply blown them away by wishing it to be so.
"Stop!" The leader of the little group responded now, in a warning tone. "My dad told me about these guys in the masks. They're ANBU – he's a ninja. A really strong one."
They almost broke down. "Gomen, gomen-nasai!" And as quickly as they came, they were off.
Naruto was taken aback. His mask certainly carried the reputation Danzou had spoken about. Turning to the girl, Ino – he guessed from the earlier name calling, he offered a hand, helping her up.
She hesitantly reached for his palm. His grip didn't waiver. Slowly but steadily, he pulled her up, making sure her balance was stable. Then, softly, he wiped away one of her tears with this thumb, shaking his head as if telling her not to cry.
"A-Arigatou gozaimasu, shinobi-san."
Naruto bowed quickly and turned to leave. Gosh, she sure was pretty.
"Sh-shinobi-san! Onamae wa?"
There it was. She had asked him for his name, and what was he supposed to say? That he was the kid who everyone hated? Naruto opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Not because he was too nervous, or he didn't want to. He literally couldn't speak.
And then the panic set in. The mask! This morning! The seal on his mouth! He began to sweat. He literally couldn't speak. God, it had been so obvious. What had he been thinking! Trusting strange men? And then the sense of betrayal hit. Danzou was just another villager who hated him. Just another practical joke, to make his life even more miserable.
How that man must have been laughing now, knowing he'd successfully prevented the child everyone hated from speaking. Tears came to Naruto's eyes, and his stomach tightened into a knot. There wasn't any point to being in this village anymore. It was futile. The longer he stayed, the worse the jokes got. He had to leave. And just as he was about to run off when –
Tap.
Tap.
Ino turned around, seeing her father with an elderly, bandaged man.
"Ah, this must be your latest apprentice, Danzou-sama."
"Indeed," the elder said, smiling. "He holds the most promise – the most talented of all, arguably. It seems they've already become acquainted!" He chuckled happily. Turning to Ino, he gently patted her head. "I see you've met Kitsune-kun! He's one of our most valuable Root shinobi."
Ino turned to Naruto. Bowing, she said "I'm Ino. Thank you for saving me."
Naruto nodded, unsure of what was happening. What on earth was Danzou saying? Terrified of blowing his cover to the beautiful blonde before him, Naruto decided to go along with the old man's lies.
Inoichi frowned internally. Danzou... at times, he almost seemed... human. "Yes, so it would seem. Well, I'd hate to interrupt your quite busy schedule."
"Not at all, it was a pleasure."
Taking a particularly low bow, Inoichi summoned his daughter. "Come, Ino. Say goodbye to Danzou-sama and Kitsune-san."
Ino bowed. "Goodbye." But before heading off, she ran up, closer to Naruto, pushed his mask back just enough to see a glimmer of golden-blonde hair, and pecked him on the edge of his cheek. Placing his mask back, she whispered "I won't forget you." And ran off.
Which left him and Danzou, alone. Naruto felt a nervousness grip him. He wasn't sure what this man was capable of, and given his inability to speak, he was almost certain Danzou was not on his side.
"No doubt you must be angry at me. But I feel your anger is misplaced. Come with me, and I'll explain everything." And he was whisked away.
…
"Why does Kitsune-kun wear a mask?"
"Because he is a part of Ne – a secret division of the ANBU Black Ops headed by Danzou."
Ino remained silent for a while. "But why does Kitsune-kun wear a mask?"
Her father chuckled. "To conceal his identity."
"A secret?"
He nodded. "Yes, a secret, Ino-chan."
"So he could be anyone?"
Her father chuckled. "No, not anyone. He's your age, most likely. He must be very talented to be already given his mask."
"Daddy, if I tell you a secret, will you keep it for me?"
Inoichi nodded. "I promise."
"I know who he is." She whispered.
Inoichi smiled, but decided to play along with his young daughter. "Really!" He acted surprised. "Why, tell me who it is then!"
Ino shook her head. "Nu-uuhh."
"Ino-chan, please?" He swung his daughter in a circle and grabbed her, causing her to giggle.
Laughing, she said "Okay, okay. You're Kitsune-kun!"
Whatever Inoichi suspected, it wasn't that. Laughing, he placed her on his lap, stroking her hair as he always did before it was her nap time. "Me? Ano, but I was right there!"
The sleep was already getting to her, but she managed to make out some words. Shaking her head, she replied "He had golden hair... You're the only one with that color hair." Yawning, she began to doze off, dreaming of her mysterious savior.
Ino paused, thinking about the gravity of his daughter's words. 'Blonde hair...?' It must have been an orphan from a neighboring village. That was fairly common for Ne... Right?
"He saved me... From those bullies."
Bullies? Was that what those kids were doing to her? Inoichi frowned. "Which bullies?" But his daughter was already asleep. Perhaps the kid wasn't all bad. Inoichi wasn't a complicated man. Anyone that saved his daughter was alright in his book.
The overprotective father chuckled. Placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead, he tucked her in bed and shut the door.
…
"Will you ever release the seal?" A shadowy figure, eclipsed in the darkness, peered through at Danzou.
Danzou chuckled. "Of course, of course. He'll need the ability to speak for higher level missions. But I can't ever release it completely, you know that."
The mysterious shadow nodded. "Insurance."
"Precisely. By the time we're done with him, he'll know too much. Just in case... Every asset is also a liability. I intend to make sure that traitors won't be an issue."
Blazing red eyes pierced through the fog, drilling holes into Danzou's neck. "Let me know, before you give him his speech back. This is a joint project, after all." And with that, the man vanished.
Danzou frowned. The partnership was becoming increasingly weary. Perhaps it was time he take over the Kyuubi project entirely. That way, all paths to his being Hokage would be cleared. One thing was for certain: he'd have to begin Naruto's training earlier than anticipated.
He was reviewing the report of the fight. Of course, he'd had one of his subordinates henge into a kid's form to initiate a fight with the blonde. Something about the blonde had evoked an immeasurable strength from Naruto. He'd used one of the six powers granted to him by his lineage... the sacred Dojutsu that only gods were meant access to.
He stared at the Uzumaki clan scroll he'd never managed to crack. Only one pair of eyes could do so. The pair that only Naruto had the potential to unlock. And somehow, this girl had evoked that from him. His grip around his chair tightened, cracking the wood. He needed a way to replicate that. Now.
…
Naruto felt, above all else, relief. It hadn't been betrayal. Danzou was offering him a position. In exchange for a new identity. His explanation of chakra molding hadn't really made sense to Naruto, but it seemed to be some sort of method of making him stronger, so he couldn't argue. Hell, he'd give up an arm and a leg if he had to.
"They're all like you, you know. Hated. Feared. Misunderstood. Not seen for the potential you have inside of you. All of you." He said softly. "Some select few are meant to shine. They stand out in the village, admired. The rest of us were relegated to the depths of despair."
Naruto looked around the giant compound. Ne was an underground establishment. Literally. Located in secret tunnels and mazes throughout Konoha's interior and below some of the oldest buildings and sanctuaries. Training arenas, large buildings, and even medium-sized communities, all underneath the village. Naruto gathered that most people slept, ate, and lived here. Underground.
"It is my personal mission to help each and every one of you find a special place in society. Here at Ne, I am offering to you, as I have done to so many before you, an opportunity. A route to freedom and acceptance. Your acceptance is entirely voluntary. Feel free to decline if you wish. But should you choose to accept, your family is eager to meet you."
Naruto perked up.
"Yes, we are all assigned to living communities here at Ne. Senseis who watch over and guide your training, as well as live with you. We form a tight knit community with each other. After all, if we don't look after ourselves, who will?"
Naruto realized he was being far too hopeful. There was no reason to believe this 'family' would treat him any differently. But... Danzou said they were the same... the same as he was.
"And don't worry. We don't go by our actual names here at Ne. Should you accept, there's no turning back. You will discard your old identity. Your past. Your name. Everything about you. And start anew."
Naruto smiled visibly. To some, it may have seemed like torture; forgetting everyone you loved, discarding everything and starting over. But to Naruto, he had no such people. He had no good memories. He had everything ready to discard. All of it. And Danzou knew it.
He smiled at the boy. He was a perfect fit for Ne – as perfect as they come.
Naruto considered it for a moment. The temptations of leaving everything he was hated for and simply burying it. It was almost too good to be true. But it was also liberating. No one in Ne knew anyone else's real name. He wasn't sure if it was true or not, but Danzou had told him that Ne was formed from others who were just like him.
Orphans, discarded and unwanted. Or people who couldn't find a place anywhere else in society. They were trash. Waste that didn't have any use for the outer world, so they crawled in deeper and deeper underground, eventually becoming powerful and respected.
It was a dream Naruto wanted to believe in. Needed to believe him. Anonymity was a beautiful thing. His whole identity unreachable. His entire being, shielded by a mask that ninja feared. An image his comrades respected. An icon the village admired. Root was liberation. True freedom.
Danzou was his God. His only savior. And he'd do anything to retain his Ne status. Smiling, he walked off, willingly, into the darkness of the caverns.
