Chapter 2: First Steps
It had been a week since Yugao witnessed Naruto's exploits in the alleyway. It was time for her to give in her report on the matter as assigned to her by her commander. Over the past week, Yugao had been assigned a full time mission that involved the safety and assessment of the aspiring Konoha ninja. To the best of her abilities, the ANBU ninja avoided interfering with the daily activities of the boy. However, there was one incident where her skills and expertise were called forth for the sake of Naruto's protection. As Yugao walked towards the Hokage's office from her ANBU base she recalled the events of that night.
Yugao watched Naruto from the shadows on the rooftops as she had been doing for the past five days. Naruto had just received his monthly allowance from the Hokage two days ago and Naruto decided he would treat himself to his favorite meal – ramen. As he returned from a relatively late supper from Ramen Ichiraku, a smiling Naruto decided on taking the scenic route back to his apartment on the outer periphery of the housing complex in the Northeastern quadrant of the village. As he passed through the dense foliage that made up a significant portion of this part of the village, he failed to notice the four burly men that had been following him since he passed by Konoha Stadium. As Naruto passed by the disused Hatake clan house far to his right, his pursuers were confident of their revenge, as this portion of Konoha was significantly less populated. However, as soon as they spotted Naruto turn in towards his apartment complex, all four men felt a sharp spike of killing intent wash upon them in a suffocating wave. One of the men, Shinji, turned around to identify the source of this nauseating feeling and promptly soiled his pants at the sight before him. His yell alerted his comrades to his predicament and they pivoted from their spots to a sight that would haunt them for weeks to follow. A sadistically smiling demonic spectre was waving a large sword at the men and upon further realization they noted that the spectre was pointing the sword in turn at their respective gentlemen sausages. With a collective yell, the four men continued down their path towards the main gates of the village in a panicked haste, as far away from the demonic form as possible.
Later all four men would all swear that the container of the Kyubi had made a deal with a demon to protect the area around which he lived. Yugao smirked under her cat-patterned mask – some part of that story actually held merit. Yugao had to admit that she indulged herself at that moment, the pleasure she obtained with a sharp burst of killing intent and a simple genjutsu had plastered a smile upon her face for the rest of the week.
As Yugao reached the doors that led to the Hokage's office and raised her arm to knock upon, she heard the fatherly voice of her commander beckoning her in. "Come on in Yugao-chan" invited the Hokage. Yugao stood smartly and patiently as she waited for Hiruzen to finish looking over the last pieces of paperwork for the day. Sanctioning the last mission request and placing the appropriate stamp upon the sheet marking its ranking as a function of difficulty, Hiruzen smiled and patted himself on the back. It was only just past three o'clock and he had finished his work for the day and was now about to approve of a training scheme that would potentially change Naruto's life for the better. He waved a hand in front of Yugao to signal that she may begin with her report. Yugao placed the written report into the outstretched arm of the Hokage and continued with her oral report.
"Naruto Uzumaki is a nine year old citizen of Konoha who will be applying to join the Konoha Ninja Academy at the start of the next intake. For his age he seems to be of the appropriate height but is substantially lacking in weight. This is mainly due to the lack of a balanced diet and an inconsistent food intake. After following him around for the past week, I have deduced that he is quite adept with his agility but would require additional strength training during his academic years to be on par with Kiba Inuzuka and Sasuke Uchiha, his future classmates at the academy." Yugao paused for a moment to ascertain whether the Hokage had any questions after her physical assessment of her target and when she determined otherwise, began recounting what she could about Naruto's mental facilities.
Continuing her report, Yugao took a quiet breath before she recounted the rest of her findings. "Naruto's reading ability seems to be severely retarded. While he is able to correctly identify all of the items on the Ramen Ichiraku's menu, I believe it is only due to character recognition and memory. Ayame from the ramen stand is known to have aided Naruto with his reading ability, limited as they might be. In reference to Naruto's memory, the boy is able to absorb information that appeals to him like a sponge and his recall of the same is most impressive for a nine-year-old boy with no formal education or parental guidance." Yugao did not stop her report even as she noticed the downcast look on Hiruzen's face as she mentioned this last facet concerning Naruto's life. She was well aware of the Hokage's connection towards the boy and his inability to change the dilemma that was Naruto Uzumaki's life due to the politics involved in the situation.
"Naruto's most impressive characteristic stems from his ability to adopt to any situation wherein he is in a pinch. He is able to ascertain two or three options out of a delicate situation with relative ease but unfortunately his body cannot cope with the expectations of his plans due to the frailty of his physical condition as well as the superiority of his opponents in the same category."
"Thank you." The Hokage had expected much the same analysis and was pleasantly pleased to note that the unfortunate living conditions of the boy had not negatively impacted his mental facilities. Hiruzen looked up from the report he had been presented and looked up expectantly at his charge. This was the fun part. "So Yugao-chan, what do you have in mind in terms of instruction for Naruto-kun?" the Hokage finished.
Yugao's eyes lit up at the prospect of being able to administer a toned down version of her own training schedule from her Chuunin days onto a fresh academy student. The idea of raising a kenjutsu master in Konoha the likes of which had never been seen before was exhilarating. She was certain that if Naruto followed this path with the same level of devotion as she had when she was Chuunin, Konoha would secure a valuable asset to its services and the prospect of playing such a fundamental role in this development was driving her absolutely giddy.
She began to explain her plans for Naruto's development as was outlined in her report. "First and foremost, it is important to strengthen his body and improve the boy's speed and stamina. In order to accomplish this, I propose sword swinging and basic physical exercises as well as running to improve speed and stamina. The finer details of this section of the training regimen are outlined in the report. To supplement his physical training, some light reading about combat strategy will educate him on relevant subject matters as well as improve his reading ability. There will be no instruction in kenjutsu katas until either one of us can determine his physical adequacy."
The Hokage whole-heartedly approved of the proposed system. While it was slightly harsh for a boy of his age to be told he was going to have to earn the approval of a mysterious teacher to further his kenjutsu studies, Hiruzen's limited exposure to bojutsu made him realize that discipline was a key element in training with the sword. Hiruzen matched eyes with Yugao and nodded once to show that he approved. Beaming with pride, Yugao looked expectantly at the Hokage and requested a favor.
"Hokage-sama, I would like to donate the bokken that I received from my master to further Naruto's study." The Hokage smiled. A bokken is but a mere piece of wood used to train apprentices in the art of kenjutsu. However, the symbolic significance of the act was not lost on Hiruzen. A bokken while inexpensive could still be used for sparring purposes, even at ANBU level, and for Yugao to part with the bokken that her master had presented to her was indicative of the faith she placed in the boy's hands. This bokken was being passed down from Konoha's premier swordsman to possibly her first and last student. Hiruzen would not deny Yugao the courtesy and Naruto the honour of this transaction, even if the boy would not find out the identity of his master and instructor and the significance of the token for several years to come.
Nodding once again in approval, Hiruzen waited expectantly. Yugao presented the Hokage with a simple sealing scroll within which a training schedule and the bokken were sealed. The Hokage took the scroll from his ninja wordlessly and placed it within one of the drawers in his desk until it could be handed on into Naruto's possession. Yugao bowed slightly and was about to take her leave when Hiruzen spoke again. "I want the boy to have a normal life, well, as normal for a ninja as possible. I wish that he meets his peers and creates new experiences with new friends and his future Genin team. However, after he makes it to Chuunin, I would like to present you with the opportunity to apprentice the boy if you would like."
Yugao looked back up from her bow and replied sagely to the Hokage. "I would very much like the opportunity Hokage-sama but it would be necessary for the boy to take up the art in earnest before I can bestow upon him my instruction and knowledge."
"Very well," replied the Hokage, "We shall address this issue when it is time to cross that bridge".
"Hai Hokage-sama". Smiling back at the Hokage, Yugao made a quick hand-seal and took her leave.
The smile on Hiruzen's face quickly vanished as he swore at her departure. "Damn it, not again with the leaves!" However, the smile returned to his face at the prospect of securing Naruto's safety with this new training regimen.
Naruto was not accustomed to having visitors at his apartment. Every month, usually in the first week, a ninja would appear at his doorstep informing him that the Hokage had summoned him. This was done so that the Hokage could give Naruto his monthly allowance. However, Naruto had already received his allowance for the month of November and he was sure that if the Hokage was to meet him he would not arrive so early, he never came to visit Naruto until the late evening. So Naruto was suspicious when he heard a knocking at his door. Three sharp knocks, he noted, definitely ninja he correctly assumed. When Naruto arrived at his door, he found an ANBU ninja standing outside his door. "The Hokage is expecting you Naruto-san", said the ninja and then promptly disappeared in a shunshin. Two visits to the Hokage's office within a space of a week wasunusual for Naruto. He wondered if the old man had good news regarding his application to the Ninja Academy as it was due to start in a little over two months' time.
Naruto went back into his apartment and made himself presentable to the Hokage and then commenced the long walk towards the Hokage tower. It was times like this that Naruto wondered why he lived so far from the center of the city and then the condition of his wallet reminded him – cheap rent. Another blessing that stemmed from this early summons was the lack of people en route to his destination. Naruto was painfully aware of all the pointed glares he received as he strode around the village. He was certain he wasn't deserving of everyone's ire but since no one was offering an explanation nor was anyone actively attempting to hide their dislike for him, Naruto decided he would bare the brunt of this attack as nonchalantly as possible.
As he reached the Hokage Tower, he craned his neck as far back as required so that he could see the Hokage's office. He closed his eyes for a minute as he recalled the view from the office with unerring detail. He had seen firsthand the amount of work that went into being the Hokage, but that view from the top must surely be worth the pressures of the job. 'Maybe I should become a Hokage too', Naruto mused to himself as he climbed the spiral staircase through the spine of the building that would eventually lead him to the Hokage's office.
As the Hokage's secretary ushered Naruto towards the office, Naruto opened one of the two doors and slid in. With a large smile and a polite wave, Naruto announced his presence to the old man. "Good morning Hokage-jiji. You wanted to see me?"
"Naruto-kun, you made it already? Please take a seat, we have much to discuss", said the Hokage as he smiled to see the exuberant boy enter his office and get comfortable on one of the two chairs on the other side of his desk.
"I'm not in trouble again am I?" Naruto asked the old man. "I haven't done anything to trouble anyone since our last talk, I promise!"
Hiruzen laughed lightly at the expense of the confused child in front of him. "No, Naruto. You aren't in any sort of trouble". The Hokage told the boy causing Naruto to breathe a sigh of relief. "At least not yet," added Naruto cheekily, causing Hiruzen to laugh once again with a knowing glint in his eye. Hiruzen was well aware of Naruto's prankster abilities, having fallen victim to the boy's schemes on a few occasions himself.
As Naruto watched the Hokage get a serious look in his eye, he sat up straight and focused all his attention on the next words that came out of the Hokage's mouth.
Hiruzen began with a look that told Naruto not to interrupt until he had finished speaking. "I want to start by saying that your application to start your studies in the Ninja Academy has been accepted and you will be starting in the academic year starting in January. There is some paper work involved in finalizing the details of your entry and you will need to sign a document that my secretary will present to you on your way out." Naruto was ecstatic at the news but maintained his silence as per the unspoken request. Hiruzen was pleased with the boy's reaction. Naruto could be brash and outspoken when things were casual but when it came to business, the boy had an uncanny ability to flip a mental switch and match frequencies with the Hokage. Hiruzen continued the delivery of the news. "A lot of young ninja aspirants are trained by their families to gain an advantage in their education as well as to induct their children into the secret techniques of their respective clans. While you do not belong to any clan specifically, I thought I would be able to lend a hand in helping with your training schedule. While I cannot personally oversee your training due to the constraints of my job, I would like to provide you with a scroll that should help you with the basics. Physical exercises and basic information that would benefit you before and during the course of your education at the Ninja Academy are outlined in a scroll I have here for you. I will be more than happy to hand over the scrolls to you if you are willing to accept the responsibility of following the instructions within the scroll until completion. Everything within this scroll is compiled for your individual needs and as this training is exclusive to you, you mustn't share this information with anyone. The famed ninja clans of Konoha do not share their techniques with the others as the training and techniques are suited best for members of their respective clans. For the same reason, you must do the same. Fortunately for you, a training ground exists near your living quarters does it not?" Naruto simply nodded, positively giddy with excitement and not trusting his voice at the moment.
"Good", Hiruzen continued, "you are free to use that space but if any other ninja come and request use of the training ground you must vacate the area as they have priority. Is that understood Naruto-kun?" Another nod from Naruto signaled to the Hokage that the message had indeed been received and acknowledged.
"Do you have any questions, Naruto-kun?"
"Did you really compile a unique training program just for me Hokage-jiji?" Naruto had reason to be critical. He had seen the amount of work that was required of the old man on a daily basis and compounding his pre-existing burden with another chore seemed unlikely.
Hiruzen smiled before he replied, "I had some help on the matter from one of my ninja, I must admit." Naruto realized that he was not going to glean any information about the identity of his benefactor and so simply finished with a polite reply.
"I will follow the training program you have for me, Hokage-jiji. I promise to put all my efforts to meet whatever you ask of me, but on one condition."
Hiruzen already knew of the nature of the condition without it being spoken but let the boy speak it nonetheless. "Please convey my thanks to your shinobi Hokage-jiji. I will make you both proud." Naruto finished as he got of his chair and grabbed the contents of the scroll reverently.
Hiruzen had unsealed the contents of the scroll as Naruto stood up from his chair to reveal a simple scroll and a bokken with a simple guard. Naruto bowed to the old man before he took his leave, absent-mindedly signing the sheet presented to him by the Hokage's secretary.
As it grew quiet within the office, Hiruzen turned to a corner away from his desk and near the still ajar door and simply said, "So what do you think Yugao-chan?" Yugao phased into view with her cat-patterned mask affixed to her face revealing none of her emotions from the corner of the office. "I have great expectations of him Hokage-sama. After all, he is part Uzumaki and part Namikaze. We all should." Hiruzen nodded and smiled as Yugao proceeded to walk towards the hallways outside the office, closing the door behind her.
'Indeed', Hiruzen thought. 'He is part Uzumaki and part Namikaze. It is just unfortunate that he does not realize the significance of the power that courses through his veins. One day however that will change, when he becomes Chuunin, I will tell him about his lineage as well as the beast that resides within him. For now, I am just glad he has one more person to look out after him. Thank you, Yugao-chan.'
Author's Note: If you are interested, the map I am using to describe Konoha is from here