Towards the Dawn

by Solvdrage

In a world scarred by a more devastating Kirigakure Civil War, the lives of Naruto and Hinata are forever altered. Naruto has embraced fuinjutsu to focus his energies. Hinata, still inspired by but separated from Naruto, has grown into a self-confident and graceful young woman. How will their destinies unfold when they are reunited years later?

2. Chapter 2

Uzumaki Naruto buried his head in his pillow and let a particularly impressive string of curses, laments, and poetic descriptions of what Hong could do to himself fly. Iruka-sensei had been unavailable after Naruto had left his incredible training session/heart-to-heart with Hinata. So, Naruto had gone straight home and into his familiar routine of producing storage scrolls for sale. It had actually been a great experience. Naruto's work had gone beyond simply producing functional storage scrolls. He had thrown in some real artistry. The boy had gone to sleep as happy and proud of his work and of himself as any time in his life.

It was just that he had woken up to the realization that he had sold Hong out to the old man and Mebuki with a smile on his face and a swipe of the pen. Hong was probably about to be torn apart by the authorities, especially if the rumors of how he got some of his other merchandise panned out. Konoha came down hard on smugglers. They were just a tiny bit of a security threat. If people could get simple goods in, the chance existed to get explosive tags or scarier things into the village.

"Who the hell am I going to sell you assholes to now?" Naruto yelled at the storage scroll. Of course, they didn't respond. The fuinjutsu products happily sat on his workbench in mocking silence.

'I guess I'll have to go check some of the other blacksmith and ninja supply stores again. If I get lucky, the old man and Mebuki might have put a word or two with them,' Naruto thought as he started the process of making breakfast. He was running low on eggs, but decided to boil a pair anyway. The last thing he wanted to do was let any of his food go to waste. As the eggs boiled, Naruto fixed a bowl of cereal. He chowed down on the food; allowing his mind to wander to the previous evening. Thinking of Hinata instantly caused his mood to improve.

Her speech played over and over in his head. Naruto desperately tried to recall the day that had started his connection to the young woman.

It had been early fall, Naruto thought. The weather was still just warm enough for short sleeves and shorts. Naruto sank deeply into his memories. He had heard the shouting of the boys. The scene he discovered reminded Naruto of the worst excesses the villagers had heaped on him.

Naruto remembered that the bullies took a few pot shots at Naruto's reputation. His detail-oriented mind recalled that one of the jerks had continued to prod at Hinata. Naruto growled into his breakfast as he decided to track down those little shits and pay them back. Yes, it had been years. Yes, they probably were full shinobi and did not remember the incident. No, Naruto was not willing to forgive them.

There was one part of the memory Naruto was willing to hold onto. One sliver of warmth in that whole affair: Hinata's look of admiration and disbelief. Hinata had once been like him, Naruto realized. She had been desperate for acknowledgment and support.

As Naruto chewed his food, the worry about his future economic situation was chased away by a new and welcome emotion: pride.

He was proud that he had helped Hinata. He was proud that his example had helped her.

Naruto had never felt closer to the Hokage's Hat than at that moment.

---

Haruno Sakura occasionally felt out of place in Konoha, despite her family being well established in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She only had flashes of her earliest days as a refugee, but they were amongst her strongest memories. There were few details. It was mostly smells, an overwhelming feeling of being crowded, and the tension in her parents' voice. Sakura still felt the fear of the constant change of scenery. Childhood was a luxury Sakura had not experienced until she was six years old.

Sakura loved Konoha. Konoha represented stability and acceptance. 'My parents weren't happy until we got here,' the young woman admitted to herself. The pinkette smiled as she recalled her first meeting with Yamanaka Ino. The blonde had been Sakura's first friend. One of the endearing moments for Sakura was when Ino had helped Sakura overcome a complex she once held about her forehead.

Her forehead didn't bother Sakura anymore; instead it represented the first events that truly tied Sakura to Konoha. The former refugee's friendship with Ino had the usual bumps in the road. Sakura had done all she could to keep the bond as strong as possible. The discovery of the girl's mutual crush on Uchiha Sasuke had been the biggest strain. They had disagreed on who had the strongest 'connection' with Sasuke for a time.

It hadn't taken the girls long to realize the foolishness of their little 'battle'. Uchiha Sasuke was still the object of their desires, but they had refused to let it divide them.

Sakura believed that she possessed a deeper connection to Sasuke than the other girls. She recognized the void in Sasuke that only came from having no real hope for the future. Sasuke's condition was not a physical or materialistic one. It was spiritual, but Sakura recognized when someone was living day to day and going through the motions.

Emptiness was a terrible thing.

She shook the fog of melancholy from her head. Her mother had given her a mission.

'That Naruto kid supposedly helped mom with something really important. I need to give him a message from the Refugee Commission,' Sakura thought to herself. Unfortunately, Naruto was probably tardy or skipping again.

"Of all the days for Naruto to skip," Sakura hissed. She didn't mind looking for Naruto. Her mother had asked her to help out. The immigrant girl also held no strong opinion of the boy. Naruto had once annoyed her. His attempts at asking her out were crystal clear attempts to gain attention and upstage Sasuke. She had shot him down and only became…forceful…when Naruto had begun pressing the issue.

Naruto had finally gotten the idea and left her alone. The two weren't friends, but they got along well enough. Sakura even admitted some of Naruto's pranks were really funny.

And ingenious. There were still heated debates on just how Naruto managed to smuggle all of the toilets in the Remedial Grade's bathrooms out of the Academy.

Sakura just really wanted to visit with her friends before classes started. As she was beginning to lose hope of being able to visit with her friends, an idea struck Sakura.

'Naruto made a big scene by asking Hinata-sama out. I should ask her if she knows anything,' Sakura decided.

The Hyūga heiress was sitting quietly at her usual seat preparing for the day. There were occasional glares or confused looks cast in her direction, but if Hinata noticed them, they were paid no mind. Sakura paused and wondered why Hinata had rejected Sasuke so vehemently, but accepted Naruto so readily.

'Oh well, maybe she likes bad boys?' Sakura thought with a shrug. The first-generation immigrant wasn't about to evangelize to Hinata about her choice in men. It wasn't her place to force change on people.

"Excuse me, Hinata-sama," Sakura finally decided to speak up.

Hinata smiled politely. "Yes? Is there something you need, Sakura-san?"

"I was wondering if you have seen Naruto today. My mom wanted to talk to him about something 'work related', whatever that means," Sakura explained. "He isn't in trouble or anything, but my mom wants to talk with him about a blacksmith."

"I'm sorry, Sakura-san. I have not seen Naruto-kun, yet. He will definitely be here later today,though," Hinata answered.

'She sounds so certain,' Sakura thought. "If you see him, can you tell him about my message, please?"

"Of course," the Hyūga girl promised happily. "Is there anything else you need?"

The pink-haired girl considered saying there wasn't anything, but a thought crossed her mind. "Not really…I was actually impressed by what you did yesterday. I'm still in shock that anyone would even think to turn down Sasuke-kun, but you are your own woman. It's actually a bit inspiring how you refuse to follow the crowd."

"Thank you, Sakura-san. That was very kind of you," Hinata responded.

Sakura stretched her arms over her head. "Well, it's true. I'll see you around. I need to meet up with Ino."

"Have a nice day," the Hyūga heiress responded politely.

'That was unexpected,' Hinata thought before wondering where exactly Naruto-kun was at.

---

There was a common joke in Konoha that the Hokage was constantly buried in paperwork and that his wrinkles weren't caused by old age but by paper cuts. Hiruzen found the joke amusing; because there were times it certainly felt he had been buried in the minutia of running the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He also knew he possessed one key power that allowed him to maintain his sanity.

Delegation.

There was honestly very little in terms of day-to-day operations that required the Hokage's direct attention. The Nidaime Hokage may not have had his brother's or Uchiha Madara's brilliance as a tactician or in ninjutsu, but he outshone both of them in one area. Senju Tobirama was one of the most brilliant organizational minds in the history of the world. Tobirama's reforms and creations birthed one of the most efficient and streamlined bureaucracies in human history. The Hokage had no need to worry about the condition of the civilian school buildings. The small precinct councils handled those details. All the Hokage needed to be aware of was who provided the funding. Any funding from outside the village was a potential security threat.

'Yes', Hiruzen thought, 'I am glad I am not a micromanager.'

The main educational aspect Sarutobi Hiruzen cared about was the training of the shinobi under his command. Currently, he was perusing an update on the status of the Academy. In recent years, the Academy had been focused on indoctrination and quantity rather than the 'quality'. The Kyūbi Assault and the influx of refugees and immigrants had forced Hiruzen and the Council's hands. Konoha's forces needed to be rebuilt as quickly as possible. More importantly, they had to be loyal.

Hiruzen thanked his ancestors and the Shodai for the good fortune they had experienced. Other than the short war with Kumo over a chain of barrier islands, the Land of Fire and Konoha had been spared the chaos engulfing the world. The Land of Water may have practically collapsed, but none of the fighting had reached the shores of Hi no Kuni. Instead, they had reaped the benefits of thousands of artisans, general civilians, and minor shinobi clans defecting to Konoha. It had been a glorious boon to recruitment and the economy.

The period of quiet along most of Konoha's borders had allowed a fantastic amount of the shinobi produced during the Academy's 'factory' period to survive and bond with their fellow Konoha shinobi.

'All in all, this experiment had succeeded and accomplished its goals,' Hiruzen declared.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted the aged Hokage's review. "Hokage-sama…"

"Yes, Kiku-chan?" Hiruzen acknowledged the young Chūnin.

"My lord, Danzō-sama has arrived as requested," the brunette informed the Shinobi no Kami.

"Send him in," the Third Hokage ordered.

Shimura Danzō strode into the room. The village elder appeared frail and beyond his prime, but Hiruzen knew several truths. First, Danzō was a true believer in the shinobi's creed of deception and misdirection. Hiruzen had several suspicions about Danzō's physical capabilities, but lacked enough proof to move against his old rival. Second, Danzō still possessed a keen and devious mind.

Hiruzen had not liquidated his old rival for two reasons. One, the Hokage lacked the undeniable evidence to move after someone with as much political pull within Konoha. Second, and most importantly, Danzō was an ultra-nationalist.

"You summoned me, Hiruzen?" Danzō asked, but wisely remained standing.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. Danzō viewed himself an equal to the Hokage and this could not be allowed. "I ordered you here to deliver your report on the actions of the blacksmith named Hong."

"Of course, Hokage-sama. Our agents have followed up on his smuggling connections. The majority of Hong's contacts were low-level thugs. Jiraiya-sama's investigation, as well as my own, discovered three very troubling details. We uncovered evidence hinting at an attempt by a foreign village to use Hong's illicit activities as a means to insert agents into the village. Next, Cryptology believes a second group was seeking an 'in' through Hong's associates," Danzō began his report.

"Has Cryptology, Jiraiya, or any of our other intelligence divisions uncovered any details of these two groups?" The Professor asked.

"Our investigations are still in the very early stages. Preliminary analysis of the methods of contact, accents of the smugglers, and other details points towards the Kumo or the Nadeshiko Village. At this time, we are not sure if the second group is a minor Hidden Village or a Missing-Nin organization."

Hiruzen's gaze hardened. "I am far more concerned that the second group could be Akatsuki or Orochimaru. Devote resources to finding out exactly who this group is. They are a clear and present danger to Konoha."

"Agreed, the Intelligence Division was merely waiting for your orders. The third detail is troubling, but not a strategic threat to Konoha. The criminal organization controlled by the 'businessman' Gatō made a very unsubtle attempt to barge into the smuggling racket here in Konoha." Danzō rarely showed emotions, but Hiruzen could tell that the Shinobi no Yami was amused.

"I believe we have responded appropriately?" Hiruzen asked.

The heavily bandaged veteran nodded. "The criminals provided ample intelligence to Torture and Interrogation. Shall we 'repatriate' Gatō's men?"

"No," Hiruzen said. "At this time, he is of little concern to the Land of Fire or Konoha."

Danzō nodded. "I will leave the most current reports in your possession."

"I require regular updates on the progress of the investigations," the ancient Sarutobi commanded.

"As is your right as Hokage," the village elder confirmed. "I have heard that the Academy Reforms are on track."

"You are well informed. The courses and principles of the Remedial Program will be introduced on all levels within the year. The three graduating classes of the program have all performed beyond expectations. The current Academy System served its purpose. We indoctrinated the immigrant students and have fully recovered from both the Kyūbi's attack and the Border War with Kumo."

"The recovery from the recent conflicts has exceeded our most optimistic estimates. Your reforms have the support of the Council and a super-majority of the Jonin," the Hokage's rival assured the Sandaime.

Hiruzen took a moment to light his pipe. "A few civilian clans are complaining, but they cannot grasp the full picture. Rock Lee's success and Uzumaki Naruto's situation demonstrate that the current graduation requirements are not an accurate reflection of shinobi potential. Rock Lee has achieved incredible progress under Might Guy's tutelage."

"The reformed Academy would have passed him without the need for Might Guy declaring Rock Lee his apprentice. We would not have to worry about Uzumaki Naruto failing to graduate. His talents would be recognized as worthy of the hitai-ate. I have never seen a young man with such impeccable skill with fuinjutsu. How can we have a system that considers the basic Bunshin no Jutsu a more accurate predictor of ability than high-level seals?" Danzō ranted slightly

"Naruto-kun does not hide his skills as well as he believes," the Professor chuckled ruefully. Hiruzen paused and shook his head mirthfully. "It has been quite some time since we have agreed so fervently with each other, old friend."

"If there is one aspect we will always agree on, it is how to best serve and secure Konoha," the 'one-eyed' elder declared.

'I doubt our opinions are the same, Danzō. None can doubt your loyalty to our village. Your methods will one day cross the line, however, and I will not let your mistakes drag Konoha into the darkness you claim to thrive in when that happens.'

---

Naruto's luck was certainly not on the level it was yesterday. He had taken some time to scope potential clients, but his reputation had preceded him. 'Either that or they knew I sold Hong out…' Naruto thought.

He wasn't in the best of moods as he entered the Academy grounds. Naruto wasn't even sure if he would stay the entire day. In fact, the only reason the budding seal expert was even arriving for lunch was to see Hinata. His timing was still very good at least. The class was filtering out of the Academy building. Naruto strode into the chattering mass. He received a few odd glances. Naruto's tardiness had been accepted by a solid chunk of the Academy Class. So, Naruto was convinced that his celebration yesterday after asking Hinata to train with him was the source of the odd glances.

The fact that many of the glances were glares from dudes confirmed Naruto's theory.

Naruto moved among the gaggle of students to look for Hinata. He was feeling a bit impatient that his classmates weren't breaking up into the usual cliques faster. The boy swallowed back a huff of annoyance as a pair of girls he didn't recognize ran past. He caught a tiny fragment of their conversation. It was something about music. Naruto also knew that it wasn't about using music as a cover during missions.

They were so unprepared for shinobi life that it almost hurt. That tiny glimpse into other prospective-kunoichis' minds only served to drive home Hinata's worthiness. She was serious and prepared to become a true kunoichi, but she was still very human.

'It's just that much more annoying that I don't know where she's at,' Naruto thought.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata's voice rang out from somewhere in the crowd. Naruto turned to his left as the Hyūga heiress approached. "I was worried you weren't going to show up today."

"If I didn't show up, I wouldn't get to see you as much today. I'd have to be a complete moron to pass that opportunity up," Naruto confessed with a sly grin.

Hinata blushed at the intent of Naruto's words. "I am glad to see you as well."

"How did Hanabi like that practice seal?" The fuinjutsu prodigy asked.

The Byakugan Princess giggled. "She has not let go of the seal. I believe it is her current favorite toy."

That revelation put an incredibly goofy grin on the young man's face. "We can work on making other colors later today."

"Hanabi-chan would enjoy that. She kept asking for yellow." Hinata smiled at the memory. "When we meet at Training Ground Sixteen, perhaps you can teach me how to make other colors?"

"Sure, what time do you want to meet up?" Naruto asked as the couple slipped deeper into their own little world.

"The Elders and my tutors are preparing for my father's return. My duties will be over by four o'clock. We can meet at four-thirty," Hinata revealed. Naruto nodded eagerly at Hinata's suggestion. The two shinobi-in-training wandered off, completely oblivious to the looks of shock or jealousy on their classmates' faces.

As they sat down, Naruto pulled a storage scroll from his holster belt. "I've hit a bit of a…funding issue recently, but I wanted to thank you again for everything. So, I brought something."

He pulsed his chakra into the seal and a small puff of chakra condensation appeared. Hinata was tempted to use her Byakugan to catch an early glimpse of Naruto's surprise. That idea was squashed as it would have been a frivolous use of her genetic inheritance.

"Zenzai?" Hinata asked. Excitement was clear in her voice.

His curiosity was well and truly piqued. "Sounds like you approve?"

"Oh yes," Hinata confirmed happily. "It's my second favorite food…"

The two conversed about foods for a time. Hinata and Naruto 'debated', in Naruto's case quite theatrically, which of their favorites was the superior choice in food. It was a welcome diversion and passed the lunch period quickly.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. Sakura-san needed to deliver a message from her mother to you, Naruto-kun," Hinata gasped.

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Did she say what it was about?"

"I believe it had to do with a business arrangement," Hinata recalled. Naruto was pretty sure he hadn't stopped smiling since he arrived for lunch.

"I'll check with her after school," Naruto confirmed.

There was no denying the hopeful look on Hinata's face. "You're staying for the rest of the day?"

'Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't lie to that kind of look,' Naruto thought consciously while his pride was hoping he wasn't blushing too much. "Yeah."

The pair walked together in companionable silence. Naruto took a seat next to Hinata without hesitation or thought. Iruka shot Naruto a look that made his displeasure at Naruto's skipping clear. The blond-headed seal prodigy shot his favorite teacher and mentor a look that said, 'We need to talk.'

Mizuki took over the lesson. He took several opportunities to test Naruto's knowledge on chakra control. Much to Mizuki's shock, Naruto's answers were average in every way. He wasn't as brilliant academically as Sakura or Ino, but Naruto was not the worst.

"We are quickly approaching the Graduation Exam. As such, we need to have a record of your physical condition. The aspiring shinobi and kunoichi will be split into two groups. The aspiring shinobi will accompany myself and Mizuki-sensei. The aspiring kunoichi will follow Suzume-sensei and Kaeda-sensei," Iruka announced.

Naruto sighed and turned to Hinata. "I guess I'll see you at 4:30?"

"Yes. I look forward to seeing you then," Hinata confirmed.

The classes split up by gender. Naruto cast one last glance and a smile at Hinata, which caused his crush to blush a bit. The majority of the other prospective kunoichi waved and shouted their good-byes to 'Sasuke-kun'. Said Uchiha ignored the pleas for attention and fell into line beside Naruto.

Uzumaki Naruto decided to cast his net and troll for a reaction from the likely 'Rookie-of-the-year' and remained silent. He certainly didn't stop himself from grinning conspiratorially at everyone's expense.

'I don't get the whole 'Rookie-of-the-year' being an Academy title. Shouldn't it be based on how we do after we graduate?' Naruto pondered. The more he thought about that title and where it came from, the less sense it made.

Naruto finally got the reaction he wanted. "Naruto. How did you pull it off?"

"What? I had nothing to do with the Great Toilet Heist!" The Uzumaki wanted to see just how far he could push Sasuke. Naruto would be one of the first to admit he saw the Uchiha as something of a rival. Sasuke was handed several things Naruto longed for simply for existing. On some level, Naruto resented Sasuke while respecting him. The 'Last Uchiha' worked as hard as Naruto, and probably as hard as Hinata, and that was something the prankster could appreciate.

"Don't play dumb; anyone who is working on seals isn't a complete idiot. You know I'm talking about Hinata," Sasuke snapped in annoyance. Naruto nearly face-faulted as Sasuke mentioned his fuinjutsu.

'I thought I hid that a bit better. If Sasuke knows, who else knows?' Naruto questioned silently.

Evidently, Sasuke knew what Naruto was thinking. "Not everyone pretends you don't exist. If they didn't, maybe you wouldn't have to act like a jackass to get attention."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sasuke. Respect did not equal like. "And it eats you up that much more that I'm friends with Hinata, doesn't it?"

"How?" Sasuke repeated and ignored the barb.

"How is it the one girl that doesn't trip over themselves to get your attention rejected you that hard?" Naruto finished the question. "It's simple really. Do you know anything about her? You don't, obviously. I'm actually trying to get to know Hinata. We're trying to help each other improve ourselves as shinobi. Hell, we've got things in common."

Sasuke scoffed. Naruto grinned triumphantly. He knew that the Uchiha had no counter. He couldn't even reject the idea that Naruto had no way to help Hinata improve. It was obvious that Naruto was trading his fuinjutsu knowledge for whatever help the Hyūga heiress offered.

"I still don't see the Hyūga allowing this to continue. Last time I checked, you had no social standing."

Naruto shrugged. "We'll see when that comes up. At least there's something to continue."

Sasuke glowered at Naruto and the Uzumaki decided to end the little spat there. 'I need to check in with Iruka-sensei, anyway.'

Iruka had seen the confrontation. He shook his head as Naruto approached. "I'm glad you didn't antagonize your classmate further. What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Heh," Naruto sort of laughed. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Sometimes," Iruka confirmed with a full laugh. "What do you need to talk about?"

The student cast a quick look around, before answering in a quiet voice. "Hinata. I kinda need advice."

"Obviously, you want to have this be a bit of a private conversation. We can chat after school."

Naruto nodded at Iruka's promise. "Yeah, but evidently Sakura has a message from her mom. I'll have to check in with her first."

"I'll be here. We can get some ramen," Iruka promised with a smile.

Naruto's face lit up, but fell for a second, before lighting back up again. "Would be able to eat it before 4:30? I'm meeting Hinata for some training then."

"I'm glad she's helping you," Iruka said thankfully. "I really believe you can meet the requirements this time."

"Thanks, but can't I just show off another jutsu?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Another jutsu?" Iruka asked curiously. Naruto nodded. "I'll try to find out. Let's meet at Ichiraku at Seven-thirty."

"Awesome," Naruto agreed. "Can I go first with the physical? I kinda want to get back to work on the new seal I'm developing."

Iruka laughed to hide his disappointment in the system. 'How is Naruto being held back by the Bunshin? I should try to get an exemption from the Headmaster…'

---

Sakura waved goodbye to Ino as the blonde headed home for her shift at the Yamanaka's flower shop. The Haruno maiden was hoping that Naruto would show up soon. His reputation as a delinquent and unapologetic truant did not speak well to his punctuality. Sakura didn't doubt that Hinata had told Naruto that Sakura had a message for him. She just doubted Naruto would bother to show up.

Fortunately, she was proven wrong after a few moments of waiting. "Oi, Sakura! What's up?"

"Good afternoon, Naruto." She responded with relief. "How was your day?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Could have been better. Could have been worse. Hinata says you have a message from Mebuki-san?"

"Y-Yes, mom wanted me to deliver a message," Sakura stammered a little bit. As far as Sakura knew, Naruto only used the proper honorific with one person. He only seemed to respect Iruka-sensei. There were rumblings that Naruto was shamefully informal with the Hokage!

Naruto watched as Sakura fished a letter out of her bag. He accepted it with surprising delicacy. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Sakura answered and watched as Naruto read the note.

His face brightened and he locked eyes with Sakura. "Your mom is awesome! Tell her I'll be by that shop tomorrow! Tell her I really owe her one!"

There was something about Naruto's intense gratitude that sent a pang racing through her heart. 'Why can't I get Sasuke-kun to acknowledge me like that?'

"I'm sure mom will be pleased to hear how excited you are." Sakura chewed her lip. "Hey Naruto…I was wondering if you could give me some advice."

"How can the Godaime Hokage help you?" Naruto questioned 'graciously'. Sakura chuckled and rolled her eyes. Naruto returned the laugh. "Seriously though, I owe your mom. What do you need?"

"Do you have an idea why Sasuke-kun seemed to be interested in Hinata-sama?"

Naruto grimaced. Sakura thought for a second that the boy would storm off in a fit of pique. "Sasuke thought Hinata would be a way to keep the fangirls away. I think he tried to take advantage of Hinata because she's determined to be a kunoichi and not a damsel in distress to be rescued."

Sakura nodded. "I think I should talk to my dad some…He used to be a Chūnin for Kirigakure before we became refugees."

"That'd be a good idea," Naruto agreed. "I guess I'll see you around?"

"I guess so," Sakura agreed. "I'll let you go. Can't let rumors start that you are trying to outdo Sasuke on the girl front."

"Yeah," Naruto said with a lopsided grin. 'Though…I think I already am. Sakura's nicer than I remember, but there isn't a girl in Konoha that competes with Hinata.'

The pair parted and Naruto sighed at the turn of events. Everything seemed to be going so well, but that damn Bunshin was still baffling him. Hopefully, Hinata's training would put him over the top. He decided to collect his supplies for his session with Hinata later that day. There was no way that Naruto could fail with Hinata's help.

---

Training Ground Sixteen was a bit out of the way for Naruto. The young man's usual haunts were closer to the civilian section of Konoha. He also preferred the more conveniently placed training grounds. Still, he'd be willing to head to the border with Ame if it'd help him master the Bunshin.

Naruto had tried to time things so that he'd be at the Training Ground Sixteen a full ten minutes before he was scheduled to meet Hinata. He was planning on setting up his sealing supplies early and figuring out why Hinata needed today's session to be at Training Ground Sixteen. The training ground was as unremarkable as Training Ground Thirty-one. The only real difference was that it had a small, shallow pond in the southeast corner. Naruto strolled into the grounds and immediately headed to the pond. It was the only real feature of the grounds. If Naruto was reading Hinata right, that pond was likely the reason she had selected this training ground.

Hyūga Hinata continued to surprise Naruto. He had expected Hinata to arrive exactly on time or a few minutes early. She hadn't done that. She had beaten Naruto to the Training Grounds. Hinata was meditating next to the pond surrounded by flowers. It was one of the most peaceful and beautiful images Uzumaki Naruto had ever witnessed. His storage scroll and sealing supplies resting in their holster were quickly forgotten. Naruto achieved a state of tunnel vision. The young man wasn't sure how long he stood there, totally entranced, before Hinata looked up with a gentle smile. Naruto realized that he was almost certainly blushing when a playful edge worked its way into Hinata's smile.

"Good afternoon, Naruto-kun," Hinata greeted warmly.

Her voice snapped Naruto out of his blissful stupor. "Yo! I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"I haven't been here long," Hinata responded warmly. "I truly hope this exercise can help you."

"It'll help me. You've helped me more in a day than anyone has in a year," Naruto commended. He smiled a bit. "Iruka-sensei and the old man have tried, but they've got a ton of responsibility to more people than just me."

"Don't forget, Naruto-kun, you helped me first," Hinata chided Naruto playfully. The Hyūga heiress rose from her meditative stance and walked over to Naruto.

Naruto flashed an appreciative grin at Hinata's supportive statement. His mind locked up again as he realized that Hinata's jacket was unzipped and she was wearing a lavender-colored athletic top. The top was the most formfitting item of clothing Naruto had ever seen near Hinata. Needless to say, all of Naruto's higher brain functions decided to check out for a while.

"Is everything alright, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as Naruto seemingly fell into a genjutsu. She was a moment away from pulsing her chakra to dispel the suspected genjutsu when Naruto made a somewhat hollow 'huh' sound.

"I, uh, I'm good. I," Naruto stammered and blushed. "I was just distracted by how pretty you were."

Naruto's blush migrated to Hinata as the boy regained a measure of composure. The young woman had been called pretty and even beautiful before. Her clansmen, particularly the elders, used the term often. However, it was simply an expectation for them. The Hyūga Heiress was the beautiful one. Hinata simply existed. There were others who called her pretty, but they were mostly hollow platitudes by political suitors. Once again, Naruto had taken a somewhat mundane situation and made it extraordinary. The way Naruto had called her pretty and the look in his eyes made Hinata feel like she was the only girl in the world. She liked that look and feeling. She liked it a lot.

---

Umino Iruka was widely, and rightfully, considered a bit of a goody-two-shoes. He rarely complained about his situation, followed the book almost to the letter, and most certainly didn't hit the booze before five o'clock.

Today was an exception. Oh, the respected teacher had no intention of getting sloshed. He had promised to meet Naruto for ramen at seven-thirty. Iruka had decided that a pleasant buzz would chase away his sour mood and…anger at several of his superiors.

First, Kuba Hachimiro was officially an insufferable old man who had forgotten that shinobi were supposed to adapt to the situation at hand so that the interest of the village could be advanced. Naruto was a true genius when it came to seals, was a very nice boy when you got past the defenses he built around himself, and one of the hardest workers Iruka had ever known. If the headmaster wanted to be such an inflexible, hide-bound, jackass, Iruka was sure that the Land of Iron could use another Samurai.

After his meeting with Hachimiro-san had gone about as well as an Iwa Shinobi attending the 'Namikaze Minato Remembrance Society' meeting next week, Iruka had done the sensible thing.

He'd gone right over the bastard's head and seen the Hokage.

That meeting was a lot less infuriating. Granted, the Third was such a congenial man that it was very hard to get angry with him. Hiruzen had explained that under the current laws, Naruto would have to find a Jonin to take him on as an apprentice. Unfortunately, there was already a Jonin-ranked shinobi that had declared his attention to take Naruto as an apprentice. At first, Iruka had been ecstatic. Naruto would be able to pass under the current system after all.

Then Hiruzen had dropped the bombshell that he had sent the Jonin on an multi-year S-rank mission and that the individual, whom the Hokage refused to name, would not be back for at least six months.

Iruka…may have had an outburst at that point. The teacher distinctly remembered yelling, "What the hell is the point of having a potential master for Naruto if he's out of the village? Naruto needs him now!" at the Hokage.

Strangely, the Hokage had not blown up at Iruka. He had smiled and commended Iruka for his strong dedication to Naruto. The Hokage had placated Iruka by informing the Chūnin that the unnamed Jonin had not been pleased by the deep-cover assignment either. Iruka had thanked the Hokage, for nothing honestly, and headed straight to the bar.

"Here I am, being borderline seditious and drinking when the sun is up," Iruka grumbled into his third glass of a brown foreign liquor that had a satisfying burn on the way down. "I hope Hinata can help you pass, Naruto. I don't know what else I can do."

---

Hinata had just discovered a new trait that she shared with Naruto-kun. They were both very proud people. Naruto and Hinata did not want to admit weakness or shortcomings. The Hyūga princess suspected that the reason the pair hated allowing emotional wounds to show was the same.

They didn't want the people who had, would, or enjoyed belittling them to have the satisfaction.

Hinata had gone through the basics of Water Walking. Naruto's enthusiasm for the chakra control exercise and shinobi skill had been infectious. Hinata had giggled as Naruto described the many 'completely kickass' ways he could use the technique. He had started to remove his boots, but Hinata had told him to leave them on. It would force him to have even better control of his chakra. Naruto had admitted that he only had the one pair of boots and some formal shoes for events like funerals and the like.

"I'm saving up to move out of my apartment. The landlord is a bit of dick and has screwed everyone over. He's a civilian, so I can't go to the Hokage about it." Naruto continued to look away.

Hinata smiled. "I understand Naruto. I-I got a pair of shinobi sandals for you to use for training."

Before Naruto could protest, Hinata held her hands up. "This isn't a handout, Naruto-kun. If you only wear them for this training, I won't be upset. I-I just want to help you pass."

"Hinata…" Naruto was caught off guard by the depths of Hinata's sincerity. "I can't repay you enough."

"I'm repaying you," Hinata countered.

Naruto nodded silently. He quickly switched out into the sandals. "So, let me guess…I use my chakra to hold myself up? Kinda like how an adhesive seal works?"

"Adhesive seal?" Hinata blinked.

"Yeah, it's something I developed a while back. I'm trying to make a more powerful version that will work on people. I figured that Water Walking is like a ninjutsu version of that."

Once again, Hinata was completely baffled by Naruto's inability to master such a simple ninjutsu. He was far beyond the normal skill level of an Academy Student. A part of her was curious as to how good Naruto was in taijutsu. However, that could wait. She needed him to graduate.

Hinata turned and walked out over the small pond. "The key is to use just the right amount of chakra to keep from sinking. When you master it, Naruto-kun, the water should feel like a training mat under your feet."

"Gotcha!" Naruto acknowledged. He was especially happy that Hinata said when Naruto would master, not if. He took a few seconds to test out the 'feel' of pushing chakra through his feet. "Hey, could this be used to walk on other stuff?"

"Water Walking is actually a more advanced version of the Tree Walking technique," Hinata confessed. "Water Walking is just safer for me to teach. If you lose control of your chakra, you won't fall from a tree, possibly without being able to control your fall. With Water Walking, the worst that could happen is that you will get wet and have to swim some."

"Cool. That makes sense," Naruto agreed. He started walking out over the water, but his control was off. One foot sank slowly, while the other tried to lift straight off the water. "This…will take some getting used to."

"It is one of the most advanced chakra control exercises, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll master it, but it will take time." Hinata fought the urge to activate her Byakugan and give Naruto tips. His chakra control would advance much faster without her metaphorically holding his hand.

Naruto bit back a curse as his second attempt to walk on water fall flat. "The table is set up if you want to practice seals. We can start with adding yellow to the toy seal."

"That sounds like a good idea, Naruto-kun," Hinata replied.

The pair exchanged instructions and tips on the respective lessons. Naruto was grateful to Hinata as his skill with the Water Walking technique was improving. He could support his weight with chakra now. Naruto couldn't do more than take three steps, but the progress in only half an hour was very good. Hinata, for her part, had managed to create several Toy Seals. The Hyūga Heiress had moved on to creating storage scrolls. She had successfully created three after a few attempts. Her early experiments had attempted to seal twigs into the scrolls. The first two…had not been entirely successful. Truth be told, she had not been expecting the need for her calligraphy to be so overwhelmingly precise.

Once she had created a few, Hinata had felt an undeniable surge of pride.

"Yatta!" Naruto shouted out and jumped in the air. Hinata giggled at the boy's exuberance. He was evidently feeling his own surge of pride.

Hinata put aside her practice for a few moments and simply watched Naruto try his hardest to master the Water Walking. His progress was impressive. His enthusiasm was infectious. He had inspired her from afar and, most recently, directly. There were times were Naruto made Hinata feel as if she were the only person in the world who mattered to him.

It wasn't hard to decide that she liked Uzumaki Naruto.

---

Iruka–sensei seemed a bit off to Naruto. The teacher just seemed a bit looser than usual. Naruto wasn't sure what the cause of the change was, but Iruka seemed to smile a bit easier. It wasn't a bad change, and the boy just decided to roll with it.

"I'm proud of your progress, Naruto," Iruka said as they walked towards Ichiraku.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei. Hinata has really helped me out. I've actually been able to get a clone to stick around. They aren't perfect, but they are there." Naruto smiled. It was hiding his disappointment that he hadn't gotten the Clones down.

Iruka adjusted his hitai-ate. "Naruto, whatever happens, I am glad you have made such a great friend. I've really seen your Will of Fire burn brightly recently."

"T-Thanks," Naruto stammered out. Hinata was becoming a bit more than a friend. Just thinking about her sent a shot of energy down his spine! 'I hope Iruka-sensei doesn't catch that detail.'

The teacher started laughing. Naruto froze up in abject terror. 'It is obvious!'

"Naruto…your 'plan' has changed, hasn't it?" Iruka questioned gently. Naruto nodded, a bit embarrassed that Iruka was hinting at something so personal. "We can talk about it later when we aren't out in the streets. For now, let's just eat."

The teen really couldn't express his gratitude enough for his mentor rescuing him from a very embarrassing situation. His burgeoning crush on Hinata was in no way embarrassing. Talking about it on the other hand…

"I'm starving." Naruto rubbed his stomach as it growled in anticipation of his favorite meal.

"Naruto, you're a teenage boy. You're always starving. Trust me, I was when I was your age," Iruka teased.

"Heh, I've been using a good bit of chakra today…and swimming a bunch," Naruto revealed.

"Swimming?" Iruka probed. There was an upward twitch of his lips as he realized that Naruto had changed clothes since the two had last spoken.

"Hinata's teaching me water walking. I…Well, I haven't quite mastered it yet," Naruto confessed.

As dinner progressed, Naruto was wondering if this was what it was like to have a family.

---

Hyūga Hiashi was a man who showed little outward emotion. He was a proud member of the Hyūga Clan, blessed with the privilege of leading the strongest clan in Konoha. His clan, his family, prided itself on control of their emotions. Outsiders commonly mistook control for absence.

For example, Hiashi was feeling a number of emotions as he strode purposefully into his ancestral home. The leader of the Hyūga felt relief, pride, anticipation, and joy. He could openly admit that most of his emotions were related to his daughters. The Clan's Elders may have lamented Hiashi's lack of sons, but secretly Hiashi was relieved.

Hanabi would avoid the cruel fate that befell Neji.

Cadet families could only be founded by males. It would be a naked attempt at a coup to try to suggest sealing any of Hiashi's children.

There was also no cause to doubt the worthiness of Hiashi's children. Hinata did not possess the almost uncanny natural talent of Hanabi, but she was dedicated and determined. The personal growth, organizational skill, and natural grace she radiated had won over many of the Elders. Hiashi was proud that his eldest daughter was a promising kunoichi and diplomat. She would make an excellent 'face' for the Hyūga Clan. Hanabi was too young to tell what direction her career and development would take.

Hiashi was sure that both of his daughters had very bright futures.

"Otou-sama!" Hanabi's voice cried out. The pitter-patter of her feet filled the halls. Her outburst was in complete violation of protocol.

Hiashi simply didn't give a damn. "My daughter."

Hanabi hugged her father and looked up excitedly. "Otou-sama! Are you back-back?"

"My mission was a success. I will be at home for the foreseeable future. We can start working on the Palm Bottom tomorrow," Hiashi promised his daughter.

"Yay! I'll start being as great as Onee-sama! Wanna see what she made me, Otou-sama?" Hanabi asked excitedly.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "Made you?"

Hanabi nodded excitedly. She pulled a small scroll from her pockets and unfurled it. Hiashi immediately recognized the intricate fuinjutsu formulas inscribed on the scroll. 'Hinata made this? No one in the Clan has even suggested teaching her fuinjutsu.' Hinata's youngest daughter channeled some of her chakra into the scroll. She laughed happily as the scrolls changed colors. The skill it took to create such an advanced scroll made a fit of pride swell within Hiashi.

"My daughter, where is your sister now?" Hiashi asked.

Hanabi smiled as she pointed towards the kitchens. "Onee-sama is helping prepare dinner!"

Hiashi took his youngest child's hands and headed into the kitchens. Members of both the Cadet Branch and Main Branch bowed respectfully to the clan head. It was truly a blessing to be home.

"We will need to inventory the larder after tonight's meal," Hinata announced confidently to one of the cooks.

"Of course, Hinata-sama," the cook responded. Suddenly, the conversations stopped as everyone registered Hiashi's presence. As one, the Hyūga bowed to their Clan Head.

"Welcome home, otou-sama. Forgive me for not greeting you upon your arrival," Hinata said formally.

"Good evening, Hinata. There is nothing to apologize for. You were attending to your duties as heiress of the clan. Censure is the worst possible reaction to your actions. Commendation is the minimum," Hiashi praised his daughter. He was struck by how much Hinata resembled her mother as a light spawned in her eyes.

"Thank you, otou-sama!" Hinata responded happily.

Hiashi inclined his head in respect. "If I may have a word with you in private, however."

He watched his daughter try to hide her tension as she acknowledged Hiashi's request. The two walked in silence to Hiashi's office. The Hyūga Patriarch took a seat at his desk and motioned for Hinata to follow suit.

"Hinata, your sister showed me the 'toy' you gave her. I was unaware the clan had begun teaching you fuinjutsu."

Hinata steeled her resolve. She was proud of what she had accomplished. She was proud of…Naruto. "The Clan has not trained me in fuinjutsu. My fuinjutsu teacher is a young prodigy…" Hinata announced. She saw a moment of disapproval in her father's eyes. 'Does he not like Naruto-kun?' "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki Naruto," Hiashi repeated. "What have you offered in exchange?"

Hinata's relief mirrored her father's own. 'That was a reaction I had not expected…' "Naruto-kun is having difficulties with the Bunshin no Jutsu. I have been helping him with chakra control exercises. Today, I taught Naruto-kun Water Walking."

"Naruto-kun?" Hiashi asked with faux-sternness. After his beloved wife's death from a wasting disease, Hiashi had decided to take up the reins of teasing his daughters. Hanae had looked so forward to moments like this. Hinata may have her mother's looks, but Hinata's demure personality came from Hiashi's side of the family.

"Y-Yes, Otou-sama," Hinata confirmed.

"Has he treated you with the respect you deserve?" Hiashi asked protectively.

"N-Naruto-kun has been very respectful." Hinata was trying to keep her composure. Her otou-sama actually sounded like he…approved of Naruto-kun.

"Very good, I would hate to be forced to remove a potential shinobi from Konoha's forces," Hiashi responded. Hinata desperately tried not to laugh. It was so rare to see her father enjoying the moment. She was also torn between happiness that her father would allow her to explore and develop her friendship with Naruto-kun and terror that he had subtly hinted he'd inflict grievous bodily harm on Hinata's potential boyfriend. "Hinata, what else has Naruto taught you in fuinjutsu?"

Hinata sat straighter to meet, and hold, her father's eyes. "Other than the practice seals I have given to Hanabi-chan, only storage scrolls."

"Practice Seals?" Hiashi asked in abject disbelief. "Hinata, the 'practice seals' you created are far more advanced than Storage Scrolls. In fact, I doubt there are more than three fuinjutsu experts in our clan that could create such advanced sealing formulas. The skill required to convert chakra on that level is incredible."

The Byakugan Princess's eyes went wide. 'Just how skilled are you, Naruto-kun?'

---

Naruto and Hinata trained intensely every day for the Graduation Exams. Naruto had been shocked by Hiashi's seeming approval of the arrangement. Secretly, he wondered just how far Hiashi's approval went, but decided to focus on his upcoming Genin Exams. Haruno Mebuki had helped lift a huge weight off Naruto's shoulders. She had convinced several of the refugee businesses to purchase Naruto's fuinjutsu products. The sheer quality of Naruto's work had removed any further doubts from their minds.

Sadly, Naruto still possessed a measure of doubt. He felt as if he was wasting all the help Hinata had provided over their two week training period. Naruto had truly made progress. He could now consistently create an utterly terrible clone that couldn't fool a drunk civilian with a concussion.

'It is kind of pathetic that I consider that progress,' Naruto groaned as he trekked towards the Academy.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun!" Hinata greeted Naruto. Concern, happiness, and hope swirled together in the Hyūga heiress's voice.

"Morning, Hinata!" Naruto returned the unspoken 'good luck'. "Ready to amaze everyone?"

"I feel very confident about today," Hinata declared. Naruto could see in her eyes that she was not talking about herself. Hinata was declaring her confidence in him. Normally, Hinata expressing faith in Naruto, especially with a look like that, would cause Naruto's heart to race. Today it caused it to practically stop. The thought of failing Hinata was almost physically painful.

"You'll do great." Naruto decided to act on his gut feelings. He hugged Hinata. "You've done a lot for me. Whatever happens, I'll l have that."

Hinata almost cried, but Naruto's confident, probably forced, smile gave her comfort. "We'll be fine, Naruto-kun."

For the most part, Hinata's pronouncement had been correct. Naruto did fairly well on the Academic portion. His shurikenjutsu was not abysmal. He had even made up some ground on points in that section of the exam.

'If I can rock Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei's world in the taijutsu tests…' Naruto was starting to weigh the possibilities. He ignored the first few fights, but when Mizuki-sensei called Haruno Sakura to the ring to face Nakada Kasumi Naruto began to pay attention.

The first thing Naruto noticed was that Sakura's stance was very different. She had always been a bit lazy when it came to taijutsu. In this fight, her stance was crisp and determined. Mizuki told the girls to begin after the proper rituals were followed. Sakura didn't waste any time and began to probe Kasumi's guard. The fight was clearly in Sakura's favor. Naruto barely caught Sakura finishing the hand-signs for the Bunshin. Kasumi was so caught up in the spar that she didn't realize the 'Sakura' she was throwing a punch at was a Bunshin. The punch passed harmlessly through the Bunshin, allowing Sakura to grab Kasumi's arm and slam the other girl to the ground. Kasumi submitted the second Sakura pinned her in place.

Sakura left the ring and walked up to where Naruto was standing with Hinata. "Naruto-kun, thanks for your advice."

"You're welcome," Naruto said carefully. He could see the look of 'concern' in Hinata's eyes. It was barely there, but Naruto was proud to say he knew Hinata better than most. "I'm sure your performance is going to get people talking. It might even get more than a monosyllable grunt out of Sasuke."

"We can hope," Sakura said with a smile. "Good luck when your spars come up, Naruto-kun, Hinata-sama." Sakura quickly walked over to Ino and began gloating of her 'amazing victory'.

The next fights were fairly standard. Kiba won his match against a civilian-born student. Ino defeated Fuki after a particularly angry fight. Finally, Hinata's name was called to face Umeda Ami. The fight's result was obvious to everyone. Ami nearly forfeited when Hinata entered a Jūken stance. Mizuki's call for the spar to begin was practically the call for the fight to end. Hinata glided forward and struck Ami's shoulder with an Academy Style strike. Naruto realized what Hinata's plan was. The Hyūga heiress was going to dominate the fight without ruining Ami's chances to graduate. Naruto's crush defeated her opponent with a snap kick to the gut that knocked Ami from the ring.

"Alright, Hinata!" Naruto called out after the girls made the Sign of Reconciliation. Hinata waved back at Naruto. Naruto was not ashamed to admit that he enjoyed the look of annoyance from Sasuke and several other guys half as much as he enjoyed Hinata's attention.

Naruto grimaced as he heard Hibachi's name called to fight Sasuke. 'This is not going to be pretty. Sasuke's determined to prove he's still hot shit.'

Naruto's prediction came true as Sasuke defeated Hibachi in less than a minute with a fierce blow to the solar plexus.

Finally, Mizuki called Naruto's name. His match was against Chouji. Naruto was a bit bummed it was against someone so nice. The Akimichi boy smiled as he made the Seal of Confrontation. Naruto returned the smile as he returned the gesture.

"Begin," Mizuki commanded. Naruto decided to take the initiative. His advantage was speed. Naruto had to get in close. Chouji was one of the strongest students in the Academy. A few good hits would end the match in the other boy's favor.

Naruto couldn't afford to be nice in this fight. The fuinjutsu expert wouldn't be a jerk, but he was fighting to win. Naruto's first punch was blocked and Chouji responded with a quick backhand strike. Luckily, Naruto ducked the strike by a narrow margin. The blond-haired boy felt the strike pass over his head. 'That would have laid me out!'

There was no way that Naruto would win this fight if it kept going. Chouji had been trained in a taijutsu focused clan his entire life. Naruto…was winging it.

So, Naruto decided to something completely unexpected even by his standards. He took a hit. The punch hurt like hell, but it was to the shoulder rather than the chest or head. Naruto followed up the hit with a bulrush and managed to catch Chouji while he was off balance. The gambit paid off and Chouji was knocked from the ring. Mizuki, somewhat reluctantly Naruto noted, declared the Uzumaki the winner. Naruto helped Chouji to his feet and made the Seal of Reconciliation.

"Man, Chouji! Never let anyone tell you that you're not all muscle! That punch hurt like hell. We'll have to spar again. That was fun," Naruto praised his opponent.

Chouji flushed as he wasn't used to the attention. "S-Sure!"

Naruto flashed Chouji a thumbs-up. 'If the ninjutsu portion of the test goes this well, I'm set!'

---

Hinata had a bad feeling about the ninjutsu portion of the test. Kuba Hachimiro, the ancient Jonin in charge of the Academy, almost never dealt with the graduation exams personally. He simply signed off on grades and dealt with major discipline or financial issues. Hachimiro-sensei's presence gave off an ominous air. The ninjutsu exams were called in alphabetical order, so Hinata took advantage of the few minutes of 'down-time' to talk to Naruto-kun.

"Naruto-kun, you did very well in your spar with Chouji-san," Hinata said encouragingly.

Naruto smiled at Hinata. He was going to thank her, but she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. The gesture was so small, yet it enraptured Naruto. "T-Thanks. You kicked some serious butt in yours."

"You're welcome…I tried to hold back some. I didn't want to hurt her chances of graduating."

"Next, Haruno Sakura!" Iruka called from the doorway. The teacher shot Naruto a quick, supportive smile before heading into the testing room.

"I can't wait to see your hitai-ate," Naruto said with conviction.

Hinata smiled. "I can't wait to see yours."

The moment ended quickly as the pair realized they were in a very public place. Something had been about to happen. Naruto and Hinata didn't shrink away from each other, but they bid their time. The charge of the moment was almost too much.

Hinata was called in to take the ninjutsu part of the exam. Naruto wasn't worried. Hinata would wow everyone. He had no doubt about that. His faith was rewarded several minutes later when Hinata returned wearing a hitai-ate around her neck. Naruto knew that he wasn't the only guy who found the supremely confident Hinata alluring. It actually pissed him off to hear some of the whispers. Hinata wasn't Hinata to them. They only saw the Hyūga Heiress. They were only interested in her physical beauty, political connections, and bloodline. Naruto would wager his earnings from the last six orders he did for Han that they couldn't even tell that Hinata had a sister. As far as Naruto was concerned, the other guys didn't even deserve to be in the same room as Hinata.

"Congrats, Hinata!" Naruto beamed.

Hinata sat down next to Naruto and smiled. "I'm feel like I'm sitting in ants. I wish our last names were closer together. The waiting is going to be unbearable."

Naruto froze up and swore that he heard a key turn to lock his spine in place. Hinata rested her head on his shoulder. "I-I'm sure everything will work out…"

Hinata engaged Naruto in small talk about the other portions of the test. Naruto enjoyed the chat, but occasionally asked questions about the ninjutsu portion. The presence of Hachimiro-sensei was very unusual. Naruto knew that the man wasn't a 'hater', but instead simply incredibly apathetic about anything and everything that fell outside the comfortable niche he had formed for himself.

'Something obviously happened,' Naruto grumbled internally. 'Hachimiro-sensei is too lazy to ever actually take part in exams.'

Naruto's thoughts and his conversation with Hinata were interrupted by a number of girls calling out good luck and well-wishes for Sasuke.

"This is going by faster than I thought," Hinata mused.

"I think we were a bit distracted," Naruto pointed out. "Time flies when you are having fun, and whatever."

Hinata nodded. She was quiet as Naruto began to psych himself up for his exam. After a few minutes, Naruto's name was called by Iruka.

"Wish me luck?" Naruto asked as he stood up.

Hinata rose from her seat next to Naruto. "No," she said emphatically. "You won't need it."

She wrapped Naruto in a hug and promised to see Naruto later. Iruka tried desperately not to laugh at Naruto's happily dumbstruck look.

"Do I need to give you a few minutes to compose yourself?" Iruka teased mercilessly.

"S-Shut up, Iruka-sensei! Next time we go for ramen, I'm eating three bowls!" Naruto threatened.

Naruto's childish threat only caused Iruka to laugh more. In the end, Iruka was the one who needed a moment to compose his self. Naruto noticed that the Academy's headmaster was seated in an odd place. He really couldn't get a good look at the students.

'He's watching Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei. Why?' Naruto questioned.

"Welcome to the final part of the Genin Graduation Exam," Mizuki said formally. It really sounded to Naruto that he was reading off a script.

"Uh, thanks?" Naruto asked, suddenly unsure of himself.

"First, Naruto, we need to see your skill with the Henge. We need you to transform into one of us," Iruka explained. Naruto nodded and quickly turned into Iruka. The Henge was as close to perfect as Naruto had ever gotten. Hopefully, he wasn't losing too many points. The boy knew he was skirting the edge of passing already.

'Stupid written test,' Naruto complained in reluctant silence.

"Very good," Mizuki said cheerfully. "Next, Kawarimi no Jutsu!"

The next sounds in the room were a dull thud, a minor crash, and a muffled curse. Naruto had substituted in time. More impressively, he had positioned himself for a counter-attack while minimizing his exposure to the other people in the room.

"Adequate," the Headmaster said. He never looked at Naruto, not really. Instead, he was practically daring Iruka-sensei to say something. Naruto decided that he was going to prank the hell out of that guy once he passed his Genin exam.

"Now, Naruto…show us that you've made enough progress on the Bunshin no Jutsu," Iruka urged his favorite student.

Naruto took a deep breath. Quickly, he steeled his resolve and cried out, "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

There were three distinct puffs of smoke. Naruto felt his hopes rise. Iruka-sensei leaned forward hopefully. Hachimiro-sensei and Mizuki-sensei also appeared curious. The smoke cleared, seemingly forced out of the room by the sheer pressure created by the shinobi's anticipation.

"I guess…We could say that he did make clones," Mizuki offered.

Naruto simply stared at the three clones. They were practically perfect. Their proportions were correct. They were properly colored and stable. There was just one tiny problem.

"He did," Iruka agreed. "The size is well…"

"W-Why are they so small?" Naruto gaped at his clones. True, they were the closest he'd ever gotten to a proper clone. He'd even made more than one that lasted longer than twenty seconds! It was just the timing was so bad. Naruto knew he was very close and, probably…maybe, could perfect the Bunshin no jutsu with another week of practicing with Hinata.

"They are stable." Mizuki shrugged. "With his improvement in other areas, and the 'unique' talents he has…I say we could pass him."

The look of hope , of excitement, on Iruka and Naruto's faces was practically radiant.

"No," Hachimiro cut in. "Testing protocol dictates that for a prospective Genin to graduate, they must create at least one Bunshin that is visually indistinguishable from its creator. All the other students so far have successfully created two indistinguishable Bunshin. I am exercising my authority. Chūnin Umino, Mizuki-san, Uzumaki Naruto fails the ninjutsu portion of the Academy Exam."

Hachimiro rose to his feet. "Chūnin Umino, I order your presence in my office to discuss your unprofessional behavior regarding the recent meetings with the Hokage. Mizuki-san, complete the final examinations on your own."

"Yes, sir," Mizuki said.

"I'll catch up with you later, Naruto," Iruka promised. Naruto had never seen Iruka-sensei so mad. It was a minuscule comfort to the emotionally devastated young man. He watched as his mentor and the complete asshole left the room.

"Naruto!" Mizuki called after the young man, but Uzumaki Naruto had already slipped out of the nearby open window. The remaining teacher took a moment to lean back in his chair.

The world was really making this all so easy.

---

Hinata felt somewhat hurt that Naruto hadn't even talked to her after the exam. However, she understood that Naruto's pride had taken a substantial hit. The Hyūga heiress would likely need some time to compose herself after a catastrophe like Naruto had experienced. Honestly, she probably needed a moment to compose herself. Hinata kept replaying the past training sessions over in her head. The lavender-eyed heiress was wondering if there was something more she could have done for Naruto-kun.

She sighed as she saw Mizuki-sensei exit the exam room. There was something unusual about his gait and mood. If Hinata had to hazard a guess, she'd say he looked amused or relieved. Desperately, she hoped he was just glad to have made it through the day.

"Excuse me, Mizuki-sensei," Hinata said politely as she approached the teacher.

Mizuki gave Hinata a deferring nod. "Is there something you need, Hinata-san?"

"Yes," Hinata said with a diplomatic smile. She wasn't sure if Mizuki knew just how unsure the smile was. There was something about Mizuki's good mood that made her nervous. "I am curious if you know where Naruto-kun is."

"No, but I promised Iruka that I'd find and talk to him," Mizuki answered. Inwardly, the teacher seethed. He wondered what kind of unnatural devilry the Kyūbi had used to ensnare the Hyūga heiress.

Hinata's mood visibly deflated. "Oh," the heiress managed to squeak out. It disgusted Mizuki to realize that a promising kunoichi had fallen so far.

Mizuki slipped away, scowling. 'Hopefully, when I kill that demon I'll remove the genjutsu or curse it placed on that pretty young thing.'

It took Mizuki nearly thirty minutes to find Naruto. The young man was sitting on a balcony staring out over Konoha. Mizuki followed his gaze to where it rested. Naruto was staring wistfully towards the Hyūga Compound. 'Disgusting,' the teacher nearly wretched.

"Naruto," Mizuki said with forced cheerfulness and understanding.

"Oh, hey Mizuki-sensei," Naruto said without his trademark energy. "What are you doing here?"

The teacher smiled, genuinely, as he set the hook. "We came through for you. There's an extra credit exam."

"Really?" Naruto asked hopefully. Despite his desperate wish that Mizuki was telling the truth, Naruto couldn't help but remember how adamant Hachimiro was about Naruto not passing. The old Jonin was also visibly angry at Iruka-sensei. Caution whispered desperately for Naruto to not take the offer. However, he had to pass. Naruto couldn't bear the thought of his dreams being stolen because of some jerk with a grudge against Iruka-sensei.

"Of course," Mizuki continued. "Hachimiro-san relented after we reminded him about your other skills."

At that moment, Naruto knew something was off. If Hachimiro cared about Naruto's other skills, he would have mentioned them after Mizuki had brought them up.

Naruto knew that he was walking into a trap, but was still almost insanely desperate to graduate. "What do I have to do?"

"There is a scroll in Hokage-sama's office. Your extra-credit exam is to recover the scroll and bring it to these coordinates after evading the teams we will send to track you down. If you are discovered, you fail instantly."

"How long do I have to evade the teacher search teams?" Naruto asked.

"That's the thing," Mizuki continued smoothly. "The search teams will be selected by Hokage-sama. Prospective Jonin-sensei."

Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant lie. He knew the old man. The Hokage would never have let the list of senseis not be set this close to graduation.

"When does the test start?" Naruto asked. He needed to be able to catch old man Hokage in his office without tipping off too many people.

"Right now," Mizuki answered with a smirk.

Hiruzen contemplated the latest situation facing the village as he painted. His miscalculation had delayed an exceptionally talented young man entrance into Konoha's shinobi forces. 'I should have granted Iruka-kun's request for an exception. Naruto-kun had made incredible progress, but simply ran out of time. This eventuality should have been obvious to me.'

He sighed as he turned to retrieve his cooling tea. He quirked an eyebrow as he stared at his 'guest'. "I expected you to arrive earlier in the day, Naruto-kun."

"I was thinking about it," Naruto confessed. "Then Mizuki sprang some bullshit on me."

"Language, young man." The Hokage took a seat. "I notice that you dropped the proper honorific."

Naruto made a dismissive noise. He waved his hands as if the idea of respecting Mizuki was a buzzing fly to be shooed away. "He told me to steal a scroll from you."

The Hokage listened to Naruto describe Mizuki's plot. Hiruzen was impressed by how Naruto was thinking like a shinobi. Then, Naruto dropped a bombshell.

"How many other assholes like Mizuki are out there? I mean, while you're 'looking' for me, you can round them up," Naruto suggested.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Sarutobi said in his most authoritative voice. "As Hokage of Konoha, I am assigning you a C-rank mission…and elevation to the rank of Genin. Mizuki undoubtedly has inside information about the Scroll of Seals. Take it to the assigned meeting place and await my arrival. Mizuki's conditions will actually work in our favor."

"R-Really?" Naruto asked. The newly promoted young man wasn't asking about how Mizuki's plan was backfiring. He was hoping against hope that he had not misheard the wizened Hokage.

"Did I speak unclearly, Genin Uzumaki?"

"No sir!" Naruto responded with unapologetic joy.

Hiruzen rose to his feet and collected the scroll. "There are powerful secrets in this scroll. You must safeguard it at all costs."

"I promise, old man."

"Go." Sarutobi motioned with his hand. "We have much to accomplish."

Naruto saluted and departed. The Hokage watched as the young man headed towards his destiny.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Hiruzen vocalized. He turned to his Shadow Clone. "Inform Hiashi of the situation. We cannot have the Hyūga Clan taking an active role in the search or all will be undone."

'Danzō, we shall see where your true loyalties lie,' Hiruzen declared to the universe.

---

Mizuki grinned ferally as he watched Iruka take off into the trees. This night was going to be liberating for Mizuki. He would cleanse Konoha of its shame by removing the Kyūbi. He would cleanse himself of his foolish and idealistic past by killing Iruka.

Now, the only question was what to do next. Orochimaru's agents had sent out feelers, but Mizuki had been quick to politely rebuff the Snake Sannin's offer. There was no way in the seven hells that Mizuki wanted Orochimaru as an enemy. The teacher honestly had no desire for 'power'. He craved wealth and comfort above all else. Orochimaru had no interest in such 'frivolities'. Orochimaru wanted conflict. It was hard to laze away in a beachside villa when you were known as an associate of the most infamous traitor to Konoha since Uchiha Madara.

It was also why Mizuki had decided against tricking the Hyūga heiress into his little plot. Hyūga Hiashi was not a man Mizuki had any desire to cross. The undying enmity of the Hyūga Clan was also something Mizuki wished to avoid.

'No, my options are limited. I can't go to the West. That place is even more unstable than the Elemental Nations. My best bet is some of the minor nations around The Land of Water. They are rebuilding and I can fall through the cracks,' Mizuki thought.

All Mizuki had to do now was wait. Iruka would find Naruto before anyone. Mizuki had specifically chosen Naruto's 'hiding spot' so that Iruka would find him. Mizuki knew his 'friend' very well. Iruka would search in methods no one else would, because he 'knew' the Kyūbi.

The area was isolated. He would strike quickly and then, much like his retirement plans, simply fall through the cracks.

---

"I'm bored," Naruto whined. He was thrilled about his 'not-yet-quite-official' promotion. Heck, he had done a victory dance for the first five minutes after his arrival at the ambush site. It was only after he sat down to bask in his accomplishment that he realized he still had six hours before Mizuki said he'd show up. The young Genin's gaze wandered to the giant scroll of powerful jutsu sitting to his left.

He wondered why the Hokage had given Naruto the actual scroll of seals.

"Is he testing my ability to resist temptation?" Naruto wondered. He quickly decided this could be a test worth failing and opened the scroll.

He intently studied the scroll before wailing, "WHY IS IT SOMETHING I SUCK AT?"

Naruto calmed down and slowly read the details of the jutsu. This 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu' had some definite upsides. They acted independently. This was giving Naruto some ideas. He could send them ahead into a potentially hostile environment to prepare fuinjutsu traps, conventional traps, or even whip up local support. The jutsu was likely the solution to Naruto's road block on his original sealing ninjutsu as well. 'Yeah, this definitely has some potential.' Naruto started to read came across a very, incredibly, monumentally important detail about the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

This detail was so incredible! If Naruto could pull this jutsu off, he could exponentially improve. This single jutsu could do more to elevate Naruto to Hokage than he could imagine. It would even, possibly, surpass Hinata's training. Naruto would always hold Hinata's training upon the highest pedestal. This Kage Bunshin no Jutsu filled his mind with hope and possibilities. Hinata filled his heart with warmth and possibilities on a level even the old man and Iruka-sensei couldn't match.

His first attempt was not very successful. The 'Shadow Clones' were almost translucent. There were three things that gave Naruto hope. First, there were six of them standing around. Second, three were complaining, in a somewhat weak voice, that they weren't sufficiently awesome. Third, Naruto had more success with this forbidden Jonin-level jutsu than he ever had with the standard. He was pleased that when he followed the instructions to dispel the Kage Bunshin, it worked to a 't'.

"I'm going to get it this time!" Naruto declared joyfully.

---

Hyūga Hiashi bowed respectfully to the Hokage. The visit may have been late in the evening and utterly unexpected, but the Hyūga would show proper respect and deference to the legendary Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, you honor our clan with your presence. How may the Hyūga serve the village?"

Hiruzen inclined his head. "I have a sensitive matter to discuss. Very soon, Mizuki-sensei will have likely whipped up a 'search party' to 'recover' the Forbidden Scroll claiming that Uzumaki Naruto stole it. You are to decline all requests for Hyūga assistance."

"My lord," Hiashi agreed. "If I may be so bold as to ask, why will one of my daughter's former teachers advance such claims?"

"Hinata-chan no doubt was quite upset upon her return from the Graduation Exam, despite her near flawless performance," Hiruzen hazarded a guess.

Hiashi nodded in confirmation. "Uzumaki-san did not pass, despite his incredibly valuable and prodigious talent in fuinjutsu. I am glad we are getting rid of the foolish civilian-focused curriculum at the Academy. We are producing soldiers, not fodder."

"I concur with your assessment. However, you must realize how depleted our forces were following the Kyūbi Attack and the war with Kumo." Sarutobi would be glad when the new Academy standards were in place. "Returning to the incident with Mizuki. The teacher approached Naruto after the exam with a proposition for 'extra credit'. Naruto-kun realized something was amiss, but agreed to Mizuki's plan to divert suspicion. The young man proved his loyalty to Konoha by revealing Mizuki's plot to me."

Hiashi noticed the Sandaime Hokage's amused grin. The Hyūga leader raised an eyebrow. "Is there something else?"

"Naruto-kun proved to be surprisingly far-sighted and devious. He suggested using the search to retrieve the 'stolen' Forbidden Scroll as cover to root out suspected spies, assholes I believe Naruto-kun called them."

An alien sound echoed through the halls of the Hyūga Compound. Hyūga Hiashi was guffawing. His uproarious laughter was completely at odds with his stoic image.

In her room, Hinata pondered the laughter. She was still worried about Naruto-kun, but the warmth in her father's laugh helped a little. Hinata just hoped Naruto wasn't the butt of the joke. That would make her very cross.

---

Umino Iruka practically flew through the trees as he searched for Naruto. He had a few ideas of places Naruto might be hiding after his misguided actions. He had checked Training Ground Twenty-nine. Naruto hadn't been in the urban combat training grounds. There were only a few places there that, in Naruto's words, 'didn't creep me the crap out!' Iruka had then started his sweep of the outer training grounds.

"YES! YES! I'm going to be the Godaime Hokage for sure!" Iruka heard Naruto gleefully exclaim.

He came to a halt on a large limb above Naruto. It was just like Mizuki had said; Naruto was in possession of the Forbidden Scroll. There was something off about Mizuki's story. 'If Naruto is abandoning Konoha, why is he still here? He could be several miles outside of Konoha by now.'

Naruto was also dirty, soaked, and in general almost exhausted from training.

"Naruto! What are you doing here?" Iruka shouted.

"Iruka-sensei! Who talked to you first? Mizuki or the Hokage?" Naruto asked.

"Why are you asking that?" Iruka barked. "You have the Forbidden Scroll!"

"Oh yeah! I learned a kickass Jutsu from it! Even though Mizuki's 'extra-credit' thing was bullshit, this is turning out to be a pretty good night!"

"Pretty good! It is never pretty good to have a posse looking for you!" Iruka revealed.

"Oh, not all of them are after me…" Naruto said cheekily and began to explain the deal and plan with the Hokage. Iruka couldn't believe his ears. Naruto was truly a shinobi. He was so proud of the boy that he could hug him.

He was forced to hug Naruto as he tacked the boy to the ground. The dull, scraping thud of a giant Fūma Shuriken hitting the tree behind the pair announced the furious appearance of the traitor Mizuki.

"You sniveling bastard! This was not our deal!" Mizuki roared.

"I'm no traitor!" Naruto shot back.

Iruka rose to his feet and prepared for combat. "He's a ninja of Konoha now."

"How could that thing be a Genin? You know what he is Iruka! Have you forgotten? Or has the Hokage's Law fooled you into thinking he's anything but that day!" Mizuki snarled.

"I know what day I was born on, you asshole! I'm more than your bad memories!" Naruto snarled back before Iruka could shout out in panic.

The treasonous teacher hesitated as he trembled with rage at Naruto's defiance. Iruka took the opportunity. "You acknowledged the law yourself! You can't tell him…Mizuki!"

"He 'deserves' to know! The little bastard was right; he is more than our bad memories! He's the cause of our bad memories! That thing is the Kyūbi! That monster next to you killed your parents, Iruka! Take it! Take your revenge!"

"On what? I don't see a Fox here!" Iruka countered verbally. He threw a few shuriken that forced Mizuki to take cover. "Naruto! Run!"

Naruto didn't follow his mentor's instructions. He was frozen as two facts waged war in his mind. He wanted to believe that Mizuki was simply fucking with his head. Iruka had defended him just a moment ago. The Hokage trusted him. Given what Mizuki had said about the law, Iruka and the old man knew.

They still trusted him.

Hinata…Hinata could see chakra and was smart. She hadn't said anything, so there was hope there as well.

Unfortunately, there was one fact that was proving Mizuki right: the seal. Naruto had seen it twice in his life. The first time had been his first serious attempt at overcoming his Bunshin roadblock. At the time, he thought it was beautiful and made him every excited to learn seals. He had no idea what it represented, but it fascinated him. The second time was during training with the Leaf Exercise.

Naruto was still hoping Mizuki was lying, but he had facts that were hard to ignore. He looked up and saw Mizuki and Iruka fighting.

'Iruka is fighting for me,' Naruto observed. It was impossible to miss how Iruka constantly put himself between Mizuki and Naruto. 'He is protecting me.'

"FUCK THIS!" Naruto roared. The outburst caused Iruka a moment of distraction, which Mizuki quickly capitalized upon. Iruka was hit with a vicious upper-cut and left sprawled on the ground. Mizuki drew a kunai and prepared to end the loyal teacher's life. Naruto did the only thing he could think of and substituted with Iruka. Mizuki's strike hit home and stabbed Naruto in the arm. The boy hissed in pain.

"This just makes killing you easier," Mizuki spat in Naruto's face.

The boy blinked the spittle out of his eyes and retaliated. "I had time to study the scroll. I learned this! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Three other Narutos appeared around Mizuki. There were dozens elsewhere nearby. All were staring at Mizuki with hate in their eyes. "But this…this next one is all me! Uzumaki Sealing Ninjutsu: Impenetrable Steel Vault!"

Naruto had poured a ton of chakra into his clones for this purpose. He wasn't even sure the jutsu would work. The fuinjutsu prodigy had never been able to practice the complete version of the jutsu. Right now, Naruto was just banking on Mizuki being too freaked out to Substitute or Body Flicker away.

"Naruto?" Iruka whispered as he watched bright orange chakra pour from the quartet of Narutos. It was completely unreal to watch as the chakra morphed to look a bit like script. The chakra audibly cracked as it settled into place.

"Seal!" Naruto cried, but it was barely audible over Mizuki's cries of shock and pain. Dark ugly bruises formed in a few places as Naruto's chakra disappeared.

"Naruto!" Two voices cried out. The Sandaime Hokage appeared out of the trees with two ANBU close behind. Naruto had never seen the Hokage in his battle gear, but he admitted that it made the old man look dangerous.

"O-Old man? Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked fearfully. He was proud his jutsu had worked, but was terrified. The thought of Iruka and the old man hating him for what he did to Mizuki was too much. "I-I promise I didn't kill him!"

"Naruto…" Iruka said gently. "I know. Mizuki is still breathing…and you saved my life. Thank you."

"ANBU, collect the traitor." Hiruzen ordered. He walked up to Naruto. "Please hold…incredible…"

Naruto gulped. "W-What is it, Old Man?"

"You have already healed from Mizuki's attack." The Hokage quickly examined the wound. It had healed with nary a trace it had ever happened. "Remarkable…"

"Hokage-sama…Mizuki…" Iruka tried to explain through his labored and exhausted breathing.

"I heard," Hiruzen said sadly. "We have much to discuss. Come, let us head to my home. I'm sure you two would like some refreshments…"

The three reached the Hokage's Residence. Naruto was incredibly nervous the entire time. The pressure of the situation built up and became unbearable. Naruto couldn't take it any longer and, once Hiruzen had closed the door to his private office, Naruto exploded.

"Am I the Kyūbi?"

"Of course not, Naruto!" Iruka answered first. "You are Uzumaki Naruto, my most annoying but somehow still my favorite student!"

Naruto choked back tears of relief. The Hokage jumped into the conversation. "Naruto, does a storage seal become the item it contains?"

"N-No," Naruto answered. If there was one thing he was confident about, it was fuinjutsu.

"I will have to go into some detail about the night of your birth. I cannot reveal everything, because there are many state secrets about that night." Hiruzen sat down and began to explain what he could. Naruto learned that Bijū cannot be killed, only 'banished' due to their nature as masses of chakra. The only way the Yondaime Hokage could defeat the Kyūbi was to seal it into a newborn baby. He had selected Naruto, because Namikaze Minato had seen great potential in the barely-hours-old child. Iruka and Hiruzen went to great lengths to reassure Naruto that he was still Uzumaki Naruto, jailor of the Kyūbi.

"T-Thank you…old man…Iruka-sensei," Naruto said through tears of relief, stress, and childish confusion.

A knock at the door interrupted the heartfelt quasi-therapy session. Hiruzen sighed before ordering, "Enter!"

"Hokage-sama," the medical ninja acknowledged with a bow. "I have the report on the traitor's injuries."

"How severe are the wounds?" Hiruzen asked. Naruto felt a tiny bit guilty, but Mizuki's treachery buried those concerns deep.

"The fuinjutsu technique Uzumaki-san used destroyed a full fourth of the traitor's tenketsu. There is severe sub-dermal trauma and muscle damage. We estimate it will take three months of extensive physical therapy before he regains full function of his right arm. His ability to wield chakra…"

Sarutobi nodded gravely. "With the nigh-apocalyptic damage he received, I believe he has lost the ability to use any chakra-based skills."

"Correct, Hokage-sama," the Medical Ninja confirmed. Naruto paled at the implications. He had no idea his jutsu was so destructive. The Medical ninja departed.

"Naruto, I am impressed that you have created such a powerful fuinjutsu technique. There are no records of anyone as young as you creating such a technique," the Hokage began by praising Naruto. "The technique is terrifyingly powerful. I am afraid that the 'Uzumaki Sealing Ninjutsu: Impenetrable Steel Vault' will have to be entered into the Forbidden Scroll."

"Is…is my jutsu really that powerful?" Naruto asked.

Iruka put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm an expert in Barrier Ninjutsu. My techniques are supposed to be visible. Your chakra was visible even before the technique was finished. I could feel the power of it, and I'm not a sensor-nin!"

"W-Wow," Naruto said in shock. He couldn't deny he was proud of his jutsu. It was just that he never expected it to be so brutal. Now, he wasn't sure he'd ever try to use it again. The damage it had done to Mizuki was burned into his memories.

"Naruto…you're a shinobi now." Iruka had gotten up and was kneeling in front of Naruto. "This is the world you have chosen to enter. What happened to Mizuki…it is part of the life we lead. You will have to be prepared for it."

Naruto nodded numbly. Iruka wasn't mad. That was a comfort for the boy. "Now," Iruka continued. "I need you to close your eyes."

The blond-headed fuinjutsu prodigy did as he was told. There was a lightness around his forehead. He knew his goggles had been removed. In their place, the cool touch of unfamiliar cloth appeared.

"You can open your eyes now, Naruto…"

Naruto obeyed Iruka and was staring at his reflection in a polished tea tray. Tears formed in his eyes as he realized he was wearing a hitai-ate. "This…isn't a genjutsu is it?"

"No, Naruto, it isn't…" Iruka confirmed. The boy's eyes went wide as he realized where the hitai-ate had come from. It had been Iruka-sensei's. The hitai-ate was not just a physical reminder that Naruto was one step closer to his dreams. The hitai-ate adorning his forehead was the most potent acknowledgment Naruto had ever received.

The boy launched his self at his teacher and hugged him with every ounce of strength he could muster.

"I'm bruised, Naruto!" Iruka protested only partially in jest. The Hokage simply laughed at the display.

'The Will of Fire burns brightly in you, Naruto…'

---

Author's Note: Remember when I said to expect huge chapters from this fic? Yeah...even I wasn't prepared for how much I wrote...I'm loving it.

Not as much as you area loving it, however. Wow! I honestly never thought this fic would be so popular. I was expecting maybe twenty reviews...I got that in a few hours! I'm in awe of you guys. Truly, I'm grateful.

Please continue the incredible response! I'm working very hard on chapters for "A Dream Hastened", "Misstep in the Right Direction", and "Shadows on the Horizon". I'm slowly making progress on a few other fics...such as "Unexpected Lord of Foxes" and "Twelve Shattered Mirrors". I'm truly sorry for how long it has taken to update those two.

Seriously though...you guys have blown my mind! Thank you all so much!