A/N: Well, chapter 3 here. Just to clarify, Sakura is not, and never will be, overpowered. For proof, read the description of her clan. If you still don't understand, PM me and I'll try to explain it. I wanted Sakura to be useful, not pathetic and worthless like the manga/anime makes her out to be. Let's get it on!
Key: Jutsus
Translations
Letters
thought
The silent observer continued his watch over his blonde prey, getting a sadistic pleasure viewing the scared and blind boy trying to make sense of his surroundings, but without his senses. Knowing he was two steps away from pissing himself, he decided to introduce himself and get the ball rolling. He finally lowered himself and preformed a small hop landing directly in front of the base and a few yards away from Naruto.
For his part, Naruto had successfully avoided soiling himself; instead he worked out in his mind what was a trick of the fading light, and what was closer to being real. So when a silhouette dropped out from the tree, Naruto was 95% sure that was a real body, against 25% if he had appeared five minutes earlier. He was soon proven right when the figure told him, in a deep voice that exuded authority," I'm a friend, Naruto-kun."
Naruto looked at the figure with utter shock, disbelieving what he just heard. "…kun?" Only one other person ever used the honorific "kun", and that was Hinata. All the other times it was either teme or yarou (bastard), he rarely ever heard his own name. But having a familiar smelling stranger use kun was pleasant, and he relaxed and slightly lowered his guard. The other man then continued saying, "I saw you fail the second test, and I saw they didn't give you the third option to pass the genin test, and I wish to rectify that for your sake. I want you to become a powerful ninja that your village will appreciate and will accept your existence. I know that is what you want above all things, acceptance. I also know why you are denied things like a mother, father, brother, sister, friends, love, and happiness. I will tell you your history and help you pass if you bring me the Scroll of Secrets."
Naruto hung on every word this man spoke, finding acknowledgment. This man didn't yell at him, he didn't lie to him, he told him the truth. Though Naruto visibly flinched each time his unknown benefactor reminded him of what he lacked, he still promised him a future and his past. Whatever this "scroll of secrets" was, it was good as his.
"Hook, line, and sinker." The deep voiced champion thought to himself. Looking at the boys' face right now, he could see trust, admiration, the hunger of having an identity, and the willingness to do anything he asked, whether it be steal a secret scroll or murder an important person of high standing all fighting for control of his face. In the end, Naruto wore the face of a child getting his most wanted present on Christmas Day. Observing Naruto's obvious total obedience to him to do whatever he asked, he began phase two of his plan.
He was brought out of his musing by an excited 8 year old kid asking "ne, ne, where is this Scroll of Secrets you need me to get?" Naruto was having trouble sitting still, he wanted to go get the scroll NOW. He opened his mouth to repeat the question when the shadow spoke again. " You know where the Hokage's tower is, right?" Naruto nodded in affirmative. "Well, just behind there is an old shack that has the scroll in it. I have unlocked the door for you, so you can just walk in and get it for me. Also, here is a sash to tie it to your back if you need to. Once you come back with it, we can start your training. Above all else though, you must not be seen or heard by anyone, understand?" the straw haired child again nodded. "Ok go now, and be quick!" Naruto lost all emotion on his face, then nodded and became one with the shadows.
But what he hadn't told him was how the door was unlocked. The Hokage had placed many traps, including paper bombs, seals written on the door to alert the Hokage to a possible break-in, and no less than 2 sensor type byakugan jonins making regular rounds around the shack. Pathetic really, when you think about it. After he took his place at the tree, he sent a clone to take care of the guards by using an earth ninjutsu he copied on the border of the Land of Earth to hide and move through the ground, similar to an armadillo, just less obvious and sneakier. Shocking the first guard with enough electricity to incapacitate him without disrupting his chakra signature, then silently breaking the neck of the second guard by hiding in his blind spot, he was making good time. He then spent a good full 5 minutes deactivating, breaking, and negating seals placed on the door, various parts of the shack and on the lock itself, all without setting a single one off.
After making sure Naruto's face was turned away from him, the raven-haired man activated his Sharingan and watched with interest as Naruto's chakra signature and movements became a polar opposite of his normal attitude. Gone was the pulsing and blinding amounts of chakra he would emit every second, he was now somehow concealing his and – to an extent- the Kyuubi's chakra. There were no wasted movements in order to show off or show himself, he was one with the night. If he didn't have the Sharingan to track the blonde's movements, he would have no idea he existed. The only other kind of person who would be able to see him now would be a Byakugan sensor, but there were no such people on duty that would be able to see this shadow.
True to his friends' word, Naruto found the shack unlocked and deserted. Entering and looking for the scroll, he began to think on the word "friend." To him, a friend was a person who looked at him devoid of hate, spoke words of kindness instead of malice, who helped him instead of beat him. To all intent and purposes, this stranger was more kind to him than the entire village combined. Iruka tried to help him and having one man in your corner is great, unless there are hundreds of others who don't share the same view. He smiled at the thought of having a friend, and soon became a full grin after locating the scroll.
. Looking out to the sky, he saw a full moon, stealing the light of the sun and taking it as its own. He wondered if this could be an omen, being as a man he has never seen or heard of suddenly appear and give Naruto the gift of friendship and kindness. He quickly terminated this train of thought, believing that one makes their own path and is not dictated by omens, signs, or auguries. Hoisting the large scroll onto his back diagonally and tying it with his sash, he made his way back quickly but carefully, knowing he now had a large burden on him.
By the time he returned to the tree with the swing, he had decided that he would refer to him as a friend and comrade. Walking the last few yards, he pulled upward on the sash, moving the scroll in a downwards fashion so he could grab on with both hands.
His face still having the dead and emotionless stare, he laid the scroll at his comrades' feet, looked to his face and asked in an excited whisper, "what now?"
Again, the shadowed man closed his eyes, summoned immense amounts of chakra to his eyes and in a soft, yet powerful voice said, "You will learn the truth and enter my world. Tsukuyomi."