Days had passed as Naruto was released from the hospital and convinced Hiruzen to let him keep the sword, even if it seemed a little large for the child. Even so, he had the blade strapped to his back as he walked up to the academy with a grin on his face.

"Hey, Dormin, what should I summon first? Nothing too big, right? Which one was that again?"

"Naruto," Dormin said from within his mind. "It may be wise to not use the colossi yet. Even using that sword carries much risk, until thou art strong enough to pay the cost of thine actions."

Naruto sighed. "I know, I remember you saying that before. But what's the point of this being the one thing I have a leg up on them with if I can't use it?"

"Remember the toads."

"You mean the ones that could have helped me any time and didn't?" He thought about it, considering the point Dormin made. "Fine. Will you train me with the sword, later?"

"We shall. But take heed and be calm, we know not what happened to the being of light. If they still exist, we are not strong enough to save you from her now."

Naruto nodded to himself as he walked around to the class training ground where his class usually started their Thursdays. As he approached them, his classmates turned to him.

"Hey, Naruto. I heard you just got out of the hospital," Ino Yamanaka said.

"Really? Who'd the dead last piss off this time?" Kiba Inuzuka asked.

"No one," Naruto said. "I just had summons fighting over which contract I should use."

Iruka sent a glare at Kiba as he coughed the word 'bullshit'. Kiba shrugged at their instructor with a smirk.

Naruto opened his mouth, ready to challenge Kiba to a fight, but Dormin's words came back to him. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. "You know what, I'd prove it, but I'd hate for my summons to crush your pet, Kiba. So feel free to believe whatever you want. Come on Iruka, let's get on with the lesson."

Naruto walked through the academy alone, headed towards the roof to eat. Passing one of the training rooms, he stopped, looking in to see Sasuke attacking the dummies. He stepped inside quietly, sitting down against the wall. He opened his lunch, taking a bite as he watched.

As Sasuke leapt into the air to kick one of the dummies in the head, Naruto said, "Hey Sasuke!"

Surprised at the new presence, Sasuke flew face first into his target, falling to the floor. "Hey, what's the big idea, Naruto?" he demanded.

Naruto just smiled. "You're brother summons crows, right?" he asked.

Sasuke gave him a strange look. "Yeah. Why?"

Tilting his head to the side, he gave a thinking look. "Why not ask him to put you on the contract? You're always training so hard, but those crows could help you become much stronger."

Turning and sitting across from Naruto, Sasuke considered his words. "You think I could be strong, just like Itachi, cause I'm his brother."

Naruto laughed. "Not at all. Itachi is in a league far above you or I," he said, disheartening Sasuke. "But, that isn't a bad thing. It gives you a goal. Sure, he uses the crows. But if you had them too, you'd be one step closer to surpassing him."

Sasuke smiled. "What about you? What's your summon that you keep bragging about?"

"Mine. Well, my first contract is for toads."

"What do you mean your first?"

"Let's just say, I have no intention of stopping at one."

Sasuke looked across the training field at his brother as he finished his own set of exercises. "Itachi, would you help me with my shuriken training, too?" he asked, running up to his brother.

Itachi sighed, poking his younger brother in the forehead. "Not this time, Sasuke." He walked past Sasuke, heading inside.

"They keep comparing me to you," Sasuke said, stopping his brother. "People at school keep comparing my strength to yours, and so does dad, all because you're my brother and had your Sharingan so early. If you won't train me, would you at least give me the crow summons?"

Itachi gave a small chuckle. "And why would you want that?"

"Because, I can use them to show everyone that I can surpass even you, big brother."

"Is that so?" He pulled a small scroll from his sleeve. "If you truly think you can become stronger than me with them, then come get them, little brother."

Naruto slipped into Sasuke's hospital room, sneaking in despite no visitors being allowed at the time. He saw his classmate sitting in the corner of the room, grabbing onto his head with both hands while his knees were pulled under his chin.

He walked closer, sitting next to Sasuke and remaining silent. Contemplating his own words, he lowered his head.

"The child is suffering inside," Dormin said.

"Of course he is. His family is gone," Naruto thought back.

"Tis not so simple. His sibling forced him to live it. Made him live the slaughter with what thou call, genjutsu."

Naruto grit his teeth at hearing that such cruelty could happen, at the hands of his own brother no less. He thought a minute longer, feeling a little guilty for what he was about to say, but knowing it probably needed to be said.

"Now you know what it feels like," he said, getting Sasuke's attention. "You know what it's like to be alone."

Gritting his teeth in rage, Sasuke lunged at him, ready to hit him.

"Just like me," Naruto finished, stopping Sasuke. "It's why I act out like I do. And you all give me those looks, but all I want is attention, good or bad. Someone to know that I'm there. You're alone, just like me. But that rage, the hatred, every day it will try to consume you, make you lash out at an unsympathetic world."

Sasuke just fell into Naruto's chest, sobbing and crying in agony. "I watched them all die. I felt the blood on my hands. He made me watch everything he did."

Hesitantly, Naruto hugged Sasuke. "And you'll make him suffer for it. You'll have the revenge you need."

"Thou art only fueling his hatred, Naruto."

Naruto ignored Dormin. "But you need something to live for after, or nothing else will matter. So I'll help you. I'll help you live with the pain. And when the time comes, I'll help you kill your brother."

His eyes slid open, finding himself resting in shallow water. Sitting up, he looked around what appeared to be a flooded basement. "Where am I?" Naruto thought aloud.

"Thou may consider it a mindscape," Dormin said.

Naruto craned his neck to look behind him, seeing the figure. "A what now?"

"A mindscape. The range of thine imagination and thought, given shape in thy mind's eye."

"I really need to buy a dictionary," Naruto mumbled, hanging his head.

Dormin gave a low chuckle. "Tell us, are thou familiar with the beast known as Kyuubi?"

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto got his feet under himself as he stood up. "Yeah. It's one of the most important stories in the village, of course I know it."

Nodding, Dormin turned away, walking through the corridors with Naruto following him. "We told thee that our will would be a passenger, not unlike another." As they walked, pillars took form ahead of them, resembling a massive gate. "Thou shalt meet the one we spoke of."

Naruto's eyes widened as the shadow beyond the bars shifted, it's nine tails swaying as it moved closer.

"So, you are the other creature inhabiting my jailer," the Kyuubi said.

"We, are Dormin."

"The Sage was right then," Kyuubi said, laying his head down on his folded hands. "You are real." Opening his eye, he stared down at Naruto. "Come closer, little boy."

Naruto moved to take a step forward, stopped as Dormin laid a hand on his shoulder.

The Kyuubi chucked. "Oh, how I would love to kill you, but this accursed seal keeps me locked away."

"W-what's going on here?" Naruto asked. "Who is this? Why is he in my mind-thing?"

"This, is the Kyuubi. Lift thy shirt, Naruto." Dormin watched as Naruto did as he was told, revealing a seal on his stomach. "When your fourth Hokage defeated the Kyuubi in battle, he sealed it away, killing such a being was beyond him. He sealed it into thee, Naruto. You contain this creature."

Taking a moment to process what he was being told, Naruto stood in stunned silence. "What?" He placed a hand against the seal. "I have the Kyuubi...inside me? Is that why they always look at me like that?"

Dormin nodded. "We believe it was kept secret for a purpose, but from thee, no longer." He turned back to Kyuubi. "You know what we intend for your host."

"I am aware. What of it?"

"In short, we desire your aid."

Seven years passed slowly as Naruto trained with his sword and various other exercises. Dormin constantly pressured to boy to learn more, tactics, different fighting and sword styles, about jutsu, and chakra, even prompting him to research more about summons if he ever hoped to achieve his goal. His learning about seals had eventually allowed him to stop carrying his sword on his back.

He continuously practiced with the Kyuubi's power as well, what little he was granted without complaint. It was always under a barrier created by Dormin, a barrier that only covered the signature of its energy. It was during these sessions that he had asked Kyuubi its name, much to the beast's shock, though it begrudgingly told him. Kurama, the real name of the Nine Tailed Fox.

Though it took more effort to convince him, Naruto eventually agreed to train with the toads as well. He made an effort to go to Mount Myōboku as little as possible, but even then he knew it was only a matter of time before he ran into Jiraiya.

Despite this, he continued learning, discovering different summons that seemed loyal to particular summoners or villages. And he couldn't deny that the toads had proved useful in teaching him techniques that allowed him to overcome his weaknesses.

Though, he could still see the disdain in the eyes of some. It was something he took pleasure in, knowing that some of it was no longer due to him once being the deadlast, but because of the pranks he still pulled.

He constantly worked with Sasuke as well, much to the ire of Kurama, each of them working to integrate their summons into their fighting. Both of them reached the top of their class, openly competing as often as they trained together, and he would constantly laugh when Sasuke was swarmed by the girls that fawned over him. Though they often kept to themselves, Naruto did his best to bridge the gap that formed between Sasuke and everyone else.

Despite Kiba's competitive nature and rivalry with Naruto, they had become friends. And with enough work, it was a friendship he was able to slowly pull Sasuke into.

But all of the training he had gone through allowed him to be on equal footing with Sasuke's skill and stand before his instructors and class to perform the jutsu necessary to graduate. He quickly formed three clones for his instructors, seeing the satisfied smile on one of them.

"Very good, Naruto," Iruka said. "You failed your first attempt at the exam, but it seems you've managed to finally increase your chakra control."

Naruto laughed. "Not yet I haven't," he said with a shrug and a grin. "I just bypassed the problem altogether. Figured I could burn that bridge when I got to it."

Iruka gave him a confused look before realizing what he meant. "Those are solid clones," he said, astounded. "Shadow Clones?"

"That's right," Naruto said. "While it's not the basic clone jutsu, the rules for the final exam don't exactly say I can't use a more advanced variant. Oh, but there was one other jutsu I was hoping to show you for some extra credit."

Each version of himself had a dark grin as they formed the hand signs. Chakra swirled around them. "Transform," they each called out.

Smoke filled the room, though the feminine giggling gave Sasuke a hint about what was going to happen. He held his hand up, covering Hinata's eyes. "Trust me," he said as she gave him an odd look.

As the smoke cleared, four women were left in Naruto's place, naked and posing erotically. Just enough smoke remained to cover the riskier parts of their bodies, though it didn't stop Iruka's nose from shooting blood as his face flushed.

Naruto returned to normal, his clones quickly dispersing as well. He leaned back on his heels, laughing at the reaction that was shared by a few of his classmates. "That was my Harem Technique. More effective than the classic Sexy Transformation, I see."

"Naruto! Can't you take this seriously?!" Iruka shouted at him.

Naruto stared at him for a moment, scratching at his ear. "Course I can. But why would I want to?" He moved his hand hand to the back of his head, scratching it. "Come on, teach. We're supposed to be the protectors of the village, and we will be. But right now, we're still children. So why not let us play the part. After all, it's not a role we'll have forever."