Chapter 2

"…did you know about the law? The law that hides the fact that you are the Kyuubi no Yoko! Everybody hates you and will always will!" His former sensei, Mizuki, shouted as he laughed gleefully. He kept laughing, expecting the blonde to falter, to weaken his resolve.

Naruto didn't frown, didn't cry nor scowled. Especially didn't whine or complain about the unfairness of it all. He surprised his senseis as he smiled, smiled a bitter smile. But it hinted many things; sadness, regret, guilt and sorrow. There was never any accusation in his cerulean blue eyes.

Konoha just lost its chance.

Iruka stood up as he glared at the silver haired man. "You fool! That's not true! Everybody doesn't hate Naruto," Mostly, either are neutral or tried their best to be ignorant. "And I won't let you harm my student." The brown haired man said with a sneer as he removed the giant shuriken from his back.

Naruto looked at the man, not the false hope of fully believing the man. But pure doubt as he looked at his sensei. He knew the man didn't hate him. In fact, Iruka was the only teacher to treat him like a child. But it didn't mean he already earned Naruto's trust. Naruto was never a child, this fact was always made known to the blonde.

The man also treated him to ramen and tried his best to get to know the blonde container. But Naruto didn't want to pull the man with him for simply noticing him when the time comes that the blonde had to pay his retribution.

But he broke his word that night, because as he assorted his thoughts about the man Umino Iruka, he realized his mistake.

He never gave Konoha a chance from the beginning.

Naruto then remembered. Every time Iruka would take him out to ramen, Naruto would see how a kunai would bury itself to Iruka's neck then slicing downwards to his stomach as the man's blood and guts spilled. Then finish the picture with her licking off Iruka's blood from Naruto's fingers.

He never looked at Iruka straight in the eye since.

"I know…" Naruto said as he looked at Mizuki straight in the eye, the smile vanishing as a sad frown replaced it. He was never a sentimental person so he wouldn't blame the silver haired man for this. He knew what it was like to hate. "But that doesn't change the fact that you betrayed Konoha, as its citizen, I will have to defeat you." He said cheerfully, having recovered his enthusiasm as he remembered the technique he learned from the scroll.

Mizuki sneered, his face showing the contempt hidden for too long. "And what can a failure, a dobe and a loser like you do to a chuunin like me? You're not even a genin yet! I'm going to enjoy this." He said as he smirked darkly.

Naruto grinned at his sensei as he made the cross sign for his technique. "Say that once you killed me." Naruto replied as he concentrated his chakra. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Almost a thousand clones appeared in the vast forest, blinding orange swarming the green canopy as blue oceanic eyes glared at Mizuki. The silver haired man paled as he looked at the clones, who suddenly grinned at him. "What was it about you being chuunin again? I wasn't listening…" The Naruto's taunted as Mizuki grimaced, knowing he was finished and accepted it.

Mizuki was swarmed by punches, kicks, and sometimes scratches. By the time the clones dispelled, a bloody, beaten Mizuki laid on the ground, unconscious. Iruka shook himself out of his self-induced stupor. He knew Naruto had potential, but he didn't imagine it to be this big. The boy was too open at times, but others didn't notice that as they concentrated at his exuberant forefront, they didn't take notice of things that should have been obvious.

Iruka sometimes asked himself, if Naruto hadn't been the Kyuubi's host, would the boy still be an orphan? Would he still be ignored like this? Those questions plagued at his conscious most of the time as he saw how the blonde boy struggled.

The boy may be an orphan because Naruto's parents might have abandoned him because for simply carrying the demon. Naruto might still be ignored if his parents really did die because some orphans' potential is easily bypassed unlike other children who came from a ninja family or clan.

But Naruto's knowledge about him carrying the demon worried Iruka the most. Had someone broken the law? Had the boy figured it out by himself? Iruka shook his head, the Hokage would be the one talking to the boy about it.

Despite everything that happened tonight, Iruka smiled as he beckoned Naruto to come closer. "You did really well tonight. Close your eyes…" He said as Naruto looked at him sceptically, his blue eyes immediately eyeing his hand. "Just do it, baka…" He hissed, the pain in his back throbbed but he bit back a curse as his student did what he was told to do.

Iruka quietly untied his forehead protector as he reached over Naruto's forehead and removed the blonde's goggles. Iruka then tied the forehead protector around the boy's forehead as a fond smile made its way to his face.

Iruka always knew about how Naruto copes around the prejudice among the villagers, and wasn't surprised to see this side of his student. The chuunin was even glad that the boy managed to trust him for tonight, just being himself. "You can open your eyes now…" He advised as blue eyes peered at him.

Tanned hands instantly darted to Naruto's forehead. Then his blue cerulean eyes widened when he realized what Iruka had just done. "Congratulations, you're now Genin Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure." He said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Iruka didn't know it, but Naruto finally gave him the chance he's been working for these past few years.

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled, ecstatic at the rank he'd earned. He grinned brightly at Iruka, momentarily forgetting that her voice was demanding why he didn't kill the traitor for betraying him. Maybe even if he didn't give Konoha a chance, he can start with one person.

"You won't regret it…"

AN:

These two chapters are my gifts to those who reviewed. I know my story isn't much but please do read it. The next chapter would be released on Saturday. Got some school work have to do...but I love this site to forget it.