Intervention of Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, then the actual Naruto series would be going something like this story, and then I wouldn't be writing this Fanfic, now would I?

"Hello" – Speaking.

'Hello' – Thoughts.

"Hello" – Demon/Boss Summon Speaking.

'Hello' – Demon/Boss Summon Thoughts.


Author's Notes: I'm a little unsure about the beginning of this chapter. I might do a rewrite for it. Please tell me what you think.


Chapter 3: Loyalties and the Genin Teams.

It was the middle of the night and all was quite in Konohagakure, as Naruto walked back to his apartment after leaving the Hokage tower where he returned the Forbidden Scroll. Fortunately, the Sandaime was expecting him, so he wasn't arrested by a bunch of Chūnin the moment he walked through the doors.

Sarutobi Oji-san said a few words to Naruto that implied that he knew what had happened and was not going to press the boy, but would wait till he was ready to talk to him. Naruto was grateful for this, as he needed some time to get his thoughts in order. He may have realized, thanks to Iruka, he was the same Uzumaki Naruto he was yesterday and that nothing anyone said or did would change that. But there were other matters concerning this secret of his that had his mind in turmoil.

Before he met Orochimaru-sensei, Naruto had admired the Yondaime Hokage. Back then it was simple hero worship for the one who defeated the Kyuubi. Then when he met his sensei, he grew to respect the man not as the Hokage who defeated the most powerful of the Bijuu, but as the Shinobi Namikaze Minato: the only ninja he saw as truly stronger than his sensei.

But now that he knew that it was the Yondaime who was the cause of the way his life was, Naruto wasn't really sure what to think. It was because of the Yondaime that he was hated all of his life, for reasons he could not control. If the great beast hadn't been sealed within him, then he could have had friends, maybe even adopted by some family, and led a normal, happy childhood. However, if the Yondaime had not sealed the fox into Naruto, then it was very possible that he would not have had a life in the first place. And, in an odd way, it was a sort of honor to be selected for this. Naruto knew that there were at least one or two civilian children born on that night, yet it was Naruto who was selected to contain the demon. He was the one who was entrusted to hold back the Kyuubi, and prevent the destruction of the Hidden Leaf Village. Then there was the fact that if Naruto had not been lonely and gone to that clearing on that day 6 years ago, he might have never met his sensei, or anyone else Orochimaru-sensei introduced him to.

Naruto sighed as his thoughts became organized. He could understand the Yondaime's decision, and in some ways, even respect him for it. But within his heart, Naruto knew that he also greatly resented the Yondaime, and most of Konoha, for what he had to go through. Naruto wasn't one to ever whine, but the whole thing still wasn't fair to him.

Naruto then reached his apartment that took up the entire top floor of his building. Ignoring the harsh, hateful profanities graphitized all over his door and walls around the door, Naruto paused for a brief moment before unlocking his door and stepping inside.

"Have I passed your test Orochimaru-sensei?" He asked as he stepped over the threshold.

The Snake Sannin stepped out of the shadows he had been hiding in as he answered. "With flying colors Naruto-kun. I was especially impressed when you revealed that your original plan was to use Iruka to continue hiding your strength. It's too bad that he got that shuriken in his back. But, that provided me the chance to see some of your medical skill. Of course, I sent Kabuto-kun to check on him. We can't have such a loyal Chūnin dying now can we?" He asked somewhat rhetorically.

Naruto smiled when he heard that the Chūnin instructor would be receiving medical attention from Kabuto, one of the best medics since Tsunade. "I'm glad he'll be alright. Thank you, sensei." He paused has another question popped into his head. "Sensei, do Kabuto and Kimimaro know about the Kyuubi?"

"They do Naruto-kun. I wouldn't have trusted them as your training partners if they could not deal with that fact. But, right now I have important things to discuss with you." Orochimaru stated as his face took on a serious look. "Now that you are a Genin, you will be put on a Genin team and your training will be the responsibility of a Jōunin instructor. So, I have decided that it is time to leave your training in their hands." He explained to his blond student.

"So, it's time that you returned to living the life of a missing-nin sensei?" he asked, surprising Orochimaru that the boy had known at least some of the truth about him.

The Sannin couldn't help but chuckle. "Impressive Naruto-kun. Tell me, how long have you known about it?" He asked.

Naruto gave a small smirk as he recalled the time he first figured it out. "About two years ago. I went to the library where they hold the public records so that I might find out more about the Sannin. In your records it said that for a classified reason you were labeled as an S-class criminal that fled the village." He stated. "At first, I was shocked and confused on what one of the most dangerous missing-nin was doing back in the village training me, and I started running through every conversation we had in my head. It was then that I realized that everything that you said to me was never a lie, just not the complete truth. So I decided to wait and see what you would do. I was curious to see if you would ever try to do anything detrimental to Konoha at any point, yet you never did. At this point, I don't really care about whatever it is that you did, but out of curiosity's sake I must ask, why didn't you?"

"I'll admit that I do have my own reasons for wanting you to be strong. I'll keep them to myself for now, but know this: because of those reasons I will test your strength and the strength of this village when the opportunity presents itself. Besides that, I truly and honestly have enjoyed teaching you and watching you grow." smiled the Sannin as he directed Naruto's attention to the table in the kitchen. "But now I have something for you as a little graduation present."

On the table, Naruto could see two large scrolls, each roughly the size of the Forbidden Scroll that he had held not too long ago. "What are these, sensei? More Jutsu scrolls?" He asked, curious because the majority of the scrolls Orochimaru gave him had a type of jutsu, or some kind of theoretical chakra manipulation technique.

"Well Naruto-kun, you already know a fair number of my jutsu, and for those you don't, you have scrolls with the necessary information on how to use them. You are also very proficient at my Taijutsu style, not to mention your skill in the Hebi Kenjutsu style. What I am presenting you with is the last thing that will mark you as my student. These Naruto-kun, are the summoning contracts to my two summons." Orochimaru grinned at the stunned expression on his students face.

"S-summoning contracts? Y-you're going to allow me s-sign your s-summoning contracts?" Naruto barely managed to stutter out, in his shock. Then he became confused as he remembered something that he had been taught in the academy. "But wait sensei. How is it possible that you have two active contracts? We were always taught that any Shinobi fortunate enough to get the chance to sign any contract will only be allowed to sign one."

Once again, Orochimaru was pleased as his student asked questions about something offered to him that he deemed questionable, instead of just accepting it like some Shinobi had the habit of doing, many of which were killed because of it. "In my travels I discovered that little fact was just a misconception caused by the fact that contracts are usually passed from teacher to student. Since most contract holders will usually only choose one person to sign it, it often becomes considered an heirloom and it became disrespectful to the teacher if the student signed a second contract. Eventually it became the belief that the reason they didn't sign a second contract was because they couldn't." explained the Sannin. "I myself originally thought the same, until I met a man during my travels that could control numerous species of unusual summons. After doing some research, I found that it was within the abilities of everyone to use multiple summons, although the boss summon of each contract must first meet with each other to approve of the multiple contracts held by their summoner. During that time, I came across a rather unusual contract for the Rashōmon Gates. Unlike most contracts which summon an animal, this one allows you to summon a very large gate-like structure. I am not completely sure of its original purpose, but I find that it is capable of acting as an 'ultimate defense' of sorts. The only downside is that the attack must be straight forward and cannot be stopped once started, or else the enemy could simply go around it."

Naruto was both somewhat stunned and very touched that Orochimaru-sensei was not only letting him sign the Teiketsu no Hebi (Contract of the Snakes), which helped him gain the title Snake Sannin, but also a second Teiketsu for an impenetrable shield as well. "S-sensei… I don't know what to say" was all he could get out. And, from what the Sannin had said, it was possible to gain even more summons, however unlikely that was.

"Naruto-kun, it's only appropriate that I allow you to sign these, since you are my apprentice." smiled the Sannin. "Now in order to bind yourself to the contract, you must sign your name in an empty space in your blood. Then use your blood to leave the handprint of the hand you wish to summon with." He explained.

Naruto did as he was told, signing the Teiketsu no Hebi with his right hand, and signing the Teiketsu no Rashōmon with his left. He paused as he felt a connection form between himself and the contracts.

"Excellent," said Orochimaru once Naruto was done. "I will advise you to avoid summoning around others for now. If you summon snakes, it will become known that you have trained, or at least interacted with me. And, the Rashōmon Gates will cause too many questions. Oh, and once you have started summoning, wait a few months before you attempt to summon the Snake Boss Manda. If you summon him, he will require you to pass a test of his choosing to call him for aid. Passing means that he will assist you when you need it, as the Hebi clan are amongst the most loyal of all summons. Fail, and he will still help you, but he will demand that you pay him a tribute each time you do so." He warned the boy. "And take care when you do, for his tests are never easy. I myself was not able pass it, and ever since, he has never much personally appreciated it whenever I have summoned him. Additionally, he is notorious for not wanting to help out in a situation unless it is against a very powerful opponent." explained his sensei. "And now I must take my leave Naruto-kun. I have several projects that will take my full attention for a number of months.

"Hai, Orochimaru-sensei." Just at the Sannin was about to depart, Naruto stopped him with one last question. "Sensei, I just wish to know; are there others out there like me?"

Orochimaru paused for a moment before answering. "Hai Naruto-kun, there are." He said. "Those with demons sealed in them are called Jinchuuriki, and apart from you I have heard of three others. The first and youngest is a child your age in Sunagakure and contains the Shukaku. The second is in her late teens, lives in Kumogakure, and contains the Nibi. The third that I know of is an old man that holds allegiance to no village and contains the Yonbi. I do not know if you will ever meet them, or any others, but it is a distinct possibility." Orochimaru paused again as he considered something. "Naruto-kun… you have yet to tap into the demonic chakra of the Kyuubi. This means you are at a disadvantage should you have to face another Jinchuuriki. If you would like, I can give you a special seal that can both replicate demonic powers and make you stronger. But it can be very dangerous, as it only has a normal survival rate of ten percent."

Naruto didn't need to think more than a second. "If I was worried about danger than I wouldn't be suited to the life of a Shinobi. If it can make me stronger, then I accept it and its risks."

"Kukuku… just what I expected from my student." chuckled Orochimaru, as he made a modified Tiger hand seal. "This will render you unconscious and cause more than a fair amount of pain, but I will have Kabuto-kun to care for you until the morning. Kimimaro-kun will be the one to teach you how to use this Curse Seal. Juin Jutsu!" He cried as his neck extended and he sank his fangs into Naruto's left shoulder.

Naruto gritted his teeth tightly to avoid crying out from the searing pain, as chakra and venom surged into body. Since no one lived close by, there was no fear that someone would come to investigate. When Orochimaru retracted his head, Naruto gripped his shoulder, right before passing out in pain while the seal went to work altering the blonde's body to accommodate its abilities.

Orochimaru caught the boy before he fell all the way to the floor and carried him to the bedroom. As he laid the boy down he checked the mark that was left from his jutsu. 'Hmmm…the Ten no Juin. Odd. I was expecting him to receive the Chi no Juin like Kimimaro-kun. Of course, either seal would have given him power, and this isn't the first time someone has received an unexpected seal, but never the Heaven Seal. But, either way this should give him power to help keep him safe from the Akatsuki.' The Snake Sannin turned to depart, but before leaving he paused and gave his apprentice on last wistful look, honestly regretting the fact that was leaving someone he spent so much time with. Slightly shaking his head at the bout of emotion, Orochimaru left his student to prepare the next phase of his plan.

Naruto would not be seen by anyone until the day of the Genin exams.


(Time Skip – one month later – day of the Genin team selections)

In the life of a Genin, there are several important days. The first of which is the day they graduate the academy. The next important day is a month later when the Genin are assigned to their teams. And, for Naruto this was probably an even more important event because that is when who each student he will be working with is announced. These will be the people that Naruto will be spending most of his time with. The majority of his training will be done with whoever he is teamed with, under the supervision of a Jōunin, one of the village's elite ‑ Shinobi, who will see them every day unless they are called for a mission requiring their unique skills. If there was anyone in the village who would see what he could do, it would be these people. This meant that it was time to stop hiding his abilities.

Of course, he wasn't about to go flaunting his skills. But, he would do whatever he could to accomplish his missions.

As he walked to the academy where the team announcement would be made, Naruto was the recipient of numerous stares. Many of the stares were the usual hate-filled glares sent his way. However, some were stares of curiosity, and another group was comprised of nervous stares. Here was the blond knucklehead that everyone was used to seeing bouncing around like an idiot, walking straight and tall, with an air of seriousness and calm that radiated off of him and could be felt by those around him.

Or, it might have had something to do with his new look. Naruto had dispelled the Genjutsu that was concealing his true features; several inches of new height, a greater muscle definition, and a smoother 'baby-fat' free face, as years of intense training and healthy diet had burned off all of his excess body fat.

His new look included a sharper chin and leaner, attractive facial features. Because Naruto was using shampoo and conditioner in his hair, (due to using the Henge no Jutsu to discreetly buy things) meant that Naruto's once heavily spiky hair was long gone. Whereas Naruto's hair was once so bushy that it stuck out in every direction in massive clumps, the blonde's hair was now nowhere near as bushy, and, while still thick, now hung by the laws of gravity and just had the look of plain, well-kept hair. It was also quite a bit longer now, being jaw-length and stylish, with his bangs just falling into his eyes, while also framing his face. His eyes were still blue, but they weren't quite as round and expressive as they were before; they were narrower and a bit more angular, with long, thick eyelashes (think Itachi), giving him a slightly glaring look. The only thing that hadn't changed about his face were the symmetrical whisker markings on his cheeks. And, to top it all off, Naruto's outfit had also completely changed.

(AN: For Naruto's face/hair, think Jin Kisaragi, but with blue eyes. And for those of you who don't like me messing with the classic "Naruto" image, let me just say that I like my main characters to be kinda good looking, and the traditional Naruto just doesn't quite click with me. And besides, I didn't just pull some random BS out of my ass and change Naruto's look without any sort of plausible explanation.)

Naruto had also decided the same night he dealt with Mizuki that it was time to get out the wardrobe he had been saving for when he became a Shinobi. After burning all of his repulsive orange tracksuits, he got down to business. His orange jacket was now replaced by a baggy, long-sleeved white kimono top with a large red Uzumaki swirl on its back. He wore white bandages wrapped around his neck to hide the Ten no Juin on the crook of his shoulder. Around his waist was double wrapped a thick purple rope, with the knot tightly tied at his front right waist. Under this he wore a thick bluish grey grey coat hanging from his stomach down to his knees, held in place by the rope. His neon orange pants had been switched with standard Shinobi pants that were a dark blue in color, with a kunai/shuriken holster hanging from the back of his right thigh on the purple rope. Naruto's pants were tucked into grey Shinobi sandals with a high shaft pulled up. Upon his arms were mid-bicep length black half-finger gloves. The hitat-ate he had been given upon graduating was now around his neck, although the cloth for it was now black. Finally, to complete the ensemble, Naruto had his own Kusanagi sword tucked in the purple rope on the back of his waist, a previous gift from Orochimaru when he started training in Kenjutsu, and was the cause of many of the nervous stares.

(AN: For his outfit, think the same as the first uniform that Sasuke wore in Shippuuden, only with solid half-finger gloves instead of open-palmed fingerless gloves, and a large Uzumaki swirl on his back instead of the small Uchiha crest on his collar.)

The black sheathed Chokutō at Naruto's back was modeled off of his sensei's legendary Kusanagi no Tsurgi, but there were distinct differences between the two. The Kusanagi no Tsurgi was the sword given to the strongest Shinobi who holds the Hebi contract, had an unbreakable blade that could cut diamond, and was always coated in a poison that would mean death to anyone but the wielder if not treated. Naruto's Kusanagi was nowhere near sharp enough to scratch a diamond, only had poison if Naruto applied it, and, while it was incredibly strong, it was still breakable. On the other hand, his Chokutō was made from a very rare chakra treated metal that was not only tough, but would allow it to absorb chakra and take on its characteristics. Because of this ability, it could be used as the focus for various Jutsu.

All the attention he was receiving greatly reminded him of how the Hokage looked when he turned in his Shinobi registration forms wearing the same clothing he had on today. Naruto silently chuckled has he recalled the minor incident after that led to him temporarily taking on his own unofficial apprentice.

Flashback

Naruto was in one of the various administrative offices of the Hokage tower. After getting over the shock and the initial disbelief that the figure before them was in fact the genuine Uzumaki Naruto, as well as a relatively quick interrogation to confirm his identity, the Hokage and several Chūnin assistants were just finishing up the paperwork to register Naruto as a Genin, and Naruto was told that he could leave. But, before he could take a step the door flew open as a kid about 8-years old with brown hair, wearing a yellow shirt, blue shorts, had some sort of stupid-looking helmet on his head, and an comically long scarf for such a small child wrapped around his neck.

"Today's the day I beat you Oji-san, and take the title of Hokage!" shouted the young child as he ran forward while brandishing a Shuriken. Or, at least tried to since he only took two steps before stepping on the end of his scarf and fell to the floor. The kid picked himself up as he started looking for the culprit of his fall. But since no one was the cause but himself, the blame fell on the first person he saw. This just so happened to be Naruto. "Hey, you tripped me!" He shouted as he pointed an accusatory finger at the blond boy.

Naruto's right eye began twitching at being blamed for something that happened half way across the room. Normally, he would just ignore the kid and just walk out of the room because he was a kid. It just wasn't worth it. And, he would have done just that if it weren't for the second interruption.

"Forgive the interruption Hokage-sama. Konohamaru managed to slip away from me again." said a man, who was wearing a common navy shirt, matching Shinobi pants, open-toed sandals, a bandanna, and sunglasses, as he walked into the room.

The Sandaime sighed as he answered the man. "It's alright Ebisu. He just came by to try another assassination attempt when he tripped."

"Oh my! Are you alright Honorable Grandson?" The now identified Ebisu asked as he turned towards his ward.

"I'll be alright once he apologizes for tripping me!" Konohamaru yelled, as he pointed towards Naruto, whose eye was twitching unusually fast.

Ebisu looked towards Naruto and a small scowl crossed his face. "You there!" He said in a loud, authoritative voice. "Apologize to the Honorable Grandson!"

Having had enough of the ridiculous situation, Naruto turned towards the kid to give him a piece of his mind. "Now look here, kid!" He said as he grabbed Konohamaru by the front of his shirt. "I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just go around tripping on your own scarf, and then expect other people to apologize for it. That is not how the world works, and that's a lesson that I think you need to learn."

"Now see here you ruffian! Do you have any idea who that is!?" shouted a distraught Ebisu.

Naruto just gave the man a flat look before saying, "No."

"That is the Honorable Grandson of the Sandaime Hokage-sama." Konohamaru expected the blond boy holding him to let him go and instantly start apologizing for everything. What happened was totally unexpected and stunned him.

Naruto snorted. "So what? What difference should that make to me? Even if it was Hokage-sama who tripped on his own robes, he wouldn't go around demanding someone else to apologize for it. And this child, who has done absolutely nothing to deserve the same respect as the Hokage, certainly shouldn't get away with it. For all I care, the Rikudo Sennin could drop down from the afterlife and name this kid as the next chosen one, and I still wouldn't give a shit. Now bugger off kid, ain't it nap time?" With that, Naruto dropped Konohamaru on his ass before walking out of the room and leaving the tower.

As Ebisu helped up the small boy, he went into his 'inspirational speech and lecture' mode. "Don't let what that ruffian said bother you, Honorable Grandson. While you are under my tutelage, it is only a matter of time before you become Hokage, for my teachings are the only possible shortcut to that goal."

"Uh… Ebisu? You do realize Konohamaru-kun left after Naruto-kun, right?" asked the Hokage.

Ebisu blinked once, twice, three times. A loud, "WHAAAT?!" was heard from outside the Hokage tower.

Meanwhile Naruto was on his way to a training field as he tried to shake off his 'shadow.' Eventually he had had enough. "Kid, why are you following me?" He asked as he turned around, slightly annoyed. Konohamaru came out from poorly used camouflage cloak made to look like a fence, looking rather sheepish. "Well, I just wanted to ask you a question." He said with a lot more politeness then what he used back in the tower.

Intrigued by his sudden attitude adjustment, Naruto decided to humor the kid. "Alright brat, what do you want to know?"

Pausing for a second to think Konohamaru asked, "Everyone else who knows me calls me Honorable Grandson. And when people who don't know and find out, they out start calling me that too. So, why haven't you?"

Again Naruto couldn't help but snort. "That's because there's nothing 'Honorable' about being someone's grandson. If you want my respect, then you must earn it."

Konohamaru thought about it for a second before asking a second question that caught Naruto off guard. "Then, will you train me?" Upon seeing Naruto's confused look he elaborated. "All the instructors at the academy, and even the Jōunin tutor Oji-san ordered to teach me, call me Honorable Grandson. And, I feel they aren't trying to teach me, but the Hokage's grandson. But you don't care about that, so you would teach me, but as Konohamaru?"

Naruto thought about it for a second before asking a question that would determine whether or not he would do it. "Tell me Konohamaru. What you did back in the tower, do you do things like that often?" Konohamaru nodded his head, and a small smirk spread on Naruto's face. "Then I know exactly what to teach you." If there was one thing Orochimaru could never change about Naruto, it was his love of pranks and tricks, although Naruto himself had long since recognized that training and studying always came first. Still, Konohamaru provided the chance to cut back for a good one.

Taking the boy under his wing, Naruto started training him to use the one technique guaranteed to bring down the Sandaime… the Oiroke no Jutsu. Besides, it was better to not teach the kid any sort of real or dangerous technique. It was an easy trick, but Konohamaru was still new to using Ninjutsu, so it took up much of the day for him to get it right. Eventually they found themselves in one of Naruto's training areas perfecting the Oiroke no Jutsu. That was when Ebisu showed up and started spouting how the Honorable Grandson shouldn't spend time being trained by a ruffian like Naruto, and the only sure path to becoming Hokage was to learn under him. Konohamaru tried to prove Ebisu wrong by using his Oiroke no Jutsu to transform into a beautiful, nude, adult, female version of himself. When that didn't work, Naruto made 10 Kage Bunshin and had each use Oiroke no Jutsu. This was enough to stun the Jōunin, allowing the clones to get close. Once they were close enough, they revealed themselves to not be Kage Bunshin but a severely watered down version of the Bunshin Daibakuha. The explosion wasn't enough to kill the Jōunin tutor, but it was strong enough to send Ebisu flying into the side of the Hokage Mountain, knocking him out.

After that Naruto had to ask Konohamaru why he wanted to be Hokage.

Konohamaru's response was. "If I become Hokage people will recognize me as me, and not the Sandaime's grandson."

Hearing this Naruto couldn't help but dryly chuckle at the similarity between the way he once thought and the boy's goals. "You don't know how much you remind me of a younger me, Konohamaru. But you must know that if you want to become Hokage, you have to have more than a desire for respect. You have to have a want to protect those close to you and this village. I once wanted to become the Hokage, but I quickly gave up on that, and now I train merely to become as strong as I possibly can, both to protect those that are worthy of being precious to me, and to discover my own path to follow. Besides, if you really wish to someday be Hokage, then you have to work hard for it."

Konohamaru looked on in awe for a moment before matching Naruto's grin with his own. "All Right Boss!" amusing Naruto with the title. "If I have to be stronger then you to be Hokage, than I will be! So look out, because sooner or later, I'll surpass you!"

Flashback End

Naruto cut his musings as he made it to the academy and reached his old class. He could easily hear all the noise the students inside made. Most of the noise stopped as he opened the door and stepped over the threshold. Suffice it to say that his changes had an impact on his fellow Genin.

The Genin that were paying attention were shocked. There was the loudmouth, day-glow orange wearing dobe, whom everyone thought would be jumping off the walls shouting to the skies how he was going to be a great Shinobi and the next Hokage, had just walked quietly into the class. At first, most of the kids didn't even recognize Naruto, as he looked like a completely different person, but looking closer, most knew it had to be him. This figure had blonde hair, blue eyes, lightly tanned skin, and three faint whisker-like markings on each of his cheeks, despite his rather good looks. What was equally shocking was both his new outfit, which almost sent one lavender haired girl into a blushed induced coma, and how he just calmly walked over to an empty seat. And was that a sword he was carrying!?

"H-hey, dobe!" Shouted Kiba as Naruto passed by him, after recovering from his shock. "What's with the getup? You trying to impress someone by pretending like a real Shinobi?" Kiba snorted at his own joke.

Naruto didn't pause for a moment as he flatly responded, "I stopped pretending after I graduated." before sitting in an empty chair by Sasuke. He did not notice one lazy genius, or one stoic bug collector raise their eyebrows as they caught onto the hidden meaning of his words.

This also shot everyone back, because it was something they had never heard from him before; his voice had been completely void of emotion, and had a nice low tone to it, making him sound several years older than he actually was. Sasuke couldn't help but clench his fists, as Naruto now reminded him severely of Itachi, at least in terms of looking and sounding completely emotionless. Naruto just sat back, put his sandal-clad feet on the table, crossed his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes, making it appear that he was asleep.

It wasn't long before the last two students showed up, Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura, both of whom tried to see who could get through the door first, shouting some garbage about getting to Sasuke-kun. Sakura got through first and ran towards the row Sasuke sat in. She stopped when she saw Naruto sitting in the seat next to her Sasuke-kun. Now, maybe if she wasn't in mega-fangirl mode she would have stopped and actually thought, but right now all she could think about sitting next to her Sasuke-kun. And with that, she let rip.

"Naruto-baka, get out of my seat! And you can't impress me with your new clothes!" She expected Naruto to get out of the seat immediately as he had done in the past, but now it was as if he didn't even hear her. Getting a major tic mark at being ignored, Sakura attempted to hit Naruto on the head; 'attempted' being the key word. Naruto simply dodged by slightly leaning his head to the side. Once again, this shocked the class and even stunned Sakura for a second before she angrily attempted two more bonks, both of which were dodged with minimal effort. While this was going on no one noticed Iruka enter the room or make the Rat seal.

"EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET!" shouted the 'Giant Demon Head no Jutsu' version of Iruka.

Fearing their teacher's jutsu, everyone grew quiet with Sakura and Ino moving to the back, while Naruto relaxed himself from his former position and calmly affixed his attention to Iruka. Although the students had settled down, that didn't stop many of them from still giving Naruto shocked looks.

Smiling at his now quiet former students, Iruka began his well rehearsed end of year speech. "Congratulations everyone, you are now Shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. We've tought you all we could, and you've all grown immensely." The brown haired man smiled. "This class is the best we've had in years, and I'm sure that you'll all make fine Shinobi and Kunoichi. I couldn't be more proud of all of you."

Naruto barely withheld his derisive snort. Iruka was lying through his teeth, and he knew it. Exactly how could anyone become "a fine Shinobi/Kunoichi" when all they had been taught thus far was a bunch of useless trivia and the most basic of all techniques? Out of all the students in this class, maybe 6 or 7 would ever make something out of themselves. And with the exception of Naruto, they were all from prominent Konoha clans, from which they would receive all the additional training that they needed.

Iruka continued his well rehearsed end-of-the-year speech. "But, don't think things will be easy now that you've graduated. Your life will become much more difficult now that you will be participating in missions and training under a Jōunin. Speaking of which, I will now be announcing the teams and who their senseis will be. Team 1 is…"

Naruto listened without really paying attention to Iruka. He already knew that since he was labeled as the dead last of this class, he would be put on the same team as the Rookie of the Year, which was Uchiha Sasuke. He also knew that there would be one Genin that was labeled as average to balance the team out, but Naruto couldn't be sure who that was.

"Team 7 is Uchiha Sasuke," Naruto opened his eyes here and scowled, knowing that this would be his team. "Haruno Sakura," Naruto's existing scowl instantly soured to reveal a look that could curdle milk in an instant when Sakura squealed and carried on as though she'd won some ten million ryo in a sweepstakes, cutting off Iruka. This obnoxious and hormonal little girl was a complete disgrace to the Shinobi name, and thus an embarrassment to everything that the blonde took pride in. He cared nothing about being a Konoha-nin in particular, but the Shinobi ideal on the whole was something that he had a devout respect towards. Sasuke appeared most displeased with the arrangement as well. Worse, Naruto would have to deal with both him and her, most certainly not a welcome occurrence, seeing as he would so... hate to be made to garrote his new teammates. "-and Uzumaki Naruto, and your Jōunin-sensei will be Hatake Kakashi." Sakura stopped jumping and was now moaning at having such an annoying person for a teammate. It took her a few moments to realize that said annoyance had not reacted to his placement at all. Even though she and the other students who were paying attention to the blonde, expected him to be bouncing off the walls for being on the same team as his crush, he seemed to still be half asleep.

Though he was outwardly calm and quiet, Naruto's mind was rapidly calculating what he could expect from his teammates. Sasuke was incredibly skilled among their classmates. He was strong, fast, and had a decent amount of chakra. He was skilled with weapons, traps, and stealth. And, his Ninjutsu and Taijutsu forms were top notch. But, his desire to get stronger was past the point of obsessive and bordered on psychotic. If something stood between him and his goal, he would just push right on past it and ignore anything not related to that particular goal. That could get him killed because the chaotic nature of high level missions made it so that it was impossible to know what is or isn't important.

Sakura, on the other hand, was not fast, was one of the physically weakest students, and had an unusually low amount of chakra. Her skills at traps and weapons were average, and she was mediocre at stealth. Her Ninjutsu abilities, (while limited) were flawless, and her Taijutsu was sub-par, on account of her strength, or rather, her lack of. Sakura's only notable talent laid in her ability to retain knowledge. Just about everything she read, she remembered. The issue with that is that book smarts by themselves are useless if you can't effectively apply them in the real world. Another of her problems was her ridiculous naivety and complete lack of imagination. She was far too trusting, and took situations in at face value. And despite her intelligence, she had trouble thinking of new ways to use what she knew in an unexpected situation. Thus, any real talent that Sakura might have was deeply overshadowed by her 'fangirl syndrome'. In short, she was completely useless.

Naruto could tell those two had potential. The real problem lay in getting them to overcome their own personal faults and failings. With the right training, Sasuke would probably become a Ninjutsu/Taijutsu specialist, given his eventual Sharingan, and Sakura, once broken out of her pathetic fangirl tendencies, would, in Naruto's opinion, likely specialize in Genjutsu/Iryōjutsu, given her precise chakra control.

Then there was their sensei. Hatake Kakashi is considered a genius who obtained the rank of Jōunin at the age of 13. Since then he has become known as Kakashi the Copy-nin, and is considered one of the strongest Shinobi in the village.

"Team 8 is Aburame Shino, Hyūga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and your Jōunin-sensei is Yūhi Kurenai."

The makeup of that team caught Naruto's attention. Clearly whoever set up the teams was trying to create a tacking unit, since there was a member of the Aburame clan who specialize in wide area combat. There was a Hyūga with the Byakugan that allowed them 360 degree vision, telescopic vision, the ability to see through solid matter, and the unique ability to see chakra and the chakra circulatory system in the human body. And an Inuzuka who imitate the abilities of the canines they worked with. And those three happened to be the heirs for their respective clans.

Team 9 didn't interest Naruto at all, but team 10 was slightly more noteworthy.

"Team 10 is Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Yamanaka Ino," Ino started moaning how unfair it was that Forehead got Sasuke when she was stuck with a lazy bum and a fat ass, "and your Jōunin-sensei is Sarutobi Asuma." It was an obvious attempt at recreating the famed Ino-Shika-Cho trio. "Now that that's done," Iruka continued, "All of my duties as your teacher are over. Your senseis should pick you up within the next hour. Goodbye and good luck." With that Iruka left.

Over the next hour, various Jōunin came and picked up their Genin students, until eventually only team 7 was left.

After two hours of waiting, tensions were beginning to become high in one pink-haired Genin. One raven-haired Genin was still brooding. And our favorite blonde was still unreadable.

Over an hour passed since the other Jōunin sensei came and picked up their future students. Although he didn't show it, Naruto was already pretty pissed off at being lumped in the same cell as Sasuke and Sakura. At least with Sasuke, he had prepared himself a long time ago to work with him, but Sakura was absolutely worthless. The only person who was at all happy to be on Team Seven was Sakura, since it was her dream to end up together with Sasuke. Sasuke was clearly unhappy for being saddled with what he thought were two burdens, when ironically, both him and Sakura were the real burdens on Team 7.

'This is enough.' Naruto thought. He got up and started to walk out of the room.

"What are you doing Naruto-baka?!" Sakura yelled.

"I'm leaving; it's obvious our sensei isn't going to show up." Naruto said.

"You can't just go!" She screeched.

"Haruno, shut up." Naruto said coldly, and he then left through the door. Sasuke and Sakura just stared in shock at his new attitude.

"S-sasuke-kun, what do we do?" Sakura asked her crush.

"Who cares what that dobe does? If he wants to leave, then let him." Sasuke said.

'Sasuke-kun is so cool.' Sakura thought and blushed.


(Time skip - two hours later)

"Arrgh! Just where is our sensei? He's over three hours late!" screeched a furious Sakura. 'He'd better get here soon or I'm going to kill him! Shannaro!' roared Sakura's more emotional inner self.

Sakura was visibly smoldering. Sasuke still looked cool (At least to Sakura). They perked up as the door to their classroom slid open, and a man entered. They weren't impressed by his appearance.

He stood slouched over, and had gravity defying silver hair. But the rest of him was covered by clothes. He wore black gloves with cut off fingers, a standard Jōunin vest over a long sleeved navy shirt, matching blue Shinobi pants, and standard Shinobi sandals. His face was mostly covered by a black mask, and his left eye was hidden behind an unusually wide hitat-ate that was slanted, supposedly for that purpose. He has an aloof aura to him, and he looked weird, especially with that small orange book in his left hand.

"You're late!" Sakura screeched, causing both Sasuke and the tardy Jōunin to wince at the loudness of her shrill shriek.

Ignoring her, he nodded. "You're Team Seven? You three meet me on the roof in five minutes." Jōunin said.

"Wait three... but Naruto-baka isn't here." Sakura said.

"So… just who is that there?" Jōunin asked, and pointed behind them.

Sasuke and Sakura looked back behind them. Both of them saw, to their shock, Naruto. He was sitting on an empty bench, and was silently and methodically eating a bowl of Ramen, which he had procured from somewhere or another.

'H-how...' Sakura thought.

'I didn't feel his presence at all.' Sasuke thought, shocked.

Ignoring their surprised faces, Jōunin said, "Ok you three, I want you all to meet me at the roof in five minutes." he used the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) to disappear in a swirl of leaves, leaving Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura alone. After five seconds, Sakura gave words to all three's thoughts. "That's our sensei?" She asked, somewhat unbelieving at how rude the man was.


The three Genin soon found them seated under the trees kept on the academy roof staring at their new sensei, who was leaning against the rail.

"Well, now," drawled their sensei in a lazy voice, "how about we start with some introductions?"

"What do you mean sensei?" Sakura asked him.

'Is she stupid?' Naruto mentally cursed her.

"Just some basic information, you know; your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams for the future, that sort of thing." Jōunin explained.

"Why don't you go first sensei?" suggested Sakura. "We don't know anything about you."

"All right then. I'm Hatake Kakashi. I like a lot of things. There are few things I dislike. My hobbies... you're too young to know. My dreams for the future… well, I never really thought about them." He said, causing the three Genin to sweatdrop. "Now it's your turn. You start, pinky." He said, pointing at the resident Kunoichi.

Sakura glared a bit at her new sensei for the nickname. "I'm Haruno Sakura." she said. "I like...well, the person I like is..." She glanced her eyes at Sasuke with a little bit of blushing visible on her face. "Any my hobby is..." She glanced her eyes to Sasuke again, now giggling. "Well, my dream is to...Kyaa!" She squealed with excitement at the idea of what could one day happen between them in the future. Naruto could have sworn that his ears were bleeding. Kakashi sweat dropped. "And what do you hate?" Her expression changed into a hateful one, "Naruto-baka and Ino-buta!" before returning her now lovesick eyes back to Sasuke. Naruto didn't care at all about that; the feeling was completely mutual.

'Hn...' Sasuke thought.

'Fangirl...' Kakashi cursed himself.

'This pathetic girl will die early...Useless girl.' Naruto thought.

"Ok..." Kakashi said and looked at Naruto, "You're next Blondie."

Naruto affixed Kakashi with a stern gaze at the nickname, before beginning. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My likes include the Ichiraku family, learning new techniques, and snakes. My dislikes include fools, worthless trash Shinobi, and hypocritical bigots who hate other people for things beyond their control. My hobbies are reading, training, and gardening. My dream is to become the strongest Shinobi in the world, so that I can have the respect that I rightfully deserve." He finished with conviction.

'Well, that was unexpected. The kid's file said that he was loud, inattentive, unintelligent, and a complete goof off. Something's not right here…' Kakashi thought to himself. He could understand the hidden meaning of the boy's dislike of the villagers through his words, but the rest of him was a mystery to the man.

"Well then, now the brooding one." said Kakashi, indicating Sasuke.

Completely ignoring the jab, Sasuke dramatically introduced himself. "My name… is Uchiha Sasuke. I hate a lot of things, and there are few things that I do like. My hobby is to train. And it seems pointless to talk about 'dreams' - that's just a word. What I have instead is ambition; the resurrection of my clan, and the desire to kill a particular person."

Naruto and Kakashi both knew who the Uchiha was talking about, and both knew that Itachi was way out of Sasuke's league, and probably would be many years to come. Sakura just thought how hot her crush sounded. Naruto, however, had no delusions. He wasn't the least bit envious of Sasuke, but neither did he reserve any sympathy or respect to waste on the crybaby wastrel. Sasuke would one day foolishly challenge his invincible missing-nin older brother, and would be crushed in a grand and humiliating manner. Thus would be the end of the Uchiha clan, and good riddance.

'So, looks like I'm stuck with a banshee fangirl, a fledgling avenger, and a wildcard.' thought the masked sensei.

"Well, now that the introductions are done I want you three to go home and get some rest. We'll start our first mission tomorrow morning."

"What kind of mission?" excitedly asked Sakura.

Kakashi eye smiled as he simply said. "Survival training."

"What?! Why is our first mission training? We did lots of that while we were in the academy." whined Sakura.

"Haruno," said Naruto, "Don't tell me you didn't expect to be done with such training? Now that we're Genin and have a Jōunin for a sensei, we should obviously expect much more difficult forms of what the Chūnin put us through at the academy." Naruto stated this slowly and punctually, as if he was talking to a 4 year old child.

Ignoring the fuming Sakura, Kakashi nodded at the blonde's words. "He's right Sakura. This will be much more difficult than anything you went through at the academy, because you will have to survive against me. But even then it's not normal training."

Here Sasuke's attention perked up, since there was the chance for difficult training. "Just what makes it special sensei?"

Chuckling, Kakashi said. "Well you may not like this, but this training will be a test. Out of all of your classmates, 66 percent will fail and return to the academy."

"WHAT?!" Shouted Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto, on the other hand, held a knowing look that caught Kakashi's attention.

"I take it that you somehow already knew about this Naruto?"

Giving Kakashi an amused look, Naruto said. "Yes. I observed the academy's remedial classes from time to time. I immediately noticed that shortly after a class graduated, a majority of the students would return, take another year of school, and then take the test again. It wasn't hard to figure out that the test given in the academy merely measures if we have the skill needed to be Genin. Afterwards, we are tested on something else; something that not everyone has."

The three around him blinked in surprise at the insightfulness from the supposed class dobe. Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle. "Right again, Naruto. You're much more observant then your file indicates. Anyway I want you three to meet me at training ground 7 at 6 A.M. sharp. Bring any Shinobi tool you want. Oh, and don't eat breakfast, otherwise you'll just throw up." With that Kakashi left via Shunshin.

Sakura was feeling dread at the thought of a test with a failure rate of 66 percent. Then a thought occurred to her on how to figure out the test: get Naruto to tell her the answer. "Hey Naruto-baka, tell me how…" She trailed off has she saw the blonde who usually asked her for a date at every opportunity had already left without either of his teammates noticing. "Since when could he…oh well. Hey Sasuke-kun! Do you want to go somewhere to get to know each other better?" She asked the lone Uchiha, who was already leaving to prepare for the next day.


When Naruto left the academy, he made a straight beeline for one of his hidden training areas on the outskirts of Konoha, after casting a discreet concealment jutsu to shield him from any spying eyes. This particular field was different for it was in an already established training ground: Training ground 44, aka the Forest of Death. The forest was usually deserted aside from whoever was assigned to keep watch over the tower in the center. And, it was so large, even if someone happened to be wandering around the forest, the chances that they would find something they were not looking for was nearly impossible.

Coming to a stop in an area where the branches formed a particularly dense canopy, Naruto looked towards a tree branch off to his left, sighing in disappointment. "Honestly Kabuto. Do you even try to hide from me anymore?"

Removing the cloak that hid him, Kabuto grinned as he said. "Whoever said I was hiding, and wasn't just a distraction?"

As Kabuto said this Kimimaro burst from his hiding spot on Naruto's right and rushed the blonde, bone knife in hand. In a single second, the bone user had his weapon pointed into the small of Naruto's back. A perfect position to slash the blonde's spine, if not for the kunai pressed into his stomach. "It's good to see that even with your recent success, you keep your guard up Naruto-sama."

"Thanks for the compliment Kimimaro. But you and I both know that when you're serious, you keep all your vital organs covered in a membrane of bone. And how many times do I have to ask you not to call me 'sama'?" Naruto asked in a bit of mock annoyance. He knew that no matter how many times Kimimaro was asked to stop, he would still give Naruto the honorific.

"As Orochimaru-sama's foremost apprentice, it is only appropriate that I call you by that title." said Kimimaro calmly. "But now is not the time for such discussion. I am here to instruct you how to use your new seal. Kabuto is to make sure that you do not do anything detrimental to your health."

"Not there is much you could do to it." Said Kabuto has he joined them on the forest floor. "After all, if it wasn't for you healing ability, Naruto-kun, I would have never found a cure for Kimimaro-kun's tuberculosis."

"As if I would ever let one of my friends die if I have a way to help them. But I need to hurry now. I do have a rather important test tomorrow."

"Ah yes." said Kabuto while readjusting his glasses. "The true Genin Exam. I'd like to help you, but unfortunately, each Jōunin comes up with a unique test. Not that I have any doubt that you won't pass. Kimimaro-kun, why don't you start with a bit of an explanation about the Curse Seal, and then a demonstration?" He suggested.

"Very well." Turning to Naruto, Kimimaro adjusted his tunic to reveal the Earth Seal on his chest. "This, Naruto-sama, is the Chi no Juin; twin to the Ten no Juin you posses. Among the various seals Orochimaru-sama created, these two release the greatest amount of power, and have a standard initial survival rate of only 10 percent. Other seals have a much greater chance of survival, but will not produce anywhere near the same amount of power. When activated, the seal will spread over your body in tattoo-like markings. The more of your body it covers, the more power the seal releases." Here, Kimimaro demonstrated by activating his Earth Seal. In no time at all, his body was covered in an intricate series of connected black crescents. "Allow me to show you its power." He said as he got into the stance for his first dance.

Naruto countered with the Goken stance. Soon the two boys charged at each other. Naruto tried to use his speed to deliver a punch straight to Kimimaro's face, but the bone user ducked and landed his own punch to Naruto's ribs. Backing off, the blonde tried a kick-punch combo, but both were caught and he was head butted in the gut. Kimimaro then went on the offensive lashing out with a punch, kick, punch, punch, kick, followed by a quick arm thrust. Naruto transitioned to Hebiken, and started to use his fast reflexes and flexibility to smoothly dodge Kimimaro's vicious attacks, while using his arms and hands to push several attacks to the side. Over the course of five minutes, Naruto tried three more styles, but no matter what he did, Kimimaro was a step ahead in speed and strength. Eventually, Kimimaro ended the spar with Naruto pinned against a tree, with a bone blade to his throat.

"You know Naruto-sama, I never said that you were limited to Taijutsu." said Kimimaro as he deactivated his seal while stepping away from the blonde.

Grinning slightly, Naruto replied. "I understand that, but just how am I supposed to know how physically strong the seal makes you if I don't face you directly? Besides, you know I always keep a trump card ready just in case." said the Kage Bunshin, as it dispelled while the real Naruto stepped out from behind a tree. "After that spar, I realized that if you had used that seal in our other fights, you would have always won."

Kimimaro snorted. "Those spars were only meant to increase our skill levels. Using the seal would have been pointless, as I would have overpowered you from the beginning, thus making the spars useless. What the level 1 seal does is enhance what you can already do. And that power comes at the price of exhausting the wielder after prolonged use."

"You said level 1," noticed Naruto. "Does that mean there is another level?"

Kimimaro nodded. "Correct, there is indeed a second level." Kimimaro activated his seal again and went straight to level two. His skin became brown/grey in color with dark markings around his eyes. His hair grew longer, and turned a grayish color. His eyes also changed color; the sclera became black and the iris a golden honey color. From his back sprouted several large bone spikes that could be used to impale a person. Finally, his spine lengthened and he grew a reptilian tail. All in all, he looked like some dinosaur crossbreed between a stegosaurus and velociraptor. Kimimaro only stayed in that form for a few moments before deactivating the seal. Once he was back to normal he gave Naruto a warning. "In level 2, your abilities will be enhanced further and occasionally a unique ability will manifest, but prolonged use can be dangerous. It forces the body to work overtime, consuming larger amounts of energy, which can eventually lead to the body's cellular breakdown. Using level 2 is safe for a few minutes, but that is usually the limit. Although, like anything else, with proper training, the time limit can be extended."

The sound of clapping caught the boys' attention and they turned to Kabuto. "It's always impressive to see your level 2 form Kimimaro-kun, and you're right to caution Naruto-kun so. But time grows short, and he does need to learn how to activate level 1."

"Very well." replied Kimimaro. "Naruto-sama, I want you to start meditating. Only instead of clearing your mind, fill it with the intent to find the seal. Once you feel it, grab it and draw it forth."

Naruto closed his eyes in concentration and began seeking. It didn't take long at all before he felt something call to him. Mentally reaching out and grasping it, he noted how very much it was like a snake: strong, smooth, and in its own way, incredibly seductive and beautiful. But underneath it all, he felt the steady danger of a predator seeking prey. Pulling it towards him, Naruto could feel a surge of energy strengthening his muscles, bones, thoughts, and chakra. Upon his skin, black flame-like markings slowly spread out from his neck, first covering the left half of his body, and then covering him entirely. When Naruto felt that he could pull out no more, he stopped and held it there. Opening his eyes, Naruto looked down to examine himself. Naruto raised his head and with a smirk began going through his Goken katas. He could feel how each movement was faster, smoother, and held much more force than normal. His speed, power, and ability to leap had exponentially increased. Naruto spun and landed a backhanded punch to a nearby tree that pulverized the bark, and more than a fair portion of the wood underneath was reduced to pulp. As he stopped moving, he began to feel a little tired and released his hold on the seal. Once the seal was fully retracted, Naruto was forced to stop his movements, as even using the seal that little had tired him significantly.

"Hmmm…Not bad for a first timer." complimented Kabuto.

"He will need quite a bit of training before his body is used to the changes, but so far he is doing much better than most." Kimimaro agreed.

Regaining his breath, Naruto asked, "When will it be possible for me to access level 2?"

Chuckling, Kabuto answered. "While you may eventually be able to awaken level 2 on your own, it normally takes some specially created pills that will release an enzyme in your body. That will act as the catalyst needed to summon level 2. But I won't give you any of those pills until I feel you are skilled at using level 1."

"If that's the case, than I should head home to rest for that test tomorrow." Naruto said as he walked off, leaving his two companions behind. Just before he left the edge of the clearing Naruto turned back and asked. "May I ask else has one of these Curse Seals?"

Kimimaro's lips twitched into a smile. "Tayuya, Jiroubou, Kidoumaru, Sakon, and Ukon."

"Ah." replied Naruto in recognition, having met each at one point or another in his training. His thoughts briefly lingered on a certain foul mouthed red head has he departed from the forest.


Next chapter will be the bell test and the beginning of the Wave Arc.

I hope you liked the little teaser of the possible pairing at the end. Personally, I really want to do a pairing with Kin, Tayuya, femHaku, or maybe even Karin.

These are all out of 5. I know that they aren't similar to the data book, so these will all be adjusted accordingly. These will all be their base forms, so whatever power ups Naruto gets later on, like the Kyuubi mode, you have to adjust in your head. These stats don't include things such as Naruto's Kyuubi modes, or the Curse Mark. Again, keep in mind that Naruto has been trained by Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and Kabuto for several years, so he is MUCH stronger than he is canon, although he is NOT all powerful, though he may seem like it for a while.

Naruto:

Ninjutsu: 4 Taijutsu: 4.5 Genjutsu: 3 Intelligence: 4 Strength: 3.5 Speed: 4 Stamina: 4 Hand Signs: 4

Total: 31/40

Please Read and Review. Seriously, I love suggestions.