"A test to become a Chunin?" Naruto asked in curiosity.

"Yeah," Mizuki said nodding, "it's a test that's only given to a single person every graduation and you're the one that was chosen."

"Is Iruka going to help with this test?"

"No, only I and the Hokage know about it," Mizuki said. "Now, do you want to take the test?"

Naruto thought it over in his head and then nodded, "Sure, what do I have to do?"

"Great! This test is actually pretty hard but I have confidence that you can do it. So here's what you have to do, in the Hokage's office there is a scroll, a large scroll. It's called, the Forbidden Scroll, but the name hides what it actually is. It's actually a scroll that holds many jutsu and a test taker must learn one of in only a few hours. You show stealth by getting in and getting the scroll, don't worry about being punished by the guards they know about the test, and you show that you have an understanding of high level jutsu by learning one."

"Sounds good to me, anything eles I need to know?"

Mizuki explained where, specifically, the scroll was, what time to meet him, and where. After all that was done he left with a simple, "Good luck."

Naruto watched the spot that Mizuki was standing in before thinking, Does he really thing I'm that big of an idiot. Maybe I took it a little to far while acting like a fool. Naruto shrugged and went back to what he was doing before Mizuki had pulled him aside. He walked down the street read the names of the shops as he passed them. Most kicked him out, some let him in but overcharged him for faulty products, but there were some that would let him buy things at a fair price, that some being one.

He walked into the Flying Dragon, a Shinobi weapon store. He didn't waist time looking at the many different weapons that were on the wall as he walked up to the counter. He knew that he was unnaturally quiet when he walked and ran, it came from years of getting away from mobs, but he didn't think he could get all the way to the desk with out the girl sitting behind it noticing. The girl's name was Tenten, she had introduced herself to him the last time he was here, and she had on a pink sleeveless blouse and dark green pants, her hair was kept in two separate buns that were kept on opposite sides of her head, and her hitae-ate was on her forehead. She had apparently graduated last year from what she told him. She was behind the counter because her family owned the store and, for some reason, the parents were alright with him shopping here.

"How are you today, Tenten?" Naruto asked.

Tenten jumped into the air and landed clenching her heart while breathing erratically. She glared at him and said, "Don't do that!"

"I'm not allowed to ask how you're doing?"

"You know what I mean! Kami, I'm fine and I guess that you're here for your order?"

"Yes, I was told it would be done today."

Tenten nodded and pulled out a box that was under the counter. She opened it and inside was a pair of fingerless gloves. They looked exactly like the gloves he had on right now, the only difference being that on the back of the gloves there was a metal square put in that had the leaf symbol on it. Tenten picked one up and said, "Otou-san did exactly as you asked. He specially forged these two metal plates to be thinner but just as strong as a fitted them into the leather so that there are no metal edges popping out of the leather and mom managed to make the gloves to match perfectly to the ones you have now.

Naruto looked at the one she was holding and asked, "May I look at them?"

Tenten handed the one she was holding over while saying, "You may have a reputation for being rude but from what I've seen you the most polite guy I've ever met."

"I've pretended to be someone I'm not for a very long time so all rumors you hear about me are undoubtedly false. I'm polite because I hope that others will be polite back and it makes things go fast in some areas," Naruto said as he checked over the craftsmanship of the glove. It was truly well made and, if the other was like it, well worth the price.

"Ohhh, so you want this to go faster? What, do you want to get away from me?" Tenten asked with a sly smirk.

Naruto put the agreed amount on the counter and picked up the other glove. He smiled at her and said, "Who would want to get away from a beauty like you?" He turned and walked away from the counter but he didn't miss the gob smacked face that Tenten had on. Before he exited the store he turned his head back and said, "Thank your father and mother for me, they put hard work into these and I appreciate it." He looked back just long enough to see her nodded, her mouth still opened, and he exited the store.

He went home, taking the occasional wrong turn just in case, and, when he was sure no one was following him, he entered his home. He smiled at the seal at it flaired and then the door opened. He had figured out during he study of seals how to add Akara's chakra to the seal on the door so that she could enter when she came home. He switched his old gloves with the new ones and gripped his hands a few times, stiff but they would loosen with wear. He walked over to the fridge and opened it while saying, "We're having Venison Stew tonight."

Akara, who was sitting at the counter with a scroll unraveled in front of her, said, "You should make that more often, Otou-san."

Naruto knew that the stew was her favorite dish that he made and he agreed with her, he should make it more often. Maybe he would invite Jiji and Kakashi over when he made it again. "The venison is still fresh from this morning. Akara, can you please cut some up and not as much as you did last time."

He smiled when he saw her blush slightly before going to get the venison that was in smoke room. He had been planning on making it into jerky but he could always get more. With Akara's help, he managed to get the stew done and finished eating in a hour and a halfs time.

"I'm going to be out tonight, Akara, so you can sleep in tomorrow. Anyways I think you need a days break form the morning workout," Naruto said as he cleaned the dishes.

Akara grabbed another dish and as she dried it she asked, "Why are you going to be out?"

"Mizuki, the academy taijutsu instructor, said that I can take a test to become a Chunin tonight."

"But, there is no such test."

"I know and that's why I'm going to be out tonight. I have to inform Jiji and then see what I can do to help catch Mizuki in the act. My word alone isn't enough, as it shouldn't, and Jiji will need some real physical evidence before he can do anything."

A moment of silence passed before Akara whispered, "Be careful, Otou-san."

Naruto looked softly at her and put an arm around her. He pulled her close and said, "I will, I promise I will."

-The Choice-

"So, Mizuki told you that?" Hiruzen said in contemplation. Naruto had just told him about Mizuki and now he waited for the Third's orders. Sarutobi stood up from his chair and walked over to the scroll cabinet. He opened it and pulled out a large scroll. Handing it to Naruto, he said, "It's risky but I want you to take the real Forbidden Scroll with you."

"But-"

"No buts Naruto. Anyway, there's something in there that you might find interesting and I want you to have it."

"Define: interesting."

"Something that is from the possession of V.T." Hiruzen smiled when he saw Naruto's eyes widen slightly.

"How long will I have? You and I both know that Mizuki will think something is suspicious if an emergency isn't called," Naruto said and he carefully took the scroll.

"That's why I'm going to give you about three hours before I call for Jonin to search for you."

"Support?" Naruto asked as he strapped the scroll to his back.

Sarutobi nodded and took a pull form his pipe. "Inu will be your support." A dog mask wearing ANBU appeared in the room.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked, "I thought you quit?"

"One of the ANBU bodyguards is sick and the Third here asked me to take his place until he's better. Should be done after this," Inu said.

Naruto nodded and turned his eyes back to the Hokage. His eyes, prenaturally wise from experiences, and Hiruzen's, wise form age, met and for a brief moment time stopped. It was moments like these that sent a stab of guilt into Hiruzen's heart because it was partly his fault that Naruto suffered so but at the same time a thrill that he had never felt before came over him. The thrill was because of the understanding that it was these moments that he fully understood that he had been forgiven, for everything and anything that he had done to cause the boy, no man, pain.

Naruto nodded, turned, and left without another word. Inu soon disappeared leaving the old Hokage alone. Hiruzen stood up form his chair and looked out the large window. He looked over the village and thought about the future that might happen. If Naruto was ever accepted by the people, he would make a fine Hokage.

-The Choice-

Naruto unrolled the scroll and searched it for the thing that the Third was talking about. It only took him three minutes before he found it. It was a simple storage seal with writing under it saying, V.T.

Naruto placed his hand on the seal and pulsed his chakra. A poof of smoke and in his hand was a small scroll. He unrolled it and read the short note:

Sealed into the seal below is a scroll of my own creation. I've never named it and still refuse to do so. I leave it to you, finder of this scroll. The sealed scroll has some complex sealing on it that allows anyone to create any field and make it appear above the scroll. You will understand this by applying chakra to the middle of the paper and seeing the results. This scroll also has the capability of sending one to four people into an illusion that will simulate any real life encounter you might go up against. Be warned, while you can't die you can feel pain and some of the higher settings have Shinobi that are a little...twisted.

Good luck to you finder-

V.T.

Naruto finished reading and looked below the writing to see a storage seal. He applyed chakra to this and was amazed to find a four foot long scroll in his hand. He set it down on the ground and unrolled it gently. When it was fully unrolled, he looked at it and about chocked. On the scroll, that was four feet by four feet, was the most complex sealing that he had ever seen, beside the seal on his abdomen. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the sealing that took place on the scroll and decided to try what the scroll had said, put some chakra into the middle of it. When he did he moved back from the paper and watched as particles of light began to rise from it. There were hundreds, no, thousands of them and he watched as each began to turn a different color. Soon enough the particles stopped moving and he was looking at a section of forest. The detail made it look like some one had actually cut out a chunk of forest and then shrunk it to the size of a four foot square. He was even more startled when he heard a male voice speak from the scroll, "Well, I guess you activated the scroll. My name isn't important so just call me VT. This isn't actually me but a recording, of sorts, of my mind. Now before you start asking me random questions, like who I am and where I'm from, I'll have to tell you that I can't. I can only help you with question that are regarding this scroll. When you're ready, you can begin by telling me your name and describing the area that you're in."

Naruto started at the scroll for a second and finally said, "Naruto..." He didn't pay attention to the time as it passed because he was so absorbed in explaining the terrain that he was in. When he had gotten done with that VT had given him a scenario that he had to strategies out. That had made Naruto smile for one big reason, it was way more helpful then Shogi was when is came to training stratigization. He had done well for a few minutes but then VT had taken control of the enemy Shinobi and then things went down hill fast. The battles were truly amazing because you could see everything. The individually thrown kunai, the hand seals that were used, and even the jutsu as lightning and fire roared across the battlefield.

Naruto sighed when he check the time and found that he only had ten minutes before Mizuki showed up. After having VT explain how to shut down the illusion, Naruto sealed the scroll away and put it into his kunai pouch for safe keeping. He had just set the Forbidden Scroll against the small cabin that was in the clearing before he heard someone come running toward the clearing. Some how he wasn't surprised when Iruka came out of the forest, he was the one that always found his clones after they had done a prank.

"Naruto, do you have any idea what you've done?" he yelled.

"What are you talking about, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked in fake confusion.

"You stole the Forbidden Scroll Naruto, what do you think I'm talking about?"

"Iruka-sensei, you're not making any scenes, I didn't steal anything."

"Then what's that over their," Iruka pointed toward the scroll that Naruto had leaned against the cabin.

"The Forbidden Scroll."

"That proves you stole the Forbidden Scroll!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and said, "Iruka-sensei, I didn't steal it. I'm taking a test from Mizuki-sensei to become Chunin."

"To become Chunin? Wait, did you say that Mizuki had you do this?"

"Yeah, who else would have given me the test?"

"That means... Naruto you have to get out of here!"

At that moment Mizuki appeared in the trees and yelled, "Naruto, keep the scroll away for Iruka, he wants to steal it from Konoha and take it to our enemies."

Naruto looked between the two before saying, "Why should I trust you, Mizuki?"

"What?" Mizuki said roughly.

"Iruka has always worried about me and even bought me ramen from time to time. All you ever did was glare at me. I think you're the one that wants to steal the scroll."

Mizuki let out a bark of laughter, "You think Iruka likes you? You, the on that killed his family."

"I haven't killed anyone!"

"Oh yeah, let me tell you something, something that there's a law stopping us, the older generation, form telling you."

"Mizuki, don't!" Iruka yelled.

Naruto looked confused and interested at the same time and said, "What law, tell me."

"The law that was made be the Third Hokage, that prevented anyone from telling the younger generation, exspecially you, that you-"

"Mizuki!" Iruka bellowed but to no avail.

"-have the Kyuubi, the Nine Tailed Fox , that almost destroyed Konoha and killed hundreds, sealed inside you. You are the Kyuubi!"

Naruto looked up at him with confusion and fear said, "That's-that's not true!" He watched as Mizuki threw a wave of kunai at him and before he could jump out of the way he was tackled to the ground. He looked and saw that is was Iruka who tackled him ad that he now had some kunai protruding form his body.

"Don't listen to Mizuki, Naruto. It's true that when I first met you I hated you like the rest of the villagers but that changed when I saw how starved you were and realized that no demon would let themselves starve. Please Naruto, even if you still think I hate you, take the Forbidden Scroll to the Hokage, he'll protect you."

Naruto smiled softly and said, "Like I said Iruka-sensei, you worried about me. Anyway, who do you think gave me the Forbidden Scroll?"

"Naruto, what do you mean?" Iruka asked heavily.

Naruto got up form under Iruka, grabbing his arm on the way up, and helpped iruka to his feet. "What I mean is this," He said as he turned his eyes form Iruka to Mizuki. "Mizuki, before you kill Iruka and I, mind telling me who you were going to bring the Forbidden Scroll to?"

Mizuki snickered, "Why not, you're about to die anyway. I'm going to bring it to Orochimaru, in exchange he'll give me the power to crush everyone from this pathetic village!"

"Then I have nothing more to say to you, traitor. Inu, he's said enough, take him," Naruto said and sure enough Inu appeared behind Mizuki and with a quick strike to the neck, knocking him out cold.

Iruka looked form Naruto to the ANBU, then to Naruto, then the ANBU, then back to Naruto and said, "You told the Hokage. You knew it was a trick."

"There has never, in the history of Konoha, been a test that a Genin can take and become a Chunin right after graduation. I listenedto your lectures more then you think, Iruka-sensei."

Inu jumped down from the tree and asked, "Naruto, does he need to go to the hospital?"

"No, the flak took most of the kunai. Iruka-sensei, how many actually got into you and which ones are they?" Iruka told Naruto and soon, and to the relief of Naruto and Inu, it was shown that only three actually got past the jacket and of those three that deepest only went a small ways in. Naruto tested the kunai for poisons but found none.

"Thank Kami," Iruka proclaimed. "Inu, you're going to take Mizuki to be interrogated right?"

"Yes."

"Then Naruto, did you want to go get something to eat? As a thanks for saving me."

Naruto looked at him for a second and said, "How do you feel about having reheated Venison Stew and meeting he most important person in my life sound?"

Iruka gave him a look but nodded his head anyway. They started tree jumping toward Konoha when Iruka said, "About the Kyuubi-"

"I've known about since I was young, Iruka-sensei."

"What? How?"

Naruto turned his eyes to Iruka and Iruka was startled by how old they looked. Naruto said, "I'm not an idiot, so when the villagers beat me on a daily bases calling me, 'Demon,' and, 'Kyuubi,' I didn't have a choice but figure it out.

Iruka nodded but kept his eyes downcast at the mention of the beatings.

-The Choice-

Iruka was in shock. He had no idea that Naruto lived in a secret hideout of sorts. "Naruto, have you told anyone about this?"

Naruto nodded as he continued down the stairs, "Jiji and Inu are the only ones that know about it and now you do too."

Iruka felt honored that Naruto thought so highly of him, when he quiet obviously didn't know the hyperactive, no, that was a lie he lived. He gave Naruto a questioning look and thought, Can I really say I know him? Naruto lead him into a room that was obviously split between a kitchen and a living room.

"Otou-san!"

Iruka looked over just in time to see a white haired girl come running from the living room area and slam into Naruto, wrapping her arms around him. He looked at Naruto's face and saw love in his eyes and a smile that showed real happiness, not the fake stuff the grin gave.

"Naruto, who is the girl and why did she call you Otou-san?" Iruka asked in confusion.

Naruto turned toward Iruka and said, "Iruka-sensei, this is Akara, my daughter."