"What about her?" Tenten, who had just returned from her team's training session, and Naruto, who was waiting for the graduation exam, were sitting on the Academy swing set, watching his other classmates gather around the entrance.
"No."
"Aw, c'mon. Why not, she's got a great figure."
"Tenten, I am looking for competent generals to lead my army. I do not want you turning after every pretty pair of legs."
"Oh is that what we're doing?" Tenten raised an eyebrow, grinning at her best friend. "I thought we were finding you a girlfriend."
"Tenten…" He sighed. "I have already told you, I do not have any time for romance."
"You'd make time for her."
"I… Yeah, I think I would."
"Naruto, just talk to her."
"What good would that do? She hates me."
"She doesn't hate you." Naruto gave her a deadpan look. "Ok, maybe she does. But don't take it personally, she hates everybody."
"Hm… Can we please not talk about this? My mind is made up."
"Fine, be stubborn. Do you have anyone in mind?"
"A few candidates. Tell me about your male teammate."
"Rock Lee?" He nodded. "Really?"
"He has... potential."
"Well he's a total training nut with a worse fashion sense than yours." Naruto looked down at his wardrobe. He was currently dressed in black leather boots with deep red accents, black pants, a red long-sleeve shirt under a long black sleeveless kimono jacket with his father's symbol emblazoned in red stitching on the back and a red design on the front, which looked like (or at least he told her) what his father had on the front of his clothes.
"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed."
"It's been better since this whole business started, but you're kinds living up to the stereotype."
"…Moving on."
"Yes my Prince." She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "Lee's a decent enough guy, I suppose, though he might be a bit difficult to convince since he idolizes our Sensei, and his 'Springtime of Youth' nonsense."
"I see." Naruto hummed in thought, scratching his chin in thought. "Try getting close to him." She shot him a disgusted look. "Not like that, relax. Be his friend. If he's as strange as you describe him, I doubt he had many before. Report your findings by the weekend." She nodded, kissing his cheek and getting up. "And keep an eye on her, won't you? For me."
"For you. Baby."
"Go on, get going."
"Yes my Prince." Naruto chuckled, watching her saunter off, winking at some of the girls that she passed, before turning his attention back to his classmates.
"Now let's see what we can do with these, shall we." He got up, grinning as his eyes flashed gold.
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Since his last name was still officially 'Uzumaki', Naruto was among the last to be called. In fact, only Ino Yamanaka was left after him. That was something he could work with, but it'd have to wait. For now, he walked into the small room where the two examiners were seated; Iruka Umino (who for some reason liked him, a feeling Naruto didn't return) and Mizuki Touji (who hated him, a feeling Naruto returned in full).
"Ok Naruto, you've done very well with the written part of the exam." He noticed Mizuki's jaw tighten. So he was the one that put that, honestly rather weak, illusion on his paper. "Now all you have to do to pass is the Academy Three." They even had a title for them. How quaint.
"Very well. They are the Substitution." He poofed and changed places with Mizuki, causing him to fall flat on his ass, unprepared. "Transformation." He changed into his mother's form for a moment, ignoring the raised eyebrows that got him. "And Clone." Another Naruto poofed in existence right next to him. "Correct?"
"Yes, that will be enough. Congratulations, you pass."
"Thank you." Iruka handed him a headband with a black cloth, which he took without a word and put into his pocket.
"Good day, Iruka." He walked out the door and signaled Ino, who entered the room behind him. Grinning at the door, he sunk into the shadows.
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Ino skipped out the door happily. She had just gotten her purple headband, tied securely around her waist. She couldn't wait to show it to her daddy. He would be so proud of her. Not to mention the Uchiha heartthrob, Sasuke.
So focused was she that she didn't notice two shadows rising behind her until they turned into black ninja and grabbed her, dragging her to a nearby classroom. They pushed her in and closed the door behind her, barricading it with shadow magic.
"Hello Ino." She looked up at Naruto, who was seated cross-legged at the teacher's desk. "I see you've met the Shadowkhan."
"What were those things?" She would never, ever, admit it out loud, but Naruto's calm posture and surprisingly-yellow eyes intimidated the hell out of her. "What do you want?"
"Those were my minions. A gift from my father. And what I want? Well, I want you."
"Look Naruto, I'm flattered, and you're a pretty cute guy, but I just don't see you like that."
"What are you talking about?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "No, I don't want sex. I want a general."
"Huh?"
"As a gift from my father I received a… means to make all my dreams come true. And for those dreams I need nine trusted individuals who would serve me, and only me. I already have one, and I want you to be the second."
"Why should I?"
"Power?" He shrugged. "Money? Something else? I could probably get you anything you want."
"And the downside."
"What if there is none?"
"Oh you won't fool me; I've read all the fairytales. Power always comes with a price."
"This isn't a fairytale Ino." Naruto sweat dropped. "But you are right. There is a price. Two, in fact. First, you would swear loyalty to me for the rest of your life, so being a Konoha ninja would only be a formality. Secondly, you would have to give up Sasuke."
"What! What do you mean, give up Sasuke." She yelled at him.
"Really, that's the question you ask?" He sighed. "Typical. Look, Sasuke's not getting a chance at this, so even if you by some miracle end up with him all he would do is hold you back."
"He… hold me back?" She glanced to the side quickly, making Naruto grin.
"Yes. Under me you would be one of the most powerful beings alive. The little Uchiha wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against you."
"But why won't you give him the power? It's just because you don't like him, isn't it?"
"Of course it is. It's my power to give, why should I give it to someone who I can't stand." He got up, walking up to her. He had to give her credit; she only took one step back. "Look, I realize this is a tough decision, and while I have no qualms about forcing you into it, if you're going to be my general I want you to agree out of your free will." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Spend the day thinking it over, but don't mention this to anyone. When you're ready with your answer, come find me."
"And what if I refuse?"
"I pay you to keep your mouth shut and we go our separate ways."
"You promise?"
"On my honor." He walked out of the room, leaving Ino alone with her many swirling thoughts.
"Hello Naruto." Mizuki waited for him in front of the Academy, putting an arm over his shoulder as he exited. "I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Oh joy of joys." He shook the arm off, giving the man a bored glance. "What is it that you want?"
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"The only possible way this could've gone any better is if I planned it myself." Apparently Mizuki, in his infinite wisdom, thought Naruto was foolish enough to believe him about the extra credit assignment. Granted, he did steal the Forbidden Scroll, but it was for a very good case. Maybe it had something that could help him in the long term.
There was, however, another reason he agreed. He figured Ino would, after spending most of the day wandering around the village deep in thought, seek him out and follow him around for a bit, to at least try and figure him out. And if his hunch about Mizuki was right, what he would reveal that night would put him in a favorable light with the Yamanaka heiress, and the villagers in a very bad one.
"Naruto! What the hell are you doing!" Only, he didn't exactly count on Iruka.
"What am I doing? What are you doing? You're ruining my extra credit exam." Iruka jumped down from the tree branch, looking at his former student in shock.
"What extra credit? Who told you that?"
"Mizuki, of course."
"Mizuki… It can't be."
"But it is." The silver-haired man appeared on one of the nearby branches, throwing what looked like a novelty oversized shuriken at Iruka, hitting him in the padded Chūnin vest. Naruto spotted a flash of platinum hair in a bush to the left. Good, she was here. "I figured the demon could succeed with this, so I entrusted the breaking into the Hokage's office to him. Then I would kill him and be on my merry way to Orochimaru for my reward. Genius, if I do say so myself."
"Is there any particular reason you told us your entire plan?" Naruto stepped forward, distracting both Mizuki and Iruka while his Shadowkhan got into position.
"You'll both be dead in a second, demon, so it doesn't matter either way."
"That's the second time you called me that. Demon." He did his best impression of a troubled teenager. "Why? I'm not a demon, I'm a real boy."
"Ha! That's the funniest thing I ever heard. You? Human? Hahahah!" Mizuki's giggle was very disturbing. "Do you remember the stories about the Kyūbi's defeat by the Fourth Hokage all those years ago?" Naruto and Ino nodded. "Well, as it turns out, they were lies. All lies! The Hokage couldn't defeat the Kyūbi; he could only lock it into a weaker form. So he brought a little baby boy to the site, and transferred the Kyūbi, sealing it into the child. And the best part? That little baby was you. So you are the Kyūbi!" Mizuki continued to giggle, ignoring Naruto's developing sweat drop.
As for Ino, she couldn't believe her ears. The Kyūbi? That didn't make any sense. Sure, Naruto was kinda scary now, but he didn't look anything like a fox, especially when those (she refused to say cute) whiskers disappeared from his cheeks a few years ago.
Then she noticed something else Mizuki said. Sealed. That year at the Academy there was a mandatory Sealing class the Hokage managed to force through. They had learned only the basics, of course, but it was enough for Ino to understand. The scroll and the kunai. It was actually the first thing they explained to them, and Ino suspected that this was why.
But did her parents know? They must have. They did tell her to stay away from him for years. She was a teenager, so she didn't listen, of course, but it gave way to difficult questions. Questions she wasn't sure she wanted answered.
But for now she turned her attention back to the scene, noticing the same dark creatures that 'escorted' her to Naruto appear behind Iruka and strike him, knocking him out in one blow.
"And now that he's out of the way." Naruto turned to Mizuki, NinjaKhan appearing around him. "I have just one thing to tell you."
"And what would that be, demon?"
"You were right. Partially. I am a demon." He changed into his Oni form, now decked in black plate armor, reminding Ino of some kind of Shogun from old stories, only a demon one, if his white hair and red skin were anything to go by.
"O-oni…" Mizuki's tone turned from mocking and jovial into scared in a split second, and he was slowly inching back, fear clear in his wide eyes. "Oni…"
"Oh, what's this?" Naruto took a step forward, his Shadowkhan falling into place behind him. "Scared of me already?"
"Oni…" Mizuki turned around, trying to run away, only to be stopped by more Shadowkhan hat appeared from the forest. "Oni…"
"Oh this is annoying. Will you stop that!" Naruto barked at him, crossing his arms.
"Oni…"
"Guess not. So you might as well die, you're useless to me either way. Shadowkhan, kill him." The dark ninjas threw a couple of dozen shuriken at the man, riddling him full of holes. "You can come out now Ino."
"Naruto." She slowly stepped into the clearing. "Was it true? Any of it?"
"I am not the Kyūbi, no matter what he or your parents might say. But other than that, yes."
"What happened to you?"
"My father. He is the Lord of All Oni, the greatest to ever exist. He covered the entire world in darkness." Ino could see the pride Naruto held for the man. Oni. Whatever. "And one day I will do the same. The only question now Ino, is this. Are you with me?" He reached to one of the ninjas, taking a purple mask it handed him. He raised his hand, offering the mask to Ino. "Or not? It is, as I said, your choice."
"Purple." She took the mask. "My favorite color."
