Disclaimer: Its a bit tiring to repeat the same thing over and over again but I guess I have to stick with it. So without further adieu, I would like to inform everyone that I dont OWN Naruto.

My reactions/explanations to the reviews I've gotten from my readers:

To ddcj1990 : Regarding your request to turn this into a Harem fic, I would like to apologize that this won't be my priority for now. Let's face it, they are just too young for that. But soon. Maybe when I reach the shippuden arc? hehehhe

To DragonBard: In some anyway, yeah Genbu is associated with water but not my fic. Hey it's a free world so I'll improvise a bit. Besides, if you research a little bit on various mythologies around the globe, turtles/tortoises are said to hold world on its shell. So since we all are bound to the earth, I made it a point on my end to use Genbu as an earth guardian. Also, I haven't considered giving Genbu to Naruto yet but thanks for your input regarding Gai having the tortoise scroll. Oh, one more thing, regarding the Sakura/Ino rivalry towards their 'obvious' crush on Sasuke. This is an AU (Alternate Universe) of Naruto. If you checked my summary, I indicated there AU with some of Canon. This is just my take on how Naruto should be portrayed. Anyway, keep the comments coming, I find it a big help to fine-tune this fic.

Anyway, on with the story.

Chapter 10: Gifts and Traitors

Naruto appeared in his training yard in a pillar of flame. It was one of his unique Shunshin (High-Speed Teleportation) signatures. He found out that his limitless control over the elements automatically incorporated elemental teleportation to the mix. All he needed was to decide which element to use and voila.

He didn't stay long in the Academy after the graduation exam since today is a big day for him. Today was the day that he will be receiving his gifts from his summons. He didn't regret denying their offers of giving him techniques and training; in fact, he agreed that no human should ever be given such power. It would either corrupt him, which he doubted, or people will be hunting him down just to steal such power for their own. Besides, he already have the most powerful bijuu in his gut so, no, he doesn't need any more thank you very much.

While he was walking to the center of the training yard, he was contemplating on the gifts he will be receiving from the 3 Legendary Summons. He knew that it would be battle related since they were hinting that he would definitely need them for the trials in the future. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and took a deep calming breath to prepare himself to meet the bosses.

He arrived at the training ground and closed his eyes to help him relax. He was giddy over the thought of receiving powerful gifts from the Legendary creatures so he needed to calm himself down before he makes a mess of things. He gathered the required chakra to summon the 3 creatures and channeled them into the tattoos on his right arm. A large amount of smoke later, Seiryuu, Suzaku, and Byakko stood in front of him in all their glory. He noticed that their individual stances were of great formality so he chose this time to forego his usual childish greeting and give them the respect they were due. He bowed low.

"Seiryuu-sama, Suzaku-sama, Byakko-sama. As requested, I have summoned you as you requested 3 years ago." said Naruto formally.

"Indeed young one. I see that you have grown strong and stayed true to your goals and ways. It is time for you to receive our gifts." said Seiryuu.

"Admirable Naruto-kun. I don't sense any greed from you despite the fact you will be receiving gifts from us. I admire your pure heart. It will serve you well." declared a proud Suzaku.

"Well what do you know? The brat did graduate from the Academy and has become a Shinobi of the Leaf. I guess you won the bet this time eh Seiryuu? So Naruto, are you ready to receive our gifts?" asked Byakko.

Unable to resist his hidden child any longer, he gave Byakko a cheeky grin that he knew would irritate the white bag of fur. "Hai furball-sama! Ready and waiting." Byakko growled.

"Cheeky brat. I'll go first. So brat, hold out your hand."

Naruto did as instructed and a white-sheated odachi appeared on the palm of his hand. He gasped at the beauty of the sword he was holding. The entire sword was pure white. The Tsuka itself was a work of art. It sported a white cloth grip instead of the usual fish-skin common in most katana-type weapons. The pommel was designed to look like a roaring tiger, definitely a likeness of Byakko. The Tsuba was made of gold.

He grasped the sheath and gripped the handle firmly then slowly pulled the blade out. The blade was pure white made from a form of metal that he has never seen before. Heck, he didn't think that there were even metals with the color white so this was definitely unique. Overall, the odachi was taller than him and it was beautiful.

Byakko interrupted his close inspection of the blade. "I see that you liked my gift. It is called Kazehime (Wind Princess). It is the prized blade of the Tiger Clan and now it belongs to you. Its abilities would serve you well in battle."

"What abilities?" asked Naruto, eyes still not leaving the beautiful blade.

"As you may have noticed, the blade itself is made of metal not available in this world. It is indestructible and can match any blow without fear of breaking. The metal is conductive so you can easily channel your chakra through it to strengthen your strikes. However, Kazehime's abilities do not lie on its physical attributes but the blessings I have bestowed upon it. The blade itself is made from my own fang and has the ability to control Wind much like your bloodline ability. Your control over it is similar to that of how you manipulate your Elemental Orbs. The sword is already attuned to you so you might notice that despite its size, you were able to hold it comfortably and I'm sure that you can handle it like a seasoned swordsman." explained Byakko.

"It is a priceless gift Byakko-sama. I will cherish it always and wield it with honor." declared Naruto in a determined and awed voice.

"I know you will brat. Now I want you to sheath the sword and hold it in your right hand then channel chakra to my tattoo." Naruto did as instructed and was surprised when the sword disappeared in a puff of smoke. He looked at Byakko for answers.

"Don't worry kid. The sword is now in your summoning tattoo. I know it is too big for you to lug around all the time so storing it for safekeeping in your tattoo makes it possible to bring it around with you without hindering your movement. To summon the sword, all you have to do is think about the sword when you channel chakra to your tattoo. You can summon it sheathed or unsheathed. All you have to do is to think about it."

Naruto was surprised by the revelation and chose to practice with this new ability. He channeled chakra to the Tiger Tattoo while thinking of the unsheathed odachi and it appeared on his grip with ease. This will definitely be an edge in a battle. He was giddy over the prospect of using his new weapon. Naruto returned the odachi back to the tattoo and looked at the other summons in child-like excitement.

"My turn. I have already given you my gift Naruto-kun but it is currently in its unlocked state. When I gave you my tattoo, I took the liberty of changing your Kamigan and giving it another ability. You already know that I was the summon of the Uchiha clan correct?" Naruto nodded at this. "Good. Now I am familiar with how the Sharingan works. I can't hope to copy its exact ability and give it to you but I gave you the next best thing. I have improved your Kamigan so you will be able to 'see' better in a sense. The Sharingan involved a much-improved eyesight that allows them to see everything in slow motion. This will aid you much in your battles. Just be warned, even if you see your opponent doesn't mean that you can match them. You still need to train your body to coincide with your eye's new ability." explained Suzaku.

Naruto nodded. The new ability of his Kamigan is a welcome ability to have. He vowed to train twice as hard to make the most out of this gift.

"Now for me child. I would have offered you the position as a Dragon Sage and all the powers and benefits that it entails but you chose another path that was also welcome so I will give you a gift instead. Like Suzaku, I have added another ability to the Tattoo I gave you that I just unlocked. I gave you a minor version of the Dragon Skin that is common in my clan. Your skin now is harder and can withstand blows that would easily wound you. Be warned that this does not make you invincible. It is a minor gift compared to what the Dragons have but it will add to your defense just in case if some of the attacks manage to enter your guard." said Seiryuu. Naruto nodded and thanked him for the warning.

"Well that's it for now. See you later brat." said Byakko in a way of parting and all three Boss Summmons returned to the summon realm in a large puff of smoke.

(HOKAGE TOWER – OFFICE)

Hiruzen Sarutobi was having a meeting with the Jounins who volunteered to take in teams from this year's batch from the Academy. Those in attendance were considered as Elites in the field, each having their own set of skills to impart on the next generation and thus adding to the overall strength of Konoha's military.

There were some of the Jounins that stood out from the rest, namely Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, and Kurenai Yuuhi.

Hatake Kakashi was a former ANBU captain and well-known throughout the Elemental Nations as Sharingan no Kakashi. His left Sharingan eye was given to him by his dead teammate Obito. Despite the fact that he doesn't have any Uchiha blood in his veins, he was able to utilize the doujustu to its full potential thus giving him the nickname Copy Ninja Kakashi as it was rumored that he copied over a thousand jutsu to add to his already impressive arsenal.

Sarutobi Asuma, his own son, was a member of the Daimyo's Guard – the 12 Fire Guardians. He retired from the position and accepted the position of Jounin. His skill with his trench knives was of no equal and is the only Wind User in Fire Country.

Finally, Kurenai Yuuhi, Konoha's Genjutsu Mistress was adept in the Illusionary Arts. Despite her lack of skills in both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, her accomplishments and capabilities in Genjutsu allowed her to be promoted to Jounin and have raked in various accomplishments while in the field.

The Hokage was proud to say the least. He believed that these Jounins will ensure the future of Konahagakure no Sato by making the current generation the strongest in the nation.

"Thank you all for coming. We have much to discuss." said the Hokage, effectively catching everyone's attention. "I think you all know why I have called you here?" everyone nodded. "Good, I will now accept recommendations for this year's batch of Genin teams that will be under your wing. Kakashi, why don't you go first?"

Kakashi looked up from the orange book that he was reading and nodded. He pocketed it but not before seeing the glare from Kurenai. "Hokage-sama. I would like to ask your permission to place Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto on my team." declared Kakashi in a lazy voice.

The Hokage gave him a long look. "What is your reason for creating this team Kakashi. From the overall stats, this would make your team a powerhouse. I don't think that hogging all three of the brightest in this year's Academy would be fair to the rest of the Jounin senseis."

"I believe Hokage-sama that this team will be a great frontline team in the future. Each of their abilities grants plenty of potential not seen since the Sannin under your tutelage."

"Explain." demanded the Hokage. Kakashi nodded.

"Let's start first with Uchiha Sasuke that is said to be the prodigy among this year's batch. I believe that I am the only one who can teach him once he awakened his Sharingan. This will require a lot of work since according to his file, his mentality is a bit skewed after the Uchiha Massacre. If I am able to change his views then he will become a great asset to the village." Everyone nodded at this. They knew about the complete change that gripped Sasuke after his clan was murdered in front of his eyes. They cannot refute Kakashi's claims in teaching the boy. Seeing their looks, Kakashi continued.

"Next is Haruno Sakura. According to her Academy file, she has a great mind that would help her well as a Kunoichi of Konoha. Her excellent Chakra Control make her a candidate for either a Genjutsu or as a Medic-nin. However, what stood out is her unconscious ability to channel chakra to her attacks, similar to that of Tsunade of the Sannin. The only drawback to this is her fangirlish tendency." Everyone sweatdropped at this. Those in the room can never deny that Sakura was a die hard Sasuke fan. "Anyway, I believe I can knock some sense into her and make her into one of Konoha's finest."

"Last, but certainly not the least is one Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. His skills is on par with Sasuke but we all know for a fact that he was downplaying his skills upon your request to avoid alerting his enemies. With his bloodline ability and early training, he will be a fine addition to the powerhouse team that I'm planning to create. Also, I was hoping that his calm and mature attitude would become an influence to both his teammates." explained Kakashi.

The Hokage pondered the idea of such a team and he can't deny that Kakashi's assessment and prediction is quite possible. True, the imbalance caused by Sasuke's superior attitude and Sakura fan-girlish tendency requires a lot of work but he was confident that Kakashi can handle it. He finally nodded and took a few notes on the sheet of paper in front of him. "I will accept your request Kakashi as long as no one disagrees?" He looked around and saw that the rest of the Jounins just shook their heads. "Good. Team 7 will now be under Hatake Kakashi to be trained as frontliners."

This time it was Asuma who spoke. "I would like to request the current Ino-Shika-Cho trio to be placed under my leadership. I am planning to turn them into a Capture and Information Gathering Unit."

"Your reasons?" asked Sarutobi.

"Simple really. Out of all the Jounins here, I have the most experience with the legendary Ino-Shika-Cho teamwork and I'm confident that I can train them well with their individual abilities. The Nara's shadow techniques are useful in capturing his opponents without resorting to lengthy battles. The Akimichi would be useful as a support. The Yamanaka girl is talented in gathering information because of their clan's Mind Invasion techniques." explained Asuma.

The Hokage nodded. "Anyone disagree?" everyone shook their heads in negative. "Asuma, you will get Team 10 with the current Ino-Shika-Cho trio as your Genins. Kurenai?"

"I would request for the formation of a Tracker and Hunter Team composed of Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba. Each have their own individual skills that can easily be an asset to the tracking and hunting team that im planning to form." declared Kurenai in her strong, yet melodious voice.

The Hokage immediately accepted her proposal since he was also thinking along the same line as hers. "Agreed. You will take command of this team and train them well to be expert trackers. You now have Team 8 composed of Aburame, Hyuuga, and Inuzuka." Kurenai nodded, happy with the team she got.

"I think that takes care of everything. Anything else? No? Then you're all dismissed. Please report to the Academy at 9AM tomorrow to meet your Genin Teams."

"Hai Hokage-sama." All Jounins in the room shouted then left the room.

The Hokage opened one of his drawers and took out his trusty pipe, lit it up, and took a long puff. "Things are going to start getting interesting soon, especially with you around Naruto-kun."

(NAMIKAZE-UZUMAKI COMPOUND)

Naruto was in the training yard drenched in sweat. After the Boss Summons left, he immediately practiced his new weapon, Kazehime, by running it through with his mother's Kenjutsu style. He found out that the weapon fit him perfectly – both weight and size sits well with the basic katas that he practiced before with his Chakra Blade. Since he already practiced mid-range attacks using a lengthened Chakra Blade, integrating the odachi into his stance was not a big problem.

As he danced from one katas to the next, he channeled chakra into the odachi and was amazed when the blade released a small, yet visible greenish aura that gave evidence to the potent Wind Chakra that coated it. He went into a stance by gripping the odachi in both hands, dragging the blade by his side as he rushed to one of the training dummies in the field. With a swift upward slash, he was able to cleanly cut the dummy in half – from lower hip to shoulder. He decided that he did enough practice for the day so he returned Kazehime back into his tattoo then headed straight to his house to freshen up and take up his studies again in the library.

It was 4 hours later that he was brought out of his reading when the alarm seal warned him of someone outside the gates. He quickly closed the scroll and teleported outside to see who his guest was. He opened the gate and saw one of the Hokage's personal ANBU waiting for him.

"What can I do for you ANBU-san?" greeted Naruto.

"Namikaze-sama. The Hokage asked for your presence in his office immediately. There is an emergency." said the ANBU.

Naruto nodded walked out of the gate and placed his hands in one of the seals on the walls and channeled a little bit of chakra. The door slid close and a metallic click signified that the compound is safe and locked. He looked at the waiting ANBU then nodded. They teleported directly to the Hokage's office to get there faster.

(HOKAGE TOWER – HOKAGE OFFICE)

Naruto appeared in front of the Hokage in a pillar of flames. He saw the old man reading a report behind his desk with a large frown on his face.

"What's wrong jiji?" asked Naruto.

"Ah Naruto-kun. I'm sorry for calling you here on such short notice but we have an emergency on our hands that needs to be addressed." said the Hokage in a serious voice. This somewhat alarmed Naruto to the potential disasters that could happen.

"So what's the problem?" Naruto asked again.

"Your father's possession, the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing that holds the secrets of Konoha Forbidden Techniques was stolen from this office. We don't have the identity of the thief as of yet but according to the seals in the room, the intruder was able to disarm the protection that surrounded it. I was able to find out immediately that it was stolen when one of my hidden personal alarms warned me that someone entered my office without me knowing about it." explained the Hokage.

Naruto tensed at the information. "Then we need to get it back. Have the ANBU been told yet?"

"Yes, I already dispatched the ANBU two hours ago but so far they haven't found any trace of our thief. I was thinking maybe you can help with the search with one of your abilities."

"Don't worry jiji. I'll help you out." declared Naruto. He channeled a little bit of chakra to his Tiger tattoo to summon his personal friend. In a puff of smoke, a large white tiger appeared beside Naruto that scared the hidden ANBU in the shadows. The tiger was huge by normal standards. Its sharp claws and hangs were an intimidating sight and sharing a room with one definitely made them stand on edge.

"Sorry for calling you at this time of the night Kagetora but we have a situation on our hands."

"No need to worry Naruto-sama. I'm happy of service anytime and anywhere. What seems to be the problem?" queried the now named tiger summon.

"The Forbidden Scroll of Sealing was stolen from this very office a few hours ago. Can you sniff around to get the scent of the intruder so we can follow it?" asked Naruto.

"Done Naruto-sama." growled the Tiger. He walked all around the room and took a few sniffs here and there. The hidden ANBUs tensed a bit when the tiger got too close to them then relaxed when it moved on. This went on for a few more minutes before the tiger looked at Naruto. "Naruto-sama. I have caught the scent. You were right, the scent is almost 2-hours old and it seems to be going into the direction of the forest outside of Konoha walls." informed Kagetora. Naruto nodded then he looked to the Hokage.

"I'm going to follow the intruder jiji. Are you coming along?" asked Naruto, walking to the window preparing to depart.

"No, but I'll send two of my ANBUs to follow you."

Naruto nodded then jumped out the window following the tiger who already went ahead of him. The chase was on.

(OUTSIDE KONOHA – FOREST)

It didn't take long for Naruto and Kagetora to find the thief. They stopped in one of branches of the tree overlooking a clearing where a small run-down shack was located. On the clearing was a boy that he recognized as one of his classmates who failed the exam clutching the scroll to his chest and Mizuki holding a kunai slowly advancing on him.

Not wasting any time, Naruto created a kunai out of chakra and threw it towards Mizuki who sensed the sudden chakra spike and was able to avoid the deadly projectile.

Mizuki looked at the direction where the kunai came from and shouted. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Deciding to show himself to the traitor, Naruto and his tiger summon jumped down from the branch they were perched on and landed on the clearing a few feet away from Mizuki and the shivering boy.

"Mizuki-sensei, fancy meeting you here at this time of night. Taking a stroll?" asked Naruto casually.

Mizuki feigned innocence and schooled his feature to one of surprise but Naruto could see the hate and fear behind his façade. "Namikaze-sama. You're just in time. I was about to apprehend the thief that stole the Forbidden Scroll." He declared while pointing his kunai at the shivering ex-student.

Naruto pretended to be shocked at his declaration and decided to continue with the drama. "Really? Good work Mizuki-sensei. Let me just take the scroll and I'll personally return it to the Hokage."

Mizuki was sweating now. It seems that his fake declaration backfired. He tried to salvage the situation. "Uhhh no need to bother yourself Namikaze-sama. I don't want you to get your hands dirty over such a minor thing. I'll take care of the scroll's return." Naruto pondered this for a moment while Mizuki continued to sweat.

"Sure thing Mizuki-sensei. Glad to see you're on the job. Anyway, I'll be off now." Mizuki sighed in relief but Naruto's next words sent shivers down his spine. "You think I'm that stupid Mizuki-teme? You gave yourself away with your lies. The Hokage didn't tell anyone except me and his ANBU that my dad's scroll was stolen and how come you know about it. All the facts pointed at you being the mastermind of the theft." Naruto whispered in a cold voice.

Mizuki's whole demeanor changed. He sneered at the boy. "You're right. I tricked the boy to steal the scroll for me. With it, I'll be rewarded handsomely by my master and will be given power that I have dreamed off since I became a Shinobi."

"Oh? And who is this master to offer you such a deal?" asked a curious Naruto.

"Why should I tell you brat." sneered Mizuki. Without warning, the rogue ninja threw the kunai he was holding towards Naruto who was able to dodge it easily. Mizuki launched himself at Naruto and threw a punch hoping to catch the boy off guard and knock him out so he can continue on with his mission.

Naruto saw the punch easily and swerved to the right to dodge it. Taking advantage of the situation, Naruto released a kick that hit Mizuki in the gut that pushed him back. Mizuki growled and lashed out with another punch at Naruto which the boy evaded by jumping forward, flipped, and released a strong kick towards Mizuki's unprotected back before landing on the ground. The kick was strong enough to throw Mizuki forward to slam face-first into a tree.

"You can't hope to defeat me Mizuki-teme. Give up now before I have to take drastic measures." warned Naruto.

"Never! I will complete my mission and no mere Genin will stop me." shouted Mizuki. He heard a growl from beside him but was too late to react when Kagetora tackled him that sent him sprawling on the ground, with blood escaping his lips from the force of the blow. He saw that the tiger was about to pounce again so he rolled to the side to narrowly avoid the attacking beast, stood up then jumped back a few feet before going back into a battle stance.

"Stand down teme. You're outmatched. You will never get out of the village with my father's scroll. I will make sure to protect it and the village from your treachery."

Mizuki sneered at him and gave him an amused look. "Protect it? Why protect the village that hated you? Do you even know why they hate you? Why they keep glaring at you and beaten you almost to death before your inheritance was revealed to the public?"

Naruto pretended to be clueless over the whole thing in hopes to get more information out of the traitor. He adapted a confused look and looked straight at Mizuki. "Huh?" Deep inside, Kyuubi was applauding his container for such a flawless acting. Naruto just gave the fox a mental bow.

"You don't know did you? You don't know why you're hated?" pushed Mizuki.

"No I don't."

"You remember the Kyuubi that attacked Konoha 12 years ago?" asked an amused Mizuki.

"Of course, It's taught in class. The Yondaime, my father, was able to kill it thus saving the village from total destruction."

"You're wrong brat. The Yondaime didn't kill the beast. He sealed it instead. He sealed it inside a boy…YOU! YOU ARE THE KYUUBI NO KITSUNE." shouted Mizuki with a maniacal laugh. He was hoping to distract the boy with the revelation of this secret, enough so he can get away with the scroll or even maybe kill him. But what caught him off guard was a laughing Naruto with an amused looking tiger at his side. "What are you laughing at brat? You are the DEMON! If I kill you now, I WILL BE DECLARED A HERO!"

Naruto didn't say anything, he just laughed some more. He regained his composure and leveled an amused look at Mizuki. "You really are a teme, teme. I already know about the Kyuubi. And if you think I am him then you are hopeless. My father's seal was full-proof. I am its jailor not its reincarnation. Now why don't we stop this nonsense and give yourself up."

"NEVER! DIE DEMON!" Mizuki reached behind him and drew out the large Shadow Shuriken strapped on his back. He spun it a few times then threw it at Naruto with all his strength.

Naruto didn't back down. He summoned Kazehime and slashed at the incoming projectile effectively slicing it in half. He didn't waste anytime since Mizuki was still distracted by his attack. He dashed forward and got under the teme's guard and deftly slashed his right arm off his shoulder.

Mizuki screamed in pain and clutched at the bleeding wound hoping to stop the flow of blood before he bled to death. However, his scream was cut off when Naruto used the blunt side of his sword to knock him unconscious by hitting him on back of the neck.

Seeing that his work is done, Naruto flicked Kazehime to get rid of Mizuki's blood on the blade before returning it to his tattoo. Two ANBUs suddenly appeared in front of him who gave the bleeding and unconscious Mizuki a glance. "Your orders Namikaze-sama?" Naruto nodded to the ANBU acknowledging their presence.

"Take this traitor to wherever he is supposed to go. I will take care of our wayward thief over there and bring the scroll back to the Hokage." Naruto ordered. The two ANBUs nodded and quickly patched up Mizuki's bleeding stump before he bled to death then teleported him out of the clearing.

Naruto dismissed Kagetora with a thank you before walking over to the wide-eyed shivering boy who was clutching his father's scroll as if it was a lifeline.

"Relax, I won't hurt you." Naruto said softly hoping for the boy to calm down before taking him to the Hokage. "Now tell me why did you steal my father's scroll?"

Hearing his words, the boy relaxed a bit before he talked. "Mizuki-sensei told me that I can pass the exam if I steal the scroll and learn a few jutsus on it. He approached me after the exam and told me of this make-up exam for those who failed. He told me that he saw a potential in me to be a great ninja so he only offered the choice to me. He gave me some instructions on how to bypass the Hokage's security in his office and told me where to find the scroll. When I got it, I was supposed to meet him here but when he arrived, he attacked me and told me that he used me to steal the scroll. He was going to kill me and pin the blame of the theft on me." The boy shouted the last part and burst out crying.

Naruto listened to the boy's tale and felt that it was the truth. After all, why would the boy steal a scroll that he is not supposed to know about? Also, no Academy should be able to bypass the Hokage's security around the scroll without specific instructions. He nodded then clapped the boy on the back to calm him down. "Don't worry. The Hokage won't punish you...much. This is a clear case that you were tricked. Come, let's go so you can tell him everything yourself."

The boy nodded then Naruto placed his hand on his shoulder before teleporting out of the clearing towards the Hokage's office.

(HOKAGE TOWER – HOKAGE OFFICE)

Sarutobi saw everything that happened in the clearing and is quite proud with Naruto's growth. He is turning into a fine Shinobi of the Leaf that is fated to surpass both his mother and father in the near future. He heard Naruto's altercation with Mizuki and was pissed that the traitor didn't follow his decree of not saying anything about the Kyuubi.

He saw Mizuki attack Naruto and proud of how the boy defended himself and cut off his arm. The guy was a Chunnin but Naruto easily overpowered him. He cut off the connection on his viewing orb when Naruto appeared in his office with the boy who stole the scroll.

He listened intently on the explanation and accepted the Forbidden Scroll from the Academy student. He didn't give the boy any heavy punishment but told him that he will be restricted to doing D-Rank missions around the village for a month with only half pay. He dismissed the relieved boy and turned to Naruto who was sprawled on the couch.

"Job well done Naruto. You handled it pretty well considering the rank difference." said the Hokage.

"No problem jiji. Despite Mizuki-teme being a Chunnin, he didn't display any skill that merited the rank. I'm just happy that we got the scroll back." He paused for a bit before continuing. "Why don't we put the scroll in my library to avoid getting stolen again? Let's face it, My house is safer than your office."

"Hmmmm you have a point there. Since it is technically your scroll since your dad created it." He agreed to Naruto suggestion and handed him the scroll which Naruto slung on his back.

"Well, I'll be leaving now jiji. It's a bit late and I still have team assignments tomorrow. Which reminds me, don't you think you can tell me ahead of time who my sensei and teammates are going to be?" giving the Hokage a cheeky grin.

Sarutobi laughed at his surrogate grandson's attempt to wheedle information out of him. "Oh no. You won't get anything out of me. Now why don't you go home and leave me to my work." He looked at the large pile of paperwork on his desk in disgust and gave it a glare. "I still have TONS of paperwork to finish before I can go home and rest."

"Really now jiji? What if I told you that my father already solved that particular problem? I read in his notes that he was able to find a way to conquer paperwork with a single jutsu." said Naruto now with a full-blown grin on his face.

Sarutobi was shocked. He knew that Minato found a way to conquer the detestable paperwork that all Kage seems to suffer from and took the secret to his grave. Now his son knows the secret and was willing to it to him for information regarding tomorrow's team assignment. This was too good an opportunity to pass up. He quickly went behind his table and grabbed a folder in one of the drawers and tossed it to Naruto.

Naruto caught the folder and opened it. He glanced over the information and nodded seeing that it was genuine. He looked at the waiting Hokage who was giving him a puppy-eyed look that didn't affect him at all. He laughed and spoke. "Two words jiji. Two words. Kage…Bunshin…" he dragged the last part out to further irritate the old man.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, renowned for being the Professor, knowledgeable of many jutsus, didn't realize that a simple Shadow Clone can easily solve his paperwork problem. He slammed his head on the table repeatedly while mumbling "stupid" over and over again. Naruto just sweat dropped at this. He bade the Hokage farewell and teleported out of the office but not before hearing the old man's cackling laugh and shout.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH DIE PAPERWORK DIE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!"