The Child of Miracles
Summary
Naruto Uzumaki is a ninja born with the highest of potentials. Set after Sasuke Retrieval arc. It spans from a simple idea of what if Naruto returned from the training trip with more pronounced results.
Prologue
Konohagakure no Sato, otherwise known as Village Hidden in the Leaves is one of the superpowers of elemental nations and dare some say it is strongest of all Elemental Nations. The Nation has a history of producing some of the finest and most dangerous ninjas to ever grace the land. One such ninja was currently sitting on the rooftop watching over his Godson. He was usually not a person who loses his calm but by the gods, he wanted to rip the throat of Sasuke Uchiha right now for the state he reduced Naruto to. Littered with bandages the boy was more injuries than skin. He knew it would not be the end of the story. He knew the loss of a teammate after all. He did not want Naruto to through the same anguish he went through when Orochimaru defected. It was now time for him and Naruto to focus on Akatsuki. However, convincing the boy to stop chasing after the traitor will be a pain in the ass. He will need Tsunade's help to at the very least bring his focus on the more important matters. He also needs her to sanction a training trip. With that in mind, he went to the Hokage tower.
Naruto was not having a good day. Learning that your teammate abandoned the village would spoil anybody's day but said teammate thrashing you around until you were forced to rely on the very same power that makes you the most hated person in the village and even then ending up losing would make anyone wish that the day would just end. On the bright side of things, his Sakura-chan doesn't blame him for not fulfilling his promise to her. Still, he hopes that he would get an opportunity in locating teme. Before he could start making plans to sneak in some ramen from Ichiraku's he felt movement from towards the window and saw pervy sage entering through the window. Not a moment later baa-chan opened the door to his room. While Naruto was not the sharpest kunai in the pouch he was not the dumbest either. Especially since Kakashi-sensei had him doing all that studying since his placement in Team Seven. Judging by the grim expressions on their faces the coming conversation was not going to be a pleasant one.
"How are you feeling gaki?"
Naruto sat up to answer pervy sage when baa-chan moved in front of him with a green glow in her hands. "You know me pervy-sage, nothing can keep me down for long." "Good because Tsunade and I would like to tell you a few important things."
"Look gaki…", Tsunade started after she wrote a few things down in her report, "I know Sasuke was important but there are things that really do take priority over him."
"What can be more important right now than saving Sasuke from that teme?"
"How about a group of ninja stronger than Orochimaru coming to take what's sealed inside you.", supplied Jiraiya.
"Understand Naruto, that when you extract a bijju from its jinchuriki the jinchuriki will die. It is inevitable. That is why I have authorised a training trip for three years with Jiraiya. You will learn to defend yourself from these monsters who will be coming after you", added Tsunade.
"What about my promise to Sakura-chan! I don't go back on my promises, its my ninja way!"
"I know kid and I don't want to go back on that promise. All we want is for you to prioritise and take this threat very seriously. Sasuke Uchiha has been declared a B-rank missing-nin and will be answering for his crimes, that I can promise you.", Tsunade said with a murderous look on her face while saying the last part. Naruto decided to keep his mouth shut about the missing-nin status. Even he knew he had no grounds to argue on that decision. Without the Kyuubi inside him, he would have died. Last Uchiha or not even he could not get away with murdering a comrade. He understood Sasuke, he really did but was deserting the village only way to get stronger. Even at that it was Orchimaru he went to. Just the name sent him in a fury unmatched. The name was responsible for the death of the only person who he could depend on until his Graduation Day. Sarutobi Hiruzen was the most precious person to him; not because he was his boss but because he was the only person who gave a shit about him aside from Ichirakus until recently. He was the person who taught him what it means to be a Hokage. He was his only support when the stares became too much and he needed to be told he is not unwanted, at least not by everyone. Now he had the support of many people, but the hole jii-chan's death left in his heart won't be filled anytime soon.
"Okay but won't that snake bastard use Sasuke's body until then?"
"No Orochimaru had to switch bodies earlier so he won't be using Sasuke for atleast four years and for some reason Akatsuki has delayed its operations for about three years. We have about three years to make you into a force to be reckoned with", Jiraiya replied this time.
Tsunade continued, taking Naruto's nod for acceptance, "You have a month before the training trip starts. In that month, you will be taking missions and training yourself for the coming threat. For the time being team seven is on hiatus until you return from the training trip. You will be discharged from the hospital in three days so it will be better if stay quietly and don't try to sneak out."
Naruto had known the Hokage enough to know that the consequences would not be pleasant for him should he disobey her. He frantically shook his head to confirm his compliance in obeying her orders.
About a month has passed since that day in the hospital. He reflected that fight in his mind many times and came to some conclusions. First, as much as he would like to disagree Sasuke was the superior fighter that day. Secondly, he relies too much on Kyuubi when tide turns against him. Third, he still has a lot to learn about shinobi arts. When Kakashi-sensei visited him later that day, he asked him for what he thinks are his strengths and weaknesses. On the plus side, he is an ingenious fighter, he has also extremely large reserves of chakra, he has a lot of speed and strength for a person of his stature, he can be very good in stealth when he wants to be and his biggest asset is his will to never give up. However, on the other side he is not a good listener, he is impatient, he doesn't think before charging ahead, his chakra control is atrocious and his lack of basics and theoretical knowledge of shinobi arts hinders him a lot. Keeping in mind Kakashi-sensei's honest opinion he asked for some books in chakra theory and its applications. At first he could not understand properly even a sentence but with a lot of hard work, perseverance and the help of Shikamaru and Sakura his finally started to understand the books he was given. After his release he was invited by bushy brows and his sensei to a training session after his 'Youthful Performance' in the Chunin Exams. After that brutal session he reported to Hokage tower where he did five D- ranks in a day by himself and of course the help of Shadow Clones. After that, he decided to irk Iruka-sensei to catch up in theory and basics with his peers. This was his basic everyday schedule for the most part. Some days he went to Asuma-sensei to learn a wind jutsu when he discovered his affinity and the other day he went to Kurenai sensei to learn how to dispel Genjutsus since Uchihas are masters at casting them. It was work in progress but he could say his month stay was very productive for him.
Currently, he was going towards the gates of the village excited for the training trip. He left all of his savings with Iruka-sensei since both Sannin would spend it on their vices. One thing he noticed this month was the lack of hostile stares. After defeating Gaara in the invasion and bringing the last Senju back, it seems like the villagers were finally opening their minds. It was slow progress and by no means they were smiling and cheering for him but he was finally accepted as a leaf Shinobi by them. When he reached the gates he found both the Sannins, senseis and his friends waiting for him. Friends. Never in his life, he thought he would have friends but now he had and he would come back stronger for their sake.
"Pervy-sage! Looks like you really are here. I wouldn't have been surprised if you were still hungover from all that drinking you did yesterday."
"Stop calling me that gaki! I am Jiraiya of the Sannin nothing can hold me down!"
"Jeez, pervy-sage! Don't be so loud this early. I am still not used to rising this early. By the way, who is this guy there, I never met him."
"His name is Yamato and he will be your instructor when I am not with you while doing research. Say good-bye to your friends so that we can get moving when the light is still low."
After saying his farewell to his friends and baa-chan he walked down the road behind the Sannin and could only wonder how much would have changed when he returned.