Chapter 2: Life on the Road

(Near the Border to Land of the Springs)

"Chirp Chirp"

The birds woke early out in the forests, what must've been hundreds of them in the trees and surrounding areas' rising with the sun this morning. The bugs were roaming freely, with no worry except their natural predators. The cries of foreign animals unknown to man were heard off in the distance. These were the sounds of freedom, so rarely heard within the village. With no teammates, villagers, or even the Hokage to pander too. Naruto had come across a feeling of new found peace. He was tired of being subject to the whims of others.

Still our young blonde knew he was lacking, he had no direction to to go in, but he had wants and needs. He had wanted the admiration and respect of the villagers at once. In time he had found that to be empty pursuit, why chase something so flimsy, Anything easily attained, is not worth having. He wanted real genuine bonds, real trust, real love, friends he didn't have to question that knew him and his core being and he them; colleagues that didn't plan on gutting him because of the nine-tailed fox, once his back was turned, shinobi he could trust on missions to help him as well in a dire moment. In this world everything was filled with deceit and most people could only trust you as far as they can see you, which wasn't very far unless you were a Hyuga.

"Kurama, what do you think of me and my predicament, I have nothing but I want everything. Everything.", asked Naruto seriously inquiring with the demon whose seen most of his life.

"You know not to trust easily, and not to blindly throw your loyalty around. But you humans are fickle beings. Most of you don't know what you truly want, Even you. These bonds you chase could have been attained with time in your village. But here we are.

"It was fake, anyone close to me there had a hidden agenda. The Hokage, my sensei, and the elders, were all too manipulative and weary of you being inside me. It's in turn left me distrustful of people in general, but still I want to feel something..."

"Don't rush it, give your trust sparingly. You still give people chances, until they show you wrong Naruto..."

Leaving his tent, and feeling the sun fresh on his skin. He began to ponder what he would do with his new found freedom and his self. He pondered going to the land of the springs, because their hidden village had a non violent pact with the other nations and tried to remain peaceful. Having come up with no plan of action after a night of sleep, Naruto had decided to focus on breakfast and his worldy problems later.

The lone Jinchuriki went off to find the river that was a few miles north of Otafuki Gai, close to his location. Chakra dashing made the trip easy , and as he arrived he jumped into the water immediately searching for fish to grab barehanded. He was hungry and wanted to make quick work of breakfast as he'd already come across eggs while tree-hopping earlier and only needed the fish to complete his meal. Easily grabbing to salmon that were jumping in the river our blonde leaped back to the land. Set all the food aside , and set out to gather wood. As suddenly a kunai came shooting out of nowhere, at his direction. He prepared to dodge but then realized it was going to miss by five feet...

"Listen I don't know what's going on, but I'm trying to eat breakfast..." stated Naruto, not even trying to pay attention to the missed throw.

A thirteen year old boy stepped out" I don't know what you're doing but don't interfere with out mission."

Naruto sweat-dropped " I was just gathering wood to cook some food."

The blue haired "What's your name and why are your here near the border to the land of hot springs?" asked the kid, pulling out two more kunai.

"Kid, your pathetic I didn't even have to dodge your first one. What do you think is going on? " Naruto blandly stared at this kid.

"Hey Sensei, I found another one. This one's kind of stupid..." said the blue haired kid right before a katana slung through Naruto's neck popping the clone.

"Enriu you fucking dumbass, you know what I've told you about revealing our setup. This is why ninja don't take you serious your a joke!"

"Jarame-sensei you don't mean that!"

"Focus on the task!

"I am focused!"

As they both turned to Naruto.. just to notice he was miss

"Enriu you jackass!" was the last thing Naruto of the memory of the two as he made his way back to the river long go.

"Kurama, I swear people have no common decency nowadays, they wouldn't even let me eat breakfast.'thought Naruto

"Look at how you carry yourself, you still have that ridiculous ass hair,

'My hair doesn't define me..."

"Your the only blonde ninja I know that's a guy. Get your life together.."

"Why do I ever come to to talk to you again?"

"Because your completely inept at actual human interaction."

"Kurama I just don't have the energy sometimes"

" You can't ignore the world because you don't have energy, the world is constantly flowing with it's own energy, be it through nature, animals, random events, people... You'll either end up left in the wake of others or lost in your own world.

"Relax maybe I should have hung around and seen what the deal is, but if they're that desperate then they'll find me. Who knows why they were testing me? But Kurama you know what always comes first, no?

"Breakfast of course you simpleton."

"Yessir, and nothing gets in the way of breakfast"

"As an idiot would say..."

"It's the most important meal of the day."

( Konoha's Hokage Tower)

"Hiruzen you know, I rarely get to agree with you on most occasions but this has to be the most short sighted thing you've ever done since becoming Hokage", stated Danzo

"Danzo, my old friend what you fail to see the, is that I was pressured on all sides, the civilian council has been calling for action for years now. This last act was of sheer violence was too much for the people." defended the Hokage.

"You've grown soft, you should have sent the boy to me." I would've trained him to be a great asset to the village. These outbursts of his would've been non-existent had you let me take control of the boy. You pander to everyone leaving us weak, and even then the boy was disillusioned by you his grandfather figure. No longer staying by his side, putting him off in order for these ignorant masses. You're the ruler of this village, you should know our human weapon is one of our greatest assets. If fostering fake feelings for the boy was too much, you should have trusted me."

"I've known you for to long Danzo, you would've turned him against me and made him into a mindless tool for the village. " said Hiruzen

"But you in turn released our Jinchuriki to the wilderness, you've released the Kyuubi into the wild. Our demon fox should've been in burrowed beneath the tree in the roots. Waiting for whomever may dare to strike the tree, to decimate our enemies, in the name of protecting our home." said the one-eyed warmonger.

"The tree is strong no matter who is within the wall's Danzo, You and I are still here we have Jiraiya, Kakashi, Gai, and Tsunade however distant she is will be called upon when needed, she knows where here loyalties lie. To placate you, I will allow you to select a genin to pull under your wing no restrictions. However they will get no seal."

Danzo froze on the spot knowing this was a power-play by Hiruzen. He could train whomever but they would still be able to answer to the Hokage or be pulled into questioning in lieu of his actions. But another gem of this recent generation came to mind.

"I'll select Sasuke then," said Danzo. Each of them thinking back to the terms of what the boy's older brother and current S-Ranked missing-nin had asked of them long ago before he was assigned with that fateful mission years ago." He'll be the only one with the ability to force the Kyuubi back into our village, if need be."

"Itachi had asked of us to protect his younger brother, and to be hands off Danzo."

"Itachi is no longer here, our Jinchuuriki is gone, we are weak Hiruzen. We need a figurehead for the village, another monster that we'll keep the other nations fearing us. Let me create that monster, you've had your fun. Let me bring up a loyal Madara in Sasuke. The boy himself wants to be strong, do you think he'll reject this training?" asked Danzo.

Hiruzen sat only thinking for a second, he knew he took a risk banishing Naruto, even though Jiraiya will pick up on his tail. His most reliable student was extremely unreliable in these recent years.

"Alright he'll be trained by the both of us."

(Northeast of Konoha, Near Land of Hot Springs"

As Naruto finished eating his breakfast, he had sensed his new-found pursuers Enriu and Jarame the Jounin had come into his area, further down the river. Their intention's were honest and their body language showed that they weren't looking for a fight.

"Kurama you're right they are looking for something or some type of aid at least"

"How often am I wrong now?"

"Don't get cocky now bastard, the day's still young lets see if they're worth our time."

"This is Sparta!" yelled Naruto, as he chakra dashed straight for the apprentice Enriu kicking him in the chest launching 30 feet into a tree.

"Really from that 300 book you read, you're ridiculous kid"

" I needed some type of punch line there"

"Stop stealing from the books.. Here he comes again be ready."

Enriu slowly recovered and launched two kunai directly at Naruto and disappeared into thin air right in front of Naruto's eyes, Only for him to be reappear right in front of Naruto and strike him across the face as he began a vicious onslaught of taijutsu.

"Aha idiot you screwed up!" yelled Enriu.

"You're fucking fast kid, I'll give you that" stated Naruto as he recovered from the first strike he started countering his punches mostly dodging and blocking looking for an opening.

"Watch me go faster!"

As he began channeling chakra the boy disappeared once again only to slash Naruto from the back.

"Arrgh"

"Kurama this kid's fucking quick what is this?"

"It's not complete but it looks like some bastardized version of the swift release"

"They were playing weak earlier then."

"It'd be best to not underestimate them"

"You're not the only one holding back!" stated Naruto as he started forming the hand seals

"Water Release: Exploding Water Wave"

Which forced the boy to stop chasing Naruto around and jump out the way unless he rather be crushed by the wave of water that shot out all from around Naruto. A grin spread across his face as he was being entertained as well. He pushed faster circling around the giant water wave kunai in hand he was ready to pierce the slower blond ninja in the shoulder only for him to be grabbed by another ninja?

"You're quick but I've been walked through hell and back more than a few times now." said Naruto as his clone grabbed the outstretched arm of Enriu swinging him in a full circle right into another clone's fist with so much force it popped the clone, leaving him dazed, as the original Naruto had just finished another set of hand seals.

"Water Release:" Water Dragon Bullet"

A giant water dragon bullet shot across the small clearing at an alarming rate getting ready to knock the kid unconscious, but his sensei appeared between them swooping his disoriented student into his arms he chakra dashed out the way before the hasty dragon technique smashed into them.

"Hey... blondie. We didn't mean to scare you to much?", said Jarame, "Sorry about my hasty student he's always jumping the gun"

"Kurama you fuck ass, you spoke that shit into existence.."

"Well sorry for pointing out your hair's the only thing that stands out about you. Twat."

"Didn't mean to scare me... You attacked me twice, and I sensed you watching this whole time. You're not sorry for anything.." said Naruto as he warily stared at the Joni sensei.

"We were just trying to test your strength, honestly. Do you mind talking with us for a bit once Enriu straightens himself out a bit."

"Yeah I'll hear you out. Just bind your apprentice. That little prick is fast he made me get serious for a second. A student with the swift release... that's annoying.

"I don't blame you, he'll make a great assassin one day. But his past isn't mine to share, the clone technique is from the leaf though... I've fought against it before " started Jarame.

"We all have our own pasts, and I don't want you digging around mine", began Naruto coldly.

"No problem here' We're mainly recruiting strong ninja... we have a situation back home and need immediate assistance... and you definitely meet the mark a strong shinobi. Ha... you beat the mark, as Jarame deadpanned at his apprentice and started laughing.

"Doesn't that mean he's had shit training..."

"..."

"Jarame- sensei.. he's good right?"

"No shit idiot, you was about to put you under," began Jarame, "What have I told you about"

**Smack**

"Jumping"

**smack**

"the"

**smack**

"Fucking"

**smack**

"Kunai".

"Discipline, I swear it's the only way lessons stick with this one..." as he ground his fists into his students head.,"But have you ever heard of the cult Jashin?" asked Jarame-sensei.

( Meanwhile In Kumo)

*Thunder rumbles in the distance, as a delivery bird flys toward the Raikage's office and drops a letter on his assistants desk.*

"Raikage-sama a confidential letter has arrived for you" said Mabui. "There's no sender though, so we have no idea who it's from," Mabui A's beautiful assitatnt goes and hands him the letter, and his eyes widen right before as he reads it.

"Mabui" stated the daunting figure that was the Fourth Raikage. "Summon the Kinkaku Force, I've just received some astounding news that we must act upon immediately."

"Raikage-sama the Kinkaku force hasn't all been summoned together since the second Raikage." The kinkaku force was Kumo's elite force of ninja their strongest platoon of Anbu, a stoic force filled with straight killers. "It surely couldn't be that serious." said Mabui.

"Summon them immediately as soon as possible and fill the missing ranks with our top shinobi. Also call Yugito Nii and inform her that she will be working with the Kinkaku Force" stated A, the Raikage.

Mabui got up from her desk and chakra dashed out the door with utmost haste. As soon as she was gone A got up, and circled around to his the window. "The Hokage must be going senile, thinking I won't jump on a wandering Jinchuuriki" said A to himself.

A few minutes later the Kinkaku Platoon appeared in front of his desk, with their most fearsome anbu leaders Thunder and Lightening at the forefront alongside Yugito Nii The Jinchuriki of the two-tailed beast kneeling before him.

A circled around to the front and said "Together the Kinkaku Force and Yugito is one of our strongest teams of anbu with the highest mission success rate at 98.2%, but you all know this. The reason I have gathered you all here today is because the Konoha has screwed up royally." yelled A. "They have released their Jinchuriki to the wilds, and we're going to capitalize on it"

" I want him captured alive and brought here to Kumo" said A, frothing at the mouth seeing an opportunity to become the strongest hidden village.

"Yugito I want you to make first contact and try to win over his loyalties, if that fails, then secure him at all cost Kinkaku Force. Anything short of lethal force is allowed. Here is the boys entry in the bingo books, it's not stated but he's the holder of the nine-tailed fox so his healing factor is off the charts." yelled A.

Naruto Uzumaki (missing nin):

Age:15

Rank: High Chuunin

Proficient in: Water Ninjutsu, Iaijutsu, Taijutsu.

Highly unpredictable, highly deceptive & doesn't trust anyone. Wild card banished for slaughtering civilians for reasons unknown.

"It's a relatively small entry because info on him is limited. The leaf has done that on purpose to try to keep him low-profile. It is a secure at all cost mission. Don't fail me now." stated A. "You're dismissed."

"Things are about to get interesting for once in a long time" said A looking out to window once again.