A/N: First off, I want to give a shout-out to DarknessIncarnate2000. I've been in contact with him for a couple of months about a story of his that I remember reading years ago and at first, I just asked if he was planning to continue but after a recent Naruto marathon, I asked him if I could write it instead, which he agreed to, but I wanted to change some things. So, I asked if I could use the first chapter of his story and then build off it and he agreed and now this story is born.
Summary-What if Naruto has more in common with Hashirama than anyone realized? What if, on the night of the stolen scroll, he learns one of the Shodaime Hokage's personal Jutsu, which reveals just how much he has in common with Hashirama when he is able to use his legendary bloodline...
NOTE: Okay so before we dive on in this, I want a few things to be known ahead of time...
NO BASHING: I don't care how bad a person is or how much they are disliked, I will not under any circumstances bash a character. Having said that, if a person is portrayed in a poor manner it is honestly how that character acts but it won't be a consistent thing as I will try to flesh people out and give proper development. The keyword in there is try. I'm not perfect.
NO REINCARNATION: I know a lot of people liked the reincarnation path that Kishimoto took to give Naruto and Sasuke the crazy-ass power-ups in the Fourth War, and at first I liked them as well but then I sat and thought and wondered why it was that Naruto and Sasuke received these power-ups. I mean, Hashirama and Madara were at least 10x stronger than them and were even close to ending the constant bloodshed before Madara fell off the wagon. Again, having said all that, Naruto and Sasuke will remain the latest reincarnated versions, just without the power-ups. If Kishimoto wanted to make them crazy powerful, he could have taken the Naruto series into their adulthood and progressed them from there and it would have made better sense. No hate on the Boruto series, just saying that they could have done that later on.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: This is something I wished Kishimoto had expanded on because I think by this point, it is mutually agreed amongst the fandom that Kishimoto did a lot of the Konoha 12 dirty by leaving to the wayside for whatever reason or another. Now, as I say this, I will say there will be times that the spotlight won't be on the main core at times as I take the time to expand on the side characters a bit at a time. It won't be all the time, more likely when there's a lull in the story or I'm having a bit of a writer's block.
NO GODLIKE: Naruto will be strong, have no doubt of that but he will not achieve Godlike status. Sure, when he gets strong, a much weaker opponent will attempt to fight and will be beaten easily but that will be few and far between. These are Ninja, underhanded tactics are there IMO so it should not be too far beyond belief that even a Kage can be caught off guard by a well-placed strategy used by a team of Genin or at least that's what I think.
Lastly...CANON?: I have not fully decided on how I want this to go but one issue is very important to know...F**K CANON! There are way too many plotholes that my friends and I were able to point out to just go along with it and add a few changes here and there. I love Naruto and everything, but Kishimoto did not do a good job of planning out things ahead and created a clusterf**k that now that I'm in college, I can no longer ignore. There will be some major changes. Just need to figure out how major...
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 1:
Rustling could be heard before someone burst out of the trees.
It was a young man, he looked to be around the age of 12. He has a bit of a wild look to him. He has bright spiky, sun-kissed blonde hair, and cerulean blue-colored eyes. He has a slight tan from what the moonlight showed and stood to 4'10ft. He's wearing an unzipped black jacket with an orange zipper and buttons, with a mesh under-armor, a pair of black pants, and sandals. This is Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, though he didn't know about that last bit. Not yet anyway.
He has a smile on his face as he jumped from tree to tree with a large scroll in his hands. He had a destination to get to and he was going as fast as he could.
"Can't believe Jiji fell for that move! He might as well just hand over that Kage hat already." Naruto boasted to himself before he finally reached the coordinates he was given by his sensei.
As soon as he landed, he pulled the large scroll off of his back, "Now, let's see, what Jutsu should I learn first?" Naruto mumbled before he scowled at the very first jutsu on the list, "What the hell? I don't want to learn the same Jutsu that failed me in the first place!" he cursed as his eyes continued roaming the scroll before they landed on something, "Oh, that sounds like a cool Jutsu to use," Naruto said in excitement and even found the seals easy enough to learn, which he grinned at before laying the scroll on the ground with the Jutsu displayed to him.
"Ok, here goes nothing!" he said as he began practicing, unaware that everything for him was about to change in a few hours...
-XxXx-
A Few Hours later-
Naruto panted tiredly as he wiped the sweat from his forehead but none of this could wipe the smile he had on his face.
"Huh, that jutsu was harder than I thought," Naruto said as he looked around the area to see it looked as if a battle had taken place due to the giant holes in the ground, but he'd still managed to learn it and he couldn't wait to show it off!
He looked back down at the scroll for another Jutsu when he heard the bushes beginning to rustle. Alerting him of someone's arrival.
Just then a figure jumped out of the bushes and landed a few feet away from Naruto. When the figure stood up, it was revealed to be a man. A young man that looked to be in his early 20's.
He was a young man of average height and build. He has brown hair that he keeps in a ponytail, dark eyes, and a scar that runs across the bridge of his nose. He's wearing the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with a forehead protector, sandals, and flak jacket. His sleeves are also rolled up about ¼ way. Naruto recognized him immediately.
"Naruto!" the man barked angrily as Naruto laughed.
"Hehehe" Naruto laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "You found me Iruka-sensei, but at least I was able to learn one Jutsu," Naruto said as the man named Iruka took another look at him and saw that he looked slightly tired and appeared to be sweating, not to mention that holes in the ground.
'He's been practicing a Jutsu? Just what kind of Jutsu would cause this, it looks like a battlefield out here,' Iruka thought before shaking his head as Naruto began speaking again.
"Even though it's only one, you have got to check it out, Iruka-sensei! It's awesome!" Naruto said excitedly, "I'll definitely pass the exam with this!" Naruto continued as Iruka got even more confused by Naruto's next comment, "I mean, with this Jutsu, I should definitely be able to pass now!" Naruto said with a smile.
"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Iruka asked.
"Well, isn't it true that I can pass with the others if I learn a Jutsu out of here?" Naruto asked now confused and doubtful as he noticed Iruka's eyes widened before narrowing.
"Who told you that?" he asked as a dreadful feeling began creeping up inside of him.
"Mizuki-sensei. He told me about this scroll and this place..." Naruto trailed off as he saw the look on Iruka's face, "There's no test, is there?" Naruto asked as Iruka shook his head slowly.
Just then, Iruka's head snapped around as he immediately pushed Naruto out of the way and not a moment too soon as dozens of kunai's and shurikens came flying out of the trees aiming for where Naruto was but instead, all it got was Iruka.
"I'm impressed you found this place."
Iruka scowled as he heard the voice since he was able to recognize it immediately. He'd worked alongside this voice for years!
"Mizuki..." he growled as he saw the man perched upon a tree branch.
Mizuki has white shoulder-length hair with a slight hint of blue to it and green eyes. He wore the standard attire of the Konoha like Iruka. The only difference was that Mizuki wore his forehead protector as a bandanna.
Mizuki turned his attention towards Naruto, "Naruto, give me that scroll." Naruto looked down at the scroll and was about to respond till Iruka cut him off.
"Naruto! Don't give him that scroll! That scroll is full of forbidden jutsu that was sealed in the Kage Tower for protection!" Iruka said Naruto's eyes widened slightly at the implication.
"Naruto, Iruka is only afraid of you holding the scroll," Mizuki said as Naruto's eyes narrowed before Iruka spoke up again.
"Don't let him lie to you!" Iruka shouted as he yanked another kunai out of his arm as Mizuki began laughing.
"Lie to him? If anything, I'm the only one in this entire village that won't lie to him. Not any longer!" Mizuki laughed as Iruka's eyes widened while Naruto's narrowed even further, "Naruto...have you ever wondered why the village glares at you with such contempt and hatred?" Mizuki asked as Iruka shouted.
"Stop Mizuki! That-" Iruka began but was cut off, to his surprise, by Naruto himself.
"Quiet!" Naruto shouted as both men looked at him with surprise in their eyes before he continued, "If there is a secret about me...a reason behind all those looks...something being kept from me, I want to know about it!" Naruto shouted again as he glared at both men before looking at the surprised Mizuki and said, "What's being kept from me? Why does everyone look at me...with so much hate in their eyes?"
Shrugging off off his surprise, Mizuki gave off a cruel smile before he looked at the still shocked Iruka and began again, "It all began 12 years ago. An incident occurred that resulted in the deaths of many in the village. Including the death of our Yondaime Hokage and his wife." Mizuki said as Naruto's eyes widened before his mind began running a mile a minute of what event happened that long ago and the only thing he could come up with-
"It was the result of this incident that a rule was created to not let out certain details about this incident to those of your generation and younger. You see, Naruto, by now, I'm guessing that you've already figured out the incident all those years ago since it was one of the darkest days in Konoha History. The Kyuubi no Yoko Attack." Mizuki said as his cruel smile widened a bit further when he saw Naruto nod.
"Stop it Mizuki!" Iruka yelled out, having finally recovered from Naruto's outburst and still wanted to protect him from the truth.
"What you and those of your generation don't know is that even with the Yondaime's skills, no man could ever truly kill a Bijuu, let alone the strongest one of its kind. So, instead, he had to do something else. Something that was almost unheard of and thought to not be possible." Mizuki continued.
"What? What did he do?! Tell me?!" Naruto demanded as Mizuki's face twisted into a sadistic smile.
"He sealed the monster of monsters, the strongest of Bijuu's, the destructor of Konoha...into a baby. And I don't think I have I have to tell who that was, do I? Demon Brat." Mizuki taunted as Naruto's eyes widened as so many things began clicking in his mind.
Despite what most people think, Naruto wasn't dumb. Possibly a bit naive, sometimes slow, and incredibly energetic. But, dumb he was not. When he had heard about the story about the Yondaime killing the Kyuubi no Kitsune as a child, he was awed like most but as he grew older, he began questioning a lot of things.
For one, he had questioned how a man being able to 'kill' a Biju. Especially since it was documented that the Shodaime Hokage was the strongest Kage the Leaf village had ever had, if not the strongest Kage ever, and he could only restrain them with his Mokuton bloodline. And Madara Uchiha, the only man capable of combating the Shodaime on even grounds was able to control it but it has never been documented or recorded about someone killing a Biju.
On top of that, no matter where he'd heard the story or read about it, it was never given how the Yondaime, supposedly, killed the strongest Biju in the entire Elemental Nations.
If he'd managed to kill the Kyubi no Yoko as so many had proclaimed, wouldn't it have been said what tactic he had used?
That's what Naruto had always thought at least.
But now...now it all makes sense! The glares, the looks of fear, hell even the whispers he'd heard when one of the civilians or ninja think he's either out of range or thinks they're being quiet or just don't care...
Demon Brat
That one was the name he'd been hearing ever since he left the Orphanage when he turned 6 to attend the Ninja Academy. Hell, even sometimes during his stay there.
"Naruto..." Iruka called out to the frozen boy. Ever since Mizuki had told him that lie, and yes that's what it was, a damn lie. Well, not completely but definitely not the complete truth and he wanted to say something to get to Naruto before those thoughts take a hold of him.
"Why else do you think everyone hated you? Even Iruka's had to hide behind his job to hide the hatred he feels for you. After all, you are the one that killed his parents," Mizuki added as he looked upon the frozen boy.
"Stop it!" Iruka shouted and turned to his conflicted student, "Naruto, you have to listen-Naruto!" Iruka screamed as he saw Naruto suddenly dash off.
"Oh, it looks like he couldn't handle the truth." Mizuki noted before he turned his attention to Iruka, "No matter, it's only a matter of time before I find him. I'll be back to finish you off after I'm done," Mizuki said as he jumped off as well.
Iruka grit his teeth as he began pulling the kunai and shurikens out faster in the hopes of being able to help his student!
-XxXx-
With Naruto
Demon Brat!
Demon Spawn!
Why won't the Sandaime Hokage just finish him off, already?
Those were just some of the things that Naruto remembered either shouted at him or heard in whispers. Every single one confusing at the time he'd heard them but all seeming to make sense now.
"Ugh!" Naruto grunted as he tripped over a branch and hit the ground hard but he barely felt it as he instantly sprung back up to his feet and began running again.
He didn't even know where he was running to, he just-he just had to get out of there! Away from that area-away from what could only be the truth!
Naruto could faintly hear something behind him but he didn't want to look to see what it was. It was either the teacher that wanted to kill him or the teacher that had grounds to...hate him.
His heart clenched in pain as that thought hit him. He grew up with virtually nobody caring for him. Oh sure, he was taken care of by the caretakers at the Orphanage but they only gave him the bare minimum attention to ensure that he was at least alive and well, as well as taking care of the basics of his education, otherwise, they ignored him. Along with the other orphaned kids that at times bullied him.
It only got worse as he began going to the Academy. When he started out, he had already planned on becoming the top student and having an entire group of close friends, everything.
That dream failed by the first day when, just like at the Orphanage, he was mostly ignored. Oh sure, he was given the education he was supposed to and learned what the Academy was supposed to teach him, but most of it was self-taught.
While all the other kids had teachers and parents help correct any mistakes they may have made, Naruto didn't have that. He had to just go by what he saw or heard or read in a book.
It actually got to the point, that Naruto actually thought about just quitting the Academy altogether.
That's where Iruka came in at...
Iruka was the first person to give Naruto any attention. Sure, when they first met, Iruka seemed like he was going to treat Naruto the same as everyone else did but that second week was like a dream come true for Naruto as Iruka seemed to treat Naruto just as he did the others.
Naruto couldn't be happier!
Even when Iruka scolded Naruto for his, at times admittedly, childish behavior or those times he skipped or even played a prank on the village, Naruto couldn't be happier because he'd finally gotten what he'd wanted since he understood what was going on around him...
Acknowledgment
Naruto finally began to stop to regain his breath as he panted, with all the conflicting emotions seeming to be trying to take over his mind one after another. His mind in a whirlwind unlike anything he's ever felt in his entire life...
"Ugh!" Naruto froze as he heard that grunt, it sounded so near him!
He looked around the tree he was leaning against saw two figures, one was Iruka, the other was him?
He saw Iruka on the ground and resisted the urge to help him as he decided to sit back and watch.
"How-How'd you know-" 'Iruka' began before a cloud of smoke burst over him and Mizuki stood in his spot, "-that I wasn't Iruka?"
'Naruto' began laughing before he also burst in a cloud of smoke, "Because, I'm Iruka," as the smoke cleared, revealing the injured and bloody Chunin.
Mizuki grit his teeth before he shouted, "Why...Why are you going so far for the person that killed your family?! What's in it for you?!"
Iruka panted before he spoke, "You're right. I shouldn't go to the lengths that I am for the monster that killed my parents. I gain nothing from it," he admitted.
As Naruto heard that, he couldn't help but feel pain. It was like a kunai was shoved through to the heart and-"But..." Naruto's thoughts stopped as Iruka suddenly spoke up again. He didn't know if he could listen any further, though.
"I'm not going to these lengths for a monster. I'm going to these lengths for Naruto Uzumaki!" Iruka shouted at the end before he coughed a bit as Naruto's eyes popped open.
"I admit, when I first met him, I was like the others, I blamed him for what happened, but it took one week. One week, to see that the monster that killed my parents and Naruto Uzumaki are two completely different beings. Kyuubi is destruction incarnate, Naruto is someone who would never harm someone unless he had to. And even then, he'd search for another solution."
"He's someone who's been struggling with the weight of the village's fear and hatred since birth but has never given in to hate back. He's someone with a Will stronger than anyone in this entire village with a determination to match. He's someone that will achieve whatever it is that he wants because he'll never give up and let bigots like you take him down." Iruka said as Mizuki grit his teeth.
"He's someone that will lead the next generation to heights that ours failed to reach. He's Naruto Uzumaki! My student, my annoyance, and...my comrade, and I will defend him to my last breath if I have to, to ensure that you'll never harm a hair on his head!"Iruka declared as stood back up while nearby, Naruto couldn't stop the tears falling from his face if he wanted to. Iruka didn't hate him...despite having all the grounds to hate him, he doesn't...he even considers him a comrade!
Mizuki grit his teeth even harder and clenched his fists even tighter before he relaxed and gave Iruka a sadistic smile, "That's a fine speech and everything but it looks as if you can barely even stand," Mizuki stated as Iruka fell as if to prove his point, "But, if you're that anxious to continue to get in my way of killing that brat and taking the scroll, then allow me to put you out of your misery!" he screamed as he took the Fūma Shuriken from his back and charged towards the downed Chunin.
Instead of getting up or defending himself, Iruka just smiled as he leaned back and closed his eyes, Damnit, I can barely move...Looks like this is the end for me...Naruto...Be Safe.
"UGH!" Iruka's eyes popped open as he heard Mizuki give a loud grunt as he flew back with the shuriken flying away. Iruka's eyes opened even further when he saw who it was the cause behind it...
Naruto!
Naruto stood back up to his height, recovering from the momentum of his attack as Mizuki stood back up as well and glared at the boy.
"You surprised me there, freak," Mizuki sneered.
Naruto didn't respond as he kept his hair down with most of his face being shadowed before he spoke, "I don't care what you say or do to me, but if you ever touch my sensei again..." Naruto trailed off before he snapped his head up and glared at the sneering Chunin, "I'll kill you"
"Oh is the Kyuubi brat upset that I hurt his supporter?" Mizuki taunted before giving an arrogant smirk before lifting his hand up, "Well, come on I'll give you a lesson in respect before I kill you,"
Naruto hated that he had no kunai or shuriken to throw to possibly set something up so he had to improvise.
He dashed forward, thankful that the distance between him and the traitorous sensei wasn't too much as he reached him and threw a punch, catching Mizuki off guard a bit thanks to not expecting his speed.
Though taken off guard, Mizuki still retained enough sense to lean his head back to dodge the punch but it was a feint as Naruto twisted in the air, launching a roundhouse that sent Mizuki flying a bit backwards before he landed on his feet, just in time to watch Naruto land as well and dash towards him again.
Prepared this time, Mizuki threw out a punch that Naruto barely dodged at the last second but was unprepared for Mizuki's punch that hit him in the chest before he followed it up with a one-two combo that sent Naruto into the air but Mizuki wasn't finished as he grabbed Naruto's legs before he got too high and then began spinning around and around.
"Having fun yet, brat?" he taunted before letting go and watching Naruto sail through the air before his momentum was stopped as his back hit a tree and fell to the ground with a grunt.
"Ha! Where's all that tough-talking now, Demon brat?" Mizuki taunted.
Naruto coughed as a response before he struggled back up to his feet. Before Naruto could do anything, however, Mizuki appeared in front of him and kneed him in the chest before slamming his elbow onto his back, driving him to the ground.
"Naruto!" Iruka cried out before gasping in pain, due to his own injuries.
"Haha, this is hilarious. You two aren't even making this all that hard of a job." Mizuki said before he slammed his foot down onto Naruto's spine as he tried to get back up, earning a cry of pain. "And this is the one that's supposed to lead the new generation?" Mizuki taunted Iruka as he was forced to look upon Naruto getting repeatedly stomped on.
"Stop it, Mizuki!" Iruka cried out as he began sneaking his hand to the pouch on his thigh.
"Why? Did the Demon stop attacking the village when all those people cried out in pain or terror? No, it. Just. Kept. Going." Mizuki said as he emphasized each statement with a stomp, earning more cries of pain from the Academy student. "That's right, brat. Yell, yell like everyone else did when you-ah!" he stopped in mid-sentence as a shuriken whizzed past his face, drawing a line of blood across his nose, taking him by surprise.
He managed to jump back from the kunai aimed at his throat.
He turned a murderous expression towards the culprit, "YOU!" he yelled out at Iruka who was panting heavily but was finally able to stand back up and also had his arm out.
"Yeah, me," Iruka said before he collapsed to his knees, the injuries and not having been in any type of action in years, finally getting to him.
Mizuki looked at Iruka for a minute before he broke out into a laugh that slowly turned maniacal. "I see you truly are in a rush to die first, huh Iruka?" he taunted before growing serious.
"Fine, if that's your wish then allow me to grant it," he said before beginning to walk towards him.
"Wait!" the forgotten student cried out as he struggled to stand back to his feet as Mizuki just spared a glance back towards him.
"Don't worry, brat. I'll come finish you off after I'm done with your 'precious' sensei." Mizuki said before he continued his walk.
"Stop!" Naruto cried out again but Mizuki ignored him. Naruto grit his teeth as a wave of desperation began to sink into him, as he desperately tried to think of something to do to stop Mizuki. He didn't have any ninja tools, even if he attacked him, he's easily outmatched by the Chunin in Taijutsu, he doesn't know of any Jut-That's it!
Seeing the Chunin still stalking towards Iruka, Naruto quickly recalled the necessary hand signs to the only Jutsu he learned as he struggled up to his knees before glaring at Mizuki's back while drawing his hands together with a loud clap that resounded throughout the area, even managing to stop Mizuki's march as he turned to see what the Demon Brat was doing now, only for his eyes to widen...
"Snake...Ram...Hare...Dog," Naruto muttered the hand signs as he finished and called out loudly while executing it with an unknown handsign, "Wood Style: Wood-Dragon Jutsu!"
Instantly, a gigantic wooden dragon sprouted from the ground with glowing eyes as it glared at the shocked and horrified Chunin, who stood frozen at it's appearance which didn't help as the dragon surged forward before wrapping its body around him tightly, earning a grunt in pain before he felt himself growing weaker like his energy was being zapped away...
Wait, not his energy but his Chakra!
Mizuki tried to move but found that he was wrapped too tightly to even consider moving, though if he were paying attention, he would've noted that the more he fought, the faster his chakra seemed to get siphoned.
Before he lost consciousness, he opened his eyes to glare at the blonde who hadn't moved from where he'd performed the Jutsu as he glared back at him with determination.
"I won't let you lay another finger on Iruka-Sensei," Naruto said as he clasped his fingers together even tighter and that's when Mizuki lost consciousness. Upon seeing the Chunin out cold, Naruto waited a few seconds to see if he were faking it before releasing the Jutsu which dropped Mizuki to the ground carelessly as he rushed over to him and dug through his weapons pouch till he found some Ninja wire which he used to tie Mizuki's hands behind his back.
Once he was done, Naruto rushed to Iruka, who hadn't moved from his spot, "Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto called out once he reached him, "Are you alright?" he asked the stunned Sensei.
"N-Naruto, that-that was-" Iruka began but Naruto cut him off.
"Not now Sensei, you're bleeding pretty badly," Naruto noted as he checked over Iruka's injuries though again, Iruka was too stunned to notice as he kept staring at his student.
'Naruto, you...'
Unknown to either student or teacher, they were not the only ones to witness Naruto's feat as back in Konoha, specifically the Hokage's Tower, the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, himself watched the entire event through his crystal ball and also witnessed the shocking event.
Though true to his status of Hokage, his shock quickly wore off as he knew that no matter what the village may feel towards Naruto, not a single one of his advisors would allow Naruto to stay an Academy Student due to this recent discovery and though he has a fondness for him, he won't allow it either which means that the Team Assignments will need to be altered as young Naruto would need not only the right Sensei to help guide him to his full potential but the right teammates as well.
END-
Well, that was mostly the chapter I borrowed from DarknessIncarnate2000, I kind of had to alter it at some parts and this is what I came up with. I know this was kind of short but hopefully, I can come back with a longer chapter next time.
Again, thanks to DarknessIncarnate2000 for letting me use some of his work to jump-start this but from here on out, I promise all will be completely me, and this will, hopefully, be the last time I have to use so much of Canon. Though, I will admit now that the Chunin Exams will happen but I plan for them to happen differently than in Canon.
I don't know, I'm still mapping that part out but that is quite a bit away so I think I still have time.
Anyway, that should be it, I'll see you guys later...
See Ya