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Bankai777: I'm not going to spoil it for you.
Guest: The Stonewall Alliance and The Republic of Haze. If you can figure out who those are, I will be very impressed.
Notes: Start of the Academy Arc.
Academy days: Year: 1
At first, Naruto and Sasuke thought they would start the academy today but it was just the welcome speech that started at 8 AM. Sasuke followed Naruto to the red light district under a transformation so that no one would see him.
Naruto looked at Sasuke but he was a she and had brown hair and brown eyes. "The people here don't care about me on either side. It's a we're all equally trash kinda thing."
"Fair enough." Replied Transformed Sasuke.
"We both know the academy will be so boring, the Hokage might fall asleep so we have to find a way to make the most of it." Said Naruto.
"Ninjutsu?" Replied transformed Sasuke.
"I wish. Itachi's coming home less and less and I think he lives in the ANBU HQ and we are not going there. We both know about my solid transformation that I used on the old man but I'm not willing to risk it."
"Kenjutsu or one of other less common arts?"
"We still need a teacher and we only have one person."
"Fuck!" Yelled Transformed Sasuke. "So we either sit and do nothing or risk facing T&I because we committed burglary at the ANBU HQ. Shit!" Transformed Sasuke kicked a piece of trash.
"Then again, we also committed burglary and theft when we stole those scrolls so other than the whole ANBU HQ thing, I don't see the issue." They got to Naruto's dusty apartment and sat down in the living room after Naruto locked the door. Naruto clenched his fists and shook the nerves off and replaced it with determination. "If we're going to do something this stupid, we better know what we're after and have a backup plan if things go to shit."
"Yeah. Mission A will be finding Itachi and Mission B will be grabbing a weapon or two because let's face it...ANBU get all the good stuff." Said Sasuke who undid the transformation.
"Can't argue with that but if we have to, we'll either only do one of them or hightail it out of there."
"When are we doing this?"
"Tonight. This is our one chance before someone decides to watch us."
"No. We have no idea what that place looks like or what kind of security we're looking at other than hundreds of special forces members but that doesn't count. Tomorrow."
The boys nodded and Naruto slept in bed and Sasuke on the couch. Not that anyone noticed.
The next day
Naruto and Sasuke caught a lucky break when they found Itachi coming home from a mission and he didn't look tired either. So that was a good thing. Sasuke was first. "Can you get us a sword please?"
"Why?" Asked Itachi.
"Because we want to learn Kenjutsu. All we want is a standard issue katana, that's it." Said Naruto.
Itachi didn't say anything for a while. 'A little young but I was the same way. On the other hand, I'm not allowed to help or hinder this kid unless his life depends on it. I've already broken enough rules as is.' "Sorry guys. Not right now." Itachi walked away, leaving two disappointed boys behind.
"Welp, guess what we're doin' tonight?" Said Naruto.
Sasuke looked at the sky. "We've got six hours to prepare." Naruto nodded. "And that includes a better outfit. You look like a construction cone."
"I know, but it's what they gave me. Anyway, I'll snag us some duffle bags. Other than Katanas, what are we getting?"
"Once we get into the amory, grab anything that looks cool and dangerous."
Naruto nodded and they went their separate ways.
Six hours later
Dressed in black cloaks that Sasuke "acquired" from a clothing store he found on Main Street, Naruto and Sasuke successfully snuck into the ANBU HQ after avoiding the patrols and guards.
There was hardly any wood as most of it was some kind of metal. There was little light and the halls were dim and skinny. They were always on alert because if someone came by, they had nowhere to hide. They knew how to tree and water walk but jumping to the ceiling would only leave them more trapped than when they were on the ground. So they rushed to the armory while following the signs carefully so they didn't get lost.
It was night time so no one was around. So far, so good. Sasuke took a peek into the armory and gave the all clear and both boys rushed in and grabbed everything they needed.
Naruto grabbed three demolition tags and two resistance seals while Sasuke got two katanas and two black ANBU cloaks. Sasuke tossed one to Naruto. "Put it on." He whispered. Naruto did so without a word and so did Sasuke.
With their loot secure, they took a peek and made a mad dash for the next hiding spot. The locker room. Naruto took a peek in there and mouthed. "Itachi." Naruto started using sign language. "He's tired. 30 seconds. Run. Scatter. My place. After school"
Sasuke nodded. He got the message. Itachi is tired. They have 30 seconds before they're caught and need to run, they can't go off in the same direction, and they'll meet at Naruto's apartment after school. So they made a mad dash and left the building in a hurry. There was no evidence in the armory because people take those items in that combination all the time but the chakra residue and open door would cause problems later on and they knew it but they had to leave.
Naruto went left and Sasuke went right. They had already planned for this. The nearest training ground was an hour away and the forest was so thick, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face at night.
Both boys ran through the trees with speeds they didn't know they had towards their set destination. Sasuke decided to sleep at the academy for the night and throw his stuff in his locker. Getting in was easy. Only the sharingan or byakugan could find them now. A sensor might sense them but won't make it very far if they can't go six feet without getting decked by a branch.
Location: Unknown
"That's impossible! Surely you jest!?"
"I assure you, this is not a joke and the report is 100% accurate."
"So much for the best of the best. Any traces?"
"Chakra residue that vanished in minutes and everything that was taken isn't exactly a village secret and is easily replaceable. Hiruzen's ANBU didn't bat an eye with both the sealed door and false front door were wide open. They would have gotten away from me as well if I wasn't about to go home."
"Do go on."
"They got in during the shift change and when I saw the boys successfully get past the guards, I had to follow them. I would have stopped them if they went for the records department but they made a beeline for the armory. Two minutes later and no one has seen neither hide nor hair nor chakra of them. Other than me, of course."
Both figures came to a nasty realization and paled. If these boys really wanted to, they could vanish off the face of the planet and take village secrets with them and no one could do anything about it.
"Watch them. I highly doubt they're threats but this is too good of an opportunity to pass up, old mad be damned. If I can't approach the Uzumaki boy, then I guess I'll have to go for the Uchiha. A less direct approach." The man put his hands together in satisfaction. "Yes, that will do. Watch them and tell me when the Uchiha boy is alone. This is my one chance to pass on my beliefs to the next generation.
The next day, Academy, 7:00 AM
Naruto quietly snuck through the Leaf Ninja Academy halls while looking for Sasuke in every place he could be. Naruto brought his duffle bag with him to store in Sasuke's locker when he found him. After all, it's amazing how hidden you are even when everyone can see you.
Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and reacted instantly. He elbowed his attacker in the ribs, threw him over his shoulder onto the ground, and put a kunai at his neck. "Tell me who you are right now, and you might live." He said with a quiet, cold, and chilling voice.
"Fucking hell, Naruto!" Whispered Sasuke. "It's me, Sasuke. Please calm down."
Naruto panicked and helped Sasuke up. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." He rolled his shoulder a few times. "I'll be fine before class starts." Seeing Naruto's hesitant look, he put a hand on his shoulder but slowly so he didn't startle him again. "It's okay, Naruto. I would have done the same if I was in your shoes. Seriously, I forgive you." Sasuke looked around. "Come one, we need to get going."
Naruto nodded gratefully and followed Sasuke into the locker room where they opened their duffle bags. "Last night could have been better but it also could have been a lot worse. I see you got everything."
"Yeah and you did too. What should we do next?" Asked Sasuke.
"We should lay low for a few days, see what happens. My apartment complex has several unused places but don't go anywhere near me and let anyone see you. If you are interrogated by the ANBU, tell them I tricked you into it."
"Yeah, I can do that. What about you?"
Naruto smirked. "Me? I'm going to vanish off the face of the earth."
Sasuke chuckled. If Naruto didn't want to be found, then no one could find him. Not even Sasuke. The young Uchiha tried that once. Turned the village inside out, upside down, and then shook it but still no sign of Naruto. Sasuke trusted Naruto to remain hidden until Monday of next week. Sasuke would take notes for him in the academy but that's it. As the Uchiha heir, he had to stay public at least sometimes.
"Well, Sasuke, I will see you next Monday."
Sasuke nodded, put both bags in his locker and went to the proper classroom while Naruto went into hiding.
[AN: This next part will have little to no Naruto involvement because he doesn't do much. Just eat, sleep, and taijutsu practice.]
8:30 AM, Class 1-A
Sasuke took a moment to observe his surroundings. They were in a lecture hall style class room. Big, but still too small and too much wood for a fire jutsu. The chairs seemed hard enough to use as weapons and shields as long as they weren't attacked by a strong chunin or strong jonin. The pens and pencils could work in a pinch. Hell, even the whiteboard erasers and markers would work if need be.
He also noticed he wasn't the only clan heir. Hell, 90% of the class belonged to a clan. Sasuke didn't care about any of them. All he wanted was to be better than the rest of his pathetic clan. Odd. Sasuke thought. He always knew he disliked his clan but since when did he start to develop a hatred for it? Pushing those thoughts aside, took note of the people in his class.
Choji Akamichi. Heir to the Akamichi clan, always eating, and sensitive about his weight. But to be fair, he needed all that fat and muscle for his family jutsu. Sasuke didn't consider him a threat. The boy is like a raging bull but more controlled. He's fast and hits like a boulder that fell from a cliff but he can't change directions very well. But he's faster so it's not like it matters.
Ino Yamanaka. Heiress to the Yamanaka clan, weak, bossy, loud, and his second worst fangirl. Enough said. Shikamaru Nara. Heir to the Nara Clan, just as smart as he is lazy, and could probably fall asleep inside of Ibiki's noise chamber if he tried hard enough. On the other hand, give him a shred of evidence and he'll figure something out now matter how much you may or may not want him to. Sasuke told himself that he would monitor the Nara kid for anything abnormal or to see if he was looking for something.
Hinata Hyuga. Heiress to the Hyuga clan and one of the worst cases of shyness and introversion in the history of shinobi. Sasuke had to keep himself from soffing. The girl wanted to change her clan for the better but with an attitude like that, she'll either become a branch member or get herself and her team killed.
Shino Aburame. Heir to the Aburame Clan, son of the Body Eraser, has several colonies of chakra sucking Kikachu inside his body, and someone Sasuke would hesitate to willingly attack. The boy might not have a 200 IQ, but he can plan ahead and think on his feet. He's also really quiet. Something that Sasuke approved of but also made him wary. He made a mental note to watch him as well. It's people like him that are most likely to kill you. After all, your worst enemies are the ones you either don't see or don't want to see.
Sakura Hureno. Heir to the Hureno Merchant clan, weaker than Ino, louder than Ino, his worst fangirl, and someone he planned to sue for harassment. And if the opportunity arises, beat the girl to a bloody pulp.
There were two teachers. One of them had tan skin, a long, horizontal scar on his nose, and the standard chunin uniform and the other one looked like the first one but with lighter skin, gray hair, no scar, and a standard jonin uniform. Sasuke would make no effort to pay attention to the lecture. It was too basic. All he needed to know is if they were a threat to him, Naruto and/or the village. Regardless, all he had to do was bide his time until Naruto came back and then continue training.
Time skip: Friday 4:00 PM
It didn't take a genius to know that Sasuke was bored whenever he went to class. There was only so much he could do without the teachers noticing anything. But it was Friday and Naruto should be contacting him when he got to his apartment. Once he was sure he had now hidden followers, he made a beeline for Naruto's apartment.
[AN: Naruto is back.]
Naruto's apartment
Sasuke knocked on Naruto's door in a special way. It was morse code for brothers. If done two fast, too slow, too hard, or two soft, they were to activate the explosive tags placed inside the apartment room and in key structural places in the complex. It wouldn't erase all the evidence but it would certainly cause a lot of problems.
Naruto heard the correct code and opened the door for Sasuke. "Got the notes?"
"Good, thank you. Come with me."
Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto to a guest bedroom that was turned into an office and took three notebooks out of the backpack. They sat across from each other at the desk and started looking at the notebooks "Yeah, three parts." Replied Sasuke. Naruto raised his eyebrow and Sasuke took out three notebooks from his backpack. "The green one is everything you need to know about the next four years in the academy as well as some extra information that might help you in the long run."
"The yellow one is a complete roster of every living thing inside the academy with a few notes on each person and well. And the red contains the list of people we need to kill. So far it's empty but we'll see as time goes on."
Naruto nodded and started skimming through the first two notebooks. "Wow Sasuke, I'm impressed. Anything else I should know?"
"Yeah. Be careful around Shikamaru Nara and Shino Aburame. Both boys are insanely smart and the last thing we need is someone figuring out our secret before graduation." Warned Sasuke.
Naruto nodded. "But it's Shikamaru who's the biggest threat. His father is a clan head, jonin commander, master strategist, and loyal to the old man regardless of how danming it is for someone."
"So you're saying that Shino can be bribed?"
"I wouldn't go that far but like all Aburame, they believe in using cold, hard, logic to figure things out. If we give him a set of information that makes sense to him and makes us look good. It doesn't have to be true."
"I don't see anything wrong with that but it would be in our best interest to prevent that from happening anyway." Naruto nodded and didn't say anything so Sasuke continued. "News on the Uchiha. Everyone with a sharingan is being called back for some reason."
Naruto and Sasuke were silent before their eyes widened. Naruto spoke first. "I always knew Fugaku was insane but this is suicidal! Even if this isn't stomped out now, the civil war won't last more than a day! Itachi is loyal to the village and he's the only one with the power to actually do any damage! Now, I know that the Uchiha have been getting some bad heat lately but why would they want to start a civil war?" Questioned Naruto.
"Because no matter how much we want to deny it, the Uchiha have a lot to gain from succeeding. Yes, they have everything to lose as well but they feel like they must succeed or die trying. And $1,000,000 says they'll start the 4th Shinobi War as well." Answered Sasuke.
"Yes, but the villages aren't nearly as strong as they claim to be and none of them are truly ready for war, not even our own. Iwa is still reeling and hiring mercenaries and leaning on Kumo to keep their head above water. Kumo is about to enter civil war and if Ei attempted a preemptive strike, the people would revolt. Suna entered an economic depression in 265 and Mist is in a civil war. Would we win? Yes. Would we recreate the 2nd Shinobi War? Also yes." Rebutted Naruto.
"The great nations would go broke and then the smaller nations would start getting bright ideas, recreating the 3rd Shinobi War." Finished Sasuke.
"Do you think we'll go to war?"
"100%. No clue when but I know we'll be on the frontlines sooner or later. Remember the Tragedy of Kyoko Pass?"
Naruto chuckled. "I think everyone who survived the 3rd Shinobi War remembers that. It's where all five villages engaged in a free-for-all and did permanent damage to the environment for six square miles. We came out on top but Holy Fire, did we work for it."
"Yeah. Anyway, what do we do about the Uchiha?"
"Nothing. Someone much higher on the food chain knows about this and is probably dealing with it."
Sasuke snorted. "I wish. I think we should stay with Mikoto's parents until this either blows over or blows up. Mikoto might not be so great, but Momo and Haga are actually nice people."
"I like where this is going but we need a way out and a disguise. We can get in through our old training ground but I doubt we can get out that way. And we need to find a way to hide my hair and whisker marks."
"I agree. I'll grab some ninja cosmetics and start poking around the main family compound." Sasuke looked out the window. "But not today. We're both dead tired."
Naruto nodded and both boys went to sleep in their respective sleeping areas.
Well? What do you think? Please leave a review. They help a lot. Also, an important announcement. I found a dude called Pro Writer That We All Like and I need more reviews so I'm going to give him the documents to post but I will do the writing. This story is my work even if the idea may or may not be original. And to heck I've decided not to wait and post this chapter regardless of how soon it may be.