AN: Hey guys! Long-time reader, first-time writer here. I just had this idea in my head and it wouldn't leave, so I thought I would give writing a shot. Bear with me, as I take my first step into the world of Naruto Fanfiction!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; it is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
Summary: What if the roles of the Sannin were reversed? Jiraiya, disillusioned by the death of his student and the defection of his best friend and rival Orochimaru, forsakes the Leaf to pursue his perversions. Tsunade, on the other hand, steeled her resolve to serve her village despite the loss of those closest to her. How will this change affect our favorite demon-vessel? Medic!Naruto.
–
"But Kakashi-sensei, you have to train me for the finals!"
As hard as he tried, Naruto couldn't keep the jealousy out of his voice. He worked hard for this, and couldn't believe that he was being sidelined yet again for his "prodigal" team mate Sasuke.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. But with Orochimaru's seal on Sasuke's neck, he needs constant supervision. As I'm the only other Sharingan-user in the village, no one else can help train him how to handle that kind of power responsibly." Kakashi gave the blonde a pat on the head. "Don't worry though," he said casually. "I wouldn't leave you all by yourself for an entire month."
At this, Naruto perked up, excited for the prospect of training under someone new. "Is it someone strong? Don't tell me. You set me up with personal jutsu training from the Hokage! No no, he's probably really busy. Maybe that crazy snake-lady from the second part of the test? Ooh! Or that guy with the scars all over his face! How about caterpilla-"
"Naruto!" yelled Kakashi, exasperated with the blonde's enthusiasm. "While all of those people are indeed qualified to teach you, I was able to get someone better. In fact, I would even say that he's a better instructor than I am."
–
To say that he was disappointed was the understatement of the year. Of all the people Kakashi could have picked, it had to be him. Normally, Naruto would have been happy with anyone. Really. But Kakashi had to pick the one Jounin in Konohagakure no Sato that he had the ability to render unconcious with a single jutsu.
"To succeed in the Chuunin exams," Ebisu lectured, "one must have perfect chakra control. It seems, however, that your sensei left you severely lacking in that area of study." At this, he gave Naruto a long, judging glare. While he had a new-found respect for the boy after observing his effect on Konohamaru, the tokubetsu jounin couldn't overlook the gaps in Naruto's ninja-related knowledge.
"Hey!" Naruto pouted. He couldn't help it that he had weak chakra control. Not only did he have larger than normal reserves for a genin, he also had to worry about his furry tenant. Nevertheless, he couldn't argue with his temporary teacher. Oftentimes he saw Sakura utilize less than a tenth of what he did on the same techniques.
"Hmph. You can't go through life overpowering everything, Naruto-kun. You'll never live up to your full potential. Luckily, we have one month of uninterrupted training to get you up to par!" At this, Naruto felt frustration. He didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the Chuunin exams if he spent the entire month just getting "up to par," like the jounin planned. I have to ditch this guy and find someone strong to train me, he thought.
Unfortunately, Naruto's ability to plan ahead was only slightly better than his chakra control. As a result, he was stuck for now, and he knew it. Who knows? Maybe Ebisu-sensei can teach me something in the mean time. He's not a jounin for nothing.
"So what do we do first, Ebisu-sensei?"
"I'm glad you asked, my dear student. To answer that, we shall be making our way to the hot springs on the edge of town."
"Konoha has hotsprings?" Naruto asked. He had never been to an onsen before, as those were usually for people with money. Being an orphan on Konoha's payroll as a genin, he didn't exactly have the funds to spend on something so frivolous.
"Of course! Haven't you ever gone to the Entertainment District?" Seeing Naruto's blank look, he continued. "Konoha may be a hidden village full of ninjas, but even we have a need for rest and relaxation. Hence, the Entertainment District. They have movie theaters, casinos, arcades, the hot springs, and, *ahem an adult section..."
"I knew it! You're not really gonna be training me! You're just using this as an excuse to be a pervert!" Ebisu had a slight blush on his cheeks, but had the decency to deny the genin's accusations.
"No, no! I would never be caught in that part of the district. We are simply going for the hot springs."
"Mehhhh, what are we gonna do at the hotsprings, huh? Peak on some girls? Hmmmm? Closet-pervert?"
"Don't be silly. Shinobi of my caliber don't indulge in such despicable practices," Ebisu stated unconvincingly. "I have an image to uphold! Besides, hot springs are the perfect place for what I have in mind for your training."
"Sure, sensei, what ever you say," Naruto said, not believing him. "Lead the way."
–
On the way to the hotsprings, Naruto tried to think of what his temporary teacher was up to. Maybe hot water relaxed you to the point where chakra was easier to control? Maybe there was special water there that made you ten times stronger when you drank it? It didn't help that Ebisu was being tight-lipped about the training.
When they arrived at the entrance to Konoha's entertainment district, Naruto was interrupted from his musings by the sight in front of him. He had never been to this part of town before, and was greatly surprised that such a loud and boisterous place could even exist in a hidden village! There were flashing lights and loud sounds everywhere, rivaling those that could be found in nearby cities like Otafuku-gai where places like this would not be out of place. In a hidden village though, it was nothing short of astonishing.
"This way, Naruto. The hot springs are on the far side. Don't touch anything, and don't speak to anyone. With your luck, you'd probably end up gambling your wallet away before we get there." Ebisu's warning did not fall on deaf ears, as Naruto tightened his grip on his beloved Gama-chan. As the pair made their way through the crowded street however, Naruto could not help but let his eyes wander. He made a note to stop by for a visit some time in the future, when he had some free time.
Lost in his musings, Naruto failed to realize that he was no longer following the jounin. Looking around, Ebisu was no where in sight. All he could see were throngs of people moving about. He quickly decided that the best bet of finding his sensei was to get to higher ground. Since the Casino was the tallest building in the area, Naruto made his way there, and started climbing.
–
Tsunade couldn't help herself. She planned on heading straight to the Hokage's office upon arriving at the village gates, but she couldn't resist the allure of the Casino. This one had always been particularly good to her. Everywhere else her luck was shit, but the one in her home town was by far the kindest. Often times at this place she came out on top, at least by the very slimmest of margins.
"Come on, Tonton, let's see if it's mama's lucky day." A small oink from the pet pig in her arms was the only reply. Some people might find it weird to be carrying around a pig, but she didn't give a damn. Tonton was the only thing she had left of her little brother Nawaki. He died years and years ago, leaving nothing behind but his little pet pig. But she'd be damned if she didn't use her prowess as the world's most powerful medic ninja to keep at least a little piece of little brother alive with her all of these years. It was that reminder of her brother and his dream that kept her going, and admittedly, kept her coming back.
Unlike her former teammate Jiraiya, who left Konoha in despair and vowing to never return, Tsunade devoted herself to the creation and maintenance of a sizable spy network all throughout the elemental countries. Under the guise of a visiting medical doctor, she spread her fame and made her fortune visiting poor villages and rich cities alike, planting the seeds of her web everywhere she went. Each patient she treated was a new ally. After all, who wouldn't be extremely grateful to the person who rid you of a life-threatening disease, returned your eyesight, or saved your children?
The Hokage can wait, she thought to herself. I don't have to report in right away... hehe. Besides, I've been traveling for weeks, I deserve a little break.
The anticipation started building in her. Would she win today? Would she lose? She couldn't wait to feel the crisp bills in her hands, or the jingle of coins as they made their way into her pockets. Unfortunately, she would get neither. Upon reaching the entrance, Tsunade was greeted with the sight of a foot falling on her face.
–
Seconds Earlier
From the top of the building, Naruto could see very far. Luckily for him, Ebisu hadn't gone very far before noticing that his charge was missing, and had stopped to look around. When Naruto spotted him, he immediately jumped down from the building to make his way to the closet-pervert. What he didn't expect, however, was for there to be a person beneath him to break his fall. Try as he might, he couldn't shift quickly enough, and ended up planting his foot on her face. As fast as he could, he jumped off to the side.
"Ahhhhhh! Sorry sorry!" Naruto scrambled about. He didn't know what to do! What if he'd just killed a civilian? He was sure that was frowned upon. What if they died? Could he still be Hokage?
"Naruto, you idiot!" yelled Ebisu, finally catching up to his errant student.
"I didn't see her! What do we do!"
"I told you to stay close!"
"I did! You're the adult, how did you lose me!"
In their panic, neither of them noticed the blonde woman recover from Naruto's "ambush" until it was too late. Heavy killing intent filled the air. It was so thick and powerful that all activity on the street halted. People stopped talking, entertainers stopped their side-shows, kids stopped playing games. There was complete silence except for the two arguing in front of her.
In synch, the two slowly turned their heads towards the source of the powerful force. To his credit, Ebisu was able to shake it off enough to form words. Before he could actually use said words, however, the sight in front of him stopped him in his tracks.
Blonde hair, pet pig, green jacket with the symbol for "gamble", curvy hips, great body type, a huge set of-
Blood started dripping slowly from his nose at that thought. Unfortunately for him, the blonde woman noticed it as well, and traced his eyesight straight to her chest. Narrowing her eyes, she pulled her fist back, and yelled "PERVERT" for all to hear. As her hand hit his face, poor Ebisu was sent flying into the distance.
Strong... was the only thought going through Naruto's head at the sight. He was shocked at this woman's amazing strength. For all the jokes he threw around about Ebisu, he knew that the guy was a jounin. You didn't get to that status by being weak, yet this woman sent him flying with one punch. As she turned her attention to him, Naruto did what naruto did best.
"You're going to be my sensei!" he declared.
"Excuse me? You just stepped on my face, and you expect me to teach you anything?" Tsunade couldn't believe the audacity this kid had. Not only did he essentially kick her face, but also demanded training after. It was then that she noticed his features. The blonde hair, the six whisker marks on his cheeks, the Uzumaki spiral on the back of his jacket... this was the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki.
"No." And with that answer, she walked past him and into the casino. Not one to be deterred, Naruto followed her.
"But you're so strong! I need someone like that to teach me for the finals of the chuunin exams!" Naruto begged. He wasn't going to let this chance get away from him. "Plus, you just knocked out my sensei. You owe me one!"
"I don't owe you shit, kid." Tsunade made her way through the slot machines to the gaming tables.
At this point, Naruto was at a loss. He had no idea how to convince her to take him under her wing. But Naruto wasn't known as Konoha's most unpredictable ninja for nothing.
"Let's make a bet." As soon as she heard those magical words, Tsunade perked up. She just couldn't resist.
"I'm listening," she said.
"We'll draw for a high card. If I win, you teach me something that'll help me win in the Chuunin exam finals."
"And if you lose?"
"If I lose, I'll leave you alone."
"Pfft. No deal, kid. I could just pick you up and throw you to the moon. You gotta offer something more substantial." At this, Naruto deflated. He started to walk away, until an idea struck him.
"How about I bet my Gama-chan?" At her confused look, he held up his froggy wallet for her to see. "It's filled with money." Fortunately for Naruto, living solely on ramen for months at a time enabled him to save up a ridiculous amount of cash. Not only did he have the money from all of the D-ranked missions, but he also had the substantial amount given to him from his mission to Wave Country. Like Kakashi had once said, A-ranks aren't cheap.
Luckily, there was enough cash in Gama-chan to pique Tsunade's interest. She had been planning on hunting down the Kyuubi brat when she got back in town anyway. So why not? It was a win-win situation for her. "Alright kid, we'll play a hand. Just be ready to hand over that precious Gama-chan of yours when I win this, hehe. Dealer, set us up!"
With that, the nearest dealer shuffled a deck of cards. Once he was done, Naruto pulled a card from the stack and placed it face up on the table.
"HA!" yelled Tsunade. "A three. That' not hard to beat! Get ready, cuz here's your beat down." With that, she pulled her own card.
–
Ten minutes later found Tsunade, Tonton, and very happy Naruto at the mouth of the river feeding water into the hotsprings.
"So I never learned your name," Naruto said, at an attempt to initiate a real conversation.
"What? You mean you've never heard of me? Bow down before your betters, brat! For you are in the presence of greatness!" From out of nowhere, Tsunade pulled out a pair of fans with the words "slug" and "princess" written on them. "I am the the great medic of Konoha. Able to heal all ailments, cure diseases, and mend injuries. I am the Slug Princess, Senju TSUNADE!"
Ughhhhh why do I always get the weirdos, thought Naruto, as Tsunade finished her interpretive dance on top of a gigantic slug. Gathering himself, Naruto asked, "So what are you gonna teach me? Am I gonna be able to knock my opponent out in a single punch?"
"Hahahaha! It takes years of practicing chakra control before you get my strength brat! I'm only as strong as I am now with over 4 decades of practice!"
At hearing this, Naruto sweat dropped. "F-f-f—four decades? Jeez, baa-chan, how old are you?"
"I AM NOT OLD" To further emphasize her point, she slammed her fist into a tree, immediately felling it. "Got it?"
"Yeah yeah, I got it," Naruto said nervously. With that kind of strength, he was sure he didn't want to get on her bad side. "But my chakra control is the worst," he admitted sadly.
"Show me." With this, naruto walked to the nearest tree and began to climb up.
"Before, I could hold this forever. But ever since that Oro-whatever guy did something to my chakra, I can't hold it for very long. Something changes and screws it all up. That's why I jumped down that building when I landed on you, instead of running down like I normally would."
Hearing her old teammate's name immediately put Tsunade on edge. She kneeled down in front of Naruto. "Lift up your shirt and channel chakra to the seal on your stomach."
Naruto was shocked that she knew about the nine-tails, but complied nonetheless. As Tsunade inspected his seal, she gathered chakra to her fingertips. Before Naruto could react, she slammed her hand over Naruto's stomach.
"Kai!" With a surge of energy, Tsunade obliterated the Five Elements Seal that Orochimaru had placed on Naruto. "There we go. You'll still have terrible chakra control, but at least you won't have Oro-teme's seal compounding the issue."
"Whoa, I feel a lot better."
"You're welcome. Now let's see what we can do about fixing that control problem of yours..." Tsunade had a wicked smirk and a gleam in her eye that promised Naruto nothing but pain.
–
Tsunade stared at the horde of blonde-haired gennin in front of her in amazement. She learned that her new student had not only known how to perform the shadow clone technique, but could also create hundreds, if not thousands, at a time. With the shadow clone's ability to retain it's experiences and memories after being dispelled, and giving them back to the original, one could literally condense a year's worth of training into one day. This was something that she had no shame in taking advantage of.
After evaluating Naruto's capabilities, she had quickly set him to task. Any bystander that happened upon them would be amazed at the sight of a thousand different Naruto's running around doing various chakra control exercises. Some could be seen attempting to walk on water, others had various leaves stuck to different parts of their bodies. Every few seconds a few would dispel themselves, while a small set of clones created more to replace them.
The original, on the other hand, was sitting next to Tsunade in meditation. While this type of training is highly beneficial in speeding up the learning process, it was taxing both mentally and physically. Until Naruto got used to the constant influx of information, he would be useless, at least for a few hours.
Tsunade decided to use this time to meet with the Hokage. After making some hand seals and drawing some blood, she summoned two slugs. She placed the small slug on her shoulder, while the large one proceeded to swallow the meditating Naruto whole.
"Katsuyu-sama, please keep him in stabilized until he wakes up. Keep me informed of his status while I go meet with the old man," she said, pointing to the slug on her shoulder. When she looked up, however, she noticed that all of the clones had stopped what they were doing and had looks of disgust on their faces.
"Ewwww, baa-chan, did that big slug just eat the boss?" one of the clones asked in horror.
"Shut up, brat! And get back to work before I have my slugs eat the rest of you!" Suffice it to say, they promptly continued with their training. "I'll be back when Naruto wakes up, but keep going until then. I'll know if you've been slacking!"
Tsunade made her way out of the clearing, and headed towards the Hokage tower. Upon arrival, she took one great leap, and hurled herself to the highest window. After all, it had been a while since she'd seen the old man. Why not make a scene with her entrance?
–
Sarutobi Hiruzen was having a quiet day. Being the leader of a major village, those were often few and far between. He glanced to his left. No one there. Then he glanced to his right. All clear. With a giggle worthy of a five year old girl, he opened the secret compartment in his desk and slowly pulled out an orange book.
Oohhhh, Jiraiya-kun has really outdone himself this time, he thought. This latest installment in the 12-part series of Icha-icha World Domination is 700 pages long! After double-checking that even his Anbu guards had been told to wait outside his office, he reached for the cover. The anticipation was killing him. As he turned the page to read the first words, a loud crash interrupted his thoughts.
There, in all of her glory, was his old student, Senju Tsunade, looking as victorious as ever. Pig in her arms and all. Uh oh. He tried to hide the book, but it was too late. Before he knew it, her fist met with his face.
"ERO-SENSEI!" She didn't mean it, but for some reason perverts really got under her skin. She sighed in frustration, before grabbing the twitching Hokage from the ground and began healing the giant bruise that was developing on his face. "You shouldn't be reading those, sensei. You'd live longer."
"Haha, Tsunade-chan, when you get to be my age, you don't worry about living longer," Sarutobi chuckled. "Bruises or not, I am glad that you answered my summons."
"Of course, sensei. I'd ask what you called me in for, but I already have an idea," said Tsunade.
"You mean-"
"Yeah, I found Naruto on my way in. It seems that Oro-teme left him a little present. It's a good thing I was here, because it was doing some serious damage to his chakra," said Tsunade. "But I have even more bad news, sensei. It seems that my former teammate is no longer our only problem. They're starting to mobilize."
"They?" asked Sarutobi.
"Akatsuki," she replied. "I don't have many details yet, but my spies are keeping me informed. I had planned on taking Naruto with me to keep him safe."
"Unfortunately we can't do that yet," said Sarutobi. "Naruto exceeded everyone's expectations, and made it into the Chuunin exam finals. Everyone is expecting him to be there, especially after he made a few remarks about avenging a certain Hyuuga."
"Hm... it's ok for now, sensei," she said. "The boy managed to weasel some training out of me, so I'll make the best of it. But just know though, after the exams are over, I fully plan on taking him with me and making him strong enough to defend himself against those people." The vagueness in her tone was enough indication for Sarutobi to be wary. He knew that Tsunade's spy network was extensive, and anyone that could keep themselves off the grid meant big trouble.
"I understand, hime. I'll get the paperwork ready. I'll put it under the guise of a long-term mission." Sarutobi paused, thinking about his next few words. "As for Orochimaru..."
"I'll be here. I can stop him," she replied. "But be careful, sensei. We don't know exactly where he is, and you know he can be a sneaky bastard when he puts his mind to it."
"Tsunade." At hearing her name, Tsunade looked at her sensei. "There is a chance I won't make it through this one. He's determined. Moreso than I've ever seen him in the past. And I don't know if I have the strength to stop him." At his admission, Tsunade had never seen him look more weary than he had ever been. "If I fall-"
"Don't talk like that sensei!" she yelled. The thought that Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, would fall in battle was disconcerting.
"If I fall, I need you to carry on the mantle. I need to know that there is someone I can trust to carry on the will of fire to the next generation," he said, almost pleadingly. At this, Tsunade looked away. She knew what he wanted, but could not agree.
"Sensei," she started. "Sensei, I can't-"
"But it is your duty, Tsunade! With Orochimaru turning traitor, and Jiraiya's departure, you're the only one!" She could feel the sadness in his voice. The betrayal he felt, that two of his students were lost to him, was almost palpable. And for once in her life, she didn't know what to say.
"Tsunade-sama," chimed the slug on her shoulder. "Naruto-kun is waking up." To say that she was grateful for the interruption was an understatement.
"Wonderful," she replied. She turned to Sarutobi. "Don't worry, sensei. I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that the will of fire will be instilled in the next generation of shinobi." It wasn't an acceptance, but it was the best she could do. Before she could see the disappointment in the Sandaime's face, she headed towards the window and made her way out of the tower.
–
Naruto knew exactly where he was, but that didn't mean he was any happier about it. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny how comfortable the inside of a slug was. He felt like he was in heaven. Before he could revel in the calming waves of chakra and slug juice, though, he felt himself being moved. Ahead of him he saw a bright light, and he was rushing towards it. In one great heave, Naruto was suddenly outside. From the ground, he could see a pair of high-heeled shoes next to four pig feet.
"Baa-chan, I hope I came out of the slug's mouth," he said. A chuckle was his only reply. Ewww, he thought.
"So brat, it looks like you're getting used to the mental fatigue from all of your clones?" she asked. Naruto thought about it, and she was right. Where before, it had been a painful throbbing of new information coming in, now it was less than a dull ache. He nodded to Tsunade in reply.
"Good! Now we can start training properly!" At this, Naruto's eyes widened.
"You mean you're gonna start teaching me jutsu?" he asked excitedly. At seeing her shake her head in a negative, he stared at her in confusion. "Then what are we gonna do?"
Tsunade smirked. "Dodge training."
–
Naruto was exhausted. He could honestly say that he had never been so tired before, even when he was learning to climb trees with chakra. He had spent the past twelve hours with Tsunade as the slug sannin threw large boulders at him. Normally she would have used rubber balls, as to not injure her target during training, but she let him know that she knew of his accelerated healing, and didn't have any reservations when it came to inflicting bodily harm. Plus, she was the best medic in the world! If she couldn't heal broken bones in seconds, then she didn't have any business using that title.
It wasn't even until after four hours that she had taught him how to utilize his chakra to enhance his body. Apparently it was something all shinobi did to one extent or another. As his chakra control improved, the greater the effect he could expect from said enhancement. At first, he didn't think it would make such a difference, because his chakra control was shit. But apparently, all of the training with his clones was paying off in dividends, because he took to it like a fish did to water. By the end of the first day, he could definitely say that he was as fast as Sasuke was at his best. Hehe, take that teme. I'm catching up to you. Just wait. When we face each other in the exams, you won't know what hit you.
He was beyond excited. Even though it was hard work, he just knew that his new sensei was taking him to a whole new level of being a ninja. With that thought, he drifted off to sleep with a big smile on his face.
–
Three weeks later found Naruto and Tsunade back in the same clearing. His clones had worked non-stop since that first day, working throughout the nights. Every morning, Naruto would arrive, clear the field of the previous day's clones, and replaced them with a new set. As a result, he could definitely say that his biggest weakness had morphed into a strength. He still wasn't as good as the sannin next to him when it came to chakra control, but he was well on his way.
Naruto readied himself for more dodge training, but Tsunade stopped him. "We're not doing that today, Naruto."
"We're not?" he asked. Despite the repetition, Naruto couldn't argue with results. These days out of every 100 boulders she threw at him, he might be hit by one or two. He wanted to perfect it and get that number down to zero.
"I have something different planned. Today, we're going to teach you to use the Kyuubi's chakra," she said.
Naruto was worried. He didn't like using the Kyuubi's chakra. As powerful as it was, it felt malevolent to him. Just plain wrong. He vocalized his thoughts to his teacher.
"Get over it, brat. You're a shinobi, and you have to be able to utilize all the tools at your disposal." Naruto begrudgingly agreed. He might not like it, but he definitely knew that it was a part of him. At his nod, Tsunade summoned a medium sized slug that carried with it a large scroll. Thanking the slug, she took the scroll and opened it for Naruto to see.
"This is the Slug Summoning Contract. Consider yourself lucky, kid. I don't let just anyone see this, let alone sign it." Naruto was shocked. He had seen Tsunade use these summons to great effect for various purposes, and he couldn't wait to do so as well. Tsunade, for her part, was equally as excited. She knew that Naruto had a crazy, unpredictable mind, and wanted to see how he would utilize the slugs in the future. Summons weren't just for battle. She herself was a testament to that fact, using her slugs for communication, spying, tracking, healing, and other purposes. That's not to suggest that slugs were in any way weak in battle. They were definitely formidable in their own right.
Naruto bit his thumb and signed his name in blood. After Tsunade showed him the hand seals, she stood back, and told him to summon the largest slug he could. Unlike the other summons, the slug family was unique in that there was actually only one slug in existence. Katsuyu, was actually an amalgamation of all the slug summons, and the version that arrived depended largely on the amount of chakra used. The more chakra, the larger the slug.
Looking over at Naruto, she wasn't surprised that he was only able to summon slugs the size of her hand. Normally, Naruto would have been able to summon the largest of Katsuyu's forms, with his natural tendency to utilize huge amounts of chakra. However at the moment he had almost one thousand shadow clones in a different part of the forest working on more chakra control. Consequently, Naruto only had about .001 percent of his normal chakra at his fingertips. This served a purpose. A Naruto with only a thousandth of his chakra would be easily exhaustible, meaning that he would have to tap into the Kyuubi's power if he wanted to succeed in summoning a giant slug.
It seemed, however, that exhausting his chakra supply still wasn't enough. Try as he might, Naruto couldn't summon anything larger than he was. It was then that Tsunade was hit with some inspiration. A growing smirk on her face, she walked up to Naruto.
"Naruto..." Naruto knew that tone of voice. Whenever he heard it, something bad was about to happen. Nervously, he turned towards his teacher. Carefully, he studied her face. Yep, she was definitely about to do something crazy.
"Naruto, it doesn't seem like you're getting it. Maybe you need a little incentive," she said. "I'm warning you now, if you don't summon a giant slug in your next attempt, you'll definitely die."
That was all the warning he got. As seconds later, he found himself flying thousands of feet in the air, screaming his lungs out. She had thrown him. Not just across the clearing, not just above her head. She had literally grabbed him by the neck, and thrown him straight up. He knew that if he didn't do anything, he would fall and most likely die. He'd never seen anyone survive a several-thousand foot fall.
Deep inside him, the Kyuubi awoke. Troublesome.
Before he could realize what was happening, Naruto felt it. The power, coursing through his veins. A tainted, malevolent power. With no other recourse, he threw out the hand seals and yelled "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" In one swift moment, he felt all of that energy rushing out of him.
When the smoke cleared, Tsunade saw that yes, he had done it. Naruto had summoned Katsuyu in her entirety. Anyone with eyes couldn't fail to notice the gigantic, several-story tall slug that now occupied the space between Naruto and the ground.
–
Naruto couldn't believe it. Here he was, standing on the biggest slug, or any other animal actually, that he had ever seen.
"Congratulations, Naruto-san," it said. "I hope we can work well together in the future."
At this acknowledgement, Naruto nervously nodded at the giant slug. "Thanks Katsuyu-chan."
"So rude," the Giant Slug said, before dispelling itself, causing Naruto to fall several hundred feet. Tsunade cautiously approached the mass of orange on the ground, lying injured and broken.
"Ahhhh, yeah. I forgot to mention it, but Katsuyu-sama is a stickler for formality. Next time, you should try your best to treat her with respect." A small twitch was all Tsunade received in reply. She couldn't keep her laughter contained any longer, but proceeded to start healing the injured genin. "Come on, let's get you all healed up and ready. You don't want to miss the exams, do you?"
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Alright guys! Wow, this was a lot harder to put on paper than I'd thought. I've gotta give more props to those people whose work of fanfiction I've read throughout the years. I'm actually really excited to get this fic going, and hope that you stick with me until this is done.
I'm pretty caught up with it now, and I'll avoid making any huge speculations with my story. I know there are some fics out there that, for example, try and guess who Tobi/Madara/Masked Guy is, and I feel like if I did the same and end up being wrong, I would lose heart in finishing what I began lol.
I want to provide an interesting read, and welcome all reviews, good and bad. I really hope that this will be an eye-opening experience. I know that my writing right now is very underdeveloped, but I think that this will help me grow into a better writer in the end.