I do not own Naruto.


Kono Yo no Kyūseishu

Book I: Fire

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." – Buddha


The eerie darkness surrounding the forest was broken by the luminescent moonlight pestering through the foliage of trees, causing shadows to dance as though depicting the bloodstained history these very grounds held.

Hidden in the blackest of darkness, however, a warrior in the making mounted a tree awaiting its target. Having suspected the aspirations of the man, he was unsurprised when this became the outcome.

The man in question darted his gaze to the lone figure that had appeared from the blackness, the hidden figure causing him to shiver in shock.

I didn't even sense him.

The man clutched a hand onto the scroll on his back defensively. He prided himself in his skills, but he had become wary of the pursuer he had failed to sense.

He had no intentions of being captured with the promise of unlimited power so very close.

"Who are you?!" His snide tone tore through the clearing like a finger through wet paper. "Show yourself, or die where you stand!" He clicked his tongue menacingly.

His opponent acquiesced and stepped into the light.

The man laughed when he took note of the spiky blonde hair that turned platinum under the moonlight.

"I have always suspected you of malevolent intent towards me, but so do thousands of villagers." The boy spoke, unperturbed by the man's laughter. "But I never thought you would actually betray the Village, Mizuki-sensi."

Mizuki paused before a manic expression overtook his visage.

"This must be my lucky day." He spat. "To think I'd have the chance to steal this scroll and kill the demon brat, too."

His laughter echoed through the quiet night, failing to notice the boy move towards him.

Mizuki's eyes widened when a frosty blue, colder than the very ground of Tetsu no Kuni in the harshest of winters, bled into a crimson that terrified him to the core.

His reverie was shattered by the sudden blackness invading him.

" Genjutsu: Sharingan. " The boy spoke firmly, and the man dropped to the forest floor.

The boy sighed as he gazed at the unconscious man, the three tomoe in his eyes slowing down to a halt as he heaved the man over his shoulder.

Mission accomplished.


Within the Village, the bustle of Shinobi had become apparent, causing the civilians to be on alert. Earlier, the Shinobi of the Village had congregated at the base of the Hokage Tower, and had been issued commands by the Jōnin Commander.

The infiltrator who stole the Forbidden Scroll had an accomplice.

The ANBU were scouring the Village, while the Jōnin and Chūnin had been commanded to apprehend the one who had fled with the scroll.

Throughout all the activity, the Sandaime Hokage stood at the top of his tower, an arm at his back while the other held a smoking pipe.

He then glanced to his side, having felt a familiar chakra signature reach out to him.

"Did you manage to apprehend the accomplice, Naruto-kun?" The Hokage asked, taking note of the body shouldered by the boy.

He sighed as the boy dropped the man to the ground, the man's name and past coming to the forefront of his mind.

"I was right in suspecting Mizuki, Hokage-sama." Naruto started calmly. "I found him the Western Forests, heading in the direction of Ta no Kuni."

Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." He received a nod in return. "A B-rank mission before graduation, I am most impressed." The Hokage smiled, a proud gleam emanating from his gaze.

"Thank you, Jiji." Naruto offered a small smile. "I'll see you around." He said before leaping off the roof.


"He's much like his father was at his age, don't you think so, Jiraiya?" The Hokage glanced at the seemingly empty spot near the railing.

The area rippled and a tall man appeared, his expression one of defeat but accompanied with a quirk of his lips.

"I still don't know how you do that, Sensei." Jiraiya said while crossing his arms over his broad chest.

The man was tall, very tall even by Shinobi standards. His fair skin contrasted his white mane of hair, framing his face with two shoulder length bangs. His most defining features were the two long red likes extending from beneath his dark eyes, and a wart on the left side of his nose.

Unlike other Shinobi, his unique attire consisted of a green short shirt kimono and matching pants. The hand guards on his forearms covered the mesh armour that extended to his wrists. Over his red haori with two yellow circles on each side, a large scroll, similar to the one standing next to the Hokage, was attached to his back.

"You are still a thousand years too early, my boy." The Hokage's eyes crinkled up with humour. "It has been a while. Welcome home."

"I'd have preferred if it were under better circumstances, Sarutobi-sensei." Jiraiya regretfully informed. "The organisation Orochimaru had a fall out with a few years ago has begun to move. They call themselves the Akatsuki, and their goal is to attain the Bijū."

"Meaning that they are after Naruto and the other jinchuriki." The Hokage sighed. "What more do you have on this organisation?"

"It consists of ten members, all S-ranked criminals." The Hokage's eyes widened. "So far, I know of two. Hoshigaki Kisame, the Monster of Kiri and a member of the Kiri no Shinobigatana no Shichinin Shū, and Uchiha Itachi." Jiraiya concluded grimly.

The Sandaime Hokage's visage became stony. Shinobi this strong under the leadership of one was preposterous, and that they were after Jinchuriki was a terrifying thought.

It wasn't a matter of protecting Naruto anymore, but a question of if they could.

"Jiraiya." The man straightened. "I think you should –"

"You don't have to ask, Sensei." Jiraiya stated firmly. "Besides, it's my job. One I've been failing at for so long."

The Sandaime sighed, rubbing his temple solemnly.

"You have done the best you could given the circumstances, Jiraiya. Never forget that." He stated softly. "If anyone, it is I who failed him."

A throaty but bitter laugh from Jiraiya shattered the terse silence between the two men.

"I suppose we have another thing in common, Sensei."


There was a gathering of students at the Shinobi Academy. The previous day had been the annual graduation exams, and twenty-seven of them had passed.

A third of this year's graduates consisted of the heirs of the most prominent clans of Konohagakure no Sato – including the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan.

A group of irritating children, Naruto mused bitterly.

Despite his association with them as a member of this class, he was ostracized by the majority. Mistreated for being himself, but he had been learned to be courteous.

At the very least.

Naruto sighed as he pushed open the door he had been staring at for several minutes. He nearly regretted it as a loud cacophony of expressive children attacked his sensitive hearing.

He quickly, and quietly, made his way to his seat at the back row but was stopped by the sudden appearance of someone he did not like.

Inuzuka Kiba was a thorn in his side.

"What are you doing here, dobe? This place isn't for losers like you." The wild-looking boy uttered boisterously only to be met by a cool visage. "What, you think you're better than me?" Kiba asked snidely.

Glancing around himself, he could see the others were riled up as well. It was a favourite pastime for the Inuzuka, bullying the usually stoic Uzumaki, or besting him during the class spars.

Naruto merely stared at the boy unmoved.

He had intended to enjoy his last day on the Academy fields with no altercations, but the fates seemed to be against him. Again.

"Move, Inuzuka." His cold voice breached through their excitement. "I don't have time to waste on you today." His chipped eyes focused on the boy's gaze.

Kiba shivered and took a step back, slight fear evident on his face. His animalistic senses screamed him to acquiesce, the frosty blue eyes glancing at him as Naruto passed by him.

The gaze that always terrified him to the core, no matter how much he tried to bring the boy down.

Naruto calmly looked outside his window enjoying the view while ignoring the sudden bustle that had returned to the class.

Moments later, their sensei – a man named Umino Iruka – walked into the classroom and gave a speech. Despite the man's stereotype towards him during the earlier years, he had come to be the only fair tutor in the Academy towards him.

The man gave a speech about how the new generation of Shinobi were meant to surpass the old, of how they should embody the Will of Fire, and how it was their duty to protect the Village for the rest of their lives.

He truly is a good man, and an even better teacher.

Despite Iruka's lack of outstanding Shinobi abilities, he was quite possibly the best teacher there was in the Village. He taught the Village's ideals with such perfect execution and sound reasoning. He was a man to be feared as a teacher, or even a leader.

Naruto's mind returned to the class when Iruka had just finished announcing the members of Teams Seven and Eight. It seemed Team Seven would consist of Uchiha, Haruno, and Sai, while Team Eight consisted of Inuzuka, Aburame Shino and Hyūga Hinata. The latter two had always treated him fairly.

"Team Ten will consist of Akimichi Chōji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino. You will be led by Sarutobi Asuma."

There was a loud complaint and an argument broke out between Haruno and Yamanaka until they were silenced.

"Be quiet!" Iruka shouted from below. "You are both Kunoichi and it is time you acted like them, or you might lose your lives very soon." He stated sternly with a frown etched on his face. Both girls looked slightly disheartened but stayed quiet.

Iruka had never sugar-coated the life of a Shinobi, and those who remained in this class were people who had persevered with that knowledge.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka said with a slight frown. It hadn't been detailed about whom might teach his – secretly – favourite student. "Your sensei asked that you meet with him at the Hokage Mountain immediately."

"How come he gets a personal tutor while I'm left off with these losers?" Uchiha Sasuke asked tonelessly.

Sakura visibly deflated at his words, but Sai showed no outward reaction. Iruka bristled at those words.

"Know your place, Genin." He emphasised. "It would do you well not to question Hokage-sama's orders." He concluded strongly.

Sasuke scoffed and glared outside the window by his side. The tenseness in the atmosphere was almost palpable.

"Anyways." Iruka turned to the rest of his class. "May you make the Village proud and may the Will of Fire will burn strongly in you." With that said, the door opened and Jōnin began filling in to collect their students.

In his bench, Naruto merely vanished.


Standing tall atop the Hokage Mountain, Jiraiya gazed at his home with solemn eyes. This was the place that had given him so much yet had taken as plenty.

His childhood, his friends, and his students.

He sighed deeply as to stop his mind from venturing into its darkest recesses. Despite all his losses, he still loved his home and would never abandon it. Not like they did.

His thoughts were interrupted when a figure appeared right next to him. His shorter stature, his blonde untamed hair, and his sudden love for darker tones, caused Jiraiya to recognise him.

He really has grown up since the last time.

"Jiraiya- kyōfu." Naruto muttered sharply, causing Jiraiya to flinch. "It's good to see you after all these years."

Jiraiya remained silent. No kind of excuse would help him in this situation – not when he abandoned the boy at such a young age.

Naruto had every right to be furious.

"I know I can't apologise nor can I make up any excuses for what I did. I have reasons but none of them would suffice for abandoning you." Jiraiya started, steeling his voice. "There are people after you – and others like you – and I had to hold them back for as long as I could."

"They're after Jinchuriki?" Naruto's eyes widened. "Shouldn't people like that be taken care of by ANBU?"

"They're an organisation of S-ranked Shinobi. All very powerful to boot." Jiraiya scratched his chin. "Uchiha Itachi is one of them."

Naruto's eyes widened significantly.

People were suffering and more would suffer because he had been deemed a Jinchuriki and scorned since his birth.

"Listen, kid." Jiraiya said while clasping a hand on his shoulder. "None of it is your fault. Whatever happened, and whatever will, is the responsibility of us adults."

Naruto gazed up to his Godfather and smiled. He hadn't been abandoned as he had initially thought. It wasn't the right course of action but the man had done it to protect him.

He was grateful for that.

"I'm not going to leave you again, kid." Jiraiya continued. "I'm here to make sure that you become a Shinobi that far surpasses your father and gives the Akatsuki a run for their money."

Jiraiya puffed out his chest and gave him a thumbs up. A wide grin spread out on his face, scowling infecting Naruto and forcing him to return one.

"Whatever you say, Ero-sennin." Naruto said amusedly.

"Even after all these years..." Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, kid, we begin at the crack of dawn. Let's go!" He shouted as he dragged Naruto over the ledge.

You really haven't changed, Naruto mused as he floated through the air. I hope you never will.


Revised: 02/06/2021


Genjutsu: Sharingan: A-rank, Supplementary; By establishing eye contact with a target, the user traps them within a Genjutsu which can be exploited for one of various purposes, such as: causing instantaneous – but temporary – loss if consciousness or paralysis in a target, forcefully extraction of information, relaying memories, removing Genjutsu placed on the target by others, or controlling a target's actions.