Happy New Years, everyone! =D

Now like I said in my special note that was uploaded last Wednesday, I'm sorry again I had to delay the chapter BUT at least I let you guys know with a special notice chapter rather than just leaving you guys hanging! Hopefully this chapter made up for the wait at least? ^_^

And after about a day or so, I'll replace that special notice chapter with this chapter since this chapter is the REAL chapter four.

Also, you guys know something? With all the traction this story has gotten, I'm convinced this story could honestly go somewhere! Thank you all so much for the support and here's chapter four for you lovely readers! Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter like the rest! ^_^


"So that's how dad met mom…" Boruto mused as he and his teammates stood in the pitch black void, patiently waiting for the next memory to start.

"Should've guessed they'd be childhood sweethearts." Sarada giggled, the idea of childhood sweethearts were nothing short of adorable. They reminded her of the romance novels she would read on the Web in addition to the cheesy romance books that were on the bookshelf in her room.

"Although, who would've guessed Lord Seventh's love for ramen was caused by…darker means…." Mitsuki said as Boruto and Sarada lost their lighthearted moods which were replaced by angst and sadness.

"I can't believe those guys were cold-blooded enough to actually turn away a kid and nearly let him starve….." Boruto looked at his palm before clenching it in rage.

"I know….all because of something out of his control. It's not like this is some universe where Lord Seventh can transform into a fox or anything like that. It wasn't his fault." Sarada said.

"I just wonder how dad was able to deal with all of that…god knows I probably couldn't….Although…now I understand why dad loves ramen so much. Because…it reminds me of one of the first people to ever show him kindness." Boruto looked down.

"Yeah, like comfort food." Sarada added.

"When we get outta here, I'm gonna have dad visit Teuchi. He no doubt deserves it after everything…" Boruto looked up with a smile as Mitsuki and Sarada smiled their agreement.

"I believe that sounds splendid." Mitsuki smiled.

Before anyone could say anything, the bluish-purple fog surrounded the three before they suddenly found themselves in Naruto's room as he stared at the ceiling in his room, looking deep in thought.

Before anyone could ponder why he was donning such an expression, the doorbell rang.

"Might I come in?" The voice of Hiruzen asked from being in front of the front door.

"What's up?" Naruto asked as Hiruzen handed him a small, brown envelope.

"This is for this month's living expenses. Make sure to use it wisely." Hiruzen said before taking his leave. Or least starting to as Naruto looked deep in thought before he decided to speak up.

"Hey old man….why don't I have a mom or dad….?" Naruto asked as Team Konohamaru's hearts all went out to the young boy. Especially with how they remembered how exactly Minato and Kushina died….

"Oh dad…" Boruto looked away as Hiruzen stared at the boy, his eyes full of sympathy before exhaling.

"Haven't we went over this, Naruto? They were casualties in the Nine Tails incident, five years ago." Hiruzen stated as Naruto frowned as his eyes, teared up.

"That's kinda cold…" Sarada muttered as Boruto and even Mitsuki nodded.

"Yeah I know…that's what you always tell me but I always see every other kid and they have a mom or dad….and I just wanna know…who were my parents!? And what were they!?" Naruto demanded as Team Konohamaru couldn't stop their feelings of empathy for the young boy. If anyone deserved to know about their parents, it was definitely Naruto.

"It doesn't matter. It won't bring the dead back." Hiruzen said before taking his leave, much to Team Konohamaru's shock.

Naruto frowned as he followed the old man outside before taking a quick glance as he watched Hiruzen walk off.

"That…was kinda cold…." Sarada said.

"'Cold' is an understatement. Why wouldn't Old Man Hiruzen tell dad about his parents!? I mean what's the big deal?" Boruto asked.

"It's because of the fact that due to his moniker as the man who killed over one thousand ninja, he was hated, primarily with the Hidden Cloud and Stone Villages. If ninja from those villages ever found out the 'Yellow Flash' of all people had a child in the Hidden Leaf Villages, they would come over and try to assassinate Lord Seventh." Mitsuki explained much to Boruto and Sarada's horror.

"But how could they do such a thing!? Dad is totally innocent in all of this!" Boruto yelled, disgust evident in his tone.

"Because such bloodshed is the life of Shinobi." Mitsuki replied, not liking the harsh reality as much as his teammates didn't.

The scene suddenly shifted to Naruto walking in the village.

"These scene shifts are gonna take a while to get used to." Boruto muttered.

"Shh!" Sarada shushed her teammate, wanting to hear more of the memory.

"I wonder….who my parents are….maybe…someone can answer me?" Naruto asked as he ran to some random passerby ninja.

"Hey! You two?" Naruto waved as they both shot him disgusted looks.

"It's that kid." One of the ninja, a kunoichi whispered to her teammate.

"Ugh! Why does Lord Hokage allow something like him to be in our village? Just ignore him like the pond scum he is." The other ninja, possibly her love said as the two turned away from Naruto.

Naruto looked hurt by the comments before making his way to other villages, hoping maybe someone would give him the time of day for once.

"Hey guys! Can you tell me who my parents were?" Naruto waved to a random group of women having lunch in a cafe who glared at him.

"Guys! He's here!" One of the women whispered.

"Just ignore him and maybe he'll go away!" Another of the women whispered back.

"Yeah sounds good." The third of the women said as they turned away from the young Naruto, hoping he would get the memo to leave them alone.

Looking down, Naruto did so, much to Team Konohamaru's anger.

"Those bastards…." Boruto clenched his fists in rage.

"And he saved them all." Sarada wished she could give these ignorant villagers a piece of her mind but alas she couldn't due to this only being a memory of events that already happened.

Naruto then turned to a group of men laughing and sitting in a restaurant before they noticed Naruto and gave him death glares. Ignoring their looks, Naruto walked up to them.

"Hey you guys, can you tell me who my parents are?" Naruto asked as one man gave the young boy a look similar to the look a wolf would give to someone who threatened its pack.

"You think someone like you has parents? Get out of here!" One of the men said as he chased Naruto off before Naruto stalked his way across the village where he lowered his head as several derogatory comments were heard through his ears.

"I can't believe he's even in the village."

"I know! I love Lord Hokage but he's foolish for letting that little monster stay in our beloved village."

"Right? What the hell is he thinking? Trying to cozy up to us? I don't trust him."

"Nobody does. I heard Teuchi Ichiraku actually lets him eat in his restaurant!"

"He does? Well let's just boycott by not going into his restaurant!"

"Good. His ramen's crap anyways."

"You assholes! Grandpa died for you all!" Boruto yelled out, wishing he could smack these asshole villagers silly. How dare they mock the sacrifice of his grandfather?

"Boruto, remember." Mitsuki reminded his friend as Boruto turned his head.

"I know, 'it's just a memory'." Boruto sighed as the young Naruto looked despondently to the ground before sitting by a nearby tree.

"Why…..why is everyone so mean to me? They treat me like I'm some sort of monster or something…." Naruto sighed.

"You have no idea…" Sarada frowned, wondering how Naruto ever found out he was the container of the Nine Tails.

It was then Naruto spotted two cans of paint with paint brushes lying nearby. The young boy looked at the items blankly before a mischievous smile adorned his features.

Sarada immediately tensed, recognizing that look as one that Boruto would have before doing something either reckless, stupid or overall immature.

"What is that boy thinking?" Sarada grimaced as the scene shifted slightly.

When the team came to, they noticed various buildings in the village were covered with all sorts of graffiti and paint with turs and other obscenities sketched on the Hokage stone faces.

Team Konohamaru stared at the scene blankly before Boruto literally fell on his butt laughing.

"Oh my god! That's hilarious!" Boruto laughed at Mitsuki chuckled.

"How amusing." Mitsuki chuckled in good nature as Sarada was the only one not laughing.

"So that's…where Boruto gets it from…" Sarada groaned as she face palmed, eternally grateful that Naruto grew out of this immature behavior.

To say all the villagers were pissed was an understatement.

"What the hell!?"

"Who did this!?"

"I wanna wring the neck of whoever did this!"

As the villagers all scrambled amongst themselves, literally tripping on themselves to find the culprit, childish giggling got their attention as they turned to the source, Naruto Uzumaki, covered in paint, sporting a crap eating smirk.

"Look at me! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and one day I'll be Hokage!" Naruto proudly declared as he jumped from the building he was on.

"Is he crazy!?" Sarada yelled, amazed that he would jump off a building when he was only five years old as Mitsuki held her back.

'Something tells me I'll be reminding these two of how these are only memories a lot…' Mitsuki smiled in amusement.

"Damn right, dad!" Boruto literally wiped a tear from his eye as he smiled, happy to see some humor after all the angst he was forced to see.

However the scene suddenly shifted again to a Leaf Village once again covered in paint and graffiti.

"Okay Boruto, you're right, these scene changes are a bit overwhelming…" Sarada shook her head, hoping she wouldn't go dizzy at the end of all these memories.

"Told ya!" Boruto smirked as they all turned to the sight of several adults chasing after something or rather someone.

The culprit? A Naruto who looked older than the one in the previous memories he had seen, rather than being a young toddler, he looked around seven years of age.

"After him!"

"You're not getting away this time!"

Naruto snickered before vanishing behind a bush, as the villagers lost sight of him.

"Hehe, serves them right." Naruto smirked.

"I wonder…if they all hate Lord Seventh, then why's he poking the bear and painting all over the village and pranking them? Not that they don't deserve it." Sarada questioned as she didn't understand his logic.

Rather than Mitsuki speaking, surprisingly it was Boruto who answered.

"You saw how they just ignored him, right? Well the reason he did all that crazy stuff was because he did it to get noticed…when you're lonely and ignored, any attention is good attention…even if it's bad…" Boruto looked down, remembering how he wrongly thought how his father ignored him and his family as he realized his feelings were nothing compared to how his father may have felt.

"…Oh…I see…I guess I can understand…at least somewhat…." Sarada looked down as she even used to blame herself for Sasuke not being around.

"Pranking again, Naruto?" Hiruzen's voice made Naruto jump up in fright.

"Oh crap, Old Man!?" Naruto nearly fell back as Hiruzen sighed, clearly exasperated.

"Haha dad's gonna give Old Man Hiruzen even more gray hairs." Boruto snickered.

"Oh yeah, like you do with Lord Seventh?" Sarada smirked as Boruto glared at her.

"Hey!" Boruto yelled, although his yells went ignored.

"In either case, I wanted to give you this." Hiruzen handed Naruto a small slip of paper.

"Oh? What's this?" Naruto raised an eyebrow as he accepted the paper.

"Your Ninja Academy acceptance forms. Starting tomorrow, you will begin attending the Ninja Academy!" Hiruzen declared as Naruto's eyes widened as his mouth curved upwards into a smile.

"A ninja!?" Naruto's eyes sparkled as Hiruzen laughed at the young boy's enthusiasm as he took a draft of his tobacco pipe.

"Indeed. Be at the Ninja Academy by Eight tomorrow morning." Hiruzen smiled as Naruto glanced down at the paper before throwing it to the sky with a cheer.

"Finally! My dreams of becoming Hokage are gonna come true!" Naruto cheered.

"Damn right they will." Boruto smirked before the scene changed to where tons of children stood in front of a building with the Kanji for "Academy" etched in the upper part of the building. However, Team Konohamaru noticed that it looked smaller than the Academy they were familiar with.

"Brings back memories." Boruto mused.

"Although hopefully Lord Seventh doesn't end up crashing into the Hokage tower like you did." Sarada snorted with a smirk as a tick mark appeared on Boruto's head.

"Hey! If I didn't do that, Denki would've been turned into mush!" Boruto argued as Sarada rolled her eyes.

"Excuses." Sarada scoffed as Boruto growled at her.

"You…." Boruto was about to tell Sarada off as Mitsuki noticed a certain blonde spike of hair.

"He's over there!" Mitsuki pointed as the Team noticed there were younger versions of all the parents of their friends.

"Hey, look over there! It's Shikadai and Chocho's dads! And there's also my mom!" Boruto pointed.

"And Mister Kiba and Shino-Sensei." Mitsuki added.

"And there's mom and dad over there!" Sarada pointed out with a wide smile, never believing she would ever be able to see her parents so young. They were so adorable!

"Hey look! Uncle Sasuke's hair is different!" Boruto pointed out as the group noticed his hair was slicked down but rather spiked up similar to the butt of a chicken.

"His hair looks like a chicken's butt." Mitsuki bluntly stated.

"Hey!" Sarada yelled, although she had to admit, she slightly preferred this hair style over her dad's current one. Maybe when they get out of here, she would ask Sasuke why he styled his hair differently.

"And there's Inojin's mom." Mitsuki also noted before the group finally came across Naruto.

Naruto looked with a saddened faraway expression at all the kids being wished "Good Luck!" by their parents.

"Oh Poor Lord Seventh…." Sarada sighed sadly as Boruto looked down, suddenly feeling grateful at how Hinata was all on him during his two week suspension following his disastrous Academy appearance.

"Thank you all for coming and joining the Ninja Academy. Now while the road to becoming a ninja will not be a cakewalk by all means, it will all be worth it in the end as your children become full-fledged Shinobi of the Leaf Village! Now classes will officially begin if your children will follow one of my top teachers into the building." Hiruzen gestured over to a young Iruka Umino.

"Greetings to meet all of you. I am Iruka Umino and I will be your homeroom teacher. Now if you all will follow me, we can get started." Iruka bowed to everyone with a smile as Team Konoahmaru noticed that he looked significantly younger than the one they knew.

"Man…what happened?" Boruto asked.

"It's called aging." Mitsuki laughed as everyone followed Iruka into his classroom as everyone took their respective seats.

However….Team Konohamaru were quick to notice how no one was willing to sit with Naruto and he was forced to sit by himself.

"Dad shouldn't be sitting alone like that…" Boruto said as Sarada shook her head.

"I have no doubts every kid in there were warned to stay away from Naruto." Sarada spoke with disgust evident in her voice.

"Thank you all for coming to the Ninja Academy. Now like Lord Hokage said, the road to becoming a ninja will be full of long, vigorous days of work and learning but it will all pay off in the end." Iruka smiled as reactions across the room ranged from being excited to awestruck to bored to flat out indifferent.

"Now if you'll all open your books to chapter one, the lesson will begin…" Iruka instructed as everyone did so…or rather….mostly everyone as Naruto actually ended up falling asleep before the lesson began.

"Haha what the heck!?" Boruto laughed, imagining that this was the future Hokage of the Leaf.

"I see Master Iruka is still as unexciting as he is in the future." Mitsuki laughed as Sarada glared at the two.

"Guys!" Sarada glared at her friends, not believing that anyone could be so rude.

Apparently Iruka agreed with her as Naruto was nicely woken up with a textbook to his skull.

"Ouch! What the hell!?" Naruto rubbed his sore noggin as Iruka scowled at him.

"Nice nap?" Iruka glared at the boy as this spectacle ignited laughter from some of Naruto's peers.

"Ugh…." Naruto groaned, ignoring the laughter as Iruka cleared his throat, not wanting to lose his cool with some kid.

"Same time again tomorrow, everyone. See you then!" Iruka said as everyone took their leave as Naruto walked out of the classroom through the village before he was suddenly stopped by a certain pinkette.

"Um, excuse me?"

Naruto turned around to see a young Sakura Haruno holding a small brown envelope in her hands.

"Mom." Sarada beamed as Boruto chuckled as Mitsuki looked just as interested as Sarada was.

"Before the fame." Mitsuki joked.

"Y-yeah?" Naruto asked as a small blush adorned his cheeks as Team Konohamaru could have sworn they heard his heart beating fast like a pair of drums.

"I think dad has a crush!" Boruto laughed in good amusement although he was shocked his dad didn't have a crush on Hinata.

"I wonder how come dad and mom aren't as close in this time period?" Sarada pondered although she admitted she found Lord Seventh's feelings towards her father just as amused as Boruto did.

Noticing his look, Sakura rolled her eyes before handing him the brown envelope in her hand.

"Here's your Ninja Academy information that you dropped outside." Sakura gave Naruto a small smile as he blush deepened before managing to find his voice.

"O-oh, t-thank you!" Naruto smiled like a dork as Boruto snorted.

"What a dork!" Boruto guffawed as Sarada snorted.

"Like how you look with Sumire." Sarada scoffed as Boruto blushed just as red as Naruto is.

"Hey! Not like that!" Boruto was quick to retort as he went ignored.

Sakura shook her head before taking her leave.

"Of course. See you later." Sakura said as she turned to go off and find Ino as Naruto grinned.

"She's pretty…I like her! And she has a nice smile….." Naruto grinned.

"Oh Lord Seventh." Sarada shook her head, literally knowing how things would end.

"Maybe in another universe." Boruto laughed as Naruto made his way across the village, ignoring the stares he received.

"I wonder….how can I get strong…maybe….." Naruto muttered as he noticed a certain shop open in the village.

"Where is this place?" Sarada asked.

"It looks like some sort of bookstore." Mitsuki noted as he pointed at the different magazines as Naruto walked inside, hoping he wouldn't get shoved or pushed out. Thankfully, it looked like the man was asleep as Naruto came across several men too busy drooling over one magazine to hatefully glare at him like they normally would.

"What the hell?" Boruto raised an eyebrow as Sarada groaned.

"Oh gross." Sarada rolled her eyes, having a disgustingly good idea of what the men were ogling over.

Naruto looked to seeing the men look at several naked women posing in suggestive, proactive positions.

Boruto looked like he had second hand embarrassment while Sarada looked as if she wanted to smack the men silly as Mitsuki merely raised an eyebrow.

"Humans really are strange things." Mitsuki noted as neither Boruto nor Sarada could find it within themselves to disagree with the synthetic human.

Noticing similar magazines on the floor that the men were looking at, Naruto donned a mischievous gleam in his eyes before snatching them and making his way to where he was in a forest outside of the village.

"…I…think I know what dad might be planning…." Boruto sighed, remembering the "contest" he and Konohamaru had during his trip back to the past.

"What do you mean?" Mitsuki asked.

"….Just watch." Boruto shook his head as Naruto studied different pages of the dirty magazine as he looked at several women, either nearly naked or clad in bikinis.

"Okay so those men got weak at their knees by seeing a pretty girl…why not have a jutsu where I can knock them out with one!?" Naruto grinned as a blank silence radiated across the spectators of the memories.

"….Is…he…serious?" Sarada deadpanned, wondering if this was the same Lord Seventh she respected and admired.

"Dead serious." Boruto confirmed, shaking his head as Naruto came across one woman that was a brunette, wearing a cat like bikini suit.

"Transformaiton Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as he transformed into a chunky version of that woman.

….

"Well that was a fail…" Boruto muttered as Sarada smacked him.

"Don't talk like you were actually looking forward to that!" Sarada chided as Naruto deactivated the jutsu.

"Okay! Again!" Naruto yelled as this time, he transformed into a starved version of that girl.

"She looks like a starving dog in the desert." Mitsuki noted, just as disappointed as Boruto.

"Guys!" Sarada yelled, hating how she seemed to be the straight man in her team of insanity.

It continued on and on as Naruto tried transforming into the beautiful girls that were in that magazine only to continue to fail….

Eventually the scene shifted to early the next morning as the Team watched as Naruto quickly dressed himself in the orange and blue tracksuit they were familiar with seeing in old pictures of Naruto as he locked his door.

"A brand new day means a brand new day of fun!" Naruto snickered.

"Oh god…." Sarada cringed, wondering what his idea of "fun" meant. Boruto was right, the younger version of Lord Seventh was indeed more reckless and immature than the one she knew.

Eventually Naruto got to class before firstly starting to change the time of the classroom clock by adjusting the hands on said clock before he then pulled out a bottle of slick oil as he lathered it all over the floor.

"Naruto, what are you doing!?" Sakura asked as Naruto snickered.

"I'm gonna play a prank on Iruka-Sensei! Duh!" Naruto laughed as Boruto sighed in disappointment.

"Seriously?" Boruto asked.

"Right!" Sarada said, amazed that she and Boruto seemed to be on the same page for once.

"I did a way cooler prank!" Boruto shook his head as Sarada's jaw clenched.

"Why do I have such an idiot for a teammate?" Sarada sighed as Ino put a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Sakura, just leave him." Ino shook her head as Naruto's eyes widened.

'So Sakura's her name…' Naruto made a mental note to remember her.

"Poor sap, you can tell he has a thing for her!" Boruto snickered.

"Too bad we know how that ends." Mitsuki joked as his teammates looked at him for his blunt comment.

All Naruto had to do now was wait for Iruka to eventually enter which he eventually did.

It would be hard for anyone to not notice a grease slick in the middle of the room.

"Who did this!?" Iruka demanded as no one seemed willing to answer as most everyone had a grin, knowing Naruto would get his just desserts.

"I got you!" Naruto nearly fell on his butt as Iruka growled, ready to reprimand Naruto.

"Naruto…." Iruka growled as Naruto gave the Chunin a crap eating grin.

"Oh man…" Boruto recognized the look Iruka gave Naruto. It was the look Naruto gave him whenever he did anything stupid or immature.

Before Iruka could do anything, he looked as if he was remembering something important.

Naruto scoffed as he started to make his walk outside of the classroom.

"I know, go stand in the hallway or something." Naruto snickered as Iruka merely shook his head.

"No…go and take your seat." Was all Iruka said as everyone in the class looked shocked, well mostly everyone as Sasuke looked as if he could care less. They all expected Iruka to hand Naruto his ass.

None were more shocked than Naruto as he reluctantly made his way to the lone seat left in the classroom.

"Ugh…this place is so boring!" Naruto yelled, although he was ignored by everyone in the room before Iruka started the ninja lesson.

As Iruka did so, Naruto looked down sadly as he rested his head in his arms.

"I wonder…what's wrong with Lord Seventh?" Sarada asked.

"Like I said, whenever dad's not acting up, no one's paying him any attention…..being yelled at may hurt but being ignored hurts even worse…." Boruto looked down.

"Oh…right…" Sarada also looked down sadly, remembering how she used to feel when Sasuke wasn't around.

"I wonder how Lord Seventh and Master Iruka got as close they got." Mitsuki pondered in thought.

As the lesson continued on, the snores of Naruto got the attention of everyone in the room as Iruka looked outraged as he was going to smack Naruto in the head with his textbook like he did yesterday as Team Konohamaru readied themselves for a repeat of what happened before Iruka donned the same thoughtful expression he wore after getting pranked.

"I wonder, what's that look?" Boruto tilted his head.

"It's like…he's remembering something important…" Sarada noted.

At that exact moment, Naruto quickly awoke, much to the shock of everyone in the room.

"I see Lord Seventh is a light sleeper." Mitsuki laughed.

"Light Sleeper, right." Boruto snorted remembering how easily he was able to wake his dad up the morning of his inauguration.

"Hold on, sensei. Isn't it already time for class to be over?" Naruto asked.

"What?" Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"Just look. See for yourself!" Naruto pointed as the clock was clocked at the time where it was time for classes to be adjourned.

"Oh boy." Sarada scoffed, hoping Iruka wouldn't be easily duped.

"Oh I didn't realize it was so late. Well then, that's everything for today. I'll see you tomorrow." Iruka said as he left the room, closing the room behind him.

"….Don't tell me he actually fell for it!" Sarada face palmed.

"I can tell by the tone of his voice that he didn't but…I wonder….why is he acting that way to dad?" Boruto asked.

"What do you mean?" Mitsuki asked.

"The way he's looking at dad….it's not like those idiots in the village look at him but at the same time…it is…" Boruto's eyes softened as Sarada and Mitsuki realized he was right.

"Given his age…he…could've been around when the Nine Tails attacked and maybe…he lost someone during that hell?" Sarada theorized as Boruto growled.

"If so…that's bullshit! It's not like this is some world where magic exists and dad could transform into a fox demon!" Boruto argued as Sarada had no comeback for Boruto.

"Given what dad told me, him and Old Man Iruka were really close but here it looks like he sort of hates him…." Boruto said as Mitsuki tilted his head.

"I wonder what led them to becoming so close then." Mitsuki questioned as Naruto snickered, not even realizing Hinata was right near him.

"Hey, that's mom!" Boruto smiled, although he was annoyed that his father ignored his mother.

"Why doesn't he just sit by her? She doesn't seem to hold any ill will towards him. Especially after he saved her from those bullies." Sarada said.

"Well because he's dense and thick-headed." Mitsuki smiled.

"Right?" Boruto snickered, much to Sarada's irritation.

"You guys are horrible!" Sarada growled as Naruto made his way to where the clock in the classroom was before fixing the time.

"I knew he'd fall for that old trick! That's another prank down!" Naruto smirked, before the door opened right as soon as he got done fixing the clock, making him fall on his butt.

"Geez dad, if you're gonna prank, at least do it right." Boruto rolled his eyes as Sarada rubbed her temples, not sure how much more of his attitude she could take.

"Boy that smarts….But how did you figure it out so quickly?" Naruto groaned as Iruka looked at him with a look of disappointment.

"Just return to your seat and we'll continue." Iruka simply said as Naruto blinked before looking down.

"Poor dad….." Boruto frowned as Naruto reluctantly did so.

The scene then changed to where everyone stood in a training circle.

"Alright everyone, instead of just introducing yourselves, I want each of you to demonstrate your skills with ninjutsu!" Iruka said as a good deal of the class groaned in annoyance, much to Iruka's amusement.

"Don't worry, you're not going to be graded on this. It's merely so I can assess where you are in your studies and plan how to proceed with your lessons. Okay, we'll start off with a basic clone jutsu lesson, then. And the first up, uh, is Sasuke Uchiha. Wanna give it a shot?" Iruka suggested as Sasuke made his way up as all the girls got uh….excited…for a lack of better terms as they all stared at him with heart eyes and drool pouring from their mouths.

"I see dad was quite popular with the girls." Sarada laughed, noticing her mom's love-struck expression as she ultimately knew how all of this was in.

"Shoulda guessed it. Uncle Sasuke is cool after all." Boruto smirked.

"I can understand Mister Sasuke's feeling." Mitsuki noticed the slightly annoyed expression the younger version of Sasuke had. Mitsuki was considered handsome by the girls in his graduating class too after all.

"You know something? Lord Seventh doesn't seem all that popular with the girls." Sarada noted.

"What's that?" Boruto asked.

"Back when I was searching for dad, he told me how back in the Ninja Academy, he was a top mark student with all the ladies after him." Sarada said as Boruto and Mitsuki stared blankly at her before nearly falling over laughing.

"W-what?" Sarada blushed as Boruto wiped a tear out of his eye.

"It's obvious dad was just talking out of his ass to appear cool to you." Boruto snickered as Sarada couldn't believe someone as valiant as Naruto would lie of all things.

"B-but why would he do that?" Sarada asked as Boruto smirked.

"Isn't it obvious? Because you're his fangirl." Boruto guffawed at Sarada's face which was redder than a tomato.

"F-fangirl?" Sarada stammered.

"You always do talk about how blue Lord Seventh's eyes are. It's almost like you have a crush on him or something." Mitsuki added as Boruto rolled his eyes.

"Hopefully you two don't get married since the last thing I wanna do is call you mom." Boruto scoffed as Sarada glared at the two boys.

"You two are complete assholes." Sarada scowled as she decided to turn her attention back to the memory, just wanting to forget what she said.

"Using clone jutsu is even easier than child's play." Sasuke scoffed.

"I knew dad was awesome even as a kid." Sarada smiled.

"Damn right!" Boruto laughed as not everyone shared their feelings of excitement as a tick-mark appeared on Naruto's head as he looked close to blowing his fuse.

"Why do you have to act so smug!? It's so annoying!" Naruto spat as Sasuke merely scoffed at Naruto's jealous attitude.

"What's your problem!?" Sasuke glared back at Naruto as Sakura and Ino decided to add their two cents in the situation.

"Leave Sasuke alone, you'll break his concentration!" Sakura growled.

"Yeah, you're just in the way loser!" Ino added as Naruto nearly fell to the ground in a comical heap of depression.

"Ouch harsh…." Sarada cringed at how harsh her mom and Auntie Ino were being. Sure Naruto wasn't as cool as Sasuke right here but did they have to call Naruto a loser?

"Not you two Sakura…" Naruto groaned before quickly picking himself back up.

"Okay Sasuke, give it a try!" Iruka said as a wind passed through the training field before Sasuke conjured a hand sign.

"Clone Jutsu." Sasuke said as a clone of Sasuke appeared right across from him.

"Heh that's Uncle Sasuke for you!" Boruto smile, as he realized that even as a kid Sasuke was pretty freaking awesome.

"Sarada, can you tell which one is which?" Mitsuki asked as Sarada smiled before activating her Sharingan.

"None of them." Sarada answered as Boruto looked at his teammate.

"What?" Boruto asked as Sarada pointed at the tree.

"Yeah, he's up there!" Sarada pointed as Team Konohamaru looked to see Sasuke crouched on a tree branch.

"Then again he was considered the Rookie of the Year of his graduating class so it's no surprise he was a prodigy as a child." Mitsuki noted.

"Rookie of the Year?" Boruto and Sarada asked simultaneously.

'It that's the case….why did Uncle Sasuke leave the village to join that Orochimaru guy is he was so strong?' Boruto thought as hopefully these memories would shed light onto why Sasuke would be a deserter.

"Wow…." Iruka noted, not believing someone so young could be so skilled.

"Amazing Sasuke, it's a perfect clone jutsu! I can't tell which one is real and which one is fake!" Sakura praised Sasuke, although her praise went ignored, something that was disappointing to Sarada.

"He coulda said 'thanks'…." Sarada frowned as Boruto snickered.

"Bros before hoes, am I right, Mitsuki?" Boruto smiled as Mitsuki high-fived him.

"Indeed." Mitsuki laughed.

"You two are-"Sarada was about to scold her two teammates before Naruto cut her off.

"Oh please, it's totally obvious to me, this one!" Naruto kicked what he thought was Sasuke which was revealed to be a clone that disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Wrong." Sasuke got away as Naruto scowled at him.

"Blockhead, that wasn't the real Sasuke!" Sakura looked as if she were ready to impale the blonde with her horns if she were an Ox.

"Get away from him!" Ino added as Naruto ignored them, charging at the remaining Sasuke that also disappeared in a poof of smoke as the real Sasuke decided to come down from the tree.

"Geez, dad, no need to act like such a jerk…" Boruto frowned.

"Why is he acting like that?" Sarada asked as Boruto looked down.

"Remember when I pointed out how dad was pulling all those pranks so that people could pay attention to him? Well he hopes that by beating Uncle Sasuke, maybe the admiration and love Sasuke has, will go to him." Boruto pointed out.

"…Oh….right." Sarada sighed as Mitsuki put a hand on her shoulder.

"Just take to heart that he's loved and respected now." Mitsuki reminded his teammate who smiled at him.

"Looks like you picked wrong again." Sasuke appeared in front of Naruto, this time actually smirking as he was aware that Naruto was jealous of him and he found it pretty amusing.

"Oh Sasuke…" Sakura blushed, stricken with the spiky haired Uchiha.

"That's amazing…two clones at once while the real Sasuke moved away unseen…." Iruka noted in awe.

"That's nothing, you should've seen the amount of clones he made when he first started training me." Boruto snorted.

Having enough, Naruto ran to the center of the field, ready to show everyone how much of a badass he was.

"So what!? I can do Clone Jutsu too! Watch this, clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled as a clone actually did appear in a puff of smoke but however unlike the one in the previous memory this one appeared to be his size but he looked deformed and near death.

"Oh dad…." Boruto face palmed, having a good idea of how that was going to end up.

"At least it didn't appear bite-sized this time." Mitsuki smiled in amusement.

"What is wrong with you?" Sarada questioned the son of Orochimaru who didn't answer, of course.

Naturally the entire class found this amusing as nearly everyone laughed. Everyone except for Iruka who had no words, Hinata who looked actually empathetic for Naruto and Sasuke who just appeared irritated that some good for nothing loser like this kid would try to start some nonsense with him.

"That kid can't do anything right!" A kid with a beanie pointed out as Naruto looked down in embarrassment.

To add insult to injury, Sasuke made his way to where Naruto was.

"Look I don't know what your problem is but just stay away from me." Sasuke said as the laughter died down.

"All you're doing is interrupting the lesson and wasting the time of everyone here and becoming an annoyance." Shino said, practically rubbing salt in Naruto's injury.

"Okay that's a bit too much, calling dad an annoyance." Boruto glared at the younger version of Shino, getting a bit tired of Naruto's pariah status in the village.

"He is right though. Him interrupting the lesson with his nonsense is a bit irritating to those who actually want to learn." Mitsuki pointed out as Boruto shook his head.

"Unbelievable…" Boruto scoffed as Sarada put a hand on Boruto's shoulder, showing she agreed with him. Thankfully, not everyone appeared to be against Boruto's mindset as Hinata glared at Shino, making Boruto sigh in relief.

"What?" Naruto glared at Shino.

"He's right. You're not just becoming an annoyance, that's all you've ever been or will be." The same kid with the beanie smirked.

"Who the hell is this loser?" Boruto asked, already not liking this little punk.

"Hey that's cruel Hibachi. But sometimes the truth hurts." Hibachi's friend, Unagi cruelly smirked.

"Okay who the hell do you think you are!?" Boruto was about to give those two punks a piece of his mind as Sarada held him back.

"Boruto, remember, this is just a memory!" Sarada reminded her friend who looked as if he was at his wits' end.

"Listen up, stop ganging up on Naruto." Iruka scolded everyone who was mocking Naruto.

"Thank you, Iruka-Sensei." Sarada covered her heart, relieved that not everyone appeared to be heartless.

"Sensei…" Naruto looked close to tears at Iruka's defense. Was someone finally on his side?

"Leave him alone. Just ignore him." Iruka said, although the tone of his voice was cold, something that made the hairs on Boruto and Sarada's neck raise in apprehension.

"….What…in the…?" Sarada couldn't believe it as Boruto's fist clenched in rage.

"Just ignore him!? Who the hell does he think he is!?" Boruto growled, wishing he could just yell in Iruka's face about what his problem was.

"Boruto…" Mitsuki said. The tone in Mitsuki's voice made Boruto remember this was merely a recollection of events that have already happened.

"….Sorry. But I find it hard to believe this is the same man that dad practically idolizes…" Boruto said, remembering all the stories Naruto and even Iruka would tell him of their time together.

"I wonder what changed…." Sarada put her hand to her chin in thought.

"Either way, we'll find out soon enough." Mitsuki said as even the other students who didn't like Naruto looked taken aback as students like Shikamaru, Choji and Hinata sent sympathetic, concerned looks Naruto's way.

"Alright, everyone. Come on! We still have a class to finish." Iruka clapped his hands.

"Yes sensei…" Practically everyone groaned as they reluctantly left.

All except for Naruto who stayed behind as he clenched his fists in rage.

"Oh dad….." Boruto frowned, wishing he could do something to ease his dad's pain as he attempted to console him as he tried reaching to him only to pass right through him, much to his eternal frustration.

Through the corner of his eye, Mitsuki noticed Hiruzen close by with a solemn expression on his face but chose not to say anything.

The scene then changed to the middle of a forest as Naruto looked sweaty and close to passing out from exhaustion.

"I'll show them! I'll show them all! I'm just as good as they are! Clone Jutsu!" Naruto vowed as he made a hand sign for a clone as he tried conjuring a clone only for the clone to appear dead and pale.

"At least he has guts…" Boruto smiled softly as he knew one day he would make those asshole bullies choke on their words.

"Damn it! Okay one more time!" Naruto tried conjuring a usable clone only to fail again. As they watched Naruto attempt to make a decent clone, Team Konohamaru noticed Hinata watching from a nearby tree.

"Hey there's mom. But why doesn't she go over and say something to him?" Boruto asked.

"It could be that maybe she wants to but something's holding her back." Mitsuki pointed out as Boruto suddenly had an epiphany.

"Then again…when I went back to the past with all that Urashiki crap, she appeared to be shier than she was now." Boruto noted.

"And being shy is the equivalent of having a force shield around someone. They want to help but it's crippling them from doing so." Sarada said as Boruto sighed.

"I guess…but dad should still have someone there for him." Boruto despondently said as eventually Naruto decided to pack it in as he walked through the village before coming across Teuchi who appeared to be closing up Ichirkau for the night.

"What's the matter, Naruto?" Teuchi asked, genuinely concerned for his favorite customer.

"…Oh…it's nothing…" Naruto lied as Teuchi knew Naruto was lying but….he decided not to pressure him. Teuchi knew Naruto would talk about it whenever he was ready.

"I see…want some ramen?" Teuchi smiled at the kid he thought of like a son.

"…I can't pay…" Naruto looked down, remembering how he spent the stipend Hiruzen gave him on all sorts of pranking supplies and dirty magazines. This didn't deter Teuchi as he smiled at the young boy.

"Just pay me back when you're rich. Besides, the stove's on." Teuchi offered as this appeared to raise Naruto's mood somewhat.

"You really mean it?" Naruto smiled for the first time in hours.

"You bet. " Teuchi nodded stilling smiling as Naruto practically jumped in the air.

"Yes! You're the best! Thank you!" Naruto grinned before running in the shop and happily eating the bowl of ramen Teuchi set out for him.

Team Konohamaru smiled at the sight.

"Thank you, Old Man Teuchi…" Boruto made a silent vow to visit Teuchi with his dad when all of this was over.

"God bless that nice man." Sarada nearly wiped a tear away at how one person could be so kind.

"He's definitely human, that's for sure." Mitsuki smiled.

"So what's wrong, Naruto? You seem kind of down." Teuchi noted as Naruto smiled through his ramen.

"It's nothing, I'm the same as always, really!" Naruto grinned although Team Konohamaru stared sadly at the boy.

"Oh dad…you're not fooling anyone…" Boruto frowned at his father.

"Yeah…besides that smile is completely fake." Sarada shook her head as Naruto thanked Teuchi for the ramen before making his way to his apartment where he quickly changed himself into his pajamas before getting in bed. However before doing so, he looked at his hands as his eyes watered while his lips trembled.

"Dad….you're gonna make friends and get super strong and everyone in the village is gonna love you." Boruto teared up as he tried comforting his father only to pass through to him.

"Damn it!" Boruto cursed himself as his teammates could only stare somberly at their friend.

Eventually the next morning came as Naruto made his way to the Ninja Academy although much to Team Konohamaru's surprise, he didn't wear his signature orange and blue tracksuit but instead he wore an orange sleeveless hoodie with a blue short sleeved shirt on underneath and green trackpants.

"Man those clothes sure look cooler than the ones he wears later!" Boruto whistled as Sarada couldn't disagree with Boruto.

"You're telling me. I wonder why he didn't just keep them." Sarada said.

"It could be that he outgrew them." Mitsuki shrugged, not really understanding the hype behind clothes. Then again, he supposed it was a human thing.

"Alright, kids! Today we're hands on with Shuriken Jutsu! First let's have someone demonstrate it for us. Let's see um…" Iruka looked through his clipboard of names as Naruto and Kiba jumped up, demanding for him to let either of them go.

"At least dad appears lively again." Boruto smiled, relieved to see his dad acting like himself again.

"…Who's to say this isn't just some façade for show just to not reveal just how much of pain he's actually in?" Sarada challenged Boruto's assertion who looked down as he took her words to heart.

"You may be right….with how everyone in the village treats him….You may be right…" Boruto frowned in sadness as Mitsuki said nothing.

Ignoring the two, Iruka turned towards Shino.

"Shino, you go ahead." Iruka suggested much to Naruto and Kiba's disappointment.

"Iruka-Sensei, I'm afraid you've chosen the wrong person for this. The Shuriken Jutsu is not something the Aburame Clan practices. For all forms of warfare, we rely almost exclusively on parasitic insects. We house them inside of our-"Shino drawled on as bugs started to slowly creep form under his jacket as Boruto and Sarada looked repulsed at what they were seeing.

"Okay that's just disgusting." Sarada looked as if she were ready to puke.

"I see Shino-Sensei is still as much of a weirdo as he was when he was a kid." Boruto adjusted his collar, feeling uncomfortable.

The other students in the memory shared Boruto and Sarada's disgust, even Iruka who looked as if he were about to have a brain aneurysm.

"Okay Shino, that's enough! Come on, Sasuke. Please just show us the basics." Iruka pointed at Sasuke, hoping he would still be sane by the time all these kids graduated.

Sasuke stepped up, not paying anymind to all the praise he received. Although….Team Konohamaru noticed he looked more…sullen than normal.

"I wonder what's up with Uncle Sasuke?" Boruto raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…unlike the last time where he looked bored, he looks angry and sad…" Sarada noted as Mitsuki knew the reason why but chose not to say anything.

"He's so full of himself, since when does acting stuck up, make you popular?" Naruto scowled as Shikamaru and Choji looked like they actually agreed with Naruto.

Sasuke readied himself before firing off six Kunai that hit the log with perfect accuracy.

"That's dad for you!" Sarada smiled.

"Wow, Sasuke! Excellent example!" Iruka praised jotting down Sasuke's skills on his clipboard.

"Stuck up and a show off? I can do that too, ya know!" Naruto scoffed, sick and tired of the attention Sasuke was receiving. Why couldn't he get the same attention?

"Alright then, I guess you're up next Naruto." Iruka looked amused at Naruto's declaration.

"Sweet!" Naruto cheered as he made his way to the next available log, scoffing at Sasuke although he didn't get the same praise and excitement Sasuke received.

Naruto readied six Kunai of his own.

"Why do I have a feeling this won't end well?" Boruto dryly asked.

"Because Lord Seventh as a kid was uncool?" Mitsuki laughed.

"You guys are horrible." Sarada shook her head.

"I gotta do this in one throw, that way everyone will finally take notice…" Naruto muttered to himself.

"Go!" Naruto said as the Kunai well…they appeared everywhere but the log as one nearly took Iruka's head off.

"I was right…." Boruto shook his head.

"Maybe we should bet next time." Mitsuki smiled.

"I don't wanna go broke so no." Boruto glared at Mitsuki.

"Just what are you two!?" Sarada yelled, not believing how two people could be so inconsiderate.

Like before, everyone except for Iruka, Sasuke and Hinata laughed at Naruto's dunce.

"What a joke! That was the worst attempt I've ever seen!" Kiba looked as if he was ready to fall on his butt laughing.

Wanting to save face, Naruto fake laughed, "Yeah, I was just fooling around you guys!"

Although everyone knew he was lying through his teeth as the area went completely silent as Naruto realized he really stood alone.

Feeling nothing short of mortification, Naruto ran to Iruka.

"Sensei! You just gotta let me try one more time! You just gotta! I can do this!" Naruto practically begged Iruka who looked undeterred.

"No, that's enough." Iruka gave Naruto a soft smile before turning back to the rest of his class.

Naruto looked as if we were ready to break down into tears that very moment as the Shuriken lessons continued on though Naruto paid them no mind.

As the class walked back to the classroom, Naruto noticed several snickers come across his way.

"What a dummy. He tried going against Sasuke and looked like a complete ass!"

"As if the class loser could beat the class star!"

"These assholes are really starting to piss me off." Boruto clenched his fist.

"Same…if only they could see where Lord Seventh is now." Sarada agreed as Naruto eventually slumped into his desk where he buried his head in his arms, just wanting to sleep his troubles away before the sound of a conversation got his attention.

"Hey did you know that everyone in the Uchiha Clan was killed?" One student asked as a curious Naruto made his way over to where the conversation was. Although he knew better to speak as he knew if he did, he would either get ignored or harshly told to go away.

"Yeah I heard my father talking about it a while ago. They say Sasuke's the only one who survived!" His friend said as Team Konohamaru stared at Sasuke somberly as they were aware of his clan's destruction.

"…..That's right…they sure were…." Sarada looked at her father's bck in concern.

"You know?" Boruto asked as Sarada nodded.

"Yeah…back when I was doing research on the Sharingan, I know the Uchiha Clan were wiped out although I haven't been able to find out why…" Sarada explained.

"Oh…I see…" Boruto said, remembering his father's words at Ichiraku about how the clan were wiped out and that was why Sasuke had deserted the village.

"Do you know?" Sarada asked.

"Yeah…back when I was in the past, dad told me the clan were wiped out though I don't know why myself." Boruto honestly answered, making sure to leave out the fact that Sasuke had left the village.

Mitsuki actually knew the truth behind the Uchiha Clan's Massacre but chose not to say anything, knowing these memories would reveal the truth sooner or later.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock before looking at Sasuke with an expression of…empathy. It seemed that Sasuke was just as alone as he was….

Naruto felt like maybe he should say something but before he could say anything or act, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day as Sasuke left without a word.

Naruto looked slightly down before making his way outside as he noticed Hibachi and Unagi along with a couple of their friends sitting around the swing set where he would occasionally sit down at.

"Oh hey guys! So what's the story, what're you doing this afternoon?" Naruto gave them a wide smile as he crossed his arms behind his head as Boruto and Sarada groaned at the sight of the brats.

"We have to see these guys again?" Boruto groaned, not liking the brats who dared insult his father.

"Can someone gouge out my Sharingan?" Sarada rolled her eyes, sharing Boruto's lack of enthusiasm.

The group shared the same amount of displeasure that Boruto and Sarada had as they all glared at Naruto, hoping to make it very clear they disliked him.

"Nothing with you, get lost, Naruto!" Hibachi scoffed Naruto who continued his smile, though it was obvious to Team Konohamaru he was faking it.

"Aww c'mon, we'll have lots of fun, together. Just let me hang out with you guys, you'll see!" Naruto grinned, putting his hands behind his back as the kids looked unimpressed.

"No way, forget it! And not tonight either for the test of courage." Unagi turned his head to the side as Naruto's face lit up with excitement at the name.

"The Test of Courage!?" Naruto beamed as Hibachi harshly smacked his friend in the head.

"Why'd you have to tell him about that!?" Hibachi spat at his friend.

"Wow! Sounds like fun! Just tell me where to go and I'll be there!" Naruto grinned, eager to have some fun. Too bad, Hibachi and his friends didn't share Naruto's level of enthusiasm.

"We told you, you can't come with us. Got it? And don't try to follow us!" Hibachi said before leaving, his friends following after him as Naruto's cheerful demeanor was replaced with a sad frown.

"What I don't understand is that if they're so mean to him, why does he try hanging out with them?" Sarada asked as she thought if she were in that situation and those brats dared speaking to her like that, she'd definitely make an appointment with them in her fists.

"…Because when you're lonely you're willing to accept any treatment, regardless if it's negative or not…" Boruto looked down, just wondering how much more of this treatment he would have to see his father receive.

"Human beings sure are strange creatures…." Mitsuki said, more to himself than anyone there.

Shaking his head, Naruto left the Academy as he walked through the village, Hibachi's harsh words from earlier ringing through his mind.

"Got it? And don't try to follow us!"

Naruto shook off these thoughts with a fox like grin as he stuck his tongue out.

"Hmph, I'll follow whoever I want and I don't care if they don't want me to find out where they're going, I'll find out anyways!" Naruto vowed.

"Oh dad….Somehow I think this isn't gonna go as well as he hopes…" Boruto sighed as the Team noticed several whispers hurled towards Naruto's way as the passing by villagers looked at Naruto with looks of fear and disgust.

"Is that the boy everyone talks about?"

"Which one? Oh yeah that's him…."

Naruto paid these comments no thought as he schemed for a way to make an impact on Hibachi and company.

"This is the perfect chance to pull a prank on them so what can I do to scare them?" Naruto pondered before coming across a local shop with several masks displayed on the outside of it. Naruto marveled in awe at the different masks before the owner of the shop noticed Naruto and gave him a look that Mitsuki could liken to that of bloody murder.

"…I…don't like this…" Sarada muttered.

"Hey you little brat, get outta here!" The man spat before pushing Naruto out of the shop, much to Team Konohamaru's amazement and disgust.

"What the hell!?" Sarada yelled, outraged that a man would put his hands on a child.

"What the hell's that asshole's problem!?" Boruto spat, wishing he could sock this jerk in the face.

Naruto quickly pushed himself up as he glared right back at the mask shop owner.

"Hey, what's the big idea buddy!?" Naruto asked, not understanding what the deal was. He was just looking at a mask and it's not like he was pulling a prank or being disrespectful.

"I don't want you here, you're nothing but a pest!" The shop owner spat, much to the anger and disbelief of Boruto and Sarada.

"A pest!? I'll show you a pest!" Boruto yelled, about to storm over to the old fart to give him a piece of his mind only to have his wrist being held back by Sarada.

"Remember….this is something that's already happened." Sarada scowled, not liking this either as Boruto clenched his teeth before forcibly releasing his grip on her.

"But I wasn't even doing anything! I mean….I was just looking at the masks you have…" Naruto looked down, not understanding why everyone was so vengeful and hateful towards him. Sure he was a bit of a troublemaker but that was only because when he tried being nice, no one paid him any mind so what was he to do?

Mitsuki noticed Shikamaru and Choji walking behind him, just as confused as Naruto was.

"Shikadai's father and Inojin's father?" Mitsuki raised an eyebrow as the surrounding villagers all whispered derogatory remarks as they sent him looks of fear and disgust.

"Here, is this what you want!?" The mask owner growling, throwing the mask at Naruto as the inanimate object hit Naruto in the skull of his head, nearly setting off Sarada's fuse as Boruto's was already lit.

"You bastard!" Boruto yelled as he was having to be restrained by both Sarada and Mitsuki this time.

"Boruto, we understand your anger but you have to remember this is an event that is already happened and no matter how badly we may want to intervene ultimately we can't." Mitsuki reminded his friend who took several deep breaths as that still didn't quell his anger.

"To think…these people are the people Grandma and Grandpa died for….." Boruto spat as Sarada and Mitsuki couldn't find themselves disagreeing with the son of Naruto.

"Now just take it and get lost. And don't come back!" The mask owner spat before going back in his shop.

Naruto looked close to tears as he gingerly picked up the mask before finally noticing the stares and whispered directed at him. Finally having enough, Naruto snapped.

"And what's your problem, huh!? Stop alright…stop looking at me like that!" Naruto yelled, running off as Boruto and Sarada finally noticed Shikamaru and Choji, looking at Naruto's retreating back with eyes akin to sympathy.

Naruto finally made his way back to his apartment room where he then sighed as he slumped down on his apartment bed as the tears threatened to fall but he forced himself not to cry. No….he wouldn't…

"Oh dad…." Boruto felt himself tearing up but remembered Mitsuki's words about how this was an event that already happened.

Naruto shook his head before smiling although it was obvious to anyone watching this smile was forced.

"I'll show up to that test of courage thing and then I'll get friends! One day I really will!" Naruto vowed as Team Konohamaru stared at the child somberly.

"Oh Lord Seventh…no child should feel so…unwanted and alone…" Sarada frowned as the team noticed Naruto grabbing a blanket cover along with the mask he…"received" earlier.

"I wonder what he's gonna do with all of that." Mitsuki pondered as the night slowly came within the memory.

As Naruto stood atop a long pole, behind the moon he put on the blanket cover he took from his room along with the mask, giving the perfect illusion of a demon fox behind a moon.

"Oh man, those brats are gonna be scared shitless! They'll probably pee their pants!" Boruto snickered.

"That would be amusing." Mitsuki smiled as even Sarada couldn't disagree with her friends like she normally would. Those brats deserved everything.

Eventually the Team noticed Hibachi and his friends coming as Naruto snickered behind his mask.

"Time to pay those jerks back!" Naruto smirked as he slowly began growling like a fox.

The kids all looked ready to soil themselves as they practically forced themselves to go forward before finally coming across the "demon fox", making them all scream as they ran off like little girls, much to Team Konohamaru's amusement as they all nearly doubled over in laughter.

"That was priceless!" Boruto fell back on his butt, happy to see Hibachi getting his just desserts.

"Normally I wouldn't laugh at something so immature, but those brats definitely had it coming!" Sarada wiped a tear from her eye from laughing so hard.

"Indeed." Mitsuki laughed, enjoying the moments he would have laughing with his friends.

It was then that Iruka suddenly appeared in the field, Kunai in hand as he no doubt heard about the "demon fox" sighting as Naruto snickered before jumping down and meeting his teacher, no doubt satisfied at what he did.

"Serves them right! Those chickens got scared and ran off, ha! You better get scared or the fox will get you two!" Naruto grinned, looking happier than he did in a long while ever since this particular memory started.

"If only he knew the irony behind his words…" Sarada shuddered, the traumatizing birth of Naruto still fresh in her mind.

"You know…I wonder how dad found out he had the Nine Tails in his belly anyways…" Boruto pondered.

"We'll definitely find out in these memories, that's for sure." Mitsuki answered.

Naruto continued laughing before noticing the look in Iruka's face as he realized Iruka wasn't laughing but in fact looked angry as the look in Iruka's eyes matched the same eyes the villagers wore every time they saw him….

"What's with him? I know you guys said his parents died when the Nine Tails attacked the village but still…" Boruto couldn't understand how adults with common logic could blame a child. Then again even the "common logic" in his question was illogical.

"Look Naruto, don't you realize what you're doing by pulling these pranks all the time?" Iruka questioned trying to push whatever thoughts he had out of his mind as Naruto looked at Iruka with eyes brim and close to tears as his fists clenched tight.

Much to Team Konohamaru's amazement, they saw flashes of all the horrible and dirty looks the villagers would send Naruto.

"…What…is all this?" Boruto blinked, not believing he was seeing what appeared to be a memory inside of a memory.

"It could be that anytime Lord Seventh may be thinking of something during these memories, whatever he's thinking may be broadcast to us." Mitsuki theorized.

"I guess that makes sense…" Sarada shook her head, just wondering what other kinks and technicalities came with all this memory watching.

"There it is again….I don't understand it….everybody…even you….my own teacher….why does everybody look at me like that all of the time!?" Naruto demanded, seemingly nearing his wits' end as even Iruka looked taken aback.

"I'm not just a nuisance or some kind of germ, I'm a person too! I am! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and don't forget it!" Naruto vowed.

"Dad…you are somebody and you will prove it one day…" Boruto smiled at his father as his teammates added their own smiles to the mix.

"Naruto…" Iruka muttered as Team Konohamaru could make out what appeared to be…regret in his eyes.

Naruto on the other hand didn't know what to make of it as he clenched his jaw and teeth tightly before lowering his head where his bangs covered his eyes.

"That's it…I'm done….I'll never go back to the Academy again!" Naruto yelled much to Team Konohamaru's shock.

"He's what!?" Sarada asked in disbelief of what he said.

"Is he seriously giving up on his dream of becoming Hokage!?" Boruto asked, not believing what he was hearing. Surprisingly, Mitsuki decided to speak up.

"With how he was being treated, can you honestly blame him?" Mitsuki asked.

"I know but still…you'd think with his 'never give up mantra' he'd just try to push through no matter what…" Boruto asked as Sarada suddenly made a small realization.

"…You know what I've noticed? Lord Seventh seems more…human…as a child…" Sarada said as Boruto and even Mitsuki looked to her questionably.

"Whaddaya mean?" Boruto asked.

"I'm not sure how to explain but he seems to have a lot more of the basic child needs that every child needs as compared to now when he seems to just brush off everything and take life as it comes." Sarada explains as both boys blinked at her explanation as Boruto looked down.

"Then again…what child wouldn't want a loving home to come to? Especially when he's being treated as a leper over something he had no control over?" Boruto softly asked.

However before anyone could dwell on Boruto's question too much, the scene suddenly shifted to Evening Time in a nearby park as Team Konohamaru watched as Naruto ran in the far back behind a group of kids. They didn't seem to pay too much mind to him as Naruto looked relieved that he wasn't totally being rejected and ignored.

Naruto watched with a smile as the kids ran into their parents' arms but they were immediately pulled away as soon as the parents noticed Naruto.

"What do you think you're doing!? I told you not to play with that boy!" One parent told her children.

"Now come on, let's go." Another parent said as Naruto looked close to tears at their words. Why? Why couldn't he have any friends of his age? What did he do to deserve such treatment?

"Those ungrateful bastards….dad saves their sorry asses on a daily basis by keeping that damn fox in bay yet they spit on the sacrifice that Grandma and Grandpa made!" Boruto spat before punching the ground in rage only to phase right through it, something that came off as a relief to him as he wasn't sure that having a bleeding, aching fist would make his anger go away.

"How can people be so close-minded and ignorant?" Sarada shook her head as she couldn't understand why anyone would want to be leader of a village with such bigoted people.

From a nearby distance, Mitsuki noticed Shikamaru watching the whole scenario and he didn't look pleased one bit and neither did Choji.

"Shikamaru! Come on, let's go!" A man that looked like an older version of Shikamaru called out to his son, snapping him from whatever it was he was thinking.

"Alright dad." Shikamaru replied, a little annoyed for getting called out.

"You too, Choji. We said we'd walk you home so let's go you two, let's move." Shikamaru's father, Shikaku, called out to the future father of Chocho.

"See you, Naruto!" Choji happily waved to Naruto as he stared at the Akimichi in shock as Shikamaru casually strolled by Naruto.

"Later." Shikamaru waved as a small smile came on Naruto's face. At least someone was finally being nice to him.

"Yeah…bye…" Naruto said, although his voice wasn't as strong like it usually was.

"At least Shikadai and Chocho's dads weren't mean to him." Sarada gave a soft smile.

"You know something? Old Man Shikamaru and my dad do seem to be close when they're older…maybe…..they were close when they were kids?" Boruto theorized.

"They definitely seem to have a unique relationship." Mitsuki noted as Naruto's smile at Shikamaru and Choji dropped as he noticed the way Shikamaru held hands with his father. Team Konohamaru knew he was no doubt thinking of the parents he wished he had. If only he knew how they died for him…

Naruto shook his head before leaving the park as he walked with his head down, seemingly lost in his own thoughts before noticing someone sitting down, close by the river side.

"Hey, that's dad!" Sarada pointed as Sasuke was looking to the sea with a forlorn expression. It was like he was there and yet…he wasn't.

"…If his clan was wiped out, it must be what's on his mind…." Boruto looked down as Mitsuki chose not to say anything….having an idea these memories would clear up and explain things for Boruto and Sarada better than he could have.

Naruto gave Sasuke a look of longing and empathy…like he wanted to go down and comfort him and speak to him…let him know how happy he was to find someone that he could relate to….

Sasuke finally noticed Naruto as he gave him a questioning look. In return Naruto sent him a disgusted expression which Sasuke hastily returned before turning their heads away in irritated huffs.

"What the? Why are they acting like that?" Sarada raised an eyebrow, remembering friendly they are to each other in present time.

"Like we said before, Lord Seventh is probably jealous of Mr. Sasuke, that's probably what's keeping him from going down there and approaching him directly." Mitsuki said as Boruto was silent, curious to see to bond between his father and master.

As Naruto started to slowly walk off, Sasuke and his father's eyes caught each other and for a split second, they gave each other a small smile of what appeared to be on mutual understanding and even respect.

Team Konohamaru noticed the gesture and watched with amusement.

"Those guys." Boruto shook his head with a small laugh.

"I can't with these two." Sarada sighed, albeit in good nature as Naruto eventually made his way home as nightfall hit.

Naruto quickly got changed into his pajamas as he got out a cup of ramen noodles.

"Of course it'd be ramen…" Boruto noted although he couldn't find himself to react as dryly as he normally would, given what he had seen from the last memory.

"Is that really all he eats?" Sarada asked in disbelief.

"I guess so…" Mitsuki noticed as he looked to see the cupboards had nothing but ramen to eat for meals such as breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"That's why he's such a squirt then because if he eats nothing but ramen then it's no wonder he's shorter than other boys his age." Sarada noted as Boruto blinked at Sarada's observation.

"Huh, you know now that you mention it, I noticed the same thing when I went back to the past. Dad was smaller than everyone else. Then again, it's not like he had any parents to have him eat right…" Boruto said a bit sadly, thinking back to all the times Hinata would get onto him for not eating healthier.

"It's the same for you." Sarada snorted as Boruto's face turned red.

"Hey! I'm bigger than Denki!" Boruto spat.

"Everyone is so he doesn't count!" Sarada laughed as Boruto looked ready to tell off the daughter of Sasuke as Mitsuki tapped their shoulders.

"Now, now." Mitsuki said, reminding the two of why they were in here.

"Thank you for the food…" Naruto said a little softly as he ate the ramen noodles although…it wasn't with his usual gusto before he felt something wet hit his noodles…

He noticed several wet droppings hit his ramen as Team Konohamaru noticed the cause.

"He's crying…." Boruto noted, feeling like crying himself, remembering the night they slept in the same room.

"And it's pretty obvious why…" Sarada added as Naruto wiped his eyes as he quickly finished his ramen while wiping his eyes before quickly getting atop of his bed but as he did so he stared into nothing but the floor for several minutes before bringing his knees to his head as he was trembling, no doubt crying.

"Dad doesn't deserve this treatment…." Boruto wished he could comfort his father but realized he would just get told by either Mitsuki or Sarada of how this was nothing but a memory.

"I wonder…when Lord Seventh's blessings will begin…" Mitsuki asked as this treatment was getting to even him.

"Hopefully…soon…" Sarada sadly sighed as the night changed to morning as Naruto had cried himself to sleep.

As the morning sun arose, the sound of a doorbell got Team Konohamaru's attention.

"I wonder who that is?" Boruto asked.

"Let's go see." Sarada answered as they were actually able to walk through the door only to see it was Iruka on the other side.

"Old Man Iruka?" Boruto asked.

"What's he doing here?" Sarada asked as she noticed the look in his eyes were different. They looked as if to apologize.

"Given their last encounter, it must be that Master Iruka must feel bad for how he handled Naruto originally and wants to try to start over with him." Mitsuki theorized as his teammates couldn't disagree with that assertion, especially knowing how things would later play out.

"I can see that. After all, it would explain why dad holds Old Man Iruka in such high regard." Boruto said as the doorbell rang again, finally waking Naruto as he walked to the door, slightly annoyed to be woken up so early in the morning.

However, upon seeing Iruka in his peephole, Naruto was anything but relieved. In fact, he looked downright terrified.

"W-what!? Iruka-Sensei? Why is he coming to see me here?" Naruto asked, having no interest in having a repeat in what happened the other night as he quickly got his sandals before literally kicking off his pajamas and grabbing his clothes while snickering as he jumped off his apartment balcony.

"…What was all that about?" Sarada asked.

"Given what happened the other night, Dad probably thinks that Old Man Iruka hates him and is probably gonna repeat what happened again and so he dipped. Not that I could blame him." Boruto shrugged.

"I still am curious about what got them to this point." Sarada asked as Naruto quickly got changed into his clothes as he gave a small yawn while walking across the village.

"I have so much free time since I quit the Academy…" Naruto said to himself before he was quickly surrounded on all sides by Hibachi and his friends as Boruto and Sarada groaned in annoyance.

"These brats again!?" Sarada groaned in annoyance, her displeasure of the brats easily being displayed.

"How much more of this jerk do we have to see!?" Boruto demanded, wishing these kids would leave the village like Sasuke did.

"What do you guys want?" Naruto asked, not in the mood for any of their usual BS. The boys however smiled at him though it wasn't a friendly smile but rather smiles that a cat would give before it ate a mouse, slightly unnerving the team.

"I don't trust those smiles…" Boruto muttered as he didn't trust those brats in general. He knew anything they had in mind, definitely wasn't good.

"Naruto, we all decided you could join our group if you want." Hibachi started as the tension on Naruto's face dissipated into complete happiness.

"Are you serious!?" Naruto grinned as Team Konohamaru looked unconvinced.

"They're planning something." Mitsuki said, as Boruto and Sarada nodded in agreement.

"Of course. But there's just one thing you have to do before you can hang out with us." Hibachi added as Naruto's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Of course there is." Sarada dryly rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Naruto asked, feeling impatient as he had to do something to get friends? Couldn't he just have them on the spot and then they can do the special thing together as friends?

"Yesterday my dad's patrol unit had a fight with some enemy ninja in the back hills and he said they left the corpses out there. If you can bring back something from one of those corpses, then we'll let you join our group!" Hibachi smiled, a little too sweetly for Team Konohamaru's tastes.

"For real!?" Naruto grinned.

"Yeah!" Hibachi returned the grin, although his was very much forced.

"Alright then, I'll bring back something for sure! You can count on it!" Naruto grinned as Team Konohamaru glared at the kid.

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't as easy or good as it sounds?" Boruto asked as Sarada scoffed.

"Because you can't trust slimy people." Sarada answered as snickers were heard from Hibachi and his gang of brats.

"What a loser! Boy is he in for a surprise. Dad said the enemy ninja might still be out there." Hibachi smirked as Team Konohamaru could hardly believe their ears. How could a kid be so heartless as to send someone to their potential death bed?

"That's so mean! You still mad about how he scared you in the Test of Courage?" Unagi smirked, not really disagreeing with Hibachi.

"Never mind that, did you see the smile on his face? He doesn't have a clue this is all a trick!" Hibachi jeered at Naruto's looming back as Boruto's forehead had a vein pop as his teeth were clenched in pure, unadulterated rage.

"What the hell is wrong with you brats!? How could you send my dad to a place where he could potentially die!?" Boruto was ready to give those brats a piece of his mind. He didn't even hate people like Momoshiki and Urashiki this much.

"Boruto, we understand your anger but like we've said…" Sarada tried reminding her friend as he scoffed.

"Yeah, this is just a memory." Boruto sighed as Mitsuki noticed Shikamaru and Choji watching the entire scene from up above as they too seemed to share the disgust and outrage Team Konohamaru had.

"Never mind that, we should go after Lord Seventh." Mitsuki said as Boruto and Sarada nodded before quickly running after him.

Naruto eventually made his way into the back hills Hibachi and his friends told Naruto about as he ran looking very happy, happier than he's looked in a long time since this particular memory started.

"Finally! I'm gonna have just like everyone else!" Naruto was practically jumping for joy as Team Konohamaru stared sadly at the young boy.

"Dad, they're not the friends you want!" Boruto yelled, chasing after his future father.

"Besides, they're not gonna have your back, Lord Seventh!" Sarada added as Mitsuki was silent as he pictured how the scenario would go if he was able to retrieve something from one of the corpses. Even if he did, he could see Hibachi and his brat friends literally throwing it back in his face before harshly rejecting him again.

"Alright, I gotta find that corpse. I wonder where it could be….I've played here so many times I know the place like the back of my hand but I should've asked the guys exactly where to look…" Naruto stopped looking confused as he didn't know what to before the sound of footsteps got Team Konohamaru's attention.

"Hey, it's Old Man Iruka!" Boruto pointed out.

"Thank god…" Sarada put a hand on her chest in relief as Mitsuki was the only one not smiling.

"Something tells me it won't be that easy to just bring him back…" Mitsuki said as Iruka finally decided to make his presence known.

"Naruto." Iruka called out.

"Sensei?" Naruto questioned as Iruka jumped down from the tree branch he was on.

"Come on, you have to get back to the Academy now." Iruka ordered, pointing in the direction of the village while Naruto looked as if he was fed spoiled milk.

"No! I don't wanna go to the Academy anymore!" Naruto unhesitant refused.

"You don't understand. There's still dangerous enemies out here." Iruka tried reasoning with the young boy who looked unconvinced.

"I won't go back, even if you beg me!" Naruto took a step back in apprehension as Iruka caught this as his eyes softened, slightly catching Naruto off guard but he took that as a look of pity and there was nothing he hated more than being pitied.

"Just do as I say! I'm your homeroom teacher, Naruto." Iruka softly argued back as Naruto scoffed.

"Oh shut up! You only act like a teacher when it's convenient for you!" Naruto spat as Iruka took taken aback with Naruto's words.

"It's not like he's wrong…" Boruto said as his teammates couldn't disagree with what they had seen from him so far.

"You don't get it….You don't know what I go through every day and none of that is gonna change just because I go back to school….I'm always alone….I'm always left out…Look…don't you see nobody wants me around!? Nobody cares!" Naruto spat as the team saw visions of all the times Naruto was either rejected, ignored or excluded from social activities.

"But this time, it'll be different, if I bring something back from out here then I'm finally gonna have some friends who'll accept me! If I do that I won't be alone anymore! And I won't feel like an outsider anymore!" Naruto yelled as the Team saw visions of Naruto being octracized from the villagers such as being thrown out of shops along with parents pulling their children away from Naruto.

"That's why I'm gonna stay out here until I can find something good to bring back!" Naruto yelled at his teacher who gave the boy an expression full of empathy as he looked deep in thought.

"….When you feel rejected, you're willing to do anything to get approval…" Boruto noted as he thought back to the time he cheated in the Chunin Exams with the ninja tool he got from Katasuke.

"Just like when you pulled all those pranks or cheated in the exams….it was to get Lord Seventh to approve you…." Mitsuki stated more than asked as Boruto's silence told his teammates everything they needed to know.

It was then that Iruka opened his eyes again.

"Please listen, I know that you have your reasons but as your teacher I can't just walk away. I won't allow you to stay in such a dangerous area." Iruka tried persuading the young boy who looked down as he looked close to tears.

"….You can't even try to understand my feelings…" Naruto softly said before he donned a mischievous smirk, something that put Sarada on edge as it was the exact same look Boruto gave when he was about to do something stupid.

"Oh no." Sarada cringed as Naruto smirked before donning a hand sign.

"Well then! Sexy Jutsu!" Naruto yelled before transforming into a naked women with smoke covering her delicate areas.

Sarada went pale in embarrassment as Boruto and Mitsuki actually looked amazed.

"Whoa! He actually looks like an alive woman this time!" Boruto noted as Mitsuki nodded.

"A+ definitely!" Mitsuki smiled as Sarada gave a very questionable look to her teammates.

"What is wrong with you two!?" Sarada spat as the jutsu seemed to work as Iruka fell back with a nosebleed.

"It worked!" Sarada yelled, about to have a brain aneurysm as Naruto deactivate the jutsu before leaving with a snicker.

"No wait…" Iruka yelled, his face covered in blood as he tried salvaging some form of dignity though he went ignored by Iruka.

"Ha! Adults are so easy to trick, it's not even funny!" Naruto snickered as Boruto nodded, thinking of how he got Jiraiya's approval when he did his own version of the sexy jutsu.

"And some men can get knocked off their socks if you take enough off." Boruto smirked as Sarada passed a questionable look to her teammate before deciding to just leave it alone, not even wanting to know what he was referring to.

"That little troll! Was he just making all that up!?" Sarada demanded as Boruto shook his head.

"I'm sure he meant every single word he said but when he saw Old Man Iruka's guard lowered, he decided to just take a chance and run with it." Boruto explained as Sarada looked unconvinced with Boruto's reasoning.

"That makes no sense but okay." Sarada shook her head, silently wishing she had different teammates as Naruto stopped running once he was a faraway distance from Iruka. The first thing he noticed was all the blood and leftover weapons scattered everywhere.

"Geesh, when those brats said there was a battle, they weren't kidding." Sarada noticed as Mitsuki said nothing, literally being born into a setting like this.

"These are signs of a fight. That means…it must be close…" Naruto said as he went searching high and low for anything that would be cool enough to take back to Hibachi and his friends, only to come up with nothing.

"It's not here…" Naruto sighed despondently before his stomach gave a low growl making him look down.

"Come to think of it, I haven't eaten anything at all today…" Naruto moaned as his head quickly darted from side to side looking for some food.

"Maybe I can find something out here?" Naruto questioned before taking note of a bird's nest as he quickly climbed up a tree before noticing there were no birds in there, much to his relief, and found several eggs in there.

"Well, it looks like I just found my lunch." Naruto smiled before noticing something sparkling in the nest.

"What is that?" Boruto asked as Naruto had the same question in mind before literally picking it up and holding it to the air.

"That's a cool looking kunai." Boruto noted.

"It must be the enemy ninja's." Mitsuki assumed as Naruto grinned in awe of the design of the weapon. It was unlike the Kunais he had seen from Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.

"Whoa! I've never seen a kunai shaped like this before!" Naruto noted as he jumped down from the tree to get a better look at it. It was then Sarada noticed something attached to it.

"Wait a second…that must be the secret intel report the enemy must have!" Sarada pointed out as Boruto looked to her in shock.

"Seriously?" Boruto asked.

"That must be it." Mitsuki said, noticing the inscriptions himself.

If Naruto noticed, he was either to happy or too amazed to care.

"The enemy ninja must have used this kunai during the battle yesterday! I found something that I can bring back to my friends!" Naruto gave a wide smile as he continued fiddling before finally starting his path back to the village.

"Now I'll be able to make some real friends!" Naruto cheered before he was suddenly surrounded by three masked ninja.

"Hey kid." One of the ninja said in a voice that meant they were in no mood for any nonsense.

"Oh great. Whaddaya want, I'm in a hurry…" Naruto looked annoyed that these jokers would be holding him up.

"Hand over the Kunai, nice and easy." One of the ninja with grey hair under their masks said. It was obvious by the voice of one of the ninja that these were a trio of women.

"Hm? No forget it! This is mine! I'm not giving it to you!" Naruto refused before shoving the kunai in his pocket.

"I see…we'll just have to take it from you by force!" The ninja with gray hair said as they pulled their swords out, something that unnerved Boruto and Sarada.

"What's wrong with these ninja!?" Sarada yelled as they were literally chasing Naruto as they threw a slurry of kunai and shuriken that Naruto was lucky to avoid without getting impaled or maimed by.

"He's just a kid!? What the hell is wrong with these broads!?" Boruto demanded as Mitsuki was the only one who seemed not as bothered as the other two members of his team.

"It can't be helped. In the ninja world, people who threaten the sanctity and well-being of a team's success on a mission are considered enemies to be disposed of by any means necessary. Be it whether they're a man, woman or child." Mitsuki stated as his "matter of fact" tone slightly unnerved his teammates.

"How can you say that so calmly!?" Boruto yelled as Naruto made a hand sign while running for his life.

"Sexy Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as Boruto and Sarada face-palmed.

"Idiot! They're girls!" Boruto ground out.

"Yeah, what's that gonna do!?" Sarada chided as Mitsuki laughed.

"I don't think he even knows." Mitsuki laughed much to his teammates' disbelief that he could find humor in a situation like this.

"How can you laugh at a situation like this!?" Boruto yelled as Mitsuki continued his laughter.

"He still survives after this, right?" Mitsuki asked as Boruto was practically humbled with the realization.

Mitsuki was proven right as even in his sexy jutsu, Naruto was nearly gutted like a fish.

"Too bad that technique won't work on us." The ninja with grey hair said as the women all removed their masks revealing they were indeed women, much to Naruto's dread and ire.

"No way! You're all women! Oh, no fair!" Naruto groaned.

"You just now realized that!?" Sarada and Boruto yelled simultaneously as Sarada couldn't believe Lord Seventh used to be so…scatterbrained.

"In that case, clone jutsu!" Naruto said as the same deformed, half dead looking clone appeared right in front of him as it slowly etched its way to the Kunoichi.

"…Is….he…serious…" Sarada deadpanned.

"Dead serious." Boruto confirmed with a sigh as Mitsuki continued laughing, finding this scene to be quite humorous, especially with the annoyed expression the females gave at Naruto's sorry excuse of a clone as they no doubt considered it as an insult to them as Shinobi.

"Unbelievable. That's got to be the most pathetic excuse for a clone that I've ever seen." The gray haired woman spat as she cut the "clone" in half, having enough of Naruto's BS.

"Now go and get him! No mercy!" The gray haired woman commanded her teammates as Naruto seriously hauled butt in a way that neither Boruto nor Sarada nor Mitsuki had ever seen before. But then again with him having no real jutsu on hand, they couldn't blame him for running.

"Okay, if Ninjutsu won't work then!" Naruto said as he ran into the bushes before pushing down a rock, no doubt starting a trap to throw the ninja off.

"That's pretty clever." Boruto whistled as a large branch was sent the Kunoichis way.

"There're traps all over this forest and I know exactly where they're hidden! Here they come!" Naruto gave a smirk before using a kunai to set off another of the traps, this time getting the women caught in a green tarp as he quickly ran off again, knowing they would be fast on his tail and would be less than pleased with getting outsmarted by an Academy student reject not just once but twice.

"Even as someone who's the class clown, Lord Seventh is pretty sharp." Sarada noted in awe as she was no doubt impressed.

"Well dad is unpredictable." Boruto smirked as Naruto tried looking for the next trap to throw them off.

"You know when I think about it, Lord Seventh is a lot smarter than the kids in his age group think he is." Mitsuki said.

"Like I said, he is unpredictable after all." Boruto grinned as Mitsuki donned a pensive expression.

"I wonder…if he acts like that for show?" Mitsuki asked more to himself than to his teammates.

"Gotta hold on…I know there's another trap!" Naruto gasped out, getting a little winded from all this running around.

"Naruto!" The voice of Iruka rang through the forest much to Team Konohamaru's relief.

"Old Man Iruka!" Boruto yelled.

"Thank god." Sarada sighed in relief that Naruto would be saved.

This time, the feelings of relief between Team Konohamaru and Naruto were mutual.

"Sensei?" Naruto asked, feeling relieved that someone on his side was there. Or at least someone he thought could be.

"I'm over here sensei!" Naruto yelled before suddenly miss-stepping as he fell down a long, winding hill before hitting the ground with a hard thud much to Team Konohamaru's horror. Such a long fall would've killed any normal child.

"Dad!" Boruto ran to his dad's form as he looked like he was easing in and out of consciousness.

"That fall could've broken his neck!" Sarada noted as she scanned Naruto's bodies for any kind of injury. Thankfully he had nothing but scratches and dust on him.

Much to Team Konohamaru's relief, Iruka touched down and ran quickly to Naruto's side before picking him up.

"Hey! Are you alright? Come on, wake up!" Iruka practically pleaded as he held Naruto in his arms as Naruto barely noticed Iruka.

"…S-sensei?" Naruto weakly gasped out as Iruka smiled, relieved Naruto was okay.

"Good! At least you're awake! Now c'mon, let's get you back to the Academy." Iruka tenderly said as Naruto attempted to stand but to no avail as Naruto looked dazed and nearly fell back as the ninja finally appeared on the top of the hill Naruto fell from.

"Oh great!" Sarada ground out, wishing these losers would just go away.

"I-it's them!" Naruto noted, but the team were quick to notice the tone in Naruto's voice. It was something akin to actual fear….

"Dad…he looks and sounds…scared…" Boruto noted.

"It can't be helped. With no real jutsu in his arsenal, he's as helpless as a newborn baby here." Mitsuki pointed out.

"You're not from around here. What're you up to sneaking around the leaf village?" Iruka asked as the silver haired women narrowed her eyes at Iruka.

"And just who are you? Leave the kid and get lost!" She spat much to Boruto's disgust.

"He's defeated! Where's your honor?" Boruto spat as Mitsuki shook his head.

"Like I said, he's hindered their mission and so he's seen as an anime to be disposed of." Mitsuki sighed much to Boruto's anger. Thankfully Iruka shared his anger.

"I'm in charge of this child's safety! He's going home with me!" Iruka glared at the women who looked nothing short of amused at Iruka.

"What're you? His teacher?" The brunette of the trio looked ready to fall back from laughing.

"You're unfortunate to have such a lame student and now you'll pay for his stupidity with your life!" The light brown haired woman spat much to Boruto and Sarada's anger.

"Lame student? I'll show you a lame student…" Boruto took a step forward before stopping himself, realizing that with Iruka around, he would help get his father to safety.

"Difficult children are just more rewarding. Besides, you won't be able to defeat me that easily!" Iruka vowed as Team Konohamaru felt themselves gaining even more respect for Iruka than they previous had before coming into this memories as they were already familiar with him as the head of the Ninja Academy. Whatever ill will Boruto had towards Iruka had vanished at that moment.

"That old man…" Boruto smiled as Iruka used a smoke bomb to get away as he jumped from tree to tree, with the ninja hot on his trail.

Iruka managed to narrowly dodge all the Shuriken they hurled towards his direction much to the irritation of the Kunoichi on their tail.

"Quickly! Surround them!" The silver haired kunoichi ordered as she tried impaling Iruka with her sword only for Iruka to match her blade with his Kunai.

"I will not let you hurt Naruto!" Iruka vowed before kicking her away.

"That's the way to do it, Old Man Iruka!" Boruto cheered as he pumped his fist.

"Don't let them escape! Scatter!" The gray haired Kunoichi said as they all made hand signs.

"Multi Phantom Shuriken Jutsu!" The gray haired Kunoichi yelled as a flurry of Shuriken charged at Iruka and Naruto as one managed to actually graze Iruka's cheek and shoulder.

"Can't dodge them!" Iruka scowled as Sarada looked worried.

"Oh man, this isn't looking good…" Sarada bit her lip, wondering how Iruka and Naruto got out of this sticky situation before a Kunai with a paper bomb flew right past Iruka's head, knocking the enemy ninja back.

"Now what?" Boruto asked as Mitsuki smiled.

"So that's what it is." Mitsuki pointed as his teammates followed his line of eyesight before their eyes widened in shock.

The source of the explosion was none other than Kakashi Hatake, who looked vastly younger than the one they knew.

"Old Man Kakashi! But younger!" Boruto grinned, eager to see Kakashi kick these broads' asses.

"Thank god!" Sarada breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, you two alright?" Kakashi asked Iruka who gave a grateful smile, relieved to have some help.

"Kakashi, what're you doing here?" Iruka asked, making sure Naruto didn't fall from his grip.

"Your students told me what happened and I got a little concerned." Kakashi explained as Mitsuki's thoughts immediately went to Shikamaru and Choji and how they had seen what happened and he surmised that they must've told Kakashi the truth about what happened.

"Damn it, he's got back up." The light brown haired woman, sighed, annoyed they wouldn't be able to kill Naruto as quickly as they would've liked.

"So what? We'll get rid of them with fire style." The gray haired woman scoffed as Boruto and Sarada rolled their eyes.

"He's not called the copy ninja for nothing. Whatever you throw at him, he'll throw right back." Boruto snorted.

"Synergy Jutsu!" All the women yelled as they readied a hand sign.

"Go Iruka!" Kakashi ordered as Iruka did just that however Team Konohamaru decided to stay behind, curious to see how a young Kakashi would do in combat.

"Karura!" All three women yelled as a massive ball of fire escaped from their throats though Kakashi looked unworried as he made his own hand signs.

"Earth Style! Mud Wall Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled as a wall of mud suddenly erupted from the ground cancelling out the attacks.

"What!?" The brunette of the group yelled out in shock that her attack was countered so easily.

However, she didn't have time to be shocked as Kakashi went through another series of hand signs as Lightning erupted in his hands as Team Konohamaru's eyes widened as they realized what was happening.

"That's-"Sarada was about to point out before Kakashi dashed at the women.

"Chidori!" Kakashi yelled as the women were easily overwhelmed by the force of the jutsu before they were knocked unconscious, tied and restrained.

"Man…even back then Old Man Kakashi was a badass…" Boruto whistled.

"You're telling me." Sarada gave a light laugh.

"With the knowledge of that he was Lord Seventh's sensei in addition to how far these memories will last, I think it's safe to say we haven't even reached the tip of the iceberg." Mitsuki said as Iruka made his way to Kakashi once things were safe.

"Thanks a lot, Kakashi. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up when you did." Iruka smiled in thanks as Kakashi shrugged off Iruka's praise.

"I'm confident you would've kept Naruto safe even if I hadn't been here." Kakashi replied as Iruka looked down, almost as if remembering something important.

"You gave me good advice. I think I understand it now." Iruka said, more to himself than to Kakashi as Team Konohamaru looked at the man in confusion.

"Advice? What's he talking about?" Boruto asked.

"Perhaps he's talking about a conversation we never saw." Mitsuki surmised.

"…I think maybe it has something to do with Master Iruka understanding Naruto more as a teacher." Sarada assumed as Boruto and Mitsuki looked at her for a second before reflecting on her words.

"It would make sense why Old Man Iruka would change his tone about Naruto…" Boruto put his hand to his chin in thought.

"You were right, I should have tried to be honest with him from the start." Iruka admitted as Kakashi was silent, letting Iruka continue.

"I probably tried to turn my back on him so I could avoid my own feelings. But I think I can finally face him now…" Iruka looked back to Naruto's unconscious form with his eyes and voice full of regret as Team Konohamaru felt sympathy for the young man.

"Oh Master Iruka…at least things are better now." Sarada gave a soft smile.

"Yeah, what's happened is in the past. All that matters is the future." Boruto gave a slight laugh as he knows that's what his dad would say.

Kakashi seemed satisfied with this answer as he put a hand on Iruka's shoulder.

"That's good. You do that." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask as Iruka realized what he needed to do.

"I will, thanks." Iruka gave a genuine smile before finally making his way back to the Ninja Academy as Naruto started to slowly stir right as soon as they reached the Ninja Academy.

"…I…Iruka…Sensei…" Naruto muttered.

"Rise and Shine, sleepy head!" Boruto joked as Team Konohamaru laughed with Boruto, relieved that Naruto was finally up.

"I see you're up now." Iruka mused, just as amused as Team Konohamaru was before letting Naruto get down as he stretched his sore muscles.

Naruto blinked several times before realizing it was late evening time and the sun was starting to set as his eyes went wide, no doubt remembering his near death experience.

"Wait a second! Where're those ninja at!?" Naruto yelled, getting defensive as Iruka put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Calm down. They've already been dealt with. You have nothing to worry about anymore." Iruka said as Naruto looked relieved he didn't have to deal with psycho women wanting his head on their blades.

"That's a relief…" Naruto sighed as Sarada wasn't far off from agreeing with him.

"Understatement of the century." Sarada dryly commented as Naruto's hands went into his pockets, no doubt fiddling for the kunai he stole.

"Wait a second! The kunai! Where's the kunai I took!?" Naruto demanded as Boruto and Sarada face-palmed, not believing what they were hearing.

"He can't be serious, can he? He almost died because of that thing!" Sarada deadpanned.

"Like I said, dad was an idiot!" Boruto sighed as Iruka looked just as disbelieved as them that Naruto would worry about such a thing after what he went through not even hours ago.

"Are you serious? I gave that to Lord Hokage as it was an enemy weapon." Iruka said in a voice of complete and utter disbelief as he put his hands to his hips. This kid was definitely gonna give him more than a couple of gray hairs.

To say Naruto looked outraged was an understatement as he clenched his fists in rage.

"Aww, c'mon, sensei! Give me a break! How could you have lost that kunai!?" Naruto yelled as his plans to be friends with Hibachi and his gang were now down in the dumps as Iruka had finally had enough.

"You idiot!" Iruka yelled, wanting to smack some sense into Naruto as he nearly fell back on his butt in fright.

"Are you kidding!? You almost lost your life today because of that thing!" Iruka scolded Naruto who looked down.

"…Yeah that's true but…." Naruto looked down in a Hinata like manner.

"He looks sad." Mitsuki commented.

"Well yeah, he just lost what he thought was a quick and easy way to get friends. Though he's way better off without those kinds of friends." Boruto scoffed as even Iruka was taken aback by Naruto's reaction or rather lack there of.

"Huh…you seem quiet all of a sudden." Iruka noted as Naruto continued looking down.

"…That's cause….this is the first time you've actually yelled at me sensei, I'm just surprised…." Naruto meekly admitted as Sarada blinked at Naruto's admission.

"You know something? He's actually right. Master Iruka has finally stepped up and decided to act like a real teacher for a change to him." Sarada noted as Boruto snorted.

"Dad's finally gotten what he wanted yet he doesn't know how to react." Boruto joked as Iruka blinked at Naruto's confession before finally managing to smile.

"Yelled at you? I guess I did. That's because I've decided I'm going to be more honest and upfront with you from now on. Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna be more hard on you now than ever!" Iruka beamed as Naruto looked very unenthusiastic to say the least.

"Huh!? If that's how it's gonna be I'm never going back to school…" Naruto groaned as Boruto shook his head in good nature.

"Like a child getting a toy they always wanted but not knowing how to react when they've finally gotten it." Mitsuki chuckled as Iruka looked amused by the boy's comment.

"Naruto, do you have the Will of Fire within you?" Iruka asked much to Naruto's confusion.

"…The Will of Fire? What's that?" Naruto tilted his head, obviously lost.

"It's the strong will to do whatever it takes to protect the Leaf Village no matter what. If you have it, then you can become strong as Lord Hokage!" Iruka explained as Naruto's eyes widened.

"The Hokage!? He's super strong, isn't he!?" Naruto asked as Iruka smiled even wider.

"He is. But he's got more than just strength. Lord Hokage has the respect of everyone in the village because he's a great leader. The Fourth Hokage was a hero who protected the village from the Nine Tailed Fox." Iruka added on to his explanation as Naruto was silent as he processed everything he heard.

"A hero…." Naruto's eyes blinked as the memory flashed back to the moment where Naruto and Hiruzen first met followed by Naruto making his vow to become Hokage at a very young age.

"That's it! Like I've already decided, I'll become a ninja stronger than the Fourth Hokage! And then everyone in the village will have to acknowledge how great I am!" Naruto promised as Team Konohamaru all smiled at the young boy, knowing he would one day reach his dream.

"And he does." Boruto smiled as he immediately thougth back to the moment where his father protected the village from Momoshiki and Kinshiki's attack and their concern over his wellbeing.

Iruka looked moved by Naruto's declaration before pulling out a Kunai from his pants before carving a slash symbol several inches above Naruto's head.

"Well my guess is by the time you're about this tall, you might be able to become Hokage!" Iruka smiled at the young boy as he sketched the slash symbol to where Naruto would end up at a height of 166 cm or 5'6 inches.

"He'll be even taller…" Boruto muttered softly, laughing slightly at how such a shrimp grew up to become a very tall man.

"Okay! Then I'll work just as hard as I can until that day comes!" Naruto vowed as Iruka's smile only got bigger as the bluish-purple fog consumed the team as the memory steadily darkened, ending the memory.


And there's the Ninja Academy chapter for you all! Man….Iruka and Naruto's bond is just something beautiful isn't it? ^_^

Which reminds me, when I was rewatching the episodes for this particular chapter, I forgot how Viz changed Iruka's VA from Quinton Flynn to Kyle McCarley.

My only question is….WHY? Quinton Flynn was perfect as Iruka and Kyle well…lacks the same Irukaness that Quinton had…if someone could answer that in a review or PM I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks….

In my works, Iruka will ALWAYS have the voice of Quinton Flynn, sorry not sorry XP

And since we're talking about episodes, if you avid Naruto watchers like me noticed, for this particular chapter of memories, I used episodes 176-178 since those were part of the start of Naruto's Ninja Academy tenure with some minor tweaks here and there. And on the topic of Naruto's childhood, I hope you all liked how I had an explanation for the beginning of Naruto falling in love with Sakura in addition to how he came up with the Sexy Jutsu since that is a very crucial jutsu in the later part of the series! =P

And on the note of Naruto's childhood, there's gonna be ONE more childhood chapter before we get started with the actual series of Naruto. I know some people might not be fond of this but I feel it's necessary to set all the necessary stages of everyone that led Naruto to the person he once was, leading to who he is now.

Like I said, it's only one more chapter so just grin and bear with it! XP

And on that note, Chapter 5 of this story will be released next Wednesday January 15th! I know that might come as a shock to some people having to wait a week rather than me updating the story within a two-three day time frame but the reasons are simple.

Since the chapters are gonna get longer, the deeper I get within to the series, I'll need more time to do the chapters.

Since I go back to school next week….yeah! XD Nuff said XP

In any case, please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the story as a whole and please let me know how I've been doing with the characterizations of Boruto, Sarada and Mitsuki and whether I've been keeping them in character!

Until Chapter 5, let's make this new year a very memorable one! ^_^