Thank you all for the positive feedback. I'll try my best to be consistent. I'll prolly be updating one or two times a week. Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter.
Twelve years have passed since the infamous Kyuubi Attack. Konoha eventually recovered, but the incident is still fresh in lots of people's minds, especially among those who lost family and friends to the attack. Every year on the 10th of October, a special event will be held where both citizens and shinobi would mourn the dead. It was a decision that received mixed feelings, particularly from those who wanted to forget the incident and move on.
However, everyone eventually grew accustomed to it and decided to mourn in their own way. Whether it's to celebrate with their loved ones and appreciate their lives or to get drunk in a bar and wallow themselves in pity. Most of the shinobi would also participate in these events. Some would take some time off missions to relax with their comrades while others would train themselves to the bone, sometimes even passing out on the training grounds.
However, a few people refused to partake in such events and continued on in their daily lives. One of such people is Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, who stared down at the festival occurring in the middle of the village from on top of the Hokage Rock, sitting on top of his father's carved head. His cerulean eyes, devoid of any twinkle, coldly swept its gaze across the village square. The only reason he's on watch duty is that the Hokage refused his request to take a mission. The wizened old man had decided to give him a day off, but Naruto decided to use his time to take a shift from one of his fellow guards.
A lot has happened to the young Namikaze during these twelve years. For one, he has been in ANBU for more than half of the years. He had taken the offer to graduate early and in just one year of being Genin, he was promoted to Chunin almost instantaneously. The next year, he was promoted once again and after just two years of being a Jonin, he joined the ANBU organization. Of course, the Hokage made it hard for him to join, saying stuff like to enjoy his childhood, but he can't directly refuse without a legitimate reason and the council would always approve his request. Sometimes, having a bunch of ass-kissers has its advantages.
For the next few years, he would spend his time as an ANBU Captain, a candidate for Commander, and a hidden legend in the shinobi world. But because he was part of ANBU, no one knew his real identity. All they have is the records of the hundreds of his slain targets and a plain in Kusagakure that was once a forest but has been wiped out by what people thought to be a hurricane. However, the lingering chakra in the air told them otherwise. When the other hidden villages asked about this mysterious shinobi, the Hokage only replied with, 'I have no idea who you're talking about.
Naruto chuckled at that memory, his eyes softening just a little. "Oh man, I can't forget the look on the face of Kumo's ambassador when he said that." He muttered to himself before his eyes sharpened in an instant.
The sudden tension of his body and the soft pop of smoke was the only warning the person behind Naruto got before she was faced with the cold blue eyes of her ANBU Captain, and if she hadn't drawn her sword, she would've gotten a kunai stuck in her throat. However, the effort she put into blocking that strike took a lot of strength from her. The action was so fast that the wind generated from the move still flowed strongly around them. If her mask wasn't on her face, the paleness of her skin and the fear in her eyes would be visible.
"Neko, how many times do I have to tell you to never sneak up behind me." Naruto sighed, sealing his kunai back into his pocket but not letting his glare die down, though it was much lighter than before.
The purple-haired ANBU gulped. "I- I apologize, Taichou." She said, lowering her head in shame. Despite being older than the blond, her respect for him overweighs her pride. "But Hokage-sama requests for your presence."
A deeper sigh escaped the young Namikaze. "I just met him five hours ago. What does he need me for? Pervert old man…" Naruto muttered quietly.
Apparently not quiet enough, judging by the sweatdrop on Neko's face. 'Only Taichou would have the guts to say that.' She cleared her throat, grabbing his attention. "I don't know, sir. But Hokage-sama just came back from a council meeting. I believe it is related to that."
"Fine, fine. I'll be there." Naruto waved her off, feigning disinterest when in reality, he was thinking deeply about what the old man wanted.
A council meeting just to talk about him is very concerning, especially after he requested—or demanded, whichever feels better—to leave him and Mito alone. He didn't want the council, especially the civilians, to mess with the inner workings of his family; something that he personally saw happened to the Uchiha Clan after the massacre. Unfortunately for the last Uchiha, he still isn't viable to become the heir of the clan at the age of seven and most of the properties of the clan were being held by the council, which is most likely being drained out of its value.
The only reason Naruto escaped their clutches was that his father had a will prepared in case his death came early. Everything the Uzumaki and Namikaze owned immediately went to him, out of reach of greedy and selfish merchants. People have tried to persuade and even threaten the blond, but Naruto showed rather violently why it's not recommended to anger him. One public showcase and no merchant dared to even look in Naruto's direction without pissing themselves in fear.
So it's definitely not concerning the political matters of his family, which only leaves the shinobi matters. Yet again, he had already laid his decision to not let Mito become a shinobi and gave legitimate and unbiased reasons as to why. So, Mito aside, the only thing left to discuss is himself, which Naruto finds confusing. What else could the old man want from him? He's already one of his best shinobi in the force, alongside some famous titles like the Copy Ninja, Konoha's Noble Green Beast, and the Genjutsu Mistress. He might not be as recognizable as the rest, but his accomplishments and records say more than enough. He has been in ANBU for ten years—
Naruto's eyes widened. 'Wait, don't tell me he intends to…'
"Sir, the Hokage needs you—" a gust of wind interrupted Neko and when she blinked her eyes open, the young Namikaze was gone. The only thing that remained was the set of footprints on the ground. The purple-haired ANBU dropped her shoulders and pouted. "When will Taichou ever take me seriously?"
Hiruzen's nervous. Yes, the God of Shinobi and the current Hokage, is nervous. Nervous of what exactly? A twenty-two-year-old boy with a temper greater than his mother's. At 68 years old, he doesn't have the energy to fight against an Uzumaki's rants. Sometimes, Hiruzen would wonder if taking the mantle of Hokage was the right choice and if leaving the title to someone like Jiraiya would yield better results for the village.
However, before he could ponder about his retirement, a flash of chakra interrupted his thoughts and instantly put his ANBU guards on alert. A swirl of wind appeared suddenly in the middle of the office, appearing sharp enough to slash through metal. They eventually relaxed when they saw who it was, but wondered why their Hokage kept up his tense frame. The visitor allowed the wind to die down, revealing a stone-faced Naruto.
Standing at a good 5'11, the blond was built to be a shinobi. He's considered wiry and lean compared to the average shinobi, but behind that frame hides a strength that can shatter boulders and bring down trees without sweating. Spending time with Guy will eventually make anyone ripped in no time, whether it would be against their will or not, it doesn't matter. While Naruto's muscles aren't as defined as his thick-eyebrowed friend, he certainly isn't lacking.
His eyes, the ones that would usually sparkle in childish wonder in the past, have now been hardened into a cynical and calculating gaze. Before, he wouldn't think twice about a random noise in the woods or a wind blowing from an alley. Now, his hand would always hover above his kunai pouch, always ready in case a threat would emerge. His once short blond hair now fell just at his shoulders, which he often ties into a ponytail, sometimes even a full-on braid which is courtesy to his little sister.
He wore the standard uniform for ANBU, complete with the armor, a tantō strapped onto his back, and an unhealthy amount of kunai and shuriken sealed into his pockets. The only thing that makes him distinguishable from the rest of the ANBU is the Falcon mask on the side of his head and his hair. Naruto's objective is to look as unmemorable as possible. A shinobi with no recognizable physical qualities is a silent shinobi–a silent shinobi is a dangerous shinobi. However, it's pretty hard to do that when one's hair is as bright as the sun. So, he applies a layer of Henge on his hair every time he's on a mission. But whenever he's off duty, he would take it off.
Usually, Naruto would often wear a carefree smile outside of ANBU, merrily eating from a cup of instant ramen noodles. However, everyone in the room immediately knew something was wrong when the blond appeared in his very own wind Shunshin instead of climbing inside through the window, his face devoid of any emotion, and knelt to the Hokage. A big red flag is a definite when Naruto shows respect willingly. A disrespectful Naruto is a happy Naruto.
Hiruzen knew this and correctly assumed that the young Namikaze had figured out the reason why he had called him—or at least have an idea. Gulping slightly, the Hokage prepared himself for the heated argument he's going to have eventually and put up a strained smile. "Ah, Naruto. Just who I was looking for." the wizened old man greeted with fake cheer. But the only response he got was a raised head and blank expression, Hiruzen sighed and dropped his head. He motioned his hand towards the door, signaling his ANBU guards to leave the room. After a quick hand sign and a privacy seal activated, Hiruzen gazed at the blond with tired eyes.
"You may speak freely, Naruto."
Almost instantly, Naruto's eyes narrowed in irritation as he stood up to his full height. "You're going to demote me to Jonin." He said accusingly
"It's not a demotion, Naruto." Hiruzen snapped back. "It's a reassignment. I allowed you to stay in ANBU for ten years because I respected your feelings, despite the six-year limit. But now, it's too much. You barely have enough time for Mito."
"Don't bring Mito into this!" Naruto's eyes sharpened in anger. "I'm doing this for her. She's a target and with her condition, she's going to need more than that. But I know that's not why I'm being reassigned into a Jonin. You've been trying for years to find a reason to make me leave ANBU. The council won't just agree for me to leave without a legitimate reason. What is it?"
Hiruzen's hardened face softened, showing more of his age. The wrinkles on his face deepened as the Sandaime took out his pipe, lighting it with a small Katon jutsu and taking a smoke. "You're right. The council won't agree to let our strongest ANBU reveal themselves into the light. However, we have a bigger priority." He said in a grim tone, capturing Naruto's attention. as he turned his chair around to face the village. "It's finally time for the graduation of arguably one of the strongest generations of shinobi. Seven heirs in one year. But the one we're looking out for is Sasuke Uchiha." If Hiruzen would've turned around, he would've seen the frown on Naruto at the mention of said person.
"You mean the flight risk?" the blond asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, as one of his past guardians, you should know of the threat that young Sasuke entails. His desire for revenge and power is far too disturbing, even for us shinobi. The council has agreed that while we don't wish to prevent the Uchiha from graduating, we need someone to keep an eye on him at all times." Hiruzen took this opportunity to look at Naruto and judging by the growing scowl on the young man's face, he could already see where he was going with this. "Someone powerful. Someone like you."
"You want me to become his Jonin sensei," Naruto said, phrasing it as a statement. At the Hokage's nod, he shook his head. "Why do I have to become a Jonin sensei to keep an eye on him? I could just shadow him like before."
"While the council agreed that you should monitor him, I have a different mission for you." Taking another puff of smoke, Hiruzen shot a sharp gaze at the ANBU Captain. "I need you to change him. I know you were friends with Itachi Uchiha." At this, the Sandaime noticed Naruto stiffening but ignored it. "I've seen the effect you had on that boy. He was much softer, happier…"
"Well, that didn't stop him from murdering his entire clan, did it?" Naruto snapped back, bitterly. Hiruzen forced himself not to flinch at the tone as the blond continued. "Besides, Itachi was never an emo kid with a thirst for revenge. Plus, isn't Kakashi more qualified to teach the Sharingan?"
"Yes, while I have faith that Kakashi can teach young Sasuke, he still has the responsibility to teach the entire team. Kakashi was never the teaching type. Even during his time with Team Ro, he was a leader but not a teacher. But you… you practically provided your team with a set of skills unique to every other ANBU Team." Hiruzen replied before a grin overcame his features. "Plus, my grandson is rather fond of you and occasionally calls you Sensei, something that Ebisu feels jealous of."
Naruto groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Ugh, don't remind me, Jiji. I already taught him the Academy Three and he's still asking for more." While he may find Konohamaru and his two friends annoying, he won't deny that he feels almost sentimental when interacting with the boy. Almost like talking to a younger version of himself—though he would never admit that. "How about giving Sasuke to Kakashi as an apprentice? That way he can both look after the kid and monitor him. Maybe give him an inspirational speech or some shit."
Hiruzen cupped his chin as he blew out another smoke ring. "Hmm, that can work. Kakashi has a wide array of jutsus that he can teach, though we will have to limit the amount of knowledge he would bestow to young Sasuke. Once his Sharingan activates, then maybe that's where you would keep an eye on him as well."
Naruto subtly blew a sigh of relief, thankful that he had avoided a disaster. He turned around to face the window and stared out into the village with a smile of relaxation, wondering what dinner he's having when he gets home. What he missed though was the evil smirk on the old man's lips.
"I'll be relaying these new changes to the council later. For now, come back tomorrow at 0900 hours for the Jonin meeting and the team selection." Hiruzen casually said, weaving his fingers together as he anticipated the eventual outburst.
Naruto's head snapped towards the Hokage so fast that it was just a blur. "Do you mind repeating that? I thought I heard that I'm joining a Jonin meeting?" The blond inwardly pleaded to whatever kami is messing with him right now, but from the growing smirk on the old man's lips, it seems that all hope is lost.
"You heard right. I already reassigned you to Jonin beforehand. The documents have been signed and my seal has been stamped. With Kakashi gone, we have a missing slot in the sensei department." Hiruzen felt like maniacally laughing at each second of Naruto's paling face. He's finally paying him back for all those times he interrupted his Icha Icha Reading Sessions. "Since you're already Jonin, I might as well assign you a Genin team."
"B- but you just said that Kakashi would make a bad teacher. Why was he the original choice for a Genin team?!" Naruto exclaimed hysterically.
"Well, that was before we considered you as an option. But after Shikaku brought up that you would be a great sensei, I decided to take the initiative. Fortunately for me, everyone agreed and the decision went faster than expected." The Sandaime bathed himself in the growing horror of his successor's son; the true villain of this story.
"Y- you already planned to make Sasuke take Kakashi's apprenticeship! You tricked me!"
A chuckle was the only thing Naruto received. "Oh, Naruto. How foolish of you. If you had accepted without complaint, then Sasuke would be on your team and nothing would change. It doesn't matter what you choose because your fate as Jonin has already been sealed. You only assumed that by giving Sasuke to Kakashi, you would be free. Tsk, tsk, Naruto, I thought I taught you politics better than that."
Naruto was feeling many emotions; anger, terror, betrayal. All of these were mixing together, boiling like lava and magma in a volcano, slowly reaching the top to burst. All it took was a snicker that escaped the Hokage before he let out a scream that shook the entire village.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
For the past 12 years, the Namikaze household was moved from on top of a hill and remained isolated from the village, opting to stay near the bottom of the hills and trees where human contact is sparse unless people would willingly venture out into the woods. However, the Namikaze Clan Head made it clear that no person should cross the borders of the Namikaze household without permission, lest they want to be struck by lightning and paralyzed by the security seals.
While the entire compound was huge, with most of the trees and hills being owned by the clan, the house itself is not that big compared to other clan houses. The reason for this is that it doesn't house that many residents. After all, only a single family lives in the compound and the clan head didn't want to use unnecessary materials to make the house any larger. Although many believed that he was more than happy about the training grounds while caring less about the house itself.
One of the residents disagreed, but since she couldn't oppose the clan head's decision, no matter how much she uses her Puppy-Eyes Jutsu, she opted to design the walls and furniture of the house. This is what Mito Uzumaki-Namikaze is doing right now. As the daughter of two legendary shinobi and the sister of the clan head, she has any right to put up any sort of design on the walls. But for now, she's making a decision on whether she could choose the hand-painted version of their family picture or the digital one.
Standing at 5'1, the twelve-year-old is considered tall and slender amongst kids her age, not that she had the pleasure of ever meeting them. She inherited most of her mother's looks, with crimson-red hair that fell behind her back like a waterfall and amethyst-colored eyes. However, she had the sharp features of her father and his intellect, evident by the hundreds of times she beat her brother in shogi. Most of the time, she would prefer to wear a flower-patterned kimono with a soft texture, but for this occasion, she wore a simple T-shirt and shorts for maximum comfortability. Her skin is rather pale compared to her brother's tanned complexion, but that would be a result of her time in isolation.
Why is she isolated? Well, housing the Bijuu that once attacked the village and killed hundreds of people wouldn't exactly yield any positive reactions. She had conveniently been born right in the middle of the Kyuubi Attack and her parents decided to seal the fox inside her. While she isn't as mad as she should be, there are some things she hated about being the Jinchuriki. One of them is that the Bijuu's chakra is literally serving as her life force.
Due to a complication in the sealing, the Kyuubi's chakra ended up overwhelming hers. But thanks to the seal, the Bijuu's chakra cycled through her tenketsu points and replaced hers, causing the Kyuubi to be her life battery. However, because its chakra is technically hers, whenever she would even try using her chakra, her mind would be affected by the Bijuu's personality and she would end up rampaging through everything she sees. Thankfully, Naruto was able to stop her when she once tried to use chakra and sealed the tenketsu points in her hands and feet, though it cost half the training grounds.
Other than being her personal life juice, being the Kyuubi Jinchuriki didn't affect her in any way other than the three whisker marks on each of her cheeks, giving her a bit of a feral look but all her brother said was 'You're so adorable, Mito-chan! I wish I had whisker marks; they look so cool!'. While the Hokage made sure that the general public would never know that she's a Jinchuriki, Naruto didn't trust that notion and isolated her almost immediately. Sure enough, a rumor broke out in the village that someone is containing the Bijuu but fortunately for Mito, nobody knew who it was. However, Naruto still wouldn't take any chances and still kept her from the village.
Yup, her brother may be overprotective and a bit overbearing, but he would do his best to keep his family safe. He even told her about her burden at the age of ten so that she would understand exactly why their life is the way it is. His love for his family is so great, that it rivals his love for his beloved ramen.
Speaking of the food of the gods, someone has been spending too long in the kitchen to make just three bowls of ramen. "Tayuya-neechan! Is the ramen ready?!" Mito called out, her usually quiet and polite voice now reminiscent of her mother's personality.
"Hold on, you fucking brat. This shit ain't as easy as you think. The amount of bullshit I had to put up with to make THREE FUCKING BOWLS of this sunnavabitch is giving me brain damage!" A loud and brash voice came out of the kitchen.
Mito softly giggled upon hearing her response, finding her reaction as amusing as always. While most people would never dare to talk to the sister of the clan head in that way, her roommate isn't like everyone else.
Five minutes later, a fair-skinned girl emerged from the kitchen, wearing a pink furry apron over her armored uniform and holding a tray with three bowls filled to the brim with piping hot ramen. "Get your ass to the table, brat. Naruto-sama is coming back home any time now." She said, a tone lower than before but still as brash.
This is Tayuya, the adopted member of the clan and official guardian of Mito Uzumaki Namikaze. While bearing no blood history with any of the two Namikazes, the clan treated her as family all the same. She was found in an abandoned town in Kusagakure by Naruto during a mission. At just six years old, her parents were killed by the missing-nin the ANBU were trying to track and as a result, Naruto decided to take responsibility and give her a better home, especially after he found out about her ability to conjure demonic illusions with her genjutsu flute, a powerful skill that could be used for terrible things on the wrongs hands.
From then on, Tayuya grew up together with the rest of the family and Naruto officially named the brash girl his sister's protector, making her an official member of the Namikaze clan and preventing her from being abused by the council. Despite not being an official shinobi of Konoha, Naruto still trained her to become one and even allowed her to take some lessons from Kurenai Yuhi, a well-known genjutsu user. Now, she can confidently say that she can defeat any Chunin who dares threaten her life or her family's, maybe even a couple of Jonins.
At first, she was shy and spoke almost silently whenever she was around the two Namikazes. She would never leave her flute alone and carry it in her arms as a memento of her parents, refusing to let it go for even a single second. But after multiple interactions with Mito, her true personality came out and Naruto is surprised to hear an eight-year-old say such… creative language. Her rivalry with the female Namikaze for the attention of the clan head only grew as the years went by. The two practically worshipped the ground that Naruto walked on, making the young clan head's life pretty troublesome.
Other than her blunt personality, Tayuya's most distinctive feature was her long, untamed, strawberry-red hair that falls past her shoulders with long parted bangs framing either side of her face and one between her eyes. Despite her similarities to the Uzumaki Clan, her lack of a large chakra reserve and an official visit to the hospital confirmed that she has no relation to the long-lost clan. One thing that didn't change from before was her habit of carrying her flute almost every time. She carried it so much, that Naruto drew a storage seal on her wrist so it would be more convenient to carry.
"Coming, Tayuya-neechan!" Mito cried out as she rushed over to her guardian.
The fifteen-year-old narrowed her chocolate-brown eyes and swiftly moved to the side to avoid the incoming red missile, causing Mito to comically fly out of the room. "I said go to the kitchen, asshole. I won't just let you mess up all my shitty work." she scolded. She took off the apron while rolling her eyes when Mito propped herself back up with her fist on her head and her tongue sticking out while winking.
"Love you too, Tayuya."
"Shut up, brat, and sit the fuck down."
Following her orders, she was glad to see that a plate of gyoza and a bowl of katsu were sitting together with her ramen. While she loves ramen as every other Uzumaki, she isn't as obsessed with it as her brother. Even Tayuya merely tolerates it but only cooks it just to see the smile on Naruto's face. She was lucky that she grew up with a proper diet, lest she grows up a midget and as weak as glass.
Inhaling the wonderful aroma of the meal in front of her, she smoothly grabbed her chopsticks like a madman and was about to tear into her food, but Tayuya's hand on her wrist prevented her from continuing. "Wipe that disgusting look on your face, brat. We still need to wait for your brother." She warned sternly.
"But Nii-chan said that we're allowed to eat early if he isn't home by now!" Mito whines, pouting her lips.
Tayuya sighed deeply while closing her eyes, forcing the urge to smack the shit out of this child back down. "While that is true, it is only best if we dine with the clan head. It is to give our respect to Naruto-sama for what he has done to the family." She said, her usual brash voice lost on her words, replaced by a respectful, almost passionate tone. It's almost as if she's an entirely different person.
Mito narrowed her eyes. "You only want to see his reaction to your food." She said accusingly.
The demonic caster spluttered, a visibly red hue coloring her cheeks. "Wh- what! Sh- shut the fuck you brat! You want me to use my—"
"I'm home!"
Tayuya's mood instantly shifted, evident by her blinding smile and the twinkle of joy in her eyes. "Naruto-sama! Welcome home!" She greeted cheerfully, a tone that would leave most of those who met her foul-mouthed personality befuddled.
However, before she could properly greet the head of the house, a red ball of energy blew past her. "Nii-chan!" Mito cried out in ebullience, slamming herself against the wiry body of her brother. Fortunately for Naruto, he had already anticipated this reaction and flexed his muscles for the incoming missile, silently reinforcing them with chakra just in case.
"Happy to see you too, Mito-chan." Naruto greeted with a strained tone, questioning the effectiveness of his ANBU armor. Mito either didn't hear or ignored her brother's groan of pain, opting to bury herself in her brother's arms while humming in delight, completely missing the dark look on Tayuya's face.
"Be careful with Naruto-sama, you fucktard! He probably had a tiring day!" Tayuya practically ripped the girl out of Naruto's arms, causing Mito to glare at her fellow redhead.
Already used to Tayuya's unique set of nicknames, Naruto simply let the two bicker for a while as he sat down on the table. "Girls, if you would mind sitting down. I'm a bit hungry after my meeting with the Hokage." Naruto softly said.
Almost comically, the two stopped shooting lightning at each other with their eyes and both sped towards their seats, bowing their heads in shame.
"Please forgive me for my insolence, Naruto-sama."
"Sorry, Nii-chan."
Naruto raised his hand to stop them. "It's fine. Let's just eat." He said in a low tone, raising concern for the two redheads. "Itadakimasu!" they chorused before digging into their delicious meal.
As they quietly ate, the two rivals were having a silent discussion on who would ask Naruto why he was feeling a bit down in the dumps. He wasn't even gorging himself into his ramen and proudly proclaiming how delicious Tayuya's ramen is, something the brash redhead definitely didn't miss. Eventually, Mito won their battle of rock-paper-scissors, and Tayuya cleared her throat to catch the attention of Naruto.
"Um, Naruto-sama, h- how was your day?" The redhead internally screamed at her lame way to start the conversation and it seems that Mito agrees, judging by the way she facepalmed. Tayuya cleared her throat once again. "I mean, you mentioned your meeting with the Hokage, did something happen?"
For a moment, the table was silent except for the sound of chopsticks being placed on the table. Naruto removed his armguards, revealing a storage seal on his wrist. After sending a pulse of chakra into the seal, smoke puffed out of his wrist and once it was clear, he was now holding a dark green flak jacket—it was a Jonin vest.
"Wait, are you finally leaving ANBU!" Mito exclaimed excitedly, accidentally slamming her hands against the table. At Naruto's raised eyebrow, she chuckled nervously and avoided Tayuya's glare for spilling some ramen broth. "I mean, congratulations, hehe…"
"What do you mean finally? You didn't want me in ANBU?" Naruto asked. He was confused because when he confronted Mito about his involvement in ANBU, she didn't say anything. "I thought you said you were fine with it."
Mito fidgeted nervously, rubbing the lower end of her T-shirt as she searched for assistance. Tayuya averted her eyes and quietly cleared the table. "Uh, well… I thought I did. But then I noticed that you're rarely at home. I- I understand that you have work and all but…" Mito trailed off. "I wish you would spend more time with us."
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in concern. Is he really that absent at home? He turned his gaze at Tayuya for confirmation, who blushed in embarrassment and nodded slightly. "Naruto-sama's visits are rather sparse, especially during duty hours. But when you are home, you usually spend your time in the training grounds." The demon summoner replied softly, her personal feelings not being lost in her words.
"I try not to let it bother me but sometimes, it feels so lonely without you." Mito bit her lip to stop herself from crying. "I don't have a special connection with Dad and Mom like you had, so you're the only person I know."
"What was that, you brat?"
"Sorry, I mean you and Tayuya are the only ones I know." The redheaded Namikaze chuckled nervously, before looking back at her brother. "I even accepted being isolated from the village, only because you isolated yourself with me. But if you aren't here, what's the point of this? Sure, Kakashi-ojiisan and Kurenai-obasan are pretty great, but they're not the same. I miss you and I can't help but feel like you prefer your work over me…"
Without even waiting for a response or searching for a reaction, Mito excused herself from her seat and dragged herself to her room, softly closing the door shut and missing the broken look on Naruto's face. If she would've looked back, she would've seen the blond lean back against his chair in defeat.
Naruto ran his hands against his face, all the while groaning in shame. "I messed up, didn't I?" He groaned out. All this time, his drive to protect his sister ended up hurting her instead. How ironic. He could only practically hear a familiar, stoic bastard quietly chuckling in his head, laughing at his own hypocrisy.
Tayuya pursed her lips. "I wouldn't say that, Naruto-sama. I believe you merely forgot that the brat is still a child." She hesitantly replied. But when she saw that she captured her superior's interest, she continued. "When you told her about the Kyuubi, I'm sure you were surprised that she accepted it so easily. She understood all your reasoning and didn't complain. She expressed an unusual amount of maturity for a kid her age. But sometimes, we forget that she's still a child and what most children her age want the most is… attention. For her, it's yours…"
When the redhead finished, she turned to see Naruto staring at her intently. A blush rushed to her face almost instantly but mentally lapped up all the attention. "D- did I say something wrong, Naruto-sama?" She stuttered out.
The blond blinked and simply shot her a teasing smile. "Nope, I just find it interesting how you pay this much attention to Mito. It seems to me that you're warming up to her." Naruto's smile only grew when Tayuya's face glowed redder. Only this time, it's out of embarrassment.
"Wh- what? What the fuck are you talking about, Naruto-sama! I don't give a shit about the little asshole! She's an annoying little insect, that's what she is! Mature my ass! Who the fuck said that?!" If it weren't for the fact that Naruto's loud laugh interrupted her temper tantrum, she might've broken a couple of plates and bowls.
"Oh, man! That's hilarious!" Naruto's laughter eventually died down, but an occasional snicker would escape. "You know, I'm still the only person you don't give a nickname to. You have Pink-Eyed Cyclops, Bandage Bitch, Cancer Risk, Homo Freak… I'm kinda jealous."
Tayuya looked aghast. "I will never disrespect you, Naruto-sama. As the clan head (and my hero), I refuse to give you such a degrading title!"
Naruto chuckled lightly as he stood up from his seat. The demon summoner didn't expect the hug from her beloved hero, causing her to let out a surprised squeak, something she would berate herself for later. Instead, she allowed herself to melt into the warm embrace, even daring to wrap her arms around his abdomen. She would never initiate something as intimate as this to the clan head, so she took every advantage of this opportunity.
When they broke the hug, Tayuya's face was so red that it matched the color of her hair. It was so adorable that Naruto couldn't help but smile. "Thanks for your input, by the way. I'll consider your words." He said. "I'll be heading to bed now. I have a Jonin meeting tomorrow." Cue an expression of despair. "Don't stay up too late. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Naruto-sama." Tayuya bowed and once she was sure that Naruto had left, she immediately set up a privacy seal around the kitchen. Once she knew that no sound would leave the room, a maniacal grin overtook her expression as pumped her fist into the air. "FUCK YEAH! Take that, you stupid brat! It's now 78-76! Suck this dick!"
In her room, Mito wasn't sure why but she felt the strange urge to attack Tayuya. Maybe her nii-chan would allow her to use chakra this one time.
The Hokage waited in his seat with an odd expression on his face. The hat hid his eyes, but there was a large smirk on his lips. The Jonin in the room couldn't help but feel uneasy, especially since the meeting should've started by now. The only conclusion they could come up with is that the Hokage is waiting for Kakashi, who seems to be later than usual.
All of a sudden, the doors of the Hokage's office swung wide open and all the chatter died down. Naruto Uzumaki-Namkiaze stood there in a standard Jonin's attire, complete with his headband tied around his neck and a pair of black, fingerless gloves with orange highlights. A stoic expression remained on his face, reminiscent of a particular Uchiha. Ignoring most of the people in the room except for a select few, he walked in with a confident stride. Most of the older Jonin gasped upon seeing him, recognizing him as the son of the Fourth Hokage. The newer ones were confused, but recognized the power and respect the man radiated.
Naruto stopped right in front of the Hokage, where they held a long, intense staring match with each other. No chakra, no killing intent; just normal gazes yet some of the Jonins could still feel the tension in the office. A few seconds later, Naruto moved to the side with the rest of the Jonins, standing right in between Might Guy, who gave him a wide smile and thumbs up, and Kurenai Yuhi, who offered a raised eyebrow at his presence. Asuma Sarutobi also regarded the blond with a confused look, but kept quiet in the meantime and took a hit of his cigarette.
The Hokage concealed the smile on his face before addressing the room. "Now that we're all complete, let's proceed with the subject of this meeting; the selection of Genin teams. First thing on the agenda—"
The meeting is once again interrupted by the sudden opening of the doors. This time, it was a silver-haired, masked individual with his headband covering one of his eyes as he read an orange-covered book. Ignoring the looks he was receiving, especially an angry one coming from a red-eyed woman, he walked up to the Hokage with his head still burning in the book.
Stopping in front of the desk, he lifted his head and held his hand in greeting. "Yo!" He drawled out, shooting the old man an eye smile. "Sorry for being late. I thought I saw my otōto jumping on roofs but it was just a cat."
Hiruzen merely sighed, already used to Kakashi's habits. However, for the first time, he actually had a valid reason, but he doubted he was late because of that. "Just move to the side." He ordered tiredly before addressing the room once more. "As I was saying, I'm sure you all read the files about this year's graduating class."
As the Hokage droned on, Naruto was silently talking with Kakashi. Somehow, the cyclops was able to find out about his reassignment, messing up the blond's plan to prank him. For years, Naruto has been trying to find ways to prank the man, but to no avail. Apparently, spending too much time with him ended up backfiring and made him predictable. The blond still couldn't let go of that one failed prank where he intend to steal his Icha Icha books, but ended up with a bunch of gay porn magazines. As a result, most of the bleach at home ran out.
"Now, we'll be deciding on who would be on their teams. Any volunteers?" the Hokage announced.
Kurenai was the first one to step up. "I request for Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Yakumo Kurama. I intend to make them a stealth-track-strike team. Yakumo Kurama has been my personal student for a while so it would only make sense if she would be on my team." She said confidently.
"Hmm, your request will be taken into consideration. Will there be any more?" The Hokage asked and wasn't surprised to see his son step up.
Taking a long hit on his cigarette, Asuma puffed out a cloud of smoke before speaking. "I request for the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio." He said, causing murmurs to spread throughout the crowd of Jonin.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "That's a tall task. Their parents already requested them to be on the same team. Only the teacher is missing. Are you up for the task?" He asked.
Asuma scoffed. "I'm a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. I believe I am more than capable of teaching them." He replied rather bitterly, before moving back to the crowd.
Holding back a wince, the Hokage nodded and took note of his request. "Is there anyone else?" When no one else spoke, he nodded. "If that will be all, then I will be announcing the teams. Team 10 will be a support and capture type and will consist of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi, led by Asuma Sarutobi. Team 9 is still in circulation, led by Guy. Team 8 will be a stealth-track-strike type and will consist of Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Yakumo Kurama, led by Kurenai Yuhi."
The Genjutsu Mistress widened her eyes in shock. "But Hokage-sama. I thought I requested for Hinata Hyuga to be on my team!" She exclaimed but backed down at the Hokage's pointed gaze.
"Yes, I said I would be taking it into consideration. I find Shino Aburame a better substitute as a long-ranged striker as well as a tracker, to better complement the Inuzuka's close combat style. Do you agree?" He replied, causing Kurenai to reluctantly nod her head in agreement and take a step back.
"Next... Sasuke Uchiha will be promoted to Special Genin and will be mentored by Kakashi Hatake. You have been chosen for this task due to your use of the dojutsu, the Sharingan, as well as your diverse and wide array of elemental jutsus. Do you have any problem with this?"
Without raising his head from his book, Kakashi replied in a lazy tone. "No, Hokage-sama. But I humbly request him to be placed as a rotational asset to help him work with other teams."
Hiruzen nodded in agreement, already planning to do the same. "Accepted. Now, for Team 7; it will be an all-rounded, strike force team and will consist of Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuga, and Sai. This team will be led by… Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."
Whispers and murmurs immediately arose from the Jonins, their eyes straying towards the contemplative form of the young blond. However, unknown to them, Naruto was ignoring all the commotion and trying to figure out his team. While he despised the idea of being sensei, he would take this task seriously and won't let his feelings affect the future of these Genins. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he read the records, which were snatched from Kakashi, of the Genins he would be leading.
'Sakura Haruno: born from a civilian family with no shinobi history. Barely graduated from the academy. Has the lowest physical abilities in the entire graduating class. Known to have a large temper, specifically towards the Yamanaka, and an infatuation with the Uchiha. Her only redeeming qualities are her high academics and her near-perfect chakra control. If I could break her out of her fangirlish tendencies, then I can help her reach her full potential. Maybe as a medic or a genjutsu user.'
'Hinata Hyuga: daughter of the Hiashi Hyuga and heiress of the clan. Graduated as the second-highest kunoichi in the class. Trained well in the Gentle Fist style with average shurikenjutsu skills. Has average chakra reserves but with high chakra control. However, her shy and polite personality would be a problem in the field, as well as her low confidence. Needs a personal drive or else she'll be killed early.'
'Sai: an orphan with no records of his family. Graduated in the middle of the rankings yet has one of the highest physical skills in the class, second only to the Uchiha. The only known user of the technique, Choujuu Giga, which can bring ink drawings to life under the user's will. However, he is known to be socially inept to the nth degree, using fake expressions to cover up his lack of emotions. Seems that Danzo sent one of his lackeys to monitor the Uchiha but didn't anticipate our change to the teams. Better keep an eye on him.'
"Jonin Namikaze!" an authoritative voice snapped him out of his analysis, which made him notice all the stares he was receiving. Whether it was because of his name or the fact he has been spacing out for about five minutes, it didn't matter because the stern glare from the Hokage overwhelmed all that. "I asked you again, Jonin Namikaze. Do you accept the role of being Team 7's leader?"
Naruto thought about his would-be students once again; a skilless fangirl, an insecure heiress, and a possible Root agent. Should he risk his happy and somewhat peaceful life to take in a couple of brats that would probably give him more headaches than Mito and Tayuya? His answer…
"I accept Hokage-sama."
Just to be clear, Naruto and Tayuya won't be a pairing, nor will he be paired with any minor. I'm not sure if I would be doing any pairings but if I do, I'll have to make it important to the story. Also, the reason Tayuya is more relevant than canon is because I feel like she had so much potential. Same goes with Yakumo. But of course, characters with potential will always be forgotten.
