Hello all Storm here with a new chapter! Here we'll be seeing the aftermath of Naruto stealing the Forbidden Scroll, Iruka's death, and killing Mizuki, and seeing how much it's affected Naruto. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
It wasn't long before Naruto was found by a squad of Anbu, with them finding the Uzumaki sitting in the clearing with Iruka's and Mizuki's bodies. Naruto didn't bother to say or do anything as they grabbed him and the Forbidden Scroll before taking him to the Hokage's Office. Along with collecting Iruka's and Mizuki's bodies to be examined, as well as to have a Yamanaka look through their memories to find out what happened.
Once they'd arrived at the Hokage's Office, the Sandaime had returned the Forbidden Scroll to its hiding spot, while intending to put several safety measures to ensure it can't be stolen again. Before Sarutobi turned back towards Naruto and asked him why he stole the scroll, as well as what happened that lead to Iruka's and Mizuki's deaths. With Naruto struggling to explain everything that happened, still reeling from everything, but was able to tell the Hokage exactly what happened.
How he was tricked by Mizuki into believing he was taking a secret test to become a Ninja, having been told where the Forbidden Scroll was and where to go once he had it. Learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu before Iruka arrived, then Mizuki showing up and attacking them. Revealing how Naruto had the Kyūbi sealed inside him before killing Iruka when he shielded him. Then how Naruto attacked and ended up killing Mizuki in his anger.
Hearing all of this made the Hokage frown sadly, not only at Iruka's death, but how all of it would impact the whiskered blonde. Especially with everything Mizuki said, twisting things to hurt Naruto even more than just telling him about the Kyūbi
"Naruto, I know it likely won't mean much after what's happened, but I am truly sorry that you had to go through such an experience, as well as learning about the Kyūbi in such a way." Said Hiruzen, having wished to ease Naruto into the knowledge of his burden when he became a Ninja, when he would be older and more experienced to better handle the truth.
With Naruto merely looking at the Sandaime with an empty and downcast expression, unable to tell if he really meant it or was just saying it. Given everything Mizuki said, he wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
"Why?" Naruto asked, making Hiruzen frown.
"Why what?" Said Hiruzen, unsure what he was asking, given how he likely was questioning a lot of things now.
"Why wasn't I told about the Kyūbi? Why did everyone else know, but me? Why couldn't I know?" Questioned Naruto, wanting to know why everyone knew about the Kyūbi and why he was never told, instead believing that everyone hated him just for existing.
Sarutobi sighed at this before taking out his pipe and lighting it, taking a deep breath from it before exhaling a puff of smoke. Knowing he'll need something to take the edge off for this conversation and the aftermath of it. Along with how he needed to clear up any intentional lies Mizuki told Naruto, or at least what he perceived as the truth in his hate-filled mind.
"The night of the Kyūbi Attack, many people died, friends, family, everyone lost someone or something. It's why I made the decision to keep your Jinchūriki status a secret, to let you have a chance at a normal childhood without being burdened with everyone's misplaced hatred. But five years after the attack, someone had leaked the knowledge to the rest of the village, by the time I learned of it, it was too late and all I could do was implement a law preventing anyone from speaking about it. And not everyone is aware of your status Naruto, those within your generation and everyone younger don't know the truth, which was the purpose of my law. Ensuring that while the older generation knew, the younger generation would have the chance to form their own opinions about you, rather than simply hate you because of the Kyūbi." Hiruzen explained, with Naruto still looking at him blankly.
"And when their parents tell them to avoid me, anyway? Telling them that I'm dangerous or a bad influence, that they should scorn me without any reason than because they say so." Naruto asked, the Sandaime sighing at this and shaking his head.
"I'm afraid that was an inevitability, that even if the children don't know the reason why their parents don't like you, they only focus on the fact that they don't." Said Sarutobi, knowing that while the younger generations aren't aware of the Kyūbi, that doesn't stop their parents from influencing their opinions on Naruto.
It's something he couldn't stop and could only hope some of the children choose to get to know Naruto on their own. Or the few parents that don't hate Naruto and encourage their children to treat him the way they want to treat him.
"…You called me a Jinchūriki? Is that what I am, because of the Kyūbi?" Asked Naruto, with Sarutobi nodding in response.
"Yes, when a person has a Bijū sealed inside of them, they become known as Jinchūriki, no longer considered something completely human. As when a Jinchūriki loses the Bijū inside of them, then they will die. While some people would believe the Bijū are actually demons, they are actually living masses of pure Chakra, making it impossible to actually kill them as they'll simply reform in a few years. However, they can be sealed away into objects, in the case of the weaker Bijū like the Ichibi and Nibi, but all of them they can be sealed inside a human host, a Jinchūriki. Which is what happened during the early years of the Hidden Villages, the Shodai Hokage had captured eight of the Bijū using his Mokuton's unique ability to suppress Chakra and he distributed six of them among the other Major Villages as peace offerings in the hopes of establishing peace between the nations. The Yonbi and Gobi were given to Iwagakure, the Nibi and Hachibi to Kumogakure, the Sanbi and Rokubi to Kirigakure, while Sunagakure already had possession of the Ichibi, with the Kyūbi being kept by Konohagakure. While the Shodai gave the Nanabi to Takigakure after an assassination attempt on his life, believing that by not retaliating and instead offering them such a peace offering, Konoha and Taki would become allies." Hiruzen explained, with Naruto gaining a small frown at this information.
"So…Jinchūriki are tools." Naruto stated, thinking Mizuki was right and he is just a tool for the Hokage to use.
"They are…deterrents used by the villages to keep each other in line, as if one village uses their Jinchūriki then the others would do the same, ensuring mutual destruction on all sides. Otherwise, they are no different than any other Ninja, just with…additional abilities from their Bijū." Sarutobi said carefully, wanting Naruto to understand that he wasn't a tool or a weapon, only for the whiskered blonde to continue looking at him blankly.
"Konoha had Jinchūriki before me?" Naruto asked, wondering who the previous Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi were.
"…Yes, there were two Jinchūriki before you, due to the Kyūbi being the most powerful Bijū, only a very few were capable of containing its power." Replied Sarutobi after a few moments, knowing he had to be careful in revealing too much information.
"Who were they?" Questioned Naruto, wanting to know who the other Jinchūriki were, if he was somehow connected to them if only a select few people could contain the Kyūbi.
"It doesn't matter who they were, both of them have long since passed." Sarutobi said, only for the whiskered blonde to keep looking at him.
"Then why should it matter whether or not you told me who they are?" Said Naruto, making the Sandaime frown since he couldn't reveal the fact the previous two Jinchūriki came from the same clan as him, or the fact one was his own mother.
"Because the information won't do you any good or change anything. They will simply be names you know, but won't be able to do anything with." Said Hiruzen, hoping that'll get him to drop the subject, with Naruto looking at him blankly.
"…Yeah, it won't change anything. It won't bring back the dead, right? That's what you said before, the last time I asked about my parents." Naruto said spitefully, making the Hokage frown before sighing.
"If you have no further questions Naruto, then I do have something to give you." Sarutobi said before pulling out a forehead protector and handing it to the Uzumaki, surprising Naruto at the sight of it.
"Despite the circumstances, your actions helped reveal and eliminate a traitor within Konoha, which I believe is enough to warrant a field promotion. So, as of this moment you are officially a Genin." Said Hiruzen, with Naruto looking at the headband unsure what to feel at finally becoming a Ninja.
If this had been another timeline, Naruto would've been overjoyed and excited at becoming a Ninja. Now, though, all he felt was a swirling mess of emotions at the sight of the headband.
Part of him was happy that he graduated, but another part was also wondering if he even deserved the chance to be a Ninja anymore. Given how it's his fault Iruka was killed, having let himself be tricked by Mizuki, doing nothing when he attacked them while Iruka saved his life. And all because he failed the Graduation Test, because of all those times where he skipped class and get into trouble rather than taking things seriously and really made an effort to graduate. Making the whiskered blonde wonder if he had done better and trained more, would he have actually graduated, would Iruka still be alive?
And another part of him was wondering if the Hokage was giving him a field promotion because he genuinely believed he deserved it. Or if what Mizuki was true and the Hokage only saw him as a tool to use and making him a Ninja made that easier to do.
'If it was anyone else, would they've been field promoted too? Or is it just because I'm a Jinchūriki?' Naruto mentally wondered, with the Hokage frowning as he guess what he's feeling from his expression.
"Naruto, I know that you most likely don't trust me like you used to, and likely never will again, but you have my word that there is no hidden agenda behind my decision to give you a field promotion. I do care for you, that was never a lie. But…being Hokage isn't just about being a leader, it's about making difficult decisions for one's village and not letting personal feelings dictate their actions." Hiruzen said, with Naruto simply nodding slowly.
"Okay, I accept the field promotion, but only so that everything that happened tonight won't be for nothing." Said Naruto before tying the headband around his forehead.
"Am I excused now, Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked, making the Sandaime frown sadly before nodding.
"Yes, you're excused now, Naruto. But return here in four days at nine in the morning, so that you can have your Ninja ID photo taken." Replied Sarutobi, with Naruto nodding in response before exiting the office.
Once the Uzumaki had left, Sarutobi sighed before turning to look out the window at the Hokage Monument, specifically at the Yondaime's stone face.
'I'm sorry Minato, I've failed. I promised Kushina I'd protect Naruto, and I've failed to honor that promise.' Hiruzen thought, remembering how Kushina used her last moments to tell him Naruto's name and beg him to protect her son, only now realizing how he's failed to keep his promise.
'Damn you Danzō, damn you to the deepest in hell and suffer for everything you've done.' Thought Hiruzen, given how it was his former teammate/rival was responsible for leaking Naruto's Jinchūriki status to the village as well as all the damage that's come from it.
Before the Hokage heard the door open and turned around, seeing it was Inoichi Yamanaka, the Yamanaka Clan Head.
"What did you find, Inoichi?" Questioned Sarutobi, wanting to know what information he'd gathered after his mind-walk into Mizuki's head.
"Hokage-sama, my mind-walk into Mizuki's mind showed that he was secretly a spy for Orochimaru, having met him during the Secret Document Recovery Mission where he smothered one of his teammates to death after they suffered a leg injury. Orochimaru had witnessed the act and praised Mizuki for it, giving him something known as an Animal Curse Seal, with Mizuki becoming a spy for Orochimaru afterwards. He also intended to steal the Forbidden Scroll and present it to Orochimaru after defecting from Konoha. I also learned that Mizuki's fiancée, Tsubaki, was aware of his meeting with Orochimaru and plans to steal the Forbidden Scroll to present it to him. I've written up a full report of everything I learned." Inoichi explained while setting a folder down his desk, making the Sandaime frown and clench his fists at learning of his rogue students involvement.
'Just one more mistake among many.' Hiruzen thought while making a handsign, causing an Anbu with a cat mask and long purple hair to appear before him.
"Neko. Find and arrest Chūnin Tsubaki for knowingly and willingly harboring a traitor, as well as seizing all their assets." Hiruzen ordered, wanting Tsubaki brought in and questioned on what else she may know.
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Said Neko before she Shunshined away to locate and detain Tsubaki.
*With Naruto*
Meanwhile, Naruto had returned home to his apartment, feeling his body was moving by itself as he walked through the village, while his mind was somewhere else.
Though the moment Naruto entered his apartment and closed the door, he felt nothing but rage and self-loathing as he began looking around his apartment. Seeing everything that he'd wasted time on, time that he could've spent developing and growing as a Ninja. Before suddenly Naruto shouted as loudly as possible and punched the wall.
With the Uzumaki then immediately opening the front door again, before going around and grabbing his pranking supplies as well as anything else that reminded him of his failures in the Academy. Before going back to the door and throwing them all to the ground below, before going back in and grabbing more things. Naruto even going into his room and opening his closet and dresser, grabbing as many orange jumpsuits as he could and began violently ripping and tearing them apart.
Once all the jumpsuits, minus the one he was currently wearing, were ripped to shreds, Naruto tossed them out of his apartment as well. With him then grabbing all of the expired food and the majority of his instant ramen, and tossing all of it out as well.
Naruto panted heavily after throwing everything out of his apartment, before going to his room and lifted up a loose floorboard and grabbed a large wad of money under it. The money having come from the Uzumaki saving some of his monthly stipend every month as an emergency fund. Though with him now being a Ninja, he'll get paid for any missions he completes. And right now, Naruto felt this qualified as an emergency.
Grabbing his wallet and exiting his apartment again, Naruto headed out into the village intent to get fresh food and some new clothes. Heading to a store he knew sold clothes and Ninja tools first, allowing him to also stock up on weapons as well. And this way he'd just need to buy food afterwards before returning to his apartment.
It didn't take long for Naruto to arrive at the shop and went inside, with the whiskered blonde going over to the clothes first, ignoring some of the looks he was getting from the other customers.
Looking through the racks and shelves, Naruto grabbed several pieces of clothing off of them that caught his attention. Mostly picking out darker clothes that'd make it harder for him to be spotted or to blend in with his environment. As well as clothing suited for colder and hotter climates, since he never knew if he'd get a mission that took him some place really cold or really hot.
Though Naruto then sensed someone walking up to him, only for the Uzumaki to ignore them, not in the mood to deal with anyone.
"We're closing." Said the person, making Naruto guess they were an employee.
"No you're not." Naruto stated, knowing that this shop was always open and fully stocked in the event any Ninja showed up for weapons.
"Yes we are, so you need to get out now." The employee retorted, with Naruto beginning to feel them glaring at him.
"Then go tell everyone else in here to get out first, I'm busy." Said Naruto before setting his clothes down when the employee actually grabbed his shoulder.
"Listen here you little- AH!" Said the employee, only to cry out when Naruto grabbed their wrist and began squeezing it tightly.
"No, you listen and listen very carefully." Naruto said, slowly turning around, with the employee paling at seeing his red slitted eyes.
Then before the employee could react, Naruto yanked them down and smashed his fist into their face, sending them crashing through several shelves. With this now getting everyone's attention, as the other customers and employees looked in shock at the sight. Only to pale as well when they saw Naruto approaching the employee and saw his eyes.
With the employee groaning as they tried standing up, only to cry out again when Naruto stepped on their chest and forcefully shoved them back into the ground.
"I…have been incredibly patient and restrained with you ignorant, close-minded, spiteful assholes. The only thing I ever wanted was to be noticed and recognized, yet all I got was spite, hate, and disgust. You all have given me dozens of reasons to become the monster you all see me as, but I haven't, because I felt the need to try and change the minds of people that enjoy making an orphaned child feel like he doesn't exist. That ends, now." Said Naruto, looking down at the terrified employee before turning his gaze to the rest of the people in the store who all stepped back when he looked at them.
"I. Am. Done. I'm done trying to earn your approval and recognition you. I'm done being your scapegoat and whipping boy. And I'm done being nice. From now on, anyone that thinks they can push me around, try to throw me out of stores, or sell me expired food, then I hope you're prepared for me to start pushing back." Naruto said, refusing to be Konoha's scapegoat and whipping boy anymore.
"Now…what was it you tried telling me?" Questioned Naruto, looking back down to the employee.
"I-I-I-I h-h-ho-ho-ho-hope y-y-y-yo-yo-you f-f-fi-fi-fin-f-fi-find ev-eve-ev-ev-e-e-eve-everything y-y-yo-yo-you're lo-lo-loo-lo-lo-l-l-looking f-f-f-fo-fo-for, s-s-s-si-si-s-sir." The employee stuttered in fear, seeing that the Jinchūriki really wasn't going to let anyone push him around, anymore.
"That's what I thought. One last thing, if you try overcharging me for anything I get, I'll simply take what I want and go through anyone that tries stopping me." Naruto said before getting off the employee and going over to the clothes he grabbed, with everyone quickly getting out of his way, not wanting to risk being his next target.
*Later*
After he'd finished buying his new clothes and resupplying on his weapons, Naruto had left to go buy some fresh food. While intending to get things he normally wouldn't eat like fruits and vegetables, refusing to simply just eat ramen anymore. He'll still eat it, but in more moderate amounts rather than to the point where it's the only thing he eats.
With him luckily not having problems in gathering up all the different foods he was getting, until he went to pay for it and charged nearly double what all actually cost. The Uzumaki giving the cashier one chance to fix their mistake, but when they didn't he slammed their head into the counter, knocking them out. Leading to another employee trying to force him to leave, with Naruto refusing until he got what he came for.
Leading to more employees trying to drag him out, only for Naruto to knock them all out as well. With the manager eventually coming out, proving to be at least a little more reasonable than their employees. Having been willing to let Naruto pay the right amount of his groceries before asking that he leaves, since he still assaulted their workers. With Naruto being willing to do so once he paid for the food.
After that Naruto also went to a bookstore to buy all the books he needed to get caught up on everything he missed out on or didn't pay attention to in the Academy. Only to have to deal with more problems, when he was nearly forced out for being "disruptive", despite how he hadn't made a sound. Though rather than knock them out or attack them, Naruto just glared and applied some pressure to their wrist to get his point across, with it working as he didn't have any problems afterwards.
The Uzumaki then returned to his apartment and put everything away, pleased at all his purchases. Once he finished putting everything away, Naruto headed to the bathroom to take a shower, tossing out his last orange jumpsuit as well. When he finished his shower and getting dried off, Naruto had put on some of the new clothes he'd bought.
With Naruto now wearing black boots, dark grey pants tucked into them and his weapons pouch strapped to his right leg, a dark red shirt, black fingerless gloves with small metal plates on the knuckles, and a black jacket with red trimming. Along with having replaced the blue cloth on his headband with a black one.
Once he was dressed, Naruto grabbed some of the textbooks he bought to get started on getting caught up on everything he should've learned in the Academy. Before Naruto left his apartment, heading to the location where he fought Mizuki, intending to use it as a makeshift training ground.
Given it wouldn't be long before he had to get his Ninja ID and then Team Assignments, Naruto planned to use all the time he had to get stronger. Learning the Jutsu he copied from the Forbidden Scroll and caught up on everything he should know. Intending to prove to everyone, and himself, that he did have what it takes to be a Ninja.
*Timeskip-Four Days*
Naruto sat across from the Hokage after getting his Ninja ID photo taken, with Sarutobi looking the photo over, while also looking over Naruto's new appearance and clothing. Though he also noticed the fact that Naruto was currently wearing a transformation as well.
"Naruto, how much sleep have you been getting lately?" Hiruzen asked, given from what he's seen, the whiskered blonde has rarely even gone back to his apartment, always staying out late into the night, training.
"Enough." Replied Naruto, lying through his teeth since he hasn't slept at all since he started training and studying.
Having been pushing himself the past four days and nights, learning and mastering the Jutsu he copied from the Forbidden Scroll, including the Shadow Clone Jutsu, as well as the other Jutsu he knew. In addition to his Ninjutsu, Naruto was also working on improving his Taijutsu and Bukijutsu. And when he wasn't training, he was reading over all the textbooks to memorize every piece of information he could.
All the while he refused to go to sleep and waste any time he could spending training and catching up to the rest of his class. Keeping himself awake by eating dark chocolate bars and drinking a lot of coffee, along with wearing a transformation to hide how tired and exhausted he actually looks.
The Hokage frowned at his response, knowing Naruto was lying and that he's most likely been training himself to the point of exhaustion and still kept training through it.
"Naruto, while I understand your desire to train and study to catch up to the rest of your peers, but I must insist that you stop and rest until Team Assignments. Otherwise you'll be no good if you can't even stand up, let alone stay awake." Said Hiruzen, only for Naruto to frown and cross his arms.
"I'm plenty good as I am. I've been sleeping enough and taking breaks in between my training. I'll be perfectly fine for Team Assignments." Naruto retorted stubbornly, refusing to waste that much time on sleeping, with Hiruzen sighing at this realizing he wouldn't listen to reason.
"Very well then, it's no longer a request. As Hokage, I'm ordering you Genin to rest until Team Assignments, if you don't I'll have Anbu keep in your apartment and ensure you do nothing but rest until then." Sarutobi said, knowing that's the only way he'll get Naruto to rest and recover.
"You can't do that!" Naruto said while scowling that he's now forcing him to stop training.
"Actually I can. The moment you accepted that headband and became a Ninja, you fall under my jurisdiction and must obey my orders, no matter what they may be. And my order is that you will rest until Team Assignments. That is unless you wish to have guards ensure that you do so or turn in your headband, right now." Said Sarutobi, making Naruto's scowl intensify.
"…Fine, I'll rest. Happy?" Naruto said spitefully, with the Sandaime simply nodding before pulling out three scrolls.
"Good, it will also give you time to look over all of this." Sarutobi said, tossing Naruto the scrolls, the whiskered blonde frowning as he caught them.
"What are these exactly?" Naruto asked, seeing they were Storage Scrolls, only to freeze when the Hokage answered.
"One of them contains all of Iruka's assets, having left everything he had to you in his Will. The other contains all of Mizuki's assets, which can be considered Spoils of War and now belong to you for killing him. And the final one is payment for a B-Rank Mission you completed in eliminating a traitor and protecting a village relic, with the mission being added to your profile now that you're a Ninja." Explained Hiruzen, with Naruto looking at the scrolls feeling a mix of emotions at what they contained.
But it did help lift his spirits a little, though in a more solemn manner than a positive one, that Iruka would leave him everything he had.
"Thanks." Muttered Naruto as he pocketed the scrolls, before he and the Hokage turned towards the door when a child burst inside like a maniac and charged at Hiruzen.
"Old man! I challenge you! I'm gonna defeat you and become the Godaime Hokage!" The kid shouted while running at the Hokage with a shuriken.
Though the boy didn't get far and ended up tripping over his scarf, with Hiruzen sighing at the sight of his grandsons "assassination" attempt. While Naruto only looked at the kid with a blank expression before getting up and leaving, not wanting to deal with…whatever this was.
"Hey! You're the one who tripped me and messed up my sneak attack!" Said the kid, pointing at Naruto.
'Definitely not dealing with this.' Naruto thought, shaking his head as he exited the room before leaving the tower.
With Naruto heading back to his apartment, feeling his exhaustion and tiredness really starting to hit him the closer he got to it. Luckily he was able to get back home without passing out, before taking off all his clothes until he was just in his boxers. Not having the energy to get changed into his sleeping attire, Naruto simply fell onto his bed, falling asleep the moment he made contact with it.
So, what did you think, good. Yep we see Naruto had been taken to the Hokage's Office and had to explain everything that happened, with the Hokage apologizing he had to learn about the Kyūbi this way, only for Naruto to be unsure if he's being sincere or not. Before he then asks why everyone knew about the Kyūbi but him, with the Hokage explaining the actual truth to him and clearing up any lies or twisted truths Mizuki told him, as well as explaining how Jinchūriki were created and the reason for them. With Naruto then asking about the other Jinchūriki Konoha had, only for the Hokage to avoid the question.
Then we see the Hokage giving Naruto a field promotion to Genin for eliminating a traitor, with Naruto accepting it just so everything that happened wouldn't be for nothing, before leaving. Making the Hokage mentally apologize to Minato for failing to keep his promise to Kushina to protect Naruto, before Inoichi arrives revealing what he learned from his mind-walk into Mizuki's head, how he was a spy for Orochimaru and Tsubaki was aware of it, leading the Hokage to send Anbu to arrest Tsubaki and claim of hers and Mizuki's assets.
Next we see Naruto arriving at his apartment, before in a fit of self-loathing rage throws out everything that reminds him of his time in the Academy, all the time he wasted rather than taking things seriously and preparing to become a Ninja, including all his pranking supplies and orange jumpsuits. Before he then goes out shopping to get new clothes, fresh food, and books to get caught up in the Academy, as well as showing he's no longer going to be the villages scapegoat and whipping boy. With Naruto finishing his shopping and changing into his new clothes, before returning to the spot he killed Mizuki in and gets started on his training, refusing to waste any more time.
Finally we see Naruto getting his Ninja ID photo taken, while wearing a transformation due to having trained nonstop without any rest, forcing the Hokage to order him to rest, which Naruto reluctantly accepts. Before the Hokage then gives him all of Iruka's assets which were left to him in Iruka's Will, Mizuki's assets as Spoils of War, and payment for a B-Rank Mission of eliminating a traitor. With Konohamaru then appearing, only for Naruto to immediately leave, refusing to get involved in anything that's happening, while showing how tired he is when he collapses on his bed and immediately falls asleep. So, for those that like the story, thanks for your support. For those that don't or at least don't like the direction taken, you're more than welcomed to drop the story. But thanks for giving the story a chance anyway.
Storm out