Naruto
Behind the Mask
Chapter I
Naruto stood across the clearing between Mizuki, his academy instructor and Umino Iruka, his primary instructor. Iruka had been injured protecting Naruto. But Naruto had had enough of Mizuki's big mouth and him betraying his village. Mizuki tried to spoil the big secret that Naruto was the Kyubi but Naruto already knew that so now Naruto was going to kill Mizuki.
"So the demon thinks it can kill me what a joke you're the dead last of your class and you can't even perform the most basic of jutsu." Mizuki taunted.
"No, I don't think I can kill you. I know I can kill you." Naruto said.
Naruto closed his eyes for only a second but when he reopened his eyes they were red with slit pupils and he had been engulfed by a sinister red chakra. Naruto formed a cross with both hands and made a single clone using the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
"What is a single clone going to do, you're still a talentless drop out." Mizuki taunted.
Naruto didn't reply, instead he ran through a series of hand seals faster than Mizuki could keep track of.
"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei." Naruto said before cutting his hand and slammin his bloody palm on the back of his clone and watched as dirt formed around the clone.
When the jutsu was complete Naruto's clone had been replaced with Uzumaki Kushina, Naruto's mother. Naruto placed a seal on Kushina completing the jutsu bringing Kushina under Naruto's control. Kushina was wearing full battle rattle with a single katana on her hip the feared Benihime the sword famed for defeating all seven swordsmen of the mist in the third Shinobi World War.
Mizuki recognized Kushina and swallowed his fear. He knew he didn't stand a chance against Kushina.
"Ka-chan kill this traitor." Naruto ordered.
Kushina instantly closed the gap between herself and Mizuki and beheaded the traitor in a single swift stroke of her katana.
Just as Mizuki's body hit the forest floor Anbu appeared and saw Kushina standing at the ready.
The lead Anbu approached Naruto and Kushina cautiously.
"Naruto the Hokage sent us to collect the Scroll and to bring you in for questioning." the anbu said.
Naruto released the Edo Tensei and gave the scroll to the Anbu. "Fine, I'll answer Jiji's questions."
In the Hokage's office sat Sarutobi Hiruzen Sandaime Hokage with Iruka sitting in a chair having been bandaged by one of the Anbu. Naruto stood in front of Hiruzen with a serious look on his face.
"Naruto first i must ask. What possessed you to steal the Scroll of Seals?" Hiruzne asked.
"Mizuki told me if I could steal the scroll and learn a jutsu from it I would be able to graduate from the academy. I knew it sounded fishy but I was kind of desperate." Naruto replied.
"You should have come to be about this if you knew it was fishy." Hiruzen said. "Now the second question is, why the Kage Bunshin and Edo Tensei Jutsu?"
"Well the Kage Bushin would give me an edge in the next exam if the academy keeps making the requirement of needing a clone to graduate. And the Edo Tensei was to give me an edge in battle and I can't rely solely on clones to be a trump card especially when they are only good for one hit or reconnaissance." Naruto explained.
"Naruto you do realize that both these jutsu are forbidden techniques sealed away to keep them from those who would abuse their power or for moral reasons." Hiruzen explained to Naruto.
"Jiji I may not be a genius but I know damn well what I did and I don't regret it had I not done what I did Mizuki would have killed Iruka-sensei and myself and escaped with the scroll." Naruto said firmly.
"It seems to me that you are more responsible thanI thought you're not just a prankster seeking attention." Hiruzen said with a smile.
"Jiji, all those pranks were just my way of training. Name one time I got caught before or during a prank." Naruto said seriously.
Hiruzen stopped himself before speaking and actually thought about what the boy said. Then he chuckled, Naruto had a point he had never been caught until after the prank was over.
"Now I see. You couldn't get the training you needed in the academy and as you said yourself you're not a genius so good grades would go unnoticed since you have no family so you made sure to get noticed in more creative ways." Hiruzen said with a chuckle. "Naruto, you have proven you have what it takes to be a ninja. Allow me to present you with your Hitai-ate."
Naruto accepted the hitai-ate and tied it around his left arm.
"Now Naruto you will be a genin, the lowest of the ninja ranks but prove yourself and you will no doubt be one of the strongest ninja of your generation." Hiruzen said. "Oh and do tell anyone about the Edo Tensei if they don't need to know about it, use it only and I mean only if the situation calls for such an answer as that."
"Alright Jiji, I'll keep it a secret beside no one would believe that I, a clanless orphan, would know such a jutsu." Naruto said.
"Naruto, I was watching your battle. You know about your clan, the Uzumaki clan. You knew this because you knew about your mother, that's why you knew the Edo Tensei would work." Hiruzen said with a chuckle.
"Hey just because I know about my clan doesn't everyone else does. Pretty sad that the Uzumaki clan isn't taught in the academy since the Uzumaki had been close allies of Konoha since the Shodai." Naruto said, pointing out a big lack of Konoha's history in the academy.
"That is concerning and you're right that is something that should be taught in the academy. I'll look into why it's not." Hiruzen said with a sigh.
"Because the council doesn't want me to know about my clan they see me as little more than a weapon to be used at their disposal if they even deign to acknowledge my existence." Naruto said.
"Naruto, you're more than a weapon. You are Uzumaki Naruto, son of Uzumaki Kushina, that is something to be proud of." Hiruzen said. "Anyway it's late, you should go home and get some rest. Your Ninja orientation will be in seven days."
"Thanks Jiji." Naruto said and left the Hokage's office.
XxXxXxX
Naruto was sitting in his usual seat in the back of his glass wearing a new outfit consisting of a black two piece bodysuit, an orange jacket, black closed toed shoes, with his Hitai-ate tied around his left arm. Naruto for the most part went unnoticed by his classmates since he wasn't sticking out like a sore thumb by keeping quiet and masking his chakra. Naruto was observing his classmates so far no one seemed to notice him.
"I wonder what happened to Naruto after he left to talk with Mizuki-sensei." came Shikamaru's voice.
"Dude who cares he sucked at everything he did he would bring down any team he got put on I'm glad he failed the exam." retorted Kiba.
Naruto let out a silent scoff at Kiba's words. Naruto may not have had the best grades but he was still good at certain things like stealth, taijutsu, traps, and genjutsu. Though his genjutsu was more of a guilty pleasure than a desire to learn the art. But Naruto being Naruto said if he was going to do something he would be the best at it.
"I don't know, Kiba Naruto seemed to have solid knowledge in genjutsu. He had the best scores in genjutsu class." Choji said defending Naruto.
"Genjutsu is a girl's art not a real man's art." Kiba said berating Naruto's ability in the art.
Just then Iruka walked into the class room and called everyone to attention. "Alright class today you will be placed into three man cells with a jonin squad leader. Today marks the start of your ninja career so take what you have learned here at the academy any never back down from learning new things as you move forward in your careers. Now please listen for your name. Team One will be…"
Naruto was listening for his name and hoped he could get a team he could work with and any team that didn't have Sasuke or any of his fangirls.
"...Team seven will be Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Aburame Shino. Team Eight will be Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka said, getting interrupted by Kiba's outburst.
"Sensei, I thought Naruto failed the exam." Kiba said.
"I did but I stopped a traitor from stealing from the Hokage and killed a fellow shinobi of the leaf." Naruto said.
"Yea right Naruto." Kiba said.
"Kiba, what Naruto said is true, I was the ninja he saved." Iruka said, confirming Naruto's story.
"But he sucks at everything he did in the academy." Kiba said.
"True but that didn't stop him from protecting Konoha." Iruka said. "Now please no more interruptions. Now Team Ten will be Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji."
Naruto didn't know how to feel about his team. He knew Hinata was good at taijutsu and Kiba was also a taijutsu user and a tracker but what role did Naruto fill on this team?
"You are all dismissed until one o'clock when you will meet your Jonin Squad Leaders." Iruka said.
Naruto rose from his seat and made for the door only to be stopped by Hinata. Hinata from what Naruto had observed from class was a shy timid girl.
"N-Naruto-kun w-would you like to go to lunch with m-me?" Hinata asked while stuttering out of shyness.
"Sure." Naruto said unaware Hinata was essentially asking him on a date.
As Naruto turned to leave the Academy he didn't see Hinata turn to Ino and give her the V for victory sign. Naruto and Hinata made their way to Ichiraku's, one of the few places that let Naruto eat at their venue. Naruto ordered his usual Tenketsu Ramen, extra large and Hinata a large seafood ramen.
XxXxXxX
Meanwhile Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were at Yakiniku Q eating in celebration of their union as a team. The trio had been friends for years along with Naruto.
"Hey Ino, why did Hinata give you a victory sign as she left with Naruto?" Choji asked.
"Choji Hinata has a crush on Naruto bigger than Naruto's crush on Sakura. Today she asked him to go to lunch with her. She basically asked him on a date since she didn't include Kiba to go with them." Ino answered.
"Yea but Naruto is so blinded by his own crush on Sakura that he can't see he has a bombshell of a girl begging to be noticed by him." Shikamaru said.
"Yea but Naruto is too kind even if he got with Hinata if he doesn't return her feelings with his whole heart he will fail to be a good match for Hinata." Ino said sighing. "On the same note Sakura has a good man in Naruto but she is so obsessed with Sasuke that she will never return the feelings of Naruto."
"I wonder who will win the heart of our whiskered demon." Shikamaru joked.
"Shikamaru, Naruto is no demon no matter what he has sealed inside him." Ino said, slapping Shikamaru's arm.
"I know that you troublesome woman." Shimaaru said.
"Good then I won't have to jump into your body and spread sound that you're gay with a huge crush on Sasuke." Ino teased.
"You wouldn't." Shikamaru said nervously.
"Try me." Ino said with a smirk on her lips.
XxXxXxX
Back at the academy the students had all returned from lunch and were in their seats with eight people in front of the room though the students were pretty sure there were supposed to be nine.
"Alright class, these are your jonin squad leaders. When you hear your team stand up and follow your squad leader." Iruka explained.
One by one the teams were reduced until only three remained. Team Seven, Team Eight, and Team Ten.
"Team Eight with me." a short woman with black hair and red eyes said.
"What about Team Seven? Sakura asked.
"Your squad leader isn't here yet, just be patient." a bearded man said.
"Team Eight." the woman repeated.