Context:
Ok so hi this is as the title would suggest a rewrite of Naruto.
This won't deviate from Canon too much so there's no need to worry about that.
The goal of this is little project of mine is to retell the story of Naruto but with far more devolped characters (Sakura), "improve" some of the fights, as well as explore some of the characters that were barely characters.
This is probably gonna take ages to finish, but I promise that I will finish this assuming nothing bad happens to me. There will be breaks, and I will certainly procrastinate, but I swear I'll finish this no matter what.
Criticism is always welcomed and appreciated so please don't be shy, and if you enjoy a favorite or follow is always appreciated
I don't own any of the characters
13 years ago The Kyuubi, one of the legendary 9 Biju appeared in Konaha ravaging everything in sight. The brave Shinobi of Konaha fought against the beast, but were unable to restrain it. Thankfully the Fourth Hokage leader of the village, successfully sealed the Kyuubi away, but at the cost of his life.
Konaha
Deep in the lush green forest of the Land of Fire existed a rather large settlement. The hidden Leaf village, (or Konaha for short) was the home of the Land of Fire's brave Shinobi. It has stood for nearly a century and is full of various wonders, with the most impressive one being in view for all citizens to see. The monument to the Hokage.
Carved on a massive Mountain overlooking the entire village existed 4 Face-sculptures, with each one depicting a Hokage. It was a sacred monument that was currently being tainted by a mischievous young blond boy who had painted all over the memorial. The blond couldn't help but chuckle at his work, and only exploded with laughter as he was chased away by Konaha ninja.
"Get back here NARUTO!" yelled a pursuer
"You'll never catch me alive!" The blond yelled back
The blond ran as fast as he could, jumping from building to building, but was eventually caught.
"Alright naruto play time is over." said the man holding him with a familiar ponytail
"Damn it iruka sensei! You just couldn't let me run away, could you?"
Iruka frowned "Naruto do you have any idea what you just did?"
"Oh good, you caught him" huffed a ninja
"I didn't get caught you idiot! I wanted to get caught, believe it!" Preached the Blond youth.
"You shut up! We chased you around for how long!? We should put you to death for that, let alone what you did to the monument!" exhaled one of the ninja
"Alright, alright, let's all calm down. Don't worry about this one, he will get punished, I'm sure once Lord Third hears about this he'll certainly receive a proper punishment, I promise." Iruka reasons.
The other ninja only frowned as they left, clearly not confident in iruka's words.
"Haha, great job iruka sensei now that those guys are gone you can put me down now!" Naruto laughs
"Yeah i'ant putting you down naruto, I made a promise now I gotta keep it. Next stop Lord Third's office." Iruka says
Naruto realizing iruka wasn't going to put him down tried to wiggle out, but iruka's hold was to tight, however that wasn't going to stop him.
"I swear I'll get out of this hold Iruka sensei, Believe it!"
The Hokage's office:
As iruka, and naruto entered the room there he was Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Third Hokage, The Legend himself. Iruka put naruto down before getting on a knee, and bowing before the old Kage. Naruto looked at Lord Third unimpressed with his arms crossed.
"Naruto!" Iruka whispered "Bow down!"
"No way I'm bowing before this old geezer, he's so old I could certainly beat him in a fight! Believe it!"
Naruto then proceeded to make a hand sign before he proceeded to transform from a small blond boy, to a naked, attractive, and surprisingly realistic woman. Lord Third, and iruka immediately were put on there backs by the bloody noses they got. Naruto then transformed back and laughed in victory, "As I said, I beat him, because no matter how strong the opponent this sexy jutsu works 100 percent of the time, believe it!"
As naruto lifted his hands in victory iruka immediately smacked him in the back of the head before screaming, "Naruto how dare you preform such an offensive, disgraceful, shameful, and down right deplorable jutsu in the presents of the Hokage no less!"
"It's quite alright iruka, no need to raise your voice, besides this isn't the first time he's used this, and yet I keep falling for it. If anyone should be ashamed it should be me" the Hokage stated
"Anyway! Now that I've beaten you for the, what 10th time, I feel it's only appropriate to be rewarded with the title of Hokage." Naruto smirked.
That statement earned naruto another smack in the head by iruka, "How dare you even think that way naruto! The only way to be Hokage is with hard work didn't I tell you that! Besides you already set yourself back a few steps since less than an hour ago you disgraced the Hokage monument! Which is why we are here in the first place!"
"Listen all I'm saying is that I'm going to be Hokage sooner or later, so it might as well be sooner! After all it's my dream to be Hokage so that the villagers will finally give me the respect I deserve, Believe it!"
"And then I'll have my face right next to yours dad" naruto thought, as he look past Lord Third, and out the window as he saw the Hokage monument with all the Kage having been painted over aside from the one on the far right, the Fourth Hokage.
Lord Third chuckled a bit, which got naruto's attention. "What's so funny you old geezer, I am going to become Hokage, Believe it!"
"No need to be so angry naruto I believe it. But I must ask what do you think it means to be Hokage Naruto?"
"Being the strongest around of course!"
"And how exactly do you become the strongest around, naruto?"
"By training of course how else would you get that strong other than being lucky"
The Hokage smiled "You are correct naruto, but there's also a secret way to get stronger, a secret that will ensure you become Hokage"
"... A Secret way to get stronger! Well what are you waiting for, go on tell!" Naruto said excitedly waiting for the answer.
"It's Love Naruto." Hiruzen said with a smile
Naruto stood still for a moment before gagging "yuck that sounds so unbelievably cheesy I don't want to hear another word of it"
"If you want to be Hokage, then understanding this is essential naruto. Remember this. To be strong you must Love, in time you will come to realize this to be so."
"Yeah, yeah whatever, are we done here because I have to start training, after all the final exams of the academy start in a month, and I've gotta start training."
"Uh Naruto" Iruka whispered into his ear "The exams start in a week"
Naruto again stood still, with a horrified expression on his face, "In a week! I thought it was next month! Why didn't anybody tell me?! I gotta start training immediately!"
Naruto tried to run, but was instantly grabbed by iruka who held him by his jacket, "Not so fast naruto, first you must receive your punishment for defacing the monument"
"Iruka is right, while I am willing to forgive you, you still painted over my likeness, as well as over the likeness of my predessers so as punishment for this crime you'll have to clean it up, while Iruka supervises you, then you can go train." ordered Lord Third
"Wait can't we talk about t..."
"No. Take him Iruka, and make sure there's not an ounce of paint left, especially on my face."
"At once Lord Third" Iruka replied.
Mt. Kage:
Naruto tried to run about 9 times before finally commiting to cleaning the monument though he wasn't happy about it. "Come on! I can do this! I will do this! I'm going to finish this before sundown! Believe it!"
Naruto had to clean faster, with every minute he spent cleaning that dumb mountain, is another minute that he's not gonna get to train, and sharpen his skills. If only Iruka sensei helped, but he hadn't said a word since the office, all he'd done was stop him from leaving. The silence only made naruto stress more, until Iruka spoke "Hey naruto I've been thinking about what you said, and I wanted to ask, do you really want to be Hokage just to get the village's respect"
"Well I mean yeah, they treat me like dirt, actually no they've treated me less than dirt for as long as I can remember, but I've seen how they treat the old man, they respect him, and well I guess if I become Hokage they'll see me in the same light"
"So? Is that your only reason?"
"Well, I guess there's also the fact that I want to make him proud, and what better way to make him proud then for his son to be the Hokage just like him."
"So you want respect, and you wanna make a dead person proud, hehe. You'll make a fine Hokage Naruto" Iruka smiled.
"Yeah... Hey iruka sensei can I ask you something."
"Sure I asked you something, so it's only fair that you ask something in return"
"Ok... well iruka sensei i've been wondering for the longest time about why the village hates me, and after all this time I think I know why."
Iruka's heart stopped for a second, "Does he know what he is, No rather, does he know what's inside him" Iruka thought.
"It's because I'm not like him right? I'm not the talented genius he was, and the villagers hate that despite being his son, all I am is a weak, whiny, talentless boy in an orange jumpsuit who isn't worthy of his father's last name!" A tear ran down naruto's cheek
Iruka looked at the blond before jumping down to meet naruto face to face. He wiped the tears off the blonds face before smiling at him.
"Alright naruto I'll make you a deal, I'll help you clean this mountain, and help you train if you promise to stop thinking like that, because it's not true. Believe it!"
Naruto sniffled a bit before smiling "Throw in a free meal at Ichiraku ramen, and you got a deal"
"You really gonna make me buy you Ichiraku ramen, come on naruto you got way more money than me"
"Well Iruka sensei do we have a deal."
"... Alright fine we've got a deal"
The two then shook hands before immediately getting to work.
One week later:
Ninja academy:
"Naruto Uzumaki"
His name was called, this was it, the results of all his training over the past week, he was nervous, terrified, impatient, but above all else worried, worried that he'd be left behind, worried his friends would move on while he remained, worried that all his work was going to go to waste.
Then he entered to see iruka along with two other instructors.
There was an uncomfortable silence before iruka gave the results of the evaluation, "Naruto... I'm just gonna... How do I put this,"
"You failed you brat!" said another instructor "and now we gotta deal with you for another god-damned year!"
"Hey I was gonna-"
"No you weren't iruka, but it doesn't matter now that he knows"
Naruto sat silently desperately trying to fight back tears.
"Listen naruto, while your scores on the physical test we're passable, your scores on the ninjutsu test and the written test weren't" Iruka added "I'm sorry, but at your current skill level we can't in good faith pass you"
"I see..." was all Naruto could mutter
"Now get out of here, the less I see you the better!" ordered another instructor
Naruto turned and hurried out, iruka tried to call him, but his voice fell silent upon naruto, all he could think about was how he failed.
Hours past, and naruto found himself sitting on a swing set as he looked from afar as several of his classmates received their headbands from the old man.
"Hey naruto!" A familiar voice called.
He looked to see his friends, Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba with Akamaru on his head. As expected they all had their headbands.
"Naruto I heard you didn't make the cut, I'm sorry man" Kiba stated.
Bark*
"Akamaru say's he's also sorry too, by the way"
"Nah it's fine Kiba, besides you, and Akamaru are gonna need the head start since only one of us can be Hokage."
Kiba was a nice guy with big dreams, like naruto he too wanted to be Hokage, in fact Kiba was the one who first introduced naruto to the concept of the Hokage and how they were the most respected person in the village. Needless to say naruto who had been longing for respect immediately made it his goal to be the Hokage. Seeing as only one of them could become Hokage the two devolped a rivalry of sorts, trying to out score each other on every test they've had.
"You guys still wanna be Hokage, I mean come on life right now is already such a drag, and I can't even imagine how much of a drag it is as the Hokage" Shikamaru expressed
Shikamaru was an interesting young man as he's one of the smartest people naruto knows, but also probably the most lazy. He has a good heart though after all it was Shikamaru who first reached out to naruto, and introduced him to Choji, and later Kiba.
crunch*
"so naruto, since you failed does that mean we won't be seeing you for a while?"
*crunch*
Choji asked while munching on his chips
Choji was a nice person, but rather shy, and mellow in most cases. Of course that immediately changes once someone calls him fat which causes him to immediately go ballistic, and do everything in his power to make that person pay. Naruto learned that the hard way.
"Yeah I guess so, but don't you worry because next year I'm for sure going to graduate, and catch up to you guys in no time, believe it!" Naruto promised with his thumb high in the air.
"I believe it" *crunch*
"Yeah I do too, I guess, but seriously you better pass next time naruto, it's already such a drag you gotta spend another year here, I can't even imagine how much of a drag two years would be."
"Naruto don't disappoint, you gotta work extra hard if you want to catch up, and if you can't then I'll be sure to become Hokage for the two of us"
Bark*
"Oh sorry, the three of us"
The trio were each called away from naruto by their parents, although he didn't want to admit it, naruto knew that their parents didn't approve of the friendship they had with him. Of course they didn't, why would they want their children to associate with a failure, who isn't a fraction of the ninja his father was.
Once again naruto was alone, pretty soon this would become the norm.
*Crack*
He heard it, he looked behind him, but saw no one, except for a broken twig behind him. Someone was watching him, "Hey, is anyone there?" he asked.
"Do you like talking to yourself, haha, no wonder you failed." said a voice behind him. Naruto turned as he meet the man's gaze, "Shut up, I wasn't talking to myself, and I wanted to fail, it'll make it all the more impressive when I become Hokage."
"Well if you did fail on purpose that was pretty stupid, cause I heard rumors that failing to graduate the academy even once automatically removes you from the list of potential future Hokages."
"No... Y-you're lying! I-i can still, I..."
"Relax kid, there still a chance for you to graduate"
"W-what? Really... What do I gotta do!"
"I don't know it's not just something anyone can do"
"I'll do it, Believe It!"
"Alright, well here's the thing you failed because your ninjutsu was down right awful, and your physical abilities are nowhere near good enough for you to pass."
"Just get to the point! Come on the more time you spend talking the less time I have to actually do what you're asking me to do!"
"You know your absolutely right, so listen all you gotta do is sneak into the Hokage's office and steal a scroll of advanced jutsu reserved only for the most elite ninja."
"... Why, I mean I could always get a scroll fr-"
"No, listen naruto, the reason you're getting that scroll in particular is because the jutsu in that scroll are some of the most advance, and difficult jutsu to learn, and if you can learn, and perform a jutsu in that scroll in front of one of the instructors, you'll surely prove that you are more than capable of graduating, and becoming a Genin."
"But... I would be stealing-"
"No, you're just borrowing the scroll, after all you're going to give it back. Right?"
"I mean... yeah, Yeah! Ok I'll go, and find that scroll, and master one of the jutsu, and show it off! Then they'll have no choice, but to let me graduate! I will not fail, Believe it!"
Naruto was filled with determination this was truly his last chance, if what this guy was thinking was true then he may have a chance to graduate.
"Hey thanks mister..." He was gone, a shame naruto never even got his name. "Doesn't matter, I'll still get that scroll, and learn a jutsu so cool they'll have to let me graduate".
Konaha streets:
Iruka would find himself wandering the streets of Konaha looking for naruto, he checked around the academy, his house, and was on his way to the Hokage's office when he suddenly heard alarms as several of his fellow ninja searched the area.
Iruka stopped one of the ninja asking what was going on.
"It was that demon!" The ninja yelled, "He stole the scroll of hidden jutsu devolped by the second Hokage, and ran off with it!"
Iruka was stunned he didn't know what to think, why would Naruto steal the scroll. The ninja then brushed Iruka off before disappearing on the hunt for the boy.
"Naruto why would you steal that scroll, how did you even steal that scroll?" Iruka slapped himself before admitting "it's my fault I should have- helped him more. I..." Before iruka finished his thought he felt a slight tap on his back.
He turned and saw the girl, one of his recently former students who ironically was probably one of the few people who was just as worried as he was about naruto, "Hinata what are you doing here shouldn't you be celebrating you're graduation with your Clan..."
Iruka stopped before immediately regretting his words, "I...I'm sorry Hinata I didn't mean to... Ugh I'm sorry but I gotta find naruto no time to talk"
Iruka then began to jump away before he heard the girl scream, "Wait!".
Iruka was taken aback by her scream, the Hinata he knew was always so soft spoken, so her screaming or even her showing any outward emotion was rather unexpected. Iruka jumped back asking what was troubling her.
"I... I know why naruto took the scroll... I-iruka sensei, there was a man with blue hair that told him to steal it, b-because naruto was convinced it would make him a Genin." Hinata revealed.
Iruka remained still absorbing the weight of her words before thanking the girl with a pat on the head.
"Iruka sensei will Naruto be alright" Hinata shaked.
Iruka got on a knee as he looked the shaking girl in the eye, "Hinata don't worry, I promise I will make sure that Naruto gets out of this situation in good health, so you can tell him how you feel". The girl blushed as she seemed to calm down.
Iruka wasn't an idiot, he knew that the girl loved that ignorant blond idiot. It was too bad that the young girl didn't have the confidence nor the support to confess to the blond. Still Iruka rooted for the girl, not publicly seeing as the moment the Hyuga Clan learned of her infatuation they'd put an end to it one way or another.
"Iruka sensei thank you." Hinata squealed before running off.
Iruka smiled before heading off himself to find that blond idiot, if what he was thinking was true he had to find naruto immediately and take him to Hiruzen to explain the situation. He didn't know where Naruto was for sure but he did know that he had to be out in the forest somewhere "Steal the scroll and train to become a Genin huh, Naruto where are you and why are you so gullible!"
Forest: Edge of Konaha
Multi-shadow clone jutsu!
Naruto yelled as he collapsed to the ground moments later as smoke surrounded him, he was exhausted, he had all but depleted his chakra reserves.
"So close," Naruto said gasping for air "Just, One more, Time."
Naruto got on his feet as he prepared to perform the jutsu one last time.
"NARUTO!" A voice cried out from behind.
Naruto taken aback by the call from the familiar voice, "Iruka sensei I'm over here!"
Naruto was beyond happy, now he didn't have to Search for Iruka sensei to show him his new Jutsu, he could show Iruka now and pass with flying stars.
Just as Iruka got into sight Naruto rushed to greet him before iruka kicked him in the face. "Ow, what was that for?" The Blond questioned.
"Naruto are you an idiot why in the world would you steal that sacred scroll, infact ho-" suddenly a sharp pain came from Iruka's back as he had been stabbed by a large shuriken
"How did you even steal that sacred scroll?" finished a voice which interupted Iruka
Iruka in great pain turned back and saw him with his light blue hair on top of a tree, "Mizuki!" Iruka yelled.
Mizuki ignored the bleeding Iruka as he stared at the blond boy, "Demon how in the world did you steal that scroll and not get caught, just look at the mess you've made"
Naruto was petrified as his best friend, the one person who always had his back had been stabbed, and in pure rage naruto yelled "Don't call me that! I'm not a demon! I'm a person!".
"Naruto get out of here..." Iruka said softly. The pain was great as his blood was everywhere, but still even if he didn't make it, he wouldn't let naruto die, no matter what.
"Iruka sensei! Please get up you can't die! Your the only one who has faith in me! You believe that I can live up to my father's legacy unlike everyone else!" Naruto cried as he tried to help iruka to his feet, but iruka pushes him away, "Naruto, Please run!"
Naruto tried to approach iruka, but mizuki who had jumped from the tree pulled the shuriken from iruka as he approached Naruto.
"Y-you" Naruto said in realization "why, YOU-"
"Listen here demon, I don't know how you got your hands on that scroll and were able to run off with it, but it doesn't matter you still committed a crime that's worthy enough to be put to death over!" Mizuki revealed
"Wait..." Naruto shuttered "w-what are you talking about"
"Don't you get it demon, there was no way in hell you'd get another chance to be a Genin. I lied to you, and tricked you into committing a crime worthy of execution"
Naruto was stunned and dropped to his knees, "Why? ...do people really hate me that much?" Was all he could say.
Mizuki laughed sadistically, "oh you really have no idea kid, actually wait you literally don't know why everyone hates you! Well allow me to tell you why, demon!"
"No you can't!" iruka whimpered
"Shut up sympathizer. Now Naruto, you see the reason why you're so hated is quite simple really, it's because you took so much from this village, you took my parents, you took several children, hell you even took your sympathizers parents, but worst of all you took your own father away."
"I-I don't understand..." Naruto muttered
"DON'T YOU GET IT YOU DENSE DEMON, YOU'RE THE KYUUBI"
Naruto was shocked as the world was still, him the Kyuubi, but how? Didn't his father seal it away?
"Oh my the demon still doesn't understand" Mizuki mocked, "Well let me make this simple, 13 years ago when the Kyuubi Attack it killed a lot of people, and PEOPLE don't like to be KILLED, nor do they like to lose other PEOPLE close to them. So to stop the Kyuubi the fourth Hokage sealed him inside of YOU. So do you get it, inside of you exists the demon that killed a lot of good people, and at any moment that seal could give out and release that demon once again! To make things worse the higher ups let you walk around us civilians, us innocents and expect us to believe that the stupid seal will never break! Needless to say no one buys that stupid excuse and everyone would feel safe if you were exiled or dead!"
Naruto on his knees felt as though the world was collapsing, he was wrong about why the village hated him, and he desperately wanted to go back to thinking he was just a disappointment, that all he had to do was prove that he was just as strong as his father. Father that word rang in Naruto's head, he always wanted to meet him, he always wanted to hug him, but now all he wants is to punch the source of all his pain and suffering in the face!
"Alright then" Mizuki cackled, "it's about time I end this, and rid you from my life, and avenge my parents and all those you killed!"
Mizuki then threw the massive shuriken at Naruto who didn't attempt to dodge.
A massive volume of blood splashed on naruto's face which woke him from his shock, "I-iruka s-sensei... Iruka Sensei!" Naruto screamed.
Iruka stood over Naruto as the massive shuriken pierced his back a second time, "Why iruka sensei, i-i'm a demon why would you..." Naruto asked with tears in his eyes.
"N-na-ru-to..." Iruka said weakly before exploding with resolve, "Run Now!"
Naruto could barely react before his legs started carrying him away as ran out of sight, and hid behind a nearby tree. Naruto was breathing heavily as he struggled to formulate thoughts.
"Agh" iruka groaned as mizuki pulled the shuriken from his back.
"I don't understand, why are you defending the demon" mizuki asked, "He killed your parents too, do you have any idea how disappointed they'd be if there son was coddling their killer."
Iruka chuckled through the pain, "You clearly didn't know my parents, because if you did, you'd know that they're certainly proud of me, and you better believe it!"
"Whatever, not that it matters you're dead anyway.", Mizuki scoffed before lifting the shuriken planning on crashing the edge on iruka's head, but iruka caught and held the shuriken in his arms as the two struggled for control of the weapon.
"You wanna know why I'm defending him mizuki, Well let me make this simple, hatred is humanities greatest obstacle, and our world is overflowing with hatred. That's what I was told, and what I believe in, and it's our duty as humans to overcome our hate, which is why I won't lose to you!" Iruka preached before pushing the shuriken with all his strength into Mizuki's shoulder.
"How is he getting stronger?" Mizuki thought as he groaned with pain, "I can't lose to him, I must avenge all those who died, I must be the one to kill that DEMON!"
Mizuki desperately kicks Iruka in his chest, catching him off guard as mizuki then pushes the shuriken back stabbing iruka again, as he pinned iruka to the ground.
"Die iruka!" mizuki roars as he takes out a kunai from his poach, before being kicked in the face by the resolved blond boy.
"Don't you ever lay a hand on my sensei, Ever Again!" Naruto roars
Mizuki whips some blood off his cheek and laughs "oh please, you don't have a chance against me kid I'm bigger than you, and stronger too tell me what exactly can you do alone?!"
"I warned you" naruto says before waiving a hand sign.
Shadow clone jutsu!
Suddenly Three gust of smoke appeared all around Naruto, as Three physically identical clones of Naruto stood at his side.
"I-impossible, you couldn't even make a single clone during the exam, and yet you've just made three!" Mizuki said stunned at the blonds feat.
"Let's take him down!" Naruto yelled as he and his clones charged mizuki.
The clones grabbed, pulled, bit, and punched the already injured mizuki who desperately tried to fight them off.
The struggle lasted a while, but Mizuki successfully was able to destroy all the clones, and kicked naruto away.
"Y-you brat, You Demon, I- I'll kill YOU!" Mizuki huffed exhausted, and bloody.
Naruto laid on a tree, "I have to win, I have to protect iruka, and then I'll... I'll be Hokage all the same, I'll prove the village wrong, I'll show them who Naruto Uzumaki truly is!"
Naruto stood up as he stared at mizuki with red eyes and newfound resolve. Mizuki was still as he saw Naruto's eye's, they were the eye's of the demon, they were the eye's of the Kyuubi. Naruto in quick secession began waiving slightly different hand signs than when he used the shadow clone jutsu
Multi shadow clone jutsu!
Suddenly the entire forest was filled with smoke as Mizuki closed his eyes in fear. When the smoke cleared mizuki opened his eyes as he saw that he was surrounded by hundreds of clones.
Mizuki shaking in fear only laughed, "I-i will n-not b-back down y-you D-d-demon, I'll be the one to avenge all those you killed..."
"Shut up!" Roared all the Naruto's simultaneously as hundreds of clones charged mizuki.
When it was over mizuki laid in a bloody mess with a deshapened face.
All of Naruto's clones disappeared as Naruto took deep breaths, he then turned and ran to iruka who took up residence on the side of a tree still a bloody mess.
"Iruka Sensei! A-are you ok? Please stay with me I need you!" naruto cried
Iruka smiled as he took off his headband and wrapped it around naruto's forehead.
Naruto looked at iruka with tears in his eyes, "why, iruka sensei?"
Iruka chuckled, "That was the multi shadow clone jutsu right? Well naruto the fact that you can preform a move like that makes you more than ready to become a Genin. So Naruto Uzumaki I officially Grant you the rank of Genin."
Naruto engulfed with emotions could only cry as he hugged iruka, "Thank you, iruka sensei. Thank you for giving me a chance."
Meeting room:
In a dark room four figures can be seen Viva their shadows, as they sit in a circle with a crystal ball in the center.
On the crystal ball a faint image can be seen of Naruto Uzumaki and his sensei in the forest as reinforcements arrive.
"Well looks like you were right hiruzen, letting that boy take sensei's scroll indeed turned out for the better." said a shadow with a decrepit yet recognizably feminine voice.
"Still it was a risky gamble, thank goodness it turned out for the better, but even still it might be best to never pull another gamble like this again, especially with your old age Sarutobi" reasoned another shadow with a similar decrepit yet far more masculine voice.
Hiruzen chuckled while smoking his pipe, "What can I say once a gambler always a gambler besides, if it was a gamble against Danzo my victory was already assured!"
The fourth shadow grumbled, "You never change Hiruzen, that's why I hate and respect you all the same. That being said seeing as the blond buffoon did perform sensei's jutsu, and the fact that he can consistently use the shadow clone jutsu I suppose we can make him a Genin." Remarked the shadow begrudgingly.
The other two shadow's nodded in approval, as Hiruzen smiled.
Alright so I always found it a little absurd that nobody knows Naruto's dad is Minato, and I know there's a canon reason as to why but it's not a good reason but whatevs.
So yeah Naruto knowing his dad is Minato, is probably one of the biggest changes in this rewrite.
