A/N: I don't own Naruto.
Naruto: The Greatest Hero
Chapter Two: Enter Team Seven, Journey To The Top Begins
Naruto laid under the shade of a tree, munching on a chocolate stick as he stared into the sky, as his friend Shikamaru had always done in his free time. Naruto knew why Shikamaru loved to stare at the white figures in the sky; they were very calm and slow-moving to look at, not fast, just slow and relaxing to the eye.
'Man, if I knew that it was this good to watch the clouds, I would have done this years ago.' Naruto said to himself, smiling a very tired but content smile.
It was a weekend, which was basically a day off from school. Naruto did not want to disturb his elder brother, who was currently doing some paperwork for a fellow jounin that had a very bad cold. Naruto heard that his name was Genma or something.
Naruto had also felt that Kakashi's rather violent and grumpy side was active when he heard a string of curses from the jounin's home as soon as he was about to enter. Naruto had guessed it was due to the extra paperwork. He pitied his brother.
Man, I wonder who the teams will be, Naruto thought, looking to the clouds.
Naruto just basically laid there, clad in his sky blue attire and staring skywards as Shikamaru had always done, his hands behind his head and a bento that he made himself beside him and not yet open for eating. The blonde suddenly got up and took his lunch before walking to the river that was down the hill. Naruto had thought that he should not slack if he was going to become a genin the next day. He still had the forehead protector that Iruka had given him two days before, but he still was not allowed to wear it as he wasn't yet a ninja until the graduation day.
The blonde studied the flowing river for a while, remembering the first time his white-haired brother taught him chakra manipulation and control when he was four.
The day had been a hard one; with Kakashi just throwing the young blonde of a cliff and making him land on a dead tree bark that was sticking out the cliff wall. Naruto had screamed and shouted for his brother to bring him back up from a distance of fifty meters down, but Kakashi didn't seem to hear him. But Kakashi taught him one very valuable thing that day, and Naruto would always remember it.
Sometimes your strength, skill and brains don't count on a mission, Naruto, but what always counts in a mission is that you have the heart; climb this cliff and show me, little brother, that you have a strong heart, Kakashi had said
Naruto had tried to climb the cliff with several attempts, but he was still a four year old; he had weak arms. Kakashi had taught him that all he had to do was concentrate charka into his hand or feet and they would stick to any surface that he desired. Almost four solid hours had passed and Naruto was still sitting on the dead bark.
Until it was almost sundown, the young boy had been clueless.
'A strong heart…' Naruto repeated to himself, remembering the exercise long ago.
At sundown, Kakashi was still waiting for his brother to come up.
The four year-old Naruto concentrated his charka flow to be equally distributed to his two feet. The young boy put a foot on the cliff wall and slowly walked upwards taking unsteady steps. He put one foot after the other, and finally, after a few uneasy and tense minutes, Naruto had reached the top of the cliff, panting.
Kakashi was sleeping at that time, his perverted book on his face.
Naruto chuckled as he remembered that was the same day he invented a Taijutsu technique that Kakashi would forever remember as a very painful one: "Ancient Konoha Forbidden Taijutsu Move: One Hundred Years of Pain", which was basically a kick in Kakashi's private area. Kakashi got up to a world of hurt, of course.
The next few hours until midnight the four year-old Uzumaki Naruto spent dodging the eventual kunai and shuriken from his pervert of a brother. At the end of the day, Naruto was found asleep in a tree, where he had sought shelter from Kakashi. Kakashi had found him at midnight, more out of worry than of anger. He wanted to do something really mean to his younger brother, but the sight of him asleep was just too cute to disturb. Kakashi damned his younger brother and his adorable looks instead.
Naruto walked on the flowing river nervously; he had not perfected his chakra control like his brother, though he was close to it. Kakashi had taught him almost fifty techniques; most of them were high-level ones that required minimal chakra control, such as the Katon; Karyuu Endan, which let forth a missile of flaming chakra. Most of the techniques that Kakashi taught the blonde were techniques that depended on the chakra usage. Which meant the more chakra, the more powerful the attack.
'Control;' Naruto said to himself as he stood on the flowing river concentrating on his chakra control, which was one of the key factors of the strength of Kakashi most powerful killing move; Chidori, 'Control is what I need to gain balance and power.'
Suddenly, Naruto did the handseals required for the technique, but the chakra didn't make itself visible in his hand. It was just slightly glowing blue with the flow of extra chakra inside his fist. The fist couldn't be any stronger than a chakra enchanced punch. It was definitely a tricky procedure to execute the Chidori.
'This is harder than I expected.' Naruto said simply, slightly smirking at his attempt.
Naruto concentrated the chakra to the palm of his hand again, smiling as he had more success this time. The electric blue glow of his hand was brighter, but the half-open fist was still only just about as strong as a chakra enchanced punch.
'Maybe more success will come my way tomorrow.' Naruto said to himself.
'Hey, Naruto.' Kiba poked his sleeping friend's arms for the third time.
Naruto had managed to fall asleep in class as soon as he had arrived, which was around half an hour ago. If they only knew what caused Naruto to fall asleep.
Naruto had trained until four in the morning, trying to perfect his chakra control in order to master the Chidori. Naruto still wasn't able to create a brilliant blue electricity after almost a year of practice, which meant that his control wasn't up to scratch. It also meant that it was almost impossible to do the Chidori for the moment.
Shikamaru, who sat two seats in front of Naruto, smiled at his canine using friend's attempt to wake up the blonde, to no success. Meanwhile, Iruka was peeved.
'I guess I better wake him up now.' Iruka sighed as he walked to where Naruto was snoring away, the protective headband Iruka gave him in his left fist.
'Naruto, the ramen stand is on fire.' Iruka whispered into Naruto's ear.
'Tell them I'll lend tham money to make a new stand.' Naruto said, half-asleep.
Iruka lost his patience and banged his fist on the top of Naruto's head.
'OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR, IRUKA-SENSEI!' Naruto shouted at his teacher.
'YOU WERE ASLEEP IN CLASS, IDIOT!' Iruka countered, his voice just as loud as Naruto's, causing the majority of the class to cover their ears shut; Iruka continued, the angry tone still in his voice, 'I'm about to announce the teams, so pay attention.'
Iruka went back down to his desk and took out a list from a drawer in his desk.
'Before I go on, I'd like to congratulate you all on achieving the title of genin.' Iruka began, looking to all his students before him, 'I am about to announce the teams from my class, which will be Teams Six through to Thirteen. But before that I'd like to give an award to the outstanding student of the year. An award that some of you know as Rookie of the Year. As you all may or may not know, every year has an outstanding rookie in it. The last person to achieve the title was a boy that went by the name of Hyuga Neji; but I don't know him personally; he was in another class. This year, my class contains a person that has been outstanding throughout the year.'
Sasuke smirked arrogantly, confident the award would be his. Other hopefuls, such as the year's Taijutsu Specialist, Akimichi Chouji, were a bit tensed at getting the award by eating his potato chips slightly faster than usual. Kiba had his fingers crossed and Naruto was just looking lazily to his scarred teacher, wanting to fall asleep again. Naruto honestly did not care who would get the award; he just wanted his teacher to get over with it and announce the teams. The blonde looked over to the Uchiha, who had an arrogant smile on his face. Naruto sighed as he turned away.
Iruka took out a scroll, made from cloth and smiled to the students.
'Rookie of the Year, Uzumaki Naruto!' Iruka said with pride, looking to Naruto.
The blonde had fallen back into a slumber. Kiba sighed as he looked at his sleeping friend and proceeded to hit him on the head as Iruka had done. But this time, Naruto caught his wrist before the fist landed on his head.
'I'm awake, you don't have to hit me, Kiba.' Naruto said as he released his hold.
Naruto walked down to his teacher, who handed him the award, smiling with pride.
'Congratulations, Naruto.' Iruka said to him and added, 'Let's have ramen later.'
Naruto literally jumped with joy as he heard those words escape Iruka's mouth.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Sasuke was fuming. He was cursing in his mind; of all the people that could have been the receivers of the award it had to be his rival. Sasuke accepted the fact that he blonde had been almost equal to him, but why did he have to receive the award. Sasuke had shown time and time again that he was the best.
But not this time. Not the time when it mattered. He glared at Naruto.
Naruto looked at the scroll before him, slightly smiling. This put him a step closer to his dream as Hokage of the village. Kiba looked over to his friend's award.
'Man, I would give anything to get one of those; you're really lucky.'
'Here.' Naruto passed him the scroll, shocking Kiba, 'You worked harder than I did, you know, Kiba. Take it. I don't that I'll be needing it.'
'Naruto…' Kiba looked at the green scroll in his hands, shocked.
'Consider it a token of our friendship.' Naruto finished, still smiling.
Naruto was suddenly hugged very tightly by a very emotional Inuzuka Kiba.
'I LOVE YA MAN!' Kiba exclaimed to the blonde genin, who couldn't breathe.
Several male genins backed slowly away from the two boys while most of the females, which included Naruto's and Kiba's fangirls, drooled and let out sighs.
Ah, blonde and brunette, that fiery spirit that binds them, one blonde girl thought.
Kakashi, you've turned our little brother into a pervert! Iruka thought.
'Kiba, could you please stop hugging me now?' Naruto barely let out.
Kiba let go of his friend and gripped the scroll tightly. Naruto smiled.
'Now that all the excitement is over, I would like to announce the teams.' Iruka began, his face business-like, 'Team Six, Kayugi Nakuru, Ominame Mako and Karasu Chouma. Team Seven, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru and Inuzuka Kiba.'
Kiba high-fived his newfound teammate, Naruto as the blonde looked to his right, where Shikamaru was seated, and the lazy brunette gave him a thumbs up.
'Team Eight shall consist of Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke.'
The girls high-fived each other. It was clear to them all that Haruno Sakura had set her sights on the Uchiha, while the blonde girl, Ino, was her best friend and had a secret crush on the lazy genin sitting next to Naruto, the one and only Shikamaru.
Of course, Shikamaru was oblivious to anything that had to do with love or crushes.
Naruto didn't hear Team Nine being called out, but heard the next one
'Team Ten shall consist of Akimichi Chouji, Hyuga Hinata and Aburame Shino.'
'Excuse me, I came to pick up my team.' Kurenai had entered.
Naruto saw her and started to hide under his table, his friends Kiba and Shikamaru looking at him; the only things visible from the front of the desk were his fingers. Akamaru jumped from the comfort of the inside part of Kiba's jacket to check what was wrong with the head of class, Uzumaki Naruto, who was apparently blushing.
'Oi, Naruto, are you okay, man? You're as red as a tomato, no, a chilli.'
Shikamaru looked at the woman that was standing in front of class.
Hm, she looks like Naruto's description of the girl he liked, but…
'Naruto, can that be the angel you told us about a month ago?'
Naruto mouthed something to his friend that went along the lines of 'Shut up'.
'Team Seven, your Jounin Instructor is here to pick you up.' Iruka called out.
Naruto slowly came into view and received a smile of congratulations from Kurenai. The three boys walked slowly to the front and left the classroom after giving a thanks to Iruka and followed their female instructor outside.
They were under the shade of a tree from the afternoon sun. Naruto was leaning against the tree bark, Kiba had his hands in his pockets and Akamaru was in his jacket and Shikamaru was on the branch of a tree, looking through the leaves to the clouds.
'Alright, you three, let me introduce myself; I'm Yuuhi Kurenai, a Genjutsu Specialist, if you may, I like karaoke and my favourite kunoichi comic Hakusen. My dislikes are people who betray their comrades, in battle or otherwise. You.'
Kurenai pointed her index finger to Kiba, whose dog Akamaru barked eagerly.
'My name's Inuzuka Kiba, I'm quite friendly once you get to know me and this here is my friend Akamaru. I like to watch races at the stadium and dislike my show-off of a sister and the Hokage's wife's cat. My dream is to one day be an Anbu Captain.'
'To you, the one with the black ponytail.' Kurenai looked to Shikamaru.
'Me? You can call me Shikamaru, I like staring at the clouds and playing shougi if you're a good player, I dislike troublesome things. I don't think I have a dream.'
Kurenai turned to Naruto, who was still slightly sleepy from training.
'I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, I guess, and dislike people who look down on other people or are too arrogant for their own good. My dream is to become Hokage.'
Kurenai raised an eyebrow at how his tone had very much resembled Kakashi's.
'Alright then, please meet me in front of the Atsui Ravine tomorrow morning at exactly nine a.m.' Kurenai said, earning nods from her new students except for Shikamaru, who barely grunted, 'I'm a newbie at being an instructor, but I'm just about as strict as Iruka, if not more. You're all dismissed except for Naruto.'
The other two looked to each other before walking away, leaving their friend to whatever Kurenai might ask or do to him without a care in the world.
He did tell them, after all, she was his angel. They took his word for it.
'Kakashi wanted me to give you this.' Kurenai took out a black facemask, which Naruto accepted and put on, hiding everything the bottom part of his face.
'My, Naruto, you look so cute wearing that.' Kurenai complimented, smiling.
Under his facemask, Naruto could be seen as red as a tomato.
Naruto walked through the streets of Konohagakure no Sato with his new facemask on, hiding the whiskers that separated him from everyone else. It was one of the signs that he was the vessel for the nine-tailed demon fox, Kyuubi.
He could even see some girls staring at him as he walked past them, most of them his age, but some were older. To Naruto, it was simply another magnet for girls, as when he passed by girls, he could feel their curiousity burning.
Naruto arrived at the Atsui Ravine, and saw that his two teammates, Kiba and Shikamaru, were already there. They were apparently talking to each other on a large stone. About what, Naruto didn't know at all. He slowly approached them, not as sleepy or droopy as he was yesterday. To tell the truth, Naruto was feeling quite energetic today. After a good rest and breakfast, he was up to form again.
'Hey, guys.' Naruto greeted, smiling under his facemask, 'How's it going?'
'Oi, Naruto, we've been waiting for you for half an hour! Where were you?' Kiba.
'I got lost on the road of life.' Naruto said simply said, imitating Kakashi.
'Since you're all finally here, we can begin.' Kurenai said, hanging upside down from a tree, Chakra focused to her feet, 'You three are to get this from me.'
She held up a golden bell for the three to see. They focused on it intently.
'But if you use the wrong way of getting it from me, I will send you back to the academy.' Kurenai added, smiling evilly at the trio of boys.
'What!' Kiba almost shouted to his new teacher while Shikamaru and Naruto kept quiet as they listened intently to the next words Kurenai would say, 'What do you…'
'Mean? I mean that you have to get the bell from me the right way before noon.'
'But what do you mean by the right way?' Kiba inquired.
Kurenai disappeared from sight as if the wind just blew her away.
'Man, this is troublesome…' Shikamaru drawled as Naruto took out a kunai.
'She meant teamwork.' Naruto said, playing with the kunai in his hands.
Naruto signalled something to Shikamaru and Kiba with his eyes and they too disappeared in a flash, leaving a very impressed Kurenai, who was hiding.
'So he cracked it easily, as expected. Now the challenge begins.'
Naruto, Shikamaru and Kiba were on the branch of a large tree, planning their strategy to get the bells. Naruto happened to be the strategist.
'So, that's your plan. Better than mine.' Shikamaru grinned at his friend.
'Let's go on ahead with it, then.' Kiba said as Akamaru barked in approval.
Naruto nodded to the other two and they vanished from sight, leaving Naruto very much alone on the tree branch. The blonde jumped to another tree branch and on to the ground, dusting his pants off. He looked to his left. He could sense movement.
Naruto did several handseals and disappeared from sight.
Kiba jumped from tree to tree and met up with Shikamaru in the clearing.
'You remember the plan, Shikamaru?' Kiba turned to his lazy friend.
Shikamaru nodded and they ran, looking for their instructor, Kurenai.
Meanwhile, Naruto was running through the forest searching for Kurenai by himself, as Kurenai watched him. Naruto was fast, running here and there, but his tracking techniques weren't as good as Kakashi, but it also proved as an advantage to Kurenai as she had specialized in Genjutsu and Kawarimi no Jutsu. To put it short, Kurenai was an expert at ambushes and the sort. She was a master of hiding and silence, which was one of the high factors if you wanted a clean assassination.
'Damn it, where is she?' Naruto called out, scouting the area around him.
At the time, Kiba and Shikamaru were back in a part of the forest, searching for Kurenai and their ticket to becoming a ninja for life.
Suddenly, a kunai was thrown their way. The two broke away.
'So you managed to find me after all. Expected of an Inuzuka Clan member.'
Kurenai had three kunais between her fingers of both her hands.
'But can you really win without Naruto? You need him too, you know.'
'You're absolutely correct, Kurenai-sensei.' Kiba said, smiling at the situation.
Shikamaru's face imitated Naruto's old fox grin.
Meanwhile, Naruto was watched by Kurenai's Shadow Clone, who was leading him the wrong way by Kurenai's orders as the teams chances of succeeding would be cut in half without him. Suddenly, Naruto poofed into nothing. The clone's eyes widened.
Suddenly, Kiba and Shikamaru poofed into nothing. This time Kurenai's eyes widened as she learned what had just happened. She heard a rustling from the trees.
'Amazing what Kage Bunshin no Jutsu can do, eh, Kurenai-sensei?' Shikamaru.
The two were in a tree, grinning at her. She was tricked by the genin.
'You see, Naruto's plan was to distract you with Shadow Clones of us. He knew you'd be going after us first. So in our places he created clones of us by combining the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu with the Henge no Jutsu. They were the clones.' Shikamaru explained Naruto's plan to her, smirking.
'Pretty good strategy, but why did you just reveal yourself? You've spoiled your element of surprise by showing me where you are.' Kurenai said, smirking herself.
'Do you know that Naruto never split with us?' Kiba continued, grinning, 'The Naruto that's off in the woods is just another Shadow Clone.'
Kurenai's eyes widened. She was suddenly tied up in a wire, preventing her arms from moving at all. Behind her was Naruto, the wire connecting to his left fist.
'A ninja must look underneath the underneath, Kurenai-chan.' Naruto mused.
Kurenai sighed in defeat and smiled to her students. They truly were a team.
'You three… pass.' Kurenai said, still smiling at them, 'Can you please untie me?'
Naruto obliged and she handed Kiba the bell. The three of them grinned.
'Tomorrow, meet me in front of Ichiraku Ramen.' Kurenai said, turning away but added, 'Naruto, you are instated as the Team Captain. You've proven your qualities.'
Naruto's eyes widened as Kurenai disappeared in a poof and Shikamaru and Kiba gave him a headlock and words of congratulations (barks in Akamaru's case). Today was truly a good day for them all.