NOW BACK TO WHERE WE LEFT OFF!


Naruto, having recently learned of a "secret exam" that can be participated in, sought to complete the task despite his already official passing to becoming a Genin. Despite the fact that Mizuki seemed to have it out for the Blonde Jinchūriki, it seemed as though his manipulation into getting Naruto to "Steal the Forbidden Scroll" worked out perfectly.

However, even with Naruto accepting, this predicament had seemingly earned some disappointment from someone within his head(Or Seal[Whichever sounds better]). Frankly, it was appalling that even despite the training Naruto had undergone and been granted, he was still susceptible to manipulation… However, another person seemed to understand, seeing as to how the whiskered Genin barely had anybody who put any amount of faith in him, and it was obvious that things hadn't really changed until the Two "newcomers" had made their appearance within Naruto's seal.

However, they wouldn't intervene… Not this time around. Uzumaki was a Genin of Konoha, so he was going to have to learn right from wrong himself regarding situations like these. If it became detrimental to where he did require guidance, then they would step in, but for now… They simply decided to see how this turn of events would play out. How would Naruto deal with this 'fabrication" when he found out the truth? … All would be revealed soon.


3 HRS LATER - IN THE FOREST OF KONOHA - 9:00PM


Naruto had commenced his 'mission' around 8 o'clock PM after the Sun went down. He was fully aware that Hiruzen was likely going to be up for a while deciding on the Genin Team Formations, which would allow him to sneak in and grab the Forbidden Scroll from the Hokage Vault… And Frankly… He felt as though doing it was far too easy. Not only was he able to scale the building, but considering the fact that the Anbu are always around… And Naruto himself had managed to sneak by so quickly that they couldn't even see OR hear him… He couldn't help but think that the Old man needs some better guards if this is really how the Anbu are corresponding even if it's been 12 years since the Ninetails's Attack.

But with his mission successful, now all he had to do was pretty much wait for Mizuki to return. He had practically vanished into thin-air leaving behind a quick cloud of dust that he had kicked up near the Hokage Tower to show who could've been there.

Right now, we're in the Forest outside of the village and Naruto is currently in a tree with the Forbidden Scroll in his lap and his arms locked behind his head as he rests against a tree, looking up into the sky from the trees that give him a gracious view of the night-sky. The stars that illuminate the horizon.

Naruto: " . . . Heh, I can kind of see why you usually never rest in doors, Sonic. Taking the time to just enjoy the serene night without anyone to bother you… "

The young Genin couldn't help but reach his right hand out towards the stars as though he were going to grab one. The shimmering cluster of mini "suns" in the night sky. It melted the boy's care and troubles again. He took a deep breath as his eyes trailed the sky's horizon.

Sonic: " Like how you usually rest atop of the Hokage Monument… Yeah, usually for me, I would rest in a tree or like in an open plainfield. No one to bother me whether I choose to snooze or simply just relax and let my thoughts drift away. "

Naruto simply chose to let his mind drift as his ocean blue eyes gazed into the atmosphere above… While doing so, he couldn't help but think about… How he had made this change in his life… If the Hokage hadn't told him the truth regarding the Ninetails… about his parents… What would've happened to him? The Blonde knows he wouldn't have given up… Far from it… But, knows for a fact that he likely would've been more secluded and wouldn't have continued to have chosen to confide in Lord Third as much. If anything… He probably would've been a Sasuke Prototype 2.0… Closed off, answering in "Hn's"... It sent a shiver down Naruto's spine.

However… Knowing that his parents loved him… That he was their world even before he was born. It provided him with a strong sense of closure… And while Naruto knows that he'll likely forever long for his mother's embrace… To have been raised like any other child with parents… To have taken his first steps towards his mother… To say "Dad" or "Mom" first… To be seen off on his first day at the academy… Being told how proud they were of him… Those depressive thoughts caused a sad sigh to leave the Genin. But he shook himself out of it.

He was certain that if his parents were by his side, they wouldn't want him so down in the dumps… They'd want him to remain strong… But still… Despite this… Naruto still couldn't help but feel some resentment towards the Fourth… His Father… He… He sacrificed him…

Naruto(Mental): " As a shinobi of the Leaf… I should be thankful for the Fourth's sacrifice… But as his son… I feel betrayed… As selfish as it sounds… I… I wish he had chosen me over the village… "

Though this time, another voice spoke.

Shadow: " If he had chosen the village over you, would you still be alive? "

That question had floored Naruto. It was so sudden and abrupt, that he couldn't formulate a response… Especially since Shadow rarely speaks with him outside of training.

Naruto(Mental): " Wh-What…? "

Shadow: " By your logic, the Fourth choosing the village over you means that he purposely decided to abandon you. If that Hokage was as smart as everyone "proclaims" him to be, then he wouldn't have sealed the Ninetails into you unless it was a very last effort. You are his first and only child… If he had become a father that very night the Ninetails attacked, then that means something happened regarding your mother. Unfortunately, based on what the Third had told you before, he wasn't there when your mother was giving birth, so he doesn't know the occurrence that could've caused the Ninetails's release. All we know is something happened that left the Fourth with no choice but to seal it into you, due to you having Uzumaki Blood, it left you as the only proper one being able to contain it… "

Sonic: " Plus Naruto… Would you trust anyone else with such a task if they weren't your own first? Yes, it may seem incredibly selfish to force such a burden onto you, especially with you being less than a day old… But more times than none. The world isn't fair… Like I told you before… Also, do you believe you could truly look Shadow and I in the face and say you wholeheartedly believe that the Fourth, the man who became a father the very night the Ninetails attacked would've been 100% okay with forcing such a burden onto you? And from what the Third has said, do you truly believe that your mother, the woman who gave birth to you, was okay with turning her own son into a walking sacrifice. Some decisions are made with good morals, but the logical reasoning behind it may further outweigh the good and sometimes worse. And while that may seem sad, it just means that you've gotta make do with the time you have. And besides… If there's one thing, I'm sure of, they did their absolute best to say how much they loved and cared about you before passing on. Yes, for the greater good is not always sunshine and rainbows but let that be a lesson for yourself then... Know that you can't be the hero all the time. "

Even if Naruto didn't want to admit it, he knew what Sonic & Shadow were telling him was the truth. But if that was the case… What exactly happened the night the Ninetails attacked? It was obvious that the Old Hokage didn't have a clue about it, since he was notified when the Tailed Beast had begun its rampage, but this still left so many questions unanswered… But then the Blonde Genin thought of something… Maybe, he could ask the Ninetails?

Naruto: "... Nah, the Fox and I don't see eye-to-eye right now, nor do we even have a baseline level of understanding… Maybe I can earn a little bit of its trust and then it'd tell me what happened the night I was born. "

It was only then that Naruto overheard someone's feet touch the ground. Someone must've found him via. Body Flicker Jutsu(Shunshin no Jutsu[Technique]). Naruto then turned his attention towards the sound seeing… It was Iruka. So, with a smile, he then proceeded to hop off of the branch that he was resting on, taking the forbidden scroll with him.

Naruto: " Iruka-Sensei! What're you doin' here? "

Iruka: " I should be asking YOU about that, Naruto! What the hell were you thinking!? Why did you steal the Forbidden Scroll!? Moreover, HOW did you even know about its existence!? "

Right when Naruto was about to respond, he overheard something whizzle through the air… Only to then turn his head and see that… There were about five to seven kunai that were aimed directly at Iruka. He was shocked by this, but had quickly launched into action. In the blink of an eye, Naruto had pulled Iruka out of the way of the Kunai… And judging from the trajectory, they were aimed directly for his shoulder blades, forearms, and thighs. Naruto turned to the perpetrator of the attack, only to see it was… Mizuki?!

Mizuki: " Congratulations Naruto! You managed to not only take the Forbidden Scroll, but you had hidden long enough for me to find you. Unfortunately, it seemed as though Iruka had found you before I did, but that doesn't matter. You pass with flying colors. Now, if you'd be so kind as to hand me the scroll. "

However, before the blonde Genin could say anything, Iruka had stepped in front of Naruto, shielding him from the now traitorous Chūnin and his now ex-friend.

Iruka: " Naruto, don't do it. Mizuki must've tricked you into stealing the scroll for him! You can hurry back to Konoha and explain this to the Hokage! For now, don't listen to him! "

Now… Naruto was confused… Has he really been tricked? He was so excited to put his skills to the test and was actually amazed that he was able to sneak in and out with the scroll without anyone noticing him. He hadn't even needed to use his Sexy Jutsu as a cover. He had snuck in and out with nothing but pure speed alone… The best part was learning he could be silent but still maneuver around just as quickly. Now, he was hearing that this had been a ruse… Who does he trust? Then again… Mizuki just tried to attack his other Sensei for seemingly no reason…

Mizuki: " Hmm… Oh, how about this Naruto? You hand me the scroll and I'll let you in on a little secret that has been kept from you since the moment you were born… Something that even the Third has refused to tell you and you could even say that he refused to enforce. "

Iruka paled, knowing immediately what Mizuki was talking about. He needed to get Naruto out of here, less the blonde gets his spirit utterly broken because of "learning his burden".

Iruka: " Naruto, get out of here now! Whatever happens, do not listen to him! You can't know about thi- "

Before Iruka could finish his sentence, he was suddenly caught off by Mizuki appearing directly in front of him, kicking his "friend" as hard as he could. And because Iruka was trying to protect Naruto, ended up taking the full brunt of the attack, to the side of his abdomen, which had sent him a few yards away into a tree nearby.

Naruto: " Iruka-Sensei! "

Naruto had immediately rushed over to his injured sensei and then immediately stood in front of Iruka with a defiant expression.

Naruto: " You really did trick me, didn't you, you bastard!? You lied to me! "

That response only made Mizuki laugh aloud.

Mizuki: " I lied to you, Naruto… Yes, I'll admit that, but at least I wasn't the one that lied to you about you being the Ninetails(Kyūbi)! "

Naruto's expression… made way for clear confusion and a bit of startlement. However, Iruka had grown terrified.

Iruka: " Naruto, please don't listen to him! "

Mizuki: " Twelve years ago, it was said that the Fourth gave his life and slayed the Ninetails, to save Konoha… And while it is true that the Fourth did die in the process, the part about him killing the Ninetails is a lie! Cause YOU are the Ninetails's reincarnate! You're the monster that- "

Naruto: " Pft! M-Mngh! Bwah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah! "

The young Uzumaki couldn't hold it in anymore and broke out into a fit of laughter. Oh this was way too hilarious for him. Iruka naturally was shocked by this. How could Naruto find this funny!? Mizuki was surprised as well. How could the Ninetails-brat find this funny!?

Mizuki: " Naruto, did you not hear me!? YOU'RE THE- "

Naruto: " You're an idiot. "

Mizuki was floored by this… And on top of that, this "boy," this "demon" had the gall to mock him!? Did he take him for a joke!?

Naruto: " You're a dumbass… You, a Chūnin, a shinobi of Konoha, mean to tell me that despite me being a Genin, YOU can't tell the difference between a scroll and whatever was sealed inside of it? Sorry to break it to you, you ass, but I've already known about the Ninetails for six years now."

Naturally, Iruka's & Mizuki's jaws dropped when hearing this. Naruto already knew about the Tailed Beast!? But how!?

Naruto: " Obviously, even now, I guess I'm a little too trusting… Given the life I was forced to live, but seeing as to how you not only lied to me, you made me steal something that I now know is very important to Konoha, AND you harmed the ONLY sensei who believed in me… I'm not letting you walk away from this… "

Naruto's hands formed a plus-sign. A Shadow Clone(Kage-Bunshin) immediately spawned into existence and then proceeded to help Iruka. It also then took the Forbidden Scroll from Naruto, before then continuing to stand behind him.

Naruto: " Guess all that's left for me to do is just beat the crap out of you now. "

Mizuki was floored by what he had heard… But now hearing that Naruto… the "Ninetailed-Brat" wanted to fight him, a Chūnin against a newly graduated Genin!? Oh, this was going to be fun. Mizuki then took the Fuma-Shuriken he was carrying with him off his back and took a stance.

Mizuki: " Come at me then, you demonic fox! I'll strike you down now while you're weak! "


[ MEANWHILE IN NARUTO'S MINDSCAPE ]


Sonic: " Oh man… This is just pathetic. "

Shadow hadn't said anything, but merely nodded his head in agreement.

The Ninetails however could only growl in disdain at the ignorant mortal that believes that this Blonde Child could possibly be HIM! The Bijū that could level and destroy mountains with a single swipe of his tails… That could decimate an entire village with a full-powered Bijū bomb if he wanted to.


[BACK TO THE "FIGHT"]


Naruto simply settled into a very loose lunging position. Now, he could end this as quickly as possible… But maybe he could still mess around, even if only for a little bit. So… The Blonde then… blurred. His body had seemingly flickered for a split second before he was off, rushing forward, leaving behind an Amber(ORANGE) blur in his wake. It was so sudden that Mizuki couldn't help but be utterly shocked by this predicament… When did the "monster" obtain this overwhelming level of speed!?

The Genin proceeded to circle Mizuki, leaving various after-images in his wake. Some would appear to be standing waiting for him to make a move, while the other few were openly mocking him with blowing a raspberry, and the rest seemed to be just… laughing at him as if ridiculing him.

Naruto: " Come on! Step it up "Sensei"! "

Mizuki was trying so desperately to follow Naruto's movements but to no avail… It was only then in the next seemingly split second that Naruto ceased to be circling him. The Chūnin looked around in obvious apprehension, lest he be ambushed by the brat. Only then…

[ WHAM! ]

A (Sonic/Shadow style)back-kick to the face had sent Mizuki flying backwards into the forest. His body spinning circularly before his head made contact with the ground, which had caused him to bounce off of it a few times before skidding to a stop on his back. Despite the injury, he was still conscious… But that definitely made him spit out a bit of blood… That foot had busted his lip and nearly broke his jaw! But he could still fight… He would not let this "DEMON" beat-!

Naruto: " Ahem… "

Naruto's voice not only startled but completely scared Mizuki. The man slowly tilted his head behind him only to see the Blonde Genin there with his hands on his hips and his left leg positioned behind his right as if he were impatiently waiting for something.

Mizuki: " Ho-... How did you-!? "

Naruto: " Too slow. "

Almost immediately afterwards, Naruto had completely barreled straight into Mizuki. It was so sudden, that the Chūnin had no way to prepare nor was he able to anticipate the attack. One moment, Naruto was leisurely standing behind him and the other moment…

[ BAM! ]

Naruto had curled himself into a ball coated in a thin amber(orange) layer of "Energy"(Chaos Energy). Mizuki felt the wind knock out of his entire body. He couldn't even gasp from the sheer amount of force that had rammed into his chest.

[Crck!]

The sound of something cracking had seemingly echoed loud enough for the Chūnin to realize that something had definitely been ruptured if not broken in his chest. Mizuki was then sent flying the other way… Mizuki was sent stumbling across the ground once more… The man had shakily tried to catch his breath. He could hardly breathe… It felt as though his ribcage had been shattered by that blow. Desperately, he tried to stand up again, only to see… He was about 20 meters from Iruka.

The scarred faced Chūnin was in complete shock by the level of speed & power Naruto was demonstrating. To completely blitz a Chūnin AND strike with enough power to send him hurling away was nothing short of impressive. And in less than twenty seconds, Mizuki was already back in sight, and worse for wear.

[ Tak… ]

And speak of the devil… There was Naruto… Looking incredibly disappointed.

Naruto: " Seriously…? Is THIS the best you can manage? Only two hits and you already look as though you're going to kick the bucket at any minute now. "

Mizuki could only tremble now. His head slowly peered up to see the whiskered Uzumaki looking down on him. HIs face showed how let-down he was, but his eyes showed nothing but pure loathing. Mizuki had immediately fallen back onto his butt as though he wanted to get away from the blonde as quickly as possible. He was afraid… He was scared.

Mizuki: " St-Stay bac- "

Naruto: " Pathetic… "

The blonde walked forward, now only standing a few inches away from Mizuki. The rogue shinobi held a look of fright on his face that was seemingly begging for Naruto to not kill him.

[ SHK! ]

And as quick as a blink, Naruto chopped Mizuki in the lower back of the left side of his neck, incapacitating him.

Naruto: " Well, that was beyond bogus. "

Naruto then gave a whistle signaling for the clone that was still protecting Iruka to come out. Still holding the Forbidden Scroll and aiding the Chūnin so he could walk. Iruka could only give the boy a look of amazement.

Iruka: " N-Naruto… Ho-How'd you…? "

The blonde simply gave a smirk before running his left index finger beneath his nose.

Naruto: " Gotta go Fast, Iruka-Sensei. "

And after saying that… The old student and Sensei shared a laugh together, before then deciding to head back to Konoha, so as to take care of Iruka's potential injuries, return the Forbidden scroll to Hiruzen and then get Mizuki locked up more than likely.


[MEANWHILE IN THE HYUGA HOUSEHOLD]


The lavender haired heiress of the Hyūga was currently dressed in standard outfit Hyūgas' wear to participate in the art of sparring. And as always with before, Hinata had been paired up against her younger sister, Hyūga Hanabi. A girl who seemed to be the younger splitting image of Hinata, except unlike the elder sister, Hanabi had the dubbed, "Hyūga look" on her face. It was stern and held zero emotion as her "blank eyes" stared into the soul of her adversary, seemingly watching their every move.

And while Hinata may not have shown it… She was… eager this time around for the last spar of the day. This was the day she could begin to show the fruits of her efforts. Like a dam that was waiting to burst, to allow her skills to flourish… But she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself… Not this early in the game… And the heiress knew for a fact that she most definitely wouldn't be able to fake everything through for the entire fight… So, at the very least, she'd allow herself to show one full aspect that she's "seemingly fundamentalized" herself in… Defense.

Hiashi Hyūga… The Clan-Head of the Hyūga household and father to both Hinata & Hanabi. He was watching both of his daughters with an impassive expression. He was more than aware of his daughter's relationship with Uzumaki. And while he definitely didn't know much about what the two did, if there was one thing that was shown for certain was that… His eldest daughter seemed to have found the means to become stronger… to put her foot down… She still really hadn't shown much progress, and as such… The rational side of his head told him that Hanabi like all the other times would come out as the winner. Yet, he for the strangest of reasons caught himself glancing back to his eldest… Her face still held the soft glint it always had, but the look in her eyes spoke otherwise… They held… purpose… meaning… determination. He was intrigued about how this bout would go.

Hiashi: " Hyūga Hanabi, Hyūga Hinata. Activate your Byakugan. "

Both sisters did what their father had said. Both sisters brought their right arms up, bringing their index and middle finger upward into half of a ram-sign. Bringing their left hands to their right to complete it, both sisters channeled Chakra into their eyes, allowing veins to visually pulsate from the sides of their orbs.

It was only after that; they both fell into the Jūken stance. Extending their right hands forward, while bringing their left in somewhat. Legs spread at about 45 degrees. Both sisters seemed to size the other up. Hanabi held a look of stern indifference, believing that this match would be as easy as all the others… Hinata… She took a deep breath, exhaling softly allowing a much sharper glint in her eyes to be seen. This of course made Hanabi arch an eyebrow in confusion. Hiashi, seeing that they were ready…

Hiashi: " Remember, the first one to floor the other wins the match, but you are to not shut off one another's Tenketsu… You may however aim for them if you so choose… Hajime! "

Hanabi had immediately gone on the offensive, rushing towards her elder sister intent on ending this fight then and there. Hinata's eyes began to trace her Imouto's movements carefully. Hanabi had closed the distance pretty quickly. Showing the fruits of her training are yielding results that were more than satisfactory to Hiashi. The Clan-Head then watched as his youngest delivered the first strike.

Hanabi went for the first blow, aiming to shut off Chakra point in her Nii-San's right shoulder blade, seeing as that showed to be Hinata's dominant arm. However, what Hanabi hadn't expected was for her attack to have been not only blocked but redirected. Hinata's eyes remained locked with her sister's, only looking at her Imouto's right palm when she deflected it, making sure that it didn't even graze her. After doing so, her eyes snapped back to Hanabi.

The younger Hyūga was rather surprised to have seen her attack diverted so swiftly, but was even more surprised when…

[ CSH-CHKT! ]

Two nerve-wracking forces had come into contact with her left cheekbone causing the younger Hyūga to stumble backwards for a moment. Luckily, she had managed to catch her balance before falling. Now sporting a graze on her face, she gave her elder sister a look of shock… That strike actually hurt.

Even Hiashi couldn't believe what he had seen.

Hiashi: " The moment Hinata had pivoted the coordinate of Hanabi's attack… "


[BRIEF FLASHBACK]


Hinata had used her left arm to alter the course of Hanabi's strike, making sure it went past her right upper arm to provide an opening that would set her younger sister off-balance, which did prove to be successful as it was obvious that the younger Hyūga hadn't expected such a fluid deflection.

Hinata had then used that opportunity to allow her body to spin a full 270, where her right elbow was brought right into the crook of Hanabi's cheekbone, causing her younger sister's head to jerk to the side from the force of the blow. But if that weren't enough, Hinata had managed to follow up with a back-handed palm strike which had sent her sister stumbling backwards.


[BACK TO THE SPAR]


Hanabi shook off the dizziness she was feeling and gave Hinata her full undivided attention. It was obvious now by that strike that this may not be as easy as the other times they've sparred. Maybe, this would allow the younger Hyūga to see the true fruits of her labor in mastering their prized clan's Jūken art.

Hanabi: " I must admit, I hadn't expected you to graze me Hinata-NiiSan, let alone appropriately strike me. "

Hinata knew that was the response to be expected, hence why she hadn't flinched or looked away. Her eyes stayed locked with her Imouto's.

Hinata: " Even the softest of animals… will bare their canines if it means survival… "

That analogy had seemingly stumped Hanabi for the briefest of moments as she was unsure of what her elder sister may have meant, but casted the thought aside to focus on the match.

Hanabi: " You seem to have finally improved Elder Sister. As such, I will face you seriously from here-on out. I hope there will be no hard feelings. "

Hinata: " It would mean a lot to face you at your best… as any less would be an insult.. "

Now THAT was certainly not the response Hanabi and/or Hiashi expected. Quite frankly, it was relieving to know that the Elders of their clan weren't there to witness this, otherwise they would have suspected something of the nature. Hiashi had to blink a few times to make sure his eyes weren't lying to him when Hinata had spoken in such a tone… Even if her voice still was soft, it was firm, albeit the brief pauses she still had.

Hanabi simply shifted her stance slightly. Her look was now replaced with a hardened glare which seemingly was enhanced by the Byakugan. The younger Hyūga shot forward with speed she had built up over the past few years. Her right arm was raised. Hinata had made a mental note that her Imouto was faster than most her age when training in their art.

From there, Hinata & Hanabi entered a "knife-edged" fight. Without pulling back or creating any type of distance between the other, they both had squared off. With their Byakugan activated, the main purpose of this spar was to watch the others accordingly and make sure they didn't target a Tenketsu… At the very least not yet, as today didn't hold that type of fight. No, this time, they were focused on how to disable and floor their opponent should striking their opponent's Tenketsu be out of the equation.

Hiashi knew more than well that should a situation like this occur, the Elders more than certainly raised a fuss over this, so at the very least, he could save his daughters the trouble of facing that sort of issue by remedying that.

Hanabi on one hand seemed to be doing quite well. The younger Hyūga was aiming for the few designated pressure points located on the upper body… Shoulder blades, forearms, the left & right crook of the neck, while also taking advantage of a abdomen and/or chest strike to sap some stamina from her elder sister. Hinata however seemed to follow her sister accordingly. This time around though, she hadn't blocked at all. She merely parried and redirected each palm, each finger-strike with a level of efficiency that she had never displayed before.

Hanabi's glare only furrowed more before she began to increase in speed. Despite the annoyance she was beginning to feel due to the fact that every blow she had dished thus far had been unsuccessful, she remembered to keep a level-head, as allowing herself to succumb to anger would only leave herself susceptible to her opponent.

Hinata's eyes continued to trace the younger Hyūga's moves accordingly. It had even seemed that for a split moment or two, she had kept her gaze directly locked with Hanabi, never diverting her eyes from her, even if only to make sure she had properly deflected each strike accordingly.

Hanabi knew she was going to need a few seconds to recuperate as she had made sure to give each blow her best effort, but even despite that her elder sister only seemed to read her, which honestly made no sense whatsoever. Hinata had never displayed such remarkable precision when it came to defending herself from someone in something such as this. But as she gazed into her Nii-San's eyes… She noticed something…

Her eyes held a glint to them… They were filled with resolve… a need… a desire of showing one's worth… and frankly, it sort of startled the younger Hyūga. Despite her age and stature, exceeding where Hinata had failed had given Hanabi a fair amount of arrogance and pride. While she'd openly admit that she'd never come close to the likes of Neji as of now, she always saw her fights with Hinata as definitive proof that she could make something of their Jūken… Maybe even go on to be the one who refines it into something new… Original.

It was only then that she was snapped out of her thoughts when Hinata spoke… It was soft, yet it was firm… unyielding… And the way it was delivered… It scared Hanabi.

Hinata: " Amazing Hanabi… Now… I'll give it a try. "

Hanabi didn't know why, nor could she feel as though she'd be able to explain why… But there was a nagging feeling telling her… That Hinata knew what she was about to do and would be able to see it through. It was as though… She was… faking what the level she used to be at and is purposely restricting herself now… Could she…?

Hanabi didn't get to think on it further as Hinata went on the offensive. Yet what happened next surprised Hanabi… As Hyūga's they usually… NEVER punch… Yet the fist that came at her from Hinata… It wasn't by any means a punch that serves only brute strength and/or speed… No, it held… technique… And for the briefest… if only the slightest of a second, she had saw… a glimmer… a glint of a hue, azure trail emitting from the top of her Nii-San's fist… Yet… It hadn't carried Chakra… And her Byakugan had shown her as well…

[ BAM! ]

Hanabi's head had recoiled backwards from the fist that rooted itself into her right cheekbone. And by goodness did it hurt. She hadn't even been able to bring her arm up to defend or try to reflect… And then, Hinata struck again.

[ P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! P-TAK! ]

Twenty-three consecutive strikes. They had repeatedly targeted her chest and abdomen. Hinata had switched between a palm-strike, a punch, and the designated "two-finger" Hyūga strike. She had swapped every three blows, which only served to show the damage she was trying to deliver. Nothing that would be classified as severely internal, but enough to where they'd be force to either stop fighting to seek medical attention…

Hanabi could feel it… she felt everything… She could even feel the taste of copper in her mouth. That pain was anything but "Gentle". As the younger Hyūga's eyes slowly trailed back up to her sister's, she noticed it… It was faint, but it was still there… The regret of hurting someone, especially a family member, but it was practically almost buried beneath the resolve that still glistened in her eyes… Hinata had steeled herself to make the change needed to better herself… Not simply as a Genin… A shinobi of Konoha… Not as the Clan-Heiress of the Hyūga Clan… But for herself… To bring change, first she had to start with herself… and that's what she did.

[ SHK…! ]

Hinata's stance had shifted for only a moment… Hanabi had even shut her eyes as for the first time, she was worried… she felt fear for what'd happen if that strike landed… but…

Hiashi: " ENOUGH! "

… Their father had stopped the match. The younger Hyūga opened her eyes… Hinata was really close… And she saw her left arm extended outward… Hanabi looked down to see two fingers were brought to her sister's chest, but had seemingly stopped at the last second… The moment their father spoke. Hinata had retracted her fingers, bringing her arm back to her side. Almost immediately afterwards, her eyes had softened, returning to the way before that seemingly held "hesitation" and "insecurity"... But Hanabi saw right through it… She was relaxed and now had "masked" herself.

Hiashi had walked forward seeing how his youngest daughter's legs were shaking… She had lost the strength to stand as if she was simply unable to keep herself up. She was now on one knee, with her left leg keeping her up along with the assistance of her right arm. Hiashi had then helped Hanabi up to her feet. Both Hyūgas turned their attention to Hinata.

Hinata could tell by those looks… They looked as though they wanted to ask her how and when she achieved what she did… But, the Heiress wouldn't answer… Not now… Now wasn't the time for that… Not yet at the very least. The eldest sister then bowed her head.

Hinata: " Apologies… if I may have been too rough, Hanabi. And… I'm more than aware that you and father have questions for me… But for now, I'd ask if we'd leave it alone for now… If I'm being honest, I myself didn't expect this… I'd like to take some time to myself… to think about what transpired… If that will be all… I'd like to retire for the evening, Father. "

Now, Hiashi was obviously skeptical as his eyes narrowed. Hanabi, despite her injuries, could tell that her sister was lying. She was just trying to cover up the skill she had displayed earlier. Yet, they knew that prying at her after what she had shown may not have been the best. So… Hiashi took a breath… He'd obviously have a lot to think about and because his eldest asked, he would keep this fight classified for the time being.

Hiashi: " Very well Hinata. I won't speak of this spar, but I'm sure you're aware that the Elders and other members may seek a reason as to why Hanabi is injured, while you're practically unharmed. "

Hinata then raised her head.

Hinata: " I'm more than aware… However, I'll put my faith in you father… When the time comes, I will tell you and the rest of the Clan… But for now… It is too soon, and I trust that you'll take my word on this for now. "

Hiashi: " … As you wish. "

And with that, Hinata left, leaving Hiashi to tend to Hanabi who watched as her sister walked away… She couldn't help but be… awed by what had occurred… The strength.. The precision that Hinata had displayed… She wondered…


[FADE-OUT; SCENE BREAK… ]


⠀…

⠀…

⠀…

⠀…


[THE NEXT DAY; HOKAGE OFFICE]


Naruto was currently in the Hokage's office after getting his picture taken for his Ninja ID card/paper. For the picture, Naruto chose to go with a bright, toothed smile. His pearly whites on show with his canines showing. He was even sporting a thumb's up with his right hand… Honestly, with his clothing choice now, he grew to love what he wore. A perfect mix of Orange, Black, and White, and he most certainly loved the red Uzumaki crest armband he adorned on his left, upper-arm, with his dark headband to finish it off. After his picture was taken and his ID was finalized. He was then informed by Hiruzen to keep secret about the situation regarding Mizuki, but that wasn't really a surprise to crimson-streak blonde Uzumaki. Now, what was going to come would surprise Naruto, but before that, the Aged Hokage seemingly had something else to say.

Hiruzen: " And you're positive that you wanted to go with this kind of photo, Naruto? Not that I mind, but I assumed you would've gone with something more generally serious. "

Naruto: " Eh, that could've worked, but looking serious for stuff like that isn't really my Old man. Besides, I think my smile and the thumbs up makes me approachable. Besides, it caught the upper half of the clothing I wear and the crest I have on my left arm. Plus, where else are they gonna see a person with blonde hair that has crimson streaks in it? "

Hiruzen: " Fair enough… And I will agree that the smile makes you look approachable, but some may see it as you being too laxed. Just a warning is all… Now, onto the other reason I called you. I'll use this opportunity to inform you that because of your effort in stopping someone who undoubtedly turned traitor and tried to manipulate you in making off with the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, you will be given a B-Rank pay for your effort. "

Naruto couldn't help but sport a cocky grin because of this news.

Naruto: " Heh! Not even a Genin for twenty-four hours and I've already done a mission with a pay! Alright, hehe! Also, how much am I getting paid for that? "

Hiruzen: " Somewhere between Eighty-Thousand to Two-Hundred Thousand Ryo, depending on how dire the situation was, and due to the fact that it involved a scroll that held all of Konoha's Forbidden Jutsu, you can be assured you'll be getting well over One-Hundred and Twenty Thousand Ryo for it. "

Naruto's eyes had widened to epic proportions. Heck, he could use that to perhaps start saving up to buy himself a better apartment room to live in. He knew he'd definitely need more Ryo, but perhaps he could try to set aside a good chunk and try to save from there… That's if he doesn't spend it all right away on Ramen and ingredients for Ramen.

Naruto: " Whoa… Th-Thanks Old man! I appreciate it. "

Hiruzen: " It's the least I can do to show that someone appreciates your efforts. "

That made Naruto smile a touch more brightly, while rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand for a moment.

Naruto: " Hey… Old man Hokage? "

Hiruzen: " Yes, Naruto-Kun? "

Naruto: " I don't think I've ever said it… So just in case I didn't… I wanted to thank you for being there for me when I didn't really have anyone… I know you've constantly said you wish you could've done better… But you don't know how happy it made me that you took time to check up on me every now again… I'm also glad about the 'other stuff' you've done for me. "

The Aged Hokage was able to read between the lines of "Other stuff", knowing Naruto was referring to the tips he gave him regarding Chakra control training, along with teaching him about the basics of Elemental Jutsu and how one can change the base of their Chakra into that Nature Chakra. Of course, Hiruzen had always made sure he was somewhere private with Naruto when informing him of these things. The last thing he needed was someone eavesdropping… And yes, someone could say that he was being biased towards one boy, but as Hiruzen had told Naruto a few years ago… He felt it was justified with Naruto being the village's lone Jinchūriki… Of course though, this was only AFTER Naruto asked Hiruzen why he didn't use Shadow Clones to assist him with Paperwork.

Sarutobi could only let a more sincere smile grace his features as he chuckled softly.

Hiruzen: " Don't mention it, Naruto-Kun. For now though, I believe that's all I need you for, so what will you do now? "

Naruto: " Mm… I 'on't know. I'll probably get a bite at Ichiraku's and then do some more training… I've got something I'm working on that'll require an immense amount of leg-power, so I'm going to be taking some time to perfect it. It'll give me something to have on the backburner whenever I'm in a spar and/or fight with the need of an ace in the hole. Either that or I'll take it easy today seeing as to how I'm not really in a rush at the moment right now. "

The Hokage nodded his head in understanding.

Meanwhile…


[OUTSIDE OF THE HOKAGE-OFFICE]


Standing outside of Hiruzen's office was a young boy about 8 to 9 years old. He seemed to be listening in on the conversation between Hiruzen and Naruto. It was only then that the boy proceeded to hold up something in his right hand, which appeared to be a shuriken.


[BACK INSIDE OF THE HOKAGE'S OFFICE]


Hiruzen had picked up on some intent, which prompted him to suddenly eye his door, which wasn't missed by Naruto, who had turned his head in the direction of the door, only not even two seconds after, to see a boy barging in. He had brown spiky hair that was mostly being covered by a helmet, giving the little boy a very unkempt ponytail. He wore a yellow shirt, gray shorts, but the most particular thing that stood out about the boy was the long blue scarf that he was wearing.

? ? ?: " Old Man! Put up your dukes! Today's the day I beat you and become the Fifth Hok- AHH! "

While the boy was running towards the Third, while proclaiming that he would finally beat him today, he soon ended up tripping on his own scarf, causing the boy to fall right onto his face… Hiruzen could only pull down his Hokage hat in slight in embarrassment, especially when Naruto looked back at him.

Naruto: " You know this little runt, old man? "

Hiruzen: " Indeed… This is Konohamaru… My grandson. "

Naruto: " Ahh… He does kind of look like you, if I got rid of the wrinkles on your face. "

The Third could only give a deadpan to Naruto who had made another snide-remark about his age… Yes, he gets that he's old… And he'd honestly much rather be enjoying himself than being cooped up in this office again.

The scarfed boy, now identified as Konohamaru, was seen rolling back and forth on the ground while clutching his face in obvious pain.

Konohamaru: " OW! Ow-Ow-Ow-Ow-Ow! "

While Naruto was just staring at the boy, a voice in his mind spoke up.

Sonic: " Well, he certainly must be a ball of sunshine. "

The crimson-streak blonde simply nodded his head in agreement. Not too long after though, while Konohamaru was still writhing in pain on the ground, a man had appeared in the doorway. And his appearance… Oh, Naruto thought this man was incredibly plain… No, scratch that… He looked like a closet perv.

He looked to be a man in his late 20's. He was dressed in standard Konoha ninja clothing… If Naruto had memorized it properly, it was a default look for those who had become Jōnin; a long-sleeved, dark blue shirt that had his Konoha's symbol/Naruto's clan crest on either sides of the upper-arm. His shirt was tucked into his pants and he wore dark shinobi sandals, but the most iconic thing about HIM was the glasses he wore.

He had a look of distress seeing Konohamaru hurt himself. The boy had finally raised himself up, but was still rubbing his forehead.

Konohamaru: " Something tripped me! "

? ? ?: " Are you okay, Honorable Grandson?! And by the way, there's nothing in here for you to trip on… || Mental: " Not counting your scarf, of course. " ||... "

Konohamaru had then looked up to take in his surroundings and upon doing so, he locked eyes with Naruto for a moment. Naruto's left eyebrow had arched… While doing so, the bespectacled man seemed to also take notice of Naruto… But his features immediately shifted into somewhat of a scowl… which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto either.

? ? ?(Mental): " It's /him/! The Fox-Brat… He's the worst kind of troublemaker… "

Naruto could only roll his eyes upon seeing the scowl.

Naruto(Mental): " Geez… You'd think a ninja would be able to tell the difference between a box and what's inside of it… I guess not. "

His attention was turned back to Konohamaru who was now standing up and pointing an accusing finger at him.

Konohamaru: " Hey! You're the one who tripped me aren't you!? "

Naruto's head tilted slightly while silently asking himself if this kid was serious.

Naruto: " You mean to tell me, you didn't see or rather feel your foot step on something that wasn't the floor and may have caused you to slip? I mean, c'mon dude! Part of your scarf is literally touching the floor! Don't blame me for your negligence. "

Having reminded himself to handle a situation like this "accordingly"... While on one hand, he would've just slapped or punched the little boy in the head for accusing him of something he obviously didn't do.

Konohamaru: " Don't think that lying will protect you from me! I know you had something to do with it! "

Okay… Now Naruto was getting a little annoyed. He took a deep breath and then stood up, placing his hands in his pockets… He decided to "play along" with the kid. Leaning forward, getting into the kid's face with an "innocent smile", he spoke up.

Naruto: " Alright, "Smart guy". Let's say that I did somehow trip you despite being seated the whole time… What're you gonna do about it? Cause you definitely don't seem like the type who could throw a shuriken to save his life. "

Unfortunately for Naruto, the man who was still by the door spoke up as if to "reprimand" him.

? ? ?: " Hey! Watch your tongue when speaking to the Honorable Grandson! He happens to be- "

Naruto: " Yeah, I know, he's the Old man's grandson. But you're mistaken if you think that would just make me "grovel" and "bow" to the kid. "

He then proceeded to give Konohamaru a very rough noogie atop of his helmet-covered head, which the boy still seemed to feel.

Konohamaru: " Ow! "

Naruto: " Respect isn't given out freely and I can tell you most certainly that mine will NEVER be. You want my respect, then you're gonna have to earn it… And I can see the look in your eye. "

Konohamaru had flinched… His little eyes widened with shock.

Naruto: " You thought that just because you were the Old man's grandson, you'd get away with accusing me… Well let me tell ya' something kiddo. "

Still wearing that innocent smile, Naruto then proceeded to bop Konohamaru on the head, causing the boy to clutch his cranium, falling to his knees.

Konohamaru: " OW! "

? ? ?: " Honorable Grandson! "

Naruto: " I wouldn't care if the Old man was your Grand-"Mother". So believe it! "

While Konohamaru was clutching his head and his caretaker(What Naruto assumed he was) watching on in shock, the red-highlighted blonde turned his attention back to the Third.

Naruto: " Anyways, I think I've overstayed my welcome. I'll see ya' later Old man. "

The Genin then proceeded to leap out of the window, using the immense leg-strength he had gotten, trained, and honed from the two hedgehogs, leaving behind a little bit of dust in his wake.

The young Sarutobi could only watch as Naruto left. Soon enough though, his attention was turned back to his Sensei… Ebisu, who had taken a moment to adjust his glasses before clearing his throat to get his attention.

Ebisu: " Listen to me and listen well Honorable Grandson. You are a descendant of the Third Hokage himself. You hold the blood of royalty in your veins and as such, you mustn't allow yourself to stoop so low as to "that brat's" level. As your Elite-Sensei, the one who's training you to become Hokage someday, it would do you well to- "

Hiruzen: " You are aware that Konohamaru left a while ago, correct? "

Ebisu: " Huh?! "

He looked down only to see an empty space of where the boy once was.

Ebisu: " Oh dear! Where could the Honorable Grandson have gone to now!? "

Hiruzen: " Likely, he's gone after Naruto. "

Ebisu proceeded to dash out the door after that in hopes that he could find Konohamaru before the young boy could be tainted by the Fox-Brat of all people.



[ MOMENTS LATER - IN THE STREETS OF KONOHA ]


Naruto was wondering what he'd do next… Maybe he'd sneak back into his parents' estate… He was reading up on something in Fūinjutsu that would allow one to create a barrier by stowing away Chakra into a special, intricate seal. And by forming a certain hand-seal, it would create a dome big enough for about a group of three to four people… Likely, a defense mechanism to protect a team should they be in danger…

Or… Maybe he could go into the Forest and take a run. He wouldn't be long anyways… Maybe about a good hour or so, depending on how far he runs… Besides, it's not like hasn't wandered out of the village's vicinity before. Or perhaps he could spar with a few clones… Naruto wasn't far enough along yet… At least he didn't think so, but he wanted to think of a way he could perhaps transfer Sonic's and/or Shadow's consciousness into one of the Shadow Clones he makes… That way he could theoretically fight a different person physically… Also, he'd be able to use the Chaos Emerald to likely strengthen the clones so they wouldn't dispel after a well-placed hit.

While walking through the streets, he couldn't help but turn his attention to his shoes… Oh by goodness, did they look SO much cooler than the standard Shinobi Sandals… And it was unique to him and him only! Naruto, while in the midst of his thoughts, had overheard footsteps behind him. And upon turning around, he saw… a "rock" that "ironically" had two feet sticking out the bottom. He didn't really even need to guess who it was…

Sonic: " That kid from earlier following ya' ? "

Naruto(Mental): " Mhm. Though, I'm wondering what he wants… Maybe I'll spook him a little bit and amaze him a little bit. "

The young Uzumaki simply proceeded to face forward and continue walking, "minding his own business". The little Sarutobi upon seeing the boy he was following turned his back and continued forward, prompting Konohamaru to remove the blanket he had over him and continue following Naruto…

After another moment, Uzumaki stopped again, which made Konohamaru shield himself with a sheet the color of the fence he was by… While looking through the sheet as best he could…

[SHNG!]

Konohamaru bore witness to the red-streak blonde he was following, seemingly vanishing into thin air. He was shocked by this. He immediately threw off the sheet and began looking around. From left to right, before rushing to a cross-section, looking backwards, forward, left and then right.

Konohamaru: " Whoa… How did he- "

? ? ?: " Boo! "

Konohamaru had jumped, shrieking in the process, turning around only to see… It was Naruto.

Naruto: " Yo runt. Why are you following me? "

Konohamaru: " Ho-... How did you get behind me!? "

Naruto: " Hmm… Who knows. "

Konohamaru was amazed… But this also left one conclusion for him as well…

Konohamaru: " So you knew I was following you? "

Naruto: " I've got pretty good hearing. Plus, you weren't really moving silently. I could hear your feet clamping against the ground as you followed me. Plus, I don't know if you noticed, but while I was walking, I barely made any sound. "

The young boy continued to look amazed, wondering how the boy in front of him was able to walk without making that much sound… It may have been a given though that the kid was keen on following Uzumaki for whatever reason.

Naruto: " Now, answer me. Why are you following me around, Konohamaru? "

The young Sarutobi knew he likely wouldn't get another chance if he let this opportunity slip away. A chance to actually learn something that could best his grandfather… The Third Hokage.

Konohamaru: " I want you to train me! Make me your apprentice, Boss! "

…Out of all the things he could've heard… That most definitely was NOT what he was expecting. A boy, even more, the current Hokage's grandson… was interested in learning under him!? Frankly, Naruto doubted that he'd be able to show the boy much of what he, himself could do… But…

Naruto: " Wh-Wha!? "

Konohamaru: " Please! I promise, I'll show you I'm strong! I could learn whatever you throw at me! "

Sonic: " I think you should go for it. "

Naruto(Mental): " Eh? Really? "

Sonic: " Why not! I mean, you have no idea what to do now. This'll give you something to do. Besides, you didn't seem too interested in getting back to that Sealing Arts stuff you were reading up on. Plus, fighting your own clones can get boring after a while. See what the kid's capable of. "

Naruto(Mental): " I suppose… Alright, why not. "

Naruto proceeded to close his eyes… as though he were pondering on his answer. For a moment, Konohamaru thought that the crimson-streak blonde would reject him, but… He accepted.

Naruto: " All right Konohamaru… Follow me. Let's see what you can do. "

Without missing a beat, the young Sarutobi began to follow along the Genin. While walking, the younger boy couldn't help but notice Naruto's particular footwear.

Konohamaru: " Hey Boss! What's with the shoes you're wearing? They look nothing like the normal sandals everyone else wears! They're so cool! "

The whiskered ninja couldn't help but chuckle to himself, while bringing his left finger up to rub it along the tip of his nose.

Naruto: " Trust me when I say, my shoes aren't like ANYTHING you've EVER seen. Not only are they super cool looking, but they're comfy, light on my feet and surprisingly easy to slip in and out of. Let's just say these will be a big showing for me. Anyways, if you're gonna be learning under me, then the first thing's first… You know how to use Chakra? "

Konohamaru: " Hmm? Oh yeah! Of course! "

Naruto: " Alright, then this makes things easier. First off, let's go somewhere more secluded. "

Konohamaru: " Huh? "

Naruto then proceeded to turn away from Konohamaru for a moment.

Naruto: " Hop on my back! "

Konohamaru: " E-Eh? A-Are you sure, Boss? "

Naruto: " C'mon, before I change my mind! "

Not thinking too much after that, the young boy proceeded to climb onto Naruto's back, wrapping his arms around the Genin's neck. Naruto then secured the boy's legs.

Naruto: " Now, watch this! "

The little Sarutobi was curious until all of sudden…

[ FWOOSH!]

They had vanished seemingly into thin air leaving behind a quick gust of wind. Though from Konohamaru's point of view…

Konohamaru: " WHO-O-O-OA! HA-HA-HA! "

Everything around him was passing him by so quickly. It sure was a sight to see. He even could've sworn he had certain moments where things were seemingly going in slow motion. This was incredible! Naruto had sported a smug, toothy grin on his face as he blitzed out of the streets of Konoha, into the Forest. From there, it allowed Konohamaru a moment to watch as they passed by and weaved around trees. The show that Naruto had put on had definitely earned him cool points in the boy's book. How could anyone go THIS fast!?

Eventually, they had come to a stop at a spot with a bathroom nearby that had a vending machine out front. From there, Naruto set Konohamaru down. Once the boy was off his back, he turned to Konohamaru who now had stars in his eyes.

Naruto: " Hehe! I take it that you're impressed? "

Konohamaru: " I'm amazed Boss! How on earth did you learn to run that fast!? "

Naruto: " One could say I trained to achieve it… Another could say I'm naturally gifted… But I hate those that just say they're gifted… No, you can be gifted, but working with what was given to you is another and that's what I chose to do. To be someone who works hard to become gifted or turn that gift into pure hard work! "

Konohamaru could only look on in amazement. Naruto wasn't just being cocky. No, far from it. He carried confidence with himself… A feeling of assurance unlike any other.

Konohamaru: " Do you think you could teach ME how to do that!? "

Naruto: " Heh! Definitely, but first, we're going to have to start off small… And you said you could utilize Chakra, right? "

Konohamaru: " Yeah! "

Naruto: " All right then… How about I teach the Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu? "

Konohamaru: " All right! Wait… What's that? "

Naruto: " The Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu allows you to travel short to long distances in just the blink of an eye. Best of all, it basically pumps your speed to make it nearly untraceable. It's also a basic rank Jutsu… So, if you wanna go fast, we'll definitely start there. "

Konohamaru: " All right! "

Naruto: " All right then. First thing's first then… "

The red-highlight, blonde Uzumaki then proceeded to walk over to a tree that was about 10 meters away from where he was originally standing. The young Sarutobi looked at Naruto from a distance wondering what he had to do… Until… The whiskered Ninja was right back in front of him, surprising him.

Konohamaru: " Wha!? Yo-You did it a-...!? "

Konohamaru looked back to see… NARUTO!? He was standing right where he had walked… But then… How was he also standing right next to him!?

Naruto(A.I Clone): " All right, now what you need to do first is mold your chakra, but make sure it spreads all over your body. But make sure to use it in a very short burst. When you feel it spread over you, make sure you know where you want to go next and then you should be there. "

(A/N: A.I. means "After-Image".)

The little boy nodded his head… But had one question.

Konohamaru: " Wait Boss! What kind of hand-sign do I use for it? "

Naruto: " Tiger. "

Konohamaru: " Got it! "

Doing as he was told; he closed his eyes and concentrated. Bringing his hands together, forming a tiger-sign. He began to focus on kneading his chakra, allowing it to spread and vitalized his body.

Konohamaru: " Mmm-mmm-mmm…! "

He focused as hard as he could and when he felt that feeling… When he felt energized… With his hands in the tiger-sign, he mentally called out.

Konohamaru(Mental): " Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu! "

And the moment he called out the Jutsu… He vanished, only to then appear…

[BAM!]

Face first into the tree that Naruto was standing by. The boy then slowly slid down into a sitting pose. Naruto had smiled when it was obvious, he was trying to hold in his laughter.

Naruto: " Mm… Mm.. We'll… We'll try that again. On your feet Konohamaru! "


[MOMENTS LATER]


It turned out that when Konohamaru really put his mind to it, he was able to get the Jutsu down. However, in the midst of his celebrating, he failed to realize the little bit of fatigue that he was feeling, so Naruto suggested that they take a break and get something to drink… Which leads to where they currently are now… Sitting on a log side-by-side.

Naruto's got them both a can of soda. Currently, while he was drinking, he seemed to notice that the boy beside him seemed to be in his thoughts. Taking a moment to finish getting his few gulps down, he sets down his can and turns his attention to the younger Sarutobi.

Naruto: " Yo Konohamaru? What's the deal? I thought you'd be happy after getting down the Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu. "

Konohamaru: " Huh? O-Oh, no that's not what's got me upset Boss! In fact, I'm actually very glad I got it down! "

Naruto: " So why ya' lookin' so glum? "

Konohamaru: " Sorry… was just reflecting on something… "

Naruto: " Alright, hit me. What is it? "

Konohamaru: " It's just… When you had left after hitting me on the head… When Ebisu-Sensei talked about you… He had this disgusting look on his face… Like you killed his family or something… And I guess I compared it to the fact that when people look at me, they look as though they're looking at someone else. "

Naruto: " Hmm? "

Deciding to "feign ignorance," he allowed the boy to continue.

Naruto: " What're you talkin' about. If you ask me, I'd be stoked to be related to a Kage. "

Konohamaru: " But that's just it Boss! No one in the village sees me as Konohamaru Sarutobi! All they see when they look at me is, "The Honorable Grandson of the Esteemed, Third Hokage," and I just can't stand it! That's why I really want to defeat my grandfather! Because when I do, I can become Hokage, and when I do, people will finally acknowledge me for me! "

The crimson-streak blonde's eyes widened slightly because of what he heard. So, while Konohamaru's was more or less positive to an extent, the fact that he was only looked at because of the Old man made the Young boy feel as though his Grandpa's shadow is constantly looming over him… Naruto could sympathize with Konohamaru very well, cause for pretty much his entire life, he's dealt with the shadow of the Ninetails looming over him… and he STILL does.

Naruto(Mental): " Heh… Didn't think I'd find a kin… kindr… dre… dredo… kindred? Yeah, kindred spirit within Konohamaru! "

It honestly had brought a smile to the whiskered Genin's face as he then proceeded to give the young Sarutobi a head-rub.

Naruto: " An admirable goal Konohamaru, but I'm gonna be the one to let you know now that just because you have that path set ahead of you, doesn't mean it's going to be easy for you! "

Konohamaru: " Huh? And why's that Boss? "

Naruto: " Because you'll have to beat me, before you even think about becoming the next Hokage! "

The boy stared in awe at the whiskered ninja in front of him. So they both had the same goal in mind. Shaking his head out of that, he gave a competitive smile.

Konohamaru: " Then I guess we'll be rivals for the seat of Hokage, won't we Big Brother Naruto!? "

Naruto had completely halted in movement and thoughts… Big… Big Brother!? Konohamaru noticed this and grew a little worried…

Konohamaru: " B-Boss? "

Naruto: " Huh… O-Oh, sorry Konohamaru… Guess I didn't expect you to call me, "Big Brother" is all… But yeah, we're rivals for the hat!

The red-highlight blonde proceeded to extend his left fist towards the young Sarutobi.

Naruto: " Hope you can keep up with me though! "

Konohamaru looked at the fist before giving a toothy smirk and pumping his right fist into Naruto's left.

Konohamaru: " Count it Boss! "

It was at that moment Naruto had overheard a branch creaking… Likely someone landing atop of it.

? ? ?: " I found you, Honorable Grandson! "

Both Naruto and Konohamaru turned their heads to look behind them, seeing that it was Ebisu again. Though once the man turned his attention to the Uzumaki, he immediately broke into a hateful glare. His glasses may have shielded his eyes, but Naruto could still read his look well… He had grown so accustomed to having those looks directed at him that it was as easy to spot as looking at clouds in the sky.

Ebisu(Mental): " … The Ninetailed Fox Brat. Corrupting someone of such a royal lineage like the Honorable Grandson! "

Naruto(Mental): " Oh my god… The villagers I've honestly grown used to, but a Ninja no-less… This is just next level pathetic… The Old man's status for ninjas has fallen if this guy is one of 'em. "

Naruto at this point was deadpanning, but Konohamaru had stood up in defiance, wanting to stay by the whiskered Uzumaki's side. Ebisu had jumped off of the branch, standing a good few feet away from them.

Ebisu: " Alright… That's enough of this cat-mouse game, Honorable Grandson. It's time to return home. "

Konohamaru: " No way! Big Brother Naruto is teaching me how to best my Grandpa so I can claim the title as the next Hokage! Unlike you, he's actually helping me improve! So, stop getting in my way! "

Ebisu: " Oh please, Honorable Grandson… Listen to me. To become Hokage, one must be more than just a skilled fighter. He must have wisdom, virtue, and like Lord Third must have a repertoire of over various jutsu! You on the other hand don't even know one! "

Konohamaru: " Oh yeah!? Watch this! Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu! "

Bringing his hands together in the tiger-sign and allowing his chakra to flood his body, he had vanished in the blink of an eye. This had actually served to surprise Ebisu with Naruto sporting a smug smirk.

Ebisu: " Th… The Honorable Grandson is capable of utilizing the Body Flicker(Shunshin no) Jutsu?! "

Konohamaru: " Up here! "

Ebisu had turned behind him to see Konohamaru atop of the branch he was previously on. The young boy sported a confident smirk before jumping back down. The landing caused him to crouch for a few seconds before rising back up.

Konohamaru: " And Big Brother Naruto taught me that! That's why I've decided that I'm going to become one of the fastest shinobi to ever come out of the Hidden Leaf. If my grandpa was known for his vast knowledge in Jutsu, then my main selling point will be my speed and reflexes on using Jutsu and more! "

Ebisu could definitely see Konohamaru's resolve… But still, he did not trust The Fox in any way shape or form. For all he knows, this could be a ruse to get the Honorable Grandson's guard down and before he knows it… He'll be a delinquent just like HE used to be.

Ebisu: " Then allow me to assist you! After all, I am a Special(Tokubetsu) Jōnin. I could provide you with the fast, sure-fire track to becoming the Hokage. Unlike /him/, who's a mere Genin, I not only outrank him, but I even know a few shortcuts that are sure to assist you! "

Naruto could only smirk when hearing this…

Naruto: " Heh… You seem so sure of yourself. All right, how about a bet then? "

Ebisu could only scowl at the blonde for sounding like a smart alec in front of him.

Ebisu: " And pray tell what the bet would unveil? "

Naruto: " Simple. I utilize one Jutsu from /my/ arsenal. If I manage to floor you with it, you leave Konohamaru alone and let him hang out with me whenever he wants… But if I don't manage to knock you out in less than 30 seconds, then I'll concede and I'll stop coming around Konohamaru. "

Naturally Konohamaru wanted to oppose this! Losing out on the chance for Big Brother Naruto to teach him more!? But they were rivals for the seat of the Hokage! How would they keep their dynamic if he was unable to associate with him!?

Konohamaru: " Wha!? But Boss- "

Ebisu: " All right… You've got yourself a deal. "

The Tokubetsu Jōnin had a very smug grin on his face thinking this would be an easy win. As a boy who only graduated yesterday, he should know next to nothing when compared to someone of HIS skill. Naruto could see it on the man's face… He was underestimating him. He turned to Konohamaru and gave the young Sarutobi a thumbs up.

Naruto: " Trust me lil' bud. I know what I'm doing. Now, go stand over there… I'm gonna need some room. "


[MEANWHILE IN THE HOKAGE'S OFFICE.]


Hiruzen was currently watching the interaction through his Crystal Ball. While he was a bit concerned about Naruto wagering such a bet at the cost of his grandson's happiness, he assured himself that the boy would pull through and not only humble Ebisu but get the man to at the very least, begrudgingly respect him.

The Aged Hokage currently had his hands folded together as he watched on.

Hiruzen: " … Good luck Naruto… "


[ BACK IN THE OPEN PART OF THE OFFICE ]


Both Naruto and Ebisu were standing at a face-off between one another. About two-to-three meters from the other. Naruto had a cocky, competitive grin plastered across his face, while the Jōnin had a look that held smugness and pure arrogance.

Naruto: " Alright Konohamaru! When you're set, give the A to go! "

The young Sarutobi had his right arm raised, while watching on hopefully… He had faith that Naruto would win, but even still couldn't help but worry if only a little bit.

Konohamaru(Mental): " Good luck Big Brother Naruto… "

And with that, he swung his hand down.

Konohamaru: " BEGIN! "

And immediately, Naruto drew on the Emerald's power. This time, he wasn't going for just a little glimpse… No, he was going for a charged Spin-Dash this time. A glint beamed in Naruto's eye as he decided to "flex" a little. Bringing up his right hand into a half-ram sign. He then called out.

Naruto: " Ninja Art; Art of Speed: Spin Dash(Ninpō; Senko: Supin Dasshu)! "

He then proceeded to bend backwards slightly before folding in on himself. Curling into a ball as a layer of Amber(Orange) Chaos Energy enveloped around his body, taking on a spherical shaping. Naruto began to spin in place at a speed that was causing the grass below him to flap due to the wind that was being pushed out… He was spinning so fast, he had actually begun to levitate slightly. Not only that, but there came that noise again that was emanating from his person.

(A/N: For those wondering what it sounds like when Naruto is Spin Dashing, pull up Sonic X SFX Spin Dash.)

Ebisu was naturally shocked by this, while Konohamaru was just amazed… flabbergasted by what he was witnessing!

Ebisu: " WHAT THE!? "

Konohamaru: " AWESOME! "

And with that…

[ZOO-OOM!]

Naruto blitzed off from his place, vanishing within the blink of an eye. Naturally, this served to bring Ebisu out of his shock. This was something he definitely didn't account for! When did the Fox-Brat acquire such overwhelming speed!? But he was a Special(Tokubetsu) Jōnin. He could do this! He just needed to look and most importantly listen!

But right when he had turned around to see if Naruto was going for a sneak-attack…

[WHAM!]

Ebisu: " ACK! A-AH…! "

Naruto had rammed directly into Ebisu's abdomen, causing the man to hunch forward in immense pain at how hard the boy had collided with him. Konohamaru's eyes had widened once more. One moment Naruto was gone and the next, he had completely barreled into his trainer.

But Naruto wasn't done yet… Oh no… He then had seemingly rolled over Ebisu causing the man to now seemingly hover backwards, while he was faced upward, looking at the sky… Naruto came into contact with a tree… Only to then seemingly bounce right back at the Jōnin, crashing into him yet again.

[BAM!]

Ebisu: " GAH! "

And again…

[RAM!]

Ebisu: " NRGH! "

And… AGAIN!

[BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM…]

[BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!]

Naruto had rammed into Ebisu a near thirty times in less than ten seconds and at this moment, it was obvious that the Special(Tokubetsu) Jōnin was in an immense amount of pain. This honestly felt like beating that only another Jōnin he knows is capable of giving… And the fact that the Fox-Brat was dishing out strikes similar to that kind of power… wasn't good… to him at least.

And as Naruto came back to Ebisu one final time…

Naruto: " HA-AH!"

[CR-BOOM…!]

Naruto had uncurled at the last second and brought his left leg out with the toes of his shoe striking Ebisu dead in the face.

(A/N: For reference, Naruto kicked Ebisu in the Sonic Eagle Pose[Sonic Battle])

The kick had sent Ebisu flying through about six-to-seven trees before colliding with the final one that managed to stop him before the man slid down a heap… Blood dripped from his nose and a little trickle from his mouth as well… Yeah, it was safe to assume that Naruto knocked the man out cold.

Naruto then landed onto his feet, before bringing his right hand to his hip. He knew the man wasn't getting back up. With a grin, he brought his left hand up and began wagging his finger at the downed Special (Tokubetsu) Jōnin.

Naruto: " Say dude, Better luck next time! "

And then turned his attention to Konohamaru.

Naruto: " What's my time? "

Konohamaru was gaping like a fish out of water. He was beyond amazed by what he just witnessed. Naruto took on and defeated his trainer… A "Jōnin(Tokubetsu/Special)" in less than twenty seconds!

Naruto: " Konohamaru! "

Konohamaru: " Hu-Huh!? Wh-Wha!? "

The young Sarutobi realized he must've spaced out into his own little world after watching the spectacle that Naruto had just put on.

Naruto: " What's my time? "

Konohamaru: " He… Heck if I know! But I know that it was definitely below thirty seconds! Boss, that was incredible! Amazing! "

The whiskered ninja could only bring his left finger up to the bridge of his nose, rubbing it while sporting a cocky grin.

Naruto: " Heh! Y'know, what can I say? I'm just that awesome! "

Konohamaru had proceeded to fawn over Naruto for a little longer before managing to calm down… And regressed into a little bit of frustration.

Konohamaru: " But man! You made it look so easy! You defeated Ebisu-Sensei when I know I wouldn't have! You even had a cool Jutsu to back it! Speaking of, how DID you do that!? "

Naruto: " Hehe! "

The crimson-streak blonde proceeded to rub the boy's head again.

Naruto: " Stop being so hard on yourself. Like I told you before, you'll beat him one day. But not if you rush things. A Hokage has to believe in themselves! If they've got the power for the hat, then they've got to know they've what it takes to protect those they care about! And besides… I think it's a little too early for you to be giving up. You're my rival, are you not? "

The little boy could only look up at Naruto in awe and wonder as he felt his head being rubbed.

Naruto: " I told someone this before you, so now I'll say it again. You look as though you're starting at the bottom… But that doesn't mean you're hopeless Konohamaru. Just means, you've got a LOT of untapped hidden potential! All you really need is to just grab a hold of it! "

Konohamaru: " You… You really think so, Boss? "

Naruto didn't reply but instead gave Konohamaru a toothy grin. That look was all the reassurance he needed.

Naruto: " You've got the makings to be great Konohamaru. Unlike you though, I've been alone since the beginning. I've been ignored, pushed away and avoided like the plague for as long as I could remember, and I "don't" even know "why" that is. But, y'know what? Despite everything I went through, I manage to find not one, but two people that actually care about me. I had to put in a lot of effort to get that acknowledgement… So if you want to become Hokage, you're going to have to give it your all. If someone knocks you down, you get back up and prove them wrong. No matter how hard or how long it takes. "

Naruto then proceeded to look out into the sky… Allowing his eyes to trace the mostly open blue sky that's got clouds floating above and beyond the horizon.

Naruto: " Only then will you have the acknowledgement required to become Hokage. "

Konohamaru could only listen and hold onto Naruto's words… He had looked down at his own two hands before clenching them into fists.

Konohamaru: " Isn't this ironic? You're talking to me about a Hokage when you haven't even become one. "

That taunt only caused the crimson-streak blonde to turn his attention back to the young boy. And break out into a toothy grin.

Naruto: " Well, I certainly seem to look as though I'll be taking the hat before you even get close. "

Konohamaru: " Oh yeah!? Well… Don't think you can keep that cockiness forever Boss! Just watch me! I'll train! I'll get stronger! I'll dedicate myself wholly and truly! And when I finally defeat you, you'll have to admit that I'm more worthy of becoming Hokage! "

The whiskered Uzumaki simply folded his arms and gave a competitive smile.

Naruto: " Fine with me. But, unluckily for you… "

Naruto pointed to his dark headband that was strapped around his forehead.

Naruto: " I'm already a certified ninja, so you better hurry unless you want to play catch up with me."

The ninja extended his fist out once more.

Naruto: " I hope that you can keep up with me. "

Konohamaru looked at Naruto's fist before grinning and pumping his left one into Naruto's right one.

Konohamaru: " You want it, you got it, Big Brother Naruto! "


[MEANWHILE - IN THE HOKAGE'S OFFICE]


Hiruzen could only smile softly after the display that Naruto had put on… The Aged leader privately admitted to himself that he's honestly unsure if he would've been able to keep up… Naruto's speed only seems to become a far bigger threat the more he shows it off… But even still, that works out in Konoha's favor. And he was certain that with time, the boy would be able to change the villagers' biased view of him.

At the moment, he could only sigh to himself…

Hiruzen: " Maybe now though, this'll quelch Konohamaru's desires to constantly "challenge" me… I love my grandson but he definitely reminds me of how Naruto could've been… "

It was at that moment, he couldn't help but wonder…

Hiruzen(Mental): " If Naruto hadn't wandered off that day… And found that Emerald… Could he have possibly taken a wrong step and… 'gone back on his word'? "



[ THE NEXT DAY - MORNING TIME ]


[7:59 AM]

[8:00 AM]

The alarm for Naruto's clock went off, prompting a hand to quickly slam down onto it, shutting it off. From there, Naruto proceeds to sit up, dressed in a pair of blue pajamas. He then allows himself to stretch and yawn before then realizing what day it is.

Naruto: " Oh! Today's the day the teams are formed! I gotta hurry and get ready! "

From there, the crimson-streak blonde proceeded to create a Shadow Clone that would make his breakfast while he gets dressed. After taking off his night-cap, he rushes to the bathroom while his Clone runs to the kitchen to get some breakfast going. Taking out two pans, and a large cup of ramen. 'He' proceeded to fry some bacon and eggs to put into his cup of ramen.

Naruto himself proceeded to begin brushing his teeth and whatnot, before then quickly heading back over to his bed to take out his now iconic clothing. He stripped off his PJs, leaving him in only his underwear before throwing on his orange pants, his black uniform top, sliding on the tongues onto his wrists and then putting on his gloves. From there, came his shoes, which he immediately jumped into. And last but not least, his armband that bore his Clan's crest. Slipping it on up his upper-left arm, he then went to the kitchen to eat.

After the eggs and bacon were prepared, he took the strips of bacon and his eggs and put them in the hot broth of his Ramen cup. His noodles having been cooked as well, he proceeded to mix everything together, all while pouring the remains of the grease from the bacon into his noodle broth and mixing that together as well.

Naruto: " All right! Breakfast Ramen! Thanks for the meal! "

He thanked his clone before dispelling it and then proceeding to dig in.



[35-to-40 MINS LATER; AT THE ACADEMY]


After eating, Naruto made his way to the academy and right into his homeroom classroom where there were already some people sitting. But from what he could tell, most of the Clan heirs had arrived already also. Those being Shino Aburame, Chōji Akimichi, Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaru Nara, and Sasuke Uchiha. Meaning the only one that hadn't arrived yet was Ino.

From there though, Naruto decided he'd say hello first before finding a seat. Thus, he made his way over to Shikamaru and Chōji who were conveniently sitting in front of Hinata and Shino.

Naruto: " Yo guys! "

Chōji: " Naruto! We were wondering when you'd get here. "

Hinata: " Good morning… Naruto-Kun… "

Shikamaru: " I honestly thought you had slept in Naruto. "

Shino had nodded his head once to respond to Naruto's greeting while Kiba could only scowl a little… Still somewhat sore from his loss, but nonetheless, he turned away and gave Naruto a quick peace-sign to show he acknowledged the greeting. Akamaru proceeded to nuzzle his partner as a means of cheering him up… Which did improve Kiba's mood.

Naruto: " You kiddin' Shikamaru? I wouldn't have missed this! I had got sidetracked eating breakfast, was all. "

Chōji: " Well…? What did ya' eat, Naruto? "

Naruto: " Breakfast Ramen! "

Chōji, Shikamaru, and Kiba could only sweat-drop a little at Naruto's obvious obsession when it came to Ramen. Honestly, it was a miracle that the boy even became taller than Sasuke. He was about Shikamaru's height and if his clothing hadn't made it obvious, Naruto's got a bit of a build he's worked up in the last six years.

Naruto: " Anyways, I really just came over to say hello was all. "

Chōji: " Well, why not sit with us? "

Naruto: " Sure, why not. "

Taking the seat right before the middle aisle on the far right side, which had him a gap away from Sasuke who was sitting, likely waiting for the teams' placement to begin… Naruto also couldn't help but notice the change in clothing that Sasuke now bore. He wore a high-collared, short-sleeved, navy-blue shirt along with white shorts that his holster tied to his right thigh. He had white arm warmers too as an accessory, with his hitai-ate proudly displayed proudly on his forehead like any other ninja.

He had also noticed that out of the corner of his eye that the Uchiha seemed to occasionally glance over at him. Likely still sore about the day of graduation. Naruto knew for certain that Sasuke was likely going to be taking him more seriously from now on. From there, the crimson-streak blonde proceeded to kick his feet up onto the desk and relax into his chair with his arms crossed. His eyes closed softly as a means to maybe take a little nap… But that had come to a close when he heard footsteps outside of the door. His right eye peered open slightly to see… that it was Sakura and Ino. The two had been racing to see who'd reach the class first.

Ino: " Haha! I was here first, forehead! "

Sakura: " In your dreams Ino-Pig! "

It was from there that both girls glared at one another before then trying to wrestle their way inside, trying to be the first one in. Naruto's eye had remained on Sakura for a little longer… Despite the way he was treated by her, he still couldn't deny that she was a very pretty girl. When she wasn't angry with him, she looked so… cute… And her hair complimented what she wore perfectly… Meanwhile…

Someone else in particular couldn't help but notice the Pinkette's choice of clothing… The red and pink…

Sonic: " Why is she reminded of Amy, right now…? "

Sakura had managed to beat Ino in first who was on the ground and clenching her left fist angrily at her rival. From there, the girl made her way up to sit next to Sasuke… What surprised her a little was that Naruto wasn't by the Uchiha also… It was no real surprise to anyone… that Naruto was Sasuke's rival… Moreso, the fact that Sasuke seemed to egg this on.

But the good news to her was that…

Sakura(Mental): " This is great! I can just sit next to Sasuke and have him to myself! "

The girl proceeded to make her way around the person who was sitting on the other side and made her way into the middle, scooting a little closer to the Uchiha than he would've liked.

Sakura: " Good morning Sasuke-Kun! "

The Uchiha didn't even really say anything… Merely batted an eye towards her for about a second or two before turning away, not even bothering to reply to her. Nonetheless, that didn't deter the pinkette who was staring at Sasuke with a lovestruck expression on her face.

Sasuke meanwhile was currently in the midst of his own thoughts…

Sasuke(Mental): " Naruto… The class dunce played me for a fool… How had he improved so much? And right under MY nose!? Not only that, but the appearance change…? Honestly… the thing that even throws me for a loop is his choice of footwear… Even an idiot would know those aren't sandals… But it begs the question… what ARE they!? Could they be the answer to his speed!? He hadn't shown that kind of level of agility until the day of Graduation… But no… He started wearing those about four years ago… Nrgh… No matter… It shouldn't mean anything to me… He… He may be slightly ahead of me now… But just wait until my Sharingan manifests… Naruto… "

It wasn't long before Iruka had then arrived in the classroom. Looking around at the graduates, his eyes couldn't help but stop on Naruto for a little longer… He was proud of the boy. The whiskered Uzumaki seemed to notice and gave Iruka a bit of a widening grin to say, "Hello". The gesture was returned with a nod before the Chūnin then cleared his throat to get the rest of the class's attention.

Iruka: " I'm amazed to see my entire class here, everyone. Take pride in yourselves, but do not let it fester into arrogance. Because as of today, no longer are any of you mere students of the academy. You're now full-fledged Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village(Konohagakure). You're all at the bottom. Mere Genin… Novices… Great challenges await for you all on the horizon, but I have confidence that you'll all get through it and bring your best to ensure the safety of our village and those who inhabit it. "

He then proceeded to pull out a clipboard that he had with him.

Iruka: " But now is the moment that I'm sure you've all been waiting for. The team placements. You will be divided into a team of three each with a seasoned Jōnin who will supervise, train, and guide you all. So listen carefully for your names as I call on you for your team's division and Sensei. These teams were thought out to hopefully bring out your best and balance you with the person that excels in where any of you may lack… So… Team One… "

As the teams were being called out, Naruto couldn't help but take the last few moments just to think about who he'd be placed with… Maybe he could be with Sakura and Chōji! Or maybe him, Shikamaru, and Chōji! Or perhaps him, Hinata, and Sakura! Or him, Hinata, and Kiba also…

Naruto had discreetly turned his attention to the Inuzuka heir. He didn't hate Kiba, but he could do without him constantly taunting him… Hopefully that beating served to humble him.

Iruka: " Team Seven will consist of… Naruto Uzumaki… "

The whiskered Genin perked up when hearing his name.

Iruka: " Sakura Haruno… "

Naruto perked up again, sporting a smile. Maybe this would be his chance to try and get to know the girl better. He turned towards her to only see that she had gotten real gloomy. Her head was hanging in a depressed fashion… That made Naruto's smile falter, before he simply sighed softly to himself and turned back forward. Well… Maybe he could still be paired with one of his friends.

Iruka: " And Sasuke Uchiha. "

Immediately Sakura perked up, jumping out of her seat to cheer.

Sakura: " WOOHOO! Take that Ino-Pig! Sasuke-Kun is on MY team! "

Naruto's eyes had widened slightly, shifting his attention to Sasuke, who in turned allowed his own eye to glance back towards Naruto. The two had stared at each other for a moment, before Sasuke simply turned away.

Sasuke: " Feh… Just don't get in my way, Dunce. "

Naruto could've stooped to the insult… But he wouldn't do it in his usual way. He closed his eyes for a moment before sporting a grin.

Naruto: " I find it ironic that you're telling me that, Sasuke. You may be the Rookie of the Year, but what does that say about me, seeing as to how you got your ass kicked by the person who was ranked at the bottom? "

It had sparked the reaction Naruto hoped for, when the Uchiha was now glaring at Naruto for bringing that up. Naturally, Sakura came to Sasuke's aid.

Sakura: " Oh, Shut it Naruto! You probably only got lucky anyway! Stop trying to make Sasuke-Kun look bad! "

Naruto's eyes had lingered on Sakura for a moment longer before he simply turned back to face forward.

Iruka: "Anyways, Team 7… Your Jōnin Sensei will be Kakashi Hatake. Team Eight will have Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyūga, and Shino Aburame. Your Jōnin Sensei will be Yuhi Kurenai. "

Hinata shared a look with Kiba & Shino, giving them a nod that showed she was glad to be working with them. Shino returned it with a nod of his own, while Kiba gave a toothy smile and a thumbs up to show she was in good hands. Akamaru had backed up the gesture with a bark.

Iruka: " Team Nine is still active… So nothing more to say there… And finally, Team Ten… You will consist of Chōji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka, and Shikamaru Nara. "

Shikamaru and Chōji had shared a look and smile between another knowing that at the very least, they were paired with someone they knew. Ino however was gloomy much similar to how Sakura had been before she stood up in protest.

Ino: " Are you kidding me!? Forehead girl gets Sasuke-Kun, the Rookie of the Year, and I get stuck with a lazy sack of potatoes and guy who won't stop stuffing his face for longer than FIVE seconds!? "

Iruka was having none of it and shut it down immediately.

Iruka: " Ino. I seem to recall telling you all, the day of graduation that Sasuke was indeed the Rookie of the Year. However, what you failed to mention was that Sakura had claimed the title for Top Kunoichi due to her prowess over Chakra control. Out of everyone in the class, hers is perfect. Her being paired on a team with Sasuke and Naruto is to help Naruto in areas he lacked. By having him with someone who has perfect chakra control and the two people who had the best grades in the class, would serve to help him improve in those areas. "

Naruto feeling called out could only cross his arms.

Naruto: " You didn't have to call me out like that Iruka-Sensei… I know I'm not the smartest… Really, it's only when it comes to the Hokages… "

Iruka: " Apologies, Naruto, but still… My point stands. And Ino, if you have problems with it, you're more than welcome to take it up with Hokage, however be warned, as he has copies of how you all did in class, so he'll be more than ready to access as to why you're paired with who as a opposed to another. "

And with that, Ino fell back into her seat, grief-stricken. She couldn't help but eye Sasuke longingly for a moment before… her gaze had crossed over to Naruto again, the boy who had become an anomaly to her now, especially on the day of graduation. She just couldn't make sense of the whiskered Uzumaki anymore. The change in clothing, the footwear, the display of skills!? Also… The fact that he's now got red streaks in his hair when he used to have Blue all of a sudden… For some weird reason… Perhaps…? The need to dig for some gossip was due…

Iruka: " With all that said, please sit together with your required teammates and wait here while I go and notify your Jōnin-Senseis. "

From there, after Iruka left, the teams had paired themselves up accordingly. Kiba, Hinata, and Shino all sat together.

Shino: " I'm aware that we all haven't really conversed as a trio until now. However, I hope that we'll be able to come forward and bring out our best efforts together. "

Hinata: " Agreed… I'm very happy to be working with both of you… And hope we'll all be able to get along. "

Kiba: " Here, Here. Let's show those whimbags what Team Eight is capable of. "

? ? ?: " Well, I can't say I don't enjoy your enthusiasm and your decision to come together before I arrived. "

They had turned their attention to a woman who was standing right next to someone. The female had a fair-skinned, slender build. She had long black untamed hair reaching her upper back, and very unique eyes that were crimson red, with an additional ring in them. She also had make-up on, which consisted of red lipstick and purple eyeshadow. Her ninja outfit however threw most for a loop. More specifically, some of the boys in the class. Her attire was that of a red mesh armor blouse with only the right sleeve visible. Overall, this is very broad material which resembles bandages with a pattern on it similar to those of rose thorns. Her hands and upper thighs are also wrapped in bandages, with her hitai-ate displayed proudly on her forehead. This woman was Kurenai Yuhi.

Kurenai: " It's nice to hear that you three had taken time to try and get to know one another, while also setting the grounds for a standing point that should allow you all to work together fluently. My name is Kurenai Yuhi and I'm your Jōnin Sensei from here on out. Now, why don't we head somewhere so we can all become better acquainted. If you'll come with me, please, Team Eight. "

The trio gave a simultaneous nod before getting up and departing. Before leaving, Hinata had casted one final look at Naruto which the boy had luckily seemed to noticed before waving to her goodbye.

? ? ?: " Seems like I'm next. "

It was a man that walked with a posture that displayed easiness… more laidback, but that was easily shattered if one would have felt the combat prowess emanating from the man. He was a tall man, with brown eyes, olive skin, short black spiky hair, and a beard. His clothing consisted of the standard Konoha ninja uniform with the sleeves rolled up halfway, flak jacket, regular shinobi sandals and forehead protector. He also wore a sash that had the kanji for "Fire" (火) marked on it around his waist, a pair of black bangles, and bandages wrapped around the arms of his sleeves. This was Asuma Sarutobi.

Asuma: " Alright… Where's my batch of Genin… Whoever's a part of Team Ten is with me as I'm your Jōnin-Sensei. "

Shikamaru and Chōji shared a nod with one another before getting up, along with a reluctant Ino who hoped that her Sensei would make this team more bearable for her.

Asuma: " Alright… From first glance, I've got a slacker(Pointing to Shikamaru), a glutton(Pointing to Chōji), and a loud mouth(Pointing to Ino)… All right, with me, you "delinquents". "

Well, he certainly made a bright impression on his team thus far, seeing as to how Shikamaru could only sigh, Chōji looked rightfully offended by being called a glutton, and Ino looked about ready to go off on her Sensei… Not that he was paying them any attention, having already walked out of them, prompting them to follow.

Soon enough, all of the other teams had filed out, leaving only Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke left. Naruto decided to kick his feet back up on the table from where he was sitting. If his Sensei was going to take his sweet-time, then he was going to take a nap.



[ABOUT AN HOUR LATER]


Naruto at this point was asleep. His arms were crossed, resting on his chest as his head was slanted forward slightly. Sakura had at this point stood up and had walked back and forth around the classroom until she had slouched back against one of the tables. Sasuke was still sitting in the same pose he was in since he had arrived, arms up, fingers folded, and everything.

Sakura: " This is ridiculous! How long have we been here? "

Sasuke hadn't said anything, but he did agree with Sakura. Their Jōnin was late… They've been here for about at the very least a good hour or so. The Uchiha had glanced over the crimson-streak blonde seeing how he still seemed to be asleep. His attention shifted away seeing as to how it looked as though Naruto wouldn't be waking up anytime soon… When…

[Twitch… Twitch-Twitch…]

Naruto's left ear had flickered twice, shifting as though it had flexed… The whiskered Genin's eyes had opened slowly before taking the time to stretch as if he was waking up now… Which he was.

Sakura: " Finally decided to join us in the waking world, Naruto? "

Naruto: " Mm… I guess so… Besides, I think I heard something. It may be our Sensei. "

Upon hearing this come from Naruto, they were wondering if he was speaking the truth, until surely enough… A hand poked through, sliding the door open to reveal their Jōnin instructor. He had spiky hair that was seemingly not only defying gravity but was slanted to the left side of his head. He wore the standard Konoha ninja uniform with a flak jacket, regular shinobi sandals and forehead protector that for some reason was covering his left eye. His right eye had an aloof vibe to it and right now, he just seemed to be taking in the team. Trying to see what he could make of them just from a glance.

Naruto: " Geez… It's about time you showed up… Seriously… "

The whiskered Genin took a moment to stretch to wake up the rest of his body. After finishing his stretches, he stood up straight bringing his hands into his pockets. The Jōnin then brought a hand up to his chin as though he were contemplating something.

? ? ?: " Hmm… How should I put this…? My first impression of you all is… You bore me. "

The man even said this with a quote, unquote, "Eye-Smile" that caused them all to sweat drop because of this. Sasuke's glare seemed to transpire into somewhat of a deadpan as though asking himself if THIS was REALLY their… HIS Jōnin-Sensei. Sakura's look held that of confusion and plain lost as she had zero clue as to how they could bore him when they didn't even know the man. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow during the sweat drip moment with their foreheads.

? ? ?: " Anyways, meet me on top of the roof in about five minutes or less. "

And with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto could only roll his eyes… Yes, he was aware that his Sensei had pulled a Body Flicker, while masking it with a cloud of smoke… But… Naruto would prefer a little bit of a cooler "transition" to the rooftop. Sasuke had made his way out with Sakura following behind him immediately.

Naruto on the other hand with his hands still in his pockets…

[FWOOSH!]

… seemingly fazed out of existence, this time not even leaving behind a gust of wind in his wake. No, his movement was as silent as a shinobi could be.


[MOMENTS LATER - ROOFTOP OF THE ACADEMY]


The Jōnin had appeared on the rooftop near instantaneously and had planned on simply using the opportunity to read a book he had pocketed with him. So imagine his surprise when Naruto suddenly appeared like not even ten seconds after he himself had gotten up here. And his hands were in his pockets also!

? ? ?(Mental): " Meaning, he either knows how to perform a sealless Body Flicker or like Guy and he possesses incredible raw speed, meaning he'll likely be a Taijutsu monster… Better keep that in mind… "

Naruto had managed to catch the widening of his Sensei's only visible eye and gave his Sensei a playful, cocky wink before then sitting down and waiting patiently for the rest of his team to arrive. The senior ninja knew that he most certainly would have to likely keep an eye on the crimson-streak blonde.

? ? ?(Mental): " And he knows he surprised me with that… But seems to want to let me read my book… Not that I'm opposed to doing so, of course. "

It would be about another two-to-three minutes before Sasuke and Sakura arrived at the top of the roof. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing that Naruto had arrived… It seemed as though the Uzumaki was likely going to be showing off more… But the Uchiha had only begged the question… If Naruto had actually held back that one time training… Why didn't he use his newfound abilities to snag the attention he sorely craved?

Though he'd be lying if he said Naruto hadn't "mellowed out" somewhat since then… He's still relatively cocky and still has an air of confidence around him, but he doesn't appear to be masking or compensating for anything anymore. Like he knows what he's capable of and is proud to show it all off now… Definitely will have to keep his eye on the crimson-streak blonde.

Naruto was sitting on the right of the bottom right, Sakura was on the bottom left, and Sasuke was sitting on the top stair between the both of them. At that moment, the Jōnin pocketed away his book and brought his hands together.

? ? ?: " Well… Now that we're all together, why don't we introduce ourselves? Like your name, your likes, your dislikes, hobbies, dreams, stuff like that. "

Sakura: " Well, how about you go first, Sensei? "

Naruto: " Yeah… You're kind of the odd ball here since we all really know one another while we don't know anything about you. "

? ? ?: " Hmm… Fair enough. Let's see… Where should I start…? "

He brought his left hand up to his chin again, while positioning his right hand to his left elbow.

Kakashi: " My name is Kakashi Hatake. My likes and dislikes are something I feel isn't any of your business. My dreams for the future are unknown as even I have no idea. And as for hobbies… I have a lot of them. "

He finished with an eye-smile while Team Seven could only sweat drop once more seeing as to how they literally ONLY got his name.

Kakashi: " All right… We'll start with the person on the right and make our way to the left. Meaning that you're up first red-highlighted blondie. "

Naruto gave a bright smile and shrugged his shoulders.

Naruto: " Naruto Uzumaki's my name. My likes include ramen, my friends, running, training, enjoying nature, and Hedgehogs. "

Sakura | Sasuke | Kakashi(Mental): " Hedgehogs…? "

Naruto: " My dislikes are the time it takes for ramen to cook, the way the word "Prodigy" is tossed around the Hidden Leaf… "

Kakashi raised his right eyebrow at this. Sasuke had done the same, while Sakura was confused.

Naruto: " The hypocrisy of the villagers… "

Kakashi's right eye had narrowed slightly, wondering if he knew where this was going.

Naruto: " Those who'd judge someone without getting the chance to even know them… I also dislike those who claim that they are a ninja… But can't even tell the difference between the scroll and the kunai sealed into it. Or in more simpler terms, the difference between the box and what's inside of it. "

Kakashi(Mental): " So Naruto indeed knows of his burden… "

Sakura: " Naruto…? What're you talking about? "

Naruto had turned his attention to her for a moment and then looked to Sasuke, seeing as to how both teammates were naturally confused by what he was saying. Hell, even Sasuke couldn't make sense of this. Naruto clearly held disdain towards the civilian villagers of the Leaf and even claimed to dislike those who couldn't tell the difference between a scroll and a kunai? What did he mean?

Naruto: " The answer to that is sadly not something I can share as it's incredibly personal and I feel unsure of sharing with you all yet. Maybe sometime in the future I will, but for now, I ask that you respect my privacy on that matter. "

Sakura simply just nodded as… she didn't know what to make of this… This genuinely was like a whole new Naruto she was seeing… But not for the most part since she could tell he seemed to possibly want to tell her, but refrained against it as he was likely worried about what SHE'D say… On top of that, she could see that there was something that Naruto wasn't saying, but she'd respect his privacy. That honestly made Sakura more curious though. Sasuke hadn't said much but definitely kept note of this.

Getting back on traffic, Naruto's momentarily somewhat solemn frown was replaced with a smile again.

Naruto: " My hobbies are running, training, reading up on the Art of Sealing or Fūinjutsu to be specific… I also like trying new types of ramen if it helps me eat a little healthier. Just add stuff and cook it differently, while still allowing me to eat ramen! I also like hanging out with my friends and pranks as well. Most importantly… My dream(s) for the future… "

Naruto had turned his attention to the horizon of the village… More specifically turning towards the Hokage's monument which had prompted Sasuke and Sakura to do the same to follow what Naruto was looking at before turning back to him.

Naruto: " My first dream is to see and learn why the Old Man Hokage loves the village so much. Why the Fourth was willing to go so far to protect his village. While finding the answer to that, I'd also want to finally get the villagers to acknowledge my existence. Have them see me for myself, Naruto Uzumaki. And when I've done both of those things, I plan on becoming a Hokage more gifted than the First, more skilled than the Second, wiser than the Third, and faster than the Fourth Hokage himself. The strongest Hokage that Konoha has ever seen and hopefully save others from the loneliness I've experienced. "

Now, if you had asked Sakura and Sasuke before… They NEVER would've expected Naruto to speak like this. He had gone from joyful to solemn and even secretive! Before turning back to joyful again, before finishing things off with a look of longing and determination. This… This boy in front of them… This was a glimpse… of the REAL Naruto Uzumaki.

The "one-eyed" Jōnin nodded his head softly, while closing his right eye as though pondering everything he had heard.

Kakashi(Mental): " This definitely isn't surprising given his life, but it is nice to know he would like to get to know the good side of the village and hopefully purge the darkness that roams and pollutes within it. And learn why the other Kage including the Fourth loved this village so… Despite his upbringing, he's still willing to give the village a chance to make a change. "

Kakashi: " Admirable goals… All right, next! "

Sasuke then spoke up.

Sasuke: " My name… is Sasuke Uchiha. There are a number of things that I hate, so I fail to see how those matters, seeing as to how there's nothing, I particularly like either. My hobbies are training to further surpass my limits… And as for my "dream"... Frankly, it seems pointless to talk about "dreams" as it's just a word… A way for those with a weak-will to escape reality. What I have… is an ambition… A Determination that I fully plan on fulfilling. I will restore the name of my Clan… And there is one person I have sworn… "

He had a momentary pause as the look in the Uchiha's eyes seemed to darken for a moment. They were filled with anger… hatred… resentment…

Sasuke: " To Kill. "

Sakura looked on in awe.

Sakura(Mental): " He's SO cool…!~ "

Naruto looked on in a bit of surprise.

Naruto(Mental): " I don't think I've ever seen Sasuke look THIS mad before. "

Kakashi's lone right eye narrowed because of this.

Kakashi(Mental): " So it's just as I thought. "

With that in mind, his expression softened as he then pointed to Sakura.

Kakashi: " And last but not least, the young lady of the team. "

The pinkette had immediately turned her attention to Sasuke with a soft blush. Naruto upon seeing this had sighed quietly. His eyes softened wondering if he should perhaps just try to be a dear friend to Sakura… As he wondered if he'd ever get past his feelings for Sakura. But… She was just so pretty… so smart…

Sakura: " Well, my name is Sakura Haruno… My likes are… Well, it's not really a thing… More of a person, per se… A boy in particular… That I like… "

She giggled softly.

Sakura: " Uhh… My hobbies… "

She could only continue looking at Sasuke as her blush increased a little, along with her giggling becoming more frequent.

Sakura: " As… As for my dream… "

A big blush overtook her cheekbones as she squealed softly to herself… Imagining a future where she was a loving wife to Sasuke.

Inner Sakura: " Shannaro! And beating Ino-Pig, showing her that she never stood a chance in standing in the way of TRUE LOVE! "

Kakashi: " And your dislikes? "

Snapping out of her stupor, her expression became slightly peeved.

Sakura: " Naruto… "

The crimson-streak blonde was hurt by that. He looked down for a moment before his smile returned as he softly nodded to "himself". Little that the others know that he had been assisted with that little folly of heartache and longing by someone. A Hedgehog… Kakashi couldn't help but sigh softly to himself too.

Kakashi(Mental): " Seems as though girls like her today are more focused on love and boys rather than their career as Kunoichis. "

Nonetheless, he had now gotten everything he needed to know about them for now.

Kakashi: " All right then. With that, I believe we all understand one another. The best part is that you're all unique, so I hope you'll bring your best for this team. With that said, formal training will begin tomorrow. "

Naruto immediately perked up at the chance of training. Especially, under a seasoned ninja. This should definitely help him grow stronger and more experienced.

Naruto: " Sounds like a plan to me, Kakashi-Sensei! So, what'll be our task for tomorrow? All-Around Spar? Or perhaps an infiltration? "

Kakashi: " Mmm… Something of those natures… However, it'll involve everyone in this cell only, me included. "

He had stated this rather slowly as if trying to build up an ominous tension.

...

Naruto: " Well, don't keep us waiting. What is it, Sensei? "

Kakashi: " Survival Exercise. "

Sakura: " Huh? But how is that a task, let alone a mission Kakashi-Sensei? We learned about that a lot in the academy. "

Kakashi: " That is true, but what makes this different is that you'll be surviving against me."

Naruto crossed his arms before turning to his teammates.

Naruto: " I don't think this is going to be a normal training exercise… If anything, Kakashi-Sensei makes this sound as though we'll have to possibly fight him. "

Sakura and Sasuke seemed to take notice of Naruto's tone. Sasuke's fingers had tightened in their fold while looking back at their Sensei to see if this was true. Sakura was wondering this herself also.

Kakashi gave an eye-smile

Kakashi: " You may be right Naruto, but you could also be wrong… So, listen to me well. "

Before his expression then turned serious which got the Genin of Team 7 to give their Sensei their full attention.

Kakashi: " This is a very serious task. As of the twenty-seven members of your graduating class… Only nine of you will have the chance of passing and becoming certified Genin Shinobi. Also, I feel it's only right to tell you all know that this test only has a Sixty-Six percent rate of failure."

Sakura had gulped nervously, Sasuke had a bead of sweat dripping down the right side of his face, and Naruto's expression hardened with his lips quirked in direness of this situation.

Naruto: " Meaning… That this test has a 66% fail rate, right Kakashi-Sensei? "

Kakashi had turned his attention to Naruto… The dead-last… The dobe… The Dunce had figured that out… Clearly there was a lot more to Naruto as far as his grade's academy-wise showed.

Kakashi: " That is correct Naruto. This is a pass or fail test. And should you all fail, you'll be sent back to the academy. "

The team understood the severeness of this task… This meant they would have to bring their A-Game as anything less would likely only increase the chance of failing.

Kakashi: " We'll all meet tomorrow morning in Training Ground Seven. I'll be evaluating your strengths, skills, and weaknesses. "

The Jōnin then proceeded to take out three papers and hand them to his Genin.

Kakashi: " The details of the task are on here. Memorize them and do not be late! And one more thing… Don't eat breakfast tomorrow morning… Unless you enjoy the taste of vomit in your mouth. "

After Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura took their papers, Kakashi then gave an eye-smile before then saluting them.

Kakashi: " Well that's all. See you tomorrow. Ja ne!~ "

And with that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Naruto folded his paper and pocketed it. He would definitely make sure to train some more now and read up on that part in his mother's previous books of Fūinjutsu. Maybe he'd find something or a seal that was suited to a survival exercise.

Sakura had her own thoughts of perceiving this test, while Sasuke, with his goal set in mind based off of everything he was told, set off to find somewhere secluded to train.

Naruto(Mental): " This'll be a test to see how far I've truly come… And how much I've learned… And remember to always read between the lines of a situation… I can't afford to make the same mistake that happened with that bastard Mizuki… "

Naruto turned his attention towards the Hokage Monument once more before smirking. He then turned his attention back towards the horizon of the village, walking forward and then hopping up onto the ledge to look out at the buildings, people walking by, etc.

Naruto(Mental): " Watch out Konoha! You'll soon learn what it means when you front the Shinobi who'll be known as the fastest thing alive! "



And with that concludes this chapter. I can't apologize enough for how long it took for this chapter to come out. To be truthful, I honestly wasn't pleased with how I went about some of the earlier chapters, so I changed some stuff, altered some stuff in the story and fixed an issue regarding the story since this is supposed to be in English after-all.

Some changes will be major, some will be minor, but I hope you all will take notice of them and see that I want to make this as enjoyable as possible for you viewers. With this in mind, tune in next time for how Naruto handles the Best Test with his teammates.

Also, hope you all enjoyed the altered Jutsu that Konohamaru learned this time around. With Naruto's main focus being speed in this story, I plan to have Konohamaru follow along with that also seeing as to how he is Naruto's apprentice.

Also… I've been contemplating on if I should have an intro song for this crossover, just to do something a little extra and give you all a minute or two to read through and enjoy the visual I'd be able to hopefully provide. With that said, if you all think I should do so, let me know in reviews and if so, what intro/outro would go BEST for this story? Until next time!

-SakkaKun987

P.S. Hope you all enjoyed the brief little part regarding Hinata.