Sorry about the delay had some personal matters I had to prioritize over Fanfiction. As much as I love writing this, it is still a hobby, and I had some important stuff that took all my attention.
(6 months after the previous chapter)
It was a beautiful day in Konohagakure, and Naruto was basking in the sunshine outside the Academy. It was getting later into the year, and Konoha's winter was right around the corner, so Naruto was enjoying one of the last lovely days of the year. Naruto had celebrated his 10th birthday a couple of weeks ago, and he was currently wearing the present he got from his Jiji. The Hokage had mentioned that Naruto's clothes were getting a little small on him, so he had bought him a new set of shirts and jackets. His Jiji knew how much he liked the color orange, so he got him a collection of orange short sleeve shirts with black stripes shoulders circling the bottom of the shirt and the collar and running down the sleeves. For colder weather, he had also bought him a light jacket with the opposite color scheme. The jacket was primarily black with orange stripes circling the collar and bottom and running down the jacket's long sleeves.
Naruto absolutely loved his gifts. He never would have mentioned it to anyone, but his orange jacket was getting a little beat up. Due to being an orphan who had to be self-reliant and provide for himself, he never liked asking people for things. When he'd asked for something at the orphanage, he was ignored more often than not. Once he moved out on his own, Naruto was determined to provide for himself and be independent. It was one of the many lessons he'd had to learn as a young, lonely orphan.
Naruto's relaxation was interrupted by the Academy bell signaling the end of lunch. Naruto groaned and started to sit up, annoyed that he had to go back to his stuffy classroom. An outstretched hand appeared in front of him, and Naruto looked up to see Hinata's smiling face. "Want a hand, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto smiled and gratefully took her hand. "Thanks, Hinata-chan."
The two then started walking towards the Academy doors in silence. Naruto had closed his eyes to enjoy the last bit of sunshine, so he didn't notice Hinata fidgeting next to him. Hinata had gotten much more comfortable around Naruto since they started the Academy. She frequently hung out with him outside of class, so she felt more relaxed around him. Unfortunately for Hinata, her stuttering occasionally reappeared when she wanted to ask Naruto something important. Today was one of those times.
"S-So N-Naruto-kun," Hinata began, internally cursing herself for stuttering. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and continued. "We have a big history exam tomorrow. W-would you like to c-come over to my house t-to study? I-I noticed you didn't get a gr-great score on your last test." Hinata paused and widened her eyes, realizing what she said. "N-not that that's a bad thing!" She hurriedly added.
"Ah, it's okay, Hinata-chan," Naruto laughed, instantly easing her nerves. Naruto's smile quickly transformed into a pout, and he grumbled, "It's just history is so... boring. I'd much rather practice useful stuff, like ninjutsu or taijutsu," making Hinata giggle.
"Come on, Naruto-kun. It will be more fun and easier if we study together," she encouraged, this time without stuttering. She had calmed down after Naruto's assurance that she hadn't offended him.
Naruto shrugged and smiled at Hinata, "Sure. Why not? It can't hurt." Hinata beamed at Naruto in response. "Great! We'll walk to my home together after school ends," she exclaimed, internally cheering and doing a happy dance. Hinata's smile refused to leave her face, even as she and Naruto walked through the Academy's doors and settled into their seats for the remainder of the day.
"...And that's how I snuck into Hamada-Sensei's office while he was sleeping and dyed his hair orange!" Naruto exclaimed with a proud smile as he and Hinata exited the Academy. Hinata burst into giggles after Naruto finished his story about the most recent prank he had played on their sensei. About a year after they started the Academy, Naruto began playing pranks on some of their senseis. Naruto had tried to be kind and polite to his senseis to gain their favor, but that hadn't gotten him anywhere. Eventually, Naruto gave up on trying to win them over and decided to have fun instead. After a little bit, he found that these pranks were an excellent way to work on his stealth skills and get a little, mostly harmless, revenge.
Naruto and Hinata continued chatting as they walked towards Hinata's bodyguard, who was dutifully waiting for them outside the Academy gates, when they were interrupted by a shout from behind.
"Hey! Naruto! Wait up!"
Naruto turned around to see who called him and saw a smiling and waving Ino walking towards them. Naruto smiled and greeted his friend, "Hey, Ino! What's up?"
Ino gave a bright smile when she stopped in front of Naruto. "I was wondering if you would like to come over to the flower shop today? We got some new flowers and plants imported from Tea Country, and I know how much you love to see the new arrivals and help us organize them. Daddy told me we were even going to get some really exotic orchids!"
Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement. He really did love to see the new arrivals. Once since he started living on his own, he had taken to gardening. He loved being in and around nature, and the flowers helped brighten up his small apartment. However, he quickly remembered his plans with Hinata, and Naruto never went against his word. Growing up as a poor orphan, Naruto didn't have much, but the one thing he did have was his word. If Naruto said he was going to do something, he did it.
Naruto smiled apologetically at Ino, "Sorry, Ino, I can't today. I already told Hinata-chan I would go over to her house to study for the history exam tomorrow. Maybe next time, though?"
Behind Naruto's shoulder, Hinata smiled victoriously at Ino. Ino returned the look with a sharp glare, and the two held each others' gaze for several seconds. Stuck in the middle of the heated exchange, Naruto was blissfully oblivious to this interaction because he was busy saying goodbye to Shikamaru and Choji. Deciding to further rub salt in the wound, Hinata tapped Naruto on the shoulder to get Naruto's attention. "Ready to go back to my place, Naruto-kun?" Hinata cheerfully asked.
Naruto looked at Hinata, unaware of the tension between the two girls, and smiled, "Sure, Hinata-chan!" Naruto then turned to Ino and looked at her apologetically, "See you tomorrow, Ino?"
Ino stopped glaring at Hinata and gave a pretty smile to Naruto. "Definitely, Naruto. And don't worry. There will be plenty of other flower deliveries for you to help with," she said, putting extra emphasis on plenty. Ino seemed to direct the last sentence more at Hinata than Naruto, but he didn't notice. Instead, he just grinned and gave her a thumbs up. As Naruto and Hinata turned to leave, Hinata stuck her tongue out at Ino, earning her a parting glare from the girl.
Naruto and Hinata amicably chatted on their walk home, while Hinata's bodyguard stoically walked beside them. As they walked, Naruto realized he had never actually been inside the Hyuuga Compound. He frequently walked Hinata home, but he had never gone in with her. It didn't really bother him, though, and it didn't impact how much they were together.
What Naruto did not know, though, was that Hinata preferred being with Naruto outside of the Hyuuga Compound. It was a nice escape from the pressures of being the clan heir and having to live up to her relatives' expectations. Sometimes, she felt like the oppressive atmosphere of the compound smothered her. When she was with Naruto, though, she could relax and allow herself to feel like a kid. She liked just being able to go to the park with Naruto or go to his apartment to play with Haruki.
Naruto and Hinata walked up to the large, white marble gates in front of the Hyuuga Compound. The gates were emblazoned with the Hyuuga clan symbol on each side and were guarded by two clan members, who could easily be mistaken for statues. They never seemed to move or blink, and Naruto was kind of creeped out by them.
As they walked up to the gates, the two clansmen politely bowed to Hinata and pushed open the gates. As the gates slowly opened, Naruto fully took in the Hyuuga compound for the first time, and it took his breath away. The inner courtyard was filled with lush, brightly colored fauna. There were white roses, Red Japanese Maples, sand gardens with intricate patterns meticulously drawn, and shimmering koi ponds. Connecting this beautiful tapestry of colors were polished black stone paths, weaving throughout the courtyard.
Hinata giggled at Naruto's awestruck face and gently nudged him in the side. "Come on, Naruto-kun, let's go say hello to my father." Naruto nodded, still dumbfounded by the beauty. They walked through the courtyard and arrived at a traditional Japanese sliding door. Hinata knocked on the wood frame and received a call to enter. Before Hinata slid the door open, Naruto snapped out of his daze and was suddenly very nervous. He had never met Hinata's father before, and he didn't have the best track record with adults. Hinata was one of his best friends, and he really wanted her dad to like him. He didn't think he could handle having Hinata's family reject him.
The door slid open, and Naruto and Hinata walked into her father's office. The room was sparse but elegant. There was a large desk that was low to the ground in the center of the room. In front of it was a mat with two small pillows for people to kneel on. Behind the desk was a large, detailed painting of the Hyuuga clan symbol. Kneeling behind his desk was Hinata's father, who looked up from his work and regarded the two entrants.
"Hello, Father," Hinata said with a polite smile and a short bow. "Naruto and I are going to study together for our history exam tomorrow. We will be in one of the training rooms near the right side of the courtyard." Hinata's father returned Hinata's greeting with a curt nod and turned his stoic gaze to Naruto.
"Umm... H-hey Hinata's dad, I mean Hinata's dad-sama, I-I mean Hyuuga-sama," Naruto stammered, unused to the formal atmosphere and very unnerved by Hinata's father's stare. He was used to getting stared at, but this was different. Usually, when people stared, they did so angrily or with some other negative emotion that Naruto couldn't put his finger on. Hinata's father, though, didn't seem to be looking at him with any emotion. To Naruto, it felt like the man was trying to stare right through him and look into his soul, and it took all Naruto had to stop himself from squirming.
Naruto's intuition was actually correct because Hiashi was trying to do just that. Hiashi obviously knew who Naruto was. Every villager above a certain age knew who he was. Hiashi was aware of how the general populace felt towards Naruto, but he did not share their bias. Hiashi was an experienced and talented ninja who had fought with and against many incredibly skilled ninja. Hiashi had seen shinobi and kunoichi who could level a forest with a single Jutsu, create waves four stories tall, and move faster than the eye could track.
Minato Namikaze made them all look like genin in comparison to him.
In Hiashi's mind, Minato was the most skilled ninja to ever grace Konoha's streets. Hiashi had the utmost faith in the Yondaime's abilities, especially in regards to fuinjutsu. If Minato created the seal to hold the Kyuubi, then Hiashi trusted it. Furthermore, Hiashi was friends with Minato and Kushina and had spent a considerable amount of time with them. For someone with eyes as sharp as his, the resemblance was unmistakable. Hiashi had questioned the Hokage about it once, but he had made it explicitly clear that Hiashi was not to say anything about the topic.
Furthermore, Hiashi already knew about Hinata's friendship with Naruto. His daughter had told him about her first interaction with Naruto and how he had come to her protection. After that day, Hinata had slowly started coming out of her shell and gaining self-confidence. She was finally beginning to have the temperament a clan heir needed. Hiashi had tried to drill these virtues into her when she was younger, the same way his father had done to him. Unfortunately, Hinata was resistant to these methods. Reprimanding and criticizing did not work with her. Rather, she needed a more gentle and encouraging hand, at least in this stage of her development, and she found that in Naruto.
After what felt like an eternity to Naruto but was only several seconds, Hiashi slightly bowed his head to Naruto. "Greetings, Naruto-san. Thank you for protecting my daughter all those years ago. The Hyuuga clan owes you a debt."
Naruto blushed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as he stared at the ground, unused to being praised by strangers. "Ahhh... It was nothing. I'm just glad I could help Hinata-chan and become friends with her."
Hiashi nodded in his head in understanding and looked at Hinata. "Thank you for coming to greet me, Hinata. Now, I must get back to work. I will see you for dinner," Hiashi stated and resumed his paperwork. Naruto blinked in surprise at the sudden dismissal, causing Hinata to suppress a giggle.
"Of course, Father. I will see you then," she said with a small smile. She gave a small bow to her father and elbowed Naruto in the side to do the same. Hinata then lightly gripped Naruto's hand and led him out of her father's office and into the courtyard.
After Hinata closed the sliding door, she looked at Naruto sympathetically. "Sorry if my father came across as harsh, Naruto-kun. That's just the way he is. After my mother... passed, he became more reserved and strict." Hinata hesitated when she mentioned her mother, and Naruto saw sadness flash across her eyes. However, before Naruto could ask, Hinata started speaking again, this time with a small smile. "Underneath it all, though, he is kind, but he cannot really show it. As the clan head, he has to be a model for how the clan should act and portray what the "ideal Hyuuga" should be." Hinata said, adding air quotes for emphasis.
Naruto nodded in understanding, internally grateful he didn't have to deal with clan politics. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by a loud shout from across the courtyard.
"Hinata nee-chan!" A high-pitched voice called out.
Naruto turned towards the sound and saw a little girl excitedly running towards him and Hinata. She looked very similar to Hinata, with the same color hair and same lavender colored eyes. She was wearing a black sleeveless training gi with a mesh undershirt. Naruto wasn't sure how old she was, but she was definitely a couple years younger than him and Hinata. If he had to guess, he would say she was about five or six.
"Hinata nee-chan! You're home. How was your day?" The girl eagerly asked.
Hinata smiled warmly down at the little girl and replied, "It was good, Hanabi-chan. How was your day?"
"It was okay. Father had me..." She trailed off at the end, finally noticing the other person with her sister. She turned her full attention to the blonder boy and abruptly asked, "Who are you?"
Naruto grinned at the girl and replied, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, dattebayo! Nice to meet ya!" He greeted and stuck out his hand for a handshake.
Hanabi's eyes widened, and a look of realization dawned on her face. She whipped her head over to Hinata, ignoring the extended hand, and said, "Oh. So THIS is the Naruto you're always talking about?" Hinata's immediately turned bright red, and she started stammering, unsure of what to say.
Hanabi paid no heed to her sister's distress and looked Naruto over. "Hmmm... he doesn't look like much," she said, matter-of-factly. "I don't know why you like him." Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in response to that statement. "What do you mean I don't look like much?" He asked heatedly, not caring about what Hanabi said earlier. He assumed that Hinata talked about him as a friend, and of course she liked him. They hung out all the time.
"Well, first off, you're pretty short," Hanabi stated, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm taller than you!" Naruto yelled back, a tic mark forming on his head.
Hanabi responded with a deadpan stare. "I'm five. That's not saying much. You're shorter than Hinata nee-chan." Naruto's eyebrow twitched in reply, but, before he could say anything, Hanabi plowed ahead. "Second, you have bad fashion. Orange is an ugly color," Hanabi nodded her head to emphasize her point.
Now it was Naruto's turn to turn red, except this was in anger instead of embarrassment. "Don't you dare insult the color orange, dattebayo! It's a fantastic color! Also, if anyone's short, it's you, Shortstuff!" Naruto retorted childishly. Having recovered from her embarrassment due to her sister and crush's argument, Hinata stared at Naruto with a puzzled look. 'That definitely wasn't one of Naruto's best comebacks,' she thought.
However, it certainly got under Hanabi's skin. The young girl scrunched up her face in disgust. "Don't call me that!" She snapped. "I am the daughter of the clan head. You will call me by my name!" She demanded.
Seeing that he had struck a nerve, Naruto smirked in reply and haughtily crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Nope! I'll call you whatever I want," he paused, "Shortstuff."
Hanabi stomped her foot in frustration and glared at Naruto. Hinata giggled at the exchange between the two but decided she should intervene before Hanabi got too angry. "Naruto-kun, why don't we go study for the test now?" She asked, gently guiding Naruto towards the other side of the courtyard.
"Sure thing, Hinata-chan. See you, Shortstuff!" Naruto called over his shoulder as he turned to leave, making Hanabi glower at his back.
After they crossed the courtyard, they walked into an open training room and settled down to study. "Alright. So... What's this test on?" Naruto asked hesitantly, embarrassed that he had forgotten.
"It's on the Second Shinobi World War," Hinata helpfully supplied. "It was a war between Konoha, Suna, Ame, and Iwa that was caused by growing economic disparities between the nations caused by the treaty that ended the First Shinobi World War," Hinata recited, remembering the lecture Hamada-Sensei had given them.
The two friends then spent the next couple of hours studying the Second Shinobi World War, learning about the heroes that were created and several pivotal battles and events. Naruto especially enjoyed reading about Jiraiya-sensei's exploits and learning more about his legendary team. He also discovered Kakashi's father was a legendary shinobi, but he had tragically taken his own life after being shamed by the Village for failing a mission. Personally, Naruto thought that Sakumo Hatake had made the right choice in saving his comrades. Naruto didn't have many friends, but he would protect the ones he did have with his life. He couldn't imagine leaving Hinata to die.
However, Naruto and Hinata's study session abruptly ended when they came across one particular battle.
"One of the final battles of the conflict between Suna and Konoha was fought in the Land of Rivers, the country that borders both nations," Hinata read. "In this battle, a squadron of Leave Shinobi, led by the Third Hokage, ambushed a heavily entrenched Suna camp that had been encroaching on the Land of Fire. The Leaf Shinobi attacked the Suna camp at sunset, and both sides suffered heavy casualties. However, Konoha ended up the victor due to the Third Hokage defeating Ryuozu of the Billowing Sand." (1)
"Whoa! That's awesome," Naruto exclaimed. "He must have been really strong to fight against Jiji."
"He was. The book says that he was renowned for his mastery of sand Jutsu and wind Ninjutsu. He would use his mastery of wind Ninjutsu and sand to create sandstorms to blind his enemies and attack while they couldn't see. That's how he got his nickname," Hinata added. "To counteract these abilities, the Third Hokage used a combination of water and fire ninjutsu. It says here that he used several water Jutsus to make Ryuozu's sand heavy and slow. Also, it was this battle that created the famous Glass Plain in the Land of Rivers. The Hokage used a Fire Jutsu so powerful and hot near the end of the fight that it turned most of Ryuozu's sand into glass, allowing the Hokage to defeat him."
"Man. That sounds like an epic battle. I wish I could've seen it. I wonder how that Ryuozu got so strong."
Hinata shrugged. "I'm not sure. This book is mainly about Konoha history, so it doesn't say much about Ryuozu. It does say he was a Jinchuuriki, so maybe that's why he was so strong."
Naruto froze. The word Jinchuuriki brought up a memory he had suppressed for a long time.
"Now, Konoha's Jinchuriki, You will be coming with us. If you resist or try to flee, we will immobilize you. Painfully."
'One of those Iwa Shinobi who tried to capture me called me a Jinchuuriki.'
"Um, Hinata? What's a Jinchuuriki?" Naruto shakily asked.
Hinata didn't know why her friend seemed so strange, but she acquiesced and flipped to the glossary at the end of the book. "Jinchuuriki- (Literally meaning: Power of Human Sacrifice) are humans that have tailed beasts sealed within them. They often exhibit extraordinary powers due to the immense chakra reserves they possess."
Naruto paled considerably and started shaking. 'No. It can't be. They must've been wrong,' Naruto tried to convince himself, but he kept hearing voices in his head.
"Demon"
"Get out of here before you hurt someone."
"Stay away from him, honey. He's dangerous."
Words and phrases that Naruto tried to ignore on a daily basis kept coming to him. Pieces to the puzzle of why people hated him kept snapping into place, no matter how hard Naruto tried to stop them. 'No No No No,' he kept internally repeating.
Naruto scrambled up, wide-eyed and pale, and looked at Hinata. "Sorry, Hinata-chan. I got to go. I have to talk to Jiji," he said and slid open the door and sprinted away.
Hinata stared bewildered at the door and got up to follow her friend. She only made it a step outside of the room before a strong hand stopped her. Her head jerked up, and she saw her father looking down at her and shaking his head. Hiashi had quietly moved to the room next to Hinata and Naruto's and had been keeping watch with his Byakugan. He may have been a strict father, but he was still a protective one. He wasn't about to let his young daughter be alone in a room with a young boy, no matter whose child he was.
"Let him go, Hinata." He said calmly and looked in the direction of the Hokage tower. "He has an important conversation to have."
The sun was starting to set over Konohagakure, and it bathed the Hokage's office in orange light. The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, reading over some of the recent communications with Takigakure. So far, the preparations for the inevitable conflict with Iwa were going well. Taki had agreed to a renewal of their treaty with Konoha. Konoha had agreed to redirect 10% of its missions to Taki and decrease tariffs on Taki exports to Konoha. In exchange, Taki had increased the prices of their goods to other nations and committed to a mutual defense pact with Konoha.
Overall, Hiruzen was content with the treaty. Konoha would suffer financial losses in the short term, but they had strengthened their relationship with Taki. Both nations committed to running joint missions in the future to solidify the pact and enhance cooperation between the shinobi. Hiruzen also noticed that Taki had a Jinchuuriki roughly around the same age as Naruto. Unlike Konoha, Taki publicized the fact it had a Jinchuuriki and who it was. They were proud that they were the only minor village to have one and used it to gather international attention.
The pounding of little feet and the distant shouting of his secretary broke Hiruzen from his thoughts. His door was flung open, and Naruto barged into his room. Hiruzen smiled, happy for the reprieve from his duties, but it quickly fell when he saw the state Naruto was in. Naruto was trembling, noticeably pale, and had wide, scared eyes.
"Am I a Jinchuuriki?" Naruto blurted.
Hiruzen's mouth fell open, stunned by the question. He panicked, unsure of what to say, so he decided to stall. "How do you know that word?"
"I-I was studying for the history t-test tomorrow," Naruto stammered, "And I read about your battle with Ryuozu, Suna's Jinchuuriki. That made me remember that the guys who tried to take me called me a Jinchuuriki. I know what it is. I just want to know, am I one? Tell me, Jiji." He demanded.
Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh. He had planned on telling Naruto after his graduation about his status, so he was not prepared for this conversation. He deliberated for whether or not to tell Naruto the truth but ultimately decided he would. 'He has to learn eventually, and it is better he heard it from me. If I lie to him now, it could permanently damage our relationship. Regardless of the Hokage and Jinchuuriki relationship, I see Naruto as my own child. I've already lost one son to death and another to resentment. I cannot lose Naruto, too.'
"Come sit with me, Naruto, and I will answer any questions you have." Hiruzen stood up and gently guided Naruto to the couch in front of his desk. The two sat on the couch, and Naruto looked expectantly at the Hokage.
"Before I answer your question, it is essential that I tell you the story about the night of the Kyuubi attack. Promise me you won't interrupt me," Hiruzen stated, earning a hesitant nod from Naruto. Hiruzen sighed once more before steeling himself and beginning. "As you know, 10 years ago, the Kyuubi suddenly attacked the Village. It caused catastrophic losses, both in infrastructure and lives lost. No matter what we threw at it, we could not defeat the Kyuubi. We tried all we could, but you cannot kill a Bijuu. Eventually, the Yondaime Hokage arrived on the scene and teleported the Kyuubi away. Knowing that he could not kill the Kyuubi, he decided he would have to seal the Bijuu.
"The Yondaime knew that the only thing that could hold the Kyuubi was a child. If he sealed it in an adult, the immense and immediate strain on the chakra network would kill them. With a child, however, their chakra coils are still growing and adapting, so they would be able to handle the influx of foreign chakra." Hiruzen hesitated but continued. "You were the child the Kyuubi was sealed into, Naruto. I am so sorry I never told you before. I had planned on telling you after you graduated from the Academy. I wanted you to have as normal a childhood as possible and not be worried about this burden."
Even though Naruto had been expecting it, to hear it confirmed by the Hokage was overwhelming. He didn't know what to say, so he just looked down, tears in the corner of his eyes. It all made sense now. All the glares. All the snide remarks. All the hateful words. All the parents who took their children away from him. It all made sense. He didn't know what to feel. He felt so angry and sad and confused and scared. His mind was racing, but there was one thing he needed to know.
"Am I the Kyuubi?" He asked without looking up.
"No," Hiruzen said definitively. He had been expecting this question. "You are no more the Kyuubi than a sealing scroll is the kunai that it holds. Think of the seals you use to summon Gamaken and Gamahiro. Even though the seal summons them, the paper is not them. The same applies to you. Just because you contain the Bijuu does not mean that you are it. You are its container, its jailor. You are what protects all of us from the Kyuubi. YOU are Naruto Uzumaki. A kind friend, a strong ninja in training, a loving pet owner, and my precious grandson."
Naruto slowly nodded, wrapping his head around it. He knew enough about seals that he could understand his Jiji's explanation. Several seconds of silence passed between the two, Hiruzen patiently waiting for Naruto to speak.
"So that's why, huh?" Naruto whispered, tightly clenching his fists, tears starting drip down his face. "That's why people don't like me? That's why people avoid me? That's why I'm not allowed in some shops? Because people blame me for something I didn't do? Because they're too stupid to know that I'm not what I contain?!" Naruto yelled, his voice increasing in volume as he spoke. At this point, tears were openly streaming down Naruto's face, years of emotional abuse finally pouring over.
Hiruzen leaned over and wrapped Naruto in a hug, allowing his grandson to stain his robes with his tears. He was not surprised that Naruto was acting this way. He was 10 years old and found that he contained the most powerful entity in the world and finally knew why he was ostracized.
"There is no excuse for their behavior," Hiruzen said, soothingly rubbing Naruto's back. "These people are foolish and scared. They are afraid of what they don't understand. When they see you, they don't see the boy I know and love. They see that terrible night 10 years ago. They let their misunderstandings and anger blind them to the truth. But attitudes can change. One day, Naruto, these people will see you for the amazing person you are. I promise you. They will see you as the person I know and that your friends know."
Hiruzen paused, knowing his next words would be crucial for Naruto's future. "I know it may be hard to want to continue as a ninja and protect those who treated you this way. I completely understand. But, a ninja is one who overcomes. A ninja is one who endures. A ninja is one who perseveres in the face of insurmountable odds. You will overcome the odds, Naruto, and show these people who you really are. And you will do this by fighting to protect your friends and those precious to you. I know this group of people may seem small now, but it will grow. As long as you fight for those you care about, you will never lose."
Naruto nodded, rubbing the tears out of his eyes and looking up at the Hokage. His mind and heart hurt right now, and he didn't know what to feel. What he did know, though, was that he loved his Jiji and his friends and would do anything to protect them. If that meant dealing with ignorant people, then he would do it. 'I won't let you down, Jiji,' he thought, not trusting his voice at the moment.
"Any other questions, Naruto-kun?" Hiruzen asked.
Naruto thought about it for a moment, looking down at his still clenched fists. Slowly, he relaxed his hands and nodded. "Can we go get ramen?" Naruto quietly asked. He hadn't eaten dinner, after all, and he was getting hungry. Besides, he didn't want to be alone right now.
Hiruzen chuckled and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Of course, Naruto-kun. Let's go." He said, slowly standing up. He took Naruto's hands, and they walked out of his office, happy to leave the somber atmosphere behind.
It was officially winter in Konoha. A light dusting of snow coated the ground, the trees were bare, and Naruto could see his breath in the chilly air. It had been three months since he found out he was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi.
Ever since that night, he had thrown himself into his training like never before. He had been so furious and confused and hurt by the villagers' actions that he needed a release for all his pent up emotions, and training gave him just that. Initially, he had been frustrated with his Jiji, too, for keeping him in the dark about it. Naruto felt like he had the right to know why, for years, people had avoided him and looked down on him. He'd angrily asked the Hokage the day after their conversation, but he didn't have a good answer. He claimed he did it to protect Naruto and to give him as normal a childhood as possible. The Hokage said that he had planned to tell Naruto as soon as he graduated from the Academy, when the Hokage felt that Naruto would better understand his burden. He'd also told him about the law he passed after Naruto's birth that prevented adults from speaking of Naruto's status or telling their children about it. Naruto had responded by saying that the pain of not knowing why everyone hated him was worse than the pain of knowing what he was.
However, Naruto couldn't stay mad at his Jiji. Naruto could tell that he had Naruto's best interests in heart and had done what he honestly thought was best for him. The Hokage was one of the few people who always looked out for Naruto and cared for him. Naruto saw him as a father figure, and he was the most important person in Naruto's life. Naruto wholly believed the Hokage would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.
Naruto had also thought about telling his friends about his status, but he decided not to. He barely understood it, and he knew much more about sealing than his friends. At least, that was the reason he told himself. The truth was that Naruto was afraid. He was afraid that they would turn on him and treat him like the rest of the villagers. Naruto knew that one day he would have to, but he would put that off for as long as possible. Instead, Naruto decided that he would spend as much time with his friends as he could, trying to forget what he carried. That was how he found himself in his current situation.
Naruto and Sasuke stood ten yards away from each other in Training Ground 4, each holding a half ram seal. Both boys were clad in long-sleeve shirts due to the cold. Naruto was in the jacket he'd gotten for his birthday, and Sasuke wore a long, black shirt with the Uchiha clan symbol emblazoned on the front and back. They also had on long, navy blue pants and black boots, opting not to wear their typical shinobi sandals.
Naruto and Sasuke stared each other down, both waiting for the other person to move. After a minute, Naruto was getting antsy and decided to take the offensive. Naruto gave Sasuke a brief grin and rushed forward, using his speed to rapidly close the distance. When he was a couple feet from Sasuke, Naruto leaped into the air and unleashed a punch aimed at Sasuke's head. Sasuke blocked the blow with a cross-guard, which he quickly used to push away the still airborne Naruto. Naruto flipped backward and sprang forward as soon as his feet touched the ground.
Naruto lashed out with a quick kick at Sasuke's side, but Sasuke blocked it with his elbow. He countered with a punch at Naruto's head, forcing the blonde to jerk his head to the side to evade the strike. Naruto decided to take a page out of his old fighting style and headbutted Sasuke, stunning the Uchiha and sending him stumbling back. Even though Naruto was learning the Whirlwind Style and had improved a lot in taijutsu, he still kept a bit of his unpredictable, brawler style he'd taught himself when he was younger. To Naruto, it wasn't dirty if it worked. Seeing that Sasuke looked dazed, Naruto threw four quick punches at Sasuke's ribs. The first two connected, but Sasuke deflected the next two after recovering from the headbutt.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes in determination and went on the offensive. Sasuke ducked under the next punch and dropped to a knee, looking to sweep Naruto's legs. Naruto jumped over the leg sweep, but this was exactly what Sasuke wanted. Sasuke transitioned from the kick to a rising elbow aimed at Naruto's stomach. Naruto gasped as the elbow connected, knocking him backward. Naruto rolled to his feet after landing on the ground, but Sasuke was already directly in front of him. Sasuke lashed out with several quick punches. Naruto's faster reflexes and superior speed allowed him to block most of Sasuke's strikes, but Sasuke's better taijutsu skill let him slip a couple of punches past Naruto.
Deciding that he needed to get some space and gather himself, Naruto deflected one last kick and leaped backward. While he was in the air, Naruto flashed through several hand seals and inhaled deeply. "Wind Style: Wind Bullet Jutsu!" (1) Naruto unleashed a large ball of compressed air directly at Sasuke. Sasuke dove to the side to avoid the Jutsu, which exploded on impact with the ground.
As Sasuke rolled to his feet, he saw the explosion had created a large cloud of dust and a small crater where it hit. Hesitant to go into the dust, Sasuke waited for Naruto to act. Suddenly, a dozen small wind bullets about the size of his fist came flying at him. Sasuke tried to dodge them all, but they covered a wide area. One hit Sasuke on the shoulder, knocking him off balance and allowing two more to hit him in the chest. Sasuke rolled back to try and cushion the blow, but he couldn't hide his wince. It felt like he had just gotten punched in the chest hard by Naruto. He was sure he was going to have some nasty bruises there tomorrow.
'Alright, you want to throw around Jutsu, we can throw around Jutsu,' Sasuke thought as he flipped through several hand seals of his own. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu." (2) A massive ball of fire roared across the ground, instantly melting the snow. Now, it was Naruto's turn to leap out of harm's way, as he jumped out of the dust to avoid the fireball. Sasuke sprung up to meet Naruto and delivered a spinning kick to Naruto's chest. Naruto blocked it at the last second, but he was still sent plummeting to the ground.
Naruto bounced painfully off the ground but quickly recovered and got to his feet. Naruto saw Sasuke land on the ground and throw a handful of shuriken at him. Naruto ducked to evade the projectiles but instantly regretted his decision as soon as he saw Sasuke smirk and pull his hand back. The wires attached to the shuriken gleamed in the afternoon sun as the shuriken abruptly changed course and headed towards Naruto's back. Naruto dove to the side, but he was a second to slow. Two shuriken sliced into his left arm and leg, causing blood to stain his clothes. Naruto grimaced, but, fortunately, the cuts were pretty shallow, and he knew they would heal soon. 'Pretty much the only good thing about being a Jinchuuriki,' Naruto thought bitterly.
As he rolled to his feet, favoring his wounded leg, Naruto saw Sasuke running towards him. Knowing that he needed some time to recover, Naruto went through several hand seals and took a deep breath. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" (3) A tremendous gale blew through the clearing, sending Sasuke flying backward. Sasuke skipped across the ground, finally stopping when his back collided with a tree.
Sasuke groaned, knowing he'd just severely bruised his ribs and shakily tried to get to his feet. However, he froze when he felt sharp, cold steel pressed against his neck.
"Yield?" Naruto asked with a smirk on his face. Sasuke frowned but eventually nodded, knowing he was beaten. Naruto relaxed and smiled, flipping the kunai back into his pouch.
As Naruto backed away, Sasuke looked down, and his mind started wandering to dark places. 'How can I ever hope to kill Itachi if I can't even win a simple spar against an Academy Student! Itachi was already a Chunin by my age. The gap between us is growing bigger and bigger every day,' he thought. His mind flashed back to that terrible day, and his brother's words echoed in his head. 'Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, then hate me, detest me, curse me, and survive in an unsightly way.' 'Maybe he's right,' Sasuke thought. 'Maybe I need to hate him. Maybe that's what will drive me to become stronger. Maybe hate...' Sasuke's thoughts were interrupted by a tanned hand invading his line of sight.
"Want a hand?" Naruto asked cheerfully, smiling down at his friend.
Seeing the grinning blonde jerked Sasuke out of his morbid thoughts, and he relaxed a bit. However, he still couldn't get rid of his frown and the negative, angry feelings that had overtaken him.
Naruto saw this and knew what his friend is thinking. Deciding to snap him out of it, Naruto lightly kicked him in his injured ribs and flipped his kunai back out of its pouch. "Oi. Stop thinking like that, or I WILL stab you," Naruto said with an overly cheery smile on his face, tilting the kunai so it glinted in the sun.
Sasuke scoffed and suppressed a smile. "Hn. You wish," he said before taking Naruto's hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet. The two walked to the other side of the clearing, where they left their belongings and sat down next to each other.
"Good spar, Sasuke," Naruto stated. "That shuriken trick was pretty nasty. When'd you learn to do that."
Sasuke nodded as he took a sip of his water. "A couple of weeks ago. I was saving it for the next time we sparred. I was too slow, though. I knew you'd dodge the shuriken, so I wanted to be on you right as you got up," he said, slightly frustrated with himself. Sasuke grimaced and clutched his bruised ribs. He turned to Naruto and asked, "What was that new Jutsu you used? The one you used when I couldn't see you because of the dust?"
Naruto smiled, happy to brag about his new Jutsu. "That was my surprise for this spar. It's called Wind Style: Bullet Barrage Jutsu. (4) It's like a mini version of the Wind Style: Wind Bullet Jutsu. Instead of one big Wind Bullet, I fire off about a dozen smaller ones. They're not as powerful, but they're a little faster and harder to dodge. They still pack a punch, though," Naruto said, smirking as he lightly elbowed Sasuke in the ribs, causing him to swat his hand away.
"Screw you," Sasuke muttered, tenderly rubbing his ribs. Naruto laughed in response and stood up, offering his hand to Sasuke. This time, Sasuke immediately took Naruto's hand, and the two friends walked out of the clearing.
As they walked out of the clearing, Sasuke decided to broach a conversation he'd been avoiding for the past several weeks. "So," he hesitantly began, "What's up with you? Is something wrong?" He asked uncomfortably, not used to being the emotionally supportive one. He'd noticed that Naruto seemed somewhat... off recently. Something was bothering him, but Sasuke didn't know what.
Originally he'd planned to ignore it and wait for Naruto to bring it up to him since whatever was Naruto's problem wasn't affecting him. However, after a while, guilt started to eat away at Sasuke. He remembered all the times Naruto had gone out on a limb for him and supported him when he was going through dark moments. Even though he didn't WANT to talk to Naruto about it, he knew it was the right thing to do as a friend.
He saw Naruto tense and falter in his steps, but he quickly resumed walking. After a moment, Naruto sighed and looked at Sasuke, "I don't want to talk about it. I promise I'll tell you later, just... not right now," Naruto honestly replied, looking at the ground.
Sasuke stared at Naruto for a moment, deliberating whether to push the topic, but decided to let it go. If that was what Naruto wanted, he'd acquiesce. "Okay," Sasuke said slowly. "I'll hold you to that, though."
Naruto nodded and gave a small grin to his friend, and the two resumed heading home in a comfortable silence.
(5 Months Later)
The sun was shining down on Konohagakure, bathing everything in a golden light. Today marked one of the first truly warm days after winter, signaling the beginning of another beautiful Konoha summer. Naruto and Ino were enjoyed the sunny day by doing one of their favorite joint activities: picking flowers. Today, they were in one of the more secluded, forested regions on the outskirts of Konoha. They were still inside the Village walls, but they were far enough away from the bustling city to fully enjoy nature. They chose this spot because it had an array of brightly colored tulips. It was perfect for Ino to make a bouquet for her mother's birthday tomorrow.
Naruto was enjoying the day off from training. He was starting to get worn down, both physically and mentally. He'd been pushing himself so hard to improve and get his mind off the revelation of why he was hated by the Village that he'd barely taken anytime for rest. It was refreshing to be outside, enjoying the sunshine, and hanging out with one of his best friends.
Ever since their first meeting all those years ago, Naruto and Ino had developed a strong bond. Naruto thought that she was one of his more energetic and vivacious friends. Whenever he was with her, he couldn't help but smile and laugh. Her loud personality paired well with his more boisterous and rebellious side. Also, it was nice that she loved nature just like him. Together, they'd go on walks and explore the more secluded areas of Konoha, trying to find the hidden natural gems in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Naruto's mind wandered, lost in his thoughts, so he didn't see Ino glancing over at him, also reflecting on their relationship. Ino saw Naruto as her best friend. Not one of her best friends, but her best friend. He was different from the rest of her friends, and he made her feel more at ease. With Sakura and the rest of the girls in her class, she felt like she had to act a specific way to be popular. She had to keep her hair long to fit in (Although, admittedly, she did like the look). She had to be relatively skinny and wear nice clothes. She also had to pretend like she liked Sasuke, even though she felt tense whenever she was around him.
When she was with Naruto, she felt comfortable. She could relax and be herself and not worry about what others thought. He made her laugh and smile, both things she had to force when she was around some of her "friends" at school. He had this energy about him that just radiated warmth and joy. 'He also has really good hair,' she added, looking at the golden locks that shone in the sun.
"Oi! Ino! Come look at this flower!" Naruto called from across the clearing. Ino put down the flower she was looking at and walked across the clearing to where Naruto stood bent over a flower.
"What is it?" She asked, bending down to get a better look at the flower. It was a lone light blue Asagao (Morning Glory), nestled underneath the shade of a tree near the outside of the clearing. It's smaller size made it harder to spot, especially hidden amongst all the brightly colored tulips.
"I think it's an Asagao," Naruto said. Naruto reached down and carefully picked the flower from the dirt. "It's almost the same color as your eyes," Naruto added. "I thought you'd want it."
Naruto moved Ino's hair to the side and gently tucked the flower behind her ear, causing Ino to turn a bright shade of red. "I-It's great. Th-Thank you," Ino stammered, internally cursing herself for sounding like Hinata. 'Come on, Ino. Get it together.' Ino gathered herself and smiled at Naruto, her cheeks still colored pink. "It's beautiful."
Naruto beamed in response, happy his friend liked his gift. 'I wonder why her face is red?' He thought, but quickly discarded the thought when he noticed it was starting to get late. "Do you have enough flowers for your mom?" Naruto asked. Ino nodded, not entirely trusting her words, and walked back to the other side of the clearing to retrieve the flowers she'd left. After they'd both gathered their belongings, the two started walking home.
Naruto and Ino were enjoying their walk home, chatting about what they'd been doing outside of school, when the mood drastically changed.
They were walking through Konoha's market district when they saw three newly graduated genin walking towards them. The leader, clad in a short-sleeve dark blue shirt and black shorts, strode forward and roughly pushed past Naruto on his way to Ino.
"Hey there, pretty," he said smugly, sporting a cocky smirk, "What're you up to?"
Ino internally rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going. "I'm walking home with my friend," she said, gesturing to Naruto. "The one you rudely shoved."
The elder boy scoffed and dismissively waved towards Naruto. "That shrimp? Why are you even hanging out with an Academy runt like that? You should be hanging out with me," he said, gesturing towards his new headband.
Naruto stood off to the side, frowning but otherwise not too bothered. The guy seemed like a jerk, and he was used to getting teased about his height. It still annoyed him, but he didn't take it personally anymore. However, what the genin said next cut him deep.
"You should stay away from a loser like that," the boy continued. "He's trash. Our parents say he's worthless and a good for nothing orphan, and we should avoid him at all costs. A nice thing like you shouldn't be anywhere near him. We're doing you a favor, babe," he sneered, both at Naruto and Ino. The older boy relished the look of pain that crossed Naruto's face.
Naruto recoiled as if he'd been hit and took a step back. He hadn't expected the boy to cross that line, and the words cut him deep. It was one thing to hear people talk about him like that when he was alone, but it was worse when they spoke like that in front of his friends.
To make matters worse, Ino smiled sweetly at the boy and twirled her hair with her finger. "Oh really?" She said, walking towards the boy. Naruto felt like a knife just stabbed his heart, and he couldn't help the scowl that formed on his face. Fighting back the tears, Naruto thought about walking away.
However, before he could, Ino leaned forward, inching closer to the boy, making him smile. Ino's smile grew even larger, making her eyes close, and she said in an overly cheery voice, "Let me do you a favor." Ino's knee blurred through the air and buried itself in the boy's groin. He keeled over, eyes bulging out of his head and gasping for air, and fell to his knees. Ino lashed out with a snap kick, catching the bully on the side of the head, knocking him out and breaking his nose.
"Don't mess with my friends," she said, fixing the blue flower in her hair. She looked at Naruto and winked at him before turning to the remaining two genin. "Anybody else want a favor?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. The other two boys paled, hastily grabbed their friend, and ran away. Ino nodded, satisfied with how that turned out. Ino turned back to Naruto and saw him gaping at her, his eyes darting back and forth between her and the retreating genin. She smiled at him, enjoying the dumbfounded look on his face. "Ready to go?" She asked, giggling at the silent nod from Naruto.
As the two resumed walking home, Naruto was lost in thought. He couldn't believe what Ino had just done. 'No one's ever stuck up for me like that before. I know she defended me to Sakura, but this is different. She fought someone for me, and she seemed genuinely angry,' he thought happily. Unfortunately, his thoughts quickly turned dark. The bully's words echoed throughout his brain. 'Trash... Worthless... Good for nothing.' Naruto clenched his fists in anger. 'How can I overcome all this hatred when people have already made up their minds,' he thought, feeling hopeless.
He was interrupted by a nudge on his elbow. Naruto looked up and saw Ino looking kindly at him. "Hey," she began softly. "Don't worry about those dumbasses. They don't know the real you. They don't know the real Naruto-kun that I know," she said, smiling at her friend.
Hearing Ino's supportive words and seeing her smiling face eased the sadness in his heart. He smiled back at her gratefully. "Thanks." Ino grinned back at him and moved her hand towards his head. "Besides, I bet they're just jealous of your blonde hair," she said as she ruffled his hair. Naruto blushed and swatted her hand away, grumbling about people always touching his hair. He tried to glare at her but couldn't hide the smile that broke out on his face. Ino grinned at him and flung her arm over his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go make this bouquet for my mom," she said, leading Naruto towards her family's shop.
(4 Months Later)
It was a cool day in Konoha. The sun was hidden behind an overcast sky, and a light breeze was blowing through Training Ground 4. Naruto was sitting underneath a tree, watching Sasuke train with Kakashi on the other side of the training ground. Today was one of the days where Sasuke joined his training with Kakashi. They had started to become more frequent as they both neared the end of their time at the Academy, which was rapidly approaching.
Both of them had just entered their final year, and it was their second year learning under Iruka-Sensei. Naruto liked him, more or less. He was definitely better than the other teachers Naruto had in the Academy. While Iruka was strict and definitely did not enjoy Naruto's pranks, he was fair and treated Naruto the same as everyone else. That was all Naruto wanted. He'd even asked Naruto if he wanted some help studying for the past test, which was something no teacher had ever done for him.
While Sasuke was practicing his Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu (5), Naruto was practicing his earth manipulation. Unlike wind, which only had one step to complete the first level of elemental training, earth had two. The first of the two stages was to take a clump of dirt in one's hand and mold it into different shapes using only the user's chakra. This helps the user learn about the malleability of earth. The second stage is to take a solid rock and turn it into different shapes. This teaches the user how to control the more powerful and dense elements of earth.
It had taken Naruto a little bit to learn how to master these two stages. He had taken to wind manipulation very quickly, and he definitely felt more comfortable using wind Jutsu. After a couple of months, he had gotten both stages down. However, he was by no means a master of earth Jutsu. He knew a couple of Jutsu, but he was still improving them to make them battle-ready.
Kakashi had given him a valuable lesson that it doesn't matter how powerful the Jutsu is if you can't perform it quick enough to stop your opponent from killing you. Currently, Naruto was improving the speed of his more defensive earth Jutsu and the strength of his offensive ones. It was a slow process, especially for an excitable kid like Naruto, who wanted to learn as many Jutsu as possible. However, Kakashi had stressed that quality was much more important than quantity with Jutsu.
That was part of why Naruto was practicing the first stage of earth manipulation with a clump of dirt in his hand. The other was because Naruto enjoyed doing it. It was relaxing, and it allowed him to think while still getting some training in. Right now, Naruto was thinking about what his final year in the Academy would be like.
On the one hand, Naruto was definitely excited to graduate and get out and show the world his skills. Graduating was the first step on his journey to becoming Hokage. Also, Naruto definitely felt strong enough. He didn't like to brag too much, but he knew he was stronger than all his classmates, with maybe the exception of Sasuke. They were pretty evenly matched. Sasuke had the edge in taijutsu prowess and weapons, but Naruto was faster and had a more diverse selection of Jutsu. When they sparred, Naruto won about 60% of the time, but they were always fierce fights.
On the other hand, Naruto was not looking forward to spending less time with his friends. He would miss not being able to see all of his friends in one place on a daily basis. He knew they would be split up on different teams and be busy with missions.
*SNORE*
A loud snore disturbed Naruto's thoughts, and he looked over and saw a dozing Haruki. Naruto smiled down at her and scratched her head, earning a sleepy tail wag. She had long grown accustomed to the sounds of shinobi training, having come with Naruto many times to Training Ground 4. 'I'll miss you too, girl,' he thought, knowing that he would be away from the Village weeks at a time.
Another negative aspect of the Academy was that Naruto struggled with something that was rapidly becoming the bane of his existence. "Stupid Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Jutsu)," Naruto grumbled. No matter how much he practiced, he could not get the amount of chakra right to perform it. He spent countless hours working on his chakra control, but, no matter how little chakra he used, the clones always came out defective. The ability to perform the Clone Jutsu was a requirement to graduate, and Naruto was stressing out about his failure.
"What's the matter, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, walking towards him. Kakashi had been training Naruto for long enough to know when something was bothering him. Although the scowl on the blonde's face was an easy giveaway.
Naruto let the dirt in his hand fall away after he finished making the Konoha symbol and stood up. "Nothing... It's just I can't get this stupid Clone Jutsu down! It's driving me crazy! I've been practicing it for months, but I still can't perform it the right way," he said, flinging his arms up in the air in exasperation.
"Hmmmmmm," Kakashi hummed, putting his hand on his chin. He then crinkled his eye towards Naruto, flashing his signature eye smile. "Well, I was going to save this for your birthday in a couple of weeks, but I guess I can give it to you a little early," Kakashi said. "This Jutsu is a B-rank Jutsu and was developed the Second Hokage. It is typically only used by experienced Jonin due to its heavy chakra toll."
Naruto was bouncing up and down, excited to learn this awesome new Jutsu. He didn't know how it would help him with his clone problem, but he could figure that out later. Any Jutsu that was that powerful was something that he had to learn. "I want it!" Naruto exclaimed, stars in his eyes, imagining what this new Jutsu could be.
Kakashi chuckled and put his hands in a cross seal in front of his chest. He channeled his chakra and, loud enough so Naruto could hear, said, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" There was a large puff of smoke that slowly dissipated, revealing an exact copy of Kakashi.
Naruto stared at the clone, waiting for something to happen, then looked at Kakashi with a deadpan expression. "This is the exact same thing as the clone Jutsu. It even has the same cloud of smoke!" Naruto complained, thinking this was another of Kakashi's jokes.
The clone Kakashi reached over and smacked Naruto in the back of the head, shocking him. Kakashi chuckled, enjoying the surprised expression on the blonde's face. "You see, these are physical clones," Kakashi explained. "They split the user's chakra evenly amongst however many clones the user summons. That is why it is so chakra intensive. Only those with large enough chakra reserves can use this Jutsu and not suffer from chakra exhaustion.
"Another benefit of these clones is that they can transfer their memories to the user, making it an excellent Jutsu for surveillance and spying. It can be used for training, but only for exercises that involve chakra. The clones will transfer their memories on how to channel or mold the chakra to the user, but they will not transfer any physical exercise—all that nitty-gritty stuff you have to do yourself," he said with an eye smile.
"I'm teaching you this Jutsu now because you have more than enough chakra to effectively and safely use this Jutsu. Your chakra reserves are probably larger than my own right now. Most likely due to your status," Kakashi added quietly, making sure Sasuke couldn't hear.
Naruto nodded in understanding. He had accepted the fact that he was a Jinchuuriki a while ago. He knew he couldn't change it and decided there was no use being upset about it. He still got angry when people mistreated him, but he was at peace with the fact he was a Jinchuuriki.
"Alright," Kakashi said, clapping his hands together. "Why don't you give it a try?" Kakashi explained how to mold the chakra for the Jutsu and what to think about while performing it. It took Naruto a couple of tries to get it down, but, after a little bit, Naruto summoned four clones. Naruto let out a loud cheer and started high fiving his clones, happy that he had finally overcome that obstacle.
Kakashi interrupted the celebration when he chimed in, "One more thing," he said before kicking one of the Naruto clones in the chest, making it explode in a cloud of smoke. "They can only take about one solid hit before they dispel." Naruto nodded in understanding, filing that tidbit of information away for later. Right now, Naruto was in a celebratory mood. He couldn't wait to show Iruka-Sensei. For the first time ever, he was excited to show one of his teachers his accomplishments.
(6 Months Later)
"Sorry, we're about to take our lunch break."
"All out, kid."
"Not for you, brat."
"Getting a new shipment tomorrow. Get lost. I'm trying to go home early."
Naruto sighed as he walked down the street, aimlessly kicking a rock. He kept replaying the various responses he'd heard the past hour or so from store owners whose shops he'd tried to enter. "I just want to buy some stupid shuriken and kunai," he grumbled under his breath, giving the rock a strong kick, sending it skipping down the street. The shuriken and kunai he currently had were getting dull and rusty and were starting to affect his aim. He knew he could ask his Jiji or Kakashi to get him some, but the stubborn part of him that wanted to be independent refused to ask. He also knew that he could use a henge to enter the stores and not have any troubles with the owner, but he detested the idea of pretending to be someone else just to fit in. He was Naruto Uzumaki, damn it, and he wasn't going to ever be ashamed of that fact.
He kept walking through Konoha's shinobi market district, looking for another shop to try. Konoha's shinobi market district was separate from the regular Konoha market district and was much smaller. This area exclusively contained shops relating to shinobi needs, such as weapons, shinobi tailors, rations for missions, and medical supplies. The Second Hokage had designed the Village to make the commercial market district as bustling as possible and not intimidate any civilians who were shopping.
Naruto finally stopped in front of a modestly sized store that proudly displayed their vast weaponry selection in the front window. The sign above the front door read, "THE STEEL KINGDOM!" Naruto shrugged, thinking it was a bit of a corny name, but decided to try his luck again. Naruto slowly pushed open the door to the store, prompting the bell above the entrance to chime. Naruto hesitantly walked in, expecting another feeble excuse for why he couldn't shop there today. Naruto walked around a shelf and saw a young girl sitting behind the counter. She looked up, her eyes slightly widened, and she aggressively pointed at him. "I know you!" She yelled.
Naruto groaned, knowing where this was going, and started to head for the door.
"You're a year behind me in the Academy! Naruto, right?"
Naruto jerked to a stop, caught off guard by the question, and slowly nodded his head. "Ummmm... Yup. That's me," he said, unsure of what to say next.
Seeing she had made the potential customer uncomfortable, the girl blushed and looked down. "Oh, uh, sorry about that. I don't see too many people my age in the store, and I guess I got a little excited," she apologized. "My name's Tenten." Internally, Tenten was berating herself. She had a habit of getting over-excited easily, especially in regards to weapons. Her work at her family's shop didn't leave her much time for socializing outside of the Academy, so her social skills weren't the best. Also, her new genin team was an... eccentric bunch who had plenty of social issues of their own.
"Ah, it's okay," Naruto said, waving off her apology. Over excitement was much better than rejection.
Tenten relaxed, happy Naruto hadn't been turned off by her reaction. After a moment, she shifted into business mode and hopped over the counter. "So, what can I help you with?"
Naruto smiled, happy that he was finally getting service. "I need to buy a couple new sets of shuriken and kunai. My stuff is getting dull and chipped."
Tenten nodded and started leading him to the corresponding section of the store. "No problem. We've got a couple of varieties. Would you like the chakra conductive kind or the basic ones?"
"The basic ones," Naruto answered. He wished he could get the chakra conductive kind, but he couldn't afford them. He'd been saving up his bi-monthly stipend for a while for this purchase. He had a strict budget, and he couldn't overspend. 'Once I become a genin and start making some money through missions, then I can buy the good kind,' he thought hopefully.
"Sounds good," Tenten said, grabbed two sets of a dozen of both shuriken and kunai for Naruto, and handed them to him. "Anything else?"
"Yup," Naruto replied. "I'm looking to get an adjustable weight vest and adjustable leg weights for strength and speed training. Do you have that?" Tenten nodded and started walking towards the counter. She hopped over the counter, something Naruto noticed she had a habit of doing. 'She does know there's an entrance right there, right?' he thought but let it go. Everyone had their quirks.
"We do sell that, but I'll need to take your measurements first. We make our stuff tailor-made for each shinobi for maximum effectiveness," Tenten said, reciting the words her father had drilled into her head.
"Sounds good to me," Naruto said. He placed the shuriken and kunai on the counter, and Tenten started adding up the cost. While she was doing so, glanced up at Naruto, "So, you any good with these?" She asked, gesturing towards the weapons.
Naruto shrugged, "I think so." He didn't like to brag too much in front of strangers. He had a hard enough time making people like him without coming across as an arrogant jerk.
Tenten smirked back at him and puffed out her chest. "Well, I was the best out of my class at the Academy, and I like to think I'm pretty darn good myself," she boasted.
Naruto grinned, happy this girl was passionate about her shinobi skills. "Well, that's good. A friend of mine says that a kunai to the skull is the best way to defeat someone. Quick, silent, and deadly. The perfect ninja tool," Naruto said, deciding to refer to Kakashi as a friend instead of his sensei to not have to answer more questions.
Tenten enthusiastically nodded her head, "I totally agree! Everyone gets caught up in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu that they overlook the simple art of weaponry." Tenten finished adding up the cost, hopped the counter (again), and walked over to Naruto to get his measurements. While she was measuring him, she looked up and asked, "Would you like to train together sometime? Both my teammates and sensei only really care about taijutsu, so I don't have too many people to practice weaponry with."
Naruto smiled at her. "Sure!" He exclaimed, always happy to make a new friend and find a new training partner. "What time works for you?"
Tenten finished measuring Naruto's inseam and stood up. "I'm free pretty much every night after I finish up working here at my family's shop. It's how I got so into weapons in the first place," she added. "Would you be free to train tonight, around 7?"
"Definitely!" Naruto replied. He usually never had plans at night anyway. Typically, he was either training by himself or relaxing at home with Haruki and Tabi.
Tenten flashed Naruto a big grin after she finished jotting down Naruto's measurements. "Great!" Where would you like to meet?" She asked as she showed Naruto the price for the weapons and weighted equipment.
"Training Ground 4 is usually open. Want to meet there?" He answered as he handed over the money, silently lamenting how empty his toad wallet would be.
Tenten gave Naruto an enthusiastic thumbs up after she put the money in the cash register. "Awesome," she yelled, excited about having a new training partner who shared her interests.
Naruto smiled. He couldn't help it; her enthusiasm was contagious. "See you then!" He called as he headed towards the door, sending one last wave over his shoulder. As he walked home to deposit his new purchases, he sent one last look at Tenten's shop and decided that it would be his new go-to store from now on.
(1) Wind Style: Wind Bullet Jutsu- C Rank, Offensive- Similar to the Great Fireball Jutsu, the user concentrates chakra in their throat and expels in outwards. In this case, the chakra is fired as a compressed ball of air. When the Jutsu connects, the wind bullet explodes outward, releasing the pressurized air. The more skilled the user is in the Jutsu and the more chakra used, the greater the Wind Bullet's speed and concussive power. [Essentially, just the Great Fireball Jutsu with wind and concussive power as opposed to burning]
(2) Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu- C Rank, Offensive-The user kneads chakra in their body and turns it into fire, which they then expel from their mouth; the more chakra they use, the more flames that are produced. Sometimes the flames lack a distinct shape, being only a stream, but more often than not they take the form of a giant orb that maintains its shape until hitting a target. Upon impact, the fireball is powerful enough to crater the ground and vaporize the surroundings. Against living targets, the fireball can cause extensive burns. C-Rank [From the Wiki]
(3) Wind Style: Great Breakthrough- C Rank, Offensive-The user breathes wind from their mouth, blowing away whatever is in front of them. The technique itself is quite simple, but its power varies significantly depending on the user's skill and how strong they make the winds. [From the Wiki]
(4) Wind Style: Bullet Barrage Jutsu- C Rank, Offensive- A derivative of the Wind Bullet Jutsu, the user expels several small wind bullets from their mouth. The bullets sacrifice power for speed, so they are significantly less powerful than the Wind Bullet Jutsu. However, they still have considerable concussive power and can break bones if used by an adept user. The more skilled the user is with the Jutsu, the faster and more powerful it will be.
(5) Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu- C Rank, Offensive-The user spits a volley of small fireballs into the air; at a glance, it can appear as though there was only one fireball that then burst into many. The many small flames move wildly through the area, potentially mesmerizing targets as they're surrounded. The user controls each individual flame with their chakra, allowing them to guide each at the target and, consequently, making this technique difficult to evade [From the Wiki]
AN: And that's the end! This marks the last chapter of the early Naruto development section. Next chapter he will graduate from the Academy, and we will get started on the story. Again, sorry about the delay with this chapter. Next chapter should be up in 3 weeks. See you then! Please leave a review of what you thought, and I hope you have a great day!
