It was a beautiful day in Konoha. The sun was bright, and the breeze was cool and refreshing. For Naruto, it was just a sign the day would be great. How could it not be? The shinobi world was at peace. Recovery from the war was finally finishing up, Kakashi was finally settling into his role of Rokudaime, and his own best friend, one stubborn Sasuke Uchiha, was home.
Well, figuratively. Naruto hadn't seen Sasuke since his departure from Konoha several months ago. But now, Naruto knew Sasuke would always consider this village home, and do his best to protect it. For Naruto, it was a weight lifted off his shoulders. For the past few months, even with the horrors he had witnessed in the war, the future looked incredibly bright. He just had to get through the incessant amount of lessons he was subjected to by Iruka-sensei. Hokage was within his grasp.
Naruto sat up, gazing up and out onto the horizon of the village that had raised him. Pein's damage was still visible further out, but the village, even this early in the morning, was busy and bustling with people. Naruto loved the sound of it, it energized him. He hopped out of bed quickly changing into his shinobi clothing. He slipped on the black pants and white shirt he had grown accustomed to and gazed into the mirror, tying his hitai-ate around his forehead.
He still missed his orange and black tracksuit, but he couldn't deny that he felt a bit older in these clothes, a bit smarter, if not before he opened his mouth. That was what Sakura had said, when he had told her that.
He stared down at his bandaged arm. At this point it worked and felt like a normal arm, but it still somehow felt weaker than the original. Sometimes a slight pain would shoot up if he pushed it too hard. It was the only part of his body that retained any injury from the war at this point, but honestly, Naruto didn't mind it. It sort of reminded him of his accomplishments, his promises.
A knock sounded at Naruto's apartment door.
"Hey Naruto! It's Sakura! I'm on my way to the hospital to do some rounds, I was thinking I could walk you to the academy! Plus I want you to try my new energy balls!"
Naruto shivered. Oh god, please not the energy balls.
"Coming, Sakura-chan!" he called back.
He quickly grabbed the rest of his stuff, put on his shoes, and raced to the door. Sakura was waiting there, her ever growing pink hair pulled up into a ponytail. She held a basket of suspicious looking balls in her arms.
They both started walking. Naruto tried not to make eye contact with Sakura's poisonous looking snacks.
Naruto spoke first, his hands resting behind his head.
"So you're doing rounds at the hospital now, huh? Tsunade baa-chan must be working you to the bone."
Sakura closed her eyes and laughed,
"Oh she is! Guess she's trying to prepare me for when she officially retires."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Oh that's right! I forgot she was leaving again now that Kaka-sensei is Hokage! So..uh..are you going to run the hospital now then?"
Sakura laughed again,
"No Naruto, I'm still not ready for that kind of pressure. I'm pretty sure Shizune is going to stick around for a bit until I'm 100% ready to take over."
Naruto nodded. "I see, I could totally see you doing it though Sakura!"
"Thanks, Naruto." she held out her basket to him.
"Now, try these. I added more caffeine powder and some extra nutrients, so theoretically, you should be getting around 28% more energy than the last batch."
Ugh, the last batch brought up bad memories for Naruto, and probably Sai too actually. She held up the basket as they continued their walk.
Naruto laughed nervously as she nudged him with the basket. Luckily, as they walked down closer to the academy, a child and their mother approached the pair.
"Um excuse me, Uzumaki-san," the mother said timidly,
"Me and my son just wanted to say thank you for your efforts in the war against Pein and in the Fourth Shinobi War."
The mother gazed directly into Naruto's eyes.
"It is because of you that my family is alive." They both bowed slightly, then promptly walked away.
Sakura gave Naruto a soft glance. Naruto turned back to her nervously.
"Well, that was kinda weird." Sakura shook her head.
"No Naruto, you deserve that kind of praise, give yourself some credit. I'm sure that won't be the last time someone thanks you for all you've done."
Sakura was right, and yet, in some part of Naruto's heart, it just felt like some big ironic joke. The heartfelt praise from the cold-hearted villagers of Konoha. Naruto had long since dealt with any residual anger at the waterfall, but somehow it just always struck a strange chord within him. What would their faces say if he told him he couldn't have done it without the beast sealed inside him. The one that had decimated the village only seventeen years ago. He loved Konoha, but he didn't always understand it.
Naruto nodded, his face still reflecting how unused he was to the gratitude.
"Of course," he agreed. "It still feels weird though…"
Sakura was about to tell Naruto to just embrace it, when she remembered something.
"Oh yeah, Naruto I almost forgot! Kakashi-sensei told me to tell you to come visit him in the Hokage's office after your lessons."
Naruto smiled, giving Sakura his signature grin.
"Anything for the Hokage!" he said.
Sakura laughed.
…
Not long after that, Naruto and Sakura approached the gates of the academy. Naruto almost thought he had made it to the academy without the dreaded energy balls when Sakura handed him a simple bento box.
"Oh Sakura, you're so kind! You didn't have to make a lunch for me!" said Naruto.
"Oh I didn't! These are just more energy balls! In case you're hungry."
Naruto felt himself turn a slight shade of green.
"Oh..thanks," he managed to say.
Sakura started continuing her way to the hospital.
"No problem! Let me know what you think!" she replied. Sakura waved, and then turned the corner.
Naruto made his way into the Academy. He walked around through the back entrance to avoid being bombarded by young students and made his way to the classroom he and Iruka-sensei spent the majority of their lesson time in. As he walked in, he noticed books from their previous lesson still littered the adjacent desks to the set up they had at the front of the classroom. Notes and diagrams were still scribbled on the chalkboard from the last time Iruka had attempted to explain complex concepts to him. Some things just didn't stick.
Naruto found the Second Shinobi War incredibly boring. It was a lot of treaties, and a lot of angry, power hungry feudal lords playing games. It irritated him, they clearly hadn't fought a chakra consuming god. It would've humbled them.
Naruto took a seat at one of the desks, burying the bento box deep into a pile of text-heavy books. It wasn't long before Iruka-sensei and Konahamaru joined him in the classroom. Konohamaru was holding even more books in his hands.
Iruka beamed at Naruto.
"Good morning Naruto! Today you're in for a treat! We're learning the history of fuuinjutsu!"
Naruto placed his head in his hands, his cheeks resting in his palms. He looked up at Iruka, his face deadpan.
"Greattt."
Iruka and Konohamaru simultaneously nervously laughed.
"Come on Naruto," said Iruka. "Fuuinjutsu is a great art, and has many applications and purposes. Your father, the Yondaime Hokage, was very skilled in the area."
"I still can't believe your father was the fourth!" added Konohamaru. "That is so epic!"
The mentioning of the fourth piqued Naruto's interest even more.
"You're right Iruka-sensei, I'm listening."
The morning, for once, went by quite quickly. Konohamaru and Naruto alike listened to Iruka's detailed descriptions on the art of fuuinjutsu. The history was cool, but what really got Naruto were the techniques. From the complicated and dangerous ones like the reaper death seal his own father had used, to the seals Jiraiya had used before, it all interconnected in a way Naruto could wrap his head around a bit more than usual. Perhaps it was because it applied to him more than the history of farming and agriculture in the Fire Nation.
Somehow, morning faded into afternoon, and afternoon faded into evening. Even Iruka-sensei was yawning, and Konohamaru was sound asleep on a bed of old textbooks. Iruka flipped the book in his hand closed and set it on a nearby desk.
"All right, that concludes today's lessons."
Naruto raised his head from the desk he had been resting on and nodded like he hadn't already zoned out an hour ago. Konohamaru didn't even stir. Iruka sighed and spoke a bit louder.
"All right guys, it's getting late. How about we go for some Ichiraku ramen, my treat."
Suddenly both boys were on their feet.
"Yes please!" they both said in unison.
Iruka couldn't help but grin. They all made their way to the gates, laughing and talking about what they were going to get before Naruto stopped in his tracks.
"Crap! I totally forgot Sakura told me to go see Kakashi-sensei after my lessons!"
Naruto looked back towards the Hokage's office and sighed.
"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up when I'm done!"
Naruto was off in a mad dash before Iruka could even reply.
...
Panting, Naruto made it to the doors of the Hokage's office, hoping to make it before Kakashi retired for the night.
Naruto opened the door, only to find his sensei leaning back in his office chair, nose deep in some Icha Icha Paradise nonsense.
Naruto made his presence known.
"Kaka-sensei, Sakura mentioned you wanted to see me?"
Kakashi looked up, his eyes had a slight darkness around them. He looked tired. Less tired than 5 months ago. But tired nonetheless. Kakashi's new job wasn't easy, but Kakashi did it well. As well as could be expected anyway.
"Oh yes Naruto," he said, slowly bringing his face away from his book.
"I have a mission for you if you're up for it. It's a solo mission, actually. Very hush hush"
Naruto nodded eagerly, his eyes bright with interest. Kakashi knew that Naruto had been dying to get back at it since his recovery. Civilian life didn't suit him well enough, not with Sasuke doing who knows what out there.
"Of course Kaka-sensei! I've been waiting to get more missions under my belt, ya know!"
Naruto gave Kakashi a thumbs up and grinned excitedly.
"I need you to take some top secret scrolls to the Sand Village. They're supposed to belong to the Kazekage actually. Konoha acquired them in one of the wars, but has yet to return them, and I'm sure Gaara would be glad to have them back after all these years."
"I see," said Naruto. "A mission to deliver important scrolls, a solo mission, you've got it Kaka-sensei!"
Kakashi smiled with his eyes. He had complete trust that Naruto could get this done. He had helped defeat Kaguya after all. Plus, any additional relatively straightforward missions Kakashi could assign Naruto would certainly help his goal in becoming the next Hokage. A goal that even Naruto didn't even realize was so within his grasp. There wasn't a single person in the whole Fire Nation who didn't know the name Naruto Uzumaki, hero of the Fourth Shinobi War.
"Great," replied Kakashi. "You can leave first thing in the morning. The mission should only take a week or so. I'm sure Gaara will be happy to see you."
Kakashi reached into his bottom desk drawer and pulled out a black messenger bag. He slid the heavy bag across the desk. Naruto grabbed it and threw the bag over his shoulder and across his body.
"Sounds good! See you then Kaka-sensei! Keep running the village until I steal your spot!"
And with that, Naruto hurried out of the office. Kakashi sighed. His students were getting so big he was starting to feel old. It had only been a week and a half ago he had received a message from Sasuke about more attempts from rogue shinobi to hunt the tailed beasts.
Several people had already died in an attempt to summon the beasts using vast amounts of chakra and dangerous jutsus. Not to mention the small pockets of people trying to summon another Otsutsuki. That little detail from Sasuke had really enraged Kakashi. Who on earth was stupid enough to try and bring about their own world's demise. It simply made no sense when the war was still fresh in everyone's minds.
Kakashi sighed, sending Naruto on a mission was probably a good thing. With Sasuke returning soon to elaborate, it was probably best if Naruto was off doing something useful. As a jinchuuriki himself, and a friend and ally to all the tailed beasts, Naruto likely wouldn't take the information lightly. And would probably want to do something to help. Naruto deserved a break from being involved in international affairs.
They all deserved a break. Sakura too, with all the work necessary at the hospital, and Tsunade's upcoming departure, himself for sure. Even if it was selfish, he didn't recall ever wishing to be hokage. All this paperwork was taking away from his reading. He only hoped Sasuke arrived soon so he could clean up this whole mess before it even had a chance to develop into something serious.
….
The next day was less bright than the day before. The first snowfall had arrived, and the air was chilly. The whole village was covered in a thick layer of snow, blanketing the village in a soft silence.
Nonetheless, as he stood at the gates of the village, Naruto was almost thrilled. This mission was totally going to beef up his Hokage credentials. He had caught Shikamaru on his way back from the Hokage's office and described his new mission. Shikamaru had told him that had to qualify for at least a B-rank.
Naruto shivered in the winter air. He wished Kurama tried harder to keep him warm. He was glad he had grabbed a cloak this morning. He had placed the rest of his stuff in the messenger bag that contained the scrolls. That bag was now secured underneath the cloak.
Naruto hadn't bothered to look at the scrolls, they had all this weird writing on them and Naruto was sure Gaara or any of the higher up shinobi would understand them.
"So you know where you're going right Naruto?"
Naruto turned to Shikamaru and Choji, the two people that had had enough time to see him off.
"Yeah of course! I've traveled through the Land of Rivers before." Naruto replied.
He held up his map. "And just in case I forget, I brought a map."
"Right, well, be careful. Don't get into any more trouble than necessary, especially since you won't have any of us to back you up."
Choji nodded in agreement with Shikamaru.
"Hey, don't forget about me kid. I certainly wouldn't let you get lost in the middle of nowhere."
Internal Naruto turned and gave Naruto a thumbs up. "Right!"
"And make sure you have enough food, since you'll need your energy." Choji added.
Naruto laughed nervously. "Right, of course." Naruto then glanced ahead. He should get going. He wanted to get to Sunagakure as soon as possible so Gaara could maybe take some time out of his busy schedule to see him. Last time he had heard from Gaara they were still dealing with all the war memorials. It was hardly lighthearted. This time, maybe they could do something fun, as friends.
"Well," said Naruto, "I should really get going."
Shikamaru and Choji started to wave.
"Be safe!" They both said.
"See ya!" he replied excitedly.
And with that, Naruto set off into the snow.