The Uchiha moving in was something I didn't account for. I knew with them here, the focus of the entire village would fall on us.
Fortunately for me, they were actually only here for about 2 months. You see, the reason they moved here in the 1st place was because their compound was an active crime scene.
Naturally the ANBU needed time to " investigate ". The bodies also needed to be cleared up. 1 Of the Uchiha adults that survived was fortunately very shrewd. The very night of the massacre as shinobi converged on the compound she insisted to Shikaku Nara who arrived on the scene shortly, to count and identify all the bodies. With so many ninja around it went fairly quickly. She insisted on them all being sealed in scrolls and kept under guard.
You see, even before the massacre, Uchiha ninja were being picked off on missions. Specifically targeted. The perpetrators were never identified but 3 guesses as to who was responsible.
Anyway. With all bodies accounted for and guarded, there was no chance for eye theft. In the following days after autopsies were performed all the bodies were cremated, following the consensus of the remaining adults. A memorial was held where many of the top ninja attended. Naruto and I were there as well.
After the full accounting of that night came forward there was a noticeable shift in the way the Uchiha treated me and by extension my brother.
They realised that without my quick thinking the adults who survived and the kids who were in the compound at the time would have died. That's not to speak of the kids who were part of my tournament.
They were so grateful in fact that when they left to return to the compound, they gave me a boatload of money. I accepted. I'm not a fool. The stipend we received from the Hokage was a pittance. I used most of the money to buy our building. Figured it would come in handy.
I was worried though about their safety. While they were still here I spoke to Aiko. She was their acting clan head till Sasuke became Jounin. I told her, that with only the few of them, they were pretty vulnerable on the outskirts of the village.
It took a while but she eventually saw my point. She had the wall around the compound taken down. She also decided to rent out the empty shops and homes. Because of village sympathy, the places were snapped up fast.
As I mentioned, she is shrewd. Shinobi were given reduced rates. Therefore within a month of being put on the market, dozens of ninja moved in. Frustrating Danzo's plans no doubt.
The next 2 years breezed by. I taught Naruto the 1st step of wind manipulation. Without clones it took him a few months. I also taught him 1 C rank jutsu. The wind style great breakthrough.
What does he do though. Immediately starts bragging at the Academy. It frustrates me. His immaturity. I decided against teaching him a clone jutsu. When we take the Genin exams I know he'll fail. Harsh, I know. But he needs the lesson in humility.
The day of the exam dawns and it goes as I expected. When I get called Suzumi sensei says " okay Hikaru, first show us your substitution technique, followed by transforming into the Hokage and then finally your clone jutsu ". I nod. Performing the signs I switch with the plant in the corner. Success. Next is transformation. I reasoned she didn't specify to turn into the 3rd so I make the signs and poof. When the smoke clears a tall man, wearing red battle armour and shoulder length brown hair is gazing at everyone.
After a few moments I release it. The class and sensei look impressed. Finally I create a water clone and the class claps. Sensei gives me my headband. I look back and Naruto is scowling at me. Naturally after I go he tries. And fails. The class is looking at the 2 of us and murmuring.
When we get outside he confronts me. " What the hell!? You know a clone jutsu! Why didn't you teach me!? " I sigh. " Because of your attitude. Everything I teach you, you show off. You need to realise that ninja operate in secret. Until you can understand that, I won't teach you anymore." With that said I leave.
I know I'll be hearing it later, but right now I just need to relax. I head on over to my favourite spot in the village. The head of the 2nd Hokage. People in this village today think the 4th Hokage was the strongest. I know better. In terms of raw power, against the 1st Hokage's might he was nothing. In terms of jutsu creation, he pales before the genius of the 2nd Hokage.
You probably guessed where I'm going with this. I admired the 2nd more than the others. I honestly believe despite his suspicions regarding the Uchiha, the Police were created not just as an outlet for the clan, but also a test.
Which they failed. But it was rigged against them by the actions of the Hokage's advisors. My lip curls just thinking about them. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. No outstanding abilities. Elite Jounin in their prime, but haven't seen the battlefield since the 1st Great Ninja War. It galls me to think that greater shinobi than them have died to protect this village while they sat safe behind the walls. Don't even let me get started on Danzo and his delusions.
There's so much that's wrong in this village. My brother and I lived in relative poverty. Where's the money from our parents missions at the least? The stipend we receive is barely adequate. It burns. Where's Kakashi? Genma, Raido and Iwashi? Jiraiya? Naruto might have been too stupid to pick up subtext in the anime but here, in real life, I know everything.
Don't get me wrong. I don't hate any of them. But just sweeping it under the rug isn't going to happen. Kakashi especially is on my shit list. My brother and I are literal human sacrifices. How dare these people act as if their pain is greater than ours.
In my opinion the creation of Jinchuuriki is an abomination. The 1st Hokage's naivety is the cause of all of this. Don't even get me started on the Fourth. Naruto in the anime forgives Minato. He himself became a shitty father. It's no wonder. What the fourth did is a terrible crime in my opinion. Sealing a tailed beast into an innocent baby. One whose consent obviously can't even be obtained. He might have been a great Hokage but he was a terrible father.
The whole, they'll need the fox's power to take that guy on is bull. All he needed was to pass on the information on how the masked man's space-time ninjutsu works. Something he could have easily done by telling Geratora when he summoned him. My bitterness is probably obvious. I don't care.
I'd resolved myself to do better. The issue of the tailed beasts is something I'd long given thought to. As long as they exist, they'll serve as temptation to power hungry men. My mind moves many times, to the fight team 7 had with Kaguya, and those alternate dimensions. Sealing them far out of the reach of humans is the conclusion I've reached. The mechanics of the how, however elude me. It took astronomical levels of power to dimension hop, moreover, by getting a massive chakra boost, Obito could use Kamui to breach dimension walls. I need to create a barrier as well to stop space-time ninjutsu.
All of this however required god-like chakra levels. Fortunately I know where to begin looking. That night after Naruto goes to sleep, after yet another argument, I close my eyes and meditate. My mindscape is a sewer as well, but for whatever reason is much clearer than my brother's. Finally after walking down a passage, I see a massive room with gigantic bars on the end. Shadow falls heavily behind it.
Then red slitted eyes open. " So, my warden finally decides to grace me with her presence. " His voice is filled with malice. I don't flinch. I walk slightly closer. " Hello Kurama. " For a moment, there's silence. Then suffocating killing intent fills the air. I can't stop my body's trembling. I don't falter though. " Where did you hear that name worm!? SPEAK! "
" Does it make you feel powerful trying to intimidate a little girl? Your hatred of humans is justified. But I have NEVER done you wrong so don't you dare act as if I am willingly imprisoning you! I was a BABY when you were sealed into me! "
My chest is heaving. There's silence. Then he speaks again...there's still anger in the voice but the malice is dialled down. " How do you know my name brat? "
I look at his eyes and say " to be honest I'm not sure if you'll believe me but I know you can sense negative emotions so I bet you'll know if I was lying to you. The fact of the matter is, this isn't my 1st life. It's my second. In my 1st life, chakra and tailed beasts and shinobi did not exist. It was all fiction. In fact this entire world was a story. I can see the disbelief on your face so I'll tell you things about yourself and your past no human should know."
" I know you and the other tailed beasts whose names are Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Kokuo, Saiken, Chomei, Gyuki and you Kurama. You were created by the Sage of Six Paths, Hagaromo Otsutsuki. The 9 of you were once 1 being. The 10 tails. Hagaromo and his brother Hamura fought their mother Kaguya who had fused with the 10 tails. On his deathbed the Sage told you guys that 1 day you'd be reunited again. So, do you believe me now ? "
He looked shocked. Stunned. " How could you possibly know all that!? I need time to think. Leave me. " I nodded my head once and left. I opened my eyes in my bedroom and smiled. Then I went to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day after all. I wanted to be ready for anything my Jounin sensei threw at me.
I left the apartment early. Wasn't in the mood for yet another argument. I was 1 of the first to arrive. Over the next hour the other's slowly trickled in. Sensei took longer but eventually he arrived and cleared his throat. " I'll now read the teams out. I just wanted to tell you all how proud I am of you passing. " He read out the teams and their sensei and slowly the class emptied.
I was starting to get worried. I realised belatedly that with Naruto failing the class numbers were uneven. 1 of my classmates left to join an existing team which left me all alone. The others picked this up and started murmuring. " Hikaru you are to report to the Hokage's office immediately." I nodded my head and left.
Despite my outward calm, my head was spinning. As far as I knew there were only 2 options available now. Either they'd rotate me, or they'd apprentice me to a Jounin. The list of them strong enough to look after me with my distinctive Uzumaki looks outside the village were slim. In fact I could only think of 3 people.
I arrived at the tower and was ushered into the Hokage's office. I bowed my head but held my tongue. " Young Hikaru you've left me with a bit of a dilemma. With your brother not passing alongside you, your class was left a shinobi short. This leaves me with only a few options. Fortunately you are extremely talented. The most talented shinobi to graduate since Itachi in fact. I've decided to apprentice you to a Jounin. I've heard you've been working on a personal taijutsu style. It's fortunate then that your new sensei happens to be this village's premier taijutsu expert. His name is Might Guy. He's waiting for you at training ground 9. Good luck. "
I bow once again and leave. Inside I'm squirming. I did not expect this. I'm ecstatic! This is just what I need. Thanks to the ever growing amount of clones I create a day to work on my style, I've estimated that the combined times of my clones all equate to about a decade of practice. All I need is high level combat experience to level things out. Over the years my resistance seal levels have climbed. Initially it was only adjusted twice a year. I do it 4 times now. I'm currently on level 8. I've estimated my speed without the seals to be equal to canon Lee in the Chuunin Exams without his weights. I'm 3 years younger than he was. Naturally I'm very pleased with this.
In no time at all I'm at the training ground. My new sensei is busy with push-ups. Internally I'm rolling my eyes when I hear him say 1000. He spots me and leaps up. He smiles and his teeth gleam in the sun. He walks forward and vigorously shakes my hand then steps back.
"Ah youthful Hikaru Uzumaki. I am the Leaf's Sublime Green Beast Might Guy! I'm your new sensei. When I heard you were developing your own taijutsu I knew I had to take you on as a student. Together we shall show the world the power of your YOUTH! "
I cringed internally. " Yes Guy sensei. I wasn't satisfied with the Leaf Basic we were taught in the Academy. 1 day as I was sent to fetch something from the storeroom I came across chakra paper. I knew what it was from a picture I'd seen in a book so I took 1 and channeled my chakra into it. It was predominantly fire with a small edge wet. We had been speaking of the Raikages in class that day and I immediately thought of their nintaijutsu. I wanted to create something like that but with my element. I can use shadow clones so that helped immensely in creating my new style."
He had been getting steadily more excited as I continued speaking. Suddenly he burst into tears. Despite knowing what a weirdo he is I was still caught off guard. He practically screamed " THE FIRES OF YOUR YOUTH BURN AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN! YOU WILL BECOME A SPLENDID SHINOBI! NOW COME LET US ENGAGE IN A CONTEST OF YOUTH! "
I sighed. This was gonna be a long day. It was. We spent the entire morning having spar after spar. I've never felt such bone deep exhaustion. When we finally finished Guy sensei took out a storage scroll and brought out lunch for us. Needless to say I was famished. When we finished he told me to go home. I was to meet him at 5 in the morning the next day. With 1 last blinding smile and thumbs up, he left.
POV shift
Guy walked to the Hokage Tower deep in thought. " That girl is nothing less than a genius. The usage of shadow clones is brilliant. With her prisoner she has massive chakra reserves. Within just 2 years she'll be stronger than most of the Jounin in this village. I must cultivate that. I can tell based on her abilities she won't be my student for long. I'll probably enter her in the Chuunin Exams happening in 6 months in the Hidden Grass Village. I have no doubt she'll pass. Still. Her nintaijutsu is incredible. I have a feeling it's capable of even more. "
He arrived at the Hokage's office and the 3 Advisors were there. He internally grimaced. He was a professional though. He bowed his head. " Lord Hokage. Honoured Advisors. ". The Hokage nodded. " I was in a meeting so I couldn't watch. Tell me about her. "
He gathered his thoughts. " She is incredibly talented. Prodigious infact. Her Academy teachers got it wrong. She never used the full form of it there, so they erroneously thought it was taijutsu. It's not. It's nintaijutsu. Utilising fire chakra. It's vaguely reminiscent of my Morning Peacock technique. I now understand also how she was able to create a style in so short a time. Shadow clones. She had trouble forming a regular clone because of her chakra capacity."
" Unlike her brother though she asked for help. The teacher taught her the shadow clone. I have no doubt it was done maliciously. Nevertheless it's been a huge boon to her. She figured out the purpose of the technique. With her massive reserves it's only natural she can make many clones. The style is extremely versatile and very dangerous to the opponent as well. Something tells me though it's not quite completed. "
There's silence as the 4 of them digest this. Danzo speaks then " It is good to hear despite by all rights their wasted potential, 1 of the jinchuuriki is developing at an acceptable rate. "
Guy frowns but the Hokage speaks next. "Enough Danzo. I'm not interested in rehashing old arguments. Guy, help Hikaru develop into a splendid shinobi to make this village proud. Dismissed."
He bows and leaves the room. He vows as he leaves the building he'll make sure the flames of her youth continue to burn brightly.