I do not own 'Naruto'

Trust issue

Danzo watched as the boy made his way toward his destination.

Everything was going better then he could have hoped. Not only was the village Jinchuriki taking his job seriously, he agreed to let Danzo 'help'.

He'll make a great weapon for the village. Danzo thought If I don't break him.

Only time will tell.

Now he only had to deal with one final obstacle, or at least a former one.

He made his way into the Hokage's office.

"What are you up to Danzo?" Hiruzen asked.

He knew his old friend/rival was planning something. He could tell it in the one sign the man gave, his smile. In all the time that Hiruzen has known Danzo, he had only smiled when his victory was assured.

"I wish to talk to you about Naruto Uzumaki." Danzo stated.

"What about him?" The Third asked defensively.

"I wish to aid in his development." Danzo stated "He'll be a great asset to the village."

"You mean a weapon!" Hiruzen snapped "I will not allow you to turn him into one of your mindless Root drones."

"I will not make him mindless, just better." Danzo stated "Besides, you don't have a choice."

"What do you mean I don't have a choice?" Hiruzen asked coldly "As Hokage I-"

"It's because you're the Hokage that you can't." Danzo cut in.

"...Explain."

"He has stealth skills better then our ANBU level Jounin and power." Danzo began "That boy hold the strongest demon in him."

"...He's had a hard enough life because of the demon Danzo, let him-"

"He's not a civilian Hiruzen, he's a Ninja." Danzo stated "He has a duty, especially now that he's become a Shinobi. If he had become a civilian, this would be a different matter. It's because of that he must be prepared." Danzo insisted "Do you want him to experience the hardship of being a Shinobi while unprepared, just as he was last night?"

With a sigh the Third answered. "...No."

"Failure to allow me to train him will only be both your downfall." Danzo stated confusing the Hokage "You will just be crippling his development as well as the village's defense."

Hiruzen admitted that Danzo was speaking the truth. Now that Naruto was a Shinobi he needed to be ready, especially since he was so valuable.

"Fine." Hiruzen said in defeat "Do what must be done."

"As always."

Naruto had returned to his apartment feeling better then he had in ages. He had spent the day training in Jutsu, he hoped to begin his mother's Kenjutsu soon.

To relax after such an eventful day he decided to prepare one of his special, limited addition ramen cups.

As he waited he began looking around the place he called home, it was horrible. Not that it was his fault, he held it together well over the years. The place was just falling apart because of the managers negligence.

Well I'll be moving into my true home soon enough. He thought happily.

He had taken a look around the compound the seal had brought him to. It was a very nice place, large and full of life even though it was empty.

His train of though was stopped by a danger instinct he had gained over the years.

Looking toward the door he saw a shadow from the other side. With a loud breaking noise the door was kicked in sending splinters around. There stood an imposing figure dressed in black with a blank mask.

"Is it my birthday already?" Naruto asked the figure "No, well it been awhile since anyone's had the guts to attack me, especially in my own home."

Naruto picked up his hot cup of ramen in sadness. Forgive me ramen. With great aim he through the cup as hard as he could to the intruder. The cup didn't spill a drop until it crashed into the wall after the intruder evaded it.

While the intruder was distracted he picked up his kunai pouch. When he drew on he looked to the figure, it was gone.

His instinct had told him to look to the side and so he did while aiming his kunai. Before he could launch it, the figure grabbed his arm in an iron like grip.

The figure grabbed Naruto by his jacket and retched the kunai from his hand. With a powerful tug Naruto was tossed into his wall. The blow had raddled him for a second.

The intruder took a quick glance at the kunai before tossing it away.

Strange. Naruto thought before ignoring it. No room for Jutsu, have to get close.

With no weapon, Naruto took a defensive position while the intruder did the same.

Naruto threw a punch that was easily blocked, so was his second. The third had been dodged while Naruto raised his leg to knee the intruder. It had been swatted away and Naruto took a punch to the face.

That single punch had been harder than any Naruto had in years. It through him off balance and made his next punch sloppy.

Naruto had no time to think or even to properly retaliate. The figure kept punching Naruto to keep him off balance. Any blows Naruto could get in were too sloppy and weak.

A blow to Naruto's gut brought him to his knees. Naruto was able to wipe a stream of blood from his nose, that second was all he needed to recover. He took a deep breath before tackling the intruder into the opposite wall.

He through a punch that was blocked and held. Not letting go of Naruto's fist he grabbed a handful of the blonds hair and slammed him to the ground.

The intruder then grabbed Naruto by the jacked and tossed him across his apartment. Before he crashed he saw the ramen stain on the wall. I wish I had eaten that. Was his only thought.

He landed on his kitchen counter.

Wait, kitchen...He thought frantically Knives!

Ignoring the pain in his body, he picked up the closest knife he could find. He tossed it towards the figure who merely sidestepped it.

Grabbing a second he got close to the figure.

With wild hacking and stabbing motions he attacked the intruder, all were missed. His arm was then pulled back in the iron like grip at a painful angle, then slammed into the table forcing him to release the knife.

With one last act of defiance Naruto spit onto his assailant's mask.

The figure held the beaten Naruto off the ground by his neck. Without so much as a grunt he tossed Naruto through a wall.

All went black.

The Hokage looked wearily at his old rival.

"What have you got planned for Naruto?" Hiruzen asked.

"Nothing more then necessary?" Danzo vaguely answered.

"Danzo." Hiruzen warned.

"...I decided that to help the boy, I needed to bring him to his limits." These words caused the leader to pale "Both the physical one and mental."

"What are you planning Danzo?" Hiruzen asked.

"Planning, nothing at all." Danzo honestly answered calming the Hokage. "It's already in motion."

Naruto was slapped awake from his bliss of unconsciousness. Around him were several people dressed just like the one who attacked him. He could tell the one who attacked him apart by the blood stain on his mask from the spit. When he looked around him all he could see were walls that he wasn't familiar with. He himself was actually tied down in a chair.

"Usually when I awake from a beating, I'm in a hospital." Naruto stated.

He was rewarded with a blow to the mouth.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

"Answers." One answered.

"What kind?" Naruto asked.

"We want village secrets, Jutsus, whereabouts of important people." The assailants stated "All of them."

"I don't even know any of those things." Naruto growled "So you might as well let me go."

"No." One of the figure stated.

"We actually know about you." The blood one spoke "We know you stole the Forbidden Scroll, where is it's location?"

After the incident with the scroll Naruto had been warned of it's power. He knew if the enemy ever got their hands on the scroll, it would mean disaster.

"You won't get bupkis from me!" Naruto shouted.

The one who assaulted him in his home stepped forward menacingly.

"Well, we know you know now." The masked person said. "And we'll get bupkis."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE DANZO!?" Hiruzen shouted.

"Only what was necessary." Danzo calmly stated.

"You had no right!"

"I had every right!" Danzo stated, yelling for the first time. "I'm doing what you never did!"

"And what would that be?"

"SEEING WHERE HIS LOYALTIES LIE!"

"...What do you mean Danzo, he' a loyal Shinobi of Konaha."

"Why?" Danzo asked. "Why would-why should this boy be loyal to this village?"

Hiruzen actually hesitated before answering the blond. "I-It's his home." He firmly stated.

"What kind of home does he have here?" Danzo asked.

The Third Hokage had no answer.

"Where's the Forbidden scroll?" The kidnapper asked.

Silence.

They began forming hand signs. Naruto never had the chance to hear what the Jutsu was because of the affect.

Water began forming around him, actually his head.

At first Naruto did the expected thing and held his breath.

That would last only so long. Ninja or not, he will need to breath.

Eventually his lungs began to ache for air. The pain only continued to grow into a flaming sensation for his lungs. It actually felt as if his lungs were going to pop.

When Naruto couldn't handle it he released the breath he had.

The Jutsu stopped.

Naruto didn't have enough focus, only take in a large gasps of air.

Before he could settle his breathing properly the Jutsu was reactivated. This time Naruto didn't have a chance to take a deep breath.

This allowed the water to actually force it's way into his mouth. The foreign substance was foul in his mouth as it made it's way into his lungs. There the water seemed to build in pressure in the blond. It took Naruto a second for him to realize that the water was building pressure and tearing him apart on the inside.

Just before he reached his brink the, Jutsu stopped. This allowed Naruto to vomit the Jutsu out with a little blood from his torn insides.

They allowed him to gather his breath before speaking. "Tell us what we want to know."

Naruto only looked on with his silent glare.

The one who attacked him in his home drew a short but thick whip, on it were miniature barbs. He held it in an intimidating manor.

"Did you know that the skin becomes more sensitive after it becomes wet?"

Without waiting for an answer, he struck Naruto on the cheek.

The blow tore deep in to his flesh. It actually felt as if Naruto had been cut by the weapon.

The blows came in rapid succession, tearing at the blond's body. His face, chest and everywhere else, the whip struck. After each blow Naruto would feel a burning sensation completely different from in his lungs. Each time they drew a pained wail from Naruto, each one louder and louder.

It didn't just tear his flesh, it had force behind it was well. Each of the blows left a ringing noise inside of Naruto's ears. It was loud with a piercing sensation to it.

What did Sensei say to do during interrogation. Naruto desperately searched his memories. Focus on the cause!

"Tell us what we want and we'll stop."

It took Naruto a moment to make words.

"P-please sir." Naruto spoke weakly "Can I have another?"

And another he got.

Again.

Focus...Sensei.

And again.

Focus...Sensei.

And again.

Sensei.

But Naruto no longer cried out, he just looked on with empty red eyes.

When they had finally stopped beating Naruto he was a mess.

Patches of his skin was actually missing from his face. The wounds had blood pouring without a hint of stopping. His face was so swollen he couldn't open one of his eyes.

He looked at them, eyes now blue.

"We'll start with something easy." Another spoke, a woman "Where are the clan compounds, surely you know that."

They were met with silence but no glare. Naruto was actually trying to avoid eye contact.

"So you do, good." She stated. "Tell us, do you know what a Jinchuriki is?" The question earned a shocked gasp from Naruto. "Good, do you know who it is?

They were met with more silence.

"As we said, we know a bit about you." One stated, a woman "How you're treated differently, why is that?"

"Is it like Orochimaru and Mitarashi?"

"You do have skill, we'll admit that, and the red eyes was that a bloodline?" She continued only to be met with silence "How would you like to leave Konaha?"

This got a reaction from Naruto, it was small but she noticed.

The masked woman moved closer to him and got on her knees. She then leaned in between his legs and placed her hands on Naruto's lap earning a blush from the blond.

"Listen Naruto-Kun." She stated using affection "We don't need to keep causing you pain."

"Does that mean you'll let me go?" He asked trying to keep the hope out of his voice. His answer was a simple shake of the head.

"We can show you pleasure as well as pain Naruto-Kun." She stated in a smooth tone.

Her hand began making light motions around his thighs. This gave Naruto a sensation he wasn't familiar with, he was familiar with pain, not this.

It started as a tingling feeling that began to build inside him. It was all around the spot of the woman's hands, they felt amazing. The felt smooth as they massages him, bringing him pleasure he never knew. The sensation only continued to build as if were about to burst from him.

Just as he felt as if he were about to erupt, she stopped. The feeling of not having release actually felt like he was in pain.

"Think about it Naruto-Kun we can show you unyielding pleasure." She drew two kunai and rammed into Naruto's thighs. "Or unending pain."

Focus!

Naruto looked around, the kidnappers had left for a moment. They had even forgot to place a guard for him, probably thinking he was a weak and Genin. That made everything easier for Naruto.

He tried to move and saw that he was bound tight, just not tight enough. The blond had become an escape artist years ago after all of the attacks on him. It's how he learned to hide and escape.

In moments he had undone the binds on his wrist.

He then grabbed the kunai embedded in his legs and yanked them out.

Those wounds, like the rest, would heal. He had never questioned why he healed so fast, now he knew. However, he didn't have time to let his body properly heal, he needed to escape.

Using his stealth, he made his way out of the door. There was no guards on the outside either.

He took a look around and saw that he was in a shack in the middle of the woods. From what he could tell, it was the middle or early in the morning.

Time to get moving. He thought.

For Naruto, each step he took was agonizing pain. His body pulsed in painful protest of his actions, the open wounds were worse.

"Stop." A voice spoke firmly.

He didn't get far.

Naruto turned and saw that it was the woman who practically molested him.

"You don't have to do this Naruto-Kun." She spoke smoothly "Come with us away from this village, a fresh start." Naruto simply stayed silent as he tried to make an escape plan "Why do you resist us?"

The question actually made Naruto think, why did he resist them. He had nothing to gain from Konaha, or even lose anything if he left. Everyone treated him as a pariah, for something he couldn't control!

"I...uh, I..." Naruto struggled for the words, for understanding.

Why shouldn't I help them? Naruto thought. What has Konaha done for me besides torment me?

The answer came from someone he thought would never answer him again. His headband, formally Iruka's, had fallen off. In all of the chaos the headband had stayed tightly on Naruto's head. Now it easily slid off as if sensing his wavering loyalty.

You'd be ashamed of me if I gave in, wouldn't you? He asked as he picked it back up.

Scanning the area, Naruto saw the others hidden in the trees, he was surrounded.

Naruto stood as straightly as his pained body would allow him to. Never taking his eyes off the masked woman, he tied his headband tightly around his forehead.

If I'm going to die, I'll die like me. He thought grimly.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto did one of the few things he was good at.

Yelling.

"I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI NAMIKAZE!" He shouted "I'LL NEVER GIVE UP!"

"...So be it."

The woman made a signal to her colleges. Each Shinobi surrounding him drew a shuriken and took aim.

The blond had three thoughts as the came in.

The first. Oh the irony.

The second. I never did get to eat that ramen.

The final one as he closed his eyes. I'm coming Sensei.

He felt the thud of each shuriken as they collided with him. However there was no pain, at least no more so then he already had.

Is it over? He asked himself. Am I dead?

Hesitantly, he open his eyes.

There was no Pearly Gates or raging fire, he was still in the forest, he was still alive.

The blond looked at the shuriken that hit him, they were all fake. They were the blunt, plastic kind used for training first year academy students.

He felt a finger tap his shoulder. When he looked he saw a face that he had grown to feel safe around. It was the Hokage! He's here to save me! Naruto thought relieved. The relief quickly turned to confusion as Danzo appeared beside him.

The enemy knelt before the bandaged man.

"Danzo-Sama." They greeted.

The aged leader sent a fierce glare toward the bandaged man.

"Later Hiruzen." He spoke toward the leader "How was he?"

"He passed." The woman answered "He did not give in to pain, pleasure or promises of a better life."

"He fought with all he had against me until the end." The bloodied one spoke.

"All in all, he is loyal."

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Naruto demanded.

The two elders finally turned their attention to the subject of the conversation.

It was then that they finally got a good look at the boy. His skin was torn and his body was covered in bruises and blood . Said blood was splattered all over his torn clothing, they showed no sign of being saved.

Hiruzen could only pity the boy for what he had to endure for a test, but the pried he felt out weighed any possible guilt. Danzo was looking at the boy with a reserved but calculating gaze. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed with the boys dedication.

They held nothing back. Danzo though Just as they were trained.

"Let's discuss this in my office." Hiruzen spoke.

"You're telling me that you had me assaulted, tortured and mock executed?!" He asked, nearly yelled throwing his headband on to the table. "Just to see how loyal I am?!"

Hiruzen looked at the headband in front of him, then back to the blond.

Naruto was beyond enraged at this point. He was hurt, that was the only way to describe it.

Hiruzen, the Hokage, had always been like a grandfather to Naruto. To hear that he allowed something like this to happen, some so painful. It felt like he was celebrating his birthday when he was younger.

"Why?" Was all he could ask.

"It was necessary." Danzo stated.

"Necessary!" Naruto repeated "I honestly thought it was my birthday!"

Both men had the decency to flinch when they heard the remark. Even Danzo was human enough to admit they were brutal.

"Don't you realize I could have left this village at any time I wanted?" Naruto asked "No one would have known until it was too late!" He pulled back and gave the Hokage a neutral look "I still could."

"What do you mean?" Hiruzen asked nervously.

"I can leave this village whenever I want, no one could stop me." Naruto stated "I had to learn how to never get found unless I wanted to."

The Hokage had the decency to look away ashamed.

"Naruto the villager need time-"

"Twelve years." Naruto stated "I have had to hide behind some idiotic mask for these villager, thinking I was a nobody." Naruto wore a smile the Hokage didn't like. "That'll finally change."

"What do you mean?" Danzo asked intrigued.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze." Naruto stated proudly "I'm going to-"

"No." The Third spoke.

"What do you mean old man?" Naruto asked, confused.

"You can't take their names, yet." He spoke firmly.

"What do you mean, it's my heritage."

"No." The Hokage repeated "I've been trusted with your heritage until I deem you a capable and competent Shinobi."

"I've already proven myself." Naruto stated disbelievingly.

"No." The Hokage gave Naruto a firm glare. "You are forbidden to mention your heritage or moving into the compound."

Naruto looked at the man he once held in such high esteem. The Hokage saw the respect leave, it was as if the blond was looking at something lower than trash. That was until his face went entirely blank.

"As you wish Hokage-Sama." Naruto stated evenly.

The tone held no respect or disdain, it simply was.

With a bow the blond left.

"Bad move." Danzo stated.

"It was necessary!" Hiruzen snapped.

"It was selfish." Danzo countered.

"He's not ready!"

"WHEN WILL HE BE READY?!" Danzo asked in rage "WHEN HE'S KILLED A THOUSAND NINJA IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE LIKE HIS FATHER?"

"I need to protect him from..." He didn't know how to finish.

"From what?" Danzo asked skeptically "From the ones he's supposed to protect, they'd rather see him dead." It was true "From his enemies, you won't let him get stronger the way you're going at it."

"He'll get stronger."

"Probably, through hate." Danzo spoke "But who or what will he fight for?"

"Konaha." He stated as it were obvious.

"Really?" Danzo asked skeptically as he eyes the abandoned head band.

It was gone.

"It'll be fine." Hiruzen spoke, his smile returning "He's proven he's loyal."

"But is the village?"

Review.-I want honest opinions.

I don't really like this chapter, not as intense as I had hoped.

The next will be my favorite so far.