Wow I am just cranking these rewrites out like a man with a mission. I caught the writing bug hard and I like it! Anyway, here we are with the third chapter of Jinchuuriki Mercenary: Redux! I've been working hard during what little free time I have to bring you all this next chapter and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself with this one. Again I love the enthusiasm everyone has been showing. I'd like to answer a few questions before we get into the chapter first though...

Escanor: Yeah, I can't get into the exact details of how Naruto is going to become a mercenary just yet. But it's definitely going to be fun to write. Also when isn't Danzo involved in some way with shady dealings?

Ezeakel: I humbly disagree. While what you say is true of canon Kurama, my version of the Kyuubi is a much different being. As such seeing such a young human go through such suffering and still retain a good heart is very much worth their respect.

Autistic Weaboo: Yeah, music is going to play a big part thematically in the story as it's what grounds Naruto, but probably won't be to big as to plot. As for the pairing of this story... I honestly have no idea. I have a few possibilities but nothing concrete. I'd be open to suggestions from all my readers.

Anyway, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Jinchuuriku Mercenary: Redux

Chapter 3: A Wolf in Cheap Clothing

It was still early in the morning when Naruto awoke and stood out of his bed, shivering slightly as his feet touched the hardwood floor of his apartment's bedroom. He cracked his neck and stretched his sore muscles. He looked out the window of his bedroom and peered over the neighborhood that his apartment occupied. It wasn't a slum, the Hokage had made sure that Naruto wasn't living in a squalor during his formative years. However the neighborhood wasn't the classiest either, especially before sun up. He stripped out of his night shirt and pajama pants as he made his way to the bathroom. He turned on the shower tap and examined his body in the mirror.

He'd changed a lot in the ten years since he discovered his lineage and started on the path toward becoming strong enough to leave this village behind. His body had lost almost every trace of baby fat as Kakashi had made sure not to only train him physically, but also made it a priority that his little brother ate a proper diet. The blonde jinchuuriki now had a wiry, athletic build with strong dense muscles. His height had also grown significantly, he was now a staggering 5'10" and Kakashi suspected that the 15 year old still had some growing to do. He traced his fingers over the sun shaped seal over his right shoulder. It was expertly made and Naruto had to commend Kakashi on the placement. It was smaller than the seal that contained Kyuubi yet it was still significantly large. The center of it rested on his shoulder while the flames of the sun design extended down to his bicep, shoulder blade, and clavicle giving it the appearance of a tattoo that was both functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

The glass of the mirror began to fog with steam as Naruto entered the shower and let the hot water wash over him. He let out a long sigh of relief as he felt his tired muscles relax and rejuvenate as he thanked his luck that he had such a potent healing ability thanks to his tenant. Kakashi had decided to increase the power on the Gravity Seal to 8 and increase the intensity of his brother's training. Needless to say, Naruto was lucky not to have any broken bones.

'Your brother wishes the best for you, Naruto. 'Tis a commendable goal to better those we love and see them achieve their dreams.' The bijuu's voice echoed through his mind as he cleansed his body in preparation for the day. Since its transformation into its humanoid form, the Kyuubi no Kitsune had always sounded so pleasant to Naruto. He was absorbed into their every word during their lessons together. Unfortunately he could not enjoy the dulcet tones of their voice as he usually did due to his current state of dress. A situation very few are comfortable with when company suddenly arrives.

'Kyuubi-senei... We discussed this. When I'm in the shower, I would very much like my privacy.'

'Ah yes. I do recall you giving quite the eloquent and judicious argument.'

'... And?'

'Alas, I have resolved to ignore your request.'

'Wha-... Why?' Naruto could feel the bijuu shrug in his mind.

'Who can say? Mine is a capricious nature.' The blonde could feel the vulpine demon smirk mentally. He let out a long audible sigh and grabbed the bridge of his nose. His tenant definitely lived up to its nature as a kitsune from time to time, teasing him in ways that frustrated him to no end and caused the tailed beast a great deal of amusement. Naruto sometimes wondered if he'd find these antics much less tolerable if they had chosen to stay in their bestial form as opposed to the form of a ravishing beauty that they had taken for the last decade of his life.

Naruto made his way back into his room, slipping on a pair of hand-me-down ANBU pants he had gotten from Kakashi and a matching shirt before sitting on his bed. He reached down and pulled out a thick scroll the height of his forearm. Inside it he had stored all of his worldly possessions, including many items he had collected from his parents home. He'd gone there with his brother shortly after his seventh birthday to collect his inheritance. Not only did he collect an exorbitant amount of money from their personal vaults, dozens of thick bound books and scrolls on fuinjutsu as well as various other subjects that interested his parents, and enough ninja supplies that he wouldn't be left wanting for several years. But the young blonde had also recovered several photo albums, filled with cherished memories from both of his parents' lives.

'So, Kyuubi-sensei, was there a reason for your intrusion on my personal time? Or were you simply trying to amuse yourself?' Naruto asked as he bit his thumb and channeled some chakra into the appendage as he swiped it over a seal. With a plume of white smoke, an electric guitar appeared in the young jinchuuriki's lap. He'd saved up several months of allowance that he'd received from the Hokage to purchase it from a nearby merchant town. It didn't even have paint, just a few layers on wood stain. But it was his and he'd worked hard to master the instrument.

'Tis a bit of both perhaps. I have been mulling many a thing over in my mind as of late. I think I will come to a conclusion later today. I will reqiure you to come into your mindscape to discuss matters. For now, you may return to your practice. Be sure to begin with your scales and arpeggios. You have been negligent on both jazz and harmonic minor scales this week.'

Naruto smiled as he nodded in agreement. Kyuubi was ever the diligent teacher even when it came to matters not regarding his training. He grabbed the pick from between the stings in the headstock and re-tuned the strings before he continued his morning routine. He practiced for two hours until the sun was well above the horizon. Once the blonde had finished, he resealed the guitar into the scroll and prepared breakfast. He ate in solitude as he had many times before. He proceeded to his closet and grabbed a gaudy orange and blue jacket. The lining of the jacket was covered in seals and various kanji.

Once Naruto placed the jacket on and zipped it up, the seals began to take effect and a powerful genjutsu was placed over the young man. His appearance shifted to that of a much more malnourished version of himself. He even appeared to have shrunken a whole foot. He slipped on a pair of goggleds and placed them on his forehead before heading out the door and making his way toward the academy.

Today was certainly going to be an interesting day.

Konoha Academy

Naruto sat in his usual seat near the back of the class as the rest of the students began to file into the classroom for hopefully one of the last times. As they walked in, four people gave Naruto an acknowledging nod in greeting. Naruto had grown friendly over the years to Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba. Sitting near Kiba was Hyuuga Hinata. She would constantly glance over at the young jinchuuriki while doing her nervous tick of touching her fingertips together. Whenever her and Naruto would make eye contact, she would quickly look away as her face turned beat red.

'Oh my. It seems you have an admirer, Naruto. To think even in this guise you could make a girl blush just with your gaze. I wonder how she would react if she saw you as you truly are.'

'I'm aware of Hinata's affections toward me. But I can't pursue a relationship with someone when I intend on leaving the village they call home behind. It would be cruel and would hurt them in the end. As much as I dislike this village as a whole, I couldn't bring myself to hurt someone as kind hearted as her.' Naruto was ripped from his conversation by the one sound he had come to dread in all his time at the academy.

"CHA! YOU LOSE INO-PIG! SASUKE-KUN IS MINE!" Naruto cringed as the pink haired banshee known as Hanuro Sakura entered the classroom along with Yamanka Ino. The pair infuriated Naruto to no end. They were the worst examples of fan girls for the spoiled brat Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto could barely believe that they were likely to become the top kunoichi in his class. He dreaded how they would act in the field. It was at that time that their instructors Umino Iruka and Mizuki entered the classroom. The latter gave off a very friendly attitude, yet whenever it appeared that neither Naruto or Iruka were looking, a glare of disdain would find it's way to the young jinchuuriki.

'That idiot is as subtle as a train wreck... on a boat. 'Tis a wonder how he gained a position teaching youth to become ninja.' Naruto quietly snickered before Iruka stood before the class and began to speak.

"Alright everyone, sit down. Today is the day that you take your graduation tests. Those of you who will pass, will be able to move on to the rank of Genin. This test will be split up into three separate sections. A written test of what you've learned, a combat test, and a jutsu test. If you fail one of these tests then you fail the entire test. Now Mizuki is handing out the written tests as we speak. You may begin when you receive your paper."

Naruto received his test and wasn't at all shocked to see that the white haired Chunin had placed a genjutsu on his paper to have all of the questions be of a much higher difficulty than any academy student would know. However, being a jinchuuriki had its perks. Like not being affected by genjutsu for example. Naruto simply dispelled the genjutsu and began his test. The questions were so easy that a monkey could ace the test.

Once the written part of the exam was finished, the Chunin led the students to a target range where they were each handed ten shuriken and ten kunai. Each of them went in alphabetical order trying to hit the bullseyes on all the dummies. Naruto waited patiently as everyone went before him. Next up was Sasuke who scored the top of the class so far hitting 19 out of 20 of the targets. Naruto heard his name as he stepped up to the range. He stepped up to the platform and opened the shuriken and kunai pouches on his hips. As he threw the projectiles, many of his classmates began to snicker and a few even made jokes about his sloppy and unfocused technique, opting to simply hurl them with all of his might rather than with any finesse. Even the usually uncaring Sasuke let an arrogant smirk grace his lips. However their jokes stopped abruptly as Iruka examined the targets and his eyes widened in shock. Not only did Naruto hit every single bullseye, but many of the kunai had sunken into the wooden targets down to the handle, and the shuriken only had a few prongs of their blades' serrations protruding out of them.

"20 points. A perfect score, congratulations Naruto." Naruto smiled as he saw the shocked expressions of the students as well as Sasuke seething. Iruka gathered the students and brought each of them one by one into a room for the jutsu portion of the exam. After several minutes Naruto's name was called and he went into the room where Iruka and Mizuki sat at a table. Iruka smiled.

"This part of the test will see if you can perform the three basic jutsu that all ninja must know. Are you ready Naruto?"

"Hai Iruka-sensei."

"First, the Kawarimi no Jutsu. I'll be your target, whenever you're ready." Naruto channeled his chakra and disappeared into a puff of smoke, when the smoke cleared, the brunette chunnin stood in his place. He smiled as Naruto stood by his chair and then used the jutsu once more to return to his place.

"Now the Henge." Naruto did the hand-sign and was consumed by a plume of smoke. The smoke cleared and standing in the room was a perfect copy of the Yondaime. Naruto dispelled the jutsu and prepared for the final jutsu. Mizuki smirked. Iruka checked off the sheet of paper on his desk.

"Now, finally the Bushin no Jutsu. You have to make two perfect versions of the basic bunshin." Naruto sighed as he channeled his chakra and made the Ram seal with his hands. He knew this wasn't going to work, he had been taught the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu by Kakashi because he didn't have enough fine chakra control for the standard, but he had to at least attempt. Otherwise he wasn't going to get out of this damned academy.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" He shouted and with two plumes of smoke, two very sickly pale copies of Naruto appeared beside him. They looked to be even more malnourished than the blonde and suffering from anemia as they struggled to stand. Naruto turned to the two chinnin before him already expecting their answers. Iruka looked over the pair of clones sadly.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. While these clones are probably the best you've ever created in your time at the academy, these clones would be practically useless in the field. Unfortunately with your grades throughout the year being as poor as they were, you would have needed to ace this test to graduate. I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun. But I can not let you pass this time." This was met with several snickers and several jabbing remarks in the direction of the blonde from his classmates.

Iruka congratulated all of the students who passed and told them to meet back on Monday for their team placements. Many of the students went home to their parents, others went to celebrate with other classmates. Naruto however decided to take a walk, yet he was stopped by a hand placed on his shoulder. He turned to see Mizuki standing behind him with the friendliest fake smile he could muster. If the blonde where as laughably inept as he lead the people of the village to believe, he might have been convinced that he actually cared.

"Naruto-kun, I wanted to talk to you. Do you mind sticking around for a while?"

'This is definitely a trap. I wonder what he's up to.' Kyuubi chuckled from within his mind.

'Well then. What say we spring the trap and see what the fool is up to?'

"Definitely." Naruto responded to both questions simultaneously. Mizuki smirked as he believed his plan was coming together perfectly, completely unaware that his pawn was fully cognizant of his role, and ready to turn the situation to his own advantage.

The Hokage Mansion, Later That Night

It was nearly midnight when Iruka shunshined into the office of the Hokage after he had an ANBU member appear at his door and informed him that he had been summoned. The Kage was standing on the balcony of his home. He was wearing a his Hokage robes over his pajamas and was looking over the village with his back to the chunnin. Iruka bowed respectfully as he approached the leader of the village.

"You summoned me Hokage-sama?" Iruka stifled a yawn as he adjusted his flak jacket. He had dressed in quite the hurry when he received the summons.

"Yes, Iruka-kun. I require your assist in locating Naruto-kun." Iruka quirked his eyebrow

"Naruto? Why? What's happened to him?" Sarutobi took a few puffs of his pipe before answering.

"He's stolen the Scroll of Sealing from my vault."

'What?! Why would he do that? H-How did he even know of it's existence?"

"I don't know. I suspect he's being manipulated by someone else. He's young and eager to become a ninja. Perhaps someone is using that to their advantage." Iruka clenched his fists as the image of the white haired man he had seen as his best friend for much of his youth burned into his mind. "I've got the best trackers available trying to find him, but he's proving to be very elusive. I trust you to help find him." Iruka nodded and turned to leave. However something bothered him as he turned back to the Hokage.

"Ano, Hokage-sama. Naruto hasn't been able to pass from the academy. How was he able to steal the Scroll from your personal vault?" The kage turned to him and Iruka could see that he had tissues in his nose and look of extreme embarrassment.

"He... got the jump on me and used that damned Oiroke no Jutsu of his." The brunette face faulted before taking his leave to find the young boy. He reached out with his senses to try and locate the young student that he held dearly.

'Naruto... I hope you don't end up doing something stupid.'

Naruto was currently making his way toward an old abandoned shack in a clearing on the outskirts of the village. It was the arranged meeting place between him and Mizuki for the completion of his 'Make-up Exam.' He knew exactly what he was retrieving from the Hokage's mansion when Mizuki began his description. Kyuubi had told him of a collection of jutsu that Hashirama Senju had collected and deemed too powerful for ordinary ninja. Naruto smirked as he set down the scroll on the ground. It was massive, standing at up to his hip in his current form.

"Well I completed the 'test' a few hours ahead of schedule. Might as well see what kind of techniques I could learn from this scroll." Naruto looked and saw several techniques that might be useful at a later date and had Kyuubi permanently embed them into his memory so that he could go back to them later. One however stood out to him and he began to read carefully.

'The Satsujin Bushin no Jutsu. Developed by Tobirama Senju during the Second Great Shinobi War. It is a combination of three Bunshin techniques. The Mizu Bunshin, Kage Bunshin, and Bunshin Daibakuha. It creates a clone of flesh and blood just like the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, as well as the data transfer feature of the Kage Bunshin, yet this clone exponentially more resilient than the Kage Bunshin, only being deactivated when the user dispels the jutsu or when the clone is killed. When the clone is killed, it's corpse will remain for a total of seven days, upon which the clone melts into a puddle of blood. When the clone is dispelled, they explode in a shower of blood and viscera. The cost of creating such a powerful clone however, is greatly taxing on the user. The technique requires a great deal of charka to create as well as a pint of the user's own blood to act as a catalyst for the creation of the clone. Due to the severe tax on the user, both physically and psychologically should the clone be killed, the Nidaime Hokage has deemed this technique too dangerous for practical use.'

'Now that is definitely something of interest. And it changes what I have to speak with you about greatly. But for now, roll up the scroll and hide it away. We need to talk.' Naruto nodded and did as his tenant asked, rolling up the scroll and placing it in the hollow of a dead tree before walking into the shack and getting into a meditative position.

Mindscape

Naruto entered into the study of the dwelling within his mind. Sitting behind the desk before a large bookcase was the Kyuubi. They appeared to be pouring themselves over several scrolls. Naruto quietly took a seat and waited patiently for his tenant to finish with the task at hand. After a few minutes the bijuu's crimson eyes lifted and met with their warden's cerulean pools.

"I'm delighted to see that you arrived so expediently." Naruto smirked and leaned back into his chair.

"Well how could I deny an invitation to speak with you, Kyuubi-sensei? You know how much I adore our heart to hearts." The vulpine tenant of his mind smiled as they stood from behind the desk, it's nine tails flowing behind it.

"Enough of this gay banter. We need to discuss something of great importance to your well-being. It's come to my attention recently that there is a major flaw in your plan to escape from the path of becoming a ninja locked into the society that has shunned and ostracized you for the entirety of your life." Naruto listened intently and responded when they had finished.

"And that problem is?" He dodged an incoming scroll as it hit the back of his chair and landed open in his lap, completely blank. He looked up to see his sensei with their hands on either one of the armrests staring into him with an exasperated glare.

"You do not have one. You have spent an entire decade training to become skilled enough to survive outside of the village. Yet you have not put any thought into how you are to accomplish leaving. If you simply leave, the Hokage will send teams of ninja to retrieve you. However should you allude them, as Kakashi and I have both ensured you would be capable of doing so, you will be marked as a missing-nin. You will be hunted down and marked for death. As your tenant, sensei, and your friend I simply cannot allow this for you." The blonde stared back at his sensei in slight shock.

"You consider me a friend?" His raven haired companion let out an exasperated groan as they tugged at their hair.

"That is what you drew from all of that?! Naruto, all of your training, all that we have worked for will be for naught! Now pay attention. I believe we can formulate something that could work using several of the techniques that we've learned over the past few years along with these techniques within the Scroll of Sealing." Naruto cleared his head and began to listen as he began to work with his sensei on a plan that would change his future forever.

The Real World

Naruto woke up in the shack and looked around. Several hours had passed during his conversation with the Kyuubi and Naruto could hear a voice calling out. He was about to leave the shack when he saw none other than Mizuki land in front of the shack. Naruto silently created a Kage Bunshin and opened up the window in the back of the shack before slipping out to find a more advantageous position. He looked down on the chunin as he paced around the clearing, he was dressed for combat with two giant shuriken on his back and was becoming increasingly agitated as the seconds passed, calling out to the blonde in a more aggressive tone.

"Naruto! You better get out here right now of so help me I will fail you right n-" The white haired chunin was interrupted by a door closing and yawn from behind him. He whirled around with an enraged glare only to see the malnourished demon brat rubbing the sleep from his eye. Up in the tree, Naruto removed his jacket, cancelling the genjustu on it and reverting to his natural form.

"I'm sorry Mizuki-sensei. But I was waiting for so long I must have dozed off." Mizuki's demeanor changed as he resumed the role of friendly teacher, a slanderous imitation of his long time 'friend', Iruka. He smiled and placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder. The real Naruto sneered at the man's false display of affection.

"That's okay Naruto-kun. I'm just glad your here and didn't get caught. Since you're here I assume that you completed your test?" The blonde gave him his patented foxy grin as he pumped his fist in the air.

"You bet I did Mizuki-sensei!" The chunin smiled as he looked over to the shack.

"Is it in there?" Naruto shook his head and walked over to the tree he had hidden it in. He pulled the scroll out and slung it onto his back, still smiling dumbly.

"I put it here for safe keeping. We should probably return it to Oji-san soo-" The blonde was interrupted as a giant shuriken came hurling toward him at incredible speeds. He was frozen in what seemed to be fear and closed his eyes. The Naruto in the tree looked away to reach for something in a pouch on his hip. He paused when instead of hearing the thud of the shuriken hitting the tree trunk, the young blonde heard the distinct sound of metal piercing flesh. He looked down to see not only his clone and Mizuki both with shocked expressions, but Umino Iruka shielding his student with one of the giant shuriken lodged into his back. Naruto cursed internally as he watched his sensei extract the weapon from his back and slump against the tree. the young jinchuuriki watched in patient silence as he watched the scene unfold as Mizuki 'revealed' the village's S-Class secret to the young, unsuspecting boy to the adamant protest of Iruka. The clone then fled the scene with the scroll and Naruto quickly retrieved the storage scroll he was grabbing when Iruka arrived as the two chunins rose with their weapons ready to clash.

Mizuki's eyes flashed with insane glee as he prepared to clash with the man he had hated for so many years when a figure appeared behind the scarred man and knocked him unconscious. As the figure stepped out of the shadows he saw it was in fact the Kyuubi brat himself. Yet something was very off about him. For one he was much taller, even taller than he was, and much more broadly built than he had ever seen him. He wasn't wearing that ridiculous orange getup either, instead wearing ANBU gear minus the body armor. But what struck the white haired chunin the most was the weapon that he held in his hand. It was a sword with a blade about as long as his arm that widened and curved upward toward the tip, giving it the appearance of a long survival knife or machete. In place of a tsuba, there was a long piece of metal that stuck out above and below the blade and the pommel was in the shape of the Uzumaki spiral. However, the most striking thing about this blade was the metal itself. It wasn't ordinary steel as it had distinctive patterns and mottlings reminiscent of ripples in water and to appeared to shine red, giving it the appearance of flowing lava. Naruto knelt down and moved Iruka against the tree.

"Sorry sensei, I know you have a dog in this fight too. But you are too kind of a person for this, and this teme made it personal." Naruto heard the distinct whoosh of kunai being thrown as with a flash of speed and dexterity, the blonde parried the barrage of projectiles. The young jinchuuriki stood and turned to Mizuki who was staring at him in absolute confusion, his eyes showing that he had lost all shred of sanity.

"What the fuck is going on?! You're a runt! An idiot! The dead last of the entire village!" Naruto let out a chuckle as he slowly began to walk toward the academy instructor.

"Funny, I thought you said I was the Kyuubi reincarnate. But then you'd be wrong on both points I suppose. Not that it will matter much seeing as you're about to die." The white haired chunin began to laugh insanely as Naruto held up a single handed sign and muttered, "Juuryoku Shiiru... Kai!" and the kanji on the sun symbol on his shoulder changed to "Zero".

"YOU HONESTLY THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME? JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME FANCY SWORD?! I AM A CHUNIN! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A PETULANT LITTLE DEMON BR-" Mizuki was interrupted by a fist hitting his jaw, sending hurtling into the air. Naruto jumped from branch to branch before leaping above Mizuki and slamming his foot into the man's chest, knocking the breath out of him and sending him crashing to the ground. A sickening crunch filled the air and the white haired man coughed up blood as the blonde's foot crushed three of his ribs. Naruto knelt down besides the chunnin and looked down upon him as he struggled to breathe through bits of broken teeth and bubbles of blood in his lungs. His eyes where ablaze with rage and confusion.

"You broke Oji-san's law about revealing what happened on the night of my birth, and for that I must terminate you. But let me tell you a little secret of my own Mizuki-teme. A little parting gift for you to take into eternity with you. I am not the Kyuubi no Kitsune. I am Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. I am the son of Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki, and tonight... I am your executioner." Mizuki's eyes were wide with shock at the revelation that the demon child had told him and he struggled to swipe at him with a kunai as the blonde stood up. With one quick flick of his wrist, his blade slashed through his neck, severing his carotid artery and watched as the life drained from the man's eyes. Naruto flicked the blood off of the blade and put the blade back into the scroll before the clone returned with the Scroll of Sealing.

Ten Minutes Later

Iruka's head was throbbing immensely as his vision slowly stared to fade back into view. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes as he sat up. The scarred man's eyes opened wide as he heard the sound of a child sobbing. Bolting up he saw his prized student on his knees crying uncontrollably before the body of his former best friend. Naruto's hands, jacket and face had several bloodstains on them and beside him was a bloodstained kunai. Naruto looked up at his sensei and spojke through gasping cries.

"Ir-kua-sen-sei! I don't know... what... happ-end! I came back... to... help! I used that... Kage... Bunshin justu from the... scroll... I grabbed a kunai... and... and Mizuki-sensei... he... he..." The boy couldn't speak as the brunette man knelt down and held him in his arms tightly. The blonde hugged him back and began to bawl into his shoulder. He held him in his arms and comforted him as he let all of his emotions out. After several minutes, Naruto's cries died down to mere sniffles. He rubbed his eyes as he looked at Iruka, who simply smiled at him and wiped some tears and blood from his cheek.

"It's going to be okay Naruto. I know you didn't mean to, but sometimes its necessary as a ninja to take a life. Especially in a situation where it's your life or theirs."

"But... I'm not a ninja." Iruka simply smiled as he reached over and took of naruto's goggles before untying his hitai-ate and tying it around the blonde's head.

"Yes you are. Uzumaki Naruto, I officially promote you to the rank of genin. Now what do you say we go get some ramen. I heard that when Teuchi-san found out you had gone missing, he kept Ichiraku's open late in the hopes you'd smell his ramen and come running." The young teacher smiled as Naruto seemed to forget the trauma he just went through as he flashed his foxy grin and followed Iruka back into the village with the Scroll.

And there you have it folks! Chapter three has come and gone! I had a lot of fun writing this one. This was the chapter in my original story where things started to go south plot-wise. So it was an interesting experience cutting out almost all of the chapter and building a new one out of the bones left behind. But that's about it for this chapter. Leave a review and let me know what you think, I love getting feedback from my readers, and I'd love to hear your thoughts about where you think the plot is going. Also should I have a list of translations for all the names and jutsus I come up with at the end of these chapters? I'm leaning toward yes, but I also kind of like letting people find out for themselves. Either way it's going to be a fun time. See you next chapter!

~ Ninja