FUCK. MY. LIFE.
As in, my life is fucked.
"Where the fuck are you, demon brat? You can't hide from me forever!"
Shit!
This is the seventh time I've stolen from that food stall this month, and the third time I don't get away with it if I get caught in this alley… Why the hell is everything sticky and black?
It smells like shit…
I'm currently stuffed under some garbage inside a huge rectangular bin. It worked a few times on this guy, here's to hoping it won't fail me this time.
"Fuck you! Why won't Hokage-sama just rid you from this village? This is the tenth time I've had something stolen from me because of you, if I find you, you're dead!"
Uwaah… guess he won't be giving up any time soon. This place doesn't smell… right, and the sticky wet pile of whatever I'm lying on is really uncomfortable. Typical of him to blame me for other incidents of thievery, though.
I guess I should probably explain how I got into this situation.
Record scratch.
You see this blond dumbass with a dirty orange hoodie and black shorts? Yup, the one who's about to spend the next few hours being marinated by the odor of garbage. That's me, Naruto Uzumaki… village outcast.
Seriously, literally no one likes me, and I'm not even being emo when I say that. It's just like saying the sky is blue, and the Earth is round. I'm simply stating a fact.
I'd love to say I'm used to it, but living my entire life as an orphan who gets glared upon simply by existing has not exactly done well to make me the most confident person in the world. The Hokage, who I have the exclusive right to call Jiji, gives me just enough to scrape by. It seriously sucks when money runs short and I have to resort to stealing food. Which is why I'm having a jolly good time getting acquainted with… is that a motherfucking used condom?
My back's already starting to hurt.
Guess I should start thinking of which movies to recite back to myself while waiting…
"FOUND YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
Nevermind. Fuck my life.
A child was thrown into the street from a dark alleyway, the setting sun of Konoha illuminating the sky with a brief hue of pink. The blond child struggled to stand up as the pedestrians actively avoided him, some holding their nose and walking past, others glaring or running away as they realized who he was, and some doing a combination of the aforementioned actions.
A fat man with a dirty apron grabbed him by the legs and dragged the child back into the alley, ignoring the screams of the child as his stomach was scraped across the rough ground, friction tearing through his skin.
Horrid noises of bones being broken, as well as skin being minced with mud and blood went ignored by civilians who went about their business. After about 15 minutes, the fat man exited the alleyway with his apron more red than white.
The child was left inside the garbage bin.
His face was mangled beyond recognition, his left leg twisted backwards in a way that would make some people lightheaded, his arms broken with bone protruding from the sides.
Hehe… he forgot to take his bread…
He allowed darkness to take away his pain.
The next morning, the child was gone.
Naruto Uzumaki limped his way back home, his left arm still broken, while his right was more or less regenerated from his healing factor.
He didn't know why exactly he healed so quickly, but he didn't exactly complain. It was probably the only reason why he was still alive. Nothing could put him down for too long. Before he knew it, he'd be up and at it again, doing the same thing everyday. Routine became a habit, and he now felt very little remorse for petty crime. To him, it was simply a means to survival in a world that didn't care about him.
Opening the door to his apartment, it was surprisingly neat. The few possessions he owned he made sure to keep tidy. The tiny kitchen with a table for one person, the couch facing a wall with no TV acting as a chair. His bedroom and bathroom were just slightly further down, both of which could be described by a single word: minimalistic.
Naruto sat down on his couch as he felt blood pumping through his brain, a quiet whisper of a rhythm keeping him conscious. His jaw was slack, and his eyes had no light to it.
Bottom of the barrel of society.
He allowed his limbs to heal as sleep overtook him. Meanwhile, a pair of eyes appeared in his shadow, staring at him intently.
"..."
Naruto stared at the bloody piece of bread in his hand, the dry texture against his palm. Taking a bite out of the loaf, he fought the urge to vomit as the taste of organic waste and other garbage attacked his tastebuds.
Real charming, blondie… spent an entire fucking evening inside a dumpster for garbage-bread…
With no other nutrients to sustain his body, Naruto ignored his mouth's complaints and downed the bread with vigor. Feeling his mouth dry, he dragged his heavy limbs towards the sink, turning the tap on to gain access to it.
Nothing came out.
Motherfucker didn't fix it…
Sighing, he returned to his seat and looked outside the only window in his house with a thousand yard stare. The view was just as interesting as his future was to him; a literal brick wall.
"Should I just die?"
"Naruto."
…
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
The blond shot up from his couch as whatever trace of sleep inside him was snuffed out by the sudden call of his name. It took him a second to realize that someone had called his name. It happened so rarely, he didn't know how to respond.
"...Hello?" Naruto called out to no one in particular. Eyes darting around his living room and towards the two rooms in his house, Naruto groaned as fear rose from the chest into his head like a wildfire.
"... I have a tingly feeling that this is illegal, so do me a favor and remove yourself from my crib."
"Naaaarruutoooo"
"OKAY, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"
Naruto turned on every light in his house, and to no avail; the intruder couldn't be identified. Slamming open the windows, he allowed the morning breeze of Konoha to enter his house and tickle his face.
"NNNNNnnnnAaaarruuuutooooooo"
"... Schizophrenia it is," Naruto said, plopping himself down on the couch.
"I guarantee you, this is not Schizophrenia."
"An extremely feminine voice coming from every direction, and the dreadful feeling of being forever alone? Sounds like a nice recipe for someone who's name is Naruto to me."
"Mou… Let me show you what I mean…"
Naruto felt a falling sensation as his vision darkened, and his arms flailed to grab onto something as he felt his body pulled down into the abyss.
After what seemed like an eternity, he felt the ground again. Pushing himself up, a very unsatisfying sensation started pooling around his hands, legs, and butt.
Wet…
The walls were a disgusting shade of gray that provided no warmth or reassurance to Naruto. He had fallen into a hall with only darkness going from forward to back, a few luminosities littered here and there, allowing Naruto to see.
"I HAVE BEEN FALLING, FOR THIRTY MINUTES!"
"My apologies, kiddo."
"You're still here? What the hell even is this place…"
"Psh… I live here, Narutoooooo"
"No wonder you don't sound mentally stable."
"I'm perfectly mentally stable, thank you very much."
Naruto turned around to face the person who was talking to him. His eyes relaxed a little, alongside his jaw when he came face to face with who was possibly the most beautiful woman he had seen his entire life.
"...Why do you have cat ears? And… tails?"
The woman had donned black pants and long sleeved shirt, with her shoulder exposed to the left. The most interesting part about her were her fiery orange hair which flowed down to her back, and a pair of fluffy ears and nine sets of tails.
"These aren't cat ears, blondie," the woman said, her tails swaying from side to side as she spoke.
"Pray tell, what are they then? And more importantly, who are you? And…. where am I? Answer them in reverse order; I just realized I asked the most important question last," said Naruto, crossing his arms as his subconscious mind put him in a more defensive stance.
"Relax, blondie, you're not crazy," the woman said, crossing her own arms, her blood red, slitted eyes looking down on the boy with more confidence than Naruto had ever seen anyone have. Her voice was silky smooth, as if a master silk weaver had just crafted their masterpiece and channelled it into a throat. Her skin was as pale as snow, and her lips as pink as cherry blossoms.
"These are fox ears, not cat ears. You're inside your own mind, and-"
"That wasn't in reverse order," Naruto said.
"Psh… you're pretty rude for a kid who's Twelve," the woman said, suddenly appearing in front of him and grabbing him by the collar, lifting him up to her eye level. "Do you have a death wish?
"Not exactly, but it's a neutral outcome for me. Also, what do you mean, my mind…? Are you sure you've taken your meds today, lady?"
The woman put him down, his feet being submerged in water again.
"Look around you, observant one, this isn't exactly your house, isn't it?"
"Well considering you just kidnapped me, how am I supposed to know?"
"I didn't kidnap you, kid."
"Congratulations, if you were looking for money, no one is going to pay you, woman."
"I didn't kidnap you, kid."
"In fact, why did you even choose a poor nobody like me to grab? The Hyuuga compound is, like, a ten minute walk away from here. Grab one of them, they're super protective of their bloodline, they'd probably pay you a handsome fee."
"I. Didn't. Kidnap you, kid, also you should probably watch what you're saying before you say it, don't mention "kidnapping" around the Hyuugas in your class."
"?"
"...Nevermind, think of a snowman, Naruto."
"Why…? Is this some ritual you go through before you have your way with people like me?"
"?"
"Should've guessed… why else would you kidnap an orphan with no money? You just wanted me for my cute little bod-"
"Just think of the fucking snowman!"
Her voice echoed across the hall, the torches on the wall almost being extinguished by the wind that came out of nowhere.
Naruto screwed his eyes shut and thought of a snowman.
"Ooh! Do you want to build a snowman~"
Slowly opening his eyes, Naruto noticed that the air had turned pleasantly cool from before.
A snowman stood in between him and the fox-girl.
"Or ride a bike across the hall~~"
With a confused look on his face, Naruto reached out with his left arm, feeling the sensation of cold snow melting on his hand as he touched the snowman.
"How… wait, is this actually my mind? Am I dreaming all of this?"
"Yes, and no. You're inside your own mindscape, and I'm here with you."
"How?"
"If you'd let me explain, I could, Naruto. If you don't mind, could you summon a few couches and maybe a bed… maybe also a massage chair? Also get rid of the water while you're at it."
Thinking those items into existence, Naruto was pleased to feel the wet sensation leave his feet, and a few heavenly couches in front of him.
"Urgh… Finally, you have no idea how long it's been since I've been properly dry… I've been wet for almost a decade."
"That's what she said," Naruto said, giggling to himself as he took a seat across the orange haired woman.
"Cheeky," The woman said, crossing her legs and staring at the boy. "To finish my introduction, hmm… how much do you know about the Nine tailed fox?"
Naruto stared back with indifference. "I don't think there's a single person in Konoha who doesn't know what the nine tailed fox is, lady. Twelve years ago, the Fourth took him down with him."
"Her. You're looking right at her."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Come again?"
"The Kyuubi. It's me."
"What are you doing in my mind? Don't you have better things to do besides me?"
Kyuubi started playing with her hair, looking to the side with very little interest. "Well, considering I'm stuck inside of you, I don't exactly have a choice. However, I would loveeee to stretch my legs in the forest again… Haven't done that in a while. You're taking this surprisingly well, Naruto. I thought you'd start denying the fact that I'm a demonic presence that your entire village knows about, and that this couldn't possibly be your own mindscape."
Naruto sat cross legged on his couch, electric blue eyes scanning the demon in front of him with interest.
"I once saw a woman fornicating with a raccoon in the red light district. Nothing seems impossible anymore. Plus, I don't really know how to use ninjutsu, so how else would I magically summon snowmen and massage chairs?" Naruto said.
"Good point. That's convenient, because I'll get straight to the point. I'm stuck inside you because the stupid Fourth Hokage put me in you. He died turning you into my host, so we're stuck together for the foreseeable future." Kyuubi said.
Gears turned and keys clicked inside Naruto's head. "Uwahh… This is heavy," Naruto said, leaning back into his seat and putting a hand through his silky blond hair. "I'm guessing that's also why I'm not the most popular person in the village?"
"Correct."
"Should've guessed something like this was up…"
"What do you mean?"
Naruto got up and started pacing around the room. His footsteps now echoed against the solid gray floor, the moistness of its prior state completely non-existent.
"I've never exactly done anything to get adults to hate me. I initially thought orphans were universally hated, but seeing other kids get treated much better than I do in the orphanage gave me a few clues. I used to think I was super ugly or something…"
"You would be correct."
"Thanks, Nine tailed fox."
"Just call me Kyuubi-chan."
"Thanks, Kyuubi"
"Honorific please~"
"...Kyuubi-chan."
Kyuubi giggled into her hand, and walked in front of Naruto.
"The reason why I suddenly appeared in front of you is pretty simple… I think you've gotten to the point in your life where you're ready to give up a lot of things to try something… unorthodox," Kyuubi said.
Naruto tilted his head slightly, swallowing unconsciously as the woman towered over his head.
"I-if you're trying to convince me to let you go, I may hate the people in this village, but I'm not a murderer. In fact, I almost forgot that you k-killed a bunch of people."
"That wasn't my fault- Nevermind, I'll explain to you one day. But I'm about to give you exactly what you need to put the world in your palms, blondie."
"...okay? How do you even know what I want, Kyuubi-chan?"
Kyuubi put a pale hand on his shoulder, her other hand playing with his hair as she looked down on him.
"I've been in here for your entire life, Naruto. I know what you desire, even if you don't. It wouldn't be so fun to tell you exactly what your deepest, darkest desires are, but I think it'll be nice to watch you squirm while trying to get them. You want to be a shinobi, right?"
"I don't really have any other valid career options, seeing that no one will hire me unless I'm risking my life to do something," Naruto said.
"And I know you've had conversations with the Sandaime about the possibility of becoming Hokage," Kyuubi replied.
Naruto's ears perked up, as his full attention was funnelled into what the Kyuubi had just told him. "W-whaaaa? How do you know about THAT?! That's private stuff, Uwaah… why do you know about that…" Naruto said, suddenly feeling much less comfortable than he was just now.
Giggling into her palm, Kyuubi said: " I told you, I've been in your head. I've seen everything you do, felt everything you feel. I might just know you better than you know yourself, Naruto."
"W-wait… you've even seen…"
"Shh… yes, I have."
"I'm killing myself."
"No you aren't, I don't feel like re-forming myself. It's not a pleasant experience."
Naruto shook his head, trying to physically get rid of those thoughts. "Anyways… what's your point?"
Kyuubi's eyes turned much more serious. "You want recognition, and strength, don't you?"
"...Maybe, what's it to you?"
"Because you think your parents could still be alive, and they just chose to abandon you?"
Naruto looked away, and didn't say anything else.
"And you just want to live a normal life with family, friends, and a job youre good at?"
Naruto continued to stay silent.
"So, want to make a deal with me?"
Naruto's eyes turned back to her, with the slightest twinge of intrigue dancing in his pupils.
"What deal?"
Kyuubi smiled. The boy was interested! "To put it concisely, you'll become my… hmm… champion? Urgh, no… that's too cringe. Let's just say you'll become my partner. I'll bind you with a contract that many shinobi around the world would give up absolutely everything for."
"What do I get, and what do you get?"
"If you sign the contract, you get to borrow the abilities of a dead person, giving you a temporary boost in combat or intelligence. In other words, you could become the world's greatest chef, artist, shinobi, et cetera. All of their abilities, in the palm of your hands. The history books that the academy feeds you? Their legendary feats could become yours," Kyuubi said.
"And the catch?"
"When you sign the contract, you write down the number of years you're going to sacrifice off of your life. For every year that you write down, I'll give you one dead soul to use for one hour. Unique, of course. You can't use the same soul twice. Since you're 12, and you're an Uzumaki… you should have around 120 years to live from now. Maybe a bit more. So, you're free to choose as you wish," Kyuubi said. Putting a hand under his chin and lifting his face to face her, Kyuubi smiled. "What do you say, blondie? Want to make a deal with the devil?"
Naruto politely pushed her hand away, and turned around. "I'll pass."
Kyuubi's smile didn't falter. "Alright, Naruto, you can pass… for now. The deal is always open, so if you ever feel like 'now's the right time', just say the words, and you'll have yourself the power of history in your palms."
"Mhm, not going to happen. I'm not about to steal other people's achievements for my own gain. Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. Plus," Naruto said, walking away. "Why would I give up my lifespan for something I could do already, and when I have no one to use it for? I don't exactly love myself now, do I?"
Kyuubi pouted ever so slightly. "Like I said, you'll change your mind soon enough. Also, where are you going?"
Naruto stopped in his tracks. "... how do I get out of here?"
Kyuubi sighed, and bonked him in the head with a light fist.
"Ow…"
"Just concentrate on returning, and it should happen pretty automatically. Same thing if you want to come back here. Also, do consider coming back to …renovate this place, I don't really enjoy seeing gray walls all day…"
"Mhm. One last question, aren't you supposed to be… really big? Why are you a cute girl?"
"Aww, you called me cute! But if you'd like to see my true form…" Her voice suddenly deepened, a second, much darker voice echoed across the hall. Wind came from her direction as she transformed from a beautiful woman into a giant fox.
"Would you prefer me now, little one?"
Naruto's eyes widened as he had to lift his head further and further higher as the woman transformed into the beast that he had only seen in storybooks.
"Yeah, no. Go back to being cute. I'm out, peace!"
Naruto snapped out of existence in his mindscape, and Kyuubi was left alone to herself.
"Rude…"
Returning to the real world, Naruto slumped back in his chair.
He looked around a few times to confirm that he was indeed back in his apartment.
The half finished bread was on the table, and his curtains danced in the wind against the open window.
What was in that bread…? I hope I don't have to see a doctor…
"The only thing in that bread was bread. What just happened is very real, Naruto."
Dammit.
"Why are you just randomly talking to me now?"
"Like I said, you said you wanted to die, so I decided that now might be a good time to start talking to you. I can't have you keeling on me just yet, blondie. I need my entertainment. I think now that I can talk to you freely, things will get much more interesting from now on."
"Sure… wait, what time is it?!"
Naruto's neck snapped to the right towards his kitchen, where a single alarm clock was on the counter. It read 8:27.
"Shit! I'm gonna be late!"
"Do you really have to bring milk and a tuna can with you every morning, Naruto?"
Naruto ignored her as he run across the streets of Konoha towards the academy. Further ignoring the glares and gasps he got as he zipped past shopping stalls and open markets, Naruto finally arrived at the academy.
"4 minutes? That's a new record…"
It took Naruto 30 seconds to get out of the house, and he arrived just two minutes late from when class starts at 8:30. However, instead of heading to the front door, he quickly zipped to the back of the academy, towards the corner behind the garbage bins.
"You're gonna be late, Narutoooo~"
I'm late anyways, it doesn't matter.
Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle
Why can I feel your tails wiggling inside my head?
e.
Naruto ignored the weird sensation in his head, and instead sat down, leaning on the wall of the garbage bin. The ground had more weeds than grass, and there were bushes that lead to some wildlife.
"C'mon… where you at? I'm not that late, am I?"
Almost on queue, two cats approached him.
"Nice…"
Naruto's face lightened up as he poured milk into a cup, and opened the tuna can.
"Eat up guys!"
The cats were a mixture of white, brown, orange, and black. With no apparant pattern in their fur color, one was significantly bigger than the other. Naruto knew that the bigger was the mother cat, and the smaller was the daughter.
They leaned into Naruto affectionately, stuffing their heads into his knee before eating their meal.
After spending a few minutes in true happiness, and petting the two cats, Naruto stood up. "See you after class!"
Two meows came from behind him as he darted to the front door.
Approaching the entrance to his classroom, he prepared himself as he slid the door open.
Here we go again…
"YOU'RE LATE, NARUTO UZUMAKI!"
Naruto was blasted by Iruka Umino's voice one meter into his classroom. The power of his voice made Naruto's hair pushed back for a moment, as if he faced a gust of wind.
"Man, Iruka-sensei, you sure you brushed your teeth this morning? I thought I just sniffed the inside of the Sandaime's assho-"
"SHUT UP AND GO TO YOUR SEAT, NARUTO!"
Knowing it was wise not to argue with an angry Iruka, Naruto shuffled to his usual seat near the window. Taking a seat on the ancient wooden bench, Naruto pulled out his supplies and listened to Iruka drone on about the history of ninjas.
Spinning his pencil in his hand, Naruto supported his face with his other palm and tapped the girl in front of him.
"Yo, what did I miss so far?"
The girl, who had lavender hair and very white eyes, seemed unnecessarily startled that the boy turned his attention towards her.
"O-oh! U-um… I think he's going over the H-hokages again today, N-naruto-kun…"
"Mmm, sweet. Thanks!"
Turning his attention back to Iruka, he wrote down what he could about the history of his village.
"Now a near-exist clan, the Senju were one of the most prominent clans in the Warring states era. Taking up the mantle of Hokage after the sudden death of Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju's genius brought forth the golden age of innovation in Konoha. Many of the jutsus that we are known well in the world for were created by him, including the Shadow clone and the Fourth's Hiraishin. He also is credited to have created the most number of forbidden techniques as far as we know. He is most famous for having a water affinity so powerful he could materialize water even in Sunagakure to use to his advantage."
As Iruka spoke, Naruto felt a piece of paper being thrown at him from behind him. Sighing, he turned around to face the annoying boy.
"Taki, not today."
The boy had black hair and clothes, his attire and attitude screaming "emo".
"Why were you late for class today, Shit-ruto? Did your mommy forget to give you your goodbye kiss?" Taki said, crunching up a piece of paper again and tossing it at Naruto.
"Oh wait, you don't have a mom!"
Before Naruto could react, Iruka told Taki to be quiet before turning to the board again to continue drawing visual aid for his history lesson. Taki flipped the teacher off while his back was turned, and continued to annoy Naruto for the rest of class.
"He's a real charmer, that one," Kyuubi said.
Don't even get me started…
The shinobi world is very interesting. A world run by separate villages, each defining what it means to be a ninja in their own separate ways. The irony is that the only thing that every single one seems to agree on is that their way is the best. As such, many wars were fought across history. Almost half of each economy is made up of military spending and earnings. Villages like Iwagakure and Kumogakure rely much more heavily on military income over their natural resources because, well, they don't really have any.
Iwagakure used to be a little more self-sufficient with exports of ores and minerals until they had to give up the region that contained almost 70% of their ore deposits after losing the Third Great Shinobi War. Obviously, they didn't like it, but it was an ultimatum that they had no other choice to follow through with.
Arguably the weakest out of the five is Sunagakure, with virtually no natural resources, and weakest in shinobi forces due to their area being extremely unfriendly for Shinobi training as far as I know. It almost makes sense that they've relied on Konoha for a very long time as allies in order to survive. Konoha, on the other hand, was blessed with natural resources and good shinobi.
Thank you, Hashirama Senju. You are truly a genius when it comes to setting up business laws and rights for a village. Another reason why "Konoha is the strongest out of the five" sentiment has and still exists to this day.
To be honest, I'm not sure if I completely agree with the statement. I'd need more information that I'll gather from travelling outside of Konoha once I become an actual ninja. As far as I know, the only people who've told me that are people who live in Konoha.
It could possibly be that Konoha is in fact weaker than Iwagakure, Kumo and Kirigakure; seeming strong when weak and weak when strong is an art of war.
See what I did there?
Anyways, it doesn't really matter to me. My goals in life are pretty lofty, if you ask me, but still goals nonetheless.
Uwaah… if Kyuubi-chan didn't expose me earlier… yes, I have thought about becoming Hokage, but only because it would be the most sure-fire way of having a majority of the village finally accept me as one of their own!
…and maybe see if I can find any family I have left. Or start one, but that's all in the far future.
Right now, I'm stuck in the academy learning about our history in order to… be a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.
I often wonder what it would be like if I were born from a prestigious clan.
The Uchihas mostly kept to themselves when they were still around, but it also seemed like none of them truly enjoyed their lives except for that one boy… I think his name started with a "Sh" sound. Can't place my finger on it, but the rest of them all seemed to spend more time worrying about being "the best clan in Konoha" and one upping each other in terms of ninja skills.
Almost as if they were the gifted child that found out they weren't the smartest around, and are desperately trying to maintain their status as gifted, while they're taking two steps forward alongside others who are taking three.
That being said, the Uchiha were the strongest clan in Konoha. While they were still around.
It's almost ironic. The Senju were wiped out because they were 1. More focused on their ninja careers than procreating, and 2. The shinobi wars.
The Uchiha didn't learn from their mistakes. And now they're gone.
… not that learning from the Senju's would've helped them much, actually.
The Hyugas aren't much better from what I know. I think the girl who sits near me sometimes is a Hyuga, but after hearing about their enslavement campaign of anyone who isn't of the "main family"
…yeah, that's gonna change if I ever actually do end up becoming the Hokage.
To be honest, that's still just a fever dream. I'm not even sure if I want to become Hokage.
Wouldn't it be funny if I turned out to be from some legendary clan or something, wouldn't it?
"Actually, you ar-"
"Naruto Uzumaki vs Taki Takihara!:
Uwahh… Finally! My turn to whoop some ass. Taijutsu class is truly one of my favorite subjects, seeing I actually feel like I'm learning something that could benefit my NInja career, as well as its interactive nature.
Taki Takihara… rich, powerful parents, perfect life, lots of friends. Basically the opposite of me, who picks on me because I have the patience to deal with his bullshit everyday, and also because no one would really care if I told on him.
Well, except for Iruka-sensei. Probably.
Also, before you ask, NO. I'm not going to tell Iruka.
#SnitchesGetStitches.
Also I don't fight back because having to deal with his parents and all of the angry teachers and students will be a pain in the ass.
BBBBuuuuuut now that I've gotten a legitimate opportunity to … "put him in his spot" lightly, I'm not letting it slide.
"Hey, Naruto," Kyuubi said.
What?
"You couldddd take up the deal-"
I don't need to borrow power to beat this guy in, there's a reason why he always keeps, like, 10 goons around him at all times.
"Oi, Shit-ruto, you gonna sit there all day?"
This guy really wants to eat some shit today, don't he?
"Mmm, this guy wants it real bad. Oblige him!"
Yup.
Alright, why is everyone staring at me? I've only just got up and started walking…
Uwahh… I'm really not used to people looking at me, please stop…
"You know, you'll have to get used to it if you're going to become Hokage~"
Wiggle.
Dammit.
"Hey Shit-ruto, your fly is down."
Oh shit, seriously?
A fist planted itself under my jaw. Aaaaand… Landing on my ass. That hurt.
How the hell is that legal- oh. Iruka isn't here, that's why.
Alright, kiddy gloves off.
Standing up, I can feel the stares of half of my grade on me. A little public humiliation never turned anyone worse, now, did it?
The class watched as the black haired boy landed a cheap uppercut on Naruto's face. The blond took a few seconds to stand up, but once he did, it seemed as if a new fire was glaring inside of him.
A roar of laughter followed as Naruto took a blow to the face, the sounds of giggling children filling the silence. The initial tension of the duel almost dissipated instantly.
The class knew that Naruto wasn't weak by any means. He got picked up, but he'd get right back up even if he were beat down by a group of bullies. No problem for him, he seemed to get up from just about everything.
He was an enigma to say the least. Adults told him to stay away, teachers were either scared of him or hated him,
"Cheap shot…"
The blond got back to his feet, staring at the taller boy with indifference. His jaw was slightly red, his clothes slightly dirty from the sand.
"Aww, did wittle Shit-wuto fall ovuh? Is he gonna go cwy?"
Naruto stayed in his spot, ignoring the comment.
"Alright, Shit-ruto, this is a Taijutsu duel. You know whatever happens here is completely legal right?" Taki said, entering the academy standard fighting stance, his feet shoulder width apart, and his hands ready to strike.
"You know you're fighting me alone now, right?"
"Yeah, and you're about to get merc-"
Naruto slammed his open palm into Taki's mouth, silencing him instantly. Frowning from the salty, unappealing taste of skin, Taki had no chance to push Naruto off of him as the blond planted a fist to his right side, just under his ribs.
Pain exploded in waves in his stomach where Naruto had hit him, as if a rock was dropped in a peaceful lake, ripples being sent out, disturbing the balance.
"F-fuck…"
"That's the liver that took the hit, it'll make it hard for you to stand up properly," Naruto said.
"D-don't think you're so high and mighty for getting a lucky hit, bastard…"
"Yeah, yeah yeah…"
Naruto lazily kicked Taki's face with ease, the boy falling backwards as he felt his lip cut. A metallic taste in his mouth signalled to him that he was bleeding.
"Hey, is Taki…"
"Losing? To that guy?"
"Serves him right, he picks on anyone who he doesn't like…"
"Naruto got him good…"
The sounds of his classmates looking down on him made Taki's mind freeze.
How dare they talk shit about him?!
Half of the kids who spoke badly about him just now were kids whose lives he could turn into a living hell! Do they not know who his father is?
Taki scanned his classmates, before stopping at the sight of Sasuke Uchiha.
The blue haired girl, who looked uninterested mere moments ago, was actually looking at the duel with the slightest hint of amusement as she readjusted her black surgical mask.
"Alright, I obviously won buddy, now get up already before I start feeling bad," Naruto said.
Taki saw the blond extend his hand, offering him help to get up on his feet.
This little fucker…
Taki's fist clenched in rage, his body shaking in anger.
"Don't… look… down on me, Shit-ruto! You're just a good for nothing orphan!" Taki screamed, his voice scratching against his neck with a horrible sound.
Throwing his clenched fist towards Naruto's face, he released a gust of sand right into his eyes.
Smiling sadistically, Taki got up to his feet and swung his fist at Naruto's face.
Somehow, the blond caught the fist without even looking.
"Really? We're playing dirty now?"
"H-how?"
"Mad skills, bud. Consider investing in them," Naruto said, crushing Taki's fist under his hand.
Pulling Taki towards him with his left hand and using the momentum to empower his punch, Naruto used the power of opposite vectors to smash Taki's face with his knuckles.
Following it up with a sideways sweep to the knees to put him back into the position he was in a mere few seconds ago, Naruto then pulled back his right arm as far as he could. Twisting his entire body and supporting the strike with every muscle from his legs, core, and arms, Naruto then unleashed a decimating strike at Taki's face.
H-hold up… t-this is a little dangerous, isn't it?!
Taki's face went pale with a terrified expression as Naruto's fist stopped a mere inch before his nose.
"Get good, lmao."
Naruto pushed Taki to the ground with his free hand, and walked back to his usual seat on the bench.
The class stayed silent, some staring at the blond as the instructor fumbled through his notes.
"N-next, Shino Aburame against Kiba Inuzuka!"
Sasuke Uchiha raised an eyebrow, before going back to staring at nothing in particular.
"Why does this report say that you 'Terrorized the class with illegal moves during a Taijutsu spar', Naruto?"
Naruto found himself in the Hokage's office after class.
Fumbling uncomfortably in the wooden chair in front of the Hokage's desk, Naruto avoided eye contact and instead focused on a small stain on the green carpet.
"Cuz I won a Taijutsu match, isn't that what you're supposed to do?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a deep, frustrated sigh. Taking off his red and white Hokage hat, he got up and walked next to the boy.
He put a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder, and kneeled down next to him to unify their eye levels.
The boy had his ever-present defiant look on his face, his eyebrows pointed downwards ever so slightly in anger, his glare softening as one of the only people who had ever shown him kindness gave him the most genuine smile.
Sarutobi pointed at a mirror next to them.
"What do you see Naruto?"
"... a desk, oval room, a bunch of paintings of past Hokage, you, me, etc etc," Naruto said.
"Focus on yourself, Naruto. What do you see?"
"... some kid who doesn't know why I was brought into this world," Naruto said.
Sarutobi now put two hands on Naruto's shoulder. "You were brought into this world with love and care, Naruto. You just weren't there to receive it."
"Jiji, I've not had a single day where I went to sleep thinking it was a good day in my life. I think you're slightly under-exaggerating here," Naruto said.
"I know, Naruto. I know… but I see a young boy whose full of potential, and wants to do something good for this world. Wouldn't you agree?"
Naruto fidgeted around some more.
"A young boy who wears a mask of indifference, when all he wants is to be accepted by his peers as one of them. A young boy who has a dream that he keeps hidden, because he's afraid others will judge him. Most importantly, a future Hokage, Naruto."
Naruto looked at him in the eyes this time. "You really believe that, don't you?"
"Ay, I do, son. In fact, I'd wager on it."
"You know, I don't really have any other goal in life besides that, Jiji."
"That's okay, when getting out of a maze, sometimes it's about thinking of the next most logical move, not to solve the entire thing in one go."
"So… whatever happens afterwards, it's okay?"
"After you become Hokage, I think you'll find your way in life just fine, Naruto."
Naruto paused for a few moments. "What makes you think I'll become Hokage? I'm not even sure I want to do it, Jiji… to work so hard for a goal that seems so far away."
"If you never try," Sarutobi said, hardening his stare. "You'll never know. Besides, I was in your shoes once, Naruto. The process takes time. I honestly think that you'll be able to do it in… 10 years."
"... seriously?" Naruto asked.
"10 years. Willing to bet on it," Sarutobi said.
"Ten years, and then I can do whatever I want, right? Ten years to prove to everyone that I'm capable of becoming someone worth looking up to?"
Sarutobi nodded. "Unlimited ramen on that bet."
"That's the only goal I have in life then."
"Baby steps, Naruto. Baby steps."
Naruto got up from the chair, and made his way towards the window.
"Thanks Jiji, I gotta go feed some cats, and then I'll head home. See you later!"
"Farewell Naruto."
Watching Naruto leave the Hokage tower, Sarutobi glanced at the blond portrait in his office.
He'll do for this village what you never had the opportunity to do, Minato… and I'll make sure he enjoys the journey.
Behind the academy building, Naruto Uzumaki searched for his furry companions.
Where are they? They're usually here by now…
The sun was starting to set, and Naruto was still unable to find the cats. Usually, they waited until he was out of class to greet him before entering the forest again. Today however, Naruto noticed that they were gone.
They've never missed a day before…
"Naruto, check behind that bush…"
Did you see something, Kyuubi-chan?
"I'm basically backseat gaming your entire life, Naruto. Just go check."
Approaching a bush, Naruto pushed the leaves to the side. A prickly sensation made his hand pull back for a second, until he saw one of the cats lying down.
Her breathing was laboured, and her whole body was shaking, as if she was terrified.
"H-hey! It's just me, see! Just Naruto…"
The cat seemed to relax slightly at the sight of him, but she was still shaking very hard as Naruto picked her up and started petting her.
"What's got you all hot and bothered?"
Naruto offered her some water, but she buried her face into Naruto's chest.
"Alright, alright… I'll find your mom, she's gotta be around here somewhere, right?"
Just as Naruto looked around, he heard a few voices near the swings in the park that was located relatively close to the academy.
Turning around, Naruto noticed Taki and his goons presumably kicking someone next to the swings.
Poor guy… or girl. I've got to find this cat though…
As Naruto turned around to walk away, he heard Taki's disgusting voice ring out.
"Where the fuck is that blondie? He always feeds this one before going home… Have you guys found that other one yet?"
Naruto froze on the spot, a sinking feeling developing in his stomach. The cat in his arms stopped shaking, and instead looked up at Naruto's face as she noticed that her ride had stopped moving.
Carefully placing the cat onto the ground, Naruto smiled at her. "Wait for me here, would you?"
The cat meowed, and scuttled off to a nearby bush.
Naruto turned around the corner, and entered the park where he heard the voices.
To his horror, his worst suspicions had come true as he noticed a patch of blood leading up to the entrance.
Turning his head towards the swings, he saw the body of his only friend mangled by physical torture, and five boys surrounding her in a circle. Their shoes were bloodied, and in their hands were sticks that was wet with red at the end. The cat's breathing was extremely labored, and some of her inner organs were spilling out of her gut. Both of her eyes were missing, and a significant portion of her tail was cut off.
"Holy shit… Naruto, are you okay?"
Naruto didn't move a muscle.
"Look who decided to show up! It's Shit-ruto, guys!"
A roar of laughter followed as Taki spat at the cat, and walked towards Naruto. "Think you're the shit now, Shit-ruto? Just because I went easy on you?"
Taki taunted Naruto, tossing a vile, almost completely red stick at his foot.
"You're nothing but orphan trash, Naruto. Now you're going to lose against me in tomorrow's Taijutsu class, and I'll send you to the hospital. Or else…"
Taki leaned forward, whispering into Naruto's ear.
"I'll turn the other cat into an orphan before I put it in a fucking meat grinder…"
Naruto's blue eyes turned into slits as he felt his hands tense up in anger.
Never in his life had he genuinely wanted to cause lethal harm to another person before now. The one joy he had in his life, the only thing that he looked forward to throughout mundane days in the classroom he had taken away from him.
Nothing, absolutely nothing was stopping him from destroying this boy except for the fact that he was outnumbered.
With his rational brain turned off, he made an irrational decision.
Naruto closed his eyes.
You've got yourself a deal, Kyuubi.
"Not going to speak, Naruto? That's okay, because we're rehearsing what's going to happen tomorrow, NOW," Taki said, pulling back his fist in a way that was similar to how Naruto did when he was on his knees earlier in the afternoon.
As Taki's fist approached Naruto's, Naruto's eyes snapped open again, but gone were his electric blue eyes. Instead, what stared back at Taki's eyes were a pair of slited, red eyes that promised pain.
Naruto's left arm caught Taki's right just before it connected with Naruto's nose, similar to earlier that day.
Taki screamed in pain as Naruto's grip cut off circulation to his arm, and put enough pressure on his tendons to immobilize his fingers.
With his right hand, Naruto went through a series of one-handed seals so fast that it became imperceivable to the naked eye.
A medium-sized water bubble appeared from thin air, and was shot at Taki. The boy's body was flung towards the swings, and his body painfully slammed into the monkey bars past the swing with a horrifying cracking noise.
"The fuck are you guys staring at?"
The remaining boys stood in fear as the atmosphere thickened with Naruto's rage.
Cold sweat ran down their brows as they stared into Naruto's red eyes, a mysterious aura so strong around him that it almost seemed visible.
"I'm just getting started…"
From inside Naruto's mind, Kyuubi pulled out a pencil and crossed off a name.
"Interesting… I didn't think he'd go with this one as his first…" Kyuubi said, tapping her mouth with her pencil. "In any case, have fun!"
"Soul channel: Tobirama Senju."
AN: Reviews are greatly appreciated ^^. I read every single one of them like 100159250920 times, and it gives me a lot of motivation to keep writing.
If you have suggestions, by all means include them!
Thank you guys for the taking time out of your days to read!
Uhh uHHh UHHH i DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO PUT HERE
