Disclaimer: I do not profit from this story in any way. Unless otherwise noted, the characters and concepts used in this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The series of events portrayed in this story are the products of my own imagination. Any similarities to other stories and events, fictional or non- fictional, are completely coincidental.

Author's Notes:

This is a dark/smart Naruto fan fic.

Naruto will not be paired with anyone romantically.

Romance and couple pairings will not be the focus of this particular piece of fiction.

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Thinking/thoughts(human)- "I wonder."

Thinking/thoughts(demon/non-human)- "I wonder"

Speech(human)- "I wonder."

Speech(demon/non-human)- "I wonder."

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Please read the notes at the end before asking questions about the information found in this chapter.

Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading the above notes and I hope you will enjoy reading my story (:

Decay: Chapter(3)

Spies and Independence

He had a system in place. It took a while to work out some the major flaws, but he was confident the system worked at maximum efficiency now. His system made profiling people easy. He was by no means an expert; but his assumptions were correct almost ninety percent of the time. Developing his analytical skills was vital for his survival. It was extremely important that he know who was tolerable and who was an insufferable asshole.

To be honest, Naruto thought everyone was annoying. Everyone irritated him to some extent. People singled him out for ridicule when he just wanted to be left alone. The only exception was when he desperately wanted attention. They just ignored him then. No matter what people did or didn't do, they would always be annoying.

People were annoying pests.

Yes, that was good. He was a young fox burdened by parasitic insects. He wasn't strong enough to rid himself of the pests for good. At least not yet...

So caught up in his clever musings, Naruto failed to notice his escort had stopped walking. After clumsily bumping into the man's leg, Naruto got up and took in his surroundings. The ninja academy was huge. It was a large tower-like structure with several training grounds and a yard for recreation.

"We have reached your destination. I have completed my escort assignment. Farewell."

In a puff of smoke the man disappeared.

That guy was definitely on the insufferable asshole side of his scale.

The masked ANBU officer was suppose to escort him to his class. He had no clue as to who his tutor was or which class room he was suppose to be in. That masked moron just left him standing in the school yard. To make matters worse it was still early in the morning, around six or so. He now had to wait outside of an empty school for an undetermined amount of time.

"Splendid..."

"At attention,Kit. This is an excellent opportunity to begin your training."

Naruto flashed a determined smile. He was ready to become stronger.

"This is a perfect opportunity to measure your current level of stealth. The teachers and students will be arriving soon. I want you to hide and gather information."

Naruto raised his brow in confusion. Information?What kind of S-ranked secrets could an academy student know?

"Not that kind of information, Kit. I want you to observe and evaluate your...peers. By studying their movements and mannerisms you should be able to determine what type of combat they are suited for and what type of family they are from."

His interest in stealth training was steadily waning. Why would he want to know about other people's lives and habits.

People were bothersome pests.

"Wrong Kit. People are prey and if you want to become an effective predator you must observe your prey."

Naruto tilted his head to the side. The fox had a point. He certainly wouldn't become a strong predator by crushing mere insects. He had to stalk and hunt strong prey to become a fierce predator. He couldn't be a flea ridden fox because he would never rise to glory by killing off insects. No, he was more like a baby crocodile. Sure, he was insignificant now; but he would soon be the deadliest being on the riverbank.

"You can discover which range and type of combat a person uses if you asses them well enough. Make sure you focus an equal amount of attention on names and social background information."

Naruto, although excited with renewed vigor, still questioned the need for social information. As a predator and demon in training, he would kill indiscriminately. He no longer cared if a person was a blameless civilian or a misguided shinobi. He would destroy anyone who got in his way.

"While I certainly admire your dedication to our cause, I must remind you that you are not yet a demon. You are still in the fledgling stages of your development. You are not prepared to deal with the political, and possibly physical, backlash that comes with assaulting a clan heir."

Pushing his bottom lip out in a defiant pout, Naruto tried to accept the Kyuubi's words. He didn't like the idea of exempting anyone from his unspoken existence. He wanted to crush whoever he pleased.

"At ease Kit. These stipulations are temporary. No one will escape your ire if you do not wish it. You just have to focus your attention on becoming stronger right now. Vengeance and slaughter will come later."

With a stubborn sigh, Naruto nodded in acceptance.

"You have your assignment see that it is accomplished. I will return later to measure your progress."

"Eh! Where are you going? Aren't you going to oversee my training?"

"No Kit, I am going to sleep. This is a test of your skill not mine. You must learn to act without my constant guidance."

Naruto fidgeted nervously. He didn't like the thought of Kyuubi not being with him; even if he fox was merely sleeping.

"I will still be here Kit. If you are in danger I will aide you. However, it should not come to that. If you carry out your task effectively you should not be found. So Kit, if you are discovered by a student consider the mission failed."

Naruto slowly inhaled as he puffed out his chest. He would do this. He would not fail!

"Farewell for now Kit."

With a look of fierce determination, Naruto began to look around the academy grounds thoughtfully. Where was the best place to hide and gather information? Perhaps he could hide in plain sight. No, that wouldn't work.

That never worked.

He was Naruto. He would draw negative attention to himself wherever he went. He was too young to blend in anyway. The Academy students were age six or older. Although his birthday was fast approaching, he was still three. If he tried to pose as a student he would have to behave like some sort of prodigy. So hiding in plain sight was out of the question. He had to hide. His hiding spot had to be hard to spot but it also needed to allow him to see all that was going on. He needed cover and a good vantage point.

"I should probably hide someplace high."

Naruto looked around; hastily assessing which spots met his standards.

"There!"

On the other side of the academy near some fencing, was a tree. It had dark and thick foliage,perfect for concealing his brightly colored hair. The branches were large enough to support his small body and it was tall enough to provide him with a decent view of the school yard. Brimming with pride, Naruto happily bounded up the tree. After shifting around, he found a comfortable position to sit in. Just as he settled into position, a person appeared in the school yard.

It was an instructor, or so Naruto assumed. The man was...heavy...for a chuunin. Naruto always thought a slim figure came with the duties of being a ninja. The way this man was built disproved that theory. The fat on his face seemed to droop and his nose was large and bulbous. Slowly, the man produced a set of keys which he used to unlock the academy doors. Naruto quickly got to work profiling him.

The man was...large. Although weight wasn't a definite indicator of speed or skill, Naruto couldn't bring himself to believe the man was a master of hand to hand combat or ninja techniques. His general movements were slow and clumsy. He learned that much from watching the man's multiple attempts at unlocking the academy doors with the wrong key.

His knowledge of ninja and ninjutsu was limited, but he knew hand seals required speed and precision. There was no room for error. With those thoughts in mind, Naruto came to a conclusion.

This man, whoever he was, was most likely a genjutsu specialist. He wasn't a master. Probably just above average. His appearance and movements suggested he was comfortable. Comfortable with his relatively low risk job;comfortable with his mediocre skill level and rank. This man was not overly ambitious. He wouldn't go out of his way to do anything if he didn't have to. He was lazy.

"If I were to cause some sort of conflict, he would most likely ignore me instead of punishing me. He is the type of person that tries to avoid difficult situations."

He was a minor threat at best.

Naruto returned his focus to the outside world. More instructors were arriving.

As the academy teachers arrived one by one, Naruto went about profiling them. He identified a few of the instructors as potential pests. One of which was the portly chuunin from earlier. He learned from conversations that he was named Daikoku Funeno. The man was just an average genjutsu instructor;but he was also one of three leaders on the educator's council. The two remaining leaders consisted of a kunoichi instructor, Suzume, and a general studies instructor, Umino Iruka.

Naruto couldn't resist the urge to scowl. The people that were the most deserving of his ill intent were off limits. They were "political" leaders.

The people that dictated how one became a competent soldier were merely low level grunts that despised combat. He would recognize, that for the moment, they were stronger than him; but he would also limit the amount of respect he held for them. They were annoying cowards in Naruto's mind. They either wanted to boast the title of shinobi without the risk of death or they settled for a meager job instead of working hard and rising through the ranks . They were ordinary pacifists. The whole idea was laughable.

Peace-loving pacifists were instructing students on how to become merciless tools of war.

Naruto abandoned his clever musings in favor of observing the arriving students. He tried to focus on gathering important information. It was extremely difficult. The things the students were talking were completely asinine. One kid got chewed out by his parents; something about a failing grade in basic math. Another forgot to do his homework and proceeded to run around the school yard begging for the answers.

Their worries were so trivial.

Naruto narrowed his eyes in irritation. He felt hot. His hands were sweating and he could feel a raw scream forming in his throat. He was getting angrier with each scenario the students described.

"The bastards...they think their ridiculous day to day lives are hard. They think they know what it means to suffer... to be in true pain."

Naruto dug his nails into the tree bark in hopes of reigning in his incorrigible anger. How many times had he wished for a family to care for him? How many times had he wished for the opportunity to learn and play with others? These little shits were complaining. Complaining about how their parents were looking out for their best interests; ensuring their health and safety. They were bitching about going to school everyday; learning about the world; meeting and making friends.

His nails were bleeding. He dug his nails hard into the wood, cutting them. Naruto paused to look at his bleeding hands.

This was stupid.

He shouldn't feel anger. He shouldn't feel envy. Their lives were nothing. When he became strong he would prove that to them. He would show them that their pointless little lives could be snuffed out on a whim.

On his whim.

With a calm mind, Naruto returned his focus to the task at hand. He focused on their movements and appearance. Evaluating their skills and lineage was his sole priority.

Frail bodies, ironed clothes, and bags full of games and other items of no real use to a shinobi; these were spoiled civilian children. They were normal village kids that dreamed of playing ninja for real. He stopped studying them in favor of searching for the shinobi clan heirs.

Naruto was having trouble spotting clan heirs of any kind.

All of the kids were plain. They didn't have the tell-tale signs of potentially inheriting clan techniques or a reputable family business. It seemed this generation of students had no noteworthy members.

Naruto resisted the urge to sigh, the students were leaving the yard.

"Classes must be starting."

This felt like an enormous waste of time. He sat in a tree for nearly two hours and the only thing he really learned was that Konoha was pretty much doomed to a slow demise. If these...civilians... were the best potential candidates for soldiers then Konoha would stand no chance against an army of true, merciless shinobi.

Naruto moved about lazily, preparing to abandon his post, when a gleam caught his attention.

"So this is my tutor...He's...skilled. I can't say I've been aware of how long he's been there...This is bad..."

"Why hello there!"

The man emerged from his hiding spot and moved to stand under the branch Naruto was sitting on.

Naruto glanced down and narrowed his eyes in frustration. The man beneath him had revealed his hiding spot. The students and instructors in the yard looked at him with revulsion and shock.

They had no clue he was there.

Naruto, although silently fuming over his recent exposure, smiled at the thought of his rising skill.

"You must be Naruto. I must commend you on your ability to conceal yourself. If I had not been looking for you, I would not have found you."

He raised his brow in suspicion. Naruto had not seen this man with the other instructors. That was his first clue as to who this man was. He wasn't a normal teacher; which meant he was special in some way. It also meant Naruto needed to be on guard. He was certain everything this man observed about him would be reported directly to the Hokage. He was already in trouble. He didn't know how long this bastard had been watching him.

"Why don't you come down here so we can introduce ourselves properly?"

Naruto placed a mask of calm indifference on his face as he gingerly climbed down the tree. He was already on high alert, but something about this man caused his instincts to flare up in warning. This man was being quite civil and yet it seemed so...unnatural. He could sense no real animosity in this man's words. That did little to calm his churning gut. His body was telling him something was amiss. Usually in situations like this, Naruto would look at the person's eyes. The eyes never lied to him about a person's true intentions.

He couldn't see this man's eyes.

"I am the elite special jounin, Ebisu. Lord Hokage requested I see to your education personally. Although I usually teach the elite, I made an exception for you."

Ebisu was arrogant. Naruto promised arrogant pricks would be at the forefront of his list of people he wanted to eliminate. He simply would not tolerate people who thought they were better than him; better than Kyuubi.

"Well. How generous of you."

It was clear Ebisu had not expected his sarcasm. The man was pouting while he shifted his shades about.

"Yes. Well...Let us adjourn to the classroom to begin your lessons."

This was all such a pain in he ass. He wanted to train with the fox not endure these remedial lessons every day. It would be hard to skip out on lessons. Ebisu had proven he was more than capable of tracking Naruto. If he did somehow manage to escape class, Ebisu was sure to find him.

With a sigh, Naruto followed Ebisu into the academy. The fox promised to teach him a way to leave class undetected. Until then he was stuck in school with his tutor. This was all so pointless. He already knew how to read and write and with Kyuubi's gift he would learn quicker on his own. These tutoring sessions wouldn't be challenging at all. No, that wasn't true. He would make them challenging...in his own special way.

He would pour every ounce of his cunning and creativity into escaping the academy,

without the fox's help.

Author's Notes: No Original Characters have been used! All the characters mentioned in this chapter are actual Naruto characters!

Some clarification and explanation for those that want it:

Daikoku Funeno

I made most of his stats and information up. I did base the information on what I could gather from the series. Daikoku was the one who spoke to Sasuke and his father on the day of Sasuke's entrance to the academy. He talks about Itachi's progress in the academy so I chose to make him a genjutsu specialist. The implications of that conversation makes it seem plausible to me. I also based Naruto's assessment of him on his words in the shippuden series(Rookie Instructor Iruka- Iruka's Ordeal).

Suzume

She is the kunoichi instructor that appears in the flashbacks of the chuunin exam battle between Ino and Sakura and in the episodes mentioned above.

The information about the educator's council is original.

Special Note:

This is my fan fiction. I will make things up to suite the needs of my story. So if things are not consistent with the anime or the manga it is because this is FAN FICTION.

However, I don't plan to take things to the extreme. The only character that will be out of character is Naruto. The story is told from his perspective. So if another character's actions or words seem unlike them it is because that is how Naruto is interpreting them. In this story Naruto is not naïve and trusting. He is somewhat paranoid so his perceptions of people will be negative.

Also, I do not plan to make Naruto's childhood identical to Gaara's. The chapters so far have been dedicated to establishing Naruto's changing personality. He is no longer loud and oblivious. He is becoming more reserved, spiteful, and judgmental (Which is out of his anime/manga character).