Assassin of Konoha
Chapter 01
Where to begin
It was a weird day for one Konoha Jonin named Hatake Kakashi, first, one of his Genin had just up and disappeared after berating the grandson of their client. Then not eight hours later, the door to his client's home opened to a sight which almost gave him a heart attack. The sight of Naruto in something OTHER than his almost signature orange jumpsuit was shocking enough, but the sight of the familiar redhead in his arms was another. He even went so far as to unveil his sharingan to verify it wasn't an illusion of some sort.
Watching as Naruto carried the unconscious woman upstairs he couldn't help but smell the blood on the boy. And the look in his eyes was almost a mirror of Minato's when he was pissed. Silently following the boy he made sure to keep his thoughts to himself. For now at least. He idly noticed Tsunami following them.
For the remaining members of Team Seven it was an eye opening experience, not so much the fact that Naruto was carrying a woman…but that his eyes spoke of immense fury, only just barely contained. It was a fury which made them freeze in their seats. One that made them curious as to what could have caused it.
Setting Kushina upon one of the guest beds, Naruto silently made a shadow clone to fetch a cloth while he ran a diagnostic jutsu over her. It was a tense few moments before he signed in relief. Making note to thank the med Nin who had taught him, even though Naruto couldn't use a majority them without using clones. For a few minutes he waited while Kakashi was silently waiting at the base of the bed. Probably for an explanation.
"I'll tell you later. Just know it was a mission I picked up from the old man, didn't expect this though" Naruto spoke as he moved Kushina's hair out of her face. She was gaunt and malnourished, but otherwise alive.
"Another mission? Why not mention it?"
"Same reason we don't give out our ID Inu-san"
"Black Fox" Kakashi's visible eye widened as Naruto held up his ANBU mask. "Of all the people of Konoha…I never thought it was you"
"That's a story for another time Kakashi…we still have to be ready for Zabuza and his apprentice. Chances are they'll be pissed because I killed their sponsor." Naruto replied. Fingering his mask which was now tied to his waist. As soon as his clone returned he motioned for Kakashi to leave. "Let me focus. My clone will tell you what you need to know" Kakashi nodded and led the clone downstairs, leaving Naruto with his mother and Tsunami.
"So what was that all about?" Kakashi asked the Naruto clone as Team Seven sat at the table.
"I cannot discuss everything, at least not in front of Genin…but I was given a mission to deal with Gatou in response to the recent kidnappings of women from around the fire country. Due to my…training…and my position, I was given the mission. My whole 'dead-last' thing was, in part, to protect myself. I just ended up keeping the mask as it made things easier back in the village" Naruto informed them.
"What? You mean to tell me that you, the class 'dobe', was already a shinobi back in the academy?" the Uchiha asked incredulously.
"Yes. I was to ferret out and eliminate a traitor, namely Mizuki. My positioning on your team was merely chance"
"What about all those times you asked me out?" Sakura asked, her integrity as a woman cracked due to Naruto's admission. She wouldn't say it, but he made her feel better as a woman when he refused to give up trying to get a date with her.
"Part of the act I'm afraid"
"Why don't you tell me what you mean by all that…from the beginning?" Kakashi asked.
"I can do that…though I will purposefully leave out certain parts due to security issues" Kakashi nodded in agreement and motioned for him to start. "You can read the report later.
"Well as you know I was born on October the tenth, the day the Kyuubi attacked…" he begun. Filling them in on the 'TRUE' Uzumaki Naruto. The 'Black fox' of Konoha. An 'A' ranked ANBU Operative. Though he hid the big details, mostly the stuff concerning Village secrets.
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The rain pounded upon the rickety windows of the rundown apartment. The plaster was cracked and falling off the walls, mould growing from the exposed walls. There were no curtains. They had long since fallen down. And a whistling could be heard from the wind as it passed the building. Not to mention felt from the cracks in the external walls.
The sole occupant was hidden in the bundle of blankets by the fire. It was the warmest place in the flat. And the least damp spot. The shivering bundle hid the small, malnourished form of one Uzumaki Naruto. Hidden son of the Yondaime Hokage, and Konoha's Crimson death, Uzumaki Kushina.
And while the apartment was not ideal for any form of habitation. For Naruto it was paradise compared to the orphanage. It was still home no matter how he looked at it.
Hunkering down it not he blankets again, he tried to at least get some sleep. It wouldn't do to become lazy.
After the Kyuubi's attack, things had become somewhat bleak for konoha. In wake of the devastation, they rebuilt. Even if they could not re-claim the lives lost. For the first two years nobody knew there was a jinchikuri for the kyuubi. Hiruzen had hidden him well enough. But if it weren't for the machinations of Shimura Danzo, head of the underground 'ROOT' ANBU, then Naruto may have lived a normal childhood.
Upon his second birthday, Naruto's secret of being a Jinchikuri made its way to the Council. The Shinobi representatives vied to protect the boy. Lobbying for him to be adopted. Whereas the Civilians, in all their ignorant glory, tried to have him executed. It was all Hiruzen could do to stop them. But even then, as they years went on, they wrested more and more power from him.
The result was his exile from the orphanage. Leading him to live a life on the streets. It was only sheer luck that Naruto managed to survive for a year before Hiruzen found out and he received his apartment. And even though it's upkeep was supposed to be covered by the landlord, it had been neglected due to irrational hatred towards Naruto.
Naruto owned few things. As he had no knowledge of chakra yet, he wouldn't know until he started the academy, he had found some solitude in books. The few he owned were as varied as they come. The first was a beginner sealing book. The second was called 'The Ninja'. When Naruto had picked it out he had thought it was all about how to be one. But he soon found out otherwise. Not that he ever put it down. His young impressionable mind already changing its impression of ninja. The third was a small book called the 'the art of war'. The last was actually another sealing book, this one geared towards the intermediate.
Still aside from the clothes he wore, they were all he owned. And as such he treasured them with his life. In fact he read at least one of them every night. It had been a shock to the system when Naruto had shown up for his yearly meeting with Hiruzen. His entire demeanour had changed. It wouldn't be too much to liken him with the Aburame due to how stoic he was. It was after that that he had one of his most trusted ANBU assigned to Naruto. Not just to watch over him. But to guide him.
In hindsight, Hiruzen would have thought that was probably one of his worst ideas.
Chaos was his ally in the village of the leaf. Chaos caused by pranks. Naruto Stood grinning at the sight of the Anbu chasing him suddenly wearing bright, neon pink leotards with glitter. And their masks stuck to their faces. Did he forget to mention the sudden inability to utilise chakra due to chakra restriction seals in the leotard? If he had to guess it would be one of his best pranks yet. the best part was the inability for anyone to find him. Dropping into the shadows his grin seemed to spread further.
He had learned early that having chakra didn't mean you were a ninja. the little black book containing his life's code however, did. Know your enemy as you know yourself. That's why he had another book that he had filled with blackmail material on pretty much everyone in the village. From civilian to shinobi. A detailed map of konoha, along with its patrol routes, formations, timetables for the shifts. He had it all. Sealed away in his arm. Just like the ANBU suit he had just stolen from ANBU headquarters along with a blank mask he was going to paint.
At eight years old you couldn't fault him for his ways. Well you could. But the fact that he was able to outsmart, outmanoeuvre, prank and escape the ANBU was proof of his skill. It helped that the pranks actually served a purpose aside from being amusing.
They kept the Anbu on their toes. Each prank was different and came without warning. When they were sure nothing was wrong something would go off and keep them guessing as to where the next one would appear.
This particular prank was actually a mission from the Hokage since he wanted to test Naruto's skill after the hundreds of requests to punish him from the Civilian council.
The best part was their inability to track him. even the Inuzuka found it hard as he always had a way of masking his scent and hiding his trail. The Aburame were just as stumped because of the suppression seals he wore that hid his chakra. Even if he couldn't control it, he could hide it with Fuinjutsu.
His skill in said art was about journeyman. Or if you compared it to a ninja rank. Jonin. This was in part due to him being given the advanced books by the Sandaime when he showed an aptitude for them during one of his now monthly visits.
Naruto Chuckled to himself as he climbed up the air duct in the Hokage tower. It was his way in and out. One he used for when he visited the Sandaime as the Secretary wouldn't allow him entry. Stopping at the grate for the Hokage's office he pressed a small Fuinjutsu seal by the grate which would alert the Sandaime to his presence.
"ANBU. Leave" he ordered before Naruto opened the grate. Walking up to the desk the eight year old placed his snatched gear on the desk.
"Mission complete. They didn't see me enter or leave. But the sure know I was there" Naruto grinned.
"Well done Naruto. Seems I was right. Do you still wish to enter the Academy?"
"Yeah"
"Ok then. I have another mission for you. This will be added to your official one once you graduate. I have had some troubling reports of a traitor in the academy. You are to search them out, discreetly. Let no one know. When you are sure and have the evidence to back it up, you will report it to me. Understood?"
"Understood. Permission to keep the ANBU gear? It'll help in the investigation" Naruto asked. He knew he was more mature than he should be. And perverted. Those books the old man read when he thought nobody was looking were far more interesting to the young Uzumaki that they should have been.
"Permission granted. Consider it payment for the test mission. So what's new with you then Naruto?" the Sandaime finally smiled.
"Nothing much. Working on my seals if great and all. But not knowing how to use chakra is limiting me severely. If the librarian wasn't such a bitch I would probably be at least mid to high genin already" he huffed as he sat on the sofa in front of a Shogi board. A game both of them played when they conversed. One which gave the Sandaime much needed rest from paperwork.
"Hmm. I am assuming that they still refuse to let you in?"
"Yeah. And i know that if I enter the academy this year they'll screw up my training. Doesn't help that on that chakra meter of yours it says that I have about forty thousand units" that made the Sandaime balk. Forty thousand units were nearly ten times that of the average Kage.
"That means that the Academy three will be incredibly difficult for you…come back here when you are about to learn bunshin. I have a scroll detailing every known chakra control exercise in Konoha. Use it to practice in your spear time" Naruto nodded before leaving. Preparing himself to enter the academy three months later.
By the time Naruto was ready for the Academy he looked so much like his father that it was unreal. Aside from the whisker marks and the darker shade of blonde which seemed to have hints of red in the right light, Naruto looked just like him. Sure if something interested him he would relapse into his playful attitude, but he reserved that for his sister figure, ANBU Neko.
They had become close. And aside from when she was on assignment out of the Village, she took care of Naruto. Anko seemed to enjoy teasing him. But in truth they saw each other as siblings, not of blood, but circumstance.
Standing at the gates of the Academy Naruto took a deep breath before taking his first steps onto its grounds. He was excited, but weary at the same time. Every muscle was tense. His minds running at one hundred miles per hour as he made his way to class.
Stopping at the door he slowly reached up and gently knocked. He didn't have to wait long.
"Ah. You must be the last one. Come in and introduce yourself"
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Naruto concluded his tale of his life before the Academy. He wouldn't delve too deeply into his past just yet. His audience had extended to include inari, Tazuna and Tsunami. Everyone had remained quiet through his story. But it had been hard at times when Naruto described the things he had been put through by the mobs of Konoha. Thefts, beatings, lynching, mob beatings, mob lynching, and arson, crucifixion, and being burned at the stake.
No one, in their mind, should have gone through that. Especially not a kid who hadn't even seen his tenth birthday.
"I see…thank you Naruto. For telling me" Kakashi sighed. Even his precious Icha-Icha didn't feel inviting at this point.
"Well the boss will probably need me soon. So ill head back upstairs. If you could bring some food up Tsunami, that'd be great. I doubt I'm going to be leaving my mother's side for anything bar death at the moment.
"You know she's your mother?" Kakashi asked with wide eyes. 'If he knows about Kushina…does he know about sensei?' he thought.
"Yes. I found out about my heritage when I Unofficially joined the ANBU when I was ten" Naruto nodded before leaving the team, Tazuna, inari and Tsunami downstairs. The latter rushing into the kitchen to cook something up.
"Uhh" Kushina groaned as she came to. Something she really didn't want. After all being sold into Gatou's slave ring by Danzo would do that to someone. She was feeling lucky that she hadn't been raped yet. Anyone who had tried had ended up being impaled on a chain spike from below. A reaction her chakra chains had when she was both unconscious and in danger. In times like that only an Uzumaki would be able to even get close. Amen for peculiar and strange bloodlines. The best part was that it didn't use her own chakra, but the chakra of her surroundings.
The first thing that she saw was the light filtering in through the window. Then the mop of yellow attached to the whiskered face of someone the thought she ought to know. Especially when she saw those eyes, warm sky blue orbs of pure emotion which were unlike the cold, calculating ones she remembered on Minato.
'Minato?' she thought before looking harder. The light making it more difficult. 'No…Minato didn't have those whisker…marks…' her eyes widened as she finally put a name to the face which was smiling at her. She could hardly believe what she was seeing, not wanting to believe that it had been so long already.
"N-Naruto?" she asked. Her voice tired and horse. He didn't answer verbally. Just dipped his head in acknowledgement. Her next question would cause her pain. But she didn't know it yet. "How?"
"To know that…you'd have to know my life" he sighed. His voice tired and low.
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Naruto Sighed as he sat atop a tree outside of Konoha's walls. He frequently did this. If only to cool his head and clear his mind. His usual meditation, however, was broken when he heard muffled screaming from below.
Looking down, his blue eyes widened when he saw a Kumo Nin carrying the writing form of one Hyuuga Hinata. He remembered her from when he stopped the bullies in the park from hurting her. And in lieu of his recent acclimation of knowledge, he knew it was a kidnapping. He knew he would have no real chance against the Nin, at least up front anyway. But he was the king of pranks. And he knew that hi trap making skills were top notch. That and he prided himself on mastering the Kawarimi, or body replacement technique. So a quick shadow clone, henged into Hinata and a replacement later he was carrying the rather dazed form of Hinata back into konoha. A Month later he received the memories from his clone when it dispelled when presented to the Raikage of Kumo.
His reaction was priceless. In the form of months of pranks, detailed reports etc. all of which went into a yellow book which was stored with the others.
He had practically disappeared after that. At least to the village that was. What no one knew was that upon talking to the Hokage on what happened, he had asked to be trained in secret.
"Here we are Naruto. Anbu Wolf will guide you through the process. Your rescue of Hinata and your rather creative way of getting some payback on Kumo were enough to get you in. but at the lowest rank" Hiruzen Smiled as he handed Naruto a black clothed headband with the leaf symbol.
"Thanks Jijii. So how long will I be training for?" he asked? He was still only ten, but that wasn't the youngest. Itachi had him beat by three years. Tying the headband around his head Naruto looked every bit a Shinobi as he should have. The form fitting black under suit accentuated his lithe athletic build which had been formed from the years spent running from the ANBU, and carrying out his pranks. Black hakama style pants, with dark Gray bandages wrapped around his ankles, black shinobi boots, a black long sleeved, skin tight hooded jumper, with built in leather armour on the outer forearms, chest and back. A pair of Fingerless, black-steel plated gloves, with a black Face mask. He had the feel of a black-ops, he just didn't have the experience.
His induction didn't take long, a few words from the head Anbu-captain, and a training regime from hell and Naruto was well on the way to becoming the titan he could be. It was during the beginning of his second year as an Anbu that he found himself cursing that he wasn't faster. Though he did kill several ROOT ANBU when they tried to take the eyes of the Uchiha clan after Itachi massacred them. All in all only three were stolen. Fugaku's, and two lesser Uchiha members. The rest were then stored in a stasis seal along with the bodies of the few Uchiha who tried to help him. Namely Mikoto and three other females. He didn't know why, but he felt their bodies would be useful in the later years.
It was after the incident that he was admitted to the academy, to both protect the last Uchiha's, the egotistical Sasuke, and the mirror twin sister, whose personality was the complete opposite of the broody emo's despite the fact that she had just lost her family. It was partially due to Naruto's influence. He had been a frequent visitor to the Uchiha compound when he worked under Itachi, and as such had become acquainted with the young Uchiha girl.
Sighing he donned the horrible orange monstrosity of a jumpsuit again and knocked on the classroom door. He didn't have to wait long for the door to open, revealing a dark haired chuunin with a rather distinctive facial scar. Since he had failed the graduation exam again, purposefully, he would be joining the current class for the next three years.
And thus his life as the 'class dobe' began. He hadn't fooled the Uchiha princess, and had confided in her. Her response was a teary hug before she promised to never reveal what he had said. Despite that he kept his distance, though he occasionally spoke to her at lunch. Outside the academy was a different story, she was rather partial to his pranks and joined him on occasion. Which ended up being quite the riot at times.
As the years passed in the academy it became clear to Naruto just what the council had done. By prioritising the Uchiha heir, sasuke, and forsaking his sister Susumi, they had created a monster driven by revenge. One who took what he wanted without any concern with who it belonged to, or if it was theirs. If it would help him become stronger, he would just take and take and take.
And they called him a demon.
When it finally came time for the academy graduation, Naruto deliberately failed it. He didn't need to pass after all. As he had suspected, Mizuki soon revealed he was a traitor and he promptly informed the Hokage. The whole capturing of Mizuki was a rather interesting affair. Somehow Iruka had found him. But not before a certain dark haired Kunoichi graduate who had already laid into him about what he was doing.
Then again Susumi hadn't heard the full story yet so it was to be expected.
The ensuing battle ended up with Iruka injured, but nothing more than a few cuts from shuriken.
That had gone down on record as being a mid 'A' rank mission.
The three months doing 'D' ranks missions were a joke at best. Hence why he always sent a re-enforced shadow clone to do them.
He got on well with Susume's team. Mostly. Anko Mitarashi was a strange one. But fun to be around. Ami could be much like Sakura and Ino, but wasn't as bad. Nor did she suffer from chronic 'Fan-girl' syndrome. The last was an unknown by the name of Sai. But he could have sworn he was a ROOT ANBU. At least low chuunin level.
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Naruto wrapped up his tale by telling her of his current mission. And the one he had just done, in which he had found her.
"And there you have it. Since then it's been maybe ten hours" he surmised. His eyes widening when Kushina hugged him, bringing his face into her chest. It didn't help that she was naked. But despite his surprise Naruto couldn't help but hug her back when he heard her crying. Pulling her close he held her against him as she cried.
"I'm sorry" she muttered, repeating it over again and again. Until Naruto snapped her out of it with a light slap to the face.
"Theres nothing to be sorry for. I won't allow you to wallow in self-pity" he spoke softly, yet evenly. His eyes had a hardness to them, one his age should never have. Pulling her into another hug he laid next to her on the bed. He'd be dammed, crucified, and burnt at the stake before he let her go. Not after he finally got her.
"I need to go inform Kakashi that you're awake. And see if Tsunami can let you have any spare clothes" Naruto sighed as he stood up turning to leave.
"W-Wait!...please stay…" she reached out and grabbed his arm. He only needed to look into her eyes. The loneliness, the sorrow.
"Alright" he replied before making a Shadow clone to collect some clothes for Kushina. Joining her in the bed he held her close. The two slowly drifting off into a pleasant sleep. The first they'd had in a long time. the first of many more to come.