Sorry about this kinda being short but I got a project at school and I've been cramming for finals! Gah! Damn you procrastination!

Kesu

Chapter 2:

Death Toll - 1

"Mizuki really is an idiot…" Naruto said softly, shadows hiding his face all but the wicked grin that curled his lips as he walked home after Mizuki had stopped him and told him about the 'secret test' for him to become genin. Of course, Naruto saw right through his lies and instead of going to go steal the scroll and catch Mizuki when he lured him out with the scroll, Naruto decided to use his Death Note to make him steal it and be killed by ANBU. It'd be perfect, just the right and deserving way for him to die.

"So Mizuki huh?" Ryuk asked in his usual crazed voice.

Naruto chuckled. "How else than to make him die because of stealing it? What I'm wondering is if I can somehow get the scroll during the confusion…" he paused thoughtfully as he took out his Death Note and wrote the details of Mizuki's death before writing down his 'sensei's' name in front of it. "Kesu!"

Mizuki panted as he ran through the trees, trying to get away from Konoha as fast as he could. The Scroll of Seals strapped on his back along with his giant shurikens weighed a ton, but he knew that if he got it to his master, he'd get the power he deserved. He grinned greedily and decided to take things in a more leisure pace. He bet Konoha didn't even notice the scroll was gone yet, they were so pathetic. His eyes suddenly flickered to his right when he felt someone's presence. He snorted at how weak they felt, so weak he almost confused them for a small animal.

"You can come out now." he said arrogantly, stopping on a tree branch. He threw a kunai just in case and smirked when he herd a satisfying thump, but he didn't expect for a volley of kunai to come at him afterward. He jumped out of the way, taking out another kunai blocking another volley shot out too quick for him to dodge in midair. He growled and threw one of his giant shurikens at the nuisance. A choked gurgle followed from behind his opponent's hiding spot after it hit its intended mark. How pathetic. He smirked.

"What?!" Mizuki growled as a dark cloud of shuriken and kunai rained down on him from behind. At the last second he used kawarimi and replaced himself with a log, making a run for it. In a clearing, he found a shack where he hid the scroll under the floorboards as he felt three chakra signatures approaching. He clenched his teeth and ran to loose his pursuers, he'd come back for the scroll once he'd gotten rid of them. He sprinted off into the trees, unknown to him that two figures were watching him leave. One with manic amusement and the other triumphant as he held a giant shuriken in one hand and a black notebook in the other.

"That was too easy," the blond scoffed, making his way into the shack.

--The Next Day--

Sarutobi sighed at the turn of events that had piled up this morning considering the events that went on last night. Mizuki had stolen the Scroll of Seals but before he could get too far from Konoha, he'd been dispatched by ANBU. Unfortunately they'd arrived too late because Mizuki didn't have the scroll anymore and no one knew where it was or if it'd been taken away by enemy nin. The ANBU who'd killed him was a noob who'd gone way in over his head, obviously too arrogant to think to bring in Mizuki for questioning and killed him. It also piled up with the fact that Naruto had come to him this morning to say he was dropping out of the academy.

--Flashback--

"Come in." Sarutobi said as he rubbed his temples, starting to feel frustrated over the whole incident that night. He'd been so angry with the ANBU who'd killed Mizuki, he'd chewed him out before demoting him back to chunnin and sentenced him to D-rank missions for another six months just a few minutes before someone had knocked on his door.

"Hey old man…" Sarutobi looked up in concern at his favorite hyperactive blond walked into his office quietly like a normal person.

"What's wrong Naruto?" he asked. He was probably depressed about failing to become a ninja again. His eyes soften, he wished he could do more for Minato's son, but this was all he could do until he became a chunnin. The poor boy, to be foist with such a burden at such a young age.

Naruto adverted his gaze and frowned, not his usual childish pout, making Sarutobi on high alert, this was obviously serious. "I've been thinking…about me becoming a ninja," Naruto started and licked his lips, "And I know I said I wanted to become the Hokage, but when I failed again yesterday… I realized I'm not cut out for it. I can't even make a simple bushin!" he shook his head as if at the sheer incredulity of him becoming Hokage.

Sarutobi felt his heart wrench at what he was implicating. "Naruto…"

Naruto put his hand up. "I've been thinking about this, I didn't even sleep last night because of it," he said and Sarutobi realized it was true. The tell tale signs of lack of sleep was evident on Naruto's face. "I know none of the villagers would except me as Hokage anyway, not to mention the council." Naruto looked up suddenly and his frown deepened, but it turned back to normal as he looked down at his clenched fists, licking his lips again. "I obviously have no skill for it anyway," he continued. "The villagers hate me, don't try to deny it, it'd obviously be a lie."

As much as Sarutobi wanted to change Naruto's mind, he knew it was probably true that Naruto wouldn't become Hokage. "What do you plan to do now?" he sighed sadly as he chanced a glance at the Fourth's picture he had in the room. He silently sent his apology to Minato that he couldn't make the villagers see Naruto like the hero he deserved to be.

"I think I'll go travel around and become an apprentice or something in some other skill." Naruto shrugged, making the Third smile. There was the Naruto he knew and cared about.

"Ok, you can't be considered a missing nin since you never passed the academy, so I can't stop you, but I hope you know what you're doing…"

Naruto grinned his first grin since he arrived in the office. "Don't worry about me old man! When I come back I'll be a master at whatever I decide to do!" he said flashing him a peace sign. Sarutobi immediately smiled, he was starting to think Naruto had given up all hope. "I'll be the best in my biz just watch me!" Naruto said with burning determination before he left, but much to Sarutobi's shock, it wasn't directed at him but at the Fourth's picture.

--End Flashback--

"I'm getting too old for this…" the Third groaned.

"What a load of crap…" Ryuk complained as Naruto left Konoha with all his stuff (which wasn't much) packed in his backpack. Naruto walked on until he was out of hearing distance from the guards until he replied.

"I had to plan things out perfectly Ryuk," he said simply as if talking to a child. "I know no one would really suspect me about the scroll, but how could I avoid suspicion if so many of my tormentors were killed if I was still in the village?"

Ryuk grinned. "So you're not going to be boring after all. For a second I thought you were going to be goody two shoes about this and never kill again."

Naruto snorted. "I suppose my acting skills could even fool a shinigami, though I think my performance in front of the old man could have gone better if you hadn't been so distracting." he said shooting a glare at Ryuk which he brushed off with a chuckle.

"Maybe kid." he cackled in amusement. "So what are you really going to do now?"

"You think I'd really give up being a ninja that easily?" he asked rhetorically, but then brought his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Though to be convincing, I guess I should learn something else too."

"A jack of all trades?" Ryuk suggested jokingly.

Naruto smirked sadistically. "You know, I kind of like that idea… but first I need money…"

wow there are a lot of people looking forward to this chapter… that makes me feel bad about it being so short! I'm srry! Blame the teach's goddamn giant project worth over 200 points! how come no one felt the need to tell me it was worth so much?!