Chapter 1: Enter Naruto Uzumaki
Being a ninja means you are the best of the best. You're strong, powerful, brave, wise, trustworthy, and a hero of your land. Actually, that's what being a ninja meant way back when. Today, it means being a "person with a little too much imagination and a hyper-active personality". Words said only by the caretaker of the orphanage I live in.
No one believes in ninja anymore. They used to exist but died out many years ago. Back then, there were wars after wars. Believing there were too many deaths and too much destruction, our great leaders built the great Harō. That's "halo" if you speak English. The Harō was a bond that all the leaders of the land formed to have ultimate peace. It has worked for many years now, so it doesn't bother me. Ninja are what made it possible for the Harō to stay in place for so long. To ensure peace stays and stop all evil, I, Naruto Uzumaki will become a ninja but not any ninja.
I will become the Hokage! The leader of all ninja and people of my village, the Leaf Village!
"Yeah right! You're not even a ninja, idiot!" I grunted. Stupid kids. The brats around me laughed and called me names as I stood there telling them my dream. One of the elder girls came into the living room to give the younger kids their snack.
"Shuddap! I'm going to be a ninja! So, you kids better thank me when I protect you one day!" The snot-nosed brats kept laughing at me and ate their food.
"From what? A hurricane? An earthquake? Maybe even a tsunami?" I felt myself reddening. The only reason I didn't leave this place earlier was because the head lady said I had to watch these orphan brats. She didn't say I had to be nice. Ah, whatever, she just better get back here soon!
"That's not what ninja do! They fight bad ninja. You know, the bad guys!" The elder girl gave me a strange look.
"What bad guys? Everybody is peaceful." Uh, again with this?
"Not everybody. We still have criminals running around. Murders happen almost everyday. Besides, some people still practice the art of ninjutsu today!"
"Yeah, but that's like and one-sixteenth of all the people in the lands combined. Maybe even less. And, no one's gonna want a ninja for Hokage! Our Hokage is fine as he is." All the kids began to agree with her and jeer at me more. I rolled my eyes.
"He's a politician! He does nothing but fundraisers and dinner parties. When bad things happen, what do you expect him to do? Throw a dinner party and plead with the enemy to not kill us all? No! A Hokage must protect his people."
"Even so, how do you expect to become a ninja? I don't see any "ninja school" around here." I smirked and puffed out my chest a little.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is a ninja school still in operation! And, I'm enrolling there!" I tilted my head up and smiled as everybody in the room gasped.
That's right! There's one ninja school still up and running. It's called Yuniti High School. It's a school that offers lodge on campus and even work too. Back then, you would have to go through primary school in order to be ranked a Genin, or a low-ranked ninja. This school teaches kids my age for 4 years and graduates them with some high ninja rankings and stuff. If I graduate top of my class, I'll be a runner-up for Hokage for sure! I've already looked at stuff on how to learn the way of the ninja. Now, I usually don't study or read books or anything, but this is my dream. I need to put in a little extra work for it. Just then, the front door opened and the caretaker walked back in. The elder girl pointed at me and addressed her.
"Do you hear this boy!? He's speaking nonsense! You're not really going to let him go enroll in a ninja school, are you?" I narrowed my eyes at her. Nonsense! I never speak no nonsense! I always speak sense! Wait... Did that even make sense? I started to scratch my head in confusion as the head lady shook her head.
"Leave the boy alone." She turned to me. "Come on, Naruto. The bus will be coming soon." I grabbed my suitcases and backpack and headed out the door with the old lady behind me. I walked over to the edge of the street and set my stuff down. The head lady looked at my bags and looked up at me. "You really are serious."
"Of course I am! I've been serious since I was kid!" She sighed and, to my surprise, smiled.
"I know. I just never thought you'd go this far. We may never even see each other again." I thought about that. Yes, the school is very far, and a bus to the school didn't cost cheap either. It will be while before I see this place again. "Naruto." I looked down at the old lady. She held out her small palm to me. In it was a small, yellow bag with a daisy painted on top of it. "The flower is called "Hinagiku" or "daisy". It means "faith"." I took the small charm and looked down on it.
"Do I open it?"
"Only when you find yourself completely lost without faith." I looked at this old woman, whom was like a mother and grandmother toward me, and smiled. I gave a big hug and placed the charm in my jacket pocket. The public bus was only a little ways away, so I picked up my stuff and prepared to go.
"Naruto!" I looked behind me. All the people from the orphanage had come out. The kids were all crying and waving at me. They looked sad to see me go. I smiled as the bus pulled up towards me.
"Bye guys! See you around!" I boarded the bus and gave the driver the money. I walked all the way down to the eighth row since no one was on board but me. Putting my stuff away, I saw the caretaker through the window. She wore a sad look on her face. I smiled at her and waved one last time. Smiling, she turned her back and went back to the orphanage. I sat down, and the bus began to move. This it. This is the beginning of my journey to become a ninja.
No, this is my journey to become Hokage!