Chapter 6:

Naruto walked back to his basement apartment tired and exhausted. He has given everything he had into fighting Recca. He used up half his chakra, all of his brain power and even resorted in sealing himself into a tree just incase. But even after all that Naruto was just able to beat him only when the guy was holding back. Naruto knew Recca was holding back, the man didn't even use a ninjutsu, and while that pissed Naruto off, Naruto knew that one day he will become stronger, stronger than Recca.

That was the purpose of this battle, to prove to himself that he could take down Recca, that he could be somebody. And also some good 'ol fashioned revenge for that day Recca beat him senseless. But it was for Naruto's own good in the end.

Naruto slowly took of the ninja pouches he wore on both legs and slowly began to disrobe. The black shirt was zipped down and removed the chainmail underneath revealing several bruises that Naruto had from his training before. Naruto took of his armoured shirt and pants and promptly fell into bed exhausted. Slowly but surely Naruto faded into sleep, relaxing after a week of training.

Recca knelt in front of Danzo again this time without his mask or cloak so Danzo could see the injuries he got from Naruto. Recca had just delivered his report to Danzo as the man was now processing all the new information.

"And this is all hundred percent accurate?" Danzo asked scratching his scarred chin.

"Yes Master Danzo. I fought Naruto at high genin level, I did not use any ninjutsu but maintained my reaction time and taijutsu level at jonin level. At first Naruto's clones could not keep up, but eventually they started to use ANBU level ninja tactics sir. I am not aware of how this has come to be, but I believe Naruto is a sort of genius when it comes to being unpredictable."

"You speak highly of the boy Recca," Danzo raised an eyebrow, "anything I should know?"

"I just respect the boy's will sir."

"He indeed has the will of fire in him….very well tomorrow begin the plan, you have the folder?" To which Recca nodded, "good, then by this time next week Naruto will be part of the ROOT."

Naruto woke up in the morning fully rested. Ever since the day Recca beat the crap out off Naruto he had unlocked some sort of healing ability. Very night when he went to bed he would wake up the next morning completely healed. In fact if he was awake long enough he could feel his body heal itself. Maybe it had something to do with the fox inside him, but Naruto didn't care, it helped him that was all he needed.

Quickly Naruto got ready as he suited up. He put on the chainmail first and then his armored black shirt and pants. Then over this he wore a large orange shirt that came to knees and a baggy set of cream pants. While Naruto liked his new clothes a lot he still preferred it if people didn't see him wearing them, they would notice them and would ask a lot of questions. Also he still loved the the colour orange.

Once outside his home Naruto quickly summoned a couple of clones and sent them all to practice tree climbing and then to head to the library to study a few new seals and a couple of ninjutsu.

Naruto then ran to academy for the first time in over a week's time. There he sat down in his usual seat and Sasuke slowly came and sat down next to him.

"Hey Naruto," Sasuke said as he pulled out his notes for the day.

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said grinning like an idiot, "so how has your training been going?"

"Good, yours?"

"I think I finally got the hang of this ninja thing! I'm learning a lot now, and my chakra control in slowly getting up to par so I think it's okay for me to really get into the good stuff."

"I see….do you want to see whether that's true?"

"When and where?"

"Two days from now, the Uchiha compound," Sasuke said smirking.

"Your on" Naruto replied smirking back.

"Hey Sasuke!" came a cry as the two boys turned to see Sakura and Ino walk up to them, along with the majority of Sasuke's fan club. Naruto snickered under his breath as Sasuke paled slightly.

Sasuke shut down the rest of day as Ino and Sakura started to doubt on him. Claiming how much they love him and all that. Finally Naruto couldn't take any more and managed to shoo most of the girls off by the time Recca got into class.

The day went by slow as Naruto had already gone through all this material in the bundle Urahara gave him. As slowly Naruto started to doze off he started to wonder what he should do now? The world was open to him, the only immediate goal for Naruto now was to get strong to protect the people he cares about. He wanted to be safe, to be in control.

Just as the day was finally ending Naruto was asked to stay behind by Recca who was looking very serious.

"What's the matter sensei? Did I hurt you too much?" Naruto asked smirking at Recca.

Recca's serious face broke as the chunin grinned, "shut it brat, you just got lucky."

"I still kicked your ass!"

Recca laughed and then turned serious again, seeing this Naruto became serious too, "Naruto what do you know about the ANBU?"

"They are the secret division of the ninja army of Konoha. They employ extreme secrecy for even ninjas and are the best at what they do."

"Yes, see the thing is Naruto, I am part of a branch of the ANBU. My mission right now is to teach the young students properly, which is a great task in itself without stupid brats like you letting me," Recca smiled at this which Naruto mimicked, "but the thing is I am impressed by you Naruto. You displayed true cunning yesterday, you have the potential to be the best, and we want you to be the best. I have told my superiors about you Naruto and they are very interested, Naruto Uzumaki we of ROOT wish to invite you into our ranks."

"Are you serious sensei?"

"Deadly."

"B-but why me? I mean, I'm not that strong, or anything!"

"Not true, yesterday you were displaying high genin skills, you have great potential Naruto. True you may not strong right now, but we can make you stronger than you can ever be alone."

"And why do you want to do this?"

"Because we know you are strong but if you stay in the normal ninja system, you will never be awarded the power you so desire."

"That's not true!"

"It is, just ask the hokage if you do not believe me. Ask him whether you can be a genin right now. Show him what you can do and then ask him to promote you."

Naruto thought about what Recca was saying and filled it in for later use. "Does the Hokage know about this?"

"We do not answer to the Hokage Naruto, we answer to the village and no one else. In fact the Hokage does not even know about us."

"Then why should I trust you? Why should you trust me? Why do you think I want just go and tell tell the Hokage?"

"Because I trust you Naruto," Recca said, "I trust you, and I know you. You care about this village as much as I. And you know the hokage doesn't trust you."

"Gramps trusts me!" Naruto roared out.

"Then why hasn't he told you about your parents yet?"

Naruto stopped as his anger slowly left him and dout took over. He felt distrust towards the Hokage ever since the day he woke up in the hospital. He felt it, but he ignored it, but now that is was put in front of him Naruto could no longer ignore it.

"Naruto," Recca said breaking Naruto from his train of thought, "if you join ROOT, then we will tell you who they are, and we will even tell you a S-class secret in this village that pertains only to you."

Naruto looked at Recca with wonder, "are you serious? You would tell me who they were?"

"Yes," Recca nodded, "but you don't have to give your answer now, give it to me in a week's time."

"You trust me not to go to the Hokage with this?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Recca said, "my orders were to make you say yes, but I want to give you a choice Naruto," it was a lie and a very good one. Danzo ordered Recca to say that, they intended to give Naruto time to think anyway, but now Naruto felt like Recca was indeed on his side.

"I see...thank you Recca sensei," Naruto said as he walked away from the classroom and the academy with no destination in mind. Naruto wondered whether what recca said was true. Was there really an organization called ROOT? Where they really interested in him? Was this all a trick by Recca? No, no Recca cares about him, truly cares about him. Naruto knew it couldn't be trick to kidnap him or something, meaning Recca was telling the truth, Naruto couldn't believe other wise.

Naruto slowly walked deeper into the village as he realise he was nearing the Hokage tower. Naruto then remembered Recca's words, ' Because we know you are strong but if you stay in the normal ninja system, you will never be awarded the power you so desire. Just ask the hokage if you do not believe me. Ask him whether you can be a genin right now. Show him what you can do and then ask him to promote you.'

Naruto schooled his face and ran to the Hokage's office. He ran past the assistant's desk before she could stop him and kicked open the door. Inside the Hokage looked up from his paperwork and smiled at Naruto.

"Ah Naruto," the old man smiled putting his pen down, "how are you my boy?"

"I'm fine gramps, but I came here for a favour."

"Really? Well what is it?"

"Can I graduate early?" Naruto asked pleading.

"Really Naruto? You believe you can graduate early?" Hokage asked with a smile, "why do you think that?"

"Well I can do all of the academy three," Naruto said as he quickly performed the three exercises, substituting himself with a piece of furniture, transforming into the Hokage himself and then performing the basic clone jutsu, which now came out perfect due to Naruto's improved chakra control. He simply didn't want the Hokage to know he could perform the shadow clone jutsu, that would get Recca into trouble.

"That is impressive Naruto," the Hokage said smiling, "but I'm afraid just that won't let you graduate."

"Then give me a chance to show you I can do it gramps! Let me show you how strong I can become!"

"Naruto," the Hokage said sighing, "there is something you should know. It's not that I don't want you to graduate early, it's just that I don't believe you would be allowed to."

"What do you mean gramps?"

"There are people out there who are afraid of you Naruto, if they hear you are getting stronger and becoming a genin by graduating early they will panic. They will then come after you Naruto, right now the village is not ready for something like that so soon after the Uchiha tragedy."

"If You are talking about the civilian council then let me handle them gramps! I'm sure I can convince them," mind control them, "into letting me live in peace."

"It's not them Naruto, I can handle the council. I am talking about the people in general."

"Why do the people care if I become stronger?"

"Because they are afraid. Itachi was a prodigy Naruto, a once in a lifetime prodigy unlike anyone else. But due to what he did, many believe he went mad with power because he graduated to early, because he was given to much power too early and that caused him to lose himself in now believe that if anyone gains to much power too early they might snap and kill everyone like Itachi did. They are afraid of power."

"That's stupid!" Naruto said, "people shouldn't be afraid of the people that protect them!"

"Sadly Naruto it is what it is. There are several people who could have graduated early this year. Your friend Sasuke, one Neji Hyuga and even you. But right now doing so will cause the village to be forever suspicious of the ones that do graduate to early. They are afraid, and there is nothing we can do."

Naruto looked at the Hokage in anger and frustration. He turned around and walked away leaving the Hokage to sigh, it was days like this that really got to him.

Naruto walked away frustrated. The Hokage was buying him the opportunity to protect himself from the village people because they were afraid of him? How dare they! How dare he! He could protect himself from the local civilian, but there were people stronger than him, smarter than him and they are the ones Naruto can't control.

As Naruto marched through the village the people looked at him in fear, Naruto looked at them with disgust and quickly jumped onto the nearest rooftop running away from them all. He ran to the nearest park, it was empty there, Naruto could think.

Slowly Naruto walked through the park as he sighed to himself. He needed to get stronger, but he couldn't do it with the normal way of doing things. And he certainly couldn't do it with an organization without any restrictions. With unlimited power and no supervision, the ROOT is nothing less than vigilantes or even borderline criminals. But they were offering Naruto the two things he needed, answers and power.

"You're scaring away the birds," a voice said. Naruto looked up from his path and saw an old man with bandages over his right eye and his right arm hidden away. The man had a scar on his chin and sat on one of the benches throwing breadcrumbs at the pigeons who were scared of Naruto as they all moved away from the boy.

"Bite me old man," Naruto said as he turned around to walk away and find somewhere private.

"Now is that anyway to treat your elders?" a voice spoke directly in front of Naruto. The boy looked up and saw the man standing there with a cane. Naruto looked back and saw no one there in the bench.

'Ninja,' Naruto thought out, "who are you?"

"I am known as Danzo. And you?"

"You already know who I am."

"And why do you think that?"

"Because you're a member of ROOT."

Danzo's one eye revealed itself, "perspective. Good. How did you figure it out?"

"I didn't until now," Naruto said grinning, "I had a dout. An organization that is hidden from the Hokage just asked me to join. If they were worth the name they had they would obviously have tracked me and seen I went to the Hokage right after Recca spoke to me. So you would have sent somebody to make sure I didn't talk."

Danzo's thin lips slowly moved upwards as the man smirked, "I thought Recca was lying or overexpressing when he told me about you, but he was not. You certainly are someone special Naruto Uzumaki. It was a good thing I offered you a position in my organization."

"My? So you aren't just a drone, you're the head of it all."

"Indeed. So have you discovered the truth?"

"What truth?"

"The truth that the Hokage would never allow you to obtain the power you seek. The power to protect yourself."

"How do you know he denied me?"

"The ROOT has spies everywhere."

'Do they know I can control people? No, no they don't if they did they would have killed me rather than risk me. My secret is still safe.' Naruto then spoke, "give me a reason. Tell me why I would have to protect this stupid village?"

Danzo smiled as he slowly walked to the bench to pick up his bag of bird feed, "because your parents died believing in this village."

Naruto was taken back for just a second. "You think I care what two dead people died for?" Naruto screamed out as Danzo slowly walked away. "Because I don't!" Naruto screamed as Danzo faded, "I DON'T!"

Naruto knew Danzo had gotten to him. The man was good, Naruto would give him that at least. Naruto clenched his hands, he needed to calm himself. He needed to forget about this. So he did the one thing he knew he was good at. Train.

Naruto ran to the nearest training ground and quickly summoned a hundred clones. "COME ON!" NAruto creamed as he took off his orange shirt and cream pants revealing his black armor underneath. Naruto charged ahead right into the hundred clones and used his anger to fuel his every strike.

Soon Naruto was alone and he sat down under a tree panting and holding his gut in pain. He might have broken a rib or two, but in the end he worked out all his anger and frustration. Just then the memories of the clones he had sent that morning came back to him. They spent the day mastering tree walking and had now began water walking. They had also come across a new seal, the chakra suppressing seal.

Along with that they also learnt a couple of surviving methods such as using chakra to start a fire and a low level fire line jutsu where Naruto could ignite his chakra strings on fire. Sighing Naruto simply laid there as he let sleep over come him. He slowly drifted off the rest and soon fell asleep.

The next day Naruto woke up refreshed and alert, but he still needed some time to think. So Naruto sent a clone in his place to the academy as he walked to Neo-Frost Lane to meet up with the head of the Nagasaka family.

Once Naruto reached the main house of the Nagasaka family he walked to the main hall where most of the important people gather to have a daily meeting on how to improve the community as a whole. These were daily meeting that Naruto forced them to have with the order that they can only not have one when they don't have a problem that needed fixing.

Inside Naruto saw that the meeting was in session, it was about how the garbage that has been collecte needed to be safely disposed off. Naruto then spotted the banker who helped draw up the legal papers for all of this, Kasuka. Naruto pulled the man away from the meeting and the two moved to the other room.

"Hello Master Naruto," Kasuka said bowing.

"Morning Kasuka," Naruto said, "I need an update on my finances."

"Gladly sir. Your total cash is around 20 million ryo, that is the money you collected from the yakuza and the people together. Your property value has also increased 10 fold. All this is being kept in 5 different accounts in the Elemental National bank. Only you, and your banker, me, can access your funds, and they can be accessed anywhere in the Elemental nations."

Naruto nodded as he took this all in, "good, do you have my bank password and other details?" Kasuka reached into his briefcase and pulled out several folders that Naruto then took, "good. You may leave. But when you do tell Hattori Nagasaka to come here, I have something to discuss with him."

The banker nodded as he left. Soon the head of the yakuza walked up to Naruto and bowed, "morning boss."

"Morning Hattori, have you found a scientist for me yet?"

"We are trying boss, so far we have this one guy who is willing to work with us but he is a bit….unique."

"I see," NAruto said thinking it over, "well it doesn't matter, call him in."

"The soonest I can have him in is by friday boss, hope that isn't an issue."

Naruto shook his head, "no, but just get it done."

The man nodded and Naruto promptly walked out, his work done. The rest of the day Naruto had several of his clones practise water walking on a lake nearby while some trained at home in making chakra suppression seals. He was practising taijutsu once again in training ground 7.

As Naruto finished up his stretches he quickly summoned several of his clones and slowly got to work punching the shit out of them. Soon Naruto discovered some flaws in his style of fighting and was fixing them when suddenly a voice called out, "most impressive."

Naruto turned around and saw Danzo standing there with his hace looking blank.

"What do you want Danzo?"

"I came here to see what you are doing, I half expected you to come to Recca and accept my offer at once. But seeing you didn't gives me an insight into just what type of man you are Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "and what type of man am I?"

"You are a stubborn and foolish boy who doesn't care about what others think, which is a strange mix of your father and mother."

Naruto glared at Danzo, "have you come here to simply taunt me Danzo?"

"No, I am not. I am here to show you the truth. And the truth is that you need to join us Naruto, you have to."

"I don't' have to do anything. Go suck a dick."

Danzo frowned and the suddenly vanished in a swirl of leaves. Naruto sighed as he slowly restarted his taijutsu training. The next day was the day Naruto would spar against Sasuke. Naruto recalled what he had his clones learn the other day, he had learnt how to water walk, and though he was not master he could not still do it. His chakra suppression seals were coming along great, Naruto could probably stop a genin with one now.

After personally going to the class that day Naruto followed Sasuke home. Once he entered the Uchiha compound Naruto couldn't help but remember the bodies he had seen, all of them were still clear in his head.

Soon Naruto and Sasuke stood face to face in the Uchiha training ground which was almost as big as training field 7.

"Ready blondie?" Sasuke asked holding up a kunai.

"Ready duckbutt," Naruto replied with a grin.

"I don't have a duckbutt for a hair!" Sasuke screamed out.

"Yeah you do!"

"Yeah well you have-" Sasuke stopped midway as he threw the kunai in the middle of the sentence as he jumped back quickly forming the seals to the great fireball jutsu.

Naruto however was already moving, he dodged the kunai and quickly substituted himself with a log just as Sasuke's great fire ball reached him. Naruto appeared behind Sasuke just as the Uchiha turned around with a kick to Naruto's head.

Naruto blocked the kick with a single hand and then used his free hand to grab Sasuke's thigh and threw the boy like sack across the field. Sasuke rolled a for a few feet before getting up and drawing a kunai just as Naruto was one him holding a kunai of his own.

Sparks flew all over as Naruto and Sasuke moved faster and faster. Naruto parried a strike from Sasuke and then pushed the boy back, using this time Naruto quickly formed several shadow clone who all charged at Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as when one of the clones struck him he started to bleed. Sasuke soon realised these weren't normal clones, these were real. Soon Sasuke found himself fighting off several Naruto's who were all just as skilled as the original.

Just the Sasuke landed a lucky hit on one of the clone causing it to vanish. Sasuke grinned, he now knew that they could be defeated. Slowly Sasuke started to cut down several clones one by one. Sasuke then stood with several cuts and bruises, courtesy of the clones, alone on the field.

Sasuke looked around the field but he couldn't see Naruto, "where are you!"

"Here," Sasuke heard Naruto's voice behind him, the Uchiha jumped back and saw Naruto standing behind him. But the moment he landed on the ground Sasuke felt somebody grab his arms in lock and hold him there. As Sasuke tried to fight and break free of the lock Naruto rushed Sasuke and punched him in the gut.

Sasuke felt pain but before he could push past it Naruto stuck a chakra suppression seal on Sasuke and slowly the Uchiha felt himself drained of his chakra.

As Sasuke looked up he felt a kunai on his throat, "I win," Naruto said.

Sasuke grimaced, "this time."

Naruto smiled as he held the boy up and removed the seal letting Sasuke feel his chakra returning back to him. Soon the two boys were sitting in Sasuke's house eating biscuits and drinking green tea.

"That was a nice fight," Naruto said as he munched on a cookie, "you nearly got me with the jutsu."

"Yes, but it wasn't enough," Sasuke said sad, "it never is enough."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and sighed, "stop brooding, it won't help anyone."

Sasuke looked at Naruto with anger, but slowly it left him, "you're right. Anyway good job Naruto, you finally are a decent fighter."

Naruto grunted, "sure I am. I just have a better strategy that's all."

"Fuck this!" Sasuke said as he suddenly became angry. He threw his cup into the wall shattering it, "all this training! And for nothing!" Sasuke sat down with tears in his eyes. He didn't care that Naruto was there, in some instance Naruto was the only one who he felt he could be honest to anymore.

Naruto frowned, he needed to do something. He needed to help his friend. Slowly Naruto channeled some chakra into his voice, "Sasuke look at me" The boy looked at Naruto with tears running down his face, "stop crying," Sasuke then suddenly found himself not wanting to cry any more, "never wallow in your own pity Sasuke," Naruto continued, "it's beneath you. Every time you feel frustrated about something, train. Every time you feel you can't do it yourself, ask for help. Every time you think you won't amount to anything, work hard until you don't feel like that anymore. Whenever you feel like giving up, don't get back up stronger."

Sasuke listened to all that and slowly nodded, "okay. Okay Naruto I'll do it."

Naruto nodded and quickly left just as Sasuke got up to train. Naruto was happy he could help his friend, even if that friend had to be mind controlled into doing what's good for him. Naruto still felt happy he did something.

Soon the days passed and Naruto soon found himself once again in the Nagasaka main building. He was waiting in the office room with Hattori for the scientist to come. Just as NAruto thought the man was a no show the scientist showed up throwing the door open.

The man wore a lab coat with a plain black shirt underneath and green pants below that. Green pants? Was this guy a mad scientist? His hair was white with few black hairs here and there and it looked like it spiked up with some kind of gell. Over all the man looked like he was having a midlife crisis.

"Hello," the man said, "I am professor Osamu Tezuka, but please call me Tezuka, everyone else does," the man said shaking Naruto's hands frantically. Naruto looked at the head of the yakuza who looked at him shrugged giving him a 'I told you so' look.

Naruto nodded at the man, "good professor, now please listen well," Naruto then captured the man with his voice. After giving the man clear instructions on what to do and letting the man conduct some tests on the man Naruto left Neo-Frost lane and slowly walked home.

He head was filled with thoughts. He had to make a choice today, Recca and Danzo expected to. They would make him choose right here and now. Naruto sighed as he reached his apartment, 'in the words of Shikamaru, troublesome.'

As Naruto walked into the apartment complex he saw Recca there waiting for him and in his hand was a folder.

"Recca sensei?" Naruto asked.

"It's time for your to decide," Recca said, "this folder has the name of your mother. I am to give it to you if you choose to come to ROOT." Recca then smiled, "but I think you deserves a reward for doing so well in your studies, so I'm going to give this to you etherway."

Naruto widened his eyes and he accepted the folder from the man. He looked at it and slowly with trembling hands he opened it. Seeing this Recca smiled, this was another techniques the ROOT decided to use. Once Naruto knew who his mother was, he would want to know who his father was, and then they would have him.

"K-Kushina Uzumaki?" Naruto asked with a trembling voice, "that's the name of my mother?" Naruto looked at the picture in the folder, it was a beautiful woman with red hair and a grin the size of Konoha. She looked like an angel from heaven that was sent down to Earth. Slowly tears came out of Naruto's eyes.

Recca nodded, "yes Naruto. From what I hear you and her and very much alike. Both lound, both having no respect for teachers. And from what I see, you both have the same smile."

Naruto looked at Recca with tears in his eyes, "thank you Recca," Naruto then hugged the ROOT ninja and held him tight. Recca hugged back and in his heart Recca felt guilt that he was manipulating the boy, but quickly he pushed it inside.

"So what will you do now Naruto?" Recca asked.

"I'll do it," Naruto said, "I'll join ROOT."

Hello, REVIEWS please, that's all I care about. And pizza. Anyway just take a second, press that little yellow box and tell me what you think, hate it, like it, hate me, love me. Go nuts.