I Do Not Own Naruto!

To Protect and Endure

Story by Kyoka Suigetsu Totsuka

Chapter 12

'HAILING FROM THE MYSTICAL REALM OF MOUNT MYOBOKU, A MIGHTY SAGE! HIS ENEMIES TREMBLE, ALL CHILDREN REJOICE, AND ALL WOMEN SQUEAL AT THE SIGHT OF HIS PERFECT VISAGE! BEHOLD, THE ALL-POWERFUL TOAD SAGE, JIRAIYA!"

Naruto had heard countless stories about his godfather. His Ji-chan had often spoken about the famous feats of his student – his countless victories in two world wars – and more than once had Kaka-nii extolled the Sannin's contribution to the Yondaime's strength and accomplishment, but seeing the man now, wild and uncontrolled, posing like a kabuki performer on top of an armored toad, Naruto knew…

Jiraiya-sama was far cooler than he ever imagined!

The boy had been worried about finally meeting his godfather, the man who had been in his life since his birth but had never met. Every other month or so, and always on his birthday, gifts would find their way to Naruto in the mouth of a toad. The boy had grown accustomed to random puffs of smoke revealing toads in his room and had grown to look forward to them. Small packages that ranged from fine-made clothes to toy kunai would pop up every once in a while, and it made the boy happy to see that he was never far from his godfather's mind.

Still, Naruto had often wondered about what the man would be like – after all, he had never met Jiraiya in person. After hearing so many stories, he expected a war-torn, aged hero, perhaps stoic and stern, not unlike Commander Ryu. But he was delighted to see that his godfather was fun, funny, and so cool!

"Stunned silence, I see!" exclaimed the giant man, towering over everybody atop his toad.

"Jiraiya!" cried the Sandaime, glaring at his student, "How many times must I tell you: do not break in through my window and do not summon your toad indoors!"

"Mah, calm down, Sensei." Jiraiya smirked as his toad vanished in a puff of smoke, "What's one window for my entrance!" He grinned as he looked down at Naruto, briskly walking closer, "This is the first time I'm meeting my godson face-to-face, after all!" He knelt in front of Naruto, still a head taller than the boy, "It's nice to finally meet you, Naruto."

Naruto stared at the man before bowing. "Nice to meet you, too," he managed, "Jiraiya-sama."

The Sannin's grin turned into a small smile, "You really are like Minato," he muttered softly, "You look almost exactly like him." His grin returned and he placed a warm hand on Naruto's head, ruffling his hair. "This haircut, too! Anyone who knew your father would recognize you immediately!" He laughed, "I know your mother would be pissed at your father. His genes have obviously been unfairly dominant in you."

Naruto gave a small smile, "Yeah, I hear that a lot."

"Maybe on the surface, yes." The Hokage smiled at the sight, "But Naruto's Uzumaki blood runs strong inside him. In terms of Fuinjutsu, he is his mother's son."

"Really?" asked the Sannin happily, "So you've taken an interest in seals, huh? I figured you'd like it! Your parents were both obsessed with it!" He ruffled the boy's hair again, "Did you finish the books I sent you? They were a bit technical, but I'm sure you would have been able to work your way through them." Naruto nodded, "Those were only the introductory volumes. Once you're more familiar with seals, I can start you on the intermediate-level stuff!"

"Jiraiya," started the Sandaime with a smile, "I'm afraid Naruto here is already far beyond the introductory volumes." The Sannin raised a brow at his sensei before looking back at his godson. "He should be well beyond the intermediate level as well."

Jiraiya stood to face his teacher, "Did I miss something?"

"Naruto took to Fuinjutsu like a fish to water, Jiraiya." The Hokage chuckled as he reached into his desk, laying out before his student all the inventions Naruto had created so far. "Rather than learning old tricks, he is more of an innovator. If you test him about theories and concepts, I'm sure he will understand them, but at this point, he's branching off into his own style of Fuinjutsu."

Jiraiya approached the desk, his eyes scanning the multiple tags on the table. "What is all this?"

"This," exclaimed the old man excitedly, "is the reason I called for your return."

Naruto joined the two men at the desk, gently smiling, proud of himself for his hard work.

"With unprecedented motivation, our boy here has created his own original seals." Sarutobi lit his pipe, letting his student mull over the complicated tags before continuing. "His reasons behind creating these seals may have been a little immature or precocious," the old man muttered, making Naruto blush, "But the potential for application behind them is incredible."

Naruto watched as his godfather analyzed his work, and he felt oddly nervous. Jiraiya was a known Fuinjutsu master. After his parents' deaths, the Sannin was perhaps Konoha's foremost expert in the field, and if there were any cracks in his systems, his godfather would find them.

"This is…" muttered the Sage, "I've never seen anything like this. What is this seal array? I've never seen them arranged in such a way." He turned to his godson, "Naruto, what are you trying to do here?"

Clearing his throat, Naruto stood tall. "Those arrays are meant to manipulate the chakra passing through them. They are meant to mold the chakra in a way that replicates the hand-signs we use when using jutsu. What you see now is a seal tag for "Fūton: Atsugai (Pressure Damage)." The boy reached for the tag, placing it in his palm, "By channeling enough chakra into the tag, one would be able to launch that jutsu from this tag without any seals. Of course, in this case, wind-natured chakra will be required."

"It also takes chakra control out of the question," added the Hokage, "The seal pathways only allow the correct amount of chakra through. As long as enough chakra is channeled in, the Jutsu can be cast flawlessly."

Jiraiya stared at Naruto, "You actually figured out a way to replicate the effects of hand-signs in seals?"

Naruto nodded, "Yes, sir."

"This is not even scratching the surface of it, Jiraiya." The Hokage smiled at his baffled student, "You've missed quite a bit in the last few months. Naruto has revolutionized the field of Fuinjutsu. He's created the most effective and devastating Fuinjutsu Security System Konoha has ever seen. He's created the most advanced and efficient Communication System we've ever seen." Jiraiya turned to stare at his blushing godson. "He's working on creating a new set of ANBU Armor will all his new inventions equipped. Once ready, our ANBU Teams will be virtually undetectable, mobile Genjutsu generators with the ability to relay any sort of information back to the village from anywhere in the world in real-time." Sarutobi smirked, "This is the beginning of a new era, Jiraiya, one in which Konoha has a massive advantage over every enemy nation."

Jiraiya reached for one of the seals, "H-How is this possible?"

"With training and a lot of Kage Bunshin." Sarutobi chuckled while puffing on his pipe, "The boy has grown quite powerful himself. He's already amassed his own arsenal of fire and wind-natured jutsu, completely mastered the Kage Bunshin, and has equipped himself with enough of his custom Fuinjutsu to match him evenly, if not beyond most seasoned Jōnin in the village."

Naruto looked down at his feet, embarrassed at the praise.

"All this in just three months, Jiraiya. Imagine what could happen in ten years when Naruto reaches full maturity."

Jiraiya shakily regarded the boy, "Unbelievable."

"I-I still need a lot of guidance, Jiraiya-sama," added Naruto softly.

"Best of all," continued the Hokage with a smirk, drawing Jiraiya's attention. "Naruto did all of this just to impress his little girlfriend." The Sannin's eyes widened as Naruto blushed. "He invented the Security System just so he could have more secret private time with the girl. He made the Communication System just so he could talk to her when she's at the Academy." The Hokage laughed merrily, "She's done more for Konoha than most of our Jōnin and she's still an Academy student!"

Naruto blushed redder, "She's my best friend!"

"Ah, yes," the old man muttered, "The best friend you think about all the time, talk to every day, and inspires your every invention." The Hokage nodded sagely, "The best friend you can't stand to be away for more than a few hours, so you sneak into the Academy to steal her away."

Jiraiya's jaw dropped as he stared at the boy.

"I just want to make Ino-chan happy! Don't make me sound so weird!" Naruto glared at his grandfather, "And I teach her everything she'd miss at the Academy!"

"Y-You're…" whispered Jiraiya softly, "You're the one."

"Huh?" asked the boy, "Pardon me?"

"YOU'RE THE ONE!"

Naruto jumped at the sudden yell as Sarutobi laughed to himself.

Jiraiya dropped to his knees before Naruto and pulled him into a crushing hug, "You're the one, Naruto!" he cried loudly, tears streaming down his face, "You're the chosen one! The Child of Prophecy! I know it!" He swung the boy from side to side, "To think, I was so worried about you being exactly like your boring father! I was so wrong! You're a real man, like me!" He lifted the boy over his head and laughed, "You're a real genius like Minato, but you do it for the right reasons!"

"W-What are you talking about?!" cried the boy.

Jiraiya placed Naruto on the ground, hands clasped on his shoulders, giving him a wink, "FOR GIRLS!"

"H-Huh?"

Jiraiya held one of Naruto's scrolls in his hand in tears, "This Security System! It's perfect for conducting research! My stealth has nothing on this! We can use this to infiltrate any hot springs undetected! Sarutobi-sensei, we now have a way!" The Hokage tilted his hat in shame, "Next time you come do research with me, we'll be armed with the latest technology!"

"Umm, Jiraiya-sama," Naruto tried to add.

"I thought I was the only one!" Jiraiya cried large tears, "When I was your age, I was already enlightened! I knew my destiny! It was then I made it my mission in life to venture into the wonderfully dangerous world of women! But not even I ever got a girlfriend so young! You're clearly more talented than even me!" He pulled Naruto into another hug, "I can see you now, fully grown and powerful, surrounded by every beautiful woman Konoha. You can achieve the dream not even I or your father could! You could become the Harem King!"

"Okay, okay," interrupted the Hokage, "Now you're going too far."

Jiraiya pointed at his sensei, "Don't you dare hinder my godson's potential, Sensei!"

Hiruzen sighed as he pointed at the boy struggling in Jiraiya's arms, "Unfortunately for you, Naruto here only has eyes for one girl. In that regard, he is exactly like Minato. Now let him go before you suffocate him."

"No!" Jiraiya dropped Naruto to the ground, scrambling to hold him still, "Naruto, you're far too young to already settle for one person! You have literally your whole life to live!" The man fixed the boy's hair and straightened his clothes, "Come with me! I'll show you how wonderful the world can be! Oh, the caramel sweetness of Kumo, the deadly desert roses of Suna, the warm and wet nights of Ame! Oh! The misty morning-afters in Kiri, the waterfall caverns in Taki, the ravenous, unsatiable beasts in Iwa! Oh! The never-ending, eternal river of pleasure in Nadeshiko no Sato! I must take you there! I actually have a bet to settle with their leader! With you with me, we can enter Nadeshiko heaven and never leave!"

Naruto stared at his godfather as the man panted for breath, "I'm afraid I didn't understand any of that, Jiraiya-sama."

"I'm saying you must try everything before deciding on a favorite! How can you settle for a single girl when you haven't even left the village yet?!"

"You mean Ino-chan?" asked the boy.

"Yes, how can you know she's the one for you when you've barely met any other girl?!"

"Um, I don't really get it, but I'll always like Ino-chan the most." He grinned, "I don't need anyone else."

Jiraiya seemed to glare at the Yondaime's portrait. "Damn you and your stupid genes!"

"Huh?" wondered the boy.

"Sensei!" Jiraiya turned to the Hokage, "I demand you let me take my godson with me! I must show him the vastness of this wonderful world!"

"Granted."

"HUH?!" exclaimed both Jiraiya and Naruto. "REALLY?"

The Hokage sighed, "This is why I've summoned you back to the village, Jiraiya. I am assigning you a new mission, one where Naruto will be your assistant."

Naruto's eyes widened, "A real mission?"

"Yes," answered the old man with a smile, "Jiraiya, I task you to locate and retrieve Senju Tsunade. I've given her far too much leeway over the years. She is desperately needed in the village, and it is about time she returns!" Jiraiya released the boy and turned to face the Hokage. "I don't care how you do it. Give her whatever she wants within reason, but if she refuses, I'll have no choice but to drag her back here myself."

"Are you ready for this, Sensei?"

Sarutobi nodded at his student, "Absolutely. We are entering a new era and she is needed."

Jiraiya smirked, "All right, then."

"I am going outside of the village?" muttered Naruto in awe, "You're allowing me? Really?"

The Hokage smiled at his grandson and beckoned him closer. Reaching into his desk, Hiruzen reached for the box he had kept untouched for eight years. He had often wondered when he would get the chance to open it, and over the years, he had anticipated that day in excitement. Now that it had come much earlier than expected, he was more than ready to pass it on.

"Congratulations, Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto."

The Hokage placed the box on his desk and opened it.

"You are now officially a Genin of Konohagakure no Sato, an official Ninja of our village."

Naruto's eyes widened at the sight.

"Here is your official Hitai-ate." The boy stared at the shiny and polished metal emblazoned with the Konoha Leaf. "This one here belonged to the Yondaime Hokage, your father. I've kept this here ever since he died and have been waiting for you to take it." The Hokage gently pushed the box to the boy, "You're now ready, Naruto."

"I am?" he whispered.

The old man nodded, "You are."

He shakily reached for the Hitai-ate, gently brushing his fingers across the metal. "This belonged to Tou-chan?" Sarutobi nodded in silence. "You're giving it to me?"

"There is no one else worthy of it, my boy."

Hesitantly, Naruto took the Hitai-ate into his hands, staring at it. Breathing out, he looked up at the Hokage and then to Jiraiya, both men smiling and nodding at him. Smiling back, he slowly lifted the headband to his forehead, feeling shivers down his spine as he tightly wrapped the blue bands around his head. Tying a tight knot, he pulled it tighter, feeling the pressure on his head.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Naruto stared at his leader, "I'll wear it with pride."

The Hokage nodded, "I know you will, Naruto."

Jiraiya patted the boy's head, smiling widely at the sight. "It looks good on you, kid."

Naruto couldn't help but grin, tears tickling his eyes. "Thank you, Jiraiya-sama!"

Hokage leaned back on his chair and smiled, "You shall both leave as soon as you are able. Return home, gather all necessary supplies, and say your goodbyes, Naruto. This will not be a short trip." He turned to Jiraiya, "I don't know where Tsunade is right now, but if possible, bring her back within a month. As much as I want Naruto to see the real world, I don't want him away from the village for too long."

Jiraiya smirked, "Don't worry, Sensei. I'll take good care of my godson."

The Hokage handed Jiraiya a file, "This is a full report on Naruto's current skills and abilities. It also includes detailed explanations of his creations and future projects. Memorize the information inside and destroy the file. This cannot fall into anyone's hands."

"I'll see to it, Sensei."

"Naruto," continued the Hokage, "While I have no doubt you will be able to handle yourself in most situations, I want you to merely observe on this mission. Do not engage in any combat situation unless absolutely necessary. Leave the hard work for your godfather." Naruto nodded along, back straight. "Take your time and watch your step. Assume danger is everywhere and everyone is a potential enemy. Do not let your guard down whatsoever. I believe after so many years with the ANBU, you'll be able to do this with ease."

"I will, Hokage-sama," Naruto was shaking in excitement, "I will not fail this mission!"

Sarutobi chuckled, "I know you won't." He puffed on his pipe, "While you're gone, I don't want you to stop working on your Fuinjutsu. Take advantage of your time with Jiraiya. I'm sure there are still many things you can learn from him."

Naruto gave a nod, "I'll be sure to work hard, Hokage-sama!"

"Good," the old man answered before he looked at his student, "I leave Naruto in your hands, Jiraiya. Please take good care of him."

Jiraiya smirked, "With my life, Sensei."

"Very well," said the Hokage with finality, "Dismissed!"

"Hai!"

Naruto sped through the streets of Konoha with the brightest grin on his face, blurring through the shuffling afternoon crowds with his usual precision. He was officially a Shinobi, an official Ninja of Konohagakure no Sato. By all definitions, he was now an adult and could do whatever he wanted. With a fist pump, he jumped onto the nearest roof with a cry of joy, disappearing with a Shunpo.

Within seconds, he was back at the ANBU Barracks, slipping through the hidden entrance like a shadow. He had to quickly pack before meeting Jiraiya at the Main Gate, and he barely had more than an hour to say his goodbyes for a month!

Abruptly stopping in his room, Naruto dashed for his closet. As quickly as he could, he sealed seven sets of folded clothing into the seal on his right forearm. In his bathroom, he sealed all nightly necessities into the seal on his right upper arm. His brush and paper were already sealed, but he quickly sealed all his offensive seals into the seal on his left wrist before he sealed his Katana into the seal on his right wrist.

He nearly ripped off his sweaty clothes before jumping in for a quick shower. Forgoing the towel, he dried himself with a quick wind funnel. Diving into his clothes, Naruto slipped into a pair of Standard Edition, ANBU Utility Pants, stepped into the ANBU Model 9 Combat Boots, and dressed himself in a black fishnet shirt, before covering most of his seals with a white, high-collared jacket. Stepping in front of the mirror, he made sure his Hitai-ate was worn properly, and tightened the knot one last time.

He grinned at himself before vanishing with a Shunpo, blurring into the ANBU cafeteria.

"I'M GOING ON A MISSION, EVERYONE!" At least three dozen of his siblings were staring at him as the room fell silent. He grinned as he showed off his new Hitai-ate, "Hokage-sama just made me an official Genin and I am going on my first mission! I'll be back in about a month!"

Everyone was still staring at him in silence.

"I'll be back soon! Wish me luck!"

"HOLD ON!" Four shadows fell upon the boy as he was hoisted into the air, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"N-Nana-nee, I can't breathe!"

Yugao snatched her brother from Nana's arms and proceeded to hug him herself. "No, absolutely not! This has to be a joke, right?!" She hugged him tightly against her chest, pulling him as close as possible. "You're still a child, Naruto! There is no way you're going on a mission!"

"And did you say you'd be gone for a month?!" demanded Shiki, her glasses almost melting. "There is no way in hell will I let that happen!"

Mizu snarled as she pulled Naruto into her arms, hugging him tightly to her chest, "This can't be happening. No, it's way too fast. Naruto is just a child! He can't be strong enough to be a Genin yet!"

"No…" whimpered Nana with tears in her eyes, "No, I can't let our baby go like this!"

"Ladies," came the hesitant voice of Kō, "Please, at least let Naruto breathe. I'm sure if you let him talk, he can explain himself." Kakashi and Tenzo stood beside Kō, all with their hands surrendered in the air. "Naruto, please explain yourself."

Naruto finally broke free and was catching his breath, "J-Ji-chan made me a Genin this morning! Jiraiya-sama is back and he's taking me on my first mission!" He backed away from his sisters when they started to leak killer intent. "I'm just going as his assistant and I'm only allowed to observe. Jiraiya-sama will be doing all the work. They just want me to start seeing the real world! It's not dangerous!"

"Not dangerous!?" cried Shiki, "Do you have any idea what's out there?"

Nana pulled Naruto by his shoulders and hugged him from behind, "No, no, no, no, noooooo."

"With Jiraiya-sama no less!" cried Mizu, "He's the worst possible person to teach Naruto about the outside world! I don't want my little brother to turn into a pervert!"

Yugao glanced at her captain, "Did you know about this, Senpai?"

Kakashi shook his head with a sigh, "No, but I can't say it's a surprise." He felt the room's eyes on him, "Naruto is already stronger than every graduating Genin of the past decade. His exact skills, I can't say, but he will be able to handle himself. If Hokage-sama allowed him on this mission, I'm sure it's nothing too dangerous. Plus, with Jiraiya-sama there, no one would be able to harm him."

Nana kissed Naruto's hair, "But still, he's still so young."

Tenzo smiled, "I'm sure it'll be fine. He has to go on his first mission sometime." Naruto nodded, smiling at his brother. "This will take a month, you say? That's quite a long mission time frame. Are you allowed to tell us the mission parameters?"

"Yes," Naruto answered, "Ji-chan said I can tell you guys."

"Is it dangerous?" asked Shiki.

"No, not at all!" cried Naruto, "Jiraiya-sama and I are going to bring Tsunade-sama back to Konoha. She's a Konoha Ninja, so there's no danger at all!"

Silence fell over the room again as everyone stared at Naruto.

"Tsunade-sama…" muttered Shiki.

"Not dangerous?" continued Mizu.

Kakashi sighed, rubbing his head. "As violent as Tsunade-sama can be, she will not hurt a child. Jiraiya-sama may be in danger, but Naruto will be fine. If anything, Hokage-sama is sending Naruto with Jiraiya-sama because he's the one person she won't hurt."

Yugao knelt by Naruto, kissing his hair, "Make sure you don't do anything to anger Tsunade-sama, okay? Be on your best behavior and treat her with your utmost respect."

Naruto grinned, "I will!"

"Yugao!" cried Nana, "You're not letting him go, are you?"

Yugao sighed and stood up, "We're not going against Hokage-sama's orders." His other sisters quieted down, "Naruto is an official Genin now, so he is fully under Hokage-sama's command. Since this is only a retrieval mission of a friendly target – supported by one of the Sannin – I'm sure Naruto will be fine." She smiled at her friends, "We may not like it, but Naruto-chan will eventually become an active ninja. Might as well start now."

Nana's lips trembled, "My Naru-chan is growing up so quickly."

Tenzo chuckled and leaned down to his brother, "Naruto, have you properly packed everything?"

"Yes, sir!" Naruto saluted, "I've prepared fully as per ANBU requirements!"

"Attaboy," praised Tenzo as he ruffled Naruto's hair.

"What about your extra supplies?" asked Kakashi, "You have all your seals with you?"

Naruto nodded, "I do. I have everything I'll need."

Kakashi sighed and pulled the boy into a hug, "All right then. Be careful out there and be sure to stay close to Jiraiya-sama."

Naruto hugged his brother back, "I will, Kaka-nii."

Kō ruffled his hair, "And don't get distracted by new things. There are many things you'll see outside of the village you've never seen before, but remember to always focus on the mission and don't let your guard down."

Naruto smiled up at Kō, "I will, Kō-nii."

"All right, you've all taken up enough of his time." The stoic tone of ANBU Commander Ryu cut through the room and split the gathered crowd. "Naruto has been assigned an official mission by Hokage-sama. None of you will do anything to delay the completion of this mission." He stepped in front of Naruto, towering over his student. "Naruto, you've grown up the last few months. I know your strength better than most, and I'm sure you'll be able to handle this. Go out there and make us proud, Chibi."

Naruto saluted his teacher, "I will, Commander!"

Nana wiped her eyes, "My Naru-chan…"

Naruto turned to hug each of his sisters and kiss them on their cheeks, giving all of them the brightest smile he could muster. He turned to the rest of his siblings, rubbing his new Hitai-ate, and saluted.

"I won't let any of you down!"

His sibling all smiled at him proudly as Commander Ryu nodded, "May the Will of Fire warm you on your journey, Naruto."

Fully prepared and packed, Naruto left the barracks and stepped into the busy streets of Konoha. It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to wane. According to his quick calculation, the Academy should have ended already, and by their conversation just the night before, Ino should be helping out at her family store. Naruto sighed and started walking towards Yamanaka Flowers.

As excited as he was, his smile quickly faded at his new thought – he didn't know how to tell Ino about his departure. Ever since the day they met, seeing her again had been what he most looked forward to. Being able to see her every day had been the biggest pleasure in his life, and he had worked harder than he'd ever worked just to make that a reality. Now, he was about to be gone for at least a month – thirty full days of not seeing his purple flower princess.

At least they had their scrolls and rings. They could still talk whenever they want and he'd be able to hold her hand at all times. It was better than nothing.

For once, Naruto was walking at a casual pace through the streets, and in his turmoil, he failed to see how everyone around him was looking at him in shock and awe. Dozens of heads, street after street, turned to watch his spiky head of blonde hair walk by, all of them glancing at the Yondaime's head upon the mountain. There were whispers around him, people gasping in shock, some smiling, bursting with hope, but the boy saw none of it. It wasn't until he reached Yamanaka Flowers that he looked up.

The chimes on the door rang as he walked into the store.

"Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers," came his favorite voice in the world. "Naruto-kun!"

Ino's eyes brightened when she saw him and she ran around the counter towards him, smiling brighter the closer she got. In her presence, he couldn't help but smile, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her as she barreled into his arms. She giggled as he slightly lifted her up, holding her close.

"Ino, at least try to refrain yourself." Yamanaka Inoichi smiled as he leaned against the counter, "You're working, you know?"

"Oh, leave her alone, honey." Emiko smiled with a hand on her cheek, "They're so sweet together."

Ino ignored her parents and smiled up at Naruto, "What are you doing here? I thought we weren't meeting up until later?"

Naruto smiled at her but saw Inoichi and Emiko's smiles fade and walk towards him as he pointed to his Hitai-ate. "Hokage-sama just gave me this," he said, looking at Ino as she looked up at his forehead, blankly staring at it before her eyes widened. "I'm a Genin now."

"So soon?" came the concerned voice of Inoichi as he approached the boy. "And why so sudden?"

Emiko clutched onto her husband's arm, looking up at him concerned, "Hokage-sama allowed this?"

Naruto nodded at them, "Yes, he granted me the rank today."

"How?" whispered Ino, staring up at the Hitai-ate.

"I've been training a long time for this, Ino-chan." Naruto smiled down at his best friend. "I guess my training has paid off."

"But…" muttered Ino, "We're still so young! We aren't supposed to be Genin yet."

Naruto tilted his head, "I'm just a bit ahead of schedule. I'm sure you'll join me in no time."

Inoichi knelt in front of the children as Ino pulled back from her hug, still holding onto Naruto's hand. "Naruto, I'm proud you're already so strong, but you are indeed still very young. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Naruto looked at his worried surrogate Aunt before smiling at his surrogate Uncle, rubbing his Hitai-ate with a smile, "This belonged to my father." Inoichi and Emiko's eyes widened. "Hokage-sama kept this for me all these years. He wouldn't give it to me if I weren't ready." He tightened his hands around Ino's, "I came by to show you this, but I'm also leaving for my first mission today." Their eyes widened, "I'm leaving in under an hour. I had to say goodbye before I go."

"What?" stammered Ino, "You're leaving? For how long?"

Naruto smiled sadly, "At least a month." The adult's eyes widened, "Of course, I can be back sooner than expected, but it's been estimated to take a month."

"No…" whispered Ino.

"You've already been assigned a Sensei?" asked Inoichi, "And a team?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, no official sensei or team yet." Emiko joined her husband in kneeling by the kids. "Jiraiya-sama returned to the village today." Inoichi flinched as Emiko gasped. "He's agreed to take me along with him for his next mission. I'm to be his assistant and observe the real world. I won't engage in any combat situations unless absolutely necessary. Jiraiya-sama will handle everything; I'm just there to watch and learn."

Emiko nodded, reaching for her husband's arm. "All right, okay," she muttered, looking slightly panicky. "Jiraiya-sama is here. Jiraiya-sama will be able to protect you."

Inoichi frowned, "Is anyone else going with you?"

"No, just me and Jiraiya-sama." Naruto smiled at them, "He's my godfather. He's been watching over me my whole life, even though I've never seen him in person until today." He chuckled, "I do want the chance to get to know him. Also, he's the one who taught my father. Maybe he can teach me something cool, too!"

Inoichi's smile strained, "Yes, Jiraiya-sama will be able to teach you many things."

"Remember to always stay close to Jiraiya-sama, okay?" Naruto smiled at Emiko and nodded, "It can be very dangerous out there. It's not like here in the village. Be careful and never wander away by yourself."

"I won't," he answered, "I promise."

"What are you all saying?" whispered Ino, "You can't go!"

"It's only for a month, Ino-chan," he whispered back, "I'll be back in no time."

"It doesn't matter how long it is!" Ino had tears in her eyes and it made his heart ache. "It's too dangerous out there and you're too young! We're supposed to be students, not an active ninja! Iruka-sensei keeps telling us to never leave the village and that it's filled with our enemies outside!" She pulled him into a tight hug, "You can't go! No!"

Naruto rubbed her back softly, "I'll be fine, Ino-chan."

Inoichi rubbed his daughter's hair, "Naruto is stronger than you think, princess." The boy nodded along. "Do you know who Jiraiya-sama is? You may have learned about him at the Academy. He's one of the Legendary Sannin. He's one of the most powerful Shinobi in the entire world. Naruto will be safe with him."

"No!" she cried into Naruto's chest.

Emiko wiped her tears away, "Ino, Naruto-chan is a Genin now. He will be going on missions."

"No!" Ino sobbed, "I won't let you go!"

"I promise I'll be safe, Ino-chan." He smiled into her hair as he slowly pulled away, rubbing her shaking arms as he did, his heart aching as he fought against her hug. "I really am stronger than you think. This is just a simple mission. I'm basically just traveling around with Jiraiya-sama." He extracted himself and held her hands in front of him, winking at her. "I'll bring you back as many gifts as I can."

"I don't need any gifts!" she cried, "Just promise me you'll come back safely."

Naruto nodded, "I will. I promise, Ino-chan."

Emiko kissed the top of his head, tears welling in her eyes, "Come back home safe, Naruto-chan."

"I will."

Inoichi ruffled his hair with a smile, "We're really proud of you, Naruto."

He grinned, "Thank you, Ojisan."

Naruto looked at Ino, who was still crying and sobbing but kept looking at her until she finally met his eyes.

"Come back to me, Naruto-kun."

"You know I will, Ino-chan."

Naruto stepped away and slowly backed out of the door, smiling as Ino was wrapped protectively in her parents' arms. He stared into her eyes – even with tears falling, she was still the most beautiful girl in the world. He would miss her more than anything, more than anyone. He promised himself he'd do anything to return to her, be it on this mission or any other missions he would accept in the future. She was his anchor and his home, and he would always return to her.

Activating his ring, Naruto held onto Ino's hand as he walked away, holding onto it tightly, trying to ease her trembling. He held it all the way to the gate. He held it when Jiraiya greeted him. He held it until she finally stopped trembling.

Chapter 12 – End

Well, Naruto has started his ninja career and he's out looking for a Sannin with another Sannin. Not too shabby for a first mission.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you all again soon.

Please leave me a review! It really helps me write faster!