"Where are we going sensei?" Naruto asked as he and Kisuke walked through the shinobi district. It was his eleventh birthday, and Kisuke said that he had a surprise in mind for his student.
"You'll see Naruto." Kisuke replied teasingly. After half an hour of walking, the student and teacher arrived arrived at a weapon's shop. Naruto had a giddy feeling, and grinned widely as he and hsi sensei entered the shop. Naruto stood astonished as he observed the store's interior. It was like a small arsenal! He could see display upon display of weapons and scrolls. The armaments ranged from ornamental tanto to the exotic kusarigama. It was an amazing sight, and Naruto had stars in his eyes. Kisuke shook his head at his student, a smirk on his face, and approached a bulky looking man in his forties. The man was tall, about Kisuke's height, but was rippling with muscle mass. He had brown shoulder length hair and had a small stubble of a beard, as if it had just started to grow back in. The man was wearing clothing similar to a blacksmith's.
"Ohayō Higurashi-san. I am here to pick up my order." Kisuke addressed the man. The large man turned to Kisuke, a large smile on his face.
"Of course Hitsugaya-san, please follow me." The large man escorted Kisuke into the back, leaving Naruto to inspect the store's wares. He picked up a few shuriken and examined them.
"Oh wow! So this is what ninja weaponry looks like!" Naruto placed the throwing stars down and continued to the scrolls. He picked one up and read the label.
"Storage scroll?" Naruto curiously opened the scroll and saw some sort of weird calligraphy inside. "What does this do?"
"Need some help?" The voice asked from behind Naruto. Naruto jumped in fright and dropped the scroll in his hands, turning around to meet the voice. It was a girl with brown hair tied into twin Chinese-styled buns on her head, with a short fringe falling just above her brown eyes. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons as well as dark green pants, with a pouch adjusted to her thigh, and blue ninja looked slightly older than him and was the same height. The girl giggled at his reaction.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The girl said in a friendly manner. Naruto quickly regained his composure and reached down to pick up the scroll.
"Ah, it's fine." Naruto replied. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, but you can just call me Naruto." Naruto bowed to the girl. She returned it.
"Nice to meet you Naruto-san. I'm Higurashi Tenten." Tenten glanced at the scroll Naruto held in his hand. "So did you need any assistance?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head shyly.
"Ah, yes. Could you explain to me what a storage scroll is?" Naruto asked. Tenten nodded and took the scroll from him.
"A storage scroll is like a compact suitcase. You can seal just about anything into a storage scroll, depending on the seal structure, you just have to channel a bit of chakra into the seal and placed the item you want to store on the seal. Here, let me show you." Tenten reached into her pouch and grabbed a kunai. A faint blue glow surrounded her hand as she touched the seal, then placed the kunai on it. The kunai vanished in a puff of smoke. Naruto stared in slight amazement.
"That's really cool! Thank you for showing me Higurashi-san." Naruto praised.
"Of course Naruto-san! And please, call me Tenten."Tenten replied graciously.
"Naruto, time to go." Kisuke was already at the door of the shop, smirking at his student, "You can talk to your girlfriend later." Naruto grew flustered.
"S-She isn't my girlfriend, 'ttebayo!" Naruto yelled indignantly. Tenten blushed a bit, but giggled in amusement. "Ugh, stupid sensei. Catch you later, Tenten-san." Naruto rushed over to his sensei, and the two samurai left the building. The two went back to Naruto's apartment, where a small cake was awaiting them, along with Hiruzen, Inu, and Neko.
"Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!" Everyone shouted in unison. Naruto grinned, his famous smile shining brightly as he rushed over to them. He gave them all a hug.
"You guys came!" Naruto yelled in happiness.
"Of course we did. Hokage-sama made sure to make sometime for you today, and he gave us leave of our duties just so we could see you, otouto." Inu said. They hadn't been able to do this prior to this year due to some important meetings and other constraints, but there was nothing utterly important this year.
"Oh, you're growing up so fast, my little Naru-kun!" Neko hugged him tightly. Naruto blushed in embarrassment.
"Onee-chan!" Naruto cried in protest. Everyone chuckled at Naruto's predicament. Naruto approached the cake, ready to blow out the candle.
"Make a wish, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen whispered into the young boy's ear. Naruto thought for a moment, a contemplative look on his face.
"I wish that I knew everything about the Uzumaki clan." With a quick, focused exhale, Naruto blew out the candle, water welling in his eyes and a grin on his face. Everyone in the room cheered. Hiruzen quickly led Naruto to a different area of the room, where a few boxes awaited him.
"It's time for your gifts, Naruto." He handed Naruto one of the wrapped boxes. "This is from me Naruto-kun." Naruto eagerly unwrapped the box, quickly revealing its contents.
"It's... clothing?" Naruto said skeptically. Not to say he didn't appreciate the gift, but it wasn't exactly the type of thing you get someone for their birthday.
"Try it on Naruto-kun, you might be surprised. Naruto withdrew to his room to dress into the attire. After a few minutes, Naruto reappeared, dressed in an orange haori with a black trim that reached his ankles, along with orange pants that were tied to the shin down with white bandages. A black obi secured his pants to his waist and kept the haori closed. Naruto was smiling brightly, and ran to the Hokage.
"Aw, thanks Jiji, you're the best! I missed orange so much." Naruto embraced Hiruzen. Kisuke let out a quiet groan, but said nothing. It's not that Naruto looked bad, quite the opposite really, but orange would get him killed one day. Naruto opened the remaining boxes. From Inu, he got a book on shinobi conduct, giving miscellaneous tips about chakra control, stealth, traps, and other little factoids that weren't exactly well known. Then from Neko he received a scroll holster along with several storage scrolls, which he promptly attached to his obi. With all the boxes opened, he turned to Kisuke, who was whistling nonchalantly.
"And what did you get me, Hitsugaya-sensei?" Kisuke took out a scroll of his own, laid it the ground in front of Naruto, and opened it. With a small amount of chakra, a wakizashi popped into existence. Naruto beamed and slowly went to grab the weapon, his hands shaking in excitement. The sheathe was a dark red, the kanji for "Cunning" and "Luck" carved into it. The handle was black, the tsuba and pommel gold. Naruto cautiously unsheathed the blade, revealing black, chakra-conductive metal. The temper line was reversed, and had a maroon color to it. It was heavier than most wakizashi, feeling almost as heavy as a katana. Naruto slowly looked up at the proudly smiling visage of Kisuke.
"I-I... I thought..." Naruto was too dumbstruck to say anything. He hadn't won the bet he made yet, so why was Kisuke giving him a sword now? Kisuke spoke up, waking Naruto from his thoughts.
"I had originally thought to give you this after your graduation. However, the attack a few months ago suggested that you need an actual weapon to defend yourself with. And consider it an apology, for getting hurt because of my past." All the occupants knew of the attack that Kisuke and mentioned. The day after it happened, Kisuke reported it to the Hokage, and told of the Anbu that had let Naruto get captured inn the first place. The Hokage was not happy, no, he was furious. He had the names of those on watch that night and sent Inu and Neko to "discipline" them. Let's just say that there are a few open spots in Anbu that need to be filled.
Naruto felt tears trail down his face. They were tears of joy, of happiness, knowing that Kisuke had trusted him enough with a real blade. Naruto suddenly embraced his teacher, and Kisuke returning it with gently.
"Arigatō , Hitsugaya-sensei, arigatō! I will cherish this blade for as long as I live, and I shall wield it honorably!" Naruto sobbed. He pulled back from the embrace, and looked up at Kisuke."May I call you Tou-san, Hitsugaya-sensei?" Naruto asked, his voice quivering. Naruto loved this man like the father he had never known, and held him in that regard.
Kisuke was shocked to say the least. Naruto had asked him if he could call him father. Kisuke stared lovingly into the eyes of Naruto. Yes... yes he would become this boy's father. He had come to care for this boy as a son, and he would be honored to become Naruto's father.
"...Yes..."Kisuke said quietly."...yes you can, son." Everyone around them said nothing, so as to not disturb the heartfelt moment between student and teacher.
'This really is the best birthday ever, dattebayo'
After the whole ordeal, Naruto had named his sword Kitsune no Kōkatsu (1) and Hiruzen told Naruto everything he knew about the Uzumaki clan. Naruto was amazed to hear of his clan, of their accomplishments and their former glory. He was especially astonished by their supposed mastery of fūinjutsu, and had promised that he would restore the Uzumaki clan.
Kisuke and Naruto trained as usual, but since Naruto has an actual sword, Kisuke started teaching Naruto the art of Iaido, the quick draw and resheathe. It was from this branch of kenjutsu did the samurai thrive and where most of Kisuke's techniques can from. Naruto had spent most of the year practicing all his skills, but refining his skill with the blade the most. In that one year, Kisuke had taught Naruto all that he knew, and Naruto soaked it all up like a sponge.
Naruto had grown much more in this past year. He his head now stood at Kisuke's neck and had grown even more muscle mass. His body was lithe but firm, the perfect balance of speed and strength. Any traces of fat had gone from the boy, and had provided him with sharp, angular facial features, strangely baring close resemblance to the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. His hair grew longer, and he pulled it back into a small, spiky ponytail, with small bangs framing his face. He still wore the attire given to him by the Hokage, and had similar outfits in storage.
Naruto and Kisuke were at the stables, grooming their horses after a day of training. It was a few days after Naruto's twelfth birthday, and his education at the academy began tomorrow.
"So Naruto, tomorrow is your first day at the academy. Are you prepared?" Kisuke questioned the blonde.
Naruto grinned confidently at his surrogate father.
"Hai, Tou-san," Naruto rested his hand on the hilt of his blade. He will restore his clan and their ancestral home and head its rebirth to glory. He would return the samurai to prominence, even if he had to use his bare hands to do so. He was Uzumaki Naruto, apprentice of Hitsugaya Kisuke, the last samurai of Konohagakure. On his honor, on his Bushidō, Naruto would make his goals reality or he would die trying.
"I am ready."
Naruto was somewhat awed as he entered the academy courtyard. There were large targets and wooden dummies in sections of the area. There was even an obstacle course, filled with all sorts of terrain simulations and such. Naruto continued on his way and entered the academic branch of the academy. Naruto slowly walked through the halls of the facility, before coming to a stop outside his homeroom. Naruto took a deep breathe before entering the room. Inside were a few students and two adults males. They both looked to be men in their twenties One was moderately tanned, with brown hair tied back into a ponytail, black eyes, and a scar across his nose. The other had shoulder length white hair and green eyes. They were dressed in the standard chūnin uniform. The tanned man saw Naruto and approached him.
"Ah, you must be Uzumaki Naruto. My name is Umino Iruka and I will be your instructor for the year." Iruka bowed in respect. Naruto bowed as well.
"It is an honor to meet you, Umino-sensei." Naruto said respectfully. The other came over as well.
"Ah, Naruto, this is my assistant, Mizuki. He will be helping keep order within the class." Naruto scrutinized the white haired man. Despite showing a pleasant disposition, the look in his eyes stared seemed to exude great hatred. Naruto bowed to the man, but said nothing.
He glanced around one more. There were nine students here, including him, all of them sitting at desks divided into three columns. As the columns got further back, the elevation of the desks rose as well. It seemed like three people could fit per desk. "Is this the whole class, sensei?" Iruka shook his head.
"Only the early risers, Uzumaki-san. You may sit anywhere you like. Maybe this could be used as an opportunity to get to know some of your classmates." With that, Iruka returned to his desk to do whatever paperwork that still needed to be done and Mizuki followed. Naruto observed the students.
There was a black haired boy staring out the window of the classroom, seeming disinterested in the world around him. There were two boys in the far back, conversing with each other. One was a skinny black haired boy with his hair tied into an upright spiky ponytail, the other a, um, stout boy with brown hair. To the back corner of the room was a boy in a large coat, the collar hiding his face, who was also wearing sunglasses. Closer to the front was a boy with feral looking features along with a puppy and a girl with pale eyes, almost like she was blind. Then at the very front were two girls, one a platinum blond and the other a pinkette. They were both staring at him, whispering to each other. Naruto, deciding to introduce himself to the girls, approached them, his geta clacking with each step. He saw out of the corner of his eye that everyone else was observing him..
"...ush, he's coming!" Naruto heard the blonde whisper. The two girls stood at attention when he stopped in front of them. Naruto bowed.
"Hello, I am Uzumaki Naruto. I am to be your classmate for the year." Naruto said, unaware of how attractive his voice was to the girls. Both the girls blushed, their thoughts resonating.
'Oh my Kami, what a hottie!'
The pink haired girl recovered first, though her face was still red.
"I-I'm Haruno Sakura, and this is Yamanaka Ino." Ino dumbly nodded along with her friend, still shocked by the sheer beauty of Naruto. Naruto flashed them his infamous smile, causing Sakura to freeze once again, and for Ino's face to turn completely crimson. Naruto noticed Ino's predicament, and grew worried. He quickly but gently grabbed her hand, and spoke in a soft tone.
"Yamanaka-san, are you all right? Please, say something!" Naruto pleaded. Ino focused on their hands though.
'His hands are rough, but so pleasant to touch. What-What's happening to me?' Ino's inner monologue had kept her from responding, causing both Naruto and Sakura to grow more worried.
"Ino, are you okay? Hey, snap out of it!" Sakura shook her friend's shoulder, hoping to wake her from her stupor. It worked, but not in the way most thought.
"KYAAAAAA!"Ino's shriek startled everyone in the room. Naruto got the full brunt of the scream, and stumbled back in fright, letting go of Ino's hand in the process. With the warmth of their contact gone, Ino quickly reverted to her normal self, the red now fading from her face.
"Ino, are you all right?" Iruka asked.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Ino reassured them. She then glanced at Naruto, still on the floor from his spill. "S-Sorry about that Naruto-kun." Naruto rubbed his back, but still smiled reassuringly at her.
"I-It's fine, Yamanaka-san. I'm sorry I startled you." Some of the other boys began snickering, the boy with the dog in particular. Naruto picked himself up and went to the back of the class, so as to put as much distance between himself and Ino, so he doesn't bother her again. 'First day at school and I'm already causing trouble for people. Tou-san was right, I am a natural born troublemaker.'
Naruto took a seat next to the boy in sunglasses, and tried to make small talk.
"So, a, very bright today, isn't it?" Naruto asked in a friendly manner.
"...I suppose." The boy responded. He hadn't even turned to face Naruto.
"Uh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."
"...Aburame Shino." Naruto began to grow nervous.
'This guy sure doesn't talk much.' Naruto thought.
"It's good to meet you, Aburame-san." Naruto paused for a moment, trying to find something to say. "... So, a, what do you like to do Aburame-san? I myself like to read."
"... I like to collect insects." Shino replied, his monotonous tone taking a small spark of enthusiasm. Having finally found some ground to set foot on, Naruto made his move.
"Ah, you collect insects, huh? What is your favorite?" Naruto could have sword that a small twinkle came from his glasses at that.
"I have no favorite. All insects are unique in their own ways, and I appreciate all that they offer. From the hulking rhinoceros beetle to the lithe wasp, all have a trait that makes them special in my eyes." Shino finally turned to Naruto. "What about you, Uzumaki-san? What insect do you enjoy?" Naruto thought for a moment.
"... I would have to the the praying mantis." Naruto firmly responded.
"And why is that, Uzumaki-san?" Shino inquired.
"It is because the mantis hunts, not just other insects, but larger prey than itself. It has the courage to attack a bird twice its size, and the skill to come out victorious. Not only that, but the males know the meaning of sacrifice and love. Despite what many think, the males offer themselves as food to the females to ensure her survival and those of their offspring after the mating. They would give their life to ensure the well-being of their mate, and that is why I respect them so much." Naruto finished his explanation, and Shino nodded approvingly.
"Very good Uzumaki-san. Not many know of the male mantis's sacrifice and just assume that the female eats them naturally." Shino paused for a moment. "If you wish, I could take you to observe some insects with me sometime." He offered. Shino was thoroughly curious of this Uzumaki Naruto, and was hoping to see how a friendship between them would work out.
"That would be most pleasant, Aburame-san. And please, call me Naruto." Naruto offered a hand in friendship. Shino stared at it for a few seconds before grasping it with his own.
"... You may call me Shino, if you wish Naruto-san."
"Thank you, Shino-san. I hope to speak more with you later." With that, Naruto rose from his seat, and left the Aburame heir to his thoughts. Naruto looked about the class once more. A lot more students had come in, a total of twenty seven, including him. Iruka suddenly called everyone to take their seats. Naruto went back to the front of the class and prepared himself for his introduction. Iruka took a few minutes performing roll call, allowing Naruto to burn his classmates' names into his memory, before introducing his newest student.
"All right class, it's good to see you back once again. We have ourselves a new student here, co please treat him as if he's been here all along. Naruto, if you would please?"
"Hai, Iruka-sensei. Ohayō classmates, I am Uzumaki Naruto, samurai apprentice of Hitsugaya Kisuke." Naruto finished with a bow. Many began whispering amongst themselves, astonished that a samurai in-training was in their class. "If any of you have any questions, please feel free to ask." At that, Naruto was bombarded with questions about his position as a samurai. Naruto tried to answer what questions he could, but was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of them. Iruka felt that he needed to intervene, less the entire day be solely about Naruto.
"Class, please calm down." Iruka asked calmly. The immense racket was growing louder by the second. "Class! Quiet down!" Iruka asked more forcefully. He wasn't even acknowledged. A large tic mark grew on his forehead, and his head grew three sizes larger.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" All grew silent at Iruka's demand. Iruka's head shrunk back down to normal, and he gave off an intimidating smile. "I'm sure that we can all question Naruto after the school day is over. Now, follow me out to the courtyard. We will be testing all of your skills today to see what we have to improve on." With that, the entire class followed their instructor outside.
"Okay class, first stop is the range. It's simple, really. All you have to do is stand at a marker and try to hit this bulls-eye. The further you are from the target and the closer you get to the center, the more points you receive. But since its the start of the year, everyone shall be standing at the twenty feet marker." Iruka saw Naruto raise his hand. "Yes Naruto?"
"Are you sure the distance is large enough, Iruka sensei?" Naruto had a confused expression on his face.
"What do you mean Naruto?"
"I mean anyone could hit the target from twenty feet." Now Iruka grew confused. Twenty feet in distance was considered above average for all academy students. He doubted that some of his students would even be able to reach the target, let alone get a bulls-eye.
"Naruto, you wouldn't happen to have had formal training before, have you?"
"Just what my master taught me, Iruka-sensei." The black haired boy from before, Uchiha Sasuke, scoffed at Naruto.
"He's referring to kunai, not your sword dobe." Sasuke said arrogantly. "Let me show how easy it it for an Uchiha elite to hit that mark." Sasuke walked to the twenty feet marker, kunai in hand. With a quick flick of his wrist, Sasuke let the knife fly, the kunai impacting the center of the target with a resounding 'thunk'. Sasuke was applauded as he went to retrieve his kunai. Tucking the kunai away, he returned to his spot in the crowd, smirking at Naruto. Said blond was looking down the range with a focused look on his face.
"Yes, I see Uchiha-san. Now let me take a shot at it." Naruto grabbed one of the scrolls off his obi, and unsealed its contents. A yumi and a quiver of twenty arrows appeared before him. The yumi was slightly curved, resembling that of a composite bow but not quite as rounded. Naruto swung the over his shoulder and picked up his bow, then proceeded back to the fifty-five feet marker. Many were astonished by Naruto's actions. He was going to shoot from all the way back there? Naruto calmly notched an arrow, pulled it back, and let it loose. The arrow connected dead center with the target, piercing through it far enough that the arrow head could be clearly seen.
All of his classmates were in awe of his shot. Not only had he managed to hit bulls-eye at fifty-five feet, by his arrow passed all the way through the target, which was five inches thick! Iruka himself was rather amazed by the display of archery. Naruto swiftly retrieved his arrow and sealed his items away once more. The rest of the students went their turns, some doing reasonably well, others utterly failing. Next, the group proceeded to a large chalk ring on the ground.
"Now we will be testing your taijutsu skills. Everyone here should have been practicing the academy style katas over the break, so we shall be putting you against each other." Iruka glanced around. Some of the students looked nervous, others exuded confidence. "So who would like to go first?"
"I challenge Uzumaki Naruto!" Sasuke proudly stepped into the ring, eyes staring intently at Naruto. Iruka also turned to Naruto.
"Do you accept Sasuke's challenge, Naruto?" Iruka asked the blond.
"Hai sensei, I accept." Naruto, too, stepped into the ring. Sasuke scoffed at his opponent.
"This is a taijutsu match dobe. That means lose the sword."
"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san, but my blade will never leave my side."
"Figures, you samurai are nothing without your pathetic swords." Naruto's eyes hardened at the Uchiha's insult.
"I do not need my blade to defeat one with such arrogance!" Both combatants took their respective taijutsu stances. Sasuke fell into the Uchiha-style stance. Naruto rose his arms up, his hands curled up and his pointer fingers protruded outward, like hooks, and his feet were firmly balanced on the ground. Shino stared at Naruto in surprise.
'Mantis-style...'
Iruka stood outside the ring and in between the two students. Iruka raised his right hand high, waiting for a few moments, before bringing it down. "Hajime!"
Sasuke was the first to attack, aiming for a quick jab at Naruto's shoulder. Naruto deflected Sasuke's fist downward, then brought that same hand up quickly, slamming his knuckles into Sasuke's exposed chin. Sasuke reeled from the blow, but quickly regained his composure. Fast as lighting, Naruto thrusted his right hand at Sasuke, who had blocked the blow, before following through with an elbow strike to his gut. Sasuke doubled over in pain, but Naruto used this opportunity to slam his knee into Sasuke's jaw. The force of the impact launched Sasuke off his feet and onto his back. Naruto stood over Sasuke's prone form, his eyes still staring ruefully at the Uchiha.
"Give up?" Sasuke suddenly spun, kicking Naruto's feet from beneath him while also rising up.
"I don't think so." Sasuke replied cockily. Naruto jumped to his feet, and the two resumed their stances for round two. The two charged each other, exchanging a flurry of blows as they collided. Sasuke landed a punch to Naruto's side, but Naruto delivered a series of swift kicks to Sasuke's shins. The Uchiha grunted in pain, but delivered a flurry of quick jabs at Naruto. A few of the blows landed, but did little damage. Naruto deftly blocked a hook from Sasuke and returned with a jab to the neck. Sasuke backed off, trying to stop the gagging the blow caused, but Naruto didn't let him rest. Naruto expertly landed several strikes to Sasuke's chest before sweeping him of his feet. As he was falling Naruto slammed his knee in to Sasuke's back, causing the boy to yell out in agony. The knee lifted Sasuke into the air once more, allowing Naruto to place a sharp elbow into Sasuke's gut once again. The impact launched Sasuke out of the ring, kicking up a cloud of dust upon landing. Naruto let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. With a small bow, Naruto exited the ring and walked over to Sasuke, the boy still groaning in pain from the thrashing Naruto gave him.
"That was a good fight Uchiha-san." Naruto said as he knelt down to the prone form of the Uchiha. Naruto offered a hand to the boy. Sasuke stared at it in confusion. "We don't have to be enemies, Uchiha-san." Naruto whispered. After a few moments, Sasuke accepted the hand, and was hoisted up. The two boys walked back into the crowd, not acknowledging the bewildered stares of their classmates. They just couldn't believe it. Up until now, Sasuke was undefeated in the ring, and now this new kid comes out of nowhere and thoroughly put Sasuke's ass through the ringer. Even Iruka was amazed by the ease of which Naruto defeated Sasuke. The others student's soon had their turns, again some doing reasonably well while others failed completely. It was lunch time now, and Iruka told them that they could either eat out here in the courtyard or inside the classroom. About half went inside, but Naruto stayed out in the sun. He picked a spot beneath a tree and sat in its shade. He was joined by Shino and Ino.
"... That was rather impressive, Naruto-san." Shino complimented. He had never thought that he would see someone use the mantis-style form. This Naruto was definitely becoming more interesting by the minute.
"Y-yeah. You were awesome! I never would have thought that Sasuke would be beaten so easily!" Ino praised, a light blush gracing her face. Oh Kami, Naruto was getting more attractive by the second. At this rate, Ino will definitely fall for him.
"Arigatō Shino-san, Ino-san." Naruto took out another one of his scrolls and unsealed a bento with a pair of chopsticks. Likewise, both Shino and Ino pulled out their own bentos. "Itadakimasu!" With that, the trio began to dig in.
"Oi, I would like to speak with you, Naruto-san." A voice said from above Naruto. Naruto looked up to see the same pineapple haired boy from this morning, Nara Shikamaru.
"Oh, hello Nara-san. What did you want to talk about?" Naruto asked, his bento completely finished. Shikamaru gestured for him to follow, so Naruto sealed away the empty bento box and followed. They traveled towards the opposite end of the yard, where a small board awaited them under a tree. Shikamaru went to the other side of the board and sat down, Naruto doing the same opposite of him.
"I challenge you to a game of shogi, Naruto." Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Why me of all people, Nara-san?"
"Because you've been making waves at the academy the whole day. Not only did you manage to get Ino so flustered that she looked like Hinata, you've managed to get Shino to speak more than five words and beat Sasuke in a taijutsu match." Shikamaru leaned forward. "I want to see if you can match me in a shogi match, for no one but my father has beaten me before. If there's a first time for anything, then it's going to happen to today." Shikamaru leaned back into a more relaxed position, slump against the tree. "I assume you know how to play, samurai?"
"Hai, I do Nara-san, and I'm honored that you see me as a worthy adversary." With that, the two played for the duration of lunch, embroidered in a battle of the minds. Shino and Ino had come over to see what the two were up to, by remained completely silent during their match at Ino's behest. In that half hour, Shikamaru and Naruto exchanged pieces almost every other move. But it was not to last, as Iruka called the class in, Shikamaru let out a sigh as he called the match.
"Checkmate." Shikamaru actually felt good about winning. No one has ever given him that great of a match before. Naruto had kept the game a fast pace, and barely gave the Nara anytime to plan out his moves. Naruto let out a sigh as he got up.
""That was a good match, Nara-san. Let's play again sometime." Before Naruto could walk away, Shikamaru called to him.
"It's Shikamaru, Naruto. And thank you for that match. It's been so long since someone kept me on my toes like that." With his shogi set packed away, Shikamaru joined Naruto's group of friends as they reentered the building.
Nothing much happened after that, just some basic academia that outlined what they will be learning. The school day ended, and everyone rushed out the door, waiting for tomorrow to come. Naruto and his group stood at the courtyard, chatting a bit before heading home.
"I didn't know you two knew each other!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise. Ino giggled.
"That's right. Since our dads are close friends, Shikamaru and I always used to hangout out when we were younger."
"As troublesome as it was, I could still remember you yelling at me and Chōji to do whatever you wanted." Shikamaru drawled out. Ino punched him in the shoulder.
'Don't make me look bad in front of Naruto, baka!' Ino screamed in her mind. Naruto laughed a bit.
"Aww, Ino-san is already such a strong woman!" Naruto teased. Ino grew flustered and shied away, determined not to let Naruto see her blush.
"As interesting as today was, I must get back to the compound. The rare species come out during this time of day." Shino said.
"Yeah, if I go home any later, my mother will kill me. Troublesome."
"Y-Yeah, my dad would be extremely worried if I don't leave now."
"All right the. It was good meeting you guys. I'll see you all tomorrow." With that, the four friends departed, and moved onwards to a promising future.
1 year later...
The entire school year was rather fun for Naruto. His small group of friends got to know each other rather well. Shikamaru spoke to them with more enthusiasm, Shino opened up and freely conversed with them, and Ino was no longer entomophobic. Some other interesting things happened as well. Sasuke seemed to be more hospitable, his ego beaten down. Ino had stopped becoming so flustered around Naruto, but still grew embarrassed every time he complimented her. Naruto had found a golden Hercules beetle, which he had given to Shino as a birthday present. Surprisingly, the beetle mated with several of Shino's kikaichū, creating a stronger, larger, and longer-living variant of kikaichū beetles. Shino's entire clan was surprised at the development, and granted Naruto a single favor for his deed.
But today was the final examination, where all the skills drilled into the minds of the academy students were put to the test. The class had just taken their written test, Naruto and his group confident in their passing. Now was time to perform the required three jutsu. Every student was called up one by one, and soon was approaching Naruto's turn. The samurai in-training was confident. The only one he had trouble with was the bunshin, but as long as he wasn't limited to one, he was fine. The door opened, Ino just stepped out, a Konoha hitai-ate tied around her waist. She gave Naruto a thumbs up, making him smile. She passed.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka's voice called from the room. Naruto hastily got up from his seat and proceeded to the testing room. As he passed by Ino, she whispered in his ear.
"You got this Naruto-kun." Naruto flashed her a smile and entered the room. Mizuki and Iruka were behind a desk, and there was a table with an assortment of headbands next to them. Naruto closed the door behind him and approached the instructors.
"All right Naruto, we are going to need to see you perform the bunshin no jutsu, kawarimi no jutsu, and the henge no jutsu." Iruka explained. Naruto nodded.
"Kawarimi no Jutsu." Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, and in his place was Mizuki. Iruka turned to his right to see Naruto sitting beside him, smiling. With another puff, Naruto and Mizuki returned to their original places, Mizuki in slight disarray from being forcefully moved. Naruto formed a hand sign.
"Henge no Jutsu." Another puff of smoke, gone was Naruto and in his place was another Iruka. The original Iruka approached the fake and examined it closely. After a moment, Iruka nodded approving, and Naruto dispelled the transformation. Okay, now was the hard part.
"Bunshin no Jutsu." Suddenly, Naruto's visage suddenly blurred, and multiple copies of him appeared, fifteen in total. All the clones were perfect copies of Naruto, down to the last wrinkle in his clothes. Iruka and Mizuki applauded, though Mizuki was a bit hesitant to do so.
"Good job Naruto, you pass. Take your pick of the hitai-ate." Iruka gestured to the table. Naruto grabbed one attached to a long black cloth. Quickly, Naruto tied it to his head, his bangs framing the metal plate, and the cloth ended at his waist. Naruto bowed to his instructors once more, but Naruto caught the small sneer on Mizuki's face. Something wasn't right about the teacher, and Naruto swore to find out what it was. Naruto exited the room and another student was called. Ino rushed to him, Shino and Shikamaru following calmly walking behind. The two blonds embraced.
"I knew you could do it Naruto-kun!" Ino praised as she tightened her hold of him.
"Thank you for your confidence, Ino-chan."
"Ugh, not here you two." Shikamaru groaned. He didn't need to see any of this!
"I agree with Shikamaru-san, such actions should not be performed in public." Shino explained. Ino let go of Naruto, albeit hesitantly. The group chatted as they waited for the the examination to end. After everyone finished the exam, Iruka dismissed the graduates, telling them to come to tomorrow to receive team placement. Instead of joining his friends in a celebratory dinner, much to their confusion, Naruto instead followed the suspicious white haired chūnin, determined to find out he man's secret.
All was according to plan. Mizuki had secretly slipped into the Hokage's mansion during a change in shifts and was currently looking at his objective, the legendary Scroll of Seals. Orochimaru had promised him great power if he could retrieve it for him. Mizuki frowned. If only that stupid demon brat had failed, he could have probably convinced him to steal the scroll for him. Alas, he was here now and now ogling the massive scroll. He reached out to grab it.
"Oi, Mizuki-san, it's illegal to steal things belonging to the Hokage." A voice from behind startled Mizuki, and he promptly turned around. He snarled. It was the Kyūbi brat. He tried to play it cool.
"Oh, hey Naruto. I've been put on guard duty over the scroll, so that nobody steals it." Mizuki lied smoothly. Naruto didn't buy it.
"Forgive me, Mizuki-san, but I call bullshit. Now step away from the scroll and face justice." Naruto had a hand on his blade, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. Mizuki growled.
"Stupid brat! Stay out of my way!" With that, Mizuki slung the scroll of his shoulder and threw himself out the nearest window, shattering the glass easily. Naruto quickly followed in pursuit.
'Damn it, there's no way security didn't hear that! I have to get to the forest and lose them there.' Mizuki hightailed it to the Forest of Death, hoping to lose his pursuers there. Weaving the the treetops, Mizuki had believed himself safe for the moment, and stopped to catch his breathe. He got no reprieve though, and suddenly felt the strap holding scroll fall. He gasped as it fell to the ground below, only to be caught by an orange blur. Mizuki roared in anger. That stupid brat was ruining everything! Mizuki took out a scroll and unsealed a shuriken as large as he was.
"GET BACK HERE!" Mizuki followed Naruto, who stopped in the middle of a clearing. Mizuki stopped on a branch, glaring down at him. Mizuki suddenly got an idea, and smirked. "You wanna know something Naruto?" He called out. Naruto's piercing stare looked up at Mizuki.
"What is it, traitor?" Naruto asked. He would humor this man before killing him for his deeds.
"You know how you were treated when you were younger, right? The way you were abused and called "demon"?" Silence was his response. "It's because you are a jinchūriki Naruto. You hold within you one of the most infamous demon's of all time. You are the host of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Kyūbi!"
Naruto stared in shock. The Kyūbi was held inside of him? What did this mean? Mizuki laughed at Naruto's shocked expression.
"That's right Naruto. You are the Kyūbi incarnate, the same demon that attacked this village twelve years ago!"
"... So what?" Mizuki stopped his laughter at that. Naruto stared hatefully at Mizuki. "So what if I am the Kyūbi reborn? If I truly am a monster, then everyone would be dead already. If I am a demon, I am a changed one. One with a sense of honor, a sense that you lack!" Mizuki roared in anger.
"DIE YOU DEMON BRAT!" Mizuki threw the massive shuriken at Naruto with all his might, the large piece of metal spinning as fast as a buzz saw. Naruto stood his ground, and held Kitsune no Kōkatsu up, the blade still in its sheathe. Naruto gripped the hilt with a reverse grip, and spread his legs apart into a firm stance.
"Ittoryu Iai..." The shuriken was fast approaching, almost at Naruto now. Mizuki looked on in glee. He was going to do it! He was going to kill the demon brat!
"Shishi Sonson!(2)" There was a flash of light as Naruto unsheathed his wakizashi, just enough so that the metal began to show. Just as the giant shuriken was about to hit him, Naruto clicked his blade back into place and the shuriken split into two, diverging to either side of Naruto and leaving him without a scratch. Mizuki gawped at the scene. He hadn't even fully drawn his sword, yet he split the giant spinning metal star of death in half!
"H-How? How did you do that!?" Mizuki screamed. Naruto smirked.
"Like you said, Mizuki-san. I'm a demon!" With that, Naruto charged the shell-shocked chūnin, blade ready to be drawn once more. Mizuki screamed in fright, and got louder the closer Naruto approached. Suddenly, the Naruto charging Mizuki vanished before his eyes. Mizuki's eyes widened before he was knocked unconscious, a smiling Naruto standing over the collapsed form of Mizuki with his right hand held straight. "Nighty-night, Mizuki-san."
"Naruto!" Suddenly, Iruka burst from the brush and landed on the same branch Naruto stood on. Naruto grinned at the man.
"I found you Iruka-sensei!" A tic mark formed on Iruka's head.
"Baka, I found you!" Iruka yelled indignantly. He then saw the unconscious form of Mizuki. "Naruto, what happened?" Naruto's expression became serious.
"Mizuki was trying to steal the Scroll of Seals. I stopped him and incapacitated him." Iruka nodded and threw Mizuki over his shoulder.
"Thank you Naruto, you just saved one of the village's most prized possessions from falling into the wrong hands." Naruto gave him a small smile, but wanted to reassure something.
"Iruka-sensei, Mizuki told me that I am the host of the Kyūbi." Iruka gasped. "I'm guessing from your reaction that he was telling the truth. Does that make me a demon, Iruka-sensei?" Iruka firmly grasped one of Naruto's shoulders.
"Naruto, you are not a demon. Don't ever let anyone say otherwise. You are keeping the Kyūbi locked inside of you, protecting the village from it. You are a hero Naruto!" Naruto beamed at the chūnin.
"Thank you Iruka-sensei." Iruka smiled at Naruto.
"Anytime, Naruto. I'm going to take Mizuki to the T&I department, so I'm trusting you to take the Scroll of Seals back to the Hokage Mansion." Naruto nodded in affirmative. With that, the two shinobi parted ways, disappearing into the night.
Next time on Return to Prominence
Naruto grunted as he felt Zabuza press Kubikiribōchō down on him, his arms shaking trying to hold the great blade back. Zabuza let out a small chuckle.
"For a kid, you're not bad. Such a shame that you're going to die. All that potential, wasted!" Naruto grunted and planted a foot in Zabuza's gut, breaking the engagement. Naruto resheathed his blade, causing Zabuza to grow nervous. He knew first hand of the lethality of Iaijutsu, and did not desire to be sliced in half. The two were at a standstill, waiting for the other to make a move. Zabuza could not cast any jutsu lest he leave himself vulnerable, and Naruto would not be able attack without losing his advantage. All was silent, everyone to nervous to say anything.
Zabuza made the first move, charging forward with a battle cry. Naruto braced himself. Suddenly, Zabuza swung in a circle and threw the blade of his sword, the hilt detaching with a snap. Naruto's eyes widened at the oncoming projectile.
"Ittoryu Iai: Shishi Sonson!" Naruto quickly drew his sword and resheathed it. The blade of Kubikiribōchō split in half, and harmlessly flew past him. Having focused on the blade, Naruto lost track of Zabuza. Suddenly, a deep pain filled Naruto's chest. Naruto looked down. One of the blade halves had been lodged in his chest. Naruto could only stare in shock. He looked behind him. Zabuza was there, staring at him, a mournful look in his eyes.
"Sorry kid, nothing personal. Just business." Naruto collapsed to his knees, blood pooling around him. He heard screaming, but he couldn't turn his head back to see who it was.
"Naruto! NARUTO!" Naruto fell to the ground, slipping into blackness
A/N: Wow... almost 8,000 words. I never would have thought I would hit that milestone. God, I'm so hyped for this story! I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am!
1. "Kitsune no Kōkatsu" "Cunning of the Fox"
2. Kitsune no Kōkatsu is loosely based on Shusui, one of Zoro's swords. Ittoryu Iai: Shishi Sonson and Hanauta Sanchō: Yahazu Giri are techniques used by Zoro and Brook respectively.
So please, if you liked it, leave a review! If you have any questions or criticisms, please also leave a review or PM me. I'll see you guys later. Ja ne!