Author's Notes: Everyone is in cannon outfit until I say otherwise.

Chapter 1: Mask Off

Naruto was standing in the viewing area of the preliminary fights of the Chunin exam. Naruto was thinking over the fights including his which brought a smile to his face of how he defeated Kiba. Naruto was also watching the last match which was Hinata Hyuga Vs. Neji Hyuga. Naruto saw Hinata on the ground and Neji standing with a smirk so he let out a breath of air and looked down when he heard " Come on Hinata." Naruto looked up at Hinata's sensei Kurenai Yuhi so he smirked and looked back at the fight and yelled " come on Hinata, you could easily kick his ass." Naruto saw Neji snap his head at him and heard " Shut up, yelling won't help as destiny declares me the winner." Naruto just glared at Neji to then look at the proctor to hear " Winner Neji Hyuga." Naruto sighed to then hear " No."

Naruto looked at Hinata seeing that she was pushing herself up. Naruto saw Hinata get into a sloppy Gentle Fist stance but Naruto smiled. Naruto also got worried seeing blood coming out of the corner of her mouth. Naruto was happy that Hinata got up even though the match was called. Naruto saw Hinata stumble back to hear " The match was called." Naruto saw Hinata just give a smile and say " Good fight Neji." Naruto saw Hinata turn about to walk to hear a scoff from Neji then heard him say " A weakling like you shouldn't be kneeling to me." Naruto saw Hinata grow angry then turn and yell " Shut the fuck up." Naruto was taken back as Hinata nevered yelled at someone. Naruto saw Hinata point at Neji and heard " You think you're the greatest because you're the prodigy of the Hyuuga. Well guess what, no one gives two shits." Naruto saw Neji grow angry and about to speak to hear Hinata yell " No I'm tired of your abuse over me. You blame me for something I had no control over." Naruto saw Hinata spit on the ground and heard " I barely remember your father Neji but I do know this. He would be ashamed of you."

Naruto just had a smirk on his face when he saw Neji take a step and heard " Shut the fuck up you bitch." Naruto grew angry to hear Hinata say " It's the truth and you know it." Naruto saw Neji start to run to hear " You'll die for that." Naruto saw Hinata freeze scared and the sensei's start to move but he moved faster. Naruto did a couple of hand signs and he disappeared leaving a small dust cloud. Naruto appeared in front of Hinata catching Neji's wrist then drawing a kunai and putting it against Neji's neck. Naruto just smirked seeing Neji shocked then heard " That was the Body Flicker." Naruto nodded and said " So." Naruto put the kunai back in his kunai holster and said " Like you said the match was called." Naruto let go of Neji's wrist as Neji moved his hand away so he looked at the Hokage to hear " Naruto I assume you have a good reason to do that?" Naruto nodded and then looked at Hinata hearing a stumble. Naruto saw Hinata was about to fall so he moved, catching her bridle style. Naruto looked at Hinata with a smile seeing her awake so he said " I got you." Naruto saw Hinata nod so he looked up at the Hokage and said " Jiji we both know that it would happen when I quit the third exam. I might as well have done it early. Also Neji needed to be stopped." Naruto saw the Hokage nod then heard " Well Naruto ok." Naruto nodded, then looked at Hinata seeing her asleep so he looked up at Neji, hearing " Doesn't matter if you stayed, destiny declares me the winner.

Naruto glared at Neji then looked at Hinata and smirked and then looked up and said " Jiji can I do something with you agreeing with me no matter what?" Naruto just saw the Hokage nod to all people surprised so he looked at the proctor and said " This match was called for Neji Hyuuga as the winner but as punishment for his action against the life of his cousin Hinata Hyuuga. Hinata will be taking my slot in the third exam." Naruto saw the proctor look at the Hokage who just nodded so he smiled to hear " What?" Naruto turned around to see Kiba walking up then heard " You want to stay a Genin?" Naruto just chuckled to then hear the Hokage say " Naruto Uzumaki is a Ghost, the highest rank in the Konoha shinobi forces just below me. He has command over everyone in this room if he wants and is my personal bodyguard." Naruto saw Kiba's eyes widened so he looked at the Hokage and said " Thank you." Naruto then looked at Hinata again then up at the Hokage and said " I'll take her to the hospital after you're done come to me with Kurenai. I have something we need to talk about." Naruto saw the Hokage nod so he turned and disappeared in a blur.

* One Hour Later *

Kurenai sighed sadly as she entered Hinata's hospital room to see her not changed but sleeping. Kurenai looked next to the hospital bed to see Naruto in a different outfit. Kurenai saw Naruto wearing a black jacket and pants with his kunai holster on his left thigh. Kurenai also saw Naruto wearing black fingerless gloves with a black strap across his chest that held a quiver full of arrows. Kurenai also saw a black recurve bow leaning against the wall with a dark gray cloth wrapped around the handle. Kurenai just stepped forward and said " Naruto, you look different?" Kurenai saw Naruto look up at her then grab his bow and hear " I know." Kurenai gave a small smile and looked at Hinata to hear " She has a broken rib and bruised bones, that's it." Kurenai looked up surprised and said " What about her internal injuries." Kurenai saw Naruto smile and heard " Her jacket protected her enough for nothing internal but she'll hurt." Kurenai nodded and then said " So how powerful are you?"

Kurenai saw Naruto sigh then heard " High Chunin." Kurenai was shocked so she said " No offense but how are you higher rank than me." Kurenai saw Naruto smile disappear, then Kurenai saw Naruto grab his neck and rub it but before she got an answer the hospital door opened.

Naruto moved his arm down from his neck as he saw Hiruzen enter the room so he smiled to see Kakashi walk while reading his book. Naruto just sighed then said " Don't make me burn that book again." " Again?" Naruto looked at Kurenai and said " You know Kakashi as Kakashi I know him as Dog." Naruto saw Kakashi look up in shock then heard " So Kitsune it's been a minute." Naruto chuckled as he saw Kakashi put his book away so Naruto looked at Hinata. Naruto looked up at Kurenai and said " I know I can get the Hokage on board but you are a different story." Naruto saw Kurenai nod so he said " I want to take Hinata out of the village for the month break to train." Naruto saw Kurenai shake her head and then heard " Naruto, I'm thankful to you and the Hokage for letting Hinata go to the third round but I don't think you would be a good person to train her." Naruto nodded and said, " I am not really going to train her." Naruto saw Kurenai confused for both of them to hear Kakashi say " You've seen Naruto's file and those days he missed the Academy he was sent on missions with me. Naruto has made friends and I think I know who they are talking about." Naruto just nodded and said " Yep." Naruto then looked at Kurenai and said " You are welcome to come but I think it'll be smarter if you don't and agree to this."

Naruto saw Kurenai fold her arms and heard " How?" Naruto sighed then said " First you should know something. The reason I've been facking a Genin is because I was assigned to protect Sasuke. I didn't like it but I did the mission. Before I went to the academy I looked at the file for every sensei in there and the class I was in. I found out you've known Hinata for years and by the way you look at her and don't want her to leave, you care for her deeply." Naruto saw Kurenai nod then heard " So you saying my caring won't let me train Hinata." Naruto shook his head and said " I bet you can train her but you would stop when she's tired. You would stop for her but whoever I want to bring her two will push Hinata past her breaking point and have many other things that you wouldn't let Hinata do." Naruto saw Kurenai nod and then heard " Who?" Naruto sighed then said " I can't tell." Naruto saw Kurenai just looking at him so he said " These people work for me and me alone. Not for Konoha and they don't know my identity and won't know Hinata's but I know theirs. I refuse to say as they do stuff for me that can get them executed where they are so if I only know their identity they stay safe."

Naruto saw Kurenai just looking at Hinata to hear " I don't want her to leave. I'm scared she'll be hurt more." Naruto just smiled and said " I'll be there and yes, she'll be hurt but she won't but she'll come back strong." Naruto saw Kurenai nod then heard " I only agree on two demands. One she returns three days before the exam and I want to see her progress. Two, if she agrees I'll let her go." Naruto nodded with a small smile and said " I'll tell her and we aren't leaving for another three days." Naruto saw Kurenai nod, then he saw her look at him and heard " If you hurt her I'll kill you." Naruto just nodded and then heard Kakashi say " Well is there anything else." Naruto looked at Kakashi and said " If I return and you're there I'll have her drop you." Naruto saw Kakashi nod then heard " Well see you later." Naruto saw Kakashi disappear in a blur so he grabbed his quiver strap and said " I'll stay here just in case." Naruto saw Kurenai nod and then heard " Ok." Naruto saw Kurenai turn and walk out with the Hokage so he sighed, taking off his quiver to then just sit down looking at Hinata.

* Hours Later *

Naruto had his arm propped on the chair's arm, his head leaning against it as he slept. Naruto had been sleeping for the last few hours and his arm slipped off the chair. Naruto gave a small groan as he woke up when he heard crying. Naruto raised his head just staying quiet when he heard it was from the hospital bed. Naruto stood up and said " Hinata you ok?" Naruto heard a noise then sniffling then heard " Who-o are you-u?" Naruto walked over to the bed to then turn on the lamp and said " It's me, Naruto." Naruto saw Hinata look at him in shock then heard " Why are you here?" Naruto just smiled and said " I wanted to make sure you are ok." Naruto saw Hinata just looking at him so he gestured to the bed and said " Can I sit." Naruto saw Hinata nod then scoot to the side so he sat down and said " Why were you crying?"

Naruto saw Hinata just looking down so he said " If it's because you didn't advance to the third round don't worry. You're taking my spot." Naruto saw Hinata look up and heard " No, no, no. You didn't have to do that." Naruto chuckled and said " Hinata do you remember after your fight?" Naruto saw Hinata shake her head so he said " Well I'm something known as a Ghost. I am above chunin. I had a mission which made me become a genin again but now it's out." Naruto saw Hinata nod, then look down and hear " I don't deserve that spot, I'm weak. Neji was right." Naruto just looked at Hinata then without thinking he grabbed her hand which made the Hyuuga look up. Naruto gave a small smile and said " I'll admit you're weak Hinata but that doesn't mean you can't become strong." Naruto saw Hinata just pull her hand away and heard " How?"

Naruto sighed then said " Well you have me. I'll help." Naruto didn't get a reaction from Hinata so he said " Hinata." Naruto saw the girl slightly look up seeing tears in her eyes so he said " What is wrong?" Naruto saw Hinata bring her legs up and heard " I froze up when he went for an attack. I could have defended myself." Naruto just gave a small smile and said " By using the BirdCage Seal?" Naruto saw Hinata slightly nod so he said " Hinata it's ok you froze. My first death experience I froze up to." Naruto saw Hinata raise her head up at him and heard " You did." Naruto nodded with a small smile then he said " Yea, someone was about to kill me with their sword. I froze when the person I was with killed them for me." Naruto saw Hinata nod then heard " Have-e you-u kill before?" Naruto nodded and said " Yea." Naruto saw Hinata just looking at him then he saw Hinata move at him and hug him and heard " I'm scared Naruto. I'm scared to die." Naruto just wrapped his arms around Hinata and said " Don't worry, you'll be fine."

After a couple of minutes Naruto felt Hinata start to pull back so he did as well but he kept a hold onto one of Hinata's hands. Naruto saw Hinata look at him again so he smiled then said " I have talked to the Hokage and your sensei. It's your choice but I want to take you out of the village and have you be trained by a few people I know." Naruto saw Hinata just looking away then heard " Why me?" Naruto just smiled and said " I saved your life, got you to the third round. I need to finish it off by helping you get stronger." Naruto saw Hinata nod but not look at him so he squeezed her hand and said " Also I need someone to put some sense into his head and pull that stick out of his ass." Naruto saw Hinata look at him with a frown then heard " But I'm weak." Naruto shrugged and said " I was once." Naruto then moved closer bringing his feet up and said " If you go you'll get strong but there are rules." Naruto saw Hinata look at him and heard " Will Kurenai Sensei join us?" Naruto shook his head and said " No but if you want her to then I can't take you. Kurenai cares for you deeply and whoever is going to train you is going to beat you into the ground and Kurenai wont let that happen." Naruto saw Hinata nod slightly then heard " Will you be there?" Naruto nodded and said " Yea, I'll help as well but I'm mainly doing something." Naruto saw Hinata just nod with a frown so he said " Hey, I have things to do but if you want I can be there mainly. I have clones that can do stuff." Naruto saw Hinata nod then heard " I'll go if you stay around." Naruto nodded then said moving off the bed. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow we are packing and leaving the day after that."