Chapter 6

Konoha Ninja Academy, One Year Later:

Uzumaki Naruto sighs as he looks over his test once more, his benefactor was still helping him out, making sure he had the proper tools, the right books, and more importantly had given him chakra control scrolls, the blonde could already water walk and Anko-nee or Snake lady as he still called her sometimes had taught him the shadow clone jutsu once she realized how much chakra he had. He had ten clones working on different control exercises, though he'd received a note telling him to play dumb in order to be underestimated.

Hokage Tower:

Chunin Uzumaki Kushika is smirking along with her teammates, " Lord Hokage, when are the Jonin Tests taking place and where? "

" The next is in Iwa, after that is Kumo, then they'll be in Kiri. "

" Damn Iwa and Kumo are definitely out for me, I probably can't go to Kiri's either, after Kiri where will they be? " Kushika muses.

" Here in Konoha. "

" All right, I have that long to become a Jonin as Naruto has been instructed to play dumb and not try to graduate early. This means I can wait for the exams in Konoha. " Kushika states, with her help Mikoto had managed to deal with all the dissenters by this time and was now taking the Council to task, this included the elders.

As Shikaku had put it Mikoto was acting just as troublesome as a certain Habanero. Danzo was still pissed that Kushika had named Mikoto the Uzumaki proxy and Shikaku the Namikaze proxy but, there was nothing he could do about it as she did happen to be the heiress. One that had been taught political maneuvering by the fourth. That damnable Yondaime had ruined everything by making sure he imparted as much knowledge as he could to his daughter. Kushina had done the same actually. This meant that Kushika was even more troublesome than both of her parents combined.

" Any decent C-ranks? " Shikana asks.

" I actually would like some help for my next mission."

Kushika shakes her head, " Itachi, you will never be able to sneak up on me. ANBU or regular mission? "

" Regular B rank, I was actually going to request you three, plus, this requires going undercover as a couple with back up. " Itachi states.

Kushika smiles, " Well, I guess I can see why you'd want my team. "

Rei and Shikana both roll their eyes, " When will you two finally make it official? "

" Oh, like you two have with your own Uchiha? " Kushika fires back quickly.

The Nara and Aburame both shut up at that, Kushika had a quick tongue when she needed it. Itachi just shakes his head well used to his exuberant girlfriend's antics, " Before we go I need another all-out spar, get used to my new levels again. "

Itachi was eternally grateful that Kushina had taught his mother those seals and then he had learned them as well. This meant he could keep up with her relatively easily. Kushika and Itachi head out to get the spar in while Rei and Shikana go to gather up what they would need. Rei had long since mastered her tonfa and Shikana was now a seals mistress and had taken Shikamaru as her apprentice. Koji too was a seals master by this time and had seen fit to take a sealing apprentice as well. He had chosen Kurama Yakumo for his Fuuinjutsu apprentice, plus he was helping her to rein in her alternate personality and working with her on genjutsu. In several other dimensions she would have been apprenticed to Yuuhi Kurenai and her dark side sealed. Koji, with the help of Yamanaka Inoka had managed to get the two sides working together.

Sasuke and Hinata were strong friends and Hinata had developed her bitch mode, much to the consternation of the Hyuuga Clan Elders. She owned her spars with Neji and gently hit all of Hanabi's openings. Kushika and Mikoto had dealt with the Kumo thing so Hizashi was still alive and kicking. Kushika had also removed the Caged Bird Seal from Hizashi and Neji, making it impossible for it to be placed again. When the elders raised a ruckus she had channeled her mother and they had all stood down very quickly. Everyone remembered what Uzumaki Kushina could do when in a temper.

Due to Mikoto dealing with the dissenters and then sending their children for psyche evals the Uchiha Clan was doing much better. In fact she had passed a clan law that every member had to go for a psyche eval after every mission. The older ones had balked until they were informed their chakra would be temporarily sealed if they didn't comply. No Uchiha went against her now as Kushika had taught Mikoto the necessary seals, even the one to seal their Sharingan.

What really burned the clan was that several ninja now had seals that meant they couldn't copy their techniques, the entirety of every clan in Konoha had ordered the seals once they were proven to have worked. Koji, Kushika, and Shikana had been very busy filling those orders for quite some time for the Inuzuka, Aburame, Nara, Akimichi, Kurama, Sarutobi, Kedouin, and Yamanaka. Kushika flat out refused to sell them to the Hyuuga until they abolished the Caged Bird Seal and the Branch Family.

Kushika herself couldn't take Naruto as an apprentice but, she did make sure he had all he needed for sealing and living. The Nara Clan would allow him shelter and Yoshino would feed him whenever he stopped by with Shikamaru. The Aburame Clan did the same for Naruto as those whom showed him kindness would be spared his older sister's wrath. She did inform the Hokage that should Naruto not be trained right there would be hell to pay. As such a Nara chunin was sent in undercover in Naruto's class and would report to the Hokage whether or not Naruto was treated right. Shikamaru had to be told of course, as he'd figure things out regardless.

Plus, Shikamaru could add his own observations to the pot. The third had agreed to this because he didn't want one of his ninja's education compromised. Of course, the Chunin teachers in the academy didn't know they were being watched.

Academy:

Nara Shitara frowns as he watches Naruto being taught the basic academy taijutsu wrong. They were already messing with the kid's education? This entire mission was going to be troublesome, especially if people kept trying to sabotage Naruto's education. Shitara makes a note to get Tara Momosuke on Anko's list she was keeping for Kushika. Everyone knew of Anko's list, that wasn't cruel to Naruto, at least. Plus, Kushika had said once she was done with them Anko could play with them some more.

Shitara and several others had shuddered at that statement as everyone knew Anko was a sadist. Kushika was just really pissed off about the fact that she was being kept from her little brother and he didn't even know she existed. Hell, she wouldn't have known the truth about her origins if Kushina and Minato hadn't taken steps to prevent that. Shitara knew that Kushika was having problems with the Elders, in particular Danzo though the man didn't dare try anything as Kushika was truly her mother's child.

Shikamaru's eyes were narrowed and he uses signs to tell Naruto to use the Whirling Tides Fist. Naruto quickly switches katas and Chunin Tara curses silently, recognizing the taijutsu, he'd seen Kushina use it often enough. The demon's sister was training him from the shadows. Of course, he couldn't prove this and knew if he tried to make waves Chunin Uzumaki would make his life a living hell. Not to mention her teammates and Special Jonin Mitaraishi. Uchiha Mikoto would also have his head on a platter. Still, he was going to make sure the demon never became a ninja.

After school Naruto went home with Shikamaru to work on his homework and the Nara heir is surprised to see what is on his friend's homework sheet, " Yo, Dad, I know this is troublesome but, will you look at Naruto's homework sheet assigned to us by Chunin Tara Momosuke? "

Shikaku is stunned by what he sees on the sheet, " This is beyond troublesome. I need to go inform the Hokage about this. Why don't you and Naruto play a game of Shogi while you wait. "

About a year ago the boys had become friends and Shikamaru had taught the blonde how to play Shogi, this also meant that Naruto was good friends with Akimichi Choji as well though Yamanaka Ino Naruto could barely tolerate as she was way too loud. Like any Inuzuka his hearing happened to be heightened due to his tenant. Oh yes, Naruto knew about the Kyuubi, had figured it out once he got to a certain level with sealing. That had been Kushika's intention with starting him on sealing so soon. Naruto did happen to make friends with Ino's cousin Yamanaka Inoneko, normally just called Neko-chan. Neko was more reserved and also much more serious about being a Kunoichi. She was also in their class at the academy and sat with Naruto and Shikamaru. Shikamaru was hoping to hell he was placed with her and not Ino once they became genin.

Hokage's Office:

Hiruzen frowns deeply when Shikaku shows him Naruto's homework sheet from the day and curses softly, " This is unacceptable. "

" I agree but, what can we do, Hokage-sama? " Shikaku asks.

" For now I place a trusted Chunin in Naruto's class to teach him and the others, one that will make sure Naruto is treated fairly. "

" Whom will that be? " Shikaku asks, as the commander of the Shinobi forces he knew about every ninja under his command and there were very few that fit that bit.

" I could use a jonin that can no longer go in the field as well. "

Shikaku smirks at this, " That you could, Hokage-sama. Perhaps Kedouin Misaki, Naruto is a budding infiltration specialist after all. "

" I like the way you think, Shikaku, call her here and we will discuss things more. " Hiruzen states.

Nara Clan Compound:

Naruto grins as Shikamaru stares at him in shock, " How do you do that? "

" By not being predictable. Wanna work on Chakra control next? " Naruto asks.

" Che, troublesome, but why not. " Shikamaru says.

Naruto heads over to the trees and the best friends start tree climbing, as Naruto needed a lot of chakra control to even try and bring his massive reserves to heal. Slowly he was starting to get the Bunshin or Clone jutsu down. He knew he had to get it just right and he would, Dattebayo! This meant he had to constantly being doing chakra control exercises. He had motivated Shikamaru by pointing out that he needed to be strong in order to protect his friends.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.