Naruto was already packing his things. He was discharged from the hospital. He had spent a week there, regained consciousness, and was finally being released. He could finally leave this place and return to a normal life. Slipping the backpack onto his shoulders, he left the room and headed towards the exit. Kakashi was waiting for him near the hospital fence. In his hands, he held a package and a piece of paper. He stood there, watching Naruto approach.
"Why are you here?" the blond asked.
"The Hokage herself sent me here to entrust something important," replied Kakashi.
"And what is this 'something important' in that package and that paper?" he pointed to the items in Kakashi's hands.
"Correct," Kakashi handed Naruto the paper. The blond took it and started reading its contents. With each word he read, his eyes widened. When he finished reading and looked up at his sensei, Kakashi handed him the package.
"But I...," Naruto began.
"The Hokage sees potential in you, and I believe you need to grow, so take it and wear it with honor and pride. You rightfully deserve it," Kakashi said. Naruto took the package.
"Thank you," he lowered his head, looking at the ground. If Naruto hadn't been so serious, Kakashi would have thought he was laughing and crying tears of joy. But since he wasn't like that, his reaction was calm and predictable. Yet Kakashi knew that deep inside, Naruto was rejoicing.
Flashback
"Kakashi," the Third addressed him. "I have an assignment for you." Hiruzen placed a paper on the table, and Kakashi took it.
"You're planning to promote him, aren't you?" Kakashi deduced.
"Yes. I told you back then..." Hiruzen leaned back in his chair.
"I forgot," Kakashi scratched his head apologetically.
"Right, then," the Hokage interlocked his fingers. "You will be in charge of his training to prepare him for joining ANBU. Afterwards, I'll assign him to your squad."
"It will take time for training. Not everyone can join ANBU right away," Kakashi replied.
"That's why I'll handle his training my own way. It will probably be a first," the Hokage said.
End of flashback
The next day, Naruto headed to the Hokage's residence early in the morning to receive his mission. Yesterday, Kakashi had tried to dissuade Naruto from taking the mission, but the blond was determined. Now, he walked along the main street dressed in black pants, a T-shirt, a black jacket, and a chuunin vest. He also wore fingerless gloves with metal plates. He was now a chuunin and understood that the missions would be more challenging. He was eagerly anticipating the taste of a new challenge in his life. He had taken one more step up, and now he had to put it to the test.
Entering the Hokage's office, Naruto saw the familiar sight: the old man sitting behind the desk, sorting through papers. Seeing the Third's expression, Naruto knew that he was happy to see him.
"You have recovered already, Naruto," the Hokage expected a positive answer.
"Yes, I've decided to test my abilities today," that was the answer Hiruzen was waiting for.
"Since this is your first mission in your new rank, I won't burden you too much," the old man reassured him and continued. "Your mission is to accompany a messenger. You need to escort him to the border of the Rice Fields Country. The mission's rank is C." He handed Naruto the paper, and the blond took it. The paper contained a photo of the messenger, his information, and the mission objectives. Naruto examined the photo carefully. The messenger had a peculiar appearance: his hairstyle resembled that of a jonin in a green jumpsuit, whom Naruto had seen only a few times but remembered well. His cheeks were puffy, he had big lips, and he was completely unshaven. At first, Naruto thought it was an exaggeration, but upon further consideration, he realized that those were the genuine features of the man.
"Why didn't he come here himself?" the chuunin finally looked away from the paper.
"Well," the Hokage smiled. "It's a contract we made with him. You probably noticed it," Naruto nodded. "I briefed you about the objectives," the look on Naruto's face told the Hokage that there was no point in beating around the bush. "I won't beat around the bush. He likes to get drunk and then go to brothels," this statement left Naruto speechless. "You'll have your hands full with him from this moment on. Since he hasn't shown up yet, it means he's already drunk. Your first task is to find him," the Hokage apologetically smiled.
"Quite a surprise," Naruto muttered to himself. In that moment, he realized that the Hokage had played a trick on him. But if it was a mission, then it was a mission. "I understand. I'll begin the mission immediately!" Naruto placed the contract on the desk and left the office.
"And so, Naruto, your training begins."
"So," Naruto said, leaving the Hokage's residence, thinking about the path he should take and where to find the client, scratching his head in the process. "So, he's drunk," Naruto pondered. "So, according to the Hokage, he's in a brothel," the blond sighed heavily. "And where can I find such a place?" he asked himself.
This mission was problematic from the start, right from this moment. Where could there be a brothel in Konoha? Naruto didn't know. Moreover, he was sure that such establishments were not allowed to be built in a village of shinobi and all that. But then Naruto started thinking; there were perverts here in the village, starting with Kakashi-sensei and ending with Jiraiya. Yes, Naruto knew about their so-called hobbies, but he didn't judge them for it, as he understood that everyone had their secrets. And then, a brilliant idea came to Naruto's mind. Kakashi-sensei, the one who might know where to find such a place. But there was another problem: Kakashi was probably on a mission.
"Darn, it!" the blond cursed.
"What's wrong, Naruto?" Naruto turned around at the sound; it was Kakashi standing on top of a building in ANBU form.
"I'm so glad to see you," Naruto was genuinely happy, but as usual, he didn't show it.
"So, what's up?" Kakashi asked when his student appeared next to him.
"I need a brothel," the statement surprised Kakashi, and he was taken aback, luckily, the mask was on him.
"What do you mean?" The ANBU member decided to ask again because he knew it couldn't be what it sounded like.
"Yes, I need to know where there's a brothel in Konoha," the same words, but they sounded differently.
"But you're still a kid, and..." Sensei tried to dissuade his student, but then it occurred to Naruto what Kakashi had decided upon, hearing the question.
"This concerns the mission and has nothing to do with me," the blond corrected himself and continued, "There should be one person there, but since I don't know where to find this place, well... I think you understand."
If it were any other kid, Kakashi would have taken it as a good excuse, as it really did sound convincing. But knowing his student, Hatake understood that it really was a mission, and if it wasn't, the world would have turned upside down at that very moment. With that, the ANBU member told Naruto where to find this place. It was located on the outskirts of Konoha, not far from the village. Naruto set off there immediately. When he arrived, he was a little shocked. The building was enormous, and the fact that Naruto hadn't seen it before was a great surprise to him. He had already decided to enter but then remembered that he was still a child and they wouldn't let him in. He immediately used the Transformation Jutsu and assumed the form of an adult version of himself, trying to appear as mature as possible. Now he was ready to go in. Inside, he saw red tones and many women, but he didn't care. He walked up to one of the girls sitting at a table near the entrance.
"Can I help you?" the girl asked.
"I'm looking for someone; he was supposed to be here."
"I'm sorry, but we don't disclose information about our clients," she replied.
"What if I complain to the Hokage about your establishment? I have a good relationship with him," Naruto tried another approach.
"I'm sorry, but no. Besides, I don't believe you," the girl insisted.
"I see. Then blame it on yourself," Naruto turned towards the exit and tried to leave.
"Wait," the girl shouted. "Okay, I'll tell you where he is."
"How naive everyone is," Naruto thought to himself.
It turned out that the person he was looking for was on the second floor. Naruto immediately headed there. On his way, girls approached him, trying to get his attention. Naruto gave them a stern look and proceeded silently toward his target. When he reached the second floor, he entered the room where he saw the client surrounded by three women. They hadn't noticed him, so Naruto dispelled the transformation, and there was a puff. Everyone turned towards the blond.
"Who are you?" the client growled.
"I am the one who will be accompanying you to the Rice Fields Country. Please come with me."
"Get lost, kid," he said, turning back to the women. "We're about to decide something, ladies."
"I'm not going to ask nicely," Naruto approached and grabbed the client by the collar. "We're leaving right now."
"Why are you bothering me? Back off!" the client pushed Naruto, causing him to fall. "How can someone like you protect me? You're still a child!" the brunet towered over Naruto.
"I wanted to do this nicely, but you don't listen," Naruto immediately tripped him, causing him to fall to the ground, and then jumped on top of him.
"Aaah!" The girls screamed and rushed towards the exit.
"Wait!" the client shouted after them. "You bastard!" He clenched his fist and was about to strike Naruto, but then darkness filled his vision, and he passed out.
"I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice," Naruto stood up. "Dragging you unconscious is not the best option, but I wasn't going to persuade you either." Naruto created a clone, and they lifted the client onto their shoulders and dragged him towards the exit.
Everyone just stared at the scene of two identical boys carrying an unconscious man; even the girl at the entrance was in shock when she realized that she had been deceived by a child, and she didn't see it coming.
So, Uzumaki left the brothel and set off immediately. But first, he created another clone to fetch his belongings and, if possible, the client's belongings as well. About half an hour passed since then. Naruto, along with the clone, brought the client to the riverside and tossed him there. Unfortunately, Naruto hadn't bothered to read the client's name. That was another problem, but one that could be fixed. Naruto threw the body off his shoulders, dispelled the clone, and then laid down on the ground himself. He decided not to wake the client just yet, at least until the clone returned, using this time to rest.
An hour passed, and the clone returned with Naruto's belongings. Having dispelled the clone, Naruto realized that there was nothing useful among the client's belongings for the mission. Everything would only complicate the situation and slow down their progress. So, the clone decided not to take anything except for the money that it found. Naruto decided not to waste any more time and woke up the client. He dragged the body closer to the river and sprinkled some water on him. The client quickly regained consciousness and stood up. The first thing he did was push Naruto into the river.
"You ruined everything for me, you sick bastard!" He spat at Naruto and walked to the shore. There he stopped and looked around, trying to figure out where he was. "And where have you taken me?"
"We're heading to the Rice Fields Country," the blond stood up and glared at the client. "We're already on our way."
"What?! My business in Konoha isn't finished yet! How dare you take me on a mission without my consent!" The client grabbed a stone and threw it at Naruto. "You won't get out of there alive!"
"Don't make me do this again!" Naruto shouted, catching the stone.
"Bebeybey!" the brunette threw another one.
"You left me no choice!" Naruto suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind the client. "Rest a little longer!" After these words, the client fell to the ground unconscious again.
The evening was approaching, and the sun was setting behind the horizon. The sparrows began to sing, and the hoots of owls echoed through the air. Birds disappeared into the treetops, and the river flowed calmly. Naruto sat next to the client's body. During this time, he managed to send another clone to Konoha to fetch some clothes, as the brunette's smell was unbearable.
"Ugh," the client groaned, clutching his head without opening his eyes. "Where am I?" He finally opened his eyes and then turned his head to see Naruto sitting beside him, and it clicked.
"I see," he looked up at the cloudless sky.
"I'm sorry," he suddenly said, shocking Naruto. "I acted unworthy."
"I didn't take offense. You were just annoying me," the genius admitted.
"You scumbag!" The client stood up and confronted Naruto. "Here I am, wholeheartedly apologizing to him, and he..."
"Get dressed; you stink," Naruto interrupted.
"What? Weren't you taught any manners?!" The brunette raised his fist to strike.
"Don't annoy me!" Naruto swiftly delivered a blow to the client, taking him by surprise.
"Damn," the brunette said in a squeaky voice and fell to his knees.
"Get changed," Naruto stood up and moved aside.
The client was still whimpering from the pain. Eventually, it subsided, leaving only slight discomfort. He sniffed his clothes; they indeed stank. But at first, he wasn't sure what to wear until he spotted the clothes. He pounced on them and began changing.
"Ishshi is my name!" He shouted while putting on brown pants. "Forgive me again!" He continued, now donning a black sweater.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'll be accompanying you," Naruto replied without turning around.
"Pleased to meet you. You can turn around now," Ishshi smiled. From that moment, their long, but not so long journey began. They followed the route chosen by Naruto. However, there was a snag: the tired Naruto was much livelier than Ishshi. Every ten meters, the client complained that he couldn't go on. But Naruto didn't care; he strictly followed the plan. It was already completely dark outside, and the surroundings were eerie. Bats occasionally flew overhead, making Ishshi shudder whenever they passed him. He quickened his pace and moved closer to Naruto, almost breathing down his neck. Suddenly, Naruto stopped, and Ishshi bumped into him.
"We've arrived," Ishshi peeked from behind Naruto and saw the city ahead. "You can stop being scared now," he addressed the chunin directly.
"Fine by me," Ishshi sighed.
"No need to be scared," Naruto's words had a hint of mockery.
"What? I'm not scared!" Ishshi jumped forward and headed toward the city. Naruto simply shook his head at that.
Arriving in the city, the two companions turned into the first hotel they found and rented two separate rooms. Naruto went straight to his room and lay down on the bed, immediately falling asleep. Ishshi spent some time downstairs, socializing with the opposite gender staff, but it didn't work out, so he too headed to his room. His actions were reminiscent of Naruto's: he came in, collapsed, and passed out.
POV Naruto
Again. Here I am on the Hokage's mountain. But why am I here? The Fox again. He's preparing that sphere again! Throwing it at me. My hands hold a kunai. Hand seal. The bomb disappears. An explosion far behind. A crater. The mask. Now I'm in a different place. A clearing. I'm standing across from him. He takes out chains and lunges at me.
End POV Naruto
Naruto sat up abruptly. He looked around; everything was as before. He noticed that he was lying about whatever he was wearing, but right now, he didn't care. He went to the bathroom and washed his face. Then he looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn't understand why he kept having these dreams. Why that Fox, that mask. What is all of this? He didn't understand. In the end, it's somehow connected to the final battle, where he suddenly gained chakra and a lot of energy. It's all connected, but he didn't understand how. His only guess was that he has the Nine-Tails' chakra. But no, the Fourth Hokage killed the Nine-Tails, and Fox's chakra couldn't be inside him. But this world was not so simple, and anything is possible here. Naruto returned to the room and wanted to lie down again, but suddenly, he heard a strange noise, a fight, in the adjacent room. It was Ishshi's room. Without hesitation, Naruto rushed there. Opening the door, he saw four people, three of whom were shinobi, and the fourth was Ishshi, lying unconscious with a gag in his mouth on their shoulder. The shinobi noticed Naruto and two of them jumped out of the window. Naruto wanted to chase after them, but a couple of kunai with explosive tags landed in front of him, stopping him. Naruto realized that something was wrong and ran into the corridor, closing the door. He wanted to run away, but...
"Daddy! Where are you?!" suddenly sounded from behind. Naruto turned and saw a five-year-old child coming out of the room.
"Damn!" the chunin jumped at the kid, scaring him, and the child tried to run away, but Naruto grabbed him and pushed him to the floor, covering him with his body. An explosion followed. The entire left side of the hotel collapsed, and a fire started. Those who could run out onto the street. Naruto, together with the child, was pinned down by a small beam that fell straight onto the blond, but the fall was stopped by his body. The child lay under Naruto, looking at him with frightened eyes, tears welling up in them. To their right was a cliff, where everything had collapsed. At this moment, Naruto vowed that there would be no more hotels on missions.
"I want my dad!" he shouted. Suddenly something started cracking under Naruto. He realized that the floor was about to collapse, and smoke began to fill the space. Gathering his strength, he began to rise, lifting the beam. It was heavy, but he couldn't die here; he had to save this child. Once he lifted the beam enough, he threw it aside and, grabbing the child, ran away. At that moment, the place where they were collapsed.
"My son!" a man shouted as he saw Naruto with the child.
"Don't leave him alone!" The blond handed the child to his father.
"There are still people in there!" someone shouted. Naruto cast his gaze at the hotel, and at that moment, he flared up with new strength, and another part of it collapsed. Then the chunin looked in the direction where, in his opinion, the kidnappers had gone and turned back to the burning hotel.
"Damn you! Damn conscience! Shadow Clones!" The clones and the original rushed toward the hotel.
Three shinobi were heading through the forest toward their target. It was a dark night, and the sky was covered with clouds. The shinobi were running at full speed when suddenly kunai flew by them and embedded themselves into the trees ahead. They turned around and saw Naruto.
"How did he catch up to us?" the first one shouted.
"It doesn't matter, keep going!" yelled the second one, stopping in his tracks. The other two continued running. The one who had thrown the kunai with seals was among them. He wore a mask covering half his face and the standard Waterfall Village Jonin uniform. Naruto also stopped in front of him.
"So, it's the Waterfall Village," the blond realized.
"You guessed it," the Jonin drew a kunai. "What do you need him for? He's just a drunkard."
"So, you know nothing, hahaha, that's for the best." The Jonin threw the kunai, and it landed in front of Naruto.
"Missed," Naruto looked at the kunai.
"I wasn't aiming for you anyway! Die!" The kunai hissed.
Suddenly, there was an explosion. The Waterfall Village shinobi stood there for a moment, watching the smoke.
"I'm surprised you survived the explosion at the hotel," Naruto's voice came from behind. The Jonin turned and saw the blond forming hand seals. "Electric Star!" Suddenly, sparks appeared from five directions, followed by a lightning strike that hit the Jonin from all sides. He immediately screamed and fell to the ground, convulsing from the passing charges.
"You're not a Jonin," Naruto descended and now looked at the unconscious enemy. "A true Jonin would have understood that those kunai were thrown for a reason. But you didn't get it. You're not real shinobi." After saying that, Naruto resumed the chase.
Two kidnappers continued running, but their pace began to slow down as fatigue started to take its toll. However, they didn't intend to stop. They hoped that their comrade had detained the pursuer. But suddenly, a kunai flew straight into the shoulder of one of them, causing him to lose concentration and fall to the ground.
"What the...?" The one carrying Ishshi ran ahead and didn't immediately realize what was happening.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu," a Waterfall Village shinobi turned around and saw Naruto with three clones. The first clone flew towards him and struck his abdomen, the second one approached and, grabbing the unconscious Ishi, moved aside. The third clone dashed in and delivered a kick to his chin, lifting the shinobi high in the air. Finally, the original Naruto landed a kick to the shinobi's head, sending him crashing to the ground. The clones dissipated, and Naruto hurried to the one who was injured by the kunai. He lay under a tree, clutching his wound and breathing heavily.
Upon seeing the approaching Chunin, the Waterfall shinobi panicked. From his expression, Naruto could read like an open book: fear, desperation, and pain. Naruto approached and leaned over him.
"Who are you? And what do you want?" he asked, expecting a predictable response.
"I won't tell you," the trembling voice replied.
"Don't make me," the Chunin reached into his pouch and drew a kunai. "Answer."
"Alright, just don't hurt me," the man covered himself with his hands. "We were sent to capture Ishshi from the village..."
"That's obvious. Why do you need him?" Naruto inquired.
"We can get a good amount of money for him."
"And what's so valuable about him? Why would the Waterfall Village engage in such lowly activities?"
"You don't know anything?" the man was surprised. "He's the nephew of the Daimyo of the Rice Fields. That's why we're hunting him," this reason amazed Naruto; he would have never thought that such a drunkard could be a respected person. But this was not the time to think about it.
"Why would your village stoop to such lowly deeds?" Naruto repeated his question.
"We have a new village leader. He thinks that in this world, our village can only survive by doing this and nothing else. We just underwent a chunin exam, and he decided to implement reforms, and this is one of them. To become a chunin, we need to complete a mission like this, and..."
"Why then dress as jonin?"
"That's another one of his reforms – that everyone should wear the jonin uniform regardless of rank or status."
"You're not even close to being as strong as a weak chunin," Naruto hit his own face. "Stay here and rest." With one more strike, Naruto knocked the wannabe Jonin unconscious, and he collapsed. "I need to report this to the Hokage," the genius turned and went in the direction where Ishshi lay. "I would have dealt with this myself, but I need to finish this damn mission first."