edited chapter 4 enjoy
Naruto stands before the Hokage with Kakashi by his side.
With a drag from his pipe, "I'm sorry, Naruto, for not telling you, but there's no easy way to say it."
"It's fine. Kakashi explained it to me in the morning," he still held a solemn tone.
"Naruto sure is being mature about this. Wait a minute, a mature Naruto that could only mean one thing. A prank is on the horizon." he thought to himself. This line of thinking was shared with Kakashi.
"You're so gonna get it, old man, for keeping this from me!" he has a hell of a poker face as he thought of pranks.
"As Kakashi pointed out, you finding out this way may be a good thing. If someone told you when you weren't ready, I can only imagine the chaos that would ensue."
"So, what do you suppose we do, Lord Hokage?"
"For now, we'll keep it between Naruto and us. DO NOT TELL ANYONE! Do not seek out the demon for knowledge. if he starts talking, ignore him."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
"Got it, Jiji."
"You may go, Naruto, Kakashi, stay here. We need to discuss this further."
Naruto left the Hokage office presumably to think of a prank for Jiji.
"Do you think Naruto will ignore the fox spirit?"
"No, I just hope he can resist the temptation of its seductive power. We both know a few people who would love to sink their claws in him."
"True, let's hope his inevitable prank isn't too bad."
"Naruto wouldn't go too far, would he?"
"Hard to say with that boy."
"Tenzo!"
An anbu with a mask of a tiger jumped down from above "yes, Lord Hokage?"
"Keep an eye on Naruto. Make sure he doesn't blab this to any children throughout the village."
"And this prank he might be planning?"
"I hate to say this, just make sure he doesn't hurt himself. He's gonna need to vent his feeling about this one way or another"
"Are you sure, Lord Hokage, I could easily stop him from doing a prank?"
"No, It could further agitate him and give the fox new opportunities to manipulate the boy if he hasn't already."
"Yes, Lord Hokage," he left in a poof of smoke."
"If that is all, I'll be going."
"You're dismissed."
Hiruzen was left to his thoughts for the remainder of the day, deciding how to continue Naruto training.
The next day
Naruto just jumped out of the Hokage office with a massive smirk "this is gonna be good!"
He hung from the Hokage monument with his new skill level, waiting for Jiji to fall for his prank.
Hiruzen walked into his office to see an instant cup of ramen at his desk "better get this over with," he peels off the lid, and the loud boom could be heard throughout the tower.
Hiruzen takes his hand to his eyes and wipes off the white foam from his eyes.
The foam in question covered him from head to toe and his desk.
"You sure it was a good idea to let him do this considering how big of a mess he caused," Tenzo said, jumping down. His pants were lightly covered in the foam as well.
"This time, yes, since he was venting, but next time stop him if you can."
"Hai"
Naruto is struggling to hold in his laughter while maintaining his connection to the monument.
Suddenly someone tapped his shoulder. He looks behind to see Kakashi standing there with an eye smile.
With a sigh, "let's get this over with" like that, they were gone in a flash of leaves appearing at the training ground.
Naruto did his warm-up exercises, and by the time he was done, Kakashi noticed they had a visitor.
"Make sense the Hokage would monitor him for the time being. I doubt Naruto could detect someone of Tenzo caliber. Naruto has a long way to go."
"Ok, we're going to work on increasing your combat experience, so get ready."
"Hai," he pulled out a Kunai from inside his sleeve, preparing the charge.
During this time, Tenzo watched diligently monitoring Naruto to see if the fox is tampering with him.
He made sure to take notes of his skills as a ninja "he could make a decent Anbu at this rate, what am I saying? The Hokage would never allow that."
Hiruzen was watching this whole thing through his crystal ball with a thinking pose as he impressed by Naruto's growth "maybe."
This routine continued for months on end. By the time 6 months had passed, Naruto was boarding on High genin possible low chunin.
All thanks to Kakashi constant training with the occasional input from Gai, much to Naruto protest.
Tenzo reported everything to the Hokage as nothing was out of place from what he saw.
"Enough for today, Naruto."
"I feel so much stronger than I did when we first started my training!" he said with a massive smirk.
"You've improved faster than I thought possible for someone of your age."
"Thanks, Kakashi senpai, and I've mastered all those Jutsu Jiji gave me to practice a while back."
"Not all of them. You still have to learn the clone Jutsu."
Naruto floored himself. He still can't master that jutsu as it proved time and time again to be a massive pain.
"Well, I'm going to teach you a variant that's not the after image one. This one should prove useful to you."
"Really, what is it?"
"I hope I don't regret this" he put his hand in the proper hand sigh and summon a shadow clone of himself.
"Whoa, that's cool, so what makes this one so special?"
"Unlike the regular clone jutsu you struggled to make, which are illusions, these are solid."
He and his clone take their respective kunai strike only to block each other.
Kakashi undid the jutsu, "think your ready for this jutsu?"
"Of course, I'm ready. I didn't train for months on end for nothing!"
"If you say so."
Naruto got into stance using the same hand signs as Kakashi and using his chakra control "shadow clone jutsu!"
In a puff of smoke, another Naruto appears but not a perfect one. He was still a little sickly but better than his regular clone.
They stare at each other, "whoa, your me," they said in unison before the clone poofed away.
"Now, I must warn you this jutsu is dangerous as it forces you to split your chakra evenly amongst your clones."
"Got it, Kakashi senpai!"
"Let me finish," Naruto held a guilty look on his face, "as I was saying, this jutsu forces you to split your chakra. Because of this, you can easily use up all your chakra if you're not careful. But it means they can fight for you, and you gain all the memories and experience your clones gathered, so this can speed up your training several times."
"COOL!"
"I want you to continue practicing this jutsu till you get it right. I'll be right here if you need any help" Kakashi pulls out a little orange book to pass the time.
It took hours, but Naruto manages to master the jutsu to no surprise to Kakashi, given his bloodline and the fox spirit.
"I'm done!" he shouts proudly.
"Nice job Naruto. You've mastered this jutsu."
"So, what do we do now?"
"Well, as far as learning and mastering jutsu, you're gonna have to do that on your own. All I can do now is increase your combat experience at this point," he said with an eye smile.
"Does that mean I'm a ninja now?"
"For me, yes, but we'll have to go to the Hokage to confirm it" he pulls out a kunai.
With a smirk, Naruto pulls his out as well, and the two are spare for the rest of the day to increase Naruto's combat skills.
nearing sundown
Natsu stood outside the Hokage office, waiting for Kakashi's meeting with the Hokage to end.
The door opens, revealing Kakashi, "you can come in now."
He enters, trying to hold in his excitement, hoping he'll become a ninja.
"So Jiji, am I a ninja now?"
"I've been watching you train over the past six months. I'm thoroughly impressed with your growth. You are officially a ninja of Konoha."
"Wahoo!" he shouts, bouncing around the room.
"However," In an instant, Naruto's enthusiasm was killed.
"What is it?"
"It is true your strength warranted you becoming a ninja. Unfortunately, you lack judgment and field experience of ninja at your strength."
"What do I have to do?" he deadpanned.
"For now, you won't have an official rank amongst our force until you have the necessary skill needed."
"Then what should I do first to gain this, whatever it's called?" He scratched his head in confusion.
"For now, you do D-rank jobs like every other genin and fill in a spot for squads that lack a member for whatever reason. Kakashi, mind giving him a new change of clothes befitting of a ninja?" Hiruzen gave Naruto a proud smirk.
"With pleasure Lord Hokage."
After a quick trip to the store, getting a new look, His pants and shoes stayed the same, but he still had the chain mail vest this time plat over the chain mail.
For a top. He also wore an orange long sleeve shirt with a black denim sleeveless jacket with a red swirl on the back.
That not all. Naruto now wheres the same mask as Kakashi and a bandanna.
"Kakashi, is the mask and bandana essential?"
"Yes, for now, the Hokage wants to keep your status as a ninja a secret for the time binging. I requested your headband be a bandanna as your spiky blond hair is a dead giveaway," Kakashi informed.
"I guess that makes sense, so when do I get my headband?"
"tomorrow's as it's night time now, so very few people will recognize you in your new uniform.
"Sweet, can we get some Ichiraku ramen in the meantime? I'm starving after all this training."
"I suppose it couldn't hurt to get some food in our bellies."
The two ninjas headed off to Ichiraku ramen unknown to Naruto. He'd run into some familiar faces.
Ichiraku Ramen
"Hey, Naruto, it's been a while, so how's the training?" Teuchi asked, recognizing Naruto immediately.
"Good. I'm a lot stronger now, and guess what" he leaned over and whispered, "I'm a ninja now."
"Well, in that case, your ramen on the house as a congratulation present."
"REALLY!"
"Yes, just don't overeat. After all, I have to run a business."
"Party pooper," he took off his mask and bandana.
It was at this time a kid with a pineapple haircut was walking by.
"Naruto, is that you?" he looks behind him to see Shikamaru alongside his dad and Choji.
"Sup guys, been a while."
"I take it your training is up for the day?" Shikaku asked
"More than done, he's officially a ninja today," Kakashi added.
"NO WAY," Choji said with glee.
"I must admit I never thought it would happen this quickly," Skikaku added.
"Naruto doesn't know how to give up, so I wasn't surprised he made it this far now that he has a proper teacher," Teuchi added, eyeing Kakashi with a smirk.
Kakashi didn't say a thing. He pulled out his little orange book, hoping it would discourage attention towards him.
Everyone just left him alone for the night.
"So, Naruto, what does the Hokage have planned for you?" The jonin commander asked.
"Because I lack field experience and judgment. Whatever that means, so, for now, I'll be subbing for members in squads for now or something," he said blankly.
"Interesting," he sat down to order some ramen for him and the others. "I might have a use for him, but I should run this by the Hokage first."
"Sweet," Choji shouts, grabbing a seat.
Shikamaru lazily took his seat as well since it was clear they'd be here for a while.
For the remainder of the night, Naruto and his friends played catch up on everything that went for them since they last met.
"Your kidding!"
"No, Hinata changed a lot since you were gone"
"Who would have thought she's stand up to the other girls for trash-talking me? After all, she normally hides in the background."
"Yeah, she rivaling Sasuke as the top of the class."
"Who would have guessed. So what does droopy brow think of me being gone?"
"Hard to get a read on that guy other than the Irritating look he has when the girls fawn over him well accept for Hinata."
"I see you're still as lazy as ever," he said, smirk getting chuckles all around.
Shikamaru scoffed at that, "yeah, well…." he couldn't finish. He knew it was a lost cause.
"Ok, boys, it's getting late. I better get Choji home, or his mom will have a fit."
With his piece spoken, he left Naruto and Kakashi to their own devices.
"Man, I am stuffed. I'm gonna head home see ya Kakashi and Teuchi."
"By," they said in unison.
In no time at all, Naruto made it to his humble abode and collapsed on his bed, drifting off to sleep.
That's what it looks like on the outside, and it is valid to some extent.
But this time, Naruto is having a meeting with a particular spirit.
Naruto mind
Naruto stands across a giant room with a massive gate separating him from his tenet.
They just stared down at each other in a never-ending staring contest, each trying to break the other.
"Stare, all you want, boy. You won't break me."
"Who said I was trying to break you."
"Then why are you here in your sleep staring me down?" he said with an evil chuckle.
"I'm trying to find out how you tick."
"Those are some big words coming such a small and weak human."
"I'M NOT WEAK I'M A NINJA NOW"
"Hmm, sure you are, but how do you know they didn't make you one out of fear if they denied you? What would you do then?"
Naruto couldn't say anything in response.
"I win this round like all the other times, haha."
Naruto left his mindscape to get some sleep.
"He sure is getting persistent, but he'll need my power if he wants to live a life as a ninja, DAMN you fourth Hokage for sealing me in your brat."
The next morning
Natsu woke and did his morning routine, from breakfast to his warm-up exercises.
"This will be the first day Kakashi or Gai isn't training me," he said to himself.
After everything was done, he prepared to meet the Hokage to get his leaf village headband.
Thanks to all that training, he made it there in seconds without alerting any of the villagers.
"Yo, Jiji, I'm here for my headband?" he walks into the Hokage office.
"Here you go, Naruto," he handed him the specially made headband.
He put it on with his mask, and as Kakashi said, the bandana covered spiky hair in combination with his new mask.
It also had the benefit of hiding his mood.
That last comment from the fox left a mark on him his psyche, and he knew the fox would milk it for all it's worth.
"Thanks, Jiji. What are my first orders?"
"For the time being, Shikaku might have some work for you," Shikaku walked in.
"You again?"
"I've been talking to Kakashi about your progress. You could be useful to me."
"But aren't you the jonin commander? Why would you need someone like me?"
"Simple your small and nimble based on what kakashi said so you could prove useful on scouting missions."
"Go on."
"For now, you will start on easy missions, but as you grow in strength, they will get harder."
"And if I refuse?"
"Its D-rank mission till I say otherwise," Hiruzen said with a smirk.
Naruto shudder at that as he herds from genin how trivial D-ranks are
"Deal, so when do I start."
"Right now, I need you to scout the area ahead of a convoy guarding our feudal lord's niece."
"Sounds easy enough. Where am I heading?"
"I'll escort you" Naruto looks to see a member of the anbu standing beside him with a tiger mask.
"Tenzo will take you there. He'll guard the girl while you scout ahead for any enemies JUST SCOUTING!"
"From what Kakashi mention, you know how to use the shadow clone jutsu, correct?" the anbu agent said.
"Yeah, it took me a few hours to master it."
"Impressive indeed, meet me at the village gates in 30 minutes. Take this time to gather your gear. this could take up to two days."
"Hai" was Naruto's response, and the two went off, leaving Hiruzen and Shikaku to themselves.
"Wait, how old is this girl again, and isn't her name Yukino or something?"
"Yes, that is her name, and she's 11 two years older than Naruto."
"I got a bad feeling all of a sudden"
"For the girl?"
"No, Naruto, if she anything like the girls Shikimaru mention in class, this could not end well for him."
Hiruzen had an evil smirk, "what are you planning?"
"If all goes well, I'll have an ace up my sleeve WHEN Naruto does something stupid like a prank, hehe."
"Now that I think about it, would that be such a bad thing also, why do you have an anbu team up with Naruto? This normally isn't their kind of thing?"
When you mentioned this mission a few days ago, I planned on using it to see how Naruto will fit in the village forces.
"Who knows, he may be the youngest anbu agent we have."
"Indeed, back to your duties." Shikaku went back to his duties as the jonin commander.
Village gate
By the time 25 minutes have passed, Naruto was at the gates waiting on Tenzo.
To say Naruto was anxious was an understatement. This was his first real job and as a ninja of Konoha.
He packed enough ninja gear to last and some spare rations. He learned to pack light when traveling with Kakashi all over the land of fire.
"So your the new ninja" Naruto looks to see the gates guards. He is freaking out. He didn't want his status as a ninja to be revealed out of the gate.
"Relax, Kakashi told us what's going on. Most of the jonin know and select few chunin," a guy with spiky hair and cloth across his face said.
He let out a sigh of relief when he noticed a presence in the tree, "impressive" Tenzo jumped down the bush nearby.
The two-headed off to the target in a flash.
"Never thought Naruto would get that strong in so little time one of the gate guards said to his partner.
"Yeah, that's Kakashi for you. Maybe the Hokage will give him a decent group of genin to train for once."
"I doubt he never considers his previous genin students, and he'll probably fail the next squad he gets assigned."
"Yeah, you're probably right about that"
With Naruto
"He's faster than I thought," Tenzo thought as Naruto was keeping pace with him.
"So Tenzo, what's the plan when we meet up with this girl?"
"THIS GIRL! is the niece of our feudal lord, so show some respect when we reach our destination!"
"So, what's her name? If you don't mind me asking."
"Her name is Yukino. We are escorting her from a small village on the border to the palace. Where she will be staying from now on."
"Why?"
"Her father, the feudal lord's younger brother, was a simple businessman working an honest living when he tragically passed away unexpectedly."
"You don't think her father was assassinated, do you?"
"Unfortunately, that seems to be the logical conclusion, but it's too early to tell."
"If her father is related to the feudal lord, then why would he be working like a villager if he's connected to the feudal lord?"
"I honestly couldn't tell you other than he was very hands-on. He didn't like things being handed to him on a silver plate."
"What about her mother?"
"She died from illness a few years ago. With no parent to watch after her. the feudal lord decided to move her to his palace for her protection so that she can be cared for properly."
"Guess that makes sense, so what would I be doing exactly when we get there?"
"When we arrive, there will be several jonin guarding her. My fellow anbu will serve as extra protection. You will be scouting ahead since the route goes through some rugged terrain perfect for an ambush."
"I'm starting to get a rough idea."
"Starting, it should be obvious! Then again, he is a kid, but Kakashi trained him. He should be able to make logical conclusions on mission details. hmm, it seems I have my work cut out for me if he meets our expectations."
The two continue in relative silence until they reached their objective.
When Naruto landed, all eyes fell on him.
"Tenzo, are you serious about this kid?" a jonin said
"I am Shikaku thought he could be useful, and the Hokage approved. This is his first mission as a ninja of Konoha."
"WAIT, this kid is a ninja!"
"Kakashi trained him, have some faith in him," another jonin added.
"So, what are my orders?"
"There are nine of us in total, including you that four jonin, four anbu and whatever your rank is"
"The jonin will form a standard 4 sided barrier one on each side, and anbu will tail us as back up. Your job with the shadow clones is to scout ahead of us. check for any sign of an ambush."
"What's your name?"
"My name is Asuma Sarutobi, the one leading this entourage to our feudal lord's home."
"Ok, so have my clone check every nook and cranny for enemies?"
"Yes"
"And what about me? Do I stay here, or do I scout with my clones?"
"You will stay here to relay to us what information your clones gather. Is that understood?"
"Hai"
"Good, now let's get to work."
"Who are you?" a little girl said, poking her head out from her coach. The girl in question wasn't much older than Naruto.
Her defining feature was her light blue long hair and her formal attire. Other than that, nothing was out of place than an average girl of her age.
Naruto was hesitant at first but ultimately gave in as Asuma flat out demanded him to introduce himself.
"my name is Naruto Uzumaki ninja of Konoha," he said respectively.
She scoffed at that, "you a ninja aren't you a little young to be a one?" she said with a smirk.
To Kakashi credit, it took two jonin to hold Naruto back from doing something stupid, causing her to laugh. This irritated Naruto even further.
"Naruto, our job is to protect her, or do I need to tell the Hokage about your book of future pranks," Tenzo said stoically.
"Let not get ahead of ourselves. You have my word. We'll get you to your destination safely, lady Yukino" he said nervously.
"Why are boys always so prideful" she pulled her head back into her coach.
edited chapter 4
as mention in the old version, I have a Twitter account. My handle is the at symbol experimenter19
there I post progress reports of chapters I'm currently writing, and when the editing for this story is done, I'll send out a tweet.
well use it as a faster mean of communication with my readers if you desire
yes her name is Yukino and has no connection to Yukino from fairy tail I needed a name that easy to remember and spell for the love interest for this fic
as always make sure to fav follow and leave a chapter review