—-
Cpt 2.
Konoha - Forest of Death
Running through the forest, damp red hair flapped in the air.
Silently moving from tree to tree he positioned himself in a crouched stance, 'just a little closer' he thought to himself. Tightening his grip on his clean trench blade, the redhead charged on the hard soil slashing his knife downwards. Blood splattered the air as he cut the thick-coated neck of an adult deer. The prey took off from the scene with a loud wail trying to run away from the hunter, though it was no use. The young boy followed his meal in the dense forest, closing in he felt a sudden shift in the air causing him to stop.
Quickly, the child hid in the dense green bushes from the newcomer. 'Someone's here.' Naruto thought to himself. Searching his surroundings from the small holes in the bush, he spotted a man looking down upon his prey.
Naruto could feel his heart beating rapidly through his body, either from the chase or his nervousness he couldn't tell.
After a tense pause the newcomer spoke, his eyes fixed on the deceased deer at his feet.
"I know you're there, come out" Ordered the man. His voice carried an undoubted authority that he could only follow.
Slowly, the young hunter stepped out of the rough bushes and faced the unknown man. Getting a better look at the adult. He wore a skin-tight black compression shirt that ran down his arms stopping above his wrists followed by light blood-red armor that covered his torso and shoulders, leaving his defined arms exposed. On his lower half, the man was dressed in black baggy pants. To the side of his right, a black encased katana rested on his hip. It had a slick white guard, with the hilt carrying the same color only followed by a red swirl design on the top.
His appearance matched his battle-hardened attire, with medium-length, deep wine-colored hair having some gray strands running down his head. The armored man's face was aged with lines that sprouted from his eyes.
Onyx eyes of the stranger gazed at the little redheaded boy, slightly widening his lids when the figure came out.'I expected someone with this strong and potent chakra to be older, but this is just a child.'
Peering at the boy, the aged man could see that this boy was well in tune with their surroundings. The child wore tattered, dirt-filled clothes. The tears in his basic white long-sleeved shirt were evident, only further exposing his slightly scarred abdomen, covering his shirt was a slightly oversized dark brown coat that ran down to his mid-thigh. Finished off with black shorts, shinobi sandals, and a silver ring with snow-white engravings on his right hand.
"Why are you here child ?" The man was curious as to why such an innocent kid could be in a place like this.
Naruto knew he shouldn't be talking to strangers as he was told throughout his life, but even with that he still held hope he could be accepted by someone other than the village leader himself.
"..I was driven out of the village by the people. They all seem to hate me for something that I don't understand." He grumbled. Fiddling with his silver ring in unease.
It still haunted him every day as to what he could've done. He tried to find any physical differences he had with the other children, but in the end, he found nothing. Sure his hair color was rare, but surely something mundane as that could not be the center of the treatment. ..Right? At this point he couldn't be sure of anything; he's watched the conversations and interactions with children his age towards adults. Yet they all held care or kindness not distrust and nervousness. It was only his life that was treated as such like he carried a curse with him at all times.
"What? Why would they do that?" Did this child deserve such resentment ? Even If he did, was this choice morally right? The red-clad adult thought
"No, well not that I could think of… I'm not sure actually," he replied dejectedly.
"Nonetheless, no one should be subjected to such a thing, especially a young one like yourself. Let us go to the leader of your village, I'm sure he won't stand for this." The affirmative tone in the man's voice did not go unheard by Naruto.
—- ==== —-
Streets Of Konoha
As the two walked out of the dense forest and onto the crowded streets of the leaf village, the sword-wielding man couldn't help but feel the raging emotions of worry and desperation coming from the boy to his left.
Looking around, he watched as some merchants, shinobi, and even casual civilians displayed hateful glances toward the redhead.
Turning his view once again to the young one he could see uncertainty, sadness, and...acceptance?
'Now I'm more intrigued than ever.' Originally, he thought that the boy was letting his fears come to him and that his little mind was exaggerating the hatred of the people. But now he bared witness to the harsh reality that took upon his little shoulders.
Breaking the silence he couldn't help but want to know more. "Child, what is your name?" He said with curiosity clear on his furrowed brows.
"Oh right, my name is Naruto Uzumaki, sir. What's yours?" Little Naruto replied softly. As he looked up, expecting to see the sight of the armored man he was greeted by the cloudless sky. Peering behind, Naruto stared blankly at his traveling partner who came to an abrupt stop.
Instead of the usual impassive look he carried, it was now adorned with that same expression before when they first met. Slightly widened eyes barely being able to keep his composure. Though internally the red-wearing man was at a loss for words, He didn't know what to think. 'An Uzumaki in the leaf ? The last Uzumaki I could think of residing in Konohagakure was Lady Kushina. Unless this is her child…
'No. Even if he was he would be treated with respect and dignity not this torment.'
Lady Kushina was a prized figure in his lineage, her name itself was known throughout his nation. Even after leaving the home she lived in for years at still a young age, she proved to many that their people weren't confined in one village. They could travel to new places without being treated or hunted as loose weapons. Rising through the ranks of another village and making a name for herself in the kunoichi world empowered the masses, which grew the resolve and strength of many which in turn raised their nations power.
But this child shared far too many resemblances with Lady Kushina. His eyes for one and his face shape as well, not to mention his exact hair color which was nothing special of course, but still added to his theory.
If this was indeed her son he would have only been born between the event of the Kyuubi and the surrounding months before which was just recently 6 years ago.
"If I may ask, how old are you?" He asked tentatively while continuing his pace towards the village center.
"Huh? Well I'm turning 6 in a couple of months actually, why do you ask?" The young redhead was confused and a bit curious about his change of tone.
initial feelings of shock and nervousness were gone, but now rising anger was beginning to form on his angular face.
'How dare the people of this vile village treat his clansmen as a pariah, much less the child of the Ryōshi clan's heiress. We are royalty compared to these insects' he bellowed in his mind. His fury would go to no end if it wasn't for the tense face of little Naruto.
Softening his features, the elder Uzumaki held a caring expression on his face. Although it carried some disappointment on it as well. 'I should've known it's as clear as day,' he thought. The potency of his chakra, his crimson red hair, and his deep violet eyes were like a beacon of his Uzumaki blood and relation to Lady Kushina. Not many Uzumaki carried those purple eyes, it was something that was special to the heiress specifically. Not even her parents had such traits. Thinking of it now, if this boy truly was the child of Kushina then he no doubt retained her advanced sensory skills.
He wouldn't be surprised if the young Uzumaki sensed him in the forest, he made sure his footsteps were almost nonexistent and suppressed his large reserves of chakra to cause no disturbance. But somehow this boy knew he was there and knew he had to hide, 'interesting' mused the red-haired man.
"I apologize if I disturbed you young Naruto, and trust me there's no need to be on guard for I am not one to cause harm toward my clansmen" He declared.
He watched the little boy's eyes widen in revelation. Smirking, the tall man continued.
"My name is Arashi Uzumaki, house of the Ryōshi clan." Stated with pride still carrying a smug smirk on his face.
Arashi watched the face of the young boy. His eyes showed a multitude of emotions, but the most prominent was happiness.
For young Naruto, all his life he was made to believe he was a clanless nobody, but now right in front of him was the closest thing to family he could find.
Looking down at his feet, he gritted his teeth as tears threatened to escape his eyes. He couldn't believe it. The hope that he lost for himself was slowly returning.
Quickly wiping his wet lids, Naruto looked up at the man. Without warning he rushed at him, enveloping the experienced Uzumaki in a tight hug.
Arashi stared in shock for a moment before patting the poor boy on the back. People around looked at the two redheads in bewilderment, some even making assumptions that they were related. Though they couldn't be further from the truth.
"Let us go young Naruto, we still have to have a meeting with your leader," Arashi said
"Yes of course." Naruto meekly said, still a bit embarrassed by his rash actions. Though he didn't regret it one bit. Even with the light armor the man wore, Naruto could feel the radiating warmth from him. It felt like the sun above was now in the shape of a man, though it didn't share its intensity, the heat and emotion was similar.
Pulling away, the two continued their journey toward the large building surrounded by fresh green trees.
—=====—-
"I'm a disappointment" was the only thing the God of Shinobi could call himself. For weeks now he's been searching for his pseudo-grandson, even taking the liberty to look for the redhead himself.
The aged man knew himself that what he was doing for the child was lackluster at best for his development as a person. Poor living conditions and nutrition were two things young Naruto lacked and for his hidden status it was an insult at best. Yet he was restricted in what he could do. The councilman twisted his law upon himself which was applied for clan members to prevent manipulation or bribery with the jinchūriki. But the elderly Hokage was the acting clan head of the Sarutobi clan. Of course he could break said rules, but this in turn would show poor leadership throughout his people.
Sighing, he rubbed his eyes with his wrinkled fingers before glancing up at the framed picture on his desk. A young blonde man wearing a calm smile on his face. Around his arms was a beautiful crimson-haired woman with bright violet eyes that glowed warmth.
A silent tear ran down the defined cheek of the old man. "I've failed you two, I'm so sorry." Hiruzen whimpered somberly. Wiping his teary eye, thoughts continued to the missing boy until he heard a light knock on his wooden door.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Someone is requesting your time Hokage-sama." A feminine voice called from the door.
"Very well, bring them in." Replied Hiruzen in a bored tone.
Forming a professional air around his elderly appearance, he watched intently as the broad door opened revealing a tall, armored, red-haired man with dark black eyes. His looks, beamed experience, and his build show strength. Sarutobi could see the white hilt of the sword resting on his hip, along with a black seal that resembled a tattoo on his elbows and coming down to his wrists.
The Sadamine Hokage was so busy studying the sword-wielding man, he almost missed the large mop of red hair below him.
The sadness he had before was now replaced with a large amount of relief and gratitude. He felt as if the weight that remained on his shoulders lifted for a moment.
Before he could say anything a strong voice spoke out. "Why was this boy stranded in your forest, Hokage-sama?" questioned Arashi, doing his best to withhold any discontent in his strong voice.
"Before speaking about this matter, might I ask who you are? And what are you doing in my village?" Although he was sure this man wasn't a threat seeing how close he is with young Naruto, he couldn't let this unknown man go without recognition.
Thinking about it, he's always trusted the company Naruto held around him. It was almost like he could sense the intentions of the people. 'How strange,' he thought. His musing was cut short as the unknown continued.
"Excuse me for my behavior, my name is Arashi Uzumaki and while I came here to discuss political matters with you, to my unfortunate surprise I found my own royal clansmen disheveled in your dangerous forests filled with beasts of horrible nature," Arashi replied, his fury was now visible in his tone as creases formed on his face.
The only word that could describe Hiruzen's features was astonishment. He hasn't seen an adult Uzumaki since the day his successor's wife died it would've been probable if there weren't any left. But now right in front of him was proof he's had it all wrong. He could only guess there were many more if this man is what he claims to be.
Clearing his mind, the elderly man turned his attention to Arashi. "I assure you I've been searching for young Naruto for weeks and we still were, I wasn't aware of his condition until my Anbu reported his disappearance." Turning his head to Naruto he was in complete confusion, all the reports he received recalled that he ran away.
"Are you saying that you didn't run away in your own will, Naruto?" He questioned.
"And why would I do that Hokage-sama? Even if I chose to, why would I seclude myself in a dangerous area with no prior training?" Even though he didn't entirely enjoy his living conditions, most of the time he was left alone with his books. That peace was something not many people could reward themselves within this world, and if that was the case, why would he relieve himself of it?
"It wasn't I who chose to leave, it was your shameless villagers who decided my fate for me." Naruto continued with narrowed eyes.
"What..do you mean, tell me what happened." A foreboding expression fitting on his face.
Sighing, Naruto looked up at the impatient eyes of his grandfather figure in front of him. Though that title was fading due to having to endure so much societal discrimination, he still had little clue to know anything that exceeds himself. Still, he could see the man he calls grandpa cared about him more than anyone else.
'Won't change anything that has happened, so might as well.' Naruto thought.
"Very well, after I was banished from my shelter, I roamed around the streets of Konoha for a couple of hours looking for a place to rest through the night. Deciding to relax my search, I stopped by a nice little restaurant that treated me with great hospitality which I am thankful for. After I finished my stay, that's when everything happened…"
Konoha - Night of Naruto's Banishment
"I'm truly grateful for your hospitality towards me, thank you." Said Naruto with serenity.
"Oh don't worry about it, we were about to close before you came in. Besides, it seemed like you needed it," replied Teuchi
"Well then, I'll be off. Again thank you, have a goodni-"Before Naruto could finish his sentence, a large cloud of dust covered his view from the two cooks. "PLEASE TELL ME I'M NOT TOO LATE." A voice shouted in panic.
As the dust settled he saw a little girl probably around his age. She had a regular, long-sleeved light red shirt with a silver necklace that glowed in front of her fair skin. Akin to him, she wore black shorts which ended just above her knees, and black sandals.
Shifting his eyes up, his long light blonde hair was put into a small bun that rested on the crown of her head. A few strands of blonde fell below, revealing her soft ebony eyes.
"We were….but now that you're here we couldn't possibly close just yet can we?" Amaye answered slyly, with a slight smile adorning her face.
"Emhm, of course, you can't now that I'm here." The little girl replied, a smug smirk now fit on her now closed eyes.
Glancing over to the side, Amaye caught sight of her previous customer preparing to leave.
"Ah Maki-chan, meet Naruto, our brand new customer. You guys are age mates, maybe you two can become friends… orrrr something much more." The brown-haired teen said teasingly.
"Huh, what are you talking about?" Maki replied with confusion on her face.
"You know what, never mind, just say hi to him already." The cook said with a deflated tone.
Turning her head, Maki could see a boy probably as old as her she guessed. Clad in a white long-sleeved shirt and black shorts like her, along with black sandals a bit like hers on his feet. But what really caught her attention was his long crimson hair flowing in the wind that reached his lower neck and covered his forehead with a few strands reaching his dim violet eyes, which only shined in the moonlight.
"Hello, what's your name tomato?" Mito asked cheerfully.
The moment she finished her sentence, the air around them became dangerously frigid. As they looked at the poor boy, they could see his red bangs had covered his eyes."What did you call me?" The furious redhead said with a rather calm cracking voice.
"N-nothing." She replied meekly waving her hands in front of her defensively with a nervous smile fitted on the blonde's face trying her best to play it off.
"He's more like her than I thought" Tuechi mumbled wearily
"Hmph, that's what I thought," Naruto said sharply. "My name is Naruto, nice to meet you." He continued, now wearing a small smile. As he was preparing to leave Teuchi stopped him, now holding a thick brown coat in his hands.
"Here, I can't have you freezing to death out there, it's a cold night after all. Teuchi said with a warm smile plastered on his old face.
"Are you sure, this is too mu-" A hand stopped his sentence signaling him to stop. "I have a lot more at home and you could use it more than me right now, I insist." Said the aged man in a final tone.
"Very well then, you're too kind, I won't forget this," Naruto said tenderly.
"You better not, after all, you owe me my money too," replied Tuechi jokingly. "Run along then, have a goodnight." And with a final wave, Naruto left the restaurant and resumed his search for lodging.
'What a strange boy/girl' Both children thought as the two departed
Hours passed as he found himself walking in the residential area already planning to rest on a small field. He could only guess it was close to midnight.
What seemed to be a calm quiet night turned into a deafening silence, as if all life ceased to exist. Everything in his body was telling him to run, his body twitched with anxiety with his eyeballs looking side to side as he remained cautious for any sudden movements. His senses flared violently behind him causing the young boy to turn around in haste, but what he saw could only be described in a child's nightmare.
A large crowd of villagers and shinobi followed him holding all sorts of weapons varying from the sharpest kunai's to the dullest kitchen knives.' Impossible' he thought. He should've been able to sense their negativity, 'Have my sensory skills gone dull?' No, he could feel them perfectly now. It could only mean they used some sort of illusion. 'No time to think of such things now' Unfreezing his form he stared in confusion as to why they weren't moving.
'Maybe they're just trying to scare me?' he hoped, now taking this opportunity to flee. He pushed all the force he could and drove it towards the ground, trying to run as far as he could from the pack of villagers.
But as soon as he did, they all started chasing him.
'What why now!' The redhead screamed in his head with fear. Why start chasing now? Did they change their minds? Did they want his death all along?
'No this was always their plan. It wasn't a scare, it wasn't an attack, it was a chase..a hunt?'his face drained at his conclusion. He knew he wouldn't be able to get away. Ten civilians were good enough for the child, but his senses could detect larger sources of chakra, indicating that shinobi were present too. Six shinobi to be exact.
Naruto's adrenaline pumped as he heard the shouts of the attackers closing the distance between them.
'Tonight you die !'
'This is for our loved ones you spawn of hate !'
'Just accept your fate, as you choose ours !'
Seeing an alleyway he shot off towards it. 'Maybe I could go around!' Naruto thought.
"GAHH!" He shouted in pain. Cold metal scraped against his skin as a firey sensation was felt on his right side. Looking down he saw fresh blood flowing down to his pants.
Again, the same cold and fire feeling struck his left arm, center back, and upper leg all at once. His vision was becoming a blur and his breathing became labored.
His eyes squinted and his body tensed as a sickening crack was heard from the kick on his midsection, sending him toward the wall. Coughing, he slowly regained his footing, pulling himself off the floor. Soon, he found himself cornered by 3 Chunin, all wearing their fern green vests, the dark grins on their faces sent shivers down his bleeding back.
"Your death comes today child shifter, we're sick of you plaguing our streets you fox." One of the men sneered as he began his march toward Naruto. Suddenly, he stopped his trek, one of the ninjas had stopped him with a questionable look on his face.
"Believe me I too want revenge for what this devil has done, but is killing him right? You heard what the Hokage said, if he dies all of our families along with us will be killed." He said unsurely. The villagers behind the three nodded in agreement with the man's words.
"You know what, you're right." The previous Chunin started with a sigh.
'Are the-' Before Naruto could finish his hopeful thoughts, the man continued.
"I guess we'll just have to show him what humiliation is instead!" laughed the shinobi.
"AH-H!" The redhead choked out as he felt his organs move from the chakra-infused jab he received to his stomach.
Punches, throws, kicks, stabs, was the pattern he had been given for hours. His voice had grown dull and his eyes became a similar color to his hair as he felt wet tears flow out until he had none.
Sobs without tears, open mouth with no noise, as he prayed for them to stop. Over and over again, but his words ran dry.
"H-he-lp me pl-ease!" Cried out of his mouth as he tried to move away crawling, only to be dragged through the cold hard surface back to the blood-filled spot he was originally in.
When darkness was creeping up in his sight, the boy heard a mellow but gritted voice from his mind.
'Are you going to allow these pigs to treat you like this? I thought you had some pride left in you'
'Their right…how dare...HOW DARE THEY TREAT ME LIKE THIS, I'VE DONE NOTHING AND I RECEIVE THIS IN RETURN? CHILDREN, MY AGE CRY, WHINE AND SHOUT WHILE I STAY QUIET AND CAUSE NO ISSUES. IF ANYTHING I SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE A PRINCE, THESE PEOPLE DON'T COMPARE TO THOSE LIKE OF ME.' Naruto shouted in his mind.
Gritting his teeth, his hands clenched in pain as unknown appendages shot out.
Before the men could think, Large, light gold-colored chains erupted from his back and hands firing towards them. Thick red blood splattered out of them all as arrow-pointed chains punctured multiple holes in them relentlessly.
The previously hostile villagers screamed as showers of blood rained upon them, their motive was all gone as they all scurried away like frightened rats to avoid becoming human cheese from the child before them.
Taking this open chance to run, Naruto sprinted off with as much strength as he could out of the alley and towards the dark trees that separated life from the rest of society.
—===—
"I spent my time away from these worthless pigs for weeks, for not wanting to waste my rum in trying to fit in." Finishing his tale.
…
Silence filled the empty room, while emotions flowed with no direction. Shock, fear, disbelief, disappointment, and disgust were only the few emotions Naruto felt while telling his story.
"Naruto boy, I-I don't know wh-" Hiruzen's sentence from the raise of a hand from the short redhead.
"Save your pity, it hurts my dignity every time I think of that experience. I don't want anyone talking about it, it'll just make things worse than it already is.." He finished somberly
"Hokage-sama, it seems to me that this boy is innocent, so why are these disgusting people you call villagers terrorizing this young Uzumaki?" inquired Arashi, though he had an idea of which as to why, he wanted to see if the man would answer.
"Unfortunately I can't answer that." Hiruzen sighed. " It's an S-class secret-"
"That everybody knows?" Naruto scoffed. "Does this mean that every villager has an S-class mission added to their file? Do they all get paid for this, or was this voluntary? Because it seems to me that this is no secret. What I bore through these past weeks has been the worst I've ever endured, I at least deserve to know why." Anger dripped into his tone the more he went on.
"I see…well, I suppose I should, shouldn't I." He started "For me to explain your situation, I will need to explain everything about you." Rubbing his eyes once more, he sighed before continuing.
"Six years ago, one of the most catastrophic events happened in the history of our village that still remains evident in our economy today. I can already guess you know what I speak of, yes?" Continued the Hokage.
"The attack of the Kyuubi." Naruto suspiciously answered
"Yes, which killed thousands of both civilians and shinobi forces, leaving our economic and social state withered for years compared to the likes of Kumo and the rest of the hidden villages apart from Suna." Hiruzen stated.
"You're right, but how does this all apply to me?" His mind was trying his best to piece away what the aged man could be talking about.
"Right, you see Naruto, such a beast of that caliber could not simply be killed. No it's impossible to do so, leaving only one possible way to defeat the being." Pausing before continuing. " Sealing, it can only be sealed in a vessel of some sort."
"A human vessel…correct?" He didn't know how he knew, but he had a feeling as to what the answer was.
"..Yes, a human vessel is needed to carry the renewable being of chakra." Hiruzen answers.
"And that human vessel is me, I am the carrier of the demon fox that attacked the leaf at the date of my birth, I hold the very thing that took away their loved ones from their arms." Closing his eyes before continuing.
"Though is the treatment towards me justified, do I truly have to bear the same pain as their cherished?"
"No, you shouldn't and I'm sorry that you have to, but that will change today I swear to it. All I ask is to be considerate of their pain Naruto, these villagers want something to latch on to, to vent their pain." He replied.
"And I suppose you want me to forgive and forget?" Naruto snorted. "Please don't make me laugh, you want me to forgive villagers that treat their own like this? I could only pray for our enemies." Naruto said sarcastically.
Hiruzen frowned at the statement made by the redhead. Before he could voice his thoughts, a person who he fully forgot was present began talking.
"It seems this village isn't what I thought it was anymore, I wonder how Lady Kushina would feel if she found out how her son was treated." Arashi mused out loud.
"..Wait did you just say her son?" Did this man know his mother? I mean they're from the same clan and he seems old enough to know my mother. Naruto thought, while this was going on Hiruzen stayed quiet, in his chair.
"..Ha..HAHAHAH, Lord Third, you've really done your part, have you? You give him the name of his mother and not even tell him who she is!" The aged Uzumaki couldn't help but to laugh. This was an insult not only to the boy but to his own mother as well.
"It was to protect him from the enemies of his parents!" Hiruzen yelled.
"It seems to me that they're already here, his parents died fighting for this village and they still treat their child like a disease. These enemies you speak of don't know he's the child of those two, but why keep it away from the child itself?" The redhead questioned. What was the point? couldn't he see that this child is mature enough to know?
"I'm trying my best-"
"Your best isn't enough" Arashi cut off. " And it seems like nothing will change the problem that was unfortunately created."
Hiruzen looked down at his old desk, he knew what Arashi said was right, he just didn't know what he could do to help his grandson grow when he couldn't interfere with his life greatly.
"But I can help you." The armored man continued
"How so?"
"Allow me to take young Naruto, allow me to train him in the forest away from the village and I will make him able to protect himself properly, learn of his lineage, and pass down arts that have been forgotten." He wanted to do Lady Kushina justice for the pain that has been inflicted on her and her son.
"..I would but I'm not sure the council will agree to such terms." The Hokage said with a sigh.
"Then let me speak to them myself."
"Very well, give me a few minutes, I will order an emergency meeting." Sighing, he knew the council would decline. Even if he's family to the boy, he's still a stranger no less. The risks towards their
jinchuriki we're too much.
—==—
In 30 minutes' time, everyone was present in the meeting room. A long oval-shaped table separated each person with one half being filled with clan heads and the other being surrounded by civilians in charge of the economic, community, and structural health of the leaf.
Seated at the end of the wooden oval stood the Hokage, around him seated his advisors, while behind him were two redheaded figures. One was taller than the village leader, while the other was up to his midsection.
"What is the meaning of this Lord Third?" inquired Gezo, a civilian of political affairs. They could all clearly see the two males behind their leader, but only some had ideas about who they were.
"Patience, I will be getting to that matter. For now, I want to introduce these two behind me." Motioning forward, the two figures behind him moved forward, now standing side by side with him.
"To my right, all of you already know."
"Uzumaki, Naruto." The Uchiha Clan head spoke. Everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but to my left is someone rather new in this village, and he is the reason why I called for this meeting." Hiruzen wavered his hand for the man to speak.
"Greetings to you all, my name is Arashi Uzumaki of the Ryōshi clan. And I've come here on the accord of my clansmen." said Arashi
Silence filled the room, faces that were once stoic were now visibly shaken. Even the Hokage's personal advisers carried shocked expressions as well. Everyone present in that room knew the power and potential of the people of Uzu. The reason for their downfall was fear after all.
"Another Uzumaki? In the leaf? Maybe we co-"
"Do not get it twisted, council member, I do not plan on staying." Arashi sternly cut off. "In fact, I plan on leaving soon, seeing how your behavior towards Uzumaki." Ironic wasn't it, very same people they helped destroy his people, also wanted their power.
"But, my reason for calling for this meeting isn't to talk about my clansmen's status nor to talk about myself specifically but to offer young Naruto a rather precious opportunity."
"And that would be?" Asked the Yamanaka clan head.
" My teachings, I want to teach him everything I know. For a long time I've been looking for someone to pass on my teachings from my master, so now I choose this boy as my successor." Declared Arashi
"I see how it affects the both of you greatly, but how does this plan of yours help the village?" One of the advisors asked. Danzo was already interested in such a proposal towards the young boy, 'what does he see in him that I don't?' He thought.
"We all know what a village wants, especially one as great as yours." The Uzumaki lead on.
"And that would be..?"
"Power, Powerful shinobi, powerful jinchurik. One well-known ninja is all it takes to prevent wars. intimidate enemy villages, raise economic opportunities, and cause employers to ask for more business with this nation." Arashi replied, with the same impassive face.
"All of those things.."
"Just from one boy?" Finished from the Inuzuka matriarch.
"We don't lose anything, more so we gain from it." Informed the Nara clan head.
'Interesting,' Danzo thought.
"I see you all have had your time deciding, now what do you say? Should you allow me to train the boy, or not?" The redhead asked once more.
"I agree you should." Answered the Uchiha
"I do as well."
"I believe you should."
Agreement rang through the council room. In the center, the Hokage stood shocked, but he was also glad that the boy found someone to share bonds with, even if they're not from this village."
"Then I believe that is all that matters, any questions left?" Asked Arashi.
"I do," Nara replied.
"Please, do tell."
"When you introduced yourself, you mentioned that you were from the Ryōshi clan. How is it that you call yourself an Uzumaki when you belong to another clan?" Recalled the Nara
"The people of Uzu aren't just placed into one clan that involves the whole population, like the leaf village, Uzushiogakure was a village which held many clans. Each with their specialties that maintained the village. Though there are many different clans in Uzu, there are only five that are considered the main branches."
"In fact, Kushina Uzumaki, the one who died for your village, was the heiress to my clan." Arashi paused.
Gasps erupted from some of the members of the room. 'That Uzumaki woman was of royalty?' was a common thought among the people in the room.
"That would mean that this boy is the heir of one of the most prestigious clans of your country?" Asked the Nara clan head
"…Yes, he is, but he is clearly not strong enough to take that mantle, so I will be training him to become fit for such a title."
"Right, well if I may I have one more question."
"Speak your mind."
"You say that these main four clans of Uzushiogakure have their own 'specialties', what do you mean by that?"
"Although I cannot reveal much, I can give you the basics. The five main clans of Uzu were each created by the first leaders of Uzu. The Zaidan clan are damage dealers against enemies on the frontlines, assault missions, and the foundation of our village in the light. The abnormally large reserves they contain provide them with fighting longevity, life force, and rapid healing. Although their personalities were kind of..questionable, their love and bloodlust for battle were unbeatable. Even with this, citizens and shinobi alike adored their protective nature over the village." Arashi stated a sad smile adorning his features.
"All this from one clan?" Danzo Shimura said with invisible shock.
"Yes, they truly were monsters not to be dealt with, I can assure you that. They're the main reason why we almost stood against multiple major nations." Arashi said with a smirk on his face.
"Without them, we wouldn't have an advantage offensively, but without the Shubi clan, our defenses would be subpar. The Shubi clan was our leader on defense, their use of sealing barriers and shields was said to be unmatched. Not only did they protect others, but they also had very durable bodies to withstand multiple attacks, ranging from projectiles to blunt attacks. Their chakra is a special kind that enables this ability, which as a result gives them longer and fuller lives as well as slower aging. As you may expect they were one of the kindest of the fighting clans, even the most intimidating Shubi will find a way to make children laugh and smile. Because of this, they were mostly involved with shinobi and citizen relations." Said softly from the aged Uzumaki.
"You all really were monsters," replied Killan from the civilian council. agreement silently rolled through the room.
"No wonder other villages saw the Uzumaki as threats."
'Those two clans could flatten Konoha by themselves.'
"While that might be true those two major clans wouldn't be able to fulfill their duties without the Raifusēbā clan. While the Shubi and Zaidan clans worked alongside each other to defeat their enemies, the Raifusēbā helped reduce casualties in battle. They were our medics within and outside our village, their brave nature couldn't be compared with the other two. The Raifusēbā risked their lives every day just to save another. These medical ninjas were advanced in their healing, very few experienced medics could be scaled even near to the Shodai Hokage." He paused, allowing the council members to retain his given information.
".."
Naruto could feel the shock within the silent room, no one dared to speak their mind.
'comparable to Lord First?'
'No way..that isn't possible, is it ?'
'Thank god they were all wiped out, no doubt they would've become the strongest village in the nations.'
"Even with this, their kind personalities out shown the Shubi's, retired medics worked in hospitals and others worked in clinics keeping an even equality between ninjas and citizens ." Finished the redhead.
"So now that leaves your and Naruto's clan?" asked Fugaku Uchiha.
"Correct, while I've talked about clans that protected villages in the light, the Ryōshi clan protected the village in the shadows whether it was assassinations, espionage, or guards. We acted as what you call Anbu except we were called Osōre. We killed those who were a threat to our village in secret no matter what our leader asked we did, kill a high-ranking person, torture…genocide..suicide, like good soldiers we finished the job." He ended solemnly.
While everyone was in bewilderment of such methods from the Uzumaki no less, one other person was in..glee?
Danzo outwardly smiled little by little the more Arashi spoke about his heritage. 'A clan specialized in the shadows? If only we had such a thing.' At least his philosophy of this world wasn't narrowed as he thought.
"Like you must think we weren't the most..sociable in the village, many feared us because of what we were capable of, they feared what we could do to them. Because of that many of my clan members chose to exclude themselves while others proved the villagers wrong by showing kindness." Arashi continued. A small sad smile fitted his face.
'It seems we could've been great allies.' The Uchiha head hollowedly chuckled. which brought questioning eyes towards him.
"Everyone you spoke of in their respective clans had special abilities, what is yours?" Asked the Aburame head.
"Our eyes, We could see past harsh conditions. Snow, fog, rain, storms, and anything that obscured others were nothing to us. The eyes we held could focus on certain enemies ignoring others, our reflexes matched our eyes. Faster reflexes, faster eyes. Besides that, select few of us had an odd ability to skillfully use any weapon we touched without prior knowledge of them, because of this we were a clan filled with weapon specialists, but our most proficient weapons were shorthand blades such as daggers and other weapons like tantos, bows, swords, and projectiles." A prideful Arashi said.
'Uchiha, but an Uzumaki, odd.'
'Extraordinary.'
'Do they have some sort of dojutsu?'
'Maybe I should recruit this Naruto boy into my association sooner than I thought..'
'They are more similar to us than I thought, it's scary.'
"I didn't expect less from Kushina's clan, but it's hard to think that such a kind woman could be in a clan such as that." Replied the Sandaime Hokage.
"She might be kind in respectable matters, but she is dangerously scary in battle...I can attest to that trust me." A shiver ran down everyone's spine as they saw the horrible expression on Uzumaki's face.
"Lastly, the Sutoratejī people were rarely included in battle, but their intelligence was not comparable with the other four, their prowess of comprehension during tight situations made them perfect in the Osore espionage missions. Though they worked more internally within the village in either torture & investigation, teachers, personal advisors and often worked with civilians to resolve economic matters." Ended the armored man.
"And this is only the basics?" inquired Shibi Aburame.
"More like public knowledge, you think I would openly share my village's secrets? Please don't jest." laughed Arashi.
"Now that should be enough, but if I may, there is one thing I must ask before I take my leave."
"And that would be?" Replied Hiruzen.
"When Naruto is stronger, of course, I wish to take him somewhere special for more.. in-depth learning." Asked Arashi.
"What would this 'in-depth learning' be Arashi ?"
"Unfortunately I cannot say, it is only to be transpired through Uzumaki." He told the Sandaime Hokage.
"Very well, I don't see much problem with it. I say you can."
"Thank you and thank you all for your time, good day."
Walking out of the room along with Naruto, they both took off towards their original meeting place within the trees with the setting sun boring onto their backs and radiating warmth through their bodies.
—===—
Konoha - Council Room
"Are you sure we can trust that man with our jinchuriki? Do you not know of the skills the Uzumaki possess to control such a beast ?" Danzo spoke, directing his pressing gaze at the Hokage.
"Our jinchuriki is Naruto and you will address him as such, and that man is the only piece of a family he's ever met. I can trust Naruto will know or see anything questionable about him, he's always had that ability. Even with you Danzo, Naruto always tells me the conflicting emotions inside of you when we speak, should I be concerned?" Hiruzen attacked back.
"No Lord Third, you should not." Standing up he left the room.
"I have to somewhat agree with Danzo, we do not know the abilities of Arashi, it would be wise to watch over him." Shikaku Nara added.
"That may be so, but we all trusted Kushina with our hearts, and he seems to be a close friend with her, so why would he harm her child?" Hiruzen replied.
"I hope you're correct Hiruzen, for our and the leaf's sake," Shikaku said with a sigh.
'I hope I am too.'
—===—-
Konoha - Forest of Death, The following day
Vibrant violet eyes opened, as they were greeted with the sight of a silky gray roof. Standing upright, Naruto walked out of the small tent. "Emph," he said as his body tensed and eyes squinted as the blaring sun stared intensely into his orbs upon his face.
Getting used to the sunlight, his calm gaze rested on the man whose hair was akin to his sat eating. Walking over he could see he wore simple attire, clad in a grey long-sleeve shirt that hugged his form, black pants, and simple black steel-toed boots.
"Get something to eat, we'll begin your training after you are fed," Arashi said, back facing Naruto.
"Where is the food ?" Questioned the young Uzumaki
"I don't know, you decide. There are plenty of fruits, vegetables, and animals in this forest you choose. And I'm giving you two hours to find your meal and eat until your training starts." He concluded, turning his head slightly to face the boy.
"..O-Okay, I will see you then" Turning his head, he started his run toward the inner forest searching for his meal before his harsh training began.
—======—
Konoha - Forest of Death, One week later
A week has gone by since the two Uzumaki set out toward the dense greenery of Konoha. Naruto's training was very strict on developing a good body structure before beginning seriously into more stressful regiments of arts.
Monday would be focusing on his pace, speed, and endurance. Along with the assistance of resistance seals that were secretly placed on his body mid-exercise, causing him to plant his head into the ground as soon it was applied. It took him nearly two days to return to his normal state with the seals on, but even so, they were very much visible in his movements until day six.
Tuesday was to be focused on presence, creation of sound, and breathing. As his sensei said he needed to be a 'ghost, invisible to the naked eye, unapproachable, unsensible and blend into his environment.' He didn't understand what he was saying until he felt a familiar metal, sharp blade against his throat, deciding for the best, he followed his instructions while stationary. He needed to become proficient enough in the art before considering masking his presence while moving.
"Breathe slowly, until your heartbeat is barely noticeable to your ears. Then maintain that state for hours while we train. Remember, this is only the first step, but we won't get to the others before you unlock your chakra. For now focus on lowering your heart rate, if you become a master at this you will exceed in the other steps." He said before walking off in the distance to read.
Wednesday was the day of resting his body, but not his mind. The young redhead spent hours on the historical figures of Uzu, the creation of the land, and the laws, history, and traditions & of cultures that were commonly shared among each clan of the whirlpool. Naruto became interested in the man Irokoh
(E-Row-Co) Ryōshi, also known as Sairentokirā (Sai-Ren-Tow-Key-Ra). Able to sneak into villages and assassinate Kage's without being noticed, to take on Hashirama Senju in full strength, and helped create Uzushiogakure, the first Ryōshi. That was Naruto's goal, to become this man. No, better.
Thursday operated with taijutsu. 'Whirling wind' Was what Arashi taught him, incorporating precision with swift, rapid attacks to overwhelm and quickly end battles. It felt comfortable to use like it was made specifically for him, every movement, every muscle moved on its own as he already was feeling progression in the art. Though his sensei saw his confidence showing strong and decided to spar with him from there on out.
Punches, jabs, he couldn't see any of them coming. His attacks were too fast for him to keep up, especially with the resistance seals, every hit he did was futile, and every jab he made seemed like it didn't affect him. If he wants to beat his sensei, he has a long way to go.
Friday involved weapon usage, mainly hand-held weapons. Katana, tantō, and kunais were the ones he worked with the best. It felt like he's already touched the blades for years. They felt light, yet sharp and usable, practicing the kata's wasn't enough, so he decided to spar with his sensei to become more equipped with them in battle. While the spars were rough, he learned quickly between them, his enemy attacks, their movement, and where they were going to strike next seemed clear to the young Uzumaki, yet he still couldn't touch his opponent. If he had doubts about the aged Uzumaki's skills, they were far from existence now.
His speed certainly didn't cancel out his strength, it felt as if the same stone bricks the villagers used on him were on repeat over and over again only now it came as his katana hitting his own. He was on a different level, no plane compared to himself. Cuts covered his physique, training garbs ruined showing his forming muscles, each battle with every weapon felt like a fight for survival. His sensei's attacks were precise and absolute, he didn't attack without reason.
—
Sitting on a large branch up top in the trees, he stared off in the distance searching for bright purple, three-shaded leaf flowers. He became interested in poisons after he read about them. They could disable an opponent without them even noticing, could make them hallucinate what is real and isn't, affect their senses of hearing and further cripple them in battle. As well being incorporated with projectile weapons.
After gathering the flowers, which were oddly the same color as his eyes, he couldn't help but stare off into the distance. He wondered why they were In the middle of a dangerous forest instead of a training ground like he's seen other ninjas-in-training in.
Walking over to the relaxed redhead man he stood right in front of him, while his sensei stared down into his book.
"Arashi-sensei, if I may ask, why did you choose this place to undergo my training? I don't take you as a sentimental person, so this is quite strange." He questioned.
Sighing, the aged Uzumaki gently closed his printed work and changed his sitting position to upright.
"The reason why our clan was so heavily used for shady work wasn't because of our ruthless natures, but our ability to adapt in any environment given how long we were in it. That is why I want us here, so you can adapt to these dense conditions, so later when you happen to fight in them you can use the forestry, bushes, leaves, stones, and other abiotic factors to give you more of an advantage to either lay traps or position yourself to grab an upper hand." He explained.
"So if I spend time adapting and getting used to one environment, no matter the severity?"
"Emhm" Nodding in confirmation.
"Will we be traveling to other countries then?" Naruto asked with a grin. He couldn't help to get a little excited about visiting other places than this awful village
"In time I will take you to other nations to improve your skills and growth. But for now, we'll be sticking to everything you can learn while here. Now let's get going. We need to return to the village to restock our supply and get you new clothes."
Most of the clothes Naruto brought were either too small or just worn out. He could see it was affecting his performance in training so doing this would help push him in his training.
"Do we have tooo?" He was already used to the looks and resentment he's received and didn't mind any of them at all, but that didn't mean he wanted to go back to a place that didn't want him.
"Yes we do now stop whining and let's go, the sooner we get there the sooner we leave."
Packing their equipment, the two Uzumaki started their walk back into the village.
—=====—-