Wassup everyone, so I finally decided to pull the trigger on my own FanFiction after over a decade of reading them. As it's my first one ever, I'm sure there will be mistakes here and there, so constructive criticism is welcome and feedback is encouraged. As a warning, I'll be changing a lot of canon events and characters to what I think they should have been, let me know what you guys think of the changes I've made and feel free to hit me any with ideas or suggestions in the reviews, it would really help in determining the ultimate direction this story takes in the future. So, without further ado, here it is. Enjoy!
"Naruto?"
Said blonde was snapped from his thoughts by his Sensei of almost 3 years, a behemoth of a man with striking white hair, vertical red lines that shot down his cheeks beginning just below his eyes, and a nose piercing that seemed oddly out of place on a face that had obviously seen its share of days, more than most Shinobi could ever hope to. He wore a slightly baggy olive green kimono that belied the defined musculature underneath- cultivated through decades of being a Shinobi -and green wrist plates of the same color that extended over the backs of his hands, the would-be exposed skin of his forearm covered by the fishnet that he wore underneath his kimono. His forehead was adorned with a unique horned forehead protector adorned with the kanji for 'oil', and his odd ensemble was completed by red geta sandals that no doubt contributed to his towering height and a matching jacket with two yellow circles on either side of the chest.
Overall, Jiraiya of the Sannin struck an intimidating visage fit for a Shinobi of his caliber, though to Naruto he was nothing of the sort. His… eccentric qualities had beaten that feeling out of him long ago. As Naruto turned to look at his Sensei he found his coal black eyes boring into his own cerulean ones. Though, it seemed more of a curious stare, as if he was studying the blonde that stood before him.
"Yeah, Ero-sennin?" Naruto responded quizzically. Jiraiya gritted his teeth as a vein comically popped onto his temple.
"I thought I told you not to call me that once we were close to the village, Gaki!" He practically yelled. He really hated being called that. He wasn't a pervert, he just really, really admired the work of art that was a woman's body. Their slight frames, the way their bodies contoured into delicious curves, those big flesh- what had he been thinking about again? Oh, right.
"Did you not hear anything I've been saying for the past 5 minutes?" He raised an eyebrow, it wasn't quite like Naruto to be so suddenly introspective as to get lost in thought during a journey. Naruto simply tilted his head in confusion, before realization dawned on him and he shot Jiraiya a bashful smile, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so.
"Ha, sorry Sensei, I'm just excited to finally be back in Konoha after all these years, 'ttebayo. I can't wait to see how everyone's changed!" By the end, his bashful smile had morphed into one of pure excitement. He was ecstatic to see all of his friends and how they'd progressed, and though it went unsaid, Jiraiya knew he wanted to test his own skills against his peers to validate his own. That was just the type of person the kid was. He hadn't been able to fully weed out his obsessive thirst for acknowledgement in their time together, mostly because Jiraiya understood it, and so hadn't worked so hard in beating it out of him. The Toad Sage knew that these things took time, and only Naruto himself could truly rid himself of that. Whether that took finally getting the acknowledgement he so craved throughout his life or giving up on it all together- though the Sannin wouldn't count on that, it was Naruto he was talking about -he had faith that he could figure it out.
"Well, the gist of it was don't get too ahead of yourself once we get back to Konoha, we still have to debrief the Hokage on our whereabouts and findings since we've been gone, and I'm sure she'll have a test of sorts lined up to properly gauge your progress and where you stand as a Shinobi re-entering the ranks…" At this he glared menacingly at Naruto, leaking killer intent. A lesser man may have buckled under the pressure that Jiraiya radiated, however, Naruto was no lesser man. "Don't make me look bad in whatever test Tsunade-hime has in store for you, or I'll kill you, Gaki…"
Naruto's responded with an eye roll, waving his hand at Jiraiya dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, go out there and kick some ass, I got it Ero-sennin." Jiraiya didn't even deign to give the annoying nickname a response this time past the bulging vein in his temple. The kid would be the death of him. He simply continued,
"Besides, who knows, if you perform well enough you could even get the nod to Chunin without even having to take the exam again, so I suggest you take this seriously," Jiraiya paused at this, a mischievous smirk overtaking his visage "I've heard that almost all your friends are already Chunin by now, I think one even made Jonin~" He dragged the last part out, making sure the Uzumaki heard him correctly.
seeing the blonde's eyes widen to comic proportions as he sputtered truly made Jiraiya's day. It wasn't often he caught his protege off guard these days. In truth, the old hermit knew that field promotions were only possible during wartime scenarios, but Naruto couldn't possibly know that. He needed the kid to make him look good. He couldn't be seen as a bad teacher, dammit! Especially after what he'd heard what Tsunade had done with the boy's pink-haired teammate. Sakura, he thought her name was. Yes, he needed him to hold nothing back.
"Relax, kid, I've told you hundreds of times already rank isn't exactly a reflection of combat prowess. They may not have left you in the dust just yet!" He heartily laughed at the last part as Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration. He was itching to catch up. The next Chunin exams weren't far away, he had to find a way to enter. His plots were interrupted as his sensei spoke once more.
"Would you look at that, we're here! About a day ahead of schedule too!" The trip from Tsume no Kuni to Konoha was about 4 days long usually, though with the stamina both men possessed they'd been able to keep a decent enough pace for much longer than most could, enough so that they could afford to walk through much of Hi no Kuni and still arrive in less than three days. Jiraiya was grateful too, as Naruto was almost unusually jittery the entire trip, as excited as he was to make it back home. He supposed he could understand his enthusiasm, though.
Naruto's head whipped forward at the exclamation, eyes widening as he confirmed for himself that they were in fact at their destination. The massive village gates that he hadn't seen for what seemed like a lifetime stood before him a ways down the path that they were walking, and he couldn't help but feel giddy at the realization. He was really back! After all this time he was finally home. As he and Jiraiya approached the gates he could barely contain himself, though he hid it well behind his confident strides and level gaze. Three years was a long time. He wasn't some easily excitable kid anymore, he couldn't project that image any longer. The smile, however, was the one thing he couldn't wipe from his face, and it spoke a million words to those who gazed upon it. The two were met at the gate by two Shinobi garbed in standard Chunin gear: a green flak jacket over a long sleeved dark blue shirt with pants and sandals of the same color. The only thing that stood out about the two Chunin was that one wore a bandanna- into which his forehead protector was etched -that allowed his brown hair to peek out under the edges and cover one of his eyes with a long bang, and the other had longer spiky brown hair that fell quite a ways past his forehead protector on both sides, a white bandage across his nose. At the sight of the two of them, the Chunin straightened their previously relaxed postures, their eyes widening slightly.
"Jiraiya-sama! Hokage-sama told us that we wouldn't be expecting you for at least another day!" The bandage-nose exclaimed. The other simply examined Naruto curiously with wide eyes, almost as if he didn't recognize him. That, or he simply couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Na… no way, it can't be. It's been less than three years!" Bangs whispered, clearly shocked at Naruto's growth. Jiraiya chose this time to step forward and speak, clearing his throat.
"Kotetsu, Izumi, been a while, huh? Still got you stuck on gate duty?" At this the two aforementioned men grumbled to themselves. Jiraiya continued, "Naruto and I are a bit ahead of schedule coming here, couldn't get the guy to sit still to be here any later, really. No time to catch up though, you guys can gawk at the Gaki later, we've gotta speak to Tsunade-hime…" 'just let us through' was left unsaid, but it seemed that the two Chunin got the message, and hastened them through the gate without further preamble. Truly, Jiraiya and Naruto had plenty of time to waste, but the quicker they finished the debrief with the Hokage the quicker the old pervert could pay a visit to the hot springs. A lecherous smile briefly spread itself across his face as he thought about the Konoha beauties he knew he'd get a glimpse of there. Ah, how he'd missed it. As Jiraiya let his mind fill with thoughts of naked women, Naruto's eyes darted to and fro as they walked through the village, excitedly examining every structure, seeing if anything had changed during his trip. He was careful not to move his head either way, though. He was not a kid anymore, dammit!
Konohagakure no Sato was truly a beautiful place, and after such an extended time away and seeing so many other places, Naruto felt that he could truly appreciate it now. The architecture that was unique in a way that he'd never truly realized, and the vibe the village gave off filled him with unbridled joy and nostalgia. Children running on the streets playing ninja, civilians tending their gardens, merchants peddling their wares to any passerby that was willing to listen, raucous laughter from inside of the many restaurants that lined the main roads, and Genin running about completing menial D-Rank missions, no doubt miserable, the occasional Shinobi jumping from rooftop to rooftop… The village was truly bustling, an absolute hub of activity. It took him back, and that damned smile he couldn't seem to get rid of threatened to split his face down the middle. So lost was he that he didn't even notice the steady approach of two individuals until they were right in front of him.
"Naruto?"
"How troublesome… he's like a whole different guy"
Two voices rang out in front of him, snapping him from nostalgic bliss. Jiraiya had noticed the two long before they'd gotten so close, and he thought of taking a detour to the Hokage Tower to avoid them, but knew that the Gaki would never go for it. He instead settled for pouting to the side, he was a fool to think they wouldn't be spotted before reaching their destination, walking the main road as they were. The hot springs would have to wait he supposed.
Nara Shikamaru and Temari of the Sand stood before them, both Shinobi's eyes wide with surprise and recognition. Temari herself couldn't believe what she was seeing. The man before her couldn't be Naruto, but then again, it had to be. Those distinctive whisker marks and bright cerulean eyes couldn't belong to anyone else. But…
'He looks… good. This is the same brat that defeated Gaara all those years ago?' She thought. The man in front of her was no brat.
He was tall, far taller than her, slightly moreso than Shikamaru even. His hair had grown long, tied back into a ponytail similar to Jiraiya's own, though significantly shorter, only reaching down to his mid back. Long bangs reaching to his chin framed either side of his face, his black forehead protector holding it back from falling over his visage , which was significantly less chubby, having trimmed most if not all the baby fat from his younger years. Both of his ears were now pierced with silver studs, most likely done to take after his sensei, who sported a nose piercing himself. He was garbed in an outfit similar to Jiraiya's down to the wristplates, the only notable differences being that his kimono was gray and the sleeveless jacket was black, missing the colorful circles on either side of the chest that his mentor's had. He wore black Shinobi sandals on his feet in place of the Sannin's geta sandals, which many still wondered how the powerful ninja even got around in, including Temari herself. All in all, he looked like a mini clone of Jiraiya, if not anywhere near as much of an eyesore, which was surprising considering it was Naruto she was seeing here. The loud orange was his thing, why do away with it if he'd survived this long wearing it?
Past that, he just seemed much more mature, the aura the Uzumaki gave off was full of confidence, something he never quite lacked, though the calmness of it all gave her the feeling that he'd somehow gained the power justify it. As Temari took in his full form, she fought the blush she knew was forming on her face. The picture he painted was that of a very handsome man, after all. Jiraiya's perverted grin at seeing her flustered just by the sight of Naruto did not escape her, and she chose to avert her gaze for the time being to stave off treacherous thoughts.
Shikamaru himself was confused. He'd expected Naruto to look different, not do a complete 180 though. He wasn't used to seeing Naruto's attire being so muted. Though the orange was a stealth nightmare, it fit him due to his naturally boisterous personality, now he was having trouble reconciling the Shinobi that stood before him to the runt that left three years ago. He quickly mentally shook his head of it, though, he wasn't going to get caught up in how he looked after all this time; people grew up, after all. He was just glad to see the guy was doing well, especially after what had happened on their last mission that had necessitated his absence for such a prolonged period. From the ear to ear grin that spread across the Uzumaki's face from seeing them, he guessed there were no hard feelings.
"Shikamaru, man am I glad to see you! And… Gaara's sister? What are you doing here?" Naruto tilted his head to the side in curiosity. Temari hadn't changed much since Naruto had last seen her, she was more mature, sure, and her figure had filled out some, but the only thing of real note was the long short sleeved black kimono she now wore, with slits along the side to allow her legs freedom to move. Shikamaru was almost exactly the same as he'd left him, only now he was much taller and wore the standard Konohagakure Chunin garb.
"Temari-san here is Sunagakure's Jonin ambassador to Konohagakure. She's here to see to the organization of these upcoming Chunin Exams. I'm escorting her during her stay in the village." Shikamaru explained patiently. He knew that it was unusual to come back to seeing foreign Shinobi walking the streets of your home. It just happened to work out that he could also subtly correct Naruto to avoid Temari taking offense to her name not being remembered. He'd been in his presence for all of three seconds and had already had to fix things for him. What a troublesome guy.
Naruto felt a pang of embarrassment at not remembering Temari's name, and not only that, but she was a Jonin already? The same as Kakashi-sensei… he had to catch up!
"The Exams are being held here soon, huh? Well, that makes my life a lot simpler." He finished, his fist smashing into his palm. At this, Shikamaru raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Don't tell me you plan on entering, Naruto?" Even without knowing the full extent of the Uzumaki's new capabilities, Shikamaru was certain that Naruto was too much for any Genin to handle. He'd been one of the strongest among their peers even before he'd left, he could only imagine what three years under the tutelage of Jiraiya of the Sannin had done for his growth.
"Of course! How could I ever be Hokage if I can't even become a Chunin?" Naruto was slightly confused by Shikamaru's question, but didn't let it show, shooting the pony-tailed man his trademark determined grin. Why would the Nara ever think that Naruto would just be content at the Genin rank, especially after hearing how all his friends had gotten promoted during his time away?
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed. Maybe the guy hadn't changed so much. It seemed that his determination towards the goal he'd strived for only intensified in his time away, and though he seemed generally more mature, he could still see that kid shouting at everyone who would listen (and those that didn't) that he would be Hokage someday, if he just squinted his eyes a bit. Well, he wouldn't be the one to dissuade him. Just as Naruto was about to speak once more, the four Shinobi (two really, as Jiraiya had returned to pouting at the conversation and Temari did her level best to avoid ogling Naruto) by a soft voice.
"Naruto? Lady Tsunade told me that you and Jiraiya-sama were returning, but I didn't expect to run into you so soon…" the voice said, both surprise and relief in their voice. It was one that Shikamaru and Temari had grown familiar with, considering the owner's status within Konohagakure.
As Naruto snapped his head towards the voice, his cerulean blue eyes locked with emerald green, and his forthcoming shout of surprise caught in his throat. An absolute beauty stood before him, a soft smile adorning her features. She had long pink hair corralled into a single braid down her back, the red clothed forehead protector upon her forehead holding back all but two long strands that framed either side of her face, reaching down to her neckline. She was dressed in a short low cut kimono that went to just below her waist, held closed by a pink obi. The sleeves were extremely long, entirely concealing her hands from view, and the low cut revealed the chain mail that she wore underneath. She wore simple black shorts that reached to her mid-thigh, and black low-heel knee-high boots that left her toes exposed. The most instantly striking thing about the woman, though, (other than the vibrant pink hair, of course) was the blue diamond mark on her forehead, something that only one present knew signified possession of the 100 Healings Technique.
Naruto knew immediately who he was face to face with, words spilling out of his mouth before he had a chance to even think.
"S-Sakura-Chan! You can't sneak up on me like that, I almost shit myself, 'ttebayo!" Naruto laughed off bashfully, but in truth he was put off by her sudden arrival. He wasn't somewhere in his own head when she'd arrived like he'd been with Shikamaru and Temari, yet still she'd managed to catch him off guard. Honestly, it was a bit disconcerting, especially after the lengths that he went to to hone his senses, but Sakura was a trusted comrade, he doubted her being able to momentarily get the drop on him was something to be truly wary of.
Unknown to him, he hadn't been the only one she'd caught off guard. Jiraiya himself hadn't sensed her coming, and though he knew what to expect from her from the rundown of her abilities that Tsunade had given him to keep Naruto on pace during their journey, he had to admit he was impressed. It was almost like she had no presence at all. That level of chakra control was frightening. He narrowed his eyes.
'So this is what Hime and that copycat have been cooking up, huh? It's gonna be interesting to see the full extent of her abilities, especially next to Naruto…' He thought with a small smirk. Things would definitely be getting interesting in the near future.
"Sorry about that, Naruto-kun, I sensed you and got here as fast as I could… it's just… been so long!" Sakura smiled a beautiful smile as tears pricked at her eyes. She'd sensed his chakra before he'd even gotten past the gates, but figured she'd wait until he completed his debrief with the Hokage- being that his training trip was technically an extended mission -to pay him a visit, but after she'd gotten a better read on his chakra she had to see him for herself. His chakra had always seemed massive, oppressively so even when her sensory abilities were undeveloped. Now, the quantity had increased further, but it was oddly controlled, sharp as a blade. Ready to be turned against an enemy at the slightest provocation with extreme prejudice. Up close now, it roiled inside of him, drowning out any other signatures around it, Jiraiya's even paling in comparison. It was almost like a beacon or a lighthouse illuminating the night sky.
Reeling in her sensory abilities once more, she appraised the man before her, eyes widening imperceptibly as she took in his full form. Who knew Naruto would come back looking like this? As she pulled him in for a hug against her lithe frame, she absentmindedly noted his lean, muscular frame, honed from years of no doubt hellish training. Puberty had done the boy- no, man -wonders.
Naruto pulled away after a moment, the seemingly perpetual grin he'd sported since first stepping into the village having grown even wider.
"Sakura… you look so different now, looks like we all did a bit of growing up, yeah?" He thought he'd given up that crush long ago, but seeing her now, like this had his old feelings returning full force. He shook his head.
"Ha, look who's talking. Earrings, Naruto? Never thought I'd see you in those. I don't even wear those." She teased, causing Naruto to grit his teeth, before firing back himself:
"What's the big idea? They're cool, 'ttebayo! Besides, Shikamaru's had them since we were kids and I don't see anyone on his case about it…" he said, ignoring the 'troublesome' that sounded from his one-time leader and old friend at his remark. A mischievous smirk made its way onto his face, "Though it looks like Ino finally bullied you into covering your forehead!" He finished with a hearty laugh, causing a vein to pop out of Sakura's head resulting in her releasing a salvo of insults about his new attire, as Naruto met each one with fervor, sending his own back in return. Shikamaru, Temari and Jiraiya watched this exchange with a large sweat drop forming on their heads.
"Some things never change, huh?" Temari asked exasperatedly.
"Unfortunately, I'd say so. These two were always so troublesome to deal with.." Shikamaru answered her question, massaging his temples as he did so.
Before the two young Shinobi could get carried away, they were interrupted by the presence of an ANBU Black Ops member appearing in their midst. His mask resembled a wolf's visage. Jiraiya knew this operative well: Ōkami, Tsunade's personal ANBU, and a pretty powerful one to boot. He spoke with no inflection in his tone:
"Apologies for my interruption, but the Hokage requests the presence of Jiraiya-sama, Haruno-san, and Uzumaki-san within her office immediately."
Jiraiya silently thanked Tsunade for rushing things along here, there had been no telling how long that conversation between the blonde Gaki and his friends may have gone on for, and he really didn't want to end up looking like the bad guy. Though he doubted that she knew of his intentions after the debrief, he would have to do something nice for her later.
Naruto bade Shikamaru and Temari a farewell, promising to meet them and catch up on everything sometime later, and promptly followed the ANBU member, who'd disappeared in a shunshin once he was sure everyone was following. Truly, though, Naruto didn't need a guide, by this point he could get to the tower with his eyes closed. Seeing Baa-Chan again was something to be excited about, and rather than run wildly to everywhere he wanted to be like a child, he wanted to savor the journey, take in sights and notice things that he'd never noticed before when he'd been younger and more tunnel-visioned. Earlier than he'd imagined, they arrived to their destination in front of the Hokage's office, and with a quick few knocks to the door, they were promptly beckoned in.
There, in all her glory was Senju Tsunade of the Sannin, and the Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. A legend to most and a bitter, hated enemy to many others, Tsunade definitely struck the image of someone who had unimaginable power in the palm of her hands, which was why it never ceased to surprise everyone in the room when a certain blonde constantly spit in the face of formality with no fear in his heart for any wrath or consequences he may incur. Today would be no different.
"Ba-chan! Boy is it nice to see you after all these years. You look just as old as the day I left, 'ttebayo!" Tsunade wasn't quite sure if it was a compliment or an insult, so she just kept it to herself, something that got increasingly harder as her protege stifled a laugh from next to the blonde chatterbox. With some effort she ignored it and proceeded to give him a once over, taking in his full form before clasping her hands and setting them on the table, raising an eyebrow as she did so.
"No orange?" She asked curiously. She never had thought she'd see him without it. Guess Jiraiya was telling the truth in those letters he sent her on Naruto's progress every so often. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.
"Ah, the ero-sennin forced me to. Told me that I could start wearing it again once I'd gotten strong enough to protect myself from Akatsuki, but as of right now it would only make me a target… or something like that." He shrugged. He hadn't really cared for the exact reason that Jiraiya had made him ditch the orange, he just remembered being very upset about it for the next few weeks afterward. Now though, he quite liked his new ensemble, even if it could use a bit more orange. In due time though.
"… I see. Well, you know what you're here for, Jiraiya, spit it out. Just what have you two been up to for the last three years? Spare me no details." She asked expectantly, eager to hear of her favorite blonde's exploits while he'd been away. She had missed him a great deal, Jiraiya could tell.
'
She's never missed me this much…' He thought childishly, he was her best friend… how much more did he have to do to get some love?
"Well, Hime, I'll start from the top…"
As Jiraiya launched into the debrief, everyone paid rapt attention, other than Naruto of course; he'd lived it. He could only hope that despite what Tsunade had said, his sensei knew to spare some details. There were some things he'd done that he really didn't care to let anyone in the room know about, things he was sure Tsunade wouldn't want to hear the man she'd last seen as a child doing. Regardless of that, though, it was going to be a very long debrief catching the Hokage up on the entirety of three years of Naruto's life, so he settled in. He could only thank Kami that Jiraiya was the one that had gotten stuck doing it.
As it turned out, Naruto was worried over nothing. Jiraiya included and excluded exactly what he needed to or was necessary, there were no wasted words in his recounting. It spoke to his experience as a Shinobi that he'd so succinctly encapsulated all of their exploits over almost an hour and a half without even missing a beat. Naruto was reminded that even past his combat ability, he still had a lot to learn as a Shinobi before he could ever become Hokage.
By the end of the debrief, during which she had paid her undivided attention, Tsunade simply whistled at what Jiraiya had told her.
"Yosh, it seems as if you two had quite the eventful time during your travels… however, it remains to be determined if that time was actually productive in preparing Naruto to defend himself against the threat the Akatsuki poses." At the mention of the organization of S-ranked missing-nin, Naruto stiffened. Tsunade could understand why, though. Anyone with the threat of a group of such powerful Shinobi bearing down on them for something out of their control would feel some trepidation. She imagined that the prospect of having to contend with criminals renowned throughout the Elemental Nations weighed on Naruto heavily. "Which is why I've organized a test to ascertain the extent of your progress and where you stand within our ranks…"
Naruto's eyes widened at this. A test? This must be what Jiraiya had warned him of shortly before they'd entered the village proper. His muscles tensed as his chakra coursed excitedly within him. His fists clenched and his eyebrows furrowed in determination. Whatever test the old hag had in store from him, he'd blow it out the water! He'd give her no choice but to promote him!
It was at this moment that a presence made itself known, casually perched on the windowsill of the Hokage's office, nose deep in a very familiar orange book. His one exposed eye lazily drifted upwards to appraise the four individuals before him, before it closed in a clear indication of a smile as a hand reached up in a casual wave.
"Yo, Naruto. It sure has been a while hasn't it?"
A/N
So that's the first chapter, folks! Some of those changes I've talked about at the beginning are already starting to emerge. The changes to characters I have already and will make in the future are all functional, meaning that they are for a reason and will have an impact on the how events will play out in this story, so stay tuned for that. Let me know what you guys think, like I said feedback is highly encouraged and welcome, so don't be shy!