Naruto looked around as he hopped from tree to tree. His eyes set in panic and confusion as he continued to jump from tree to tree. His mind was unable to process the information he received as he hopped from branch to branch, his only thoughts on returning back to the village or to the Old Man. There were thoughts of what Mizuki had revealed to him, but he could not focus on that, could not focus on his teacher Iruka. Even as he did so, his mind was set aflame with thoughts as they burned and were ingrained in him.

"You're the Nine Tailed Fox that attacked Konoha and destroyed the lives of thousands and killed their loved ones! Especially Iruka! His parents died because you killed them! Don't you think it was strange why Iruka singled you out every time in class since the start of the Academy?! It's because he hates you! Just like the rest of the village, he despises you because you killed his parents and left him an orphan! He grew up all alone because of you!"

Was it? Was it the reason why Iruka Sensei hated him? He didn't. He didn't want to believe it. So he ran. He ran far from Iruka and Mizuki, the scroll strapped to his back as he cried, trying to calm himself but failing entirely.

He thought of Iruka Sensei as different. He felt like an older brother, who taught him and led him. Sure, he was hard and strict. But he thought that Iruka was different like the rest of the villagers. That they didn't hate or despise him. Iruka saved him after all. He saved him from the female shinobi when he believed that those other kids had tricked him into departing from the village. He did care, didn't he?

He ran as Iruka called him back, to try and explain. But Naruto didn't. The young blonde needed to process and understand. He needed space alone, to be alone to understand. So he fled. He fled as far from both teachers as possible.

Now, Naruto found himself leaping from tree to tree. With each leap he gained further distance away from the battle, until he finally set himself down.

Then, Naruto finally was able to process what he had gone through. He knew that he was a failure. He couldn't pass the basic Clone Jutsu, a requirement for all Academy students. It had hurt, it hurt far worse, because he had tried and tried, and it seemed that no matter how much he practiced it, it would never be good enough to pass. He didn't need to be told that it was bad; the proof lay in the horribly shaped lifeless mass of his own chakra, twitching and barely moving.

Then, Iruka had failed him. Mizuki had walked him aside, and he had told him of the Scroll to steal so he could pass, a special assignment that could grant him graduation, so he did just that. Desperate, he took the scroll from Gramps's office. Then Iruka showed up, and then Mizuki, and then: the truth.

Naruto didn't want to believe it, but he did. Why every villager glared at him or spoke with disdain and hatred within a distance away, as if he was a disease, why he was even kicked out of stores sometimes or denied access. He wanted to believe Mizuki was lying, but it was the truth; he could feel that Mizuki was not deceiving him. He had asked Iruka Sensei himself at one point a year or so back, but Iruka had not given him the answer. Even Iruka did not tell him why.

Mizuki's words rang in his head again, and Naruto could not ignore them.

Did Iruka hate him too? Did he only save him out of some… obligation? Not because he truly cared?

But he had to have cared! There was no way… Iruka Sensei was hard on him sometimes, and they fought and disagreed on numerous things, but there was no way he could have hated him.

Or did he hide it? Did he hide his hatred from him so well that he couldn't even recognize it? Where no one could recognize it? Why he only tolerated him out of personal duty?

The darker question jabbed into Naruto's head once more, plunging deeply where he could only consider the possibility.

Was he even truly sure?

Naruto didn't know. He didn't know and it scared him and confused him. He could only curl up as he hid within the forest, lost in his own thoughts.

Then, a cracking noise. Naruto's eyes whipped to the sound of the noise and a pained cry that was familiar. Mizuki Sensei, and… Iruka Sensei!

Naruto, hiding behind a tree, watched with trepidation as he watched, in terror, as Iruka was covered in a multitude of scratches and cuts, large wounds that he bled, covering his own flak jacket in his own blood, laying against the neighboring tree. Mizuki only sported a bruise on his cheek, strapped to his back was a Demon Wind Shuriken.

Iruka watched as Naruto left, even as he tried to scream out for Mizuki to stop, and to explain himself to Naruto, watching as the boy he considered his favorite student, departed without another word.

Even despite his wounds, he could still hold off Mizuki. His former friend turned to give chase, but Iruka would not let him, instead, he lunged at Mizuki with his own kunai drawn, determined to buy time to give Naruto the chance to escape and report back to the Hokage and the rest of the shinobi out searching for Naruto and the scroll he had taken.

Though his wounds slowed him down, Mizuki he knew, had always been the better Chunin. He had been in far more active duty compared to him when he retired and left the roster. Only his experience allowed him to hold him off. But it was enough, for the rest of the shinobi would arrive soon. But Mizuki was determined to reach past him and to Naruto, and he knew what he had to do.

Hitting Mizuki with numerous paper bombs to disorientate him, he vanished in a Body Flicker, hoping to reach Naruto before Mizuki. His distraction was only temporary, and he knew that he needed to stall as long as possible. He needed more time for Naruto to escape.

Mizuki's clear target had been Naruto… then… the Transformation Jutsu. With the mental image in his head, he focused his chakra and performed a single handsign, transforming himself into Naruto, complete with the same scroll.

And now he found himself here.

Coughing up blood, he leaned against the tree for support. Mizuki stood a few meters away, a look of lazy amusement flashing on his face, but did not say anything. Iruka narrowed his gaze. "What?"

"Oh… Nothing. Just thinking. You don't need to lie to me, Iruka. You know what kind of power that Naruto possesses. If he had mastered the technique within the scroll. Imagine it. He'll destroy the village. He'll take the forbidden knowledge and use it against the village."

"And what are you?"

Mizuki raised a hand in mock offense. "Hey! I'm not denying it. A rogue shinobi never denies their true nature. Neither Orochimaru of the Sannin or Itachi Uchiha ever showed regret in what they did. You, however, my old friend… I know what you think of Naruto. I know you, Iruka. I was the one who befriended you during our time at the Academy, so I know how you think."

Iruka looked up at Mizuki and thought of Naruto. "You don't know me. You don't know what I think of Naruto."

"But I do… And yet, you still sacrificed yourself to let him escape. Why?"

Iruka growled, "Because it's better than letting it fall into the hands of someone like you."

"Me?" He laughed. "Then what about him? What about Naruto? Do you even truly know him?" He narrowed his eyes with a vicious gleam. "Who's to say he won't use it against the village? Who's to say?"

"You don't know that. Naruto is not you. He believes in the Will of Fire."

Mizuki stared incredulously, and howled in laughter. "That pathetic belief? That is nothing. Only the strongest thrive, and the weak die. This village, Iruka, don't you see it?" He raised his hands up and around. "They put belief in the Will of Fire, for us to cherish this village and fight for it, but that's nothing but a farce. Take a look at the Shinobi Wars. What have they proved? Shisui Uchiha of the Body Flicker? The Yellow Flash that became our beloved Fourth Hokage? Lord Third, the Professor? Even the Sannin and fucking Itachi Uchiha… they just proved how this system worked!"

"Which ties exactly with my point to Naruto. He'll take the power and bury the village into ashes. He's the demon fox. And you think of him as one for how he killed your parents. He already destroyed the village all those terrible years ago. Who is to say he won't do it again?"

Iruka paused to consider his words.

In one universe, Iruka would have given Naruto the acknowledgement. The first person to give him the acknowledgement out of the entire village who had despised him. In that universe, Naruto Uzumaki would have grown into the man who would be known as the Seventh, as he would thank the first man who had given him the affection he had desperately craved.

"You're right…"

"You're right..."

It hurt. It hurt far worse than anything he had ever felt before. It stabbed into Naruto like a kunai as it ran him through. It was far more painful than any villager's insult or being kicked out of a store. It was far worse than being stared at as if he was a monster. It was far worse. It hurt so much that Naruto didn't want to believe such pain existed, but it did.

Iruka hated him.

Naruto, far too struck by grief and pain, would never hear the words that would come out of Iruka's mouth the next. As he would hear the words that would shape Naruto into the man he was now in that universe, he would never hear it here.

"But…" He coughed, in the moment of his hesitancy.

But Naruto would never hear it. And in that moment of his hesitancy, for he would reveal how he truly felt about him, it would never come to pass. It would never occur, and Naruto Uzumaki of the here and now would not be the same man.

Mizuki's voice sounded out, but Naruto could barely focus on what he had said. Naruto could not listen, struck by the admission of one of the people he wanted recognition from most; the man who he believed had been hard on him because he had true faith in him.

None of that mattered. Iruka had been like the rest.

And in that moment as well, Naruto broke.

All the ridicule, the trash, the insults and voices, they all came crashing down at him. The villagers, Iruka, Mizuki, they all shouted at him, with insults, with anger, with disdain. It took a far greater toll on the mind of the young boy. It assaulted him from all sides that he had little time to even register it.

Then at last, emptiness. Gramps and the Ichiraku pair of Teuchi and Ayame called out to him, but they were distant, and were quiet. Only the voices of the villagers, Iruka, and Mizuki amplified to the point where he could only see them.

The emptiness continued when he found himself face to face with Mizuki, Iruka's corpse swaying negligently against the tree. The man taunted and sneered, but it became replaced by fear as Naruto barely even recognized himself that he produced the shadow clones. They all proceeded to beat Mizuki. He barely managed to destroy a portion of them before he was swarmed by the rest.

Then the ANBU arrived, and he found himself in the face of the only man who seemed to have cared for him in the office.

Gramps.

Gramps looked at him with concern. "Naruto, are you all right?"

"Gramps… Am I… Am I the demon?"

"No Naruto. What Mizuki said was not true. You are not the demon. You are not! Mizuki was speaking out of spite!"

"But what he said…"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the boy, feeling his heart torn at the look on the face of his successor's son, and Fugaku's words came back to him. "I'm afraid so, unfortunately. The Fourth Hokage could not defeat the Nine Tails any other way. It continued to rampage in its path and he was running low on time. So he only had one other option: To seal it within a baby. That infant was you." Hiruzen quickly spoke at the look on Naruto's face, knowing what the boy was thinking of his father. "It was not easy for him! He did not want to, but he had no other options. The entire village would have been destroyed. He was faced with a precarious scenario in which it was working against him. It was thanks to his sacrifice that many people and the village itself survived. His dying wish was for you to be seen as a hero."

A hero. A hero? The emptiness receded somewhat, and Naruto found himself snorting. He thought of the sneers and taunts and insults, and muttered softly. "At least I know why now people hate me. Does everybody know?"

"No. I passed a special law forbidding the talk of it for anybody who knew the truth in order to spread it to those who did not. I wanted for you to grow up and live a normal life with friends, to let you live a normal life as much as possible. Do you not have friends around your age, Naruto?"

The blonde shook his head. "No. Most of them are mean to me or just ignore me. A few of their parents tell them not to play with me either."

"Surely you must have at least a few you are close to. At least one or two."

"I…" He recalled Sasuke. But Naruto was afraid of losing him. Would he hate him like the rest of the village? "Yes…" But he said it so hesitatingly. He didn't believe that Sasuke would remain loyal to him. His parents were also so nice to him… A deeper part of him even desired for them to become his parents, but he knew they weren't, because they were Sasuke's by the same features and not his own.

Sasuke would hate him. Like all of them. His parents would as well.

Hiruzen nodded, a sad look on his face.

The clock was the only indication of noise before Naruto glanced up at him. "What happens now? Am I in trouble for taking the scroll?"

Hiruzen immediately answered. "No. You have taken the scroll, but it was because of Mizuki's deceit and playing a part of manipulation. He preyed on you, and so you did not know what he was intending. It was not your fault in any sense, Naruto. It was Mizuki, and only Mizuki. You have done as any other shinobi would have done in the presence of a traitor and swiftly departed in order to make sure it would not fall into his hands. In fact, Naruto… I believe you are to be commended and rewarded for such an action, along with mastering the technique in the scroll."

Hope flickered in Naruto's eyes as he looked up into the warm and kind face of the man who had never wavered in his faith and belief in him.

Hiruzen opened his desk drawer, and in his hands, a Konoha headband. Naruto could not believe it. It had to be a dream. But the next of Hiruzen's words casted aside any doubt, and brought him the most joy in his life.

"Here you are, Naruto. The Konoha shinobi headband. You deserve it." He pushed it forward across his desk.

Naruto stared at the headband in disbelief, then his eyes flickered back up to the man who had only ever supported him. He tackled him in a hug. "Thank you, Gramps! Thank you!"

The part of Naruto Uzumaki, who sought admiration and support from the Third, was still the same. It shone brightly, radiant and gleaming with life as Naruto hugged the old man and proudly tied the headband around his forehead, removing his goggles.

Thank you, Gramps! You're the only one who has ever been good to me in this village! You're the only one that has been nice to me! You, Teuchi and Ayame, and Sasuke and his parents!

But deep within, anger and hatred and hatred as well.

For Iruka Umino's temporary moment of hesitancy would bring a monster instead of a hero. For the belief of betrayal Naruto would no longer reach for respect and love.

In this universe, in a decision he decided to make, Naruto Uzumaki decided he would ignore any consequence about his actions. He would no longer decide to make any form of recognition by pranks. He would no longer seek the entire respect of the village. He would no longer seek kindness or admiration or adoration. In another universe, Naruto would have achieved all those things.

But this was not that universe, and so Naruto made the choice that he would keep his dream of becoming Hokage. But no longer would he want it for admiration or respect.

He wanted it for fear.

And, unseen by Hiruzen, a cold look formed on Naruto's face. It was only for a second however, as it vanished, and as Naruto was aware of the darker seed within him beginning to take root.

And I swear I'll make this entire village respect me! I'll make the rest of them pay! I'll make them all pay for how they treated me!

So yes, this is the beginning of the fall for Naruto.

Also want to point out, if people have problems with Naruto suffering major defeats and losses and not being a Gary Sue/Kirito level of perfection, then this story isn't for them. Will he be powerful? Yes, but he will not be perfect. He will have major weaknesses and flaws as any other character and with his Canon counterpart and within reasonable progression. Just because he will develop differently doesn't mean he will be overpowered from the start, when Kurama is already a free chakra buffet for him. He will have advantages, but he'll also have weaknesses to balance him out. And yes, actual weaknesses. This is a major problem I still see with many Naruto stories where they claim Naruto is powerful but also has weaknesses, yet those weaknesses rarely ever happen when it comes to it. What is their obsession with making Naruto broken, never mind how he was in Canon by the end of the series? He might as well fart on the opposition since he's that broken. I've seen Naruto when he was Kage level at the age of twelve and my brain turned into mush at these types of stories, because why do they exist?