Chapter 1

KONOHA NINJA ACADEMY

Naruto Uzumaki was bored. He was sitting in the back of the classroom, listening to Iruka-sensei drone on and on about the historical and geopolitical climate of Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, and the founders of the village Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Naruto was not a fan of history, he enjoyed science, math, ninjutsu, and chakra theory, as he spent many hours sitting in the Konoha Library reading books on these subjects. But these subjects at the academy were so boring, he wanted to do something fun.

It had been a year since the Sandiame Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, enrolled him in the ninja academy. The Sandiame had told him it would be the perfect place for him to become strong, as it was the place where all the strong ninjas in the village had gone. After being in the academy for over a year, Naruto started to doubt what the old man had told him. They hadn't even learned any jutsu or started taijutsu training yet. Naruto thought he'd have to improve his training regimen to have actual growth during his time here rather than letting his brain rot from learning a bunch of useless nonsense over the next couple of years.

But right now, he was stuck in this boring lesson, with no way to escape. He glanced at his two friends, Choji Akimichi and Shikamaru Nara, who were sitting next to him. They looked just as bored as he was. Choji was munching on some chips, while Shikamaru had his head rested on the table in front trying to get some sleep as Iruka continued with the lecture.

Naruto smirked; he had an idea. He took a piece of paper and a pencil from his backpack and started drawing. He drew a picture of Iruka-sensei, with a big lip, squinted eyes, and a pair of donkey ears. He added some details, like a speech bubble that said, 'I love ramen' and a heart-shaped sticker that said 'Hokage-sama is my senpai'. He chuckled to himself. He was proud of his masterpiece. He showed it to Choji which caused him to laugh, who then showed it to Kiba, who was to the right of Choji, who also laughed.

Their fun was short-lived as Iruka, noticing the laughter, turned around towards the boys and said, "Mind explain to me what's so funny?" The boys' faces paled up when they looked up to see their sensei staring at them.

"Nothing s-sensei!" Choji said trying to hide the picture.

"Yeah, n-nothing Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed with a dumb look on his face as he crumpled the drawing and threw it on the ground to get rid of the evidence.

"Man... what a drag," Shikamaru mumbled as he put his head back on the desk.

"By how loud you were laughing there is something you find funny," Iruka said as he walked to the trio. "You need to focus; this knowledge is necessary to become a great shinobi of the Leaf."

He faced them as they were seated, "This is no time to be fooling aro"―He saw a crumpled-up piece of paper under the desk―"What's this?" Iruka picked up the ball of paper and began to straighten it out as Choji, Kiba, and Naruto looked at him with apprehension.

Iruka took a couple of seconds to register the image before a massive tick mark appeared on his forehead.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU DID THIS?!" Iruka exclaimed as he held up the rendition of himself.

Many students saw the picture and started to laugh amongst themselves.

"We don't know Sensei, we found it on the ground! I s-swear!" Naruto shouted, afraid of what would happen to him if Iruka found out who was behind this.

"HOW DID IT CONVIENTLY END UP OVER HERE! I DIDN'T SEE IT BEFORE AND SURE AS HELL DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BEING THROWN!" Iruka yelled back at him. Just as he was about to continue his tirade, the bell went off signifying the end of class and the end of the school day.

Thank God was the collective thought of Naruto, Choji, and Kiba as they used this opportunity to escape the clutches of their sensei.

"Oh no you don't," Iruka said as he grabbed the three fleeing children by their shirt collars. "I still have to figure out who was behind this. The rest of you are free to go home."

The rest of the students left the room, feeling sorry for whoever was responsible.

The three boys were placed in front of Iruka as he held up the drawing. "It has to be one of you. The paper was near your desk and no one else had seen anything on the ground. So, whoever it was come forward," he said with a stern face.

Choji and Kiba looked at each other before pointing a finger at Naruto who sat between them.

"Sensei! Why don't we stop the hunt for the culprit?!" Naruto said as he shot his hand up.

"So, it was you, Naruto," Iruka said as he punched Naruto on the head.

"Ouch... that hurt Sensei," Naruto said as he rubbed the top of his head feeling the pain from Iruka's punch. He looked over to his left and right to see Choji and Kiba laughing at him.

"C'mon Naruto, if you want to be a ninja you need to focus!" Iruka shouted.

"Maybe if your lectures weren't so boring, I would pay attention!" Naruto refuted. "Who cares about history it's so boring. When can we get to the good stuff and learn cool jutsu."

Iruka sighed, he had seen the potential in Naruto and wanted the best for him, but the kid rarely showed up, would constantly slack off, and had no respect for those in positions of authority, especially those older age. He could also be annoying. Iruka looked down at the white-haired boy and stared into his eyes. Naruto had on a light-blue sweatshirt that had a red swirl on the back with black shorts, and black sandals. His eyes matched the color of his sweatshirt and almost seemed to reflect the color of the sky. There was something about those eyes that freaked Iruka out, they were too blue and seemed to hold tremendous power which scared him.

Iruka didn't let this fear make him hate Naruto. He had subdued the hate in his heart for Naruto a while back. Now and then he did feel anger towards the boy. The attack of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, the Kyūbi, a beast that had ravaged the village on the day of Naruto's birth, had caused so much pain and destruction to the village. The beast had killed many shinobi and civilians that day, amongst them were Iruka's parents causing him to be orphaned at the age of 10. It was only natural for him to hate Naruto, but he just couldn't. How can he blame a boy who was born on the same day for the destruction inflicted by the Nine-Tails? Ever since that day when he and Kakashi saved Naruto from Takigakure (Village Hidden in the Waterfall) spies, Iruka had made a promise to himself to not let the hate consume him and to be the best teacher he could be to Naruto.

"That's not the point Naruto. Having a large arsenal of jutsu doesn't make you the strongest. Having the wisdom, knowledge, and intelligence to know when and where to display your jutsu is key. A ninja's greatest tool is his ability to keep his cards hidden until the perfect time. Do you understand?" Iruka said with sincerity in his eyes.

Naruto looked at up Iruka with a wide smile, "Hai, sensei!"

"You three can leave now. All I ask from you is to apply yourselves and become great shinobi," Iruka said.

The three boys got up and ran outside the classroom door. Iruka sighed as he went to meet with the other academy teachers. Hopefully, my words will reach them one day, he thought as he walked to the teachers' lounge.


"Hey, Naruto, are you okay?" Choji asked as they walked down the halls. "That punch from Iruka-Sensei looked like it hurt. He must be mad at you."

Naruto rubbed the top of his head still feeling the pain inflicted from Iruka-Sensei. "I'm fine. He's always getting on my case. I'm just trying to have some fun and lighten up the mood. It's just so boring having to sit and listen to him all day. We never do anything cool. It would be nice if we learned some jutsu or did some sparing."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Kiba replied. "I want to learn how to fight with Akamaru, I'm probably going to ask my mom to show me and Akamaru some cool techniques."

Shikamaru sighed. "You guys are so troublesome. Why can't you just follow the rules and listen to him? It wouldn't make sense for students one year into the academy to learn the flashy stuff. Besides, ninjutsu and taijutsu are not as easy as you think. They require a lot of chakra control, stamina, and intelligence. You have to learn the basics first, before the more advanced stuff."

"I suppose you're right," Naruto responded. "It's just that he makes class so dull, it would help if Iruka cracked a joke once in a while."

Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into Naruto's head. He dashed ahead of them and exclaimed, "You know what? One day, I'll become a teacher in the academy and make learning fun again. I'll make sure my students laugh and have fun and make prank-pulling mandatory. You'll see." Naruto grinned, his blue eyes sparkling.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Keep on dreaming, Naruto." He put his hands behind his head. "Also, what made you want to be a teacher? And much less believe that you have the traits to be a good one" He asked.

Naruto winked at him. "I feel the desire burning in my soul, it's my destiny. Secondly, who wouldn't want to be my student?" Naruto said as put his arm over his friend. "My charismatic nature and unwavering good looks would win any student over. Right, Choji?" He said as he glanced at Choji who was dying of laughter from his charades.

Shikamaru shook his head, "You're hopeless, Naruto. You don't have a clue about what being a teacher means. It's about being responsible, patient, and wise. It's about guiding the next generation and passing on your knowledge and skills." Shikamaru stated in a serious tone.

"Jeez Shikamaru, you're such a buzz kill." Naruto pouted, sticking his tongue.

The boys continued to talk among themselves until they reached the gate of the academy, where they parted ways.

"See you tomorrow, losers," Naruto said, sticking out his tongue. "I'm going to go to train so I can become an actual ninja."

"Whatever, Naruto. Don't get yourself killed," Shikamaru said, yawning. "I'm going home to take a nap. I'm too tired to deal with you."

"Me too. I'm hungry. I need some chips," Choji said, rubbing his stomach. "Bye, Shikamaru. Bye, Naruto. Bye, Kiba."

"Come on, Akamaru. Let's go for a walk. We need some fresh air," Kiba said, petting his dog.

The boys waved goodbye to each other, and Naruto started to make his way to the training grounds. He could hear the laughter and joy of the other children as they embraced their parents with warm hugs.

As he walked from the academy gates, Naruto noticed parents staring at him, putting their children behind them, and whispering amongst themselves. He could catch fragments of their hushed conversations — calling him a "monster" and "dangerous." A familiar phrase they said to him every day.

"What are you staring at? Got something you want to say?" Naruto said to them.

The parents were taken aback, surprised that Naruto could hear them. Flustered and uncomfortable, they quickly exited his vicinity, leaving him standing alone.

Naruto's eyes flickered with a mixture of frustration, anger, and sadness. He put his hands into his pockets and headed towards Training Ground 11.

KONOHA TRAINING GROUND 11

When Naruto arrived, he dropped his bag with weights, books, and rope. Naruto started to stretch and loosen up his muscles, preparing himself for the intense workout he was about to do. He stretched his calves, hamstrings, hips, chest, arms, and back, feeling the burn and the sweat. He knew that pain was the power price, and he was willing to pay for it to become the strongest.

He started with a warm-up of 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats. Followed by a series of calisthenics, such as jumping jacks, lunges, and burpees. He then ran around the training ground, dodging the obstacles and traps he had set up. He jumped over logs, ducked underwires, and avoided kunai and shuriken that flew from hidden contraptions. He moved with speed and agility, honing his reflexes and awareness.

Normally, a child wouldn't be doing this at this hour, as they probably needed to get home before their parents would start to worry about them. But this wasn't the case for Naruto, as he had been alone for as long as he could remember. He used to live in an orphanage but was kicked out when he turned four years old. That was also when the villagers started to look at him differently. He didn't know why and stopped caring a long time ago.

From what he could piece together, it mostly like had something to do with the attack of the Kyūbi on his birthdate. He had overheard villagers calling him a demon whenever he would walk through the village. In addition, anytime he tried buying food, clothing, books, or even just view items in a shop, the store owner would deny him entry or charge an exorbitant amount. The villagers would spit in his direction and look at him with pure disgust, fear, and hatred. They told their children to avoid 'the demon', so Naruto would often be alone.

Naruto thought it was completely stupid. How could he be responsible for the destruction when he was born that same day? Anyone with a brain should be able to piece that together. Besides, from what Naruto had learned about the Nine-Tailed Fox from the Konoha Library, it was known that the beast was made from chakra and could not be killed. It was illogical for Naruto to be the reincarnation of the beast. All this did was make him hate the villagers even more for their ignorance.

He had learned from the Konoha Library that a human vessel, a jinchuriki, was made to restrain the power of beasts such as the Kyūbi. These beasts were called biju. Jinchuriki had massive chakra reserves, compared to the average shinobi, and in some cases, they could even use the chakra of the biju sealed inside them. However, it was also stated that jinchuriki have unique chakra signatures due to the mixing of the jinchuriki's chakra and Biju's chakra within them.

The odd thing that confused Naruto was that he could sense any chakra signature that described the Nine-Tails in the village. Even though his sensory abilities were weak and still developing, he had gone around the entire village searching for a unique chakra signature, but he didn't find anything, not even a faint trace. It was after this that he gave up searching for answers, he thought about asking the old man, but that would lead to a bunch of questions from the Hokage, that Naruto did not want to answer. He preferred to keep his secrets, just like everyone else.

Naruto sat down on a nearby rock, panting and sweating from his training. He took out a bottle of water from his bag and drank it, feeling the cool liquid soothe his throat. The sun hadn't set yet so he had enough time to sit and rest before he headed back to his apartment. He needed to work on other skills, such as chakra control, ninjutsu, and taijutsu but he couldn't now. He felt a presence watching him from inside the forest.

He had felt this presence before, ever since his sensory abilities awakened. He noticed two distinct chakra signatures following him throughout the village, observing his every move. He could tell there were two different people, but he didn't know who they were or why they were watching him. The only thing he could discern from their chakra signatures was that one radiated warmth while the other radiated coldness. He had assumed the warm one was the old man, the Hokage, spying on him. He didn't mind this as much since the Hokage was one of the few people who treated him kindly. But the other chakra, he didn't know who it belonged to. He assumed it was shinobi assigned by the Konoha Council to monitor him. He couldn't feel anything from this person, just coldness and emptiness.

Ever since he could remember, the Konoha Council had been a constant source of annoyance for Naruto. He first met them after he was kicked out of the orphanage when he was four years old. Rumors had circulated about him being the Kyūbi reincarnate. In addition, staff from the orphanage reported to the Hokage that the other children were afraid of his abnormal blue eyes. The Hokage had ordered an investigation of Naruto's eyes, suspecting that he had awakened a dōjutsu, a rare and powerful ocular ability. But they had found no signs or indications of chakra abnormality in his eyes, his chakra flow looked normal. This led to many accusations being thrown at Naruto and the Hokage, that the boy created this for attention, that Hiruzen was too soft with the boy, that this was a trick by the demon, and so on. Naruto had seen the pain in the Hokage's eyes as he defended him from the Council's disdainful remarks, labeling him a monster and a mistake. Naruto formed a belief that they were all cowards, hiding behind their titles and positions of power. These baseless accusations and heartless judgments had fueled his distrust and distaste for the Council.

The Konoha Council was comprised of three sub-councils: the Civilian, Shinobi, and Elder Councils. They each had their roles and responsibilities in the intricate political landscape of Konoha.

The Civilian Council was made up of the civilian business owners in Konoha, who produced clothing, food, labor, and other services. They could bring up complaints or requests to the Hokage to get funding, protection, or help for their desired projects. They also worked with the other councils in providing amenities to help the village and shinobi. Though they lacked political sway, they harbored resentment toward Naruto, blaming him for the Fourth Hokage's death. They saw him as a burden and a threat, and they wanted him gone.

The Shinobi Council, composed of clan heads and high-ranking ninja, wielded influence through their collective strength. They were responsible for bringing missions to the Hokage, working with him on planning the academy curriculum, maintaining order in the village, and producing strong shinobi. They were the backbone of Konoha's military and economic power. Yet, Naruto remained, in their eyes, a mere afterthought—a loud, childish, and arrogant brat. They ignored him and his potential and focused on their interests and agendas.

The Elder Council, consisting of Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzō Shimura, played a crucial role in governing Konoha. They were the advisors to the Hokage and worked with him to ensure that all decisions made were with the best interest of Konoha and its inhabitants in mind. The members of this council can give the Hokage their opinions and advice taking into account all possibilities and perspectives, though the Hokage has the final say on any decision. They were the guardians of Konoha's traditions and secrets, and they had the power to shape its future. For now, Naruto lingered in their peripheral vision, unnoticed and dismissed as insignificant. But they had plans for him, plans that he was not aware of.

Naruto wondered what they wanted from him. He couldn't fathom their intentions—did they view him as a weapon or a pawn for their political games? The truth eluded him, buried beneath layers of lies. But he would find out the truth, one way or another. He shook his head. He needed to get stronger before he could confront them.

Naruto got up from the rock, his next steps were to find a way to hide from these prying eyes. It would help him achieve his goal and make him stronger, faster, smarter, and better if he could find a way to train in peace.

He stood up and stretched his arms. He decided to go back to his apartment and take a shower as he couldn't work on anything serious if he was still being watched. He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He turned around and started to walk home.

He stopped when he sensed a new chakra signature behind him. He frowned and looked over his shoulder. He was getting tired of this. Naruto decided to confront whoever was watching him.

He saw a boy standing on a tree branch hidden in the forest, looking at him with curiosity and interest. The boy had black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt with a funnel collar, white shorts, and black sandals. He had a red and white fan symbol on his back, indicating that he was a member of the Uchiha clan, one of the most prestigious and powerful clans in the village.

Naruto felt a surge of annoyance and suspicion. Who was this boy, and what was he doing here? How long he had been spying on him, and what had he witnessed? He had seen him in class before, but they never exchanged a word.

He shouted at the boy, "Hey, come out you creep! Who are you, and what do you want, huh!?"

The boy blinked and jumped down from the tree, surprised that he had been spotted from such a distance. He walked towards Naruto with a calm and cool expression, as if nothing had happened.

He said, "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I was just passing by and happened to stumble across your training, that's all."

Naruto was now intrigued; he had heard many good things about Sasuke and his skills. He could see the hidden potential Sasuke possessed. It made him excited, thinking Sasuke could be a great sparring partner and ally in the future.

"Well then Sasuke Uchiha, I am the great Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto replied, making a pose. "Were you awestruck by my greatness, or what?"

"No, I've seen better..." Sasuke stated, nonchalantly. "You're not that impressive, you know."

Naruto frowned at his comments. "So... what are you doing here, huh? Training, I assume?"

"I was, but I heard some noises in the distance and thought I'd check it out. And how did you see me, anyway? I was about 10 meters away." Sasuke asked, confused, as he thought he was well hidden.

Naruto grinned. "Well, that, my friend, is a secret that you'll have to find out." He said, winking. "A shinobi never reveals his tricks."

Sasuke deadpanned at Naruto. This guy is annoying, he thought. And by annoying, he meant infuriating.

"I bet you were just thinking 'This guy is annoying'!". Naruto exclaimed, dying of laughter. "You were, I can see it on your face. You look like a grumpy cat."

A massive tick mark formed on Sasuke's head. His blood started to boil, and his veins began popping out of his head. He was getting sick and tired of Naruto; he was ready to explode.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shirt collar. "WILL YOU EVER SHUT UP!" He yelled, shaking him.

Naruto smirked. "No, I won't. You'll just have to get used to it, 'besto friendo'." He said, mocking him.

"We are not friends," Sasuke said letting go of Naruto. "It was a mistake coming over here." He added, before walking away.

"Hey, wait! How about this?" Naruto said, catching up with him. "Let's race to that tree over there. If I win, you have to be my besto friendo. But if you win, I'll never bother you again. Deal?"

Sasuke turned around and looked Naruto in the eye. "Are you being serious? So, if I win, you'll leave me alone... for as long as you live?"

"Yes, yes, now stop being a baby". Naruto said. "We'll shake on it." He said, outstretching his hand for Sasuke to shake it.

Sasuke reluctantly shook Naruto's hand and went to the starting position. He didn't trust Naruto but was willing to take the risk to never be bothered by this idiot again.

This shouldn't be too difficult, Sasuke thought, as he got into a ready stance. He was faster and smarter than Naruto, after all.

"OK, I'll count to three. One, two―." Naruto started running. "THREE!" He shouted, already ahead.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Sasuke exclaimed, frantically trying to catch up with him and escape this horrible fate. He couldn't believe he fell for such a simple trick.

It was already too late as Naruto reached the tree, touching it with his hand and raising it in triumph. He had won the race.

"Hahahaha, looks like you're my besto friendo now." Naruto yelled, sticking his tongue out at him.

Sasuke looked terrified as he realized his new predicament. He had lost the race and his freedom. He was now stuck with Naruto.

Just then, a voice called out from behind them. "Sasuke... what are you doing out here so late?" It spoke.

They turned and saw a tall young man there. He had long black hair, pale skin, and onyx eyes. He wore a black shirt with a funnel collar, and grey shorts, and wore a metal forehead protector brandishing the Konoha symbol. He had the Uchiha Crest on his back, meaning that he was Sasuke's clanmate.

"Oh, Itachi. I didn't expect you to be back so soon." Sasuke replied. "I had gone out to train after the academy. I guess I lost track of time." He said, looking around and realizing the sun had begun to set.

"It's fine Sasuke. Let's head back before it gets dark." Itachi replied, gently.

Naruto watched them with curiosity and awe. He assumes this was a relative of Sasuke's, probably an older brother, but he looked young. No more than 5 years older and yet had an aura that radiated power. Naruto could see it, and he noticed that his maturity surpassed his age. Wow, a two-for-one, Naruto thought. He was glad he came out here today as he got to meet these extraordinary brothers who have incredible latent power.

Naruto cleared his throat and said, "Itachi Uchiha, older brother of Sasuke Uchiha, I presume. Your chakra and stature are quite refined for someone so young. You must be a remarkable shinobi."

"Thank you for your kind words. You are very observant and perceptive. You have the tools to make a fine shinobi one day. What's your name?" Itachi asked.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto replied.

"Well, Naruto it was a pleasure meeting you. Unfortunately, Sasuke and I need to get back before it gets dark." Itachi said.

"Yeah okay, it was nice meeting you Itachi. And see you later my 'besto friendo'" Naruto said before running off.

"'Besto friendo?'" Itachi said, with a raised eyebrow, looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed. "It's a long story. I'll tell you later." He said, before heading off with Itachi.

KONOHA ICHIRAKU RAMEN

It had been a long day for Naruto, he had met some extraordinary people who piqued his interest. I wonder if there are more interesting people, he thought as he walked through the village. His stomach rumbled, indicating his exhaustion and hunger from his training.

Naruto decided to walk into a ramen stand. There was no one in here at this time of day which was good for him. He needed to replenish his energy, relax, and forget about the prying eyes. He took a seat at the counter and waited.

After a short while, the owner emerged from behind the counter, a welcoming smile on his face. "Hello, how are you do―?" Teuchi, the shop owner, began, only to stop short when he saw the young white-haired boy sitting down at the counter.

Naruto, bracing himself for the usual suspicion, shot back with an irritated tone, "What do you want, old man?"

Teuchi, taken aback by the boy's defensive stance, quickly recovered. "Oh, nothing. I apologize for staring. I just rarely get customers this young, especially at this hour. You seem on edge. Is there anything I can get you?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

Surprised by the warmth in Teuchi's demeanor, Naruto relaxed slightly. "Oh, sorry... you're fine. I'm just tired and hungry," he admitted, his stomach rumbling. "I'll take a large bowl of miso chashu pork ramen with extra pork and eggs, please."

Teuchi jotted down the order. "Alright, what's the name of the order?"

"Naruto."

"Okay, Naruto. Your ramen will be ready in a few minutes. Sit tight, and I'll bring it out to you," Teuchi said as he headed back to the kitchen.

Alone with his thoughts, Naruto was pondering his training and how to become stronger when a voice interrupted his musings.

"Hey!" a voice spoke.

Naruto looked up to see a young girl with fair skin, dark brown hair, and black eyes. She was about his age, dressed in a white robe with folded sleeves, a dark blue apron, and a white bandana tied atop her hair. Her presence was both unexpected and intriguing.

The girl approached with a friendly smile. "Hi there! I'm Ayame. My dad said you ordered the miso chashu pork ramen. That's my favorite too!"

Naruto, caught off guard by her genuine friendliness, managed a small smile in return. "Hey Ayame, I'm Naruto. Nice to meet you."

They began to engage in a conversation. As Teuchi prepared Naruto's order in the background, the ramen stand transformed from just a place to eat into an unexpected haven where Naruto felt a glimmer of acceptance and warmth.

They continued their conversation as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink that mirrored the warmth of their budding friendship. The aroma of simmering ramen filled the air, blending with the melodies of their laughter and conversation.

As the day turned to night, their discussions ranged from dreams and goals to favorite foods and hobbies, exchanging stories and jokes.

"It's getting late, Ayame. It's time to close up shop." Teuchi said.

"Please, Dad, can we stay out here a little longer? Pretty please?" Ayame begged.

"Sorry, sweety, we've got to get rest for the busy day tomorrow. Naruto also has to get some shut-eye." Teuchi said, looking at Naruto.

"I'll stop by tomorrow, Ayame," Naruto replied.

"O-okay," Ayame said. "Bye Naruto it was nice meeting you," she said waving at him. He waved back as Ayame went to her father as he closed up shop.

Naruto headed on his way home. Maybe they're all not so bad, he thought as he walked toward the village.


As Naruto got closer to his apartment, he noticed a group of villagers following him from behind. They crept behind him as he left Ichiraku Ramen, growing with every step. Wow, they just had to go and ruin a good day, he thought.

He called out to them with his back turned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Isn't it a little weird to follow a child late at night? I thought this was a village of love and peace", he said with contempt.

Naruto turned to face the large crowd of villagers. They were holding pitchforks, broken bottles, and bats, looking to cause pain.

Naruto smirked and decided to have some fun with them.

"Are you here to bow before the 'mighty demon'? Or are you here to beg for mercy?" Naruto taunted.

The crowd grew enraged by Naruto's words, causing some to surge forward at him, hoping to catch him off guard.

However, Naruto was too fast for them. Even going against a child, the villagers had no chance. He avoided their clumsy attacks and disappeared. A chubby villager who had rushed forward to impale Naruto with his pitchfork was left stabbing the air, wondering where he'd gone.

"Where did he go?" "Did you get him?" Some murmured in the crowd.

"You shouldn't be so reckless," Naruto said from atop a lamppost. He was standing up with his hands in his pockets. "I'm not the one who attacked your precious village," he said.

"Shut up, you demon!" one of them shouted. "You're the reason why we lost so many people!" Another said. "You're the reason why we live in fear! You're responsible for the destruction of the Leaf Village! You're the Fox reincarnated!" They cried out.

"Ha! Don't make me laugh" Naruto retorted. "I don't know what's stupider, believing that I am the Fox or thinking that I'm the reason why your loved ones died. The only ones to blame for their deaths are you."

The crowd got silent.

"If you were stronger, you could've protected them." Naruto tilted his head slightly. "Assigning reasons and responsibilities for death are what those who are weak do and..." Naruto said.

"You're weak" Naruto stated.

That was the breaking point for the mob, they flew into a frenzy. They rushed at Naruto with a roar; they wanted to make him pay for their suffering with his suffering. Naruto dodged and evaded their attacks with ease, using his enhanced perception to perceive their attacks. These were villagers not shinobi so most of them lacked any real training. He laughed and mocked them; he was having fun toying with them.

However, his fun was soon interrupted by the arrival of two chūnin ninjas, who had heard the commotion and came to investigate. They saw Naruto surrounded by angry villagers, who were trying to harm him.

"What's going on here?" one of the chūnin asked.

"Wait, that's him", the other said recognizing Naruto. "The demon," he said, his eyes filled with hatred. "You're as good as dead, kid!"

They charged at Naruto, eager to get their revenge on the 'demon' responsible for the death of their parents.

Dang it, Naruto thought. The villagers were nothing, but these were trained ninjas, who were much faster and stronger. He was outclassed in every regard.

He quickly decided to use his only advantage: his eyes. He focused them on the two charging chūnin and analyzed their every movement. He could see the attacks as if they were moving in slow motion, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid their blows. He tried to keep his distance, but the two chūnin were relentless.

He took a punch to the gut and coughed up blood. Naruto attempted to throw a punch with his left, but it was easily blocked. Then his arm was grabbed, swung and he was thrown into a wall. This was followed by several kicks to his crest, breaking his ribs and causing internal bleeding. They were determined to put an end to the 'demon' once and for all. Naruto couldn't compete with them.

"Hahahahaha, who's the weak now brat" a villager taunted as the mob cheered at the sight of Naruto's pain.

Naruto, bloodied, bruised, and barely breathing, tried to get up and fight back, but he couldn't do anything. He was far too young and weak. He could perceive their attacks but couldn't capitalize on any openings due to the difference in speed and strength. He felt hopeless and angry at himself.

One of them took a kunai out of his pouch and screamed, "Die!" as he hurled it towards Naruto's head. The sharp metal blade glistened off the moonlight as it flew through the air, heading straight to end his life.

Can't believe this is the end... hmph, things were just starting to get interesting, Naruto thought. He braced himself for the end. However, something strange happened. Everything began to slow down around him. He had normally possessed enhanced perception, but this was different. Everything was frozen and he could see, hear, and feel everything around him. This was the first time this had happened to him.

Just as this was happening, a voice echoed in his head. "Is this how you want your story to end?" It spoke.

Naruto looked behind him and saw an older man with long white hair, with his fringes just reaching his eyes. He had a scar on the right side of his lip and wore a dark-colored haori. The old man had a stature that radiated confidence, dominance, and power. The old man looked at Naruto, revealing that he had the same eyes as him. "Show them your power," the old man commanded, his eyes glowing.

At that moment, Naruto felt a surge of information flood into his mind. He instinctively formed a hand sign, being the half-tiger/ram seal. A 'wall' was generated from Naruto, slowing down the kunai as it approached him. The speed of the kunai was infinitely decreasing the closer it got to Naruto to the point in which the kunai looked as if it was suspended in the air. He was extremely shocked.

Is this the power he was talking about, Naruto wondered.

"Good." The old man said. "Use this power and your eyes to become the strongest," he said before fading away.

Before Naruto could think about what happened, he felt a wave of exhaustion and dizziness. He had overexerted himself and drained his chakra from using this ability. He collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

The villagers and the chūnin were shocked and terrified by what they had witnessed. They had never seen such a power before, such a power that defied logic and reality. They were frozen in fear and awe.

Before anyone could do anything else, an Anbu squad arrived on the scene in a flash of smoke. They wore black cloaks and animal masks to conceal their identities. The Hokage had sent them as he felt a sudden spike in Naruto's chakra, indicating that the boy was possibly in danger. He ordered his Anbu to see what was happening and protect Naruto if necessary.

The squad arrived to find Naruto lying on the ground, bloodied, beaten, and unconscious. They saw the two chūnin and the mob of villagers with their weapons in hand.

The leader of the squad, Dog, stepped forward and said, "Tiger, grab the boy and take him to a private ward in the Hospital. I'll report to the Hokage and meet you there." He looked at the remaining squad members and said, "Arrest the villagers and take the chūnin to the Intelligence Division to be interrogated."

"Hai, Captain!" they replied before carrying out his orders.

Tiger picked up the unconscious Naruto and held him in his arms. Not before using Shunsin no Jutsu (Body Flicker technique) and disappearing in a swirl of leaves before reappearing in Konoha Hosptial, where Naruto would receive medical attention. Dog questioned some witnesses to get their testimony disappearing in a swirl of leaves headed to the Hokage's office and inform him about what had transpired.

/END OF CHAPTER/