The Uzumaki Slam

Underground Spectacle

"Damnit…why…why can't I do it." Naruto whispered to himself.

He had failed the exam to become a genin for the second time in a row. As he walked down the dark streets of Konoha he couldn't help but feel frustrated and embarrassed by his performance.

"I just…I just…"

Naruto couldn't even finish his words as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. He knew he wasn't ready to take the test. His taijutsu was poor, genjutsu abysmal, couldn't pull off a clone jutsu to save his life and the written test was hopeless. But he had to try. He had to become a ninja so he could become Hokage. He has to become Hokage so he can be acknowledged.

As much as Naruto did dislike the academy, at least he was around people his own age. The next few months of break from academy were the loneliest for Konoha's social pariah. He would much rather be getting made fun or and teased by his peers in the academy, then completely ignored and shunned outside of it.

Naruto was lost in his thoughts as he walked down the streets of Konoha towards the shadier side of town that his apartment resided in. Any other day he wouldn't have forgotten to make the turn that would put him on the street to his home. Tonight he didn't notice as he continued to think about his own failures. Tonight he kept walking down that dark street, never noticing the people that were standing in the next crossroad down looking around frustrated.

"Hey! Brat!" Naruto's head snapped up at the yell and his eyes focused on three men standing underneath the glowing streetlight, the one on the left trying to get his attention. Panic rose in his throat as he realized that he may walked into one of the more dangerous areas of the village. "Do you know where the Shimabuku Textile company is at?"

Naruto was ready to run after he called brat, but the question caught him off guard. Naruto took a second to take a look at the three men. Each one middle aged and wearing expensive looking kimonos with a katana and wakizashi. Extremely uncommon not only in this part of town, but also in Konoha in general.

"You guys aren't from around here." Naruto blurted out. Sometimes his mouth would speak his mind before he could recognize if that was a good idea or not. Judging from the scowl now on the man's face it wasn't.

"No." He replied his face tight. "We're from out of town."

"Oh…okay. What are you doing here?" Naruto asked with new curiosity.

"We have an appointment that we really must make."

'If they are from out of town…then they don't know the street names.' Naruto thought for a moment about how he learned that most of the streets outside the main thoroughfare were labeled for security reasons in the academy. Foreign shinobi would have a more difficult time navigating the village if they were invading Konoha's territory. If these men didn't know where they were going, then maybe he should be a good villager and help the tourists. That would make him look good right?

"Yeah!" Naruto yelled out suddenly and the man addressing him recoiled slightly. "Follow me!"

Naruto waved his arm and started walking down the street to the left in the crossroad. The man tried to protest and say all he needed was the directions, but Naruto refused saying that it would be faster if he just showed them. He could hear him start to protest again, but one of his companions just say that it didn't matter as long as they got there.

Naruto smiled as he stepped with a purpose through the streets. This was like a little mission for him! It only took them about ten minutes of walking, but the eventually they stood outside the small factory that always smelled like dye whenever Naruto walked by. It looked a little different than it did in the daytime with no lights on except for at the front door where a number of people were being let in after checking in with what looked like a chunnin at the door. Naruto could feel his curiousity rising.

"Thank's kid." One of the guys said as they walked by him. The one that said thanks pushed a 5000 ryo note into Naruto's hand. "Go get some food and keep quiet about this."

Naruto nodded eagerly with a smiled as looked at the money in his hands. Now he got payment for his first mission! And it could buy him a ton of Ichiraku!

Naruto immediately turned to start walking towards the ramen stand when a thought struck him. He had just led strangers through the streets to find somewhere off the main road and they had told him to be quiet about it.

'Oh man!' Naruto thought in a panic. 'What if they are bad guys and I just led them right where they could cause a problem! Why didn't I think of that sooner!'

Naruto paced in the street back and forth for a moment and chewed on his nails nervously. He looked back towards the door and could see that no one was standing outside anymore except for the lone chunnin watching the entrance. Should he see what was going on? Should he go tell old man Hokage?

After a minute Naruto made up his mind to try and sneak into the building and see what was going on. If it was nothing bad, then he shouldn't go interrupt the Hokage. And well…he was curious.

Carefully he snuck around the building looking for an alternate entrance to the place. It didn't seem like security wasn't actually a big deal as there were no other guards that he could see around the building. After about a minute he came to the back and saw another chunnin sitting asleep in a chair at the back door of the loading dock area. Naruto smirked as carefully snuck his way past the man and through doors and into the building.

The backdoor lead directly to the factory floor and Naruto was surprised to see that the factory was dark except for in the very center of the building where bright lights shown directly down. He could barely make it out from where he was, but Naruto could see a lot of people standing around and looking towards the light in the middle. They seemed to be chatting idly and enjoying some drinks.

Naruto thought this was weird, but he didn't see anything bad yet. He needed to investigate more to see what it was they were all looking at. He managed to sneak his way closer, before climbing on top of a piece of machinery and looking down into the circle. He didn't see anything there, but the men just seemed to be waiting.

"All right!" A voice shouted and a man walked into the center of the lit circle. "Both fighters come out!"

From the right side a man walked out and removed the cloak concealing his figure. He had light colored skin with shaggy brown hair that fell over one eye. He was wearing baggy urban camo pants with a black tank top and combat boots. The man was easily a few inches taller than Iruka sensei and definitely had more muscle mass.

'Whoa. He looks tough!' Naruto thought and to his surprise there was some applause from the group of spectators. Naruto eyed the man getting the applause smiled with excitement. What was going to happen and why was everyone cheering for him! What could Naruto do to get that kind of attention.

"Tanado Masao!" The man standing in the middle announced while waving his hand over. The cheer grew at the name and Naruto had to hold himself back from joining.

It was then that a second figure stepped out from the left side. Naruto eyes went wide and he gulped at the site of the giant man hidden under a bright red cloak. With suddenness the man ripped the cloak off and threw it up high.

Naruto felt his jaw drop at the sight as he saw who was standing in the center of the circle with his arms up high and the crowd cheering wildly. He was the most massive man that Naruto had ever seen, easily standing near seven feet tall with muscles so large that his thighs must have been double the size of Naruto's torso. The only clothing that he wore were some calf high boots and a pair of skin tight shorts that couldn't have even reached mid-thigh. His skin was tan and covered with scars, his black hair was slicked back and he had a huge smile on his face as he slowly circled around the crowd to gaze at him. Even if Naruto didn't recognize him, the crowd certainly let him know at they chanted.

"Seki-ba-yashi! Seki-ba-yashi! Seki-ba-yashi!" They chanted.

"That's Sekibayashi Jun!" Naruto said out loud in amazement. What the heck was a famous pro wrestler doing here?

Naruto had seen the man on tv a few times as he was searching for something the watch. At first he found it interesting to watch, but when he tried to talk one of his classmates about it they made fun of him and told him that it was all fake. Naruto acted like he knew that the whole time and said that he liked it anyway, but he never watched it again after that. He still knew this man though from his time watching.

Sekibayashi Jun was the most famous and well known veteran wrestler on the scene when he was watching. The man dominated in his matches and put on a show every time. The ones that Naruto had seen were some of his favorite matches! And now this man was getting chanted at like he was the Hokage!

"Sekibayashi Jun!" The man in the middle announced with a wave of his hand and the crowd roared with Naruto joining in. "You men know the rules. No jutsu, but weapons and chakra are allowed! Begin!"

"Hey rookie!" Sekibayashi called to Masao with a massive grin on his face. "I heard you won a couple of matches in a row! Don't think I'm anything like what you fought so far! I'm the first real warrior you're gonna face!"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he blinked and suddenly Masao was across the room with his right fist in Sekibayashi's jaw. 'I didn't see that!'

"A pro wrestler. Just shut up." Masao sneered as he held his fist to the turned jaw of Sekibayashi. "Your defense of full of holes."

Naruto's jaw dropped as he saw Sakibayashi smile while the fist was still pushing against his cheek.

"Sorry about that. Habit of the trade!" Sakibayashi grinned before he swung his right arm under Masao and ripped him off his feet. The resounding impact of the arm whip slam into the concrete left an imprint on the ground the air out of the lungs of Masao.

'Wha..what?' Masao thought in a panic before he saw the massive boot coming down towards his face. He rolled away quickly as the foot smashed down in the floor making a small impact crater.

"Nice reaction!" Sakibayashi laughed and launched himself at Masao again. The smaller man dodged a massive swing and threw three heavy blows into Sekibayashi's body.

'That's good!' Thought Sekibayashi with a smile as he felt the blows and pushed through to Masao.

'Those hits aren't even slowing him down!' Naruto realized as Sekibayashi was hit again. Without warning the colossal suddenly threw out his massive leg in a kick towards Masao torso. There was no chance to dodge a blow like that and Misao raised his arms in an attempt to block as best he could.

The tree trunk like leg smashed into his guard and sent him flying back through the crowd and into a piece of machinery.

"That guy weighs at least 200 pounds and Sekibayshi sent him flying backwards!" A man near Naruto's spot shouted at one of his friends. Naruto couldn't believe that a kick that looked as haphazard as one of his own sent that man flying like a ball.

'Is this pro wresting?' Naruto had to wonder.

"This is good!" Sekibayashi shouted as Masao picked himself up and started walking back towards the center. "We are giving a good show! Wrestlers have a responsibility!"

"Responsibility?" Masao spit a glob of blood out onto the floor. "What the hell are you talking about."

"What do you think! To give a good show!" Sekibayashi roared. "It doesn't matter if you come with your fists, a blade or a bomb! Pro wrestlers have a responsibility to take it on and overcome everything! That way the fans can see them triumph!"

"You're an idiot." Masao shouted as he ran back at Sekibayashi. The large wrestler through a haymaker that the smaller Masao ducked under before snapping a kick up that connected with Sekibayashi's jaw and sent his head backwards. Naruto could only watch in amazement as the smaller man used the opening to throw punch after punch into old wrestlers face and body. The wrestler seemed to be reeling and stumbling backwards. The crowd roared at the thought of an upset as Sekibayashi seemed to be reeling from the damage.

Masao twisted his body around his axis to throw a perfect kick aimed at Sekibayashi's temple to end the match. Masao and everyone gasped suddenly when Masao felt the thick muscled arms of Sekibayashi wrap around his back and under the leg that kicking him.

"Okay Kid, Play times over!" Sekibayashi sang out before he picked Masao up and into the air and brought their faces close. "Let me tell you something! Wrestlers are good actors!"

The sound of flesh hitting concrete rang out through the factory as he threw the man down onto his stomach. Naruto winced as the brutality of the move performed on a hard surface instead of the wrestling ring. Naruto was sure that if the man was unable to use chakra to reinforce his body then he would have been completely unconscious.

The crowd cheered as Sekibayashi paid them attention and seemed to egg on the applause! Naruto cheered with everyone else as he spun around and waved at everyone. Then Naruto could see a glint of metal coming from behind Sekibayashi.

"Look out!" Naruto shouted.

Sekibayashi spun around quickly to see a knife being thrust at him and just stood there. The blade hit him and the crowd watched in shock as the knife only sank an inch into his flesh. Masao looked in shock as he couldn't plunge the blade any further into his muscled torso.

"I told you!" Sekibayashi shouted. "I have a responsibility to take on everything!"

Masao barely saw the slap come across his face from the veteran wrestler, but the blow had the force of horse and made him spin and face the other direction. He vaguely felt massive arms wrap around his stomach from behind before he felt his body being violent ripped backwards and upside down. If not for his years of training he wouldn't have instinctively sent chakra to his head to reinforce his body.

Naruto thought for a moment that he just witnessed the first person he had ever seen die. Masao's head slammed backwards and into the concrete from the suplex the wrestler performed. The concrete underneath of the pair imploded from the force.

Then shockingly the massive wrestler flipped over while keeping his hold on Masao. He reestablished his footing and began lifting his opponent again.

"One more for the road!" He shouted as he suplexed the man again. The crowd was silent as Sekibayashi flipped once more onto his feet after letting go of his opponent. He was bloody, but smiling and took a bow to everyone. The crowd roared as the man that announced them at the beginning now called the match.

Naruto cheered and shouted with everyone else. Sekibayashi looked his way and shot him a grin with a wink. Naruto beamed at the recognition as he watched Sekibayashi walk out of the circle and away towards what he assumed was a locker room.

'That was amazing!' Naruto thought.

"What the hell are you doing here."

Naruto's stomach dropped as he heard the harsh voice behind him. Naruto turned around wide eyed and spotted the two chunnin glaring at him from behind.

"S-sorry!" Naruto squeaked as he was forcefully grabbed and hauled to the back of the factory. The moment they broke out of the doors Naruto snuck in through he was violently thrown against the brick wall of the factory.

"You think you are welcome in here demon brat!?" One hissed.

"Wh-what's the big deal!" Naruto shouted. "It was just a fight! It's n-"

Naruto's face exploded with pain one of the men backhanded his metal plated glove across Naruto's face. He could feel his cheek start to swell and copper taste in his mouth. He spits some blood out onto the ground at his feet. Why was this happening?

"You don't belong here trash! You don't belong anywhere!" The other shouted.

Naruto felt tears of frustration come to his eyes. Why? Why was he told things like this! No one else was called the things he was called. Why was he trash!

"I'm not trash!" Naruto shouted. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I'm gonna be the next Hokage, dattebayo!"

"Hokage?" One sneered. "Never."

"You might not even survive the night. You saw something you shouldn't have seen." The other said and Naruto's eyes went wide with fear. "Depends on what the boss says."

"W-what? It-it was just a fight!" Naruto pressed his back even further into the wall trying to get as much separation as possible.

"What the hell are you two doing." A new voice announced from the rooftop above. Naruto's heart leapt for joy at the newcomers voice and watched as he jumped down and landed behind the two. Naruto didn't recognize the new ninja, but the other two men were clearly wary of the man. Perhaps he would be fine after all.

"All you two had to do was watch the entrance!" He hissed out suddenly and Naruto's heart dropped. "I brought you in on this deal and you two fuck me over your first time?"

"S-sorry Sekai I wa-" He was suddenly cut off by strike across the face that sent the chunnin into the ground.

"You idiot! Now he knows my name!" The one known as Sekai growled out. He closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration. "Fuck it. Kill the kid and clean this mess up."

"You sure?" The one still standing asked nervously. Sekai glared at him and thought the man started to shake with fear, he didn't move on Naruto. "Look at who the kid is."

Sekai finally turned and really looked at Naruto for the first time. Naruto gulped as Sekai's sharp eyes widened with recognition, before a sick grin over took his face. A cold feeling washed over Naruto.

"Holy shit." Sekai muttered. "What kind of luck is this! It's the fucking demon!"

"W-what-" Naruto started.

"Sekai." The one stated. "If we do this to him, we are done in Konoha. You know that right? Every resource in the village will look into this."

"Who gives a fuck Tan." Sekai glared at him with a crazed look in his eye. "We are doing our job and taking care of a problem. If we need to flee the village, those people in that factory will take care of us to make sure none of their information get out."

"That's true…" Tan muttered. "Not like I have much here anyway. Do it Higa"

"My pleasure." The one that was struck earlier by Sekai wiped some blood off his chin as he glared at Naruto. He pulled a kunai out of the holster on his leg. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time. So long next Hokage."

"HERE HE IS!" A voice boomed from the doorway into the factory. "My biggest fan!"

The three ninja all turned around and looked at the giant that just ducked through the doorway. Sekibayashi Jun walked out with his arms spread apart wide and big smile on his face. His eyes locked on Naruto's scared ones. He was still dressed in his shorts, but now had a large open black coat that went down to his ankles.

"Sekibayashi." Naruto whispered at the sight.

"Sir." Sekai suddenly spoke up as the wrestler continued walking towards them. "Please return back inside. We are handling a security matter."

"What security matter?" Sekibayashi laughed. "That boy is with me."

Sekai glared at Sekibayashi. "No offense sir. But no. He's not."

Sekibayashi looked amused at the ninja, and Naruto noticed that his grin twisted a little bit. "Well I say he is."

"Listen here…Wrestler." The one known as Higa emphasized the wrestler in a derogatory manner and walked right up to the man with the kunai still in hand. "This is village business. Go back to your play fighting and leave us the fuck alone. I got a future Hokage to gut."

As Naruto watched the exchange he could see Sekibayashi's face get covered in shadow as he looked down towards the smaller man and the light above became overcast. Somehow though Naruto could see his pearly white teeth twist into a sadistic smile and his eyes almost seemed to glow red through the shadow.

"Thank goodness." There was a giddiness in the veteran wrestler's voice that chilled Naruto. "I was so bored from that match I thought that I wasted a trip."

"What the fu-" Higa was cut off with a boot collided with his chest and sent him flying back with a sickening crunch into the alley wall right next to Naruto. Sekibayashi stood there with his leg out from a straight kick. The other two ninja looked in shock as he put his foot down and then pulled off his jacket and threw it backwards.

"Come on ninja!" Sekibayashi shouted as he crouched down low into a tackling stance. "Show me!"

"Shit" Sekai muttered as he looked at his companion sprawled out next to Naruto. "Tan. Take care of this idiot and keep it down."

"Right." Tan agreed as he pulled out a pair of tonfa batons that he had secured to the small of his back. "I'll make it quick and quiet."

"Awe." Sekibayashi whined. "I feel terrible for your girlfriend."

Naruto blushed at the retort, but kept his eyes focused on the fight about to happen. Tan snarled at the insult and flew forward with his batons swinging. Sekibayashi swung a massive fist towards the ninja that he ducked under and countered with a baton directly to the nose of the wrestler.

Naruto gasped as blood sprayed up into the air from his rescuer. His nose now crooked, the wrestler had a nearly deranged look on his face as he looked incredibly happy. Tan scowled at the older man and immediately started swinging again. Blows started to rain down on the wrestler in a blur that Naruto could barely see flashes of. Blood was spraying around the walls and on the ground, but Naruto saw something that shocked him.

Sekibayashi was advancing forward.

The man kept stomping forward and Tan was actually retreating a step at a time. Blow after blow landed, but it didn't stop him. Suddenly Tan leapt backwards and took some distance while breathing heavily.

"Do you always get worn out before partner?" Sekibayashi taunted. "Now I'm starting to feel bad for you and your girl."

"Fuck you!" Tan sheathed his tonfa and started blitzing through hand signs before slamming his hands on the ground. "Earth Release: Stone spear!"

A spear of earth erupted out of the ground in front of Tan launching straight towards Sekibayashi.

"Bring it!" Sekibayashi yelled as he swung his fist at the spear. To Tan and Naruto's shock the spear exploded sending earthen shrapnel flying about. A chunk crashed into Tan's gut knocking him to his knees. Naruto cried out in pain as a chunk of rocks hit his shoulder ripping through the fabric of his orange jacket and cut into his arm.

'Shit' Sekibayashi thought as he looked at the kid now injured because of his carelessness. He could feel some pain coming from his fist and brought it up to look at it. His middle and ring finger were twisted at awkward angles and blood was running down hand. 'This was getting interesting and then I screw up like that.'

"Sorry kid." Sekibayashi apologized and Naruto looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "I'll make it up to ya. Watch this."

Naruto watched Sekibayashi sprint forward towards the recovering Tan. The ninja had no time to react at all as the wrestlers bicep collided with his throat in a clothesline blow that cut off his air supply and threw the back if his head and neck into the hard ground. The eyes of the ninja glazed over with unconsciousness towards the night sky.

"And then there was one." Sekibayashi turned around and rolled his neck around making the joints pop loudly. Sekai stood there glaring, but didn't look nervous by any means.

"I guess you did me a favor. I was going to have to kill them after this screw up anyway." Sekai commented as he unsheathed a tanto from behind his back. "I know the client likes you. So I am gonna give you one last chance to back off. I am not like the trash you fought before."

"Good! The best should always be saved for the climax!" Sekibayshi puffed out his chest and slapped his bloody hand against it. Then in the next second Sekai appeared behind with Sekibayashi with his back to him. Blood spurt out from the wrestlers arm as a cut a couple of inches deep appeared on it.

"You are tough." Sekai said as he turned around to face the wrestler again. "That should have taken your arm off."

"With a letter opener like that? Fat chance." Sekibayashi laughed and Naruto couldn't understand why.

'That guy is way better than the other two! He moved so fast I couldn't see him until old man Sekibayashi was bleeding!' Naruto thought. 'This guy is a real deal ninja! He's just a pro wrestler that doesn't use jutsu!"

"Fine. Then I guess its death by a thousand paper cuts." Sekai launched forward with a laugh before vanishing from sight again. Non-lethal cuts started appearing all over Sekibayashi's body and Naruto could only feel guilt and worry towards the man that was trying to rescue him. After more of the blows continued to slash out at him, Naruto had enough.

"Stop!" Naruto yelled and the two men pasued and looked at him. "Let him go! It's me you want!"

"Shut up." Sekai snarled. "Just accept that you are the reason this man is about to die demon."

Naruto felt tears spill down his cheeks as the guilt crashed down on him. The first person that ever tried to help him out of a beating was about to be killed right in front of him.

"Hey kid!" Naruto snapped out of his thoughts to look at Sekibayashi giving him a disappointed look. "You messed up the climax."

"W-what?" Naruto stuttered in confusion.

"Don't you know?" Sekibayashi grinned confidently. "The more I'm drivin to the ropes, the bigger the thrill when I turn it around!"

Sekai rolled his eyes as Naruto gaped in wonder.

"Whatever." Sekai muttered before vanishing again as he sliced past Sekibayashi again with a cut to the mans thigh. To his great surprise though he stopped moving and could feel a large hand gripping the back of his vest.

"You speedy sword guys are all the same. All style and no substance." A dark voice growled behind him. "The act's over. Time to finish this."

Before Sekai could retort anything, he was suddenly driven into the ground on his chest. He tried to get up immediately, but the wrestler's massive frame sat on his back and pinned him to the ground. He felt two hands wrap around his foot and ankle and begin to twist.

SNAP

Sekai howled in pain as the joint broke from the pressure. Before he could even think of escaping from the pain he was being hauled into the air by the injured limb and thrown with force he didn't think was possible into a wall. Sekai's vision darkened around the edges, but he tried his best to stand back up as he tried to suck air into his lungs and spit out blood at the same time. He looked up just int time to see two feet coming right at him.

Naruto watched as Sekibayashi sailed through the air with a dropkick that connected directly with the face of the ninja. Not even the brick wall could withstand the pressure as he drove Sekai straight through it and created a hole into the factory wall. Sekibayashi stood up from his crouched position and both of them watched some of the bricks fall on top of the unconscious body Sekai.

"That was way more entertaining than that pansy in there." Sekibayashi announced happily as he wiped his hands to clean them off.

"That was incredible! Thank you so much." Naruto shouted as he jumped up and away from the wall. A few minutes ago, he thought he was going to die against that wall and now he watched the greatest fight he had ever seen.

"No problem kid." Sekibayashi said as he walked over and stood in front of Naruto. Naruto barely reached the mans stomach and he had to practically bend backwards to be able to see the mans face. "What was that about anyway?"

"I…I kind of snuck in." Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Seemed like more than that." Sekibayashi grunted with a raised eyebrow questioning him as he gripped his nose and pushed it back into place. He did the same with his dislocated fingers.

"I…I…" Naruto's voice trailed off as he tried to form words. He didn't know why they hated him so much. How could he possibly explain it, especially to a man this. This man wasn't even a ninja, but he had everything that Naruto wanted in life. He had strength. He had charisma. And most of all, he had recognition.

"Well, whatever. It was good entertainment. Chiaki, towel please." Sekibayashi said as he started to walk back towards the doors he came out of. Standing there was a blond haired woman with her hair up in a bun wearing a black pantsuit. Naruto had never even noticed her, but it looked like she had been standing there the whole time with a bored look on her face. She had a towel already prepared in her hand and gave it over to the man without a word.

"Well see you around kid." He said as he started to towel off the blood and walk into the factory again.

"W-wait!" Naruto shouted as he scrambled towards the two. He couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"Please! Teach me!" Naruto begged.

"What?" He gave Naruto an incredulous look. "What the hell are you talking about kid."

"I-I want to be like you." Naruto pleaded and Sekibayashi narrowed his eyes.

"You want to fight in back alleys for the thrill of it?" He growled.

"N-no."

"You want my money?"

"N-no."

"My power!"

"I don-"

"Then what?" He shouted in Naruto's face.

"I w-want y-your recognition." Naruto sobbed with tears rolling down his cheeks. Sekibayashi cocked an eyebrow and looked confused for a minute.

"So, you want to be famous." His voice sounded almost disappointed.

Naruto shook his head. "I want to be seen."

"What are you talking about kid."

"I don't know!" Naruto cried and shouted. "I don't know why they all hate me! They call me names! Kick me out of stores or even worse ignore my presence all together! I don't know what I did! But I can't keep doing this! I pull pranks and annoy people in the village just to get some kind of attention. Anything! "

Sekibayashi had an indescribable look as he observed the young blonde. What was this kids deal? He decided to help the kid because quite frankly he was bored. The kid shouted a warning in the first match that didn't really matter in all honesty. He was expecting to get attacked from behind the moment he turned around, it was all part of the show he wanted to put on, but the warning added a little showmanship.

Sekibayashi looked at the boys shoulder that was injured from the previous shrapnel he caused. He was surprised to see that besides some light bruising around the exposed shoulder, it looked perfectly fine. 'That should be swollen, bloody and dislocated. Brat may be kind of tough for being such a twig.'

"I thought you wanted to be Hokage according to them." He gestured to the three unconscious men. "Why would you want to be a wrestler all of a sudden."

"I don't want to be a wrestler. I want to be a ninja."

"Kid I'm not a ninja. I can't train you to be one."

"I don't care!" Naruto shouted. "You are strong! You took out three ninja by yourself! I know you can help me."

"A ninja that uses wresting huh…" Sekibayashi was amused with the kid, but that wasn't enough. "you said they all hate you. What are you going to do with my power to get your recognition. You gonna make them fear you?"

"I don't want them to fear me!" Naruto shouted with wide eyes. "I want them to love me!"

Sekibayashi's eyes widened. He expected the kid to back pedal and back down somewhat. He would have instantly refused the kids request. He wanted the kid to show some honesty and say that he wanted them to fear him. He didn't expect this to be the kid's honest answer.

'They hate him and scorn him. Openly say they are going to murder him…and he wants this place to love him?' He thought. A wide grin broke across his face with an intense look in his eyes. He kneeled down to Naruto level and stared into his eyes with a fire before poking a massive finger into the boys chest.

"Do you remember what I said about a wrestlers responsibility." He asked.

Naruto nodded. "Fists, blades, or bombs. It doesn't matter, it was your responsibility to take it all on."

"Yeah, that's right. But you have another one don't you." Sekibayashi asked, but Naruto just looked at him confused. "Hate."

Naruto's eyes widened as he was poked in the chest again hard enough to make him stumble back a step.

"Hate is what they attack you with."

Another poke.

"Hate is what they throw at you."

Another poke.

"Hate is they cut you with."

Naruto almost fell backwards from the last poke, but the giant grabbed his shoulders and firmly held him up.

"That hatred is your responsibility to take on. That hatred will temper your body. That hatred will give you strength." Naruto's eyes widened at conviction in Sekibayashi's voice. "You are going to put on such a show, there's no way they won't love you."

For the first time in years Naruto felt tears leak out of his eyes due to happiness. He did his best to nod, but he was sure he looked like a blubbering mess as he rubbed his eyes and the snot from his face.

"Yes!"

Without warning Sekibayashi clapped his hands on Naruto's shoulders and stood up. "We got a lot of work to do. Chiaki. Contact the agency and make arrangements for my stuff. We're moving to Konoha for a while."

"Right away sir."

"You ready for this kid?" He grinned down at Naruto as Chiaki disappeared into the building. "Not gonna quit on me."

Naruto smiled back looking completely determined.

"I never quit."

"Atta boy."

Any other night Naruto would have made the turn towards his apartment at that crossroads, perhaps in another universe he did. But right now, in this universe he didn't. Instead, he encountered a man that would change his life forever. Whether that was a good thing or not…that was yet to be seen.

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Hello everyone. So this is the first chapter of concept I had recently and wanted to bring to fruition after reading Kengan Ashura. It's kind of working title, so if anyone has any title recommendations shoot me a PM.

Originally I wanted to do this in a long one shot that flew through the timeline fairly quickly, but that just doesn't really fit my writing style. Instead I have stupidly decided to take on another project. Demon Shinobi averages about 15-20k words per chapter. I want to aim on the lower side with this story and glass of the kitsune and be between 4-5k words a chapter hopefully. That should allow me to make the updates as often as I think will work.

Let me know what you think please!