Naruto

Honor of a Kitsune

Chapter I


"Naruto you're going to be late." came the voice of one Uzumaki Kushina, Naruto's mother.

Uzumaki Naruto finished brushing his teeth and put on his jacket and left his room. For most of his life he lived shunned simply because he had the Kyubi sealed inside of him. Sure it was made better knowing he had some people who actually cared for him but that feeling of loneliness still gripped his heart.

Naruto walked downstairs with his goggles secured around his forehead, the place where one day a hitai-ate would rest, marking him a true shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. Today however marked the day he would finally graduate from the Ninja Academy and earn his place among the ranks of those who came before him, people like Sarutobi Hiruzen and Namikaze Minato, two of his idols. Naruto walked out the front door of his house and jumped up onto the nearest rooftop. It was often much easier to travel by rooftop than street level if just to avoid the cold stares.

While Kushina did everything in her power to make Naruto's life better she was still just one person and most of the village still blamed Naruto for the Kyubi's actions simply because the Kyubi was sealed inside him by Minato the Fourth Hokage. Naruto never knew why he was chosen since Kushina never talked about that night but Naruto knew she lost her husband to the fox, her husband and his father.

Naruto arrived at the academy within minutes by running from rooftop to rooftop. He was faster than most people his age, which Naruto attributed to the Kyubi and his training, and the constant running from anyone with the intent to harm him. Naruto took his seat next to Sasuke who he shared a silent greeting with as he sat down. Now most people didn't know this but Naruto and Sasuke were close friends though neither would admit it out loud that's just how they were.

Just then two girls burst in through the door yelling about who entered first a daily occurrence and a headache for everyone. These two girls were Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura, the two biggest fangirls of one Uchiha Sasuke.

"Move it Naruto I'm sitting next to Sasuke." demanded Sakura.

Naruto being Naruto who had been reading a book deigned it worthy to pull a page from another one of his idols' books.

"I'm sorry Sakura, did you say something?" Naruto asked in mock confusion.

Anyone who knew Naruto knew he did this often to piss people off since those he did it to were often people who didn't like him anyway. In this case Haruno Sakura.

Sakura reared her fist back ready to hit Naruto when her wrist was grabbed by none other than Umino Iruka, head instructor for Class 1-A.

"Sakura I hope you weren't planning on Hitting anyone as that would be another strike on your card." Iruka said calmly.

"Of course not Iruka-sensei." Sakura said sheepishly as she went to sit somewhere else.

"A;right class today is your final exam for your graduation. It will be broken into three parts: a written exam, a practical exam, and a jutsu exam. Pass all three parts and you graduate. Fail all three and you repeat the last year of the academy." Iruka explained. "Let's start with the written exam."

Iruka passed out the test papers before taking a seat in front of the class to watch over the exam. Normally there would be two instructors per class but the assistant instructor for Class 1-A called in sick at the last minute.

The written exam went smoothly, no one was caught cheating and everyone finished within the time limit making it to the next exam, the practical exam. For the practical exam each student had to show skill with both shuriken and kunai then do a spar with a classmate to show they understood the basics of ninja didn't have to win the spar just show they knew the basics of combat.

Finally was the jutsu exam. This exam would test one's understanding of jutsu which was a big part of being a ninja. There were three ninjutsu and then breaking of a genjutsu. Naruto struggled with genjutsu due to being a jinchuriki but he ever let that slow him down. He could break out of them just fine but he couldn't perform them.

Each student was called one by one to an adjacent room for the final exam finally it was Naruto's turn.

"Naruto." called Iruka.

Naruto walked forward then into the next room where Iruka was waiting. Naruto walked to the center of the room ready for the final exam.

"Alright Naruto please perform the Kawarimi." Iruka said.

Naruto made the required seal and instantly replaced himself with a log then back.

"Good, now the Henge." Iruka said.

Naruto transformed himself into the Third Hokage then back into Naruto.

"Good and finally, the Bunshin no Jutsu." Iruka said.

Naruto made his seal different from the normal seal for the Bunshin no Jutsu which caught Iruka's attention.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled and was immediately flanked by four clones, two on either side.

"Very good Naruto. Though I have to ask where you learned such an advanced jutsu?" Iruka asked.

"Ka-chan taught me when it was clear I would never be able to perform the basic clone jutsu from the academy." Naruto replied.

"I see well congratulations you pass." Iruka said offering Naruto a Hitai-ate.

Naruto grabbed the hitai-ate with a smile, he did it, he was finally a ninja now he would show Konoha he was more than just the kyubi. Naruto took off his goggles and tied his Hitai-ate around his forehead and walked outside where everyone was waiting including Kushina. Naruto saw his mother and ran over to her and hugged her tight.

"I did it Ka-chan, I'm a ninja just like you and Tou-san." Naruto said.

"Your father would be proud if he were here." Kushina said with a big smile. 'Minato, your son will one day rock the very foundation of the shinobi world.'

With everyone having finished their exams not a single student failed the exam but this was just the beginning of their journeys. What lay ahead of them would shape who they were as shinobi and mold the future of the shinobi world.

Off to one side with her family was Yamanaka Ino who while she was a die hard fangirl of Sasuke and had a huge crush on Sasuke had a small yet solid crush on Naruto.

'So you did it Naruto. I'm glad.' Ino thought to herself.