Chapter 5

The Ninja Academy.

A school built to train the next generation of shinobi to protect the Leaf. The place where children go to learn, have fun, and train to become loyal shinobi of the Leaf.

And today, Uzumaki Naruto, future Shinobi and Hokage of the Leaf, would show everyone what he was capable of.

Waving goodbye to Suzuki-san, Naruto eagerly made his way into the building, ignoring (or not seeing) the glares of adults and teachers alike. Unlike the other kids, he didn't need an adult to walk him to class, which, to him, already put him ahead of them. Walking to his assigned room, he stood in the doorway of the class and stared up at the 1-C sign hanging above the door. The chatter of excited students was muted as excitement jittered within the blonde. Pass this threshold lay his future. From this day onward, he would train, get stronger, smarter, and be one step closer to proving to his friend wrong. He would be Hokage one day and nothing was going to stop him!

Taking a deep breath, his placid features sharpened ever so slightly before he walked forward.

The sound of chatter became apparent once more, even more so. In nearly every seat sat a kid casually conversing with another, smiles on their faces, and likely just as excited as he to become ninja. The sight would have brought a smile to his face if he had been able. Scoping the class, he searched for the best place to start his year.

He found it unoccupied in the top-right corner of the room. Smiling internally, he made his way up the nearby stairs, passing by students who seemed to all pause their conversations to look at him. It wasn't exactly odd. The same thing happened whenever he was at the orphanage, so he had expected it, even if it somewhat unnerved him. By the time he'd reached his seat, the class had gone completely mute.

They were all staring at him.

Hushed whispers followed soon after, whispers that often included his name or 'that boy'.

But that was OK.

Because one day, he would get them all to acknowledge him.

A voice at the front of the class called all attention away from him. Their sensei, a tall, glasses-wearing, brown-haired woman wearing the Chunin uniform, had everyone back in their seats within seconds before introducing herself as Juri-sensei. Shortly after explaining some gibberish Naruto didn't care to listen to, she went from row to row, allowing the students to introduce themselves.

It was simple: say your name and what dreams you had for the future. So far, there have been no problems. Everyone's dreams, though not nearly as great as his, were all received well, with Juri-sensei throwing in a joke or two behind some.

Until it was his turn.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Unlike everyone else, his name wasn't said nearly as cheerily as when she called on the rest of the class. Her tone was cold, and the glare behind her glasses was unmistakable. All eyes were on him now, but unlike the cheer from before, it was replaced with an uneasy silence. Eyes that once held curiosity now held contempt or mockery as he stood to his feet.

That's OK.

Everything was fine.

Because he would show them.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto... and one day, I'm going to be Hokage."

The silence that followed was deafening.

The laughs that broke it hurt more than the silence ever could. Hurtful words were thrown his way, Juri-sensei doing nothing to stop or even reprimand them. In fact, the smirk on her face only made him grip his fist tighter. They were laughing at him—laughing at his dream.

But that was fine.

Sitting back in his chair, he allowed them all to laugh.

They could laugh all they wanted, because one day he would become Hokage. Then they would all have to acknowledge him once and for all.

They would see.

They would all see.

One Week Later...

This was his day.

After a week of anticipation and non-stop training, it was finally time for him to show off his skills.

To prove he wasn't weak.

To show everyone that he was not someone to be walked over like so many already have.

And he could say it was fate that his first opponent just so happened to be well-known, if the cheers from the rest of his classmates were anything to go by.

Neji Hyuuga.

A brown-haired kid about three inches taller than him with strange pupilless eyes and a look of complete indifference on his round face. Similar to the other Hyuuga girl in the class, he wore a short white yukata with a black shirt and spandex underneath. His trademark Hyuuga poker face was in place, but he was sure that would all change after he'd pounded it into the ground. He would make sure he—no, everyone respectd him when this was all over.

"Alright, you two. Remember to make the seal of confrontation before you start."

It was impossible for Naruto to stop the jitters as his right index and middle fingers connected with the Hyuuga across from him. The boy still looked as plain as a stone, but he was sure that would change once he realized how much stronger he was than him.

The moment their fingers parted, they both took five steps back and waited for the match to begin. To the blonde's awe, the Hyuuga got into a stance.

His left arm was extended towards him with his palms open while his right was pulled back to align with his stomach. His feet were spread, and the intense focus in his eyes honestly made his confidence waver.

His momentary nervousness was fleeting before the confidence in his own abilities replaced any doubt and stood in a somewhat awkward stance as he waited for the sparring to commence. No matter what he learned outside the academy, there was no way he trained harder than he did. He would prove today that even without help from adults, he could be strong—stronger than anyone in this village.

And that first step would be pounding this guy's face into the dirt.

And that's exactly what he set out to do the moment Juri-sensei's arm swung down. Not wanting to give his opponent the chance to strike first, he was already in front of him and ready to strike. Raising a fist back, he was sure the only reason the Hyuuga didn't so much as flinch was because he was still in shock from his sudden speed—which would all change as soon as he introduced his fist to his face.

Naruto honestly didn't know what happened next.

One moment his fist was heading towards the Hyuuga's face, and the next his chin had been forcibly snapped up and his chest felt like it was pelted with rocks. The last thing he felt before his feet left the ground was the feeling of something slamming into his stomach, taking the air out of him before rocketing him back.

Not a moment later, the ground introduced itself, and the pain it brought was nothing compared to the burning feeling he could feel coming from his chest. It was as if someone was continuously poking at a bruise, and it didn't stop no matter how much he curled or tried blocking out the pain.

What made everything worse was the voice that spoke in the now-quiet yard.

"Winner by ring out: Hyuuga Neji!"

The pain was sent to the back of his mind at those words. Pushing himself to an elbow, his eyes widened in horror as he saw himself at least 5 feet away from the makeshift circle that was their battle ground. In the center of that circle stood the Hyuuga, who was looking back at him with those unwavering strange eyes. It may have meant something to a trained individual, but to Naruto Uzumaki, all he could see was the Hyuuga looking down on him like everyone else.

The eyes that looked down on him as if he were nothing and would always be nothing. As if he were just a pebble in the road. As if nothing he did would ever be good enough to reach his level.

A strange feeling was surfacing.

Every part of his body felt shaky the longer he looked into the Hyuuga's eyes. It only grew once the boy turned on his heels and walked back to the cheering group of students, completely dismissing him. However, his eyes never left the Hyuuga's form even when he was swallowed up by the crowd.

Juri-sensei was saying something to him, but it fell on deaf ears. He realized what this was. It was foreign to him. He'd never once had such a feeling course through him like it had now. It overtook his thoughts, his body, and he was sure even his usually placid features.

Shame.

He was ashamed.

All those hours of 'training' he did alone and he just realized how far he was from being the best. The bragging and confidence he had were all but shattered, and thoughts of his arrogance began to overwhelm him. Doubt began to flood his mind, and it became more and more impossible to stop it.

On this day, something within him fractured.

Some time later...

It has been four months since then, and even he has begun to question his dream.

Since the day of his humiliation, he had found out quite quickly that mostly everyone in the class was far ahead of him in both smarts and physical exercise. Despite his determination and willingness to learn, there was just no way for him to catch up. They all had parents to support them, and if they didn't, they had teachers helping them long before he even joined the academy.

It was very demotivating.

However, that did not make him quit.

He still trained daily, pushing his body to its limits and studying as much as he could.

The problem was, he didn't understand the material like the others did. Math was typically taught by parents and caretakers, yet despite Suzuki-san's help with language, she did not have the opportunity to teach him Math before he'd moved out.

Worse, now that he lived alone in the apartments gifted by the Hokage to orphans of the academy, he had to take care of himself without the help of adults. By the time he got home, he was hungry. After cooking instant Ramen, or getting some from the nice folks at Ichiraku, he only had enough time to study and train for about an hour, maybe two, before he was asleep for the next day. In short, he didn't really have the time, and even if he did, there was little he could do on his own to improve his grades.

Then one day, he came to the realization that he just might not be able to become a great shinobi on his own.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

The blonde jolted at the call of his name. Standing to his feet, he looked around frantically before his eyes landed on an unamused Juri-sensei at the front of the class—the usual unapproving frown that she typically held only for him on her face.

He had fallen asleep.

And Juri-sensei wasn't happy; well, she was never happy with him, but looked more so at the moment.

"Since you have the time to sleep in my class, then you have time to answer the question."

Naruto blinked at her, it being clear after moments of silence that he didn't know whatever question that had been asked. Juri-sensei sighed and said, "If you'd put as much effort into studying as you do sleeping, then your grades wouldn't be so poor, Uzumaki."

The comment garnered a laugh from the rest of the class, Naruto shrinking in sudden embarrassment. "I asked what jutsu the Fourth Hokage was known for. Even a novice should be able to answer this, Uzumaki."

Naruto immediately searched his brain for the answer. The Fourth, his hero, was the one who stopped the Nine-Tails. He was the second youngest Hokage and was also known to be very fast. There was something about him written in the textbooks, but he couldn't understand some of the symbols and was too ashamed to ask for help.

He, didn't know the answer...

Like always...

He could feel his embarrassment rising already, the stares of his classmates growing in intensity the longer he took to answer...

Like always, the words 'I don't know' were about to embarrass him once-

"Hiraishin." The world suddenly froze. A voice he hadn't heard since he'd been saved that night rang through his head. It made him look around frantically. "The answer is the Hiraishin, Child."

Before he could speak to his only friend, the world around him unfroze, leaving him back in the awkward silence.

"Well?" The impatient voice of his teacher brought him back to his predicament.

"Hiraishin, Child." The irritated voice of his friend spoke once more, making him gulp before answering.

"Hiraishin, Juri-sensei."

Juri blinked, her look of impatience replaced with surprise. "That, is correct." Her voice came soft, softer than he'd ever heard her words before. Coupled with the surprise on her and everyone else's faces, it was a treat Naruto didn't know he needed. "Well done, Uzumaki... Though please make sure you get enough sleep before you come to my class." She said, Naruto noticing that, unlike usual, her words sounded more like an actual lecture than her simply speaking in anger. It made him actually feel like a student for the first time since he'd said his name.

He sat down slowly upon Juri-sensei continuing the lecture, but couldn't follow even if he wanted to. Thoughts were racing through his head at a mile a minute, the most prevalent being the reason why he was able to answer that question in the first place. Gratitude filled him as the image of his friend appeared in his head.

"Thank you...Onee-san."

Location: ?

"So you've finally built the courage to stand before me again."

Naruto looked to his feet in shame. He had meant to speak with his friend since that night, but he couldn't. Just days before, he declared he didn't need her help. He declared that he would become a shinobi on his own and that he did not require her help or that of any adult to achieve that.

He was proven wrong that same day. And instead of apologizing and thanking her like he should have months ago, he acted like a coward—like a kid...

He understood now.

He understood why he was making no progress. Why he was behind, and why he was getting no better in class. Why he still couldn't win a single fight in the Taijutsu class, or was always humiliated.

He needed help.

He couldn't do this alone.

"If there's something you wish to say, then speak." Naruto gulped. His friend's tone was sharp as always. It spoke of a warning that she would not entertain foolishness of any kind.

He decided to just say what he had been meaning to say all day. "I'm, sorry." He apologized, making sure to maintain eye contact while his fingers twiddled together. Yet Sothis remained unmoved, making the silence feel so much more uncomfortable than it otherwise would have been if she'd simply refused his forgiveness.

"...There is nothing to forgive, Child." She waved off, bringing relief to the blonde instantly. "You are but a child. It is to be expected of you to show childish tendencies... Though I will admit, you are more stubborn than any I've met or raised."

"...Sorry."

"There is no need to apologize a second time, Child. The first shall suffice... But forgiveness is not why you're here, is it?"

"Can, you help me? Help me to become a shinobi?"

Sothis was unmoved by the request—hard to be when she knew exactly what the boy would ask.

"Did you not comprehend our last conversation, or did you simply remove the memory entirely? I told you before, I will not assist you in the art of murder."

"Th-then don't teach me how to kill!" He retorted, desperation spilling into his plea. "Just how to fight! To do math! I can do the rest on my own!"

"It matters not what I teach you, Child. The profession you pursue demands a need for murder. This world demands it. Anything I teach will eventually be used to further that goal, and I have no wish to fuel such a cycle of hatred. If you cannot see that, then we have nothing more to discuss." Her words held finality. She knew the blonde knew it, and she was sure this would be the end of their discussion. The boy would not pester her any longer, and he would finally put an end to his foolish ambitions.

Apparently, she did not truly know Naruto Uzumaki and what he was willing to do to achieve his dreams.

"Then I'll just have to change the world!" Sothis's eyes widened, the determination in his eyes, a child no less, enough to move even her. "I'll stop the cycle of hatred! I'll make the world a better place! I'll get stronger! Strong enough to protect! Strong enough to not need to kill anyone!" He paused, his fist clenching as he remembered the words she'd said to him not long ago. "I, won't make promises I can't keep. I, may kill someone one day... But I swear, if I kill, then it will be my last option. You're the only friend I have, the only one I can depend on to treat me fair. If it's not you, then I, I won't ever become Hokage, and I can never change this world, so please," baffling her further, the boy got on all fours, prostrating before her in complete submission, "Please, please help me!"

Sothis remained silent in the wake of the blonde's heartfelt plea. Such words were not so easily spoken—by a child, no less. What he spoke of so casually wasn't something that could simply be done in a lifetime. It would take one, if not two. Even if he were to shake the foundation, it would still take decades for change to set in, not to mention the wall that was human nature. He could abolish the shinobi system all together, but even if he were the strongest across the land, it would not stop the next generation from building the cycle once more. It was a never-ending loop that no one, no matter their ambitions, could break completely. The boy knew not what he was promising.

And yet, the surety in his voice and the determination he exuded made her not want to crush something that could possibly evolve into greatness.

"And how exactly do you plan to set out on such an arduous task?" She asked, challenging the boy further. He opened his mouth to reply many times, yet nothing came out. The smile she wore grew at his lack of an answer. "So eager, yet doesn't even know where to begin. I'd expect nothing less of a child." The comment turned the boy's cheeks crimson—he truly knew not what he was getting himself into. He was but a kid. A kid making promises he knew not the depths of.

But if he was so determined, who was she to destroy such a dream for such a bright soul? A soul she knew was destined for greatness? A soul bound to her own?

Standing from her throne, she calmly walked down the stone steps to stand before the boy. His cheeks were still colored with embarrassment, yet looked her in the eye and nowhere else. She could already see the future in his eyes.

He would be great.

One of the best things to happen to this world.

It was in his blood as well as his soul. A soul of the purest white.

She would like a hand in molding that.

"Very well, Child." The confirmation was like a beacon to the boy. Immediately, his eyes lit up, his jaw slack and his mind blank. "If you are truly willing to accomplish such a feat, then I am willing to assist you in your endeavors... However," her brow suddenly creased, bring the boy down from the high he no doubt was about to go into. "You will not use what I give or teach you against the innocent. If you are to change this world, then it will be through understanding and not submission. That is the world you have promised, and I expect you to keep your word. I am not delusional enough to believe you can achieve it without bloodshed, but going down a darker path just because it's easier does not befit the image of the one I favor. The moment you stray from your path, even once, will be the moment I no longer consider you worthy. You are now my chosen, and I expect nothing less than perfection. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

She made sure that every word was pointed so the boy would understand the weight behind them. He was a bright soul, yet even the brightest can be corrupted. With her help, he would be a force that could truly bring change to this world.

His answer came in a form she was wholly unprepared for.

The boy suddenly shot forward, and the next thing she knew, his arms were wrapped around her waist. Eyes as wide as dinner plates, Sothis looked down at the mop of gold and green hair, her arms out awkwardly as if not knowing where to put them. She had hundreds of children before, yet she hadn't held even one of them in such a way, nor were they ever so forward. She was preparing to reprimand the boy but stopped upon hearing the muffled words in her breast.

"Thank you, Onee-san. Thank you so much."

Whatever she had ready on her tongue was swallowed, no longer having the urge to scold the child. Instead, the awkwardness vanished and an arm found its place around his back while the other came to gingerly run through his hair. She would later deny the smile that came to her face was anything but affectionate.

For now, she would allow this moment... Just this once...

Fodlan: ?

Jeralt never worried when Byleth disappeared. Whenever the little one wished to be alone, he could find her in one of three places.

The first is her room, wherever that may be for the night. The next would be the highest point in town. For reasons unknown, the girl recently found a hobby in climbing high places. Where such a love came from, he knew not, but as long as it brought the girl even a little bit of peace, then he really didn't care. And as for the third...

The clacking of wood against wood met his ear far before he'd reached the clearing. His eyes landed on the cause, momentarily stopping to take in the sight of his daughter swinging at the dummy, using the style they'd gone over countless times since she was old enough to hold a sword steady. Her form was impeccable, hitting the wooden dummy in its vitals like he'd taught her. It nearly brought a smile to his face if the girl hadn't suddenly chunked the wooden practice sword straight at him.

He snatched the training object from its trajectory effortlessly, lowering it to give an incredulous brow to the heavily heaving teal-haired girl. "I could've lost an eye, y'know." He joked, trying to bring the girl's spirits up, if even a little. To his dismay, the girl's reaction was to turn away from him and slowly stumble to a nearby bench. Feeling slightly disheartened, he followed suit, sitting next to the girl who was leaning forward to catch her breath.

Silence reigned between them—a silence Jeralt was used to by now. He didn't know if it was normal for a father and daughter to always share such an atmosphere, but he supposed this was just how they were.

But alas, even he felt the need to fill the lull at the moment. Something had obviously been bothering the girl, and with the long list of concerns she no doubt had, it was only right for her father to soothe them.

"Your form is good. A few years and you'll be unmatched." He started, opting to start with a compliment to dissuade any notion that he was upset for any reason. She'd finally caught her breath, yet she still remained with her head down, making it hard to see if his words had any effect. Seeing that the path he'd opted to go down was having no effect, he decided to just rip the bandage off. "Still thinking about that day?"

The words had a much-needed effect. The girl stiffened, and even though he couldn't see her face, he knew he'd hit the mark.

"I warned you, kid. That wasn't something you needed to see."

"...I wanted to." Her soft reply had him listening intensely. "He hurt me," a hand came to her chest, specifically her heart, where the blade had run her through. "He made the monster come out again. I could've...hurt people again. Killed people. It was only right that I watch him die. To show him that he failed and that I would live while he died... But..."

"...Didn't make you feel better, did it?"

A soft shake of the head was her reply.

"I, think about him a lot. Not that he nearly killed me, but how easy it was for him to kill me. How easy it is for the...monster, to come out. It...it scares me that I can hurt you, or my friends one day. And it scares me more that they could all, turn on me...like he did."

Jeralt's eyes widened. Byleth was shaking, and though her face was covered, he was sure the small droplets falling to her lap wasn't sweat. This was the second time he'd ever seen her cry, and like before, it twisted a knot in his gut. He knew what ailed her, yet even as her father, he could do nothing to reassure her. It was painful—more painful than even being run through.

"...I'll be honest with you, kid, I don't know how to fix this." He decided honesty would be the best course, bearing his weakness before his daughter. "I've run into many problems in my life, yet the one I don't ever seem able to solve is how to protect the ones I love." He joined the girl in leaning forward, thoughts of his former failures clouding his mind. Her head turned to meet his eyes, and he did his best not to wince at the bags in her eyes. "If I did, if I had the ability to make sure no harm ever came to you, no matter the circumstance, then you better bet that hair of yours that I would tear my arms off if it meant you would be safe."

His peace said, a lull passed between father and daughter. Both were now lower than they had been at the start of the conversation, and now that it had reached its peak, neither wished to continue. Rather, Byleth returned her head back down while her father looked dejectedly back down to the dirt.

Moments later, he felt something soft press against his shoulder. Looking to his right, he saw blue hair. Byleth, his daughter, was leaning against his shoulder. Once again, he did not know what to do. The girl wasn't saying anything, and he didn't know if this was the time to say anything or keep silent.

He chose the latter.

They sat in silence, just allowing the ambience to play in the background. His words wouldn't change much, if anything, but they came from the heart. They came from the most important person in her life.

And for now, that was enough.

A/N: This chapter Naruto is now 5 and officially old enough to join Academy. As you can see, he's not in the same class as the nine rookie genin, and that's 'somewhat' cannon. Remember somewhere that he took the Genin exams 3 times, so he should have, at some point, been in a class with Neji, TenTen and Lee... I think?

Received a lot of inspiration from you guys and I really appreciate it. When the time comes for those chapter ideas to be posted, credit will be give where credit is due!

Thank you all for the follows and favorites. If you like this story, consider giving my other work 'The Fate We Have Chosen' a try. Reviews, both good and bad, give me motivation to write, so please keep them coming, and I hope you all have a damn good day.

Current Age in Scene:

Byleth: 8

Naruto: 5