It was a beautiful night in the village of Kohana. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the thatched roofs and cobblestone streets. The air was cool and crisp, filled with the sounds of crickets and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
But amidst this tranquil setting, a small figure was darting through the shadows, a five-year-old boy running for his life. His heart pounded in his chest, echoing the shouts of the mob that pursued him. "Catch the demon!" they screamed, their voices filled with hatred and fear.
The boy's small legs pumped furiously, his bare feet slapping against the cold ground. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mingling with dirt and sweat. His mind raced with confusion and terror. "Why me again? Why always me?" he thought desperately. Every corner he turned, every dark alley he slipped into, seemed to offer no refuge from the relentless crowd.
Taking another turn into an alley, the moonlight shone on the boy, revealing his black hair tipped with white points and deep blue eyes. He wore a black shirt and pants with brown sandals. The boy was Naruto Uzumaki, standing about four feet tall. Naruto quickly took another turn, spotting a pair of trash cans. He jumped behind them just as the mob ran past, their footsteps echoing in the narrow alley.
He held his breath, trying to steady his pounding heart, and peered through a gap between the cans. The villagers, their faces twisted with anger, walked by without noticing him. Naruto stayed as still as possible, not daring to move until the last of the mob's footsteps faded into the distance.
Exhaling softly, he leaned back against the cold metal of the trash cans, allowing himself a moment of relief. The moonlight cast a gentle glow on his tear-streaked face.
"I've got to get rid of them," he whispered to himself, unaware of the two chunin tracking him from the rooftops.
He jumped back as they landed in front of him, their hateful eyes boring into him."Why? Why are you doing this? I did nothing to you!" the boy stammered.
One of the chunin, consumed by rage, grabbed the boy by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "Did nothing? You little demon, you killed my goddamn family!" the man screamed, his voice echoing through the narrow alley.
Naruto struggled, his feet dangling as he gasped for air, the chunin's grip tightening around his throat. His deep blue eyes filled with confusion and fear. He clawed at the man's arm, trying to break free, but unable to.
Naruto, unable to break free from the chunin's iron grip, bit down hard on the man's hand. The chunin yelped in pain and released him, clutching his injured hand. "You little shit, you'll pay for that!" he snarled, his eyes blazing with fury.
Before Naruto could make a move to run, the other chunin acted swiftly. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled a kunai straight at Naruto. The sharp blade pierced Naruto's hand, pinning it
to the wooden wall behind him. He cried out in agony, his voice echoing through the narrow alley. Pain radiated from his hand, and he could feel the warm blood trickling down his arm.
The first chunin, still nursing his bitten hand, approached with a menacing grin. "You're not getting away this time, demon," he hissed. "You'll pay for everything you've done."
Naruto's mind was a whirlwind of fear and desperation. He tugged at the kunai, but it was embedded too deeply in the wall. The pain was excruciating, and his small body trembled with the effort. He looked up at his captors, his deep blue eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't do anything," he pleaded, his voice choked with emotion. "I don't know why you hate me so much."
"Just shut up, you demon!" the first chunin screamed, slashing at Naruto's face with his kunai. But then Naruto's eyes changed. His deep blue irises turned red, with a single black tomoe in his left eye and two in his right. For him, everything happened in slow motion. He dodged the chunin's slash by tilting his head, and saw their expressions shift from anger to shock.
The second chunin stammered, "Is the boy an Uchiha?"
"No, you fool! He probably stole them," the first chunin retorted. "We should end him for this act!" He slashed again, this time aiming for Naruto's throat. Naruto, unable to move his head out of the way and still pinned to the wall, saw his death approaching in agonizing slow motion.
Just as the kunai was about to reach him, wooden spikes erupted from the ground and chains shot out from Naruto's body. The spikes impaled the chunin, and the chains wrapped around them, pulling them towards Naruto. Blood splattered across Naruto's face and body, mingling with his tears.
The first chunin's eyes widened in disbelief as the life drained from him. "What… what is this?" he gasped, blood bubbling from his mouth. The second chunin tried to speak, but only a gurgling sound emerged as the chains tightened around his throat.
Naruto, still in shock from the sudden turn of events, watched as the life faded from the chunin's eyes. The smell of blood filled the air, and the metallic taste lingered in his mouth. The scene burned itself into his memory, every detail seared into his mind by the Sharingan's powerful vision.
The chains and spikes retracted, and the bodies of the chunin slumped to the ground. Naruto's vision returned to normal, and he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. His injured hand throbbed painfully, but he forced himself to move, yanking the kunai from the wall with a grunt of effort.
When Naruto looked to his right, wanting to escape, he saw a tall man with waist-long spiky hair tied in a ponytail. The man wore wooden sandals, a red haori, and carried a large scroll on his back. A protractor headband with the word "oil" inscribed on it rested on his forehead.
"Sir, please don't hurt me! It was an accident, I swear!" Naruto stammered, crawling into a corner, his Sharingan still activated. The man, Jiraiya, looked at Naruto for a moment, shocked, before his expression softened with sympathy. Raising his arms to show he meant no harm, Jiraiya said gently, "You don't have to be afraid, kid. I won't hurt you."
Jiraiya slowly approached Naruto, his movements calm and deliberate. As he got closer, he noticed the gaping wound on Naruto's hand. His face briefly twisted with anger before he composed himself. When he was close enough, he knelt down and enveloped Naruto in a warm hug. "Calm down, Naruto. I won't hurt you," he whispered reassuringly.
Naruto tensed at first, but hearing Jiraiya's kind words and feeling the warmth of his embrace—a hug filled with the kind of love he rarely experienced—he relaxed. Tears streamed down his face as he clung to the man, sobbing uncontrollably. Exhausted, he soon fell asleep in Jiraiya's arms.
Jiraiya held the sleeping boy, a fierce gaze settling on his face. An enormous wave of killing intent emanated from him as he thought, "Sarutobi, you've got some explaining to do." Feeling Naruto's body tremble even in sleep because of the killing intent, Jiraiya quickly suppressed it, looking down at the boy with a sorrowful expression.
"Sorry, Kushina, Minato. I've failed your son," he murmured to himself. Cradling Naruto gently, Jiraiya stood up and carried him away from the alley.
At the Hokage Tower
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office, buried in paperwork. A nagging feeling of unease had settled in the pit of his stomach. He had dispatched the Anbu to find Naruto, but there had been no news yet. Today was October 10, Naruto's birthday, and also the day the Kyuubi was defeated. It was a day the villagers often targeted Naruto with their misguided hatred.
As Hiruzen pondered the situation, a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. Expecting news of Naruto, he called out, "You can enter."
To his surprise, it was Jiraiya who walked in, carrying Naruto in his arms. The boy was covered in blood. Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock as he looked at his former student, whose face was a mask of fury.
"Ah, Jiraiya, I see you found Naruto. What happened?" Hiruzen asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Jiraiya gently placed the unconscious Naruto on the couch in the office before turning to Hiruzen with a cold, hard gaze. "First of all, Sarutobi, you can tell me why the hell two of your chunin were attacking my godson."
Hiruzen's expression turned grave. "Attacking him? Jiraiya, I—"
Jiraiya cut him off, his voice low and dangerous. "I found him pinned to a wall, bleeding and terrified. So, goddamn explain, sensei."
Hiruzen took a deep sigh. "I have been trying to get in touch with you about this for two years, ever since the villagers first tried to harm young Naruto. Did you not get the letters I sent you?"
Jiraiya looked at Hiruzen, perplexed. "What do you mean, sensei? The only letters I received spoke of how well Naruto was doing."
A heavy silence filled the room as both men came to the same conclusion."Danzo," they both said in unison."That fucking war hawk teammate of yours, sensei," Jiraiya cursed. "I bet he intercepted the letters I sent to Tsunade as well. Goddammit, Danzo. What is he trying to pull here?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "I don't care what his motives are. We need to address this immediately. But Jiraiya, what do you mean by taking Naruto away?"Jiraiya's eyes blazed with determination. "I'm taking Naruto away from here. I don't care what the council thinks."
"The council—" Hiruzen began, but Jiraiya interrupted him."Damn the council! If they hadn't held me back from taking the boy the first time, he wouldn't have two dead people on his conscience right now."
Hiruzen looked shocked. "What do you mean, two dead people on his conscience?"Jiraiya's face grew grim.
"The boy awakened the Sharingan, Mokuton, and his mother's chakra chains. Killing your two chunin with it, sensei."
Hiruzen was flabbergasted. "He awakened not one, but three of the strongest bloodlines in the shinobi world? Are you sure, Jiraiya?"
"Yeah, I saw it with my own eyes," Jiraiya confirmed.
"This changes everything, Jiraiya. Naruto could alter the entire dynamic of the shinobi world if he grows up with these abilities. Are you sure you can keep him safe while traveling?" Hiruzen spoke out, his concern evident.
"Yes, sensei. The boy will be safer with me than in this village. I'll be taking the scrolls his parents left for him as well. But I have one question. We know Kushina was the daughter of Tobirama, which explains Naruto's Mokuton. But the Sharingan—do you know if one of them had an Uchiha parent or grandparent?" Jiraiya asked.
Hiruzen took a deep sigh before responding, "Yes, it's because of Minato. His father was Madara Uchiha."
Jiraiya's mouth dropped open. "Did I hear you right, sensei? Madara? That's impossible! He never had any children."
"No, it's the truth," Hiruzen confirmed. "Minato wasn't some kind of orphan when he entered Konoha. I didn't know until after the Kyuubi attack, when Minato left a letter for me explaining his lineage. That's where Naruto's Sharingan comes from."
"That brat, even giving me a headache in the afterlife. Could you give me the letter later so I can read it myself?" Jiraiya said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Of course," Hiruzen replied, handing over the letter. "Take your things and prepare to leave tomorrow with Naruto."
"Okay, but where will you go?" Hiruzen asked.
"To Tsunade. I think she would like to see her godson," Jiraiya answered.
"Sounds like a good idea. Then go and prepare for your travels, I would say," Hiruzen said.
"Okay, sensei. I'll see you later," Jiraiya said. With that, he lifted Naruto into his arms and disappeared in a blur, using the Shunshin no Jutsu.
Two Weeks Later
Two weeks of traveling with Jiraiya had done wonders for Naruto. Initially, Naruto was silent, only speaking to Jiraiya when spoken to. But after the first week, he began to see that Jiraiya was not going to hurt him. Slowly, he started to trust the man and began talking a bit more.
For Jiraiya, these two weeks were a test of his anger management. Seeing the trauma Naruto had endured made him furious. The boy was scared to talk or do anything that might upset someone, and if Jiraiya couldn't keep his calm, he might have gone back to the village just to burn it down in rage. But after getting Naruto to open up a bit, he learned a lot about him. The boy was incredibly smart; everything Jiraiya explained, he absorbed like a sponge.
One night, Jiraiya decided it was a good idea to start Naruto's training. He taught him the tree-walking exercise to keep him busy for a few weeks. To Jiraiya's surprise, Naruto analyzed the exercise quickly. The first time, he used too much chakra and blew himself off the tree. The second time, he used too little and fell flat on his face. But the third time, he walked up the tree with ease.
Impressed by Naruto's quick learning, Jiraiya decided to teach him something more challenging: a C-rank fire jutsu, the Fireball Jutsu. After demonstrating it, he thought he might be crazy for expecting Naruto to master it so quickly. However, to his astonishment, Naruto succeeded on his first try, performing the jutsu flawlessly. The boy clearly had a strong fire affinity.
"Hey, Pervy Sage, we're almost there," Naruto said. Ever since catching Jiraiya peeping on a women's bathhouse, he had started calling him Pervy Sage.
"Shut up, you little brat. I can see that," Jiraiya grumbled. He disliked the nickname; first, Kushina had called him that, and now her son was doing the same.
"Who are we searching for, Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked.
"Tsunade. Last I heard from my spy network, she was around here," Jiraiya answered.
"Why?" Naruto asked, curiosity piqued.
"I'll explain after we find her, brat," Jiraiya said.
"Stupid pervert," Naruto mumbled.
Jiraiya bonked Naruto lightly on the head. "I can hear you."
Naruto kicked Jiraiya in the leg. "That doesn't mean you have to hit me, Pervy Sage!"
Jiraiya winced, holding his leg. "Goddammit, brat, that hurts."
Naruto just puffed his cheeks. "Deserved it."
After a bit more walking and bickering, they finally entered the village. Jiraiya headed to one of the closest hotels and booked a room for both of them. Dropping Naruto off in the room, he prepared to search for Tsunade.
"Stay here and don't cause any trouble," Jiraiya instructed.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Naruto said, flopping onto the bed.
Jiraiya gave him a stern look before heading out. The village was bustling, and Jiraiya made his way through the crowded streets, asking around discreetly for any sign of Tsunade. He checked several bars and gambling dens, places she was known to frequent.
After an hour of searching, Jiraiya found Tsunade and her assistant Shizune in a bar. Tsunade was drinking sake while Shizune looked worried. Jiraiya approached them, and Tsunade spoke without turning to look at him. "What do you want, Jiraiya? I'm not going back to Konoha."
Jiraiya sat down next to her. "It's about Naruto. He—"
Before Jiraiya could say anything further, Tsunade grabbed his collar, and he felt a surge of killing intent from her. "What is the problem, Tsunade?" he asked, looking into her furious eyes.
"Yeah, I know. Naruto is dead. I got Sensei's letter," Tsunade said, her voice trembling with anger.
Jiraiya looked confused. "What do you mean, dead? He's alive and with me."
Tsunade's grip loosened, and she let him go. "What do you mean, Jiraiya? I got Sensei's letter saying Naruto died during the Kyuubi attack."
"That was Danzo. He intercepted Sensei's letter and changed it. Naruto is alive and well. I left him at a hotel here," Jiraiya explained.
Tsunade cursed under her breath. "That fucking war hawk. If I get my hands on him... Bring me to Naruto now. I want to see my godchild."
Jiraiya nodded, and they left the bar, Shizune following closely behind. When they reached the hotel, Jiraiya opened the door to find Naruto walking on the ceiling, practicing his chakra control. As Naruto jumped down, he greeted them.
"Hey, Pervy Sage, who are those two with you?" Naruto asked, noticing the new arrivals.
Before Jiraiya could respond, Naruto was suddenly enveloped in a crushing hug from Tsunade. "You're alive," she whispered, tears in her eyes.
Naruto's face turned blue from the lack of oxygen. "Uhmm, Tsunade-sama, he won't be for long if you hug him that tightly," Shizune said, concerned.
Tsunade loosened her grip, allowing Naruto to take a deep breath and regain his normal color. "Who are you?" Naruto asked, looking at her with wide eyes.
Tsunade smiled warmly. "I'm Tsunade, your godmother."
Nine Years Later
Nine years had flown by, and Jiraiya and Naruto were on their way back to Konoha. As they approached the gates, it was evident how much Naruto had grown. Standing at an impressive 5'9", he was quite tall for a fourteen-year-old. He wore black fingerless gloves with metal plates, a blue loose jacket under it a black T-shirt with chainmail beneath it, and black shinobi-style pants with black shoes. His hair had grown out, resembling his father's, with one bang covering his left eye. A vertical scar ran over his left eye, visible only when the wind moved his hair. On his back, he carried a katana with a blue and white sheath, and the back of his jacket bore a black Uzumaki symbol. When they finally approached the gate, they were stopped by the gate guards.
"Oh, Jiraiya-sama, you're back! And who is that boy next to you?" Kotetsu asked.
"This is my apprentice, Naruto Uzumaki. We are back after a nine-year training trip," Jiraiya answered.
"Okay, you can pass through, Jiraiya-sama, and Naruto-san," Izumo said."Have a great day, you two,"
Jiraiya replied. He and Naruto walked into the village. "Okay, brat, don't cause any trouble while I'm talking to the old man, okay?" Jiraiya said.
"The last time we were in trouble was when you peeked into the women's bathhouse, Pervy Sage," Naruto retorted."That doesn't matter, brat. Just don't start any fights." With that, Jiraiya shunshined to the Hokage Tower.In the Hokage Tower"Hello, Sensei," Jiraiya said, entering through the window."Nice to see you again, Jiraiya.
How have your travels been with Naruto?" Hiruzen greeted him with a warm smile."Good, Sensei, but that brat has the same big mouth as his mother,"
Jiraiya replied. The two shared a hearty laugh."Great to hear the boy didn't change in every aspect. But now onto more serious matters. Where do the boy's capabilities lie?"
Hiruzen asked."Come on, Sensei. I don't want to ruin the surprise," Jiraiya said with a grin.Hiruzen sighed. "Just give me a rough estimation of his abilities."Jiraiya's face turned more serious. "I would say he's around high to elite jounin level, Sensei."
"That's bold of you to say, Jiraiya. Why would you say so?" Hiruzen asked."It's pretty simple. The boy is a sheer powerhouse, and that's without considering his bloodlines or the Kyuubi. First off, he has great chakra control, which is crazy considering he has Kage-level reserves. He can even perform basic medical jutsu that Tsunade taught him,"
Jiraiya answered.Hiruzen turned a shade whiter. "I hope I'm wrong, but did she—""Yes, she taught him her monster strength technique,"
Jiraiya interjected. "The boy also has his Sharingan fully developed. He has great control over his Mokuton and chakra chains.
And we haven't even talked about the amount of jutsu in his arsenal. His genjutsu is also pretty good and dangerous with his Sharingan. He's great with sealing and kenjutsu too," Jiraiya explained.
Hiruzen was gaping. "Jiraiya, you've created a monster."
Naruto was walking through the streets of Konoha when he caught a whiff of a delicious scent. Following it, he ended up at a ramen shop called Ichiraku. Walking inside, he took a seat and looked at the menu. He ordered pork ramen, and when he finally got it, his eyes lit up with delight. It was the best ramen he had ever tasted.
Out of nowhere, Jiraiya took a seat next to him and ordered pork ramen as well. "Took you long enough," Naruto said.
"I figured I'd find you here, brat, with your ramen obsession," Jiraiya replied.
"Fuck you, Pervy Sage. So, how did it go with the old man?" Naruto asked.
"Better than expected. You're officially a shinobi of the Leaf now, kid." With that, Jiraiya handed Naruto a black headband.
Naruto took it and tied it around his left bicep. "Good to hear, Pervy Sage," he said between bites of ramen.
"Since I won't be around all the time to take you on C-rank missions, the old man has allowed you to go on missions with different genin teams," Jiraiya explained.
"Thank god! I won't be stuck with your pervy ass on missions," Naruto said.
Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched, and he bonked Naruto on the head. "Ungrateful brat. Learn some manners. I thought Tsunade and Shizune had beaten those into you," he grumbled.
"Yeah, but not for you," Naruto retorted, rubbing his head.
"Little brat. One last thing before I leave." Jiraiya handed over a scroll. "You'll be leaving tomorrow on a C-rank mission with Team 8 on a diplomatic escort mission with a team from Suna."
"I just got back, and I'm already being sent on a mission?" Naruto whined.
"Deal with it, kid," Jiraiya said, standing up. "And remember, stay out of trouble." With that, he left the ramen stand.
Naruto finished his ramen, savoring every last bite. He paid for his meal and left the stand.
Next Day
Naruto stood at the gates of Konoha, waiting for Team 8 to arrive. Earlier that morning, he had paid a visit to the Hokage.
Flashback*
"Hey, Jiji! How's it going?" Naruto called out as he burst into the Hokage's office without knocking.
Hiruzen looked up from his paperwork, already smiling because of the nickname. "Naruto, it's going great. And how about you?" he replied with a grandfatherly warmth in his voice.
Naruto took a seat in front of his adopted grandfather figure. "Great, old man," he answered.
Hiruzen observed Naruto for a moment, noting the significant changes. The boy had grown much taller and more mature, though he still saw the young boy who used to pester him for new jutsu. However, when Hiruzen looked into Naruto's eyes, his mood saddened slightly. There was still warmth, but also a cold, calculating sharpness. It was not the same Naruto from nine years ago, but Hiruzen had expected nothing less. Still, it saddened him to see how quickly Naruto had to grow up.
"I heard from Jiraiya that you've learned a lot over these nine years. So, has my grandson become any stronger?" Hiruzen asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Naruto scoffed playfully. "I could kick your ass, old man."
They both burst into laughter, filling the office with a sense of nostalgia and warmth.
End Flashback*
Returning to reality, Naruto saw Team 8 arriving at the gates. Kurenai Yuhi led the team, followed by Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru, Hinata Hyuga, and Shino Aburame.
When they arrived, Kurenai looked at Naruto and asked, "You are Naruto, right?"
Naruto looked back and nodded. "Yes, I am. I guess all of you are Team 8?"
"Yeah, we are. I'm Kurenai, and these are my students: Kiba, Shino, and Hinata," Kurenai said, introducing her team.
"Good to meet you all. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, which all of you probably already knew. So, where is the client?" Naruto asked.
"We will meet him at the drop point with the Suna team," Kurenai answered.
Naruto nodded. "I'm ready to go."
Kurenai looked at him questioningly. "Oh, yeah. Where's your backpack? Didn't you pack for this mission?"
Naruto sighed and pulled out a scroll. "I use sealing scrolls."
Kurenai's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Impressive. That's very efficient."
"So, can we go now?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"Yes, we can," Kurenai replied.
They checked out with the gate guards and began tree-hopping toward the drop-off point, which was about two days away. As they moved swiftly through the trees, the genin of Team 8 couldn't help but feel curious about Naruto. They had never seen him at the Academy or around Konoha, so how was he a Leaf shinobi?
Finally, the loudmouth of the team, Kiba, couldn't wait any longer and decided to ask. "Hey, Naruto, how are you a genin? I never saw you at the Academy."
Naruto stayed silent for a bit before answering. "That's because I was never there. I was taken under an apprenticeship and just returned to Konoha."
This time, Shino asked a question. "And under whom did you study, Naruto-san?"
"Jiraiya of the Sannin. He trained me for these past nine years," Naruto replied.
There was a moment of silence among the group, all shocked by the revelation that Naruto had been trained by one of the legendary Sannin. Then Kiba shouted out, "Damn, not fair! You got trained by a Sannin!"
For the rest of the journey to the drop-off point, Naruto was bombarded with questions. He answered some and deflected others, maintaining a balance between being open and keeping certain details private.
After two days of travel, they finally arrived at the meeting point. In the distance, they saw a jonin with three genin walking towards them, still too far away to make out their features.
As the two groups closed the distance, it became clear that the Suna team consisted of Baki and three younger shinobi: Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara. Accompanying them was their client, Junji Ito. The tension in the air was palpable as they approached each other.
Baki started the conversation. "Do you have the mission scroll?"
Kurenai nodded, pulling it out and holding it up. "Yes, we have it." She threw it to Baki, who caught it and checked its authenticity. Satisfied, he gave it back.
"I am Baki, and this is my genin team: Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara," he introduced them.
At the mention of Gaara, Naruto's eyes sharpened. He felt something off and soon heard a voice in his head. "Kid, he is the One-Tails Jinchuriki. I can sense my little brother, but that boy is unstable. Be ready at all times," Kurama warned.
Naruto thought back, "Thank you, Kurama. I'll keep an eye on him."
While Naruto was conversing with Kurama in his mind, Kurenai introduced them to the client and Team 8 to Baki. Naruto, having analyzed Gaara, now moved on to the rest of the Suna shinobi. He observed Baki, noting his jonin status by his stance. Then he looked at Kankuro, recognizing the traditional puppet outfit from his cat-like costume. Finally, he turned to Temari, and his throat went dry at the sight of the beautiful sand kunoichi. It took him a moment to regain his composure. Analyzing her, he saw the large fan she carried, indicating she was a wind user.
As Naruto tried to re-enter the conversation, Kurama made a comment. "Got a crush, kid?"
"Shut up, furball," Naruto shot back.
Temari felt a pair of eyes on her and looked to see the black-and-white-haired boy staring. She remembered what Kurenai had said; his name was Naruto. She thought he was pretty cute but quickly chastised herself. "What am I thinking? I need to focus on the mission," she
told herself, though she couldn't help but glance at him again. After a few moments, she snapped out of it and began analyzing him. She noticed his katana, indicating he practiced kenjutsu. His stance didn't reveal much more, but she could sense he was strong—very strong.
Naruto noticed Temari's glances and decided to break the ice. "So, you're a wind user, right?"
Temari nodded. "Yes, and you practice kenjutsu?"
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, among other things. It's nice to meet you, Temari."
Temari returned the smile. "Nice to meet you too, Naruto."
Baki and Kurenai finished discussing the details of the mission, and soon both teams were ready to move out. As they traveled together, Naruto found himself walking beside Temari. Kankuro and Kiba exchanged glances.
"Looks like someone's making friends," Kiba teased.
Kankuro grinned. "Temari, I didn't know you were looking for a boyfriend?"
Before Kankuro could react, he was smacked on the head with Temari's war fan. Kiba and Naruto looked on, cringing, knowing better than to make the sand kunoichi angry.
Naruto looked at Kiba. "I think it's smart if you shut your mouth, Kiba."
Kiba only nodded, not wanting to risk Temari's wrath. As night fell and they set up camp, Naruto found himself relaxing on a tree branch, keeping watch during his shift. They needed to maintain a civilian pace for their client, which meant the journey would take several more days.
Naruto noticed Gaara sitting alone, staring at the sky. He jumped down and walked over to the redhead, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Gaara, right?"
Gaara was shocked. "The sand... it didn't activate," he muttered to himself. "What do you want, Uzumaki?" he asked coldly.
"I just wanted to know why you aren't sleeping," Naruto replied.
Gaara grunted. "I can't. I haven't in years."
"Is it because of the Ichibi?" Naruto asked.
Gaara looked straight at Naruto with a cold glare. "And how would you know?"
"Because I'm number nine," Naruto said.
Gaara's eyes widened for a moment before turning cold again. The Ichibi in Gaara's head was going crazy. How could this boy be the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and yet seem so calm? The Ichibi warned Gaara to be extra careful.
"Mother is saying I should be careful of you," Gaara said.
"You call the Ichibi 'Mother'?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
Gaara remained silent.
"I know how it feels to be alone, you know," Naruto said gently.
Gaara looked up, still silent.
"The hate, the looks... I know what it feels like to be all alone," Naruto continued.
Gaara finally spoke. "What does it matter, Uzumaki?"
"Because all I want to say is, don't push your family away, Gaara. They're everything you have," Naruto said.
Gaara was flabbergasted by those words. These were the words of a fool. "You're a fool, Uzumaki. The only thing that matters in this world is power. Power to prove my existence, power to crush anybody like an ant."
"And then, when you've crushed everybody and killed every last person, then what, Gaara? What will prove your existence then? Power isn't everything. I used to think the same way. I wanted to hurt everybody who ever hurt me. But let's say I succeeded. What then? What would I do then? Nothing. Just be empty," Naruto responded.
Gaara was silent at those words, not knowing what to say or think anymore. The silence stretched on as Naruto's words sank in.
"Why do you care, Uzumaki?" Gaara finally asked, his voice softer.
"Because I see a lot of myself in you, Gaara. And I know there's more to life than just power and loneliness," Naruto said. "We don't have to be alone. We can find people who care about us, who understand us."
Gaara looked at Naruto, his expression a mixture of confusion and something else—perhaps hope. "Maybe... maybe you're right," he said quietly.
Naruto smiled. "Just think about it, Gaara. You're not alone."
As Naruto stood up to continue his watch, Gaara remained lost in thought. The words of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had struck a chord deep within him, challenging everything he had believed. For the first time in a long while, Gaara felt a flicker of something other than rage and loneliness—he felt the possibility of change.
The rest of the night passed quietly, with Naruto keeping a vigilant watch and Gaara contemplating the new perspective Naruto had offered.
The next day, as everyone woke up and resumed their journey, Temari and Kankuro noticed their little brother Gaara was acting differently. They couldn't quite put their finger on it, but it was unsettling. Meanwhile, Team 8 was engaged in a lively conversation, and the jounin were walking ahead. Naruto, positioned beside the client, suddenly stopped.
Feeling something a mile away with his sensing ability, he touched the ground to confirm. "There are six people a mile away from here—three with at least chunin-level chakra reserves and the other three with jounin-level. From what I can sense, they're not here to have a nice chat with us," Naruto explained.
The entire group looked at him questioningly. Baki and Kurenai exchanged glances.
"What's the plan of action?" Kurenai asked.
"I think we should ambush the ambushers. Naruto, can you give me their exact location?" Baki suggested.
"I can give you a pretty good idea of where they are, but not perfectly accurate. Keep that in mind," Naruto replied.
Baki nodded. "But how do we lure them out?" Kurenai asked.
"I can create a few shadow clones and have them transform into the rest of the group," Naruto offered.
"That's a good idea. We'll stay behind and take them by surprise," Baki said.
"Then at least two genin should stay behind to protect the client. I think Hinata and Kankuro would be a good fit," Kurenai suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Baki agreed.
Naruto created several shadow clones, transforming them into replicas of the team. The clones took positions while the real team hid, ready to ambush the attackers. Hinata and Kankuro stayed close to the client, prepared to defend if necessary.
Naruto gave the signal, and the group moved into position. As they neared the location Naruto had indicated, they saw subtle movements—signs of the enemy lying in wait. The tension was palpable as they got closer.
Kurenai used her genjutsu skills to create an illusion, making it appear as though the group was moving forward without a care. The enemy, thinking they had the element of surprise, sprang their trap. As they attacked the clones, the real team struck from behind.
Looking around, Naruto identified the six shinobi as the Ronin Six, a group he had encountered before during his travels. Each member had a notorious reputation, and their presence confirmed the seriousness of the threat.
The first was Hayoto Sharo, a short man with white hair and a missing left eye. Originally from the Hidden Leaf, he felt stifled by the village and sought greater power outside its walls. He specialized in wind-style ninjutsu and taijutsu.
Next was Aiko Tsukino, a former Hidden Mist shinobi. After his clan was dishonored and massacred because of their boil release bloodline, he sought to reclaim his clan's lost honor. He was determined and deadly.
To his right stood Riku Takeda, a defector from the Hidden Cloud. His ideological differences with his village drove him away. Riku possessed a strong lightning affinity, making him a formidable opponent.
The remaining three were the most dangerous, all jounin-level shinobi. First was Kenshi Arashi from the Hidden Sand. He became rogue after betraying his team for a quick payday during a mission. Like Kankuro, he was a puppeteer, skilled in manipulating deadly puppets.
Next to him was Kaede Hoshino from the Hidden Stone, once an elite shinobi. After a disagreement with the Tsuchikage, he attempted to assassinate him but failed. He narrowly escaped and had been on the run ever since.
Finally, Naruto's gaze fell on the leader of the group, Raiden Kurama, from the Kurama clan of the Hidden Leaf. Unable to utilize his clan's genkai kekkei, he massacred half of his clan in a fit of rage. Raiden specialized in ninjutsu and kenjutsu, making him an exceptionally dangerous adversary.
"Raiden, nice to meet you again," Naruto said with a fake grin. "Still have that nice scar on your back from me?"
"And do you still have that scar on your eye, kid?" Raiden retorted.
"Hand over Junji and live," Raiden ordered.
"No, we can't do that. You know how this goes," Naruto fired back.
"Then you will all die here. Boys, I'll be taking the kid," Raiden declared, drawing his sword and charging towards Naruto.
Naruto swiftly drew his katana and blocked the strike. Sparks flew as their blades clashed, and the sound of metal against metal echoed through the forest. The rest of the teams tensed, ready to spring into action.
Raiden's eyes narrowed, his movements quick and lethal. "You've grown, Naruto. But you're still just a kid playing with swords."
Naruto grinned, pushing Raiden back. "We'll see about that. This kid almost killed you last time"
Raiden swung his sword in a wide arc, but Naruto parried it with ease. Their swords met again and again, each clash more intense than the last. The rest of the Ronin Six spread out, preparing to engage the other shinobi.
"Team 8, Suna team, stay sharp!" Kurenai commanded.
Kiba, Temari, and Shino engaged Hayoto Sharo, Riku Takeda, and Aiko Tsukino, while Hinata and Kankuro protected the client, Junji Ito. Gaara and Temari stood ready, watching for any openings to strike against the remaining enemies.
Kurenai and Baki were engaged with Kenshi and Kaede. Meanwhile, Naruto and Raiden's fight heated up quickly. Raiden smashed his fist right at Naruto's head, but Naruto rolled to the side, dodging the attack. Naruto quickly dashed at Raiden, aiming his katana in a swipe at his throat. Raiden narrowly avoided having his throat cut, swiftly performing one-handed hand signs and calling out, "Fireball Jutsu!" He spat out a giant fireball.
Naruto jumped back, dodging the fireball. Without forming any hand signs or calling out, Naruto spat out his own giant fireball aimed right at Raiden. Using a quick Replacement Jutsu, Raiden escaped the fireball, appearing behind Naruto. He tried to strike Naruto's back, only to hit and dissolve a water clone. "He created a water clone? But when and how? There's no water around," Raiden thought.
Before he could think any further, Raiden blocked a strike from Naruto, only for Naruto to follow up with a kick to his face and a slash aimed at his cheek. Raiden moved quickly to his right, receiving only a shallow cut on his cheek. "You have become strong, kid. Only this time, your sensei is not here to save you," Raiden taunted as he tried to strike Naruto quickly.
Naruto parried the attacks, but Raiden kept pressing. Naruto parried everything until he tripped Raiden with his feet and managed to cut Naruto across the arm, leaving only a shallow cut. Naruto spun around, quickly kicking Raiden's legs from under him, forcing him to his knees and leaving a deep cut on the man's left shoulder before Raiden jumped back.
The fight continued, both throwing jutsus and strikes at each other, neither gaining the upper hand. Seeing the rest of his team struggling with their opponents, Naruto knew he needed to end his fight to help his team gain the upper hand before the client got injured.
Thinking quickly, Naruto devised a plan. Clashing blades once again with Raiden, Naruto took a big, careless swing. Seeing his chance, Raiden swung right through Naruto's middle, seemingly chopping him in half. The battlefield fell silent as everyone saw Naruto chopped in half, blood splattering everywhere. Team 8 was horrified at seeing what they thought was their first death, and Team Baki cursed as the enemies gained the advantage. Kurenai was disappointed in herself, feeling she had failed to protect a genin, even if he wasn't directly under her command.
But then something strange happened. The corpse, the blood, and everything else disappeared. It didn't take long for everyone to understand what had happened—genjutsu. But for how long?
In the next second, Raiden spat out a lump of blood as a sword pierced through his chest, piercing his heart. Naruto was the one holding the sword. Raiden coughed out, "You won, kid," before collapsing to the floor. Naruto held a hand sign, the ram, as he activated a sealing jutsu. The rest of the Ronin group froze in their tracks, unable to move. Upon closer inspection, paper tags with sealing jutsu markings were slapped onto their backs.
Team Suna and Team 8 bound up the rest of the defeated shinobi, everyone showing signs of the battle except for Gaara, who remained unscathed thanks to his sand shield. As it was already late, they set up camp again, tying the prisoners to a tree with their chakra blocked by one of Naruto's seals. Kurenai approached Naruto with curiosity.
"Naruto, you did a great job, but when did you put up that genjutsu?" Kurenai asked.
"The last time I clashed with Raiden, I used my sensor ability to connect with everybody's chakra and put them under a genjutsu. After that, I created some clones who quickly applied the seals to the rest," Naruto explained.
"Impressive, but why did you kill Raiden? He would have been more useful alive," Kurenai questioned.
The air grew cold as tension filled the camp. "He hurt somebody I care a great deal about the last time I met him, so I made him pay," Naruto said coldly.
Kurenai was shocked by how quickly Naruto's demeanor had changed. "Okay, Naruto, I understand. I'll let you be for now."
Everyone heard the conversation and wondered who Raiden had hurt that was so close to Naruto. About an hour later, Naruto, unable to sleep, decided to take a walk to clear his head. He stumbled upon Gaara.
"Hello, Gaara. Nice to see you. I guess this wasn't an accident," Naruto greeted.
"Uzumaki," Gaara replied. "You're strong. So this power you achieved is because you cared?"
Naruto shook his head. "I see you still don't understand what I said yesterday."
Gaara looked confused, so Naruto elaborated. "It was never about power. It's about the people you love, protecting them, caring for them, and being angry when they get hurt."
"But if you care, why didn't you spare that man's life? If you care." Gaara asked.
"Like I said before, he hurt somebody I love. He had to pay. You'll understand if you just open yourself up, Gaara. Trust me," Naruto said. With that, he walked away, still seeking to clear his head.
After walking some more, Naruto saw Temari sitting alone in the trees, looking up at the stars. She was peacefully enjoying their beauty when she heard a voice beside her. She instinctively took out a kunai.
"You know, in some ways, you're exactly like your brother," Naruto said calmly.
Temari put her kunai away. "What do you mean? You don't even know us," she replied.
"You both enjoy the stars," Naruto said simply.
Temari responded with a soft, "Oh."
"Do you know what I like about them and, I guess, Gaara does too, Temari?" Naruto asked.
Temari looked puzzled. "What then, Naruto?"
"Because the stars don't discriminate against us. They're beautiful for civilians, shinobi, and everyone else. They shine for everybody," Naruto explained.
Temari looked understanding, then shocked. Did he say for people like us? Is he also a jinchuriki? she thought to herself. "Are you a jinchuriki, Naruto?" she asked.
Naruto only nodded. "I have the Nine-Tails sealed inside me. If I can give you one piece of advice, Temari, don't be afraid of Gaara. He's just lonely, like I was back then, and that loneliness makes him what he is. Show him you love him."
Temari saw Naruto in a different light. First, she thought he was just another strong shinobi, but now she realized he was someone who had faced similar hardships to her brother. Looking into his deep blue eyes, she saw pain but also happiness. She snapped out of it. "Thank you, Naruto. I'll think about it."
Naruto gave her a reassuring smile. "Anytime, Temari." He stood up to leave, but paused. "Remember, sometimes it's the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference."
Temari watched him walk away, her mind filled with new thoughts and feelings. She realized that Naruto's strength came not just from his power but from his compassion and understanding. As she gazed back at the stars, she felt a renewed sense of hope for Gaara and herself.
Four days had passed without any trouble as they stood in front of the gates of Konoha. They checked in with the gate guards, handing over the remaining Ronin Five. Since Naruto had captured them, he received the bounty. The client paid for the mission and departed, while Team Suna needed to discuss things with the Hokage. They went with Team 8 and Naruto to the Hokage Tower.
In the Hokage Tower, Kurenai knocked on the door. Hearing "Enter," they all walked in.
"Here to report good news, Hokage-sama. The mission was a success," Kurenai said.
"Great to hear, Kurenai. Did you encounter any trouble on your way here?" Hiruzen asked.
"Yeah, we did. We encountered the Ronin Six but dealt with them. It's all in my mission report," Kurenai answered.
"Okay, Kurenai. You and your team are dismissed. And young Naruto," Hiruzen added as they all took their leave.
"Baki, right? Do you have a message for me?" Hiruzen asked.
"Yes, Hokage-sama, but this needs to be discussed in private. My genin will need to leave. Is it okay for them to roam around Konoha?" Baki requested.
Hiruzen nodded. "That's alright. We're allies, after all."
The three sand siblings took their leave, wandering the village. Naruto, meanwhile, walked through Konoha, lost in thought. Not paying attention, he almost crashed into someone. At the last second, he turned to the side and nearly collided with them. Hearing the person trip, he grabbed them by the waist. Looking down, Naruto was surprised and turned a bit pink with embarrassment when he saw who it was.
"Oh, sorry, Temari. I should have been looking out," Naruto apologized.
Temari was red, either from anger or something else, Naruto couldn't tell. Temari had been walking through Konoha, deep in thought about what Naruto had said and the changes Gaara was going through. Since meeting Naruto, Gaara had not once threatened to kill them. Snapped out of her thoughts by almost bumping into someone and tripping, she felt a hand around her waist. Looking up, she saw Naruto, who was turning bright red with embarrassment.
"Thank you, Naruto," Temari said, her voice soft.
Naruto, still holding her waist, quickly let go and scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward. "No problem. Sorry again for not paying attention."
Temari shook her head, her blush fading. "It's alright. I was lost in thought too."
"So, how long will you stay in Konoha, Temari?" Naruto asked.
"For two days or something like that. It depends on the negotiations," Temari answered.
"Which negotiations?" Naruto asked, confused. He hadn't heard anything from Jiraiya about Suna and Konoha negotiating.
Temari remained silent for a moment. "Sorry, Naruto, I can't tell you."
"Okay, I understand," Naruto said.
"So, what were you going to do?" Temari asked.
"Training. Want to join?" Naruto asked.
"Sounds good to me," Temari replied.
Naruto and Temari walked together to Training Ground 13, a beautiful, empty space surrounded by forest.
"So, what were you going to train in, Naruto?" Temari asked.
"I was planning on sharpening some of my skills, but I won't be able to with you around," Naruto said.
Temari frowned. "Why not?"
"It's always smart to have an ace up your sleeve. We're shinobi, after all," Naruto explained.
Temari nodded. "How about we spar, then?" she offered.
"Okay," Naruto agreed.
They took opposite positions on the training ground. "Ready?" Naruto asked.
"Ready," Temari replied, grabbing her war fan. She swung it, blasting air toward Naruto. Without using any hand seals, Naruto blasted a fireball at Temari. The wind blast only made the fireball bigger. Temari cursed under her breath as she replaced herself with a log.
"Damn, I can't use my wind jutsu against Naruto. He'll just counter them with his fire jutsu," Temari thought. She put her fan on her back and tried to engage Naruto in taijutsu. However, Naruto kept backing up and dodging her strikes, frustrating her.
"Is that all you have, Temari? I'm not even warming up," Naruto taunted, dodging a kick and sweeping her legs out from under her.
"Shut up, Naruto," Temari said, trying to punch him. She overextended, and Naruto quickly drew his katana, placing it at her neck. Temari was shocked by his speed.
"And you lost," Naruto said, sheathing his katana.
Temari panted, a mix of frustration and admiration in her eyes. "You're really something, Naruto."
Naruto smiled, helping her up. "You're not bad yourself, Temari." A few hours passed by with the two sparring. Temari tried every trick in the book to beat Naruto but always came up short. It really started to frustrate her. She was covered in sweat and dirt, while Naruto hadn't even broken a sweat.
Charging at Naruto again, Temari found herself being grabbed and swept to the ground, held there by Naruto. "Won again," Naruto said, grinning.
Temari, now pinned down by the boy, had one last trick up her sleeve. She moved closer to Naruto's face, her voice turning husky. "Oh, you did it again, Naruto."
Naruto started to feel uncomfortable and off-guard. Seizing her chance, Temari flipped Naruto around, getting on top of him and pressing a kunai to his throat. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, confused and unprepared for this turn of events. All the training with Jiraiya and Tsunade had not prepared him for this.
"And who won again, Naruto?" Temari said, a giant grin on her face.
Naruto sighed. "You, Temari."
Temari removed the kunai from his throat, looking into Naruto's deep blue eyes. She got lost in them, not knowing how many times this had happened. Naruto looked back into her beautiful brown eyes getting lost also. Their faces started to get closer and closer until they kissed passionately.
The world seemed to fade away as they shared this moment. Temari's initial surprise melted into a warm acceptance, and Naruto's tension eased, replaced by a growing sense of closeness and connection.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless, their eyes locked in a silent understanding. Temari smiled, a soft blush on her cheeks. "I guess I did have one trick left."
Naruto chuckled, still a bit flustered. "Yeah, you definitely caught me off guard."
They sat up, the playful tension between them. "I'm glad we had this time together," Temari said softly.
"Me too," Naruto replied, his hand finding hers and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Maybe you should go back to your brothers and sensei before they think you're missing. It's pretty late," Naruto suggested, noticing the night sky.
"You're right, I should go," Temari replied, looking up at the stars.
"Where are you staying?" Naruto asked.
"At the Leaf Hotel," Temari answered.
"I'll walk you there," Naruto said, still holding her hand and guiding her toward the hotel.
When they stood in front of the hotel, Naruto gave Temari a quick peck on the lips before leaving. Temari blushed a deep red as she entered the hotel. Her sensei and Kankuro were already asleep, but Gaara was wide awake as usual.
"Where have you been?" Gaara asked, startling Temari.
"Oh god, Gaara, you scared me. I was just outside walking around," Temari answered.
Gaara narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. I can sense a bit of Naruto's chakra."
Temari's heart raced. Was Gaara going to tell their sensei? He certainly wouldn't approve. And their father? He'd probably marry her off because of it.
"Are you happy?" Gaara asked, catching Temari off guard.
"What?" Temari stammered, her brain freezing for a second. Did Gaara ask about how she felt?
"Are you happy with him?" Gaara asked again.
Temari nodded, still in shock.
"Then I don't care what you did tonight," Gaara said, turning to leave. But before he could, Temari hugged him, the sand not stopping her as she whispered, "Thank you, little brother."
Gaara froze for a moment before finally hugging her back. Without saying anything, he left for the balcony, whispering to himself, "I think you're right, Uzumaki, so don't dare hurt my sister."
Temari went to her room and fell asleep with a smile. The next two days, she and Naruto spent all their time together, eating, training, and enjoying each other's company.
When it was time for Team Suna to leave, Naruto stood at the gate, ready to see them off. When they arrived, he gave Kankuro and Baki a nod before going to Gaara and reaching out his hand. Gaara took it, shaking firmly.
"I hope to meet again, Uzumaki," Gaara said.
"I hope so too, Gaara. Next time, we need to spar a bit," Naruto replied with a smile.
Gaara only nodded. Naruto then went over to Temari, quickly going through some hand signs to put Baki and Kankuro under a genjutsu, sparing Gaara. He gave Temari a quick peck on the lips before removing the genjutsu. All Baki and Kankuro saw was a nice handshake. Naruto slipped a piece of paper into Temari's hand before disappearing in a shunshin.
As Temari unfolded the paper, she found a message from Naruto: "Take care, Temari. I'll miss you. Let's meet again soon. - Naruto."
Blushing, she tucked the note away, feeling a warmth in her chest. She looked back one last time at the village, then turned to join her brothers and sensei.
As they left, Naruto waved for a bit before heading towards his parents' home. While walking, he heard a voice in his head.
"Already missing your little vixen, kid?" Kurama teased.
"Could you shut up, furball?" Naruto retorted.
"Stop pestering my little container about his new vixen? Hell no," Kurama said with an evil grin that appeared in Naruto's mind for a second.
"Idiot," Naruto grumbled.
A few days passed for Naruto, filled with the monotony of eating, sleeping, and training. Then he felt Jiraiya's presence within Konoha, followed by two others, causing him to tense up slightly.
"So, your lovely godmother is back in Konoha," the Kyuubi laughed out loud.
Naruto was too shocked to respond, knowing this day was going to be a headache. He quickly made his way to the Hokage's office where he last sensed them, shunshining right inside. Looking around, he saw exactly what he expected: Jiraiya in the corner, Hiruzen behind his desk, and Shizune and Tsunade in front of the old man. Naruto grinned.
"Hello, Granny."
The next second, Naruto was dodging a punch aimed at him by Tsunade. "What did I say about calling me Granny, you brat?" she yelled.
Hiruzen looked at the situation with surprise, not expecting Naruto to suddenly appear in his office and irritate Tsunade of all people. Shizune quickly stood up, grabbing Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, please stay calm."
Tsunade took a deep breath before sitting down again, mumbling something about beating down a brat later. Jiraiya in the corner of the office was trying to hide his amusement at the situation. Hiruzen coughed a bit, trying to regain attention.
"Ah, Naruto, what are you doing here?" Hiruzen asked.
"I just felt these three entering the village and decided to visit them," Naruto replied.
"Wait, you're a sensor?" Hiruzen asked. "Jiraiya, you didn't say anything about that."
"You know, Sensei, I like to keep a surprise for you," Jiraiya said, grinning ear to ear.
Hiruzen sighed. "Well, it's good to see you, Naruto. How have you been?"
"Bored mostly, but I've been keeping busy with training," Naruto replied.
Tsunade just sighed. "I see you're still always training, brat."
Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair. "Some things never change."
At that moment, a chunin entered without knocking. "Hokage-sama, I have important news. It's about Team 7. They encountered the Demon Brothers, but not only that—later on, Zabuza and Riku Yamakawa."
Hiruzen held his head, feeling the weight of more work. "You are dismissed," he said to the chunin, who left immediately.
"Goddammit, Kakashi," Hiruzen cursed.
"Hey, old man, I could go and help Team 7 if you want," Naruto chimed in.
Hiruzen looked up. "Are you sure, Naruto? We're talking about two A-rank level missing-nins from the Hidden Mist."
"The brat can handle himself," Tsunade said confidently.
Hiruzen nodded. "Then you are allowed to go on this mission, Naruto. Pack your things; you're leaving immediately since we don't know what kind of situation they're in right now."
"Okay, old man, see you later." With that, Naruto saluted Hiruzen and the rest before disappearing in a shunshin.
Naruto quickly sealed a few things at his home before heading to the Wave Country as fast as possible. After a day of travel, he arrived and asked around, eventually finding out where Team 7 was staying. Knocking on the door, a pink-haired girl opened it.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Reinforcements," Naruto replied, showing the Konoha protector.
The pink-haired girl opened the door completely. As Naruto walked inside, she quickly asked, "Are you everything?"
"For now, yes," Naruto answered.
The girl looked flabbergasted. "How? You're literally my age!" she screamed.
Naruto cringed at the sound and quickly changed the subject. "Where is your sensei? I need to talk with him."
"He's upstairs," the girl answered.
Before she could ask more questions, Naruto moved upstairs, searching for a strong chakra signal. Finding one, he entered the room to see a white-haired jonin lying there.
"Hello, Dog," Naruto greeted.
Kakashi looked up, seeing a black-and-white-haired boy standing in front of him. What did he mean by my ANBU name? Trying to sit up carefully, Kakashi recognized him. "Naruto, is that you?"
"Yeah, it is, Dog. Or should I say Kakashi?" Naruto replied.
"How do you know my ANBU codename?" Kakashi asked.
"You have the same chakra. I'm a sensor, Kakashi. So, how did you get yourself into this mess?" Naruto asked.
Kakashi started to explain the entire story while Naruto checked his wounds, using his medical skills to patch Kakashi up a bit. After Kakashi finished explaining, Naruto looked at him incredulously.
"Kakashi, does your brain still function? What were you thinking bringing a genin team on at least a B-rank level mission? When you crossed paths with the Demon Brothers, you could have turned around and gotten backup or let a squad of jonin handle it," Naruto scolded.
Kakashi felt a whole lot better after Naruto's medical attention. "I know, Naruto, but I let my team vote on it."
"Now I really know your brain isn't functioning upstairs," Naruto said, shaking his head.
Kakashi sighed. "I realize it wasn't the best decision. But I wanted them to experience real missions and grow."
"There's a difference between real missions and sending them into potential death traps," Naruto replied. "Anyway, I'm here now. What's the current situation?"
"How long do you think it will take for Zabuza to heal from his near-death state and for Riku to recover from your Chidori?" Naruto asked.
"One week, max," Kakashi answered.
"How strong is your genin squad, Kakashi?" Naruto asked.
"I would say that Sasuke is the strongest, being high-genin level. Then there's Sai, also around that skill level. But Sakura, to be honest, is low-genin," Kakashi admitted.
"Hmm, not the best, but we have to work with what we've got. What did you teach them all?" Naruto questioned.
Kakashi looked embarrassed. "I was about to teach them tree walking for the fight."
Naruto sighed. "Ugh, you know, I'll leave it for now, Kakashi. But we need a plan."
Kakashi nodded. "If we take on the two jounin and let Sai and Sasuke take on the hunter-nin while Sakura protects the client, I think we have the best chance."
Naruto shook his head. "No, I have a better idea. This protection mission will become an assassination one."
Kakashi looked at Naruto, intrigued. "What are you saying, Naruto?"
"What I am saying is tonight, I will kill Gato," Naruto declared.
Kakashi considered Naruto's plan carefully. "Taking out Gato would destabilize his control over the mercenaries and possibly prevent further attacks. But are you sure you can handle it?"
"I've faced worse. With Gato gone, there is no reason anymore for our client to be in danger," Naruto replied confidently.
"Alright, I trust you. But be careful. We can't afford to lose you," Kakashi said.
The rest of the day, Naruto got introduced to Kakashi's team. He found out the pink-haired girl was called Sakura. Then Kakashi introduced him to Sai, a pale white boy who liked to draw. Something felt off about Sai—he almost looked emotionless. Then he met Sasuke, who dismissed Naruto directly, calling him weak and beneath him. Naruto just ignored the boy.
Finally, Naruto met the client, Tazuna, and his daughter, Tsunami. The rest of the day, Naruto looked for information about where Gato was staying. He overheard from one of Gato's goons that he was staying outside the village inside a heavily guarded mansion. Deciding he would strike tonight, Naruto was about to move but got invited to dinner with the rest by Tsunami. Not wanting to be rude, Naruto accepted.
Arriving at the dinner table, Naruto saw a small boy around 7 years old with a dark expression. He was the bridge builder's grandson, Inari, if Naruto remembered correctly. It was silent at the table, nobody really knowing what to talk about, so Naruto broke the ice.
"Tazuna, how is it going with the construction of the bridge?" Naruto asked.
"It's going alright, Naruto-san, but a few of my men quit because of Gato's goons harassing them," Tazuna said, frustrated.
"I could create a few clones to help you out tomorrow if you want," Naruto offered.
"That would be super amazing, Naruto-san," Tazuna said, clearly appreciating the help.
Before Naruto could say anything else to Tazuna, Inari spoke up. "Why do you even try?"
"What do you mean, kid?" Naruto asked.
Inari started to shout. "Why do you even try? Gato will win anyway. He's too strong. I bet you don't even know what it's like here. You've probably always had warm meals, nobody destroying your life. You don't know suffering."
The air started to become cold around the table as Naruto's eyes were covered by his hair. "Be careful with your words, kid. I don't know suffering?" Naruto let out a puff of frustration. "Do you know, kid, how it is like to be beaten, burned, and starved? Do you?"
Inari looked at Naruto with wide eyes, shaking.
"Or to get beaten almost to death? I do, because I know how every last one of those feels. So shut your mouth about things you don't understand. You have a home, a mother, and a grandfather that love you. I didn't have any of those things. The only thing I got was a beating until I turned five."
Everybody around the table was silent after those words. Inari started to cry. Naruto stood up, walking away. "I'm gonna clear my head."
Naruto was taking a walk outside, grumbling to himself. "That kid doesn't know what he's talking about."
"Calm down, Naruto. Do you let the words of a brat get to you?" Kurama's voice echoed in his mind.
"But Kurama—" Naruto tried to argue but was interrupted by the fox.
"No, you listen to me. What you need to do is forget that brat's words and right now march straight to Gato's mansion and take out the little shit, okay?"
Naruto was silent for a moment before nodding. "Thank you, Kurama. What would I do without you?"
"Be an emo," Kurama said back.
Naruto got a twitch mark from the fox's remark but ignored it for now. He started to move towards Gato's mansion. After about half an hour, he arrived, seeing the gate heavily guarded. Naruto saw two options: go down there with brute force or sneak inside. Thinking
the second option was better, Naruto climbed up and jumped from tree to tree, getting as close as possible to the mansion without being spotted.
Seeing one of the windows open on the second floor, Naruto jumped inside without a noise. He saw a guard with his back turned to him. Naruto took out a kunai and slit the guard's throat, the guard dropping to the ground silently as his blood stained the floor. Naruto walked through the mansion, going up a floor when he heard a sound coming from one of the rooms. The door was slightly open. Peeking through it, Naruto saw something that enraged him—a bunch of women chained to a wall.
Naruto's Sharingan activated, spinning around. Opening the door, the guards inside turned around.
"Stop the—" The guards couldn't speak anymore as they looked into Naruto's eyes, falling under a genjutsu.
"Kill yourselves," Naruto ordered. Without hesitation, the guards drew their weapons and ended their own lives.
Seeing the scared women, Naruto raised his hand. There were a total of nine women. "Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you." Creating four clones of himself, Naruto ordered them to escort the women to safety. The clones complied, and Naruto left, determined to burn this place and everyone in it to the ground. Knowing Gato would probably be on the next and last floor, Naruto sneaked up, silently killing any guards in his way.
Seeing an office at the end of the hallway, Naruto approached it and kicked the door in. Gato was planning his next attack against the bridge builder when his door was kicked open. Whoever did that would pay dearly. Looking up, Gato saw a kunai flying at him, barely missing his head but cutting his cheek, while two other kunai killed his guards, hitting them in the throat. Looking at the intruder, Gato screamed.
"Who the fuck do you—" Gato went silent as he saw a boy covered in blood. But it wasn't the blood that made him shake in his boots—it was the Sharingan eyes glaring at him with a ridiculous amount of killer intent.
"Gato, today will be your last," Naruto said coldly, walking slowly towards the cowering man.
Gato jumped out of his chair, backing towards the wall. "You don't have to do this. I can pay you, give you women, money, anything you can think of—"
A swift swipe of Naruto's katana ended Gato's life, severing his head from his body. "I don't want anything from scum like you."
Having ended Gato's reign, Naruto received a memory from one of his clones that the women were safe. Sensing for any remaining civilians, Naruto found none. He sealed Gato's dead body in a scroll and, spitting out a fireball, setting Gato's office ablaze. The fire quickly spread to other rooms. Naruto jumped out of a window, landing on the ground, and looked around, seeing Gato's guards and goons surrounding him—around two hundred men.
"None of you are leaving alive," Naruto declared.
The group started to laugh. "And what are you gonna do, kid?" a tall man with black hair said, holding a sword.
The next moment, the man fell to the ground, a kunai embedded in his skull. Channeling a bit of Kurama's chakra, Naruto spoke again, releasing a massive amount of killer intent, his eyes red with slits. "Like I said, none of you are leaving alive." His voice sounded demonic, echoing around the group and causing fear to spread.
One of the few brave—or stupid—men charged at Naruto, the rest following. Naruto threw two kunai with a strange kind of seal on them into the air and quickly went through some hand signs, calling out, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." The two kunai turned into about fifty, landing everywhere.
"Let's see if this works," Naruto said to himself. "Hiraishin!" Naruto disappeared in a black and white flash as bodies started to hit the floor blood organs and heads going everywhere. The thugs were shocked and fearful as they saw only a black and white flash before another man fell. In the span of only ten seconds, half of them were already cut down. A few tried to run but were quickly ended. Blood flew everywhere as Naruto cut down thug after thug.
A few more seconds passed before Naruto stopped, looking around, his sword in hand. He was covered in blood, his hair black with white tips now red due to the blood. Walking away from the scene, Naruto felt empty.
"You did what you had to do, kid," Kurama said.
Naruto remained silent, walking towards the exit from Gato's mansion, which was burning behind him. He saw Team 7 and Kakashi standing there, the genin wide-eyed at the scene. Sakura even threw up at the sight of the bodies lying everywhere, blood covering the ground. Kakashi looked at Naruto with a sympathetic expression, knowing the toll this would take on the boy. As Naruto almost walked past, Kakashi stopped him, placing a hand on the blood-covered boy.
"You can talk about it if you need to," Kakashi said gently.
"Gato is dead, and I'm gonna take a shower," Naruto said, shrugging off Kakashi's hand and walking away.
When Naruto entered Tazuna's home, Tsunami saw him walking inside, still covered in blood. "Naruto, what happened? Are you alright?" Tsunami screamed, her voice filled with worry. But Naruto just ignored her, walking upstairs lost in his thoughts.
Naruto took a nice warm shower, removing all the blood that was on his body. After showering, he put on a new set of clothes and walked to his room. As soon as he lay down, he fell asleep within seconds.
Not much later, Kakashi and his team entered Tazuna's home. "Kakashi, thank goodness you're here. I saw Naruto-san covered in blood. What happened?" Tsunami asked, her worry evident.
"It's not Naruto's blood if you're worried about that. It's that of Gato and his men," Kakashi said calmly, trying to reassure the panicked woman.
"Are you saying Gato is dead?" came another voice in the conversation. It was Tazuna, shocked.
"Yes, he is," Kakashi answered.
"Did Naruto kill all of them?" Tazuna questioned further.
Kakashi only nodded. Tazuna didn't know how to feel. Their oppressor was dead, which was good for the Wave Country, but the process had forced a child to kill over two hundred men.
"And how is Naruto doing?" Tazuna asked, his concern growing.
"It's hard, you know. Killing so many people at once takes something out of you," Kakashi replied, his voice heavy with understanding.
The Next Day
Naruto woke up screaming, looking at his hands as if they were still covered in blood. He felt like he was still drenched in it. Kakashi entered the room, looking at Naruto with concern. "What is it, Naruto? I heard you screaming."
But Naruto didn't respond immediately. The bodies, the blood—it was all around him. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and everything disappeared. Realizing he was just in his room, he saw Kakashi looking at him, worried.
"Naruto, it's okay," Kakashi said calmly.
"The blood, the bodies—I see them everywhere, in my dreams, around me," Naruto said, sweating. "How do you deal with it?"
Kakashi took a moment, checking if anybody was around to hear their conversation. Finding no one, he started to talk. "I don't know, Naruto. But if you hadn't killed Gato and his men, many innocent people would have suffered because of it. If we don't kill scum like that, everyone will suffer."
Kakashi continued, "Just know, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."
Naruto only nodded at those words as Kakashi left him alone with his thoughts.
Later That Day
The rest of the day, Naruto walked around aimlessly, lost in thought. When he arrived back at Tazuna's house late in the evening, he was greeted by Tsunami and Tazuna, who thanked him for what he had done. Naruto just nodded, then went upstairs to sleep.
The Following Day
Naruto felt a lot better after having that talk with Kakashi. Kurama had also been there to help him out. Although Naruto still had nightmares that night, they were far less frequent. Coming down to grab something to eat, since he hadn't eaten the day before, Naruto was stopped in front of the kitchen by Inari.
"I'm sorry," Inari said quietly, looking down.
Naruto looked at the boy, his cold eyes warming up a bit. Kneeling down to be at eye level with Inari, Naruto patted the boy's head. "No problem, kid. Just don't be an emo all the time, okay?"
Inari looked up with puffed cheeks. "I'm not an emo!" he screamed.
"Yes, you are, kid," Naruto said back, walking away from the boy, leaving him to pout.
After eating something, Naruto felt his energy coming back. He decided it would be nice to exercise a bit. While Naruto started to warm up, he was rudely interrupted by Sasuke.
"Hey, loser! Fight me!" Sasuke shouted, his voice full of challenge.
Naruto sighed. "And why would I fight you, Sasuke?"
Sasuke gritted his teeth. Naruto made him feel incompetent. He had shown up out of nowhere, the same age as Sasuke, yet he was clearly more skilled. Sasuke hadn't seen Naruto at the Academy, and when he asked Kakashi where Naruto had been, he learned that Naruto was trained by Jiraiya of the Sannin. Meanwhile, Sasuke had not been trained by any legendary ninja. This infuriated Sasuke; this nobody got better training than him, an Uchiha. And after seeing what Naruto did to Gato and his men, Sasuke felt weak. He couldn't afford to be weak if he wanted to kill that man.
"Just fight me, you nobody! I bet you're just some no-name orphan abandoned by a crack whore of a mother," Sasuke spat.
Naruto's eyes sharpened. He didn't care if the Uchiha felt superior, but insulting his mother crossed the line. "Fine. If you want to fight that badly, come on," Naruto said.
Without another second wasted, Sasuke charged at Naruto, engaging in a taijutsu battle. Sasuke threw a kick at Naruto's head, but Naruto dodged with ease, stepping to the side and tripping the Uchiha.
"Is that all the mighty Uchiha has?" Naruto taunted.
Sasuke quickly got up, even more pissed, and attacked Naruto with everything he had. But Naruto blocked or dodged every strike, kick, or punch Sasuke threw at him. Growing sloppier and more frustrated, Sasuke's attacks became easier to counter.
Having had enough of playing with the Uchiha, Naruto kicked him hard in the ribs, hearing a clear snap. Sasuke lay on the ground for a second before spitting out some blood and charging back at Naruto, throwing a sloppy punch. Naruto caught Sasuke's fist, pulling him closer and kneeing him in the ribs, hearing more cracks. Sasuke, now with broken ribs, fell to the ground.
Naruto drew his katana, pointing it at Sasuke's throat. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed, seeing Sasuke on the ground, beaten, with a katana at his throat.
"Listen up, Uchiha. I don't know or care what your problem is, but the next time you insult my mother, I'll end you. Got that?" Naruto said, releasing some of his killer intent.
All Sasuke could do was lie there, feeling the weight of Naruto's words and his own powerlessness. After a moment, he nodded.
Naruto sheathed his sword and turned his back on Sasuke, walking away. Sakura quickly went to Sasuke's side, looking him over. Kakashi stood on the sidelines, having watched the scene play out. He thought Sasuke had it coming and only intended to intervene if Naruto had tried to kill or seriously injure the Uchiha further.
Five days passed smoothly, with not much happening except for Sasuke giving Naruto mean looks once in a while. Naruto shrugged them off and continued to help Tazuna with his clones, speeding up the construction of the bridge significantly, much to Tazuna's gratitude.
At the moment, Naruto was with Kakashi at the bridge, his clones assisting Tazuna. Suddenly, a mist began to form around the bridge. Sensing two large chakra signatures, Naruto was on high alert, and so was Kakashi. They heard voices in the mist.
"Nice to meet you again, Hatake. And who do you have there? Another genin with you?" Zabuza's voice echoed through the mist.
Before Kakashi could respond, another voice chimed in. "I'll end this quick. No use wasting our time," Riku said.
"It's useless to kill the bridge builder because you won't get paid," Naruto interjected.
"Oh, kid? And why's that?" Zabuza asked, curiosity piqued.
"Because Gato is dead," Kakashi stated calmly.
The mist began to dissipate, revealing Zabuza and a tall man, about 6'5", with white hair tied in a ponytail. Naruto assumed this was Riku.
"Prove it, Hatake," Zabuza demanded.
Naruto took out the scroll containing Gato's body and unsealed it, showing the dead man. Zabuza and Riku's eyes narrowed.
"So, you killed the pig. Well, the bridge builder gets to live, then," Riku said nonchalantly.
"What is your name, kid?" Riku asked, his interest piqued. "I know Kakashi alone wouldn't have been able to kill Gato a week ago, and his other genin aren't fit for the job. So, tell me, who are you? I haven't seen you before."
"Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto answered.
"Uzumaki... I will remember that name," Riku said, walking away from the bridge. Zabuza followed, clearly pissed that his payday was gone.
After that encounter, everything returned to normal. Four days later, the bridge was finished. Naruto and Team 7 prepared to leave, waved off by the many grateful people of the Wave Country. As they were about to depart, Naruto felt something holding his leg. Looking down, he saw Inari with watery eyes.
Kneeling down, Naruto ruffled the boy's hair. "Will I see you again, nii-san?" Inari asked, having started to call Naruto that after spending a lot of time with him.
"Someday we will, Inari," Naruto said with a warm smile, standing up and leaving with the rest of Team 7.
After two days of traveling, they arrived back home, checking in with the gate guards before heading to the Hokage's office. There, Kakashi received an earful from Hiruzen for his careless behavior that almost got his team killed. The rest of the meeting went smoothly, and Team 7 and Naruto were sent away shortly after, while Kakashi stayed behind to discuss some private matters.
Naruto went back home, but when he opened his door, he was surprised to see Tsunade there, making herself comfortable.
"Brat, you're back," Tsunade said.
"What are you doing in my home, Granny?" Naruto replied.
Tsunade got a twitch mark on her head from the nickname. "Cleaning up your mess as usual," she said, a bit irritated. "So, how did the mission go?"
As soon as Tsunade asked, she noticed Naruto's face darken, his eyes becoming cold. She quickly went to his side. "Come on, Naruto, you know you can say anything to me," Tsunade said in a motherly tone.
"There was just so much blood and death, and I caused it all," Naruto said, finally clenching his fists.
Tsunade saw Naruto clenching his fists and hearing his words, she asked gently, "What did you do, Naruto?"
"I killed Gato, but that's not the problem. I killed every last one of his men too. I know they deserved it, but…" Naruto stopped talking, tears falling down his face as he started to shake. Tsunade quickly covered the boy in a hug, letting Naruto cry it all out on her shoulder. Finally, letting go of his emotions, Naruto calmed down and took a seat. Tsunade sat beside him.
"Can you explain in detail what happened, Naruto?" Tsunade asked gently.
Naruto started to explain in detail what happened in the Wave Country. Tsunade just listened patiently.
"And then finally, when I got out of the mansion, I saw Gato's men surrounding me. Still angry at what I saw before, I decided to use Hiraishin on them. I slaughtered every last one of them. It felt amazing in the moment to kill such people, but afterwards, I felt like a monster," Naruto said.
"You're no monster. A true monster wouldn't have blinked an eye after doing that," Tsunade said, stroking Naruto's back.
"But I enjoyed it in the moment, just how easy it was to slaughter them," Naruto said, looking down.
"That may be, but you were clouded by anger, Naruto. Don't blame yourself," Tsunade replied.
It was silent after that, and Naruto quickly fell asleep against Tsunade. "Thank you, Granny," Naruto said sleepily before completely falling asleep.
"No problem, brat," Tsunade said, running her fingers through Naruto's hair.
Shizune walked in a bit later, seeing Tsunade on the couch with Naruto. "I see my ototo is tired from his mission," Shizune said with a soft smile.
Tsunade nodded, looking down at the sleeping boy. "Yes, he's had a rough mission, but he'll be alright."
