Author's notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
I would like to point out that the purple Sharingan is not particularly special; it is merely a simple mutation that does not significantly affect the Sharingan's abilities. My intention was to differentiate Naruto's eyes from those of the Uchiha clan. I can modify this detail if necessary.
Edited by Izanagi-MS.
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In the dead of night, shortly after Naruto's birth, humanoid flytraps silently appeared in the children's ward of the hospital. The shadows of the vile creatures crept through the corridor like predators hunting defenseless prey, headed for the room where the newborn babies were sleeping. They carefully opened the door and slipped inside, bright yellow eyes piercing the darkness. The dark room was filled with the smell of childlike innocence mixed with the scent of hospital disinfectants.
White Zetsu grew impatient, fidgeting nervously. "Well, what the hell, which brat is our target!" he hissed, his guttural voice echoing ominously in the silence of the room.
Black Zetsu lazily raised his head, giving White Zetsu an indifferent look. "Hurry up, you moron," he growled with a hint of boredom in his voice. "We don't have time for your tantrums."
White Zetsu clenched his fists, his vile face burning with anger. "Alright, alright, calm down, you lazy bastard," he muttered, trying to control his emotions. He finally located the infant in the crib.
"I hope this investment pays off, brat," he growled. His yellow eyes glinted with greed.
Black Zetsu lazily raised his head, watching White with clear disapproval. "Shut up you dumbass," he hissed back. "No one wants to hear your damn nonsense."
After completing their mission, the Zetsu disappeared without a trace from Konohagakure Hospital. As they left the nursery, the boy's eyes flashed with a purple glow.
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–
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"Your son is perfectly healthy." the nurse announced, smiling at the young couple who were gazing lovingly at their son. The child's father smiled broadly, his face lighting up with joy. The mother, with red hair, also nodded with satisfaction.
"The question remains, why does he have these eyes? Neither of us has the Uchiha clan genes," said his father after a short silence, furrowing his brow.
"That's where you're wrong, Hokage-sama." the nurse announced, handing Minato the test results. "According to our analysis, you possess the genes of the Uchiha clan, admittedly in a negligible amount, but nevertheless they exist. The doctors hypothesize that your son's Uzumaki genes may have awakened dormant Uchiha genes, leading to this effect." Saying this, the nurse stared into the child's purple Sharingan eyes, 1 tomoe lazily spinning in each.
Minato's mind began to work intensely, analyzing this information.
"This theory is absurd, but at the same time it's the most likely one. The chance of a child activating the Sharingan must have been negligible if my knowledge of the inheritance of traits is to be believed. The fact that he's already pushing chakra to his eyes and has already awakened the Sharingan is a complete mystery." Minato thought with a sigh. He could already sense the coming migraine when he'd inevitably have to explain to Fugaku that his clan's esteemed Kekkei Genkai was awakened outside of his clan. He was suddenly awakened from his thoughts.
"Minato, he's still OUR SON!" Kushina exclaimed, not at all worried about the child's eyes.
"She's right," Minato thought, forgetting his concerns to embrace his wife and newborn child.
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5 years later, October 10th:
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Konohagakure experienced a terrible tragedy. Without any warning, the Nine-Tailed Fox appeared, wreaking destruction all around.
5 year-old Naruto could only stare at the beast. Standing next to him was his closest and probably only friend, Izumi Uchiha. She was holding her newborn brother, Sasuke. Izumi's parents entrusted her with his care, and left Izumi herself in the care of Naruto, who was very mature for his age. Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha went to support the shinobi in their attempts to push the Nine-Tailed Fox out of the village.
Naruto and Izumi stared in horror at the beast destroying Konohagakure. The shinobi struggled, trying to push it outside the village walls, but all attempts proved futile.
"Mom, Dad, I hope you're alright." both children thought worriedly. They looked anxiously into the distance, and in Naruto's eyes one tomoe turned into two, frantically analyzing the situation.
"Izumi-chan, we have to go to the shelter," the boy announced. Izumi could only nod slightly. Naruto grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the shelter. The boy believed in the strength of the village and his family, he was confident that they would be able to control the situation. At that moment, he decided that he would become strong enough to face any threat to Konohagakure.
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–
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"Minato, you plan to use the Shiki Fūjin?" Hiruzen asked with tired eyes. He was weighed down by age and countless wars. He knew he'd done enough to deserve his rest.
"Biwako is dead, my children are all grown up. I leave the village in good hands." Hiruzen thought, resolving himself to make one last sacrifice for the village.
"Take me with you. Let me do the sealing," Hiruzen announced. Minato looked up in shock ready to refute, but it quickly turned into understanding. Both were ready to make great sacrifices for the good of the village.
"Alright," Minato resigned, creating a single shadow clone that moved next to Hiruzen. The clone placed a hand on his shoulder and teleported them inside the prepared barrier to reseal the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Throwing his signature kunai above the Kyuubi, he reappeared right above the fox with a kunai in mouth. With lightning speed, he slit his thumb and went through the seals to summon the Chief Toad.
Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram
Kuchiyose no Jutsu! To his disbelief, Gamabanta appeared right in the middle of Konohagakure, and on the back of the Kyuubi no less!
The huge toad crushed the fox with its weight, giving Minato precious seconds to act. Seizing the moment, Minato teleported Kyuubi inside the barrier.
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–
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Shiki Fūjin! Hiruzen yelled, the Shinigami's ghastly silhouette appearing behind him, trapping his soul.
After a moment, the Shinigami began wrapping his left arm with prayer beads, intoning unintelligible songs. When he finished, a cursed seal appeared on his arm. The shinigami then rammed his arm into Hiruzen, piercing it through to the other side.
Meanwhile the fox had been immobilized thanks to the combined strength of Kushina and Minato. When he saw Minato's clone appear at the altar with the child in his hand, he understood their plan. He couldn't react, however, because he felt something grab him. Chills ran through his body as he turned his gaze to another monkey, followed by the figure of death. Seeing death already holding him and looking down to the child, the fox realized its defeat.
"Minato, I will seal the Yang-chakra of the Kyuubi into young Misumi, and the Yin-chakra into Kushina so she may survive" Hiruzen announced.
"Arigato, Sandaime-sama," Minato and Kushina solemnly thanked as they witnessed the Sandaime Hokage's final sacrifice.
"Minato, I leave the village in your hands." Hiruzen thought before closing his eyes for the last time.
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–
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"Look sochi-kun, it's your imouto, Misumi," Kushina said, gently lifting the tiny girl so Naruto could see her. The boy's eyes widened with surprise and delight.
"Cute," he managed to choke out, unable to take his eyes off his imouto's petite face and delicate hands.
"Yes, yes, she is pretty. After all, she's my little musume," Kushina said with pride rippling through her heart as she hummed a lullaby, rocking Misumi in her arms.
Gazing at his sister, Naruto felt something he had never experienced before. A wave of warmth and love flooded his heart.
"I will do everything to protect that smile. I'll be her protector and her brother, and she will forever serve as my strength."
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–
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"Izumi, I'm going to ask my parents to admit me to the shinobi academy later this year" the boy announced, looking over the village from atop the Sandaime's head. A huge debt of gratitude to the elder was smoldering in his heart. It was thanks to his sacrifice that his family was still happy and whole.
"Why the rush, Naruto?" Izumi questioned, wrinkling her eyebrows in concentration. She didn't understand her friend's haste. After a moment's thought, she added "After all, you know very well what the life of a shinobi is like... My mother would certainly not have allowed me to enter the academy so early."
The boy turned his gaze away from the village skyline for a moment and directed it at his friend, with a happy smile on his face.
"I want to gain the strength to protect my loved ones," he announced, and then, spreading his hands toward the village, he added, "I want the strength to protect this village which I've come to call my family and my home."
"I understand... but I'll still be sad Naruto," the girl sighed, aware that if Naruto goes to the academy, he will quickly become a shinobi, which will drastically limit the time they can spend together.
"Izumi, I promise you that I will always find time to be there for you," Naruto affirmed, knowing all too well his friend's thoughts.
"Promise?" Izumi asked, looking for reassurance.
"Promise. I swear nothing will break the bond we share!" he reaffirmed with determination in his voice.
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–
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Naruto returned home late that evening. Determination burned in his eyes, he knew that what he was about to request would come as a shock to his parents, especially his mother. But he had to do it. The Academy was the first step in his quest to protect his village, his loved ones, and the peace they enjoyed.
He quietly entered, removing his shoes and walking to the living room. Kushina was setting dinner on the table, and Minato was staring intently at a scroll of some sort, probably a shinobi mission report - important enough that he was even reading it during the meal.
"Honey, put this report away and have dinner in peace," Kushina announced in a sweet voice and all too sweet smile. Years of living together had taught Minato that when Kushina speaks in that tone, it's better to comply with her request. With a sigh, he put down the scroll and smiled slightly at his wife.
In a cot next to the family table slept Misumi. Her pretty, calm face only added to the determination in Naruto's heart.
"Mom, Dad, I'd like to ask you something," he announced in a trembling voice. As both parents focused their eyes on him, he added, "I would like to enter the shinobi academy."
Naruto's words caught them off guard. They didn't expect their son, at such a young age, to be thinking about becoming a shinobi.
"That night has obviously etched itself in his memory," Minato thought with a hint of understanding in his eyes. How could it not? The boy was only 5 and witnessed one of the worst calamities in the shinobi world. Still, he longed to hear from his son what had prompted him to want to become a shinobi so early.
"Honey, don't you think you're still too young to be a shinobi?" Kushina asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Naruto, why do you want to become a shinobi?" Minato suddenly asked, ignoring the look his wife gave him. Instead, he looked directly into his son's amber eyes.
Unsure of how'd they respond, Naruto faltered for a second. "What if they don't take me seriously? I'm only a kid." His glance then shifted to Misumi. "That's right, I don't fight for myself. I fight for them."
With that he looked up to meet his father's eyes, two tomoe swirling in each showing the conviction in his mind. "I want the strength to protect my loved ones and this village, to never have those precious to me go through hardship again," Naruto announced, voice full of determination.
The words brought a mixture of shock and disbelief to Kushina's face as she stuttered denials. Minato, on the other hand quietly smiled with understanding and acceptance.
"It's okay, Naruto. The Academy starts next week." he announced, casting a meaningful glance at Kushina, letting her know that there was no topic for discussion.
"I can't stomp on his dreams, Kushina. I'm sorry," Minato thought, watching his son with pride and hope in his eyes.
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–
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A week later, Naruto stood in front of the building which had produced some of the village's strongest shinobi, including his parents. His heart was pounding with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty He didn't know if he had the talent to be a shinobi, but he felt a great passion and determination pushing him forward.
"The academy is just the beginning," he thought, clenching his fists. Raising his head he stepped inside.
He immediately drew the attention of the older students. Their puzzled looks were mixed with awe as they witnessed the son of the Hokage. No one expected someone as young as him to dare join the academy.
Naruto ignored their stares in favor of reaching his classroom. He found a chunin sitting at a desk.
"Ah Namikaze-sama, can I help you? A bit young to be attending the academy isn't it." Naruto wordlessly handed him a letter with the Hokage's official seal. The chunin-instructor read the contents intently, and his face became serious.
"Hmm... I wonder what he will grow up to be," he thought with a slight smile. "To think that in my first year as an academy instructor, I will be teaching the Fourth Hokage's son! I can't wait."
He looked back to Naruto. "Namikaze-sama… are you sure you want to join the academy? Most aspirants start studying at the age of seven or eight, that's including clan-raised children."
Naruto nodded, determination clear in his eyes. The chunin chuckled. "I can see that you have enthusiasm. But whether you have the talent, we'll find out soon enough. Come in."
Naruto's entrance caused a wave of disbelief and whispers among the students.
"As you can see, we have been joined by another student." announced the chunin in a loud voice, quelling the whispers. "I don't want to hear any comments about his age. As you know, in the shinobi world, age doesn't matter. This boy may yet surprise you."
"Naruto, introduce yourself" the instructor motioned. He was curious how his charges would react when they learned that the Hokage's son would be studying in their class.
"My name is Naruto Namikaze, it's a pleasure to meet you," Naruto announced in a warm voice, scratching at the back of his head with a hint of shyness while a blush appeared on his cheeks. "I will be in your care for the coming years."
"Kawaii!" thought all the girls in the class at the sight of the boy's gesture.
"Instructor, why does he have such strange eyes?" asked one student who comes from a civilian family.
"Because those are the eyes of the Uchiha clan's blood limit. They're Sharingan, a powerful visual technique," the instructor replied with a smile on his face, then turned to Naruto, "Can you deactivate them, Naruto?"
"Oh, I forgot," Naruto replied, nodding. After a moment, his purple Sharingan faded into blue eyes.
"I heard that this boy was born with those eyes," the instructor thought with a hint of curiosity. "Purple Sharingan, huh?"
"Alright alright, cut the chatter. Naruto, please take your seat, because I want to continue the lesson," the instructor announced.
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–
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The sound of the doorbell echoed off the walls in Namikaze's house. Kushina, holding a sleeping Misumi in her arms, rushed to the door to greet her guests. When she opened it, she saw Mikoto with Sasuke in her arms and Izumi clinging to her hand.
"Hi, Kushi-chan! Izumi wanted to visit Naruto and ask how his first day at the academy was," Mikoto announced calmly, rocking a lightly sleeping Sasuke.
"Oh, Mikoto! Come in, come in," Kushina replied, opening the door wider. "To be honest, I was expecting you earlier."
"Really?" Mikoto asked with mixed feelings on her face.
"Izumi-chan, Naruto is probably in his room," relayed Kushina to the girl, who immediately dashed toward the boy's room. Kushina, seeing this, smiled warmly: "Mhm."
"They're close, huh?" Mikoto asked, watching her daughter's actions.
"Yes, very much so," Kushina replied happily, heading into the living room with Mikoto.
"Do you still resent Minato for allowing young Naruto to enter the academy at such a young age?" she questioned, staring at her friend.
"Not anymore, but it makes me sad that I'm spending less time with Naruto because of it, you know?" replied Kushina with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"That's understandable, Kushi-chan. But Naruto's goal is very mature. Perhaps you should give him the room to pursue it," Mikoto encouraged.
"I know, Mikoto. I'm proud of him," Kushina announced, smiling slightly.
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–
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"Ano Naruto-kun, how was your first day at the Academy?" Izumi asked after a brief greeting with the boy.
Naruto, delighted by her visit, began eagerly recounting the day's events.
"It was alright. The instructor seems fair and reasonable. We learned the basics of taijutsu and how to throw shurikens. But..." He abruptly stopped, and his face grew sad. "My eyes make my peers uneasy. They constantly stare at me and whisper behind my back."
Sensing his sadness, she put her hand on his shoulder for support. Her touch was gentle but full of warmth.
"Don't worry about them, Naruto," she said softly. "Your eyes are beautiful. They will surely become your strength in the future."
Izumi's words enveloped Naruto like a warm blanket. He felt understood and accepted.
"Thank you, Izumi." he replied, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. "You're right. I won't let them stifle me."
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Six months later
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Akira Uchiha, instructor of Naruto's class, called a meeting with the other instructors. The topic of discussion was the situation of his unique charge.
"I would like to discuss the possibility of an early graduation exam for Naruto," Akira announced. Seeing the lack of focus from the other instructors, he added, "His talent is too great to keep him at the academy any longer. He absorbs all of my teachings and lessons and truly sees the potential even in the simplest jutsu. He's a prodigy just like his father."
That got the other instructors' attention. "On the other hand, his presence creates negative emotions among his peers. Instead of feeling determination to catch up with him, they blame the world for the injustice. It can't be like this. This environment will only hinder him and subject him to negative sentiments."
"Let's remember that he's the Hokage's son," one of the instructors interjected. "We all know how the Hokage loves his family. Do you think he would approve of his son becoming a genin at such a young age?"
"We don't need to inform the Hokage about the exam." replied another instructor. "If Naruto passes it, he will automatically become a genin."
"According to the rules established by Nidaime-sama, a child who shows extraordinary ability may be subjected to an examination at the request of the academy instructors," Akira announced, bringing the discussion back on track.
The senior instructor mulled over it for a moment. "I will propose a vote to decide Naruto Namikaze's opportunity for early graduation. I'm in favor of providing the young Namikaze this opportunity to grow beyond the classroom."
After a brief deliberation, all the instructors unanimously agreed. Was it really for the best though?
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–
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The next day during Naruto's class, a senior instructor entered the room unannounced. His firm voice immediately caught the attention of all the students.
"Is Namikaze Naruto present?"
Naruto stood up and nodded, his eyebrows raised in confusion.
"Follow me" the instructor ordered, departing the classroom in silence.
Naruto, not knowing what to do, looked to Akira-sensei. A slight smile and a nod from Akira reassured him.
He caught up with the senior instructor and walked beside him in silence. Naruto's thoughts whirled. "What happened?" he wondered, but searched unsuccessfully for answers to his questions.
Finally, Naruto recognized the place they were heading to. He and his class had been here before when Akira-sensei wanted to show them what the graduation exam was like. The closer they got, the more Naruto was piecing together the facts. Slowly understanding appeared on his face.
"So you've already started to guess what it's all about, eh kid?" the instructor smirked, opening the door to the exam room.
Inside, two other instructors were waiting for him, and among them was Akira-sensei. Naruto was puzzled.
"How di—" "Kage Bunshin," Akira interrupted.
"Since you know what's going on, let's get straight to the point," the senior instructor announced seriously. "You have been given the chance to become a genin prematurely thanks to young Akira-sensei. Do you agree to accept this honor?"
"Of course I do!" replied Naruto with determination in his voice. Never in his life would he have thought that the instructors would give him the chance to prove his talents as a shinobi so early.
Akira smiled at this. "Naruto, I believe in you." He was proud of his protégé. During those six months, Naruto proved to be a calm, disciplined, and wise student who absorbed all the knowledge he tried to impart to him.
"For my first year at the shinobi academy, I did a fantastic job," Akira mentally fist-pumped.
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–
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Naruto walked out of the shinobi academy, holding a black protector with the Konoha symbol in his right hand. He couldn't believe this was happening. At the age of five, he became a genin. Although the future made him anxious, his violet eyes glowed with determination to meet all the challenges that would stand in his way.
Suddenly he paled. "Mom will kill me," he thought, recalling his mother's reaction 6 months before.
Thankfully she wasn't the first person he planned to confide the great news in. He headed toward the Uchiha district to visit his best friend Izumi and Aunt Mikoto.
Arriving at the home of the clan head, he found Izumi engulfing a lollipop in front of him. Upon seeing him, the girl smiled radiantly and, with a hand gesture, invited him to sit down with her. Naruto happily complied and Izumi immediately took out a second lollipop.
"What brings you here, Naruto-kun?" she asked in a warm voice, still holding the lollipop in her hand, as if waiting for his reaction. Her black eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Naruto hesitated for a moment, but after a moment he accepted the lollipop gratefully. A look of worry was painted on his face as he held a black forhead protector. "Will she be mad at me for graduating? We'll have less time together after this."
Stifling those thoughts he showed her his protector with a wide smile.
"I became a genin!" he announced.
Izumi looked at the protector and then at Naruto for a moment, giving her mind time to process this news. When it finally dawned on her what had happened, she sprang from her seat and ran home, screaming.
"Kaa-san, kaa-san!"
"What happened, honey?" Mikoto asked with concern in her voice, focusing her gaze on her daughter. Fugaku reacted similarly. However, neither of them could have predicted the news Izumi was about to give them.
"Naruto became a genin!" she exclaimed in disbelief.
Shock was painted on Mikoto's face, while Fugaku did not hide his pride. Moments later, the man himself entered. He proudly tied his black protector around his forehead, showing them proof that he had become a genin.
"Naruto!" shouted Mikoto with a hint of anger in her voice. Naruto immediately paled knowing that voice.
Fugaku shifted his gaze from Naruto to his protector, and a shadow of pride appeared on his face.
"Hmm... interesting, very interesting," he wondered aloud, then nodded to himself, as if he had made some kind of decision.
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–
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After a long conversation in which Naruto was reprimanded by Mikoto, Fugaku finally decided to tell Minato the news of the new genin. He reached the Hokage's office, where the secretary let him in without a problem. Minato was surprised to see the Uchiha clan head in his office, but quickly put on a serious face and invited him in.
"Fugaku, what brings you to me?" Minato asked curiously.
"I would like to take someone under my wing, just as Jirayia once did with you" he replied seriously. "If this works, it might just benefit the Uchiha clan."
"Someone caught your attention, my friend?" Minato asked, increasingly curious about the situation.
"Yes, he recently passed the genin exam, and I feel that I will be the perfect teacher for him," Fugaku announced, intentionally leaving off the person in question.
Curious, Minato began to look through the lineups of recent genin yearbooks in his mind, but couldn't find anyone who might interest Fugaku enough to take him under his wing.
"Hmm" sighed Minato when he realized that he would not receive any more information about the mysterious genin. He pulled out two copies of the apprentice request document and signed them for Fugaku, who eagerly awaited.
"Heh, you don't even suspect that your son has already become a genin, eh Minato?" thought Fugaku tauntingly, and smiled broadly as he typed the data into the document and the copy, so that Minato couldn't back out after signing both.
Fugaku filled out both pieces of paper and signed them, then handed the original to Minato to archive.
"3, 2, 1..." counted Fugaku in his mind. Minato spat out his coffee in shock.
He began nervously reviewing the student request sheet, and his gaze wandered from time to time to Fugaku's face, displaying a disbelieving smile. Never in his life had he imagined that not only would Fugaku one day stand on his doorstep with such a request, but also that his disciple would be... his own son. On top of all this, he had no idea that Naruto had already managed to become a genin.
"Fugaku, are you kidding me?" he growled, a mix of anger and disbelief could be heard in his voice. "My son is still a student at the Academy!"
"Minato, you and I both know perfectly well that I'm not joking, so let's get this formality over with." Fugaku rebuked, his smile becoming even wider if possible at the shock painted on the Hokage's face. "According to this, Naruto Namikaze becomes my personal disciple."
"I still can't believe what you're saying!" repeated Minato, still unable to shake off his surprise. "Naruto is just an academy student!"
"Naruto has become a genin," Fugaku announced seriously, causing a real storm of emotions in Minato. On the one hand, he felt anger and disbelief that the instructors would do this without his approval, while on the other he felt fatherly pride.
Without wasting another moment, Minato disappeared in a yellow flash.
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–
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Around the same time as Fugaku's discussion, Kushina was giving Naruto a stern reprimand. Hearing the cries of his wife, Minato realized that Fugaku's words had proven true. Shouts from the kitchen had also awoken Misumi. Understanding that Kushina first needed to cool off and talk to Naruto, he decided to take Misumi outside.
"Naruto Namikaze!" shouted Kushina with anger, eyes turning comically white and hair beginning to form nine parts, like the tails of a certain demonic fox (AN: seriously is this hereditary?) "Do you realize what you have done!?"
"Y-yes, kaa-chan, I've become a genin," Naruto announced rather quietly. He had never heard such anger in his mother's voice before. Gathering his remaining courage, he added, staring at Kushina's upset face, "I took another step toward my goal."
"Ugh... I know it had to happen someday, but I never would have thought it would happen so early!" thought Kushina, looking down at her son's protector. "What's done is done, but I'll have a talk with Minato and the instructors at the shinobi academy... How dare they!"
After saying these words, Naruto began sweating. His mother's anger compounded with the fury of the demonic fox still frightened him. Kushina seeing the fear in her son's eyes, began to calm down.
"Sochi, I'm just worried about you," she said in a trembling voice. She walked over to Naruto, crouched down and lifted his face to look into her eyes. "I'm worried about you, you're too young for the brutal reality of shinobi..."
Naruto saw tears in his mother's eyes. He realized that she wasn't really angry with him, but only oppressed by her fear for his safety.
"Son, you know I love you." whispered Kushina and embraced him tightly. After a moment, Naruto reciprocated, snuggling into the warmth of his mother's arms.
After a long moment, Kushina pulled away from her son and smiled gently.
"Son, will you call your father? He's outside. Take care of Misumi too, while we… talk," she said in a sweet voice. The boy breathed a sigh of relief, hearing that his mother's words were no longer directed at him.
"Gomen tou-chan, I hope you make it out," he thought.
He found Minato cradling Misumi in his arms. At the sound of the opening door, the man paused for a moment and looked at his son with a serious expression.
"Kaa-chan is calling you," Naruto said in a quiet voice. Minato nodded and approached the boy.
"You know we'll talk later," he said, handing him his little sister. Despite a bad feeling, he knew he had to open it and talk to his wife. The thought of the upcoming conversation with Kushina didn't fill him with optimism. On the contrary, he felt that she would be merciless towards him.
"Misumi-chan, your brother became a genin!" Naruto announced proudly, lifting little Misumi higher in the air. The girl giggled happily, clapping her hands.
"That means I'll be able to protect you soon," Naruto added, his voice taking on a warm tone. He looked at his sister with tenderness in his eyes.
"And everyone else I care about," he finished in his thoughts. A new determination burned in his heart. He wanted to become a strong shinobi so that he could provide security for those he loved.
Misumi didn't fully understand her brother's words, but she felt his joy and excitement. In response, she smiled broadly, revealing her toothless gums.
Naruto smiled back at her. Gazing into her innocent eyes, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect her smile!
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–
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"Minato Namikaze!" Kushina screamed as soon as she saw him at the door. Her hair once again forming 9 tails and eyes white as she unleashed killing intent (KI) in waves.
"Honey, it's not my fault!" the man tried to defend himself, but his words bounced off Kushina like a rubber wall.
"Mhm..." she approached him with anger, her voice becoming icy "Continue."
"I have nothing to do with it. The instructors probably took advantage of the law established by the Nidaime-sama" he pleaded, but his explanations made no impression on Kushina.
"I don't deny that, but who enrolled MY Naru-chan in the Academy to begin with?" she asked him, her eyes flashing with lightning.
"You're right, but..." he couldn't finish, because Kushina threw herself at him with the force of a mother's anger.
That night the pathetic screams of a grown man echoed through the village.
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–
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The screams of the Yondaime Hokage echoed through the night air, alarming the ANBU patrol. A squad immediately rushed towards the Namikaze house. As they approached, they could hear more clearly the groans of pain and whimpers of fear.
"Is that Hokage-sama?" Mouse whispered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his kunai.
"Yes, Mouse" the captain confirmed, grimly clenching his lips. "But something tells me that intervention is not advisable."
They stopped in the shadows, observing the house. In the moonlight, they could see the silhouette of a red figure with 9 thrashing tails.
"Are we sure we shouldn't interfere?" Mouse asked, his voice trembling with anxiety.
The captain looked at him disapprovingly. "Tell me, Mouse, do you want to go in there?" he asked, pointing to the house.
Mouse paled and lowered his gaze. Everyone knew that facing Kushina in such a fury was like signing their own death warrant.
"No" he replied quietly.
Silence fell. The Hokage's screams gradually subsided, giving way to a gloomy silence.
"We're going back to base" the captain ordered. Mouse and the others nodded, disappearing into the darkness.
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Kushina finally stepped outside to tend to Misumi. Naruto, on the other hand, his heart filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity, headed towards the house where Minato awaited him.
In the dimness of the room, Minato sat huddled in a chair at the table, his figure still trembling from the nightmare he had just experienced. His face was a mix of pain, exhaustion, and relief.
Naruto approached his father, his gaze fixated on his tired eyes. He wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in his throat. Minato gestured for him to sit down in the chair across from him.
"Tou-chan..." Naruto began with a trembling voice, but Minato stopped him with a gesture of his hand.
"Wait a moment, Naruto," Minato said in a hoarse voice. "I need to calm down first."
Minato clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths. After a few minutes of silence, he finally regained his composure.
"Naruto... As your father, I am proud of you, but also worried about this situation," Minato declared. After a moment's thought, he added, "Like your mother, I worry about you. But I also understand what motivated you. So don't explain to me why you did it."
After these words, they both contemplated in silence, until Minato broke it with a sigh.
"Son... I never would have expected you to possess such great talent. At the age of five, you became a genin, catching the attention of one of our best jounin. That jounin immediately seized the opportunity to become your mentor," Minato said with pride in his voice, but also with a hint of sadness.
Naruto, surprised by these words, began to wonder who the people were who would want to guide him.
"You don't even know how surprised I was when this elite jounin entered my office on his own, announcing that he wanted to take a personal student under his wing," Minato added, then continued with a hint of anger and frustration in his voice: "He didn't tell me who the student was, and I fell for it and signed both documents. He became your mentor. Although I'm happy that he took on this role, I still feel angry with him. He deceived me."
A wide smile spread across Naruto's face, his purple eyes sparkling with joy. He finally had the chance to become a powerful shinobi.
"You will go to him personally tomorrow," Minato continued, a hint of pride in his voice. "He will explain to you how your relationship as mentor and student will work. Remember, Naruto, that it is a great honor to be under the care of such a distinguished shinobi. You have the right to be excited, but don't forget about hard work and discipline. They are the keys to success."
Naruto listened attentively to his father's words. He wanted to prove that he was worthy of his teachings and would not disappoint the hopes placed on him.
"Do you have any questions?" Minato asked, seeing the thoughtful look on his son's face.
A multitude of questions were swirling in his head, but one of them stood out.
"Who is my mentor?" he asked nervously.
Minato smiled mysteriously. "It's a surprise," he said. "You'll find out tomorrow when you meet him."