AN: Hey Guys, this is a revised Chapter 1! I decided to revise both stories as I'm in the middle of writing new chapters. More stuff coming because I'm already halfway through revising 'The Chronicles of an Uzumaki and a Goddess'. There are going to be a few changes in the theme of that story.

Also, I have posted two chapters of my new Solo Leveling fanfiction. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

Anyways enjoy!


A lone figure sat on the high branch of a tree, back against the trunk, hands folded behind his head, and legs stretched out in front of him. It was Naruto, a boy with no family name, no famous lineage to speak of. His blond hair shone faintly in the starlight, and his blue eyes were lost in thought. He wore a navy blue shirt over a mesh undershirt, with black shinobi pants and a weapons holster strapped to his right leg. His sandals dangled lazily as he stared up at the star-filled sky. Around him, the forest lay shrouded in a thin mist, the cool breeze adding a sense of calm to the night.


With Naruto

Sitting high in the tree, Naruto found the quiet comforting. The mist, the stars, the wind—everything felt peaceful. But his mind, as always, was anything but calm. No matter how serene his surroundings, he couldn't stop the flood of thoughts. Thoughts that gnawed at him, constantly reminding him of how small and ordinary he was compared to his teammates—Sasuke Uchiha and Arashi. Both of them were always so composed, always so confident. He hated that about them.

And worst of all, both of them were special.

That word, special, burned in his chest like a hot coal. It wasn't just a word—it was an insult, a constant reminder of everything he wasn't. It made his blood boil. People like Sasuke and Arashi were born with talent, with bloodlines that made them destined for greatness. But Naruto? He was nothing. Just a normal shinobi, with no family, no clan, no remarkable abilities to speak of. He was doomed to be average.

Twelve years ago, during the Kyuubi's attack, his parents—whoever they were—had died. They were civilians, no one important. They had owned a small shop, one that was obliterated when the Kyuubi unleashed its fury. Naruto had only been a baby, too young to remember any of it. His mother had died shielding him from the blast, while his father had been blown away in the destruction. They found him under his mother's body, and from that moment on, he was placed in the orphanage, just another forgotten face in the village.

He didn't hate Arashi for being the one to contain the Kyuubi. No, it wasn't that simple. His feelings toward Arashi were far more complicated than that.

Like many other children left without families after the attack, Naruto had been enrolled in the Shinobi Academy at the age of six. It had been brutal, throwing kids into training for a life of violence, but Konoha had been desperate. The village had lost too many of its warriors during the attack, and they needed to fill the ranks. Fast. It was a cruel reality, but Naruto accepted it. After all, what choice did he have?

Naruto didn't resent being thrown into the Academy. In fact, he was grateful for it—it gave him a path, a chance to chase his dream, a goal he hadn't shared with anyone, not even his best friend. He wanted to become the Hokage. That's right, one day he hoped to hold that title. But lately, that dream felt more like a distant fantasy than something within reach.

Why? Why would it seem like a fantasy when he was already a genin, part of an elite team with Sasuke Uchiha, the heir of a prestigious clan, and Arashi, son of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina? Their sensei was the legendary Sharingan no Kakashi, and Naruto had even graduated in a class full of future clan heirs. To outsiders, it might seem like he was in the perfect position to succeed. But anyone who lived in his shoes would understand.

He wasn't special.

He had no legacy. No famous name. He was just another orphan, born to civilian parents, with nothing remarkable to offer. Konoha was brimming with shinobi who had something extraordinary—bloodlines, famous mentors, powerful abilities. Why would anyone ever choose him?

There were so many shinobi who stood out, so many who seemed destined for greatness. Take Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin. He had trained under the Third Hokage, signed the Toad summoning contract, and mentored the Yondaime himself. Then there was Tsunade, also a Sannin and the last of the legendary Senju clan, granddaughter of the First Hokage and grandniece of the Second. If she ever returned to Konoha, she could easily take the mantle of Hokage if the Third stepped down.

Even among the current generation, shinobi like Kakashi Hatake—Minato's student and already a prime candidate for Hokage—stood out. Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage, was also a top Jonin, renowned for his past in the elite Fire Daimyo's guard.

And then there were the prodigies of his own generation. Shinobi like Sasuke Uchiha, the last of his clan, and famous for his genius. Sasuke's arrogance was legendary—he treated anyone without a bloodline like they were beneath him, and his fan club only fed that ego. And Arashi, Konoha's golden boy, was no different. The son of the Yondaime, the Kyuubi's jinchuriki, heir to the revered Uzumaki clan—Arashi was treated as the second coming of his father. Arrogant, self-assured, and constantly surrounded by admirers, Arashi never seemed to struggle with the same doubts Naruto faced. He even had his own fan club, led by Ino Yamanaka, and was always seen with girls who hung on his every word.

Even though Naruto was technically part of Team 7, he never truly felt like he belonged. He wasn't chosen for the team because of his abilities. No, he'd been added as an afterthought. Twenty-eight students had graduated from his class that year, and he would've been left out if not for a last-minute decision to make Team 7 a four-man squad. From the moment they were assigned, it was clear that no one was happy about it. Sakura resented him, worried he'd get in the way of her and Sasuke. As for Sasuke and Arashi, they barely acknowledged him, seeing him as nothing more than a burden. Their indifference stung, but it was Kakashi's reaction that hurt the most. Naruto knew their sensei disliked having to train or take care of an extra genin when he clearly wanted to focus on Sasuke and his 'Sensei's son.'

Naruto couldn't help but feel like a fifth wheel, a tagalong no one asked for.

It didn't help that his only true friend, Yakumo Kurama, had been assigned to another team. He had hoped to be placed with her, but instead, she ended up with a jōnin sensei who specialized in Genjutsu, which was her focus. Naruto was happy for her, but the separation only deepened his sense of loneliness.

These were the people who stood between him and his dream of becoming Hokage. He knew that dream was probably just a fantasy. Sometimes he even entertained the idea of leaving Konoha altogether, establishing his own shinobi village in some lesser nation where he could make his own rules, his own legacy. The thought wasn't entirely unpleasant. In fact, if he were ever pushed far enough, he might actually consider it.

But creating a hidden village wasn't something just anyone could do, and certainly not someone like him. He wasn't a prodigy. He didn't have a bloodline or the skills needed to carve out a place for himself. He was sure that Arashi, with his influence, money, and the strength he'd inevitably gain, could pull something like that off in a few years. Arashi had everything—his parents' jutsu, their Fuinjutsu, their legacy. But Naruto? He had nothing.

Building a hidden village required more than just ambition. It took people, shinobi, money, resources, infrastructure, and the backing of a Daimyo to provide missions. Naruto doubted he'd even live to see twenty, much less achieve the fame or fortune necessary to become a leader. It was cruel, but it was the truth. Shinobi like him—those who weren't special—didn't last long in this line of work, let alone become legends.

History proved that only geniuses or those with powerful bloodlines ever rose to such heights. The Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage were Senju, the founders of Konoha. The Sandaime was from the Sarutobi clan and had both as his teachers. Even the Yondaime, who came from no notable clan, had been a genius, taught by Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.

Naruto had spent countless hours in the library, reading about great shinobi throughout history. He knew more about the Kages of the other villages than any of his classmates. The Raikages were all blood relatives, each one descended from a strong shinobi lineage. The Kazekages had powerful bloodlines, too, though little was known about the Shodaime and Nidaime. The Mizukages? The Sandaime was from the Hozuki clan, and the Yondaime, like Arashi, had been a jinchūriki.

But it was the Tsuchikage who fascinated him the most. The Shodaime had been from the Kimizuru clan, but Mu, the Nidaime Tsuchikage, wasn't born into any clan or bloodline. He was one of the greatest geniuses Iwagakure had ever produced, developing the Jinton, or Dust Release, on his own. It was the only known Kekkai Tota, which he passed on to his successor, Onoki of Both Scales.

Naruto sighed, rubbing his temples as he shifted into a more comfortable position on the branch. "I'm giving myself a headache with all this thinking," he muttered to himself. He hated when his thoughts grew too dark, but once they started, it was hard to stop. His gaze unfocused, staring blankly into the misty forest as memories began to resurface.

He thought back to his Academy days. They hadn't been bad, exactly—just dull. When he first joined, he'd been eager. He thought it would be a chance to make friends, to finally belong somewhere. But as the months dragged on, the excitement faded. By the time he turned eleven, he had given up.

There were plenty of reasons for it. The most obvious was the blatant favoritism. The teachers paid more attention to students from prominent clans, especially since Naruto's class was full of heirs to Konoha's major families. The bias was impossible to ignore. It wasn't until Iruka-sensei took over that things improved, though even then, the favoritism never fully went away.

And then, there were his classmates. Naruto didn't outright hate anyone, but he certainly didn't like most of them. He realized early on that if you weren't part of the popular crowd—meaning the clan heirs—you didn't really stand a chance at making friends. Desperate to fit in, he'd tried approaching them, hoping to become one of the group. But it backfired. Badly.

He remembered the time he'd tried to talk to Sasuke and Arashi. They brushed him off like he was invisible. Worse, Arashi had made sure Naruto knew exactly where he stood.

"Heh, you're nobody. Why would I waste my time talking to a waste of space like you? Don't you know who I am? I'm Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina's son. Know your place, commoner. And don't ever approach me again."

The words, delivered with a smug smirk, had cut deeper than any kunai. Naruto had held himself together at the time, but after that encounter, he didn't dare approach the others. What if they all treated him like that? What if that's all he'd ever be—a nobody?

After weeks of careful observation, he realized there were some people best left alone. Ino Yamanaka, for one, was a Sasuke and Arashi fangirl and would probably think he was hitting on her. That would end badly. Hinata Hyuga was far too shy, and her obvious crush on Arashi made things complicated. Kiba Inuzuka was too arrogant, full of himself, and a bit of a pervert.

The only people Naruto considered approachable were Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Yakumo Kurama. He'd tried to befriend the three boys, and it had been... partially successful. Shikamaru and Choji were friendly enough, but their laziness made them hard to connect with on a deeper level. Shino had been neutral at first, but over time, he opened up a little. It wasn't friendship, exactly—more like a partnership in logical reasoning.

The last person on Naruto's "safe to approach" list was Yakumo Kurama. She was the most normal of the clan heirs, and one of the more popular girls in their class. But unlike the other girls, Yakumo wasn't obsessed with status or chasing after Sasuke or Arashi. Naruto had used a different approach with her. After seeing the way most boys tried to win her over—clearly wanting her as a girlfriend—he decided to be more subtle.

He'd even gone to the Konoha Public Library and spent hours reading about how to make friends with girls, and he had to admit, the material was more interesting than he expected. He learned small things, like giving her a smile when they passed or offering help in casual ways. To his surprise, it worked. She became his best friend, and he hers. But their friendship wasn't without its challenges. His closeness with Yakumo drew unwanted attention from other boys, especially the ones from rich families or those with parents on the council. Most of the time, a stern word from Yakumo was enough to make them back off, but there had been moments when he was nearly cornered.

Swish!

A sudden sound snapped Naruto from his thoughts. Instantly, he was on his feet, kunai in hand, scanning the surrounding trees. His senses sharpened, searching for any sign of movement.

"I know I heard something," he muttered, eyes narrowing as he scanned the mist-covered forest. But nothing seemed out of place. No disturbances, no figures lurking in the shadows.

After a moment, he lowered his guard and let out a weary sigh.

"Must have been a small animal or something… all this depressing thinking is messing with me."

Pocketing the kunai, he leaped down from the tree, deciding to walk for a while. The mission in Nami no Kuni was over, and the last thing he wanted was to spend the night in the same room as Sasuke and Arashi.

His thoughts drifted back to the boys at the Academy. More than once, they had tried to corner him. But Naruto had always taken his training seriously, and escaping their traps wasn't that hard. Sure, he could've fought back, but the last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of some rich boy's politically powerful father. It wasn't worth the trouble.

Besides those run-ins, his final year at the Academy had gone smoothly enough. Then came the graduation exams. Nothing about them stood out—the results were just what he expected. Sasuke and Arashi tied for first in weapon skills, taijutsu, and ninjutsu, while Sakura scored highest in the written exam. As for Naruto, he ranked average in the written test, above average in taijutsu and ninjutsu, and decent in weaponry.

He hadn't expected the gap between himself and Sasuke or Arashi to be so wide. But when he watched them in their taijutsu spar, the difference became painfully clear. They were fast—really fast—and leagues ahead of anyone else.

The results had come out the day after the exams, and just as Naruto expected, Yakumo had scored higher than him overall. He'd sulked a little, but to his surprise, Yakumo had simply hugged him and assured him that scores didn't determine a ninja's worth—field performance did. Her words had comforted him, and to celebrate becoming official ninja of Konoha, they'd gone out for lunch together.

With the team placements scheduled a week after graduation, Naruto and Yakumo spent the days leading up to it training. Yakumo had focused on improving his weak spot: genjutsu. He didn't have any real experience with it, but Yakumo's skill in that area was undeniable. Of course, the peace didn't last long. From the first day after the exams, Yakumo had been approached by a steady stream of boys asking her out, many of whom she had rejected before. As usual, she turned them down without hesitation. Naruto stayed in the background, not wanting to draw attention, though he kept an eye on things. He knew that if Yakumo ever needed his help, he'd be there in an instant—and she knew it too. She thanked him for it more than once.

After one particularly busy day of dodging admirers, Naruto had asked her about her clan's reaction to all the attention, especially from the influential families. Her response? Laughter. Naruto had been a little disappointed, expecting more insight, but Yakumo soon explained.

Her clan, the Kurama clan, was small compared to others like the Hyuga or Aburame. They didn't have a council—the clan head made all the decisions. Even so, the Kurama still held a seat on the Konoha council and had influence in village matters, as well as business ties across the Fire Country.

As far as Naruto knew, Yakumo was the last surviving member of her clan's main family, inheriting their Kekkei Genkai. That made her the clan heiress, both directly and indirectly. The realization had hit him all at once, and he remembered turning to her with a pale expression. She'd only smiled and winked in response, clearly amused by his reaction.

Good times, Naruto thought, a small, happy smile tugging at his lips.


Thanks everyone for coming back! Please review! And stay tuned for more!

Ja Ne!

Anbustar16