{Land of Fire, Konohagakure, the Academy grounds.}
Line break.
"Ok, kids, line up in two separate groups. Boys over here and girls over there, please," spoke Mizuki as he looked over his checklist.
In response, the class of kids began to form two lines in front of their teacher and just outside the little sparring arena border.
"Back up some, please... Perfect, right there," the chunin said, waving his hands for them to stop moving.
The two lines of kids, boys in the first and girls in the second, stood back to back.
Mizuki glanced at his temporary partner, Koga, and gave him a knowing smirk. They were going to have fun with this.
"Okay. First off, this is a taijutsu session to see how well you've all been training, so there is no ninjutsu, just taijutsu."
The kids nodded at him, the boys seeming eager to prove themselves and the girls looking as though they'd rather be anywhere but here.
"Great, now. Sasuke Uchiha, since you have some combat experience, why don't you come up and demonstrate how it's done? Your opponent..."
Mizuki stopped speaking to scan the class as Sasuke walked into the ring and found his intended target, secretly grateful that Iruka was out sick today. "Naruto Uzumaki."
The boy in question leaped up, obviously having beef with the Uchiha boy, and ran up to the arena to square off against Sasuke, who just stood there looking unimpressed.
Mizuki smirked as he looked between the two, and the girls went from uninterested to on the edge of their seats, metaphorically speaking.
Naruto did his stretches before getting into some kind of stance, and Sasuke scoffed at the sight. It was full of holes.
"Okay. Now remember, no ninjutsu, and when I say stop, you stop. Understood?" Mizuki said.
Both boys nodded and glared at one another.
Ino smirked at the sight and leaned over toward Sakura. "This is gonna be good, I can already see the results."
Sakura giggled and stared dreamily at Sasuke. "Oh, I know..."
Meanwhile, over with the boys, Shikamaru couldn't help but see what was wrong with this match-up. It was terrible. Neither would gain anything from this.
'This is overkill,' Shikamaru thought before sighing. "I figured Kiba would make for a proper demonstration against Sasuke, not the class clown. I can't watch," he said afterward.
Choji nodded vigorously while aggressively eating his chips. He didn't want to miss a thing.
Mizuki stood between them and raised his hand. "Alright, ready?"
The boys nodded, and Mizuki smirked. "Begin."
Naruto bolted at Sasuke to immediately begin throwing punches at him. A right hook was weaved around, a jab to the side was blocked, the ravenhead caught an elbow, and then a swift uppercut collided with Naruto's chin, knocking the boy on his back.
"Go, Sasuke!" cheered Ino, with Sakura and the other girls agreeing.
The rest of the kids cheered Sasuke on while Kiba began to mock Naruto from afar.
Naruto was on his feet in an instant, rubbing his chin with an angry scowl. "Is that the best you got?!" yelled Naruto in retaliation. "Because if so, then I feel so—"
Naruto was cut off when he found himself on his back in an instant, Sasuke's knee on his chest, a fist inches from his face, and a smug look from the Uchiha. "I have better things to do than play around with the dead last."
Sasuke got up and walked out. Mizuki called Sasuke the winner.
Naruto lay on the ground, shocked out of his mind. It was so effortless. He moved faster than he thought he would.
Naruto turned his head to the cheering girls and the boys congratulating Sasuke, the Uchiha ignoring them to stand back in line with his arms crossed.
Koga sighed, hoisted Naruto onto his feet, and patted his back. "Go on, kid, get back in line; you're fine."
Naruto blushed in embarrassment before he scowled, returning to the line with his head bowed in shame. Meanwhile, the kids continued to joke about how quickly the match ended, sending jabs at him for his pitiful performance.
"Damn, Uzumaki, I expected you to at least last longer than a minute with all the tough guy talk you give, haha," laughed Kiba.
Naruto grimaced. "S-shut up! I—I was just going easy on him!" he said, which made some laugh even more.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you feel better, dead last," japed a random student.
Naruto clenched his fists and had half a mind to abandon class and hide. His reputation had been tarnished with one match against Sasuke. Next time, he wouldn't lose. This, he vowed.
Line break.
[3 hours later]
Naruto sulked his way home, brushing past kids who were retelling their day to their parents and doing what he could to ignore the looks from the adults.
He glanced at Sakura not far from the gates and flinched when overhearing her tell her mom about Sasuke beating him in their spar today.
The way she talked about the Uchiha pissed him off, but it also filled him with disappointment.
'If only she'd talk about me in that way. Geez, I'll never live this day down,' he thought as he turned and walked out, staying out of the path of the adults coming to collect their kids.
He had plenty of time to think about the day on his way to see the Hokage. This was one of those days when he wished he had the power to go back in time and do it all over again.
'If I'd been born with something special, I bet no one would look down on me. Yeah. The girls would like me, and the boys would want to be my friend. Wishful thinking, though,' he thought as he fantasized about himself standing over a defeated Sasuke, bringing joy to his thoughts.
Unfortunately, that wasn't what happened.
He was so caught up in his fantasies that he found himself at the tower.
'That was fast,' the blonde thought as he made his way in.
Upon reaching the lobby, he got on his tiptoes and rang the bell in front of the desk.
"Excuse me, I'm here to see the Hokage," he spoke softly.
The woman looked up from her papers and glanced around for a second, not knowing where the voice was coming from until she peered down to see a mop of messy blonde hair. "Ah, hello, Naruto-san," she said stoically.
The blonde peered up, revealing the rest of his face, which looked as though he'd just come out of a fight. "Hi, ma'am. Can I see Hokage-Jiji?"
She went through her papers for a moment before opening her cabinet drawer and handing him a slip. "Go wait just by the lobby door. He's in the middle of an unexpected meeting with other people."
He nodded, thankful that Yui was at the desk today and not the older lady.
He skipped his way to the back where the waiting area was and took a seat, grabbing a book with pictures before reading its contents.
It took longer than expected, so long that by the time they were ready for him, he'd read an assortment of books—some making his face burn with embarrassment, others making him feel smart, and the rest making him feel very dumb.
The door to the Hokage's office opened, and Naruto closed his book as he looked at the adults exiting. They seemed to be from a prestigious clan.
The people leaving were Hiashi Hyuuga and Fugaku Uchiha, both there to settle an issue involving their clan members fighting in the Hyuuga's merchant district.
From the looks of it, Fugaku lost the argument.
Naruto was then guided up the stairs, down the hall, and escorted into the Hokage's office, where Hiruzen seemed to be getting ready for their session today—something about a surprise.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Naruto. Something unexpected came up. There are snacks over there for you if you're hungry, and then you can tell me about your day once my meeting with a few clients is over."
Naruto nodded and went to sit.
It was another hour before the old man was ready to give Naruto his full attention. When the two clients who were placing a high-end mission left, Hiruzen ushered Naruto forward. The boy told him everything, from how Mizuki had purposefully singled him out for taijutsu, the students mocking him, and how Sakura didn't want to sit next to him. Not that she ever did, but it was the start of a very poor day.
All Hiruzen could hear was Naruto complaining about losing a spar, his reputation as a tough guy being ruined, and his crush not returning his feelings—just academy stuff. Hiruzen laughed it off as such and replied, "It seems you've had an eventful day. I'm sure Mizuki chose you because he deemed you more worthy than Kiba to face off against Uchiha Sasuke."
'That, or he's trying to gain favor with the clan,' he thought to himself.
"I wouldn't rule out the day being terrible just yet. It hasn't come to an end. Here," Hiruzen said, reaching into his pocket and handing Naruto a set of keys.
The boy's eyes widened before he jumped for joy. "Yatta! You actually kept your promise!" yelled Naruto as he snatched the keys out of the old man's hands and did a rather sloppy cartwheel in victory, causing Hiruzen to stand from his chair, raising his hands in a 'relax, please calm down' manner.
"Ok, Naruto, that's enough now. Relax!"
Naruto didn't, though, and instead leaped into the old man's arms. "Thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this helps! No more evil, cramped orphanage!"
Hiruzen simply patted the boy on the head and sighed. Looking down, his heart dropped.
'His hair is growing too long again. He needs another haircut. I saw his father for a second,' he thought as he stroked the boy's hair.
He put Naruto down and stood from his seat. "I'll show you where you'll be staying from now on, okay?"
Naruto nodded eagerly, and Hiruzen knew that next time, adding candy to the snacks he brought to the office would be off-limits.
Line break.
The two left the building, with Hiruzen leading the way.
Naruto got to explore more of the village this time, not having visited this part before. It was closer to both the market and the commercial district, making shopping a breeze.
Hiruzen decided that placing him in the outer layer of the residential district would be safer and more affordable, ensuring Naruto could pay off necessary utilities. With the academy being closer, he found it the perfect spot for him.
However, there was an anxiety-inducing issue at hand.
Debt.
You see, it was either give Naruto a more rundown location for free in return for the risk of numerous problems like rent issues, the people, possible health hazards, or make an advanced purchase for a higher-tier house that guaranteed security, amenities like heat and hot water, and an overall safe place for Naruto.
Hiruzen wouldn't fail Minato by throwing the boy to the wayside. He chose the obvious option, but it came at the cost of his clan becoming upset over what they deemed a needless expense—claims of 'favoritism' toward the village weapon.
He clenched his jaw at that comment in particular. It was all he could do not to act as a tyrant and have the fool who uttered it punished for his ignorance.
With the entire clan in disagreement, he compromised. The solution: promise that Naruto would pay back the clan in the future.
They didn't believe him, assuming Naruto would be indebted for life. Little did they know that 40% of Minato's wealth not absorbed by the village awaited in the form of assets and properties throughout Konoha. Naruto was well off—he just didn't know it yet.
They walked into the lobby of the building, and the woman behind the desk nearly jumped in shock upon seeing Hiruzen.
She composed herself before bowing. "Hokage-sama! A-Are you here for an inspection of your property?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "No. I'm showing young Naruto here where he'll be staying. I'll be acting as his tenant."
The woman glanced at the boy in surprise before realizing who he was. She looked nervous but, with the Hokage present, said nothing. "V-Very well. I suppose you don't require any assistance?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "None at all."
She nodded, watching as they walked up the stairs, shaking her head at the unexpected sight.
Naruto marveled at everything as Hiruzen walked behind, ensuring the boy didn't dart up the stairs in excitement and run into someone. He was clearly thrilled about moving into his new home.
Hiruzen could only smile, feeling guilt and a paternal urge to care for the boy. 'If only I could do more,' he thought.
They reached the proper floor, and Naruto's smile grew even wider upon seeing his new, modest home. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect.
A nice living room with a terrace, a kitchen with a small laundry section, a bathroom, a bedroom, and an extra room to do with as he pleased.
The terrace faced the sun, which had already set, casting a dim glow over the room.
Naruto rushed in and felt around for the light switch. After a moment, he found it.
Light filled the space, and Naruto marveled at how different it was from the orphanage—clean and well-kept, with a faint citrus scent. It was furnished, too.
Before Hiruzen could say a word, Naruto shot off, exploring every room while Hiruzen heard him exclaim, "I get my own room now! This is awesome!" or "The water in the bathroom actually works! And it's hot!"
Hiruzen scowled at that last comment. 'That's the last time I let the council dictate where the boy stays. No hot water?'
He intended to confront Naruto about it, but the boy brushed it off, explaining that it was a building problem before he left and that they had been trying to fix it the week he ran away.
Hiruzen was relieved but still displeased with the prior arrangements. He wouldn't let Minato's legacy haunt him any longer.
"Get used to the place and try to get some rest. I'll be back to show you how to take care of yourself and the place properly, okay?"
Naruto nodded, and Hiruzen left, handing him the apartment key.
This was a much better day than expected, and Naruto's view of Hiruzen changed drastically that day.
Line break.
{The Hokage Tower}
[1 hour later.]
Hiruzen slumped in his office chair and sighed in relief.
Placing Naruto in his new apartment had put him behind on his work, and he had to hurry to catch up so he could go home. Yet, this one act lifted such a heavy weight off his shoulders that he felt light as a feather.
Seeing the new pile of documents awaiting him, he sighed, rubbing his eyes before tackling the workload.
Line break.
Two hours later, he finally finished, skimming over non-critical items. He slumped back in his seat and stretched, relieved.
"That right there is why I'm not cut out for being Hokage," a voice said behind him.
Hiruzen almost jumped but relaxed when he recognized Jiraiya.
"One day, you'll scare the life out of me sneaking in like that," Hiruzen scolded. "There are doors for a reason."
Jiraiya sat in the chair opposite him, taking in Hiruzen's weary look. "You seem exhausted. Is something wrong?"
Hiruzen took out a cigar, lit it, and exhaled smoke. "The usual, except I spent extra time with my little guardian today."
Jiraiya frowned. "Naruto."
Hiruzen nodded. "You should see him, Jiraiya. He looks... so much like him. I need to cut his hair soon; it's getting too long. It'll look just like Minato's at this length."
Jiraiya nodded and placed a document on the desk. It was why he was there—special intel meant only for Hiruzen. But the Hokage ignored it, staring at Minato's portrait.
"Jiraiya, I know the excuse is always the same: your spy network. I get it. But I'm not stupid. Not once have you introduced yourself to the boy. Not once."
Jiraiya started to speak, but Hiruzen raised a hand to silence him. "Let me finish. The boy holds so much potential. He's his son, Jiraiya!" the old man shouted, the grief of losing his successor evident.
He took a breath. "You don't have to stay. I'm not asking that. But he has no one. People accuse me daily of favoritism towards him, and theories are forming. I can't afford to be his guardian and Hokage. I need help—a little help. After all..." Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya with an expression that always unsettled him. "You are his godfather."
Jiraiya clenched his fists and stood, words dying in his throat.
Almost six years, and he still couldn't face the boy.
His first attempt was a disaster. Naruto was only three, and Jiraiya, overwhelmed by grief, had frozen, unable to approach. The resemblance to Minato was too painful.
Turning to leave, Jiraiya felt Hiruzen's gaze on his back. He exited, leaving behind the weight of regret.
Hiruzen picked up the document, knowing it would keep him in the office longer and would necessitate a council meeting tomorrow.
Line break.
[Three years later.]
{The Academy}
"WAKE UP, NARUTO!" bellowed Iruka, jolting Naruto from his seat.
"Here!" he yelled, startled awake.
The class laughed, and Iruka crossed him off the absentees list.
Naruto yawned and slouched, propping his head on his hand, mirroring Shikamaru's bored posture as Iruka lectured.
He glanced at Sakura taking notes and then at Sasuke brooding by the window. They weren't on bad terms now. Sasuke had mellowed, and Naruto realized the Uchiha wasn't a bad guy—just arrogant and used to his way, especially after losing his clan.
Naruto looked right, where Kiba sat with Akamaru, both pretending to listen. Another boring day.
Naruto drifted off and was slapped awake again, the class laughing at him. He nervously chuckled before slumping at Iruka's silent 'detention' signal.
"Yes, sir," he muttered.
Class continued before they were released for chakra exercises, with taijutsu off for the day. Tomorrow was weapons class.
Dragging his feet toward Iruka's office, Naruto caught his classmates' giggles and glared at them, only to earn more laughter. He pushed into Iruka's office, where the man was grading papers.
Slumping in the chair, Naruto waited, but Iruka said nothing for minutes. Ten minutes made him uneasy, and at twenty, he broke the silence.
"Can't you just scold me already?"
Iruka didn't look up. "Why bother? Why repeat myself when I've told you over and over, Naruto? Why?"
Naruto frowned at the indifferent tone.
"There's a saying: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. I've told you if you wish to be Hokage, you need to pay attention and engage. But you sleep, joke, and misbehave. Why keep coming if you refuse to learn?"
Naruto opened his mouth, but Iruka cut him off. "Ah, to be Hokage, right?"
"Exactly!" Naruto stood. "And I will!"
Iruka shook his head. "Drop it. I know why you want it so badly. It's not for Hokage—it's for attention."
Naruto's anger faded into hurt. "T-That's not true!"
Iruka tossed Naruto's latest exam, marked 36%, in front of him.
"Not true? This speaks for itself. Why attend if you don't try? Especially when the Hokage funds this?"
Naruto looked down, embarrassed. "I... I just... It takes me longer to understand."
Iruka nodded. "That's what studying is for. Did you do your homework on chakra exercises and natures?"
Naruto shuffled his feet. "Y-You mean yesterday's?"
Iruka nodded, and Naruto shook his head.
"Hmm. I don't know what to say, Naruto. This is my last lecture. The next exam is coming up. Fail, and you'll only have the genin exam to graduate."
Naruto sighed, slumping back. He lacked the drive to truly be Hokage, craving attention instead. But excelling only drew parents' glares.
'Why did the Hokage let that thing into the academy?' they'd mutter. 'A waste of resources.' 'What if he takes over the village?'
That last comment made him stop trying. They'd never let him be Hokage; it was their greatest fear.
Line break.
After hours of silence in Iruka's office, Naruto was released. All he wanted now was to sleep through the weekend.
Climbing the stairs to his apartment, he passed other tenants before unlocking his door.
He adjusted to his new home over time and grew fond of it. It was a step up from the orphanage, at least.
'Did I leave myself some ramen?' he wondered, stepping inside.
He removed his shoes, locked the door, washed his face, and opened the fridge. Inside were only ramen and old rice.
"W-What? Where's my food?!"
"I threw it out. Your milk and cheese were spoiling."
Naruto spun around to see Jiraiya holding groceries. "Hello there. My name is—WHOAAA!"
Jiraiya dodged a flurry of shuriken, catching all but one embedded in the wall.
Milk spilled from a carton Jiraiya had placed down. "You punctured your milk."
"What are you doing in my apartment, old man?!"
Jiraiya frowned. "Cool it. I'm sorry for intruding. I was told you'd be home at three, but you're three hours late."
Naruto kept his distance as Jiraiya set down the groceries. "I had detention! Who are you?"
Jiraiya raised his hands. "I'm Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin and a sealing jutsu master. Also, your godfather."
Naruto squinted, recognizing him from the Hokage's genin team portrait.
"H-Holy cow! You're the Fourth Hokage's teacher! No way! But... godfather?"
Jiraiya nodded. "That's right. I've been away for a while, but I'm here now. How about dinner with your godfather? I'll explain everything."
Naruto froze. 'Godfather.' "Wait, that means you're like family?"
Jiraiya nearly flinched. "Of a sort. Now, go sit."
Naruto paced, gripping his hair. A godfather meant a lot, finally having someone on his side. But what if it was a lie? He had too many questions: where had this man been, who were his parents?
"Did my parents appoint you? Can you tell me who they were?"
Jiraiya paled. 'Oh, no.'
"Please!"
"Hold on. One thing at a time."
"This is the one thing!" Naruto shouted.
Jiraiya nodded. "I promise to explain, but over dinner."
Naruto scowled and nodded. "But try anything, and I'll cut you."
They ate chicken teriyaki, Naruto eating eagerly while Jiraiya took his time, grimacing at the boy's lack of manners—a sign of growing up alone. Something to fix, eventually.
The boy marveled at the taste, considering ramen his staple but now thinking teriyaki with ramen would be good. He slowed, wiping his mouth.
"Why claim to be my godfather but stay absent for ten years?"
Jiraiya had prepared for this. "I wasn't in the village when you were born or during the Nine-Tails attack. I was chasing a traitor, managing a spy network spanning the elemental nations. It couldn't be left unattended.
"But six years ago, I found reliable overseers." He met Naruto's eyes. "I couldn't care for you but should have visited. I'm sorry. I was mourning your parents, and seeing you reminded me of my failures. It's my greatest regret."
Naruto choked up, tears streaming as anger and grief churned inside.
Before Jiraiya could react, Naruto slapped him hard enough to send him to the floor, then stormed into his room, slamming the door.
Jiraiya sighed, stood, cleared the dishes, and washed them. 'I victimized myself. Foolish. I should've begged for forgiveness sooner. Tomorrow, I hope he'll talk.'
Line break.
{Hokage's office}
Hiruzen read Iruka's report on Naruto: 'Lazy,' 'lacks motivation,' 'attitude problems,' 'distraction to the class,' 'can barely concentrate.' Frustration welled up.
A knock interrupted.
He raised an eyebrow. 'Visitors at this hour?'
Then he recognized the knock. "Come in!"
Jiraiya entered, looking emotionally drained.
"I did as you asked," he said solemnly.
Hiruzen shook his head. "Two years late. The damage would've been less."
Jiraiya slumped in the chair. "At least he didn't ask about his parents."
Hiruzen sighed. "I have a solution. We'll address this tomorrow. I have an idea that solves his academic struggles, your secrecy, and a reason to keep you close."
Jiraiya perked up. "Oh?"
Hiruzen leaned back. "We use the information to motivate him. You'll understand tomorrow."
Jiraiya guessed the plan. "Ah. I see. I'll leave it to you."
He turned to go but tossed a book. "Think fast."
Hiruzen caught it. "An early draft?"
"Icha Icha Violence, successor to Icha Icha Paradise. Mostly done."
Hiruzen waved him off, rummaging for his glasses. "Close the door and put up the 'Do Not Disturb' sign!"
Jiraiya chuckled, complied, and left to do 'research,' hoping to distract himself from earlier.
Line break.
End Chapter.
Author's Note:
I researched the education system and found that Naruto failing the academy three times aligns with Japanese middle-school exams. Middle school takes three years, and only the final exam counts for graduation. Failing earlier years affects ranking but not progression to the next year.
Naruto is facing his second exam, with the first at age nine turning ten.e was nine going on ten.