At eight years old, Naruto had grown in both strength and maturity far beyond what anyone in the village could have imagined. His once-scrawny frame had gained muscle from relentless training, and his eyes, though still bright with mischief, held a sharper determination. He had long since stopped caring about the hateful whispers and cold glares from the villagers.
Their words no longer cut him as they once did. Instead, he found solace in his training and the friends who stood by him.
Naruto sat on the roof of his small apartment, gazing down at the streets below. The villagers passed by, some stealing wary glances his way, others murmuring under their breath. He simply smirked. "Tch. Same old, same old."
These people had called him a monster, an outcast, and worse. But Naruto had come to realize something Inu once told him:"Their hatred doesn't define you, Naruto. Your actions do."Those words had stuck with him, pushing him forward every day.
Training with Inu
The training ground was quiet, save for the rhythmic sound of Naruto's fists striking a wooden post. He moved with precision, sweat dripping down his brow as he delivered a swift combination of punches and kicks. Inu stood nearby, his ever-watchful gaze hidden behind his dog mask.
"Your form has improved," Inu commented, stepping forward. "But you're still too predictable. Try again."
Naruto wiped his forehead with his sleeve and grinned. "Predictable? I'll show you!" He formed a hand seal, and in an instant, five shadow clones appeared beside him. They attacked the training dummy in perfect sync, each strike landing with force.
Inu watched in silence, impressed. Naruto's control over theShadow Clone Jutsuhad reached an impressive level for his age. Where once he could barely make two without exhausting himself, now he could summon dozens without breaking a sweat. Each clone moved with its own precision, learning and adapting in real time.
"Good," Inu finally said. "But don't just rely on clones. Remember—"
"I know, I know," Naruto cut him off with a smirk. "If my enemy figures out which one's the real me, I'm toast. Gotta keep 'em guessing."
Inu sighed but nodded. "At least you're listening."
They moved on to sparring, with Naruto darting forward, his small fists aiming for Inu's midsection. Inu, as always, was several steps ahead, effortlessly blocking each strike and countering with well-placed taps that sent Naruto stumbling.
Naruto gritted his teeth, rolling to his feet. "You're so fast!"
"You need to anticipate," Inu said. "Use your instincts, not just your eyes."
Naruto took a deep breath and lunged again, this time feinting left before darting right. Inu's hand shot out to block, but Naruto's clone burst in a puff of smoke, and the real Naruto slid in from behind, delivering a low kick.
Inu tilted his head slightly. "Better," he admitted, stepping back. "You're learning."
Naruto grinned triumphantly. "Heh, took you long enough to admit it!"
Time with Friends
Despite his rigorous training, Naruto never neglected the people who mattered most to him—his friends. They had stuck by him when others wouldn't, and he cherished every moment they spent together.
One afternoon, Naruto and Kiba sat outside the training grounds, sharing a couple of rice balls. Akamaru lay beside them, lazily wagging his tail.
"So, Naruto," Kiba said, biting into his food. "Think you'll ever beat me in a fight?"
Naruto smirked. "Pfft, I already did last week, remember?"
Kiba scowled. "That was a fluke!"
"Excuses, excuses," Naruto teased, tossing a piece of food to Akamaru, who caught it with a happy bark.
Nearby, Shikamaru was lying on the grass, staring up at the clouds as usual. "You two are so noisy..." he muttered.
Naruto grinned. "You're just lazy, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru let out a sigh. "Troublesome..."
Hinata sat a little further away, quietly practicing her gentle fist movements against a tree. Naruto jogged over to her. "Hey, Hinata! Looking good!"
Hinata blushed and fumbled her stance slightly. "T-T-Thank you, N-Naruto-kun..."
Naruto gave her a thumbs-up before turning to Shino, who was standing near the bushes, observing a line of insects crawling across a leaf. "Whatcha looking at, Shino?"
Shino adjusted his sunglasses. "The kikaichu are restless today. A storm is approaching."
Naruto blinked. "You can tell the weather from your bugs? That's awesome!"
Shino simply nodded. "They are... efficient."
Finally, Sasuke stood a few feet away, practicing his shuriken throws against a wooden target. Naruto jogged over, grinning. "Yo, Sasuke! Wanna spar?"
Sasuke didn't look away from his target. "I don't have time to waste, dobe."
Naruto pouted. "Tch, you're no fun."
Sasuke glanced at him with a small smirk. "Maybe when you're stronger."
Naruto's eyes burned with determination. "Just wait, I'll surpass you!"
Sasuke only shrugged and continued his training.
Naruto's Late-Night Training
As much as Naruto loved being with his friends, he often found himself training late into the night alone. The moonlight bathed the training grounds in a soft glow as Naruto stood before a row of wooden dummies, panting heavily.
His fists were sore, his legs trembled, but he refused to stop. "Hokage... I'm gonna be Hokage someday," he whispered to himself. "No matter how much they hate me... I'll prove them wrong."
Inu sometimes watched from the shadows, silently observing the boy's unwavering spirit. Despite the challenges Naruto faced every day, his will remained unbreakable.
One night, Inu finally stepped forward. "That's enough, Naruto. Rest."
Naruto turned, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Just... a little more, Inu-sensei."
Inu sighed, kneeling in front of him. "Pushing yourself too hard will only slow your progress. Even the strongest ninja know when to rest."
Naruto hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Yeah... I guess."
As they walked back toward the village, Naruto looked up at the night sky. "Inu-sensei... do you think I can really become Hokage?"
Inu was silent for a moment before replying, "If anyone can, Naruto... it's you."
A small, genuine smile crept onto Naruto's face. For all the pain and loneliness he had endured, moments like this reminded him that he wasn't truly alone.
The quiet of the alleyway was broken only by the soft footsteps of the Third Hokage and Naruto as they walked side by side. The night was calm, the dim glow of lanterns casting long shadows across the narrow street. Naruto, as always, was talking animatedly, his voice full of excitement as he shared his latest training progress with Hiruzen.
"You should've seen me, jiji! I managed to do three shadow clones at once without getting tired!" Naruto beamed, looking up at the old man with pride.
Hiruzen chuckled warmly, patting Naruto's head. "That's impressive, Naruto. You've come a long way."
But beneath the aged Hokage's calm exterior, his body had been feeling weaker lately. The strain of his duties, combined with his age, had been taking a toll on him. And then, without warning, pain lanced through his chest. Hiruzen staggered, clutching his heart as his breath caught in his throat.
"Jiji?" Naruto's voice wavered with concern as the old man stumbled against the alley wall.
Before Naruto could react, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. The assassin, clad in black with a headband bearing the insignia of an unknown village, seized the opportunity. In a single swift motion, he hurled a kunai directly at the heart of the weakened Hokage.
The blade pierced Hiruzen's chest with deadly precision, embedding itself deep into his heart. Blood spurted out, staining his robes crimson. The Third Hokage gasped, eyes wide in shock, before his frail body crumpled to the ground.
"J-Jiji?!" Naruto fell to his knees beside him, hands trembling as he tried to pull the kunai out. "No, no, no! Stay with me!"
But the old man's eyes stared blankly at the sky, his life fading away in Naruto's shaking arms.
The assassin had already vanished into the darkness, leaving no trace behind.
At that exact moment, a few villagers walked by and gasped in horror at the scene before them—Naruto crouching over the lifeless Hokage, his hands bloodied, the kunai still clutched in his grip.
"He... he killed the Hokage!" one villager screamed.
"Demon brat! I knew he'd turn on us one day!" another shouted in rage.
Naruto's eyes widened. "N-No! I didn't—!"
But it was too late. More villagers gathered, their eyes filled with hatred and fear.
"Get him!" someone yelled, and the crowd surged forward, their torches illuminating their furious faces.
Panicked, Naruto stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest. "No! I didn't do anything!" He turned and ran, pushing past the crowd as angry shouts filled the air.
The entire village soon fell into an uproar, the news spreading like wildfire—Naruto Uzumaki had murdered the Third Hokage.
The Pursuit
Naruto ran through the darkened streets, his breathing ragged. The villagers chased him relentlessly, their voices echoing behind him. ANBU operatives appeared on the rooftops, trying to quell the chaos, but the angry mob refused to listen.
He darted into the forest, branches whipping against his face as he pushed himself harder, his vision blurred with tears.Why? Why won't they believe me?
Far behind, Kakashi Hatake had arrived at the scene, his Sharingan exposed as he took in the sight of Hiruzen's lifeless body. "Naruto..." he whispered, his gut twisting in disbelief.
Without hesitation, Kakashi took off in pursuit of Naruto, leaping across rooftops. But just as he was about to leave the village perimeter, several Root ANBU emerged from the shadows, blocking his path.
"Kakashi Hatake," one of them spoke in an emotionless tone. "This matter is out of your hands."
Kakashi narrowed his eye, already drawing a kunai. "Like hell it is."
The Root ANBU attacked, forcing Kakashi into combat. He parried their swift strikes, but they moved with deadly efficiency, clearly aiming to delay him.
"Damn it!" Kakashi growled as he fought, realizing they were buying time for something—or someone.
Naruto's Escape into the Woods
Naruto didn't stop running until the shouts of the villagers faded into the distance. He stumbled into a clearing, his chest heaving, hands still stained with the Hokage's blood. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, staring at his trembling hands.
"I didn't... I didn't do anything..." he whispered, tears streaming down his face.
Before he could catch his breath, a rustling in the trees made him snap to attention. Shadows moved swiftly, and within moments, several masked figures emerged from the darkness.
Root ANBU.
Naruto's heart pounded even harder as he scrambled to his feet. "W-Who are you?! Leave me alone!"
The leader of the group, dressed in the distinctive dark uniform of Danzo's operatives, spoke with a cold, emotionless voice. "Naruto Uzumaki. You are now a rogue element. We have orders to bring you in... or eliminate you if necessary."
Naruto's eyes widened in terror.They're serious... they're really going to kill me.
His fists clenched. "Like hell I'm going with you!"
Without hesitation, Naruto formed a hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In an instant, dozens of clones appeared around him, ready to fight. The Root ANBU didn't react in the slightest. They were trained for this.
"You have nowhere to run," the lead operative said, raising his sword. "Surrender."
Naruto's mind raced. He couldn't go back. He couldn't go forward. His only option was to fight or escape deeper into the unknown.
"Come and get me then!" Naruto yelled, charging at them with all the strength he had left.
Timeskip:
Naruto lay sprawled on the cold forest floor, his body aching from the relentless battle against the Root ANBU. His clothes were torn, his skin marred with cuts and bruises. His breathing was ragged, each breath a struggle as pain coursed through his limbs. The Root agents had been too skilled, too fast, and too precise—no matter how hard he fought, their cold efficiency overwhelmed him.
His vision blurred as he stared up at the night sky through the dense canopy above. The stars flickered faintly, distant and unreachable.
Is this it?he thought bitterly, his fingers weakly clenching the dirt beneath him.Is this how it ends?
He could hear the remaining Root ANBU approaching, their footsteps methodical and unwavering. "Target subdued," one of them muttered, standing over him. Another moved closer, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
No... I can't... I won't let it end like this.
As memories of his past flooded his mind—the cold stares, the whispers, the loneliness—something inside him snapped. He remembered the way the villagers looked at him with disgust, how they took away everything he ever tried to hold onto. The pain of being cast out like a monster, despite everything he'd done to be accepted.
His heart pounded with a new, raw intensity. "I... won't..." he whispered hoarsely, his fingers digging into the ground. "I won't give up!"
Suddenly, a surge of heat erupted from within him. His entire body tensed as a red, malevolent chakra began to swirl around him, crackling like wildfire. His once-bright blue eyes turned an eerie, slit-like crimson. His nails elongated into sharp claws, his whisker marks deepened, and fangs protruded from his mouth.
A deep, guttural growl rumbled from his throat.
The Root ANBU hesitated, sensing the dangerous shift in his chakra.
"W-What the hell?" one of them murmured, stepping back cautiously.
Before they could react further, Naruto let out a feral roar, the red chakra exploding outward in a wave of raw power. In an instant, he lunged at them with inhuman speed, tearing through their defenses with savage precision.
His claws slashed through their armor like paper, and one by one, they fell—throats slit, chests torn open, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds. The scent of blood filled the air, and Naruto, now more beast than boy, stood amidst the carnage, his breath ragged and wild.
The primal hunger for destruction still lingered in his crimson eyes, but somewhere deep inside, his human consciousness fought to regain control. He shook his head, panting heavily, his claws trembling as he stared at the bodies around him.
"I... I did this?" he muttered, his voice a mix of fear and exhaustion. The chakra slowly began to fade, his features reverting to normal, leaving only the overwhelming exhaustion in its wake.
With what little strength he had left, Naruto forced himself to move. He staggered through the dense forest, his vision swimming, his body screaming in pain. Each step felt heavier than the last, but he pushed forward, his willpower the only thing keeping him going.
Hours passed.
His legs finally gave out, and he collapsed against a tree. His head spun, and darkness threatened to pull him under. Just before his vision faded completely, he saw something—or rather, someone.
A figure stood before him, partially obscured by the mist and shadows of the forest.
The man wore a dark cloak, and his face was hidden behind a strange cow-patterned mask. He exuded an air of quiet strength, his stance calm yet imposing.
Naruto's lips parted, but no words came. He was too weak to speak, too exhausted to question who this stranger was. His vision darkened, and the last thing he saw was the masked figure slowly approaching him before everything went black.
To Be Continued...