Chapter One: Different Yet Similar

AN

General: I finally finished the latest update to this chapter. Reworking chapters while still actively updating is no small task, but it has become clear to me that early chapters simply don't meet the standards I currently employ. I will also be doing various reformatting of said chapters to meet my current setup. As well as employing previous tasks done in earlier chapters. It is even more difficult to improve them without changing or affecting the long-term timeline. If you're a newer reader, this is probably confusing as hell; the vital take from it, these early chapters used to suck a lot, but now they suck less.

Hiruzen's POV (Hokage Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)

Afternoon

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a famed and envied man. Though often cursing such, he had been an ambitious young man that was determined to rise in rank. Absorbing training daily, completing missions tirelessly and without complaint, and slowly but surely climbing both the political and military ladders of the Leaf without hesitation. That was how he had risen to where he was now. Yet now that all was the very reason he had spent his days slaving away in the same office, he sat now.

The walls were decorated with visages of former Kage. Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and his former successor, Minato Namikaze. The image of them often filled Hiruzen with bravery and strength, but it always ended with the sad tinge of realizing they were gone; Hiruzen was the only one left to protect their home now. The office was dimly lit, with several candles on the wall, and his desk offered just enough light to read but not much else. The room was mostly sparse, with a bookshelf holding Hiruzen's favorite tales and accounts, a small set of ornate wood chairs for guests, and his sizable ornate wood desk carved to display the emblem of his home. As always, the desk's surface was coated with the effects of a world leader. Proposed bills, mission reports, financial reports, correspondence from friend and foe alike, bills, mission requests. The documents didn't merely cover a side of his desk but were spread out into loosely organized towers. It seemed chaotic, but Hiruzen knew where everything was; besides, it was not like he would ever manage to clear the all-encompassing paperwork. More would come faster than he could clear it; as such, he worked in bursts, mostly assuring he stalled what he could and dealt with what was necessary. A truth most leaders lived by yet pretended they did not. Hiruzen was much too old for such formality, however.

With everything coating his desk, he cleared a small space to observe a series of files. He picks one folder up with narrowed, concerned eyes and a young blonde man on the cover. To him, the boy had an unruly mop of spiky blonde hair, bright blue eyes that seemed to shine with warmth, a mischievous smile wide and unconcerned, and whisker-like marks on both cheeks that showed what he was…

The picture was a good one, one he might've displayed proudly if not for the young man having sneaked in a middle finger of the bottom of the frame. As rebellious as his mother, he supposed. The photo was very Naruto Uzumaki, the potential shinobi wearing his trademark orange jumpsuit that screamed out obnoxiously. Unfortunately, his love of orange seemed permanent. Hiruzen, as wise and powerful as he was, simply did not know what to do with the young man. Naruto Uzumaki, on paper, was merely yet another shinobi under his employ. But in truth, Hiruzen considered him family, royalty to the Leaf even. He had promised his father he would ensure his growth and safety, and Hiruzen had achieved it, but now he would need to provide for his surrogate grandson, and the village had the required new teams. He could not afford to favor Naruto Uzumaki; he would need to step up and do what was necessary, though Hiruzen had little doubt Naruto would manage.

Hiruzen was the Third Hokage. He had a duty to serve his village, protect it, and further its growth diligently. As it always had been in the lands of the Elemental Nations, the power was split between the Five Major Hidden Villages. The Village Hidden in the Leaves is known for producing powerful shinobi, the coveted Hyuga clan, its fertile land full of lush and gigantic trees, and rumors of a powerful "beast" under their control. Despite that, they were known for being more peaceful or "soft." They had to constantly be on guard and appear strong and bountiful lest their foes take advantage.

There was also the Village Hidden in the Clouds, contained high in mountains and shrouded by clouds. Known for their advanced technology, aggressive behavior, and powerful beasts that nearly matched their own, they were the strongest nation before the Third Great Ninja War, in which they were defeated by Hiruzen's own Leaf.

The Village Hidden in the Sand was a more unique nation. They lived in the incredibly harsh desert and, as such, were a more hardy bunch. While their shinobi are not mainly known for their power, they are a versatile and lethal ninja. Despite their surroundings, they were known for being self-sufficient, importing little, and even being known for their solid exports. They were the closest thing the Leaf had to allies, but it was a tense and likely temporary setup.

The Village Hidden in Stone was a more troublesome thought. Located in a series of massive canyons, they are rumored to have the safest village known to be an impenetrable fortress; little other information was known. What is known is their nationalist mindset, destructive techniques, and powerful hidden shinobi in their employ. The last one was arguably the least concerning and yet the most mysterious. Somehow the Stone, even after being crippled in the previous war by Minato, had maintained their work rate, supposedly by the hiring of mercenaries of mysterious identity.

The Village Hidden in the Mist had always been interesting and least concerning in equal measure. Their entire stretch of land is surrounded by rivers and the sea in equal measure, producing a constant mist that makes the land so tricky to navigate. Also, by giving a natural defense, the typical water-nature shinobi could easily defend themselves and the land. They had shined among giants for purely the shinobi they produced. Ruthless, talented with blades, and known for unique bloodline traits. But this had changed; unlike the Stone, there was no info anymore, only rumors of a vicious civil war. One supposedly waged over the very bloodline traits they were infamous for.

A world full of such turmoil made his bones ache. Each gram of pressure that settled upon his shoulder reminded him of his years. The next generation would have to be exceptional to keep their homes safe. This is why Hiruzen sat down and pondered these files. This decision would seem minor to some; in truth, a shinobi should be capable of working efficiently with any team and even with limited supplies. However, Hiruzen created this new academic setup to ensure the healthy growth and foundation of the latest crop of Genin. Forming strong teams would provide a great start to their career, it could save their lives. Some level of chemistry and complementary skills would be needed for each team. Otherwise, a poorly assembled team would be a surefire way to ensure their deaths and, by proxy, the suffering of the Leaf. Soon, this crop would be promoted to Genin; they were in the final test as he worked. But this was often formal with his new system. Most of those who had come this far would be taking the next step. Hiruzen knew these would be his next generation and had developed something to ensure a certain few made it through.

Previously, they would take them as children and use them as active soldiers at 12. This was based on the growth of the shinobi and, in such grim times, the need for consistently reinforcing their numbers. While this structure had seen success with a litany of leaf-produced and noteworthy shinobi such as himself, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Minato, in contrast, the past's relaxed and reckless style had created some of their worst enemies. Men who were whispered about as if they were legends. The criminally genius Orochimaru, formerly of the Sannin, came to mind.

Hirzuen had noticed how many newer shinobi often didn't make it far. In fact, a concerning amount would be sure to die terribly in battle. While the ones that did survive were genuinely splendid, it had led to a difficult time with them needing more and more shinobi. Yet, they are not producing enough to meet the demand. As the traitors had made clear, these powerful shinobi often suffered mentally due to this. Making even the loyal suffer from a litany of psychological complications. Hiruzen had met with his sharpest minds and sleekest shinobi, but an easy solution could not appear in the climate of the past. So Hiruzen had formed an idea. Over the years, he gathered substantial information regarding the other Great Villages. Dangerous information they would never want out… Using this, Hiruzen had called for a Five Kage Summit. There, he proposed a delay in the release of shinobi for all the villages and pleaded the case, leaning into the recovery efforts they all were engaged in from the last war. They all needed time to heal from the loss of life and money. But there was a cold war constantly going on. Luckily, this proposal would pause it. If they all agreed to move peacefully, we would doubtlessly be able to produce shinobi of the top level. When that failed to fully win them over, he blackmailed them.

His ploy had worked, in no small part due to him being honest. This would aid them all. In just one rotation of the academy, they would be able to see the results directly. It would guarantee the future for them all. The delay would allow their forces to be considered students until they reached their physical peak at 18 or 17, depending on variable ages. They would then be required to serve as Genin at such age until they could pass the Chunin Exams or were promoted on the field or by a Kage. It would not be true peace; no, Hiruzen was unsure such a thing was possible. He knew he simply did not have the strength or ambition for such a thing. This was more of international stalling. The crops he had promised were to be tested soon, and if they failed to meet the expectations set, the agreement would likely be done. That had always been Jirayai's dream of peace, a strange one. But oddly fitting for the eccentric shinobi, Hiruzen found pride in knowing that was Jirayai's will of fire. While Hiruzen doubted such could ever be genuinely done, Jiraiya had been overjoyed to see such significant progress. Thinking of the will of fire filled Hiruzen with his own. He let loose a sly smile and started to assort the files into stacks of three, his eyes never leaving the file containing one Naruto Uzumaki. The teams had been chosen…

Naruto's POV (Leaf Academy - Hidden Leaf Village)

Afternoon

Naruto had never been the most brilliant guy; he knew this. Often, it irked him to no end, but he had come to accept he was a bit odd. In Naruto's defense, he felt he wasn't stupid; he was full of good ideas! But classes, people, and even the Hokage would drone on and on! Naruto knew that a man had to stay busy. But he didn't intend to be a regular guy. He would reach the top, namely the top of the mountain, with an excellent carving of his face. Yes, the young man smiled to himself. Being Hokage would be great! But first, he'd have to survive this stupid exercise.

"Hey! Stop trying to be a sneaky bastard!" Naruto yelled, looking at one of his closest friends. While he was his teacher, he also served as an older brother figure. Giving him extra lessons and offering advice. Not to mention paying for what Naruto had decided was Ramen Fridays. The man smiled but focused on the blonde, looking for an opening to pelt him with a rubber ball he wielded. His name was Iruka Umino. He was a man of average build and height. Geared in the standard Chunin garb, he looked reasonably regular. If not for his spiky long hair bound in an upward ponytail. He did have a gentle face. But it was marred by a large scar across the bridge of his nose. If Naruto didn't know better, he would assume the Chunin was enjoying this.

"Don't lower your guard then," Iruka said with amusement. Naruto's trained instincts made him quickly observe the room. Padded but with obvious signs of wear, this room was used for most close combat exercises. As such, there was no actual cover for him to hide behind. He has less room to maneuver than he would like. His eyes flicked to the other teacher present and, by far, the less likable Mizuki.

Naruto had to confess he wasn't sure what he had done to the guy. Hell, he hadn't even pranked the guy in years. But he almost invariably was a bit ruder to Naruto and tense around him. Naruto was sure Mizuki was far from his biggest fan, though he kept it primarily professional, so the blonde had no accurate method of addressing it. He wore a bandana around his hair, which was a pale blue and just barely reached his shoulder. Also garbed in Chunin gear, he was the assistant to Naruto's class. Iruka's number two and former war hero.

But now, Naruto was more concerned about him being in the air and Muzuki winding up to throw. Naruto's mind raced, but Muzuki released the ball, and it flew incredibly quickly toward the blonde. He reacted with his gut and struck out with his foot, kicking the ball back toward the scowling Chunin. As soon as he touched down, he rolled, dodging another shot from Iruka. But as he did so, Muzuki snarled, allowed chakra to gather in his foot, and struck the ball to the wall behind the blonde; it flew with incredible speed, whistling through the air. Naruto did notice, but he focused on Iruka deflecting one ball with another since it wasn't aimed at him. The ball Mizuki kicked hit the wall violently before ricocheting back towards Naruto, hitting him in the head. The force caused it to pop and knock the young man from his feet.

"Naruto!" Iruka called out to him and gave a scan as the blonde slowly climbed to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Ya, ya, that just caught me off guard. Why'd the hell you throw it so damn hard, huh?" Naruto yelled, his gaze settling on Muzuki.

"My apologies; I had reflected the ball before thinking and, as such, used too much force," Mizuki replied apologetically.

"Ya, and hit me in the head, you absolute ass!" Naruto countered angrily.

"Naruto!" Iruka admonished.

"Once again, I do apologize, but I must remind you that it was the point of the exercise." Muzuki tried.

"Oh, I'm sure everyone else deals with that, too, huh?" Naruto said, frown growing as he stared down Mizuki. If Naruto was honest, sometimes he thought the Chunin was privy to his status as a jinchuuriki. It would explain the odd attitude. However, for now, Mizuki simply offered an awkward laugh and did a slight bow. Naruto's eyes slid to Iruka, and he noticed his agitation. With a mental sigh, Naruto reigned in his anger. "Fine, my bad. I was just annoyed." He offered. Iruka smiled at this, then opened his file on his person. He leafed through it calmly, beckoning Muzuki over to see as well. Naruto glared at the blue-haired Chunin's back. Though it was impossible for the young man to prove it, he had always had a good instinct for people; he just knew Mizuki was against him.

Not to mention, he had felt this tension before. They didn't know why, but some people throughout the village seemed to dislike him inherently. It angered him and left him feeling lonely on some days. But Naruto had decided to never let it bother him. He may not have much, but the few people he was close with were well worth it.

The test he had completed was the reflex and evasion test. Most alumni hated it, but Naruto found he was better in a pinch. Making the chaotic and potentially painful test right up his alley. Just seemed more straightforward to figure out things as he went, and even with both teachers viciously pursuing a hit, Naruto had nearly cleared the ten minutes flawlessly. He dodged and blocked as needed and even fired some back when he had the chance. Naruto knew he didn't have the luxury of taking it easy here. They had completed a wide variety of tests today. Today may be the most crucial day in the young man's life. It was the Academy Finals. This was the final metric to weed out the riff-raff and ensure the brightest remained. The most colorful was what Naruto needed to be…

While Naruto had all intentions of being one of the best shinobi ever. He knew he was a long way from his goal. Naruto was confident in the physical portions of the test. He had long ago become skilled with kunai and shuriken; hell, he even dabbled with traps due to his pranky. His Taijutsu may be less precise and showy than some other students, but Naruto could outlast anyone in a drawn-out brawl. He used a combination of an absurd chin, as he had heard Shikamaru complain once, and an endless battery of a body others had accused. As his thoughts concluded, he saw Iruka frowning as he prepared to speak.

"Naruto, now I don't want you to take this the wrong way. But your scores… are much lower than we were expecting." Iruka started, his voice gentle but firm. Naruto felt his stomach sinking, and he knew it. Despite his best efforts, Naruto had failed. His ninjutsu was laughable, as was his genjutsu as well. There had been plenty of theory tests, but he was never a strong test taker. But surely he didn't fail! He couldn't! "Now, you did pass, but well…" Iruka paused.

"Your scores are below average." Mizuki continued for Iruka. "We would have failed you in the past, but now we have another procedure for those needing… fine-tuning. These are remedial classes for you and anyone else in your shoes. You all will be offered a challenge, and as long as you complete it, you may start your journey as a shinobi. But if you fail, that's that." He said, his voice understanding, yet Naruto felt something similar to malcontent. "You'd have to repeat this senior year…"

"I didn't fail…" Naruto murmured his emotions all over the place. He needed this! Iruka walked up to the blonde and placed it on his shoulder.

"Not unless you wanna give up." He said gently. Naruto growled to himself. He had almost failed. But for now, he had a lesson to ace.

"Fine, but when I pass, you are paying for Ramen Fridays for a month!" He hollered. Iruka merely smiled and nodded his head. Mizuki tossed a folded piece of paper at the blonde, who caught it with a glare.

"That has the location time and what equipment you need to bring. I will be proctoring the exam." Mizuki said in an oddly happy tone. Naruto couldn't pinpoint the emotions behind his words. But honestly, he wanted to leave; he was not looking forward to telling "her" of this. She could be terrified when the urge struck her. He nodded to Mizuki, waved to Iruka, and walked calmly out of the room into the hall. He was determined to leave before anyone could ask about his fate, but he was rarely so lucky.

"You know you can be a real drag to find." A voice called. When the blonde looked over, he saw the last thing he needed. Students who had likely passed were expecting the same of him. But Naruto Uzumaki was no coward. So even as he inwardly panicked, he merely smiled and waited for them to approach. The man who spoke stood an inch or two taller than the blonde, a fact he often lorded over him with lazy glee. He had dark hair pulled into an upward ponytail, not unlike Iruka's. Black eyes seemingly locked into a sleepy scowl, and he was smirking. His clothing consisted of green armored sandals with black cargo pants tucked into them, Matched with a black button-up shirt. Over it, he wore a green survival jacket with a Nara crest on it. Naruto had struggled a bit to find kinship at first in the academy. Shikamaru had come when the blonde was certain that social matters may be hopeless. A week after his 15th birthday, the lazy Nara approached the blonde at lunch and offered to sit with him. The blonde was unsure, but Nara had surprisingly insisted, seemingly ever since the two were friends. He could have been more talkative and exciting but made up for it by being remarkably informative and kind. But Shikamaru wasn't alone. Naruto knew the faces but couldn't say he was too familiar. Shikamaru was his friend, but the rest of the group was just a tad distant. To the left of his friend stood someone the Nara had informed him of before. Naruto believed his name was Choji. He wore the same pair of sandals as Shikamaru and black sweat bound at various parts with bandages. A Grey tank top and green cotton jacket. His face was constantly in comical motion, with the swirls on his cheeks seemingly spinning as he ate. His eyes were brown and focused on the task of slaying chips. Naruto supposed his hair was done up in a bandana, which was for the best since debris of slain chips managed to land on it.

"Ye- mmm, we were looking forever, you know." He bellowed in between bites. The woman to the right of Shikamaru cringed at this. Naruto glanced at her. He first noticed her long blonde hair reaching her lower back and equally long bangs covering half her face. A blue eye peeked back at him. Her lips thinned a bit as she stared back. She wore a purple high-collared blouse that reached down to her knees. Underneath, she wore black tights and bandages, which she kept wrapped around her arms. He had heard of her. She was friends with Shikamaru somehow and was rather popular, especially with the guys. He believed her name was Ino.

"It is so gross when you do that, you know," She said as she rubbed her arms as if shaking off his gross behavior.

"It is?" Choji asked curiously. Naruto flinched as a spray of chips shot forth; even he was more orderly when pigging out on ramen!

"Yes!" Naruto and the girl said at once. Their eyes met before they both landed back on the messy eater.

"M-my bad then," The chubby man said with a laugh.

"Oh man, you really are a mess, huh?" A rough voice called out. They all glanced at the young man approaching. "I mean, seriously, even Akamaru eats better than that." The man said teasingly. He wore a black coat lined with gray fur around the down hood and on the ends of the sleeves. They also matched gray sweatpants secured with what seemed to be chains. Behind him stood a dog that matched nearly all their heights with long white fur and a long swinging tail. Kiba then. He had met the bastard who fought like a beast; Akamaru had bitten him more than he could count. However, Naruto had to admit that it was pretty cool to fight with your pet. The boy looked at Naruto and raised a brow and the edge of his lip.

"You're that guy, aren't you?"

"Um, what guy?" the blonde said hesitantly. Unsure if Kiba may be a vengeful victim of his many pranks. Or a member of his mysterious group of haters.

"Well, the guy some say is a creep and infamous for pulling pranks," Kiba said, a smile growing. Naruto felt his rage swirl within him. "You've made yourself all sorts of enemies."

"You're damn right! I pulled those pranks, and they were awesome! I don't regret it one measly bit. I don't know what people's problem is, ya know! But one day, you're all gonna be answering to me!" The blonde yelled, hating having someone boldly throw his rep in his face. As he pondered if he should kick his ass, the bastard laughed in his face.

"Hahaha, now that's more like it!" Kiba yelled back. "Maybe you are some creep, but you got guts." Naruto felt his anger slow a bit at that. The crass man even slapped his shoulder while laughing, and the blonde couldn't help but join him. Enjoying Kiba's antagonistic but oddly friendly personality. Maybe the guy wasn't a bastard!

"Well, anyways, Naruto." Shikamaru started, "I was coming to find you to celebrate us all becoming Genin. Gonna be us and a bunch of the other students who passed heading to the bar tomorrow. Well, we're technically just doing it to enjoy our first drinks; as Genin, we can finally enjoy liquor." The Nara stated happily. Naruto felt his anger disappear and, instead, was replaced with shame. Shikamaru had such faith in him and had come to offer company. Yet Naruto had nearly fled, ashamed of his somewhat failure. Naruto was unsure if he should correct him but decided to just go for it.

"Actually, I technically didn't pass." He said simply, his voice now showing some of his inner turmoil. He squared his shoulders as he prepared himself/

"What?" Kiba said, shocked, but was kicked silent by Ino. Shikamaru sent them both a glare for their lack of subtlety but was also silently surprised. He assumed the blonde would pass with at least a little breathing room. He had certainly not been the worst of their year.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru replied. The blonde seemed to look down at the floor.

"They said my scores are below the "average" score. They want me to participate in a remedial lesson to decide if I will continue." He explained.

"Oh, that's no big deal!" Choji started happily, with Ino slowly nodding.

"But-" the blonde tried. But the portly man merely laughed merrily as he threw an arm around the blonde.

"I'm taking those too! Never been the fittest, obviously!" Choji chuckled good-naturedly. Naruto couldn't help but smile again. It seemed Shikamaru had great taste in friends. "So make sure to watch my back, aye?"

"Hell yeah, we'll ace this test! Believe it!" The blonde yelled, fully now sold on the exam. Shikamaru chuckled lightly at this, glad to see the blonde's spirits lifted by the happy-go-lucky nature of Choji. Kiba laughed as well, loving the energy. Ino merely rolled her eyes, thinking the blonde was a bit of an idiot.

"So you coming?" Shikamaru asked Naruto with a smirk.

"Of course, I can't wait!" Naruto answered. With this, goodbyes were exchanged, and the group left the blonde, who watched them leave before starting the trek home.

Naruto slowly strolled into his home. While the meeting with Shikamaru and co lifted his spirits, he still dreaded what awaited him. "She" was probably already home. Undoubtedly discovering his crime. "She" was sweet most of the time. She was fantastic as long as you stayed on her good side and followed the rules. But the blonde sometimes wondered if she intended to kill him when he was unlucky enough to cross her. No, he thought morosely; she likely would kill now, no matter what. As far as he knew, his sin was unforgivable. A lesser man would retreat lest they face her wrath, but Naruto would stand firm. Well, for a bit, anyway. He could leverage the test in his favor.

With this thought in mind, Naruto unlocked his door and silently crept in. His eyes expertly darted about the room, looking for silent threats hidden in the dark. As far as he could tell, he should be fine. No traps, no genjutsu, and no murderous women. Now, Naruto was no fool and silently crept toward his room despite the apparent safety. Every step seemed to creak or thud or somehow attempt to give away his position. But with great skill, the blonde reached his bedroom door in one piece. He was so close! If he just got in, he could take a short nap before he had to get ready for the exam. Conveniently missing "her." He slowly opened the door a quarter, halfway, two thi-. He couldn't even finish the thought. A shape flew towards the blonde from the darkness of his own room. He couldn't react and closed his eyes, assuming a kunai or shuriken would soon end him. Instead, he felt a painful crash on his nose, the sound of breaking plastic alerting him he was hit by some brush. He stumbled back, trying to regain balance, but this was not an issue. A woman emerged from the shadows, dashing forward, grabbing Naruto's shirt, and casually lifting him to her face. He flinched, knowing penance was coming shortly. He offered a short prayer to whoever was out there, knowing his time was soon.

"So… forgot to do the dishes, huh?" the shadows shifted, revealing her face; dark blue eyes met his light blue with vibrant red hair seemingly swirling around the woman. It was the reaper, death, the great dying, it was his… "I asked you to do them, ya know?" Kushina said with a sweet, false smile. It was his mother.

AN

Remastered: Okay, after going through this chapter and attempting to improve it, I am impressed and dismayed with my early work. The ideas were there, but I made so many mistakes that a fair bit of this was rewritten entirely. As I said earlier, this didn't change the events as they are, meaning this won't affect future chapters too much. It's primarily intended to ensure new readers enjoy the same quality as current readers.

Feel free to offer any feedback you'd like. This is for entertainment, but I do intend to release a decent product. I also am not that experienced with writing—this is quite literally my first outing.

Thanks for reading; offer feedback if you wish, and Peace~!