A/N: I do not own Naruto, or the franchise, I do this for my own amusement, this is not going to be a dark or overpowered Naruto story, and please leave a comment, and let me know how I do, the main reason for this is to progress my own skill as a writer
The loss of a mentor
How long had he been like this? Naruto wondered, as he slowly came to his feet. It was already daybreak, and the blood all over him had dried hours ago. His clothes were torn, he was lucky he had a spare set. Naruto looked over at the destroyed field, and his eyes landed on one of the two figures that lay sprawled across the ground.
"Iruka-Sensei…" Naruto muttered to himself. He long ago ran out of tears to cry for his fallen sensei. But the pain of losing one of the only people he had truly cared about was tremendous. He now knew why people could go into such great bouts of depression over a death. He had once, not too long ago, laughed at the thought of ever mourning the death of someone. After all, what good is being sad over something you cannot change. Is it not better to move on? But before today, he had never truly lost anyone before. Sure, he had lost his parents when he was just a babe, but back then he had no concept of what death is. After all, what kind of baby does? Then Naruto's gaze drifted over to the other form sprawled across the floor of the field. Mizuki… Oh how Naruto despised that man. The memory of beating him to death was still fresh in Naruto's mind. And Naruto revelled in it.
It had brought him so much joy to kill the man who had killed his sensei. But somewhere in his mind emerged a small voice. That kept on asking if the simple fact he enjoyed killing Mizuki so much, meant he was nothing but a monster. Just like what all the villagers constantly called him. But Naruto pushed that thought out of his mind, as much as he could. He could think about that later. Naruto needed to come up with a plan. He was sure when he returned to the village, he would be executed for the murder of 2 chunnin of Konoha. There was no doubt in his mind that the civilian council would spin the story to make it seem as if he had killed Iruka-Sensei and Mizuki out of malicious intent. Naruto could currently do nothing but clench his fists, and bite into his lips, as he struggled to come up with a plan. He couldn't just leave Konoha, he needed to be Hokage. But if he stayed, he would be executed.
This is how Hiruzen Sarutobi, third Hokage of Konoha found him. With his bottom lip bleeding. And blood flowing from his clenched fists.
"Naruto… are you okay, son?" Sarutobi asked in a soft, and grandfatherly voice, as he slowly approached the young blonde. Placing his hand on the boys' shoulder, Sarutobi stood beside Naruto. Offering his silent condolences.
"Jiji… I'm going to be executed for killing Mizuki, aren't I? the council will also make it seem like I killed Iruka as well, won't they?" Naruto asked, his voice low, and coming out a bit broken. It was clear the young ninja-in-training was close to breaking down and sobbing right where he stood.
"No Naruto, I won't let them. You have done nothing but kill a traitor, and avenge your sensei, and a valued member of Konoha" Sarutobi declared, with a hint of steel in his voice. The old Hokage took his hand off the young boy, and slowly kneeled next to the dead body, that once was Iruka Umino. All the grandfatherly man could think of, was how tragic it was for a young boy to experience his first true loss, and first kill all in a single night.
"I-I'm a monster, aren't I? All the villagers have been telling me my whole life. And even Mizuki said I was the Kyuubi reincarnate. A-and I enjoyed killing Mizuki" Naruto sobbed, as he collapsed into a kneeling position. Not even bothering to try and hide his sobs of anguish.
Sarutobi let out a deep sigh, as he grabbed something off the corpse of Iruka, as he stood to his full height. He had put it off for far too long. It was finally time to tell Naruto the truth about the Kyuubi. He silently kneeled in front of the sobbing boy, reassuringly putting his hands on the blondes' shoulders.
"Naruto, you are no monster, nor are you the Kyuubi reincarnate, no matter what people say" Sarutobi started, silently bracing himself for what he was about to reveal. "12 years ago, coming up 13 years now, was the Kyuubi attack, as I'm sure you already know. On that day, the third Hokage, Minato Namikaze, one of the smartest men I ever knew, had only 1 solution for defeating the Kyuubi, and saving the village, that solution, my boy, was you" Sarutobi revealed, with a soft smile, that put Naruto at ease. The way Sarutobi had spoken, was with nothing but respect for the fallen fourth Hokage.
Naruto looked up at the man he had come to know, not as his Hokage, but as his grandfather. Naruto's eyes were red and puffy, and tears long thought to have dried out streamed across his face.
"W-what are you saying, o-old man?" Naruto asks, his voice cracking, as he sniffles and stifles mores sobs from coming out.
This is only the start of a Legend in the making.