"Alright class!" Iruka shouted proudly to the deeply excited room of fresh graduates. "Today is the day you get put into teams and assigned your Jonin sensei. Celebrate your achievements thus far but be ready for what's to come. This is your first step into a larger world."
Some of the students were filled with nothing but excitement for their new adventures. Others felt mixed with excitement and worry that things wouldn't be as glamorous as it was in their dreams. But none could deny the pride of finally graduating after years of tests and challenges of the Ninja Academy.
"Now class," Iruka called out. "I have to go retrieve the list from Lord Hokage in his office. I won't be gone long. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves until I return."
As soon as the Chūnin instructor left, the class erupted in a jumbled mess of small talk.
"Man, I am so glad this is over! I hate being called 'academy student'!" He commented in a snarky tone.
"You said it!" His friend added. "My brother is a Jōnin already. And he graduated only five years ago!"
More students continued chat up each other.
"Who do you think your Jōnin sensei will be, Katara?"
"I don't really care; I just hope it's someone strong and smart." The girl replied. "If I had to choose though, Sakura Haruno would be my choice!"
"Lady Tsunade's pupil!?" Her friend exclaimed. "Did you hear the rumor that her and Sasuke Uchiha broke off their engagement?"
"No way!"
"Yes way!"
There were hearts practically pounding in their eyes at the thought of the international heart throb known as Sasuke Uchiha. He was an amazingly strong shinobi that had the looks to rival. He was worldly famous for his heroic actions in the Kumogakure conflict a few years back.
Sasuke Uchiha, and, his equally known and strong best friend, Naruto Namikaze went on a suicide mission to rescue the damsel in distress, Princess Shion, from the enemy village. It was two against all. Barely coming back out alive. But they had rescued the Princess from certain doom.
It was closest thing to a movie script that anyone had heard of. And a great recruiting tool for surrounding smaller villages.
"What about you, Kai? Who would you pick to be your sensei?"
"Hm." The young genin thought. "I would have to say Ino Yamanaka."
Katara smiled. "She's my cousin, you know."
"No duh! You're in the same clan."
Conversations went on and on as they waited for their academy instructor to return with their future. In the back corner of the class sat a young brown-haired boy with a long blue scarf tied sound his neck. He patiently, though rather impatiently, for the instructor to be completely out of ear shot.
Now was the time to strike.
Konohamaru put his plan into action. He strolled right up to the chalkboard and grabbed the easer. He moved to the door and wedged the easer at the top so that when the door opened next it would fall on the poor unsuspecting person to walk in.
A graduation day prank. One for the record books.
Simple but effective.
Katara approached the young Sarutobi. "And what do you think you're doing, Konohamaru?"
"Oh, nothing." Konohamaru stated nonchalantly. He put his handed behind his head to look innocent. "I'm just giving Iruka sensei a good parting gift."
The girl raised her brow suspiciously. "Seriously? A prank?"
"Well, if anyone else…" Konohamaru shouted over the rest of the class, gathering their attention for a moment before returning to their conversations. "…bothered to come up with something else, like I asked, then it would've been a bit more elaborate."
Katara rolled her eyes. "I'll have no part in this. I don't want my chances being squashed."
Konohamaru cocked his head to the side. "Chances? Chances for what?"
"To have Sakura Haruno as my Jonin sensei!" Katara lit up. "She's the best kunoichi in the village! And student to one of the Legendary Sannin, Lady Tsunade."
This outta be good. "And how do you know that she's one of the available instructors? We weren't privy to that information. Only Iruka Sensei and the Academy Board have that list."
Katara froze. She was caught.
Gotcha.
"I uh…" Katara sighed. "You got me. I peaked at the roster on Iruka sensei's desk when he wasn't looking last week. Please don't tell Iruka sensei! He'll put me on a different team for sure!"
Konohamaru snickered. This was the perfect opportunity for some good old fashioned blackmail. Though, he also knew who the Jonin instructors were, but not from the list. One of many perks of being the Honorable Grandson was having some insider information like that.
Not like he would ever tell Katara that.
"Well, looks like you and I have a deal to make."
Katara eyes narrowed to slits at the Grandson. "What kind of deal?"
Konohamaru smirked. "I won't tell Iruka sensei if you…go on a date with me?" He even gave a suggestive wink to sweeten the deal for the girl.
Katara sighed. Not this again. Konohamaru was persistent, she would give him that. Konohamaru had come to her multiple times and asked her out for a date. Or to hangout. She always turned him down. It wasn't that she didn't want to take him up on that offer, because she did. It was because her best friend, Kai, had a massive crush on him.
Katara didn't want to betray her friend like that.
Honestly, it was confusing as to why Konohamaru didn't want to take Kai out on a date. Kai was beautiful. Strong and smart, too. She was considered for the 'Rookie of the Year' award that was given to the most outstanding genin. Every other guy in the class would kill for a date with her.
So, why didn't Konohamaru?
"Well? What's your answer?"
Katara glanced over her shoulder to Kai, who was blissfully chatting with another friend of hers. As much as she wanted to respect her friendship with Kai, she wanted the opportunity to be under Sakura Haruno more. Nothing could stand in the way of that.
"Y-Yeah, okay. You have a deal." Katara tried to put a nice smile on her face.
Konohamaru concealed his excitement to a small, nearly silent 'Yes!'. "Alright! It's a date then! I'll find ya later and we'll iron out the details!"
And just as Katara was about to turn back to her seat, the door slid open. In utter horror, Katara watched the easer fall and simply bounce off Iruka's head, creating a small dust cloud over him and coating his head in white dust. Konohamaru could barely contain his laughter.
"Gotcha, Iruka sensei!" He shouted in laughter.
Most of the class joined Konohamaru's joy of the successful prank. But Katara immediately tried to smooth the situation.
"I'm so sorry, master!" She even tried to dust off the poor man's head. "It was all Konohamaru' fault. He did it!"
Iruka stood to full height, towering over the genin. The laughter quickly died down. "Sit. Down. Now."
Quick as could be, the entire class returned to their seats and sat as straight as they could. While usually a laid back instructor, Iruka was not one to be messed with. His temper was legendary among Academy instructors.
There was eerie silence that loomed over the class room.
"Alright everyone, I'm about it to call out the names for each team and their assigned sensei. So, pay attention!"
Today was a good day. A happy day. Iruka wasn't going to allow a simple prank ruin that.
Graduation from the Academy was no easy task. Many applicants failed out within the first year. By the time the four year minimum requirement was up, nearly ninety percent of the original group had been failed.
But, in all honesty, most students were signed up at the ripe young age of 8, the youngest one could be. Some simply dropped the program because they realized that the shinobi life wasn't for them.
But those who failed and still wanted to be a shinobi were left to Reserve Division. The Reserve Division was created by the Third Hokage after end of the Second Great Ninja War. Its original mission was to train up failed students to eventually be promoted to genin and be transferred into the active roster for legitimate training by a jōnin.
But when the Third War began, those failed students were rushed through training to be fodder. Decoys. While the 'real' shinobi came in and took all the glory in the victories. Now, they just run the simple mundane missions and never leave the village. And they're lucky if they get called up to the active roster.
Just another point in the dark history of Konoha.
"Team One, under the command Jōnin Instructor Sakura Haruno, will be Hanabi Hyūga, Katara Yamanaka, and Riku Kishimoto."
There was squeal from Katara.
Konohamaru smiled to himself, he knew how much that meant to her. Honestly, if his little prank had screwed that up for her, he would've been heartbroken for her.
One by one, teams were announced by number, Jōnin instructor, and the genin members. From what Konohamaru gathered, the teams were chosen at complete random. That made selection fair. Some teams could be considered favored because friends were put on the same team or the more 'gifted' genin were selected to a 'super' team, if you would.
Konohamaru wondered if there were special requests that were granted. Some of the students were children of high ranking officials in clans and Konohagakure itself. It really wouldn't surprise him if some of the clan officials lobbied for their kids to put under a specific jōnin. Or even simply on the same team as their friends.
Konohamaru snickered silently. Grandpa wouldn't allow that.
"…And for Team Thirteen, under the command of Jōnin Instructor Naruto Namikaze, will be Kai Yūki, Konohamaru Sarutobi, and Katsuro Uchiha."
Konohamaru's ears perked up when he heard his name called. He looked at the two other genin that were called with him. Kai and Katsuro were two he never really dealt with. Their paths just never crossed.
Naruto Namikaze…
Katsuro was the run of the mill Uchiha. The clan breed for battle. His taijutsu was near top of the class, ranking in the top three. Ninjutsu was similar, the number five slot is where he would be ranked the lowest. Genjutsu would be considered Katsuro's worst style. But once the Sharingan develops in his black eyes, that would change.
The son of the legendary Yellow Flash…
Personality wise, he was somewhat easy going. Didn't like to be the spot light and usually kept to himself. Katsuro was here to learn and graduate. Not make friends.
Considered by some to be the strongest in Konoha…
Kai was the surprising one. She was labeled as the top kunoichi, pushing for the top genin title. There were talks of her being considered for the 'Rookie of the Year' honor. All three of her jutsu styles were top three, maybe even number one in all three categories.
Some even say he could go toe to toe with the Sannin…
Kai was a near opposite to Katsuro when it came to social interaction. She was liked by nearly every one. Honestly, there wasn't a person Konohamaru could think of that gave the girl a negative check. Kai had friends everywhere, even in the Reserve Division. And those shinobi hated freshly graduated genin's worse than Chūnin did.
The Legion…
"Your instructor is on the roof. He's waiting for you."
The door slid shut, quicker than Konohamaru would've liked. That prank must've irked the instructor made than Konohamaru thought. It wasn't that big of a deal. It was just a prank.
The three genin looked at each other, wondering who was going to make the first step.
"Well, let's go. We better not keep sensei waiting." Kai stated, trying to be proper.
Kai walked off first. Katsuro looked at Konohamaru and shrugged. "I don't wanna piss her off." And he followed suit.
Konohamaru sighed. "Yeah…it has nothing to do with who our sensei is."
The breeze hit Kai's black hair gracefully, pushing it all out of her beautiful young face. Katsuro and Konohamaru appeared from behind her, shielded from the breeze. All three covered their eyes to the blinding sun.
"'Bout time you three got up here. Come take a seat."
There he was…
The three genin sat before their Jōnin sensei, each on a different step that led down to the small patio on the roof.
Naruto Namikaze…
The man flicked a toothpick off. His green flak jacket was clean, like it had been dry cleaned. His black pants were clean and dark as could be. His black headband cloth trailed long with wind.
The Legion….Chain Master…only to name a few of his monikers…
"Sit up straight and look at me." The authoritative tone caused the three to do just that. "Welcome to Team Thirteen. My name is Naruto Namikaze, your Jōnin instructor. First off, I'm going to congratulate you three on graduating from the Academy. Take some time to celebrate your accomplishments thus far."
The man could see pride spread across the three fresh graduates. It was a good accomplishment. It should be celebrated.
Just not now.
"Enough of that. Your work load has just tripled from here on out. Your time for celebration will come later. For now, seeing how we're going to be a team, we should get to know each other."
Kai raised her hand and waited patiently for their new master to call on her. Naruto nodded to her, telling her to speak.
"What kind of things, sensei? We were in the same class and know each other already."
"First note: you don't have to raise your hand. This isn't the classroom, speak when you have something to say. Second note: is that so? What's his…" he pointed to Konohamaru, "favorite food? What's his…" he pointed to Katsuro, "least favorite thing about life?"
Kai looked like a deer caught in headlights. She had nothing to say.
"Exactly. You may have gone to the Academy together, but there's no way you three already know each other on such a level that real teammates do. And I don't expect you to suddenly become perfect teammates either. Bonds and trust take time to build." Naruto continued on. "Also, I don't care if you were the prestigious 'Rookie of the Year' or dead last in the class. From now on, you three are equals. I don't wanna hear petty bullshit of who's better. Save that for sparring matches and then we'll see who's got the stuff for this job."
Katsuro went to raise his hand but quickly dropped it back down. Naruto noticed and motioned for him to speak.
"What's training going to be like, sensei? Are we going to be doing basic drills and stuff like that?"
Naruto shrugged. "Depends on you three. Training centers on how well the three of you can handle things. But that stuff will be decided at a later date. For now, introductions. Uchiha, go first." He decided to just go down the line.
Katsuro had eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "How'd you know I was an Uchiha?"
Naruto looked bewildered. "Seriously?"
It processed in Katsuro's head that it was a stupidly obvious question. Not only were his eyes and hair a dead giveaway, there was a giant red and white fan on his back. The Uchiha clan symbol. "Right…sorry, sensei." He cleared his throat. "My name is Katsuro Uchiha…" He trailed off. "What am I supposed to say?"
Naruto sighed. "Just your general likes, dislikes, dreams…stuff like that."
Katsuro nodded. "I like to train with my dad, hanging with friends, and to relax and watch clouds…"
Sounds like Shikamaru. Naruto thought to himself.
"…I hate boring stuff. I like to be entertained. My dream is to someday visit all the Great Villages."
"World Traveler, eh?"
Katsuro chuckled and smiled brightly. "Kinda! I'm just fascinated by the world and wanna see it all! That's one of the big reasons I wanted to be a shinobi."
A good dream. Simple. I like that.
Naruto couldn't even count how many genin he's met that have goals and dreams of great achievements and glory that only come once in a lifetime. While good to have goals like that, they almost never happen. And those genin either get killed or stall out after making it to Chūnin.
"Not bad. But remember, a shinobi isn't as glamorous as some have made it out to be. We have a commitment to this village and are sworn to protect it at all costs. As an Uchiha, you should know that better than anyone. You next, girl."
Kai straightened up more so. "My name is Kai Yūki. I have a general liking for everything, I really don't have favorites or consider anything as my favorite. And I'm a pretty open person, I'll try anything before I say I don't like it. My goal is to live up to my family name."
Naruto's head cocked to the side, confusingly. "Family name, huh? Interesting…" The name sounded familiar. If his memory served him right, he knew her parents. "Your father…Tadashi Yūki, right?"
"…Yeah." Saddened, Kai dropped her eyes. Both Konohamaru and Katsuro looked at the girl in confusion.
"Your father?"
"What happened?"
Kai shrunk back, hesitating to say something. Naruto glanced between the new team. He figured something like this would happen.
"That's a story for a different time. I don't expect you to share your life stories on the first day. Last guy, you're up."
Konohamaru instantly jumped into a proud stance. "My name is Konohamaru Sarutobi! Honorable Grandson of the Third Hokage! I love chocolate covered bananas and ramen! And I hate onions!"
"And your dreams?"
Konohamaru smiled triumphantly. "I'm gonna take the title of Hokage from my grandpa! That way, I'll finally get out of his shadow!"
Naruto smirked. The age old dream. At least one kid in each graduating class that dreamed of being Hokage. "Taking the hat, eh? Well, get behind the other hundred ninja that wanna be Hokage. What makes you stand out over the rest of them?"
"He's my grandpa. Of course, he'll choose me!"
Naruto chuckled at the kid's arrogance. Time to rock this little bastard's world. "Konohamaru, let me tell you a little secret. Nobody cares that you're his grandson." The look of speechless devastation crossed the young Sarutobi's face. "You may have used it to get yourself out of trouble or got the occasional free meal. But now, it doesn't mean shit. If anything, you'll have a target on your back." Shock spread between Kai and Katsuro. "There a lot of people out there who hate your grandfather. And I can name a few that'll love the idea of getting revenge on him through you."
Konohamaru's mouth fell wide open. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. That was the harshest thing someone had ever said to him! Unbelievable!
Who does this guy think he is?!
In a hasty swell of emotions, Konohamaru sprung from his seat and threw a kick at his new sensei. While it was fast to the other two genin, Naruto watched Konohamaru in near slow motion.
A simple hand blocked and held him in place, gripped at his bandaged ankle.
"Konohamaru?!"
"What the hell man?!"
Konohamaru's shocked face told all. "EH?!"
Naruto smirked. "Slow, weak, and completely open. I could've killed you five times over while you were airborne."
The jōnin flicked his wrist and threw Konohamaru's body directly back to his seat. He landed roughly.
Konohamaru jumped back up. "How could you say something like to me?!"
"Sit down and shut the fuck up!"
Konohamaru froze. The absolute authority in Naruto's voice boomed over them.
"I don't care who you are and nobody else does! Special treatment ends now! You are about to learn the consequences of your actions. Ever hear of group punishment?"
He wasn't sure if it was fear or stupidity, but all three shook their heads in unison.
"Group punishment is when one of you fuck up, everyone pays the price for it! You have…fifteen minutes to meet me at Training Ground Seven! I wasn't going to administer this test for another week, but your teammate has just moved it up with his actions. Don't be late…or it'll make it worse for all of you!"
The three hesitated. Unsure of what to do. Fear held them like vise grips.
"Go! Clocks ticking!"
With fear and adrenaline fueling them, Kai vaulted over the railing and took off. Katsuro leapt off in a single bound, clearing multiple buildings with each one. And Konohamaru tried to keep up with both his teammates.
Once he was sure he was in the clear, Naruto lost all control and burst into a long fit of laughter.
"Oh man!" He laughed, in a near hysterical fashion. "I wasn't gonna be able to last much longer!"
Wiping a forming tear, Naruto let out a content sigh. The memories of his own first meeting with his genin team filled his mind.
"Do you really think just because you're the Yellow Flash's kid that I'll take some pity on you? Think again!"
Hayate's stern eyes drilled through the young Naruto Namikaze. The fresh genin could hardly believe someone said that to him. And neither could the two genin. They were just as shocked.
"Here's a reality check: nobody cares who you are. It means nothing. If anything, you'll have a giant target plastered on your back because of your father. It doesn't matter if he's dead or alive, his enemies will want to get whatever revenge on him. Ending his lineage usually does the trick for most."
Naruto looked up to the sky, admiring the teachings of his deceased sensei. He was the first person to give him that same reality check. The death of his parents affected him greatly. And, honestly, he used the pity and sympathy from others a bit too much. Looking back on it, Naruto was ashamed of his younger self for acting how he did.
Hayate had given him one of the most important life lessons: outside of family and friends, no one cares about you.
It was a hard lesson for Naruto to accept. Konohagakure, overall, was a very warm and happy place. The few times he's been in another Great Village, the people were harsh and rude. Sometimes violent if you stuck around long enough. The world was a horribly nasty place and would leave you in the gutter without a second thought.
And Hayate was right. Being his father's son made things worse for him. Constant comparisons to the legendary Yellow Flash. It was unbelievably annoying and disheartening as a fresh genin. As much as he wanted to live up to his parent's legacy, Naruto wanted to have his own.
Hayate was the perfect mentor. And Naruto missed him dearly.
Naruto's internal clock was ticking. The time limit was almost up.
Time to go see what these little bastards are made of.
In the same instant, Naruto vanished from the Academy roof and appeared at the field he commanded his new team to meet.
His internal clock ticked away as he waited. He waited for his team to hilariously burst through the tree line or stumble through the gate. Either way, this was about to be a lot of fun for Naruto.
Two more minutes. Or they're toast.
Kai was the first make it to the training grounds. She landed gracefully from a tree branch. Shock filled her face when she realized she had been beaten there.
"How'd you get here before me?! I never even saw you!"
"Too slow…not paying attention. I could go on."
Kai huffed. "Well, I made it in time."
Not bad. She's got some speed. But nothing to be impressed by. A little above average for a Genin.
Katsuro ran on the path into the field no less than thirty seconds later. He huffed and puffed. "H-Here!"
An endurance issue. Most Uchiha have that issue coming out of the Academy. It's the flaw. Won't be hard to correct. Some extra endurance training will do the trick.
"Well, good that you two made it. But your third member is about to be late." Naruto stated casually, his hands deep in his pockets.
"He's not here yet?!" Kai shouted. This was bad.
"I thought he passed me?!" Katsuro couldn't believe it.
"You still have fifty-five seconds left. My suggestion is you go find him."
Just as Kai was turning to sprint away, Konohamaru leapt from cliff side. A madman like scream trailed down as he hit the ground. Hard. Naruto physically winced from the impact.
"Hm. With ten seconds to spare. You barely made it, Konohamaru."
With some difficulty catching his breath with pain from smacking the ground, Konohamaru forced himself to sit up and respond. "I made it. That's all that matters."
"But…" He turned to Kai and Katsuro. "…you two left him behind. Shitty teammates if you ask me."
"Oh c'mon!" Kai shouted in protest. "It's his fault we're even here!"
"Out in the real world, one mistake can kill everyone on a mission. Missions can be decided by one simple mistake. Camaraderie and trust are built with blood, sweat, and tears. It does not happen overnight. But, if we don't start early on, it'll be harder to get right later. So, either come together or not at all. I will not accept excuses for being late. Be on time."
Katsuro couldn't believe his eyes. This was Naruto Namikaze? The famed S-Rank Jōnin? He was laid back. Relaxed. Seemingly unbothered or unfocused by their presence. It was like he could care less.
There was no way. This had to be a joke.
But Kai was thinking differently. She knew not to underestimate or think out of line. An S-Rank Shinobi? Kai's attention and guard was on an all-time high. The Legion….Chain Master…
The bored, unbothered look in his eyes was clearly an act. His own words betrayed him. But that didn't deter anything. Massive arms, board shoulders, and thick legs showcased controlled power. Raw, powerful chakra was barely contained under the surface.
Naruto Namikaze was not to be underestimated.
Konohamaru moved to join his teammates. Together, they stood across from their new sensei.
"Today marks your first day as genin. Thus, your first test." Naruto pulled two bells from his vest, holding them out and letting jingle. "Take these bells from me."
Silent in shock, the three were instantly confused. A bell test? Something so simple?
"Too easy!"
Konohamaru's moved to attack, but found himself on his ass just as quick. And strong pain covering his head from the powerful punch he just received.
Kai never even saw him move. Unbelievable speed.
Katsuro blinked and Konohamaru's body was plastered on the ground. So fast!
"You'll have be better than that to get these bells." Naruto fastened the bells to his belt loop. "These bells are your test. Get them before sundown. Which is…give or take three hours from now."
While the one Genin was writhing in pain, the other two Genin were stupefied. Such much happened so freaking fast. Their new shinobi brains for having trouble processing it all.
Kai forced herself to overcome her hesitation. "How do we get the bells from you?"
Naruto was genuinely bewildered by that question. "Uh…how does one take things from other people?"
Kai was silent, unsure of what to answer. What on earth is going on?!
"The answer is by force, my little Genin. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, then you won't get the bells."
"Intent to kill?!" Katsuro shouted in shock. Konohamaru was slowly regaining himself. "We could kill you!"
Naruto's laughter echoed throughout the entire field. "Not gonna happen!" He managed to squeak out through his laughs. "I'd have to blackout drunk for that to happen. Even then, not likely." He wiped away a tear for the second time today.
S-Rank? With this attitude? Impossible.
Naruto straightened himself up. "You're test begins now!"
Quickly overcoming their stupor, Katsuro was the first act. He executed a quick series of seals for one of his clan's signature techniques.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)
The large fireball exploded from his mouth and shot it towards his new master, burning all in the path. While massive, it was slower than what Naruto had trained with against Sasuke.
Naruto easily leapt over the flames. He dropped a water tag into the ball of fire to stop unnecessary burn damage. But to his students, he disappeared then reappeared behind Katsuro.
Elemental manipulation. Standard practice for Uchiha before entering the Academy.
"Standard for you Uchiha folk. Not terrible either. One of the better I've seen for someone so young. But you'll have to do better than that."
Katsuro jumped back while Kai and Konohamaru came in on either side.
A joint attack. Hm. Maybe they figured out the point already.
A simple duck and the two genin flew right into each other. Hard. The echoing smacked carried enough to scurry up some birds.
Ouch. Naruto thought. That was certainly going to leave bruises on each one of their cheeks. That's a no.
Kai was quick to regain her footing. She charged in and tried to take the bells by force, just like he ordered to.
Naruto ducked and weaved through the laughable attempts. Kai had no real technique or style of taijutsu, she was just throwing haymakers and praying one struck.
Note for Kai: heavy taijutsu training.
A quick redirect of Kai's fist and a strong kick sent the female genin flying back.
"Katon: Haisekishō!" (Fire Style: Burning Ash)
A stream of chakra infused-gun power coated the area, concealing Naruto inside the grey cloud. Konohamaru had yet to figure out to create a spark without the use of anything but an explosive kunai. He needed to bug Uncle Asuma about that.
Quickly drawing the knife from his holster and wrapping the chakra tag around the handle, Konohamaru chucked into the smokescreen.
"Boom!"
The explosion was loud and obliterating. Anyone or anything would have been consumed in explosive flames and died a quick, hopefully painless death. The three Genins looked on, wondering if Konohamaru had just killed their sensei.
A few seconds went by and there was nothing. The ground was burnt and smoking. Nothing remained.
"…Ah shit…"
"God damn it, Konohamaru!" Katsuro shouted, shoving him back. "You killed him!"
"Hey! I only did what he said! He said that this wouldn't happen!"
The two argued and shoved more. Kai kept her eyes and head on a swivel, looking for a sign that he was still alive.
No way that killed him. S-Rank or not, I could've made it out before Konohamaru blew it up.
That's when she saw it. Mixed in with a series of leaves and branches was a reflection of light, like a mirror. A twinge of disappointment filled her.
C'mon sensei, that's too easy.
Kai's draw was clean, smooth, and fast. The kunai flew through the air and shattered the mirror, alerting the other two genin.
"Kai?"
"What did you do?"
Kai smirked. "He's not dead. He's watching us." She scanned the area, trying to find where their sensei was hiding. "He that mirror as a warning."
From his heightened hidden position, Naruto could see the entire field. He smirked as he watched Kai figure things out and find the hidden mirror. She didn't have to smash it though. That was a bit much.
Her draw is smooth and all muscle memory. She's trained to perfection. And she was able to find the mirror. It could've been placed better, but it certainly wasn't easy. She has good eyes.
Naruto continued to watch. Wondering on how it would take them to figure out the lesson behind this test. Or turned on each other. Whatever came first.
"If he's watching us, where is he, Kai?"
"I don't know. You're the one with the Sharingan. You should be able to find him easy enough."
"…Yeah, I can't do that."
Konohamaru sharply turned. "You can't? But you're an Uchiha?! Isn't that, like, your thing?"
"It's not the easiest thing to do, for your knowledge. A lot of Uchiha don't awaken their Sharingan until they're full grown adults."
"Didn't Sasuke Uchiha awaken his Sharingan at like eight or nine years old? His older brother, Itachi, had his Sharingan by seven, I know that…"
"Shut it, Konohamaru!" Katsuro shouted angrily. His Sharingan development was, apparently, a sensitive subject. "How about you, huh?! You're grandfather is the Third Hokage? The God of Shinobi. Why aren't you like him?"
Konohamaru's eyes narrowed to slits. "That's not the same."
"Yes it is! He's from your clan, the clan head in fact. How come you aren't at the same level he was at? Lord Third was already a Chūnin by the time he was our age. Why aren't you like that? Huh? Huh?!"
"Shut up, Katsuro…"
"Not fun being compared to someone else from your clan, is it? Even against freaks of nature like Lord Third, Itachi, or even Sasuke were at our age. It's not fair for people like us."
"…You don't know a thing about me…"
Katsuro scoffed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever. You'll probably just go whine to your grandpa and request to be on a different team because we aren't good enough for you."
Kai stepped in to stop them from continuing this stupid squabble. "C'mon, you guys, enough. We have a job to do."
"It's true though." Katsuro wasn't one to leave things unfinished. He hated not having the last word, especially in an argument. "He always cried to his grandpa when something happened he didn't like. Why do you think Iruka sensei just let that prank go? Because he's the damn Honorable Grandson. He isn't allowed to be disciplined."
"Shut up, Katsuro! You're just the run of the mill Uchiha! How can you even be an Uchiha without having your Sharingan? Tell me, how does that work?!"
"I'll make you eat your words, monkey fucker!"
"Bring it on, emo bastard!"
"ENOUGH!"
Kai forcefully pushed both the boys away from each other, putting herself in between them. She glared at them both.
"This isn't a game! We can't just sit and argue! This is our first true test for being a shinobi. It's like what Naruto sensei said earlier. It doesn't matter who we were in the Academy. We're equals now. And we need to treat each other like equals. We aren't an Uchiha or the Honorable Grandson anymore. We are just…shinobi."
"But he said-!" Konohamaru and Katsuro shouted in unison.
"No one cares!" Kai shouted over them. "WE need to figure this test out together. The one thing I've always known is that a problem is easier to solve together than alone. So, we need to work together to get those bells. Got it?"
Grumbling, both boys agreed with their female counterpart. It didn't matter who they were or where they came from. What mattered was here and now. Passing the test was the only thing that mattered.
"Fine…" Katsuro sighed.
"Yeah, whatever. Let's go find this guy and get those damn bells."
From his position, Naruto smirked at Kai's leadership skills. He had be watching the scene unfold. Figuring that this type of situation would arise at some point, he wondered who would be the one to try and calm things down. He expected Konohamaru to be one of the aggressors. That arrogant attitude always got on somebody's nerves. He did not expect Katsuro, someone who had 'laid back' in his official file, to get so fired up about something. Maybe there was something underneath that shell of his.
She's got some leadership skills hidden in there. So far, there hasn't been a lot of negative checks towards her. What's your weakness, Kai?
Naruto watched the team disappear into the tree line, beginning their search for him.
Let's test their tracking skills.
And Naruto vanished.
-30 minutes to sunset-
The hours passed quickly and newly formed Team 13 were in a near blind panic. They had searched high and low for their sensei. Following all sorts of different leads and paths. Only for their efforts to come up with zero results.
"What the fuck?!"
"Konohamaru, keep it down!" Kai reprimanded as quietly as she could. "We don't want to alert sensei of our location."
"Who cares?!" Konohamaru continued to yell. "He probably knows where we are. We've been searching for hours! And for what?! Nothing!"
"C'mon, Konohamaru." Katsuro was fed up too, but they needed to stay calm for a chance of completing the test. "I know this shit sucks but we can't lose our cool."
"Well, I've had enough! I'm gonna talk to grandpa about this! This ain't a test, this is fucking hazing!"
Konohamaru continued to rant on about the stupidity of this test and how their new sensei was lazy and would be removed by the Third Hokage as both Kai and Katsuro eyes went wide. Not because of what Konohamaru's words, but because that their sensei had just appeared right behind Konohamaru.
And it wasn't a normal appearance either. He didn't materialize, like a genjutsu, or slide, like a Body Flicker.
He was just there.
And Naruto was not happy. In fact, he was pissed.
Konohamaru noticed his teammate's startled looks. "What?"
"Hazing, huh?"
Konohamaru jumped back, frightened all as could be. "S-Sensei?!"
"I'm giving you one chance, and one chance only, to elaborate on your words, Konohamaru."
Konohamaru gulped. Never before in his life had someone intimidated him like this. Naruto's mere presence was almost overwhelming. Like an ant having a boot hovering over. It was a terrifying feeling.
"I…uh…" He glanced over his shoulder to his teammates, hoping they would jump in and try to help him.
"Don't look at them!" Naruto shouted, adding to his intimidation. "This is all one you, Honorable Grandson!"
Konohamaru had no excuse to make. He was speechless.
"Fine! Lay down! You're dead!"
Huh?
Confused, Konohamaru remained standing. He was unsure of what to do, as were his two teammates.
"Get on the ground!" Naruto grabbed Konohamaru by his long scarf and roughly pulled him to the ground, holding him there. "There! Your teammate is dead! What do you do?!"
The intensity increased tenfold and both Genins froze. It was like staring at deer caught in bright, shining light. But, real world terms, they were dead.
"Bam!" Naruto shouted, startling them all. "Your dead too, Kai!"
Reluctantly, Kai slowly moved to lay on the ground. Being manhandled like Konohamaru was did not look like a good time. She was flat on her back but kept her head up to see what was happening.
"Katsuro, what should you do?" Naruto continued to shout. "Both your teammates are dead and you're up against an opponent who is much stronger than you. What do you do?!"
Katsuro's whole body seized up. Adrenaline shot through his body as his mind raced like never before. Caught in the trap, he froze and gave no answer.
"Fine!" Naruto lunged at him and kicked him away, overextending himself and letting go of Konohamaru in the process.
Realizing this, Konohamaru saw an opportunity to take the bells. Quickly, Konohamaru jumped up and threw his whole body at Naruto. With his back turned and only a short distance between them, Naruto was tackled by the flying Sarutobi. The struggle was quick as Naruto countered and held Konohamaru on the ground, trapping his arm against his back.
Kai saw her chance as well. She smoothly drew another kunai and threw directly at Naruto's head. Only for him to catch it a mere inch away from his temple with his fingertips. But he failed to notice the Raiton tag on the handle.
"Nice try, you two. But you'll have to better than that."
Kai smirked. "I did."
The tag ignited and paralyzing yellow lightning exploded around Naruto's form. He dropped the kunai from his fingers, his whole body seizing from the surge.
"AHHH!"
"Now!"
Konohamaru broke free from his sensei's grasp and jumped back, only to jump back into the fray with his teammates. Kai, Katsuro, and Konohamaru screamed loud and proud as their fists all collided with Naruto's seizing face, knocking the Jōnin instructor on the ground.
And the bells flew off his belt loop, only for Kai snatch them both up.
"Yes!"
"We did it!"
"And we beat the sunset!"
Victory had been achieved. Team Thirteen had overcome the odds set by their instructor and won the day, cementing themselves as Genin of Konohagakure.
That is, until, Naruto's body burst into a cloud of smoke. Along with the bells in Kai's hands.
No…
All three Genin could only stare in disbelief. It was a Shadow Clone…
"Not bad, kids. Not bad, at all."
Looking above them, Naruto was perched on a large tree branch, holding the real bells between his fingers. The bells jingled mockingly as he gracefully landed on the ground.
"What just happened?" Konohamaru finally broke through his stupor.
"You three beat my clone and took his bells. That's what happened."
"Does that mean we still pass?!" Katsuro shouted. "We still took the bells!"
"Hm…" Naruto pondered in a mocking tone. "I'm not sure. It wasn't technically a win because you didn't get the real bells, only a set from my clone." The sun finally set on their day, signaling the end of their test. "Well, look at that. The sun set and you don't have any bells. Damn…I was really rooting for you guys."
"That's not fair!" Kai shouted angrily. "Clone or not, we took the bells from you! That has to count!"
"Yeah!"
"You never said anything about this!"
"Do you all agree with that?"
"YES!" The three shouted in unison. They were ready to attack their sensei again if he gave them another bullshit answer.
Naruto smiled. "Then, I think you passed. Congratulations."
Their anger and frustration disappeared instantly, quickly changing to confusion and surprise. Naruto would have laughed at their open mouths.
"Say what?"
"You heard me. You passed the test."
"Seriously?!"
"Yes, I am."
"It can't be that simple."
"It was."
Naruto smiled fondly as his Genin students celebrated. He couldn't help be reminded of his own Genin days when Hayate issued a similar test to them. The feeling of finally passing something like this was a defining moment for his team, just like it was to them. He patiently waited for them to finish enjoying the moment.
"Now that the celebrations are over with, come with me. There is something I want to show you."
Following their master back through the woods and back into the clearing they where they first started, Team Thirteen was curious as to where their master was taking them. They trotted through all the other training grounds until they reached one of the most sacred placed in all of Konoha.
The Memorial Stone Monument.
The monument was located in the original training ground, where the Third Hokage trained the Sannin back in their Genin days. Legend said that the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, created all the surrounding trees with his even more legendary ability, Wood Release, and, to this day, the trees were still growing.
The stone itself was a simple headstone-like design, illuminated by spot lights that were in each corner. The cement slab that was around the monument was covered in flowers and other mementos for the fallen shinobi that names were craved into the stone. There was a single path that led up to the stone, giving people the chance to grieve for their loved ones.
Despite the numerous names that were craved, Naruto's eyes always were drawn to the ones he knew the most.
Minato Namikaze.
Kushina Uzumaki.
Kiba Inuzuka.
Hayate Gekkō.
There was a small moment of silence from all four shinobi, a sign of respect for fallen.
"We all know what this place is, what it represents."
There was no need for the Genin to respond. Of course, they knew.
"My parents…my best friend…my old sensei…and some dear friends have their names craved onto this stone." Naruto turned to have his silent students. "They died in the name of Konohagakure. Their sacrifices will never be tarnished or forgotten. It's because of them that we get to be here today. They paid the ultimate price so that we could live on."
The effect the monument had on people were always interesting to Naruto. Some could never stop crying as soon as they set foot on the cement. Others were stoic and emotionless, not daring to be vulnerable in stone's presence. Naruto always found comfort here. It was the closest he could be to his parents.
"Today, we are Team Thirteen. Our duty is to protect, serve, and defend this Great Village from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We will take on missions varying in difficulty, from simple D-Rank to A-Rank and possibly S-Rank. This isn't just a job where you simply collect a paycheck. Being a Shinobi is a way of life. There will be things that can, and will, stay with you forever. Haunt you until the day you die. That is the cycle of the Shinobi."
Faces grim with understanding, the Genin nodded at their sensei's words. This was a man who had seen and been through more than they could possibly imagine.
"You're teammates now. This is a bond that cannot be broken with simple arguments or petty words. Never allow anything to come between you and your fellow comrade. If I can't teach anything in my time as your teacher, please let this lesson be the one that stays with you…"
Naruto could feel his emotions bubbling up. This was something his father passed on to his students. And his own son.
"Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are even worse than scum."
Kai wiped away her forming tear as Konohamaru and Katsuro looked on at the monument. This was their first true moment as a team. Sharing this feeling of responsibility, duty, and comradery together was something none of them would ever forget.
"The duty of each generation is to pass on their knowledge to the next. It's the cycle of life, so to speak."
Naruto buried his emotions and memories, choosing to live in the moment with his Genin students. He smiled at them, knowing that this lesson would be the foundation for their team. And that, someday, they would pass down this knowledge to their own students.
Minato Namikaze was a genius man, and even stronger shinobi. But, Naruto, he was his idol. His father.
I miss you, mom and dad.
Come hell or high water, Naruto would find out what happened to them.
Naruto cleared his throat, gaining his students attention. "This was the first step to becoming full-fledged shinobi. Take some time to enjoy it. Not everyone makes it this far. But, be ready. The work has only just begun."
"Yes, sensei." The three responded together.
"Good. Now, since I kept you three so late, you can have tomorrow off. I have some administrative business to take care of regarding out teams. I'll send word for our next meet up at some point tomorrow. Get some rest."
"Yes, sensei!" Again, the three responded in unison.
Naruto smirked. Already becoming one.
He watched the three genin trail off the path back to the village. They were going to celebrate their hard earned victory with a well-deserved meal.
Watching them fondly, Naruto couldn't help but notice the affection Kai had for Konohamaru. He could hear Kai go on and on about how well Konohamaru did during the test, practically praising the ground the boy walked on. Konohamaru just soaked it in, being used to that kind of praise. Probably not thinking twice about it. While Katsuro was looking on with some definite envy, wishing that Kai would throw some praise his way.
Naruto chuckled to himself. Man, I hope they don't fight over her like me and Kiba used to. Male hormones are bitch to get through.
-Hokage's Office-
The elder man sat in his office, staring over his village. Hiruzen packed his pipe with his cannabis fused tobacco, as was his nightly routine before heading off to his home. Biwako, his late wife, hated when he would smoke in the house. So, he would light up before leaving the office and finish it off before making it home. But since her passing, Hiruzen couldn't bring himself to break the habit.
Old habits die hard, they say.
As did he, apparently. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi of his time, was the longest reigning Hokage in Konohagakure's history. Only the Third Tsuchikage had more time as a Kage than he did, that was only by a few days. Spanning from the end of the First Great Shinobi War, which he was still practically a teenager, until his late sixty's. He had spent more time as Hokage than he did as an active duty Shinobi.
Sarutobi could only smile at the glory days. Distant memories of the past slowly surfaced the more he followed the train of thought. As did the realization that he should have retired twenty years ago.
Hiruzen sighed as his guilt slowly returned. Damn. I was just starting to get a buzz.
Just he was about to bury those emotions and thoughts with another pipe hit, a presence appeared in his office. It was no surprise to who had appeared. This was how he always entered his office when he was alone.
The Hokage swiveled his chair back around. "Ah, young Naruto, how are you this fine evening?"
Naruto forced a chuckled, laidback as ever with his ultimate superior. "Y'know, I'm almost thirty years old. I'm not that young anymore."
"Still young in my eyes." Hiruzen chuckled back, trying to bury the tension. "What brings you by, especially at this time of night?" He hoped it was that…
"I figured I'd tell you personally about your grandson's Genin team. I gave them the bell test today because of him."
Should've figured. I forgot it was graduation day.
"Did you now? What all transpired?"
Naruto shrugged, ignoring the slight disappointment on the Hokage's face. "Let's just say his arrogance got the best of him and I gave them the age old 'group punishment' treatment. But the team did well. They actually were able to get a set of the bells."
An interesting comment. "A set of the bells?"
"Well, they were off a clone so not the real bells, but I let it count."
From a place of genuine happiness, Hiruzen chuckled. It was refreshing to hear that his grandson was finally getting fair treatment. He knew Naruto would be the one the straighten him out. It was because of the trust the Hokage had in Naruto that he requested Konohamaru be placed under him. "Good to hear, Naruto. I'll be expecting the full report by the end of the week."
"Of course, Lord Hokage."
The two stared at one another, wondering who would break first at the underlining tension in the room. This was how it always went when they were in the office alone.
"Have you reconsidered my offer?"
And it always him that broke first.
Naruto sighed. "Can we not do this now? It's late."
He was very tired, so very tired, but he had to ask one more time. "…Have you even considered it at all?"
Unmoving and completely stoic, Naruto was as difficult to read as a blank piece of paper.
"Good night, Lord Hokage."
Vanished. Gone from sight and senses in a mere instant.
Hiruzen sighed heavily, breathing in his pipe once more. Hoping for a calm, uninterrupted sleep that would never come.