This is the English translation of my Spanish fanfic: Legado de Uzushiogakure. Someone asked me to translate it, and although my English level is not low, it's not very high either, so I rely on various tools to translate it. Therefore, if there are any grammatical errors or something is mistranslated, I hope you'll forgive me. I'll try to improve over time.
I've always wanted to write a Naruto fanfic and had multiple ideas for it. From a Naruto of Kakashi's generation, who is the last descendant of the Uzumaki royal family, to a Naruto Uchiha, son of Madara and an Uzumaki, who is part of Tsunade's generation, and even a Naruto who is part of Minato and Kushina's generation. But the idea that has won the honor (or dishonor) of being the first was this one.
The idea came about a year ago while reading a novel where a race was capable of sealing their consciousnesses within crystals and, in that way, passing on their knowledge. And I said: Hey, this would fit well in Naruto! What if the Uzumaki, who were masters of Fūinjutsu, could seal their consciousnesses with their knowledge in crystals? What if the Uzumaki were more than just masters of Fūinjutsu? What if they were the village with the highest quality ninjas? That's how this idea was born.
If you want to support my writings to devote more time to this, feel free to become patrons where you can get perks like reading the next chapter of this fanfic and others. Write "www. Pa treon(slash)ApheliosFanfic (no spaces) (slash)". Or you can simply search for me as ApheliosFanfic on Pa treon.
Now, I'll leave you with the chapter.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
[Beast with Tails]
Chapter 1: Naruto Uzumaki
A long time ago, there was a nine-tailed fox. When its tails swung, it destroyed mountains and caused tsunamis. To counter it, people gathered ninjas. One ninja sealed the monster in a life-and-death battle and died. That ninja was known as the Fourth Hokage.
Uzumaki Naruto ran with a bucket of paint in hand, bursting into laughter.
"Hey, Naruto! What are you doing?" asked one of the two ninjas chasing him.
"You're never doing 'that' again!" exclaimed the other ninja.
Naruto jumped between buildings with great skill, from one to another. In the background, his prank, his perfect joke, could be admired by anyone walking the streets of Konohagakure.
"Shut up!" shouted Naruto with a big smile.
The Hokage Monument, where the faces of all the previous Hokages are carved in honor and prestige, had been painted by Naruto's hand.
"None of you can do that, can you?" asked Uzumaki. "But I can! I'm the best!"
Naruto continued jumping between buildings, being chased by the two ninjas. He descended to the streets, then jumped to another building, and the two ninjas followed him. However, they fell into the trap. Naruto had never jumped from the street. He had tricked them so easily that he couldn't help but laugh at how silly they were for falling for something so simple.
"Too easy!" commented Naruto cheerfully.
"Hey, Naruto!" A voice shouted from behind Uzumaki, startling him. Naruto let out a yelp and jumped to distance himself from the voice. Turning around, he found his Academy teacher, Iruka Umino.
"Iruka-sensei, how do you always appear out of nowhere?" Naruto questioned, frowning.
"What are you doing during class?" Iruka replied, pointing a finger at him.
Iruka forced Naruto to return to the classroom, tying him up with a rope so he couldn't escape.
"Listen, Naruto, you failed the last final exam and the one before that. You shouldn't joke about it," Iruka scolded with crossed arms and a stern look.
"Whatever you say." Naruto rolled his eyes and looked away, letting out a sigh of boredom.
Iruka clenched his jaw at that reaction and quickly turned to the rest of the class.
"Henge no Jutsu exam! Everyone in line! You must transform perfectly into me!" Iruka exclaimed firmly.
"What?!" the whole class shouted in displeasure at Iruka's sudden decision.
A few moments later, all the students were lined up and taking turns.
"Haruno Sakura is going to transform!" said a pink-haired girl before performing the jutsu. A puff of smoke appeared, and when it cleared, the girl had transformed into a copy of Iruka.
"Alright." Iruka nodded slightly, giving a positive mark to Sakura.
"I did it!" The jutsu dispelled, and the girl returned to her original form. She was beaming with joy. "Did you see that, Sasuke-kun?" asked the girl, her eyes fixed on Sasuke.
"Next, Uchiha Sasuke," Iruka called to Sasuke. The Academy's top student and a descendant of the prestigious Uchiha clan, which had been one of Konoha's founders alongside the Senju clan.
"Alright." Sasuke nodded and stepped forward, ignoring the pink-haired girl.
Without saying a word, Sasuke transformed into a perfect copy of Iruka. With his long brown hair tied in a ponytail, his nose scar identical to the original, his black eyes, fair skin, and the typical Konoha attire.
"Alright," Iruka said, impressed. "Next, Uzumaki Naruto," he continued as Sasuke returned to his original form and stepped out of the line.
"It's all your fault," one of his classmates whispered to Naruto.
"Excuse me... did you say something? I don't speak common ninja language," Naruto retorted with a disdainful look at his classmate before stepping forward.
'Man, this suck...' Naruto thought with annoyance. 'Alright, here I go!' he continued in his mind, adjusting the goggles on his forehead.
"Henge!" Naruto performed the characteristic seal of the Jutsu, and chakra flowed through his body. A puff of smoke appeared in his place. But unlike his classmates, Naruto didn't transform into a copy of Iruka. No. Naruto had transformed into a beautiful, slender woman, naked, with an enviable figure, a seductive look, and scarlet red hair tied in twin tails.
Iruka was petrified; his eyes roamed the woman's tempting curves, and a spurt of blood shot out of his nose a moment later.
Naruto returned to his original form with a puff of smoke. His laughter echoed throughout the class.
"I call this 'Sexy no Jutsu'," the Uzumaki said between laughs, puffing out his chest with pride.
"IDIOT!" Iruka shouted, silencing his student. "Don't invent stupid techniques!"
After class, Iruka took Naruto to clean up the prank he had pulled. Naruto muttered one curse after another while scrubbing the rocky surface of the First Hokage's face with a damp cloth.
"I'm not letting you go until you've cleaned it all and restored it to its original state," Iruka said firmly, arms crossed.
"Like it matters, no one's waiting for me at home anyway," Naruto said with a tone of annoyance, looking up at his teacher. Then he lowered his gaze to continue cleaning the First Hokage's face.
The seriousness on Iruka's face faded, replaced by an empathetic look directed at his student.
"Naruto," Iruka called gently.
"What?" Naruto looked up with narrowed eyes.
"Let's see..." Iruka began timidly, scratching his cheek. "If you clean it all up, I'll take you to eat ramen tonight."
Iruka was surprised to see Naruto's blue eyes light up with hope.
"Really! I'll work as hard as I can!" Naruto shouted, then started cleaning with more enthusiasm and speed.
The afternoon passed quickly, and when night fell with its amethyst sky dotted with silver points symbolizing the stars, Iruka and Naruto were at Ichiraku Ramen, enjoying some good ramen.
"Naruto," Iruka spoke, observing his student who eagerly slurped the noodles from his bowl. "Why did you do that to the monument? Do you know who the Hokages were?"
"Of course, I know!" Naruto affirmed with a slight nod. "Basically, those who get the title of Hokage are the strongest ninjas in the village, right?" the Uzumaki continued, making a gesture with his hand. "And among them is the Fourth Hokage, the hero who saved this village from the demon fox."
"Then why?" Iruka asked curiously.
"Well, one day I'm going to become Hokage," Naruto announced with a mouthful of food. "And when that happens, I'm going to surpass all the previous Hokages!" he continued with a determined voice, pointing at Iruka with his chopsticks. "That's how I'm going to make the village recognize my strength," he finished, surprising his teacher.
"Um... Iruka-sensei, can I ask you something?" Naruto spoke with a shy smile, clasping his hands.
"Do you want another bowl of ramen?" Iruka tilted his head slightly.
"No... Can I borrow your head protector?" Naruto asked gently.
"Oh, this?" Iruka adjusted the blue headband he wore on his forehead, with a metal plate engraved with the village symbol in the center. "No. You get this after graduating. It's a symbol of your graduation. Maybe you can get it tomorrow."
"What a hassle!" Naruto complained with a dissatisfied look.
"So that's why you took off your goggles," Iruka mentioned, somewhat amused.
"I want more ramen!"
"What?"
The next day was the day of the final Academy exam. This exam would determine if the ninja was fit to leave the Academy as a student and become a Genin.
"To graduate, you will need to perform a 'Bushin no Jutsu.' When your name is called, come to the next class," Iruka revealed to all the students.
Naruto chuckled slightly from his seat, a strange laugh that piqued his classmates' curiosity.
"Is something wrong, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked with curiosity. "You have that look on your face when you're thinking of a prank."
"Something interesting just occurred to me," Naruto replied with a sly grin.
"I have a feeling it's going to be a headache," Shikamaru said before sighing.
"Not for you guys. For the higher-level ninjas, maybe," Naruto commented enigmatically. His gaze was fixed on the second instructor, Mizuki.
"Naruto Uzumaki, please come to the next class to take the test!" Mizuki announced seriously.
Naruto rose from his seat with a smile and gave one last look to his classmates.
"Wish me luck. Although I don't need it," Naruto declared, leaving the room.
"Shikamaru," Choji said, fixing his gaze on the Nara. "Don't you have the feeling that...?"
"He has something planned. Yes, I do," Shikamaru confirmed, frowning slightly.
Naruto stood in the center of the next classroom. In front of him, behind two desks, were the examiners: Iruka and Mizuki. On the desk were dozens of ninja headbands with the Konoha symbol engraved on the metal plate.
Iruka's face was serious, but there was a softness in his gaze and a spark of hope for Naruto. Mizuki had a kind face with a gentle look, but something was hidden behind his clear eyes.
Naruto took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Receiving Iruka's nod, Naruto began to perform the hand seals.
"Bushin no Jutsu!" A puff of smoke appeared, and beside Naruto was a clone. A clone, but lying on the ground with its tongue sticking out and unable to move. A defective clone.
Silence reigned in the room for a moment. Naruto adopted a nervous, even fearful, look, staring at Iruka. The words he didn't want to hear reached the Uzumaki's ears.
"Failed!" Iruka determined seriously.
"Iruka," Mizuki intervened with a soft, conciliatory tone. "It's his third time, and he can already create a clone. Not very well, but he's managed it. We could pass him..." he proposed politely.
"All the other students can create two clones. No way." Iruka made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "And Naruto only creates a useless clone. I can't pass him," Iruka concluded, provoking a look of anger from the Uzumaki, who left the room without saying anything else.
When the exams concluded, it was noon, and the sun shone brightly with its golden rays from the top of the sky, bathing the Academy entrance with its warm light. All the students had passed the test. All except Naruto. All were greeted by their families, who rejoiced in their children's success. All except Naruto, who had no one, not even to drown his sorrows in a mother's embrace, telling him everything was okay.
Therefore, Naruto watched everything with a somber and melancholic look from a distance, sitting on a swing in the shadows of a tree.
"Great job! That's my son!"
"Now you're all grown up!"
"I'm proud of you. I'll make your favorite dinner today!"
Hearing the joyful and proud comments from his classmates' families, the Uzumaki couldn't help but feel a tinge of anger and envy towards them.
"Hey, that boy..." commented a mother whose gaze was fixed on Naruto.
"Yes, it's 'him,' and he's the only one who didn't pass," said another mother. Both had cold, resentful looks.
"Well, that's a good thing," the first spoke with a smile, rejoicing in Naruto's failure.
"He shouldn't be a ninja since he is..." commented the second mother with a venomous tone.
"Shh..." The first silenced her companion with a gesture. "We're not allowed to talk about that."
Naruto, who had heard the entire conversation filled with hatred towards him, couldn't help but feel sad. Putting on his goggles to hide his tear-filled eyes, he left the place.
"I need to talk to you, Iruka," declared the Third Hokage, who had seen everything that happened. His stony face showed no emotion, except for the disappointed look etched on it.
"Yes, sir..." Iruka frowned, looking at the two mothers with disappointment. Naruto might not have passed the exam, but it wasn't fair for two people to treat him that way. All the Academy teacher could do was observe the distant and sad place where Naruto had been sitting.
"Iruka-sensei is a serious person. His parents were killed when he was young, and he had to take care of himself," Mizuki revealed to Naruto, observing the sunset sky.
Mizuki had met with Naruto and asked to talk, so they were both sitting on the edge of a rooftop.
"But why is he always so tough on me?!" Naruto asked, clenching his fists. His lips formed a thin, tense line.
Mizuki looked at Naruto with a kind expression.
"He probably sees himself in you," Mizuki confessed in a calm tone. "He probably thinks he wants you to become really strong."
Naruto narrowed his eyes gloomily and looked down.
"Try to understand Iruka's feelings. You don't have family either."
Naruto remained silent for a few seconds, his gaze shadowed by his greasy, straight, dull scarlet hair.
"But I wanted to pass..." the Uzumaki revealed in a sad tone.
"In that case..." Mizuki smiled at Naruto, who looked at him confused and surprised. "I'll tell you a special secret."
Night reigned at the top of the dark purple sky. Just as Mizuki had told him, Naruto moved stealthily and entered the Hokage's mansion through the window the old man always left open. He looked around. Thanks to Mizuki, he knew which room he had to go to. But he had to be careful. As the Hokage was the most important figure, it was normal for the mansion to have a lot of security. However, Naruto had an advantage: he knew the mansion and the guards' schedules well.
He moved stealthily through the corridors, waiting for the precise moments when the guards were distracted by their own conversations. Taking advantage of the echo of their laughter, which was lost in the shadows, he advanced undetected. Each step brought him closer to the secret chamber where the secret scroll rested. The closer he got, the more Naruto relaxed and began to walk more calmly.
"The old man should get better guards," Naruto commented reflexively. "If an Academy student can infiltrate his mansion so easily, I don't want to think about what a high-level ninja from other villages could do," he continued with a murmur. "Although, well, it's also unfair to them. After all, I can..."
"What are you doing in my house?" interrupted a familiar voice from behind Naruto, who shuddered.
"Huh?" Naruto turned with the most innocent and naive look he could muster. "Old man, what a pleasant surprise to find you here."
"Really? It doesn't seem right to me for a kid to enter my house without telling me. Not even you, Naruto," the Third Hokage pointed out with a sharp look.
"Yeah, well, I was looking for you because I wanted to show you something," Naruto explained with a gesture trying to calm the old man.
"Something that couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"Yes. You see... Sexy no Jutsu!" Naruto quickly used his Jutsu to transform into a beautiful and graceful naked woman.
"What?!" Hiruzen was petrified just like Iruka had been the day before, and a moment later, a spurt of blood shot out of his nose until he fell unconscious.
"Sorry, old man," Naruto apologized, returning to his original form. "But I need that Jutsu. It will help a lot with my growth, making it more versatile and faster. It's the key to mastering not only my chakra but also to better understand the ancient techniques of the Uzumaki." Then he frowned and looked at Hiruzen with disappointment. "Still, falling for such a simple Jutsu... Are you really the most powerful ninja in our village?"
Naruto shrugged with a disinterested gesture and continued on his way. He found the place he had come to look for: the scroll room. The Uzumaki began to search among the oldest scrolls, looking with some impatience for what he had come to find.
'Where is it?' Naruto wondered impatiently. 'It shouldn't be long before they find the old man unconscious and tighten the security,' he continued in his mind when his hand reached a large, dusty scroll. 'Found it.' Naruto smiled at seeing the scroll's name.
Naruto was about to leave when, suddenly, he quickly hid behind a bookshelf. A few seconds later, the room's door opened. A duo of guards entered the scroll room.
"I don't understand why we have to guard this place. It's full of rats and dust," complained the voice of a young man, not much older than Naruto.
"Idiot. This place contains all the village's techniques. Do you know how important that is?" another voice admonished, more adult and experienced.
"Enlighten me," asked the younger one, though Naruto could sense the irony in his voice and his lack of interest.
"Most of the Jutsus we all learn are recorded here. If a rival village got hold of that knowledge, they could devise tactics to make our Jutsus useless or even improve them by acquiring them."
"And where did those Jutsus come from?" questioned the younger one with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Most of them come from the Clans. By joining Konoha, they have to give up some of their techniques; they usually offer the least important ones for them, but in the hands of others, they can be an incredible weapon," the older voice responded, looking at some scrolls Naruto had examined a few minutes ago. "Do you know the Third's nickname?" the veteran asked.
"The God of Shinobi, right?" the younger one replied.
"The other nickname."
"The Professor?"
"Yes." Naruto observed from the corner of his eye how the older one nodded. "They say the Third has mastered all the Techniques and Jutsus here."
"Amazing," commented the younger guard with a whistle of admiration.
Suddenly, a scroll fell beside Naruto, causing him to startle. He looked up in confusion and discovered that a rat had caused it.
'Damn rat,' Naruto thought, though he had a strong urge to say it out loud.
The two guards had fallen silent, and Naruto noticed their slow, silent footsteps approaching the bookshelf where he was hiding.
'Shit. Shit,' Naruto thought, feeling cold sweat running down his back. His mind worked frantically, devising a way to escape. The shadows drew closer and closer, and with each step they took, Naruto's heart pounded harder, and a lump formed in his throat.
Suddenly, rapid footsteps echoed from the hallway, alarming both Naruto and the two guards approaching his location.
"We have an emergency! The Third has been attacked!" a new guard declared from the door. As quickly as he said it, he left, followed by the other two guards.
Naruto allowed himself to sigh, relaxing his tense body when the footsteps faded into the distance. Without wasting more time, he got up and, not without some irony, made a rude gesture at the rat that had inadvertently revealed his hiding place.
The Uzumaki went out into the hallway and slipped through one of the windows, disappearing into the night. He wandered until he reached the forest where Mizuki had told him to go. Once there, he sat down and opened the scroll.
"Let's see... the first technique is Kage Bushin no Jutsu?" Naruto read. "But what...? Why does it start with the one I'm worst at?!" Naruto complained, then smiled like a sly fox. "Should I say, right?" He laughed to himself and then focused on learning everything he could from the scroll and the technique he had come to find. He would have some time until they found him, and he didn't plan to waste it.
Iruka lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling of his room, meditating on the words the Hokage had said to him.
"Iruka..."
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I understand how you feel, but Naruto has grown up without knowing the love of a relative, like you..." the Hokage revealed with a somewhat sad tone.
Iruka's thoughts quickly took him back to that day twelve years ago. The nine-tailed fox fought against all the village's ninjas, its paws crushing entire houses and its tails causing hurricanes that destroyed everything nearby. The ninjas' cries of pain echoed. One of the ninjas pulled Iruka away from the battlefield.
"Let me go! My father and mother are still fighting!" young Iruka exclaimed with tears streaming from his eyes. He tried to break free, but the grip of the ninja pulling him away was too strong.
Something that remained etched in Iruka's mind was the furious and bloodthirsty gaze of the nine-tailed fox, with its scarlet eye. It was a memory that gave him nightmares at night, recalling that fateful day when he lost his parents.
A loud knock on his apartment door pulled Iruka out of his thoughts.
"Iruka-sensei! Wake up!" It was Mizuki's voice, sounding distressed.
Iruka got up and quickly went to the door to open it. Mizuki was panting, his silver hair disheveled, and his eyes filled with worry.
"What's happening?" Iruka asked with a knot in his throat. Were they under attack?
"We need to go to Hokage-sama!" Mizuki replied seriously. "Naruto has... taken the scroll of forbidden techniques as a prank," Mizuki revealed, his face pale and cold sweat running down his forehead.
Iruka couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
"Hokage-sama, we can't allow this prank!" declared one of the Jōnin, angry.
"Yes, it's a forbidden scroll that's too dangerous. Forbidden by the previous Hokage," another Jōnin agreed. "If used for evil, it could cause great problems."
"If he takes it out of the village, it could be even worse," added another ninja in a worried tone.
"Half a day has already passed since he took the scroll," the Third revealed with a serious look. "We must hurry and find Naruto!" he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" All the ninjas spread out throughout the village with the mission of finding Naruto.
Naruto was breathing heavily after training vigorously to learn the Jutsus from the Forbidden Scroll. Footsteps echoed, slow and calm, but somehow, Naruto could feel the anger in them. The Uzumaki looked up to find Iruka.
"Hey, Naruto," Iruka spoke with an exhausted expression, but his eyes shone with annoyance.
Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his neck.
"You found me... I could only learn two jutsus," Naruto revealed with a cheerful smile.
"Hey! You're all bruised. What were you doing here?" Iruka asked curiously, seeing that Naruto's clothes were covered in dust, with some parts torn and tattered.
"Doesn't matter. Hey! Hey! I'm going to try an incredible Jutsu!" Naruto declared enthusiastically. "If I can do it... you'll let me graduate!"
Iruka's eyes widened in surprise.
"But... how much had the Uzumaki been practicing to be like this...?" Iruka wondered mentally.
"Naruto."
"Hm."
"Where did you get that scroll?" Iruka asked with interest.
"Oh! This?" Naruto turned his head to see the scroll tied to his back. "Mizuki-sensei told me about it and also about this place." Naruto flashed a big smile. "He said that if I showed you this Jutsu... you'd surely pass me."
Iruka stood still like a statue.
'Mizuki,' he thought, surprised, then heard a whistling sound in the air. He quickly reacted and pushed Naruto. Kunais flew and embedded themselves in Iruka's skin, causing him to stagger back and crash against the wooden wall of a nearby cabin.
"Good job finding the idiot!" Mizuki praised sarcastically from the top of a tree branch.
"I see... So, this is what's happening..." Iruka commented, grimacing in pain. He had kunais stuck all over his body, feeling the blood flowing from his wounds.
Naruto stood still, confused and unsure of what to do.
"Naruto, give me the scroll!" Mizuki ordered seriously.
"Huh? What?! What's going on here?! Hey?!" Naruto's head turned from side to side, his gaze shifting between Iruka and Mizuki repeatedly.
"Naruto! No matter what happens, don't give them the scroll," Iruka replied, pulling one of the kunais from his chest. "It's a dangerous scroll containing forbidden Jutsus! Mizuki used you... to get his hands on it!"
Naruto shot a distrustful and fierce look at Mizuki, who simply smiled mockingly and disdainfully.
"Naruto... It doesn't make sense for you to have it. I'll tell you the truth," Mizuki declared, surprising Iruka.
"N... No! Don't...!" Iruka tried to stop him, but Mizuki continued.
"Twelve years ago... you know about the demon fox that was sealed, right?" Mizuki commented, leaning forward slightly. "Since that day... a new special rule was created in this village."
"A new rule?" Naruto asked, surprised, his eyes wide open.
"But Naruto... that rule couldn't be told to you," Mizuki closed his eyes in an annoyed expression.
"Not to me? What's that rule? Tell me!" Naruto demanded with a shout.
Mizuki laughed, a dark and malevolent laugh that sent a shiver down the Uzumaki's spine.
"What... kind of rule?" Naruto asked again, still with a stunned expression.
"The rule is that no one can say that you are the nine-tailed demon fox," Mizuki revealed with a cold look.
"What?" Naruto took a step back, his legs gave out, and he fell on his back. His face pale and stunned, his eyes opened so wide it seemed they would pop out of their sockets. "What do you mean?"
"Stop!" Iruka shouted with all his might in an attempt to stop Mizuki.
"It means that you..." Mizuki began with a mocking smile that quickly turned evil. "You are the demon fox. You are the one who killed Iruka's parents and destroyed the village... You were sealed by the Hokage you admire so much!"
"Shut up!" Iruka roared, trying to move, but a lash of pain from his wounds kept him still. The Hokage's words returned to his mind.
"Iruka, Naruto has grown up without knowing the love of a relative and has been hated because of the incident. He pulls all those pranks to get people's attention. Anyway, he wants to find out the origin of his existence. Despite all those acts, Naruto acts tough, but he's really suffering more than anyone..."
"You were ignored by everyone!" Mizuki continued. "Didn't you think it was strange that no one paid attention to you?" he continued, taking one of the giant shuriken from his back and spinning it, ready to throw it. "Iruka did the same! He hates you!" Mizuki declared with a sick laugh. "No one will ever accept you!" he added venomously. "That scroll was used to seal you!" he finished, throwing the shuriken at Naruto, who stood paralyzed.
The Uzumaki turned around and closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to come. But it never did. When he opened his eyes, he saw Iruka protecting him with the giant shuriken embedded in his back.
Naruto stood petrified, frozen like an ice statue, but with an expression of surprise etched in great detail on his face, for what his teacher had just done. Some of Iruka's blood splattered onto the Uzumaki's cheek.
"Why?" was all Naruto could say.
"Because you are just like me," Iruka revealed in a calm voice. "My whole family died, no one cared about me. I was a bad student, always messing up in class because I wanted to get people's attention. No one would notice me if I had been a good student. That's why I've always acted like an idiot, pretending to be tough," Iruka's tone slowly broke. Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks, falling onto Naruto's face, whose eyes widened. "Naruto, you've always been alone, haven't you? Have you always pretended to be tough...?" Iruka asked in a broken voice as he cried. "I'm sorry, Naruto... You wouldn't feel that way if I had realized..."
Naruto's expression softened, and something like hope shone in his eyes.
Mizuki laughed slightly.
"Don't make me laugh, Iruka! You've hated him since he killed your family!" Mizuki exclaimed fiercely. "He only wants the scroll," he continued, pointing at Naruto.
Naruto's expression turned to one of distrust, and he ran into the forest.
"Naruto! Naruto!" Iruka exclaimed, extending his hand, trying to reach his young student.
Mizuki climbed down from the tree branch with a small, mocking laugh.
"Naruto isn't the type of person you can change his mind!" Mizuki declared, amused. "He's going to take revenge on the village with that scroll. Have you seen his eyes, remember them? They are the eyes of the Fox."
"Naruto won't do that." Iruka pulled the giant shuriken from his back and slowly stood up, throwing it at Mizuki, who easily dodged it by moving to the side.
Iruka, better than anyone, knew the gaze of the nine-tailed fox. He had dreamed of that gaze for entire nights. Naruto didn't have the Fox's eyes. Those blue eyes weren't the red eyes of the fox; there was no bloodlust or fury, but a feeling of sadness, loneliness, and a deep desire for acceptance.
"I'm going to kill Naruto and take the scroll," Mizuki spoke confidently. "Then I'll deal with you," he added, then pursued Naruto.
"I won't let you," Iruka decided with a determined look, chasing after him.
"We should have killed him!" exclaimed an angry voice. A group of furious Jōnin gathered in the courtyard of the Hokage's mansion, discussing Naruto.
"Now we have to find him before he unleashes the power of the demon fox," declared another voice urgently.
"He's very dangerous. If you find him, kill him!" ordered a third voice, followed by shouts of approval.
Inside the Hokage's mansion, the Third Hokage observed everything happening through his crystal ball.
"At last, I find him and I can see him," the Third Hokage spoke, somewhat relieved. The crystal ball showed Naruto jumping between the branches of the trees. "Mizuki told him. Now, even I don't know what Naruto is going to do," he continued, worried.
'And the power that's sealed could be released...' the Hokage thought, concerned. 'And he also has the scroll of seals. The chances of him breaking the seal and releasing the nine-tailed fox are one in a million, but it's not impossible...' the Hokage pondered with a tense and bitter expression. 'And if that happens...' The Third Hokage grimaced at the thought of what could occur.
Iruka leaped between the tree branches when he saw a small scarlet flash. It was Naruto.
'I found him,' Iruka thought, relieved.
"Naruto!" Iruka called to his student. "Give me the scroll! Mizuki is coming for it!"
Naruto paused for a moment with a determined look and leaped with all his might towards Iruka, tackling him.
"Huh?!" Iruka's eyes widened as he felt a sharp pain run through his body as Naruto collided with his chest.
Both fell to the ground. Naruto staggered, panting heavily. He took a few steps back and leaned against a tree.
"What?" Iruka got up with a grimace of pain. "Why, Naruto?"
A puff of smoke appeared, and Iruka transformed into Mizuki.
"How did you know it wasn't Iruka?" Mizuki finished with an angry look.
Naruto chuckled lightly, and another puff of smoke appeared.
"Because I am Iruka," Iruka revealed when the smoke dispersed.
"I see..." Mizuki got up with a slight smile.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Naruto wasn't far away. Hidden behind a tree and clutching the scroll, he listened attentively to everything happening.
"Hehe... you even transformed into the murderer of your parents to protect him," Mizuki mocked with disdain.
"I won't let the scroll fall into the hands of an idiot like you," Iruka replied, frowning.
"You're the idiot. Naruto and I are the same."
"The same?" Iruka narrowed his eyes, not quite understanding what Mizuki meant.
"If you use what's in those scrolls... you can do whatever you want," Mizuki revealed in a dreamy voice with an ambitious expression. "There's no way that fox won't try to use the power of the scrolls. You have to accept it, even if you don't like it," Mizuki determined.
"Yes..." Iruka accepted.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing that. Then he looked down in sadness.
'Damn, I knew it. Even Iruka-sensei admits it,' Naruto thought, clutching the scroll. 'He doesn't trust me...'
"The demon fox would. But Naruto is different," Iruka continued with a weak smile. "He is... I think he is... one of my best students," Iruka declared, his eyes softening. "He might not be the hardest worker, and he's the most mischievous, and that's why no one accepts him. But he already knows what it's like to suffer pain in his heart." Iruka lifted his head with a determined look. "He is no longer the nine-tailed fox," he said decisively. "He is a member of the hidden leaf village. He is Uzumaki Naruto!"
Naruto couldn't help but laugh, forming a happy smile on his face. A tear welled up and gently rolled down his cheek.
Mizuki growled slightly, clenching his teeth in anger.
"Alright... as you say..." Mizuki said. He reached for his back to take the last large shuriken he had.
Iruka tried to move, but the wound on his back sent a stabbing pain that made him shudder. Iruka growled and saw blood gushing from the wound. Then he looked back ahead.
"Iruka, I said I'd deal with you later, but I've changed my mind," Mizuki declared, starting to spin the shuriken. "Hurry up and die!" he continued with a malicious smile.
Iruka stood still, observing Mizuki's hateful and bloodthirsty gaze. It was strange; Mizuki reminded him more of the demon fox than Naruto did. "So, this is..." Iruka closed his eyes, waiting for his end.
But before Mizuki could throw the shuriken, someone hit him, and the shuriken flew, slicing through a tree branch.
'Naruto!' Iruka thought, surprised.
"You shouldn't have done that!" Mizuki spoke furiously.
Naruto stood up with a determined look, his straight scarlet hair blowing in the wind. The forbidden scroll was beside him.
"Don't touch Iruka-sensei, or... I'll kill you!" Naruto declared grimly.
"Idiot, why did you come?" Iruka exclaimed, worried. "Run!"
"Don't worry, Iruka-sensei. This will be easy." Naruto made a dismissive gesture with his hand, smiling boldly with overwhelming confidence. "Hey, Mizuki, right? I have something to reveal to you," Naruto gave him a sly smile. "I already knew about the fox and the law," he confessed.
"Shut up! I can defeat a brat like you with one blow!" Mizuki spoke arrogantly.
"Iruka, what do you know about the Uzumaki clan?" The conversation with the Third Hokage returned to Iruka's mind.
"That they originated from Uzushiogakure, which was destroyed during one of the ninja wars."
"Do you know why?"
"Because they were masters of Fūinjutsu."
"They weren't just masters of Fūinjutsu. They were masters of chakra in general, knowing the secrets of chakra better than any village. That's why the Chūnin of Uzushiogakure had the level of Jōnin from any other village. In short, during their heyday, they were the most powerful village in terms of ninja quality. Many names from Uzushiogakure are still famous today." The Third Hokage straightened up and looked up. "The Celestial Demon. The Divine Doctor. The Invincible Warrior. The Painter of Nightmares. The Weaver of Shadows. The Infinite Whirlpool, and lastly, their leader, The Enlightened." The Third Hokage returned his gaze to Iruka. "It is said that the village was destroyed, but there were no scrolls, so none of the villages that joined to destroy it could obtain Uzushiogakure's knowledge. By the time our scouts arrived, they only found three blue crystals. I had the Fourth Hokage, an expert in Fūinjutsu, analyze them, and he reached a terrifying conclusion."
Iruka felt a knot in his throat, but managed to ask the next question.
"What conclusion?"
"The Uzumaki found a way to seal their essence and minds within those stones to preserve their knowledge until a descendant came to claim it. That's why three years ago, I gave the three crystals to Naruto as a birthday present. I wanted to see what Naruto could learn, and I have a feeling Naruto is possibly the most powerful Genin of his generation."
Iruka returned to the present, observing Naruto making a hand seal with a determined look.
"Try it!" Naruto challenged confidently. "I'll return the pain a thousandfold!"
"Then do it, demon fox!" Mizuki shouted provocatively.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto invoked the Jutsu he had learned from the Forbidden Scroll, surprising both Iruka and Mizuki.
The entire forest was flooded with Naruto clones. Hundreds, no. There were thousands of Naruto clones.
While Mizuki was surprised by the sheer number of clones, the real Naruto moved at a breakneck speed. He could even be faster than Sasuke Uchiha, the best Genin of Naruto's generation.
One of Naruto's clones swept the ground, and Mizuki was left in the air, falling in slow motion while the real Uzumaki prepared for his attack.
"1st Stage: Black Turtle Fist." Naruto collided a powerful punch against Mizuki's face, creating a shockwave. Mizuki flew until he crashed into a tree with his face shattered. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
Iruka stood still and speechless, surprised by what he had just witnessed.
"Heh... He really managed to replicate himself more than a thousand times. And none of them are illusions. A boy so young using Kage Bunshin so easily. Plus, that speed and strength... He... could surpass the previous Hokages," Iruka meditated with a smile.
"I think I overdid it a bit," Naruto commented with a small laugh, seeing Mizuki's shattered face.
"Naruto, come here," Iruka requested with a smile. "There's something I want to give you."
"Has anyone found him?!" one of the ninjas asked desperately.
"No!" another replied, worried.
"Damn it! This is not good," a ninja commented with a grimace.
"He must be far from here by now!" warned another ninja seriously.
"There's no need to worry," the Third Hokage intervened, approaching the group.
"Hokage-sama!" All the ninjas turned to observe him.
"He'll be back soon," the Third Hokage declared with a smile on his face, smoking his pipe.
"Ready, sensei?" Naruto asked, somewhat impatient.
"Yes, you can open your eyes now," Iruka replied.
Naruto slowly opened his eyes to see Iruka. But something was strange; something was missing. He quickly realized that Iruka's ninja headband was missing.
"Congratulations on graduating!" Iruka declared with a smile. Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed something on his forehead. It wasn't his goggles. It was a ninja headband, Iruka's headband. "Let's celebrate! I'll treat you to a bowl of ramen."
Naruto said nothing, his eyes shadowed by his scarlet hair. Iruka opened his eyes to see if something was wrong. A moment later, Naruto had thrown himself into his arms.
"Hey, that hurts!" Iruka commented with a smile.
'I was going to tell Naruto that the hardest part of being a ninja has just begun... Well, I'll wait until we get to the restaurant,' Iruka reflected, then returned the embrace to his precious student.
Well! That was all for today's chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. In this fanfic, we are going to see a Naruto who, although recognized as a genius, will also be known as someone who works very hard. Regarding the romantic pairings, I'm still not sure. I think it's going to be a harem, with some of the pairings being older than him.
Before I go and proceed with the ending, would you like me to upload a Naruto fanfic in DxD? It would be about Naruto reincarnating in DxD, in other words, starting from scratch, being born as an aristocratic noble in the Underworld. I just mention this idea because, although I have seen many stories of Naruto characters reincarnating in DxD, most of them are Uchiha, and only a few are Naruto. You can see that the favorite clan is the Uchiha, and I don't blame them.
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