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The Path to Rokudaime	By : xenus Category: Naruto > General Views: 1422 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
The
Path to Rokudaime
::::::::
Chapter 1 ::::::::
�The
Mirrors� Puzzle, Secrets Revealed�
�Spoken
language�
�Spoken
Jutsu�, or �A memory of something said�, or a
�Second Voice�
�Thought�
�Kyuubi�
�Inner
Sakura�
�Kyuubi�s
thoughts�
(Italics
on all words are meant to signal a flashback.)
A/N:
Just for reference, I�ve looked up the difference between �Sennin�
and �Sannin�. Sennin, is a hermit (sen) ninja (nin).
Sannin is three (san, as in the �Legendary Three�) ninja
(nin). Hence, �Ero-Sennin�, �Perverted Hermit�. �Sannin�,
Three Ninjas, or the Legendary Three Ninjas.
And
just so everyone knows, this is only a rough draft, and I may change
certain aspects of this chapter and any other subsequent chapter at
any time, so . . . be prepared for that.
Disclaimer:
And no, I don�t own Naruto. If I did, Hizashi would
still be alive, the Uchiha massacre would have never occurred, and
the Third Hokage wouldn�t have died.
::::::::::::::
The Village Hidden in the Leaves Hokage Monument
::::::::::::::
Uzumaki
Naruto, a lone boy with a saddening destiny, sat atop the most famous
rock structure of his village, an attest to the most respected and
the strongest leaders of the village; the Hokage Monument.(1)
The
whipping air bit viciously at his bony arms, which were scantily clad
in the torn black short sleeves of his t-shirt. His knees were pulled
up to his chest in a gesture of loneliness, and he rested his head on
his knees as he wrapped his nearly frost-bitten arms loosely around
his legs.
It
was always so cold up above the village, except in summer, where the
heat would rise and settle high above the buildings of steaming steel
and molding wood.
He
gazed out over the rusted steel pipes running all over the old
buildings, down into the epicenter of the village and into the
subsequent exposed manholes of the adjacent back alley sewers. He
sighed into the wind.
His
thoughts meandered in an unthoughtfully arousing way, one musing
after another, weaving in and out of the disconcerting hollows of his
young mind. From the deep black sky, darkened further by the seamless
clouds and midnight heavens, he mused quietly, ruminating his
oftentimes very boring life. At eleven years of age almost twelve, he
was completely alone. No friends, no family . . . no one.
He
pushed some of the bad thoughts away, and stared down at the forests
that covered more than seventy five percent of Konoha village�s
landscape. The landscape crafted and shaped by the thousands of
battles fought on the soil by the first and second Hokages,
coincidently, who were brothers. The other twenty five percent was
modernized, and Konoha was a large village, the largest of all
shinobi villages, followed by Iwa.
Most
people of Konoha held contempt for the village hidden in the stones
due to the war, but after a peace treaty signed by the Tsuchikage
(2), which the Hokage rambled on about in one of their very few
conversations, Naruto himself found it quite difficult to be angry
with any of the shinobi (3) from Iwa (4), even if they did treat him
like a worthless throwaway child, as did the others within the
village he called �home�.
�Worthless
trash . . .�
�Did
you hear? Hokage-sama�s actually protecting the brat!�
�Oh
look, it�s the reject of the village!�
Naruto
sighed again, and shook his head to dispel the trace memories of the
laughter they had let slip from their mouths. The malefic mirth in
their laughter taunted him, made him feel even worse, which naturally
brought him to the only place he ever thought he could receive
solace; The top of the fourth Hokage�s head.
It
was going to rain.
But
Naruto no longer had a home, did he?
One
of the assaults by an angered man, who had wished to use the laundry
room, but couldn�t because Naruto was using the washers, ended in a
scorched apartment. The floorboards had completely burned through,
and the acrid smell of burnt items hung listlessly in the hot, dry
air of the small apartment.
The
result, a homeless Naruto. In retrospect, he supposed the irate man
had gotten what he desired, in some way. Naruto furrowed his savory
blonde brow in concentration, allowing his excellent motion-sensing
eyes to scan the area below the monument. The top of the academy was
nearby, he could see it from where he stood, it was only a mile or so
away.
Emotionally
drained, a product of his solitary environment; a cornucopia of
hateful whispers and perpetual loneliness, Naruto stared impassively,
almost forlornly, over the flittering, glowing lights emanating from
the bustling city, his thoughts drifting into space. Meandering
nowhere, he continued to drift, to explore the avenues of his mind.
The fourth Hokage was undoubtedly the most powerful shinobi, in terms
of techniques known, speed and overall strength, that the leaf
village had ever turned out.
And
naturally, the obnoxious, loud, hyperactive academy student of Konoha
(5) wanted to be just like him. In some forms, they were very
similar, except that Naruto had a penchant for random spells of
complete and utter idiocy and had rather stupid decision-making
skills. Still, his proclamation to the world hadn�t changed.
�I
will be Hokage someday, you�ll see!�
But
he had already tried twice, and the next one was tomorrow. He still
hadn�t passed. It wasn�t his fault though, he suffered from
sudden pulses of chakra bedlam, which caused his coils to fluctuate
between sizes. The cause was unknown to the boy, and oftentimes it
discouraged him, but never for long. He couldn�t let things get to
him, he was going to be the greatest Hokage, and then the villagers
that scorned him, that whispered hateful and menacing words when they
believed he wasn�t listening, would finally acknowledge him for
something other than being a nuisance, a pest, or his personal
favorite; �demon child�.
�Heh,
believe it! One day . . . I�ll be stronger than you,
Yondaime-sama (6) . . . it�s strange that I call you that, huh?
Keh, I call the Sandaime ojii-chan (7), and I never got to meet the
Nidaime (8), since he died a long time ago. No one in this generation
except for old man Ichiraku has even had a passing glance at the
Shodaime (9). Were you as frustrated as I am? Nah, you couldn�t
have been, you were . . . illustrious, had dreams just like I do,
right? Ojii-chan says I look like you. Could we have been related in
some way? Older brother? Father? Uncle? Bah, I�m the dead-last,
loser of the ninja academy, nowhere near your level, right?�
Naruto
heaved a dejected sigh. He often came to the top of the Hokage
monument, where the four faces of the previous Hokage were carved in
striking likenesses, simply to think, to vent his frustrations, so he
could return to the village and return to the idiocy the villagers
had grown so accustomed to. �I wonder. Would you be proud of me
if I were stronger? Smarter? Faster? Better? Ojii-chan says
I�m perfect the way I am . . . I�m not so sure anymore. I�ve
failed the genin exam three times already, and Iruka-sensei says I�m
gonna get kicked out of the academy this time.�
�Argh!
I will be Hokage someday!� he yelled out, a rush of pain and
anguish surrounding the statement, his lower lip trembling, but he
refused to let the tears prickling the back of his eyes, fall. �I
wonder sometimes . . . if I was as smart and strong as you . . .
would I be recognized by now? Would I be an ANBU-chan (10) by now? Or
even better, one of those �Sannin� oji-chan told me about the
other day?�
He
absently petted the tan, sandy surface of the Yondaime�s head and
quirked a cynical brow. �What was that? Look underneath the
underneath? Are you telling me to look inside myself? Ha, you�re
funny, Yondaime-sama . . . maybe if you were Hokage instead of
oji-chan, the villagers wouldn�t be so mean to me. Oji-chan says
he�s too old to go around and �rectify� those �inequities�.
I believe him, and I guess I sort of believe in him, too. He says
I can do anything if I put my mind to it, but . . . I put my mind to
making a Bunshin (11), I really did!�
Naruto
lowered his head in defeat, sliding his hand over the rough texture
of the rock-face. �But I couldn�t do it. But I will
eventually, even if I stay a civilian, I�ll rise to Hokage one
day!� he thought, though not really believing his own words.
Naruto absently grinned, pumping his right arm into the air, but not
really into the whole energy of the action, so he lost his balance
and tipped back. Naruto flailed his arms about, grabbing at spectral
objects, nothing but empty air, and fell with a dull thump on his
back.
He
landed with an exhalation of cold air, but opened his eyes after a
while.
The
starlit sky gave the city an almost unrequited, faraway look. Naruto
loved the village he was born in, but no matter what he did or who he
befriended�even that number was deplorably low�no one seemed to
acknowledge him for the good person he was.
In
spite of this, he worked himself to the bone and beyond, even
sometimes going to far as to maim himself in training. The injuries
never lasted long, and in the morning, they would all be healed
anyway, so he never thought much of them.
Uzumaki
Naruto, the boy of a thousand personalities, the boy who had never
made a single friend in his life, who was constantly scorned for no
apparent reason, who loathed the idea of being alone for the rest of
his life, who loved ramen . . . wanted out.
�I
want out of this life, out of this pain, out of this village. But I�m
not a coward. I won�t abandon my dream because I�m hurting,
because of stupid feelings. Where�d my feelings get me,
anyway? Nowhere, that�s where. Pointless, misconceptions of the
villagers that needed a scapegoat. They all think I�m worthless,
let�s set out to prove the bastards wrong.�
�And
Mizuki-sensei said I could still pass. But do I want to do it? Argh!
Why can�t the answer be as simple as I want it to be!?�
Naruto
set his lips in a thin line, his cobalt blue eyes shining with a
heavenly glow. He narrowed his eyes further and gazed down at the
sparkling village, his arms growing steadily colder. �First
things first�.�
�What�s
that?�
On
the side of the mountain, near the fourth�s left eye, overlooking
the forest below, was a slight protrusion, a glittering jade-green
gem fixed to the surface. Naruto rolled over onto his stomach and
raised up on his hands and knees. He inched further down, careful not
to slide off and accidently fall to his death.
The
gravel shifted, and he slipped a bit before reinstating his hold on
the minuscule cracks in the design. Upon closer inspection, the
protrusion became clearer, and it was now evident that it was
actually a handle of sorts. A handle, fitted into a diamond shape
indentation, which was inside of a larger circle.
Naruto,
unsure of the consequences, but definitely up for the adventure,
reached up and turned the handle clockwise.
An
earthly rumble resounded in the deep rock, as a panel suddenly slid
out beneath him, allowing Naruto to safely stand upon it. The rock
before him, where the top of the cheek and the left eye resided,
split, and opened, revealing a torch-lit passageway, wary shadows
creeping along the walls eerily.
Naruto
ventured inside, the wall closed behind him.
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�Is
he the one?� The taller, black-hooded figure asked, her featured
masked by a thick fog of brown dust.
The
other nodded, his lifeless black-ringed orange eyes sparkling with
mirth. �He is. The one with the red beastly energy, and the fabled
silver seraphic chakra . . .�
The
first choked a bit on the dust, then cleared her throat. �He is . .
. that rightful clan leader? I thought he�d be . . . more
regal.�
�Patience,
Ayu . . . he is yet still young. He may surprise even you . . .�
The
girl identified as Ayu snorted indelicately. �Did Zetsu manage to
capture the next bijuu (12)?�
The
shorter, apparent leader shook his head and leaned up against a
boulder with his elbows, staring up at the midnight sky.
�Unfortunately, no. Hachibi (14) proves to be an . . . elusive
prey. Even more so shall be Kyuubi (13) when he is awakened.�
�When?�
she echoed.
�Of
course, Ayu. Did you not already come to that conclusion? The bijuu
will only be accessible when they are able to manifest their chakra
in their containers. Most die from releasing the beast, but not
Kyuubi. We have the Yondaime to thank for that.�
Ayu
pouted, the dust settling and revealing her deep blue hair. �You�re
not completely certain that we�ll be able to extract it . . . ?�
He
closed his eyes against the flittering light of the evanescing moon
and pushed away from the rock. �Let�s go, Ayu. There is nothing
left for us here.�
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The
corridor opened into a dimly lit, high ceiling room.
Streaks
of light, in varying colors streamed across the lengthy room, some
reflecting off mirrors, others betraying the shadows. �Yondaime-sama
. . . is this your sanctuary . . . ? Were you . . . really so
powerful they let you do this to the carved monument?�
His
eyes shifted to the right, fixing onto a stone slab erected high on
the wall. He maneuvered through the mirrors and stopped in front of
the stone, instantly noticing the carved kanji on the slab. In the
middle of the characters, was a circular seal, not unlike the one he
often saw appear on his stomach when he molded chakra.
�The
lights arise, the gem imminent, displays the dial, of sealing blood.
Within the prism, lies light�s true strength . . . to gather the
light, mirror the color and seal the power . . . what the hell does
that mean . . .�
Naruto�s
eyes whipped around the room, his eyes taking in the dull colors of
the light shining in from the hole in the ceiling. �So this is
like . . . a puzzle . . . ? to gather the light . . . mirror the
color and seal the power . . . I must have to . . .�
He
cocked his head to the side, his eyes drifting from the mirrors, to
the colors within the light, and the lone odd-looking mirror that
stood in the middle of all the others, which were scrambled in a
different order. �I think . . . that�s a prism-mirror, isn�t
it? Wait, if I reflect the lights in different angles, the colors
should all merge into that prism, and aim at the seal. That takes
care of the second part of the message. But something about blood . .
.�
�Iruka-sensei
always told me to read between the lines and see what my eyes can�t.
Then . . . maybe I can use my blood?�
Naruto
moved to the first mirror with light shining one it, where the blue
light was reflecting off onto a corner of the room. He moved it,
letting the light reflect onto another surface, producing a green
light.
�Then
I move this one . . .� a blue light again . . .
�And
then this one.� a violet light shone onto another mirror,
producing a red light.
�So
I can mix and separate colors, too? Then that means the final
color that comes from that prism has to be white. If is I change
these . . .� he moved the last mirror into place, forming a
violet stream, then separate blue, red, yellow, green, orange streams
of light into the prism. Instantly, a white light shot forth into the
seal on the far right wall. A stone shifted, as did the seal.
�Good.
Then . . . Iruka sensei also said that some seals required . . .
something . . . but I don�t remember what it is! Damn it.
Wait! Iruka-sensei seals sometimes needed blood and chakra!
Heh, Uzumaki Naruto; Genius!�
He
walked over to the stone slab again while drawing out a kunai. He
slashed his hand, and rubbed the seal with his blood, watching with a
curious fascination as the stone shifted again, and the seal moved
back, leaving a baseball-sized hole in the middle of the seal.
Naruto
placed his hand on top of the seal and applied a bit of chakra.
Instantly,
a red energy ignited from the seal on his stomach, enveloping his
entire body. Consequently, the seal on the wall erupted with a blue
chakra and connected with the blood seal on his stomach, then all he
knew was darkness . . .
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His
eyes shot open, vision engulfed in semi-darkness.
In
a fleeting moment, he realized he wasn�t in the antechamber
anymore.
The
sounds of dripping water, followed by deep, rumbling breaths echoed
throughout the metallic yellow, pipe-stained walls of an unfamiliar
location. Naruto sat up, his deep cobalt eyes surveying the dark
halls and passageways.
He
stood up, the humid, warm air tinged with a stench he couldn�t
ignore once again blowing through the cavernous halls.
Hot
and humid. That�s how he described it. There wasn�t much else,
except for the ever-present feeling of spitefulness and the
occasional hot, sticky breath that blew throughout the cavernous
darkness. Naruto wasn�t quite sure what to think of it all. Once
worried about Sakura�s safety in a losing battle, now in a dark,
stadium-like cavern dripping with wet, hot water from the ceiling and
a low rumbling, what else was he to feel but fear?
But
that was the thing�he wasn�t actually afraid, more like . . .
curious. He kept walking, traversing the curvaceous ground
bathed in a rusty color until he met a fifty-foot tall gate. He
vaguely noticed the seal placed on the piece in the middle.
Seal
. . .
Not
afraid in the least, Naruto stepped closer, still wondering exactly
where he was. Anticipation, anxiety . . . foreign to him usually
except for now, at this moment, as a pair of red eyes focused into
his vision beyond the gates.
�Come
. . . closer . . .� the voice commanded, deep and rumbling.
Naruto
didn�t move, he didn�t trust this voice. �What are you?�
Unprepared
for the violent swipe of claws as the creature�s auburn,
fur-covered canine face bashed against the bars, Naruto was thankful
that the silverish claws were feet from him.
�You
really are stupid, aren�t you?� the monster�s ominously
deep voice teased vehemently.
Naruto
almost kind of felt a bit sorry for the caged thing, were it not for
the sudden realization of it�s identity. He raised an accusing
finger at the beast. �K-K-Kyuubi?!� he stuttered.
�B-but
that�s impossible! Yondaime-sama killed it! Didn�t he?�
�One
point for the brat. Now let me out of here . . .� Kyuubi
commanded angrily.
Naruto
snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. �Why should I?�
�Because,
I will kill you if you don�t, brat!�
�Look,
I don�t know how you�re in front of me, but you better not
threaten me! One day I�ll be Hokage, believe it! Then you�ll
look up to me!� he screamed heatedly.
Kyuubi
snorted dog-like. �Doesn�t look like it�s gonna happen
anytime soon. If I�m not mistaken, you�ve already failed that
puny exam three times already, haven�t you?�
�Minor
setback, that�s all! I�ll still be Hokage! So you
better start your groveling speech, cause when I get that title, I�m
coming to finish you off for good!�
�Whatever.
It seems those idiots in Konoha didn�t tell you, did they? That
damned Yondaime Hokage couldn�t kill me, so he sealed me inside of
you.�
Naruto
blinked the accursed memory away and rubbed his head tenderly as he
gazed about the room. �Was all that just a dream?�
�Tell
me, brat. Would you allow someone else to shoulder a burden such as
this if you were given the option? Would you willingly put such a
burden on another when you yourself have the ability?�
No
. . .
He
wouldn�t.
He
stared up at the monstrous beast whose claws were precariously
pointing to the right of the cage, and to Naruto�s immediate left,
where there lay another seal, tinged in black ink, in a semi-spiral
circle. Thoughts well into effect, the blonde-haired boy found
himself amidst a myriad of ancient scrawls and deftly written
characters of old.
He
placed his hand upon the seal. A heavy shift in the stone, and a
rumbling click later, a stone panel moved aside to reveal a face not
unlike his own, save for the distinguishing whisker marks.
�Yondaime-sama
. . .�
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Hours
later, a mind-weary and particularly vague-concussed Naruto rushed
through the treetops at neck breaking speed, redefining the sound
barriers and ripping through the wind at a pace even an elite jounin
would be hard-pressed to attempt following.
A
few minutes into his travels, deep into the dark recesses of the
forbidden forest of Konoha, Naruto reached an old shack, equipped
with none but a few sparse shovels, a bucket and a bench. Naruto bent
over and placed his hands on his knees; there was no way he�d ever
be able to move that fast again without better training. �Must
have been a rush of . . . adrenaline . . .�
He
ventured inside the shack, ignoring the sinking feeling in his heart
at the thought of the Hokage, or Iruka finding him out. A glimmer of
abject moonlight filtered in through the one window on the right side
of the room, illuminating the dust-covered tools in the shed. Naruto
sat upon the bench and unrolled the scroll.
�Let�s
see. The first technique is . . . Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (15) .
. .� he murmured as the name sunk in. �Oh no . . . that�s my
worst jutsu!�
Amazingly,
the newly acquired control over his chakra, allowed him quick mastery
over the first three jutsu of the ancient scroll, though he thought
not much of his accomplishments. To him, techniques were all empty.
He knew he couldn�t pass the genin exam without two chuunin (17) or
someone of higher rank there to witness proper mastery over basics
and a bit of advanced ability in some field of expertise.
Naruto
had neither two chuunin nor one jounin present, and he wasn�t
exactly in a position to go searching for one, for that matter. As a
matter of fact, most of the shinobi of the village were probably
after his head because of this stunt he�d recently pulled.
�Real
smooth, Uzumaki . . . give them one more reason to want your head. If
the council of elders was biased once already, then you�ve
reaffirmed their suspicions of you . . .�
�But
then again, I shouldn�t feel sorry for myself. I solved an old
puzzle that no one ever has before. I�m strong. I just . . . I just
know I am . . .� he thought, even though he was certain, deep
down, that the idea wasn�t true.
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Iruka
sped through the treetops as well fully intending to beat Naruto
senseless, but nonetheless relieved to say the Hokage was neither
angry nor resentful, but concerned for the boy�s safety.
�Naruto
. . . please for your own sake . . . don�t do anything stupid . .
.�
Suspicion
arose as the sounds of labored breaths registered in his ears,
surrounding the forest in a heady fathom. He emerged in a clearing,
one small hut a little to his left, a heavily-breathing Naruto
sitting with a large open scroll stretched out before him.
Naruto
grinned happily and sighed. �Maybe I�ve got time for . . . one
more . . .�
Iruka�s
eyebrow twitched as he grinned a bit sadistically. �No more running
. . .� he said breathlessly, shocking Naruto.
The
blonde-haired boy leaped into the air and spun around, pointing an
accusing finger at Iruka.�Iruka-sensei!?� he shouted, then
grinned again and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. �I guess
you found me, huh? I only had time enough to learn one jutsu.
And it�s a good one!� he lied.
�Hmm
. . . he does look like he�s been training quite a bit out here . .
.� he reasoned, before hitting Naruto on top of his head.
�Baka, who told you it was a good idea to take the forbidden
scroll?!!!� he shrieked.
Naruto
rubbed his head tenderly. �Aww, Iruka-sensei is so mean,� he
whined. �But . . . ano . . . Mizuki-sensei said that if I learned a
jutsu from this scroll, I�d pass the exam! Great, huh! I
learned a technique, so . . . do I pass now, huh?� he asked
eagerly, his bright blue eyes shining hopefully.
However,
Iruka�s face was slack, his eyes wide with shock. �Mizuki . .
. ?�
At
this point, Iruka�s ears caught the faint whirring of metal
whipping through the air. Without another thought, he spun around,
pushing Naruto out of the way as dozens of kunai broke through the
tree line and pushed him back, one lodging itself into his right
thigh. Iruka cursed and pulled the kunai out, his eyes scanning the
trees.
From
high up in a tree, Mizuki strode out of the shadows, a faint smirk
creating a sense of betrayal. Naruto�s eyes widened. �It�s
Mizuki-sensei . . . but what�s he doing here?� Naruto
wondered, his fingers lightly toying his empty kunai pouch. �Of
all the times to have no kunai, it had to be now!� he growled
silently.
Mizuki
turned to Naruto, his arm outstretched. �Here Naruto! Give me the
forbidden scroll, quickly!�
�No!
Naruto, don�t give Mizuki that scroll. It holds all the
village�s secrets! Protect it with your life if you have to!�
Naruto
glanced at Iruka, a worried look causing his ocean-blue eyes to
flicker a bit. �B-but! What�s going on!�
Mizuki
smirked and straightened up. �If I didn�t know any better, Iruka,
I�d say you�ve grown soft over the years. Protecting a demon?
That�s not like you . . . Hey Naruto, you want to know a secret? A
secret that all the adults kept from you? A law . . . a law the
Hokage passed . . . ?�
Iruka�s
eyes widened. �No, Mizuki! Don�t tell him, it�s forbidden!�
The
chuunin sensei ignored him, his mischievously gleaming beady eyes
wide with mischief. �There was a law passed the day you were born .
. . a law that forbade us to tell you . . . that the dreaded Kyuubi
wasn�t defeated like we told you in school . . . the law was
passed so we couldn�t tell you . . . the fox spirit that killed
Iruka�s parents and destroyed our village has taken over your
body; you are the Kyuubi no Kitsune!�
�NO!�
Iruka shouted, his leg wobbling in short, painful spasms.
For
the most part, Naruto�s eyes grew vacant, shading over with a pale
violet misty glow.
�What
a shame, boy . . .� his tenant�s voice whispered
mockingly. �You�re going to cry, aren�t you? Are you . .
. sad that your previous Hokage has been lying to you all this time?
Or perhaps . . . it is something else?�
Without
another thought, Naruto dashed off into the trees, ignoring the
shouts from Iruka to return. Mizuki snorted. �Good. That makes
things easier. I can pick him off pretty easily now that he�s
alone. Later, Iruka . . .� he said with a wave, before disappearing
off to find the blonde boy.
Iruka�s
eyes narrowed a mere moment before he whirled around, coming
face-to-face with a familiar woman. �It�s . . . you . . .�
The
woman�s pale eyes narrowed a moment before she turned her head in
the direction Naruto had disappeared off into. �Can you keep up?�
�Yeah
. . .� Iruka replied with a sigh. �What are you doing
here?�
The
woman glanced at him, causing Iruka to shiver from her penetrating
eyes. �I came to talk to the kid. He found the chamber. The one we
were told never to show him? And to top it all off, he now
knows about it. You screwed up, Iruka.� she teased.
Iruka
frowned. �I know . . . I was supposed to protect him, and I
couldn�t . . . it�s my fault.�
�You�re
talking like it�s all over. You know who�s gonna find him, don�t
you? He�s out here, too? All the jounin are. With strict
orders to capture him alive. You know that some of them will
have other plans for him, don�t you?�
Iruka
nodded, intrigued at how she could remain so calm at a time like
this. �He�s a part of you, isn�t he? What are you going to do?�
The
young woman shrugged. �That kid�s practically indestructible
compared to Mizuki. I don�t need to do anything.
Naruto will handle it.� she answered, turning on her heel and
walking away. �You wanna grab some Dango?� she shot over her
shoulder.
�No,
thank you. Maybe some other time. Right now, I�ve got a traitor�s
ass to kick.� Iruka said as he, too vanished from sight, a slight
rustling of the trees signaling his departure.
The
woman shrugged and went on her way. �Whatever . . . good luck,
kiddo . . . maybe I�ll see you again . . .�
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�He�s
Uzumaki Naruto! A ninja of Konohagakure no Sato!� Iruka shouted,
even through the pain.
Mizuki
scoffed. �Whatever. Then I guess you die, too! Goodbye, Iruka!�
he yelled, his large Fuhma shuriken spinning as he raced forward.
An
bone-crunching force met his charge, flinging the traitorous chuunin
flying back and carving a dangerous trough in the dirt as he landed,
finally skidding to a halt. Naruto stood a few feet from the mouth of
the trough, his eyes gleaming a false violet; his slim hands marred
by small rocks stuck in his flesh. �If you ever touch my
sensei again . . .� he said, his voice dropping an octave; hollow
and fading slightly on the wind. �I will kill you . . .�
Mizuki
stood and grinned at the boy sadistically. �Let�s see you try!
I�ll finish you in one blow!�
Naruto
lifted his head and narrowed his eyes, a somehow familiar voice
ringing through his mind. �I have given you a gift; a present,
for all the birthdays I�ve missed. Consider this my rent for the
month, Uzumaki Naruto . . .� the voice said, then faded away
into the wind. �We�ll see about that, Mizuki-teme.�
The
silver-haired chuunin dashed forward, the intent in his eyes showing
clearly, his purpose. �Let�s see what you can do, Kyuubi no
Kitsune!�
In
a flash, Naruto spun around, twirling on one foot, a cloud of dust
rising to obscure his body. From the dust, a single fist shot out,
causing the earth to tremble as a mound of dirt composed in a
spherical shape, to rise into the air. Another appendage shot out,
this time a foot, which connected with the sphere and propelled it at
the chuunin. Mizuki�s eyes widened a margin before he sliced
through it with his Fuhma shuriken and continued his path.
Naruto
leaped directly up into the air, four haphazardly-shaped pillars of
rock and earth rising to meet him, his hands up in the air; palms to
the night sky. �Take this: Doton: Tsuchi no Yonheiki!�
(17) without a moment to move, Mizuki flew through handseals,
dropping his Fuhma shuriken in the process.
The
earth pillars descended, taking the body of Mizuki with them as they
created a landslide of muddy earth. Naruto landed and immediately
swerved to the left as a large Fuhma shuriken flew past him. Mizuki
stood atop the earth mound, a knowing smirk on his face. �Don�t
you see, Iruka! Only the Kyuubi could freely manipulate the earth. He
is the Kyuubi no Kitsune! You were wrong!�
�Silence,�
Naruto�s monotone voice pierced the night air. �You want to see
what I can really do? All this time . . . I�ve been lied to,
ignored and treated unfairly by the people who should have
been thanking me. This proves that I need to become a great
Hokage, the greatest there ever was, so I can show them that I
am somebody. And you�ll be the first to see the skill I got
from my training.�
�Just
try it, Kitsune!�
Naruto
raised his hands and formed half-ram seals on both hands, crossing
them together in a soon to be familiar hand-seal. �Tajuu Kage
Bunshin no Jutsu!�
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One
Day Later
�Three,
huh?� the aging Hokage mused, a ring of smoke rising from his pipe
and drifting into the air. �I see . . . why didn�t you inform
Iruka of your progress?�
Naruto
scowled. �You know why, ojii-san! I can�t have everyone knowing
my skill level! If that happens, then . . .�
�You
cannot surprise anyone anymore, can you?� Sarutobi finished
for him.
Naruto
sighed, his ocean-blue eyes flickering towards the window that lay
directly behind the Hokage. It was tinted with black, so that he
could see out, but no one else could see in, which made the
outside world look even more bleak than normal. As it were, the
clouds hung gloomily low in the sky; tinged a deep grey, a low earthy
rumble signaling the coming of a rainstorm. �Yeah . . .�
Sarutobi
smiled a bit in the dark office. He rather liked the dark, it gave
him a sense of youth. Back when he was young, he thrived on darkness,
assassinations and the like. Hiding amongst the shadows, waiting for
the opportune moment to strike. How he missed those days. Now his
days were spent doing paperwork and listening to complaints. �You
will be sorted into your team tomorrow, will you show your teammates
your skills?�
Naruto
shrugged dismissively. �It�s not like it matters . . . they�ll
just think it�s some sort of rip-off jutsu. No one ever
notices me.� he breathed.
�I
see . . .� Sarutobi whispered in a low voice that he�d forgotten
he could use. He hadn�t had to since the boy was five years old.
�What three jutsu did you learn, other than the Kage Bunshin?�
�One
was a technique for a special weapon that I�ve never seen before.
It was like a sword mixed with a naginata. The second one was a
raiton jutsu called Hirameki Hira no Jutsu, the lightning rod, flash
palm jutsu. It was pretty easy to learn, too.�
The
old Hokage�s eyes widened a moment as a smile broke out over his
aged features. �That jutsu was a B-rank jutsu. Your first one, I
believe. You know . . . both your new jounin sensei and the Yondaime
Hokage both created special ninjutsu by the time they were
jounin . . . perhaps you can as well . . . one that no one has
seen before?�
Naruto
smiled a little. �What jutsu did the Yondaime create?�
�They
were marvelous jutsu, known throughout the world as his signature
techniques, Rasengan and Hiraishin. He made a few more
raiton jutsu, but . . . no one knows them as well . . . they are
sealed somewhere.� Sarutobi confessed, his eyes dropping a bit. �I
had planned on giving you scrolls depicting the Yondaime�s
techniques, a parting gift from the man who laid upon you the burden
of the village�s safety. Alas, only one man has the Hiraishin
scroll, and only that man knows the Rasengan.�
Naruto
frowned. �Why . . . ? nevermind. You said that I�d be sorted into
a team. How many people will be in the team?�
Sarutobi
cleared his throat and set the pipe down. �Three. Normally, for
chuunin and higher, their teams are comprised of four. However
. . . your team shall be balanced. However . . . before that, I have
a present to give you.� he reached into a drawer directly under the
desk and pulled out a gleaming hitai-ate, unmarred by scratches or
dirt, held on a long, thick black cloth.
Naruto
glanced up at his own hitai-ate and blinked. �W-what�s that for?
I already got Iruka-sensei�s leaf hitai-ate. I don�t need
another one . . .� he drifted off, caught off guard by the old
man�s warm smile.
�This
one is special. It holds a promise, just as the one you�re wearing
does . . . this hitai-ate . . . belonged to the Yondaime himself.�
The
boy�s eyes widened. �Y-Yondaime-sama . . . ? But why give it to
me? I don�t get it . . .�
Sarutobi
smiled wider. �It was his last wish that you be regarded as a hero
of this village, gain all his belongings, and be given this
hitai-ate.�
Naruto
looked at the forehead protector and smiled bit, his eyes softening.
He had never been given anything in his life, and here it was; the
most precious thing Naruto could think of for a ninja to have, being
given to him.
�No
way . . .� Iruka replied, a teasing smirk on his face. �This
hitai-ate signifies that you�re recognized by Konoha as a leaf
Shinobi. All ninja wear this from the time they become genin, to the
time they die.�
�With
this . . . I hereby recognize Uzumaki Naruto as a hidden leaf
genin.�
A/N:
Any
problems/concerns can be addressed in reviews, should you choose to
click that little button at the bottom of the screen.
1.
A monument that depicts the faces of the previous Hokage (Fire
Shadow). As of now, there have been four.
2.
Literally, �Earth Shadow�. The leader of �The Village Hidden in
the Stones�.
3.
A term used by ninjas to respectfully refer to other ninja.
4.
Stone, Rock
5.
Leaf Village
6.
A respectful term meaning, �The Lord, Fourth�. Naruto calls him
that because he respects and idolizes him.
7.
Naruto refers to the third Hokage as old man, the third.
8.
A Respectful way of referring to �The Second� Hokage.
9.
A Respectful way of referring to �The First� Hokage.
10.
Naruto calls all ANBU members �ANBU-chan� because most, if not
all the ANBU hold him with great respect for his burden and have
shown him great kindness. ANBU means, �Ansatsu Senjutsu
Tokushu Butai� ANBU serve their Kage directly, and follow no
other order but theirs. They all carry long-sword katanas, and are
usually above jounin. ANBU is broken down amongst the assassins, the
torture and interrogation squad, the hunter nin, the medical squad
including the captains of each squad, and the ANBU commander.
11.
A Bunshin is an illusionary clone.
12.
Literally, �Tailed Beast(s)�
13.
Literally, �Nine-tails�, or �Nine-tailed�.
14.
Literally �Eight Tails, or �Eight Tailed.�
15.
A Kage Bunshin is a solid clone made entirely of chakra. One good hit
can dispel a shadow clone.
16.
A �Chuunin� is a level above �Genin�, and are capable of
greater responsibility, such as guarding the village gates, and are
even squad commanders.
17.
Doton: Tsuchi no Yonheiki literally means �Earth Style: Four Arms
of Earth�. Utilizing full control over earth, the user can create
four identical pillars of earth which crash down upon an opponent to
immobilize them.
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The Path to Rokudaime