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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  "Naruto!" Iruka admonished.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  "You're that guy, aren't you?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Chapter 2: Remedial Exams!

  Naruto’s POV (Uzumaki Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Naruto laughed meekly at his mother, knowing anything he said would likely not gel well with the angry mom. She frowned at this before sighing and letting him down. Maybe this wouldn't be a disaster?

  "You're lucky. I'm excited to hear the news, ya know? Well? Did my boy pass?! " she asked excitedly. Naruto chuckled. He still felt down and knew the news would be received somewhat poorly. His mother had recently been offering him detailed training, but Naruto had rejected it. The tension of a long-old argument caused her to back down. He regretted being so stubborn now.

  "I did, but I have to pass the Remedial Exam." He said he felt as close to meek as he ever had. "It was just like you were worried about…"

  "Ahhh, that makes sense; you still haven't got the clone jutsu, " his mother remarked. I thought maybe you could find a way around it, son, but you might be just like your mother, " she said sweetly.

  "What does that mean?" Naruto asked, unsure what she meant. Over the years, he had seen his mother perform all the basic academy Jutsu.

  "Well, certain Uzumaki have problems performing jutsu like that. You could brute force it over time, but that was never realistic. It took me almost a decade to achieve control over minor jutsu like that. Jutsu, like clone jutsu, is low-intensive but requires finer chakra control. Such is why they are basic and easy for even children to perform. Their lower amount of chakra makes it much easier to control it. But you and I have a surplus of chakra. Making it incredibly difficult to control. It's like using a hose to fill a bottle cap; it simply overflows regardless of how careful you may be." She lectured. The blonde listened raptly; his mother was a Jounin; she knew her stuff and rarely offered such detailed explanations. In fact, his mother, despite her prowess and support, had always seemed hesitant to aid his shinobi career. But Naruto filed away the concern for later; she offered help now.

  "So what should I do?" Naruto asked, wracking his brain to find a solution. If he had so much chakra and it took so long to master it, how could he get by? If his mother was right, he'd be forty before he figured out the Clone Jutsu. His mother chuckled as she made an odd hand sign Naruto had never seen before.

  "We'll simply use a different kind of clone." As she said so, smoke popped beside her, a perfect clone of his mother. She had the same red hair, blue eyes, and apron for working at home. But Naruto flinched when he witnessed the carpet dip beneath its feet. It was tangible… that was so damn awesome…

  "That isn't a normal clone." Naruto accused.

  "You're right," Kushina playfully agreed, her clone mimicking her. "It's better." The clone then dashed forward and locked Naruto into a front headlock, rubbing her fist into his head as he struggled. Naruto was always surprised by the strength of his mother. People called him a powerhouse, but she quickly matched him all the time. As the blonde struggled against the clone, Kushina opened a cabinet to the right. And nodded to the clone to dissipate.

  Now freed, Naruto sighed, annoyed, but looked at the scroll with undeniable interest. Kushina smiled at his attention as she released the contents. First was a blade that Naruto had to restrain himself from grabbing immediately. The sheath of the blade was painted black with red waves. He looked at his mother; she nodded, and the blonde picked it up. It was simple, even within the sheath. Naruto slowly drew the blade, seeing a simple yet elegant steel blade nearly flawless except for the right side, where the kanji for Uzumaki was stamped upon it. It was built like a tanto but was a tad longer and thicker. Naruto had always considered getting himself a blade but had never pulled the trigger. They were expensive and difficult to master, yet Naruto felt an odd connection to the blade. It felt comfortable and weightless in his hand, yet he could almost detect an energy within it. Realizing with a blink a small scroll was tied to the blade, unfurling it, Naruto discovered a technique scroll labeled "Shadow Clone Jutsu." It was the instructions and detailed tips and tricks to master the techniques. Naruto recognized the handwriting well; his mother had handwritten this herself.

  "I don't know what to say… thank you, ma…" Naruto trailed stunned. His mother never shied away from gift-giving; she seemed overjoyed to get him whatever he wanted. Even now, as a young man, she had insisted he lived with him and without pay, assuring him he could stay however long and leave whenever.

  "No problem, son, it was mine when I first became a shinobi. This blade represents my belief in you, ya know?" Kushina said, smiling.

  "Can I name it?" Naruto asked excitedly.

  "Actually, it's called the Blade of Whirlpools."

  "So it came from our clan?" the blonde asked curiously. We really never discuss Uzumaki matters much anymore. I thought our homeland and most of its artifacts were destroyed."

  "They were, but as part of our alliance with the Leaf, we sent some of them and even the occasional clan member. This allowed for some of our culture to survive, and as the sole survivors, we have access to them and are charged to protect them. When I was a child, it was a Uzumaki tradition for them to receive a blade from their parents when they became an official shinobi." His mom answered happily. Naruto stared at the blade intently. It was a fantastic blade. But more than that, it was a gift, a family tradition, his family's tradition. For the first time, he had an actual connection to his clan. To the extended family he never had the chance to meet or connect with.

  Over the years, his mother had told many tales of the Uzumaki, none more so than the tale of their eventual fall. The Hidden Whirlpool Village they had created had become powerful and influential; their unique skills and durability allowed for vast growth. Whispers had started, and they would soon become the newest Great Hidden Village, the sixth. But such potential attracted the wrath of the other Great Hidden Villages. While the Leaf and Sand had alliances with them, the Stone, Mist, and Cloud had no such agreements and united in a secretive collaborative march on the village. Before the Leaf or Sand could intervene, the town had somehow fallen. Their people are scattered, and their culture and history are mostly forgotten.

  Naruto read over the note several times to escape the somber memory. Feeling confident he understood the concept and steps of the jutsu, he spoke out about his only concern.

  "So this will be different from the Clone Jutsu? If my chakra control is bad, won't this be too little or too late?"

  "No, for one, this isn't a control issue as much as you simply do not have the means to overcome it. Two, Shadow Clone Jutsu is a chakra-intensive technique perfect for you. If we work together, I'm confident you could learn it before the exam." Kushina explained. "That being said, you are doubling your chakra control exercises, mister. Even if it's difficult, you can overcome this problem."

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Yes, mam!" Naruto said happily, attempting to rush off to start training. He actually stood a chance! Naruto wouldn't have to settle for failure.

  "Naruto!" She yelled, stopping him in his tracks.

  "Yes?"

  "Dishes."

  "Damnit."

  X-X

  Naruto stood in his backyard, observing the mess he kept it in. There were targets throughout the field, peppered with shuriken, kunai, and various random objects. Naruto had spent countless hours perfecting his shuriken and kunai techniques. A training post stood in the center of the yard, wrapped in a rope that was frayed and obviously towards its end. There was also a small pond with a bench where Naruto would relax when stressed and meditate whenever his mother could convince him to do so. He scratched his head, wondering how to go about this. He only had a few hours before the exam but felt he needed to gain an edge over it. Naruto held up the note for the new technique and his new blade. It was likely that either would give him a significant tool in his arsenal, but he didn't have much time. The tanto was tempting, but Naruto knew its basics and doubted his technique would improve enough to make a dramatic difference.

  On the other hand, the shadow clones were flexible and would surely give him some much-needed offensive pressure. Hell, he had a few ideas already. Depending on how it worked, this could work out nicely…

  Naruto did consider if he could get a technique down in the short time he had, but, with a smile, he threw up his hands and activated his chakra. He could feel the energy as he finished the hand sign. It felt like there was a pull, and with a poof, smoke appeared next to him. Naruto tensed, waiting to see what he had been able to do on his first try. When it cleared, Naruto was lying on the ground with only one leg. He had a sickly sheen and merely groaned pitifully. Naruto felt a blush hit his cheeks as Kushina laughed from the back porch.

  "You need a bit more chakra for it than that, son." She called playfully. Naruto growled but did as suggested, making the hand sign and channeling a bit more chakra. Another poof, and this time, there was no show, merely a bang as Naruto flew back. He groaned as he crawled to his feet. Too much, then, apparently overloading it led to an explosion. Interesting.

  "A bit less!" Kushina helpfully offered. "Try to imagine you're using your chakra to form a human shape; imagine the amount needed in your head!"

  Naruto merely deadpanned back at her." This is gonna be hard, huh?" He asked dryly.

  "Don't forget funny."

  Yep, no doubt the terrifying urge had struck her on this day.

  The blonde walked back into his home some hours later, covered in dirt and sweat but smiling brightly. Kushina looked at the boy, sighed, and tossed him a new outfit before she wordlessly pointed to the shower. Naruto, knowing better than to argue, did so, taking time before the shower to examine his new attire.

  His mother had won an argument between them days ago. Despite his love for the orange jumpsuits, he had to move on. He had a new black headband, and he would stitch his plate onto it with pride when he passed. A black jacket covered his top open to reveal his orange shirt beneath, stamped with the emblem of the Uzumaki. He finished the look with black utility pants and orange armored sandals.

  "NARUTO, IF YOU FAILED BECAUSE YOU WERE LATE, YOU'LL PAY!" Kushina warned from outside his room. He had been lost in the excitement of the moment and had spaced out. But the feeling of being on the upswing was euphoric, even with the threat of his mother…

  Naruto frowned as he lost that feeling.

  X-X

  Naruto approached the training field where the exam would be held. It was a simple field clear of equipment or spectators. It was a decent distance from the central Leaf Village, an extra one scarcely used. It was apparent he was the last of the academy alumni to arrive. Two were already stretching and warming up as they waited. One was Choji, just as the portly man had told Naruto earlier; the other was someone Naruto did not recognize. He was doing upside-down push-ups, which allowed the blonde to come to grips with his look. He had a shining bowl cut perfectly trimmed with no imperfections, a green, disturbingly skin-tight jumpsuit, and orange leg and arm warmers. As Naruto got close, Choji spotted him and tapped the strange man, who flipped to see who had arrived. But the man only got a stranger with thick eyebrows that framed simple black eyes. Naruto needed to figure out what his deal was. But before Naruto could say hello, the strange man flashed forward at a speed that surprised the blonde before stopping before him straight in a posture with a thumbs up.

  "Why hello there, my name is Rock Lee, " he said politely. I'm assuming you also are here for the exam. From what Choji said, you sound like a most youthful comrade. Come join us!" He excitedly yelled, "We're in the prime of our youth and shall easily conquer this exam!" Naruto smiled at his energy. The guy was an oddball, but he never liked the cynical type.

  "Hell yeah, we're gonna kick ass," Naruto replied, throwing his arm around the bushy brow man.

  "Yes, if we do not, I'll walk a thousand miles!" Lee said as he similarly threw his arm around the blonde.

  "Believe it! I'll do it backwards!" Naruto cheered in agreement. The positivity was somehow infectious.

  "Yosh, that is the beauty of youth~! We'll do it with only our hands." Lee said.

  "Um," Naruto interjected but could not get through to the man who excitedly listed punishments he would endure. Namely, because Naruto was not walking a thousand damn miles on his hands. He leaned towards Choji with a whisper. "Is Bushy Brows ok?"

  Choji laughed happily. "Pretty much; believe it or not, though, he is super reliable." Naruto admittedly felt some level of doubt, but he could use all the help he could get, so instead, he merely started to stretch himself. Thinking over what the exam may prove to be. Choji chose to sit and eat chips, and Lee went back to upside-down push-ups at incredible speed. They waited for Mizuki for five minutes before the Chunin arrived geared in full combat gear. His eyes held an odd coldness as he stared at them purposely.

  "Excellent, we're all here," Mizuki said with a large, almost coy smile. "Now, the exercise in question is rather simple." As he said, the three men before him steeled themselves. They couldn't be more different, yet they all had experienced failure before and had no intention of failing again. Naruto would not allow his dream to be slowed down! "All you need to do to become shinobi is defeat me, I will combat you non lethally, and you are to do the same. Upon detaining or otherwise disabling me, you will succeed and become Genin. If you cannot, then it will be counted as a failure." he said, his voice taking on a gleeful tone. "You may begin now."

  Even without communication, the three men's brains came to the same conclusion. They were all close-range fighters and outnumbered him three to one. It was best to try to immediately overwhelm him. Lee dashed forward quickly, Naruto trailing close behind and Choji a few paces behind both. As Lee drew within range, he fired off a high roundhouse that Mizuki blocked but also blocked his ability to see Lee throw a body uppercut. This snaked through the Chunin's guard and made him stumble back with a grunt, but before he could gain any distance, Naruto appeared behind him, kicking him in the back and knocking him back toward Lee. Even unbalanced, Mizuki dodged a spinning back fist Lee fired and landed a vicious leg sweep. Mizuki intended to press the advantage, but once again, Naruto attacked from his blind side. Mizuki, trusting his instincts, caught the kunai aimed at his shoulder and attempted to throw the blonde. But Naruto sacrificed the kunai instead, jabbing Mizuki with his fist. However, all three paused when they heard.

  "DUCK!" Choji screamed. All three men didn't even look, just dropping low, a giant hand swinging over their heads. Before Lee and Naruto could recover, Mizuki punched Lee with an overhand and simultaneously hit Naruto with a back kick. The two young men rolled with the blows, and Choji, with a yell, whipped his hand around, trying for a chop. But Muzuki merely smiled as he dashed forward and jumped, smashing his knee in Choji's face before he could bring his large hand around. Choji dropped to the ground, stunned, and as Mizuki fell, he prepared a crushing axe kick that would likely remove the chubby man from the fight. But he heard a yell coming closer from behind.

  "Dynamic Entry," Lee named as he crashed into the unguarded back of the Chunin, sending him flying into a tree with a nasty crash. Lee thought the fight was over and posed at the two other boys, proud to have caught Muzuki flat out. Choji and Naruto matched his smile. Deep down, they know realistically, Mizuki was done and likely had been holding back some. But they had controlled the fight reasonably well, and we're confident this would be enough for a victory to be declared.

  "Not bad, not bad at all," Mizuki growled. "Let's see how you like my A GAME!" He then flew through hand signs. Then called "Fire Style: Flare Blitz Barrage!" He then spat out a ridiculous amount of head-sized fireballs that flew out in a wide range and randomly. All three men froze for a moment. Surely, he knew this would be incredibly deadly, at odds with the short rules he had offered earlier. Lee quickly weaved around fireballs, loosening and removing his weights as he did. They couldn't be sure what Mizuki was thinking, but he intended to end this soon. They couldn't afford to hold back. Naruto dodged desperately before deciding to charge in with Lee to end the barrage. But Choji in the back struggled to dodge the fast-moving attacks, being clipped by one and flying back from the power of flames. Seeing this, Lee dashed towards the Akimichi, hoping to help him extinguish the fire. Naruto carried forward, knowing that only stopping them would save them.

  Naruto ducked under a fireball and jumped over another. As he rose, he let fly a barrage of shuriken up close to the Chunin. Mizuki laughed at his attack. He removed a Fuma shuriken from his back and swung it to deflect the shuriken. As Naruto landed, he drew the Blade of the Whirlpools and slashed at his head. Mizuki blocked the basic attack with a snarl.

  "What the hell are you doing? You're going to hurt someone, " Naruto growled. He leaned forward, matching Mizuki's might and attempting to overpower him.

  "Don't worry; the other two can live," Mizuki answered darkly. Naruto flinched, and the moment allowed Mizuki to take advantage. The man dropped the Fuma shuriken. This caused Naruto to stumble forward as Mizuki drew a kunai in his other hand. He thrust it into the blonde's shoulder, Naruto crying out from the shallow but painful stab; he rolled back to escape his grasp and to stop the Chunin from finishing him off. Mizuki laughed and fired the Fuma toward Naruto, who was helpless to avoid it, grounded as he was. But Lee appeared before him; skillfully, he caught the shuriken and threw it back instantly. Mizuki charged as he ducked under the attack, but to his shock, one of the training posts planted into the ground flew toward him. His eyes whipped to where it was, and a Choji with bad burns stood with a giant hand extended from the throw. Mizuki felt the post connect with his legs, knocking them from under him and almost certainly shattering their bones. His feet flew behind him as he continued his forward path, now helpless. Headfirst towards Lee and Naruto.

  "Mizuki!" He heard as he flew, and his eyes lazily flicked to the blonde who was now charging toward him, and he saw him preparing a punch from below the hip. It was sure to be a massive blow, but between pain and momentum, Mizuki was helpless as Naruto roared before he struck, "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" The blonde screamed as he shifted his body weight, putting everything in his fist. He slammed into Chunin's face, hitting right below his right eye. Naruto felt the cracking of bone as his punch caused the Chunin's momentum to reverse, sending him skidding across the ground like a stone. Naruto panted harshly as he stared after the heap of Mizuki. Lee and Choji approached him as he did.

  "I know it may sound unyouthful, but I believe Muzuki intended to hurt us past what would be considered safe sparing," Lee said with a frown, seemingly seriously conflicted by this.

  "I know what you mean. Mizuki was playing for keeps." Choji said, pain in his voice as he examined his left ribs where the burn was. "If you two hadn't stopped that fire jutsu, I would've been roasted alive…"

  "He said he was gonna kill me outright!" Naruto stated angrily. "This sure as hell wasn't part of the test. Why the hell would a remedial exam have the risk of death? He just wanted to kill us."

  "Oh, I will." All three boys tensed as Mizuki slowly and seemingly painfully stood up. He was bleeding from his mouth and nose. Though he stood, his legs shook, crooked and obviously broken. The man must've been standing through willpower alone. "I should've done this from the start. But how was I to guess you low scorers would be capable of this!" Mizuki monologued excitedly. "I had intended to maim you two and then kill Naruto, but since you want to play rough, you all can die!" As he said this, he pulled a syringe from his pouch on his hip and savagely stabbed into his own neck. "I had intended to use this to bust out of this pathetic village, but I suppose I'll start by killing you!" He suddenly stood up, ramrod straight, and he cackled wildly. The air seemed to swirl around him; the three could suddenly feel his chakra, and veins throughout his body pulsed violently, seemingly threatening to burst out his skin. There was silence as they wondered what he had just done.

  He looked at them, smirking before blitzing the three and standing between them instantly. Lee quickly attempted a spinning elbow; Naruto was a beat or two later but countered with a kunai thrust to his jugular. Mizuki chuckled as he caught both their blows and slammed them violently into each other headfirst. Then, he casually whipped both into the training post with a flick of his wrist. Choji, flinching due to the burn and shock, stumbled back, but Muziki quickly stepped into his guard with an uppercut to his chin. Choji flew upwards, but Mizuki caught his foot, stopping his flight.

  "You broke my legs." He said hatefully as he slammed Choji into the ground, nearly leaving the man buried in the rubble. He drew a kunai to finish him off before he heard several pops and was tackled by what must be twenty Naruto. He rolled through, stabbing two of the clones into nothing. Two more came from in front while four on each of his sides ran to surround him. The two in front came from high and low, unleashing dual-flying roundhouses. Mizuki smiled as he allowed both to hit, neither managing to damage him. He grabbed both and smashed them together, destroying them. Two charged in from the left, and two more followed from the right, all wielding tanto. Mizuki growled at this. Naruto had never shown this before. He ducked under the thrust of one and blocked two more with his forearms. The blades cut in yet only shallowly as if the clones were hacking at the stone as opposed to the skin. The fourth clone looked for a downward slash for his head. Mizuki spun quickly, disarming the lot as he drew a kunai and promptly slashed the clones to pieces.

  The four closest to him charged from his blind spot. Mizuki whipped around to kill them, but it had been a feint. The four clones jump back to avoid his wrath. The eight remaining clones in front instead launched a massive conjoined kick, sending Mizuki back into the remaining four, who attempted to hold him down while the rest ran forward; they would simply keep slashing and stabbing till he stayed down. Mizuki yelled angrily and managed to dispel the four simply by flexing. Charging the rest, he clotheslines two into another two, grabs two more by the faces, and slams them viscously into the ground. The last two stood guarded and defiant. "I'm gonna enjoy killing you, you monster!" Mizuki screamed as he charged the two.

  "Any ideas on how we will do this, Bushy Brows?" The two watched as Mizuki finished the clones. Naruto flinched and summoned another twenty clones to surround them.

  "Yes, keep him busy for just a moment. I have the most youthful technique that should work!" Lee answered as he stood, seemingly bracing for something. But Muzuki, laughing as he landed, stood before them confidently.

  "Are you sure you wanna help that monster, Lee?" Mizuki asked with glee. "I don't think you know how much blood is on his hands." Lee froze for a second. Confused by what he said.

  "I've never killed anyone, you ass!" Naruto countered.

  "Well, of course, you did. You killed the fourth Hokage, after all. You even killed my family, didn't you, Nine Tails!" Mizuki screamed manically. Lee looked back at Naruto, not quite believing it, but to his shock, Naruto looked panicked. Looking at Lee almost pleadingly. Lee didn't know what to say.

  "Naruto?" Lee asked quietly.

  Chapter 3: Do or Die! Defeat Mizuki!

  Naruto’s POV (Old Leaf Training Ground - Exterior Leaf Village)

  "Naruto?" Lee asked. His voice was questioning and confused. Naruto hated the little bit of doubt he could plainly hear. Naruto wanted to respond, but he had dreaded this day for years. His mother had warned him the day might come when his secret was exposed. Warned him how that may just be the way people see him. Naruto was so enraptured by the shock he barely reacted when Mizuki charged them, frozen in indecision. Luckily, the clones seemed slightly less affected and met the Chunins' charge in a suicidal clash. As the Chunin slowly dispatched the clones, Lee stared into his eyes. Naruto knew he should explain; Mizuki had made it sound much worse than it was. But Naruto didn't choose this; he hated the monster within him. Why should he be judged for something out of his control? Worse yet, technically, the man had spoken the truth; maybe Naruto was responsible- "Naruto!" Lee said, his voice taking a surprisingly stern tone.

  "Listen, Lee, it's not… l-"

  "Are you my comrade Naruto?" Lee said calmly.

  "What?"

  "Are we comrades, friends, allies, fellow men in the prime of our youth?" Lee asked simply. Naruto felt slight confusion at his weirdness but decided to simply be honest.

  "Of course, Bushy Brows, but what is your point?" Naruto asked the confusion, managing to cut through his panic.

  "Then nothing else matters. A youthful man judges a man by nothing but by his actions. To discount another due to something they may not be able to control would be foolish. Not when you have shown me your youth so plainly. If you wish to discuss this, we may; if not, then your secret is safe with me. But first, we must defeat this treacherous man. The rest can be discussed later." Lee said, his teeth shining as if they were sheening metal. Naruto couldn't help but match his smile. "Now, can you stall him for a bit? I can end this, but I need time to channel my chakra." Lee asked, seeing Naruto had composed himself.

  "Heh, screw stalling!" Naruto said as he wielded his tanto, grinning crudely. "I owe this loser for years of hate! I'm gonna kick his ass!"

  Naruto then charged toward the Chunin, who had managed to dispel the last clones right as he closed in. As he turned his head, Naruto slammed his knee into Mizuki's face with perfect timing. The blow sent him stumbling back but wasn't practical. Naruto followed up determinedly; with a burst of chakra, he summoned more clones, surprised that the ten he intended to summon merely came out as eight. Naruto's chakra was lower than he thought. The testing, training, and now this fight was waning on the jinchuriki's juice. But Naruto would die before he stopped. The clones and him drawing kunai and firing them on the off-balance Chunin. They hit yet once again do no real damage, simply annoying Mizuki. Who, with a growl, charged forward, swinging in with a right hook. A clone leaped forward, catching the hook and pulling the arm back. Another blonde kicked him in the face while another swept his legs. Naruto smirked as he jumped into the air, another clone grabbing him by the hands before violently spiking him at the downed Mizuki.

  "Naruto Hammer!" he called as he released a vicious kick to the ribs as he landed, causing the ground beneath to crack and crumble. The blonde jumped back; whatever the creep had taken made him tough. Naruto knew this was far from over, so he retreated within his clones and shuffled himself within them.

  True to form, Mizuki leaped from his resting spot, immediately catching a clone and snapping his neck with a wrench. He ignored a jab sent from another one while he drew and used a kunai to gut another. The clone tried to pull back his arm to fire off another attack, but Mizuki caught his hand and kicked him hard in the chest, dispelling it. A clone from behind tackled his legs, dropping him to his knees. In time for two clones to land, powerful kicks to his chin simultaneously. This sent Muzuki flying back, chuckling wildly, clearly unharmed. As he climbed to his feet, the remaining clones surrounded him and attacked quickly, slashing at him with their blades but only causing superficial damage. The Chunin willingly tanked these; as he was battered, he merely waited, caught the occasional strike, and destroyed the perpetrator.

  Naruto took a breather; as he did, he glanced back at Lee to check his progress. Lee's chakra was palpable around him, and it was clear he would become significantly more potent, but he still channeled. Naruto sighed at this; he would need to buy even more time.

  Mizuki was ridiculously amped ever since the syringe. Most attacks didn't faze him. Even blades would cut shallowly, but none of it was sticking. He'd probably need a damn bomb to keep him down. Not to mention his new freakish strength and speed. Naruto thought about his supplies, but none of them seemed helpful. Even with the shadow clones, Naruto was struggling to do anything. He needed power! Something that knocks this bastard into next week. A bomb… shadow clones… Naruto could feel his mind forming a rough plan. When he had been training with shadow clones, he had overloaded them, leading to an explosion.

  If he tried to overload shadow clones again but ensured they were a tiny bit stable, he could have… an explosive clone. Naruto's grin turned feral. Not only did he have a new weapon in this fight, but it would be perfectly subtle enough to ensure it landed.

  Naruto formed the shadow clone sign and charged his chakra, working overtime to create the explosive clone. The clone looked mindless, swaying in place and not genuinely moving. Clearly, Naruto would have to perfect it later; hopefully, it did the job.

  "Hey, you damn sore loser!" Naruto called. Mizuki's eyes hatefully landed on the blonde. "Catch!" Naruto grabbed the clone by the arm and leg and, with an impressive feat of strength, threw it like a spear directly at Mizuki.

  "Pathetic as always, monster!" Mizuki called with glee. He caught the clone by the throat and began to strangle it. "Summon as many clones as you want!:

  "Actually, that's just a setup for my new technique!" Naruto stated confidently. Mizuki eyed the clone, and an alarm erupted on his face as he realized it was heavier. He may not know what the blonde planned, but it was likely something with the clone. He started to throw the clone, but it was too late. The blonde sealed the attack with a shout of "Shadow Clone: Walking Landmine Jutsu!" The clone exploded with a loud boom, enveloping the area in smoke and shooting off bits of earthen debris. Naruto sank to his knees, tired but smiling happily. He finally had gotten the bastard.

  But before he could fully relax his muscles, Mizuki appeared before him. Unlike the other attacks, the blonde could tell this one had done damage. Mizuki's left arm was reduced to a charred stump. His body and face were burned on the left side. His entire body was covered in bruises. His legs bled through gashes and looked liable to collapse at any moment. Though Mizuki was seemingly unaffected by his state, slamming his foot into Naruto's chest and pinning him to the ground. As the blonde gasped for air.

  "You damn demon, I actually felt that! "Muzuki barked. "This makes no sense! This drug was supposed to make me superhuman! How did this happen?" He called brokenly before he started to stomp on Naruto's chest. "How? How? How?! HOW?" He screamed with each stomp.

  Naruto needed to escape, but he was running on empty and couldn't breathe due to the harsh stomps. Mizuki must've landed eight before Naruto's vision started to dim. He needed to use his ace. He promised he wouldn't, but he couldn't die here! He wouldn't!

  Luckily, before Mizuki could land a killing blow or Naruto could activate his "ace," Lee appeared and quickly landed a massive overhand punch that sent the Chunin flying. Before the man could touch the ground, Lee seemed again, landing a high kick to his chin, sending Mizuki flying into the air. All the while, Lee smiled, seemingly proud of him?

  "You were the most youthful I've seen, Naruto. We must spar after this!" Lee said casually before leaping into the air behind Muzuki, the bandages on his arm seemingly coming to life and wrapping around Mizuki tightly. "I'm sorry to use this on you, my former sensei, but you leave me no choice! Youth always comes to an end." Lee said morosely. "Front Lotus!" They spun through the air, approaching the ground head first. Lee let go of Mizuki just before they crash-landed; as he did, he kicked Mizuki into the ground to further increase the impact and rise through the air again. Landing in a combat roll to bleed off the force and stand easily.

  Naruto stared at the massive cloud of dust the attack had kicked up and the rain of debris. Mizuki had impacted the concrete headfirst—indeed, he hadn't survived that. Once the dust cleared, Mizuki seemed partially buried in the ground, with only his feet sticking up like a human tombstone. Naruto smiled wildly at Lee, excited they had managed to survive.

  "You two ok?" A pained voice calls out. They both look back and see a bruised and burned Choji, who had managed to unbury himself. He looked worse for the wear but alive. "Woah, you guys actually took him out?!" Choji asked, shocked.

  "Yosh! He was a powerful and nefarious opponent, but using beautiful you-".

  "We kicked his ass!" Naruto interrupted, finishing the thought in his way. Lee frowned at this, thinking seriously.

  "Less youthful but also accurate, " he surmised. The other two boys looked at him perplexed before the three started laughing and resting on the ground. The exhaustion and chaotic battle ending allowed their adrenaline to pass, and the three now felt as drained as they were.

  "Naruto!"

  "Choji! Lee!"

  Voices called out in the distance, one belonging to a man and another to a woman. The two landed in the clearing, showing it to be Kushina and Iruka. Both were dressed and geared for battle. Kushina rushed forward, briefly scanning Lee and Choji before climbing her son and ranting and raving about his safety. Naruto sighed dramatically, attempting to shove his mother back while assuring her he was fine.

  "So, while momma's boy is busy," Iruka stated teasingly.

  "Fuck you!"

  "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Iruka nodded as Kushina chased Naruto around, seemingly both having forgotten about his injuries. And more focused on Kushina's infamous disdain for her son's sailor-like mouth.

  Iruka chuckled at the two of them as he stared at the buried body of Mizuki. The occasional twitch portrayed he somehow may be alive. "So a fight broke out between the three of you. It's good the three of you managed to fight him off. We are sorry we didn't arrive sooner. Mizuki had been under investigation by me for a while now. I grew suspicious when I realized he hadn't taken them to the normal site for the Remedial Exam; luckily, Kushina knew where he had taken you. Safe to assume he attacked first?"

  "Yeah, it was crazy! He almost burned me to death!" Choji called

  "Indeed, he was most treacherous. He had tried to take many chances to kill Naruto, Choji, and myself. Most troubling, I had thought Mizuki was on the side of youth." Lee continued. Iruka looked at them quizzically. Mizuki was no slouch, but he had been around Iruka's level. And Iruka had no doubt if he thought these three on his own, they would almost certainly be able to defeat him with little difficulty, so it was odd Mizuki had seemed to push them so far.

  "He caught you off guard?" He asked.

  "Well, yeah!" Choji started, "We were surprised he was going lethal, then when we got the edge, he injected himself with something."

  "Whatever it was, it was powerful. Before, even with my weights, I was faster than Mizuki, but after, he was nearly as fast as me without them." Lee added

  "Believe it! He also became a tank! Punches, kicks, kunai, swords, even an explosion didn't do much!" Naruto added, being thrown back to the group locked up in chains. "Also, can you let me out of these?"

  "No," Kushina answered. Clearly, the mother had used her infamous chain bloodline to temporarily imprison her son. We should check Mizuki to see if we can find more of this substance or evidence of it." She said her tone was all business now. Even a soldier pill wouldn't allow this. I don't know of any developed drugs or medicines that do. The Hokage will want to see this…"

  "I'm afraid I'll take the body and its belongings with me." A voice called from somewhere in the trees surrounding the training ground. "Sorry if that's upsetting, but I must insist."

  "That is upsetting," Iruka assured. "I demand you identify yourself and surrender for interrogation."

  Kushina drew a katana from a scroll on her ho[ and stood before the worn-out young men. On the other side, Iruka jumped to Mizuki's corpse and started to weave hand signs. But the emerging figure kicked him in the face before he could activate whatever jutsu he had in mind. Sliding back to the group in a heap, they all checked out the new threat as Iruka climbed back to his feet.

  He wore a Red cloak covering his body and head and a red mask covering the lower half of his face. Allowing vision of his red hair in a ponytail and his strange eyes. They seemingly were empty except for a kanji for seal in one eye and release in another. "I really must insist again." He said. "My name is of no importance to you. Not yet, anyway, but you may call me Ikam for now. See, Mizuki, here was a test of mine, but I can't afford for you to go learning my secrets now. So I'll make it easy for all of us and remove choice from the matter." He quickly grabbed a scroll from his cloak. It slowly released smoke that enveloped Mizuki, and Iruka leaped away less. He suffered the same, and it slowly withdrew into the scroll, Mizuki's body now missing from where it had been. Ikam held up the scroll, smiling. But had to duck a katana thrust for his neck.

  "You are trespassing in the Hidden Leaf Village, assisting a defector, and assaulting a shinobi. We will bring you in to ask if you will come willingly. But if you resist in any way, we'll kill you now." Iruka said now behind Ikam.

  "Honestly, for hurting my son, I really want you to resist," Kushina said darkly, shifting her katana under the crouched man's chin.

  "I see the Leaf still are mouthy savages," Ikam said, bored. "You may stand in my way if you wish; it will change little!" As he said this, he leaped up quickly. Kushina, with a glace and a tiger sign, allows red chains to fly from her body toward Ikam,

  "Adamantite Chains: Crushing Embrace!" Kushina calls, attempting to end this fight quickly.

  Ikam merely smirks. "Seal, " he says, making the chains disappear suddenly. The Kanji in his left eye glowed with power. Once the right also glowed, he whispered, "And release!" The chains suddenly reappeared, seemingly twice as sizable, falling toward the group; it would crush them. As they approached, Iruka reacted first, throwing down a circular perimeter of kunai around them before weaving a series of hand signs.

  "Barrier Method Formation!" Iruka calls as a circular blue barrier surrounds the group. The giant chains hit, cracking it severely, but bounce off and dissipate. Iruka pants heavily before passing out, the technique seemingly taking a lot out of him. Kushina looked around, but it seemed Ikam had used the opportunity to escape. Kushina sighed at this as she reached into a pouch and popped off a medical emergency flare. Kushina observed the rough state of the group. Iruka was out of commission, and the young men were exhausted. Ikam had been quite the threat, quickly countering her scarlet chains and nearly crushing them. It was hard to say if she would have beaten him, and earnestly, she doubted she could have. It is at times like this that she genuinely misses Minato. She looked at the exhausted Naruto and smiled. For now, she would guard him and put her faith in him.

  "So," Naruto stated awkwardly, "we passed… right?"

  X-X

  Help had arrived quickly and saw to the aid of the group's men on the spot. Kushina was the only one who wasn't truly injured. Lee, Choji, and Naruto had been medically cleared and were suffering from minor exhaustion. Iruka had merely run dangerously low on chakra and had been revived with smelling salts. The Chunin, dutiful as always, had gone to give a detailed report on the night's events upon revival. Choji and Lee had both gone home to get some rest for the team scheduling tomorrow. Kushina had decided Naruto deserved ramen tonight. Something he had agreed to wholeheartedly and had gorged himself appropriately. Leading to a fitting food coma for the night. The next morning, Naruto struck out as instructed; it was graduation day at the Academy. Today, Naruto became a Genin, the first step to becoming Hokage…

  Naruto wished he had the chance to talk to Lee more about the Nine-Tails but to be frank, he preferred not to think of the giant fox in his stomach who had murdered many in his home village and apparently even his mysterious father. He had learned to use some of the beast's chakra as he had been informed by Hiruzen himself that it would be necessary, possibly very soon. He was able to use some of its power, power being the defining word.

  Naruto hated that the thing that had taken his father was inside of him. Even more, so that it seemed people needed him to utilize it; as such, he had decided it his "ace"." A final resort to be used in hopeless situations. Last night had almost certainly counted as one. Mizuki had become incredibly strong; luckily, Naruto had a good backup and didn't have to suffer using the beast's foul chakra. But it was close. Worse yet, Mizuki was only a Chunin and not an active field one. He may have been boosted by a drug, but even still, the three of them had come close several times. If Naruto intended to keep his secret, he'd need to get stronger. Though he would most likely tell his team, a risk but a necessary one if they were expected to be comrades for their entire careers. It made him nervous, and if he was honest, he'd win them over before telling them. A little sneaky, but hopefully, they'd understand.

  Naruto was on cloud nine, after all. The three boys who took down a traitor had all passed their Remedial Exam! Furthermore, Naruto was sure that Lee and Choji were fast-growing friends of the blonde; the time they spent being healed was full of joking and chit-chat. And the fight had made it clear the two oddballs were the type to be trusted. In his academy days, he wasn't hated by the students but almost exclusively hung out with Shikamaru. Most found him to be a bit much or avoided him, but the Nara never had. The blonde reminded himself Shikamaru was great, but having more friends would be awesome. Naruto chuckles with his eyes closed as he rounds the corner, only to smack into someone hard, knocking them both down to the ground.

  "My bad!" Naruto apologized as he saw he knocked down another man. He had long, spiky black hair with matching, intense black eyes. He wore a black high-collared shirt that was tucked into white combat pants.

  "Stay out of my way, idiot," he said as he climbed to his feet and tried to walk by the blonde. But Naruto angrily grabbed him by the arm before he could.

  "Hey, you bumped into me too! Why are you acting so rude, huh?"

  "I'm a Uchiha; you are some kinda mutt," Sasuke says simply. Looking as if he was perplexed, the blonde didn't get it. "One should treat their betters appropriately, yes?"

  "Well, I'm gonna be Hokage, so why would I give a damn." The blonde said spitefully. "Even if you're my better now, it won't end that way."

  "Hmph, perhaps I'll show you your place right now." The Uchiha said as he tensed. Naruto saw this reaction and prepared to show this guy a thing or two himself, a hand reaching for his back toward Riptide.

  "Sasuke!" a cacophony of female voices called. Uchiha's eyes widened as he suddenly whipped his hand free and sighed heavily.

  "Tch, your lucky loser!" Uchiha said before suddenly sprinting away. Naruto went to chase but dodged a crowd of females chasing after the Uchiha. Naruto sat on the ground, utterly lost. Before Ino and another turned the corner, they saw him on the ground.

  "Naruto?" Ino asked as she helped him off the ground. "Gotta learn to avoid the fan girl charge. Sasuke is pretty dreamy, but I swear they have no shame."

  "It is pretty embarrassing. How can fangirls like that call themselves Kunochi?" The other woman asked. Naruto looked at her. She was his height with bright pink short hair that worked well with her green eyes. She wore a sleeveless red qipao dress that reached her upper thighs; under this, she wore black tights, elbow and knee pads, and leather gloves. "Oh, that's rude of me. My name is Sakura," she said with a smile. Naruto popped a big smile back.

  "No worries, I'm not one for that stuff anyway."

  "Obviously," Ino said with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, I heard you passed. Congratulations. If you'll excuse us, we gotta try and get a seat near him."

  "I thought you two hate fangirls?" Naruto asked.

  "Yep, it's all about being a powerful kunoichi and winning the hot man candy," Ino said with a wink.

  "Ignore her," Sakura said dryly as she dragged Ino towards the meeting place. "Something's wrong with her…"

  Naruto watched the two leave and relaxed in the hall. He wanted to talk to Shikamaru before the teams were picked and knew he would run late. He heard them before he saw them—well, he heard Choji's chips anyway.

  He ran to the two, all smiles, and three walked to class, simply chit-chatting. As they walked in, he saw about thirty students. These were all graduates from various courses of the Academy. Shikamaru and him were the only ones from their class. As he scanned, he saw Sasuke in the corner with a group of girls, seemingly fighting for his attention. Naruto snickered at this as he walked with the boys to some open seats in the center. On the opposite side, other girls were crowding some other guy with long hair and pale eyes. Toward the front, Ino, Sakura, and two other girls were chatting animatedly. Naruto then glanced at where they were sitting. Lee and Kiba were both to his left, engaging in a desperate arm wrestle bout that Lee seemed sure to win. A third boy Naruto didn't recognize in a hoodie and sunglasses was playing referee to an absurdly severe degree. Shikamaru was awake, knowing the teams would be announced soon. But he looked to be longing for some sleep, blinking slowly as if he barely fought off sleep each time. Choji seemed happy to wait while snacking on a candy bar. Somehow, having already polished off his chips.

  Naruto pondered about who he would want on his team. Shikamaru was probably the most significant want. They got along well and knew what they could do. Plus, Shikamaru was stupidly brilliant and would likely be helpful. But he wouldn't mind Choji, Lee, or Kiba. They may be new to him, but they seemed like solid guys. He had no strong thoughts about having women on his team; he didn't know most of them and didn't mind any of them, but the fangirls; he supposed Sakura, Ino, or even the quiet Hinata would be alright. Though those stuck-up guys with fan clubs would be the worst-case scenario.

  As this thought finished, Iruka walked into the class with a grand smile. "Students, you have studied in this building for six years. You came as young and ignorant children. And now you stand before us wisened adults. Trained professionals looking to begin your shinobi career. Your rank is Genin. But I have no doubt you all will not be resting at this rank. I am so incredibly proud of this class. You are the first of a new generation. You represent the hopes and dreams of the future. Now, as Genin, you are assigned a Genin squad with a Jounin leader. These teams are not up for debates or complaints. Please understand this was not random; these teams considered and matched your unique skills and synergies. Even if you are unsure of the arrangement, handle it patiently and professionally. You will see the wisdom in time. Now I will read off teams!" Iruka said. Naruto was so excited that he didn't even hear the first five; luckily, his attention turned back to the sixth team.

  "Team Six will be: Sasuke Uchiha, Kabuto Yakushi, and Hinata Hyuga! Their sensei will be Shisui Uchiha!"

  "Team Seven will be: Naruto Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka, and Neji Hyuga! Their sensei will be Kakashi Hatake!"

  "Team Eight will be: Shikamaru Nara, Tenten of the Leaf, and Sai of the Leaf!" Their sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi!"

  "Team Nine will be: Shino Aburame, Choji Akimichi, and Yuno Uchiha! Their sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi!"

  "Team Ten will be: Kiba Inuzuka, Sakura Haruno, and Rock Lee! Their sensei will be Might Guy!"