More Than Human

I have returned from my hiatus! And I come bearing a quad upload as an apology to those who are still here. As well as a few announcements.

Essentially, the real world came crashing down upon me and my ability to write very much suffered for it. However, I believe I've taken care of things to such a degree that I can get things here taken care of in some capacity. That said, my list of stories has become quite barren in the process.

What I've done is take down everything but my active stories (currently only four) and will be putting all of my old stories (outside of The Ice Duo, because I lost the files for that) into an archive fic should anyone want to delve back into the terrible writings of my past sometime in the next month. The stories that I still have going will receive regular updates each week. I'm also going to shoot for longer chapters to make up for less uploads.

Outside of that, I'm quite happy to be back and writing again, and I hope you guys are excited for what's to come.

Chapter IV: Assignment

[Naruto's House]

"So, today's your big day, huh?" Naruto looked up from his seat on the sofa to regard his brother. "You're getting assigned to a team, right?" The blonde took a moment to close the book he had been reading to nod. Yamato, himself, seemed to be getting ready to leave for his own classes. Unlike Naruto, he didn't have any particular ability that would allow him to push past his education and needed to do things the long way.

"That's right, I am. Wait a moment before you leave, nii-san." He stood up and walked into the kitchen. Yamato seemed confused but smiled when the boy handed him a wrapped bento. "Until I receive my first mission pay, our budget needs to be watched. That school charges far too much for a hot meal, so I've done my best to prepare you a lunch. I hope that's it's to your liking."

The older boy smiled. "You just wanted to cook for me, didn't you?" He didn't even wait for a reaction. If he didn't have any back when he looked like a small child, why would he now that he appeared only a few years younger than him? He still wasn't quite used to Naruto's new appearance, even after all these months.

"If that is what you wish to believe, then I will not stop you." The redhead replied neutrally as Yamato accepted the bento. "How are your studies going? I hope you are keeping focus. I know how you can be, nii-san." The older of the two waved off Naruto's comments.

"I'm keeping focused. Geez, sometimes I don't know which one of us is actually the elder with how serious you are all the time. Anyways, do you have any idea what the Hokage is going to do about your team? I can't imagine that someone like you is exactly a regular occurrence here." The pause in his brother's words spoke volumes to Yamato. He was unsure of what the future held, and that was new for both of them. Each day underground was pretty much the same for them. They never quite knew who'd die, but someone always did. They never knew who'd be experimented on but someone always was. Meals came at regular intervals and their scenery never changed. All of this was very new to them.

"I could not say, nii-san." He finally admitted. "While I may be a unique case, I'm sure that some sort of past procedure will align enough with my situation as to fit me somewhere. I have not had the years of interaction that others in the class have had. That surely puts me on the backfoot in terms of where I might end up. I also don't think that I'd be given an apprenticeship. From what Kurenai-sensei taught me, the tutelage I received under her was uncommon, but not unique. Apparently clans do similar things quite often. Whatever the Hokage decides, I shall do my best to keep my end of the deal we made."

"You know, you really make me want to do my best when you have that kind of attitude, Naruto. Well, I'll make sure to keep studying so I can keep my end of our deal. That said, I really should be going but I'll see you after school. It's my turn to cook. How does yakitori sound?"

"Of course, nii-san. I look forward to it." He gave his brother a slight bow as Yamato left. "Would you like some tea, ANBU-san?" He asked the empty house. The shadows parted near the door to show a female ANBU wearing a cat-like mask. "Or does Hokage-sama require me again?"

"The Hokage does indeed need to speak with you. Your team assignment has been decided, but it will not be with the other genin in the Academy. If you would be so kind as to accompany me, then he will inform you of exactly what it will require of you." The redhead nodded, despite his confusion. Was he getting something special again?

[Hokage's Office]

"You summoned me, Old Man?" Naruto wondered as he found himself, once more, within Hiruzen's office. The Third Hokage sat at his desk and nodded as the redhead shut the door behind him. Neko remained within the Office and within plain sight, which the newly graduated genin found to be a bit odd. "Neko-san mentioned something about my assignment not being with the others in the class. It seems odd to me though."

"You are an… extraordinary case, my boy." The reply was something he'd been expecting at this point. "To be perfectly frank, your skills are not really suited for a genin squad. However, you also lack the experience of a Chuunin. There were very few options as to what I thought would reasonably work well in your particular case, but I did decide upon something finally. You see, most graduates either are assigned to a squad or – more rarely – find themselves as apprentices under the tutelage of a Jounin whom personally requests it. I didn't really think that either of those would work to your favor.

"If I had subjected you to a squad, your personal growth would have suffered from having to be dragged down by two peers you likely would not have gotten along with nor understood. Your upbringings would have been too distinct for much connection. On the other hand, if you had been apprenticed under someone suitably skilled to mold you correctly, it would likely have only distanced you farther from the Village than you already are. So, I had to look into our third option; something that has not been done in some time but isn't necessarily unique to you.

"This third option is why I had Neko-san specifically bring you here. She will be your new Captain. I wish to turn you over to ANBU to continue your training and your career. I think that you will be well-suited to the missions you'd receive and that the professional attitude of everyone there will synergize with your personality tremendously. What do you say?" The Uzumaki took a moment to soak in what he had been told.

"I have… a few questions."

"Naturally. This is something unexpected for you, I'm sure. I will do what I can to answer your questions before you make your decision." The jinchuuriki nodded and thought for a few moments before he opened his mouth.

"What sort of missions would I be taking on? I know the ANBU have several distinct divisions in charge of the various things they do." Hiruzen nodded, expecting this line of inquiry right from the start.

"Based on your abilities, I'd very much like to make you a part of our Capture and Tracking Division. I want you to become a hunter-nin. You showcase a number of techniques that make you extremely talented for such missions, I think. Of course, Neko-san would train you in everything any other ANBU recruit would be required to know, and after that you'd be assigned to a squad. It might be under her, it might not. Most of that decision depends on how compatible the two of you are and the progress reports I receive from her on your training."

"I see. That's probably the best possible decision then." If I'm in that particular Division, then won't that make my search for new genetic coding easier? Being sent after missing-nin will mean I can prepare for what they're capable of and I only need to touch them once in order to assimilate the coding. If I can extend my arsenal that much, then I will definitely be able to keep nii-san safe. "How often will I be outside of the village?"

The Sandaime hummed in thought at this question. The hesitance to answer was not a good sign for the redhead. "That is not something I can accurately assess. The dangers of this world flow like the tide, you know. Sometimes things are safe for long periods and nothing particularly threatening to the village happens. This is one such time. We've had a period of immense peace since the last War. Well, excepting only the Kyuubi's near escape, but that is not something typical of the Nations.

"Even in a time as peaceful as this, though, things do happen. Missing-nin attack. Other Nations plot. People are murdered. We have to be ready for these things, and have preparations in place in the very real possibility that we fail in our duties to prevent them. That's what the ANBU are. They act as both a preventative measure and damage control in these incidents. That's what you'll be doing. Do you understand why it's so difficult for me to give not just an exact number, but even a general statement? I have no wish to lie to you, my boy. You've been through far too much for me to do that to you."

He still feels responsible for Orochimaru. Naruto thought as he noted Hiruzen's attitude towards him. I won't correct him. If he had acted sooner then nii-san might not have had to suffer, or at least wouldn't have had to suffer for as long. "I should assume that I will be out quite often then. So long as you uphold your promise and nii-san is protected, then I will simply look at this as an opportunity to become stronger."

"Welcome to the ANBU Black Ops then." Hiruzen smiled. "Neko-san will guide you through the process. She also has been made aware of all that is necessary to your unique case, and will help accordingly. I felt she would be the best option, as she was close friends with your mother when she was still with us." Naruto glanced over at Neko, making sure to remember that.

"If I recall, Kurenai-sensei was as well. However, you didn't actually know my parents' identity when you assigned me under her, right?" The old man smiled and shook his head.

"I did not. However, we did know that you were an Uzumaki. I knew that, even if you weren't Kushina's child, Kurenai would do her utmost to lead you in the right direction out of respect for the woman she regarded as an older sister. Just being from the Uzumaki Clan would have been enough for Kurenai. That's the kind of person she is. Whenever we found out your lineage, however, we knew that we had definitely made the correct choice. There were more powerful shinobi that we might've assigned you under who had just as close or even a closer connection to one of both of your parents. However, Kurenai is amongst the most… mentally stable of them."

"You make it seem as if my parents' entire social group has degenerated into insanity since their passing. That can't really be the case, can it?"

"It's not a matter of becoming insane since their passing. You must understand, Naruto. The life of a shinobi is a hard and dangerous path that we tread. Not everyone is truly cut out for it and sometimes a person's mind… can't handle what they do. It's not to say that everyone goes mad during their career, but most shinobi begin to become… eccentric. This isn't limited to only our village either. All of the Five Great Hidden Villages, as well as the minor ones suffer from this. A lifetime of killing is enough to break even the best of us.

"Amongst those who were close to your parents and who are still living, I'd place only three of them firmly within the category of mentally sound. Yuuhi Kurenai was one of them, obviously. There is also Neko-san here. The last one would be Hyuuga Hiashi, but he is no longer a shinobi in the service of Konoha. He has had to look after his Clan since the passing of his father. Given that, he has still not been made aware of your existence. I leave the decision of whether he should know up to you. Your identity is something above top-secret right now, Naruto. If other villages knew who you were… what you held, they would either try to abduct or kill you en masse. You must remember that. While I've promise to protect Yamato, it is honestly you who need the protection more."

"I will keep that in mind, Old Man."