The Hunted

Chapter 3 - Innocent Deceptions.

Immense darkness was all that he saw. The world had been painted a lightless black yet gravity's pull on his billowing blonde hair gave wordless warning that Naruto was in freefall. Instinctively, his arms and legs extended at his sides in a humble attempt to slow his motion.

Strangely, Naruto didn't feel the wind rushing through the roots of his hair or the exhilarating sensation of air pressure lashing against his skin from rapid descent. instead, there was nothingness, much like the depthless black void that cloaked his sight.

Naruto looked downward, a shiver haunting his nerves, the descent seemed endless. His blood seemed to curdle, bubbling with an anxious fear. His ocean blue eyes became frantic, dancing in the dark in search of precious details of his surroundings.

Cold sweat began to coat his body in disturbing moisture, his falling speed was steadily increasing. Though he continued to rocket downward, the world around him seemed to repeat, endlessly cycling his position, locking him in an eternal loss of control.

Naruto felt the cold, bony fingers of despair tracing down the grooves of his spine. Was this genjutsu? Choked by the sensation of the endless abyss Naruto's breath hitched, his fingers dug into his sweaty palms, scratching the surface of his skin. He crunched his eyes shut trying helplessly to shake away the maddening sensations.

Pushed to his mental limit of this merciless abyss, his senses hay-wired into the most natural expression of terror. He screamed. Naruto's anguish shook the shadowy world with sound, the depthless sky around him vibrated with the noise, the sound echoing all around him in a thick reverb.

Like assaulted glass, the darkness began to crack, breaking into parting shards that crumbled and shattered around Naruto. The world around him broke away and Naruto fell into a new void, watching as the previous world formed glowing white crystal-like fragments that floated away to the new lightless sky above.

Before comprehension could kick in, Naruto impacted a murky, brown sea. The water instantly drenched his body as he was helplessly plunged deeper. Panic overpowered every cell of his being. Naruto flailed desperately in the thick, dense water, uselessly kicking out his legs and scrambling his arms upward, reaching for the surface.

There was a painful tightening in his lungs, he forced his terrified blue eyes open only to feel them wince against the stinging sensation, they quickly turned bloodshot and sore from the water pressure as struggled to see anything in the dense, filthy water.

The oxygen was slowly being coaxed away from his body by this liquid prison, he watched as traitorous bubbles floated towards freedom while the weight of his drenched clothing suffocated his stamina as if tied down with bricks yet somehow, he made it to the surface.

A thick gasp tortured the silent air with its weight. Naruto coughed violently, hacking out the water in his lungs, his eyes still burning. Somehow, his shaky hands gripped to the tranquil waves of the unsteady brown sea and Naruto wasted no time in pulling himself up with all his strength.

Naruto's body laid on the water's surface, his chest heavily rising and falling, his mouth opened wide, greedily drinking in oxygen as if it were the sweetest of pleasures. He ached, resting upon the water as if it were solid ground while his legs remained dangling into the flowing waters below. The sensation so real that the liquid soaked his legs in a warm, disgusting texture that reminded him far too much of blood.

With a grunt of effort, Naruto hooked his right leg on to the surface, rolling onto his chest and hoisting himself into a crawling position on all fours. His body rejected the sudden movement, coughing out more of the swallowed water while he stared down at the moving brown currents beneath him through squinted eyes.

The darkness from above was reflected in the murky waves, the shadows looming above him like an approaching nightmare. Naruto's eyes strained closed, clasping together attempting to refuse the world around him. This couldn't be real.

Peeling his tightly closed eyelids apart, Naruto found that his surroundings remained unchanged. His only option was to move forward. With some hesitation, Naruto swung his head upward, the motion flowing in a controlled arc.

His vision scattered across the waves, crawling along them to meet the horizon. What he saw made him shuffle backward, falling on to his rear from his crawling position in disbelief. Rusted metal bars soared towards the sky, the impenetrable beams were matted with aged blacks and browns and decorated in thin layers of moss, all signs of their ceaseless vigilance.

No matter how far his eyes reached, Naruto was unable to find an end to the towering steel. A gulp snaked its way down his now dry throat. The feeling of being watched sent an unpleasant tingle down Naruto's back, his shoulders shuffling in response. Cautiously, he raised to a stand, feeling like prey to a hidden predator.

His eyes had stumbled upon was death. Naruto couldn't describe it in any other way. The presence ripped his soul away from his body, tearing it to mangled shreds. Colour left his skin. Any drop of false courage evaporated into turmoil.

Suddenly the metal bars didn't seem so secure.

A horrifying crimson eye bore into his existence, glowing a bloody red with the burning of tormented souls, its depthless black pupil stood out even amongst the shadows. The sight consumed Naruto's every thought.

He couldn't move. He couldn't even think. His mouth hung open in shameless fear, his eyes danced over the form of the nightmare that glared down at him and every thought in Naruto's mind prepared him for the possibility of dying.

Naruto jolted upright in his bed.

His sheets erupted into orange and white, the blankets floating harmlessly discarded across his dark bedroom. Naruto steadied himself in his upright position, his palms flat on his mattress as his shoulders heaved to normalize his heart rate.

Thin black rectangular shadows decorated his face in the darkness, his dark blue blinds casting them upon him thanks to the eerie moonlight. The rest of his room remained a sullen navy, though the air was calm, comforting even.

Naruto lifted the back of his hand to wipe his drenched forehead, his sunny blonde hair was marred with sweat, his clothes were also drenched, as if he really had fallen into a depthless ocean. A heavy, drawn out sigh spilled into the tranquillity of the room.

"...Just a nightmare..." He reassured himself in the darkness.

For good measure, Naruto turned his head slowly left to right, just in case. Relief fluttered through him, his shoulders sagging into relaxation. Bringing his fists upward, Naruto rubbed his dilated eyes, ridding his body of its needless adrenaline and shooing away the slight sting that nipped his tired eyes.

Naruto clambered out of bed, his bare feet slapping against the cool wooden flooring as he travelled towards the bathroom. His sleepy hand patted against the white tiled wall as he navigated the soothing dark of his apartment, his head hung low in a tired daze. Click.

The room flooded with light causing him to reflexively cover his still light sensitive blue eyes with his arm, a misty sigh polluted the bathroom with melancholy as he did. The sound of a twisting pipe bursting to life ended the silence, from it sprung the mellow pitter-patter of his shower.

The warm water seemed to melt away his troubles and he indulged in the pleasant feeling, massaging the knots in his shoulders and tending to his brilliant blonde locks with artistic care.

"Why always the same dream?" Naruto contemplated; his sullen, breathy voice lost in the soft steam that coated the room. His hand unconsciously travelled to his stomach, using a finger to trace the intimidating looking black seal that scorned his stomach.

"This thing seems like its really complicated..." He muttered while scratching at his scalp with sweet scented shampoo, "I've never seen a seal look anything like this. Not in books or anything." Naruto mumbled, lost in his shower thoughts.

"I'll ask Kakashi-sensei about it today." Naruto decided, lulling his head backward to enjoy the bliss of the warm water raining down his features.

"Reoccurring nightmares, huh?" Kakashi's eye narrowed slightly with concern though the action was well disguised as he placed a hand lazily at his chin, "I know how that feels." He said bitterly, watching as Naruto mistook the statement for reassurance.

"You do?" Naruto asked, blue eyes glimmering with an innocent hope.

"You could say so, something like that, anyway." Kakashi answered in his usual roundabout way of replying, giving his shoulders a casual shrug "You said you imagine a prison holding back a monster? What does the monster look like?" He probed, trying to make sense of Naruto's ramblings.

"I've already got a pretty good idea of what it may be. I'm sorry, Naruto. I won't be of much help with this." Kakashi sighed internally, something he'd mastered as a jounin at the young age of ten.

"The laws never made sense to me. I understand the Hokage's caution with Iwa, but even if they were to discover your heritage, attempting to harm our village's Jinchuriki would be asking for war." He mused, pushing aside the urge to frown with annoyance.

"Well..." Naruto dropped into a cross legged seating position on the lush green grass of the training grounds. The sky above was a usual lazy blue, painted with fluffy white clouds that blushed a soft gold in the early morning sun. The two sat under the shade of the treeline on the perimeter of the open field, the leaves shuffling in the gentle breeze causing golden sun-baked shadows to shift across their faces.

"It's got huge glowing red eyes and It's so tall that it's bigger than any building in Konoha!" Naruto tried, making animated hand gestures to scale its height, attempting to accurately convey the sheer terror of the beast to his teacher.

A shadow of realisation loomed in Kakashi's visible black eye, but he gave a nod of acknowledgement, "What else?" he encouraged.

"It has orange fur." Naruto described with a frown, deep in thought, "Except not the good kind of orange." He quickly added, looking up to Kakashi with a sheepish grin.

Kakashi's facial structure barely quivered, the slightest of twitches and the grinding of his teeth had escaped him as he realised his theory was correct, he had long since learned to mute his expressions.

"Kyuubi..." The name was associated with horror like screams, tears, anguish and the unforgettable silhouette of destruction that roared beneath the full moon. The ruined village, the countless dead and the grief that ground hearts into rubble to match their broken homes.

"Orange? Well, I wouldn't know of any monster like that." Kakashi forced a huff of amusement to compliment his guilty lie, "Are you sure it's not one of your own creations?" He asked, face settling into a one-eyed smile.

Kakashi was met with folded arms, a haughty expression on Naruto's face.

"This is the kind of expression you should be making, Naruto. I can only imagine it'll get worse from here as you unravel the truth." Kakashi grimaced under his mask a sadness sinking through his stomach.

"There's also this big black seal on my tummy. It always appears after the nightmares." Naruto lifted his shirt to demonstrate, "But in the morning it's gone, like this! It looks like a big swirl, like the one on the back of your jacket. I'm telling you Kakashi-sensei, I'm not making this up!" Naruto huffed, his sentences stringing together into defensive rambling.

"I'll have to tell Hokage-sama after all." Kakashi shuddered internally, the symptoms of a headache coming over him. He could feel it again, his shaky mental health almost willing him to pick up his book and drown out the outside world as he had so many times before.

"Is that so?" Kakashi's dry reply had Naruto looking indignant, "Are you perhaps interested in sealing Naruto?" The conversation skilfully switched direction and Kakashi's hand that had clasped the spine of his book snapped the item closed inside his weapon pouch.

"Huh? Well, I guess so. I like their patterns, something about them just seems to make sense." Naruto shrugged, not all that sure of himself, "I think they're kinda cool, I just dunno much about 'em." He said honestly, an embarrassed grin blessing his face.

"Well, I suppose that's something we can pick up next time. If you'd like that is." Kakashi shrugged, acting carefree. He watched as Naruto seemingly transitioned from concerned to ecstatic.

"Yeah! That'd be great, thanks Kakashi-sensei, you're the best!" Naruto replied, his naive attitude getting the better of him in his excitement, he wore a blinding grin, one that painfully reminded Kakashi of both Kushina and Minato at the same time.

His lips tightened into a thin line, Kakashi felt his trained heart sink, he knew of the law but even he couldn't stop himself from fidgeting uncomfortably where he sat.

"Sensei, I know this isn't what you would've wanted. This isn't what I want either. What would Rin do? What would Obito do?" The questions hovered at the surface of his thoughts, uncertainty plaguing him as it had many times before.

Naruto had since said his goodbyes to Kakashi, heading towards the academy. Glancing up at the pale white sun that charmed the sky, tinting the clouds with a light grey shadow, he realised that morning had only just began to cast its gentle light over the sleeping village that still rest in navy blue remnants of night.

From the corner of his eye, the proud, red Hokage tower beckoned to him. Naruto felt a smile tug at his lips. He had the time. Naruto changed his course, heading towards the office to visit his grandfather figure, Hiruzen.

The thought intruded his peaceful state, "Maybe Old Man Hokage will know more about these dreams, old people sleep a lot, right? If anyone understands dreams, it's gotta be them!" Naruto felt his mischievous grin warm his features.

"Oi, Old Man, are you here yet?" Naruto yelled with the gentle rap of his knuckles against the wooden door. It took only moments, Naruto watched as the door was opened by Hiruzen, a cheery smile greeting him.

"Ah, Naruto! What a pleasant surprise. It's good to see you're prepared so early for your classes." He offered, turning to the side and inviting Naruto into the room with a simple hand gesture.

"Well, I've been training with Kakashi-sensei today, that's why I gotta be up." Naruto grumbled, he'd forgotten the satisfaction that came with a long sleep in.
"Not that I've been getting much sleep anyways." He thought, the grumble just as audible in his thoughts.

"So, I hear. Tell me…" Hiruzen started, taking a seat behind his desk, "How is your training with Kakashi going? Does he make for a good instructor?" He asked, a caring smile still present on his face.

"Hm..." Naruto was seemingly thinking hard on the matter, " I'd say so, yeah. He takes his time to explain stuff differently to class at the academy. The stuff he teaches me seems way more useful!" He continued becoming surer of his answer as he spoke.

An embrace of laughter warmed the room, "Is that so? That's good to hear. I believe that Kakashi would be an even greater asset to the village he should he decide to pass on his brilliance to the younger generations." Hiruzen nodded, folding his arms together on the desk, his posture dignified and regal.

"Does that mean he won't be able to teach me anymore?" Naruto frowned, "I'll miss being able to hang out with Kakashi-sensei." He huffed, a little indignant. In their time together the two had gotten closer, Naruto had found himself idolizing Kakashi, he was a brilliant example of a powerful ninja that had managed to remain humble.

"Not necessarily. That would be at Kakashi's discretion. Who knows, you may even end up as his student, it will likely take me a few years just to convince him." Hiruzen replied, a chuckle of amusement following his words.

Naruto beamed up at the man seeing the humour in his words, "At first he didn't really seem to like it, but now Kakashi-sensei seems just as excited as I do!" He explained which somewhat surprised Hiruzen.

"Really? Well, isn't that quite something? I wouldn't have expected that type of behaviour from Kakashi." He nodded, laying back in his chair and relaxing into the conversation.

"But well, hey! Old Man, I wanted to ask you about something. Kakashi-sensei didn't know anything about it, he even thought I was making everything up. Though he did say he'll try to help me with learning some basic stuff with seals next time we train together. " Naruto rambled, his point getting lost among his words.

A laugh met Naruto's ears, "Slow down Naruto, what is it that you need of me?" Hiruzen questioned, earnestly gazing over at Naruto as he became flustered.

"It's sorta hard to explain." Naruto frowned, resting his hand under his chin trying to articulate the words in his mind before speaking, "Every other night I keep having this strange nightmare. Like, I'll fall, and I'll fall. It really feels like it's really happening!" Naruto animatedly explained with hand gestures, waving his arms to display falling.

"Then, I end up in this really, horrible water and there's these huge metal bars! They're even bigger than Konoha's walls!" He glanced up at Hiruzen to make sure he was listening before continuing, "Behind the bars is this giant red glowing eye in the dark…like it's a cage or something. it looked like the monster had orange fur but it's so dark that I can't be sure." Naruto did his best, hopefully looking over to Hiruzen for any signs of understanding.

He noticed an all too subtle movement, Hiruzen's expression seemed to flinch a fraction of an inch, just like Kakashi's had. It was too convenient. Naruto's eyes narrowed in thought but Hiruzen quickly caught on.

"That does sound rather frightening, doesn't it?" Hiruzen replied gently, holding his hand upon his chin, "Is that all that happens in the dreams, Naruto?" He asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.

"Well..." Naruto didn't know if it was worth mentioning, "Sometimes, like, uhh...I always take a shower when I wake up from a nightmare, right? Then there will be this big black seal on my stomach." He said, rubbing his tummy in circular patterns as if to illustrate his point.

"Can you remember what it looks like at all?" Hiruzen further interrogated. Naruto frowned, wondering what Hiruzen was looking for, if he wasn't mistaken it seemed as if Hiruzen understood what he was talking about, after all.

"I guess so, yeah, it looks kinda simple. Like a big spiral, y'know like the one on the back of Kakashi-sensei's jacket." Naruto explained, drawing a spiral with his finger tip in the air to illustrate the design.

"As I thought..." Hiruzen considered for a moment, "The night he was administered to the hospital after using the Kyuubi's chakra must be the cause of this. This is a troubling development." He thought, stroking his beard as if taking in Naruto's words to buy himself time to think.

"That would sound similar to the Uzumaki clan's logo that can be seen on the uniforms we wear in Konoha to signify our remembrance of the clan, yes." Hiruzen nodded with all the wisdom of a sage,
"I wonder if this is a sign of your heritage, perhaps sparking an interest in seals, the Uzumaki were known for their prowess in the art after all." Hiruzen offered, a smile returning to his features.

"My clan were?" Naruto's eyes seemed to light up with curiosity, "Do you know anything about them?" His words fell heavy, a desperate yearning attached to them, "My clan, or the seals they used?" His longing was met with a stern shake of Hiruzen's head.

"I'm afraid they were quite secretive of their knowledge as all shinobi clans tend to be. Not only that, the Uzumaki clan were isolated far from the reaches of Konoha. I'm afraid their mastery was sacrificed along with their lives in the great war." Hiruzen's eyes closed, mournful of such a tragedy.

"Oh..." Naruto's dejected reply tore the colour from the room, painting it a sorrowed grey,
"Well, what about my parents? If I was born in Konoha, someone's gotta know them, right?" Naruto bounced back, there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite place like an annoying itch that he just couldn't scratch.

A heavy sigh left Hiruzen and he reached for his pipe, indulging in the smoke that briefly enveloped the office to rid him of his stress.

"I'm afraid not Naruto, though it pains me that I cannot be of more assistance to you, I'm afraid I never had the pleasure of meeting your parents." Hiruzen's words were a calculated machine, "With the Uzumaki clan being completely eradicated in the war, there is no telling how many of them were lost. If either I or Kakashi learn anything more then we'll be sure to inform you." Hiruzen offered, hoping that after such a statement the matter would never rise again.

"Right..." Naruto muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "Something doesn't feel right. Old Man isn't acting like himself today. Kakashi-sensei seemed weird too. I guess ninja like them aren't asked about stuff like this? I guess it could be kinda hard to talk about." Naruto considered, unable to shake the strange feeling.

"Thanks for everything though, Old Man! I'd be super happy if you do manage to find out anything…y'know about my parents or family. I just...wonder what they looked like or if they were happy people." Naruto beamed, though the words stung at Hiruzen's guilty heart.

Hiruzen was a product of war. Overprotective or not, he would withhold the information that the Fourth Hokage, Minato, had a son for better or worse. He need not mention that Naruto was also the container of the Kyuubi. All in all, he made for an attractive prize. However, Hiruzen did not object to the idea that Naruto may stumble across his heritage, he had envisioned a meeting like this for many years now.

"Not a problem Naruto, now you run along to class! I won't have you blaming me for any lateness." Hiruzen chuckled, shooing Naruto out of his office with a playful gesture.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Naruto leapt out of his chair to his feet, dashing over to the door, "Cya later Old Man, I gotta go!" He yelled, barrelling out of the office, slamming it hurriedly behind him.

"Sasuke!" An excited voice called out to him.

"Oh? Making friends already, Sasuke?" Shisui asked with a mischievous smile, towering over Sasuke and leaning closer to his face hoping to get a rise out of the younger boy.

"Sort of. Morning, Naruto." To Sasuke's credit, he managed to bottle the annoying feelings of embarrassment and allowed Naruto to walk by his side.

"Wow Sasuke! I didn't realise you had two brothers." Naruto beamed, "I'm Naruto, what's your name?" He questioned with innocent curiosity though a confused frown dressed his face as Shisui stifled a laugh.

"I don't-" Sasuke started.

"I'm Shisui, Sasuke's eldest brother, nice to meet you Naruto. I hope you'll do your best in taking care of Sasuke for us." He interrupted, softly placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and letting out an amused chuckle, a satisfied smirk resting on his face as Sasuke's expression shifted to a humourless
scowl.

"That's awesome! No wonder Iruka thinks you'll be top of the class, Sasuke! You must get to train together all the time!" Naruto looked like a rocket ready to launch, he was positively brimming with excitement, bouncing alongside the Uchiha on the way to the academy.

"Sometimes we get to. I'll admit, it does help a lot." Sasuke smiled softly, his lips tugging upwards only slightly, a warm laugh could be heard from behind him.

"It's good to hear you're doing well in class, Sasuke." Itachi praised, nodding towards the gates of the academy, "The two of you should hurry inside before you're late." He said, lightly resting his hands on Sasuke's shoulders and gently guiding him towards the gate.

"I'll see you tonight, Sasuke, have a good day. If we're available, then perhaps Shisui and I can help you with a few things." Itachi smiled, a serene sight that only made Sasuke's smirk easier to maintain.

"I don't see why not; I have a few meetings today but other than I should be free to show Sasuke the strength of a true shinobi." Shisui grinned, getting under Sasuke's skin had become one of his favourite pass times.

"I told you, once I'm done with the academy then I will be a real shinobi!" Sasuke huffed, folding his arms in an indignant response. His reply was met by a carefree laugh and three shared smiles before Sasuke said his goodbyes, heading into the academy.

A twisting envy had gripped Naruto, "Family really is amazing, isn't it?" He realised, then hurriedly trailed after Sasuke, "Cya later, Sasuke's brothers!" He yelled, the two Uchiha left shaking their heads at his behaviour.

Iruka had a way of making information seem so dry in comparison to Kakashi's one-on-one teachings. The man was kind but was so factual, so straight to the point that it was an overload of information to someone like Naruto who struggled to sit still for longer than five minutes unless interested in something.

Somewhere along the way, despite his best efforts, Naruto had zoned out. He was lost, flipping through the text book to at least learn something from his day at the academy, even if it wasn't related to whatever it was Iruka was currently describing in painful amounts of detail. Naruto idly turned the page of the textbook, his hand resting on his cheek anchoring it lazily to his desk.

His eyes froze. Widening in terror for just a moment before the expression was expertly concealed yet understanding riddled him with dread as his eyes danced across the page. Unlike the common overly-wordy pages of the textbook, this full colour, double page presented a large image plastered across the two pages.

The Nine Tailed Fox.

Demonic red eyes illuminated the smoky blue night, the crimson glow hid any white of its eyes giving the colossal beast an unholy glare. Scorching fresh flames billowed at its feet, painting its blood matted orange fur with light from below and shadowing its menacingly arched back. Smouldering Smoke cowered, hugging its form and escaping to the sky to form thick black clouds. The fox was locked in a fearsome roar, declaring its dominance over mere mortal creatures to the heavens.

It was so eerily recognisable that Naruto could almost feel its breath against his face as he stared down at the image of the beast rampaging across Konoha.

"This is..." He suddenly flipped the page, devouring the information regarding the event on the next pages with ceaseless fervour. The night the Kyuubi attacked was the same day as his birthday. it was the night that the Fourth Hokage and his red-haired wife lost their lives defending the village along with many other shinobi. Naruto's wide eyes were glued to the page, information coiled around his mind, torturing him with realisations, he read over it several times.

'October 10th - The Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. In a single night, much of the village was decimated and as such the majority was reconstructed immediately after. The injury count of the night was too vast to be accurately recorded with a death count higher than any natural disaster to occur in the Fire Country.

During the event, both Lord Fourth - Namikaze Minato and Lord Third Sarutobi Hiruzen were crucial to repelling the might of the Kyuubi. After saving Konoha from a dense ball of black chakra, the Kyuubi disappeared along with Lord Fourth, it is at this time that many recounts of the night describe Namikaze Minato destroying the fox with the aid of his wife, Uzumaki Kushina. In several of these accounts it is stated that Lord Fourth- Namikaze Minato and his wife Uzumaki Kushina were forced to sacrifice their lives in order to protect the village.'

October 10th was his birthday. Dread dripped down his spine as his reality seemed to blur, his understanding wavering between trust and lies.

His palms felt clammy, a cold sweat threatening to consume his body. Naruto couldn't concentrate on the outside world around him, all he could hear was the quickening thud of his heartbeat sounding in his ears, he was overly aware of the awkward wet sounds his mouth made as he attempted to swallow.

"There's no way. There's absolutely no way that any of this could be the truth." Naruto's thoughts came as a guttural growl, his fist clenching on his desk, his nose wrinkling from the force of his frown.

"Old man, he wouldn't lie to me. Kakashi-sensei wouldn't lie to me. This book, it's gotta be filled with crap!" Denial raced across his features, he flipped the page in furious curiosity.
"Uzumaki Kushina is the first Uzumaki name I've learned, and she died on my birthday." He mused, the pieces of the puzzle aligning in his head. The next page consisted of information on Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage.

Spiky blonde hair, the exact same shade as his own. Blue eyes, too familiar to belong to a stranger and a wife that belonged to the Uzumaki clan. The two also died on his birthday, meaning he would've been made an orphan. Naruto stared down at the picture of Minato, at the picture of a man who could be his Father. He felt sick.

"Oi! Naruto, I said are you listening? Honestly, what are you like?" Iruka asked with a warm smile, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and snapping him from his stupor, "Don't worry, we'll be covering the Fourth Hokage next week. For now, let's try to get through some of this boring stuff, okay? It might appear on your exams." Iruka instructed with a kindness that shook away Naruto's inner struggle.

"...Right. Sorry Iruka-sensei." Naruto muttered sheepishly, his voice breathy to disguise a sigh of relief, "I guess I was kinda in a world of my own." He offered a grin of embarrassment.

Iruka returned to the blackboard, continuing his lecture and allowing Naruto to once again be isolated to his thoughts.

"It's a lot of stuff that could just be coincidence. I dunno. I can't go to Old Man or Kakashi-sensei about it. When I told them, they acted like they'd never seen anything like what I described but I even said it had orange fur, just like the nine tails! There's no way they could forget something like that." Naruto considered, a deep betrayal swelling at his every cell.

"I need to find out more. I don't wanna believe that they've been lying to me all this time, that's way too scary. If it is true...it makes me wonder what else I don't know about Konoha." He shivered. The thoughts burdened him and he forced himself to look up at the blackboard, to focus on anything else in the world other than these feelings, even if he had to resort to paying attention to Iruka.

From the corner of his eye, Naruto noticed he wasn't the only one that seemed troubled. To his right, Sasuke was glaring out of the window, the slight frown on his usually stoic face stood out like a flare in a midnight sky. To his left, Sakura's skin seemed a colourless white. Naruto sighed, resting his head on the desk.

Sakura gulped. It was the day she had been dreading.

"Alright class, settle down, good job on getting through that, I know it was a lot to take in." Iruka gestured, folding his arms over his chest, "As you know, today will be your entry level tests. This is just to gauge your current ability, there's nothing to worry about." Iruka smiled, looking over his enthusiastic students.

Sakura was not so nonchalant, "I had been hoping to pass the academy by just studying hard. I should've known there would be performance tests too." She despaired, rolling her eyes before glancing around the room, her rosy bangs following her as she turned.

"I don't wanna be embarrassed, but I've never had a fight in my life!" Her troubled green eyes continued to wander, "What are people going to think of me if I get the worst scores?" Sakura felt an anxiousness begin to choke her breath away, she'd been bullied about small things in the past, the last thing she wanted was to give people a reason for it to happen again.

"Now, let's go. First, we'll be examining taijutsu in the courtyard. Follow me." Iruka ushered, waving his hand for them to leave the class with him as their lead.

Sakura paled, swallowing hard before she was unable to delay it any longer. She stood, "I really should've practiced or something! It's just, I've always been much better with books than physical tests..." Sakura justified, dragging her feet a little and ending up near the back of the line.

The students were all stood in a horizontal line, shuffling and fidgeting in place, waiting for Iruka to begin their tests. the courtyard shared the same smoothed over dirt floor as the main streets of Konoha with a simple, forest green metal fence surrounding the perimeter. Trees whistled in the wind from the outskirts of the yard, the soothing sun ready to spectate the student's performance casting thick, black, mid-day shadows beneath them.

"Alright. First up!" Iruka gestured, looking over the nervous looking students, "Hm, let's see now..." His pointer finger tapped against his cheek while he held his chin in thought, until his dark brown eyes fell over Naruto who stood with his hands in his pockets, looking away from him in a way that mimicked Kakashi far too closely.

"Uzumaki Naruto, and..." Again, he surveyed the students, "Uchiha Sasuke." Iruka decided, watching as the two marched over to the centre of the grounds, Sasuke rolling his shoulders as he did.

Iruka was pleasantly surprised to see the two boys form a one-handed seal while facing each other, smirks of amusement on their face.

"Everyone, pay attention. The sign these two are making is known as the Seal of Confrontation. It's made with your dominant hand and used to show your willingness to fight. The seal signifies the first half of making a technique with both hands, it's the correct etiquette for duelling amongst comrades." Iruka lectured, giving his head a stern nod.

"Alright, if you're ready, then, begin!" Iruka ordered.

Sasuke kicked off his right foot, dust biting at his retreating ankle as he launched himself towards Naruto on the offensive. Naruto settled into a cautious guard determinately holding his ground, causing the two to instantly became locked in an exchange of blows in the centre of the courtyard. The student crowd gasped; eyes suddenly glued to the display.

"Hn." Sasuke's smirk met Naruto's mischievous grin.

Naruto ducked under a left-handed strike thrown by Sasuke, then shifted, his stance mimicking boxing as he launched a series of five rocket powered punches as a counter attack. Left, right, left, right, Sasuke avoided four of the blows with just his agility.

The fifth punch proved too much; Naruto's left fist clattered against Sasuke's right cheek sending him spinning backwards in place. Sasuke's body travelled with the momentum of the heavy hit, continuing to spin only to then lash out with a reverse back handed strike with his left hand, aiming for Naruto's jawline.

Naruto's eyes widened, surprised by Sasuke's quick recovery, he winced as the unorthodox counter caught him across the face, the force momentarily scrambling his vision. Naruto gasped, forcing himself to shake off the previous vicious blow but was barely able to bring his right wrist up in time to block Sasuke's powerful left footed round house kick that thundered against his arm.

Sasuke smirked. His left foot clapped against Naruto's arm and he used it as a platform, jumping and twisting his body into an acrobatic flip. He barrel-rolled, spinning into a right footed heel kick that hammered down, aiming for Naruto's left shoulder.

Startled, Naruto leapt backwards dodging the lethal kick and gaining ground; his blue eyes had flickered as quickly as they could manage but Naruto was unable to follow Sasuke's movements well enough to counter. Naruto found himself forced to hastily throw up his guard as Sasuke was upon him again, closing the distance in mere seconds.

Sasuke slugged Naruto with a ferocious punch to his right sided ribs, watching as Naruto growled in pain. Naruto Staggered backwards, his sandals crunching against the dirt floor as he back pedalled, focusing on keeping his arms held up in place, even as he wobbled backwards on the defensive.

A piercing pain shot through Naruto's exposed left ribs as Sasuke's right knee speared into him. He continued to lose ground, grunting and grimacing from the continued assault. Before Naruto could recompose himself, a punishing scissor kick from Sasuke decimated his 'x' shaped arms and he felt them separate under the weight of the consistent abuse. Naruto stumbled, trying to collect himself but his vision was only met with Sasuke's merciless fist.

Suddenly caught off guard, Sasuke watched as Naruto quickly ducked under his strike, stepping inside his guard, his body thrown off balance by the new close quarters. Naruto threw a devastating uppercut, the punch violently impacted Sasuke's chin, the sheer force of it propelled Sasuke back a few steps, it had carried Naruto's body weight behind it and had struck his jaw like a battering ram.

Fighting off the stars in his eyes, Sasuke shook his head. This time he was pushed into defending, his intercepting fist worked to counter punch after punch and this only seemed to frustrate Naruto. Sasuke calculated parrying hit after hit only to have Naruto suddenly crack at his stomach with an unexpected kick after using only his fists for the entire fight.

Naruto leapt on the opportunity, following the kick to Sasuke's body with a second shot at the same location. Sasuke huffed with amusement as the sound of Naruto grunting in annoyance met his ears, Sasuke had gracefully slipped backwards, easily evading the kick. His dark eyes widened, watching as Naruto jumped into a spontaneous drop kick, hoping the extended range was enough to catch his opponent off guard.

Despite falling to his back, Naruto's kick sailed harmlessly just out range. Before he could jump to his feet, Naruto rolled to the right just in time to watch Sasuke's fist smash into the floor where his head had previously been. Using his roll, Naruto sprung into a handstand, then twisted his body as Sasuke raced over to him. Naruto landed on his feet just in time for Sasuke drawing near, warding him off with a quick left handed jab.

He felt Sasuke ensnare his outstretched arm with both hands, "Woah!" He let out in surprise as Sasuke pulled him close, he felt two powerful kicks crash against his right side then Sasuke released his grip on Naruto's arm as his third kick struck sending Naruto twirling through the air in recoil.

The student crowd watched in silent awe, their mouths hung open as if resting on broken hinges, none of them were willing to speak in case they missed a single moment of the fight that was currently taking place. They watched on. Naruto rolled along the floor to absorb the momentum from the fierce barrage of kicks only to pounce up again, combating Sasuke on equal terms an instant later.

"Could I really move like this?!" Sakura's eyes shimmered with disbelief, a shiver ran through her,
"The movements all seem so beautiful...sure I would expect trained shinobi to move like this but not people my age! Forget the books, I need to train a lot harder from now on!" She was completely overwhelmed with inspiration.

Meanwhile, Sasuke violently kicked towards Naruto's left thigh, then his body gracefully pivoted as soon as he felt the kick sail through the air. Sasuke's gave a second attempt, striking out again with his favoured right leg but Naruto's body twisted expertly to avoid yet another blow.

Suddenly, Sasuke shifted momentum, flipping over Naruto. Naruto's eyes raced in realisation, following Sasuke as he sailed over head. Naruto didn't hesitate. He threw his hands up, blocking Sasuke's right legged kick that struck down from above while Sasuke was mid-air.

Sasuke was prepared to follow up with his left leg when his eyes widened in shock, his balance stolen from him when he felt Naruto wrench him from the sky, grabbing him from behind his left knee and throwing him across the courtyard. Sasuke landed elegantly, flipping into a backwards hand spring putting some distance between the two of them. He stared at Naruto with anticipation from across the yard.

Naruto grinned, ignoring the cheering crowd to his left, there were moments of silence, the suspense settling for moments that felt like years. Naruto roared out a battle cry, charging Sasuke. Naruto favoured his fists, throwing a barrage of punches that were all met with Sasuke's hastily formed parries. Naruto suddenly slid to the ground, aiming to sweep out Sasuke's legs.

Sasuke's black eyes blinked as the blonde dipped out of view, though thanks to his trained reactions, he easily flipped over the attack with a cartwheel and countered as Naruto scrambled back to his feet to face him.

Kicks danced around Naruto from all sides, Sasuke was clearly the more agile of the two and he continued to acrobatically pressure Naruto from all sides, even going as far to attack from the air and at Naruto's feet.

Naruto's body was beginning to sting from guarding of the attacks, his teeth gritting as he maintained his defences. Sasuke attempted to flip around him but Naruto seized him by his shirt, shutting him down swinging him back into plain sight. With his hold on Sasuke, Naruto buried his right hand deep within his ribs, condensing the blunt force of a homing missile into his opponent's stomach, knocking the wind clean out of Sasuke.

Another vicious punch came and Sasuke barely managed to evade while gasping hungrily for air, he still caught some of the strike against his left shoulder. The impact of the hit caused his usually pristine footwork to become sloppy as he staggered backward.

Before his stumble could be capitalized upon, Sasuke leant forward. His hands were planted on the dirt ground and he used the new pose to launch out several kicks, rotating his palms against the floor to reposition, his body orchestrating a graceful gymnastic taijutsu.

The sound of limbs clapping against one another continued throughout the courtyard, the two of them panting heavily as they struggled to keep up with their gruelling bout. They charged at one another, fists cocked back in anticipation.

Their fists struck true, colliding into each other's cheek and sending them barrelling away from one another, skidding backwards. The two slid into a crouching position to slow the momentum, looking up with amused yet exhausted expressions.

"Alright! I think it's safe to call this match a draw!" Iruka yelled a beaming grin of pride on his face, his back to the crowd of students.

Iruka turned to face the cheering crowd, scratching the back of his head in uncertainty. The students were staring out at the courtyard turned battlefield, admiration in their eyes.

"So, uh...who wants to go next?" Iruka tried, a nervous laugh escaping him.

"That was so cool!" A civilian boy erupted, dismissing the question entirely.

"We're gunna get to learn how to do that?" Another yelled in disbelief.

"Hey, Sensei! I wanna learn to fight like that too!" An enthusiastic girl bellowed with excitement.

Sakura remained silent, her head sinking lower into her dress like a turtle withdrawing into its shell. She tuned out the class, staring at Sasuke, her hands cupped together in front of her chest from the excitement of the fight.

"I'll get better at taijutsu no matter what." She promised herself, nodding to seal the deal, "But right now I'll look stupid compared to that!" Sakura gulped wanting to hide away from the world.

"Oh! We have a volunteer, Haruno Sakura and hm... let's see..." Iruka announced causing Sakura to shy up, mortified, her spring green eyes widening at hearing her name called.

"W-wait? Me?" She yelled incredulously, "...I don't think I'll be any good. I've never practiced anything like this!" Sakura argued defensively, covering her body with her arms trying to disappear.

"You'll be fine Sakura, stop complaining! You've got this!" Ino interrupted, patting her on the back in an accidently heavy-handed manner, "I'm rooting for you!" She cheered with a lovable grin.

Sakura hadn't even heard the name Iruka had declared as her opponent. In the centre of the courtyard she nervously presented her Seal of Confrontation to the shaggy looking brunette that stood in front of her. He looked just as hesitant.

"Sensei...I really don't wanna hit a girl. This isn't fair. Can't I fight another boy?" He whined, looking to Iruka with pleading brown eyes.

"Are you saying that Sakura isn't a worthy opponent for you?" Iruka asked, his hands on his hips,
"You should never underestimate a kunoichi." Iruka warned sternly, folding his arms over his chest with a frown, hoping to appear authoritative.

"Wait, you don't wanna fight me just cause I'm a girl?" Sakura questioned, her eyes narrowing at the boy. A fire had been lit, a deep scowl laced her brows together and her fist was raised in anger.

"Hey...that's not what I sa-"

"Begin!" Iruka declared, leaping out of the way and leaving the boy to fend for himself.

"I'll teach you to look down on me!" She roared, hammering away at the boy's arms that were held up defensively. Sakura's punches lacked any real strength or technique and the crowd shared a carefree laugh as the boy continued to mutter apologies from behind his arms.

Even Naruto and Sasuke shared a huff of amusement as they made their way back into the line.

"What do you say class, there's a clear winner right?" Iruka laughed, a cheery expression on his face.

"Yeah!"

"Go Sakura!"

"You've got him beat!"

They hollered in response. Iruka shook his head. It was days like these that made his life as a teacher so precious. He raised his hand in the air, noting that he'd have to give the poor boy a chance against someone he felt more comfortable with.

"Winner, Haruno Sakura!" He bellowed and the yard exploded with cheering and laughter.

Sakura's anger fizzled away, she pointed to herself in confusion, "Who, me?" She asked innocently, it was clear that Sakura had zoned out, losing herself to her anger while thumping away at the poor boy.

"I'm just glad that's over..." The civilian boy grumbled, shuffling back to the line as inconspicuously as he could manage.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, a light smile settling on his face. He was content.

"Maybe I'll tell Itachi about my fight with Naruto." Sasuke's excitement crept over him at the chance to seek his brother's acknowledgement.
"Hopefully I get to practice with him and Shisui again tonight, I won't settle for a draw next time." There was a determined melody to his thoughts as he remained blissfully unaware of the inner workings of the Uchiha clan.

In stark contrast to the carefree academy, the room Shisui found himself in was burdened with the whispers of forbidden politics. He knelt low, suited in his ANBU attire in a room surrounded by the commanding forces of Konoha.

"You wished to speak with us, Uchiha Shisui?" The cold tone was unfamiliar from Hiruzen, "With such a meeting being held, I'd imagine the circumstances have become dire." Hiruzen started the meeting, bypassing any unnecessary small talk.

Shisui nodded his head, the motion was slow, as if the weight of the world was crashing against his shoulders.

"Then how are we to proceed from here?" Hiruzen bluntly questioned, a concerned expression cemented on his features.

"The rest of the clan fail to see reason..." Shisui looked up, the shadows of his mask darkening his eyes, "They've lost themselves to their pride, arrogance and their ambition. I can only think of three ways to stop the coup, even after my time working as a double agent." He stated, the burden of his weary mind hanging on his every word.

"Continue." Hiruzen ordered before smoking, a brow raising in curiosity.

"The first would be a formal meeting with the Uchiha clan and the other clan heads, as well as yourselves. The Uchiha believe that they, as a founding clan of Konoha shouldn't be sheltered in a clan compound. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that my clan look down on the other clans here in Konoha. The Uchiha were integral to the creation of Konoha, after all. The only way to appease their beliefs on this would be to formally state it and allow the Uchiha to held above the other clans." Shisui explained, carefully gauging the reactions of his audience.

"Something like that would no doubt cause unrest among all other clans within the village, favouring one clan wouldn't be wise. The Senju clan are sadly no longer with us with the exception being my pupil Tsunade however they too would likely share a compound in our modern-day society." Hiruzen reasoned.

"They too were founding fathers of this village, but this is a place in which all are to be treated as equal as possible. I am not foolish enough to be blissfully ignorant of disparities among Konoha's inhabitants, the Uchiha suffering from the accusations of the nine tails attack being one of those cases." Hiruzen sagely nodded, urging Shisui to carry on.

"Secondly...I intended to use the powers of the Mangekyou Sharingan against the leaders of the clan. The elders along with the clan head will be present in a meeting next week, I would use that time to take the stage, using my eyes to cast a powerful genjutsu in order to have them change their ways." Shisui's steely expression met the surprise of the room, his determination unmoving.

"Mangekyou Sharingan?" Hiruzen repeated, requesting further information.

"It's an evolutionary state of the Sharingan, with it, further prowess is unlocked. It can't be matched by the regular Sharingan." Shisui boasted the capabilities of his eyes, hoping to lure in the members of the room.

The sound of Hiruzen's pipe being set down broke the silence, "Show me. Forgive my reservations of disbelief but this ability seems much too convenient given our situation." Hiruzen ordered, a hardened expression dressing his face.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Then please, turn your eyes away from my line of sight. Much like the Sharingan, the powers of the Mangekyou Sharingan rely heavily on eye contact. I won't allow my loyalty to Konoha to be questioned." Shisui requested and the participants of the meeting shared hesitation before granting a nod of approval, their eyes focused on various areas of the room.

A shiver of deception snaked along Shisui's spine.

"This has gone smoother than I could've hoped. My genjutsu doesn't require eye contact and unlike regular genjutsu it won't affect the senses but the mind directly. A person won't even realise that it has been cast on them." Shisui removed his mask with bated breath.

His crimson eyes span, the three black tomoe forming together in unison, a unique magatama forming an inky black pattern in his eyes similar to a shuriken. Shisui slowly faced his eyes to the floor allowing the rest of the room to examine his eyes.

"With these eyes, I'm able to cast a powerful genjutsu, its name is..." Shisui felt a moment of uncertainty grip him before he crushed it, imprisoning it in the depths of his being.

"Kotoamatsukami."Shisui finally uttered.

"Before it comes to that though, I want to avoid turning on my own clan if possible. My third and final idea was that..." Shisui looked upward, his eyes back to their standard black, "That you please allow me to become the Fifth Hokage!" He announced with unwavering certainty.

The silence was broken by gasps.

"That is certainly a bold request, especially for an Uchiha. I admit, I am at least open to entertain the idea due to the strength you've displayed during your career. Such a thing is a requisite for becoming Hokage. Leading Konoha requires a silent demand of respect from our rivals. An Uchiha in name alone fills most of these roles, that and your loyalty remains unquestionable." Danzo summarised his thoughts then narrowed his exposed left eye.

"However, what makes you more eligible than the clan head of the Uchiha? To place you as Hokage would no doubt sow further seeds of unrest. The Uchiha will stumble into a state of civil war with yourself and Uchiha Fugaku as the leading parties and Konoha would pay the price of these transgressions." Danzo systematically picked apart the idea though crossed his arms, waiting to hear Shisui's response.

"I had thought of that. I would explain to the clan that Uchiha Fugaku is the rightful clan head and as such should continue to lead the clan. With me becoming Hokage I'd argue that we would be able to strengthen our ties and political impact on Konoha without causing disturbance. That, and the other clan heads likely wouldn't approve of another clan head suddenly being ushered in as Hokage even if Fugaku was a likely candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage." Shisui shot back, looking to Hiruzen in order to seek reinforcement.

"Hm...I think you would make an excellent Hokage Shisui, as far as I can remember, Uchiha Madara was said to become Second Hokage before Tobirama-sensei was granted the position in his stead. Perhaps the time has come to finally instate an Uchiha as is long deserved. Having an Uchiha that is willing to put Konoha before even their own blood eases my troubled heart." Hiruzen spoke, eyeing Shisui with a dry seriousness, he had learned that choosing a successor was no easy task.

Something urged him on, a feeling, a sensation, perhaps the will of fire itself?

"I would be prepared to accept you as the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Shisui." Hiruzen announced boldly, earning the hardened gaze of his advisers.

"At this point in time I am uncertain. I will rest my better judgment on one condition." Danzo's voice pierced the room, an authority in his tone as he offered the ultimatum.

"That's to be expected, what is your condition?" Shisui asked, standing to full height.

"We are to be your advisors, from the shadows if necessary. The previous Hokage was a talented shinobi, as are you." Danzo began, "However." His eye narrowed into a dangerous glare, "Namikaze Minato died much too young. He died a hero due to unnatural circumstance, yet, Minato failed to realise his value to Konoha." His cynical words were unchallenged.

"Minato was Konoha's greatest resource whether he chose to accept it or not. As Hokage, you will become a priceless piece of the puzzle, the most capable and valued member of our village. Senseless sacrifice and heroism are not a Hokage's task and many lives will be valued less than your own. To become a leader is to acknowledge these facts and inspire the inhabitants of Konoha to excel where you cannot, to drive forward past wrong and right with the single ambition of benefitting Konoha. We will be your guides along this path." Danzo lectured, his obsessive patriotism as inspiring as it was unnerving.

"I accept." Shisui bowed his head slightly in a show of respect, "Your wisdom is more than welcome, and I would appreciate your insight as well, Hokage-sama." Shisui turned to Hiruzen who nodded in return before letting out a chuckle.

"I suppose from now on it shall once again be Lord Third." Hiruzen clapped his hands together merrily, "Let us start preparations tomorrow. For now, you should spread the good word to the members of the Uchiha clan, perhaps the seeds of harmony may flourish into a tree of prosperity." He boomed, his spirits clearly uplifted.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Shisui bowed low, he pushed down his guilt, accepting the circumstances that he had carefully orchestrated, "Thank you for your approval, elders." He bowed once again to Danzo, Homura and Koharu.

"An interesting development has occurred." a raspy voice spoke, its melody sinking into the darkness of an eerie cave located on the outskirts of Konoha's forests.

"And what may that be?" Came the deep reply.

"Uchiha Shisui will be the Fifth Hokage starting from tomorrow." The strange man stated, half of his body submerged in the ground.

"Unexpected." The man paced to the exit of the cave, setting his sights on the proud walls of Konoha, "I suppose we must adjust. I wouldn't have expected something like this, I suppose I have to give Konoha more credit." The man mused his low tone grumbling through the depths of the cave.

"Actually, it would seem as if Shisui used the powers of his Mangekyou Sharingan during his explanation of his abilities. He has deceived the elders of the village. A genjutsu cast with the Sharingan that doesn't require eye contact is a frightening thing." The raspy voice explained.

"Even you'll have to watch out for something like that!" An overly enthusiastic voice took over, the two sides of the strange plant like man having contrasting personalities.

"It's not a matter of concern. For now, stay here. I think I'll greet the new Hokage to congratulate his achievements." The words were dry, laced with a hint of humour, a smile hidden beneath a swirling orange mask.

Hey! Sorry about the delay on this one, I've been scratching my head over the details and pacing trying to make this story as best as I can and as such the release of this chapter took a while. To be honest, most of this chapter was done for the longest time, it came down to simply re-arranging and rewording which really struggles to hold my attention at times.

I would love to hear what you think of this chapter, especially the fight scene and the hopefully shocking reveal at the end! As always thank you for all of your support!

-MM