Drop Your Mask

Chapter One: Sarutobi's Order

Author's Note: Just another story idea that I am posting the first chapter of, may or may not continue it, because I do want to do Corrupted Realities before anything else, and get it finished, which is probably going to take me a year to do, and then I have The Chronicles, which is something I want to have all done in about a year and a half. Well, without further a due, Drop Your Mask, Chapter One: Sarutobi's Order.

Sitting in Sarutobi's office, Naruto was very nervous. Only two hours ago, Naruto had stolen the Forbidden Scroll, containing the most dangerous, difficult, secret jutsu of Konoha. He had seen through Mizuki's half-assed deception, but playing the part of a fool, Naruto had taken the scroll anyway, actually hoping to learn something from it.

And he had, but the shadow clone jutsu was not what Naruto had wanted to learn, he had been hoping to try and learn several elemental jutsu, which proved to be pointless as Naruto couldn't even form elemental chakra. But seeing the huge opportunity before him, Naruto had done something.

*Flashback*

Settling down into the clearing with the Forbidden Scroll, Naruto unrolled the scroll, revealing dozens of jutsu, from destructive elemental jutsu, down to forbidden healing jutsu. Naruto knew what he had before him, the best chance for him to become a ninja without the academy, copy down all of the jutsu that interested him onto a separate scroll, and keep it very hidden, as this was way beyond stealing it, copying it would get him in jail for sure, even if Naruto begged that he thought it was part of the secret way to pass, he was told to learn a jutsu, not copy down several jutsu from the scroll.

Within twenty minutes, Naruto had finished copying down the description of how to control lightning chakra, and copied seven lightning jutsu down, because lightning was the coolest choice for jutsu to Naruto. As well as that, Naruto copied down how to do something called "Tree Walking" and "Water Walking," simply because it would be cool to walk on walls, or walk over water.

Looking back at the scroll, Naruto saw "Shadow Clone Jutsu." 'Well I might as well learn this if I can't do normal clones.'

*Flashback End*

Sarutobi sighed a s he looked at Naruto, a very faraway look in his eyes, before he focused back in on Naruto, "Naruto, I am going to be frank with you here. Since you succeeded in stopping a B rank traitor from departing the village with the scroll of all of the forbidden techniques of Konoha, Iruka saw fit to grant you status as a genin of Konoha, which I also see fit. But I also know that you did know that what you were doing wasn't some super-secret way to pass the academy, and I know that you did not only learn the shadow clone jutsu from the scroll, I know that you copied down several things from the scroll. I need to see what it was that you copied down, now."

"I didn't copy-" Naruto began to splutter.

"Do not try my patience here Naruto, I know you copied down things from the scroll, and you will show me all that you copied down right now. That's an order." Sarutobi had a 'no-bull-shit' attitude, completely dead serious, somewhat startling Naruto; from the friendly, grandfatherly figure he had seen previously when Sarutobi would visit him.

"Al- alright." Naruto reached inside his orange jumpsuit, reaching into a hidden inside pocket to pull out the scroll he had used to copy things down onto. Tentatively, Naruto held it across Sarutobi's desk, "Here, I didn't take anything that seemed too important I swear!"

Taking the scroll, Sarutobi unrolled it in front of him, spreading it out all the way open. 'Hmm, the lightning style basic practice, two E-level lightning jutsu, a D-level, three C-level and a high B one too. Well I guess since that none of these are forbidden knowledge, it is okay, as well as tree walking and water walking, which should also be okay.'

Rolling the scroll back up, Sarutobi held it back across the desk to Naruto, "These are okay, nothing is forbidden knowledge, it seems that while you could not resist taking some things, you didn't take anything too big, which kind of brings me to the next matter I would like to talk to you about Naruto."

Taking a deep breath, Sarutobi looked at Naruto's relief filled eyes, as Naruto realized he wasn't being punished for copying from the scroll. Exhaling slowly, Sarutobi began, "As a ninja of Konoha, I need you to be using all of your full potential, so I need you to do something that may be very difficult for you to do Naruto. I am going to need you to drop your mask."

Faltering for a second, Naruto got nervous again, "I- I do not know what you mean Jiji, I don't have-" Naruto was cut off as Sarutobi spoke all business again, "Naruto, you know what I am talking about. You can't live behind a false you, pretending to be a class clown, an idiot. You are a one of a kind genius Naruto, and I know it. You do not have to be a prankster, a loud mouth or a joker to gain people's attention; you can earn it by your hard work, as people recognize you for your work."

A swift change went across Naruto's face as he did drop his mask, his eyes furrowing and a frown forming on his face, "It is not that I hide myself to gain attention Hokage-sama, it is because I am afraid that if villagers saw me as a genius, beyond what they can imagine, that they would not ignore me, but jump to the conclusion that the Kyuubi was influencing my mind, or just controlling me for me to be as smart as I am."

Sarutobi nodded, "Yes but be that as it may Naruto, from now on, as an official ninja of Konoha, you are allowed to strike a civilian if they strike you first in an unprovoked assault. No more of those hurting you in a drunken rage being tossed in jail for ten days, you would be allowed to hit them back, and wouldn't be punished for fighting back like a civilian would be for hitting another civilian back."

Naruto smiled, a true smile on his face, holding no hate, revenge, or sadism, but only what could be described as though someone had lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders for the first time.

Seeing the huge smile stretch across Naruto's face, Sarutobi misinterpreted it, quickly speaking again, "But that does not in any way mean that you can hit a civilian unprovoked, or with excessive force Naruto."

Sensing Sarutobi's concern, Naruto assured him, "No, I smiling because now I do not have to wear this fucking hideous god-forsaken orange jumpsuit anymore! The last time I tried to wear normal clothes I got beat to hell because the drunken fools could see that I had some decent muscle tone, and beat me up for that too, no letting the demon brat get stronger right? So I have had to wear this god awful jumpsuit to cover up my muscle, and it had to be bright orange so it fit in with my mask."

Sarutobi frowned, genuine sadness on his face as he looked at Naruto with a tear in his eye, "I am sorry Naruto, so sorry for how you have been treated, ignored, overpriced, thrown out, even beat up at least once a year on your birthday. Even with all the Anbu detail that I have assigned you, almost all of them would never see a thing."

"Don't worry Jiji, I have never blamed you for not trying, because I know how much you have tried to do for me, and I am grateful because you are the only person that has ever helped me." Naruto smiled at Sarutobi, another true, genuine smile that warmed his heart to see Naruto smile a real smile, not a fake one that he had seen for the last nine years since Naruto stopped smiling.

Sarutobi smiled, "I wouldn't say I am the only one to help you Naruto, Kakashi was one of the Anbu who would watch out for you, and when he was on watch over you, nothing ever happened to you for the four hours he was on duty. And your large stipend comes mostly from Jiraiya of the Sannin, the sensei and student of the Yondaime Hokage have taken care of you as much as they could, for what he had to do to you thirteen years ago."

Solemnly, Naruto nodded, "Then please thank them for me Jiji, I always thought you were the only one who ever did anything for me, except for Iruka-sensei."

"Naruto, there are thousands of people here that owe you their lives for holding back the Kyuubi in you every day." Sarutobi stood, and walked around to where Naruto sat, where he wrapped his arms around Naruto in an embrace, speaking into his ear, "Good night Naruto, be at the academy tomorrow at ten AM for team assignments, and do not forget, even tomorrow, I need you to drop your mask, be yourself, because your sensei is going to need to know the real you, not a fake trouble making dead last slacker okay?"

Pulling away from Sarutobi's embrace, Naruto spoke, "Yeah I will Jiji, even If it will be different not being someone else for once, but I cannot wait to just finally be able to go full out and show everyone how good I really am, even show myself how good I am."

*Twenty Two Minutes Later*

Walking around the corner towards his apartment building, Naruto heard too late, the sound of a group of drunks hanging around the entrance to his apartment. 'Never can just have a nice day can I?'

A large fat man with an ugly goatee and mid back length light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail saw Naruto first, "Ahhh look at who it is guys! Iss the Kyuubi brat lookin' all high an' mighty tonight!" The heavy slur in his voice was matched in all five of the others' voices, all sex very clearly wasted out of their minds.

At once, they all started to run at Naruto, and out of reflex, Naruto had taken ten steps running back before he stopped. 'I do not have to take this crap anymore, fuck these drunken bastards, I am going to show them I am not some weak little boy for them to beat up because they need to vent.'

Planting his foot, Naruto pivoted back to turn back towards the group of drunks, the fat one leading the way as Naruto planted his foot, and launched himself at him, his right fist smashing into his throat with all of the force Naruto could put behind it.

The man fell to the ground clutching at his throat, as Naruto smoothly rolled over him, dropping low as he stopped, sweeping his leg out and tripping one other guy over, hearing the satisfying crack as the back of his head smacked the road. Rolling right to avoid one man's clumsy kick, Naruto grabbed the leg and continued rolling, pulling the man over, letting go as the man got launched into the air, sailing six feet before he landed face first onto the road, probably chipping teeth as he bit the road hard.

The fourth man launched a punch at Naruto's face when he tried to stand, which Naruto deflected to the left with his right hand, then bringing his right elbow up to the man's face, smashing in his nose as Naruto heard the cartilage break with a "crunch."

The last two guys had been standing back from the fight, believing that four full grown men were more than enough for the Kyuubi brat, as it had always been when they ambushed him as he tried to get to his apartment. Seeing their friends all lay out on the street, all groaning in pair, the two both felt fear as their drunken minds quickly both same to one conclusion.

"It- it is the DEMON! It has finally come for us! RUN Imako, forget THIS, I am GETTING AWAY FROM HERE!" One man turned and ran away, running down the street, as his friend "Imako" just stood there.

Sensing that the man was frozen in terror, at the "Kyuubi" coming back, Naruto got an evil idea. Pushing a slight amount of chakra towards his throat, Naruto let out a demonic sounding growl, as the chakra amplified the sound, sounding as if a giant beast had roared, not a thirteen year old boy. Now Naruto could see the wet spot in his pants as Imako pissed himself, before running away, screaming in terror, "THE DEMON IS BACK!" Over and over as he ran he screamed, much to Naruto's amusement.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" Naruto couldn't help but laugh out loud at that, before looking back at the four men that lie groaning on the road. 'Eh, whatever, not like they exactly would have helped me out.'

Ignoring them, Naruto instead walked up his stairs to his apartment, opening the door to his apartment, Naruto looked around at the apartment. 'Ramen cup covered floor, ramen cup covered couch, ramen covered counter, ramen cup covered stove, yep, I really wish I could eat something other than damn ramen.'