Protector's pride

SUMMARY: Naruto Uzumaki fought to save his precious people from harm. But he took things seriously very late. This is what happens when the death of one of his precious persons instigate the change in him earlier. This will be an au but will follow cannon pretty closely pairings undecided as of yet.

PROLOGUE: DEATH OF A FRIEND

Naruto watched in horror as the large projectile headed towards him with great speed, he knew he should move but learning the two techniques as well as copying the cool jutsus had taken a lot out of him.

'So this is where the story of Naruto Uzumaki ends, the great nine tailed fox dies here in this forest powerless.'

Naruto was ready to die knowing he wouldn't be missed if any the village will celebrate his death. But he was wrong his journey wasn't to be finished the death god wanted a different soul one very precious to the blond shinobi wannabe.

Naruto was even more shocked when the shuriken didn't sever his head from the body rather his body was engulfed in a warm hug. "Iruka Sensei…why?" the words escaped his mouth barely more than a whisper.

"Well I could let my...cough...cough...little brother die can I?" Iruka tried to reply merrily even as blood dripped form his mouth on to Naruto. His eyes were already darkening he heard the boy call him and hug him tighter but it seemed so far away.

Naruto felt something warm dropping on his hair the hands around his body loosen, the body of his beloved sensei; the only person to call him family stiffened in his arms. He could hear the cackle of the bastard just ahead, he was proud… he was proud to rip away Iruka from Naruto.

"KILL" a deep voice echoed from deep within Naruto's soul, a voice filled with hate and malice. "KILL" "RIP THIS BASTARD TO PIECES" the words swirled around Naruto's soul like a mantra.

Mizuki stiffened he could feel the blood lust again. For twelve years he had nightmares about the day when he lost his elder brother, this was the same blood lust. This was HIS blood lust.

"Kyuubi" he gasped. His hands grasping the hilts of two kunais he lunged at the kneeling blond but his attacked only touched wind. The monster dodged his attack as if he was nothing.

"You killed Iruka sensei… I will KILL YOU" Naruto roared from the tree branch just above Mizuki's head who jumped back and entered a stance his two kunais held in a cross formation guarding his chest.

"Bring it on demon…I will send you where I sent that demon loving fool…in hell." Mizuki yelled his voice full of bravado he didn't feel himself. The cold blue eyes of his opponent showed no emotions as the hands moved to form a cross seal.

The hatred full voice had died down in Naruto's head filling him with an eerily calm mind. His exhaustion was gone as if it was never there. His hand slipped into the cross like hand seal he had mastered to impress his teacher. Blue chakra swirled around his body as he called out, "tajju kage bunshin jutsu."

Mizuki felt a cold chill run through his spine as his surroundings were filled with hundreds of the orange clad blonde. And in unison they attacked him.

Third hokage of hidden leaf Sarutobi Hiruzen raced across the forest his squad of anbu on his tail. As they closed on the area they could hear only weeping of a broken boy. Sarutobi let out a sigh; he could guess what his pseudo grandson might be feeling.

As he entered the clearing he saw a broken mutilated pincushion like body of former leaf chunin Mizuki and a blood stained blond head crying over the dead body of his teacher. A pang of sorrow passed through his own heart as leader of the ninja village he had seen his fair share of deaths but finding your precious person only to lose him would render deep marks over a boy's heart. He just wished Naruto would recover from this ordeal.

Naruto felt a familiar hand lie on his shoulder. "It was my fault old man…it was my fault Iruka sensei died, Mizuki was right I am a monster who must be put down." Naruto spoke tears cascading down his chins as the rain started. Hiruzen did the only thing he could thought of he wrapped Naruto in a warm hug as he body flickered away from the place, knowing his anbu will do the rest.