Chapter Text
Naruto was used to failure by now, but that didn't make him feel any better about walking out of the Academy without a hitai-ate. His gut clenched as he looked at the smiling faces of his former classmates. Here he was again, alone, a failure, watching from the sidelines as the new genin were smothered by their families. Kiba getting a noogie from his sister, and Ino was getting a hug from her proud parents. Hell, even Shikamaru was flushing under the attention of his father. It felt like Naruto was looking at a piece of art he would never understand.
Families of the Leaf, a painting that depicts loving parents and happy children, Naruto snickered to himself. A great picture to look at, but so unrealistic! How can the artist expect to be taken seriously when he draws a bunch of fantasies? Dunno who the painter would be though... Maybe the Hokage? He certainly likes to think the Village is happy. What a joke.
Naruto caught Sasuke's eyes across the courtyard. His eyes aren't happy either. For a moment, Naruto could picture Sasuke standing next to him staring at the same abstract painting. We'd probably stare at it for hours but never get the point. Goddamn families.
"Hey, Naruto?" The boy started and looked at his teacher Mizuki for a moment. When he looked back Sasuke was gone.
"What is it, Mizuki-sensei?"
Naruto was still dangling from the swing, so the white-haired man had to crouch down to look the boy in the eye. "How are you feeling, kid? I bet it's pretty disappointing to be left behind. I can't imagine what it must feel like to fail this test three times when everyone here passed on their first try. That bunshin always trips you up in class, so I thought Iruka might let you skate by to get you out of the Academy, but I guess he just didn't think you made the cut. We're teaching a class to the eight-year-olds about the technique in a couple of days, maybe you should come to see if you can get it?"
The boy scrunched his face in irritation. He knew he was a failure. He didn't need the reminder that Iruka thought he was a failure too. "I've tried to do the bunshin lots of times though, and it never looks right. They always look so dead."
Mizuki turned towards the crowd of people with an odd look in his eye. "I guess there's something about you that makes you different than the other students. You have a chaos within you that they don't. I honestly wonder if you'll ever be able to join the ranks with the test the way it is."
Naruto's eyes started to sting. "Do you seriously think I can't become a genin?"
The chūnin's mouth twitched. "Well, I don't think you can pass the test."
"But there isn't another way is there?"
Mizuki beckoned Naruto closer and whispered, "I'll let you in on a secret. There's a secret test only for some very special students. Kids who will never pass the normal exam, kids like you who have something unique inside them. I really believe you can do this right, Naruto. Will you take the special test?"
Naruto had always planned on just passing the academy test and proving that he could be a ninja. He thought if he worked hard enough, pushed enough chakra into every jutsu, believed enough, he'd make genin. Iruka-sensei and Hokage-Jiji would be proud of him, and that everyone would like him a lot more. But his own teacher was telling him he'd never be good enough. He took a deep breath and turned to look his teacher in the eye again.
"I won't let you down Mizuki-sensei, dattebayo. What do I have to do?"
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*
Sneaking into the Hokage's office wasn't as hard as it should have been. The Hokage was so strong that no one ever thought to go through the window. So here Naruto was, digging his fingers into the brick wall as he scaled the building with his bare hands. When he got to the right window, he poked his eyes up over the ledge. Dammit, Jiji's still working. It'll be a lot harder to get the forbidden scroll with the strongest ninja in the village around.
Naruto lowered himself back down, so he was hanging from the ledge by his arms, and he pressed his forehead against the rough brick. I don't stand a chance at beating Jiji in a fight. Think Naruto, think. The only thing that stuck out was that dumb Icha Icha book that Hokage-jiji kept in his drawer. Naruto had been working on a henge technique to use against village perverts, but it seemed unlikely that this would work on the Hokage of all people.
I've come this far. The only way to know if this'll work is to try.
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*
Half an hour later, Naruto pressed his palm over his mouth to smother his giggles as he sprinted away from the tower. I still can't believe Oiroke no Jutsu was a success! That was the best moment of my life, dattebayo!
When he reached Mizuki-sensei's meet up spot, Naruto plopped on the ground and unfurled the gigantic scroll. I just have to learn something new from this thing, and I'll definitely pass.
Naruto's face dropped as he scanned the words on the scroll. Oh no, the first technique is a bunshin? That's my worst jutsu!
With a groan of frustration, he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at his temple. You can do this, Naruto. The hand seals aren't hard or anything. Just try it once. If it doesn't work, I'll keep going down the list.
After focusing his chakra, Naruto shaped his fingers into a cross seal and pictured his chakra splitting into two.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto could feel half his chakra being sucked into the technique.
POOF!
Apprehensively, Naruto opened one eye. Then, he opened the other. Then, his mouth dropped open in shock. There was a perfect copy of Naruto crouched across from him with a cheeky smile on his face.
Naruto reached out his fingers to brush against the leg of the new clone and shrieked in glee as he felt the thick fabric of his pants.
I'm gonna pass this test for sure!
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*
An hour later, Naruto was still sitting over the scroll in the woods. He was sweaty and covered in grass stains and happier than he had ever been. He had been able to make the three clones required to pass the genin exam and more. So much more. Nothing had ever come as naturally to the child as this jutsu. After years of trying, he had found something he was good at! He was smiling so wide his cheeks hurt, and he just kept smiling through the ache.
All I need is for Mizuki-sensei to get here-
As quick as a breath of air, a sharp blade was pressed over his kidney and an arm was wrapped around his throat.
"You did such a good job, Naruto," Mizuki breathed against his ear. "It appears that you can be a good student if you're motivated properly."
"What do you-"
The arm wrapped across his throat yanked roughly against Naruto's trachea. "No talking right now. You'd be dead if I wanted you to be, but I think I'd like to draw this out. I want to see the pain in your eyes when I tell you the truth. Then, I want to watch the light leave your eyes as I kill you."
The truth? What is he talking about?
"I bet it won't take long for everyone to learn what happened tonight. I can picture the gossip now. My beloved student broke the law, and I had to end his life before he endangered Konoha. Really, it wouldn't take very much to convince people that the demon tried to betray the Village. People have been chomping at the bit to be the one to finish the Yondaime's job for him. And in the chaos of it all, no one would notice me keeping a copy of the Scroll of Seals for myself."
In one quick motion, Mizuki grabbed Naruto by the front on the shirt and whirled him around to press his back against a nearby tree. "It's an S-rank secret you know. I could die for telling you this, but I think it's worth it." Mizuki pressed his kunai firmly against the boy's throat. "Twelve years ago on October tenth, the demon Kyūbi attacked our peaceful little village. We were told that the Yondaime sacrificed himself and defeated the mighty demon. But that wasn't true. The Kyūbi didn't die. It was turned into a little baby, and the Sandaime had hidden the truth. When we started to investigate, we learned the name of the only baby born that day."
Naruto gasped in shock. Does that mean...
"That's right! What a clever student you are," Mizuki said mockingly. "It was our very own Naruto, Konoha's own baby monster! We never did learn exactly how the Yondaime did it, but we had our guesses. He took the Kyūbi's power, wiped its memories, and turned it into a teeny human baby. It was beyond insulting. Our loved ones had been crushed or burned or eaten, but little Naruto got away scot-free. To add insult to injury, you had our beloved Yondaime's blonde hair and blue eyes. You were a mockery of what we'd lost. After the truth came out, the Sandaime declared that spreading this secret would be punishable by death, and we were required to treat you just like everyone else."
Mizuki readjusted his grip so he could lift Naruto's small body off the ground. His piercing eyes stared right through Naruto's, almost as if he was hoping to see into the boy's soul. "Everyone knew except you, boy, and everyone hated you. Poor Iruka was the saddest case. He hated you more than anyone for taking his parents, yet he was forced to deal with you hanging off him like a little leech." Mizuki's blade dug into Naruto's skin, and a drop of blood trickled down his throat. "Have a good time dying, Kyūbi. I bet the village will have a fucking parade."
"Mizuki! What are you doing?" Iruka stepped out from the tree line into Naruto's line of site.
"Come to watch me finish off your little tormentor, did you?"
Iruka stepped forward with his hands raised passively. "I know he stole the scroll Mizuki, but there's no reason to kill a child. You found him, so we can all go to the Hokage and sort this out there."
"You still don't get it Iruka. I'm not killing a child. I'm killing a demon. Tell it how it hurt you, how you suffered. Tell it about finding your parents dead, about getting your scar!"
Iruka's eyes flashed towards the blade at Naruto's throat. "Naruto didn't kill anybody, Mizuki. I learned that a long time ago."
"Come on, Iruka. I'm just finishing what you started all those years ago. You wanted to kill him too, but you didn't have the resolve."
Iruka flinched at the barb but found the strength to calmly step forward. "Naruto, you need to look at me. I don't know what Mizuki told you, but you're not the demon. The Yondaime sealed it inside of you, but you are your own person. I need you to understand that."
Shit, I need to get out of this!
"You can't seriously believe that Iruka!" Mizuki slammed Naruto's back against the tree. "This idiot has done nothing but bring stress to your life."
Calm down Naruto, you gotta switch with something.
"Mizuki, you need to look me in the eye right now." Mizuki craned his neck around to face the other chūnin.
Good, Iruka-sensei is distracting him. I think I see a log by that tree.
"Naruto has never caused me pain. If you think you're helping me by doing this, then you're wrong. He's clever and kind and has only brought joy to my life, and you need to put him down."
Now's my chance.
"It's tricked you too! We need to kill it now before it-"
"Kawarimi!"
Mizuki jumped backwards as the boy he was holding was replaced by a rotting log. "Shit, where-"
The blonde stepped out from behind Iruka with the scroll strapped to his back. "I don't know what you're talking about Mizuki, but I know you can't talk about Iruka-sensei like that!"
Iruka's eyes widened in panic. "Naruto, I need you to run right now. Mizuki can't get the scroll, and he will hurt you if he has the opportunity. This isn't training, this is real!"
With his fists clenched at his sides, Naruto studied Iruka's face. The only time he'd seen his teacher make that face was when Naruto had almost been killed by a group of intruders. Naruto's hands shook. He's really serious about this. Without another word, Naruto took off into the woods.
"I hope you don't think you can get away from me, demon brat!"
Naruto dodged between the trees, trying to ignore the sound of branches cracking behind him. What do I do? There are no traps near here. I don't have any weapons.
Mizuki dropped down from the trees with a fuma shuriken in his hand, and Naruto skidded to a stop. "Just give it here demon brat, and I'll make your death quick. You won't feel a thing."
Trembling, Naruto took a step back and tripped over his feet. "I don't-"
The chūnin narrowed his eyes. "You've made your decision, then." Mizuki snapped his arm, launching the fuma shuriken into the air.
Naruto squeezed his eyes shut.
SHICK!
He flinched at the noise, except... There's no pain. Why isn't there any pain? Naruto opened his eyes. Iruka was facing him with the fuma shuriken sticking out of his back. Sensei, why would you...
Iruka grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. "You'll be safe if you run. You need to let me handle this."
Naruto swallowed around the lump in his throat. Every one of his instincts was telling him to run. But Iruka-sensei already got hurt protecting me. How can I ever call myself a ninja if I don't stand and fight? He raised his head to look Iruka in the eyes. "I know, Sensei. But it's my fault we're in this mess, and a real ninja doesn't let other people clean up after them."
A flash of orange appeared over Mizuki's shoulder, and Naruto pushed down the urge to smile. I didn't ever dispel my last shadow clone! Naruto hid his hand seals with Iruka's body.
Mizuki snorted. "You think you stand a chance against a chūnin, demon brat? You can't even make a proper bunshin." With startling accuracy, Mizuki threw a kunai which planted itself in Naruto's chest-
Only for Naruto to dispel.
"How-"
Naruto appeared on a high branch behind Mizuki. He grinned viciously, and the low light flashed across his canines. "What was that about not making a bunshin, Sensei? Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
All at once, a hundred Naruto's flooded the clearing as a dangerous, oppressive chakra filled the air. "You've underestimated me, Mizuki. Now, I'm going to beat your ass." The clones rushed Mizuki in a wave of orange bodies. He was wrestled to the ground and buried under the weight of a swarm of twelve-year-olds.
From his vantage point, Iruka could only watch in awe. "Naruto... You've grown so much."
In a matter of minutes, the clearing had become a mess of uprooted grass and mud, and in the middle, a heavily injured chūnin laid defeated on the ground. Iruka was staring at Mizuki's form in shock as Naruto chattered away in his ear. "I think I have to correct something Naruto. I need you to close your eyes."
Naruto folded his hands in his lap and closed his eyes. He could hear Iruka-sensei shuffle in front of him and a piece of fabric brushed against his face.
"Open your eyes." Naruto reached up and felt the metal over his forehead. Could it really be... He opened his eyes and looked at Iruka's uncovered face. It really is.
"Iruka-sensei..." With a watery smile, Naruto wrapped himself around his teacher like an octopus. "You believe in me."
After a comfortable moment, Iruka ruffled Naruto's hair. "You know Naruto, somebody's going to have to clean up this clearing."
"But-"
"Now, Naruto. I thought a real ninja didn't let other people clean up after them. You can't go back on your words now that you've made genin."
Naruto sniffled and pressed his palms against his eyes. "I guess I really can't, huh."