Chapter 10: Shinobi of Darkness
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Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at Naruto.
This boy. . . he's so much like Itachi in many ways than just one. But there was also many things that the two had nothing in common in.
Naruto was a lot more prone to anger if things were to not go his way. That was a major flaw when it came to Naruto. Yes, he is always level-headed and will barely be seen so angered to the point of annihilation.
But if poked the right way, you'll bring out Naruto's much more feral side of his that he was able to control very well because he's just that good at doing what he does.
Hiruzen soon made the decision.
"You will go to their graduating class and apologize to them. I'll come with you so you actually do it." Hiruzen pointed towards the door that led inside and outside of the office. Naruto stood there.
"There's no way I'm going to apologize for their own actions," Naruto said with a firm tone to his voice. This earned him a glare from Hiruzen. "You will do it. Now." Hiruzen ordered him with a firm tone of his own. Naruto clenched his hands and formed them into a tight fist.
"Fine." Naruto did what Hiruzen wanted and walked out of the door alongside him. His face scrunched up and formed into a nasty and disdainful scowl that went across his face as they walked out of the Hokage Residence.
~~~
Naruto was currently standing in front of the class that was full of potential graduates. He had been sent death glares from them all as soon as he walked into their class.
"Hi, you may have recognized me when I walked in — the one kicked your guys' butt." They all gave Naruto a growl of hate. Oh, was he not supposed to say that? He's trying to deal with Cycle of Hatred after all.
"Well, out of force, I was brought here by Hokage-sama to apologize to you all for my. . . recent actions." There was a very weird tone that came along with his voice. They all continued to glare right towards him.
"I, Ahihcu Naruto, hereby apologize to you all." Oh, no, there was most definitely a catch to Naruto's words. It was only a matter of time before he said what he truly wants to say out from his mouth.
"But don't cross your line, you don't want to see the worst parts of my personality." Naruto felt a slight tug from the top of his shirt. He looked back and saw Hiruzen giving him a death glare.
"I'll escort you back to your class, Naruto."
He nodded bitterly, walking out of the class. He already had a bad reputation throughout the entire academy in jut his first day. God, Naruto was quite the handful to deal with.
"I need you to stay out of trouble, Naruto." Hiruzen looked at Naruto, expecting a respond of some sorts to come off of him his mouth. There was a few seconds of silence before Naruto actually answered.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Naruto said, rubbing the bruise that was on his face. He slid the shoji door and entered with everyone's eyes on his precious and damaged face of his. "Remember, don't get into fights." Naruto looked back, nodding his head in understanding.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," said Naruto, going to his assigned seat that had assigned to himself. It took a moment for them to realize what was exactly happening and who was exactly at the sliding door.
"Hokage-sama!" A lot of the students yelled, obviously surprised that Hiruzen, The Third Hokage, was actually here. Some stood up from their seats and bowed slightly to show respect.
"Hahah. . . sit back down and listen to Iruka-san." Hiruzen chuckle, pointing towards Iruka right after his little chuckle that he managed to let out after their antics shined. They nodded and bowed.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Where was this motivation suddenly coming up from? Naruto knew this was absolutely all fake and was just a fabricated lie made from the people who were pretending to have any interest in what Iruka was trying to teach.
The people who were either too lazy or were just grinning like idiots were also not going to pay attention in class at all — though they don't try and fake their excitement for a topic that does not hold much meaning behind it.
Naruto had no intention of paying attention to class too.
~~~
"How was the academy, Satsuki?" Asked Itachi, eyeing his little sister, whom is always angry about something in her life. He saw her huff in annoyance, a growl escaping her mouth.
"Bad, bad, bad. It was the worst day of my entire life!" Satsuki complained, growling at the thoughts that were currently inside of the tiny head hers. Itachi raised an eyebrow.
"How so?" Asked Itachi, already knowing where the question that he had just asked was going to lead him. Satsuki looked at Itachi. "Naruto! That lunatic had to join the academy!" She had lost her spot as number one in the class the mere moment Naruto had entered the class.
"I don't see much of a problem," said Itachi, lightly smiling at Satsuki. She scowled at that smile. "Hn! I lost my spot a number 1 because of his presence in class! My pride will never recover because of that." She was not pleased at Naruto's strength. Itachi shook his head with a light chuckle to go along with it.
"It seems you have found yourself a rival. That is a good development for you." Satsuki disagreed with that said statement. "No! I do not need a rival at all! I'm supposed to be a prodigy like you! A person with unparalleled skill that will continue to grow!" Satsuki yelled in a very childish tone.
Itachi sighed at Satsuki's current behavior.
"You know, you don't always have to be a prodigy to be strong. People like Might Guy have gotten strong through the use of hard work; and he did not need to have talent to become one of the best Jonin in Konoha and or arguably the best taijutsu user in this current era. Maybe even the strongest taijutsu user to date." This did not convince Satsuki at all. She just huffed and snapped her head away.
"Whatever! I'll get stronger than that idiot Naruto." Itachi suddenly got an idea that popped inside his smart and big brain of his. He looked towards Satsuki. "Maybe you should ask this Naruto person for help. Didn't you say you were going to get him to help you?" Itachi suggested, eyeing at his little sister.
"I never said such a thing in my entire life," said Satsuki, grunting at what he had said right at her. "I personally think it's worth a try. Who knows, he might actually teach you." He heard Satsuki grunt in response. She turned her right towards him.
"There's no way he'll actually agree! Do you know how. . . emotionless he looks? He literally looks like a walking dead, decomposing corpse!" Satsuki gritted her teeth at such an idea. "I insist on you doing it. You said that he acts and has skills potentially capable to go on par with my own in the future — he must be worthwhile. Who knows, you might even become friends." Itachi slightly smiled at Satsuki. She scoffed at the word 'friends'.
"Hn! I do not need friends. They will only hold me down from my goal," stated Satsuki, scoffing at Itachi's words of encouragement. Itachi sighed, seemingly not getting through Satsuki and her ways. "And that goal is?" Already knowing the answer to his own question.
Why you might ask? Because he was Uchiha Itachi.
"To surpass you obviously! Stop hiding it! I know you know." Satsuki glared at Itachi. She received a pat on the head. "Ok, I do. But please just go and ask Naruto; possibly a better person to teach you than myself. You may never know." Smiled Itachi, pushing Satsuki forward.
"Now, off you go to find Naruto. I have Anbu duties that I need to take care of." Satsuki was about to yell, but it seems like Itachi already left before her protests could leave her mouth. Satsuki gritted her teeth, hating the fact that Itachi just ditched her for his stupid and dumb Anbu duties!
Where is that idiot Naruto? Satsuki thought, angrily walking back towards the academy.
~~~
"So Naruto, I heard that you like playing chess." Naruto turned his head towards the lazy, unmotivated, and sleepy Nara right behind him. He raised an eyebrow at him.
"Yes. And?" Naruto was curious at what Shikamaru was trying to get at. He yawned before he started to talk once more. "Do you play shogi?" Asked Shikamaru. He got a slight nod from Naruto.
"Only a tiny bit, I haven't played in a few months." Shikamaru nodded, making a slight pause because of his laziness to talk. "So I was wondering, would you like to have a shogi match with me?" He asked Naruto. He stayed silent for a few moments to try and just think about his potential answer.
Naruto nodded with a shrug. "Sure," said Naruto, agreeing to Shikamaru's challenge. Naruto was about to follow Shikamaru to play a round of shogi, but it seems the road of life was taking another turn in events.
"Ahihcu Naruto." He turned around to the familiar feminine voice. Oh, it was just Satsuki glaring holes at him. Naruto sighed, locking eyes with the princess with the shit personality.
"What is it this time?" Naruto gazed at Satsuki. Why was she always glaring at him? Oh, it was just simple and relative jealousy radiating off of her body. She took her sweet time to respond to the question at hand.
"I want your help in training," stated Satsuki, puffing her chest to make it seem was tuff or. . . that she actually had something. Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?" Asked Naruto. Satsuki huffed.
"Because my brother suggested me to do it," responded Satsuki, averting their eye contact. Naruto eyed her for a moment before giving her an actual response that she wanted from him.
"Fine, I'll help you." Naruto looked towards Shikamaru with an apologetic look. "Sorry, looks like she needs my help." Shikamaru nodded, knowing Satsuki would pull Naruto's head if he didn't go now.
Great, I did all that talking for nothing. Troublesome. Thought Shikamaru, walking away towards the direction of Choji and the few others waiting for him. Naruto turned right back Satsuki.
"Let's go," said Naruto, walking right past her. This made her scoff. "Where to?" Asked Satsuki, following right behind him. Naruto looked back at her with a face that spoke out, 'Isn't it obvious?'.
"The place you tried killing me at — the forest." Naruto gestured her to follow him faster. Satsuki did just that and followed him. Her eyes traced through Naruto's back. She widened her eyes, finally noticing something.
He's taller than me. Bullshit. Satsuki sweared to God that Naruto had the best genetics in this damn world. It made her jealous of Naruto.
He's taller than me, is much more skilled than me. Grrr. . . and is actually quite c-! Satsuki stopped herself from saying such a thing. She wanted to slap herself in the face for almost thinking of such a thing in her mind.
After quite some time, they had finally made it to their destination. The two entered the forest and walked through the endless and vast trees that surrounded the two.
They finally made it two the same small clearing that had many target boards around it. Naruto stopped, which made Satsuki also stop in her tracks as well. Her eyes locked onto Naruto's head.
"Alright, what do you want to learn?" Asked Naruto, turning his body and head towards Satsuki. She raised an eyebrow with pure confusion laced inside of it. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching? I thought you would already know what I lacked in since you're perfectionist." Naruto was not amused at the remark that Satsuki made.
"I agreed because I knew it would make you stop asking me over and over again if I did so. What is something you are lacking at?" Naruto asked, sighing at the end. Satsuki looked at him.
"I'm lacking at everything that you're good at," answered Satsuki, obviously feeling inferior against someone like Naruto. He shook his head at her, knowing how difficult this was going to be.
"So you suck at everything, huh?" Oh, yeah, that was payback for a few moments ago. Satsuki was starting to fume at the words that Naruto had just said from his mouth. "I do not suck at everything!" Satsuki gritted her teeth in anger.
I messed up, didn't I? I just made this a lot harder on myself than I needed to. Naruto thought for a moment before actually gaining a good quality idea from his very smart mind of his.
"Since your form when throwing a kunai is. . . horrible and questionable — I'll help you with that and your taijutsu." Satsuki furrowed her eyebrows at Naruto. "You're way too blunt," said Satsuki, disliking this trait of Naruto and everything else about him.
"No one cares. Now go to the middle," ordered Naruto, pointing towards the middle of the clearing that they were currently standing on. Satsuki huffed and did what he said.
"I care. How about that?" Satsuki tried being a smartass. Naruto stayed silent for a few seconds before thinking of a clever comeback to what she had jut said.
"You care? First time for everything I guess. Now go." Satsuki's smug face turned into a disdainful glare, but she did what he had ordered her to do.
"Good."
~~~
"Hokage-sama." Itachi was in his Anbu outfit, kneeling in front of Hiruzen. He was dead silent, showing his respect to Hiruzen, The Third Hokage.
"How is the Uchiha Clan and their plans for the coup d'tat?" Asked Hiruzen, pulling out his signature his smoke pipe. Itachi raised his head above and directly at Hiruzen.
"They are still at their early stages of planning, Hokage-sama. But I still do not know much about it." Hiruzen nodded at the words that were rushing out of Itachi's mouth. "The tensions that surrounds the Uchiha Clan and Konoha as a whole is growing at a phenomenal rate. This can be quite disastrous." Itachi nodded, seemingly agreeing to those words.
"How long do you think before Fugaku and the rest of the Uchiha Clan will be finished with their plan of action?" Asked Hiruzen, curious on how long this might take.
"This current rate, maybe in a year or just a little bit over that; a year and a half maybe. There are a lot of possibilities," answered Itachi, lowering his head slightly. Hiruzen let smoke escape out of his mouth.
"I trust you and Shisui to inform of any other useful information regarding the coup d'tat. You are dismissed, Itachi." He nodded and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Hiruzen sighed, inhaling another plume of smoke from his smoke pipe.
He let the plume of smoke escape his mouth once more.
"What do you need, Danzo?"
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AN(Shaxoss):
DONE! This shall conclude the chapter for rn. As you can see, Danzo will be playing an important role in the upcoming 20 or so chapters.