Chapter 3
Two hours later.
As the sunset over Konoha, A dark and foreboding aura came over the village. Despite the bleak skyline, Dozens of citizens went over the staircase, built onto the Hokage's office.
Resting in this center was...Iruka... who was within this wooden casket. Hiruzen was looking over, as this shinobi stood over Iruka's corpse, smoking his pipe.
"Why...did this have to happen..." Naruto muttered in tears.
"So you could live." Hiruzen spoke with experience, reminded of Tobirama's sacrifice.
Thunder struck, as a drizzle of rain began to fall down, bombarding the village. As villagers opened and cracked their umbrella's, Naruto stood in the center of this pouring rainfall.
the 3rd Hokage was met by trailing tears as he looked down at Naruto. Blending in with the rain, he cried under the hood of the rainfall, mourning the shinobi that gave him purpose in his young life.
"Don't cry... It's a shinobi rule..." Naruto mumbled.
"Never show your feelings and keep your mind on your mission..." As Naruto spoke, he rubbed the tears from his violet eyes.
Followed by an awkward silence, The sound of rain continued even harder. Despite the continued rainfall, Hiruzen continued to smoke from his pipe, inhaling a vast puff.
"You must make your own decisions and choose your own path." Hiruzen replied.
"The path I decided to choose was...Being able to protect and love other's...It's a choice that I will always be proud of and I have...Somebody to thank that for." Raising his gaze, Hiruzen glared at the stone face of Tobirama.
One hour later.
Many citizens slowly left Iruka's funeral, walking home. While this happened,Naruto stood in the same spot, merely staring at the framed smiling picture of Iruka.
"Yo, let"s get out of this rain?" Sasuke spoke up.
After the Uchiha Massacre, the only friend Sasuke had was Naruto, he was the last person left. , Sasuke tried to comfort his friend, but failed.
"Come hang out with us, when you get the chance!" Choji and Shikamaru spoke in unison.
"See you around!" Sakura, Sasuke and Ino moaned.
As these young Genin turned around, they left Naruto alone with his thoughts, veiled by rain. Accompanied only by Kakashi and Hiruzen, Naruto loomed over Iruka's open casket.
"Come by my office tomorrow morning." Hiruzen coughed from the smoke as he walked away
As the rain continued to pour., Naruto reached out before grabbing Iruka's picture, pinning it to his chest. Sliding onto both knees, he cried without pause, obscured by the never ending rain.
One day later.
Quietly strolling through the empty streets of Konoha, Naruto ignored the angry glares that were brought down upon him. Soon, Naruto entered the Hokage's office, rushing past the clerk before running upstairs.
Opening the door to Hiruzen's office, Naruto was met by an empty room with seemingly nobody around. A mischievous grin spread across his face as Naruto would run up to Hiruzen's desk and sat on the chair.
Spinning in circles, Naruto was abruptly snagged by a cat-masked Anbu, pulling at his collar. Erupting into a whirlwind of leaves, these shinobi disappeared from sight, rushing through the village.
Meanwhile.
Transported into the Konoha Academy, this nostalgic building was the center of Naruto's childhood. Standing in a wide and sunbaked room, bright light pierced adjacent windows.
"Now, let's get your graduation picture." Hiruzen spoke out.
"Every shinobi has a special photo ID to identify them." Explaining himself, a camera was placed in front of Naruto.
Haunted by the stagnant memories from his childhood, Naruto was reminded of his young eyes. Eyes filled with hatred and loneliness, eyes from his life before Iruka, blue and scarred.
"Now, pull your hair out of your eyes." Naruto recoiled at this statement.
Using blond bangs to shield his face, Naruto hated his eyes, hiding them from sight. Even now, after the death of Iruka, he continued to hide behind them, unwilling to show his face.
"Do I have to? I always look like this." Naruto mumbled, earning a sigh in response.
"I can't hav-...!?" As Hiruzen spoke, he was interrupted by a sliding door.
After this door was opened, a 6 year old boy charged into the room, holding a shuriken. As he ran, a blue scarf hung from his neck, draped across the wooden floor with each step..
Dressed in a grey helm, strands of brown hair jutted out from a cracked hole on top. Also, this helmet was a perfect match for his knee-length shorts and shinobi shoes, contrasting his tan shirt.
"Old Man! I challenge you!" Shrieking in victory, this boy was known as Konohamaru.
At the last moment, Konohamaru tripped over his own scarf, faceplanting the floor with a thud. Afterwards, the 3rd Hokage rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing several times.
"Are you alright, honorable grandson?" Ebisu entered the room, pushing his glasses up.
Ebisu was 26 years old with fair skin and a full-bodied blue jumpsuit. The same tone as his bandana, this fabric was adorned with the metallic headband of Konoha.
"Hey! You tripped me!" Konohamaru pointed an accusatory glare at Naruto.
"Do you know who I am? I'm going to be the next Hokage!." Snarling, these words created a frown across Naruto's face.
Angered by the entitlement on display, Naruto rose to his feet, grabbing Konohamaru's scarf. Slamming a fist into his face, the honorable grandson was knocked to the ground.
Ignoring the disbelief on Ebisu's face, Naruto stepped over Konohamaru, grabbing a nearby camera. Plastering a fake smile across his face, Naruto snapped his picture with obscured eyes.
Without a moment of pause, Naruto ran towards a surrounding window, jumping outside. Stunned and speechless, Konohamaru rose to his feet, chasing after Naruto with urgency.
Five hours later.
Konohamaru and Naruto sat together. Propped against a large boulder, these kids were positioned inside the forested outskirts of Konoha.
"Let's go, honorable grandson." Ebisu scoffed, landing on the forest floor.
"NO WAY! I'm learning how to become Hokage right now!" Konohamaru argued.
Glaring at Naruto with hatred and distrust, Ebisu pushed his glasses up, scowling in disgust. As chirping birds filled the air for an even louder environment.
"How can this...creature...know anything about that?" While speaking, Ebisu leered.
This statement rendered Naruto to clench his teeth in anger, clasping both hands into the clone seal. Abruptly swarmed by hundreds of clones, this depiction filled Konohamaru with envy and pride.
"Forbidden art: Multi Shadow clone Jutsu!" Naruto's voice scattered around the clearing before pressing both hands into the Hand Seal.
The firm voice that came from Naruto created fifty separate explosions of smoke before dozens of Naruto's came into view. This realization left Ebisu's mouth hanging open before hitting the ground stunned by the display he was witnessing
"Impossible! How can you summon so many?" Ebisu stuttered.
Charging without delay, dozens of Naruto's tackled Ebisu into the ground, pinning him. Forming an organized line, these clones struck Ebisu's skull, easily knocking him unconscious.
"Remember... There's no short cut to becoming Hokage." Naruto groaned.
Dispersing his army of clones, Naruto raised his whiskered face, glaring between lush foliage. Instilled with respect and vigor, Konohamaru found his purpose, eager to grow up just like Naruto.
One day later.
"Yo!" Shikamaru spoke out.
As Naruto entered his classroom, all nine rookies were gathered together, seated in order. Before Naruto could speak, Sakura and Ino polluted the room, screaming with jealousy
"I saved you a seat." Sasuke said out, allowing Naruto to sit beside him.
Annoyed by this display, Ino and Sakura both hurled mental insults at Naruto cursing him. These kunoichi then turned around before sitting at a nearby desk, holding their faces with one hand.
"Listen up, I will be replacin-" Ebisu entered the room, freezing after he noticed Naruto.
"You'll all be put into three man teams. Each led by a skilled Jounin." As Ebisu spoke, he shifted through his clipboard.
This statement caused Ino and Sakura to squeal in unison, daydreaming at Sasuke's cut face. At the same time, Shikamaru sighed with boredom, using one finger to clean his ears.
Reciting the list of names, Ebisu cycled through Team 7, Team 8 and Team 10. Cheering at this revelation, Sakura jumped for joy while Ino hung her head in defeat, bashing her own skull.
"As a prize, you have the rest of the period off. Return here at noon, to meet your new instructors." Disperse into smoke, Ebisu faded from sight.
Twenty minutes later.
Entering the popular Ichiraku Ramen Stand, Team 7 and Team 10 journeyed together. Greeted by a hearty smile from Teuchi, this middle-aged man was dressed in a pristine chef outfit.
"I have a new special and I need your opinion!" Teuchi rushed out the kitchen.
Holding six separate bowls, these porcelain cups with filled with roasted pork and sautéed eggs. This realization forced Naruto to briefly stuttered, raising his whiskered face with shock.
"It's Iruka's favorite!" Bellowing, Teuchi pointed at a special poster on the wall.
A detailed flyer, this page offered the favored meal of Iruka Umino, one of Teuchi's greatest customers. Paralyzed by this sight, Naruto was startled by the distinct snap of chopsticks.
"More, please!" Choji exclaimed, finishing his food in mere seconds.
"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered.
Slamming a handful of Ryo on the counter, Naruto matched Choji's hunger with his own. Eventually, these young Genin devolved into a race of speed, slurping each noodle with vigor.
"More, please!" Choji and Naruto spoke in unison.
Returning to the kitchen, Teuchi emerged with six more bowls of food, lining them on the counter. Drooling, Choji and Naruto hastily devoured this array of food, spewing drops of flavored broth.
Finishing his meal in mere seconds, Naruto glanced at Choji's half-eaten bowl, lined with pork. Despite his large stomach, Choji was brought to his limit, as he grabbed his swollen belly and proceeded to fall down onto the ground.
"Are you gonna eat that?" Naruto asked, earning a defeat groan from Choji.
Reaching out, Naruto snagged this bowl of ramen, inhaling the entire thing like it was a cake that he just continued to eat without any trouble.
How...? Sasuke asked himself while shaking his head.
"I always love having you around." Teuchi chuckled.
Smiling for several moments, a depressed frown suddenly infected Naruto's whiskered face. Anxiously scratching the back of his scalp, Naruto muttered a faint and murmured praise.
"No problem, kid! Now get out of here, and go change the world!" Teuchi remarked.
Rushing the Genin from his restaurant, Teuchi watched as shinobi rushed down a narrow street.
The lives of many were about to be changed, differences would come but at the end of the day...
A new era was in sight.