(AN:Here's a real long chapter for you my pookies, I'm sorry for not updating but exams are starting soon and I'm really focused on studying, if I don't update, expect long chapters to compensate)
:)
Hiruzen's POV
A gentle plume of smoke curled from my pipe as I exhaled slowly, the warmth of the embers lost on me. My mind wandered, as it often did, to Naruto Uzumaki—the son of my late successor.
Lately, the boy has shown promising signs. Maturity. Discipline. Focus. Traits I feared might be swallowed by loneliness or anger... yet here he stands, not broken, but rising.
He reminds me of them—Minato and Kushina. He carries Minato's sharp instincts, Kushina's fire, and perhaps a blend of both their stubborn wills. I truly believe... one day, he may surpass all the Kage before him.
And yet, a shadow lingers. Danzo.
My old teammate has expressed interest in training the boy, turning him into a weapon—"for the good of the village," he claims. But he does not see the boy as he truly is. Naruto will not simply follow commands like a Root operative. And if Danzo dares to place one of those cursed seals on him... there's no telling how the Nine-Tails might react.
I swore to Minato and Kushina I'd protect their son. I won't let Danzo or anyone else twist that promise.
Naruto... what path will you carve?
---
Naruto's POV – 3 Months Later
My foot barely touched the snow-dusted ground before I twisted, dodging a quick jab from a clone. Another appeared at my side, swinging a hook kick at my head. A third leapt from below, kunai in hand.
I smirked.
Tilting my head, I let the kick sail past, then dropped an axe kick down on the lower clone, dispelling it with a crack. I spun, grabbed the kicker mid-air, and drove a knee into his face. Poof. Gone.
A shuriken whistled from behind—clone number three. I handspringed back, catching my balance in one smooth motion. Chakra surged to my feet. I vanished, then reappeared in front of the last clone, airborne, twisting into a 540° kick.
Direct hit.
I landed softly, breath misting. "Alright..." I muttered, hands on my hips. "My old world's martial arts work pretty well here. Taijutsu has similar fundamentals, but it's more chakra-oriented. Still... not bad."
I stretched, rolling my shoulders before heading into the forest.
Time to check the traps.
Snow crunched beneath my feet as I followed my markings. The first trap, a pitfall, had already caught some game—rabbits, a boar, even a wolf. Not bad. The fur would be useful.
"Fire country my ass," I muttered, brushing snow off my coat. "Winter's freezing."
I slung the catch over my shoulder and made my way back to the base—a compact hut I built from wood and patience.
---
The Hut
I opened the door. Warmth greeted me, along with a soft voice.
"Yo, I'm back," I called.
Hinata looked up from the stew, her violet hair framing her soft eyes. "Hello, Naruto-kun. How was hunting?"
I pointed to the haul on my back. "I'd say it went pretty well."
You might be wondering why she's here, living with me. Long story short: we became friends earlier than in canon. I saved her from the bullies—but unlike the original timeline, I actually beat them.
Since then, we've been inseparable. We train together. She's grown—confidence, strength, skill. She's almost on Neji's level now. Not saying I'm a great teacher, but... I didn't mess up.
My nose twitched. The smell of stew filled the air.
"Would you believe me if I said your cooking is one of the reasons I wake up every day?"
She laughed, teasingly. "You remind me every single day, Naruto-kun~"
Genius. I'm an actual genius for this setup.
---
2 Years and 7 Months Later
Today's the day. Academy enrollment.
Can't say I'm thrilled.
I ran a hand through my hair—it's grown a lot. Spiky bangs now dipped in front of my eyes, but they didn't get in the way. I tied the rest into a short ponytail.
My outfit was... tactical. A skintight, long-sleeved compression shirt under a sleeveless black turtleneck. White tape wrapped my wrists and hands. Black Anbu-style pants hugged my legs, bound at the ankles with more tape. Sandals. Kunai pouch. Shuriken holster. The essentials.
I took a breath... and vanished in a flicker.
---
At the Academy
The crowd was filled with familiar faces—Uchiha, Inuzuka, Yamanaka. I didn't approach. No need to act like some arrogant young master from a cultivation novel. I shivered at the thought.
Then, Hiruzen stepped forward, his voice warm and commanding.
"Welcome, everyone. Today we celebrate the next generation of shinobi. You are the embers of our Will of Fire, and I see that flame in each of you. It will burn brighter than ours ever did."
I zoned out. Propaganda. "Make Konoha great again" type beat. I chuckled at the meme in my head.
After the long speech, we were sorted into classes.
Naturally, I was in the canon squad. I spotted Hinata across the courtyard and gave a small wave. She returned it, smiling. Canon Hinata could never.
---
In the Classroom
Me and Hinata sat together, as usual. If not her, I'd sit next to Shikamaru, Choji, or Shino. Everyone else was... a lot. Especially Sasuke. Or rather, Sasuke's fanclub.
I leaned closer.
"Hey, Hina. How's your dad treating you these days?"
Her smile was soft and full of pride. "Really well. Thanks to your help, I've grown strong enough to make him proud."
I chuckled. "You should give yourself more credit. You're the one who kept pushing forward."
Her cheeks warmed a bit. Cute.
Then Iruka walked in, clapping the board. "Alright, settle down! I'm Iruka Umino, and I'll be your instructor. Let's start with introductions."
Oh boy.
---
Student Introductions
Ino beamed. "Hi! I'm Ino Yamanaka. I love flowers and want to master my clan's jutsu!"
Sakura stuttered. "H-Hi... I'm Sakura Haruno. I like reading and I want to become a capable kunoichi."
Kiba barked. "Yo! I'm Kiba Inuzuka. This is Akamaru. I'm gonna be the strongest there is!"
Shino spoke quietly. "I am Shino Aburame. I like insects. I dislike people who underestimate them."
Choji rubbed his belly. "Hey, I'm Choji Akimichi. I like food. I'm not fat, just big-boned... and, uh, I dunno what I wanna be yet."
Shikamaru sighed. "Shikamaru Nara. I like clouds. I want to be one."
Hinata's voice rang out, more confident than I remembered. "Hi! I'm Hinata Hyuga. I love my family and friends. I dislike bullies. I want to be the strongest kunoichi I can be!"
Sasuke was next. "Sasuke Uchiha. I like tomatoes and my big brother. I dislike when he can't train with me. I will surpass him."
Then my turn.
"Yo. Naruto Uzumaki. I like my friends and dislike rude people. My dream? To be the strongest—stronger than anyone past, present, or future."
Eyes widened. Iruka raised an eyebrow.
Mission accomplished.