Naruto 1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I donft own Naruto. I barely own a pot to piss in, let alone a multi-million dollar franchise.

Preview: The Kyuubi trains Naruto from an early age in sealing, genjutsu, etc. Naruto eventually becomes the apprentice of Mitarashi Anko. The student will eventually become the master in a new unit of the ANBU. Slices of Bleach crossover. Naruto x Anko x Yoruichi

AN: itfs my first story folks, so be gentle.

***One day before genin exams***

Sitting in the back of a filled classroom is the blue-eyed blonde Konoha loves to hate. His name is Uzumaki Naruto, and hefs wearing a black t-shirt with fishnet trim on the neck, arms, and bottom. The bottom piece is camo-striped cargo pants in black and dark blue. Completing the ensemble is an opened burnt orange jacket going down to his knees. On the outside are kunai and shuriken pockets on each side, with a bevy of seals littered on the inside (mostly self-repairing and weapon seals). Sifting through the pages of a book on advanced seal theory, he tunes out the perpetual droning of his chunin senseis Iruka and Mizuki. Not that Naruto has anything against them; he simply doesnft see the point of wasting precious time on frivolous curriculum such as language arts or history. Adjectives and pronouns have never played a significant role in combat, to his knowledge. This is supposed to be a ninja academy for crying out loud. At least the Old Man would point him in the proper direction in his free time. Too bad Narutofs instructors arenft so kind.

gNaruto! Do you care to explain why youfre not paying attention to todayfs lessons?h

Never looking up from his place in the book, Naruto answers the question. gSure Iruka-sensei. Itfs a waste of time.h

gLearning the history of Konohafs founding fathers is a beneath you?h

gThat isnft what I said. But if wefre going to travel down this road, what significance does a long-winded tale of hero worship have to do with our combat abilities or training?h

gThis is a lesson on the importance of Konohafs ideals, what we stand for...h

gI know, I know. The eWill of the Firef and all that jazz. Again, not the point. Wouldnft we be better off learning battle tactics and techniques instead of the usual patronizing bullshit?h

Seeing this line of argument was getting him nowhere, Iruka opts for diversionary tactics. Looking at the blondefs unwavering attention with his book, Iruka questions Narutofs current focus.

gAnd pray tell what exactly are you learning from the book in front of you?h

gHand seals and their corresponding chakra manipulation.h

Never one to miss a chance at ostracizing Konohafs favorite demon container, Mizuki sneers at Narutofs answer. gAnd what exactly would you know about that, brat? Sense youfve deemed our class lessons unworthy to one such as yourself, why donft you take a crack at it.h Not really expecting an answer, Mizuki gets a smug look on his face.

Looking up from his current spot on the page, Naruto closes the book with a sigh. gThe point of specific hand seals is more a matter of standardized teaching than proper function. The average ninja uses the typical designated hand seals for spacial or elemental chakra manipulation. Higher level ninjas can use single hand seals or even make their own for personalized attacks.h

A pin drop could be heard across the classroom. Itfs safe to say neither Mizuki nor anyone else was expecting such an explanation from Naruto. Sputtering at being made a fool of by young Uzumaki, Mizuki continues his harassment of the boy. gYou seem to pay more attention to that little book of yourfs than what Iruka or I have to say, so why not give an example?h

Rolling his eyes, Naruto could see this coming from a mile away. gSure, why not? The Tora sign for instance usually pertains to fire manipulation. So starting a sequence of hand seals with the Tora is likely to be a katon jutsu. The position of the hand in that particular seal lends itself to the way in which fire elemental chakra travels through the bodyfs tenketsu points. That good enough?h

*cricket sounds* c. *cricket sounds*

gUmmm, thatfll be all for today. Class dismissed.h

***Streets of Konoha***

Mulling over the information gleaned from his book on elemental seals, Naruto disregards the usual stares and whisperings on his way back home. Such lovely mutterings as gkyubbi brat,h gdemon child,h or gmurderous bastardh seem to be the soup du jour of the afternoon crowd. Pantomiming a kiss, Naruto tells them glove you too.h Just another day in paradise.

Having reached his new apartment, not that rundown hellhole of old, Naruto runs a slightly bloody thumb over the protective seals on the door to his spacious 3-room loft. Oh, the wonders of a complex array involving blood, thumb print, paralysis, and elemental trap seals. Seeing no break-in attempts according to the surveillance readout, Naruto is slightly perturbed by the lack of unwilling guinea pigs. Whatfs the fun in experimental trap seals without a test subject or two? Oh well. Naruto heads for his miniature library on the bottom floor. After picking up a couple of raiton scrolls, he walks over to the adjacent room that doubles as an armory. Walking to the back of the room, Naruto grabs one of many wooden practice swords (all of which contain a master seal that prevents long term effects) on the back wall and heads upstairs to the master bedroom. He walks over to the closet on the far right from the entrance and places a hand on the door knob. A snapping sound changes the simple walk-in closet into an untraceable 10x10 pocket space for the sole purpose of experimental seal testing. Containment and security seals line the floor, walls, and ceiling. Todayfs lucky contestant involves raiton chakra being contained within a physical medium, which happens to be a bokken in this case.

Such experiments in the past have paid for Narutofs housing. A rather lucrative deal with Tentenfs family weapon shop has lead to the likes of low level senbon with poison-activated seals and many others. A favorite of most ANBU is the ninjato with a layer of wind chakra coating the edge, making for much cleaner cuts and a boost in kenjustsu combat. Such daily items are usually offered with 30-, 60-, and 90-day elemental enchantments whereas the charge on single use items as shurikens or kunai typically last only once. Todayfs first experiment involves another commercial endeavor; a low-powered take on the Raijin.

After grabbing some ink, a blank scroll, and a brush off a supply table, Naruto goes about drawing a circle that holds a triangular array in the middle. The first is a containment seal that molds the shape in which chakra can be added to a medium. The second is an elemental seal that turns a userfs pure chakra into raiton energy. In the last corner is a blood seal that prevents theft or an enemy nin from turning the userfs weapon against them. In the middle is a time-based blocker seal that only allows the seal to be activated for a set amount of time. It all sounds easy in theory, but takes precise measurement for each individual part. Nobody wants to suffer a self-induced electrocution. The same goes for chakra depletion. And last but not least, the blood seal not only pertains to the user, but also works as a kill-switch should some foolish attacker make an attempt on Narutofs life using a weapon of his own design.

Having drawn up the total components for his new toy, Naruto lays the wooden stick on the table and measures out the necessary parts from the master seal and makes tiny adjustments for the upcoming experiment. Instead of a sharpened point for a fuuton blade, raiton chakra will encompass the entire area of the blade by an inch on all sides. Simply blocking such a weapon would cause damage. Having finished the particulars, Naruto summons two shadow clones to test out the blade. One to wield it, the other for shock therapy. It just so happens that the clone on the right has a tiny portion of the Kyuubifs chakra. Handing the clone on his left the practice sword, the clone on his right gives him a scowl.

g**I hate you**.h

gThe feelingfs mutual. Operation Old Sparky is all systems a go.h

Taking this as his cue, the clone on the left lightly bonks his fellow clone on the head. Not enough to dispel the hybrid clone, but certainly enough to send a jolt of pain through its tenketsu points if the litany of expletives is any indication. A sign of success in Narutofs book, he motions for the clone to hand over the bokken. Naruto makes a quick hand sign to dispel the two clones and hefs greeted with a rush of knowledge and growl of indignation in the back of his mind by the Kyuubi. A radiant smile graces Narutofs lips. Itfs always the little things that make life worth living.

After picking up another blank scroll from the materials on his desk, Naruto makes a quick copy of the original, and places the duplicate in a mini pocket seal on the inside of his jacket. He then identifies the name and date of the original scroll, and adds it to a larger master scroll from one of the cabinets in his desk. This particular scroll has the name, date, and any deviations from the original. Placing the scroll back in its proper drawer, itfs time for something far more in depth. Narutofs current pet project is a kinjutsu seal in which a plant or animal spirit can be contained within a host. How else could such weapons as the Samehada (shark spirit) or Raijin (eel spirit) exist? His current experiments involve a tetsubo and ninjato; in which a small shark and a sakura tree could be channeled respectively. Hefs been making headway on the shark project with Samehada as a prototype, but the sakura tree has been much harder with no data to build on.

Making up his mind to finally bite the bullet, Naruto begins creating a new array for his shark spirit tetsubo. The outside circle has a pentagon in the middle with each point leading to an open shape that connects with a small line to the circle. Going clockwise from the starred circle (hex mark) at the top, we have the life seal in which the shark spirit will exist in stasis. The next space is for the energy absorbing properties. The third point is a physical containment seal. Fourth is a suiton elemental seal. And last is a gravity seal to multiply or nullify the weight of the sword. All points of the pentagon lead to the center where a protective seal identifies the userfs blood and finger prints.

Naruto summons a couple more shadow clones for the upcoming experiment. One to go down stairs and retrieve the shark from his living room aquarium, while the other creates a small sphere of water made out of suiton chakra. While hefs waiting, Naruto draws up the kinjutsu array on the floor. The first clone takes the squirming shark and places it within the confines of the ball of water. Naruto himself takes a 3-foot long steel-on-wood tetsubo off the top of his desk and places it on the floor beneath the shark, in the center of the kinjutsu array. Ready to take the dive, he begins a blood oath incantation while charging chakra into the center of the seal leading outwards. The room begins to glow a light blue and the shark starts to flicker in and out of existence as the chakra from the seal traces a maze-like pattern. A couple minutes pass as the majority of Narutofs chakra is sucked into the array. Having finally completed itself, a backlash of light shoots from the middle of the room nearly blinding the boy. Shaking the light spots out of his visage, Naruto focuses on whatfs laying in the center. The previously normal tetsubo is covered from point to handle in white wrapping, but what draws his eye is the constant flexing of tiny dark blue appendages slightly hidden from view. He walks over and picks up the club and initiates contact with a quick pulse of chakra. A slight tickle in the back of his mind alerts him to another presence.

Deciding to make a proper introduction, Naruto sits Indian style on the floor with the new weapon laying across his lap to begin meditation. Instead of the sewers of years past, Naruto has long since remodeled the interior of his mind. Outside of a traditional Japenese mansion is a zen garden with a large forest in the background. Instead of being confined to a restricting jail cell, the Kyuubi has a set of black prayer beads around his neck. Naruto senses his furry friend chasing after fauna out in the forest and heads for a different presence by the edge of the forest. Having found his mark, Naruto is met with a little blue-skinned boy that looks like a chibi version of Kisame.

eIfm Naruto. Nice to meet you.f

_Are you my creator?_

Yes, I am. May I ask your name, if you have one?f

_It is the job of the master to give a name, but I have one in mind if you are willing to listen_.

eIfm all ears.f

_My ancestors were from the ancient mako species of shark. It would be an honor to carry their namesake.h_

eMako sounds like a fitting name. You are the second of your kind. Unlike your predecessor that is based on the spirit of a great white, your physical medium shadows the speed-based nature of your former genus. I hope it is to your liking.f

_It pleases me tremendously. We will have to develop a style to complement one another._

eI am currently in the process of making you a companion. Until then, I work on single weapon katas that make use of your speed and abilities.f

_Very well. Until my help is needed, I will rest in the confines of your mind. This allow me to acclimate myself to the tendencies and nature of your soul._

eI hope you enjoy yourself. Once youfve gotten comfortable with the place, let me know if there are any alterations you wish to make. This is as much your home now as it is mine. Like Fuzzbutt in the woods behind us, I find it best to work together.f

After finishing up with the initial contact of his new partner, Naruto returns to consciousness on the floor of his test lab. He takes one last glance at the sword in his lap before sealing it away into his left wrist. Naruto is exhausted from the loss of 80% of his chakra during the sealing process and getting to know Mako. He cleans up and shakily walks back through the pocket space to bed for a much deserved nap.

***Narutofs Bedroom***

Naruto wakes up a couple hours later with a quick yawn and a satisfied grin at his success. While his chakra reserves are nowhere close to full again, the presence of half or better will do for the time being. A quick scan of the security matrix surrounding the entire building results in a negative readout for break-in attempts.

gDamn,h he grumbles under his breath. Naruto has grown rather fond of testing out new trap seals, and what better test subject than a hostile villager?

Deciding to polish up on kenjutsu skills, Naruto heads down to his study to pick up two basic training scrolls (offensive and defensive, respectively) and another on chained/stringed weaponry. When making original equipment itfs best to learn basic stances rather than a defined style. Why bend an existing style when a new one will make better use of the weaponfs abilities? This being the case, Naruto walks through the village on his way to training ground 43. This is typically an unused section of the training zone allocated to the village ninja force with its proximity to training ground 44, AKA the Forest of Death. The lack of external interference makes for a rather peaceful location to work with. Making the hand signs for the Shadow Clone technique, Naruto summons 60 clones in the clearing in front of him. Each has a physical representation of Mako in their hands to work with.

gAlright guys, today youfll be working in groups of 20. The group on the left gets to work on offensive katas, the one in the middle gets defense, and the one on the right gets aerial attacks. Get to work, gentlemen.h

gYes sir!h followed by a salute is his reward. Naruto shakes his head and chuckles at their antics.

Walking a short distance away from the chaos of his clones practicing with one another, Naruto plops down against the fence between training grounds 43 and 44. Naruto activates a seal on his left palm and an electric guitar appears in his hands. His 9-tailed friend had long since proven the importance of a relaxing hobby for relieving stress. To that end, Naruto has become quite proficient with playing the electric guitar. Musicians of the previous era have provided a great deal of inspiration. Depending on his mood, Kyuubi could be rather benevolent with the ability to provide song lyrics, poetry, or classical literature. Being a walking pantheon of knowledge from eons well before the birth of the Elemental Nations has its perks. Naruto and Kyuubifs relationship could be defined by shared interests in peaceful diversions and a mutual desire for a continued existence. Not exactly bestest buddies, but they do whatfs necessary to maintain a cohesive unit. In the words of a certain heir of the Nara clan, being tied at the hip can prove to be quite troublesome.

After about an hour or so, Naruto senses a non-hostile chakra signature approaching from the Forest of Death. Feeling no malice coming from the stranger, the blonde doesnft bother interrupting his current activities. He figures that if they have something to say, theyfll say it.

A certain purple-haired tokubetsu jounin that we all know and love approaches the exit gate from the Forest of Death only to hear soft musical notes emanating from a string instrument to her far left. The prospect of getting a view of the unknown musician sounds appealing since she has nothing better to do at the moment. Quietly jumping from tree to tree, Anko spots a clearing up ahead. At the edge of the treeline she spots a teenaged blonde sitting with his back against the wall playing a string instrument. A hundred meters or so in front of him are 60 carbon copies working on weapon training. Amazed at both the musical quality and the feat of maintaining so many solid clones, Anko mutters gholy shith under her breath. A jounin level nin would be hard pressed to create that many shadow clones, let alone the kid in front of her. Deciding to enjoy the show for now, Anko sits on a tree branch as quietly as possible. The somber atmosphere created by the music resonates with something inside her thatfs usually blanketed with acts of malice, and she starts to nod off without realizing it.

Another hour goes by without either party disturbing the other when Naruto eventually puts the guitar away and dispels the clones in groups of five. Itfs not much of a problem to go at a quicker pace, but therefs no point in risking a headache from information overload if itfs not necessary. With each group more openings and deficiencies become apparent, which result in minute alterations for any given stance. Itfs only basic strikes and parries, but a solid foundation has been paved in the process. Working on intermediate katas will likely be on tomorrowfs agenda. gTomorrowh being the key word. The time for practice has come to an end after putting in more man hours in a single afternoon than most do in weeks. That out of the way, Narutofs interest is piqued at finding out the identity of his audience. Walking over to the forest, he sees a female about 4 or 5 years his senior resting up on a branch. Naruto summons a new clone to go about rousing the woman from her rest. Most ninjas sleep on a hair trigger, so itfs best not to take the risk himself. His forethought results in the clone being stabbed in the chest on reflex.

gWhozzat?h Anko asks while yawning. Looking around to get a grip on her bearings, she spots the blonde from earlier on a tree 10 feet in front of her.

gNaruto. You?h

gAnko. Thatfs some pretty impressive work with the shadow clones. Most ANBU would have a hard time producing that many.h

gGiven your age, Ifm guessing you already know about my tenant. This is simply one of the perks that go along with it.h

Taken aback by the blunt nature of the boy in front of her, Anko certainly wasnft expecting that sort of answer. Letting curiosity get the better of her, she asks how he found out about the fox.

gHow on earth did you find out about the demon? Itfs a well-known law not to discuss it with your generation.h

gThe Yondaimefs seal doesnft allow Fuzzbutt any control without my permission, but he is free to talk within my mind. I can tune him out, obviously, but I was more than willing to listen as to why the people of this village despise me.h

gFuzzbutt, huh? You actually get away with calling him that?h

gThink of it as a term of endearment. I certainly do. He doesnft, but thatfs beside the point.h

Laughing at the audacity of the Kyuubi container, Anko shares a quick laugh at the foxfs expense. Surprisingly, Anko is able to let her guard down since shefs able to identify with a fellow village outcast. Feeling at ease with the teen in front of her, Anko decides to ask if he wants to tag along while she satiates her usual dango fix. Did I say dango? Thatfs right, I said dango. Cue evil monkey in closet pointing at me with an empty stick. (AN: oh noes)

***Dango Stand***

On the way back through town, our little pair is met with the customary glares along with a random gdemon brath or gsnake whoreh peppered in. Disregarding the usual civilian behavior, they take a seat in one of Ichirakufs Dango Shop booths. In between munching on delicious dango, Anko decides to ask Naruto about his relationship with the nine-tailed fox. Shefs a professional interrogator, what do you expect?

gNot meaning to pry, but do you mind telling me how long youfve been in contact with your host?h

gSince the age of five. It happened on my birthday, to be exact. I would wager that a mental block was originally in the seal.h

gDo you get along with it? I mean to knowingly call the Kyuubi efuzzbuttf has me wondering.h

gThe shared need to survive kind of forces our hand in the matter, but I have a better working relationship with him than 99% of the people in this village. Necessity makes for interesting bed fellows. You can meet him, if youfd like.h

Not exactly prepared for such an offer, Anko chokes on her rice dumpling. gAre you fucking kidding me?h she asks shakily.

gBy using the Shadow Clone technique I can allow him to stretch his legs every once in a while. I use the minimal amount of chakra to produce a clone, which means he canft go on a rampage if thatfs what youfre afraid of. Not that he would, anyhow.h

gYoufre serious?h

gThe idea of a Shadow or Blood Clone relies on the premise of dividing your chakra into multiple pieces. Spirit energy is one half of the equation, so the possibility of drawing on the Kyuubifs chakra to make a clone isnft that difficult.h

Slightly disturbed at this news, Anko hides her apprehension behind the usual bravado. gWell, why the hell not?h

Naruto checks to make sure nobody is looking their way, and creates the necessary hand seals under the table. After a soft whisper of g**Shadow Cloneh**under his breath, a man with long red hair and red eyes (Demon Eyes Kyo from Samurai Deeper) pops into existence. With what most would consider a regal disposition, the man is wearing a dark red kimono with a pattern of black lightning bolts. With a quick blink of the eyes the Kyuubi realizes that hefs no longer in the forest, but standing in front of his host and a beautiful purple-haired kunoichi.

g**Ah, so youfve finally taken my advice and found yourself a mate. Itfs a celebration, bitches.h**

gCalm down ero-kitsune, this is just a new acquaintance. An intelligent one for a change, but thatfs neither here nor there. Anko-san I would like to introduce you to my free-loading tenant; Kyoshiro.h

g**Watch the sass, Kit. Ifll remember that the next time youfre begging me for training**h he says with a slight scowl.

gAw, I didnft offend your tender sensibilities, did I?h

Amused by their antics, Anko canft help but laugh at the banter. Itfs not every day you see a teenager play a game of wits with an ancient demon lord. gSo, mind if I ask what kind of training you guys do together?h

g**Mostly fuinjutsu at the moment. Itfs a lost art, and the majority of the ninja population neglects the basic mechanics of how they work.**h

gWhen are you finally gonna teach me Kido? Youfve been hanging that over my head for a year now.h

gNot to interrupt, but what the hell is Kido?h

g**Demon Arts. Itfs an extremely advanced form of sealing unknown to the human world. And to answer your question Naruto, when youfre good enough with seals to warrant the effort.h**

g Yeah, yeah. I need to work on my kenjutsu and assassination skills anyhow. Lord knows whatever jounin sensei Ifm bound to get wonft be of any help.h With that, he dispels the **Demon Clone.**

gDo you have any idea on who youfre getting?h

gThe team announcements donft come out until tomorrow, but luck typically isnft on my side when it comes to teacher instruction. I would prefer to forgo the bullshit and work with someone thatfs competent. I intend to have a talk with the Old Man on the issue. Out of curiosity, you wouldnft happen to be one of this yearfs jounin senseis, would you?h

gHell no. Me with a trio of brats? Not gonna happen. Most parents wouldnft want their kids being mentored by the gsnake bitchh anyhowh Anko says with a scowl on her face. Advancing up the ranks has obviously been an uphill battle for her.

gWhat about an apprentice?h

gSame issue. Whofs gonna let their kid be mentored by me?h

gHell, I would. Having seen the possible team variations versus the available jounins, I donft like my chances of NOT being screwed over by an inept instructor. My past doesnft lend itself to a fair handshake in these situations. Wefre both looked upon as village pariahs, so whatfs to lose?h

Taken aback by the situation, Anko is slightly surprised by the offer. Itfs not every day that a person asks for apprenticeship with someone in the Torture and Interrogation unit, let alone by somebody with Ankofs checkered past. gAre you serious about this? You do realize that most of what I have to offer involves getting your hands dirty in the assassination and interrogation fields, right?h

gIfve had more threats on my life than hugs. I donft have the option of being ignorant towards what this life entails. Killing and information retrieval make up the overwhelming majority of ninja operations. I would rather receive personal instruction from a professional than a group session that might or might not render results.h

gIf youfre willing, why the hell not? Wefll probably work on assassination and infiltration skills first. Ifll have to discuss the situation with Ibiki to see if you can be cleared for interrogation training.h

gI greatly appreciate this. I would be glad to help with your fuinjutsu and genjutsu in return, if youfre willing.h

gA favor for a favor. Sounds fair to me. Letfs head over to the Hokage Building to sort out the details.h

Fin

AN: Review, bitches. :P


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would be in ANBU pound-me-in-the-ass prison with gProperty of Morino Ibikih stenciled on his asshole and not a central component of the main storyline.

AN: muchas gracias on the reviews. I was happy to see the first chapter was well received. And Ifm much obliged to answer a few questions.

JohnnyTheMedicated: the moment I envisioned a humanoid version of the Kyuubi, Kyo in his battle armor was the first thing that came to mind. Sadistic, sinister, and conceited; you canft beat it. As for the grammar, Ifve ran across enough eyesores on this site to last me a lifetime. I can recall multiple occasions where Ifve had to quit a story because the writing is illegible to the point of killing any joy I could take from it. Makes me wanna punch a baby. T_T

justareader07: rest assured, there will be much sarcasm and apathy towards the rest of the human race from our star character. Being raised by a demon with minimal positive interaction from the human populace does not make for an overly sociable person. At least I sure as hell wonft. :D

cjcold2: going on the idea of Samehada so many options presented themselves. I have had to force myself to stick with one or two weapons per character. Youfre headed in the right direction with Narutofs other blade, thatfs for certain. :)

***Hokagefs Office***

gMitarashi-san and Naruto-kun, have a seat. To what do I owe the pleasure this evening?h

"Actually Old Man, it has to do with tomorrowfs exam. For starters, I donft really want to be stuck with some asshole jounin that wonft teach me, and Anko-san doesnft wish to take on babysitting duties for whatever non-clan students shefs likely to be stranded with. So wefre at a crossroads. Ifm hoping for a competent sensei, and the lady beside me wishes for a student that doesnft have sunshine up their ass regarding the less altruistic aspects of our job title. Do you see where Ifm headed with this?h

Just as usual, the beleaguered senior citizen that still holds the title as Fire Shadow is saddened by the words and actions of the teen in front of him. You would think years of such behavior would drive the point home when it comes to young Uzumakifs sense of innocence. He was only raised as an orphan like any other child that lost their parents after the Kyuubi attack, right? I mean, what could go wrong by letting the general populace know a defenseless child is inhabited by the very demon that killed their family? And to protect the young boy was a law in place that would allow for a normal childhood while supposedly meting out justice to anyone with ill intentions. Yeah, that was the planc

"Why would you think such a thing, Naruto-kun? You have to give people a chance, my boy.h

"You mean like giving a verbally abusive bitch a chance at the orphanage? Or how about giving neglective teachers the opportunity to fuck with my grades while simultaneously preventing me from participating in anything that is remotely instructional?h All of this is said in a deadpanned voice like Naruto is trying to explain astrophysics to the mentally challenged.

A small frown now adorns the face of Sarutobi Hiruzen; much like a child that has recently been told its goldfish had to take a dip in the toilet.

"I guess if you put it that way. Oh well, just a little more paperwork added to the pile.h A true expression of horror and outrage finally presents itself on the Hokagefs visage.

"How about we make a deal, Old Man? I can clue you in on a secret that will erase the amount of time you have to spend in this soul-crushing hell hole you call an office, but it comes at a price. Sound interested?h

The Sandaime gets stars in his eyes at the prospect of not having to spend all day working as a paper pusher. eLike taking candy from a baby,f Naruto thinks to himself.

"You really mean it Naruto? Therefs really away to erase this burden eo mine?h

"Of course. If therefs a will, therefs a way. Now, back to business. I only have a few tiny little requests. First you have to agree to make my apprenticeship with Mitarashi-san official. Second is an equivalency test that decides my starting rank. I have no intentions of being the daily beast of burden for whatever lazy bastard that doesnft feel like painting their own fence or chasing their own dog. Not gonna happen. With me so far?h

"Sure, sure. Now, about that techniquech

"I wasnft finished. The last condition doesnft even affect you or take any effort on your behalf. I just want traveling rights when off duty, thatfs allh Naruto says with a shit-eating grin on his face. Our favorite protagonist intends to milk the poor bastard for everything hefs worth.

Conversely, Anko is flabbergasted by this turn of events. Sitting beside her is a person that has the village leader eating out of the palm of his hand. And a teenager, no less.

Nodding his head emphatically, Sarutobi agrees to the deal. With a quick flourish of his hand, the necessary documentation is taken care of. All of this is done with the **Puppy Eyes** jutsu activated. Itfs cute when performed by a child, but unquestionably horrifying when done by the elderly. Both Naruto and Anko have to suppress a shudder.

"A dealfs a deal. Just use **Shadow Clones** to split the work while kicking back and enjoying your free time.h Naruto says this like itfs the most obvious thing in the world. Then again, it kinda is.

"…"

"Need something?h The boy says this while pretending to file his nails against his shirt. Thatfs right; the Professor just got taken to school by an academy student.

With a sigh of defeat, the Sandaime moves on to discuss the particulars of the test. gHow do you want the test to be administered, Naruto?h

"If I may Sir, I figure six months of training will be enough time to prepare. The first three will be pure training exercises with the last three intermixed with C-rank missions for experience purposes.h Anko nods contentedly with her proposed arrangement.

Feeling the need to put an end to the awkward silence, Anko suggests the meeting be cut short. gOookayc With that taken care of, wefll be on our way. Letfs go Naruto.h

***Outside the Hokage Building***

gWas that really necessary?h Anko says with slight disgust.

"I know nothing of which you speak.h

"Donft play possum with me. You really took it to the old guy, even though hefs nice to you from what Ifve seen.h

"Not now nor ever have I had a need for his kindness. What I NEEDED was a capable leader not to spill the beans on my tenant. The same goes for throwing me under the carriage when it comes to providing a livable environment or a willing teacher. Fuck his kindness. My handling as a child was merely a means to an end with the village councils picking up the slack so he didnft have to feel responsible. The old bastardfs negligence has resulted in figurehead status. Look back at the Kumo incident if you need evidence of what Ifm saying. A good man lost his life because our einfalliblef leader was too worried about political red tape. I expect a leader with a backbone for Kamifs sake.h

Shaking her head, Anko decides to leave this topic alone. gMeet me at training ground 43 at 7:30 tomorrow morning. We both need to prepare a training plan for helping each other. I figure taking turns on alternate days during the week will make the most sense. The first 30 minutes will be used to explain each otherfs schedule.h With that, she says a quick goodbye and they head their own separate ways.

***Training Ground 43 at 7:30 AM***

gOkay kid, Ifve worked out a training regimen for the days that Ifm the one teaching. From 8:00 to 9:00 wefll work on sensory perception and spotting. 9:00 to 10:00 will be spent on sensory prevention and hiding. From 10:00 to 12:00 we will work on close quarters combat and assassination techniques. Wefll break for lunch after that. At 1:00 PM the training resumes with you and me working on battle tactics to sharpen your mind. This might involve anything from shogi or chess all the way up to hypothetical war games. And finally at 2:00 Ifll administer a quiz to grade you on daily progress on practical applications. Some of these will be physical battles, others will be object retrieval from a guarded position. Fridays are test days. Wefll grade each otherfs progress on the training for that particular week.h

A small smile graces Narutofs lips. Itfs nice to see someone take his training seriously for a change. gThat sounds wonderful Anko-san. From what I can gather this schedule must have taken a good deal of planning. I am eternally grateful for the effort.h He takes a slight bow in respect of his new sensei.

Anko blushes in response to his praise. Not having to use a fake persona or deflect derogatory statements involving her sexual endeavors is a compliment unto itself. gUh, youfre welcome, Gakih she says while rubbing the back of her neck.

Naruto just smiles softly at the shy behavior of his new acquaintance. gNo problem, sensei.h

Anko quickly regains her composure and gets back to business. gSensei, huh? While wefre at it, have you come up with a schedule for me, Naruto-sama?h she says with a cheeky grin.

"As a matter of fact, I have. Each morning Ifll begin with an introductory discussion of seal theory. Next will be chakra control and expansion exercises to prepare for **Shadow Clone **training. The following two hours will be spent teaching the mechanics of hand seals, elemental seals, protection seals, trap seals, and binding seals. An hour of each day will consist of one of these five topics. The forth hour will consist of genjutsu practice and dispelling. A short lunch intermission will follow. To finish things up will be two hours of taijutsu and kenjutsu. At the end of the week I will expect an original mock-up of two seals of my choice from that listing. What do you think?h

"Ifm getting a migraine just from thinking about ith she says with a bit of mirth.

Naruto gets a mock scowl at her answer. gI could always get you a Fuinjutsu for Dummies pamphlet and call it a day.h Anko sticks her tongue out in response.

"That reminds me. I didnft want to interrupt you during the explanation, but what the hell is **Shadow Clone** training, and what is it for?h

"There are two major reasons why the **Shadow Clone **technique is a forbidden jutsu. The first and most obvious reason is the heavy strain on a personfs chakra reserves, which is why itfs labeled as a kinjtsu. The second cause for its banning is far less known to the general public. What most people donft know is that everything that the clone learns will be sent back to the creator during the dispelling process. One hour with 20 **Shadow Clones **equates to 20 man hours of practice. Think of the danger of this technique in the hands of an overzealous teacher or pupil. Among other things, information overload becomes a very real hazard if you dispel too many clones at one time.h

"Well Ifll be damned. I had no idea about that technique. I guess I can see why you use that method of training in an area of study such as fuinjutsu. It certainly merits that amount of study and dedication to master.h

"Exactly. The boost in chakra control and reserve totals is just a bonus.h

The Sanninfs apprentice takes a quick glance at her watch and sees that the time for banter and planning has ended. gOkay Kiddo, itfs time for business. Wefll start with sharpening your five senses. Eventually chakra tracing will be a subject of practice, but thatfs later in the program. Letfs begin with noise feedback. Keep your eyes closed and focus on the sounds of the training ground. At the beginning I will throw rocks in the surrounding area to get things started. Just nod your head in the direction that the rock is aimed, got it?h

gSure.h

gIn the second part, the rocks will be thrown closer to you and at a faster rate. This exercise works on sensory recognition and increasing your reflexes at the same time. So, letfs get started. For every five rocks that are thrown the pace will increase, so bear that in mind.h

Anko slowly tosses the rocks in different directions; one in front, two on both sides, and one slightly behind Naruto. He quickly turns his head in recognition of where each rocks lands. This process continues for half an hour, steadily increasing in pace. The poor blonde almost has whiplash by the end of the exercise.

"Good job on the first part. Next time Ifll give you a chance to meditate as a warm-up. Anyhoo, on to the second phase. Stay focused on your hearing again. Like last time, the pace will go up after every five attempts.h

Just like last time, Naruto is slowly forced to increase the rate of his reaction speeds. By the end of the exercise, Naruto has to dodge multiple projectiles while being forced to remain in a specific area. A sheen of sweat adorns his face by the end of the training.

"Timefs up. Youfve had a good start to todayfs workout. Just a suggestion, I would recommend doing both parts of this training in your free time with **Shadow Clones**. Itfs good physical exercise, and can only improve your reaction time by doing so. The next hour will consist of concealment and reconnaissance. With that in mind, Ifll show you how to perform a very simple but effective C-rank doton jutsu called the **Headhunter** technique. It allows the user to hide underground for the purpose of sneaking up on a target. You can cover distances faster and with less noise with a bit of practice.h

Naruto lifts his hand up to his chin in a thinking pose. gIn theory, with **Shadow Clones** a person could coordinate an effective attack on multiple enemies with this skill. Or maybe box in a single enemy to take away possible escape routes.h

Yet again, Anko is astounded by Narutofs ability to use even the most simple techniques in such a creative manner. gIfll be damned Gaki, thatfs pretty frigginf genius. Most people only use the **Headhunter** jutsu in a very direct capacity.h

"Ifve always thought the role of a ninja was to beat their opponent by outwitting them, not by brute force. Using a technique in its most obvious of functions is counterproductive to that logic.h

"Very true. Here are the hand signs. Channel the chakra to your feet to initiate the technique. Try getting accustomed to how it feels underground. You can use the running or swimming motions to get from one place to another. For the next hour work on increasing your speed of movement and avoid making too much noise.h

"Got it. Ifll make some clones to improve both aspects.h With a quick mental command, 30 **Shadow Clones** pop into existence. gTen of you can work on increasing speed. Another set will work on noise reduction. Ifll work with the last group to practice coordinated assaults on a set of targets. Get to work.h A chorus of gyes sirsh is his answer.

Naruto, his clones, and Anko work on target practice with the **Headhunter** jutsu. Halfway through the designated hour Naruto dispels the clones and a rush of knowledge helps increase his speed and tone down the noise that comes from re-emerging from the ground. He cranks out another 30 to repeat the process. The purple haired special jounin notices an overwhelming difference in Narutofs efficiency with the technique after they start again. Another half hour of the same process ensues then Anko calls time.

"Damn. Ifm starting to see why you use that technique for practice so often. Your speed has increased three fold, and I can barely sense any noise coming from you or your clones. If I wasnft prepared for your attack, therefs no way Ifd be able to get free. Hell, itfs a pain in the ass getting away from your planned attacksh Anko says with a smile.

"The next exercise will be broken into two parts; the first hour will be centered on attacking areas of the body that result in immediate death; the neck, heart, liver, etc. In an assassination the first move will always have one of these extremities in mind. Using the same doton technique from earlier I want you to focus on exit speed, assault angle, and location targeting. The previous hour was based on getting to and away from an enemy. During this hour wefll work on happens in between. Stand still for a moment and Ifll give a quick example.

"The second hour will focus on close quarters combat or CQC for short. It mostly involves grappling or quick strikes to disable your opponent.h

A moment later Anko is underground and quickly resurfaces directly behind Naruto. Before she stands completely on the ground, a hand is held over Narutofs mouth and the other his holding a kunai to his neck. The entire process from the initiation of contact to the death blow takes less than a second. A quick **Shunshin** later and Anko is standing ten feet in front of young Uzumaki Naruto.

"A quick strike to a vital part of the body with minimal noise from the attacker and the victim; thatfs the goal every time. Document retrieval works the same way. Start practicing against single targets in an unguarded room and wefll work our way up to multiple targets in a guarded area.h

"Ifll create clones to work on targeting the different vital areas. The same goes for practicing against missing-nins by focusing on decapitation and sealing speeds. Ifll add another group with the idea of searching the body for specific items.h

Like the previous exercise Naruto spends a half hour with the clones in groups of ten, and replaces the first group of 30 after the dispelling process. From the killing blow to re-entry underground only takes a maximum of five seconds even in a guarded location. The beauty of the **Shadow Clone** technique never ceases to amaze.

"Yet again, great work so far. Youfve achieved more in three hours than most ninjas improve in a month. I wish I could improve at that speedh Anko mumbles the last part.

"You can and eventually will. Donft tell me you forgot what I have in mind for the second hour of each dayh Naruto says with a mischievous smile.

Anko lightly shudders at his expression. gWhy do I get the feeling Ifll hear the words echakra exhaustionf with great frequency in the coming months?h she says in a deadpanned voice.

"No reason. It wonft hurtc too much.h

Shaking the sense of foreboding out of her mind, Anko gets started on teaching CQC. gI brought along a medical book for learning major pressure points and disabling specific muscles. The focus of close quarters combat is to incapacitate the enemyfs movement in order to create an opening for a killing blow. Contrary to what Maito Gai and other taijutsu masters seem to think, wefre not in it for a boxing match. Destroy your opponentfs defense in as few moves possible then move in for the kill. Getting the hell out of Dodge remains a focal point.

"Ifll give you about 20 minutes to study then Ifll start showing you a handful of katas that target each major area.h

After the study session is over Anko begins teaching the proper stances and holds for immobilizing an opponentfs arms and legs. The principle design of CQC is to destroy their guard, so it only makes sense to take away defensive measures. Naruto begins mimicking Ankofs stances and begins attacking a few clones by trying to strike their pressure points. Anko paints a bullfs eye on the specific targets for each clone. Naruto only uses ten clones this time and he works directly with Anko while the rest practice in groups of two. 40 minutes tick by and Mitarashi Anko calls for a stop.

"Not bad. You still need work fine tuning the stances, but thatfs nothing that a little practice canft fix. Similar to the reflex training, I recommend doing this kind of training in your free time. Anything related to taijutsu translates to heavy practice.h

"Practice? Practice! I donft need no damned practice.h (AN: just kidding, no Allen Iverson moments from our protagonist :P)

"I believe itfs time for lunch, and Ifm in the mood for sushi today. If you feel like accompanying me along Ifll treat for lunch.h

A small blush appears on his senseifs cheek. gA genius and a gentleman. I do believe Ifll accept your offer.h

***Restaurant District***

The trek back in town is fairly uneventful. After successfully locating a decent sushi bar across town, the duo manage to run into a few friends of Anko; namely Kurenai, Hana, and Yugao. The red-eyed jounin Kurenai Yuuhi is the first to notice and takes a quick glance at her blonde accomplice.

"Anko-san, what are you up to? Donft tell me youfre about to torment the young man beside youh she says teasingly.

Anko puts her nose up in a haughty manner in response. gNot this one. Naruto here actually understands how to treat a lady.h

Hana snorts at her friendfs comment. gAnko who are you kidding? Your behavior and vocabulary would make a sailor blush.h

Everyone but the target of Hanafs joke has a quick laugh at Ankofs expense. Naruto just stands back and watches his senseifs behavior among a circle of friends. Yugao stares at him for a moment before asking about his relationship with her purple haired friend.

"Not to pry, but Anko here usually doesnft aim for your age group. Care to tell how you two know each other?h

"Anko-san has been kind enough to take me on as her apprentice. I was in the search for a capable instructor and she wanted a student that wouldnft waste her time. Viola, a partnership was formed.h

"To be more specific, I saw Gaki here training on the way back to the village. He managed to pique my interest by working on kenjutsu with a hundred **Shadow Clones**.h

Yugao gets stars in her eyes at the mention of weapon training. Curious to what instrument of choice Naruto is training with, she asks to look at it. gYou wouldnft happen to have it with you, by chance?h

With a nod to the affirmative, Naruto answers her question. gI wouldnft be much of a kenjutsu practitioner if I didnft.h

He then channels chakra to the seal on his left wrist and a flawless tetsubo appears in his hand. Another pulse of chakra results in the club transforming into the bandaged form of Mako. Tiny vibrations from the tip to the handle can be seen: itfs as if the tetsubo has a life of its own.

"What the hell is that?h

"Mako. My wonderful tetsubo here bears the fruit from several months of kinjutsu study.h

Yugao raises an eyebrow in response. gYoufre trying to tell me you created a sentient weapon?h

"Thatfs precisely what Ifm saying. The seal on the sword you carry happens to be one of my creations.h

"What are you talking about? I had my katana customized at the Mitsurugi Weapon Shop.h

"Exactly. I provide the seals, they provide the sales. Ifve had a partnership with the owner for years now. My first creation was a strengthening seal, and wefve went from there.h

"You gotta be shitting me. That would mean youfre practically a sealmaster and not even 20 years old.h

"Itfs not official yet, but I plan to take the test for it in Water Country a few months from now. Kind of like the chunnin exams, the testing for seal aptitude only takes place at a specific time and place each year. The Seal Expert and Master titles are handed out there.h

"Gotcha. Mind explaining the particulars of umc Mako was it?h

"Correct. Mako is its name. The sword is an amalgamation of a shark spirit along with a handful of other seals. It clearly draws inspiration from Kisamefs Samehada.h

"Amazing. You managed to replicate the work of a former Seven Swordsmenfs great sword.h

"More than just replicate, I would wager that Ifve improved upon the Sharkskin prototype. The addition of suiton and gravity seals along with the ability to use the swordfs binding to make it a long range weapon is a stark improvement on the original. Not to mention the obvious difference in mobility from a zanbatou to a much shorter tetsubo.h

Reminiscent of Tenten with long ranged weaponry, the cat masked ANBU kunoichi ogles his handiwork as if shefs staring into the eyes of God. gYou wouldnft happen to be in the mood to create another like this, would you?h she asks in a pleading tone.

"Sorry, Mako and any other kinjutsu-made weapons like it are not for sale. The reason for that is two-fold; the process takes several months of planning and the corresponding price tag would be well over the six figure mark. I wouldnft be able to accept anything under 20 million ryo for that kind of time expenditure.h

"Shit. Well, you canft say I didnft try.h

"If youfre up for a spar some time, Ifd be willing to dole out a few improvements on the sword of your choice. A few simple additions like an elemental, gravity, and/or security seal are fairly easy to work with.h Naruto knows he has Ankofs friend hook, line, and sinker.

Yugao nods her head quickly in response. gYoufve got yourself a deal.h

"Anko and I will be practicing kenjutsu at 2:00 in the afternoon this Wednesdays and Thursdays. Ifll work on your sword after wefre done with practice.h

"I have time off next Thursday. Ifll definitely be up for a little sword practice. The new seals are just an added bonus.h A shit-eating grin is on her face at the prospect of a better sword.

The rest of the conversation over lunch is mostly a casual affair. After finishing up on their lunch, Naruto and Anko head back to the training grounds.

***Training Ground 43 at 1:00 PM***

gJust two more hours of practice left. Wefll begin with an hour dedicated to improving battle tactics and strategy. Todayfs lesson will be a simple game of shogi. Treat the chess pieces the same way you would treat a set of troops under your command. Try to conserve as many soldiers as possible while still capturing the enemy.

"While I donft pretend to be as skilled at this game as your typical Nara, I intend to play the role of a ruthless enemy commander that has no qualms with sacrificing a epawnf or genin team in this case.h

An hour later the match ends without a definitive result, but Naruto is well into the process of out-maneuvering his sensei on the shogi board. He is able to prevent most of his pawns from being attacked, and manages to take Ankofs knight and rook pieces.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Good work protecting your young soldiers, but not at the price of allowing the more powerful pieces to be captured. Therefs no point conserving the younger generation of troops if victory is no longer in your grasp. The next time we play will be with missing pieces against an array of different opponents and starting locations on the shogi board. The odds in a fight wonft always work in your favor, so I intend for you to be proficient in a lopsided battle. My side will have additional pieces to balance the fight in my favor.h

Down to the last hour of the day, Anko takes a few minutes to prepare an obstacle course to make use of the skills learned in todayfs previous lessons. The setup has three locales that present the need for strategy against single and multiple opponents. The first is a small shed with a target (**Shadow Clone**) sleeping on the inside, and a guard (**Mud** **Clone**) watching the entrance. The next setup is a similar scenario but with more targets and guards. The last one is a contingent of low powered thugs (**Mud Clone**) in a ebandit campf with missing-nins (**Shadow Clones**) leading the group.

"Okay Kiddo, you have an hour to successfully scout and destroy the three different groups. The first two are obviously assassinations, with the last one being a full-scale assault. Try to avoid any fights with the guards in the first two. They both have a scroll on their person or hidden somewhere in the building, so locate what you need before getting out. In the last part youfre only allowed to create a maximum of three **Shadow Clones** to work with. Use them to scout or attack however you choose, but keep in mind that the idea is not to allow any of them to be destroyed. Youfre the leader of a four-man cell in this exercise, so you need to protect your comrades along with destroying the bandit camp.h

"Understood. Ifll go ahead and get started.h

The first part is carried out with no problems. Naruto uses the **Headhunter** technique to scout and attack the target inside the room. He keeps a clone beneath the entrance just for protection while quickly locating the scroll in the **Shadow Clone**fs pocket. Naruto then puts a kunai to its throat and finishes the exercise. The moment of contact to the clone dispelling happens within the span of a few short seconds. Naruto goes back underground and vacates the area without the guard ever knowing the difference. It only takes 10 minutes to complete this part.

The second exercise is a little more tricky. After scouting the place with a single clone beneath the dirt, Naruto takes a couple minutes to plan out a coordinated strike. Naruto himself along with three **Shadow Clones** will have to infiltrate the building. There are three targets inside the room, with two guards outside the door and one on the inside. Naruto will watch from a place along the corner and signal to the clones with a hand sign when the coast is clear. When the targets have been dealt with, hefll scour the room for possible documents. The process of taking out the intended targets goes off with no problems. While checking the room for documents the rustling of paper being moved alerts the guard inside the room. One of the clones quickly hits a pressure point on the guardfs back and takes it down without making any noise. Naruto quickly disperses the clones and hurries out of the building. The second part takes about 15 minutes to finish.

The final scenario doesnft take much planning, but has a greater sense of danger. The setup of the camp has two tents facing a fire pit. There are thugs guarding the back of each tent, and a chunnin level ninja watching from the front. The lookout is a synchronized triangle which makes a direct attack from any angle difficult. Inside each tent is a single missing-nin with two civilian bandits.

Naruto does the smart thing and goes underground to sneak up on the chunnin. His clones only have a set amount of chakra, so two of them sneak up on the thugs in back the old fashioned way. Similar to the second exercise, the attack is coordinated with the use of a hand sign. In this case itfs the remaining clone that is acting as a lookout for the ninja cell. A hand over the mouth and a kunai in the throat later, each of the three guards are dealt with. That out of the way, an exploding tag is placed on each tent. A short distance away is Naruto with his clones watching the tents with shurikens ready for any stragglers. Naruto detonates the seal charges with a quick flare of chakra and waits for the fireworks. Only one of the missing-nins is able to escape the tents, but is badly wounded and crawling along the ground. Naruto sends a shuriken to the back of the ninjafs throat and completes the exercise. A quick katon jutsu incinerates the camp and leaves nothing but dust and ash on the ground. Naruto only has five minutes to spare after completion.

"Nice work on all three phases. I was afraid for a minute there that you wouldnft complete the last part in time. The extra time spent on planning the assault was well spent, though. I expect similar results tomorrow.h

Naruto takes a bow in response to her praise. gThank you sensei, and I have no intentions of failing you. Ifll probably head home for some rest, then head back out to practice more CQC and kenjutsu training.h

"Youfre very welcome. I can see that you appreciate the help, so itfs time well spent on my behalf. I look forward to your training in two days.h

A quick wave comes from both parties and they go on their separate ways.

AN: Next up will be Narutofs training along with their first mission. This chapter was mostly written with the idea of establishing their business relationship, and the seeds of a future romance. :D

I hope you guys enjoyed the training. I spent a few days working out the particulars, as well as a few ideas on Narutofs summoning contract.

I forget who asked it, but Yoruichi wonft be showing up in this series for a few more chapters.


End file.
