Chapter 3

-8 years later-

-Flashback-

The room was dimly lit, with a small window covered in frost allowing only a faint light to filter through. The walls were made of worn-out wooden planks, and the roof was leaking in some places, allowing drops of water to fall onto the ground. The air was filled with the smell of damp wood and musty old blankets.

Menma and Naruto were both wrapped up in tattered blankets, their faces pale and chapped from the cold. Their breaths were visible in the frigid air as they huddled together, trying to keep warm. Naruto had his head rested on Menma's shoulder, and Menma had his arm around his little brother, providing what little warmth he could.

As the wind continued to howl outside, the snow on the roof started to shift and creak, threatening to collapse under the weight. The two brothers stayed huddled together, their eyes closed as they tried to ignore the cold and find comfort in each other's presence.

Despite the harsh conditions, there was a sense of peacefulness in the small room. The only sound that could be heard was the soft rustling of the blankets as the brothers tried to get more comfortable, and the occasional drip of water from the leaky roof. It was a moment frozen in time, a serene stillness that seemed to exist outside of the chaos of the world.

The birds chirped as they took to the skies, soaring through the air. The sound of numerous feet trampling grass could be heard, they stopped just outside the building the young Uzumaki's slept.

"Are you sure those demon brats are in there?" A man said, his tone dripping with malice.

"I'm sure, I saw them come this way." Another said as he glared at the dilapidated building.

Oblivious to the scene outside, Menma and Naruto slept as they huddled closer to each other. Suddenly, they felt a strong force jerk them roughly.

Their eyes shot open as they darted around the area in confusion. They saw people, two adults from the village standing before them with piercing glares.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, his voice laced with fear.

The men looked at each other before turning their attention back to the two boys. "You two are to blame for everything that has happened to our village!" One of them spat, pointing a finger at Menma and Naruto.

"What are you talking about?" Menma asked, his confusion turning into anger.

"You know exactly what we're talking about," another man said. "The Nine-Tailed Fox attacked our village, and it's all because of you two."

Menma and Naruto looked at each other, their faces contorted in disbelief. They had heard stories about the Nine-Tailed Fox, but they had never seen it. And they had no idea how they could be responsible for its attack.

"We didn't do anything!" Naruto protested.

"Save your lies for someone who cares," the first man said. "Since lord Hokage is not taking action, we will do it for him."

The men grabbed the boys by the collars of their tattered clothing and flung them across the room, coughing spittle as they hit the wall.

"We didn't do it!" Menma shouted as he wobbled to his feet, "Just leave us alone!" He protested as he took up a defensive posture infront of the still grounded Naruto.

The men exchanged glances then turned their gazes back to the twins and chuckled at the sight, One of the men ran up to Menma kicking him hard in the gut leaving him winded as he wheezed, collapsing to the floor, his vision blurred.

Naruto slowly lifted his head to see the men kicking Menma on the floor. His eyes narrowed in anger, 'Those bastards!'

"Leave him alone, you bastards!" Naruto shouted as he tackled the leg of one of the men, who easily shoved him to the side.

Naruto got up and charged again only to receive a kick to the head and blacking out upon impact.

-Flashback End-

"Menma!" Naruto yelled, his hand outstretched while breathing heavily, his body drenched in sweat as he jolted awake. His pillow was damp from the tears he shed in his sleep.

'Damn it,' he thought to himself, knowing that the nightmares had only gotten worse. While a normal person would seek help from a Yamanaka for treatment, Naruto knew that he was far from normal. After all, the entire village despised him for that reason.

His eyes shifted to his side as they fell upon his brother's sleeping figure.

He glanced at the clock located on his bedside table, which read 12:30 am. He had barely slept for an hour. Letting out a deep sigh, he grabbed his jacket and a book on strategies. He had already memorized it cover to cover, but reading it again gave him a sense of comfort.

Naruto wasn't the foolish and ignorant everyone thought him to be. In fact, he was smart enough to graduate the academy at the age of five. However, he knew that doing so would only make him and his much bigger target than they already were.

Naruto was well aware that he possessed skills that were far superior to his classmates and possibly his brother, but he chose to hide them. He had been able to maintain this facade for the past twelve years, and now he only had to get through tomorrow's challenges.

Naruto opened the window and climbed up to his balcony, as he was about to leap he heard Menma's voice sound from behind him, "Naruto, where are you going at this time of the night?" Naruto turned around as his eyes met the gaze of his brother as he sat up in bed.

'Annoying little- why didn't you just continue sleeping.' Naruto thought as he stepped down from the balcony a smile plastered on his face as he spoke, "Haha... I must've been sleepwalking..." He said rubbing his neck sheepishly.

Menma kept his gaze trained on Naruto as he spoke, "That's okay, but go back to bed so you are well rested for tomorrow's exam."

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Menma." He turned back to his room, feeling a sense of relief that he was able to convince his brother.

"Heh, idiot." Kurama (A/N: the one sealed inside Naruto) teased the blonde.

'Shut up' Naruto replied in his mind as he made his way into bed, snuggling under the sheets. He closed his eyes as he drifted off into a dreamless dream.

Menma watched making sure his brother fell asleep before he too closed his eyes and returned to his slumber.

The next morning, Naruto woke up refreshed. He had actually gotten a good night's sleep, it was the first real sleep he had for a while now.

Naruto looked around and saw that Menma was already up. He glanced at the clock, 8:00 am. Naruto stretched his body, eliciting a satisfying pop in his joints as he felt them loosen.

Naruto made his way into the bathroom as Menma came out. Naruto stood before the mirror as he brushed his teeth, upon finishing, he took a quick cold shower and exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Naruto entered the bedroom to see that his clothes were already set out by Menma who was donning his.

Menma was dressed in a tight long-sleeved fishnet shirt paired with a short-sleeved dark blue jacket that had a hoodie. He also wore black long tights and shorts.

Naruto put on his black pants and orange jacket, completing his usual attire. He grabbed his forehead protector and tied it around his forehead.

Menma looked over at Naruto and said, "You ready for the graduation exam?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, let's do this."

The brothers made their way to the academy, where they met up with their classmates. Naruto noticed the disdainful glares from some of the students and teachers, but he ignored them.

The exam started, and Naruto quickly realized that it was going to be a breeze. He completed all the tasks with ease and was the first one to finish.

As he made his way back to the stands, he overheard some of his classmates talking.

"Did you see how fast Naruto finished? He must have cheated."

"Yeah, there's no way he could have finished that quickly."

Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration, but he didn't let it show. He knew that no matter what he did, there would always be people who hated him.

The graduation ceremony commenced, and Naruto received his headband along with the rest of his class. Menma looked on with pride as his brother achieved this milestone.

After the ceremony, Menma and Naruto walked home together. Menma turned to Naruto and said, "I'm proud of you, Naruto. You did well."

Naruto smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. For once, he didn't feel like a failure.

As they entered their home, Naruto noticed a letter lying on the table. He opened it, and his eyes widened in shock as he read the contents.

"What is it?" Menma asked, noticing Naruto's expression.

Naruto handed him the letter, "It's from the Hokage. He wants to see us."

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.

.

.

Menma and Naruto are now in the Hokage office as they stood across from the third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Menma could barely contain his displeasure, he didn't like the old man especially since he has done nothing to help them for all these years. Noruto on the other hand, though he hated him, he didn't show it and wore his usual facade sporting a bright smile.

"So," Menma started, "Why have you called us old man?" He finished with a scowl.

Hiruzen's eyes scanned the two brothers before he spoke, "I have called you both here today to talk about your future."

Menma and Naruto arched a brow each at his words.

"I want you to choose whether to be anbu working directly under me or be a Shinobi for the village." Hiruzen added, "Both options have it's perks and downsides, but it is up to you to choose."

'This old bastard-' Naruto thought as he maintained his facade, refraining from speaking.

Menma, however, voiced his thoughts, "Why the hell would we want to be an anbu? Especially one working under you." Menma scowled.

Hiruzen let out a sigh before he replied, "I understand that you both have reasons to be resentful towards me, but please understand that the village needs its protectors. Being an anbu is a highly respected position and you will be doing important work for the village."

Naruto stayed silent, his mind racing with different thoughts and scenarios. Menma, on the other hand, crossed his arms in front of him, contemplating his options.

After a few minutes of silence, Menma spoke up, "I'll take the Shinobi path."

Hiruzen nodded, "Very well, Menma. I will have you assigned to a team and they will take care of your training."

Naruto continued to remain silent, feeling conflicted about his own decision. He knew that being an anbu would give him more freedom to explore the depths of his abilities, but he also didn't want to be tied down to serving the Hokage.

Finally, he made up his mind, "I'll take the anbu path."

Hiruzen looked at Naruto with a hint of surprise before nodding, "Alright, Naruto. I will personally oversee your training and I assure you that you will not be disappointed."

Naruto nodded, his mind already planning his next steps. He knew that being an anbu would come with its own set of challenges, but he was ready to face them head-on.

As Menma and Naruto left the Hokage's office, Menma turned to Naruto, "You're really going to be an anbu? Don't you think that's a bit too risky?"

Naruto shrugged, "I've been hiding my true potential for too long, Menma. It's time for me to show everyone what I'm capable of."

Menma remained silent, knowing that he couldn't change Naruto's mind. Instead, he gave his brother a pat on the back and said, "Just be careful, okay?"

Naruto gave him a reassuring smile before they both went their separate ways, each on their own path to becoming the strongest Shinobi they could be.