Chapter 044

(Flashback; Ten And A Half Months Ago)

Naruto was returning from jogging for three hours that morning while he heard the sounds of people sparring with each other. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he went over to the training ground where the sounds were coming from to investigate what was going on. Upon arriving and hiding in the bushes, he saw Neji sparring with one of his teammates dressed in skintight green spandex and orange leg warmers with a bowl-like hairdo, and really fuzzy eye-brows. From what Naruto was seeing, Neji had the upper hand against the other boy. To the side were Tenten, the girl who has a secret major crush on the proclaimed Hyuuga genius, and their sensei, Maito Gai, the resident Taijutsu specialist and self-proclaimed beautiful blue beast as Naruto heard.

After few minutes later, the fuzzy-browed boy was sent flying across the ground from a swing kick delivered to his chest. Neji stood there with his ever arrogant smirk as he stood over his defeated teammate.

"You can't beat me Lee," Neji said, "The differences between us are rather obvious. You're nowhere near my level."

Rock Lee scowled at this, "Shut up! I will beat you eventually! I'm sure of that!"

"Lee," Tenten started, "You're not a genius or prodigy like Neji, plus you're this year's dead last."

I really hate that label, Naruto thought to himself, It's both demeaning and insulting.

Gai sighed to himself between breaking up the developing argument and having his three students stand in attention. Naruto was about to walk off when…

"NARUTO-SAN," Gai shouted, "THE PRESENCE OF YOUR FIRES OF YOUTH HIS CAUGHT MY SENSES! COME OUT AND PRESENT YOURSELF TO US PLEASE!"

Naruto came out of the bushes and walked over to them.

"Naruto-san," Gai greeted with his trademark smile, "The friend of my eternal rival and the one he speaks so highly of! What brings you here?"

Scratching the back of his head and laughing nervously, Naruto said, "Sorry for eavesdropping. But I was coming from my morning jogging and exercising when I heard Neji and Lee sparring."

"I see," Gai smiled, "So you do morning jogging and exercises also?"

"All the time," Naruto replied.

"YOSH!," Gai cheered, "YOUR FIRES OF YOUTH ARE OF GREAT INSPIRATIONS TO US NARUTO! IT IS MOST HONORING!"

Lee went over to Naruto and said, "Naruto-kun, I've heard all about your battle with the missing-nin Uchiha prodigy named Itachi and his partner Kisame. Surely you knew that Itachi is a most dangerous traitor to Konoha."

"I did," Naruto shrugged, "But that means nothing to me when my friends are in danger and I will do what I must to protect my friends and all those precious to me, even at the cost of my well being. And I never go back on my word. That's my nindo."

"Tell me please," Lee asked excitedly, "Just how were you able to win against them? Perhaps I can learn something from this to improve my training."

"Yes Naruto-sama," Neji stepped in seeking to find some information about Naruto's fighting style, in hopes of developing counterattacks against them, "Tell us all what was your strategy in defeating those missing-nins."

"There's nothing to say," Naruto replied as he shrugged again, "Except that being a lover and glutton for very hard work in my case pays off."

Of all the countless excuses Naruto could have made up, that was by far the WORST thing he said in the hearing ears of Gai and Lee.

"YOSH," Gai shouted with enthusiasm with tears falling down his face, "THE WORDS OF MY ETERNAL RIVAL ABOUT NARUTO-SAN RINGS BELLS OF TRUTH! THE FIRES OF YOUTH SHINES STRONG IN NARUTO-SAN! HE HIMSELF APPRECIATES THE FRUITAGES OF BEING A GENIUS OF HARD WORK LIKE MY STUDENT LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI," Lee shouted with tears also falling down his face, "I WILL PUSH MYSELF HARDER AS A GENIUS OF HARD LIKE NARUTO-KUN TO BECOME STRONGER! ONLY THROUGH HARD WORK WILL I BECOME A GREAT SHINOBI AND TAIJUTSU EXPERT! I WILL RUN THREE HUNDRED LAPS AROUND KONOHA BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY! IF I FAIL IN DOING THAT, I'LL DO FIVE HUNDRED LAPS AND FOUR HUNDRED PUSH-UPS!"

"YOSH! I WILL HELP YOU ATTAIN YOUR DREAMS IN BECOMING A GREAT SHINOBI AND TAIJUTSU EXPERT!"

"I WON'T LET YOU DOWN!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

The two of them then engaged in a hug with tears still flowing down their faces and, logic be damned, with a sunset at the beach with crashing waves on the shores in the background. Naruto's right eye started twitching involuntarily at the scene which he found rather disturbing.

A genjutsu, Naruto thought, How on earth did that appear!?

'I don't know how to explain that Naruto,' Minato answered, 'Maybe you can ask Kurenai.'

The genjutsu specialist, Naruto replied, I don't even think she would be able to explain this!

Seeing the troubled looked on his face, Tenten went over to Naruto and placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at her as if she was saying, "I feel your pain."

"Tell me they don't do this often," Naruto said with a voice the sounded like a plea. Tenten sighed, "…I wish they didn't do this at all."

Neji scowled at the scene between his sensei and teammate before him before turning to look at Naruto, recalling the blonde's encounter with the infamous Itachi. The Hyuuga genius knew that he himself was no match for Itachi, and his also knew that Hinata would have died had she tried to actually fight the traitorous Uchiha. However Neji sought to make Hinata feel less than her worth about how she was kidnapped by Itachi who was only trying to use her to draw Naruto out. While looking at the blonde, Neji couldn't help but wonder why Itachi of all people would seek out Naruto, who posses no known bloodline limit of any sort.

What makes him so special besides him being the son of Godaime-sama, Neji wondered, And how was he able to hold his grounds against two S-class missing nins when he's not even an ANBU or Jounin, let alone a Genin?

Naruto saw the look in Neji face before the Hyuuga boy looked away. Shrugging, Naruto turned and saw Gai and Lee still engaged in the same hug as before.

"I'll be on my way now," Naruto said as he hurriedly departed before a reply could be said to him.

(End Flashback)

Something like that ought to be outlawed, Naruto thought as he continued on his way to school. Naruto then thought about how Jiraiya made fun of him for days for what Sarutobi Hiruzen told him about the Clan Restorations Act. Tsunade, annoyed enough by her former teammate's behavior, gave him three painful lumps on his head before knocking him unconscious. Though Tsunade knew about the act however, she wasn't in total agreement with it, especially since she didn't want Naruto to turn into a Jiraiya-copy. Hiruzen though managed to discuss this issue with her, explaining everything he told Naruto but only in more details. Reluctantly, Tsunade agreed, even though she knew both Hinata and Ino like Naruto.

While on his way to school, he walked passed a dango shop and saw a familiar woman with purple hair in a pineapple hairstyle wearing a fishnet bodysuit and a mini-skirt and tan trench coat eating some dangos. Naruto blushed upon remembering an incident that he unintentionally got himself into.

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