Chapter 4

The last time Naruto was in the Hokage's office, the Yondaime Hokage was still alive, Third shinobi world war corpses still littered battlefields. It felt like it had been decades, and yet his miserable life experiences haven't even reached two decades.

The Sandaime Hokage was much older than he expected. Yet, he still had the aura. He was no weak old man. Still, even at this age, he would rather be Hokage than allow Fugaku to take over. It was frustrating and Naruto couldn't understand the reason. What his sensei had told him also ensured his suspicions about the old man reached a new level.

Naruto felt a bit of contempt for the authority. And the damn politics of this village. How could the Uchiha be suppressed in such a blatant manner given all they have done for this village? Naruto thought things might have been different with the Yondaime. But you never knew. The Office changed people. Snakes slithered in all corners. Even Itachi could turn out to be a snake that betrays the clan.

Of course, he would be the first to hunt down the Uchiha and murder him with his own hands if he did that.

Naruto bowed respectfully upon stopping in front of the desk of the Hokage. "Fugaku-sama said you wanted to see me, Sandaime-sama."

Hiruzen smiled. If Naruto didn't think the old man had ulterior motives, he would have thought the smile was honest.

"Yes... I'm sure he has told you why."

The Sandaime Hokage was smiling. There was warmth-just like any old geezer. But there was difference with his eyes. Yet, Naruto felt a little repulsed by the smile. This was the same old man who smiled at Fugaku and then decided to appoint a rogue shinobi as his successor. Honestly, if Fugaku gave him the order, Naruto would hunt down Tsunade and then murder her.

"Yes," Naruto gave the Sandaime a short answer.

There was silence. Hiruzen had a feeling he wasn't going to get along with the young Uchiha as he did with Shisui and Itachi. He'd nonetheless been warned-Naruto was a lover of the clan and perhaps in the mind of the young one, as the absolute authority of this village, he was responsible for the position the Uchiha found itself.

He leaned against his chair and let out a cold breath. He considered taking out his pipe, but thought it was wrong to smoke in front of a child.

"You've lived your life being within the Uchiha clan and protecting village walls... But you've never expressed any desire to become a shinobi," Hiruzen stopped smiling, and looked at Naruto with curiosity. "Why?"

Why? Why did he have to become a shinobi of the Leaf? Besides, he was already a shinobi, wasn't he? He just wasn't a legally registered one in the eyes of the village. For all intense and purposes, he was a civilian. He'd never actually considered this much. The thought made him smile involuntarily.

"I apologize... it just never occurred to me that legally, I am a civilian." Naruto replied casually. "I have been a shinobi all my life... what is merely lacking is registration and a rank. Those are just superficial things that don't define me."

Hiruzen's smile returned. Well, Naruto did do the work of a shinobi-he has been doing so since entering military police. He decided, Naruto was obviously not stupid. He had to phrase his question differently.

"Why have you decided not to join village ranks? As Itachi and all other members of the Uchiha clan have."

Naruto shrugged with indifference. "It has never been necessary. I maintain law and order during the night. It is a service to the village. As a member of the Uchiha clan, that is my role."

"But we're going to change that... what are your thoughts on it?"

Naruto really didn't like being in this situation where he had to consider his words carefully. He felt like he was being suffocated. He couldn't tell the Sandaime that he really didn't care for serving Konoha but would work for the interests of his clan. He was certain if he gave an answer like that, it would reflect badly on the clan. If someone as young as him thought like this, then no doubt some adults had the same thought.

He could imagine some in their dark little corners, expressing relief that they had been right. And Itachi would be more than happy to agree that some clan members wouldn't even think twice about a civil war to wrestle control from their oppressors.

"I liked working during the night. Its much more peaceful."

"And you don't have to face up to some treatment your fellow clan members face in the streets during the day." The Sandaime put it to him in a stern tone, his eyes trying to poke into his very soul. If the old man had the Sharingan, Naruto would have looked away in fear of him getting inside his head.

"There is that," Naruto conceded. "But I don't necessarily think I would face the same issue, at least most of the time."

"Why do you think that?"

"Some villagers are irrational and just stupid. But some are pleasant. There are those who'll always look at you somehow. You don't make it easier by how you react to it." He sounded awfully like both Itachi and Shisui. Naruto thought if the former heard him utter such words, he'd proudly applaud. "I understand that Itachi must be associated with the clan. If I can play his role, I'll do that."

"Can you?"

"Sure... I'm not a prodigy, but I am capable."

"We're going to test that. Both Itachi and Shisui speak highly of you and I have read some reports about your skill. We nonetheless must ascertain of it before we can send you out. I wouldn't forgive myself if I sent someone incapable of handling difficult jobs into a mission that eventually gets him killed." Hiruzen sighed at the thought of how often that occurred. Jonin and students sometimes overestimated their strength. Sometimes, they did not and were just unlucky to come across dangerous foes. The world was riddled with such dangers. It was up to shinobi to be able to handle any or escape if needs be.

"I'll try to live up to their standards."

"Good," Hiruzen nodded his head an approval. "What would you say is your strength? You mainly employ Taijutsu in your missions during the night."

"Taijutsu is just appropriate in such matters. I'm mostly dealing with civilians and fellow shinobi. Restraint has to be exercised. If I don't show restraint, people are just going to complain about military police abusing power." He was nonetheless conscious that most of his clan members had no such restraint. Perhaps it was the frustration but such behavior didn't make things better. "I'm a my best using Ninjutsu. But whether I use it really depends on the situation and the opponent I'm facing."

He wasn't going to simply tell the Sandaime that it really depended on whether it was foe or friend. Against a friend, he would exercise restraint, but against enemies, he didn't care. If things were exciting enough, he wouldn't mind letting it rip. He thought, even Madara would look at him fondly.

"I see... I'll send for you once preparations are ready."

"Hai."

"Before you leave," Hiruzen took in a chunk of air. "What do you think about the situation in the village?" He asked in a curious tone. "Specifically, the Uchiha and village."

"I think it is unfortunate."

If it had been someone else, Hiruzen would have burst out laughing. "I see," he said with a smile. "You may leave."

"Hai."

Root Base

Hiruzen never truly liked coming down here. He disagreed with everything Danzo stood for. But his sensei had founded this institution to carry out the dark side of Konoha - as if Anbu didn't already do enough.

He stood with Kakashi by his side on what appeared to be like a bridge. Danzo stood on the other side with Root forces behind him. He seemed wary, as if he was afraid he'd come to get him. Hiruzen hadn't simply come with Kakashi, he also had other Anbu who were hiding within the pillars of the base. A show of force seemed to be the only thing Danzo was willing to listen to.

"We are not here to arrest you."

"Then what do you want? You hardly come down here."

"I came to check how things are going. I have yet to receive your reports on the missions are assigned you."

"My agents have yet to return."

"Then I expect a report as soon as they return. It is of importance that the plans work out without our hand being discovered." Hiruzen then turned around to face Danzo. "I'm here to inform you that you're no longer part of the village Council. You lost your bet."

Danzo displayed his contempt. "I heard about that. To think you would even dare reward the Uchiha with power. You will regret your decision, Hiruzen. Those people cannot be trusted."

"My decision has been made and I don't expect to see you in my office unless summoned or you have a report to give him."

"Has Shisui used his power on you?"

"Of course, you'd think that." Hiruzen shook his head. "What do you know about Orochimaru?"

"I heard he founded a village called Otogakure within the Sound Country."

"That is no doubt a threat to the security of this village." His failure. Had he done what needed to be done, they wouldn't have been dealing with this threat. "I want you to gather all information you can. I will dispatch people to deal with him before he grows to become a bigger threat."

"There wouldn't even be the threat if you'd not allowed your emotions to get in the way. If Orochimaru ends up taking action against us, know that it is your fault. You're the one who let him leave the village."

"I know what I did. And you have your job." Hiruzen hoped that while giving Danzo too much work, he wouldn't have resources to do other crazy schemes. "Before I forget, my men will be conducting a head count. We won't record anything. You don't exists after all. You'll provide details about all those who are out of the village."

"Is that really necessary?"

"Yes." Hiruzen said with a nod. "We will conduct such inspections every now and then."

Hokage Monument

"It seems really peaceful from here, doesn't it?" Shisui asked Itachi who sat beside him on top of the Nidaime Hokage's head.

Shisui didn't hold any negative thoughts about the Second. The man loved Konoha and gave his life to protect the village's future. And contrary to what other people thought, the man didn't really hate the Uchiha. He worked well with those who were willing. Some members of their clan were just difficult. Hatred ran rampant within clan members. It was like a generational curse that the Uchiha couldn't get rid of.

"Yes... but not long ago, there had been panic, with Kumo threatening war."

"It just goes to show, peace is rather fragile in the shinobi world. Things can change in the blink of an eye. That is why to protect what we hold dear, we must always be ready. We may hold the view that War is wrong, but others may not hold such a belief. And conflicts will arise." Shisui fell silent for a moment before asking. "Do you feel that the tension is getting worse?"

"My father is still respected but we know what they think of him. It is nonetheless close to getting out of hand. He has shown unwavering faith in the Sandaime Hokage, but if things continue this way, he too might change."

"Maybe he has. He is still the clan head and when others propose recklessness, he has offer a dissenting thought to steer all into the right direction. I am glad that we have him as our clan head. Without him, actions that would have ensured our clan's name is muddied would have been taken already."

"Ultimately, he must think of the future of the clan." That was were Itachi thought his father could collide with the Hidden Leaf.

"That is why you have to play a role. We both have to do something for the love of our clan. We are loyal servants of Konoha but we cannot ignore our fellow clansmen, even if they are straying into the wrong path. We must try to usher them into the right path. We cannot do that, if we're always absent from the clan."

"The Sandaime has proposed that I sometimes swap places with Naruto."

"Ah," Shisui smiled. "He is doing something about that... I had approached him for Naruto's sake. But this still works. You'll have more time to handle clan matters then..."

Itachi glanced at Shiui curiously. "You approached the Third?"

"Yes.' Shisui nodded. "About Naruto and taking him into the village. His talents are being wasted. And we must admit the truth about him; he is a loner and often strays between right and wrong. He can easily become darker ..."

Shisui thought it might be already too late. The bloodlust in Naruto when he was in battle scared at him at times. This was evident in Naruto's style of fighting. His fellow Uchiha fought to hurt his opponents. The fact that he enjoyed working alone than with other people bothered him.

He'd once thought Naruto generally disliked everyone who was not Uchiha.

"But he is someone who thinks." Itachi thought Naruto was the most reasonable Uchiha out there-him and Shisui excluded. Unlike the adults, Naruto saw reason.

"Because he is open minded. But there is darkness in his heart and he indulges in it too much sometimes when handling his duties."

"Isn't Anbu going to just make things worse?" Itachi asked. Maybe when he first suggested Naruto join the Anbu, he'd underestimated the darkness in him.

"It might. Being a normal shinobi would do it better. Besides, Naruto doesn't like the rules of Anbu." Shisui said with concern.

The bigger problem was finding a way to better things between the clan and the village. The main problem wasn't necessarily with the village leadership, it was also with the villagers. Shisui was certain, even if Fugaku ended up becoming Hokage, the village wouldn't really accept it. There might even be a gossip that they gained the position by mmanipulaing the Council, as they did with the Kyubi.

They had to win the villagers and only good works, and changing how they behaved would make them earn favor in the eyes of the villagers.

"We will see what happens," Shisui added. "Your father recognizes the fact that it isn't the Council we must win over but the people of this village. I assume that is why he placed me in a position to lead Military Police Force."

"But winning over the village isn't going to be easy."

"We have time."

"But patience is running thin with the rest of the clan."

Training Ground 44

The wild animals of the area were silent. But the birds chirped at the disturbance by shinobi. The streams that ran through it couldn't be heard. It was truly a different game during the day. These were all sounds Naruto could distinctively hear through the night while on patrol duty. The loudness of day, he could hear nothing. Maybe, the hunters were sleeping, so, other animals had time to rest during the day.

Within the trees, The Sandaime Hokage stood, flanked by two masked men. On other tree, Itachi sat on a branch, alone. A full squad of Anbu occupied another tree. They were all here for his audition.

Within the little clearing, four masked shinobi. Their chakra was a little too low.

Naruto had even bothered bringing his gunbai with him. But it seemed there was no need. He didn't have a problem with bullying other shinobi, but he had his pride too. He grabbed the gunbai and stared at it for a long minute before turning toward the leaders.

"Trainees?" He asked, staring toward the Sandaime.

"We thought they would be good to show your skills. It is not an overkill, and they are not weak either."

"Chunin." Naruto shook his head and then folded his hands across his chest. "They are not much of a test if they are just trainees."

"You don't lack confidence." One of the Anbu replied.

"Maybe a little overconfident."

"Whatever you think is fine... but if you're going to force me to fight with them, better have a medic ready."

The Sandaime turned toward Itachi. The Uchiha jumped oved to the Third. He hadn't admitted it before. But he had said something about Naruto's personality.

"His skills are not inferior to mine. Most of us only use the Sharingan when it is necessary... he does not do it that way... and his attitude changes quickly if opponents are too weak."

"Well, he is going to command respect if he proves himself against one of them." One of the Anbu standing beside the Sandaime said. "Why not give him what he wants? If he gets beats, it should help with his overconfidence."

"I wouldn't be certain about that." This was Naruto they were talking about. Naruto was arrogant-Itachi wouldn't deny that. But the arrogance came from the fact that he was no weakling.

"You think he can take on an Anbu?" Hiruzen asked. He really shouldn't be surprised. He'd been told already that the young Uchiha was comparable to his fellow clansmen.

"Can I take on an Anbu?"

"You mean if you can do it, he can do it?"

"Yes."

"Then let us make this hard."

Two Anbu moved from the shadows. Naruto still wasn't moved. He threw the gunbai toward Itachi deeming it unnecessary for this battle. It was just against two Anbu.

Naruto had a smile as he looked at the Anbu before him. "What are the rules?"

"There are no rules. We just want to see what you can do... so bring your best."

"My best might be a little of an overkill..." Naruto replied with a laugh. "Seriously, If I come with my best, and you're not strong enough, you might just die... but let us get that out of the way... just a warning, don't make the mistake of looking into my eyes. I'll use Genjutsu repeatedly if you do."

Three wouldn't be so stupid to look at the Sharingan. The Genjutsu was infamously deadly.

Anbu reports on the Uchiha have been explicit in one detail-Naruto's use of Genjutsu. Another fact was that he was well versed in Taijutsu. Nobody has seen him wield a sword, but according to Itachi, he did know how to use one. Then he had to assume Naruto was capable of pretty much anything. The Sharingan allowed him to do so.

"If you don't take this seriously, you might not join Anbu. We don't take people who are not aware of their limits."

Naruto laughed. "I don't want to be Anbu." He said it right there. "I would rather be a normal shinobi. Wearing a mask and sticking to mission rules would tire me more than the actual mission."

Three glanced back at the Sandaime, who just smiled. To make that admission was daring. That fact alone could disqualify him. Absolute obedience was required for any Anbu. Then again, Naruto wasn't saying he would be disobedient; he was saying it was all a hassle he would rather not engage. The Uchiha was truly a contrast to both Shisui and Itachi.

"Come." Three said, motioning for the Uchiha to attack. He didn't want to continue with the conversation. The Sandaime needed to go back to the office to do more important work.

There were two Anbu. One stayed hidden in the shadows and the leader was staring down at him. He would admit, he was a little excited about this. It wasn't often he got to go against experienced shinobi. They already respected Itachi-he would have to banish those memories from their minds.

He could have brought his sword, but he wasn't here to kill the Anbu.

How did he go about this? He had to make an impression that it wasn't just about power. He had to think tactically to be trusted enough to fill Itachi's shoes. Still, a huge mountain to climb that he thought it wasn't really fair to be placed in such a situation.

White stood still, watching the Uchiha absorbed in his thoughts. He'd have considered lunging at him, but the leader said no. besides, they wanted to see what he could do, it was better to just allow him to display his worth before breaking him-if possible. He wasn't going to underestimate the Uchiha. He'd already seen both Itachi and Shisui.

Naruto ignited an explosive tag around himself, his entire frame became engulfed in a cloud of smoke. None of the Anbu could see him but they remained on alert.

Three large shuriken burst out of the smoke, cutting through the air in a flash. They were aimed at the Anbu. White kept his senses on the smoke while his eyes focused on the incoming projectile. From the tree branch, he ducked slightly and the shuriken flew aimlessly above him. His eyes shot back to the cloud.

Poof

His senses went haywire for a second. His body twisted around like lightning. He'd already twisted around before even his eyes faced the Uchiha who'd surely done either a replacement jutsu or had transformed into a shuriken.

The second he turned around, a roundhouse house slammed into his face. The blow was so sickening his nose broke on contact. It didn't feel like he'd been hit by just a child-there was enough strength to make him feel as if he'd been hit by a fellow Anbu.

The kick sent him flying into the smoke. He glanced back seeing three kunai speeding toward him. He quickly held a single hand seal before the kunai pierced him through the back. But upon contact, he burst into a log.

A few moments ago, the same thing happened to Three. However, he was much faster than White. As soon as he heard the poof sound, he didn't even try to turn around. The roundhouse kick slammed into the back of his head, but he too turned into a log. As soon as the kick hit the log, it ruptured into splinters.

Three flashed behind Naruto in the blink of an eye. he was floating in mid-air when his right foot cut through the air before hitting the Uchiha around his neck. It was meant to be a knockout kick of he wasn't a clone. But the second he made contact, the Uchiha exploded into an intense cloud of crimson flames. The flames slammed into his body, burning through his right leg before he forced himself to leap away. He landed on the ground, hiding behind the trunk of a tree, gritting his teeth as his right leg ached with the burns.

His eyes flashed toward the clearing where the Uchiha had been standing-he was gone. He immediately went on alert. And didn't have to wait long when the Uchiha suddenly blurred in front of him, before twisting around in mid-air.

White suddenly appeared in between them, holding both hand signs, his mouth agape. "Suiton: Water Bullet!" While Naruto was still twisting around, he released a blast of water from his mouth. The shot out of his mouth like a bullet, and crashed into Naruto at point blank range. As soon as the bullet hit the Uchiha, he exploded into another poof of smoke.

"Normal people would have surely taken some damage from that."

Both the Anbu lifted their heads as Naruto suddenly spoke. He was standing atop of a tree branch, those cold black eyes staring down at them..

Three laughed. "It is impressive to be able to get behind two Anbu just like that."

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing impressive about it. I work in the night, stealth is a requirement for effective observation and tracking down suspects," the Uchiha explained in a mild tone. "I've also trained with Guy. His speed is pure."

"That explains why you move so quick." White said calmly. "We know you're the real one and not a clone."

"I merely used clone to test strategy and get an idea of your strength." Naruto's hands shifted slightly and then leapt toward the clearing. While in mid-air, he twisted around, facing the two Anbu and then went through hand seals. He inhaled a large chunk of air inside of him as he converted the chakra within into flames. "Katon: Great Fire Ball no Jutsu!" He expelled an exponentially huge ball of intense flames from his mouth. The flames spread toward the Anbu while creating an unbearable atmosphere in the clearing.

"He is Uchiha alright," Three said seeing the huge flames.

It was White who went through hand signs. "Suiton: Water Wall!" He spewed large chunks of water from his mouth, creating a huge wall in front of both him and Three. The gigantic ball of flames slammed into the wall. The two elements battled for supremacy before steam rolled out, creating a huge cloud in the area.

Naruto finally touched down. He was forced to leap into the air the second he touched down as an earth spike protruded from the ground. It all happened in a flash that the spike managed to catch him from the front, ripping his shirt and grazing him slightly.

While he was still in mid-air, Three flashed behind him, stabbing his sword forward. The strike was aimed toward his right shoulder. Even though it was coming from behind, Naruto ducked under the strike, without turning around while lifting his left arm.

He grabbed Three's arm around the wrist before he could pull back from his failed attack and then twisted around in a flash.

"Guy taught me to always anticipate the next attack. He attacks in a certain manner to limit how you respond. That way, he can control the battle," Naruto was saying that while lifting his right arm. The open palm hit Three's arm around the elbow.

There was no sickening sound of bones cracking when his attack hit Three. He hit the man on the elbow purposely. His muscles just snapped as his arm bent in ways it shouldn't. the Anbu however, didn't make a single sound.

In fact, he lifted his right knee, and tried to gut the Uchiha. Naruto however, blocked the attack by raising his knee. The knees collided and Naruto didn't wrestle with the man as he twisted the arm. He suddenly yanked him closer, grabbing him by his shirt before slamming him into the earth spike.

The second he released Three, White flashed beside him, his right foot cleaving through the air in blinding speed. It hit Naruto on the side of his ribcage, sending him away like a rocket. Yet, Naruto managed to regain his balance by flipping several times in mid-air before landing on the ground. He skidded a bit before coming to a halt.

White didn't give him a moment to rest as he was upon him in the blink of an eye. He tried frontal kick, which Naruto avoided by leaping backwards. He was moving backwards, White twisted around and attempted a mid-air roundhouse kick.

By this time, Naruto already had his Sharingan activated.

He ducked under the kick before landing down. It only gave White a chance to try a dropkick. Seeing the attack, Naruto folded both hands above him to block the kick. The second it collided, he winced slightly. It was still nothing compares to Gai's kick. Worse, the man's kick had weights on them. He willed himself to push away to bring White off balance and stop him from attacking again.

White dropped to the ground with one foot, his right still high in the air with no control over his body. Before he could even muster any effort, a brutal blow of a punch landed on his chest. The punch was powerful enough to cause him to stop breathing for a second as his eyes widened, his insides twisting under the shock.

Naruto slapped a tag across his chest before leaping backwards. White tried to rip it off but the tag went off, releasing an incredible amount of electricity. The currents coursed through his body with a burning sensation that left him feeling numb. His body started to twitch uncontrollably while he remained rooted to the spot.

Seeing the effects of his jutsu, Naruto darted toward the Anbu. But before he could reach him, Three flashed between them, and attempted to land a frontal kick on his forehead to send him flying backwards.

Black appeared out of nowhere from behind him. Naruto was a little surprised when the dark masked Anbu flashed behind him. There wasn't even time to dodge the Anbu's attack; a swift kick crashed onto his back, sending him flying toward Three once more.

While in mid-air, seeing Three dart toward him, Naruto allowed a twisted smile to settle on his lips.

It was getting a little exciting now.

Three still had a broken arm, so he was hindered from using any Jutsu. White was still suffering from the effects of his lightning Jutsu but he would soon be free.

While Naruto was flying toward him, Three darted toward him, holding a short sword with his functioning hand. As soon as he neared the Uchiha, he hit the breaks, skidding while stabbing his sword forward.

Naruto's body burst into flames before the sword could stab him. Shun Shin? Three wondered as he twisted around. Naruto was already behind him. The Uchiha bent down, sweeping him off the ground before blurring above him. Three braced for impact as his body began to fall backwards, with Naruto above him. The Uchiha's feet crashed into his chest.

Boom

Three crashed into the ground with his head first, creating a sizeable crater while debris picked up.

"Katon: Dragon's Breath!"

Naruto glanced toward his right side and saw the stream of flames charging toward him. White was also charging toward him. If he tried to use a Jutsu to block the flames, White would hit him. In a swift movement, he got up from Three and then picked him up and then sent him flying into the flames.

White saw this and was forced to divert his movements. He was swift as he rushed toward Three. Black couldn't cancel his flames just like that. He flashed below Three and then pulled him down to avoid the flames. Both crashed down to the ground as he flames blasted past them, heading toward Naruto.

The flames seemingly hit Naruto, but small pieces of wood fell to the ground, while burning.

"Ya!"

Black twisted around as Naruto suddenly flashed behind him along with crimson flames. There was no question that the Uchiha trained with Shisui. There was no time to dwell on this as the second he twisted around he found himself in a crimson world, nailed to a cross, black flames burning below him. He cursed, knowing he'd been caught in a Genjutsu. The brat had called him just to make him look.

The world of Genjutsu shattered when he felt immense pain around his shoulder; a kunai was imbedded on his shoulder, blood slowly dripping out. He cried when Naruto stomped on his knee, making his foot bend backwards. The pain shot through his body in a blink. That was just brutal. This was a sparring session, not a death fight.

"Wa-" he wanted to say something as the Uchiha seemed like he wanted to continue with the assault, but he was saved when White intervened, landing a punch on Naruto's right cheek. The punch sent the Uchiha flying away.

Naruto flipped once before landing down. The second he did, he was fronted by White who landed in front of him and tried to deliver a swift roundhouse kick.

Naruto dropped down to duck the kick. While doing so, he took out a kunai, and then his feet danced on the ground, cutting the distance between him and White in a flash. The Kunai he held stabbed White on the side of his chest, drawing out blood. Naruto wasn't done. He delivered a brutal roundhouse kick on White, sending the man flying away.

Three was on one knee, next to Black who was on the ground, trying to stop the bleeding on his shoulder. Naruto darted toward them, but he came to a halt when Itachi suddenly appeared in front of him.

His face was just expressionless as he stared at his fellow Uchiha. "What are you doing, Itachi?"

"You won."

"Isn't that for me to decide?"

"You were going to put him through unnecessary pain." Itachi replied in a flat tone. "I thought you were showing restraint."

"I showed restraint."

"But you were about to break out."

Naruto shrugged with indifference. "People heal from physical pain. Scars will be there, but people heal," he said. He glanced behind as the Sandaime landed along with two Anbu flanking both his sides.

"Itachi is right... you've proved your worth."

"Hardly," Naruto managed to show contempt. "That wasn't fulfilling in any way. couldn't you have provided better Anbu with more experience?"

"You'll have your chance during missions." The Sandaime replied casually. "But your strength is not questionable. I'll not have any worries sending you out of the village." The Third Said. "Take him to HQ for his registration and uniform." He said to the Anbu on his right side. "Help them to the hospital."

"Hai."

Hiruzen sighed. Once more, the Uchiha clan produced another genius. There were no exaggerations about Naruto-in fact, he thought he was being understated. At any event, the village would have another powerful shinobi in its rank.

"The last person who used the gunbai was Madara. How does Naruto fair with it?" Hiruzen asked curiously.

"I'm not certain," Itachi replied with a shake of his head. "Shisui knows more about Naruto's abilities."

"He is the one who taught him that fire based Shunshin then."

Uchiha Compound

The night descended without fanfare. Naruto thought it a little dull. He didn't have to look forward to his duties-he would simply go back to his house and just be miserable. With nightfall, secret meetings were held. Naruto took his corner with some discomfort, because he knew today, he would be discussed. They would look at him and there would be expectations and some warnings from clan members.

He didn't need any but he would still accept them with grace.

"I recently held a meeting with the Sandaime Hokage and the four noble clans," Fugaku started. He'd wondered for a while how they would take things. He came to one dreadful conclusion and it didn't give him the peace of mind.

Fugaku really wished things could be much simpler, but they were not. Nothing was ever simple. He loved Konoha-but it was without question his clan wasn't trusted. He'd given everything to the Sandaime. But what did he get in return? He wasn't overly obsessed with becoming Hokage. He just wanted for the clan to be given its dues.

If not, he was sure he wouldn't be able to control this beast. If he couldn't, it would be doom for the clan. He didn't want that. And he hoped, Itachi would come through for him. They differed in opinions, but he was still his son.

"The Sandaime created a new village Council. It includes the noble clans, Jonin Commander and the Hokage," he paused, looking around. There was excitement at the prospect. How he hoped it was all good news. "We are now part of the leadership of the village. Whatever decision will be made, we will partake in it."

"It changes nothing if our voices will still be drowned out."

"That will only happen because we don't have a good relationship with other clans," Fugaku replied in a sharp tone. "We must foster those terms."

"How? Is it going to change anything?" Inabi questioned Fugaku.

"Political games," Fugaku glanced toward Naruto. Seeing the look, Naruto folded his hands across his chest and looked away. "It is an opportunity for us to have a say in what is going to be happening around the village. No longer will we be blindsided."

Finally, the excitement showed. Fugaku would have preferred to deliver the other news without allowing them to feel happiness. But he wanted to know how deep their resentment went toward the village.

"There is another thing the Sandaime announced," Fugaku said. Everyone waited with baited breath for him to speak again. For a second, he considered not saying anything. "He has chosen Tsunade Senju has his successor in case anything happens. I presume Jiraiya-sama will be going after her now."

It took a moment, but the room finally exploded. The anger and feeling of betrayal was apparent. Naruto thought it was amusing. What else did they expect? Did they really think the Sandaime was just going to announce Fugaku as his successor? Sure, like Itachi, the Uchiha was well received by the villagers. But being Hokage was another matter. The good thing was that people didn't elect. It however, influenced things.

"This is ridiculous!"

"How can someone who has abandoned the village be chosen ahead of us?!"

"Does the Sandaime think little of us?"

"We will never be trusted in this village! The Sandaime just put us in the Council just to silence us... just as they did with Military Police Force!"

"If we don't do something, nothing is going to change!"

Was it simply being hungry for power? An outsider would think that way. But Uchiha founded this village and yet, they've been at the mercy of the Senju. No Uchiha has led. Senju has dictated. Tobirama was most likely sipping alcohol in the dead. Naruto thought if there was a way, he'd bring the Nidaime back to life and make him watch an Uchiha's coronation as Hokage.

What could they even do in this situation? Some members would even go to the extreme in taking power by force. What was apparent was that things would never be the same again.

"You must have already heard, Naruto will no longer be taking part of his nightly duties with Military Police; he will with Anbu. Itachi will be working for the clan and I hope you'll all give him the support he needs." Fugaku stated in a serious tone.

"Can he be trusted?"

"He is my son and I trust him." Fugaku replied without doubt. "I know things don't look good. But we cannot allow our emotions to get the better of us. We must strive to build a better future for our children. We're going through a difficult time, but we must endure for the sake of the next generation. If we do anything reckless, there will be no future."

If he was talking to reasonable people, his message might have found receivers. But the Uchiha were fed up.

"There will be no future if the village decides they need to get rid of us."

"Why is Naruto going to Anbu? Do they want to turn him against us as well?"

"We've seen what happens when people go that side. Itachi has become tainted. He may well be brought back to be a spy to the clan!"

Ah, the beauty of cynicism. Naruto thought of finally saying something, but he kept his mouth shut. Let the adults do the talking. It took a while, but the meeting was concluded. He and Itachi remained behind as Fugaku wanted to speak to them.

"That was delightful," Naruto said with a smile.

"An overreaction," Itachi said with a slight shake of his head. He was truly, beginning to fear for the worse in this village.

"What do you expect? The Sandaime would rather choose someone who abandoned Konoha than us."

Of course, Naruto would be in the same bracket as the rest of the clan. It was amazing that even though he agreed with most of their thoughts, he never said anything to support it. Then again, Naruto must be conscious that adding anything would be like pouring oil into the fire. Then why didn't he say anything?

Seeing the look on Itachi's face, Naruto spoke again. "They have every reason to feel hard done. And so do I," he admitted with a straight face. "This is no different than being the last man, and someone says they would rather let humanity die than be with you."

"That is a bit of an extreme situation," Fugaku said with amusement. "Do you not think they have the right to feel betrayed?"

"I understand the position but the reaction I do not agree with it."

"We're all the same in that regard," Fugaku said. "We cannot overlook their grievances. Things are not merry at the moment. And the Sandaime's choice just exposes what he thinks of us. We nonetheless cannot descend into chaos. It will only ruin our name and future. I have faith that you two will change things for us."

"Itachi can work with changing the perception of the villagers toward us and I will try to shift the mindsets of Inabi's group. Once we win that group over, we can settle things," Naruto suggested.

"Is that what you have decided for yourself?".

"Yes." Naruto nodded his head. "One day, I want to become the head of Military Police Force. But there will be no Uchiha or police force is things don't change into the right direction."

Maybe then, he would die a proud Uchiha. He had no desire to become Hokage. As long as he played a vital role in the Uchiha reclaiming its glory, he wouldn't care about anything else. But of course, he was mindful of the mood around the village and the clan. One wrong move and everything could explode into blood and death. Naruto didn't want to end in a whimper like that. He demanded more of himself.

"Have you always thought like that?"

"No."

"Why the change?"

"Does it matter?" Naruto asked Itachi with a raised eye brow. "We want what is best for the clan and I must adapt to my new environment: he then smiled coldly. "I'll admit, choosing Tsunade as his successor has incensed me a little. I find it deeply offensive. If I don't do something, I wouldn't mind being rogue."

Fugaku shook his head. Give it to Naruto to say something so treasonous with a straight face. He wasn't concerned about such words reaching the Sandaime.

"Love is a dangerous emotion," he said mildly. For love, people were willing to do anything. For the love of his clan, Naruto was willing to pull all strings. The difference with Itachi was that Naruto was no pacifist. He was realistic and considered blood and death an unavoidable consequence of living.

"He isn't the only one offended," Fugaku conceded. "Why do you think the Sandaime made the choice he made?" He asked his son. "Do you think it is even fair to expect us to just swallow everything? Can you say on merit alone, I do not deserve to be Hokage?"

On the suffice, it didn't seem reasonable. Without looking at the underlying issues, one would think the Sandaime clearly had an agenda with the clan. Itachi thought it amazing that despite his arrogance, Naruto saw the problem. Perhaps it was the reason he wasn't joining the chorus of anger.

"You deserve it more than her. She has abandoned the village and has shown no loyalty. From what I understand, Jiraiya-sama has failed in many attempts to bring her back," Itachi admitted quietly. "But while the Sandaime will be first to admit you have the "Will of Fire" the situation with the villagers is little different."

"That is why we must do what we can. I have no expectations but wish to raise you to that position," Fugaku said.

"What happens when we do what we can and nothing changes?" Naruto asked with his eyes closed. "There will be those who will try to sabotage us and even set us up for failure."

"We cannot lose hope. Once we lose hope, we give up on living."

Naruto wanted to say that it was not necessarily true. It would simply mean they'd lost hope in Konoha but they could still hope on something else.

The Following Day

The sun bathed the village with its rich warmth. The prison were many were held was just behind the walls of Military Police Headquarters. Some he arrested himself were there-civilian and shinobi alike. Criminality didn't discriminate. Whether shinobi or just civilians, people were just capable of just anything.

Honestly, dealing with scums had become a rich part of his life that Naruto thought he might become claustrophobic in the new space he was being forced to perform. Walking on the sun had become like a disease for him. He enjoyed the darkness of the nights and the many vile creatures that lurked there. It was a thrill for him. Rules were rules, but they didn't get in the way of how he operated. And now, he had to go meet up his new teammates in the hospital.

Naruto honestly preferred to work alone. Being in a group with others was too restricting.

"We need to talk to you." The gang of three was upon him. Inabi, Yashiro and Tekka took their jobs a little too seriously. Their devotion to Military Police was unquestionable.

But so was their love for the clan. Naruto felt these were the few adults he could get along with simply because they loved their clan more than anything. But of course, they could be unreasonable and irrational at times. Being high on emotions tended induce such a state even to the smartest it was perhaps in their very nature. Uchiha were emotional beings after all. A dangerous Uchiha is one who has learned to love.

Naruto followed the three out of the HQ and they stood outside, leaning against the wall. There was a look around to see if someone was watching them. Given circumstances, Naruto thought it a waste of time-because it was common course the village didn't trust them. They were always being watched.

"We'll get straight to it," Inabi started in a flat tone. "We don't trust Itachi-not even a little. We think the Sandaime has brought him closer to the clan to make him a spy."

In the eyes of these people, Itachi was a traitor. In some ways, Naruto did agree with them. He amused himself at how he dangerously strayed in the path of madness with them.

There was no doubt in Naruto's heart that if the Sandaime requested information from Itachi about the clan, he would give the information if it would benefit the village. The Sandaime didn't have to give Itachi the order. As long as Itachi felt the clan was skidding toward the edge of a cliff, he would be the first to sing before the Sandaime Hokage. Fugaku knew this much. But parents always loved their children, no matter what.

"Then?"

"What do you mean then?" Yashiro was glaring at him. "You've not become infected like him, have you?"

Naruto let out a cold laughter. "I'm simply asking what you want," he stared at Yashiro. "But of course, you of all people wouldn't say anything outward. We must respect our elders, but you leave much to be desired..." he shook his head with disappointment. Yashiro was a coward of a grown man who didn't want to do anything himself but would rather push to others. In the face of it, his confidence seemed to melt like gum.

"Respect your elders you arrogant child."

Naruto shrugged and tossed Yashiro's glare to the side before facing Inabi. "What do you want of me?"

"Keep an eye on him. If he turns out to be a spy, we must take decisive action. We cannot even have someone like him lead the clan. He has made it clear over and over again that his priority is the village, not the clan."

Once more, Naruto laughed. Living was truly a dangerous thing. The bloody battles that could lead to death and political scheming that could screw you over were an every day hazard. There was no end to the danger-not just from enemies but from within the clan as well. They were not united. The mistrust with village leaders seemed to transfer to other members of the clan who looked suspicious.

"Tell me, what would you do if something happened to Fugaku-sama?"

"It's obvious. We wouldn't permit Itachi to become clan head."

Naruto had no doubt that would be the case and he thought, some part of Itachi might even agree. Then again, his clansman was not so noble. He was just as capable of anything, just like any shinobi.

"Well, Itachi's leadership doesn't really mean well for the clan... but maybe we could be wrong," Naruto said with a shrug. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"How far are you willing to go protect the clan, Naruto?"

"There is no place far enough and no hole deep enough. If needs be, I'll wrestle with the very depths of abyss to protect my clan." Naruto said without emotion. And he meant it. For the clan, he would discard even his humanity.

"Good," Inabi nodded.

"But, it better not be what you're thinking." Naruto said in a flat tone. "We can't do anything reckless."

"Reckless?" Inabi stared at him coldly. "It says so much when they would rather choose a disloyal shinobi than us. The issue is not just views of the leaders, it is a systematic discrimination against the clan. Even if a new Kage comes, nothing will change. We will continue to be oppressed by the village. We can't continue like this."

It really was going to be bad. Naruto really had nothing to say because he shared the frustration. "Itachi always says that he who becomes Hokage is always the one who the village recognizes."

"They are never going to recognize us."

"Then why are we still in this village?"

"Powerful, but we won't be allowed to leave the village. Not if Danzo can help it. I suspect he will even be plotting in the background to ensure that nothing good happens with the clan. As soon as he sniffs something, he will pounce. But that is more acceptable to the cruel fate that could await us if we leave Konoha." Yashiro replied with a shake of his head. "This is our village. We helped found it. Nobody is going to push us away. And you're going to do everything possible to ensure we're always ahead of things."

Naruto glanced up into one of the towers that had many in the clan getting sleepless nights. "What is the mood around the clan?"

"Everyone is restless. Fugaku-sama acts like nothing is happening, but we're tired." Inabi replied with barely hidden contempt. "It is frustrating. And Itachi who was supposed to be a light to the clan has proved to be nothing more than an ungrateful child."

"Yashiro is a little older... but you have children... the war took my parents... I know what it is like to be lonely," he smiled coldly despite what he was saying. "Think about them. What you should be doing now is create a united clan not one filled with hatred. Shisui and I think for the clan's future and so does Fugaku-sama. I'll be the first to slaughter even children if the village ever tries to turn on us. I don't have family, the clan is my family."

Inabi managed a crooked smile. He knew Naruto was serious about what he was saying-unlike Itachi, this one loved the clan more than the village. Really, if Fugaku said he was grooming Naruto to be the next clan head, nobody would complain. Shisui was a little too nice. Naruto had none of the characteristics that defined those other two.

"Even if it means you must kill Itachi?"

Naruto didn't reply to the question. "Let me settle into my new role..." His Sharingan activated. A bit of his chakra oozed out with enough killing intent to cause Tekka and Yashiro to take a step back. Inabi remained unmoved. "I warn you; I love this clan. And I understand that as things stand, nothing much can be changed. But if in your impatience, you conspire to do something reckless that endangers us all, I'll hand over your heads to the Sandaime myself."

"Children these days," Inabi shook his head. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to become the best that I can be. The shinobi world will know the name of Naruto Uchiha. If Itachi, Shisui and I become the greatest that even overshadows, even the Sannin, and the village still find ways to oppress us, then I'll be the first to tell Fugaku-sama action has to be taken."

It was clear to Inabi-even if he clearly threatened them a second ago-that Naruto had the best interests of the clan. An enemy was not just someone outside of the clan, but even those within would be considered enemies that threaten the safety of the clan.

He held out his right hand. "Fugaku-sama trusts you more than he trusts anyone in the clan. We will be trusting you to make him reason when the time comes."

"I hope it never comes," Naruto shook Inabi's hand. "But for now, we play nice. For the future of the clan."

"Of course," Inabi's smile twisted with contempt. "We think there might be a spy within Military Police's logistics department."

Naruto frowned deeply. "It can only be an Uchiha," he spoke with contempt. "How can a fellow Uchiha be traitor?"

"We're not sure," Tekka finally spoke. "But we're keeping it a secret while watching him. Fugaku-sama might not believe us if we say anything. We don't even think it has anything to do with the Sandaime. Danzo would be behind it. We know he has a grudge against us."

"We're keeping a close eye on things. If it becomes true, it will shake the clan. If mistrusts spread among fellow clan members, we will be doomed."

"Secrecy then," Naruto said. "You want me to use my position in Anbu to check if there is something happening?"

"Yes."

"Consider it done," Naruto then askes. "Why don't you ask Shisui to ask questions?"

"If we turn out to be wrong... we lose his trust. We must be thorough before approaching him."

"Who do you suspect to be a traitor?"

Later that night

The silhouette of Naruto sitting on the staircase of his house, crimson eyes staring into the empty space was a little unnerving. It was the thing that made Shisui worry for Naruto. He could do all things, but he was really lonely. There was no one he came home to. Perhaps he chose to work at night because he didn't have to think about just how lonely he was. Outside of work and training, Naruto had no other life.

Shisui had come here just to check, but the sight made him frown deeply. Even in his intrusion, Naruto didn't react. He stopped in front of his fellow Uchiha and spoke.

"Why are you sitting like this?" He asked in a worried tone.

It took a couple of seconds but Naruto's eyes turned toward him. "I was on my way out and then realized I didn't have duty..." he paused and then asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I sensed your chakra signature." Shisui sat down beside Naruto and let out a cold breath. "Should we go out for the night?"

"No... the silence is more preferable."

End of chapter