Hidden Genius: Ayanokouji's Rebirth As Naruto Uzumaki

Ayanokouji's Pov:-

The end credits of the final episode of "Naruto" rolled down the screen, marking the end of an expansive journey through the ninja world that Kei had introduced me to. It was an odd feeling, sitting there in the dim light of my room, reflecting on the whole experience.

My mind was a mix of admiration for the complexity of the storylines and a slight critique of the characters' decisions, especially the protagonist's, Naruto Uzumaki. His unwavering optimism and straightforwardness were both his strength and his weakness, a concept that fascinated yet bewildered me.

Despite my critical view of his naivety, I couldn't deny the entertainment value the series offered. It had its hooks in me, and I found myself empathizing with characters, celebrating their victories, and mourning their losses. It was a well-crafted world, one I was somewhat sad to leave behind.

As the clock ticked past midnight, signaling the need for sleep, I realized it was time to move on from the world of shinobi and kunai. Stretching out on my bed, I couldn't help but muse over the adventures I'd just witnessed. They were fantastical, yet they carried a certain weight, a message about perseverance, friendship, and the complexities of human nature.

The profoundness of it all lingered in my thoughts as I drifted into sleep, the characters and their stories weaving through my dreams. Little did I know, the line between my reality and the world of Naruto was about to blur in ways I could never have imagined.

Third Person Pov:-

As the first rays of morning light crept through the curtains, the world Ayanokouji Kiyotaka knew had shifted radically. He no longer lay in the comfort of his bed but found himself in the body of an infant, the sights and sounds of a world vastly different from his own filling his senses. It took him moments to realize he was staring directly at a pair of massive red claws, poised perilously close to piercing him.

The air was heavy with tension, a palpable sense of danger enveloping him. In those brief seconds, time seemed to slow, giving him a clear view of the formidable creature before him - Kurama, the Nine-Tails fox, its eyes blazing with a ferocity that could burn through the bravest of souls.

Yet, before fear could completely take hold, two figures appeared in a blur of motion, intercepting the deadly claws with their bodies. Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina Uzumaki, stood as unwavering shields between the infant and imminent death. Their presence alone seemed to fill the room with a warmth that contrasted the chill of dread that had briefly taken hold.

Kushina's voice, tinged with a maternal warmth yet weighed down by a somber inevitability, filled the room. Her words, imbued with emotions and hopes, were directed at the infant, who was none other than Ayanokouji, now in the body of Naruto Uzumaki. "Naruto, from now on, you are going to face lots of pain and hardships. Be true to yourself. Have a dream and have the confidence to make those dreams come true. Oh, Naruto, there's so much... oh, so much more...! There are so many things I wish I had time to pass onto you... so much more I wanna tell you! I wish I could stay with you longer! I love you!"

Her voice cracked, laden with unshed tears and regret, "Minato, I'm sorry. I used up your time."

Hearing Kushina's words, Ayanokouji thought, 'I see. I am Uzumaki Naruto as of now, it seems. Also, it's unfortunate that my parents had to die. After all, unlike that man, they would be someone I would prefer more.' He couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of loss and determination stirring within him.

The fleeting moment of emotional turmoil didn't last long, however, for he soon felt an overwhelming exhaustion overtake him. His tiny body, not yet used to the rigors of this new world, demanded rest. 'So this is how it starts, huh?' He mused to himself, a resolve forming deep within. 'I guess it's time for a nap now. When I awake, I will continue this journey as Uzumaki Naruto with all the strength I can muster.'

With those final thoughts, Ayanokouji, now fully embracing his identity as Naruto, let the weariness pull him into a deep sleep.

Time leaps forward, and Naruto found himself standing at the end of a long line in Konoha Orphanage.

As the last one in the queue before him received his portion, Naruto moved forward eagerly, only to be met with a stony glare from the vendor. He sighed inwardly, a familiar sting of injustice pricking at him but maintained a polite demeanor. "Uncle, please give me food. I am really hungry," he said, his voice steady despite the hunger gnawing at him.

The vendor's glare hardened as he processed the young boy's request. 'So his turn finally came. Sigh! If not for the Lord Third, this brat, he would be killed by me.' Grudgingly, he scooped a small portion of food, significantly less than what Naruto had seen him give others.

Naruto, noticing the measly serving, frowned slightly. "But uncle, it's less than the last time. And you said last time that I deserved that much food," he argued, his tone respectful yet firm.

The vendor's temper flared, and in a swift motion that Naruto could easily anticipate, he slapped the young boy. Naruto stumbled and fell, but the plate of food did not tip over as Naruto managed to protect it. There was a moment of stunned silence from the onlookers before the vendor spat out, "Who the ***k did you just call Uncle, huh? Just feel grateful for that much. If not, don't"

Silence filled the air again, tension thick as Naruto slowly picked himself up, his cheeks stinging from the slap, but his resolve unshaken. "I am sorry. I got it," he said quietly, taking his plate and moving away. As he walked, a thought crossed his mind, 'I have already spent the minimum time I need to spend here. As for that guy. Well, I just hope he gets punished during the Konoha Crush Plan or the Pain Invasion.'

As Naruto sat down to consume the small amount of food, which could easily fit in his two hands, he pondered the next steps in his survival strategy. 'Now I guess, I can just stay in the forest for the remaining time here until I get my apartment. Which officially I would get during my enrollment. But I could get it earlier, too. For now, let's hunt some animals for food.' With that resolved, Naruto set off towards the forest that bordered Konoha.

Despite his tender age of just three years, Naruto, or rather Ayanokouji within, exhibited an uncanny ability to move through the forest and hunt small animals. His movements were practiced and precise, the result of the harsh training from the "White Room". He managed to catch enough for a modest meal, showcasing resourcefulness and skills that would surprise any onlooker aware of his age.

After securing the animals in a safe place from other wild animals, he thought, 'Now that the food has been taken care of. Let's unlock my chakra.' With this, he first did some meditation for about ten minutes in Seiza position.

Then he opened his eyes. Then he imagines some warm feeling around his chest and somewhere near the solar plexus. Then after a minute, he finally feels it. 'I see. So this is chakra, huh? It feels really amazing.'

Then he tries channeling chakra all around his body. After ten minutes of practice. He had already accomplished the chakra control which any Genin would be able to do.

Contemplating further, Naruto realized that increasing his chakra control might be a more prudent course of action than directly learning the three academy basic Jutsus, especially considering his current age of just three.

He understood that mastering chakra control at his tender age would be an invaluable asset, giving him a solid foundation for more advanced techniques later on. Moreover, being spotted practicing the basic academy Jutsus could raise suspicions, something he needed to avoid at all costs.

He decided to commence practice with the tree climbing exercise, a technique that significantly required chakra control. It was something he could easily explain away if seen, simply saying he had observed others attempting it.

This careful planning reflected Ayanokouji's characteristic forethought and adaptability, qualities that would serve Naruto well in his new life.

Naruto then moved towards a nearby tree, applying a certain amount of chakra to his foot before attempting to climb the tree using just his legs. As expected, he fell down.

Ayanokouji mentally replayed the attempt, evaluating the failure, 'I see. This is way more difficult than unlocking my chakra. Moreover, I felt that I used too much chakra as I didn't fall because of insufficient chakra, but rather because I expended too much, causing the tree's trunk to rip apart.'

This setback didn't dampen his spirits. Instead, it ignited a spark within him, an unwavering resolve to master this skill. Learning from this mistake, he decided on a more meticulous approach for his next attempt. 'I need to fine-tune the amount of chakra and its application. Too little and I won't adhere; too much and I damage my surroundings. Balance is key,' he pondered.

Naruto then proceeded to once again commence with his task of tree climbing. He then tried his second attempt this time applying less chakra than he used before.

Unfortunately, this time too he wasn't successful at all. Then he thinks, 'Next time, I should have no problems with it.' Then he tries doing it once again for the next time.

This time...

He was able to successfully walk about six meters. After that point, he once again fell down. Then he thought, 'I see. This time I definitely was correct in applying a middle fold of chakra between the previous two. But after six meters I was unable to maintain my chakra in doing it. Meaning I need more experience and I should be able to get the hang of it.'

As he was able to try once again, he suddenly felt someone's presence nearing him. To which he feigned ignorance as he continued with his tree climbing exercise. This time showing only 3% of his real capabilities.

After some time, the new existence revealed their presence. And it seems it was none other than the renowned Professor, The Third Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

As he neared Naruto he thought, 'I heard from my Anbu that little Naruto had escaped from the orphanage due to it once again. And I expected him to be in the forest. But never in my wildest imagination I imagined him to be here training in tree climbing. Also it seems he is proficient in it just like how I was during my childhood.'

Then he spoke, "Hey, young one. That was a nice try. But you shouldn't do something dangerous alone, let alone in this young age."

Hearing that Naruto pretended to look towards him as he said, "Who are you!? Old man." Seeing Naruto Hiruzen thought, 'This boy. His chakra, it's equivalent to that of a low chunin. Even none of the Uzumakis possessed this much of chakra during their childhood. He must be really special.'

"Me!? I am just an old man passing by. But who are you, young child?" Hiruzen said trying to influence his presence to Naruto but unfortunately for him, this was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

Hearing that Ayanokouji or Naruto responded, "No way I'd believe that. I know exactly who you are, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Also showing yourself just after I got banished, though technically not that I guess. But right after that you showed to me. Are you perhaps planning something like a propaganda!?"

Hearing Naruto's response Hiruzen was very surprised and displeased. As his obvious plan completely shattered in the presence of Naruto. Also those eyes were they really of a child? Suddenly Naruto cut his thoughts.

"But I guess I will forgive you if you give me permission to do such dangerous things and if you'd battle me right now. The man who will be the strongest Shinobi. Uzumaki Naruto."

Saying this Naruto thought, 'Although revealing my sharp mind isn't wise. It's not like it was my full intelligence. Plus with this, I can maintain an almost equal position with Hiruzen. And about the spar. I guess I couldn't hold myself back to battle, now that I am free from that man's shackles.'

[AN I still remember my first Naruto fanfic, "Wait Is This Naruto?''. But since I couldn't continue it due to my incompetence, I just decided a new one instead of that one. Also let's talk about some things. Here I will make Ayanokouji very op. And he will show his average abilities only, which still is very much op. And here Ayanokouji will have a 'free' visioned attitude or thinking point of view. Also later I plan on experimenting various things and also my Sasuke one will be on hold for a while. Also the reason I didn't uploaded fanfics for literally a month is due to my finals which is ending on Sunday. Yeah that's it.]