Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Home At Last ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Not mine

 

Chapter 4

 

 

“He wants the sharingan. He was going to make do with Kakashi's since it was available but now he'll switch back to his original target, Uchiha Sasuke. He plans to give the boy the seal and some time within the next two years but I don't know exactly when. His secondary goal is to destroy Konoha and he is constantly looking for allies to help do so.” Iruka explained. Sarutobi, Ibiki, Kakashi and Anko were spread around the room, listening intently.

 

“The Chuunin exams would be the perfect opportunity.” Anko stated.

“He could easily slip in using a foreign teams identity. The Uchiha's up for rookie of the year, right?” The Hokage nodded.

“Odds are his sensei would nominate his team then. The second exam would be his best chance since the teams are alone.”

 

“Then attack during the third exam when nearly everyone is in the stadium. Packed in like that with civilians…” Ibiki picked up and then trailed off at the thought of just how bad it could be.

 

“It would be a slaughter.” Kakashi finished unnecessarily.

“Especially with Kabuto as his eyes and ears.”

 

“Kabuto?” Iruka tensed and paled slightly.

 

“He's a genin. The fact that his sensei's never mentioned he has tendency to vanish makes his whole team suspect. We've put them under discreet surveillance.” Ibiki told him and Iruka nodded.

 

“The exams make sense and would fit with his sense for the dramatic. It would also explain why he was concerned with genin teams this year. Usually he gives me free reign with them but this year he was triple checking everything.” Iruka explained.

 

“So we turn the trap around on its maker. We continue on as usual so that he doesn't suspect anything. I'm sorry Iruka but this means you'll have to remain hidden until the third exam. Hopefully when there is no word on you he will believe Kakashi killed you as a traitor after your escape, you ran off after escaping or we had you quietly executed. If that is the case his plans shouldn't change. Anbu will be hidden amongst the spectators and replace two of our teams. Ibiki you will be in charge of the first exam, Anko the second and Hayate the third. Kakashi I'd like you to take a genin team this year, the Uchiha's. You're the only one you can train his sharingan when it appears but do not neglect the rest of the team for him either. Make sure they're as prepared as possible in case Orochimaru finds them at some point. I'd prefer you not to nominate them this year but if you truly believe they are ready I won't stop you.” Sarutobi paused to look at the group.

“I'll recall Jiraiya, his toads will be a great help against any snakes summoned. We need to be prepared for anything. Iruka I'm giving you a choice, you can help protect the Academy students or be with me under henge. If you do…”

 

“I'll have to face Orochimaru.” Iruka finished for him.

 

“No Ruka.” Anko protested.

“You made me promise to stay away from him. You can't fight him.” She begged. Kakashi and Ibiki stared at the Hokage but Sarutobi knew Iruka would have to face his sensei again if he was to ever heal.

 

“I will go with you Hokage-sama. You'll need someone who knows what to expect from him in a fight.” They could all see the fear in his eyes but there was also determination, something that had been missing for a long time.

“I can fight him, he tested me before I helped Kakashi and he doesn't hold back much in those fights. I only broke my ribs this time.” Anko's eyes widened, Iruka had improved, a lot, since their genin days if he could walk away from a fight with a sannin. But had the price been worth it? She had the feeling Iruka would say no.

 

Sarutobi nodded and held his hand out to Iruka. The younger man held out his hand and a brand new Konoha hitai-ate was placed in it. Iruka looked at the strip of blue cloth and then up at him, smiling.

 

“For now your rank will be that of a Tokubetsu Jounin. You'll be evaluated properly after the exams and your rank either confirmed or changed.”

 

“Thank you Hokage-sama.” Iruka stood and gave a respectful bow.

 

“We'll adjourn for now and meet again in a week.” They nodded and began to leave, only Iruka staying since he couldn't leave.

 

“May I have a word Hokage-sama?” He asked just before Sarutobi left.

 

“Of course Iruka-kun.”

 

“It's about Naruto. He's told me some of how he's treated at the Academy and I'm worried about his chances of passing. I was wondering if the apprentice system is still an option?”

 

“You'd take Naruto as your apprentice?” Sandaime asked, surprised but not unhappy. They'd be good for each other although he was worried about many of the techniques Iruka knew.

 

“No. I want to be there for him but I know I'm not ready to take on that sort of responsibility. I won't pass his ways of fighting on and they're all I know. I honestly don't think I'm ready emotionally to care for a child.” Sarutobi nodded, seeing his reasoning.

 

“Do you have someone in mind then?”

 

“Either Anko or Kakashi. Anko and Naruto are about as stubborn as each other and they could end up a near unstoppable team. She wasn't as fully trained as I've been so she must have picked up other techniques. I'd thought of Kakashi before you mentioned him taking the Uchiha's team but if Naruto fails there may be uneven numbers. If that's the case then he could do both and end up with a team of three, giving Naruto a chance to make friends.”

 

“Good choices. I'll talk to them both about it and approach Naruto if he fails. Now, how about I summon Naruto and we all have lunch together?”

 

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“Why the long face Naruto-kun? Iruka looked up from his scroll. Sarutobi had been giving them to him so that he could widen his jutsu arsenal and give his old sensei a surprise or two.

 

“I know that bunshin is going to be part of the exam, it always is. But no matter what I do it doesn't work!” Iruka put the scroll aside and leant forward slightly.

 

“Show me. Maybe I'll be able to see where you're going wrong.” Naruto nodded and preformed the jutsu but ended up with a dead looking…thing. Iruka got up and studied it before circling him slowly.

“Looks like you're putting too much chakra into the jutsu. Try using less, a lot less.” He suggested and Naruto nodded before trying again with similar results.

“Frankly your control is non-existent. You've got a lot of chakra and without proper control your using too much and overloading the technique.”

 

“Oh.” Naruto's face fell and Iruka gave him a smile.

 

“So you need to work on your control. Have you ever heard of the tree climbing exercise?”

 

“How is climbing a tree going to help?” Naruto asked in disbelief and Iruka's smile widened.

 

“Because you'll be using chakra to climb the tree.” Iruka explained the exercise carefully. Naruto thought about it and then smiled.

 

“Thanks niisan.” He hugged Iruka and ran out of the room.

 

“If you need more help ask for Hatake Kakashi or Anko. You can tell only those two that I sent you.” He called after the running boy and got a shouted response. He shook his head at Naruto's enthusiasm and went back to his scroll. He looked up and blinked, Naruto's clone was still lying on the floor. He got up and stared at it, the boy definitely had chakra to spare.

 

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Naruto glared at the tree. He'd been at this for three days and had only made it a few feet up the stupid thing. As much as he hated to do it, it was time to admit defeat and ask for extra help. He decided to try Hatake Kakashi first, since he at least knew his whole name. After all there could be tonnes of Anko's in the village. The people he asked just glare and said that such a great ninja would never speak to him but that just made him more determined to find the man. Finally a weirdo dressed in green spandex told him to try the memorial stone so Naruto headed over. He grinned as he spotted a man standing in front of the stone.

 

“Excuse me, are you Hatake Kakashi?” He asked politely since he was asking for help and he didn't want Iruka to be disappointed with him.

 

“Yo.” The man glanced at him over his book. Naruto looked around and then motioned for him to bend down so he could whisper. Amused, Kakashi did so.

 

“Iruka-niisan said I could ask you for help.” The boy backed away nervously and Kakashi could see he was expecting to be told to leave. He smiled behind his mask and put his book away.

 

“Ask away Naruto.” Blue eyes widened in shock and then Naruto grinned.

 

“Well, he said I have no chakra control so he told me this exercise where you climb trees. But I just can't do it and I've been trying for three days.” Kakashi nodded, lousy control would explain the results Sandaime had shown him and Anko. The boy had the knowledge but not the control to execute the techniques he knew.

 

“Show me your tree.” Naruto took off and Kakashi ran to catch up, he was pretty fast for a kid. They stopped at a little used training ground, a good choice for Naruto. Naruto pointed at a tree and Kakashi could see the cuts where Naruto had marked his progress.

“Lets see what you can do.” Naruto nodded and ran at the tree. He made it about four feet up before falling, flipping back so he could land on his feet. Kakashi frowned; he appeared to be doing it correctly so why wasn't he progressing?

“Again.”

 

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“I did it!!!!” Iruka smiled as Naruto ran into the room, it was a good thing they were soundproofed.

“Watch.” Naruto concentrated and then walked up the wall and onto the ceiling. Iruka laughed and clapped.

 

“Congratulations. Try bunshin again now.” They both groaned at the clone that appeared, sure it was an improvement but not enough to pass. Naruto tried again but the results weren't much better making Iruka frown.

“This doesn't make sense, your execution is flawless and your control is good enough so why isn't it working?”

 

“Maybe I'm just not meant to pass.” Naruto groaned.

 

“Nonsense. Did you get help with the tree climbing?”

 

“Yeah, I tracked down Hatake-san. He figured out what I was doing wrong and even stuck around till I could run up and down the tree though he did read his book the entire time.”

 

“Looks like you'll need to find him again because I can't figure out what's going wrong.” Naruto groaned.

 

“Great! I spent a whole day looking for him last time! At least I know where to look this time. Thanks niisan.” Naruto hugged him and left.

 

“He's an eager student when someone takes the time to go through things with him.” Iruka turned and smiled at the Hokage.

 

“If things had gone differently maybe I would have been one of his instructors.” Iruka said wistfully. Sarutobi smiled sadly at him before lighting his pipe.

 

“I've had one of the older training grounds sealed off if you'd care to show an old man what you've learnt?”

 

“What? If I'm seen…”

 

“My most trusted Anbu have surrounded it so that no one will see a thing. I thought you might like some fresh air. You should also look in the closet.” Curious, Iruka went into the bedroom and smiled as he removed the standard jounin vest, slipping it on over his shirt and pulling a roll of bandages out of one of the pockets to bind his lower legs. Practised hands situated his kunai holster and pouch and re-fixed his hitai-ate before he slipped his sandals on.

“Now you look like a true shinobi of Konoha.” Sarutobi guided him to a full-length mirror and Iruka stared at his reflection in shock. He smiled slightly.

 

“I definitely like the colour scheme better.”

 

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Kakashi wasn't surprised to find the Hokage in the hidden rooms but what was surprising was the condition both men were in.

 

“What happened?” He asked, scanning the room for threats.

 

“Calm down Kakashi, it was merely a friendly spar.”

 

“No offence Hokage-sama but throwing your opponent into a cliff does not count as friendly.” Iruka winced as he felt his ribs, bruised but not cracked. Sandaime chuckled, Iruka had shown more of his old self in the last few hours than in the rest of the time since his return and it gave him hope that the younger man was beginning to heal, however slowly.

 

“So what can we do for you Kakashi?”

 

“It's Naruto, he came to me for help with the bunshin jutsu.”

 

“Do you have a problem helping him?” Sarutobi asked as Iruka stiffened.

 

“You know I don't Hokage-sama. We tried everything I could think of and he still can't do it. Although he has improved, he can now make two half dead things. It's his chakra; he just can't not overload the jutsu.”

 

“The seal was designed so that the Kyuubi's chakra would be changed and absorbed but this side effect was never considered. Do you have a solution Kakashi?”

 

“Kage bunshin. He definitely has the chakra for it.”

 

“I can't give permission for an Academy student to learn that, however…if he were to see someone using it and managed to work it out from there…”

 

“Understood. Another thing is his taijutsu. Frankly he's hopeless at it. He telegraphs his moves more than even an Academy student should and the moves themselves are too simple. Most of the time they're not even done properly.”

 

“Without anyone willing to teach or train with him Naruto has had to do his best alone. You don't believe he'll pass, do you?” Sarutobi knew what Kakashi's answer would be but asked anyway.

 

“No. But it isn't necessary for him to take the exam; I'll take him as my apprentice. Since that will leave a team of two come graduation I'll take them as well. Naruto needs to learn more about interaction or he'll never make it past genin.”

 

“I'll summon Naruto and we'll tell him the good news now.” Sandaime left and Iruka smiled.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Taking the time to see past the demon. He won't disappoint you.”

 

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“What's going on? Naruto asked suspiciously as he stared at the only three adults who didn't hate him. At least he assumed Kakashi didn't since the man had been helping him but he couldn't be certain yet.

 

“Nothing's wrong Naruto. Were you aware that there is another option for students who don't pass the genin exam or have skills generally not utilised by a standard genin team?” Sandaime asked and Naruto shook his head.

“Any ninja of jounin or higher rank has the option of taking an apprentice. Such an offer has been made for you.”

 

“But who…” He glanced at Iruka but he shook his head.

 

“As much as I would love to there isn't really anything I could teach you.” Iruka told him sadly and Naruto nodded, his gaze going to Kakashi who nodded.

 

“I want to take you as my apprentice.” The jounin told him.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I think you have a lot of potential. The Academy hasn't worked for you but you shouldn't be penalised for that. I will still be taking a genin team this year but it will be a team of two so that you can stand in as the third member. As my apprentice you will get more personalised training than they will and spend most of your time with me, in fact you will be expected to live with me at least until you reach chuunin.”

 

“I can't live with you!” Naruto exclaimed, backing away.

 

“Naruto-kun I know Kakashi's reading material is questionable but I assure you he would never harm you.” Sarutobi stated firmly but gently.

 

“But my being there would hurt him!” Naruto argued.

 

“Let me worry about the villagers Naruto, I can look after myself. Do you accept my offer?” Naruto looked between the three adults, unsure. Then he met Iruka's eyes, they held hope for the first time Naruto could remember.

 

“I accept.”

 

TBC…