Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Rotten Roots ❯ It All Is Coming to a Head ( Chapter 2 )

"Seriously... Why in the world are we doing these crap missions?" Sakura couldn't help complain for this was extrodinarly unnerving to her.

Weren't ninja suppose to do cool missions like fighting foreign enemies, saving princess and such?

It had been well over a month since team assignments and Naruto hated his team with a passion. He knew he had to be put on the team with Sasuke to complete his mission but why in the world did Sakura have to be put on his team? Sure, putting Ino on it would have been a horrific idea but if a kunoichi had to be placed on it why not Hinata?

Even if she had no confidence she was not an annoying little, cunt-licking, snot nosed brat that did not give a damn about what a ninja's true purpose was. And whether he liked it or not missions such as these were needed to fufill the status que and keep everything running in the village. Besides a ninja was every she thought it was not.

"Mah, calm down Sakura." Their lazy(and if Naruto had a say in it, retarded) sensei, Hatake Kakashi tried to complace her. "While these missions are rather mundane they are great for building team work to each unit."

"Not that this unit has any to begin with..." Kakashi muttered under his breath and sighed as he looked at team seven.

If there was a more dysfunctional team than this one within the village he felt pity for their sensei. Even Gai's team worked well with one another despite having several issues between its members. This team... Did not.

Sasuke happened to be the most normal of his unit and that was pushing it. He was almost always brooding, could only think of training to get stronger and accomplishing his goal. He hardly cared about his other two teammates and looked at them as a way to his goal. He was only ever talkative when Naruto and Sakrua got on his nerves. And that happened a lot so he was becoming rather social...

If telling someone to shut the hell up was social.

Sakura was what he expected. She was loud, bazzent and above all annoying. She was possibly the worst kunoichi ever to pass the academy and manage to get through the jounin's acception test. She hardly worked on her skills in the slightest, she fawned all over the last Uchiha and she tried to abuse her other team, Naruto.

Key word in that sentence was try.

And finally Naruto. He simply had no clue what to see about the kid. He knew damn well that he was using a false persona and could see it in his two off colored eyes. That was something else that bothered him but he tried not to pry into that... Yet.

He saw the insanity within them and had a bad feeling if Sakura pushed him he might just kill her. The problem was that he was able to hide this insanity so well that no one else was able to pick up on it except maybe the Hokage... No, the Hokage knew. He just didn't do anything about it. In fact it seemed like he was trying to help it develop.

Then there was the fact that sometimes he just seemed too skilled and completely outclassed what the others were capable of, most of the time when Sakura tried to cause him physical harm. He would lable these as accidents but he was not a fool. He could fell Naruto was doing these things are purpose and out of spite too. He was trying to tell them he was far better then they were.

And for once Kakashi felt he was right. From what he seen of the boy's skills he knew he was holding back when he unleashed like he did. There was also the disturbing fact that he could not track him down after every team session and he simply seemed to disappear. He wasn't even in any of his hotspots...

The only thing he couldn't say that was different about the boy was that he still wore part of his old clothing. He simply discarded the jacket and went with his black tee and orange pants with the only addition being a long sleeved fishnet shirt beneath with an extended collar to cover his neck and arms.

Thankfully he knew Naruto wasn't cutting himself but he knew he was hiding some sort of mark... However that one he dropped. If he had someone to do things like that with it was none of his business. He would let the boy have his personal kinks and fun.

"What was that sensei? You kind of muttered off there at the end. It kind of sounded like... Ramen maybe?" Naruto kicked him out of his stupor with a wide smile.

Kakashi twitched. Then again maybe he was over thinking all these things with Naruto. Maybe he was just playing him and wanted him to think all of these things just to fuck with him. He wouldn't put it past the boy. After how far he went to befriend that one jerk that wrecked his apartment a few months back only to screw him over by filling his house with lobsters and crabs...

And boiling water.

The man had to be taken to the hopsital to recover from his burns all the while Naruto got off not realizing that boiling water was that dangerous...

The fucking liar. Ramen was his favorite food and he didn't know boiling water hurt... Yeah right.

"No... But that doesn't seem like a bad idea right now. Let's turn in our mission request and we might get some." Kakashi stated crinkling his eyes into a smile. However this was better for him because he might be able to see what was going on with the blonde haired enigma.

"Yahoo!" Naruto pumped up his fist in sheer hapiness while Sakura groaned and Sasuke grunted.

Sakura was disappointed that they would have to go to such an unhealthy resteraunt that would only served food to fatten her build. Still Sasuke wasn't putting up an objections so she would have to go with it. Maybe he thought the noodles were good?

Sasuke really didn't care outside of being fed so he would go since the meal was free and ramen wasn't too bad. He wouldn't admit it but he always had a few cups at his house since it was easy to make and most espescially cheep. Great survival food now that he thought about it...

Almost wanting to roll his eyes at his team's predictable reactions, Kakashi sighed. Maybe all of this was just in his head...

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"Yes! Ramen!" Naruto cried, for one of the few times since he put up his persona that it agreed with his true side.

Naruto could never eliminate his love for ramen. The food was just too extrodinarily delicious and above all it was cheep and easy to make. And here at Ichiraku's they put in all the nutrients that were needed for a healthy diet and to support growth.

He had to thank the old man and his daughter about that. They were of the few people in this village that he would bend over backwards to help in anyway. For the very first moment he came there they had been nice to him and were, at least for a while, the reason why he wasn't malnourised.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, glad that his earlier thoughts seemed to be invalid for Naruto seemed to be truly at ease here and most of all, himself. Still he was quite sure the boy was holding back which was fine with him. Shinobi had their secrets and the better he hid his the more benefitial it was when he released it.

"Alright... Keep in under five bowls this time." Kakashi sighed for last time he didn't give Naruto a limit and his wallet felt the pinch.

Twenty three bowls later he was nearly out of money... He, Hatake Kakashi was out of almost out of money. All of his Anbu savings gone in one meal... And an entire series of Icha Icha.

It was worth it now that he thought about it. Being able to read his wonderful books and to see Naruto genuinely smile... Priceless.

"Okay! Ayame, five of my specials!" Naruto chirped happily and was nearly bouncing off of his seat in excitement for he was really, really, really hungry.

He didn't get much of a chance to eat last night for Ino stayed over for the night...

Seeing the drool coming from his mouth, Sakura flinched. She didn't even want to know what was going through that mind of his. Whatever it was it couldn't be good and she swore he had that same glint in his eyes that Kakashi had when reading one of his perverted books.

'I swear he better not be thinking of me in that way...' Sakura growled in her mind for she wanted nothing to do with Naruto before she developed a massive blush.

Apparently Inner Sakura didn't have the same restrictions to Sasuke as she did. She was just popping ideas back in forth into her head about how it would feel like, being taken up the other passage and giving the said blonde a felatio.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at this before nearly groaning having a bad feeling Sakura was going through all the things she could do to him. Not that he would let her do such things. But he had to wonder what such things were in the first place. He wasn't ignorant to sex but he would rather perferred to be with a built and developed woman.

They had so much more to play with than a flat chest like Sakura...

Kakashi simply blinked at the three. All three of them had perverted grins on their face. Oh that would not bode well for him if anyone saw this. If Kurenai or Anko saw them like this right now... He would be in a world of pain after dozens of crotch shots and possbily an battery hooked to them as well.

After a few minutes they were all back to normal for they had their bowls of ramen before them and were eating, in Naruto and Kakashi's case devouring. The latter had a reason for his method though. He couldn't let anyone see under his mask.

Lifting the noodles with her chop sticks, Sakura sighed. "Well... At least this is suppose to be the diet shirmp flavored. Still looks the same to me."

Sasuke simply rolled his eyes and continued to eat on his first bowl teryaki ramen, an odd mix. "You need to bulk up more... You look like a weak wind could snap you in two."

Naruto nearly choked on his ramen at this statement while Kakashi gazed at Sasuke for a moment, checking to make sure it was the Uchiha. Did he just give her a tip?

The same thought was going through Sakura's mind before her face temporarily gained the visage of a purring cat. Then she loudly squealed and began to slurp the ramn down. Needless to say Sasuke was blushing for his perverted thoughts came back in full force at this image.

Naruto couldn't help but blink at these current events. From what he had recorded of Sasuke he absolutely depised his fan girls yet here he was giving one a hint? Maybe it was because she was their partner and he figured it would help to provide some sort of relationship with her to make her work harder.

Yeah, that had to be it. Otherwise Sakura would just be dead weight. He figured the Uchiha knew that and played her to bring out their unit's full potential. Yeah... That must be it. He knew the Uchiha was interested into elder women.

'Mental note... Set him up with an older woman or two. It will keep him grounded to the village that much more.' He quickly made a note knowing that setting the Uchiha up would be a good thing and at the very least the clan would be reborn.

"Naruto!" A certain blonde's voice caught his attention and forced Naruto to turn in his seat.

And there was his lovely vixen in all her clothed glory, glaring at him like he had just knocked her up... Something she wasn't too keen on at the moment for she was only twelve. "You were suppose to be at our training session ten minutes ago! What are you doing you lughead?!"

Twitching in his mind's eye, for he would throtle Ino if she had ever said that to him alone and outside of their personas, Naruto looked puzzled for a moment and placed his chop sticks at his lip. "Um... Oh yeah! I kind of got distracted and sensei brought us here for some ramen and I couldn't refuse!"

"Training?" Sakura looked puzzled hearing Ino say something about training with Naruto and not even bother looking at Sasuke for a moment. "First off, why are you training with Naruto? Secondly, Sasuke is right here and finally he's mine."

Ignoring Sasuke's groan, not that it was very audible anyways, Ino turned to Sasuke for a moment and smiled and waved at him. "Oh hey Sasuke! Don't let billboard brow here annoy you too much! Now... Naruto, Asuma's waiting."

"Wait... What? Why is Asuma training Naruto? He's my student." Kakashi narrowed his eyes for a moment for while he was friends with the Hokage's eldest son he wouldn't tolerate him poaching his student in the slightest for it could mess with his unit's mechanics.

"Oh... Something about affinity training. Says we have the same types which is extremely rare here in Konoha." Naruto loudly state before slurping down the last of his bowl before grinning like the fool he was suppose to be. "The old man checked it a while back and told me when I graduated he would get his son to help me with it."

"A wind affinity huh... Alright. I let that one slide. Asuma's the best at controling wind within Konoha's walls and I hate to say it myself but I'm mediocre with it at best." Kakashi commented with an annoyed sighed before turning to the Yamanaka. "And tell Asuma to inform me next time about taking Naruto. I don't have a problem with it but I would like to be informed."

"I'll pass the message on." Ino said with a smile, looking over to see what Sakura was eating before frowning. "Girl... You need to eat more. I thought you would realize by now Sasuke likes fuller girls that can defend themselves by now."

"Au Revoir!" Ino turned from Sakura, smiled at Sasuke for a moment before glancing at Naruto. "Let's go before sensei gets mad at me for taking my sweet time."

"Yeah, yeah..." Naruto said and slid off his stool and waved goodbye to old man and Ayame. "See you tomorrow you two! Oh... Bye sensei, Sakura-chan! ...Sasuke."

"If you so much call him a bastard..."

"Oh knock it off. I'm not giving you any more information about what Sasuke likes, okay?!" Naruto cut off Ino with his back turned from the three so no one could see the smirk he was emitting.

While he wanted to set up Sasuke with an older woman, and probably would be able to thanks to the laws, Ino was right. Might as well might some use of Sakura.

Who knew, maybe her children would be far more useful than she was?

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"You're late Naruto..." An ominous voice spoke out to the next of the Hokage despite having his face schooled into the perfection of impassivness.

"Nothing comes between me and ramen outside of Rose and my mission, Lord Danzo." The blonde vessel fired back, slightly annoyed at his tutors slight dislike for being about twenty minutes. "Besides my sensei is Kakashi... I'm late for everything these days for his tardiness emproaches into my work."

Danzo only responded with the slightest of nods. Both statements were the truth, of that he knew. He along with the Hokage had molded Naruto into the perfect weapon, able to keep his emotions while being both the sword and shield for the village with the only price was letting him keep his eccentricities, like ramen. "Now that you are here we can begin this session among our elites."

The other figures in the room moved closer to the desk, where the Hokage and Danzo were. They were the village's best even if some claimed otherwise. There was only two others that could be considered stronger then the collection gathered and they were Kakashi and Maito Gai.

First to the further right was the Anbu from the night before, Uzuki Yugao. The deadliest sword wielder within Konoha's walls. She far surpassed her boyfriend Hayate in that aspect. Not only that but she was by far more balanced with the rest of her arsenal being very well versed in hand-to-hand without her blade, not quite as powerful in illusions as the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha and possessed a jutsu arsenal over two hundred techniques that aligned with her affinities, earth and fire.

Next in line was the eldest son of the current Hokage, Sarutobi Asuma. Despite his lazy attitude, which he displayed even now, he was on par with his two close friends Gai and Kakashi. While he could beat neither in their fields, he was solid in every aspect like Yugao and with his techniques, a rare affinity of wind and the monkey summoning scroll his power was nearly unmatched.

While both he and Ino took the middle of the six, to Ino's left was a young boy our age known simply as Sai. While his skills were still under develop, he was quickly rising in Danzo's Root ranks and soon would be one of his most powerful agents. He excelled in all aspects however in a strange twist his ninjutsu was rather unique for he used paints and ink drawings to for creatures and clones.

And finlly the one on the far left was probably the most surprising of the group; one Yakushi Kabuto. While his skills in most arts were below par to everyone else there, his taijutsu being nearly equal to Asuma's, he was a specialist in medical jutsu and their spy within Orochimaru's ranks.

He was the very one that had transplanted the Sharingan into his socket along with a certain Hokage's DNA so he would be able to perform a certain technique if he needed. Not that he planned on using it of course for this eye had sentimental value to him. It belong to Uchiha Mikoto, his ward for the first nine years of his life.

Thinking on it for, he sighed. He really did miss her. She cared for him more than anyone else he could think of.

***(Memory Lane)***

"Naruto-kun..." I heard a gentle voice in the small kitchen of my room just as I entered the apartment she helped me get along with the Hokage.

And there she stood. The most beautiful woman in the world... My guadian and caretaker, and apparent mother of two, Uchiha Mikoto. Her onxy hair swayed from side to side as she turned and smiled at me, standing over the oven to make some dinner for me before she had to head out.

I was disappointed, as always, knowing that she would have to leave soon. I loved her and everything about her. From her infectious smile to the smallest pleasentries. ...She was so different from everyone else. Even the old man Hokage who cared for me. She just seemed to carry something for me that I could not identify.

And maybe she knew this. Maybe she knew I loved her for I swear she taunted me at times with what she wore. At the time I had no clue what it was doing to me but I have a clear vision. But it was simply a tease. Or at least I thought for she had a family of her own to take care of.

Mikoto had her own children to look after, one even my age.

"Mrs. Mikoto!" My naive younger self ran over to her and hugged her leg tightly, as if not to let her go for I wanted her to stay with me.

Softly smiling, she ruffled my hair before gently pushing me from her leg to finish the meal she was making. It was nothing complicated, chicken and dumplings I believed, but she made enough so that I would have leftovers to feast on for a few days at the very least. "Now, now Naruto-kun... Don't you remember I told you I could spend today with you?"

I shook my head, most likely forgetting she had told me that. I was a rather hyper child and I would forget many things. "No..."

Lightly laughing, Mikoto turned to me after taking the pot off the burner before kneeling down to my height. "Well I did silly. I wanted to bring Sasuke over so you would have a playmate but Fuguku wanted to see him for some training. I also asked Itachi but since he's in Anbu I'm not too sure he'll be able to make it."

"Who said I would?" The voice of my second favored caretaker came from my window. "Just got off duty for the day and won't be back on till Sunday afternoon."

My head swiveled to that direction, instinctively knowing where the sound came from, to see Itachi pluck his mask off before slipping into my small adobe and over to his mother. "Ah, chicken and dumplings! I thank you mother. I was in the mood for some."

Frowning for he was paying too much attention to Mikoto, even going so far to wrap his arms around her waist and kissing her on the cheek, I hesitated on what to do. When Itachi was my caretaker I always pestered him for jutsus and while he never really did teach me any he always gave me something just as useful. But seeing him like this...

"Oh... Naruto, I've got something for you." He said, pulling his arm from his mother before bending over to meet me. "Now you have to promise me first that you're going to take this seriously for this is rather dangerous but it will help you as a ninja."

"Really?!" I asked eagerly, hoping it would be a cool jutsu or something of the sort. Little did I expect what he gave me.

Pulling out a rather long weapon, for me at the time, it was mostly a staff with a sharp and narrowed blade at the end. "Naruto... This is a naginata. I've had it shortened so it will fit someone of your size for now but I also have another sealed in a scroll for you when you're older. This one is mostly for training."

Looking at the weapon with surprise, taking the staff portion into my hand, I looked at the Uchiha teen with shock. "Does this mean..."

"Yes, I'm going to be training you a little during the weekend. I'll also come by and help you periodically with it so you can master it before too long." Itachi smiled with me and deactivated his eyes, one of the few times eye ever saw the normal coloration of his eyes.

"Cool!" I shouted being somewhat careful with the weapon in my hands, trying to be responsible like Itachi had asked of me. "Can we start training..."

"No." Mikoto said with a false frown before lightly giggling at my reaction. "Dinner is finished... Let us eat before we get to your training... You two."

I vigorously nodded my head, for food was one of the few things I would ever delay my training for. However what I didn't notice at the time was the look on Itachi's face as he gazed at his mother.

It was of fear of what his training would be.

***(Memory End)***

Being shook from memory lane, Naruto gazed at Ino for a moment before he winced and held his hand to his false eye. "Sorry... The eye was showing me yet another memory of hers."

"Ah... That hasn't happened in a while. Anything useful?" Danzo asked, hoping to get something from the memories of Mikoto.

Since Naruto was lying for it was his memory of her, he simply shook his head and sighed. "Outside of what we already know, no. It was of things we already know of that led to the downfall of their clan."

Hizuren and Danzo simply nodded, knowing all too well what it was that truly brought the clan down. Itachi's massacre was simply the cut that severed the final string of the rope. "I see... Pity. Now onto why we have called all six of you here today."

The Third nodded and took over for Danzo for he was still the commander in chief and the other knew it. "From the intel Kabuto has been able to acquire for us, Orochimaru will strike during the exams with a joint alliance with the Sand. However now he has finally revealed his hand for why he will do such a thing."

"He wants Sasuke and the Sharingan. And with his immortal technique he will attempt to take the Uchiha's body once he has control over his mind. Because of this we will have to make sure you are ready to fight him, Naruto. You are not yet on par with him or any of the sannin. We will have to change that within these two months before the exams." Hizuren stated locking his eyes with Naruto's to convey his point.

"If we deem you are not prepared to combat him you will allow him to mark the Uchiha. Since the odds of you gaining such strength without resorting to the fox before such a time is unlikely you will need to hide your strength. We will give you such orders just before the exams so be prepared for both scenarios." Danzo added knowing that Naruto would most likely not become strong enough to keep even footing with Orochimaru without resorting to the fox.

"Above all else keep your control of the kitsune sealed from public view for now." Hizuren ordered knowing Naruto's position with the demon fox. "You may be able to easily kill Orochimaru with her chakra but in a neccesity to hide our involvement in altering the seal to allow you such control. You only may release it if he comes after me and I'm in immediate danger."

"Yes my lord." Naruto said with an undertone of hatred, wanting nothing more than to wield the fox's power over any that opposed him.

It was well known by all that with the seal alterations and his contact with Kyuubi had been the other half of the equation that had driven Naruto to his true self. For what they had done to the seal allowed them to become... More or less one when he drew upon her immense power. And because of that the two had become very attached.

Despite his lack of respect that normally came when one responded as such, Sarutobi knew Naruto would not disobey his order. He would follow through with it despite loathing every second he had to hold back the fox from descimating the snake. "Very good. ...I want the rest of you to be on alert when the exams are here and increase your intensity with these three's training."

The three adults nodded in agreement knowing Naruto's, Ino's and Sai's training would become far more strenous then ever before. For if they were going to prepare Naruto for the snake sannin...

He would have to get far stronger than what he was now. His Sharingan was the only thing that could guarentee him victory if he was to attack now, without resorting to Kyuubi. By the end of these next two months...

They would make sure he would be able to defeat him in at least one other aspect.

For some reason Naruto suddenly felt rather intimidated, a rarity for he happened to be on par with Yugao and Asuma if not a little more superior. But none of that mattered for the cold shiver that went down his back disturbed him along with the visage before him.

Why was everyone giving him a cruel smirk?

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