Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ To Prove His Strength ❯ Enter Akio ( Chapter 1 )

The village this story starts in is of no particular interest at the beginning. It has its fair share of good and bad weather, no special history to look at, and no big tourist attractions. In fact, its customs acted as tourist deterrent. Like the Spartans of ancient Greece, they believed only in a warrior's strength. Also like the Spartans, babies were judged at birth whether they were weak, or strong enough to remain in the village. As it happens, Akio was judged to be weak. And for those who don't know how the Spartans treated weak children, they were left as breakfast for the animals on the mountains. Akio was left as breakfast for the wolves in the forest surrounding the village. Soon after being abandoned and forgotten, the baby was found by a wolf - but this one wasn't feral. No, he was a human's companion, one of a man who Akio would later come to know as Juro-sensei.

Fourteen years had passed since the wolf had taken Akio to Juro, a wandering ninja who'd taken pity upon the disowned youngling his animal had chanced upon. He raised the child as his own, compensating for His lack of ability to have children. The child wasn't given a harsh upbringing by any means, but there was no silver spoon in his mouth. As soon as he was able to toddle, Akio learned the ways of his surrogate father, developing not only the ability to survive with minimal supplies in the wild, but a potential in combat his people had failed to recognise. It was not achieved by natural ability, this talent of his, rather the result of long and arduous training. Juro's rigorous regimes proved ineffective at first, but as the boy grew in age, he grew in strength and wisdom.

A youth, clad in loose and manouverable black trousers and a shirt just as loose, manouverable and black, leapt from tree to tree, seeking prey like a tiger of the forest. He had but a single kunai at his belt, as it had proved to be the only piece of equipment he needed when on training exercises such as these. His wiry, pitch-black hair bounced as he bounded through the trees, His leather-like feet undaunted by any branches they fell upon. A person came into view, standing at around six feet high. The man's straggly, blonde hair was seemingly unkempt, and fell to the bottom of his neck. His clothes simply consisted of forest green trousers and a matching tank top. His muscular build didn't hinder his athletic ability, but this wasn't evident at the time. Namely, because Juro was standing with his cobalt blue eyes facing away from Akio.

"Juro, sometimes i don't understand you..." muttered Akio, hitting the ground running. The kunai was promptly brought to the back of Juro's neck, but a surprise was in store. Just as the shadow clone disappeared, the real Juro knocked Akio to the floor, and held a knife to his throat.

"Don't underestimate your sensei, boy. I'm not old and doddery quite yet."

"Very funny dad. Can I get up now? Your kunai's starting to dig in."

"My apologies."