The Infiltration mission (Naruto POV)
The next day Naruto meets Sasuke at the Uchiha compound bright and early. He finally found a friend and Sasuke even agreed to walk to the academy with him. Naruto doesn't know why but he gets a warm feeling knowing that Sasuke wants to spend time with him and be by his side. Is this how friendship feels like? Sasuke comes out in his typical black Uchiha attire and gives Naruto a small wave hiding half of his face. Part of Naruto finds it cute the way he is so shy around him but Naruto doesn't understand this feeling and he focuses on his other half that doesn't want Sasuke to be afraid of him. Hence the blonde gave him the biggest and warmest smile he could muster and started waving vigorously. This caused Sasuke to chuckle a little and when Naruto heard that laugh, he knew now that he had a second life mission and that was to hear that laugh and protect it at all costs.
However, the peace together did not last. A huge hoard of fangirls rush to be by Sasuke's side and they shove Naruto out of the way. Sakura in particular came up to Naruto with Ino by her side. Both girls were looking scary and vicious to Naruto. Naruto himself is used to being avoided but the level of hatred in their eyes now was that that rivalled some of the adults who would try and beat him up on the street.
"How dare a loser like you bask in the presence of the great Sasuke-kun. You just want to leach of his amazingness and his genius because you're dead last in the class. Sasuke has better things than wasting his time on a charity case like you so get lost." Sakura scolded. Naruto's heart sank. He didn't want to use Sasuke to help him get stronger. The thought had crossed his mind but he has yet to even ask. Did Sasuke think the same way Sakura did of him? It makes sense, Naruto has always proclaimed this one-sided rivalry he had with the Raven. After all, it was Sasuke's skill but also hard work that kept inspiring Naruto and pushed him to try his best. And these words came from who he used to consider the most beautiful person in the academy and had a crush on.
Wait a minute used to? Had? When did his feelings for Sakura become past tense? Before he spiralled into an existential crisis, Sasuke came over and brought him back to reality by checking if he is okay and helping him off. He then Sakura a death glare that could pierce steal and took the blonde away to a secluded spot. "Naruto I think it's best if we kept our distance in the Academy. At least until I figure out a way to get rid of these girls. I won't be pleasant to hang with anyways with those pests watching my every move." Sasuke suggested bluntly. If this was the old Naruto, he would've been offended and tried to start a fight with someone so pretentious. But both he and Sasuke a wiser about each other after their moment on the pier. Sasuke probably wouldn't even have tried to explain himself before but now he's at least doing that. Naruto just nodded and agreed. He does hurt that he can't spend time with Sasuke in the academy. But that will just make all the moments they share all the more special. Moments just for them. Plus Sasuke does have a point. The girls are obnoxious and never leave him alone when he's here. The old Naruto used to envy Sasuke for being so popular and having everyone love him so, but now Naruto realises that popularity doesn't mean people like Sasuke. Not in the way Naruto likes him. There's no special bond between those who idolise Sasuke and the boy himself who only wanted to be left alone, respect his privacy and have an opportunity to make a real friend. A friend like what Naruto is now.
After the Academy, the boys met at the river which has become their special spot. They just talked about the previous lessons and talked with each other like regular 11-year-old boys would. Naruto expressed how he wished he just wanted to know where he was struggling with his Jutsu as the extra training he has been doing hasn't been proving fruitful. Sasuke remained eerily quiet. This panicked Naruto. He wondered if he messed anything up but then suddenly he is being dragged by the raven quite forcefully. They then arrive at the Uchiha training grounds, which both Itachi and Sasuke used heavily. Naruto caught up with what Sasuke was insinuating now. Not wanting Sasuke to feel obligated Naruto stated "Oh no Sasuke, I appreciate this but you don't have to train me. That's not why I wanted to be friends with you at all." Well, it wasn't as if Naruto didn't think about Sasuke helping him, but he never wanted to use Sasuke.
"Shut up dobe, no one can force me to do anything. so get on with it. Let's start with gathering your chakra and chakra control." Sasuke snapped. Naruto couldn't help but have a small smile on his face. He then took it very seriously not to waste Sasuke's kindness and tried to gather as much chakra as possible. soon chakra became visible around Naruto. Sasuke realised Naruto has an enormous amount of chakra. Thinking he might have found the problem, he asked Naruto to perform the clone jutsu. Naruto tried using as much chakra as possible and failed to summon an acceptable clone. Sasuke's theory was confirmed and he said to Naruto "I thought this was the case when I saw you in class but seeing you do this again makes me think you put too much chakra into your jutsu. You somehow have so much chakra but no control over it. I don't know how but I think you need to work on chakra control before you do any jutsu." Naruto nodded taking in the first bit of actual helpful guidance he has received from anyone. Sasuke recommended just trying to imagine the chakra flowing and trying to imagine a container and only letting a small portion out each time. With added practice he was able to make one semi decent clone. Not entirely enough for him to pass but this was good progress for Naruto.
After a few hours the night was nearing and both boys parted ways Naruto headed towards the Hokage's Mansion instead of home. He wanted to find out more about the Uchiha to thank Sasuke for his help. He managed to sneak in and find a room of scrolls. However before he could search through he grabbed one and fled trying to not get caught. Upon fleeing he spotted a man that was not Hokage. An Anbu member referred to him as Danzo. The man was covered in bandages and looked shady. But Naruto couldn't afford to stick around he fled with a scroll that was in the forbidden room.
When he was in the comfort of his own home, he opened the scroll hoping to find secrets on the Uchiha but instead found a forbidden jutsu called shadow clone jutsu. Apparently it required a lot of chakra. If he couldn't do clone jutsu because of too much chakra, there was a chance he could do this. With too much excitement and a need to confirm his thinking he rushes over to the Uchiha complex and knocks on what he remembers Sasuke's window to be. Thankfully the raven was still awake and welcomed Naruto in with confusion. Naruto wasted no time explaining the scroll he found, the man that he found suspicious and the name Danzo which Sasuke didn't recognise. Then Naruto showed him the scroll.
"I was hoping I would be able to find some top secret information on the Uchiha to find out what happened but instead I found this scroll that has a forbidden jutsu the multi shadow-clone jutsu. It says that you need a immense amount of chakra but do you think I could do it then?" Naruto asked excited about the prospect of a new jutsu.
"Theoretically you can but it's stupid. It says if it fails you can die..." Sasuke was about to continue but then looked at Naruto and his eyes were at the brink of tears. Sasuke couldn't bring himself to say not to. "However, you have an absurd amount of chakra for someone our age so I think if anyone can do it it's you, plus because we are learning shadow clone jutsu and knowing it is just a devivative of what we are learning from the academy, you can easily get away with saying you discovered you could do this on your own." Sasuke thought. Naruto beamed "Sasuke you're a genius. Okay I'm giving it a go." And whilst copying what the scroll says he instantly mastered multi shadow-clone jutsu and was able to summon 50 of them. Sasuke was stunned. Naruto however was over the moon, he went to Sasuke and squeezed him in the tightest bear hug. "I did it. I can do cool Jutsu now." Naruto exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah it's cool. But you should put that scroll back before they realise it's missing." Sasuke retorted, bringing Naruto back to reality.
"I shall do that now, you go to bed and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Sasuke." Naruto said as he rushed to the Hokage's Mansion to return the scroll. Sasuke just smiled to himself. Naruto is truly amazing. He couldn't help but admire the new and only true friend he has ever had. He didn't care as much for revenge or Itachi. He just wanted the truth and to never lose Naruto as he had brought happiness into his life once more. Something he thought he had lost forever.