The dark fox

Naruto and his team were sent to support group B, who was under heavy fire from the enemy. They had to retrieve the scroll that contained vital information before time ran out. The two groups clashed in a fierce battle, evenly matched in number and skill. The battlefield was a chaotic mess of smoke, dust, blood, and debris. The enemies used various weapons and jutsus, ranging from kunai and shuriken to fireballs and lightning bolts. Naruto and his teammates used their earpieces to communicate and coordinate their moves. They knew that the first team to lose a member would be at a disadvantage, as the extra person could sneak behind their lines and grab the scroll.

Naruto dashed forward and faked a kick, making his enemy flinch for a moment. He took advantage of the opening and landed a punch to the gut. He followed up with an uppercut, but his enemy dodged it and countered with a roundhouse kick that sent Naruto stumbling backwards.

"Nice try, blondie," the enemy taunted. "But you're no match for me."

"Shut up," Naruto snapped. "You're going down."

One of Naruto's teammates launched a small explosion at his enemy, creating a distraction.

Naruto seized the opportunity and slipped behind the enemy lines. He pretended to attack the enemy who sustained the explosion, luring his original opponent into defending his teammate. This drew the attention of two enemies, leaving a gap for his teammate to sneak behind them and grab the scroll.

As his teammate secured the scroll, one of Naruto's teammates vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing himself as a shadow clone. The real group C emerged from their hiding place and ambushed the enemy. The team that had appeared as group C was actually an illusion created by Naruto and his shadow clones using their transformation technique. Group C overwhelmed the enemy that was guarding the scroll, with the help of the shadow clones. However, this maneuver took too long, and the other groups were on the verge of defeat. Naruto snatched the scroll from his clone and made a quick escape. Group C then rushed to help group B to reduce 'casualties'.

Meanwhile, group C used their overwhelming number of people and shadow clones to attack the enemy that group B was holding off. This gave Naruto a chance to escape from the area. The distraction team received a signal from one of their allies to retreat, as they had accomplished their mission. The other two teams forced their opponents to retreat and regroup. This enabled group B and C to flee safely with minimal losses in group A and C while group B was hit the hardest.

However, they still had to make it back to Konoha without being caught by the enemy. Naruto assumed the leadership and guided his team through the dense forest, using his tracking skills to avoid detection. They moved swiftly and quietly through the trees, but they soon realized that the enemy was not far behind them. He signaled his team to split up and take different routes, hoping to shake off their pursuers in the confusion. He then made a hundred shadow clones, all going in different directions with the actual teams going the longest route back to Konoha as it may be the best way to deceive the enemy hot on the trail. The three groups were able to evade the enemy and make it back to Konoha without any further incident while Naruto's shadow clones were being popped one by one.

They had managed to get the scroll, but it had come at a price. Some of their teammates in group B had been captured or injured, a scenario that would have been disastrous if it had been real. The enemy could have tortured and interrogated them, revealing their secrets and compromising their mission. Although they had achieved their ultimate goal, the losses also revealed Naruto's inexperience as a leader. His plan had worked, but it had involved using his teammates as a distraction and expendable soldiers, a strategy that was frowned upon by the ANBU commander. He could see that Naruto was ready for some lower-level missions, but not for the ones that involved higher stakes. Naruto lacked not only skill, but also experience. He needed to learn how to balance risk and reward, and how to protect his team as well as his objective. After months of training, Naruto had improved in many areas. His speed was at a chunin level, his taijutsu was at a high genin level, and his stealth was exceptional. He could suppress his chakra so well that even jonins had trouble finding him. He specialized in assassination and combat, using his natural stealth to his advantage. However, he still had weaknesses. His genjutsu was horrible, his ninjutsu was limited to just shadow clones and a few defensive jutsus, and his kenjutsu was at a low genin level.

They had passed the test, but it had not been flawless. If it had been a real mission, they would have lost some of their teammates to the enemy. They had managed to infiltrate the enemy base and steal the scroll that contained vital information, but they had also left behind traces of their presence and clues to their identity. The ANBU commander praised them for their outstanding performance in completing the mission, but he also pointed out some areas where they needed to improve their skills. They needed to work on their teamwork, their communication, and their stealth. For Naruto, the ANBU commander had a special advice. He told him to make use of his exceptional stealth to sneak into the enemy base and steal the scroll by himself, rather than relying on his teammates' stealth. He said that Naruto had a unique talent in that area, and he should not waste it. Naruto nodded in understanding, but he also felt a pang of guilt. He had used his teammates as a distraction and a sacrifice, and he had not cared about their safety or well-being. He realized that this was not the way of a true leader or a true ninja. He had a lofty goal in mind, to be Hokage, but he knew that he had a long way to go before he could achieve that goal. He wanted to be Hokage not for fame or power, but for respect and recognition. He wanted to be Hokage not for himself, but for his village and his people. He was more than motivated to achieve that goal. He would persist and train rigorously, to develop his skills in ninjutsu now, and to learn from his mistakes. He would never give up on his dream.

"The Hokage and Anbu commander requests your presence in the Hokage's office," One of the Hokage's ANBU bodyguards told me.

Naruto felt a surge of adrenaline as he ran towards the Hokage's office. He wondered what was going on, and what the Hokage and ANBU commander wanted to discuss with him.

He reached the door and knocked politely. He heard a voice from inside, telling him to enter. He opened the door and stepped inside, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over him. He saw the Hokage and ANBU commander sitting at the desk, looking serious and stern.

Naruto bowed respectfully and greeted them, knowing that this is not a time to be casual. "Hokage-sama, ANBU commander-sama, you summoned me?"

"Yes, Naruto," the Hokage said, gesturing for him to take a seat across from them. Naruto did as he was told, feeling curious and anxious. He noticed that the Hokage looked tired and weary, but also proud and hopeful. He wondered what was on his mind.

"Naruto," the Hokage began, "We have been monitoring your progress closely, and we are impressed with what we have seen. You have shown a lot of potential as a ninja, and we believe that you are ready for a new challenge."

Naruto listened attentively, wondering what this new challenge could be. He felt a spark of excitement in his chest, hoping that it was something big and important.

"We would like to offer you a position in the ANBU Black Ops," the ANBU commander said.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? Already?"

"Yes," the Hokage replied. "We believe that you have what it takes to be a valuable asset to the ANBU Black Ops after a year of training. Your skills in stealth and assassination are exceptional, we believe that you can contribute greatly to the safety and security of Konoha."

Naruto felt a surge of pride and excitement. He had always dreamed of finally being a part of the ANBU, and now it was becoming a reality.

"I accept," Naruto said firmly. "I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

The ANBU commander nodded. "Good. We will begin your training immediately. You will be given a new set of skills and techniques to master, as well as new responsibilities and tasks to complete."

Naruto felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. He knew that the ANBU Black Ops was not an easy path, and that the missions they undertook were often dangerous and high-stakes. But he was determined to prove himself and become a great ninja.

"Thank you for this opportunity," Naruto said gratefully. "I won't let you down."

The Hokage smiled. "We have faith in you, Naruto. You have already shown great courage and leadership on your previous mission. We know that you will make us proud."

He paused for a moment, then added in a serious tone: "But be warned, Naruto. The ANBU Black Ops is not for the faint of heart. You will face many enemies and challenges that will test your limits and loyalty. You will have to make hard decisions and sacrifices that may haunt you for the rest of your life. You will have to keep your identity secret from everyone, even your friends and family. And you will have to obey every order without question or hesitation, even if it goes against your morals or beliefs."

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine as he heard these words. He realized that joining the ANBU Black Ops was not only an honor, but also a burden. This would be vastly different from being a trainee.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" the Hokage asked him.

Naruto looked into his eyes, then nodded firmly.

"Yes," he said confidently. "I am ready."

The Hokage nodded back.

"Very well," he said. "Then welcome to the ANBU Black Ops, Naruto."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small box.

He opened it and showed it to Naruto.

Inside was a mask.

A mask that would change Naruto's life forever.

Naruto reached out and took the fox mask from the ANBU commander's hand. It was a sleek and elegant mask, painted in shades of orange and white. The eyes were slanted and cunning, giving the impression of a clever and stealthy predator. Naruto felt a surge of pride as he put on the mask, covering his whiskered face. He was now a part of a special unit that served Konoha in the shadows. His identity would be a secret, but his contributions would not go unnoticed. He was codenamed fox.

Naruto looked at the Hokage and ANBU commander with a firm gaze, his voice steady and determined. "I won't let you down," he said.

He had always dreamed of joining the ANBU Black Ops, to prove himself as a ninja and protect his village from its enemies. This was finally it after a year of arduous training. He knew it would be a difficult and dangerous job, but he was ready for it. He was not afraid of anything. The Hokage and ANBU commander nodded in approval, seeing the resolve and confidence in Naruto's eyes. They watched as Naruto left the room, his steps filled with purpose and energy. As soon as he stepped out of the Hokage's office, Naruto felt a rush of adrenaline course through his veins. This was it, he thought, the moment he had been waiting for. He was now an official member of the ANBU Black Ops, and he would do everything in his power to protect Konoha and its people despite their glares and views on him.

Naruto felt a surge of anger and sadness as he walked through the streets of Konoha. He could sense the hostile glares and whispers of the villagers, who saw him as nothing but a monster. He had grown used to their hatred, but it still hurt him deep inside. He wished they could see him for who he really was, not just the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. He had worked hard to become a ninja, to prove himself to everyone. He had made friends, fought enemies, and saved lives. He had even joined the ANBU Black Ops, a secret elite unit that protected the village from the shadows. He was proud of his achievements, but he also felt lonely. He had to hide his identity from his friends and allies, even from his own sensei. He had to wear a mask and a code name, and follow orders without question. It was a dangerous and difficult path, but he was willing to take it for the sake of his dream and his village.

He reached the ANBU Black Ops headquarters, a hidden fortress deep in the forest outside Konoha. He showed his ID and passed through several checkpoints and security measures. He finally arrived at the training grounds, where he saw dozens of ANBU operatives, all wearing masks and cloaks. They were practicing their skills, moving with speed and stealth that left Naruto in awe. He knew that he had a lot to learn, but he was eager to begin his training.

A tall figure approached him, wearing a dog mask. Naruto recognized him as Kakashi, his former sensei and the leader of the ANBU Black Ops. Kakashi was a legend among the ANBU, renowned as the copy-nin who could use any jutsu he saw once.

"Naruto," Kakashi said in a deep voice. "Welcome to the ANBU Black Ops. I am your new instructor. In missions, you will call me Inu."

Naruto bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I am ready to begin my training as an official member of Anbu, not just a trainee."

Kakashi nodded. "Good. Let's get started then. Your first lesson will be in Ninjutsu. Follow me, I will teach you some jutsus that only ANBU can use."

Naruto followed Kakashi to a nearby clearing, where they began their training.