Ninja's hero

The four sat in the living room, a cup of hot chocolate each. The furniture they sat on was brand new paid for by the new wealth Naruto found himself in. The Namikaze's sure knew how to handle money, even his dad. There was enough Ryo in there for them to not have to take missions for a couple weeks at least! After a long conversation with Grandpa Third, Sakura had been allowed to act as an adult and thereby move into the Uzumaki-Uchiha apartment. Since her luggage was already in the building there were no problems. The three boys had sat as witness in the T&I room while Third questioned the Harunos. After several minutes of being exposed to four very powerful and angry chakras and three different killing intents, the two confessed tearfully. And yet another bonus was that the apartment had been repaired by Shadow Clones while they were having the conversation (Interrogation). Now it was good as new, almost. None of them could pinpoint it but there was always a slight draft after the first break in. "Alright, so, sleeping arrangements," Izuku began as he lifted his feet onto the new coffee table. "Naruto, you'll be on the couch, Sakura will take your room,"

"What why do I have to be in here? Can't we bunk?"

"Number one, we're out of futons and the beds are only single, number two you're the one that keeps missing rent," Sasuke grumbled as he took a long sip of his drink. "Now-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Sasuke?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone, Izuku?"

"Nope, I have a clear schedule for today and tomorrow,"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"I'll get it," Naruto stood up and placed his cup on the table. In a manner similar to when Sakura was at the door, Naruto kept a kunai behind his hip. A streak of platinum blonde raced past him as he opened the door and Sakura gave a small 'eep!' as the blur crashed into her.

"Yamanaka, to what do we owe the intrusion?" Somehow his green haired brother had identified the blur as the duo hit the ground

"SAKURA!!" Ino cried, "Why didn't you ever tell me your parents were so horrible?!"

"I believe that's what we owe the intrusion to," Sasuke had already picked up his book. Naruto watched the room Ino consoling Sakura on an issue practically resolved, Sasuke reading what he hoped to Kami wasn't a disguised Icha Icha paradise and Izuku was sat silently fuming.

"Well fucking played old man, no more secrets," A gentle sigh, "Prick," It didn't take a genius 'Lucky for you' to figure out that Izuku was on about Third.

'Shut it Kurama,' The blonde hadn't missed the snark either.

"Well, know that you've seen Sakura is well I am afraid we must ask you to,"

"I'm not going anywhere, Sakura is my friend, I can't leave her in,"

"Yamanaka you were not invited into our house nor are you, Naruto and I agreed to train you, not give you free entry into our home,"

"I'm not leaving her alone," Sasuke coughed,

"What are we chopped liver?"

"You're boys, you won't under-," Izuku quickly stood up and walked out of the room swiftly, slamming the door so hard behind him that several pictures on the walls rattled. Sasuke gave a very heavy sigh and closed his book while his free hand massaged his temple. Naruto picked up the still warm cups of hot chocolate.

"I'm going to run a bath," Sasuke announced to no-one in particular.

"I supposed I should get dinner started anyway," The steaming drinks were poured down the sink as Sasuke closed the door to the hall, Naruto followed suit with the kitchen door. "I expect you to be out by the time I am done, Yamanaka," The lock clicked into place.

Finding his brother wasn't difficult, in fact, it was painfully easy. Several trees were missing, creating a path to a small clearing. A clearing in which Izuku was punching himself. A lot of himself. In fact he was punching so many that Naruto wasn't sure which one was the real him. That was until all of them turned to smoke. Even the center fighter turned to a puff of smoke. Nothing in the clearing was visible for half a minute until all the smoke dissapated. "Yes?" The blond jumped slightly at the voice coming from behind him. "I'm a bit busy looking for the flaws in my style,"

"I guessed, but dinner has been cooked, it's katsudon with some salmon thrown in, figured it'd be a nice twist,"

"I'll be there shortly,"

"No, you're coming with me," Grabbing Izuku's shoulder and the kitchen blurred into existence around them. His hand remained firmly on the greenette's shoulder while the two had a silent stare down.

"Very well, since I'm here I may as well just stay here, has Yamanaka left yet?"

"I don't know, drop the formal tone, you're upset, so am I and so is Sasuke,"

"Fine but has Yamanaka gone?"

"As I just said, I don't know, I've been in the kitchen the entire time,"

"Fine, let's got and check, I'll get Sasuke now," The two walked over to the door and began opening it. Sakura was sat laid across the couch, still wearing his jacket mind and had stolen Sasuke's book to read. "I take it she left?"

"Yes, I had to convince her to leave though, the look on her face when I'd explained everything to her, she wanted to kick down the door and apologize to all three of you,"

"Wonderful, well, tell her that if she's polite, next time she can stay for dinner, you help Naruto serve everything up, I'll get Sasuke," The greeneette walked out of the room as the blond and pinkette moved into the kitchen. 

"Ino was really sorry y'know,"

"I don't care if I can be honest, she's always had that attitude, ever since I can remember, Izuku has been the only one that could ever get her back, he thinks that it'll help you if she comes back round again so he'll play nice,"

"Had you made the decision?"

"I don't want her back so long as she has that always gotta be right thing sorted out, even when I was trying to help train her, getting her to see a mistake took hours, hours I could've used to train myself, you'd think that she'd actually listen since she asked for the help,"

"But she didn't, did she?"

"Not in the slightest, I honestly would've got more co-operation with you before team seven was formed," He chuckled.

"Let's not push it," Her coy smirk kept him laughing. "I feel like comparing us is insulting me,"

"Alright alright," His hands raised placatingly. "But Ino didn't rip my test when I gave her the answers,"

"YOU!!" A chopstick was whacked against his arm.

"Sorry, sorry," His words betrayed his actions as he clutched his sides in laughter, almost falling to a knee. "Okay, no more, promise,"

"You better," She huffed at him, her anger clearly fake. They filled up the four bowls with spare left over. 

"Just in case someone wants seconds,"

"Or in case I said Yamanaka could come back," Izuku's words made them freeze. "I saw everything after Naruto's little jab," The greenette gazed at the floor letting out a very long and heavy sigh. "Sakura, you can dismiss yourself and bring Yamanaka back but if she ever, ever acts like that, she will not be allowed back, under any circumstance,"

"Understood," Sakura's form turned into smoke, surprising Naruto. He blinked repeatedly before rounding on his brother.

"You knew?"

"Her chakra was weaker than when she got here, only explanation," A non-commital shrug. "'Sides, this will help all of us, another in the fold will give us all another person to open up to," Green eyes met crystal blue, "Don't screw this up,"

"What? Why would I?"

"You're Uzumaki Naruto, loudmouth, brash and arrogant to all in the village except the three that live in these walls and a Jounin known for killing his only surviving comrade, there's little to no room for perpectives of the elders to change, speaking of when I was talking to Sarutobi I came across a little tidbit of information, regarding what Danzo orchestrated,"

"And?"

"ROOT's behind everything,"

"Everything?"

"The massacre, the tension, the recent armings of smaller villages and towns, the pillaging and attacking of others, but there was something else,"

"What?"

"Danzo was on the council of Sarutobi,"

"Yeah with Koharu and Homura,"

"Most didn't trust Danzo half as far as they could throw him," Something begain clicking in the back of the blond's mind. 'I do not like where this is going Kit' Nor did Naruto. "Itachi never trusted the man and only listened to him when Sarutobi said to, or," A breath of relief.

"Or when the other three council members were in agreement, because he could never prove Sarutobi hadn't said it," Izuku continued "Which means that Danzo wasn't the only one to orchestrate it,"

"But he was the smartest one to skip town and hightail it as far away as possible" Naruto nodded. Danzo held a special place in all of their minds. In their younger years the elder had made more than one attempt to steal Sasuke's eyes or even kidnap one of the Uzumaki brothers. They always failed though, because the trio had become better than the weapons Danzo wanted to turn them into. ROOT operatives learned quickly that any method they could think of wouldn't ever work, unless it went perfectly the first time. Simply because the boys adapted faster. Izuku was the prime example, the first attempt had been at night, to kidnap him in his sleep. After it failed Izuku put his bed the otehr side of the room, kept his curtains closed when he was in the room and a tripwire at his window. The next attempt had gone even worse as the trap had caused the operative to fall from the window to his death. Nowadays attempts were rare but more dangerous.

"Koharu and Homura both joinde with Danzo and forced Itachi's hand, claiming it was Sarutobi's will when the man hadn't even considered that route," Anger flared but Izuku lifted an arm halfway up, keeping his palm down. "Relax, I have Shadow Clones on it right now, Sarutobi's finally dismissing them from the council,"

"They need to burn,"

"They are being charged with orchestrating genocide, blackmailing an ANBU, lying to the Hokage and a few other crimes, they won't even make it out of T and I," Izuku scoffed. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "The clones wil dispell the second they're left alone," There it was. Izuku pretended to be all goody-two shoes but deep down the greenette was the most vindicative and cold of them all. Flashing back to the time they fought Zabuza and Haku, Izuku had tried to save the wronged duo and when that hadn't worked, had torn through the horde of men with Zabuza. The same night Izuku had supposedly gone to meditate in the forest but Kurama had smelt the blood on his hands, Naruto had smelt the blood on his hands. The village saw Izuku's patient side, Naruto knew Izuku's anger. The world was not prepared for the Izuku he kept to himself. THe blond gazed at his brother for another moment. "Far away from the village they failed to protect, alone and afraid, the way they left many of us,"

Sakura came through the door first, putting herself between Ino and the boys. "You're late," Naruto shook his head as he gestured to the bowls of food, kept warm on the top of the oven.

"You didn't need to wait," Sakura levelled her gaze

"It is impolite to eat when the guest isn't present," Sasuke recited boredly 

"I thought she wasn't a guest," She rounded on the raven-haired boy

"For now, until she proves she cannot behave like one," Izuku didn't even bother lifting his eyes from his notebook, pencil still scratching away.

"Thank you,"

"Do not thank us, prove us wrong," It wasn't a command, nor a suggestion. It was a challenge. For all of them to be better than they were.

"I will,"

"Good, your training is going to be ramped up after tomorrow, now you're eating properly we can starting getting you training properly,"

"You mean that wasn't proper training?"

"Not in the slightest, we were going easy on you while we built up your muscle mass,"

"But,"

"Ino," Sakura knelt at the low table, "I was the same, once you fall into the routine it becomes easy," Naruto audibly sucked in his breath as Sasuke peered over his book at the pinkette.

"Easy is it?" She gulped and glanced to Naruto and Sasuke for help. "Don't look at them, look at me," His voice carried the authority of a teacher, "If you are finding it easy now, we're going to add another five kilogram to each set of weights," A slight breath of relief. "What? You expected me to say double? Sakura, I am many things, ruthless may be one but cruel is not," He shook his head "We'll also go into lessons like wielding a tanto, throwing senbon and kunai as well as shuriken, we'll aslo find out your chakra natures and jutsu's relating to that type, currently we have no way of teaching you kunoichi oriented skills such as sedcution, so you'll have to rely on what the academy taught you,"

"Uh, the academy didn't teach us about kunoichi only skills?" Sakura say up straighter. Nartuo rested his empty bowl on the table.

"And here I thought we caught a break now Sakura has a sparring partner closer to her level," He rubbed his temples, "Kami alive, this is such a taxing day, alright, Naruto, come with me, Sasuke help Sakura and Ino create timetables for their upped workouts and diet plans,"

"Fine, but you two better hurry," Both boys disappeared in less than a flicker.

They landed silently in the office. At this point grandpa Third wasn't surprised to have them just appear. "Is there something else wrong?" Naruto watched as Izuku walked over and picked up a sheet of paper from the desk. "Izuku," The greenette sat down in a chair and read the paper carefully. "Izu-,"

"The civilian council has interfered with the academy cirriculum," His tone was that of someone mentioning an change of items in the shops.

"Impossible all changes to the academy first have to be-,"

"All decisions not unanimous by the civilian council go to the Shinobi council, if still undecided you are to give the final verdict," A hand motion from the elder shinobi and an ANBU appeared at his side.

"Collect all from the civilian council immediately," The ANBU disappeared in a black streak. Naruto read the paper over Izuku's shoulder, only to find it was full of information about something completely different. "You realize that you're accusing the civilian council of undermining my,"

"No, I'm accusing you of being an old man and not paying attention to every paper," Izuku sighed and turned the paper around to the Head of Konhagakure. "Do you remember signed this?"

"It is hereby stated that the civilian council will no longer need to inform the Shinobi council or thereby the Hokage of unanimous decisions that result in the change of business in the village if the change is estimated to had a positive impact among the inhabitants and travelling traders in Konohagakure, what? I never signed this paper!"

"So that isn't your signature at the bottom of the page?" Izuku picked up a second slip of paper and his eyes dropped to the bottom of the page. His face darkened.

"NO! That is a forgery, whoever did this must be," The three all shared the same dark look, Naruto keeping with the conversation simply from context.

"Danzo," The name all three growled out. The Grandpa stood up and took the paper with him. "You two, with me now," Izuku smirked while Naruto jumped up. A chance to see the Hokage own some people? Sign him the hell up! Together they began moving towards the meeting room for the civilian council and the doors exploded open, hitting the walls at the perfect speed to bounce and swing shut behind them. The civilian council stood at attention before seating themselves as the three made their way to the Hokages' chair. The council room was built with benches either side of the room, the benches rose until they hit the wall and ran almost the entire length of the room. The Hokage's chair sat at the far end of the room in the dead middle of the wall. The benches were currently filled with civilians watching them move.

"You were not told to be seated," Izuku kept his head held high. Several gave him dirty looks.

"While you may be a guest boy," Someone began.

"Regulation states that none are to be seated until the Hokage is sat in their chair," Naruto lifted his own head and stood up straighter than before. "So stand," The looks only got larger in numbers and dirtier as they were directed at him. But Naruto didn't shrink, he's an goddamn Uzumaki. And one day, they'll be stood before him.

"The boys are right, stand before I have ANBU act for treason," The civilian council stood up. As Third sat down, Naruto and Izuku stood eitehr side of him.

"Lord Hokage, what was so urgent that a meeting was called after calling for the removal of the Haruno's of the council?"

"There are several things I am going to address in the meeting, firstly is the discrimination that Uzumaki Naruto has been on the recieving end of, that is to stop immediately, as are the lies and the actions towards him, his brother and Uchiha Sasuke," A momentary pause, "The 'Demon Brat' you call him, is the child of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, who sacrificied his only child in order to save the village, effective immediately any and all stores caught doing anything of a dscriminatory nature will face severe consequences, since none of you can see further than your own nose," A few voices were raising in dissent. "Be very grateful I have not allowed Uzumaki Izuku to have it his way, if only because it would destroy the economy of Konohagakure, because if it didn't I would hazard that seventy percent of you would not leave this room with even the clothes on your backs if you're lucky, the crimes you have commited are punishable by death but I am only allowing the excuse of ignorance this once, if I ever here that you have over charged two children for so much as a chocolate bar, you will answer to every single one of your crimes,"

"Lord,"

"Every. Single. One." His voice was but an angry snarl, "Including the attempts to kidnap him in his sleep with plans to do Kami only knows what, attempts to beat him possibly to death," If ever there was a threat to ensue silence, this was one. Not even the wind made a noise as everyone adjusted themselves in their seats. "In case you missed it I shall repeat it, Uzumaki Naruto is the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, honestly I am surprised no-one was able to figure out the connection, but that only deepens my dissapointment in all of you," Naruto shifted somewhat uncomfortably, the people didn't regret doing what they did, they regreted who they did it to. Those gazes of fear now held the slightest bit of validation, if only for the wrong reasons. "The second and final reason I come here is that I am dismissing the civilian council, I realize now that this whole idea was a mistake, a foolish dream from a foolish old man,"

"You had the right heart Sarutobi-sensei," Izuku shook his head, "You wished for peace and everyone to have an equal say, it's a pity they took advantage of it," Naruto flicked his head at his brother and resolved to find out what this 'Sensei' deal was about.

"Of course you should know the offending item I am referring to, the fact that you are allowed to go behind my back in a unanimous decision to change the village however you see fit!" He began grumbling, "But then if you forget to inform me of a majority vote then who knows what could happen," A deep sigh, "That piece of legislation was signed by an imposter, rogue nin Danzo, if my hunch is correct, and therefore anyone of you that has followed it is again guitly of treason to the highest degree, now I shall ask once, you shall again be given the excuse of ignorance until I find out otherwise, who was in charge of informing the shinobi council?" A lone man stood up, Naruto identified him to be mid to late forties.

"I am Lord Hokage, and I have every meeting transcribed and stored ready for your review, the majority always voted it unneccasary to inform the shinobi council according to the, now fake, ruling, I shall do my best to summarize all of them and bring them to you," The man bowed and sat down.

"There is one that you need to inform me of, who here voted to change the cirriculum in the academy?" Several, easily over half, of them stood up. "Stand in the centre," The large group hesitantly moved into the flat area. "Now why did you change the cirriculum?"

"Lord Hokage, the cirriculum was unsuited to teach the children,"

"The cirriculum wasn't designed to teach children, it was designed to teach ninja, shinobi and kunoichi, and because of your meddling, our kunoichi teammate doesn't know about half the skills necassary to be a kunoihi, as goes with her friend and I'm willing to guess the entirety of this and last generation of kunoichi," Izuku interrupted.

"Be that as it may boy the cirriculum is not suited to,"

"Then make your own school and set that cirriculum, do not interfere with the ninja academy,"

"The future of the village depends on the education the children get,"

"We are a hidden village!" Izuku barked, "Without ninja to defend us there is no future of the village,"

"You are a child,"

"I am a shinobi, and if you think you have any say in an education you cannot understand then you should go back to education yourself and think again,"

"Do not claim-,"

Clink cling

A sword hit the ground and the arguing villager gazed at it. Izuku's arm was still outstretched after throwing it to the floor casually.

"If you claim to know what is best for a ninja you will have no problem proving it, so take that sword and strike me with it,"

"What?"

"Take that sword," His voice was a deathly calm, "And strike me with it, otherwise you shall be silent as the academy is repaired after you destroyed it with your interference,"

"Do as Izuku suggests," Gramps uttered, "Because if you refuse I will have you executed here and now for treachery, endangering the village and cospiring behind my back," The sword was hurriedly picked up and held ready to use. Naruto shook his head.

"It's a one handed sword," He whispered to the man, who quickly took one hand away from the handle. The greenette was a sharp contrast, holding the tanto with one hand behind his back, his face the picture of calm.

"If you can nick me, my clothing or make me bleed, you shall be considered the victor, my objective is to simply make you fall," His sword was steady as opposed to the violently shaking sword of the villager. "Now," Izuku drew himself up to his full height. "Come!" The man lamely charge Izuku. "Naruto, explain to him," The blond nodded as Izuku parried the attack effortlessly.

"You see, my brother and I have been in the academy, we saw lessons for shinobi exclusively, many were actually quite dull, things like accounting, organizastional skills, basics of being part of a team, and even then that was final year stuff, the swordsmanship that you are facing was from Izuku realizing that being a ninja required actual combative skills because y'know, they are trying to kill you," The greenette sidestepped past a very horrible attempt to stab his stomach and the man stumbled, almost falling over.

"Good, for I minute I thought you'd make Naruto stop early," His voice was very clearly bored. The man spun on his heel and tried slicing Izuku.

"So we trained ourselves, studying for our minds,"

CLANG

"And exercise for our bodies," Izuku had stopped the attack, lazily raising his sword and stopping his opponent without so much as a wobble of recoil. In one swift movement he rotated his wrist before flicking his elbow to the side, taking the man's borrowed blade with it. "Because we didn't want to be underprepared but we figured hey, they might let us learn things in the field," He tried fleeing to the sword, "But nope! Kakashi was there to guide us with the info we were given, which he did he best at, but you sent us out underprepared," Izuku's foot caught the man's ankle and the body crashed to the floor.

"I win," Izuku sheathed his blade and walked to pick up the dropped one. He nodded to Grampa third and walked over to Naruto.

"The civilian council is hereby dissolved, you are all permanently dismissed," The man with the hat spoke levelly but gave no room for arguement. "You too boys, go home and relax,"

"I'm going to meditate, Naruto, you have Yamanaka and Haruno to train tomorrow, better get a plan ready,"

"Yeah yeah, I'm going,"

"Wonderful, I'll come and help after I meditate, you'll be on your own for the day since I'm helping Sasuke with hsi Rasendori," Both boys disappeared immediately, leaving Sarutobi to sigh and put a hand to his head.

"You boys will be the death of this old man,"

He stood atop the river and watched as both Sakura and Ino attempted to reach him. "You guys nailed tree walking, this is just a slight bit harder but I know you can get it," An Izu-clone had appeared a few minutes ago and advised to train their chakra control if the two were going to be battle medics, before disappearing into smoke. Sakura had her limit of one shadow clone also running the gauntlet, trying to walk on the water. All three figures were dripping after falling into the river numerous times. True to the deal, neither were complaining of difficulty, nor arguing over anything or even frowning at the blond stood in the middle of the river. Sakura had made it two steps before pulging into the running water while Ino only made it one. Neither complained over the falling, until.

"Gah! This is impossible!" Ino flopped down at the edge of the river, after climbing out for the umpteenth time. "I can't move my chakra right!"

"You can, it's just more of a loop than a direct input, try running it across the sole of your foot intead of just pushing it into the water," Naruto offered while smiling gently. "Once you start to understand it it'll be easy,"

"I'm trying!" Ino waved her arms lamely, "But it's impossible,"

"It's not, you've already got a foot on it, all you have to do is repeat it," His patience was being tested now. Was this how Itachi and Shisui felt while training the three boys? The blond tapped his forehead twice and closed his eyes. Once he opened them he saw the blonde sat with her knees up to her chest and arms around her legs. Her eyes never moved from the downcast look as Naruto quietly made his way over. "Hey," His voice was soft enough to pull her attention. As she looked up at him he grinned. "I know you can do it," His fingers tapped against her forehead, she looked up into his face in shock. "But it'll take all you can give it," Pulling his hand away Naruto was about to return to his previous position, instead taking only three steps away from the embankment. Ino slowly stood up and stared at the water, ready to try again. Neither were aware of the sidelook Sakura was giving them as she stood with one foot on the water.

"You're making slow progress, but it is still progress," Izuku's voice praised as he walked into the area, "I've come to tell you all that Sasuke is starting on dinner,"

"Finally a break,"

"Oh no, if you can't reach Naruto you won't be getting dinner, as originally stated there are no breaks in training, you either finish training or stop altogether," His voice was deceptively calm as he delivered the soul-crushing news, "Itachi and Shisui were much more forgiving teachers than we are, but that's because you've had years to take the initiative,"

"But we didn't," Sakura flopped onto the floor after climbing out of the river yet again. "It means we have to play catch up as much as possible,"

"Correct, Ino I will be giving you a few sessions of training that should bring you to Sakura's level but it will be, as people say, like going through the fire and the flames,"

"I'm beginning to think you take pleasure in askign us to do the impossible,"

"Nothing I ask you to do is impossible,"

"I can't do this,"

"You can, and you will," His voice was stern but not commanding, patience being pushed too quickly instead of anger being held back. Naruto bounced slightly.

"That's just his way of saying that he believes in you," A small chuckle "Seriously it's just his way of saying we know you can, so don't give up," The greenette nodded slightly as Naruto put his raised thumb in Ino's direction.

"But don't think we've forgotten about you Sakura, you're starting to plateau too, unless you can pick up the slack and train by yourself, you'll be stuck at this level," Izuku turned to the pinkette. "You both have five minutes to walk on the water before I bring dinner here and we eat it in front of you,"

"That's harsh,"

"I'll do whatever is necassary to ensure your training has results," A cricket chirped in the silence. "It's only fair since the academy failed you so badly,"

"There it is," Naruto chuckled. "You guys are going to get used to this over the next month, especially you Sakura since you're in the Uzumaki-Uchiha home," He clapped his hands. "Now back to water-walking!" The girls groaned but stood up nonetheless. This was the beginning of their personal hell.