Naruto Gojo

3

Chapter 3: The Honored One's Chosen

The soft light of morning filtered into the room, casting a warm glow on Naruto and the woman in his arms. Her wild, dark hair was splayed across the pillows, and the fierce clan markings on her cheeks were softened by sleep. This was Tsume Inuzuka, Matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan, mother of Kiba and Hana, and one of the most formidable women in Konoha. And she was his.

Their connection was another secret kept hidden within the shadowy confines of the Forest of Death, a bond forged in blood and mutual respect.

(Flashback)

Gojo had deemed his training inside the forest insufficient. "You need real-world combat data, Naruto-kun," he'd said with a wave of his hand. "Go find some low-level thugs or rogue ninja outside the village and have some fun. Don't break them too badly."

Naruto set out. Before leaving, he wove the signs for a transformation, molding his appearance into a tribute to his father figure. His hair turned snow-white, his whisker marks vanished, and his eyes, though hidden behind a blindfold, were a piercing blue beneath. A miniature Gojo.

He didn't have to travel far. He found them pinned down in a clearing: a Konoha team surrounded by a rabble of at least twenty bandits and an equal number of rogue ninja. Leading the Konoha shinobi was a fierce woman with feral energy. Tsume. This was the perfect opportunity.

He landed between the two groups without a sound, his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

"Yo," he said with a lazy smirk. "Looks like you guys are in a bit of a jam."

"Get out of here, kid! It's dangerous!" Tsume yelled, her voice a worried growl.

"Don't worry, pretty lady," Naruto replied, his grin turning cocky. "Everything will be alright. After all... they're all just weaklings."

The enemy forces erupted in mocking laughter. "You hear that? This little brat called us weak!" a bandit roared.

"Arrogant little shit. Let's teach him a lesson he won't live to remember," a rogue ninja sneered.

They charged. Before the first one had taken two steps, Naruto vanished. He reappeared directly in front of a ninja, his hand plunged through the man's chest, crushing his heart in a single, precise motion.

He pulled his hand back, wiping it clean on the dead man's flak jacket. "See? Weak," he said, his tone utterly bored. The playful smirk was gone, replaced by the cold indifference of an executioner. "Now, I guess it's time to clean up the rest of this trash."

Fear, primal and absolute, seized the attackers. They turned to run. They didn't get far. For them, the world became a blur of white hair and a pain that ended before they could even scream. In less than ten seconds, it was over. Naruto stood alone in a clearing of corpses.

He was about to leave when Tsume stopped him. "You're a terrifying kid," she said, her voice laced with awe and suspicion. "You look the same age as my son, but you fight like a demon."

"That's because I'm being trained by the strongest," Naruto replied simply.

"The strongest, huh? Your sensei must be an arrogant bastard."

"He is."

"What's your name?" Tsume asked, her eyes sharp.

"My name?" Naruto's smile returned. "Let's find somewhere more private to chat about that."

One of her teammates protested. "Lady Tsume, you can't! This kid is dangerous!"

"It's fine," Tsume stated, her gaze locked on Naruto. "If he wanted us dead, we'd already be dead. I'll take my chances."