Favored by fate

Chapter 2

Iruka had sighed as he looked at the faces of the students. Sasuke, Shino, and Shikamaru looked closed off since Naruto had passed the Genin Exams after his sixth birthday. He was proud that Naruto came to him and asked if he could take the text with Neji and it made the Chuunin happier when his precious boy passed on top of the class. He missed his Naruto and it seemed that his friends missed him too.

Nuriko was just as noisy as ever and it silently shocked him that the girl didn't even notice that her twin brother was no longer there at first. When she did, she proclaimed loudly how she felt happy that he wasn't there to embarrass her.

Iruka knew he shouldn't have thought of it, but it couldn't be helped. He thought that it should have been the other way around. It should be that Naruto be embarrassed to have a sister like her. Shikamaru was no longer the dead last and did more in class as he remembered that Naruto made the Nara promise to do his best. Shino and Sasuke did their bests as well and no one had ever penetrated their circle ever since Naruto had graduated.

Sasuke had not even complained and knew that Naruto was far more superior than he was but Naruto glared at him and said that he was just studious. Sasuke snorted at him but just smirked and nodded after congratulating his best friend.

As far as he knew, Naruto was apprenticing with Morino Ibiki of the T&I Department. How that got pass the Hokage, Iruka didn't bother to ponder. The Yondaime Hokage, despite being a good leader and a strong presence to the village, was not as observant as he showed.

He saw once when he was temporarily the Yondaime's secretary for a week when the original had called in sick one day, how the man went through paperwork. He didn't really read them thoroughly as he should and was told to read the papers and stack them according to its importance.

Kakashi told him how the secretary liked Naruto and placed Ibiki's request to have Naruto as his apprentice on the top so that the Yondaime would just stamp and sign it without reading it. Iruka was also told how Ibiki got to have Naruto as his apprentice when Anko, Hayate, Yugao, and even Itachi and Kakashi themselves wanted Naruto as their apprentices. Kakashi and Itachi wanted Naruto on the fast track to become ANBU along with Yugao and Hayate. It was a series of bets that eventually Ibiki had won and thus having Naruto as his apprentice and the rest groaned. Iruka had chocked on it at first but his one week proved how irresponsible Namikaze Minato could be… especially when his daughter came to the Tower.

Not a year later, Chigusa slipped again and the Yondaime had approved Ibiki's request of allowing Naruto to take the Chuunin Exams at Kusagakure. It pained Iruka that his family didn't even notice that he wasn't around for nearly two whole months. Naruto had passed and six months later, Iruka himself helped slip the request for Naruto to take the jounin Exams. And again, Naruto had made them all proud to come out as the top contender.

All the while, his blood family missing all his accomplishments because they were comforting their daughter who had little to nearly zero ability and talent.

Almost five years later…

Iruka had filed the papers of those who passed the Academy and was now waiting for the Yondaime to separate them into teams. Sasuke, Shino, and Shikamaru had earned the top three spots with Sakura placing fourth. It did not shock Iruka when he came by Nuriko's name, placing in last yet passing the tests and making genin.

He was about to enter the Hokage's office when the jounins called out to him.

"Yo Iruka." Kakashi greeted him and he smiled back.

"Kakashi… team placements again? Are you going to pass this team or fail them again?" he joked and a few chuckled when Kakashi smirked from under his mask.