The Coming of the King

Chapter 6 - Might as Well Call it Torture (2)

Chapter 6 - Might As Well Call it Torture (2)

Author's Note: Once again, I'm so sorry for the delayed chapter. Technical difficulties that I hope to never encounter again. Here's chapter five, though. It'll still be a couple chapters until Naruto enters the academy, but I feel like these chapters provide some nice backstory to Naruto and his ANBU buddies. I hope you all enjoy, thanks for reading!

Author's Note Number 2: Haha, funny story. I thought that this got published on Sunday. Evidently it didn't. It said published, I swear. I got suspicious and checked and apparently it decided to be a draft instead. I'M SO SORRY! >_< I guess I'm not as tech-y as I thought. I would double update for you guys on Wednesday but I'm too far behind for that. Sorry again. Enjoy the chapter that gave me so much trouble.

Edit: Kaito is an OC and just a stand in for TenTen's father, who is unknown.

Editor's Note: Apparently this chapter was problematic for me? We love that. Ummm, come pester me via the links in my bio or check out my Redbubble shop? (Can you tell that I'm writing all of these notes in the same sitting? Also, chapter titles, past Quinne? Really?)

Chapter 6

Several Hours Later - Third Person P.O.V.

The sun was just beginning to set, and there were a few genin and chuunin at several of the training grounds. In training ground 43, however, sat Uchiha Itachi, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan and already a member of the ANBU, carefully watching a four year old boy, Uzumaki Naruto, train. Yes, train, although most other people would call it torture or maybe death-by-exercise.

Naruto was doing one-handed push ups in the center of the training field, but just barely. Due to starvation and malnutrition, he could hardly support his weight on one arm, but he kept trying. His entire body is drenched in sweat, and he's shaking. His eyes are closed in concentration.

There are a few of his shadow clones left, most had disappeared due to using all of their chakra already. One might ask just how hard the boy has been training today, and they would definitely be surprised. He'd torn muscles and strained tendons and Kurama had immediately healed him.

Itachi's words to the boy echoed in his head as he watched his pupil train. Training his jutsu and chakra until he ran out, training his body until he can't stand due to exhaustion, and Itachi knew that Kurama was giving Naruto history lessons telepathically. Naruto was silently mouthing the words as Kurama spoke them, pushing himself psychologically because of his new fear of speaking, to help himself remember them.

Itachi knew that Naruto hadn't eaten since breakfast, and he was doing all of his training barefoot because his shoes were worse than useless. Naruto had easily kicked off his sandals as he asked Itachi to make his weights heavier. It was his first day of training and he had already improved dramatically. It seemed as though Naruto were a once-in-a-millennia prodigy that even Itachi wouldn't stack up to. Finally, Naruto collapsed.

Itachi stood and rushed over to the boy. He was worried about his pupil. He'd never seen anyone work themselves this hard. It was honestly impressive. As Itachi helped Naruto roll over, he saw that Naruto was grinning.

"Did I do good today, sensei?" Naruto shakily signed.

"Yes, but we need to run some errands. Dispel your clones," Itachi answers. He felt a bit guilty, though. Naruto gave him an exasperated look, obviously thinking about how he didn't think he could stand, and would probably fall asleep on his feet, if he managed to stand at all.

Naruto gave the last of his clones the telepathic order to dispel, one by one so that it wouldn't overload him. Naruto felt a little bit of chakra come back into his system, and he could feel his body already beginning to repair itself. Kurama sure was great. After another minute, Naruto feels as though he might be able to stand. He clambers to his feet, swaying dangerously. Itachi reaches out to steady him.