A Different Life

First of many missions

Author's Note: Hey everyone so I'm updating once again. Thank you for always reading, voting, and commenting!!! It means the world to me!!! Hope you all continue to love and enjoy my writing. Thanks, Woolley119.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights are reserved.

Ignore him Naruto. Focus on the path ahead.

          Naruto jumped and leapt off of the rigid edge avoiding paper bombs that were hidden beneath the path and along the dimly lit cavern.

What's the deal with these death missions? He thought inwardly while cursing the old man.

          It had been a week since that night and each night Naruto barely had any shut eye. Missions each night it was tiring, but he had determination. He had meant what he said. He did not want to be categorized into something or someone that was weak. He was not a monster. And he intended to prove it by surpassing the old man's expectations.

Kit we have to find the scroll.

"What do you think I've been doing?!" He shouted back at the fox as he avoided another bomb that was set off by the only girl that had dared to partake in this death game.

         Naruto thought back to the instructor remembering everything he had to do to complete the mission.

"The mission is to gather two types of scrolls. One of life and one of death. Each of the scrolls will be hidden. In real missions and especially as an ANBU black op information seeking missions will be put out. This will be practice as the missions we complete are most of the time secret as it would be very terrible if one of us was caught. Villagers are not happy when they see foreign Shinobi in there land. The first person to gather both scrolls will have a day off on the next mission. Now start!"

          Naruto stopped when he made it to a hidden spot between some trees. He had ventured outside of the cave that he deemed home for the remaining year he had left. And it felt good to be out of the stone and into the air once again.

          With just a glance of the eye he spotted a shiny glimmer of light from within the bushes of leaves that surrounded a big oak. Scrunching his brows in curiousness he stepped closer to the base of the tree and leant down - stretching his arm out and into the shrub of leaves. The prickly sensation from the branches scratched his skin, but it was barely noticeable once he gripped onto a long circular item. Like a light shining bright within his mind - he knew what he has gripped and smiled a real smile. Yanking his arm out from under the shrub of leaves.

He had the second scroll the first one was easy to come by as he had stepped like not even ten steps - but he knew that most missions (or all his missions) wouldn't be that easy. It was almost night - twilight had painted the sky with a variant of warm colors - pink, yellow, orange, and red litter the sky and Naruto - like he was stopped and appreciated the small things in life.

Kit we better get going. Kurama encourages and Naruto lets out a visible sigh and opens his eyes gaining ground as each second passed.

You better be the first one kit. I don't feel like working another day. Kurama complains and Naruto makes it clear to the fox that he's had it with the complaining fox.

"You know you don't have to. You can just conjure anything up in our inner world, so to speak. "

"That's to much work. " Kurama simply replies back. Lazy fox, Naruto thought.

          Jumping onto a nearby branch of a tree he leapt off one to the next making his way back to the cave - his home.

"Hm, great job kid. You're the first one to return. "

           Naruto was congratulated as soon as he handed Rabbit the scrolls that he needed to retrieve.

"As promised you will be exempt from the mission tomorrow. " He turns his way making his way towards his quarters when he stopped. His hands forming into fists. He didn't need a break. Kurama, maybe. But he did not. He had a year and he wasn't about to be lazy.

Naruto turned around and addressed the women who had on the rabbit mask, "I actually change my mind. Taking it easy is not why I'm here. I want to be strong and that is what I'm working towards. " with the final sentence Naruto leaves leaving the women to smirk from behind her mask.

Things are getting interesting, she thought.