A True Ninja

Chapter 1

At the Hospital...

"What do you mean you can't train me?" Naruto exclaims angrily at his silver-haired sensei. Naruto grinds his teeth in frustration as he sees Kakashi read his book nonchalantly. "Now, Now, Naruto. Calm down. I mean I can't train you for the finals because Sasuke needs it more." Kakashi states lazily. "You've been training Sasuke ever since team 7 formed! And don't you dare lie because both Sakura and I seen you do it!" Naruto accuses angrily with an icy glare. "Now Naruto. You shouldn't get so riled up. I got you a trainer that could train you better than I could." Kakashi says while shrugging off the accusation. "Oh yeah? Who?" Naruto says with narrowed eyes. "Why me of course." A familiar voice says behind him. Naruto turns around to see Ebisu walking up to them. Something snapped inside Naruto. Naruto spilled out a lot of killing intent and turns to Kakashi. Kakashi and Ebisu are surprised by the amount and tense by the intensity of it. 'This is Naruto's killing intent...? There's not even a trace of the fox in it!' Ebisu and Kakashi thinks with internal shock. "When I thought you actually were trying to help me, you actually find me a teacher who hates me for something out of my control!" Naruto spats out coldly making the two ninja and the people around them wince at the tone. "I should of known that you're like everyone else Kakashi-sensei.... actually you're undeserving of that title Hatake!" Naruto says with no emotion that makes the two ninja flinch. "I'm gonna train myself since you can't do your job!" Naruto states with no emotion and storms off, not letting Kakashi nor Ebisu get any word in. '...What just happened?' Ebisu thinks with shocked face. 'I don't think you're the fox Naruto. Please forgive me...' Kakashi thinks with a depressed aura.

With Naruto marching angrily in a forest...

"Argh! What am I supposed to do now?" Naruto exclaims as he grips his blonde spiky hair. Naruto keeps stomping through the forest with frustration until he came to a temple that looked like it seen better days. "Whoa! What is this place?" Naruto exclaims as he walks inside, feeling like he is being called there. Naruto walks in the temple to see many scrolls lined up on the wall, many books lying around, a sword hanging on another wall, a huge scroll on a pedestal, clothes lying in a corner, and a message on the wall hanging above the pedestal. "A true ninja understands the difference between light and dark. Once you conquered your own darkness, you can see the true you. Harnessing your light is a path while the darkness illuminates another, but together they make a miracle. Fighting evil doesn't require an excuse, but accepting those who are troubled shows true strength. Follow your heart is a true way to feel empathy. Cast aside your troubles causes blocks the path to your inner power." Naruto reads with a look of awe and confusion. "Inner power?" Naruto repeats with a confused frown on his face. "Maybe the fox has answers..." Naruto thinks as he gets into a meditative position. Naruto closes his eyes and meditates while calming his anger and frustration.

In Naruto's Mindscape...

Naruto opens his eyes to see a sewer. "Okay, I know I was in that temple, so this is my mindscape. Wait... This is m mindscape? This place is depressing!" Naruto exclaims in disgust. "I'll say..." A gruff voice says behind him. Naruto turns around to see a fox with nine tails behind a gate with a piece of paper that reads Seal in Kanji. "Sup Kyuubi." Naruto says calmly while internally shivering in fear. The Kyuubi sweat drops at the greeting. "Sup brat." Kyuubi says back just as calmly as Naruto without internally shivering in fear. "Do you know what the message means about inner power?" Naruto asks bluntly. "Yes I do. Considering my father wrote it." Kyuubi answers while leveling a contemplative stare at Naruto. "Your father?" Naruto asks confused. "The sage of six paths." Kyuubi answers. Naruto processes those words. "Wait isn't he the guy that invented ninshu?" Naruto questions while internally wondering how he knows that. The Kyuubi widens his eyes in shock by the question. "How do you know that?" Kyuubi yells at Naruto. "I have no idea, I just feel like the place and the man is familiar." Naruto says while trying to think how he knows that. 'Could he be... Asura's reincarnation?' Kyuubi wonders with a frown. 'Possibly, since his soul isn't corrupted by greed and he knows what father created.' Kyuubi figures with a now wise gaze. "Brat! Do you want to know how to be a true ninja?" Kyuubi asks seriously with a questioning stare. "Yes!" Naruto exclaims with excitement. "Then you must face your inner darkness. Follow the path to right in order to do so." Kyuubi says while pointing at the path with his tails. "Once done, come back to me so we can discuss business." Kyuubi says while closing his eyes. Naruto nods while walking down the path with anticipation. Naruto continues down the path and notices the path is getting dimmer and dimmer. "Well, Well. What do we have here?" A voice rings out in a mocking cold voice. Naruto looks ahead and is prepared to fight to defend himself. "If it isn't the hyperactive half of me. Came here to to give up to the darkness?" The voice says with sadistic glee. Naruto looks to see a copy of him come out of the shadows, except this one had red eyes instead of his blue ones. 'A shadow clone? No... this is my hatred and anger that I pushed down.' Naruto thinks with a frown. "Hmm... I guess you're not here to give up. I guess I have to beat you in order to take control." Yami-Naruto cackles as he prepares to launch himself at Naruto. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. I will conquer my hatred." Naruto says confidently as he prepares himself. Yami-Naruto scowls and speeds at Naruto at high speed. Naruto grabs Yami-Naruto and pulls him in a hug. Yami-Naruto is stunned by the action, but then grows angry with Naruto. "Why? Why must you always be a good-two-shoes and forgive the ones who wronged us all the time? They torture us, abuse us, push us aside, treat us like we aren't humans, and deny our existence!" Yami-Naruto shouts angrily with tears running down his face. "I know, but if we act out of our anger then we won't grow. We won't be a ninja, we would a bitter preteen that would whine about our life. We would be cowards and proving the villagers right. What then? We would be lost in a sea of loneliness, anger, and hatred with no way out. Instead I chose to forgive the villagers because they are misguided and don't understand. It still hurts, that I can admit. I can't promise that I would not forgive them, but maybe you can help my decisions because now I accept you. I won't hide my anger but instead fuel it to make my drive stronger." Naruto says with sincerity. Yami-Naruto looks astounded then smiles a soft smile. "Thank you." Yami-Naruto whispers as he lights with golden lights and disappears. Naruto's mindscape glows in a bright white light. Naruto looks around to see the cracks in the walls of his mindscape disappear. Naruto smiles and wonders back to the Kyuubi's cage. "Hmm. Back so soon? I'm impressed that a hairless ape can accept his darkness and achieve his inner power. That leaves one more step." Kyuubi states with a smirk. Naruto deadpans at the insult directed at him. "What step is that?" Naruto asks with apprehension. "You have to take my chakra." Kyuubi says while Naruto's eyes widen in shock. "But that's your chakra!" Naruto says with a quiver. "Yes, but in order for your mind to not be at war with your body then you must take my chakra." Kyuubi says with a stern stare.  "Do I have to fight you or are you letting me take your chakra?" Naruto asks seriously. "I'm letting you. All you have to do is undo the seal and connect your chakra with mine and pull." Kyuubi says seriously. Naruto looks for deceit in the Kyuubi's eyes to see none and nods his head in affirmative. Naruto walks to seal and starts to pull on the paper, only for a hand to stop him. "What...?" Naruto starts to ask then turns to the direction where the hand came from. Naruto sees the Fourth Hokage stopping him. "The fourth...? What are you doing here?" Naruto questions very confused. "Sorry Naruto. I can't let you undo the seal." The fourth says with a small smile. "You do realize that you stopped your son from getting my chakra right?" The Kyuubi asks with a deadpan. Naruto's eyes widen at the son comment while the fourth freezes then lets his son's arm go and rubs his head sheepishly. "Wait... you're my father?" Naruto asks with a blank expression. "Sigh... Yes Naruto, I'm your father. I had to seal the Kyuubi in you because I couldn't ask any other parent to seal him into any other child. I hope you can forgive me." Naruto's dad says with a sigh of self loathing. Naruto stares at him for a few seconds then hugs his dad. The fourth smiles softly and hugs Naruto back. "Naruto, I'm only a chakra visual. My chakra is almost gone, so I have a few things to say before I go. I'm so proud that you could walk through life with a burden with a smile. I love you so much that it hurts me to know that I couldn't be there for you. I hope you continue through life with a positive outlook and bring happiness to those around you. I love you my son, goodbye." The fourth says passionately as he disappeared. Tears fall down Naruto's face as he faced Kyuubi. "Kyuubi let's do this. I want to be a true ninja in order to protect my precious people." Naruto says with a determined grin.