Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Edit: The first few chapters seem fractured as I try to skip past what everyone has already read a few dozen times. By the start of Chunin Exams, Ch 8, the writing style will be smooth.

Naruto cheered silently as he watched the Sandaime rocket back from a Oiroke induced nosebleed. With a puff a smoke, the whisker scarred busty beauty reverted to his base form of a 4'9" boy with sun-kissed hair and azure eyes. Coming down from his high of "defeating" the hokage, he looked to see where his jiji had landed. Looking over at the wall upon which Sarutobi had landed, Naruto saw him laying haphazardly on the ground.

'That's gonna leave him sore when he wakes up' Naruto realized as he saw the awkward angles at which his jiji's limbs had bent upon landing. Looking at the door through which he would have to leave before the ANBU arrived, Naruto debated whether or not to leave his surrogate grandfather to wake up on the ground and get out quickly or to take the time to make sure that he was comfy.

Naruto looked at the door once more and sighed before putting down the large scroll that had been his goal and walking over to the old man lying on the ground. It took some effort to keep from hurting his grandfather further, but after 10 minutes of careful arranging, Sarutobi was sitting in the hokage chair with his head lying on crossed arms on his desk. With a final check to make sure that nothing looked out of place, Naruto picked up the Scroll of Sealing and walked out the door, making sure to keep his steps silent and to avoid the purpose built creaking floorboards.

As he heard the door shut and Naruto inaudible, to those under Jonin, steps recede, a small smile lit the Sandaime's face. Sitting up, he nodded and the team of ANBU that had been stationed to protect him that night dropped down silently from the ceiling, releasing the Kakuremino* Jutsu they had been using.

"Follow Naruto and find the traitor or traitors. Do not harm Naruto and don't interfere unless he is truly in danger of death." The Sandaime ordered. With a small nod, two of the ANBU vanished to follow Naruto. "Inform the Jonin and Chunnin that Naruto has stolen the Scroll of Sealing. Make sure that you tell them in no uncertain terms that this is retrieval only. Any harm caused to Naruto post his acquiescence is prohibited." With a nod, another ANBU left to carry out the message. "Inform the ANBU commander what happened. Tell him to use this opportunity to bait any traitors." With a nod, the fourth ANBU left. Turning to the remaining four ANBU, Sarutobi gave his final orders. "Prepare to use the Hiraishin to get Naruto to safety if the need arises" With a nod, they prepared themselves to flash to the marker on Naruto at an instant's notice.

At a clearing in the forests surrounding Konoha, Naruto panted as he set down the large scroll he had been carrying. Even though he had only left ten minutes later than he would have if he hadn't helped the Hokage, it had caused him to lose nearly half and hour in leaving the building as he had nearly walked into an ANBU patrol and had to wait till they were far enough away that they wouldn't notice the chakra he would be pumping to his limbs to get out Konoha. By the time it was safe to leave, he had to take a longer route than he had planned to make sure that he avoided the patrol routes. All-in-all, It had taken him nearly three hours longer than he had planned to get out of the village without being noticed, as far as he knew at least.

Finally catching his breath, Naruto sat down and opened up the scroll to find a technique to learn so that he could pass. He was halfway through reading the instructions on how to use the Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu when he heard a rustle from the leaves. Turning quickly, he saw Iruka arrive in the clearing.

Naruto sat behind the tree as he listened to Mizuki and Iruka talk. "If you use the skills in that scroll, you can do whatever you want" Mizuki tried explaining to Iruka," There's no way the demon fox wouldn't try to use that power. Unlike what you're assuming."

There was silence and as Iruka breathed heavily, his wounds weighing him down."Yeah…" Iruka started." The demon fox would do that, but Naruto is different. He is someone I've acknowledged as one of my excellent students. He isn't a demon fox anymore, he is a member of the hidden leaf. He is Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto cried as he heard Iruka speak. First in pain as he heard Iruka's condemnation, but then in joy as he heard Iruka's acknowledgement. 'He see's me. I'm not just the demon brat to him. He acknowledges Naruto Uzumaki."

'Feh," Mizuki scoffed as he reached behind him for his Fuma Shuriken," if that's the way you're going to be, then DI-urk" As Mizuki was about to release the instrument of Iruka's death, Naruto leapt from behind the tree and kneed him in the face, causing him to miss. Jumping back, he placed himself between Iruka and the would be murderer.

Standing up, Mikuki rubbed his face as he glared at Naruto. " I was going to take my time with you, but now I'll just kill you and Iruka in one shot!" Mizuki gloated as he ran towards the other pair, kunai out and ready to end their lives.

Naruto stood watching as Mizuki got closer. He had managed to stop Mizuki the first time by surprise, but now he had nothing. His brawling style of taijutsu might let him put up somewhat of a fight against other Academy students, but it would be nothing against a chunnin. He had no ninjutsu he could use against Mizuki other than the Academy basics, as he hadn't had enough time to learn one from the scroll. He had nothing. By all rights, he should be running. But if he ran, then Mizuki would kill Iruka. He couldn't allow that.

Iruka who had eaten with Naruto when he was feeling down.

He had to save him.

Naruto's breath hitched and then relaxed into a deeper breathing cycle.

Iruka who had known where to find Naruto because he knew Naruto.

He had to save him

The tension in the air began to shift as Killing Intent started to pour from Naruto. Behind him, the already taxed Iruka passed out as it became too much for him to handle.

Iruka who acknowledged him. Not as the demon brat or the fox, but as Naruto.

He had to save him.

Chakra began to roll off Naruto. Gold, blue, and red danced across his skin before it dissipated into the air.

Iruka who was now nearly dead thanks to Mizuki. Mizuki who had baited Naruto into stealing the Scroll. Mizuki who had tried to have Naruto labeled as a traitor. Mizuki who had tried to kill Naruto, Mizuki who had tried to kill Iruka. Mizuki who had tried to kill the one who acknowledged him.

HE HAD TO KILL HIM.

Naruto groaned as he swam back to consciousness thanks to the lights overhead bearing down on him.

"Careful Naruto," he heard Iruka say from the couch he lay on to his right. IRUKA! Naruto jumped off the couch he was laying on before he nearly collapsed from lightheadedness. Steadying himself, Naruto made his way over to the bandaged man and kneeled beside him.

"Iruka-sensei are you alright? Did they bandage you up alright? Im really sorry for stealing the scroll. I really didn't know Mizuki was a traitor. I thought-" Naruto rambled until Iruka held a hand up to stop him.

"It's alright Naruto, it wasn't your fault. All you did was beleive in a teacher. All the fault lies with Mizuki." comforted Iruka, smiling at his frazzled student. Naruto relaxed at Iruka's words and a comfortable silence settled in.

A minute later, Iruka propped himself up on his elbows and scooted back to lean against the armrest of the couch."Close your eyes for me Naruto." Iruka asked, hands already moving towards the back of his head. He took of his protector and laid it across his lap. Pushing Naruto's goggles down to rest around his neck, Iruka took his hitae-ate and tied it around Naruto's forehead.

Feeling the cloth rest against his forehead, Naruto opened his eyes and reached up to touch his new accessory. As he realized the significance of Iruka's actions, his eyes widened and he looked towards his mentor for confirmation.

Smiling, Iruka nodded and laid back down, pretending to ignore the sniffles coming from a quietly sobbing Naruto. "You deserve this. The Will of Fire what makes a Konoha ninja strong. More so than Nin, Tai, or Genjutsu. And you have that in spades."

Naruto slowly brought himself back under control and was about to thank Iruka when he noticed that Iruka had fallen asleep. Smiling a true smile, Naruto laid his head down on the sofa and began to fall asleep.

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he watched his surrogate grandson fall asleep next to the his Academy Instructor. Slowly closing the door, The Hokage turned around and made his way down the hall back to his office.

Sitting down in his seat, he nodded for the ANBU commander to present his report.

"We had 4 confirmed traitors come out of the woodwork. 1 D-clearance gennin, 2 C-clearance chunin, and 1 B-clearance chunnin. All them were apprehended with minimal injuries sustained and have been handed over to I&T for further processing. Mizuki was brought in but it was too late to save him from his wounds. The two ANBU that were sent to tail Uzumaki-san both reported in with Mild Injuries following their attempt to subdue the raging form of Uzumaki-san." The Commander noted.

Slowly packing his pipe and then lighting it, the Sandaime listened to the report. "And what has analysis revealed of Naruto's performance?" he asked, blowing slowly expanding rings out his mouth.

"Analysis has revealed large concentrations of the Kyuubi's chakra interspersed with Uzumaki-san's natural chakra and a third unknown form of chakra. On his body, we found that that the tip of his left pinky had calcified. Upon sampling, it was determined to be of the same composition as stone on turns into when senjutsu is used improperly leading to the belief that the third form of chakra found was Nature Chakra.", the Commander responded dutifully.

Sarutobi nodded,signalling the Commander to leave, and mulled over the provided information. The original plan had been to introduce Naruto to Jiraiya during the Month long intermission before the third phase of the Chunnin exams when he would be there up increase security. Seeing as things had changed drastically, he realized the plans to introduce the two would have to follow suit.

Reaching down, he grabbed a scroll from a hidden drawer and placed it on the table. Releasing it with a drop of blood, he placed his hand on the seal and poured chakra into it, creating a puff of smoke. As the smoke dissipated, a red frog with the kanji for kin on his back was revealed to be sitting on the scroll.

"My name is Kosuke the Messenger Frog" the now named frog spoke. "How can I help you Hokage-sama?"

" I need you send a message to Jiraiya as soon as possible. Tell him that Naruto has awakened something unknown and that he is to execute an A-Class return home."

With a final check so make sure that the Hokage had said all that need to say, the messenger frog nodded to the man and returned to the summon realm in a small column of white.

Leaning back, he continued to puff his pipe as he looked out the window and watched over his sleeping village.

" And now we wait."

Kakuremino* Jutsu = Cloak of Invisibility Technique

A-Class return home - Abandon Mission Parameters and return home as soon as possible without blowing cover.