Fresh Start

"Hah... Hah... Hah..."

The sound of ragged breathing resounded as Naruto stood a few feet away from the hokage. Sweat dampened his yukata as the sun's heat bore down on him.

The entire time, the two has just been exchanging with each other with pure taijutsu. Well "Exchanging" is a broad statement, as the red head has never even touched the old man once. The man may be old but he isn't a kage for nothing.

The difference was immeasurable.

Naruto prided himself superior than most his peers, thinking that he was one of the top combatants that even rivalled some of the experienced genin.

Reality however, was often disappointing.

...

...

...

Am I really so weak?

Why can't I hit him?

Why is our difference so apparent?

These were the thoughts going through his mind. Tensing his muscles, he forced his exhausted body towards the man and forced himself to fight head on.

"Argh!"

He let out a battle cry as he pushed his exhausted body to target a punch towards the old man's abdomen.

It was however, a pointless endeavor. His attack was easily swatted away.

"Tch"

Clicking his tongue, Naruto used the momentum to perform a spinning hook kick targeting the old man's smug face.

"Easy Naruto, keeping your cool is a major component to one's success in the battlefield" The kage said wisely as he easily grabbed the boy's foot.

"Argh, I am calm!" Naruto said as he spun and kicked with his other leg.

"No, you're not" Hiruzen smiled as he dodged and let go of the boy's feet before stepping back to create a distance.

"You are growing more and more desperate by the hour, talented you may be, you are too hasty" The old man said.

"Easy for you to say!" Naruto roared.

"You're strong, so strong that no one questions your rule. Just look at the headmaster, he was so arrogant in front of me, yet in front of you he was afraid!" Naruto yelled as his legs gave up. His tired body plopping down in the middle of the courtyard as he waited to catch his breath.

"Question my rule..." Hiruzen mumbled as he laughed bitterly. Shaking his head, the boy didn't know of politics or the inner workings of the village. Still thinking so long as you have strength, you can do anything you want.

"You are still too naïve Naruto, even the strong will somehow find themselves shackled" Hiruzen said lightly as he walked towards the boy.

"Come... we have much to talk about" Hiruzen said as he put his hand out in front of the boy.

Hesitant, Naruto stared at the hand for a few moments before ultimately taking it.

Soon after, they were seated by the engawa or on the wooden floor foundation of the mansion as they overlooked the courtyard.

Hiruzen took out some towels and water for them to drink as they both rested.

Silence...

Both didn't talk as they just enjoyed the shade as well as the breeze, catching their breaths.

...

...

...

Having enough of it, Naruto spoke.

"Old man, why am I here?"

"Hmm? Whatever do you mean?" Hiruzen asked calmly, still overlooking the courtyard.

"Why am I here, in this mansion? Why am I not in the academy? What's all this about, why are you suddenly sparring with me?..." Naruto asked quietly.

"Why so suddenly...?"

"..." Hiruzen was silent as he closed his eyes before he sighed.

"Why indeed..." He said opening his eyes.

"Your reaction yesterday... your outburst of emotions. It shocked me..." Hiruzen began as Naruto stayed silent to listen.

"You know, I think of you as my own grandson... In fact, I knew your parents. My wife was even the one that delivered you out from your mother's womb" He laughed bitterly.

Naruto however was surprised... His eyes wide at the information that came out of the old man's mouth.

He knew my parents...? His wife was the one that delivered me?

His surprise however was suddenly overtaken by the sudden realization that despite knowing his parents, despite getting viewed as a grandson by the Hokage of the Leaf himself, doesn't change the fact that the man let him get harassed by village.

As if noticing Naruto's change in emotion, Hiruzen continued.

"I'm pathetic aren't I? Letting my own grandson get tormented to the point of a mental breakdown... Letting the talented and young die... as well as being one of the one's responsible for the Village's downward spiral." He spoke.

"It's times like this that make me think that maybe I wasn't fit to be Hokage..." Hiruzen spoke as he lifted his eyes to look at the blue sky.

"..." Naruto stayed silent as he too looked at the sky. He was confused at first but soon understood. He always went to the library and spent a great deal learning, due to his environment he was also more mature compared to his peers.

He sort of understood what the kage spoke of. So many talented shinobi died under the man's rule and leadership, out of the four Hokage's, he ruled the longest, but under him, the village sacrificed a lot of promising shinobi.

"... I don't think you're pathetic..." Naruto started "I just think... that maybe your heart's not in the right place. The second chose you to inherit the title, you were acknowledged by the person closest to the first who was called the "God of Shinobi"... He saw something in you that he didn't in your peers..." Naruto spoke evenly.

"Old man, you made mistakes... but so what? We're humans aren't we? We all make mistakes, what's important is to make sure we don't make the same mistakes... we could change" Naruto said as Hiruzen listened.

Closing his eyes he spoke.

"In the place where the leaves dance, the fire burns...The shadow of the fire shines on the village... Once again, new leaves sprout..."

He turned to look at the boy and laughed lightly, "Are you really just ten years old? I'm the hokage yet you're teaching me life lessons"

"... I may be young, but I was forced to mature fast than my peers" Naruto spoke as Hiruzen sighed with melancholy.

"Yes... about that Naruto, do you hate me? For not doing anything about the treatment the village gave you?" He asked as he waited for a response.

"... I would be lying if I said I didn't feel anything. In fact, when I was younger, more naive than I am now, I used to hope you would do something to stop the villagers. I hoped you would stand up for me at least once... I hoped and hoped and hoped, everyday however, that day seemed to fade more and more away as my dreams were crushed... the more the days passed the more I began to distance my self from you, can't have the outcast stain the exalted Hokage"

Hiruzen winced as regret passed his aged eyes.

"Though, listening to you today, the hints you spoke about, how even the strong are shackled... It dawned upon me that maybe you couldn't, were too weak to do so, to afraid, or that maybe something was obstructing you... I won't ask since it might hurt our relation even more than it already is... but at the very least I don't hate you... but I no longer hold those familial feelings anymore either... we're just strangers now" Naruto spoke.

The old man sighed as he closed his eyes. It hurt but he knew where the boy was coming from.

"But... I am willing to start over, if you want" He said causing Hiruzen's closed eyes to widen.

"Wh-what? Y-you're serious?... After, everything I've done..?" He asked with a shocked look.

"Yeah... but it doesn't mean that were back to how we used to. I know for a fact that we can't go back to our grandson/grandfather relation. But we could still be teacher and studen-"

"Wha-"

Naruto was caught off guard as the old man hugged the red head. He could feel the tears dripping off the old man.

"Hey, bastard. Don't tell me you're actually crying?!" Naruto said as he tried to budge out the old man's embrace.

"Thank you... Naruto..." The old man said as he silently cried. It might not be forgiveness, but it would have to do for now.

"Tch... geez old man, get yourself together. Your the damn hokage" The boy said as his lips curled up slightly as he returned the hug.

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Chapter End

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