Chapitre 3: Chapter 3: Welcome to the Zoo(1)
A deity is supposedly something divine, and as such should be judged by their ability to create and heal. Yet, we mortals judge the potency of a God's strength by their power to destroy and end.
It's silly, really, if you think about it. The more a god is monster-like, the more people pay attention to it. Such absurdity is favorable to a person like me though.
I don't yet have the power to heal, or create, but something I do have is the power to destroy.
The power to end anything as I see fit…
The only difference between me and a deity is simple:
I know what I am.
I am a monster.
So the zoo was nothing like what Naruto thought it would be.
Most of the people were of the silent type, which was something he was okay with, having people ignore him for most of his life – which, in hindsight, was only six years so he didn't really have all that much experience.
After the little chat he and the Hokage had after he terminated the Kumo shinobi, the old Sarutobi had decided that it would be best if Naruto put his abilities to good use. That came in the form of joining the zoo, or what he now knew to be the ANBU Black Ops. They were the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai: the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad.
That night was the best thing that ever happened to the blond. Until the last word spoken by his now senpai…
***Flashback***
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Naruto could feel what the Hokage was feeling; anxiety.
He had seen a boy of only six years annihilate with extreme prejudice the Head Ninja of Kumo. The man was the ambassador of peace for the Cloud, and he was a strong jonin in his own right. The fact that Naruto had done away with him with what looked like ease made him very uneasy.
"Jiji, I can feel what you're thinking, just ask. I'll tell you the truth, honest." Naruto finally broke the awkward silence in the Hokage's Office. The poor man was pacing the very moment they appeared in the small room.
"I- how can you feel what I'm thinking?" Hiruzen asked, baffled that the boy was claiming to have the ability to read minds. Were his thoughts not safe now?
When the Uzumaki laughed, the Lord Third felt like he was the child. "I can't exactly hear your thoughts, Jiji, that's impossible." Naruto admitted. "It's kind of hard to explain. Hmm…" the blond trailed off, rubbing his chin with his right hand. "It's like I'm connected to… well, everything. That's the only way I can describe it."
At his grandfather figure's confused expression, Naruto explained a little better. "When people are upset, I can tell." Naruto elaborated. "And not just tell, but tell why." He continued, trying his best to describe what he could do.
"And how long have you been able to do such a thing? And why did you say everything instead of just people?" The Sarutobi asked, wanting more.
"For how long, it's been since I could remember," he said, still rubbing his chin. "For why I said what I did, that's because it's not just with people. Animals and plants, really anything – as long as it's living. I guess I could say I'm connected with life." Here, Sarutobi noticed Naruto's eyes widen.
"What, what is it Naruto-kun?" His voice was riddled with fear.
Naruto gave him a sheepish look. "Ah, it's nothing Jiji, I've just never thought about it that way is all. Maybe that's the best way to describe it." His closed hand met his opened palm. "Yeah, I'm connected with life!"
The Lord Third sighed. The boy was going to give him a heart attack. "So how can you tell what others are feeling?"
"Hmm, I'm not really sure," Naruto admitted, "but I can do it!" He finished with a wide smile.
The Hokage nodded, trying to process what he was hearing. "And the golden matter you used on the Kumo-nin?" That was what Hiruzen wanted to know the most about. If he had to guess, that was an A-rank technique. Most grown adults didn't have the ability to even use such high ranked techniques, never mind create new ones. The last time an A-rank technique was developed it made its creator a legend.
The Copy-nin was a man known far and wide.
Yet, here he was, only six and already so far ahead of all those before him. It was unnerving to think that such raw talent and power was in the hands of such a young child.
"Oh, that," Naruto's smile grew, if that was even possible. "I made it up!" Hiruzen couldn't help but smile at Naruto's enthusiasm.
"What exactly was it?" He needed to be the Hokage right now, not the boy's surrogate grandfather.
Naruto chuckled awkwardly. "I, ah, don't really know that either." Sarutobi sighed. Did the boy know anything about his own abilities? The way he could use them said he did, but that, surprisingly, was not the truth.
"Can you tell me anything about it? Anything at all?" He asked, wanting - needing! - to know what the boy knew.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I can describe how I do it." When Hiruzen nodded the boy continued. "There's this kind of feeling in the air, like a constant energy that's always around me. I don't know why others can't feel it and I can, but I do know that it's there."
'He can't mean natural energy.' The Hokage thought to himself. 'There's no way someone could be born able to feel it… right?'
When his Jiji didn't reply he continued. "When I need it I can pull the energy into myself. When I do, a lot of stuff happens." He held up one finger. "My body becomes tougher." Two fingers, "I get a whole lot stronger! Like yesterday, I lifted an entire tree out of the ground." Three fingers, "I get faster! I think I can outrun anyone in this whole village!"
Sarutobi highly doubted that, there were a lot of fast ninja in Konoha, but he didn't voice his thoughts.
Four fingers. "I can feel others more, and farther away, too!" Hiruzen's eyebrows climbed up into his hairline. This kept sounding more and more like natural energy by the minute. Five fingers. "And I can control and shape the energy around me; that's the gold dust stuff you saw forming the arm."
Now that did not sound like something any Sage the Hokage ever heard of being able to do.
"Naruto-kun, I believe you were born with the amazing ability to use natural energy, something only a Sage is capable of doing." Hiruzen informed with a smile on his face. "There is only one other person in this world that can use the sage arts, and that's my pupil, Jiraiya."
Naruto shot up out of his seat. "You mean I can use the same power as one of your students?" He half asked half yelled, excitement evident in his voice.
Hiruzen nodded. "It would seem so. But whereas he had to be taught the sage arts, you were born able to use them." Another smile ghosted the elderly man's lips. "It's truly remarkable."
Naruto nodded, a thousand watt smile plastered to his face. "So what now, Jiji?" He asked, eager to learn more.
Hiruzen thought on it for a moment. What was he going to do with the boy? He definitely needed to contact Jiraiya and have him come home. He needed to know of this mind blowing discovery.
He also wanted to train the boy, he knew he would become someone more powerful than even his father; having a hand in teaching such a person would be a gift in and of itself. Throwing him into the academy would be a shame; his talents would be wasted in that environment. What could he do?
An idea began to form. With a snap of his fingers, a man dressed in black clothing, grey armor, and a white face mask – a member of the zoo – appeared from within the shadows. It wasn't a surprise to Naruto, having felt the man's presence the moment he arrived shortly after them. He knew the man as the 'Lazy One,' his favorite zoo member. The shock of gravity defying silver hair just confirmed this.
"Inu, do you think you have room in your cell for one more." It was worded as a question, but it wasn't intended as one. When the God of Shinobi spoke, you listened, no matter what you were asked of. "Discreetly of course, no one besides you will know his true identity, and only your team will know that he's even in ANBU." He added, never taking his eyes off of the Uzumaki.
Naruto could feel the man's reluctance, and was intrigued that it didn't come in his dislike of either his age nor his 'burden', but something else, something personal.
Why did the Lazy One care for him?
After the split second hesitation, the dog-styled masked-nin saluted his Hokage, giving the aged warrior an affirmative, "yes, sir," before turning his gaze to the blond.
"It won't be easy…" Inu began in a hard and firm voice. He then gave off the feeling of warmth and protectiveness, "…kohai."
Naruto gave a warm smile and nodded as fast as he could. "I'll do my best, Inu-senpai!" And with that said, Naruto could already feel the great things he was going to do with Inu.
"It will be tough Naruto-kun, but I believe you can do it. I think you will be able to protect Konoha better than anyone else." The Hokage said warmly, his smile showing his pride for his successor's child.
This was it.
"Welcome to the ANBU Black Ops…"
He would finally be able to do what he wanted the most; protect Konoha.
"…Nezumi-kohai."
Wait. What?!
×××
***End Flashback****
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