Thankfully I don't get the food a clone eats. Alone thinking about eating so much ramen makes me sick. I hate cup ramen by the way. I only like the ramen at Ichiraku's.
"Do you really wonder that I couldn't trust anybody until I was out of the influence of the civilian council? Now that I have graduated and am a ninja, I am under your jurisdiction and you are one of the few people that don't hate me." Naruto explained.
...
The Hokage understood. He had tried to help Naruto, but he was right. With the council having stolen much of the Hokage's power in the short time between Minato's death and his reinstallation, there wasn't much he could have done for the boy without being accused of favouritism and pushed out of the position of Hokage, leaving Naruto without protection.
When Naruto had been found next to the bodies of his dead mother and dieing father, Minato had only managed to get his final wish out that Naruto should be treated like the hero he was for keeping the fox imprisoned. He hadn't told the villagers about Naruto's status, but it had somehow got out. His law came too late and the villagers were shouting for Naruto's death.
"You said you know about the true genin test?" The Hokage asked looking over his intertwined hands.
"Yes, my knowledge was also part of the reason I got results to just pass, at the bottom of my class. The only genin-to-be that is guaranteed to pass is Sasuke. The council will never allow for their precious Last Uchiha to fail and order whoever will be his jonin sensei to pass his team.
That is the only possibility for me to surely pass. I know that Ino, Shikamaru and Choji will be put on a team as the three clans have had a bond over generations and are always on the same team if three of them are in the same graduation class.
The next clan heirs are Hinata, Kiba and Shino. A classical tracking team, therefore they would normally be put in one team. Those six are the only ones in my class that also have the skill to pass the genin test for sure if they get fair senseis.
"So if I wanted to truly get out of the civilian council's jurisdiction I needed to get on a team that was sure to pass, aka Sasuke's team. I hate the bastard, but I can push my feelings aside if it means you are the only one who can give me orders.
To be honest, if I hadn't been sure that I would have been hunted down and brought back by the ANBU I would have run away years ago. While I like you, with a whole village hating me that was not a difficult decision."
The Hokage seriously needed to make plans to get Naruto to stay in the village even after he would one day die. He was an old man. He knew that he would probably die before Naruto turned eighteen.
He could understand the boy. He really could. But it was also important for the village to keep the Kyubi there. And Naruto with his heritage shouldn't even think about leaving the village. This was all so screwed up.
He had hoped that once the immediate grief for the fallen was over that people would get back to common sense. Sadly the civilian council never accepted it.
"I see. As you know your heritage, what do you intend to do?" He asked.
"I will keep it secret until the next chunin exams. By the way, why did Konoha get to host them two times in a row?" Naruto asked. That question had bothered him for a while.
"I won't ask how you know that they had been in Konoha last time and will be next time in six months. We would normally only have hosted the next exams.
It was Kusa's turn originally, but their village couldn't get the premises ready in time and then their leader fell ill. So they asked Konoha to take over as we have the possibilities to organize them quickly." The Hokage answered.
"Ah, I see. That makes sense. And even if you didn't ask, I will answer how I knew. I just noticed all the foreign shinobi in the village. The only reason for that amount was that we hosted the chunin exams." Naruto explained.
The Hokage nodded. That was logical.
"I have a request by the way. Can you make sure that my team is assigned a sensei that isn't a demon hater? To ask for someone that likes me would be too much to ask, but having at least a sensei that would treat me neutrally would be a huge improvement to the teachers at the academy.
With the exception of Iruka sensei. While I know he doesn't like me, he was professional about things and taught me the same like everybody else. I can live with that." Naruto asked.
"I will see what I can do. What I would like to know how you came up with the codename Dark Phoenix." The Hokage asked.
"Well, a phoenix is a mythical bird that doesn't really die, but is always reborn from the ashes. Phoenixes are associated with the light and pureness.
A dark phoenix also is reborn from the ashes when it dies, but it is not the same bird. It is more like a reincarnation instead of the rebirth of the same bird with the same character. I can't be pure, the village made sure of it, but I will not just die. I will rise from the ashes again and again and nothing they throw at me will keep me down." Naruto stated.
The Hokage nodded.
"I think we still didn't settle the matter of your level of strength. What do you think where you would rank?" The Hokage asked.
"Low to middle jonin level on a pure skill level. I only miss the body for taking on high level jonin. That will have to wait until I get older. I have seen pictures of Dad. I should normally get a similar stature like him when I grow up." Naruto replied.
"Are you sure about that?" The Hokage asked shocked.
"Yes, I have a repertoire of over a hundred ninjutsu, ten genjutsu, which were a pain in the ass to learn by the way, damned fox messing with my control, am proficient in both my clans' taijutsu styles, I can use a bo staff and a tanto really well and know how to use most weapons at least a bit if I ever need to.
I am a fuinjutsu master and a poisons and anatomy expert. I guess that should be more than enough to qualify for jonin level strength. The only thing I lack is experience. That's why I said I was low to middle jonin level on pure skill levels.
I wouldn't last in a real fight aginast a jonin yet if my opponent didn't massively underestimated me. I couldn't do any missions after all or I would have been discovered." Naruto listed.
"Fuinjutsu master? I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering that both your parents were masters in fuinjutsu and it was the specialty of the Uzumaki clan before they were killed in the third war.
I would like to test your skill level though. Probably the best way to do it would be if you fought against one of my jonin in your disguise." He pondered.
"That would be okay, but I only want to reveal my skills to the whole village during the chunin exams. I want them to see who they treated like shit. With all the nobles and important clients present they can't risk being seen as the scum they are." Naruto stated.
"Okay, be at training ground sixty one tomorrow morning at ten. I will be there with the jonin I have in mind to test your skills." The Hokage said, more than a little bit worried about the obvious loathing Naruto held for the majority of Konoha.
"Okay, old man, good night." Naruto said and put his mask and hood back on.
"Good night, Naruto and this was really good work. You will be paid for your help in catching Mizuki." The Hokage added.
"Thanks, I can use the money." Naruto said and left the office.
====================
if you want to support me or just read ahead . this is the place to go :
p atreon.com/CarriePoppins