-The first year of training-
Ever since Naruto had chosen to train under the mysterious shinobi, life for the five year old boy had undergone several changes.
Unlike his sister, his training did not have a constant timetable. Where Natsuki would train on weekdays and rest on weekends, in Naruto's case, four days out of the week were randomly chosen each week [1] where he would practice the arts of the shinobi. On any of those days, the blonde would wake up at 7.00 am, get dressed and have a light breakfast before quietly leaving for a certain secluded area he had been to do for his training, making sure to use a different route to get there from time to time as instructed by his sensei. To the boy, the training area was nothing more than a large clearing in the forest located in the outskirts of the village.
What he didn't know was that the place had once served as a meeting place for the third Hokage and certain individuals to discuss certain important matters regarding the Elemental Countries in private. [2] To preserve the secrecy of the place, several advanced seals were placed around the area, concealing it from view and keeping any noise made within the area itself. Anyone who approached the place would be struck by a powerful genjutsu that would mislead them away from the area. The genjutsu had been reinforced to the point where neither the byakugan nor the sharigan was able to penetrate it. Only the Sandaime and a select few could decide who could enter the place without being affected by the seals.
Until now, no one else had ever learned of the place's existence, making it the ideal location for Naruto to train in secret.
The Hokage's son would reach the place around 8.00 am where he would find his sensei already waiting for him.
There, he would being his training with physical exercises that were meant to build one's stamina. The exercises were tough and would leave him exhausted by the time they were over. After having a short break, he would continue his training with basic taijutsu and weapons handling (kunai & shuriken) lessons that would last until the middle of the day. From there, Naruto would return home to have his lunch and a rest.
At 2.00 pm, he would return back to the training grounds where Takito would then teach him the other shinobi arts which varied from week to week. The lessons were mostly theoretical, involving the explanation of the concepts and basics of a specific art or skill that was being taught for that week. At 5.30 pm, Naruto's training would end with his sensei going through with him everything that he had been taught for the day before he was allowed to return home to have dinner with his family. If the day happened to be the last day of his training for the week, his sensei would inform him of the new timetable for the next week.
On the days where he did not have his lessons, things progressed differently.
With the entire day to himself, Naruto would either take a walk around the village or would follow his family to visit the village and the other clans, something that Takito had been constantly encouraging him to do though he did not say why. Otherwise, he would be practicing chakra spinning, an exercise that his sensei had taught him during the first few days of his training.
According to the shinobi, everyone possessed different amounts of chakra in their body. However, no matter how much chakra one had, it was of little use if one did not have good chakra control. Without the proper chakra control, a ninja couldn't execute any jutsus or techniques effectively especially if they required a precise amount of chakra. Even if he or she had managed to execute it without any problem, there was a high possibility that a notable amount of chakra would be wasted in the process. This was something one could not afford to do on the battlefield which is why it was crucial that Naruto attempt to build up his chakra reserves and practice his chakra control as early as possible. Which lead his sensei to teach him chakra spinning.
Chakra spinning was nothing more than spinning one's chakra in a tight spiral which could be easily done by channeling one's chakra around his or her fingers. While the exercise was simple and effective in improving one's chakra reserves and control, it required a lot of time and patience. Only through a long and constant effort could the desired results be achieved and it was due to this that the exercise was rarely practiced among the ninjas these days. Naruto however was an exception as he was young and any other chakra exercises were unsuitable for one of his age. This, added with the fact that he had plenty of spare time to practice it made chakra spinning to be the perfect exercise for the boy to work on his chakra control.
Whenever he was alone in the house, the blonde would practice chakra spinning in the private training grounds, otherwise he would do so in his room.
By the end of each day, the Yondaime's son would retire to his bed feeling tired but satisfied nonetheless. While he would have preferred to train under his parents, [3] he did enjoy his lessons under the mysterious shinobi. Takito may be strict and aloof at times but he was without doubt a good teacher; the man was always patient when it came to answering his questions and would spent a lot of time to ensure that he understood every topic thoroughly or to correct his mistakes.
The training had been taxing for both his mind and body as he had never been subjected to so much work before but he was slowly getting used to it.
He had no doubt that he was improving and would catch up with his sister soon enough despite her having a large head start [4] and a day of training more than him.
It was only a beginning, but an important one he felt.
-One evening-
"Naruto, we ninjas are masters of stealth and deception. Where others rely on skill or brute force, we use our head. Where others fight head on, we strike the enemy where he is vunerable. We will always seek to deprive the enemy of the initiative and superiority before making our move. If he is well rested, we wear him down. If he is strong, we feign weakness so that he would underestimate us. As a ninja, we must always plan ahead and know how to act accordingly to the situation. Leave no detail unaccounted for, no possible scenario unconsidered. Be prepared for any danger at all times. Security is nothing more than an illusion that dulls our senses and relaxes our guard until it is too late. Remember this well for it will play a great role in the future."
"Hai Takito-sama," Naruto said in reply.
Seeing that his student seemed to be understanding the lesson so far, Takito chose to continue on. "Alright, we're going to learn something very important for the next two weeks so pay attention. Now, there are many things that make a ninja powerful and feared by others. But if there is one thing that would stand above the rest, it is the mask he wears."
"Mask? You mean like that disguise you always wear in front of everyone else Takito-sama?" Naruto asked, having witnessed his sensei changed his appearances to an old man in a split second several times before. It was something that the boy found to be amazing.
Takito shook his head. "No, I do not mean a physical disguise but a mental one. The way you think, talk, act, all of that."
"You mean an actor. Like Yukie Fujikaze."
"More than that Naruto. Actors and actresses only put on a physical disguise; the way they think and react to things around them remains the same. I'm asking you to put a mask over your true self. Keep your thoughts in the background as you watch everything around you and plan your moves – all while you become an entirely different person in everyone's eyes. Cast everything that you are aside until they are nothing more than whisper in your head and replace them with the things that you want others to see or believe."
Seeing the confused expressions on his student's face, Takito chose to elaborate further.
"In war, it is not the one who is stronger but the one who knows how to outmaneuver his enemies that will claim victory. If there is anything that the past events had shown us, it is that armies and powerful men are usually brought down not by a more powerful enemy but from those who are able to utilize the tools of deception and their surroundings better than them. The same applies for us Naruto. The mask is a tool that we must use to the fullest to deceive our opponents so that we can outmaneuver them and strike when they least expect it in order to achieve victory."
"So how does wearing the 'mask' helps us to do so Takito-sama?"
The shinobi paused briefly in thought before answering.
"The mask can be used in various ways Naruto. We can use it to conceal our true abilities so that we would never be regarded as a dangerous threat. To hide our strengths and weaknesses so that they may never be used against us. To trick the enemy about our true motives and convince him into making the wrong move."
Naruto blinked his eyes several times, still unable to grasp the entire picture of what his sensei was trying to teach him. It all sounded complicated to him.
"I still don't quite understand Takito-sama," he said.
Takito gave a slow nod, taking note of the lack of confidence in his student. It was no surprise at all that the boy did not understand the topic as the art he was currently teaching was an advanced one and was also one of the hardest skills to learn. To this day, few truly understood the concepts, the importance and the risks of the art and few among that number were able to master it. If anything, he would have preferred to introduce the art to Naruto when his student was of an older age but he did not have that luxury. Naruto's training must be kept a secret from the entire village and for this to succeed, the boy must learn how to wear the mask of the innocent ordinary kid who does not have any knowledge about the ninja arts.
Both Minato and Kushina may favor their daughter but that didn't mean that they had completely forgotten about their son. Despite spending more time with Natsuki, Takito knew that the two still kept an eye on their son's well-being. So far, he had been successful in sating their curiosity by getting his student to follow his family to visit the village and the other clans or to take a walk where the villagers would see him but it was only a temporary solution. There was always a chance that they would notice their son's absence from the house and would start investigating. And even if that somehow did not happen, everyone else in the village would easily notice the change in Naruto's behaviour and growth in the next few years. [5]
Of course, he could solve this by reducing the number of lessons to keep Naruto's growth to a less suspicious level but that would mean that the boy might not be able to gain the skills and knowledge needed to survive when the time comes.
It was going to be difficult for anyone to be somewhat able to wear the mask within such a short time but if there was anyone who had a good chance of doing it, it was his student. After observing his student's performance for the past two months, it was clear that the boy possessed the same natural intelligence as his father. Lessons that would have taken any other child weeks to finish were completed by Naruto within days and if this continued on, his student would catch up with his sister in a couple of weeks. And unlike his father, the boy still kept an open mind and was prepared to see things from a different perspective which was one of the traits crucial to mastering the art.
"Don't worry Naruto, you will in time," Takito assured his student.
"Thanks Takito-sama," Naruto said, feeling less unsure of himself. "I'm guessing that you've done this before?"
"Many times Naruto … many times …"
-Five months into Naruto's training-
Of the various jutsus and skills taught in the past few months, Naruto found that he enjoyed his fuinjutsu lessons the most. His sensei had said that he had a rather systematic mind, which was probably one of the reasons why he never really had any problem in understanding the topics on fuinjutsu taught to him. While the art of sealing had been seemingly complex at first, he had later discovered that it was actually very simple in concept.
In fuinjutsu, there was a set of rules that the user must follow or risk facing dire consequences. As long as the user does so, he was granted the complete freedom to do anything he or she wanted.
This, his sensei had told him was the sole reason that separate fuinjutsu from the other jutsus as there was no limit to what the art of sealing can do. Unlike the other jutsus there were strictly confined to the ability of the human body, the capability and functions of fuinjutsu depended only on the user's creativity and his ability to bend the rules without breaking them. Fuinjutsu was without its drawbacks however; it was by far the most dangerous jutsu to practice. When it came to the art of sealing, mistakes were something that one could not afford to make.
Every single detail mattered when it came to fuinjutsu; from the amount of chakra needed to the way the seal was drawn for even the slightest change will result in the seal failing or worse. As the lessons went on, Naruto soon developed a keen interest in anything related to fuinjutsu, something which did not go unnoticed by his sensei who happened to be a fuinjutsu master himself. Seeing that his student had the aptitude for fuinjutsu, Takito had decided to divert some time of Naruto's training to fuinjutsu. He had continuously encouraged his student in his students, often giving him advice and pointers in the art of sealing. His efforts had borne fruit; the boy had soaked up every ounce of knowledge like a sponge and advanced a rate that even surprised Takito himself.
Despite the progress his student was making however, the shinobi forbade Naruto from attempting to create or design any seals on his own much to the boy's dismay. Too many ninjas had paid a heavy price in their hasty and improper attempts in the art of sealing and it would not do to have the same thing to happen to his pupil.
For now, it would be best if the boy was to work on the most basic of seals under the watchful eye of his sensei.
-Nearly one year-
"It has been nearly one year since the day you had begun your ninja training. I believe that it is time to tell you of your overall performance for this year."
Naruto nodded his head as he waited anxiously for his sensei's review.
Instead of the training grounds, both teacher and student were in a small medicine shop which happened to be his sensei's home. It was the first time he was here and the place was unlike anything that he had expected. Where the houses of those he had visited was clean and richly furnished, his sensei's home looked old and worn down though the room and furnitures were still in decent conditions. Bottles of various sizes which contained all sorts of liquids and pills were neatly arranged in a couple of shelves and cupboards. Located by the side of the entrance was a large wooden table with several compartments which Naruto assumed contained more medicine. There was another room at the corner of the far end of the room which was probably where his sensei sleeps and has his meals.
Currently, the shop was closed and his sensei was wearing his disguise.
'So this is the mask that Takito-sama wears in front of everyone else.' Naruto realized.
With the disguise, nobody would have suspected that the his sensei was actually a powerful shinobi who knew so much. The man had fooled everyone in the village into thinking that he was nothing more than a simple old man who did not pose any threat.
But why was he hiding his real identity from the rest of the village?
Naruto was unable to think any further about it as his sensei began to speak.
"If there is one thing that I can say about your training, it was that you have performed admirably well. In the beginning, you were struggling in your lessons but you were quick to adapt and was able to overcome your problems after a few days. You have shown great dedication in your work and have progressed much faster than I would have expected. What was most surprising was your progress in fuinjutsu. In all my years as a shinobi, I have not seen anyone who had advanced at a speed as fast as yours. You should be proud of yourself Naruto, you have surpassed every kid of your age in your training including your sister."
"Thank you Takito-sama," Naruto said, feeling strangely happy by his sensei's words.
Was this how Natsuki felt when she was being praised by tou-chan and kaa-chan?
"However …" Takito added. "… there is still a lot that needs to be done and the path you have taken will only get harder. What you have learnt so far is only the surface of what's to come. Furthermore, there will come a time when I cannot always be there to teach you everything Naruto. As a shinobi, you must learn how to improve and pursue your goals on your own. Only then will you be ready to take on the world as a shinobi."
"Hai Takito-sama. But how am I supposed to that?" Naruto asked.
"You do not need to worry Naruto. You will still be training under me as a shinobi, only that you'll slowly learn how rely less on me as your training continues."
The shinobi then took out a scroll from a box he had brought from the other room. Naruto noticed that there was a storage seal on it.
"Anyways, there is something that I have for you. This scroll here had several books stored in it. Some of the books contain information on the history of the major elemental nations and the past events that had taken place in them from the day they were formed till the second war. The others are old literature that dates back centuries ago. You are to study these books intently," Takito said as he handed the scroll over to Naruto.
"What if there is a word or a topic that I don't understand Takito-sama?" Naruto asked.
"It's simple. You can refer to a book called an encyclopedia if you have any trouble understanding a word or two. As for the latter, you can ask me."
"Hai Takito-sama. But is learning all these really necessary for a shinobi? How are all these supposed to aid me?" Naruto asked.
"When it comes to knowledge, it is always important to pursue it no matter who you are. Knowledge is power Naruto, and for every fact you know, you become stronger in many ways. But the most important thing about knowledge is that it allows us to see the truth. It is through knowledge that we will never be blinded by the lies of those who wished to use us for their own gains unless we allow ourselves to."
Naruto nodded quietly in acknowledgement of his sensei's words before opening the scroll. Pouring a bit of chakra into the seal, a book appeared in front of him in a puff of smoke. Taking it with one hand, he flipped it open and briefly skipped through the pages which were filled with words although there was a picture or two sometimes. There was something about the book that felt ancient. "Take good care of these books Naruto. These books are the last of their kind; there are neither produced nor published anywhere in the Elemental Countries. Should anything happen to them, the knowledge contained within these books would be lost forever."
"Wow …" Naruto said as he closed the book.
If what his sensei was true … he didn't really know what to say. That his sensei was prepared to entrust such important items to him was something he had never expected. Apparently, his sensei must have read his mind as he suddenly spoke. "You are my student Naruto and no matter how precious these books are, it is my responsibility to ensure that you receive the proper education as much as possible. Of course, I do hope that you will take good care of them."
"Thanks Takito-sama, I'll learn every single word in all these books if I have to," Naruto promised as he carefully stored the book back into the storage seal.
As he put the scroll aside, a question popped into his head.
"Say Takito-sama, if these books are really precious, how did you get them?"
"I obtained them many years ago in Amegakure back during the Second Shinobi World War. Back when these books weren't regarded as forbidden texts there."
"Amegakure? Is that where you came from Takito-sama?" Naruto asked.
"No, Amegakure was never my home although I did spend the majority of my years there."
"Oh," the blonde said. "So what was Amegakure like? And what do you mean about the books being forbidden texts there?" His sensei's past was something that interested him and the reply the shinobi had given him had only served to pique his curiousity. However, Naruto thought he saw a slight expression of regret on his sensei's face although it was gone when he blinked his eyes.
"I'm sorry Naruto but it's something I don't really want to talk about. There were certain things that happened there … things I don't really want to talk about."
There was a trace of bitterness in his voice and the shinobi's eyes were filled with suspicion. [6] For a moment, everything was tense and silent and Naruto realized that he must have threaded on something that were never meant to be asked. Deciding that he shouldn't be asking anymore questions about his sensei's past, the Yondaime's son politely took his leave. Takito did not reply to his departure; the shinobi had a distant look as though he was remembering something in his past.
As he headed back home, Naruto felt deep in his heart that he would never be able to find out about his sensei's past.