Second Great Ninja War.
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In the latter days of the second great ninja world war, Tobirama Senju made a choice. A choice that would have far-reaching implications for the ninja world as a whole. A choice that in a parallel universe would have set the world down a path of eventual peace. All won by a happy-go-lucky boy in a sickeningly orange jumpsuit. A universe that would have seen levels of cooperation unlike anything ever seen before. However, in this universe, he would send the world down a far darker path. One that would ensure that the way of the ninja would not only continue but also grow. Both in number and in its very necessity.
In the end, he really only had two choices. Hiruzen Sarutobi or Danzo Shimura. Both men were highly skilled ninja in their own right. Both had killed in the name of their village. Both had bled for the village and would undoubtedly do so again if necessary. However, in the end, he also knew that neither of them had the skills necessary to hold the enemy forces at bay for long. He would have to be the one to do it and so needed to name his successor. Worst yet he didn't have much time at all to make it. He would need to use his instincts, His gut feeling on what to do.
Thinking about the two possible new Hokages carefully he eyed the two men long and hard. This choice would fundamentally alter the very course of human history. As Hokage this may very well be the most important decision in his life. On one hand Hiruzen embraced his brother's ideals of peaceful cooperation. That could be useful should cooler heads prevail after the war. On the other hand, Danzo embraced a mindset much more aligned to his own. Danzo understood that while the ideals Hiruzen held would be nice and in many ways more preferable. The way of the world made such views very naive. That could also be useful and likely to be the one best suited to the geopolitical situation of the times. So, in the end, he picked Danzo and in so doing changed the course of the ninja world forever.
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Hidden Leaf Academy Classroom 7.
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In the many years that followed that dark day, the academy's curriculum was made even harder to ensure that only the very best would become genin. This, however, did lower there forces a fair bit, but at the same time, it had also kept them on top of the many other ninja villages that had started showing up. Villages such as the Hidden village of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and their own village of Konohagakure
Iruka Umino was giving the very last lecture of the school year. Iruka was like many who had been an academy student under Danzo's multi-decade-long rule. He was a rather indifferent man who accepted nothing but excellence from all of his students. He was nevertheless a fair man to all and was overall efficient in his teachings. His most notable feature was his left eye which was covered in a thin eyepatch. An injury from a long-forgotten mission in the Land Of Mist back in his genin days. But this year would be different from most. As most of the big-name clans had their future clan heads in attendance.
The Namikaze-Uzumaki clans were represented by Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. He was best known as the fox and was the number one student in overall placement. He was also the holder of the most powerful of the nine-tailed beasts. The nine tails itself, Kurama. Iruka could honestly say he could see him going far in his ninja career. He was after all the son of who many were already calling the unofficial 4th Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Best known by his world-famous nickname the Yellow Flash.
The Hyuga clan was represented by none other than one Hinata Hyuga. Who was easily one of, if not the very best female in their year. Hinata Hyuga had mastered her clan's fighting style to such a high degree that it looked like a master ice skater on the ice. No movement was ever wasted. Few could ever hope to match her in a hand-to-hand fight and fewer still dared try.
The Haruno clan was represented by Sakura Haruno. Who was by far the best of any of the non-ninja academy students. Along with countless others with various levels of mastery in the ninja arts. However, Iruka Umino knew clan or not a ninja had to have the needed skills or one would sooner find themselves in a box with nothing save a small plot of land and a modest tombstone than in any history book. So with that in mind, he began to give out the first part of there genin exams. A paper test.
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Uzumaki Namikaze Clan Compound.
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Minato Namikaze was happy to see his son pass his academy exams and move upwards in his ninja career. As was his mother who was busy cooking something very special for this occasion. A nice big bowl of ramen. Minato joked that they were both genetically disposed to liking the dish. This, in turn, had made both mother and son give nods in agreement quite fervently, after all, it was the food of the gods. The only real downside being that his grandfather (Jiraiya Namikaze) and grandmother (Tsunade Senju Namikaze) couldn't enjoy this day with him. As they were both on a mission and wasn't likely to be back for a few more days. But so was the life of a ninja.
Hours later and Naruto was busy reading an advanced medical textbook in his room. It was a gift from his grandmother the year before. He would admit and did so frequently that Sakura was the true bookworm in his year. He would also admit that he could easily see her as a medical type ninja. She had the necessary skills for such a role. Her high test scores were proof enough of that. She had even asked his grandmother to help her should she pass her genin exams. He wished her the very best of luck when he saw her walk out of the testing room with the leaf insignia proudly displayed on her new headband the day before. He made plans to gift her the many medical textbooks he now owned as soon as he saw her again. As she was to pay him a visit the very next day he wouldn't need to wait all that long to do it. He also knew that the team placements wouldn't be posted for a few more days. As his year had so many highly influential clans he was sure the higher up's would battle tooth and nail until the bitter end. That was fine by him as that meant he had more time to just kick back and relax.
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Hidden Leaf Academy Classroom 7.
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The next week Naruto and two other kids, his teammates could be seen in the hot classroom. One was a pink-haired girl named Sakura Haruno. But unlike most of the non-ninja kids, she had not only survived her genin exam spar. She had also won it too. She was the only one to do so facing a clan kid. Sure the kid was from a no-name clan but the accomplishment was not any less significant. The other was Sasuke Uchiha. His family/clan made up the majority of the military police forces. He had been the second-best. Just falling behind Naruto in the overall placement. But he was nevertheless a skilled fighter. His clan's bloodline made him a powerful foe even at his young age.
The :kids: by civilian laws only had been waiting nearly all day in the hot classroom. Sakura could be seen reading an entry-level medical textbook to better understand the human body. A gift from her lifelong friend, Naruto. A gift she was going to use to better protect her teammates and a gift she would use to torture whoever was unfortunate enough to be on the bad end of her blade.
As for the two boy's both could be seen playing a game of Go. As for Kakashi himself, he was just outside the window overlooking the classroom as he enjoyed rereading a small green book. He was being very careful not to make too much noise or else he would be forced to put the book away. A sin to most ninja. Male or female. After yet another hour he had read the book for the 5,678th time. He had, of course, read all the books in the series (69 books in all) well over a thousand times and he would do so for another thousand. That is if the holiest of logs would allow him. But he still had a job to do and so with an audible sigh, he jumped down from the tree and entered the building.
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Training Ground 7.
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Kakashi had just got done explaining to the three that the academy's genin test was just to see who had the potential to become genin. His test and ultimately the true genin test, however, was to really become one. Once that was done with and he was sure they all understood Kakashi pulled out a scroll. It was a fair bit bigger than any of the scrolls they had seen before back in the ninja academy.
"This-". Kakashi began once he knew he had their undivided attention. "Is called a prisoner containment seal, it's used to move people from place to place to be killed for high crimes such as treason or a failed attempt to assassinate a daimyo. Your mission is quite simply to hunt them all down and kill them. You have just one hour to complete this assignment or you three will fail and be dropped from the ninja program. So do your best". Kakashi said to the trio. With that done he unsealed the three prisoners and off they ran. No sooner had the three prisoners entered into the forest that lined the training ground did the three would-be genin get the go-ahead to begin their hunt.
Naruto being by far the fastest of the three could easily keep up with his prisoner. Both of them ran through the forest at high speed. Jumping over, sliding under and dodging the many small branches from the many trees and bushes that lined their path through the forest. But after nearly 30 minutes the man began to slow. Naruto upon seeing his opportunity quickly fired off a handful of ninja stars. With all but one hitting true. This, in turn, made the man fall down the small river embankment. With that done Naruto casually pulled out a scroll from one of his many pants pockets before quickly summoning a small sword. The sun glinted off the steel temporarily blinding the soon-to-be-deceased prisoner.
"Look kid just let me go". The man cried out in pain. He knew all too well that his time on this earth was running out and fast. If he didn't find some way to get himself out of this mess he would be dead in only a few more seconds. He, of course, didn't at all like the idea of dying. No, not at all in fact. He enjoyed living far too much for that.
"No". Naruto said before he cut the man's head clean off in one fluid motion. His mother's intense training had made that possible and for that, he was truly grateful. The mere thought of walking home covered in that foul crimson was one he would rather like to avoid if at all possible. That and his mother would have beat him six ways to Sunday if he did so no matter the reason. With his task now complete Naruto slowly made his way out of the forest. Now it was up to his two teammates to pass.
Sasuke meanwhile eyed his own prey from atop a nearby tree. He like Naruto had burned nearly half his allotted time. His prisoner had stopped running in an obvious attempt to catch his breath. The man even looked a bit relieved. Sasuke watched as the man shoved handfuls of cool water into his hot dry mouth all the while laughing at how he got away and would soon return to raping little village girls and boys.
"Fucking sick fuck. I'll kill you nice and slow". Sasuke muttered under his breath eyes filled with rage. Many a girl and boy had fallen to the likes of him and today he would die. Just then his prey began to depart his temporary camp. Sasuke upon seeing this quickly jumped down and cut his prey's Achilles tendon forcing the man to fall face-first onto the dirt floor.
"Grr...fuck, who the fuck are you, why are you doing this to me. Do you not know who I am"? The man asked eyeing the boy with a look of pure hatred. Sasuke, however, paid the man no mind as he replied in a calm even tone.
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, one of the newest genin of Konohagakure and today I shall kill you. I'll allow you a few last words". Sasuke said before he made his way over to the downed man. His blade already out and ready to make the cut.
"Fuck you kid. My boys will fucking kill you for this"! The man yelled out trying to get back on his feet. Sasuke, in turn, unleashed a long line of white-hot flame. The yells of his pray gave the new genin great joy. A tent soon forming that he would need to remove before meeting back up with his team. But he had time so he wasn't at all worried about that. Once his pray was nothing more than a blackened husk he cut off his head and moved deeper into the forest. He now had to relieve himself. Now it was up to Sakura to pass the test.
Sakura had cornered her prey next to a rock face.
"Look kid just let me go, no need to do this". The man said his eyes moving left to right trying to find any possible escape. He found none.
"Sorry, but I can't do that". Sakura replied as she slowly removed a handful of kunai from her bag.
"Please don't kill me, I'll do anything you want. Just name it". The man said as hot tears began to run down his face.
"Sorry but if I don't kill you I'll fail, no way is that happening". Sakura replied in an uncaring tone before she fired her handful of kunai hitting her prisoner.
"Arr...fuck that fucking hurt. I'm fucking going to tear you apart girl"! The man said before rushing at her with as much speed a fat man could with kunai jutting out of his arms and legs. Sakura easily dodged his every move as she fired more and more into him. It wasn't long before the man was unable to do much of anything aside from bleeding out and crying. Taking her prize she made her way out singing happily all the way. Her long pink locks now red with blood.
"Congratulations you three are now full-on genin, starting first thing tomorrow we'll be taking missions but until then you three can enjoy the rest of the day. Kakashi said before leaving the three new genin alone. The three high fived each other before returning home to break the news. Tomorrow their lives as a true ninja of Konohagakure would begin and they couldn't wait.