The Legendary Uzumaki

Author's Note/Disclaimer: I wrote this a few months back out of boredom, but never got around to uploading it. In this fic, Naruto will be three years older than in canon, with a background history that will be explained as the story progresses. Rated M for violence, swearing, sexual situations, and nudity. Oh, and I don't own Naruto. Kills me every time to say it…

Chapter 1: Genin Team

(Uzumaki Homestead, just outside of Kuroshe, 125 kilometers south of Konohagakure, Land of Fire)

He raised the axe high over his head, the sharpened edge glinting in the early morning sun. With a combination of gravity and his strength, the piece of wood situated atop an old tree stomp stood no chance and split in half. The split pieces of wood went flying, landing several meters away into separate piles of cut wood. The piles were large, comprising of thousands of pieces of cut wood, a great indication of the rigorous work the young man had been performing for the last few hours. He made to grab another large piece of wood, intent on continuing his chore, but found that none remained. He had, unknowingly, finished off the entire amount of uncut wood. Grinning in satisfaction, the young man embedded the axe blade deep into the worn stump and wiped the sweat from his brow. He surveyed the two massive piles of wood, noting that he could make quite a bit of ryo selling it at the village market, with plenty left over for his own use.

Leaving the piles of wood to bake in the warm sun, the young man walked toward a wooden gate framed by a wooden fence, which extended over fifty meters in the east and west direction before forming a square that encompassed a large area. Inside the wooden fence was a variety of different crops, from tomatoes to cucumbers to small plum trees. The young man's eyes scanned the various crops, looking for any signs of insect damage or plant disease. Seeing none, the young man reached a hand over the fence and pulled a ripened plum from a small tree. The plum crunched under his teeth and an explosion of sweetness assaulted his taste buds. There was still a hint of bitterness, so he decided to wait one more week before harvesting a batch to sell at the market. He could already imagine the happy faces of villagers when they discovered he produced another batch. The produce he grew was legendary throughout the countryside for being the best, so much so that the name Uzumaki became synonymous with healthy and great-tasting fruit and vegetables. It made him smile, for a few years ago his name was only followed by words of awe or fear.

As he made his way to his house, the young man passed a small pond, which seemed to sparkle in the morning sun. He gazed at the shining surface, spotting tadpoles and tiny fish mingling among the tall grass sticking out of the dampened and flooded banks. His reflection showed a very handsome face, complete with three whisker-like marks on each cheek and a mop of spiky blond hair that refused to be tamed. His blue eyes shimmered in the reflecting surface, almost blending with the bluish surface of the water. On his left temple was a scar, a jagged cut that trailed down several centimeters. He absentmindedly touched the scar, the memory of receiving the painful injury causing him to cringe. The young man remembered quite vividly the feeling of his enemy's blade barely missing his left eye, slicing through his skin at great speeds. He inflicted ten times the damage to his unfortunate foe, but the fact that his opponent managed to even scratch him was a testament to his foe's prowess. Still, he obviously came out on top, and he doubted there was any person alive that could take him…

He stopped his musings as he sensed two people approaching the gates to his house, not far from the main road. They were civilians, if the miniscule chakra reserves were any indication. He ruled out shinobi using a suppressor technique, for no one on this planet could hide their chakra signatures from his keen senses. Through the earth, he could feel their footsteps. They were heavy and imprecise, a far cry from the trained movements of an assassin. His sharp ears could make out the ruffle of heavy clothes, meaning they were either nobility or men of great wealth. Even on the other side of his property, small details such as their heartbeats and breathing were known to him, and he could tell that the morning heat was bothering them. 'So, not ones for outdoor activity. Most certainly not shinobi.' He sighed. Shinobi were easier to deal with, for they were wise enough to stay away once he flared his chakra, or he could simply beat them to a bloody pulp. Civilians were more complicated, for he didn't feel right fighting an untrained and vastly weaker opponent. Plus, it didn't go well with the local community when a shinobi killed a civilian. It was just bad for the reputation of ninja, and the trained shinobi in him felt obliged to obey the unwritten code of honor. That meant he had to resort to his words. 'Well, here goes nothing…'

He applied chakra to his legs and jumped high into the air, clear over his house. He took a moment to enjoy the rush of wind in his hair, his natural element bathing him with power. Only those connected with nature chakra could absorb energy from their natural element, and he was one of the few. The winds obeyed his every command, carrying him across the lower sky effortlessly. With a graceful flip, the young man descended toward the ground at a fast rate. Before he could hit the ground, the air beneath him manipulated to his will, cushioning his fall greatly. He landed with a silent thud behind the two men at the gate, going unnoticed by them entirely. One was busy trying to work the latch on the gate, not knowing that only those keyed to the seal on the gate could ever hope to open it. The other one seemed to take great humor in his partner's inability to open the gate, openly laughing.

"Damn thing! Stupid rusty old gate…"

"The gate looks in good shape to me, Satoshi. Maybe you should…"

"Shut up! The damn latch won't budge. What kind of landowner doesn't maintain his property?"

"Uh, that would be this landowner, right here," The young man said, announcing his presence. The two men jumped and spun around, their eyes landing on him. The loud one, Satoshi, narrowed his eyes at him, while the other one's eyes seemed to widen, as if in recognition. 'Ah, so at least one of them has brains.' Their appearance immediately ruled out nobility, so that only left wealthy. "So, what's a couple of businessmen doing at the gates of my property?"

"You…how did you…?" Satoshi, a man with graying hair and a goatee, stuttered. He quickly composed himself and set a glare on the young blond. "So, you're the owner of this property? I hate to inform you, but your gate doesn't seem to work."

"Uh…Satoshi? That's…"

"Quiet, Ren. You're gat-"

"Works just fine," The blond said, easily lifting up the latch. Satoshi stared, unbelieving as the young man effortlessly opened the gate. The blond man grinned, as did Ren. "See? You just have to have the right touch. Walk with me, gentlemen?" The blond motioned for them and they followed him through the gate. "May I enquire as to why you are here?"

"We are here to collect a debt! And we are not leaving until we receive all that we are owed!" Satoshi declared, puffin up his chest.

"Be polite, Satoshi," Ren, a large man with brown hair and clean-shaven, scolded. He bowed to the young blond. "My apologies. My friend here can be…well, rude. We are here to receive information regarding a debt, a debt over fifteen years old."

The young man cocked his head to the side curiously.

"Debt? I don't believe I have any debt."

Ren chuckled.

"Not you, landowner-san. Some of our contacts have informed us you know the whereabouts of Tsunade Senju, a most respected kunoichi of this great country. She borrowed around five hundred thousand ryo from our employer around fifteen years ago, with the promise she would pay back eight hundred thousand within five years. Obviously, it has been longer than five years, and our employer hasn't received a single payment. Now, if you know where she is, could you kindly point us in her direction? If she needs to setup a viable payment plan, then we could work something-"

"You're too kind, Ren," Satoshi interrupted. "She pays in full the moment we see her. She has avoided payment too long. It's time for her to pay up."

"Satoshi…"

"And you, landowner. Tell us where she is right now!" The loud man demanded, pointing a finger at the young man.

Ren's eyes widened and he hastily pulled his partner's arm down.

"Satoshi, do you have any idea who this is?"

"I don't care! He could be the Daimyo for all I care! I-" He felt a sudden weight on his shoulders, as if the air around him became heavy. He gasped for breath and nearly collapsed, but the weight soon lifted as though it was never there. "What was…?"

"Watch your mouth when speaking of the Daimyo, Satoshi-san. He is a great man and I will not have you disrespecting his name in my presence," The young blond said, his eyes narrowing at the pathetic form of the man, who was still gasping for air. "All better? Now, Ren-san will do all the talking. He seems to be the levelheaded one of you two. You, stay silent unless I speak to you." His tone left little room for argument and the man nodded quickly. "Now, Ren-san, you were saying?"

"My apologies again, landowner-san. My partner here does not realize the important figure that stands before us." Though he kept silent, Satoshi shot Ren a question look. "And he obviously knows nothing of the shinobi of this country. We are in the presence of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, widely regarded as one of the most powerful shinobi to have ever lived, the man who saved this country from destruction." Satoshi's eyes widened considerably, and he seemed less confident in the presence of this great man. "Now, as I was saying earlier, Naruto-sama…"

"Just 'Naruto' is fine, Ren-san. I never was one for honorifics," The young man, now identified as Naruto, said sheepishly. Even after years of dealing with awe-struck people, he still wasn't used to being addressed as a master of anything or anybody.

"If you insist, Naruto-san. Though I will admit, I am slightly uncomfortable addressing you in such an informal manner," Ren replied, smiling shyly. "Our employer has been pressing us to pursue this debt. I have tried mediating on behalf of Tsunade-sama. I do not know her personally, but she treated my mother for a bad case of blood lung a few decades ago and saved her life. I am forever indebted to her for her generosity, but I'm endanger of being fired if I don't collect this debt. I have three kids, Naruto-san, and I can hardly afford to be without a job. Though it pains me to do so, we need to speak with Tsunade-sama urgently. I can negotiate a payment plan which can be reasonable. It is not my intention to bankrupt Tsunade-sama."

Naruto scratched at the stubble growing at his chin.

"Well, that is a problem. Eight hundred thousand? Tsunade, Tsunade…" It still amazed him to hear the amount of debt she acquired over the years before he met her. "Well, she isn't here at the moment. I believe she is treating someone a few kilometers away from here, just to the west. Though she should be back here very soon."

"That's excellent, Naruto-san. Does Tsunade-sama live here?" He enquired.

"Well, it wouldn't make sense if she didn't, Ren-san."

"Why is that, Naruto-san?"

A massive grin, reminiscent of a certain fox, spread across the young man's face.

"Well, a wife normally lives with her husband, right?"

(Thirteen Years Earlier, Konohagakure, Land of Fire)

"Late again, Kakashi?" Naruto asked, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against a tree. The sixteen-year-old blond, wearing proudly a Konoha headband and a jounin flak jacket, glared at the silver-haired ninja as the man scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I told you to meet me here at noon…it's two!"

"Sorry about that, Naruto. A beautiful brunette stumbled into my arms screaming about her poor cat. After calming her down, I found her cat trapped on the tallest branch of the tallest tree in the neighborhood. Naturally, I climbed the tree and rescued the cat. She was so thankful for my helpful aid that she cooked me a lunch fit for a daimyo. After finishing off this fantastic meal, she took me to her bedroom and I showed her-"

"Okay, okay! I get it!"

"-how to properly change the cat's litter box. Seriously, Naruto, what a perverted mind you have. I have no idea where you get it from." Shaking his head disappointedly, Kakashi pulled out his limited edition Icha Icha Paradise and began giggling madly as his eye skimmed the pages.

"Yeah, I have no idea where I got my perverted mind from," Naruto deadpanned, his eye twitching as his mentor continued to giggle. "Hey! Finish reading your smut later. We have something to discuss."

Sighing and muttering something about 'ungrateful students,' Kakashi reluctantly put his prized book away. "Alright, Naruto. The divine book is gone. How can I help you?"

"I heard you failed another genin team."

"Yeah? I fail one every year. What's your point?"

Naruto sighed.

"I read the report. Their skills seem impressive. I don't see a reason why they should be sent back to the Academy."

"Then you obviously didn't read my comments on their poor group dynamic. They refused to work together, even when presented with impossible odds if they came at me alone. Granted, they wouldn't stand a chance against me anyway, but I'm not one to toot my own horn."

"You still base the whole test on teamwork? How many times have I told you that teamwork comes later, after enduring brutal D-rank missions and chasing that demon cat, Tora?" Naruto shuddered, memories of the bane of Konoha genin still fresh in his mind. "Teach them teamwork. Don't force it on them. We all know how teenagers do the opposite of what adults tell them to do."

"Oh? Such wise words…from a teenager himself," Kakashi replied, his uncovered eye closing into what could be interpreted as a smile. "Only those who are worthy pass my test. You did, and look how well you turned out!" He gestured to Naruto, who was scowling at his mentor. "Chunin by twelve and jounin by thirteen. You could be an ANBU commander if you wanted to, though I don't recommend it. All the woman in ANBU don't take too kindly to enlightened minds such as ourselves."

Naruto frowned.

"You mean perverted minds…"

"Oh, so you don't deny that you are a pervert? I knew Jiraiya-sama and I would get through to you sooner or later. I'm so proud." He wiped a nonexistent tear from his exposed eye. "They grow up so fast…I still remember when you were a cute little genin oblivious to the gifts given to humanity by the gods themselves. I'll have to tell Jiraiya-sama…"

"Quit changing the subject!" Naruto yelled, a blush forming on his face. "Now, I'm here to ask if you will allow me to test these genin myself."

"Test them yourself? My, my…is Naru-chan thinking about getting a genin team?"

"Hey, nobody said anything about a genin team," Naruto said, quick to clarify. "This is a favor for Hokage-sama, who believes you may have been too…unfair in your judgment. He has tasked me with testing their abilities the correct way."

Instead of being offended, Kakashi chuckled good-naturedly and patted his protégé on the shoulder.

"Sounds like you're the man for the job, then. You always were good with the kiddies. Hey, maybe the Sandaime will stop trying to hook me up with a new genin team? After dedicating a year of my life teaching you, I don't think I can handle anymore genin. I'm too old."

"I wasn't that bad."

"You added more than a few grays to my hair."

"Your hair has always been gray."

"That's what you think. It's always been silver. You added some gray to it, and that's just not popular with the ladies, my young protégé. Though, I did use you to score more than a few dates. I would just say I adopted you out of the goodness of my heart and they came flying. Ah, the good old days…"

"Whatever, old man. What can you tell me about them?"

"The genin? Well, their names are Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Kiba Inuzuka. To put it quite frank, they don't get along whatsoever. Sasuke thinks he's better than everybody because of his heritage, and he has a bit of a death wish."

"Death wish? What do you mean?"

"He wants to kill Itachi," Kakashi answered solemnly. "We all know how that would go."

Naruto nodded, digesting the information.

"I couldn't beat Itachi. Maybe in a straight taijutsu fight, but we both know that wouldn't happen. You could probably beat him."

"That's a fifty-fifty chance. It could go either way if we were to duke it out," Naruto admitted. He may have been in a league of his own, but so was Itachi. "Anyway, I wouldn't put it past Sasuke to surpass him. I've seen his stats. His ninjutsu is very impressive for his age. With the right training, Sasuke could eliminate one of our greatest traitors and receive the revenge he so desires."

"That may be true, but getting him there is the problem. He refuses to work with his fellow comrades. Before he can even dream of defeating Itachi, he must learn to accept help from others. Now, Sakura is…fearsomely intelligent. Out of all of them, I believe she has the greatest chance to pass."

"Seriously? That's great praise, coming from you," Naruto pointed out.

Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"True, but I mean it. That girl saw through the test and beseeched her teammates to work together, but they didn't listen. I debated passing her, but we all know the whole team must pass to succeed. She, from what I can tell, has excellent chakra control, but low reserves. It would do her some good to build them up. With her level of control, a boost to her reserves would make her a powerhouse. She would probably excel best with genjutsu and medical ninjutsu training. Now, Kiba has the potential to be a fearsome ninja, but he doesn't branch away from his clan's jutsu. He relies too much on a handful of techniques, and those techniques mostly center on the use of his canine partner. Also, it takes him awhile to build up the chakra needed to perform these techniques. In the heat of battle, this is not beneficial."

"Wow. That's more detailed than the reports."

Kakashi shrugged.

"What can I say? I hate paperwork. Satisfied?"

"More than I thought," Naruto admitted. "Anything else?"

"Hmmm…" Kakashi scratched his chin. "Emphasize teamwork?"

"Will do. Thanks for the advice, Kakashi." Naruto looked at the sun. "I better get going. I need to make a few stops before seeing the Hokage."

"Mission-related?"

"In a manner of speaking. Let's just say I need some…heavy weaponry. See you around." With a nod to his former teacher, Naruto disappeared in a gust of wind, leaving Kakashi alone to his own thoughts.

"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid. Heavy weaponry…" Sighing, Kakashi pulled out his infamous book. Within seconds, he began giggling. "Oh, Kimi-chan, can't you see Ichika-kun only wants to show you love?"

(Konoha Ninja Armory)

"I'm looking for something that packs more punch than a typical explosive tag."

"About how much punch?"

"Oh, not too much. About a hundred times more."

"Is that all? Trying to bring down the Hokage Monument or something?"

"Call it a backup plan," Naruto replied. "Got anything like that?"

Asuna Misato enjoyed her job at the Armory. She got to handle rare and dangerous weaponry, and experiment with new gadgets from time to time. Her job was to outfit chunin, jounin, and even ANBU agents with the best equipment Konoha had to offer. Need a blade that can slice through hard rock? No problem. Just tell her what length or weight needed. Need a flak jacket that can withstand lightning strikes? No problem. Give her a few days. There was rarely a request she couldn't handle and she prided herself on this fact. However, there was one person, one stubborn, persistent, and reckless person, who never failed to request something outrageous and borderline insane. That person was standing before her.

"Do I have something on hand that could level a small mountain? Sorry, we're fresh out," She replied sarcastically. She didn't know why she even listened to his crazy requests.

"Did you do something with your hair?" Naruto asked, completely out of the blue.

Asuna blushed, her hand going to her recently cut hair.

"I did…I cut it to shoulder-length. Does it…does it look good?" She froze as his hand gently cupped her cheek. Her blush intensified and she found herself captured by two cerulean orbs.

"It looks fantastic. You look so mature, so…beautiful. I think I'm falling in love…"

"I…I…love?" Was it just her, or did the room's temperature rise by a few thousand degrees?

"Do you think you could make that special explosive tag for me? A mind as brilliant and beautiful as yours should have no problem. I'd be very grateful, Asuna-chan."

"I can…I can do that for you, Naruto-kun…"

"Great!" He exclaimed, startlingly her. He placed a quick kiss on her lips and she thought she would faint. "You're the best. See you around, Asuna-chan!" A gentle breeze brushed her hair and he was gone.

It took a few minutes before her blush receded and her breathing stabilized. Her heart was still beating fast. She glared at the spot where he once stood. "Damn him. I fall for it every time. He's lucky he's handsome…" If he wanted a powerful explosive tag, then by Kami she would give him one. 'Well, better get to work.'

(Hokage's Tower)

"And I've seen irregular border patrols here, here, and….here," Naruto said, pointing toward the western border of the Land of Fire. "A few scouts have been probing the integrity of our own patrols. Suna scouts. They don't wear a headband, but their movements are typical of Suna shinobi. Too stiff, not used to hard soil."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a long puff from his pipe.

"Malicious intent?"

"Probable, but nothing too suspicious. Though it is interesting that our supposed allies are intent on keeping a close eye on our border patrols. We do the same, but that's beside the point."

"Any word from your contact?"

"I received a messenger hawk from him yesterday. The Kazekage has apparently been acting strange lately. Well, stranger than usual. There are rumors that he is not well."

"And your contact can't elaborate further?"

"He's working on it, but the Kazekage is a very private man. He informed that more Intel would be given within the next week."

"Very good, very good…" Hiruzen moved to his desk. "Now, on to other business. I take it you're still interested in Team Seven?"

Naruto nodded, taking a seat near the Hokage's desk.

"I am. Kakashi's info only served to pique my curiosity. I see much potential in this team."

"Really? Then what is your answer?"

"I'll give them a shot. I have my own test in mind for them. If they pass, I will gladly take the position of Team Seven's sensei." The concept sounded so foreign to him. While he had led teams of chunin and jounin in the past, and even a few ANBU units, he had never once led genin. Honestly, the prospect didn't exactly thrill him. While older, more experienced ninja could handle themselves, genin needed guidance and protection. Not only would he be watching his own life, but the lives of three thirteen-year-olds. Would he take the risk? Yes, for he hated seeing such potential go to waste.

"If they pass, do you think you could get them ready for the upcoming Chunin Exams?" Hiruzen enquired.

"Five months? Maybe. Assuming they actually pass. I'll give it my best shot."

"Excellent. I've already sent a few ANBU to inform them. They are to meet you at training ground seven tomorrow at nine. Any questions?"

"Just one…you still have that cute secretary?"

"You're dismissed, Naruto."

"I'll ask another time, then."

(The Next Day, Training Ground Seven, 8:45 am)

"If you screw this up for us again, dog breath, I swear on the honor of the Uchiha I will kill you."

"Me screw up? You nearly barbecued me with that stupid fire jutsu! I would have had those bells if you didn't burn almost half the training grounds!"

"Kakashi was about to knock you out anyway. All I did was speed up the process. If you would have just stayed down, we would be out doing missions already."

"How does getting your sorry ass buried under five feet of dirt better than what I did?"

"Shut your mouth, mutt."

"Make me, emo-boy!"

"Woof!"

"That's right, Akamaru! Let's kick his ass!"

"Bring it on, flea brain!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Sasuke and Kiba froze in mid-action, their fists nearly colliding with each other's faces. Akamaru was perched atop his master's head, ready to strike the enraged Uchiha. The two young men looked a tad fearfully at their other teammate, a girl with bright pink hair and emerald eyes. She was glaring at them with murderous eyes, terrifying enough that even the great Uchiha was wary to proceed further. "Can't you two get along for five seconds? I thought you learned your lesson yesterday!"

"He started it!" Sasuke and Kiba yelled at the same time, with Akamaru barking in the affirmative.

"I don't care who started it! Honestly, you two act like children." Sakura Haruno was a smart young woman. She had passed all of her classes with excellent marks, losing the top spot in her graduating class to Sasuke, and that was only by half of a percent. She excelled in chakra theory, possessed chakra control unrivalled by her fellow peers, and was above average in taijutsu. Unlike other girls her age, she didn't fawn over the Uchiha, instead concentrating on her studies and extracurricular training. She didn't obsess over fashion or makeup, but she never went out looking unkempt. Sakura trained hard for a successful ninja career. She dreamed of becoming even greater than the legendary Tsunade Senju, and taking the title of the most powerful kunoichi in the world. However, before she could even think about attaining such a title, she needed to officially become a genin. And if her teammates kept bickering, she would be sent back to the Academy. That was a definite no.

"Okay, listen up," She said, getting their attention. "When our new sensei gets here, you both are acting on your best behavior. You two will agree with everything he says. I'm talking about you, Sasuke. No smartass remarks or weird Uchiha grunts. Got it?" Seeing his nod, she turned to Kiba. "And you…no reckless first strikes or rushed plans. Got it?" He nodded as well, hard-pressed to argue with an angry kunoichi. "Good. Now, we stick together. If anyone has ideas, you share them. Any questions?"

"No, Sakura."

"No, mom."

"Great. Now, let's sit here nice and quietly. Our new sensei will be here any minute."

"Actually, I've been here for a while." All three genin jumped and spun around to see a man with spiky blond hair and blue eyes sitting atop an old tree stump. He wore the standard jounin flak jacket, with a blue long-sleeve underneath, and blue pants with gray shin guards. His headband bore the symbol of the leaf, framed by a black piece of cloth. Dozens of extra pockets and slots lined his flak jacket, with at least six kunai holsters present on his belt. After dealing with Kakashi, the three genin were expecting someone similar or possibly older. This young man couldn't possibly be older than eighteen, yet his eyes and face told of many years of experience. He waved at them and gave them a dazzling smile. "What's up? My name's Naruto Uzumaki! And you three little squirts must be my genin team!"

"Little?"

"Squirts?!"

"So handsome…"

Sasuke and Kiba turned to their teammate, and were surprised to find their normally calm and collected fellow genin blushing madly as she gazed at their new sensei.

"Handsome, huh?" Naruto grinned. He winked at her, causing her blush to intensify. "And this beautiful young woman right here must be Sakura." Quicker than any genin could see, he left the stump, appearing right in front of a stuttering and incoherent Sakura. He gently lifted her hand up to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "Pleased to meet you, Sakura-chan." Unfortunately, this proved to be too much for Sakura, and she promptly fainted.

"Sakura!" Kiba cried out as his teammate fainted, nearly collapsing to the ground if Naruto wouldn't have caught her.

"Oh, dear. Maybe I went too far…" Naruto said lamely, holding an unconscious Sakura in his arms. "Well, team. Why don't we begin introductions after Sakura rejoins us in the land of consciousness?"

"Sure…good idea," Sasuke said, silently asking the divines why he couldn't have a normal sensei.

"Woof!"

"I'm with you, Akamaru. Maybe we should have been nicer to Kakashi."

Author's Note: Well, there's the first chapter. I have an idea where this is going, but expect weekly updates. Oh, and if you liked this story, check out my other one, Crimson Whirlpools. Main pairing is NarutoxfemKyuubi. Let me know in a review.