The Uzumaki Prodigy [Original]

Chapter 11 - The Sour Fruits of Hard Work

The bright smile of the sun beamed across Konoha once again. It's hopeful light bringing the village hope and empowerment for the day ahead. Most felt this warmth and felt inspired to work for day to come but not all of the inhabitants felt the same way. One whom felt this way was a red headed boy whom was covered in a cold sweat and was tossing and turning in his bed. A pained expression filling his face. The bright light of the sun piercing the window of the boy's room, shining through to clash with the darkened close eyes of the red head.

At this sudden heat on his eyes, the boy's closed eyes squinted a little before his body arched up suddenly as he panted heavily, the sweat dripping from his face like a small stream. The boy's eyes were a cold ocean blue, lacking the innocence a child like him should have and being, almost, entirely comprised of fear and worry for what was to come, or what he hoped not to come to pass. He then placed his hands onto his face sleepily as the sweat on his face, transferred themselves to his hands. This resulting in a sigh from the boy's mouth as he then sat at the side of messy bed as he then raised his head to look around his room.

He reminisced upon the day he first got the apartment two years ago. Being comforted in this place. Being taught how to cook. Learning who his parents were. His burden. Making promises that he wished he could live up to. And most important of all, the agreement that he hated more then anything else. That ANBU and his lack of emotion implicitly blackmailing him to agree. How he looked upon that day with contempt. With regret. For that agreement, had admittedly given a boost to his progress as a shinobi, it was not worth the cost... His Freedom...

Everyday was training and nothing else. He'd wake everyday at the same time and practise his jutsu, his chakra control, his proficiency in the shinobi arts and his physical conditioning. Everything was the same for 2 years without any alteration aside from the jutsu he learnt or developed. He then, realising that he'd already wasted enough time had gotten up from his bed and decided to wash up and have breakfast before heading to the training ground, where his hell would begin again.

He stepped out the door of his home, his apartment, his safe haven. His attire having not changed much in terms of theme and aesthetics. His black t-shirt with the Uzumaki swirl relegated to his shoulders with him wearing a vest, similar to the ANBU, coloured in black. His trousers were a little baggy and wore extra amour on his shins, again similar to the ANBU. He also wore black shinobi sandals. As well as him wearing a face mask, a present that had been given by Kakashi last year, something that he cherished and was greatly thankful for as many of the civilians mistook him for a member of the ANBU black ops, which allowed him to enjoyed the little free time he had in peace within his own home village. But only a few moments after closing the door to his apartment, the red head was gone, leaving a single leaf gliding gracefully to the floor.

It took him only a minute to get ready and get to training ground and what he was met with was peace and quiet, much to his relief. He then proceeded to place his right hand over his left forearm as after a few moment, a seal appeared and glowed before a cloud of smoke erupted from his arm and after it had dissipated a scroll was seen in the hand of the red headed Uzumaki.

As this happened he opened the scroll and saw what was required of him today and decided to go to it, preferring that he'd finish this hellish training early so that he'd have more time to rest. And he set about getting through the exercises listed in the scroll.

Over the course the next few hours, Naruto had practise his wind and water manipulation. Of which Naruto was already a master of already, through the constant repetition of the waterfall exercise for his wind manipulation and his manipulation of water to form shapes and take the forms of what he pleases. On top of his practise of his basic manipulation, he had then gone through the jutsu that he had practised already, which was a lot, and the jutsu in the scroll and practised them to the point of perfection through the use of shadow clones.