Ascension of the Kitsune by Wandering Maverick

Chapter 3: A Legend is born

Six Years Later,

For the past six years, there was an air of peace inside the Hidden Leaf Village. Citizen and shinobi alike seemed happier and more at ease knowing that the darkness that was the Kyuubi wasn't still lurking in their midst. Little did they know the village's darkest secret, and most vile possession was about to walk right back into their village, just as he had walked out of it all those years ago.

Northern Gates,

Walking along the dirt road headed towards the gates of one of the most powerful villages in the world, a shinobi could be seen. Nothing much seemed out of the ordinary about him, he was fairly tall, his silver hair spiked in such a manner that seemed to add almost a full half foot to him. His lazy walk indicated his lack of motivation to do...anything, or the fatigue of a mission he had just completed. The oddest thing was however that he was walking while seeming to keep his eyesight completely focused on a little orange book in front of his face. And if one were to listen intently, one would hear perverted giggles coming out of the man every so often. The other strange thing was his face, it was almost completely covered...partly by his headband which could be considered 'strange' on it's own. He wore his shinobi headband angled diagonally fully covering his left eye. The rest of his face save for his right eye and upper right cheek, was also covered by a shinobi mask, used to hide the identity of the user.

Coming upon the gates, the man could hear the two gate guards complaining about their jobs. Not having much to do himself he simply waited and read until the pair noticed him in the large archway. After a while the bickering finally ended and the two guards noticed their guest, still lazily waiting for them.

"Ah Kakashi-san, you're back from your mission I see. Wow even knowing its you, I still expected you not to be back for another week at least. How did it go?" Izumo spoke, knowing Kakashi from a few previous missions they were on together.

"Yo! Hm...can't really complain...it was a rather simple A-rank, a bunch of bandits and ronin were trying to terrorize a town which is under the protection of Konoha...so I 'Dealt' with them." He responded lazily, not taking his eyes off his 'precious' book.

"Ah! Not surprising from the 'Copy' Ninja himself, well I won't hold you any longer, welcome back"

Kakashi simply nodded to him and walked nonchalantly into the depths of the village. Once out of range of the guard house, Kakashi jumped to the nearest rooftop and set his hands in a familiar sign, before a puff of smoke engulfed him and he returned to his true form...the form of Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "That was far too easy...Ojii-san needs to put some better genjutsu oriented guards at the gates."

"Not like it would have made a difference Naru-kun...you know only doujutsu users, and those with certain Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Ability) can sense this jutsu...while only other demons have the ability to dispel it." A muffled voice from within the recesses of Naruto's jacket answered.

Naruto smiled warmly and unzipped his jacket to allow a little...fox, to climb out and jump on his shoulder, wrapping it's tail comfortably around his neck. The little fox 'yipped' and licked the man's cheek before resting its head against his neck.

He scratched the fox behind the ear, making it lightly purr. "Hai hai, right as usual Natsu-chan. Guess its time to see the old man...hes probably been worried sick" He finished with a bit of guilt obvious in his voice, before bounding off to the Hokage Tower.

Hokage Tower,

"Damn this paperwork...Minato I swear, even if it wasn't for the protection of the village, you'd have still used that Fuuinjutsu just to get out of anymore of this DAMNEDABLE paperwork!" Sarutobi grumbled loudly, from behind his paper littered desk.