The Guardian (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Itachi reported to ANBU headquarters, prepared to receive his first official assignment. He was surprised when, instead of being assigned to a squad right away as he expected, he was directed to the Hokage's office.

"Itachi Uchiha reporting as ordered, Hokage-sama."

"Thank you for coming, Itachi," Sarutobi said, leaning back in his chair, "I have an assignment that has been troubling me for some time. No one seemed right for the job, at least not until you passed your evaluation yesterday. This is a very sensitive mission, but I think you are ideal for it."

"I'm ready, sir."

"How much do you know about the Kyūbi attack six years ago?"

Itachi was a bit thrown off by the odd question. The attack was common knowledge, ingrained into the minds of everyone who had lived through it.

"…The Nine Tails attacked Konoha. Large portions of the village were destroyed, and the defense resulted in heavy casualties. The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to seal the beast away."

Sarutobi nodded, "And do you know what happened to the Nine Tails?"

"Not exactly. I've heard rumors that it was sealed into a human."

"A human who is host to a tailed beast is known as a Jinchūriki. The last Nine Tails Jinchūriki was Kushina Uzumaki, Minato's—the Fourth's—wife."

That certainly piqued Itachi's interest, "Kushina? I knew her; she was my mother's best friend. You're saying she was…"

"The host of the Kyūbi, yes. There was an enemy, one whose identity we still do not know, who took advantage of Kushina's childbirth to release the Nine Tails and turn it on the village. Both Kushina and Minato gave their lives to protect their newborn son, and sealed the Kyūbi safely inside of him."

"…In a baby?"

"He's six years old now and just started the Academy. He doesn't know any of this; not who his parents are, nor that he is a Jinchūriki. His father wanted him to be seen as a hero, but unfortunately, there are many in the village who do not feel that way. He is hated."

The pieces began to fit together in Itachi's mind, "The blond boy who is always in trouble for his pranks in the village."

"Naruto." Sarutobi confirmed, "He is very… energetic, a bit of a trouble maker, but he means well. There are those in the village that would like to see him dead, not to mention the enemies of the Fourth Hokage, and the man who orchestrated the attack six years ago. All of them mean him harm, and I believe there have already been attempts on his life. If the other hidden villages ever identify him as a Jinchūriki, the danger will only increase tenfold. He has had an ANBU squad watching over him since his birth, but the situation is changing, and I think it is time to take a new approach to his protection. I've decided to have the squad stand down during the day in favor of a single bodyguard."

"If the threat is increasing, why reduce security?" Itachi asked.

"When it comes down to it, security is not my greatest concern for Naruto. He has been alone his entire life. He has been in an orphanage until now, but he was an outcast even there. He was kicked out when he entered the Academy. I am concerned what effect so much isolation will have on him. Naruto needs someone who will look out for him, but also someone he can look up to; a mentor, or an older brother figure."

"And you want… me? Hokage-sama… I'm no role model."

"I understand that you have a younger brother of your own."