Chapter 1:

Seven ANBU black-ops stood before the Hokage, the aged man looked them over with a stern, serious gaze.

Six of them had normal Anbu masks while the seventh, also the shortest of the group, had a simple faceplate, not unlike the Kiri hunter elite. Its slit eyeholes revealing only the faintest glimer of the true eyes lying beneath.

"Report." Sarutobi commanded.

The captain, wearing a hawk mask, straightened before he answered. "Hokage-sama, mission success. The Iwa daimio and his family are all dead."

"Casualties?" Sarutobi spoke.

The Anbu captain looked to the fox masked shinobi. "None sir." He said after a moment. "Kaidan, efficiently demolished the opposing enemy force. Leaving us to go after the Daimio and his family."

Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe, "I see." He stated thoughtfully, "Is anything else you wish to report, captain?"

The ninja seemed to shuffle nervously from foot to foot before he took another glance at the plain masked ninja before shaking his head. "No Hokage-sama." He said.

In truth he wanted to scream out at the old man. What he had seen had not been a fight, it had been a massacre. The bodies of all the enemy ninja were practically ripped to pieces or burnt to ash. Nothing but dust, bones and blood had remained of them.

He was no stranger to death, and in the end...better them than him. But it was unnerving. He knew who this boy was, and knew that what he'd seen today would only be the start of his strength. Should the dog ever come off its leash, none would be able to reign it in.

Still, he would hold his tongue. Perhaps because, despite his brutal efficiency he felt he owed this thing for ensuring all his men made it out safely. Or perhaps it was a mild respect.

Or perhaps it was far more simple than that. Perhaps the most powerful emotion that held him back was the fear.

Fear of the retribution the young fox would dish should he speak against him.

Sarutobi nodded. "Very well, you six may leave; Kaidan, you stay."

The designated men bowed before shuffling out of the room.

Sarutobi looked to the last remaining Anbu in his office. "Remove your mask please."

The short Anbu wordlessly removed his mask, revealing a blond haired boy with whisker like birthmarks on his face along with the calm cold blues that were his eyes.

He could be no older than six.

Sarutobi sighed sadly. His eyes had always been like that. Ever since he could remember, the boy was the embodiment of the perfect shinobi. The perfect tool. The perfect killing device.

He hated the council for what they had done. They had left him with an ultimatum. Either he would be trained as Konoha's weapon or he would be executed. Sometimes he wished he had taken the second option.

It seemed merciful in comparison to the empty void he now was. On par with Uchiha Itachi. Perhaps even colder.

He sighed again, now was not the time for this. Many in the council believed that training him like this had been the right call. Too many.

No...he would wait...he would bide his time and then he would set things right. "Naruto, I understand that this was your first mission as an Anbu."

"Yes." The boy spoke. His voice was flat and even, no emotion could be heard in his voice or seen on his face.

Sarutobi eyed him for a moment. "Are you well? Sometimes Anbu level missions affect people. How are you coping?"

Naruto mentally raised an eyebrow. He was confused by this. "They were merely enemies that were interfering with our mission. I do not understand why you would believe this would affect me in any way."

Sarutobi resisted the urge to sigh this was so frustrating. It felt like he was half beating his head against the wall.

It was sickening. "Never mind Naruto." He stated before standing. He looked at the boy for a moment, thinking, then he spoke. "I have a meeting, to finalize the alliance with the Kazekage of Suna. You are to be my bodyguard."

Naruto bowed his head. "As you wish." He stated before placing his mask over his face.

Sarutobi felt a pang in his chest at the sight. It was almost like that mask was consuming him. As if it would swallow his soul entirely every time he put it on. He hid his sadness, walked around his desk and out the door.

"Hokage-dono" The Kazekage greeted respectfully as he stood. "I am pleased you have arrived." He said as he bowed his head.

Sarutobi smiled and translated the words into non political, human language. 'About time you showed up.'

"Ah Kazekage-dono, forgive me for keeping you waiting. I had some urgent maters to attend to" Sarutobi spoke in that sage voice which indicated he wasn't really sorry at all.

The Kazekage nodded tightly, he never did like these meetings, couldn't really bring himself to trust his so called ally. He suddenly caught sight of Naruto's robed form emerging from the thin shadows in the corner. He wondered briefly when the Anbu had entered the room, and if there were more of them. "Hokage-dono, I respectfully request that our guards remove their masks." He requested, eyeing the strange short Anbu suspiciously.

Sarutobi nodded and turned his head to look at Naruto from the corner of his eye.

The blond raised his hand and removed the mask as the Kazekage's guard did the same.

The Kazekage out of sheer curiosity looked straight at the Anbu as he removed his mask. He immediately regretted the action. Locking eyes with those cold blues, he found himself freezing, his gut churning with disquiet. Those eyes were dead. They showed absolutely nothing, no happiness, no sadness, no anger, not even cold indifference.

"Well then, shall we get down to business." Sarutobi's voice brought the Kazekage back to reality, he tore his gaze away and looked at the old man, "Of course." He replied giving a slight nod.

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