Goodbye Konoha

[Quillion9000]

Shinobi Country: Konoha, Night…
"Let's see, the first one is Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu." Naruto Uzumaki was reading from the scroll before him. "Gah, not this again! It's my worst Jutsu!"

Naruto had failed his third attempt at the academy's graduation exam; however, he'd been let in on a secret. Mizuki Sensei told him where to find this scroll. All the blond had to do was take it and arrive here near this cabin. Now, he must learn one Jutsu from it before being found.

Just before he got to work, Naruto noticed something within the scroll aside from all the various Jutsu. It was a swirling pattern, like what he wore on the back of his jacket and could be seen on the backs of Konoha flak jackets.

"What's this?" Naruto touched the symbol, resulting in it glowing and producing a smaller scroll. "Another scroll? Mizuki Sensei never mentioned this."

Naruto wouldn't deny his curiosity, but he didn't know how much time he had before being found. If he wanted to pass, he'd need to focus everything on learning whatever Jutsu he could from the main scroll. As such, he tucked this smaller scroll away on his person.

"Time to get to work…"

Sunrise…
Naruto ended up learning the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu…along with a lot of other things over the course of the night. That 'secret' Mizuki shared was nothing more than a lie to have him steal this scroll. It was a forbidden scroll of the village, which Mizuki wanted for his own power.

He had used Naruto because the Fourth Hokage had sealed the Nine Tailed Fox within him, and like 95% of the village, he saw Naruto as nothing more than that. Fortunately, Iruka Sensei had arrived. While Naruto was conflicted at first, his real sensei proved he wasn't out to use him.

In fact, he saw the blond for who he was rather than what he contained and even protected him. Naruto ended up returning the favor, using his newly learned Jutsu to pummel Mizuki. Naruto chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head as Mizuki was laid out at his feet.

"Sorry, I kind of got carried away." He looked at his sensei, who was laid up against a tree as he'd taken quite a few injuries over the course of the night. "Are you okay, sensei?"

"I'll be okay." Iruka smiled. "Naruto wants to surpass all the Hokage, and he might just do it."

In the universe we are familiar with, this would be where Iruka graduated Naruto. The blond knucklehead would then start his career as a Genin. If that's the story you've come for, I'm afraid you got lost on your way to wherever you'd view it…

"Thank you, Naruto." The blond had approached his sensei, who nodded. "After this display tonight, I have no doubt you'll pass your next graduation exam."

"That's right…" Given everything that happened, Naruto hadn't thought about it until now. "I didn't graduate." He was disappointed but Iruka was still genuinely supportive to the point the blond could put on a faux smile for him. "Absolutely. I'll pass for sure next time."

"Now, let's get that scroll back." Iruka managed to slowly rise to his feet and ruffle his student's hair with a fond smile. "Don't worry, I'll handle everything from here." He chuckled good naturedly. "I got to do something since you stopped Mizuki."

Naruto's Apartment: Later…
Iruka had been serious about handling everything as Naruto was allowed to return home not long after arriving at the Hokage's Tower. Though, the old man had said he'd be called into his office in a few days to discuss things. For now, he was thankful to have time to himself.

As he took off his jacket, Narto threw it onto the hook with enough force that the smaller scroll he'd gotten from the Forbidden Scroll fell out. It clattered to the floor, drawing Naruto's attention. With everything that happened, the blond had forgotten he had it.

"I should head back to the tower and give this to the old man." Naruto thought, scooping the scroll off the ground. "Then again, maybe a peak wouldn't hurt."

He went about ensuring no one could peak into his apartment before leaping onto his bed and unfurling the scroll.

"If you are reading this, you are Uzumaki by blood. Should you ever need help, smear some blood below the words, and a map will appear to guide you away from Konoha.

-White Lotus."

"White Lotus…" Naruto thought. "Maybe…Maybe it is time I go."

Naruto always knew the village didn't want him. At this point, he could count on one hand the number of people who had any fondness for him. Growing up, he never understood why 95% of the village never liked him, but last night he learned that reason.

"I've tried three times now to be a ninja, to earn some respect, yet it never pans out." Naruto thought. "I can't become the Hokage without having been a Shinobi. This scroll might not even work out, but perhaps I should leave regardless."

His failure to graduate, coupled with what this scroll had him thinking, got Naruto counting the people who seemed to like him. He could only come up with: The Third, Iuka, Teuchi, and Ayame.

"What about Sasuke?" Naruto contemplated, his mind struggling to find anyone else. "Does Sasuke count?"

Naruto felt there was a bond, yet the Uchiha never seemed to like him. Normally, he wouldn't dream of thinking along these lines; however, Naruto was growing desperate, grasping at straws. Even counting Sasuke, that was just 5 people.

No other names came to mind. Just five people who at the very least didn't hate him, and he now seemingly had no ability to earn anyone else's fondness. If he couldn't be a Shinobi, his path to Hokage would be blocked off.

"I grew up in this village, living within it won't achieve a thing." Naruto thought.

Iruka had said it himself. He hadn't always been on Naruto's side until getting to see him in the academy where the blond had been working to become a Shinobi. Without that path forward, he wasn't likely to earn fondness from anyone else.

Naruto stopped in that moment as everything prior seemed to be leading to him wanting to leave, regardless of whether this scroll panned out or not. He rolled the scroll up and decided it might be worthwhile to get some sleep.

He'd been up all day yesterday before falling into Mizuki's trap, which took the entire night. Naruto recognized he may not be thinking clearly. As he put the scroll under his bed, he decided to sleep on everything.

Even as he slipped under the covers, one thought immediately came to mind. "Could I be content with four people liking me while everyone else in the village hates me for something outside of my control?"

He wasn't the fox, but that's seemingly how everyone would view him while the people he's been in the academy with would go onto become Genin. They could earn people's respect; however, he would be stuck with a puddle of light among a lake of darkness.

"If I can't be a Shinobi, nothing more will change here…"

Konoha Streets: Next Day…
By the time Naruto got to sleep yesterday, he'd been physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Upon waking, nothing about his thought process changed. He failed the graduation exam 3 times. Now, the people he's been in class with would move on.

They'd be Genin while he'd be stuck in the academy with a class of people he didn't know, not that knowing the people in his class changed things. The closest thing to a friend he had was Sasuke, and while the Uchiha was his first bond, he could recognize they weren't friends.

Naruto had no friends. As he already discounted Sasuke, all he had were four people with any fondness for him. Even with them, it didn't stop the blond from returning to an empty apartment. It didn't prevent the villagers from their mistreatment of him.

Sure, it could be worse. The only physical damage he could remember was being forced out of shops. No one really laid a hand on him, but that didn't make things better. He was still unwanted by almost everyone. Naruto wasn't one to beat around the bush.

He could be stubborn, really dig in his heels. Ultimately, he realized nothing was going to change about his situation. Living in Konoha was a stagnant path. The rest of the village wouldn't even want him as Hokage anyways.

In the end, Naruto made up his mind. He had to leave, sooner rather than later. Even upon reaching this conclusion, the blond couldn't leave without one last visit to arguably his favorite place in Konoha, Ichiraku Ramen. On that note, he entered the stand.

Teuchi and Ayame noticed him, fortunately they weren't busy at this time, and flashed sincere, sad smiles. They had heard about him not graduating and being tricked by Mizuki. Naruto took his seat and Ayame gave him a glass of water while Teuchi worked.

"You've had a rough couple of days, Naruto." Teuchi noted.

"Yeah, it's been something." Naruto stated, attempting to sound like his usual self.

The pair picked up on it, only to chalk it up to those events.

"Hey, it can only go up from here." Ayame gave a smile as she patted his shoulder. "That Mizuki will be thrown in jail, and you'll pass next time for sure."

"Ayame." Teuchi called out, having finished the bowl he was working on.

Ayame looked his way, taking the bowl with a nod and setting it before Naruto. "Here you go."

Naruto looked at the bowl in surprise as it pretty much had all the fixings, not to mention he hadn't even ordered yet. He looked from Ayame, who smiled, before then looking to Teuchi whose back was facing him.

"Teuchi…" Naruto began.

"Just eat it." Teuchi interrupted.

Despite what his choice was, Naruto still smiled at the kindness he was shown. "Thanks guys."

The blond ate through the bowl while making casual conversation with the two of them. Once he was done, Naruto stood which drew the pair's attention. Any time they gave him a free bowl, it was almost always the case he'd buy one.

They didn't expect that or have it as a condition to give the blond some food. It was just more a note of habit. For Naruto not to have done that, to seemingly be done, it was an indication he may be taking things harder than they thought.

"Before I go, I want to thank you two for everything." Naruto stated, sincerely. "You've been kind where other people haven't. You fed me, especially when I needed it, and never judged me. Thank you. Maybe, somehow, I'll come visit you two again."

That finally clued the pair in on what was happening. Naruto was leaving. As citizens of Konoha, they should alert someone, but they wouldn't. With how the village treated him, they couldn't blame Naruto for coming to this conclusion.

Teuchi gave a resolute nod. "Find a better way, kid."

Ayame hugged him. "Take care, Naruto."

Naruto's Apartment: Evening…
Naruto had changed into a pale white shirt with black pants, knowing he couldn't wear all that orange now, before collecting the three scrolls he'd written and setting them on his table. They were for: Sasuke Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Iruka Umino. With that, he left his apartment.

Hokage Monument: Same Time…
Naruto, dressed in his familiar orange, was laughing as he escaped from the Hokage Faces after having just panted them again. Just like that day, prior to the graduation exam, he was accruing quite the number of Shinobi who were chasing him.

"Naruto, I'm going to get my hands on you this time!"

"To think you'd cross the line again this soon!"

Naruto lept along the roofs and let out another laugh. "Just like last time, you should give up!"

Front Gate
An unassuming man with brown hair and matching eyes approached the front gate. Naruto's laughing and the ensuing chase could be heard closing in. The blond rushed by with a full paint bucket in hand, catching the attention of the two guys at the check in station.

Naruto flung the paint their way, covering the pair and blinding them. He then rushed off, leaving them to splutter as the pursuing Shinobi raced after him. The unassuming man casually walked out of the village and continued down the path.

As the Chunin were still clearing their eyes, Naruto rushed out the gate before heading in as opposite a direction from the brown-haired man as possible. Within the village, Naruto's laughter and the angry voices of pursuing Shinobi could still be heard as well.

Land of Fire: Hours Later…
Hoping he was alone, Naruto, still transformed as the brown-haired man, pulled out the scroll. He unfurled it as he walked while taking out a vial containing a little blood. He poured it on the scroll and smeared it. He didn't know what was supposed to happen, only hoping it'd be quick.

He also hoped his diversions would work; however, there was no real guarantee. He'd created three shadow clones. The first was to wait in his apartment for as long as possible before delivering the letters the real Naruto had written.

The second was the first diversion. He was to paint the Hokage Faces, create a scene, and keep it going as long as possible. He was also responsible for ensuring the real Naruto could walk out the village, which had been achieved.

The third was the second diversion, meant to rush out after the unassuming man. He was then tasked with moving fast and far in the opposite direction. A way that Naruto hopped to buy even a little more time.

Either it'd give him time to come up with a new plan if this scroll didn't pan out or help him do whatever it was supposed to give him. Fortunately, something did happen with the scroll as a map appeared. It led from Konoha to some port town. It also came with instructions.

"Once you arrive at the location, find the plaque with a white lotus imprinted on it. Once again, smear some blood and you shall be delivered to the ally closest to your location."

Naruto didn't really have time to question it as he dropped his Transformation Jutsu and began booking it. "Wherever this is…" He broke from the dirt path, rushing into the forest as he took the most direct path to his end goal. "…I got to get there fast!"

He could hope his distractions would at minimum see him to this location. He had no idea if this would be the case, nor any idea what potentially awaited him there. At this point, it was the only path available to him.

Konoha: Hokage Office, Three Days Later…
Hiruzen breathed out smoke as with tomorrow being team assignments, his mind turned to Naruto. The blond certainly seemed to be taking his failure hard by the stunt he pulled. With the Shadow Clones, he'd defaced the monument again and had one run outside the village.

All the while the real one was sitting safely within his apartment, eating ramen. The Shadow Clone running rampant around the village had been consuming enough, but the one that ran out the gate really ate up resources given it'd seemed, at the time, to be the real Naruto.

Speaking of the blond, he walked into the office with a scroll in hand. "Naruto, what can I do for you?"

"Yours is the last scroll I must deliver." Naruto set the scroll on the old man's desk. "Thought for a second I'd run out of Chakra on the way…"

He dissipated, causing the Hokage's blood to run cold.

"HE WAS A SHADOW CLONE!"

Port Town: Late Evening…
Naruto arrived at the port town indicated on the map, panting as the sky turned dark. There were various buildings with lights still on yet no people were out. Frankly, that suited him. Three days out, he still had no idea how far his diversions had gone.

All he'd known was he couldn't rest often and any time he did was spent putting everything he knew to use in attempting to conceal himself. He didn't eat or sleep well, even compared to what he had back in Konoha, but time was of the essence.

For all he knew, Shinobi were already on his tail. With his breath collected enough, Naruto sprinted through the village as the plaque he was looking for seemed to be on the docks. Upon arriving, they looked like any other dock with nothing out of the ordinary.

"Come on, it has to be here!" Naruto thought.

Naruto forced himself to slow down as he once again looked around. Eventually, his gaze settled on a nearby plaque sitting on a post. It was rusted, though he thought he could make out a white lotus imprinted on it.

Naruto pulled out a kunai and used it to chip away the rust to see it was what he was assumedly looking for. "Okay, fortunately I put a little more blood in that vial I had on me."

Naruto poured the vial of his blood on the plaque before pressing his hand into it. Said plague glowed a brilliant white, forcing Naruto to close his eyes. When the light died down, the blond had vanished.

Ocean
It was a full blown storm. One moment, Naruto had been on the dock placing his hand onto the white lotus symbol. The next, he was over the ocean with no land in sight as rain cascaded down around him. Lighting and thunder raged in the sky above.

"WHAT!?" Naruto screamed as he plummeted beneath the water.

The ocean was in turmoil, with how Naruto fell in giving him no indication of which direction to swim in. The blond's heart began to beat rapidly as he desperately held his breath and attempted to swim in one direction, hoping this to be towards the surface.

"I don't want to die here!" Naruto's heart rate accelerated. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Within Naruto
Naruto awoke within a damp sewer, unsure of where he was now. He then heard growling coming from one direction, so he decided to walk towards it. This eventually led to him standing before a large gate with what looked like a seal on it.

"You finally appear before me." A gruff voice spoke from behind the bars.

"Who is there?" Naruto asked.

"Take a closer look."

Naruto peered inside and could see a large orange fox with nine tails. "You're the Nine Tails!"

"I am, and I see you are in danger at present." The Nine Tails answered. "Fortunately, time does not move out there while you are in here; otherwise, I couldn't offer you a deal. I suggest you listen before you go blowing your mouth off like you normally would."

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

"To understand my offer, you must understand my past." The Nine Tails declared. "I am one of 9 Tailed Beasts who came into existence ages ago due the Sage of Six Paths. For a time, we were worshiped until Madara Uchiha used his accursed Sharingan to control me.

"Sharingan?" Naruto asked.

"Powerful eyes of the Uchiha Clan, though his were colder and more powerful." The Fox growled at the interruption. "The First Hokage defeated Madara, and I was sealed within his wife, inventing the idea of a Jinchuriki.

He went onto capture all but the One Tail, Suna already had him, distributing them to the other villages. Once his wife passed, I was sealed within your mother. Then, on the night of your birth, that man reappeared and removed me from her.

I was ordered to attack Konoha, even though I'd have done that anyways. In fact, I did continue to attack it once the connection was severed. Before I could finish, the Fourth Hokage sealed my entire being within you."

"Why me?" Naruto asked.

"I may want to make a deal, but that doesn't mean I'm going to help you like that." The fox laughed at Naruto before he continued. "For over 12 years, I have been trapped inside you."

"If you hate humans, why do you want to help me?" Naruto asked.

"Although I don't like the idea of working with you, my attempts at freedom have clearly not been successful." The fox replied. "Despite my dislike of humanity and Konoha, I value freedom more now."

"I suppose that means I shouldn't expect to command you?" Naruto asked.

"You're catching on." The fox retorted. "To put it simply, I will give you the ability to use my Chakra; however, I expect something in return."

What?" Naruto asked.

"You should know from hearing my story." The fox retorted. "I want my freedom from being sealed again after you die, and I want you to help me kill that cockroach of an Uchiha."

"If you get your freedom, what's to stop you from destroying the village?" Naruto asked.

Despite leaving Konoha, there were people there worth protecting. While Naruto wouldn't necessarily say that for the rest of the village, he didn't think their mistreatment of him should mean they die. After all, only one person had tried to kill him, and he was going to jail.

"This would be what stops me." The fox rolled a contract out in front of Naruto. "This is a Chakra Contract. If it's signed by both our Chakra and is binding. Basically, it states I will lend you my Chakra and train you if you promise me freedom upon your death.

I even promise to leave Konoha alone unless they try to imprison me again. Additionally, I will do whatever is within my power to ensure you die of old age rather than battle; however, I do not guarantee it if you get in over your head."

"How can you help me exactly?" Naruto asked.

"In my lifetime, I have acquired knowledge which I will use to train you to the best of my ability." The fox replied. "I'll also accelerate your healing further than your Uzumaki blood already does. Additionally, this seal allows for a small amount of my Chakra to mix with yours.

It is weakening slowly, allowing me to flow more Chakra into you. I can't just give you all my power now because that runs the risk of overtaxing your body and killing you. If you die, I die and will take ages to reform. In fact, the most I can give right now is one tail's worth."

Naruto thought about what the Nine Tails offered and looked over the contract. The terms were exactly as they had discussed; however, he saw a name on the contract he didn't recognize.

"Who's this 'Kurama' listed on the contract?" Naruto asked.

"Kurama is my true name." The fox answered. "Now, do we have an agreement?"

Naruto took a few more moments to look over the contract. Even though he couldn't become a Shinobi of Konoha, part of Naruto still did want to be a Shinobi in general. This led to him signing the contract with his Chakra.

Four Nations: South Pole…
A sudden beam of light shot into the sky, its output shifting the ice filled water and generating waves. One of these very waves sent Naruto's body slapping down on a floating piece of ice where he now lay, alive yet unconscious.

---

This is essentially a one shot, something I can link back to whenever I decide to write the two stories which would branch off from this. Those stories would be Naruto within the story of Avatar, and Naruto without the titular main character as he's within that first story.