One Year Later: Konoha

A boy is hiding in an alleyway, tufts of blonde hair held from his eyes and face by a pair of green goggles, blue eyes terrified as he ducks further behind a dumpster, footfalls smacking the bricked over alley.

Three teenage boys, hitae-ate of Konohagakure plastered across a thin piece of metal tied to their heads tightly with a thin cloth backing, make their way through the darkness of the alley looking for any sign of said boy.

A whimper startles them as they face towards the dumpster the blonde boy hides behind. A shadow bolts out of the darkness trying to get by from the dead-end alleyway and into the streets for safety.

The tallest of the teenager reaches out to grab at the shadow and throws it into the wall hard, "You can't hide any longer demon..." The boy whispers out harshly at the frightened child.

The child, knocked breathless pleads, "I'm not a Demon! I did nothi-" The teenage boy punches him hard in the gut. "Quiet, you little shit! You are a Demon! You deserve to die for what you've done!"

He slowly pulls a kunai from the pouch on his leg and brings it towards the blonde boy's neck.

A silent clink sounds out behind him as metal touches his neck. "What are you t-t-two..." Out of the darkness appears what seems to be a boy, around the height and build of a healthy ten-year-old with a black skin-tight mask pulled over half his face, leaving just his eyes and short black hair.

The teenager looks around to see his two friends had been silently knocked unconscious. "P-p-please... don't hurt m-me I d-d-did nothing wrong..."

A quiet emotionless rasp comes from the boy's covered mouth, "Hatred without purpose is what you've done wrong." The sword leaves his neck for a moment before the hilt of the blade crashes into his temple. He crumbles to the ground as the boy slides his Katana back into place with a slow click.

Ken looks down at the blonde haired boy and holds out a hand, "Ken."

Naruto PoV

I look up at the boy of shadow's hand as he continues to idly stare at me his half-lidded eyes shows his almost boredom, like what he just did meant nothing and the three who attacked me were trash.

I reach up slowly, pain still radiating throughout my body as I smile widely, "Naruto -ttebane! Nice ta meet'cha! Thanks for the help!" I basically shout at him, grabbing his hand as he helps me up. His eyes widen slightly for a moment, before they look annoyed.

He backs into the shadows, still mostly unseen, "I'll escort you home so something like this doesn't happen again." He says slowly, walking out of the alley, "If you want to hide, get different clothes. I won't help you if you won't even try your hardest to get away, and that starts with your clothing." He points all over my body at my orange jumpsuit and I swear I heard a soft chuckle as a hand comes up from the shadow silencing the words that were about to flow from my mouth, "I don't care how much you love orange, it's disgusting. With this village's hatred of you, you're not going to live long wearing those clothes when they come for you."

I nod repeatedly at his advice as we walk out of the alley, he pulls back behind me into some shadows at the side of the street. I look at him questioningly, as he scoffs and says, "You have to lead, I don't know where your apartment is."

I smack my forehead loudly and squeak out an embarrassed apology and start walking to my apartment.

We make it in around 10 minutes of walking. I honestly would have no idea he was following me except for the fact he purposely makes noises from somewhere behind me when I start looking for him to make sure I didn't lose him.

Once we got to my door and I unlocked it he walked in front of me into my apartment as if he owned the place and sat down at the couch I found in the street several months ago. Pulling his sword from his waist he placed it across his lap and I finally got a good look at him once my lights came on.

He's wearing a pair of black shinobi sandles, black Anbu style pants tucked into the bottom of his sandles with bandages wrapping from his ankles to mid-calf. A yukata with a mesh shirt underneath and a belt over it with a loop for his Katana. Underneath his mesh shirt is a skintight cloth going all the way from his hands up to over his nose. Blue-green eyes staring back at me with mild curiosity.

Third Person

They stay silent for several minutes until Naruto's stomach rumbles.

Ken just looks over at him as he stands up, "Thanks for your hospitality," He says sarcastically. "But I'm going to get going, I have the academy tomorrow morning and I still need to find a place to stay."

Ken starts towards the door, sliding his Katana through her hoop in his belt. Naruto looks confused for a moment before shouting, "Ah! I'm sorry, I'm just not used to people helping me, I didn't know if you wanted something, or perhaps to hurt me yourself... To make up for it..." He hesitates for a few moments, looking slightly nervous, "You could stay here! I only have a couch, but you saved my life and helped me home. I could feel you sending out your aggression or whatever you call it, I know that's why I wasn't bothered by anyone. Thank you once again for everything you did for me..."

Ken turns around without expression on his face and nods once, "Very well, I accept. As for your apology, it is unnecessary, I was bored and just looking around and saw someone in need. My mother would beat me if she thought I allowed someone to be harmed when there was something I could do about it."

Ken walks over to the couch, once more laying his Katana across his lap as he sat closing his eyes, legs crossed in a meditative pose. "I will sleep here, worry for me no longer."

Naruto affirmed in a low voice, slightly stunned at his new house guest's nonchalance. Got something to eat quickly before going to bed, exhausted by the night's activities.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

The Next Morning

Naruto awoke with the sun shining through his lone bedroom window and slowly got ready for the day, his eyes barely opening the light hurting them.

Once done with his shower he started to get ready until he remembered his house guest. Instead of picking out one of his five favorite jumpsuits he took a black t-shirt and shorts and put them on quickly, taking his only pair of shinobi sandles, brown with black cloth and slipping them on.

He smiled as he walked into his den/kitchen and noticed a nice smell in the air. Ken was standing in front of the stove making some pancakes and eggs with sausage.

Ken made enough for them both without even turning around or asking an opinion from Naruto and just slapped the plate down in front of Naruto, some milk to the side. In a raspy voice, muffled by his mask he said, "Eat..."

Naruto dug in and pieces of food started to fly before Ken pulled his sword from it's belt loop and smacked him with the sheath. "Manners... Next time it won't be my sheath." Naruto gulps and quietly continues eating, slowly this time, with his mouth closed.

After breakfast and being forced to clean his dish, Naruto nervously asks, "So... the academy, huh? Jiji says I have to wait until I'm older to go. How long have you been going?"

Ken, doing his early morning meditations, half opens one eye at him and replies, "It is my first day of my first year, Naruto-san."

Naruto sputters and yells, "What?! But you're so strong! And you're like ten or twelve right?!"

Ken looks at him languidly, "I'm six..." Naruto's eyes widen, "No way! You're lying!"

Ken glares at him coldly. Naruto just gulps and replies, "Okay, okay, you're six... How are you so strong then?"

Ken sighs softly, "My father and mother taught me all I know, I will say my father taught me more than my mother, as she has responsibilities as an active duty jounin." Naruto looks sad for several moments then happy and nods. "It must be nice to have parents! Are they good people?"

The black haired boy takes a few moments to respond then shrugs, "I do not know. Good and bad are terms which shinobi don't fall under."

The blonde widens his eyes and doesn't respond.

Ken sighs and says lightly, "Look, Naruto-san, every person you meet in your life will have people who believe they are good, and people who believe they are bad. It is up to you to decide for yourself which you believe."

Ken stands from his meditation and looks out the kitchen window, "It is time for me to go, it was nice to meet you, Naruto-san. Thank you for allowing me to stay in your home. It meant quite a bit to me." He stands and walks for the door, and pauses at the doorknob for a moment, "We will meet again." He walks out and disappears down the street towards the academy as Naruto watches him from the doorway.

Hokage Tower: Academy Enrollment Place

Ken stands in line for about thirty minutes before coming to the front to a man with a scar over his nose who glances up at him only to do a double-take and look directly into his half-lidded eyes, "Can I help you, boy?" Ken nods, "I'd like to register for the academy and start today, my name is Yaiba no Ken, six years old, son of Yaiba no Hisako and Kentaro," he pulls papers from his Yukata, seemingly from nowhere, "Here is my birth certificate, residence, and house seal. Please confirm."

The scarred man looks shocked and respectfully takes the papers from Ken and looks over them quickly, "Hai, Yaiba-sama, I know your father, he is a good man and a better shinobi," he quickly fills out a form and places a stamp on it that says approved and hands it to Ken. He holds out a hand to him and says, "My name is Umino Iruka, it is a pleasure to meet you. Please wait for a few minutes until Hokage-sama is ready to see you."

Ken nods languidly and follows a secretary to a waiting room outside two large wooden double doors, taking on the same smooth, yet tree bark motif as the rest of the Hokage tower.

Several minutes later the secretary calls out to him to enter the Hokage's office.

He walks in slowly to see a large wooden desk that seems to flow into the ground as if it were made from it and stands between the two chairs with his left fist on his heart and his right hand behind his back. "Hokage-sama." He states softly, but with conviction.

The Hokage, an older man looking to be in his late sixties early seventies, looks up at him from his paperwork, which he puts to the side and picks up a folder to his left. His eyes staring down the young boy with no emotions as he sizes him up. "Yaiba no Ken-kun, correct?"

Ken nods, "Hai, Hokage-sama. It is an honor to meet you, my father has spoken of your strength and wisdom often."

The Sandaime Hokage looks down on him for several more seconds with a stern expression until all at once his expression disappeared and was replaced by a soft grandfatherly one. "Yes, Kentaro-kun is a good man, I've spent many an hour talking with your father. To be honest I miss the man. It's been too long since he retired to train you."

He looks down to Ken's Katana with a small eyebrow quirk, "Your bloodline has awoken?"

Ken nods and pulls out the Katana, several shadows in the room shake slightly until the Hokage holds out a hand. He stares at the unsheathed sword with awe. "May I see it?"

He turns the Katana in his hand until the blade tip faces his own heart and hands him the hilt as he walks forward. The Hokage looks deeply shocked for a moment before looking up into Ken's eyes to see nothing but determination and steel. The Kage's smile disappears, his stern features coming back once more, "Do you understand what your actions represent, young one?"

The black haired blue-green eyed boy nodded back heavily to the Hokage, "In the name of Yaiba no Ken, by my ancestors and my descendants, and my sword, the Eternal Illusion, I pledge myself, wholeheartedly to this village and each Hokage beginning with you, until my last breath."

Three shocked gasps come from the shadows as Anbu appeared next to me and kneel behind me, "We shall be witness to such an event, Yaiba-sama, Hokage-sama." The three of them taking off their masks and placing them to the side.

The Hokage looks at Ken deeply and nods, grabbing the hilt and pushing it into Ken's chest as the Katana once more glows a deep crimson red, no blood leaks from either side as it goes directly through his heart.

The Hokage breathes deeply and swears, "By the Shodai, Niidaime, Sandaime, and Yondaime Hokage's, and by the Sarutobi clan, I Sarutobi Hiruzen, do solemnly swear that we and all Hokage after, will honor this oath with everything each of us has, for as long as Konohagakure no Sato continues to stand." The Katana turns black and disperses into particles that enter both the Hokage and Ken.

The three Anbu stand and simultaneously say, "We bare witness." Particles flow from Ken and the Hokage and flow into the three of them. The Hokage sits back down and the Anbu return their masks to their faces and fade into shadow once more.

Ken remakes his sword from chakra and smoothly hands it over to the Hokage once more, no fanfare this time, though still with the blade tip placed at his heart. The Hokage accepts it and marvels at its beauty. He mutters quietly the blade's inscription as he inspects it more, then tosses it back to Ken.

"You will go to the Academy in two years. There you will join those your age and watch over them for four years. You will then select two of them to support you and be put into a genin squad to dominate the chunin exams in six years time. By that time I will find you an appropriate jounin sensei to help bring your support up to your speed." The Hokage said non-chalantly, a gleam in his eyes as he went over something in his head.

He glanced at Ken and took his file and put it into his bottom desk drawer. "Until then, you are to look after Uzumaki Naruto. Teach him manners, discipline, and spar with him. Teach him nothing to do with fighting, only help his personality."

Ken bowed lightly, "Yes, master." Ken turns to leave the room and the Hokage speaks lightly, his eyes switching back to grandfatherly gentleness, "Thank you for protecting my grandson, Ken-kun..."

Ken pauses lightly, "Anything for the family, master." and continues out the large wooden double doors.