Sakura was curious. What had Naruto meant? Why did the villagers hate him? After Naruto had talked to her that day, she was curious. 

She always searched for any hints, or slip-ups, but all she got hints about was his crush on Hinata.

'So he is trying to hide his crush on her? I will tease him a lot, shannaro!" she thought deviously.

Then one day she got the hint.

She was walking back when she saw Naruto. She heard two women talking about him.

"Look, it's that kid."

"Yeah, I heard he is very close to Hokage sama."

"I mean, he is not really bad. How could he be the nine tails?"

"I heard that it was sealed inside him. That honestly makes more sense. I mean, he doesn't look very harmful."

"Yeah, those whisker marks are pretty cute too."

'Kyubi...' thought Sakura as she then rushed towards the library.

She then searched a book on the tailed beasts.

She was skimming through the book, reading about how each tailed beast was once owned by Konoha, but was sold by the first to different villages.

"Kyubi sure is very powerful," she muttered.

She then found how each village used them. She found the term 'jinchuriki' or human sacrifice. She also read how badly they were treated, as it was a much older book, so it was more unbiased.

'He has gone through so much! If normal jinchuriki were treated badly, then how bad would Naruto get treated? After all, he had the one which had attacked the village. And I treated him so badly. No, he wouldn't want pity. He isn't weak. He is no different, so I won't treat him any different,' she thought. She then put the book back and walked out.

'He is no monster, and he certainly isn't Kyubi,' she thought as she started to walk out. But then her vision fell on a book titled 'Chakra control for academy students and genin'.

"This will be helpful," she mused.

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Hiruzen was having a peaceful day. But all of a sudden, his danger sense went off. Not the normal one. No, the one that told him that his biggest enemy was gonna strike. The nightmare of every Kage, the biggest villain, known as paperwork.

All of a sudden, Naruto burst into the office.

"Ahh, Naruto kun, what can I do for you?" asked Hiruzen.

"We are the original ones Jiji," said Naruto.

"Ah... I take it the mission went well?"

"Better than you think. Expect a peace treaty from Kumo," said Jiraiya.

"Oh really?" asked Hiruzen.

Jiraiya then explained all that took place.

"Ahh, so you casually decided to raid one of Orochimaru's bases?" asked Hiruzen a little threateningly.

"Jiji, I mean come on. It was too tempting to leave. Once Ero sennin mentioned it, we couldn't just not do it," said Naruto with a sweat-drop.

Hiruzen sighed. he knew how stubborn Naruto was. After all, he was his mother's son. The scariest and stubborn woman on the planet to be ever born.

"Alright. You both will get an S-ran payment, and it will be added to your portfolio once you become genin," said Hiruzen.

"ALRIGHT! OFF I AM," yelled Naruto as he ran outside.

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The next day had come, and Naruto entered the class.

"NARUTO! You're late," Iruka said, faking the scolding.

"Sorry sensei," said Naruto rubbing the back of his head.

Naruto then turned to go back to his seat, next to Sasuke, which was surprisingly not taken by Ino or Sakura. In fact, Sakura was sitting behind them both, along with Ino!

"Sakura-chan, I thought you and Ino were always fighting?" asked Naruto, confused.

"Well, I guess I was wrong. I mean, she was my first friend, but I pushed her away because of some crush," said Sakura.

"Though we haven't given up on Sasuke kun," said Ino.

"Yeah. Though it's clear that he will date me," said Sakura.

"No, he will date me," said Ino.

"Me"

"Me"

"Me"

"Me"

"Okay, I get it," said Naruto sweat-dropping.

"Naruto, who do you think is better out of both of us?" asked Sakura.

"Well, you both are nice looking," said Naruto.

"And well, you are more polite in general," he added, and both Sakura and Ino had a look of guilt. Sakura, after reconciling with her, had told her about Naruto, and she too felt a little bad.

"Well... it's not about who is better. It's about who Sasuke chooses. I mean, you both are great and all, but you both are different. So one of you may have more qualities Sasuke likes than the others," said Naruto.

They both just nodded. Then Sakura and Ino had a wicked smile on their face.

"Aww, thank you, Naruto. Though we know that you like a certain dark-blue-haired girl in class more than us," she said loudly, and Hinata heard it. 

'N-Naruto kun l-likes a dark blue haired girl? Wait! I am the only dark blue haired girl in class! No, that's not possible.'

"N-no, I do not," stuttered Naruto, as he turned red.

"Really?" asked Sakura.

"Just keep it quiet. I am not ready for these things," said Naruto.

'WAIT HE DOES! But he said he isn't ready, so maybe he doesn't. I will wait for him to be ready.'

"Though she is really cute."

And with that, Hinata fainted.

"So you do like her?" asked Sakura.

"He does," replied Sasuke with a smirk.

"But I can't," said Naruto dejected.

"Why?" asked both Ino and Sakura.

"Well, she is a clan member," said Naruto.

"So you're going to give up?" asked Sakura.

"Heh. You're talking to Naruto Uzumaki. I never give up, and I never go back on my words. That's my ninja way," said Naruto with his signature smirk.

"Now now Naruto, focus on the class," said Sasuke.

They turned to Iruka just in time to see him going towards the cupboard.

"3," said Naruto.

"2," said Sasuke, and both Ino and Sakura looked at each other confused.

"1," said Naruto, and Iruka opened his cupboard.

Iruka, being a Chunin, jumped out of the way as soon as he felt that something was off. A pie flew out of the cupboard, heading for Kiba now. He ducked, but Shikamaru who was directly behind him, didn't, as he was sleeping. The pie hit Shikamaru who was leaning backward straight in the face, startling him, causing the chair to fall along with him.

The whole class was in spits, while Iruka was trying to control his laughter.

"NARUTO! Detention" yelled Iruka.

"Worth it," was Naruto's reply.

Shikamaru was looking at Naruto with a death glare, but Naruto retaliated with a grin.

"troublesome blondes," he muttered as he went to sleep with pie all over him.

"On second thought, Naruto, you did a good thing. Now that I know he is sleeping, SHIKAMARU!" he yelled the last part.

"Huh!" 

"DETENTION!" Iruka yelled.

"This is such a drag," he muttered.

"Maybe you shouldn't sleep in class," said Naruto.

Sakura and Ino, along with others, were in splits.

 But Naruto ignored them and turned to Hinata, who was giggling cutely.

'COME ON! THINK OF SOMETHING FAST! I REALLY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HER,' he thought.