I am Naruto but where is Kurama!?

I, Naruto Uzumaki, Transmigrator, am now ten years old, and this is my fourth year in this world that I only knew as a work of fiction. What knew of the Canon of Naruto is now, to put it bluntly, likely dead. The reason for this is very simple: Jiraiya became the Fifth Hokage while the Third Hokage is still very much alive. While this further threw whatever I knew about the future off, I was excited as it made me hope things would change for the better for me.

All I got was disappointment and a bitter taste in my mouth since Jiraiya took office. The majority of the village still hates my guts and views me as the incarnation of the Nine-Tails instead of its jailer, which tells me a lot. Either Jiraiya can't change people's minds about me, or he doesn't want to. I'm not sure which is worse. I looked out the window of my apartment to look at Hokage Rock with Pervy Sage's ugly mug now joining the line-up.

A recurring bitter taste in my mouth accompanied my resentment for the village as I looked at the three generations of Hokage that failed me and led me to be an outcast to the majority of the village. I sighed as it only reaffirmed my decision to eventually leave Konoha once I got everything I wanted out of it. I then heard a voice that I had gotten familiar with for the past year.

" Boss, you're brooding again."

I turned to look at one of my Shadow Clones and sighed as I practically talked to myself.

" Yeah, I have better things to do than my Sasuke impression."

I jokingly said as I finished my break before starting up my training again, and another one of my Shadow Clones commented as he read one of the romance novels I got out of curiosity.

" Boss, it's official. Romance in this world is just weird. I mean, even female authors have strange concepts of love that seem more like obsession than anything. I mean chasing after a boy who is a childhood friend, not even a good one, just because he's handsome. I think finding your definition of a woman with a normal personality is very unlikely."

" Isn't one of the most popular romance novels geared toward women?"

I asked as I looked at the book's cover.

" Unfortunately."

" So it's not just that toad who is a mediocre author by our standards?"

I reference Jiraiya and his popular Make-Out series, and my Shadow Clone sighed and nodded as he put away the novel and said.

" I think we have a real shot at becoming a popular author even if we don't go plagiarizing works from Earth."

" Add it to the to-do list."

I replied as I started my squats because even if Shadow Clones could help me accelerate my learning, I still needed to do some things myself for gains, like physical training and calligraphy for muscle memory. I only wish I had started using the Shadow Clone Jutsu sooner because I can safely maintain a dozen Clones without tiring myself out for a whole day. I figured out the Shadow Clone Jutsu a year ago and tried it when I learned I had Jonin-level Chakra reserves from the retired Third Hokage.

I just faked my difficulty with the Academy Clone Jutsu and asked for advice when I met him one day after he retired. Hiruzen Sarutobi started visiting me more often, and almost every F*CKING time, he went over the Will of Fire. I could recite that BS in my sleep now! I now had to work very hard not to try and strangle the senile old monkey. To make matters more angering, I have not seen Jiraiya once after he took office.

Even if it turns out he's not my godfather, he is still Minato's teacher, so expecting him to give a damn about me and check up on me shouldn't be too much, but reality loves to prove me wrong. However, that was what I felt before now. Now, I am just disappointed and indifferent as the only person who really cares about me in this village is me in any tangible capacity. I am certain Hiruzen is just trying to make me loyal to the village as he goes on and on about the Will of Fire.

Most of the kids in my generation are acquaintances at best since I really can't bring myself to act like a kid anymore when there is a very real threat to my life one way or another. Another one of my Shadow Clones working on Wind Chakra Nature Transformation by cutting a leaf pointed out.

" Boss, you are getting lost in your head again."

I did not respond as he or, rather, I was right: moping around is going to help me. I also used my Shadow Clones to try and keep me motivated and focused by reminding me of what I need to do if I want to live a long life. It was strange when I took in their memories to see myself from a third perspective and notice small details about myself, but that's my life now. I got a surge of new memories from the Shadow Clone I sent to the Academy and learned nothing new; it was just another boring day.

I rarely leave my apartment outside the early morning and late evening to train, as I usually send a Shadow Clone out to run errands. Well, there is one other thing I head out to do as much as I can almost daily, and speaking of which, I need to get going.

" I'm outta here, guys."

My Shadow Clones replied with our usual running joke.

" Stop talking to yourself!"

The joke still brings a smile to my face, and I ran out to head to Konoha's Hospital. I ran through the rooftops to avoid dealing with the dumb villagers and reached my destination. I entered the hospital and reached the room labeled.

" Medical Ninjutsu Extracurricular Class."

I entered the room and saw Tsunade waiting for the rest of the class to show up from the academy. This was another change that drastically changed things for what I knew of the Canon, Tsunade, staying within Konoha and teaching Medical Ninjutsu to anyone who wants to learn from the Academy. Medical Ninjutsu is one of the top things I want to learn in this world, but its difficulty level is on another level.

It's not just Chakra Control that's needed but an immense amount of knowledge that is absolutely headache-inducing. The number of times I considered quitting was not smaller, but I stuck with it because I do need it for my body modification research that I have yet to start due to lack of knowledge. Turning my body into a Scientific Ninja Tool like Kawaki from Boruto is my goal because of the sheer potential to surpass human limits and make my body a better fit into turning into a Ōtsutsuki body later on.

I need that level of power to survive in the long run, but it's still a long way off. I first greeted Tsunade before taking my seat.

" Good afternoon, Lady Tsunade."

She glanced at me and nodded in acknowledgment before going back over her paperwork. I wasn't going to call her Granny Tsunade like the original Naruto, especially since I am trying to learn from her that's just asking for broken bones and pain. As I took my seat, the door suddenly opened to reveal a tired and panting 11-year-old girl with brown hair in two Chinese-style buns and brown eyes. This was Tenten, the future (maybe) member of Team Gai.

She saw me and complained.

" How do you still beat me here, Naruto!? I even left early to get here first!"

I shrugged as I wasn't going to explain that I use Shadow Clones to attend class instead of going myself. She is oddly competitive with me for some reason. I know she admires and wants to be a great Kuniochi like Tsunade, but showing up first to class shouldn't be a big deal. She sat next to me and pouted as she glared at me, and I ignored her.

The rest of the class started to trickle in; it was mostly girls about ten to thirteen that attended this class from the Academy. Thankfully, neither Sakura nor Ino were here. I guess they are still more interested in Sasuke than actually training to be Kuniochi. Although Sasuke's fan fair has become a lot more subdued for some reason, not that I care enough to find out why, as I had better things to do.

Once the class started, Tsunade then said.

" Okay, I am handing back your test results from last week and marked where you need to improve."

The Slug Princess then started calling everyone up one at a time, and when I got my test results back, it was 70 out of 100, good, but I need to do better as all it takes is a single mistake to cost a life, especially my life. Tenten groaned as she got a 49, a barely passing grade, and complained.

" I studied so much, and yet."

She then looked at my grade and looked even more depressed. I did like Tenten as she is one of the few girls I know of who is actually serious about being a Kuniochi from the Canon at the start, but unfortunately, she focused on the wrong skills. Throwing weapons is useful, but it is easily countered, and knowing how to wield a bunch of different weapons effectively is foolish as it only makes you a jack of all trades and master of none.

To top it off, she didn't try to push her Sealing Jutsu to a higher level, as it could be a fairly broken and reliable skill that could have made her a full-on Jonin instead of a Chunin. I might be meddling here, but I think I should at least say something.

" Tenten."

" Yeah."

" If Medical Ninjutsu were easy, there would be a lot more Medical Ninja and even more lives saved. This a marathon, not a sprint; just don't give up, and you can become a Medical Ninja."

Tenten sighed and said.

" Thanks, but it seems no matter how hard I study, I can barely remember enough to pass the written test, let alone practicals."

" Even I have trouble with practicals, heck I have yet to hear anyone passing since these classes started."

Tenten nodded in agreement as the first real test of Medical Ninjutsu was healing a fish, and it's not easy as you are on a tight timetable. First, you identify what's wrong with could be a number of different things and try to heal it within the time limit before the fish is dead for good. Tenten smiled as she said.

" I guess you're right. I can't give up yet; after all, when else am I going to get a chance to learn from Lady Tsunade directly!"

" That's the spirit."

I encouraged her before reviewing my test to see which medical books I need to reread.

________________________________________

Perverted laughter could be heard from the Hokage office as Jiraiya was looking at a crystal ball and peeking at women with it. He grinned as he said to himself.

" I should've become Hokage sooner. Who knew Lord Second left such an invaluable legacy? I can even peek on Tsunade without worry!"

Jiraiya wouldn't dare say this out loud unless he already knew Tsunade wouldn't hear him since she was teaching her Medical Ninjutsu classes. After all, there is a very real chance that while the Slug Princess wouldn't kill him, she would neuter him in the most painful way possible, which is a lot considering she is the best Medical Ninja in the Shinobi World. The Fifth Hokage continued peeking at a young married woman as it added spice to his research.

The door to the Hokage office opened to reveal the newest elder of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi. The former Hokage sighed at his student's antics and lightly reprimanded him.

" Jiraiya, at least wait until nightfall."

" Come on, sensei, if I do that, I will miss some of the best women in the village."

The newest Elder sighed and shook his head in disappointment but decided not to push the matter as he had more important business to attend to.

" Jiraiya, we got more reports on the Hidden Stone and Cloud poking at our borders, nothing but skirmishes; however, they are being persistent."

Jiraiya sets aside his research for the moment and gets serious.

"They're just gauging our reaction like usual, and unless there is a more serious attempt, we shouldn't react and bolster our second line to supply reinforcements if needed."

Hiruzen smiled as this was in line with his thoughts on the matter. It is better not to overreact and draw unnecessary attention while not being overly subdued. He wished he had made one of his students Hokage sooner rather than take up office again, but there is no medicine for regret. The former Hokage felt far lighter now.

"Sensei."

Jiraiya called out as he did not go back to his research just yet, and Hiruzen knew why as it was an ongoing argument between them.

" Isn't it time to try and change the village's mind about Naruto? I have been Hokage for three years now and-."

" You know why we can't, Jiraiya. It would put a target on Naruto's back, and it risks the secret we have been trying to keep revealing itself."

The two of them have done everything in their power to ensure that the knowledge of Konoha no longer has a Jinchūriki from coming out. However, when Jiraiya finally learns of Naruto's situation that he is an outcast in the village that should be treating him like a hero, he tries to change it but is stopped for a simple reason. It would put the village at risk, which meant Naruto would be at risk without even revealing his parentage to make the matter more dangerous.

" I regret that I failed not only Naruto but Kushina and Minato as well, but the situation is what it is, and trying to change it while Konoha is still weak would only lead to its destruction."

" I know this, sensei, but the village should be a home to Naruto, not a prison where he has no choice to reside in! Minato and Kushina gave their lives for the village, and their son, my godson, shouldn't be treated like the plague! Even an orphan such as myself didn't suffer like he did, and I survived two Shinobi World Wars!"

Hiruzen sighed as he did agree with his student, but it was ultimately a scale where the needs of the village outweighed the needs of a single orphan child regardless of who his parents were.

" It's too late now, Jiraiya. The only thing we can do is try to make up for our mistakes later when the village is more stable."

Jiraiya decided to take a cheap shot as he truly felt guilty.

" Yes, allowing Danzo to have a force entirely under his control and loyal only to him was a mistake."

Hiruzen did not rise to defend himself as even now he realized he gave his old friend too many liberties and turned a blind eye too often, even if he knows in his heart that Danzo loves the village more than anything.

" I know, Jiraiya, but Danzo is now under house arrest, and ROOT is dismantled."

" Do you honestly believe that sensei?"

Jiraiya asked almost incredulously as while he handed over his information network to ANBU, he still kept tabs himself when he could and informed his Sensei.

" A lot of resources go missing or get misplaced within the Land of Fire, and due to the lack of clues and how professionally it's done, this requires a massive and efficient organization, one that ROOT happens to match too well. I wouldn't be surprised if Danzo's second in command were managing things while he was stuck at home. "

"Jiraiya, I gave strict orders back then and even assigned most of ANBU to ensure ROOT was properly dismantled this time."

Hiruzen replied earnestly, and Jiraiya sighed; he asked the elephant in the room.

" Then why is Danzo still alive? You know how treason is handled, sensei."

" Treason is the wrong term, Jiraiya. Did Danzo do several things without immunity? Yes, but did he betray the village? No, he didn't, as the village is the most important thing to him."

The former Hokage defended his old friend's damning actions, and the fifth Hokage sighed and dropped the subject as he knew he wasn't getting anywhere. Jiraiya grinned as he poked fun at Hiruzen to lighten the mood.

" You know, if I didn't know any better, I thought you were married to Danzo rather than Biwako-sensei."

The former Hokage snorted and did not dignify that sentence with a response.