I am Naruto but where is Kurama!?

"Why do I get the feeling something troublesome is going happen to me?"

I wondered out loud as I got a nagging feeling as I focused on the memories I got from my Shadow Clone yesterday. First, Tenten says she's my friend, which is nice, but I don't understand as all I did was talk to her when we were in Medical Ninjutsu class. I never thought we were close. Second, Hinata showed up and encouraged me to call her by her given name as she gave some notes from class. I thought I missed triggering the Hinata route, yet here we are.

What the heck? Seriously, what is happening? I tried to make sense of things but couldn't, so I decided just to accept things as is to avoid getting a headache, as I don't have the head space to worry about this now. I went on to my regular training as my summons were exploring Konoha.

I heard a knock on my door as I did my squats, and I stopped to see who it was. I wiped off my sweat before answering the door to find Hinata waiting for me.

" Hello, Hinata-san. Shouldn't you be in class?"

" Uzumaki-san, it's the weekend. There is no class today."

Ah, right, I must have lost track of time because of my Reverse Summoning trip. However, why is she here?

" What brings you to my humble abode, Hinata-san?"

"You are taking the Medical Ninjutsu Extracurricular Classes, correct?"

I nodded in reply, and she then asked while pushing her fingers together while looking shy.

" I plan on joining them soon. Can you help me catch up, Uzumaki-san?"

I shrugged as I answered since I didn't have anything better to do.

" Sure, come in."

I offered, and I saw her do a little fist pump, which, when she thought I wasn't looking, made me think.

" Cute."

The Hyuga girl took off her Shinobi sandals at the doorway, and I dug out the medical books I had on hand for key subjects, plus my notes. I wish I had more money to buy up all the medical books I need, but I make do with buying key introductory books and then reading the rest from the library in the hospital to make notes from to look back on. I picked out a book on cellular regeneration to start with and turned to see Hinata fidgeting shyly as she glanced around my apartment.

I handed her the book as I told her.

" Here, this is a good starting point, but be warned, I don't have a wide selection of medical books. If you want a more in-depth study, you will either need to get the books yourself or head to the hospital library."

" Thank you, Uzumaki-san."

I briefly debated whether I should just get her to call me Naruto but decided against it. If she wants to, she can, but it has to be her own initiative. She may not be the overly shy Hinata I am familiar with from the Canon, but to me, she is just a cute kid with some family issues I don't wanna touch with a ten-foot pole. As we went over the thick medical book, I heard another knock on my door, and I wondered if my summons were back.

I went to the door and found Tenten waiting for me.

" Hey, Naruto-san, how have you been since yesterday?"

" Cooped up and bored."

I lied bluntly, as I didn't feel like getting into my Reverse Summoning escapades or explaining how I figured out the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Well, I guess I didn't lie, as my Shadow Clone did feel cooped and bored when I left it in my place. Tenten smiled as she took out some books from a storage scroll.

" In that case, I got some books I borrowed from my dad that you might like to read to pass the time."

I was honestly surprised at the thoughtful loan and felt moved... at first until I saw the titles of the books.

" Make-Out Paradise."

" Desert Flower."

" The Hidden Gem."

These were all smut books I had already pursued at the local bookstore. I briefly considered teasing Tenten about her selection, but she was trying to be thoughtful, so I kept quiet. However, I will bring this up in the future to mess with her. I then had an idea.

" Why don't you come in for a while?"

" Sure, oh, and can we go over identifying poisons while we're at it? It's giving me a headache remembering all the scientific and code names of different poisons."

I was curious to see how Tenten and Hinata would react to each other. As I led the brunette girl in, I was met with a tense silence. The two girls stared at each other like deers caught in headlights, like they didn't expect to see one another in my apartment.

"Now, how is this going to turn out?"

I thought to myself as I did my best to fade into the background to watch any drama that might pop up. Tenten made the first move.

" Hi, I am a friend of Naruto-san, Tenten. How are you related to Neji Hyuga, if you don't me asking?"

Hinata maintained eye contact as she introduced herself.

" I'm Uzumaki-san's classmate, and Neji-nii-san is my cousin on my father's side."

The brunette extended her hand, and the pale-eyed girl shook it. Tenten, noticing the medical book in Hinata's hands, asked.

" Are you planning to join the Medical Ninjutsu Extracurricular Classes?"

The Hyuga girl nodded, and the brunette commented with a bit of envy.

" Your Byakugan is going to be a major help along with the Hyuga Clan's known Chakra Control. You're probably going to catch up in no time."

Hinata looked awkward at the sudden praise, and I thought.

" Well, crud, her self-esteem is still low despite her apparent differences from her Canon counterpart."

The Hyuga girl deflected the compliment while looking down.

" I am certain to be behind everyone regardless, but I have to at least try to make up for lost time."

Tenten looked at a loss at Hinata's self-defecating attitude and turned to me as if to silently ask.

" What's going on with her?"

I shrugged as I couldn't be bothered to explain her circumstances as there are a few things I do know about her at present, like how she lost her title as heiress to her younger sister if Konoha's gossip mill is to believe, or she's generally left to her own devices with little to no expectations. I changed the subject.

" Tenten-san, you wanted my notes on poisons, right?"

" Ah, yeah! Thanks for reminding me!"

I dug out my notes and went over them with Tenten as Hinata snuck in some glances our way as she read the medical book. An awkward silence descends in my apartment, but I ignore it in favor of either helping one of the two girls study or training on my own. Time ticked away until I heard a knock on my door once more. I went to check to see who it was this time, and it was... Jiraiya.

" Hey, brat, we need to-."

I slammed the door shut and locked it before telling the girls.

" There's someone impersonating the Hokage at my door!"

" Eh?"

" What?"

Hinata and Tenten answered respectively at my accusation, and they easily believed it as, unlike Hiruzen, the Fifth Hokage isn't known for interacting with the younger generations. The brunette suggested urgently.

" Should we find a Chunin or Jonin for help?"

" I think this falls under ANBU's line of duty."

Hinata pointed out, but I suddenly heard my door become unlocked, and Jiraiya invited himself in as I frowned, and he demanded with a look of grievance.

" Stop slandering me, you crazy brat! I am the real deal! The Fifth Hokage, the Great Hermit Sage of Mount Myōboku, and All-round Ladies Man, Jiraiya!"

I turned to Hinata and asked while suppressing my urge to grin.

" Hinata-san, can you find the nearest ANBU?"

She was about to nod in reply, but the Old Toad hit me on the head as he bellowed in anger.

" BRAT, THE ANBU ANSWER TO ME!"

I rubbed where he hit me, and I could already feel a lump forming as I mentally cursed the Fifth Hokage.

" Violent old pervert, why are you bothering me now?"

Jiraiya proceeded to give me a nookie on both of my temples with his knuckles, much to my annoyance. Of course, he started to lecture me.

" Listen, hear you, little yellow turd, you broke your house arrest when you Reverse Summoned yourself, so your punishment is getting an extension, and I am assigning someone to personally keep an eye on you because clearly you can't be trusted to be left to your own devices. They won't leave your side 24/7 until your punishment is over and also teach you the meaning of respect."

I really didn't care about anything he said as I was too busy trying to break out his head-crushing nookie. I decided to be spiteful.

" Did it hurt?"

" Did what hurt, you brat?"

" Finally, losing your cherry as the Elders of Konoha bend you over your new desk and f*ck you despite being Hokage!"

My reward for my efforts is Jiraiya double downing on his nookie on me, as he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

" Quite the foul-mouth brat you are!"

I'm pretty sure I feel my skull deforming under the constant pressure, but I regret nothing! The Fifth Hokage placed me in a headlock as he started to address my guests.

" As you two little ladies see, this brat is quite rude and has no respect for authority, so I would recommend not picking up any of his bad habits."

" Um, Lord Fifth?"

Tenten asked, drawing the Hokage's attention as she seemed confused by the whole situation unfolding in front of her while I was trying to break free of the headlock I was under.

" Naruto-san is nothing but completely respectful to Lady Tsunade."

I would feel flattered at the brunette defending me if I wasn't having trouble breathing because the Old Toad tightened his grip. I decided to dig out one of my Kunai, as Hinata said.

" Lord Fifth, Uzumaki-san is having trouble breathing."

Jiraiya loosened his grip slightly, but I was still going to stab his a*s with my kunai knife. The Old Toad then told my two guests.

" Would you two little ladies mind giving us some privacy as I need a word with our resident troublemaker."

Tenten and Hinata looked at one another before quietly leaving my apartment, and I finally got my hand on one of my Kunai. Before I could stab Jiraiya in the butt, he let me go and ordered with a serious look.

" Shut up and listen or else."

Feeling defiant, I said.

" How about n-!"

I didn't get the chance to finish my sentence before I got a punch in the stomach and knocked the wind out of me. Jiraiya said with a cold tone as he clamped my mouth shut with his hand.

" Listen here, Naruto Uzumaki, I am not in the mood to put up your antics right now. You will be silent, and you will listen!"

Unfortunately, for Jiraiya, I have little to no respect for him, and honestly why should I? He may be Hokage, but I resent the village with a passion. He may be far stronger than me, but that's only for now. He may be more experienced than me, but that's only temporary. The Fifth Hokage sighed as I glared at him and pinched the bridge of his nose before saying.

" I don't know what your problem with me is, and honestly, that isn't important right now. What is important is that you break whatever contract you have with the Fox Clan."

Huh?! I looked at him with complete confusion as I didn't understand why. I would understand if I was contracted to the Snakes, but what was the issue with the Foxes? Jiraiya, seeing my confusion, explained.

" The Fox Clan is dangerous and an enemy of Mount Myōboku and Ryuchi Cave. They have eaten numerous Toads and Snakes throughout the ages and even their own Summoners at times. If you fail their tests, you will get eaten, and there is a good reason why the Fox Clan has faded into obscurity. Their tests are next to impossible to pass, and Mount Myōboku only has a limited number of accounts of their Summoners throughout the ages, and none of them are good.

So break the Contract you have with them for your own sake."

I would laugh if I could because risking a chance of death with the Fox Clan doesn't matter as I am already facing a time bomb known as the Ōtsutsuki Clan because unless this is a completely alternate universe where they don't exist, I am working on a limited time table. I can at least ask them to make my end painless, unlike those damn Alien Cultivators. Plus, if they're an enemy of both the Toads and Snakes and are still around, then they are not weak.

I responded the only way I could. I flipped Jiraiya off, and he sighed at my antics while shaking his head.

________________________________________

" This brat."

Jiraiya thought as he saw his Godson flip him off.

" He's every bit as stubborn and brazen as Kushina and then some."

The Fifth Hokage reflected on the past and was at a loss for what to do with Naruto. The encounter with the Foxes, who were his Godson's new summons, did not paint a pretty picture since Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima reacted violently to them. While the Foxes unsummoned themselves before things escalated, the two Sages of Mount Myōboku warned him of how tricky and sly the Fox Clan could be.

Jiraiya decided to try a different tact.

" Listen, if you want a Summoning Contract so bad, how about you sign up with the Toads like me."

Naruto just flipped him off again with an expression that said.

" Why would I want to trade Foxes for Toads?"

The Fifth Hokage thought with lament.

" What would you do in this situation, Minato? No, there is no point in thinking that way since Naruto would be a different kind of kid if either of his parents were alive."

Suddenly, Jiraiya felt a stinging pain and looked to see Naruto biting his hand that was covering his Godson's mouth. The Fifth Hokage just glared at the blonde and decided.

" I guess he is going to learn the hard way."

With that thought, Jiraiya knocked out Naruto with a chop to the neck and set his Godson on his bed. Looking at the blonde, the Fifth Hokage apologized.

" Sorry, Minato, Kushina, I tried, but your son is just too stubborn for his own good."

Jiraiya then left the apartment.