What's a Shinobi?

No, that's not the question you should ask. It should be, What does it mean being a Shinobi?

Those were the question circulating Minato's head since the day his dad started to train him the first time, alone. It was refreshing really, he had reached his breaking point that day and had almost given up if his dad hadn't asked the question. He can still remember that day.

>>Flashback<<

Minato leaped from his position and took his battle stance eyeing his dad as the man calmly looked at him, katana in hand.

Minato waited, waited for the slightest movement Sasuke might do that might lead him to the offensive instead of defensive seeing that he'd been doing that from the beginning. But knowing how his dad work from his mom's stories, it's impossible for him to make the mistake.

Sasuke observed the blonde's stance. It's almost perfect, but he can see a few holes but those were little and he wouldn't be able to see it if it weren't for his hidden rinnegan. He mentally smirk, if Minato is this strong while still a genin, well......... He might turn to be stronger than his future self if he push him hard enough. And push him hard he did.

He did the first move as he ran leaving a blurry image of his from his usual position as Minato took a kunai knowing how fast his dad can be based from the blurry image, and met Sasuke's katana as they both battle in strength.

Sasuke might be holding back when they're sparing, but right now he's going to push the boy. He activated his sharingan and disappeared in great speed, slashing his katana as Minato tried to block some of his strike. Key word:tried, he was left with cuts and he can feel that his whole body started to feel numb and deflated from the assault.

Sasuke didn't wasted a breath as he leaped pulling a scroll from his storage seal in his wrist. He opened it as big shurikens appeared in a puff of smoke as Sasuke wasted no time in throwing it to the boy.

Minato's eyes widened when he saw the shurikens as he evaded at their way or, if lucky, block some of then from ever cutting him to pieces.

He gritted his teeth as he evaded the last shurikens and immediately found himself sprawled on the ground. He took big breaths to regain his breathing as he saw Sasuke walk in his direction.

He actually felt irritated, which is a first seeing that he hadn't showed any negative emotions, except the day where he sometimes brood (Minato had a pride to uphold which I don't care so it meant sulk) or sometimes felt isolated from everyone.

Sasuke saw the flash of annoyance at the boy's eyes and had to fight not to looked amused. He had known that the future Yondaime was level headed, so it's a surprise seeing him looked irritated, and he actually enjoyed seeing it, it kinda reminded him of Naru's look when she doesn't like what he always do.

Minato opened his mouth to throw a few words that he picked up in some older ninjas. Only to stop when Sasuke asked him a very confusing question.

"What does it mean being a shinobi?"

"W-what?"

Onyx eyes bored to cerulean, "What does it mean being a shinobi?"

Minato was silent then and hadn't notice how Sasuke knelt beside him and started to heal his cuts (He knows that if Naru saw the state of Minato, she's going to hunt him down, and no, he's not afraid nor scared of the ramen obsessed woman!) and how the fact that he was left alone in the training ground.

>>End of Flashback<<

Minato contemplated on his dad's words as he jumped from roof to roof after he had been left by said man from the training ground, well it's not like it's the first time he did that so he's okay with it, atleast he healed his bruises and cuts so he doesn't have to answer some of his mom's questions.

Now that he think about it, maybe he should've not let his dad heal it so if he goes home, his mom would see and he'll be throwing his dad through the devil. That might be a good idea. But wait a minute.......... Since when did he started thinking about this whole revenge stuff?

(Ultimately, a certain Fox snickered from his mindscape confusing the blonde woman hosting the furball as she then bashed two shinobis heads together)

Minato shook his head as he passed the Bath House only to stop when he heard screaming and squealing.

What he didn't expect is the fact that someone came flying out of said Bath House as he crashed through a tree.

His eyes widened as he approached the man. He had strange spiky white hair, had red lining from his eyes to his neck, and a hitai-tae that had the kanji for oil.

He frowned, who was this man?

"Ah........ Excuse me shinobi-san (Well it's obvious that the man is a shinobi based on his attire and his numerous weapons and the fact that he saw a seal on his wrist obviously for storage) ........... Are perhaps....... Alright?"

He was met by a groan as the man slowly sat up from his position. The man blinked owlishly as he stared at the front midget in front of him and saw the hitai-tae wrapped on his forehead knowing that the blonde gaki might be a genin or something.

He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck and laughed nervously, "I'm alright, thanks for asking kid."

Minato nodded in return after a confirmation, "Oh okay."

The man looked at him, intrigued as he saw how his eyes asses him. This man had the same look his mother had when she can feel that something is suspicious or if someone is lying to her, which he don't know how she predict whether they're lying or not.

"What's your name, gaki?"

Minato didn't wavered or showed any annoyance from being called a brat which also made the man more intrigued to him.

"I'll be a poor shinobi if I'll just tell you my name."

The man barked out a laugh at this. The kid really his interesting enough. Atleast this one knows to be a true ninja since all of the genins he had met were all care free, we'll except for a few clan heirs and a certain Uzumaki.

"Where did you learn that kid?"

Minato shrugged, "I learned it from my kaa-san. She beat it to my head that being a shinobi must be sneaky and doesn't trust fully. Add the fact that my tou-san always greeted me with surprise attacks, saying that it helps me keep in shape."

The man stared at the blonde in a unbelievable and shocked look. It's either the brat's parents are too strict or they're the competent shinobis around. He can only count a few shinobis with his hands and toes.

"Well then, the names Jiraiya. How about you?"

"Minato Namikaze."

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Hiruzen puffed his pipe as he looked at the three shinobis standing in front of him.

There at the left is a man with straight raven hair reaching only his shoulders, yellowish eyes, and might be resembling a snake. On the right is a man with spiky white hair and red lines adorning his face. And in the middle is a woman with blonde hair and a busty figure. All of this three are his former students, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade Senju.

"Report."

"The border at the Land of Whirpool had been compromised. Enemies now can't pass through the border."

Hiruzen nodded, accepting the report immediately. It had been over 20 minutes since the last time they arrived and ordered them to be healed but it got taken care of Tsunade who healed her teammates.

"So sensei............. Might telling us about this Fox sannin?"

"Indeed, I had heard rumors circling around at this mysterious figure."

Well knowing how efficient and brutal Naru can be, she always complete her missions done and unconsciously got herself a reputation as her influence had been whispered worldwide. The other hidden villages had been nervously sending a few of their troops knowing that the Fox sannin might easily penetrate their shinobis. Some even withdrawn from the war, and those said people that withdrawn are smart. Really smart or else they can see their own villages penetrated.

And also the fact that a rumor mill said that their had been a new position at the ANBU, which is the Commander. It also had been said that the current Commander right now is notorious for his cold and bloody killings that greater surpassed the Captains killing spree.

So the three shinobis had been quick to finish their job and immediately ran back home, thinking on interrogating their former sensei about both rumors.

Hiruzen puffed his pipe as he though on what he's going to say. It had been planned that his former students would be in the shadows about the situation, but the problem is a cover up, a great cover up. Let it not be said that his former students are strong, and not only strong, smart even (well for Jiraiya anyway, it would be for his reason).

Well here goes nothing, "The Fox sannin. Her name is Naru Namikaze."

Tsunade's eyebrows rose, she remembered that name. Minato Namikaze had been a frequent visit from the hospital, and she had even talked to the kid. She looked at her teammates to see if they even recognize the name only for it to get bashed when question marks appeared on top of their heads. She face palmed, 'And here I though that they're quite informed.'

Hiruzen looked amused when he saw how clueless the other two are. Orochimaru may be smart, but he's still human and sometimes makes mistakes, and for Jiraiya.......... Well that's an easy story seeing how he doesn't much talk to the kids.

"Sensei, is she related to Minato Namikaze somehow?"

Hiruzen nodded at Tsunade's question making the man blink, "Indeed she is. She had returned 11 months ago (A/N: Not sure if it's 11 months seeing that I didn't count the days and months on the story). She had gone in hiding seeing that she had been targeted by other ninjas across the land, and unfortunately, she had to get rid of them before coming to aid her son."

The three frowned, well that's peculiar. But the three nodded nonetheless, accepting the answer. And this is where Hiruzen mentally breathed a sigh of relief. He just hopes his students doesn't look into this much.

"And what about this ANBU Commander? Heard he's formidable", Jiraiya blurted out.

Hiruzen puffed his pipe again, "Have you noticed? In the days that I had seen the Anbus, they had been misled. The Captains started to loose out of control. Theirs over ninety teams, ninety Captains, and 639 ANBUs. They had been into missions individually and they have to report to me consuming my time. So I had created this new position for that ideal. The Commander instructed each and every Captains for their missions, and also giving the other ANBUs their own missions if he see fit. He is also the one promoting a certain ANBU to captaincy, but he have to remind me of the new promotion as to keep me well informed to the ANBU activities."

Well, after analyzing the answer. They can agree. Hell they had seen an ANBU unintentionally making grave mistakes. And yet even the other Captains are having the same predicament.

"And who's this Commander? Might I add sensei", ah Orochimaru the oh so ever curious child, well technically he's not a child anymore but he sometimes saw him as a child.

Hiruzen lets out a small smirk which got noticed by his former students, "Sasuke Uchiha."

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Let it not be said that Jiraiya doesn't judge someone from the outside but from the inside. And also the fact that he doesn't hold that much of a feud. But why, for some old reason, why does this situation, the Fox sannin and ANBU Commander, makes him want to find out more on this?

He sigh, well he probably would think about this later, then he lets out a perverted smile, and he'll just focus his attention to his research.

And 15 minuted later, he founds himself thrown at said research after being caught ('And it's worth if ', Jiraiya though as he had a very lopsided perverted grin plastered on his face as his nose bleed). And got lucky enough to meet this Minato kid that Tsunade had blurted out.

Well, let it be also said (Well, Jiraiya had that much info about him) that he didn't become this lucky in a long time.

Now, this is Operation Kitsune Commander! Let it commence!

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And here you all are folks, the three sannins had made their appearance.

Hope all of you liked and enjoyed.

Ja ne~