A six year old Naruto groaned as he looked up to the opening of the hole he'd just fallen into. He'd been running from a group of Shinobi wearing strange animal masks after pulling a prank on the manager of the orphanage who had kicked him out on his birthday. He thought that the large section of fenced off forest made for a great hiding spot. That was until he fell into the large pit he was currently stuck in.

"Well, well it looks like a young cub has entered my den." A feminine voice called out from a small cave within the hole.

"Who's there?"

A woman emerged from the mouth of the cave. Her long flowing purple hair cascading down her back, Her F-cup breasts were contained by two straps of crimson fabric that left her inner cleavage, and her toned stomach exposed. Around her waist was wrapped a long skirt that flowed down to her ankles with two large V shaped slits on either side that created a large loin cloth leaving her muscular legs exposed. Her wrists, and ankles were adorned with golden bracelets, but the most striking thing about her was that she seemed to have the head of a lion.

"Do not fear little one. I am Sekhmet, long before your shinobi world came to be I was one of the Gods who ruled over what you now call Kaze no Kuni."

Naruto stared up at the woman in awe. She was much taller than him, he'd guess at least six feet in height if not more. "If you ruled Kaze no Kuni, then how did you end up in Konoha?"

She smiled, as she summoned two chairs made of stone, and beckoned him to sit. "Years ago, roughly ten thousand years before the rise of your Shinobi world, the humans who inhabited this world brought themselves to the brink of extinction. When they did the different pantheons of Gods came together, and reformed the world into what you now know as the Elemental nations. As well as the unknown regions to the west of Kaze no Kuni. However, the fact remained that because of its location as a island, as well as its collectivist society, one of the nations had the highest number of survivors.

This nation worshipped the Shinto Gods that your people worship today. As such their decendents did as well, until Shinto oddly enough one of the smallest religions of that time became the dominant religion followed only by a offset of it called Jashinism. As worship of the other Gods, and the number of sacrifices made to them waned so did their power. This caused them to slowly lose their ability to grant miracles on a larger scale. Meanwhile the Shinto Gods powers were increasing further driving new generations to their worship.

This continued until the majority of the Gods became so weak that they could no longer retain their immortality. As such they decended from the heavens, and sought to try to recultivate their flocks here on Earth. However they soon realized that it was not to be, and faded from this world."

Naruto stared at her, completely engrossed in her tail. "Then how did you survive?"

"I am a Goddess of battle, and of healing. As such I was still able to perform enough small scale miracles to retain worshippers throughout the generations, though they were admittadly few, and far between." She said with a hint of sorrow. "As such I was able to continue my existence up until now. However the last of my disciples are slowly dying out, meaning that I too will soon fade from this world."

The young boy's eyes widened in shock. "What if I worshipped you?"

"Would you truly forsake Kami to worship a dying diety?" Her eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Kami has let people beat me, and starve me. She let a six year old shiver in the rain with nothing but a cardboard box for shelter. If anyone did any forsaking it was her." His eyes burned with conviction as he spoke.

Sekhmet smiled, running her hand over the boy's cheek. "I'm glad that you would offer to buy me one more lifetime to watch this world turn."

"It won't be just one more lifetime Sek-chan. Just you watch, when I grow up I'm going to have a whole bunch of kids, and we'll all worship you until you're stronger than you were in the old world." He beamed, before enveloping her middriff in a hug.

The Goddess smiled, as she hugged him back, her hand running through his golden locks affectionatly. The color reminding her of Ra's own sun band. "Thank you my child. I shall help you out of here. During my time observing you shinobi, I have recorded your new way of doing combat in my mind. When you leave here, I will begin work on weapons for you, as well as creating scrolls for you to learn from. However to do this I will need more power than I currently have. As what I have is barely enough to sustain myself."

"How can I help?"

"Simply burn a offering of food, and recite the phrase 'I offer this in praise to the Goddess Sekhmet' I will receive it as nourishment, and it will grant me more strength. I will start with the scrolls as they will help you to acquire more offerings. This way I can make you quality weapons. I can't have my avatar running around with sub-par weapons now can I?"

Naruto shook his head, as he felt himself begin to levitate out of the hole. "Don't worry Sek-chan, I'll make sure to make plenty of sacrifices, and once we're both big and strong I'll come back, and marry you!"

Sekhmet was happy that the fur of her lion like head allowed her to hide the blush his innocent words had caused. "I'll hold you to that Naruto." She whispered returning to her cave to rest.

Three years later.

Naruto had held true to his word, and after leaving the forest had ventured into the forest surrounding Konoha to procure some fish for his Goddess. Once she'd had enough sustenance Sekhmet had begun work on a training regimen for the young boy.

It had started out simple enough, twenty five pushups, sit ups, and squats, before jogging ten laps around the outer fencing of her domain. Naruto smiled fondly remembering his early training under the Goddess. She'd known his plight within the village, and as such had focused the majority of his early education on stealth. Allowing him to steal money, and food to sacrifice to the Goddess.

Now Naruto sat in the classroom of his first year at the Shinobi academy, waiting for the scarred teacher in front of him to finish his introduction lecture. Now that he was in the academy who could put some of his ill gotten gains to good use.

A student could technically graduate at any time. The only catch was that they had to pass the final exam. With three years of training from a woman who had been around long before the shinobi world began, he already had the skills necessary to do so, especially with the watered down curriculum the academy currently held during these peaceful times. However he understood that if he showed these skills on the first day with no prior training he would instantly be questioned by the elderly Hokage about where he learned these skills.

The written test would be easy enough to explain, as all of the information on it was available in the public library, even though he did have to use the henge technique to get in. It was the kunai, and shuriken throwing as well as the taijutsu, and ninjutsu portions that he would be hard pressed to explain. Which is where the money he'd been squirreling away came from.

After he had informed the old man of the incident involving the matron, he'd been given a apartment within Konoha's red light district. According to the Hokage it belonged to the Yodaime, and as he didn't have any known relatives upon his death, it was left in his hands as the incoming Hokage when he died. Naruto knew this to be false, as Sekhmet had informed him of his parents' identities upon his eighth birthday, and he had surmised that the old man was simply holding his inheritance until he thought he was strong enough to take his father's name.

Since the apartment belonged to the Hokage officially, he had been allowed to live there free of charge. However, he still received the full orphan stipend under the law. Which is where his excuse for having money came from. While it was true that Naruto had used some of what would have been his rent money to hire Genin for D-rank missions to help renovate his apartment as it hadn't been maintained in the seven years since his father's death at the hands of his tenant. He'd simply kept the rest in a blood seal within a secret safe he'd installed himself within his closet. He didn't pay rent, and he regularly hunted for his own food. Only ever buying one meal a day from the Ichiraku's; even if that one meal consisted of ten bowls of ramen, and once a week when they restocked, they would order extra vegetables that they would sell to him at just above cost as not to make him feel like he was taking advantage of them.

He'd buy the vegetables in bulk from them, and then use fuinjutsu to keep them fresh within his scrolls. Aside from that the only thing he had spent his money on was Kunai, shuriken, and calligraphy supplies from the academy section of one of the local shinobi stores.

When class was finally dismissed for the day Naruto bound his way up the stairs of the Hokage tower to the mission desk, where Hiruzen just so happened to be sitting in for the day. "Ah Naruto-kun what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Hi Jiji, I was just wanting to fill out a mission request." Naruto replied giving the elderly man a firm hug which was returned, before taking the mission request form.

"More renovations?"

"Not this time. I noticed that my class happened to be full of the heirs to most of Konoha's prominent clans, which means that they've likely been receiving training from their parents and will likely receive it throughout the time we're in school, so I figured if I want to compete with them, I'd better get a tutor. I know the village has a law stating that enrolled students can receive training if they submit a mission request form and pay for it as a mission. I think old man Nidaime was the one who made that law right?"

Hiruzen chuckled thinking of what his sensei's reaction would be to being referred to as old man. "Yes Naruto-kun, it was in fact Tobirama sensei who made that rule in an effort to even the playing field between civilian born shinobi, and those who came from clans."

Naruto nodded as he filled out the form. "Yeah, though it only really helps those who can afford it. After all according to this mission form this qualifies as a low C-rank mission since I'll be hiring at least a Chunin for it, and it's considered a long term mission, the minimum amount is fifty thousand Ryo a month. That's at least six months rent."

Hiruzen nodded with a small sigh. "Yes he did try his best to balance it all out. Though the result was a system that favored our more affluent citizens."

Naruto nodded and handed the paperwork to one of the Chunin working the desk. No sooner had the man added the mission to the docket then a woman wearing a Chunin vest over a mesh shirt, and a brown miniskirt walked in, and began looking at the list of missions. "Woah someone's offering sixty thousand Ryo a month to train some brat? Where do I sign up?" She asked finishing off a stick of Dango.

"With this young man right here, he'll be your client for the duration of the contract Anko-chan."

Anko turned and came face to face with a mess of blonde spikey hair. "Hello future sugar daddy." She smiled. "Names Anko Miterashi, and I'll be your tutor. You got a name brat?"

"Names Naruto Uzumaki. Also isn't it a little unprofessional to call your client a brat pineapple head?" Naruto instantly regretted his words as he felt the woman spike her killer intent. He breathed a sigh of relief when she swatted him on the back, and began laughing.

"I like your style kid. Most others academy students would have passed out from that."

"I get a similar feeling when I go hunting in that big fenced off area, so I'm kind of used to it."

Every shinobi in the room instantly stopped what they were doing, as Hiruzen looked at his adoptive grandson in concern. "Naruto-kun what fenced off area are you referring to?"

"You know that big fenced off forest with the huge tower in the middle of it." He tilted his head in confusion. "It's over in that direction." He said pointing out the window in the exact direction everyone hoped he wasn't.

"Naruto-kun, how long have you been hunting there?"

"Since I was six? Why, does it belong to someone? I thought it didn't since it was full of wild animals."

"Naruto-kun the place you've been hunting is a training ground that is normally reserved for Chunin level shinobi, and above. It is one of the single most dangerous places in this village."

Naruto chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "You're kidding right?"

"Nope squirt. That place is called training ground forty four. Though most people just call it the forest of death." Anko smirked. "You've got a set of brass balls on you if you've been hanging around there for the last three years, and since you've got experience there that's where we'll be training."

"Anko you can't be serious?!" A red eyed Chunin at one of the desks yelled out.

"Relax Nai-chan, I go in there all the time, and the squirt did say he's been going in there for three years, so it's not like he's not prepared. Plus I'm not dumb enough to train him in the actual forest. We'll use the area in, and around the tower. The seals there will keep the animals away."

"So that's why I never found any animals around there."

"Yeah, but what were you doing at the tower if you went in there to hunt?"

"Well the doors were never locked, so before I told Jiji about the old lady kicking me out of the orphanage when I was six, I spent about a year sleeping in there whenever it was cold or raining."

The room's tempature suddenly dropped, as Anko's hair fell over her face, and Kurenai snapped her pen in anger. "She did what?" Anko's tone promised a slow, and painful death.

"Y-yeah, when I turned six, she kicked me out, and said 'demons shouldn't be allowed to exist in our village, go live in the woods with the other animals'. I was confused until I realized I was the Kyuubi Jinjuriki."

The room once again fell Silent, as everyone stared at him in shock. "N-Naruto-kun how..."

"How did I find out?" He smiled somberly. "When you spend the first few years of your life with people avoiding you, and whispering things about foxes behind your back, and then some lady straight up calls you a demon it's not hard to figure out. Especially considering I was born the night the Kyuubi attacked, and anytime I flair my chakra a complex seal appears on my stomach."

Anko began chuckling evily as she looked back at the Hokage with a sparkle in her eye. "Old man that was a S-rank secret punishable by death if anyone spoke about it to the kid's generation right?"

"Yes it was." Naruto noticed that his Jiji seemed unusually serious when he spoke those words.

"Well considering she came right out, and said it. I believe a execution is in order."

"She is currently sitting in Konoha prison for child abandonment, and defrauding the village, as she was still receiving Naruto-kun's orphan stipend even after throwing him out. I'll leave her to you at a later date. For now take Naruto-kun home."

Anko nodded, as she took the blonde boy by the hand, and walked him out.

When they arrived, Anko was surprised to find derogatory graffiti on the wall surrounding the property. "Ignore that, Sofie-chan will clean it up later."

"Sofie-chan?"

"One of the orphans who lives in the area. She normally sweeps up for one of the bars in the area, and uses the money along with her stipend to rent the loft above it, but she cleans up the graffiti whenever one of the villagers gets brave enough to try something here, and I give her a few extra Ryo to buy herself some new books, she's a year above me at the academy right now, and wants to become a medic."

Anko nodded, as she watched him flare his chakra on a seal near the entrance. "I paid for a mission, and had security seals placed on the area to stop break ins."

Anko whislted at the smarts the kid seemed to have. "Doesn't that bother the other tenants?"

"I live here alone. Jiji owns the place so he let's me rent one of the units since he wasn't doing anything with it. Said it belonged to the fourth, and he got it when he passed, and had no use for it."

Anko nodded, as they walked upstairs to his unit. "You said something about the villagers being brave enough to try anything here? What did you mean?"

"In the red light district people only care about your money being as green as the next guy's. Your history doesn't mean anything. We've got everyone from retired shinobi, to people wanted in other countries. Nobody minds the villagers coming in, and out because they're typically here to blow their money on the hookers, gambling halls, and bars. However, you can think of this place as a village within a village. We take care of our own, and anyone who threatens one of our own is violently shown out of here. As long as no one winds up dead the Anbu don't come sniffing around. Hold on a minute."

Anko watched as Naruto leaned over the side of his balcony, and threw what looked to be three five hundred Ryo coins at a man sleeping against the perimeter wall of his complex. "Takashi, you lazy drunk! Go use the bath house to wash up, and get home before Haruhi skins you alive, and feeds you your own balls for dinner!"

Said man collected the coins, and got up, before disposing of his sake bottle in the nearby trash bin, and flipping Naruto off, as he walked away. "What was that about?"

"Eh he's a drunk, but he only drinks on his days off, and only if he puts in enough hours that he can hand his wife the bill money, and some for their savings. Problem is she won't let him in the house if he smells like booze, and he always forgets to put some money aside to wash up before going home. So I typically toss him the money for the baths, and a bottle of mouth wash, and he puts it back in my mailbox on his way to work."

Anko laughed, as she sat back on Naruto's couch. "A man his age being babysat by a nine year old. I love it."

Over the next three weeks Anko proceeded to train Naruto on weekends, and after school. She tested him on his agility, and speed first, seeing as her style focused mostly around those two aspects.

She was interested in watching him hunt the animals around the forest of death. She watched as he stalked one of the large boars that called the forest home, before he pounced on its back from his perch atop one of the trees and slashed its throat wide open.

She was impressed with his technique, even more so that he had thought to check the tops of the trees for other predators, before locking his focus on the target in front of him.

"You did well kid. What do you normally do with a kill that large?"

"I normally dress it, and separate the cuts, putting some in the fridge for the week, and the rest in the freezer for later. Though I do turn some of it into jerky for snacks during lunch, and training."

"Those skills are good to have on a mission when food stores may be scarce." She said, as she watched him skillfully skin the boar.

By the end of the three weeks Anko had already been forced to 'teach' him the henge, kawawami, and the kage bushin. The last she had gotten special permission for from Hiruzen due to his high reserves. It was startling how quickly the boy seemed to pick up on her teachings.

Within his first month he had already graduated from the academy and was now doing several solo D-rank missions a day, while he awaited his classmates to graduate. He would occasionally take on a low risk C-rank mission alongside Anko when she had time.

The increase in funds allowed him to convert one of the other units in his building into a small temple to Sekhmet, which contained an alter that allowed him to burn larger amounts of sacrifices.

His progress in the matter was so great in fact that the Goddess had called him back to her den much earlier than anticipated. "You have been busy my child. I never expected you to come this far this quickly."

"I promised you that I would help you in any way I could."

"And that you have. Your help has allowed me to finish your first weapon several years ahead of schedule." She smiled pulling a strange curved blade from behind her back. "This is a Kopesh. It was the style of sword we used in my home land. The way the blade curves allows for more leverage in each swing, making it a great tool for cutting through armor."

Naruto smiled, and bowed respectfully as he took the blade. "Thank you so much Sek-chan."

The Goddess smiled rubbing his hair. "My pleasure, after all the sooner you get big, and strong the sooner you can come back, and marry me right?" She smiled teasingly.

Naruto's face lit up, as his cheeks became unusually warm. "Sek-chan don't say that if it's not true."

"I never said it was un-true. Though considering the miracle I am going to grant you once your class graduates in the form of a Kekkei Genkai. I do expect your village to place you in the CRA, where you will have multiple wives."

Naruto tilted his head with a puzzled expression. "You say that like it doesn't bother you?"

"We Gods have seen many polyamorous relationships. Plus you did promise to have lots of kids to continue worshipping me, so it would be a big help."

Naruto blushed once again. "Ero-Goddess."

She giggled kissing his cheek. "Now run along. I left a scroll with the katas for your sword in your temple, along with an explanation of how you got it."

"Thank you, my Goddess."

Four years later.

Naruto stood outside of the academy. His eyebrow twitching, 'I still don't understand why I have to be saddled with a pair of these brats that think being a shinobi is some sort of game.'

'Because I asked you to' The voice of Sekhmet spoke within his mind. Due to his years in her company, and his faithful service had allowed her to form a mental connection with him. 'Worry not though. Thanks to my influence growing once again, I managed to create a small miracle, and alter the team assignments to create your own harem team. It will be up to you to seduce them, but I have little doubt you'll manage to do that.'

'So what you're saying is that you're pimping out your most loyal follower to create more followers.'

'You make it sound like you don't enjoy it. Remember Anko.'

'I knew you were gonna bring her into this. Though I don't disagree with you, so who did you get on my team?'

'Now now Naruto-kun you should know by now that I don't like to ruin a surprise by telling.' She giggled.

'It was worth a shot. It looks like they're starting.' He said as he walked inside.

He took a look around the room, taking a look at the other occupants of the classroom. He had finished sizing them up, when one of the rooms occupants Kiba Inuzuka decided to make his opinion know. "You lost or something asshole? This room is only for those who graduated the academy."

"Isn't that the Uzumaki kid who quit showing up during freshman year. He's a dropout." Sakura shouted.

Iruka decided now was the time to make his presence known. "Calm down everyone. Naruto Uzumaki did not drop out of the academy. He took early graduation four years ago, and has been taking missions as a Genin while he waited for the rest of you to graduate."

"You mean to tell me that this idiot has been taking on missions, while I've been forced to sit through these lectures for four years!?" Sasuke cried out.

"While you did possess the practical skills required for early graduation, you lacked the technical knowledge. If you had studied those sections of the library, and not merely focused on ninjutsu you could have graduated early as well." Iruka explained.

Sasuke fumed but stayed quiet as Iruka began announcing the teams. "Team seven Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka. Your sensei is Kakashi Hatake. Team eight Naruto Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka, and Hinata Hyuuga. Your sensei is Kurenai Yuhi."

"What? Why does the dobe get the team full of babes?!"

Iruka threw a piece of chalk with blinding speed, striking the young Inuzuka in the head. "The teams were selected by the Hokage himself, if you have a problem you can take it up with him." This seemed to quiet the boy, and Iruka continued. "Team nine is still in rotation, team ten will be Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akamichi."

As Iruka dismissed the class for lunch a red eyed woman entered the classroom. "Team eight meet me outside." She said, though she looked at Naruto with a slight coldness.

'Seems the prejudice in this village is still strong.' He thought as he got up and followed her.

The three Genin followed their new instructor to a small tea house where they took their seats in a booth across from their teacher. "My name is Kurenai Yuhi, I will be your Jonin instructor for the Genin portion of your carriers, I specialize in Genjutsu but I am skilled in the other Shinobi disciplines."

Naruto internally scowled. To him, the woman came off as braggadocios with a holier than though attitude. "Will we be taking the secondary exam?"

Kurenai's eyes once again turned cold as she turned to him. "No, due to your early graduation the results would be tainted if you participated, but we can't administer the test without the entirety of the team present therefore your team is exempt. You'll report to training ground eight tomorrow morning at 0600 to begin training."

The rest of lunch was a quite affair with the Genin and the Jonin introducing themselves. After lunch Ino and Hinata stood and left. Kurenai made to leave when Naruto stopped her and asked her to stay for a moment. "What do you wish to talk about Genin Uzumaki?"

Naruto interlocked his fingers in front of him on the table and activated a privacy seal on the table. "This."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean this? And who taught you how to create a privacy seal?"

"I've been training as a Genin for four years while waiting for my classmates to graduate."

"Yes, but from what I know of your mission record it consists of mostly solo D-rank missions." Kurenai replied in a slightly condescending tone.

"Key word there is mostly. I've also taken on my fair share of C-rank extermination missions alongside Anko Miterashi. I've also received training from her over the past four years in the different disciplines, including fuinjutsu up to level five. As for what 'this' means, it's the inherent animosity that you seem to have for me Jonin Yuhi. Now I hope that I'm wrong in the assumption that this stems from my 'condition' and you actually have some kind of valid reasoning."

Kurenai let out a small sigh as she leaned forward tenting her fingers in front of her face. "It is partially that yes. I hope that you understand. My father was a Jonin who dies the night of the attack."

Naruto's eyes shifted down in a somber expression. "A lot of people died that night, my own parents included." He said before looking up at her, his hands moving to clasp in his lap. "I do give you my condolences, but an apology from me would be disingenuous considering I was less than an hour old when it happened."

"I understand, I hope you understand that doesn't make the pain go away."

"I do, I also understand that we cannot have a cohesive unit if our squad leader is holding onto animosity towards a member of the team. So, tell me what the other part of it is."

Kurenai sighed once again, this Genin had a gaze that far exceeded his years and looked as though it could drag the truth out of her by the ankles if he wanted to. "I originally wanted Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuuga as a tracking and reconnaissance team. I am also well aware of your relationship with the Hokage and I suspect you used your influence with him to get yourself on a team solely comprised of women. For what reason I can't say but given that you're and young man in the height of puberty I can give a few suggestions."

Naruto's gaze turned cold as ice and he released a startling amount of killer intent. Kurenai hated to admit it, but it left her shaking in her sandals a bit, and sent a cold chill down her spine. "Let me make myself perfectly clear Jonin Yuhi." He said in a cold stern tone. "I have never utilized my relationship with the Hokage for personal gain. I graduated early on my own merits, I was selected for your team by the Hokage using the same criteria used for every other Shinobi that graduates from the academy. I have no personal interest in who is on my team. I am only interested in protecting this village and furthering my own aspirations. I am willing to work with you, however this only works if you are willing to meet me halfway."

Kurenai had the decency to look embarrassed at her own actions. "My apologies, I was warned when I initially requested Kiba that he would have a lewd outlook and would likely hit on me and Hinata so, I wrongly assumed a male classmate of his would have a similar form of behavior."

"That's like saying that because you're a female Jonin from the same generation as Anko-chan that you'll dress proactively and make lewd jokes in order to get a reaction out of me. Kiba was likely placed on Kakashi's team to avoid such behaviors. Sakura being around Sasuke would deprive him of any female attention. It doesn't hurt that Sakura is extremely outspoken and not afraid to resort to violence, she'll keep his behavioral problems in line. Shino is more logical and stoic, he's a lot less likely to but heads with someone as tactical as Shikamaru, or take advantage of someone as gentle as Choji. They were given someone like Asuma due to his laid-back attitude and aptitude for improvised tactics. Kakashi was obviously chosen for training Sasuke's sharingan when and if he unlocks it.

You are a rookie Jonin and we are the pieces that didn't fit, we are the leftovers Kurenai. Three clan heir who didn't fit the mold but needed a standout Jonin to keep the clan heads from raising a stink and crying favoritism. We're the team no one expects anything from. They're expecting us to tread water until eventually making Chunin in two to four years."

Kurenai wanted to dispute the accusation, but she knew it was true. She was essentially handed three Genin that nobody cared if she got results out of anytime soon. "You're saying you expect something different?"

"I haven't been a Shinobi nearly as long as you have. However, I have seen more than my fair share of death and destruction. I took my first life at the age of eight. Human trafficker in northern fire country. He was hiding out in some cave with a group of bandits for his security. Had a group of girls in a cage ages ranging from 8 to 16. The things I saw them doing when I arrived." He clenched his knuckles until they turned white. "I saw red, I summoned an army of clones and slaughtered every last one of them. It took Anko about an hour to calm me down afterwards before I was able to finish the mission.

I'm not telling you this to make you feel pity. I'm telling you this, so you understand that I have at least enough experience to recognize that this team has potential both as individuals and as a collective unit, but I need your help to bring it out. Hinata lacks confidence and is far too shy. I'm well aware of her crush on me and I'm more than willing to utilize it to help draw out her confidence. Ino on the other hand has confidence in spades, but her fangirl attitude and princess mentality prevent her from working cohesively with a team. Hinata I feel will need a firm but reassuring approach. While with Ino, the kid gloves are going to have to come off and we're going to have to knock the superiority complex out of her."

Kurenai nodded as she sipped her tea, having refilled it from the pot while the two of them spoke. "I'd have to agree with you on this. But I'd like to know how you plan to utilize Hinata's crush. I have worked with her for several years as a private tutor and I've grown a fondness for her. I want to make sure that whatever you're planning isn't going to be detrimental to her."

"I'm not planning to do anything drastic if that's what you're think. Just personally giving her positive reinforcement. Acknowledging her successes and helping her work through her failures. Ino however I have a different plan for. I'm hoping that at tomorrow's team meeting, I can get you to place the two of us in a spar against each other. I want to show her the gap in power between us, to help her realize the difference between someone who's playing at being a Shinobi and coasting on her family's name, and a real Shinobi."

Kurenai thought for a moment, even though she had four times the experience this boy had he still seemed to be insightful, and knowledgeable about what his team needed. "Your plan sounds acceptable. I know that we don't necessarily have the most conventional dynamic, you have the same experience on the job as most Chunin. You and I are closer to colleagues than student and teacher. I know it's above your station, but I'm hoping I can count on you to help me push this team to be the best unit of this graduating year and possibly this generation."

Naruto smiled a nodded his head. "That aligns with my goals, so I am more than happy to help you with this."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow as she leaned forward, exposing a bit more cleavage in her mesh undershirt. Despite believing Naruto in his lack of ulterior motivates when it came to team placement, she knew that he was still a hormonal teenager and she hoped though she knew it was a bit unethical that showing a little skin would help draw the truth out of him. "And what goals would that be?"

Naruto smiled, but inwardly chuckled. After years of spending time with Anko and Sekhmet, both of whom showed off a lot more skin in their daily manner of dress. "Those are personal, but if you earn my trust, and build a relationship with me I'll tell you more. Now I've had a lovely time, but I need to get going. I have religious duties to attend to."

Kurenai looked a bit surprised. "I didn't take you for the religious type."

"We all need to have faith in something." He smiled as he stood up. "Oh and Kurenai-chan, since you said we were closer to colleagues than teacher and student, may I offer a piece of advice?"

Kurenai nodded, looking at him curiously. "And what would that be Naruto-kun?" She asked letting the Chan suffix go since the two of them were alone.

"Try to remember that I've been partnered with Anko-chan for the past four years before trying base level seduction techniques to draw information out of me." He smiled and waved as he deactivated the seal and walked away leaving Kurenai sitting there in shock.

'I'm going to kill you Anko'

After returning home, Naruto burned several steaks and fruits in his offering brazier while he sat nearby and polished his sword. "You seemed to have fun playing cat and mouse with your instructor earlier" Sekhmet's voice sang teasingly in his head.

"If she wants to play, then she should know that I play to win." Naruto retorted as he inspected the sword.

"So you say, from where I was sitting you seemed to be egging it on more than required to win. I believe the words you used were 'base level seduction techniques'."

"I don't need to be reminded of what I said, I was there." He said with a slight pout that caused the Goddess to giggle in response.

"Whatever you say, just don't come crying to me when she steps up her game."

"She's not going to step up her game."

"You insulted her seduction, her womanly charms. Take it from a woman Goddess or not, she'd going to want to heal her wounded pride by getting a reaction out of you."

Naruto groaned as he put his sword back in its scabbard. "This is what I get for worshiping such a beautiful perverted Goddess."

Sekhmet giggled at her champions plight. "Oh, I'm sure you'll live mister dramatic. Now get some rest, you've got a long day tomorrow."

"Yes Goddess." He said, as he put the braiser out and made his way back to his own apartment to sleep.

Meanwhile across town Kurenai was regaling her friends Anko, Hana, and Yugao with the tale of her first team meeting. "I blame you Anko, I tried to pull a little information out of Naruto by showing a little cleavage which should have worked on a Genin his age, but because he's been hanging around with you for the last four years all he did was laugh at me."

Anko snorted in laughter in response as she downed another drink, while Hana and Yugao merely stifled a giggle. "I could have told you that wouldn't work. He's seen more than a little cleavage helping me patch myself up during missions. You're going to have to do more than showing a little covered cleavage to get what you want." Anko had been told by Sekhmet that she wanted her to help push her female friends towards the blonde to aid in his goal of rebuilding her followers, as well as eventually asserting his own power and retaking the territory of her people in Kaze no Kuni. She'd been apprehensive at first, but the longer she had served the Goddess, the more she saw things in the same way as Sekhmet. She wanted what was best for Naruto, and the end to the corruption that plagued what used to be her homeland.

She had been adamant about the fact that she wouldn't force any of these women to be with Naruto, nor would Naruto ever force a woman who didn't want to be with him to be with him. She only wanted Anko to help facilitate the bonds and allow whatever would happen to happen naturally.

"So then what would you suggest?"

"Step it up a little bit, go a little bit further as the two of you get comfortable. It won't be an easy game to win believe me. I've been trying to win it for the last couple of years. But, if we come at him from both sides, I think we can wear him down."

Kurenai considered the idea as she and the rest of the girls continued their evening before retiring to her own home to prepare for her team meeting the next morning. As she did a similar thought ran through both hers and Naruto's heads.

'this is going to be interesting'