Naruto: Call Me Akuma

Akuma had officially turned six years old. Although he didn't know the exact date of his birth, he knew the year he was born, making him six. This also meant he had lived in Kanawha for about a year. During this time, he remained focused on controlling his Ki and strengthening his body. Every day followed the same routine: rigorous exercise, sparring sessions with Rock Lee, and nightly meditation before sleep to sharpen his mind and focus. 

On weekends, Akuma trained in the Cave. After months of relentless practice, he had become proficient at controlling his Ki. His strength had also improved tremendously, thanks in part to the Clothes of Perfection. Overall, his progress was remarkable. 

Akuma did his best to avoid interactions with the main characters, understanding that such encounters could alter the timeline. For instance, Rock Lee had already met Guy-sensei earlier than in the original story—a change Akuma hadn't intended. He knew it was crucial to keep the timeline perfectly aligned, at least for now. When the right time came, he wouldn't have to worry about such restrictions. 

Aside from his personal training, Akuma also earned a little money by doing odd jobs, such as catching lost cats or handing out pamphlets. This allowed him to buy things for himself or others when needed. 

Today, he was heading toward the store for a special reason. It was the day Rock Lee would officially join Team 3—also known as Team Guy—and become a true Genin. Akuma was confident that Rock Lee would pass Guy-sensei's test. To celebrate this achievement, he planned to buy a gift for Rock Lee. 

Believing that every ninja would appreciate a weapon, Akuma decided to purchase a ninja tool as a congratulatory present for Rock Lee's promotion to Genin. 

After returning from the store, Akuma carried a ninja tool and, surprisingly, a flower bouquet in his hands. He hadn't planned on buying flowers, but when he noticed them being sold alongside the weapons, he decided to purchase a bouquet as well. 

With his gifts in hand, Akuma headed toward the training ground where Guy-sensei was testing Neji Hyūga, Rock Lee, and Tenten. On his way there, a boy with goggles on his head and paint all over his body suddenly ran past him, shouting: 

"You can't catch me, Iruka-sensei!" 

Moments later, a man followed, yelling: 

"Get back here, Naruto!" 

Hearing this, Akuma paused and thought to himself, So this is Naruto. This is our first time meeting face to face. He's quite a mischievous child. 

Akuma had often seen the Hokage statues defaced with paint in amusing ways and knew Naruto was responsible. However, this was the first time he had seen the boy in person. Without giving it much thought, Akuma continued walking toward Guy-sensei's testing area. 

=== 

At the Training Ground 

Neji Hyūga, Rock Lee, and Tenten attacked Might Guy simultaneously, determined to defeat him and become true ninjas. However, despite their combined efforts, they failed miserably. The battle continued for several minutes until all three of them, battered and bruised, collapsed to the ground. 

With his usual cheerful tone, Might Guy called out, "Giving up already?" 

Rock Lee quickly protested, shouting, "No! Guy-sensei, I will never give up! My dream is to become a splendid ninja using only taijutsu. I will never give up on my dream!" 

Neji Hyūga, who stood in the center, slowly rose to his feet. "Ridiculous... However, I will not give up either. I'll never throw in the towel." 

Tenten, standing beside Neji, nodded in agreement. "That's right. I'm so close to becoming the kunoichi I've always admired. There's no way I can quit now!" 

Determined, all three of them pushed themselves to their feet, ready to continue. Seeing this, Might Guy smiled broadly and spread his arms wide. 

"That's how youth should be! Even if you've used up all your energy, come at me and hit me with everything you've got!" 

Encouraged by Might Guy's words, the three charged at him with loud screams, aiming for a final blow. All of them struck Might Guy's face with all their might—but nothing happened. 

After a moment of silence, Might Guy grinned widely and declared, "All three of you... pass!" 

Without hesitation, he pulled all three of them into a big, heartfelt hug at the same time. 

Hearing this, Rock Lee couldn't contain his emotions and burst into tears, crying in Might Guy's arms. 

=== 

Once the test was over, the newly formed team sat together on a tree log, resting and drinking water. Exhausted from the intense battle, they finally had a moment to catch their breath. 

Suddenly, they noticed a young boy walking toward them, carrying a flower bouquet in one hand—nearly half his size—and a bag in the other. 

Seeing the boy, Tenten exclaimed excitedly, "Ohh! Who's this boy? He looks so cute holding that flower bouquet!" She was both surprised and delighted by the sight. 

Rock Lee's face lit up with pride. "Ohh! That's my little brother, Akuma! He's a genius at taijutsu. One day, he'll become the strongest ninja alive—just you wait and see!" 

Upon hearing this, Neji, who was sitting beside Tenten, scoffed. "So this is the boy I've heard about—the one without a chakra network? And you're telling me he'll become the strongest ninja? That's even more ridiculous than your dream." 

Tenten, shocked, exclaimed, "No chakra network?!" She glanced back at Akuma with a hint of pity in her eyes. 

Rock Lee's expression immediately darkened. His usually cheerful face turned cold and furious as he snapped, "Take that back, Neji! You can say whatever you want about me, but don't you ever speak that way about my little brother!" 

Both Neji and Tenten were taken aback. They had never seen such a cold, intense glare from Rock Lee before. However, maintaining his calm demeanor, Neji replied, "I'll take it back when he proves that he can become the strongest ninja alive." 

"Neji!!!" Rock Lee roared, jumping to his feet, ready to attack. 

Before he could make a move, Might Guy gave him a light smack on the head. "Lee, calm down and sit back." 

Grudgingly, Rock Lee obeyed, sitting back down with a frustrated expression. 

As the boy named Akuma came into clearer view, Tenten tilted her head curiously and asked, "Is this really your brother? He has red hair and red eyes." 

To her, those features were striking—almost unheard of in the village. She had never seen anyone with such a unique appearance before. 

Thinking about the question, Rock Lee, who had been in a bad mood just moments earlier, suddenly brightened. With his usual cheerful tone, he replied, "No, he's not my biological brother—but to me, he's more than that!" 

Hearing this, Might Guy, who was sitting beside Rock Lee, couldn't help but smile warmly. 

By this time, Akuma had finally reached them. 

--- 

If we reach 100 stones, I'll reward you all with a bonus chapter!