This is a plot bunny that appeared in my head a while back and i decided to follow it. There are no doubt mistakes in the chapter that I will have to go back and change. I am sorry in advance. If you like the style of my work check out my other fic that i have adapted. Lives Worth Saving: Legacy of the Hokage. There is a poll up for that story. You get two votes everyone counts. Hope you check it out. Feel free to pm questions or ideas. No parring set yet. Please enjoy and review.
Two Halves of a Whole.
Chaos. That's all the Yondaime Hokage could use to describe the state of the village. Even now as he faced down the most powerful force of nature to plague the village to date, all he could think about was where they went wrong and mourn that he had no other means of stopping it.
It began just like any other fall night. It was a clear night and a cool breeze was rolling in from the northwest. The majority of the village had long been asleep. And the only things to disturb the night's silence were the random milling about of the night life of the village and the cries of a newborn child. Loud and clear his voice rang out into the night, the only prelude to the tragedy that was about to unfold. It would not be more than minutes later then a single figure appeared out of nothing in the dead center of the village. This man was hooded shrouded in black, masked completely except for one lone eye, glowing red in the night with the promise of hate and death for all those it looked upon. The man stood still for a moment, barely even breathing, as if contemplating something or perhaps unwilling to disturb the peace and silence of the Village hidden in the Leaves. Then, in a blur of speed, the man flashed through hand seals before slamming his hand on the ground. A powerful and elaborate seal array appeared around his hand and spread out creeping along the walls and road even out of sight. The symbols thrummed and vibrated with power for their brief moment of existence as if shuddering at the weight of the presence that they were calling out to. And in the next instant the tension was released with a monumentous cloud of smoke and fog in a massive plumb that towered high above the rooftops. But despite its dense formation, it did little to hide the monstrosity that was conjured within.
A great red eye flashed open in the quiet of the night and what followed could only be describe by those who were there to witness it as the unleashing of the cries of the damned from all of history. One singular gratuitous roar shattering the coolness and quiet of that autumn evening that would forever change the course of history. The horror had on just begun.
xXx (earlier)
Hurizen Sarutobi was nervous . He didn't have a particular reason b8ut when you have been a ninja as long as he has you can't help but just sense when things are off. The operation was risky enough as it is. It always was when a female Jinchuraki was pregnant. The seals weakness climaxed in the time just before and during birth as the body naturally diverted more chakra away from maintaining the seal to giving birth to the child. They had of course planned for this eventuality and the Yondaime Hokage was there with them now taking the necessary precautions along with his wife and another medical ninja. Yet despite all the precautious and the fact that it tecniquely wasn't his responsibility anymore, with a night as perfect as this in a time of relative peace and celebration, well he couldn't help but be suspicious. He felt it in his bones. And it was in that moment, as he stood in his study within his clan compound that he felt it. A small spike of chakra in the distance quickly followed by an overwhelming presence had the Sandaime break out in a cold sweat. He didn't get a moment to wish it was something else before the primal roar of the chakra beast was thrust into the quiet of the night. And then he knew, The Kyubi no Yoko was free.
The Sandaime quickly rushed to his window already having thrown off his robes to reveal the battle suit he always wore underneath. Even from his compound on the far north eastern side of the village he could see the fading remains of summoning fog and the whirling tails of the nameless terror. Its body already coiled as if to lunge at some invisible foe, its nine tails flailing about violently in agitation almost carelessly obliterating whatever stood in their path. With a leap the Hurizen departs his compound towards the creature which no doubt intended to reduce everything around it to dust and ash, fully prepared to fight to the death even as his mind race for answers.
'No. No! It cannot be. We were so careful. What could have happened? Where is Minato? Biwako… Kami I hope you are alright.'
At speeds the most people in the world couldn't even perceive even at his advanced age the Sandaime hurtled towards the monster in hopes of at least forestalling its destruction of the village he loved with all his being until they could come up with some answers.
Stopping on a roof several hundred yards from the beast, Hurizen could already see many shinobi attempting to distract or take down the beast to little avail. Mostly were chunin that could barely get its attention let alone actually harm the creature. Thankfully many remembered even in their terror the standard village emergency protocols and were coordinating together to save the civilians and try and combine attacks. Deciding he had examined enough of the situation and determining that the other ninja were following the proper protocols the Sandaime Hokage known as the God of Shinobi by the most recent generations of ninja and the strongest Kage of the third era bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood before flashing through a familiar set of handseals that he had used for decades. Finishing the string of seals the man slammed his hand on the ground even as he kept his eyes focused on the beast. Immediately an array of seals appeared extending along the flat roof of whatever apartment complex the Sandaime was using as his perch for the moment. In the next moment a plume of smoke appeared and the ape king Enma stood before him staring out towards the demon rampaging a few hundred yards away.
"I would ask why you summoned me since it's a rarity these days old friend, but I think the situation speaks for itself," the eight foot tall ape king said in a deceptively light drawl while glancing at his old partners serious face to the side.
"Then as you can see I'm against an opponent that I could use assistance with my old friend." The old man responded in an equally light yet weighted tone.
The ape king just snorted before replying, "Surely you know better than to be careless with a jinchuraki, Saru. What happened and where is the Yondaime shouldn't he be taking care of this."
It took a great deal of effort on Hiruzen's part not to sigh and roll his eyes at the demanding way his long time partner acted. After decades of working with the king he was used to it but it didn't make it any less frustrating to deal with, especially considering the circumstances. "I do not Enma-sama, but I don't have time at the moment to inquire. I have to trust that the Yondaime will arrive when able, and if not or until then, the creature must be dealt with. Will you help me?" He finished firmly, gesturing out is hand.
The ape king just smirked. "Need you even ask old friend? You and I haven't had a challenge this intense since Onoki decide to have a go at us. " the ape king then jumped and henged into a black bo staff that was 3 feet thick and 7 feet long before condensing as it flew towards the old man into 6 ft long and 4 inches thick, The legendary Adamantine staff of the Monkey clan.
The hokage spun his new weapon around with practiced familiarity, when his aged limbs had finished reviewing he stood ready when the monster reared back a release a primal roar of frustration.
Seeing the opening and noticing the dwindling defenders as many were focused on the evacuation Hurizen made his move, "Yosh, Let's go."
"Right, " came the deep reply from his staff as it grew back to its original size before the being angle parallel to the ground right at the Kyubi's stomach.
"Enma, Extend!" came the command and instantly the staff extended toward the Kyubi beyond its logical limits and slammed into the beast and forcing it continuously back towards the outer wall in one blow before retracting back as Hiruzen began organizing the defenders.
Already the beast was acclimating to its new enemy, and it roared it challenge back at the man that dared to make a meaningful strike against him.
"Hold together," the Sandaime shouted. "We must keep it at bay until the Yondaime arrives. Do not let it focus on any one area. We must lure it away from the village. Chunin and lower get the young and the civilians to safety. We will show this devil the meaning of the Will of Fire!" There was a roar of approval and acknowledgement from the ninja gathered around him before they each deployed to their specific tasks. Despite the bravado, the Sandaime truly was worried. 'Wherever you are Minato hurry!' And with that last pray the old man dashed forward with his subordinates and comrades toward what was sure to be a fight for their very survival.
xXx
Minato groaned and coughed as he got up from the ground outside of one of his now destroyed safe houses. Bundled in his arms protected and secure was the light of his life his newborn son. In the distance he could hear the primal screams of the beast his wife had long held at bay laying waste to the village he was now charged with defense of. 'Kushina.' He thought with worry looking out towards the billowing smoke a sounds of explosions, "What has he done to you?" And as his mind ran through possible answers he looked down into the depths of his son's bright blue eyes and knew what he would have to do.
Resolved that it was the only way, the man disappeared with his son using his signature technique to prepare the bitter sacrifice he knew they would have to make. But, perhaps his son wouldn't have to carry this burden alone.
xXx (Uchiha district)
Itachi knew many things would change when he became an older brother, but the appearance of a giant terrorizing chakra constructs in the shape of a fox was not one of the things he had planned for. Though on further reflection he supposed most people didn't count on something so supremely unfortunate happening.
Itachi was currently sitting on the back porch of his family's home watching the now partially cloudy sky light up in an eerie orange glow. Even though he was only 5 years old Itachi knew well enough th gravity of the situation that was unflding before him. He had been asked to watch his younger brother as his parents went out to fight against the giant fox. His mother in tears before they there even out the door… Why though he was unsure, it wasn't like her or any uchiha to show such raw emotion like that.
He saw the Kyubi take what looked like a sucker punch to the gut before being pushed back until it smashed into the village wall. Though that didn't seem to bother it long. Itachi was honestly wondering where the Yondaime Hokage was. 'Why hadn't he come a taken the beast away? He was the hero of the village after all and Itachi's own personal hero for putting an end to all the fighting in the last war. They had just started recovering and now this. When would it end? Where had this monster even come from?'
Itachi was suddenly driven out of his pondering when the object of his query appeared before him out of thin air. He gasped and nearly fell back holding the sleeping form of sasuke as the Yondaime appeared infront of him
"I'm sorry to have startled you Itachi-kun but it is an urgent matter ," Minato said smiling softly as the young boy recovered. Looking around he tried to see if there was anyone else around, "Would you by chance know where your mother or father is.?"
Itachi having recovered from the surprise of his idol appearing right before him shook his head, "They left as soon as they were able after feeling the chakra presence that came this the creature."
"Ah. I see." Minato replied with a frown before finally taking notice of who exactly was in
Itachi's arms. 'Mikoto, Fugaku forgive me.' Minato thought sadly.
"Itachi-kun, there is a very important task I must do, and it is vital to the survival of the village. Will you help me?"
Itachi's eyes widen at the news and was frankly shocked that there was anything he could do to help. Without even a moment's more thought the young academy student's face contorted into one of resolve and nodded firmly to his leader.
Minato took note of the change in Itachi's posture and couldn't help but smile despite himself at the heart this boy had. "Very good then. This is my son Naruto. I need you to hold him for me for a bit until I return for you. I must prepare the creature. Please do not leave this spot unless you absolutely have to. Thank you." And in the next moment the Yondaime was gone after handing a sleeping Naruto off to Itachi, leaving the determined boy sitting on the front porch with a new charge in his left arm. Itachi look down at their sleeping forms of the two babies with pure resolve.
"Don't worry, Naruto. Sasuke. Stay in your dreams. I will always be here to protect you," his quiet words resounding in the dreaming minds of both boys even as roars and explosions continue to echo in the background.
xXx
The defense was barely holding and even that was stretching it. A flick of its tail and another explosion rocks the shaking defenders. The third hokage himself was panting from the exertion of fighting such a colossal opponent while also trying to cover for his comrades that could not hope be more than cursory distractions. The death toll was already too high to bear and even with the quick response the damage to the center and southern market district was extensive. The only positive out of the entire situation was that all the genin and civilians had been evacuated. What they needed now was a seal master.
'Minato, where are you?' Thought the Sandaime even as the Kyubi turned its head to the hokage monument. It opened its gaping blood red maw and snarled as it releases some sort of distorted cry. Within a matter of moments the intense weight of condensed chakra formed a sphere that compressed itself to the size of one of the faces on the monument before suddenly launching. The Sandaime stood helpless as he used Enma to block five of its tails from crushing the weary shinobi desperately trying to stay its destructive rampage. The mere weight of its presence as it travelled through he air was enough to crush all beneath it without even having to make contact until finally it reach a hundred yards from impact before suddenly halting all moment up and sat suspended in mid air. A sealing array appeared around the sphere as pace seemed to fold in on itself pulling the devastating sphere of chakra into it slowly.
"Minato!" shouts came from all around marveling and rejoicing at the impressive display of time space ninjutsu. The Yondaime Hokage's signature jutsu. Harashin.
The sphere had not even fully been consumed by the pocket dimension, when suddenly next to the Sandaime the Yondaime appeared already throwing one of his special kunai with one hand and flying through hand seals in the other. In that brief moment as the kunai flew at the creature sure to hit its mark, Hiruzen locked eyes with the blond and he mouth a few words that Hiruzen couldn't hear over the roar of frustration of the demon. His eyes flash in recognition as he realized it was the name of a location, an abandon training ground far behind the hokage monument to be specific.
And in the next moment the Yondaime was gone. There was a rush of air and in the distance in the direction the Yondaime had mention and piercing shriek was heard followed by a colossal boom that thundered resounding through the forest and a explosion of light that lit the night sky as if it was day.
Taking a moment to marvel at the feat that the young hokage had actually accomplished, Hiruzen took a steady breath before issuing orders and departing with a contingent of ANBU for the location of the blast. Minato had a plan and Hiruzen could only hope the cost was not as dire as he anticipated.
'Hold on Minato. I'm coming.' He thought as he maxed out his speed racing across the village to aid his successor in the final but most difficult task of the crises. It was time to seal the beast.
xXx
When the shockwave lit up the sky Itachi could only sigh in relief that the fourth had arrived in time. Thankfully both of the boys somehow seemed undisturbed by the resulting energy wave. He just hoped that the fourth was okay.
Even as he thought this, Itachi suddenly felt a presence appear beside him and the air was suddenly filled with the smell of burning. Whirling around the young Uchiha had enough time to take in the blond man's ragged and singed appearance before the man touch his shoulder and in the next instance he felt himself pulled slightly before the world around him spun. Before he could realize what was happening the world ground to a half and Itachi found himself staring and the collapsed husk of the Kyubi.
Granted the beast was still twitching and growling so it clearly was only down and not out, but looking up at the blond hokage to see him breathing heavy and taking in his haggard appearance, it would appear that so was the village.
"Itachi- kun could you please set the boys down in the special cradles I have set up for them. I need to go and have a conversation with my wife." The blond said softly before staggering forward a bit and walking toward the downed beast.
Itachi then took in his surroundings and noticed that in the clearing was set up two small cradles raised on stone pillars that the Hokage had placed in middle of massive sealing arrays. The symbols were too complex for him to understand but he was starting to get the idea behind what they were for. And he wasn't sure he like where this was going. Then the words the hokage said hit him. 'His wife was the kyubi?'
It was in this confusion that Itachi felt a hand on his shoulder even as he stood before the cradles that sat side by side. Looking up he saw that sad but reassuring smile of the Hokage. "You seem hesitant Itachi."
Trust Minato to be patient in the middle of a village ending crisis.
Itachi lowered his head almost in shame before looking from one boy to the other in his arms. "I'm sorry sir. Are you sure this is the only way?"
"I am sorry to say so, but yes Itachi. Minato gestured behind him. My wife Kushina was attacked and someone messed with her seal while I was protecting Naruto. The only way to stop the beast now is to drag it out of her and seal it safely into someone else."
Turning back to Naruto and Sasuke the young hokage continued. "Unfortunately I do not have time to prepare a seal strong enough to seal it all into one person or only my son would bear this burden. Sasuke is the youngest child other than Naruto that is also compatible with the seal. I do not like it by any means but a Hokage's first duty is the protection of the village at any cost. I will not lie to you Itachi the life will not be easy, and after tonight it will be up to the Sandaime how things are handled. The price for this jutsu will be my life. But Itachi-kun, look at me, something my wife always said was the worst part of being a jinchuraki was that you were always alone. This way neither my son nor your brother has to carry such a heavy burden alone. And there will always be someone there to help contain the situation should the struggle against the beast prove too great."
He paused here to let his words sink in. Seeing the understanding on the young Uchiha's face he continued. "But Itachi, what they will need more than that is someone who can watch out for them while they are young. I am giving my life for the village, and while I don't regret it in the slightest, it means that I will not be able to be there to protect them. So Itachi, this is the very important mission I have for you. Can you do it for me? Can you watch over them as a last request from me? Please.
Itachi was in tears now as he stared at his beloved leader. He looked down at the still sleeping forms of the two babes in his arms. "Will it hurt them?" He asked trying hard not to let the emotions that plague him escape.
"They shouldn't even feel a thing," he said trying to reassure the boy even as he heard load shuffling behind him as the beast began to recover from its own power. He looked on sadly, 'Just fight a bit long Kushina. I'm almost ready.'
Gently then the hokage took each boy from Itachi even as the tears continued to fall. "Forgive me Sasuke, Naruto. I love you." The hokage nodded in thanks to the 5 year old then placed them down in their respective places. Behind him the great beast continued to stir and he instructed Itachi to stand between and behind the two pillars. He walked over towards the Fox even as it snarled at him regaining its bearings. Once he stood about half way between the beast and the children Minato stopped and began going through a long string of handseals. "Soon my darling you will be free of this burden at last. Don't worry though you will see our child someday."
As if in response the demon released a primal roar of challenge and lashed out its nine tails at the blond man in hopes of crushing the annoying ant that stood before it. Just before the tails struck him, the Hokage finished the final handseal staring defiantly into the monster's giant eyes and the beast froze. Behind the Hokage appeared the embodiment of death, the Shinigami. He raised his arm and grabbed a hold of the great Biju's tails even as the other arm gripped the sword in its teeth and drew it. With a sickening grin the astral being separated the vast chakra of the Kyubi from its body before yanking the body now limp into the stomach of the Yondaime. And as more of its massive hulk was consumed a small figure by comparison began to appear. Left behind as more of the mass was pulled away was a red haired woman with lilac eyes who had a seal array over her chest and stomach. Even as she gained consciences, having been freed from the beast's possesion, her strength failed and her body gave way. But as the light faded from her eyes even as she fell all present could hear her last words.
"Thank you Minato-kun."
Tears rolled down the man's eyes as he watched his beloved wife collapse like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The last of the Kyubi's form was sealed moments later, drawn completely into his stomach. He didn't have much time left then. The Hokage then raised both his arms to the floating mass of chakra. His astral companion then swung his sword and split the kyubi's chakra perfectly in half by type, one purely yang energy and one perfectly yin energy. As this was happening the hokage then flashed through 42 one handed hand seals in each hand in perfect synchronization. Upon reaching the final symbol he flash to the directly between the pillars that the two babes laid on. In that moment he place one hand on each child causing a seal array to condense on each child and the sudden weight caused both to cry out in distress for the first time during the whole ordeal. Immediately after the jutsu took hold, the twin giant orbs of separated chakra types descended into the children as if being sucked by a vacuum until nothing remained. The Yin mass entering Sasuke even as the yang mass entered Naruto.
"Forgive me Sasuke, Naruto. I hope one day you understand. In the mean time, grow strong, help each other, know that I believe in you both, and most importantly remember you will always be stronger together than you ever could be apart. I love y-"
The blond however was cut off as the shinigami decided his time was up. His chakra was then sucked out of his body into the death lord's mouth to stay for all eternity as per the seal contract or until such a time as he was released. The Yondiame hokage yellow flash hero of the leaf Minato Namikaze was dead. So sudden was his departure, he did not see the late arrival of the Sandaime hokage with his anbu contingent nor did he see the blood red tear stricken eyes of the young Uchiha who had witnessed the entire event that had left his idol dead at his feet and his brother jailor to the monster that caused it.
The Sandaime hokage hung his head and defeat and shame even as the others struggled to keep their own emotions under control. If only he had been faster. They could not afford grief at the moment however. So with a tired heavy heart the only living hokage strode forward into the clearing towards the crying jinchuraki and the 5 year old cradling the fallen form of his successor. It was time to begin sorting through the mess of what happened and restoring order. There would be time to mourn their loss later for now the need to pick up the pieces. But when he arrived at the body and the distraught form of Itachi Uchiha still clutching the dead man's clothes staring back at him with a fully developed sharingan in each eye, there is only one thing he can do. He kneels down and wraps the boy in a hug, because in the moment that was the right thing to do.
"I will miss them too." he says as a single small tear escapes his eye. He did not know what the future would hold now but for now. The future could wait.
End