Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Naruto, the story or characters, or anything from any other published manga or anime that I might use or mention. Only the story idea and story line are mine. Go figure.


Prologue:

"Naruto, my son, I am sorry to do this to you. Yours will be by far the hardest task of all and you should be held high as the greatest hero the world has yet seen. I hope that you will forgive when you learn everything. Read the scrolls I left you with all of the details. Farewell and many blessings, my son." With that, the Fourth Hokage, the strongest shinobi to have lived on the earth, breathed his last. Besides him, a scroll glowed briefly before vanishing, and a wailing infant cried aloud as the seals inscribed over his body faded, leaving a spiral death's seal around his navel.

The former Third Hokage dashed over, along with two companies of ANBU and some of the best medic-nins that they had, including Tsunade. "Arashi, why did this have to happen?" Even as he mourned for the future leader that he had placed his hope and dreams in, he felt himself returning to his role as the Hokage. Kneeling, he picked up the crying infant, staring at him intensely. "Uzamaki Naruto, hmm? You chose well for a guardian, my friend, using your own son. Let us hope the village will see him as a true hero, for your sake and for his sake. Truly, he represents a mighty maelstrom that will shake the foundations of the shinobi world." He muttered quietly to himself, the only other individual in the world, aside from the Fourth, who knew the entirety of the truth.

One of the ANBU spoke up nervously. "Would it be better if we killed the demon right now? It is still weak; its powers are sealed and its chakra stemmed at the moment. Its human body is not even fully developed." Another one, putting words into action, drew his katana. Without waiting for permission, he cast a hate-filled glare at the now silent infant, and dashed forward, intending to end the child's life on the spot. He did not get far before his entire body exploded into a rain of flesh and blood. Tsunade's superior speed and strength shielded the infant, and she threw a hard, cold gaze at the now fearful remaining ANBU.

The Third, Hokage once more, threw a deathly gaze that froze the ANBU companies. "Let me tell you, the elite and smartest and strongest shinobi of the village, right now that Naruto is no the Kyuubi in human flesh. He is the container and jailor. If you kill him, who knows what horrors might happen. Spread that to the ranks; I want no attempts on his life. You will guard him. With your lives if need be." His utter seriousness and grave demeanor drove home the point. "Good. Let us return to the village with the message of victory and the hope for rebuilding and rebirth. Despite the terrors and horrors of tonight, the spirit of fire continues to burn on."

Unable to restrain himself, one of the ANBU, in bright green spandex, shouted loudly at the rallying message. "YOSH! THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH SHALL NEVER FADE! YOU TRULY ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF YOUTH, LORD HOKAGE!"

As all of the ANBU stared in utter shock at the revealed ANBU, Gai, another person, pulling out an orange book and started to read. "Hmm, did you say something?" Returning to normalcy, though without as much tension in the air as before, everyone ignored the ANBU member, now ranting loudly about the problem of geniuses and their hip and unspirited ways.

Tsunade muttered under her breath as the group turned to leave, with a slightly sardonic and sad tone. "So, will we really recover? Shall the leaf sprout anew and the fire burn more brightly still?"

The group respectfully gathered up their fallen leader and carefully cradled the now silent infant and headed back to the village of Konoha. From the Fourth's half-closed hand, a single lead, still green and newborn, fluttered down, to be picked up by the wind and sent soaring into the clearing heavens above.


I promise, that despite the so far standard beginning, that my story will have a number of plot twists and turns coming up in the future. Saying that, I ask that all readers

PLEASE REVIEW!!!