This was inspired by one of the scenes from the Ninja Storm franchise, where Kushina nearly sacrifices herself so Naruto at least has Minato, but Minato does something stupid (for a parent at least) and decides that he'll sacrifice himself and Kushina instead. Now, I love the Naruto story as much as the next guy, but Minato at least, didn't have to die here! Kushina was inevitably going to die here anyway, and she was a Uzumaki, so it would make sense for her to know about the Eight Signed Sealing.
Summary: AU. Kushina performs the Eight Signed Sealing and died the night of the Nine Tails attack, however Minato survived and has stepped down as Hokage in order to take care of Naruto. How will this affect the Naruto series? This is my first story so please Rate & Review!
(Nine-Tailed Fox)
(Normal & Talking)
(Thoughts)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! All rights go to the respective owners.
Chapter 1: Nine-Tails Attack
Unknown Location (Near the Hidden Leaf Village)
Towering above the forest, standing over the ruins of a wooden building, stood a colossal creature with dark, orange fur, known as the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Nine-Tails lets out a roar, before turning his sights upon a nearby clearing…
Minato Namikaze flashed into sight, falling on one knee, trying to catch his breathe as he looked at his precious cargo.
"Huf...are you...huf...okay…?" he breathed.
Within his arms was his beloved wife, Kushina Uzumaki, and within her grasp she held their newborn son, Naruto.
Kushina gazed up at him in worry. "Minato, you're-"
"I'll get us out of here Kushina...Huf...don't worry." He gave her his classic grin before attempting to stand. His attempts are in vain however, as he slips back down while accidently dropping his wife and son in the process.
"Kushina-! S-sorry…." Minato was hunched over his wife and son, casting them both in his shadow. His breath was labored and his eyes were screwed shut.
"Minato," She looked up at him once more with pain filled eyes, "Minato you can't move anymore, your chakra is gone...I'm surprised you're still conscious." Kushina smiled grimly before her expression went serious as another roar split the air. Minato opened his eyes as he turned to see the Nine-Tailed Fox begin to advance on them.
"No-!" Minato was struggling to move as the ground shook with the demon's steps. Kushina looked at her husband and then at her son as the fox took another. She turned around so that her back was facing them both. "Kushina?" Minato questioning gaze fell on his wife as he pondered what she was doing before realization struck him. "STOP-!" he pleaded and reached out to her just as yellow glowing chains sprouted from her back and wrapped themselves around the Nine-Tails, pinning him to the ground.
"Y-You-!" The fox roared as he was forcefully pulled to the ground.
Minato looked on in shock before the sound of ragged coughing reached his ears.
"Kushina!" He crawled feebly to her as coughs shook her frame and blood as red as her hair seeped from her mouth.
"I'll take...the Nine-Tails with me...to my death…" she said it with a tone that practically begged him to try and challenge her as she meet his eyes with a determined glare.
Minato looked at her with pain and confusion were written into every single feature on his face. "W-what? What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Do you...remember...how I was telling you about...learning forbidden jutsus…?" she started, before handing him Naruto. Thinking back, he did remember her going through some scrolls and books about the topic. He looked at her in confusion as she stood and made a hand seal, which summoned a hideous monstrosity. The creature had lavender skin with long, messy white hair and red devil horns. It held a small blade in its fangs and had strings of red beads that wove around its hands and continued down its arms, under its plain white cloak. What scared Minato the most however, was the glowing blue silhouette the bore a striking resemblance to his beloved Kushina, hanging limply from its white bangs.
"I found...a seal...called the...Eight...Signed Seal." Kushina explained, "It will… take the Nine-Tails...and split him into a Yin half and Yang half...and put them in…me and...Naruto." Kushina watched her husband's face change from confusion to horror.
"Make him a jinchuriki?! Why Kushina?! You know how hard it is! Why would you pass that burden onto Naruto?!" Minato stared at her as if she were a stranger. Kushina had been scorned and abused for year because she was the jinchuriki, so why?! Why would she wish this on our own son?! Minato thought as he tore his gaze away from Kushina and turned his sights down to their sleeping child.
"There is one side-effect to this jutsu, however." Minato looked up at her and involuntarily flinched at the intensity from her gaze. "The side-effect...is that the caster will die."
Minato's eyes widened as tears began to flow down his face. His gaze fell from Kushina's eyes as he stared blankly ahead, his mind numb.
"Minato."
Minato's head snapped back up as Kushina called his name. He learned a long time ago that disobeying her was a bad idea. She looked him dead in the eye before closing her eyes and smiling.
"Did you forget what you told me, about being strong?" her expression went soft again as she looked down to Naruto and continuing, "Of course I know what he'll have to go through, but, I know that, with your help, he'll make it!" she declared bringing a fist to heart before nodding.
"Promise me, Minato." she said, looking at her husband once more, "Promise me that you'll survive, for our son."
"I promise, Kushina, I..."Minato swallowed as the weight of his words hit him, "I give you my word." Minato declared, prying a smile from Kushina's face again.
Without another word, Kushina and the monster turned to the Nine-Tails as it roared. Kushina spread her arms out as writing appeared on the monster's hand. The moment seemed to last for eternity, when suddenly, the monster's hand went through Kushina in the direction of the Nine-Tails.
"Kushina!"
The hand continued on its path before rising and going through the fox's outstretched hand and traveling up to through its arm. The fox screeched in pain before turning its glare towards Kushina.
"Wh-what…! Don't tell me you…! As realization dawned on the fox.
Kushina glared back at the demon fox before forcing out one word.
"Seal!"
A blue silhouette of the Nine-Tails made from the Yang half of the Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed into Kushina.
"Ugh…!" Kushina doubled over for a moment, a hand cradling her stomach, where a black seal mark now resided.
"We need to hurry...I won't last much longer…" she gazed down at the mark before looking at her former tenant once more.
"Grrrr…." the Nine-Tails looked at Kushina in absolute fury, "Y-you…! ...Uzumaki!"
"Huf…Huf…*cough**cough*..." Kushina stumbled over towards Minato, who all the while had been staring with wide, tear filled eyes. "Kushina…"
"Now...for...Naruto…" she breathed. She then put her palm to the ground and conjured a ritual altar that consisted of a small bed in the center that was surrounded by lit candles, giving it a aura of malice that sent shivers down Minato's spine. Kushina then reached for Naruto, but Minato was frozen with grief and fear, so she had to take him from him herself.
"Rrrrr Aaaahhhh!" the Nine-Tails was absolutely livid, however the chains still firmly held him down. He was unable to even lift a finger.
Behind Kushina the monster removed the blade from his mouth and held it threateningly over the Chakra Kushina. Kushina looked over her shoulder and nodded and turned back to her family.
"Its...almost time…" she breathed, "but first...I'll put the last of my chakra...into the seal…" She made a hand seal and seemingly aged years in seconds.
"Before I go… I have things...I want to say...to both of you…" She smiled over at Naruto, "Naruto… Don't be a picky eater… eat a lot… and grow big and strong." She smiled and continued, "Make sure to bathe every day.. and stay warm… Don't stay up late… Get plenty of sleep…" She paused to catch her breath before going on, "Plus...make friends… You don't need tons...okay…? Just a few...that you can really trust…" She chuckled a little, "And… your Mom was bad at this...but study hard...and learn your ninjutsu…!" She paused to breathe again, "Just… Everyone...is good at some things and not so good at others… So even if...things don't go well...don't get depressed, okay…? At the Academy, respect...your teachers and those senior to you…" Minato had to smile a little at the effort she was going through for their son, "Oh… and regarding the Three Prohibitions… be extra careful about loaning and borrowing money… Make sure you save money…from your mission pay… And... don't start drinking until your 21… Too much drink is bad for your body...so...drink in moderation…" She scowled a little at the next thing she was to say, "...And...the most problematic… Girls… I'm a girl so I don't really know much about this… But...at some point...you'll notice girls… And that's normal…" Her face showed pain for a moment, but a sad smile returned soon after, "Just be careful… Don't fall for the first girl that comes your way… Find someone...like me." She let out a small laugh, "Plus...speaking if the Three Prohibitions… Be wary of… Master Jiraiya, ya know…" That would have made Minato laugh if not for the circumstances. "Naruto… there'll be plenty of hard… and painful… times ahead…" she stopped for a moment as tears fell down her face, "Take care of yourself… ...Make sure to have dreams… ...And the confidence… to make those dreams... come true…!" Kushina was hiccuping now, tears soundlessly falling to the ground. "So much…! There's so...so...much…! There really… There really is… so much more I want… I want to tell you… I want to be with you longer…!" She took a deep breathe to calm her sobs before finally saying what she needed to say, "...I love you."
By this point Minato had managed to stand, though he continued to sway on his feet. When Kushina turned to him, he felt as if his heart would shatter.
"Minato." She wiped her eyes of her tears before looking at him again. "Thank you...for everything...up till now…" Kushina then stepped over to him, and hugged him, laying her beautiful head on his shoulder.
Minato screwed his eyes shut and hugged her back. "Kushina...you're the one… ...Who made me the Fourth Hokage… Who made me a man." An image of Naruto flutter into his mind. "And you made me this child's father…" He wanted to break down right then and there, but the monster Kushina had summoned aimed it blade threateningly over the Chakra Kushina, signalling the end was near.
"I don't want you...to go Kushina…" he sobbed into her shoulder, but pressed on. "But…you're giving your life…for my village...one you weren't even born in…" He squeezed Kushina as hard as he dared, wanting her to realize how much he loved and appreciated her in his next few words, "Most of all...you gave your life...for our son…" He then pulled back from their embrace and looked her in the eye. He smiled and laughed a little as he saw her eyes filled with love and happiness. That's how I've always wished to see you feel in your last moments. He thought as they leaned forward and kissed one last time.
When they finally pulled away, a bittersweet smile was on their faces. They would have gone on to say more, had there not been movement from the monster behind them. He had raised his sword over his head. Kushina and him looked at each other as the sword came down. There were so many things to say, but only time for one. As the sword made contact, a few words were spoken, two voices in sync for the last time.
"I love you."
"Eight Signed Seal…"
I hope you all enjoyed! This is my first published piece, and I have to say, I hold a lot of confidence in the idea. There are a few things I would like to clarify;
First: I know that this concept is widely used, however, I believe that every story has a unique element to add to every concept.
Second: For those who don't know, the reason "Eight Signed Seal" is after the "I love you", is not because I wanted to end it that way, however, once the caster says Eight Signed Seal, they die.
Third: All pairings will be canon only! And I think I will only show them in the Epilogue, as I am terrible at writing romance...mainly because I'm a freshman in highschool who has never had a girlfriend/boyfriend.
Fourth: Yes, I copied what Kushina said to both Naruto and Minato in that 20 minute sequence from Ninja Storm. In fairness, I don't think anyone could have made that better, so I stuck with it.
Well, that's all! And I'll be starting on the next chapter Saturday! I have a personal life to attend to so...yeah. Please Rate & Review!