First off, I wanted to thank GunnerRyuu and Broth3erMenace for telling me that this had no paragraph breaks. I thought it did but it must have been copied and pasted wrong. This is my first story and thank you for at least attempting to read it the first time through. Hopefully it will be easier now. Enjoy and please leave reviews and constructive criticism. Both are greatly appreciated. Oh, and I'm sorry the first chapter is only 2,089 words. It is so short because I want to see how it goes before I try lengthening and going more in depth. Now, on to the story!
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The smoke rose from the smoldering ruins of the buildings which had been destroyed the night before. Flames were still burning on some of the buildings but was quickly being extinguished by the heavy rain. It seemed that even the heavens were mourning over the death of the thought-to-be Child of Prophecy, Minato Namikaze. His body was found by Sarutobi, the Sandaime; and Kakashi, one of the former students of Minato. Minato's body was found beside his wife, Kuhsina Uzumaki. They both were laying in crimson puddles with a gaping hole in their chests. Beside the hollow shells of bodies was an alter and crib which held a crying blonde-haired child. This child was none other than Naruto Namikaze, the child of Minato and Kushina. A seal was on his tiny stomach which indicated what had been sealed inside of him. The Kyuubi.
Sarutobi slowed his frantic running, to the spot where Minato had been fighting the Kyuubi, once he saw the pair of dead bodies. Kakashi followed behind and dropped to his knees in disbelief. Kakashi kept shaking his head, trying wake himself from the hell-ish nightmare. Sarutobi stepped forward slowly, his heart and feet getting heavier with each movement towards the lifeless bodies. "Why did it have to come to this?" Sarutobi asked himself quietly.
His teeth gritted againt themselves as he looked the two figures. The rain pelted his drenched clothing as he looked down to the grass. It hurt to see two of his most precious people dead before him. The wailing of Naruto brought Sarutobi to look up at the altar. Hesitantly, he stepped forward and gently picked up the baby boy. Kakashi looked up to see Sarutobi holding the child. "I-is that sensei's ch-child?" Kakashi asked through tears and sobs. The old man nodded his head gravely. This child was the legacy of Minato and Kushina. Naruto's cries abated as his eyes slowly opened to reveal his cerulean irises. Sarutobi smiled faintly at the sight of such an innocent face.
"Kakashi, send for ANBU to come and gather the bodies of the Yondaime and his wife," Sarutobi said in a more firm tone. Even if his heart was broken, Sarutobi had to be strong so everyone else could endure. The Sandaime looked down to the bodies of Minato and Kushina. They were both smiling. Even in death, they were happy. Kakashi looked at the child once more before nodding his head and heading back to the village with utmost speed.
Sarutobi observed the baby once more, "Young Naruto, you will bring change to this world," he said firmly before looking to the dark clouds which floated above them. Everything was going to get better. With passing time, it was bound to...hopefully...
(A week later)
"You bastards! You can't be serious!" Jaraiya, the Toad Sannin, yelled angrily at the Council members seated in the room. "You are taking away any chance this boy has of a normal life!"
"This thing you call a child is nothing more than a container to the greatest weapon Konohagakure has, and, right now, we need every piece of military asset we can get. We've just been decimated by the Kyuubi, and it is highly likely that word will get to the other villages of our condition," Koharu said calmly. The head clan members in the room stayed quiet for the moment. The head clan members consisted of: Shitoko Nara, Chuzo Akimichi, Tima Inazuka, Inoto Yamanaka, Shoto Aburama, Hiashi Hyuuga, Fugaku Uchiha, and the lesser clan heads. Koharu continued, not allowing Jaraiya to speak, "And once they find out, they will come and attack if we do not show that we are still the strongest village. If we say that we have the Kyuubi under our control than no nation will be brave enough to come against us."
"But the Kyuubi isn't under your control! It is inside a child who has a right to choose his own life, not the one you wish to press upon him!" Jaraiya shouts. Sarutobi listened and watched with a heavy heart. He knew both sides were correct. From a political point of view, if Konohagakure said they had the Kyuubi under control then no nation would oppose them. From a moral point of view, Konohagure would be taking away the humanity of a child who misfortune seemed to mark as its prey. What should he do? A tired sigh escaped his lips as he prepared to speak.
Before a word could exit his mouth, Fugaku spoke up. "This child would be an exceptional Shinobi if trained properly. Because he is an Uzumaki he will have an incredibel chakra pool, and the reserves from the Kyuubi would do nothing but increase them exponentially. The kid would have an almost infinite amount of chakra."
Shitoko then thought it was to speak, his voice coming out with tired tone, "That may be true, but if he only taught war then he will not be able to function properly. No one can handle the emotional impact which would happen if he was only bred for fighting."
"That may be true, " Hiashi spoke in a aristocratic way, "But that would only be true if was allowed to have emotions. If he is trained from a certain age, then he will not know what it is like to encounter anything other than war, fighting, and death."
Tima smashed her fist on the circular table they all sat at and growled angrily, "No, that isn't right! A child is suppose to be able to have fun and actually be nurtured! It is what forms him into a true Shinobi!"
Inoto nodded his head, "A child has emotions and a free will and mind which, while able to be bent, cannot be broken and shattered."
Shoto stayed silent through this all.
Chuzo sided with Tima and Inoto, "A kid can't be molded into a perfect weapon. It isn't humane!"
The clan members and Council members began to bicker amongst themselves. Fugaku, Hiashi, and the Council members going against the heads of the Nara, Inazuka, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans.
"Enough!" Sarutobi yelled above the arguing of the others. "It has been decided! From this moment forward, Naruto Namikaze will be trained in every art of the Shinobi! Also, he shall go by Naruto Uzumaki because of the enemies of the Yondaime that would come after Naruto should they learn he is alive!"
Jaraiya's eyes widened in shock. His former sensei, the most benevolent man he knew was condemning this baby to a life of pain! This was Minato's legacy! Jaraiya vanished and appeared behind Sarutobi and grabbed the old man by the back of the neck before pulling him out of his seat. The Sannin then pressed his former sensei against the wall with crushing power, spider cracks forming along the wall from the impact. "How dare you!"
Sarutobi knew this was coming but hadn't suspected the actions taken. He motioned for the advancing ANBU to stay back. The old man didn't want to bury any ANBU today. "Jaraiya listen, Naruto will be safer in the village then anywhere else."
"Like hell! Giving him a life of war isn't safer. He might as well be dead!" Jaraiya angrily says and cocks his right fist back to punch the old man. Sarutobi allows the fist to head at him before raising his right arm and catching the fast, causing more cracks to form in the wall from the force.
"At least when he's here, I can watch him, " Sarutobi says with an understanding tone. He could understand where his white-haired student coming from. He didn't wish for this either but it would be better than death. Death was the absolute last option. Perhaps the Council would allow Naruto to be free once everything had calmed down.
Danzo watched from his seat quietly. The events unfolding before him were presenting him with many options. Maybe he could get the young Uzumaki in his ranks of ROOT once he turned the age of four or five. It would bolster his strength greatly and allow him to train Naruto in the way he saw fit. Danzo would make him the perfect kiling machine. A true Shinobi of Konohagakure.
Jaraiya gritted his teeth and glared at his former sensei with pure hate. Dropping the old man to the ground, he turned on his heel and began walking out of the room. Jaraiya stopped at the door and spoke without even turning around in a tone that was easy to identify that he was restraining his anger. "If he hurt, I will kill you Sarutobi," he stated and walked out of the room.
A pang of sadness shot into Sarutobi's heart at hearing this. Having his student hate him to such a degree was very bad, but necessary. He would carry this burden as long as Naruto was not killed. Jaraiya would forgive him one day hopefully. He got up and dusted off his Hokage robes before sitting down once more in his seat.
The Council then made it official that Naruto would begin training to become the weapon Konohagakure needed once he could walk. Sarutobi used his Hokage seal to signify that it was now official. His soul was shattered as well as his heart. Minato's legacy would become the a machine to do the Council's bidding...
(A few days later)
Villagers clad in black were all in lines. They heads were down as the clouds above covered the sun and sky. Today was the funeral and burial of Kushina and Minato Namikaze. Kakashi and the other young Shinobi and Kunoichi were close to the front of the precession as they waited for Sarutobi to appear and speak. Jaraiya and the clan heads were in the front. Everyone donned their black clothing. Jaraiya and many others had tears flowing down their cheeks as they remembered the bright Yondaime.
Sarutobi walked out onto the terrace of the Hokage's building. The citizens and Shinobi were underneath, on the streets below. He wished he could be down with the others and be one of the people crying, but he couldn't. He was the Sandaime. The strongest Shinobi alive. Right now was the most important time for act as if he were strong. But, in reality, he was breaking further on the inside. Using chakra, his voice boomed so everyone of the people could hear him properly:
"Civillians and Shinobi alike, we gather here today to remember a great man and woman. Minato and Kushina Namikaze will forever be remembered. Minato, the Yondaime, was one of the most kind and brightest individuals that we were graced to have among our ranks. Kushina Uzumaki, the most feisty and kind-hearted person, will forever be remembered. Both of these beings were special to us all, in one way or another. It breaks my heart to inform you all that they were killed. Do not be saddened, but encouraged by their deaths. They fought for what they believed in! They fought to keep us safe! They fought for you, me, and everyone in this land! They sacrificed themselves so that we could live on and prosper! Do not let their deaths be in vain, but carry on their Will of Fire and let it shine brightly in you all! Remember them and never forget what they did! " he yelled out with compassion.
The people looked up at him. Hope was returning to them all. Their Wills were strengthening and fortifying itself inside eveyone. Jaraiya looked up to his former sensei. What Sarutobi had said was correct. Jaraiya looked around and saw faith returning into the eyes of the villagers. He smiled faintly and began to walk away. He didn't need to be here any longer. Sarutobi would keep everything under control.
Sarutobi heard the cheers go up through the crowd. He smiled faintly. The rest of the words were not to be said but understood through their actions. Turning around, Sarutobi walked back inside the Hokage office. Now, all he had to do was think of a way to save Naruto from the future in which was to be forced upon him...
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Well, there's the first chapter of my first story. Please tell me how it is! Pairings are undecided. The actual story is kinda undecided too...hehe, but please review, like, and comment. Thanks and catacha later!