Child of Gods, Reject of Men

by Ronin2106

Forced to pay for the sealing of Kyuubi into his siblings, Naruto slowly dies after sealing. However,Shiva, God of Creation and Destruction, witnesses what happens and decides to save him. With his wife Parvati and Izanami, he saves Naruto, by making him more than man. How will Shinobi world react to a Child of Gods? Eventual OP! Naruto, Eventual Name!Change! Sequel is in works.

11. Chapter 11

Konoha's hospital. Physical rehabilitation area. A week and a half after Naruto awakened.

"That's the spirit. Just three more steps, you can do this Naruto. Now, move your left leg forward…" Shizune instructed him, with Naruto, covered in the sweat and barely holding his balance on the floor, moving his left leg forward.

To say that he was doing his hardest at this moment, would be an understatement of the century, because Naruto felt like he was going outside of the limitations of his physical form. Never would he ever imagine that learning to walk again could be hard, yet it was, just as relearning how to hold a pen, write and practically all essential skills that his body and mind seemed to have lost. When he was locked in his own mindscape, he didn't have to worry about it all, but once he was out of there, he noticed that his memory had become spotty, some things were simply not there, leaving a gaping hole in its stead. And those were some of the more universal things, like with writing and even reading certain words, which meant that the damage to Naruto's mind and brain was worse than he had originally perceived it to be.

Fortunately, according to Shizune, such things as loss of memory and losing some skills was a common thing to happen to the patients who were in a coma. And given the fact of Naruto's trauma being not just extensive, but also a high degree life threatening, Shizune had stated to him that it was a blessing that he had gotten off with just this. During the recovery Shizune promised Naruto to help him in every way she could, from teaching him how to write, hold a pen or a spoon, to how to walk again and regaining his previous strength.

And the young woman had kept her word to the letter, as in just a few days following his awakening, Shizune had completely reworked his recovery program, including his nutrition. Since Naruto's body was weakened, he couldn't yet fully digest food and had to rely on IV injections, with the previous ones being replaced by Uzumaki oriented ones due to low sustenance original gave him. These already had the positive effect on his body, with his weight starting to return to normal and muscles also starting to regain their functions, not to mention that Naruto was again regaining ability to move his hands more freely and with less trouble. After a few days, the nauseous feeling that had accompanied his reawakening had dissipated and Naruto was once more feeling like he was getting better. His arms worked as he had commanded him, and his frame was no longer as scary to look, though his previous baby fat was lost for good. For a soon to be seven-year old boy, he did look slim and even lanky as some would say, but that could be rectified.

What was beyond being repaired now was Naruto's relations with his family, or rather, his former family. After his awakening, after hearing all that they and Mito had told him while he was in coma, and after meeting Parvati and acknowledging her and Tomoe as his mothers, Naruto knew that he had to deal with his family, and he decided to do it sooner than later. Which is why he asked for Shizune to only let them visit him on the next day after he had awakened. That way, Naruto has had time to not only spend with those that really mattered to him, but also to prepare himself for the inevitable confrontation that was to take place in his room.

And the results of it were quite pronounced and felt by many of those that cared for what was happening with his family.

---

Flashback. A day after Naruto awakened.

Naruto was laying in his bed, an IV attached to his veins and pumping nutrients into his organism, while he was trying to read what was written on it. While he had no difficulty to reading most of the letters and words, as he had expected, but then on certain letters, Naruto's mind would go blank and give him nothing. He knew that he had the knowledge of how to read it, that he read something like that before hundreds of time, but now… Now there was a loop on his memory and knowledge, and it was a singular one, as there were many spots where his memory was giving him nothing but blank. Events, knowledge that he had gained from books and more, all of that was gone, as if someone had erased those randomly picked things. Naruto first noticed that when he couldn't remember the name of Goddess Inari, and had Akagi tell it to him again, which surprised and shocked her, Kaga and Naruto himself. Only after consulting with Shizune, Naruto had learned the apparent full extent of his trauma and consequences of what had transpired with him. A partial amnesia, possibly a permanent loss of memory with those blanks… One more thing that he will have to ask from Namikaze when they arrive here, along with all that they had done to him and Mito.

With a frown present on his face, Naruto turned away from the IV and stared at the three additional occupants of his room, with Akagi and Kaga being in their human form, while Medusa, oddly enough, opted to remain in her dragon form, though of a smaller scale and size than the one she had in his mind. The meeting of three wasn't an amicable one, as Akagi and Kaga were instantly on the defenses when Medusa appeared out Naruto, prepared to strike at her with all they had. Only after Naruto introduced her and told them of his meeting with Parvati, did the pair relent and accepted Naruto's new Shikigami with open arms, so to speak. Surprisingly, Naruto had expected the two sisters to be more confrontational with Medusa, but after the air was cleared, they had little to no trouble finding a common ground with the purple-golden dragon.

Naruto let out a defeated sigh, giving up on trying to read what was written there, with Kaga speaking up

"Another blank?" She asked, with Naruto awkwardly nodding to her. "That's alright, you'll learn how to read it again in no time. What is most important is that you are awake that there aren't any lasting consequences."

"Safe for the fact that I can't feel my legs, my digestive system doesn't even function normally and I can eat solid food and barely ingest anything at all, along with my arms barely even moving. Oh, and did I mention that damn nausea I'm feeling all the time?" Naruto asked rhetorically in an irritated manner, before blinking and sighing. "I'm sorry Kaga, I'm just…"

"Don't be, Naruto. We understand what had happened to you and don't hold anything against you. You just woke up and Shizune did say that mood swings and irritability are common consequences after a head trauma." Kaga told him, before exchanging looks with Akagi. "Naruto, maybe you shouldn't do it today. Let yourself recover first, rest with both body and mind, and then…"

"No, I have to do it, and best if I do it today, as soon as possible." Naruto stated with steel in his voice. "The longer I delay, the more they will have time to think of something that will hamper me, or harm Mito, or something along the lines of controlling me. Like with this insufficient IV… No, they need to understand the consequences of what they did to me, and that I am done with then."

"That may be so, Naruto, but to do it so soon after awakening… This is foolish, Naruto. The last thing you need is more stress and things bothering you." Akagi told him with care in her voice, before shaking her head. "But… If this is what you've decided, then we will stand by your decision, and stand near you, in case of something going wrong."

"You do not actually believe that they will try to attack him?" Medusa asked of them.

"The parents, or at least Minato, may not, but Kushina and her spawns are a different matter. The latter now hates Naruto for losing their positions of prestige and fame, while the former is an unstable woman, obsessed with her flawed notion of a perfect Uzumaki family. She'll go as far as to strike anyone who is opposing it, and Naruto has already fallen victim to her brutality." Kaga explained to Medusa, who floated in the air, before violently swinging her tail and letting out a snake-like hissing sound, signifying her anger.

"Master, give the order, and I shall show that wretched woman what it means to strike a dragon." Medusa was quite clearly implying that she wanted to punish Kushina, with Naruto shaking his head, though with some trouble.

"No. But she'll learn that I no longer wish to be a part of her family, and that I'll make certain to take Mito out of it as well." Naruto promised to himself and others, that Mito will be safe from Namikaze, and he will keep that promise, before his eyes focused up again. "They are here." At that moment, Akagi and Kaga transformed into their Kitsune forms and entered a spiritual realm, with Medusa following them.

The very next moment, the door opened up, and in to his room entered the entirety of his family, starting with Minato, Kushina, and followed by Natsu, Narumi and Mito. Naruto could clearly sense and hear all of their thoughts and emotions, with his parents being beside themselves with happiness and brimming with hope, while his siblings, safe for Mito, were emitting barely hidden animosity and had a strong desire to hit him with something really hard, or even kill him.

Just as Naruto had suspected and knew beforehand: Natsu and Narumi weren't sorry a single bit for their behavior, and now were looking to get their due from him in one way or the other. Well, Naruto will deal with them in due course and time, as Mito was already aware of it, since Naruto had shared with her his plans, which she supported. Naruto didn't need to have his powers turned on to know that his sister wanted only the best for him, even if it meant doing what he was going to do right now.

Kushina, with tears in her eyes, was the first to speak up.

"Naruto, my dear little boy, oh you have no idea just how worried I was all these months. Oh, my poor little maelstrom…" Kushina was about to move to hug him, but Naruto stopped her with his voice.

"Don't. Touch. Me." He suddenly spoke to her, his voice filled with steel and coldness, which seemed to have a physical effect on the Namikaze, making them shudder from it.

"N-Naruto, don't you… Aren't you glad to see us?" Kushina asked of him in a hopeful tone. "My son, we…"

"Don't call me your son." Naruto told Kushina, shocking her and Minato, as well as his siblings. "You were my mother, in the past, but you've stopped being one when I turned five. Same goes for my former father here."

"Naruto, you are not well. We understand that you are still confused and can't figure out what is going on…" Minato tried to defuse the situation, but Naruto didn't let him.

"Oh, I assure you, that while I am feeling like a newborn kitten right now, but my mind is working perfectly, and I know exactly what is going on. Would you like to know?" Naruto didn't give them a chance to respond. "I lost a quarter of my weight, my digestive track is nearly atrophied and I can't eat solid food, and I can't even keep what's inside of me like normal people can. I can't move or even feel my legs, while my arms move as if they are under water and I can't even raise them properly, and the only thing that seems to be working properly is my head. I feel a constant little nausea, as if I'm going to throw up, yet there isn't anything in my stomach for that. Aside from that, I can't remember what day is my birthday, what was the first word Mito said, what does our house looks like and many things like that, even though I know that I knew about them all. I can't remember how to properly write or even read some letters and words, and that isn't even the worst of it… And all of that is thanks to you, Natsu. Congratulations, you wanted to make me hurt and suffer? You've succeeded." Naruto glared at the boy, making him shudder a little.

"Naruto, what your older brother did was wrong, and he has apologized to us for it many times. He is truly remorseful, and if you could forgive him, then I am sure that we can put it all behind us and move on, as a real family." Minato told him, turning to his oldest son. "Natsu, now tell Naruto what you've said to him while he was asleep."

"It doesn't matter anymore, what he will tell me, or what he told me before. I've already heard his apologies, and all of your apologies, and how you were saying that you were missing me, or about how you were being hopeful that I will get better… I heard everything you and everyone else who had visited me had told me." Naruto revealed to them. "I know everything you have to tell me, as well as a scripted play that I've read beforehand, and I have to tell you this: I don't care about your regrets and that you are sorry, and I know that at least half of what you have told me here is just for show. Lies and deceits."

"Naruto, you can't just say such things. I really do wished that you would wake up. Please, just let me… Let us make it up to you. I'll personally take care of you and with my care, you'll be back on the feet in no time, and then all five of us can join in on a training, just like you always wished." Kushina told him with tears in her eyes. "Naruto, please, I know I have made mistakes in the past, but just because you are angry at us for not treating you right, doesn't mean that you should cut us off from your life."

"You know, I also thought the same way, that despite how much you've hurt me and how much you've neglected Mito, you are still my family." Naruto admitted to them, seemingly reigniting hope in the eyes of his parents. "Without you, I wouldn't be born, and that is true, and you did love and care for me… At least until you decided to focus upon Natsu and Narumi."

"We did this out of love for all of you, Naruto. Natsu and Narumi have a great responsibility and…"

"I know it!" Naruto suddenly cut Minato off. "I know about the Jinchuriki and what it means, and I accepted that. I accepted being cut off from you because training, I accepted being looked down upon by the people of Konoha, because someone thought that I was a fool and a demon. Heck, I even played the part of a fool, because it was far easier to do it than really show my real emotions." Naruto kept on revealing to the Namikaze his past and inner workings.

"I was fine with no friends, being looked down by both you and these two, and don't even deny it. I know that you didn't even see me as a worthy material to be a Shinobi or to be trained by you, and that you even thought I was not alright because of my beliefs in Yokai and Kami." Naruto told them with venom in his voice.

"Naruto, we never said that, nor did we think about it." Minato was denying it. "While it is true that I thought you won't be like your siblings, I never did think you would…"

"You thought that I was too soft-hearted and unfocused for a potential Shinobi, that I care more about playing my flute and reading books than learning what it means to be a Shinobi. You were always bothered about me not showing any interest in being a Shinobi, not in the same way as Natsu and Narumi." Naruto stated to Minato, shocking him and Kushina, while Naruto's golden eyes blazed with anger. "You even thought that there was something wrong with me, especially when you looked at my eyes, since you and Kushina don't have eyes like that. You were always disappointed in me because I wasn't like them."

"B-but I didn't…" Minato couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Naruto, this isn't what you think it was. I understand that you are mad at us and you have every right, but that doesn't mean you can't give us a second chance."

"I wasn't finished, and until I am, please keep quiet." Naruto told him with a steel cold voice.

"Or what, you will spit on us, or spray us with your piss? Because there isn't much you can do to us right now." Natsu nastily noted, catching Naruto's eye and instantly shuddering when he saw cold fury in the eyes of his brother.

"You and I will settle our business later, Natsu, when I can move and can give you the fight you were so itching for. Until then, you and your sister will keep quiet and listen to what I have to say." Naruto's tone didn't leave any room to negotiating, before he return to the subject at hand. "I was fine with all that and even more, I even endured how you treated Mito, and that was the hardest for me to handle, because she didn't deserve to get sidelined just because of them. She didn't deserve to put in the hands of that screeching harpy Mebuki, just so the two of you could go and play out your fantasy of having a perfect family without us!" Naruto practically screamed at them, before drawing breath, trying to compose himself again.

"Naruto, we know what we did was wrong, but…" Kushina tried to speak up, but Naruto didn't let her, as his voice practically roared.

"THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO IT!" Naruto roared at them, showing that even with his body being as weak as it was, his spirit and will were as strong as they could get. "You are always coming up with the excuses… I get it, I understand it all, I really do… But I am done with it. I am done with understanding your reasons, and with trying to stay in the family that has hurt me and my sister so many times. I thought that family meant only relations by blood, but I was wrong, because only after being in coma I started to understand, what real family means. It's not about blood or shows of familial love or whatever you were trying to pull off by coming here, no. It's all about the people that care and love you for who you are and not trying to make you something you are not. In both your eyes, I was never someone who could uphold the names of Namikaze and Uzumaki… Well, then to hell with them I say."

"Naruto, you don't know what you are saying. It's clear that the trauma has affected your mind and Shizune only made it worse." Minato shook his head, trying to ignore what his son has said. "Don't worry, once I get Tsunade back, everything will…"

"Everything will what, go exactly as you want, and I'll become a perfect son for you, one that is loudmouthed, over eager and doesn't think things through, and shouts out about all that he is and wants to be? Is that what you want of me?" Naruto could sense that he hit the nail in its head with his father and mother. "I may be fresh out of coma, but my mind is sound, and my resolve is resolute, and I will not let that woman temper with it. I've asked Shizune to hold you off for a day because I needed to gather both my thoughts and my strength, because there are things I want to tell you. Things, which you need to hear, and you will hear them right now."

"Are you not done yet? Or is there something more you want to tell us, little brother?" Narumi asked with a barely hidden contempt. "Isn't this time for you to use toilet? Maybe we should call for your caretaker, so that she could help you with you?" Narumi mocked her brother.

"Narumi, this isn't how I told you to speak to your brother! Can't you see that he isn't in the sound mind and clearly needs help after coming out of coma?" Kushina reprimanded her daughter, though not quite as hard as she should've done.

"You will listen to Naruto, for once in your lives." Mito suddenly spoke up, glaring at her family, with her tone filled with steel and contempt. "You've ignored him for almost two years, hurt him and made him feel sad more times than I know how to count. He deserves to be heard, and he will be heard."

"Mito, darling, we will discuss what you said just now…" Minato tried to dissuade this from coming to fruition, but the next words Naruto uttered were enough to stop him.

"YOU WILL KEEP QUIET!" Naruto roared again at them, silencing them. "I told you much already, but not all, so bear with me and don't interrupt me. All that talk about family taking care of each other, and how Uzumaki cherish their bonds… Who the hell are you to speak of such things, you, who dares to claim the name of a nation as if it were your own?!" Naruto looked at Kushina, who was in a state of shock.

"I know about the Uzumaki Nation, and about to which family you really belonged to, mother. And I know about the lies you were spouting about the Uzumaki and how you are the one true heiress of the Uzumaki, when in reality, you are just one of many survivors, who thinks she can dare to claim what isn't hers…" Naruto narrowed his eyes on Kushina, before turning to Minato. "And as for you, father. Sacrificing for the good of the village, that everyone in it are a family, but what do you do? You may be a hero to the Leaf Village, but as a Hokage, you are the worst one yet, and a hypocrite at that as well. Don't try to deny it, I'm not blind and deaf as these two, and I knew about the Uchiha Clan's plight and how you didn't do a thing about it. Even worse, you just isolated and prosecuted them, just because one of them had attacked the Village! One rogue, yet the entire Clan has to suffer!"

"That man had nearly killed you and your entire family, Naruto! Don't you dare to think that I did just out of spite towards the Uchihas, and this isn't even an issue anymore!" Minato shouted at Naruto, having had enough of him. "Now, young man, I can clearly see, that you are not well, so here is what we will do: I will call back Tsunade and place you in her care, and after she has healed you, we will talk as a family. That is what we will do, Naruto, so until then..." Minato moved to the door, hoping to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

"The door is closed, but by who?" Kushina asked out loud.

"Shizune, she was kind enough give us some needed privacy." Naruto admitted to them, bringing attention to them. "I know about the council's decision about me, and that you have already lost your parental rights on me, and I also know that this could be reversed if I were to want to stay with you. Had the things been slightly different, I would actually do so." Naruto surprised, admitting it to them.

"Then, you are actually going to give as a second chance, Naruto?" Kushina asked with hope in her eyes, with Naruto shaking his head. "But why? What did we do wrong?! Was I a bad mother? Did I not give you birth, raised and gave you your life?! You are my son, my and only mine, Naruto! You are an Uzumaki, and as Uzumaki, you follow my rules and commands, and I demand that you…"

"I renounce my name as Uzumaki!" Naruto suddenly proclaimed to them. "I renounce my name as Namikaze and Uzumaki, and I renounce you two as my parents!"

"Naruto… You best take those words back, young man, or else… You will not see your little sister again." Minato degraded himself to the threats at this point, realizing that the only thing that his son valued in their family at this point was Mito. "If you don't take those words back, then by all the rights, you will be an outsider to us and Mito, and you will not see her again. I will forgive you this, if you take those words back."

"I won't, and others already know of my decision." Naruto narrowed his eyes on Minato. "Tomoe, no… My real Mother knows of it."

"What?! Naruto, how dare you to… To call her your mother?!" Kushina screamed at him. "She killed her own son, she…"

"She is the woman that has made me into who I am now, when you and he had abandoned me, and I am proud to have her as a mother." Naruto stated to them. "And as for Mito… You and these two… I know what you did to her, how you degraded her and tried to make her into a puppet to use against me, to control me… And by Shiva, I swear to you, that I will make certain that she gets out of this family!"

"Ha, that runt is ours, and there is nothing you can do about…" Natsu tried to chime in, but was interrupted again by Naruto.

"And as for you, Natsu, you better train, and train hard. Because when I am out of here, I will come for you, Natsu." Naruto promised him, making Natsu actually shudder a little at the implication. "And when I do come, I will give you what you were asking for: a real fight. Now, since you don't want to really listen to me, you can go. I've said what I wanted for the most part." After pushing a small button on the remote, Shizune opened up the door.

"Naruto, please, just let us explain ourselves and…" Minato tried again, but Naruto demonstratively turned his head away from him and the rest of his now former family.

"Didn't I tell you, Lord Hokage: I don't want to hear what you have to say and I'm through with understanding you and your motives." Naruto stated to them, turning to look at the skies outside.

The family understood that there was little that they could now get out of Naruto, and they've decided to leave him be, with Naruto's now former parents believing that Naruto was not well in the head and that with time, he would change his mind. But this was a false hope at this point, because Naruto has had enough of Namikaze and their attitudes towards him and Mito, and of their blatant disregard of their wellbeing. For years, Naruto accepted their reasoning and stayed with the family, since it was the only close people he had, but his meditation during coma and meeting Parvati have opened his eyes to who his real family is and what Namikaze are to him.

They weren't a family to him, not anymore, not since his parents have shifted their focus solely on his siblings, turning their back on him and Mito. Their defense of Natsu and Narumi in face of what had happened and after getting the evidence of their atrocious behavior only confirmed it to Naruto, and now, after seeing their thoughts and what they believed in really… It was now a fully confirmed decision. Naruto saw that his parents wished to have him back, and they were really intending to train him alongside Narumi and Natsu, or rather, see what he had learned teach it to the two, as well as to start to convince him of the family's integrity and his place in it. They didn't want him to develop as a person with his own interests, nor did they care about his interests and goals, they wished to impose their own upon him.

They didn't want him to be their son, they wanted Naruto as a tool to solidify the position of the twins. Minato and Kushina had mentally made it look like it was all for the better of the family, that they knew best what Naruto needed and that their way was the best. Only at this point, Naruto knew that this wasn't a familial love, this was a familial slavery, and he wasn't going to endure it any longer. He had to get out of that family, and he needed to get his sister out as well, and he was tired of playing the part of their son. He didn't feel familial love to them, and he wasn't going to fake it, because it wasn't something he could do now, not after meeting Parvati, his true mother. And once he gets out of here and regains his strength, Naruto will do what he promised to Natsu and show him what it means, to fight Naruto for real.

---

End Flashback.

"Ugh… L-left…" Naruto raised his left leg and moved it forward, before putting it down on the ground, still trying to balance his weight.

"That's it. Now, just one more step, Naruto." Shizune told him, with Naruto beginning to move his right leg, but then his body slipped.

Had it not been for the timely intervention by Shizune catching Naruto mid fall, Naruto may've ended up kissing the floor of the hospital. Helping him to his feet and by holding his hand for more balance, Shizune led Naruto to the bench and carefully let him sit upon it, finally letting him catch his breath and relax. Drenched in sweat and tired from the exercises, Naruto accepted the opportunity without any complaint, and when Shizune offered him a glass of water, he was prepared to call her his angel.

His hands were now moving far better than they did first when he woke up, and he could now hold the glass quite firmly and drink from it. And for his writing and loss of certain encyclopedic knowledge that he had, that was also being rectified, thanks to the exercises that Kaga was providing Naruto inside his mind, and thanks to Shizune, who practically restored Naruto's skill in writing and using his hands. Though his penmanship was still not as good as it used to, but at least now he could write again. After gulping down the water and giving the glass back to Shizune, Naruto wiped the sweat off his brows and looked at his feet with a frown on his face.

"Four steps… Only four steps." Naruto said out loud, while looking at his legs. "Back in spring, I could run for miles without missing a beat, and now I can't walk straight…"

"You should change the way you look at things, Naruto. Those weren't "only" four steps, but four steps already achieved without assistance, and in record time no less." Shizune told him, trying to cheer him up. "And believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I reviewed cases that involved long term recovery like yours, and unlike with the others, you are recovering far faster than even I predicted. I guess those Uzumaki genes that Kushina raved about aren't just for show."

"Try genes of the original progenitors of Uzumaki, not that second-hand bootlegged version." Akagi commented from the sidelines.

"Honestly, I would've imagined only Tsunade being able to recover that quickly with her Senju blood." Shizune commented.

"She is a quarter Uzumaki with Minamoto blood in her, so there is that as well." Naruto stated to Shizune, who looked at him with interest. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just that… Well, what does Minamoto actually mean, Naruto?" Shizune was curious, deciding to ask him directly. "I did hear Tomoe mention that Kushina, Tsunade and Mito are all of Minamoto blood, but shouldn't they fall into the category of Uzumaki Clan?"

"Ah, that one. I don't know who spread around this myth of Uzumaki being a Clan, but it's totally wrong. Tomoe, Amagi, and anyone who has a library card will tell you that Uzumaki were a Nation, or more specifically, a nationality of people, with Clans, families and so on." Naruto explained to Shizune. "Before the invasion, there were many thousands of Uzumaki, mostly residing on the archipelago of some thirty islands of various sizes, with four main ones where most of the population resided, that was Land of Uzu to the outsiders, while Uzumaki had their own name for it, with some colonies and outposts being scattered around the world, mostly for the trade purposes. And as for Minamoto, it is the name of one of the four main Clans that resided and ruled there, and who also served as progenitors of other Clans that came from that line. Other three clans of the main four include Fujiwara, Tachibana and Taira, with each of the four Clans tracing their lineage to two main deities that were worshipped by the people of Uzu, Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati."

"And so they were the main progenitors of Uzumaki, just those two?" Shizune asked of Naruto, curious to hear what he had to say, and also to learn more about Uzumaki. "Also, don't the Uzumaki trace their lineage to Sage of Six Paths, like Kushina has said, or Shiva is just the name for the Sage?"

"No, Lord Shiva isn't the Sage, though I did read in a few passages that they are related in some form, but they are clearly stated to be separate entities entirely. And while it could be said that Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati started the Uzumaki people, the actual progenitors of Uzumaki are commonly stated to be Kartikeya, eldest son of Shiva and Parvati, and his two wives, Devasena and Valli, who are also worshipped as the God of War and Defense, Goddess of War and Action, Goddess of Archers and Will respectively." Naruto continued to explain the subject to Shizune, something that has become a common way to pass time with her for. "Fujiwara and Taira are descendants of Kartikeya and Devasena, while Minamoto and Tachibana descend from the line of Valli."

"Aha, and the Senju Clan had some close relations to Minamoto Clan before the founding of Konoha, right?" Shizune asked, with Naruto nodding. "Well, that actually explains something, but why would Kushina call herself Uzumaki, if she is a Minamoto? Is this an attempt to elevate herself above what she was before? And what should you actually be called, Naruto? I mean, now that you've decided to leave the Namikaze and Uzumaki Clans."

"Don't ask me, I've given up on trying to understand that one, but from what I did hear from Tomoe, she said that what Kushina did is equal to sacrilege among Uzumaki people. As for how I should be called, I am of Minamoto blood, so you could call me that, but doesn't really make all that difference for me." Naruto admitted to Shizune, before the door opened up inside the room.

"Shizune-san, we are there is a new shipment of medicaments that came in, but there seems to be some trouble with the documents. Could you please come and correct it?" A nurse told Shizune.

"What could be so wrong with the documents?" Shizune asked of the nurse, but seeing that she would get no answer from her, decided to get up and look what was wrong there herself. "It better not be another one of those wrong numbers. Naruto, I'll be back before you know it, so you just sit and rest, okay?" Naruto nodded to Shizune and she left with the nurse, leaving Naruto to rest up.

Unfortunately, his rest was cut short when the door into the room opened up and inside stepped someone, whom Naruto wanted nothing to do with.

"Hello, Naruto." Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up with a small grandfatherly smile, with Naruto looking at the man. "I see that you are already starting to walk again. Very impressive, especially considering what I had heard from the staff about your condition. I hope you do not mind if I keep you company for some time? My doctor seems to have gone missing for some reason, and left me all alone in the cabinet." Naruto could sense this being a lie and that the man had some sort of reason for coming here, a reason that was connected to Naruto.

"Well, I can't exactly say no and make you leave, Lord Third." Naruto responded, with Hiruzen sighing and sitting down near him on the bench.

"I was trying to intrude or anything, Naruto. I was actually hoping to visit you when you woke up, but matters of my Clan kept me from paying you a visit." Hiruzen told Naruto. "I was following your recovery through some friends of mine here, actually."

"So did many other Clans, I imagine, though something tells me that their reasons for aren't as benevolent as it may seem at first." Naruto noted, hinting to Hiruzen that he knew of why he was here. "Apparently, over the past months while I was indisposed, I've become quite a popular figure in the Village, especially among the Clans of Konoha. How curious, that the moment I've gone into a coma, the myth of me being a fool and a failure gets dispelled and now everyone wants to become my friend, just like it was with Natsu and Narumi."

"Well, you should be happy then. People are now finally starting to see you real worth, and you no longer has to endure being ridiculed like you used to." Hiruzen told him. "It is long overdue, if you ask me."

"I wasn't really all that troubled with it, and all that attention isn't exactly something I was looking for, not after seeing what being famous and popular did with Natsu and Narumi." Naruto told Hiruzen, before deciding to do away with this game. "Why are you here, Lord Third?"

"Hm, why, I was simply hoping to keep you company while I wait…"

"Lord Third, I may not be able to move my legs properly, but, unlike right after my awakening, my mind is as sharp and focused as it was before the incident." Naruto admitted to him. "My siblings may not like to ask questions about things, but that is one thing we differ in. I like questions and answers, and that's one of the reasons I like learning more things. So, here's a question for you: for what purpose would former Hokage and current Head of Sarutobi Clan be sitting here with a recovering soon-to-be seven year old boy? Do you want to hear the answer?"

"You really are quite a clever boy, aren't you?" Hiruzen noted. "You know, you almost remind me of one of my old apprentices and Genins. He was just as bright as you when he was your age, and there was a near limitless potential in him, right from the moment I saw him. Would you guess who I'm referring to?"

"Orochimaru." Naruto stated without hesitation, surprising Hiruzen. "I've heard that comparison being made about me before by Mikoto and Fugaku, during one time I visited them. Apparently, I'm almost as smart as he is, in their opinion, if not even more so, but I wouldn't really know."

"I would've thought you would suggest Jiraiya, given the history he has with you and your family."

"The history I have with him is vastly more limited than the one he has with my former family. That, and comparing me to Jiraiya I would consider as an insult to both myself and you, and from what I know, you aren't that stupid." Naruto noted to Hiruzen, who nodded to it. "At least for now. Time is a cruel mistress, always ticking, and I may never know when it starts taking effect on mind…"

"Ah, Tomoe's sense of humor. I see you have adopted that along with the teachings she seems to have been trying to impart on you." Hiruzen stated. "Unfortunate that she didn't seem to teach you how to respect those that are trying to help you, Naruto."

"Oh, but I do have respect for these people, especially for Lord Forth, you and many others." Naruto countered Hiruzen. "They are respectable Shinobi who have done much for this place. As Shinobi, they have my respect, but as general human beings… Not all of them are worth respect and admiration. Now, while I am unable to get up and get out, that doesn't mean that I am in a mood for social dancing, so to speak. So, as Tomoe would say: stop wasting my time, or get up and make your way out of here."

"Is this really wise to speak someone like me in such a way, Naruto? You realize, that by showing such blatant disrespect towards me, you may hamper your future in a quite irreparable way." Hiruzen pointed out to Naruto.

"I have already experienced quite possibly an irreparable situation with Natsu nearly splitting my skull in two, and long pointless conversations like this are giving me quite a headache, thanks to that." Naruto let out a sharp exhale, feeling another one of the headache making its way to him. "So, better get to the point, before I can't think clearly."

"Very well, I shall spare you the drivel and speak plainly to you, Naruto." Hiruzen said with sharpness in his words. "Minato and Kushina have informed about your rash and ill-thought decision to renounce your family name and them as your parents. Although, consider the condition you are, I doubt that decision was a thought through at all."

"My head wasn't quite as clear as it is right now, that is true, but the decision was, however, made after a very significant consideration period. Was it rash? Yes, but ill-thought? I disagree, and it has been coming for a long time now, even before the incident." Naruto stated to Hiruzen with clarity in his eyes. "I am out of that family, and nothing you or they say or do will change that."

"Even if it means no longer being able to see Mito?" Hiruzen decided to play that card, with Naruto looking straight in the eyes, making an old man shudder a little. "With you being out of the family, and given the fact that Kushina will take every precaution to ensure that Mito never ends up with Tomoe, like you will, the chances of you seeing her again are quite slim. That is… Unless you were not to end up with Tomoe after your recovery here was complete." Now Hiruzen was getting to the point of this meeting.

"You are here to offer a deal of sorts?" Naruto asked of him, before continuing. "So, let me guess if this is the proposition you had in mind for me: join the Sarutobi Clan, and you can guarantee that Mito will be safe and sound, and will also join the Sarutobi clan?" Hiruzen chuckled at what Naruto said to him.

"I can now see why Mikoto and Fugaku had compared you to my former apprentice. He too was capable of understanding what people want from him even at a young age." Hiruzen noted. "But, you, Naruto… You might just have the genius that hasn't been seen since Lords First and Second, with the talent to boot. It would be a shame if such potential was to be tarnished and not developed properly, and that is what I can offer to you, alongside Mito being at your side and safe. That is… If you are willing to accept certain conditions."

"Right now, I am only willing to listen to what you have to say. And even then, you do realize that if I refuse, Mito will still be out of Namikaze family and will be taken into the Uchiha Clan?" Naruto asked of Hiruzen. "They have gained quite a great deal of influence now, and they are the richest Clan in all of Konoha. The way I see it, siding with you would be far more detrimental, rather than beneficial."

"Yes, the Uchiha Clan are rich and popular with the masses, but that is the problem for them now as well." Hiruzen told Naruto. "Everyone already knows that when you get out of here, Uchiha Clan will become your new home, and that means that their position will grow even stronger. Having a member of Uzumaki Clan, one with your talent and genes, they could easily exploit you to gain powerful new generation, one with Sharingan and the strength of Uzumaki. Every Clan and their Head understands it, and while they will be able to bear with giving you to them, giving up Mito to Uchiha Clan as well they won't be able to allow. The Clans will unite in order to stop their growing influence and will do everything to hamper their progress, even ensure that Mito stays with your birth parents, and that is something you cannot allow, now can you?"

"So if I go to Uchihas, Mito will be outside of my reach for good, but if I were to go to you, then the Clans wouldn't as opposed to the idea of Mito leaving the family?" Naruto asked, receiving a nod from Hiruzen. "And what makes you so certain that the Council will side with you in this matter, if I were to go to Sarutobi Clan? The Sarutobi weren't one of the founding Clans of this Village, and you do not have any strong Kekkei Genkai or Doujutsu, and while your shinobi are fairly strong in their own right, that doesn't mean they will be a deciding factor when the decision will be made."

"True, but my Clan has something that Uchiha sorely lack: connections and alliances." Hiruzen revealed to Naruto. "Much like Hyuuga, Uchihas haven't been making connections and alliances with other Clans, but my Clan did. Under my rule and during the time of me being the Hokage, I have forged a powerful network of alliances through shared interests and marriages with most of the Clans in this Village and even some in the Capital. Nara, Yamanaka, Aburame, Inuzuka- those are just the first that come to mind, and all of them will support me, if I decide to take Mito away from Minato and Kushina. That is not to mention the support of Elders and the Civilians on my side, which I can assure will be behind me."

"If you say so… Alright, let's say that I do agree. What's in it for you?" Naruto asked of Hiruzen, who was slightly surprised at hearing that question.

"I will tell you, but perhaps you would like to first know what exactly will you and Mito be getting in return for siding with me and my Clan?" Hiruzen asked of Naruto, before telling him of the benefits. "As a member of my Clan, even if an unofficial one, you will be able to enjoy the level of prestige and power that comes from being a Sarutobi Clan member. My Clan is an old and powerful one, and so…"

"Less talk about prestige and glory, and more about practical and useful benefits." Naruto interrupted Hiruzen. "Status and glory have no meaning to me. If I was seeking to gain them, I would get them on my own."

"Is that so? Very well, then how about this: you will gain full access to Sarutobi teachings and Ninjutsu that we have developed over centuries. Alongside safety and security for you and your sister, I can guarantee that you will receive training from directly from me, as my apprentice, which will allow you to forego the Academy. If all goes smoothly, then by the time you turn 10, you will already be a Genin and possibly even a Chuunin, and a few years after that, you will even reach the rank of Jonin." Hiruzen continued. "Steady career growth and training under me aside, I will also allow you to continue your training under Tomoe and finish it, since it is clear that her training is to your benefit. And if that is not enough, then how about this?" Hiruzen reached into the pocket, before taking out a scroll and giving it to Naruto.

"A scroll?" Naruto saw that Hiruzen wanted him to open it up, and so he did. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes, the library of Uzumaki Nation's secrets and knowledge, which I have collected over the decades since the disintegration of the country. Here are is the collective knowledge of Minamoto, Taira, Fujiwara, Takeda and many other Uzumaki Clans. I assume you are aware of those names, aren't you?" Hiruzen saw the nod from Naruto. "You will have it all, Naruto, if you side with me."

"So many benefits, yet I still haven't heard the most important." Naruto told Hiruzen, before closing the scroll and giving it back to him. "What is it that you want from me and Mito?"

"What I want, Naruto, is for this Village that Hashirama and Tobirama have created to prosper and remain safe that is all. And for Konoha to prosper, strong and capable Uzumaki Clan is necessity, almost as vital as the Jinchuriki and Kyuubi. Kushina was an adequate Jinchuriki, but as a leader of a Clan and someone who can revive it, she has already exhausted her resource, and Natsu and Narumi have already shown themselves as unstable and dangerous for others. They are still vital as Jinchuriki, but to lead an Uzumaki Clan… They won't be able to fill in those shoes, not like you and Mito." Hiruzen told Naruto.

"I won't lead the Uzumaki Clan that you are preaching about. Unlike my former mother and the rest of the family, I have no wish to claim the name of the entire nation as my own." Naruto narrowed his eyes at Hiruzen. "I know of my roots from Minamoto Clan, and I associate myself with that name far better than with Uzumaki."

"As you wish. You can revive the Minamoto Clan here, in Konoha, under the patronage of Sarutobi Clan, of course. You and Mito will be even able to gain Mito's wealth and secure safe life for your own future children, which will undoubtedly become a vital part of our Village, given their strong Minamoto blood." Naruto understood what Hiruzen implied. "Along with that and all that you gain, there will have to be certain things that will need to be settled at a later date, when you and Mito are older."

"You are talking about marrying us to members of your family, aren't you?" Naruto guessed right. "Something tells me that Clans will not like it if both I and Mito were to be married off to Sarutobi, especially given the fact of your Clan raising us."

"Yes, very clever of you, Naruto, very clever. I have a feeling that we will work quite splendidly." Hiruzen smiled to him. "No, having both you married to members of my Clan would do more harm than good. Since you will be the Head of Minamoto Clan, Clans will want to pine for you and will not like for me to claim you through marriage as well, but I believe there will be nothing wrong if Mito were to be put in good hands of the family that she knows. I happen to have a grandson her age, Konohamaru, and I believe that he and Mito would make an excellent couple."

"Depends on how well he will treat her." Naruto remarked, with Hiruzen agreeing with it. "So, all of this is for Konoha?"

"Yes, for Konoha and its people. I have seen how it rose to where it is and I have led it through the worst of times, and I know that times ahead aren't going to be easy for the Village. In times to come, Konoha must be strong and it must come together under the leadership of a powerful and wise Shinobi, someone who understands that for Village to survive, he needs to do everything necessary that is required of him." Hiruzen shared his wisdom with Naruto. "While we are at peace, history has shown to us that it never lasts forever or for long. When the time for war comes again, and it will come, Konoha will require someone who isn't bound by naiveté and who can see clearly into the future. Someone, who can send 10 Shinobi to die so that a hundred more could live. I fear that for all his talent and genius, Minato may not have the heart or mind for it, but his successor might have it all, if he were to be trained and taught by the right man."

"Correct me if I am wrong, Lord Third, but it almost sounds to me that you are planning to see me succeed my father as Hokage." Naruto noted, already knowing that this was true. "One would think you would be more inclined to see either Jiraiya or Tsunade as Hokage, rather than me."

"Yes, both are more experienced and capable than Minato, but their age is coming to a close and Konoha needs new blood to lead it, in order to move forward. Besides that, both have long since proven to me that they are far more inclined to listen to their own impulses, rather than mind. No, Konoha needs a Hokage that doesn't follow his own desires and wishes, but does what is needed for the good of all." Hiruzen noted. "Minato is acting on the wishes of himself and Kushina, rather than the benefit of all Konoha, and that can't go on forever. But you, Naruto, with the mind and potential you have… With proper training and right people backing you, you can become someone who will put to shame not just Minato, but even my teachers, Lords First and Second, and it is clear to me that this is what you want."

"You assume that I actually want to become the Hokage. What if I don't?" Naruto asked of him, with Hiruzen chuckled to him.

"Please, no need to play coy with me. I know of your desire to help people and be a hero, and what is the best way to do it? We both understand that in order to achieve your dreams, becoming the Hokage is the best possible way, and I know that this is what you want." Hiruzen thought that he has had the right read on Naruto. "Unlike your more loudmouthed siblings, you are clever enough not to announce your intentions, and actually do what is needed to achieve your ambitions. That is the mark of the real leader in making: doing what is needed for the cause. Now, what do you think about it all? Do I have your consent?" Hiruzen clearly wished to hear the answer right now, but the opening door and Shizune that came inside had stopped him from getting what he wished for.

"Lord Third, what are you doing in here?" Shizune asked of him. "This isn't the place for visits, Lord Third, and I don't recall you having received a permission to visit Naruto. Can you explain what are you doing in here?"

"Oh, Shizune, there isn't any malicious intent, my dear. I was simply paying a visit to my doctor for an annual check-up, but she wasn't at the place, so I wandered off a little bit and found myself in the company of Naruto." Hiruzen spoke up in his usual grandfatherly tone. "Young man was gracious enough to allow me to keep him company, until you came back. Now, I shall take leave, and Naruto, let us continue where we left off. I'll be sure to pay you a visit soon, my boy." Hiruzen stood up and left the room, with Shizune feeling like she was missing something.

"That's odd, I thought he already had his check up two months ago." Shizune mused herself, before turning to Naruto. "Naruto, what were you… Hey, what are you doing?!" Shizune shouted at him, as she saw him start to rise up on his feet.

Previously, this was something that they hadn't attempted to do, since it was far too much for Naruto to handle, and Shizune always helped him to get up. But this time was different, because Naruto moved his legs and made all of his muscles work in order to get up. With gritted teeth and look of fury in his eyes, Naruto practically jumped up from the bench, standing up and even not shaking. Unknown to Shizune, Naruto was channeling Nature Chakra inside his body, spreading it into his muscles and letting them absorb it, strengthening and repairing the damage done to his body. And with Hiruzen providing the necessary motivation and needed impulse to feed Naruto's determination, he was able to overcome the weakness of his body, as his will, supported by fury he was feeling, moved his body and legs.

And then, he moved his right leg forward, stepping on it, and then his left one, before repeating moving his right. In a matter of two minutes, Naruto had managed to move from one side of the room to the other, reaching the windows and looking out, holding onto the rails attached to the walls for support. Shizune was in utter shock, to say the least, since she left the room with Naruto barely able to move his legs and being able to make just four steps, but now… He just made fifteen steps, without any support and reached one another end of the room without any help from anyone. She didn't know what had happened, but it definitely had something to do with Hiruzen and what he said to Naruto.

"Shizune." Naruto called out for her, snapping the girl out of her thoughts.

"Yes, Naruto?" Shizune answered back.

"If Hiruzen Sarutobi wishes to pay me a visit, tell me him that I don't want to see him." Naruto told her. "And can you have Tomoe come as soon as possible. There is something that I need to tell her."

"Naruto, what did he want from you?" Shizune asked of Naruto.

"Something that he will not get from me. That damn old monkey, thinking he can just use Mito against me… Uchiha not as powerful, Sarutobi having connections and alliances, making me next Hokage..." Naruto muttered to himself, with Shizune not recognizing what he said, but knowing that Naruto was angry right now.

And she was quite correct about that, as both Kaga and Akagi could literally see Naruto's energy surging inside and out of his body at an erratic pattern, indicating that Naruto was quite furious. His anger was directed at Hiruzen, the man that had thought he could just use Naruto and make him into means of passing on his legacy and ensuring that Konoha was run by the line of Third Hokage. While Hiruzen's words spoke of one thing, his thoughts and real intentions were clear to Naruto, and he didn't believe a single thing he spoke of. The former Hokage indeed wanted to have Minamoto Clan strong and to ensure that Konoha remains strong, but there were things that he didn't speak of.

Hiruzen was vane and prideful, deep inside of himself, wishing to have his legacy preserved and enlarged, to reach the heights of reverence that Hashirama Senju possessed and even past it. Hiruzen wanted to truly become the God of Shinobi, and to achieve it, he was prepared to try and buy Naruto, to turn him into Hiruzen's next and final apprentice, one that would succeed where the three Sannins have failed. Hiruzen would groom Naruto into the next Hokage, a Hokage that would follow Hiruzen's example and way to the letter, expanding upon his work and foundations, and promoting Hiruzen's Will of Fire. And to ensure that Naruto would do it all, he would use his sister against him, and also have her groomed as a possible replacement or a successor to Naruto, if Naruto proves to be far too troubling to keep under control. That was already enough to flare up Naruto's temper, but what really fanned his flame of fury was what Hiruzen planned to do with Mito.

The old bastard wished not only to groom her into a leverage on Naruto, but also wished to use her as a breeding tool, an incubator for children with Sarutobi and Minamoto blood in them. Children, that would become the next generation of Sarutobi, and who would serve the interests of Hiruzen even after his death, under control of Konohamaru. Mito would be their mother only on the paper and wouldn't be able to influence or even raise them normally, instead being used to pop more of them out. Her consent wasn't something that would be asked for, and if she and Naruto would try to resist, Hiruzen was certain that he would be able to control them.

As for Naruto, Hiruzen already had a few candidates in mind for Naruto, who would make perfect puppets to control for old monkey, and who would be able to create new generation of controlled and docile Minamoto, who would be ready to sacrifice all for Konoha and even give their own as Jinchuriki. There wasn't going to be any freedom of choice for Naruto if he sided with Hiruzen, only obedience and nothing more. While there was the desire to get that library of Uzumaki from Sarutobi, Naruto wasn't willing to part with his independence and freedom, nor was he going to betray Tomoe.

Hiruzen was afraid of her influence and power over Naruto, as well as the fact that she would be able to pass onto him the real values of Minamoto, which she already did. That's not to mention the fact of Hiruzen purposefully denying Mito medical help when her health started to deteriorate, and also the fact that Tomoe's mother had died at the orders of Hiruzen, who wished to make certain that Madara Uchiha's line would end for sure. Tomoe's birth was something that he didn't foresee, yet was forced to deal with, and he wished to make certain that the woman had no heirs, neither blood related or adopted.

Along with that, Hiruzen also seemed to now secretly harbor a sense of not just disdain, but a sense of spite towards Minato Namikaze, his successor, whom he had to choose at the moment, since there were no other options at the time. In truth, as Naruto saw, Hiruzen saw Minato as weak and ineffective leader, a poor politician and not so capable administrator, who was leading the Village down a path of ruin, in Hiruzen's eyes. Third Hokage had wished to have Orochimaru installed as the Fourth Hokage, but when Orochimaru's madness and obsession with obtaining Jutsu and immortality started to become known, Hiruzen shifted his attention to Jiraiya's student, a hero of Leaf at the time and chose him as his successor, all because he was more popular at the time. Now, Hiruzen wished to see Minato out of the office, replaced by someone who would firmly follow in Hiruzen's example and lead the Leaf Village as Hiruzen did. Naruto would become his final apprentice and the one to effectively succeed where Minato has failed, and Naruto saw it as clear as day in Hiruzen's mind, his desire to see his apprentice as the head of Konoha.

Righteous anger filled Naruto's mind and body, an immense desire to see that man punished for his misdeeds was almost overwhelming Naruto's being. His very being demanded that he punish the man, and Naruto was going to do just as that part of him demanded. And Naruto will satiate his desire for justice and thirst for vengeance, and if not personally, than through those he could trust.

"Medusa, I have a task for you." Naruto mentally spoke to his Shikigami that was inside in him.

---

October 16th. Konoha's gates.

This was seemingly another normal day for the guards at the main gates of Konoha, with few newcomers and plenty of leaving on missions Shinobi or arriving back from those. With autumn having set in, traffic in the Land of Fire has become far less intense from what it usually was during spring and summer, and that was true for Konoha. However, today was going to be quite different for the guards, who were now used to simply lazing around and do seemingly nothing of worth. Today they were going to receive very important and very powerful guests, though they weren't being expected to arrive at all.

Masamune Date was leading the group of 9 men, counting himself among them, as they were approaching the gates of Konoha. For most members of his group and also all of the arriving Uzumaki that did decide to come with him, with a few leaders of those Clans that were coming with him right now, this will be the first time in Konoha, but for Masamune, this wasn't the first time he was coming to Konoha. He had visited it many years back, back when the Nation of his people was still existing in full and he was a prominent member of Fujiwara Clan, visiting on the business that concerned his people and Mito. The visit back then didn't go well and Masamune had to leave without achieving anything of worth, along with the sense that the Minamoto and by extension Uzumaki shouldn't have mixed in with the Shinobi and their upcoming Hidden Villages, and that Mito shouldn't have come to here.

Masamune, along with many prominent and powerful members of Minamoto and Fujiwara Clans, believed that giving Mito to Konoha was against their core principals and that she had nothing to do with those people. Masamune was most vocal of those that protested Mito leaving for Konoha, though at the time he was only 17 years old, he was already the Dragon of Fujiwara and held a position of respect and power in Fujiwara Clan, yet it wasn't enough to prevent Mito Minamoto from leaving Uzu. Masamune's reason for protesting that decision was a simple one: Mito was his cousin and a wet nurse, a woman that had practically raised him. She was more than just a cousin or a nurse, Mito was a mother to him in all but name and matter, so having her go to Konoha was akin to losing an actual parent.

At least back in that visit he was able to see her again, and also to see her adopted daughter Yumiko Uchiha, whom she took in after her father had left her in the care of Mito. By the laws of Uzumaki, this meant that Yumiko was a member of Minamoto Clan and in Masamune's eyes, she was his niece, so he was bound to protect her and the child she would later have at the cost of her life, Tomoe. Masamune recognized that girl instantly when he saw her, and because he knew who she was and who her mother was, Masamune didn't kill her, instead knocking some sense back into her. Looks like his therapy worked as she was alive and actually taking care of his grandson Naruto.

The thought of that boy brought a small smile to Masamune's face, and although it was the son of Kushina, he already knew that the kid was better than his mother in many ways. He was actually looking forward to meeting him, to see his grandson and to recognize in him an Uzumaki and a Fujiwara. While he did hear that the kid was considering himself more of a Minamoto, since Kushina was from Minamoto Clan and was raised there, Masamune wasn't holding it against him. He himself has given his daughter to the Minamoto when she was but five years old, right when Aiwa's crimes and her real nature came to light. Fujiwara Clan, led by his late father, wished to be rid of all that connected them to Aiwa, and Masamune agreed with the notion, giving his daughter to Minamoto Clan.

Because of this, and also due to Masamune's desire to bury away his feelings for Aiwa, and because of Kushina's departure for Konoha and the regress of her character, Masamune had little love or respect for his daughter, seeing her as a disgrace and a fool. What Kushina thought of him was of little concern to Masamune, but he was also interested in meeting her children and seeing for himself what they were made out of, and that included Naruto. Although, after what he heard from Kartikeya, Masamune was starting to have doubts about his eldest grandchildren, but he would still judge them and see if they were worth raising as Uzumaki or not. As for his youngest granddaughter, Mito… Masamune was informed by his Lord, that if he wanted to have Naruto on his side, having Mito was a must and that she was to be rescued from the family.

And if that said family and any of their allies were going to protest, then they would have to deal with quite a force that was coming for the kids. Masamune's call for gathering was heard by many of his brethren and Clans, and while some didn't heed his words and the reasoning, far more Clans did agree with Masamune and his decision to go to Konoha. Masamune was honestly surprised that so many Uzumaki have agreed with him and decided to put aside their pride, and he was pleasantly surprised that more Clans than just those that his men have reached for came to the gathering and also joined him. The initially suspected 300 Uzumaki had gone up to 571, and all of them weren't just refugees, but hardened and battle-ready warriors. Children were also among then, and while they weren't fully taken into account, since they were the only non-combative element that the Clans had, with them bringing the total number of arriving Uzumaki to 612. It has been a long time since the Uzumaki have gathered in such large numbers, and among those Uzumaki Clans were quite famous and powerful.

Aside from Fujiwara and Nagao, who were led by Masamune and Tamekage Nagao respectively, there were additional 7 Clans that have joined them, more than Masamune had expected, as he actually expected only 4 or 5 to join him and Tamekage. Those three additional ones had agreed to come along with him either due to their own decisions, or due to circumstances being against them staying isolated. Aside from the Clans themselves, a large chunk of Uzumaki families and retainers from other Clans, who had long grown tired of the state of things, have also joined up with Masamune and Fujiwara, bring the total number to such high digits. Needless to say, Masamune was grateful to all of them coming along with him here.

Oda Clan was once one of the stronger Uzumaki Clans that had managed to escape the desolation of the Uzu, but decades that followed weren't very kind to them. They escaped to the east of the ocean, to the Land of Water, where they were actively hunted down by Water Daimyo and Kirigakure, slowly but surely destroying the Clan, one member at the time. By the time the remains of the Oda arrived to the gathering, they were reduced to less than two dozen members, and only two members were actually of Oda bloodline, two girls, daughters of Nobuhide Oda, leader of the Oda Clan, who gave up his life in an effort to save them. When the gathering commenced, the eldest of the two girls and de-facto leader of the Oda had pledged her Clan as vassals to Fujiwara Clan and Masamune, all in order to survive. Masamune had accepted the pledge of Nobuna Oda, a girl just 9 years old and already leading her Clan, and her retainers, leading to Clan Oda, descendants of Taira Clan, now being with Fujiwara Clan.

Descendants of Minamoto and another powerful Clan of Uzu, Mogami had a prominent place in the politics of Uzumaki back in the day, yet they also supplied quite strong warriors as well, as evidenced by Masamune's own uncle on mother's side, Mogami Yoshiaki, who was leading the Clan and was currently walking alongside Masamune. The Fox of Mogami was as guileful as he was ferocious in battle, and although he wasn't in the same league as Masamune, he was still someone he respected deeply. The Mogami Clan was lucky to have escaped nearly intact during the destruction of Uzu, with them ending up in one of the hidden colonies of Uzumaki, remaining there until Kumogakure and Iwagakure have found out about them. The two Villages wished to take the secrets of Uzumaki and Mogami for themselves, leading to Mogami abandoning the colony going on the run again. Now, after years of exile, they were coming with Fujiwara Clan right here, to claim their blood from the hands of Konoha.

Speaking of prominent Minamoto descendants, one can't simply not mention the Shimazu Clan, one of the first descendant branches of Minamoto and the Clan that epitomized the concept of Uzumaki unity and strength of the family. To all of Uzumaki, family meant everything, but to Shimazu, it was literally the motto and way of life, and it is thanks to the family that Shimazu have survived the destruction of Uzu. First to the battle, last to retreat, the Shimazu lost nearly 80 percent of their numbers on that day, yet were able to reap such a harvest of lives that it is said that their home of Satsuma ran red with all the blood spilled. They weren't the kind of people to mess with, and Masamune knew that the current leader, Yoshihisa Shimazu, was definitely a worthy leader of the clan, leading it with his brothers Yoshihiro, Iehisa and Toshihisa, each of which was an intimidated warrior.

While the Shimazu fought the invaders on the beaches of Uzu and its many islands, the Mori met the invaders in the open seas, where their fleets stalled as much as they could, as well as serving as the main way for many to escape from Uzu. One could state with all certainty that the Mori were largely responsible for the salvation of Uzumaki, and Masamune did believe in it, and he also counted Mori as quite a fearsome foe to have, both on land and on seas. Motonari Mori may be getting old even by the standards of the Uzumaki, but he is every bit as tough and resilient as they get, and one of the main reasons why Mori Clan still exists, along with their retainers. The Old Man of Aki was determined to see his Clan survive, and he knew and understood that right now that meant following Masamune and his plan.

Another Clan seeking survival was the Azai Clan, a small Clan that was formed relatively not long before the destruction of Uzu. Little history was known about them, safe for the fact of them being relatives of Fujiwara Clan, which is why Masamune has accepted the pledge of allegiance from the leader of said clan, Nagamasa Azai. Though a prominent and strong warrior, he knew that his small Clan was far too vulnerable as it is and needed to have someone strong with them, if they were to survive, which is why he and his Clan went along with Masamune and Fujiwara to Konoha.

If the Fujiwara Clan provided the fiercest warriors that Uzumaki knew, the Tachibana provided the finest masters of swordplay that this world had seen. One of the Four Founding Clans and the smallest of the four, the Tachibana had always made up their lack of numbers through sheer mastery and talents in arms that they possessed. It is believed that the Clan itself is blessed by Lady Durga, War Goddess aspect of Lady Parvati, and Masamune believed in that to be true, though he and many others believed that Tachibana had the blessing of Raijin, God of Thunder and Lightning. That belief sprang up to Masamune and others when they looked at the current head of Tachibana Clan, Dosetsu Tachibana. The man is as old Motonari Mori, yet he could put to shame many men one fourth his age, through his mastery of the sword and his uncanny ability to wield lighting as his weapon. And although he was a hard man to get along with, he wasn't a crazy one, and he understood that if he wanted to have his Clan to survive and prosper, and for his daughter to have a future, it would be for the better if he joined Fujiwara Clan and Masamune.

If Tachibana could be considered to be the finest warriors of Uzu, then Hojo Clan were the very best when it came to architecture, building sturdy and strong fortifications, beautiful palaces and cities. Rather a strange thing to focus on for the descendants of Taira Clan, but one shouldn't think that they were disrespected or looked down upon by others. The Hojo Clan was equally good in warfare as it was in administrating their lands, which were some of the most populated among all of Uzumaki Clans, and their warfare prowess was proven in the invasion of Uzu, with Kanto Region, the domain of Hojo, being the last to fall to the invaders. Current leader of Hojo, Ujiyasu Hojo, known by his nickname of "Lion of Sagami", was the epitome of never retreating and never turning his back to the enemies. The fact that his whole body was covered in scars, with even his face having one across the whole of it, yet his back was as clean as it could get, spoke volumes about the man. Numerous and relatively powerful, Masamune found interesting that they decided to come along with Fujiwara, but he suspected that Ujiyasu was simply looking after his Clan's future, considering that they've made themselves an enemy out of Lightning Daimyo recently.

All of them had come together and while the main body of the Clans was some distance away from the Konoha and the delegation that was headed towards the Hidden Village, they were quite close enough to offer needed support should the need for it arise. Hopefully there won't be need for that, since they were going in there to negotiate, not start up a fight, and Masamune's companions knew of it. Along with Tamekage, Yoshiaki and Kojuro, Masamune was accompanied by Dosetsu Tachibana, Ujiyasu and Tsunashige Hojo, Ujiyasu's younger brother and right hand man, Yoshihiro Shimazu and Motoharu Kikkawa, Motonari Mori's second son and head of Kikkawa Clan, from which his mother hailed from. While not the ideal companions diplomatic negotiations, they were still people that Masamune could trust in battle.

They were already approaching the high walls of Konoha and large gates of the Village, as Ujiyasu decided to speak up.

"Their walls and gates look inadequate in providing effective defensive measures, and these forests are dense and large enough to hide an army coming in. A large enough summon or a Jutsu could destroy those flimsy defenses without much of an issue." Ujiyasu Hojo, a tall black haired man with a scar across his face and with blue colored armor, spoke up in a critical manner. "For a Hidden Village, it is located in a place of poor choosing, surrounded by forests that can mask entire armies coming towards it, and defenses that are situated in an inadequate disposition. It makes little sense to me why the founders have chosen this place for a Hidden Village."

"Maybe they were far more impressed with an esthetical beauty of the place? And I do believe that it is supposed to "hide in the leaves", so there is that." Tsunashige, a younger looking man in a pale yellow armor, chimed in. "Although, this forest is a rather thick one and there is definitely powerful energies circling in here all around us. Wasn't this a territory of one of the Kami that resided in Land of Fire?"

"Esthetics is not a good criteria base choices about defensive measures, and if Konoha is supposed to hide in the Leafs, then it is doing a poor job at it as well. We could see it miles away, and it is located right near the main trading routes of the Land of Fire." Ujiyasu continued his expert rant. "Good for business, poor for defending lives, useless in concealment and inadequately protected by subpar quality walls and gates. Verdict: Konoha is useless as a defensive position and it is through some luck that none had managed to invade it directly, not counting the incident with Kurama years prior, but that is also a reason for concern."

"Sounds like you and the Hojo will be right at home, and you'll be able to get right to work with those fortifications." Yoshihiro Shimazu, a large red haired man in a steel colored armor, commented with a dry chuckle. "But in all seriousness, he is right. Heck, if we had forests as thick as that in Satsuma, the Shimazu would've made them into killing grounds. I don't even sense any Shinobi in them, though Yokai seem to like the woods quite a lot." Yoshihiro, along with his companions here, saw the Yokai surrounding them and minding their own business.

"I've been to these parts before there were Shinobi in here. Fertile lands and lush forests here were only populated by the simple people that lived on farms and villages that were spread around this area, worshipping Moriko-no-Kami, a powerful Kami that ruled over these places. Nearly ended me herself when I was dumb enough to not pay her respect when I passed these places. Nice place, perfect scenery and excellent for hunting, until Shinobi came here and everything went to shit." Stated Dosetsu Tachibana, elderly looking man with grey hair reaching to his shoulders and blue eyes, dressed in a black armor and with a white and golden katana on his side, stated. "Last I heard Moriko-no-Kami was isolated in her heartland, which has now turned into playground for their murder games, or whatever they call them now."

"Chuunin Exams." Motoharu Kikkawa, middle aged black haired man with a mustache and dressed in a red and white armor, stated, before adding with a knowledgeable tone. "But the term of "murder game" can also apply to it, especially when one factors in the fact of people making bets on the Genins, such as who will survive which round, or who will die in what way."

"Are you serious?" Yoshiaki Mogami, a man in his older years in a black and red armor and with a spear, asked of Motoharu. "They actually make bets on the lives of teens and even children? And they called us barbarians…"

"They do, and it is completely legal. In fact, it is one of the more favored pass times among the nobility of various Lands. They place bets during the final round fights and see who can comes out victorious, with the money being placed being enough to fund entire armies, or to build a castle. Father once even used the Chuunins Exams to solve financial problems our Clan had at the time." Motoharu admitted to the others, with some giving him a judging eye. "It was amoral, yes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We all know that better than anyone."

"That is true. However, the Konoha idiots defiling the sacred land of a Kami with blood and treating it as they do already says a lot about these nutjobs, though it is somewhat surprising that Konoha still stands." Dosetsu noted with a hint of surprise in his voice. "Moriko-no-Kami is a vicious Lady and not one to stand something like that. Something or someone is doing a pretty good job to keep her at bay. There's probably a Tenko living nearby, judging by the amount of Kitsune that are around us."

"There is a temple of Inari in Konoha, standing there even before there was a Hidden Village put in place, so naturally a Tenko would take residence there, at the orders of Lady Inari." Kojuro stated with the knowledge of the subject. "And it is also the place that Naruto can be found most often, second only to Mito Minamoto's house."

"Ah, Lord Shiva's son. So, what is your plan, Masamune? Are we going straight to him, or are we going to first present ourselves before their Fourth Hokage and the Council?" Yoshihiro asked of Masamune, who finally spoke up.

"We'll first present ourselves before the Village, state our purpose and why we've come, but we can't show them that our interest is in Naruto, at least not in a full way. He's already garnered himself plenty of attention, if rumors are to be believed, and he is now being seen by all the other Clans in Konoha as a prime way to increase their power and influence. They will be fighting amongst themselves so as to get him in their grasps, meaning they will be trying to one up each other and will lose their unity. We'll use that to get him from under their noses, but only under pretense of him being an heir to Fujiwara Clan, not under any other." Masamune told them all. "Hopefully, I do not need to explain to you how Konoha views our religious and spiritual ways? Better if we operate in their language, so to speak."

"And how will you deal with that bastard daughter of yours, Masamune? The Council will try to point out to us her status as Uzumaki Head or whatever she calls herself." Yoshiaki asked of his nephew. "She may be of our blood, but she isn't one of us and none among my Clan, and other Clans as well, will recognize her position. If anything, from what I've heard, Mito Minamoto's granddaughter is far more Uzumaki than Kushina."

"Simple, uncle, we just say that we don't recognize her as Head of Uzumaki Nation, of which we are still part of, and that Uzumaki Clan has nothing to do with us." Masamune explained to Yoshiaki and others, with them agreeing to it. "Don't worry, it never was my intention to have that idiot interfere with us in any way. Now her children are another matter… Naruto will be my heir, with Mito joining in as well, but the Jinchuriki twins…"

"Perhaps it is best to deal with it after you've established the Clans as residents of Konoha, Lord Masamune." Kojuro advised his liege, with Masamune nodding to him. "How do you want us to approach the negotiations, Lord Masamune?"

"Well, while the thought of going in and just giving them the ultimatum does sound appealing, it'll just create more trouble for us than solve our current ones. No, we'll play it diplomatically and calmly, so I expect none of our usual rowdiness, gentlemen. We need to present ourselves as reasonable people, so we play it cool." Masamune told them.

"And if they decide to get rowdy with us?" Yoshihiro asked out of curiosity.

"If they do decide to use force on us, or to attack us, then we'll have all the needed reason for defending ourselves, but to a certain point. Best if we avoid fatalities among Konoha people, especially civilians. Go to maintain the good image we are trying to give them." Masamune answered.

"Aren't you afraid about the fatalities on our side, youngster?" Dosetsu asked of Masamune, who let out a chuckle.

"What, are you going to have a heart attack from all the excitement, Dosetsu?" Masamune asked of him.

"As if, I can still show you youngster how we did diplomacy back in my day." Dosetsu said with the prideful manner.

"Didn't really answer the question, Masamune." Motoharu pointed out.

"Nor does it really warrant answering, Kikkawa. The people here in the group are obviously on the level where we can take on Konoha's best and beat them to a pulp." Ujiyasu stated, with others agreeing to it. "That being said, it would be helpful if we knew about any of their aces in the hole, so to speak."

"The only ace that I can think of that could give us grief is Mito's granddaughter, Tomoe Uchiha. While she is officially retired, due to health problems, shortly after the Kyuubi's attack, she is in top condition, and a top tier fighter. If she had managed to work out her issues, then I'd say she is as good as Kojuro here, if not slightly better. No offence, Kojuro." Masamune turned to his right-hand man.

"None taken, sir. I'll assume that this is talking about Tomoe without using her Sharingan." Kojuro spoke up.

"Yeah, and if she turns that on, then she will be near my league. Might even have to use both of my swords to fight her, but even without that Sharingan, she is still a very good fighter." Masamune told them, before adding with a more serious tone. "She was trained by Mito, same woman who trained me. Blood of Madara Uchiha or not, she's a Minamoto in all but blood, so treat her as such."

"That goes without saying, Masamune. This is The Way." Dosetsu stated with a voice filled with seriousness and reverence, with others silently nodding to it, showing their respect. "Still, after hearing you speak so highly about her, it kinda makes me curious to how well her Minamoto iron would fare against my Tachibana steel."

"We can place bets on it later. Right now, who will do the talking?" Motoharu asked, as they were literally just a few short steps from passing the gates.

"Kojuro, if you would?" Masamune turned to him, with the man in question nodding to the command of his lord.

"Man, I hate this post. Literally nothing interesting ever happens here." One of the Chuunins said, fighting off the desire to fall asleep.

"I dunno, man. I kinda like being posted here, especially after a long B-rank outside of Land of Fire. It's a vacation spot in all but name." His partner told him, reading a magazine with a rather naughty content in it. "Peace and quiet, nothing too dangerous about it. This is literally the safest post to be placed in."

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Kojuro made his presence known to the guards, who looked with a bit of a surprise at the man and his company, not hiding surprise at their looks. "Pardon me interrupting your usual routine, but me and my companions would like to know, what would be the best way to get to Hokage Tower?" The Chuunins looked at the group of samurai with some shock, before the one reading the magazine spoke up.

"Um… Are you from the Capitol?" The man asked the first thing that came to his mind.

"No, we are ronins. Looking for a way to make money, or to get recruited into you Village." Kojuro answered to the man. "The Capitol would be our next stop, if we are going to fail in finding either in here." Ronins looking for job were a normal sight in towns and even in Hidden Villages, so the Chuunins didn't give it much thought.

"Oh, okay. It's straight ahead down that road ahead of you, just stick to it and you won't miss it." The other Chuunin answered to the man. "Oh, and by the way, could you and your friends write down your names in here? It's standard procedure for all arriving people, without it we can't let you in, sorry." The Chuunin told Kojuro, pointing at the book that laid in front of the Shinobi.

"That's okay. Let me get my compatriots first." Kojuro told the Chuunins, before leaving them to get the others.

"So?" Yoshiaki asked of the Katakura Head.

"The Hokage Tower is down this road, straight ahead. But we need to write down our names in the book of visitors, if we want to get going." Kojuro informed them all.

"Are they going to ask us to reveal our passports or IDs?" Tsunashige asked of him, with Kojuro shaking his head at that. "Man, defenses in this village really are lackluster. Just write whatever name you want and you can go in? How is this place still here?"

"A mystery for another time. For now, let's get going, before Ujiyasu tears out his eyes at the sight of the local architectural style." Yoshihisa suggested, with Ujiyasu's face showing utter disdain at the sight of buildings in here.

"No style, esthetical or practical. Slapped together heaps of wood, concrete, stone and whatever else they could get their hands on… This is not architecture. This is a Hojo nightmare." Ujiyasu commented it all, with Tsunashige letting out a sigh.

"My brother was always a bit… touchy about it all." He simply commented. "Come now, Ujiyasu. Let's register and be off, I am sure there are far more presentable objects in this Village to observe."

"I wouldn't hold my breath, and he might want to close his eyes when we get to the Hokage Tower, or rather, the Hokage Radish as Mito called it." Masamune laughed, remembering the conversation with her. "Seriously, I dunno how they designed that place, but it literally looks like radish."

"Well, radishes in Konoha, umbrellas in Kumo." Motoharu commented, with others getting his joke. "Everyone has their own preference when it comes to architectural inspirations."

"This. Is. Not. Architecture." Ujiyasu stated through his teeth.

"Yeah, yeah, we heard you the first time." Yoshihiro said, as the group finally reached the guard post and he waved to them. "Hey, how's it going?" Yoshihiro asked in a friendly manner, getting the guards at ease.

"Hey, nothing to complain about, safe for boredom. Anyway, just write your names here and you can go ahead. It would be nice if you could also state the nature of your visit, but I guess your friend did for you. Guess ronins also have it rough these days, huh?" The guard asked, as the Uzumaki men began to write down their names.

"Barely surviving, you could say. Need to feed our own family, and no fancy lord to pay our wages, so not much of a choice, other than look for job." Yoshiaki wrote down his name, before letting Yoshihiro to write his. "You Shinobi have it easier. You at least always know where to find good job."

"Yeah, and we'd get a death mark on our heads, if we decide to work for someone else, other than our Village and the clients it has. You ronins don't have to deal with Hunter Nins when a greedy client decides to frame you as a criminal, rather than pay your earned money." One of the guards stated.

"Pft, you wish. Half the time our clients just sick dogs on us after we do the deed, rather than pay us up. And as for those Hunters of yours, who do you think they go hunting on when there are no Shinobi to go after?" Yoshihiro asked, after writing his name. "Need to maintain professional ethics, if you want to stay out of trouble and such, especially with you guys, and you know that it's a den of snakes and not an honest business."

"Yeah, you got me. Well, if Hokage Tower turns out to be a bust, you could head towards Uchiha District and look for job there. Most of the traders and travelling merchants are right there these days, so it's likely that someone will want to hire guards for their caravan." Second guard said to them. "Back a year ago these kinds of tasks were handled by Genin teams and some fresh Chuunins, but since the thunderstorm back in June and massive migration in here, we've had a serious increase in merchants and such. Used to be hard to find such kind of work, but now there aren't enough people for that, so you should have a good chance of finding a job there."

"Sounds like things are looking up in the Village, if the business is booming. More clients, more contracts and more money coming in means you guys don't have to worry about your coffers running dry." Masamune commented, letting the Hojo brothers to sign in. "By the way, anything particular we should know before we go? Like, who better not piss off while we are here, or who's got not such a good view of us ronins?"

"Hm, well, I'd recommend staying off the Hyuuga Clan's way. You should see them from a mile away: always tall, walking around with a pole up their ass and showing their Byakugan, while also looking at everyone who is not from their Clan like they are trash." First guard told them. "Oh, and there are also Kusagakure Shinobi, you'd do well to stay away from them. A couple weeks back, someone had trashed their Village and now they've been nagging us to help them find whoever did this. Apparently, it was some kind of samurai or a ronin, wearing a crescent moon helmet, just like this one." The guard pointed at Masamune's.

"That's all they go by? I know half a dozen guys who got the same kind of helmet as I do, along with this. Bought a few years back from a blacksmith in Land of Iron, nice and sturdy." Masamune stated to the guards, though he did see that they didn't really care about it, nor did they see them as a threat.

"Well, whatever the case, I personally am that those sleazy bastards had their assess kicked. They deserved some divine justice for what they did to our guys back in the last war." Second guard stated with conviction. "I still can't believe that Lord Fourth is actually working with them and still helps them with their searches. Did he forget about Uehara Massacre?"

"Hey, cool it down, man. I know how you feel, but let's not question what's going on in our leader's head, okay. This is politics, same as they've always been." The first guard told his friend.

"Yeah, except those bastards get to ask us for help after they've switched sides and killed over a hundred of our comrades. Half of my family died at their hands, and what kind of justice did Konoha get for it? They fucking told us, that it was an accident and that's it! A fucking accident that killed my dad, older brother and uncle!" Second guard ranted out loud.

"Um, sorry to interrupt you, but can we go now?" Yoshihiro asked of the guards, getting their attention, who immediately went to inspect the papers.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Sorry about that, it's just… Well…"

"Hey, don't sweat it. We get it." Masamune told them, as the group was about to go. "Thanks for the tips, have a nice day."

"You too. Enjoy your stay at Konoha and good luck with the job." The second guard told them.

"Well, sounds like there are Kusa Nin in the town. What's the plan, Masamune?" Yoshiaki asked of him.

"Same as before, just try and not get their…" Masamune was about to speak up, but he was interrupted by a shout loud enough to be heard from half the village away.

"YOU!" The Kusa Nin shouted out, as he pointed his finger at Masamune and his group, standing just over half a dozen meters away from them. "It's you! You were the one who stormed our village! You son of a bitch, you killed my brother!" Kusa Nin snarled at Masamune, who let out a sigh, while other Kusa Shinobi were prepared for a fight.

"Oh, you just had to jinx it, hadn't you, uncle?" Masamune rhetorically asked, as the commotion had already garnered attention of civilians and Konoha Shinobi, with Uzumaki sensing that some of the Shinobi were already off to report it to Hokage. "So much for playing it cool…"

"You've robbed us of that girl, one that you will return to us, if you and your friends wish to get out of here alive." Another Kusa Shinobi arrogantly stated, with Masamune looking at him for a second, while also noticing that some of the Konoha Shinobi were already trickling in to aid Kusa Nins. "You are outnumbered and way out of your league, and in a few minutes, the Hokage himself will be here. So, you have only one option to save your skin: give us back the girl, or face death at the hand of Yellow Flash."

"Wow, that's like one of the lamest ultimatums I've heard in my life, and I've heard quite a few in my time. Three out of ten, at best." Masamune mocked the Kusa, with other Uzumaki getting a laugh from it, while Kusa Shinobi were angered by such words, before he got serious. "Laughs aside, you used that girl as a living battery and fed off her chakra and blood. Be thankful I didn't pulverize your village for what you did to her and her late mother. Now, how about you your friends get the hell out of here, with your lives and heads on your shoulders?"

"How about we take your head for disrespecting us, you worthless ronin! Konoha Shinobi, this man had dared to attack us, Kusagakure, your loyal and faithful ally. By the treaty signed between our Villages, you are bound to provide us help, and now we demand that you aid us in killing this bastard and returning what he stole from us." Kusa Shinobi announced out loud, with his group of 7 Kusa Nin now clearly being bolstered by at least 40 Konoha Shinobi.

"Tch, cowards, can't even fight their own battles on their own." Yoshihiro sneered at them, as he placed his hand on the handle of his sword. "What's the plan now, Masamune? Looks like diplomacy is no longer an option."

"Pft, back in my day, we used swords and fists to do all the talking first, then we would sit down and have tea, as people who respect each other." Dosetsu commented, while smirking openly. "I was starting to fear I would fall asleep from boredom, but now at least I can keep myself awake with something useful, so it's better this way."

"Agreed. Besides, no way we are giving those bastards the girl." Tsunashige stated with confidence, unsheathing his Odachi from his back.

"Lord Masamune, what are your orders?" Kojuro asked of him.

"Now… Now, we make some noise, gentlemen." Masamune had a predatory smirk on his face, and the very next moment all hell broke loose.

---

Earlier. Near Konoha's hospital.

"So where do you want to go, Naruto?" Amagi asked of Naruto with a smile, as she, the boy in question, Tomoe, along with Kaga and Akagi in their Kitsune forms, were now moving out of hospital and onto the streets. "You must be starving for some real food, instead of what they fed you in the hospital. I've had Izuna buy best of ingridients for my special Kitsune udon, just the way you like it."

"Now you are just making me hungry, Amagi." Naruto told her with a smile, as he walked with them without any problem what so ever, having completed his recovery and having been released from hospital care by Shizune.

Officially, Naruto was to be released only two days later, as was known to the masses, but that was mostly a ruse made up by Shizune, so that Naruto wouldn't have to deal with all the people that would instead bother him about whom he was going to stay with, and to avoid Namikaze, who would, no doubt, try to meet him right after he was released and spirit him to their home. Shizune knew that this was the last thing Naruto needed, so she decided to help him a little, but telling everyone the wrong date on which he would be released, while informing Tomoe and Amagi of the real one instead. Naruto was very thankful and in debt before his former doctor, who was now a close friend whom Naruto could trust, though not to the same point as he could Tomoe and Amagi, but close to Akeno.

After Naruto's encounter with Hiruzen, the process of recovery had went as smooth as it could get, with Naruto putting his all into recovering what he had lost, and by now, it was clear that he had fully recovered physically, while mentally he now only lacked some of the least important memories and nothing more. Shizune, Akeno, Kaga, Akagi, Yoruichi, Izuna, Tomoe and Amagi, even Mikoto and Fugaku, and that's not mention Mito- all of them had helped Naruto recover through support and visits, cheering him up and getting his spirits high up again. They've really showed they support to him, and it helped Naruto immensely with his recovery, which Shizune noted was a miracle one at that.

Couple the moral support from the people with the intense desire and will, and Naruto was up and about faster than anyone could anticipate. He was already able to walk and run without trouble in a week's time after Hiruzen talked to him, so the rest of the time was spent regaining lost knowledge, dealing with lingering aftereffects of his coma and trauma. Along with that, Naruto did have a talk with Tomoe, regarding his future status and with whom he was going to be staying with, assuring her that he would only stay with her. Tomoe in turn, assured Naruto, that she and Amagi will have Mito out of that toxic environment that was Namikaze family, and Naruto knew even without his enhanced powers, that she was telling the truth to him. He had also shared with her what had transpired between him and Hiruzen, as well as telling her all that he had managed to get out of his mind.

Naruto didn't even notice it at first, but only later he did take note of the fact that his powers of perception and sensory detection had strengthen even further of what they were. Apparently, his meeting with Parvati and receiving Medusa as a Shikigami, Naruto's abilities and physical parameters had also received a substantial boost as well. Now his mental perception allowed for much deeper insight into people's minds, revealing their thoughts and memories to him with clarity and also showing the feelings of the person at the moment. Though such insight was far more taxing for Naruto than his usual insight, it was still a wickedly strong ability to have.

Naruto told Tomoe about what he learned from Hiruzen's head and from the talk, and it was clear to him that what she learned didn't please her, though she didn't show as much surprise as Naruto had expected. She was saddened to find out that her mother was effectively murdered, and that Mito could've recovered when her health started to get worse, but the fact that it was denied of her meant to Tomoe that Hiruzen was now the most hated person in her mind. She promised Naruto that no matter what happens, she'll never let him lay a finger on either him or Mito, and Naruto believed her, because he knew that at the end of the day, Tomoe always kept her word to him.

And now, he was finally allowed to go, having been deemed healthy and strong enough for it. He recovered fully, and only a deep scar on his head was the reminder of the tragedy that had occurred months ago. He wanted to spend the time with the closest people, in a place where he was the happiest and where he could be himself, and he was quite looking forward to it. They were on their way to the temple, moving through the streets and coming near the main gates of Konoha, when they saw droves of people running towards the gate and heard what was clearly signs of a large fight going on at the gates.

"What's going on?" Amagi asked out loud, seeing all the commotion and noticing how Shinobi were moving all around them, with Anbu being among them, before noticing something with her Kitsune senses. "There is someone at the gates, someone very powerful, and those aren't Yokai… No, those are men, but they have… They have Yokai with them, and powerful ones too…"

"Yeah… S-Such might… One of them is so strong that he practically eclipses some of them…" Naruto noted with awe in his voice, having used his sensory abilities for it.

"Amagi, Naruto, head to the Temple. I'll check what is going on in there and return as soon as I can." Tomoe told them, as she dashed off and headed towards the gates.

It took her less than a minute to get to the place, as well as to move through the thick crowds of people that had gathered to see what was going on. Once she made it to the front row, she saw something that had nearly shocked her: 9 samurai, standing in a semi-circle, were decimating waves of Konoha Shinobi that were coming at them. This was something she didn't see often, though she had seen Konoha on the back foot more times than she could count, this wasn't a usual sight to her. The men were of various ages, yet it was clear that all of them were powerful, each of the samurai possibly even having an S-rank to them.

She saw how they easily moved and maneuvered from the coordinated attacks of Konoha Shinobi, evading kunai, shuriken, blades and Jutsu, before countering and sending the assailants literally flying away. There were already small mountains of knocked out Shinobi of nearly all Clans in there, with even Anbu thrown in there as well, though what did confuse Tomoe was the fact that all of them were alive, and none were mortally wounded. It dawned on her that the samurai weren't here for killing, and that the fight was proved by Konoha, or possibly by Kusa Nins, since she all of them also beaten and wounded, but breathing still.

Only after that did Tomoe notice something that she should've paid attention to from the very start. The man at the head of the group, and the one who was racking up the most amount of wins… Now Tomoe understood the reason why these guys were so good and strong.

They were all Uzumaki, and they were led by one man who had defeated her in the soundest manner, Date Masamune. Just as she had realized that, she saw how Kakashi Hatake jumped in front of her, his Raikiri fully blazing and he charged right at Masamune. She wasn't even going stop the young man, simply deciding to observe what was going to happen, and just as she predicted in her mind, the following few seconds went as she thought they would.

Masamune noticed the attack coming from a mile away, and with the ease of a sea breeze and swiftness of a night lightning, he moved away from the thrusting attack of Kakashi, before catching his hand at the base of his palm, and then breaking it with his knee. Raikiri was dispelled and Kakashi couldn't even follow Masamune's movements with his Sharingan, as he only was able to notice the savage smirk on Masamune's face, right before he was tossed towards the crowds and directly, though unknowingly for Masamune, at Tomoe. Not wishing to be hit by the incoming sole apprentice of Minato, Tomoe stopped Kakashi Hatake right before he hit her… by kicking him in the stomach and making him fall onto the ground unconscious. It was then that Masamune and other Uzumaki warriors had noticed her, with the leader of Fujiwara Clan speaking up.

"Well, well, what a surprised. If it isn't the Suicide Girl." Masamune said, referring to Tomoe, as she took a step forward. "I was hoping you'd still be alive, though I admit, I was preparing for the worst, but I'm glad you are still alive, Suicide Girl. And it looks like you are better than before. Managed to work your issues out in a good, controllable manner?"

"More like through bad, uncontrollable beatdown." Tomoe answered, making Masamune and some of his friends chuckle at that. "Date Masamune, The One-eyed Dragon of Oshu… This is the last place I'd expect you to come to, along with what I assume are members of your Clan."

"Only Kojuro here is in my Clan, the rest are either relatives, friends, brethren or comrades, all from other Clans." That bit of information surprised Tomoe. "And there's even more from where we came from. Much more." That was enough to nearly shock Tomoe, because she understood what it meant.

"The Uzumaki… The Uzumaki Clans are moving in Konoha?" Tomoe asked with clear shock in her voice, with Masamune nodding to her. "But… Of all the places, why come to Konoha? The last place I'd expect any Uzumaki to settle in is Konoha, the very Village that had sold you out to all that had invaded you, and I know about the Uzumaki pride. There is more to it, isn't there?"

"Desperate times, Tomoe. Desperate times…" Masamune simply told her, as he sheathed his sword back. "I was actually hoping to talk with your leader in a more civilized manner, but then these Kusa dumbasses decided that with Konoha on their side, they would be able to take my head and get a certain someone back in their fold. Turns out they are wrong. Hope you aren't upset that I and my friends had to beat up your allies."

"The only thing I am upset about right now is that I wasn't invited. I've been itching for a chance to lay in some smackdown on the Kusa ever since they've killed my teammates during Uehara." Masamune let out an approving chuckle at that one, before Tomoe continued. "If you were hoping to get Minato Namikaze's attention, then you've probably succeeded. He'll be here any minute now, if I know him."

"At least something useful will come out of this beatdown. So, while we wait for him, care for a bit of sparring, to help pass time?" Masamune offered, gently placing his hand on the handle of his sword, with Tomoe looking at him with surprise in her eyes.

"Are you seriously offering to fight me, after you've beaten me to a pulp with barely any effort almost ten years ago?" Tomoe asked of him, though her Onimikazuki was attached on her hip.

"Back then, you were just a desperate girl who lost everything and wished to die, someone who needed to be reminded that life isn't over for her. Now… Now I see someone who is possibly worthy to hold that sword you have. So, care to show me if I was right to knock some senses into you, or if I should've just killed you, to spare Mito the embarrassment of you tarnishing her teachings?" Masamune challenged Tomoe, with the woman feeling that he was actually wishing to see if she was better, but in his own way, and she decided satisfy his curiosity.

"You'll regret mentioning her name, Masamune." Tomoe narrowed her eyes upon Masamune, as she took the proper stance for the Batojutsu draw, with her feet prepared to rush right at the man.

Masamune simply chuckled, motioning the others to stay out of it, while he also took up a position for the attack… only to suddenly change his stance and move away a bit, just as the wild scream announced an incoming attack. Kushina came flying down, dressed in her ninja gear and with her katana drawn up above her head, slashing the spot where Masamune stood just a moment ago. Noticing that her blade didn't reach its target, she decided to strike him with an upward slash, but it was stopped when Kushina's katana connected with Masamune's wakizashi in his left hand, firmly blocking her. He looked at her with a disapproving eye, with Kushina glared at him.

"Kushina, didn't your grandparents ever teach to never get between two warriors when they are about to duel?" Masamune asked of Kushina with a voice filled with contempt.

"If there is anyone you will duel, it shall be me, father." Kushina spat that last part out loud, with Tomoe being caught off guard after hearing it. "As the head of Fujiwara Clan, you should…"

"The only thing I should do right now, is to show respect to my opponent. Sorry, Kushina, we'll catch up later." Masamune told her, effortlessly moving her blade away, completely opening her up, before kicking her out of the clearing and straight into the building, smashing her right through the door, followed by returning his second weapon in the sheath. "Sorry about that. I appreciate you not taking the advantage of this situation. It shows your merit as an honorable warrior."

"I appreciate the compliment, but that doesn't change the fact of what I just heard." Tomoe stated to him. "Kushina is your daughter? Is that right?"

"Yes, she is, though I've not been much of a father to her ever since she was taken by her Minamoto relatives. It's a… complicated matter." Masamune simply told her.

"Involving Aiwa Minamoto, no doubt." Tomoe saw the flicker of surprise on his face. "I know about her, and what she is. That woman took away my grandmother, my own son and nearly took my adopted son, so you best hope that you don't shelter her in any way, or else I'll soak the land with the blood of you and your clan."

"She tried to kill Naruto? When did she dare to strike him?!" For the first time in years, Masamune briefly allowed his temper to get out hand.

"Right on the night of an incident, when he was placed into hospital. I almost got her that night, but the bitch got away…" Tomoe revealed to him, with Masamune regaining his calmness. "The fact that you asked of Naruto tells me that you know of him. Are you here to take him into your clan?"

"And what if I am?" Masamune asked, regaining his stance.

"Then I have only this to say: through my dead body." Tomoe stated to him with seriousness and determination that seriously impressed Masamune.

"You know, I have to ask: why do you call yourself Uchiha, when your spirit is clearly that of Minamoto?" Masamune was honestly curious of that thing, placing his hand on the handle of his blade.

"Because everyone just kept calling me Uchiha, and I grew tired of correcting everyone, along with breaking their noses." Tomoe responded, with Masamune chuckling at the response. "Are you done sweet talking and ready to let our blades speak?"

"Ready when you are." Masamune told her, with Tomoe taking a deep breath in.

The space and air that was around and in between the two was filled with tension, as Masamune and Tomoe eyed each other with a gaze that could pierce the very heavens. Two warriors of the highest caliber, observed each other with attention and precision that was only matched by their sheer readiness to strike. They sought to find a chink in the will, a glimpse of doubt in their determination, yet both found neither, though their fight of will and determination continued unabated. This was the match in which was determined who would be the one to strike first, who loses their nerve and draws their blade first.

Yet it was clear to all that understood what really was going on between Masamune and Tomoe, that neither lacked for will, determination and resolve. Masamune could clearly see that Tomoe wasn't going to back off or lose her grip, and he was actually glad that was the case. He wanted to see what the girl was really made of, and so he decided to move this into the deciding phase, as his face revealed a little bit smaller smile, alerting Tomoe of the incoming attack. And the very next moment, the two opponents moved at the nearly same moment, with only Uzumaki warriors noticing, that Masamune was the first one to move, while others merely saw two blurs disappearing from the view.

Next second, they reappeared in the spot that was straight in the middle between the two, with both opponents having drawn their swords, and having met the blade of the opponent. The air picked up by the two smashed into each other's creating an explosive wave and a bang that nearly made both of them deaf, while the pavement underneath their feet was torn to rubble. Yet that didn't bother the two, as they met with their blades and the eyes, clashing with each other with power and might that was worthy of legends and songs.

For Masamune and Tomoe, their clash lasted long enough to exchange more words than they could in a day of talking, all without saying a thing. Their wills, their might and determination spoke, with their blades being the air that transmitted those many words to each other. For others, it lasted less than a second, before they disconnected and jumped away from each other, drawing their blades into the ready position, prepared to continue the fight.

"You really are Mito's daughter." Masamune stated to Tomoe with pride clear in his voice. "Now I can clearly see it in you, her will. Her legacy, it burns bright and strong in you. Knowing that this part of her still lives through you… Forgive me for my words, they were said with intent to see what you are made off."

"Apology accepted, and hearing you say such things makes me wonder what she was for you." Tomoe admitted to him.

"She was a more of a mother to me than the woman who bore me. What and who I am now I owe to Mito." Masamune admitted to Tomoe. "I can see that she was the same to you."

"She was, though my mother was taken from me when I came to this world. Mito raised her as well, raised as her own daughter." Tomoe revealed to Masamune.

"I know. She was a good woman, and she would've loved you." Masamune told Tomoe, before shifting his blade for another charge. "Shall we continue?"

"At your leisure." Tomoe draw her tachi for the thrusting attack, ready to move forward, when she heard a shuffling sound behind her.

"Naruto, wait!" Amagi shouted, as she and Naruto moved out from the crowd, drawing the attention of all Uzumaki and Tomoe towards Naruto, with Masamune literally forgetting for a second of everything, when he saw the boy.

Naruto had sensed the clash between Tomoe and Masamune and couldn't contain himself, unable to suppress something that was telling him to go and see what really was going on in there. And so he dashed off to see what it was, and when he got there, managing to make it past the crowd of civilians and Shinobi alike. Amagi followed closely, along with Kaga and Akagi in their Kitsune form, and they knew that they would defend Naruto with all they had in them, if he were to end up in some kind of trouble, though they could clearly sense just what types of monstrously powerful men were there. And the strongest of them all was looking directly at Naruto with a look of pure surprise, yet also there was strongest affection as well, one that Naruto could feel almost as strongly as the one that Tomoe held for him.

He looked straight into the eye of the one-eyed samurai, one who clashed with Tomoe and was now emitting the strongest and most resonating emotions towards Naruto. That man… He was nothing like anyone Naruto had met before, with his thoughts and feelings expressing much, yet remaining in control and focus, something Naruto rarely seen in others. He could sense unyielding determination in the man, mixed with pride and valor, but also affection and respect towards Tomoe, but towards Naruto… He was feeling surprise, shock, but also regret and… shame? Not towards Naruto, but towards himself, as if he was feeling bad for not being there for Naruto, not coming towards him earlier. Naruto sensed how the man was feeling intense feeling of not just loyalty towards Naruto, but affection. Fatherly affection, pure and strong, one that outshined all that Naruto ever felt from Minato towards him and the twins, and this revealed one thing to Naruto: this man was his relative, someone close in blood.

Masamune observed Naruto without hidden emotions or intentions, knowing of the gift he had, and revealing himself to him, for it was the best way to gain his trust. His duel with Tomoe forgotten and adjourned, for he sheathed his sword and slowly moved towards the boy, with Tomoe not preventing him. The boy had the hair of Minamoto, yet his crimson hair was brighter than that of his mother, the same tone as that of Aiwa's, instantly remind Masamune of his wife, almost breaking his concentration. Yet the face of Naruto, the shape of his nose and eyes, jaw and lips… With baby fat gone from him, it showed clear signs of strong Fujiwara blood in him, yet Masamune also was finding traits of Taira and Tachibana as well in him.

Truly, he was the Uzumaki and son of Shiva and Parvati.

Masamune close to Naruto, standing small distance away from him so as to not stand right over him. Masamune's expression softened from what it was before, as he looked with softness in his eye at Naruto, who didn't flinch or show a sign of fear in front of the imposing warrior. Clearly, the boy had plenty of bravery in him, and Masamune clearly sensed no small amount of dare in the kid. This all reminded Masamune of the way he was back when he was young as well. The silence between the two lasted only a few seconds, before Masamune spoke up.

"Are you Naruto?" Masamune asked of the kid softly.

"I am." Naruto confirmed with the nod, sensing that the man already knew, though Naruto didn't prod deep into his mind. "Why did you want to pick a fight with Tomoe?"

"To see if she was true to her words or not, and to see, if she was ready to die for you, Naruto." Masamune told Naruto, who eyed the man with interest. "She was, and she didn't hesitate to fight me, even though I have defeated her years ago and could do so again."

"Why are you so interested in me, and why do you feel so… So familiar?" Naruto asked of the man, who smiled to him, and sat on one knee before the kid. "Who are you?"

"My name is Date Masamune, leader of Date Clan and Fujiwara Clan, hailing from the island of Honshu in Uzu." Masamune answered to him, with Naruto looking at him with surprise. "Through my veins runs the blood of Uzumaki Nation and of Fujiwara Clan, one of four founding Clans. Same Clan, whose blood you also carry?"

"My mother is from Minamoto Clan, though she claims to be fully Uzumaki." Naruto answered to Masamune, who simply chuckled to him.

"She was raised by Minamoto and erased from the Fujiwara Clan records, yes, but the blood of Minamoto in you is from your grandmother. But the blood of Fujiwara comes from your grandfather, the One-eyed Dragon of Fujiwara." Naruto widened his eyes when he heard those words said to him, while Masamune smiled to him. "And he has come here to see his grandson, the one who has been adopted by Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati."

Naruto and Masamune looked at each other for a few seconds after the man had spoken to him, and it was only at the very next moment that the two have decided to act again. Only those that were open to the world of Yokai were able to see two powerful creatures emerge from both Naruto and Masamune. Two dragons, one golden and purple with wings, and the other a great and mighty blue colored one, revealed themselves and turned their heads to one another, with Yokai that surrounded them all, and those that were attuned to the world of Yokai, observing the two magnificent creatures. Only Masamune and Naruto could clearly hear and sense what their Shikigami were talking about and what were the words exchanged between the two. It took but a moment, yet it seemed to last for as long as an hour, before the two dragons returned to their respective partners, before Naruto spoke up first.

"Grandfather." Naruto greeted Masamune with a nod and a smile, acknowledging the man as his grandfather and his blood, with the One-eyed Dragon flashing him a happy smile, as he grabbed his grandson and pulled him into a strong, affectionate hug.

And all the while nearly all of Konoha observed this, asking themselves about what had transpired just now, with Minato being the prime person doing so, while those that understood what it was, simply enjoyed the moment of the two Fujiwara dragons meeting for the first time.

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Another longest chapter… 22k, biggest one to date, big enough to make two out of this one, but I know people like chapters thick and juicy, just like waifu. And given what happened the last time, I think you need this one. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

I'll be keeping this brief, since I've typed down over a third of this chapter in one sitting, so I'm a bit tired. Sorry it takes so long to make these chapters, but they are quite large and I need time to write them down, and doing it in one sitting is pretty hard for me, so I split into parts.

Anyway, thank you all for supporting this story and please leave a review, suggestion about harem or story itself, as well as ask questions if you have any about the story and elements to it. I'll be happy to answer them.

Next time: Uzumaki VS. Council.

See ya next time!