AN: hehe, new chapter! yay!
Family
The changes within Konoha were astounding. Numerous people were weeded out as traitors or spies, none more shocking than elder Danzo.
That fight would go down in legend within the walls of Konoha.
The Uchiha were no longer feared, and were treated as if they were people, because they were. The 'truth' of the Kyubi attack had shown people that.
The Hyuga though… there was a paradigm shift. Gone were the elders, all executed for giving information to enemy spies. The Clan Head? Dead by the Hokage's hand for treason, replaced by his son, Hiashi. The branch family? No longer existed, they were on their way toward becoming a single, united family, and Yumi couldn't be happier.
The truth about his father had come to light, and now there was another name on the memorial stone. He had done it… his father's sacrifice was honored and recognized, and the Hyuga were on the right track. All because he had spoken with the Sandaime.
After a week of letting the dust settle, he decided it was time to stop hiding- not start strutting down the middle of the street, but to finally go to his Clan Head. With the eradication of the cursed seal, he felt at least a little safer, and he'd just learned the shunshin, so he was confident in his ability to escape if he needed.
Tightening his yukata, he grabbed his headband, and tied it around his forehead with pride, idly thinking that he'd need to paint it black or at least take the sheen off of it. He was predominantly a ranged fighter, and the glint of his hitai-ate could easily give away his location. However, that was something for later.
Leaving the Clan Library, he silently made his way to the Clan Head's home and office. The few people that did notice him sent curious looks. It wasn't every day that you saw a five year old shinobi, especially among the Hyuga. They hadn't had a genius since the new Clan Head and his twin brother, and they merely graduated a year earlier than normal due to the war.
Ignoring their glances, Yumi stepped up to the door of the main house, and gave a soft knock. A moment later, a kind looking woman opened the door, her eyes widening minutely at who stood before her.
"You're the boy that lives in the library!" She said with a smile, her words sending a feeling of ice down Yumi's back.
"How di-" He started before the woman stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.
"You are very stealthy, but my husband and I have known since the very beginning." She answered his halted question as he cautiously entered the home.
"There wasn't much we could do to help you with the former Clan Head being as he was, so we did what we could. Did you find your father's journal?" She asked hopefully as she led him into a traditional sitting room.
"You did that?" He asked with wide eyes, the woman smiled with a nod.
"Yes, we didn't want to scare you off, so we put it in a place you would find it. I'm happy to hear that you were able to retrieve it before someone else did." She smiled as they kneeled before a short table. "I am Hinabi Hyuga, I'm glad to finally meet you, Yumi-kun." She said with a bow of her head.
"Glad to meet you, Hinabi-sama." Yumi said with a dip as she waved him off.
"None of that! No more sama among family! Just call me Hinabi-chan." She smiled, receiving a blushing nod from the boy.
"So what made you leave the library today, Yumi-kun?" Hinabi asked.
"Well, with the changes within our clan, I wanted to inform the new Clan Head of my presence, as I had assumed no one knew… but it seems it was unnecessary." He said softly as he looked down with tinted cheeks.
"We've wanted to meet you for a long time now, Yumi-kun, so I'm glad you have taken the time to introduce yourself. Sadly, Hiashi is at a Council Meeting. With everything that has happened recently, he has been very busy." She sighed with a smile. Thankfully everything that had happened had been for the better.
"I see, I suppose I shouldn't take any more of your time then. I can return at a later date." He bowed, as he went to get up.
"Oh no you don't! I've been wanting to meet you for ages, I want to get to know you and hear about what you've been doing!" Hinabi said happily, throwing him off guard. She cared? Tentatively, he sat back down.
"So tell me about yourself, Yumi-kun." The woman said with a big smile.
"W-well… I'm Yumi Hyuga, son of Homare and Yuki Hyuga. I am five years old and enjoy reading about the Warring States Period. I am a shinobi of Konohagakure, and specialize in long distance and close quarters combat. My dream was to bring my father's sacrifice to light and restore the honor of the Hyuga. I have accomplished the first, and the second is well underway, so I suppose my new dream is to become someone my parents would be proud of." He finished, leaving the woman wide eyed.
"You've already graduated the academy?" She asked, gesturing to his headband, receiving a negative shake of the head.
"I did not attend the academy. I am self taught, and two weeks ago I met with the Hokage, and he gave me a short test and made me a Genin. I'm not permitted to take missions yet, but I have access to the shinobi library and have all of the same rights as a shinobi of Konoha." He explained to the awed woman.
"Wow, to be self taught and deemed worthy by the Hokage himself… you must be a genius! Not to mention the youngest shinobi in the history of Konoha!" She said amazed, as Yumi ducked his head with a blush. "What skills do you have?"
"I am an archer and can accurately hit a target from over three hundred meters away, and am consistently getting better with training. I am a master of Tsukisasuken, the Hyuga's original taijutsu style. I can perform four jutsu. I'm competent in stealth, though it would seem I'm not as good as I originally thought… and I'm learning fuinjutsu.'' He finished, leaving the woman wide eyed.
"You learned Tsukisasuken?" She asked with wide eyes, Yumi nodding sharply. "I'm sure you already know, but that style is incredibly lethal. Not only does it cause physical harm, but it destroys the tenketsu of your opponent, crippling their chakra network. I just want to make sure you completely understand the seriousness of the style, if you spar with someone, you must do so with extreme caution." She stressed.
"I understand, and thank you for your warning. I have never sparred with someone, so I'll heed caution if and when I do so." He said. He knew the seriousness of his style, it could end the entire career of a shinobi, which was far worse than taking their life. And if he were to cripple a fellow Konoha nin because of his lack of thought, then he'd likely be punished severely.
"So when will you receive a Jonin-sensei?" Hinabi asked after letting out a relieved breath.
"I am not sure, Hokage-ue said that he would assign me one when I'm ready. But I'm not bothered as I've been teaching myself for a long time now. Hokage-ue also said that I could come to him with any questions or problems." He explained.
"Wow, Sandaime-sama must really like you." She smiled as he ducked his head.
Hearing the soft padding of feet, they turned to see a chibi of a child wobble into the sitting room. "'Nata-chan~ how do you keep getting out of your crib? You're supposed to be taking a nap!" Hinabi whined with a fond smile as she moved to pick up the smiling girl. Scooping her up in her arms, Hinabi held the giggling girl to her chest and returned to her previous spot.
"Hinata-chan, this is Yumi-kun, Yumi-kun, this is my daughter, Hinata." The woman introduced, the small girl glanced at Yumi, who smiled kindly, and she promptly buried her face into her mother's neck. "Don't take it personally, Yumi-kun, she's very shy." Hinabi smiled. "She also gets out of her crib when her father is almost home, I'm not sure how she knows, but she hasn't been wrong yet."
As if on cue, they heard the door open. A few seconds later, in walked Hiashi Hyuga, the new Clan Head. "Ah, Yumi-san, I was wondering when you would stop by." The man said with a nod.
"Hiashi-san, glad to meet you." He bowed from his seat while the man smiled at his wife and daughter as he claimed the cushion beside them.
"How was the meeting, Hiashi-kun?" Hinabi asked as she handed their daughter to the stoic man.
"Eventful. I cannot say much, but let's just say the Sandaime's second term is coming to an end." He said while cradling Hinata. The revelation made Hinabi and Yumi's eyes widen.
"He has a replacement then?" Hinabi asked, receiving a smirk from the man.
"He does." He said simply.
"And do you know who it is~?" She asked expectantly.
"I do."
"Come on, Hiashi-kun! We won't tell anybody, will we Yumi-kun?" The woman asked with an emphatic grin, Yumi simply raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, making the woman huff.
"Traitor… okay let me guess, is it the Hatake boy?" She asked, making the man's smirk deepen.
"All I will say, is that you will never guess who it is." He said simply, making the woman pout.
"Anyway, Yumi-san, I was able to save a few mementos of your parents, and hide them away in your former home before they were destroyed. The home is rightfully yours, and you may move in whenever you feel like. I can't imagine living in the library has been comfortable, and while I don't mind that you have stayed there, you now have a home…" The man said pointedly, Yumi bowing in thanks.
"I understand, Hiashi-san, thank you. I will be out of the library tonight." He said, receiving a nod from the man.
"Now, Yumi-kun, you will be staying for dinner, understand?" Hinabi said with a look that brooked no argument.
"Y-yes, Hinabi-chan…" He smiled softly.
Was this what family was like?
"I don't understand why you young people won't wear the robes…" The Sandaime huffed as he watched Fugaku don a new flak jacket that had red kanji for Godaime Hokage down the back.
"They are cumbersome and impractical." The man said simply, while Hiruzen grumbled.
"Are you ready?" Fugaku asked, the Sandaime waved him off as he stood from behind his desk for hopefully the last time.
"Let's go." He said as he led the man out of the office. Soon they were standing before the doors that led to the balcony used by the Hokage for addressing the village.
"Let's get this over with." The Sandaime said, he couldn't wait to retire again. Opening the doors, he left Fugaku inside and walked out into the light of the setting sun, his arrival being met by cheers as he waved to his people with a grandfatherly smile.
"People of Konoha!" He began, the entirety of the assembled mass going silent as he spoke. "When the late Yondaime passed, in our time of turmoil and great loss, I reclaimed the position of Hokage to guide us through the sudden darkness. To show those who would take advantage of our loss, that Konoha still held shinobi to push them back, to show that our Will of Fire still burned brightly!" He said, pausing to wait for the resounding cheer to settle.
"But it was never my intention to stay in power for long, just long enough for us to regain our strength, and find a candidate for the position of Hokage… I had hoped that my student, Orochimaru, would have been able to take over when the time was right… but he showed his true colors, and chose to take a path of evil and smothered his Will of Fire to become one with the darkness growing in his heart." Hiruzen stated coldly, the crowd shocked silent by the sudden shift in their characteristically warm leader.
"His treachery opened my eyes, and showed that even our own can be against us, so I ordered a cleansing of our home. That action revealed those who wished to bring the downfall of our great village, all of which have been dealt with accordingly. I am proud to say that all within Konoha hold the Will of Fire, and it burns brighter than ever!" He said, eliciting a long chorus of cheers.
"The cleansing also revealed the one behind the Kyubi Attack, my former teammate, Danzo Shimura… his path of darkness was long, going so far as to kill our own teammate, Kagami Uchiha, to steal his eyes. He was raising an army of brainwashed shinobi only loyal to himself to take control of Konoha. He would have done anything to take over, even releasing the Kyubi…
"That fateful night, one year ago, the Yondaime's wife was giving birth to their son." He revealed, the crowd going dead silent in their shock. The Yondaime had a wife, a son?!
"His wife, Kushina Uzumaki, was the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Kitsune, the jailor of the chakra beast, and the only thing keeping us safe from the biju. Danzo took advantage of her weakened state in the wake of giving birth, and forcibly extracted the Kyubi from its seal. He placed it under genjutsu with his stolen sharingan, and forced it to attack the village while he attempted to kill the Yondaime under a disguise!
"He was unsuccessful, and retreated, leaving the Yondaime to fight the rampaging biju. Kushina and Minato were able to subdue the beast, and through use of a forbidden fuinjutsu technique that costs the user's life, the Yondaime sealed the Kyubi into his son!" He revealed as his secretary Akiko joined him on the balcony holding the aforementioned child, who she handed to Hiruzen, before stepping back with a bow.
"This child, Naruto Namikaze, son of the Yondaime, is the new Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Kitsune, and is protecting us all from the biju! His ancestor, Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the Shodai Hokage, was the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi of her time. Then that burden was passed onto Kushina Uzumaki, the wife of the Yondaime!
"Now, it is her son's burden. He protects us all every day by keeping the Kyubi contained, and is a hero for bearing such a responsibility!" Hiruzen said severely, praying to any deity that would listen to ensure his people see the truth, and not condemn the child like so many before him.
"I will be raising Naruto as my own. While I have raised three sons while simultaneously being the Hokage, I am no longer the young man I once was, and unlike when I raised them, my wife isn't here to help me… this will take most of my time. As such, I will be stepping down as Hokage." He finished, the crowd stirring with shock and surprise while Hiruzen handed Naruto back to Akiko.
"I have chosen a successor to be the Godaime Hokage. He is loyal to Konoha and her people, and has a Will of Fire that simmers hot like the Nidaime's. His power has earned him a wicked reputation, and is more than capable for the position. When making the decision for the Yondaime, he was heavily considered, but Minato's political potential won in the end. But this time, there was no doubt.
"A Hokage must be strong, clever, and hold a love for Konoha and her people, and this man holds those characteristics in spades. I am proud to give this hat and title… to Fugaku Uchiha!" At his name, Fugaku walked out to face the crowd. With a deep bow to Hiruzen, he claimed the offered hat, and placed it on his head.
The crowd was silent in shock.
An Uchiha Hokage?!
Slowly, they began clapping, growing steadily in speed and sound until everyone was cheering. None louder than the Uchiha, who had all lost their stoic masks and were openly grinning and hugging anyone willing, while their cries of 'FINALLY!' were heard clear on the other side of the village.
A small smile tugging on his frown lines, Fugaku bowed, the action causing the crowd to go into an uproar. Rising from the bow, he called for silence with a raised hand.
"Thank you, Sandaime-sama." He began calmly with a nod to the man. "I am not as confident in my speaking ability to give a speech like the Sandaime's, so I will keep this short… I will protect this village with every ounce of my power, even if my life depends on it." He began, releasing his constantly suppressed chakra, causing a golden shroud to erupt around him, shocking the crowd at the sudden display of power.
"And I fully expect my shinobi to do the same. We are more than ourselves, more than our Clan's. We are a people. We are Konoha!" He exclaimed to a thunderous cacophony of cheers and chants of we are Konoha!
With a final bow, Fugaku and Hiruzen returned to the tower.
"Not confident, my ass…" Hiruzen smirked beside the now Godaime Hokage. "I haven't seen a show of power like that since my Sensei were alive." He said, Fugaku smirking.
"I wanted to show them that I was more than my eyes." He said simply as he led the way to his new office.
"That was a wonderful speech as well, simple and to the point. It seemed like you even stoked the Will of Fire in the civilians, here's hoping it reached the rest of your clan as well." Huruzen said, Fugaku giving a sharp nod.
"It would be troublesome if they started acting out."
As they approached the double doors of the Hokage's office, they were met with Akiko holding a sleeping Naruto. Hiruzen smiled at the pair and relieved the girl of her burden.
"This is where I leave you, Fugaku. If you need my help, you need only ask. Goodnight, Hokage-sama." Hiruzen said with a smirk before flickering away, leaving Fugaku and Akiko in the hall.
"Um, will I be replaced, Hokage-sama?" Akiko asked hesitantly.
"No, Akiko-san, you are good at your job and I have no reason to relieve you of it." He soothed, the younger woman sagging in relief before standing straight. "Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
"Of course, Akiko-san, that's all for tonight. Go join the celebrations." Fugaku dismissed, giving the wide eyed woman a rare small smile.
"Of course, congratulations, Hokage-sama. Goodnight." With a bow, the girl left down the stairs. With a sigh, Fugaku entered the Hokage's office. My office, he reminded himself before his eyes immediately swirled into the glowing red of the sharingan as he glared at the long haired figure looking out on the village.
"Hello, Fugaku." They said with a deep voice before turning around to reveal a one eyed mask, a sharingan swirling within
"Obito."
AN: Mwahaha! cliff hanger! I kinda get why writers do this now...
Don't worry too much, I'll update soon!
ALSO! Thank you all for the favs, follows, and reviews! It actually means a lot to me.
Pensage! As for Yumi being OP, yes, you're not wrong that seven months of training does not make a child a chunin level.
However, genius level shinobi like Kakashi and Itachi have done these things. Yumi is a genius of their caliber.
However pt.2! Yumi is only chunin in very specialized ways. Archery, control, form etc. If he were to take the chunin exam now, he would fail. He needs the experience, and physical strength. Things he currently doesn't have.
He's chunin level with skill, not power. Just like how Itachi is S Rank for skill, and Kisame is S Rank for power. In a fight, Itachi has to be quick and use his head, or Kisame will win. Kisame, however, can brute force it.
...I'm not explaining this well, am I? Oh well, I think I address power level at some point later anyway.
Anywhozle~ I like OP characters, so *raspberry* lol
I like that even with their strength, they face challenges, even if they aren't in the combat sense.
Stay tuned! Next Chapter: Revelations.