Disclaimer:

I do not own Naruto. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto and associates. I do not make any money from this fictional series. I am only playing around the sandbox to create a fanfiction. In no shape or form do I claim any right over the characters in this fanfiction other than the characters that were created from my imagination. All praise goes to the respective creators for these series for giving us this wonderful story world to enjoy.

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Chapter 3: The stage is set!

Undisclosed location in Hi no Kuni:

The 19th head of the Uzumaki clan, Uzumaki Akifumi was a man in his early sixties. His regular attire consisted of a form fitting shinobi shirt and pants that ended just above his wrists and ankles. Due to the threat of an attack at any time, he always preferred to wear his dull grey colored samurai style armor that was modified for shinobi. The armor was modified in such a way to ensure mobility and flexibility. He had a serious face that was devoid of emotions. This did not mean that he was a heartless man. On the contrary, Uzumaki Akifumi was a gentle soul. He would have much preferred to play with his grand kids and to have tea. However, war was not so kind. Uzumaki Akifumi sat in a seiza position in front of his calligraphy desk. He was penning a letter to the Fire Daimyo to petition for increased rations. The Uzumaki clan was a proud clan that could trace their lineage all the way back to the sage of six paths. It pained Akifumi to beg for resources for his clan. Truth be told, his decision to help the Water nation when the Fire Daimyo had requested was so that he too would gain some help when he requested for it.

Currently, the Uzumaki clan was not doing very well. One thing that separated the Uzumaki clan from the others were their large chakra pools and ability to spam ninjutsu and their above average skill in kenjutsu. However, due to the never-ending fights the clan's morale was at an all-time low. It pained Akifumi to accept it, but he knew that his clansmen needed a strong leader to look up to. Though his two sons were strong, they were not so exceptional as to stand out like few of the shinobi from the Senju and Uchiha clans. The Uzumaki clan, now more than ever needed an exceptional shinobi to lead them in battle. One way to ensure this was to have his 7-year-old granddaughter Uzumaki Mito marry Senju Hashirama in the coming years. The boy was only 8 years old now, but his battle prowess was starting to seem legendary. The Uzumaki needed a strong comrade during this turbulent time, even if that comrade must be gotten through a marriage alliance.

Akifumi gave a weary sigh as he finished penning the letter and was waiting for the ink to dry. He just knew that the Daimyo was going to ask for even more troops. How was he expected to win battles if most of his troops were taken from him? He didn't make too much of a fuss with the Senju clan for proposing to move almost half their troops to the new island near the Water nation. This was because Akifumi considered it as a prime location for his clan. But that decision had left him with only a little over 70 people of which only 55 were shinobi. During each skirmish, he now had to go full out to avoid the death of his shinobi. He knew that even with his Uzumaki heritage, going full out in every battle is going to catch up with him soon.

Just as he was rolling up the scroll, he felt one of the two seals on his right wrist burn and fade, soon after the same happened to the remaining seal. "NO!" shouted Akifumi and climbed to his feet. He had created five such seals linking his immediate family to him. His left wrist held three seals each corresponding to his first son Uzumaki Haruo, his wife Uzumaki Akina and their daughter Uzumaki Mito. The seals on his right hand corresponded to his younger son Uzumaki Haruto and his wife Uzumaki Airi. He hadn't met their son, little Uzumaki Naruto to create one for him. "Haruo" shouted the clan head. Having heard the previous shout from his father, Haruo had rushed into his father's study. "What happened tou-san?" asked Haruo. "Your brother and his wife have just been killed" replied Akifumi with two fat tears dropping down his cheeks. Haruo was shocked, he adored his little brother, he found it hard to just accept that his brother's family had perished. "Wait, what about little Naruto, tou-san?" asked Haruo. Akifumi replied that he didn't know if the boy had survived.

Without further ado, the father and son put together a team consisting of three chuunin level shinobi for tracking and sensor unit, four jounin shinobi for heavy assault unit, two medic nins and Haruo. "Haruo, you will lead this team for the scouting mission. If you are to find any survivors bring them back to our clan base here in the land of fire" said Akifumi. He then continued, "Take Mito with you. It is likely that the entire hamlet would have been destroyed. Let this be her introduction to the life of a shinobi. Sooner later she needs to be on the field". Haruo replied, "Father, might I request permission to bring another chuunin for safeguarding Mito? If we get into a fight, I want Mito to be safe". Akifumi agreed to Haruo's request and gave them permission to leave immediately.

Uzumaki Mito was going over her scroll on seals from her parent's personal library when her father entered their house and called for her. She ran to greet her father and gave him a hug. "Tou-chan you are back early today! Ne ne, can you teach me seals?" asked Mito cutely. Haruo returned his daughter's hug and messed up her hair. "Tou-chan!" cried Mito. "That never fails to get a reaction out of Mito. How I wish I could keep you this innocent my princess" thought Haruo sadly. "Would you like to come with me on a mission Mito chan?" asked Haruo. Mito's eyes widened. She had been begging her father to take her on a mission. She wanted to help her clansmen, she was not a child anymore, she was 8! "Can I really come on a mission with you tou-chan?" Mito asked just to be sure. Haruo gave a small smile and assured Mito that she was ready to take missions for her clan.

As the father and daughter were talking, Uzumaki Akina walked into the room. When she heard what her husband had asked their only child, she was surprised. Haruo had promised that he would discuss with her when Mito was to be sent on an assignment. Having seen his wife and her expression Haruo said "Mito-chan, get your equipment pouch ready. You remember what I've taught you right? I will check once you are ready". Mito gave an enthusiastic nod and went to pack. When Mito had left the room, Akina asked, "Something has happened hasn't it? You would have told me otherwise". Haruo gave a grim nod and replied, "My brother and your sister are dead". Akina gave a gasp and involuntarily brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes started watering. "How?" Akina asked. "We do not know yet" replied Haruo, "We only just came to know through the seals father had placed on Haruto and Airi. The seals have disappeared".

"What about little Naruto?" asked Akina. "We do not have the means to know. I cannot imagine that Haruto wouldn't have found a way. It is what I would do. But we are not keeping our hopes up because of the war that is currently going on" said Haruo with a heavy heart. "Tou-san thought that this will be a good mission to include little Mito-chan as she has to start somewhere." Akina reluctantly agreed. Though she didn't want Mito-chan to be exposed to the world, they were really pushing it with their babying of Mito. Sooner or later there would be an attack that will include her. It's not just a possibility anymore but a truth that is waiting to happen. She would rather expose Mito-chan to the realities of the world on their own terms rather than when it is forced upon them. It stung her fierce that her baby sister was killed. She sank to her knees crying. She was the last person from her little family of four. Her father had sacrificed his life to save the life of Uzumaki Akifumi many years ago. Her mother did the same for her and her little sister. Now her little sister too has left her. Her prayers were now with little Naruto. Sensing Mito's imminent arrival Haruo gave a squeeze to his wife's hand that was in his hand. Akina collected herself. She needed to be strong for Mito-chan. The world was a scary place, she knew that she was Mito's rock. She herself was a capable jounin and knew that Mito-chan looked up to her.

Little Mito came bounding into the room at that point. She was wearing the clan's pale grey armor that was resized to fit her and the other clan children. It brought a tear in Haruo's eyes. His baby was growing up. Soon she too will be off leading her own missions. Oh, how he wished that this accursed war would come to an end! It was all he knew from the time of his birth. It was likely going to be the last thing he knows too. He, like most of the clansmen just wanted the endless warring to come to an end. The Uzumaki clan may have large chakra reserves but their passion was the study of seals, it was where they truly shined. "Now is not the time to think about it" muttered Haruo which got a knowing look from his wife. Sometimes he wondered how his wife could read him so well. He wouldn't trade his little family for the world. Yet that was exactly what was expected from shinobi like him and his brethren.

Haruo checked little Mito's equipment pouch. It was going to be a day's journey to where his brother was stationed. It was good that his father had moved the clan out of the inland in the fire nation. He gives a nod to his wife and leaves his new makeshift house with Mito in tow. When he reached the designated meeting point, he saw that the other members of the team were ready. He debriefed the team and they set out with Mito making sure that she doesn't hold up the team. Even though Mito tried her best to keep up, it still took the team a little over a day and a half to reach within two miles of the village. They stopped to prepare for a confrontation in case it was necessary while the sensor team was scoping out the hamlet.

After making sure that Mito was holding up well, Haruo approached the sensing team and said "What's the update? How many are we looking at?". The lead chuunin spoke up, "Haruo-taichou, there is only one chakra signature in the entire hamlet. It is around low to mid jounin level" here the chuunin hesitate. Noticing the chuunins hesitance, Haruo asks, "What is it? Even if it's a hunch do share with us. It may even save our lives". The chuunin replied, "I have not come across this before, this person who ever he is, seems to be very strong. The best way we can explain is that this person has a 'thick' chakra. We cannot even adjudge the correct chakra level as we cannot reference what we sensed". "Thick? What does that mean?" thought Haruo. The closest he could relate was the feeling he got when he was up against a particularly powerful shinobi. Those kinds of shinobi were a rarity. They are usually the heads of clans or sometimes even the head of an alliance. Haruo then asked out loud, "Do you mean to say that the person who ever he is, exudes a presence and his chakra feels heavy or dense?". The chuunins talked amongst themselves and gave a curt nod to their leader.

It looked as if this was the person who most likely slaughtered the hamlet or at least an enemy who was waiting for them. This mission had just become more dangerous. Haruo couldn't back out. It wasn't just because the person waiting for them might have a hand in slaughtering his brother's family. He needed to at the least know who was behind the attack. The clan needed to know if the attack was specifically against the Uzumaki clan if so, they needed to know who was moving against the Uzumaki clan. It was more likely that the attacking force was going for the son of the Water Daimyo and as a retainer, Haruto would have tried to defend the young lord. Either way retreat was not an option. Haruo then gave instruction for the guard detail to guard Mito and flee at the first sign of escalation. The guard was to keep at a distance from the main team so that even if they had to flee, they would at least have information on their attacker. He then gave orders to the trackers to bear the Uzumaki flag and lead the heavy assault team to where they sensed the person.

Mito was understandably excited and stressed at the same time. This was it. As they were moving closer, she started feeling the presence her tou-chan was talking about. However, additionally, she felt that the person who ever he was, was feeling only a sense of loss, she was sure that he would not attack. When she conveyed what she felt to her father he just replied, "We shall see Mito-chan". When the team landed in front of what appeared to be hamlet's garden, Mito let out a small gasp. They were looking at a boy who couldn't be no older than 3, kneeling in the seiza position in front of two freshly made graves. It was easy to identify that the boy was an Uzumaki. The large pool of chakra and the red hair were a dead giveaway. However, the greater than normal chakra pressure coming from the little boy was awe inspiring. As they tried to move slowly so as to not startle the boy, he slowly rose as if extending the same courtesy. In his hand was what Haruo recognized as Haruto's katana. The boy had even made a makeshift sling on his back. When the boy stood facing the scouting team, Haruto gave an involuntary gasp. The little boy was a spitting image of his late brother. Everything from the way the boy's hair fell over in bangs to the cheekbones were all his brother. The boy had his mother's eyes. As the boy was looking at them, both Haruo and Mito could feel the boy's undeniable will and determination. They were startled when the boy said "Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. Are you friend or foe?"

Haruo walked forward, he raised his hand and said "We are the scouting team from the Uzumaki clan. We came here based on the intelligence that the village may have been attacked". Though he knew without a doubt looking at the boy, he still asked, "Who are you? Are you one of the survivors?" Naruto knew that the man was telling the truth. He replied, "My father was the personal retainer to the eldest son of the Daimyo of the Water nation. I am the son of Uzumaki Haruto and Uzumaki Airi, the grandson of the Uzumaki clan head Uzumaki Akifumi. There are no survivors in this hamlet aside from me. I have my mother to thank for saving my life", in a firm but sad tone towards the end. All members of the team were accustomed to see and send children to fight wars, however, they have never met a three-year-old hold himself in such a way and have such a noticeable presence.

Uzumaki Mito was flabbergasted, none of her little cousins in their clan spoke like this boy. The boy held himself like her grandpa during one of their clan meetings. She rarely saw children having such presence. In fact, only time she even felt like this was when she met Hashirama-baka. That boy, even though he was an idiot, had an inner strength like this Naruto boy in front of her. Haruo felt both proud and sad that his brother raised such a fine shinobi. "You have not met me Naruto, but I'm you uncle" said Haruo. Naruto was happy that he could meet his uncle this early. Oh, deep down he knew that the person who was in front of him was not his uncle, but this was it. This was what he was waiting for. He will for now and evermore become the Uzumaki Naruto of this era and age. How was he to help the people of this era if her were to dissociate from them? "Are you really? How can I trust you?" asked Naruto. Haruo now faced a difficult question. At this point he did not have any official document to show little Naruto that he was indeed who he was saying to be. Little Naruto seem to be very mature for his age, so he did the only thing he could think of. "Uzumaki Naruto, I truly mean you no harm. I do not have any documents on me at this point of time as you know very well that all field shinobi must not carry any identifying information on them so that an enemy could not ransom a clan if someone important were to be captured".

Naruto of course knew this from his studies into history. However, he also deduced that the same must have been taught to all children in case something were to come up, sort of like the general rules to follow in any generation. "I see" replied Naruto. "Then may I come with you to the clan compound so that I may gain an audience with the current clan head Uzumaki Akifumi? I can easily verify the clan head as I have a painting of his likeness from the effects left over from my father" said Naruto. "Very well, that is acceptable to us" replied Haruo. "I was not finished" replied Naruto. "I wish to accompany you, but I want it to be on my terms. Once we leave the hamlet, you will head back to the clan compound. I will follow at a random distance. I have my own way to track you so do not fret" concluded Naruto. Once again everybody in the garden was astonished at the maturity the three-year-old boy displayed. Naruto continued, "I would appreciate it if you and your team could help me bury the dead. I was able to lay my parents to rest and could do the same for the others, but I wouldn't say no to some help".

This was what the entire team did for the next few hours till evening. Few members of the team carried all the dead along with Naruto and placed them in individual graves dug out by remaining part of the team. Haruo and he men then went through the village looking for any valuable that were left behind. They then sealed what they found in scrolls and came back to where they had left Naruto, Mito and her guard. There they found Naruto and Mito conversing about their education in seals and how the new clan compound was bigger than the previous one.

Naruto was having the time of his life with Mito. This was the first time he was meeting her. He had only heard of her sealing prowess in his past. Since he had retained all his older memories, he found it extremely intriguing that Mito, even at such a young age had so much insight into sealing. Many a time he had to force himself to not correct her or start to discuss about esoteric sealing arrays that used some of the simpler forms of seals as a base. Finally, Naruto had managed to distract Mito from the topic of seals by asking about the clan and what was going on now with the clan. Sometime during their talk, the others came back from collecting everything of value from the hamlet. Soon Naruto showed them a relatively unharmed building so that all of them could rest up before their journey back to the clan. Haruo organized a watch schedule with the team. Naruto also insisted that he too be made a part of the watch schedule as he told Haruo that he wanted to pull his own weight. Soon Mito and Naruto got the earlier watch hours in the night and soon was sent to sleep while the others kept guard.

The next morning after a quick breakfast consisting of freshly caught fish, the team was ready to set out. Naruto walked up to Haruo and said, "My sensing range is currently just within half a mile." Naruto had purposely made sure to give a range that was within the capacity of a capable chuunin. Even then he could sense that the others were impressed with his skill set. It didn't bother Naruto as he wanted to be acknowledged as a prodigy. For his plans to work, he needed the elders of the clan and the clan head himself to listen to him when he made few suggestions in the future. For all of this to happen, he needs to be accepted as a dependable and powerful shinobi by the entire clan, if not, a sizable majority. Making up his mind, he nodded to Haruo to denote that he was ready to start the journey back to the Uzumaki clan compound. All throughout the journey Naruto kept a comfortable half mile distance from the main team. The sensors in the main team could keep track of Naruto. Haruo wanting to test Naruto said, "Let's pick up the pace, we'll see if he can keep up with us". Slowly, the team varied that pace so that only a seasoned chuunin could keep up. Naruto when he picked up that the others were pulling ahead thought, "They are testing me. Either that or they forgot a three-year-old boy was following them". Naruto didn't bother much with the reasoning and decided to keep pace with them. Even though he was only getting used to his reduced mobility, it was not an issue for a veteran shinobi like himself.

The team plus Naruto made camp when the sun set beneath the horizon. Naruto was by no means shy, but to keep up the act of the weary prodigy he had to be a bit standoffish. Soon through thanks to Mito's efforts, he started to mingle with the group and went as far as saying that both he and Haruo faced losses but would strive through it like the Uzumaki they are. The more Haruo interacted with Naruto, the more he felt that he was speaking to an adult. However, Naruto's behavior did not raise any alarms in his mind as he had interacted with children from the Nara clan who were quite the geniuses themselves. "Just what are you Naruto? Your capabilities scream 'chuunin' and so does your mannerisms and yet you haven't lived past the fourth year of your life. Are you a natural prodigy or has the war made you into who you are?" thought Haruo. He decided that he needed to have a long talk with his father regarding Naruto. Both Naruto and Mito insisted that they too be included in the watch patrol like last night and got the first ones.

The next day, the team and Naruto reached the Uzumaki village by midday. Naruto felt excited by the prospect of meeting his clansmen. It was something he couldn't accomplish no matter what he had tried in future. The Uzumaki clan still had consisted of just his family. For some reason, Karin never got onto finding a husband. He noticed an old man at the entrance to the clan compound. Said person was wearing the dull grey armor the Uzumaki clan seemed to prefer. Naruto noticed that the person's vibrant red hair started showing veritable grey streaks. As the team came to a stop at the front gate, Naruto moved closer to cover the self-imposed distance of separation. As he walked, he subtly used his negative intention sensing to scope out the surrounding. What he felt was reassuring. The strength of the Uzumaki life force was like a wall in front of his mind's eye. There were many chakra signatures, however, they felt weary. Naruto realized that the continuous battle for the last many years could not have been easy on the scholarly Uzumaki clan. No matter how much their seals were efficient in a battlefield, the clan by and large preferred to indulge in scholarly debates as of late, as the war efforts were taxing on their psyche. He realized that this might have been one of the reasons why the clan head might have agreed to the retainer clause. It was a good decision. The battle-hardened shinobi would continue the battle while the weary scholars would retreat into anonymity and hence the uprooting of the clan compound.

Naruto walked with a purposeful gait towards the person who he recognized as Uzumaki Akifumi. As Naruto was approaching, Akifumi thought, "He has the gait of a shinobi. His eyes shine with purpose and determination. This is no ordinary three-year-old, he has an inner strength that is seldom seen in one so young". Meanwhile, Uzumaki Akina was also having similar thoughts, "Oh Airi-chan, what did you and Haruto-san go through that has made your child into a shinobi at such a young age?". She had no doubt that little Naruto-chan was strong for his age, but she lamented the fact that his childhood was cut short in such a manner.

Uzumaki Akifumi gestured to the new clan hall to Haruo. Haruo immediately understood his father's actions. Since this was not a sensitive mission and since they had to announce the death of his brother, his father wanted to debrief the team in the hall so that the two tasks may be accomplished simultaneously. Haruo along with his team and Naruto moved to the clan hall so that they may discuss about the mission. Many of the Uzumaki clan members including the elders stood by their clan head when Haruo was making his mission report. Haruo started "Our mission was to scout the small hamlet that was recently attacked. The mission was a priority as this hamlet at the time was hosing Uzumaki Haruto, his wife Uzumaki Airi and their child Uzumaki Naruto" here Haruo gave a nod towards Naruto, indicating that he was the child of their deceased clansmen. Haruo then continued, "The journey took us a day and a half to complete. We reached our destination by mid-day on our second day of travel. While scouting the hamlet, our sensor unit picked up a lone chakra signature that was low to mid jounin level in strength. After appropriate measures were taken, we approached the chakra signature to find Uzumaki Naruto kneeling by the graves of his parents."

When hearing this, most of the clansmen let out a very audible gasp. The reason for the shock was for two reasons. Most of the clansmen gathered were saddened by the passing of their relatives and were saddened more when they realized that it probably was little Naruto who buried his parents. A select few who were sharp enough, realized that the child in front of them held such potential, even among the Uzumaki clan, such quantities of chakra was not seen in one so young. After the slight interruption had passed, Haruo continued, "From what Uzumaki Naruto shared and our own investigations, we concluded that the attack on the hamlet was a premeditated one. The target was the eldest son of the Daimyo of the water nation. Both Uzumaki Haruto and Uzumaki Airi perished fighting the invading force. The twenty men guard of the nobleman also perished in the attack" here Haruo paused to catch his breath. Haruo then continued, "The invading force was likely numbered between 30 to 50 shinobi. Due to the extensive damage sustained by the hamlet, an accurate estimation was not possible. Most of the deceased had sustained wounds that were made by katana. It is likely that the invading force had skilled kenjutsu users among them. Their initial plan was to capture the nobleman as a hostage, however, when the nobleman was about to activate a sealing array that would have taken the life of his attackers, they were forced to end his life. The hamlet was ransacked and stripped bare of everything valuable. The only item of value that was left behind was the katana belonging to Uzumaki Haruto. We then helped Uzumaki Naruto to bury the dead and started our return journey the next day" concluded Haruo.

The two clan elders who doubled as advisors got the attention of Akifumi and gave a discreet hand sign. The Uzumaki clan head gave the elders a nod and asked the reconnaissance team to relax while he, the elders and the clan council convened in their chambers. "It is without a doubt that the child is your grandson, the resemblance is uncanny", said Uzumaki Tadanao, one of the elder. The second, Uzumaki Mitsumi, said, "If what your son said is true, then your grandchild has potential that has not graced the Uzumaki clan in a very long time. We must use it for the benefit of the clan." The Uzumaki councilors continued talking in this vein on making Naruto into a deterrent of sorts for the other clans. After listening to what the elders had to say, Akifumi came to his decision. "We will not turn Naruto into a tool for the benefit of the clan. Have you all forgot what the Uzumaki clan stands for? Have you finally gone senile that you have forgotten the teachings of our ancestor Ashura-sama? You need not look past our distant cousins, the Uchiha clan, to see what that sort of thinking has led to" intoned Akifumi in a stern and angry whisper. The council and especially elders looked a bit taken aback and guilty. Uzumaki Tadanao said "Forgive us Akifumi-dono. We haven't forgotten what Ashura-sama has passed down. All of us are weary. We have carried over the mantle from our fathers. I believe that we have done a better job in keeping our clan safe. Under our guidance the clan has thrived. However, we," here the elder gives Akifumi an appraising glance and continues, "we, the elders, the council and you as the clan head grow weary after each battle. Soon we must handover the reigns to the next generation. It is the duty of the clan head to spearhead the fate of the Uzumaki clan in future". Here Uzumaki Mitsumi continues, "You know as well as I do that the Uzumaki needs a powerful leader to lead our clan into the new era. I can feel the times changing. The Senju and Uchiha clan have started to step up their attacks. Soon the winter that is war that has plagued this land for many years will be broken. By the very laws of nature, change is inevitable. This new Uzumaki child is a breath of fresh air. We need a strong Uzumaki to lead our clan through this change so that our clan may weather the storm that is sure to come. If such a leader must come at the cost of the innocence of a child, then so be it".

Akifumi remained silent after the elder councilman and councilwoman finished their speeches. His anger subsides and replies to the gathered, "The elders have once again proved that they are wise and knowledgeable of the times. What both of you have said is relevant. In order to gain such a leader, I was even willing to wed my granddaughter to the presumed heir of the Senju clan. I too have noticed the changes that started surfacing in the world. I predict that the Senju and Uchiha clan will be in the middle of it. Many of the clans that were retained by the various daimyos of smaller nations have been almost wiped out. The Hatake clan has been almost decimated to the main family. The Inuzuka clan is embroiled in a loosing war even as we speak. The Akimichi and Yamanaka clans have now started feeling the brunt of the war as their clan numbers continue to dwindle. Nara clan has always been lackadaisical and hence had secured a very defensible location for their clan generations prior. It's better not to speak about the Hyuga clan who rule their clan with an iron fist. The Sarutobi clan has lost many capable shinobi and are now selecting their battles with extreme caution. The Aburame clan like us are not primarily interested in war. They have always been more interested in entomology." Akifumi took a moment to collect his thoughts. The council and the elders were giving him their undivided attention. "The Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima have begun to actively hunt for each other's clan members. A few of our Uzumaki brethren have also fallen to the Uchiha clan's hunt for the Senju", intoned Akifumi. "The new generation of the Senju and Uchiha are a cut above the others, even those of our generation. Most notable among them are Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. Our scouts and spies have confirmed that both these future clan heads are soon to be considered shinobi who are peerless in strength. It is frightening to know that these stalwarts are eight and nine-year-old kids" concluded Akifumi with a tired sigh.

Uzumaki Mitsumi asked, "What is your point Akifumi?", to which he replied, "Let's first see how strong Naruto-chan is. If Naruto-chan shows the capacity to rise to the levels of the Senju and Uchiha prodigies, I will personally train him for the sake of our clan. To that effect, I propose we keep an exam of sorts to test his abilities as a shinobi". The other councilors were murmuring the assent, excited about seeing Naruto in action. "If all of us agree, let's not keep everyone waiting. We will share our decisions with the clan and prepare for the assessment of my grandson". They then returned to the clan hall and saw that Naruto had relaxed quite a bit and was interacting with both adults and children alike. Akifumi had a content smile on his face when he saw Naruto was acting his age. There was a certain bubbliness to him that was not present before and it warmed his heart to see how happy Naruto was with his people.

Naruto was having the time of his life with the Uzumaki clansmen. The women were cooing over him when he tried to interact with all the children present. He adored the attention that he was receiving. This was what he yearned for his whole life, acceptance and love. He felt at home with the Uzumaki clan and a peace overcame his mind as he was finally united with his people. In his mind he thanked the Shinigami. As he was about to say something to his cousin Mito, he heard a voice in his mind. "Uzumaki Naruto, there is no need to thank me. I have done what I have promised and have brought you to your clan. It is now up to you to make this future right" said the Shinigami. Naruto was surprised to hear the Shinigami but nevertheless expressed his thanks in his mind when he felt the presence of the Shinigami leave. His determination once again skyrocketed, and he gained a smile on his face.

He then noticed that his grandfather and the council were back. Naruto didn't know what to make of the clan council. So far in his life, councils were the bane of his existence. So far, he couldn't find any negative intentions from them, so he considered that as a positive sign. His grandfather then said, "Uzumaki Naruto, welcome to the Uzumaki clan, your brethren. I am sorry that you had to lose your parents at such a young age. Therefore, I hope that the clan will see and love you as one of their own". Akifumi continued, "Furthermore, I would like to know where you stand in terms of your skills as a shinobi. Hence, tomorrow in front of the clan hall, we will conduct an evaluation spar for you so that the clan teachers can identify your skill level and continue your education". Naruto could sense that his grandfather didn't tell him the entire motivation behind his decision, but he didn't care. He wanted an opportunity to prove his mettle and he has one now. He offered a blinding smile to his grandfather and exhuberantly said, "Sure ji-chan! I'll give the spar my all!" After talking more with his new friends and family, Naruto went to sleep looking forward to tomorrow, the stage was now set, it is time for the first phase of his plan to start!

Mount Myoboku:

A great rusty red colored toad was sitting on a comfortable throne in what looked like a great library. The name of this toad was Gamamaru. Gamamaru was the great toad sage of mount Myoboku. The great sage has lived through the last millennia mostly in a meditative trance to catch glimpses of the future. He had predicted the fall of Otsutsuki Kaguya and since has seen countless predictions that have come to pass. Usually, he sits alone in his throne without bothering anyone. However, today was a special day. He could feel it in his bones. Something about today was different. It was as if there was a change coming and the harbinger of this change was ready to start. He immersed himself fully into a trance.

In the trance, he saw a red headed boy with violet eyes. He could see that there was much power in the boy. Next he saw two raven haired children. The vision then shifted, there was a boy with peculiar hair. Half his head was white whereas the other half was black. The visions then changed, the great toad sage then saw the red-haired boy's face. His violet eyes were surrounded by orange coloring of the toad style sage mode. The same boy was trying to contain an almighty blaze that was wrecking a sizable forest. Before the trance broke, the great toad sage had a split vision of two worlds. In one, the red-haired boy was not there to save the children. Soon that world started to burn. In the other vision, the red-haired boy saves the children. That world is filled with a sense of peace. Gamamaru, the great toad sage then wakes up from his trance. He then ponders on the meaning of his visions. He was sure that the harbinger of change was the boy with the red hair and violet eyes. He then speaks, "Gamatora, please call Fukasaku and Shima, I have a new prediction that needs to be shared."

End of Chapter, see you next time!