So a quick reminder before the story begins. I've been planning this story for a while now and I'm not sure if I can get the Naruto timeline right. Most of the events that happened before Naruto's birth are quite confusing so I'm going to try and change a few things to match the timeline. Also, I'll change Naruto's personality a bit, but nothing major. I hope you enjoy my story.
It was quiet when darkness overtook the skies of Konoha. Stars glittered the blanket above, accompanying the silver orb shining over the stone and wooden structures of the ninja village. It had just struck midnight as the residents of the Leaf settled down in their homes, kissing their children goodnight and laying together with their loved ones. However, the same can't be said for a young ten-year old boy, who is seen standing in the middle of his family's training grounds and studying the Taijutsu scroll that he "borrowed" from that one weird shinobi who wears a green jumpsuit and has a bowl cut. Sweat dripped down his face as he launched strike after strike against a wooden dummy, trying to follow instructions on the scroll for the Koto-ryu Style.
This is Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze and he had just sneaked out of his house to train once again, just like almost every other night. Ever since his father started teaching him the ways of the shinobi when he was still five-years-old, he instantly made it his goal to become the best shinobi in Konoha. So, he practically made shinobi training a permanent schedule in his daily life. It didn't help that the village was in the middle of the Third Shinobi War, causing him to admire the shinobi life even more. Fortunately for the family, the war ended before Naruto could be shipped off to war. Nowadays, he only trained in improving his chakra control and his limited jutsu knowledge, along with the few Kenjutsu lessons his mother provided him with. He's also working on this brand new jutsu he created but that's about it. He couldn't learn any more until he's graduated from the shinobi academy.
The only reason he's training alone and in rather advanced subjects is because he found the academy's curriculum severely lacking. Naruto's father already taught him tree walking and water walking, yet the academy instructors are still teaching them how to stick leaves onto their foreheads. When he first entered the academy, he was so excited to learn how to become a shinobi, just like his father and Kakashi-niisan. But after listening to boring drawls about the history of Konoha and the confusing numbers constantly multiplying and dividing across the board, he decided to take training into his own hands and secretly "borrow" scrolls from numerous shinobi he's familiar with. If he can't swipe it from under their noses, then he'll just use the only thing that he learned from the academy. It's his secret weapon against opponents who he is no match against. He can't say what it is, but just knows that there will be a lot of blood after that technique.
Which brings another reason as to why he hates the academy. The instructors, as well as the majority of the class, expects him to be just like his dad. As much as he admires and looks up to him, he's starting to get tired with everyone staring at him as if he was the next Yellow Flash. They look at him and see the son of Minato Namikaze, but fail to see all the hard work Naruto has put into his skills. Comments like 'Wow, you're just like your father!' or the famous 'As expected from the son of the Fourth Hokage'. They probably expect him to graduate early and train under a perverted Sannin as well. So just to spite them, he declined the offer to become a Genin early but refused to take the classes seriously, opting to train by himself. Plus, it gave him a reason to avoid the rabid and shallow fangirls that keep on hounding him, a sentiment shared by his Uchiha friend.
After delivering a nasty punch against the wooden dummy, Naruto finally allowed himself to relax. "Damn it! Of all the Taijutsu scrolls I could've grabbed, why did I get the most difficult one!?" the blond exclaimed rather loudly. "You could've gotten the Goken scroll, Naruto! At least that one, I could've learned from Mr. Bushy Brows' training. But nooo, you just had to take it as a challenge and prove you can master a Taijutsu style without a teacher. Stupid! Stupid!"
If one would've seen the raging blond right now, they would've assumed that he escaped from the cells of the TI Force.
"Ugh, I guess I might as well commit to it." Naruto muttered to himself tiredly, lowering his head in exhaustion. "Who knows, maybe I'll become a Taijutsu specialist in the future." A memory of his encounter with the shinobi with caterpillars for eyebrows and glitter for teeth flashed in his head. Almost instantly, a shiver ran down his spine. "N- nevermind. Plus, I love ninjutsu too much to become a Taijutsu specialist."
As he was about to pick up the scroll, a wave of dread and rage fell over his body. It was like a poisonous cloud invaded his chakra system, causing his entire body to shake in fear and unease. Without any warning, Naruto was crushed by a large aura of malicious chakra that swept over the village of Konoha, falling down to his knees and hands, with his will the only thing keeping him from lying flat across the grass. But it wasn't only him who felt it. Every single shinobi and civilian almost felt their heart stop. Children woke up crying violently. Parents couldn't even tend to their kids because they were trapped in their own rooms, frozen in terror. Lesser people even fainted by the mere presence of such chakra.
It was almost a miracle that Naruto could even stay awake when almost everyone his age passed out from the crushing presence. Granted, his body felt like it was carrying an entire house on his back and his consciousness drifted back and forth. Sweat dripped down his face like crazy as the air grew thicker and thicker. He could imagine the source of this chakra wrapping its hands around his neck, slowly suffocating him with its mere presence. It was only because of his training and his larger than average chakra reserves that he was able to counter, even the slightest, the chakra being emitted.
"Wh- what is this?" Naruto groaned out, just barely. "Th- this chakra… it feels s- so… angry" The malicious pressure felt like it was going on for hours. The blond couldn't tell if it was just his mind playing tricks with him or the chakra was starting to burn through his skin.
Just as his strength was about to fade, he felt the chakra slowly lift away from his body. Naruto gasped for air as his arms gave out under him. Black and white spots overtook his vision. A hammer pounded against his skull like a steel drum. His skin is still reddened from the melting pressure, but he's still shaking uncontrollably in terror to notice the heat. But through sheer will alone, he kept himself awake and refused to pass out.
Shutting his eyes and then opening them again, he forced himself back up to his knees and strained his neck to the sky. Slowly, he struggled back up to his feet and ran towards the porch, even if each step made his muscles scream. Because his house is stationed right on top of a hill, he could see the entire village from where he's standing; or at least, what's left of it.
The color from Naruto's face drained as horror filled his face. "Wh- what happened…?"
It was pure chaos. Houses were caved in by debris from what looks like other pieces of buildings. The dirt path that he remembers taking to reach the academy was now destroyed. The walls of the village looked as if a fire jutsu just swept through it. Naruto could even see a few bodies lying across the roads, causing him to look away. Such a young and naïve mind was not prepared to see such destruction and death. Despite his dream to become a shinobi, he has yet to see the true nature of such a profession. One could only know if this experience would shake his resolve or strengthen it.
When he thought things couldn't get any worse, the next thing he saw shook him to the core. Naruto's legs actually gave out and he landed on his butt, his eyes still staring wide-eyed at the source of the vile chakra. He remembers it from one of the lessons in the academy that he actually listened to. He remembers the instructor describing these beings as chakra entities with titanic frames that could wipe out villages with a single attack. He remembered listening attentively to the lesson and learning that there are nine of these monstrous beings. Despite being interesting, Naruto dismissed it at first and put it at the back of his mind. But now, its name is the only thing plaguing his head.
"A- a Bijuu…"
Every shinobi in the village immediately found themselves tensing out of nowhere. Both Genins and Chunins immediately reached for their weapons while the Jonins stood still, allowing their chakra to subtly flow through their body in preparation. But not even the strongest shinobi in the force could stop themselves from shaking in fear as a malicious wave of vile chakra washed over each and every shinobi in Konoha. Even the God of Shinobi, Hiruzen Sarutobi, found himself sweating at the pure rage of the chakra being unleashed. But unlike most, he recognized the source and leapt up into action. ANBU emerged from the shadows to follow their former leader. Yet, they didn't need to search for it for long because as the former Third Hokage raced across the roofs of Konoha, he saw a giant shadow loom over him. Nine tail-like shapes followed and shot out of the large shadow, just like the Nara Clan's techniques.
Hiruzen gazed up towards the source of the shadow and even he couldn't stop the air leaving his body. Staring down at him are a pair of blood red eyes, hate and fury simmering under those orbs. Its mouth formed into a permanent snarl, almost resembling a sneer of disgust. Its rabbit-like ears appeared more menacing than expected. Its titanic appearance, coupled with its almost human-like arms and nine swinging tails that are rumored to destroy a village with a single sweep—each. Hiruzen has never been more vulnerable than in this moment. He could already feel the fear circulating through the chakra of the ANBU behind him and frankly, he can't blame. While he has heard about this chakra being from his sensei and the Shodaime, to see it in person is another thing. The fox-like creature towered over him, Konoha and all of its residents in such a scale that Hiruzen saw the destruction of Konoha.
"Kyuubi…" the wizened man uttered it like a curse as the titanic fox raised one of its paws.
Fortunately, being the student of the Nidaime and the former Hokage taught him to become attentive to his surroundings. Once he saw the dangerous gleam on the fox's red eyes and the sharpened claws, he immediately turned to his subordinates.
"Move!" Hiruzen ordered as he disappeared from the area with a quick Shunshin. Most of the ANBU were able to react quickly, but a few were still frozen in fear when the Kyuubi dragged his razor-sharp claws across the ground, taking both buildings and the shinobi standing on top of the roofs.
It didn't stop there. What followed could only be described as a one-sided massacre. The fox proceeded to deliver a rampage that could only be experienced through the most violent of storms and earthquakes. An earth-shattering roar echoed throughout the village, cementing this day as one of the darkest days of Konoha's history. Death and destruction soon fell before the Leaf Village. Every shinobi immediately rushed into action, throwing jutsus left and right to take down the bijuu. Shinobi of every rank and clan rose from their positions, the Will of Fire burning greatly in their hearts.
The sight of his shinobi entering the battle with no hesitation brought pride in Hiruzen's heart. Despite the situation, the wizened old man couldn't stop the smile from stretching across his face. "Sensei, Shodaime-sama, Mito-sama… if only you could see the village now." With that, his hardened into determination and calmness, showing the expression of a true shinobi. He turned to the rest of the ANBU. "Help with the evacuation! Only assist the rest of the shinobi after you're down with your task!"
"Hai, Sandaime-sama!" the ANBU cried out in unison as they disappeared in a quick Shunshin.
Ripping his robes off to reveal his battle gear under them, Hiruzen bit his thumb to draw blood and with a mighty shout, he slammed his hand down on the roof's surface. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Heed my call, Monkey King Enma!" Seals formed across the tiles and in a cloud of smoke, a monkey-like human appeared before Hiruzen.
Donning a tiger-striped vest and a black suit, covering most of his snow-white fur, the summon proudly fixed his Konoha headband and stared calmly across the chaos. His eyes soon found itself focused on the Kyubi rampaging through the village, its tail occasionally slamming against the ground to release another set of earthquakes. Throughout all this, the Monkey King remained unfazed.
"The Kyuubi, huh." Enma muttered under his breath before turning towards his summoner. "What have you gotten yourself into this time, Hiruzen?"
The former Hokage only shot him a wry smile. "Kushina's seal failed. Minato's probably with her now." He said, staring up at the Kyuubi. "We must hold the bijuu at bay, at least until Minato arrives. These old bones no longer work like they used to."
Enma grunted. "If only you didn't stop your training. No matter, Konoha is my home and I refuse to let a Bijuu destroy it. Henge!" The Monkey King yelled out.
A cloud of smoke enveloped the summon's body and soon after that, a large black staff with gold trims emerged from the smoke, spinning across the air and slowly falling back down to the ground. Hiruzen leapt off of the roof and grabbed Enma in his staff form, landing on another roof of a house. Shifting the adamantine staff under his arms and spreading out his legs, any sort of fear or doubt left his mind as he faced the titanic body of the Kyuubi.
"Let's go, Enma!" Hiruzen called out, and the Monkey King hummed in response. With a face set in determination, he yelled out, "Extend!"
Minato Namikaze is not having a great day. First, his wife's water had just broken and just like with Naruto's delivery, he had to flash towards the same undisclosed cave that they used to deliver Naruto. But not before alerting the Third Hokage and borrowing a few trusted medic-nins to help deliver Baby Mito. Along the way, Kushina just kept on cursing him for putting another baby in her, despite the fact that SHE was the one who wanted another one. Naruto was already a handful, especially after he found out about his nightly endeavors and the raid in his jutsu closet. He was just like himself, only with Kushina's stubbornness and temper—a terrifying combination. Living with two Uzumaki's is already too much for the poor blond. He could only hope that Baby Mito takes after his father's personality.
After that, the day only went downhill. Not only was he not allowed to hold his baby—again—but a masked man had just infiltrated his base, killing all of the medic-nins, and holding his daughter in one fell swoop.
Now, Minato usually isn't a man who gets mad. Even when his sensei peeped on him and his wife while… creating Mito, what he felt was more of annoyance than anger. Maybe it's because he had such low expectations with the Toad Sannin that he subconsciously expected something like that to happen—though Kushina had no such restraints.
But when he saw the kunai dangerously close at his daughter's neck and heard the cries of fear echoing throughout the cave, red filled the blond's eyes and the last thing the masked man saw was yellow before Minato flashed in front of him, stealing the bundle from his arms while also delivering a backwards kick towards the infiltrator at the same time. Unfortunately, his effort to incapacitate the masked man turned futile after he dispelled into a cloud of smoke.
"A clone!" Minato had exclaimed, before his face shifted to horror. He turned around and just as he feared, the masked man was right next to his wife, his hand directly over the seal on her stomach.
Kushina was pale and tired from all the stress and difficulty she experienced with the delivery, but that didn't mean that she didn't notice the masked man nor his intentions. That's why she tried her best to escape his clutches. Unfortunately, something was preventing her from even moving. A glance down to her arms was all she needed to see wooden branches curled around her arms and legs, trapping her against the bed. Following the branches led her to the sleeve of the masked man's free hand and she was immediately reminded by the Shodaime's Mokuton.
"So long, Yondaime." a deep tenor had reverberated across the cave before the masked man's body seemed to swirl out of existence, almost like a space-time jutsu.
As much as Minato wanted to immediately chase after the man, Mito is still in his arms and it would be foolish to engage the masked man with a newborn baby. He can't also leave her here or anywhere close because the risk of her being taken or attacked is still high. So, with a quick flash to one of his hidden bases, he entered a room with a crib prepared inside. Setting her down in the soft blankets and pillows, he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Just wait here, Mito. Daddy's going to save mommy." the blond had been pleasantly surprised to see Mito respond with an adorable smile. As if she was reading his feelings, she reached out with her pudgy little hands and grabbed Minato's finger, while releasing a soft giggle. At that, the Yondaime Hokage and the Yellow Flash's heart melted instantly.
But much as it had pained him to leave, the life of his wife was still at risk. So with a sad smile, he left the room to grab his gear. Donning his Hokage cloak and grabbing a handful of his kunai, he blasted off in a Hiraishin with a determination that could break mountains. He had no doubts that Kushina is still alive, after realizing what the masked man wanted. An extraction of the Kyuubi will take much longer than to seal it and with Kushina's Uzumaki genes, she has a high chance of surviving.
When he had arrived at the scene by following the Kyuubi's chakra that was practically filling the air, the Bijuu had already been extracted from Kushina. Again, he engaged the masked man with the intention to kill. After seeing his wife in chains and exhausted to the core, he could barely control his simmering anger. But yet again, the man managed to maneuver his way out of his kunai. However, he had been able to see one important detail; the man had a Sharingan. It had been a fleeting moment but it was enough to see that familiar red eye. Whether the man was an Uchiha or was able to artificially acquire a Sharingan, just like his silver-haired student, it's crucial information to have.
After bringing Kushina back to the safe house with Mito, he immediately went off to find the masked man, especially now that he had acquired the Kyuubi and as the Hokage, it's his job to prevent him from unleashing death and destruction to his people. Unfortunately, it had seemed that he was too late. There was no hiding that dense and vile chakra anywhere. If that hadn't been a sign of the Kyuubi's unleashment, then the ear-piercing roar that shook the entire village to its core and the rumbling of the earth is a definite sign. Luckily, he had been able to power through the crushing pressure and with that, he switched his priority to stopping the Kyuubi.
He had successfully redirected a Bijuudama away from the village with an advanced fuinjutsu technique, but that still didn't stop the Kyuubi's rampage. Unfortunately for Minato, he wasn't able to help his people fight the Bijuu because the next thing he knew, he had been forcefully transported to the Forest of Death via some type of space-time ninjutsu. The masked man must've used the Kyuubi to lure him out because the last thing he saw was the crimson glow of the Sharingan, but instead of its three tomoes, he saw a spinning pinwheel.
Which leads us to now, where Minato is locked in a stalemate against the same masked man, who turned out to be much stronger than he anticipated. The ability to turn intangible at will is a terrifying weapon to wield, especially in the wrong hands. Not only that, he can also absorb and release Plus, it seems that this man was trained well to be able to use such abilities to this mastery. It was almost like it was made to counter his Hiraishin. No matter how fast he can teleport to the man's location, he can counter it with his phasing abilities. That's not adding his Sharingan, which apparently he's using to control the Kyuubi to destroy the Leaf.
'I must tread carefully, else I might get caught by his weapon.' Minato thought, eyeing the cuffs around the masked man's wrists that are connected by a chain. 'With his phasing ability, working with such an unorthodox weapon is a combat advantage to him.I must strike when he's solid, but such an opportunity may be limited.'
All of a sudden, a glint from the forest of trees grabbed his attention. It was such a small glow but in that split second, his eyes widened in shock before he recovered his composure. Behind his calm façade is a man in turmoil and panic. He wanted to pretend that what he saw was just a trick of the moonlight, but it was too obvious to ignore. Minato's mind ran through thousands of plans and scenarios, but as the few seconds he had passed by, he already didn't like the outcome. As much as he disliked it, it might be the only opening he has for an opportunity like this. So with a burning resolve, he subtly nodded his head and relaxed his features—or at least, he appeared to be.
"The wind blows from the south like arrows and from the north like a hammer, but the tree remains strong as its roots. The ground seizes the land from down under, as lightning strikes down from the sky." Minato suddenly spoke, his eyes seemed to have faded under the moonlight.
"Have you finally lost your mind, Yondaime?" the masked man questioned, confusion lacing his words.
Without even acknowledging him, the blond continued. "The whirlpool remains strong, as its daughter cries out a storm that can wash away the toughest vessels."
The masked man cocked his head to the side, his chains jangling along his wrists. "You are stalling time, Yondaime. Soon, the Leaf will be nothing more than a crater on the map. I win, Yondaime." He announced arrogantly, his crimson eye glowing subtly under his mask.
"As lighting meets wind, no longer will the darkness plague this land." Minato said, curling his fingers around his kunai and stepping into a stance.
Warning bells rang in his head upon seeing the Yondaime raising his tri-pronged kunai. But before he could comprehend the scene before him, he heard;
"Fuuton: Daitoppa!" a rather young voice cried out from behind him.
The Sharingan-user turned his head just in time to leap out of the way of the rain of kunai that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. But from the destruction that it left from its wake, he could only guess that whoever attacked him used a wind jutsu to increase the momentum and strength of the kunai. If it hadn't turned intangible, more than a few kunai would've pierced him.
'Where did that come from?' the masked man questioned.
His answer came in the form of another cry. This time, it came from above. "Fuuton: Reppūshō!"
As he glanced up, he was met with a violent force of wind that tore through the air. The masked man activated his ability once again, allowing the jutsu the phase through his body. It had been sloppy, but glancing down at the ground should tell anyone that an attack of such magnitude could knock out a Chunin, maybe even a Jonin. With the attack now avoided, he was now able to see the attacker and he was surprised to see a boy, no older than ten, behind the sudden ambush. Not to mention, he looks similar to the person he's trying to kill.
He wondered how the boy was able to escape his senses, especially with his bright orange pajamas and the considerable amount of chakra he's emitting for a child. However, after reaching out his senses, he was surprised to find out that the boy was suppressing his chakra. Not enough to erase his presence completely, but enough to be missed while he was engaging the Yondaime. It seems that other than knowing a few wind jutsus, the boy seems to be skilled in chakra control. Something he can respect but remains foolish in the end.
A low chuckle escaped the man's lips. "So, the son of Yondaime wants to play shinobi, huh?" He smiled cruelly under his mask. "Well, let me show you our reality!"
With that said, the masked man launched into the air, hand stretched out with intention to tear through the boy. But yet again, he was thoroughly surprised to see his arm piercing through a wooden log, the boy nowhere to be found.
'Kawarimi; an academy-level jutsu but was performed at such a high level. To be able to switch from this altitude at such a young age. Well, it seems I keep underestimating you, little fishcake.'
His senses screamed at him from behind and at the last second, turned on his intangibility, successfully avoiding the kunai that was heading towards his nape. Glancing to the side and meeting the Yondaime's narrowed glare, the masked man smirked under his mask.
"Don't think you can distract me with your little pet, Yondaime. I haven't forgotten you." He said, earning a scowl from the blond.
He had to allow another kunai strike to pass through his head but this time, he grabbed onto the Yondaime's arm, pulling him above him before releasing a devastating kick towards the man, shooting him back towards the ground with a loud crash. With unnoticeable glee on his face, the masked man allowed himself to fall back towards the ground, satisfied with his action but had no doubts that the man would survive and keep on fighting. But just as his feet touched land, hands emerged from the cracked earth. Before he could even react, the same hands grabbed onto his ankles and pulled him down to his knees and arms.
Fortunately for him, he was able to recognize the jutsu and stop it midway before it could reach his neck. It would be a sunny day in Amegakure before he would allow a Genin outmaneuver him. Noticing the dirt in front of him move slightly, a contemplative look formed under his mask before spurring into action. Activating his other ability, wooden branches formed on his forearms like claws. Using his new weapon, he predicted where the boy would appear and just as he expected, a tuft of blond hair rose from the ground and was followed by a short body. Without wasting any time, he struck him with the wooden stakes, piercing through the boy's body in multiple vital areas.
"Too bad. You would've been a great shinobi had you reached your prime." the masked man remarked.
However, instead of seeing the boy's face shift into pain or at least in anger, he was once again struck when a smirk formed on his lips. That's when the Sharingan-user noticed that there was a lack of blood around the boy's wounds. Not even a single drop!
Narrowing his eyes at the blond, he was finally able to notice the slight blur around the boy's body. There was even a haze along the blond's eyes and nose. Before he could come into realization, the boy's body exploded into a cluster of wind crescents. Barely being able to react with his intangibility, the masked man was blown violently out of the dirt and back into the sky. A few of those wind blades had even reached him, leaving him with a few deep cuts across his arms.
'A Fūton Bunshin? The kid created a new variation of bunshin at ten years old?!' the masked man exclaimed in his head, before he felt a cold but crackling presence above him. 'Damn! He also used a clone!'
"Best not to underestimate my son." Minato muttered, allowing the wind to carry his words towards the injured enemy before slamming a pre-ready Rasengan against the man's back.
Unlike the rest of his attempts to take down the masked man, this one finally connected after being caught off guard by Naruto's wind clone. A surprise, even for Minato. While he was aware that his son had been trying to create a wind variant of the clone jutsu, he didn't know that he had been able to complete, or at least create one at an acceptable control. But as much as he wanted to praise his son, he's going to have to give the boy a lengthy lecture about the dangers of creating a brand new jutsu, especially a dangerous one, evident by the damage it released.
After the Rasengan connected, Minato pushed the attack back down onto the ground, shattering the ground beneath them, creating a mushroom cloud of dirt and smoke. However, when Minato lifted his hand, he was shocked to see that the masked man was nowhere to be found. Only a patch of fabric from the Sharingan-user's cloak remained.
"To think, I would be caught off guard by a child."
Minato turned his head towards the source of the voice. He was glad to see that the masked man looked like he was thrown off a cliff. Half of his clock has been burnt. There was a slight crack on his mask, his chain weapon had been sliced apart by Naruto's wind clone. One of his arms seemed to be melting like cream, only held up by a few strands of flesh. Cuts as deep as kunai slices lined the man's other arm, blood dripping from his wounds.
Remaining impassive, Minato said, "It was your mistake." He noticed that while he was able to connect his Rasengan, the masked man turned on his phasing abilities and escaped halfway through the attack.
A raspy but deep chuckle escaped the man. "Such a foolish notion. I, Madara Uchiha, have been defeated by a boy and his father. Such a tale would make even the most heartless of shinobi laugh."
The Yondaime's eyes immediately sharpened and his hand curled around one of his kunai, his body tensing even more than a few minutes ago. "You… are Madara Uchiha? That's impossible! The Shodaime—"
"Yes, Hashirama may have defeated me. But due to his weakness, I survived. Due to his weakness, I have grown stronger than before. Because of his weakness, his beloved Leaf will fall. Because of his weakness…" Madara's dark tone echoed throughout the entire forest. "...the world shall be mine" The grass under his feet wilted, leaves dried up and started falling from trees. Birds and animals alike left abruptly, abandoning their nests and homes. The air grew thicker as the man's chakra filled the area.
Naruto, who was hiding behind a bush, couldn't help but shudder. While the Kyuubi's presence felt suffocating and heavy, this Madara person was cold and dark. The Bijuu may have been filled with hatred, but this man's chakra felt downright evil. If Naruto had fought him in this state, he wasn't sure if he would've survived. The only reason he was able to pull off those moves was a combination of being underestimated, catching him off guard, and suppressing his already small chakra reserves—at least, compared to the other two. Now that he thinks about it, offering to help his father against a Kage-level enemy-nin is probably one of his dumbest decisions. He was sure he's going to get a scolding from Mom.
After he had felt the Kyuubi's chakra, he immediately went inside in search of his parents. But he later found out that the house was empty, his parents were nowhere to be found and all that was left was a note from his Dad stating that Mom was going to have the baby. Fortunately for him, he knows exactly where they went. Naruto didn't know why, but he was apparently born in an enclosed cave, outside of the walls of the village. If the circumstances were the same, then he was sure that they'll be there. A Bijuu is inside the village and if he didn't already know, Naruto needed to alert his father.
However, he didn't expect to stumble upon a battle between two Kage-level shinobi. He had passed through the Forest of Death as a shortcut but found his dad and an unknown masked individual in a standoff. While he has confidence that his dad would win, the contemplative look on his face told Naruto that it wouldn't be as easy as he hoped. He didn't know what came over him to pull out a kunai and used the reflection of the moonlight to alert his father. However, Naruto was shocked to see that he agreed and he's glad that he didn't disappoint in any way. Though there were a few close calls and his chakra reserves are dangerously low–the main reason as to why he's hiding.
"With the Kyuubi in my grasp, the world will soon be in my palm." Madara declared boldly.
Instead of frowning, a smirk made its way to Minato's lips. "I'd want to check that again, Madara Uchiha."
Narrowing his eyes, the masked man focused his chakra towards the Kyuubi still rampaging across the village. His Sharingan glowed from the single eyehole on his mask, the pinwheel spinning wildly as it searched for its captor but to his surprise, his leash on the Bijuu is no longer there.
His eyes widened upon realization 'When he attacked me from above, he must've simultaneously used a seal to cancel my hold on the Kyuubi. How… frustrating.' Madara thought. He flickered his gaze at the Yondaime, before shifting it towards a random bush near the trees.
Naruto froze. That single Sharingan seemed to be boring straight into his soul. If the man acted now, the blond isn't sure if he could escape in time. Minato seemed to pick up on this and he instantly raised his kunai into a throwing position, eyes narrowing towards the form of Madara and leaking killing intent. This man may be a legendary figure, the famous traitor of the Leaf and the only person that fought on the same level as Hashirama Senju, but he would die fighting him if it meant saving his son.
A chuckle cut through the tension. "How terrifying. Don't worry, Yondaime. I won't be going after your son." Madara reassured the blond, but Minato refused to let his guard down. If his experience with Fugaku and his cunningness is anything to go by, then this could be a ploy to take him down. "After all, I'm excited to see what he'll be like in the future." The masked man faced Minato, his body free of tension as if he didn't just come out of a fight. "I will be acquiring the Kyuubi in the future, and nothing will stop me from controlling this world."
Madara's sinister last words sent chills down both blonds as the air rippled around him, swirling space and reality around his eye while absorbing his body into the hole on his mask. Not a second later, the Uchiha was gone and Minato was finally able to relax after a few seconds. He finally allowed the stress and nervousness to show, his eyes drooping and his chakra receded back to its normal levels. However, he still wasn't done and redirected his killer intent at an innocent bush.
"Naruto, if you don't come out right now, I'll ban your ramen privileges." Minato threatened.
Almost instantly, the ten-year-old boy sprung out of his hiding spot and practically sped towards his father's side as if he was using a Shunshin. "No! Don't take my precious!" Naruto exclaimed tearfully. There's nothing scarier than an angry Minato, even scarier than his mom because she won't try to take the food of the gods away from him.
Minato knelt down to his height and wrapped his arms around the boy. "Never do that again, Naruto. While I appreciate your help, it's best if you leave my fights to me. After all, it'll take a lot more than one enemy-nin to take me down." He reassured the boy, who buried his head on his chest.
"But did you see how I did? I totally kicked his ass there!" Naruto exclaimed, before wincing in pain when Minato stood up and bonked his head.
The elder blond glared lightly at the boy. "You spend too much time with your mom." He said, before softening his gaze. "But yes, Naruto. I was impressed. A wind clone? Must've taken months to complete it."
"Nope! Did it in two weeks!" Naruto grinned happily while holding up a peace sign.
Minato sweatdropped. 'How could my son be so smart but yet so dense? I have a feeling that his romantic life would be hectic.'
All of a sudden, a devastating roar interrupted their heartfelt moment. Both blonds looked up to see the head of the Kyuubi, who seemed to be struggling against something. Minato could only guess that it's the work of the Sandaime. After all, he isn't called the God of Shinobi for nothing. However, he won't be able to hold it back for long.. As the Hokage, it's his duty to protect the citizens of the Leaf and if possible, push the Kyuubi out of the village.
Naruto seemed to have realized what Minato intended to do. "Dad, take me with you. I can help!" the boy pleaded, squeezing his father's hand tightly and showing him his best determined face, despite the visible fear in his eyes.
Minato shot his son a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Naruto. But it's too dangerous. I'm going to need to go to the safe house. Your mom and your baby sister are there. I'm placing them on your responsibility. " He said, but upon seeing Naruto's frown and the worry in his eyes, he knelt back down and placed a hand on shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it." Minato said, flashing a smile of reassurance.
The young blond clenched his fist, tears threatening to fall. He hated how weak and fragile he looked, but his concern for his father overwhelmed his pride. "You promise?" Naruto asked in a small voice, clutching the cloak of his father.
"It'll be a promise of a lifetime."
Later that day, a tragedy struck Konoha. Hundreds of shinobi and civilians lost their lives to the Nine-Tailed Fox, including the Fourth Hokage and his wife. That day, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze and Mito Uzumaki-Namikaze disappeared from the public eye. That day was the beginning of a legend; a devastating maelstrom.
