Summary:
Something had gone terribly wrong: the wrongdoings committed by him.
Everything had gone so well, as though nothing was ever going to happen. But, of course, he was wrong, naïve even. His light and his warmth were absent and never to return. The sky rained down on the lands, the moon's light was a distant memory, and the sun, if you could even call it that now, was nothing but a phantom of its former glory.
He could still see their faces, their smiles, and hear their laughs. He could still feel their hugs and their kisses. The nights seemed endless and long. He was in an unbearable nightmare.
But, at least, he still had one thing left: her. His last ray of sunshine. A dim light that would soon grow and expand its beams of hope; an agenda for peace.
However, he realizes things will not go smoothly. He, a dark, twisted, wicked man, has changed his plans. He now has a sinister, mysterious project; and a murderous agenda.
The battle of light and darkness would soon ensue.
Would the world survive?
The dark skies were all that one could see. Faint sounds of thunder rang across the field. Cold, angered winds howled through with a vengeance, leaving naught but shivers. A current of lightning bellowed, illuminating the land of once great prosperity. Two grand statues of old legends stood near a waterfall. And on their heads, three people of new generational power rose from the depth. Sasuke Uchiha stood on one end while Mina Uzumaki-Namikaze and Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze stood on another.
"This is where it ends, Sasuke!" Mina yelled out to their old friend, aggravated. Her eyes showed determination and unwillingness to give up, even as exhaustion slowly weighed on her. Naruto, her dear older brother, stood next to her. He said nothing but gave a quick nod of agreement.
The man in question scowled but soon cackled madly. Sasuke palmed his eyes as dark purple chakra exploded from his frame and swirled around him. "Of course, of course, of course!" He wailed, the energy continuously rising. "It is the end!" He threw his head back, his laughter grating his opponents' ears. He held his sides as his eyes, a red-coloured orb with three spinning commas and a dark purple ocular mixed with the traits of the other, shone menacingly under the dark. "For you!" At his command, his chakra burst forth, forming a giant ethereal warrior with great power and energy. "Amaterasu!"
Dark flames sprouted near the siblings, who jumped away just in time. However, Sasuke was upon them in an instant, swinging a luminescent blade of omen in a wide arc. Mina crossed her arms in front of her body as, like Sasuke, orange chakra burst forth from her lithe frame. A pair of arms appeared from her sides, blocking the attack meant to slice them in half with their clawed appendages. As another came, she dodged the strike and commanded her chakra hands to catch the blade, gripping it in an iron-clad hold. Sasuke tried to remove his weapon, but it would not budge.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" He cursed under his breath, the blond forgotten in his attempts to regain his blade. Just as the technique reached the ethereal warrior, Mina released the sword of pure energy. The wind attack crashed against its body, pushing it back by a few metres. In addition, the motions of his failed efforts caught up to him, as evident by the way he stumbled.
Sasuke's mistake, though minute, gave the siblings time to recoup, jumping back as far as they could. Mina charged her energy and blasted it outwards. Her chakra moulded and rose to the sky, stopping once it reached its apex and changed its shape and form. A giant fox with nine swaying tails stood before the warrior, baring its fangs at its foe. Naruto jumped into the mass of chakra, joining his beloved little sister in the entity.
Sasuke had now recovered, staring in anger at the fox, which kept his enemies in safety. He channelled his chakra through his arm as electricity sporadically erupted from his hand, covering it in a veil of lightning.
"Mina." Naruto simply said, keeping his calculative gaze on their former friend.
"Got it." The teenager in question nodded in understanding, forming a blue spinning orb floating on her palm. Finished, she waited for her brother, who had closed his eyes, to complete his task. Opening his eyes, the blond shared his newly gained power with his baby sister as orange pigmentations coloured around their oculars.
Sasuke laughed once more. "Mina! Naruto!" He called out. "You will die by my hands! Right here, right now!" He screamed as he rushed towards the siblings, insane eyes and mad cackles following him. Naruto and Mina reacted quickly, dashing toward the man with their attack poised to strike.
The three people met in the middle of the battlefield. Their techniques, a stream of fey colours, clashed. There was silence for but a futile moment before an explosion, one that the Shinobi world had never experienced before, rocked the very existence of the continent.
Hello, my name is Mina Uzumaki, the daughter of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and the Red-Hot Habanero Kushina Uzumaki, and the little sister of Naruto Uzumaki.
Now, you may wonder, "What just happened?"
Well, that was a part of a story called "The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki."
You may be confused, I understand, so let us begin from the start of our story, one among the legends of the past.
Now, shall we begin our tale?
"The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, chapter one: Where it all began."
"Once upon a time, on an expected October autumn night..."
5-year-old Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze was a worried child. It was past midnight, but he could not sleep because of his anxiety. It was unhealthy, especially one so young, but he had no control over the matter. He had closed his eyes and had waited for sleep to overcome him. However, it did not work. He tried many other things, but they did not tire him out.
The blond paced around his room, biting his nails in search of comfort. His heartbeat raged in troubled wails. His mind blew up nightmare after nightmare, one more disturbing after another. He stood before the window, gazing at the beauty of his village, Konoha. "I hope it goes well." He muttered, gripping the sill.
"Naruto-kun," he heard a voice across his room, "What are you doing up at this time? You should be sleeping, my boy." Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped into the room, revealing his robe of leadership to the boy. Naruto turned towards the man, looking downcast and afraid. "I'm worried, Ojii-san." He answered his grandfather figure truthfully, his frame shaking. The man sighed and looked at the boy in sympathy, bringing his grandson into a warm hug. "Do not fret, my child. Everything will be fine." He soothed, rubbing the boy's back in soft circles. "But I can't help it." He choked, voice trembling like his body. "I know you can't, Naruto-kun. In fact, me neither." The scared boy looked at his grandfather, shocked at the announcement.
"In truth," Hiruzencontinued, chuckling at the surprised look, "I feel troubled for your mother aswell." He sighed a shaky breath and closed his eyes but pushed forward."However, do you want to know why I know she'll be fine, Naruto-kun?" The blondboy frowned and shook his head, his attention hooked by the man's words. "It isbecause she is a strong kunoichi and an even stronger woman. That alone washes my anxiety down the drain. So, be like yourmother; be strong, my boy. With our prayers, Kami-sama will bless us with thedelivery safely." Feeling Naruto's nod, he smiled, smoothly putting him tobed.
Hiruzen joined him, wrapping an arm around the child's frame. "Are you feeling better now, Naruto-kun?" He asked. "Yes, Ojii-san." The blond nodded with a meek reply, sniffling as he hugged his grandfather. "Good," Hiruzen smiled. "Now sleep. I'll stay by your side till you fall asleep, alright?" With another nod, Naruto closed his eyes and, as time passed by, dozed off to sweet bliss, warmed and eased by his presence.
In a dark cavern
Minato Namikaze was a worried father. He sat next to his dear wife, Kushina Uzumaki, who was in labour. He held her hand, trying to comfort his pained loved one as best as he could. Tears streamed down his face. Kushina, despite her heavy profanities to her husband, felt some joy deep inside her heart, warmed and cushioned by sweet love. "Kushina, dear, hang in there." Minato weakly soothed, not liking one bit of his wife's torture.
Kushina was about to answer when she felt a surge of pain and screamed. The male jolted in shock; the shriek left phantom nightmares in his mind. "Alright, I see the head," Biwako Sarutobi said, examining the redhead's health. "A bit more to go." The mother nodded in understanding, grunting as she forced her muscles into tensed action.
It felt like an eternity before Biwako spoke once more. "One last push, dear."
With one final grunt,Kushina wailed, feeling the world spin in giant nauseating circles. The criesof a newborn soon reached the ears of everyone in the room. Her husband sighedin great relief, relinquishing the fact that there were no complications duringthe birth of their baby. Minato smiled, embracing his wife with a warm kiss."You did well, honey; you were simply amazing." He spoke as if death nearlycaptured his beloved in a cold snare. Kushina returned the smile, mutteringthanks to her spouse.
"Congratulations," the married couple heard the other woman speak, "It's a healthy newborn baby girl." At the announcement, the duo smiled as a flood of warmth and adoration pooled from their hearts. Biwako walked towards the exhausted mother, denying access to holding the baby to the Hokage. "Mother before all." She gave a quick explanation, gently rocking the baby in her arms. Despite her exhaustion, Kushina pushed herself up and smiled, seeing her beloved daughter. The doctor gave the bundle to the waiting arms of her patient, beaming at such a heartwarming moment. The redhead rubbed her cheek against her daughter's head.
Sensing an unknown source of warmth, the baby opened her eyes, staring in curiosity at the cordial gaze of violet eyes. She giggled childishly, clapping her podgy hands together. Delighted, Kushina kissed her forehead. "Hey, sweetie, welcome to your family. I'm your mother." She whispered, one with a motherly experience filled with passionate love and warmth as she stared at her daughter.
"She looks just like you,Kushina. She even has your pretty eyes." Her husband uttered, staringaffectionately at their baby girl. "She really looks like me." She whispered,baffled at the similarities between her newborn and herself. "Well, let's justhope she won't have your personality." At Biwako's remark, the latter andMinato shared a quick laugh, though found no disturbances nor complaints if sheever was to act like her mother. "Hey, I'm not that bad." The individual mentioned rebutted and scowled after hearing another shared laugh. Acomfortable silence soon ensued as the couple basked in the warmth of family.
"What should we name her?" Minato asked, now realizing the task at hand. "Well," Kushina began, her eyes glistening under the light as her thoughts rushed forward, "Naruto-chan said he had a name for our baby girl, no?" she asked as Minato nodded, already guessing the name. "So, her name shall be Mina, Mina Uzumaki-Namikaze." Hearing the joyful giggles of the baby, the parents smiled. "Well, it looks like Mina-chan likes her name, isn't that right?" Another chortle came from Mina as she clapped and gurgled cutely. "Aw, you are so cute, Mina-chan! Who's a cute girl? You are! Yes, you are!" Kushina cooed, tickling Mina, who squirmed and giggled.
Minato chuckled, prying the baby girl off of his wife. "Dear, I think that's enough." He said as he gently scratched his daughter's head, getting soft coos of satisfaction. "Don't worry, Mina-chan, your daddy will save you from your mommy." He joked as, like Kushina, he pecked his newborn's forehead. The mother in question pouted, though smiled in glee, enjoying the sight of father-daughter bonding.
"I hate to break this sweet family moment," Biwako interjected, standing in front of her patient. "But I need to check up on Kushina for any signs of post-partum complications: hemorrhage, infections in the uterus or the vagina, ruptures and embolisms. In addition, it is best that the baby rest after birth. So, I'll be taking her to bed. I shall be back with the results in hand." She explained, listing off her arguments. The parents nodded as Kushina gave Mina to the doctor, who carefully snuggled the baby in her arms and walked off, finding a small bed for the newborn.
"Are you feeling alright, Kushina?" With worried eyes, Minato grabbed her hands, tenderly rubbing her appendages. Kushina nodded, smiling at the kind gesture of her beloved. "Truthfully, I'm exhausted, but I think I'll be fine. I'll have enough energy to go home and see Naruto-chan. Knowing him, I'm sure he's sweating up a storm in worry." Minato nodded, bringing his wife into a kiss. "Don't worry about Naruto-chan. Sandaime-sama is there to take care of him. I'm sure everything is fine at our house, dear. Focus instead on recovering and resting from your labour."
The couple heard a loud thud before Kushina could say anything. It sounded like it came from across the room where Biwako walked.
Turning around forinspection, their heart reeled to a stop, unthinkable dread bursting forth. Thewoman who had helped give birth to their daughter now laid on the ground, bloodpooling around her. A palpable slit ran down her neck, her tongue almostvisible to the pair. Mouth agape in shock, husband and wife stayed in place,frozen in fear and disgust.
On top of her body, a man stood, not caring for respect or caution. The infiltrator scowled, kicking the body away in disgust, and held a kunai on Mina's throat. His only noticeable eye, a red-coloured orb with three spinning commas, a trait only known to one clan, shone under the dimly lit room. The only light source showed little of the man, though Kushina and Minato managed to view his wardrobe: a simple robe and a white mask with black designs, almost like black flames of death.
"Yondaime-sama," the man spoke for the first time, his voice gruff and emotionless, "step away from the jinchuriki, or else your daughter shall perish." His icy glare made Minato freeze, panicked for his daughter's well-being to think of a plan. Minato held his hands out in distress, as if trying to bide time. "Let's just calm down and talk this through." He stepped forward, but he stopped after seeing the masked drawing the knife closer to his daughter. He paled as the man chuckled darkly. "I'm perfectly calm, Hokage-sama, unlike you." He coolly said before he threw Mina into the air, her scared cries ringing like death tones to her parents.
"Mina-chan!"
Mind activated, Minato threw a kunai of his own, its shape different from the norm. While it had a blade like all sharp weapons, they were small prongs protruding from its side, as if it was a mini trident. He had designed a special inscription along the handle. The engravings were unreadable and unusable to all but him. It was a known secret forever lost to the world. It had taken him years to master his technique, but through sheer effort and hard work, he pulled through, now becoming the name of his creation: Yellow Flash.
As soon as the specially forged blade passed his baby girl, the man disappeared from view, as though he disintegrated from the molecular level. He reappeared in a blink of an eye near the kunai embedded on the wall. A flash of yellow followed his wake, signifying his disappearance and reappearance in all but one move.
"Very noble of you, Hokage-sama. However, are you prepared for the next one?" The man spoke anonymously, grabbing Kushina into his arms. Weary, the leader looked down at his newborn, smelling a hint of black powder. His eyes widened in fear: there were multiple explosive tags on Mina's blanket. Acting quickly, Minato disappeared once more, reappearing in a quaint cabin. Throwing the blanket away, he dashed outside, keeping his hold on the baby firm as the explosion shook the area. He landed a fair bit away from the detonation, clutching his daughter to his chest.
The blond man sighed, gently soothing his dishevelled daughter in warm kisses. 'He put a distance between Kushina and me,' he thought, angered at the sudden turn of events. 'I'll have to prepare if things go badly.' With that thought in mind, he vanished from the scene of a planned explosion.
With Hiruzen
After putting his grandson to sleep, Hiruzen returned to the living room, sitting on the ground. He took out a paintbrush from his robe, ink already provided. With permission from the couple, he had grabbed some blank sheets of paper from Minato's office. With the preparations set, he dipped the brush in, careful not to put too much lest he waste ink. Rolling his shoulder, he stroked through different letters and signs on the paper, practicing his calligraphy. He may no longer be the current Hokage, but he was still high in social and democratic status. And he needed to keep his dignity and stature up to standards.
As he pulled another paper for practice, he turned towards the window in the kitchen, noticing the vibrant hue of the moon. "Something seems amiss tonight." He hummed, nervously setting his brush aside. He stood up and stepped outside the house, wanting to take a breath of fresh air to calm his nerves.
Normally, he would listen to his gut and find what caused such a reaction from him. But because of the long stretch of peace over the years, he no longer needed to listen to his gut as frequently as he used to. However, reliving that sense of foreboding, especially a strong one, made Hiruzen hesitate. Should he trust, or should he not? He did not know.
A soft whistle interrupted his thoughts as he went back inside, turning the burner off. He poured himself a cup of tea, drinking it for relief. He sat down and sighed, leaning against the kitchen chair as he relaxed. 'I can only hope that it was wrong.'
With Kushina
Kushina groaned in pain, coughing globs of blood to the ground. Her head spun, heavily breathing with searing pain in her chest, presumably near or in her lungs. She screamed as she felt her energy dwindling, her stomach churning in massive flames of discomfort. The redhead glared at the masked man, who held a paper seal in front of her, as she tried to wriggle herself out of her cuffs, finding it to be nigh impossible. "What is it do you wish with the Kyuubi, Uchiha?" She spoke in ragged breaths, bitterness laced with every word.
The man merely stared at her with blank, amused eyes, as though watching a test subject fail on such a simple task. "It is quite simple, Kushina-san." He joked, mocking her idiocracy. "Do not speak of my name so casually!" The mother of two growled out with gritted teeth, shaking in unbridled anger in her confines. "Then, my apologies, Uzumaki-sama." Adding insult to injury, he dropped to his knees, bowing low, his head nearly touching the soil. The man jolted in joy at seeing such a reaction from his prisoner, finding sadistic pleasure at such an angered look. "I have unfinished business with an old friend of mine." He spoke seriously, his mocking behaviour no longer in play. "And it is only fitting that the beast he captured shall be his demise."
Kushina's eyes widened, bolts of shock and fear fizzling through her body as she realized who the man in front of her was. In all of Konoha's history, there was only one man who had used the Kyuubi for its dark powers. "There's no way," she voiced shakingly. "Time should have eaten you, Madara!" The man standing in front of her, now presumed as Madara Uchiha, chuckled.
"You are smarter than I thought, Uzumaki." He smirked. "Yes, it is I, Madara Uchiha, and I have come back to achieve what should have been mine." Having finished his monologue, he palmed Kushina's stomach, which had a seal on it, and poured his chakra onto the seal. "Unseal!" He yelled as dark red chakra encased the redhead, her wails of pleas falling to deaf ears. "Now, come forth, Kyuubi of old! Serve under my wrath and reap the souls of the living!"
At his command, the creature of old legends landed on the ground, its nine tails, known to causesheer destruction in one flick, swishing haphazardly behind it. The fox rearedits head back in an earth-splitting roar, tearing down trees from the vicinity.Taking action quickly, the masked man took control of the tailed creature inbut a second, hopping onto its massive back.
Looking down at the ground, the fox snarled at Kushina, angered at the thought of his prison no more. The Kyuubi slammed its paws, watching in delight as it crushed the redhead underneath them. Or so it thought. When it lifted its appendages, the beast smelled no blood nor saw a deformed body, frustrating it once more. 'Interesting, it would seem that my control is not complete yet.' He shrugged, not caring for such a problem.
"Enough," he intervened, "we do not have time for such trivial vengeance! Let us go; we have a village to destroy." Though controlled, the fox grinned darkly, loving the idea of wiping the cause for its imprisonment no more. The two disappeared, leaving no clues of their departure.
Minato flashed outside of peripheral view, holding his dishevelled wife in his arms. "Dear, are you alright?" He asked, concerned for his beloved. "I don't feel good." She admitted, nearly losing consciousness by speaking. "How about Mina-chan? Is she safe?" Pain gone, she asked for her daughter's safety, sighing in relief when Minato nodded reassuringly. "That's good to hear." She said, relaxing deep into her husband's warmth. Minato nodded with a smile, kissing Kushina's forehead lovingly. Knowing time was wasting, the blond teleported away with his wife in his arms, disappearing in a yellow blink.
Appearing inside of a bedroom in their second house outside of the village, Minato laid his wife on the bed where Mina slept carelessly, gurgling in her sleep. "Oh," Kushina wept, "my daughter. I'm so glad you're safe." She hugged her daughter, rubbing her head. Hearing her mother's voice, Mina turned around, snuggling deep into her embrace.
Minato's glazed eyes stared at the reunion, seemingly in thought. He turned around, grabbing his cloak and putting it on. "Honey," he heard his wife's feeble voice, "please be careful out there." He looked back at her, smiling appreciatively. "Of course, dear, I'll be careful." With his piece said, the blond man disappeared, preparing to drive off their enemies.
Konoha
Konoha, known to be the strongest village in the Elemental Nations, slept with little to no caution, only safeguarded by ninjas on night duty. Most of its civilians were asleep, but some were out and about, enjoying and indulging themselves in nightly activities. It was a peaceful suburb where it had experienced no major conflicts in many years. And it would seem that the continuity would continue.
However, the Kyuubi broke that stability apart, sending the village into upheaval. With a roar, the beast brought destruction to the urban land. The denizens of Konoha ran for their lives as ninjas darted out from the dark, taking courses of action to defend their people.
"Sandaime-sama!" Hiruzen heard someone yell out outside of the Uzumaki residence. He stepped out, looking down at the initiator in curiosity. "We require your assistance! We do not know how it appeared, but the Kyuubi is in the village, wreaking havoc!" A roar in the distance confirmed the man's statement, surprising the Hokage. "Hold it off while I prepare. As the Sandaime of this village, I hereby initiate P.S.C! Relay this message to the others immediately." Hiruzen commanded as the ninja saluted in respect and left soon afterwards.
The old leader returned inside in a hurry, cursing at his luck. 'Of course, it wasn't wrong.' He growled in his mind as he prepared himself for battle. "Ojii-san, what's going on? Why is it so loud outside? And why are you dressed for war?" Naruto voiced out shyly, peaking through the door. Hiruzen sighed and bent down to Naruto's eye level, grabbing his shoulders and looking at him with serious eyes. He hesitated, trying to think of something to say.
"My boy, the walls have been breached." The boy trembled in fear, terrified at the thought of Konoha's mighty walls no more. "Don't worry, Naruto-kun, we will protect this village and its citizens, for that is our job as ninjas." He stated, determined eyes reassuring the blond, who gave nothing but a simple nod. He smiled warmly at his grandson, standing up and patting his soft, bright hair. Crossing his fingers together, a plume of smoke erupted beside them as a perfect doppelganger of Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared. "Naruto-kun," he got the blond's attention, "I want you to follow this clone of mine; it will take you to a safe shelter near the Hokage mountain." Receiving a nod, he strengthened his resolve, eyes stern and concentrated and frame stiff and ready. He turned around and left the residence through the window.
"Come now, my child." The clone opened his arms as Naruto jumped into his warmth. "Will mother and father be alright, Ojii-san?" The blond boy asked, concerned for their safety. His grandfather merely nodded with a smile. "Of course they will, my boy. They are some of the strongest we have in this village; they will take care of themselves. Right now, however, let us find you safety." Receiving a nod, he channelled his chakra as the world distorted around them, a swirl of wind encasing their frames. Expelling his chakra outward, the two faded from view, abandoning nothing but leaves haphazardly falling to the ground.
Hiruzen arrived at the scene, hopping from rooftops to rooftops. He frowned, not liking the destruction of his village. The old leader stood on top of a tall building, examining the Kyuubi with calculating eyes. Hiruzen wondered how it had stumbled upon their humble home but stopped his musings as the beast roared, flinging ninjas back.
An ANBU, a specialized organization of elites working solely for the Hokage, appeared by his side, falling to her knees in respect for her leader. "Sandaime-sama, what are your orders?" She asked, waiting patiently for his wise reply.
Hiruzen closed his eyes, quickly formulating a few plans in his mind. Choosing what he deemed the best case of the few, he barked out his orders, "Have those who excel in Earth-natured techniques form a pit outside of the walls near the Western gate while we distract the Kyuubi until we receive a sign of their completion." His subordinate nodded and sped off in the distance, delivering the orders of the Sandaime to the others.
He channelled his chakra and formed different hand seals, ignoring the carnage and cries of his people. He slammed his palms on the ground, smoke rising around him. His summon animal Enma, King of the Monkey Clan, emerged from the fume in all his glory, arms crossed and eyes baring at the Kyuubi in front of him with a snarl.
"Ah," he breathed out in realization, "so Kushina's seal has been punctured." His summoner nodded in the affirmative. "It would seem so," Hiruzen said. "I am in need of your aid once more, old friend." He begged, despising the waste of seconds leading to fallen lives. Enma did not respond, transforming instead into a large staff floating in the air. No words passed between them as deep understandings, ones brought from years of partnership, led them to battle.
The beast slammed its paws to the ground, causing massive quakes through the suburban land. Many leapt away, but it subjugated those who were unfortunate in its wrath. Spotting disordered and lone ninjas, the Kyuubi brought its snout at them, intending to eat them whole. They looked at the creature above them, afraid of their impending doom as their life flashed before their eyes.
As the fox watched in glee at their despair, it felt pain in its jaw. It whimpered and stumbled back, destroying some buildings along the way. It shook its head, trying to get rid of the pain.
Hiruzen dropped in front of his troops, arms extended and his staff at the ready. "Fall back and recoup with the others!" He ordered to his stunned subordinates as the Kyuubi recovered, growling at the third leader of the village. They nodded dumbly, scrambling to their feet and ran off.
Hiruzen jumped into the air, dodging a swipe aimed at him. He winced at the destruction it caused, dreading the total cost of structural and collateral damage. He formed a clone behind him, using it as a stepping stone to launch himself towards the fox. Lifting his weapon high in the air, he swung with great strength, bashing its skull. "Wires!" He instructed, using his energy to enhance the volume of his voice throughout the area.
Swiftly, ANBU members dashed off behind the fox, attaching many strong ninja wires in the suburban streets. Following his attack, he channelled his chakra to his staff, watching it extend and connect to the Kyuubi. He pushed it back, grunting at the force required to do so. The fox boomed as it tripped over the wires, falling onto its back.
Hiruzen saw his chance; he leapt into the air and thrust his staff at the Kyuubi, trying to keep it in place. Unfortunately, it was far too strong for a mere human to keep such a monster still, as evident by its bellow, which flung the old leader back several metres. Finding his bearings, he righted himself, landing roughly on a dilapidated house. He scowled as the Kyuubi stood back to its legs, unscathed. However, a sigh of relief came from his mouth. Gamabunta grunted as he stepped on its snout. "Stay still, you shithead of a furry!" He growled out, striking it with the pommel of his blade.
"Jiraiya-kun!"
The white-haired man turned around, noticing his teacher looking at him on top of a nearby dwelling. "Sensei, how did the Kyuubi escape from the seal?" He asked, dreading the answer, which both knew. "I do not know, Jiraiya-kun. Based on deductions alone, it would seem the birth did not go as smoothly as we had hoped." Hiruzen sighed, shaking his head as conflict passed through his eyes.
Before his student replied, from the corner of their view, they saw a massive tower of fire erupting outside of the walls; the signal had come. "Jiraiya-kun, Gamabunta, I want you to get off of the Kyuubi." His statement surprised the two. "On my command, use a large-scale fire technique on the Kyuubi." Jiraiya was about to rebuke, but his sensei glare stopped him. Nodding, he ordered Gamabunta off the fox, who stood upright immediately. It growled, swishing its tails at the surrounding infrastructures. Hiruzen leapt to action, rushing towards the Kyuubi with his staff poised to strike.
"Bunta, I don't know what sensei's thinking, but whatever it is, we should keep that thing distracted." Jiraiya suggested, throwing a kunai toward the Kyuubi. He channelled his chakra via hand seals, his kunai multiplying by the dozens. "Kunai Kage Bunshin!" Although the small knives did not pierce its flesh, the attack captured its attention.
"Got it!" Gamabunta answered, leaping high in the air. The Kyuubi glared at the airborne toad, howling a searing flame toward the amphibian. Acting quickly, Gamabunta spat out giant balls of water, hurtling for the blistering blaze of death. "Water Style: Water Bullet!" The two elements clashed, producing clouds of smoke.
Hiruzen played his turn; he extended his staff, connecting the tip on the Kyuubi's side. Extensively funnelling his chakra in vast proportions, he shoved the beast outside the walls with pained and tired grunts. "Jiraiya, Bunta, now!" Following his command, the two brought an intense fire toward the distressed beast. It covered the fox in a ring of flames, though all knew that fire would not affect such a creature, one proficient in fire and known as the strongest of the nine. As the inferno subsided, the tailed fox stood unharmed, its fur protecting it from all attacks, elemental and physical. However, curiously, it did not move as if trapped. It wriggled and struggled but could not reach freedom in hand.
Soon, all realized what caused its loss of mobility: a hardened mud pit. "Smart of you, sensei." The toad summoner smirked on top of his summon, admiring Hiruzen's wit and perfect plan.
Hiruzen sighed in relief before he lurched forward, stabbing his staff to the ground. He groaned as his back ached, screaming at him for a day's worth of relaxation. "I am too old for this," He muttered under his breath. "I haven't had a massage in a while. And I won't get any for a few months after this whole mess." He whined as he stood up with difficulty, using chakra to enhance his bones and muscles.
The ground shook violently, crumbling infrastructures to the ground. The Kyuubi opened its mouth and absorbed positive and negative energy from its surroundings to a singularity. A ball of pure dark energy emerged from the singular point, illuminating a fey and luminescent glow: a representation of impending doom. With precise control and sufficient amount, it grew in size, one bigger than the fox's head.
Hiruzen's eyes widened in fear, watching the ball rumbling the village to annihilation. "Intervene the attack! We must hold on until Yondaime-sama arrives!" Bolstered with little determination, his men sprinted towards the Kyuubi, using whatever they could to stop their demise. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as all saw the beast smirk at them, firing the ball of dark energy en route for the settlement. Absolute dread burst from their hearts. There was nothing they could do; it was over. The mighty village, known as Konoha, would soon fall under the hands of the fox. And the five would turn four.
Time continued as the orb advanced its course, seeming to become unbalanced by the second. As it erupted into white flashes, the ball disappeared, only to explode in the distance, near the mountainside, tearing trees from the forest. The blast subsided, leaving nothing but a historical crater for legends to come. Theories led to only one conclusion: the works of the Fourth Hokage.
"Yondaime-sama has arrived! Those who are incapable of battle retreat and seek medical help; otherwise, spread out and search for survivors. ANBU, follow me!" Hiruzen ordered, receiving nods from those who could hear him. The elites followed the old leader, surrounding him in a defensive formation in case of outside danger. Jiraiya stayed in the village, taking temporary leadership to guide their disordered forces.
With Minato
The blond man dropped to his knees with heavy pants, clutching his chest. "My reserves are low." Breathing out, he stood on trembling legs, as if carrying heavy weights. He was in terrible shape, as evident by the blood dripping down his frame, the soot covering his face and the black spots filling his vision. Chains erupted from the ground, binding the Kyuubi and siphoning its chakra into them.
"Minato," Kushina spoke, held by a clone of her husband, "Let me help. Despite my condition, I can keep the Kyuubi in check while you reseal it back into me." Now that the fox was no longer inside of her, she would soon meet her end under the starry night.
'Though not until a few more minutes,' She thought. 'Incredible life force we have.'
If she were honest, the abilities of her clan fascinated Kushina. Of course, all knew they possessed powerful life forces, leading to long, healthy lives and incredible physical potential and regeneration. Furthermore, during the Warring Era, through the art of sealing, they discovered a unique and terrifying technique which brought fame to the clan: Adamantine Chains.
However, most did not know their capability to survive after the extraction of a tailed beast, especially among the strongest. In all actuality, her clan had not known to what extent their abilities could do, especially the survivability of the removal. For all they knew, the threshold stopped at their naturally gifted life forces and the manifestation of chains.
But reality crippled and turned into vast worlds of imagination when Mito Uzumaki, the first container of the Kyuubi, survived the transfer, albeit for only a short amount of time. Their village went through extensive research afterwards. They extracted blood from volunteers and injected the solution into animals for experimentation.
In the end, it would seem that the answer was none other than their regeneration. Kushina was young at the time, so she understood nothing but the simplified version. During the process of death, thousands upon thousands of regenerative cells would work together to restore any vital injuries to the body. However, the person would only survive if they either had enough cells or strong ones; otherwise, they would meet their demise. While Mito and Kushina survived the extraction because of their cells, being the container of the Kyuubi led to more problems: chakra exhaustion and chakra corruption.
And, unfortunately, it applied to them.
"I will accept your help," Minato's voice broke her thoughts, "However, we can't reseal it back. Even if we did, it would only reform after a few years when it will look for revenge. By then, our forces would be too weak to fight back against the Kyuubi as valiantly as they did tonight. In fact, I doubt they would survive its wrath, especially since that masked man will no longer be controlling it; another reason to not reseal the Kyuubi into you."
Kushina frowned. She understood her husband's reasoning, but it did not mean she liked it. "Then what do you suggest, Minato?"
Minato stayed silent, his clone putting his beloved down on the ground. He channelled his chakra and performed a few hand seals. Slamming his appendages on the soil, a cloud of smoke appeared in front of him, dispersing into a specially engraved crib. He grimaced, his distraught heart breaking into pieces. "A third container."
It was only until now that Kushina saw in horror Mina laying comfortably in her father's arms, now switched with the crib.
"Minato," she choked, tears filling her eyes, "Please, don't let her become a jinchuriki. She'll suffer so much for this."
The blond man gritted his teeth, his own bitter tears pooling down his face. "I don't want to do this, too, dear. However, I cannot ask for another's baby if I can't sacrifice my own. When the time comes, I believe she can harness the Kyuubi's power to save the village from danger and from that masked man. Don't worry, I'll seal half of it into myself and some of our chakra as well to help her out on her endeavours."
"But," she stammered, her control over the chains wavering by the second, "If she ever finds out, she'll hate and curse you!"
He continued, pushing down the heavy regret of putting such a burden on his daughter. "Oh Great One, I, Minato Namikaze, bestow thee my soul for thy power." He chanted, performing a set of hand seals. With the preparations complete, he blasted his energy to the surroundings. "Reaper Death Seal!"
Only his blue eyes could see an ominous portal swirling to life in front of him. With all its divine power, Shinigami, God of Death, fizzled into a spectre, bearing down on the one who had summoned him.
"If this choice of mine leads to Mina-chan hating me, then so be it. I shall take my guilt and regrets with me in the Shinigami's stomach."
Kushina sobbed, closing her eyes and covering her mouth with her hand. However, her control weakened considerably; the chains lost their iron-clad grip. The Kyuubi took its chance and leapt towards the sleeping baby, claws poised to strike.
"No!"
Minato and Kushina jumped in front of their baby, defending her from the attack. Angered, the redhead controlled her chains, tightening the fox's limbs. It squirmed in pain, its body ready to explode into bits.
"It would seem that our time is ending, dear." Her husband's words cracked her heart, her dream of seeing her kids grow crumbling to dust. Minato coughed out blood, though he smiled and hugged his wife from behind. "Why don't we say a few words to Mina-chan?" He kissed his wife's cheek as she nodded weakly.
"Mina," the mother of two wheezed out, "Don't be picky, eat lots of healthy foods and grow strong. Of course, it isn't good if you always stay on a diet, so treat yourself sometimes. Make sure you bathe every day and stay close to your brother Naruto to stay warm. Don't stay up late, you need lots of sleep to become a strong kunoichi like your mother, maybe even beyond." She paused to chuckle.
"Make a small group of friends, the ones who you can trust with your life. Study hard in school and practice whatever skills you discover. I'm sure that you will be good at them if you put your all to it." She smiled tearfully at her daughter, blissfully unaware of the horrendous night.
"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, so do not get depressed if you can't do something well. In fact, your mother isn't very smart or as skilled as your father. But it doesn't stop me from trying my hardest and doing my best." Her lips trembled, and so did her frame. She sobbed, foregoing holding her tears back. Her ears rung loudly, as if hearing death songs, the ones saluting their honourable deed. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, but she pushed her body to the limits, feeling nothing but strain and misery.
"Be extra careful about lending and borrowing money. Ask your grandfather Hiruzen to make your account; he is a man that I trust the most outside of your father. So, I know he'll produce a securable account for you and Naruto." Her numb arms fell uselessly to her sides while her legs dangled lifelessly, now being carried by the Kyuubi's claw. She gritted her teeth, using whatever cells she had left to keep her alive, even if only for a minute.
"Don't drink alcohol until you are twenty, even then only drink in moderation; too much will ruin your life, like your godmother Tsunade. Oh, right, you don't know her. I'm sure you'll meet her one day in the future." She coughed, her body no longer feeling pain as most of her nerves and muscles shut down.
"All you need to know is that men and women make this world, so it's only natural to take interest in both genders. I just don't want you to date or marry a bad and abusive person. Find someone like your father or me. During adolescence, you'll go through puberty, so you'll have to learn how to deal with your emotions and problem. I know it'll be hard, but please ask your brother to help you. Oh, speaking of your older brother, listen to him; he's the only family that you have left. For the past nine months, he has been very excited to meet you and has done whatever he can to help around the house. I'm sure that he'll be a good older brother who'll love you just as much as we do." The last of her cells ran out, leaving only sheer will to keep her alive.
"From now on," her voice quivered, "You and Naruto will face lots of pain and hardship. Everyone will criticize and despise you, Mina-chan. Please, stay true to yourself, no matter how hard it'll get. Your brother will always be there to help you out when things look tough. Always have dreams and ambitions, and the confidence to accomplish them as those are what makes as human beings." She could not hold herself anymore.
"Oh," she cried, holding onto Minato's icy hands for comfort, "how I wish I can see you two grow into fine ninjas, to hold you in my arms, to wish you goodnight, to be there when life looks ready to crumble, to see you get married!" She wailed, trembling in her beloved arms.
"Minato," she wept, "I am so sorry. I took much of your time."
The blond merely shook his head with an understanding smile, his heart aching during Kushina's words. "Do not worry, dear. My words are the same as yours. All I want to add is that we love you very much, Mina-chan. We'll be looking after you in the afterlife."
Turning around, Minato nodded at the Shinigami, steeling his nerves as the being grinned crookedly. He performed a few hand seals before placing them on the Kyuubi's claw, exploding his chakra into the being. The God of Death raised his blade and swung it down into the beast's form. It phased through its body, but when he pulled his weapon out, a dark ethereal figure flew out, only to find safety inside of Minato.
Grunting from the invasion, he executed another set of hand seals, pushing his hands forward to face his daughter. "Eight Trigrams Seal!" Another figure, a lighter colour, soon followed. However, it found purchase within her daughter. With the plan finished, Minato sighed and hugged his trembling wife, ignoring the disappearing form of the divine being.
"It's time, dear." Kushina shook her head, not wanting to leave her babies alone. "No, please! I want to stay with them, Minato!" Minato grabbed her chin and turned her around, admiring her beauty. Her beautiful violet eyes glistened in the night. Her red hair, the first that he fell in love with, still felt smooth all those years ago when he first rubbed his hand against it.
He stared lovingly at his wife. "Even if we are in different planes, even if we will no longer see each other," he began, stroking her smooth face with his thumb, "my love for you will be eternal." With the last of his strength, he brought Kushina into one last deep kiss.
When Hiruzen and the others arrived at the scene, they saw nothing but the crying form of Mina and the couple locked in an embrace of their love under the moon's everlasting gracious light.
So, here is the first chapter of this story. I've had lots of thoughts and ideas after watching Naruto. And it's only until now that I can write them down. I quite like how it turned out to be, and I hope that you do too. Feedback would be appreciated.