Authors note: this is my first attempt at writing a genuin fanfic, I'm gonna take my time working on it so updates will be slow so bear with me pls. This is harem.

3rd Pov

REALM BETWEEN TIME AND SPACE

In the empty void, a single solitary light seemed to drift along an invisible current

Light: "wh-...a-...I..."

Barely coherent sentences continued to spill out while the light would fade like a dim candle barely clinging to life.

?: "I see. Most unfortunate that this has become your fate little one..."

The light's barely conscious mind could only vaguely make out the towering being before it. The tall figure seemed to be made out of a rainbow of color and wore long almost incandescent robes.

?: "Apologies, you most likely can't even make out much of what I'm even saying. For the damage, you've taken whilst drifting in the void. I can only give you my condolences regarding that, usually, the process of souls is much smoother than that, but from time-to-time backlash from other universes can cause waves that interfere with our systems. Ah- I suppose this doesn't make much sense to you but I find it comforting you doing your all to listen as you are."

Just as the figure stated. The little light's perception of what was happening kept faltering, but nevertheless, it continued to struggle to hear what the being said. For what reason, even it did not know.

?: "Hmm but perhaps you will be able to remember this more after what I have planned for you has come to fruition. Allow me to explain a bit. I am what is known as a universal god. One who manages the processes between universes. Our power and influence tend to be higher than worldly gods. Their power tends to come from belief so they are known by most of their world's residents while we are relatively unknown. Our power is higher by principle, and our influence within their domain is slightly limited. This includes even their alternate-world selves. Ah- I've begun to ramble again, forgive me. Allow me to get to how this all relates to you. You see you were meant to pass through the regular cycle of souls within my domain, but a wave rupture accrued." I believe it originated from some universe called Gurren something. Questions for later. "Anyways, to make up for your ordeal I've decided to pull some strings with one of the many alternative lower realms gods, this one rules over a world you should know quite well."

The little light could partly make out most of the figure's words, perhaps its will was recovering because it finally had something to focus on.

?: "Unfortunately before this, you only accumulated a rather equal amount of karma during your last life which means I cannot provide you with what you may know as 'cheats' or 'wishes'. However, I can supplement your fate and role with another being as this version of the world you know holds a few key differences from what you may remember, not enough to warrant a large concern, but may in fact be beneficial for you. Your memories should prove adequate enough as a boon, but with the damage ill have to do some patch-up for you, ill only do enough in regards to your destination however as doing more repair may be more detrimental than helpful. We wouldn't want your mind to have too much unnecessary baggage."

The light's focus was now completely on the figure and its fragmented mind had managed to repair itself somewhat, allowing the light to comprehend most of its words.

?: "Now the divinities over there already know you're coming, so the process should go smoothly. While I can't promise you a positive fate, I do wish you luck little one."

With that, a tear in the blackness around him revealed what appeared to be a starry space, and in the center a blue and green globe. The light felt a pull and was thus flung toward the globe in a manner of seconds. A sense of fatigue immediately overcame the light and its consciousness began to fade into darkness

ELEMENTAL NATIONS - Leaf Village Outskirts

Minato: "Damn this is harder than I thought!"

Right now the fourth Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves, Minato Namikaze, was face to face with one of the world's most powerful forces. A tailed beast, and arguably the strongest of them all, the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Kyuubi: "RRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!"

With a mighty roar, the ground and air shook from the beast's overwhelming power. Sending out another swipe of its claws Minato was forced to flash far away to avoid the attack and the ensuing Shockwave.

Minato: "It won't let up, and I'm running low on Chakra after that battle with that masked man. Master Jiraiya and the 3rd aren't here yet, Kushina is weakened, and the village is still reeling from the attack. My options are limited, DAMMIT!"

Slamming his fist into the tree next to him, Minato couldn't help but feel frustrated. He was the 4th Hokage yet he couldn't protect his wife, he allowed the enemy to retreat, and now he couldn't quell the beast that most likely wanted to destroy his home.

Just when the beast and he locked eyes again, a large number of golden chains erupted all around the Kyuubi and held it down restricting its movements.

Minato: "This is-? KUSHINA!"

Minato recognized this jutsu from what his wife had described to him. He wasted no time in using his flying Raijin to arrive at the source of the chains. His wife Kushina Uzumaki.

There Kushina stood, using her clan's Chakra chains to bind the Kyuubi with every ounce of strength she still had left in her weakened body

Kushina: "Now Minato! Take Naruto and Menma away from here. I'm going to use everything I have to draw the Nine Tails back inside me and take it with me to the afterlife!"

In Kushina's hands were two baby's, both with a set of whiskers, but one had a tuff of blonde hair while the other had red on top.

Minato: "No Kushina! We can still figure something out, what will I say to our own children if I let you die here like this!"

Kushina's battered body took a noticeable dip before Minato moved to support her. Her face portrayed nothing but pain and sadness, but her eyes shone with resolve

Kushina: "It's too late Minato. With the nine tails forcibly released from my body it's a miracle I'm still breathing. With what little time I have left... I want to secure the future of our children and to protect you..."

Minato couldn't help but feel useless. Here was his wife on death's door holding his newly born children, the people he vowed to protect at all cost and he had failed. He simply didn't have the strength to defeat the Kyuubi on top of everything else. But perhaps...there was another way.

Minato thoughts raced as he remembered the one jutsu he had learned from the Uzumaki clan. One of the ultimate sealing arts, the Reaper death seal, in exchange for the caster's life they can seal the soul of any living being.

But perhaps there was something more. The technique wasn't like any other jutsu. It was a contract, a contract between a living being and an actual shinigami. That means that there could possibly be more done than just sealing something in one's own body. Perhaps there was something Minato could do for his family. Even at the cost of his own life.

Minato: "No Kushina, I won't make you suffer leaving your own child behind...I'll save all of you, no matter the cost."

Minato begins to perform a set of hand seals and Kushina becomes shocked once she recognizes it.

Kushina: "No Minato! I'm going to die soon anyways, but you could at least watch over our sons. There's no need to give your own life!"

Minato: "Your wrong Kushina, I'm not going to deny you the life of a mother you always wanted. And remember the prophecy Jiraiya sensei told us about, I'm doing this not just for you, but for the sake of everyone and especially our sons. That masked man will bring destruction to our world. If this one act can save you and our children while securing the future, then ill have no regrets..."

With that Minato clapped his hands together completing the summoning stage for the Reaper death seal.

Once the reaper appeared it did something which shocked Kushina, its hand shot through Minato but rather than go for the Kyuubi its hand instead aimed for her! Once the hand firmly penetrated her chest she felt a wave of energy course through her.

Kushina: "Mi-Minato! This is?!"

Minato: "I realized *huff* that this Jutsu isn't just about *huff* sealing but rather *cough* allowing the user to communicate with the reaper for its power in exchange *cough* for the casters life..."

Kushina realized what Minato was doing. He was sharing his life force with her, supplementing what was taken by the Kyuubi while depleting his own.

Minato: "Now *huff* to move on to the big guy..."

Minato's time was running out quickly so he made another set of hand signs and summoned a podium and placed his two sons on it.

Kushina: "You don't plan to-?!"

Minato: "I am. But only for one of them, *huff* even if this can help them grow strong in the future it will also condemn them *cough cough*...I know you'll be there every step of the way for them but I'd like to at least give one of them more of a choice than the other if I could."

Minato declared solemnly before turning to face the nine tails. The beast had still been struggling in its chains this whole time and growled towards Kushina and Minato. The reaper's arm flew out again robbing Minato of even more life force, this time the hand reached the beast and pulled out a Chakra-shaped copy of the nine tails from its body and moved it towards the children and sealing the Chakra in one of them.

Minato: "So it's Naruto*cough cough*... I'm sorry my son, but I know you'll grow into a fantastic shinobi one day." Now, I just need to seal the other half in myse- gugh?!

Suddenly Minato found himself falling to his knees, his life force beginning to dwindle by the second.

Kushina: "Minato!"

Kyuubi: "NOW I HAVE YOU!"

Using the moment, the nine tails attempted to strike down the child who it believed would serve as its new prison before it could take its other half. However, before it could the chains tightened even more around its body stopping it short, the beast shot a glare at kushina, not realizing that with Minato's life energy she now had enough strength to at least restrain it for some degree.

Minato: Damn, the loss of my life force means I'm too weak now...even if I try to seal the remaining half of the nine-tailed fox inside me my body would deteriorate before the process even finished.

Despite what some believe, not just anyone can become a jinchuriki. It is most common to become one at an early age in order to acclimate to the beast's Chakra. Then there needs to be a certain level of compatibility between the beast and its vessel otherwise the delicate balance between their mind and body can break down immediately. And lastly, the vessel's body condition must be ideal, typically those with strong bloodlines or unique kekkai genkai are chosen as jinchuriki. So even if they are a child, they can be strong enough to sustain the beast's Chakra

Minato didn't have to worry about Naruto. Although his own bloodline wasn't necessarily very special, Naruto was an Uzumaki. Their bloodline was known for their impressively large life force. In fact, it's because of that reason that Kushina was able to last so long even though the nine tails had been ripped out of her, most would have typically died in the process

Unfortunately, Minato's life force was like scraps at the bottom of the barrel, he had no doubt his mind and body were strong, but without enough life force to sustain the seal long enough he would die before the process even finished, thus allowing the nine tails to break free. If he could last long enough to sustain the seal's completion then he could take the beast with him to the afterlife, but if the seal was broken halfway then the Kyuubi would survive

(A/c: this isn't all necessarily canon but part of fanfictions making your own lore and BS so meh)

Minato: I can't stop here, but how do I do this? Even though I gave kushina my life force I doubt her body condition is strong enough to sustain the Kyuubi anymore than I can right now. In which case...I have no choice.

Minato glanced back at the alter where his second son snoozed peacefully next to Naruto. Even throughout the whole commotion. With a heavy heart he looked back to his wife, her eyes widened in realization before giving a resolute but forlorn nod. With that Minato looked back to the Kyuubi

Minato: "I'm sorry Kushina, and I'm especially sorry to you Menma. I didn't want to thrust this upon you too but I have no choice. I'm sure you and Naruto will look out for each other, but I hope you will take care of Naruto just like a proper older brother should. I love you both and I love you Kushina."

With those final words, Minato let the shinigami's hand fly one last time toward the struggling Kyuubi. If he did not have enough life force to maintain and complete the seal then he could only depend on the last person here who could. The reaper dragged the shrinking form of the nine tails toward Menma and with a flash of light the seal was complete. Minato's body fell forward before being caught by kushina.

Kushina: *sob* "Minato...thank you *sniff* I love you so much dear *sniff* I promise, I promise you ill raise Naruto and Menma with all my heart...*sob* I love you..."

Minato gave one final love-filled smile before finally letting darkness claim him. In the distance, the third Hokage and Jiraiya could be seen finally making it to the site, but upon noticing the state of things their hearts grew heavy with sorrow

.

.

.

Unknown to everyone present, when Minato split the Kyuubi in half he also split its Chakra type from the other. The darker half was placed in the body of his first son, causing his bright red tuff of hair to completely blacken. What this meant for the future, only one person present knew...

Menma: I...see...

Authors note: so let me address some concerns and questions.

First id like to emphasize this is my first fic, so I ask you all be lenient with me. If you find mistakes or things you have a problem with, I welcome constructive criticism, not trolls.

Second I'd like to apologize to those who think this was long-winded or had a lot of unnecessary talking, 2.6k+ words btw, I wanted to establish the foundation and background for this story. Everyone knows how the world of Naruto works but this is my fanfic, so if I wanna change or twist some things so it can follow my direction I probably will

Now for those who obviously will say, 'that's not how the reaper seal works', or, 'thats not how jinchuriki and seals work'. I know, but these are also ideas and concepts not necessarily explored before and adding new facets to things we already know is why I personally enjoy fanfiction

For those who think Minato a bad dad for sealing the nine tails as he did, he didn't want to. If he killed the kuruma it would just come back in a few years and he wasn't aware he wouldn't have the strength to complete the seal. As for those wondering why I spared kushina anyways, it was so I could create a reason for menma gaining half the nine tails. As for why that turned his hair black I will explain that in the future

On another note this is a Harem story so nay sayers be gone (I guess) don't bug me about adding girls left and right, most members have been decided though some are still under consideration.

Anyways this is a long note, sorry, thanks for reading ! BYE BYE