I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form, it belongs to Kishimoto.

HOWEVER, if I did then Sasuke would've been brought back during OG, Naruto would've realized Hinata's feelings and returned them sooner, and Sasuke wouldn't have married Sakura. He could've married Karin or Ino, I don't care, just not Sakura.

'Thinking'

"Talking"

"YELLING"

"Deity/Bijuu"

"Jutsu"

Chapter 1 - The Grandfather

"Saru, I leave Konoha to you," said a silver-haired man, "Protect those who love the village, as well as those who believe in you. Take care of the people who are entrusted to raise the next generation of Konoha. Do not forget what me and Hashirama taught you, be sure to pass on the Will of Fire from generation to generation. Make Konoha burn brighter than the hottest flame. From this day on, you will be the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha."

"Hai!" said 'Saru.'

The man smiled, rushing off to battle the forces of their enemy nation. He looked back, one more time, as he saw the six members of his squad fade into the distance. This man was Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime Hokage of Konoha. He had on a black, long-sleeve shirt and black pants. He had on blue body armor and a fur collar. To his side was a standard katana. As the Nidaime Hokage, it was his duty to die for his village and nation. He was the only one who could complete this mission, and keep Konoha safe. The 5 Great Shinobi Nations had all gone to war, and he knew that this would be the battle to end it. His enemies were fierce, as he had to go up against an entire platoon of Kumogakure no Sato shinobi, including the infamous Gold and Silver Brothers, who were notorious for wielding a portion of the Kyuubi no Kitsune's chakra, a demon that could destroy villages with a single swipe of its tail. Tobirama knew he was heading towards his death, and he had accepted that long ago, since the death of his brother at the beginning of the First Shinobi World War. He made sure to get his kunai ready and strapped his katana to his waist tightly. Pushing forward, he made sure that everything else on his person was secure, knowing that it would be his biggest battle yet.

…

Just over the border, a group of nearly 500 Kumo shinobi were gathered around. Their leaders, Ginkaku and Kinkaku, had ordered that they were to invade Hi no Kuni by daybreak. They had readied their equipment, as they quickly noticed that the sky was brightening. Ginkaku and Kinkaku headed to the front of the army, being the ones to lead them. Suddenly, they saw a volley of kunai being thrown at them. The Kumo Shinobi quickly threw up defenses, with the Brothers surrounding themselves with Kyuubi's chakra, which was in the shape of a fox. The kunai sailed towards them. The kunai were stopped by Kumo's defenses, however, they were not ready for a second volley. Nearly 200 kunai were thrown across the battlefield, raining down on the Kumo shinobi. The Kumo shinobi, however, were not phased by the kunai, and dodged them with eaze, the kunai landing next to them harmlessly. Ginkaku and Kinkaku glared into the surrounding forest, expecting an army, however, they were not expecting a single man. Tobirama stepped out of the bushes. He glared at the army ahead of him, knowing he had one shot of what he had planned.

Kinkaku chuckled. Soon it turned to all out laughter with his brother joining him, "DUMBASS! YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT ALL OF US?! YOU'RE INSANE!" he howled.

"Ginkaku-taicho!" yelled a kumo-shinobi. He came up to his captain, holding one of Tobirama's kunai, "I'm not sure what it is, but there is a strange mark on this kunai."

The mark in question had six lines made up of kanji meeting in the center, with a small circle surrounding the point where all six lines met.

Ginkaku's eyes widened, "BAKA! DROP IT! ALL OF YOU RETREAT!"

However, his warning came too late as when he had turned around to see Tobirama, the Nidaime smirked and disappeared in a silver flash. What happened next could only be described as a massacre. One by one, every man in Ginkaku and Kinkaku's force was eliminated. In all, the whole thing lasted only about 10 seconds for all 500 shinobi. Once everyone was dead, Tobirama stood in the middle of the blood bath, his sword covered in his enemies blood.. Ginkaku and Kinkaku glared at the Senju, both of them growing a second tail onto their chakra cloak.

"YOU! DAMN YOU! WE'LL KILL YOU!" screamed the Brothers.

Kinkaku rushed forward at blinding speeds, cocking his fist back for a punch. Tobirama teleported away from his Gold Brother, appearing in front of Ginkaku, swinging his sword downward. Ginkaku growled and blocked the sword with his left arm, and stuck out his right arm attempting to impale the Nidaime. Again, Tobirama teleported away. He appeared at the opposite side of the battlefield, breathing heavily.

"This is going to be a lot harder than I expected. They're good. Along with the chakra of the Kyuubi, it just makes this a lot tougher than I had anticipated," thought Tobirama.

Tobirama looked up just in time to see Ginkaku grasp his head in his hand. The force of the blow broke the Nidaime's hitai-ate, with the forehead protector falling to the ground. As quick as he could, Tobirama flashed away. He appeared behind Ginkaku with his katana prepared to strike. He threw a kunai at the Silver brother, who to Tobirama appeared to be in slow motion. As the kunai soared past his face, Ginkaku's eyes widened. Tobirama appeared in front of Ginkaku, his sword in a finishing pose. He turned to see Ginkaku's horrified face, and his body from his torso above fell cleanly off his legs as the chakra of the Kyuubi disappeared.

Across the field, Kinkaku watched his brother fail to kill Tobirama, and the Senju appeared behind his brother, preparing to kill him. He saw Tobirama disappear and reappear in front of his brother, and his brother be split in half.

"GINKAKUUU!" screamed Kinkaku. He rushed at Tobirama, who was prepared for the Gold brother. In a fit of rage, Kinkaku began to grow a third tail which began to tear his skin off. The tail whipped Tobirama, who did not expect the chakra to be as strong as it was, sending him flying and burning his left arm, which he used to block the attack. The entirety of Kinkaku's skin had been torn off at this point, and a fourth tail was beginning to grow. Instead of the semi-transparent chakra cloak he had once had, it now fit tightly against his body, a red color due to his blood.

Tobirama crawled out of the pile of bodies that he had landed in, only to come face to face with a 4-tailed Kinkaku, the heat from the chakra stinging his eyes. Attempting to teleport away, he was swatted by the Gold brother like a fly. Teleporting mid air as a result of being too slow, he was thrown all across the battlefield, from where he had teleported to the marker he was thrown from. With one arm nearly immobilized due to the burn it had taken to save the rest of his body, and an extremely vengeful shinobi wielding the chakra of a demon, Tobirama had high doubts about surviving this battle. Looking at Kinkaku, his eyes widened to extreme proportions.

Kinkaku had his head facing the sky, blue and red chakra coming together above him to form a condensed ball of purple chakra. Once fully formed, the pseudo-jinchuuriki swallowed the ball, surprising Tobirama. However, that did not last for long as Kinkaku began to inflate like a balloon.

'Damn, this won't be good if I get hit by this,' thought Tobirama. Attempting to see any way he could get out of this, he tried to find any marker that may be out of range of this attack, due to Kinkaku being at the very end of the battle field.

Noticing a single marker beside Kinkaku, Tobirama knew he would only have one chance to kill Kinkaku. He made a Kage Bunshin, having it throw a Hiraishin kunai away so he would have a chance to survive.. Gathering his wits and reaching out to the marker, he felt a pull, and the sudden heat of the Kyuubi's chakra. Grabbing the kunai, Tobirama thrust the knife into the side of Kinkaku's skull as the pseudo-jinchuuriki let out his attack, a massive beam of golden-red chakra that spread for a mile disintegrating everything in its path. Due to his closeness, the entirety of Tobirama's left side was burned extensively, making him bleed profusely. However, Tobirama teleported soon enough that there would only be scarring. Kinkaku dropped to the ground dead, as he entire body lay there, burned after the chakra had dissipated. Tobirama landed next to the kunai, which inadvertently had landed in a river. He couldn't move, and due to that, didn't know where he was landing. The pain was just too much; even moving a finger made his entire body hurt. He soon realized that he would drown

'Well, at least *cough* everyone is safe *cough*. I just *cough* hope the Will of Fire live *cough* on,' he said to himself before everything went black.

…

Tobirama awoke with a start, bolting up. Taking a look at his surroundings, he noticed that he was sitting on an unknown bed. He seemed to be in a cottage by the look of things. Taking a look at himself, he noticed that his armor, collar, and sandals had been removed, leaving him in his black shirt and pants. He looked to his left, seeing that he was on the bottom floor of the house, if there was even a second. He took a step off of the bed, and quickly tripped over his armor. Well, at least he knew where it was. Taking a kunai from the ouch that had been laid by the armor, he quietly stepped out of the bedroom. He took a look around the house, finding out that it was single storied, and had quite an open floor plan, besides the bedrooms and bathrooms of course. There was a kitchen to his left, and what seemed to be a small reading nook to his right. He stepped out, still careful.

The front door swung open, startling the Nidaime who threw the kunai at the door frame. An "eep!" came from outside, alerting Tobirama of the person's location, however it made him realize that it was most likely a civilian. Retrieving the kunai, he looked outside to see a woman sitting on the ground, most likely falling due to being scared by the kunai. She had long, straight, golden-blonde hair and blue eyes. She had on a white t-shirt, a black skirt, and a pink apron.

"Who are you?" he asked. She may not be a shinobi, but that did not mean she wasn't the enemy, for all he knew, she could be a spy.

"Really? That's all I get? A 'Who are you?' No 'Thank you for helping me?'" she said, dusting herself off.

Tobirama stood there, contemplating her question, "Very well, thank you for helping me. However, if you don't mind my asking, where am I?"

The woman just rubbed her forehead, "Well, we're in Hi no Kuni, I can tell you that much. I don't know where you came from, but you washed up on shore just over there," she said, pointing to a river just in front of her house.

Tobirama nodded, "It seems after my battle a floated down here. How long have I been unconscious?"

The woman sighed, "It's just questions with you, I swear," she said, making Tobirama shift uncomfortably, "Anyways, you've been out for about a month. Not bad seeing that you had some nasty burns, but it's just scarring now. Well, now that we're acquainted, why don't you tell me who you are?" she asked him.

"Didn't I ask you that first?" he said, squinting his eyes at her, still on guard.

"And isn't it rude to ask for a lady's name before you give your own?" she said, smirking, and crossing her arms under her bust.

Tobirama sighed at being outsmarted by a mere civilian, "Very well, I am Senju Tobirama, Nidaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, and Konoha no Mizuchi (Konoha's Water Dragon)," he said.

"Wow, how long did it take for you to remember that long ass title huh?" she said, giggling as she passed Tobirama and entered her house. Tobirama, eye twitching, asked, "Well, I have introduced myself, now tell me who you are."

"Fine, pushy are we. Anyways, name's Namikaze Kaya, self-proclaimed prettiest hermit in Hi no Kuni, and enemy of the fish of the Naka River," she said, imitating Tobirama.

Tobirama turned away, trying to make Kaya avoid seeing his embarrassed blush.

"Anyways, how far are we from Konoha?" Tobirama asked.

"Huh? Konoha? Well, I suppose for a simple civilian like me it would take about 1½ weeks to get there, but for you, I guess 4 days," she said.

"I see. Are you aware of the war going on right now?" he asked.

Kaya snorted, "Of course I am, it's not like I'm off the grid or anything, there's a town like 2 miles from here," she said.

"Hmm, very well. I need to get going," he said, moving to get his equipment.

Kaya's eyes widened, "Woah, woah! Are you insane?! You just got up from being unconscious for a month, and those burns need more time to heal!" she said, trying to stop Tobirama.

"I can't waste time, my people need me. I may have stopped the Gold and Silver Brothers, but there is still the Raikage who is far tougher and my successor isn't ready for such an opponent," he said.

"Tobi, you said you were the Nidaime Hokage, correct?" asked Kaya.

"Hai, what of it?" Tobirama asked, growling at the "Tobi" nickname.

"Do you trust your shinobi?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Tobirama suddenly felt as if he was getting a scolding from his mother, "Yes, I do."

"Then let them handle this. If you have chosen a successor then they must be exceptionally strong, add that with a whole village and I'm sure they can hold the Raikage off long enough until you are fully healed from your injuries, however long they may take to heal," said Kaya, "You need to realize that you can't do everything by yourself."

Tobirama stood there in silence, captivated by what Kaya had said. He knew that he was in no shape to fight, and he knew what she said was the truth. He slowly nodded to Kaya accepting her explanation.

"When will I be able to fight in the war again?" he asked.

"Well, I'm no doctor, but those burns look pretty severe, and still bleed periodically. Hell, you were knocking on death's door when I found you. All in all, at least half a year to be able to fight at 3 quarters of your power, and 9 months to be back at full strength, but it's just a guess," said Kaya.

Tobirama wanted to argue with Kaya, but he knew she was right. He had nearly been killed fighting the brothers, and if it wasn't for her, he would surely be dead. He held out hope that Hiruzen would be able to lead the village well in his absence, and be the Hokage he wanted him to be.

…

As weeks turned to months, Tobirama slowly began to gain his strength back. His left arm was still badly damaged, as it took the brunt of the damage during the entire fight. However, due to most of his left side being damaged due to Kinkaku's final attack, it was hard for him to travel for very long, let alone sprint. Most of the time he spent with Kaya, it was either studying seals, reading in Kaya's nook (which she had quickly started calling "Tobi's Hidey-hole"), or trying to get to know the mysterious Kaya better.

Eventually, she had told him that her parents had died when she was 10 in a house fire, leaving her alone. She had run out into the forest in search of food when she came across the Naka River, and was able to catch and cook fish. After following the river for a few miles, she came across a clearing next to a mountain, the same one she stills lives in to this day. Tobirama was impressed, being alone since 10 and being able to survive out in the wild for so long as a civilian. Taking offense to this, Kaya slapped the back of Tobirama's head, which now became a ritual whenever Tobirama smart-mouthed Kaya. The behavior between the two contrasted quite a lot, with Kaya being hyperactive and booksmart, while Tobirama was rugged and intelligent all around. Kaya's personality reminded Tobirama so much of his late brother, Hashirama, who died at the beginning of the war, after fighting for nearly a week straight against the power of Kiri and Iwa. However, the two's personalities would often get them into little scuffles, with Kaya always being a smartass, and Tobirama debunking everything she had to say. However, there was a point where their personalities met, and that was the fact that both of them had wanted for peace, and a strong sense of love. This just made the two even closer as the months went by. Tobirama would always be captivated by Kaya's ocean blue eyes, with Kaya being the same with Tobirama's crimson orbs. When either made the other laugh, it would simply brighten their day, and bring the two closer together. Eventually, they could not hide their attraction for each other any longer, and the love that they had for each other came together in one night filled with passion and desire for the other.

…

It was now the 9th month of Tobirama's stay. He would be able to return to the war, and help Konoha with the faction of Kumo shinobi and the Raikage. He had heard stories about Hiruzen's leadership and bringing down Kumo's numbers by a lot, and couldn't be prouder. However, the Raikage was still causing chaos for Konoha, and their numbers were rapidly dropping. He knew it was his time, and he would have to face the Raikage to save his village.

"Please, don't go Tobi-kun," pleaded Kaya, tears streaming down her face, one hand on her stomach where there was a sizable bulge, proof of the night they had shared those months ago.

"I'm sorry Kaya-chan, but I must, there is no one else who will be able to stop the Raikage, only I will be able to. Konoha may have held out for this long, but I fear if I don't go now, Konoha will be crushed soon enough," he said, sorrow filling his voice, not wanting to leave the one who now meant the world to him.

"But what if you don't come back, I don't know what I would do w-mmph!" Kaya started before being silenced by Tobirama, kissing her with all the passion he could give her.

"I promise you Kaya-chan, I will come back to you, and we will raise the baby together. I promise you, I will raise little Minato with you."

"Minato? How do you know it's a boy?" she asked.

Tobirama smirked, "I just do," he said, giving his typical smart response, "Please, go to Konoha, and promise you will wait for me there," he said.

Kaya smiled, looked down and nodded, "Go," she said.

Tobirama smiled once more, and giving her one last kiss, he left.

Tobirama looked back at Kaya as a tear threatened to fall from his eye, 'Forgive me, Kaya-chan.'

Little did Kaya know, that would be the last time she would ever see her beloved.

…

Kaya was able to arrive in Konoha after just over 3 weeks of travel. She was able to arrive safely without witnessing any battle thanks to the forest of Konoha and Tobirama fending off Kumo. When she arrived at the gate, she was forced to go through several steps to ensure she wasn't an enemy, one of them nearly making her lose her cool when a shinobi asked what she was hiding under her dress, mistaking her pregnancy for a possible weapon. When she was finally cleared, she was asked for her name. Tobirama had stated that he wanted her to keep her maiden name to keep her safe, and he had done well enough so far, so she listened to him.

"Namikaze Kaya," she answered to the guard.

…

After 4½ months, Kaya was now living in an apartment in Konoha, which overlooked the Hokage monument. Whenever she awoke, she could view her beloved's face until he returned. During those 4 months, Kaya had finally given birth to baby Minato. Just like Tobirama said, it was a boy. He had Tobirama's face, but had Kaya's blue eyes. Minato's hair was spiky and shaggy, just like Tobirama's, but was golden-blonde like Kaya's. Kaya had become very hopeful that Tobirama would return soon, however, hope was very fragile, and Kaya's hope was shattered when she heard the news of Tobirama's death after his battle with the Nidaime Raikage, both killing each other with their final blow. For months, she could not stop crying. She knew how bad she was affecting Minato, but she could not stop. Her one true love in the world was dead. However, he had left her with one thing to remind her of, her son. Kaya swore to herself that she will make him just like his father, a fearsome shinobi, yet a caring person nonetheless. If he wishes to be Hokage so be it, but she will help him become the best person he can no matter what. She will make sure he knows everything about his father, and will carry on his legacy.

…

Eventually, it came the time where Minato would become a shinobi. She had met his sensei, Jiraiya, on a few separate occasions, and though a very strong shinobi, he had his faults (cough, cough, research). Minato would learn his father's jutsu, including the jutsu that would make him famous, the Hiraishin. Minato would master it to a level Tobirama could only dream of. Minato would soon become close with a red-haired girl he introduced to Kaya as Kushina, and they would start dating soon after. Unfortunately, a few months after Minato advanced to Chuunin at 14, Kaya would pass away. If there was one thing that Kaya was happy about, it was meeting Kushina. Honestly, she was just like Kaya. She was indeed a strong kunoichi, specifically when it came to fuinjutsu and kenjutsu, and her overall attitude was like Kaya when she first met Tobirama. When her life came to an end, the last thought that came to her mind was of the man that had given her so much in this world. And she was happy that she would be able to meet him next, content that his legacy will live on through her son.

END

Author's Notes

Damn that was a lot. Well, it really wasn't but I haven't written in so long that I feel so bad at it. In reality it probably isn't as bad as I think, but if it isn't just give me some feedback please. Thanks for reading and glad to be back!