I kept Naruto close while Hiruzen and a few men escorted me through what was left of the village...it was strange getting used to a new form, especially one that wasn't even anything from Earth, but I knew I had to keep what was left of my sanity and adapt for Naruto's sake since I promised his parents and I would be damned if I dishonored their memory by not respecting their dying wish.
I saw many survivors in different stages of grief and anguish as most of them were either calling out for their loved ones, stumbling around in shock, or holding dead bodies while sobbing at the tragedy that had just happened.
After the whole tragic events of tonight and revealing to Hiruzen that I could talk, he ordered me to follow him and explained that there would be a Council meeting soon to discuss what was going to happen to me and what was going to be Naruto's future, but he had someone contact two old students of his and one of them was heading back to the village. I didn't blame them for not knowing what to do with me since I was an unexpected anomaly in their lives.
"How much longer?" I asked Hiruzen while we were moving through the streets.
"Not much longer because we're almost there, strange one," Hiruzen assured as we were approaching a large building.
"Seth," I said and Hiruzen looked at me in confusion.
"I'm sorry?" Hiruzen inquired.
"My name is Seth Mercer," I clarified while I made sure Naruto was secure in the makeshift baby carrier and eyed anyone suspiciously whenever they got too close.
"Seth Mercer...a strange name but it's not my place to judge," Hiruzen stated as we entered the building and before I knew it, we arrived in an office and Hiruzen took a seat at the desk that was at the end of the room.
"Never thought I would be sitting in this chair again," Hiruzen muttered as I removed the straps that were around my furry torso and carefully lowered Naruto to the ground.
"You've been in this office before?" I asked and Hiruzen nodded.
"Correct, I used to be this village's leader called the Hokage until Minato took my place and I retired...only it looks like I'm going to be out of retirement soon after what happened," Hiruzen explained and I felt guilt rise up when he mentioned Minato.
"Yeah..." I trailed off as I recalled everything I had witnessed and started trembling with a thousand-yard stare while the horrific memory of being assimilated came flooding back.
"Seth, are you okay?" Hiruzen inquired in concern and I shook my head to clear it.
"No, I'm not and I don't want to talk about it if it's alright with you," I stated and Hiruzen nodded.
"Of course...Seth, if you don't mind me asking, why haven't you let the medic-nins check Naruto to see that he's okay?" Hiruzen asked and I shot him a look of distrust.
"Because I don't know you or anyone else here and that gives me all the reason not to trust you or them," I replied shortly with a frown and Hiruzen sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Seth, I assure you that no one is going to hurt you or Naruto so would you please give us the benefit of the doubt?" Hiruzen pleaded but I wasn't phased by it.
"Your word doesn't mean anything to me so unless you prove that you won't hurt Naruto, I've got no reason to trust anything you say," I stated firmly and Hiruzen looked like he wanted to argue but appeared to let it go as he stood up and headed to the window, looking outside with his hands clasped behind his back and seemed to reflect on something.
"Very well...that's fair so I suppose that actions speak louder than words," Hiruzen relented just as a person wearing an animal mask appeared behind him.
"Lord Hokage, Jiraiya of the Sannin is here as you requested," the man announced.
"Send him in please," Hiruzen responded as he looked back.
"As you say," the man said before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and a few seconds later, a man with long white spiky hair entered the office before Hiruzen smiled a little.
"Hello, Jiraiya, it's good to see you again, even if it's under such terrible circumstances. How was your trip here?" Hiruzen asked as he went back to the desk and sat down.
"Not to be rude, but that matters little right now...is it true, sensei? Are Minato and Kushina truly dead?" Jiraiya inquired and I could tell he was trying to keep his composure.
"Yes," Hiruzen answered solemnly and Jiraiya swore under his breath as he averted his gaze and sighed before making eye contact with Hiruzen again.
"May I...see the bodies?" Jiraiya asked hesitantly.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Jiraiya," Hiruzen refused and Jiraiya looked less than happy to hear that.
"And why the hell not?! Can't I even say goodbye to my last surviving student?!" Jiraiya exploded as he slammed his hands onto the desk, and Hiruzen raised a hand to placate him while I was busy keeping Naruto calm.
"You will, but Minato and Kushina are currently being taken care of for the funeral so there's no need to be outraged," Hiruzen reassured and Jiraiya let out a tired sigh.
"What about their son, Naruto? Is he okay?" Jiraiya questioned worriedly.
"Naruto is fine, he's probably one of the few people who came out of this unscathed," Hiruzen said and Jiraiya frowned.
"I don't know if I'd call having two halves of a demon sealed inside him and a dog "unscathed", sensei," Jiraiya pointed out and Hiruzen seemed to realize his poor choice of words as he cleared his throat.
"True...excuse my lack of tact and to answer your first question, he's right here with the dog I mentioned in your letter. A couple of medic-nin tried to check Naruto's condition, but the dog won't let anyone near him due to trust issues. Now, Naruto and the dog were the reasons I called you here," Hiruzen stated.
"Because I'm his Godfather and you wanted me to check the seal on the dog since sealing the fox in an animal has never happened before," Jiraiya replied as he looked at me and I stared back suspiciously.
"Exactly...according to Minato and Kushina's will, they left everything to Naruto; all their physical assets such as their house and other properties, as well as all their liquid assets which will be managed by his legal guardian until Naruto comes of age and according to their will, this person is you," Hiruzen explained.
"I see..." Jiraiya trailed off and an uncomfortable silence followed his laconic answer.
"So...do I suppose you're up to becoming Naruto's legal guardian and raise him until he's eighteen? Regardless of Minato's will, we can assign another legal guardian if you refuse," Hiruzen offered and I watched Jiraiya pondering it but he appeared to be unsure so I decided to say my peace.
"I'll look after him," I declared, causing the older men to shoot looks of disbelief at me.
"I'm sorry, Seth, did I just hear you say that you'll raise Naruto?" Hiruzen inquired and a nod from me made Jiraiya blink at that.
"Seth, was it? No offense, but you're a dog and no one will take you seriously because of it and they definitely won't let you adopt Naruto," Jiraiya pointed out and a dark chuckle from me caused him and Hiruzen to be taken aback.
"Yeah...if I actually was a dog," I said and my bitter tone caused the two older men to look unsettled while I looked at them with a hollow expression no one should have.
"Seth, I don't understand what you mean by that because you look like a dog to us," Hiruzen stated as I curled up around Naruto to keep him warm and hoped I didn't assimilate him by accident.
"I might look like a dog but I'm not, just an imitation of one," I said and the older men looked at each other before returning eye contact.
"Seth, are you trying to tell us that you're someone that's taken the form of a dog?" Jiraiya inquired and I grimaced while inwardly kicking myself for giving them too much information so that they could potentially use against me.
"I've said too much and we're getting off track...I made a promise to Naruto's parents that I would look after him and I'll keep honoring their dying wish for as long as I live," I declared firmly, causing Hiruzen and Jiraiya to look at me with uncertainty but my expression told them that I was not budging from my decision.
"I'm not sure about this but if it's Minato and Kushina's dying wish, then I'll accept it...though the Council won't," Hiruzen pointed out and I noticed Jiraiya also frowning at this unexpected development.
"On one condition, I get involved in Naruto's life since I'm his Godfather," Jiraiya offered and I looked at him suspiciously before nodding.
"Then we're all in agreement then," I stated stoically.
"Alright, let's see if we can come to an arrangement on getting you to live in Minato's house," Jiraiya offered but Hiruzen shook his head.
"Actually, I don't think that's a good idea," Hiruzen intervened and I frowned at him.
"How so?" I questioned in confusion.
"You see, Minato had a lot of enemies that would love to get revenge on him through his son, so I believe that we should keep Naruto's existence, as well as his parentage and status as a Jinchuriki a secret outside the village's walls. That's why I think we should sell all of Minato and Kushina's properties and use that money to buy a house for you to live in...also, I think that we should give Naruto his mother's last name instead," Hiruzen explained.
"But sensei, Naruto has the right to know who his parents are and it would be a disservice to Minato and Kushina's memory if we keep it from him," Jiraiya protested calmly and Hiruzen looked thoughtful for a few seconds and nodded.
"I suppose you got a point there, Jiraiya...alright, for the time being, you and Seth can tell Naruto that his parents were powerful ninja who died during the night the fox attacked but keep their names a secret for the time being, same goes with the fox," Hiruzen agreed and I decided to speak up.
"Excuse me, but I have to disagree with that because you just can't keep something that big a secret from him, especially if the rest of the village finds out," I pointed out and Hiruzen looked at me.
"It's for his own protection and the village won't find out since I've taken necessary steps to ensure that," Hiruzen stated but I wasn't impressed and stared at him with a deadpanned expression.
"How is being ignorant to the incredibly dangerous being inside of him is going to protect him exactly?" Jiraiya inquired skeptically.
"Listen, I want Naruto to have a normal life...it's what his parents would've wanted and Naruto carries a heavy burden on his shoulders as Seth does, but he shouldn't be aware of it yet. That's why I'm going to have any witnesses keep quiet about Naruto and Seth's sealing so that they won't be persecuted for something that was out of their control," Hiruzen replied and I blinked at that with a look of disbelief.
"Alright, let me tell you why that's a monumentally stupid idea...your solution amounts to ignoring the fox and we could ignore it, but that won't make the fox disappear and even I know that. Threatening or bribing witnesses to keep quiet might protect Naruto to an extent but someone will find out eventually and that person will spread the knowledge of us being Jinchuriki like wildfire until the entire village knows about it," Jiraiya stated and Hiruzen didn't look happy to hear that.
"Even if that's true, how can Seth and Naruto have a normal life then?" Hiruzen questioned and I let out a chuckle.
"Any chance of a normal life for me is long gone and let's face the facts, such a thing is completely impossible for Naruto and not that it's a bad thing since normal doesn't have to mean happy...Jiraiya and I will make sure that Naruto's childhood is as fulfilling as possible," I declared and Jiraiya shot me a look of gratitude.
"Thanks for backing me up, Seth," Jiraiya said and I nodded.
"I'm just stating the truth," I replied bluntly.
"But if his generation grows up knowing that Naruto carries the demon fox, it might alter their perceptions of him and will judge him unfairly...it'll be nearly impossible for him to make friends," Hiruzen interjected and I sighed.
"Even though Kushina had you promise to keep Naruto's status secret, I'm sure that even she knew that keeping something like this quiet is nothing more than a pipe dream at best and some part of her must've known that this won't be kept quiet for long so it's better that people hear it from you instead of someone twisting the entire story for their own benefit," I stated while looking down at Naruto and frowning at the thought of what his life will be.
"I'm still not sure about this..." Hiruzen trailed off hesitantly and Jiraiya looked at him with a sympathetic expression.
"Tell me, sensei, do you think anybody would let their children near Naruto, knowing what he's holding inside? At the very least, with all the facts, the children will be able to judge Naruto by themselves and if they're unable to differentiate between the prisoner and its jailer, then they aren't worth his time so Seth has a point when he says it's better that everyone hears it from you," Jiraiya said and Hiruzen still looked doubtful.
"You and Seth seem very sure of yourselves, Jiraiya, so are you two sure this won't backfire?" Hiruzen questioned.
"I would be lying if I said I was one hundred percent sure, but I do believe it's the best option so let's have faith that the new generation will accept Naruto and won't judge him unfairly. You always drilled into my head the importance of protecting the next generation so if we protect them, then we can place some trust in them, right?" Jiraiya pointed out and Hiruzen was silent for a few moments as he pondered Jiraiya's words until he smiled and let out a soft chuckle.
"To think that I just had one of my teachings used against me...yes, I suppose that you and Seth proved your point, Jiraiya. Very well, there will be no special laws regarding Naruto so you two will be tasked with his protection and well being, and we'll have faith that Naruto will be accepted among his peers, regardless of his burden.
There's one more thing I'd like to talk about that concerns you two...even if I can guess Jiraiya's answer about becoming a shinobi again, is there a chance that you might be able to join the Leaf Village's ninja ranks, Seth?" Hiruzen offered and I was taken aback before I frowned at the thought of killing people once I become a ninja.
"I don't know what I can do since I'm just a dog," I said and Hiruzen chuckled mirthfully.
"Seth, I know you were that creature everyone saw earlier so you don't have to try and deceive me," Hiruzen stated and I shot him a stunned expression while Jiraiya appeared to be confused by what he just heard.
"H-How the hell did you-" I stuttered and started looking nervous.
"Figure it out? A creature looking like someone's worst nightmare shows up during the fox's attack, it gets transported away with Minato and the fox, then I arrive and see you in the area with Naruto's parents and the fox without the creature in sight.
After that, along with you mentioning that you're the imitation of a dog, it really wasn't hard to put it together and figure out that you and the creature are one and the same," Hiruzen explained and I tensed up while looking at him warily, just as Naruto started squirming slightly and I nuzzled him.
"What are you going to do to me now that you know? Are you going to kill me?" I questioned with narrowed eyes and Hiruzen raised a hand.
"Relax, you haven't proven that you're a threat to the village so I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and if Minato and Kushina trusted you enough to raise Naruto, then I'm going to give you a chance but in return, you're to join our village's ninja ranks since you can make enough Ryo and combine that with Minato and Kushina's funds to support Naruto and yourself for a very long time.
There's one other thing, you'll have to explain why and how you are a dog now when you were that creature before so will you accept?" Hiruzen inquired and I frowned as I started thinking about what to do next.
I didn't trust Hiruzen and Jiraiya because I knew almost nothing about them so I was about to refuse, but the problem is that I had nowhere to go and knew nothing about this new world I found myself in and who knows what happened between the time after I got assimilated and regained my humanity in this world. What was also a problem is that I had no money and living on the run is no place for a child so I couldn't let Naruto live that kind of life and I knew that I didn't have any choice but to agree.
"Alright, I'll accept because I have no other choice and there's nowhere else to go," I agreed reluctantly and Hiruzen smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that so how about you explain what you are and how you are able to change your form in such a manner," Hiruzen suggested and I let out a laugh that didn't reach my eyes.
"Honestly, I have no idea what I am but I can tell you this, I used to be a normal human without the ability to change into a monster until..." I trailed off with a haunted expression as I recalled being raped before being assimilated and I suddenly felt violated in the worst way possible while I trembled from the horrific trauma I experienced.
"Seth?" Jiraiya asked in concern and I snapped out of it while shaking my head to try and forget what I've been through.
"S-Sorry...anyway, as I was saying, I used to be human until I encountered a creature that makes your darkest nightmares look like a picnic," I told them and Hiruzen started stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"Interesting, and what was this creature?" Hiruzen inquired.
"I have no idea what it really was or what its origins are, but the scientific notes I found in an old abandoned research facility described that they also encountered the creature and were able to discover that the thing was an alien lifeform that's able to assimilate and imitate any organic lifeform down to the cellular matter, replicating memories, personality, and mannerisms so perfectly that no one would be able to tell the difference.
Unfortunately, the alien was hostile and it attacked the researchers one by one until the building was destroyed from massive explosions by who I assume to be the only survivor that managed to stay alive but chances are that he didn't make it, only the problem was that the thing somehow survived and it must've been hibernating for decades until I showed up and it...it assimilated me and the next thing I know, I'm here in this village after somehow regaining my humanity again and now I'm going to be the father of an orphan," I explained while Hiruzen and Jiraiya were rendered silent by what they just heard until Jiraiya cleared his throat.
"That's...unlike anything I have ever heard of before but it sounds like you now have a Kekkei Genkai," Jiraiya said and I was looking at him strangely.
"I'm sorry, what's a Kekkei Genkai?" I inquired in confusion.
"Allow me to explain, a Kekkei Genkai is an anomaly in your DNA that allows you to perform unique abilities that are only passed down through genetics and what you're describing is that you now possess a Kekkei Genkai that enables you to shapeshift into anyone or anything that's organic while also absorbing any lifeform.
This is something I have never heard of before and I have seen many things over the years, which is why your abilities would be beneficial to the village and you would help us greatly if any problems were to occur. So, do you think you could give us a demonstration?" Hiruzen asked but it didn't sound like a request as I shook my head.
"No, I'm not going to do that because the...morphing process is highly disturbing, really messy, and I'm not sure your sanity will stay intact once you see me change into another form," I refused firmly and Hiruzen's eyes narrowed before Jiraiya raised a hand.
"Anyway, I've decided that I'm going to lend my assistance by granting you my spy network so that we could figure out how this tragedy happened and why Kushina's seal malfunctioned before the fox was unleashed into the village," Jiraiya cut in to try and ease the tension and I perked up since this was my chance to tell them what Minato told me.
"Actually, I know how this happened," I announced and they instantly looked at me in surprise.
"You do?" Jiraiya questioned and I nodded.
"Well, before Minato died, he told me that a man with an orange spiraled mask was responsible and that he's someone by the name of Madara Uchiha..." I trailed off when I saw the blood draining in Jiraiya and Hiruzen's faces, telling me that they know who that is and not in a good way.
"No...that's impossible because Madara died a long time ago so he can't be alive today," Hiruzen gasped in horror and shock while Jiraiya was just as shaken up as he is.
"I take it that Madara was not a good person back then?" I asked and they nodded while still looking disturbed.
"Madara Uchiha was a part of the Uchiha Clan back when the First Hokage was still alive and he had been eager for the title of First Hokage, only it had been given to his close friend Hashirama Senju and Madara did not take it well.
Madara went rogue and declared war against the village but Hashirama put a stop to any loyalists before they could do any damage and personally went after Madara himself, then he proceeded to fight against Madara while the rogue ninja summoned the Nine-tailed Fox and Hashirama managed to succeed by killing Madara and sealing the fox into his wife, Mito Uzumaki.
The thought of Madara surviving that fight and going into hiding all these years until he unleashed the fox tonight makes me ill, but it shouldn't be possible since he would be a hundred years old now if he had survived," Jiraiya explained and I frowned as I thought about how this was possible until I came to a theory that would only make sense.
"Is it possible that Madara did survive and he had been in hiding all these years until he recruited someone to continue his work in his name?" I inquired and the two men blinked at that before they started pondering it.
"Yes...that would make sense and it would have to be someone who has a serious grudge against the village, though we have made a lot of enemies over the years so it will take a while to figure out the identity of our masked enemy.
What's really troubling me is that the only way the fox can be controlled to attack the village is an Uchiha, and every Uchiha in the village is accounted for since they were put in reserve by one of the village elders so either it was an Uchiha we missed or it was someone that managed to figure out how to control the fox without an Uchiha," Hiruzen told me and Jiraiya cleared his throat.
"Sensei, I need to investigate this and see if we can figure out what's going on because it sounds like someone is working behind the scenes and using Madara's identity to steer us in the wrong direction.
I'm not going to lie, this might take years until I can discover who our mystery man is so I might not be able to spend time with Naruto, although...I could visit once a month every year to have some involvement in his life," Jiraiya offered and Hiruzen looked at me.
"How does that sound, Seth?" Hiruzen asked and I appeared thoughtful as I considered the proposal until I came to a conclusion and nodded.
"As long as he spends time with Naruto, even if it's once a month, I'm fine with this," I agreed and the two men smiled.
"Very well, looks like we're all in agreement so I'm going to get the paperwork ready for you so that you can sign it to make things official but you're going to have to take your human form if you want this adoption to proceed since no one is going to let a dog be Naruto's adopted father," Hiruzen pointed out and I nodded just as another person with an animal mask appeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Lord Third, the Council is ready for you and our mystery guest," the woman informed him and Hiruzen nodded as he stood up and gestured me to follow him.
"Before we head to this meeting, I'm going to become human so do you have a bathroom and a pair of clothes I could wear?" I inquired and before I knew it, I was escorted to the bathroom by one of the masked people who had a pair of clothes after reluctantly letting them take Naruto until we had arrived at the bathroom and I focused on changing back once I was given privacy.
Seeing myself shift back into my human form was a really unpleasant sight and I tried not to throw up, then it was thankfully over and I made sure to wash the blood off of me and the floor while I wondered if there was a way to shapeshift without it being a messy and revolting process so that I wouldn't traumatize anyone and make them puke. I got dressed and looked at myself in the mirror, seeing my normal slightly tanned skin, red hair, and blue eyes while I was wearing similar clothes that the masked people wore.
I felt my face and was simply rendered speechless at how there were no changes at all without anything being out of place, not even the slightest detail like I was my old self again but I knew different and that a monster lurked under my flesh. I gritted my teeth with eyes narrowed in rage as I remembered what had been done to me while I was being assimilated and with an enraged shout, I smashed my fist against the mirror and it cracked while I could see something wriggling under my skin like worms crawling under it and I broke down at the knowledge of what I am now.
I sobbed as I slowly dropped to my knees and rested my back against the wall while I cried from feeling violated and revolted, frantically rubbing my arms and sides to try and get rid of the phantom sensation of that thing's claws all over me and let out a shout of frustration when it didn't work and I now knew the horrible trauma rape victims went through, feeling violated in the worst way while trying to get rid of the phantom sensation of your attacker touching you but failing.
I sniffled as I stood up and wiped my cheeks to get rid of the tears and I let out a shaky breath as I looked at my reflection one last time and exited the bathroom, meeting up with Hiruzen and Jiraiya as they saw me and I nodded to show that they were looking the same person who used to be a dog not too long ago.
"So, this is what you look like as a human?" Jiraiya inquired and I looked at him as we walked together to the meeting room.
"Yeah...let's get this meeting over with," I muttered with a sour expression and the others looked at each other as I took Naruto back and made sure he was secured in the baby carrier before we arrived at two double doors, then they opened and I was escorted into the meeting room before I could see many people stop whispering and staring at me before Hiruzen headed to the seat at the head of the room with me right behind him.
"Sorry for the wait, now I hereby declare this meeting underway," Hiruzen stated and I let out a quiet shaky sigh as the meeting got started and wondered what would happen to me once the meeting was over.
As the meeting dragged on, I was lost in thought about my whole situation and tried to figure out the amount of knowledge that was now in my head and I was astonished that there was so much of it, not to mention that I had been sorting through the memories and experiences of so many forms that appeared to be limitless...telling me that this thing had been all over the universe and assimilated so many lifeforms for God knows how long.
What disturbed me was the memories of human scientists and soldiers that had been absorbed by the Thing and I now had their experiences and skills, which felt very wrong since it was like I was violating the dead and it made me very uncomfortable just as I heard one of the councilmen, Inoichi, offering to take a look into my mind so that he could make sure that I wasn't suffering from any mental issues or was a threat to the village.
I was confused at first then I realized what he meant by going into my mind by using some kind of telepathy and I was more than uncomfortable at that, but I knew that this was the perfect chance to find out if I was the original consciousness or the imitation so I hesitantly agreed and Inoichi approached before placing a hand on my head.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!" Inoichi declared and everything went black as I felt an unknown presence enter me while I was trying to control my alien instincts that wanted to assimilate the intruder out of self-preservation.
The next thing I knew, I heard the sound of raging winds and opened my eyes before they widened at the sight of the familiar arctic wasteland with the ruined research base nearby and my eyes welled up from the stress since I had hoped that I would never see this horrible place again.
"This is your mind? It doesn't look like something a person should have," Inoichi stated while he was looking around and I looked away from him.
"Let's just do this," I muttered with a haunted expression and I noticed Inoichi looking at me in concern before we started exploring.
Before I knew it, Inoichi had examined what he had decided to call my Mindscape and didn't find any problems that were a cause for concern but then we came across a giant cave that had a large gate with a tag covering what I assume to be the lock while the sound of menacing growls came from the large sealed up cave.
"What the fuck is that and what's making those noises?" I questioned warily as Inoichi got close to the large gate, then he quickly jumped back when massive claws shot out of the gate to try and impale him while I yelped and backpedaled a few feet away with a startled expression.
I was clutching my chest and gasping heavily as I tried to recover from the scare, then my eyes widened when the interior of the cave got brighter and I saw the fox that had been sealed up in me but his fur was a darkish brown than the orange-red I was familiar with and I could see the fox growling with a displeased scowl before he pulled his human-like paw back and sat up to display his full size in an effort to intimidate us.
"So, one of my new jailers and the mind walker has deigned to grace me with their presence...what the fuck do you two want?" the fox questioned rather rudely as he leered down at us like we were nothing but lower than dirt while I was simply in awe at how majestic he was with his large size and nine beautiful tails.
"You're the Nine-tailed fox...but you look different than the last time I saw you," I spoke up after clearing my throat nervously and the fox huffed as he laid down and shot me a glare.
"It's to be highly expected after being torn in half by one of you filthy humans and sealed up into two disgusting monkeys...but you aren't human at all, are you shapeshifter?" the fox pointed out as he stared at me with his blood-red eyes and I shivered from the intense malice and hate that was coming off of him like a tidal wave as I tried to keep it together.
"No...I'm not and I never expected my mindscape to look like this," I said and the malevolent chuckle made me feel unsettled as the fox shot me a twisted grin.
"Yes, this is the very place where your life changed forever and you have become unlike anything I have seen in this world, which intrigues me so I'll be watching your progress as you try to survive in this hellish world," the fox told me and I frowned at that since I had no idea what was going on inside his mind and I wanted to know why he was so interested in me.
"Why are you so interested in whatever I do in this world?" I inquired curiously and the fox sniffed as he sent a cold glare at me.
"My reasons are my own, now get the fuck out of here and don't bother me again," the fox snapped irritably as he laid his head down and closed his eyes.
Seeing that the fox wasn't in the mood for a conversation, I looked at Inoichi while he was staring at the fox in surprise and he looked at me before I nodded, and then we left my mindscape until Inoichi reported on what he found and then the meeting continued after that.
After a few hours had passed by, the Council had been informed of the events of what had happened and who might've been responsible before it turned into an argument between the civilians and the shinobi on what to do with me and Naruto. I didn't blame the civilians for calling me dangerous and being afraid of what I can do since I was a monster now that could wipe out the entire village if I wanted to, but what peeved me was the fact that they wanted Naruto dead the second Hiruzen revealed his status to everyone and Hiruzen shut them up by doing something that caused them to freeze up.
"Enough, that baby is an innocent child and demanding to have him killed is disgusting while Seth never asked for any of this...I'm only revealing this because he and Jiraiya made several good points on why it's not a good idea keeping it quiet from the village.
In any case, there will be no special laws protecting Naruto and Seth but that doesn't mean that Seth isn't allowed to defend himself or Naruto if any of you decide to go after them so I wouldn't recommend it if I were you. One more thing, Seth will be taking care of Naruto from now on so If that is all, this meeting is adjourned," Hiruzen stated as he stood up from his seat and gestured me and Jiraiya to follow him.
After that, a few weeks had passed by and I had gotten the paperwork taken care of until I had become the legal guardian of Naruto, then I used Minato's money to buy and remodel a two-story house that had been damaged in the fox's attack but it needed a lot of work before Naruto and I could live in it like giving the front a paint job, replace broken glass, fix the plumbing and electricity, and move out the previous occupant's possessions before giving them to his nearest relatives since he tragically died during the chaos and didn't need them anymore.
Before the house was done being repaired, Naruto and I were forced to live in an improvised shelter for those who lost their homes to the fox's attack until we were ready to move in after weeks of hard work. Once the house was done, Jiraiya had called dibs on setting up Naruto's bedroom and despite my uncertainty about it due to paranoia and distrust, I had relented in the end and allowed him to get to work on it but the fact that he locked the door and didn't allow anyone to enter until he was done made me feel a small amount of dread.
"Alright, here it is so what do you think?" Jiraiya asked as he opened the door and I braced myself for whatever he did.
I had to admit that it wasn't as bad as I had expected, seeing the former plain white walls decorated with murals of beautiful forests and mountains with smiling toads on them but what I found a little excessive was a toad-shaped crib in a corner with a few stuffed toads on it, a desk, and an empty wardrobe with toads carved on its doors.
"Well, even though the amount of toads is a little much, at least it wasn't anything too bad," I said with a look of approval as I nodded in satisfaction.
"I'm glad to hear that and you should have more faith in me," Jiraiya remarked before I sent him an unamused glance.
"Don't push it," I warned as we headed out of the house, then we spent the rest of the day buying food, clothes, diapers, and other baby items until it was nighttime by the time we were finished and feeling utterly exhausted as Jiraiya headed to the nearest hotel and I went home with Naruto, just before I placed Naruto in his crib and went to bed but I couldn't sleep as the same question ran through my head many times.
'Would things have been different if I had been fast enough?' I thought while I had been recalling Minato and Kushina and spent the better part of an hour torturing myself by wondering if I could've been fast enough to save them until the guilt almost drove me crazy and I instantly shook it off.
"Dammit, Seth, quit fucking doing this to yourself because what happened had already happened and there's nothing you can do about it...the only thing you can do now is honor their dying wish by taking care of Naruto to the best of your ability with Jiraiya's help," I lectured myself as I got out of bed and headed to Naruto's room, then I went in and looked into the crib and watched the infant sleeping with a solemn expression.
"Hey, how are you feeling little guy? I'm really sorry that you had to go through so much just after you arrived in this world, but I swear that I won't ever let you grow up in this world alone...your Godfather and I will be here to take care of you and everything will turn out fine.
I really hope that revealing what's inside us to the entire village is a good idea but I know that people fear what they don't understand, so I can only hope that this world's next generation will be more understanding than the current one and that you'll have friends you can trust and rely on," I muttered softly as Naruto moved around slightly in his sleep and I smiled as I turned around and headed back to my room.
As I got back into bed and tried to get some sleep, most of the dreams I had were filled with horrors of what I had experienced in that research base that made me sleep restlessly throughout the entire night and I knew that it would take a long time before I could recover from what I had gone through, but I needed to be strong for Naruto's sake since he needed someone to raise him and I promised his parents that I would look after him while they were gone so I swore that I wouldn't let my trauma get the better of me as I managed to not wake up gasping in panic and managed to get some sleep.
A/N Hey guys, I'm really sorry for not updating in a while but I was working on my other stories and I had been talking to a reviewer about making a what-if story that takes place after the first half of chapter two of this story and it's got my interest peaked.
So, what do you think about Seth arriving in the Resident Evil universe before RE 0 and he becomes a STARS member? I have been thinking about it and the thought of Seth assimilating BOWs and gaining their forms and abilities was an interesting concept that had been on my mind so what do you think? Let me know what you think about this chapter and my idea so stay tuned.