Sorry for the long wait. I've been hesitant to post the rest of what I have written. Mostly because I wrote this fic a while ago when I was going through my OC-insert-obsessed-fangirl phase.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC.

Hiruzen silently read over the report in his hands. Evidently, it turns out that Zaku is actually a man. The Hokage had to do a double-take when he skimmed over that part. Whatever admiration he held for the feminine shinobi being able to pull a fast one like that on him was surpassed as he continued reading.

The medical report proved Zaku had been telling truth when he said he was from the Uzumaki Clan. They had taken a sample of his blood and compared it to a sample Mito Uzumaki and Kushina Uzumaki that they had in storage. The blood tests came back positive.

However, there was a problem. How could Zaku Uzumaki have survived unconscious for decades after the initial annihilation of Uzushiogakure and remain unharmed by the winds of time?

The third Hokage acted upon his suspicions and sent his most promising medical ninja to subtly perform a full examination on the man that was normally reserved for war prisoners and suspected spies. What the medical ninja revealed was truly shocking, yet he should have been seen it coming. The Uzumakis were notorious for many reasons: their incredible chakra, lengthy life spans, and rich lands. But this is not what united their enemies. Thier fear of the Uzumaki's legendary mastery in fuuinjutsu was the cause of their destruction.

So Hiruzen shouldn't have been as shocked as he was when they found seals hidden on Zaku's person. Not just one or three, no, they'd uncovered dozens of seals mapped all over the boy's body.

Hiruzen was no expert in the sealing arts, but from the pictures attached in the report, the tags were made to put the user in a comatose-like state, stopping all bodily functions to a bare minimum like a bear in hibernation. Truly a last resort type of fuuinjutsu.

Nonetheless, Zaku should have died. There was no way an ordinary shinobi could have withstood so much time dormant and undisturbed.

Hiruzen sighed and took off his hat, running his hand through the short grey strands. It was times like these he was both saddened and grateful that such a dangerous and potent art was now dead.

The only solution he could think of to the conundrum was that it was all the seal's doing. He'd have to call Jiraiya back to provide a full evaluation on Zaku's seals. Unfortunately, the man hadn't been much help, claiming to have not known anything about the black ink markings. Hiruzen had believed him, noting the genuine surprise and fascination on the young redhead's face.

All the Sandaime knew for sure was that he seals had finally run out of juice over the years and Zaku had been stirred from his slumber becuase the insufficient funds to fuel the seal. Which spoke volumes on the man's massive chakra level. He had as much chakra as any kage, but that wasn't very shocking considering that he came from a clan of chakra powerhouses.

Hiruzen lightly frowned. It must have been shocking for the young shinobi; to find his homeland destroyed and no one left to call family.

The sudden image of a hyperactive genin came to the old man's mind. This was the tricky part. He could register Zaku into Konoha as a citizen or maybe a shinobi if the redhead wished and let him live freely without ever knowing that one of his clansmen was indeed still alive and wrecking havoc. Naruto and Zaku would remain oblivious to their familial ties; both of them believing that Naruto's surname had been given to him as homage to Kushina Uzumaki and that it had nothing to do with his lineage.

But that was impossible now. The two had already met and would most likely continue to see each other from time to time. One of them would eventually catch on and realize that they have more in common than just a surname.

Hiruzen chuckled. It looked like blue eyes ran in the Uzumaki clan too. Plus, the healing cuts on Zaku's cheeks would leave scars, further exaggerating their relation to one another. One or both of them would eventually come storming into his office demanding an explanation.

The veteran shinobi sighed and rubbed his face. He was getting too old for this. The man put down the sheets of paper and leaned back into his chair, gazing out onto the Hokage mountain. He stared at his successor and predecessor's stony face.

"I think it is time to tell him another truth, Minato." He said quietly. Smoke obscured the fourth Hokage's face as Hiruzen exhaled from his pipe.