DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or its franchise.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Man, two chapters within a week. Well the story progression had been a tiny teeny bit slower than I would have liked but its a necessary 'evil'. The details are what make a story more engaging, in my humble opinion. Please do read the notes below the chapter as they will emphasize the context of some of the points I've made in the story, especially regarding motifs and terms.

CHAPTER 3

"You!"

Naruto was pointing his finger accusingly at the man that stood in front of him. A man he recognized all too well. The very man that caused all the pain drumming his head right now.

"Oh my, I see you've awaken from your slumber, Naruto-kun."

"Tomo-san! What— why are you still here?" And so it was indeed Uzumaki Tomohisa standing in front of him once again. But this time he immediately noticed that he was now standing with feet firmly on the floor instead of floating on a hazy cloud. His features remained as it were as Naruto remembered down to his ceremonial vestments, but he could now see him wearing a pair of shikai or traditional boots used in elaborate ceremonies.

According to Tomo's memories the Noutensou Fuin Shiki [Memory Transference Seal Formula] was a very advanced sealing method he came up with after researching and observing the techniques used by the Yamanaka clan, renowned for their mind-based arts. The technique allows one person to deposit his or her memory into a seal matrix like a book, recording a person's thoughts in ink and paper. Once his security conditions have been met, the same memories would be forcibly implanted directly into the brain of the recipient rewiring parts of the the cortices directly involved in memory retention. Advantages of this technique includes rapid and efficient transfer of information in its complete state, without loss, and the speed is convenient, similar to reading a whole library in one go. The downside, however, was that the chance of finding someone capable of handling the strain of the transfer was simply astronomical and the loss of the stored memory should the process fail as it can only be used once. Even at the most optimistic scenario, the recipient would be reduced to a coma for several days at least; at worst, the memory overload might force the recipient into insanity or even reduce him into a vegetative state. Because of these factors, Tomo personally labeled it a kinjutsu [forbidden technique] and the reason for the elaborate defenses he set up around the shrine. He also knew that only an Uzumaki would have a chance of surviving the ordeal.

Despite his lack of experience, Naruto could truly appreciate the brilliance of the technique as well as his luck. He understood that, to maximize the seal's effectiveness, a child's mind was more suitable than an adult's. Like filling a glass with more water, if the said glass already at least half full— like an adult's mind is already teeming with memory and information— it will likely spill over and wet the whole glass, an apt analogy had someone tried to absorbed Tomo's memories and failed: a mindless shell wetting themselves in the process. A child, having lived a shorter life, would correspondingly have more room to absorb an infusion of his memories.

What got the boy so thoroughly confused as, if Tomohisa's calculations were correct, the transfer was successfully completed and the empowering chakra depleted, Tomo's memory echo would— or rather should —have vanished without a trace. But the very man whose continued existence belied that statement was standing right in front of him.

And this time he was not alone. Naruto's eyes simply widened in horror as he realized that Tomo's companions were animated skeletons of what he supposed to be long dead people. Their visage were essentially the same being skulls as white as chalk though there were variances in their stature: some were taller or shorter than the others, including one who was about the same height and built as Naruto and another that must have been a giant once. He could not identify if they were male or female. Each one of them wore the same clothes as Tomo plus an eboshi (a tall black cap reminiscent of a chef's hat tapering at the top), except for minor differences here and there. Standing behind Tomo in a loose row like silent skeletal statues, there must have been at least two dozens of them.

"I thought the Noutensou seal once completed you would disappear. So why are you here? And what are those?" he gulped as he peered at the silent bony relics staring back at him.

"So I did. Well...I...lied?" was the nonchalant reply which caused Naruto to stare blankly at him, unsure what to say to that. Tomo just gave him a mirthful chuckle in return. "Really, Naruto-kun, the look on you face..."

When Naruto looked indignant he collected himself. "Well, let's go down to business shall we? As you can obviously see, I'm here, in front of you which means two things." He raised one finger. "First, the seal had done its job and the transfer was successful." He raised another finger. "Second, you are now officially the 28th Doshu of the Uzumaki Hiden-ryu Ninpou [Uzumaki Secret School of Ninja Arts]."

Naruto stood still at that, trying to understand what Tomo had said based on the memories he had acquired. The Uzumaki clan was distinctly different from other clans in that the headship of the family was a separate position to that of the custodian of its techniques and knowledge. The heads of the clan later became the leaders of Uzushio and by tradition were patrilineal and hereditary. The doshu*, or master, was a parallel authority that existed since the founding of the clan who was responsible for the training of Uzumaki members and dissemination of clan techniques. While the family head administered the clan's affairs, the clan master kept the clan's secrets. Due to the fact that all the members of the clan including the head came under the tuition of the doshu at one time or another, he or she wielded great influence and were often revered more than any in the clan hierarchy.

There were instances in the history of the clan that both headship and mastery were filled by the same person but they were few and far between. The reason for this was that to be chosen as the legitimate successor one must meet a set of criteria that is only known to the previous or incumbent doshu. Should the prospective candidate meet all that is required an announcement is made and he or she will undergo intensive training under the direct tutelage of the sitting doshu.

The young jinchuriki pondered all of this. If what Tomo-san said is true, and despite the man's egregiously playful attitude, he had no reason to doubt it, then he must have passed the test whatever it was.

"Oh, so you've realized the meaning of my words, Naruto-kun," Tomo said while lazily fanning himself. "I see you're getting used to my memories. Sometimes my own brilliance surprise even me." He mock preened to which Naruto just snorted. "Anyway, congratulations!"

"That doesn't answer my question: how come you're here and look too solid to boot?"

"I would have thought that was obvious, Naruto-kun," Tomo affected an of great surprise, as though Naruto was being purposely slow on the uptake. "When you manifested me, and these strapping fellows behind me, you passed the final requirement of being the master of the Uzumaki clan. We are the Hagun*."

"The Hagun?" Naruto asked as he tried to 'remember' the name from the wealth of information now residing in his head. "You mean the unlucky star?"

A chuckle escaped Tomo's lips. "Oh, no, no. Well not exactly. The Hagun is the greatest form of Shigongen* an advanced form of Kuchiyose no Jutsu [Summoning Technique] known to the Uzumaki clan. It was developed, according to records, by the 15th Doshu," here he moved beside and examined one of the skeletal figures which stooped bent perhaps by old age, "when his own successor needed all the help he could get." Then he turned back to Naruto.

"Can—can they talk?"

"I don't really know," was the thoughtful response. "I never did ask." A mischievous smile. "You see, to be doshu requires three things. One must master the clan techniques, which thanks to my memory you are now on the way of mastering; one must possess a special chakra, which obviously you do in great quantities; lastly, one must be able to summon the Hagun.

"The Hagun is composed of all the previous doshu. These fellows you see here," he gestured to the assembled group, "are your predecessors, Naruto-kun, including me." Naruto just nodded as the now was able to sift through the information in his head. "It was named after the star, but I believe it was just a pun on the meaning as you can see."

Naruto did see what Tomo alluded to. Hagun, when written, literally means "fractured army" and seeing the skeletal remains of his predecessors, the inside joke was almost worth a laugh had it been less morbid. Additionally, being located on the northwest part of the night sky, it was considered unlucky and people, at least the superstitious ones, never point any weapon at the star's direction. Something that this version of the Hagun also inspires among those who behold it.

"To be able to summon the Hagun needs a lot of chakra, even greater than summoning the higher echelon of nin creatures usually encountered by shinobi. And because of the nature of Shigongen, it also requires even more chakra to maintain and not just ordinary chakra. To be able to summon the Hagun at your age is truly amazing. But I can feel it starting to collapse. Say, why don't you dispel these guys, they're giving me the creeps."

"You do realize you're one of them?" Naruto came back sarcastically. This time he knew exactly what to do. He simply willed the skeletons to disappear and they did with a puff of smoke that enveloped the room before it too dispersed.

Feigning an exaggerated cough, Tomo remarked, "Really, do they have to that? I don't like having bone powder on my face, thank you very much." Naruto simple gave him a sardonic smile.

"And you? How come you're whole and not like the others?" asked Naruto.

"Hmm...I think it must have been the infusion of chakra...You see, being chakra construct, the Hagun, or any summon called forth through Shigongen, is powered by the caster's chakra. So it stand to reason that my humble, perverted, and handsome self is solid is the infusion of large amount of chakra. It allowed me a full body, and thanks to my memories inside of you, capable of completely sapient. But I wonder how...did something happen?" He looked at Naruto curiously.

The said boy was also thinking. He remembered his mother and the gift she spoked of. Then he realized something he should have when he woke up: the formulae of the Hakke Fuin had changed! "It was mom, she somehow made changes to the seal!"

"Oh, and who is this seal expert that you call mom?"

Naruto recounted some of the things the transpired inside his mindscape, especially meeting his parents. Some, like parts of their conversations, he kept to himself. Tomo was smiling at the end of his tale. "What do you know? My successor is practically royalty! The son of the Yondaime Hokage, huh? Though I've never heard of him. And that's after being Uzumaki Kushina's offspring, a direct descendant of the Uzumaki clan head. That's something you don't get to see everyday. You've been holding out on me, Naruto-kun. To be doshu and most likely the clan head, that hasn't happened for several generations. Truly, Fate could be quite cruel and generous at the same time." Tomo shook his head.

Without a warning an inhuman sound was heard, like the roar of a particularly angry monster who had seen its prey. Both Naruto and Tomo stopped and looked at each other. Then Naruto, scratching the back of his head, rubbed his belly. It was stomach that made that sound.

"Man, I'm hungry," a sheepish Naruto remarked.

"You don't say?" asked Tomo amusedly. "Well, you were completely out for three days. I had to begin to wonder if you would ever wake up again."

"Three days!" Was it that long? Naruto wondered what else had happened. But before he could ask anything more his stomach made another loud and embarrassing protest. "I need to find something to eat, I could do with a bowl of ramen right now or ten. Unless," he looked inquiringly at Tomo, "there's some food stashed here somewhere?"

"Not that I need any sustenance, Naruto-kun, but there are a few parcels sealed in a scroll somewhere. Probably in the adjoining room." He pointed over a sliding door that probably led to another room. "Why don't we head over."

They went inside the next room. Naruto noted that while Tomo had a more solid body, he was still intangible something which he commented on to the man. "Ah, that, I'll explain later. Grab the red scroll over there and release its contents. I'm positive its edible."

With his stomach still protesting quite loudly, Naruto did as he was told. After the customary puff of smoke, mercifully small this time, what came out was a lacquered black box and a flask made from metal. He glanced at Tomo who just prodded him to open them. The box contained what appears to be slices of some sort of pastry arranged neatly. It appeared brownish outside, and when he took one and broke it in half, the insides were the color of cream. He took a sniff and gasped as he recognized it.

"That, Naruto-kun," answered Tomo quite proudly though unnecessarily, "is another of our clan's secrets. It's called, as I'm sure you now know, seihoryou [Life Sustaining Food] a special bread concocted by our ancestors, specifically the 12th successor. It is very nutritious and stays fresh for years even decades if kept properly in its special box inscribed by seals. Our people usually used as emergency rations or in times of great famine. Its recipe was never written down and was known only to the doshu and his wife who prepared it; the recipe was passed down on verbally. Even the Senju had never heard of it."

Naruto broke off a crisp corner and nibbled at it. It was one thing to know what it tastes like, another to actually experience it. For the ramen-obsessed boy it was a revelation as his expression quickly changed and he ate the rest of the cake with relish.

"Oi! No more!" cried Tomo laughing. "You've eaten enough already for a grown man's day journey.

"It actually isn't half bad," said Naruto eyeing the box greedily.

"So it is," Tomo answered. "All the same spare the food as much as you can. The ingredients are hard to come by, even in peacetime. As its main base is flour from a strain of wheat that had been grown only in Uzu no Kuni. And the chakra required to infuse it during the baking process is nothing to laugh at. Eat a little at a time and only when you absolutely need it. These were intended for the time when all else fails. While similar to a soldier pill of today, the seihoryou is far more potent and strengthening than any food made by men."

The jinchuriki could actually feel his strength slowly returning, his fatigue slowly being chased away by the feeling of contentedness and a full stomach. He took the flask, open it, and took another sniff. He looked at Tomo.

"And this is koreneki [Fortifying Lotus Drink], I take it?"

"Very astute, Naruto-kun. Yes, that is indeed some of the last batch of koreneki I've managed to store. Nearly cost me an arm and a leg literally to get a hold of that." The koreneki is a golden, warm and fragrant potion made from the waters of a special spring located at Mushoku Numa [Colorless Swamp] and the honey of giant bees that feed on the nectar of flowers that grew around the same area. It was located on an island within Mizu no Kuni, shrouded in thick mists and surrounded by treacherous currents. The island itself was inhabited by ferocious mutant creatures the likes of which are not found anywhere else. This made the koreneki extremely hard to obtain and therefore extremely rare. It was highly prized by the Uzumaki that were aware of its special properties. Like the seihoryou, it is a potent restorative, invigorating and had a rich, earthy taste.

A few more minutes Naruto was finished, eating more of the cake despite Tomo's loud protestations. He replaced the box and the flask carefully back into the scroll then he dusted himself off. "So what now?"

"Now that you're fed and watered," Tomo said, and when Naruto grumbled something like 'I'm not livestock, you know' he merely ignored it. "We need to reestablished the wards around here. If I recall you called this place a dump, and I must agree. Come, there is much to do."

They went out to the hallway and proceeded along the corridors, a veritable maze, that without Tomo's memories Naruto would been completely lost. They stopped in front of another sliding door but this time it was made of heavy wood and bronze. A spiral-shaped locking mechanism was on the very center bisected by the line where the door splits into two. Naruto, knowing what to do, touched the lock, pushed chakra into it, and turned the lock. It unraveled the spiral and the heavy doors slid open without a sound. It revealed a set of stairs going down. Tomo simply went ahead and Naruto followed.

"Say, I'm supposed to be the 28th successor right and you're part of the Hagun, so you're the 27th then?"

"Why, yes. With the likes of me, they hardly had any choice you know." His flippant answer was mirrored by his smile. "But seriously, being a legitimate successor is quite a responsibility, especially back then. When I became the successor the greatest problem I have had was finding the next successor. That's why I went through hoops to ensure our legacy.

"You should be aware that being the 28th is a significant milestone, for us all. When the 4th doshu succeeded, he made a prediction that the legitimate successors were to be twenty-eight in all and the last would either be the one to renew or end the doshu lineage. From the 28th would be born the next doshu and begin the cycle anew. The 4th also began the tradition of naming the previous masters according to the twenty-eight lunar mansions. Me, luckily, I'm Tomo, named after the Root star. As for you, being the last, you no longer have a choice in the matter."

"And my name would be?" Naruto prompted.

"Tamahome, coincidentally, the Demon star." Here Tomo looked at Naruto at the corner of his eyes.

They boy's eyes narrowed slightly at that but otherwise didn't looked perturbed. Then he broke into a slight grin. "I guess the 4th wasn't a quack after all."

"Perhaps." The man shrugged. "I won't lose too much sleep about it if I were you. After all, a man is the master of his destiny until he lets some else decide it for him. Ah, we're here!"

They now stood at the entrance arch of a cavernous room. It was well lit despite lacking windows. The middle of it was occupied by a bubble-like mass of water several meters in diameter floating in mid-air unsupported. Below it was a stepped pool of water that was still as the surface of a mirror.

"Another innovation of the Uzumaki clan," Tomo casually glanced at the Kanchi Suikyu [Sensing Water Ball]. "This is merely a replica of the one located in the Konoha Barrier Team headquarters. It connects to the sensory barrier that surrounds the whole village, one of my brilliant works if I may so. Once you've been properly trained you will be able to connect your senses to it. Now this way."

A giant slab of a dressed stone was standing near the far wall. It was taller than it was wide, cut in a severe angle with the left side higher than the right. On it was carved various seal formulae, so complex that Naruto could hardly understand them despite having Tomo's memories. There were two circular patterns which Tomo pointed at.

"This the master seal stone that governs the entire temple compound. It needs to be recharged periodically to keep the place on top shape. Please put you hands on the circle, that's it. Now activate it and release as much chakra—"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto cut through. "Fill the master stone to full capacity to activate the restoration kekkai to bring back the temple's original condition. Sheesh, you don't to tell me every little thing you know." He pointed at his temples. "Memories remember?"

Tomo simply smirked as Naruto readied himself. With glowing hands he poured chakra into the seal and watched as patterns glowed all across the face of the stone. Then root-like tendrils crawled outward, and raced across the room and to the ceiling. Naruto knew he was successful when he heard a low rumbling sound. After a few more minutes the light show was finished.

Panting slightly he turned back to Tomo. "See, it wasn't so hard."

"Well, color me impressed. But now that everything's been set up prim and proper, you need to start on your training. I suggest you live here in the temple, there's plenty of space and food can be had in the river and the forest. Things you need you can buy, otherwise you're self-sufficient here. But the only thing you must always remember is absolute secrecy. No one must know the temple's location, even if the barrier exist we don't want anyone snooping around."

"Training, huh? Guess can't really skip on that one."

"That's the spirit, Naruto-kun. Besides, you may have my memories but does not translate automatically into mastery of the techniques that I knew. No, constant training and studying is the only way to go if you want to realize your full potential. You'll never know, you might just like it."

Naruto just nodded. He was thinking that he needs to disappear for a while and how to accomplish this without raising suspicion as he was sure the Hokage do keep tabs on him. Not to mention his ramen days are probably curtailed if not over. Maybe he should make a list first; he was never really good at planning, well except for pranks. "OK, I just need to get some stuff and I'll be back. I need to come up with a plan to do all the things that needs to be done."

With a rather nasty smirk plastered on his face, Tomo said, "Your first order of business is to remove that orange monstrosity you're wearing."

The Sandaime Hokage was now officially worried.

He was a man of advanced age, past his prime; it was something that he himself would be the first to admit. He had seen and been part of no less than three Great Shinobi Wars, several minor conflicts, and numerous battles. All of which he survived. He is the last of a generation that were born right after the founding of the hidden village system, brought up in Konoha just after its foundation. He has seen his village grow and prosper as well as weather and survive various threats. In fact, being the longest reigning Hokage in history, he had a hand in much that had happened to Konoha.

The old man let out a heavy, tired sigh. It had been months since anyone saw one Uzumaki Naruto. The blond-haired boy with a mischievous streak and a penchant for pranks whom he considers as a grandson in all but blood. The son of his now deceased successor and, through his mother, scion of one of the most prestigious clan in the Elemental Nations. The jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. The first was a well known fact; the second was an iron-clad secret that people in the know could be counted by the fingers in one hand; and the last was an open secret that, to his dismay, was twisted and perverted into hearsay and revilement.

For all the supposed authority of being Hokage he was powerless to completely stop the villagers' cruelty against the boy. Oh, he was able to curb their excesses; those shinobi who got caught participating in what they disgustingly call 'fox hunting' were summarily dismissed from the frontline military force and were often relegated to doing humiliating tasks or simply jailed for a determinate amount of time. Civilians were either fined or imprisoned depending on the severity of their crimes. Those who broke the law on the disclosure of the jinchuriki status, however, we're put to death with the toll at around a dozen at last time he check. However, he needs to find a balance between protecting Naruto and ensuring the strength and stability of the village. Had he imprisoned every last one of those ignoramuses, the prison facility would be bursting to beyond full capacity and the village would be reduced into a deserted settlement; if he dismissed every last shinobi that contradicted his order, and common sense, this would gut Konoha's forces and would have dire consequences for the village's security and economy. Then there's the tug of war in the village council concerning matters that he should have had dealt with on his own as Hokage, including Naruto's status. Sometimes he felt like an old monkey trying to juggle so many objects that one moment of distraction or wrong judgment would bring it all down on top of him.

Thank Kami for small mercies. Naruto, despite everything that had happened in his young life, remained optimistic and resilient. Had the boy been pushed over the edge, those ignorant villagers would to kiss their asses goodbye. And this time there will be no one with the wherewithal to actually stop the Kyuubi should it be released. Yes, he would sacrifice himself for the welfare of Konoha, but he had not the skill Minato had or the abilities the Shodaime had or even the fortitude and strength of character the Nidaime had. Sure he had experience and vast knowledge about the shinobi arts, which combined with his grandfatherly persona, earned him the nickname 'Professor.' But like a jack-of-all-trades, he was truly a master of none. Nor was he a 'genius' in any sense of the word.

"Some Hokage he turned out to be," he thought aloud. He took out his pipe from his robes a lit it. Smoking was a habit he acquired in his younger years. He found it soothing and able to clear his mind whenever he's stressed out or agitated. Of course he knew the effects it had on his health but being a shinobi, whose lifespan was unpredictable due to the nature of their profession, he figured he had little to lose.

Vowing to see to the welfare of Naruto when he found the family— the father and mother lying on the pool of their own blood and the infant between them wailing at the top of his lungs —that tragic night, he made arrangements so that the boy would be taken care of without drawing attention. That was his first mistake; he should have had just adopted the boy and kept him safe, after all the Sarutobi clan was fairly numerous and well-off. Then he made the announcement, something that he now considers a serious lack of judgment on his part, regarding Naruto and his burden. That was his second mistake; clearly, senility had taken hold on him, that and his naivete has overruled his rational side. Naruto, instead being seen as a hero, became the pariah; instead of keeping it all under wraps like a shinobi should, he had to go out and proclaim meaningless drivel...like a damnable politician. And lastly, between his responsibilities as Hokage and being the nominal head of the Sarutobi clan, he barely had the time to see Naruto and take a hand on his development both as a person and as a future shinobi.

He glanced at the Yondaime's portrait on the wall whose eyes seemed to bore into his soul in condemnation of his failures, for failing to protect his legacy and failing to honor the memory of their family's great sacrifice. Failures that continue to this day. I'm truly sorry, Minato. I hope I could atone for the disservice I and the whole village have heap upon you and your family. And there's Kushina, whose temper few could equal. He shook his head. No, afterlife won't be so rosy after all.

Without warning three masked ANBU operatives appeared inside the Hokage office. "Hokage-sama, we've finished our search," the apparent leader who wore a wolf mask said.

The Hokage still did not turn. "Report," was the clipped replied.

"We still do not know where the Uzumaki boy is, Hokage-sama. We've searched the whole village, chased every lead we've got, but still no sign of him. The apartment he used to live in appears to be totally abandoned, and we've staked his known hang-outs to no avail. Apparently the man who claimed he saw the boy was slightly drunk at the time he said he saw him. His testimony was unrealiable at best. I'm starting to think that Uzumaki somehow fled the village undetected."

This time Sandaime turned around. "That is a possibility, it is certainly within his skill to do so undetected if those pranks are any indication, but unless we have concrete evidence, the search will be confined within the village and its surroundings. Besides, if what you said is true, how can we explain the intermittent reports of sightings across the village?" And it was true as both civilians and shinobi had reported getting a glimpse of the blond boy here and there. But before he could act, the boy would always managed to give them the slip and disappear again. He had ordered ANBU to conduct a discreet village-wide search for the boy that is still on going yet keep coming up blank. It was frustrating, and frustrated Kage is a dangerous Kage. Something these three ANBU in front of him had seen first hand when he almost wrecked the Hokage office by releasing a powerful blast of ki after he learned what had transpired the night Naruto first disappeared.

"What about the note, Hokage-sama?" the female voice of the bird mask wearing ANBU asked. "Are we sure he didn't mention anything that might lead us to the boy?"

Ah, yes the note. One day when the Sandaime entered his office he found a short letter address to him by Naruto. Ji-ji, don't worry I'm OK. No need to search for me. The next time we talk you owe me a lot of ramen! Naruto. He had committed it to memory. While he was glad that the boy was still alive, it didn't bring them any closer to finding him.

"No, I'm afraid not. Continue your search. If there's any report on any sighting I want you to inform me immediately and without delay. Should anyone interfere with you mission or impede your report they are to be taken to the Torture and Interrogation Squad, no matter who they are."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Dismissed, the three ANBU disappeared from the office. There was a knock on the door and a couple of assistants came in each carrying a stack of documents about a foot thick. He inwardly groaned. 'I hope wherever you are, Naruto-kun, you're safe and happy.'

He then pushed those thoughts for now. It was time to do battle with his ever present foe, the bane of all kages, a creature that would put a hydra to shame: paperwork.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1.) DOSHU - This term literally means "master of the way" and is used almost exclusively within the Aikikai (the original school of Aikido) to refer to the head of its hierarchy and the successors of Ueshiba Morihei or O-Sensei, the founder of aikido. Other schools and traditions refer to their respective headmasters as sōke. Another related term is shihanke, which is an autonomous lineage from the soke in charge solely of instruction and training. The Uzumaki Doushu is a hybrid of the two: having the status and esteem of a soke (without exactly being one as there is a separate family head, who is also referred to as soke) and the responsibilities of a shihanke. Doshu also implies, at least in this story, mastery of the Uzumaki arts.

On a separate note, I refer to Naruto and Tomo as successors but whether an Uzumaki Doshu can be class as iemoto or not isn't really relevant to the story. Iemoto, while used synonymously with soke, also refers to the generational succession of most Japanese traditional arts that is usually familial and hereditary. As was mentioned in the story , the Headship of the Uzumaki Clan is patrilineal where as the lineage of the Doshu while familial (they were all Uzumaki after all) there were few if any hereditary succession (parent to offspring). because of the criteria that had to be met.

2.)HAGUN (破軍) - or Hagunsei, is the Japanese name for the star Eta Ursae Majoris, or more commonly known as Alkaid or sometimes Benetnash, located in the constellation Ursa Major (Big Bear). It is the seventh and westernmost star of the Big Dipper asterism. According to East Asian (ultimately derived from the Chinese) traditions, the northwest direction is the unluckiest, hence the association of the star with bad luck. Hunters and soldiers traditionally did not point guns and weapons at the star's direction. The kanji could either mean "military breaking star" or "most corner star" referring to its position in the Big Dipper.

It also has morbid themes as in the full Arabic name Ka'id Banat al Na'ash "the leader of the daughters of the bier" (i.e. funeral box/wagon), the daughters being the other two stars of the handle of the Big Dipper plus Alkaid and the bier are the other four stars. The Big Dipper is seen as a celestial funerary procession alluding to the nightly slow and solemn motion of the asterism around the pole. These mourners were the daughters of Al Na'ash, who was murdered by Al Jadi, the pole-star (Polaris), nightly surrounding him in their thirst for vengeance. Incidentally, the name Alkaid (or Al-qaid) derived from Arabic literally means "leader" which ties up nicely with the fact that the Hagun in the story is composed of all the dead Uzumaki Doshu.

This was also used in the manga Nurarihyon no Mago.

3.) SHIGONGEN - This is derived from the Buddhist concept of Gongen, (literally meaning "avatar") which in turn came from the word gonge which means "manifestation." Gongen refers generally to indigenous Japanese kami who are considered to be manifestations or reincarnated forms of the imported Buddhist divinities. Shi, meanwhile, can mean will, desire or intention, the faculty by which a person initiates action. In the context of the story is means the manifestation of one's will; this will be of great significance to the whole plot. Additionally, I chose this because it connects the Uzumaki to the Senju (especially Hashirama) and the Rikudo Sennin through the use of Buddhist motifs. The Uchiha have their Shinto motifs. You'll see more of these later on.

4.) SEIHOURYOU & KORENEKI - These are just invented terms, plot devices, although they do mean exactly how they are written in kanji. Seihouryou and koreneki were inspired by LOTR elves' lembas and miruvor, respectively.

-Well that's it. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Until next time!-