The sky met the ocean as twin pairs of azure irises connected for what seemed like the first in a lifetime. Time seemed forgotten as the two gazed at one another, all else faded away...For the second time, the older blonde gazed upon his child, truly in awe of the growth that he was witnessing. In his analysis, he opened his mouth to speak on what he saw.

"Naruto...I-"

A solid fist connected hard with the Namikaze's jaw, ripping his head straight into the bars, he didn't even see the second strike as it launched his vision skyward.

A third blow knocked the wind from his lungs, doubling him over..and so began the proverbial beating of the fourth hokage.

Seconds bled into eternity as the blonde was beaten by his furious son, and he raised not even a finger to stop the assault, why?

Because he knew he had made the worst mistake of his life...

If the tears that cascade from his son's eyes were anything to go by.

"Get up, father...You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Minato was stunned, the acid dripping from the mere title was palpable, and it stung worse than any blow he had just received. Slowly, the man stood to full height, and once more regarded the youth before him.

"My Kami...You look just like me, yet you act so much like your mother..."

A growl came from his child, and when he spoke it came as a violent hiss,"How...dare...you...this isn't some light-hearted get together! This is me kicking your ass for condemning me to a life that was full of nothing but isolation, misery, despair! Do you have any idea how hated I was for your choice? I received nothing but the ire of an village, while they played my father to be a god! I never had real friends, never knew love, hell I was hunted all because of this damn seal! How alone I was, without my parent's presence or guidance? Or, that I had no clue as to who my family was until just recently?"

"Sochi-"

"Damn you! Don't call me that! You don't deserve the right to call me that, you...you traitor!"

The effect was instantaneous, his eyes widened, his breath hitched in his throat, his shoulder rose in tension. All of which showed how heavily those words weighed upon his mind,his reply came out shakily even to his own ears,"S-Naruto...Gomenasai."

A shake of the head,"What type of father does something like that to his own child?"

This time, the answer came from a completely calm yet determined voice,"One who had no other choice."

That stopped the genin's rage cold as his father continued,"What would you have me do? The Kyuubi was already inside, attacking our village, a quarter of it had already been razed to the ground during its rampage. I had an obligation, to the village and its people, to your mother, to you..."

A stifled cry went out before the teen spoke,"But, that just doesn't justify-"

"Would you have me use someone else's child? I was the hokage! How could I ask someone to do something that even I myself would not?"

"You could've! You should've! There were a number of things that you were able to do or command being the hokage! I-"

"Hi no kage wa sato o terasu. The Fire's shadow illuminates the village.. That is the saying I've lived my entire life by, I would do whatever it took to make sure that Konoha was protected, whether from its enemies...or from within its walls. I did what was necessary, and I'm sorry that it enveloped you, my son. If things repeated, I don't know, I may have tried to do them differently. However, with the way things turned out, I would say that I'm proud. Of the shinobi, and young man that you have become. You are strong, and passionate. You are the best qualities of your mother and myself, and for that, I wouldn't have things go any other way."

"Well, well. Isn't this touching? A father and son reunited, even after the father's death."

Both turned murderous leers towards the one who spoke, who turned out to be the once forgotten demon,"I'm sorry to interrupt this wonderful little kodak moment here, but I have a fellow demon to release here...Naruto, I'm sorry to say this, but I no longer need you now that the source of the seal's purification process is here. So, it seems that your suffering ends a bit earlier than anticipated."

Wide eyes looked on as Rage vanished in a flash of crimson light, the blonde sage didn't even have time to move before his world was plunged into ruby coloring.

"Naruto!"

Glancing down, he noticed that his intruder was crouching before him, with a hand plunged through his frame. He felt no pain, and really the only indication that he had been wounded was the ever increasing spot of red that was on his torso.

"Now, rest, little one."

A cold sensation washed over his entire body as he felt the protruding limb be ripped from him, scarlet staining the water beneath him as he slowly sank to his knees. A choked gasp escaped his lips as he descended onto his back, his vision swam and warped, and soon he felt rather than saw the darkness begin to consume him.

'Is-is this really how it ends?..With me being unable to protect anyone or anything precious to me?..How pathetic...'