[Aftermath of the Kyuubi Attack]
Hiruzen Sarutobi the reinstated Third Hokage stood in front of the window inside the Hokage's office contemplating the devastation of the village the Kyuubi Attack devastated Konoha reducing the once proud and most powerful village in the world to a mere shell of its former glory. They lost one of their greatest ninjas to have ever graced Konoha, their Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and the best Fuinjutsu master in the world since Uzushiogakure's destruction Kushina Uzumaki.
Two immensely powerful assets were gone in a blink of an eye, such is the perilous life of ninja, and no one was able to replace them while Jiraiya was no slouch when it came to Fuinjutsu and was their best active spymaster, he didn't come close to Kushina.
The attack also depleted even more of their numbers than the Third Great Ninja World War did and without Tsunade the world's greatest medic here they'll likely be more dead and ninja's having to forcefully retire due to injuries.
He was too old and tired for this job; he needed to find a successor, someone who could lead Konoha back to her glory days, back as the superpower of the Elemental Nations. He asked Jiraiya many times, but he always turned him down and Tsunade hasn't been seen in Konoha since the Third War ended some years ago.
He would've liked for Kakashi to be his successor and with a little more training and experience he has the skills and power to do it, but he has many demons to overcome before he can think about the village and not himself especially with the death of Minato and Kushina his father and mother figure respectively.
Maybe one of the clan heads could be the Fifth Hokage. This is the strongest generation of clan heads the village has had since its founding, possibly Shikaku or Fugaku would do as they're the two best choices since they distinguished themselves during the Third War.
Either way he had to find a way to strengthen Konoha quickly and reassure the ninjas and civilians once again that he was the right man for the job because Konoha couldn't afford to appear weak in the eyes of the world vultures are everywhere and the enemies of the village and smaller countries would love nothing more than to see the strongest village in the world destroyed and their place took just like how they did their sister village Uzushiogakure.
A knock interrupted him from his musing.
"Come in!"
He didn't look back at the person who walked in as his eyes stayed on the view outside, he already knew who it was thanks to the cold presence they emitted and the tapping of their cane hitting the ground.
The person stopped next to him and also looked at the view outside the window they were both silent each was contemplating the trials and tribulations Konohagakure would have to go through to eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel both knew that this was the endgame for them and the village that they both loved and cared for and this would be their ultimate test to see if Konohagakure would rise anew or fall into the darkness and be forgotten like so many others over the years.
"Hiruzen." Spoke the person beside the Hokage.
"Danzo." Replied Hiruzen.
Hiruzen and Danzo are widely recognized as being the two leading figures in the village's growth after the death of the Second Hokage during the First Great Ninja World War. Acting as Hiruzen's top intelligence officer and advisor and through his own 'unsanctioned' actions, Danzo's willingness to take on the dark, but vital tasks of the village such as management of espionage and assassinations of high-profile threats were crucial to the success of the village.
Though the true extent to which Danzo has both influenced and protected the ninja world will remain predominantly unknown to everyone except Hiruzen and he would remain adamant that if it were not for Danzo and his actions, peace for Konoha would not have been maintained for so long. Danzo made it a point to eradicate any opposition to Konoha that would destroy the peace and prosperity that the village enjoyed.
Though he has done a great deal in the way of protecting Konoha, Danzo has a manipulative, deceitful, and militant perspective born from the era of the Three Great Ninja Wars but when everyone was out to get you was it truly paranoia?
The Ninja World as a whole was a dark and evil place to live in as there is no such thing as right or wrong once you signed up as Ninja you forfeited your morality and eventually, the darkness of the ninja life swallows you up and you become amoral not immoral as amoral means you're aware what your doing is wrong but you're unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of the action you're undertaking while immoral means you completely reject the typical moral standards although some would argue that those two words overlap with each other.
"We are in a monumental crisis Hiruzen." Said Danzo breaking the silence.
"I know." Came the reply.
"…What are we going to do?" Danzo asked, sounding lost for the first time in his long life and Hiruzen couldn't blame him. How could anyone guess this would happen? How could anyone guess that what should've been a simple childbirth would turn into a catastrophic event that would scar Konohagakure forever?
"I… I… don't know Danzo… I just don't know."
Silence reigned in the office between them again.
Suddenly a noise broke the silence. The sound of a newborn baby crying caused both men to break their morbid thoughts about the future of the village and turn to the baby lying in the crib Hiruzen managed to salvage there lying in the crib was a red-haired baby.
Danzo watched as Hiruzen walked over and picked up the crying baby and comforted it. Soon the baby went back to sleep he noticed the baby had the same shade of blood-red hair and violet eyes the wife of the Forth had and came to the conclusion.
"I see the Fourth and his wife's child survived the event that happened although I am surprised, to be honest."
Putting the sleeping baby back in the crib Hiruzen walked back to his spot and replied, "You're not the only one I found him in his parent's dead arms covered in their blood crying his heart out he must felt them die it's regretful that Minato and Kushina didn't survive to see their child grow up."
Danzo h'med in agreement while not as sentimental as his friend/rival he does feel some remorse for the child at least he and Hiruzen had their fathers and sensei's to teach them how to survive this cold cruel world.
"Does he have a name?" Danzo asked curiously.
"No." Came the response.
"…They died before they could name him?" Danzo asked hesitantly.
"I don't know to be honest when I found them Minato and Kushina were already dead so if they did name him, they took it to their graves."
"An orphan and nameless…that's just tragic." Commented Danzo.
"Indeed."
Hiruzen mentally debated on telling Danzo some important information he found out regarding the child eventually the Hokage side of him won the debate because he realized that this important information is critical for the village and besides, he was sure Danzo would somehow find out eventually.
"He's the Jinchuriki of Kyuubi no Yoko," Hiruzen announced breaking the silence.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the 'retired' old crippled bandaged spy stiffen his grip on his cane tightened until his knuckles turned white.
Danzo turned his head to look at Hiruzen in his face, his one cold blue eye focusing and staring intently at his face looking for any sign of deception "Truly? Are you positively certain that what you're saying is correct?" Danzo asked cautiously, hiding his hope behind a blank face.
Turning to reciprocate the look Danzo was giving him he said in a clear confident stern tone that showed he meant business "Yes. The Uzumaki Fuinjutsu symbol is located in the middle of his stomach although the symbol looks like it's been enhanced and modified with another symbol but that's probably Minato's doing if I had to guess."
Silence reigned again in the office once more after that staggering news.
Konohagakure has never had a Jinchuriki since its founding all the other eight tail beasts were captured by the other ninja villages, but no one has been able to find and capture the strongest and most powerful of tail beasts the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox or the Kyuubi no Yoko.
To finally get a tail beast the strongest and most powerful of them all was a miracle itself some say the Kyuubi has unnatural intelligence which is why it managed to stay hidden and avoid capture for over a hundred years.
Danzo broke the silence once more "This is great news Hiruzen we finally have a Jinchuriki to even the odds against the enemies of Konoha."
"I agree Danzo but we must keep this silenced no one should know about this not even the Elders and Shinobi Council especially the civilians if they found out they would call for the child's death and unleash the Kyuubi once more this will be an S-Rank secret punishable by death should anyone find out," Hiruzen said seriously.
Nodding Danzo said, "Agreed emotions are running wild, and we don't want attempted assassinations on the most important asset that could help the village recover and defend itself better… you do know what we must do right Hiruzen?"
Hirzuen was silent for a moment but he knew what Danzo was saying and as much as it hurt him to do this to his successor's child he has no choice the village wouldn't survive without an overwhelming war deterrent and his son was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi the strongest being an existence so the child will have to be trained extensively to master its power and to be put to use against the those who would try to take down the walls of Konoha.
So that meant no regular childhood and only constant training and missions the child would be a tool for war, a weapon of mass destruction that would be pointed at the enemies of Konoha and told to rip and tear until it's done, a loyal W.M.D. the child would become a monster but he would be their monster which was fine and besides what ninja is not a monster, after all, they get paid kill anyone if the price is good enough with no questions asked because at the end of the day as long as there are two people left on the planet someone is gonna want someone dead.
And as the Hokage, it is his sworn duty to make sure the village was at its best financially, offensively, and defensively and nothing will stop him from doing his duty even if it meant the sacrifice of an innocent child's life.
Taking a deep breath Hiruzen closed his eyes and squared his shoulders and clasped his hands together behind his back when he opened his eyes the God of all Ninjas appeared once more "Yes Danzo I know what we must do for the benefit of Konoha but we all owe our lives to the boy's parents without their sacrifice Konoha would be a crater but they're dead now and there's nothing they can do to help from their graves his education and training will be our top priority yes Danzo I said 'our' I will also help train him we will mold him to become the perfect ruler for Konoha and weapon who will smite our enemies." Hiruzen finished his speech.
Danzo raised an eyebrow at the ending of the speech "'Ruler' huh? So, he will be your next successor then?"
"Yes, not the Fifth but Sixth Hokage as he would be too young to rule but after the Fifth, he will be ready besides its in his genes to be a leader and I have a feeling that after we finish training him and he matures he will become powerful and strong enough to change the world."
"Interesting I could use this to my advantage." Danzo thought to himself as he was already forming plans to turn the village's weapon into his loyal weapon and eventually have the Jinchuriki placed as his puppet proxy as the Hokage with Danzo himself leading Konoha from the shadows but first, he'd have to find a way to eliminate Hiruzen from the picture but he'd wait until Hiruzen is done helping training the Jinchuriki before he molds him, after all, there is a reason why Hiruzen was bestowed the titles of the God of All Ninjas and The Professor.
"Funny Hiruzen I had the same thought too."
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[17 Years Later]
"I have no memories of my parent's faces or names in fact I don't even remember my own name for all I know I might have been abandoned or so before I even had one I was trained by the God of Ninjas, the Professor, the Third Hokage Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Darkness of the Ninja World Lord Danzo Shimura they trained me to be the best at everything.
They kept me confined in the secret undisclosed ROOT ANBU Blacks Ops Headquarters where I was taught at all times day and night I studied Political Science as well as Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Bukijutsu, Medical-Ninjutsu, Fuinjutsu, and Summoning Techniques I was told that I would one day lead Konohagakure to greatness and I firmly believed it and I endured the brutal psychological and physical training regime to make it so.
My mind, body, and soul was rebuilt from the ground up. The only options I had were to either die or overcome the agonizing training regime… I chose the latter once I completed the training regime. I was amazed at my new powers and abilities. Soon I was bestowed a name, a name that would change the world and I would go on to become a god and become the most powerful person that the Elemental Nations would ever see… Naruto is my name and this is my story on how I went from being born a pawn to ascending to godhood."
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[Hiruzen Sarutobi]
Checking over the team assignments one last time he sat back in his chair and let out a tired sigh of relief as his back gelled into the seat relieving some back pain, he acquired over the years due to age.
Lighting his pipe, he took a long puff and thought back on the past eighteen years. He has ruled Konoha for fifty years leading and winning three world wars and was the pillar of strength that led to the village's growth and prosperity, but the last eighteen years have taken their toll on the God of Ninjas.
The Hyuga Incident came along that cost them one of their own due to the Raikage threatening war due to the 'unjust' action against his shinobi knowing damn well he ordered his shinobi to steal a female Hyuga so Kumo could bread her and make their own bloodline clan.
They didn't have the numbers to go to war so he had no choice but to do it without proof there was nothing he could do but he wasn't surprised Kumo has been doing this for years they even tried to kidnap Kushina an eight-year-old girl to breed due to her genes.
He figured the current Raikage had someone to plan the mission and he signed it off because there was no way he could think up a plan that didn't involve brute force and direct action. He fought the man's father before and was disappointed that his son only received his brawns.
Not that he wanted the man's son to be like him, one Third Raikage was enough, and he hopes that Kumo will never have another shinobi like that. That man was a monster he had brawns and brains and was the most powerful shinobi he ever faced and one of the strongest to ever live.
It still surprised him he was named the God of Ninjas of his generation due to the stacked competition he had to face. The Third Mizukage, the Third Kazekage, the Third Raikage, and even Onoki were all-powerful shinobis in their own right and deserved to be Kage and to be respected.
While he'll respect them for their skills and power, he would never like them as their enemies of Konoha and if you're an enemy of Konoha you're an enemy to him.
And finally, the one incident that'll always be remembered doing his reign as Kage… the Uchiha Massacre.
One thirteen-year-old boy massacred a clan that numbered in the four-hundreds all by himself… his own clan he butchered everyone, no one was spared except his younger brother, and no one knows why he did it.
Oh, if only the Third Hokage knew that someone else helped Itachi slaughter his clan.
While the Uchiha Clan were getting frisky he never wanted this to happen, but he knew deep down if it came to it, he would've ordered the leaders behind the rebellion to be killed but not the entire clan. He knew Danzo had a hand in it but without proof, he couldn't accuse him of treason.
Itachi Uchiha is one of the most gifted and intelligent individuals to have ever been born a once and a lifetime generation ninja. He had high hopes for the boy to succeed him as Hokage one day, but now that'll never happen he would most likely die as Hokage in battle just like how his sensei's the First and Second Hokage's Hashirama and Tobirama Senju did and like how their Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze did.
Itachi was regarded by many as the second coming of Minato Namikaze, a bold statement but was rightfully earned. He graduated at the top of his class after one year at the age of seven, has the second-highest score for written exams behind Minato, and has the highest Chunin practical exam score ever recorded.
He joined the ANBU Black Ops at the age of eleven and was promoted to the prestigious rank ANBU Captain at thirteen those, are feats that are so legendary they are considered mythical and will probably never happen again.
The word prodigy can only describe so much when regarding Minato and Itachi.
Then everything came to halt when he slaughtered his clan and escaped becoming a Missing-Nin. The Uchiha were becoming hostile because their clan leader Fugaku wasn't regarded as Hokage material, and when the Kyuubi Attack happened everyone saw the Sharingan'ed eyes of the Kyuubi which caused even more problems for the clan.
He was overruled by his advisors and the Uchiha were forced to move to one section of the village and were placed under heavy surveillance. The isolation and mistrust from the ninjas and civilians only served to heighten their hatred for Konoha.
Itachi was loyal to Konoha and was his most trusted spy against the clan and when it seemed like the clan was going to launch their coup, they were all killed in a single night.
Maybe Itachi thought it was best to kill the whole clan to prevent a civil war that would've destroyed Konoha? Maybe he went insane due to all the pressure that was placed on him from a young age?
He certainly can be blamed for the entire situation. Maybe if he had been more forceful and directive he could have prevented this tragedy from happening. He was the Hokage, his word was law, and yet he let his advisors overrule him on many occasions and he did nothing about it.
A knock interrupted him from his musing.
"Come in!"
In walked in was probably his greatest regret and mistake Naruto… no last name son of his successor Minato Namikaze.
Standing at the towering height of 6'6 (198cm) Naruto cut an intimidating and imposing figure with straight shoulder-length blood-red hair and jaw-length bangs framing both sides of his handsome pale-skinned face with a blue Konoha headband worn proudly on his head he had two narrow piercing violet eyes that could see right through you his broad muscled physique was hidden underneath his clothes which consisted of a dark blue long-sleeved form-fitting shirt that showed off his broad upper body and large muscular arms over his shirt he wore the stand green Jonin combat vest.
Down below the belt, he wore dark blue pants and blue closed combat sandals draped over his shoulders and back instead of wearing it was a weighted oversized dark blue hooded cloak, and on his hands were dark blue fingerless gloves and strapped on both sides of his waist sheathed in their scabbards were two custom-made chakra metal chokuto swords with each sword having a dark purple rectangular handguard that connected from the crossguard to the pummel to protect the user's hand and add more support for thrusting the swords each guard had five sharp spiked points sticking out that could be used as knuckledusters for hand to hand combat.
"Lord Hokage I've returned from my completed mission of exterminating the local bandit tribe here's the mission scroll and report." Spoke Naruto his smooth deep baritone voice echoing around the room.
Taking the report from Naruto's hand Hiruzen compliments Naruto "Good work as always Naruto were there any problems that arose?"
[Flashback]
The sun had fallen a few hours ago and the only light that showed were the moon and stars standing a couple of yards away from the bandit's hideout Naruto listened in as the two-hundred and fifty vagabonds consisting of men and women celebrated another raid against one of the important nobles in fire country.
Naruto unsheathed one of his swords and infused it with fire and with a simple wave a great blistering inferno erupted forward from the blade towards the bandit's camp lighting up the night soon laughter and joy turned into screams of pain and fear as the flames got hotter and hotter as Naruto infused more chakra into the jutsu eventually the flames had engulfed and consumed the entire camp and turned it into ash.
Naruto canceled the jutsu and what was once a hotspot beaming with life was now a desolate wasteland.
After looking over the destruction his jutsu Taimatsu caused he admires the view with detached eyes his face was as solid and blank as a brick wall his hair and cloak blew gently in the wind eventually, he resheathed his sword turned around, and started to make his trip back to Konoha.
[Flashback Ends]
Shaking his head at the amusing memory Naruto calmly replied, "No Lord Hokage there were no problems, they were just your typical average quantity over quality bandits."
Nodding his head in acknowledgment Hiruzen spoke "Excellent I'll notify the Fire Lord and tell him our little pest problem has been exterminated. I'm sure he will be pleased to hear the news now if you have nothing else to report, you may be excused."
"I have nothing else to report Lord Hokage by your leave?"
"… you may."
Hiruzen watched Naruto leave before he mentally chastised himself for not being able to talk and connect with the young man, he wanted to apologize to Naruto for his upbringing but every time he tried to talk to Naruto about something that didn't concern anything about the mission he'll always freeze up because those cold unforgiving violet eyes would stare at him sending shivers down his spine.
Hiruzen knew that Danzo was to be blamed for Naruto's attitude and cold nature due to his belief in what a ninja should be ever since he and Danzo had a falling out over Naruto's training when Naruto was twelve Danzo had completely taken over Naruto's training and his relationship with Danzo had soured even more over the years especially when he forcefully removed Danzo as his second-in-command and disbanded his ROOT organization for his unsanctioned action against the Uchiha Clan in which he made one his most loyal ninjas under his command genocide their own clan.
But as always Danzo always covers his tracks with a good cleaner and without any proof he couldn't accuse Danzo of treason and have him executed and he was also certain that Danzo was still operating ROOT underground with Naruto as his main operative but as much he hated to admit it Danzo and his actions were needed because he just didn't have the heart to do some of the things that needed to be done especially now since he's gotten older and now has a grandson of his own.
But if there's one thing, he could say is that he and Danzo accomplished what they set out and planned for Naruto to become the perfect ninja… he was a monster but he was theirs and that's all that mattered.
If only he and Danzo only knew that a monster could only be controlled for so long if it was that easy to control monsters, then there would be no missing-nins they may have created and forged Naruto into what he is now but like all sentient beings in the universe everyone has their own dreams and goals they want to accomplish, and Naruto is no different.
But they don't know that Naruto has a dream and he'll do anything to reach that dream, and no one knows what schemes are brewing behind those cold calculated violet eyes because he has no compassion, no empathy, and only the drive for power, after all, only one person has ever ever stood at the top of the world and soon Naruto will surpass that one person.
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AN:
As you can see, this was my attempt at a god Naruto fic I wanted to do years ago but this didn't work out the way I wanted it too thanks to me.
This will never be updated and when…. If you finish reading the chapter you'd understand why. I just wanted to post this so I can have something to my name even if this "something" is trash but at least it's my trash.
See you whenever…