"W-why is this… happening… to me?" A barely audible voice questioned, each of his words being gasped out in evident pain. In response, a crowd of laughter entered the boy's ears, and he could do nothing but bite his trembling lips while tears cascaded his numb face.
"You know why this is happening, you damned demon! You've had this coming ever since you stole our families from us!" A middle-aged man shouted, veins threatening to burst from his temple.
Another voice chimed in, albeit feminine this time. "That's right! You stole my husband from me, you filthy monster! I HATE YOU!"
Tears continued to spill from the boy's cerulean-blue eyes, and before he knew it, he was covering his ears with his small hands. "I-I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THAT! PLEASE BELIEVE M-"
As the words were leaving his mouth, a solid black boot interrupted him by slamming into his face, an audible crunch being heard throughout the alleyway. He cried out in pain as blood spilled from his warped nose, obviously broken. The sudden action caused his body to collide against the cold ground where he pulled his knees to his chest. The crowd was delighted as they continued to laugh.
Through jaded eyes, the world seemed to spin as glowing lanterns could be seen from beyond the alleyway's entrance. For what reason could those beautifully glowing lanterns be there for? In celebration, of course. Today was October 10th, the date in which the Yondaime Hokage defeated the Kyuubi, but at the cost of his own life. It's been six years since that event, and the village celebrates his sacrifice by tormenting the Kyuubi vessel, which is also his son, Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki.
"You are a worthless abomination that shouldn't be walking these streets! I don't know why the Sandaime insists on keeping you around… he's spitting on the Yondaime's grave!"
At the mention of the Yondaime, the crowd seemed to shift as they remembered the punishment for breaking the no-speak law revolving the Kyuubi. Their faces grimaced as they envisioned being tortured in the interrogation room, however, that overwhelming fear vanished when a person walked forwards. Strapped across their forehead, they adorned a leaf hitai-ate, and hanging loosely across their waist was a sheathed chokutō blade. The crowd recognized this guy as Hirasu Omane, a chunin ranked ninja that was a devout believer in ridding the Kyuubi.
In a fluid motion, he removed his blade from his sheath and walked towards the downed demon, a crazed smirk spreading across his features. Blood seeped between Naruto's fingers as he covered his deformed nose, his eyes gradually widening when he noticed the person heading in his direction. He hurriedly scooted backwards, but to his dismay, he was met with a wall.
"You fucking brat! You are the reason my little sister is dead! Even if I am executed for this, I'll be happy as long as you are gone! Now begone!"
A terrible burning sensation ripped through Naruto's chest, and to his shock, a sword was protruding through the center, successfully pinning him to the wall. He couldn't scream, cry, or shout as blood filled his lungs.
Crimson slosh forced itself up his parched throat, spilling out onto the concrete in heaves that resulted in the creation of a small puddle. With murky vision, he looked at his blood covered hands, a feeling of despair clutching his soul as his mind raced with less than optimistic thoughts.
'I-I don't want to die! Jiji will save me, yeah… t-that's right..'
No, he won't.
His membership to life was coming to an end and he knew it. Upon realizing this, he placed a clawing hand on the ground. He mustered all his strength to seek survival, but he fell short with a gurgled groan. His last attempt was to shout for help… it was to no avail though, as his throat had already lost all functionality. Hirasu Omane started to laugh, the crowd having gone silent as they started to nervously sweat. They were happy about the monster's slow death, but if they were caught like this, they'd surely be executed.
"Now to finish off this vile demon!" The chunin shinobi sneered, weaving hand signs. "Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)
One moment, he was bleeding to death, and the next his skin was a bubbling mess that threatened to melt off his body. Never before has he experienced pain on this level, and he could only open his mouth to release a silent scream that never came.
'It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! I want to die… I need to… die..'
Just as his consciousness was failing him, a loud chirping noise pierced the surroundings, and screams of horror were heard. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was, "Chidori."
When Naruto awoke, he found himself lying in a puddle of cold water, his eyes staring at a sewer-like ceiling without a thought in mind. He slowly stood up, his eyes shadowed by his blonde locks. Then it started. A deep reverberation that sounded like it was coming from right behind himself. He turned around and was met by a large malicious grin, one so large that it seemed to cover the entire room. He didn't blink or react.
A dark voice boomed throughout the murky domain, "I am the mighty Kyuubi! If you wish to survive, I suggest you get lost or submit!"
The only sign that showed Naruto heard the Kyuubi was by the visible darkening around his eyes, a deeper understanding capturing his thoughts. With reckless abandonment, he walked towards the large cage, which only pissed the Kyuubi off more.
"INSOLENT HUMAN!" It roared while sweeping its claws at the boy. Despite its intimidating actions, he continued his stroll, narrowly bypassing the claws that would've killed him if the Kyuubi were aiming with real intent. As he reached the massive bars, he did something that shocked the great fox. He walked inside! He was eventually right in front of the bijuu, its head cocked to the side as it pondered the boy's actions.
"Please, kill me."
The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed. What was this child saying? Kill him? He closed his sharp slits, viewing his host's memories to see what he missed while napping. Upon viewing the contents, a deep red aura covered the fox, and an equally dark frown mirrored it. No less than a second later, the same red aura that coated the fox also shrouded the blonde's body, his dull eyes questioning the warmth.
"No."
A sorrowful frown appeared on Naruto's face, his eyes widening ever so gradually before collapsing against the giant's paw. This action caused the Kyuubi to flinch, his self-pride barely containing himself from swatting the blonde away. Before he acted on impulse, images flashed through his head, images of Hagoromo, the only human he's ever respected. Was he really seeing the old man within this… this stupid human host?
"W-Why not?! Just do it already!" The blonde pleaded, his hands gripping the paw of the Kyuubi as warm tears soaked its fur. It's been a while since the Kyuubi felt genuine emotion, and for once, he felt sadness for another being other than himself.
Surprisingly, he didn't feel this way just because the boy reminded him of the old man, it was also because he couldn't feel fear from him. For once in his long life, someone didn't fear his existence from solely existing. Additionally, the child managed to do something that none of his other containers could, and that was the action of walking into the cage with him.
"If I killed you, I would also be killing myself…" Well, that's technically true, however, it's also inaccurate as he would be able to reconstruct himself after many years of waiting… the minimum being fifteen, and the maximum being fifty. All in all, it'd be a real pain in the ass, and he'd be a massive target due to his chakra being greatly reduced. Not that the child needs to know that. "... but that's not the only reason."
Those words drew the boy's attention, his tear stricken face staring up at the Kyuubi. "W-what are the other reasons?"
A smirk stretched the beast's face as he began speaking. "Based on your initial reaction, I'm gonna assume you already know that I was sealed within you?"
Naruto wearily nodded before opening his mouth. "Everyone calls me a monster. Not just that, but I'm always blamed for the deaths of people I don't even know. When I was being hurt, one of the villagers mentioned that Jiji was spitting on the Yondaime's grave by keeping me around. That's when I realized there had to be a connection, their words wouldn't make sense otherwise. When I awoke in this place, my suspicions were proven correct."
To say the Kyuubi was impressed would be an understatement, he was completely baffled. "That's a rather impressive deduction for a child. I would expect nothing less from my host, but do you know why I'm sealed within you?"
This question brought a blank expression to Naruto's face, his eyes glazing over in deep thought. It was his turn to be baffled. "I-I don't know."
"Six years ago, the Yondaime had decided to move to a hidden area so his wife could safely give birth. When a female jinchuriki gives birth, the seal that holds back a bijuu weakens thus—"
"Wait, wait! The Yondaime had a child?! No one's ever spoken about that before… Also, what's a j-jin… jinchuracki?"
"Jinchuriki." Maybe not so smart after all?
"Uhm, yeah."
The Kyuubi rolled his eyes. "I'll answer your questions, however, no more interruptions, got it?" Silence. "Anyhow, a jinchuriki is a vessel which jails a bijuu, and they are generally known as human sacrifices due to the popular belief that the bijuu takes control upon being sealed… which is incorrect. As for the Yondaime's child, I'll get to that part in a moment." Naruto nodded.
"Now, where was I? Ah yes! The seal holding back a bijuu is weakened during child labor, thus if a female jinchuriki wishes to have a child, they have to plan in advance so they can correctly stabilize the seal. Unfortunately, the Yondaime didn't plan for a surprise attack, and because of that, I was released."
Naruto's eyes widened at the revelation. Before he could say anything, he remembered the Kyuubi's words about not interrupting, so he waited.
"After I was released, the person who attacked the Yondaime took control of me with the use of their DISGUSTING UCHIHA EYES. I wasn't in control when I attacked the village, I WAS USED FOR MY POWER, and then tossed to the side like reusable trash! Eventually, the Yondaime released the hold the Uchiha had on me, and in a blind rage, I killed both the Yondaime and my previous container, Kushina Uzumaki. Before…"
Naruto froze when he heard the woman's name. 'W-What did he say? Uzumaki? That… that can't be…'
"... I killed them, they sealed me into their only son using the Shiki Fūjin, which is a jutsu that summons the shinigami at the price of the user's own soul. They knowingly sentenced their only son to a life of torment because they valued their village more than their own family. They believed that everyone would see their child as a hero, they couldn't have been more wrong."
A sickening feeling entered his chest as tears flooded down his cheeks. That couldn't be right! He would not accept that his parents abandoned him for the sake of a village that torments him! It's simply impossible!
"Y-You're lying to me! You have to be!" Naruto screamed while pointing an angry finger towards the Kyuubi. "I won't accept that the Yondaime was my father, and I especially won't accept that I was abandoned! My real parents died during the attack… that's what Jiji told me, and he'd never lie to me…"
A deep growling broke through his delirious ramblings. "Listen brat, you can choose not to believe me, but deep down, you know I'm telling the truth. If you are willing to trust me, I have a method that can prove my claims, and you can meet the person who abandoned you for this pitiful village!"
Ice cold pangs struck Naruto's core, his heart rate increasing as he listened to the Kyuubi's words. Truth be told, he knew the fox was telling the truth, he merely refused to accept reality. Then again, he couldn't look at all the evidence and say otherwise.
For one, his appearance was strikingly similar to that of the Yondaime; spiked golden hair, cerulean blue eyes, a refined jawline, and most of all his former dream of becoming hokage. Then there was the matter of Jiji—no, the Sandaime lying about not knowing his parents. Now thinking back on it, he wasn't sure why he trusted him, it was very obvious that he was being lied to from the very start. It was the Sandaime who told him that a hokage is responsible for knowing everyone in their village, yet he couldn't remember the name of his parents?
Furthermore, he was given an apartment by the Sandaime after he was kicked out of the orphanage, supposedly they didn't accept demons, whoops. Anyhow, the point is that he was given an apartment. Why would a mere child have the responsibility of having their own place instead of being forced back to the orphanage? The answer doesn't even need to be said.
"You wouldn't have told me all of this if you weren't being genuine. Although, there's only one way I can fully trust you. Call this insurance in case you are trying to wheedle me."
This piqued the fox's interest as he opened his mouth to speak. "Oh? And what would that be?"
Silent tears streaked his complexion, a growing smile becoming ever so noticeable. "Tell me your name."
The Kyuubi froze, his eyes expelling a grievous amount of shock from the innocent request. In a flash of light, he witnessed his entire past leading up to this very moment, including the moment of his creation.
I don't have long any more. Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Gokū, Kokuō, Saiken, Chōmei, Gyūki, K***** Even though you have been separated, you shall always be together. Until eventually that time shall come when you will become one… You each carry a name… And with a different shape than you had up to now, you will be shown a righteous path, different from the time you spent inside of me.
He wasn't mistaken after all! There's definitely something similar between this child and Hagoromo, although, he'd wager this child has even more potential. With too much purity, you'll never be able to see past the lies of your enemies, but with a little darkness, the lies become so much easier to unveil.
"Kurama." The fox boomed, obvious self-pride radiating from his very essence. To this answer, the blonde gave a radiant smile, his trust growing infinitely larger than ever before. "Kurama… That's an awesome name!"
"I know, right?"
"Absolutely." Naruto answered before turning away from Kurama, his tone a bit blander than before. "I'm ready."
Kurama nodded before turning towards the large cage, specifically at the seal which was cast onto it. "As you have probably noticed, I've shrouded your body in my chakra so you can heal faster on the outside. That's where the issue lies, though. When you were attacked, you were unconsciously pulling chakra from me to heal yourself, making it very difficult for me to lend more. As I was forcing chakra through the seal, I ran into a foreign presence, and upon closer inspection, I learned that it was the chakra of a sealed clone belonging to Minato Namikaze. If you hadn't become so injured, this revelation would've been kept secret until the day you were dead, or until you stripped that seal from those bars. My theory is that if you remove the seal, the clone attached to it will unfreeze from stasis. In other words, if you wish to confront your father, you'll have to.."
"...remove the seal."
Kurama gave an affirmative nod, his paw lifting to point at the seal. "If you decide to remove the seal, you have my word that I won't force my way out or force control from you. If I wanted to do so, I would've tricked you into removing the seal when you were pleading for me to kill you. Fortunately for you, I've come to appreciate your presence, so I won't mind sticking with you for now, kit."
With zero hesitation, Naruto wiped the tears from his face, visible streaks still remaining before he began his walk towards the seal. "Are you serious? You aren't gonna doubt me..?"
Naruto stopped and turned his head towards Kurama. Despite the tear streaks and reddened nose, a giant smile rested on his face. "Throughout my life, I've had no one there for me. Even the Sandaime hasn't been there for me, a person who I used to consider the closest thing to a friend. After hearing your words, I finally understand a friend should be someone like you… so I'll trust your words. If this was all a ploy to trick me, I won't care since you'll be released to take vengeance, and I'll be dead. Although, I don't believe you'll do that because we're friends now."
Yet again, this human continues to surprise him. He awed him with his courage to walk into the jail that housed the mightiest of bijuu. Then he grieved on his paw, which showed he viewed him as something more than just a monster. To further prove that point, he asked what his name was, something that none of his previous containers ever even considered. And now, he is calling him his friend, despite all the risks that could entail.
A light chuckle began to emanate throughout the cell before it turned into an explosive parade of laughter. "You are very different from other humans, kit! If you trust me that much, then so be it. Come here, I'll lift you towards the seal."
Naruto nodded and watched as Kurama's giant paw lowered, easily allowing him to climb on top. In a relatively slow manner, he was lifted towards the seal until he was standing right in front of it. He stretched his left arm forwards and gripped the corner with no reluctance. With one explosive tug, the seal was ripped clean off, and then he felt a pair of arms grab him before vanishing. Temporary whiplash pinned Naruto's mind, but it was quick to vanish as he adjusted his gaze.
"Naruto…" A calm voice spoke, which pulled his eyes upwards only to be met by a pair of icy blue daggers. "... why have you undone the Kyuubi's seal?"
From the background, Kurama sneered in hate before turning to lay down, something that seemed very strange to Minato. Right when he was gonna comment on it, his eyes widened as the air left his lungs. He shifted his eyes, noticing a red chakra covered arm pressing against his abdomen. "Shut up!"
Minato was beyond shocked. He didn't expect to be summoned here by such a young version of Naruto, and the Kyuubi didn't even reach eight tails to accomplish it. A deep frown plastered the father's expression as he saw the many wet streaks trailing down his son's face.
'W-What's happening? From what I can tell, the Kyuubi seems to have zero motivation to leave the cell even though the seal has been completely removed! Despite that, my son's face is covered with dried tears. Did Sarutobi not keep his promise..? That couldn't be, right?'
"Don't talk until I'm done!" Naruto shouted, his fingers nervously fiddling with the bottom of his shirt. Minato remained silent, a rampage of thoughts running amok in his confused brain. "W-why?"
"Huh..?"
"I asked WHY!? Why did you choose the village over your own son?! Do you realize how much pain I've been in?! I-It hurts so much.." Naruto started, his tears running free once more. "You expected me to be treated like a hero, right? Does burning alive sound like a hero, you stupid asshole?! How about being stabbed through your chest and beaten on a weekly basis? Does any of that sound like a hero to you..? If it weren't for Kurama, I'd be long dead by now! If that's what it means to be a hero, I… I don't want to be one."
Minato was initially shocked before a sense of rage bubbled behind his skin. He never thought it would come to the point where the villagers would physically assault his son. He figured there'd be a little resistance when it came to mental abuse, however, this was another level of brutality. This wasn't the village he became hokage for, and if Kushina were to know about this. He was broken from his stupor as he heard the Kyuubi chuckling. For a split second, he looked past Naruto, and saw a cheeky grin covering the bijuu's face, obviously gloating.
'There's no reason for Naruto to lie to me. From what I heard, he's referring to the Kyuubi by the name of Kurama? Has he already gained the trust of his bijuu? Wait, that's exactly what this is… he wouldn't know I am his father or that I planned for him to be a hero otherwise. That also explains why the Kyuubi hasn't left the cage or forced control. If things continue to go this way, Konoha might be in danger… but for Kushina's sake, I need to help him.'
"All of my life, I've desperately wanted a father to teach me, and a mother to love me… instead I'm thrown out of orphanages, and forced to live in an apartment by myself. Don't get me wrong, it's much better living by myself than having to tolerate the hateful glares of everyone around me, but it gets lonely when all you have is yourself. If Kurama hadn't convinced me, I would've killed myself today, and that would've been the end of it. Just like you, I used to dream about becoming hokage…"
Minato continued to listen, his ears perking up at the mention of dreams and hokage. A part of him was happy that his son could at least dream, but there's always a time in one's life when they have to stop dreaming so they can approach reality without being disappointed. Just like his dream to have a family of his own, to cook, laugh, and teach his son the wonders of life. A terrible regret filled his chest, he had everything a normal person could ever hope for—a beautiful wife, friends, and a dutiful sensei. He threw that all away so he could chase his second dream of becoming hokage, something he was beginning to see as more of a nightmare than a dream.
"... but I knew it was impossible. How can someone become the leader of their village when everyone hates that person? You could always prove yourself, and if it were anyone else, I'm sure they could, but I'm truly despised." At this point, tears were uncontrollably streaming down his face, his forearm hiding his eyes. "Despite my suffering, I-I don't hate you dad… I'm just disappointed that I couldn't be your top priority, ya know?"
A warm wetness slicked down the older blonde's face, his lips quivering lightly as he listened to what his son said. 'Do you hear that honey? It seems like he's taken after you, ya know? And he said he doesn't hate me, I'm so very relieved.'
"I can't be the hokage, but I have a new dream that surpasses it. My new dream is to become very strong so I can change the world. Without a doubt, I'll commit actions I wish I hadn't. I'll also hurt people that I know I shouldn't. I'm sure I'll regret things, but I can't continue living without at least trying! Even if I become the villain, I want you and mom to be there for me to say you love me. At the end of the line, if everyone hates me, I want you two along with Kurama to be proud of me… can you?"
Naruto removed his tear stained forearm and proceeded to stare up at his father. The sight of his dad crying as well caused his eyes to widen. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him, an unfamiliar warmth filling his heart.
"I-I promise you that your mother and I will always be there for you, no matter what happens. Even if you don't realize it, I'm already very proud of you. If I could redo everything, I would've grabbed you and your mother so we could've left the village. We would've lived our lives in a cozy home, and we would've shown you the wonders this world has to offer." He paused, noticing his body becoming translucent. "Unfortunately, I can't show you all of that, however, I will utilize the remaining amount of my chakra to engrave a seal of my teachings onto you. You might've been born without the love you deserved, but I'll be damned if you don't receive something from us!"
A light burning started to itch Naruto's right wrist, and then there was a soft glowing which illuminated the mindscape. After a brief moment, the light faded to reveal a complex seal design before it slowly vanished. Naruto turned towards his fading father, a smile gracing his lips. "I'll make this world better! Not just for me, but for you and mom too! I promise, I'll find a way to bring you two back so we can experience that world together, as a true family!"
Minato frowned, not wanting his son to resort to resurrection jutsus, but he knew his son wouldn't back down. After all, he was just like his mother. His smile returned. "I'd like that."
Just as he was fading away, he said one last thing. "At the moment of my death, I managed to seal a clone of your mother as well. Since you've already befriended the Kyuubi, I've changed the requirements for unveiling it. If you wish to meet those requirements, master everything within that seal so you can surprise your mom! Let's see if you can meet the clone of your mother before you face the real one." He paused one last time, his lips revealing a thin smile. "If anyone can master those secrets, I believe it'd be you. Just remember, I'll always love you, my son."
With that, he vanished from sight, pure white energy seeping upwards as if he were returning to the pure-lands. Naruto knew that wasn't the case since his soul was consumed by the shinigami, but that wouldn't be the case forever. As of now, the world has become his obstacle, and he'll make sure to eviscerate the shinigami for daring to imprison his father. That's a promise.
Kurama watched from the sidelines, his facial expression remaining stoic despite the surge of emotions within himself. 'If I were to regret one thing in my life, it would be that I broke that family apart. If I had controlled my anger that day, I wouldn't have killed them… those Uchiha bastards will pay."
Naruto was broken from his thoughts by the sound of Kurama snarling, his giant paws scrunching in distaste. "What's wrong Kurama?" The sudden noise caused the fox to nearly jump, his eyes snapping open.
"Those damned Uchiha are the issue! The person who controlled me is still out there, and I won't rest until you've stomped them into dust! With that said, I've decided I'll teach you all of my jutsu so you'll be strong enough to beat them when they attack again."
"You… can make jutsu? But like, how? Your hands don't look capable of performing hand signs, and you–"
"INSOLENCE, OF COURSE I CAN! Unlike you puny humans, I'm capable of utilizing jutsu without hand signs! After you've mastered the basics of fox senjutsu, you'll be ready to become a fox sage, and when that happens, you'll be able to cast jutsu without signs as well!"
The blonde was awed. If he managed to master both his dad's teachings and Kurama's, he'd be unstoppable. "When will we start?"
Kurama hummed in thought, his paws tapping against the damp floor with unneeded force. "From what I can tell, your body is nearly one hundred percent healed. If it were any other time, I'd make you start training now, but it would seem you have visitors waiting for you on the outside."
This caught Naruto off guard, his fists tightening angrily as he envisioned the Konoha residents. That's when the words one hundred percent healed booted in, realizing he was most likely transferred to a hospital. His heart thumped loudly upon realizing what that meant.
"Wait, I'm at the hospital, aren't I?"
"That'd be correct."
"Won't they know that you're unsealed when they see my stomach? If they know I removed the seal, I'll probably be executed!"
"It's admirable that you foresaw that, but it would seem that your father thought the same. When he branded you with that seal, he also forged a false eight trigram seal that'll react to outside interference. When he sealed me away, he created a single key that is capable of loosening the seal, and it would appear he re-linked that key to this false seal."
"Does that mean… ?"
"Yes, even if someone were to tamper with the false seal, nothing would happen to me. To them though, it would look as if their actions were successful."
"I see."
"Anyhow, when you return to the real world, make sure to keep everything that happened in here secret. If you make the hokage suspicious, he'll order his anbu lackeys to follow you. I won't be able to train you effectively if that were to happen, and you wouldn't be able to study the contents of that seal." Kurama paused, his gaze piercing Naruto. "Assuming everything goes accordingly, we'll begin training in three days so you can master the fundamentals of fox senjutsu."
Naruto nodded while closing his eyes. "Since the seal is gone, I'll be able to communicate with you from the outside, correct?"
"Indeed. If you pester me too much though, I'll cut the connection since I enjoy my naps." To this, Naruto chuckled.
"I'll make sure to annoy you twice as much then, Kurama."
Naruto opened his eyes, a bright whiteness nearly blinding him as he covered himself with his arm. Since he was just awakening, his senses were dulled so he didn't hear the eerie beeping from machinery, nor did he feel the wind from the open window brushing against his skin. It took a moment of laziness to realize he was awake, but when he did, he nearly jumped out of his skin as he shot forwards, adrenaline carrying his every movement. His not so predictable actions caused the only nurse in the room to fall on her ass before scurrying out in a panic.
Off in the distance, shouting could be heard, and then moments later there were two figures in front of him. Naruto raised his head, his eyes meeting the hokage's which were full of sorrow. He maintained a blank expression, previous events finally catching up with him as his lips thinned. Beside the old man, a weasel masked anbu stood attentively, their invisible gaze aimed directly towards him. Naruto stopped his lips from twitching, annoyance filling his mind as he remained silent.
"Naruto…" He averted his eyes from the masked individual and turned towards the old man. Invisible tension raged like a fierce lightning stream, his hands tightening only to feel damp bandages. He grimaced, his attention moving to his body which was covered from head to toe in reddened gauze.
'These bandages are still damp so it hasn't been long since they were applied. I'd wager around forty minutes to an hour. It'll be difficult to explain my healed wounds, however, I could also play dumb since I'm not supposed to know about my healing factor.'
He sighed, his fingers tentatively removing the bandages as a sense of euphoria took possession of him. "W-Where am I, Jiji? The last thing I remember was…," he allowed his gaze to drift off in feigned confusion. "... walking down the street so I could buy some delicious ramen! Then I awoke here. Am I in trouble or something?"
A frown made itself known on the old man's face, his hand removing the traditional hokage hat that laid on top of his head. He shared a glance with the anbu member, a mutual agreement being crafted between the two.
"No, you aren't in trouble." Hiruzen began, a puff of smoke being exhaled after he placed a pipe to his mouth. "You were involved in a mass accident that claimed the lives of seventeen civilians and one ninja. We were fortunate to find you when we did, as if we didn't, you would've likely died."
In all actuality, those seventeen casualties were caused by none other than Kakashi Hatake. Upon finding the charred corpse of Naruto, he berated himself for not keeping a closer eye on the boy. Even now, he blames himself for what happened since it was his responsibility to watch over him during the festival. His one mistake was believing he could leave for a moment to talk with Obito and Rin, more so their gravestones. It turns out that the world doesn't stop for him, nor does it stop for his sensei's son. Those civilians broke multiple laws by attacking a child, so they were executed on the spot for their traitorous and inhuman methods. The situation was quickly covered up as an accident since if word got out that the Kyuubi Brat was involved, they would've blamed the situation on Naruto, thus they'd target him even more.
After everything was settled, Kakashi asked to be removed from watch duty so he could resume his anbu missions full-time. He couldn't trust himself to protect Minato's legacy so he abandoned it instead.
"Is that what happened? What a shame. I really wanted some ramen, ya know?" Naruto nonchalantly answered, the rest of his bandages dropping to the floor to reveal unblemished skin. The sight of his undamaged body caused Hiruzen to freeze, his eyes widening before a darkness surrounded him.
Naruto was having a field day within his head, his immediate amusement coming from the shocked look of the Sandaime."Hey, wasn't I supposed to be gravely injured or something? I feel perfectly fine!"
Uncertainty flashed behind the man's eyes, his gaze drifting downwards to the blonde's stomach which hid the Kyuubi's seal. "Is that so?"
"If you don't believe me, I'd be willing to prove it. Although, if I were to do that, you'd have to agree to let me leave the hospital afterwards. You know how much I hate hospitals, Jiji~!"
Hiruzen allowed a smile to grace his face, his uncertainty diminishing moment by moment. "If you can prove that you're completely healed, I'll accept those terms."
Naruto spent the next couple of minutes showing various parts of his body—parts such as his arms, back, chest, legs, and most importantly his stomach. Upon his skin, the false seal stood unwavering, its authenticity appearing to be the genuine article despite it being a replica.
He was about to ask the old man about the seal since it's been on his stomach since birth, but he worried that could lead to him being questioned. In spite of knowing already, he was really curious to see how the old man would go about answering. Would he attempt to hide the truth like he just did with his attempted murder? Or would he finally tell the truth? Moments ago, he took the easy way out when he was given a convenient amnesia story, something worth scuffing about considering he was a kage. Then again, most people would believe a child who was just scorched to death since it's quite believable to assume the trauma created a coping mechanism. But still, he would've preferred if the old man at least considered the possibility of him lying. Not because he wanted to be distrusted, but because he wanted to be seen as a competent person who was more than just stupid.
"You see, I don't have a single scratch. Whoever brought me here must've had a screw loose or something!" He beamed, his eyes turning to the window. "Anyhow, I carried out my side of the bargain, I'm outta here!"
Hiruzen chuckled, most of his doubts being erased. Nonetheless, he still made a mental note to contact Jiraiya so he could thoroughly analyze the seal later. You can never be too careful, especially when it concerns the Kyuubi.
Right when Naruto was about to jump out the window, one that was on the first floor, he turned around one last time. "Oh, I almost forgot. Could you enroll me in the academy this year? If I ever want to become hokage, I'll need to become strong enough to prove myself!"
He nearly gagged when he mentioned his false dream. On the other hand, if he hadn't mentioned it, there could've been a chance of rejection. If he ever hopes to complete his real dream, he needs to utilize the academy to hide his real training. He knows everyone hates him, so his academics will most certainly be sabotaged. If he had to guess, he would probably be taught deformed versions of each of the ninja arts. His only hope of becoming truly strong lies within the secrets of himself.
"I was actually planning to enroll you in the coming month. The next time I visit you, I'll inform you of the starting date."
Excitement rocked Naruto's body, his spiked hair shifting from the midnight breeze. "I'll become the strongest ninja ever, just you wait!" He propelled himself from the window, landing calmly on the grass as a dark expression warped his features. "That's a promise."
Back inside, Hiruzen rubbed his temple in dismay, a sigh breaking through the silent atmosphere. "I don't like this at all."
"What's the matter, Hokage-sama? Isn't his lack of remembrance for the better? This event could've left him impaired, or worse, wrathful against Konoha." The masked figure inquired.
"That may be true but that doesn't discount the possibility of his memory returning. If that occurs, we'll have to seal away his memories to prevent the loss of our Jinchuriki, and to secure the safety of the village."
He didn't like the idea of sealing away the memories of Minato's child, however, if that's what had to be done to maintain the integrity of the village, he would. He doubted it would come to that though.
"I see."
A moment of silence later, the anbu was addressed once more. "Watch over the boy for the rest of the night to make sure nothing happens to him. You are dismissed, Itachi-san."
Six Years Later
A lot occurred over the last six years. For starters, he was visited two weeks after leaving the hospital, and he was ecstatic to hear that he was beginning the academy in one week's time. The old man tried to reduce his expectations by filling him in about his other classmates, all of whom were from sub-clans, but that didn't deter him from wanting to go, nor did it make him less confident since he had already begun his training with Kurama. He assumed the old man was trying to lift his spirits in preparation for failure, but he wasn't gonna be the weakling he thought he was.
Just as Kurama planned, he avoided suspicion by playing dumb, and because of that he was able to start his training almost immediately. Before he could learn the intermediate practices of fox senjutsu, he was taught how to mold and dispel chakra. He was a quick learner and mastered the concepts within a few days.
From there, he learned how to tree climb and walk on water, both of which were easy since he was so young. If he were older, it would've taken him much longer since his chakra reserves would've been a thousand times more expansive. By mastering the exercises early on, he was setting himself up to obtain godlike chakra control in the near future.
While he cultivated his control, he decided to start reading the teachings left behind by his dad. At first, he wasn't sure how to make the seal appear, but Kurama was quick to inform him that it could only be activated if he sent chakra to the seal's location. Upon flooding his right arm, the seal on his wrist began to pulse a majestic white aura, and then suddenly a black scroll popped into his hand.
When he tried to open the scroll, it wouldn't budge despite it appearing fragile. A long pause later, he sent pulses of chakra towards the scroll, the restrictions vanishing to reveal piles of books.
Sweat found its way down his face when he read the titles.
'Introduction to Fuinjutsu, Volume 1.'
'Introduction to Fuinjutsu, Volume 2.'
'Introduction to Fuinjutsu, Volume 3.'
'Introduction to Fuinjutsu, Volume 4.'
'Introduction to Fuinjutsu, Volume 5.'
'Intermediate Fuinjutsu, Volume 1.'
'Intermediate Fuinjutsu, Volume 2.'
'Intermediate Fuinjutsu, Volume 3.'
'Intermediate Fuinjutsu, Volume 4.'
'Advanced Fuinjutsu, Volume 1.'
'Advanced Fuinjutsu, Volume 2.'
'Advanced Fuinjutsu, Volume 3.'
'Advanced Fuinjutsu, Volume 4.
'Mastery Fuinjutsu, Volume 1.'
'Mastery Fuinjutsu, Volume 2.'
He wiped the sweat from his face before turning to another stack of books. After closer inspection, his fascination was piqued.
'Forbidden Jutsu'
Without hesitation, he attempted to open the book until a piece of paper materialized on the cover. It read; "If you are reading this, I'm presuming you got excited by the idea of learning forbidden Jutsu? How did I know you might ask? Well, you are just like your mother, always ready to jump head first into any obstacle before you. Unfortunately, the contents of this book are out of your grasp until you've managed to become a fuinjutsu master. To become one, you'll have to master all the books on fuinjutsu, and then some. Luckily for you, I'm one of the greatest fuinjutsu masters to ever exist, thus I've left a magnitude of my notes for you to study. When you eventually complete your seal studies, you'll be happy to know that I've left two of my greatest prize jutsu for you to learn. It's because of these jutsu that I was labeled the Yellow Flash. - By Minato Namikaze, aka, your loving dad."
Naruto smiled and then placed the book aside, his gaze moving to the next interesting topic. It was similar to the previous one, but instead of being forbidden jutsu, it stated, 'Jutsu Catalog, D through A.' It opened without any form of protection and swung to a random page. The contents of the page showed a jutsu called kage bunshin, a B-ranked jutsu that allowed a person to create solid clones. With these clones, a person would be capable of retaining the memories and experience of each clone, making it very useful for espionage, quicker learning, and much more. Alas, the weakness of said ability was the potential to damage their brain if they overloaded themself with too much information. Such a weakness wouldn't be a problem for him though as he had the ability to heal almost any damage sustained.
In no time at all, he learned and mastered the kage bunshin, employing it in ways that would allow him to study many topics at once. He devised a plan to create four groups of twenty-five clones, each being responsible for learning different subjects.
One group worked with Kurama so they could study fox senjutsu. Within a short period of time, he mastered the fundamentals, and was allowed to begin learning the nine different katas that came with being a fox sage. He was long ways away from touching nature energy, but he was still making massive jumps in progress.
The second group was responsible for practicing the Uzumaki and Namikaze taijutsu styles, both of which were found within a book called, 'Family Taijutsu Styles.' He was impressed by his dad's ability to explain things thoroughly, never forgetting to leave out anything that could make learning more difficult. When this group began their training, they already possessed impressive taijutsu skills thanks to the first group's practice with the nine katas, something that evolved their abilities faster as they were pushing themselves even harder. After a few months, both taijutsu styles were mastered, and they began learning his mother's personal kenjutsu style called Shinku-Shi (Crimson Death).
This far into his training, he had already begun leaving a clone at the academy so he didn't have to bother with listening to such boring information. His goal was to fail the exam three times so he could pass with a group of people his own age, and in turn he would be more likely to graduate without interference. He had long since mastered the kawarimi, bunshin, and henge jutsu. In addition, his information palette was far beyond that of most chunin since he learned history from Kurama, and visited the public library on a daily basis—under a henge, of course.
Since his disguises were flawless, he saved a bit of his monthly savings to purchase two swords; a wakizashi and a normal sized katana. His mother's style was centered around a single sword, but he wanted to improve on its defensive capabilities by adding a second shorter blade. Just as he planned, he was quick to alter the kenjutsu style, making a fresh new one that carried Shinku-Shi's principles.
The last two groups, along with the real him, focused all of their efforts on mastering fuinjutsu. Initially, he was very confused, but that passed when he began over viewing his father's notes. After only two months, he completed the introduction volumes along with the intermediate ones. The advanced volumes were a bit trickier, but he eventually comprehended the material before moving onto the mastery volumes, which were made up of two large books. It took him nearly two years to understand the material, and it robbed his wallet dry as he spent most of his money on ink, paper, and ramen.
Thankfully, he was capable of mastering the last volumes before the sixth year. This gave him more than enough time to make additional clone groups that would be responsible for learning other jutsu, refining current abilities, and beginning his elemental training. Kurama informed him that his affinity was for wind, so he created a group of fifty clones to practice leaf cutting, per Kurama's suggestion.
As those clones mastered those topics, he began to open the "Forbidden Jutsu" book that wasn't supposed to be viewed until he became a fuinjutsu master, which he was now. When he picked the book up, he discovered a master grade seal that prevented anyone from touching it aside from himself. With his extensive seal knowledge, he broke through its defenses, opening it to the first page.
He felt as if he could explode from joy when he saw the contents within. Right before his very eyes, he witnessed the secrets behind the infamous hiraishin, and his father's very own creation, the rasengan. He was extremely happy, but a part of himself felt a deep chill that frosted his beating heart, preventing any form of long lasting happiness.
In anticipation of learning these jutsu, he prepared himself by ordering a collection of five-hundred kunai along with a reasonable amount of sealing wrap which would be used for the kunai's sealing array. He didn't want to copy his father or give away his plans so he changed the kunai's design from the typical upward prongs to an upside down version. In other words, the two corner prongs would point downwards instead of upwards.
He knew this wasn't much of a difference, but he figured it would be just enough to prevent the store's clerk from becoming suspicious, or at least enough to keep his thoughts to himself. As if he could see the future, he walked inside with a perfect disguise, and picked up his order without a fuss. Albeit he did receive an odd stare as it wasn't everyday that someone ordered a vast collection of kunai, custom ones specifically.
With that, he spent the remaining amount of the year analyzing the hiraishin formula, intent on breaking down the seal so he could understand it perfectly. He was able to find his father's mark, a mark that signified that he alone could utilize the seal. After a bit of tampering, he removed his father's presence from the array, and replaced it with his own.
Since his father didn't, he applied a safety precaution in the form of a genjutsu seal, successfully hiding the seal from prying eyes. He experimented with the seal until nothing short of a master would be capable of removing it, theoretically creating an infinitely stable genjutsu. As a last precaution, he set an additional seal that would explode if the genjutsu was removed or tampered with.
There was a single month left before the genin exam so he spent the remaining amount of time learning the rasengan and adding his hiraishin seals to the kunai. Additionally, he wrapped the formula around the handles of his swords, allowing him to teleport to them whenever he willed it. He hid these swords in storage seals that were placed on his palms—the left seal being that of the Uzumaki clan and the right being of the Namikaze clan. He covered these seals with his new genjutsu one, preventing anyone from seeing the symbols unless they undid his creation.
As for the kunai, he planted multiple storage seals across his body, all of which would teleport a kunai to him if he willed it. Just like the other seals, these ones were hidden with genjutsu as well.
When the month ended, he managed to form the rasengan, and to his delight, it was a perfect jutsu to use alongside the hiraishin. Since he had successfully mastered his wind element, he attempted to mix it with the rasengan, but he was blown unconscious upon trying. He decided he would begin the synchronization of his wind element to the rasengan whenever he was available next.
He couldn't start now since tomorrow were the genin exams and he wasn't gonna risk being failed or figured out due to his exhausted state. The test itself would be very easy since he estimated himself to be around low-jonin level, something he prided himself in since that would mean he was just like his father.
Tomorrow he was planning to show off a bit, so he figured he would finally release the genjutsu that hid his true appearance. He smirked while willing the seal to come undone, his pure orange clothing blurring out of existence to reveal a much different outfit. His new attire consisted of midnight black pants that carried a single orange stripe down his sides, his feet adorning black jika-tabi sandals that exposed his toes like most traditional pairs did. Similar to his lower half, his upper possessed a black jacket with an orange stripe sprouting down the sleeves, the cuffs of said sleeves being orange as well. Underneath his jacket, he wore a plain battle-ready mesh shirt which was mostly see-through, exposing his very toned physique from years of constant training.
To top off his outfit, he wore a black cloak that extended to the back of his knees, the bottom having an orange flame design that wrapped the entirety of the base. The sleeves of this cloak were shortened to just above his elbows for when he was engaged in hand-to-hand combat. On the center of his back, the Uzumaki symbol stood unwavering, and just below it was an orange kanji for the word sage. As guessed, this was a gift from Kurama for his years of studying fox senjutsu, albeit he had to create the cloak himself after viewing what it looked like inside his inner mindscape.
Dismissing his clothing, his golden hair remained mostly relative, although it was a tad more wild than it used to be. To match his newly untamed hair, his blue eyes were now sharper, appearing to be calculating every minor inconvenience that graced his presence. If that wasn't enough to display his prestige, his silky skin radiated a heavenly glow that would make most women envious.
After admiring his new appearance, he grinned to absolutely nothing before vanishing in a flash of yellow, his presence relocating itself to his bedside where he undressed to nothing besides his boxers. Since the lights were already out, he collapsed against the bed's surface, and fell asleep in an instant. His last thought before falling asleep was, "This is just the beginning of my cultivation of a new and better world. Nothing will stop me."
Hey, it's FurtherClouds! It's been a few months since I posted anything for the "Redivivus ex Cero" story. The second chapter is almost complete so look out for that if you are a fan of bleach time-travel stories.
Dismissing that, let's talk about this story. As you've read, I had Naruto estimate himself to be around low-jonin level despite already being an incomplete sage and a user of the hiraishin. Usually this would qualify a character to be a special jonin or kage level, however, he hasn't had real life combat experience, nor real opponents to push him. Because of that, he ranked himself based on general statistics that aren't correlated to actual combat. Whether he is lower or higher than his estimated ranking is something that'll be found out later.
The main pairing hasn't been decided, but it'll probably be Naruto x Hinata. If you want a different pairing, tell me with whom and why it should happen. If y'all have any recommendations, make sure to leave a comment explaining it (them).