Things were looking up for Naruto; in the past week, his dreams about his demise had all but come to a halt, his goddaughter was born 2 weeks prematurely but he didn't care and he all in all felt better than he had in a long time.
He even made a break through with his Susanoo training but that is a story for another time, so by the end of the second half decent week he had in a long time he knew something was going to happen soon and he could just tell that it was going to annoy the hell out of him.
In light of his recent dreams he had the foresight to update his last will and testament and hand it into the current Hokage which got him a raised eye brow from the Godaime to which he replied that you can never be too careful.
He sent double the amount of clones to finish his little training diary that he was creating which held all training schedules and activities that he had completed since his eighth birthday for his daughter and any more possible descendants in the future to help his clan and family prosper.
He still hadn't gotten to see his brother yet and was starting to get rather concerned but was told by the Hokage that he was on a top secret S class mission which annoyed him to no end.
His daughter was now tree climbing! This was one of the highlights of his week, to see his 3 year old daughter using chakra in such a way.
Yugao had given birth to a healthy-if not slightly small due to premature labour- girl with purple hair like her own, it was still too early to tell if she had which features from either parent and the child was forced to stay in hospital until she grew enough to breathe on her own.
Naruto was so happy for the couple that he even added them to his will which they didn't know but he gave them a house on the outskirts of Konoha that he had brought upon his return and sealed with several security seals so that they could live peacefully with their daughter and he even made sure that it had extra rooms and space to expand for their possibly growing family.
Naruto was walking towards the training grounds to start his teams on their Taijutsu practise with his style; he was looking forward to watching them squirm as they tried to learn his style of fighting when all of a sudden he disappeared in a pouf of smoke.
He opened his eyes and regained his bearings to see his Senjutsu teachers in front of him smiling at him.
"Fukasaku-Sama, Shima-Sama; what is it you need of me today?" he asked politely trying to hide the fact that he was slightly annoyed that he was now going to be late to meet his team.
Fukasaku spoke first "The elder sage has had a new prophecy about you."
This piqued his interest a little, he didn't like the fact that someone could tell what would happen in his life in the future but it was always an interesting point of view for him to try an understand.
As they walked calmly across the home of the toads or in the toads case they jumped, Naruto asked "Any idea what this new prophecy is?"
"None, the old toad is being extremely tight lipped and is very serious." Shima replied.
This response did not feel Naruto with much confidence, he had met the old toad once or twice before especially when he came here with Yugito when she was pregnant and the old toad prophesized that his daughter was destine for greatness which did make him happy but sad at the same time.
After all; Greatness rarely came without sadness right behind it, he knew that better than most.
They soon reached a rather large cave entrance in the side of the mountain which is where the elder toad lived and relaxed whilst fulfilling his duty to the Gama clan.
"Toad-Jiji, you called for me." He said sounding confident on the outside but on the inside he hated this especially with every toad that was capable of walking in Mt Myoboku looking at him.
"Who are you again?" The elder toad asked whilst looking at him after a minute.
Naruto palmed his face hard, this happened every goddamn time and it annoyed him to no end.
"Naruto."
"Ahh the child of prophecy."
"So I've been told. You called me here for a new prophecy."
"Ah there was such a prophecy recently, it does not end well. Would you like to hear it?"
"Sure, not like I have any choice since I'm here anyway."
The elders eyes glazed over like he was in a Genjutsu and he sat up straighter that he was before speaking in a deadly serious voice:
"The child of prophecies time is almost at an end. His job done. He will have changed this world for the better by the time of his death but he will die all the same.
Armies are uniting, moving against that which he holds dear and he will die protecting them but as he dies the path of greatness that he lead will be open for another his blood to follow.
She will rebuild the world after he has changed it." He finished.
Naruto stood still from shock for over 5 minutes before he spoke anything, "Well fuck."
"Are you sure I'm going to die?"
"It had been foretold."
"I really dislike your prophecies now. I have a daughter that will grow up without a father because of this.
Who is moving against what I hold dear!" He said with anger finally showing in his voice.
"I can not foresee that but I can see that it a collaboration effort; their forehead protectors simply say 'Alliance'"
"Terrifice. How long do I have?" He asked in a dejected, defeated tone.
"2 Months from what I have seen."
He sighed and looked to Fukasaku, "Send me home."
It was a command, not a request; he was in no mood to stay here right now.
The toad nodded with sadness in his eyes, this was one of his students and he was going to die; he never liked this sort of prophecies.
In a puff of smoke he was back where he left at the entrance to the training grounds, he walked over to his team; "Training is cancelled today; some important news has come up and I will be busy for the rest of the day." He said and left without giving them a chance to respond.
He decided not to tell his family about this new prophecy and just enjoy his remaining time with them.
His team were the same, he couldn't leave them without anything so he sent 3 re-enforced clones to write copies of his Ninjutsu journals for each of them, he even made a shadow Jutsu journal for his female student.
His dreams and this prophecy were too close, they must have been connected someway and he wasn't looking forward to it. He was after all one man, one overly powerful man but a man all the same. How on earth was he meant to stand up to an alliance of 20,000 strong on his own? He sure as hell wasn't going to involve his family that was for sure.
He was contemplating how his Bijou could survive without him since they were linked in life and death, he had an idea about that; he hoped that he could modify the Shiki Fuijn that his father used and keep the power so the seal would remain active but her soul could be placed into an enhanced blood clone.
She would be human in every sense of the word, she could grow old albeit with Uzumaki vitality; have kids of her own with someone she loved if she ever found someone and die like a human, she would be reborn a new after 30-40 years but she would survive his death.
And that brought some other troubling news back to his attention, this 'Akatsuki' group, he had no idea how Tsunade got a hold of information on them since his spy network had nothing but he was grateful but he wasn't looking forward to fighting a bearer of the sages eyes.
He sent another clone off to work on this new Fuinjutsu whilst he had a nap, he was so tired and emotionally exhausted right now.
He fell into what he hoped was a dreamless sleep so he could rest his mind and body but once again Kami just loved to fuck with him:
A man stood in the center of the 9 tailed beasts, each looking younger and smaller than ever and each crying tears of fright; apparently this man was important to them.
'Shukaku, Matetabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Kouko, Saiken, Chomei, Gyuki, Kurama. You will never be alone. You will travel far and wide, do things humans can only dream of but you will never be alone.
My descendant will dream of this, of you, he will face great hardships but he will preserver and throughout all of these hardships he will remain strong, he is my heir; he will change this world in ways that I never imagined and if the time comes when my 'Ninshu' is turned into tools of war then he will show the world that one man can make a difference if he fights for the right cause.
You are family, he is family and the world will know that family stands above all.' He said whilst coughing some blood, his time nearing.
'Go forth and remember that he will save you all. Kurama; watch him my daughter.'
He sat up suddenly sweating buckets and jumped out of bed. He had no idea of what the fuck that was but he was going to talk to his 'Big Sister' about this.
He found her watching Kushina from the porch and smiled, "She is a wonderful child isn't she?"
"Yes, she never seems to rest."
"So… Kurama."
That got her interest right away, she had forsaken that name years ago because the Sage's prophecy never came true.
"How do you know that name?"
"I saw it in a dream."
"So it's time."
"Time for what? That dream was real? Your name is Kurama?"
"In order, Time for the prophecy the sage spoke of, yes it was real; a transcendent dream powered by the sage's eyes and yes my true name is Kumara however I forsook that name years ago when his prophecy never came."
He checked to see if anyone was around and found it clear, he spoke in an even and clear tone. "I want you to know the Toads gave me a new prophecy."
"What of it?"
"It spoke of my death in two months again a collaboration of ninja. An army; protecting those which I hold dear."
"WHAT!" She said in a slightly raised voice, she liked this man and didn't want him to die.
"shit happens you know? But I have no expectation to die that day and in accordance to this… prophecy I altered my seal recently just before I was called by the toads actually.
I was having nightmares about me dieing and if that happened then you would die as well and I needed someone I trust to protect my family should the worst happen so I changed the seal; you will live life as a human until your next death and it should take you twice as long to be reborn in demon form thus giving the world time to forget you and when you are reborn a chance at a new life."
She said nothing; she was too surprised at what he had done for her. To her.
He walked past her calmly, the calm of the man who knows what will happen in his life, the calm of a man who has accepted his death in the imminent future.
***Time skip 2 weeks***
2 weeks had passed since the day he spoken with – the now known – Kurama, he spoke with the toads black smiths so that they can make him some armour reminiscent of a time long passed, blood red metal plates like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha's armour; the only difference was the fact that he had the Kanji for Oil printed onto its chest plate.
He asked the toads to hold onto it for him and decided that he would make the most of his time remaining with his family; Itachi still hadn't returned home from his mission and he was beginning to get anxious for his big brother but he believed that if he needed the help then he would call.
The most important thing that happened in the last two weeks was simply he got married to his beautiful wife Yugito Uchiha Namikaze. It was a small ceremony, he had promised her that they could marry again in a big ceremony at a later date but he had insisted that they marry as soon as possible.
She didn't understand why but she trusted him and they were married that evening at sunset atop the Hokage monument with the Sandaime Hokage providing over the ceremony. The paper work was done and officially they were married. No one knew, not even his mother.
His reason for this was simple, if he were to die then the custody of his child would go to Yugito which was fine but if the elders suddenly grew a backbone and had her killed with some underhanded tactics then the custody of his daughter would go to the state and with the state it would go to the elders who would use her as a weapon.
Now that she was brought into his family, if she died it would go to either his mother or brother; both he trusted with his life and both were too powerful to be assassinated unlike Yugito who's Chakra network was still recovering from him holding the Nibi's seal during their daughter's birth.
Her Chakra network should have been healed recently but it was still too early to rely on for their daughter's protection.
His thought process was disturbed by an ANBU appearing before him in the kneeling position like for all clan heads.
"Naruto-Sama, your presence is required by the Hokage." He finished and bowed his head before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
"And so it begins." He thought, he never talked to the Hokage much anymore because he was technically signed off on parental duties and her calling him was far too close to the date of his death for his comfort; something had to start the war and he presumed it would be whatever she wanted him for.
He sighed and flickered in a flash of red to the Hokage's tower, he walked past the secretary since he was requested by the Hokage and ignored her protests before walking into the Hokage's office and noticed her grim look.
"Naruto, follow me to the Council chambers please." She said without any of her usual defiance that sounded in her voice when she spoke.
He nodded and simply followed.
Arriving at the council chambers he found the full council in session, even the elders and civilians were here and seated. He walked over to his seat and sat beside Hiashi Hyuga giving the man a brief nod.
The Hokage soon spoke "Councillors, I have called you here today to say that we have received a letter from Kumogakure." She paused and noticed the discomfort on the faces of both Naruto and Hiashi; she understood about Hiashi but didn't understand Naruto.
"A 5 Kage summit had been called by Kumo in the land of iron." Naruto just sighed in resignation going unnoticed by all but Shikaku.
The Civilians in the room burst out speaking wondering what this was about and why now, the Shinobi in the room just wondered why the Civilians were even here to begin with and Naruto had his eyes closed.
Eventually they quietened down enough for Shikaku to ask "What reason have they called the summit for."
"The return of a missing nin – Yugito Nii."
Naruto's eyes snapped open as he flared his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in anger. Before anyone could speak Naruto raised his hand to silence all protests.
"I'm sorry; I don't know a Yugito Nii. Last week I married a Yugito Uchiha Namikaze, if that helps." He said providing the documentation for the rest of the council to read and therefore stopping any attempts by the Civilians and elders to hand her over to stop war. War was going to happen one way or another.
He looked directly at Tsunade this time, "I will be accompanying you to the Summit since it's my family they want." He spoke with finality getting a nod from the woman, it made sense after all.
A stupid Civilian councillor spoke up "please Naruto-Sama, you have to understand this is war we are looking at if they don't get her back an…" He stopped when he felt a massive KI coming from Naruto aimed directly at him.
"Know your place Civilian." He spat the last word venomously before tripling his KI levels to unregistered levels and making the Civilian temporarily stop breathing before passing out.
"My wife and daughter will remain here, in Konoha by my side. If Kumo want a war then they will find out just how dangerous I can be when pushed; I will search for them, I will hunt them and I will destroy them.
Last thing to say before I go, I formally hand in the paperwork to adopt Yugao Uzuki and Hayate Geckou into the Namikaze clan; should I die, Yugao will take over as Namikaze Clan head until my child is either of age or mentality to lead." He finished standing up.
"I will meet you at the gate in two hours Lady Tsunade." He said before flashing home.
His mother, daughter and wife were at the hot springs apparently so he left a note and grabbed his gear before leaving to meet Tsunade at the gate.