Naruto was awakened by a bright light hitting him in the eyes. He sat up still groggy from his disturbed slumber.
"Good you're awake," came a familiar voice. Turning his head Naruto saw that it was Dog sitting on a log with an orange book in his hand, off to the side Cat could be seen glaring daggers at Dog or more specifically the orange book in his hand.
"How long was I out?" asked Naruto who was still waking up.
"Only a few hours. The sun just came as I am sure you noticed," said Dog still with his nose in his book. Looking around Naruto saw that they were still in Uzushio. Kitzo and Kitza stood by his sides acting as sentries. Kimimaro entered the campsite happy at the sight of conscious Naruto.
"Kimimaro you're okay," shouted Naruto leaping out of his bed role towards the Kaguya all signs of exhaustion leaving his features. With a thump Naruto tackled the Kaguya.
"Ahem," huffed Weasel in annoyance. Looking up Naruto saw that Weasel had entered behind Kimimaro. "I believe we have some things to discuss about yesterday's event," stated Weasel in a monotone voice.
"What is there to talk about? We were attacked by ninja and you all kicked butt, while I mostly tried not to get hit a one of your attacks," admitted Naruto slightly ashamed.
"While that may be true, you are missing some of the details," stated Weasel still in his monotone speech.
"What do you mean?" asked a now confused blonde.
"Naruto do you remember what happened after one of the ninjas tried to stab you?" asked Tenzo in a tone of voice as if he was trying to find the right words to use.
"Yeah Kimimaro saved me from their Kuni," said a sad Naruto at the thought that Kimimaro had gotten hurt because of him.
"If it will make you feel better I heal wounds quickly due to my bloodline so the pain only lasted for a second," said Kimimaro placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Yes and after that you unleashed a considerable amount of the Kyuubi's chakra," said Dog completely forgetting that some people don't know about the fox.
"K K Kyuubi?! As in the Nine Tailed Biju?" asked a fearful Kimimaro.
Tenzo turned to Dog a glare visible despite his mask, "There is a law making Naruto's status as a jinchuriki an S rank secret, discussion of which will result in execution. The only one exempt from this law is Naruto himself."
"I am okay with Kimimaro know about Kurama," responded Naruto to the irate anbu.
"Kurama?" asked a now confused Kaguya.
"The Kyuubi's real name," answered Naruto.
"Anyways, you while you were releasing Kurama's chakra you killed the attacking shinobi with one of Kimimaro's bone daggers. The only thing is, Kimimaro's daggers we're still on the ground when you attacked" said Dog casually.
"What does that mean," asked a confused blonde.
"Hmmm, well that is interesting," came a voice in Naruto's mind.
"What's going on?" asked Naruto to his tenet mentally.
Come in here I think I might know what is happening," answered Kurama.
-mind scape-
Naruto stood before the bars of the Kyuubi's cell as he noticed that the sewers of his mind look less dreary than before. He also noticed that there appeared to be a few more pipes that were a shade of white while the rest were either a dull gray, crimson red, he noticed a few burnt orange pipes that were not their when he first met Kurama. "Well this is new," said Naruto looking around his mind.
"True," said the gruff demonic voice of Kurama, "That is why I called you in here."
"What is it Kurama?" asked Naruto.
"You noticed the extra pipes along the walls did you not?" questioned the fox.
"Yeah, is that important?" asked Naruto feeling he was missing something.
"Those pipes represent your Chakra. The white ones a appeared yesterday after that Kaguya boy saved you at the same time a faintly glowing sealing formula appeared on the walls with the image of your summoner's mark in the middle. When you kill the ninja and my chakra spiked I saw the white pipes pulsing with chakra that was not your own. At the same time the glowing seal intensified in brightness. It disappeared shortly after I recalled my chakra," explained Kurama.
"What does that mean?" wondered Naruto.
"The same thing happened when that old sage put Kitsudo's blood on the seal that is where the orange pipes came from although unlike yesterday the seal stayed faintly glowing and only disappeared several hours after it appeared. When it did disappear is when I felt your chakra signature vanish.
"Wait that sounds like it didn't disappear until the fox's bloodline was a part of me," said the blonde a look of realization covering his face.
"My thoughts exactly," said Kurama with a nod.
"Does this mean I have Kimimaro's bloodline?" asked a shell shocked Naruto.
"I believe so, and my chakra must have rapidly spread up the process of it being incorporated into your system," answered the fox.
"Well now that we know what happened I can tell everyone what happened," stated the blonde leaving his mind scape.
-real world-
"Naruto you with us?" asked Dog waving a hand in front of said blonde's face.
Blinking back to reality Naruto just smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head, "sorry I was just talking with Kurama. Guess I zoned out."
"That's okay what did you two discuss?" asked Tenzo.
"Well we figured out what happened yesterday," said Naruto surprising everyone.
"Care to share what this revelation with the rest of us?" asked cat curious to know what had happened.
"Revelation?" asked the four year old.
"She wants to know what you found out," translated Dog.
"Oh. I copied Kimimaro's bloodline," answered Naruto chipperly as everyone's eyes began to bulge except Kitzo and Kitza who just stood behind Naruto with Kitsudo asleep on Kitza's shoulder.
"Naruto what do you mean you copied my blood line?" asked a still shocked Kimimaro.
"I can... What does your bloodline do again?" asked Naruto embarrassed
"My bloodline allows me to shape and you use my bones as weapons," Kimimaro demonstrated by pulling a small bone knife out of his wrist, "All I do really is channel my chakra and imagine what I want to happen."
Following what he said Naruto concentrated his chakra and thoughts. Three bone claws grew out of each hand between his fingers much to the amazement of Kimimaro and the anbu present.
"How is this possible?" asked Tenzo.
"I think it has something to do with my summoner's mark," answered Naruto placing his hand on his shoulder at the head of the fox.
"Why do you think this?" asked Weasel.
"When Kimimaro was injured some of his blood dripped onto my summoning mark. Kurama says that is when a seal spread across the walls of my mind scape. He said the same thing happened with Kitsudo's blood," explained Naruto.
"We will look more into your seal later for now I think we should figure out where we go from here. Naruto keep this a secret for the time being," ordered Dog, "Weasel did you find anything else in the archives that we missed?
"We found small room hidden deeper within the archives. Upon entering we saw an office with portraits on the wall belonging to the shodaime and nidaime Uzukage. There was a small safe behind the first's portrait that we were unable to open as it is locked by a blood seal," Weasel relayed.
"Good. Myself and Weasel shall escort Naruto to the Uzukage's office to open this safe everyone else gather your gear we leave tomorrow at first light," Dog ordered as he and Weasel left the campsite Naruto following behind with Kitzo and Kitza flanking him.
Having woken up Kitsudo climbed up on his back, " What I miss?" he asked.
"I will explain on the way," he said before delving into explanation.
-underground location-
"So, you failed?" came the voice of the shadow cloaked man his back to a kneeling Tayuya.
"I am sorry my lord. The Kaguya assisted the leaf nin who were stronger than expected," said a rattled Tayuya fear of what her master would do to her with her failure.
The man grit his teeth in disgust. He had planned on making the Kaguya one of his shinobi. "The Kaguya's assistance of the leaf shinobi was an unforeseen possibility, there is nothing we can do about it now. I trust that you will not fail me again. If you do our little agreement shall be terminated," he stated as he walked deeper into the shadows.
"Yes my lord," Tayuya said staring at the ground. The sound of dripping water could be heard echoing through the cavernous room as her tears fell to the ground. It was at this time that Tayuya made a silent vow. "I shall not fail! I will accomplish my goal! For myself! For my clan!" Tayuya screamed mentally. When the image of a smiling fairly tall light-skinned woman with grey eyes and chin length red alongside a small red headed five year old running towards her, the child's short chin length hair trailing behind her a smile spread across her face appeared at the forefront of her mind she continued, "and for you, mother, Karen."
-in Uzushiogakure-
As Naruto finished telling Kitsudo what had happened the small fox could only shake his head.
"Wow that is surprising. I'll have to head back to sunray woods and ask master Kitsoda if this has happened before. I'll see you back in Konoha with whatever I find," he said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"This is it," Weasel stated opening an old wooden door to reveal an office similar to that of the Hokage's with an empty book shelf off to the side. Two large portraits hung on the wall behind the desk. The first portrait depicted an elderly man, who had long, white hair, moustache, and a squared-off goatee. He also wore armor reminiscent of the period of dress. Under this, he wore a long-sleeved, black outfit, the shoulders of which bore the crest of Uzushiogakure. On his back, were what appears to be the curved handles of two swords, which were shown to be bandaged up. He also wore a forehead protector with the Uzukage symbol etched into it. There was a small name plate at the base of the portrait that read, Shodaime Uzukage: Ashina Uzumaki. The second showed a man with short red hair and a single scar that ran across one of his violet eyes. He wore clothes similar to the first man however he lacked the bandaged swords on his back, instead he had a single katana strapped to his waist. The swords handle was red with black wrappings running along it capped with the red Uzumaki clan spiral. The same spiral acted as the guard of the weapon. The blades sheath was black with a red wave like pattern running along its curved edge. The name plate at the base read, Nidaime Uzukage: Shinra Uzumaki.
Dog approached the picture of the Shodaime and grabbed one side of the frame slowly opened it to reveal a small safe with the kanji for protect in the middle of the lock. "Naruto smear some of your blood onto the lock, that should open it," Dog instructed.
Naruto complied biting his thumb as if he was going to do a summoning but instead of running through hand seals he placed his bloody thumb onto the kanji in of the lock. The kanji began to glow as a seal matrix spread across the safe. When the seal stopped glowing it disappeared along with the kanji on the lock. Inside the safe was two small book similar in size to the orange one that Dog was reading early. One was black and the other a golden yellow. A scroll sat behind them the ends marked with the Uzumaki clan crest.
"It is just a couple of books," stated Naruto in confusion grabbing the golden book. Underneath he found a letter sealed with the mark of Uzushio.
Breaking the letter's seal Dog pulled out its content only to find a blank piece of paper. Climbing up onto the desk in order to look over Dog's shoulder he asked, "What does it say?"
"Nothing, it is blank," Dog said holding the paper up for Naruto to see, only confusing the blonde.
"It isn't blank," said Naruto surprising Dog and Weasel.
"Naruto can you read what says to us please?" asked Dog curious as to what the young boy next to him was seeing.
Clearing his throat Naruto took the paper and read its content aloud.
If you are reading this letter then you are of my descendants and Uzushiogakure has fallen.
The seal on the back of this letter prevents anyone not of my blood from reading it.
The eldest of my two children Shinra is leading our people against the enemy's assault on our village.
I fear that the end of our village is near, but I shall ensure our people survive.
I am leading a group of Uzushio citizens to Konoha where my daughter Mito lives.
I wish I would be able to see her one last time but my age is being to catch up on me.
It is only do to our clan's longevity that I shall be able to by enough time for those fleeing.
I pray that my expecting granddaughter and her first born Kushina shall make it.
The two books contained within the safe hold within our clans most important techniques and treasures.
The black book contains some of the strongest and most dangerous of our clan's seals
The golden book contains the one thing our clan prides more than our skills in fuin and kenjutsu.
The scroll with them is a family tree.
Place some blood on the seal in the corner and the seals shall trace your lineage through the tree.
I entrust these treasures of our clan to you, my next of kin.
May the Uzumaki clan live on.
Ashina Uzumaki
Shodaime Uzukage
By the end of the letter Naruto was in tears at what he had read.
"This was written by my great great grandfather," he said through choked sobs. The two Anbu who were with him could visibly be seen crying despite their mask. "None of them made it to Konaha aside from my mother? Did any other than her survive? Please, just tell me that I am not the last of my clan, please," Naruto pleaded to no one in particular as he collapsed to him knees tears streaming from his eyes.
"When I was young my mother died and then shortly before I graduated from the academy I watched my father commit suicide after her a been ostracized by the village for failing a mission in order to save his team mate. When I graduated I was placed on a genin team under command of at the time jonin Minato Namikaze. He and your mother treated me like I was their own son. By the time he had become Hokage I was in anbu, and when he found out that Kushina was pregnant with you he assigned me to watch over her," Dog explained with sadness prominent in his voice doing something that is unusual for anbu to do, he took off his mask.
Underneath his anbu mask dog wore another mask that covers the lower half of his face, a Konaha headband was strapped around his forehead. After he removed his anbu mask he pulled the forehead protector down over his scared left eye, effectively covering everything part of his face except his right eye.
"Kushina was a good friend of my mother. She was a very kind person. She was also the last person you want to make mad. I remember my mother telling me stories about the Red Hot-blooded Habanero, and how fierce she was on the battle field," Weasel stated following Dogs lead in taking off his mask.
"I may not know where they are at but I do know that there are members of your clan alive out there in the world somewhere," Dog said as he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder his visible eye forming an upside-down U reminiscent of a smile.
Naruto eventually passed out after several minutes of crying. Dog picked him up after placing his mask back on his face before beginning to walk away. Weasel however did not follow much to the other anbu's confusion.
"Weasel, are you coming?" asked Dog turning around.
Weasel did not respond he simply moved towards the portrait of the nidaime Uzukage. Grabbing the edge of the painting he pulled it open to reveal a small scroll hidden behind it. Seeing this dog walked over to pick up the scroll. Inspecting it he realized it was a storage seal locked by a blood seal. Stashing the scroll in his Kuni pouch he signaled Weasel to keep this quiet before leaving still carrying the sleeping blonde.
-Konaha campsite-
Dog and Weasel arrived back at the campsite to see Kimimaro and Cat in a kenjutsu spar steel clashing with bone. Tenzo stood off to the side acting as referee. Cat crouched down spinning her leg in a horizontal ark nocking Kimimaro to the ground his sword leaving his hand and landing in Cat's. Cat then held both blades to Kimimaro's throat.
"Cat's victory," Tenzo stated. Cat removed the blades from Kimimaro's throat before helping him up.
"I told you, raw power only beats skill in excessive amounts," said cat as she returned Kimimaro's sword. Kimimaro placed the tip of the blade at his elbow before it was slowly absorbed into him.
"So did anything happen while we were gone?" asked Dog entering into the clearing that was once their campsite.
"You've returned what was inside the safe?" Tenzo asked gazing at the unconscious blonde.
Dog then explained the two books they found along with the letter from the first Uzukage revealing that he was Naruto's great great grandfather. He purposely hid the fact about the storage scroll by saying that they had checked behind the second's portrait to see if there had been anything hidden only to find nothing. Making sure none of the others saw him he sent a look to Weasel that translates to, "Do not say anything."
"Well this is quite the discovery," Tenzo stated whistling in surprise.
"It is indeed. Now everyone rest up as I said we depart at dawn," said Dog before he placed Naruto's sleeping visage atop one of the bed rolls.
-Dawn the next day-
After packing up camp the group set out for Konoha. After about an hour of traveling at high speeds Dog raised his fist as he landed on a branch giving the universal signal for hold. In the distance fighting could be heard. Dog broke off to investigate after instructing the others to guard Naruto.
-with Dog-
Dog came upon a clearing that looked to be the scene of a recent battle. A man crawled out of one of the many craters that littered the clearing. He had short spiky red hair held back by a brown headband. He wore a black shirt under a studded leather vest, leather flaps fell along the side of his thighs with brown cargo pants. He had the empty sheath for what looks to be a short sword strapped to his left waist by a black leather belt, with two wrist bracers one of which appeared crack.
"Akira?" questioned the anbu.
"Kakashi?" asked the red head, "What are you doing here."
"Mission. Also it is dog when I wear the mask," he answered.
"You always wear a mask, sometimes you were two under your anbu one," said Akira with a scoff.
"Looks like you had another run in with Shima," stated Dog looking at the destroyed clearing.
"Immortal backstabbing bitch," grumbled the wounded man, " Now I have to fix and replace most of my gear. Mind if I accompany you back to the leaf"
Dog nodded, "I just returning from a mission to Uzu to collect your clan's scrolls."
"So Kushina finally managed to get over her demons and return?" asked Akira a small smile playing across his face.
Dog turned away not meeting the red head's gaze.
A look of fear spread across Akira's face, "What happened? Is Kushina alright?" he asked in a panic.
Dog sighed, "Kushina died a little over five years ago when the Kyuubi attacked Konaha."
A cluster of emotions played across the face of Akira. Sadness, anger, and above all confusion. "If Kushina is dead how did you get access to the vaults you need a blood Uzumaki to enter," he questioned.
"While she may have died her son did not," Dog stated looking laid back as normal.
"A son? She had a son?" asked Akira surprised.
"Yup, he looks like his father but has his mother's personality," Dog answered.
"Take me to him," Akira begged, "I want to see with my own eyes that I still have someone that is closer family then just another clansman."
Dog helped the man to get out of the crater before leading him towards the rest of the group.
Akira was surprised to see three anbu accompanying two children one of which looked no older than four or five. The strangest part was the younger boy was riding a fox the size of a small horse with five tails.
"Naruto," called Dog as the younger boy walked over to him.
"Yes Dog?" he asked curious as to who the stranger was.
"I have someone that you might like to meet," he said gesturing towards the red head next to him, "Naruto meet Akira Uzumaki."
The young boy's eyes widened as tears slowly began to form in them.
"Kakashi was right you look just like your father," said Akira with a smirk before he received a tackle hug from the small blonde that had a surprising amount of force behind it as tear continued to flow from the boy's eyes. "Although I don't see where he said you had Kushina's personality, she was always angry for," he was abruptly cut off when a sudden pain hit his groin. Looking down he saw the young blonde glaring at him.
"Don't bad mouth my mother," said the blonde as his eyes flashed red as if he was channeling Kurama's chakra.
"Never mind, I see it now," choked out Akira. At this every male their moved to protect their manhood as Cat just chuckled.
After everything calmed down the group continued on to Konaha.