Author's Note: Welcome back, everyone! As this is my first story I welcome all constructive criticisms, flaming and trolling will be ignored.

Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective owners.


Chapter 2 – Inheritance and Legacy

"Hello, Naruto Uzumaki. I am Minato Namikaze: Fourth Hokage of Konoha and, far more relevant to the contents of this message, I am your father.

The room's inhabitants were shocked: Naruto, at the revelation that the greatest hero in Konoha was his father; and Kakashi and Hiruzen, because this message left by Minato blatantly contradicted his dying wish: that would Naruto not be told of his lineage until he came of age or reached Jonin to ensure he would be safe from Minato's many enemies.

Before they could vocalize their surprise, the message continued. "Now, I'm sure you and anyone watching this message with you must have many questions, but I am simply a Chakra construct programed to convey a message. I cannot respond to questions and, once this message ends, the box containing me will cease to function."

"If you have been allowed to see this message, then I must assume that you are legally considered an adult, have reached the rank of Jonin, or have been seen utilizing a powerful transformation separate from any manifestations of Kurama's power that you may have invoked."

Kurama, the three realized, must refer to the Kyuubi; this revelation again surprised them all. It never occurred to them that the monster capable of flattening mountains and causing tsunamis with a single sweep of one of its tails had a name.

"To properly explain the nature of this transformation, you first need to know something of the founding of Konoha. When Lord Hashirama Senju – the First Hokage – created the village that would eventually be known as Konoha, he invited several clans to be founding members. Many of the clans Hashirama to which extended an invitation to had existed for untold generations and had produced many powerful warriors, sages, and priests throughout the eons.

The clans that have risen to dominance throughout history have always had one thing in common: all of them can trace their ancestry directly to supernatural beings of immense power. The Senju clan and the Uchiha clan are both descended from Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths; the Nara clan attribute their wonderful shadows to Pluto, a God of the Underworld worshipped by a fallen empire; the Sarutobi clan – currently headed by our honorable Lord Third – can trace its ancestry to the Monkey King Son Goku, known now as the Four-Tailed Beast.

The list goes on, and my Namikaze clan is no exception. However, my clan's patron is far more ancient than most of the beings from which other clans descend; even clans with a divine ancestor would be hard pressed to prove that said ancestor's influence on the world predates my clan's progenitor."

The three ninja in the room were nonplused by this information. Hiruzen and – to a lesser extent – Kakashi were aware that many clans claimed a supernatural lineage, but to hear that some clans were sired by gods was beyond their expectations; even the Sage of Six Paths, for all his power and knowledge, was ultimately mortal. Naruto was trying his best to absorb all of this information without bias, but his mind balked at the revelation. What type of being could exist in this world before the will of a god was known?

"In the infancy of this world, Youkai – more commonly called demons – of every variety imaginable hunted the human race whenever they were not fighting amongst themselves. The strongest of these beings, Daiyoukai, commanded vast armies and held dominion over entire continents at the height of their power. The mightiest Daiyoukai of that age – the Great Dog General Toga – had two sons: the elder with an empress of his own kind and the younger with a human princess.

It is from Toga's first son – Sesshomaru – that the Namikaze clan descends. Lord Sesshomaru inherited his father's title as Lord of the Western Lands and all the responsibilities contained therein. According to the Namikaze clan records, he was a harsh – but fair – overlord, demanding nothing but the best from his subjects and rewarding them in kind. In his time, Sesshomaru defended his territory from many powerful foes and threats, sometimes working in tandem with other Daiyoukai or beings of equivalent might against a common enemy but, most often, he fought – and won – alone."

"Even now, tens of thousands of generations removed that era, Lord Sesshomaru's essence blazes fiercely in our clan. Every two or three generations, the demonic blood we inherited from our ancestor will stir, prompting a transformation from human to Youkai. Typically, the change is fleeting and of little consequence. However, in rare cases, the change serves as a beacon for Lord Sesshomaru's spirit, awakening him from his eternal slumber.

If our Lord favors a descendent that attracts his attention, the conversion from human to Youkai will occur several times, eventually becoming permanent. Even mid-way through this process, your body will be enhanced to an incredible degree and you will gain the power to manipulate Youki. Youki is demonic energy, a power distinct from Chakra, and exists in your being isolated from your Chakra Network. As such, it cannot be detected by Chakra sensing techniques, except by the most potent or complex sensory Jutsu derived from Yin Release."

Upon hearing this, Kakashi lifted his headband and gazed upon Naruto with his Sharingan. Through the Copy-Wheel Eye, he clearly saw Naruto's blue human Chakra and the crimson Chakra of the Kyuubi, but he could not see this "Youki" Minato's message spoke of. Not giving up, he channeled more Chakra into his implanted eye and was eventually able to see a pale green sphere located behind the center of Naruto's Chakra Network.

Several darker-green tendrils were expanding from this "Youki core" and attaching to various nodes of the Chakra Network but did not seem to be invading them. Instead, they appeared to lying on top of them like an extra layer of energy. Not wanting to miss any of his dead Sensei's message, Kakashi used a series of hand signals to inform Hiruzen of his discovery.

"If you are seeing this message after obtaining the rank of Jonin or becoming a legal adult at age eighteen, then you should have already been given the deed and keys to the Namikaze estate before opening the box. If you have not met the aforementioned requirements and are viewing this message as a result of a Youkai transformation, know that is my will that you receive the entirety of your inheritance as soon as you graduate from the Academy. Furthermore, as both your mother – Kushina Uzumaki – and I were the last known members of our respective clans, it is our will that you be recognized as Clan Head of both the Uzumaki and the Namikaze".

Hiruzen's pipe dropped from his mouth; Minato's last statement could best be defined as a political shitstorm. Naruto wasn't even a proper Genin yet, as he had not yet been given the true Graduation Exam by Kakashi. Declaring an unranked ninja to be head of two clans, even if he was the only member of each, was akin to throwing honey on someone already pursued by an entire nest of wasps.

The Clan Head of any Shinobi granted the title of Hokage was automatically granted a seat on Konoha's council. Once granted, the seat would remain in the clan's possession until the clan was completely destroyed. As Naruto's relation to Minato was known to the members of the council's Shinobi faction Hiruzen could trust unconditionally, the Namikaze "clan" retained its seat on the council despite not having anyone to occupy it.

The Uzumaki clan was very closely related to the Senju clan – from which two former Hokage hailed – and was a formidable ally to Konoha before its destruction. As such, it held a seat on Konoha's council as well, again with no one to occupy it. Elevating the most hated citizen of Konoha to these lofty positions would doom the boy. What were Minato and Kushina thinking when they made this decision?

"If Hiruzen or his successor is hearing this, I imagine they must be questioning at least my sanity, if not your mother's. To answer their unspoken questions I offer a precept from Lord Sesshomaru: 'As my territory is mine, your territory is yours. Permit only those you acknowledge and kin or friend to dwell within it. If any would seek to deny you your birthright, strike them down without hesitation. The will of a Daiyoukai is law; it does not bend, it cannot break, it will not yield'".

Naruto silently swore an oath on the graves of his parents: never would he allow a citizen of Konoha to degrade him again without just cause. For years he had masked his disgust for his treatment with pranks and feigned incompetence. No. More. He was the vessel for the mightiest of the Tailed Beasts and the favored descendent of one of the most powerful beings to ever exist.

A true leader – he remembered from a book on ethics Hiruzen gave him earlier this year – strives to be both loved and feared but if achieving this is not possible: if a leader must choose between being loved and being feared, then the second option is far more productive than the first. Naruto would show love to his friends, who currently consisted of the family that runs Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi (soon to be Sensei?), Hiruzen, and – ironically – Sasuke. The two had a rivalry dating back years that had grudgingly led to a silent acknowledgement of each other's shitty pasts and skills.

All others, save those who genuinely meant to be his friend, would learn to fear Naruto or die trying. At the moment, he was not powerful enough to exert his will on Konoha; that would soon change. His Youki pool was currently limited but as it expanded, he would be able to rival, if not defeat, all but the most talented Konoha Shinobi. Add Kurama's Chakra to the equation – once he learned how to safely harness it – and the rest, as they say, is history.

"Your mother left her own message in the Namikaze estate. As she was Kurama's Jinchuriki before you, she had far more insight into that aspect of your inheritance than I; all I will say on the matter is this: try to approach the Kitsune with an open mind; though she holds no great love for humanity, she is not nearly as malevolent as most would portray her. Her assault on Konoha was not by choice."

With those final words, the ghostly visage of Minato Namikaze vanished from view, and the message box disintegrated into dust. The three Shinobi stood wordlessly for what seemed several minutes before Hiruzen bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood and smeared some of the precious liquid onto the bottom-left drawer of his desk. The blood seal, cunningly disguised as elaborate woodwork, vanished as the drawer popped open, revealing two sealed scrolls – one far thicker than the other – and a thin, disk-like piece of metal serrated at several different depths and intervals throughout its circumference.

These were given to Naruto as Hiruzen explained their purposes. "The smaller of those scrolls is the deed to the Namikaze estate; the larger is a list of Jutsu favored by your parents and includes instructions on how to perform some of their signature techniques. Full instructions are sealed within the Jutsu archive they kept in the basement of their mansion. This disk is the master key to all blood seals both in the Namikaze mansion and the territories in Konoha owned by both the Namikaze and Uzumaki.

Per the Last Will and Testament prepared well before their untimely deaths on the date of the Kyuu – pardon, Kurama's – attack, all of this was to be granted to you either after reaching eighteen years of age or obtaining the rank of Jonin. The message box to which we just listened was given to me mere days before their demise; from the timing of its delivery, I must assume that your parents had a method of confirming, before you were born, both if your demonic blood would stir and if the reaction would be enough to attract Sesshomaru-sama's attention".

That Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hokage of Konoha and one of the most powerful – arguably THE most powerful – Shinobi currently alive addressed his clan founder with reverence was not lost on Naruto, and his already great respect for the old man skyrocketed. He pocketed the two scrolls – he would read them in his own time – but as he reached grabbed the master key, it spun swiftly in his left hand, drawing a thin line of blood. The blood snaked its way to the center of the key through barely perceptible grooves, soon revealed to be etched to resemble the Uzumaki clan symbol, and as the blood reached the center the entire key turned blood red and vanished into Naruto's hand, leaving behind only a miniature version of the Uzumaki clan symbol, which also quickly disappeared.

Naruto created ten Kage Bushin and directed them to leave Hiruzen's office through the window.

"They're going to my apartment to get all my stuff," Naruto answered his senior's unspoken question. "We're moving me into Dad's mansion now, right?"

"Such wonderful foresight from a class clown," Hiruzen said in jest. "If this is the new norm for you, it will take some getting used to. Imagine the shock of all your classmates."

"They'll get used to it, one way or another. Can we go now?" Naruto asked.

"Lord Hokage, please allow me to accompany you and Naruto-kun to Minato-sama's manor." Kakashi's good eye gleamed with determination.

"Were it solely my decision, you would never need to ask." Hiruzen said as he relit his pipe. "Of Minato-sama's three students, only you still live and are as close to family as one can be without a blood connection. However, the manor is Naruto-dono's now and, as the acting head of the Namikaze Clan, the final decision is rightfully his."

"Kakashi-san, I've known you for less than a day." Naruto began.

"In that time you've stopped me from recklessly getting myself arrested, helped me get Iruka-sensei medical attention he desperately needed, advised Hiruzen-sama that both the civilians of Konoha and most of my Academy instructors need to be investigated for what they've put me through, used your Sharingan to verify the truth of my father's message and informed Hiruzen of your discovery, and asked to be invited into my mansion instead of presuming you had the right just because you were my father's student.

I've researched all the Jonin who might have become my Sensei after I graduated: Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, and you. Nothing I've been able to find out about you, and especially nothing you've shown me tonight, indicates that you are unworthy of your request. As Acting Head of both Clan Namikaze and Clan Uzumaki, I grant you permission to visit the Namikaze estate whenever you wish."

As Naruto finished granting his approval, a crimson flash lit up the room; as it faded, a small line of blood trickled down Kakashi's cheek, and the master key sunk back into Naruto's hand.

"No need to give me permission to enter; I have my own key." Hiruzen said, "After all, someone had to send maids in to keep the place from getting covered in dust and make sure all of the protective seals on the manor stayed intact."

"Great, let's go!" Naruto shouted.

"A moment longer, young man." Hiruzen gave Naruto three smaller disks, similar in composition to the master key but only half the size and with no serrations. "These are keys to your new estates that have not been claimed by anyone. You can freely alter to what these keys can or cannot unlock, but some portions of your new property can only be accessed with the master key, Naruto-dono. If necessary, your family's vault contains instructions on how to create more keys. To clarify, the verbal consent you granted Kakashi-san grants him near-total access to the estates as it was granted using the master key. These lesser keys allow you to grant others partial access to your estates, though you may alter them to grant higher or lower levels of access at any time using the master key."

"How much access does your key grant?" Naruto was curious how much his parents trusted his grandfather figure.

"Nearly full access, the same level as Kakashi; the only areas I cannot reach are the basement where the Namikaze and Uzumaki Jutsu archives are located and certain portions of their territory that are of great ceremonial importance.

"Where in Konoha is my mansion?"

"Near the Hyuuga compound," Kakashi answered. "Hiashi Hyuuga, the current head of the Hyuuga Clan, was among Minato-sensei's closest friends. I don't know if he was entrusted with the knowledge of Lord Sesshomaru's legacy and how it may affect you, but he is aware that you are Minato-sensei's son. Like all others who know, he was sworn to secrecy to prevent you from being targeted by Minato-sensei's enemies."

"So, I shouldn't be surprised if he decides to pay me a visit once I move into my new home?" Naruto sighed.

"Indeed," Hiruzen answered, "if you gain his respect, he will also be a great asset in granting you your two seats on Konoha's council with minimal bloodshed. As much as I would love to grant Minato-sama's and Kushina-sama's request immediately, you must understand that attempting such a thing now would be disastrous. To a man, the civilian faction of the council would reject the notion, and many clan heads of the Shinobi faction would deny you as well, though their justification would be your lack of experience more than blind hatred of Kurama."

"That's acceptable for now but make no mistake, Hiruzen: I know that I have received Sesshomaru-sama's favor, and I will become a Daiyoukai in time. I will only wait so long for Konoha to revise its opinion of me before taking what is rightfully mine!" Naruto swore.

"When that time comes, you will have my full support, to my shame, I have let the civilian faction get away with far too much in recent years. But we have wasted enough time in this dreary tower; your new home awaits!"

Chapter End


Oh, dear. And we thought Canon-Naruto had huge shoes to fill. Speaking of the canon-series, Naruto is not the reincarnation of Asura here; that would be way too OP stacked on top of being Sesshomaru's descendant. While not every character will have a supernatural/divine ancestor, most of the Konoha 12 do. Some ancestors will be more plot-relevant than others.

Thank you for reading!