The day after the Third Hokage's funeral was still solemn. Life went on, but they could already feel the void of his absence. Their village lacked a Kage, and there was much debate about who could or should succeed him among the entire population. Meeting after meeting took place with the village council in the Hokage Residence on how to proceed. They all sat around a long oval table in modest seats.

"No," Danzo stated matter-of-factly.

Shikaku Nara, father of Shikamaru Nara, head of the Nara clan, and Jonin Commander of the Leaf Village, blinked. "I'm sorry; can you repeat that?"

"You can't be serious," Koharu, an old teammate of Sarutobi's, said. "You've been vying for the position of Hokage your entire life!"

The last of Tobirama's first squad, Homura, hung his head in acceptance. "I was afraid you'd say that now of all times."

"It is precisely because of this situation I am denying the title of Hokage." Danzo folded his hands together. "Unlike Hiruzen, I am not respected: I am feared to the point I am hated. This state of weakness is something the other villages will find palatable. If I am Hokage, they will jump at the chance to push against us in fear of what I may do and for what I could." His eye looked down. "I do desire to become Hokage, but I will not let my personal feelings jeopardize the security of the village."

"Then I recommend Kakashi Hatake," Shikaku said.

Danzo shook his head. "Out of the question: he is inexperienced in organizational matters and politics. He is an excellent shinobi, and a name that will make our enemies think twice. Perhaps in time but not now."

"I'm afraid Lord Shimura is right," Hiashi spoke up, representing his clan. "Hatake is brilliant, but his drive is abysmal. In all likelihood, he'd deny the position if offered."

"Would you recommend yourself?" Shibi Aburame, head of his clan and representative, asked.

The Hyuga almost scoffed. "I would instigate hostilities with the Cloud. As much as I despise those greedy, sanctimonious scum, I too will not let my personal feelings risk the village's safety."

"You sure?" Tsume Inuzuka, representative and head as well, asked with her feet kicked up on the table. "Hate to admit it, but you really cleaned house during the attack."

"Being good at warfare doesn't translate entirely to politics."

Inoichi Yamanaka, father of Ino and head of his clan, hummed. "No offense, but you have more experience with politics than anyone else I know."

"Clan politics can hardly be held to the same standard as national politics." He shook his head. "Nothing is ideal, but I could hardly be called a suitable candidate."

"You're always putting yourself down, Hiashi. Fact is you're the best we've got." Choji's father, Choza Akimichi and head of the Akimichi clan, threw some chips to munch into his mouth.

Asuma Sarutobi, acting head of the Sarutobi clan because his brother denied the position, took a long drag from his cigarette. "Everyone here already knows my thoughts and would say no to who I have in mind."

"If we are still going by candidates who are powerful and respected, the shinobi we have who best fulfills that criteria is… Jiraiya." The Hyuga's blank eyes narrowed.

"No," all of them, including Hiashi, said in unison.

Jiraiya was a legendary Leaf ninja, but he was also one of the most reckless men to walk the earth. It made him an exceptionally good spymaster, as he could discard people if need be and make friends with the most unlikeliest sort, but he was a terrible leader. He was exceptionally good at training people, as the Fourth Hokage could attest. That didn't translate well to guiding them. Minato loved and admired the man, but he thought twice about trusting him with things because of his nature. Only the things the Sannin would feel exceptionally guilty about failing he'd entrust without a second thought.

"...If we expand to shinobi affiliated yet estranged with us that may be persuaded to return, that leaves us with Tsunade," Homura said.

Silence filled the air for a moment as they pondered that idea.

She was the member of a legendary, albeit functionally extinct, clan that played a vital role in the foundation of the modern shinobi world. Her skill, abilities, and feats were legendary as well. The fact she was a Sannin only complimented what a golden girl she was. There was only one problem: she lost her nerve decades ago. Drinking, gambling, and loan-taking were what she was legendary for now. In her current state, she'd bankrupt the village.

Koharu nearly whimpered. "What a shameful day for our village where she of all people is our best candidate to lead us."

"It's not ideal, but nothing ever is," Danzo said.

"Forgive us, Lord Tobirama." Homura hung his head again. "We lack options."

Hiashi did the same, feeling guilty for his own inadequate feelings. "Perhaps her issues could be ironed out?"

"I can do it." Inoichi raised a hand. "I'll make sure she doesn't drink or gamble away our budget."

"When she breaks every bone in your body, I'll drink to your sacrifice, Yamanaka," Tsume said.

Choza nodded and patted his friend's shoulder. "I'll never forget you."

"Troublesome," Shikaku muttered.

"If this is our best, we have to go with it," Shibi said. "We can adjust for any complications so long as we know what we're dealing with."

Asuma began chuckling. "Okay, I'm starting to like this! Get a front row seat to myself so I can know first just how fucked we are." He put his cigarette out against the table.

The Leaf Village council was not a perfect assortment of individuals with shared interests, but it was something that worked. Normally, the Hokage would have a say in things and hold near absolute control over politics. If he were still alive, they'd have little reason to meet at all. Clans rarely feuded anymore, which almost completely ended the need for it. The Uchiha being exterminated shamefully solved most lingering issues.

Anko was sleeping at the coma patient's side. Team 7 dropped by early to check up on their teammate, but they had other business that couldn't be kept. One wanted to train in order to reach the same level, the other had a concerned family to pacify, and the leader couldn't keep watch over just one of his students, however hurt they were. They entrusted her with him, and she was grateful for it.

Blue eyes surrounded by bandages crept open. They were half-lidded and cold. A person that knew him wouldn't believe they belonged to the same boy. Their owner spared the unkempt woman a glance, patted her head, and slid out. He opened the window and jumped out. Before he did anything, he needed to see someone.

Traveling by air via tree branches and rooftops took him from the sterile atmosphere of a hospital room to the richness of the graveyard. Fresh soil was dug up for those that fell during the attack and for one man especially. Other people were there, paying their respects. None noticed him or cared to acknowledge him hiding in the leaves of a tree.

He dropped down, leaned against the trunk, and stared at the grave marked 'Hiruzen Sarutobi' with the words 'Third Hokage' under them. His biological father's was to his right marked 'Minato Namikaze' with his title and placing beneath. That name was foreign to him: he only ever knew him as the Fourth or The Yellow Flash. It wasn't like he knew he should've been more personal with him.

"Here to pay your respects?" An old man's voice behind him asked. "Or spit your curses?"

Naruto turned and saw an elder covered in less bandages than him, his right side seemingly missing an arm. "...I could ask the same of you; you're Danzo Shimura, right? The Old Man told me you two were like me and Sasuke if we never got close."

He nodded. "I hated Hiruzen for the longest time, before I realized such feelings were counterproductive. Always fought and argued with him; now he's dead."

"That bastard." Naruto scoffed. "He actually died for that snake asshole. After everything he accomplished in life, he threw it away because he couldn't kill his traitor student."

"I knew it would be the death of Hiruzen. I knew, and I still tried to talk sense into him. Even went to save him only to arrive late. The village lacks a Hokage and is now weaker than it has ever been."

"Good job, Old Man. Really great fucking choice. At least some worthless villagers will die because of it."

Danzo scrutinized the boy with his good eye. "If you despise the people of this village, why did you become a shinobi?"

Naruto blinked. "I…wanted to be something." He scowled. "I wanted to show all of those pieces of shit I'm better than they'll ever be."

"So you became their weapon?'

"Oh please, we both know I was already one."

"Yet you still chose this path. You've done admirably: survived Zabuza Momochi, defended the bridge that serves our economic interests in the Land of Waves, survived Orochimaru, made it to the end of the Chunin Exams, canceled by the attack as they were; defeated the One-Tail without relying on your Tailed Beast, and even pushed yourself back from the brink of releasing it." His eye widened a little at the pink peeking through the space between his face bandages. "I thought you a risk, so I insisted Hiruzen have you followed, but I was wrong." He put his good hand on the surprised boy's shoulder. "His faith in you was well-placed."

"The Old Man…didn't want to have me followed?"

Danzo nodded. "He trusted in you and Kakashi. It was only when I argued for it in favor of better protecting you. Don't take it personally: you are an asset to this village and losing you would be disastrous."

"Politics, huh?" He spared the grave a glance.

"Yes. The seal weakening was a concern yet of no consequence." Danzo took back his hand and turned. "There are many conflicting feelings in your mind now. They'll fade, as they always do. Just remember." He began walking away. "To the very end, Hiruzen believed in you."

Naruto's eyes widened before he slumped against the tree. A pain in his chest made his lips quiver. He looked to the grave of the first person he ever knew and saw it blur. Shaking his head, tears came out of his eyes. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"

It a short amount of time for Danzo to reach one of his hidden Root supply shacks. There were already ones like it used by common ninja, but they were designed to blend in the environment and be beneath notice. As shelter, they worked decent enough. Not quite good to hide in, but they worked as a sort of cover.

He slammed his fist into the wooden wall. "I told you." His body shook for the first time in decades. "You would die if you didn't kill your heart, you idiot." In all the years of his life that passed since he met him, the days he did not think of Hiruzen likely numbered in the double digits. Tears fell from his uncovered eye and soaked the bandages covering his stolen Sharingan. "Didn't you enjoy proving me wrong?"

The two hated the same man. He kept secrets, did not listen, and took actions against their wishes thinking he knew what was best. It was exhausting to be someone that close to him. When he was right, he'd be sure to tell them. His wrongs or mistakes would be dismissed in favor of moving on over lingering. Neither could deny that he was a helpful presence in both of their lives and for everyone around them. Things were worse with him gone. It hurt them to realize how much he really meant.

Kakashi and Jiraiya stood together by a balcony railing belonging to the jonin hot spot of the village. It wasn't for the run of the mill jonin either: it was for the best of the best. Without a doubt, it was the cool ninja's club among cool ninja's clubs. No tokubetsu jonin, chunin, nor genin were allowed without express permission by other members of the elite. That group of people consisted of the clan heads, Kakashi, Raido, Kurenai, Guy, Jiraiya, Genma, Anko, and the reigning Hokage.

"I'm surprised by how long you've stayed, but I guess you didn't have much of a choice when Lord Third told you Orochimaru had his eyes on Naruto."

Jiraiya nodded. "Shouldn't have doubted how low he'd sink." His eyes steeled. "I'm going to have to keep Naruto for a while longer. With the seal acting strangely as it did and Orochimaru still out there, it's best I have him in arm's reach."

"Anko's grown quite attached to him and vice versa." Kakashi frowned beneath his mask. "He was so excited to be united with his teammates too."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think there's any other way. Besides, that kid's been sleeping in the same bed with Anko ever since he woke up from the first coma: I'm not sure it's healthy."

"...What?"

"Don't tell her I told you. Anyway, I called y–"

Kakashi set a clenching hand on the toad sage's shoulder. "You…let him sleep in the same bed as her?"

"It was perfectly innocent, I assure you."

His eye narrowed. "Do you really expect me to believe that?" He twitched at a nod. "Well…I can't actually do anything about that now, but I am still very mad at you and expect more caution in the future."

"There will be." Jiraiya cleared his throat. "I called you here to tell you while I was monitoring Orochimaru's movements after he left the village, he joined a strange organization."

"Strange how?" He took back his hand.

"What do you call a group of S class criminals on almost every village bingo book?"

"A problem."

"Well, they go by the Akatsuki, and I have nothing to go on their motives or goals except for a little harmless espionage on other villages. They seem to work in teams of two, but that's a big assumption with what little info I have. Orochimaru left them for some reason."

"Their names?"

Jiraiya frowned. "The same Kakuzu that tried to assassinate the First Hokage, Kisame Hoshigaki of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and Itachi Uchiha are the only ones I know."

"That's…a problem."

"You already said that." He leaned over the railing and looked at the village below. "Our strategy remains the same: I look after Naruto and you look after Sasuke. It's what we're best suited for." His eyes narrowed. "Those two really are cursed by fate."

Kakashi looked to the sky. "Neither of them has let it keep them down. Both of them used to be so angry and now they're doing phenomenally better. I just hope Naruto is okay when he wakes up."

The truth they held from him assured that was an impossibility.

To say Anko Mitarashi was in a foul mood when she woke up would be an understatement among the top ten worst of the era. The boy her former master was seeking to corrupt and who almost lost himself to the beast inside was gone without a trace. She bonded with him for nearly a month, establishing the closest thing she had to an entirely positive relationship in her life. Granted, it started out under very seedy circumstances.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!" She looked to the open window and remembered how Orochimaru approached last time. Her cursed seal would've warned of him, but he could've had someone else retrieve him. "Dammit, why the fuck did you sleep?!" She took several deep breaths to calm herself down. The boy defeated a Tailed Beast on his own and was due to wake up any moment. While forces were deployed outside the village to get a bearing on things and check for any more enemies, she doubted someone could just walk away with the talk among Leaf shinobi. It was far more likely he woke up and left, which meant he was heading to one place.

Many citizens and ninja belonging to the Leaf Village witnessed a purple-topped white flash zoom through the place. There was no need for secrecy where she was concerned. People who knew her would wonder why she wasn't there sooner and likely thought similar about the ceremony.

Anko stopped at the grave's side, swept her gaze cross her surroundings, and kept them on who she was looking for. "Hey," she called out. Strolling over to his limp form, she let her tears fall at the sight of his. "You scared the shit out of me for a second." She sat down by his side and joined him in staring at the gravestone. "I couldn't believe it either, even when he was in my arms."

"He...died for him." Naruto scoffed. "Of all people...he died for that piece of shit."

"I know. Makes me angry and sad, but I can't change what happened."

"Stupid old man."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "That he was. Everyone thought he was the smartest man alive, a walking god, and one of the best ninja to ever live." She laughed. "He was a pervert who had a hard time admitting he was ever wrong."

"Pervert?" He blinked.

"Oh yeah, the old man was a closet perv. It wouldn't look good for the 'God of Shinobi' to be looking around at girls, so he kept that to himself. Orochimaru told me all about it."

Naruto chuckled. "What did he tell you?"

"He used to go around with Jiraiya spying on bathing women." Anko ruffled his hair. "He thought he was dreaming when it happened. Then the two told him to join in, so he yelled to ruin their moment. None of them got caught, but there was a lookout posted to watch out for any more perverts. They never let go of that and neither did he."

"Orochimaru...really looked up to the Old Man, didn't he?"

"Never said it outright. You could tell from the way he'd talk about him though. He wanted surpass him, but he couldn't compare even when he was worn down by old age. Whatever 'victory' he achieved in his attack is as hollow as they come."

"Good, I want to kill him myself." His hands balled into fists.

She patted his head. "Get in line, kid. When we're up and running again, we're going to burn the Sand down looking for him and for crossing the Leaf."

"I couldn't care less about the village: I'm doing it for me and me alone."

"I know." She pulled him into a tight hug. "Just remember there are people here who care about you."

Naruto blushed and looked away from her chest pressed near his chin. "Anko-sensei...you need a shower."

"You've been sleeping in the same bed for three days straight: you need a shower." She picked him up. "Let's go home."

"Can you leave me at my place?"

She looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to be alone right now?"

"...I don't know."

"Then we're going home." She jumped up on to the tree branch. "I'm not letting you go back to an empty place." Taking off, she went straight for her house.

The nearly barren interior of the Mitarashi Residence was familiar to them both at that point. She rushed him into the shower first, insisting he smell worse and needed it. He made sure to be quick yet thorough so she could get in sooner. Her bathroom was still steamy afterward.

Naruto wrapped a towel around his crotch over putting on his dirty clothes, walked to the door, and stopped when he saw the fogged mirror at the corner of his eye. He turned to wipe it away. The blue eyes of his father stared back at him between the swiped marks. They turned into slit red for several seconds before fading.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to figure it out."

"Shut up." He scowled. "I don't want to hear you talk."

"You don't have a choice in that matter, but feel free to waste your time saying otherwise."

"If you knew this entire time, what were you waiting for?"

"The moment it would do the most damage. Funny how he beat me to it. I hope the real Fourth Hokage is beating himself over saying it in that accursed Shinigami's stomach."

He shook in anger, eyes going red again. "You even knew about my mother."

"Told you about Kushina too, did he? Never liked her. Always gushing over your father and how her chains could bind us both."

"...What?"

"Never mind. Did he tell you about the man with the Sharingan?"

Nodding, he glared at the reflection of himself. "Who was he?" His hands balled into fists. "I'm going to kill that piece of shit for ruining my life."

"I'm not sure. Only Madara Uchiha could subdue me with his Sharingan, and he's been dead for nearly a century. There's that white-haired gnat, but he could never do that to his beloved sensei: your father."

"Kakashi…" Naruto's eyes widened. "He knew too?"

"The Old Man, the perverted sage, and that gnat knew to my knowledge."

He growled. "That… Those pieces of shit. Laughing behind my back and stringing me along. I'm going to kill them too."

"First, the one with the Sharingan. That old gnat by the grave had one. Its genjutsu was powerful yet unfamiliar to me. If we were separated, it would have worked. I used you as a shield and disrupted your chakra network to disable it."

"Sharingan, Sharingan, Sharingan. What the fuck is with those stupid eyes? I wish I could rip them all out."

"You and me both. I should've killed that child when I had the chance. He wasn't like the Old Sage and none of his foul progeny would ever be."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Old Sage?"

"The Sage of Six Paths: the real God of Shinobi. Possessor of the Rinnegan and the most powerful human to ever exist. Don't you remember anything from your history class?"

"No." He scoffed. "What's the Rinnegan?"

"What the Sharingan wishes it could be and where it came from. Indra, that disgusting wretch. Asura was little better. Why he bothered having children, I would never understand. Suppose that's only because I cannot."

"Who the hell are you talking about?"

"The progenitors of the Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, and a dozen other clans dead or forgotten. The Uchiha were wretches, the Senju were worms, and the Uzumaki were miscreants playing with forces they did not understand. I'm glad all are dead or dying. You are fortunate to not have inherited the clan kekkai genkai or ridiculous hair. I suppose I should thank your father for diluting their foul blood, but I despise that man as much as you do."

"Not. Even. Close."

"What's taking you so long?" Anko said before opening the door. "You…" She drifted off at the sight of his red eyes. "Okay?"

He blinked as they faded back to blue. "Do you think I look like the Fourth Hokage?"

"You look cuter, if that's what's bothering you." She smiled at him blushing.

"No, I mean I really do look like him, right?"

"Are you...saying you might be related?" She tilted her head. "I mean, you could be, but it's not like we know who your parents are."

Naruto frowned. "You're right. All I have is my family name, and I've never heard it used by anyone else." His eyes squinted a little. "If I really had no parents, why do I have a family name?"

"...That's a good question, but I'm not sure of the answer. I need to shower, so you're going to need to clear out."

"Can I…" He blushed. "Go in with you?"

"You just got done!" Anko laughed.

He walked out the door and closed it as she went inside. "Worth a try."

The older woman frowned before she stripped down. It hurt feigning ignorance with him, but she didn't know what else to do. He was dealing with far too much to add his familial relations into the mix. Maybe when he was older, wiser, and in a far more stable state. Little did she know he already knew.

"The Uzumaki once had a village of their own. They were closely tied with the Leaf, but they were destroyed in one of the Shinobi World Wars. I forgot which. It was inevitable: they were too isolated, they were of little use as an ally in comparison to other villages, and they specialized in Sealing Jutsu."

"What's wrong with Sealing Jutsu?" Naruto asked, now laying on the bed he shared for the better part of a month with his real sensei.

"All it does is seal things. Uzumaki are born with larger than average reserves of chakra, and they specialized in sealing, an art that requires little to no chakra. To say they were stupid is an understatement, but they were human: they couldn't help themselves. One of their idiot gnat ancestors likely thought seals were an interesting pastime to study, and somewhere among the line, their idiot descendants thought it worth devoting everything to. Now you are all that's left."

He laughed. "I don't know shit about sealing."

"Exactly. You and all of them are much more suited for flashy Ninjutsu than Sealing Jutsu. Being isolated prevents use of Ninjutsu in conflict, which therefore prevents growth in chakra to use bigger Ninjutsu. They never realized this, so they're dead and gone. Pathetic."

"What…was my mom like?" He frowned.

"Much like you in the worst way possible. She started off promising and then the Fourth Hokage saved her from being captured by those Cloud Ninja vermin. It was all downhill from there. Minato this, Minato that. Minato slaughtered a thousand men in a single day, as if that's anything compared to what I can do."

"He told me you tried to kill me."

"Nothing personal. He was trying to seal me inside of you. After nearly a hundred years of being stuck in mortals, I was not going back."

"Fuck you." He blinked. "Who was the one before my mom?"

"Mito Uzumaki, the First Hokage's wife. She was the worst. A stupid quiet doormat who took the destruction of her village and scattering of her people in stride. At least Kushina had fire in her. Her marriage to Hashirama was political in its entirety. I am uncertain she even cared for her husband beyond what was expected of her, though she spoke of love wherever she went."

"Out of all of them… Am I the only one that ever showed appreciation for you?"

"And here I thought it was only for that one moment."

He shook his head. "The reason why I've gotten stronger is because of you. I still hate you, but there's no point in being angry with you." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Seems like you got fucked over just as much as I did."

"By the man with the Sharingan."

"Danzo has one, huh?" Naruto's brow furrowed. "Tell me more than what I already know."

"It can place beings in a custom made genjutsu with little issue, implant stray thoughts in your head, and can evolve beyond the third tomoe into a pinwheel of sorts."

"What does that do?"

"The influence of the Rinnegan begins to show itself. With it, the Sage of Six Paths could warp reality to his liking in any manner imaginable. The pinwheel Sharingan can only do two things on that level." It began to laugh. "And they eventually go blind! The look on Indra's face when he realized it! That pathetic wretch!" It stopped. "They can also form a strange chakra avatar that envelops them, but I only saw Indra use it once before he went blind. It disappeared after that."

He chuckled. "Some fucking ability, but what do you expect from kekkai genkai?"

"That old gnat had a pinwheel Sharingan too. A powerful genjutsu but not almighty. The Sage of Six Paths never bothered with that filth. It doesn't surprise me it occurs naturally in Indra's bloodline."

"What did this Indra guy do to you?"

"It wasn't me. He was a disgrace to his father, both of his children were, but he lacked strength of his own above all else. Asura was born with nothing except the same power his brother naturally had and still was his equal in spite of the Sharingan. The Old Sage may have been born with great power, but he mastered and understood what it was. He even thought having the power beneath him, though he was grateful because it let him understand more of existence. Indra and Asura thought their inheritance was power. They understood none of their father's lessons, betrayed his memory, and became everything about humanity he despised."

Naruto hummed. "The Sage of Six Paths...meant a lot to you, didn't he? 'Old Sage.'" He smiled. "Indra didn't do anything to you, but you hate him for what he was to your 'Old Sage.'" He blinked at the silence in his mind. "Holy shit, I finally found something to use against you!"

"What?!" Anko yelled from the shower.

"Nothing!" He laughed and stretched out on the bed. "I'm not going to do it. I'll prove to you how much better I am by not. You can remember that for eternity."

The Tailed Beast merely slept in its repaired cage, tails next to its body. It dreamed of a time long past where it was small. The others and itself surrounded an old man with beautiful ringed purple-eyes. He lived a long life and was finally willing himself to die, content with all he had done and the answers he found. All remembered his parting words.

If only all who heard them listened.

AN: I hope you guys got my Christmas present because it did not say it was updated. Not sure what that was about. Guess the system doesn't register updates on the same date.

Everyone loves to trash on Danzo and the Council. One of which merely did the same thing as Itachi ultimately did albeit indirectly, and the other, which is almost complete fanon.

I said before in previous Author's Notes to expect some lore changes because fuck the Otsutsuki nonsense. This chapter has some. Naruto and Sasuke aren't incarnations, neither are Hashirama and Madara. They're just descendants. That being a thing was completely unnecessary.

Don't mean to jerk off Hiashi. Just using the information in canon to inform on his character. He's a nice guy deep down restricted by clan expectations, he was willing to die over an offense to his clan just because it would hurt other people, he was genin age around the time of the Second Shinobi World War, and the Byakugan is exactly the kind of thing a military commander in an age where there is no satellite would kill for.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a review or PM