The council room.
The council gathered as ordered. Many of the civilians on the council complained about the early summons while the clan heads on the council sat quietly. Most of the clan heads worried about the reason this meeting may have been called. It was clear the way everyone glanced at each other that only a few had any idea about why the Third had gathered everyone. An hour passed, then two before the doors opened. When their wait ended four ANBU stepped into the room covered in blood. Quickly followed by the Third Hokage and then six more ANBU, all also covered in the ominous red. The ANBU took their positions around the room as the Hokage took his seat.
All muttering stopped and everyone, including the clan heads looked worried.
"Good morning everyone. I apologize for the delay another matter showed up that took me away from the meeting for a while."
"What happened Lord Hokage?" Homura the former teammate of Hiruzen asked from her honored position near the Third.
"There was an incident with one of the clans. We will discuss that after we go over why I have called you all here." The clan heads looked around quickly figuring out who was missing, all realized that the clan must have been the Uchia as Fugaku had not arrived.
"This meeting is to inform you all that I am taking back my control today." Hiruzen said and waited for everyone's reactions. Some of the Clan heads looked relieved while a couple, such as the Hyuga, didn't look surprised. All of the civilians were angry.
"Lord Third, we have been by your side for years now, and we have fully supported your decisions, so why are you taking away our help now?" A pink haired man by the name of Kizashi Haruno spoke. "The counsel is the voice of the people." another civilian spoke. Soon several civilian members were all talking at once voicing their anger at the declaration. Hiruzen frowned he raised his hand and waited for all to quit down. "Yesterday, I awoke from a genjutsue placed on myself." He stated. Gasps were heard. The clan elders whispered angrily to each other, and most of the civilians bickered quietly about the implications. Some, however, and Hiruzen spotted them, looked like children caught with their hands in a cookie jar. "I was approached by my dear friend Fugaku about my behavior towards his clan during the past few years and especially over the most recent decisions made about the clan. Under the genjutsue I believed I was acting in the best interest of the village, but then Fugaku made me aware of some truly disgusting actions I have taken towards a young child within this village." Several membersof both sides of the council muttered to each other they had not heard of Hiruzen doing anything inappropriate or unkind to any child in the village, not that they saw Naruto as a child. "When I found out what I did I was unable to believe I was capable of such harsh treatment. The shock was traumatic in it's own right. The shock to my spirit helped loosen the genjutsue and I was finally able to sense it enough to break it's hold." Everyone reminded quiet. One man stood and looked angrier than Hiruzen had ever seen him. "Lord Hokage who did this to you and how long have you been under their control?" Shikaku Nara asked. A look in his eyes said that he was ready to murder someone. Hiashi Hyuga stood briefly
"Shikaku it is obvious who did this. Danzo has openly fought for the title of Hokage for years. But he stopped trying. Shikaku you must have realized why that was. I did not put it together until the Hokage came to a small number of us last night but I thought you of all people had figured this out." Shikaku paled, with all the intelligence that his clan is known for the fact that he was unable to see the obvious. He was feeling old and useless.
"It's been years." Shikaku said speaking a statement not a question. Hiruzen nodded.
"Please sit both of you. Yes it has been years. Nearly four years to be exact. I believe I have pinned down the day and the reason I became so susceptible." Everyone sat and silence filled the room.
"Several days after Minato died I was grieving for such monumental loss. I had lost my successor, many good friends, and most of all I lost my wife. My only ray of hope was a baby that I kept in a crib by my side. That evening I had Naruto in my office his health and safty were my highest priority." The civilians gave the Hokage dirty looks but held their tongues.
"At that time I was intending to take Naruto to my own home to be adopted and raised within my household." That was to much for some of the council.
"What! You were going to raise that monster! That deamon should have been killed, not coddled!" An older civilian yelled out. His outburst caused many to jump around the room.
"ANBU escort council member Fern to prison." Hiruzen demanded. One of the ANBU, a male with a bear mask, stepped forward, grabbed the council member and shunshined away. Silence fell once again.
"Naruto was supposed to be kept safe. Minato's last request to me before he died was to protect that boy and to ensure the villagers see him as a hero." The civilians muttered angrily but kept quiet afraid of the consequences. A few of the clan heads looked shocked but most looked ashamed. None had known of the Fourth's final wish. Hiruzen closed his eyes stealing his emotions before speaking again.
"That night I sat in grief with Naruto asleep by my side. Danzo came to my office and brought some sake, offering a listing ear while I grieved. We had been friends since we were children, and I knew of no other person of whom I could truly let down my guard with and air out my loss. We drank and I believe it was at that time that he placed me under his control. Because before that night was over, I was a monster of a man. After I was under his influence he told me that he should check the Fourth's seal. I would have said no if I were not under his control as the only person I trusted to check that seal would be Juryiah but I allowed it. I let him see Minato's greatest creation. If any of you are aware of the delicate nature of seals know that the seal Minato created is far beyond any other seal I have ever seen in my life and I am blessed to have seen it. It truly is a work of art that has kept the Kyubi not only imprisoned but also asleep unable to wake." The last part was a shock to every person in the room. Now people were beginning to understand if the monster was asleep then the person that the village had been punishing was truly a helpless child.
"The seal dose much more than keep the Kyubi asleep it also sucks away the Kyubi's chacra filters the chacra and release the purified chacra into Naruto's network. With this constant flow Naruto may have Kage level reserves by the time he becomes a genin." All clan heads looked shocked at this. That was a lot of power to be left untapped. A child with that much power could become one of the greatest ninjasin the village.
"I thought he wanted to admire the work but then Danzo told me that there was a mistake in Minato's work and it was a horrible mistake. Danzo said that the seal had suppressed the demon's chacra but that the minds had been switched and it was Naruto who had been placed in an eternal sleep while the Kyubi was the one who was awake in the body of a week infant. I know I had looked over his seal and did not see any such issue before that night but after being placed in genjutsue I believed Danzo and became angry and the child. I was made to believe that the poor boy was nothing but a monster in the skin of a child." Hiruzen felt sick saying that but it was nothing but truth.
"I know that the civilians don't understand this but do you know what will happen to the Kyubi when Naruto dies?" Most of the civilians shook their heads and even a couple of the clan heads to Hiruzen's mild surprise. "The tailed beasts are immortal. Nothing at all can kill them because they are formed by chacra. If the container is killed or dies the deamons are released." Shock spread across the crowd. All the civilians looked scared. Some looked horrified by how close they all had come to releasing the monster on the village once more.
"I then did the absolute worst thing a human should ever do to a child. I released some information about Naruto's predicament to the public then I ordered every member of my guard as well as my ANBU to never intervene when someone hurts the boy they are only to step in if actual death is likely. After that they stopped in the past four years over 70 life threatening situations but only the life threatening ones. He was put through hell for the past four years as every villager had been given permission to beat that child as much as they so wished as long as he didn't die." Most of the clan heads where looking queasy now beginning to see what was so shocking that a genjutsue strong enough to hold a kage could be broken.
"Yesterday afternoon Fugaku took me to his home and showed me the results of my sins. Naruto is able to heal almost instantaneously for minor wounds both because of the chacra stollen from the Kyubi and because of his Uzumaki blood. So most of his skin is unblemished despite how many cuts that child has sustained. If not for the word of my guard I would not know how severely that boy has been hurt just by appearance. However someone figured out that he could still be branded." Another round of gasps.
"Someone, I'm not sure yet who, has inked the word monster across the boys chest. It is deep and the ink used was chacra based giving it a permanence I don't think it is removable." Hiruzen closed his eyes seeing the boy in front of him once again.
" The boy was just skin and bone he hasn't been fed properly since he was that baby that I tossed out of my office. Four years of almost nothing to eat for days at a time truly is a terrible sight to see on on a four year old child. I doubt he weighs much more than a baby thays just turning one." Faces turned away in horror and some of the mothers in the council began to shed tears imagining their own children in such a state.
"It was seeing this and seeing how scared Naruto was of me that I broke free. He was supposed to be loved and protected and I let him be tortured. If it weren't for the fact it was a genjutsue that made me do this I would both resign and kill myself because of what I did." All eyes grew wide even those hidden under the masks of the ANBU. As Hiruzen spoke now with a raised voice proclaiming his sins.
"I betrayed Minato's trust and I nearly killed his son." No sound could be heard not even the sound of a person's breath as everyone stopped breathing for a minute.
"His son?" Shikaku whispered loud enough to be heard by everyone.
"Yes a well kept secret between Minato, Kushina, and a few good people whom are all dead now." Hiruzen said sadly.
"Minato had fallen in love and secretly married Kushina about a year before Naruto was born. Our leader couldn't ask someone else to sacrifice their child and chose to protect the village by sacrificing his own son." Nearly every person in the room including the guards were now shaking.
"Under the influence of the genjutsue I believed that Minato's son was all but dead and a deamon now walked the world in his skin it made me angry and even more suseptible to Danzo's influence. The next few weeks I was being convinced of stripping myself of power where it comes to the council and the running of the village. There were many decisions and rules created that I was influenced into making. This is especially true for the Uchia clan. They worked hard to be seen for the hard working faithful citizens of Konoha that they are but I was easily convinced that every one of them wanted to release the Kyubi and destroy the village. I was ready to follow Danzo's advice to eradicate the clan." The chatter began again.
"After Fugaku brought me back to reality I immediately began making plans to stop Danzo. I was ready to execute Danzo this morning for what he did." Several members looked horrified but most nodded in agreement. The list of things that mad man had manipulated the Hokage into doing was horrifying.
"I and a few close individuals along with the ANBU here were to execute Danzo and destroy his hidden army. Yes Danzo was creating an army." Hiruzen said to the unasked questions some people were now thinking.
"Unfortunately Danzo had gotten wind of it and instead of coming in person to our meeting he sent a clone. So when I went to kill him he disappeared." Everyone looked around and then Shikaku spoke.
"What are we waiting for we have to go after him." Shikaku made to stand again but Hiruzen raised his hand.
"I intended to do just that a couple of hours ago but then I was stopped just before coming to this meeting. Danzo wanted to make a point when he was cornered." The clan heads instinctively looked towards Fugaku's seat.
"The army that Danzo had created moved in secret into the Uchia compound early this morning and while I was distracted with his clone his army began murdering the members of that clan." Outrage and sorrow where let out from several members of the civilians and all of the clan heads.
"There is only about 10 individuals left of a clan numbering nearly 400 souls. Fugaku my friend and his dear wife were among those that were killed." Even the steady Hyuga clan head shook with anger and sadness.
"Danzo is now a missing nin and must be killed if possible but it won't be easy. The man has filled his arm and one of his eyes with sharingan eyes. It is an abomination and he is far to dangerous to face one on one. If you find him in the village you must call for myself and as much backup as possible." Hiruzen warned.
"We will be discussing every decision I made over the past four years and changing much of what was decided in future meetings. In the mean time I want all clan heads to mobilize your working members to search the village. And take time to help the remaining Uchia were you can. I will take my leave now to continue the search myself. But before I go I have one more order. You are all banned from revealing anything you heard about Naruto today." Everyone looked truly shocked this didn't sound right.
"I am declaring his heritage an S class secret. His parents especially kept him a secret to protect him from the many enemiesthat the two had made. I will do the same. I will also make the punishment for harming him imprisonment or exicution depending on the intention. The fact that he is the container of the deamon will also be a secret that no one is to talk about. I want the children of this village to grow up thinking of Naruto as a normal kid so that hopefully for the next few years he has a chance to make friends." Shikaku stood
" I along with all the clan heads will ensure Naruto's safty and provide healthy contact with our children in hopes that he will make some friends." Hiruzen nodded
" Thank you. Everyone is dismissed." Hiruzen spoke before exiting. The meeting hall burst into yells angry chatter and many tears as people grasped all that had been announced. No one on the council would ever see that boy the same way again.
Hiruzen's Office.
Itachi sat in one of the chairs in the office. Although he preferred to stand his two charges were now asleep on either shoulder and he knew sitting would provide extra support so he sat. Hiruzen entered a few minutes later quietly allowing the children to sleep. He smiled at the kind older brother. In a hushed voice Hiruzen spoke. "We will look for a family that will take you and your brother in. It is likely that the remaining members of your clan will group together but seeing as the remaining members are all children it is unlikely they will be able to stay together." Itachi nodded. "Although I wish I was so able to take care of my clan I am technically a child as well and unable to take on the responsibility. There are five children older than me as well, and leadership for children starts with age." Hiruzen nodded despite his age Itachi was an adult by ninja standards but not when it came to raising children. "I will be taking Naruto to my clan and raising him there. Until a home is secured for yourself and your brother I will take you two in. The clan heads will decide where your clan will end up until you are 16 and can take over as clan leader. The village owes your clan restitution for recent events that I will arrange to have placed in your care. You are clan head and although you are young and a member of ANBU I expect you to look out for your family." Itachi nodded. He had much more responsibility now. Looking down at his two charges Itachi smiled a rare sweet smile. "I will be big brother to both of these boys if you will allow it. Naruto needs family and I wish to be apart of his. Hokage-Sama please allow me to visit with Naruto after my brother and I find a family to live with. I wish to be apart of his guard as well." Hiruzen nodded and knelt down in front of Itachi placing his had on Itachi's head. " You are a fine ninja and an exceptional person. Naruto would be lucky to have you as an older brother. Yes you may remain apart of Naruto's guard. You will be second in command under Hound until Naruto has graduated from the academy. Please take care of him. He is special. Now for the time being take the boys to my residence and watch over them. I am going to search for Danzo. Do not let Naruto out of your sight. I believe Danzo may go after the child soon if he manages to stay hidden in the village." Itachi nodded. This was also a mission and he would fulfill his duties.
Unknown Location
Danzo sat on a chair shrouded in the darkness of the underground bunker. "Report." As predicted the ANBU and Jonin of the village are only looking at the older locations the Third has completed his meeting with the council and has joined the search. The council chamber was placed under a barrier and none of our agents were able to listen in. However one of our civilian supporters came to us and told us that the Jinchuriki was the focus of the meeting and it was revealed who the child's father is." Danzo frowned. The revelation would bring support to the child. "Our only assurance is that the Third declared that his heritage remains secret." Danzo gave a small nod. "And where is the child?"
"The child is at the Sarutobi compound under the watch of Itachi."
"Good. Go gather team 5 and 7 use them to distract Itachi. When he believes he is fighting everyone that is present he will draw the attack away from the child. Use that opportunity to spirit the child away. I expect to have him in my grasp by the end of the day." The unknown Root member nodded in affirmation and shunshined away. Danzo sat back and smirked. His position may have been taken but his back up plan was just getting started. The child would be his tool, all that was needed was to break him.