AN: In this story Naruto is 3 years older than in cannon
The world was on fire. A cacophony of heart wrenching cries and the music of destruction echoed through the village hidden in the leaves.
Everything had been tranquil. Naruto was patiently waiting, under the supervision of his babysitter Hitomi, for his parents to return home with his new baby sister, however all of the sudden Naruto felt something dark approaching rapidly from afar before a lurid red encompassed his vision and he felt as if there he was hit by a charging rhino. A great groan was audible along with wretched winds howling bloody murder as the Fourth Hokage's home was eviscerated by an errant burst of demonic chakra.
Naruto's ears rang incessantly and his vision was completely blurred. When his senses returned he pushed his back against a fragment of what used to be the base of a wall, after forcing himself into a sitting position the three year old stopped to take a breath groaning in pain. Following a brief respite to catch his breath a thought struck Naruto like a bolt of lightning, Hitomi. The young woman had just gone into the kitchen to prepare lunch for Naruto when the house had been struck, "Hitomi!" Naruto cried beseechingly as his head swivelled in desperation trying to catch sight of his caretaker. His heart leapt in relief when he caught sight of the woman's sandals from around the corner of the rubble, he stumbled his way to his feet and scarpered forward around rubble to check on her. He was greeted by the sight of a large chunk of roof over the top half of the woman with her legs poking out underneath in sight.
"Hitomi are you alright?" The question was not answered by Hitomi but instead by a guttural roar from outside that shook the earth itself followed by a bolt of lightning that tore the sky asunder. Naruto looked over his shoulder to see a gargantuan beast rearing its head back looming over the village wreathed in flames. Naruto in his panic threw caution to the wind and pulled Hitomi with all his might by the ankles, however she would not budge in the slightest. The earth shook again and Naruto panted in desperation, feet planted leaning back and pulling with all the strength vested in his meager three year old frame. However he couldn't get her to move, Naruto gritted his teeth and pulled with a part of himself he didn't even know existed as his arms became wreathed in a blue glow and his eyes glowed an ethereal blue. His blood boiled as Naruto exerted himself, his effort was met with the sound of fabric tearing as he fell backwards Hitomi in hand.
Naruto looked down at the woman only to be greeted with a ghastly visage. In his hands gripped by the ankles was the lower half of Hitomi's body, bisected at the navel. Viscera strewn between Naruto and where the upper half of the woman's body remained entombed in the rubble. The base of her severed spine peered over the rent flesh at an aberrant angle reminiscent of the wilted stem of some macabre flower. Naruto howled in despair sinking to his knees the blue glow around him intensifying causing the ground around him to crack the smell of ozone permeating through the air. A hand landed on Naruto's shoulder, a chain of blue chakra lashed out at the owner of the but Minato Namikaze simply sidestepped it and grabbed Naruto in a embrace having teleported to Naruto from the battle using a Hiraishin seal on Naruto's collar.
"Naruto I am so sorry but we don't have time" a wet gasp escaped Naruto's lungs as his head lay against his fathers sternum "Daddy you need to save Hitomi I hurt her, but you can make it okay right daddy. You're the best ninja in the village daddy, you can save her right. I promise I didn't mean to daddy, I promise." Naruto pleaded desperately to his father. Minato gently took Naruto by his shoulders and separated them such that he could look into Naruto's glowing eyes "Naruto you need to breathe, take a deep breath Naruto I'm here now you're safe". Naruto desperately shook his head "Daddy you need to save her, she's under those rocks daddy don't you see you need to hurry daddy" Minato gave Naruto a miserable smile, his facade breaking handsome face looking weary beyond his years.
"Naruto it's not your fault, the rubble would have killed her long before you tried to pull her out". "I can't save her Naruto, she's gone". Naruto pushed against his fathers chest in desperation "You're the Hokage you can save her daddy you need to try". Minatos smile tightened even further and the desperation in his eyes intensified "Naruto you need to listen to me, I don't have the time to discuss this with you-" as if to emphasise his point another great roar emanated from the beast, engaging the Third Hokage outside the village walls causing the earth to tremble. "It's not your fault Naruto, now you need to come with me and get you to safety, I'll leave you with your older brother Naruto." Naruto grabbed his fathers cloak desperately "You can't leave me daddy I need you" Minato ruffled Naruto's hair affectionately and gave him a big grin "Kakashi will protect you Naruto while daddy beats up the big monster, you know I'm the strongest after all. It's my responsibility to save everyone."
Before Naruto could muster a response they appeared next to Kakashi dressed in ANBU armour sans the porcelain mask, evidently arguing with Maito Gai who was gesticulating at him wildly "Kakashi you heard the Third, we are to leave the village and help civilians evacuate". Before Kakashi could respond to Gai Minato seized him by the shoulders "Don't you dare argue with me now I have neither the time nor patience" "Sensei" Kakashi murmured, taken back by the manic look in his teacher's eyes. "You are to look after Naruto and take him far enough that he is safe, you are not to leave his side. Protect him Kakashi." and with that final command Minato released Kakashi and teleported elsewhere.
Naruto collapsed to his backside blindsided by the series of events. He looked down on his hands to see them mired in blood "Hitomi" he whimpered all of a sudden it felt as if the world was closing in on Naruto. His vision became unfocussed: the cries of people searching for missing loved ones, mothers crying over the bodies of their dead children and the howling winds disappear into nothingness. The acrid smell of smoke and burnt flesh vanished. All Naruto could feel was the blood on his hands. "He didn't even try to save her". Naruto's head whirled to face Kakashi as the world surged back into focus "Aniki why didn't he save her, he's the strongest. I know he could have saved her". Kakashi's eyes met Naruto's his unearthly sharingan spiraling lazily, seeming to pierce Naruto's soul. "Naruto, your father is a human being he can't save everybody, but he is still brave enough to go out there and do his best for the village. Don't you dare disrespect that". Naruto recoiled from Kakashi who was visibly seething at the end of his statement. Guilt flashed in Kakashi's eyes as the anger subsided "Naruto-" "Kakashi he is a child" Gai cut across. Kakashi swallowed harshly and peered at the little boy, unable to communicate his feelings .
"He'll beat the monster quickly right, and bring back Mommy and the baby right" Kakashi sighed helplessly "I really hope so Naruto". Naruto's hair suddenly stood on end, sensing something terrible. He turned and looked over to where the beast was once again bearing over The village, nine swirling tails wreaking destruction upon Konoha; Maw gaping as Naruto could feel something gathering. "What is happening in its mouth Aniki?" Naruto whimpered timidly. Kakashi looked over at death incarnate looming over his home "What do you mea-" Kakashi was cut off by the oppressive feeling of the Kyuubi's chakra intensifying as energy seemed to coalesse between its colossal fangs. A ball of pure darkness grew in it's maw, the malice so palpable Kakashi and Gai fell to a knee as Naruto cowered away eyes watering. The wretched beast spat the ball of destruction towards the Hokage monument. However before the ball made contact with the mountain writing seemed to form on the air itself, Many long lines converging at a circle in the centre. The Bijuu bomb was slowly absorbed at the centre as space itself contorted around the sphere. A colossal mushroom cloud appeared distantly in the forest surrounding Konoha.
Kakashi scrutinised Naruto after Minato dealt with the Bijuu bomb "interesting" he mused "We need to move Naruto" Kakashi asserted grounding himself in the moment. Kakashi hoisted Naruto into his arms, gave Gai a nod and sprinted into the trees. After two minutes zipping between the trees they arrived at a concrete bunker. Eight of these bunkers had been constructed during the third great war to provide defensible positions in the eventuality of a direct assault on the populace of Konoha. The bunkers had ten foot tall ceilings and was a grand hall supported by a series of pillars throughout on one side were bags upon bags of rations and on the other a canal allowing freshwater to run through the sanctuary. However this is not what Naruto first noticed being carried inside by Kakashi. Instead the first thing Naruto heard was desperate screaming "Medic! Somebody bring me a medic! No not my boy. I can't lose them both tonight someone please help" The womans voice hoarse stood stark even against the crying and hushed whispering of thousands of people in the hall. Looking around Naruto saw medics completely overrun by the number of people who needed medical attention. Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder intent on steering him away from the scene playing out in front of him, however he did not prevent Naruto from catching sight of the boy who was laid on the floor, head in the womans lap. The boy was no older than seven years old the entire right side of the boys face was freshly burn, grotesque blisters bubbling on the skin of his face. Along with this the boy was missing his right hand where blood was fauceting out of him at an alarming rate.
Naruto spun out of Kakashi's grip and made to run towards the boy, Kakashi seized him by the midsection and dragged him away before he could make any progress. "You can't do anything for them Naruto, the medics will come as soon as they can". Tears streamed from Naruto's eyes as he went limp in Kakashi's arms and allowed himself to be carried away. "I know that boy aniki he played ninja with me in the park" Naruto sobbed hopelessly. Kakashi didn't reply as he whisked Naruto away to a secluded area in the hall where he placed the boy against a pillar and sat opposite him. "Its going to be okay Naruto I'm here with you and your father will get the Kyuubi under control soon enough". As if in defiance of Kakashi's statement another terrible roar emanated from the distance. A deafening crash was heard as the lights in the hall were knocked out.
Naruto lept towards Kakashi desperately gripping his ANBU armour as Kakashi wrapped his arms around Naruto, sharingan dimly glowing in his face. Naruto remained in this position for what seemed like aeons assaulted by the sounds of the carnage around him, the broken families screaming in despair, the crying of children and adults alike and worst of all the periodic roars of the Kyuubi.
After one particularly load roar a vice grip landed on Naruto's shoulder and all of a sudden Naruto was sat at a stone alter. He screamed turning to see his father standing over him face gaunt and clothes charred. "Minato hurry!" Naruto saw his mother on her knees a myriad of Golden chains emanating from her body. As Naruto's eyes followed his mothers chains he was petrified. A lurid slitted red eye filled with hatred was focussed on Naruto. The colossal beast writhed in its chains looking at the stone alter in desperation. Naruto's whole body was jolted and he came back to his senses to see Minato shaking him with a weary look in his eyes. "Naruto focus we don't have much time". However Naruto's eyes did not remain on Minato's face and instead drifted to a bundle of cloth with a small face and red tuft of hair poking out of the top. "Is that Narumi daddy, she got mommy's pretty hair and she's so well behaved she's not moving or fussing at all" Naruto's father sobbed as his group tightened "Naruto you need to focus, I am going to seal it into you Naruto, it's the only way now I am so sorry Naruto". Naruto's eyes widened in horror "what do you mean daddy?" Minato grabbed his son and placed him on the alter holding him down as Naruto writhes. "Naruto you are the only one strong enough to do this, I can only trust you to keep the village safe in this way Naruto. Please trust me Naruto, only someone with Uzumaki blood can hold it". Naruto stopped struggling and looked at his father, terror evident in his eyes. "Okay" Naruto swallowed harshly "I trust you daddy" an unrecognisable expression settled on Minato's face.
You are a hero Naruto more than I ever will be, I love you my son. I can never atone for what I am about to do but I can't help but hope you will understand one day" Minato gently kissed the forehead of his boy "Minato I cant hold it any longer". A furious resolve appeared on Minato's face as his hands blurred through hand signs "Uzumaki style: Reaper Death Seal" Minato declared. A ghostly visage that Naruto couldn't quite make out towered behind Minato. The fox howled in desperation and finally managed to break through the chains holding it, Its claws blurring reducing Kushina to a red mist. The beast turned to move towards Minato but the ghostly image descended onto the fox first and it was reduced to pure crimson energy that floated in the air for a moment. Minato stumbled towards Naruto inscribing a seal using his own chakra onto Naruto's belly with ruthless efficiency. "I love you Naruto" Minato declared before the crimson energy turned and rushed towards the seal over Naruto's stomach. The last thing Minato Namikaze heard before the Shinigami took his soul was the blood curdling screams of his son.
Naruto convulsed on the alter as pain like he had never known wracked his body, He screamed in awful pain as fire ran through his veins. His partially developed chakra coils quickly becoming overrun by demonic chakra. However Naruto had the advantage of potent Uzumaku life force within him and his Chakra network slowly excruciatingly reformed around the colossal reserves of the Kyuubi's Chakra, leading to hundreds of new tenketsu forming over Naruto's body. Eventually the heartrending screams stopped and Naruto was left unconscious breathing shallowly on the alter. Interestingly enough this stimulation of his Uzumaki lifeforce changed his gene expression slightly altering his appearance in a surprising manner.
AN: It's been a while since I tried my hand at some writing and while reading fanfiction I have had a of ideas floating around my head that I have decided I want to try to bring to life. This chapter ended up being quite bleak, but I really wanted to emphasise the horror of Kurama's attack on the building and justify the huge impact it will have on Naruto's character going forward
I would love if anybody who enjoyed this chapter were to leave a review. As well as that I invite any constructive criticism, writing isn't really my forte and I know I have a lot of improving to do, so any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much for your time, until next time.