(At The Stadium)
"Hello father," Naruto greeted in a somber tone, "We finally meet! Though once again, it's sadly not under happy circumstances."
Minato said, "That's most unfortunate all things considered."
"You brought back your damn father?" Kurama barked angrily within Naruto.
'Would you like to give him your greetings Kurama?' Naruto mocked.
"I'd like to impale him with my same claw like before!" Kurama replied, "And take back the Yin half of my chakra which he took and sealed away!"
'Your Yin half?' Naruto inquired.
"The half of me that he tore from me and sealed within himself before sealing me into you," Kurama explained, "I told you this before that he tore away half of me and sealed it with him in the Shinigami."
'Interesting,' Naruto acknowledged, 'So you only have half of your power. I'm now curious as to why that was done.'
"Minato-sensei?" Kakashi said in surprise. Minato looked over at Kakashi and the other Jounin with him and then said, "Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, you four have grown and matured well. Jiraiya-sensei…You've aged."
Jiraiya frowned at that remarked and grumbled, "Watch it."
"Naruto?" Hiruzen asked, "You managed to resurrect the Yondaime through Edo Tensei? But how is that possible?"
"I'm more shocked that you allowed the gaki to learn Edo Tensei!" Jiraiya stated.
"I didn't!" Hiruzen corrected, "Naruto must have learned and studied that kinjutsu from the Forbidden Scroll after Mizuki tried to trick Naruto into stealing the scroll for him. Even though reviving Yondaime should have been impossible because of his soul being devoured and sealed away into the Shinigami's stomach after Yondaime used that kinjutsu ougi to summon that dark deity, I never in my life would have thought that Naruto would learn Edo Tensei and then use it on his own father!"
"Be that as it may Sandaime-sama, but clearly Naruto found a way to free me from the Shinigami's stomach," Minato said then turned to Naruto, "You're quite the remarkable ninja my son. I guess you were well taught and trained to be a strong ninja."
"Pardon my arrogance if it comes off that way," Naruto replied, "But I'm a self-educated and self-trained ninja."
"What do you mean?" Minato asked with a confused tone, "Surely you're honored as the village's savior and trained by Konoha to be the shinobi are you are now."
"You couldn't be more wrong and far from the truth father," Naruto remarked grimly.
"I see," Minato said with a tone of disappointment as he looked at Sandaime, Jiraiya and Kakashi, "So my last and dying wish wasn't honored; how very sad."
"What happened in my youth is time's past. Corrections to all of the wrongs and mistakes made were carried out. But we'll have to cut this conversation short. Konoha is under attack and at war; Suna betrayed us and sided with Orochimaru and his army of Oto ninja in their all-out effort to destroy us."
"Suna betrayed us?" Minato asked as he looked around at the Suna and Oto Jounin around the group and around the stadium attacking the people and fighting the other Konoha ninja, "How tragic."
Naruto reached into his pocket and retrieved a pendant that had a fuda seal attached to it. The Genin went over to Minato and placed the pendant deep into Minato's chest before pulling his hand out of his chest before it closed back up. He stepped away from Minato seconds before a burst of white came out of Minato as his texture and complexion started being restored to him.
"Amazing," Hinata said, "So this is the kinjutsu created by our famed Nidaime Hokage-sama, the one Naruto-kun told me about."
"You knew about this kinjutsu and that Naruto learned it?" Kurenai asked.
"No disrespect Kurenai-sensei but by now you and everyone else should know Naruto-kun for being the number one most surprising ninja," Hinata replied, "He told me about Nidaime-sama's Edo Tensei jutsu though he didn't teach it to me. As we speak life is returning to Naruto-kun's father."
"What is this jutsu?" Chouji asked.
Hinata explained, "Edo Tensei is an S-rank kinjutsu kuchiyose (forbidden summoning technique). From what Naruto-kun explained, it revives the dead. Though kuchiyose normally involves the use of the caster's blood as compensation for summoning; Edo Tensei however is different. The ninja will first sacrifice a living person to provide the vessel that the dead soul will inhabit."
"What!?" Sakura reacted in horror, "You mean that person was a live host?"
"Yes," Hinata confirmed, "The host will then be incased in ash and dirt to resemble the soul of the person that was resurrected. When the ninja wishes to recall the souls, a portal will open in the ground and the caskets holding the bodies will appear. When the caskets open the bodies will be grey and in a state of minor decay.
"At this point the dead souls are able to remember their past life, but they are at the command of the one who summoned them. One final act will fully wipe out their conscience and make them under the command of the one who summoned them. The ninja will place a fuda of some form into the heads of the bodies. This will then virtually restore the bodies and make the summoned persons into pure killing puppets."
"I can't believe that our late Nidaime created such dark jutsu," Kiba asked.
"I'm concerned about who it was Naruto decided to use as a human sacrifice for this dark kinjutsu," Shikamaru remarked.
"As Naruto-kun once told me, we're not known for cuteness and sometimes we resort to creepy and often times forbidden means to achieve our ends," Hinata replied.
Naruto stated, "It was very difficult but I made a few modifications to the Fuda Seal, therefore my father will retain his original personality, which is why I placed the modified Fuda into his chest instead on into his head."
At this point Minato was fully revived in his Edo Tensei body. The invading Suna and Oto ninja saw this with looks for fear.
"I think now would be a very good time to run and make our escape!" one of the Suna ninja suggested.
At this point, a good number of Suna and Oto ninja started to flee from the stadium while others continued fighting. Naruto turned to his revived father and said, "As you already know, Suna and Oto ninja are attacking Konoha as a combined army and jiisan made it very clear what we must do against our attackers: Kill them! No mercy, no regrets, no holding back! Remind Suna and their Oto comrades why you're Konoha's Yellow Flash!"
"It will be done, just as you have instructed," Minato said sharply.
Naruto's army of clones suddenly appeared around different sections of the stadium, each with a tri-pronged kunai in hand. They then threw the tri-pronged kunai in random directions within Suna and Oto ninja groups while Naruto himself took out one of those kunai he hid in his pocket and threw it into the vicinity of the Sound Four who also decided to make a full retreat. In a flash of yellow, Minato disappeared and the slaughtering of Suna and Oto ninja began. The last blood curdling cry that was heard from one of them was:
"RUN!"
Tayuya watched the scene in stunned silence. Within seconds many of her Oto comrades along with the army of Suna Ninja in the stadium were killed. Among the slain were her teammates and her temporary replacement that made up the Sound Four. They lied dead before Naruto's feet in a pool of their own blood.
'To think that would have been me among my dead teammates right now had I not been relieved of my duties and replaced as a member of the Sound Four,' Tayuya thought grimly, 'I know Orochimaru-sama will be far from happy that his plans didn't go as he hoped and I can't say how much of an army he'll have left after Naruto through the Yellow Flash is done with them. I best make my exit fast and await Sasuke's return.'
Discreetly, Tayuya made her escape out of the stadium and hid elsewhere to await Sasuke's arrival while leaving the rest of her former comrades to their fate. She saw that she had more to lose by dying and giving up what she had going on in her life now, which deep down, she didn't want to let go of.
(Meanwhile)
Orochimaru quickly escaped from the stadium. He was in no hurry to challenge and take on the revived Yondaime and die in the process. He seriously thought about countering Naruto with the reviving of the Shodai and Nidaime but he decided against it and chose to salvage that would remain of his army before Minato could wipe it out in its entirety. Presently he was standing on a roof of housing residence.
"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuta called out as he appeared in front of the man, "Please forgive my lateness. I had a most difficult time trying to gain entrance into the stadium undetected."
"Never mind that Kabuto," Orochimaru replied, "Right now that's the least of my concern; that damn Kyuubi Jinchuuriki has once again proven to be a sharp thorn to my side. Somehow Konoha learned of my plan to invade them."
"That would explain why the ANBU has been working in teams of fives," Kabuto realized too late, "Still aren't our ninja warring against Konoha as we speak?"
"That damn Naruto found a way to revive the Yondaime and he's using him against us!" Orochimaru growled.
"The Yellow Flash was revived by his son?" Kabuto asked in surprised and the stated, "That was most unexpected. What of the Sound Four?"
"They were among the first to be slaughtered by the Yondaime," Orochimaru stated, "Tayuya is all that's left of them now."
"Not much if any ninja of your army will be left if the Yellow Flash gets to them Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto warned, "But I'm surprised you didn't resort to reviving Shodai and Nidaime as you had originally planned."
"I was saving those two for a reunion with Sarutobi-sensei but that damn old man managed to outwit me and had a kage bunshin in his place the entire time I pose as the Kazekage. Find and gather the rest of-"
Orochimaru was cut off when an explosion was heard. They looked down to see Minato suddenly appear with his trademark tri-pronged kunai in his hands.
"HE'S HERE! RUN!"
No sooner then that proclamation was said, the slaughtering began and the slain bodies of the Oto and Suna ninja started littering the streets of Konoha. As Naruto instructed, Minato was showing them no mercy nor was he holding back as eye-popping blurs and yellow flashes were all they saw before death. Tri-pronged kunai were being thrown all over the place by Naruto's clones as Minato continued plowing through enemy ninja. The invaders turned to run for their lives but Minato didn't spare them a second as he butchered them with Rasengan attacks, shuriken and his kunai, some of them with their own weapons. The citizens and Konoha ninja couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"IT'S THE YELLOW FLASH!"
"THE YONDAIME HAS RETURNED TO DEFEND KONOHA!"
This was the joyous proclamation that was heard coming from the Konoha civilians. The ninja though were speechless while wondering how Minato was brought back to life. But they didn't have time to ask questions as Minato continued his rampage in wiping out the invaders. Place after place throughout the village Minato was destroying the invading Suna and Oto ninja army as nothing they did inflicted any harm against the revived Yondaime.
"We best to retreat and salvage what's left of my army before that damn Minato wipes them all out!" Orochimaru suggested before both he and Kabuto quickly shunshin'd and left the scene to avoid killed by Edo Tensei Minato.
A group of fifteen Oto nina appeared with kunai that were attached with explosive notes on them and threw them at the Yondaime from behind in hopes to blow him to pieces. Minato however saw this and with the use of one of his tri-pronged kunai in hand, he formed and activated a dimensional seal in front of him that absorbed all of the explosive kunai thrown at him. The seal then vanished from in front of Minato before he took off. The fifteen Oto ninja realized too late that the explosives they threw at him were teleported back to them at their feet when they detonated and blew them all into many burnt pieces.
(Meanwhile Outside Konoha Walls)
The larger armies and Suna and Oto ninja were preparing to attack. As they were getting in position to commence their part of the invasion, one of the Suna ninja appeared and hurried over to one of the Suna captains.
"Sir!" the Suna ninja warned urgently. The Suna captain turned to the Chuunin and barked, "Why are you here and not with your assigned platoon!?"
"We must pull back and retreat! Now!" the Suna Chuunin warned urgently. Everyone looking at Suna ninja were confused expression.
"Excuse us!" the captain retorted with a deadly tone while leaking bloodlust, "You dare show such spirit of blatant cowardice!?"
"It's the Yellow Flash of Konoha!" the Suna ninja said, "He's back. I saw him with my own eyes and he's killing all of our ninja as we speak! I barely escaped with my own life after he grabbed me!"
"The Yellow Flash has been dead for years!" the captain shouted, "How delusional are you considering that you're standing in front of us alive!?"
"Sir, did he just say that the Yellow Flash grabbed him?" the Suna ninja pointed out when he saw a seal appear on his comrade. The captain's eyes widened when he realized the implication of those words after seeing Minato's jutsu formula seal on the ninja.
"RETREAT!" the captain yelled, but it was too late as Minato appeared in front of them. Screams and the bloody sounds of flesh being slashed open was the last thing they heard as Minato slaughtered them. They never had a chance.
(Elsewhere)
Koyuki and the Naruto kage bunshin, who was still carrying Shion on his back, were standing outside the Uzumaki Mask Temple with an army of Naruto clones surrounding the temple.
"Koyuki-hime," the clone asked, "How many of your men accompanied you as your entourage?"
"Twelve of them," Koyuki said, "But I know that out them, four of them were kill protecting me."
"I'm sorry that this incident happened which led to their deaths and that you and your entourage got caught up in the chaos that ensued," the clone apologized.
"Please don't apologize for what wasn't your fault," Koyuki assured appreciatively, "You saved my life and protected me. I'm truly grateful for that Naruto and I won't forget that."
"By now your remaining entourage and guards are looking for you I'm sure," the clone figured, "I'll dispatch one of my follows to find and assure them that you're safe and being kept safe from all of the fighting. And while I'm at it, I'll have them look for Shion's entourage also."
The clone, with Shion still being carried on his back, went and instructed one of the clones of his instructions. The clone nodded and dispelled, sending the message to the other cones and Naruto who were still in the village dealing with Suna and Oto ninja, or what little was left of their army.
Shion looked back at the temple and asked, "Naruto, is it possible that I be granted permission to be allowed entrance into that sacred temple?"
"Let's find out," the clone said he went over to the guarded entrance of the temple where two clones were guarding the entrance. When he arrived at the steps, the presiding clone dressed in ceremonial white and beige robes and saddles fit for a monk appeared at the entrance and asked, "What it is?"
"Shion is asking if she can be allowed inside to see the temple," the clone explained briefly, "She's a priestess after all."
"Like I'm not aware of that," the presiding clone remarked before allowing them inside. The clone set Shion on her feet before the guarding clones stepped aside and allowed her access into the temple.
"I'll be keeping watch over Koyuki-hime in the meantime. But I got to say there's something very familiar about her; I just wish I could put my finger on it," the clone stated as he went to follow after Koyuki who was walking around the outside structure of the temple to examine the architecture and design of the temple. Meanwhile Shion, upon entering the temple, felt the dormant presence of deities from within the masks that were seated on the wall.
"I never felt such a heavy and fearsome presence in all my life," Shion remarked while experiencing some uneasiness within the temple. Shion gasped before she fell to her hands and knees from the aura she felt from within the temple.
"Shion!" the presiding Naruto kage bunshin called out as he ran over to her. He aided her up off the floor as she grabbed and held onto him.
"Are you alright?" the presiding clone inquired.
"I'm not hurt," Shion assured, "I was worn down from this feeling I experienced just now in this temple. The power housed in this temple is unlike anything I ever felt or saw in my visions. I felt great power from those masks but at the same time I also sensed and felt the presence of overwhelming darkness from them. It was truly terrifying."
"I understand," the presiding clone explained, "These masks were created by my ancestors many centuries ago. I don't blame you for how you described what you felt just moments ago. These forbidden masks are in fact dark in nature and the use of them can and most times will cost the wearers their lives regardless of the power they grant the user.
"It's a sacred duty for my clan to guard these dark masks and prevent them from fall into the wrong hands. It would be catastrophic if these masks of my ancestors were to fall into the wrong hands of those who would misuse their power and hurt many."
Shion looked around and studied the artwork and design of the temple with the complex seal writings around sections of the wall that was also decorated with spirals.
"Besides being a Konoha ninja," Shion expressed, "a copy of you serve as a monk in this temple."
"The original me and my fellow clones carry out many roles that are within our abilities," the presiding clone replied.
"Is that right?" Shion remarked and then revealed, "Well as a priestess, I possess the ability to seal away demons."
"Truly?" the Naruto cloned inquired and added, "That's interesting to know, seeing that my clan ancestors were renowned seal masters and grand seal masters with the skills to seal away bijuu, even the strongest of them. This was before other shinobi nations out of fear of us sought to engineer my clan and country's destruction."
"Perhaps if I were around during that time period," Shion remarked, "I would have predicted that since I also have the ability to predict someone's demise and in all 70 of my predictions, all of them have happened and not one of them was proven wrong."
"Have you ever had a prediction of your own death?" the presiding clone asked.
"Funny you should ask," Shion replied and then revealed, "Considering that my second gift acts as defense mechanism to protect me, should I die I would warn and tell my past self of what lead up to my future demise. My visions though also activate involuntarily.
"Besides that, there have been those who sought my death also because of their fear of my powers. Many have lost their lives in service of preserving and protecting me. There are times I feel like they threw away their lives."
"Why would you say something as heartless as that?" the presiding clone asked, trying to see from where she was coming from.
"Does it truly matter?" Shion asked as she looked away from the clone, "It was their wish that they leave me unharmed."
"Do you truly believe that those who died protecting you threw away their lives for nothing?" the presiding clone patiently inquired, "As their priestess whose responsibility is to protect your people, do they and your people mean so little to you Shion?"
"What would you know?" Shion retorted before looking back at Naruto, "My existence is more of curse than a blessing Naruto! That's how I truly feel! My people fear having an appearance in one of my predictions and they avoid me by effectively isolating me from them and everyone else even now. And it's been that way since I was child! Every day I carry this burden of being the priestess who was forced into isolation by her own people! I'm acknowledged for my role as a priestess but I'm treated like an outcast by many including by those of my age because of their fear of my powers."
The presiding clone remained silent as he carefully considered his next words. There was no exchange of words between them for a few moments as he processed everything he was told. A moment later though, the clone broke the silence and replied with an empathetic tone, "I understand your pain and anguish far more than you know Shion. I understand your loneliness and pain of being an outcast from society because I carry a burden that I didn't ask for but was put on me by my own father, the Yondaime Hokage, less than a few hours after my birth. I carry the burden of being a Jinchuuriki."
"You have a bijuu sealed inside of you?" Shion asked in disbelief, "Which one may I ask?"
"Kyuubi no Kitsune," the clone revealed, "The strongest of the nine bijuu."
"Your own father who was the Yondaime placed that heavy burden on you huh?" Shion asked, "I can relate. My own mother tasked me with the responsibilities of being the priestess of my people while forbidding me from learning ninja arts in hopes that I would have a normal life. It's one of the reasons why I have such low stamina and need to be carried around long distances by other able people. I can hardly call my life typically normal. But why did your father seal such a creature inside you?"
"To protect Konoha after Kyuubi attacked Konoha years ago. My mother died protecting me when Kyuubi tried to escape and kill me and my father died after sealing it into me. From that time until recently I was the village pariah and a walking reminder of Kyuubi to the entire village. I'm thankful that I found and now have special people in my life that save me from becoming the very monster the majority of the villagers wrongfully accused me of being."
"Sounds like you have an interesting story to tell," Shion replied, "Care to share?"
As the conversation between her and the presiding clone continued, Koyuki was being entertained by the original clone that rescued and saved her as they were standing out the rebuilt cottage Koyuki exited out of after she was allowed to tour it.
"Your friend Tazuna has very professional taste in top quality materials he used in the cottage's architecture," Koyuki complimented, "He and his workers truly did an amazing job restoring and beautifying this small house and I love the furniture he and his crew brought for the house. And the surrounding environment here is so peaceful and serene."
"I'm honored that you love how the house was restored and beautified," Naruto thanked, "This house and the temple are historical landmarks that belonged to my clan's ancestors many years ago."
"Yes," Koyuki commented, "The Uzumaki Clan. I heard stories about your clan from a bounty hunter my father Kazahana Sōsetu hired several years ago. His name was Uzumaki Seijiro."
The clone, upon hearing this, immediately looked to Koyuki.
"You met one of my lost brethren?!" the Naruto clone asked wanting to find out as much as possible.
"Yes, and when I heard your surname and witnessed your caliber against those invaders, I realized that there had to be a connection between you and that traveling bounty hunter Seijiro," Koyuki explained, "He came to my country which was then known as Yukigakure (The Land In the Snow)."
"Why was it called that?" the clone asked.
"Back then in my home county, spring was a season that did not exist in the perpetual-wintered Yukigakure. I happily awaited the completion of my father's project in bringing spring to the land, and was given a key for that "treasure"."
"But my traitorous uncle Kazahana Dotō started a coup and tried to take over my country and overthrow my father as daimyou. Uzumaki Seijiro helped and battled alongside my father and his army as they warred against Dotō and his army. But days later, my uncle and his army managed into infiltrate the castle and battled my father and his soldiers. Seijiro was protecting me all the while from my uncle's minions who also tried to kill me. Though he was outnumbered I never forgot how he singlehandedly slaughtered all of Dotō's men with those powerful glowing kunai attached chains that erupted out of his body."
"It's our clan's bloodline ability," the clone revealed, "Chakra chains."
Koyuki nodded in acknowledgement and continued her story, "Seijiro killed all of my uncle's men and went after my uncle only to see that my father was wounded by him. Before Dotō could finish him off, Seijiro used his chains to kill Dotō and all of his men present in the chamber. My father though died because the blade Dotō stabbed him with was laced with a potent poison. My father's dying wish was for me to turn Yuki no Kuni into Haru no Kuni as its new daimyou. I fulfilled his wish in honor of his sacrifice and Seijiro's heroism after he left and moved on."
"He didn't stay in Haru no Kuni?" the cloned asked.
"No," Koyuki said, "He left shortly after a week of recuperation. He said that he had to find both his lost brethren and his clan's rightful heir. He said that was his mission."
"So he's out there looking for me and my two other cousins who are here in Konoha," the cloned realized, "Do you know where he traveled to?"
"I'm sorry but I haven't seen him since," Koyuki said.
"Do you at least have a description of him?" the clone asked. Koyuki reached into her pocket and retrieved a picture of the man before handing it over to the clone.
"You actually kept a picture of Seijiro," the cloned asked, "That's even better!"
The clone took the time to carefully study the picture and memories every detail. It was a picture of Koyuki when she was younger, Seijiro and her late father Sōsetsu.
Seijiro had mint green eyes, fire red hair that was partly spiked. His clothes consisted of dark gray ninja pants and a gray flak jacket with the Uzumaki Clan insignia branded onto the back of his flak jacket. Hidden under his flak jacket was a scale style mail shirt that covered his chest and upper arms with large leather pads woven over major muscle groups like the pactoralis major, abdomen, and deltoids. He wore a metal plate over the top of his forearms and black fingerless gloves that were iron-plated on the back of the hand for protection. His shins were protected with metal plating and his open-toed shinobi shoes turn out to be heavy duty boots that covered the entire foot and ankle. On his left hip was a pair of duo swords resting in a single sheath and he didn't wear a weapons pouch because of the seals on the underside of his forearms.
"How old is?" the clone asked. Koyuki, after doing the math, replied, "28 years old this year."
"Thank Koyuki-hime," the Naruto cloned thanked, "What you've given me today for rescuing and saving you was a priceless gift. When I can, I'll make the effort to find my wandering kinsman."
"I should tell you," Koyuki said, "After my father's death and and Seijiro's departure, to keep myself from drowning in my own sorrows and depression, I temporarily adopted an alias known as "Fujikaze Yukie" and with it I became a famous movie actress though I'm primarily known for portraying Fūun-hime (Princess Gale)."
"What a minute!" the clone replied in surprised, "You, the daimyou, are the famous actress "Fujikaze Yukie" who stars as Fūun-hime!? You're my favorite actress and I watched all of your movies! I sense there was something familiar about you but I couldn't put my finger on it!"
"So my rescuer is my fan too," Koyuki remarked with playful humor, "Well, I do credit my writers for coming up with great story plots."
"Well I'm working on a story of my own that I'm hoping will become the next great seller and one day a movie production," the Naruto cloned revealed, "I call it "The Moon's Eye Above The Fireworks.""
"Sounds interesting," Koyuki said before she and the clone got into a rather long conversation about Naruto's new book and story plotline. All the while, Shion was being carried bridal style by one of the clones over to where Koyuki and the other clone were.
'That temple truly houses great power and a skilled and noble priestess would be fit to care of that temple and guard its power,' Shion thought to herself with a smile as she looked at the Naruto clone carrying her, 'The Uzumaki Clan could use such a priestess.'
(Meanwhile)
A group Oto and Suna ninja were running as fast as they could trying to make their escape after witnessing Minato slaughter their platoons and litter the ground with the blood of their comrades. Many during Minato's time knew about the "Flee On Sight" order was in effect in Iwagakure and even the man who became the new Raikage wasn't able to match Minato's speed or outclass the Hiraishin. After the death of the Yellow Flash, the order was decommissioned and no longer of any use. But now Oto and Suna were given a firsthand lesson as to why Minato was so feared in both Kumo and Iwa.
"How could Minato be alive!?" one of the Suna Jounin asked as he and the others continued running, "He died years ago during the Kyuubi attack on Konoha from what the reports said!"
"His goddamn son resurrected and summoned him to kill us!" an Oto Jounin stated, "Our men tried everything to slow him down with bombs but he moves faster than those explosions!"
"I promise you I'll kill Minato's little bastard myself for causing this great a disaster for our invasion," a Suna Jounin yelled as he vowed.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Minato said as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere, "And my son is no bastard."
The Suna ninja who insulted and threatened Naruto didn't get a chance to scream when Minato severed his head with a Rasengan. The rest of the Oto and Suna ninja screamed when as Minato showed them no mercy as he butchered every last one of them within seconds.
(Inside The Stadium)
Temari and Kankurō were in the same medical room with the unconscious Gaara still lying on the medical bed. Stationed to prevent their escape were five Naruto clones and one clone Hinata made of herself. With their chakra points disabled, there wasn't much of a fight either Temari or Kankurō could have pulled off and even if they could, they knew the clones were armed and ready to take swiftly them down if needed.
"What will happen to us?" Temari asked one of the Naruto clones, finally breaking the long unbearable silence.
"We betrayed Konoha and sided with Orochimaru to attack Konoha," Kankurō reminded, "I believe that our punishment as prisoners will be rather steep."
"Suna already paid a severe price for its betrayal," Naruto said as he appeared through the door and closed it behind him, "It paid with the loss of a large number of its ninja forces involved in the attack and along with the life of your father. My scounts report that only a remnant of about a hundred and twenty of Suna's ninja escape with their lives. In the case of Oto, only a hundred of them escaped."
There was a dreaded silence after Naruto pronounced the outcome of what happened to many of the Suna ninja armies and their father's fate.
"So you killed our father for betraying Konoha," Temari somberly figured.
"No," Naruto corrected, "I'm sure it was Orochimaru who did the deed himself considering that he was disguised as your father for who knows how long."
"What?!" Kankurō and Temari asked simultaneously.
"But how...we would have...I mean...," Kankurō stuttered in denial.
"It would make sense then seeing how all of Suna agreed in going along with the plan to betray and attack Konoha with Otogakure," Temari said grimly, "We were the Kazekage's children yet we ourselves were that inattentive about what was really going on. This shows that we weren't close to our father though I will admit that I did notice that something about him was off, but I just couldn't figure it out. Then again, I can't remember the last time we were actually close as a family since our mother's death."
"Orochimaru is a master manipulator and have led many to their deaths in the past and even today," Naruto said.
"Are you going to kill the three of us yourself?" Kankurō asked bluntly, "It's the only turnout I see at the end of this conversation."
Temari lowered her head, unable to look Naruto in the eyes.
"I'm so sorry Naruto-kun," Temari apologized, "For what it's worth, Kankurō and I honestly wanted nothing to do with this invasion nor did we truly want to betray you and the rest of Konoha. But as Suna ninja we swore an oath of allegiance to our village and the Kazekage and we couldn't betray our people or our father."
"Seeing that Orochimaru was disguised as our father during the Chuunin Exam Finals," Kankurō said, "We don't know how long he was posing as our father in Suna while manipulating us and all of our people to betray Konoha. In all honesty, the shame and disgrace we feel now knowing how easily Orochimaru duped us before betraying us as well is unbearable."
"I know," Naruto said, "Which is one of the reasons why I won't kill either of you nor will anyone else."
"You're letting us go?" Temari asked in disbelief.
"As I said before," Naruto reminded, "Your father and many of the invading ninja from Suna and Oto are dead. Someone has to explain to your council back home what happened here. Sandaime, or as I like to call him, jiisan, believes that's payment enough for Suna's betrayal. Plus I personally requested that you three be spared."
"And what about Baki-sensei?" Kankurō asked.
"He's being interrogated as we speak," Naruto revealed, "I don't know what they will do after they're done with him considering that he tried to murder one of Konoha's Special Jounin a few weeks ago."
"With that said, I suppose negotiating his release is out of the question," Kankurō figured.
"Why?" Temari implored, "Why spare the three of us after all that's happened?"
Naruto was about to reply when Gaara stirred and groaned. He was regaining consciousness but was clearly in a great deal of pain.
"N...Naru...Naruto," Gaara muttered before he opened his eyes with his vision gradually returned to him. After all of the blurs cleared away, he looked and the person whose name he called.
"You're awake," Naruto said, "I was worried that my girlfriend damaged you more than I calculated."
"She's strong," Gaara said, "How?...How did you make her...strong enough to hurt me? I don't understand how, Naruto."
"If anything Gaara," Naruto revealed, "Hinata-chan had it within her power to kill you but I didn't allow her to nor did she want to despite the fact that you wanted to kill her."
"I'm your enemy Naruto," Gaara said, "I wanted to prove my existence to you by taking away what you valued so you would want to fight me with all your rage. So why spare me?"
After a short silence Naruto replied, "Because you called me your brother."
Gaara looked at Naruto as the blonde ninja continued, "We're brothers, brothers in burden, Gaara, just like you said."
Gaara gave Naruto no reply though he saw Naruto took a moment to stop and allow him to process everything he heard. Just as Naruto thought he wasn't going to be giving a reply from his fellow Jinchuuriki...
"As a child," Gaara explained, "I made many attempts to connect to the people of Sunagakure, all of whom feared me because of my connection with the sand spirit, Shukaku. Seeing me only as the monster I was forced to contained since birth, it seemed for a time that my uncle Yashamaru was the only person who truly cared at all about me. When I unintentionally hurt others due to the subconscious abilities granted to me by Shukaku, Yashamaru alone understood that I hadn't intended to harm anyone.
"The Sunagakure Council, however, considered my frequent attacks a serious threat to the village. Disappointed in the turn of events, my father ordered my uncle to attack me. Yashamaru revealed to me that my mother had never loved me, and tried to kill me, only to be fatally wounded by me.
"Although I initially tried to consider Yashamaru's attack ordered by his father, Yashamaru said that he had willingly accepted the mission to kill me. He also revealed that he had never truly loved me, and told me that killing me would avenge the death of his sister, my mother. In a last-ditch effort to kill me, Yashamaru detonated a number of explosive tags covering his body, asking me to die. I survived the explosion with the use of my sands, but I lost the only person I had thought cared for me. I then used my sand to etch the kanji for love, love for myself, onto the left side of my forehead before I lost control and transformed into Shukaku, and rampaged around the village before my father managed to stop me using his Gold Dust.
"After the death of my uncle and being told nobody had ever loved me, I started killing people in an attempt to prove my own existence, and to obtain recognition from the village. I gave up any and all desire for friendship. My mothers affections was the only thing that kept me together but after being told that she never loved me, I just couldn't handle it. My father deemed me a failure and arranged several assassination attempts on me, which only made me detest my father more. In time thought, I managed to gain better control over Shukaku and my father cancelled all assassination orders.
"But upon learning that you're the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi, I wanted your recognition of me the most, especially after seeing that you didn't possess the same amount of hate and animosity towards everyone that I have. As a Jinchuuriki, I felt that if I killed the Hyuuga heiress you love so much, you'd come to understand my loss, my hate and anger, goading you into wanting to fight me to the death. Fighting and defeating a brethren Jinchuuriki who possesses the strongest bijuu, I thought that would have given me the greatest acknowledgment from everyone of my existence."
Naruto stood there and mediated on everything Gaara told him. After listening to Gaara's story regarding his past, Naruto told Gaara, "I understand your hardships as much as you understand mine. I see in you what I would have become had what happened to you happened to me. Believe me, it would be a lie if I said I never at any time felt murderous hate for Konoha because of the hardships and suffering it made me live through in my early life. And like you, I wanted to prove my existence and value to everyone not as the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi but as Uzumaki Naruto."
Gaara fixed his gaze on Naruto, listening to what his fellow Jinchuuriki was telling him. Naruto continued, "It was hard for the first couple of years as I started pulling acts of vandalism and pranks, some of them mean spirited, one both the civilians and ninja so they could acknowledge that I exist. But thanks to Hinata-chan and other precious people who came into my life, I finally gained the respect and recognition of my existence I've worked very hard to achieve. And with Hinata-chan at my side, I trained and helped her to be acknowledged by everyone as the strong ninja she is today."
Naruto paused for a moment to allow Gaara to process his words. Temari and Kankurō didn't say a word as they too decided to listen to Naruto.
"You told Hinata-chan earlier during the Finals," Naruto went on, "that the only strength you need is love for yourself. Not only did that belief make you weak Gaara, but it led you where you are now right after Hinata thoroughly thrashed you without receiving so much as a scratch from you."
Temari and Kankurō found that Gaara failing to hurt Hinata even once hard to believe but unlike them, everyone else and Naruto himself witnessed it happen and the fact that Gaara didn't deny it made that truth all the more unbelievable.
"You believe that you have no one precious in your life and that Temari and Kankurō mean nothing to you," Naruto stated, "I was once told that those who abandon the mission are trash; but those who abandon their comrades, and in this case their families, are worse than trash. I will say that despite everything you did and all that you went through, Temari and Kankurō, even though they're terrified of you, stuck with you. Even Baki, after your defeat and loss of consciousness, followed after you when my disguised clones carried you away to this room. He was most concerned for your well being Gaara. Regardless of what your may think of him and your siblings, they're consider you as important to them."
"I consider Hinata-chan, her sister, my Uzumaki cousins and many others as precious people who are important to me, which is why I strive to become stronger to protect them. But most importantly, wanting to protect them with my life is what makes me truly strong. Being willing to die selflessly for our loved ones and friends is in fact the greatest demonstration of love and true strength. That's also one of the reasons why I strive to prove my existence to everyone and aspire to become Hokage."
Gaara allowed everything Naruto was telling him to sink in. It was one thing to listen to a fellow ninja or superior, but it was a whole different scenario to listen to a fellow Jinchuuriki who was able to empathize with him.
"Perhaps it's not too late for me then," Gaara remarked, "After all, that Uchiha admitted earlier that you influenced and inspired him as well even though he wanted to foolishly prove that he was your superior. I never experienced or demonstrated this kind of love or strength you speak of Naruto...But I'm sure, that I can learn to develop and cultivate it just like you did. This will be my new way to prove to you and everyone that I exist."
Naruto nodded in approval and said, "I look forward to seeing where it leads you to, brother."
Turning to Temari and Kankurō, Naruto said, "One of my clones will safely escort you three out of the village."
One of the Naruto clones stepped forward and said, "I'll lead them and I'll take "Hinata" with me to ensure that we have clearance."
Naruto nodded his head in agreement before he turned to leave.
"Naruto-kun!" Temari called out to him. Naruto turned to her and asked, "Yes?"
Temari went over to him and bowed formally in front of him. With her head lowered, she beseeched, "Once again, I'm sorry for everything that my village has done. And I know I don't have the right to ask you this but, if you can, please, request that they spare Baki-sensei and allow him to return back to Suna with us. Our mother and uncle are dead and now our father is gone, leaving Baki-sensei as the only person close to us that we have left. Please Naruto-kun, I beg you."
Naruto saw the tears the fell from Temari's eyes down to the floor at his feet. Seeing her display and what he was doing for them, Naruto couldn't find it within himself to deny her.
"I can't say that your request will be easy to grant, that is if they'll grant it at all. But I'll do the best that I can to see it done," Naruto consented. Temari stood up and wiped her tears away and replied, "Thank you, Naruto-kun."
(All The While)
Hiruzen and the other Konoha ninja were helping all of the survivors and escapees. By now many of the Suna and Oto ninja involved in the attack were either killed or fled the village to escape being killed by the revived Yondaime. Regardless of the dark means Naruto used to summon Minato, it worked greatly in Konoha's favor as the casualty count was far less than Hiruzen counted on. Though many were injury, it was far more than what Suna and Oto could say as far more on their side were dead, which turned out to be a massive blow for Suna's already weakened military ninja force and Orochimaru's army.
By this time Hanabi, Konohamaru and his two friends and the rest of the academy were allowed to come out of the sanctuary with Iruka and the rest of the academy teachers and headmaster escorting them. Hiashi and Ibisu also appeared on the scene where the Hokage and others were.
"Jiji!" Konohamaru yelled, "We heard that Yellow Flash came back to protect the village! Is that true?"
"The Yondaime was here indeed Konohamaru," Hiruzen said truthfully, "But it was Naruto who resorted to bringing his father back to protect Konoha and its people."
"But how is that possible when Yondaime had died years ago?" Udon asked curiously.
"That's a question I'm sure others will like answers to," Hiruzen replied.
"Indeed," Kakashi remarked while looking at all of the slain Suna and Oto ninja all over the place, "When Naruto said he had a plan, I never counted on the idea that him summoning Minato-sensei was the plan!"
"Aren't I just full of surprises?" Naruto replied he suddenly appeared, "Sorry for taking off. There was something personal I had to see to."
"Something personal during a time of war?" Sakura asked skeptically.
"That's right," Naruto replied, "Something personal between brothers."
Sakura was about to press the subject but Naruto gave her a stern look that clearly told her to drop the subject, which she immediately did. A moment later, Honoka and Karin appeared and joined the group. Manda retreated back to his realm but not before Karin used her chakra chains to viciously whip and stab him multiple times. She wanted to make it very clear to the Snake Boss to never challenge the Uzumaki Clan. Honoka found that her potent chakra pheromones had a level of influence on Manda, which was why she got managed to get him to return back to his realm before Karin tortured him to death. The older Uzumaki female was happy that Naruto's aiding her in chakra control truly throughout the month came in handy.
"We Uzumaki sure know how to kick ass!" Karin declared, "We're the strongest clan!"
"A clan of three though," Honoka reminded.
"Soon to be four," Koyuki stated as she and Shion appeared with a Naruto kage bunshin escorting them. The same kage bunshin was also carrying Shion bridal style with Shion having her arms wrapped around his neck. Many wondered why she was being carried, especially Hinata and Hanabi. Koyuki's surviving members of her entourage were following from behind them as well as Shion's remaining guards.
"What do you mean?" Honoka asked. Rather than verbally replying, Koyuki pulled out a picture and showed it to Honoka and Karin.
"That's Uzumaki Seijiro," Koyuki revealed, "a brethren of your clan."
"You met one of our kinsmen?" Honoka asked, eager to hear more.
"I have a couple of years ago," Koyuki said and continued, "Seijiro was in the service of the previous daimyou of Haru no Kuni, my father. He personally protected me during a coup de tät my uncle started in hs attempt to take over the country. My uncle was defeated and killed by Seijiro though my father died from fatal wounds inflicted by my uncle. I'm now the ruling daimyou of Haru no Kuni who again owes her life to an Uzumaki, namely Naruto.
"I'm sorry to say that I don't know his whereabouts but I'm sure he's I'm sure wherever he is, he's doing well for himself."
"I know this is a personal picture of yours but do you mind if I have a copy of it to add to my clan album?" Honoka asked respectfully.
Koyuki thought about it and a moment later she took out a pen to sign and date the back of the picture. She then handed it over to Honoka and said, "Keep that as an original picture signed by me personally."
"Thank you!" Honoka thanked and bowed in appreciation, "This gift is most appreciated."
"I too owe my thanks to Naruto-kun for saving my life earlier today," Shion spoke up, "His power and skills are unlike anything I've ever seen."
The group couldn't help but notice the clear and undeniable resemblance Shion shared with Hinata and her eyes also added to the striking resemblance they shared.
"Change her blonde hair to lavender and cut it short and we have a Hinata clone," Kiba remarked to Shino who merely nodded in agreed while Akamaru barked to voice his agreement.
"Who are you?" Neji asked.
"I'm Shion, priestess of Oni no Kuni," Shion revealed, "I was nearly killed by Oto ninja during the attack when Naruto-kun rescued and saved me."
No one miss the honorific Shion used to addressed Naruto with.
"Must have been one of Naruto-kun's kage bunshin," Hinata deduced, "The original was with us during the attack."
"Regardless," Shion stated with a smile as she looked at Naruto affectionately, "It doesn't change the fact that I owe Naruto-kun my life."
Hinata didn't like how Shion was looking at Naruto and Hanabi wasn't it liking it any better either. Regardless, Shion was a foreign dignitary with possible political influences, so Hinata and Hanabi dignified themselves and kept their behavior in check considering that they just went through a war that could have ended on a much grimmer scale for them.
"I see," Hinata replied and privately thought, 'First it was my little sister Hanabi who still desires and wants my boyfriend; then it was the Kazakage's daughter Temari who admitted that she wanted to fight me for Naruto-kun; and now I have to deal with a foreign priestess who now has her sights on Naruto-kun. And I know that Naruto-kun didn't flirt with her or do anything to woo her to drop her guard as if she was an enemy ninja.'
"Shion-sama?" Hanabi asked, "Why do you have Naruto-kun's clone carrying you? Were you hurt?"
"Our priestess suffers from low stamina and has to be carried everywhere she goes," one of Shion's guards explained.
'And yet she chose to have one of Naruto-kun's clones carry her around,' Hanabi thought.
"Naruto," Kakashi inquired, "How were you able to free and release Minato-sensei from the Shinigami?"
Naruto knew that question would have eventually be asked. He was surprised that it took this long after the war ended. Kakashi awaited an explanation, as did Jiraiya and the other Jounin and Genin there. Hiruzen and Hinata already had an idea on how Naruto would reply to Kakashi's question; therefore his next statement didn't come as a surprise.
"Simply put," Naruto said, "It was my clan that created the seals and jutsu my father used to summon the Shinigami, therefore it's only fitting that another Uzumaki Clan member would find a way to undo it."
"That didn't answer the question," Kakashi remarked.
"What I was implying Kakashi-sensei was that how I did it is an Uzumaki Clan secret," Naruto replied, "None of you needs to know how I did it and even if you did the nature of its procedure itself is undeniably dark as it's an S-class kinjutsu ougi."
"If that's the case Naruto," Jiraiya pointed out, "Then you should be dead. There hasn't been a kinjutsu ougi that hasn't taken a life."
Naruto couldn't refute Jiraiya's logic as he was right.
"You're right Jiraiya," Naruto admitted, "On all accounts I should be dead and not standing where I'm at. But I found a way around that."
"So you sacrificed another life in exchange to preserve yours," Jiraiya deciphered. Naruto was annoyed that Jiraiya was figuring him out but he kept his cool. While remaining silent, Naruto thought back to what happen earlier…
(Two Hours Earlier At The Uzumaki Mask Temple)
Fifty Naruto kage bunshin patrolled and stood guard of the fully restored sacred Uzumaki Temple and Cottage. Soon one of the clones walked out of the temple after retrieving one of the masks Naruto instructed him to retrieve and use. The mask was to be returned after its use was fulfilled.
Another clone appeared outside the temple via shunshin with a large wooden crate he retrieved from the same safe house Naruto had found. Soon a third and fourth clone appeared, with two captured ninja who were in fact two Konoha traitors. The two clones dragged the two captured and mobilized traitors over to the clone with the mask in his hands.
"Damn you Naruto," the first traitor barked, "You should have been killed the moment you were born."
"Actually," the clone said, "Someone in fact did try to kill me just minutes after my birth. Hell even Kyuubi attempted to kill me after I was born. But that's another story you won't be around to hear, Mizuki-sensei."
"What are you planning to do," the other traitor asked.
"Do you have to ask Akadō Yoroi?" Mizuki retorted.
"You two will help me in defending Konoha," the Naruto clone stated, "Rest assured that your sacrifices will be of great benefit to the Hokage and the people you both were supposed to protect but betrayed."
"Die and go to Hell you little shit!" Mizuki cursed.
"Let's proceed with the ceremony, shall we?" The clone with the mask said. The third clone hold and stood Yoroi up as the mask was placed over his face. Upon doing so, the power of the mask activated and summoned a spectral deity. The summoned deity summoned took form and revealed itself to be a horned dark entity dressed a white funeral robes floating in all its grim glory.
"What the hell is that?" Mizuki asked quite a level of fear.
"The Shinigami," the clone answered choosing to have Mizuki know what they were looking at. The Shinigami took his kodachi from his mouth with his left and used it to make a quick and deep slice through Yoroi's stomach, resulting in Yoroi's stomach to likewise be split open clean as blood spilled from both the fatal wound and his mouth. Seconds later the captured soul within the belly of the Shinigami flew out freely.
"Mizuki-sensei," the fourth Naruto clone said, "You get to have the honor in being the father I always wanted to have."
That was when the fourth clone raced through a complex set of hand signs and clasped his hands together in prayer form and said, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Edo Tensei!"
Intricate seals appeared underneath Mizuki's feet as the released soul was swallowed into his mouth. Ashes and dirt then started encasing around Mizuki's body until it completely took on the form and appearance of the freed and summoned ninja, the Yondaime Hokage. Minato wasn't activated as he was still kept in a dormant condition.
"I still can't believe we actually did it," the third clone remarked.
"That we used Edo Tensei or freed and summoned father from the Shinigami?" The fourth clone asked.
"Both really," the third clone stated.
"It was unavoidable and even now all of us clones are feeling mixed emotions in seeing our father here in front of us though we can't activate him until boss calls for him," the fourth clone said. The mask for the Shinigami fell off Yoroi's face as the dead ninja fell face down to the ground dead. The Shinigami's stomach closed up before that entity vanished from the world of the living. The clone that brought the mask from out of the temple picked up the mask.
"I'll clean and return the mask back to its original place in the temple," the Naruto clone said before looking at Yoroi's body and instructed, "In the meantime, remove and depose of that garbage."
The clone left and returned to the temple. Meanwhile, the third and fourth clone went and removed Yoroi's corpse to the Forest of Death via shunshin and threw his bleeding carcass into a lake filled with piranhas that made quick works eating and stripping the body of its flesh until all that as left were bones.
(End Flashback; Present Time)
"Yes Jiraiya," Naruto confessed, "I sacrificed two Konoha traitors who were in fact part of the invasion. Those two traitor ninja were Akadō Yoroi and Mizuki."
"Mizuki?" Hiruzen questioned, "So he managed to somehow escape from prison."
"I don't know how he did it," Naruto explained, "But I do know that both he and Yoroi were working with Orochimaru all along, especially during the invasion. They were planning to bomb the sanctuary that was going to be used to shelter Hanabi, Konohamaru and all of those academy students and teachers during the attack. One of my clones found this out and intercepted them as they were placing explosive tags around the sanctuary. What better way to execute those two traitors than by using them to summon the Yellow Flash to destroy the rest of the invaders?"
"An interesting way of putting things,"Jiraiya remarked, "To be perfectly honest, I would have done the same myself."
"Sandaime-sama!" Tsume called out as her pack team and along with the Hyuuga scouting team appeared before the Hokage.
"Orochimaru and his remaining forces have pulled back and retreated," Tsume reported, "My pack and I have searched the major sectors of the outer walls of the villages and haven't found a trace of any surviving Suna or Oto ninja. We came across twelve among out ranks who were injured sent them to Konoha Hospital for treatment. Four of our ninja confirmed dead, one Jounin and three Chuunin."
"My scouts have surveyed the land and found that the rest of the invading Suna forces have pulled back and retreated while they could," Kō reported, "And this was before Yondaime appeared slaughtered almost half of their platoon. My team found sixteen wounded and three others confirmed dead, all three of them Jounin."
Soon more teams appeared to give their reports to the Hokage about their assessments of the injured and the slain Konoha ninja and civilians.
"Even though I tried to prevent it but a segment of people of Konoha still died," Naruto remarked somberly, "The cruel reality of the ninja life."
"Though it's sad that we lost some members of the village Naruto," Hiruzen said as he placed an empathetic hand on Naruto's right shoulder, "Your actions in spying and uncovering Suna's plot with Orochimaru helped us better prepare for their attack and avoid what would have undoubtedly been an even greater disaster to us and the village as a whole. Not only that, what you did saved my life and the life of my grandson and so many others. You have my sincere thanks and the thanks of the people of Konoha."
"When you put it that way jiisan," Naruto replied with a genuine smile, "All I can say is thanks."
Minato suddenly appeared next to Naruto and said, "Suna and Oto ninja have fully retreated. Orochimaru is nowhere to be found."
"He wouldn't want to stick around after seeing me call my father to fight my battles," Naruto joked.
"Funny Naruto," Minato remarked as he looked at Hiruzen, Jiraiya, Kakashi and all of the other Konoha ninja and civilians there.
"Is there anyone here among you now who believes I made a grave error in entrusting Konoha's safety to my son Uzumaki Naruto on the night of my death?" Minato asked with the authority of the Hokage. No one said a word but hearing what Minato asked gave all of the civilians who had mistreated Naruto over the years feelings of great shame and guilt while the ninja who didn't honor Yondaime's request in the past felt like they were a disgrace. Minato was able to see this clearly in their expressions.
"It's despicable how the people my wife and I gave our lives for treated our son! You acted as though he was the Kyuubi rather than it's container. It's a miracle that your abuse and mistreatment of my son haven't turned him into a self-fulfilling prophecy in becoming the very monster you scapegoated him to be."
"Minato," Hiruzen said as he turned to face Minato, "For all that your son went through, there are no words that I can say to express my apologies for failing you despite my best efforts. As Hokage," Hiruzen gave a low bow and said, "I take full responsibility for all the wrongs that your son endured. I'm sorry."
"Minato," Jiiraiya spoke up, "As your sensei, I taught you well; but as your son's godfather, I failed you and your son. Even though I was way from Konoha for years because of my duty protecting Konoha from the outside, I neglected my responsibilities to Naruto and not checking up on his development and treatment. I know I can't undo my mistakes but I will do my best to make amends."
"Minato-sensei," Kakashi spoke up, "Even though I apologized to Naruto after he confronted and told me off, as your student, there really isn't anything I can say that can pardon my mistakes either. I-"
Kakashi stopped speaking when he saw Minato raise his right hand.
"That's enough," Minato interjected, "There's no need for you and anyone else to say anything further. The very that fact that Naruto went through such dangerous lengths to summon me to protect all of you from being killed shows that he forgave all of your mistakes and past sins against him. He wouldn't have taken such risks if he had continued to hold grudges against all of you; therefore I, as both your Hokage and Naruto's father, won't hold grudges against any of you for shaming my sacrifice and will likewise forgive all of you. But make no mistake citizens and ninja of Konoha, I'm not the hero here; my son is, all I am was his means to carry out his purpose to protect Konoha and the lives of those he considers as his precious people."
By this time, many were moved to tears. On all accounts, the people, both civilian and shinobi alike, weren't deserving of Yondaime's forgiveness. Many had expected Yondaime to seek retributions for the years of mistreatment his son suffered at their hands, but Minato's words about Naruto's actions made sense. Having heard from Yondaime's own mouth the truth about Naruto's parentage spoke volumes regardless of the fact that they heard it from Sandaime himself. Hearing Minato and Hiruzen address Naruto as the true hero who saved Konoha was an extraordinary event that completely wiped away all bias, discriminative and misrepresented views they had for Naruto because of his status as the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi.
Hinata and the other members of Konoha's 12 along with Hanabi, Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon made their way over to Naruto and Minato. Naruto turned to the others and greeted, "It's comforting to know that you guys made it out of this battle in one piece, even though some were lost."
"It's thanks to you as Yondaime-sama acknowledged Naruto-kun," Hinata replied. Minato took noticed of the fused Uzumaki and Hyuuga clan insignias on the back on Hinata's shirt. Looking at Hinata, Minato asked, "May I ask your name young Hyuuga?"
"I'm Hyuuga Hinata," Hinata said with a formal bow.
"Are you Hiashi's daughter?" Minato asked.
"Yes Yondaime-sama," Hinata answered respectfully, "And clan heiress."
"I couldn't help but notice that uniquely fused clan insignia design on the back of your shirt," Minato stated and then asked, "Were you promised and given to my son?"
The Hyuuga heiress blush crimson on hearing such a direct question from Naruto's father with its implications. Hiashi shook his head as Minato's lack of tact.
"She might as well have been from what I've seen for myself over the years," Sasuke remarked, "She's as faithful and loyal to him as a wife."
This comment caused Hinata to blush darker, she expected anyone else but Sasuke to have described her like that.
"Campaigning for best man?" Naruto joked with a wide grin, "I do have an opening if you're interested."
"Whatever," Sasuke snorted.
"It is true that both of my daughters have been foremost in expressing their fondness and affectionate appreciation for your son's role in Konoha," Hiashi informed Minato.
"Father!" Hinata and Hanabi mumbled with a blushes on their faces.
"Well that helps to explains her snobbish attitude when she said Konohamaru-chan will never surpass Naruto-niichan," Moegi snorted as she looked at Hanabi.
"I'll say," Udon agreed.
"Really now?" Minato commented with a wide grin, "Well to know that I'm happy that my son found happiness in his life just like his mother did with me."
"Wow!" Konohamaru expressed, "I heard about you from Naruto-niisan, jiji and Iruka-sensei, but it's a whole other thing to to see you in person!"
"I'm amazed that before knowing the truth," Udon remarked, "No one, with the exception Sandaime-sama and very few others, saw the uncanny resemblance between the Yondaime and Naruto-niisan."
"The villagers' blind foolishness and mistreatment of Naruto-kun prevented them from seeing the truth," Hanabi stated.
"That goes without say," Moegi agreed. Honoka and Karin approached Minato and Honoka greeted, "Minato-sama?"
Minato turned to look at the two red haired kunoichi he and saw how the older of the two looked a little like Kushina. He asked, "May I ask your name?"
"I'm Uzumaki Honoka and the one next to me is Uzumaki Karin," Honoka introduced.
"You're from the Uzumaki Clan," Minato acknowledged, "So my son was able to find survivors of his mother's clan. It's comforting to know that and it would have brought great happiness to his mother if she were alive to see this."
There were many questions that the Genin and others wanted to ask Minato, but before that could happen...
"As much as I would like to stay," Minato said, "But my stay here has grown short and I trust that all of Konoha will now honor my final wish for Naruto this time around."
"You're not going to stay with us?" one of the villagers asked with a tone a sadness and disappointment.
"Please understand that I died years ago and was only brought back briefly by my son's request to help him save and protect Konoha and those precious to him," Minato explained, "And I'm to leave the world of the living very shortly and I will leave the well being of Konoha in the hands of current Hokage or whoever Sandaime-sama chooses to take up the mantle as Godaime."
Minato went over to Naruto and placed his right hand on his left shoulder. In flash, they both were gone.
"Where do you suppose they went?" Kakashi asked.
"Your guess is as good as anyone else's," Jiraiya remarked. Koyuki went over to Sandaime and said, "You have a strong and very talented Genin. For what he's done for me today, tomorrow I'd like to discuss opening trade with this village."
Haru no Kuni was known for their advance technology and for the daimyou express her wishes to open trade with Konoha said a lot. But she wasn't the only person interested in open trade with Konoha and hiring their ninja for missions as other foreign dignitaries and businessmen were sharing the same line of thoughts and decisions after seeing Naruto's actions, and by extention the actions of the other Genin and Konoha ninja.
(At The Uzumaki Mask Temple)
Minato and Naruto were back at the temple. Naruto turned to his father, but before Naruto could speak...
"I know you have a lot of questions for me my son," Minato said, "and explanations you'd like to hear from me personally."
"That much is true father," Naruto admitted, "I do have questions I want answers to."
"What do you want to know?" Minato asked, "I'll answer them as best as I can."
"Tell me about yourself and my mother," Naruto requested, "and exactly what happened on the night of my birth that led to Kyuubi's released from my mother's seal and attack on Konoha."
"You're in for a long story," Minato replied.
"This is the first time I'm getting know you, my father, through your own mouth and not through what I learned from your journal," Naruto replied, "Not through things I didn't need to know about concerning your private times with my mother."
"Oh," Minato said while sheepishly scratching the back of his head with a nervous smile, "Yeah, you weren't suppose to know about those times."
"Like I wanted to," Naruto remarked, "Anyway father, we have some time before I have to report back to jiisan, so let me hear what you have to tell and teach me, from father to son. Plus, Kyuubi told me that you took the Yang half of his chakra so I'd like to hear about that also."
Minato and Naruto got into a long conversation that lasted for hours and late into the night. Hiruzen didn't send anyone to search for Naruto as one of Naruto's clones reported to Hiruzen that Naruto and Minato were alone conversing together in private. Hiruzen understood this, knowing how much Naruto wanted to know about his father and after finding a way to free and summon him from the Shinigami, Hiruzen knew that Naruto would have a world of questions to ask his father directly.
(At The Uchiha District)
Sasuke entered his house and closed the door behind him before removing his sandals. He looked to see that all the lights were out.
"Tayuya?" Sasuke called out, waiting for a reply, "Are you here?"
"Where else would I be waiting for you Numb Nuts?" Tayuya answered before appearing from out of the living room and making her way over to Sasuke. Without an invitation, Sasuke reached out and pulled her in for a hungering kiss which she accepted without hesitation. After a minute, Tayuya reluctantly pulled her lips away from her lover and looked at him.
"You missed my sweet ass that much?" Tayuya joked.
"I'm just relieved that you weren't among those Naruto had slain through his resurrected father," Sasuke said.
"Well the Sound Four is no more thanks to your teammate," Tayuya said, "All four of them including my temporary replacement are dead. When Orochimaru-sama relieved me of my duties as a Sound Four member and had me replaced, I will admit, I was sour about it at first. But in the end that actually saved my life and after what happened Orochimaru-sama won't be returning to Konoha anytime soon."
"Does that pleases or upsets you?" Sasuke asked.
"What the hell does that matter?" Tayuya replied, "It's not like I'm in any hurry to leave and go back to how things used to be."
"How things used to be?" Sasuke asked.
Tayuya sighed and confessed, "...Before all this, I wasn't close to anyone in Otogakure and though I worked well alongside my now dead teammates, there wasn't anything else of value in my life besides my father's flute and being a loyal subordinate of Orochimaru-sama as one of his bodyguards. When he assigned me to train you in the way of the Cursed Seal, at first I thought I would be going through the routine motion of following orders. But the more time I spent living with you, teaching and training you, I became more than fond of you and I took pleasure knowing that I helped you become the ninja you had the ability to become...though I had to set your dumbass straight and bust your ass a number of times in order for that to happen."
"You don't have to remind me of that," Sasuke remarked with frown.
"Well it's true Numb Nuts," Tayuya replied, "Despite that though, I've grown to enjoy being here, living with you. It reminds me so much of my earlier life before my parents were murdered. And the sex is good too."
"I didn't expect anything less," Sasuke remarked, "But there's something I want to know from you Tayuya."
"What is it?" Tayuya asked.
"Regardless of whatever happens after today, will you stick and stay by my side?" Sasuke asked.
"You stupid ass!" Tayuya retorted, "Like I'd let you freely get between my legs and do me if I didn't want us to stay and stick together! I swore to you that I'd help you avenge your fallen clansmen and that means we stick together through thick and thin!"
"A simple "yes" would have sufficed Tayuya," Sasuke remarked.
"You must really enjoy pressing my buttons among other things Numb Nuts," Tayuya replied.
"In any case," Sasuke replied, "A lot has happened today and even more will change after this. But right now, I don't want to think about it as I just want to take a much needed shower and rest."
"Whatever you want," Tayuya said, "Join me in bed when you're done Numb Nuts."
Tayuya released her embrace on Sasuke and made her way to their now shared bedroom, leaving Sasuke alone to do what he had in mind before joining her.
(Early The Follow Morning)
Hiruzen was standing on the roof of the Hokage Tower looking into the direction of the rising sun that was now beginning its ascension from the horizon. It was only yesterday that the battle started and ended, but one thing was perfectly clear: in spite of the tragic loss of lives, his village had won a great victory.
The surviving Suna nin had retreated back to Suna with what remained of their army. The Oto army had had taken a devastating blow before its survivors made a full retreat. This was all because of Naruto who through his resurrected father demolished the invading forces and save Konoha from what would have been an even bigger disaster.
Looking southern part of the village he was reminded that many civilians had been killed yesterday also. He frowned as he took a long puff of his pipe.
"Father told me how you always enjoyed these early morning hours to watch the sunrise," Naruto remarked as he appeared behind Hiruzen. The Hokage turned to face Naruto.
"I see that you got my message to come see me at this time," Hiruzen said as took a puffed of his pipe.
"Hokage's orders," Naruto remarked. The aged ninja merely nodded his head.
"I'm certain that there's something important you wanted to share with me," Naruto said.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Hiruzen declared clearly with calmly but with an authoritative tone, "For your actions before and during the war, your name will appear in the Bingo Books and you'll be given a high S-class designation."
"Wow! A high S-class?" Naruto repeated with a hint of disbelief in his tone, "That sounds rather steep! What was my previous designation?"
"Low D-class," Hiruzen answered, "And that was only because of how much of your true abilities and intelligence you cleverly hid from me and everyone else before the mission to Nami no Kuni. With everything that's happened since that mission up till now, along with many eyewitness testimonies from various ninja and foreign diplomats, no one within or outside of Konoha will believe that you're merely a low D or A-class Genin, especially after you managed to free and summon your father from the Shinigami which was both amazing as it was alarming. What you did was considered to the impossible by both me and others who know of the penalty in summoning the Shinigami. The fact that you pulled it off successfully without dying is astounding."
"I was in no hurry to die jiisan," Naruto replied, "I had to come up with a way to avoid death and as I told you and Jiraiya yesterday, I used one of the two traitors in my place while I used Mizuki to be the living host for my father."
"Ironic how you learned Edo Tensei only to use Mizuki as the sacrifice long after he tried to trick you into stealing the Forbidden Scroll so he could give it to Orochimaru," Hiruzen commented before taking another puff of his pipe.
"It is true that I studied and learned from that scroll," Naruto admitted.
"What's also true is that those seals everyone saw on Hinata were the very same ones you yourself possess," Hiruzen stated, "And it became clear to me that it was you who gave her those seals after applying them to yourself. After seeing the effects they had on her, I came to realize those seals were some form of advanced ancient restraint seals used for training purposes. And judging from the complexity of those seals, it goes without say that you have seal master intellect."
"I studied and practiced seals very diligently in secret over the years jiisan," Naruto replied, "It was one of my best kept secrets and as an Uzumaki, mastering seals runs in my blood. Plus, I gave Hinata-chan those seals a long time ago and I had to make sure she's capable of handling herself, especially since she was up against a brethren Jinchuuriki."
"And you've done wonders as Hinata's trainer and teacher, I must commend you for that," Hiruzen stated, "Her performance against Gaara was unlike anything I've ever seen in all my years from any proclaimed Hyuuga prodigy. It's no wonder Hiashi thinks so highly of you. Her skills and aptitude were truly on par with an A-class Elite Jounin."
"I strive to be a good and effective teacher and trainer," Naruto said, "Prerequisites for becoming Hokage, yes?"
"They are indeed Naruto," Hiruzen chuckled, "And along with that, you've also proven to be a true hidden ace up Konoha's sleeves Naruto. After today, everyone in all of the shinobi nations and countries will hear of you and all that you have done, and how you have saved all of Konoha and all of the foreign daimyou, dignitaries, diplomats and nobles who witnessed your actions. Your father was right to entrust Konoha's protection to you and everyone here in Konoha, including myself, owe our lives to you."
"Thanks jiisan," Naruto said, "Maybe this will remind Suna, Orochimaru and others why the Uzumaki Clan is to be feared."
"Well both Oto and Suna are going to regret what they had done here yesterday," Hiruzen stated, "As Hokage I'll make sure of that. I like to think of myself as a fair and kind man, but I have no trouble being hard and decisive when the security of this village is at stake."
"Just as I've seen yesterday," Naruto replied, "Speaking of being decisive, Temari have made one request which I informed her that will be difficult to grant."
"What request did she dare ask through you?" Hiruzen asked with a cool tone.
"She humbly and tearfully begged if it is at all possible that their Jounin-sensei Baki be allowed to return to Suna with them considering that they lost both of their parents and uncle with Baki being the only closest person in their lives left," Naruto explained, "I did however make it clear to her that Baki did try to kill one of our Special Jounin prior to the war outbreak and that therefore adds to the diffuculty of seeing if her request could be granted."
"It is true that you and your cousins saved Hayate's life after Baki left him for dead," Hiruzen recalled, "I was considering having Baki swiftly executed after his interrogation, but the death of the Kazekage along with more than 500 of Suna's ninja who died yesterday is payment enough."
"Is that a yes?" Naruto inquired.
"Give me time to think about it after I've been given the interrogation report from Ibiki," Hiruzen said.
"Fair enough," Naruto agreed, "But Gaara and his siblings won't pose as a threat to anyone. Though I don't know what Suna will do now seeing how Orochimaru was manipulating them the entire time."
Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and exhaled before replying, "The very fact that they no longer have a Kage places them in a rather dire situation and the loss of ninja forces will only worsen matters for them. I'm sure they can't afford to look weak and vulnerable despite their losses. We'll just have to wait and see what their future actions will be and based our next actions on that."
"I see what you're saying," Naruto said.
"By the way," Hiruzen asked, "How did things go between you and Minato? I understand you both had a lot to discuss."
"We did," Naruto said, "It was rather emotional for me as he told me so many things about himself and my mother. Speaking of which jiisan, you owe me a green white striped scarf my mother made for me which you have yet to give to me."
"Sorry," Hiruzen chuckled nervously, "Would you believe me if I told you that I completely forgot all about that scarf she knitted for you?"
"I'm sure my mother would have forgiven you after chasing around Konoha in her rage," Naruto remarked. Hiruzen sighed.
"There was also the matter centering around the time Kyuubi got out from my mother's seal and that happened after I was born," Naruto mentioned, "I never told you this jiisan, but I've been doing some secret investigation of my own about this and discovered that it was an Uchiha who masterminded Kyuubi's attack on Konoha on the night of my birth and my father confirmed this with his own input explaining exactly what happened."
Naruto reached into his vest and pulled out a scroll to give to Hiruzen.
"In this scroll you'll see my detailed report regarding my investigation along with information my father himself wrote down. And believe it or not, even Kyuubi, or should I say "Kurama," added his own input into this report after I personally questioned him and he himself said that he was put under the influence the Mangekyō Sharingan as the assailant Uchiha tore him from out of my mother's seal."
Hiruzen's expression changed completely to a more serious one as he approached and took the scroll. He opened it and carefully read the contents within the scroll.
"This is indeed troubling," Hiruzen said with a heavy heart, "But the information I'm reading makes complete sense and with your father being the only eyewitness as to what happened as he himself battled the assailant, it helps to answer a lots questions."
"Yet it raises others," Naruto remarked, "I managed to narrow it down to an Uchiha; but last Uchiha who used Kurama as a weapon against Konoha was Madara. But Kurama stated that the Uchiha responsible wasn't Madara as that man has been dead for years. However, Kyuubi did say that he took a sniff of that man's scent and I'm betting all odds that if I was able to investigate the Uchiha District, there's chance that I might be able to pinpoint a possible match, that is if that scent still even exist."
"The Uchiha, save Sasuke, were killed off by Itachi several years ago," Hiruzen reminded, "And there's no telling how Sasuke and the rest of the populace will react if they were to find out that the one responsible for Kyuubi's attack was a member of Sasuke's clan. For now, we'll keep this report and conversation to ourselves as an S-class secret. But I'll grant you permission to investigate the Uchiha District. But do so discreetly and without anyone knowing of this."
"I understand," Naruto said in compliance, "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss with me?"
"Is Minato still around," Hiruzen asked. There was a long pause between Naruto and Hiruzen. Soon the silence was ended by Naruto's reply.
"My father is no more," Naruto said, "He found happiness after listening to me explain all the good things that happened to me over the years despite the hardships I endured. His finding such peace dispelled Edo Tensei and allowed him to join my mother. However, I made sure that he couldn't be summon by anyone else. He wanted me to tell you that he accepts your humble apology."
"I see," Hiruzen said, "Thank you for letting me know; knowing that brings for me a measure of peace of mind. With everything that's happened yesterday, I'm sure you and the others will like a break so I'm giving you the other Genin the day off to recuperate."
"Thank you Jiisan," Naruto thanked, "I'll be seeing you later!"
Naruto turned and running off from the roof and leaped off of it to another roof, making his way to his next destination.
(Five Hours Later)
Hiruzen was back in his office reviewing all the damage reports and the interrogation report from Ibiki from his ninja. As extensive as it was, he was thank that it wasn't anything Konoha couldn't handle, though they've faced worst before. Initial reports put the losses of Konoha ninja at about 40 dead and twice that many wounded with 85 civilians confirmed dead, bringing the total death toll to 125.
By comparison Suna had about 520 dead along with its Kazekage and Oto close to 690. When news of Konoha's victory gets out, Hiruzen was sure that his village's reputation would only get stronger. The power of Konoha's might remained intact, which was an important fact for the Hokage.
While going over the reports, Hiruzen was also expecting Koyuki to stop by soon to discuss opening trade with Konoha as she said she would. Ten minutes later, a knock came from the door.
"Yes?" Hiruzen replied.
"Sandaime-sama," the secretary said, "You have a visitor who wishes to have an audience with you."
'Perhaps this is Koyuki coming to discuss the terms of opening up trade with Konoha,' Hiruzen thought as he placed his documents down on the desk and said, "You may send them up."
A few moments later, the door opened and who Hiruzen saw wasn't who he was expecting.
"Sandaime-sama," the visitor greeted respectfully with a formal bow with three ninja entourage entering with the main guest.
"You're Shion," Hiruzen recalled, "I remember seeing you yesterday in the village square. How may I help you?"
"There's something I would like to discuss with you," Shion explained, "Something I'm sure will benefit the Uzumaki Clan."
"I'm listening," Hiruzen replied, wanting to know what the priestess' intentions entailed.
(Meanwhile Out Of Konoha)
Two figures dressed in black robes with red cloud designs around them with straw hats over their heads were making their way to the village. The taller of the two was carrying what looked to be a bandaged sword of some kind while the shorter one was having calm feelings of nostalgia returning to Konoha.
"It sure must be a bother coming back to Konoha after the stunt you pulled against the Uchiha Clan, huh Itachi?" the taller figure asked.
"It's merely something I have to see to personally Kisame," Itachi replied, "considering the reports we've heard about our target."
"Naruto won't be easy to deal with you know," Kisame said, "But that's what will make taking him down that much more fun."
Itachi gave no replied as he and his partner continued on their way to Konoha.
The war is over with Suna and Oto suffered a crushing defeat. Minato expressed his disappointment in the people of Konoha but forgave them through Naruto's actions on their behalf. Time will tell if they'll honor Minato's request this time around. But things aren't over just yet as Naruto will now begin secretly investigating the Uchiha District with the Hokage's authorized permission.
Will Naruto find answers he's looking or more than he bargaining for? Will Naruto and his female Uzumaki cousins find Uzumaki Seijiro in the future now that they know he's still alive somewhere? What does Shion wishes to discuss with Hiruzen that she believes will benefit the Uzumaki Clan? With Itachi returning to Konoha with Kisame following him, will they engage Naruto in combat seeing that he's their target? Find out this and more next time.