Six years ago, during the Nine-Tails' attack…
Within the sterile confines of Konohagakure's main hospital, a woman lay in the throes of childbirth. A healthy cry echoed through the room as a young boy, his hair a shock of raven black, entered the world.
She was alone on this day of profound change. Her family, distant and delayed, had yet to arrive. Her husband, a warrior still recovering from the wounds of the recent war, could not be by her side. Her elder son, already stepping into the mantle of shinobi duty, was away on a mission.
"Hae-sama," the midwife's voice, gentle and reassuring, cut through her solitude, "Your boy is beautiful. He'll grow into a fine young man, I'm sure. Have you chosen a name?"
"I have," Hae replied, a tender smile gracing her lips. "His name will be Arashi, after my father."
"A strong name," the midwife acknowledged. "You're fortunate to have two children at such a young age. Your son will be thrilled to have a little brother."
Hae's smile deepened at the thought. "Indeed," she murmured. "Please excuse me for a moment."
Left alone with her newborn, Hae gazed down at Arashi, his tiny black eyes blinking up at her. A surge of maternal love washed over her.
'I'm so happy we could find at least one blessing in the aftermath of that terrible war,' she thought, her heart overflowing. 'Your father will be overjoyed to see you. You have his eyes.'
As she fed Arashi, a profound sense of peace settled over Hae. She closed her eyes, her mind drifting to her sons and her husband.
Hae's serene expression twisted into a mask of dread. An oppressive, sinister aura washed over her, its darkness palpable.
"That chakra…"
She bolted upright, clutching Arashi protectively. Beyond the window, a full moon bathed the village in an eerie glow. The night was still, yet an undeniable sense of impending doom hung heavy in the air.
BOOM!
A monstrous wave of smoke erupted, engulfing Konohagakure in its suffocating embrace.
"That's..." Hae's face drained of color, her eyes wide with terror.
"It's the Nine-Tails!!" a woman's scream pierced the chaos outside.
A deafening roar, like a thousand thunderclaps, shook the very foundations of the hospital. Even from afar, the colossal nine-tailed fox radiated an aura of primal power, its presence chilling Hae to the bone.
"No... way!"
A surge of chakra, a violent gust of wind, shattered windows, sending shards of glass raining down.
"Arashi!" Hae shielded her son with her own body.
Pain seared through her back as glass pierced her flesh. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to yield. With a choked gasp, she gathered her strength and stumbled toward the emergency exit.
"Ugh!" Someone shoved her, nearly sending her sprawling. Panic had gripped the hospital; everyone was fighting for their lives.
"Look, that woman over there is carrying a newborn!" a nurse shouted. Arashi's cries grew louder, a desperate plea amidst the chaos.
"There, there, Arashi," Hae soothed, her voice trembling. "It's okay. I'm here with you." Blood stained her clothes, but a defiant smile touched her lips.
"Hae-sama! I'm here to help!" The midwife reappeared, offering a steadying hand.
"Please," Hae gasped, her vision blurring. "Just take my son. Let him live. Please!"
"I can save you too," the midwife insisted. "You're losing too much blood."
"No," Hae's voice was a desperate whisper. "Just take Arashi. I beg you!" Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded for her son's life.
The midwife glanced outside. "Look, it's stopped moving. You're going to be alright. We're all going to be alright."
The Nine-Tails had indeed paused, its gaze fixed on the heavens. Its maw opened wide, gathering a swirling vortex of dark chakra.
"Move out of the way!!!"
Another wave of panic surged through the crowd as they recognized the impending attack.
"Take him with you!" Hae thrust Arashi into the midwife's arms.
"Arashi, I love you," she choked out, her heart breaking. "Don't forget me."
BOOM!!
Buildings crumbled, consumed by the monstrous orb of energy hurtling towards the hospital.
"Go!"
The midwife sprinted away, Arashi's cries echoing in her ears.
BOOM!!
The hospital imploded, reduced to dust and debris in the wake of the devastating blast.
"No!" The midwife cried out, shielding Arashi with her own body as debris rained down upon them.
"Uwaah! Uwaah!"
Arashi's cries continued, his tiny form oblivious to the tragedy that had just unfolded. The midwife lay still, her life extinguished in a selfless act of protection.
Hours later, amidst the smoldering ruins, a figure emerged. A man with long, dark hair meticulously scoured the area, his keen eyes searching for survivors. It was then he heard it - the faint, heart-wrenching cries of an infant.
He rushed toward the sound, his heart pounding in his chest. There, amidst the rubble, lay Arashi, swaddled in a red blanket. The man scooped him up, a surge of relief washing over him. He knew he had to get this child to safety.
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the Hokage Tower, the precious bundle cradled in his arms. By the time he reached the Hokage's office, Arashi had succumbed to exhaustion, his cries subsiding into soft whimpers.
"I was on my way back from patrol when I found him crying outside," the man explained, his voice thick with emotion. "His parents are most likely..." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Lord Third nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the sleeping infant. Beside him stood Danzo, his one-eyed visage inscrutable.
"There's something else," the man continued, his brow furrowed in concern. "It's his eyes. They haven't opened yet, but I can sense... something different within them. A strange chakra flows through them."
Hiashi, the Hyuga Clan Head, stepped forward, his Byakugan activated. "His chakra reserves are abnormally large, even for someone of his heritage. And its nature... it's unlike anything I've encountered before. There's a tremendous power lurking within him. It's... unsettling."
"Different eyes and chakra?" Lord Third repeated, his tone grave.
"Yes," Hiashi confirmed. "I don't want to wake him up just yet."
Danzo nodded in agreement.
"This child," Lord Third said softly, picking up the red blanket, "His name is Arashi. It's embroidered here."
As he gently adjusted the blanket, a single black leather glove fell to the floor. Three magatama patterns adorned its surface. Lord Third's eyes widened in recognition.
"Two problematic children in one night," Lord Third sighed, his brow furrowed with worry. "This couldn't get any worse."
He turned to Hiashi. "There's no need to worry about this child anymore. I'll send him to an orphanage. They'll take care of him."
Hiashi nodded, a flicker of concern crossing his usually stoic features. "Be careful with this one, Hiruzen. I have a bad feeling. The village can't afford to lose another Hokage."
Hiruzen's grip on Arashi tightened. "I understand."
Hiashi bowed respectfully and departed, leaving the Hokage alone with Danzo and the sleeping infant.
"What do you think of this, Danzo?" Hiruzen asked, his voice heavy.
Danzo stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If the Hyuga head senses something special about the child, should we risk letting him out of our sight?"
Hiruzen hesitated. "What if he's wrong? What if there's nothing special about him? Wouldn't that mean we've robbed the child of a normal life?"
"No," Danzo countered, his voice cold and calculating. "It only means we're strengthening our forces."
Hiruzen frowned, troubled by Danzo's pragmatism.
"Hiruzen," Danzo continued, his single eye gleaming, "I'm sure you've also noticed his strong resemblance to 'that' shinobi."
Lord Third's heart sank. He knew exactly who Danzo was referring to.
"He's from the same clan," Danzo pressed. "We cannot let them know his true heritage. If they get their hands on this child, especially if he is as special as Hiashi suggests, nothing will stop them."
"But it will be difficult hiding him from his actual family," Hiruzen argued, "especially while his brother and father still live."
"His father is on his deathbed," Danzo interjected. "He's not a concern. But his brother…" A dark smile played on Danzo's lips. "Even by his clan's standards, his brother surpasses them all. He won't take this lightly if he ever learns what happened here tonight."
Hiruzen nodded grimly.
"We won't risk the village's safety just because of your sentimentality, Hiruzen," Danzo said firmly. "We must keep him far from the truth until we know for certain why he's special."
Hiruzen sighed, defeated. "Fine. I'll take him to an orphanage under another name and clan. You make sure no trace of his parents or anyone else is left here."
Danzo nodded, satisfied. "Consider it done."
Lord Third, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision, arrived at Konoha's orphanage. He gently placed the sleeping infant in the waiting arms of the matron.
"Does he have a name?" she inquired, her voice soft and kind.
Hiruzen nodded. "Tsuki."
"And his clan?"
"Uzumaki," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
A warm smile spread across the matron's face. "He's the second one tonight, isn't he?"
Hiruzen nodded again, unable to meet her gaze.
The matron, a woman with long brown hair tied in a neat bun, exuded an aura of maternal warmth. Her round face and kind eyes, which crinkled at the corners when she smiled, belied the profound sadness she carried within.
After entrusting Tsuki to her care, Hiruzen departed, the echo of the infant's cries haunting his every step.
Later that night, Tsuki awoke with a start, his tiny lungs filling with air as he let out a wail. His eyes, still slightly open, glistened with tears.
The matron hurried to his side, offering him a bottle of warm milk. "There, there, Tsuki," she cooed, gently rocking him. "You'll be alright. Your eyes are beautiful, like the moon itself."
As Tsuki drank, his cries gradually subsided, replaced by soft, contented sighs. Soon, he drifted back to sleep, his tiny chest rising and falling rhythmically.
That same night, a tempest raged across the Elemental Nations. Violent storms battered distant villages, leaving destruction in their wake.
Whoosh…
The Raikage's window flew open, torn from its hinges by a ferocious gust of wind. He peered out into the darkness, his brow furrowed in concern.
Boom!
A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the Tsuchikage's office, followed by a deafening crack of thunder.
"Tch! What the hell was that?!" the Tsuchikage roared, his voice echoing through the stone chamber.
Whoosh!
A swirling cyclone, as tall as a skyscraper, descended upon the Kazekage's village, scattering sand and debris in its wake.
Boom!
Another lightning bolt, this one even more powerful than the last, struck the Mizukage's tower, leaving a trail of scorched earth in its path.
Even Konohagakure, typically shielded from such extreme weather, was shrouded in ominous, thunderous clouds.
Meanwhile, far from the chaos, a cloaked figure watched as a lightning bolt split the sky, striking the tree beneath which he stood. A sinister grin spread across his masked face.
'Hmph, an omen? What does it mean exactly?' he mused, his voice a low growl. "I'll find out, eventually."
(Edited on 12/9/24)
I'll be editing my previous chapters so I wanted to let you know there will be significant changes to my writing style and not all of them are edited. Those who've read these chapters before will notice some changes.