Note: Unedited. No Beta. Will contain Slash in the long run. Slow update.

Death Meister

05:

Umino Ikkaku, or also known as Uzumaki Akio was conflicted.

He had been an Umino all his life before he accepted to take another Uzumaki name for his wife just like Keiko had done. He knew all about his history that was told to him by his mother and father who were both an Umino before they died. He knew all about his family before he became the only Umino left alive. Well, as far as he knew.

And he knew that they weren't just a small clan. They were a clan that produces an incredible kekkai-genkai.

The ability to absolutely control water and to create and take away life.

It was a wonderful and dangerous ability. It was the reason they never allowed themselves to be a part of the Great Hidden Villages, why they had never been known other than their proficiency in water release and unique flowing taijutsu.

Because if people knew, they would be hunted down, used, experimented or killed.

His clan when he was born already had a small population and only a small amount of them were able to activate their bloodline.

And he was one of them. Though he was only able to control the taking away of life. The women were usually the ones able to control their ability to give life. The healing.

He had hoped his son didn't get the ability because he was afraid for him, for his safety. Especially when he already had that ability to talk to snakes. It was something that he had been pondering on along with Keiko since they were pretty sure no one from their side of the family ever had that ability.

But he suspected Hiroki got the Umino bloodline simply because he seemed to be a special individual.

And he was scared.

He was conflicted because they were using the Umino name especially with all his worries about their uniqueness.

Truth be told, Umino was only known vaguely because whenever a family member marries someone from out of their clan mates, they use their partner's name to avoid detection. It was an ingrained habit. To protect all about themselves and the family.

But using his wife's name in this case was absolutely not a good idea. Uzumaki was still well-known despite their destruction. Their proficiency in seals were legendary. He was just so happy that Hiroki didn't inherit Keiko's abnormally large chakra reserves or he might be in danger if anyone even have the slightest idea about it.

As it is, Kazuki was apparently already thinking about telling his Hokage about Hiroki's unusual ability.

It's a good thing Keiko immediately saw the idea forming on her twin brother's head and vehemently shot it down or he might just make his brother-in-law disappear.

Even if he would feel regret and remorseful about it.

He hadn't even told Keiko about his bloodline yet since he rarely used it, especially not around his family. He only uses his bloodline when it was absolutely necessary.

Like he had almost done with that perverted enemy nin.

Just thinking about what was clearly going on with the other while looking at him sent disgusted shivers running down his spine.

'I have to tell her since I suspect Hiroki inherited my bloodline'

With Hiroki inheriting his bloodline, his excellent prodigious skill in seals and his unusual ability, he would be a powerhouse. 'And would also gain numerous enemies'

He was extremely thankful Hiroki had normal chakra reserves or he knew he would likely burn himself thinking how best to protect his son.

A touch on his shoulder brought him from his senses. He saw that it was Keiko holding his almost four-year-old son on her shoulders as Hiroki lightly dozed off.

"Are you okay? You've been absent minded while were travelling," she asked. She looked concerned at his silent demeanor. He shook his head and shushed Keiko's worrying. It's telling when she's worried since her rather outspoken attitude give way to her sensitive side.

"I'm okay, don't worry about it,"

"Are you sure? I can tell you're conflicted," she pointed out. He turned silent. He couldn't dispute that because it was true, he was conflicted. He didn't know if it was a good decision to join the Konoha village. For so long, his parents told him to never ally himself with any hidden villages because they have silent and visible enemies, even inside.

And now, he's disregarding all his parent's warning. It seemed like a good idea before but now, with Hiroki's shining skills, he doubted the decision he and his wife made. It seemed only Hiroki was the only one thinking about the repercussions of entering a 'new' village even from the start.

"I'll tell you later," he decided. It's time she knew. Keiko told him about her history. He had to tell his too. They're husband and wife. They had a son. They had to know about each other to effectively protect him from those who would harm and use him.

"It's serious," she stated. He couldn't help but smile at her observation and nodded. The discussion would be serious.

"Come on. We have to go to the Hokage," Kazuki said, his fury red hair standing out in the rising sun. He saluted the two chuunin's guarding the gate – who also gave him a salute with grins on their faces – before he gestured them to follow him. They nodded and took off.

They could already see Konoha when he started thinking about the repercussions of moving. He shook his head at not thinking things through and doing it too late. Well, he just had to make the best out of the situation.

They entered the tower and walked towards where he suspected was the Hokage's office. The secretary stared at them, gave Kazuki a look before telling them to go. His brother-in-law knocked on the door before they heard a "Come in!"

They entered and he was a bit surprised to see that the Hokage of Konoha, the Sandaime was an elderly looking man with kind yet reserved eyes and a tired soul.

He couldn't help but feel for the man's tiredness. It was practically radiating deep inside his soul.

He wanted to ease his tiredness but knew that he couldn't as healing bloodline wasn't his. But even if he had that, he still wouldn't.

Telling a leader of the village about his bloodline is dangerous. Even if he was told that it would be kept secret.

Trusting a village, especially a leader that deep was not a good idea. That much had been almost ingrained inside his mind.

"Hokage-sama," all of them said, nodding in respect. The aged leader did the same. Their voice woke their son up from his doze though so all talk temporarily stopped. Not that they were able to talk immediately to begin with.

"Mama, Papa? Where are we?" he asked, his voice still tinged with sleepiness as he rubbed his green eyes.

"We are in the Hokage's office Iruka," Keiko said. Hiroki's head abruptly turned to look at the elderly man sitting in front of them. He took a few lasting seconds to look before he spoke.

"The jii-san is Hokage? Shouldn't he be resting Mama? Old people have to rest and not work," he said pointedly, voice sounding as if he's telling a fact. He choked, Keiko giggled and Kazuki coughed repeatedly. He also heard some startled gasp and even though they were almost unnoticeable, he still heard them.

ANBU guards, he thought. He looked at the Sandaime to see if he was offended at what his son had said when he saw his lips twitch.

"Iruka-kun?" the Sandaime asked. His son – bless him – turned to look inquisitively at the leader of the village they were trying to be in.

"Yes?" he asked politely, large, glittering eyes staring intensely at the other.

"Do I really look old?" Hiroki nodded sagely at the question, eyes and face serious. They all focused on what Hiroki would say that they didn't pay attention to the door opening behind them, though the ANBU certainly did.

"Yes. Your skin looked all wrinkly now and you have long white hair on your jaw. Mama and Papa said those are cha-rac-ter-ation of old people. And old people should be taken care of and not have to work. So jii-san has to rest now,"

There was silence in the office, all the people inside whom heard that statement unable to say anything as they all flounder on how to respond to such an innocent, honest yet spot on observation from a child not even older than five year old.

"But don't worry jii-san, you do not have shaky hands and you could still write really well so you are stronger than the old people I usually saw on our home," Hiroki turned to Keiko and asked if she could put him down and she did as he asked. He could tell that she was barely holding the grin on her face by the way her lips constantly twitched. He just watched on dumbly, unable to believe that Hiroki could say those things without hesitation in front of the aged leader, yet at the same tome could say that he could.

His son is still just a child after all. A very inquisitive, curious and bluntly honest child.

Hiroki walked towards the Hokage and reached for the powerful leader's hand. "But you really have to rest jii-san. It's not good for your health sitting around here all day. I heard old people could get a sickness called a-ath-aytis and you could get that. You don't want to have that," here, Hiroki whispered as if he's telling a secret only for the elderly man. "All the jii-san and baa-san on our home said they don't like it. I think it's painful,"

That was the time someone behind them laughed out loud. The man who had long white hair was bellowing rather loudly, eyes in tears as he tried to stop yet couldn't and laughed again.

It was Jiraiya of the Sannin, the person the Sandaime right in front of them had trained.

That was the trigger. Everyone inside laughed. Even he chuckled at the innocence of his son. Hiroki though only looked on curiously at them. The Hokage just gave his son a pat on the head.

"Don't worry about me Iruka-kun. I'll rest soon. Thank you for telling me," he said in between chuckles. Hiroki beamed, his teeth on full show.

"You're welcome," he said. He then went to him and raised his hand, in which he immediately took him into his arms. Hiroki took one look at the still guffawing man behind them and said. "Papa, he's also old right? Like jii-san there? But why doesn't he have wrinkly skin?"

That shut the man up.

"I'm not old brat!" Jiraiya said with a frown.

"But you have long, white hair," Hiroki pointed out. The man scowled fiercely.

"It's natural!"

"That's not true! Only old people have white hair!"

"Jiraiya," the man quickly closed his mouth and turned to stare at the Sandaime in obvious disgruntlement. "You're arguing with a child,"

"The brat started it!"

"I did not!" Hiroki said indignantly. The Sandaime's lips twitched before he obviously reigned any outward show of amusement and gave Jiraiya a look. The man stopped arguing at once, but still looked at Hiroki with a scowl. His son sniffed and pointedly turned his gaze away.

He stifled the urge to laugh.

. . . . .

It took a few hours to establish their life in the village. They ran through security check-ups – of course that had to. Konoha is still a ninja village after all – even Iruka. Though his mainly centered on his mental health and they never brought a Yamanaka in his assessment. Not that they would allow it of course. Hiroki is still just a child. They wouldn't allow anyone poking inside his head.

But both him and Keiko were under the technique of one Yamanaka Inoichi and they had prayed to whoever the deity was out there that the seals they had against this particular type of technique held and wouldn't be recognize.

But it was recognize and they were forced to cancel the effect of the seal to let the mind-reader into their mind. They had to have him swear under a privacy contract not to tell anyone what he saw inside their mind unless they planned to harm anyone inside the village or they had malicious intentions. With the Sandaime's hard-earned permission – and it only even happened through his trust with Kazuki and his signed swore used with blood in a truth binding seal that they wouldn't be a danger to the Konoha citizens, both civilian and ninja's unless they provoke them first – it was allowed.

All the Yamanaka saw from what the seal had hidden were their family background and secret. That meant he saw who they really were.

He found out that Umino Kohari, his wife was really Uzumaki Keiko – he looked surprised yet pleased that there was other Uzumaki that survived the destruction of Uzushio other than Princess Kushina and Kazuki – and his bloodline.

That shocked Yamanaka-san speechless. And it made him nervous and fear what might happen next.

As the contract was under a seal – making it not feasible to break – and they weren't there with malicious intent nor were they out to harm anyone inside the village, they were allowed to stay. But Yamanaka-san looked at him with thinly veiled awe.

It made him cringe.

As they situated inside their given home that night, with Hiroki asleep next door and Keiko sleeping soundly beside him, he decided.

He had to really tell Keiko about his bloodline and how it could be possible that Hiroki would inherit it and talk to Yamanaka-san to ensure he would really keep his bloodline quiet.

Help me protect my family, mother, father… he thought as he finally fell asleep.

Not knowing yet hoping that tomorrow and with that, their future would bring them good life now that they are allied with the village.

A/N:

Here is another chapter. I'm still writing some OC's and researching so be patient. I'm not there yet. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! Especially to kiroigenaya since she helped me with some OC's and clarified my questions. I really pestered her a lot. Hahaha...

So, any violent or lovely reactions? Tell it to me!

Review!