DISCLAIMER ALERT : CLICHE AS FUCK! READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!

Konohagakure no sato

October 10

Konoha Hospital

Minato Namikaze and his wife were going to have some new additions to their family. Minato was ecstatic that he was going to be a father to three children at once : two daughters and a son. Oh, how he wanted to train his son to be a shinobi so that he could make his old man proud, and Minato already knew that Kushina always wished for a daughter. The seal on Kushina had held up pretty well, and just before birth, Minato had rechecked and strengthened it again just to be sure. Suddenly, a nurse came out from the OT and told him that everything had gone perfectly well, and that the children along with their mother were perfectly safe.

Minato had heaved a deep sigh of relief at the last part.

Minato had immediately rushed in, and a wide smile had broken across his face when he had seen an exhausted Kushina laying on the bed holding three precious children in her arms. He had gingerly taken the two identical looking daughters from her arms, and had observed that the girls had retained their mother's red hair and violet eyes. Minato had handed them back to Kushina after a moment's deliberation, and he had went on to take his son into his arms; smiling ear to ear. Minato's son had inherited his strong Namikaze genes, and the boy looked just like his father. The baby boy had inherited his father's spiky blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes as well, and had three whisker marks on each of his cheeks to boot. His son was going to be a lady killer and have a fan club, Minato mused giddily.

Kushina had already told him that she was going to name her daughters Narumi and Mito, and Minato had already told her that he was going to name his son Naruto; and for once the bickering couple had mutually agreed with one another. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a masked man warped into the room through a vortex, and launched a hail of kunai at Minato. Minato instinctively jumped back, and slickly dodged the kunai while the masked man went on to take advantage of his position to speak a select few words before warping Kushina and himself through the vortex again.

"Fourth Hokage, I will be taking the jinchuriki from here, and you should act fast lest see your daughters become a little," he paused for a moment's deliberation. "Crisp." the masked fellow added with a childlike chuckle, and disappeared along with Kushina. Minato wondered for a moment if he was even sane or what he meant, but took one look in the crib of his daughters to see them wrapped in a blanket with exploding tags and his thoughts dried out pretty quickly. He picked up his children and used his Hiraishin no Jutsu to teleport out just in time as the room in the hospital exploded behind his back. Minato sat on his knees in silent contemplation. His eyes tracked a dry leaf fall down from a tree, and his arms cradled the snoring infants to his chest. Not a moment later, he disappeared into thin air before the leaf could make contact with the ground.

Minato brought his children back to his house, and put them on the bed. He took two of his three-pronged kunai with him from the table, and again used the Hiraishin marker on Kushina's seal and teleported to where she was. As he came to the clearing, he dreadfully saw that the Kyūbi had been freed and that - thanks to the gods above - Kushina had somehow managed to survive the extraction. But that was all he could thank them for as she was just about to be pierced by it's claw. He picked her up bridal style, and teleported to a nearby marker thereby escaping the attack.

The masked man laughed one again in that insane, childlike manner, "You're just as fast as your name suggests, aren't you? Just like the stories say, Yellow Flash!" he chuckled, and Minato turned to him to give him an icy gaze. That of a reaper. A veteran shinobi. An army killer. A gaze of a legend. The masked man had shivers running down his spine seeing his icy sapphire blue eyes and the confidence, experience and determination those eyes held. Minato, though, said nothing, and teleported back to the house where he laid Kushina down besides the triplets and stepped back. His eyes glazed over what he would have to do, and how he wouldn't be able to see his children grow up. If only Kushina wasn't injured or Jiraiya was in the village, they could have subdued the bijū and gone on re-seal it without any loss of life. But now, there was only one seal that would be able to subdue as well as seal the bijū - but he had to turn his own children into jinchuriki and condone the worst taboo right unto his children.

Her eyes looked at him grimly, "What are you going to do now, Minato?" whispered Kushina, already dreading his answer.

"I will have to split the demon and seal it into our children." Minato confessed thickly. "I cannot ask another parent to sacrifice their child if I cannot do it to my own. How I'll split it, I haven't decided, but I'll figure it out. Don't you worry." he said in a reassuring tone, but Kushina started crying.

"You're going to use that jutsu, aren't you?" she asked him in sobs.

Minato looked down solemnly solemnly. "There is no other way. But, at least, I can rest happy that they will have you watching over them." he admitted and she nodded. She hugged her children tightly to her chest and cried as Minato put on his cloak, created four shadow clones who teleported to a clearing outside the village, and he himself teleported to the top of the Hokage monument only to see the Kyūbi destroying the better half of his village in a crazed rampage.

Minato activated his Sharingan and flared his chakra to turn the Kyūbi attention towards him. He watched, his Sharingan flaring, as the Kyūbi started gathering chakra near his mouth and condensed it into a sphere before launching it towards him. Minato knew instinctively that should he let that attack hit, then everything and everyone near the mountain will be destroyed as well. That was not an outcome he as Hokage was willing to take place.

Not as long as he was still breathing.

Minato went through several hand seals, and put his hands forward. Kanji spread in the air as it started absorbing the bijūdama, and teleported it outside the village. The villagers cheered seeing their Hokage take control of the battle. Through the hoots and cheers, Minato felt his instincts screaming danger as he felt a presence behind him. Twisting around, he sawed his arm around and pierced a kunai at the masked man's head, but was stunned when it fazed right through his head and the enemy grabbed his wrist in an iron bind.

The masked man spoke once more, in a serious tone this time, completely different from his childish tone before. "It's over." he stated dryly. Minato smirked, exploding, and took the masked man by complete surprise. The invader cradled his burnt body, and seethed at being fooled by a mere substitution. Moreover, he had taken quite a bit of damage from that unexpectedly effective attack.

Minato teleported to a rooftop nearby the bijū, and bit his thumb. He went through a chain of hand seals and slammed his palm on the ground.

"Ninja Art : Summoning Jutsu - Food Cart Destroyer!"

The whole ground rumbled as Gamabunta appeared on top of the Kyūbi, and slammed his butt over his head. The bijūdama he was preparing, disappearing from the abrupt distraction.

"Eh?! Minato why the hell did you summ... Oi! Is that the Kyūbi I'm sitting on?!" Gamabunta yelled frantically just as Minato hopped on top of his head, and started gathering his own chakra.

"Bunta, just hold down the Kyūbi for a moment. I will subdue it, and seal it into my children." he said, and Gamabunta slammed his back over Kyūbi who tried to roar in defiance.

"Stand down ya stupid mutt! Minato, do you really think it wise to seal it into your own children? You know what kind of lives Jinchuriki lead, are you sure about this?" he asked, and Minato had a solemn look on his face.

"There is no other way." he sighed. "Besides, Kushina will take care of them. The only regret I have is that I wont be able to make my son into the shinobi I want him to be with my own hands, and watch my daughters grow up into the fine women I know they'll be." he admitted, and Gamabunta nodded with a sad smile. Minato finished gathering his chakra and teleported them outside the village in the clearing where his clones had already set up a barrier.

"Minato, I won't be able to hold it down for long. Summon Pa and Ma for help." yelled Gamabunta. Minato nodded, bit his thumb and started going through hand seals before slamming his palm on the ground.

"Ninja Art : Summoning Jutsu!"

Two small, but very ancient looking toads puffed into existence.

"Minato-chan?! What is going on here? Why is Gamabunta sitting on the Kyūbi?! And why is it free?! What have you called us here for?!" asked Pa in a frenzy. Ma turned her gaze to Minato as both came to a naught, feeling dread coil in their hearts upon understanding the situation.

"Pa, Ma…I am going to split the Kyūbi and seal it into my children." Minato confirmed their worries. "Please, I need your help. Hold it down for me while I set up the ritual." he requested desperately, and Pa and Ma nodded. They rushed to the Kyūbi to hold it down using Senjutsu while Minato created a Shadow Clone who teleported and brought his children, and Kushina along, to help stabilize and check the seal after the sealing was done. Minato went through a chain of hand seals, and summoned the ritual altar from hell while the clone kept his children on the altar.

Minato went through hand seals one last time, and clapped his hands together.

"Forbidden Secret Art : Dead Demon Consuming Seal"

A feeling of dread and coldness swept over the field as the Shinigami appeared behind Minato.

"What do you wish to seal, mortal?" questioned the Shinigami just as Hiruzen, Kakashi and Tsunade appeared outside the barrier only to helplessly witness the sealing take place.

"Shinigami-sama, I wish to seal the Kyūbi into my children. My wish is to split it, and seal it into them." Minato wished.

The Shinigami spoke up again, "The children won't be able to hold half of the chakra and the soul together. Their bodies will not be able to withhold the strain the seal will cause. I must split it's Yin and Yang chakra, and split them from it's consciousness and body to seal it separately. Choose, mortal, which child will hold what." Shinigami stated monotonously. Minato mulled over it for a minute, his daughters had strong Uzumaki genes like their mother, and should be able to hold it's chakra efficiently while Naruto would most probably will inherit his Sharingan to control it's consciousness - should he ever need it's aid.

Minato had already had his decision made.

"Shinigami-sama, seal the consciousness and body in my son, and the chakra in my daughters." he confirmed. The Shinigami said nothing, opting to pierce his hand through Minato's chest and sealed the chakra after splitting them into his daughters while he sealed the consciousness and body into his son. Minato added a four symbols seal on Narumi and Mito while he added an eight trigram seal onto Naruto to balance the chakra that the Kyūbi might recover over the years, and leak it into the boy's coils slowly after purifying it - all so that his chakra coils became strong enough for holding the increasing strain of the Kyūbi over the years. Minato felt the pain of his jutsu take it's toll on his body, and fell down to his knees just as the Shinigami spoke one final time before he claimed his payment.

"You have fifteen minutes to do your last deeds in this realm for your honorable sacrifice. See and do what you want in these last moments before I claim your soul, and take you to the afterlife. Forever." the Shinigami stated, and Minato nodded gratefully. The Shadow Clones around him dispersed, and the barrier fell, making everyone gather around him.

"Minato, what have you done?!" Hiruzen cried. "Tsunade, Treat him! He needs it, NOW!" he shouted seeing his successor's condition. Kushina was crying heavily on the sidelines when Minato stopped Tsunade from treating him.

The buxom blonde tried to protest, but he cut her off. "It's of no use, Tsunade." Minato admitted softly. "The Shinigami has given me fifteen minutes for my last moments to be with you. Please, it's useless. As for the sealing, the children were not strong enough to hold all of the Kyūbi's chakra. So, I split it's chakra into Yin and Yang and sealed it in my daughters for their strong Uzumaki genes, and it's consciousness and body rests in my son." he said, looking at Hiruzen for the last part. Everyone looked on in sadness at the sacrifice Minato had made for the village, all of them unable to do anything to help him. Kushina stopped crying for a moment, and hugged him, sobbing thickly in his chest.

"Kushi-chan…" Minato whispered, softly stroking her hair. "Please go, and check if the seals have stabilized or not. See if the children are alright or not. I won't be able to rest in peace if my children had to suffer because I made a mistake in sealing." he said with a wince, and she got up hurriedly with nod to the children at the altar. He smiled as he saw her kiss and check over his daughters. At least they will have the love of their mother. But Minato's eyes turned icy and calculative when he saw a flicker of emotions pass through Kushina's eyes as she gazed at Naruto with utter hatred and disdain in her eyes while she checked on his seal. Suspicions and scenarios started playing in Minato's mind on seeing this, and he decided to take countermeasures - just in case - and so, Minato turned to Hiruzen with his veteran shinobi eyes. Hiruzen instantly came near him seeing that look, and listened to him carefully.

"Sarutobi, get me three blank scrolls, and a brush and some ink." Minato whispered. Hiruzen nodded, giving orders to the ANBU through secret hand signs who brought him the required items in a second and Hiruzen handed it to Minato. Minato started writing stroke upon stroke at a fast pace, and sealed the two scrolls with the Namikaze blood seal. Much to Hiruzen's surprise, he added only Naruto's blood and chakra signature to them and sealed the last one with Hiruzen's blood just as he decided to leave the Third with his last instructions.

"Hiruzen, I have to tell you something important. And I only trust you with this," Minato whispered, pressing the scrolls on Sarutobi's chest. Hiruzen nodded wordlessly hearing the gravity of his voice. "The two scrolls with the Namikaze seals are my will and a letter to Naruto, both of which you shall give him at the time of his graduation. The entire Namikaze fortune shall be sealed until the time he graduates from the Academy and has enough experience and maturity to claim them as his, and his alone. I trust your judgment with it's timing. The scroll with your blood seal is a letter that you must only open if Kushina ever decides to harm, or abandon Naruto. Under no circumstances are you to let anything happen to him. Have him seen as the hero of the village he is. Naruto shall be named the Namikaze clan heir due to his strong Namikaze genes, while Narumi and Mito will inherit the Uzumaki fortune. I trust you to take care of Naruto if my suspicions come true. Can't I Sarutobi?" Hiruzen clasped his shaking hands and nodded tearfully.

"And reverse summon Pa and Ma at the time you reveal his heritage. He must have the toad contract I have left them, there will be some instructions with them too." Minato coughed thickly while Hiruzen looked confused and stunned.

"But Minato, Kushina would never do such a thing why are yo..." he stopped protesting just as Minato asked him in a cold voice.

"Do I have your word, Hiruzen Sarutobi?" Minato asked coldly, and Hiruzen looked at him with determined eyes and nodded. Minato didn't want to believe it too, but he wasn't going to leave his the fate of his child helpless if his fears did infact come true.

"Yes, you have it. Naruto will be taken care of like a prince and will get the possessions you have left if your fears do infact come true. I give you my word. " Hiruzen promised. Minato smiled, nodding he coughed up even more blood and seeing the stains on his hands he realized he didn't have much time left.

"Hiruzen bring me my children. I want to see them, I want to hold them one last time." Minato whispered. Hiruzen went and brought him his children and Kushina along with him as he handed him the children while Minato looked at them lovingly.

"Live your lives as you want." Minato kissed their cheeks. "You are all special. Don't let anyone let you tell otherwise. You might face some difficulties in your lives, but never falter. And know that I am always watching over you, and your daddy loves you three with all his heart." Minato sniffled, handing them back to Hiruzen who took them carefully in his arms.

"Minato, you can hold them some more..." Hiruzen trailed off as he saw Minato's eyes drop close and his head drop. A smile was plastered on Minato's face and some final tears rolled down his cheeks. Kushina fainted from exhaustion and shock while everyone dropped their heads in respect at the man's sacrifice - as the strongest of all the Hokage's left this world.

"Don't worry my friend." Hiruzen whispered. "I'll honor every wish of yours, and look after Naruto as if he was my own child." he mourned. Naruto cried, and Hiruzen tried to calm him down with a rock of his arms. After a few moments, Naruto fell asleep as Hiruzen took the children to the hospital along with their mother.

Two hours later

Konoha Hospital

Hiruzen was sitting in the hospital room after having his wounds treated, and was waiting for Kushina to wake up while he was took care of her children in the mean time. He had postponed the council meeting for the time being. The council members had protested, but had shut up and left happily after he had told them that he would retake his position as Hokage. Well everyone except Danzōwas happy, but that had been pretty obvious for Hiruzen from the start. Tsunade had left the village after Minato's death saying she was going to live at the Senju property in the Fire capital along with Shizune as she couldn't live in the village after everyone she trusted had already died in this cursed village. She didn't want to see anymore deaths. She had even left him the Shodaime's necklace saying it was cursed as Minato was the last person she had given it to and he too had died. She had actually thrown it in the trash, but Hiruzen had kept his sensei's legacy for someone who was worthy enough. Suddenly, Kushina's eyes fluttered open as Hiruzen rushed to her side.

"Sarutobi, where is Minato?!" Kushina asked solemnly and Hiruzen eyed her sadly.

"Minato is gone, Kushina." Hiruzen said mournfully. "He left us a few moments after you fainted." he admitted, and silent tears streamed down Kushina's eyes. "Where are my children, Hiruzen?!" she asked. Hiruzen stood up, and went to the crib. Picking up the daughters, he handed them to her. Kushina smiled and cooed at them while Hiruzen went back to go fetch Naruto to hand him over to his mother. But Hiruzen's worst fears came true when Kushina slapped his hand away just as he tried handing Naruto over to her.

"What's the matter, Kushina?" Hiruzen asked dreadfully. "Don't you want to hold your son?!" he asked in confusion.

Kushina looked at Naruto in utter contempt. "Don't call that demon my son, Sarutobi." she spat venomously, making Hiruzen's eyes go wide. "That thing took my husband away from me. Don't you dare call him my son! He is the Kyūbi reincarnate! Those whisker marks are proof enough!" Kushina sneered at the child. Hiruzen took it all in with wide eyes, before his expression turned furiously red.

"What the hell are you talking about, Kushina?!" Hiruzen snarled right back. "He just has the consciousness and body of the Kyūbi sealed inside of him. He is not the Kyūbi! Have you gone insane! You are a seal master yourself, and were a jinchuriki merely a few hours ago! What's the matter with you?!" he asked furiously while Kushina returned his look full force.

"I told you, I don't have anything to do with that demonic child. He was dead to me as soon as Minato sealed the monster's soul in him. Two souls, one of an infant and one of a demon coexisting, you make laugh! As far as I am concerned, I only have two daughters!" she spat with a venom laced voice.

"Kushina, please see reason." Hiruzen pleaded. "You have been blinded by the loss and pain of Minato. Please! See him! He is an innocent child in need of a mother. Nothing more." he pleaded in a desperately, trying to hand Naruto over to her, but Kushina tried to slap his hands again before Hiruzen retracted his arms defensively.

"Do not bring him close to me, Sarutobi or I swear will finish what I started and kill him to avenge Minato's death!" Kushina said in a promising tone with such hatred that Sarutobi knew she meant it and clutched the peaceful child to his chest protectively.

"I don't believe you, Kushina. You have fallen so low," Hiruzen whispered solemnly. "Very well then. I shall take care of the boy as my own." he admitted in a steely voice to Kushina who merely huffed and turned back to her daughters.

"I will go reside in the Fire Capital where the Uzumaki property is situated, under the protection of the Daimyo's." Kushina's words took Hiruzen by surprise. "I'll raise my daughters over there and will come back during the time of their graduation - after I am satisfied with their training." she promised and Hiruzen nodded wordlessly.

"Minato you truly were a genius in every sense of the word. I never believed Kushina could do such a thing to her own son until now! But you saw right through her, even in the face of death and took precautions! Don't worry old friend, I'll protect Naruto from every danger - whether it be from outside the village or the inside. I'll honor your every wish and give him his inheritance after he is ready and protect him until then." Hiruzen thought in his mind.

"I shall take some scrolls and things from the Namikaze compounds too before I leave." Kushina broke his train of thoughts. "And know that I disown him from both the Uzumaki and Namikaze clans." she said as Hiruzen hardened his eyes and spoke in an even tone.

"I'm sorry, Kushina. But Minato has left specific instructions with me in case something like this happened after his death. He declared Naruto as his clan heir in his dying moments and sealed off the Namikaze fortune until Naruto is ready to claim it. Until that time comes, no one shall touch a speck of grass on the Namikaze Family fortune or their scrolls. He had already imagined this scenario even in the face of death and took necessary steps before he passed on. Minato has left me with specific instructions that you may do whatever you wish with the Uzumaki fortune, but the fortune of the Namikaze is sealed until the time I deem Naruto ready to claim it." Hiruzen said coldly, and Kushina's eyes widened hearing this.

Minato had sealed off everything from her?! And named it all to that thing?!

Preposterous!

"You can't do that to me!" Kushina protested. "I'm his wife. That fortune is mine, and our daughters! Minato would never do such a thing to me! The Namikaze fortune belongs to me and my daughters alone, not to that thing." she spat in utter contempt.

"That "thing" as you so call it is the last child to inherit the strong Namikaze traits, and Minato has named him his heir in his last moments. You do what you want with the Uzumaki fortune, but you will have no say in the Namikaze clan affairs from now on. I am the legal guardian to it until Naruto claims it. Now, I'll take my leave. I have a Council meeting to attend to. You can leave the village anytime you wish. The sooner the better!" Hiruzen said as left her in the room and stomped his way out.

Hokage Tower

Council Chambers

Hiruzen walked into the sacred chambers to see all the clan heads already sitting on the right side and the civilian council to the left. The elders sat directly in front of his seat. He took his seat, with a softly snoring Naruto sleeping peacefully in his arms. Two ANBU stood guard behind him. Hiruzen brushed his whisker marks just as Naruto snuggled in his chest making Hiruzen smile.

Homura cleared his throat. "Hiruzen, all of us would like to know what became of the Kyūbi?" he asked the thought on everyone's mind, and everyone looked at him expectantly.

"The Kyūbi has been defeated, and the threat has passed. Minato used a forbidden jutsu to split, and seal the Kyūbi." Hiruzen said as everyone sighed in relief but Shikaku spoke up.

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku cut him off. "You said he split, and sealed the Kyūbi. What did he seal it into?" he questioned.

Everyone looked at Hiruzen while he cursed under his breath.

Damn those Nara's and their intelligence!

"I can't reveal Naruto's heritage to them! He would already have enough to deal with from external enemies after I reveal to them the truth of his burden. If his heritage is known too, then we might have to deal with many assassins and kidnappers from the inside. Iwa and Kumo might even wish to abduct or eliminate the last, true Namikaze heir. I'll keep it to myself until I reveal it Naruto." Hiruzen decided inwardly. "I'll just say Minato sealed it in his daughters, and that Naruto is an orphan with no ties to his parents. So many people died tonight, no one will ever suspect a thing. But I'll have him seen as the hero he is, Minato." he thought with a smile.

"Well, Minato split the Kyūbi into three parts. He sealed the Yin and Yang part of it's chakra into his newborn twin daughters Narumi and Mito; seeing that they had their mother's strong Uzumaki genes, and had a good chance at controlling it. But he had to seal it's body and soul into a separate entity - for which he chose young Naruto. His parents died tonight during the attack, and Minato made it his last wish for Naruto to be seen as a hero, and I have full faith in his abilities in his sealing, and so should you." he spoke pointedly. But that was all he said before all hell broke loose from the Civilian part of the Council.

They shouted for the demon to be killed, and their families be avenged. Hiruzen purposefully left out the part that the Kyūbi will gain back it's chakra overtime and that Naruto will become the true jinchuriki of the nine tails after some years as per what Minato had told him about the mechanics of his seal in his last moments. He didn't want Danzō to be too interested in Naruto, and try and turn him into a weapon, as Minato had once feared.

Hiruzen wanted to keep his burden a secret, but he knew if it came out later then it might even cause a civil war as everyone would be after want Naruto's head. He suddenly let out his KI and every last one of them shut up. Naruto whimpered in his sleep making Hiruzen tone it down a bit, and rocked him left and right before Naruto fell into his deep slumber again.

"If you fools kill Naruto, then the Kyūbi will be free. And then what? It will regain his chakra in a few years, and return to finish what it started! And this time, we will not have Minato to stop it!" Hiruzen snapped, and the Civilian Council fell silent while the clan heads nodded tiredly knowing full well that he was right.

"Hiruzen, where are the jinchuriki with the chakra of the nine tails?" Danzō wondered as expected. "I suggest that you let me take over their training and upbringing. I'll help them control their emotions better, and make them absolutely loyal to the village." he suggested calmly as suddenly Mebuki Haruno screeched, and everyone in the room winced.

"Yes, where are the princesses of the Uzumaki clan?!" she shrieked. "They are the heroes of the village! I demand to know of their condition!" she asked with a screech.

"Kushina will take them to the Uzumaki property in the Fire Capital." Hiruzen admitted bitterly."So as to keep them safe there under the protection of the Daimyo. She will return after she has them trained well enough for them when the time of their genin exams is upon us." Hiruzen told her sourly.

Danzō stood up, practically outraged, "You can't allow that Hiruzen! The jinchuriki must stay close to the village, and the Hokage! They should be trained properly. We need to show our strength to the other villages in this moment of weakness. Also, I can train them to be strong and loyal to the village. Have her brought back this instant!" he demanded, and Hiruzen sighed at the power hungry old fool. To think he was once his friend…oh the irony.

"While that is true, Danzō, you yourself have clarified that we do not have the necessary forces to spare for their protection. They will be much more safe at the fire capital. Also, Kushina is best to train them as I'm sure you know the reasons. Plus, they will return during the time of their graduation. What problem do you have with that?!" Hiruzen remarked offhandedly. Seeing everyone nod and agree except Mebuki, who kept screeching about keeping the princesses in the village; Danzō seethed at being outdone and losing his chance to have strong weapons under his control, but sat down in defeat.

Hiruzen sighed inwardly in relief that Danzō had no interest in Naruto seeing he had no chakra of the Kyūbi within him. He was practically useless to the man. Oh how ironic he thought to himself. Then they all asked what would he do about Naruto, and they said to lock him up in ANBU headquarters or send him off to a far off island to be isolated or some other ridiculous ideas; mostly from the civilian council and he instantly shut them up by leaking a bit of KI again. Thankfully, Naruto was too deep in sleep to notice it this time.

"Naruto will live a normal life and become a loyal shinobi of this village." Hiruzen declared with steel in his voice. "I hereby declare that no one shall speak of the link between Naruto and the Kyūbi to anyone of the younger generation. This is an S-class secret - punishable by death - without trial." Hiruzen roared. Everyone fell silent seeing his furious expression.

Hiruzen had too at least make sure that Naruto made some friends his age. Everyone hesitantly agreed, and talked about the damages incurred to the village, it's forces and other political matters right until they called it a night three hours later.

Hiruzen went back to the Hokage Tower to spend the night with young Naruto, and an aching back. He finally got in bed, and blissfully slept with little Naruto snuggling into his chest while he kept the boy tightly wrapped up in his arms. He was to be his grandson in everything but blood, Hiruzen thought to himself, and finally drifted off to sleep with a content smile.

Naruto's soft snores sounded like purrs in Hiruzen's ears all through the night.

~TBC~