Chapter Three: Attack

For the next nine months Tsunade helped the people of Mihara. Most of her duties mainly dealt with small illnesses and injuries that locals got while farming, along with training a very eager and bright young village girl in the art of healing. The girl's name was Kara who had a surprisingly good amount of knowledge in herbs. Even before Tsunade's guidance she could easily tell what certain herbs were appropriate for specific ailments.

During their stay Tsunade and Shizune trained their new student in how to treat people in different ways while also expanding her herbal intellect. Kara was a quick study and after a few months she was good enough to easily handle any of the small infirmities and physical damages that inflicted those around the village. Even so, Tsunade and Shizune offered a helping hand whenever they could and tried to train her up as much as possible.

Between medical duties Tsunade also found her temporary life in the village to be quite peaceful and relaxing. However, the big reminder of her reason being there started to lean its head in as time went on when she began to show signs of her pregnancy, although when she did she quickly used her genjutsu skills to hide her growing belly. It was only released in private, understandably so to keep anyone outside her little circle from finding out.

In the same duration Hiruzen, Jiraiya and Minato all visited Tsunade whenever they could. They randomly did it one or two at a time or all together by having Minato transport them through his Hiraishin no Jutsu, not just because of convenience but because it helped them stray away from any attention if they were careful.

However, before this point they knew they had to deal with Tsunade's abrupt appearance in Konoha since she definitely raised plenty of questions to say the least.

This was solved by a relatively simple cover-up story that was pitched by Minato. The tale that would be spread throughout the public was that Tsunade charged into the village because of Jiraya's latest installment in his Icha Icha series. After finding out that her former teammate based a character on her recognizable likeness, a character that fell in love with a white-haired toad magician before indulging in plenty of nights together in a heavily perverse nature, she took matters into her own hands. Once her beating was delivered, along with her message to discontinue the character she inspired deep within his dented skull, she was satisfied. Thankfully the ruse was accepted quickly enough because of the pervert's reputation, along with his extremely poor physical state that showed up through the hospital's front doors as he was dragged by the blond Hokage to be treated in intensive care. To anyone that knew of Jiraiya enough, this wouldn't be the first time his less than innocent thoughts and actions got him a good beating from Tsunade, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

And that's not mentioning the various women of past and future years that have and will get in a good lick or two every now and then on the poor Toad Sage.

Anyway, it was during those visits that the three gentleman noticed that Tsunade had a sort of glow around her, one filled only with the happiness that came along the path of motherhood. Even with almost no contact at all with her over the years, it truly seemed that she was happier than she had been in a long time. This sort of change brought about even more surprise when she said she considered giving up drinking after her pregnancy. Of course, it would be very damaging to consume alcohol during these nine important months—and being an experienced medic only cemented this fact—but to take the abstinence beyond that really showed the drastic changes she was experiencing.

Sadly, when she wasn't happy she and the others became victims of any mood swings that took over her mind. At any moment she'd be as happy as can be, angry as all hell, and sad to the point of spontaneously crying her eyes out. Fortunately there seemed to be a constant pattern of Hiruzen and Shizune dealing with the sad Tsunade while Minato and Jiraiya unfortunately always seemed stuck with the angry one. To the latter two's misfortune her anger usually ended with them acquiring various physical injuries such as black eyes, concussions, and even fractured or outright broken noses and jaws.

Jiraiya got the worst of it when his brain let him go a little too far once again during the Senju's first trimester. When it was obvious that Tsunade's already impressive assets began to enlarge due to milk production, the famous pervert just had to make an offhand comment about his blond teammate not being able to stand correctly, let alone move. Normally, such a comment could be shaken off with some annoyance, but it was regrettably spoken when anger was Tsunade's main and sensitive mood at the time. The result, to Jiraiya's immense misfortune, was a near two month recovery period in intensive care… again.

Around when Tsunade's second trimester came along she had her apprentice run a very delicate scan to determine her baby's sex, apparently not wanting to keep the suspense hanging in the air. When Shizune completed the procedure she happily revealed Tsunade was going to mother a son, causing the Senju to have another of her more frequent and genuine smiles and Minato to pause in his tracks before promptly fainting.

A little while after the Hokage came to, Minato already had a name in mind for his future son.

Naruto.

The very same name of the main character in Jiraiya's lone non-erotic novel, "The tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi." It did take a little research on Tsunade's part to make sure her son's name came from something that wasn't perverted, but she agreed. Soon after both Tsunade and Minato took it a step farther by naming Jiraiya and Shizune as Naruto's godparents. Even Hiruzen was welcomed to take on a grandfatherly role in the unborn child's life most in part from being the closest thing to a father Tsunade had after losing hers during the first war. Needless to say, they were all greatly happy and honored and were looking forward to being important parts in Naruto's life.

It was a few months later when the magical moment came and Tsunade's water broke before she went into labor. Thankfully everyone was prepared and transported the Senju to a private room in Konoha's hospital, one expertly sealed off to everyone but the five that had been in cahoots in the last nine months. With Shizune overseeing the delivery, everyone was excited beyond belief in their own way. Minato himself was believing more and more by the second that this would be the happiest day in his life.

If only he knew how significant this day in history would become.

"Aaaaahhhhhh!" screamed Tsunade as she was starting to push, fully clad in a hospital gown and a sheen of sweat coating her face.

"Come on, Tsunade, you're doing fine," Minato said in soothing excitement as he stood next to the mother of his child.

Tsunade gulped in more air to let out another agonizing scream. "Damn you, Minato! This is all your fault, you bastard!" she roared at the Hokage as she crushed his hands that held hers as a sign of support. The blond male did his best to not grunt in pain, but he couldn't help himself from falling to his knees from the woman's deadly grip.

"That's it, Tsunade-sama, you're nearly there! I'm starting to see the head!" Shizune exclaimed.

"Just hurry the hell up and get him out of me!" Tsunade shouted back.

"You're doing great, Tsunade. Just a little more and it'll be all over soon," encouraged Minato.

"Oh, don't give me that! I wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for you!" screamed Tsunade. With a sporadic mind in the heat of the moment, she suddenly raised her free hand to strike the young kage in the face.

Before she could hit him, though, Minato quickly used the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Jutsu) to replace himself with the nearest thing to him which, unfortunately for the target, was Jiraiya who was quickly launched through the wall by Tsunade's punch.

"Sorry, sensei, but better you than me," Minato thought sympathetically as he gazed at the Jiraiya-shaped hole in the wall. The legendary shinobi's legs were sticking out and dangling over the broken piece of the wall and were the only parts of him visible from his laid position on his back. Luckily, the room he burst into was empty, leaving no one but the small group to hear his groans of misery.

Minato was pulled out of his train of thought when Tsunade screamed again. "Get this fucking brat out before he kills me!"

"It's almost done, Tsunade-sama! Just one more push!" Shizune eagerly encouraged.

"You heard her, you're almost there! You can do it!" Minato added with a growing smile.

Tsunade homed her honey brown glare at him. "Shut up! I'd like to see you try and push out a brat that doesn't want to leave!"

It was but another minute or so when Tsunade gave one final shout of exertion and the first cries from a baby silenced the room. Shizune wasn't stopped, and with a tender smile on her face she gently grabbed the newborn, cut the umbilical cord, cleaned and wrapped him up in a small blue blanket before handing him to a waiting Tsunade.

Just as Shizune handed the baby to her master she gently said, "Tsunade-sama, allow me to introduce you to your son, Senju Naruto."

The tired but happy Tsunade gazed down at the still crying baby in her arms with glistening eyes. "Hello, little one," she cooed as she brushed her hands over the baby's bright blond hair and round face, smiling with as much love as she could muster.

Soon Naruto stopped crying as he looked to his mother to show his curious and bright sapphire eyes. After what seemed like an eternity of childish contemplation, he finally smiled back, making him look all the more adorable to everyone.

"Look, he has Minato's eyes, not to mention his hair and face. He's like a mini Minato," Jiraiya said with a chuckle, somehow miraculously getting over his injured state in order to see his godson.

"Yes, but it looks like he has Tsunade's nose, chin and ears. His skin tone is even a lighter shade like Tsunade's, and his eyes are the same shape as hers," spoke Hiruzen as he came over to see his grandson in all but blood.

"He's beautiful, Tsunade-sama!" gushed Shizune as she looked down at her new godson. She then wiggled her finger over Naruto's face, who was following it around with innocent eyes.

"He is, isn't he?" Tsunade whispered more to herself. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she took in every detail of her baby. In her mind he was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen, and might as well have been the most beautiful and precious entity in the world.

"Don't you agree, Minato?" she asked without looking away.

"Definitely, and when he gets older he'll be a killer with the ladies," Minato chuckled with a slight gleaming gaze. "Hundreds will be chasing after him."

"Ha! Like any of those little hussies or tramps are good enough for my sweet little Naru-chan. I'm not gonna let any of them even attempt to sink their claws into him," huffed Tsunade, never breaking eye contact with Naruto as he smiled back and even gurgled a bit as if laughing.

This of course caused a series of chuckles to come from the others at the image of Tsunade being an overprotective mother and chasing away all the girls away from Naruto in his teenage years.

"Tsunade-sama, if I may, I'd like to take Naruto to the maternity ward to make sure that he's in good health. I also want to give you a sedative that will make you sleep for a while so that your body can rest and recover from the strain," said Shizune professionally.

"Fine, but I don't want anyone but you touching my Naru-chan. Is that clear?" Tsunade requested tiredly, the excitement finally getting to her mentally and physically.

"Of course, I wasn't going to let anyone go near him anyhow." The medical apprentice affirmed before proceeding to give Tsunade the sedative and taking Naruto into her possession. As she walked away Tsunade was already drifting off to sleep while she starting doing a little coddling herself to the newborn. "Come on, little man, come with your aunty Shizune and let your mother rest," she affectionately said while walking out of the room with the men following suit.

As they left the private room Minato quickly sealed it with a special blood seal, one that would keep everyone except Shizune, Jiraiya, Hiruzen and himself from entering.

When Shizune made her way towards the maternity ward for Naruto's checkup, Jiraiya and Hiruzen finally had a moment alone to give their heartfelt words to Minato.

Jiraiya good-naturedly patted his student on the back. "Well now, Minato, my boy, I believe congrats are in order! You have a son! How does it feel to be a real father now?"

"Good… it feels good," Minato replied with a proud smile that matched the rest of his happy expression.

Hiruzen gripped the current Hokage's shoulder as he took a fresh puff from his now lit pipe. "I'm truly happy for you, Minato. You'll make a fine father, no doubt about it. Though things may get rough between you and Tsunade with how you'll raise Naruto, I'm sure everything will turn out well between you."

"Thanks, Hiruzen. Hopefully everything will work out okay," Minato replied appreciatively.

"Well, now I think it's time to celebrate!" Jiraiya jovially exclaimed. "Minato, how about we head back to your place and break out that bottle of rare sake you got from Mitsu no Kuni (Land of Honey) that you were saving for a special occasion? I'm sure the birth of your son definitely fits under that category. Besides, we can't let that sweet and delectable sake go to waste, now can we? I mean, c'mon, anything from that country is some of the best stuff around!" He ended cheekily.

Minato chuckled while nodding. "I guess I'll have to agree with you on that one, sensei. Would you care to join us, Hiruzen?"

"I'd be delighted, Minato," answered the Sandaime. Such a day was very deserving of a celebratory toast.

But before the three men could leave, a young Anbu agent with a dog-shaped mask and spiky silver hair urgently appeared in front of them.

"Hokage-sama, we have just received reports that the Kyūbi has appeared nearby and is on its way here to the village!"

"What?! The Kyūbi?!" Minato shockingly retorted.

"Dammit, why now of all times, especially since Kushina-chan is away on a mission?!" Minato thought angrily. He turned his serious gaze squarely onto the Anbu's.

"Dog, sound the call for all of our forces to get ready for an attack! Hiruzen, head to the tower and help organize them all from there! Jiraiya-sensei, I need you to help with the evacuation of the civilians; get them to the shelters as quickly as possible! I'll help set up the frontline defenses outside the village. We absolutely can't have the Kyūbi reach the village or it will destroy everything!" ordered Minato with the authority that showed why he was the Hokage.

All the men responded nodded in confirmation and quickly went to follow their orders.

"It seems that Konoha is now facing its darkest hour… Let us hope that the Will of Fire will not be extinguished this night…" thought Minato worriedly as he Shunshined away and went out to set up the frontline of defense for his village.

-One hour later at the front defense line-

Only a few miles away from Konoha was the first line of defense where most of Konoha's shinobi were gathered and all were firm to protect their village with their lives. They were all quiet after given the proper orders and plans, their faces both displaying nervousness along with fierce determination as they waited for their target.

They didn't have to wait long.

From the horizon and quickly travelling in their direction was the Kyūbi no Yōko (The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox), the greatest and most fearful of all the bijū (Tailed Beasts), whose strength was rumored to be so great that a single swipe from just one of its nine tails could raise tsunamis and flatten mountains.

Despite the differences in power the proud leaf shinobi were resolute in standing their respective ground, knowing that they were the ones that would prevent the annihilation of their village and their loved ones from being killed.

When they finally made contact they all fought the fox as best they could, firing off jutsus, weapons and a myriad of other strategies, but it was all for naught. Their attacks just weren't effective enough, and whatever damage the monster sustained quickly healed without any problem. When it became obvious how their military might was fairing against their opponent they simply did all they could to slow it down, costing more and more of the lives of their comrades as time went on.

After about two hours of fighting, the demon was nearing Konoha and could be clearly seen from the outer walls of the village.

It was there at the top of the main gates that Jiraiya and Hiruzen were watching the battle with growing concern. They knew that if something wasn't done soon then the fox would easily reach their home and wreak havoc upon it. As they watched the struggle continue they were soon joined by the Anbu captain who was previously commanding the frontline and was called back by Hiruzen to give a status update. The captain who wore a tiger-shaped mask awaited the Sandaime's words as he kneeled.

"Tiger, report!" Hiruzen ordered sternly.

The shinobi nodded. "Currently, over half of our main forces are either dead or wounded. We're constantly being pushed back further and further, and at the current rate our defense lines will be completely destroyed in about forty minutes at the least or an hour at best."

"Where's Minato? He was supposed to be out there leading them." Jiraiya stated. Ever since the battle started he's been growing more anxious, especially with the huge lack of Gamabunta or any of the other great toad summons.

"Hokage-sama was with us when we first clashed with the Kyūbi, but after about twenty minutes into the battle he told me that he was leaving and left me in charge of our shinobi. His last order was for me to have them hold back the Kyūbi for as long as possible. When I asked where he was going he informed me that he was returning to the village to prepare a jutsu that would stop the demon once and for all," answered Tiger.

This of course confused both Jiraiya and Hiruzen. Neither could think of a jutsu that would be appropriate off the top of their heads.

Yet, despite their confusion, the Sandaime quickly decided to take charge of the situation.

"Tiger, I want you to head back to the frontlines to aid our forces in holding the Kyūbi back until the Yondaime arrives," he ordered in a commanding tone of voice with a seemingly powerful aura exuding around him, one that Jiraiya had not seen from his sensei in many years. Nevertheless, it served as a quick reminder of why his sensei was known as the Shinobi no Kami (The God of Shinobi).

The Anbu captain quickly saluted the former Hokage, acknowledging his orders and Shunshined back to his previous commanding position among his comrades. After Tiger disappeared Hiruzen turned to Jiraiya.

"I want you to follow along with him and summon Gamabunta. Help everyone hold back the Kyūbi with the best of your ability, but be extremely careful. I'll go back into the village to try and find Minato and get him back on the battlefield as soon as possible. Hopefully whatever plan he's cooking up is ready."

Jiraiya nodded in acknowledgment and was about to head to the battlefield when he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"That won't be needed, Hiruzen."

Both shinobi turned around to see Minato behind them holding his two-hour-old son in his arms.

"Minato, where the hell have you been and why have you brought Naruto here?! Do you want him to get killed?! This is no place for him and where is Shizune?!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"I sent Shizune to help out with the wounded in the hospital since the staff need all the help they can get with all the wounded coming in," answered Minato.

"But that still doesn't explain why you brought Naruto here," Hiruzen retorted strictly.

A determined gleam appeared in the Hokage's eyes. "The reason I brought him here is because he's going to save Konoha from the Kyūbi."

The two older men looked confused, prompting Minato to elaborate.

"Naruto is going save Konoha by becoming the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi. I left to prepare the sealing."

Jiraiya and Hiruzen quickly gained looks of shock.

"Minato, you can't! This is your son for Kami's sake!" Jiraiya shouted.

The new father lost a little of his composure and forlornly said, "I know, but I have no other choice."

"Minato, how do you even intend to seal the Kyūbi into Naruto? The Kyūbi is wild and too powerful for any normal fūinjutsu (Sealing Techniques) to allow it to be sealed into Naruto. The only person who had the power to suppress a bijū and seal it away in something in this state was the Shodaime, and even then he had his Mokuton ability to help him," the Sandaime stated.

"I plan on using one of the Uzumaki's Clan's fūinjustu, one that Kushina taught me, the Shiki Fūjin (Dead Demon Consuming Seal). It should be powerful enough to seal the Kyūbi away."

A heavy sense of dread entered the pits of the two men's stomachs.

Jiraiya, being well-versed in fūinjustu himself, said, "Minato, you can't! You know damn well what will happen to you if you use it!"

The blond nodded solemnly with the faintest sad smile. "Yes, I know… I'll die…"

"But still, how can you expect to seal the Kyūbi into Naruto? From what you told me you seal the soul of the person into yourself where the Shinigami will consume both you and the other soul," stated the Sarutobi clan head.

"I will split the Kyūbi's charka in two where the yang half will be sealed within Naruto with the Hakke no Fūin Shiki (Eight Trigrams Sealing Style) while the yin half will be sealed within me with the Shiki Fūjin. This will make sure that the evil influence of the Kyūbi will not affect or corrupt Naruto as he grows up."

"But still, Minato, this is your son. You know what kind of lives jinchūrikis have. They're either turned into human weapons or treated like trash and complete outcasts. The fear people have of the demons sealed away is too great to quell. If you have to seal the Kyūbi in a child then at least try to consider someone else," Jiraiya said.

"How can I ask another family to give me one of their children to turn into a jinchūriki when I myself cannot with my own son? Besides, you can't hope to imagine how hard this is for me to do, sensei. I know full well what kind of life I may be condemning him to, but I have no choice!" Minato shouted back. The crack in his usually calm persona drove the point home into the minds of the two men. They knew Minato was the kind of person to follow this path and not waver if he could help it. They both lowered their heads in solemn resignation. Changing Minato's mind didn't seem possible at this point.

Jiraiya was the first the break his silence as he gazed tensely at his student. "If that's the case, then show me how to do the jutsu and I'll take your place! Naruto is going to need you to be there for him!"

"No… let me do it," Hiruzen cut in, causing the attention to be on him. "I've lived a long life and you both have so much more left to offer our village and the world."

"Thank you both, but it has to be me," Minato stated resolutely.

"But-!" Jiraiya started but was quickly cut off by the blond.

"Sensei, I'm the Hokage and it's my duty to protect the village. If anyone is going bear the responsibility of placing this burden on Naruto it's going to be me and no one else. Besides, the jutsu and the alteration needed for the sealing is too difficult to pick up in such a short time. Not to mention it's going to require every bit of strength I have and—while I know you're plenty strong, Hiruzen—I'm not going to risk not having enough chakra to complete the process. Same goes for you, sensei, but even if you have the chakra and sealing knowledge necessary, you won't be able to perfect the seal in time. One little mistake can end up killing Naruto and leave us to deal with the Kyūbi.

Both Jiraiya and Hiruzen could only sigh in defeat. There would be no convincing Minato once he got this stubborn.

The next ten minutes were hastily spent helping Minato get everything ready for the sealing. Every small moment that went by filled them all with even more trepidation than the last, knowing they were basically preparing the death of someone two of them along with many more held dear. The second the preparations were complete a begrudged silence held itself in the air. However, they couldn't let it last long with the situation at hand and tried to give the best goodbyes they could muster.

Hiruzen was the first to step up to the current and soon-to-be former Hokage. His wrinkled visage that normally held wisdom and happiness was broken by yet another dark chapter he'd experience in his life, leaving a shimmering yet strong gaze in his eyes.

"Farewell, Minato. You are indeed the finest Hokage that Konoha's ever had. Your sacrifice won't go to waste and will only let our village prosper more alongside Naruto. You'll never be forgotten as a true testament to the Will of Fire…" he said mournfully as he firmly shook the Namikaze's hand with his own while giving a gentle squeeze on his shoulder with the other.

"Thank you, Hiruzen… that means a lot," Minato replied barely above a whisper.

Jiraiya quickly stepped up and gave his student a fatherly hug, trying his hardest to hide the tear that slowly escaped his eye. "See ya, brat," he let out a bittersweet chuckle. "No sensei could've ever asked for a better student… You… you have no idea how proud I am of you…"

"Thanks, sensei… You were the best teacher anyone could ask for… that's why I want to ask you to do me one last favor."

"Anything, just name it," Jiraiya determinedly replied while stepping back and meeting his student's eyes.

"I have drawn a 'key' to the Hakke no Fūin Shiki into the abdomen of the scroll toad, Gerotora that will allow you to strengthen or weaken the seal. It'll naturally weaken over time so it needs to be maintained properly." Minato smiled. "It'll even allow Naruto to complete a special jutsu for his own unique use. Sensei, I also want you to train Naruto when he's older. He'll need to be strong enough to combat the threats that he will face in the future."

Jiraiya nodded as if given an order. "You have my word that I'll do my best, Minato."

"Hiruzen, if you don't mind, I've made you the executor of my estate. Everything is to be given to Naruto when he is old and strong enough to bear the responsibility, and I mean everything. All I have is rightfully his, and that includes the scroll on how to use and create the Hiraishin no Jutsu. It's locked away in my personal safe inside my estate's library. There are also some other things to carry out after I'm gone. It's all listed in my will and I'd really appreciate it if you could take care of them," Minato requested.

"Of course, Minato. I'll make sure that your last wishes are followed." Hiruzen replied with a bow of his head.

"Thank you," the blond said as he looked down at his sleeping son one last time.

"Goodbye, Naruto… Know that I love you with all my heart and that my only regret is that I won't be able to see you grow up to become the fine man I know you'll become," He uttered sorrowfully before he kissed him on the forehead in farewell. He turned his away from the others to try and hide the tears that began to freely fall from his scrunched eyes.

"And hopefully you'll know how sorry I am from placing this heavy burden on you… but it's the only way I know how to save Konoha from the Kyūbi and protect it from the threats that will come in the future. The village will need the fox's power on its side to survive the impending darkness and you're the only one I trust to hold it. I… I know you'll rise to the challenge and become the hero you're destined to be…"

The blond regained as much composure as he could before turning to the Sandaime.

"Hiruzen, there is one last thing I need you to do. Please tell the people that my last wish is that Naruto is to be seen as the hero he is for containing the Kyūbi and protecting them from it. If they should not, I beg you to make sure that both he and his mother are safe."

"I shall," Hiruzen replied with another bow of his head.

Minato looked at both men one last back time and gave his best smile.

"Don't look so down, guys. It's probably best that this jutsu kills me since I'd probably die later on anyway. Once Tsunade finds out what I'm about to do I'm sure I wouldn't survive her reaction." He chuckled with a sudden chill down his spine. "She'd probably kill me in the slowest and most agonizing way possible too…"

The other two couldn't help but let out a minor laugh, as reluctant as it sounded. They could only imagine what the med-nin would cook up once she awakened to hear the news.

Sadly, whatever else that could be said was cut short as Minato quickly made his way towards the battlefield, leaving behind two sad yet proud gazes on his back.

When he was near the frontlines he did a few hand seals and performed the Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu), making a giant cloud of smoke appear. It captured all attention and when it cleared everyone could see Minato standing on a toad that stood a hundred meters high and wore a yakuza gangster-like robe, along with a pipe in his mouth, a huge dosu (Yakuza sword) on his back and a large scar that went down his left eye. This toad was Gamabunta, the Toad Boss and the strongest of all the toad summons.

"Minato, what's going on? Why did you summon me?" Gamabunta asked, his voice echoing around him for all to hear.

"I summoned you to help me fight the Kyūbi," Minato replied seriously.

The chief toad finally laid his eyes onto to the gigantic fox that was fast approaching them. A deathly serious ambiance overtook his being. "Minato, you can't expect me to fully defeat the Kyūbi. I may be strong but the fox is stronger."

"Yes, I know. That's why I plan to seal the Kyūbi into my son, Naruto, with a special jutsu… although in doing so it will kill me." The admission both shocked and saddened the mighty toad. Over the years he and Minato had bonded just like Jiraiya before him and held a special place in the hearts of all the toads.

"Are you sure that there is no other way to stop it?" he asked feebly. He had a strong inkling that he already knew the answer.

"I'm afraid not," said Minato sadly as he kneeled and pat the toad on the head.

"Very well… if this is going to be our last battle together then let's make it one for the history books!"Gamabunta grunted and exhaled slowly. "And know that I'll miss you brat. I and everyone else at Mount Myōboku will always be proud to have had you as our summoner and partner."

"And I was proud to be able to summon you," Minato replied. Both man and toad then turned their focus on their opponent, fully intent on stopping its warpath.

Minato quickly ordered the shinobi below to fall back to the village. They quickly did so after a moment's hesitation and prepped themselves to watch as their Hokage and his summon did battle with the Kyūbi.

For several minutes after their first charge Gamabunta dodged the fierce strikes of the fox's tails before going on the offensive.

"Suiton: Teppōdama no Jutsu (Water Style: Liquid Bullet Jutsu)!" he cried out ferociously. The giant shot of water launched towards the fox after its latest attempted attack. The jutsu struck head-on but did little more than soaking the beast's fur.

The Kyūbi then countered by launching its tails at Gamabunta once again. Gamabunta went about dodging them one after another and even draw his dosu to deflect some of the mighty appendages. After the struggle persisted for a bit Gamabunta managed to find an opening and launched a powerful slashing strike. The fox did its best to dodge the attack and escaped the worst of it, but wasn't able to avoid a large gash being carved into its side as a result.

"Ha! Take that, you nine-tailed freak!" cried Gamabunta with a victorious smirk that immediately disappeared a moment later when the wound healed itself before their eyes.

The fox then responded with opening its large mouth and began to gather chakra from its body and the surrounding air. The raw energy compressed into a single ball before it was released as one massive blast of energy.

"SHIT!" shouted Gamabunta as he began moving to dodge the incoming attack. With a mighty leap of his legs he managed to barely scrape above it, but a large portion of Konoha's surrounding forest didn't remain unscathed. The resulting explosion from the impact was devastating among the foliage and timber, causing wooden shrapnel to rain down and leave considerable damage upon the leaf village.

Minato glanced at the effects of the fox's overwhelming technique before quickly getting his mind back into the game. "Gamabunta, let's try a little teamwork!"

"Right!" the toad shouted back and prepared another jutsu.

"Gamayudan (Toad Oil Bullet)!" he yelled while Minato simultaneously cried, "Katon: Endan (Fire Style: Flame Bullet)!"

The oil that Gamabunta fired acted as an accelerant and provided more fuel for the fire attack that Minato launched, creating a conflagration of far greater power and magnitude reminiscent of a giant flamethrower. The combined attack rushed forward with its unique roar and hit the fox with great force.

The pyro offensive quickly covered the Kyūbi's body like a quickly developed forest fire and made it start to yell in pain.

When the Konoha shinobi saw this they cheered loudly, believing that the demon had been critically injured, if not killed outright. However, the celebrations did not last long as a massive blast of chakra exploded from the beast and extinguished the fire covering its body, creating a small creator around it from the outward force. Trees were uprooted and blown away along with various debris and many unfortunate shinobi that were within the shockwave's range.

Once the violent moment passed everyone could see the massive charred burns on the Kyūbi's body, making it look like black was the fox's natural fur color. Sadly, just like before, red chakra began to envelop and heal its body. Before the wounds could be fully healed, Gamabunta took advantage and decided to delay the fox by grappling against it in a strong amphibious grip where a battle of dominance began. With simply trying to keep the fox in place and not overpowering it, the toad was able to hold out long enough to let Minato get close and use the Shiki Fūjin.

"Now, Minato! This might be your only chance to use it!" Gamabunta shouted as his struggle continued.

"Right!" Minato cried back as he did the seals. "Shiki Fūjin!" he shouted.

The unsettling form of the Shinigami suddenly appeared behind Minato, its arm piercing through Minato's chest with no hesitation. The ghoulish appendage continued towards the Kyūbi and split its chakra in two, sealing the yin into the Hokage while the yang was sent into Naruto where the Hakke no Fūin Shiki appeared on his form.

"It's done!" Minato peacefully thought with a sad smile plastered on his face as he felt the Shinigami pulling his soul away. "I leave the rest as well as the future of Konoha to you, Naruto… I know you won't fail me… make me proud…"

The deed was done and Konoha was saved as Minato's soul and the fox's yin chakra began to be consumed by the Shinigami, sentencing the now former Hokage to an eternity of battle inside its being.

The great Yondaime Hokage was dead, but he passed on with a final smile adorning his lips and the knowledge that everyone was safe. The future was unknown to all, but he felt that it was safe in the hands of his son.

After Minato died the Kyūbi's body fell to the ground before all of its remaining charka erupted in one massive shockwave. The power behind it forced Gamabuta back a bit, making him move in place to protect the blond father and son from any physical harm. The remaining Konoha shinobi that watched everything conclude were also forced to the ground as even more damage came upon their village, but at this point they'd take it if it meant the fighting was over.

Once the dust settled and silence reigned the air, the giant summon sorrowfully gazed upon Minato and Naruto.

"You were truly a great summoner and friend to all of the toads, brat. Hopefully your son will become just as great as you, if not greater," he said in somber finality before returning home in a puff of smoke.

Soon after the toad's disappearance the remaining Konoha shinobi gathered around the body of their fallen hero and took him back to the village to be buried and honored as the great man that he was. Thankfully, a certain Sarutobi was able to gather little Naruto before anyone else could.

-Two days later -

Two days after the Kyūbi attack the village was understandably still buzzing with activity. Nearly everyone was busy helping with repairs to the village, some parts more devastated than others from the fox's attacks and the conclusive shockwave.

But even as the people were busy working, their mood was still somber since it was only yesterday that the funeral service for the Yondaime Hokage and the other shinobi that died was held. There virtually wasn't anyone in the village that didn't lose a loved one, not to mention the loss of the village's greatest Hokage and hero had greatly affected every citizen of the leaf and many others throughout the country.

After the battle it was decided by the Fire Daimyo and the Grand Fire Council that Hiruzen would retake his position as the Hokage. It was a bittersweet pill to swallow but he knew it had to be done. At the end of the funeral Hiruzen announced that Minato had defeated the Kyūbi by sealing its chakra into the body of a young child and that he had asked for him to be seen as a hero. Sadly, just as the old Hokage had feared, the wounds that the Kyūbi had caused by its destruction had caused the people to focus their anger and sorrow at the child. It got so bad to the point that many, out of fear, were shouting for the child's death, claiming the Kyūbi would take over its prison and kill them all. The rest that were asking of same thing seemed to want it done purely out of blinded revenge on the fox.

This was stopped when the Sarutobi clan head released a massive amount of killing intent on the angry villagers, both civilian and ninja, causing all to immediately cower at his power. He spoke at how ashamed he was of how they reacted and their dishonoring of Minato's memory and sacrifice. Many had regrettably lowered their heads in shame, but there were plenty that simply shrugged off the feeling and stubbornly held onto their hate.

Because of the heavy emotions, Hiruzen declared a new law stating that if anyone ever speaks out or mentions the Kyūbi and its connection to its container, especially to the younger generation, they would be charged with treason and would be executed immediately without trial, making the ordeal an S-class secret.

-In Tsunade's Private Hospital Room-

Tsunade, still resting from giving birth, continued to slumber peacefully in her bed. She would've been awake at this point, especially given recent events, but Shizune decided to administer more sedatives to deal with the added stress that encumbered her to be safe.

Hiruzen was at her side, quietly waiting since she was due to awaken any minute. It took a while but her eyes eventually started to slowly open. Even with the drowsiness she was no doubt feeling she suddenly gained a second wind and was alert as can be when she caught the form of her sensei.

"Sensei, what are you doing here? Where's Shizune? Where's Naru-chan? Where my baby?!" said Tsuande alarmed as she looked around.

"Tsunade, please relax. You need to rest. Both Shizune and Naruto are fine," he said calmly, a mood she matched after a moment or two to gather her bearings.

"Now, Tsunade, there is something I need to tell you. It seems that the birth caused a lot more stress to you than we had thought and you have been asleep for two days. Also… sadly… when you were put to sleep we came under attack by the Kyūbi."

A jolt of shock ran through her body, but he continued before she could give a response.

"But thankfully we were able to survive the attack and defeat it."

She was surprised even further. It was truly hard to fathom how the Kyūbi was defeated since its power was legendary. No one short of her grandfather could evenly fight the fox and even then he had his Mokuton abilities to aid him.

The only exception was one kunoichi named Uzumaki Kushina, who possessed a special chakra that allowed her to suppress the chakra of the tailed beasts and used it in conjunction with her chakra chain technique to restrain the creatures.

Of course, more questions were raised in her mind since Kushina wasn't even around the village to properly deal with the threat. Hiruzen was able to guess her train of thought from the look of contemplation on her face and spoke.

"We were able to defeat the Kyūbi thanks to Minato. He used a special jutsu he created that allowed him to rip the Kyūbi's soul out of its body and seal it into a child. That child… I am sad to tell you was Naruto."

At the very moment that he uttered the last syllable the room quickly became flooded with a massive amount of killing Intent. Hiruzen buckled a bit and even felt his breath escape him, despite the many years of such intent being felt by him over the years.

"That… that bastard! I'll kill him! I'll make him wish he was never born! I'll rip him apart till there's nothing but little chunks of left! How dare he do that my child!" she roared as she started to get out of her bed. An aura of absolute fury surrounded her being, the likes of which could make any deity cower in fear.

"Tsunade, please calm down! There are still things that you don't know yet and need to understand!" Hiruzen pleaded as he blocked her warpath out the door and grabbed ahold of her arm.

I understand everything perfectly! That bastard sealed one of those monsters into my baby and turned him into a jinchūriki, and you know damn well how they're treated! When I find that bastard I'll-!"

"Tsunade, Minato's dead!" Hiruzen interrupted.

She paused where she stood. "W-what…?"

Hiruzen sighed sadly. "Minato is dead. The jutsu that he used to seal the Kyūbi into Naruto cost him his life," he answered. He went on to explain how the Shiki Fūjin worked

When he finished explaining what happened in the battle, Tsunade took a moment to think and just growled in frustration. Her current fury was clouding her mind with the wishes to end the bastard herself, but she resigned to curse his soul to hell later. Right now she needed to be with her son.

"Sensei, where's Naru-chan now?" she asked calmly yet worryingly.

"Don't worry. I have Shizune and Jiraiya watching him at the Namikaze estate."

"Can you take me to him?" It was more a statement than question.

"Of course."

After they stopped talking Tsunade quickly got out of her hospital gown and got dressed into her normal attire. The two of them then left the room and snuck through the village, making sure that no one saw that the Senju was there. It didn't take long for them to reach the large mansion that had belonged to the Namikaze family since the founding of the village.

The mansion was built behind the Hokage monument and was hidden from view by the tree line in front of it. It had a large open garden in the front of it and a swimming pool in the back. The mansion itself was a large marble four story building with hundreds of windows and a double door entrance that the walkway from the gate lead to. Just from taking a look at its stature, it could be seen to fit dozens of people easily.

The Namikaze family had the home built when the village was first founded. The family wasn't a special shinobi clan and were in fact simple merchants who had come when Konoha was built and did well for themselves with the opportunities they were given. They ended up being the wealthiest merchant family in the village due to owning over fifty-one percent of the businesses amongst the population and controlled most of the trading infrastructure. Minato was the first member of the family to become a shinobi, and despite him choosing the militaristic profession he was also skilled in running businesses thanks to training from his parents. It was because of this training that the blond was able to keep the business tradition running smoothly after his parents were killed.

Yet, regardless of owning everything built from his family over the years, he hadn't lived on the magnificent property in a long time. He much preferred to have his own independence after he was promoted to chunin. That choice was hammered down even more so after the passing of his parents. The memory of their murder would've been a constant and dark reminder in the home, no matter how much he renovated and cleaned the spot where they met their end. Even sealing off the room and ignoring it wouldn't have been enough.

That didn't mean he forgot his place of kin, though. He still took the time to use the library when it was needed and even constructed a room to store all of the scrolls that held the techniques he gathered or created over the course of his career.

When they entered the mansion Tsunade and the Sandaime went into the main living room where Jiraiya and Shizune were taking care of Naruto. When the new mother saw her child with Shizune she quickly raced over to him and desperately scooped him up. She held and squeezed him with all of the love she could project as if he would disappear from the slightest loosening of her grip.

"My baby! Thank the stars that you're okay!" she happily cried before she looked down and examined the three whisker marks on both sides of his cheek.

"Is this result of the sealing?" Tsunade asked Jiraiya.

"Yes it is, but don't worry about it. He won't be sprouting any fox ears or a tail if that's what you're wondering. It's normal to see a trait like that in jinchūriki since it's sort of a way to show their connection to a specific biju. And don't worry about the Kyūbi harming him in any way. Minato placed the Hakke no Fūin Shiki on him and there aren't many seals stronger than that."

Jiraiya would have continued in his praise of Minato's skill as a seal master but stopped when Tsunade started to growl at him. The praise was just a quick reminder of what happened to her son.

Jiraiya wasn't surprised that Tsunade felt this way. Despite his good intentions, Minato had placed a very heavy burden on their son, and he doubted Tsunade would ever forgive Minato for what he did.

"So what happens now?" Shizune timidly asked from the side.

"It's simple, we're leaving. I'm not going to stay here and let my son become the village outcast simply because of what that bastard did him! I have no doubt that the villagers and many of the shinobi here will claim he is a demon and try to hurt him in any way possible," Tsunade snarled, daring either Jiraiya or the Sandaime to say otherwise.

Jiraiya remained silent since he actually agreed with her. The people wouldn't take too kindly to Naruto's presence. A seed of contempt was planted in the hearts of many villagers and their future intentions could be dangerous if the newborn were to remain in his birthplace. Hiruzen knew this too well as he saw the reactions many had when details of the fox's defeat were revealed.

"You don't have to worry, Tsunade. I won't stop you from leaving if you really wish to do so. In fact, you have my full support," Hiruzen said resolutely.

His students were clearly surprised, expecting him to instead argue and convince Tsunade to place her trust in the citizens of Konoha.

"What's the deal, sensei? I always pictured you as an idealist," asked Jiraiya

"I am, but the sad truth is I know in my heart that if Naruto stayed he would be an outcast. I promised Minato that I would do everything in my power to see that both Tsunade and Naruto would be safe and the best way to do that is to let them leave the village."

"But wouldn't they see him differently if you announced his heritage? I'm sure they wouldn't think of him as a demon or hate him if they knew that he was Tsunade-sama and the Yondaime's son. Other than Tsunade-sama, he is now the last Senju alive and the son of Konoha's hero," Shizune stated.

Hiruzen straitened up. "Although that could happen, that would just place Naruto in more danger. If word about him leaked out, eventually other villages and shinobi groups would target him. With his lineage and containing the most powerful of the biju, all kinds of enemies would stop at nothing to capture or kill him at every chance they get. This is more concerning with Konoha's military strength weakening as well, so all things considered it's best that he isn't here."

"But I heard that you forbade anyone from speaking of the fox. Besides, you didn't say who the child was exactly, so no one knows that Naruto is the container. Couldn't you just reveal Naruto's heritage to them without revealing the fact that he has the Kyūbi sealed into him?" Shizune inquired.

"That wouldn't work. The villagers would notice the markings on his cheeks and the shinobi that have knowledge in sealing would easily connect the dots due to his age. Word would spread and we'd have to deal with the consequences, and that's just within the village. Outside forces beyond our walls and country would be a given."

Shizune looked a little confused, but Jiraiya and Tsunade understood his words quite well. For the young kunoichi's sake, Hiruzen explained further.

"It's simple. If the people of Konoha knew that Naruto was Minato and Tsunade's son, they would treat him like royalty and spoil him rotten. He would become a spoiled and arrogant child that would believe that just because he is the heir of a prestigious clan, he'd be handed power and strength on a silver platter and not value hard work, determination and training. He might even look down on others and believe he is their better by default. There'd even be several factions in Konoha that would seek to use his future power and influence."

Hiruzen let out an annoyed scoff. "The most notable would be Danzo." Jiraiya's face grew serious and Tsunade even felt a small snarl coming along at the back of her throat from the mere mention of the old war hawk. "He has already requested to give him custody of the child containing the Kyuubi so that he can train him to become a shinobi. I'm certain under his care Naruto would become an emotionless boy who would answer only to Danzo himself, especially if he knew who his parents are and the political and business impact that he'd carry. Take everything regarding Naruto into account and Danzo could potentially have all of Konoha under his control as a potential Hokage. I know that you all see this as a disastrous scenario."

Shizune couldn't help but mentally shudder at the thought of her godson helping the old warmonger position himself into such power. His reputation wasn't the best, and from what her master told her the further away he was from Naruto the better.

"Like I'd ever let that one-eyed bastard even touch a hair on my Naru-chan! I'll rip out his remaining eye and arm myself if he even thinks about it!" Tsunade carefully and angrily muttered back, hoping to not wake up Naruto.

"That is why it's best that you both leave the village for now. It'd be best if you keep a low profile. We can't risk any suspicion before we're able to properly handle it," Hiruzen responded.

Tsunade simply nodded before she spoke.

"Is there anything else, sensei? I'd like to get out of here as soon as I can."

"Yes, there is something I like to say. Now, as Jiraiya already knows, before Minato died he left me as executor to the Namikaze estate in which he has named Naruto as heir to the Namikaze family fortune as well as everything that he owned."

"Won't the council try and seize it for themselves since they don't think Minato-sama has an heir?" Shizune asked.

"They've already tried but I overruled them. Even if they don't know Naruto will inherit everything when he's older I still have absolute say over what happens to Minato's possessions."

"Speaking of which, who'll manage the businesses that belong to the Namikazes since I doubt you will?" Tsunade asked Hiruzen.

"They'll be handled by Seiwa Genji. He helped Minato's father manage them and continued to overlook them when he died and Minato inherited it all. He was a good and loyal friend to the family so we don't have to worry. Everything will continue to run correctly, but he'll be left in the dark about Naruto in case there's a chance he might let his identity slip or someone trying to force information out of him.

"I believe you should also know that Minato has requested in his will that I have all your debts paid off through the Namikaze fortune." Tsunade and Shizune felt shock overtake them. "And before you try and refuse you don't need to worry about negatively affecting Naruto's inheritance. Even as high as your debts are they won't make that big of a dent in the family fortune. Minato also set up a trust fund for Naruto which will be paid monthly to you and should be enough to allow you three to live simple but comfortable lives even if you travel around which seems like what you'll be doing," Hiruzen ended.

After a few moments Tsunade and Shizune got over their shock and as much as the Senju hated to admit, she was grateful for Minato getting rid of all her debts and taking care of them all. However, she would never truly forgive him for turning their son into a sacrifice regardless of how noble or selfless his reasons were.

"Well, if that's all, sensei, I think that once Shizune and I get everything we need to take care of Naruto we'll leave tonight," Tsunade said, all while gently rocking her son.

"There is one last thing I would like to say, Tsunade," Hiruzen started, causing Tsunade to raise an eyebrow, "I know that you have good reasons to keep Naruto away from Konoha, but I would like you to consider allowing him to become a shinobi of Konoha when he's old enough." Tsunade looked ready to argue. "Before you speak against it, you have to remember that the blood of some of the greatest shinobi in the world including yourself runs through Naruto's veins. Following the path of a shinobi is instilled in him and I highly doubt that you could stop him even if you tried to. Naruto has the potential to become as great a shinobi as your grandfather, great uncle and his father, maybe even greater, and he'll need the support of Konoha behind him to help him with whatever enemies he will face. He'll need to be here to claim and protect his fortune and other heirlooms like the Hiraishin scroll anyway, so building a connection would be ideal for everyone. At the very least he'll be able to make sure his property doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

Tsunade frowned, but she had to admit he had a point.

After a few minutes of carefully thinking Tsunade spoke. "I won't make any promises of his future in Konoha, but I'll think about it. We will definitely be back to claim his inheritance, though, so a decision will be made by then."

"That's all I ask," Hiruzen resplied with a smile.

"I think I'll head out as well, sensei. It's best that I travel and reconnect with my spy network. We have to keep an ear out for anyone that might catch wind of anything related to Naruto or hime. It'd be smart to look for any threats in the future too." Jiraiya said.

Hiruzen offered them all a smile. "Very well, I wish you both the best of luck."

"Don't worry, we'll keep you posted on how we're doing," Tsunade assured.

Three hours later when the night sky had fully loomed over Konoha Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune and Naruto snuck out of the village with none being the wiser.

As they left the Sandaime was looking out the window of his office and at the star-filled night heavens. "I look forward to the day of your return, Naruto, for I have no doubt we'll be seeing great things coming from you just like your mother, father and your ancestors," he thought with a slight smile. He then turned to look at the pictures of his predecessors, all of them sharing the same blood as the whiskered blond.

After of few minutes of silent staring and thinking, Hiruzen decided to head home and finally get some rest.