10 Chapter 10: Lineage Revealed

So last time I left you all on a cliffhanger, didn't I? Evil of me, wasn't it? But at least it wasn't a truly EVIL cliffhanger. It was more of a 'you have this to look forward to now' cliffhanger.

Anyways, before we begin, got a bit of news. I have up a poll currently that will affect what Naruto fanfic I write next after this one. If you all would be so kind, please vote on it either now or after you're done reading the chapter. I'll be sure to mention it again so you won't forget.

Also, I mentioned this in my Harry Potter fanfic, but I'm looking for a fanfic cover art for my Harry Potter fanfics. Something that has to do with Battle Mages or Harry Potter (beyond the generic Harry hanging out with Ron and Hermione pictures). If you know of such a picture, or someone who could draw such a picture, for free mind you, please let me know in PM's or reviews. I would greatly appreciate it.

Next, Fenris-wolfprince is looking for a beta, so please contact him if you're interested in helping him.

Lastly, got a challenge to advertise. Wacko12 has a Naruto challenge fic he wants to see done. If anyone is interested, please contact him and ask about it.

And now, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own the Naruto series or the Assassin's Creed series. They are the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto and Ubisoft respectively. I in no way profit financially from my work here.

Chapter 10

Lineage Revealed

Kawa no Kuni, The Capital City

The night sky over the Capital of Kawa no Kuni (Land of Rivers) was filled with colorful explosions as fireworks illuminated the city. The country was celebrating its 300th anniversary, and as such, the city was a bustle of activity and energy. The city was a magnificent sight, built in the middle of the main river that coursed through the country from north to south. Canals and bridges connected various parts of the city to each other, with ferries and two massive bridges connecting it to opposite shores of the river.

Throughout the city, party goers laughed and celebrated, enjoying the games, food, and souvenirs in the numerous vendor stands lining the sides of the streets. In plazas throughout the city, large dances were held for all to enjoy.

Amidst this revelry, five figures, two in expensive looking kimonos, sat in a small boat that was being rowed by its operator. Each wore a festival mask, with the smaller of the two men wearing a mask designed to look like Ryujin the Sea Dragon, and the other wearing a mask of Suijin, the Shinto Deity of Water. The other men stood by, silently watching, each armed with various weapons.

Elsewhere, a pair of geisha listened intently, as a shadowy figure standing in shadows conversed with them. As they grinned and nodded, the figure handed them a stack of ryo bills before fading back into the shadows.

The boat with the two masked men had docked, and the group of five now were on the outskirts of one of the plazas, where revelers were currently dancing and celebrating. The taller man had crossed his arms, seeming disinterested with the whole thing, while the smaller man's masked face could be seen looking in different directions. He stopped as his eyes landed on a pair of geisha who came over, bowing.

"My lords, may we offer you our services and company?" One of them asked.

The taller one let out a 'tch' noise and waved them off, but the smaller man spoke in a voice that denoted he was of a somewhat younger age. "Of course," he said with a grin, letting one of the geisha pull him towards the dance floor. As the other geisha faded, the pair began to join the dancers.

On the opposite side of the plaza, the figure from before quietly watched, before grinning as they stepped into the crowd of dancers.

The Ryujin masked man smiled behind his mask as he danced with the geisha. As they both turned in unison with everyone else, the man spoke over his shoulder towards her. "You know, I think I could maybe use some company tonight, in my bedroom," he said.

There wasn't any response, and the man blinked, stopping and turning, only to find the geisha was gone. Surprised, he began to look around for her. He looked to his left, and seeing nothing there, turned to his right. His eyes widened slightly as he briefly saw a shadowy figure and then a searing pain shot through him, as a burning sensation seemed to spread from his neck. He slowly stumbled, turning in an almost confused manner back to his partner.

On the outskirts of the dance, the Suijin mask wearing man blinked as he saw his partner's odd behavior, as the Ryujin masked man slowly raised a hand to his throat. The taller man's eyes widened as he saw blood seeping between his companion's fingers, before he collapsed, revealing the figure who had been standing behind him the whole time.

It was a man wearing a completely black outfit with a wrapping around their head that hid everything but their eyes. He held up a kunai knife dripping with blood as he eyed the Suijin mask wearing man.

"KILL HIM!" Shouted the man as he turned to flee, and his three escorts rushed forward, drawing their weapons.

The man bounded forward and off of a statue in the middle of the plaza. He landed on one of the charging men, driving him to the ground while stabbing his neck with the kunai. He quickly got up off the corpse as the second man tried to drive the katana he wielded down at him, only for him to sidestep before driving his knee into his attacker's gut to knock the air out of the sword wielder. Moving quickly, he then wrapped his arm around the larger man's neck and twisted, snapping his neck and killing him. He spun around the third man who stabbed at him with the spear he was carrying. As he tried to stab again, the figure grabbed the spear, punching the man, kicking him away, before spinning the spear and stabbing him back. As he fell to the ground, the man turned and rushed off, leaving panicked people and three corpses behind.

The man was running for his life, trying to make his way towards the center of the city. There was the Daimyo's palace, and the samurai of the Daimyo. As he ran along bridges and sidewalks, the black clad figure hopped along pylons jutting out of one of the canals, before using chakra to leap up to the side of a building and quickly scaled up towards the roof. Once there he stopped and scanned, his shadowed eyes locking on his sprinting figure. He quickly shot off after him, leaping from roof to roof.

The mask wearing man panted as he felt his legs burning, his lungs aching for air. But he grinned as he saw the palace in the distance. If he could get the aid of the samurai, he'd be safe. He was going to be safe.

As he neared, he saw a group of four lower ranked samurai standing at attention near the gateway leading into the courtyards surrounding the palace. "Please! You need to help me! A killer's after me!" he shouted, as he ran over to them.

The samurai quickly drew their weapons. "Hold there!" one shouted, as the man stopped, looking scared now.

"Please, I need help! There's a killer after me!" he shouted, turning. His eyes widened in fear as the black clad figure was standing there, staring back. He slowly drew a pair of knives from his belt, and settled into a ready stance, as the man quickly pointed at him.

"There! That's him! Kill him!" he shouted, as two of the samurai quickly moved forward. None of the samurai, or the frightened man, noticed the second figure watching everything from above. The figure slowly raised their left arm, and fiddled with the underside of a leather bracer they wore on that arm. There was a soft, almost silent 'pfft' noise, and the barest glint of light on metal.

The man with the Suijin mask suddenly clasped his neck, blinking as he felt a sharp sting. He suddenly felt it was hard to breath, and his body trembled, as he fell to his knees. The samurai stopped and turned to him, as he began gasping for air, falling forward and barely catching himself with one hand, before falling to the ground, where he convulsed and gasped for air. None of them noticed the black clad figure disappear, or the second figure head off over the rooftops. All they could do was watch helplessly as the man in the Suijin mask finally stopped moving. One of them rushed to the gate and quickly began ringing an alarm bell there.

A fair distance away, the black clad figure finally stopped running and panted as he peeled off the black mask her was wearing. "How the hell does anyone breathe in this thing?" Raphael asked himself, using it to wipe perspiration from his face.

"Oh I don't know. I thought you looked intimidating in it," spoke a playful female voice. Raphael turned to see a woman wearing a tan colored long sleeved tunic with a raised hood, a belt with supply pouches, and black shinobi pants with a kunai holster around her right thigh. She also had a leather bracer on her left forearm with a metal mechanism on the underside. She grinned as she reached up and lowered her hood, revealing the grinning face of Anko Mitarashi. The now twenty year old Konoha kunoichi still had almost shoulder length purple hair, which was currently in a low short ponytail rather than her normal pineapple style ponytail.

Raphael chuckled. "C'mon, I was about as intimidating as a wet cat," he joked, before becoming serious. "Did you get the documents from their hotel room?"

Anko nodded, producing a scroll from one of the pouches. "It's all right here. All the files belonging to Kuroi Akiudo, the King of Black Market weapons. The now deceased Kuroi Akiudo," she added.

Raphael nodded as he took the scroll. "Excellent. We can hopefully use this to track down the bandit groups and others he sold weapons to," he said. "For now though, let's get back to the hotel. We'll need to hide out for a couple of days."

Anko nodded as they both started to head off, sticking to the shadows as they heard the rushing footsteps of guards rushing through the city now.

As they did, Anko started to contemplate what had happened over the last two years.

When he returned from Suna, Raphael had begun training them in unseen movement. How to blend with crowds and move from position to position in an unobtrusive manner. Raphael had put all three of them through the training, using the busy marketplace in Konoha as the training ground. At first it had just been him observing them, as they tried to sneak around without him noticing. As time went by, with Sarutobi's help, Raphael had set up various targets to add to the training. Clones and occasional volunteer shinobi were used as a target for the assassin recruits to sneak up on and 'assassinate'.

Besides that, he had begun training them more extensively in the weapons of the Assassin Brotherhood. He began training them on how to not only use the hidden blades to assassinate targets, but also to use them in combat as a supplement to their taijutsu.

As their skills as assassins rose, Anko and Yugito began to focus on specific methods of assassinating that they felt comfortable with. Anko had chosen to stay with a single hidden blade bracer, and chosen the poison blade and poison dart attachments for it. Her experience as the former apprentice of Orochimaru had led to a vast knowledge of poison, which she was happy to utilize for a greater good. She also now wielded a pair of curved daggers in combat, each decorated with the Assassin emblem on the blades, right above the hilts.

Yugito, however, decided against using poison. In fact, she went for a very simplistic approach: a single hidden blade bracer with no attachments. She didn't feel confident in using poison, and considering she already wielded dual katars, she felt dual hidden blades was superfluous.

Naruto had begun full training with the hidden blade bracer a few months ago, after it was deemed he was capable of handling one without killing or hurting anyone in real life. He was only allowed to train with the real one on practice dummies in their training field however, and during the 'simulated' assassinations in the marketplace, Naruto was given a wooden practice kunai to use instead. Naruto had also begun learning how to fight with a sword, with Raphael teaching him the basics of swordsmanship. Anko had gotten him a bokken for his eighth birthday, and he was working hard to master the basics.

It was only in the past six months that Raphael had felt that Anko and Yugito were ready to begin active field work as Assassins. Utilizing information given to him by Sarutobi, as well as his still slowly growing network of informants with the Land of Fire, Raphael had found easy enough targets for the pair to hunt down. Usually the assassinations were bandit leaders in the wild, or a small time crime boss or lieutenant in one of the major towns. Only three weeks ago, Anko had assassinated a high ranking member of one of the largest black market weapons dealers in the Land of Fire. The information she had managed to acquire from the man's home is what had led to this mission.

The man they had assassinated was a member of the weapon black market organization belonging to Kuroi Akiudo (Black Merchant), one of the most successful 'dealers of death' in the land. And the information they had gathered from his home had not only implicated him in supplying weapons to various bandit groups across the continent, but also inciting occasional revolts and rebellions in order to sell his weapons to both sides of the very conflicts he had started. The information also showed he would be here in Kawa no Kuni in order to negotiate a new deal.

Raphael had decided that this target would be perfect for an assessment of Anko's skills. He had assigned her the target, and accompanied her to observe her skills. She had scouted the city, identified him when he arrived two days previously, and had even infiltrated his hotel as a servant girl to gather information. With everything she had learned, she planned out his assassination, utilizing Raphael as a distraction and a way to herd the target right where she wanted him.

Anko glanced at Raphael with a grin. "So, do I pass Mentor?" She asked, referring to him by the title of the leader of an Assassin chapter.

Raphael waved her off. "I'm no Mentor. I need a lot more years before then," he said. "But as for passing…guess you'll have to wait till we get to Konoha, won't you?" He asked teasingly.

Anko pouted. "You're mean!" She whined, punching his arm and causing him to stumble.

"You're the one who punched me," Raphael said back, rubbing his arm. The two looked at each other before bursting into laughter as they continued onwards to their hotel room.

Konoha, the next day

It was another beautiful day in Konoha. The sun was out, the birds were chirping, and people were going about happily with their business.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was busy working in his office, filling out paperwork. As he set aside another piece of signed document, he sighed quietly as he thought about the problem weighing heavily on his mind.

Almost two years ago, Itachi Uchiha had told him about his father's plan to lead a coup against him and the Council. Apparently, an unknown source had been discreetly spreading rumors shortly after the Kyuubi attack about how Madara Uchiha, the co-founder of Konoha with Hashirama Senju and leader of the Uchiha clan at the time, was able to control the Kyuubi utilizing his Sharingan. This information had leaked to the general populace, which had led rumors that the Kyuubi attack that had claimed the life of the Yondaime Hokage and so many others was the work of an Uchiha, rather than a random event. The populace had become wary of the Uchiha, leading to some uncomfortable confrontations between the clan and the civilian born shinobi of Konoha. When coupled with how the Uchiha Clan's distract was set apart from the rest of the village, courtesy of the Nidaime Hokage Tobirama Senju, and it was easy for the Uchiha clan to start to feel the pressure.

Sarutobi cursed his late sensei once again. While he respected the man as a shinobi, he lately had been seeing quite a few problems that Tobirama had been the cause of. His grudge against the Uchiha had been a major factor in the clan's current discontentment, as well as the fact that if not for Tobirama, Madara Uchiha never would have left Konoha. Not to mention Tobirama was the one who not only created a civilian council, but enabled them with responsibilities above their concern (1).

Now the Sandaime Hokage was faced with a situation no leader wanted to deal with: how to deal with a coup attempt in a way that helped the village come out intact. He had been subtly hinting to Fugaku that what he was planning was a rash action, but Fugaku had paid him no mind. And Itachi's latest reports seemed to only confirm that blood would need to be spilt, in order to resolve the situation before it could worsen.

He was brought from his musings by his secretary opening the door. "Hokage-sama, Chuunin Iruka Umino wishes to speak with you," she said quietly.

Sarutobi sat back, groaning a bit. "Send him in, please," he said.

The young chuunin quickly entered the office. Iruka had managed to finally become an Academy teacher only six months ago, and he was still rather nervous about doing a good job. He was constantly asking questions of the more veteran Academy teachers on how he should keep the students attention, and help them to learn.

"Thank you for seeing me Hokage-sama," he said, bowing. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a question considering an upcoming lesson. According to my curriculum, I'm supposed to be teaching my classes about the village of Uzushiogakure no Sato, and the Uzumaki clan," he said.

Sarutobi's eyes widened, before he sighed softly in understanding. "And you're wondering if one of your students, Naruto Uzumaki, has a connection to that clan?"

Iruka nodded at that. "Yes Hokage-sama. Is he a part of that clan?"

Sarutobi sighed to himself. "It's…complicated. I'm afraid that there are certain parts of Naruto's life that currently need to remain classified."

"I understand Hokage-sama. But if Naruto doesn't know about his lineage, what should I do if he asks questions in class?" Iruka asked, now a bit nervous.

Sarutobi stared at Iruka for a bit, before closing his eyes. "…do not worry about it, Iruka-san. I'll deal with the situation today. For now, continue preparations for your class," he said, in a tired, defeated sounding voice.

The young chuunin blinked in surprise at his leader's voice. "O-Of course, Hokage-sama. Thank you for seeing me," he said, before he turned and left.

Sarutobi sighed quietly, as he quietly thought about the situation at hand, before waving one of his hands. Almost immediately, an ANBU wearing a hawk mask appeared in front of him, kneeling. The aged Hokage studied him for a second, before speaking. "I want you to find Naruto Uzumaki, and bring him here."

The ANBU bowed his head and disappeared in a swirl of wind and leaves. Sarutobi sighed quietly as he went back to his paperwork, his old heart feeling heavy. Now he had two major issues to worry about.

Elsewhere, a small cat was sitting in a clearing in a small wooded area in one of the parks of Konoha. He was quietly grooming itself, licking his paw and then running said paw over his head and nose before licking it again. It stopped though, its ears twitching, before looking up to its left. There was nothing there, but the cat kept looking in that direction, before going back to grooming.

Slowly, Naruto Uzumaki peeked out from around the tree, looking at the cat. The now nine year old Academy student was dressed in a burnt orange hoodie with the hood up, and black shorts and sandals. He slowly reached up and touched the small radio strapped around his neck. "This is Whiskers, target sighted. Shadow, confirm?"

After a few seconds, the drawling voice of Shikamaru Nara answered. "Confirm bow on ear. Fang, are you in position?"

Kiba Inuzuka answered next. "This is Fang in position, waiting for team leader's order."

One of the Chuunin instructors form the Academy, overseeing the operation, nodded. "Team, begin the plan."

Almost immediately, a little white puppy burst from some bushes, rushing at the cat, which hissed madly and ran towards where Naruto was. Naruto stepped out, causing the cat to practically skid as it tried to turn and shot off in another direction. Kiba suddenly appeared in front of it, causing it to again turn, rushing in a new direction with the small puppy on its tail, only for the cat to freeze suddenly, as it began howling and struggling. Shikamaru, from his position, slowly lowered his hands from the Rat handsign used to activate his clan's signature jutsu. "Shadow Possession a success. You can move in sensei."

The chuunin quickly landed next to the struggling cat and with Shikamaru's help, put the angry feline into a cat carrier and secured it, barely removing his fingers from the door before a set of small claws tried to slash them off. Kiba picked up his puppy, Akamaru, who was still barking and growling at the cat carrier.

Naruto approached, pulling out a small bag from the pocket of his hoodie. "Here Tora," he said, pushing a few cat treats into the carrier, which calmed the cat down slightly as it began to eat them. The chuunin instructor nodded.

"Excellent work," he told them all, as the three genin sighed in relief.

As per the new system put in place at the Academy, all students in their third year and above undertook low D-rank missions, which were little more than chores and handyman jobs inside the village. On their assigned days of the week, the third year and above would be divided into random teams of three genin students and under the care of a chuunin instructor or volunteer chuunin and jounin, they'd undertake these missions. The reasons for this new addition to the Academy teaching system were fourfold.

The first was that it helped to teach the students teamwork at an early age. It helped them understand how Konoha shinobi relied on their comrades on missions. The second was it helped acclimate the students to the idea that they would be working with random teammates as they progressed in their careers. While they would be assigned genin teammates when they graduated, they would be required to work with a variety of teammates and they needed to be used to the idea of working with others. The third reason was it allowed the instructors to analyze the teamwork between the various genin, to see who worked best with whom. This information could then be used later by the Hokage and jounin instructors when it came time to assign teams.

The final reason was for the benefit of the instructors more than for the students. It helped them to learn what it was like to command a team, or instruct a team of genin. Things that they would or could be called upon to do one day.

This was Naruto's twelfth mission since the start of the year. The missions so far had consisted of walking dogs, picking up litter, painting houses and fences, and other menial tasks. Nothing truly interesting, but they were only Academy Students.

The Chuunin Instructor hefted the carrier up to his side. "Well, good work, all three of you. You all head back to the Academy, and I'll-."

The Instructor was interrupted by the appearance of the Hawk ANBU, who looked to him. "Hokage-sama wishes to speak with Naruto Uzumaki," he said.

The chuunin blinked before nodding. "Very well. Naruto-san, you're dismissed," he said.

Naruto was surprised and a bit worried about what this was all about, as he moved to the ANBU's side while lowering his hood. The ANBU placed a hand on his shoulder, and the two disappeared in a shunshin jutsu.

Naruto stumbled a bit as they appeared in the Hokage's office, with Sarutobi looking up. The ANBU then disappeared, as Naruto nervously looked at the Hokage. "Jiji-san, is something wrong?" He asked.

Sarutobi sighed quietly, indicating one of the seats in front of his desk. As Naruto sat down, Sarutobi gathered his thoughts. "Naruto, I believe it's time that you learn of part of your heritage," he said quietly.

Naruto's eyes widened at that, and he leaned forward. "Y-You mean I'll learn about my parents?" He asked somewhat excitedly and hopefully. Sarutobi sighed as he looked at Naruto.

"…Naruto…I'm sorry, but I can't tell you who your parents are. Not yet at least," Sarutobi said.

Naruto looked at him dejectedly. "W-Why jiji-san? Why can't you tell me?"

The ancient Hokage sighed softly. "Naruto…your parents were very strong, very powerful ninjas," he said quietly. "They made many enemies outside of Konoha. And if it was known that you were their child, they would try to kill you before you could become strong enough to protect yourself. That is why, for now, your parents must be kept a secret," he said softly.

Naruto looked down, a couple tears falling from his eyes, as Sarutobi sighed. "Naruto, I'm sorry. I truly am. I would love nothing more than to tell you who your parents are, but—"

"But what?!" Naruto yelled, looking up at him, tears still silently falling. "Do you know what it's like old man?! HUH?! To see all those children with their parents and seeing them smile and play together and be happy, and not knowing about your own parents! Why can't I know?! WHY?!"

The aged Hokage looked at him sadly, before glancing up at the pictures of the past Hokage's. His eyes landed on the one of the Yondaime Hokage. After a few moments, he looked back at Naruto. "…if I tell you Naruto…you must promise to keep it a secret. Keep it secret until it is safe for you to tell. Do you understand?"

Naruto slowly nodded. "I-I understand jiji," he said quietly.

Sarutobi sat back, lighting his pipe and trying to calm his nerves with a few puffs on the pipe. After a few moments, he finally spoke. "To begin with Naruto, it's time to explain the significance of your name," he said. "Your last name, Uzumaki, was not given to you arbitrarily. It was your mother's last name, and it was the name of the Uzumaki Clan of Uzushiogakure no Sato," he said.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise at that. "I…I have a clan?" He asked.

The old Hokage shook his head slightly. "It's not that simple Naruto. At one point the Uzumaki were a great and powerful clan, the predominate clan of their village. They were cousins to the Senju clan, the same clan our Shodai and Nidaime Hokage's come from. The two clans had a strong friendship, supporting each other through the founding of their villages. Konoha shinobi to this day still wears the emblem of the Uzumaki clan on their flak jackets and uniforms as a symbol of friendship and remembrance for our allies."

"What happened to the Uzumaki?" Naruto asked him.

"Fear and jealously," answered the Hokage. "The Uzumaki clan was known for their long life spans and powerful willpower and life forces. They were also known for their amazing skills in Fuinjutsu. An Uzumaki could utilize seals in combat that no other shinobi or village could even dream of doing. This made them highly respected by their allies, and highly feared by anyone who might be considered their enemies. And this is what led to the near total destruction of the Uzumaki clan and the destruction of Uzushiogakure no Sato. It was right before the end of the Second Shinobi War. Uzu's shinobi had been defending our right flank from shinobi from Kiri and were aiding us in holding off Kumo shinobi, while most of our forces were concentrated on fighting Iwa's shinobi. What we didn't know was that our enemies were planning a massive attack. A large force of shinobi from Kumo and Iwa was secretly gathered behind their lines and sent by sea to Kiri. And from there, they launched a sudden surprise invasion on the village of Uzu."

Naruto trembled as his fists clenched, balling up in anger. "W-What happened when they landed?" He asked quietly.

Sarutobi slowly puffed on his pipe, before answering. "A battle the likes which had not been seen since the time of the Rikudo Sennin. The combined invasion force outnumbered Uzu's defensive forces almost four to one, even when Uzu called back their own forces to help defend their home, leaving Konoha to hold the line here on the mainland. But even with their overwhelming numbers, the invasion force found themselves in the battle for their lives. The Uzumaki Clan had built their defenses well, with numerous trap seals and defensive seals protecting their home. And even when these were overcome, the shinobi of Uzu refused to give in. For every one of them who fell, they took at least three enemies with them. What Kumo, Kiri, and Iwa thought would be a quick and decisive strike turned into a four day battle that almost wiped out both sides of the conflict. In the end, Uzushiogakure no Sato was destroyed, and the survivors scattered across the Elemental Nations. But nine tenths of the invasion force that attacked them were killed or crippled beyond the ability to fight again. Faced with such heavy losses, Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo were forced to agree to the armistice agreement between themselves, Suna, and Konoha. The shinobi of Konoha vowed to honor our greatest ally, by always wearing their symbol, to show our allegiance to those who gave us salvation through their sacrifice."

After several moments of silence, Naruto looked up in confusion and a bit of anger. "But if Konoha values their memory so much, why haven't I heard of my clan before now? And why hasn't anyone recognized me as a member of the clan, if I bear their name?"

Sarutobi sighed quietly. "It was the civilian council, though they did not do it intentionally. Tobirama Senju, the Nidaime Hokage, created the civilian council to ensure everyone in Konoha had a voice. While his intentions were good, I feel that time has shown that his choice was wrong. The civilian council, after the Second Shinobi War, was called upon to help find ways of reducing money spent in Konoha, to bolster our post war funds. One of their first suggestions was to modify the Academy curriculum, to cut out some of the lessons they viewed as superfluous. The majority of the clan council tried to negate this proposition, but the civilian council found an ally in the Uchiha Clan. The Uchiha Clan has been bitter rivals of the Senju and Uzumaki clans, and in their eyes, if they could make Konoha forget about the Uzumaki, so much the better. That is why you have not heard of your clan before today. The civilians know little or nothing about the clan. And while the shinobi do know about the clan, they do not know you're a member of it. The Uzumaki clan was known for their deep red hair, and since you are blonde, they cannot make the connection. And please don't be upset about this, but remember that they also have little reason to talk to you," he said softly.

Naruto trembled a bit, before letting out a defeated sigh. "Thank you, jiji-san," he finally said. "Thank you for telling me about my clan. But now…can you tell me about my parents? Please?"

Sarutobi nodded quietly. "I will Naruto. But again, you must promise me that you won't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. Not yet at least. Swear, that as a future shinobi of Konoha, and as an Assassin in training, that you will not tell anyone what I'm going to tell you, until you are strong enough to defend yourself against your parent's enemies."

Naruto slowly nodded after a few moments of though. "I swear on my life as a future shinobi of Konoha, and as an Assassin recruit, that I will not reveal the truth about my parent's identities until I am strong enough to defend myself," he said quietly.

"Thank you Naruto. First off, your mother. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki, and she was a member of the Uzumaki clan. She had been brought here to Konoha for a special reason. A reason that I cannot reveal to you at this time. Please trust me on this, alright?" He asked Naruto.

Naruto nodded numbly, as Sarutobi stood and went to one of the bookcases, before pulling a book from it. He opened it, and began leafing through the pages, before laying it down in front of him. "This is one of the older registry books of the shinobi in Konoha," he said, before pointing out one ID pictures on the pages before them. "And this is your mother, Kushina Uzumaki."

Naruto looked down at the picture in question, his eyes widening. Most of the shinobi ID pictures featured various men and women wearing standard Konoha shinobi outfits, with their own little flairs added to make them a bit more unique. They also had either serious expressions or small smiles. Not his mother though. Not Kushina Uzumaki. She stuck out like a sore thumb in comparison to the others.

The picture in question featured a woman with long red hair and blue, almost purple eyes grinning wildly with one eye winking at the camera, as she was standing in a victory pose with her left hand out making the victory sign. She was wearing a long-sleeved red top with flared sleeves that would cover her hands under normal circumstances and a short sleeved orange coat over that. She was wearing a black combat skirt with thigh high black stockings and red zori sandals. Completing her outfit was her red colored forehead protector tied around her neck, and a large scroll on her back (2).

Naruto blinked, grinning a bit. "She's my mom?"

Sarutobi chuckled softly. "Yes, that's Kushina alright. You inherited quite a bit from her. Your personality and your facial structure for instance. I've always thought you looked like a male version of Kushina, minus the red hair and eyes. Those, well those you got from your father," he said.

Naruto looked up at him, eagerly. "And who was he?" He asked.

The aged Hokage sighed quietly. "Your father…well…this is somewhat difficult Naruto. Your father…is Minato Namikaze. Also known as the Yondaime Hokage."

Naruto just froze, sitting there and staring at the old man. His mind seemed unable to comprehend what he was just told. He remained still for several minutes, before finally speaking. "W-What?"

Sarutobi gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, your father is the Yondaime Hokage. The one who defeated the Kyuubi nine years ago," he said. "Your father also almost single handedly ended the Third Shinobi war when he defeated five hundred Iwa shinobi by himself. Most Iwa shinobi view your father with a hatred beyond reason."

Naruto trembled a bit. "A-and that's why you didn't let me know who my parents were, right?"

"Yes Naruto. But you are correct as well. You have the right to know who your parents are. And I do believe you're responsible enough to keep it a secret. I have a few things for you," he said quietly, as he went back to his desk, and pulled out a couple of scrolls. "After your parents died, I found several scrolls sitting on the Hokage's desk here. One was a heavily protected scroll, which may contain the necessary instructions and notes regarding the jutsu and abilities your parents were most famous for. The other two scrolls were these here: simple storage scrolls that contained things of a more personal nature. A letter stated that these two were to be given to you when you were old enough to understand what was inside them. The more heavily protected seal was to be given to you when you became a chuunin. Since you now know about your parents, I think it is time that you had these," he said, as he handed the two storage scrolls to Naruto.

Naruto took them, trembling as he saw the names of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze on each scroll. He slowly hugged them close, eyes shut tight. He slowly began to shake, as silent tears began to fall from his eyes.

Sarutobi felt his heart go out to the boy, and he gently moved to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Naruto just kept crying as he hugged the scrolls to him, while Sarutobi did his best to comfort the boy.

After several minutes, Naruto managed to calm down, and slowly looked up at Sarutobi. "T-Thank you jiji," he whispered quietly, a small smile appearing on his face.

Sarutobi just nodded quietly, as he patted the boy's shoulder. "You're welcome Naruto," he said. "Now, why don't you and I go enjoy some Ichiraku ramen, as a sort of secret celebration of you learning about your family?"

Naruto shook his head. "I…I think I'd like to go home. A-And maybe start looking through these, if you don't mind," he said softly.

The aged Hokage just gave a small head tilt in understanding. "Of course my boy. But…before you go, I need you to understand something. I am sorry for keeping this a secret from you. But I was doing it to try and protect you. And…there is still one more secret involving you Naruto. One that I cannot tell you at this time. I know that seems unfair," he said, seeing the boy tense up, "and I know you believe that if it involves you, then you should know. But this…this particular secret Naruto…you're not ready for it yet. Please believe me Naruto, this is a secret that has to wait."

Naruto looked down a bit. "F-For how long?" He asked quietly.

"When you're a genin, Naruto. That is when I'll tell you. The day after you graduate from the Academy, and are wearing your own forehead protector, I'll tell you this final secret. Alright?"

Naruto nodded quietly, as he stood. "…t-thank you. For this," he whispered, indicating the scrolls. "And for telling me about who I am, and where I come from. Thank you." With that, Naruto carefully placed the scrolls into his pocket before running off. As he did, Sarutobi let out a long shuddering breath, and sat down, feeling drained and exhausted beyond comprehension. He slowly looked up at the picture of the Fourth Hokage, and felt a small sense of satisfaction. He smiled a bit, before returning to his work.

Across town, Itachi Uchiha was sitting underneath a tree in the backyard of his family's home, meditating quietly. He found himself doing quite a bit in the past two years, as his mind was troubled quite a bit.

He had spent the last two years spying on his clan, passing information he had learned about the coup attempt. As it stood, only a small portion of the clan was in on the coup attempt. This included his father Fugaku and a number of the heads of the more prominent families in the clan, including Kiseki Uchiha's father. However, based on the information Itachi had gathered, they were almost ready to start informing the rest of the shinobi in the clan, and planning their quick and decisive strike to remove the governing body of Konoha, and replace it with their own.

If that wasn't enough to place a lot of weight upon the young sixteen year, Itachi had met someone very interesting during a recent mission. A man with long black hair, wearing an orange spiral mask and claiming to be Madara Uchiha, the co-founder of Konoha and the man who almost fought Hashirama Senju to a standstill at the Valley of the End. Itachi was honestly surprised at the conversation the pair had.

Flashback

"You do not need to fear me," the masked man said, as Itachi gripped his tanto, ready to fight. "I'm not here to fight you."

Itachi still held his stance. "You claim to be Madara Uchiha. A traitor to Konoha," he said.

The masked man scoffed. "So that means you have to try and fight me in some deluded sense of loyalty to the village? Pathetic. Spare me your deluded fantasies of serving the village. I'm here to help you."

"Help me with what?" Itachi demanded, as he stared the so called 'Madara' down.

The man tilted his masked head. "Dealing with your clan of course. I know they're going to betray Konoha. Considering their history of betraying those in charge, it's not a surprise. So, I'm willing to offer my help in dealing with the clan."

Itachi gripped his tanto tighter. "Why would you want to help Konoha? You betrayed it."

'Madara' just shrugged. "I'm a petty man. I view the clan's betrayal of me to be greater than Konoha's. One betrayer at a time. Now do you want my help or not?"

Itachi just watched him for several moments, before answering. "What can you possibly offer me?"

He could almost feel the masked man's smile behind his mask. "Oh I can teach you things beyond your wildest dreams. But it comes with a price."

"And what price would that be?" The Uchiha Prodigy asked.

"When the clan has been dealt with, you come and serve me as a member of Akatsuki," 'Madara' said simply, as one Sharingan eye peered through the hole in his spiral mask.

Flashback Ends

Itachi had informed the Hokage about this new development. Sarutobi had been incredulous about the identity of this man, but considering the level of a threat this man could represent, whether he was Madara or not, Sarutobi could not ignore the potential for danger, especially when Itachi mentioned the group Akatsuki. Sarutobi had called Jiraiya in about this, and Itachi had given the spymaster of the Sannin all the information he could.

Itachi felt the stress of everything getting to him: Always having to be the best in the eyes of his father, having to spy on his clan for the village, the duties of being an ANBU captain, and now this business with this man claiming to be Madara. It felt like it was too much weight on the young Uchiha's shoulders. All he really wanted to do was live peacefully with his family, and his fiancé. Itachi hated war and conflict, after seeing the devastation and death of the Third Shinobi War. It was part of the reason he was so willing to spy on his clan for Konoha. He knew that the coup would bring about the same death and destruction, and he wished to prevent it as best he could.

Itachi felt someone sit next to him, and he opened his eyes, a tired smile appearing on his face. "I haven't seen you in a while," he said softly, leaning in and kissing his fiancé Kiseki.

Kiseki smiled softly as she hugged Itachi, deepening the kiss a bit, before resting her head on his shoulder. "I was out on an escort mission to Kusa. I'm glad to be back home, though," the now special jounin ranked kunoichi said. Her long hair was usually done up in a high ponytail that reached almost mid back, with her bangs slightly obscuring her headband. She still wore a long-sleeved blue top with the Uchiha fan emblem on the back of it, but had replaced her black skirt with a shorter mini skirt and shorts underneath, as well as kunoichi style toeless boots and fingerless gloves. She had also taken up kenjutsu, and wielded a pair of tanto in battle.

Itachi nodded as he gently nuzzled her. "Everything's been pretty hectic lately," he said quietly. "I feel like I'm being stretched out too much."

Kiseki looked at him worriedly. "Maybe you need to take some leave," she said softly. "You need to be careful. ANBU has one of the highest rates of mental breakdowns and suicides."

"I know," he said softly. "I'll see if I can get some light duties from now on. As it stands, I have three days off."

Kiseki smiled softly at that. "Then let's spend it wisely, yes?" She asked with a grin, before slowly kissing him deeply. Itachi gripped her shoulders, pulling her closer to him, before wrapping his arms around her waist. She grinned as she was now straddling him.

"A bit forward, aren't we?" she whispered a bit huskily.

Itachi just gave a tiny smile back. "And you know you enjoy it," he answered back, before they began to kiss again. For a moment, all seemed right in the world. And for now, that was enough for Itachi.

Two Days Later

Naruto grunted as he rolled away from a jab sent his way from his sparring partner. He got up, deflected another blow before sending a right hook towards her. Hinata tilted back, spinning around to try and strike at Naruto's side as he was extended into his punch. Naruto grunted, jerking his body to the left to avoid her, and feeling some pain from the movement.

He regained his footing, and waited for Hinata's next attack, as Hinata resettled into her stance. Only for the two to be stopped by Yugito moving between them. "That's enough," she said, watching the pair as they slowly moved from their stances. "Naruto, you're over extending your punches, putting too much force behind them. Remember, power doesn't do you any good if you leave yourself wide open to an attack."

Naruto nodded quietly in acceptance, lowering the hood of his assassin recruit tunic and wiping some sweat from his forehead. The pair bowed to each other to signal the end of the spar, before going to get some water.

As the two sat down to recover their breath, Hinata glanced at Naruto. She was a bit worried about Naruto after what happened a couple days ago. Shikamaru had told her about how an ANBU had taken Naruto away to the Hokage, and he hadn't returned to the Academy after that. She had gone to his apartment, but there was no answer. The next day he had shown up at the Academy, but he was very quiet and somber. When she asked what was wrong, he had told her that nothing was wrong, but he had a lot on his mind.

Even now, though, she was still worried about him. He still seemed so pre-occupied, even as he gently pet Tomo. The young fox, now clearly out of kit-hood, rubbed against his companion, whining softly.

Hinata gently touched his shoulder, causing him to look at her. "N-Naruto-kun, are you sure you don't want to talk about what's bothering you? You seem so distant," she asked softly. Her time spent with Naruto had helped her start to overcome her confidence issues, though it was tough going. Her father had continued to belittle her efforts, stating that she, as the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, needed to set an example. She needed to be strong, confident, and unshakeable like a rock. The fact that she was not meeting his standards of what a clan heiress should be had led to him constantly belittling her at every turn. It was only due to her time with Naruto that she hadn't collapsed in on herself. Now, she wanted to help him in return for all he had done.

Naruto sighed quietly, looking at her. "Hinata, I'm fine, really. Trust me," he said, smiling back at her.

She was about to respond, when a figure dropped in front of them. "The fun has returned!" Anko shouted gleefully, surprising Hinata and Naruto.

Raphael shook his head as he entered the area. "Anko, don't go giving them a heart attack," he said, causing Anko to pout. He grinned as he looked to Naruto and Hinata. "How goes your training?" He asked them.

Naruto nodded as he stood. "We're doing fine. Hinata nearly killed me today," he said with a light grin, causing Hinata to flush at that.

"I-I just caught you off guard is all," she said shyly.

Raphael stepped in front of her. "In real combat, that's all it can take, Hinata-san. Remember that, both of you."

The pair nodded, before Naruto piped up. "So how went your 'vacation'?" He asked. He and Yugito knew what Anko and Raphael had been doing, but Hinata didn't. While Hinata was welcomed to train with the group, they didn't think it was wise to let her in on their assassin training or activities. Anko just grinned in response.

"Oh, it was a blast. You could say the amount of fun could almost take one's breath away," she said, subtly referencing the death of her target.

"It was relaxing and informative," Raphael said, before looking to Naruto and Yugito. "In fact, we're going to hold a little get together tonight. At the usual place," he said.

The pair nodded, while Hinata looked confused. Naruto smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry Hinata. It's something for our little group."

Hinata just nodded a bit. "I-I understand, Naruto-kun. I do not mean to intrude."

"Don't worry Hinata, you're not. Maybe in the future, I can tell you about all this," he said. At that point, Raphael touched his shoulder.

"Maybe you can Naruto. We'll see. For now, how have things been while Anko and I were gone?" He asked with a smile.

In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi was studying the papers Anko and Raphael had delivered to him after returning from their 'vacation'. The assassination of Kuroi Akiudo had not been an officially sanctioned assassination, but it wasn't one Sarutobi was going to cry over it. The man had been selling weapons to all manners of criminals and warmongers for over three decades. Sarutobi's only complaint was that he wouldn't stand before a jury and be held accountable for his illegal weapon sales.

The aged Hokage was paying special attention to two reports Raphael had pointed out to him. One was a correspondence between Kuroi and Gato of Gato Industries, concerning the sale of weapons and their transportation to an unknown person in Kiri. The second was another report on the sale of additional weapons to a buyer in the Land of Iron.

The first report held significance because currently, there was a full on Civil War consuming Kiri. Roughly two years ago, the Yondaime Mizukage, after an attack by the Kaguya clan of Kiri, had launched an all-out war against the bloodline wielders of Kiri. The bloodline wielders had responded in kind, and since then, war had gripped the country. If this report was any indication, Kuroi and Gato had been supplying weapons to one side or the other. With all the other information that had been found on Gato, it was becoming more and more apparent he was a threat to the Shinobi Villages. The attempt to start business in Suna, as well as rumors of his henchmen beginning business in the other major villages outside of Konoha, and now this. Gato would need to be dealt with, and soon.

He looked up, as the door opened, and Itachi Uchiha, in his Weasel ANBU mask, entered. "You sent for me Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi nodded. "I did. I need your latest report concerning those drug smugglers you were investigating."

Itachi stood at attention and began his report. "Sadly, the news isn't good, Hokage-sama. I'm afraid the smugglers will be expanding their operations soon. If we are to prevent an outbreak of their products, we must act soon. And I'm not entirely sure normal procedures will be useful."

The Hokage nodded quietly. "I understand Weasel. Thank you for your report. I'd like you to return tomorrow for a follow up debriefing."

Itachi bowed his head before leaving, as Sarutobi sat back. The coded message confirmed his worst fears. The Uchiha would soon be gathering the entirety of their clan's shinobi, to inform them of the coup and launch their strike. And diplomatic overtures were not going to work. Sarutobi sighed as he knew he had only one course of action before him. He made a hand gesture and one of his ANBU appeared before him. "Send messages to Homura, Koharu, Danzou, and Raphael. Tell them to meet me here tomorrow morning."

The ANBU nodded and disappeared, leaving a troubled Hokage behind.

That Night

In the commercial district of Konoha was a series of warehouses. Most were in use by local merchants and shipping enterprises. A few were abandoned though, up for sale.

One of those warehouses owners was Zuhan Akindo (Plate Trader), whose warehouse was filled with the plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery. Of course, both the man and the contents of the warehouse were a front. The true owner was Raphael Cortez, who had spent money he had saved up to purchase the warehouse. And its true purpose was to be the headquarters of the Konoha chapter of the Assassin Brotherhood.

The interior of the warehouse had been divided up into four sections. The majority of the warehouse served as a training area for when the weather was foul, or the trainee's wished to be more discreet. There were target dummies, training posts, and a few sparring rings.

The rest of the warehouse was divided between an armory for the storage and repair of their weapons and armor, an office where Raphael kept his files on potential targets his slowly growing spy network told him about, and a meeting hall, where the Assassins would gather for important events. Like what was happening currently.

Naruto and Yugito, each wearing their recruit uniforms, stood at attention, facing each other with enough space between them that someone could walk down it. Raphael currently stood on a raised dais, standing next to a large brazier with lit coals resting in it. Raphael watched as Anko Mitarashi began to walk forward from the back of the room.

Anko's recruit uniform was now gone, replaced instead by her custom designed Assassin outfit. It consisted of a tan battle dress that was secured by a row of buttons down the front, with a slanted skirt that cut off around her right thigh, but slanted down to mid shin on the left side. The dress had the standard peaked Assassin hood, and was sleeveless with a deep plunging neckline. Underneath she wore a mesh body suit with short sleeves and legs. Over the midsection of her outfit she had a dull orange sash, over which she had a belt with supply pouches and a belt buckle shaped in the Assassin emblem. Completing her outfit was a pair of dull white greaves and her normal blue zori, along with her hidden blade bracer on her left hand (3).

Anko approached the dais where Raphael stood, and stopped in front of him, bowing slightly while placing her right hand over her heart. Naruto and Yugito faced forward, as Raphael spoke. "Anko Mitarashi, Recruit of the Konoha Assassin Brotherhood. You stand before your brothers and sisters, an example to them. You have completed your training, and now stand ready to join the ranks of the Assassins as a full member. Do you promise to uphold the tenants and axiom of our Creed?"

Anko nodded slightly. "I swear."

"Then please join me," he said, indicating a space next to him.

As Anko moved next to him, Raphael turned to the others. "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine (4). The wisdom of our creed is revealed through these words. Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember."

"Nothing is true," Naruto and Yugito responded as one.

"Where other men are limited by morality and law, remember."

"Everything is permitted."

Raphael indicated for Anko to hold out her left hand, extending her ring finger, while he slowly extracted a pair of blacksmith's ring tongs, with the end heated by the glowing coals. As he slowly pressed them around her ring finger, she winced as the heated tongs started to burn around her finger.

As Raphael released her finger, he spoke again. "We work in the darkness, to serve the light. We are Assassins."

Anko gently flexed her finger, which now had a burn around it. The symbol of commitment to the Assassins, reminiscent of the time when Assassins removed their ring fingers to show their commitment to the Brotherhood.

Raphael indicated the ladder at the back of the warehouse, which led up to the roof. Anko nodded quietly, as the pair of them climbed the ladder, emerging on the roof. Raphael led her to the edge, where a narrow platform had been added, Anko slowly walked out onto it, knowing that this was the last part of her initiation. Closing her eyes, she spread her arms and gently jumped off, falling down towards a hay cart below that Raphael had managed to obtain. Somersaulting once, she landed in the hay cart before emerging, shaking loose straws of hay from her hay and outfit. She looked up at Raphael, who grinned down at her.

"Welcome to the Brotherhood, Anko Mitarashi."

And chapter.

Man, I both love and HATE this chapter. This chapter just had so much I wanted to get out there, and so much that I wanted to get perfect. And I was constantly rewriting and rewriting this chapter, trying to get it absolutely perfect. It drove me insane!

I'm really sorry about being late with this chapter, and I hope it being longer will be enough to make up for that. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! *Sad crying face*

Please don't forget about Fenris-wolfprince or Wacko12 and their needs of a beta and someone to accept their Naruto fanfic challenge respectively. And again, please vote on the poll on my profile.

Also, once again, big thanks to my beta's Bill Alain and Kyuubi123. Their work really helps me out, and makes these fanfics better then would be without them.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed.

1. Before anyone spins out of control on me, the part with the civilian council is not canon. But quite honestly, after reading the chapters of the manga when Konoha was first being founded, this is the vibe Tobirama gave me. Given what he told Hashirama when Hashirama wanted to let Madara be Hokage, he would seem the sort to give EVERYONE a say in everything. Including the civilians. Quite honestly, if Tobirama had just shut his trap and let his brother roll, then the events that have led to Naruto having a major screwed up life would never have occurred. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know. But we probably wouldn't be having an overhaxed piece of *Censored* Madara pulling the crap he is in the current manga chapters, that much is for certain.

2. Yes, I know this is not Kushina's canon shinobi attire, but c'mon; it's Kushina Uzumaki. The motor mouth mother Naruto got his personality from? Why on earth would she wear that drab uniform Kishimoto put her in? It's boring and doesn't fit her personality at all. I always envisioned Kushina to wear something more flamboyant, like this.

3. I was pulling my hair out trying to think of an Assassin outfit for Anko. I could literally think of nothing that sounded good enough, nothing that seemed right. So then I turned to my sister, RagingStar19, for any ideas she had. She sat down, started drawing, and ten minutes later, presented me with a picture she drew. And I knew in that instant it was perfect. The outfit I tried to describe was the one she drew. So all credit for Anko's outfit goes to my sister.

4. For those of you wondering what this is, this is the Arabic translation of the Assassin's Maxim 'nothing is true, everything is permitted', which in Assassin's Creed 2 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, were recited when Ezio and Ezio's recruits were made full members of the Assassin's Brotherhood.