Chapter 2

Authors Note:

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Chapter 2

[Hiruzen Sarutobi POV]

I am worried about him, were the thoughts Hiruzen had in the last few months. More and more did he think how he could help Naruto find his will and motivation again. How he could guide him to find purpose, joy and most importantly friends in life.

If one had asked him a few months ago, if Naruto, the pranking bundle of energy would be as depressed as he was the last few months, he would have laughed. He of course knew that Naruto build himself a facade to protect himself from the treatment he was accustomed to from most of the villagers.

I thought the effects of his treatment did not reach such an extent.

He tried to be there for the child of his successor and treated him friendly and visited him once to a few times a month. He was even affectionately called "Old man" by the young redhead.

Personally, he knew it was not enough for a child. The ANBU guards he assigned to the boy reported to him, how Naruto craved affection and attention but was ultimately denied at nearly every turn. The children of his generation were already forewarned to not associate with him and followed their parents' wishes, even if they did not understand the reasons for such. The rest were ignoring him out of the group mentality and desire not to get in the unfortunate situation themselves.

I can hardly force the children to play and befriend him.

It was a vexing situation and could not be dealt with easily. And considering that Naruto's motivation is decreasing increasingly his attendance at the academy reached an all-time low. Not that Naruto that Naruto paid much attention to the academy considering the at best neutral attitude of the teachers to him and Naruto's more primary goal of getting some kind of attention of his peers, and to a lesser extent, from his teachers.

What worried him is that even these tendencies evaporated in the last few months. Even to me he talks less and less, I thought to myself.

Then there was the situation of last evening. It was fortunate that Iruka-kun was fast enough to catch him. Even with Naruto's impressive regenerative capabilities that high of a fall would have seriously injured him or caused the leakage of the Kyuubi's chakra in an attempt to heal his host, even if begrudgingly.

No use thinking of what ifs. What was more interesting was the phenomenon Iruka described.

Flashback

"A light you say." asked Hiruzen.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." reaffirmed Iruka. "It was like a golden light or even maybe blade considering it cut in the rock of the mountain and stopped Naruto-'s fall. After a few seconds however it disappeared, and Naruto fell unconscious."

"Hmm…you are dismissed Iruka-kun. Naruto will return after a few days to the academy. You will receive further information to the exact date shortly after he wakes up." explained Hiruzen.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." answered Iruka and left the office.

A golden blade…could it be the chakra blade Sensei informed me about, that some Uzumaki were able to inherit.

Flashback end

Considering that Kushina had the ability to use the Uzumaki Clan's "Adamantine Sealing chains" it would not be impossible that Naruto inherited some deviation of the same ability. Considering that the ANBU that guard him reported the possibility that Naruto is a chakra sensor.

I should read through the information Tobirama-sensei had on the abilities of the Uzumaki Clan, was my train of thought before it was interrupted by my ANBU with a bear mask.

"Hokage-sama. Uzumaki-san has woken up." said Bear.

"Hmm. Is there anything I should know about his current situation?" Hiruzen questioned.

"…He seemed disoriented when he woke up, which is pretty normal, but…" trailed Bear of.

"What?" he questioned.

"…He started crying when I left to inform you, sir." answered Bear.

That was concerning. What could have happened that could cause him to cry?

A silence stretched in the Hokage office after that statement.

A minute later Hiruzen stood up and left to the Hospital with a Shunshin.

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[Naruto Uzumaki]

Naruto did not know how he should react to the old man. Should he shout at him in rage and cry or perhaps tell him what these new memories he had showed him. What about his parents and the Kyuubi.

"Naruto-kun. How are you? I was concerned when I received information that you fell unconscious and were admitted to the hospital." voiced the old man.

What should I do?! were his desperate thoughts. He knew that telling him about the memories was a no go. Who would believe in something like that. He would more likely think that the Kyuubi is trying to manipulate him. But ignoring the whole thing is not possible either. Knowing everything about my situation is something that I will not be able to conceal. My mannerisms and reactions will show that I knew more than I should.

"Naruto-kun?" came the voice from the Sandaime.

I hope what I am about to do will work. were his thoughts before he started his attempt of partially deceiving the current "Shinobi no Kami".

"I know." Naruto answered him at a low voice.

"What do you mean, my boy?" questioned the Hokage.

Here goes nothing.

"My parents." Naruto said in a stable voice.

Silence stretched in the room. Naruto did not know how this would work but he needed additional help to get stronger. The academy instructors were not teaching him, and he would be graduating in less than a year. He had not enough time.

This was his best bet.

Telling him that he knew of his parentage, he may be able to get access to his family home and scrolls. Even a few techniques perhaps.

In the meantime, the Sandaime signaled the hidden ANBU to leave and ensure privacy as soon as the two words left Naruto's mouth.

"I do not know what you mean Naruto." tried the Sandaime. "I told you that nobody knew who your-"

"Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki." Naruto interrupted him, cutting of his lie.

Naruto was on edge. There was a sudden change in his environment where the old man was. It was not Killing Intent, of that, he was sure. The academy showed the students what Killing Intent felt like and tried to desensitize the students bit by bit, considering the profession they were aiming for.

No what he felt was like a sharpening and roaring at the same time.

Was that his chakra? Am I a chakra sensor?! Is that something new?

He could not lose himself in that thought, as much as he wanted to. There was a Hokage with an unreadable look on his face, looking outside the window.

"How are you privy to this information?" was the authoritarian question.

Gulp.

"The Kyuubi." he dropped the bomb and tried not to hyperventilate.

The Sandaime whipped his head so fast in his direction and lifted Naruto's shirt up to inspect the seal, Naruto did not even have time to see anything.

He did not dare move. This was a critical moment for his future, and he could not make a mistake.

After a few minutes the old man sighed and dropped Naruto's shirt. Walking back to his seat he massaged his temples.

"I apologize for the sudden movement, Naruto-kun." said the Sandaime in a soft voice. "I could not have risked the seal failing or even getting damaged."

There was again silence, that seemed to stretch forever.

"Why did you not tell me?" Naruto asked with a quiet voice.

"I wanted to, many times, but…" he trailed of.

"But what!" he shouted at him, letting some of his suppressed anger free. "They were my parents! I should have been told. Do you know how many nights I cried because I did not even know who they were. If they just abandoned me and hated me like everyone else!"

He was just taking a breath to continue his shouting, having lost control of his emotions after all the years he had suffered.

"You were to immature."

This cut all the wind of his sails.

"You would have shouted the identity of your parentage till they reached the heavens and would have painted an even bigger target on your back, than the one that is already there. Can you look me in the eyes and say with 100% safety, that you would have kept it a secret? Even from your friends, like Teuchi-san and Ayame-chan?"

There was once again silence.

"No." came his voice out of his mouth, which gave him enough clarity to think properly again.

Sigh. "You were and are still so young Naruto-kun. I did not want to burden you with a weight you could not do anything to lighten. The destruction that the release of the Kyuubi caused scarred our village and yourself with it." continued the soft voice of Hiruzen.

Naruto could only nod to that. After a few minutes Hiruzen asked me what the Kyuubi else told me and what exactly happened.

Here Naruto told him about how the Kyuubi told him about his status as its Jailer and that it was his own father who made him a Jinchuuriki and how his mother was the previous one.

"After that he somehow kicked me out and I woke up here." he concluded his fairy tale.

"I want you to be careful, with your interactions with it Naruto-kun. The Kyuubi is a malevolent mass of chakra and cannot be trusted lightly. In this situation the information he gave you was accurate but please be careful and don't tell anyone about this encounter you had with it." stressed the old man to me.

Naruto only nodded to that.

After a few seconds he asked him if Hiruzen could tell him a bit about his parents. They lost themselves to a few hours of storytelling. It honestly soothed his heart. Finally knowing were you come from and what your parents were like made him the happiest he can remember being. Even if there was a lingering sadness, that he could not hear these stories from his parents themselves.

"Well. I really need to return to my office now Naruto-kun." said the old Hokage rising to his feet.

"Old man. Is there something left of my parents?" Naruto questioned before he could leave. "A picture, house or even scrolls or books?"

After considering the question and his answer he nodded. "There is a small house they owned which is near the Hokage Tower and is sealed since their death. It also contains their possessions including Jutsu-Scrolls to my knowledge. "

Looking at his successor's son with soft eyes the old man continued. "I will accompany you to it and you can take a few items out of the house if you wish. Though you will not be able to live there, at least not in the near future. If someone saw you entering and leaving the house your identity would not remain secret for long. So, I am afraid a few visits with me from time to time is everything I can allow for the time being."

Naruto…could understand that. It sucked, but considering the risks he was fine with it, for the moment at least. "I understand, old man." he answered in a sad tone.

"How about a promise I will make you." Started Hiruzen seeing the dejected look on my face. "The moment you reach the rank of Jonin you are permitted to collect your inheritance fully and live in your house. At that point you should be strong enough to protect yourself from most and will even be able to conceal your goings better." he suggests to my joy.

"Yes! You wait old man. I will be Jonin so fast you will need a second pipe to calm your nerves!" he shouted in his excitement over becoming a shinobi.

"Hahaha! I hope to see that day very soon than." chuckled the man, happy to see Naruto more jubilant than the last months. "Now, I really need to leave. Good day, Naruto-kun."

With that the Sandaime left Naruto's room and he let himself fall on the bed and sighed in relief that the conversation went smoothly.