Naruto: Shy Fox Chronicles

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Shy Fox Chronicles

Chapter 2: An Orange Chance in Hell

"Now would be a great time, Minato!" Gamabunta yelled as he felt the fox trying to escape the grip of its titanic amphibian rump.

"Almost ready, Gamabuna-san!" Minato called out, drawing one of his kunai.

"I will turn you into Toad Sashimi, you overgrown wart patch!!" The Nine Tails roared as it attempted to wrestle itself from under the toad, and slowly began succeeding.

"Hurry, Minato!" The massive toad shouted as the massive fox began charging a ball of black colored chakra in front of its mouth.

Grabbing hold of the kunai, he focused his chakra. Then, as soon as the ball of chakra began to fire, the Hokage and the Tailed Beast disappeared, Gamabunta falling onto the ground with an almighty thud. However, he did not have time to ponder where Minato went with the fox as, off in the distance, came the telltale sign of its explosion, a massive mushroom cloud warping and twisting the air as it forced it aside.

All those near the compound soon were in for an unholy fright as a cacophonous crash came cratering in from outside. Tsunade had to hold Kushina down to keep her from rushing out.

"Kushina. You're too weak. You'll die if you get up." Tsunade sternly said.

"M-Minato… needs my help…" Kushina said, spitting up a bit of blood.

"The boy can handle himself, Kushina." Tsunade said before the compound was rattled by a titanic roar, causing Naruto to start crying. "Lord help me he didn't…"

"Shhhh… Shhhh… i… it's okay, Naruto… Mommy's here…" Kushina told him, rocking him gently while trying to calm him down.

"That dumbass you called a husband brought it here. Why did he think that was a good idea?" Tsunade sternly asked.

"I… I think I know…" Kushina told her, standing up and stumbling outside, her son in her arms."What the hell are you doing!?" Tsunade yelled as she rushed after her.

"Saving our village…" Kushina told her as Tsunade helped her stay standing.

"And leaving your boy without a mother!?" Tsunade yelled at her as they walked outside.

"What else can I do? At least, if I take it down with me, Naruto will still have Minato, you, and so many others…" Kushina told her.

"If you're going to help, then I'll keep Naruto safe for you." Tsunade answered with a sigh, knowing what she had planned as she took Naruto from her.

"I wouldn't trust him with anyone else. I just hope he doesn't take your chest for mommy milkers." Kushina said with a smile and chuckle, before coughing horribly and regretting her choice of a joke.

Meanwhile: Back in the Village

"Hey, Kakashi… was there a giant dust cloud over there before?" Obito asked, looking over at the horizon from their secret training spot deep in the forest.

"That's got to be sensei and the Nine Tails!" Kakashi told his teammate and friend.

"Well let's get over there and help him!" Obito yelled and got ready to rush off.

"We're just a Chūnin and a Jōnin, Obito! What can we do against a Tailed Beast!?" Kakashi demanded of his friend.

"And what was that about breaking anyone that threatened little Naruto?" Obito asked, turning to look at him sternly.

"Kakashi is right, Obito!" Rin told her friend and teammate.

"So, both of you are willing to let our master die by sitting on our hands and doing nothing!?" Obito snapped at them, glaring daggers at his teammates for such talk.

Kakashi grit his teeth behind his mask before sighing. "No, Rin. Obito's right. Maybe, with our Sharingan, Obito and I can use Genjutsu to pacify the Nine Tails long enough for sensei to do something.

"Then let's do it, my brother from a white-haired mother!" Obito yelled, throwing his hands in the air before fist bumping with Kakashi.

"That still doesn't explain how we're going to get out of here!" Rin told her friends.

"Don't worry, I got that covered." Obito said before activating his comms. "Hana, you remember that favor you owe me?"

"I remember, Obito! Why?" The voice of a six-year-old girl came in over the comms.

"The good news is you don't have to marry me. The bad news is you got to get us out of a barrier Kurenai's dad made for us." Obito explained, trying to play off the obscurity of it as a feature.

"... How am I supposed to do that? I may have the most basic of my clan's jutsu down, but I can't burrow through a barrier!" The six-year-old girl's voice demanded.

"True. But, knowing the old man, he forgot to make it go under the ground. So, you can try going under the barrier." Obito explained, trying to sound smooth as fuck as he did it.

"... I'll be right there. Me and the Three Haimaru Brothers need to get out of our own barrier first without being noticed." The six-year-old told him.

"You're a smart cookie, I'm sure you'll manage." Obito answered her.

The three older shinobi waited patiently. Soon, a digging sound was heard, like a set of four drills going through dirt. Then, before the three could react, the ground burst open a bit as four tiny drills popped up from the hole. The girl was barely half as tall as Rin, with long brown hair, black eyes, and surprisingly clean features from a clan known for their bestial nature. The most distinctive feature being two red spike marks on her cheeks shaped like fangs. Behind her were three shinobi hound puppies, waddling around on stubby legs and covered in light black fluff. One was even attempting to sniff its own butt. Not the most glorious of saviors… but it did the job.

"Come on, you three! This tunnel goes outside the barrier! Just follow us!" The little girl told her seniors before diving back into the hole.

"Can I at least pet the pups once?" Rin asked as the pups dove in after Hana.

"No time, Rin! Sensei and Kushina-san need us!" Obito said, diving after her.

"You forgot Naruto." Kakashi sternly said to his teammate.

"I thought that went without saying!" Obito called out to him from within the hole.

"I can only imagine what that poor baby is going through…" Kakashi muttered as he jumped into the hole.

"Wait for me, guys!" Rin called out, jumping into the hole after them.

Back with Minato

The Nine Tails roared as Minato panted, trying to catch his breath. It had taken a lot of chakra to get it here, but he managed it. Now came the hard part of sealing it. But, as he was coming up with a plan, massive golden glowing chains burst from the ground, wrapping the fox up and binding it as it roared and struggled. He looked back to see his wife, panting and straining as the Fox thrashed against its restraints with fierce defiance.

"YOU WILL NOT RETURN ME TO THAT PRISON, KUSHINA!!" The fox howled in fierce, unyielding rage.

"Too bad, Fox…! You're going back, whether you want to or not…!" Kushina panted as Tsunade desperately tried to heal her.

"She's fading fast, Minato! Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it now!" Tsunade told him.

"For the record! You're not going to like it!" Minato yelled as he began to prepare the seal.

"IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH WITH YOU, YOU GOLDEN HAIRED BRAT!!" Tsunade roared, before tending to the crying baby in her other arm. "It's okay, sweetie. Everything is okay… just ignore the giant orange fox monster…"

"Kushina, Tsunade! I'm ready! We're putting half of it inside Kushina and the other half inside Naruto!" Minato called out.

"What!? Minato, that wasn't…" Kushina told him.

"I know it wasn't the plan! But the seal I'm using, I'm not living through it, Kushina! I'm sorry, but Naruto needs one of us with him! He needs his mother!!" Minato yelled, remorse and guilt clear in his voice.

Kushina grit her teeth with blood leaking from her mouth. "Whatever you're going to do, do it now!" Kushina snapped, coughing up a bit of blood.

"Sealing Jutsu: Dead Demon Consuming Seal!" Minato called out as, to only Minato's eyes, something began to appear.

Looking back, he saw an ethereal specter appear. A long, flowing ashen gray robe concealed the body of this… thing. Its face was long, thin, and twisted into a permanent, fanged-filled grin with a kodachi held in its teeth. Its skin was deathly white, with tall horns poking from its forehead through long white, silken hair. Appearing from its robes were long crone-like hands, bony with long fingernails. This was no mere summon… it was something above even the mighty Nine Tails.

'Good… the Shinigami is here. Now to start the seal…!' Minato thought, gritting his teeth in preparation for pain.

Telepathically sending what he wished it to do, the Shinigami gave a simple nod. The ethereal being reached forward into Minato's back, entering him as if he were not even there. Minato lurched his head back in pain as he felt an unearthly power course through his veins. From there, a hand like that of the Shinigami burst from Minato's stomach and flew out, grabbing and gripping the flank of the great beast. The fox howled as it soon felt its energy be torn and rended in ways it did not think possible. Searing pain like that of a hot iron shot through its body as its energy began to be pulled into Minato before the Shinigami took its blade from its fanged mouth, raised it high, and severed off half of the mightiest of the Nine's chakra as the severed half made the rest of its way into Minato.

The fox turned to look at Kushina and Tsunade, its face gripped in pain and rage. It then looked at Tsunade's arm to see baby Naruto. It then got a wicked grin. It was then that Kushina coughed up blood, causing her chains to loosen as the Nine Tails saw its opening.

"If you don't have two vessels, then you can't seal me again!" The beast roared as it swung its vast claws down towards the little baby.

"No!" Minato called out as he tried to rush, barely able to move from the dense and heavy chakra that was just sealed into him.

However, in a flash, the claw stopped. Tsunade had moved in front of Kushina and Naruto with her back to the claw, intending to use herself as a shield. Looking up, to their surprise, they saw that the fox's pupils were each shaped like a pair of two Tomoe Sharingan. In disbelief, they looked and saw Obito, Kakashi, and Rin with the two boys having their Sharingan out and active.

"Alright! Told you it'd work, Kakashi!" Obito called out with a cheering grunt.

"Shut up and focus! We can't hold it long!" Kakashi yelled, the strain setting in fast as the Fox began to resist.

"K… Kakashi… Obito…" Kushina said with a smile as she tightened the grip of her chains.

"Sensei! Seal it now! Everyone can't hold out much longer!" Rin called out desperately. 

With that, Minato summoned the altar and took Naruto from Kushina. Placing their son on it gently, Minato smiled tiredly.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I hope that one day you can forgive me for placing such a heavy burden on you. We're counting on you to stop that man, son… Eight Trigrams Sealing Style!" Minato called out, beginning the seal.

As he finished the hand signs, two seals appeared. One on Naruto and another on Kushina. As the fox was fully drawn into both Uzumaki, the Shinigami took its other hand and gripped the energies, now two orbs of swirling orange. It reached over and touched the seal on Naruto, as it lit up bright orange as it was implanted into him. The baby boy suddenly stopped crying, whimpering as the Shinigami patted the baby's head. A surprising act of tenderness from such a dread bound entity. Minato, panting and straining under the immensity of what his body was undergoing, slowly walked to Kushina. He nearly collapsed onto her, falling into her arms as he felt his strength failing him.

"M… Minato…" Kushina uttered worriedly.

"It's fine… we were taught that… a shinobi should die for what they believe in most…" Minato answered her, pulling her into a weak hug.

"W… we have a little more time before you have to say goodbye… we should make it count…" Kushina told him, tearing up as she hugged him back.

Tsunade took Naruto off the altar, avoiding looking at the floating embodiment of death, and carried him over to the two. As the baby was held in his parents' arms, Minato could only smile.

"Naruto… I'm sorry I will not ever see you again. But I need you to be strong for me. And… I hope… that you get to live in a better world than I got to…" Minato said, before he was cut off as his legs gave out, forcing him to his knees.

"I'll… take good care of him, Minato… and I won't be alone…" Kushina pantingly told her husband, looking at the others with a smile.

"Thank… you…" Minato said, before he was cut off by coughing up a hideous amount of blood, forced now onto his hands and knees.

"M-Minato…!" Kushina called in concern.

"I don't have long… Please look after the village." Minato said as he coughed up more blood.

"Of course I will, Minato…" Kushina told her husband.

"As… the next Hokage…" He said after a horrible blood-filled cough.

Kushina was shocked at this declaration from her husband. "A… as Hokage…? Are you sure…?" she asked him nervously.

Minato put his hand on her shoulder, his grip very weak as his body barely stood up on his knees. Looking into her eyes, he gave a wordless nod and a confident look. Even as he was barely hanging on, he knew he needed to reassure her.

"One… more thing…" Minato horrible coughed out as he felt his body begin to buckle.

"Wh-what is it, Minato…?" Kushina asked her husband, unable to believe that all of this was happening.

"That masked man… H-He isn't… Uchiha Madara…" Minato said as he collapsed to the ground, falling onto his back.

"What!? But he took control of the Nine Tails with the Sharingan! Who else but Madara could do that!?" Tsunade asked in disbelief, finally interrupting the moment.

"A… A… monster…" Was all Minato let out. Then his chest stopped moving, and the light that burned in the 4th Hokage's eyes went out.

Later: With Hiruzen

"Are you sure that the fox is gone, Seishin?" Hiruzen asked, desperate to make sure it wasn't a trick.

"Positive, Hiruzen. We sensed its chakra disappear." The Kamishini leader told the aged former Hokage.

"Then that can only mean one thing. Minato beat and sealed it." Jiraiya chipped in confidently.

"Yes, but sealed it in who is the question." Kodai piped up.

"That's the least of my concerns right now. The question I have is which seal he used." Oda sternly said, which made the group of elders go eerily quiet. Which seal he used had drastic consequences.

However, the men stopped as they saw Tsunade and Minato's team carry in the family, they worked so hard to protect. Kushina held Naruto close, so close some would swear that she was nearly crushing the baby boy. However, in Tsunade's arms, was the lifeless body of Minato, his eyes closed and his face at peace with a smile on his face. Rin was sobbing, crying into Obtio's shoulder as Kakashi had his eyes closed, as if opening them would bring about a similar fate. However, looking at the faces of the two boys, what they just saw… they would never be able to forget or suppress. The Sharingan had forever burned it into their minds.

"He didn't. Tsunade, please tell me he didn't do it. He didn't use that seal." Jiraya frantically asked her.

Tsunade teared up and looked down, telling Jiraiya all he needed to know. Everyone there, even the seemingly unbreakable face of Seishin, failed at that moment. This day was a day that would live in tragedy for the rest of the village's history. The day the Fourth Hokage died. It was then when Hiruzen finally spoke, breaking the silence like a hammer broke glass.

"Who did he seal the Nine Tails inside of…?" Hiruzen asked shakily, as if afraid to know.

"Myself… and Naruto…" Kushina sobbed out, holding her baby boy closer, the last thing of Minato's she had left on this earth.

"The lad split the fox's chakra in two and sealed it within each of you. A clever tactic, to be sure…" Oda admitted a bit respectfully.

"Oda. Not the time." Kodai said, before motioning to the distraught group in front of them.

Nodding, he went over and hugged Kushina. "It'll be okay, Kushina. We're all here." Oda told her, trying to be of some form of comfort.

"G… Great grandpa…" Kushina sobbed as he held her.

"I'm here, child. I'm here. I always will be, whenever you need me." Oda said, rubbing her back as he kept her close.

"Unfortunately, we will have to call the council, the clan heads, and the elite jōnin of the village. We need to hold a meeting immediately." Seishin reluctantly told everyone.

"Indeed. And I fear that choosing the new Hokage is only going to be the appetizer on offer for conversation this time." Hirzuen said, worried about what lay ahead.

Later: Hokage Mansion Meeting Room

It was almost comical how many people were packed around the large table in the room. It was not that it was small, but that it was far too small for this many people. The people in the room, however, had more pressing concerns than being stuffed in there like sardines. However, even here, they made space for Oda, Kushina and Naruto, knowing they needed it.

"Order! Order!" Hiruzen yelled, using his iron staff like a gavel to silence the crowd.

"Who put you in charge, old man?!" A Jōnin called from the crowd.

"THE THIRD HOKAGE TOLD YOU YOUNGIN'S TO BE SILENT!!!" Jiraiya roared as the room fell silent, save for Naruto starting to cry. Which caused Jiraiya to come over to calm the child down.

"Right. Today is a dark day in our village's history. Mercifully, it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been due to the sacrifice of Minato-san. I wish to commend every shinobi that fought this day and save civilians." Hiruzen said, which calmed the room a bit.

"What has become of Minato, Lord Third? And what happened to the Nine Tails?" Asked a brown-haired, stern-faced man with the Uchiha Police Force crest on the back of his flak jacket.

"Minato-san used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to wrangle the fox into a state where he could seal it, Fugaku. Inside of Uzumaki Kushina and their son Naruto." Hiruzen explained, with reluctance as everyone turned to look at them.

Fugaku nodded solemnly. "Mikoto will be heartbroken to hear that for Naruto and Kushina's sake. Though we can take some solace that Minato met an end worthy of a Hokage, giving his life for all of us standing up for what he believed into the very end." He regretfully said.

"There is, however, an issue that we must address." A voice said from the back, and Hiruzen scowled when he saw it was Danzō who uttered such a phrase.

"I should have kept him on house arrest." Hiruzen muttered.

"I feel bad for the poor house." Seishin chipped in quietly.

"We must address who will be the Fifth Hokage with Minato's death. As tragic as it is, our village needs a leader." Danzō pointed out.

"Couldn't even let his corpse get cold, you damnable lich?" Oda scowled at the bandaged shinobi.

Danzō frowned at his senior for that. "I speak for the sake of the village. We have no time to mourn. Now is the time for action, before our enemies can take advantage of our weakened and leaderless state." He told the old Uzumaki.

"Oh, you speak for the sake of the village, all right. The sake of a village you want to rule with an iron fist and turn my great-great-grandson into a living engine of destruction! You're not fooling anyone, you mummified sack of crap!" Oda yelled, ready to throw hands with the bastard before him.

Fugaku frowned at Danzō as well. "As crude as he is currently being, I agree with Uzumaki-sama. Even if we need a leader, that leader should not be you." Fukagu replied disdainfully.

"That isn't necessary. Minato named his successor in my presence." Tsunade said mournfully.

The others all raised their eyebrows. "Oh? And who did he name, Princess Tsunade?" Danzō asked curiously.

"He named Uzumaki Kushina as his candidate to succeed him." Tsunade said boldly, stunning the crowd to brief silence.

The room erupted in whispers at that. Some questioning Kushina's mental state to be Hokage at the moment, some questioning the idea of a foreigner being named Hokage, and the rest approving of her choice. It was then that Hiruzen spoke up.

"I have known Tsunade for many years, and I refuse to believe she is lying on this matter. And if it is Minato-san's dying wish, then, after what he had just done for us this day, then the least we can do is honor him by granting it. Are there any other nominations? Speak now or hold your piece." Hiruzen proclaimed to the great crowd before him.

The crowd stayed silent… save for Danzō who forced himself to the front of the crowd.

"Let me guess, Danzō: You wish to nominate yourself?" Hiruzen asked bluntly.

"Only for an interim until Kushina-sama is ready to take up the mantle." Danzō replied with a frown.

"Oh, I bet you would, considering you'd be in the position to block her from ever taking the position." Oda shot out, getting Danzō to grit his teeth and jeers from the crowd in agreement.

"All in favor of Kushina as the Fifth Hokage!?" Jiraiya called out, and the vote was near unanimous. Even Fugaku raised his hand in support.

"Then it's unanimous. Now we will need an Interim Hokage until Kushina is ready to accept the mantle. Are there any nominations?" Hiruzen announced.

"I would… but I have my own child that was recently born that I have to be there to take care of." Fugaku said with a sigh.

"We should set up a playdate, Fugaku! I'm sure Sasuke-chan and Naruto will get along swimmingly!" Kushina piped up in a better mood.

"He would eat your boy alive…" Fugaku muttered in response.

"I nominate Tsunade as Interim Hokage." Jiraiya said, shocking the room. And his candidate most of all.

"What!? Why me!?" Tsunade demanded angrily.

"You have a damn good head on your shoulders, Tsunade. And who better to help the village heal then the greatest medical shinobi in the world?" Jiraiya explained.

"Not to mention that, since your grandfather and granduncle founded and practically helped build Konoha, you have both the pedigree and the political pull. As well as the financial savvy." Hiruzen pointed out.

"Give me one reason why I should instead of leaving this village like I intended to after Naruto's birth." Tsunade demanded irritably. 

Kushina then turned to face Tsunade and lifted Naruto up to her face. The baby boy, being nearly blind at such an early age, did not understand what was going on. With a bubble of spit forming by his mouth gurgling, he groped the air and lucked his way into grabbing Tsunade's nose. Even to a near cold blooded bunch like what filled the room, it was an adorably warm sight. Even Danzō felt a twinge of feeling at the sight.

"... You are an evil witch, you know that Kushina?" Tsunade replied with narrowed eyes.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. Now let Naruto snuggle, oh great godmother." Kushina answered with a smile.

Tsunade felt her heart skip a beat as she accepted Naruto from Kushina. Holding him gently, the freakishly strong blonde woman looked down at him with a smile. Sighing, she looked up at the rest of the room.

"Fine, I'll be your Interim Hokage. But only until Kushina is physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the job." She told them reluctantly.

"Let's make it official. All for Tsunade, say aye!" Jiraiya called out, getting a thunderous response from the ayes. "I think the ayes have it, sensei."

Hiruzen nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Then I think we can call this meeting to a close for now. Young Naruto will be in the care of his mother and the Uzumaki clan and his training will begin as soon as he's old enough." The former Hokage said.

"And anyone suggesting he is used as a weapon will face the Uzumaki clan's wrath." Oda growled, his gaze falling upon Danzō.

Danzō opened his mouth to say something only for one of Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Chains to pierce the wall right next to his face. The elderly Warhawk paled as he looked down the chains towards their master. Kushina glared at him, her hair split into nine tail-like segments as she growled at him, her eyes turning slitted and red for a moment. Paling, Danzō wisely chose to shut his mouth.

"I think we should all let our future Hokage get some rest." Hiruzen said to prevent a death inside the meeting room.

Nodding, the others stood up and turned to leave. Stopping, Fugaku looked down at Kushina as Naruto was returned to her arms. Giving a nod of approval, Fugaku prepared to leave as Naruto's nearly blind eyes looked up at him.

"Maybe he and Sasuke would get along. He is quite vibrant for one so young." Fugaku said simply, getting a gurgle out of baby Naruto.

To Be Continued…