Tsuchigumo

Fire And Fluff

Minato sighed as he sat down in the hospital room. Both Naruto and Kushina had fallen into a coma. Kushina's monstrous chakra had dropped so suddenly that she had fallen into a healing coma to slowly increase her chakra passively. Naruto on the other had had become a cocoon. After Hizashi had taken a look with his Byakugan, he informed the Hokage that Naruto's going through a metamorphosis. Minato had asked the man if the boy will turn into a more human form, hopeful that this will make things easier of the child but...

Minato sighed. Higanbana's spider body that he had sacrificed to Naruto will remain. A descendant of the Spider Boss would definitely won't be so easily erased. Minato does not have any problem arranging things to make Naruto's life more comfortable but the world won't be so kind and he could not face every battle for his son. But he wondered why Naruto had to go through a metamorphose if he's to remain part spider?

He looked up at the toad that appeared and bowed his head tiredly, "Fukasaku-san,"

Fukasaku croaked at the formality, "What's with the strung up attitude? Is everything okay?"

Minato chuckled, "Everything's fine. The twins are mad at me for letting things get so out of hand. Naruto is still...transforming, I don't know. Kushina is...asleep," He leaned forward and rubbed his face, the fatigue clearly strong, "Rasa was apparently stuck in a strong Genjutsu that took Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan to break. He had planned to use the Chuunin Exam to talk to me about the lack of contact and the Daimyo's strange treatment of his own countrymen. But midway through his planning, suddenly he has this great idea to use the Chuunin Exam to steal my children and the Kyuubi instead of talking. It was obvious that we have both been played,"

Fukasaku frowned, "And the sudden attack? I heard from Jiraiya that everything happened from the inside. How does that happen?"

Minato scowled, "It cannot be helped that Chuunin Final attracted a lot of outside spectators. I did noticed the increased traffic in Konoha but everything checked out. But I had been feeling paranoid because it isn't like Rasa to let his Jinchuuriki son so close to me. The man still believed that I would use the Ichibi against him. But this time it seemed like he has no such concern and that was what tipped me off that something isn't right,"

Fukasaku hummed, "So you had to fight on two fronts?"

Minato nodded, "The Suna Shinobi are equally confused by the sudden appearance of the masked Shinobi. They decided to back Konoha up because the plan was to take my family from me but not outright start war with Konoha. Which is just...that makes absolutely no sense. Attacking my family is starting war with Konoha,"

Fukasaku rubbed his beard, "So that's what tipped you off that something isn't right with Rasa's reasoning?"

Minato sighed, "We have both been played," He looked at the old sage, "So? What was the story with Jiraiya and Orochimaru?"

Fukasaku sighed, "Orochimaru made a forbidden promise?"

Minato raised a brow, "Forbidden how?"

Fukasaku eyed him, "He promised Tsunade to let her talk to Dan and Nawaki through Edo Tensei. I believe that he will use two of your death row prisoners to sacrifice for the technique,"

Minato huffed, "I had already promised Orochimaru that he can do as wished to the prisoners after a thorough investigation. What he does with them has nothing to do with me,"

Fukasaku chuckled, "And that is the reason Danzo is wary of you. You have enough ruthlessness in you to use everything in your hand if it means it will get the job done. But you are also morally bound, unlike him,"

Minato scoffed, "I am not a fool that will chisel away at the foundation of Konoha in the name of protection. What is there to protect if I took away what I had promised to protect? That made absolutely no sense. A hollow loyalty will do Konoha no good. Loyalty has to be earned and in the right way. That is the way to forge an impenetrable defense," He looked at the sage, "Danzo would always hesitate to sacrifice himself first. That is the reason why he is not suitable for the Hokage's position. He believed that a Hokage is like a Daimyo, someone to be protected. But in truth, Hokage is the first line of defense. He does not understand this simple truth,"