What Do You Say, Naruto? [Hiatus]

Chapter 8

74 Hours Before..

(3rd Person P.O.V)

The moment the two entered the house it was filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Shiro had caught Naruto's attention before entering the house and had beckoned him to the kitchen table.

"Naruto. You've been with me almost a year now, and I want to give you something special. Something to help you along the way to becoming great." Naruto stares in awe and slight confusion. "Hush," Shiro cut off any word Naruto had yet to speak. "Just let me tell you this. You are the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko; the Nine Tailed Fox." Naruto felt bile rise up in his throat, "Why I am telling you this is because I was the one who designed your seal."

Tears and a feeling of wanting to gag overcame Naruto. He shakily asked what Shiro meant. He explained.

"While you're mother was the youngest of the three children from the royal Uzumaki family born from her mother and her brothers with their respective spouses, I was not; but you already know this. While not being of the main family I was your Uncle's most trusted adviser. The cousin of your mom was held in high regard due to being the heir, but because his mom was the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi 1 host before you, he bred me into becoming a seals master. He had me inspect the seal on Mito, his mother, while she was of very old age as well as inspect the seal of the jinchuuriki before you. Using that knowledge I had to paint a seal that would extract chakra with as minimal damage from the corrosive chakra as possible. Yes, the Yondaime Hokage has used the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style on you, but I was the one who perfected it."

"The Eight Trigrams Sealing Style?"

"A Four Symbols Seal is used to seal a large enemy or an evil spirit into a target, such as an object or a human's body. A stronger seal is created if two Four Symbols Seal are used; this is called the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, the one I had created. If the Four Symbols Seals do not completely overlap with each other, this allows the enemy/spirit's chakra to merge with whoever they've been sealed into. The original seal had only one Four Symbols Seal. Using the research, I was able to 'complete' it. But the scroll was thought to have been destroyed when Uzushiogakure was. Turns out it had magically found itself here, and after the Kyuubi broke free from his previous host, the Yondaime Hokage had used the seal. Ultimately it cost him his life because of its direct relationship with Shiki Fujin, or 'The Dead Demon Consuming Seal' that our ancestors had developed to call upon the power of the Shinigami."

Naruto was speechless, he couldn't tell if he should be happy that he knew more about his family, angry for Shiro having kept this secret, or saddened for the same reason. "But, why are you telling me all of this? Wouldn't you have waited until I was older to tell me?"

With his palm rubbing the back of his neck, Shiro sighed, "I'm telling you all of this because I want to teach it to you. That way you can learn how to properly channel the Kyuubi's chakra and excel further and faster in your training than ever! I want to help you reach the corners of the meaning 'strength' never reached before!" Shiro exhaled Before continuing,

"What do you say, Naruto? Do you want to believe in me?"

"I do believe in you. And I trust you." Shiro smiled, "But I'm sorry, I can't." Naruto grimaced as Shiro's smile dropped in confusion. "W-What? Why?"

"I was able to get this far without the beast's chakra. So who knows how far I'll go. I don't need them to be strong. I have you by my side already. Believe it?" Shiro was overcome with shock, but was quickly washed away with pride and joy for the wonderful person of a being Naruto had become.

Shiro grinned, "Believe it!"

65 Hours Before..

(3rd Person P.O.V.)

Naruto woke up to the sounds of bird chirping and the sun glaring at him through his blinds. Groaning, he sat up and began to rub the sleep out of his eyes. Sitting there for a moment Naruto began to make his way to where he had suspected his guardian to be.

     He was met with Shiro humming a soft tune whilst making breakfast for the two, they both slept in coincidentally. The pair decided it was too good of a day to train. Today was a lazy day.

     At the pair began to eat Shiro sparked a conversation topic, quickly leading to Naruto rambling about what he thought in the subject. Before the discussion could have concluded sharp whaps of a knock relentlessly attacked the door. Shiro quickly reached to open the door, letting a familiar Kage stumble in.

     "Is something the matter?" Shiro asked in worry as he hadn't seen Hiruzen so shaken and out of breath in a long time.

     Hiruzen in a shaky breath heaving, told Shiro, "It's him." Shiro's eyes narrowed in confusion but quickly widened in realization. Ushering in the older man Shiro sent Naruto to the market to grab mundane supplies.

     Hiruzen stayed seated in the living area on the couch with his head in the hands, Shiro pacing back and forth rubbing his temples.

     "What do you mean 'he's back'?" Shiro bit at his thump.

     "He wants you dead and for Naruto to be 'disciplined' so that he may be able to break his mind and turn him into a living weapon." Hiruzen felt tears rise up as his throat constricted.

     "He's already issued the 'kill on sight' bounty for you a week ago... You're already being hunted as we speak."

     Shiro stumbled backwards, his pacing interrupted with the new information. "W-What?" Hiruzen didn't speak. Shiro walked towards him quickly, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him to eye level. "Why the hell didn't you fix it?! Didn't you give me your word when I had found the kill order issued by the council that you would prevent it?!" Hiruzen shuddered.

     "I was able to stop it. But only that one. He went behind my back and he himself issued the call form, a unanimous vote was completed and finalized the same day. The rug was swept from under me." Shiro shook with anger and dread as he witnessed Hiruzen lower his head away from his view the best he could whilst being hoisted up by Shiro. "I'm so sorry Shiro. I'm-I'm s-so sorry!" The Hokage broke out into sobs, knowing he was going to lose his brother and best friend figure in Shiro and his grandson figure in Naruto.

     Shiro looked away from the pitiful sight that was the Hokage.

     He suddenly spoke into the silence, over powering Hiruzen's sobs, "Naruto will know nothing of this." Hiruzen looked up in shock, bloodshot eyes wide.
 

     "If I die before I am able to tell him then so be it.

It is already too late to run, so now we can only fight like the caged animals we are."