"And in blind faith you and along with a few others hoped that this would allow me to live a normal life," Naruto replied.
"It was your father's final wish that you be acknowledged as the hero who saves Konoha everyday by jailing the Kyuubi, believing that someday you'd develop and find use for it in protecting Konoha," Hiruzen added, "I couldn't deny Yondaime's request, which he practically made on his deathbed even though I suspected what the reactions of the populous would be."
"Suspected or knew," Naruto replied, "Either way, I was used a scapegoat by the villagers to vent their anger and sorrow on, thinking that it would give them payback against Kurama; an act of cowardice if you ask me!"
"All that I can say is that I'm sorry for the mistakes I, the ninjas and the populous made," Hiruzen said, "I truly did what I thought was best at the time. The populous did nothing to openly defy me. Though traumatized by their grief and loss, they didn't dare try to kill you unless they themselves were looking to be immediately executed and the same rule applied to the ninjas. The villagers obey with their lips but disobeyed with their hearts. It was malignant civil disobedience but I couldn't just very well force the populous against their free will to acknowledge you as one of our own unless I or one of my loyal ninjas stood behind them 24 hours a day. Even as Hokage my authority and powers are limited."
Naruto stared directly into Hiruzen's eyes and answered, "Your and the mistakes of the stupid ones of this village would have cost all of you dearly if I had become a self-fulfilling prophecy in becoming the very monster everyone believes me to be."
Hearing those words sent of cold chill down Hiruzen's back.
"It's because of Hinata-chan that I didn't become such a self-fulfilling prophecy," Naruto calmly added, "Even though the old man at Ichiraku and his daughter Ayame-chan treat me kindly and allow me to eat at their establishment with no hostility towards me whatsoever, in all it was Hinata-chan who saved me from my darkness and loneliness. She sees me for me and not as Kyuubi No Kurama even after I told her the whole truth about my status as a Jinchuuriki. I care for her and she's very precious to me. And believe me when I say I'll battle and fight this entire village and anyone else to my death to protect her, even if that means protecting her from you jiisan!"
Despite his words, Hiruzen couldn't help be form a large smile on his face with a light chuckle escaping his mouth before bursting into all out laughter, much to Naruto's surprise.
"And what's so funny," Naruto asked indignantly, "You take me for a joke?"
Hiruzen calmed down to get his bearings back together.
"You remind me of so much of your father with that same attitude it's scary," Hiruzen answered, "He was just as protective of your mother while they were Academy students growing up back then."
"He was," Naruto asked curiously.
"Like you and Hinata," Hiruzen explained, "Minato and Kushina knew each other since they started the Academy. Your father always had a huge crush on her though Kushina at first didn't acknowledge him. Your mother was a foreigner from Uzu No Kuni, which was once a prestigious village ruled by the Uzumaki clan, a clan once renowned and feared by other elemental nations and villages for their great seal masters."
"They were," Naruto asked, Maybe it's hereditary that I'm developing and mastering all of those seals then, not that jiisan needs to know what I've been doing over the years.
"In fact," Hiruzen said, "Many of the seals we use in Konoha originated from your clan who designed and created them."
"What became of the Uzumaki clan," Naruto asked.
"Being a nation known for their powerful seal masters earned for them many enemies that feared and hated them," Hiruzen explained, "Uzu No Kuni was destroyed by other foreign nations that banded together in the effort to wipe the Uzumaki clan in its entirety. I don't know if there were any survivors besides you being their last legacy now."
"I see," Naruto said quietly, "…But before me was my mother. So what happened between her and my father back then?"
"Kushina and Minato's romance didn't start out perfectly even though he always had an obvious attraction to her. Like you Naruto, your mother was treated as an outcast but that was because she was a foreigner. Your mother though didn't tolerate anyone's mistreatment of her and she would fight and beat up anyone her crossed her. Minato though saw passed all her faults and bias views of her and from the shadows he'd always watched over Kushina, admiring her while in hiding from her sight."
"Sounds a whole lot like what Hinata-chan used to in connection with me," Naruto remarked seeing a forming parallel between himself and Hinata with regards to his parents.
"One day though Kumo ninjas infiltrated Konoha and kidnapped your mother," Hiruzen went on.
"Why," Naruto asked, "What did they want with my mother?"
"There's a secret about your clan's bloodline you must know before I continue and why Yondaime used you as the host for Kyuubi," Hiruzen said, "You see, only an Uzumaki can hold Kyuubi, anyone else would die in the attempt to become a Jinchuuriki for that bijuu. This is because the Uzumakis were known for their longevity, massive chakra, stamina and endurance. You Naruto, are the third Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi."
"What," Naruto asked, "I'm the third Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi No Kurama?"
Hiruzen nodded, "The first one was a woman named Uzumaki Mito; she was the wife of our late Shodaime Hokage. She used herself to seal Kyuubi away. After many years she when approaching the end of her life a new Jinchuuriki was needed before her death. Your mother had special chakra that she could form and solidify into chains strong enough to hold down Kyuubi, which was why she was chosen and brought to Konoha, to become the second Jinchuuriki."
Naruto was shocked and speechless by that bombshell.
"My mother was the Jinchuuriki before me," Naruto asked.
"She was," Hiruzen continue, "Sometime later after she became a Genin, Kumo got wind of Kushina's abilities and sought to use her as their instrument. No one else was aware of Kushina going missing, but Minato did and went after her before the Kumo ninjas reached the border and singlehandedly defeated her kidnappers and rescued Kushina."
"My father was that strong even then," Naruto asked.
"He loved your mother to the point that he traced her red hair deposits she dropped to the ground as a hopeful trail for our trackers," Hiruzen said, "Only Minato caught onto it. Kushina fell in love with Minato ever since. Just as Minato saved your mother from her loneliness and kidnappers, Hinata saved you from your loneliness and darkness, just as you said before; quite the parallel."
Naruto stayed quietly momentarily to take in everything he was now being told, information, though brief, he wanted to know for many years. Soon though, he broke his silence.
"How did they die," Naruto asked, "What were the exact circumstances?"
"…When you mother became pregnant with you," Hiruzen explained, "It brought about a dangerous situation with it that threatened Konoha's safety."
"How so," Naruto asked.
"When a female Jinchuuriki becomes pregnant," Hiruzen continued, "Their seal containing the bijuu is at its weakest during childbirth. That was also the case with Uzumaki Mito after she become pregnant for Shodaime. During that critical situation and for Konoha's safety, both Mito and Kushina had to give birth outside the village in the event Kyuubi managed to escape. All preparations and ANBU security were made for your birth at an undisclosed chamber a good distance outside Konoha's walls. My late wife Biwaki and a young female medic were with both Minato and Kushina when Kushina went into labor. Minato was to keep the seal holding Kyuubi stabilized while Kushina gave birth to you.
"But something went terribly wrong during your birth and Kyuubi was released. I'm sorry to say Naruto but I don't know exactly what happened that led to Kyuubi's sudden escape from Kushina's seal and both my wife and her medic assistant were killed in the process. Deep down though, I knew foul play was involved even though we made sure no one within Konoha's walls knew of Kushina giving birth.
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