Shinigami no Scion

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Though I wish I did.

Part 1

The Deal

The shy glowed orange in the evening light. Fire rose from many buildings as the ground shook beneath people's feet. Villagers ran screaming through the streets as shinobi ran towards the source of their panic. Jutsus flew everywhere from thousands of shinobi, while even more lay dead or dying on the forest floor.

The source of it all stood against the night sky, it's roars deafening. Nine tails whipped and slashed behind the giant creature. It was the Kyuubi no Kitsune, nine-tailed demon lord of the south. It was said that one swing of its tails could level mountains and start tsunamis.

No one knew what had caused the demon to attack. Normally it just lived deep in the forest, disturbing no one. Some said that someone had stolen something from the fox, others said that it had been waiting and planning it's attack the whole time. But the only thing that any one really knew was that if something weren't done soon, Konoha would be wiped off the map.

In another world, a figure stood in the shadows, watching as a line of souls passed by. 'There are more than usual today.' the figure thought. 'Something must be going on in Ningenkai. (Human World)' It sighed; "This is getting old, and I need a vacation." It waved a hand and a chair appeared and he sat down. "It's time to choose an heir, time to choose the next Shinigami, Lord of Life and Death," the Shinigami declared. "I shall decide my heir upon my next summoning to Ningenkai!"

"Master," piped a small sprite; "sorry to interrupt your rant, but a large group just arrived from Konoha."

Shinigami dismissed the sprite and sighed once more. "If there are that many from one country, it seems that I will be choosing my scion sooner than I thought... Thank Kami!"

Back in Ningenkai, the Yondaime Hokage, Kazama Arashi, looked out from his office in the Hokage Tower. His face was set in a saddened frown, the Kyuubi was attacking and his wife had just died, though that had nothing to do with the Kyuubi. His wife had gone into labour earlier that day. The child lived, but his wife hadn't been so lucky. Yet he still loved the child, and that was why he was sorry for what he was about to do. He just hoped that the villagers would be more open minded than he thought they would be.

As he saw it, there was only one way to stop the Kyuubi. But it would leave his child both cursed and parentless. He had to hope that someone would take his child in; else he shuddered to think of the life that he would have.

He quickly shoved all such thoughts from his mind; he would have to concentrate on what he had to do to save his village. He would sacrifice both him and his son to save the village. He would die, but his son would live on, hopefully to be seen as a hero.

The previous Hokage, Sarutobi, walked in and saw the many scrolls that he had open on his desk. His eyes widened; "Arashi! You can't be doing what I think you are? That jutsu is forbidden, even among the strongest!"

Arashi shook his head; "I know, but it is the only way to save Konoha."

"Be that as it may, if some one must do it, let it be some one who has lived his life. Not someone who has yet to do so. And think of your child! Let me do it!"

Arashi shook his head; "No, I must be the one to do this. Promise me that he will be viewed as a hero."

Sarutobi nodded sadly; "I promise Arashi." The current Hokage quickly left the room, his child in his arms. 'I'm sorry my friend, but that may be one promise that I cannot keep. Though I will do everything in my power to keep it.'

As Arashi entered the battlefield, the shinobi cheered. Their saviour was there! He was horrified by what he saw: normally Kyuubi was peaceful. 'Whatever.' He bit one of his thumbs and made a few hand seals; "Kyuichose no Jutsu! (Summoning Technique)" he yelled as a giant plume of smoke appeared beneath him as he and his child rose into the air.

"Arashi is that you?" a loud voice called from beneath them. He was now standing atop the gigantic toad Gamabunta, the Toad Boss. "Whoa!" yelled the toad as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding one of Kyuubi's tails as it lashed out at him. "Arashi! Why did you summon me into this? Ah well, I'm here anyway so might as well help." The toad drew his sword and slashed at Kyuubi.

"Gamabunta! All I need is for you to hold him off until I can finish my jutsu!" Arashi yelled down.

Realization of what his summoner was about to do dawned on the giant toad; "Fine then."

As Gamabunta dodged, hopped, hacked, and slashed around the Kyuubi, Arashi began the first of five hundred and sixty-eight seals that would rid Konoha of the Kyuubi threat.

Three minutes later Arashi finished and called out; "Fuujin Jutsu: Shinigami no Shiki Fuujin! (Sealing Jutsu: Death God's Death Seal!)"

Immediately the Kyuubi, and time, froze as the temperature dropped drastically. A fog began to collect behind Arashi, it quickly formed the outline of a tall, dark figure.

"Mortal, what is it that you would sacrifice your life to obtain?"

"Shinigami-sama! Seal the Kyuubi inside this vessel and I will gladly give up my life!"

"Very well. It shall be as you have asked. The Kyuubi will be sealed at the cost of your life. But, I will not take your soul."

Arashi gasped; 'But, that is the cost of summoning him. Why is he doing this?'

"Instead, I shall take your son, for that is what I have seen the vessel to be..."

"What? No!" yelled Arashi; "Take my soul! Leave my son alone!"

Death glared at him. "Silence Mortal! You have no say in the matter." he then seemingly softened; "I never said that I would take his soul. No, what I need is a scion, and heir. And that is what your son will be, the next Shinigami!"

Arashi frowned; "Why would you do such a thing?"

The Shinigami smiled, yet even his smile was scary; "Simple, I'm getting tired of my job. I want a vacation."

Arashi sweat dropped; "Fine, deal!"

"Then it shall be done. You shall die, the Kyuubi will be sealed, and your son shall become my scion. But, you will not be allowed to rest in peace, you will walk the earth as your son's guardian, until the time comes when he is able to decide your fate. You have given him both a blessing and a curse, there for he will be the one to judge your soul." he raised his arms in a seal. "Jikoku Kai! (Time Release!)"

Everything began to move again, all except for the Kyuubi. Even it was afraid of the Lord of Death. The Shinigami thrust its hand through Arashi and the child and into Kyuubi. Immediately Kyuubi began to thrash around, trying to get free, but to no avail. It's soul was dragged from its body, which turned to dust when nothing was left to sustain it, and placed inside of a special cage created by the Shinigami inside of the child. A seal appeared around it's naval, but it was different from the normal one caused by Death. The spiral was the same, with the addition of several more runes that would aid the child. The normal seal was called the Four Seasons Seal, but the one that appeared on the child is called the Seal of Eternity.

The Shinigami withdrew his hand from both Arashi and the child, and bands of an ancient script began circling around the child's wrist and ankles. Slowly they tightened, forming black bracelets that, if one looked closely enough, contained millions of characters. The bands contained the powers of the Shinigami as well as removed the child's mortality. (We can't have the Lord of Life and Death die, can we?)

Eventually, the Shinigami would come to teach the child how to control his powers, but until then, he would only have the power to see and communicate with spirits, and to summon shikigami, (Familiar Spirits) both of which would protect the boy through out his life.

On the child's left palm appeared the kanji for Life was inscribed in white, and on his right, the kanji for Death in black. A small chain of script attached both to the bracelets on their respective wrists. All of which disappeared into his skin when the Shinigami once again disappeared into the mists, only to appear when the child used his chakra.

The Shinigami asked Arashi one last question before disappearing, a question that Sarutobi also heard; "What is the child's name?"

Arashi looked at him, already feeling his strength waning; "Naruto, Uzumaki Kazama Naruto."

Death nodded; "Shinigami Kazama Naruto it shall be then."

Arashi collapsed, as the Shinigami disappeared. His soul quickly flew over to Naruto who smiled at him.

Gamabunta frowned as he set the body and child on the ground. "Gaki, that was a last fight that I will never forget. I look forward to meeting your son in the future." and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sarutobi ran over to the body, already knowing what he would find; the Yondaime was dead. He then turned to the baby next to the body, quickly examining the seal. 'This seal is even more complicated than even you could do Arashi. Whatever happened, you have once again surpassed all expected limits, you and your child. I'm sure that the people will see him as the hero that he is.'

But it was not to be, when he announced to the village what had happened, the people, and most of the shinobi, were calling for the child's death. Sarutobi was horrified, but he could easily understand them. Many had lost loved ones to the Kyuubi, which was now sealed inside the child. Others thought that the child was the Kyuubi itself in human form. Still, many feared that the Kyuubi would break free of the seal. But all of them had one thing in common: they wanted the child dead. Sarutobi flatly refused to give Naruto to them, or have him killed.

'Actually, I wonder if it is even possible for him to die. Kyuubi would just heal him.' he thought. Sarutobi saw that even if he let the child live, the villagers would do everything that they could to make Naruto miserable, and pass their hate to their children.

So Sarutobi passed a law saying that anyone who spoke of the demon would be subject to the severest punishment that he could think of. That way the child would at least have a chance with the younger generation.

Many were displeased, but they could do nothing about it. Sarutobi's word was law, now that he had been reinstated as the Sandaime Hokage.

Grudgingly, they all left for home, leaving the newly dubbed Demon Child in the Hokage's arms. Several plotting ways to get rid of it with out getting in trouble for it.

The Sandaime sadly carried Naruto into the Hokage office and placed him in the crib that Arashi had placed there. "I'm sorry young one, but it looks like you have a hard life ahead of you."

The baby cooed at him, or more precisely what was behind him. His father was there, radiating love for his child, and at the same time anger at the villagers for being so blind. He was also disappointed in most of the shinobi, but there were a few that he knew would treat Naruto right. The Hyuuga, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, and Uchiha clans seemed to hold no hate for the boy at least. Well, most of the Uchiha at least.

"I'm sorry my son. I had hoped that you would be a hero. But remember this always, a hero is what you truly are. I will always be here for you, guarding you from the hate of these blind people. Do not hate them for it, for they have lost many precious people this day, I will protect you, always."