Id like to say that this is my first attempt at a fanfic. This chapter is being published as kind of a feeler to see what people think of my story so far. Ill try to update once a week, but between CH1 and CH2 may take a while because I'm not caught up to where I need to be to publish the story, but as I said I'd like to get an idea from you guys.

"Kushina," Minato said, "I just wanted you to know that I've always loved you and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for what I'm about to do."

"Minato you don't have to do this! I'll drag him back inside of me and take him to the grave with me." Kushina replied.

"No Kushina that would only be temporary, he would come back and it could be even more disastrous then. Besides, I don't want you to waste the last of your chakra because I'd like to incorporate it into the seal so that our son will someday be able to meet his mother." Minato said with a heavy heart.

Kushina agreed with what he said and didn't press the issue further as Minato began racing through hand seals.

Meanwhile: Outskirts of Konoha

Hiruzen and another group of shinobi were racing to where Minato teleported to at top speed

I hope we're not already too late…Minato don't do anything reckless.

"Faster everyone we don't have much time!" Hiruzen shouted as they increased their pace.

Just as they leapt into the clearing where they could see the Kyuubi he heard Minato yell out the words he hoped he'd never hear.

Back with Minato

"Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"

Minato stood facing the Kyuubi as the Death God appeared at his back with a spectral projection of himself suspended by chains on the Death God.

Minato looked at Kushina and said "Im sorry Kushina-chan."

"Minato nooo!" Minato heard the familiar voice of his advisor, the former Hokage yell out.

"Hiruzen-sama," Said Minato "Please take care of Naruto and make sure he as seen as the hero that he truly is. This is what it takes to save the village and it's a responsibility that I chose to shoulder as the 4th Hokage of Konoha."

As the 3rd Hokage heard this he started racing through a set of handseals, as he finished he yelled out "Sealing technique: Replacement of a damned soul" While Minato simultaneously stared down the fox as its soul was dragged through his own and said calmly "Seal."

What happened next was unexpected by everyone.

As the Death God took the Kyuubi in, Minato was surprised to see that rather than his own soul being pulled out, he could see a dark blue stream coming from Hiruzen to the Death God.

"Hiruzen what is this?"

"It's a technique I developed some time ago, though I honestly hoped I'd never be forced to use it. It allows me to feed my soul to the Death God in your place."

"But…" Minato stuttered.

"No buts Minato-kun, you're still young and have a newborn child to see too. I've lived a long life with no regrets and it's better for me to carry this burden than you."

Minato looked down as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Don't shed tears for me Minato-kun, I'm happy to give my life in place of yours."

"Now Minato, finish the 8 Trigrams Seal."

Minato complied as he performed the ritual for the Eight Trigrams Sealing technique on baby Naruto.

"Thank you Hiruzen, for giving me a chance to raise my son. I am forever in debt to you. I can seal a portion of your chakra along with Kushina's into the Eight Trigrams Seal if you would like, so that one day my son may meet the savior of the shinobi world."

"Yes I would appreciate that. Thank you Minato, good luck on your future endeavors, you've always been a good Hokage and I trust that you will keep our village safe and prosperous."

And with that the Death God as well as Hiruzen and the Kyuubi were gone, leaving Minato with his fading wife and his newborn son. Ill always be grateful for this Hiruzen.

The other shinobi that were with Sandaime appeared and shunshinned the group away to the hospital. Minato sat at his wife's side as she slowly faded away, despite the efforts of the best medics available.

Im so sorry I was unable to protect you Kushina-chan. If anything, at least I was spared so that our little Naruto-kun will have one of his parents. I love you and I'll never forget you.

Later that night, Hokage tower.

"My fellow villagers," Said Minato as he pondered his words carefully.

"Tonight, as you all know, our village was attacked by the Kyuubi no Kitsune. He was under the control of a masked man whose identity is unknown as of this time. I managed to strip his control of the Kyuubi, and performed the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on it, which was supposed to forfeit my own life in order to seal it away. However, as I completed the ritual and the Death God started to remove my soul, our beloved 3rd Hokage switched places with me, making himself the payment for the Death God's service. We lost several of our shinobi brethren tonight, the 3rd Hokage and my wife Kushina Namikaze included."

"The Kyuubi, however, has been defeated. You can all go home and rest with ease tonight. We will have a further meeting tomorrow morning at 08:00 AM."
_

Later on, in the Hokage's office

I can't believe all that has happened tonight… My first son was born, an unknown masked man who appears to be invincible attacked the village with the Kyuubi that he released from my wife, I lost the woman whom I loved more than life itself, and Hiruzen sacrificed himself so that I may live to raise my son.

Kushina… I'm so sorry that I let you down. I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me and that you watch over us always.

Hiruzen… I also let you down tonight as your successor as Hokage. I never meant for this to happen to you. It was supposed to be me that gave my life to the Death God.

Minato sighed to himself as he sat there staring out the window of his office at the village partially in ruins.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Enter." Said Minato.

The door opened and Kakashi Hatake stepped in.

"What is it that you needed Kakashi-kun?"

"I just wanted to come by and talk sensei" Kakashi said as he came over and sat in front of the desk near Minato.

Kakashi and Minato sat at the desk and talked about what happened for a few hours while everyone else mourned their losses in their own ways.
_

The next morning, 06:00 AM

A knock came at the door of the Hokage's office, "Enter." Said Minato as he thought about the events that took place last night.

The door opened and revealed a man in black ANBU dress with a dog mask over his face, and a tanto strapped across his lower back.

"Hello Kakashi-kun" greeted Minato.

Kakashi walked in and bowed to Minato "Hokage-sama, I have the final report from the attack last night ready for you."

"Thank you Kakashi, could you gather a team of your best men and send them to me please, I'd like to have them locate Tsunade-hime for me." Minato said as he turned to look out the window.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Kakashi said before he disappeared from sight in a whirl of leaves.

Minato bit his thumb and went through some hand seals before slapping his hand onto the desk as a small toad appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Can you go to Jiraiya and have him return to the village as soon as possible please?"

"Yes sir." Said the toad as he vanished in a puff smoke.

Minato sat and reviewed the report given to him by Kakashi, he looked at the number killed and sadly said to himself "This is awful, but it could have been far worse had Hiruzen and myself not acted so quickly."
_

2 hours later, on top of the Hokage tower

As Minato stood atop the tower flanked on either side by ANBU shinobi and the village elders behind him, he addressed the village: "Citizens and shinobi of Konoha, I know that now is a time of great sadness and grieving for those lost in the attack. As of now there is an estimated 1200 dead and 2300 more wounded during the Kyuubi's rampage. We all lost someone close to us during this attack, and as hard as it may be, we will have to pull together as a village to rebuild ourselves so as to not disgrace the ones we lost."

"Tomorrow we will begin our reconstruction of the village. As for today, you are dismissed."
_

A week later

The village reconstruction was well underway with everyone helping out and carrying their load, while the ANBU squad was gone in search of Tsunade, and Minato was reviewing various reports.

Throughout the week Minato had many visitors come and go for different reasons, so it was no surprise when a knock came on the door again "You may enter." Said Minato.

Kakashi walked in and bowed to the Hokage, "Hokage-sama, I just received word that the team of ANBU you dispatched has found Tsunade-sama, and are currently enroute from the southeastern edge of the Fire Country."

"Thank you Kakashi." Minato said as Kakashi bowed and shunshined away.

"I need to take a break, I think I'll take Naruto on a walk around the village" Minato thought to himself as he went to get Naruto from his crib and take a stroll around the village to check up on everything.
_

3 days later, with Minato, Naruto, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune

Minato sat at his seat behind the desk as Tsunade and Jiraiya sat across from him, and Shizune stood beside Tsunade.

"I'm sorry to hear of what happened Minato. I caught word of the attack and started this way as soon as I heard, though I'm sure there is plenty more to be heard." Said Jiraiya as he sipped on his sake.

Sitting her cup down Tsunade started "Likewise for me Minato I heard a rumor of an attack on Konoha and started travelling this way. The rumors were proven true when the ANBU squad caught up with me and said you requested our presence here."

"Yea." Said Minato as he took a drink of his own sake, "I'm sorry about the loss of your sensei, it was never meant to happen that way. I was supposed to be the one took by the Death God but Hiruzen willingly sacrificed himself so that I could carry on and raise my son."

"Don't worry Minato, you know this is the way Sensei would've wanted it." said Jiraiya.

"Perhaps you are right, but I can't help but feel bad about it."

"It's okay Minato this is the way the old man would've wanted things to go."

"Yea…"

"So" Said Jiraiya, "When do we get to see baby Naruto?"

"I'll go get him now."

Minato walked next door and bowed to the young woman who was taking care of Naruto, and thanked her as he picked up Naruto and walked back into his office with his company.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune all smiled as Minato sat the baby on the desk for them to see.

Jiraiya looked up and said "Well I'll be, the kid looks just like his father."

"He's even got your blonde hair." said Tsunade as she was tickling his belly.

"Haha yea, I hope he acts more like me too, instead of taking his mothers fearsome temper" Minato said while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head as Jiraiya and Tsunade grinned.

The four continued to talk for awhile before Minato changed to a more serious demeanor and decided to ask Tsunade for a favor.

"Jiraiya,Shizune, would you mind giving myself and Tsunade a moment alone I need to speak to her personally for a moment" Said Minato.

"Sure thing, I'm gonna go check out the village and see how everything is coming along. I'll see you later Minato." Said Jiraiya as he got up to leave the room.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Said Shizune and she also got up to leave.

"So… Tsunade, I have a favor I'd like to ask of you." Said Minato with a somewhat nervous look on his face.

"What is it that you need Minato?"

"Well, I don't really know how to go about this…"

"Just spit it out already."

"Well Tsunade, since I lost lost Kushina-chan, I think Naruto needs a woman figure in his life as he grows…"

"Go on… said Tsunade curiously

"I guess what I'm trying to say, is will you stick around the village to help me raise him, kind of like a nanny.

"I don't know that's a big responsibility Minato, I'll have to have some time to think about that if you don't mind."

"Of course, take your time; please just give it some consideration" Said Minato.

And with that Tsunade left and headed to the bar to think about all that Minato just said.

With Jiraiya and Shizune, a few minutes earlier

"So what do you think Minato-sama wants with Tsunade?" asked Shizune

"Beats me, maybe some political talk, I never was good with that kind of stuff." Said Jiraiya.

"Yea you're probably right, I'll see you around" Said Shizune as she walked off.

"See ya" Said Jiraiya as he also left.

With Tsunade, 20 minutes after she left Minato's office

Tsunade was sitting at a table in the bar, sipping on a cup of sake while she pondered what Minato said to her earlier.

I can't believe that he chose me of all people to be Naruto's "nanny". Does he really think I'm the right choice?

I'm just an alcoholic with a gambling problem, I can't raise a child? Shizune would be a better choice than I would. Maybe I should talk to her later. Oh well, for now I'm just gonna relax for a bit and clear my mind first.

As Tsunade was sitting there drinking sake and clearing her mind, Shizune happened along and came up to Tsunade and sat down.

"Well Shizune, I was just about to come find you. Need something?" Tsunade asked.

"No, I was just wondering what Minato-sama said to you earlier and I knew I could find you here" Shizune said.

"Well actually, that's what I was going to find you for. Minato asked me if I would be Naruto's 'nanny' and I just don't know." Admitted Tsunade.

"You'd make a great mother M'Lady" said Shizune. "Plus, I'd love to have a little brother!"

Tsunade thought about it for a minute and said "I don't know Shizune, I just don't think im the right choice."

"Sure you are, if you weren't do you think Minato-sama would've asked you?

"Well… you have a point. Do you really think so Shizune?"

"Yes of course I do M'Lady"

"I'll consider it at least. I still need to think about it some more."

"Of course, just think about it. I'll see you later" said Shizune as she got up to leave.
_

The next day, Hokage's Office.

Minato sat at his desk doing some more paperwork as he heard a knock on the door.

"Enter" said Minato as Tsunade walked through the door.

"So have you thought about what I said Tsunade?"

"Yes, that's what I came here for… I'll do it."

Minato stood up and bowed to her as he said "Thank you so much you don't know what this means to me."

"What are they talking about in there I wonder?" Said a mysterious voice outside the window

"I guess I'll know when the time is right." Said the voice as he turned to walk down the wall only to come face to face with the Hokage himself

"Spying on the Hokage are we Jiraiya?" said Minato with a grin

"Well… Well I was… Yes." Said Jiraiya as Minato sweat dropped.

"Great excuse Sensei, come on in I have some good news."

With that Minato burst into a cloud of smoke as Jiraiya turned back around and crawled through the window.

"Jiraiya you moron don't you know how to use a door!" Shouted Tsunade as she went to punch him

"Nope. Anyway, what is this news you had for me Minato?"

"Well, yesterday I asked Tsunade if she would act as a nanny for Naruto, since he needs a woman's influence."

"And what'd you say Tsunade?" Asked Jiraiya.

"I said that I would do it."

"Well well it looks like the Legendary Sucker is finally settling down with a man, too bad it's not me… I thought we had something special." Said Jiraiya with a lecherous grin.

"PERVERT!" Yelled Tsunade and Minato at the same time, as Tsunade punched Jiraiya out the window.

Elsewhere in the village.

Shizune was walking down the street with a bag of groceries in her hands as a person came crashing down in front of her. Without even looking at the person she said "When will you ever learn Jiraiya?"

"NEVER! THE SUPER PERVERT'S WORK IS NEVER DONE!" Shouted Jiraiya as he jumped up and grinned with a thumbs up.

Shizune just sweat dropped as Jiraiya started walking back to the Hokage tower.

Thanks for reading, I'd appreciate it if you would review so ill know how it's going and if i need to change anything. Im open to constructive criticism as well as positive reviews, just let me know what you guys think of the story. Have a good day.