A/N- Hello all!

If you have just picked this story up, I highly suggest you go to my profile and read Fall of the Uzumaki Clan first. Otherwise you may be confused about certain events and people. So make sure to check it out. Otherwise, On with the Show!

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto. If I did, I wouldn't be working minimum wage in the USA.

Just off the coast of the Land of Water there was a small island and village controlled by Kirigakure. It was just a small fishing village with no shinobi what-so-ever and the people were the honest and kind type. Well, most of them were. A few merchants who traveled between the small island and Kirigakure were the more skeptical type, especially when it came to one man in particular. A man that the entire merchants guild agreed was an enemy among them.

When Uzumaki Yoshiro had first come to their little island everyone had been suspicious of him and the local law enforcement arrested the man for questioning. Unfortunately for the locals however, the man was released a few days later and allowed to go about his business. When the merchants had demanded to know why from the law enforcement, the lead investigator could only shrug and say that the shinobi investigators from Kiri told him to.

It was only a few days later when the islands inhibitors found out why. Despite being a typical Uzumaki with red hair and dark purple eyes, Uzumaki Yoshiro had no chakra. Or that was what the Kiri-nin concluded after doing a series of tests on the red-head.

What the locals didn't know however, was that Yoshiro had only been released for observation. Since arriving the red-head was always being monitored by Kiri shinobi and they were a little frustrated to find their efforts wasted. Since arriving, the red-head had simply signed onto a clamming boat as a laborer and gotten a place to sleep. And that was all they thought he did for a year.

Now with the first anniversary of the end of the Third Ninja War approaching, most of the village's occupants were enjoying a small festival like holiday. Children gathered together to play as parents exchanged small talk. Among the children however, was a young man who was playing the bad guy in ninja and allowing the kids to beat on him.

Surrounded by the children's laughter, Yoshiro couldn't really complain at the harsh and tiny punches that were being thrown at him but parents could. Calling their children away, mothers quickly swooped in to remove their children from the Uzumaki's presence as an older Kiri shinobi slowly walked up to the red-head.

The man was dressed in standard Shinobi clothes for Kiri-nin and was probably in his later fifties. Being a shinobi however, did not mean that he steps were slowed just his reaction time. Which was why he was an investigator now rather then active duty, or that's what Yoshiro assumed.

"How unusual to see an Uzumaki play so happily with children of Kirigakure." The man commented with as much distain as he could manage. Hearing the man's obvious hate for him, Yoshiro simply gave the man a radiant smile.

"Why is that unusual Sato-san?" Yoshiro asked as he watched the children be dragged away.

"Because you're an Uzumaki and they are Kiri born. Meaning they are responsible for the fall of your clan and home." The man growled as a small sadistic smile grew on his face. Sato was hoping he could make the red-head snap at him and have something to arrest the man on. Unfortunately, Yoshiro gave no sign of becoming aggressive over that comment.

"Children are innocent of the crimes committed by their parents." Yoshiro stated as he gave Sato another one of his overly bright and obviously fake smiles. Growling in anger that the man wasn't complying, Sato grabbed Yoshiro's shirt angrily.

"Listen here you brat." Sato growled as people stopped in their tracks to watch the transaction between the two. "I know it's you who's making the shinobi generals disappear in Kiri."

Yoshiro raised his arms defensively and was about to argue with the older man when someone else beat him to the punch.

"And how did he do that?" The new voice intervened. Glaring over at whoever had interrupted him, Sato mentally cursed as Suzuki Hikaru stumbled over to them.

The woman was in her mid twenties and would have been described as beautiful if she didn't spend all her time on her boat. She had light brown hair that hadn't been cut in a while and was pulled back into a ponytail with two strands of bangs that framed her face. Her eyes were a sea green and seemed to glow slightly with mirth on a tan face.

"Well?" The woman in her mid thirties demanded and she took another swig of her sake. "How do you know that my employee is the one kidnapping Kiri shinobi? The boy doesn't have any chakra! So how did he do it?"

Around them there were murmurs of agreement from Hikaru's fellow sailors as they all came to Yoshiro's rescue. Over the year, the young man had proven himself to the hard working lot and they all had accepted him as one of their own. Meaning that at times like these, when he was being accused of another disappearance, they were the first to come to his aid.

"That's right Sato!" One man shouted as he and the other sailors made their way over. Sato growled at the advancing sailors before thinking of something that could help him turn the men on the Uzumaki.

"The disappearances started when this trash washed up on your shores. Do you really think that a coincidence?" Sato asked as he kept his hold of Yoshiro's shirt.

"That boy couldn't subdue a twenty pound tuna, never mind a two hundred pound trained shinobi." Some called out in response. "Maybe you should stop harassing the boy and start investigating why these ninja are leaving Kiri."

"Besides Sato, Yoshiro was on the boat all night with Hikaru and most of the morning with me in the warehouse." Another sailor pipped in, getting more murmurs from the group.

"So you see." Hikaru began before giving a drunken hiccup. "There ain't no way Yoshiro did it."

Sato glared at the group with as much malice as he could muster before roughly releasing Yoshiro's shirt.

"I will figure out how you do this Uzumaki. And when I do I'll expose your true colors." The investigator hissed before spitting on Yoshiro and walking away.

"Ass!" Hikaru shouted at the shinobi's back before throwing her arm around her worker.

"You'd think he'd stop breathing down your neck when his daughter confessed to killing her husband last year." The woman growled as she pulled Yoshiro over to the stall she and the others had been sitting at. Following her guidance, Yoshiro sat with his friends as they started to pass around the sake again.

"It's easier to be angry at a stranger then your own child." Yoshiro stated as if this was the simplest things in the world. Scuffing at his comment, one sailor shook his head.

"Honestly boy, you sure you're sixteen? You act and think more like Ojii-san." He commented as he pointed to the eldest man in their company.

The old man scoffed as he downed another glass of alcohol before a glass was pushed into Yoshino's hand. Said glass was quickly removed however when the shop owners wife took the glass and scowled the man who had pushed the glass into the boys hand to begin with. Laughing at the man's pain, the group went back to talking about the sea and its bounties as Yoshiro ordered a quick bite.

Enjoying an order of dango with some tea, his mind drifted as a small smile formed on his face. Truth was, he was not the boy the sailors all thought he was. He was Katsuro Uzumaki, scourge of Kirigakure in the Third Ninja War.

When he had left Uzushiogakure, he knew he couldn't just waltz into Kiri and kill those responsible for his clan's demise. No, he had to be meticulous and thoughtful of how he exacted his revenge.

So, Katsuro had created the man he named Yoshiro and Henged into him before raising the level of the chakra restraint seals his father had written on him when he was a boy. It had been Uzushio tradition for two seals to be written on academy students to help prepare them for the shinobi world. One seal was drawn to simulate weights on the body and the other to suppress a portion of chakra. These seals had originally been designed to double the effectiveness of training but Katsuro was now using them to pass off as a civilian.

Sometimes his ingeniousness amazed him.

The chakra suppressor thus left such a minuet residual that all the chakra sensing tests he had gone through upon arrival had failed to pick it up.

So how then was he suppose to get his revenge if he had no chakra? Well, his chakra was just sealed and it was surprisingly easily to undo the seal in the dead of night when the ship was slowly cruising out to sea, create a few clones, and reseal himself. These clones then went out, stalked his targets, killed them bloodlessly, and sealed the bodies in scrolls that were later thrown into the ocean. Meantime, the real Katsuro remained tucked away at sea with at least two people willing to testify that he was with them rather then out avenging his clan.

The only exception had been Sato's son-in-law though. He had been the first person Katsuro had gone after but the man was a solitary type. So Katsuro's clone had transformed into his wife, killed the man as her in front of her, and used a memory altering seal to make her think that it was actually her who killed him. That however had led to an outrageous mess so Katsuro adjusted his plans to their current layout.

And thus far, this plan had yet to fail him. With every disappearance, the villagers and the Kiri shinobi grew more restless around him, as they all were sure that he was the one to cause the disappearances. But without any sort of evidence he couldn't be brought in. It was the perfect plan, he got to kill those responsible and no one could prove that it was him.

Smiling at that thought, Katsuro's mind continued to plot for his next target when one phrase broke his trail of thought.

"...Yandaime Hokage died?" A younger sailor asked. Thinking of Minato, Katsuro's head snapped up as he gave the conversation his full attention.

"The Hokage died? How did that happen?" Another sailor asked as they all leaned in to hear the news.

"According to one of the merchants who has links to the Land of Fire, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked Konohagakure and the Hokage died fighting it off." The man explained as his fellow sailors began whispering how amazing the deed was.

Katsuro meanwhile, was frozen in place. His body began to shake as he fully processed what the man had said. Minato fought against the Kyuubi and died. Which meant that Kushina was alone now.

"But that's not the best part." The man continued, his voice cutting across Katsuro's mind. "There were rumors going around that Konoha's Yellow Flash and Konoha's Red Devil were getting awfully friendly with each other and I heard that they both died in each other's arms. Isn't that something? Three monsters all killed in one go!"

At that the others began to cheer and drink to the moment before 'Yoshiro' jumped out of his seat, knocking the table as he did so. There was a shout of protest from the group as they looked up at the boy questioningly.

"Yoshiro. What's the matter?" Hikaru asked as she tried to dab some spilled sake out of her shirt, suddenly feeling very sober at her employees unusual behavior.

"Is that true?" He asked quietly.

"What true?" One man asked.

"Is Uzumaki Kushina dead?" Yoshiro demanded as his face twisted angrily. The group regarded him for a moment in confusion as some pondered why the news was upsetting him so. Others however, were getting tense and prepared themselves for a fight.

"Y-Yes." The man stuttered before watching in shock as Yoshiro turned and left the stall.

"What's his problem?" Someone asked before they slowly got back to the celebrations. Hikaru meanwhile, finished her drink and followed her charge. She had an idea what has happening but she needed to hear it from his mouth herself.

'Yoshiro' ran back to his small little shack on the islands western beach. He didn't know exactly what he was doing or why, but Kushina's death brought such a sense of fear in him that he had no choice but to obey the instinct. And that instinct was telling him to return to Konohagakure immediately.

Once out of the village he released the seal on his chakra and the henge. Taking up his true appearance, he was about to take to the trees when two Kiri-nin a few years younger then him jumped down from their hiding places and got in his way.

"I can't believe it. Sato was right." One shinobi said with a small laugh as the other glared at Katsuro. Glaring at the two, Katsuro could tell the duo were young and recently promoted Chunin. He very much doubted that the two were very experienced as their attitudes in this situation screamed inexperience.

"Uzumaki Yoshiro, you are under arrest..." One of the two began before Katsuro's laughing cut him off.

"Children. They sent children to guard one of the last Uzumaki." Katsuro lamented before pulling out two seals and showing them to the duo.

"I'm in a hurry boys so lets make this quick. By the time you wake up I will be long gone, so feel free to tell Sato that he had been right in the end." Katsuro explained as the seals began to glow. "I did kill all those men and you won't find them because the scrolls I sealed them in have all dissipated at the bottom of the sea."

With that, Katsuro threw the two seals at the Kiri-nin and watched as they both quickly jumped forward to charge at him while avoiding the seals. What the two did not expect however, was for the seals to actually be exploding tags and so when they went off, the duo found themselves behind blown right into Katsuro as he places two sleeping tags on the boys foreheads.

Taking effect instantly, the two Kiri-nin collapsed as the seals forced them into unconsciousness. Knowing the explosion would summon more ninja to his location, Katsuro quickly left the boys behind as he rushed back to his shack.

Upon arriving, he quickly packed the last of his things and unsealed the boat he had fist arrived with. Getting ready to push it out to sea, he was stopped when Hikaru appeared through the trees.

"So, this is who you really are?" She asked as she looked the boy over. Surprised to see her, Katsuro paused at look back over at the woman who gave him his footing on this island and put a semi-guarded stance.

"Don't get in my way Hikaru." he warned before the woman waved the threat off as if he were a child rather then a trained shinobi. Feeling slightly insulted by her carefree attitude, Katsuro lowered himself into a fighting stance before noticing that Hikaru had removed her necklace.

"Never did like what they did to your people." She said as she looked over the necklace and ran a thumb over it, disregarding Katsuro entirely.

"I never could forgive them for taking him from me either." She said softly before tossing the necklace at Katsuro.

Catching it, he regarded her carefully before the woman smiled and turned to leave. Shocked by her actions, he glanced down at the necklace and realized it was a pain and ordinary locket. Opening the trinket he was shocked to find a picture of Hikaru kissing a man who was obviously an Uzumaki at what looked like Uzushio's docks. Staring at the picture he briefly wondered what it meant before he was able to connect the dots.

Sighing softly, he placed the necklace around his neck before pushing his boat out to sea and starting the long journey back to Konoha.

-Two weeks later-

All was as normal as it could be in Konoha after a demon attack. The civilian population were licking their wounds and trying to restart their lives despite the heavy losses while shinobi ran about providing whatever aid they could. Even the laziest man alive, Nara Shikaku was rushing about to help out much to his wife's amazement.

At the village's gates, two newly promoted chunin relaxed as they finally got a break from the madness that had fallen over the village. The two sat there, enjoying the relative peace the annoying job brought them and normally they'd have been very attentive. So when a certain red-headed Uzumaki ran past the gate and into the village roof tops, neither shinobi noticed much to Katsuro's surprise.

Still, he wasn't about to let the lack of security go to waste, after all he was basically breaking into the village of the leaves. Rushing over the roof tops, Katsuro bee-lined straight for the Hokage's office and was grateful to see the old building exactly where it had been a year ago. Noting that the window was closed from a distance, Katsuro cursed under his breath and jumped down to ground level so he could rush in the building.

Pushing past the many official looking assistants, Katsuro forced himself up the flight of stairs as people were just beginning to realize what was happening. He had managed to just get the doors in his sight before he suddenly felt something force him to the ground. Growling at his entrapment, he glared up at the Anbu who had managed to pin him to the ground.

"Bastards. Let me go!" He hissed as he started to thrash about. Having expected such, the Anbu tried to tighten their grips but found that they were still being tossed about. Struggling to keep the red-head under control, the two Anbu were surprised when the Hokage charged out of his office.

"What is going on here?" The Sandaime demanded before noticing the two Anbu on a very familiar looking man. Taking in his appearance, Sarutobi tried to place the man and was only able to do so when a pair of angry blue-green eyes caught his.

"Sandaime!" Katsuro called as the old man finally recognized him.

"Release him!" The Hokage ordered as he rushed over to help the last Uzumaki rise.

"But sir..." One of the Anbu began before being silenced by the third Hokage's glare.

"Do as I say and release him." He growled. Unable to refuse the order, the two Anbu removed themselves from Katsuro's back as the Hokage helped the man up.

"What happened?" Katsuro demanded as he got to his feet.

Knowing that he couldn't refuse to answer that question, the Hokage sighed heavily before signaling his Anbu guard to leave him. Again, they went to protest but the old man was able to scare them off with one glare. Once left alone, Katsuro was ushered into the Hokage's office and was closing the door behind him when Sarutobi spoke again.

"What do you know?" The Hokage asked as he activated the silencing seals within the office. With them active, only those within the room could hear the conversation about to take place.

"That the demon fox attacked Konoha and that Minato and Kushina died fighting it off." Katsuro answered as he slowly made his way to the Hokage's desk.

He was amazed how steady his voice had sounded. One part of his brain was marveling at this apparent calmness while another was panicking for the scrolls he had fought to bring to Konoha and the last part was just demanding to know how his cousin had gone. He hadn't known that his jumbled brain was able to form such a coherent sentence and wished he could have known such in the war. Might have gotten him out of a few pointless fights if he had.

The Hokage meanwhile could only sigh as he tried to think of where to begin. Figuring it would be best to tell the young man everything, Sarutobi laced his fingers and rested his elbows on the deck before deciding to speak.

"There is a lot you don't know Katsuro and I suppose the best place to start is with Kushina herself." The Hokage began. Realizing that he was probably about to learn of some village secret, Katsuro prepared himself for what the Hokage was going to tell him.

Only, he wasn't really prepared to hear what the old man had to say.

Sarutobi began by telling Katsuro the reason why Kushina had been brought to Konoha, that the Kyuubi no Kitsune could only safely be sealed within an Uzumaki. He then told Katsuro how Kushina had announced that she was pregnant shortly after Katsuro had left the village and the village elders concerns of the pregnancy. Finally, the Hokage told a shell shocked Katsuro everything they knew from the Kyuubi attack.

"Just before dying though, Kushina told me to insure that the village would see Naruto as he truly was. A jailer to the demon rather then the demon itself." The Hokage concluded before waiting for the boy to speak.

Katsuro meanwhile was wishing there was a chair to collapse into. Everything the Hokage had told him was slowly tumbling around in his head but the one thought that seemed to surface above the others was Kushina's son.

"Naruto." Katsuro said slowly, trying his baby cousins name.

It was only then that he really understood why he had been so scared when he heard of Kushina's death. It was because he was alone now. He was the last known and trained Uzumaki. Any inheritance of his clan's knowledge and name would be through his line and he wasn't sure if he could bare such a burden. After all, he wasn't exactly the nurturing type.

And then there were the scrolls. Last he checked someone was trying to get at them but at the same time, he knew Minato and Kushina had probably improved on the defenses he had initially put up. With them gone now though, it was up to Katsuro now to guard them.

Groaning at the burden that was placed on his shoulders, Katsuro ended up crouching as he held his head. Trying to process everything at once was just giving him a headache, so Katsuro decided to just focus on his reactions to one thing at a time.

So one: Kushina was Kyuubi's Jinchuriki. To that he felt indifferent. He only knew Kushina as the woman he saw so her status made no difference to him.

Two: Kushina and Minato had a son. To this he was happy as there was now a new generation of Uzumaki.

Three: Kushina and Minato were dead, leaving there son an orphan. At that Katsuro could only feel an overwhelming sadness. He had liked Minato and Kushina and there loss was a heavy one for him. The prospect that their son was now an orphan also made him draw parallels to his own life.

Sinking further into a depression at that, Katsuro's thoughts are broken when there is a knock on the Hokage's door. Looking up, he could see the old man waiting for his response. Feeling slightly embarrassed for being unable to control himself, Katsuro stood up again before nodding to the Hokage and thinking over possible solutions for the ridiculous situation they now found themselves in.

"Enter." The Hokage calls once Katsuro has regained some of his demeanor and releasing the seals. The heavy atmosphere is lifted slightly as Hatake Kakashi walked into the room.

Seeing Katsuro in the corner, Kakashi's good eye shone painfully for a moment before he bowed respectfully to the Hokage.

"Lord Hokage. I have come to inform you of a case of child neglect and abuse." Kakashi began, feeling the atmosphere bristle at his words.

"Neglect and abuse?" The Sandaime started as his own shock began to set in. Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Yes sir." Kakashi said. "Someone has disobeyed your orders. Just about the entire village knows what Naruto is now and they have already started moving."

Katsuro's mussing, which had been occupying him up until that moment, was forgotten as Kakashi mentioned Kushina's son. Giving the conversation his full attention, Katsuro felt a little bit of normality return as his mind was able to focus on one thing.

"What happened?" The Hokage demanded as he stood up from behind his desk.

"I was finishing my mission to help rebuild some of the residential area when I happened to over hear two women talking. They obviously knew of Naruto's condition and were plotting to kill him." Kakashi explained as a bit of rage flashed in his own eye. Hearing such a thing, Katsuro felt the rage within him begin to lash out as his chakra began to spike but he kept it contained.

"After hearing such, I ran to the orphanage to find the caretaker shaking him. I removed Naruto from her care and rushed him to the hospital." Kakashi said as he gave Katsuro a worried look. He could feel the killer intent beginning to rise in the boy and he prayed the Katsuro wouldn't unleash such on those who were technically innocent.

"The doctor said that there shouldn't be any damage from the shaking, as I brought the child to them quickly but he is bruised and will be under supervision for a while." Kakashi finished before seeing the unspoken question in the Hokage's eyes. "I have two shadow clones with the child right now to watch over him and discourage any other risk takers."

Hiruzen nodded at this and grumbled at what it all meant. Naruto was now a target because people couldn't tell the difference between a scroll and the knife sealed within it.

"This is unpleasant to say the least." The old Hokage began before looking over at the brooding Uzumaki.

"I know you probably don't think you can raise a child Katsuro, but as Naruto's only living relative I ask you to please consider looking after him. If you don't, I will have no choice but to send him back to the orphanage." The Hokage stated as he bore down on Katsuro with a piercing gaze.

Caught in the older man's intense stare, Katsuro felt his rage leave him as he considered the Hokage's words. Taking a moment to think, Katsuro could only come to one conclusion.

If the situation had been reversed between him and Kushina, she wouldn't have hesitated a moment before making her choice.

"Lord Hokage." Katsuro began, a sense of determination overcoming him. Somehow he knew his clan was looking down on him in this moment and in his minds eye their normally stoic faces all brightened into happy smiles.

"I wish to formally adopt Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto as my legal charge and reinstate myself within Konoha's ranks." Katsuro stated as a tired smile grew on the Hokage's face and in Kakashi's eye.

"There is no need for reinstatement Katsuro. According the official records, you have been away on a long recon mission of Kiri's condition and returned just today." The Hokage said as he made his way to his desk.

Shocked by the Hokage's answer, Katsuro just nodded slowly before noting the older man's slight change in behavior. The Hokage became serious again as he began thinking of the situation from a leaders stand point.

"Now then. With you back here in Konoha and raising your nephew, things are going to be a little hard on you Katsuro." Hiruzen began. "In order to feed your charge you will need to go on missions but those mission will take you away from your charge. So I suggest finding some people you can trust to help you look after the boy when you are away."

Katsuro nodded at that advise as he began to ponder who he could rely on. Truthfully, there wasn't really anyone who he could actually call friend and he didn't know Minato and Kushina's friends at all so he couldn't exactly reach out to them.

Cursing under his breath at the realization that he had no one to ask, Kakashi stepped forward.

"I'm willing to help him Lord Hokage. It's the least I can do for my sensei. And I also know others who would be willing to help if asked." Kakashi supplied for Katsuro. Nodding gratefully to the silver-haired shinobi, Katsuro returned his attention to the Hokage.

Content with the answer, The Hokage then turned to the next issue.

"Now the question turns to housing." Hiruzen began before Katsuro intervened.

"I wish to stay in or near Kushina and Minato's house." He requested, knowing that the Hokage should have some idea of why.

"I was getting there." The Hokage muttered before continuing. "Minato and Kushina both made it obvious in your time with them that you were always welcome in there home so I am sure they won't mind you living in it as you raise their son. Thus I am making you property keeper until Naruto becomes an adult according to our traditions. After that, all decisions on who lives where will be up to him."

Katsuro nodded in relief at that and gave the older man a very small smile. Smiling back, Hiruzen opened a desk drawer and pulled out an official adoption paper. Quickly filling it out, he outlined Katsuro's duties as both the property keeper and shinobi of Konoha. When he finished, Katsuro gave him an assured nod as the Hokage's seal and signature were placed on the bottom of the page.

"It's official then." The Hokage said as he held the pen out to Katsuro.

"Once you sign this paper, you will be Naruto's guardian." The old man said seriously before Katsuro took the pen and signed the paper without pausing. Smiling at such, Hiruzen set the paper aside to be filed at a later date,

"Welcome back Uzumaki-san." Hiruzen said with a sad smile. Katsuro returned the smile before turning to Kakashi with a very serious look.

"Take me to Naruto." he demanded, getting a lazy nod from the relieved jounin.

A/N- And that's chapter 1! Hope you all enjoyed, I'm off to start chapter 2 now.

Please review for me though. Reviews are motivation, which means sooner updates for the readers.