Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Prologue

After Izanagi returned from Yomi, he acted in a cleansing rite, in which he begot Amaterasu from his left eye, Tsukuyomi from his right eye, and Susanoo from his nose. However, with these new deities there was to be an equal power, and so rose the Bijuu.

Battlefield just outside Konoha

The ninja of Konohagakure no Sato raged with all their might against the fearsome Kyuubi no Kitsune, the strongest of the Bijuu. The surrounding area had been levelled of all tree's, lifeless bodies of comrades fallen everywhere. A majority of the bodies weren't even whole; some had been torn by the great fox's gleaming claws, some had been stomped on and crushed, and the most gruesome sight being the half mangled bodies the Kyuubi decided to dine upon.

"We need to hold it until Yondaime-sama arrives," cried a wounded ANBU before released another spay of flames at the beast.

"…Don't let it get to Konoha! If that happens we are doomed," yelled another shinobi, this time a Jounin who was panting in an attempt to catch his breath.

Within minutes, a great toad known as Gamabunta appeared flying overhead, its blade gleaming in the moonlight before digging into the Kyuubi. "Oi gaki! Do it now!"

A blonde shinobi standing atop the great toad nodded solemnly before raising his hands from his sides and throwing them into a series of handseals. The Kyuubi made a noise, somewhat reminiscent of a chuckle before raising its claw and cutting across Gamabunta's left eye.

The shinobi finished his handseals before mumbling something, barely audible to the toad he was riding on, "I, the Yondaime Hokage, now seal you away!"

It happened in a matter of seconds. A bright flash of light encompassed the entire battlefield, and when it was gone, the Kyuubi was nowhere to be seen, and the Yondaime lay on the brink of death.

(3 weeks later)

"Heheh, die demon," the snickering chuunin slapped a paper seal onto the back of a 3 week old, blonde baby's neck. The seal glowed red before it started to shift around, the kanji moving and changing shape. The chuunin watched in horrid fascination as the explosive seal that should have detonated by now warped and imploded, not doing any damage to the baby.

"Naruto-kun!"

The chuunin swore and disappeared in a puff of smoke. In seconds, three figures appeared in the room in time to see the smoke fade away. The first of the figures snarled and picked up the young baby. "Search the vicinity. I want whoever was in here found and given to Ibiki."

The other two shadowy figures nodded and disappeared, similar to what the chuunin had done, except without leaving the smoke. The first person walked over to the window where the moonlight hit his face, revealing none other than the elderly Sandaime Hokage. He rocked the crying baby in his arms, singing a lullaby in a hushed tone. He didn't notice the glow of red chakra on the back of the baby's neck fade into his skin.

(Time Skip – 3 Years)

A 3 year old Naruto grinned toothily at the elderly Hokage, grabbing at his robes. "Neh, neh! Sarutobi-jiji, can we get ramen?"

Sarutobi smiled warmly and picked the boy up in his arms. "My, you are getting big Naruto-kun. Maybe you have been eating too much ramen?"

The young Naruto shook his head and pouted, "Ramen is good. Vegetables are blugh!"

The Hokage laughed and shunshin'ed out of his office, headed towards Ichiraku Ramen. Sooner or later, the old man knew he was going to have to make Naruto live somewhere other than the Sarutobi estate. It was just so difficult when the majority of the village wanted the young boy dead.

"Ok Naruto, miso again?"

The little blonde bopped his head up and down, causing the old man to chuckle.

(Meanwhile)

"The moment that old fool takes his eyes off the demon brat you are to end its existence. Do you understand these orders?"

"Hai, Danzo-sama."

The one armed, half blind man grinned with malice and turned away from the shinobi in front of him. That brat would die, and with it, Sarutobi's position as Hokage.

Sarutobi Estate

Naruto sat in his room, reading a scroll on chakra. He surprised everyone he knew when he started reading the Sarutobi clan's scrolls, and even understanding them. It just wasn't normal for a 3 year old.

Sarutobi had left earlier to finish off his paperwork, leaving Naruto at the estate. Little did he know that his precious Naruto was in grave danger.

The ROOT member stood poised in the shadows of the corner of the room Naruto was currently occupying. Raising the poisoned kunai from his pouch, the ROOT dashed across the room with speed rivalling the fastest people in Konoha. The kunai sailed through the air, and slashed through the boy.

'Wait a minute… through? Shit! Bunshin!'

The ROOT member turned his head slowly, only to find the Hokage standing in the doorway, the demon spawn in his arms. In seconds, the ROOT member was bound, gagged and sent to Ibiki. The screams would be remembered for many nights to come.

Hokage's Office

"Oh Naruto… what am I going to do with you?"

"You could always send him with me…"

Sarutobi spun in his chair and grinned when he saw who was standing in the windowsill. The man smiled at him and waved, "Yo, Sarutobi-jiji."

"Takezo Kenji. It's been a while since I've seen you… how is the farm going?" Sarutobi asked, all the while keeping a stray eye on Naruto who was sitting in a corner, still reading his scroll.

Kenji's grin got even wider, "I finally got that irrigation system working. I heard that Minato left behind some offspring. Was told it died though. That kid looks a lot like that blonde dumbass."

Sarutobi laughed, attracting the attention of his blonde charge. "Naruto, come here. I want you to meet someone."

The young boy nodded and plopped his scroll on the seat beside him before jumping off his own, as his feet didn't quite touch the ground yet. He walked over to Kenji, who was still sitting in the windowsill. "Who are you?"

Kenji smiled and bopped Naruto on the head lightly with his heel, "I'm Takezo Kenji brat, your new sensei."

Naruto stared at Kenji with a confused look in his eyes before turning around to the Hokage. The elderly man ruffled Naruto's hair and nodded. "Don't worry Naruto-kun, Kenji-kun was on a Genin team with the Yondaime. He's a good guy."

Naruto nodded once and turned back around to face Kenji before kicking him in the shin. "Don't call me a brat. For your information I'm three and a half."

Kenji was wide-eyed. This kid was three and a half years old and was already talking as fluently as a teenager. 'Oh… the possibilities…'

Kenji grinned at Naruto before turning back to the Hokage. "Oi, I want to take him to my farm… it will give him a chance to get used to travelling, and I can teach him a heck of a lot easier out there."

Sarutobi frowned. He didn't expect Kenji to take Naruto outside the village. He hoped that Kenji would move back to Konoha for a while to look after Naruto. He let out a sigh and nodded to Kenji, who grinned in reply.

Naruto looked at the elderly Hokage again. "Neh, Sarutobi-jiji. Am I leaving the village?"

Sarutobi nodded and reached into a desk drawer. He withdrew a file and handed it to Kenji before turning back to Naruto. "I'm afraid so Naruto-kun. You won't be returning to Konoha until your old enough to take the Genin exams."

Naruto nodded, unshed tears blurring his vision. Sarutobi swept the boy into a hug and mumbled something in the young boy's ear. Naruto grinned and nodded before turning his head to face Kenji, "When are we leaving, Kenji-sensei?"

Kenji smirked, "As soon as Sarutobi-jiji lets go of you."