Chapter 1: The Night Where It All Began

A genius. The best Shinobi of his generation. The most powerful of all the Hokage. The Yellow Flash of the Leaf, that caused enemies to flee on sight.

Minato Namikaze had been called all of those things in the past, yet he didn't feel that he deserved them now. Not when he was watching that scene unfold in front of him. The Kyuubi rampaging through the village he was charged with the protection of, claiming the lives of people who trusted him. The sight of bodies littering the ground and of buildings being crushed with ease brought pain to his heart and the screams of helpless women and children rang in his ears, forever lodging themselves in his memory. His thoughts turned to his wife and newborn child, frightened and alone in that cabin he had been forced to leave them in. How many people would he let down in one night?

A huge roar came from the snout of the giant fox, as it spun around to face the Hokage Monument.

"Finally seen me have you?" Minato smirked, although the words were more for his own benefit than anyone else. Another horrible howl echoed across the chasm that separated Minato from the beast. The fox opened its jaw and summoned an enormous ball of dark chakra, which was ominously pointed towards the young man.

"Not a chance" Minato spat, as he quickly pulled a kunai from his pouch. The chakra was launched from the Kyuubi's mouth and was sent screaming towards him. However, just as the destructive power got close to the mountain an enormous seal appeared in the sky. The ball ploughed in to the seal and sank into it, like an object falling through quicksand. As soon as it vanished, Minato pointed his seal towards the far off mountains.

"I need to be careful where I send something this size" Minato thought, as the mountain range was reduced to rubble. He then turned his attention to the village and it's people to be more specific. Despite the distance, the identity of the man clad in black, leading the troops was unmistakeable.

"Lord Third, I should have known you'd have been protecting the village in my absence. I need to tell him what happened, so that we can proceed with all the information we have."

Just as he was about to form his Flying Thunder God technique, he felt the presence of another person behind him. Just the sight of the black cloak in the corner of his eye was enough for Minato, who swung his arm around and aimed a kunai at the hood of the cloak. To his horror, he found that his arm simply slipped straight through the figure, almost as if he were an illusion. Although, the solid grip of the man's hand as it clamped down on Minato's arm quickly changed that assumption.

"I will be your opponent," the man growled, his deep voice adding another element of fear to the occasion. "And, we're done here."

As soon as he finished talking, the world around Minato began to compress all around him. It was a sensation unlike anything he had ever felt and he could feel something akin to a gravitational pull towards the eyehole in the man's yellow mask. Panicked, Minato knew that he had only one option and within milliseconds he was released from his torturous experience.

What was that?" Minato wondered, as he gulped in breaths of precious air. He ran his hands through the grass beneath him, as he tried to make sense of this crazy night. "My attack slipped straight through him, yet he had to solidify in order to touch me. What did he do after that? Was he trying to transport me into some other dimension?"

"You will not escape from me that easily, Fourth Hokage" the man declared, while he materialised before Minato's very eyes.

"He uses space time ninjutsu as well? So that's how he transported so far away in such a short amount of time after taking Kushina. He can use space-time ninjutsu that surpasses mine and he somehow knew about Kushina's seal weakening and the exact time and location we had chosen for the birth. I can only think of one man that could be this skilled and have so much knowledge."

"Are you Madara Uchiha?" Minato asked, as the man pulled down his hood to reveal a small tuft of spikey black hair on the top of his head and a yellow mask with one hole presumably for an eye. "No, you couldn't be, he's long since dead."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that" the man replied, as he produced a long steel chain that he strapped to either wrist.

"It doesn't matter who he is really, he's a bigger threat than the Kyuubi. I must take him out now!"

"There's no hope for you!" Madara yelled, as he ran towards Minato. The Fourth Hokage did likewise, looking to wait for that moment he'd have to materialise to touch him. Just as Madara reached out his arm, Minato swung his blade at his body. However, once again he slipped right through and ran straight towards the long chain, which then wrapped itself around him. The metal dug into his skin and the pressure being exerted on him threatened to rip him in half. However, enough of his arm was free so that he could throw the kunai that he held and then teleported towards it and freed himself.

"He dodges my attacks by making himself intangible and then solidifies in order to attack. However, this entire fight is a giant risk for him. No matter how much chakra he has, he can't keep something as colossal as the Kyuubi summoned for very long so he'll try to finish this quickly. It will all come down to a test of speed, whoever can strike first will win."

Both men ran towards each other simultaneously once again. As Minato neared his target, he threw a kunai. As expected, the small projectile passed straight through Madara. Placing his arm to his side, he then created the biggest Rasengan he could in the small time frame he had.

"I have to hold my nerve and wait until he thinks he has me!"

Minato stared at Madara's hand, watching as it closed in on him. He waited, just until it got close enough to grasp him. Then, as he saw the fingers curl to touch his arm he put his plan into motion. Instantly, he was above Madara with his Rasengan raised into the air. Not wasting a second, he slammed it straight into the stretched back of Madara and smashed him into the dirt. The pressure from the attack was enough to create a small crater as Minato mercilessly continued to push down on his opponent. After a couple of excruciating seconds, Madara teleported away just a few feet. With his arm limp and his ego bruised, he cursed the Fourth Hokage under his breath. However, he didn't have the time to elaborate on his annoyance as the sharpness of the cool steel of Minato's kunai penetrated his abdomen. He knew right away what had happened, but it didn't help him to solve the problem he now had.

"A contract seal?" he stammered, as he noticed the marking that Minato had just placed above his stab wound. "Do you intend to remove the Kyuubi from my control?"

"I already did" Minato shot back, his voice filled with rage. "He is no longer your weapon!"

"You truly do deserve the title of Hokage" Madara said, as he stumbled backwards from Minato's weapon. "Being able to seriously injure me and take the Kyuubi from my control in one move is very impressive. However, don't think that this means you have won. There are many doors left open to me, this was just one. Rest assured, both the fox and this world will one day bow to my will."

At the completion of his sermon, Madara vanished. Minato took a moment of contemplation, staring at the now empty space.

"I have a horrible feeling that he wasn't lying just then. However, I have no time to think of that right now. I must get to the village."

"Keep going, don't let up for even a second!"

"We have to hold it off until the Fourth Hokage arrives!"

"Let me go! My parents are out there fighting, let me go!"

Many men have said that the sounds of war are the toughest to hear. Up until that night, Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed with them. However, nothing could be compared to hearing the sounds of comrades dying while defending their home against such evil. In war, there is the at least the faint hope of victory and the adrenaline of the situation that had been prepared for to keep you going. Yet, this was completely different. There was no hope, no kind of preparation. They couldn't even protect the innocent villagers, they didn't have the time. How could everything have come to this?

"No, not that again!"

The Kyuubi arched its head backwards ominously. It was obviously preparing another one of those attacks, the one that Minato had dealt with last time. Yet, there was no Minato to save them now. Uncharacteristically, Hiruzen bitterly turned his thoughts to those who weren't there, wanting to find a scapegoat. Orochimaru, whose evil deeds also drove away Jiraiya leaving the three Sannin of Konoha absent when the village needed its strength the most. Minato, the man who he had given the role of Hokage to. Had he been wrong about him? Leaving now of all times isn't the sign of a strong leader after all.

"It's the Fourth!" a nameless Shinobi cried out. Scarcely able to believe his eyes, Hiruzen looked up to see the giant frame of Gamabunta sitting on top of the demon fox. On top of him, miniscule in comparison, was the figure of the young man he had been cursing just a second before. Hiruzen felt disgusted with himself for his doubts, while at the same time feeling a small rush of relief. Although, he also knew that even Minato's arrival wouldn't be enough to suddenly turn the tide of this battle. He quickly turned round to the ANBU that had gathered, wanting to find anyone that could put up a sufficient barrier to stop the blast that was still directed at them.

However, such a request wasn't necessary. Both the Kyuubi and Minato disappeared, leaving only a confused toad behind. When the horizon lit up with a bright light, it was obvious what Minato and done and where he had gone. The village was safe for the moment at least, but their troubles still remained.

"Enma, revert back to your normal form!" Hiruzen demanded and his faithful summon did as requested. Not wasting a second, Hiruzen jumped onto the back of the powerful monkey and pointed towards the now dimming horizon. "We need to get over there as fast as possible in order to provide support for Minato. You can travel far faster than I can, so we have to get moving!"

"Sorry Naruto, I didn't mean to wake you."

Minato wasn't sure what amazed him the most. The fact that Kushina was capable of making a joke at that moment or that Naruto had only just woken up despite all of the commotion that had just arrived at his location. Minato cradled the boy for a second, waving him gently in an unsuccessful attempt to sooth the child.

"I'm almost out of chakra," Kushina whispered, as the pain of the last two hours began to catch up with her. "I'll drag the Kyuubi back inside of me and die along with it. That will at least give you some time to prepare and I'll be able to save you both with the little chakra I have left. Minato, thankyou for everything you have done for me."

In spite of all that had happened over the last hour, those words hurt Minato more than anything else. Hearing his soul mate talk about ending her life while their child cried out in his arms was nothing short of heartbreaking. He just wanted to hold her, to tell her that it would all be all right and he would fix it. Except he couldn't, he had no way of fixing this the way he wanted. Sure, he had succeeded in saving the village but had failed his family. It made him wonder, as Hokage, a father and a husband, which was more important?

"Don't cry Minato" Kushina said with an unconvincing smile. He hadn't actually noticed the tears streaming down his face until she spoke, the inward manifestation of his emotions taking the focus of his concentration. "I'm happy. Happy that you loved me and that it's our sons birthday. When I think of the life we could have had, all I can think is that we'd be happy. My only regret is that I won't be able to see him grow up."

"Maybe not" Minato thought, as he looked down at the screaming child he still held tightly. "I can't be a father on my own, can I? How well would I be able to raise him without Kushina by my side anyway? I'm sorry but without your mother, there's no much point for me to carry on either."

"I'll seal your chakra inside of Naruto and then use the Shiki Fujin to seal the Kyuubi inside of Naruto" Minato said softly, trying to soften the blow of his crazy plan. Even as he spoke the words it sounded incomprehensible yet he knew that it made since. It was the least he could do for her and it also made sense in other levels.

"I can't let the Kyuubi come back without a Jinchuriki, it would upset the balance of power" Minato explained over Kushina's loud exceptions. "This is the only way I can create a new Jinchuriki and he will be the one to fight off the harbinger of disaster, that man with the mask. "

Minato began making seals, ready to commit himself to an eternity of hellish torture. However, before he could make the third seal a strong bound his hands.

"Shit! I forgot to put up a barrier! Who has come now?"

"Your decision made since in that context Minato, you are wise beyond your years" an elderly voice said, as the Third Hokage stepped forward. Minato realised that Enma was the one restraining him and he was the one who had allowed them to travel there so quickly. "However, that context has now changed. Save your wife Minato, be here to protect your family and our village. Let the feeble old men of this world be the ones to make the sacrifices."

To Minato's horror, Hiruzen made the seals for the Shiki Fujin. Although he couldn't see it, Minato knew what was happening at that moment. The Shinigami's arm had pressed through Hiruzen's stomach and had latched on to the Kyuubi. With a sickening cry, the Kyuubi was reduced to half of its size and a harsh, black seal was emblazoned on Hiruzen's stomach. The seal was set, the deed was done.

"Tell Asuma that I truly am sorry" Hiruzen whispered, before he fell backwards gracefully and landed on the ground. Stunned, Minato made no sudden movements once Enma let him go. For once, he was unsure how to proceed.

"Minato!" Kushina cried out, as he tightened the chains around the Kyuubi's now smaller form in order to stop if from escaping. Brought back to reality, Minato summoned a small ceremonial throne and placed Naruto inside of it.

"Not our son" Kushina squealed, as she realised what was about to occur. "If you have to re-seal it use me!"

"I can't do that, I need you to keep restraining him" Minato responded. "Besides, he won't have the same fearful childhood you had. You and I can make sure of that."

Minato then summoned a toad that was wrapped around a scroll. As the toad made exclamations about the situation he had been summoned to, Minato made quick work of sealing the beast inside his child. The key for the seal was placed on the scroll, which was then sent to Jiraiya. Finally, the Kyuubi was dragged inside of Naruto with the seal and was then tightened in place. Another horrible seal appeared on one of Minato's loved ones and just the sight of it on Naruto almost made him regret his decision immediately. However, he didn't have time to think about this as Kushina collapsed through exhaustion. Minato was quick to act and he rushed over to catch his wife before she hit the ground.

"Is it all over?" Kushina asked, her eyes closed. Minato placed Naruto in her arms and then picked both of them up. Knowing he didn't have enough chakra to teleport away, he began walking back to the village with his family in his arms. Behind him, he heard Enma pick up the body of the Third Hokage.

"You go on ahead of me" Minato shouted back. "The true hero of this sorry tale deserves to be the first back, he deserves the respect here."

"Of course" Enma responded, distinctly lacking his usual aggression. He simply skulked along in depression. Minato sighed as he walked ahead, not sure what to concentrate on out of all of the revelations that had presented themselves. However, there was one prevailing thought that underpinned them all:

"No matter what the cost, no matter what the personal sacrifice. I will protect my village and I will protect my family!"

A/N: Sorry that most of this is what happens canonically, I wanted to get a bit of context for the diversion. Obviously everything changes beginning with the next chapter.