The Fox and Boar

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or make any money from writing this.

A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry for such a late update. But, this chapter is the longest yet, so I hope that makes up for it. Read, review, enjoy.

Hachibi – Eight Tails

Ten no Juin – Curse Seal of Heaven

Shinigami – Death God

Meimei Juin – Divine Curse Seal

Kodachi – A short sword, common during the Edo era. It is just under two feet in length and used similarly to a wakizashi for samurai. (In that, it is used as a short sword to parry attacks and create and opening while another sword is used to strike the opponent. The main difference between the two is that a kodachi is a set size while a wakizashi is made to match the user's height and compliment his or her fighting style.)

Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou – Konoha's Yellow Flash


The Yondaime's Legacy

Itachi walked into a cave's mouth several hundred yards wide. He pulled off his hat and joined the other people gathered around a large flat table. Each of their coats bore red clouds sweeping across the pitch black material although it was difficult to fully make out the pattern in the light, since so much of was flickering with static. Kisame to Itachi's left, lowered his sword, Samehada, to the ground before accompanying his partner to their seats.

“What do you have to tell us, Itachi.” A muffled voice asked from the far end of the table. It was hard to identify the person who spoke, the only noticeable feature being his spiraling mask.

“Yes, what information did you receive from the Sunagakure official and your visit to the Land of Wind?” This time a man with orange hair asked, what little light in the room reflected off his piercings that lined his face.

“The man Zetsu captured held many secrets of his village and their ally, Konoha. It seems that Konoha has received word of the planned attack from the Oto-nin I placed in the ranks. He served his purpose in delivering that information to the Leaf.”

“That is good and all, but where have you been recently? Your mission is no longer to capture the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. You were reassigned to the Hachibi.”

“We are both aware of that. The Hachibi's whereabouts are currently unknown to us. However, there is one man who might be able to tell us where it is.”

“Orochimaru...”

“Yes. That is why we went to Sunagakure no Sato in the first place. We were told that Orochimaru has a new base developing four hundred kilometers south of there. It turns out that Kabuto, Orochimaru's most trusted subordinate, was overseeing the completion of the base.”

“What business is that of ours!?” This time a young man with blonde hair asked the question. His face bore an annoyed expression at the way Itachi was explaining himself. Why the hell didn't he just come out with it?

“Uchiha Sasuke was there with Kabuto. That means that Orochimaru may be arriving there soon. It has been almost a month since I used my technique on that operative, but I believe that there is some time before Orochimaru moves from his current base.”

The man on the far end readjusted his posture before replying. “How long has it been?”

“A little over three years. Our spy inside Orochimaru's ranks has informed us that Kabuto is developing a new seal that is even stronger than the Ten no Juin. I believe Orochimaru is waiting until Sasuke has been affixed with that seal so that he can fully make use of his body after the transfer.”

“We cannot lose two of the remaining Sharingan to Orochimaru...

---

“What did he finish!?” Naruto shouted at Jiraiya.

“Naruto, calm down.” Tsunade tried to quiet the younger blonde before her.

“No! What is this? Is a technique? A jutsu? What?”

“Naruto, remember when we were training? I taught you a bunch about seals, correct? Well, I also taught Minato some stuff too when I was still his sensei. He took to it readily, soon enough he was on par with me at sealing techniques.” Jiraiya stopped talking for a moment to remember teaching a similar blonde. “Anyway, because of the growing threat of the Bijuu, your father devised a jutsu so powerful, it could lock away a demon's soul for all eternity in the belly of a Shinigami. He made a pact with the spirit and basically formed a summoning contract with it. The only thing was, it was incomplete. The Shinigami would only extract the opponent's soul and leave after taking the user's soul as well.”

Naruto had a frown on his face. “So this jutsu lets you summon a Shinigami to fight?”

“No, that's not it. It was incomplete because of the demon's true power. The jutsu could only seal one half of a being's chakra and soul at once. That is why your seal is incomplete. It could even break soon. So I developed my own version of that jutsu in case that ever happened. But it looks that it's not necessary now that we have a final copy of the original.”

“So...what does this have to do with me?”

“The seals only hold one half of the Kyuubi's chakra. The other half was thought to have been absorbed with it's soul into the Shinigami, but it looks like it's not.”

“So...is there another person going through the same thing I am? Why couldn't he have just put all of the chakra in me? And what do you mean 'seals'?”

“The two chakras were too powerful. You would have died if they were combined. In order for the jutsu to have worked effectively, there was a series of seals required to keep the demon inside you. The first was the Shiki Fuujin. It pulled the Kyuubi's soul from it's body into yours. After that was done, Minato used Shishou Fuuin. That kept the demon locked up inside you. And finally, a protective seal, the Hakke no Fuuin Shiki, was placed over it to keep Kyuubi's chakra in check, and to allow it to leak out from the seal to join your chakra. It was very difficult to accomplish, given the amount of time he had.”

“I don't really get all that, but you still haven't answered my other question. Is there someone else who is holding the Kyuubi's chakra?”

“Now, I doubt Minato sealed the darker half of the chakra in someone else, it would have been too unstable for them to handle. Hmm...” Jiraiya brought his hand to his head, a puzzled expression scribbled into his features.

“Jiraiya, what does all this mean?” Tsunade asked from behind them. She was growing tired of being left out of the conversation.

After several minutes, Jiraiya's voice finally broke the silence. “I don't know. Naruto, lift your shirt and mold some chakra. I need to see the seal and compare it to the diagram in the scroll.”

Naruto stepped back and complied. He lifted his orange jacket and black undershirt up. The he scrunched his face up and made a small amount of chakra. Jiraiya gasped at what he saw. On Naruto's stomach was a perfect circle. One half was pure white with a single black dot in the upper half while next to it was an exact opposite. The sides swirled together on his skin, moving as the chakra coursed through Naruto's body.

“Naruto...what the hell did you do out there?”

---

Sasuke lay on a cold table in the middle of a darkened room. Next to him was Kabuto. Long straps bound his arms and legs to the table as Kabuto hovered overhead. He peered into Sasuke's eyes, checking to make sure that he was okay.

“Are you ready?”

“Do it.”

Kabuto raised his hands, placing them both on top of Sasuke's chest. Behind him an assistant drew out a syringe. He tapped it twice to clear out the air bubbles and placed it next to Sasuke's neck. The young boy showed no fear and the needle broke into his skin and emptied itself into his body. Kabuto's hands grew blue. He pumped chakra into the raven haired boy. Sasuke began convulsing wildly. The assistant backed away, fearful for his life. Kabuto held strong, pushing more and more energy into Sasuke.

The Uchiha held his mouth closed, keeping back the urge to scream bloody murder. His eyes dilated, nostrils flared, and face shook, but still he kept breathing. After a full minute, Kabuto nodded his head. The same man as before lifted another syringe. This one filled the same amount as the last. He walked to the other side of the table and waited with the tip a centimeter away from Sasuke's neck. Kabuto nodded once more. His hands pulsed more chakra into Sasuke, ensuring he keep a steady heartbeat.

The needle was pushed in, and like the last one, it too was drained of it's contents. Two seconds passed before Sasuke started howling in pain. His arms strained against the leather straps. His chest glowed a green color as small marks were etched into his flesh just under Kabuto's hands. Kabuto changed his chakra suddenly. This time it was green, matching the hue of the seal. He panted heavily. Sasuke still cried out in agony as the seal was near completion.

The medic nin looked over long enough to see Sasuke's eyes roll into the back of his head. After a moment, the screaming stopped. The young Uchiha had passed out from the pain.

Kabuto moved one hand away from the boy's chest. He saw the same seal as it stretched across his skin, over his chest. The monitor next to him stopped beeping. Kabuto placed his palm directly on the seal and healed it. The energy danced across his chest, casting an eerie green light on the ceiling above them. The assistant had long since left. Now it was only Kabuto and Sasuke.

A single bead of sweat fell from his forehead onto Sasuke. The drop sizzled as it landed, immediately vaporized in the extreme chakra that was being released from the boy. The monitor beeped once more. It picked up pace and settled into a rhythm. Kabuto stepped away and looked on at the Uchiha before him.

He walked back over and undid the straps binding his ankles and forearms. After that, he stepped out of the room and spoke to the closest person near him.

“Inform Orochimaru-sama that Sasuke-sama has survived the Meimei Juin. He should be up in the next couple of hours. After you tell him that, take Sasuke-sama to the recovery room. It's best not to leave him in here too long.”

“Yes, Kabuto-sama.”

---

“Kyuubi said I had no choice. He said that I needed to do this in order to get stronger. So I uh...merged with him...”

“What the fuck is wrong with you!? You combined spirits with a demon! What on earth would posses you do such a thing!? Answer me brat. NOW!” Tsunade screamed at the boy in front of her. It was a demon...that killed a good portion of Konoha-nins when it attacked almost sixteen years ago. They barely could control it's power then, now it seemed to have grown stronger inside of Naruto. There had to more to it than that simple explanation.

The smaller blonde opened his mouth to say something. Jiraiya cut him off just before he could respond. “Naruto, did it mention something...about a prophecy or something?”

Naruto only nodded dumbly.

“What is this now? Where did you hear about some 'prophecy'?” Tsunade was fuming. This idiot gets up and leaves for six months, acts completely natural, and then drops the bomb that he's got a bijuu's powers. Where was a cup of sake when you needed it?

“When I was younger, I was taken to the Gama realm. There, I was told that there would be a student of mine who would grow up and one day bring harmony to the world, or complete destruction. I'm not entirely sure, but I think it was referring to Naruto...”

“That's sorta what I was told. Before the Kyuubi merged with me, he said that I would face unbelievable power. He said that long ago, in his realm, the Kitsune elders told him of his destiny. He was told that there would be a boy. All of his world would rely on him. And if he failed, then all the other worlds would fall as well. That was why the Kyuubi told me to undo his seal binding him inside of me. I did so, and then our spiritual bodies collided. He said that was the only was I could succeed in my fight against Akatsuki.”

“So you undid the seal, huh? I guess that released all of his chakra full force on you. What happened? And what's with the new seal?”

“Well...I remember seeing the fox. Then I remember pain. Lots and lots of pain. Then sometime later I woke up and discovered my hair had changed color some and my body was more...enhanced, I guess you could say. I mean, I had a better control of my senses; like I once heard a stream almost a kilometer away just after waking up. But other than that, I don't think I changed much. Except my stamina seems to have gotten increased, but that might have been from my personal training in the cave.”

Tsunade had grown considerably quieter now that she had a dish in front of her and a half full bottle of sake in her hand. “Oh...I thought your hair was from the light...It does look different with a small amount of red here and there...” She stopped talking again to take another sip.

“That's good and all, but what about the seal. It's dangerous if it doesn't hold up. Maybe I should try reinforcing it with one of my own techniques.”

“I don't think it's gonna weaken. I think it's being held strong by my willpower. And plus, I have these now.” Naruto pointed to his shoulders and turned so that the white haired sannin could see what he was talking about.

“They're just normal tattoos, it's no big deal.”

“Wrong. Watch this.” Naruto held out his left hand. He formed a perfect Rasengan, it was pure white. It lit up the room as chakra rotated in his palm. “That's not all.” He also raised his right arm. Another Rasengan formed. This one seemed to take away the light around it as dark energy exploded outward. The chakra was quickly contained in a sphere and it was focused in a black ball.

“So your chakra and his are that different, then? Yours must act as a counterbalance to keep his in check. That would explain why it's so powerful. Otherwise the dark chakra would overpower it and render your good chakra useless. That's amazing Naruto.”

“Yeah, I think the white energy is a bit weaker compared the black, but it doesn't put as much strain on my body when I use it. I'm just glad my chakra control has improved.”

“Well, I'm impressed. But how does it work normally? Does your body react differently when you don't focus on one specific type?” Tsunade hiccuped a little after her question, but at least she no longer looked at him with a scowl.

“I don't think so. Unless I force them to combine, I don't have to worry about. A clear and lighter chakra takes over for little things like jutsus and water walking.”

Jiraiya chuckled to himself. Hearing a boy his age talk about jutsu as 'small things' was pretty funny. Especially when he was one of the lowest scoring students out of the Academy. Now he could probably take on an ANBU team in a sparing match if he went all out...

“One last thing Naruto, can you still use the 'Fox's Cloak'?”

“Every time I tried, it failed. The farthest I ever got was a shield of white or black chakra. The black one burned me though, so I prefer to use the first one more. I can manipulate the energy however I want. In fact, I'm not even sure as to what happened to the fox...”

“Mmm... Well, as always, you continue to surprise me, Naruto.” Jiraiya smiled happily. 'I'll have to examine the seal later. It's not good that he can't contact the Kyuubi. That means more than just their chakra could have combined.'

“Me too, brat.”

Naruto simply averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head. That was the closest he was going to get to a compliment from these two. Something on the desk caught his eye. “Hey, what about the other scroll? I almost forgot about it! Let's open it too.”

“Might as well.” Jiraiya placed the rolled up scroll on the Hokage's desk and grabbed the other one.

“Oh yeah...that one needs some type of key or something. I tried to open it in the cave but it wouldn't do anything. It's really annoying...”

“Ah! This is one of the locks I designed. It's supposed to be impregnable unless you use a pin coated in the sealer's blood. I only made it to keep documents safe on important missions back when I was a jounin. I guess Minato figured out how to replicate it. Though, I wonder how we can open it without his blood... Maybe it's meant for your's, Naruto. Give a try.”

Naruto looked on Tsunade's desk for a pin. “Here brat, use this one.” She pulled her hair back and yanked out a pin from behind. Her blonde hair fell back into place, although a small bit was sticking up a little in the back.

“Okay, so I need to cover it in blood?” He pricked his finger and let a drop fall on the small object. The once silver pin now looked crimson. Naruto aligned it up to the hole and pushed it in fully. There was a small click, but nothing else happened. “It doesn't want to seem to open. You try it, Ero-sennin.”

The old sannin did so and placed the pin back into the hole. Another click was heard. The small lock opened up and fell to the ground. Jiraiya untied the scroll and read it's contents.

Dear Sensei,

I know my time is short. Scouts say that the Kyuubi is heading towards Konoha at this very instant. But this is very important. I need you to take care of my son. I plan to imprison the demon inside of him. I know that he will be okay with his mother's care, but I will rest easier if you were to help raise Naruto as well.

When he is ready, please give him my sword. It is of my family and I wish for him to be able to use it. Please teach him how to properly wield it, but do be careful. This sword will be the other vessel for the demon. I know that my jutsu is too weak to seal it all inside of my son, so I must do it in this sword. It may not be the best idea, but at least this way, the Kyuubi will be forever locked away from destroying my village. I do hope my son can grow to the point where he can also handle this responsibility.

Please help Konoha see him for the hero he will be in the future. My only regret in this life is that I cannot grow old watching as he walks in my footsteps as a Konoha shinobi.

Thank you for leading me in the right direction and for always being there when I truly needed you. You were an excellent master and I'm honored to have been taught by you. Thank you Sensei, for all you've done for me over the years. You have raised me to be one of Konoha's finest, and I know you'll do the same for Naruto.

Minato

A tear fell from Jiraiya's eye as he finished reading that last part. He had failed to fulfill his student's dying wish. At least he could try to make it up to both of them now. Jiraiya let more of the scroll open. Inside was a summoning circle. This one was written in red and had a strange mark in the center. The old man rubbed his thumb against it and activated it. Out came a black bag with a spiraling symbol on it, very similar to the one Naruto wore over his shoulder.

“What did it say?”

Jiraiya kept darting his eyes from the scroll to the bag in his hand. “Uh? Oh right, sorry. It was a message for me. But it did say something about you. Here kid.” Jiraiya threw the sack over to Naruto who caught it and pulled up to eye level to examine it.

“What's this?”

“An Uzumaki heirloom. Keep it safe.”

Naruto smiled to himself. Now he had something more to connect him with his parents. A thought occurred to Naruto. “Hey, Ero-sennin, umm... what happened to my mom?”

A look of remorse crossed both Tsunade and Jiraiya's faces at that.

“She died Naruto. Just after you were born, she passed on. There was very little they could do about it. All of the available medic-nins were out tending to the wounded from the Kyuubi's attack. There was too much commotion and she couldn't make it.”

Naruto just stood there, looking at his bag, a blank expression was on his face. From a distance, it looked like his eyes grew colder and even darker in color. But that couldn't be right, could it? Must have just been the light playing tricks.

“Hey Naruto. I have something else I want to give you. It's from your father. I think you'll like it. Come over here.”

Jiraiya opened up a small pocket along his shirt. Out popped a miniature sized scroll. He unraveled it and spread it out on the floor in front of all three of them. Tsunade looked on with interest at what was happening. Today was just getting more and more interesting.

“Naruto, bite your thumb and push chakra into that summoning circle. I took some blood from you after your birth so that I could create this seal. Your father asked that I have this handy. I thought he just wanted to keep his treasure safe, so I thought it would be fitting to have it open only to your chakra and blood.”

Naruto did so, moving his finger across the paper. A small plume of smoke rose up. When it disappeared, a kodachi, no longer than two feet lay before them. “Is that...his?”

“Yes, this is the blade of the Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou . It is affixed with a special seal that was used with the Hiraishin no jutsu. Your father developed it in order to fight. But Naruto, there is something even more special about this blade. This kodachi is extremely powerful because it holds the Yin half of the Kyuubi's chakra. Just holding it can influence a weaker man's mind. I didn't know that when I sealed it many years ago. I never thought to take it out of it's sheathe, because it is not rightfully mine. It is yours Naruto. It is the final part of the Yondaime's legacy to you and Konoha. I am sorry for not giving it to you earlier, but I finally feel that now you are ready for it. By taking this blade, you accept the responsibility of keeping the Kyuubi sealed away. Are you up for it, Naruto?”

Naruto looked down at the blade in his hands. The sheath and hilt were bright blue. The color matched his eyes perfectly. Along the hilt was a piece of black rope that was tied tightly over it in an intricate pattern. On the bottom of the hilt was a seal. A kanji marked 'Seal'. It was carved into the metal that made up the sword's bottom. Up the sheath was the drawing of a dragon that moved up to the tip of it. At the very end of the sheath the dragon's mouth opened wide, revealing a set of ferocious looking teeth that reflected the light back. Every thing was so detailed.

His thumb knocked against the hilt, pushing the blade out and inch. He took the kodachi and pulled it out in all it's glory. The blade was silver. It shined brightly in the light. Along the sharpened edge, Naruto could have sworn there was a hint of blue being reflected back. Naruto pulled the sword close, ignoring the tingling feeling he felt in his right hand. On the reverse side of the blade was an inscription written in very small letters.

Those who love, fight to protect.

Those who hate, fight to destroy.

Naruto repeated the words several times in his head. Both Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at the boy patiently. Finally he spoke.

“Yes. I am ready.” He said calmly as he slid the sword back into its sheath.

Both of the sannin could only smile at him.

---

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. And I know that's not how the fox was sealed. I changed it for several reasons. But those aren't important right now. I also hope this chapter was able to clear up some stuff, even if it raised more questions. As always, if you have a question, ask me and I'll try to answer it as long as it isn't a major part of the plot.