Uzumaki Menma

The night of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Uprising.

All of Konoha lay in ruins.

Two blond-haired infants lay atop the Sealing Altar.

A man and woman with pierced chests tightly embraced the two infants, their lives already gone.

Konoha's Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped forward and sorrowfully picked up the two infants.

"Minato... Kushina..."

Seven days later.

Konoha held a funeral for the shinobi who had died during the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Uprising, as well as Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.

And on that day.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had already stepped down, announced that he would temporarily resume the position of Hokage until the Fifth Hokage took office.

One month later.

Although the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Uprising had passed.

The wounds it had left upon Konoha remained.

Though everyone grieved, they still worked hard to rebuild their home.

At the same time, a rumor was spreading wildly through the village.

It was said that two children had suddenly appeared in Konoha, and that they were incarnations of the Nine-Tails.

After learning of the rumor, Hiruzen Sarutobi issued an order to every surviving shinobi who had participated in the battle against the Nine-Tails.

He strictly forbade anyone from spreading information about the deceased Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his two orphaned children. The current rumors in Konoha were to be controlled, and no one was allowed to discuss the matter any further!

Anyone who violated this rule would receive severe punishment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had two reasons for issuing this order.

The first concerned Minato Namikaze himself.

As the Fourth Hokage, Konoha's Yellow Flash, and the greatest contributor during the Third Shinobi World War.

Minato Namikaze had earned countless achievements on the battlefield.

Yet such accomplishments were inevitably built upon killing.

Though those he killed were shinobi from other villages, it was still a chain of hatred that could not easily be severed.

If the enemy learned that their foe had left behind children, they might very well infiltrate Konoha to eliminate them completely.

The second reason concerned the two children.

Though the two children were Minato Namikaze's sons, and the Nine-Tails had been sealed within their bodies for Konoha's sake, they should likewise have been regarded as heroes.

However, the two children were still Jinchuriki.

In the eyes of ordinary people, Jinchuriki were practically equivalent to Tailed Beasts.

Tailed Beasts were disasters capable of directly causing destruction.

And Jinchuriki were disasters that could cause destruction at any time.

After witnessing the absolutely terrifying power of the Nine-Tails, the status of hero held no real significance.

Therefore, even if it was announced that the two children were the Fourth Hokage's sons, it would not change anything.

Instead, because of their status as "heroes," the villagers would reject them, creating a psychological gap that could lead to emotional problems.

But if everything was concealed.

The children born now, and those born in the future, would not know that the two children were Jinchuriki.

That way, the two children could still have playmates in the future.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was doing everything he could to create a relatively relaxed and free living environment for the two children in the future.

Inside the Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was handling a pile of official matters.

At that moment.

The door to the Hokage Office was pushed open.

A gloomy-looking man entered the office, his right eye wrapped in bandages and a cross-shaped scar on his chin.

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in surprise, "Danzo, why are you here?"

Danzo said coldly, "Several groups of unidentified shinobi have recently attempted to infiltrate Konoha. I have already dispatched Root shinobi to kill them. Their target is most likely the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. I can stop them once or twice, but I cannot stop them every time. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki must be placed under strict protection! Hiruzen, handing the two Nine-Tails Jinchuriki over to me, to be watched over by Root, is the safest option!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately refused. "Absolutely not. I know what you are thinking, Danzo. I will not hand Naruto and Menma over to you!"

"If you are worried that I will use them for experiments, there is no need to be. I can promise you that I will only be responsible for the two of their safety. I will not interfere with anything else.

The Nine-Tails must be kept absolutely secure. If anything happens to the Nine-Tails, you should know perfectly well what kind of situation Konoha will be in!"

Danzo's words were forceful and resolute.

And Danzo was right. The Jinchuriki had to remain absolutely safe.

Konoha could choose not to use its Jinchuriki, but it could not be without one.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi still could not rest easy. After all, Danzo had far too many prior offenses.

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi still refused, Danzo continued to persuade him. "Hiruzen, if you are unwilling to hand both of them over to me, then give me one. If anything happens, I will still be here as a safeguard. Though I do things without regard for means, everything I do is for Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a long time before finally relenting. "I can give Menma to you, but I have one condition. If that condition cannot be met, then there is nothing more to discuss."

"Say it."

"My Telescope Technique must be able to see Menma at any time."

Though Danzo was somewhat unwilling, he still agreed. "Fine."

Hiruzen Sarutobi rose to his feet. "Come with me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi led Danzo to his home.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's home was now empty.

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi's wife had also died in that Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Uprising.

Inside a crib.

Naruto Uzumaki and Uzumaki Menma lay quietly sleeping.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up Uzumaki Menma, his eyes filled with reluctance.

Before handing him over to Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi suggested, "How about this, Danzo? Since you have no children, adopt Menma from now on. Be Menma's grandfather."

Danzo frowned deeply. "Hiruzen, you know that I have neither the time nor the inclination for such things."

Hiruzen Sarutobi reached out and touched Uzumaki Menma's little face, saying painfully, "But only then can I feel more at ease handing Menma over to you."

Danzo drew a deep breath and finally agreed. "I understand."

Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully handed Uzumaki Menma over to Danzo.

Danzo reached out and held Uzumaki Menma.

Thinking about how he was now Uzumaki Menma's grandfather, Danzo felt deeply unaccustomed to it.

And as Danzo looked at Uzumaki Menma's little face, a feeling he had never experienced before suddenly arose within him.

When Danzo prepared to leave with Uzumaki Menma in his arms, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but warn him, "Danzo, I will be watching Menma at all times. Do not even think about doing anything to Menma!"

Danzo paused, then said without turning around, "Do as you please. I will only ensure the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted Danzo and corrected him, "Your identity now is Menma's grandfather. Do not call him a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

Danzo looked at Uzumaki Menma in his arms and said again, "I will only ensure that Uzumaki Menma remains safe and always belongs to Konoha!"