Chapter-12

(Next Day)

When Naruto entered the impromptu meeting chamber organized within his own mansion he saw all the elders and other council members of their clan present. Most of the Council was comprised of various smaller families with wealth or having the most powerful fighters.

Those seats changed every now and then when those families either lost their wealth or stopped producing good quality fighters. The same was for the elders only they were changed either by the order of the clan head or when they died.

Everybody earned their rank through merit and not on the glory of long dead ancestors.

Those were the customs of the Uchiha and according to the same customs and rules someone like him could only be awarded one punishment for his crime.

Death.

He saw it in their eyes, most of them wanted him dead, and those who didn't seem overtly hostile didn't look too pleased either for in every person's eyes he saw the same accusation ever present.

Kinslayer.

On Madara's insistence, he had been dressed in his clan's dark robes instead of prisoner uniform. But all his weapons were confiscated leaving him open to be attacked by any of these men or women. But he doubted such a thing could happen in the presence of his father and aunt, or because of the fact Madara stood ahead of him like a Bloodhound.

He stared at his oldest brother and couldn't help but be grateful to him.

Because when everyone turned their backs on him, Madara stood by him. Even after knowing the real truth of why he did what he did, Madara never changed his opinion.

Naruto had always known his brother was the stronger fighter, but now he knew another fact about his sibling.

Madara was a better man than him.

Whatever his fate today, he was proud of his brother and if somehow he survived he vowed to stand by Madara no matter what happened. For his brother, he would do anything for he was all Naruto had left.

Finally, Tajima broke the heavy silence.

"Naruto Uchiha, you have been accused of killing your own clansmen. What do you plead?" asked Tajima directly, cutting short any unwanted pleasantries for no person was in the mood for that.

"Guilty"

The chamber would have exploded in anger had Tajima not raised his hand silencing the rest. His father might be a cold man, but he was respected and feared nonetheless by the rest of the clan.

"Why did you do such a thing?" asked Ayato Uchiha, an elder who had lost an eye fighting for their clan alongwith both hands.

Everyone waited for the reason behind such a gruesome massacre but the young boy remained silent. Madara clenched his fists tightly as the glares got even more worse, he wanted nothing more than to punch them all for they had no right to stare at his brother like that.

Not after what he did.

But he also knew in Naruto's silence was the salvation of his clan who had just started to regain their lost glory.

"We should execute The Kinslayer" voiced Hotaru Uchiha heatedly, having lost her younger brother by Naruto's sword.

''He has confessed his crime and the law is clear in this matter, Tajima-sama" pointed Itami Uchiha calmly, but his cold dark eyes didn't fail to stare at Naruto distastefully.

Various other demands of the same nature were raised by the rest of the council, and while Tajima remained silent it was Madara who was about to explode.

Unfortunately, there were many in the room that had lost close or distant family in the massacre and the clan head's silence was taken for hesitance or more dangerous: weakness as one of the bold elders gestured to the nearby guards who nodded.

When ten of those guards took their first step, Madara drew his sword and activated his sharingan drawing sharp gasps from everyone who had never expected such an action from their famed hero.

"Madara, what is the meaning of this?" demanded one of the elders angrily,

It was again Hotaru Uchiha who glared at Madara fiercely.

"You have lived your entire life for the clan, Madara. Are you going to die for The Kinslayer?" asked the woman in disbelief,

Madara's glare made her flinch as his killing intent flared bringing all the guards to their knees and the council to grip their chairs firmly.

"Someone will..." promised the boy,

"ENOUGH!"

Tajima's commanding voice stopped the commotion instantly as even Madara lowered his sword on seeing his father stand up from his chair.

Proud. Tall. Commanding.

"I will not execute Naruto" declared Tajima, drawing shocked gasps followed by heated glares from everyone.

"But-'' protested Hotaru,

"Out"

Madara smirked viciously when the gobsmacked woman stared at his cold father in shock which only made Tajima glare harder at her.

"You are removed from this council. Your family debarred for ten years from contesting your seat!" declared Tajima,

Naruto stared in shock, he had known his father was powerful but this was the first time he saw the man in action. Hotaru Uchiha actually bowed respectfully before walking out hastily, that seemed to make the rest of the council submit to the commanding leader.

And when the same man glanced back at him with those intimidating eyes, Naruto involuntarily stood a little straighter.

"I know what he did but you forget he has the Sharingan and is one of our most powerful fighters. He and Madara helped us win that important battle against the Senjus, our enemies fear us again because we have the Sharingan. More importantly, he is my son" said Tajima coldly,

Many of the people lost some of their anger on realizing the power Naruto held. Killing him was easy, but it would harm the clan because for all his crimes he was a dangerous fighter. Even more so, with his sharingan.

"Maybe you're right, Tajima-sama. And while we still don't know why he killed his own people, we know he is just a new adult. And am I right in assuming Madara is against this decision?" asked Yamashiro Uchiha, father of Itachi Uchiha and one of the more influencing members of the council.

"You kill my brother or even try to harm him, then not only will I kill the fools who try such madness but I will leave this clan forever" promised Madara without hesitation,

Naruto was too stunned by what his brother just said and that did it, for the the entire council instantly panicked for Madara was one of their most powerful fighters. In future, he had the potential to become the strongest and capable enough to butcher the Senju and all their enemies single handedly.

While killing Naruto would be a blow, losing Madara would be devastating and cast their clan's future in darkness.

And these men and women knew that.

It was then Naori chose a different approach then the one taken by her brother and nephew.

"I personally apologize for what Naruto has done but he is still a boy and we still don't know if someone influenced him to do such a thing. It could be our enemies..." suggested Naori,

"I find that hard to believe.." commented an elder skeptically, staring at Naruto harshly.

"Whatever the case, I will not execute my son. But nor will I let his crimes go unpunished..." declared Tajima, which finally seemed to calm down the council.

Madara was about to protest when he felt Naruto gently grabbing his hand, when he looked at the brown haired boy his brother shook his head silencing Madara.

"Naruto Uchiha..."

The said boy stepped forward and met his father's eyes.

"For your crimes, I denounce you"

Madara's eyes widened in horror at his father's decision.

"I strip you off from my family and as my heir after Madara"

Even the council members and the elders seemed shocked at the decision as they stared at father and son.

"And banish you from all our lands and hometown for ten years"

Naori lowered her gaze as she knew the last part would be the harshest.

"I forbid you from marrying, from having children, from owning any lands. From this day forth you shall serve as Naori's bodyguard protecting her on clan missions. Should your behavior and actions be found redeeming after ten years, I or the next clan head will contemplate bringing you back amongst us. But you shall never have a family for all the ones you destroyed with your actions"

Heavy silence descended within the room broken by the trembling of Madara's hands as he gripped his sword tightly waiting for a single cry of help from his brother.

For this sentence was worse than death.

It was a curse aimed to turn a man's life into a living hell.

But even as his anger boiled over, Madara watched most people in the room seemed quite satisfied with the judgement for they now understood that killing Naruto was indeed a merciful action which would never heal their wounds.

But this...

It would make the boy suffer every day of his life. His every moment a living hell...

And despite it all, he would still be remain an Uchiha ready to be used for their clan's purposes.

Madara walked towards his brother and grasped his shoulders making the young boy look at him.

"You don't have to do this..."

"I do" answered Naruto sadly,

"Why? They don't deserve your loyalty..." said Madara fiercely, earning a nod from his brother.

"I am not doing this for them" confessed Naruto,

"Then why?"

"For Izuna. For our brothers who died so that this clan could live and flourish. I promised them that I would protect what they gave their lives for no matter what happened. And I will keep my word" said Naruto seriously,

Madara was proud and heartbroken at the same time at his brother's decision.

"But the pain..." said Madara sadly, receiving a forced smile from Naruto.

"As long as I have you, I don't need anything else"

A lone tear fell from Madara's eyes as Naruto stepped forward and knelt before their father.

"I accept"

As he said those faithful words, in his heart the young boy knew his life would never be the same.

(Two Weeks Later)

Naruto stared at the lake in front of his family home, a place he had known his entire life, where most of his happy as well as sad memories were made.

He looked at the training yard and the small forest surrounding the mansion where he and his brothers used to train together.

He looked at a lot of things each with specific memories attached to them.

Currently wearing his clan gear, he was ready to depart from his only home for a very long time. Perhaps forever if he couldn't manage to survive until it was time to come back.

If such a time ever came...

He touched his cheek to find it covered in a dark facemask courtesy of avoiding the glares and jibes being thrown at him all the time after the judgement given on him. The initial few days had been chaotic, while many were satisfied with the lenient yet cruel decision, there were few who still demanded his head.

Fortunately for them, the elder's watchful eye and Madara's threat of slaughtering entire families of those who dared to attack his little brother kept those people at bay.

But it never kept at bay those hushed whispers, those heated glares, or the term forever attached to him.

One that shall never disappear even after he died.

Kinslayer.

Unlike what his clan or even his own family thought, he didn't commit those murders out of madness or manipulation. Nor did he willingly accept the judgement to save his own life or continue to be loyal to the clan only for the sake of his dead brother's.

He did it because it was his duty.

For in this world of never ending war, he would not find any family except for the one he was born in.

Yet it was not easy to deal with that name attached to him, to stare back at those accusatory eyes, to bear those whispered curses. It was why he had taken this mask in order to hide his smile for whenever anyone called him Kinslayer, he smiled.

For he knew why he did what he had to, fully aware of the consequences that would follow. And he didn't regret it even if it costed him everything in his life.

But his smile would send the wrong message which would only increase the attacks on him, and while he could defeat most of his assailants even he had his limits. Besides, his family was already in enough trouble and there was no need for him to add further to them.

He was disrupted from his thoughts when he felt another person step beside him.

"You're ready?"

He looked at his tall father and saw that his usual stony look was replaced by something he couldn't understand.

"Yes. We leave at midnight as per Naori-sama's decision. It is better this way, less fools to entertain" japed Naruto with a mocking smile, but it faltered when Tajima stared at him sadly.

"When you hear them whispering Kinslayer behind your back? Doesn't it bother you?"

The older Uchiha watched as his son stared at the lake with such hardness in his eyes that should never be there in someone so young.

"Of course, it bothers me. But I will deal with it..." he answered defiantly,

"For what it's worth, I'm sorr-"

Tajima stopped instantly when the murderous glare rained down on him,

"Do not mock my duty, Father!" warned Naruto,

Tajima nodded looking the young boy right in the eye.

"You proved me wrong, you know"

Naruto blinked at those words and couldn't hide his surprise as he stared at his father who looked down at him almost with a caring look.

"How?"

"I always thought you the weakest among all my sons. You were soft and didn't have the talent for fighting. But when it truly mattered you stood up for the clan, your family, your brothers, and even me. You sacrificed your honor for all of us" said Tajima painfully,

"Father, I..." said Naruto hesitantly, not able to believe that he actually saw his Father, his bloody cold old man on the verge of tears.

"Madara might be more stronger than you but you have a strength that he might never have. You're so much like your mother in that manner..." revealed Tajima, as Naruto's eyes lowered.

"Look where that got her..."

He looked up when a firm hand was placed on his shoulder.

"She never regretted giving you life. She gave you your name, wished you the best in life, and finally died with a smile on her face holding your tiny form in her arms"

The boy's hands were trembling even as Tajima continued.

"Mothers are powerful, son. Even dead she lives on in you, gave you her kindness and strength, made you strong enough to overcome all the challenges that came your way and those that will come in the future. She gave you everything that I never gave you, and yet what you did for me is something I will never forget" expressed Tajima honestly,

"You gave me life, Father..."

Tajima looked away from those powerful eyes that were so much like his dead wife's as a lone tear fell from his eyes. It took him a while but he managed to get himself under control and turned back towards his son.

He surprised the boy by presenting him a longsword with flames engraved on its steel and the hilt containing the symbol of a dragon.

Naruto was left speechless.

"I can't accept this. It's not my right..." said Naruto fiercely,

"This ancestral sword was given to me by my father, and to him by his father before him and so on. My father while giving me this sword told me that it is not a weapon to slay your enemies alone. But a symbol, an oath that you take of protecting the clan from all enemies no matter who they are. A promise that you shall be just and fair to your people. Every Uchiha Clan leader passes this heirloom down to the one who can lead the clan towards a better future" explained Tajima patiently,

"I am no longer your heir, Father. It's Madara's by right..." argued Naruto, as he never wanted to take something that rightfully belonged to a brother who fought for him so fiercely against everyone.

"Madara will hold this clan together with his power but he lacks vision. But you are different and I entrust this to you with the hope that you will find a better future for our clan. Besides, Madara hates swords" said Tajima with a faint smile,

Naruto blinked owlishly causing his father's eyebrows to twitch in annoyance.

"Did you just joke?" asked Naruto in disbelief,

"I shouldn't?" questioned Tajima flatly, causing Naruto to struggle for an answer.

"I..."

Tajima smirked earning an accusatory finger from his son.

"You did that on purpose!"

And then they both laughed for perhaps the first time together in their entire lives as Tajima hesitantly ruffled those brown locks that were the same as Hikari's.

"Do what your aunt says and try not to give her too much trouble. And if I hear even a whisper of you visiting whorehouses or bars disgracing the family name, I'll make you an eunuch" promised Tajima darkly, but again it only earned an eye roll from the boy.

"As if Kinslayer wasn't enough..." muttered Naruto,

"What was that?"

"Nothing"

Tajima sighed.

"I say this because women and alcohol are a shinobi's greatest weakness. You cannot be a warrior if any of your senses are distracted in any manner. I see great potential in you, don't waste it away" advised Tajima,

"Hai"

"And try not to fall in love or some other foolish notion, I will not allow such a thing..." warned Tajima,

"Father, you did just forbid me from marrying or having a family. It will only be more painful if I commit an even bigger folly knowing that I cannot change my fate" said Naruto tiredly,

The bop he received on the head nearly made his eyes pop out. The old man was strong.

"I say that because that will make it much difficult for me to find you a proper Uchiha girl"

Naruto stared.

And received another harder bop on the head.

"Did you really think I was going to sacrifice my heir, my son, his future for those fools despite knowing the truth? Let them cool over, your absence will accelerate the process as I and Madara try to make this incident become a distant memory. I'd suggest you do something great or extraordinary that benefits the clan immensely which will further help to bring you back among our people. It won't be easy but it is not impossible either..." explained Tajima honestly,

"But what if they don't change their minds even then?" asked Naruto hesitantly, still trying to get over his surprise at what his father just said.

Tajima scoffed.

"A dragon doesn't concern himself with the opinion of sheep. Most of the time..." added the Father with a grin,

"You're funny like me..." said Naruto with a smile, as a smug smirk appeared on Tajima's lips which made him look much younger.

"You didn't get all good things just from your mother alone..." scolded Tajima, but without the usual heat present in his tone.

When Tajima presented the sword, Naruto accepted it respectfully and saw the man smiling proudly.

"I will make this right, son. My only regret is that it took things to go this south to make me understand you..." confessed Tajima, quite ashamed of his earlier treatment of his son all these years. His pain over the loss of his wife made him blind to the diamond she had left behind.

And even if the entire clan today spat upon his son, Tajima was proud of him.

"Better late than never, Father..."

The boy offered his hand with a roguish grin and a kind look in his eyes lacking any accusation for all Tajima had put him through. It only made the older Uchiha feel more guilty as he knelt down and hugged the boy who stiffened, having never experienced such affection from his Father.

And he said those words that Uchiha Naruto had yearned for all these years.

"I'm proud of you, my son".