The Ending Depends on Where the Story Stops

"Naruto," Minato Namikaze's expression grew more complex upon hearing these words. He gently closed his eyes, and after a long while, he slowly opened them, saying, "There's something I've always wanted to ask you."

Naruto looked up, meeting Minato Namikaze's gaze directly. "What is it?"

Seeing Naruto's azure eyes, the struggle within Minato Namikaze's own intensified. He asked hesitantly, "Do you truly hate Konoha?"

"That's an interesting question," Naruto calmly retorted. "From Father's perspective, besides hatred, what other feelings do you think I should have for Konoha?"

"Or does my demeanor somehow confuse you, Father?"

Minato Namikaze shook his head blankly. "I don't know. From the moment I met you, everything has exceeded my imagination."

"Every time I linked Chakra with you, I could feel a profound coldness deep within your soul. At first, I could only guess, but later I was certain. You must have known the truth about your origins a long time ago, and you were also fully aware that the Third Hokage was monitoring you."

"If I hadn't been watching you grow from within the seal after your birth, and hadn't noticed anyone tampering with you, I would have doubted if you were even my son."

"For a long time, I even wondered if you were born with all knowledge."

Naruto observed Minato Namikaze with amusement. "I was wondering how long Father would hold back before speaking. Now that we've cleared the air, do you have your answer?"

"Yes," Minato Namikaze took a deep breath and then pointed at Kurama. "Kurama initially thought the same, but later it provided a reason I could accept."

"What reason?" Naruto's heart stirred, and his gaze immediately shifted to Kurama beside him.

Kurama, who had been lying down, didn't even lift its eyelids. It directly extended a claw and pointed at Naruto, saying, "Fourth Hokage, can't you just say everything at once?"

Minato Namikaze's expression turned a bit awkward. "Uh, didn't you come up with that, Kurama? And you said there was only one possibility."

"What other reason could there be?"

Kurama's nine massive tails coiled behind it. It opened its narrow eyes and slowly sat up, its gaze falling upon Naruto. "You have that Mirrored World, so many data puppets, and you can review the past memories of each data puppet. Of course, you can know many secrets you shouldn't."

"Especially when I first entered that Mirrored World, I understood it the moment I saw the data puppet of the Fourth Hokage."

Minato Namikaze also nodded upon hearing this.

A long time ago, while Kurama was replenishing his Chakra, he had a moment of absentmindedness, wondering why Naruto possessed a personality and worldview inconsistent with his age. Kurama, who was supplying him with Chakra, immediately noticed.

Kurama directly prompted him to consider the abilities Naruto possessed in the Mirrored World, and only then did he feel that everything concerning his son up to that point finally had a reasonable explanation.

Otherwise, he would truly have suspected Naruto was born with all knowledge.

Naruto looked at the expressions on Kurama's and his current life's Father, Minato Namikaze's faces, and found the situation somewhat absurd.

The permissions he had granted them were only as guests. They didn't know how he collected data, nor the secret behind the Mirrored World's update functions.

They didn't even know when he activated the Mirrored World or how he opened it. Due to the time difference, a misunderstanding had arisen.

Because of this misunderstanding, they had actually dismissed certain suspicions they had about him.

Naruto's expression remained unchanged. Since it was a misunderstanding, he would let them continue to misunderstand. He saw no need to explain.

"Since Father has found an answer to some things, I will answer your initial question."

Minato Namikaze's expression turned serious upon hearing this.

"Konoha took many things that rightfully belonged to me," Naruto stated calmly, then continued, stroking the sealed iron door with both hands. "So, of course, I should hate Konoha."

"However, hatred is just a negative emotion. Everyone has such emotions; it's normal. Occasionally, these negative emotions can even have a significant impact on one's willpower."

"But after spending so much time together, Father, you must understand me to some extent. I won't give myself the opportunity to be consumed by negative emotions. I'm not like those mentally unstable members of the Uchiha Clan who are controlled by their emotions and resort to extremes."

"No, that's not right! You're just worried I might decide to attack Konoha on a whim one day."

"But what I pursue is not something so trivial."

"Then what do you pursue, Naruto?" Minato Namikaze really wanted to say that he indeed thought that, but he changed his mind at the last moment.

Naruto looked back at Minato Namikaze with deep eyes. "What I seek is the power to transcend everything!"

"You already possess immense power," Minato Namikaze said gravely, looking at Naruto. "Excessively pursuing power will cause you to lose your true direction."

"Father, you don't understand," Naruto shook his head. "I know what you mean, but I can tell you that what I pursue is not the same as what you understand."

Hearing this, Kurama extended a fist towards Naruto, who raised his hand and met it without hesitation.

A moment later, Kurama retracted its fist, a sharp glint in its eyes. "Naruto, if you can truly achieve this, you'll be even more formidable than the Sage of Six Paths. The humans in the Ninja World today don't perceive the world this way."

Naruto smiled slightly. "That's why I said earlier that I don't believe in those empty, grandiose pronouncements. Only by forcing this world will it become reasonable."

"Haha!" Kurama threw its head back and laughed heartily. "Kid, I look forward to that day! It'll definitely be very interesting!"

Minato Namikaze was puzzled. He knew Naruto and Kurama had just linked Chakra and must have discussed something. He asked curiously, "What did you two talk about?"

Kurama waved a claw. "Hmph! You wouldn't understand, Fourth Hokage!"

Minato Namikaze's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately turned his gaze to Naruto. To his dismay, Naruto merely shook his head and remained silent.

Now, he wasn't just puzzled.

He was utterly dejected!

"Naruto, about the Explosive Tags..."

Naruto's eyes turned cold. "There's no need to discuss this matter further."

"But Naruto," Minato Namikaze said with a pained expression. "Detonating such a large number of Explosive Tags... it killed so many people!"

"Countless families who were living happy lives might have been instantly annihilated. How devastated would those who narrowly survived be? This kind of pain, Naruto, you..."

Naruto remained unmoved, saying calmly, "I'm sorry, Father, I'll only detonate a small portion. My goal is just to destroy the crystal ball."

"The chain reaction caused by the mechanism linking to other explosive tags has nothing to do with me."

"Besides, I've never understood what happiness is myself. Why should I feel sad for others?"

Upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze's eyes lit up. "Since you only want to destroy the crystal ball in the Hokage's office, can you sever the connection points of the explosive tag mechanisms elsewhere?"

"Stop talking, Father."

Naruto interrupted Minato Namikaze, his expression growing somewhat complex.

"I may have a kind heart, but my hands are cold and powerless. For Konoha to have a happy ending, it depends on where it stops its story."

Remembering when he had planned to detonate the explosive tags, Naruto changed the subject.

"I will let you see for yourself how many dirty dealings are hidden beneath Konoha's bright facade."

Minato Namikaze asked with a grim expression, "What do you mean?"

Had Naruto learned some secret from the Mirrored World that he himself was unaware of?

"Soon, in the near future, you'll find that you won't need me to do anything. Someone will prove to you again and again that Konoha is destined for a terrible end."