After hearing this, Minato Namikaze's expression grew even more complicated. He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again after a long while. "There's something I've always wanted to ask you."
Naruto looked up and met Minato Namikaze's gaze. "What is it?"
Seeing Naruto's azure eyes, the struggle in Minato Namikaze's own eyes became even more apparent. He asked blankly, "Do you really hate Konoha?"
"That's an interesting question." Naruto calmly replied, "From Father's perspective, other than hatred, what feelings do you think I should have toward Konoha?"
"Or has the way I've acted left you somewhat confused, Father?"
Minato Namikaze shook his head in confusion. "I don't know. Ever since the day I met you, everything has gone beyond my imagination."
"Whenever I linked Chakra with you, I could feel that indifference rooted deep in your soul. At first, I was only guessing, but later, I finally became certain. You must have learned the truth about your origins long ago, and you also knew full well that the Third Hokage had been monitoring you."
"If I hadn't watched you grow up from within the seal ever since you were born, and if I hadn't noticed anyone tampering with you, I would have wondered whether you were truly still my son."
"For a long time, I even wondered if you had been born knowing everything."
Naruto gave Minato Namikaze an amused look. "I was wondering how long Father would hold back before asking. Now that you've laid it all out, have you found an answer?"
"Yes." Minato Namikaze took a deep breath, then pointed at Kurama. "Kurama thought the same thing at first, but later, it gave me a reason I could accept."
"What reason?" Naruto's heart stirred, and he immediately turned his gaze toward Kurama.
Kurama, sprawled nearby, did not even lift an eyelid. It flicked out a claw and pointed it at Naruto. "Fourth Hokage, can't you just say everything at once?"
Minato Namikaze looked somewhat embarrassed. "Uh, wasn't that what you came up with, Kurama? And you said that was the only possibility."
"What other reason could there be?"
Kurama curled its nine massive tails behind it, opened its narrow eyes, and slowly sat up. Its gaze lowered onto Naruto. "You have that Mirrored World, so many Data Puppets, and you can review every Data Puppet's past memories. Of course you can learn many secrets that you should not have known."
"Especially when I first entered that Mirrored World. The moment I saw the Fourth Hokage's Data Puppet, I understood."
Minato Namikaze nodded upon hearing that.
Long ago, while Kurama was replenishing his Chakra, he had once become distracted while pondering why Naruto possessed a personality and understanding of the world that did not match his age. Kurama immediately noticed.
Kurama directly reminded him to consider the abilities Naruto possessed through the Mirrored World. Only then did he feel that everything about his son up to this point finally had a reasonable explanation.
Otherwise, he truly would have suspected that Naruto had been born knowing everything.
Naruto looked at the expressions on Kurama's face and on the face of Minato Namikaze, his father in this life, and found the situation somewhat absurd.
The permissions he had given them were merely guest access. They did not know how he gathered data, nor did they know the secret behind the Mirrored World's update function.
They did not even know when he had activated the Mirrored World or how he had opened it. Because of the time difference, a misunderstanding had arisen.
That misunderstanding had actually caused them to dismiss some of their suspicions about him.
Naruto's expression remained unchanged. Since it was a misunderstanding, he would let them continue misunderstanding. There was no need for him to explain.
"Since Father already has an answer to some matters, I'll answer your original question."
Minato Namikaze's expression turned solemn.
"Konoha took many things that should have belonged to me." Naruto calmly began, then placed both hands on the sealed iron gate and continued, "So of course I should hate Konoha."
"However, hatred is merely a negative emotion. Everyone has such emotions. It's perfectly normal, and sometimes such negative emotions can greatly strengthen one's willpower."
"But after spending so much time together, Father should understand me at least somewhat. I won't give myself a chance to ignite negative emotions. I'm not like those lunatics of the Uchiha Clan, driven by their own feelings to go to extremes."
"No, that's not right! You're merely worried that one day, on a whim, I'll strike against Konoha."
"But what I seek is not something so boring."
"Then what do you seek, Naruto?" Minato Namikaze had wanted to say that this was indeed what he thought, but changed his words at the last moment.
Naruto turned back and looked at Minato Namikaze with profound eyes. "What I seek is power that can transcend everything!"
"You already possess great power." Minato Namikaze looked at Naruto gravely. "An excessive pursuit of power will make you lose sight of your true path."
"Father, you don't understand." Naruto shook his head. "I know what you mean, but I can tell you that what I seek is not what you think it is."
Kurama immediately extended a fist toward Naruto. Without the slightest hesitation, Naruto raised his hand and pressed it against the fist.
A moment later, Kurama withdrew its fist. A sharp gleam flashed through its eyes. "Naruto, if you can truly accomplish something like that, you'll be even greater than the Sage of Six Paths. The humans of the Shinobi World don't see the world that way now."
Naruto smiled faintly. "That's why I said I don't believe in all that empty rhetoric. Only by forcing this world will it become reasonable."
"Hahaha!" Kurama threw back its head and laughed. "Kid, I'm looking forward to that day! It'll definitely be very interesting!"
Minato Namikaze was baffled. He knew Naruto and Kurama must have discussed something while linking their Chakra just now, so he asked in confusion, "What did you say?"
Kurama waved a claw. "Heh! Fourth Hokage, you wouldn't understand!"
Minato Namikaze froze, immediately shifting his gaze to Naruto. Yet Naruto merely shook his head without saying a word.
Now he was no longer merely baffled.
He was thoroughly depressed!
"Naruto, about the Explosive Tags."
Naruto's eyes turned cold. "There's no need to discuss this any further."
"But Naruto..." Minato Namikaze said painfully, "If Explosive Tags on such a scale are detonated, many people will die!"
"Many families living happy lives may be reduced to ashes in an instant. And how miserable will those fortunate enough to survive be? That kind of pain, Naruto, you..."
Naruto remained unmoved and spoke calmly. "Sorry, Father. I'll only detonate a small portion of them. My purpose is merely to destroy the Crystal Ball."
"The chain reaction caused by the mechanisms being linked to the other Explosive Tags has nothing to do with me."
"Besides, I still do not understand what happiness is. Why should I grieve for others?"
Minato Namikaze's eyes lit up. "Since you only want to destroy the Crystal Ball in the Hokage Office Building, could you sever the linkage points of the Explosive Tag mechanisms elsewhere?"
"Enough, Father."
Naruto's expression became somewhat subtle as he interrupted Minato Namikaze.
"I may have a kind heart, but my hands are cold and helpless. If Konoha wants a happy ending, it depends on where it stops its story."
Thinking of when he had already planned to detonate the Explosive Tags, Naruto changed the subject.
"I'll let you see with your own eyes just how many filthy dealings lie hidden beneath Konoha's glamorous exterior."
Minato Namikaze asked with an ugly expression, "What do you mean?"
Had Naruto learned another secret from the Mirrored World that he did not know about?
"Soon. In the near future, you'll discover that I won't need to act at all. Someone will prove to you again and again that Konoha is destined for no good end."
Before you continue