A Chance at Rebirth

Standing above the sky.

Was this Naruto's ambition?

Minato could feel Naruto's sincerity, and he believed Naruto would definitely achieve it.

At this moment, Minato had completely shed his identity as the Fourth Hokage.

Once, he had longed to govern Konoha well, lead it to new heights, protect it, and safeguard everyone.

But now, everything he had pinned his hopes on, everything that had supported his efforts, had completely collapsed, leaving behind nothing but venomous mockery and ridicule.

"Monster, why don't you just die?"

What father could remain calm after hearing such a curse?

From this moment onward, he was no longer the Fourth.

Now, he only wanted to be a good father.

"Though I don't have much time left, I can definitely still help you." Minato could feel the cold liquid sliding down his cheeks.

It was disappointment in Konoha, and pain as well.

He stared intently into Naruto's azure eyes and asked earnestly.

Though he was dead, the knowledge in his mind was still valuable.

He believed Naruto would need that knowledge.

Since he could not change the past, he would do everything he could to make Naruto's future a little better.

"Help? You're useless now, hear me? You're—" The Nine-Tails smugly mocked him from the side, only to be stopped by Naruto.

Naruto wore a gentle smile again and said calmly:

"You can indeed help me."

"That's great. How? What do you need? I, I..." Perhaps because he saw the possibility of repairing their father-son relationship, the usually composed Minato lost his bearings and asked clumsily.

This only drew more mocking laughter from the Nine-Tails.

"I want all the information you know about Konoha's upper ranks—the various departments, the elders, the Hokage's habits, preferences, personalities, even the clans behind them. I want everything you know," Naruto said decisively.

"The Fourth Hokage surely knew many secrets, didn't he?" he said meaningfully.

Personal strength could indeed overturn everything, but becoming strong took time.

And Naruto did not even know how long he could live.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.

Only by understanding his enemies better than they understood themselves could he hold everything about them in his hands.

Just like Kyoka Suigetsu, controlling everything.

"I know. If this can help you live a little better, I'll tell you everything." As long as he was needed, there was a chance to mend their relationship. Joy appeared in Minato's eyes as he nodded.

"Good. I believe you also know my situation." Naruto nodded in satisfaction, and at last, there was a smile in his eyes.

"I walk on thin ice in Konoha. The facts have proven that they won't treat me better because of you. What I want is simple: to survive first."

"I need to understand Konoha on a deeper level. Only then can I grow stronger without worry, rather than suppressing my strength or even hesitating during training."

As he said this, Naruto looked directly into Minato's eyes. They were filled with pain and self-reproach.

Naruto's eyes remained utterly still. That calm gaze made Minato unable to even look at him.

Through Naruto's eyes, all he saw was calm.

A terrifying calm, as still as death.

It made Minato's heart ache even more bitterly.

Minato would rather Naruto hit him and curse him viciously than see Naruto this indifferent.

It was as if, to Naruto, he was nothing more than a passing stranger.

Minato did not dare look any longer.

He was afraid his heart would hurt even more.

At that moment, Naruto's tone carried a hint more emotion.

"You were Konoha's revered Fourth. You governed Konoha in perfect order. But in my eyes, you were a failure."

"As a Hokage, you misjudged people's hearts and were deceived by the Third and the Elder Council."

"As a father, you made your only son the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki without permission, leaving him alone to face the malice of the world."

"You were too naïve." Naruto's voice turned cold.

"That's right, you were too naïve!" the Nine-Tails smugly chimed in.

"The you of the past was deeply unqualified. Now, I will give you a chance at rebirth."

Naruto extended his palm, and white Reiatsu slowly entered the Fourth's body.

"This is..." The Fourth looked astonished as his weakened body became full and vigorous once more.

"This is Reiatsu, an energy that does not belong to this world," Naruto said calmly.

"I will extend your life, and you will provide me with value." Naruto withdrew his hand. "I can even teach you how to cultivate Reiatsu, allowing you to exist in this world in another way."

"But I need to confirm whether you are still the Fourth Hokage whose heart belongs to Konoha."

"I am now only a father who wants to atone." Minato lowered his head and clenched his fists. "I am already dead. From now on, I have nothing to do with Konoha. All I want now is for you to live a better life."

"Good. Then I'll teach you." Naruto nodded.

"Hmph~~ Is Reiatsu really that miraculous? Could it possibly be stronger than this old man's Chakra?" the Nine-Tails snorted disdainfully from the side.

Naruto looked at the Nine-Tails with a smile in his eyes. "Want to learn? I'll teach you."

After Naruto left, only the Nine-Tails and Minato remained in the Sealing Space.

Minato curiously examined the futuristic Sealing Space, finding it remarkably novel.

Having seen Naruto again and even gained a chance to atone, Minato was in an excellent mood.

Minato was happy, but the Nine-Tails was not.

Thinking about having to stay in the same space as Minato in the future made the Nine-Tails uncomfortable all over.

He could not help but sneer:

"Yellow Flash, you're truly stupid. You became Hokage, yet you're still as naïve as a child. Let me tell you, if Naruto hadn't been smart, he'd have been brainwashed into a weapon of war by now."

"Hmph, good thing Naruto didn't inherit your brains."

Before he could finish, the Nine-Tails saw Minato smile and thank him:

"No matter what, thank you for taking care of Naruto."

"Hmph, this old man, this old man merely found him interesting and wanted to see how far he could grow." Hearing praise from an enemy for the first time, the Nine-Tails felt his old face flush. A flustered feeling rose in his heart, and he turned away with a cold snort.

"Can you tell me more about Naruto's experiences over the years? Please, Nine-Tails." Minato came to the iron gate, his tone pleading.

Seeing Minato so humble for the first time, the Nine-Tails felt immensely satisfied.

But he could not satisfy Minato so quickly. He had yet to vent the resentment and anger accumulated from all those years of being sealed.

The Nine-Tails rolled his eyes a few times and suddenly came up with an idea.

He pointed at his computer.

"If you help me pull a shiny, I'll consider telling you a little."

As the saying went, fortunes turned in cycles.

The Nine-Tails deeply experienced the meaning of those words.

He lounged leisurely in the Sealing Space with one leg crossed over the other, watching Minato sit before the computer, operating it with lifeless eyes.

He could not help letting out booming laughter.

Over the following days, Naruto learned from Minato about the entire structure of Konoha's upper ranks and how they operated.

He even learned some secrets of the great clans.

As his understanding deepened, he was glad that he had not exposed any flaws.

The Anbu was a ninja department under the Third, and it contained many top-tier experts.

But Root, which Danzo managed, possessed strength comparable to the Anbu's—perhaps even greater.

The Anbu operated openly, while Root worked in the shadows.

Many filthy and shameful matters were handled by Root.

The two departments complemented one another, jointly forming Konoha's defensive wall.

Root was hidden extremely deeply. Other than Danzo, no one could command it. Even Minato did not know much about it.

When Minato was alive, many of his decisions had been obstructed by Danzo.

Though he was Hokage, he was still constrained by the Third and the Elder Council.

He understood all of this deeply and longed to change it, but the decentralization of power was not something that could be resolved overnight.

Minato had always been working at it, but the results had been negligible.

Root had already penetrated deep into Konoha, even becoming one with it.

The more Naruto learned, the deeper his disgust for Konoha's upper ranks became.

He also came to understand clearly.

He had to become stronger as soon as possible, at the very least strong enough to protect himself.

After that, Naruto rarely came to the Sealing Space.

He devoted most of his time to training.

And so, time flew by, and another year passed in the blink of an eye.

Minato's part of the story came to a temporary end. Next, Uchiha Sasuke was going to suffer.

PS: Please vote and keep reading. I want to try for a featured recommendation next week.