The hand that suddenly appeared suddenly pulled Naruto back a step, keeping him away from the Seal Gate. Naruto was caught off guard and leaned back slightly. His sight just happened to clearly capture the extremely eye-catching words on the God Robe behind the person in front of him - Fourth Hokage.
"Ha... who do I think?" Kurama, who had already expected his appearance, immediately spoke in a tone full of irony just after Fourth Hokage appeared.
"Isn't this the 'great hero' who sacrificed his own son to protect Konoha?"
It seems that even though Kurama has fully recognized Naruto, it still has no good feelings towards Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, who once split it in two, and has deep resentment.
Hearing Kurama's merciless ridicule, Minato Namikaze turned his head and looked at the giant beast in the cage. "Kurama, you don't seem to be surprised at all by my appearance here. However, I don't want to see you again at all. I just didn't expect that you would bewitch Naruto so quickly and make him do such a dangerous move."
"Bewitched? Dangerous?"
Kurama seemed to have heard a huge joke, burst out laughing, and slapped his paws on the cage, "Who are you showing this sanctimonious look to? Do you know that the person who deserves your protection the most, after your 'heroic' sacrifice, lived a life a hundred times more difficult than what your poor imagination can imagine!"
Minato was very surprised. From Kurama's roar, he could not feel the slightest anger that the plan was exposed because the "bewitchment" was blocked. Instead, the voice was filled with a kind of ridicule and long-standing resentment directed at him personally?
"I remember clearly those high-sounding words you said before you died! You said you 'believed in your son'? Don't put gold on your face!"
"What you did at that time was basically stuffing a bomb into the swaddling clothes of your newborn baby! Then you just felt at ease and died! Why are you here now to put on airs and point fingers?"
It seems that Kurama's complaints against Minato Namikaze are far more numerous and profound than Naruto imagined. Although Fourth Hokage has always He is known for his calmness, but when Kurama scolded him mercilessly in person, especially when the words pointed directly at the deepest pain and struggle in his heart, his face couldn't help but become a little ugly, and his lips were tightly pursed.
However, Minato Namikaze knew that his time here was limited and he did not want to waste this short but precious reunion time on endless quarrels with Kurama. He no longer paid attention to Kurama's cynicism, but turned his attention back to the blond boy in front of him.
When his eyes fell on Naruto's face, which was 70-80% similar to his own, but more youthful and energetic, the solemnity and sharpness in his eyes instantly melted away.
His voice also became much softer. "Long time no see... you... have become an outstanding Ninja, Naruto."
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host: you have established level Bonds 7 (full) with the original character "Minato Namikaze"!]
[Points obtained: 2450 points!]
"Well, it's been a long time... No, I should say, this is the first official meeting, Dad."
Naruto looked at the gentle and handsome face that was both familiar and unfamiliar in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then said the call.
Although he was far less calm inside than on the surface, he clearly expressed the relationship between the other party and himself.
Minato The explanation and opening remarks about identity that he had prepared suddenly got stuck in his throat, Naruto... actually know who I am?
"Did Third Hokage tell you everything?" Minato subconsciously speculated, with some worry in his tone, "But if your identity is made public, I'm afraid there will be many dangers coming to you from outside the village..."
He paused, then asked a question in a low voice with subtle care and anxiety.
"By the way... how have you been... in these past years?" As a father, he missed his son's entire growth, and this guilt made him extremely cautious even when asking.
Naruto Although he maintained his composure on the surface, in his heart he was completely blank as to how to get along with this father whom he had never met but was related by blood, and felt a little at a loss. He tried his best to smile and tried to make it through in an understatement.
"I have lived a good life over the years and made many friends..."
"This is what happened to this kid recently!"
Suddenly, Kurama's voice sounded again, rudely interrupting Naruto's attempt to whitewash the situation.
"When he was a child, this was not the case at all! Almost every Konoha Village citizen hated your son! He would be pointed at behind his back for no reason, insulted in front of his face, and ostracized and isolated by everyone! Even if he wanted to go to the store to buy something to eat, he would be driven out as roughly as flies!"
Minato noticed that Kurama's many angry speeches Yakumi, in addition to his personal resentment, also contained extremely clear indignation for the injustice Naruto had suffered?
"Everything is as you originally 'imagined'," Kurama's tone was full of sarcasm, "You successfully sealed me and left this power in Konoha. You knew that Jinchuriki was destined to bear the fear and rejection of the world, so you 'believed' that your child could 'endure' all this... And this boy did it 'as you wished'."
"Tch... it's really unpleasant to think about it."
Kurama smacked his lips and said in a complicated tone, "Your son is much better than you thought. However, his growth is not due to you at all, because you have never been with him for even a day!"
"Kurama, don't be so mean to dad." Naruto finally spoke, with a tone of comfort to his partner, "Although I do have a little complaint about those experiences when I was a child... But if you think about it carefully, if dad hadn't done this at that time, you and I wouldn't have been able to meet, let alone become the friends we are now."
He said, turning to Kurama, with a firm smile on his face, and then raised his fist again towards the huge fox.
And Kurama, looking at Naruto's innocent smile and outstretched fist, let out a helpless hum in his throat, with an expression of "I really can't do anything to you" on his face, solemnly stretched out his huge fist, and lightly touched Naruto's tiny fist again.
"Naruto... What on earth is this..." Minato completely understood. The situation in front of him was completely different from what he expected - his son was bewitched by Tailed Beast and fell into danger!
Is this really the Nine-Tails Fox Demon that is full of hatred and desire for destruction? Minato Namikaze has lived two lives, and this is the first time that he has seen such an... almost "gentle" expression on Kurama's face, and even heard its laughter?
"Hmph, Fourth Hokage!" Kurama retracted his fist and looked at Minato condescendingly, his tone still with unabashed contrast, "Your son is more than ten thousand times stronger than you.! He endured loneliness that you can't even imagine, but learned to understand and tolerate from it. He faced malice from almost the entire world, but he still chose to save everyone without hesitation when danger came - including those who had hurt him!"
It seems that Kurama's attitude towards Fourth Hokage is no better.
Naruto put down his fist helplessly and turned to his father, whose face was full of shock and confusion. "Dad, I don't resent you for sealing Kurama in my body. On the contrary, I am happy from the bottom of my heart that I was able to meet Kurama and eventually become important friends."
"As for what happened in these years... it's a long story, so let me tell you slowly."
Although my heart is still full of questions - why is even my son not surprised at all to see his late father?
But looking at Naruto's calm and mature appearance, and the incredible harmony between him and Kurama, Minato needed to understand it all again. He nodded, ready to listen to his son's stories that he had not participated in over the years.
(Almost finished! After writing the transition chapter, we will enter the time travel chapter of the main world Hashirama and Boruto)