Learning

"Who's Kakashi? I don't know him."

The Sealing Space fell silent.

After a long while, Kushina's sobs broke the silence.

"Minato, they... They're all treating our child this way. What did we do wrong? Did we do something to hurt them?"

"Kushina, th-there might be some misunderstanding..."

I'm done for. I overdid it... Naruto hurried into the Sealing Space and saw Kushina crying against Minato's shoulder. He comforted her, saying, "Don't cry, Mom. I'm fine, aren't I? Besides, with you here now, I'm really happy."

"Mom?!"

Hearing her son call her Mom for the first time, Kushina was overjoyed. She instantly forgot to cry and happily shook Minato by the shoulders.

"Our son called me Mom! Minato, did you hear that? Our son called me Mom..."

"I heard, Kushina."

Minato was openly envious. He looked at Naruto expectantly. "Could you... call me Dad, too?"

I suspect you're trying to take advantage of me... Naruto hesitated. "Maybe next time. Let's get to know each other better first."

Minato wasn't satisfied. "What about Mom? I met Naruto before she did. Shouldn't we be the ones who know each other better?"

"That was a special situation. Next time..."

"So Naruto won't call me Mom next time?"

Kushina let go of Minato and came over to Naruto, tears welling in her eyes. She looked ready to cry if he didn't call her Mom.

Naruto hesitated. Kushina started crying, so he had no choice but to say it.

"Mom."

"That's my good boy. Say it again."

"...Mom."

"Mhm, that sounds lovely. Again."

"..."

Naruto was at a loss for words as he watched the woman in front of him apparently relishing the moment. In an instant, he vanished from the Sealing Space.

"Naruto is still so shy."

Kushina paused, then remarked without a trace of self-awareness.

"But he called you Mom three times."

Minato's face was full of jealousy.

"Dad, don't be jealous that Naruto and Mom are so close."

Kushina put her hands on her hips, looking smug.

"I. Am. Not. Jealous."

Minato spoke one word at a time, the jealousy on his face growing even more pronounced. Kushina burst into laughter, and Minato joined in.

"Foolish humans."

The Nine-Tails curled its lip, turned its head, and went back to sleep.

After joking around for a while, the couple began discussing their child's education.

If no one else would take care of their child, then they would do it themselves.

They were both experts, and both capable of guiding Naruto's training.

But Minato was clearly the more suitable teacher.

He was powerful, experienced, and knowledgeable. He knew everything Kushina knew, and plenty she didn't.

But Minato couldn't teach Naruto everything. To make sure Kushina could be involved, Minato would teach Naruto ninjutsu and Taijutsu, while Kushina would teach him Sealing Jutsu.

"What about Genjutsu?"

Naruto, who'd been eavesdropping, appeared in the Sealing Space and addressed Minato and Kushina. "Don't forget Genjutsu."

Unlike the Sharingan, the Rinnegan didn't come with Genjutsu of its own, but it could amplify Genjutsu.

Genjutsu cast with the help of the Rinnegan was no weaker than Mangekyo Genjutsu.

Minato shook his head. "Don't be greedy, Naruto. You don't need to learn Genjutsu. You're a Perfect Jinchuriki, so Genjutsu can't affect you. Learning it would only distract you."

Kushina chimed in. "That's right. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Sealing Jutsu are already a lot to learn. You might not even master all three. How would you find time for Genjutsu?"

"I'll have time! With the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, I can make time for anything. Speaking of which... do either of you know the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique?"

Kushina looked puzzled. "I know it. That technique suits people with lots of Chakra, so it's perfect for you. But it's a forbidden technique, and not many people know about it. How did a little kid like you find out?"

Minato had the same question.

Naruto didn't bat an eye. "My eyes can see a lot of things."

He wasn't lying. In his previous life, he really had seen the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique with his own eyes.

"So it's the Rinnegan. It really is mysterious..."

Kushina and Minato understood, and didn't ask any further questions.

The three of them chatted a while longer, and Genjutsu was officially added to the curriculum.

Minato first gave Naruto a warning. "Dad isn't good at Genjutsu, so I can't teach you much. Don't get your hopes up."

Naruto nodded. "I understand. Oh, I also want to learn Medical Ninjutsu."

Genjutsu was Yin Release, and Medical Ninjutsu was Yang Release. He needed both.

"It's good that you want to learn, but can you handle all that?"

"I'll take it slowly. I just wanted to mention it."

"That works. Your mother can teach you when the time comes. She knows some Medical Ninjutsu."

Under Minato's guidance, Naruto adjusted his stance and struck the tree in a way that better suited the body's natural muscle mechanics.

He still got hurt, but the injuries were within an acceptable range.

He trained his body in the afternoon, then entered the Sealing Space at night to learn ninjutsu.

Shadow and the General were there, too. Naruto had introduced them to Minato and Kushina early on, and after more than a month, they'd all gotten quite familiar with each other.

"Could you teach them, too? Both ninja experience and ninjutsu knowledge."

Naruto made the request to his parents.

"Of course."

Kushina and Minato nodded. They knew where Shadow and the General came from and trusted them completely. Teaching them was the same as helping Naruto.

"Thank you."

Shadow and the General bowed in gratitude. They had always shown Naruto's parents the respect they deserved.

Ninja Academy.

Naruto returned after being gone for a month. As expected, there was no welcome party. Fear and distance were all that awaited him.

Clearly, the Nine-Tails Chakra that had leaked out that day had left everyone deeply traumatized.

They finally understood that the rumors around the village hadn't come from nowhere. Naruto might not eat people, but calling him a "monster" seemed entirely appropriate.

And people... for the sake of their own safety, shouldn't spend time with monsters. The best thing to do was keep their distance.

Kushina and Minato watched all this unfold, their faces pained.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. We made you into a vessel for the Nine-Tails and left you to bear such a heavy burden..."

"You don't need to apologize to me. I'm doing fine. This so-called heavy burden isn't really that heavy. It even helped me make a good friend..."

Naruto calmly went to his seat, while inwardly reassuring his parents again and again.

The first class of the morning passed quickly.

After class, Iruka called Naruto out of the classroom.

"Everyone doesn't hate you. They just have some misunderstandings about you, Naruto. Give them some time to adjust..."

Iruka had noticed the atmosphere of rejection in the class, but there wasn't much he could say.

Because, deep down, Iruka was afraid of Naruto, too.

After all, the Nine-Tails was a creature of legend. Who wouldn't be afraid?

Not even the Third Hokage!

But even though he was afraid, his sense of responsibility as a teacher helped Iruka overcome that fear. He went a step further and tried to comfort Naruto.

A few minutes later, Naruto returned to his seat, and Minato's thoughtful voice sounded in his mind.