Since Kurama had always been inside Naruto, he was very familiar with the properties of Naruto's chakra. He quickly succeeded in transforming it and began trying to transmit it to the Shadow Clone. Just as expected, the Shadow Clone accepted all of the chakra Kurama had transformed. This meant that as long as Kurama kept transmitting chakra to the clone, it wouldn't disappear. (As mentioned earlier, this was a Shadow Clone Naruto had created using spiritual energy, so it wouldn't disappear even if injured.)
"Kurama, do you feel like there's a limit to the distance?" Seeing that it worked perfectly, Naruto asked about another concern.
"Nope. As long as he continues to exist, I can transmit chakra to him no matter how far away he is," Kurama replied.
"Heh, just as I thought. We can get ready to leave the village."
Naruto then said something to one of the Anbu Ninja under his control. The ninja answered, "Yes," and quickly vanished.
Not long afterward, the ninja returned with someone slung over his shoulder and handed Naruto a large stack of documents containing all the person's information. This was what Naruto had asked him to do during this time.
He'd found someone who often left the village and lived alone, investigated all of his information, and recorded it. Then he'd brought him back and locked him in a cave in the hills behind Konoha, where another Anbu Ninja would keep watch. Once Naruto had finished his business outside the village and returned, he could erase the man's memories. That was all there was to it.
Although Kurama had grown even stronger and could be released to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, that wasn't what Naruto wanted.
The next day, after sensing that the Third Hokage had finished spying on him with the Crystal Ball, Naruto began to act. He created a Shadow Clone and had Kurama keep transmitting chakra to it. Then he used the Transformation Technique to take the form of the man they'd captured the night before. After suppressing all his presence and making sure no spiritual energy leaked out, Naruto headed for Konoha's gate.
After registering his information at the gate, Naruto left the village without a hitch. (Why not leave somewhere else? Because Konoha was covered by a huge Sensory Barrier. Anyone leaving from another location would be discovered quickly. That was the main reason Naruto had gone to all this trouble.)
Once outside the village, Naruto activated God Moon Mind's Eye. He walked for a long time, and after confirming that no one was nearby and that he was well beyond Konoha's borders, he dispelled the Transformation Technique. He found a valley with a cave in it.
After sensing that there was nothing else inside the cave, Naruto lit a torch and went in. He sat cross-legged and let his consciousness sink. Before long, he arrived in his mindscape.
"Kurama, I'm starting now." After saying this, Naruto went to the iron gate. The water beneath his feet carried him to the spot where the sealing tag was affixed. Naruto raised his hand and peeled off half the tag, and the Nine-Tails began releasing the chakra it had converted from spiritual energy.
A huge hand suddenly grabbed Naruto's. When he turned around, Naruto saw his father—Namikaze Minato.
Minato gave Naruto a gentle smile. "Naruto, you mustn't remove the sealing tag."
Naruto stopped, but said nothing. He didn't hate Minato, but it would be a lie to say he didn't resent him at all.
Seeing that Naruto wasn't speaking, Minato led him to the small island. Only then did he notice that the surroundings weren't the same as they'd been when he performed the sealing. If he remembered correctly, he'd set the scene to look like a sewer.
Though surprised, he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he looked at Naruto and asked gently, "Naruto, do you know who I am?"
Resisting the urge to punch him, Naruto answered coldly, "Yes. The Fourth Hokage. It's written on your back."
Hearing Naruto's icy tone, the Fourth Hokage was a little bewildered. He'd imagined many possible scenes: Naruto throwing his arms around him and crying, or Naruto immediately punching him.
"Besides being the Fourth Hokage, I'm also your father," Minato continued, still unsure what was going on.
Naruto remained unapproachable. "I know that too."
Naruto's attitude left Minato completely dumbfounded. He stood there, at a loss for words.
Then Kurama, who'd been silent until now, spoke up. "Fourth Hokage, take a look at these."
As he spoke, several orbs of light drifted toward Minato. They contained scenes of Naruto being bullied, isolated, and watched.
Minato watched the scenes inside the orbs one by one. They showed Naruto being abused in the hospital, scalding milk powder, a needle hidden in a sleeve and jabbed at Naruto, rice mixed with sand, Naruto living in a cramped room and eating expired milk and bread, adults giving him cold looks and speaking cruelly to him in the street, and stones being thrown at him from time to time. They showed the Third Hokage giving him only a thousand ryo for living expenses every time. There was so much more...
Each time he finished watching an orb, Minato's body trembled. By the end, tears were streaming down his face.
After watching all the orbs, Minato turned and embraced Naruto. Naruto didn't resist, letting Minato hold him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Naruto. All I wanted was for you to live in Konoha as a hero. I never imagined things would turn out like this!"
Naruto waved his hand, and more orbs of light appeared. "Take a look at these too."
Hearing this, Minato let go of Naruto but kept hold of his hand. Then he began watching the orbs. These were memories Naruto had retained from when he merged with that remnant soul. He'd saved all the scenes involving Konoha's High Command, and these were what Minato was watching now.
Once he'd watched all the orbs, Minato understood almost everything that had happened.
The Konoha High Command had stolen all the inheritance that belonged to him and Kushina. For the sake of their own power and to keep Naruto under tighter control, they'd hidden his identity. To ensure he never learned the truth, they'd assigned people to watch him constantly and made the villagers hate and isolate him. Whenever Naruto was bullied, Hiruzen Sarutobi would show up to play the good guy, comforting Naruto while filling his head with certain ideas.
At that moment, Minato couldn't help remembering how happy he and Kushina had been when she first became pregnant. He remembered how unwilling they'd been to part when the Nine-Tails' claws pierced them both as Naruto was born, leaving them on the brink of death. He'd thought that even if they died, Naruto would still live well, surrounded by everyone's love...
Minato slumped to the ground. Thinking of Naruto's cold attitude, he kept repeating, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His once-sky-blue right eye had now turned completely blood-red. After watching those orbs, he felt not only that he'd let Naruto down—his old beliefs had crumbled as well.
Seeing Minato like this, Naruto sighed softly and stepped forward to embrace him. "Dad, I don't hate you. I just resent how naive you were."
Hearing Naruto say he didn't hate him, Minato raised his head and asked in a trembling voice, "Really?"
"Really." Naruto's tone softened a little.
Hearing Naruto confirm it, Minato said remorsefully, "Unfortunately, I'm only a consciousness attached to chakra. I'll disappear before long, and I won't be able to do anything for you."
Hearing Minato say that, Naruto smiled. "Who said you'll disappear in a little while? Kurama, it's your turn."
Kurama had been watching the father and son with great interest. Hearing Naruto, he grew serious, sensed the properties of Minato's chakra, and converted a large mass of spiritual energy into chakra. A chakra conduit extended from the mass and connected to Minato.
"Dad, now you won't disappear. I want you to stay with me until I can truly revive you and Mom."
Hearing Naruto say he would revive him and Kushina, Minato asked in surprise, "Revive us? But Kushina and I have been dead for so long."
"It'd take too long to explain. Dad, let's touch fists." The fist bump would let Minato learn the details of Naruto's plans more quickly. Of course, Naruto hid anything Minato wasn't supposed to know. Minato saw only what Naruto wanted him to know.
After a long while, they separated their fists. Minato furrowed his brow. "There's nothing wrong with your plans, but some parts are too dangerous."
"That's why I want you to teach me the Flying Thunder God Technique. Once I learn it, I'll be able to avoid some unnecessary trouble," Naruto replied.
Hearing Naruto say he wanted to learn the Flying Thunder God, Minato readily agreed. "No problem. Even if you hadn't asked, I'd planned to teach it to you. But your mother's chakra is inside the seal too. It's just hidden quite deeply. I'll draw her out first."
After speaking, Minato formed Hand Seals. Before long, Kushina's figure appeared in the Sealing Space. "Huh? Not bad, Naruto! Are you about to play tug-of-war with the Nine-Tails, dattebayo?"
When Minato sealed the Nine-Tails, he'd arranged for his and Kushina's chakra to appear at particular moments, so they could better help Naruto.
Minato would appear if Naruto tried to undo the seal without a key, while Kushina would appear if Naruto had to fight the Nine-Tails for its power.
"No, Mom. Kurama and I are friends now. We don't need to play tug-of-war." Hearing Kushina's peculiar verbal tic, Naruto answered her.
Only then did Kushina notice Naruto. But he wasn't what she'd imagined. She'd thought Naruto would have grown up into a handsome young man.
"Hey, Naruto, who's Kurama?"
As soon as Kushina finished speaking, she heard the Nine-Tails snort behind the iron gate. She turned toward Kurama and said, "You stinky Nine-Tails, don't interrupt us."
Kurama knew Kushina's personality well and didn't argue with her. He simply lay down and ignored her.
Naruto then explained, "Mom, the Nine-Tails is Kurama. Kurama is his name. We're friends now."
After hearing Naruto's explanation, Kushina asked in disbelief, "Friends? How did that happen?"
Naruto didn't explain further. Instead, he showed Kushina the orbs Kurama had just shown Minato.
Kushina reacted much like Minato. The only difference was that as she watched the orbs one by one, her hair floated upward and eight chains emerged from her back...
When the last one ended, Kushina hugged Naruto and silently wept.
"Mom, don't cry. I don't blame you," Naruto comforted her.
Hearing Naruto's reassurance, Kushina raised her head. Only then did she notice Minato. Without a word, her Adamantine Sealing Chains shot out, bound Minato tightly, dragged him in front of her, and gave him a hard punch.
Seeing Kushina attack, Naruto hurried forward to intervene. When he stepped in to persuade her, Kushina stopped beating Minato, released him with a cold snort, and turned away.
Minato didn't dare say anything. He only stood to the side with an awkward smile.
Naruto repeated to Kushina what he'd told Minato. After hearing everything, Kushina also decided to stay and help Naruto, teaching him the Uzumaki Clan's unique sealing techniques.
Kurama then converted a mass of chakra for Kushina to connect to. And so both his parents remained inside Naruto.
Before you continue