Year 48 of Konoha,
"Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen..."
In a residence in Konoha, a small figure's hands shifted through different positions as he diligently practiced forming hand seals.
Naraku Uzumaki's young face was filled with determination.
"Naraku, take a break. It'll be time to eat soon," a gentle female voice called.
As soon as she spoke, Kushina Uzumaki, her long red hair falling down her back and a warm smile on her face, appeared before him.
"Okay," Naraku replied with a nod, stopping his hand movements.
But when his gaze fell on Kushina's heavily rounded belly, a trace of worry still flashed across his face.
It's almost time for the baby to be born!
Naraku had been an exemplary office worker in the twenty-first century, spending every day working grueling shifts from eight in the morning until eight, nine, or even ten at night, tightening screws on an assembly line.
Then one day, he'd been extremely lucky and gotten into a car accident on his way home from work. He'd died on the spot.
He'd thought he was dead for good, but when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the world of Naruto, inexplicably reborn as Kushina's younger brother and Minato's brother-in-law.
Now, it had been five years since he arrived in the world of Naruto, and he was five years old.
After washing up, Naraku went to the dining table, where the food had already been laid out.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the space in front of Naraku rippled, and a figure in yellow appeared.
With dazzling blond hair and bright blue eyes, the newcomer gave Naraku a warm smile. "Naraku."
The newcomer was Naruto's father, Kushina's husband, and the man hailed as the fastest in the Shinobi World: Minato Namikaze.
"Minato nii-san." Naraku seemed to be in a bad mood. Even when he saw Minato, he only gave him a faint nod and called out to him.
Just like in the original story, Minato had succeeded to the Hokage Position a year ago, becoming the Fourth Hokage.
Although the Hokage's duties kept him busy, Minato still often came home to eat with them. After all, Flying Thunder God let him come and go as he pleased.
Especially lately, perhaps because Kushina was nearing her due date, he'd been spending more and more time at home.
Thinking of this, Naraku's mood turned even worse, and his little face was full of worry.
In truth, he knew he and Kushina weren't really siblings. Their age difference made that clear—Kushina had come to Konoha when she was only six or seven.
Neither Minato nor Kushina had ever told him about his background. The only proof that he really belonged to the Uzumaki Clan was his red hair.
But Naraku had his own suspicions about it. Since he hadn't existed in the original story, though, he couldn't figure out much. He only suspected that he might have some connection to the Uchiha.
He remembered that when he was one or two years old, Uchiha Fugaku had secretly come to visit him a few times.
It had almost made him think he was going to become Itachi's half-brother.
Of course, that was only a suspicion. He had no evidence.
Though they weren't his birth family, the two of them loved him just like real family, especially Kushina. Even after she married Minato, she still kept him by her side.
So, to Naraku, the two of them had long since become the people closest to him.
That was exactly why his mood had been getting worse lately. He knew the original story: once Naruto was born, it would mean that Minato and Kushina were about to die.
"I'm done eating." After the meal, Naraku left and went back to the yard to practice hand seals.
It wasn't that he didn't want to practice other ninjutsu. Minato and Kushina simply wouldn't teach him. He'd asked them many times to help him train, but they always refused, saying he was too young.
Naraku found that excuse utterly ridiculous. I really want to tell Minato, "Your student Kakashi graduated from the Ninja Academy at five. Why don't you say he's too young?"
But he only thought it to himself.
He could understand why they wouldn't teach him to train. The Third Shinobi World War had just ended, and the entire Shinobi World was at peace. Children like him weren't needed on the battlefield, and the age for entering the Ninja Academy had been adjusted for peacetime as well.
Minato and Kushina planned to wait until he was old enough to enter the Ninja Academy before starting his training.
He was old enough now, but the Ninja Academy term hadn't started yet. He still had to wait another month or so.
So, for now, all he could do was practice basic taijutsu and hand seals.
Naruto will be born in less than a month. No, I have to figure out a way to do something.
At that moment, Naraku felt utterly helpless, just as he had in his previous life, tightening screws in a factory without being able to change his life.
"Naraku's been acting a little strange lately," Kushina said at the dining table, worry showing on her face.
Minato had also noticed Naraku's unusual behavior, but to keep Kushina from worrying, he smiled and said, "It's nothing, Kushina. Maybe he just wants to learn ninjutsu."
Minato cared deeply about Naraku too, even though Naraku had once strongly opposed his marriage to Kushina.
Thinking of that, Minato seemed to realize something. He thought back over the changes in Naraku lately. They seemed to have started after he and Kushina got married, especially after Naraku learned that Kushina was pregnant.
Knowing Naraku as well as he did, Minato didn't think he was gloomy all the time because he was worried about losing their attention. Naraku had always seemed very mature to him; he'd never treated his brother-in-law like an ordinary child.
Usually, Naraku only acted like a child when he was with Kushina.
I need to find time to talk to him, Minato thought, suddenly glancing toward the window.
Silver-white hair, a black mask, and a Konoha Forehead Protector covering his left eye—it was Hatake Kakashi, the one Naraku said had graduated from the Ninja Academy at five.
Normally, as a member of the Anbu, Kakashi had to wear a mask whenever he went out. Since he was visiting Minato's home, however, he'd taken it off beforehand.
As soon as Kakashi arrived, he spotted Naraku standing in the yard with his brows furrowed. He strode over and ruffled the red hair on Naraku's head twice.
Naraku was naturally very unwilling to let him do that, but at just five years old, he had no way to resist a genius like Kakashi.
Naraku knew Kakashi very well. He'd been a big fan of the character in his previous life, and because of Minato, they'd met early on.
"Kakashi, you're here," Minato called. He and Kushina walked over together.
"Sensei, Sensei's wife," Kakashi greeted them respectfully.
The group chatted briefly. When Minato learned that the Third Hokage wanted to see him, he left at once using Flying Thunder God.
They must already be discussing my big sister's delivery, Naraku guessed as soon as he heard the Third Hokage had summoned Minato.
Although Minato was Konoha's current Hokage, he'd only taken office recently and lacked experience, so the Third Hokage still stepped in on many matters. And the birth of a Jinchuriki was one of the village's top priorities.