"What is it that I don't know?"
Namikaze Minato rubbed his hair in frustration.
Uchiha Kei knew that gesture well. Naruto liked doing it, too.
"Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside Akira back then?"
Uchiha Kei already knew the answer. He was just clinging to a sliver of hope.
Perhaps the real Namikaze Minato would give him a different answer.
"For the village!"
Sure enough, Namikaze Minato answered without hesitation.
Uchiha Kei scoffed. "What a noble answer. Just wonderful."
Hearing the unmistakable mockery in Uchiha Kei's words, Namikaze Minato grew even more uneasy.
"What happened to Naruto? Was he not doing well?"
"Oh, he was doing great. He grew up without parents, all alone. The villagers thought he was a Fox Demon, and he lived every day surrounded by rumors and gossip. He had it absolutely wonderful."
"A... a Fox Demon?"
Namikaze Minato froze.
He had heard that name before, when he was young.
When he was a child, there had been a girl the villagers called a Fox Demon. Children her age shunned her, and adults treated her with hostility.
Her defiant, unwilling eyes had touched him deeply.
He had sworn to protect that girl with everything he had.
Later, that girl became his wife.
Kushina.
"I... I was the Fourth Hokage. I sacrificed myself for the village. My child..."
"Your child was still called a Fox Demon, just like your wife, Kushina!"
Uchiha Kei cut him off without mercy.
Uchiha Kei didn't know whether to call Namikaze Minato naive or overly optimistic.
How could he know what people were like and still naively believe they would treat his child well?
And besides...
"That can't be. Lord Third promised me..."
"The Third? Sarutobi Hiruzen never announced to the public that Naruto was your child, Fourth Hokage!"
Namikaze Minato stood there, stunned and disbelieving.
"Do you really think that, given Konoha's strength at the time, the only way to save the village was for the Hokage to sacrifice himself?"
"Do you really think you became the Fourth Hokage thanks to Sarutobi Hiruzen?"
"Do you really think Sarutobi Hiruzen had nothing to do with the Night of the Nine-Tails?"
"You're too naive."
Uchiha Kei spoke coldly, each word landing like a heavy hammer against Namikaze Minato's heart.
Namikaze Minato floated there, completely lost. The wavering of his soul showed just how deeply shaken he was.
In his mind, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been his mentor, guiding him every step of the way as he made a name for himself and eventually became the Fourth Hokage.
To him, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been both teacher and father.
But what Uchiha Kei had told him today was beyond anything he could comprehend.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had been behind his death!
In an instant, many things that hadn't made sense in life suddenly fell into place.
Why had the Night of the Nine-Tails happened at such a convenient time, on the very day Kushina went into labor?
Why had the Third looked at him with such a complicated expression after he became the Fourth Hokage?
Why had all the village's strongest fighters disappeared on the night of the Nine-Tails?
All of it—Sarutobi Hiruzen, the man he had respected...
Had played a major part!
"You became the Fourth Hokage because of your character, your integrity, and the great reputation of the Yellow Flash."
"With your prestige and strength, along with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, how could Sarutobi Hiruzen take back the Hokage Position?"
"Only if you and your wife died, and your son was cast into the gutter, could he become the Third again."
Uchiha Kei spoke slowly.
This was what he had sensed in the real Naruto World.
In the anime, Sarutobi Hiruzen was a benevolent man, a shining figure who strongly supported the common people.
Namikaze Minato was the only Hokage who belonged to no faction, entangled neither with the clans nor with the Hokage's faction.
But what about the real Sarutobi Hiruzen?
If his decisions during the Third Shinobi World War hadn't caused Konoha irreparable losses, would he have stepped down in favor of Namikaze Minato?
The answer was no!
His thirst for power surpassed even Danzo's!
He had even established the Ninja Academy to expand his influence and power.
That was the real Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"A few days ago, someone came to kill Naruto and me. Though in this case, I was mostly the reason."
"Who?"
Namikaze Minato jolted and asked anxiously.
"Anbu. It was probably Root, Danzo's faction."
Uchiha Kei answered honestly.
"Anbu... Root... Danzo..."
Namikaze Minato thought it over, his eyes growing dimmer and dimmer.
Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen had been two sides of the same coin: openly at odds, but in truth, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew about many of Danzo's operations.
If the Hokage of a village wanted to stop him, even Danzo would have to back down!
"Was Naruto... hurt?"
Namikaze Minato asked anxiously, his heart in his throat.
"He's my friend. As long as I'm fine, he'll be fine."
Namikaze Minato looked at him gratefully.
"If Kushina knew what her son was going through, she'd probably go berserk."
The image of her red hair shooting up came to Uchiha Kei's mind, and he couldn't help chuckling.
Namikaze Minato shuddered.
He really was afraid of his wife, Kushina.
"Are you two done talking?"
White smoke billowed from Kurama's huge nostrils inside the cage.
He was starting to lose patience.
"We're done. You can settle your personal grudge now."
Uchiha Kei shrugged and took a few steps back.
"Damn you, Namikaze Minato! You bastard!"
"Eight years! Eight whole years! Do you know what I've been through for the past eight years?"
The crimson chakra began to boil, radiating heat. The sealing space warped ever so slightly.
"Kurama, calm down."
Namikaze Minato gave an awkward smile and scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
"You suddenly went berserk back then. I didn't have a choice."
"You and Kushina got along pretty well, didn't you? She wouldn't want you messing around inside her son, would she?"
Kurama's enormous, restless body paused. Memories of the times Kushina had "bullied" him came flooding back.
"You bastard! You think you can scare me by bringing up Kushina? The great Nine-Tails isn't afraid of anything!"
He said that, but Kurama quickly reined in his violent chakra and cautiously glanced around.
Kushina wasn't just Namikaze Minato's nightmare.
She was Kurama's, too.
Uchiha Kei sighed as he watched from the sidelines.
There wouldn't be a fight after all. No more show to watch.
Still, Kushina really was strong.
The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and Kurama, the pinnacle of Tailed Beast combat power.
Both of them were terrified of her.
He really wanted to meet her!
A glint flashed in Uchiha Kei's eyes.
It should be soon.
He wondered whether Shisui's mission was going smoothly.
If all went well, it would happen in the next few days.
"Namikaze Minato, do you want to watch Naruto grow up?"
Uchiha Kei gazed quietly at the floating soul.
"Of course I do. What parent wouldn't want to watch their child grow up?"
Namikaze Minato looked regretfully at his soul, which was already beginning to dissipate, and sighed.
"I was too presumptuous before. I never thought it would have such a terrible effect on Naruto."
"If... if I had another chance..."
Namikaze Minato trailed off, but his clenched fists showed how deeply he regretted it.
"I can give you that chance."
Uchiha Kei said calmly.
Before you continue