Cursing Namikaze Minato

"What exactly is it that I don't know?"

Namikaze Minato rubbed his hair in frustration.

Uchiha Kei was very familiar with this gesture; Naruto liked to do the same thing.

"Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside Naruto back then?"

Uchiha Kei actually knew the answer, but he still held onto a sliver of hope.

Perhaps the real Namikaze Minato could provide a different answer.

"For the sake of the village!"

As expected, Namikaze Minato answered without hesitation.

Uchiha Kei scoffed, "What a noble answer. Truly magnificent."

Hearing the clear sarcasm in Uchiha Kei's words, Namikaze Minato became even more uneasy.

"What happened to Naruto? Is he not doing well?"

"Doing well? How could he not be? Growing up without parents, lonely and destitute, branded a fox demon by the villagers, living every day amidst rumors and gossip—he's doing just great."

"Fox... fox demon?"

Namikaze Minato froze.

He had heard that term when he was young.

When he was a child, there was a little girl whom the villagers called a fox demon; her peers ostracized her, and the adults were hostile toward her.

A pair of unyielding, resentful eyes had deeply touched his soul.

He had once sworn to spend his entire life protecting that little girl.

Later, that little girl became his wife.

Kushina.

"I... I am the Fourth Hokage. I sacrificed myself for the village. My child..."

"Your child is still being called a fox demon, just like your wife Kushina!"

Uchiha Kei interrupted him mercilessly.

Regarding Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Kei didn't know whether to call him naive or overly optimistic.

Knowing the nature of people, how could he have naively believed they would treat his child with kindness?

What's more...

"That's impossible. The Third Hokage once promised me..."

"The Third? Sarutobi Hiruzen never even announced to the public that Naruto was your child, Fourth Hokage!"

Namikaze Minato stood frozen in place, his face full of disbelief.

"Do you really think that with Konoha's strength at the time, the only way to save the village was for the Hokage to sacrifice himself?"

"Do you really think your becoming the Fourth Hokage was thanks to Sarutobi Hiruzen?"

"Do you really think there was no push from Sarutobi Hiruzen behind the Night of the Nine-Tails?"

"You are too naive."

Uchiha Kei said with a cold face, enunciating every word, each one striking Namikaze Minato's heart like a heavy hammer.

Namikaze Minato drifted there, utterly devastated; his fluctuating soul-body proved just how much turmoil was raging within him.

In his understanding, Sarutobi Hiruzen was his mentor, the one who helped him make a name for himself and eventually ascend to the position of Fourth Hokage.

In his heart, Sarutobi Hiruzen was a figure like a teacher and a father.

But today, what Uchiha Kei said completely shattered his perception.

His death had the shadow of Sarutobi Hiruzen behind it!

In an instant, many things that seemed unreasonable during his life suddenly made sense.

Why did the Night of the Nine-Tails happen so coincidentally on the very day Kushina was giving birth!

Why did the Third look at him with such complex eyes after he became the Fourth Hokage!

Why did all the top combatants of the village disappear during the Night of the Nine-Tails!

All of this, the Sarutobi Hiruzen he respected...

Had played a major role!

"You were able to become the Fourth Hokage because of your character, your integrity, and the illustrious reputation of the Yellow Flash."

"With your prestige and strength, combined with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, how else could Sarutobi Hiruzen have reclaimed the position of Hokage?"

"Only if you and your wife died, and your son was cast into the dust, could he become the Third Hokage once again."

Uchiha Kei spoke slowly.

These were the things he had perceived in the real Naruto World.

In the anime, Sarutobi Hiruzen was a kind-hearted figure of light who vigorously supported the commoner faction.

Namikaze Minato was the only Hokage to remain independent of any faction, untainted by clan politics or the Hokage's own influence.

But what of Sarutobi Hiruzen in the real world?

If not for his tactical errors during the Third Great Ninja War, which caused irreparable losses to Konoha, would he have stepped down to yield his position to Namikaze Minato?

The answer is no!

When it comes to the lust for power, he was even worse than Danzo!

Even the establishment of the Ninja Academy was merely a means to expand his own influence and power.

This was the true Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"A few days ago, someone came to kill Naruto and me, though in this instance, it was primarily because of me."

"Who was it?"

Namikaze Minato jolted, asking with anxious urgency.

"The Anbu—it should have been Danzo's Root."

Uchiha Kei replied truthfully.

"Anbu... Root... Danzo..."

Namikaze Minato pondered, his eyes growing increasingly dim.

The relationship between Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen was one of light and shadow; while they appeared at odds on the surface, Sarutobi Hiruzen was, in reality, aware of many of Danzo's actions.

If the Hokage of a village truly wished to stop someone, even Danzo would have to back down!

"Naruto... he wasn't hurt, was he?"

Namikaze Minato asked, his heart trembling with extreme unease.

"He is my friend. As long as I am unharmed, he will be safe."

Namikaze Minato gave him a look of gratitude.

"If Kushina knew the situation her son was in, she would surely go on a rampage."

The image of her red hair standing on end flashed through Uchiha Kei's mind, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Namikaze Minato shuddered.

He was truly terrified of his wife, Kushina.

"Have you two finished chatting yet?"

Inside the cage, white smoke puffed from Kurama's massive nostrils.

It was becoming restless.

"We're done. You can settle your personal grudge now."

Uchiha Kei shrugged and stepped back a few paces.

"Damn you, Namikaze Minato! You bastard!"

"Eight years! Eight whole years! Do you have any idea how I've spent these last eight years!"

Scarlet chakra began to boil, radiating a faint, scorching heat that caused the very space of the seal to distort.

"Kurama, calm down."

Namikaze Minato offered a sheepish smile, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Back then, when you suddenly went berserk, I really had no other choice."

"Look, Kushina treats you well, doesn't she? She certainly wouldn't want you messing around inside her son, right?"

Kurama's massive, restless body froze as memories of being "bullied" by Kushina in the past flooded its mind.

"You bastard! Are you trying to scare me with Kushina? Do you think the great Nine-Tails is easily intimidated!"

Despite these words, Kurama hurriedly reined in its violent chakra and even cautiously glanced around.

Kushina was not just a nightmare for Namikaze Minato.

For the beast itself, she was exactly the same.

Uchiha Kei, watching from the sidelines, sighed.

The fight wasn't going to happen; there was no show to watch anymore.

Still, Kushina really was something else.

The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and the ceiling of Tailed Beast power, Kurama.

Both of them actually feared her like a tiger.

I really want to meet her!

A sharp glint flashed in Uchiha Kei's eyes.

It shouldn't be long now.

I wondered if Shisui's mission had gone smoothly.

If it had, it would be within these few days.

"Namikaze Minato, do you wish to watch Naruto grow up?"

Uchiha Kei quietly gazed at the floating soul.

"Of course, I do. What parent wouldn't want to be there as their child grows up."

Namikaze Minato felt regret, watching his soul begin to dissipate as he sighed.

"Before, I was too naive. I never expected my actions would have such dire consequences for Naruto."

"If, if I could have another chance..."

Namikaze Minato didn't finish his sentence, but his clenched fists showed how remorseful he was at that moment.

"I can give you that chance."

Uchiha Kei said calmly.