Wind rose over Konoha

This time, other people made a rare appearance in Naruto's dream.

The people who appeared in his dreams before had mostly been faceless passersby, with no distinct looks or personalities. This time, however, a pretty young girl stood before Naruto, her face bright red.

What drew Minato's attention even more was the mountain of assorted Ramen piled beside her, every bowl steaming hot and wonderfully fragrant.

The girl was Hinata Hyuga.

Little Hinata stood there shyly and said to Naruto, "Naruto-kun, this is your Birthday Gift."

"Wow, this is amazing!" Naruto cried happily in the dream. He leaped straight into the sea of Ramen and began slurping down great mouthfuls.

He paid no attention whatsoever to whether anyone else was around him. That was one of the peculiarities of dreams: they could magnify a single emotion.

It was such a joyful scene. Clearly, the day's events had left Naruto happy and satisfied. Even the Pop that had occurred at the Hyuga Clan had failed to surface in his dream.

Naruto did not notice Minato standing behind him. Watching him enjoy himself so much, Minato softly said, "Happy birthday, Naruto."

It was something he should have done as a father. Sadly, he was already dead. Being able to wish Naruto a happy birthday this way was already a luxury he had never dared imagine.

For the past week, he had repeatedly reminded Naruto in his dreams that today was his birthday, that he should try to spend it with friends and remember to eat something nice. Those subconscious reminders were also why Naruto had suddenly started worrying that morning about whether the food at home had expired.

Then he took a deep breath, seemingly recalling the overwhelming pressure the Nine-Tails had just exerted on him and weighing whether to make a certain decision.

A long while passed.

"I intend to start teaching Naruto Ninjutsu today. Would that be all right, Lord Nine-Tails?" Minato looked up and asked.

Though he could not see the Nine-Tails, he knew it was there and could hear him.

After a stretch of silence, the Nine-Tails' voice echoed around Minato. "Are you certain Naruto has already mastered Sealing jutsu in so little time?"

"Of course." Minato Namikaze smiled. "Naruto's talent surpasses even mine, and I'm his father."

Minato's confidence left the Nine-Tails rather speechless. It could not help remembering how countless people had once called Naruto a dead last, an idiot who could not even learn the most basic Three Basic Techniques properly. He had failed the exam three times and been met with scorn and ridicule.

Yet now Naruto, only five years old, had been judged more talented than the Fourth Hokage himself—a man hailed as "a genius shinobi who could make anyone else pale in comparison"...

Did I really hold Naruto back that much back then? the Nine-Tails wondered uncertainly. For some reason, a faint sense of guilt stirred within it.

Outwardly, however, it remained composed as it answered Minato. "Use your own judgment on that. You know more about it than I do."

Minato Namikaze nodded, then conjured a sheet of paper in the dream.

It was paper used to test Chakra Nature. Although the Nine-Tails had mentioned before that Naruto's Chakra Nature was Wind Release, that had been his nature after his Chakra had undergone a change.

As that day's dream faded, Minato returned to Naruto's Mental World.

"I never expected Naruto to have an affinity for water Chakra as well as Wind Release. Why did he never display that nature in the future?" the Nine-Tails asked when Minato came before it.

"Because right now, he is completely unaffected by your Chakra, Lord Nine-Tails. Naruto's original Chakra Nature is not necessarily the same as the nature he would have after their future fusion. The Chakra Nature of the Naruto in your memories was not actually his original nature, but the result of his Chakra merging with yours under the influence of the Sealing.

"No one can predict how chakra nature might change under those circumstances, but I have done some research on the subject," Minato explained. "And according to what you told me, Naruto shows excellent aptitude for both the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, the Forbidden Technique left behind by the Second Hokage, and the Flying Thunder God Technique he is Training in now. That is why I suspect Naruto's constitution may resemble the Second Hokage's."

"That brat Tobirama Senju?" The Nine-Tails thought back. It certainly remembered that white-haired fellow. Come to think of it, he had developed the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique Naruto had used so often before, as well as the Impure World Reincarnation that would cause a war in the shinobi world in the future... By comparison, even his considerable mastery of Water Release seemed somewhat unremarkable.

Tch, that brat's Ninjutsu and the messes he left behind really caused Konoha plenty of trouble. Good thing he died early. Who knows how much worse things would have been if he had spent another few decades as Hokage?

"Furthermore, with two or more Chakra natures, Naruto most likely possesses a kekkei genkai as well."

"Hm? Aren't you, Minato Namikaze, just an ordinary..." Realization struck the Nine-Tails. "Kushina's?"

"Exactly. From the looks of it, Naruto should also be able to awaken Kushina's Uzumaki Clan's kekkei genkai." Hearing the Nine-Tails mention his wife's name stirred Minato's emotions, but he quickly composed himself.

"...Then can you guide Naruto in discovering that power, the Uzumaki Clan's Kekkei Genkai?" the Nine-Tails asked after a moment of silence.

"I can do my best to try, but the chances aren't good. After all, when it comes to an ability inherited through a family's bloodline, only a member of the Uzumaki Clan can truly..."

"I understand. I know what you mean," the Nine-Tails interrupted, understanding his intent. "You should know perfectly well that you left Kushina's Chakra inside the Sealing. Until Naruto releases my Sealing, even I cannot draw her Chakra out."

"So that is how it is?" Having received a definite answer from the Nine-Tails, Minato looked as though his suspicions had been confirmed.

"What else? Did you think I was deliberately keeping Naruto from seeing his mother?" the Nine-Tails snorted.

"Of course not. I have always trusted you, Lord Nine-Tails." Minato's smile was utterly sincere.

"Getting back to the Ninjutsu you taught Naruto today... if he uses it outside, it will very likely attract certain people's attention," the Nine-Tails said, returning to their earlier topic. "Judging by past experience, he probably won't remember it after just one night, but he has always been quick to learn techniques that aren't particularly advanced."

"Yes, but that is something Naruto will have to face sooner or later." Minato also raised his head toward the gloom overhead, but there was light in his eyes. "And I believe he will be even more remarkable than I imagine."

The Nine-Tails recalled how Kushina, already terribly weakened after losing her tailed beast, had immobilized it at the height of its power with this technique alone. It was truly formidable power, something even a tailed beast or a Hokage could not overcome.

The unique kekkei genkai of the Uzumaki Clan, combined with instruction from the genius shinobi Minato Pop Namikaze from childhood... even the Nine-Tails could not imagine how brilliant Naruto's future achievements would be in this life.

But that was necessary. To face an enemy like a God, one first had to possess the power to look down upon Gods!