Your Name, Uzumaki Menma

Danzo's lips moved for a long while, but in the end, he said nothing. Instead, Sarutobi Hiruzen remained remarkably composed. "Everything concerning the Masked Man is the village's highest-level classified information, especially Wood Release. I don't want a fourth person hearing about it. Retsuo, continue. If the opponent could turn intangible, how did Minato drive him away?"

"Yes." Retsuo secretly rejoiced. It was easy enough to slip Wood Release into the story. More importantly, Obito really could use Wood Release, so this couldn't even be considered slander.

As expected of me!

Even Retsuo harbored a sliver of hope.

This barrier was different from the one in the Original Timeline. It wasn't even transparent, making it impossible to see inside.

With such a change, was there still a chance Minato had survived?

"Teacher Minato kept using Flying Thunder God Slash to suppress his opponent, but... I felt that the Masked Man was always completely at ease. In the end, he withdrew of his own accord. He wasn't driven away by Teacher Minato."

"Of his own accord?" Danzo glared at Retsuo menacingly. "Why?"

Retsuo answered, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Danzo felt as though a breath had lodged in his lungs and couldn't get out. How could he not know at such a critical moment?

However, Retsuo put on an innocent expression. "That's right. I'm just a student at the Ninja Academy who isn't even a Genin yet. Is it really strange that I don't know?"

Just then, a Root Ninja rushed over and handed Danzo a note.

Danzo glanced at it hurriedly, then immediately clenched the note into a ball. The look he gave Retsuo grew increasingly suspicious.

At the same time, the barrier grew fainter and fainter until it finally vanished. Minato and Kushina lay on the ground, covered in blood. Beside them was a small bed, where a newborn baby slept soundly.

Retsuo shouted, "Teacher Minato!" He raised his leg and charged inside, but Shimura Danzo immediately shouted harshly, "Stop! You have no right to go in. Stand down!"

He then gave Retsuo a death glare before walking into the inner circle of the barrier with measured steps.

Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully picked up the baby, his eyes passing over the Sealing Technique on the infant's navel. The two Hokage Guards each helped Minato and Kushina up, calling their names, but there was no sign of life.

"Take them to Konoha Hospital immediately! Summon the medical ninja!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke urgently, but his eyes gradually turned cold and resolute. Konoha had been completely transformed tonight.

Beside him, Shimura Danzo did not hesitate in the slightest. "Hiruzen, this is the Eight Trigrams Seal. It is obvious that Minato Namikaze sealed the Nine-Tails inside this child! This child should be handed over to me, Hiruzen. The Jinchuriki should be raised by me. I can make him the most loyal weapon of Konohagakure!"

"Don't say such things again!" Sarutobi Hiruzen refused him righteously. "I will raise this child myself!"

Danzo sneered. "Raise him yourself? You don't even know his name, do you?"

"I remember Minato once said he wanted to name the child after something in ramen, but unfortunately, I didn't remember it at the time." Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered for a moment as he spoke. "Let's call him Uzumaki Menma."

(If any Esteemed Readers find the name Menma unbearably poisonous, please click on the table of contents and look at the title of Chapter 138 before criticizing me. Thank you.)

"Minato, Uzumaki, Menma..." Danzo mulled it over for a moment, then said, "Fine. But that boy from the Uchiha Clan should be handed over to me as well."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned. "Why?"

"Hmph! The Uchiha Clan harbors ill will toward the village. Even a child like this has already been tainted! Hiruzen, hand him over to me. Root can transform the darkness in his heart into protection for the village!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced sideways at him. "Is that the only reason?"

Shimura Danzo fell silent.

The reason was obvious. He didn't believe Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't figure it out. But he couldn't say it aloud. Even after sending away the Hokage Guards, leaving only the two of them, he was unwilling to put it into words.

The information this boy possessed was simply too valuable! Shouldn't he be brought under control? Shouldn't those techniques be used to dig deeper and deeper into him? What are you pretending not to understand for?

It was nothing more than the Uchiha Clan's fierce protest. A man like Fugaku could be dismissed with ease. For such a tiny bit of trouble, where was the resolve of the Hokage?

At some point, Danzo's fists had clenched. He was furious with Sarutobi Hiruzen, and even more resentful that he himself wasn't the Hokage.

I refuse to accept this!

Minato Namikaze's death is a good thing! This time, when the Fifth Hokage is chosen, I absolutely cannot miss the opportunity again!

Thinking this, Shimura Danzo blurted out, "There are many dubious points in this boy's account. He must be hiding something! Especially what Minato said to him before using Flying Thunder God to teleport the Nine-Tails. Don't you find it strange? At such a crucial moment, Minato didn't speak to you and instead spoke to some insignificant boy? What secrets do they have?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to nod, because he really did find it strange. He had racked his brains and still couldn't figure it out.

Danzo grew even more excited. "That's precisely why he should be handed over to me! Or send him to the Interrogation Department and search through his memories. Then everything will be revealed! Even the Uchiha Clan's secrets—"

Sarutobi Hiruzen asked coldly, "Are you planning to start another war with the Uchiha Clan after the village has already lost Minato and Kushina? The Uchiha Clan is part of the village, our comrades! Or do you think that a ninja who brought back valuable information and rendered outstanding service should instead be sent to the Interrogation Department?"

Having said that, he ignored Danzo and sighed inwardly.

You're already this old. How do you still not understand? The most important thing right now is for the Previous Hokage to take office again! Do you think I don't need the support of the various Ninja Clans? After doing something like this, how could I continue as Hokage? How could I possibly indulge your nonsense?

With this level of ability, you still want to become Hokage?

But Danzo still refused to let the matter go. "Hiruzen, at critical moments, you can never make a decisive choice! If we follow my plan, we can eliminate the future trouble of leaking information!"

"There is no such future trouble!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said sternly. "Minato once told me that, when the time was right, he wanted to take Retsuo as his disciple. He hasn't done so yet, but Uchiha Retsuo is worthy of our trust!"

"What!" Danzo was rarely so flustered. He lowered his voice and shouted angrily, "The Hokage is taking an Uchiha as his disciple? No. We can't let anyone know about this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen habitually reached for his pipe, then remembered that he hadn't brought it with him. Danzo, however, breathed a sigh of relief. He knew this old comrade too well. The mere act of reaching for his pipe showed that Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed with him on this point as well.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "As for your question, we can simply ask Retsuo directly. Uchiha Retsuo may be young, but I find him very reliable."

Just then, a strange, maniacal laugh rang out from the distant woods. "Hahahaha—hahahaha—"

Sarutobi Hiruzen: ...

To explain, literally speaking, "Naruto" is the narutomaki in bone-broth ramen, while "Menma" is the bamboo shoots in bone-broth ramen. They are both side dishes. Hiruzen didn't know that Naruto was called Naruto. In the original story, Kushina told him as she lay dying, and then passed away. I saw some Esteemed Readers say that the name Menma was unbearably poisonous, and it struck me like a bolt of lightning. I had no idea what was so poisonous about it.

In the theatrical movie, the reason Naruto is called Menma in the world of Limited Tsukuyomi is that Naruto in the real world absolutely hates eating bamboo shoots. He even argued with Teuchi over whether to eat narutomaki or bamboo shoots, much like the debate over sweet or savory tofu pudding.

The personalities of every character in the two worlds are completely reversed by 180 degrees. At least the others kept their names, while Naruto directly changed his name to Menma.

The author isn't trying to spoil anything, but I can briefly explain that this name has absolutely nothing to do with the theatrical movie. The author simply isn't very good with words and couldn't think of any other suitable name that fit perfectly, so he resorted to using what was available.

If Naruto really uses Great Spiraling Ring in this book, it won't be because of this spur-of-the-moment naming decision.

Come on, vote! It's Monday today, so I'll update the first chapter early to make it easier for everyone to vote...