[Speaking of which, this also clears up a misunderstanding about the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. When he arrived at the scene, Minato had already completed half the hand signs for the Reaper Death Seal. It wasn't that Hiruzen was hiding that Forbidden Jutsuāit's just that Minato acted too quickly.]
[Although Hiruzen performed poorly later on, that doesn't mean he lacked the resolve to sacrifice himself for Konoha. After all, he isn't like that guy Danzo.]
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Hokage Office]
Hiruzen smiled bitterly and shook his head. He wasn't sure whether the Sky Screen was praising him or criticizing him.
But it was true that he hadn't arrived in time. Otherwise, he would definitely have taken Minato's place.
Still, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "'After all, he isn't like that guy Danzo'ā¦ the way it said thatā¦"
Tsunade, standing nearby, let out a cold snort, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"The Sky Screen isn't wrong. That man, when has he ever had the resolve to sacrifice himself for the village?"
"He only has the resolve to sacrifice others for the Hokage seat."
Hiruzen didn't respond, he simply took a deep draw from his pipe, his eyes complex amid the swirling smoke.
'DanzÅ, oh DanzÅā¦ How did you end up like this?'
---
Elsewhere, in the Shimura Clan Grounds.
DanzÅ, confined to his own residence, had dark lines on his face.
"What does the Sky Screen mean by that?!"
His voice was gloomy, and anger flickered through his remaining eye.
"Do you think I don't have the resolve to sacrifice myself for Konoha?!"
The incident in the Land of Lightning back in the day was still etched firmly in DanzÅ's memory. If another occasion arose requiring sacrifice for the village, he was confident he would not hesitate.
He stopped pacing and looked out the window. "But I cannot watch Hiruzen and Tsunade ruin Konoha! I must become Hokageā¦ and reverse all of this!"
The Sky Screen could insult him, mock himābut it could never question his devotion to Konoha. Never!
---
The scene continued.
The moment Hiruzen landed and approached, Minato had already formed the hand signs: Snake ā Boar ā Ram ā Hare ā Dog ā Rat ā Bird ā Horse ā Snake. Then he pressed his palms together.
A spectral Shinigami materialized behind him.
The image of the Shinigami was eerie and terrifying. A short sword was clenched between its teeth, its long hair billowing, and its entire being radiating an ominous aura.
Minato turned his head toward the weakened Kushina, his voice gentle: "Let's believe in this child! He's our son, after all!"
[T/N: Check Naruto Shippuden ep 249, if you want a recall, as there's a lot of dialogue here.]
"Besides, our family isā¦ shinobi!"
As the spectral Shinigami extended a massive hand, it pierced straight through Minato's abdomen and linked to the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails let out an earth-shattering roar but couldn't break free.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Training Ground]
Beneath the Sky Screen, Naruto stood frozen, listening to Minato's final farewell to Kushina.
"Believe in this childā¦"
Each word struck his heart like a hammer. So his father and mother really did love him!
Kushina's Chakra was still inside him, and it was also because they believed in him that his mom and dad had sealed the Nine-Tailed inside him.
Naruto's eyes grew moist again. But this time, it wasn't from grievance or anger. It was an indescribable emotionāas though something inside him was being filled.
However, just as Naruto was moved to tears by his parents' final farewellāthe next moment, he stood frozen in place, utterly dumbfounded.
On the Sky Screen, Minato had just sealed half of the Nine-Tails' chakra within himself, and was preparing to seal the other half into infant Naruto using the Eight Trigrams Sealā
When Kushina could no longer hold on, and her body went limp, collapsing to the ground.
Minato's heart tightened, he rushed forward immediately to check on her condition. And in that instantā
The Nine-Tails, still bound by the chains, seized this fleeting opening. Using every last ounce of its strength, it thrust out a massive claw.
The sharp tips of its fingers shot straight toward the defenseless baby Naruto.
Puchi!!!
The muffled sound of flesh being pierced suddenly exploded through the air, and the screen went dark.
When it lit up again, the enormous claw had not touched Naruto's body; Minato and Kushina had thrown themselves in front of the claw, shielding him with their own bodies.
Fresh blood trickled down slowly from the tip of the claw. Drop by drop, it fell onto the face of baby Naruto in his swaddling clothes.
---
"Dadā¦ Momā¦"
As Naruto stood there frozen in shock, blazing red chakra burst forth from his body, gradually enveloping him completely.
His skin began to flush red, his pupils contracted, and faint fangs started to grow at the corners of his mouth.
Jiraiya and the members of Team 7 quickly noticed the anomalyāNaruto's eyes had turned completely blood red.
"Naruto!!"
Sakura screamed in worry, stumbling back several steps.
Sasuke instantly grabbed a kunai, his two-tomoe Sharingan activating involuntarily as he stared at Naruto fixedly.
This chakraā¦ it was too terrifying.
Was this the Nine-Tails from the screen?!
"Naruto!" Kakashi's face also changed drastically, and he lunged forwardābut Jiraiya was already moving, even faster.
Jiraiya formed hand seals and slammed a palm onto Naruto's stomach. A sealing technique flared to life instantly, suppressing the rampaging chakra.
Kakashi acted at the same time, placing both hands on Naruto's shoulders to calm him down. "Naruto! Wake up! That's all in the past!"
Under their combined efforts, Naruto's body trembled violently, the blood-red in his eyes flickering on and off. "Dadā¦ Momā¦" he was still murmuring, his voice full of pain.
"Naruto!"
Jiraiya's voice suddenly rose. "Minato and Kushina gave their lives to protect youānot so you could lose control like this!"
Naruto's body jolted violently, and the blood-red in his eyes slowly receded.
He raised his head and looked at Jiraiya, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura. Tears still stained his face, but he managed to force out a weak smile: "Iā¦ I'm fine."
Sasuke walked over and punched him on the shoulder. "Idiot."
Sakura also ran over, eyes brimming with tears. "Naruto, you really scared me just now!"
Naruto blinked, then scratched his head. "Sorry. I'm really fine now."
Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
But they both knew in their hearts that what had just happened was extremely dangerous.
Naruto's emotions and the Nine-Tails' chakra were far too closely linkedāthe Eight Trigrams Seal needed to be strengthened.
Jiraiya, in particular, made a decision: he would begin teaching Naruto how to gradually master the Nine-Tails' power.
Otherwise, if the next time Jiraiya wasn't by his side, they might not be so lucky.
---
[Konoha, Year 50. Hokage Office]
Kushina buried her face against Minato's chest with a muffled sob. "Minatoā¦ are we going to die in the future?"
Minato stroked her back, but still didn't voice his suspicion that the black-robed figure might be Obito.
"Now that we know the enemy's abilities, we won't let it happen."
"Andā¦ even if things do come to it, I will definitely protect you and Naruto."
Kushina raised her head and looked at him. "Together."
Minato smiled. "Yeah, together."
The two held each other tightly, and outside the window, the sunlight was just right.
*****
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