After witnessing those memories, Minato Namikaze's face turned deathly pale.
He looked at Naruto, curled up in the corner, eyes bloodshot, and it felt as though a massive boulder had smashed into his chest.
After a long silence, Minato lowered his head.
"Kurama… lend me a little of your power. I'm begging you."
Kurama raised a brow, intrigued.
"Oh? Planning to act personally?" it sneered. "Using your son's body to attack the village?"
"Not the village," Minato said coldly. "Root."
Kurama chuckled.
"Fine. I also want to see just how strong the so-called Yellow Flash really was."
A sphere of crimson chakra was drawn from Kurama's body. It floated forward and merged into Minato Namikaze.
Minato's figure instantly became solid, his form fully real. Even the cloak behind him fluttered as if caught in a strong wind.
He walked up to Naruto and spoke softly.
"Naruto… I'm sorry. When this is over, I'll tell you everything. You are not a demon fox. You are the son of a hero."
The next instant, Minato Namikaze took over Naruto's body completely.
---
In the real world—
Naruto's whisker-like marks faded. His features sharpened, becoming strikingly handsome, and his hair grew longer, resembling Minato's almost exactly.
From outside, a shout rang out.
"Lightning Blade!"
Minato smiled faintly.
Kakashi… you've grown up.
He closed his eyes, sensing the surroundings, then opened them again with a cold sneer.
"Danzo, you old dog. I respected you as a senior and tolerated you again and again. I never expected you'd mobilize a hundred Root ninja just to seize my son."
"Very well."
He kicked the door open.
Uchiha Itachi and Kakashi Hatake both stiffened, their pupils shrinking.
"How did Naruto come out?!" Kakashi exclaimed.
Something felt deeply wrong—the chakra, the presence, even Naruto's appearance.
"Kakashi," Minato said casually, "long time no see. You've grown taller."
That voice struck Kakashi like lightning.
"…Teacher?!"
Minato smiled and nodded, then turned to Itachi.
"You must be Fugaku's son. You look just like him from the side, but your features resemble your mother more. Not bad—quite handsome."
"You are… Lord Fourth Hokage?" Itachi asked in disbelief.
Wasn't Minato Namikaze supposed to have died during the Nine-Tails' attack?
"It's a long story," Minato replied calmly. "More importantly—two little ones have been hiding nearby. You can come out now. Help me protect Naruto's house."
Uchiha Ran and Uchiha Shisui exchanged a glance before stepping out from the shadows.
Minato laughed.
"This generation of the Uchiha is truly remarkable. Three Mangekyō Sharingan users."
The three immediately tensed.
"There's no need to be nervous," Minato said. "Kurama has told me everything—about the Third Hokage, Danzo, and the village leadership. I know Danzo has gone astray. As for your ideas, and the Uchiha's path—I support them."
He then turned back to Kakashi, his expression complicated.
"Kakashi. You are my student. When Kushina was alive, she cared deeply for you. How have you taken care of Naruto all these years?"
Kakashi's face drained of color.
"I… Teacher…"
"I know," Minato said quietly. "You have your burdens. Your choices. I understand."
He bowed deeply.
"But as a father—no, as your teacher—I ask you to protect Naruto for the time I have left. This state of mine won't last long."
Kakashi's throat tightened. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head hard.
"I'm sorry, Master. I was wrong."
Minato helped him up and then looked at Ran, Shisui, and Itachi.
"Do you have kunai?"
Kakashi suddenly remembered something and hurriedly pulled out a large number of Flying Thunder God kunai from his pouch, handing them over.
Minato shook his head with a wry smile.
"I didn't expect you to keep so many of these."
He took them, then smiled faintly.
"Watch carefully. This is the power of the Yellow Flash."
A Root ninja charged toward him.
Minato flicked a Flying Thunder God kunai.
The Root ninja flipped in midair, dodging it easily, a mocking grin on his face.
"Brat, you can't even throw straight. Trash like you should—"
Before he could finish—
Minato vanished.
The Root ninja felt a sudden force at his back.
"Rasengan."
A compact Rasengan slammed him downward from three stories high.
Crack.
The sound echoed.
The Root ninja's spine shattered instantly, his body collapsing limply, completely incapacitated.
The surrounding ninja sucked in sharp breaths.
Naruto wasn't even a genin—and yet he'd done this.
A true prodigy.
Danzo Shimura's lips curved upward.
"Uzumaki Naruto, do you even understand who is truly harming the village? Attacking Root ninja is treason."
"I pity you—an orphan raised without guidance. It's only natural you'd make mistakes."
"As long as you join Root and follow me, I'll not only absolve you of all responsibility, I'll give you power and authority."
"You still have time to stop."
Minato chuckled softly.
He scattered dozens of Flying Thunder God kunai, each engraved with the words Endurance and Love.
The crowd froze.
So familiar.
Then—
Golden light flashed.
Each flash was followed by screams.
One by one, Root ninja fell.
Danzo's expression twisted in horror as memories resurfaced.
"The Yellow Flash… Flying Thunder God!" he roared. "Naruto! How dare you secretly learn forbidden ninjutsu?!"
"Stop! This is Konoha's strength—its foundation! Are you really going to slaughter your own village's ninja?!"
More than thirty Root ninja were already down.
Minato stopped and looked at Danzo calmly.
"Bring Hiruzen Sarutobi to me."
"Otherwise, every ninja here who took part—will die."
------
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