Inside Naruto's inner world.
The Fourth Hokage looked at Naruto and Menma, recounting the truth about the Nine-Tails' attack back then.
He said: "My wife was the previous Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. That night was the day she gave birth. A masked man suddenly appeared and attacked the delivery room, threatened me with my son, took the opportunity to seize the Nine-Tails from my wife's body, and let the Nine-Tails go berserk in the village."
Hearing this hidden past, Naruto and Menma pricked up their ears.
Recalling that night, the Fourth Hokage looked full of regret: "As Hokage, I neither protected the village nor my wife well."
Naruto asked: "What happened later? What happened later?"
The Fourth Hokage said: "As you know, I finally used the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' to split the berserk Nine-Tails in two, sealing half inside myself and the other half inside my son's body."
Hearing this, Menma's eyes widened instantly.
Naruto said: "What, you sealed the Nine-Tails inside a little baby's body?"
Menma knocked Naruto's head, then asked the Fourth Hokage: "Then could that little baby be us?"
The Fourth Hokage looked apologetic: "Yes, you are my son."
Naruto's brain buzzed, only then realizing that the son the Fourth Hokage spoke of was him!
Menma's face was full of tears: "Why? Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside our body? Do you know how much cold treatment and discrimination we suffered because of that stinky fox?"
"Sorry!"
The Fourth Hokage didn't try to explain, just sincerely apologized to Menma and Naruto.
Naruto accepted it quite easily: "Who made me the Hokage's son!"
Menma wiped his tears and also accepted the Fourth Hokage's apology.
As Naruto's Heart Demon, he had always resented the heavens for being unfair to him. Now learning that his parents were the village's Hokage and Jinchuriki, and that they didn't intentionally abandon him but sacrificed themselves to protect the village and himself, much of his towering resentment dissipated.
Pat...
The Fourth Hokage reached out his hands and placed them on Naruto and Menma's shoulders: "I'm very guilty for not being able to participate in your growth, but you didn't disappoint me! The future belongs to you, don't be discouraged!"
With that, the Fourth Hokage transferred the Yin Nine-Tails inside his body into Naruto's body.
Still that huge iron cage, but behind the bars, it was no longer empty. A large fox like a small mountain appeared again.
The Fourth Hokage looked at the Nine-Tails behind the bars: "Kurama, I entrust Naruto and Menma to you!"
"Hmph, I don't know how to babysit!"
The Nine-Tails blew air from its nostrils, then turned its head aside and lay down.
The Fourth Hokage withdrew his gaze and said to Naruto and Menma: "Get along well in the future!"
Menma hesitated and said: "I... I'm actually just a Heart Demon of Naruto, you don't need to..."
The Fourth Hokage smiled: "I know everything. Even if you are Naruto's Heart Demon, you are still my son!"
Meeting the Fourth Hokage's loving gaze, the hostility on Menma dissipated a bit more. He didn't expect the Fourth Hokage to be so inclusive of him, not shouting to kill because he was a Heart Demon, but treating him equally, treating him just like Naruto.
Naruto nodded heavily: "Rest assured, I will get along well with Menma!"
The Fourth Hokage nodded gently, then took a step back: "Time is almost up, I should go too!"
Naruto took a step forward: "Do... do you have anything else to say to us?"
Menma also looked expectantly at the Fourth Hokage.
The Fourth Hokage shook his head slightly: "I have nothing more to say, because I believe you can definitely do better than me!"
Naruto was greatly encouraged and shouted: "Father, in the future, I will definitely become a Hokage who protects the village and companions, just like you!"
Menma didn't contradict him this time, standing behind Naruto and nodding silently.
The Fourth Hokage nodded, his figure slowly disappearing into the inner world.
In reality.
The Fourth Hokage's 'Impure World Reincarnation body' just gently touched Naruto's body, and the golden Tailed Beast chakra wrapping his whole body vanished without a trace. At the same time, Naruto, whose life was hanging by a thread on the ground, quickly regained color in his face, and his breath gradually recovered.
Jiraiya, guarding by the side, breathed a long sigh of relief.
Orochimaru in the distance shook his head.
He knew the Fourth Hokage had successfully transferred the Yin Nine-Tails inside him to Naruto. It was too late to stop it now.
Thinking that he was the one who lost the Nine-Tails in the end made him feel unhappy.
Swish...
At this time, Yakushi Kabuto arrived at the scene.
He glanced at Naruto on the ground, and the Fourth Hokage and Jiraiya guarding Naruto, roughly guessed something, then came to Orochimaru's side and said respectfully: "Orochimaru-Leader, I encountered Hiruko just now. I was originally prepared to retrieve the Nine-Tails, but was interfered with by people from the Akatsuki organization and the Hidden Leaf."
"Forget it!"
Orochimaru waved his hand.
Sages Fukasaku and Shima on Jiraiya's shoulders were attracted by Yakushi Kabuto, who was also in 'Sage Mode'.
Sage Shima couldn't help but warn: "Little Jiraiya, be careful, the Sage Chakra on the opponent is very pure!"
Sage Fukasaku sighed: "Didn't expect there to be such a talented little guy in the Ninja World!"
Jiraiya had actually been on guard long ago, blocking Naruto with his body.
Orochimaru, who had been secretly trying to regain control of the Fourth Hokage with 'Impure World Reincarnation', finally suppressed the Fourth Hokage's 'Impure World Reincarnation body's' consciousness at this time, bringing him back under his control.
However, he didn't try to retrieve the Yin Nine-Tails inside Naruto, but dispelled the summoning of the Fourth Hokage's 'Impure World Reincarnation body', then left with Yakushi Kabuto.
Not long after Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto left, Kakashi and the others also arrived at the scene.
Upon learning that although Naruto had the Yang Nine-Tails inside him taken away by Hiruko of the Akatsuki organization, at the critical moment, the Fourth Hokage broke free from Orochimaru's control, sealed the Yin Nine-Tails inside himself into Naruto's body, and saved Naruto, everyone breathed a sigh of relief in unison.
Although the Akatsuki organization took away half of the Nine-Tails this time, at least the worst-case scenario didn't happen, and Naruto was still alive!
At this time, Naruto, who was comatose on the ground, opened his eyes, rubbed his head, and sat up.
Worried that Naruto was still controlled by the Heart Demon, everyone didn't get too close but formed a circle from a distance, ensuring Naruto wouldn't be controlled by the Heart Demon and flee again.
Seeing everyone acting as if facing a formidable enemy, Naruto asked: "What's wrong with everyone?"
Sasuke curled his lips: "Stop pretending, I know you're not Naruto!"
Naruto looked speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "I really am Naruto, Menma has already returned control of the body to me!"
At this time, a spiritual body floated out from Naruto's body and said to Sasuke: "Uchiha Sasuke, if you're not convinced, we can fight again!"