The current Kazuki had returned to being an ordinary ninja in the village.
Of course, he didn't need to take the Chunin Exam—during his time in Anbu, he was directly promoted to Jōnin.
Since Kazuki wasn't lacking in money, he didn't need to go on missions to earn a living. For a while, his life became more relaxed than ever.
During his time off at home, his days were quite peaceful.
His house often had visitors.
Sometimes, it was Ino ringing the doorbell, holding fresh flowers to replace the old ones in his vase. She never forgot to place a bouquet of the most beautiful cosmos by Kazuki's bedside.
According to Ino, the fragrance of flowers could refresh the mind, and their beauty could brighten one's day.
It was clear to everyone that this was Ino's way of trying to get the attention of her crush, Kazuki.
And as Ino had hoped, waking up every day to blooming cosmos did make Kazuki feel relaxed and refreshed.
Good things always bring happiness, and his mood improved as well.
Other times, the one who came to his house was Hinata Hyuga.
Whenever this shy girl saw Kazuki, she would bow her head and run away with a blushing face.
At some point, Kazuki's younger sister, Tenten, and Hinata had become close friends, often seen chatting together in whispers—secrets that even Kazuki, the elder brother, wasn't privy to.
One thing he did notice, however, was that Hinata's cooking skills had improved significantly.
As the heiress of the Hyuga clan, she never had the chance to cook on her own before.
The first time she tried cooking with Tenten, she nearly blew up Kazuki's kitchen.
But after repeated practice, her cooking became better and better.
Of course, the meals made by Hinata and Tenten were often too much for the two of them to finish alone—so most of the leftovers ended up in Kazuki's stomach.
What he didn't realize was that every time he ate her cooking, Hinata felt an immense sense of happiness.
With the goal of making even tastier dishes for Kazuki, she diligently studied new cooking techniques every day, constantly adjusting her recipes to suit his tastes.
Of course, Ino and Hinata only visited during their free time.
Now that they had become Genin, they each had their own Jōnin instructor and spent most of their time on missions with their teams.
The last person who frequently came to Kazuki's house was none other than his little admirer, Uzumaki Naruto.
After the incident with the Forbidden Scroll, the first thing Naruto did upon waking up was rush to Kazuki, excitedly announcing that he had officially graduated from the Academy.
Then, beaming with pride, he eagerly shared the Flying Thunder God technique he had memorized.
Kazuki couldn't help but be intrigued.
Among all the forbidden techniques, the one that fascinated him the most was indeed the Flying Thunder God.
A space-time ninjutsu without any bloodline restrictions, it was originally developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and later perfected by Minato Namikaze.
Minato's mastery of this technique made him a legend in the Third Great Ninja War, earning him the title of the "Yellow Flash."
His speed was so terrifying that enemy villages issued a standing order: if a ninja encountered the Yellow Flash, they were to abandon the mission immediately.
Such was the power of the Flying Thunder God—a technique that elevated Minato's strength to an almost untouchable level.
After all, space-time ninjutsu was considered one of the most difficult and advanced forms of ninjutsu.
It took Minato Namikaze several years to successfully refine and improve the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God Technique.
Now, Kazuki has access to this technique.
Naruto once read about it in the Scroll of Seals, where Minato Namikaze's name was recorded. The detailed explanation of the Flying Thunder God Technique in the scroll provided a foundational understanding of space-time ninjutsu.
Of course, just knowing about it doesn't mean Kazuki can master it instantly. If learning the technique were that easy, then the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had access to the Scroll of Seals, would have mastered it long ago.
To truly learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, one needs an exceptional understanding of space-time ninjutsu.
"Come on, let's study this ninjutsu together. As his son, you should have some natural talent in this area, right?" Kazuki said as he pulled Naruto over.
However, Naruto, in the original story, never demonstrated any talent for space-time ninjutsu.
Naruto was momentarily stunned. His expression turned blank before he suddenly blurted out:
"Big Brother Kazuki? What did you just say? Don't you know whose son I am? You… You know about my parents?"
Kazuki nodded.
"Do you want to know? If you do, I can tell you."
"I…"
Naruto hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.
"I once asked Grandpa Third about my parents, but he never told me. No one in the village would tell me.
So I used to wonder…
Did my parents do something bad?
Is that why no one wants to mention them? Why do the villagers hate me and call me a monster…?"
As he spoke, Naruto's expression darkened.
"But…"
He suddenly raised his head, determination shining in his blue eyes.
"I've grown up now! I'm a real ninja! I have the courage to face the truth!
No matter who my parents were or what mistakes they may have made…
It won't change the fact that they are my parents!"
Naruto's voice was filled with conviction and sincerity.
"So, Big Brother Kazuki, please tell me who they are!"
Perhaps Kazuki's presence in this world had altered Naruto's childhood experiences.
Now, Naruto seemed more mature than the mischievous, attention-seeking boy he was in the original story.
Kazuki was momentarily moved.
He had always seen Naruto as a cheerful and sunny person.
Yet, deep down, Naruto had been carrying such heavy doubts and burdens all along.
Sarutobi Hiruzen…
Is this what you've done?
You let the son of the Fourth Hokage suffer like this…
And yet, you still want to act like a benevolent leader in front of everyone?
Everything you've done…
Even Minato Namikaze, if he were watching from the afterlife, would be heartbroken!
"Alright, Naruto. I'll tell you everything," Kazuki said, placing a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Your parents were not bad people. They never did anything wrong. In fact, they were heroes of the village. They gave their lives to protect it."
"What?!"
Naruto's blue eyes widened in shock.
He had never even dared to imagine such an answer.
"Big Brother Kazuki, you're not lying to me… are you?"
His voice trembled, revealing how deeply this revelation shook him.
"Of course not. Your father was the Fourth Hokage of Konoha—Minato Namikaze, known as the Yellow Flash.
And your mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan and the previous jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
The tragedy that happened… was because, on the night you were born, an enemy attacked and manipulated events to cause Kushina's seal to weaken.
As the Nine-Tails broke free, your parents fought to protect the village. In the end, they sacrificed their lives to seal the Nine-Tails within you, ensuring both your survival and the village's safety."
Kazuki explained everything truthfully.
Naruto stood frozen, his mind reeling from the truth.
Kazuki had already told him before that his chakra was different from others, but now… everything finally made sense.
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