Chapter 197 – Naruto's Grades Aren't Very Good
"Home visit?"
Hearing Kitagawa Gen's words, both Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki froze.
A home visit? Was there really such a thing in this situation?
The two exchanged glances, then almost at the same time spoke up.
"Minato…"
"Kushina…"
The moment the words left their mouths, they both laughed softly.
As expected of husband and wife.
And when it came to Naruto, their hearts were overflowing with love and longing. Perhaps… perhaps this could be considered another way of being by his side as he grew.
"Yes, a home visit. Though I'll only be handling some necessary matters."
Gen nodded. He reached behind himself and pulled Naruto forward from where the boy had been hiding in silence, then continued.
"Earlier, when the fox's chakra flared up, I happened to sense two special signatures within it. So I told the Pervy Sage."
"Pervy Sage? Don't tell me—"
Minato faltered at the familiar name, but Kushina immediately scanned the space around her as if seeking someone.
"Master Jiraiya… it must've been him!"
"That's right. It was him."
Gen chuckled and nodded.
"He didn't tell me what those two chakra signatures were. But I only had to think for a moment to figure it out."
At that, Minato and Kushina fell silent. They hadn't expected this boy—a child who looked only a little older than Naruto himself—to discover their existence… let alone release them.
And what shocked them even more was his power. That overwhelming Wood Release, the Nine-Tails subdued like a beaten hound…
This child was anything but ordinary. And if such strength was standing with Konoha, perhaps the village's future truly was bright.
But soon their eyes turned back to Naruto. Though they had been within him all these years, to keep the seal stable they had remained dormant. They hardly knew what kind of boy their son had grown into.
"Alright. I think it's time to leave the rest to you three."
Gen noticed their gaze and smiled.
"After all, you've been asleep for so many years. You've missed far too much already."
Saying this, he gently nudged Naruto forward, then stepped back himself, quietly turning his thoughts to what came next.
Naruto and his parents stared at one another in silence for a long while. Finally, Minato stepped forward.
"It's been a long time, Naruto. You've grown so much… You even have your own jōnin instructor and a friend by your side now."
"…Yeah."
Naruto nodded stiffly, unsure what to say.
The world truly was strange.
Not long ago, he'd been lamenting to himself—envying Ino's father, wondering what it would have been like to grow up with parents. His best friend, with his usual sharp tongue, had even joked that between the three of them, they couldn't scrape together a single complete family.
And now…
Naruto didn't even know what he was feeling. His emotions were a tangle too heavy to put into words.
"…Why me? Why is the Nine-Tails inside me?"
After a long silence, the question finally burst out. It was a question he had been carrying for more than ten years.
"What really happened back then? What happened to you?"
"Naruto…"
Kushina's eyes grew wet, while Minato let out a long sigh.
"So much happened that night… We're sorry, Naruto."
And then, together, they began to recount the truth of that fateful evening. It was not just an explanation—it was also the love and longing they had held for him all these years.
Gen watched the scene, a swirl of emotions in his heart. But he already knew this story. And more importantly, there were other matters he needed to handle.
"…If I use the Nine-Tails' chakra as a stabilizer, I should be able to keep the two of them manifesting like this."
He stroked his chin, casting a glance at the slumbering fox.
He knew Jiraiya hadn't lacked the means to awaken them. The real issue was sustaining them once they appeared. That was the crux.
From the start, Gen had planned to anchor Minato and Kushina with the Nine-Tails' chakra. That was why he had deliberately broken the seal—because he was confident he could repair it.
"Minato has already borne half the Nine-Tails before—his chakra can withstand it. And Kushina… she was once a jinchūriki. This should be manageable."
After carefully feeling out their residual chakra, Gen made his decision.
His eyes lingered on the unconscious fox. A part of him wanted to siphon more chakra for his own God Tree Source. It was a resource he desperately needed.
But after a moment's thought, he restrained himself.
"…Now isn't the time for that. Besides, there are other places I can get Nine-Tails' chakra."
Raising his hand, he swiftly restored the shattered seal.
The Eight Trigrams Seal—everything about it was detailed in the Scroll of Seals. For him, it was hardly difficult.
"I'll leave an outlet, though—enough for the Nine-Tails' chakra to leak out slowly, nourishing theirs. That should sustain them."
If their chakra stabilized and memories accumulated, then one day, should they be revived through Impure World Reincarnation, these fragments would return to them.
"A new kind of companionship… Looks like I'm earning my keep as his jōnin instructor."
Gen chuckled to himself. Still, as he worked, his gaze flicked deeper into the seal.
"That chakra, buried further in… Could it be Ashura?"
Curiosity flickered in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Naruto had finished listening to Minato and Kushina's story.
His head was spinning. He had never imagined so much had happened that night.
"So… that's how it was."
Though still dazed, the truth had finally settled in his heart. He now understood what his father had intended.
"To fight that hidden man… no one without special power could stand a chance, right?"
He glanced at the sleeping Nine-Tails, unsure what to feel.
But for the first time, his heart was at peace.
Though he had endured countless hardships, though he had known so much loneliness… he had finally felt the love of his parents, and it was real.
"…But that man… Gen already fought him. Even Kakashi-sensei did."
"Hm?"
Minato and Kushina froze, startled by his words.
"You… you encountered him?"
"Yeah. We've met him. We even know who he is."
At this, Gen turned from his musings about Ashura's chakra and walked over. He nodded firmly.
"That man is Kakashi-sensei's former classmate—and one of your own disciples. Uchiha Obito."
"…Obito?"
"Obito?!"
Minato and Kushina were both stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.
The Obito in their memories was nothing like that.
"Yes. It's him."
Gen nodded, his tone heavy.
"I don't know what happened to change him… but all of this was his doing. And it seems they still have other plans."
"Other… plans?"
Their faces grew grim, but soon their expressions dimmed with resignation.
Even if there were more secrets, what could they do?
They were already dead. And even the chakra they had left behind was beginning to fade.
"…So this is the end?"
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki felt their chakra thinning, fading away bit by bit. Finally, they both let out a quiet sigh.
"…Even so, we're satisfied. Especially being able to meet you, Naruto."
"Yes. Seeing the person you've become… I couldn't ask for more."
Kushina stepped forward and gently cupped Naruto's cheek.
"You've grown so much. Even though we weren't there to walk beside you as you grew, you've made friends of your own. That makes me truly happy."
"…Mom."
Naruto's lips trembled. Kushina, however, kept speaking softly.
"But you need to remember not to be picky with your food. Eat properly every day, so you can grow strong and healthy."
"Remember to bathe with warm water. Don't stay up late—you must get enough sleep."
"And most importantly, don't forget to thank Gen. You said he was your very first friend, the first person to acknowledge you."
"Respect him, too. He isn't just your friend—he's also your senior and your jōnin instructor."
"Live with joy. Even when things don't go your way, don't hang your head in despair."
"And about Pervy Sage—you said you've been traveling with him? You must be careful!"
"He's a good person, but he's also a shameless lecher. Remember the Three Taboos of the shinobi world—do not follow his bad habits."
"Mom believes you'll one day find a girl you like. But until then, don't let yourself get caught up with strange women. Look for someone outstanding—like your mom."
As Kushina spoke, her words tumbled out faster and faster, like she had been holding them back for years. And as her chakra dwindled further, though she forced a smile, tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Naruto… though your father and I can't stay with you, we believe you'll only grow stronger from here on."
"We always wished we could live with you… watch you grow, see you marry, see you have children of your own."
"But Naruto, we believe—you'll stand tall."
"And remember this always: your father and I love you. We've always loved you."
By the end, Kushina's voice was choked with sobs.
Perhaps it was the pain of parting again… but compared to that night with the Nine-Tails, this time was different. This time, she had truly seen her son grown.
"…Sorry, Minato. I lost myself again."
At last Kushina turned, embarrassed, to Minato. But he only shook his head gently.
Placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder, Minato spoke in a quiet, steady voice.
"Naruto, your father has always believed in you. You're already an excellent ninja. And we believe your future will shine even brighter."
"Mm…"
Naruto's eyes burned red, but he forced himself to nod firmly. He wouldn't let himself cry. This meeting was too precious… and far too short.
"I won't let you down. I'll become a great shinobi—you'll see!"
"Uh… Sorry to interrupt."
Just then, Gen's voice cut across the touching moment.
"…Wasn't I supposed to be here for a home visit?"
"…Eh?"
Minato blinked. Kushina froze. Naruto nearly choked in disbelief.
Now? He's bringing that up now?!
"Truth is…" Gen sighed, glancing at the two parents.
"Naruto's grades haven't exactly been ideal."
"…"
Minato and Kushina both stiffened. How were they supposed to answer that?
"And according to Kakashi, Naruto's year… is the weakest batch he's ever taught."
"…"
"Also, Naruto's developed some techniques, but… they're all pervy transformation jutsu."
"…!"
"In fact, Jiraiya loves them. He even made Naruto perform one in front of the Hokage… and landed the Hokage in the hospital."
As Gen laid out Naruto's "problems" one by one, Naruto's face turned ashen. Minato and Kushina turned their eyes toward him, their expressions frozen in silence.
This… is an excellent shinobi?
"So," Gen said cheerfully, "to make future home visits easier for me, and so Kakashi-sensei and Pervy Sage can conveniently report complaints, I'll have to trouble you two for a while."
He clapped his hands together and formed seals.
A vast surge of chakra erupted from him. Guided by his flow, the Nine-Tails' red chakra was drawn out, swirling in streams before sinking into Minato and Kushina's bodies.
Their fading forms stabilized—their chakra no longer dispersing but solidifying once more.
"This is…"
Minato and Kushina stared at themselves in disbelief. Even Naruto realized what was happening.
Gen's faintly amused voice followed.
"From now on, I'll be entrusting Naruto to the two of you. I doubt either of you would refuse, right?"
As his words fell, a clear chime rang in Gen's mind.
[Completed Naruto's Exclusive Side Quest #2]
"The Jōnin-Sensei's Home Visit"
Meet Naruto's parents
Point out Naruto's weaknesses
(Exclusive side quests do not affect normal progression.)
[Reward Obtained: A Portion of Naruto Uzumaki's Special Yang Release]