A dark void stretched endlessly, broken only by an iron gate and a thin layer of water underfoot.
Naruto had been dazed since entering, his eyes red, consumed by boundless hatred.
Until a blond man appeared.
The hero of Konoha, the Fourth Hokage, who died sealing the Nine-Tails—the reason Naruto was shunned.
Why was he here?
"You seem shocked," Minato Namikaze said, studying his son with a hint of surprise. "Did the Third Hokage tell you nothing? Perhaps… to keep your identity secret."
"My… identity?" Naruto mumbled, still lost.
"Yes." Minato placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, his bright smile tinged with nervousness. "You're my son. I'm your father. That's who you are."
"(OдO)!!!" Naruto's eyes widened.
He stumbled back, staring at the man.
His father… the Fourth Hokage? The one who sealed the Nine-Tails in him?
"Bit sudden, huh?" Minato rubbed his head, guilt flickering in his eyes.
He was Naruto's father, yet he'd died, never fulfilling a single day of that role. Even now, he was merely a chakra fragment with consciousness—a shadow of himself.
"You know… what my life's been like?" Naruto's tears flowed freely. He forced his eyes wide, staring at this man—Konoha's hero, his father—his voice trembling. "Adults hated me. No friends. Kids at school mocked me. I was alone at home, no one to cook, hated by doctors and nurses when I was sick. I didn't even know when my ramen expired…"
He'd dreamed of a father countless times. In moments of sadness or loneliness, he'd imagined a parent's comfort.
Now, facing this gentle, handsome, smiling man—his father—the urge to pour out his grievances, to act like a normal kid, overwhelmed him.
Minato listened silently to his son's life, his heart heavy.
But what could he do?
He stepped forward, pulling Naruto into a gentle embrace. "I know. All your pain, your struggles—I know them. It's my fault…"
A mere chakra fragment, he could only offer this comfort.
Yet, for Naruto, even this was what he'd craved most.
After crying for a while, he looked up, wiping his tears, shyly averting his gaze. "It… wasn't that bad. I had Iruka-sensei, Old Man Ichiraku. They were there for me. And now, after the can guy came, he told me to be a hero. After the Chūnin Exams, people recognize me. They treated me to ramen, waved at me on the street…"
Naruto's voice trailed off, clutching Minato's sleeve.
He'd gained so much—everything he'd dreamed of.
But if… he could see his parents again?
With the can guy's help, maybe…
The thought of coming home to warm meals, walking with his parents, made his twelve-year-old body tremble with longing.
He didn't want to return to a life without them.
"The can guy—you mean the man up there?" Minato asked.
"How do you know?" Naruto blinked.
"After Orochimaru broke your seal, I could see outside," Minato said, a touch helpless. "I never imagined Orochimaru would become… that. Or that such an unbelievable being would appear. What's he like?"
That godlike figure, watching the chaos from above, had stunned Minato. He'd only seen the aftermath of Naruto's Nine-Tails state, unaware of the man's identity. But the surreal, intense battles worried him for Naruto's future.
"The can guy… he feels kind," Naruto said after a moment. "Sure, selling cans to people who want to destroy Konoha is awful, but… I don't hate him."
Minato gazed at his son.
Raised in a world that despised him, yet he held no hatred.
After a pause, Minato glanced at his fading hand, a wry smile forming. "Naruto, my time's running out."
"What? So soon!?" Naruto gripped Minato's hand tightly.
He knew his father couldn't stay forever.
But this was too fast. He had so much more to say.
"I left this chakra fragment in case your seal broke," Minato said, pressing his hand to Naruto's stomach, gazing at him with reluctance. "This is the last time, Naruto. The world you'll face may be beyond my imagination. I'm sorry I can't be there to guide you, to protect you. But please, take care of yourself. That's my final wish…"
As the seal repaired, Minato's form and chakra faded.
Naruto reached out, grasping at air.
After a moment of silence, he wiped his eyes, clenching his fists. "Dad, I'll bring you back! You and Mom!"
His young heart now held a new dream beyond heroism.
High above, Shen Mo watched the exchange in Naruto's mind.
Minato Namikaze…
Lounging in his chair, scratching Hiju's belly, Shen Mo's face bore an enigmatic smile.