"Why? You're asking me why?"
Menma stared coldly at Naruto.
"Naruto, you are the least qualified person to ask me that question. It is precisely because of you that I came to see the darkness of this village so clearly. And it is because of you that I came to hate Konoha even more!"
Every word Menma spoke was heavy, deliberate, and sharp.
The cold, violent aura radiating from his body felt completely unfamiliar oppressive enough to make one's heart tremble.
Naruto felt it clearly.
The Menma standing before him was no longer the companion he knew.
"Menma…? What qualifications? What are you talking about? Because of me? Hate Konoha? Darkness? What are you even saying!? Menma! Aren't we comrades!?"
Unlike before, Naruto didn't hesitate even half a second.
He was genuinely confused.
Just moments ago, everything had been normal.
Then suddenly war erupted.
Enemies appeared everywhere.
And now, the person who had been fighting alongside him had turned his back on him without warning… with hatred far deeper than that directed at any enemy.
Naruto's thoughts were in complete chaos.
Nothing made sense anymore.
"Uzumaki Menma! What do you think you're doing!?"
Shiranui Genma, who had just forced Temari and Kankurō back, saw Naruto sent flying and immediately shouted in shock. Ignoring the two Sand siblings, he landed beside Naruto and glared at Menma with a stern expression.
"You're aiding the enemy! This is open rebellion against the village!"
Temari and Kankurō, who had retreated to defend Gaara, stared at Menma in disbelief.
This man was a shinobi of Konoha.
Naruto's teammate.
And yet he had just attacked Naruto to protect Gaara.
Their confusion was deep but protecting Gaara mattered more. The two exchanged glances and tightened their formation in front of the sand cocoon.
At the same time
Kakashi, no longer able to fully suppress Maki and the other Suna jōnin, was forced to create distance.
In truth, Maki had retreated first out of concern for Gaara. Otherwise, Kakashi would not have disengaged so easily.
"Menma, stop this!"
Kakashi landed beside Naruto and Genma, shock still evident in his voice.
"If you resented the past… things have already started changing! Look back! As long as you turn around now, everything can still return to how it should be! Don't let yourself be deceived or manipulated!"
"Return?"
Menma laughed softly, mockery lacing his voice.
"What a ridiculous word. All of you stand there so righteously, trying to persuade me with lofty words. Don't you find that laughable, Kakashi?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Do you really care about me? Or have you always known my identity and chosen to pretend otherwise?"
His eyes shifted to Genma.
"And you, Shiranui Genma the Fourth Hokage's direct guard, a tokubetsu jōnin of Konoha. Are you really going to say you know nothing about who I am?"
Menma took a step forward, his Nine-Tails chakra surging faintly.
"I didn't betray Konoha. Konoha betrayed me first."
The impact of those words caused both Kakashi's and Genma's expressions to change drastically.
"Identity…? What identity…?"
Naruto sat there in a daze, staring blankly.
"What does he mean? Why am I not qualified? Kakashi-sensei!? Tell me!?"
Kakashi opened his mouth, then stopped.
"Na… Naruto, this is"
"You really are pitiful, Naruto."
Menma cut in mercilessly.
"You've been deceived by this filthy village for twelve years. Or perhaps you were willing to be deceived. Do you truly believe Sarutobi Hiruzen was kind to you? That Kakashi and Genma treated you warmly out of genuine affection?"
His lips curled.
"Do you enjoy being called 'Master Naruto'? Being praised as the Fourth Hokage's son?"
Menma's eyes burned.
"Then tell me do you know your mother's full name? Do you even have a picture of her at home?"
"M-my mother…?"
Naruto froze.
"My mother was just an ordinary kunoichi… her name is Kushina, right? Kakashi-sensei… what did my mother look like? Who was she?"
Naruto looked up desperately.
Kakashi's face twisted with pain.
A sudden wave of panic surged through Naruto's chest.
"Hahaha… you really don't know."
Menma laughed bitterly.
"Kakashi doesn't dare to tell you. So let me."
"Your mother's name was Kushina but her full name was Uzumaki Kushina."
Menma's voice dropped.
"And you and I share the same blood."
"The same clan."
"The same lineage."
Silence crashed down.
"Now do you understand?"
Menma's expression contorted with rage and madness.
"Tell me, Naruto who am I!?"
"My stupid little brother!!!"
The roar echoed through the arena.
Maki, who had just returned to Gaara's side, stared in shock.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki… was also the son of the Fourth Hokage?
But when he saw Kakashi's and Genma's reactions and thought of Gaara, the son of the Kazekage everything suddenly made sense.
"Uzumaki… red hair… brother…?"
Naruto's face drained of all color.
"That's impossible… Kakashi-sensei… tell me this is fake. Genma-san… tell me!"
His mind shattered.
He could hear the words.
Understand them.
Yet his thoughts refused to connect.
Naruto turned to Kakashi and Genma desperately.
But both of them lowered their gazes.
They could no longer lie.
Menma's words echoed across the battlefield.
Asuma, Kurenai, Sasuke, Sakura, Rock Lee, and others all froze in shock.
Menma… Naruto's brother?
Also the Fourth Hokage's son?
Everything suddenly made horrifying sense.
"Impossible?"
Menma's voice trembled with suppressed fury.
"Are you still lying to yourself, Namikaze Naruto? Twelve years. Twelve years of being treated as a monster. Twelve years of misery."
"Why?"
"Why do you get all the honor, while I am cursed?"
He laughed bitterly.
"Namikaze Naruto. Uzumaki Menma. Don't you find that ironic?"
"When they praise you one moment and look at me with disgust the next who understands that rage? That humiliation?"
Menma glared at Kakashi and Genma.
"Answer me."
"Or should the Third Hokage answer instead?"
"Why?"
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