Naruto Uzumaki punched Minato Namikaze in the stomach, shocking Shikaku Nara so much his eyes nearly popped out.
Minato Namikaze's body was still very weak. Naruto Uzumaki's punch could very likely knock him flat on the ground.
Shikaku opened and closed his mouth a few times, but ultimately said nothing—it was a family matter between father and son, and he shouldn't interfere.
The only reason he was even staying here, awkwardly enduring this situation, was because Hiruzen Sarutobi had asked him to keep an eye on Minato.
"Na... Naruto..."
Minato, clearly pained, staggered back twice before managing to steady himself.
Tears streaming down his face, Naruto shouted, "Why? Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside me? Because of you, I've suffered a lot. Everyone looked at me with hatred, treated me coldly, detested me. I couldn't make any friends at all.
At first, I thought maybe I had done something wrong—maybe that's why everyone hated me. I used to ask the Old Man Hokage over and over again why they felt that way. If I really messed up, I'd change it! But I never knew what my mistake was—I didn't even know how to change.
Now I've finally accepted the fact that I'm the living embodiment of the demon fox, and then suddenly you show up, telling me the Nine-Tails sealed inside me was intentionally placed there by you.
Why?! If you hated me so much, why did you even bring me into this world? Why make me suffer like this?"
Minato lowered his head in guilt.
"I'm truly sorry, Naruto," he whispered. "For making you endure so much pain, for allowing my own son to go through so much hardship. As your father, I have no right to apologize—but Naruto, please believe me, I could never hate you. You are my son. The person I love most in this world.
As someone who suffered because of that incident, you also have the right to know the truth..."
Frowning, Shikaku spoke up, "Minato, are you really going to tell Naruto about it now?"
Naruto already clearly understood what Minato wanted to say next—it was definitely about the [Nine-Tails' Rampage].
Minato firmly nodded, "Yes. Naruto deserves to know. He has every right."
Wiping away his tears, Naruto stared intently at Minato and asked, "Victim of that event? Was it because of that incident that you sealed the Nine-Tails inside me? What exactly happened back then? I want to know!"
Minato began explaining, "Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tails attacked the village. I discovered someone behind the scenes controlling it—an extremely powerful ninja.
At that time, there was a masked man who saw through all my moves—an extraordinary opponent unlike any other. Without some special power, we would have been unable to oppose him. I feared he might attack the village again."
Your mother, the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, would have died after the beast had been forcibly removed — her life energy drained completely in the process. At that time, your mother had already lost tremendous life energy after enduring the extraction for an extended period, and she'd also consumed massive amounts of chakra before that.
Under those circumstances, there was no way your mother could have survived having the entire Nine-Tails sealed back inside her body. We had no choice but to perform a divided sealing.
Back then, Chinya was still loyal to Konoha and helped us restrain the Nine-Tails. I had only two choices — to seal the entire Nine-Tails inside your mother, or split it and seal half of it within either me or you.
I... ultimately chose to seal half within your body.
Because my teacher, Jiraiya-sensei, one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, once told me that great changes were coming to the ninja world, and the Child of the Prophecy would be its savior.
The world transformation my teacher spoke about, and the disasters that would follow... On that day, I realized two truths: the masked man attacking Konoha would surely bring catastrophe, and the one who could stop him — I believed it was you!
Naruto, I named you after the protagonist of one of my teacher's books. As a jinchuriki, you will pave the way toward the future! I've always firmly believed in this.
So it wasn't out of disregard for you that I sealed the Nine-Tails within your body. Quite the opposite — precisely because I believed in you, precisely because I trusted that you could accomplish all this, did I seal the Nine-Tails within you.
Naruto Uzumaki stood silently with his head bowed.
He had already experienced the Nine-Tails' Rampage firsthand through the genjutsu Chinya had cast on him earlier.
He remembered how his mother, Miyuki Uzumaki, desperately pleaded with Minato Namikaze, how she tearfully begged him not to make him become a jinchuriki as he forcibly took Naruto from her arms in despair, proceeding to seal the Nine-Tails within his body.
"I just wanted our family of three to live together happily forever. Was that really wrong?
As a mother, I never wanted Naruto to bear such heavy burdens from birth. Letting Naruto live joyfully and healthily is my duty as a mother.
You have your own ninja way, and I originally had none. But the moment Naruto was born, I found mine — Naruto is my ninja way. I am Naruto's mother, and my ninja way is to protect Naruto!"
Every single word Miyuki Uzumaki had spoken during that genjutsu experience was permanently etched into Naruto's heart. He could deeply feel the depth of his mother's love for him.
In that genjutsu, Naruto saw his severely weakened mother attempt to use the Death Reaper Sealing Technique, desperately pleading with Minato Namikaze, promising that she would completely seal the Nine-Tails inside herself before dying and ensure enough time for him to find the next jinchuriki candidate, begging him not to let her son become the jinchuriki.
At that moment, Naruto truly, deeply hated Minato Namikaze.
And all those words Minato had spoken at that time...
"I must do this — it's my duty as Hokage, and as a protector of the village."
"Miyuki! If you go through with this, Konoha may suffer an even greater tragedy!"
Even Minato Namikaze used the fallen nation of Uzushio to persuade Uzumaki Miyuki, cruelly saying to her, "Abandon your country, abandon your village, just like a forsaken child. You, whose homeland has been destroyed, should understand this deeply."
Back then, Naruto Uzumaki had lived through it all in a Genjutsu and truly wanted—more than anything—to kill Minato Namikaze.
Yet now, Minato told him, "You are my son. You're the one I love most in this world," which made Naruto feel deeply revolted inside.
Sensing Naruto's intense emotional turmoil, Nine-Tails growled, "Hey, Naruto, keep your head straight."
Letting out a soft sigh, Naruto replied inwardly to Nine-Tails, "Don't worry. I know what to say and do. I won't fly off the handle."
After regaining his composure, Naruto lifted his head and looked once more at Minato Namikaze.
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