Kaede left in style.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen and the others felt like they had plunged into an icy abyss.
Surrounded by all the questioning gazes, Hiruzen finally snapped out of it and sighed:
"Everyone… we must begin rebuilding Konoha right away. Check if… anyone else has survived."
"As for the things that traitor Kaede said… tomorrow! I promise I'll give you all a satisfying explanation."
"Please believe me. I won't run away from responsibility..."
Hiruzen's seemingly heartfelt words caused some of the people to hesitate.
But remembering the urgent matter of Konoha's survival, they slowly dispersed.
At that, Hiashi in the back chuckled coldly.
"Tomorrow? Tomorrow will be a different story."
"A single night is enough to rewrite any truth."
The Hyūga clan members nearby lowered their heads in silence.
That matter… was the greatest shame in the Hyūga clan's history.
Hiashi gave a bitter smile and waved weakly.
"Let's go home..."
But before he could finish his sentence—
Whoosh!
An Anbu in uniform suddenly appeared.
"Hiashi-sama, the elders have summoned a meeting."
"The other clan heads are also gathering. Please move quickly."
And with another whoosh, the figure vanished.
Hiashi clenched his fists tightly beneath his robes.
"This time… I won't bow so easily."
Soon after, the major clan heads of Konoha gathered along with Hiruzen and the elders.
...
Outside the village, in a hidden hut—
Several Anbu guards stationed there kept glancing nervously at the small house.
Even their captain didn't stop them—his heart was in turmoil.
"The son of the Fourth…"
Who could have imagined that the boy they cursed as the "demon fox" for eight years… was actually the Fourth Hokage's own son?
Even these Anbu, assigned to guard Naruto, only knew he was the Kyūbi's jinchūriki.
And even then, they rotated weekly…
"Captain… is that kid really the Fourth's son?"
One of the Anbu couldn't hold it in any longer.
Normally, questioning orders was forbidden.
But the captain didn't scold him. He just replied vaguely:
"He's got the same golden hair as the Fourth. And he carries the Uzumaki surname from his mother..."
Everyone fell silent. That was more than enough proof.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, all the Anbu saw a flash—like their vision had skipped a beat.
When they came to, they resumed chatting like nothing had happened.
But Kaede had already slipped past them, now standing beside Naruto's bed.
"Kyūbi..."
Activating his Mangekyō instantly, Kaede entered Naruto's mindscape.
"ROAR!"
As soon as he arrived, the Kyūbi sensed him and roared in fury.
"You bastard! How did you get in here?!"
Kaede admired the Kyūbi's massive form and smirked.
"As expected of the strongest among the nine tailed beasts… that pressure is immense."
The Kyūbi met his gaze—only to shrink back slightly upon seeing the Mangekyō.
But it didn't flinch. Instead, it growled:
"Spare me your flattery. State your purpose!"
Kaede raised a brow. "Kurama, I came to help you escape."
The Kyūbi's face changed drastically. "How do you know my name?!"
Kaede chuckled. "I know a lot of things."
"Like how all nine of you were split from the Jūbi. Or how you're all waiting for someone."
"And most importantly… that someone has awakened the Rinnegan and summoned the Gedo Statue. He plans to gather you all… to recreate the Jūbi."
"What?!" The Kyūbi's eyes widened.
"No way… the Rinnegan can't be awakened by someone like…"
He was about to say that the Rinnegan required the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
But then he remembered someone—
The first man who treated him like a mere beast.
The one who controlled him completely.
Uchiha Madara!
As a tailed beast, he could feel Indra's chakra in Madara.
And Hashirama had felt like Asura's reincarnation.
Looking at the Kyūbi's shaken expression, Kaede smiled.
"Yes… just as you suspect. Madara stole Hashirama's cells and awakened the Rinnegan."
The Kyūbi closed its eyes, overwhelmed by the implications.
After a long silence, it opened them again.
"Then… tell me your purpose."
Kaede said calmly, "It's simple. I want you to give Naruto your power to sense good and evil."
"...Huh?" The Kyūbi blinked in confusion.
Kaede added, "Relax. If Naruto returns to Konoha tomorrow, you'll know the truth soon enough."
The Kyūbi stared hard at Kaede, sensing no deceit.
"So… are you also after the Jūbi's power?"
Kaede snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. I don't like sharing my body with anything."
"Think about what I said. You're no fool."
"Oh—and my name is Uchiha Kaede."
With that, Kaede vanished.
Left alone in the mindscape again, the Kyūbi closed its eyes in contemplation.
Back in the real world, Kaede gently patted Naruto's face.
Naruto slowly opened his eyes, groggy.
Kaede grinned. "Yo, Naruto."
Naruto blinked at him and asked sleepily, "Who are you?"
"Me?" Kaede chuckled softly.
"I'm here to tell you who your parents are."
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly.
"You knew my mom and dad?! Who are they? Where are they now? Why did they leave me alone here?!"
Kaede patted his head. "Whoa, slow down. I'll answer everything one by one."
About ten minutes later, Kaede left the cabin like nothing had happened.
Inside, Naruto sat on the bed, dazed.
Then he remembered something—
The Kyūbi.
Carefully, he called out, "Kurama?"
"Brat! Don't call me by name! You haven't earned that right!" the Kyūbi roared.
But hearing that grumpy response made Naruto oddly happy.
So he wasn't alone after all.
"Kurama… what that guy, Kaede, said—was it all true?"
The Kyūbi snorted. "Hmph. You're too stubborn… but yes. Your parents were the Fourth and Kushina."
Naruto lit up. "Then—!"
But before he could continue, the Kyūbi barked:
"Don't push your luck, brat. Focus on what's coming next!"
Just then, someone entered the hut.
The newcomer smiled kindly at Naruto.
"Yo, little Naruto. You're awake."
But as Naruto looked at the familiar face… a chill crept up his spine.
He could feel it—beneath that smile—doubt, hesitation…
And a chilling intent to kill.
The Kyūbi had done as Kaede asked—he'd given Naruto the ability to sense good and evil.
And in that moment, Naruto understood—
Kaede hadn't lied to him.
Old man Hiruzen… had never truly cared for him.
...
(End of Chapter)
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