The campfire crackled softly in the night forest. The family reunion went on, but the jokes had stopped.
Minato looked his son in the eyes calmly, almost without emotion — but in that silence, there was the tension before a storm.
"You decided to repeat a successful scheme," he said quietly. "Gain power from a manipulator, then destroy him with someone else's hands. Mine, this time. How did you know I was inside the seal?"
"I'm a sensor," Menma answered simply. "I felt your chakra."
"A very risky plan." Minato shook his head, as if evaluating a battle strategy rather than his own son. "Without my interference, you would have become Orochimaru's slave."
"But it worked…" Menma began, then stopped short when he met the cold gaze of the Hokage. "I mean—yeah. That was the last stunt like that. Promise."
"I hope so," Minato said quietly. "But you shouldn't be asking forgiveness from me."
Menma stepped toward his sister and held out two fingers. "Sorry for hiding it. I was afraid you wouldn't understand."
Naruko snorted, her eyes glinting faintly. "You devour books by the dozen, but it didn't make you any smarter," she said with a tired smile. "I'm your twin sister. I'll always take your side, even if the whole world's against you."
Their fingers met in the symbol of harmony. Minato watched them like a father who'd forgotten duty and death for a moment — simply glad his children were together again.
"Dad," Naruko scooted closer, "why were you surprised we knew about you? Didn't you ask in your will that we be honored as heroes in Konoha?"
"That was your mother's last request," Minato replied softly. "I wanted the same, but I didn't tell Hiruzen. I knew he'd try to take you both — the jinchūriki — under his control."
Menma raised an eyebrow. "So you did know what he was really like?"
"Let's just say," Minato gave a faint smile, "Hiruzen wasn't exactly thrilled with my candidacy. Despite my talents, Konoha wasn't eager to make me stronger either. I probably would've stayed an obscure jōnin if I hadn't found a hidden chamber under the Shinigami shrine your mother used to visit. There I discovered fuinjutsu notes by Mito Uzumaki, Tobirama's research journals, and a scroll containing the Hiraishin technique. That's how I became powerful — bypassing Hiruzen. Then came the war, my demonstration of strength, the clans' support, the people's approval. Hiruzen had no choice but to yield."
He paused, as if revisiting memories — both good and bitter.
"In my final moments," Minato continued, frowning, "I realized Hiruzen would use you two to reinforce his political standing. The most logical thing for him was to hide your parentage, turn the villagers against you, and occasionally toss you candy to keep you loyal."
The twins exchanged glances. Naruko frowned, and Menma understood: after this, she'd never again be able to call Hiruzen 'grandpa'.
"That's why I was surprised," Minato went on, looking into the fire, "when I learned that Konoha treated my children well. Once I realized Hiruzen had been forced to reveal the truth to protect his… investments, everything fell into place."
Naruko was close to tears. To her, Hiruzen had been almost a grandfather — and now, such revelations. Menma decided to switch the subject fast.
"Dad, teach us the Hiraishin."
"Two hundred forty-six times six hundred seventeen," Minato said calmly. "Quickly."
"Wait, times what?" Menma blinked.
"You lost." Minato folded his arms. "Without intuitive math, you'll never use Hiraishin like I did. Every kunai throw is a formula — calculations, spatial geometry. Without that, you'll end up with a slow version that takes half an hour and a river of chakra to teleport. By the way, the answer is one hundred fifty-one thousand seven hundred eighty-two."
[Perfect. The family genius just confirmed I'm a liberal arts major. At least now I know why Hiruzen, master of every Konoha jutsu, couldn't use Hiraishin — he didn't have a calculator in his head.]
"And those midair fuinjutsu without ink or scrolls?" Menma pressed on. "Will you teach us that too?"
"I'd love to," Minato said apologetically, spreading his hands, "but that also needs intuitive math."
The twins deflated in unison, as if someone had just taken away their favorite sweets.
"Don't worry," Minato tried to cheer them up. "I'm sure both of you will find your own path. Unlike me, you can become first-class jinchūriki. Just like the prophecy said."
"What prophecy?" Menma asked warily.
"The Great Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku once foretold the birth of a child of prophecy," Minato explained. "One who would change the shinobi world — either destroy it or bring peace. Now, looking at you two, I think it spoke of both of you. Menma, you'll destroy the old world. Naruko, you'll build the new one."
"That sounds a bit too dramatic," Menma drawled.
"Agreed," Naruko nodded. "Better tell us about Mom."
"Oh," Minato's eyes lit up for the first time, "she was an incredible woman."
///
Five days passed unnoticed — filled with laughter, stories, and the long-lost warmth of a family that once seemed impossible. They tried to make up for everything that had been stolen from them: the years, the words, the simple joy of playing together.
Then, as another "evening" drew to a close, the sky above them suddenly trembled — a deep, metallic rumble, as if a mountain of iron had collapsed nearby. Minato stood up, looked upward, and said calmly, like a doctor delivering a diagnosis:
"The body reconstruction is complete. Let's check it."
In an instant, the illusion of the night forest scattered into ash. In its place appeared a space that looked like both a temple and a prison. The old sewer was gone; the rusty bars, where the grinning Kyūbi once lurked, had vanished. Now stood enormous black gates — like the Rashōmon, carved with twin demons. Three shallow paths stretched from the gates, each leading to its own pedestal.
"As I said earlier," Minato began, "I kept the useful parts of Orochimaru's seal." He gestured around them. "You now have three levels of access to Kyūbi's chakra. Each releases it in portions and weaves natural energy into your bodies. The higher the level, the stronger you become. But right now, everything is locked. To unlock a level, you must place a catalyst on the pedestal — an artifact with its own power. These paths…" — he nodded downward — "…must channel a powerful chakra source from the gates to the pedestals."
"Can't we just open everything at once?" Naruko groaned.
"That would be too easy," Minato spread his hands. "Besides, your seals are now linked. You can only enter this place together."
"Alright, fair enough," Menma nodded, examining the pedestals. "But how are we even supposed to put artifacts in here?"
"My seal always had a storage function," Minato replied. "I just restricted your access before. Now I've removed all the locks."
"About that chakra conduit…" Menma snapped his fingers. "Would the Hero Water work?"
Minato raised a surprised eyebrow. "From the Village Hidden in the Waterfall? It would — perfectly. But getting it isn't exactly—"
"No need," Menma smirked. "I've got some in my basement."
Minato sighed and smiled faintly. "Such resourceful children I have."
"So where's the furball rug?" Naruko tapped the iron gates. "He's inside, right?"
"Yes, Kurama's behind the gates." Minato looked at his construction with a hint of pride. "There used to be a grate here so the red chakra could slowly mix with your bodies and make you stronger. But after Orochimaru's mutagen…" — his gaze flicked meaningfully to the feral glint in their eyes — "…that's no longer necessary. The gates are sealed shut until you bring the chakra conduit. It's similar to a Seal of Will, only much stronger. Orochimaru really outdid himself."
"I can already imagine how thrilled Kurama will be to see me," Menma muttered. "My ears hurt just thinking about it."
"I wouldn't be so pessimistic," Minato said, running his hand along the gate. "The seal has changed. It links you two even more deeply — this place belongs to both of you now. Kurama is whole for the first time in twelve years. Maybe he'll be… gentler."
He was about to say more, but his voice began to fade, and his body started to dissolve like smoke.
"Dad!" Naruko grabbed his hand. "Don't go! Stay a bit longer!"
"I wish I could," he said with a sad smile. He rolled up his sleeve — his arm was covered in intricate fuinjutsu script. "I've already cheated the system to stay here this long."
"Can I help you somehow?" Menma asked.
"You can," Minato whispered. "Free my soul from the Shinigami's stomach. It's… a terrible place."
Menma nodded. "I promise."
Naruko squeezed his hand. "No — we promise."
Minato smiled, the way someone smiles when they finally find peace. "I love you both. And I'm proud of you."
They hugged him one last time — and held on until he faded completely, leaving behind only a trace of warmth that lingered in their hearts for a long, long time.