"Minato Namikaze was the village's Fourth Hokage."
Jiraiya paused for a long time before speaking. He believed that Naruto was finally strong enough to bear the title of being the Fourth's son, and he decided to use this opportunity to reveal everything.
At the mention of Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake's body stiffened. He immediately put down his book and moved closer to Naruto.
Sasuke Uchiha looked surprised. "So, the summon on this contract scroll... was once the Fourth Hokage's summoning animal?"
That's a pretty big name.
Naruto Uzumaki shook his head and said softly, "The scroll also has the Pervy Sage's name on it. It must be for that big orange toad, right? The one I can handle with a single punch..."
"Naruto!"
Jiraiya rubbed his forehead. He had worked hard to smooth things over after Naruto and Gamabunta's initial conflict, and he had finally convinced the old toad to let go of his prejudice.
Now, after managing Gamabunta's temper, he had to find a way to persuade his own student. "This summoning contract is for the entire sage clan of Mount Myoboku, not just that one fellow, Bunta..."
"Sage clan?"
Naruto was suddenly interested. He looked up at Jiraiya. "Then can they use Sage Mode, too? It just so happens that I recently succeeded in cultivating Sage Mode..."
Naruto's interest in Sage Mode was quite high. Whether it was Six Paths Sage Mode or the ordinary kind, he knew he only had a rough understanding and that there was still plenty of room for improvement. Now that Pervy Sage had brought the summoning scroll for the Mount Myoboku clan, it meant he might have a chance to improve his Sage Mode even further.
Besides, Naruto subconsciously had complex feelings about Mount Myoboku...
Inside the seal space, the Nine-Tails snorted coldly from its cage. It didn't like the toads of Mount Myoboku. As far as it was concerned, they were completely beneath Naruto's notice. Admittedly, in its long memory, the toads had been a great help to Naruto at first. They had taught him almost everything they knew, guiding him to victory in the Great Ninja War.
But the Nine-Tails didn't want them interfering now.
Those toads from Mount Myoboku wouldn't play much of a role in the future. The jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails had the most ferocious tailed beast in the ninja world inside him. Why would he need to sign some summoning blood contract?
However, Jiraiya still had great faith in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy. The old man was about to explain the structure of Mount Myoboku in detail when he heard Naruto's words, and his expression suddenly changed. "Naruto... could it be... you cultivated Sage Mode on your own?"
"Yeah."
"This is really..."
After confirming the news, a mix of joy and worry washed over Jiraiya's face. He excitedly clenched his fist and muttered to himself, "The Great Toad Sage's prophecy is correct... He's the legendary Child of Prophecy..."
Jiraiya had suspected Naruto might be the Child of Prophecy ever since he first noticed his talent. Now, he was almost certain.
This kid's potential was so immense that he could cultivate Sage Mode all by himself. The message from Mount Myoboku was that Jiraiya was to guide the Child of Prophecy, a matter of great importance. He had spent the best years of his life searching for this person.
And in the end, the search had been effortless. Even if he thought hard, Jiraiya couldn't imagine a more suitable candidate in the entire ninja world than Naruto Uzumaki.
The joy on Jiraiya's face faded slightly, replaced by a melancholy expression as he looked at the puzzled Naruto. "In that case, Minato can rest easy..."
Naruto looked at him in surprise. "Huh? Pervy Sage, what does the Fourth Hokage have to do with this?"
"..."
Jiraiya glanced at Kakashi, thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Because Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was my student... and also your father."
Naruto's expression froze. "..."
Ever since he first heard the name Minato Namikaze, Naruto had subconsciously felt some kind of connection between them. But the man had been dead for a long time, so he figured there couldn't be any real link.
Now, Jiraiya had revealed the mystery.
So that legendary ninja, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, was actually his father. What a joke.
"What Master Jiraiya said is right," Kakashi added softly, stretching his body. "Minato-sensei was indeed the Fourth Hokage, and he was my Jōnin instructor..."
Naruto: "..."
It sounded like his dead father was pretty amazing.
Sasuke's face also changed abruptly. He had always thought Naruto was just an ordinary orphan. He never expected him to be the son of the Fourth Hokage. He really didn't expect his teammate to have such a background.
Even though Minato Namikaze had died long ago, the identity he left for Naruto was still a noble one. Why was Asuma Sarutobi respected by so many people, with even the great Ino-Shika-Cho clans giving him face? Why did Konohamaru Sarutobi live so freely in Konoha?
Because they were the blood relatives of the Third Hokage.
It was a pity Minato was already dead. If he were still in the Hokage's office, Naruto would probably be living a very carefree life. A bitter smile appeared on Sasuke's lips. He thought about the difficult life Naruto had lived all these years, how he sometimes couldn't even afford breakfast...
Jiraiya lowered his head, carefully observing his student's emotions. He was worried Naruto would become too emotional after learning about his father and was ready to step in at any moment. Being an orphan for over a decade wasn't easy. Both Jiraiya and Kakashi were orphans; they knew what Naruto had been through, but they had always treated it as a form of trial for him.
After taking a deep breath, Naruto nodded, a faint, hollow laugh escaping him. "Oh. So I do have a father... even if he's already dead."
Although Naruto was smiling, Jiraiya and the others could hear the loneliness and desolation in his laughter. Suppressed feelings like that weren't so easy to release.
Jiraiya lowered his head. "..."
Kakashi wiped sweat from his brow. "Naruto..."
Sasuke, having recovered from the initial shock, looked at his teammate with concern. "Naruto... are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Naruto waved his hand and looked at Jiraiya seriously. "Thank you for telling me this, Pervy Sage. Now I have to go and continue my training..."
After speaking, he ignored the three of them and turned to leave, as if nothing had happened.
The Nine-Tails in the seal space grew restless. Sensing the chaotic swirl of Naruto's chakra, it finally decided not to wait any longer.
"Naruto, I know the story of Minato Namikaze better than they do..." the Nine-Tails' voice echoed in Naruto's mind. "As someone who was there, let me tell you..."
-----
Bonus:
Minato Namikaze: Cut the nonsense!
Nine-Tails: I'm just adding some artistic flair!
Minato Namikaze: No, just tell the truth!
Nine-Tails: You really want me to tell the truth?
Minato Namikaze: Yes, don't lie...
Nine-Tails: Then should we start with your and Kushina's wedding night?
Minato Namikaze: ...Never mind. You'd better just add the artistic flair