Sakura Haruno closely examined Minato Namikaze's face, comparing it to the statue of the Fourth Hokage on the Hokage Rock. It was identical. And he was even wearing the Hokage's ceremonial robe!
So, Naruto's dad was really the Fourth Hokage?!
The realization hit Sakura like a bolt of lightning. As the top student in the Ninja Academy's academic courses, she knew the Hidden Leaf's history like the back of her hand. The Fourth Hokage was a hero who'd stopped the Nine-Tails' rampage!
That meant Naruto was the son of a hero.
But… how could that be? Naruto was called the "demon fox kid" and despised by so many. Even back when Sakura first started at the academy, she'd looked down on him too. It wasn't until she got to know him that she realized Naruto wasn't some monster—he was just a normal guy. Well, a bit of an idiot sometimes, but still…
For the son of a hero to be treated like this? No wonder Ito had been so determined to change the Hidden Leaf. This village was rotten to the core.
Up until now, Sakura had always followed Sasuke's lead, supporting whatever he decided. When Ito talked about changing the village, she'd joined in mostly because of Sasuke. But now? She was starting to think the Hidden Leaf needed to change.
The emotional reunion of three sets of parents and sons sobered Ito up a bit. It dawned on him that, in his drunken excitement, he'd summoned everyone from his summoning space.
Oh well. Exposed? So be it.
He was a ninja now, and his plans were about to kick into gear anyway. The real question was how to give the Third Hokage a dignified exit. After all, he could just summon a younger, prime-version Hiruzen Sarutobi afterward—a vibrant ninja hero would be way better than the old man currently in charge!
Ito's gaze drifted to Orochimaru. In the original story, Orochimaru had given the Third Hokage a dramatic send-off, cementing his legacy as a true Hokage and hero in his final battle. So, how should they handle it this time? Another "Konoha Crush" plan?
It was a bit of a headache to think about. A small-scale conflict could actually benefit the village, waking up this sleeping giant and reminding everyone that the ninja world wasn't as peaceful as it seemed. Plus, it'd strengthen the Hidden Leaf in the long run—a young Hiruzen would outshine the elderly Third Hokage in both skill and leadership.
As for Danzo… well, a younger Danzo was kinda cool-looking. But that guy was Sasuke's to deal with. It was personal.
Ito scratched his head, feeling a little helpless. In his excitement, he'd summoned all these powerhouses, but now they were just standing around, staring at each other with nothing to do.
"Sorry, seniors, got a bit carried away with the drinks!" Ito said with a sheepish grin. "Go on back—keep singing, eat some hot pot, whatever you were doing!"
With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the summoning jutsu, sending everyone back to the summoning space in a puff of white smoke—everyone except Minato and Kushina, Fugaku and Mikoto, and Sakumo Hatake.
Meanwhile, Kakashi had confirmed that his father and the others were truly revived. "Father, what's going on?!" he asked, stunned.
Sakumo sighed and explained everything to his son. Kakashi, overwhelmed with gratitude, turned to Ito. Bringing his father back to life? That was a debt he could never repay, not even with his own life.
"Ito Hirofumi… thank you…" Kakashi said, bowing deeply at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
Ito waved it off casually. "No big deal. Honestly, I did it for myself too. But this way, you all get to make up for lost time, right? We can live happily together and change the whole ninja world!"
Kakashi didn't say much, but he etched this gratitude deep into his heart.
Seeing that things had calmed down with Naruto and Sasuke, Ito strolled over with a grin. "So, Naruto, Sasuke! Pretty big surprise, huh?"
Both nodded vigorously.
Then Ito turned to Minato and Fugaku. "Uncle Minato, Uncle Fugaku, now that you're all reunited with your families, it's time to kick off our plan!"
Minato and Fugaku nodded, knowing exactly what Ito meant: helping Naruto and Sasuke boost their strength. With Naruto's Nine-Tails and Sasuke's Sharingan, they could quickly reach Kage-level power if those issues were addressed.
"Let's start by paying a visit to the Nine-Tails," Ito said, glancing at Minato. "I've never seen a tailed beast before, so I'm kinda curious!"
Minato nodded. "The Nine-Tails isn't exactly the friendly type. He might not be easy to talk to."
"Not easy to talk to? No problem!" Ito smirked. "Worst case, we feed him a few dragon fruits and give him some CPR. He'll come around."
Naruto and Sasuke had no idea what they were talking about. Before they could ask, Ito suddenly lifted Naruto's shirt, revealing the seal on his stomach.
Naruto yelped, clutching his chest and stumbling back. "Hirofumi! What the heck, man?! Don't tell me you're after my body too, like that idiot Sasuke!"
Ito and Sasuke's faces darkened instantly.
"Naruto, you moron! Shut up!" they shouted in unison, each landing a solid punch on Naruto's head.
Minato and Kushina, along with Fugaku and Mikoto, watched the scene with warm smiles. These kids had some pretty great friendships, didn't they?
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