Chapter 5: The Jinchuriki's Plight
Naruto's current situation plunged Minato and his wife into deep self-blame.
At the same time.
They also felt a hint of resentment toward the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!
After all, the two of them had entrusted Naruto to him before they died.
The Third Hokage had personally promised them that he would take good care of Naruto Uzumaki.
But this kind of care was completely unexpected!
"There are some things I don't know if I should tell you or not... never mind, I'd better not say anything, so as not to upset you two even more!"
Seeing Minato Namikaze's anger, Ren Arakawa's eyes suddenly lit up.
He had thought of a great way to make money.
[Minato Namikaze: If it's about Naruto, please tell us. Thank you.]
"Alright, for Naruto's sake, I'll tell you!"
Ren pretended to hesitate for a moment, then made up a story: "Actually, Naruto hasn't just had a tough time these past few years; he's also been constantly ostracized by the villagers and looked down upon. It's no exaggeration to say that, from childhood to now, he's had no other friends besides me!"
"Oh, and... last time I saw Naruto being forced to eat feces in a public restroom. Maybe it's because he ate that stuff that he's become so reckless and keeps eating expired food. After all, compared to feces, expired food is nothing!"
[Minato Namikaze: What did you say? Naruto was forced to eat shit? How is that possible? I sacrificed myself to save the village; don't the villagers show even the slightest respect?]
Hearing that his son had been forced to eat feces, Minato Namikaze nearly fainted from anger on the spot.
As the son of the Fourth Hokage and the child of a hero, he hadn't received proper care in the village.
They actually forced him to eat that kind of thing!
This was absolutely outrageous!
Seeing that Minato Namikaze's emotions were stirred up, Ren continued, "There's nothing we can do about it. Naruto has the Nine-Tails sealed inside him. As the Fourth Hokage, and someone who has worked with Jinchuriki, you should know very well how Jinchuriki are treated in the village, right?"
[Shukaku: Hmm, I can relate to that. Those idiots from Sunagakure locked me up in a dark, damp dungeon, and I never got out until I died.]
[Gyūki: Being a Jinchuriki is so hard these days. You get ostracized all the time. Last time I was sleeping at home, someone blew up my house.]
[Yagura Karatachi: +1! Being a Jinchuriki is too difficult.]
When it came to the treatment of Jinchuriki, the three big shots who had shared similar experiences couldn't help but complain.
[Minato Namikaze: The names of these three sound familiar. Could the people upstairs be...?]
[Shukaku: This humble monk is Shukaku, Dharma name Shukaku, the One-Tails Jinchuriki!]
[Gyūki: I am the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki!]
[Yagura Karatachi: I am the Three-Tails Jinchuriki!]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Minato, this is all your fault! If you hadn't insisted on sealing the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, Naruto wouldn't be like this now!]
[Minato Namikaze: I did that for the village. I never expected the Third Hokage to treat Naruto like this!]
Minato Namikaze cursed under his breath.
Clearly, he had attributed all of Naruto's suffering to the Third Hokage alone.
In his words, he even used the phrase "old fool."
At this moment, Sarutobi Biwako, who had been quietly lurking, finally couldn't hold back anymore!
[Sarutobi Biwako: Minato, you'd better watch your words. I know you're angry, but Hiruzen must have his reasons for doing this. You should trust him; after all, he's your teacher!]
[Minato Namikaze: I don't believe it! You wicked old woman!]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Minato, shut up! Lady Biwako was the one who delivered my baby, and she died protecting Naruto from that masked man.]
[Sarutobi Biwako: Hmph~ You still remember me!]
[Minato Namikaze: Lady Biwako, I was wrong. Please forgive me this time, for the sake of my sacrifice for Konoha.]
[Yagura Karatachi: Baka~ How come you, the Fourth Hokage, have no dignity at all? As a fellow Fourth Kage, I'm ashamed of you!]
[The Third Raikage: Yo-shi! I never thought the Yellow Flash, who once terrified the entire ninja world, would turn into a sycophant. There really are all kinds of birds in the forest!]
Minato Namikaze: Two idiots!
[The Third Raikage: What did you say? Minato, you brat, shut your mouth!]
[Yagura Karatachi: Hmph~ A simp will end up with nothing, not even his wife!]
[Gyūki: Licking dogs end up with nothing!]
[Yahiko: Licking dogs will have nothing!]
[Shukaku: The more you lick, the more you end up with nothing!]
[Shukaku: Amitābha Buddha, imitation is human nature, what a sin! Please forgive me, all benefactors!]
"Alright, alright, stop copying each other. The Fourth Hokage did this for his son. After all, a father's love is as great as a mountain. If any of you here have children, please try to understand him!"
Seeing Minato Namikaze become the target of public criticism and even spark a wave of copycatting, Ren could only step in to smooth things over for him.
Seeing this, Minato Namikaze was immediately moved to tears.
[Minato Namikaze: You understand me best, streamer. By the way, streamer, can I ask you for a favor?]
"We can discuss it!"
Ren was overjoyed.
Wasn't this exactly why he had recounted Naruto's tragic experiences?
[Minato Namikaze: I need you to help take care of Naruto. My wife and I owe that child too much, but now that we're separated by life and death, there's nothing we can do. So, I can only ask you for this!]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Streamer, you just said it yourself—Naruto has no other friends besides you. Please help my husband and me!]
"Actually, I really want to help you too, but as everyone knows, the ninja world is in turmoil, and the five great nations have been fighting each other for years. As a ninja, your life is as cheap as grass. I'm just a student at the ninja academy; I might not even be able to protect myself, so how could I have the energy to take care of others? Don't you all agree...?"
Ren deliberately pretended to be in a difficult position.
He was ecstatic inside.
Damn!
I've already said this much—why aren't you quickly taking out something valuable?