"Don't you dare lay a hand on my Student…"
A sharp, bone-splitting pain shot up from the arm Kakashi was gripping. The killing intent radiating from Kakashi's darkened expression made the jonin who had attacked Naruto stammer, "I—I mean, that demon fox brat… Lord Minato, he died because of—"
Kakashi's single visible black eye contracted. His reputation as "Cold-Blooded Kakashi" was no exaggeration. His voice dropped to a dangerous low.
"You don't have the right to say Minato-sensei's name."
"K-Kakashi-sensei?" Blood blurred his vision, his head throbbing as Naruto stared in shock at the delinquent jonin who had suddenly appeared beside him.
If Kakashi-sensei hadn't arrived, he would've fought back against the guy who ambushed him! Hmph!!
"Kakashi!" Sasuke, who was being restrained by Ibiki and the others, finally calmed down. The trembling double tomoe in his red eyes slowly steadied.
"Kakashi-sensei!!" Sakura let out the breath she'd been holding.
She swallowed back the scream that had almost escaped and rushed to Naruto, pulling gauze from her ninja pouch to bandage his head.
Beside them, the soft-spoken girl with Byakugan eyes held out some ointment with both hands. "Th-this is Hyuga ointment. P-please, p-please help Naruto-kun…"
"Hinata? Thanks, we'll use it." Sakura took the ointment smoothly.
Looking around the room, the Akimichi clan's young heir had opened his usually squinted eyes, his narrow gaze pressed thin by his cheeks and looking far from friendly.
The Nara clan's spiky-haired prodigy and the Yamanaka clan head's daughter frowned at the jonin. Kiba's Akamaru growled a warning from his arms. Aburame insects landed silently on the back of the jonin's neck…
This year's genin looked scattered, but in truth, they were united.
Just moments ago, at the exact instant the system prompt [Revival confirmed — Mikoto Uchiha] sounded, the transparent barrier that even Konoha's sealing and barrier teams working together couldn't dispel suddenly vanished.
Kakashi Hatake flashed to Naruto's side, crushing the arm pinning Naruto's head with enough force to shatter it, his gaze locked viciously onto the man.
Including Ibiki, the five ninja restraining Sasuke bowed in unison to the Third Hokage as he entered.
The Third Hokage merely gave a brief hum. Then the chakra hidden within his aged body surged out, pressing down with overwhelming pressure on the jonin who had injured Naruto and nearly leaked an S-rank village secret!
Unlike Kakashi, the Third Hokage's decades-long authority and the power of the Hokage shook everyone in the classroom—along with the Anbu and Root outside—to their core.
That included the trio from the Sand Village. Temari and Kankuro suddenly felt uneasy about their mission. Gaara, meanwhile, finally found something of value in this farce—he needed to kill someone stronger, to prove the only worth of his existence.
The looks in those Konoha ninja's eyes just now felt strangely familiar to him. The feeling passed too quickly for him to grasp it.
"How is it, Naruto?" Kakashi looked at the blood staining the boy's blond hair. A helpless sense of guilt washed over him. Loss after loss… Kakashi, the one left behind, looked strong, but in truth he was one straw away from breaking.
He stole a glance at the Fourth Hokage's coffin.
To let Naruto get hurt right in front of him… If Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama were still alive, they'd be heartbroken.
I'm sorry, Minato-sensei. I'm sorry, Kushina-sama.
I'm sorry, Rin.
I'm sorry, Obito.
I still… couldn't do anything…
Sakura finished securing the bandage. "It's a small wound. The forehead protector probably took most of it." Then she complained out of habit, "You idiot, Naruto! You're always making people worry!" Her voice softened. "But… thanks. Thanks for helping Sasuke-kun."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, dattebayo, Sakura-chan~"
"That was way too half-hearted!"
"Ow ow ow, hey, don't hit me!"
Kakashi watched Naruto squint and clutch his head while responding without a shred of sincerity. Even with the blood wiped away, that warm, sunshine-like grin was still there. The kid really only had baby fat on his face…
He thought about the stacks of instant ramen and expired milk. If he had time tonight, he'd treat Naruto to something to eat. Ramen would do. Extra slices of chashu.
He knew better. For that much blood to spill—especially with the attacker being a Konoha jonin—Naruto's head wound couldn't possibly be minor.
It was the Nine-Tails' power.
That recovery ability Naruto had shown in the Land of Waves.
Kakashi shifted slightly, instinctively placing himself between Naruto and the Fourth Hokage's coffin, deceiving himself into thinking that maybe this would make Minato-sensei in the Heaven—and Naruto—feel a little better.
"Not bad, Naruto." Kakashi patted his shoulder, his voice returning to its usual lazy tone. His narrowed eyes swept across the room before settling on the disgusting mess of blood and flesh on the floor.
"As expected of the ninja with the most unpredictability. If you hadn't given the right answer… at least two more people would've died here."
Naruto scratched his head and grinned. "I don't even know when I said the right answer, dattebayo. Guess I just got super lucky! Oh right, Kakashi-sensei, about this ninja blade—"
Over there, the Third Hokage waved his hand. Two Anbu immediately appeared and dragged the offending jonin away.
The reason?
As a Konoha jonin, exposing an S-rank secret in front of foreign ninja wasn't bad enough?
There were simply too many people in the classroom, most of them inexperienced genin. Even though the Third Hokage and Kakashi had suppressed them together, Naruto's life in Konoha would only grow harder from here.
Even as Hokage, the aged Third could do nothing. Hearts could only be changed through bonds—blind pressure would only backfire. One day, that backlash would come, and even a child like Naruto could be swallowed by the darkness.
"Are you alright, Naruto?"
"Huh? What's with that look, Third Grandpa? You okay? Senile already? Hahahaha!"
I'm sorry, Minato. I'm sorry, Kushina.
A torrent of chakra glowed emerald green, brimming with life—
The ninth wooden coffin suddenly sprouted fresh, tender branches.
"Wood Release?!"
No—this wasn't Wood Release, the power only the First Hokage possessed.
This was chakra overflowing with vitality!
Deep within Naruto, the Nine-Tails cracked one eye open.
"That old Sage of Six Paths… Yin–Yang Release?!"
As the coffin filled once more with branches, the woman inside stirred. Her eyelids trembled.
None of this escaped Sasuke's Sharingan.
"Mom!" He rushed forward. This time, Ibiki and the others didn't stop him. Only the Third Hokage let out a heavy sigh in his heart.
Hearing Sasuke's voice, the woman's body shook. She opened her eyes.
"Is that… Sasuke?" The delicate child from her memories had grown up. He must have… suffered so much.
Mikoto hugged Sasuke tightly. After staring at him for a long moment, she finally noticed the Third Hokage and the others nearby—and the Anbu and Root outside the window. She immediately pulled Sasuke behind her, bowing with respect and vigilance.
"Third Hokage-sama, what is going on?"
"Even now, I don't fully understand it myself. If you're asking why you were revived…" The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "Naruto made a wish to some mysterious being behind the scenes to bring you back."
He looked past Mikoto toward the tenth coffin. "Between you and Minato, he chose to revive you."
Not "the Fourth Hokage," but Minato Namikaze. He knew Mikoto would understand who Naruto was.
Mikoto followed his gaze.
"Minato…?!"
Sasuke froze in his mother's arms. Her voice wasn't loud, but he heard it clearly.
Mom… knew the Fourth Hokage?
Calling him by name—this wasn't just acquaintance.
Mikoto scanned the classroom, quickly piecing together every scrap of information. Then she looked back at her friend's only son. Gauze wrapped around his blond hair. She didn't know the details, but she could guess most of it.
"Naruto-kun…" Her heart ached for this child. Naruto didn't know who his parents were—but she did. A small twist of fate had robbed him of his father, and of his identity as the Fourth Hokage's son.
That soft call stunned both Sasuke and Naruto.
"Huh? Sasuke's mom knows me?!" Naruto hopped over and bumped Sasuke with his shoulder, grinning shamelessly. "Hehehe, don't tell me you were secretly watching me way back then~"
"Don't say stupid things, you dead last!" Sasuke snapped. He wasn't about to indulge that idiot. Before the massacre, he never cared about classmates, much less talked about them at home. Only his clan—only his brother—mattered.
"Don't be shy, dattebayo~"
"I said no, you idiot!"
"What'd you say?! Bastard Sasuke!!"
Watching her youngest son bicker with Kushina's child, Mikoto's gaze softened, tinged with sorrow. This was good. Let Sasuke grow up like this—without hatred, without the weight of the clan. Grow up happy…
She looked at Naruto, guilt and helplessness swallowing all the words she couldn't say.
I'm sorry… for taking away your chance to know your real father.
I'm sorry… for not being able to protect you in place of Kushina and Minato when you were young. After that, even the Uchiha were under scrutiny—Konoha couldn't allow the Uchiha and the jinchuriki to get close.
"Naruto-kun, thank you."
Thank you for becoming Sasuke's friend.
Thank you for filling the emptiness in his heart.
"Mom, what are you saying? Why are you thanking that dead last—"
"Don't worry, Sasuke's mom! I'll take care of Sasuke—"
They were about to keep arguing when the tears welling in Mikoto's beautiful eyes made both boys freeze, words dying in their throats.
"M-Mom?!" Sasuke grabbed her arm, worry written clearly in eyes just like hers.
"Sasuke!" Mikoto knelt in front of him, hands on his shoulders, her expression serious. "Promise me two things, okay?" It sounded like a question, but her presence allowed no refusal.
"From now on… whether I'm here or not—"
"Mom!!"
"Listen to me, Sasuke. Whether I'm here or not, you have to take good care of Naruto. He's two months younger than you. You're the older brother~"
At that, Sasuke only blushed and looked away. "I-I'm not that idiot's big brother…"
"Who're you calling an idiot, bastard Sasuke?!"
Mikoto smiled and continued, "Second—be happy. No matter what, don't let hatred control you."
"No! I'm going to kill that man!"
"Promise me, Sasuke." Mikoto's voice hardened, rare and stern.
"Why?! Itachi killed Mom and Dad! Why shouldn't I hate him?! He killed you! He destroyed the Uchiha clan!" Sasuke's Sharingan flared red, veins bulging. By the end, his fury broke into sobs.
The ninja in the classroom had already been stunned by the resurrection. Now, the mother and son's words reminded them of the Uchiha massacre that had once shaken the entire ninja world.
Mikoto could only look at her son with sorrow. "Promise me, okay? Sasuke."
Sasuke pressed his lips together. He couldn't accept it. He didn't understand. Anger, confusion, grief, pain—all tangled together. He suddenly turned, shoved Naruto aside, and ran out.
Mikoto didn't chase him. Saying this much was already her limit. Even if the Third Hokage allowed it, the other elders—and Danzo—never would.
"Don't worry, Sasuke's mom! I'll go bring that idiot back, dattebayo!" Naruto thumped his chest with a fist. The bandages on his head made him look a bit silly, but he still felt strangely reliable.
"Tch, finally meet your mom and you run off like that… stupid Sasuke," Naruto muttered as he ran, smiling with unconcealed envy.
Watching Naruto's retreating back, Mikoto narrowed her eyes and smiled warmly, sadness mixed in. He really was just like Kushina and Minato… truly their child.
The Third Hokage sighed and let Naruto go after Sasuke.
"Ibiki, handle the rest. Kakashi, you—"
"I understand, Third-sama." He would watch over those two kids, no matter what.
Clearing his throat, the Third Hokage turned to Mikoto. "Mikoto, come with me."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Mikoto stood. There was no grief, no anger, no resentment on her face—only a shinobi's obedience and acceptance.
As head of Intelligence, Ibiki immediately began dismissing the genin, trying to negotiate with the hidden entity for more information.
Naruto chased after the furious Sasuke all the way to the large lake in the Uchiha district used for fire training. Staring at the black-haired boy's back, the blond finally stepped forward.
He couldn't let that idiot be alone.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Danzo, and the two advisors were all present. The interrogation of Mikoto Uchiha lasted a full hour.
They asked everything they needed to ask. They already knew the events from Itachi's account—this was just confirmation. Danzo had an extra motive: making sure Itachi truly held nothing back. He never trusted the Uchiha.
"There's no issue with detaining you in Root, is there?" Danzo demanded first.
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "Do that, and Sasuke will learn the truth sooner or later… and Itachi will return to the village the moment he hears."
"Hmph! And you think this woman won't tell him herself?!"
The Third Hokage said nothing, looking at Mikoto instead.
She suppressed the grief at hearing Itachi's name and the longing for news of her eldest son. When her dark eyes met the Third's, they were flat and emotionless.
"I swear I will not tell Sasuke anything regarding the Uchiha and Konoha. If Elder Danzo cannot trust me, I am willing to accept Root's forbidden techniques."
She knew Root had methods to erase memories or seal speech.
"No need. I trust you." The Third Hokage spoke before Danzo could.
"You're as naive as ever, Hiruzen." Danzo tapped his cane. "I will not allow—"
"Third Hokage-sama! Something's happened!!" A ninja burst in.
Interrupted, Danzo angrily shouted, "Out! Do you have any sense—"
"Wait. What happened?"
The ninja hesitated between the two elders, then reported awkwardly, "The Fourth Great Ninja War… A man wearing an orange mask! He announced the Fourth Great Ninja War at the Five Kage Summit!!"
"What?!" The elders' expressions hardened. "Explain!"
Taking a few breaths, the ninja reported everything—
An hour ago, when Ibiki tried negotiating with "that entity," every question was met with [Unable to understand] or [Request denied].
Ibiki had the patience to play mind games, rephrasing from every angle. Finally, he asked what he thought was the most unreasonable request possible—and for the first time, the mechanical voice responded with [Acknowledged].
Ibiki's demand was—
"Show us proof! Why did Naruto Uzumaki give the correct answer? We want to see footage proving that the Supreme Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces really said he would allow other villages to cut off that man's head after the war to protect 'that person'! We also question whether the Fourth Great Ninja War is even real."
To Ibiki and the others, Naruto's long answer had to be coincidence—some word just happened to sound like the correct answer.
Just like the entity's reply.
A massive image—nearly a third the size of the academy building—suddenly appeared in front of the Ninja Academy.
It moved. It had sound.
|| [(Content within [] is inside the footage.)] ||
[Inside the footage—]
[A gray-haired, gray-bearded old man with bandages on his head asks, "What is your goal? And what exactly is the Eye of the Moon Plan?"]
[The scene shifts. A man in a black cloak with red clouds, wearing an orange spiral mask, sits high above, looking down as he answers:]"Revive the Ten-Tails, and activate a certain jutsu."
[A short man with a bulbous nose stares at him. "A certain jutsu? What is that?"]
...
The disturbance at the academy grew. Ninja from nearby began gathering.
Ibiki immediately left the classroom and ordered someone to notify the Third Hokage.
At the same time, more and more people arrived—including foreign ninja here for the Chunin Exams. Ibiki ordered the area cleared, but the image was too large, the sound too loud. It was useless.
What Ibiki didn't know was that because the request never quantified who "we" referred to, the image defined "we" as "everyone."
That meant not just Konoha.
Every other village saw it too.
Not just villages—even civilian towns and daimyō estates were broadcasting it.
Including, of course… a dark cave where a group of rogue ninja were holding a meeting.
———