บท 98: Chapter 98: Naruto in Tears: My Father is the Fourth Hokage
"My... my father... is the Fourth Hokage!?" Naruto Uzumaki stood there, stunned, as Uchiha Akira's words echoed in his mind.
If Naruto had to name his greatest hero, it would undoubtedly be the Fourth Hokage. Ever since his first appearance in the original story, Naruto had always admired the Hokage, especially the Fourth Hokage, who had defeated the Nine-Tails. Naruto had always seen him as a role model, someone he wanted to emulate.
But now, someone was telling him that the Fourth Hokage was actually his father?
Naruto's mind went blank.
"No way! Isn't Naruto the Nine-Tails? How can he be the son of the Fourth Hokage!?" It wasn't just Naruto who was shocked. Everyone at the Hokage inauguration ceremony was looking around at each other, their faces full of disbelief.
Naruto had always been known as the Nine-Tails, and the entire village treated him with fear and hatred. But now, they were being told that Naruto was actually the son of the hero who had defeated the Nine-Tails—the Fourth Hokage!?
What did that mean for all the villagers who had treated Naruto so badly over the years?
"Uchiha Akira, are you... are you lying to me? Is my father really the Fourth Hokage?" Naruto, despite his usual brashness, could only stammer out his question after a long moment of stunned silence, trying to confirm what he had just heard.
"The Fourth Hokage's name was Minato Namikaze," Akira explained. "Your mother's name was Kushina Uzumaki. To keep your identity a secret, the Third Hokage had you take your mother's surname. By all rights, your name should have been Naruto Namikaze."
Akira pointed to Naruto's golden hair. "That blond hair of yours is a rare trait. There aren't many in the ninja world with that color."
"Furthermore, when the Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-Tails within you, he turned you into a hero by making your body the container for the beast."
"If you don't believe me, you can enter your own mindscape and see for yourself. There should still be traces of your parents' chakra there," Akira added.
With that, Akira used a shunshin no jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) to appear directly in front of Naruto. He then extended his hand and touched Naruto's forehead.
The three tomoe of Akira's Sharingan spun rapidly, and in an instant, his mental energy connected with Naruto's, pulling them both into Naruto's sealed mindscape.
Just like in the original story, a massive iron gate appeared, with a shallow pool of water at their feet. Behind the gate, the fiery red form of the Nine-Tails lay in wait, sealed by a large tag on the gate.
Heh heh heh, after all these years, someone's finally come to visit! The Nine-Tails' eyes snapped open, its vertical pupils locking onto Naruto and Akira.
The beast's tone turned sour as it noticed Akira's Sharingan. I hate those eyes of yours. They remind me of someone I despise.
"This... this is the Nine-Tails? The one sealed inside me?" Naruto gasped, his face full of astonishment as he saw the massive fox for the first time.
He wasn't the Nine-Tails himself. Instead, the beast had been sealed within him all along. Was Akira telling the truth?
"Try removing the seal," Akira instructed calmly.
The Nine-Tails had a deep-seated hatred for humans, especially the Uchiha. Akira had no intention of wasting time trying to negotiate with it.
"W-what? You want me to remove the seal?" Naruto hesitated. The stories about the Nine-Tails and its destructive power were legendary. If he released the beast, the consequences could be disastrous.
But Akira seemed certain. "Don't worry. If you remove the seal, you'll be able to see your father."
Ordinarily, anyone else would have doubted Akira's words, suspecting a trick to unleash the Nine-Tails. But Naruto's thought process was... different, and Akira was betting on that.
Sure enough, Naruto didn't hesitate. He nodded and flew up to the large tag on the gate, reaching out to remove it.
The Nine-Tails watched with curiosity, wondering what these two were up to. Was Naruto really going to undo the seal?
As Naruto's hand reached for the tag, a strange chakra suddenly flared to life. In an instant, Naruto vanished from the mindscape.
Looks like father and son have finally met, Akira thought, satisfied. He had no reason to linger any longer and withdrew his mental energy from Naruto's mindscape.
Back in the real world, Akira withdrew his hand from Naruto's forehead.
"How is he?" Iruka, who had been watching anxiously, asked Akira with a concerned expression.
"Don't worry. He'll wake up soon," Akira assured him.
Although Iruka had been the first to question Akira's accusations against the Third Hokage, Akira knew that Iruka had simply been misled by the old man's facade. Akira didn't hold any ill will towards him.
At that moment, everyone's attention was focused on Naruto. Was he really the Fourth Hokage's son?
Initially, most people were skeptical. But as they considered the possibility, especially noting Naruto's distinctive blond hair and his status as a jinchūriki, more and more began to believe it might be true.
"Hey, Shikaku, I heard your son is good friends with Naruto in class," Chōza Akimichi said, nudging his friend.
"Yeah, that kid does his own thing. If he wants to play with Naruto, I see no reason to stop him," Shikaku Nara replied with a nod.
"So, what do you think? Is there any truth to this claim that Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son?" Chōza asked, turning to Shikaku for his opinion. In matters of strategy and wisdom, Shikaku was second to none in the village, and Chōza trusted his judgment implicitly.
Shikaku considered the question for a moment before answering. "I'd say there's a 90% chance it's true."
Though Naruto's identity had been kept under tight wraps, Shikaku's keen mind had pieced together the clues over the years. He had suspected Naruto's true heritage for some time, but since the Third Hokage had kept it secret, Shikaku saw no reason to reveal it.
It was for this reason that he hadn't stopped his son, Shikamaru, from befriending Naruto. In the original story, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Sasuke were some of the few who didn't shun Naruto.
Hearing Shikaku's words, Chōza and Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged surprised looks. If Shikaku believed it, then it must be true. So Uchiha Akira was right?
But if Naruto really was the Fourth Hokage's son, why had he been treated like a demon all these years? Why had he been shunned and despised by the villagers?
Naruto's life in the village was no secret. Everyone knew how he had lived, often struggling to find food and shelter. It was no exaggeration to say he had lived a life of near-starvation.
The Ino-Shika-Chō trio had been some of the Fourth Hokage's most trusted allies. Now, knowing Naruto's true identity, even they began to harbor resentment towards the Third Hokage.
Most actions could be forgiven, considering the pressures of leadership. But what had Naruto done to deserve this treatment? He was just a child! Why had the Third Hokage treated him this way? Was it simply to give the villagers someone to blame for their grief after the Nine-Tails' attack?
Of all the sins Akira had listed, Naruto's hidden heritage was the one that could never be forgiven. In that moment, the Third Hokage's reputation was completely overturned.
With his moral integrity in question, there was no need to doubt the other sins Akira had mentioned. A person with such deep flaws in their character would never make a good Hokage.
The mood began to shift.
About ten minutes later, Naruto, who had been standing with his eyes closed, finally opened them. The first thing he did was look up at the Hokage Rock, his gaze locking onto the face of the Fourth Hokage.
"So... my father really is the Fourth Hokage," Naruto murmured as tears began to stream down his cheeks.
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 136 at patreon.com/Emik01.
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