Chapter 195: A Parent's Heart
Seeing Naruto suffer rejection and cold indifference from the villagers since childhood—the meager allowance the Third Hokage provided after entrusting him with the child, the expired milk, the instant noodles every day—
Seeing him shunned by classmates, and on graduation day, when every parent waited proudly outside the Academy, only Naruto sat alone on a swing beneath the shadow of that great tree,
isolated, unnoticed, listening to the cutting, mocking voices thrown his way—
Kushina's red hair rose violently, fluttering as if ignited.
The surge of fury rolling off her was so overwhelming Franklin himself felt inferior before it.
A mother's wrath truly was unmatched.
At that moment, Franklin knew he had achieved his goal.
Kushina was not a Leaf-native to begin with.
And the one suffering… was her own son.
No mother could possibly tolerate that.
When Kushina snapped out of the vision, her anger was nowhere near subsiding.
She refused to allow her child to live such a life—to be brainwashed into shouting about becoming Hokage every day while enduring misery behind the scenes.
She looked at the unfamiliar man before her, and then at the three flawless winged girls behind him.
Only now did she notice the collars around their necks—and the moment her tension had relaxed, it spiked again.
"So who exactly are you? Was that genjutsu just now? And your eyes—what are they?
That wasn't the Sharingan. What kind of dōjutsu is that?"
Franklin didn't bother addressing the point she was fixating on.
The more he explained the collars, the worse it would sound.
"You're asking too much. I don't feel like answering right now.
I've already paid you—now it's your turn.
Will you die for Konoha tonight?
Or will you and the Fourth hide in the shadows and live, working for me for thirteen years, until Naruto turns thirteen and you're allowed to reveal yourselves to him?"
Kushina finally remembered the situation she was in.
Her brows drew tightly together.
After a long silence, she asked cautiously,
"Do you mean… like them?"
Seeing her glance at the collars with such distaste, Franklin didn't even get the chance to reply—
Nymph spread her wings in outrage, her domain unfolding as pressure crashed down on Kushina.
"Being marked is our honor.
Master is the one we adore most.
You and that blond, Minato, are just outsiders—mere workers.
Master means that after tonight, you two will be dead—gone from this world.
For the next thirteen years you'll work for him in secret, never revealing that you're alive.
After thirteen years, all restrictions end. Then you'll be counted among the living again."
Nymph laid everything bare.
Franklin felt thoroughly satisfied.
He cast Kushina a cold, emotionless look.
"So. What is your choice?"
Kushina's brows knotted even more tightly.
"Then Naruto would still have to suffer through that childhood?
I refuse. Absolutely not."
Franklin's brows creased.
He'd acted on a whim, and he wasn't interested in wasting time.
"There is no perfect solution.
I'm giving you the choice—nothing more.
Think it over.
You have until the Nine-Tails is contained.
For now, I'm going to find Minato.
He'll get the same offer."
With that, Franklin turned and left.
Warning someone was pointless—nothing could escape his perception anyway.
Feeling Minato and Obito briefly clash atop the Hokage Monument,
Franklin waited until they moved to their next location.
Once positioned, Franklin teleported, arriving with the three angels above the two combatants at the exact instant Obito warped in with Kamui.
Watching the masked man, Minato frowned deeper and deeper.
"To slip through Konoha's barrier… eliminate Anbu silently… and control the Nine-Tails with the Sharingan…
You must be Uchiha Madara!"
But Minato shook his head.
"That's impossible. Madara died long ago."
"Maybe. Who knows?"
Obito didn't deny it.
He slowly removed his hood, revealing his unmistakable black hair—perhaps hoping Minato would recognize him.
"It doesn't matter who I am. Why target Konoha?"
Obito didn't answer.
Instead, he pulled out his chakra chains, wrapping them around his hands.
"Why target Konoha…?
Call it a whim.
Call it long preparation.
Call it for war…
or for peace."
Once he finished speaking, neither said another word.
They clashed instantly.
It took only two exchanges—
Obito, inexperienced in real battle, was struck by Minato's two-step Flying Raijin and hit with a Rasengan.
Minato planted his mark on Obito's body.
Another brief exchange—
Obito took a kunai to the stomach and had his link to the Nine-Tails severed.
He retreated with Kamui—
putting on another act.
"I didn't expect you to injure my arm or separate the Nine-Tails.
But it will be mine eventually.
I am the one who will unify the ninja world."
Kamui activated again.
Knowing he wouldn't be returning after this retreat, Franklin acted.
He froze the space Obito was warping to.
Obito's strongest technique locked—a bead of cold sweat slid down his temple.
"Who?!"
Minato, ready to suppress the Nine-Tails, halted.
Alarmed yet curious, he watched Obito closely.
Franklin stepped out of the air at last—
Rinnegan open, black cloak and white Rinnegan mask in place.
"So it's you posing as me and causing trouble in Konoha."
That familiar voice—those unmistakable eyes—
Obito froze completely.
"Rinnegan?! That's impossible—who are you?!"
"I'm Uchiha Madara.
Obito, have you forgotten even that?"
Minato was utterly stunned.
"Rinnegan… Madara… Obito?!"
Realizing he'd lost composure, Minato forced himself to breathe deeply.
"That's impossible. Obito died years ago.
Who are you two?!"
Obito stared at Franklin, refusing to blink.
"Whoever you are—you're not Madara!"
Franklin shrugged.
"You recognized the Rinnegan.
If I'm not Madara, what, am I the Sage of Six Paths?"
Obito's pupils contracted sharply—
but then settled.
"You can't be the Sage either…
Don't tell me you got your hands on Nagato?"