"Could you tell me... how did you find me?"
Minato Namikaze's sudden appearance left both Naruto and the Nine-Tails in a brief state of shock. But before Kakashi could speak, the Nine-Tails within the seal space immediately erupted in a towering rage.
"Minato Namikaze!"
The Nine-Tails' roar echoed throughout the entire seal space, causing the chakra-infused water beneath their feet to tremble violently.
"Well, it seems this isn't exactly the best place for a chat. Let's change locations."
Sensing the fury of the Nine-Tails behind him, the blonde man smiled. Before Naruto could even blink, he found himself transported to a strange, ethereal space filled with shimmering gold and white light.
The sudden change in surroundings caused Naruto to instinctively look for Kakashi. It wasn't until a hand with a familiar warmth pressed against his shoulder that his heart finally found some semblance of peace.
Minato Namikaze took note of all of this.
"As for when I found you... I suppose it was just now, the moment I saw that seal."
Kakashi, his hand still resting on Naruto's shoulder, gazed at the man before him. His teacher—Minato Namikaze.
"Is that so?" Minato chuckled softly. "I should have expected as much from you, Kakashi. You've grown even more exceptional."
Listening to his student's words, Minato's eyes were filled with profound relief and pride.
"Naruto." Kakashi gave Naruto a gentle nudge. "He is your father."
Naruto did not show any signs of joy at Minato's appearance. Instead, he gripped the hem of Kakashi's clothing tightly, showing no intention of stepping forward to acknowledge him.
Minato looked at his son, a flash of heartache crossing his eyes. He knelt down in front of the boy, reaching out a hand to stroke his head, but Naruto instinctively tried to pull away.
Minato's hand froze mid-air, stiffening slightly.
Seeing this, Kakashi gave Naruto another gentle push. Only then did Naruto reluctantly step forward, allowing that hand to finally rest upon his head.
To the current Naruto, it didn't matter if this man really was his father.
Where was he when Naruto was hungry? When he was cold? When he was crying? This man had never cared for him, never looked after him, and had never been a part of his life.
If it hadn't been for Kakashi, Naruto would still be all alone.
Compared to this Minato Namikaze who had suddenly appeared out of thin air, it was Kakashi who had fulfilled the duties of a father.
"I didn't originally intend to appear this early," Minato sighed softly, withdrawing his hand. He stood up and looked toward Kakashi.
"Kakashi, I'm sorry. I've made you shoulder so much... responsibilities that should have been mine to bear."
Though he felt despondent over Naruto's refusal to accept him, Minato quickly adjusted his mindset. He intended to use this limited time to tell Kakashi the truth about what had happened that night, so Kakashi could be prepared to face the mysterious masked man.
"If I hadn't come, were you planning to just stay tucked away like this forever?" Kakashi asked.
"The small amount of chakra I have left was meant to be a safeguard in case the Nine-Tails' seal ever broke. If nothing unexpected happened, I likely would have remained dormant," Minato admitted. "However, your growth has been a wonderful surprise, Kakashi. I never imagined you could pull yourself out of that misery in just a few short years. Not only have you become the Hokage, but you even have a family of your own now."
Minato didn't deny Kakashi's assessment; instead, he was genuinely happy to see how much his student had changed over the last seven years.
"If you were given the choice again, would you still leave Naruto behind and choose to sacrifice your life to seal the Nine-Tails?"
At Kakashi's words, Naruto couldn't help but look up at his father. Even if he wasn't ready to accept Minato, he desperately wanted to know the answer to that question.
But... Minato fell into a heavy silence.
On the night the Nine-Tails attacked, he didn't necessarily have to die. With Kushina's Adamantine Attacking Chains restraining the beast, the Eight Trigrams Seal—a combination of two Four Symbols Seals—could have successfully sealed the Nine-Tails without a death sacrifice.
Yet, Minato had chosen death.
As the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, Kushina Uzumaki technically shouldn't have been allowed to give birth. Childbirth carries the extreme risk of weakening the seal and allowing the beast to escape. Even the first Jinchūriki, Mito Uzumaki, only became the host after she had already given birth.
And yet, Kushina had become pregnant.
As an outsider, Kakashi couldn't judge a couple for wanting a child—it was a natural human desire. But Minato was the Hokage, and Kushina was the Hokage's wife.
On the night the Nine-Tails broke free, the village of Konoha lost nearly an entire generation. Countless shinobi sacrificed their lives. Because the Nine-Tails was so powerful, Genin and Chūnin were effectively useless; the casualties were almost entirely Jōnin—the elites who had just barely survived the Third Shinobi World War.
If Minato had lived, he would have had to take full responsibility for the catastrophe.
The world knew the result: the Fourth Hokage died a hero's death. While there was certainly an element of wanting to follow his wife in death, Kakashi was more inclined to believe that his teacher was a man much like his own father, Sakumo Hatake.
When a man with a 100% mission success rate suddenly faces a permanent stain on his record, some find it unbearable. Rather than living with the weight of criticism and failure, they find it easier to die a glorious death in the name of heroism.
Especially with the brilliant legacies of the first three Hokage looming over him, the Minato Namikaze of that time could not allow such a blemish to exist on his record.
Kakashi let out a low, soft laugh. He already knew Minato's choice. He didn't understand it, and he didn't respect it.
Minato looked at his student—now a Hokage himself—and found himself speechless. Anyone capable of becoming Hokage was no fool.
"So, in the end... even if it happened all over again, you would still leave me behind?" Naruto asked, his voice low and filled with disappointment as he looked at the silent Minato.
"The night the Nine-Tails attacked wasn't as simple as it seemed. There was a mastermind behind the scenes," Minato began, trying to explain. "He is likely..."
"Uchiha Madara, right?" Kakashi finished the sentence for him.
"You've already fought him?" Minato looked at Kakashi with a grim expression.
"Yeah. His ability to make physical attacks pass through him is indeed troublesome. But if that's all he has, defeating him isn't an impossible task for me."
Hearing Kakashi's words, Minato's expression dimmed further. His choices had been seen through completely by Kakashi.
Indeed... whether as a Hokage, a father, or a teacher, he had failed to be adequate.
"Naruto, I'm sorry. Even though this apology feels far too late... no matter what... I love you."
Minato found it difficult to face the version of Kakashi standing before him now.
"The Nine-Tails isn't your enemy; he will be your friend. One day, he will become your most inseparable companion."
Looking at his father, Naruto's heart softened slightly. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what.
"Let's leave it at that," Minato said. "Kakashi, as a Hokage, your achievements already far exceed mine. And as a teacher, witnessing your growth makes me feel nothing but pride. There is nothing left for me to teach you. From now on, I leave Naruto in your hands."
Minato's body began to emit a faint, shimmering light. It was clear his chakra was nearly exhausted.
"And... Naruto."
In these final moments, Minato knelt down and pulled Naruto's stiff body into a hug.
"As a father, I couldn't be there to watch you grow up. I am truly sorry. I was an inadequate and stubborn father. Please, just let me be selfish one last time and feel the warmth of my child before I go."
"Naruto... I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. In the future, grow up to be an outstanding man..."
In his final seconds, Minato could only turn his regrets into a final moment of tenderness and love for his son. He had no intention of defending his actions, nor did he want to. What he had done was a fixed reality that could never be changed.
Naruto stared blankly at his father. A single, crystalline tear fell onto his face. His deep blue eyes—the same shade as Minato's—trembled. He reached out, wanting to return the hug.
But...
His father's warmth was like a fleeting phantom. Naruto's outstretched hands grasped only empty air.
Looking at the empty space before him, Naruto could finally hold it in no longer. Tears flooded his eyes, and he began to sob uncontrollably.
"Naruto..." Kakashi watched the boy, his heart aching.
Humans always seem to realize the value of something only after they have lost it.
"Kakashi-nii..." Naruto tried to wipe his tears away, but they wouldn't stop. "Am I... was I too mean? We only had... we only had a little bit of time... and I... I..."
The Senju Compound
Kakashi gently tucked the corner of the blanket around Naruto. Looking at the boy, who had cried himself into an exhausted sleep, Kakashi let out a long sigh.
He felt deeply moved by what had just transpired. What should have been a scene where a father gave his son confidence had ended in regret. Because Minato appeared ten years too early, the young Naruto couldn't yet understand a father's burdens or responsibilities.
Who knew when they would meet again?
Kakashi silently left Naruto's room. Hikari, her belly noticeably round with pregnancy, was already waiting for him outside.
"What happened?" Hikari asked with concern. "Why was the little guy crying like that?"
"Naruto and I met the lingering chakra Minato Namikaze left inside him," Kakashi replied, giving her a brief summary of the encounter.
"I see..." Hikari peered through the crack in the door at the sleeping Naruto, her face softening with sympathy. She had never seen Naruto look so heartbroken.
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