Iruka Umino felt quite embarrassed by Minato Namikaze's decision not to stand in the front row with everyone else to congratulate Naruto.
Minato smiled, "I saw you standing here all this time, so I came over to see if the view was particularly splendid."
"You're joking," Iruka replied, feeling a bit awkward. He had just been shouting at the Fourth Hokage-sama, only to discover that he was actually Naruto's biological father.
"I'm terribly sorry," Iruka continued. "I made a complete fool of myself earlier, yelling at you and rushing over recklessly. Not only did I fail to help, I ended up hindering Naruto and nearly caused him to go into a full-blown rampage."
"No," Minato Namikaze shook his head gently. "Your actions, and those of the girl named Hinata, were perhaps the very crucial elements that enabled Naruto to achieve this victory."
Only by completely losing control would Naruto break the seal on the Eighth Tails. Then, the chakra Minato had left behind years ago would manifest under the right conditions, stopping Naruto and allowing him to reunite with his son.
Iruka listened, feeling a bit dazed. He didn't know the specifics of what had happened back then.
Minato didn't elaborate further. He smiled, watching Naruto in the distance, surrounded by people. Kakashi and Jiraiya stood right beside him, their eyes filled with nothing but relief.
"Earlier, we were discussing the scenery here..." Minato said, breaking the silence.
Hearing the Fourth Hokage suddenly speak, Iruka naturally responded with a "Hmm?"
Minato's voice carried a smile: "The view here is truly splendid."
When Minato first arrived, he had intended to bring Iruka closer to Naruto. But standing at this very spot, he realized that this was the best vantage point.
"That you discovered this vantage point earlier than I did proves you're a better father to Naruto than I ever was."
His words left Ebisu and Konohamaru momentarily stunned.
Konohamaru couldn't grasp it yet, but Ebisu pondered for a moment and understood the truth behind Minato's words.
Precisely because Minato was a father, he wouldn't stand in the spotlight when his son earned honors, flaunting his success as a parent. Instead, at this very moment, he preferred to remain in the shadows, quietly standing in the distance. Watching Naruto grow up, witnessing his brilliance, seeing him gain everyone's recognition, and observing him get closer to his dreams.
"Even I was the same at first," Ebisu said. "I saw him as nothing but trouble. Because of his fate as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, the village shunned him. No one dared associate with him..."
…
'It's just a demon fox! How could they let him become a ninja?!'
'What was the Third Hokage-sama thinking?!'
…
"But then, at some point..." Ebisu continued. "More and more people began to change their impression of Naruto Uzumaki."
…
'Did you hear? Team Kakashi defeated the renegade ninja Zabuza from the Land of Mist in the Land of Waves—just Kakashi alone and three genin who couldn't help?!'
'They weren't useless. I heard that Nine-Tails kid performed remarkably well in battle.'
…
Ebisu pondered, "It seems to have started with the Chūnin Exams. The people of Konoha finally witnessed that boy's transformation."
Accumulated strength erupts. The pain he endured, the human warmth and coldness he experienced—these became his most unique abilities. No matter the dire straits he faced, he never gave up. Ultimately, he forged a realm others dared not even dream of.
'That Nine-Tails kid made it to the Chūnin Exams finals?!'
'No way?! He's unexpectedly good!'
'Did you see that? He beat Neji Hyūga, the genius of the Hyūga clan!'
'Yeah, that's incredible!'
'I can't help but want to cheer for him—not just because of this amazing match, but because of his spirit. Somehow, his courage just gets to me.'
"And during the Konoha Destruction Plan, he defeated Gaara of Sunagakure, stopping the most crucial part of the entire scheme!"
'Did you hear? He defeated Sunagakure's Jinchūriki and protected Konoha!'
'He? Who?'
'Naruto Uzumaki! That kid!'
'Unbelievable. But that kid really makes you look at him differently.'
"He protected the village from the Sunagakure Jinchūriki. Before anyone realized it, more and more people began to acknowledge him. His name gradually shifted from 'Nine-Tails Kid' to 'Naruto Uzumaki.'"
"Even the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade-sama, returning to the village to assume her duties as Hokage was profoundly connected to Naruto Uzumaki..."
…
The small sunglasses on Ebisu's nose glinted in the sunlight, mirroring the shifting emotions among them. Iruka recalled the many changes that swept through the ninja village shortly after the Chūnin Exams ended. For Naruto, Sasuke—both rival and brother—left Konoha. Iruka had intended to comfort Naruto, only to discover that, unbeknownst to him, everyone around him had begun worrying that Naruto would sink into despair and never recover.
'Naruto's been targeted by Akatsuki!'
'It's fine. With the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya-sama, protecting him, he should be safe.'
'Still, I can't help but worry about him.'
'Did you hear?! Naruto Uzumaki returned to the village! Right after coming back, he protected the Kazekage of the Sunagakure ninja from Akatsuki!'
'Yeah, so now...'
'The bond between Konoha and the Sunagakure ninja has grown even stronger!'
'It's incredible—just a few years ago they were enemies in the Shinobi World War. The Fourth Hokage forged an alliance before and after his tenure, and now, thanks to Naruto's efforts, their relationship has surpassed the mere terms of that pact!'
'From now on, Sunagakure and Konoha can embrace peace. Ninjas from both villages will no longer be adversaries—they might even assist each other on missions. Just imagining that is truly uplifting.'
…
"I don't know when it started," Ebisu mused, "but even though few openly encourage him, that Naruto Uzumaki has become the embodiment of people's yearning for peace and hope."
Written as 'Naruto,' read as 'courage'—does it signify peace?
This must be what Jiraiya-sensei hoped for, right?
Standing in the distance, Minato Namikaze watched as Naruto was tossed high into the air. Even Kakashi, who usually kept his emotions bottled up, and the elderly Jiraiya-sensei had joined in the commotion.
…
'Jiraiya-sama was slain by Pain of Akatsuki.'
'That was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin with countless battle achievements in Konoha! How could this...?'
'Is Naruto okay?!'
'Though deeply grieved, he seems to have found strength through his comrades' support.'
'Yes, he carries Jiraiya-sama's legacy. He'll be fine from here on out. No matter what happens, he'll keep charging forward as always!'
…
Ebisu: "Naruto earned everyone's trust not just through this battle, but through his relentless spirit of overcoming adversity. He's inspired the entire village, made people take notice, and earned their genuine respect."
The name Naruto once symbolized the demon fox and hatred within the ninja village—a byword for the lowest depths. That's why when Naruto reached the pinnacle through his own efforts, single-handedly defeating Pain and reviving the village's fallen, it inspired everyone so profoundly.
Iruka Umino listened to Ebisu's words, recalling the time he first became Naruto's teacher…
…
"Iruka."
"Yes, Lord Third?"
"I understand how you felt when your parents were killed by the Nine-Tails. But Naruto is like you—an orphan of war who never truly experienced a single day of parental love. And because he sealed the overwhelmingly powerful Nine-Tails within him, he despised, shunned, and isolated himself from the entire village."
"To draw attention, he's always resorted to clumsy pranks to provoke others' anger. Even being scolded is better than feeling invisible to everyone."
"Truthfully, he just wants others to acknowledge his worth through his own efforts. You should know this best, Iruka."
".....Yes." After losing his parents, he too had been like that.
"The Fourth Hokage had hoped the village would see Naruto as a hero. With that wish and expectation, he sealed the Nine-Tails Fox and died."
"Ah... Alas, it was not to be."
…
At that moment, seeing Minato Namikaze standing there, Jiraiya also arrived beside them using the Body Flicker Technique.
"What's going on? Everyone's standing here." The tall man with white hair gestured toward the jubilant crowd behind him. "You two should be the ones celebrating that kid, right?"
At that moment, Naruto Uzumaki was being tossed into the air again and again by the crowd.
The surrounding cheers were deafening.
"Jiraiya-sama."
"Fourth Hokage-sama."
Iruka Umino's voice was hoarse and choked with emotion.
The two men of high standing in Konohagakure glanced over.
It turned out this emotional Konoha Chūnin teacher had been moved to tears. Tears slid down his cheeks, yet his gaze never left Naruto.
"Jiraiya-sama, Fourth Hokage-sama," he couldn't help but flash a smile of satisfaction and contentment, like that of a father watching his child.
"Now, the hero stands before our very eyes."
"It's truly wonderful that you can see him too."
"!!!!"
Amidst the excited cheers of everyone present, several figures began to fade into a translucent milky hue, slowly disappearing from this world.
Fourth Hokage Minato stared in astonishment at his own fading form. Unlike the Minato from the Kannabi Bridge Timeline, this was his second journey through time.
"What... what is happening?"