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Chapter 187 Team 7's mission to the Land of Waves, but the employer is Gato.
Caught off guard, Minato Namikaze was completely hunched over after taking a heavy punch, looking up at Naruto in disbelief.
However, Naruto was already in tears.
"Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside my body? Do you know how I suffered as a child because of this? Everyone in the village was hostile to me," Naruto said excitedly. "If it weren't for Kakashi and Touko-sensei, I might still be living like this now."
"I'm sorry, Naruto." Minato Namikaze reached out and gently hugged Naruto. "I made you suffer so much."
Naruto, who was probably experiencing his father's embrace for the first time since he was a child, was stunned by the unfamiliar warmth.
"During the Nine-Tails' attack, there was a mastermind controlling the Nine-Tails to attack the village. His strength was very strange. Without special power, it was impossible to fight against him," Minato Namikaze said.
"Regarding this, the culprit who controlled the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha has already died at my hands." At this moment, Touko Uchiha spoke up.
Minato Namikaze turned to look at the source of the voice, exchanged a glance with Touko Uchiha, and smiled.
"Touko, long time no see. Are you the Fifth Hokage now?"
"Thanks to the villagers for their trust," Touko Uchiha nodded.
"These past years, I've seen everything you've done for Naruto, even in this sealed space," Minato said.
"It's my duty," Touko Uchiha nodded. "Taking care of the village's children is also the Hokage's responsibility."
"Has the masked man who orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack been killed by you?" Minato asked.
"That's right," Touko Uchiha nodded. "I'm very sorry, there's a traitor within the clan."
"That puts my mind at ease," Minato nodded.
"Fourth Hokage, please have your wife come out to meet us," Touko Uchiha said.
"Now?" Minato Namikaze glanced back at the Nine-Tails within the sealed space, hesitating slightly. According to their original plan, Kushina's chakra was intended to help Naruto acquire the Nine-Tails' power later.
"I brought Naruto to see you hoping he could understand the path he should take. He's already a ninja," Touko Uchiha said. "But right now, he doesn't even have a basic goal."
"I don't!" Naruto muttered in dissatisfaction.
"Sasuke wants to become the Hokage of Konoha in the future, and Neji wants to lead the Hyuga clan onto a new path. They've both been working hard towards their respective goals, but what about you? Have you thought about what you'll do after becoming a ninja?" Touko Uchiha asked.
"I...I also want to become Hokage!" Naruto stammered for a moment before finally speaking, but his voice sounded somewhat weak.
This is normal. In the original timeline, Naruto, although aiming to become Hokage, never truly understood the meaning of Hokage until the battle against Pain. He only wanted everyone's recognition. But now, he has that recognition. Who doesn't know that Naruto Uzumaki is now the head of the Uzumaki clan, one of the twin stars of the Ninja Academy, and the future pillar of Konoha? His status as a Jinchuriki has negligible impact on him.
So, although Naruto seems cheerful every day, while Sasuke and Neji are contemplating the world, Naruto's little brain is constantly thinking about where to stock up on limited quantities of ramen.
Seeing this, Minato Namikaze's face showed a hint of worry. For ninjas, whose duty is to kill, not having a clear goal as a mental anchor is indeed a very dangerous thing.
"Fourth Hokage, you saw it too." Uchiha Touko shrugged. "What this child needs now is guidance from his parents. As for the Nine-Tails..." Uchiha Touko
glanced back at the Nine-Tails, who had been silent since earlier. After noticing Uchiha Touko's gaze, the Nine-Tails' fur stood on end again, but its body obediently took a half step back.
"With me here, there won't be any problems." Seeing this, Uchiha Touko deactivated his Mangekyou Sharingan and said.
"Alright, I understand." Minato Namikaze nodded and then formed a hand seal.
From within the seal, another surge of chakra flowed out, and soon, the figure of a red-haired woman appeared in front of Naruto.
However, in the next instant, a series of chains shot out from behind the red-haired woman, heading straight for the Nine-Tails within the sealed space.
In the blink of an eye, Kurama was bound like a dumpling.
"Naruto, hurry up and do it! Steal Kurama's chakra!" A hurried voice rang in everyone's ears. However, when Kushina realized what was happening around her, she suddenly became embarrassed. "Uh, wasn't Naruto having a tug-of-war with Kurama?"
"Ugh!" Kurama, whose mouth was also sealed, made a series of noises. Although no one knew what he was saying, judging from his excited appearance, Uchiha Touka guessed that he was probably swearing quite rudely.
"Haha..." Kushina laughed awkwardly, then looked at Naruto, her eyes lighting up. "You're Naruto? You've grown so much."
After saying that, Kushina rushed forward and hugged Naruto, giving him a good rub.
"You're still very handsome. You're truly worthy of being my and Minato's child. Come here, let Mommy hug you."
Kushina's overwhelming maternal love instantly made Naruto feel a little breathless.
"Mom…Mom." Naruto struggled for a while but realized he couldn't calm his mother down, so he could only let her rub him.
"Kushina, let Naruto go first." Minato Namikaze spoke up at this moment.
"Minato?" Kushina released Naruto and asked in confusion, "Wasn't it said that my chakra only appears when Naruto is tug-of-war with the Nine-Tails?"
"Kushina, Naruto's problem right now is even more serious than tug-of-war with the Nine-Tails." Minato said, and then explained Naruto's current situation to Kushina.
"Is it…that serious?" Kushina was puzzled.
This was understandable. Although Kushina was the previous generation's Jinchuriki of Konoha, she hadn't actually been trained as a ninja. Therefore, she found it hard to understand how dangerous it was for a ninja to have no goal, or in other words, no ninja way to guide them.
"Kushina, Naruto is a ninja now. His hands are destined to be stained with blood in the future. Without the right ninja way to guide him, he might get lost in the killing. And what's even more dangerous is…" Minato Namikaze glanced back at the Nine-Tails, who was bound hand and foot, "Naruto also possesses power that ordinary people cannot reach."
Hearing Minato's words, Kushina was taken aback, looking at Naruto's somewhat bewildered face.
However, after a moment of silence, Kushina suddenly smiled and patted Naruto's head: "That won't happen. Naruto is a kind and good boy. I believe in him."
Minato Namikaze also fell silent after hearing his wife's words. After a while, he smiled with relief: "That's true. Naruto is, after all, our child."
Hearing the Fourth Hokage and his wife's words, Naruto was first stunned, then his eyes reddened. From childhood to adulthood, he had never been unconditionally believed in like this.
"Naruto, do whatever you want to do." Minato Namikaze smiled at Naruto. "Your mother and I believe in you; you will definitely become a great ninja."
"Naruto, think carefully before you act, and remember the three prohibitions of ninjas," Kushina instructed. "If possible, your mother hopes you can continue to be this happy."
"Dad… Mom…"
"Toko." Minato Namikaze turned to Toko Uchiha. "I'm sorry, Kushina and I probably can't give Naruto any advice. As parents, we are willing to trust Naruto's own choices."
"That's enough." Toko Uchiha nodded with a light laugh. "I also believe that Naruto will not let you down."
"I'll leave it to you to take care of him from now on." At this moment, Kushina released Naruto and came to Toko Uchiha, speaking earnestly.
"Don't worry," Toko Uchiha said. "Naruto is also my disciple; I will naturally not watch him go astray."
The figures of the Fourth Hokage and his wife became ethereal at this moment.
"It seems our time is running out." Minato Namikaze sighed.
"Dad? Mom?" Naruto became anxious upon seeing this. He had finally seen his parents and naturally didn't want them to disappear before his eyes.
At this moment, Kushina came to Naruto's side and reiterated, "Naruto, I'm so happy to see you grow up so healthy. Although it's a pity I couldn't witness your growth, you'll be a ninja from now on. Your teacher will tell you about the three prohibitions for ninjas, but there's one thing you must pay special attention to: stay away from someone named Jiraiya."
As Kushina continued to give her instructions, their figures gradually became ethereal.
"Anyway, Naruto, your mom and dad will always love you."
The Fourth Hokage and his wife's chakra slowly dissipated, turning into a stream of light that circled around Naruto before disappearing completely. The Nine-Tails, freed from its restraints, fell heavily to the ground.
The Nine-Tails, now free, wanted to curse, but seeing Naruto's distraught state, it hesitated for a moment and then kept silent.
"Naruto, don't let your father and mother down." At this moment, Uchiha Touko came to Naruto's side, patted his head, and said.
"Sensei, I want to stay here alone for a while." Naruto looked up at Uchiha Touko and said.
"Alright, send your body back after we leave." Uchiha Touko chuckled.
"Thank you, Sensei." Naruto nodded.
"Think about your goal carefully, but no matter what your ninja way is, as your teacher, I will always support you, and so will your comrades."
"Yes!" Naruto perked up a little upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Uchiha Touko smiled and left the sealing space, leaving the space to Naruto.
After Uchiha Touko left the sealing space, Naruto found a place to sit down and looked at the Nine-Tails in front of him.
"Big Brother Nine-Tails..." After a while, Naruto cautiously spoke.
"What are you doing?" Kurama bared its teeth in annoyance, feeling incredibly humiliated by being tied up by Kushina without warning.
"My mother was reckless just now. I apologize on her behalf. I'm sorry," Naruto said.
Kurama: ...
Naruto's sudden apology caught Kurama off guard.
However, looking at Naruto bowing sincerely, Kurama felt a strange emotion rise within it. It seemed to be the first time in all these years that a human had apologized to it.
Kurama stared intently at Naruto's azure eyes, recalling the words of the Sage of Six Paths.
"Hmph." Kurama flicked its tail, creating a gust of wind that sent Naruto tumbling about.
"What are you doing!" Naruto complained after finally regaining his balance.
"Kid, from now on, call me Kurama-sama, understand?" Kurama finished speaking, then closed its eyes, seemingly asleep. The
next
day, Team 7, fully prepared, arrived early at Uchiha Touko's office, eager to receive their first mission as ninjas.
Touko carefully reviewed the day's mission list, but couldn't find a suitable one for them. With their current strength, ordinary C-rank missions wouldn't be helpful for training, but B-rank and higher missions were indeed scarce lately.
Just as Touko was about to choose a mission to wipe out a bandit stronghold in the southwest of the Land of Fire, rumored to be inhabited by rogue ninja from the Land of Wind, and let the three of them see some blood, there was a sudden knock on the office door.
"Come in," Touko casually said.
The office door opened, and Gato walked in.
"Lord Hokage." Gato entered and bowed to Uchiha Touko. Upon seeing Naruto and the other two, he greeted them with a smile, "Young Master Sasuke, Young Master Neji, and Young Master Naruto are all here. Oh, you've become ninjas? Congratulations!"
"What brings you here at this hour?" Uchiha Touko asked.
"Well," Gato said, seeing that Uchiha Touko seemed busy, he didn't waste any time, "My properties in the Land of Waves have recently been targeted by ninjas from the Northern Mist Village. I was wondering if I could ask the Hokage to send a strong team of ninjas to help resolve this."
"Are you still using the old methods in the Land of Waves?" Uchiha Touko frowned upon hearing this.
"Hokage, you're wronging me," Gato said, spreading his hands. "My old methods of making money only yielded a small amount. After shifting my focus to the Land of Fire, I only made normal business investments in the Land of Waves. I even invested in building a bridge for them."
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