Shinichi looked toward the voice.
At the end of the dim corridor, the massive silhouette of the Nine-Tails emerged from the darkness. Its orange fur shimmered faintly behind the iron gate, and its nine tails swayed slowly behind it.
"As expected of the Nine-Tails," Shinichi said, studying the chakra inside its body with interest. "Even with only half your chakra, you still stand above every Tailed Beast I've seen so far."
The Nine-Tails snorted, but its crimson eyes narrowed a moment later.
"You're no ordinary brat."
It could sense Wood Release from him, along with the familiar aura of the Senju. But beneath that, there was something else, something that made its gaze sharpen.
The power of other Tailed Beasts.
The Nine-Tails did not say it aloud. Its eyes shifted from Shinichi to Naruto, whose consciousness had already been dragged down by its chakra.
"Hmph. I don't know what you're trying to do," the Nine-Tails said, baring its teeth, "but if you get in my way, I'll destroy you."
Shinichi's expression did not change. While the Nine-Tails threatened him, his gaze had already shifted to Naruto.
Naruto floated before the iron gate, his body wrapped in dark red chakra. Under the Nine-Tails' control, his trembling hand slowly reached toward the large seal tag on the gate.
The Nine-Tails poured its will into him, forcing Naruto's fingers to catch the edge of the tag.
"Good," it growled, excitement thick in its voice. "Tear it off."
The corner of the seal tag slowly lifted, leaving a thin gap between the paper and the iron gate. Hope flared in the Nine-Tails' crimson eyes.
Once that tag came off, this cursed cage would finally open.
But before Naruto could tear it away, a hand caught his wrist from the side.
Naruto was pulled back at once, water splashing beneath his feet as a blond-haired man caught him and held him steady.
"That's enough, Nine-Tails."
Shinichi looked toward the voice as Minato Namikaze slowly released Naruto and raised his head, his blue eyes calm beneath his golden hair.
Naruto, who had been sinking into darkness, seemed to recognize something familiar in that voice. His scattered consciousness returned piece by piece, and he stared blankly at the man standing in front of him.
Behind the gate, the Nine-Tails went still.
Then rage flooded its eyes.
"Minato Namikaze!"
Its roar shook the sealed space. The Nine-Tails slammed into the iron gate, claws scraping against the bars as hatred filled its voice.
"You ruined it again! Even now, you still get in my way!"
Minato ignored the Nine-Tails' furious roar. He did not even give it another glance. His gaze stayed on Shinichi instead.
"Who are you?" Minato asked, his expression serious. "Are you the one who caused the Nine-Tails' chakra to run wild?"
Shinichi met his gaze calmly. "I opened the seal, but I'm not here to harm Naruto."
Minato's eyes sharpened.
Shinichi continued, "My name is Tejima Shinichi. Hiruzen-sensei is my teacher. Jiraiya is my senior, and he brought Naruto here with me."
Minato froze for a moment. "The Third's disciple?"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Shinichi's mouth.
"By teacher seniority, you're actually my junior."
Minato stared at him.
"...Junior?"
While Minato was still processing that answer, the situation outside the sealed space was reaching its limit.
The Wood Dragon had already torn through the floor and forced Naruto out onto the open ground, pinning him beneath the night sky. Jiraiya stood nearby with his fists clenched, his eyes fixed on the dark red chakra cloak growing denser around Naruto.
Bone-like patterns had begun to form across its surface, and Naruto's body was swelling as if it might turn into the Nine-Tails at any moment. Cold sweat appeared on Jiraiya's forehead.
"This is almost a complete Tailed Beast transformation..."
Before he could finish, the violent chakra around Naruto suddenly began to shrink. The half-formed body stopped expanding, and the eighth tail that had just appeared behind him dissolved as the suffocating pressure in the air rapidly weakened.
Jiraiya froze for a moment before understanding what had happened. The tension in his brow eased, and a nostalgic smile appeared on his face.
He let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.
"You really haven't changed, Minato."
Even in death, that man would never leave Naruto completely alone.
His gaze shifted to Shinichi, who stood beside Naruto with his eyes closed and one hand pressed to Naruto's forehead.
"But if you've appeared, then it must be pretty lively inside right now."
Inside the sealed space, Minato's hostility had faded after hearing Shinichi's explanation.
"So that's what happened..." Minato scratched his head with an awkward smile. "I didn't expect you to be the Third's disciple."
Shinichi glanced around the sealed space Minato had left behind. Since his purpose had already been explained, there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
"I'll leave the rest to you," Shinichi said.
His gaze moved from Minato to Naruto, who stood close to him with tears in his eyes.
"He's waited a long time to meet you. Don't waste it. Naruto has kept too much bottled up over the years."
Shinichi stepped back, his figure already beginning to fade. "I won't disturb you."
"Wait."
Minato called out before Shinichi disappeared.
Shinichi paused and looked back.
Minato's expression turned serious. "Thank you."
Shinichi said nothing, so Minato continued softly, "Thank you for being Naruto's friend."
Shinichi was silent for a moment before giving a small nod. Then his figure faded completely from the sealed space.
Only Minato and Naruto remained.
Minato watched him leave, then turned back to the boy beside him. His eyes softened, and regret mixed with tenderness in his smile.
"Naruto."
That one word made Naruto tremble.
He slowly raised his head. The father whose identity he had only just learned was standing right in front of him, and thirteen years of loneliness, anger, confusion, and longing surged up all at once until he could barely breathe.
"You..."
His voice came out broken.
Then, without warning, Naruto rushed forward and punched Minato in the stomach.
Thump!
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