Perhaps because Minato's entrance was far too shocking, Naruto's emotions remained trapped in a strangely awkward state.
He was happy—
But not completely happy.
Shocked—
But not entirely shocked either.
There was no denying that hearing he could actually et his father filled Naruto with genuine joy.
The fact that he truly had family…
That he truly had a father…
Was already the greatest news imaginable to him.
But honestly—
Facing a floating "ghost fla" like this made it difficult for Naruto to feel emotional from the bottom of his heart.
In fact, compared to reuniting with his "father," Naruto felt more shocked by Kurama instead.
He never imagined the fox living inside him could actually summon his father's "spirit from the heavens."
This was literally Naruto's first ti seeing a real ghost.
It genuinely broadened his horizons.
And honestly…
He felt a tiny bit scared too.
"Naruto."
Minato's chakra flickered gently while his warm voice sounded.
"It's only been a short while, and you've already grown so much."
"Fath— wait!"
Naruto stuttered awkwardly.
"You really are my dad?!"
The scene before him remained far too unbelievable.
"Minato, you should probably change forms before continuing this conversation."
Kurama finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke up.
Minato: "..."
"What?"
Kurama tilted his head.
"The truth is…"
Minato sounded sowhat embarrassed.
"It's not that I want to stay in this form."
"I simply can't fully restore my human shape yet."
"... Could you at least try to be a little more impressive?"
Though Kurama spoke with obvious disdain, he still honestly reached out to help Minato stabilize his chakra.
As Kurama's crimson chakra slowly flowed into the floating fla, Naruto stared in complete shock while the "ghost fire" claiming to be his father gradually transford into a human silhouette within the light.
Blond hair slightly darker than Naruto's own.
Azure eyes.
A straight nose.
A gentle smile.
A mature and handso appearance far more refined than Naruto's.
"Eh?"
Naruto blinked blankly.
For so reason—
The man looked familiar.
Feels like I've seen him sowhere before…
Then, the instant Minato's body fully ford and the red-and-white Hokage cloak appeared around him—
Naruto finally realized where he recognized him from.
The stone faces carved into the great Hokage Monunt overlooking Konoha.
"The Fourth…"
Naruto stared at Minato's face and the perfectly fitting Hokage cloak before murmuring slowly:
"...Hokage?"
"Is my father?"
In an instant, countless thoughts exploded through Naruto's mind.
The heroic legends of the Fourth Hokage.
The Nine-Tails sealed inside him.
The villagers' strange treatnt toward him ever since childhood…
Yet despite all those thoughts, Naruto simultaneously felt like his brain had completely stopped functioning.
Everything inside his head beca chaotic.
"Your current appearance…"
Minato smiled warmly.
"So under the Nine-Tails-sama's guidance, you really mastered Sage Mode."
After finally returning to human form, Minato once again resembled the version of himself he felt most comfortable as.
Then his eyes turned gratefully toward Kurama behind Naruto.
Kurama rely twitched his ears dismissively, clearly unwilling to interrupt the reunion between father and son.
"You really…"
Naruto stared blankly at Minato.
"Are my father?"
"Yes, Naruto."
Minato's smile beca gentler.
"Without question."
"You are my son, Naruto Uzumaki."
"That truth will never change."
Then, as though afraid Naruto still doubted him, Minato's voice beca more serious.
"You've worked incredibly hard, Naruto."
"I've always been watching."
Looking at Naruto's current appearance, Minato genuinely felt emotional.
Previously, while controlling Naruto's body through Kurama's chakra, Minato had briefly entered Sage Mode himself.
But he never truly had the chance to carefully observe Naruto directly.
Now that he finally saw it personally—
Naruto's Sage Mode differed greatly from Jiraiya's.
Yet sohow, it carried the exact sa perfectly balanced and natural feeling.
After admiring him briefly, Minato finally raised his hand—
Preparing to gently pat Naruto's head.
Then suddenly—
Naruto punched him.
This completely unexpected developnt caught everyone off guard.
Especially Minato.
And because Naruto remained in Sage Mode, the strength behind the punch beca enormous.
The blow slamd heavily into Minato's stomach, instantly forcing him to bend over in pain.
Even though Minato currently existed only as chakra, inside Naruto's ntal world, Naruto's own understanding of "pain" still transferred directly into Minato's chakra body.
"Eh?"
Even Kurama looked shocked.
And entertained.
Back during the previous tiline, Naruto and Minato's reunion happened privately without Kurama present.
So the Nine-Tails genuinely had no idea how things originally unfolded.
Naruto's reaction is actually this?!
"It's you, isn't it?"
Naruto lowered his head.
His voice carried bla.
And faint traces of tears.
"You're the one from my dreams, right?!"
"Do you hate for sealing the Nine-Tails inside you before dying?"
Minato imdiately panicked.
"Because of , you spent your childhood alone without a happy life."
"That's all my fault—"
Yet before he could finish apologizing—
Naruto withdrew his fist.
Then suddenly hugged Minato tightly.
At Naruto's current height, he could only bury his face against Minato's stomach.
Yet his embrace was unbelievably strong.
"You were the voice in my dreams all along!"
Naruto shouted while crying.
"I recognized it!"
"I finally recognized it!"
"Why did you only tell now?!"
"Why hide it from ?!"
"If you'd told earlier that you were always watching …"
Naruto's voice trembled harder and harder.
"Then I would've known…"
"That I really do have family."
"That I really grew up beneath my father's eyes."
"That I…"
Naruto clenched Minato's clothes tightly.
"I was never actually alone…"
Every single word struck directly into Minato's heart.
So this…
Was what Naruto truly cared about.
Minato's eyes trembled emotionally.
Then he tightly embraced his son in return.
Minato Namikaze was never soone who openly expressed emotions easily.
But at this mont—
He no longer needed words.
As father and son finally acknowledged one another—
Ti quietly passed.
Eventually, once Naruto's emotions gradually stabilized, Minato slowly began speaking about his own past.
About Kushina Uzumaki.
About Naruto's mother.
And Naruto excitedly recounted all the experiences Minato had missed during the past year and a half.
anwhile, Kurama quietly watched the father and son talking together.
His gaze gradually softened.
Kurama's lifespan stretched endlessly long.
And after experiencing mories across two entire lifetis, the fox's feelings toward Naruto and Minato had already surpassed ordinary companionship.
To him now—
They resembled family mbers he wished to protect.
Back then, Kurama insisted Minato should not reveal the truth to Naruto too early.
Because that would only place the still-weak Naruto into even greater danger.
But now—
Naruto already possessed an extrely solid foundation.
He mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique once used by Minato to dominate the ninja world.
He mastered sealing techniques.
And now—
He even possessed Sage Mode, a power granting nearly limitless future potential.
And Naruto's strength would only continue growing with ti.
Eventually, almost no one in the current ninja world would remain capable of threatening Naruto.
Very few could even beco worthy enemies anymore.
And as for those future enemies…
Once Kurama himself regained freedom from the seal—
They would no longer matter either.
Thus—
The current Naruto finally possessed the qualifications to learn the truth regarding his life and future.
And Kurama also believed—
Naruto would ultimately choose the correct path.
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