You Are Not the One Who Uses the Reaper Death Seal
In front of Kushina, Namikaze Minato always appeared as the perfect shinobi—a calm, decisive leader. Yet, in reality, he was simply a devoted husband who would do anything for his wife.
After all, this was a man who willingly sacrificed his life for both his loved ones and the village. Recognized and respected by nearly all of Konoha, Minato was, however, unrelentingly strict when it came to his own son.
The Nine-Tails was both Naruto's greatest burden and his ultimate strength. It was the curse that defined his tragic childhood—ostracized and feared by villagers who saw him as nothing more than the beast's vessel. The Third Hokage's decision to conceal his lineage as the son of the Fourth Hokage, rather than celebrating him as a hero's child, only deepened his loneliness. It was one of the many reasons Naruto eventually chose to leave Konoha.
After comforting Kushina, Minato turned to Naruto and extended his fist.
Naruto hesitated, then raised his own. When their fists met, the Yin and Yang halves of Kurama—long separated—finally became whole again. At that moment, Naruto felt the surge of the Nine-Tails' chakra, his power increasing exponentially.
As the joyful howl of the fox echoed in his mind, Naruto's lips curled slightly.
Kurama, who had once towered over him with overwhelming hostility, had become… oddly sentimental. Whether this was a moral shift or merely a sign of Kurama's changing nature, Naruto wasn't sure. Either way, it didn't matter.
At that moment, two distinct prompts appeared in his consciousness—signals of Kushina and Minato's favorability toward him.
Kushina's was maxed out; she trusted him unconditionally and supported his choices. Minato's, however, only showed approval. Naruto couldn't help but glance at his father a few more times.
Even after entrusting him with half of the Nine-Tails, Minato still held reservations.
It wasn't surprising. Naruto had defected from Konoha and founded his own shinobi village. And to Minato, Konoha was more than just home—it was a legacy. A Hokage, bound by duty, couldn't simply set emotions aside.
As for Kushina's rewards, they were heartfelt: a scarf, cooking experience, and a complete collection of sealing techniques.
Minato's reward, on the other hand, was the Flying Thunder God Technique. But to Naruto, these gifts felt redundant. They were either abilities he had already mastered or techniques he had no use for.
Yet, something that had puzzled him for years was finally answered.
The system didn't recognize shadow clones as "real," but it did acknowledge reincarnated bodies.
At that moment, Minato suddenly asked, "By the way, the masked man who attacked the village twelve years ago… Have you dealt with him?"
Naruto's expression darkened. "Fourth Hokage, you should ask your student, Kakashi."
Minato and Kushina both turned toward Kakashi, whose face stiffened. After a brief silence, he spoke.
"Minato-sensei, Lady Kushina… The ninja who attacked Konoha that night was Uchiha Obito."
Minato and Kushina exchanged shocked glances.
Kushina furrowed her brows. "Are you sure? That kid… Obito? He had a Sharingan, yes, but he was barely in his teens when he 'died.' There's no way he could've been strong enough to fight Minato."
"I don't want to believe it either," Kakashi admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But the evidence is overwhelming. Do you remember the time when Rin was made the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki? If not for Obito… I would have died on that mission."
Minato fell silent, then turned to Naruto.
Naruto sighed. "I fought the masked man myself. He's Obito. And the strongest proof is Kakashi-senpai's Sharingan—it shares the same space-time ability as Obito's, though his hasn't fully awakened yet."
Kakashi exhaled sharply. "I haven't manifested the Mangekyō Sharingan yet… But every time the masked man is near, my Sharingan reacts."
Faced with the truth, Minato and Kushina had no choice but to acknowledge it.
But something didn't add up. Why would Obito attack Konoha? Minato and Kushina had never wronged him, and neither had the village.
If not for the Nine-Tails' attack, none of the tragedies that followed would have happened.
Of course, Naruto knew the answer. It was all for the Moon's Eye Plan. But he had no interest in justifying Obito's actions. Instead, he shrugged and said dismissively,
"Who knows? I'm not Uchiha Obito. I can't tell you why he became like that."
Kushina's expression softened. "Naruto… If you find Obito, what do you plan to do with him? He was a good kid once. If there's a way to save him—"
To her, Obito was like family—a nephew she had watched grow up.
Naruto met her gaze and spoke slowly. "I won't let Obito die so easily. I'll wring every last bit of use out of him before he disappears from the shinobi world."
His tone was ice-cold.
Minato and Kakashi tensed. They had only thought about making Obito atone for his sins—not about punishing him in such a merciless way.
Before Minato or Kushina could protest, Naruto turned to them. His voice was firm.
"I respect you both. But you seem to have forgotten—I was never a good kid. I was a traitor who left Konoha."
"If you can forgive the student who killed you, you should be able to forgive my selfishness too."
"Compared to Obito, I'm already showing restraint. At least I didn't use the Reanimation Jutsu to bring back Rin and have her hunt Obito down. I let her rest in peace."
"I don't pretend to be a hero. I just want a quiet life."
After speaking, Naruto felt lighter. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Minato, Kushina, and Kakashi, however, remained silent, their faces grim.
No matter how much they pleaded, Naruto would never forgive Obito.
After a long pause, Kakashi broke the silence.
"If I find Obito, I'll kill him myself."
Minato sighed. "It's the only way. Obito made his choices, and he must answer for them. Neither Kushina nor I can ask Naruto to forgive him."
After a moment, Minato's expression turned complex. "But Kakashi… Are you truly disappointed in Konoha as well? You won't stop Orochimaru's revenge against the Third Hokage?"
Kakashi's gaze hardened. He nodded. "Like Naruto, I have people I can't forgive. And I'm not the only shinobi who believes the Third deserves his fate."
Minato closed his eyes, exhaling softly.
"If only… If only I had been the one to use the Reaper Death Seal that night."
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