Three Choices
Miyuki Uzumaki brought Naruto to Chi Yu's home, her expression tense. She bowed her head slightly before speaking.
"Chi Yu, Kushina… I need your help."
Chi Yu and Kushina exchanged glances. Kushina had already anticipated this moment—Chi Yu had explained the situation to her some time ago.
Kushina asked gently, "Miyuki… you want to leave Konoha with Naruto, don't you?"
Miyuki's eyes widened in surprise; she hadn't expected Kushina to guess so easily. After a moment, she nodded anxiously.
"Yes. We can't stay here any longer. The villagers whisper about the 'Child of Disaster,' born from the Nine-Tails' attack. If they discover that child is Naruto, something terrible will happen.
I've been waiting for a chance to escape, but the surveillance around me and Naruto is suffocating. I can't slip away. I have no choice but to ask for your help."
Kushina fell silent, already knowing what Chi Yu's answer would be.
Chi Yu studied her for a moment before asking, "And where would you go, once you leave?"
Miyuki tightened her grip on Naruto. "Somewhere without shinobi. A country far from war. I just want peace for him."
Chi Yu gave a faint smile. "A noble idea…"
Miyuki's face brightened. "Then—you'll help us?"
"Of course," Chi Yu replied firmly, then his tone shifted, calm but unyielding. "But your plan won't work, Miyuki."
Her smile faltered. "Why not?"
Chi Yu leaned forward. "Because of what you are—and what Naruto is. To Konoha, two Jinchūriki mean two weapons of war. Losing one, they might endure. But both? Never.
In war, Jinchūriki are living weapons. In peace, they are deterrents—proof of a village's strength. After the Nine-Tails' disaster, Konoha cannot afford another blow. If you vanish with Naruto, they will send their best shinobi to pursue you.
And if other villages learn of it, they will join the hunt. Konoha's shinobi won't kill you—they need you alive. But enemy villages? They would. If you die, the Nine-Tails will eventually reform and be reborn elsewhere. That means Konoha would lose its Jinchūriki entirely, while another village could seize the beast when it returns.
So no matter where you hide, Miyuki—you will be hunted."
Miyuki's face went pale. At that moment, Naruto began to cry, his wails echoing through the room. She rocked him gently, whispering, "So… our future is already decided?"
Chi Yu's expression softened. "Not decided. But limited. Kushina and I will help you, but you must choose your path."
Miyuki's eyes reddened. "If it's about Naruto, Chi Yu… then I can't. He's all I have left. He can't lose me too."
Chi Yu nodded gravely. "Then listen carefully. There are three choices before you."
He raised a finger. "First: You and Naruto both leave with me. You'll join my organization outside Konoha. But doing so means you will be branded as traitors, hunted by Konoha and every major village. You'll face endless pursuit. You may survive—but Naruto will grow up on the run, surrounded by danger."
A second finger. "Second: Stay in Konoha. Here, your lives are technically safe. But the villagers' hatred will only grow. Many lost family in the Nine-Tails' attack—they'll blame you, and they'll blame Naruto. Hiruzen suppresses the worst of the rumors, but half-heartedly. He won't shield you beyond the bare minimum. You'll face discrimination and isolation every day."
Finally, a third finger. "Third—and this is the choice I recommend: you leave Konoha, but Naruto stays. Painful as that is, it forces the village to protect him. With only one Jinchūriki left, Hiruzen will have no choice but to crush the rumors and ensure Naruto's survival. He may still grow up shunned, but his life will be guaranteed. And you—away from Konoha—can join my organization in safety. As long as you live, there's hope of reunion in the future."
Miyuki's hands trembled around the infant. "You're asking me to abandon him."
"No," Chi Yu said firmly. "I'm asking you to choose the path with the least suffering. None of these choices are good. But one day, Naruto will understand the sacrifice you made for him."
---
In his heart, Chi Yu had already speculated on the outcomes.
If Naruto grew up an orphan, his life would follow the familiar path of hardship and resilience. If Miyuki stayed in Konoha, or fled with Naruto, the risks multiplied—too many unknowns, too much danger. Naruto, the Child of Prophecy, would endure. But Miyuki? Her survival was uncertain.
For her and Naruto both, only one path offered the smallest chance at peace.
And now, it was Miyuki's decision to make.
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