"Tch, of course. Isn't that just resurrection? Simple, simple! I, the proud Head of the Uchiha Clan, bringing someone back to life is just a—"
Looking at the little guy in front of him, his face brimming with admiration, Uchiha Fugaku's pride as an elder swelled. He couldn't help but bask in the glory, completely failing to notice anything unusual. Puffing up with self-satisfaction, he went on boasting grandly in front of Naruto—until it finally hit him just what shocking words the child had spoken.
The rest of his bragging got stuck in his throat as he forcefully swallowed it down. With trembling fingers, he slowly pointed at the innocent, beaming Naruto.
"You… your father is… is Minato?"
"That's right. My father is the hero who saved the Hidden Leaf Village, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
Seeing that Fugaku had finally realized the truth, and knowing they were alone with no eavesdroppers, Naruto smiled even brighter and spoke with a clear, proud voice.
"If it weren't for a traitor's schemes, my real name wouldn't be Uzumaki Naruto… but Namikaze Naruto!"
"No wonder you looked so familiar… so that's why…"
Fugaku murmured to himself as he slowly lowered his hand. He couldn't help but study Naruto closely.
Even though the boy was still young, the color and style of his hair, the confident and sunny smile that so closely resembled that of his late friend—all of it made Fugaku believe at least seventy or eighty percent of Naruto's words.
But… the boy was still only three years old. That fact alone planted a seed of doubt. After pausing for a moment, Fugaku frowned and asked, half in disbelief:
"But how do you know Minato is your father? When the two of them died, you had just been born. You shouldn't even remember what your parents' voices sounded like, right?"
"Oh? Uncle Fugaku, are you doubting the truth of my parentage?"
Being able to get close to Uchiha Fugaku so easily and even set up a private conversation had already exceeded Naruto's expectations. But even more surprisingly, he could now clearly see that Fugaku had once shared a close bond with his father—something that added a new layer of joy to Naruto's heart.
So, he stopped pretending to be a clueless three-year-old. The smile on his face faded into a serious expression as he gently raised his right hand.
"Ahem, well, this news is… quite sudden. It's only natural for your uncle to have doubts… really! I'm not saying I don't believe you, I just—"
Fugaku's face flushed red, both from embarrassment and concern. The smile on Naruto's face was gradually disappearing, and Fugaku, recalling his earlier mistake, assumed the boy was feeling wronged and might burst into tears at any moment. He quickly tried to console him.
But just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Naruto's raised hand.
His eyes widened in shock and locked onto the small, rotating sphere of radiant blue light forming swiftly in the child's palm.
"I… I… that's…"
"Rasengan. One of my dad's signature jutsu."
Naruto looked at Fugaku, whose stunned expression couldn't have been more obvious, and continued calmly:
"Apart from my father, only I and his master—Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin from Mount Myoboku, and Kakashi his student—know how to use this technique. Am I wrong?"
Seeing Fugaku so utterly speechless, Naruto felt relieved. The Rasengan alone was enough to prove his identity—no need to reveal the Flying Thunder God Technique, his trump card.
He dispersed the Rasengan, ending the chakra supply, and continued casually. The concise and calculated words he used subtly misled Fugaku into believing that Jiraiya was the one who taught him the Rasengan and told him about his lineage.
Dragging Jiraiya into this as a shield was a carefully considered move by Naruto. As the Fourth Hokage's teacher and a famed member of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya was the most plausible source from whom Naruto could have learned the truth.
By creating the illusion that Jiraiya was backing him from the shadows, Naruto increased the credibility of his story. And if word ever got out, the troublemakers would focus their attention on the absent Jiraiya rather than Naruto, who could then minimize suspicion and avoid unnecessary scrutiny.
A win in every respect.
If there was a price to pay, it was probably poor Pervy Sage having to take the fall for something he had no idea about…
As compensation, Naruto figured he'd treat that lecherous old man to a wild night at the bar someday.
"Jiraiya-sama, huh…? It's true. If it were him, the moment he returned to the village, he would've told you everything—and stayed by your side to personally guide your training."
Hearing the name of his old friend's signature, unranked jutsu, spoken so clearly and confidently by this young boy, all of Fugaku's doubts disappeared. He let out a breath and whispered softly, then leaned in to gently pick up Naruto and hold him tightly in his arms.
"That's right! Now you believe me, don't you, Uncle Fugaku? I'm my dad's real, flesh-and-blood son—"
"Eh?"
Hands on his hips and grinning proudly, Naruto was running through a dozen possible outcomes in his mind. He was trying to calculate what would happen next if he revealed Danzo's conspiracy, and how best to handle it.
Because of that, he didn't react in time.
Before he realized what was happening, he was already pulled into a warm, comforting embrace. The sudden, uncontrolled development made Naruto freeze, his body stiff with uncertainty. He dared not move, afraid of triggering any unpredictable outcome that might ruin his carefully planned strategy.
"Uncle Fugaku, this is…?"
"You're alive… Thank heavens… thank heavens…"
Before Naruto could finish his question, Fugaku's next actions stunned him again.
The man, who had always left the impression of a calm, composed, and commanding Uchiha clan head—was trembling slightly, choking up right in front of a toddler like Naruto.
Though Naruto couldn't see his face clearly from where he was nestled, he could feel the trembling arms clenching tighter as if scared he might vanish. He felt warm droplets land on his head and heard the bittersweet sobs caught in Fugaku's throat.
"These past three years… you must've suffered a lot, haven't you, little one?
Why couldn't I have realized sooner that Minato's child was still alive…?
Thank heavens… truly… you're alive…"
Just as Sasuke trusted Naruto unconditionally, despite the ongoing tension between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage faction, there was a deep and unimaginable bond between Uchiha Fugaku and Minato Namikaze.
If not for the disaster three years ago, the world envisioned by the First Hokage—a world without conflict—might have already become a reality through their secret collaboration.
As the Jinchūriki of Kurama, Naruto had endured endless ridicule and disdain over the past three years. Because of that, he had developed a keen sense for distinguishing between sincerity and hypocrisy. And now, the guilt, remorse, and joy in Fugaku's voice completely dissolved Naruto's doubts.
He finally understood:
This man, shouldering the fate of his entire clan, was not the cold-hearted, rebellious figure recorded in the original timeline. His fears were nothing but groundless paranoia—he had judged a true man with a petty heart.
It was also at this moment that Naruto realized—he had underestimated the kind of bonds forged through war, the kind that older generations carried deep in their bones and souls.
'No wonder Danzo would rather sacrifice Konoha's entire strength than allow the Uchiha Clan to survive…'
'I think… I finally get it. Despite being hated by the whole village, how did naive little Naruto manage to live until twelve without dying or losing control?'
After a long silence, Naruto gave up on continuing the conversation—timing just wasn't right anymore.
With his pudgy little hands, he did his best to hug Fugaku back, gently rubbing his head against the man's chest in quiet comfort, as his eyes gradually welled up with mist and spilled over with faint, sparkling tears.
No matter how much he tried to act cheerful and pretend not to care, the past three years of non-stop judgment, ridicule, and isolation had left their mark deep in his heart.
He wasn't truly indifferent.
As a transmigrator who knew the tragic fate of Uzumaki Naruto, he had merely been enduring… as if trying to quench his thirst by imagining plums.
And now, Fugaku's sincere care and guilt became the shot of strength he needed to keep going.
'These three years… this is the first time someone has cared so much about whether I live or die.'
'This… must be the most precious legacy Father left behind for me…'
'Thank you… Dad…'