Although Namikaze Minato had only left behind a fragment of his chakra within Naruto, through that link he had been able to witness his son's life in Konoha.
When he sealed the Nine-Tails inside Naruto all those years ago, his hope had been clear:
Naruto would grow to become a hero of the village.
He would learn to master the beast's power, and one day stand against Uchiha Madara lurking in the shadows, protecting Konoha from destruction.
But Minato had never imagined what would actually happen.
The moment people learned that Naruto was the vessel of the Nine-Tails, their gazes turned ice-cold.
They didn't see a hero. They saw a curse.
The rejection was brutal.
Even something as simple as buying a mask at a shop ended with the owner shoving him to the ground and refusing to sell to him.
Later, Naruto had been forced to master the Transformation Jutsu just so he could disguise himself when buying essentials.
Every time Minato thought about those years of pain and loneliness his son had endured, his heart wavered.
Had his decision been wrong?
Had it really been worth it?
Naruto had suffered endlessly because of it.
The villagers hadn't understood—and their ignorance had been inflicted upon his child.
At the Academy, no one wanted to be his friend.
He was always left alone.
Until he met Senju Haruto.
Naruto's first true friend—the first person who had treated him as just Naruto, not as a monster.
And when the Nine-Tails' power threatened to overwhelm him, it was Haruto who had restrained it with perfect control.
It was Haruto who had found Jiraiya and brought him to take Naruto to Mount Myoboku for training.
It was Haruto who had revealed to Naruto the truth of the Nine-Tails' attack that night.
And now, it was Haruto who had helped him seize the Nine-Tails' chakra for himself, to wield freely.
Perhaps everything had been fated from that night forward…
But one thing was certain: Senju Haruto's presence had changed everything.
For that, Minato felt nothing but heartfelt gratitude.
And so did Kushina.
"There's no need to thank me. It was nothing but a small effort, really," Haruto said quietly.
It wasn't false modesty. It was simply the truth from his perspective.
Every step Haruto had taken wasn't out of deliberate care for Naruto—it was for his own purposes, to complete his "check-ins" and claim the rewards that came with them.
Naruto had merely become his ally along the way.
Even this time, the check-in location had been Naruto's inner world.
And when the Nine-Tails had erupted in fury, restraining it had been nothing more than a flick of the wrist for him.
But these thoughts were Haruto's secret, something he would never share—not even with his closest allies, let alone with Minato and Kushina.
So when Minato heard his words, he simply took them as humility.
"You're too modest," Minato said with a gentle smile, patting Haruto's shoulder. "I believe you'll surpass all the Hokage before you."
Though Minato and Kushina were deeply grateful for Haruto's presence in Naruto's life, they knew their time was short.
They were long dead.
What remained of them was only chakra, and it would soon fade away completely.
Both parents turned their attention back to Naruto.
Kushina had intended to tell him the truth of that night herself—but thanks to Haruto, Naruto already knew everything. There was no need to repeat it.
"Naruto…"
Minato scratched the back of his head. For this moment, he had rehearsed countless times in his mind. His heart brimmed with a thousand words. Yet now, face to face with his son, he found himself speechless.
Instead, Kushina slowly raised her slender hand and touched Naruto's cheek.
Naruto, gazing at his mother, released the golden cloak of chakra around him, letting the transformation fade.
"You've grown up, Naruto," Kushina whispered with a smile.
But even as the words left her lips, tears welled up and streamed down her face.
How she wished…
How she wished she could have watched him grow, day by day.
To always be by his side.
To laugh with him when he was happy.
To hold him close and comfort him when he was sad.
How she wished she could have pinched his tiny feet like she used to.
The night of the Nine-Tails' attack still felt like yesterday—Naruto, a tiny infant in her arms.
And now… before her stood a grown young man.
How she longed to witness it all. To record every moment.
Her chest ached with the weight of all the words she would never be able to say.
Did he eat properly?
Did he train well?
Did he go to bed on time?
"Kushina…"
Seeing her overwhelmed, Minato stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
"Look, Naruto," Minato said, attempting a lighthearted tone, "your mom… she worries about you a lot."
But as he looked at them both, even the steadfast Fourth Hokage felt a pain he could hardly bear.
If only he had been stronger…
If only he had discovered Uchiha Madara's scheme earlier…
Maybe none of this would have happened.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," Minato said softly. "For all the pain you've endured these years. In your heart… you must blame me, don't you?"
All the words he wanted to say to his son collapsed into guilt and regret.
Naruto had always told himself he would be strong when meeting his parents—that he would act like a man, to put them at ease.
But when the moment of farewell truly came, his emotions broke through.
His tears flowed uncontrollably.
"How could I ever blame you, Dad…?"
Naruto wiped at his tears, though his lips stretched into a smile. "Guess I just got some dust in my eyes."
"I've always thought… having the Fourth Hokage as my dad is the coolest thing ever!"
He turned to his mother, eyes glistening.
"Mom, you must've thought so too, right? That's why you married him?"
Through her tears, Kushina saw his brightest smile.
Naruto stretched out his arms and embraced her tightly.
It was something he had dreamed of all his life—holding his mother close.
She was so warm. So gentle.
"Mom, I'm a man now. I've made lots of friends at the Academy. Like Sasuke—he's always trying to catch up to me."
"And Sakura—she's secretly been crushing on me."
"I eat properly, I sleep on time, I get up early. Because I'm training to be a shinobi."
"Not just a shinobi—I'll become Hokage!"
"So you don't have to worry anymore. I've already… grown up."
His voice cracked, choking with sobs.
By the end, he could hardly speak at all.
How he wished… this moment could last forever.