In Hidden Cloud Village.
The Fourth Raikage looked at the screen, observing his old acquaintance.
This was a Konoha Ninja worthy of respect.
And also a strong individual.
Killer Bee: "Yo!!! Yellow Flash! Now Pain and his kind are going to get beaten!"
Even from an outsider's perspective, Killer Bee felt indignant about Pain's actions.
No matter how eloquently he spoke, many things could have been handled without such extremity.
On the surface, Killer Bee appeared to be a hothead, but in reality, he considered things no less deeply than Ai.
He simply liked that free-spirited rap attitude.
Towards the Yellow Flash, with whom he once fought,
Killer Bee equally respected his strength.
He recalled how he and Ai, full of youthful vigor, left Hidden Cloud Village, believing no enemy could stand against them.
But the Yellow Flash delivered a crushing blow!
Minato Namikaze's two remarks, in particular, left a deep impression on Killer Bee.
'I admire you; your movements are truly those of a Ninja Killer (Killer Bee).'
'Killer Bee possesses something incredibly precious. If you don't realize it soon, he might fall into an abyss.'
Later, when he learned that Minato Namikaze's wife was from the Uzumaki Clan,
the one who sealed the Nine-Tailed inside her,
Killer Bee finally understood why Minato Namikaze could comprehend his thoughts at that time.
After all, he was the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
All Jinchuriki share common ground.
Seeing this old acquaintance now,
Killer Bee's heart swelled with emotion.
His fighting spirit was already ignited by the previous ultimate showdown between the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and Pain.
The power of the Eight-Tails within him surged.
Now, he eagerly anticipated the coming battle.
Whether it was Naruto or Minato Namikaze,
they would surely make the Ninja World look at them with new eyes!
Outside Hidden Rain Village.
At the cave entrance.
Obito looked at his sensei on the screen.
Pain spread through his heart.
The next moment, his body phased and returned to Kamui.
The screen was illusory, and the world was also illusory.
He was not the deceased Obito.
He was Tobi, he was 'Uchiha Madara'!
Konan looked through the screen at Nagato, who was bleeding inside.
Nagato, who had forcefully used a large amount of Chakra,
had blood gushing from his nose.
His pained expression intensified.
This was a path to death.
Konan clearly understood the depth of Nagato's resolve.
If it came to this,
she could only follow him.
Nagato watched the screen through Pain's Rinnegan.
He had long anticipated this outcome.
He calmly felt his Pain.
He calmly paid attention to all the content being broadcast on the screen.
In the screen, he was the protagonist's enemy.
Despite exerting all his strength and having overwhelming power,
Naruto still had other assistance.
'Hidden Leaf Destruction Arc: Uzumaki Naruto's Complete Rampage.'
His name didn't even appear in the screen's title.
A supporting character's life, a tragic life.
Nagato deeply understood reality.
He also pondered his own path... [In the dark consciousness]
["Once even the seal of the Eight-Tails is released, I will appear in your consciousness. I made a small tweak to the sealing formula."]
["Although I strongly hoped this outcome wouldn't happen, because I no longer wish to see you."]
["Nine-Tailed!"]
[Nine-Tailed: "Roar!!!"]
["But,"] Minato Namikaze turned his head to look at the stunned Naruto,
["I'm also a little excited to see my grown-up son. It's a mix of joy and worry, I guess."]
["Right, Naruto!"]
Naruto heard the Fourth Hokage call out his name, but he couldn't believe he was calling him.
Where did the Fourth Hokage hear the name "Naruto"?
"Why would the Fourth Hokage know my name?"
["Hmm, because your name was given to you by me."]
["You are my little guy."]
["Well, as I just said, you are my son."]
[Naruto smiled through his tears, "Haha..."]
["The guy behind is too noisy, let's go somewhere else for a bit."]
[A snap of the fingers]
[In a white, wonderland-like consciousness]
["It seems the Third Hokage didn't tell you anything."]
"Dad."
[Naruto punched Minato Namikaze in the stomach.]
["Why did you seal the Nine-Tailed inside me, your son? Thanks to you, I really suffered a lot. Adults gave me cold stares, and it was hard for me to make friends. So I always, always worked hard, hoping everyone would acknowledge me. I trained desperately, became stronger, and then I met Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and the Perverted Sage. I was happy to become strong, but because of it, I was targeted by those Akatsuki guys. So I had to train even harder. I finally became strong, but my comrades were all harmed by the Akatsuki..."]
Naruto spoke rapidly, wanting to say everything.
Tears streamed down his face naturally.
Facing his father, he didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
Pain was definitely there.
["Naruto, how old are you?"]
[Minato Namikaze paused, then asked gently.]
"16 years old."
["Is that so, 16 years old. It seems you've been through a lot of painful things."]
["Naruto, I'm sorry."]
["For making you, my son, suffer so much, I, as your father, have no face to apologize to you."]
[Naruto wiped away his tears, his expression much calmer.]
["It doesn't matter anymore. After all, I am also the son of the Fourth Hokage. I can endure..."]
[Minato Namikaze smiled.]
He smiled like the warm sun in winter.
He fully acknowledged Naruto.
["I left half of the Nine-Tailed's Chakra and sealed it again, because I believe you can learn how to control and use this power..."]
[Minato Namikaze slowly recounted the hidden truth of the Nine-Tails Attack.]
[Pain was not the ultimate mastermind.]
[Behind him was also the Masked Man.]
[And Pain was merely a manipulated individual.]
["As long as the Ninja system exists in this world, there may never be a peaceful order."]
["Pain asked you about peace. Finding the answer is extremely difficult."]
["Wars are sparked to save important people."]
["As long as love exists, hatred will continue to arise, and Ninja will be exploited by this hatred."]
["As long as this Ninja system exists, the monster of hatred will continue to breed new Pains."]
[Minato Namikaze did not defend Pain; he merely wished Naruto to know]
[Behind Pain, more fundamentally, was the chaotic Ninja World.]
["Teacher Jiraiya entrusted the answer to ending this hatred to you."]
[Naruto: "Even so, I will never forgive Pain!! I cannot forgive him!"]
["Fourth Hokage! What exactly should I do?"]
[Naruto looked into the Fourth Hokage's eyes with both reverence and a hint of confusion.]
At this moment, Naruto did not view him as a father he could rely on.
Outside, the threat of Pain still loomed.
Naruto was more eager for his father, in his capacity as the Fourth Hokage, to tell him what to do!
[The Fourth Hokage's eyes were filled with profundity as he quietly looked at Naruto.]
[His own child.]
[A moment later]
Countless sages had pondered this difficult problem repeatedly, yet they still couldn't find a precise answer.
To expect a sixteen-year-old Naruto to come up with the answer himself,
was indeed asking too much of him.
But.
He was not alone.
He had countless comrades by his side.
And even in the future, there would be successors who carried on his will.
He didn't need to find the answer immediately.
He still had a long future ahead.
During this future time, he could rely on his own continuous efforts.
Experience, verify, experience again, verify again.
The answer to this question... ["The answer must be found by you yourself. I don't know the answer either."]
"Even the Perverted Sage and the Fourth Hokage don't know, so how could I know? You're all too willful. I'm not smart, nor am I such a great Ninja, and besides, I—"
[One hand]
[Minato Namikaze placed his hand on Naruto's golden hair.]
["You, you will definitely find that answer."]
["I believe in you."]
["No matter where they are, believing in their child is what parents do."]
[He withdrew his hand.]
["Well, I should be leaving soon. My Chakra is gradually diminishing."]
["I will repair the seal again, but this is the last time."]
["Konoha can still be rebuilt."]
["I'm counting on you, Naruto."]
[Looking up again]
[Naruto's eyes were now firm as he watched Minato Namikaze depart.]
'Thank you, Dad!'