Naruto Dream Fulfillment Master

Page 52

As Naruto's team leader, he knew all too well how much of an impact the Fourth Hokage's identity had on Naruto.

Kakashi rushed to Naruto's house just as dawn was breaking, only to find that Naruto had already left.

The usually calm man searched almost every place Naruto frequented, and thankfully he finally found Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen.

Seeing Naruto's red and swollen eyes and forlorn expression, Kakashi sighed inwardly.

This child must be confused.

"Kakashi-sensei... I'm sorry for making you worry," Naruto said softly, lowering his head.

He knew that Kakashi was usually lazy, but this morning he had gotten up early for the first time ever to look for him and had run through most of the village, which made him feel a little guilty.

Kakashi shook his head, his eyes full of peace: "It's good that you're alright."

As he spoke, he nodded to Iruka across from him.

Iruka showed a hint of surprise when he saw Kakashi arrive.

Kakashi is a famous genius Jonin of Konoha Village and a former captain of the Anbu. Iruka had heard many legendary stories about Kakashi when he was in the Ninja Academy. He thought Kakashi was a strict person and was worried that Naruto might not be able to handle the intensity of Team 7.

Seeing how much the other party cared about Naruto, her impression of him changed considerably.

Kakashi looked at Naruto solemnly: "Naruto, I know you're feeling confused and have many questions right now. Finish your noodles first, and I'll take you somewhere about your father... I can tell you some things I know that might help you understand the Hokage's intentions."

Upon hearing this, Naruto abruptly raised his head, the surprise on his face vanishing in an instant. Then, a faint but resolute light flickered in his azure eyes as he stared straight at Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei, thank you..."

Kakashi nodded slightly, a gentle yet complex emotion appearing in his eyes, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat, but in the end, he only managed a smile with his right eye.

Then, he called to Shi Yu who was standing to the side.

"Could I also have a tonkotsu chashu ramen?"

"One order of tonkotsu chashu, coming right away!"

Shi Yu responded with a smile, skillfully handling the pots and pans with both hands, and the aroma of ramen quickly wafted out.

After eating ramen, Kakashi led Naruto and Iruka slowly to the memorial stone.

The morning light, like a thin veil, covered the stone monument engraved with the legends of countless heroes. All around was quiet, with only the chirping of insects.

Kakashi stood quietly, his gaze fixed solemnly on the name on the monument. His fingertips unconsciously brushed over a familiar engraving, and a look of reminiscence and remembrance flashed between his brows.

The voices and faces of my former companions seem to be right before my eyes, lingering in my heart like a dream I can't wake from, impossible to shake off.

"I never intended to keep these things from you forever. I just planned to wait until you were a little older... But now that you know some of the clues, I think it's good for you to know the truth."

"There are so many things I should tell you about your father—the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze..."

Naruto held his breath and listened intently.

Iruka also showed an expression of listening attentively.

"In the days before you were born, the entire ninja world was in chaos during the Third Shinobi World War. Countless ninja villages suffered casualties, and Konoha was no exception. It was a dark age... Most of the names on this stone tablet come from that war."

"And in that war, your father became famous throughout the world for his outstanding performance. Because of his achievements, ninjas from all countries were terrified at the mere mention of his name and called him 'Konoha's Yellow Flash'."

When this name was mentioned, a hint of pride and nostalgia flashed in Kakashi's eyes.

Chapter 58 This child is just like his teacher.

"Yellow flash..."

Naruto repeated the title softly, feeling his blood boil and a surge of pride and reverence welling up in his heart.

Seeing that Naruto's expression had improved, Kakashi continued, "Back then, there was an unwritten rule circulating in the ninja world—when carrying out a mission, if you encounter the 'yellow flash,' the enemy can immediately retreat, and it doesn't count as a mission failure."

"Because if they don't retreat immediately, almost none of the ninjas who stay behind will live to see the next day's sun."

Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing this, and he opened his mouth in disbelief.

"W-Wow, that's amazing?!"

He was both shocked and proud, never imagining that his father's reputation had reached such a level.

Iruka nodded in agreement, "The Fourth Hokage back then was truly awe-inspiring..."

However, Kakashi did not show much relief. Instead, his tone was somewhat somber: "Naruto, this may sound glorious, but from Minato's perspective... it may not be entirely a good thing."

"The Fourth Hokage's formidable reputation was earned through countless battles fought amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood. In those years, he slew countless enemies on the battlefield. Those who did not retreat when they encountered him eventually died at his hands."

Upon hearing this, Naruto held his breath.

Kakashi's deep voice continued, "In other words, your father made countless enemies in the ninja world. Many people hated the 'Yellow Flash of Konoha,' but unfortunately, they never had the chance to take revenge..."

At this point, a hint of sadness flashed in Kakashi's eyes, but he quickly concealed it so that Naruto wouldn't notice.

Naruto listened intently, his respect for his father undiminished, yet he also realized the weight behind that halo.

"Did Father...bear so much burden?"

Naruto murmured, for the first time gaining a deeper understanding of the word "hero."

Kakashi nodded: "After the Third Shinobi World War, Minato became Hokage. But the situation was not completely stable. The year you were born, our village was attacked by the Nine-Tails."

At this point, Naruto's voice choked, and his eyes reddened again.

After all, many ninjas were killed in the Nine-Tails' attack, and the village's overall strength was severely damaged.

Iruka's parents... also tragically perished in that chaos.

Upon hearing this, Iruka lowered his head, his expression somber.

The grief of losing his parents at a young age is a permanent scar on his heart.

Naruto glanced at Iruka-sensei discreetly and saw his forlorn expression, which made him feel sad and apologetic.

With the Nine-Tails sealed within him, he felt, to some extent, that he was also inextricably linked to the tragedy of that night.

Kakashi continued:

"After the Nine-Tails incident, Konoha was severely weakened and temporarily fell into a weak position among the nations of the ninja world. If someone knew at this time that the Fourth Hokage's only son was in Konoha and had become a Jinchūriki, can you imagine what the consequences would be?"

“Whether openly or secretly, our enemies will definitely take the opportunity to attack you. Not only is the power of the Nine-Tails coveted, but the desire to take revenge on the Fourth Hokage and Konoha is enough for those enemies to eliminate you at all costs. But at that time, Konoha was riddled with holes and could hardly spare the strength to protect you, an infant, from harm around the clock.”

Hearing this, Naruto was completely stunned.

He was so shocked that he couldn't speak for a moment.

Iruka, standing nearby, suddenly realized: "So, Konoha had just lost the Fourth Hokage and so many Jonin at that time, so it was beset by internal and external troubles..."

Kakashi nodded: "The Third Hokage's decision to conceal your identity back then was out of necessity. As the Hokage, he had to prioritize the safety of the village."

"Although I know this is so unfair to you... It would be hard for anyone to accept that you, the son of a hero, have to bear such a heavy burden of misunderstanding and pain. But Naruto, I hope you can understand the Third Hokage's predicament."

The long explanation finally came to an end. Naruto sat there blankly, as if waking from a dream, desperately trying to process everything that Kakashi-sensei had said.

After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and his previously tense shoulders slumped down.

"So this is ah."

Naruto muttered to himself, the complex expression on his face slowly turning into a bitter look.

He always thought the villagers hated him only because of the Nine-Tails, but he never imagined that his father was also involved and that there were so many hidden reasons behind it.

Now that he had heard the whole story, Naruto's resentment towards the Third Hokage had lessened considerably.

Although he still felt a tightness in his chest, he understood that the Hokage did not do so out of malice.

"Naruto, are you feeling any better?" Iruka finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Naruto's expression had eased a little.

He had been watching Naruto's reaction intently, worried that the boy might get stuck in a rut and do something rash.

Seeing him calm down now, I felt relieved and a smile of relief appeared on my face.

Naruto looked up and gave his two teachers, who had shown him concern, a grateful smile: "Um... thank you, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei."

Kakashi's worry lessened considerably. He patted Naruto's head and said gently, "It's good that you've figured it out."

At this moment, Iruka, who had been silent all along, suddenly sighed softly, "Kakashi-senpai, I never expected... you have such a gentle and patient side."

His gaze toward Kakashi held a newfound respect and surprise.

"I heard about your deeds when I was in school, and I always thought of you as a cold and stern legendary ninja... But after meeting you today, I realized that you care about juniors so much."

He had just witnessed Kakashi's careful guidance of Naruto, which changed his opinion of the legendary genius Jonin.

Kakashi, after being praised like that, showed a rare moment of embarrassment, scratching the back of his head and saying, "Well, no matter what, Naruto is still my student."

The words were spoken so matter-of-factly that Naruto felt a surge of warmth in his chest.

"Naruto, you're really amazing." Iruka pressed his advantage, smiling as he patted Naruto on the shoulder. "You have such an excellent father, and you've inherited his will to protect the village. I believe that as long as you work hard, you will definitely become a great ninja like him in the future!"

Iruka paused, then continued solemnly, "When the day comes that you possess enough power to no longer fear any threat, the Third Hokage will surely reveal your identity. At that time, the entire village will know the truth, and their misunderstandings about you will naturally disappear. After all, you are the son of that hero! How can you be defeated by such a setback?"

"Iruka-sensei..."

Naruto felt a lump in his throat, his heart filled with emotion and fighting spirit.

He nodded vigorously, a long-lost smile returning to his face.

After wiping away the tear stains remaining in the corners of his eyes, Naruto straightened his back, his eyes becoming bright and sparkling.

"I understand! That's right, I am the son of the Fourth Hokage. I will inherit my father's will, become Hokage, and will never be easily defeated!"

As he spoke, he clenched his fist, waved it with high spirits, and seemed to have regained his usual sunny and cheerful demeanor.

Thinking of how great his father had been, Naruto felt an immense surge of motivation.

He must work even harder in his spiritual practice so that he can gain everyone's recognition as soon as possible and inherit his father's glory with dignity!

Seeing the blond boy regain his spirits, Kakashi and Iruka exchanged a smile, both of them letting out a sigh of relief.

This is the Na Lu Tuo they know so well; no matter what setbacks they experience, they can quickly recover and always remain optimistic.

Kakashi sighed inwardly.

Naruto, as expected, has the same strong heart and radiant belief as his father.

That's why he can draw strength from solitude and find light in darkness, instead of being like me...

Chapter 59 Things have come to this point; let's see which side is dreaming.