Naruto had dreamed of his parents countless times, but in every dream, he could never see their faces clearly. It was as if a thick fog clouded his vision, leaving him completely blind.
It wasn’t until he woke up that he realized it wasn’t the fog—it was because he had no idea what his parents looked like.
When he first heard from Kurama that his father might be the Fourth Hokage, Naruto’s first thought wasn’t disbelief. Instead, he was excited that he’d finally be able to see his father’s face in his dreams.
After all, there was a statue of the Fourth Hokage on the Hokage Rock in Konohagakure.
It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? But that’s how Naruto had always lived—always in the shadows, always humble.
Sometimes, Kurama would notice Naruto smiling sweetly in his sleep. At first, Kurama thought Naruto was dreaming about Sakura, but later realized that wasn’t the case. When Naruto dreamed about Sakura, his smile was more... let’s say, pervy.
But when Naruto smiled sweetly in his dreams, it was so genuine that Kurama couldn’t bring himself to wake him up.
Kurama lay down, staring at the now-vanished giant prison door. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of melancholy.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was still in shock. He kept blinking, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was real. And who could blame him? Who would’ve thought that his down-and-out classmate was actually the son of the Hokage?
Hagoromo stood nearby, smiling warmly. He glanced at Sasuke, then turned to Kurama. "This isn’t the time for such negative comments."
Kurama shifted closer to Hagoromo. "It’s just a reflex. Besides, you know what Boruto’s like—he’s practically the Daimyo’s infamous ’unburnable trash.’ Whenever someone mentions him, I just can’t help myself."
Hagoromo chuckled helplessly. Kurama had indeed been deeply influenced by those memories from Earth, and Hagoromo, who knew about those memories, completely understood where Kurama was coming from.
Just then, the trio seemed to have finished their heartfelt moment. Minato and Kushina, each holding one of Naruto’s hands, walked over to Hagoromo. Minato bowed deeply, his expression serious. "Lord Sage of Six Paths, thank you so much for reuniting the three of us."
Kushina also bowed, and Naruto, seeing this, immediately followed suit, showing the utmost respect.
Hagoromo shook his head with a smile. "Since I’m the one who caused all of this, it’s only right that I clear up any confusion.
In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you for the suffering my stubbornness caused."
Minato replied earnestly, "This was the path we chose for ourselves. Whether or not you passed on your chakra, we would have faced those decisions regardless."
Hagoromo looked at Minato with approval. "Your heart is as pure as Naruto’s. If you were Ashura..."
He suddenly stopped, then shook his head again. "No, that’s not relevant."
Minato and Kushina exchanged a confused glance, while Naruto tried to scratch his head but couldn’t since his hands were being held. Instead, he nuzzled his mom’s arm.
"Now that Naruto’s matter is settled, it’s Sasuke’s turn," Hagoromo said, turning to Sasuke, who had been silent all this time.
Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts and instinctively clenched his fists.
"Sasuke?" Kushina’s eyes lit up as she asked with curiosity, "Sasuke... Uchiha Sasuke?"
Sasuke relaxed his hands and looked at Kushina, a bit dazed. "Yes, I’m Uchiha Sasuke. Uh... ma’am?"
"You are Mikoto’s child!" Kushina instantly let go of Naruto’s hand and rushed over to Sasuke, wrapping him in a tight hug and rubbing her cheek against his.
"It’s really you! I’m so happy! Mikoto’s child has grown up so much, and you’re friends with my Naruto!" Kushina released Sasuke but kept her hands on his shoulders, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "Little Sasuke, I’m Kushina Uzumaki, your mom’s good friend!"
With that, she hugged him again. "So, little Sasuke, how’s your mom, Mikoto? Has she gained any weight since I’ve been gone? Did she take good care of Naruto for me? If not, tell her I’m mad at her!"
As she said the last part, Kushina puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be angry, but her eyes were full of hope and joy.
Sasuke was completely caught off guard by Kushina’s affection. Even his own mother had never been this affectionate with him, let alone his father or brother. He stared at Kushina, stunned by her overwhelming warmth.
But he didn’t dislike it. Sasuke could feel Kushina’s genuine care and warmth, as if she were embracing her own child.
However... when he heard Kushina’s questions, Sasuke lowered his head. Under her puzzled gaze, he slowly spoke, "Auntie... how did you know my mother?"
Kushina was taken aback. She instinctively felt something was off about Sasuke’s state, but she still nodded gently. "Yes, Mikoto and I were classmates. We were very close and used to hang out every day. When you were born, she even held you in her arms and showed you off to me."
The two of them were like sisters—not the fake kind, but truly close friends.
Mikoto was one of the few people in Konohagakure who genuinely considered Kushina a friend. If Minato and Kushina had still been around, given their relationship with the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha would never have considered a coup.
Sasuke’s expression darkened. He forced a smile and looked at Kushina. "Aunt Kushina... Mom... she’s gone."
Kushina froze, holding Sasuke tightly as she processed the news.
Sasuke’s sadness, Kushina’s disbelief.
But Kushina had been through a lot. After a moment, she regained her composure. Now, her eyes held not just warmth but also pity and a motherly love. She hugged Sasuke gently. "It’s okay. I’m sure Mikoto is watching over you from above, just like I watch over Naruto."
That’s the life of a shinobi. Mikoto was a shinobi, Fugaku was a shinobi. It wasn’t surprising that they would meet the same fate as her and Minato. That’s just how it is for shinobi.
Sasuke unconsciously let his guard down, leaning into Kushina as if he were in his mother’s arms. It wasn’t an illusion—he truly felt the warmth of a mother’s embrace.
Kushina gently patted Sasuke’s back. After a while, she softly asked, "Sasuke, can you tell me what happened?"
Sasuke opened his eyes. He wasn’t crying, but tears were welling up. After all, he was just a twelve-year-old boy. At least in front of Kushina, he was just a child.
Instead of answering, Sasuke turned to look at Hagoromo.
Hagoromo nodded solemnly, then took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing his hand on Sasuke’s head.
As chakra surged, the seal space began to lose its color, like ink spilling onto a canvas. The world was covered in darkness, leaving only the people present in clear view.
Before Sasuke could ask, the darkness faded, replaced by shades of white and gray.
Then, a burst of colors filled the scene, painting the world in a deep... crimson.
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