Just then—
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, appeared out of thin air.
Kakashi froze.
He stared at his late sensei, Minato, and his wife, Kushina, unable to believe what he was seeing.
His mind reeled with confusion and shock.
It was as if Minato and Kushina had just taken a trip to Konoha to grab something and returned as if nothing had happened.
He couldn't speak.
His breath caught in his throat.
Sasuke and Sakura were equally stunned.
They had no idea what was going on.
Sakura stared at Minato's face.
Something about it tugged at her memory—so familiar…
Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning.
"Ah!" she gasped. "You're… you're the Fourth Hokage from the Hokage Rock!?"
She pointed at Minato in wide-eyed disbelief.
Sasuke, catching on, turned toward him as well.
"You're Naruto's father!?"
"And you… you must be his mother?"
He looked from Minato to Kushina, completely astonished.
They had both heard the truth about Naruto's parentage before—how the Fourth Hokage and his wife had sacrificed themselves to save Konoha.
But neither Sasuke nor Sakura ever expected to see them.
How could two people confirmed dead suddenly be standing in front of them?
Minato and Kushina looked at Kakashi, now grown and wearing the weight of years on his shoulders.
"It's been a while, Kakashi," Minato said with a warm smile.
Kushina stepped forward and smacked Kakashi lightly on the head.
"You're still as gloomy as ever!" she scolded playfully.
Kakashi felt the familiar sting of that light smack—felt her voice, her energy.
He saw Minato's gentle expression.
It felt real.
For a fleeting moment, it felt like his teacher and his teacher's wife had truly come back to life.
Minato and Kushina then turned to Sasuke and Sakura.
Minato smiled gently and introduced himself.
"Hello. I'm Minato Namikaze—Naruto's father."
"This is my wife, Kushina Uzumaki—Naruto's mother."
"Thank you both for always being there for our son."
His voice was soft, sincere.
Sasuke and Sakura were speechless.
Sasuke found himself drawn to the Fourth Hokage's calm and reassuring presence.
There was something about Minato that simply put people at ease.
Sakura, meanwhile, couldn't help but stare.
So this is Naruto's father…
He's… he's so handsome!
She blushed.
"N-No, no!" she stammered, waving her hands. "It's Naruto who takes care of us, really!"
Minato chuckled.
Kushina smiled warmly and turned her attention to Sasuke.
"Sasuke," she said. "I was friends with your mother."
She stepped closer and ruffled his hair gently, her eyes filled with motherly warmth.
Sasuke stiffened. "You… knew my mom?"
"Of course," Kushina said, nodding. "Mikoto was one of my dearest friends back in the village."
Her voice softened.
"I've heard what happened to the Uchiha clan. I'm so sorry, truly."
Sasuke's heart skipped a beat.
So… our mothers were friends?
The weight of the Uchiha tragedy settled on his shoulders once again.
Kushina looked at the boy who carried so much pain, and her heart ached.
"Sasuke…"
"If your mother could see you now…"
"I know she'd be proud of the man you've become."
To Kushina, the son of her closest friend was no different from her own son.
She couldn't imagine what Sasuke must've gone through as a child, enduring it all alone.
But right now…
She was here—for him, too.
"Sensei… do you support Naruto too?"
Kakashi's voice was low, uncertain.
Minato Namikaze smiled and nodded, but there was something complex in his eyes—regret, sorrow, and quiet determination.
"Yes," he said.
"Before I died… I entrusted Naruto to the Third Hokage."
"But…"
He paused, his gaze darkening.
"I never expected that this decision would lead to everything Naruto had to endure."
"That's why… I want to help him now."
Minato's words hung heavy in the air.
He couldn't help but recall the time he briefly returned to Konoha to retrieve the Reaper Death Seal mask.
Back then, he had taken the opportunity to quietly investigate the truth for himself.
He had seen it firsthand—how the villagers treated Naruto.
Even worse than what he'd glimpsed through Kurama's memories.
The cold stares. The whispered insults. The isolation.
And what angered him most—
Was the fact that the Third Hokage had done nothing to stop it.
He allowed the rumors and discrimination to spread unchecked.
That alone…
Was enough to reveal the true attitude the Third Hokage had toward Naruto.
Minato had entrusted Naruto to him—believing in his promise.
The Third Hokage had sworn to protect Naruto. Sworn to raise him with care.
And this was how he had kept that promise?
Even Minato—the always composed and sunny Fourth Hokage—couldn't suppress the anger rising in his chest.
Konoha was rotten to the core.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, and the rest of the village's upper echelon had clung to power and status for too long.
They protected each other.
They formed a powerful, unshakable political bloc within Konoha—immune to reform.
And if what Naruto had said about the future was true—
Then the entire shinobi world was on the brink of catastrophe.
Under the current leadership—
Under the Third Hokage's control—
Konoha had no means to deal with it.
At this rate, the village would be completely destroyed when the crisis came.
But Naruto… Naruto hadn't destroyed Konoha.
He had simply overthrown the old regime.
He had spared the village, even when it hadn't spared him.
How could Minato not support him?
As the former Fourth Hokage—
He believed in his son.
Naruto would lead Konoha into a better future.
Overthrowing the Third wasn't just personal vengeance—it was necessary.
And it had to be done.
Kakashi listened to all this in silence, eyes downcast.
He felt a bitter ache in his chest.
He had failed.
He had failed to protect the only son of his teacher and Kushina-sama.
Back then, he'd chosen to escape.
To drown himself in endless missions as a member of the Anbu.
He thought burying himself in duty would make the pain go away.
But it didn't.
It only meant he turned away when Naruto needed him most.
He hadn't been there.
He hadn't done anything.
"…Sensei. Kushina-sama. I'm sorry. I didn't take care of Naruto."
Kakashi's voice was barely a whisper, laden with guilt.
Minato and Kushina turned to him.
They had both suffered. And they knew Kakashi had, too.
He'd lost friends, comrades, and himself.
In truth, it wasn't his fault.
Not really.
When Kushina had first learned of Naruto's childhood…
She had been furious.
Furious with Kakashi for not protecting him.
But that anger had passed.
She had no right to hold that grudge.
"Kakashi," Kushina said softly, placing a gentle hand on his head.
"Don't blame yourself. You've done more than enough."
She still saw him as the same boy who had followed Minato so faithfully years ago.
Minato smiled gently, his voice calm.
"Kakashi, I never blamed you. Everything that happened to Naruto… it was because of me."
Kakashi froze.
He had spent years silently carrying that guilt.
It never occurred to him—
That his teacher and Kushina had never blamed him.
Not even once.
Emotion surged within him.
A storm, but also… a release.
"…Sensei."
Kakashi's voice trembled, overwhelmed.
Minato smiled again.
And now, finally—
Naruto, Minato, Kushina, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura stood together.
For once, no one was arguing, hiding, or hurting.
Just standing—together.
Naruto looked at them all, a small, content grin on his face.
This time… he hadn't had to fight alone.
With the support of his parents—
And with Kakashi, Sasuke, and Kurama by his side—
Naruto had never felt stronger.
To him, companions and family were everything. More powerful than any title. More dependable than any Hokage.
They mattered far more than people like Hiruzen Sarutobi ever could.
Now that everyone had made their positions clear, a moment of silence followed.
Kakashi frowned slightly, concern flickering in his eyes.
Even with Naruto's overwhelming strength—
It wasn't as simple as storming in and toppling the Hokage.
Sure, Naruto could do that.
But what then?
After defeating the Third Hokage—what next?
No one in the village would be loyal to Naruto right away. No one would know what came after.
Was he supposed to rule the entire village with just a handful of people?
It was unrealistic.
Kakashi turned to them, finally voicing his thoughts.
"…Sensei. Naruto. What do we do next?"
At those words, Sasuke perked up.
He couldn't strike that man down himself—not yet.
But Naruto could.
Naruto could bring everything crashing down.
And when that happened…
Sasuke was eager to see it.
He wanted to witness Hiruzen Sarutobi—Konoha's "beloved Hokage"—fall.
He wanted to see the old man's reaction when his world came undone.
Minato turned to Naruto with a small smile.
He didn't answer.
This was Naruto's moment.
Let him say it.
All eyes turned to Naruto.
Naruto stood tall, shoulders squared.
There was fire in his eyes. Resolve in every word that followed.
"I'll defeat the Third Hokage in front of the entire village," he declared. "At a public assembly."
"I'll make sure everyone sees it. Witnesses it. Understands it."
"The fall of Hiruzen Sarutobi—will be remembered."
"I'm going to erase everything those so-called 'elders' ever did for this village. Him. Danzo. Homura. Koharu. All of them."
"They twisted Konoha for their own gain."
"They destroyed dissenters. Suppressed talent. Dragged us into war after war."
"They made the village suffer."
"I'll record their crimes—on a stone tablet beneath the Hokage Monument."
"The truth will be etched into the foundation of this village."
"And I'll make sure their legacy becomes a warning."
"Future generations will learn of it. It'll be taught in the Ninja Academy itself!"
"They'll know what kind of shinobi not to become."
"They'll know—never to walk the path of Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"Of course…"
"I won't kill the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."
Naruto's voice was steady—calm, but brimming with fury.
"I want him to live… to be hated by everyone in Konoha."
"I want him to watch—day by day—as the admiration he once basked in turns into scorn and contempt."
"I want him to become the greatest sinner in Konoha's history."
Those words rang out with unmistakable intent.
Naruto wasn't hiding anything now.
His thoughts, his anger, his pain—he laid it all bare.
It sounded cruel.
But compared to what the Third Hokage had done—
To the White Fang, the Hyūga clan, the Uchiha clan—
Even that cruelty seemed mild.
Not to mention what he had done to Naruto himself.
And yet—
When Kakashi, Sasuke, and the others heard Naruto speak…
They agreed.
They felt… satisfied.
Who says kind people should always turn the other cheek?
Who says the good must suffer in silence?
Who says vengeance is empty?
Naruto didn't think so.
He believed in striking back.
An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
What's wrong with that?
He liked the feeling of justice on his own terms.
Revenge wasn't shameful—it was honest.
If someone wrongs him, he'll return the blow tenfold.
That was his creed.
"If no one offends me, I won't offend them.
But if anyone dares to offend me…
I'll make sure they regret it."
He would rather betray the world than let the world betray him.
And then, shifting from emotion to action, Naruto finally said:
"As for our next move—"
He straightened and announced with cold confidence:
"I now command over five hundred jōnin from Konoha."
Silence.
Kakashi and Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
Had they heard that right?
Five hundred jōnin?!
And all of them under Naruto's command?
That didn't make sense.
Kakashi, as a long-serving jōnin and former Anbu captain, knew the structure of Konoha's forces better than anyone.
He quickly did the mental math.
Konoha didn't have an unlimited number of elite ninja.
Including the jōnin currently stationed in the village, plus those out on missions or patrolling the borders—
The total number couldn't be more than 500.
Maybe slightly more if you included the personal units of Danzo's Root or the Third Hokage's direct subordinates.
If you added the clan heads and senior ninja of the major families—
Maybe seven to eight hundred jōnin total.
Which meant…
Naruto had already gathered the majority of Konoha's top-tier forces to his side.
And no one had realized it.
Kakashi's heart pounded.
This wasn't just a rebellion.
It was a coup—already in motion.
And Naruto was the one leading it.
...
TN:
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