Torifu held Minato's hand firmly. "Of course you can. Your name will also resonate throughout the ninja world one day."
Although Minato didn't recognize the man in front of him, he felt a strange sense of comfort. No one had ever been so certain of him before, not even his own parents. After all, his parents were just ordinary civilians, and their greatest hope for him was simply that he would learn to farm.
Yet this older brother, who was holding his hand, said that he would one day be famous throughout the ninja world. Minato didn't entirely believe it himself, but the words still sparked a newfound fighting spirit within him.
"Nii-san, are we going back to Konoha?"
Torifu smiled. "Yes. Did that person you met earlier tell you anything about it?"
Minato nodded. "He said Konoha is the safest place. I don't know anything else."
"He was right. Konoha is the safest place. You don't have to fear any enemies invading. Even if they do, we'll drive them away."
The two quickly arrived at the main gate of Konoha. Minato was a little scared when he saw the guards, afraid they wouldn't let him in. He was also worried that he would cause trouble for this older brother.
To his surprise, a guard walked up and bowed respectfully to the man beside him. "Torifu-sama, you've returned so soon? And who is this...?"
Torifu pulled Minato out, who had been trying to hide, and hoisted him up by the scruff of his neck. "Just a kid I found on the road. He looked pitiful, with no parents, so I brought him home to raise."
It was a very blunt reason, and Minato was certain he was about to be turned away. Yet the guard's smile remained. "I see. Then this child is very fortunate to receive your guidance."
Torifu waved a hand dismissively. "Not at all, not at all. My abilities are limited. I'll just do my best; whether he succeeds or not is up to him."
The guard nodded, and without further conversation, Torifu, still holding Minato, walked into the village.
Minato felt like a little chick being carried in the air and was very embarrassed. He quietly asked Torifu if he could be put down. Torifu smiled and complied.
"Your personality is the complete opposite of Amado's. That guy was so outgoing, but you're very shy."
Minato lowered his head. "I didn't have many friends back home..."
Torifu led Minato toward the Hokage's office. Even an orphan brought back by Torifu needed to be registered and have an official identity.
"Just think of this as your home from now on. You don't have to worry too much."
All along the way, villagers greeted Torifu warmly, and Torifu returned each one of their greetings, which Minato found quite amazing. This older brother seemed to be very popular in the village.
"Torifu, who is this child?" a woman's voice called from behind him.
Torifu didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. "Koharu-nee, long time no see."
Koharu had married a handsome male ninja and had a son. Her husband was an elite jōnin in the village and a good match for her. Torifu had once thought that Koharu would end up with En, which made him feel a bit sad when it didn't happen. Clearly, shipping characters only hurt himself in the end.
Koharu smiled. "It's true. I was busy leading a team for a while and didn't have much free time."
"Anyway, you haven't answered my question. Who is this handsome, blond little guy?"
Minato was so flustered by Koharu's teasing that he hid behind Torifu.
"He's a child I found outside the village. He's an orphan, so I'm about to go get him registered."
Koharu nodded. "I see. Well then, I won't hold you up. You should hurry."
After waving goodbye, Torifu took Minato to the Hokage's Office. The door was open, and after a polite knock, Torifu walked inside.
This was a truly historic moment. In the original world, Senju Tobirama and Minato never met while Tobirama was alive. He died during the First Great Shinobi War, and his time as the Second Hokage lasted only a year or two. In this world, not only was Tobirama alive, but after eating the fruit Torifu gave him, he had become even younger. It felt like he could be the Hokage for another twenty or thirty years!
"Well, if it isn't Torifu. What brings you here? Is the air conditioner not cool enough at home?"
Torifu waved his hand with a laugh. "Hokage-sama, don't say that. It makes me sound like a slacker."
Tobirama looked at him with a hint of doubt. "Aren't you?"
Torifu felt a bit awkward, not knowing how to respond.
"Thank you for the fruit. It made me a lot younger. To give me something so valuable... I guess it was worth it, raising you when you were little."
Though he teased Torifu with his words, Tobirama was genuinely touched. When he went home that day and saw the changes in his older brother and sister-in-law, he was stunned. He thought he'd traveled through time. But when his brother explained everything and handed him that fruit, he finally understood that it was all Torifu's doing.
"Ah! Hokage-sama, there's no need to be a stranger, is there? I'm half your student. We're master and disciple—family. There's no need for formalities."
A kind, paternal smile spread across Tobirama's face. The little kid he once raised had grown up so much. It was truly worth it.
"What's the matter today?"
Torifu then picked up Minato, who was still hiding behind him. "Ta-da! Hokage-sama, look! I found another kid outside the village!"
Hearing those words, Tobirama's mind was instantly drawn back to over a decade ago when a nine-year-old Torifu brought a six-year-old Amado to his office to get an identity. In the blink of an eye, they had both grown up so much, and Amado had become a world-renowned inventor! Even Tobirama's own life now relied on air conditioners and televisions!
"What's his name?"
Torifu answered without a second thought. "Namikaze Minato!"
Since the child was brought back by Torifu, there was no need for a detailed investigation. Tobirama pulled out a form, wrote a few things down, stamped it, and put it away.
"All right, his identity is registered. From today on, he is a legitimate Konoha citizen."
Minato was still a little dazed. He had been picked up, the two of them had said things he couldn't understand, and now he was a citizen of Konoha? Just like that?
Minato knew that this person called Tobirama must be the legendary Hokage. Even though he didn't know much about the village, he knew that much about the ninja world. He knew there used to be five great ninja villages, but the Village Hidden in the Clouds violated the peace treaty and started a war. In the end, they were annihilated by the Hokage of Konoha! From then on, only four ninja villages remained in the world! This proved that the Hokage must be the strongest!
But he never imagined that this older brother would be so close with the Hokage! And it seemed like the Hokage had even raised him since he was a child?
But why was he called Namikaze Minato? Was Namikaze his new family name?
At that moment, Torifu just wanted to say, there's a lot more you don't know yet. I'll tell you slowly in the future.