October 10th.
Today is Naruto's fourth birthday.
But unlike the years before—There is no party. No balloons or children's laughter.Only the clear blue sky and warm morning sun accompany the two of them as they sit atop the head of the Fourth Hokage's stone statue.
(Note:
-. Naruto knows who his father is, but he's never heard it directly from his mother.
-. The reason: Most children aged 6–10 in Kushina's former world didn't understand the concept of death. She believed there was no point in explaining things before Naruto was old enough to comprehend.
-. Now that Naruto is four and growing up with Kushina's guidance, he's matured beyond his age. She decided now was the right time.*)
That place—Konoha's best vantage point—was Kushina's favorite. Now, she sat there with her son, overlooking the village that had fully recovered from the tragedy that once nearly destroyed it.
Naruto sat quietly beside his mother, feet dangling off the edge of the massive stone, occasionally kicking at the wind.
His body was small, but his heart brimmed with questions.
His head now reached Kushina's chin when he sat. His bright blond hair fluttered in the breeze, and his eyes—those clean, blue eyes—shone with endless curiosity.
That day, Kushina decided it was time.
She could speak freely because she had already scanned the surroundings using Kurama's ability to detect malicious intent. Not even White Zetsu could approach unnoticed anymore.
In a soft, rhythmic voice, she began telling a story.About the world. About the Tailed Beasts—Bijuu. Their origins, and how one of the strongest among them—Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox—became entangled in the history of Konoha and the Uzumaki clan.
She spoke of Uzumaki Mito, the first Jinchūriki of Kyuubi, and how that duty eventually passed to her.
Naruto listened, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar.
"...So, you used to be Kyuubi's home?" he asked innocently.
"Yes, sweetheart," Kushina answered with a faint smile, though her eyes were distant—lost in memories.
"When I gave birth to you, someone... someone evil released Kyuubi from my body and used him to attack the village."
Naruto looked down, processing.
"And... now Kyuubi is inside me?" he whispered.
Kushina nodded."Half of him. Your father, Minato Namikaze… he made a great decision that day. He sealed half of Kyuubi within me—and the other half, inside you."
Naruto went quiet, then asked softly, "...Dad?"
"Yes. Your father was an incredible ninja. They called him 'The Yellow Flash of Konoha' because of his unimaginable speed. He was a hero, and…" Kushina paused, smiling gently.
Naruto looked fascinated."Is that why you liked him?" he asked, as curious as ever.
Kushina chuckled and cleared her throat. "Yeah… you could say that."
She pulled up Naruto's shirt and gently touched the seal etched on his belly.
"This seal is your father's legacy. The strongest sealing technique ever created in the ninja world. It's not a curse, Naruto… it's a trust. He trusted both of us with the future."
Naruto nodded firmly, tears welling in his eyes. He clenched his fists.
"Mom… I wanna be a great ninja like Dad! I wanna be Hokage!"
Kushina smiled wide and pulled him into a tight hug.
"And I'll always support you," she whispered.
After a peaceful silence, she added,"Oh, one more thing. Kyuubi has a name. Kurama"
"Kurama?" Naruto repeated, eyes wide.
"Yes. He's not a monster. He's just… a creature who was hurt and imprisoned for too long. He's angry because he's lonely. But that doesn't make him evil."
Naruto nodded decisively."Then… I'll be friends with Kurama!"
Kushina laughed softly and kissed his cheek.
Inside their respective seals, the two mighty halves of Kurama—Yin inside Kushina, Yang inside Naruto—remained silent.
Neither commented on the boy's bold statement. But in their hearts, they began to wonder…Could that boy truly change everything?
That day, under the clear blue sky and the soft chirping of birds, Uzumaki Naruto heard about his father from his mother for the first time…and learned about the heavy legacy placed upon his small shoulders.
But most importantly, he learned that he was never alone.
He had a mother who loved him…
…and a giant fox who might one day call him "friend."
Later That Day...
After sharing lunch with Naruto at their favorite yakiniku restaurant, Kushina brought her son to a quiet, hidden training field—surrounded by trees and soft grass waving in the wind.
Today, on his fourth birthday, Naruto stood proudly in the middle of the field, donning a toy forehead protector and gripping a wooden shuriken in his little hand.
Today, Kushina had made a decision:It was time to begin introducing Naruto to the ninja path.
Not from pressure.Not for greatness.But out of love.
Because this was the world they lived in—and she wanted him to face it prepared, with strength… and a steady heart.
But Kushina was no Fugaku Uchiha. She wouldn't force her son into war. She didn't want him to be a genius prodigy like Itachi, nor a child forced to grow up too fast like Kakashi.
To her, children should be children.
Wasn't that the very dream Hashirama and Madara once shared when founding Konoha?A place where the next generation wouldn't need to pick up blades too soon?
Kushina sat beneath a tree, dressed in a soft pastel yukata with floral prints. One hand held a stick of dango, the other rested on the ground.
In the field, two of her shadow clones were training Naruto—sprinting and throwing shuriken at wooden targets.
Naruto giggled while running. He sometimes tripped, sometimes missed his throws, but he never gave up.
Kushina smiled tenderly.
"At least he doesn't blow up training dummies like I used to…" she muttered.
Footsteps approached behind her.
"Ah, so you really did decide to start Naruto's training, huh?"Kakashi's calm voice rang out as his tall figure came into view.
Kushina turned and arched an eyebrow before smiling warmly."Well, someone has to teach him properly. Who else but me?"
She patted the ground beside her in invitation.
Kakashi hesitated for only a moment before sitting beside her—closer than usual. Their shoulders nearly touched.
Silence fell.
But it was a comfortable kind of silence.
A breeze swept through the field, carrying the scent of grass and dango. It tousled Kushina's red hair like a gentle hand.
Kakashi glanced sideways, his eyes lingering on her soft profile.
Kushina caught the glance and smirked slightly."You're not running away this time, Kakashi-kun. Should I be flattered?"
Kakashi shrugged, half-joking."Maybe I'm enjoying the view."
She didn't answer, just smiled—a small, quiet smile only people who had lost and finally begun to heal could share.
"Kakashi-nii!" Naruto shouted from afar, waving with a beaming face.
Kakashi raised a hand."You're doing great today, Naruto. Keep it up."
Naruto nodded hard and resumed training with gusto, sweat dripping from his brow but a grin glued to his face.
Kakashi watched him.
"He's growing like sunlight," he said softly.
"Like his father," Kushina replied just as quietly."And a little like his mother."
They both chuckled.
And in that moment, for once, all three of them… simply lived.