"What a meaningful family visit that was."
In the real world, Kitagawa Gen slowly opened his eyes.
He saw Naruto still lying there with his eyes shut tight, his expression caught between pain and joy.
Gen couldn't help but nod, recalling how Kushina had sent a punch straight to Naruto's head as he left.
"This makes up for his missing childhood, in a way. Yeah."
Satisfied, Gen gave another nod. At that moment, he truly felt like a noble person.
Letting Naruto experience a "relatively complete" childhood wasn't such a bad thing after all!
"Senpai, it's all resolved?"
At that moment, Karin's timid voice broke the silence. Gen stood up, smiled, and nodded.
"It's done. You did well."
"No problem!"
Karin grinned happily, while Gen stroked his chin in thought before speaking again.
"I think I've found you a sensei. One even more suitable for you than Tsunade."
"Huh?"
Karin looked puzzled, but Gen only smiled, unconcerned.
Placing his hands on both Naruto and Karin, in the next instant he had already brought them back to Naruto's home.
Only then did he continue with a smile: "Please let the Hokage know that Naruto's chakra has awakened. Make it clear it's not the Nine-Tails—they'll understand."
"Oh."
Karin, still confused, nodded. Gen thought for a moment and added: "Also, have the Hokage call Inoichi-ojiisan. His technique should allow you all to enter Naruto's spiritual world smoothly."
"Huh?"
Karin was bewildered.
Enter Naruto's spiritual world? What did that even mean?
But she didn't press further—she simply nodded, then glanced curiously at Naruto.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Him?"
Gen chuckled, looking at Naruto's pained yet joyful expression, nodding with satisfaction.
"Most likely, he's experiencing a complete childhood."
"…"
Karin didn't quite understand what Gen meant by "complete childhood," and Naruto's expression did look rather strange.
Still, she felt that if Gen said so, it must be a good thing!
"But Senpai, where are you going?"
"What comes next isn't for me—it's for you."
Gen shrugged. He truly felt it wasn't his place to appear anymore.
The meeting of the elder generation wasn't something for a junior like him to intrude upon. Besides, he had to plan his next steps now that he'd received his reward.
'Asura's chakra, huh? Not bad.'
Lately, Gen had collected plenty of Yin Release chakra and tailed beast chakra suited to the God Tree.
It actually reminded him of the time when he had repeatedly collected Yang Release chakra. At last, another one had appeared.
Though all of this chakra boosted his development, each one had its own differences in compatibility.
"Don't forget what I told you. I'm off to train."
"Oh."
Still puzzled, Karin nodded. By then, Kitagawa Gen had already vanished from sight.
In the next instant, he arrived at a training ground in Konohagakure. After confirming no one was around, he immediately created a God Tree clone.
"You'll train Wood Release here, and keep refining Storm Release as well."
"I understand. Be careful on the moon."
"It shouldn't be a big problem. I'll head off now."
With another surge of chakra, he vanished once more. The moment he reappeared, he was already standing in a valley.
Lifting his head, his gaze turned toward the sky.
It was still daytime. Although he could sense the power surging from the moon, he made no rash moves.
"When the moon comes out, I'll activate that Tenseigan's power to send me up there."
With that thought in mind, he walked deeper into the valley.
He discovered that the passages linking the moon to the shinobi world were not limited to just one.
The tunnel Naruto and the others had used was merely one of them. Kitagawa Gen had chosen the nearest one to his location.
"Looks like this is the place. Then…"
Glancing around and then lifting his head toward the sky, Gen nodded before sitting down cross-legged on the ground.
There was still some time before the moon would rise. For now, it was the perfect chance to absorb the Yang Release chakra he had obtained from Naruto.
...
"Minato… it really is you!"
Inside Naruto's inner world, the place was already crowded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Kakashi, and Jiraiya—who had just returned from Mount Myōboku—stared in disbelief at Minato and Kushina.
Tsunade and Yamanaka Inoichi also looked dazed, especially Inoichi. He had never expected things to turn out like this.
"Fourth Hokage…"
He swallowed hard, then shifted his gaze toward another side, where Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama stood.
"First Hokage, and Second Hokage-sama?"
At this point, he felt like the world had gone insane. Why were all these deceased people appearing?
Yet he dared not speak out of turn, while the two Senju brothers were busy examining Namikaze Minato.
"So that's the Fourth Hokage?"
"So young… died a little too early, huh."
"If you don't know how to talk, then don't say anything, alright?!"
"Tch, I'm just happy the village lasted all the way to a Fourth Hokage."
"But he's dead."
Tobirama looked at his elder brother in frustration. How could he be such a fool?
Elsewhere, Naruto rubbed his forehead and looked curiously at Karin.
"How did you get in here? And them too—"
"Senpai told me to."
Karin snorted lightly as she answered, though her eyes lingered on Naruto with curiosity.
"Why do you look so beat up?"
"Because of that bastard Gen!"
Naruto scratched at his head in exasperation. He was starting to realize his mother's temper wasn't all that gentle.
And yet, for some reason, he still felt incredibly happy. It was only when he thought of Kitagawa Gen that his face twisted again in pain.
"Damn it, is that what he calls a family visit? I ended up getting beaten up!"
"You've got some nerve saying that?!"
The moment he spoke, Kushina—listening from afar—let out a furious roar.
"Once I'm done handling things here, I'll deal with you next!"
"..."
Naruto didn't dare say another word. Even Minato beside him was breaking into a cold sweat, while Jiraiya swallowed hard.
Kushina's temper hadn't changed one bit.
"Inoichi, I'll trouble you to take those two children for now."
Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed at his brow. He could guess why Kitagawa Gen had brought Karin here, but at the moment he had far more important matters to handle.
"Minato, it's been so long. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have already passed. Back then, I—"
"Third Hokage-sama, it wasn't your fault. It was my own choice."
Minato shook his head, smiling as he spoke.
"And besides, things aren't so bad now. Gen stabilized Kushina's and my chakra, so we can stay and spend some time with Naruto."
"Sensei…"
Kakashi's voice trembled with emotion. His mouth opened, but for a moment he couldn't find the words. Jiraiya, however, only let out a sigh.
"Minato… perhaps I never should have left Konoha back then. And as for that guy, at the time we…"
"Mm. Gen already told me. It was Obito, wasn't it?"
Minato sighed. He already knew the truth.
"I never imagined it would be him. His change is truly regrettable. And I've heard they seem to have some greater purpose."
"Indeed. They have an unknown objective, and that entire organization is made up of rogue shinobi."
Jiraiya nodded, his expression grim as he spoke.
"To this day, we still haven't uncovered exactly what they're after, but their threat to the shinobi world is undeniable."
"On top of that, there's another great danger."
At that moment, Senju Tobirama spoke.
"There's a man named Ōtsutsuki Genshiki—he's exceptionally dangerous. Although we haven't clashed with him directly yet, his goal is the Tailed Beasts."
"The Tailed Beasts…"
At those words, Namikaze Minato and Kushina's expressions changed at once.
Unconsciously, their eyes turned toward the distance—toward Naruto, who was with Yamanaka Inoichi and Karin.
"That's right. He already attacked the Fire Temple, where remnants of the Nine-Tails' chakra lingered."
Hiruzen nodded gravely, and Jiraiya couldn't help but add: "Besides that, the Great Toad Sage told me he attacked Kumogakure. Most likely, he was after the Eight-Tails and the Two-Tails. So…"
He trailed off, but everyone understood what he meant.
"I see. Perhaps that's also one reason why Gen kept us here."
Minato sighed, though soon enough he decided he didn't want to dwell on such heavy matters. He turned instead toward Kakashi.
"Kakashi, not bad. You've managed to raise such remarkable students!"
"Gen… he's always been exceptional."
Even with all the troubles swirling around them, at the mention of Kitagawa Gen, Kakashi's mood visibly lifted.
"That's right. Back then, we all thought he'd be the new you."
Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh—yet the more he laughed, the less he could sustain it.
"He just has a vile personality."
"And he's a bit extreme."
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but mutter from the side. Senju Hashirama nodded, but Senju Tobirama scoffed aloud.
"Nonsense. I don't see anything vile about him, nor do I think he's extreme in any way!"
"First Hokage-sama, Second Hokage-sama."
Namikaze Minato and Kushina quickly gave a slight bow. They had recognized them earlier, of course, but with other matters pressing, they hadn't greeted them until now.
Naturally, they also wondered why these two were here as well—but given their current situation, it didn't seem all that strange anymore.
"No need to be so formal. I'm happy to see you. After all, you're proof that Konoha's legacy has carried on well. It's just a shame—"
Hashirama waved his hand with a smile, but Tobirama cut him off before he could finish.
"Stop babbling nonsense, you idiot. Konoha's legacy will only grow stronger!"
"Er… is that Gen?"
Sweat dripped from Minato and Kushina's foreheads. They hadn't expected the First Hokage and Second Hokage to act this way.
Yet Tobirama's words also made something click in Minato's mind. Thinking it over, there really was nothing wrong with it.
"Yes… though he still needs some time."
Hiruzen nodded bitterly, and Kakashi let out a sigh.
Jiraiya and Hashirama both rubbed at their brows, while Tobirama alone remained completely unconcerned.
Seeing this, Minato also broke into a laugh.
"It does look like Konoha will only keep getting better."
"It certainly will… it's just that—"
Just as Minato finished speaking, Kushina suddenly cut in.
"Now that the important things are said, Minato and I will find a way to guide Naruto as well. But Kakashi, Jiraiya-sensei, shouldn't we also talk about your matters?"
"Huh?"
Kakashi and Jiraiya stared blankly, not understanding what she meant. But Kushina's face had already darkened.
"Kakashi—what's this about 'the worst generation'?"
"I—"
"And Jiraiya-sensei, you had Naruto performing your perverted Sexy Technique all day long?"
"Ah? Uh—"
"Third Hokage-sama, Naruto's grades have been poor in the academy?"
"Uh? I—already—"
"How exactly have you been teaching this child?! No wonder Gen said Konoha's education was flawed—turns out it's all because of you!"
"???"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Kakashi were all struck dumb.
Watching Kushina's crimson hair flare as she raged, they all shared the exact same thought at that moment:
Damn it—so this is what they call the guilty party striking first?!
Meanwhile, in a distant valley, Kitagawa Gen slowly opened his eyes. His gaze rose to the silver moon hanging in the sky.
"It's time to depart."
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