"Alright, then I'll tell you everything, Naruto." Ren nodded, placing a comforting hand on Naruto Uzumaki's shoulder. "Actually, your parents aren't evil people, and they never did anything wrong. They are the heroes of the village. They sacrificed their lives for the sake of the entire village."
"What?!" Naruto Uzumaki's blue pupils widened abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief. Such an answer was something he had never dared to even imagine. "Ren-nii, you're really not lying to me, are you?" Naruto's voice trembled, revealing the profound impact this news had on his heart.
"Of course, I'm not lying to you," Ren assured him. "Your father is Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, known as 'Konoha's Yellow Flash.' And your mother is a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, and also the previous Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki. All of these tragedies happened because, on the day you were born, you were caught in an enemy's plot. This led to Kurama breaking free from Kushina Uzumaki's body during childbirth. Your parents, seeing you were just born, chose to sacrifice their own lives and sealed the Nine-Tails inside your body." Ren explained truthfully.
When Ren had previously collected Naruto Uzumaki's chakra, he had already explained to Naruto that his chakra was different from other people's. So Naruto Uzumaki already knew about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed inside him, making this part easier for him to grasp now.
But even so, Naruto Uzumaki, upon hearing the full truth, remained stunned for a long time before finally coming back to his senses. A flicker of confusion in his eyes, he asked Ren, "Ren-nii, but if my parents are great heroes… why does everyone hate me so much?"
"Because in this village, not many people know that you are the son of the Fourth Hokage," Ren explained, taking a sip of tea. He continued, as Naruto Uzumaki listened, bewildered. "After the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, suppressed the news that you were the Fourth Hokage's son. This matter was classified as the highest secret, and no one was allowed to leak it. But the fact that the Nine-Tails was sealed inside your body was disseminated from Konoha's leadership, letting the villagers know. So, your past treatment in the village… in fact, it can also be said that Konoha's high-level officials, including Sarutobi Hiruzen, caused it."
In the original story, Naruto's childhood experience wasn't fully detailed. Many aspects were kept secret. Ren, however, had joined Anbu, accessed numerous classified files, and deduced the full truth of the matter. And what Ren had just revealed had a profound impact on Naruto's psyche. An elder who was very close to him, perhaps the only person he had admired since childhood besides Ren-nii… now he was being told that the miserable treatment of his childhood was caused by the Third Hokage?
"Ren-nii, you, you said that all this was caused by Gramps? Gramps… why did he do this!" Naruto shot up from the stool, his voice loud and filled with an excited anguish.
"Because they… are also afraid of the Nine-Tails' power," Ren answered simply.
"The Nine-Tails' power?" Naruto looked down at his stomach.
"That's right," Ren nodded, continuing, "Whether it's you or your sacrificed parents, in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart, they are incomparable to the safety of the entire village. For Konoha's peace, Sarutobi Hiruzen can sacrifice anyone, of course, including your childhood happiness."
Naruto Uzumaki's face was filled with utter confusion. Ren could only continue to explain, "Because of the strength of a Tailed Beast and the particularity of a Jinchūriki, a Jinchūriki is a super weapon-level existence, a vital asset in war, no matter the village. For the Kage of the Five Great Villages, a very important objective is to control the Jinchūriki's power within their grasp. And the trick Sarutobi Hiruzen used was the emotional card."
"Emotional card?" Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head, feeling completely lost.
"Yes. You, having lost your parents, became an orphan, and you were severely lacking in emotional connections. By letting the people in the village hate you, it would be difficult for you to form bonds with others, and you would have a greater yearning for affection. When you were alone and without support, you would be moved by the small kindness Sarutobi Hiruzen showed you, and thus you would obey his words."
Naruto was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "Ren-nii, what do you mean… Gramps made everyone in the village treat me badly, and then he treated me well, just so I would listen to him and he could control me?"
Ren nodded.
Naruto's face instantly contorted, becoming far uglier. "Then, Ren-nii, why were you able to approach me that day? And since the Hokage has ordered these things… if you tell me directly like this, you won't cause any trouble, will you?" At this moment, after listening to Ren's words, the benevolent image of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, that had been constructed in Naruto's heart over the years, completely crumbled. Naruto felt that the only person he could truly trust in his heart right now was the older brother, Ren, in front of him.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't take precautions about our interactions before because I was only one year older than you, and he didn't know my true strength at the time, so he didn't take our exchanges seriously," Ren explained. "And now I'm telling you these truths for two reasons: First, I think your heart is mature enough. Knowing the truth earlier can alleviate a lot of pain in your heart. From now on, you don't have to feel inferior about being an orphan or being called a 'fox demon,' because you are the son of the Fourth Hokage. They both sacrificed themselves to protect Konoha, sealing the Nine-Tails in your body to do so. You should feel incredibly proud of your existence."
"The second reason," Ren continued, a subtle glint in his eye, "is because my current strength is sufficient. The high-level people in Konoha, including Sarutobi Hiruzen, are no longer a threat to me."
"!!" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, and he suddenly exclaimed, "Ren-nii, you, you mean, your current strength is already stronger than the Hokage's?!"