"Before we arrived, we investigated Rōran. There was no one here named Mukade."
Minato spoke with a frown, clearly puzzled.
"Then what is your mission?" Kitazawa asked calmly.
Although he already knew the answer, he could only feign ignorance to avoid raising suspicion.
"To protect the Queen of Rōran and investigate the minister, Anrokuzan," Minato explained.
"Anrokuzan is exploiting the Power of the Dragon Vein to build a puppet army. His goal is to ignite a war that would engulf the entire ninja world."
"So Anrokuzan understands the Dragon Vein quite well." Kitazawa said thoughtfully.
"Mukade also has extensive knowledge of it. Could they… be the same person?"
"The same person?"
Minato was taken aback.
"But Anrokuzan arrived in Rōran six years ago, while Mukade traveled with you."
"Traveling together doesn't mean arriving in the same time." Kitazawa replied, shaking his head.
"It's entirely possible Mukade arrived six years earlier."
Minato fell silent.
This mission had spiraled far beyond expectations. Of all the operations he had ever undertaken, this one was by far the strangest—time travel included.
"If that's the case," Minato said decisively,
"Then our objectives align. We'll work together and deal with Anrokuzan."
"I was hoping you'd say that." Kitazawa smiled.
"It's an honor to cooperate with you, Fourth Hokage-sama."
"I'm not the Hokage yet,"
Minato replied reflexively—then froze.
Fourth Hokage.
Not Hokage-sama.
Which meant that, in their timeline, he was no longer Hokage.
Had he stepped down?
…Or had he died?
Minato opened his mouth, then closed it again, forcing his expression to remain calm.
Altering the future was dangerous. Whether it led to something better—or far worse—was impossible to predict.
"So… who are the other two children?"
He changed the subject.
"Hyuga Hinata, daughter of Hiashi, the Hyuga Clan Head," Kitazawa answered,
"and Shino Aburame, Shibi-senpai's son."
"So he's Shibi's child." Minato chuckled softly.
"No wonder he looks familiar. I'll have to tell Shibi when we reunite—his reaction should be priceless."
"Shibi-senpai is here as well?" Kitazawa asked naturally.
"Yes," Minato nodded.
"Along with Chōza—and Kakashi."
"What a coincidence,"
Kitazawa laughed lightly.
"I also came with Kakashi."
"Kakashi is here?"
Minato asked with interest.
"I'd like to see what he's like grown up."
"We split into two teams." Kitazawa briefly explained, outlining Kakashi's group and Sasuke's presence.
"Then our first priority is regrouping." Minato said after a moment's thought.
"…Are you going to tell Naruto?"
Kitazawa asked quietly.
"No," Minato answered immediately.
"We're from different timelines. Getting too close would only complicate things."
"We can seal memories afterward."
Kitazawa suggested.
"That way, there won't be any lasting impact."
In truth, only the memories of those from the past needed sealing.
The future had already happened—it couldn't be changed.
"That's reasonable." Minato agreed.
"Since we'll seal memories anyway,"
Kitazawa added gently,
"There's no harm in letting Naruto know the truth now."
Minato stiffened.
There was nothing wrong with the logic—but acknowledging a son who shouldn't yet exist was no small thing.
"I'll explain the situation to them first."
Kitazawa said.
"Will you keep wearing the mask and move with us?"
Minato hesitated, then nodded.
He understood now.
Kitazawa was Naruto's teacher. He would never harm the boy.
Which meant only one thing—Naruto had grown up without a father.
The reason was painfully obvious.
"I'll retrieve Chōza and Shibi first." Minato said, suppressing the turmoil in his chest.
"Kakashi is guarding the Queen of Rōran and can't leave yet."
With that, he vanished in a flash.
"…The Flying Thunder God really is convenient." Kitazawa muttered enviously.
Still—he wouldn't be without space–time power for long.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Naruto asked as Kitazawa returned.
"Why did that uncle disappear again?"
"Did you all find him strange?" Kitazawa asked instead.
"Yeah," Naruto nodded seriously.
"He's really mysterious."
"He uses the Flying Thunder God Technique." Shino said immediately, hitting the core of the issue.
"You taught us that only the Second Hokage and Fourth Hokage can use it." Hinata added softly.
She remembered every lesson clearly.
"Oh! That's right!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed.
"Gramps Third said the same thing!"
"Then why does he know it?" Shino asked, puzzled.
"I get it!"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"He's a spy from another village! He said that to trick us!"
"He's not a spy." Kitazawa said with a faint smile.
"Do you remember the purple Chakra?"
All three nodded.
"That was the Power of the Dragon Vein—the lifeblood of the earth, filled with special Chakra."
Kitazawa explained.
"Mukade activated it… and we were swept through time."
"…Time travel?" The three stared blankly.
"Simply put," Kitazawa said, "we're more than ten years in the past."
"Eh—?!"
They were even more confused.
"Kitazawa-sensei…" Shino was the first to piece it together.
"Does that mean… that uncle is actually the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze?"
"That's right," Kitazawa nodded.
Shino and Hinata instinctively turned toward Naruto.
Naruto stood frozen in place, eyes unfocused—as if the world had suddenly tilted beneath his feet.
He had never imagined that he would one day meet his father, a man long dead, here in Rōran.
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, has gone to find his two teammates. He'll be back shortly." Kitazawa said, pausing briefly before adding,
"You know them as well—Akimichi Chōza and Aburame Shibi."
"What?!"
Shino stiffened instantly.
My father is here too?
"Naruto." Kitazawa walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Ki—Kitazawa-sensei… is he really my dad?"
Uzumaki Naruto looked up at him, his voice trembling despite his attempt to stay composed.
"In theory, yes." Kitazawa replied calmly.
"But in this timeline, you haven't been born yet."
"I…" Naruto faltered, his thoughts in complete disarray.
"I've already explained everything to him," Kitazawa said gently.
"When he comes back, you'll have time to talk."
"…Mm."
Naruto nodded unconsciously.
There was so much he wanted to say—words he'd never had the chance to speak before.
Even if this wasn't his Father, even if the circumstances were different… the chance alone was enough.
"Just try not to mention certain things." Kitazawa reminded softly.
"Like death."
Naruto fell silent once more.
At nine years old, in a world where children became soldiers early, he already understood far more than most adults realized.
Just then, three figures appeared out of thin air.
Minato Namikaze.
Aburame Shibi.
Akimichi Chōza.
All young. All unmistakably real.
Shibi's gaze instinctively landed on Shino.
Minato had already explained everything to him—about the son who came from the future.
Father and son stared at each other, the air between them faintly awkward.
Shino, however, was unlike Naruto.
He saw Shibi every day in his own time. There were no regrets, no aching void—only curiosity as he studied his younger father.
"This is… truly astonishing." Chōza said with heartfelt amazement.
The moment he saw Naruto and Shino, he believed Minato's words completely.
After all, the resemblance between fathers and sons was impossible to deny.
Minato stepped forward and stopped in front of Naruto.
Naruto opened his mouth, hesitated—then said nothing.
Instead, he threw himself forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Minato, tears spilling freely.
Seeing this, Kitazawa exchanged a glance with the others.
Without a word, they quietly exited the house.
[Current Mission: Travel through time and facilitate the reunion of Uzumaki Naruto and his father.]
[Mission Reward: Space–Time Ninjutsu Talent.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa exhaled slowly as the three lines of text faded.
Though his body felt no different, he could sense it—he now possessed the qualification to train space–time ninjutsu.
I should've brought the Flying Thunder God scroll, he thought wryly.
Then again, mastering the Flying Thunder God was never something achieved overnight. A little sooner or later made no real difference.
Chōza glanced around.
Shibi was already speaking quietly with Shino, while Hinata stood nearby, unsure how to join in.
Chōza turned to Kitazawa.
"What should I call you?" he asked.
"You can call me Kitazawa, Chōza-senpai." Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"Asuma and I were classmates."
"Oh?"
Chōza paused, then asked curiously,
"And… how is my future child?"
"His talent is outstanding." Kitazawa answered honestly.
"At nine years old, he's already mastered Expansion Jutsu and Super Open Palm."
Since their memories would eventually be sealed, there was no harm in being candid.
"That good?!" Chōza's eyes widened.
At nine, he himself hadn't even learned a single clan secret technique.
"Kitazawa-sensei taught him." Hinata said softly, unable to hold back.
Kitazawa smiled and patted her head.
"You're also my child's teacher?" Chōza asked, stunned.
Minato, nearby, had been thinking the same thing.
"I'm a teacher at the Ninja Academy." Kitazawa explained.
"They haven't graduated yet—I'm just leading them on training missions."
"…?"
Chōza was completely dumbfounded.
These are academy students?
At this level, in his era, they would already be Chūnin—if not Jonin.
Kitazawa briefly explained the concept of the Genius Class.
"The instructor of this Genius Class is even Hokage-sama?" Chōza gasped after hearing the full explanation.
He didn't say Third—because Hiruzen was still the Hokage in this era.
Hinata opened her mouth, wanting to defend Kitazawa—to say that in terms of teaching ability, Hiruzen-sama couldn't compare to him at all.
But since it involved the Hokage, she held her tongue, torn.
Kitazawa didn't mind.
Chōza's reaction was only natural.
In this era, Hiruzen was still widely regarded as the strongest Hokage who had ever lived.
They continued chatting as they waited.
After some time, Minato Namikaze returned.
Alone.
"Naruto fell asleep." Minato explained quietly.
"He's still young, and today was… a lot for him."
The emotional upheaval had been too much.
Even a child with extraordinary resilience could only endure so much before exhaustion claimed him.
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