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Weak, drained, Miyuki Uzumaki used the last dregs of her chakra to bind the Nine-Tails.
Her voice was steel. "Our family's future is long, Minato. We will be happy. We'll watch Naruto grow up!"
Minato's tone was low, heavy. "Miyuki. I'm not a jinchūriki. The only way I can deal with the Nine-Tails… is the Reaper Death Seal."
Miyuki's pupils contracted violently. "But… that technique, the caster…"
Minato couldn't meet her eyes. "There's more. Only half of the Nine-Tails would be sealed inside me. A power that immense… it can't be suppressed physically. Strategically, it's impossible.
"You were part of its seal. If the beast resurrects without a jinchūriki, the tailed beast balance collapses. That can't happen.
"My chakra is almost gone. I can't use another sealing jutsu to imprison the entire Nine-Tails inside Naruto. A newborn couldn't withstand it. The Reaper Death Seal… it will seal my soul and half of the beast away. Permanently.
"So the other half… we seal it into Naruto. With the Eight Trigrams Seal."
The words of his teacher, Jiraiya, surfaced in his mind. 'He might be the Child of Prophecy. The shinobi world will face a great upheaval. That child will be its savior.'
Miyuki's expression shattered.
Minato spoke with a terrible, focused intensity. "I know what you want to say. But… the world-changing disaster Teacher Jiraiya spoke of… I confirmed two things today. The masked man who attacked you—he will bring a storm of blood. And the one to stop him… is this child.
"Our son, named by Teacher Jiraiya. He will bear this burden. He will open the path to the future. I… I believe this. Somehow, I know it."
He laid Naruto gently on the ground and stood. His hands formed a sequence of seals.
They came together. "REAPER DEATH SEAL!"
A massive, spectral figure of a Reaper materialized behind him, scythe in hand.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others arrived, skidding to a halt. Hiruzen's eyes widened in horror. "That's… the Reaper Death Seal?!"
Minato looked at Miyuki, a plea in his eyes. "Miyuki, trust him. He's our son. After the seal is complete, I'll bind a portion of my chakra to him. When he struggles to control the Nine-Tails as its jinchūriki… it will help him."
Miyuki's body trembled. "No. I won't agree. He is our son. Precisely because of that, I don't want him to carry this weight! I just want us to be by his side. To watch him grow up. Why? For the tailed beast balance? For the nation? For the village? Do we make our child the sacrifice?!"
Minato's voice turned grave, harsh with duty. "To abandon your country, your village… it's the same as abandoning your child. You lost your homeland. You, more than anyone, should understand! You know the cruel life forced upon those whose nations fall. And we… we are shinobi!"
Miyuki's eyes changed. A cold, ancient fury surfaced. "Minato. You're the Hokage now. Do you even know why my country fell?
"We, the Land of Whirlpools, believed we were steadfast allies with the Land of Fire. With Konoha. In every past war, we sent our shinobi to aid you first. Without question.
"But Konoha? When our country was invaded, when we begged for help… what did Konoha do? You stood by. You watched. Because helping the Land of Whirlpools offered Konoha no profit. You chose to do nothing.
"And now you tell me I should understand? What should I understand, Minato? What can I understand?
"Yes. I understand the life of a refugee all too well. Hiding my name. Wandering. Living in fear every single day.
"I have hated Konoha for it. Konoha, who accepted our unconditional support so easily, then turned its back when we needed you most.
"And now, for the sake of Konoha, you want to make our son a jinchūriki? I refuse. Absolutely. Konoha has so many shinobi. Why must it be you? Why must it be Naruto?
"What of the Uchiha clan you value? The Hyūga? The Nara? The Third Hokage himself? So many clans. So many powerful shinobi. Why are you alone facing the Nine-Tails? Why did you choose to face it alone? And why… why must you drag our newborn son into this?"
Facing her onslaught, Minato's mouth opened. Then closed. He had no defense. "…Miyuki. I am the Hokage."
Tears kept falling from Miyuki's eyes. "Yes. You are the Hokage. But you are also my husband. His father. You always think of Konoha. But have you ever thought of me? Of Naruto? Of yourself?
"I just want our family of three to be happy together. Is that… is that so wrong?"
Hiruzen and the shinobi behind him heard every word. The Third Hokage's expression was unreadable, shadowed. He tapped the barrier with the Adamantine Staff, but it repelled the blow.
"A barrier to keep the Nine-Tails in," Hiruzen muttered, frowning. "We can't get through."
Minato desperately wanted to say 'It's not like that.' The words died in his throat. His face twisted with anguish. "I'm sorry, Miyuki. For the village… I have to do this. It is my duty. As Hokage."
As he focused, preparing to complete the seal and draw half of the Nine-Tails into himself, Miyuki suddenly struggled to her feet. Her hand shot out, pressing against his chest.
"Minato. As his mother… I won't let Naruto bear this from the moment he's born. Letting him live a happy, healthy life… that is my duty!"
Ink-black seal markings spread from her palm across Minato's body. His chakra was sealed, cut off. The ghostly Reaper behind him wavered and vanished.
"Miyuki!" Minato cried, frantic. "You'll only make the damage to Konoha worse! Release the seal!"
Miyuki's face was a mask of sorrowful resolve. "Don't worry. I will fulfill your duty for you… Fourth Hokage."
Her hands moved. The seals were familiar, yet each motion seemed to cost her immensely.
"REAPER DEATH SEAL!"
The Reaper reappeared, looming behind her small, exhausted form. She swayed, almost collapsing.
Minato's eyes were bloodshot. "Miyuki! You don't have enough chakra! You can't seal the Nine-Tails! And your body is too weak—you'll die before the seal is complete!"
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