Naruto: Starting from the time when the Six Paths of Pain was Kira Yoshikage

Chapter 98 Minato, You Don't Understand People's Hearts

Even Minato wouldn't dare to act rashly in the face of the legendary Sage of Six Paths' Eyes, let alone when his intentions were completely seen through.

Reckless actions could bring even greater disaster to Konoha.

Unfortunately, Minato was unaware that Konoha had already been blacklisted by Nagato.

"You damned little bugs!!!"

The Nine-Tails' furious roar shattered the deathly silence in the air. Its massive body struggled wildly, its chakra boiling like magma. Yet, the seemingly delicate chains were surprisingly strong, firmly fixing it in place.

The nine-tailed fox's bloodshot, crimson eyes swept over Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki with a venomous gaze. Its roar was filled with a hatred that almost materialized: "Minato! Kushina! You stole half of my body! And now you want to reseal me?! I'll tear you to pieces!"

If Kurama (the Nine-Tails) didn't initially intend to cause much trouble, after experiencing Sharingan control, the suicide attacks by Konoha ninjas, the current bondage play, the loss of half of its body's power, and the impending resealing, Kurama's rage has reached its peak.

Let alone the proud and arrogant Nine-Tails, even an honest person would be tempted to grab a kitchen knife and splatter blood after experiencing all this.

That's not fair... bullying a fox.

However, Kurama's attention was entirely focused on breaking free from its restraints, and it didn't notice Nagato standing to the side at all, nor did it see the iconic Rinnegan.

"Quiet!"

Nagato's voice wasn't loud, but it resonated like a thunderclap in everyone's ears. He frowned slightly, clearly displeased that Kurama had interrupted him.

"After I kill you all, I'm going to slaughter everyone in Konoha!"

Although Kurama heard Nagato's words, he was too enraged to care and continued to vent his resentment with bared teeth and claws.

"I said quiet...didn't you hear me?"

Nagato snorted coldly, his figure instantly appearing above Kurama's head, his right hand reaching out to the back of Kurama's head without hesitation.

Spicy Tensei!

Nagato's power was far greater than that of Pain. Even Pain's Shinra Tensei, with its size like a white whale, was sent flying by the force of the attack. The Nine-Tails, which was about the same size as a white whale, had half of its fox head pressed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

This completely ignited the Nine-Tails' fury. Its orange-red fur instantly turned crimson, and its chakra surged wildly like a tsunami, on the verge of going into a complete berserk state. Kushina and Minato's expressions changed drastically, and they immediately prepared to forcibly seal it away.

But what happened next left them speechless.

When Kurama finally managed to pull its head out of the mud, it met Nagato's eyes. The next second, this tailed beast, which had just been ferocious, froze in place as if it had been frozen in place.

"I'm going to kill...this...these...eyes...the old man's..."

Nine-Tailed Fox's voice became stammering, and its angry expression froze on its face. Half of the huge fox's face was ferocious, and the other half was astonished. The two strange expressions intertwined, making it look particularly comical. It was hard to imagine that a fox's face could have such a rich range of expressions.

The Sage of Six Paths is said to have created the Ninja Cult and the nine Tailed Beasts. In a sense, he was like a father to the Tailed Beasts.

Nagato, seeing Kurama's shocked expression, remained completely unmoved. He simply asked calmly, "Are you more awake now, Kurama?"

The moment Kurama's name was uttered, Kurama shuddered, its anger and astonishment vanishing instantly, replaced by barely concealed joy. Knowing his true name meant that even if he wasn't the Sage of Six Paths, he must be connected to Kurama.

"Could it be...you...you really are..."

Kurama looked at Nagato, her voice trembling.

If it were anyone else who had just beaten up Kurama, even if it was Hashirama or Madara who had defeated Kurama before, Kurama would continue to fight them. But if it was Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan and was suspected of being related to the Sage of Six Paths, Kurama's attitude would immediately make a 180-degree turn.

Looking across the entire world, the only person who could make Kurama suppress his anger, remain calm, and even be a little ingratiating was perhaps the Sage of Six Paths.

"Shh...we'll have plenty of time to talk about these things later..." Nagato gently raised her hand to interrupt it: "Besides, don't worry, your half-body is safe with me, very safe."

After saying that, he simply sat on top of Kurama's head, and the two of them chatted as if no one else was around, completely ignoring the Minato couple standing to the side.

The Nine-Tails' attitude left Kushina and Minato completely bewildered. Little did they know what the Rinnegan meant to a tailed beast.

Nagato didn't really understand either. According to the relationship between the tailed beasts and the Sage of Six Paths in the original story, he didn't even need to carry out the tailed beast capture plan. He could just activate the Rinnegan, impersonate the Sage of Six Paths, and walk around in front of the tailed beasts, and these guys would obediently follow him.

Who else in the world is the second person to possess the Sage's Eyes if not the successor of the Sage of Six Paths?

A few minutes later, Nagato leaped down from the top of Kurama's head and came to Minato and his wife again.

"Seal the Nine-Tails; he won't struggle anymore."

97

"Kurama?" Kushina repeated in confusion.

"That's the Nine-Tails' true name," Nagato explained.

Kushina nodded thoughtfully: "This is the first time I've known it has a name."

For a fleeting moment, Kushina longed to understand the Nine-Tails, with whom she had lived for so long.

Surprisingly, Kurama did not refute, but looked at Naruto in the swaddling clothes with a very complicated expression.

Because Nagato had just told him that this child was also an acquaintance of his, the reincarnation of Ashura.

Upon being sealed into the body of Ashura's reincarnation, Kurama's resentment vanished by most. If Kurama had any human friends, perhaps Ashura could be considered one.

Minato no longer had time to speculate about Nagato's intentions. He knew that he and Kushina didn't have much time left. He was about to lose control of the Shinigami behind him who was about to reap his soul. He had to seal the remaining half of the Nine-Tails into Naruto's body as soon as possible. This was the last thing they could do for their child.

Minato's hand seals moved with incredible speed; in the blink of an eye, an altar slowly rose from the ground. He carefully placed the infant Naruto in the center of the altar, and his hands moved rapidly as he began to perform the Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique.

"Cough cough...cough cough..."

While Minato was busy sealing the Nine-Tails, Kushina leaned against a large tree, struggling to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Her face was as pale as paper, and her body was so weak that she could barely stand, but her eyes were filled with apology as she looked at Nagato: "Minato didn't mean to think that way just now. He was just too worried about the village and Naruto. I hope you don't mind."

Kushina had a good impression of Nagato, who had helped her many times and claimed to be a member of the Uzumaki clan.

Nagato shook his head slightly to indicate that he didn't care.

It's perfectly understandable that Minato would have those thoughts from his perspective, considering that they were still within the territory of Konoha Village. As the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, not launching an attack immediately was already considered extremely restrained.

If it were a dark figure from the ninja world, they would probably have launched a sneak attack the moment they met.

Actually, Nagato didn't really dislike Minato that much; strictly speaking... Minato was still his junior brother.

Minato acted quickly, and the Bagua Seal was completed in just a few minutes.

This was all thanks to Nagato's prior communication with Kurama, and Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Technique. This secret technique of the Uzumaki clan is naturally effective against tailed beasts; otherwise, the process of sealing Kurama would not have been so smooth.

As the Nine-Tails' enormous body gradually shrank, it eventually transformed into a beam of red light and disappeared into Naruto's abdomen, leaving behind only a vortex pattern identical to that on Hua Shi Tou Lang's abdomen, which quietly remained there.

After doing all this, both Minato and Kushina were nearly exhausted in terms of stamina and chakra.

Nagato looked at Naruto sleeping soundly on the altar, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "That child is also a descendant of the Uzumaki clan. If you are willing, after you go to the Pure Land, I can take him away and take him as my disciple, take care of him for you, and teach him to control the power within his body."

"I think you should know what it means for me to have these eyes... The child I teach will truly bring about change in the ninja world."

Upon hearing this, both Minato and his wife were taken aback, and their expressions differed.

Kushina was clearly somewhat tempted. She wasn't fixated on keeping Naruto in Konoha; after all, she herself had been the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and knew the nature of the Konoha villagers. However, out of trust in her husband, she didn't make a decision immediately and instead looked at Minato. Minato, on the other hand, had a furrowed brow, clearly deep in thought.

The other party's origins were indeed unknown, but they truly had no ill intentions towards the couple. In fact, they had saved them twice. Crucially, the Uzumaki clan's chakra and the Sage of Six Paths' Eyes were genuine.

But...

After a difficult decision, Minato finally raised his head and said firmly, "No need. Konoha will take good care of Naruto."

He still chose to believe in the Third Hokage and in the village he was protecting.

"Oh? The young Fourth Hokage...you're quite confident." Nagato almost burst out laughing upon hearing this.

Will Konoha take good care of Naruto? Maybe, anyway, this is the funniest joke he's ever heard.

He gave Minato and his wife a long look, his gaze finally settling on the sleeping Naruto: "How about we make a bet?"

Minato frowned slightly: "What do you want to do?"

"Let's bet on whether Konoha will take good care of this little guy."

Nagato's voice was calm yet carried an undeniable power: "I bet Konoha will make him suffer, experience the malice and exclusion of the world. And you, I bet Konoha will treat him kindly, allowing him to grow up in love and warmth."

"I know you intend to seal your chakra into this child's body, so... you will be the judges yourselves."

"If you win, I guarantee that I will never lay a hand on Konoha in my lifetime, unless you provoke me. If I win, all I need is for you two to work for me. You must obey any of my orders until you die."

Nagato spoke to Minato with a meaningful look in his eyes.

"The time... begins today... and ends twelve years from now... how about that?"

Konoha doesn't deserve Minato and his wife; they should belong to Akatsuki.

Minato stared intently at Nagato, trying to see through his thoughts. He and Kushina would both die tonight, and even if Nagato won, he couldn't make them work for him, could he? He couldn't understand why Nagato would make such a meaningless bet.

Even if a bet is made, there's no harm in it, and no matter what the other party's motives are, at least it can be guaranteed that they won't attack Konoha for twelve years.

In twelve years, under the guidance of the Third Hokage, the Fifth Hokage must have grown up by now.

Moreover, he firmly believed he wouldn't lose. Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, the hero who sealed the Nine-Tails; how could Konoha possibly mistreat him?

Minato firmly believed this.

So he answered without hesitation, "Okay!"

If Nagato knew what Minato was thinking, he would probably burst out laughing.

Minato, you're still too young and don't understand people's hearts at all.

After making the bet with Minato, Nagato promptly disappeared from the spot; he had already gained enough for tonight.

Once he was certain Nagato had truly left, Minato finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense body collapsing completely. He looked at Kushina beside him, his eyes filled with reluctance and guilt: "Kushina, is there anything you want to say to Naruto? Do it now..."

Kushina slowly crawled to the edge of the altar, her trembling hand almost uncontrollable, and gently stroked Naruto's tender cheek. The touch was soft and warm, the temperature she cherished most in her life. Tears, like pearls from a broken string, slid down her tear-streaked cheeks, dripping onto Naruto's swaddling clothes, leaving a small, dark stain.

"Naruto, you can't be a picky eater..." Her voice choked with emotion, but every word was clear: "You need to eat your fill every day to grow strong and healthy..."

Remember to take a hot bath every day... Don't stay up late, get enough sleep... Make friends, it's okay if you don't have many, just a few trustworthy ones are enough... Study hard and master ninjutsu... Everyone has things they're not good at, don't be discouraged... Respect your teachers and seniors...

"Finally...and most importantly, the three prohibitions of ninjas: do not borrow or lend money casually, and keep your mission rewards safe; you can only drink alcohol when you are 20 years old, and drinking too much is bad for your health, so know when to stop; the world is only divided into men and women...so don't get entangled with strange women...find an outstanding woman like your mother."

Kushina kept talking, as if she wanted to cram all her life's lessons into Naruto's ears. Naruto, fast asleep, seemed to sense his mother's love. With each even breath, his little head nodded slightly, as if he had heard and was responding to Kushina's words.

"Naruto...you will face many hardships and pains in the future..."

Kushina's voice grew weaker and weaker: "You might be misunderstood, isolated, and feel like the whole world has abandoned you... But you must stay true to yourself and not lose your way... You are the pride of me and your father, you have our blood in your veins, and you will definitely become a great ninja..."

"I...I still...I still...I still have so much to tell you..."

Her breathing quickened: "I want to see you learn to walk for the first time, call me 'Dad' and 'Mom' for the first time, go to school for the first time, go on your first mission... I want to live with you, to be with you through every spring, summer, autumn, and winter... Naruto... Mom loves you... I really love you so much..."

At this point, Kushina was already sobbing uncontrollably, her hand tightly gripping Naruto's small hand, as if she wanted to pass on all her strength and love to him.

"Naruto... what Dad wants to say is the same as what your nagging mom wants to say..."

After saying this, Minato mobilized his remaining chakra and sealed it together with Kushina's remaining chakra into Naruto's body using the Eight Trigrams Seal.

As night deepened, the cool moonlight shone on the altar, illuminating Minato and Kushina's increasingly pale faces. Hurried footsteps echoed from the direction of Konoha Village; the Third Hokage was arriving with a large group of ninja, their shouts reverberating through the night.

Minato and Kushina, after leaving their final blessings for Naruto, slowly closed their eyes. Their hands were clasped tightly together, and their faces wore relieved smiles, as if they could see Naruto growing up to be a sunny, strong, and beloved ninja, living happily under the Konoha sun.

"Sunshine? Resilience? Happiness? Perhaps..."

On a nearby tree, Nagato, with a slightly cold look in his eyes, watched as the Third Hokage and the others took away the bodies of Minato and his wife. He never went too far from the scene.

Is Naruto's optimistic and sunny personality in the original work derived from his own personality, or from the reincarnation of Ashura's chakra within him?

If Ashura's chakra were extracted from him, would Naruto still be the same as in the original story...?

In short... let's wait and see.