Stand in Heaven.
So this is Naruto's ambition? Minato could sense Naruto's earnestness and firmly believed that Naruto could achieve it. At this moment, Minato's identity had completely detached from that of the Fourth Hokage. Once, he had yearned to govern Konoha well, lead it to new heights, protect it, and safeguard everyone. But now, everything he had placed his hopes in, everything that had supported his efforts, had utterly collapsed, leaving behind only those vicious, mocking jeers.
"Monster, why don't you just die?"
What father could remain composed hearing such curses? From this moment on, he was no longer the Fourth Hokage. Now, he only wanted to be a good father.
"My time may be short, but I can definitely still help you." Minato could feel the cold liquid trickling down his cheeks. It was disappointment in Konoha, and also pain. He stared intently into Naruto's blue eyes and asked seriously. Although he was dead, the knowledge in his mind was valuable. He believed Naruto would need it. Since he couldn't change the past, he would do his utmost to ensure Naruto had a better future.
"Help? You're useless now! You hear me? You're just—" the Nine-Tails began to gloat from the side, but Naruto cut it off.
Naruto put on his gentle smile again and said faintly, "You can indeed help me."
"That's great! How? What do you need? I, I…" Perhaps seeing a possibility of mending their father-son relationship, the usually composed Minato lost his composure, asking awkwardly. This only elicited more mocking laughter from the Nine-Tails.
"I want all the information you have on Konoha's higher-ups: the various departments, the elders, the Hokage's habits, preferences, personalities, even the families backing them. I want everything you know," Naruto stated decisively. "The Fourth Hokage must know many secrets, right?" he added, with a pointed look.
Individual strength could indeed overturn everything, but gaining that strength took time. And Naruto didn't even know how long he had to live. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Only by understanding the enemy, understanding them even better than they understood themselves, could he control everything in his grasp. Just like Kyoka Suigetsu—manipulating everything.
"I understand. If this information can help you live a better life, I'll tell you everything." As long as he was needed, there was a chance to repair their relationship. A flicker of joy appeared in Minato's eyes as he nodded.
"Very good. I trust you understand my situation." Naruto nodded in satisfaction, a hint of a smile finally touching his eyes. "I'm walking on thin ice in Konoha. Facts have proven they won't give me any special treatment because of you. What I want is simple: just to survive for now."
"I need to understand Konoha from a deeper level. Only then can I grow stronger with peace of mind, without having to suppress my abilities or even be timid in my training." As he said this, Naruto looked directly into Minato's eyes. The latter's gaze was filled with pain and self-reproach. Naruto's eyes were devoid of ripples, so calm that Minato didn't even dare to meet them. Through Naruto's eyes, he saw only tranquility. A terrifying, deathly calm. This made Minato's heart ache even more. He would rather Naruto hit him, scream curses at him, than see this indifferent Naruto. It was as if, to Naruto, he was just a random passerby.
Minato didn't dare to look any longer. He was afraid his heart would hurt even more.
Just then, a new inflection entered Naruto's tone. "You were Konoha's revered Fourth Hokage. You governed Konoha in an orderly fashion. But, in my eyes, you are a failure."
"As a Hokage, you misjudged people and were deceived by the Third Hokage and the council of elders." "As a father, you arbitrarily made your only son the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, to face the world's malice alone." "You were too naive," Naruto's voice turned cold.
"That's right, you were too naive!" the Nine-Tails chimed in gleefully.
"You were highly unqualified in the past. Now, I'll give you a chance at rebirth." Naruto extended his palm, and white Reiatsu slowly flowed into the Fourth Hokage's spiritual body.
"This is…" The Fourth looked astonished as his weakened spiritual form began to feel full and replenished.
"This is Reiatsu, an energy not of this world," Naruto said faintly. "I will extend your existence, and you will provide me with value." Naruto withdrew his hand. "I can even teach you how to cultivate Reiatsu, so you can exist in this world in another form."
"But I need to confirm: are you still that Fourth Hokage whose heart belongs to Konoha?"
"I am now just a father who wants to atone." Minato lowered his head, clenching his fists. "I am already dead. Henceforth, I have nothing to do with Konoha. Now, I only want you to live a better life."
"Good. Then I will teach you," Naruto nodded.
"Hmph! Is this Reiatsu stuff really that amazing? Could it be as powerful as this old fox's chakra?" the Nine-Tails snorted disdainfully from the side.
Naruto looked at the Nine-Tails, a smile in his eyes. "Want to learn? I can teach you."
After Naruto left, only the Nine-Tails and Minato remained in the sealed space. Minato curiously examined the sci-fi-esque sealed space, finding it quite novel. Seeing Naruto again, and even having a chance at atonement, Minato was in an excellent mood.
If Minato was happy, the Nine-Tails was not. The thought of having to stay in the same space with Minato in the future made its skin crawl. It couldn't help but taunt him sarcastically, "Yondaime, you really are stupid. You clearly became Hokage, yet you were still as naive as a child. Let me tell you, if Naruto weren't so smart, he'd have been brainwashed into a war machine by now."
"Heh heh, good thing Naruto didn't inherit your brains…"
Before it could finish, the Nine-Tails saw Minato smiling at it and thanking him, "No matter what, thank you for looking after Naruto."
"Hmph! This old fox… this old fox just finds him rather interesting and wants to see how far he can grow, that's all!" Hearing praise from an enemy for the first time, the Nine-Tails felt its old face flush. A sense of fluster welled up within it. It turned its head away with a cold snort.
"Could you tell me more about Naruto's experiences over the years? Please, Nine-Tails," Minato came to the iron gate, his tone pleading.
Seeing Minato so humbled for the first time, the Nine-Tails felt immense satisfaction. But it couldn't gratify Minato so quickly; it hadn't yet vented all its resentment and anger from being sealed all these years. The Nine-Tails' eyes darted around, and it suddenly had an idea. It pointed to its computer.
"If you help me grind for a shiny, I'll consider telling you a little something."
As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. The Nine-Tails deeply understood this saying now. It lay leisurely in the sealed space, legs crossed, watching Minato sit at the computer, operating it with a vacant stare. It couldn't help but let out a booming laugh.
In the days that followed, Naruto learned from Minato about the entire structure of Konoha's leadership and its operational dynamics, even some secrets of the major clans. The more he understood, the more he was thankful he hadn't slipped up. ANBU was the ninja department under the Third Hokage, containing many top-tier experts. But Root, the other organization managed by Danzo, possessed strength comparable to, and possibly even exceeding, ANBU's. ANBU operated in the light, while Root moved in the shadows. Many dirty deeds were carried out by Root. The two departments complemented each other, together forming Konoha's protective moat.
Root was hidden extremely deep. Besides Danzo, no one could command it; even Minato's understanding of it was limited. When Minato was alive, many of his decisions had also been obstructed by Danzo. Although he was the Hokage, he was still constrained by the Third Hokage and the council of elders. He understood this deeply and yearned for change, but shifting the balance of power was not something that could be done overnight. Minato had always been trying, but the effects were minimal. Root was already deeply entrenched in Konoha, almost one with it.
The more Naruto learned, the deeper his disgust for Konoha's leadership became. He also profoundly understood that he had to get stronger as quickly as possible, at least to the point where he could protect himself.
After that, Naruto rarely visited the sealed space. He dedicated a vast amount of his time to training.
Time flew by like a shuttle, and in the blink of an eye, another year had passed.