There wasn't much to say on Sasuke's end—he simply relived the Uchiha Clan Massacre again in his dreams.
When he jolted awake, drenched in sweat, only then did Hyuga Gakuya feel reassured enough to quietly slip away.
He had no intention of telling Sasuke the truth just yet. Itachi had already paved a path for his little brother—a path of pain, growth, and purpose. In time, Sasuke would grow strong enough to stand among the Kage.
...
The next morning, the group arrived outside the training field of the Forest of Death, where a large crowd of examinees had already gathered.
With a burst of smoke, a white-haired man appeared standing on a toad.
"Make way for the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku!"
"Pervy Sage!" Naruto shouted, pointing at him.
"It's Toad Sage!"
"Pervy Sage!"
After some scuffling, Jiraiya finally shook Naruto off and cleared his throat.
"Ahem. I'm the new proctor for the second exam. Let me explain the rules."
The second exam was a survival challenge—a battle over scrolls. Each team would start with either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll, and the goal was to obtain both and make it to the tower at the heart of the forest.
Hyuga Gakuya chuckled. Just showing a sliver of his power had been enough to put Hiruzen Sarutobi on edge, prompting him to replace Anko with the more powerful Jiraiya as the new proctor.
What he hadn't expected was that Naruto already knew Jiraiya. That was... an interesting twist.
Soon after, the scrolls were distributed. Gakuya's team received a Heaven Scroll.
Exchanging a quick nod with Naruto, Gakuya motioned for Karin and Uchiha Hikari to follow him into the forest.
...
Not long after they entered, Gakuya came to a halt.
"I'll hang back a bit and take care of something," he said, handing the scroll to them. "You two go on ahead. I'll meet you at the tower."
Hikari took the scroll and nodded. "Got it."
As they disappeared into the foliage, Gakuya gave a satisfied nod. They were growing up—steadier, more dependable.
Activating his Tenseigan, his vision expanded to encompass everything within several kilometers. He spotted Team 7 slowly making their way through the forest, following the subtle trail he had left behind.
Back at the forest entrance, Jiraiya remained seated, making no effort to pursue anyone.
Which gave Gakuya the perfect window to act.
He plucked some wild fruit and waited.
...
Before long, a familiar voice echoed through the trees.
"Hurry, hurry, he should be just up ahead!"
"Careful, Naruto!" Sakura called out behind him.
Gakuya leapt out from the trees, landing in front of them. Naruto yelped in surprise and lost his balance, tumbling from the branch.
He scrambled back to his feet and rushed over.
"So... can I see the clue about my parents now?"
Gakuya had always liked Naruto's straightforwardness—what you saw was what you got.
"Of course." Gakuya took a few photos out of his pack but didn't hand them over right away.
"Let's be clear—I'll let you look, but you can't show these to anyone else until I leave the village. If Konoha finds out I revealed classified info, they'll hunt me down."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "A guy like you is afraid of being hunted by Konoha?"
"Of course I'm afraid. It's Konoha."
Naruto didn't hesitate. "I swear on my ninja way—I won't show these to anyone!"
Sasuke and Sakura echoed the promise.
With that, Gakuya handed the photos over.
The first face Naruto saw was a blond man—handsome, youthful, and radiating warmth. He wore a white Hokage cloak and a pointed hat.
Sasuke leaned in and blinked in surprise. "Isn't that the Fourth Hokage?"
Gakuya nodded. "That's right. Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage. He had the same blond hair as Naruto. That's one of the clues I used to piece this together."
Sakura tilted her head. "Then... why is Naruto's surname Uzumaki instead of Namikaze?"
"Because he took his mother's last name."
"But why?" she pressed.
Gakuya shook his head. "That's something I don't know. And even if I did, some truths are only meaningful when discovered on your own."
Naruto stared at the photo. He felt it—an undeniable sense of familiarity. That was his father.
With trembling hands, he turned to the second photo: a beautiful woman with flowing red hair, dressed in a Konoha flak jacket. Her elegance and quiet strength practically leapt off the page.
"That's the previous Nine-Tails Jinchūriki," Gakuya explained. "Uzumaki Kushina—your mother."
Naruto stared at her, his mother's image aligning with the fleeting dreams he'd had as a child. He tried to hold back, but a tear rolled down his cheek and landed on the photo. He quickly wiped it away, almost as if afraid to damage it.
"There are two more," Gakuya said gently.
Naruto flipped to the next one: a group photo from the Ninja Academy.
"That's their graduation photo," Gakuya explained. "I went out of my way to find it."
In the corner of the photo, Minato and Kushina stood close together, smiling. Even then, their connection was clear.
...
The final photo was of a wedding.
Kushina wore a stunning white gown, arm linked with her beloved. Minato looked sharp in a formal suit, a perfect match to Kushina's beauty.
"Waaaahhh…" Naruto finally broke down completely, sobbing uncontrollably.
Sasuke patted his shoulder, and Sakura gently rubbed his back, but neither could find the right words.
Gakuya let Naruto cry for a while. When he finally calmed, Gakuya dropped a bombshell.
"Death isn't always the end. There are techniques in this world that can bring the dead back."
"What!?" all three of them exclaimed.
Gakuya shrugged. "I'm not lying. Konoha has a jutsu called Edo Tensei—Reanimation. It can pull a soul back from the Pure Land. But it's not real resurrection. They come back more like puppets."
Sakura frowned. "That's... desecration of the dead, isn't it?"
"You're not wrong. But if we can pull people back from the Pure Land... why can't we bring them back for real?"
"Ninjutsu has no limits. Naruto, don't let this pain stop you. If you keep growing stronger, maybe one day you'll create a jutsu that brings you back together with them—for real."
Sasuke's eyes burned with intensity. If it was truly possible, maybe... maybe he could see his parents again, too.
"I'll do it, Gakuya!" Naruto said, wiping away the last of his tears. "I'll keep training and get even stronger!"
He carefully packed the photos away. Then he brightened, as if suddenly remembering something, and pulled out a container from his bag.
"Here! This is for you! A special-edition Chicken Soup Ramen! My most treasured one!"
Gakuya chuckled and accepted it. "Thanks. I'll make sure it doesn't go to waste."
He sealed it into a scroll, curious to see what flavor Naruto considered a treasure.
"So... what's next for you guys?"
Naruto scratched his cheek. "Well, obviously—we're gonna hunt down the other scroll! Oh right—what about Karin and Hikari?"
"I sent them ahead to finish the exam."
"Oh... then you should come with us! It's dangerous being alone!"
Sakura smacked him. "Idiot. He's way stronger than us. If anything, we're the ones in danger."
Gakuya smiled. "I don't mind joining for dinner. I spotted a wild boar earlier."
"Food? Yes!!" Naruto cheered instantly.
...
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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