This Naruto is a player

"Really? I don't believe it!"

In his previous life, many guests were rendered speechless by this rhetorical question.

However, Minato truly lived up to Jiraiya's high praise as the benchmark of ninjas.

His expression remained unchanged, and his voice was still steady: "It seems that the Third Hokage really didn't mention anything to you."

"Ah!"

Upon hearing Minato mention this, Naruto couldn't help but let his lips, which had just curled up in a smile, fall back down.

Minato keenly noticed his son's change in mood and continued patiently, "The Third Hokage did this perhaps to minimize the amount of information about the Nine-Tails. And..."

He paused, his tone carrying the worry typical of a father, "If people find out that you are the son of Minato Namikaze, it will bring unpredictable dangers."

After all, on his path to becoming Hokage, he offended quite a few ninja villages during the war!

More importantly, he didn't want his son to harbor resentment towards the third generation as a result.

Naruto responded with a "Hehe".

Because his background was never mentioned, he always believed that his enemies came from his surroundings, from every villager who hated him.

Therefore, he lived in constant fear and at first he didn't even dare to go home.

It wasn't until later, when he exchanged for resurrection coins and the Flying Thunder God Technique through the system and gained enough confidence to protect himself, that he dared to stand tall in the sunlight and walk on the streets of the village.

If I had known from the beginning that I was the son of a fourth-generation hero, would I have lived such a pathetic life?

Um.

This reminds me of the fates of other Jinchūriki.

Naruto thought that might not be the case.

Gaara, the son of the Fourth Kazekage, was regarded as a monster by the villagers because of the One-Tailed Beast inside him. No one dared to approach or talk to him, and even his own father plotted to assassinate him!

There are also the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki from Kumogakure: Brubi and Killer Bee.

The former was a member of the royal family, and the latter was the Raikage's sworn brother. Despite their noble status, they still suffered from the villagers' contempt and isolation in the Land of Lightning, where martial arts were revered.

The Two-Tails Jinchuriki is no exception.

Looking at the four examples above, Naruto discovered that while the hatred disappeared due to the added status, the deep fear of the Tailed Beasts still accompanied their Jinchūriki careers.

Thinking about myself, even if everyone in the village knew I was the son of a hero, what difference would it make? The situation would probably be similar.

Damn it, in the end, the culprit is still the tailed beast!

If he didn't have the tailed beast inside him, as the son of the Fourth Hokage and with this heaven-defying talent, Naruto wouldn't even dare to imagine how great his life in Konoha would be!

This is a script that's totally like a wish-fulfillment novel!

What about reality?

Poor thing, he thought he had enemies all over the world. Before graduation, he was so timid that he only dared to play the role of a loser. He never dared to show his talent until he was sure that he was invincible!

Upon thinking of this, the resentment and confusion that had been building up for over a decade surged within my chest like a volcano.

Naruto suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing Minato like a blade.

"Tell me, Fourth Hokage, why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside me!"

Fourth generation, huh?

Upon hearing this somewhat distant form of address, Minato's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, but the gentle smile on his face remained unchanged.

He keenly sensed that Naruto had not fully accepted him and harbored deep resentment towards the Nine-Tails.

"I choose to retain half of the Nine-Tails' chakra before applying the seal."

Minato's voice was gentle yet firm, "Because I firmly believe that you can master and control this power! Because you are my son!"

A smile played on his lips, his deep blue eyes curving into gentle crescents, his smile brimming with unwavering trust and expectation.

That warm, sunny smile seemed to possess some kind of magical power, causing Naruto's tense nerves to relax involuntarily.

It seems that this fourth generation is a very gentle person.

Minato's expression suddenly turned serious. "As for why I did this, I had no choice but to do so."

"On the night you were born, a mastermind manipulated the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha. Moreover, this person's strength is unfathomable; without extraordinary power, it is impossible to contend with them."

He stared intently at Naruto. "That's why I chose to seal the Nine-Tails inside you."

Naruto lowered his head silently and exhaled a long, silent breath.

He understood the Fourth Hokage's unspoken message.

The Nine-Tails was a guarantee of strength that the Fourth Hokage gave himself; it was a heavy legacy!

How can I truly master it?

The only way is to rely on your own will and hard work to achieve it!

After all, he said at the beginning, 'Because you are my son! I believe in you!'

Naruto was speechless for a moment at this unconditional trust.

My heart was filled with mixed emotions.

In his past life, Naruto's parents also believed in him in the same way.

This is probably what it's like to be a parent, right?

However, this unconditional and heavy trust really caused him a lot of trouble!

but

Looking up, Naruto met Minato's eager and hopeful gaze, and he felt that the Fourth Hokage had overestimated the man in black.

Obito Uchiha was such a weakling, and he was the mastermind behind everything?

There is only one mastermind in the ninja world, and that is Naruto Uzumaki!

and many more,

The person in front of me doesn't seem to know the identity of the man in black, does he?

"I know who controlled the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha that night!"

Naruto said with certainty, "It's Obito Uchiha! The entire ninja world knows this!"

"what?!"

Minato's gentle expression froze instantly, replaced by incredulous astonishment, "Obito?!"

Surprise, confusion, and finally, a sense of indescribable relief.

This was the first time Naruto had ever seen such a complex change in expression on the face of the Fourth Hokage, who was always calm and composed.

Minato paused for a moment, his voice carrying a faint trace of memory: "Obito was a kind and good boy, very loving. He would patiently help elderly grandmothers cross the road and tirelessly help lost cats and dogs find their way home."

Minato recalled Obito's past, and he simply couldn't connect the kind and warm-hearted boy in his memory with the demon who controlled the Nine-Tails and destroyed Konoha!

Moreover, Obito had already sacrificed himself in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge!

Naruto spoke with absolute certainty, and the whole ninja world knew about it.

If that's the case, there's only one possibility!

"Naloo!"

Minato's gaze enveloped Naruto like warm sunshine, his voice carrying the unique concern and reminder of a father: "You must be especially careful. Obito is a kind-hearted boy and will never suddenly fall into darkness unless there is an invisible hand pushing him along!"

As for who the mastermind behind it all is?

Who saved Obito from the brink of death? Who led Obito into darkness?

The unknown, everything is shrouded in mystery.

Upon hearing Minato's suggestion, Naruto immediately understood.

what? !

Is there a mastermind behind Obito?

They must be found out!

They were even better at hiding it than I was!

The ninja world will never allow such a dark hand to exist!

"Naruto, what are you going to do after opening the Bagua seal?"

Minato's gentle voice interrupted Naruto's thoughts, posing the core question.

He sensed the outside world through the Nine-Tails' leaked chakra. At that moment, the only people outside were Jiraiya and Tsunade.

Why did Naruto release the seal when there seemed to be no imminent danger?

It even unleashed the power of the Eight-Tails? Forcing him to waste his remaining chakra and thus be forced to appear?

Upon hearing this, Naruto grinned with an incredibly bright smile, radiating confidence and fearlessness: "As you said, I want to start trying to control the Nine-Tails' power right now."

That radiant smile instantly touched the softest spot in Minato's heart!

He felt a sense of déjà vu.

Ah! That smile, that look in my eyes... isn't that just me?

Indeed, Naruto is very much like his father!

No, perhaps she's more like Kushina?

Thinking of this, Minato felt quite gratified.

However, amidst the relief, a tinge of worry crept into my heart.

He glanced at Naruto again. He wasn't very tall, a head shorter than him, and his face still had a childish look, so he didn't look very old.

"Naruto, how old are you?" Minato's voice was still gentle, but it carried a hint of barely perceptible concern.

"Twelve years old!"

Only twelve years old? A hint of surprise flashed in Minato's eyes.

Twelve years old, in peacetime that is, not long after graduating from the Ninja Academy, or just after graduation.