Chapter 168: Next Episode Preview: A Punch for Dad   

What in the world is greater than a mother's love? It's putting that love into action and seeing it through to the end. 

Minato chose to sacrifice himself to protect the village, to ensure Kushina could see Naruto grow up, to give Naruto the power to face future enemies, and to stay by Kushina's side forever. 

Meanwhile, Kushina fought with all her might to control the out-of-control Kurama, hoping to protect Naruto. She wanted to trade her life for Kurama's so Naruto could grow up with a father. She tried everything to prevent Naruto from becoming a Jinchuriki, not wanting him to endure the same lonely childhood she had. 

If things had gone according to Kushina's wishes, Naruto wouldn't have become a Jinchuriki. Kushina would have taken Kurama down with her, Minato would have lived to raise Naruto, and the only loss for Konohagakure would have been the Hokage's wife and the tailed beast. 

But things didn't go as planned. Minato's decision turned Kushina's hopes into nothing. 

He used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to lock away half of Kurama's chakra before Kushina could act. Then, with his remaining strength, he preserved Kushina's chakra within Naruto's body and sealed the other half of Kurama inside Naruto. This way, when Naruto used Kurama's chakra in the future, he could awaken Kushina's presence. 

Kushina was willing to give up everything for Minato and their newborn son—her precious life, her hard-earned happiness, and the respect of the entire village—just so Naruto could live a healthy and happy life. 

And what about Minato? 

He did it for Kushina and the village. 

So, while Minato might not have been the best father, he was a devoted husband and a worthy Hokage. 

Did Naruto know all this? Yes, he did. He had figured out who his father was long ago, after piecing together hints from Kurama and Jiraiya. But he knew nothing about his mother. 

It took a lot of questioning before Kurama finally told him about his mother—her name, her story. She was the second Jinchuriki of Kurama, Konohagakure's strongest sealing ninja, and the last survivor of the Uzumaki clan: Uzumaki Kushina. 

Naruto respected his father's contributions as Hokage and husband, but he was even more moved by his mother's love as a parent. 

So, the moment he saw them, he didn't hesitate. He rushed to Kushina and hugged her, his voice trembling as he poured out the emotions he had held inside for over twelve years. 

All those years of feelings came down to two simple words: 

"Mom!" 

No matter how much he had been insulted or mistreated as a child, none of it was Kushina's fault. Everything she had done was to ensure Naruto could live a simple, happy life. More than wanting him to have the power to fight enemies, she just wanted him to live peacefully. 

To have clean meals every day—maybe not gourmet, but good enough. To have a warm embrace when he was sad, a shoulder to cry on, and someone to share his joy with. 

That's how it should have been. 

When Kushina saw Naruto running into her arms, she didn't care about anything else. After all these years in the seal, she had no idea how Naruto had been living. But now, all that mattered was hearing him call her "Mom." 

Without hesitation, she held him tightly, just as she had dreamed of doing countless times. She held her child in her arms, smiling as she comforted him, sharing in his joy. 

"Naruto…" Tears streamed down Kushina's face, falling into the water below and creating ripples in the once-calm seal space.

"Mom… do you know how awful Dad was?" Naruto buried his face in Kushina's arms, his voice muffled and hard to hear, but anyone who knew him could tell he was crying.

Even when he cried, he didn't let others see. He comforted himself when tears fell because he knew people would only laugh at his weakness.

"Dad sealed Kurama inside me, and because of that, so many people hated me when I was little. They didn't like me. They threw rocks at me. The adults wouldn't sell me anything, even though I had money to pay for it…"

"There was this vegetable seller, too. She sold me rotten vegetables on purpose. I didn't know how to cook, so not only did the food taste terrible, but it made me sick…"

"And the toy seller! He wouldn't sell me toys, and then he stomped on the toy I made myself. In the end, the Third Hokage bought me a nice toy… but the one I made was ruined, and I couldn't fix it…"

"And… and so many others. They were all so mean…"

Naruto wasn't complaining to Kushina to tell her how awful those people were. 

He just wanted to share his sadness because his mom was here, and he couldn't help but pour out all the unhappiness he'd kept inside.

Kushina gently stroked Naruto's hair. Her face was full of warmth and kindness, but tears kept streaming down her cheeks. "It's okay, it's okay. Maybe the vegetable seller was just tricked by someone else into thinking you weren't a good kid. But I know you're a good kid."

Because you're my child.

"The toy seller was probably just shy. He broke your toy but didn't know how to apologize, so he asked the Third Hokage to give you a new one…"

Because Naruto is a good kid, everyone will come to love him.

"And all those other people… maybe they just didn't know how to face you, so they used cold words to protect you. That way, no one would know you were the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, and you could live happily…"

Because so many people care about Naruto, they all want to protect him.

"See? Everyone loves Naruto," Kushina said with a tearful smile. "That's what my grandma told me when I was young. Because she and I were both Jinchuriki, and now you're a Jinchuriki too, I want to pass on her words to you."

"So, Naruto, don't hate them."

Naruto shook his head in Kushina's arms, seeming to smile through his tears. "I don't hate them. That's why I helped the vegetable seller pull vegetables from her field."

Unripe vegetables.

"And I helped the toy seller organize all his toy parts."

By mixing them all together.

"I even drew lots of nice patterns on the Hokage Monument."

Scribbles and graffiti, especially the word "idiot" on the Fourth Hokage's face.

"Everyone was so happy."

"I really like everyone."

Naruto lifted his head from Kushina's arms, his face glowing with a bright smile. In that light, there wasn't a trace of darkness.

Kushina laughed softly, wiping the tears from Naruto's face. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "That's my boy."

No matter how much time passes, no matter where you are, Naruto, I will always, always love you.

I'm your mom, Uzumaki Kushina.

Uzumaki Naruto's mom.

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