Minato's Trust

***

Knock*3

As the door pried open, Naruto poked his head towards Tsuyu on bed, reading Tales of Gutsy Shinobi Jiraiya made her read before.

"Tsu-chan… uh…".

Tsunade looks at Naruto up and down, this kid looks so serious for no reason.

"Can we talk…?".

"... Sure". Tsuyu felt it's out of place for Naruto to actually ask so seriously.

Tsunade feels she gets it. Orochimaru did blabber about stuff for a second and probably Naruto's head finally remembered after days.

"Naruto, wait outside…". Tsunade instructed.

"What?".

"I said, wait outside! I have something important to tell her first!".

"Hey I come first-ttebayo! Grr". Naruto grumbled and just closed the door.

"... Tsuyu, what exactly did Orochimaru tell you".

"... My parentage. That's all really. I understand Konoha kept my identity a secret for reasons. If there's any dissatisfaction… it's my late parents heritage that went missing… cough… as for other things, although I was raised an orphan I don't feel missing out per se".

"Huh. You take it far better than I thought. Well, you are different indeed. The fortune of the Fourth Hokage should be quite substantial. If it's me I would have betrayed the village! Haha…".

Tsuyu looks at Tsunade blankly. Hello? You are the Hokage here…

"I am not sure what that old guy did with it. But I will see if it's still there once I take my seat. Probably not though…".

"Tsunade-sama… thank you for your consideration on the matter".

"No need no need. It's unfair for you both already…". Tsunade said with a hint of guilt and solemnity.

"But Naruto is quite… more emotional than you are. I can tell him in your stead. As the 5th Hokage I will have to carry Konoha's guilt as well, and consequence of the late Hokage's decision".

"Tsunade-sama, it's alright. I am his little sister. It's better if I tell him".

"If you insist then… go tell him then…".

"I will take my leave for a while…".

***

Naruto sees Tsuyu come out finally.

"Tsu-chan, uh… let's talk outside. Ero-sennin will bother us".

"Okay".

As the siblings went outside, they walked a distance away from the inn, sitting on a bench under a street lamp. The night was quiet, barely any passersby.

"What… what truth do snake guy tell you? Does he… know our parents?".

Tsuyu takes a deep breath.

"Promise me you won't crash out…".

"W-what…! Of course not! I am not a kid anymore!". Naruto felt more embarrassed than anything.

"Good. Our dad is the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze". Tsuyu said in a straight sentence without a stutter.

"What did you just say". Naruto felt he misheard something.

"Our biological father is Lord Fourth, Minato Namikaze".

Stupid Lord Fourth! Naruto painted his Hokage Rock face with excitement, cursing his stupid face for everything he did to him.

The memory played in his head for a second.

"He… that guy is our father!?". Naruto stood up in shock, his mouth agape.

"No way! He's the Fourth Hokage! The one… the one who-".

Naruto felt his brain just can't think. It felt so bizarre. It hadn't registered in his head.

"Just calm down, nii-san… I have this photo… Jiraiya-sama gave it to me".

Tsuyu takes it out from her wallet. It's a photo of Minato giving a peace sign over Kushina's shoulder. While Kushina is pregnant, her hand on his stomach.

Naruto took the photo with trembling hands…

"Kaachan… otosan…", Naruto looked at the picture of the two. The lady with red hair had a pregnant belly.

"Our… our parents…". His eyes glistened with tears.

"Why is he the Fourth Hokage…", he said almost in a pained tone.

"Why… why then… why he… why I…". His voice choked. Why did he suffer so much then? He's the Hokage's son… not just anyone. And yet…

Seeing Naruto shaking and only had tears glistening, it seems he didn't crash out fully. That's good, she thought. Naruto had it worse after all.

"You can ask Jiraiya-sama… our father is his disciple. He should know more". Tsuyu pat Naruto's shoulder. Yes, she's passing the blame onto that pervert. He's the adult here no? 

"I… yeah… I will ask him…". Naruto's voice was calmer, even if it's as if he's on the verge of crying.

"... How long did you know?".

Tsuyu was stunned by this question. Since when Naruto is so smart to ask such an important question.

"I suspected it for a long time ago. Haven't you seen his portrait? It's not exactly that far reaching… who else in the village had blonde hair and blue eyes like us. Orochimaru confirmed it for me. He used Konoha's abandonment over us to bait me to work with him. He's really overthinking it". Tsuyu snickered.

"Konoha… yea.. the village… why, why no one knows…! Why we don't know!". Naruto suddenly stood up, his fist clenching in unhidden anger.

"Calm down. It's not that complicated. Listen, Lord Fourth had many enemies. He's called the Yellow Flash for a reason. A person who won a battle against 1000 Shinobi. Our identity is kept a secret to protect us from the enemies. If others know, we would have a bounty on our heads even as a baby".

"But… why are we…", Naruto fixed his words. It's not 'we'.

"Why do I have to suffer so much…! Everyone hates me… dad died for the village…! Why…!", tears rolled down his cheek.

"... I know. It's unfair. He sacrificed his life for the village, sealed the 9 tails into his own children, and yet the villagers treat the children of a hero like ungrateful bastards".

"YEAH! THOSE PEOPLE! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ME!". Naruto is shaking with anger. He can't believe this. His life sucks so bad and somehow he is the son of Fourth Hokage, a hero who died protecting Konoha. It's almost disgusting.

"They are so… SO-!". 

Tsuyu helped Naruto finish his words, "Shameless".

"Shameless! Bastards! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!". Naruto cursed everyone that had ever hurt him. He doesn't understand how people can be so cruel to him.

"I never ask for the 9 tails. Dad put it in me… he never cared! He just left! And I had to suffer…! Stupid… stupid dad… idiot…".

Naruto rant on his own, his fists clenching and unclenching. But overall, Tsuyu feels he take it better than she expected. No 9 tails chakra break out or anything.

Naruto sat down as if losing his entire energy and soul.

"...". He looks at the picture for a long time.

"Otosan…Kaachan… why you have to…leave…". Tears dropped down his cheek, wetting onto the picture.

"...". Tsuyu just sat there in silence, letting Naruto grief over the loss of their late parents. Only by knowing can they feel the loss.

Minutes passed silently. Naruto kept staring at the picture.

"It's getting late, let's go to sleep. You can keep the picture. I will try to find some more pictures, maybe late Lord Third kept them somewhere…".

"... Lord Third… Lord Third should know too…". His eyebrows frowned, maybe if Tsuyu didn't mention Lord Third he wouldn't think about it at all. Being with Tsuyu in this life also raises his IQ slightly.

"Dad is Fourth Hokage… so… he should know him too! He must know! So why did he never…". 

Recalling the times Hokage jii-chan visited their house, Naruto felt angry again.

"Stupid! Stupid old man! Stupid!". Naruto stood up again, cursing the dead old man.

Huh. This brat noticed…

"He hid it from me too! Why…". Naruto sat down in defeat again. It felt like everyone was hiding it from him. 

"It's a village decision… to keep our mother's pregnancy a top secret. So most of Konoha never knew they had children at all".

…

"Our mother is a Jinchuriki too. And during labor, the seal of 9 tails weakens significantly. That was the day when we were born, and the day 9 tails escape for a while".

"Huh? What…? Our mother… is?".

"... Our mother, Kushina is an Uzumaki, her bloodline with high vitality and her fuinjutsu skill is a perfect candidate for housing 9 tails. In fact, the Jinchuriki before her is also an Uzumaki. You can say it's a thing for our bloodline I guess".

Hearing their mother is a Jinchuriki as well, Naruto doesn't feel so bad anymore. It's like, it's like it's a family thing then… 

"Oh… I see… so mom has the 9 tails too… so 9 tails knows mom…". Naruto had the idea to disturb 9 tails later.

Naruto looks over at the picture. His mother is so pretty, her red hair is unique. As for his father… Hmph! Stupid dad… he wished he had mom's hair colour. Not this stupid dad's. 

"...". Naruto went silent once more.

"... Someone killed them, nii-san". Tsuyu decides to reveal it. From experience with Sasuke, Naruto would definitely gain motivation. Besides, that person is powerful enough to release and control 9 tails.

"What…? What did you say?".

"Someone targeted our mother during that day. That person broke the seal on our mother, and released 9 tails".

Naruto felt his entire body trembling. Anguish, grief, anger.

"Who…! Who is it!".

Tsuyu shrugs.

"Uncertain. It's still under investigation. That person wore an orange mask on that day, with only his right eye revealed". This information is Tsuyu's own from what she remembers. But a mask can always be changed daily, so this information might as well be nothing. She hides the fact that the person has a Sharingan because Naruto might figure out the cause and effect of Uchiha's extermination. She wouldn't want Naruto to ruin Itachi's plan for Sasuke. Let Sasuke kill that bastard, heh.

Naruto clenched his fist. He feels so angry. He stood up and walked in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?". Tsuyu frowned.

"Training…".

***

Rasengan! Rasengan! Rasengan!

Naruto blasted the surrounding area over and over. Wanting to vent everything in his heart. Stupid… stupid… Naruto punched the tree over and over until his fist bled slightly.

His eyes red, his body thrumming with so much stress.

Tsuyu left him alone to give him some space.

After he's done venting… Naruto just lie flat on the ground, looking at the stars.

I will… definitely… Naruto clenched his fist. He will find out who it is. He will avenge them.

Naruto returned to his room shortly after. Jiraiya was writing his latest novel, glancing curiously at this disciple of his.

"Naruto, where did you go? Training so late?".

Naruto seemed down and only reply with a "yeah".

"... Did she tell you?". Jiraiya figured from Naruto's ugly expression.

"... You didn't tell me too…". Naruto sulked, he turned his face away from Jiraiya.

"Well… we have our reasons really…!", Jiraiya rubbed the back of his neck. 

"Hmph… you talk about your late disciple Yondaime this Yondaime that when I am his own son! Stupid ero-sennin!".

"Cough… well…". Jiraiya felt guilty, its true he hid it from Naruto. And he kept mentioning Lord Fourth because seeing Naruto, his child, brought memories.

"Stupid…", Naruto sulked again.

Seconds of silence passed, with tension hanging in the air. Jiraiya sighed, his eyes solemn, his expression sad.

"Your father… he would have wanted to be there for you, Naruto…".

Naruto remained quiet.

"You know why he gives the 9 tails to you both?".

"Hmph… I don't know… he just wants to save the village… he sealed him in us…". Naruto replied sulkily. It's as if this stupid dad of his just has no other person to use. As if there's no other shinobi in the entire Konoha that could consent to it.

"Well, that too… but also because he trusted you both with them. He believes in you, Naruto…".

"Believes…in me…?", Naruto turned around to face Jiraiya.

"Konoha had an enemy out there. And he entrusted 9 tails to you and your little sister, hoping for you both to protect Konoha with its power".

"And I believe in you too, Naruto".

Naruto felt a little touched, but still-

"But… it's so hard… it's… really…". Naruto's eyes turned teary. Housing the 9 tails wasn't easy at all for him. Maybe it is for Tsuyu, heck it's as if it never mattered for her. But for Naruto it's really difficult…

"I know… but you have your little sister. And, you have me too. You are not alone, Naruto". Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Ero-sennin…".

"Just take a bath and go to sleep, you stink…".

"I am not! Stupid ero-sennin!", Naruto huffed and went away.

Jiraiya let out a sigh of relief. It seems Naruto took it better than he thought. Maybe, Naruto already cursed and vented his frustration after all.

Dad trusted me with 9 tails… Naruto thought to himself.

Protect Konoha… the enemy…

Naruto clenched his fist. 

I will try, stupid dad…

***