The Meaning of Family is to Protect

After Whitebeard and the others left the Land of Grass, Uzumaki Fusō witnessed firsthand how "Dad" trained Naruto.

It seemed like Whitebeard was trying to push Naruto to his limits, almost to the point of breaking him.

Initially, she was worried that Naruto wouldn't be able to hold out and might suddenly collapse. But as time went on, she realized that Naruto was stronger than anyone else.

His vitality was incredibly strong.

Even among the Uzumaki clan, he was exceptionally resilient.

However, Uzumaki Fusō couldn't help but wonder, "Even the most resilient Uzumaki would likely perish under such harsh training," she thought as she watched Naruto's continuous cries of pain.

She had even rolled up her sleeves, revealing numerous bite marks on her arms.

If Naruto showed any sign of not being able to continue, she would immediately rush over and let him bite her arm to heal.

After all, she had come to regard Naruto as her true family over these past days.

Just like Dad had said.

The Whitebeard Pirates... were a family!

"Ah!!!" "Ouch!!!" "Ugh!!!" "Ow!!!"

The one constantly shouting was Naruto, whose clothes were torn and tattered, skin covered in bruises and cuts. His body was riddled with wounds.

A stone as big as Naruto's fist suddenly struck his abdomen, causing him to clutch his stomach and retch.

Before Naruto could react, another stone hit his forehead with a thud.

Blood flowed from his forehead!

Having endured hundreds of stone hits, Naruto's resolve finally broke.

His eyes rolled back.

He fell back, unconscious.

"Naruto!" Uzumaki Fusō didn't hesitate. She pulled out a kunai and made a small cut on her arm. She rushed over, forced open Naruto's mouth, and let her blood drip into it, hoping to keep him alive.

She had underestimated Naruto's tenacity, though.

Uzumaki vitality + Nine-Tails Jinchuriki + Asura's reincarnation.

He wasn't going to die that easily.

However, Uzumaki blood did work wonders. Naruto, who should have been unconscious for a while, woke up in a few minutes.

"It hurts—"

Naruto opened his eyes to darkness. He reached up and removed the black cloth covering his eyes.

"Sister?"

He noticed Uzumaki Fusō's bleeding arm and immediately sat up.

"Why is your arm hurt? And why do I taste iron?" Naruto smacked his lips, and then it hit him.

His eyes widened.

"Sister, you..."

"It's okay," Uzumaki Fusō smiled warmly, wrapping her arm with a bandage. "Compared to being bitten, cutting it with a kunai hurts less."

"But…" Naruto said, "Dad took you and Karin into the Whitebeard Pirates so you wouldn't have to use your blood to heal anymore."

"Forced and voluntary are very different!"

Uzumaki Fusō's smile could melt ice. "Naruto, Dad, and Karin are my family!"

"Family…" Naruto began to understand the deeper meaning of the word.

His battered face showed determination.

"Sister! I'll become strong! As strong as Dad! I'll protect you and Karin with Dad!"

Naruto's voice, though young, was firm and powerful. "I'll become the Hokage of Konoha and bring you to the village!"

Uzumaki Fusō was stunned.

"Mm!"

She tried not to cry in front of her daughter and rubbed Naruto's hair.

"Sister believes in you!"

Even though the Whitebeard Pirates only consisted of four people, the harmony and growing bonds of the family made Whitebeard very satisfied.

This was what family was about!

Whitebeard had always sought this sense of family on the seas.

Now, in the shinobi world, he was beginning to form one too.

"Gurararara! Foolish son!"

Whitebeard laughed heartily. "I threw 310 stones at you, and you dodged only 21! You're far from being able to protect your family!"

"Dad, keep going!"

Naruto took a deep breath and said seriously, "Train me like you're trying to kill me! I'll become Hokage, surpass the Hokage, and protect my family!"

Naruto's voice grew louder, his resolve like iron. "This is my ninja way!"

"Good! Very spirited!"

Whitebeard's smile broadened as he roared, "Then show the effort and determination 200 times that of an ordinary person!"

Father and son, one shouting louder than the other.

Even nearby birds took flight from the noise.

Kakashi, teaching Karin the Clone Technique, was stunned. He almost saw two Gais in front of him.

A seventy-year-old man and a five-year-old boy.

So much energy!

Next, Naruto began another round of harsh training. Whitebeard wouldn't hold back. If Naruto couldn't endure this pain, he would never become a man of the sea.

What surprised Whitebeard was...

This time, Naruto endured the pain without crying out.

Moreover, for every ten stones thrown, Naruto dodged one.

And he still had the blindfold on.

"This foolish son…"

Whitebeard smiled as he threw another stone. "He's progressing fast! A real genius!"

Whoosh—

Whitebeard didn't hold back despite his words, hurling the stone at Naruto's shin.

"Ah!!!!"

Naruto hissed in pain.

Sweat poured from his forehead.

Tears and snot flowed from the pain.

Naruto felt a shiver on his forehead when another stone flew towards him.

He instinctively ducked.

The stone grazed his scalp, but before he could rejoice, another hit his nose.

"Ouch!!!"

He finally cried out. His screams echoed through the area again.

Heart-wrenching for those who heard.

"Naruto…" Kakashi watched, lost in thought.

He realized that even a five-year-old worked harder than he did.

More determined than him, an Anbu.

"Family…" Kakashi sighed, glancing at Karin practicing her Clone Technique and Whitebeard with Naruto.

His eyes dimmed.

Family wasn't a luxury he could afford.