Stupid Brother

Naruto stared blankly at the layout of the house, the familiar yet foreign surroundings overwhelming him. His uncle's words echoed in his mind, filling the silence that had accompanied him for so long. This was supposed to be his home, a place where he should have felt safe and loved. But all he could recall were the lonely nights he spent lying on a cold, hard bed in his small apartment.

He walked slowly through the rooms, touching the furniture and walls, as if to reassure himself that this wasn't just another cruel dream. The memories of his past, the nights spent in solitude and the longing for a family, contrasted sharply with the warmth and promise of this house.

Mirai watched him silently, understanding the turmoil in the young boy's heart. He approached Naruto and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's real, Naruto. This is your home now. You deserve to be here."

Naruto looked up at his uncle, his eyes filled with uncertainty and hope. "Really? This… this is mine?"

Mirai nodded, his expression softening. "Yes, it is. Your parents wanted you to have this, to grow up in a place where you could feel loved and protected. And I'm here to make sure that happens."

Naruto's eyes welled up with tears. For so long, he had felt like an outsider, unwanted and unloved. The reality of finally having a place to call home, and a family member who cared for him, was almost too much to bear.

Mirai knelt down to be at eye level with Naruto. "We'll make new memories here, together. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Naruto wiped his eyes and nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.

…

Climbing the second floor, Mirai stopped in front of a familiar room. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he might find inside. With a swift motion, he pushed the door open and stepped in.

The room was filled with dust and clutter, the remnants of a time long past. It was evident that no one had entered this space for years. Memories flooded back as Mirai took in the sight—the bed, the desk, the shelves, all as he had left them.

As he walked further into the room, his eyes were drawn to a dusty photo album lying on the desk. He approached it slowly and gently brushed away the dust that had settled on its cover. The album held the weight of countless memories, moments captured in time that he had never forgotten.

After dusting off the photo album, Mirai flipped through its pages until his eyes settled on a particularly familiar photo. Despite the sneer that formed on his lips, his eyes betrayed a deep-seated nostalgia and sorrow.

The photo captured three people in a moment of pure joy. In the middle stood a young, blond Minato, his smile radiant as he put his arms around a vibrant red-haired woman with an equally bright smile—Kushina. To their left, another blond young man, Mirai himself, was caught trying to turn his head away and lean out of the shot, his face twisted in a mock scowl that barely concealed his own amusement.

Mirai's fingers brushed over the image, lingering on the faces of his brother and sister-in-law.

"Speaking of which, I've been back for a few days, but I haven't seen you yet."

…

Leaving Naruto to tidy his new room, Mirai made his way to the Konoha cemetery. The walk through the village was contemplative. The villagers watched him with a mix of awe and apprehension, still processing the events of the day. He ignored the stares, his mind focused on the graves he was about to visit.

The cemetery was a quiet, solemn place. Mirai moved purposefully among the rows of headstones, finally stopping before the graves of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.

Placing a lily on each. He gently cleaned the forgotten stones, brushing away the accumulated dust and grime with care.

As he stood there in silence, his thoughts drifted back to his previous life. He remembered being an ambitious orphan, constantly working to improve his situation, driven by the relentless pursuit of success. There was no time for personal joys or connections; his life had been consumed by work. In the end, he died in obscurity, a victim of his own overexertion.

The memory of his last moments in that life was vivid, the overwhelming exhaustion, and then… the darkness. When he woke again, he found himself in the body of Namikaze Mirai. The transition had been disorienting, but the new world offered him a second chance, one filled with relationships and a sense of purpose he had never known.

As he adjusted to his new identity, he began to recall snippets of information about this world. The village, the people, and the looming threats all felt vaguely familiar, as if he had encountered them in passing before. After racking his brain, he remembered tidbits from media he had consumed in his previous life. There was talk of a great war concerning the end of the world, and a name stood out amid the fragmented memories, Madara. He was certain that this figure played a pivotal role in the chaos to come.

Fortunately, what Mirai lacked in knowledge about this world, he made up for with extraordinary talent. As a sensor and possessing the rare Magnet Release, he utilized his modern understanding of magnetic phenomena to develop techniques that surpassed the current scope of the ninja world's understanding.

He created formidable moves such as [Railgun], which transformed a simple coin into a devastating, high-velocity projectile, [Electromagnetic Propulsion], allowing him to move with incredible speed and agility, and [Golem], where he manipulated metal to form a massive, nearly indestructible guardian.

During the Third World Ninja War, these abilities cemented his reputation as a fearsome shinobi. His name, the 'Blue Flash' became renowned, especially after his climactic battle against the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, a fellow wielder of Magnet Release.

Mirai recalled the day he fought him. He had soared above the battlefield on a platform crafted from countless iron weapons, each piece magnetically bound together. From this vantage point, he unleashed a relentless barrage of [Railgun] attacks.

The sky had been lit up with streaks of blue light as his high-velocity projectiles rained down on Rasa. The Kazekage's Gold Dust, typically a near-impenetrable defense, struggled to counter the sheer speed and precision of Mirai's strikes.

Mirai reminisced about the time after the Third World Ninja War. With Minato fulfilling his dream and becoming the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina joyfully expecting a child, Mirai had felt a profound sense of fulfillment. His brother's ascension to Hokage and the impending birth of his nephew marked a period of peace and hope.

It was during this tranquil time that Mirai made a significant decision. He decided to leave the village to explore more of the world, seeking new experiences and environments. The ninja world was vast, filled with hidden mysteries and untapped potential. He was eager to discover new ways to refine his Magnet Release and develop a newly conceived technique that required unique conditions and inspiration.

Unexpectedly, it stretched into three long years.

…

"Come out!" Mirai suddenly spoke calmly, not bothering to look back.

Behind him, a figure emerged from the shadows, clad in the standard ANBU uniform, his distinctive white hair catching the faint light.

"Mirai-san, I knew you would come here." Hatake Kakashi said, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Mirai turned to face him, a small smile playing on his lips. "Kakashi, it's been a while. I see you're still as sharp as ever."

Soon, his voice turned cold as he gave Kakashi his back. "Minato has been dead for three years, and you, as his disciple, is this how you treat his orphan?"

Kakashi flinched at Mirai's words, the weight of guilt and shame evident in his eyes. "Mirai-san, it's not that simple. There were… complications, things beyond my control."

Mirai didn't turn around, his tone icy. "Complications? Naruto has been living in neglect and isolation, subjected to the villagers' scorn and hatred. Minato trusted you. Kushina trusted you. Is this how you repay their trust?"

Kakashi took a deep breath, his voice pained. "I know I failed him. I thought distancing myself would keep him safe, that the village would protect him."

Mirai finally turned to face him, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and disappointment. "Safe? Protected? The village has done nothing but make his life a living hell. You, of all people, should have known better. You could have done something. Anything."

Kakashi's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his heart aching with remorse. "I thought I was doing the right thing." He said, his voice cracking.

After the series of misfortunes and the deaths of all his loved ones, Kakashi buried himself in ANBU missions, operating like a machine. The losses had left him emotionally numb, and he found solace only in the relentless pace of his work.

However, when Mirai brought Naruto with him to the Hokage's office, his words felt like a blow to Kakashi. That's the reason why he stepped forward and stopped hiding behind excuses now.

…

"Tell me what happened that night."

Mirai asked Kakashi about the night of the Nine-Tails attack. Since his return, he had been investigating Minato's death, but the information he obtained was limited, as if everyone was trying to forget it or keep it a secret.

"Kakashi, I need to know what happened that night." Mirai repeated, his voice steady but urgent. "You were there, you investigated it. Tell me everything."

Kakashi took a deep breath, his gaze distant as he recalled the harrowing events. "It was a night like any other at first. Kushina-san was in labor, and Minato-sensei was by her side. Everything was supposed to be under control, but then… everything went wrong."

He paused, gathering his thoughts. "A masked man attacked the compound where Kushina-san was giving birth. He knew exactly when to strike, right when she was at her most vulnerable. He managed to separate her from Minato-sensei and extracted the Nine-Tails from her."

Mirai's eyes narrowed. "A masked man? Who was he?"

Kakashi shook his head. "We still don't know. He wore a mask and had abilities unlike any ninja we've encountered. He could phase through attacks and teleport. He used the Nine-Tails to wreak havoc on the village."

He continued, his voice heavy with the weight of memory. "Minato-sensei fought him, managing to separate him from the Nine-Tails and eventually teleporting him away. But the damage was done. The Nine-Tails was rampaging through the village, and he knew there was only one way to stop it."

Mirai's fists clenched. "He used the [Dead Demon Consuming Seal]."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "Yes. He sealed half of the Nine-Tails within himself and the other half within Naruto. He… he and Kushina both sacrificed themselves to protect the village and their son."

Mirai's expression was both sarcastic and angry. "And after that? How did the village treat their sacrifice? By turning their backs on Naruto?"

Kakashi lowered his gaze. "The village was in chaos. There were so many casualties, so much destruction. Hiruzen-sama resumed the role of Hokage, but… things weren't the same. The villagers feared and resented Naruto because he carried the Nine-Tails. And I… I failed to step up. I failed him."

Mirai's voice was cold. "And the masked man? No one knows anything about him?"

"The culprit had both the Sharingan and Wood Release." Kakashi said, his voice steady but tinged with frustration. "Because of this, the suspicions were directed at the Uchiha clan."

Mirai immediately shook his head, a frown forming on his face. "No, that doesn't add up. Minato worked tirelessly to integrate the Uchiha into the village and resolve the conflicts. They had no reason to take such a risk and self-destruct like that."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You're certain about that? Many in the village still believe the Uchiha were involved."

Mirai crossed his arms, his expression resolute. "Minato's efforts were bearing fruit. The Uchiha were becoming more integrated into the village, more cooperative. They had more to gain by maintaining peace than by inciting chaos."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "So, if it wasn't the Uchiha, then who?"

Mirai's eyes narrowed as he considered the possibilities. "The Sharingan and Wood Release… It could be someone with ties to both the Uchiha and Senju. But such a combination is extremely rare. There might be something or someone we're overlooking."

Kakashi's mind raced through the possibilities. "The only person who comes to mind with such abilities was… Uchiha Madara. But he was supposed to be long dead."

Mirai's face darkened as he swore. "Madara… The name keeps coming up. If it is him or someone related to him, no matter who he is, I will never let him go."

He then took a deep breath, his expression softening slightly as he looked at the grave of his brother. "But before that, my stupid brother, leave Naruto to me."