Naruto

The Kyuubi was entirely sealed and divided into two parts, Yin and Yang, by Minato based on its chakra attributes. The Yin Kyuubi was sealed in Minato's body and sacrificed to the Death God along with Minato's soul, while the Yang Kyuubi was sealed within young Naruto.

Shintaro approached Minato and Kushina. Minato's soul had been taken by the Death God, and Kushina was also on the verge of dying.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you."

Their conditions could no longer be healed with the [Reverse Cursed Technique].

Although severely injured like Shinku, Shintaro could heal him with the [Reverse Cursed Technique].

However, Minato's case was incurable.

This was because Minato's death was caused by his soul being taken, and the [Reverse Cursed Technique] could heal the body but could not restore the soul.

As for Kushina, her life force was taken when the Bijuu was taken away. Actually, this wasn't an injury, but rather approaching the end of life.

So in the face of these two, Shintaro was utterly helpless.

Kushina only reluctantly smiled and said with her last strength: "It's okay... This was our choice..."

"It's just that... Naruto..."

Her voice grew weaker, and in the end, her pale lips trembled.

"I understand. Whether publicly or privately, I will help take care of Naruto."

Shintaro knelt halfway in front of Kushina seriously, looking at Naruto lying in the small bed in the middle of the altar.

Kushina turned and looked deeply at Naruto, as if wanting to imprint Naruto's appearance in her mind forever.

In the end, Kushina, like Minato, leaned against the side of the baby bed, the two of them close together, as if they had just fallen asleep with Naruto.

Shintaro bowed his head, unable to bear watching the heartbreaking scene.

This was the first day this three-member family gathered.

"It seems we are a step too late..." Hiruzen led some of his subordinates past the now-nonexistent barrier and reached the altar.

He sighed deeply upon seeing Minato and Kushina leaning against the bed.

"Why bother, Minato. Even if you had to use [Shikifujin] to seal the Kyuubi, I, an old man, should have sacrificed my life."

Hiruzen approached Minato and his wife while sighing and at the same time looked at Shintaro and asked: "Shintaro, what did Kushina just say to you?"

"She asked me to take good care of Naruto." Shintaro stood up.

"Well, Naruto's life is too hard, so he must be well taken care of." Hiruzen nodded and said with his hands behind his back towards the small bed, and indeed there was a look of compassion in his eyes.

"However... Naruto's status is special, so some things need to be hidden."

Hiruzen's eyes were fixed on the [Shisho Fuin] on Naruto's belly.

"Konoha will be grateful to Minato for his selflessness..."

Shintaro did not commit.

He understood Hiruzen's intentions.

There were many ways to solve the Kyuubi Rebellion.

Kushina could directly strangle the Kyuubi with [Kongo Fusa], and Minato could use [Shikifujin] to completely seal the soul of the Kyuubi, even possibly letting Kushina open the barrier and let Hiruzen seal it.

However, Minato chose to sacrifice himself and Naruto, weakening the power of the Kyuubi while leaving Konoha with a Jinchuriki.

The reason why Naruto was said to be sacrificed was because the Bijuu not only meant great power but also meant that the Jinchuriki had to pay a high price.

Because great power often came with fear.

As bearers of the Bijuu's power, Jinchuriki bore the mission of protecting and fighting for the village, but were often feared by the villagers they protected.

Jinchuriki often grew up alone and ostracized by the villagers.

This was too cruel for Naruto, who had already lost his parents.

"So Hokage-sama plans to hide Naruto's identity?"

Shintaro asked while looking at Hiruzen's face, which seemed much older.

The Kyuubi Rebellion tonight destroyed many families in Konoha, including Minato's family.

However, in fact, Hiruzen's family was not spared either, his wife, Kushina's midwife, was also killed by the mysterious masked man.

Hiruzen nodded, "Whether it is the identity of the Fourth Hokage's son or the identity of a Jinchuriki, it will bring unreasonable disasters to this child. So I plan to hide Naruto's true identity. I will only say that he is an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan, and will not disclose that his father was the Fourth Hokage."

Shintaro replied: "But this will make Naruto's life difficult."

"The Konoha pension subsidy is enough for this child to grow up normally. When he grows up, I will tell him the truth." Hiruzen said this.

Shintaro added: "I can adopt Naruto."

He was not optimistic about the so-called subsidy.

Konoha was not financially independent and relied mostly on ninja salaries and daimyo remittances, so the amount of the subsidy was worrying.

And for an undeveloped child, financial subsidies were secondary, and companionship was more important.

So Shintaro suggested: "Why don't I raise Naruto? This is Kushina-sama's trust, and I am strong enough to suppress the Kyuubi."

"NO!"

Hiruzen reacted very strongly and quickly rejected the proposal.

Then he calmed down and explained: "Shintaro, it's not that I don't trust you, but your status is really not suitable for being too involved with Naruto."

"You also saw the Kyuubi rampage tonight, and its eyes were clearly the Sharingan."

"There are even some bad messages for the Uchiha Clan in the village, so you are not suitable... Because of your relationship with the Yuhi family, even if you let Shinku and his daughter raise Naruto, it is not right."

Shintaro was not surprised by this but more disappointed with the current senior management of Konoha.

During this Kyuubi Rebellion, all the ninjas of the Uchiha Clan completed their missions protecting civilians under supervision, but they were still condemned by the senior management of Konoha.

It wasn't that Shintaro didn't understand, but such suspicion made him very uncomfortable.

"I understand." Shintaro said calmly.

Hiruzen then confidently picked up Naruto, and at the same time ordered the ninjas behind him: "I will soothe Naruto, and you go and bring back the remains of the Fourth Hokage couple to the village."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."