Eternal Drakness

After Namikaze Minato finished setting up the sealing technique in the core area of the dragon veins, he addressed everyone present: "Because time travel can significantly impact history, I'll need to seal everyone's memories to prevent any major temporal disruptions."

As soon as he said this, Naruto and Sāra reacted most strongly.

"What? Does that mean when I go back, I'll forget everything that happened here?" Naruto asked, sounding disappointed.

"Will I forget... about him?" Sāra thought to herself, casting a secret glance at Naruto, her mood sinking.

It seemed that Naruto hadn't realized that Minato was his father, unlike in the original version of the story. After all, in the normal timeline, Naruto wouldn't learn that Minato was his father until Pain's invasion of Konoha.

At this point in time, Naruto might know that Minato was the Fourth Hokage, but he certainly wouldn't be aware of their father-son relationship. There were clearly some inconsistencies in the "Lost Tower" plotline, possibly because this event occurred three years earlier than it was supposed to.

As Aizen observed the scene before him, he mused on these inconsistencies.

"I don't think it's necessary to seal these memories. Let them keep them," Aizen suddenly suggested.

Everyone turned to Aizen in surprise, including Naruto and Sāra, who both looked hopeful.

"But... Moon, if we allow them to keep these memories of time travel, we can't predict the consequences. We must..." Minato began, clearly torn by Aizen's suggestion.

Aizen's words had struck a chord, leaving Minato conflicted.

Not even Naruto could sway Minato's decision easily.

"The flow of time is like an endless river, and in the grand scheme of things, fate is already set in motion. This experience, these memories, can serve as precious lessons and growth for these two," Aizen said with a philosophical smile.

Minato turned to look at Naruto, considering Aizen's words deeply.

"Yeah! What Big Brother Moon said makes sense. Please don't seal our memories!" Naruto chimed in, eager to keep his memories intact.

In truth, Naruto didn't fully grasp Aizen's reasoning—he was just focused on not losing his memories.

Sāra, standing nearby, nodded vigorously in agreement, her face flushed with hope.

Minato found himself exasperated by the two's enthusiasm.

"Minato, just think about it. This girl clearly has strong feelings for this boy. Let her keep these memories close to her heart. Can't you do that?" Aizen added with a playful tone, his eyes glinting mischievously.

The unexpected suggestion stunned everyone present.

"What? Naruto managed to charm such a beautiful girl in such a short time? When did he become so smooth?" Yamato, wrapped in bandages, stared at Sāra, who was now blushing deeply. He couldn't believe this was the same Naruto he knew.

"What?! Brother Moon, are you saying that Sāra likes me?" Naruto blurted out, pointing at himself in disbelief.

He turned to look at Sāra, who had her head bowed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Even someone as dense as Naruto couldn't miss Sāra's feelings at this point.

"Uh... I.."

For the first time, Naruto realized that a girl actually liked him, and his mind went blank.

Minato, watching this unfold, looked from Naruto to Sāra, noting her red hair and the corners of his mouth began to twitch uncontrollably.

Seeing Minato's reaction, Aizen couldn't help but feel a bit disdainful.

What's this? Don't you know that in almost every movie, your son manages to win over a girl's heart? There's a reason the movies have been dubbed the 'Naruto Harem Series'. Aizen thought with a smirk.

With Aizen's playful interruption, the atmosphere began to shift in a strange direction.

Even Akamichi Chōza and the others, who had been quietly observing, exchanged amused, knowing looks as they glanced at Naruto.

However, when Aizen noticed Hyuga Hiashi giving Naruto a similar look, he couldn't help but find it ironic.

'Hiashi, you probably don't know this yet, but that boy is your future son-in-law.'

'I wonder how you'll react in the future when you realize that your daughter likes Naruto. When you think back to today's scene, I can only imagine the expression that will cross your face.' Aizen thought with a smirk.

After a moment, Naruto finally processed what was happening, and his expression turned serious.

"Thank you, Sāra. You're the first girl to ever like me since I was a kid," Naruto said softly, smiling at her.

He was still unaware that Hyūga Hinata had harbored feelings for him since childhood.

"I see." Sāra looked at Naruto with sadness and loss in her eyes. She had a sense of what Naruto was about to say next.

"But in my time, I have friends, teachers, people I care about deeply. I have to go back," Naruto continued, his expression firm yet apologetic.

"I understand." Sāra's eyes welled up with tears, her vision blurring as they began to spill over.

But Sāra, who had grown stronger through her experiences, quickly wiped away her tears and smiled at Naruto with determination. "I understand, Naruto. Don't worry about me. I'll be strong! Even if Loulan's destruction is inevitable, I promise that I'll protect my people and ensure they live on. This is my vow to you."

Her words were a heartfelt promise, a declaration of her enduring love and commitment to Naruto that she would never forget.

"Really? Then I'm relieved!" Naruto replied, giving her a thumbs up and flashing his trademark bright smile.

Watching this touching exchange, Namikaze Minato finally made up his mind.

"Alright, let's seal the dragon veins first. As for your memories, I won't seal them," Minato said, his voice filled with emotion.

Seeing the love between his son and Sāra, spanning across time and space, Minato couldn't bring himself to erase those memories. It felt too cruel.

Hearing Minato's decision, both Naruto and Sāra beamed with happiness.

At the moment when Minato sealed the dragon veins, a soft, hazy glow enveloped Naruto and Yamato.

Naruto took one last, deep look at Sāra, then glanced at Minato and the others.

Suddenly, he felt like he was missing something important.

"Brother Moon, you've looked out for me this entire time! But I've never seen your true face. Could you show me before we part ways?"

Until now, Naruto had never seen Aizen's face, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to satisfy his curiosity. The thought of leaving without knowing what Aizen looked like gnawed at him, keeping him restless.