Chapter 23

"First... First Hokage?!"

"And the Second Hokage too!"

"Is that Master Tsunade next to them?"

Minato stood frozen in place, his curiosity about the chat group momentarily forgotten as he took in the sight before him.

Everything suddenly made sense—he was in the Konoha Hokage chat group, a place where all the Hokage, including potential future ones like Tsunade, could gather.

"Wait, did I get pulled into this?"

"What era of Hokage are you?"

"He looks as young as the Fourth Hokage."

The three new members of the chat group, the First and Second Hokage, noticed Minato's presence and inquired about his identity. The group had indeed brought in another Hokage for their second meeting, unlocking the leaderboard and cross-border mutual assistance functions.

While the First and Second Hokage showed keen interest in Minato, Tsunade, standing beside them, recognized him immediately.

"Grandpa, that's Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage I know."

Tsunade explained Minato's identity, and he proudly displayed his Fourth Hokage status by wearing the imperial robe. This caught the attention of the First and Second Hokage, who turned to Ryan, the group leader, expecting an introduction.

"Boy Ryan, tell us about this Fourth Hokage."

Ryan, being the Fourth Hokage himself and well-versed in Konoha's history, began to explain. As everyone took their seats, Minato's curiosity grew. He had not expected to learn about his own future.

"Minato, what year is it on your side?" Ryan asked, wanting to establish the timeline.

After a moment's thought, Minato replied, "It's the 48th year of Konoha."

Upon hearing Minato's answer, Ryan and Tsunade's expressions changed instantly. The First and Second Hokage beside them also grasped the situation.

"Wait, does that mean this kid died this year?"

"The war is over, how did this kid die?"

Ryan proceeded to reveal the chain of events leading to the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails. He explained how a masked man, in collusion with Shimura Danzo, sought to take control of the Nine-Tails by targeting the Fourth Hokage's child.

Ultimately, Minato defeated the masked man but sacrificed his life and that of his wife, Kushina, in the process.

The loss of the Fourth Hokage and his wife left Konoha in a vulnerable state, but the Third Hokage stepped up to lead the village once again. The First and Second Hokage were shocked by the revelations.

"What in the world?"

"The Nine-Tails can take lives."

As the First Hokage expressed his disbelief, the other members of the group, including Ryan, felt exasperated.

<Some people might not know but to defeat Hashirama. Madara had to transplant Hashirama cells and use rinnegan. He was so op that his cells were cheat codes comparable to Biju.>

In the current chat group, even Ryan was not as powerful as Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage. The Second Hokage realized the full extent of the situation, especially regarding Shimura Danzo's involvement.

"What about you, Tsuna? When did you become Hokage?"

Understanding the Second Hokage's question, Tsunade reluctantly responded, "The Third Hokage will pass away in over ten years."

Upon hearing this, the Second Hokage's frustration grew. He began suspecting that Danzo might have planned the whole incident together with the masked man again.

"So, I'm going to die this year."

Minato, now aware of his own future, stood frozen in place. He had not expected to die just after the birth of his child. The weight of his responsibilities as Hokage, the lack of time for his wife, and the orphaning of his newborn child overwhelmed him. Minato's once sunny disposition turned icy.

Observing Minato's despair, Ryan understood his current state. Thanks to his earlier interventions, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo had been eliminated. Otherwise, Minato would not have fared well. At that moment, Ryan thought of Naruto.

"Minato, don't you want to know what happened to your son?"

Startled by Ryan's words, Minato realized the significance and pleaded, "Group leader, please tell me!"

Ryan proceeded to explain that Naruto, before Minato's death, sealed the Nine-Tails within himself. However, the Third Hokage ordered that Naruto's identity as the Fourth Hokage's son be concealed. Instead, the village learned of Naruto's connection to the Nine-Tails, leading to mistreatment from an early age.

"The nanny who cared for Naruto would mix boiling water with his milk, disregarding the temperature before pouring it unceremoniously."

"Some even wanted to kill Naruto outright."

"But the Third Hokage wouldn't allow the Jinchuriki to die, so he took immediate action."

As Ryan recounted Naruto's tragic experiences, Namikaze Minato's face turned dark and his rage intensified. The Second Hokage, too, felt a deep sense of shame, regretting his decision to pass on the Hokage title to such an individual.

"Afterwards, none of the Fourth Hokage's legacy was passed down to Naruto. Instead, he was placed in the Orphan Resettlement House."

"He received a meagre allowance, drank expired milk, and often went hungry."

"When he ventured outside, the villagers pointed fingers at him and called him a demon fox. No one wanted to play with him."

"The only joy he experienced was during the Third Hokage's monthly visits to the orphanage."

As Ryan finished speaking, a wave of terrifying aura emanated from Namikaze Minato. He no longer resembled the cheerful person known as the "little sun." Instead, he stood up with a grim determination, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.

Seeing Minato's state, Tsunade fell silent. Ryan's account of Naruto's past experiences resonated with her, leading her to reflect on how Naruto managed to grow into the person he was.

She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, knowing that Minato's fury might prevent him from succumbing to darkness and becoming the greatest menace in the ninja world.

Understanding Minato's overwhelming anger as a father, Ryan made an effort to calm him.

"Minato, please take a seat."

"These events belong to the future, and now you know what lies ahead!"

"Will you allow them to happen again?"

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