At the hospital, Naruto's condition was visibly improving. The blood had been cleaned away, and the pain in his forehead had softened with proper medical treatment.
Still lying on the gurney, Naruto stared blankly at the towering visage of the Fourth Hokage carved into Hokage Rock. Ryosuke's revelation about his identity had left him stunned.
My father… that was him.
Ryosuke watched over him quietly with relief. Among all the elders and shinobi, only he truly cared about Naruto's well-being.
Beside them, Kakashi exhaled in quiet relief. He'd never objected to revealing the truth. It wouldn't erase Naruto's suffering—but it might finally allow others to treat him as a human… not a demon.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha-led justice system had carried out the sentencing. The three boys who attacked Naruto were all incarcerated—two for one year, one for five. The rest of the villagers now understood the severity of what had happened. Anyone bold enough to harm the Fourth Hokage's son deserved every bit of the punishment.
Ryosuke stepped forward, checking Naruto's healing condition.
"How are you feeling now? Will you have a scar?"
A medic replied, "If the treatment continues as it has, it shouldn't be too noticeable."
Learning that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son had clearly motivated them. Even the simplest efforts felt like a tribute to his lost parents.
Naruto sat up and smiled softly.
"My forehead still aches…but I feel better. Not just physically—I don't feel so lonely anymore. Thank you for telling me who I really am. I'm not cursed… or a demon."
Ryosuke patted his shoulder warmly.
"You're right. Not a demon… you're a jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails—and that means dangers could come from outside the village. How would you feel about staying with the Uchiha for a while?"
He paused. "Once you're older and stronger… you can return to your parents' home. But until then, there'd be no one-size-fits-all protection like that of our clan."
Kakashi frowned, uneasy at the suggestion of Naruto moving into the Uchiha territory. But Ryosuke fixed him with a cold stare:
"If you can't protect him, I will."
Kakashi's eyes dropped. He wouldn't risk Naruto again.
Leaving the hospital, they walked back toward the Uchiha compound, and caught sight of Uchiha Fugaku emerging from the estate.
Fugaku's breath caught at the sight of Naruto. Even though the rumors of the "Demon Fox" had spread, he never believed them. He'd suspected Naruto might be the jinchūriki… and now, seeing the boy before him, his greatest hope rose in his chest.
"Ryosuke—did you bring the jinchūriki home?"
Naruto looked at Fugaku's stern expression—it was uncharacteristic, almost fearful. Fugaku felt sheepish, as if he were the scary one.
Ryosuke smiled and said, "Yes. He's the son of the Fourth Hokage."
Fugaku's expression changed. The "Yellow Flash of Konoha" had a son. His face softened, pride glowing in his eyes.
"Let's go to my home. Mikoto would love to see him—she and Kushina were classmates."
Ryosuke nodded, and they walked together to Fugaku's residence.
Inside, Uchiha Mikoto, Fugaku's wife, urgently made her way forward. Her silver eyes went wide as she saw Naruto.
"So… this is Kushina's son?" she asked, voice trembling. Naruto's yellow hair and name had made it painfully obvious, but she needed confirmation.
Naruto, shy and small, cleared his throat.
"My name is… Uzumaki Naruto."
Mikoto's eyes glowed with recognition—Kushina's boy. A shock of emotion passed through her face.
"But… what happened to your head? You've been hurt badly—is everything okay?"
Naruto looked down, embarrassed but reassured by her warmth and earnest concern.
He hesitated, then nodded softly. "I'm okay now."
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