Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Perfect Jinchūriki, Golden Naruto Appears!

Uzumaki Mito narrowed her eyes. "Come to think of it, only a handful of top leaders in Konoha knew about the Fourth Hokage's wife giving birth that night."Utatane Koharu responded indignantly, "I would never do something like that!"Mitokado Homura followed quickly. "How could I harm Konoha? I've always had high hopes for Minato!"Shimura Danzō scoffed, "How dare you accuse me without evidence? Is there anyone here who still doubts my character?"Sarutobi Hiruzen: "...?"Uzumaki Mito smiled coldly. "Whoever did this knows exactly what they did. I believe even the Minato in this world must have realized the truth by now."Namikaze Minato looked solemn. "Senior Mito…"Indeed, Minato understood something was wrong. After all, the version of himself in this world had experienced the same tragedy.He hadn't yet seen Uzumaki Naruto in person, but he still held onto a faint hope for Konoha. He had been taught the so-called "Will of Fire" by Sarutobi Hiruzen and believed in it deeply.Although Minato bore the title of the Fourth Hokage, in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet. He never even established a Namikaze clan. Meanwhile, the Sarutobi clan continued to thrive in the shadows of power.As for the Uchiha clan, once strong and proud, they had been pushed to the fringes of the village. Isolated and distrusted, it was no surprise that they eventually reached out to the mysterious figure claiming to be Uchiha Madara.Yet even that cooperation ended in betrayal.The so-called Madara failed in his plan to incite the Uchiha to genocide. Fearing retaliation and exposure, he took preemptive action instead. Using threats and manipulation, he coerced Uchiha Itachi—who had been brainwashed by the Will of Fire—to annihilate his own clan.---[Flashback Dialogue - ADVERTISEMENT]> ["Naruto… the masked man behind all of this may hold even greater power than we imagined. If possible, I'd like you to revive me temporarily."]["Temporary resurrection?"]["There's a Forbidden Jutsu created by the Second Hokage—Impure World Reincarnation. It can bring the dead back from the Pure Land and restore their power."]["If that's possible, maybe I can give you the other half of Kurama's chakra. With both halves, the Nine Tails can offer even greater strength!"]["But... my soul is sealed. After I used the Reaper Death Seal, I was devoured by the Shinigami. I'm not sure if Impure World Reincarnation can reach me."]Naruto considered the suggestion. Wasn't that technique just recently used by Orochimaru to summon the First and Second Hokage?If they could capture Orochimaru, perhaps they could force him to reveal the secrets of the jutsu. And with the scrolls his clone had retrieved from the Hokage's office, they might even find detailed records on the Forbidden Technique.But...Naruto looked at Minato and Kushina, standing before him with warm smiles. No matter what they had done in life, now that they saw him, their first thoughts were for him.Even knowing he was planning to attack Konoha, they didn't try to stop him. Instead, they stood by his side. That was all Naruto needed.For the first time in his life, he truly felt the warmth of a parent's love.He didn't want to see Minato and Kushina again as soulless puppets brought back from the dead. No flesh. No heartbeat. No warmth.He believed there had to be a real jutsu in the ninja world that could bring the dead back—truly back to life.Naruto decided to keep that thought to himself. It was still just a dream. One day, he'd make it real.---As their conversation ended, the figures of Minato and Kushina began to fade.The chakra remnants that held their consciousness were nearly depleted.> "Naruto... you need to find a girl as cute as your mother!"Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, I will!"But in his mind, he thought: Just one? That won't cut it!Reviving the Uzumaki clan would be no easy task. He had big plans.Hinata, Yugao, Sakura-chan, Ino, Karin... all of them seemed eager to support the Uzumaki name.Before he could say anything more, Minato and Kushina vanished completely.> "Naruto, thank you… for being our son."They had come in a hurry… and now they were gone just as quickly.Naruto took a deep breath, steadying his heart. They were gone again—but he would meet them again. And next time, they would be amazed by how far he had come.No matter what awaited him—Konoha, the Land of Whirlpools, or that masked man from the past—he would face it all himself.---"Why the long face? Are you going to cry now to show your gratitude?" Kurama grumbled, clearly annoyed.Naruto laughed. Ever since Minato and Kushina had appeared, he'd completely forgotten about the Nine Tails.They were just about to show off their new power too—until those two interrupted them!"Don't be mad, Kurama," Naruto said, grinning. "How about I take you out to hunt some giant snakes?"Kurama huffed. "Tch, fine. You're lucky I'm generous! Guess I'll help you… even though I don't want to!"The giant fox stood up, shaking off the frustration. A red tide of chakra surged across the entire spiritual plane, wild and powerful.As that immense chakra flowed into Naruto's body, an incredible transformation began.---Naruto opened his arms wide as the full power of the Nine Tails merged with him. A brilliant golden chakra cloak enveloped his body.The chakra condensed into flames, forming a regal golden mantle behind him.The six-path-style markings on his face morphed into sleek black lines. His entire form shimmered in golden light. His hair curled upward into two small golden horns.A unique six-tomoe pattern appeared on his chest, marking the perfection of his transformation.Swoooosh!!!A tremendous shockwave burst forth from his body, shaking the entire Chūnin Exam arena.The golden glow radiating from him lit up the sky—Naruto had fully become a Perfect Jinchūriki!---Everyone in the area froze, eyes wide. The sheer volume and quality of his chakra were overwhelming.Hinata, watching from a distance, was stunned. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes locked onto the radiant figure in the center of the battlefield."N-Naruto-kun… you're so… handsome…"Her cheeks flushed red.And… your chakra… it's huge…!---With his transformation complete and his heart firm, Naruto stood tall.There was no more fear. No more doubt.Only determination, and the blazing power of the Nine Tails at his back.The true battle had only just begun.