After hearing Arata's explanation, worry surfaced in her expression.
"Arata-kun… will that thing have any negative effects on Naruto? He's still so young, yet he has to bear something like this."
Hearing her concern, Arata smiled gently and reassured her.
"It's alright. You know Lady Uzumaki Mito, don't you? She lived to a very old age. You can rest easy."
After a brief pause, Arata continued in a softer tone,
"And this was a decision made by Naruto's parents before their deaths. They would never harm their own child."
Xingling nodded in understanding. The weight that had been pressing on her heart finally eased.
Meanwhile, Naruto, who had been listening from the side, was confused at first.
He didn't fully understand what they were talking about.....seals, dangerous things....but he knew it had something to do with him.
Then Arata mentioned his parents.
In that instant, Naruto's body stiffened. His eyes widened completely as he stared straight at Arata.
His small heart began pounding violently in his chest, as if the world around him had suddenly fallen away.
His mouth went dry. He swallowed hard. Seeing that Arata and Aunt Xingling had stopped talking, Naruto could no longer hold himself back.
Hesitant and stammering, he finally spoke.
"Uncle Arata… do you know my parents? Who were they? What kind of people were they? Are they… are they dead? Or… did they abandon me?"
By the time he reached the end, his voice was trembling, thick with tears. His sky-blue eyes were already swimming.
Naruto had wanted to ask these questions ever since Aunt Xingling arrived, but she had been separated from Kushina long ago and couldn't answer him.
Hearing Naruto's words, Arata turned to face him. Seeing his tear-filled eyes, his trembling lips, and his shaking body, something in Arata's heart softened. His gaze grew gentle.
Arata sighed, raised his hand, and gently rubbed Naruto's soft hair.
"I came today because you've reached the age to attend school.
That also means it's time for you to know some things....about yourself, and about your parents."
Then Arata's expression grew serious. He looked Naruto straight in the eyes and said firmly,
"Naruto, first of all, your parents did not abandon you.
In this world, there is no one who loved you more than they did."
At those words, the dimness in Naruto's eyes vanished.
Light returned to them. His body stopped trembling as he stared unblinkingly at Arata.
Arata continued,
"Your parents were very great people. When you were just born, the village faced a massive disaster.
For the sake of the village, for the sake of its people, and so that children like you wouldn't grow up without parents, they chose to sacrifice themselves."
"They didn't choose not to love you. They simply had no other choice."
"As for who they were....I can't tell you yet. When you graduate from the Ninja Academy, when you're strong enough to stand on your own, I'll tell you everything."
"Their identities are special. Whether for your safety or for other reasons, knowing now would bring you no benefit.....and might even attract enemies from their past.
So, Naruto, you must study hard and grow stronger."
As he spoke, Arata suddenly reached out and placed his hand lightly on Naruto's stomach.
"Your parents also left you a gift.....something sealed inside your body.
What's sealed within you is closely tied to the safety of the entire village."
"That's why you need to learn how to coexist with it. My visit today is to check that seal....and reinforce it if necessary."
Naruto unconsciously placed his own hand on his stomach, murmuring softly,
"A gift… a seal… something to get along with…"
Arata gently ruffled Naruto's hair again, looking into his eyes with warmth.
"That's right. There's a companion living inside you....one who's grown up alongside you."
"If nothing goes wrong, it'll stay with you for a very long time. You can try to befriend it. Just remember....it's been through painful
experiences too, so its temper can be rough. You need to be careful."
Naruto met Arata's gaze and saw trust and expectation within it.
He nodded seriously.
"I understand, Uncle Arata. I'll try to be friends with it."
Seeing how earnestly Naruto accepted his words, Arata felt genuinely pleased.
Naruto and Sasuke were like two opposite sides of the same coin.
Unlock 300+ Chapters via My Patreon Collection
✨ Available in Shop Now
patreon.com/HeavenlyYinYang