Konoha Genin Team Assignment timeline—
In the classroom, 12-year-old genin Naruto's azure eyes stared unblinkingly at Minato Namikaze. Others standing nearby noticed that Naruto and the Fourth Hokage's hair color and eye color were extremely similar.
"Well..." Minato hesitated about whether to tell him the truth right now.
But Naruto at this time was only 12 years old, and there was also 6-year-old little Naruto from the pre-Uchiha Massacre timeline—they didn't yet have the ability to protect themselves.
Minato knew deeply how much hatred he'd earned from ninja of other villages during the Third Great Ninja War. Even just staying within Konoha, he couldn't completely avoid spies or invaders...
Naruto: "Fourth Hokage, you couldn't actually be—"
Hearing Naruto about to guess his identity, the hesitating Minato decided to just stop pretending. He believed no matter what difficulties Naruto encountered, he could find a way to overcome them.
"That's right, Naruto. I'm actually..."
"My mom and dad's good friend, right?!!"
"...Huh?"
Fourth War Naruto face-planted. Was I really this dumb as a kid?! Though he himself not long ago had mistaken his mom for the Nine-Tails transforming into human form to deceive him, y'know.
The Second Hokage, fighting the Ten-Tails clones, took time to jump beside Minato and comment sideways: "Are you father and son both maybe a bit airheaded?"
Minato's lips trembled. He couldn't agree or disagree with that.
"I guessed right, didn't I?!" Naruto: "Fourth Hokage bro, you definitely know my mom and dad, right? What kind of people were they? Every time I ask Grandpa Third Hokage, he won't tell me!!"
Under Naruto's questioning, Minato thought about it and still didn't directly tell him the truth.
"When the day comes that you need my help, you'll know the truth." Minato looked at 12-year-old Naruto. "But what I can tell you is that I... your father and mother both loved you very much, Naruto."
The ninja in the Ninja Academy genin assignment classroom clutched their hearts.
Scared them for a second—turns out the Fourth Hokage just knew Uzumaki Naruto's parents.
Huh? Why 'just'?
As for why they thought that way, the ninja couldn't quite explain it themselves.
"The Fourth Hokage... really does know who my mom and dad are..."
Genin Naruto murmured to himself.
At the same time, on the other side of another mirror wall, 6-year-old little Naruto also heard these words.
Forgetting everything else, he pressed against the mirror, desperately asking who his father and mother were, and why everyone in the village hated him so much.
Little Naruto at this time didn't even know he was the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, didn't know a massive monster that had twice destroyed Konoha and killed the Fourth Hokage was sealed inside his body.
Because he suddenly spoke, their mirror wall shifted positions, happening to face the genin assignment mirror wall directly!
Genin Sasuke from the Konoha assignment timeline immediately saw Fugaku Uchiha from the 'Pre-Uchiha Massacre timeline,' along with those still-living Uchiha clan members!
Konoha Year 60, inside the genin assignment classroom—
"!!!!" Sasuke shoved aside Naruto who was hogging the mirror. "Father?!!"
"Ah, it's Sasuke." Not knowing about the massacre, Fugaku could still calmly greet his future son at this moment.
Sasuke looked in shock at his still-living father, carefully considering the Fourth Hokage's earlier explanation—someone had connected their different spacetimes together!
Which meant the other side was many years ago when Father and the clan were still alive!
Before the Uchiha were massacred!!
Sure enough! When the mirror shifted angle, he saw beside his father—young Itachi!
Logic told Sasuke he should immediately report everything to Father in that other spacetime! Have Father kill his brother right now, so the Uchiha massacre could be prevented!! Prevent all the tragedy!!
But...
Watching his gentle brother from memory protecting his childhood self behind him...
Sasuke's throat felt like needles were stabbing it. The words logic told him he should say got stuck in his throat—he couldn't say even one sentence!
["Question for Sasuke Uchiha: Do you agree with the statement 'Having a friend like Uzumaki Naruto is the worst luck for Sasuke Uchiha'?"]
That unique voice that had appeared multiple times now appeared in Sasuke and Naruto's genin assignment world!
At the same time, Sasuke, who was about to tell his father to kill Itachi, received the same selector as the other Sasukes.
But right now, how could Sasuke care about some statement?!
He had to prevent the Uchiha massacre! He had to stop Itachi!!
"Fath—"
Sasuke had only said one character when the voice in his head interrupted him.
["Question for Sasuke Uchiha: Do you agree with the statement 'Having a friend like Uzumaki Naruto is the worst luck for Sasuke Uchiha'?"]
["The red button on the selector represents agreement, the blue button represents disagreement."]
["—Please make your choice, Sasuke Uchiha."]
["Additionally, this vote is anonymous. Please be aware."]
"Itachi he—!!"
["Question for Sasuke Uchiha, do you agree..."]
"KILL—!!"
["Question for Sasuke Uchiha..."]
The voice appearing only in his head kept interrupting him! Making him lose the ability to organize his words, unable to successfully convey what he wanted to tell his father.
Whether he agreed having a friend like Naruto was bad luck?
Isn't that obvious?!!
Sasuke Uchiha pressed the selector button without hesitation.
At the same time, he could finally shout toward the other mirror wall: "Immediately! Kill Uchiha—"
Itachi: "???"
Looking at his confused brother on the other side, Sasuke screamed internally:
Itachi! Kill Itachi Uchiha!
Say it! Hurry up and say it!! Have Father kill Itachi right now!!!
Sasuke commanded himself over and over in his mind.
But when Itachi's gentle eyes looked over...
Sasuke found he'd already lost completely, just like on the massacre night years ago...
"..."
I really... can't do anything...
Saying I'd revive the Uchiha clan! Saying I'd personally strike down Itachi Uchiha!! Yet I can't even tell Father and the others to kill Itachi right now!!
In his extreme self-hatred for his own weakness, Sasuke Uchiha pressed the selector!
["Ding!"]
["Konoha Genin 'Sasuke Uchiha' has made his choice."]
["Land of Waves Great Naruto Bridge 1.0 'Sasuke Uchiha,' please await receipt of the selector."]
That same unique voice appeared once again, meaning the next target was—the Land of Waves Great Naruto Bridge.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, still in the team assignment phase, had never been to the Land of Waves, much less knew if there was a bridge there called Naruto.
Fourth Great Ninja War timeline—
A new massive mirror wall appeared on the battlefield. On the white mirror surface, the chibi Divine Tree seemed to be waiting to successfully connect with the other side.
On the other side of the mirror...
—Was the place that carried Naruto's establishment of his ninja way, the Land of Waves bridge.