"Menma, Naruto, are you here to see Hokage-sama?"
As Menma and Naruto stepped into the Hokage Building, a masked Anbu agent appeared before them, blocking their path.
Menma narrowed his eyes.
Why would Anbu show up now? We usually come and go here like it's our second home…
"Yes!" Naruto chirped happily. "We're here to see Grandpa Third!"
He was already daydreaming—meeting Grandpa Third meant they'd probably get more money, and with that, ramen.
"I'm sorry," the Anbu said, "Hokage-sama is currently out of the village."
"…Out?" Menma blinked.
Yeah, right. The world is at peace. There's no way the old man's off on a mission.
Wait…
Is he… avoiding us?
Menma: "…"
He's probably hiding upstairs. Even if I storm the building, he'll just vanish.
Forget it. Not worth the trouble.
"Alright then," Menma said, smiling coldly. "Since Grandpa Third isn't here, let's go home."
With that, he grabbed Naruto by the collar and dragged him off, expression dark.
Upstairs, in the Hokage's office...
The Third Hokage exhaled in relief as he watched the two leave through his crystal ball.
Back home...
Menma immediately formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
Puff!
In a swirl of white smoke, two identical Menmas appeared beside him.
The real Menma said, "Clone No. 1—you're writing Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Clone No. 2—you're working on The Investiture of the Gods."
Clone No. 1 turned and asked, "What about you?"
"I'll oversee the operation," the original said, dead serious.
The two clones: "…"
They exchanged glances… and rolled their eyes.
Naruto, meanwhile, was staring at them in awe.
"Brother, teach me that trick! Please!" he begged, clinging to Clone No. 2's arm.
"I'm the real one!" the original Menma said.
"No, I am you and you are me—so technically we're both real," Clone No. 2 argued.
Menma: "…"
Can I beat him? …No, wait. It would still hurt me.
He shook his head.
"The Shadow Clone Technique is an advanced form of ninjutsu," Menma explained. "Each clone is a real, physical body with its own consciousness. When it disperses, all its memories return to me."
He patted Naruto's head.
"I'll teach it to you soon, okay? I just need to deal with that troublemaker inside you first."
Naruto looked a little disappointed but still nodded obediently.
"You're so cute!" Menma said, ruffling his brother's hair.
Then he sent Naruto off to play and returned to managing his clone team.
Clone No. 1 and No. 2 got to work, while Menma "supervised."
Suddenly, Clone No. 2 looked up.
"What if I forget something?"
"Just rewrite it in your own words," Clone No. 1 said. "As long as the meaning's the same, it works."
"…True!" Clone No. 2 nodded and returned to writing with renewed energy.
Meanwhile, the original Menma closed his eyes—and slipped into his subconscious.
Inside the seal...
"Thanks for earlier, Nine Tails," Menma said.
"Hmph," the fox grunted. "Where's the story you promised me?"
"Relax. My clones are working on it as we speak. A few more days, tops."
"Hmph…" But the fox's tails swayed excitedly.
"…Or, want me to unlock the gate first?"
"You're actually gonna do it?" the Nine Tails narrowed its eyes. "You sure, brat?"
"Of course," Menma replied firmly. "A man keeps his word. And I know you're the same."
"Tch!" The Nine Tails turned away, pretending not to care.
Menma stepped forward and slowly began to peel back one of the sealing strips.
Sssssss.
The sound made the Nine Tails' ears twitch. It smirked—until it felt something shift in the chakra around them.
The fox's expression changed instantly.
That chakra…
He turned his massive head—and saw the last face he ever wanted to see.
Yellow hair. Blue eyes. A Hokage robe that read Fourth Hokage. A green flak jacket over a dark blue bodysuit.
"Namikaze Minato!" the Nine Tails roared, rage bubbling up from deep within.
It was him. The man who'd split the Nine Tails in half and sealed it away.
But Minato ignored the beast. His attention was fixed on the boy in front of him—red hair, gray eyes, a sharp expression.
There was no mistaking it.
His body trembled. He slowly knelt down, eyes shimmering.
"...Menma?" he whispered.
"Father," the boy replied calmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Menma Uzumaki."
Father...?
Minato's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.
"Dad! Are you okay?!" Menma panicked and ran to help him—but he wasn't strong enough to lift him.
Eventually, Minato pulled himself together, stood, and embraced his son tightly, pressing his head against Menma's chest.
"I'm sorry, Menma," he choked. "Your mother and I… we're so sorry…"
Menma gently patted his back.
"No, Dad. Don't say that. If you hadn't protected us, Naruto and I would've died four years ago."
They stayed like that a while, before chatting quietly like old friends.
Minato quickly noticed: this wasn't a typical father-son interaction.
He's different… way more mature than I expected…
He's not just my son—he's like a comrade.
Kushina… our sons are doing just fine. And the Third Hokage, along with the village, is taking good care of them.
Menma didn't tell him the truth.
He "reported good news, not bad."
"So Kakashi became your teacher, huh?" Minato mused.
The moment he said that, Menma's mood soured.
But then an idea sparked.
Wait… my dad's a Hokage. A legend. And best of all—he knows the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Dad," Menma said. "Can you teach me the Flying Thunder God Technique? I want to use it to defeat Kakashi."
Minato blinked. "Defeat Kakashi? Why?"
Menma's face turned black.
"…He poked my butt."
"...Nani?!"
Minato's jaw dropped.
Kakashi... did what?!
Suddenly, a wheezing laugh echoed around them.
"Bwahahahahaha!"
"Hey! What're you laughing at, Nine Tails?" Menma growled.
"I want my story, brat!" the fox shouted between laughs. "And you said you're a man! A man! Words harder to take back than a Four-Horse Chariot, remember?!"
"I lied. I'm a girl," Menma said with a cheeky grin.
"YOU LITTLE—!" The Nine Tails lunged forward, foam at the mouth.
Menma stuck his tongue out.
"Bleh~"
"Stinky brat! I'll eat you!"
"Alright, alright!" Menma waved his hands. "You'll get your story. Tonight. Happy?"
"Make it two chapters!" the fox barked. "Or I will eat you!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know you don't even eat people."
Minato chuckled as he watched the exchange, the warmth in his eyes returning.
Looks like these two get along pretty well after all…
(End Of Chapter)
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