Naruto: Limitless Sage

"The Fourth Hokage?!"

"How is this possible? The Fourth Hokage has appeared?!"

"Didn't Orochimaru fail to summon the Fourth just now?!"

"No! I saw him earlier—he's been here since the beginning!"

"What in the world is going on!?"

All the Konoha shinobi present stared in disbelief.

To see the young and vibrant Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato—once again, and on such an occasion...

It was almost impossible to believe.

And yet, there he stood.

Bathed in the shock and awe of those around him, Minato remained composed. A gentle smile played on his lips as he stepped forward and spoke:

"Hello, everyone."

"It's been a long time."

His gaze swept slowly across the assembled Konoha shinobi, lingering on familiar faces. Many had once been his subordinates. More than a decade had passed, and time had left its mark on them all.

A quiet sigh of emotion stirred in Minato's chest—but he didn't lose focus.

He remembered why he had appeared today.

Finally, his eyes landed on the aged shinobi across the rooftop—Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.

"Long time no see, Lord Third," Minato said, his voice calm but carrying a deeper meaning beneath the surface.

He smiled.

It was the same bright, sunshine-like smile he was known for in life.

But to the Third Hokage, that smile felt... cold. Like sunlight in the depths of winter—visible, but devoid of warmth.

Hiruzen was momentarily speechless.

He didn't know what to say. He didn't even understand what was happening.

Orochimaru had clearly failed to summon Minato during the Reanimation Jutsu.

So then, how was Minato here?

And not just Minato—

Even Uzumaki Kushina, his wife, had appeared alongside him.

A growing unease gnawed at Hiruzen's heart. The strange premonition he had felt earlier—something was wrong—had now evolved into a clear and terrifying certainty.

After a pause, he spoke.

"…Yondaime, is it really you?"

"What are you doing here?"

He had to confirm it.

If Minato and Kushina had truly returned—if this wasn't some elaborate deception—then…

Then all the things he had done… all the secrets he kept from Naruto…

All of it would be exposed.

Yet…

Minato's warm expression didn't waver as he responded.

And with that smile, he turned to the crowd—both confirming his presence and offering assurance.

To those who doubted.

To those who still clung to disbelief.

"I'm not an illusion. I'm truly Minato Namikaze. And this," he said, turning slightly, "is Uzumaki Kushina."

"We both gave our lives for the village."

"But—"

"Not long ago, somehow, we were allowed to return briefly to the world of the living."

"And the reason we've returned…"

"…is because there's something important we must do."

The words of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, echoed across the rooftop.

As he spoke, Minato pulled out his signature Flying Thunder God kunai—the very weapon that symbolized his legend.

Then, in a blink—

He vanished.

The Flying Thunder God Technique activated!

That signature golden flash streaked across the rooftop—impossibly fast, undeniably real.

Gasps filled the air.

The Yellow Flash—the man who once brought the entire shinobi world to its knees—had returned!

Many of the older shinobi of Konoha had once witnessed the terrifying speed of the Fourth Hokage firsthand. And now, watching him move like that again, they were shaken to their core.

There was no longer any doubt.

The man before them was truly Namikaze Minato.

In the crowd, a Sand Village jōnin—Baki—stood frozen in shock.

Back during the Third Great Ninja War, Baki had still been a low-ranking shinobi. But he had once glimpsed the power of the Yellow Flash on the battlefield.

That memory had etched itself deep into his bones.

Back then, every hidden village had issued a standing order:

If you encounter the Yellow Flash—abandon the mission immediately. You will not be punished.

It was a command that defied the core values of the shinobi code—where a ninja's life revolved around fulfilling missions without hesitation.

But when it came to Minato Namikaze—

He was the exception.

That was how terrifying he had been.

Now, as the Yellow Flash reappeared before their very eyes, even Baki's seasoned composure faltered.

Nearby, Temari couldn't hide her curiosity.

"Sensei… is the Fourth Hokage really that powerful?" she asked.

Baki was silent for a moment, then replied gravely, "Yes. Let me put it this way…"

"He could eliminate dozens of jōnin in a matter of seconds."

His voice carried a weight that made Temari, Kankurō, and even Gaara blink in disbelief.

Dozens of elite ninja—gone in the blink of an eye?

That meant the Fourth Hokage could crush someone like their own team leader, Baki, dozens of times over in an instant.

The shock hit them all at once.

Even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, were impressed as they watched Minato's teleportation.

They exchanged glances, a flicker of surprise in their eyes.

"To think that someone in Konoha mastered my Flying Thunder God Technique," Tobirama murmured.

"And perhaps even surpassed me."

He spoke with rare praise, and Hashirama nodded in agreement.

"Amazing," said the First Hokage with a smile. "To think such a brilliant shinobi would become the Fourth Hokage… it brings honor to Konoha."

But then his expression shifted slightly.

There was something odd.

Why was everyone so stunned by the Fourth Hokage's appearance?

Judging by their reactions… had Minato passed away?

That would mean—

A shinobi capable of wielding this level of the Flying Thunder God had perished…?

What kind of enemy had forced such a man to sacrifice his life?

Neither of the two Hokage voiced their thoughts aloud.

They chose instead to remain silent, watching events unfold.

Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, stood motionless.

The final thread of doubt clinging to his mind—

Snapped.

The Flying Thunder God Technique had erased all fantasy.

There was no trickery here.

The man before him was undeniably Minato Namikaze.

And the woman beside him—Uzumaki Kushina—was real as well.

Now faced with this truth, a deep sense of dread crept into the Third Hokage's heart.

He had been ready to face Orochimaru's Konoha Crush, even prepared to lay down his life in the process.

But if Minato and Kushina had returned—and if they had come back with purpose—

Then the danger he feared was no longer Orochimaru…

It was what Minato might say next.

Minato turned toward the assembled crowd, his voice calm but commanding:

"Now…"

"I ask that everyone present listen carefully—because Naruto has something he wants to say."

As he spoke, Minato wore the same soft smile he always had.

But to Hiruzen, it felt more like the calm before a storm.

After saying that, Minato Namikaze slowly turned his gaze toward the boy standing in the sky—

Uzumaki Naruto.

At that moment, everyone present noticed something strange.

The Fourth Hokage's tone… his expression… his attitude toward Naruto…

It was far too gentle. Too familiar.

An odd atmosphere began to spread.

Was there… a connection between the Fourth Hokage and Uzumaki Naruto?

Many of the shinobi, though still shaken by Naruto's overwhelming display of power earlier, couldn't help but fall back into old assumptions.

For so many years, they had viewed Naruto not as a boy—but as the vessel of the Nine-Tails. A walking disaster. A "demon fox."

Even now, despite his strength, despite what they'd witnessed—

Their hearts still struggled to let go of that deeply rooted bias.

But then...

Naruto looked at Minato.

He smiled, and with a calm, heartfelt voice, said:

"Thanks, Dad."

Silence.

And then—like a thunderclap in the middle of a sunny day—the room exploded into shock.

"D-Dad!?"

"Wait, what did he just say?! I wasn't hearing things, right?!"

"Did Uzumaki Naruto just call the Fourth Hokage—'Dad'!?"

"Stop kidding around! That's gotta be a joke!"

"Isn't Naruto supposed to be an orphan?! That's what we've always been told!"

"Yeah! Why would he call Lord Fourth dad of all people!?"

"…Wait a second. Wasn't the Fourth Hokage's wife's surname Uzumaki?"

"Uzumaki Naruto… Could he be—?!"

"Is Naruto actually the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki!?"

Gasps, stammering, cries of disbelief erupted from every corner of the exam arena.

Some recalled hearing Naruto refer to Minato and Kushina as "Dad" and "Mom" earlier…

But the shock of seeing the Fourth Hokage and his wife alive had left them too stunned to process it.

Now that the haze was clearing, realization hit them hard.

And it was overwhelming.

The truth dawning upon them now—

Was even more shocking than the return of the Fourth Hokage himself.

"Naruto... he's really the son of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki!?" Ino exclaimed, wide-eyed with shock.

Shikamaru's brows furrowed.

He had always sensed something unusual about Naruto—the way the village treated him, the hushed whispers about the Nine-Tails, the awkward silences when his name came up.

From that alone, he could guess Naruto's background wasn't ordinary.

But this…

Even Shikamaru hadn't expected this.

Uzumaki Naruto—

The boy they all knew.

The boy the village once labeled a demon.

Was actually the son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage—the man who gave his life to save Konoha—and Kushina Uzumaki, a woman known for her fiery spirit and powerful chakra.

The realization hit like a tidal wave.

Naruto wasn't a cursed child.

He was a child of a hero.

And not only that—he had never been an orphan.

He had parents. He had a legacy. A place in the village's proud history.

But instead of being honored, Naruto had been shunned.

Discriminated against.

Feared.

The weight of that injustice made Shikamaru's jaw tighten in frustration.

Naruto should have been protected, loved, respected…

Yet for some reason—some secret buried deep in Konoha's leadership—he had been treated as an outcast.

There was more to this story. Much more.

And Shikamaru, now with a serious expression, was determined to find out the truth.

Hinata Hyuga stood in stunned silence.

Her mouth opened slightly, whispering to herself, "N-Naruto… is the Fourth Hokage's son?"

She had admired Naruto for so long—for his courage, his will to never give up, and his refusal to bend in the face of hatred.

But now...

Now she knew he was also the son of the man who once saved the entire village.

It was as if everything she believed about Naruto had taken on a brighter, more powerful meaning.

The rest of the rookie shinobi—Kiba, Shino, Choji, Ino, and others—were just as stunned.

The boy they had trained with, laughed with, and sometimes dismissed—

Had been carrying the blood of Konoha's greatest hero all along.

They were floored.

But two among them weren't surprised.

Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno already knew the truth.

And now, watching as Naruto's identity was revealed to the world, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and pride.

At last—

Naruto no longer had to carry his pain in silence.

His truth was out.

His burden was no longer hidden.

High above, Sasuke's eyes followed Naruto's form in the sky.

His dark pupils shimmered with burning anticipation.

The truth had been revealed.

Now, Naruto's vengeance could begin.

And so could his own.

"Konoha… the Third Hokage… Danzo…"

"Just you wait," Sasuke thought coldly, the fire of revenge flaring within him.

Elsewhere, the heads of the great clans of Konoha—the Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka, and more—stood in silent astonishment.

None of them had known.

None of them had been told that Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage.

And yet, he had lived among them all this time.

As realization dawned across their expressions, they exchanged glances—and saw the same understanding reflected in each other's eyes.

There had been secrets.

Deliberate omissions.

The pieces clicked into place.

This all traced back to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

Back during the Nine-Tails' attack, something had happened—something kept hidden, even from Konoha's most powerful clans.

And now, even they—the clan heads who sat near the pinnacle of the village's power structure—were left in the dark.

Until now.

There were still countless secrets hidden within Konoha.

And now, with the involvement of both the Third and Fourth Hokage, the atmosphere had grown increasingly tense.

The clan leaders and village elites dared not speak out recklessly.

Instead, they remained silent—choosing to quietly observe what would unfold next.

At that moment, Orochimaru, still standing on the rooftop, observed Naruto's exchange with the Fourth Hokage.

A sly, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

The scene before him—

Uzumaki Naruto, the child once branded a "fox demon" and shunned by the entire village—

Now revealed as the son of Minato Namikaze, the very hero Konoha once revered...

It was too delicious a twist to ignore.

"Do they really expect me to believe," Orochimaru thought with a smirk, "that Sarutobi-sensei had no idea who Naruto really was?"

He simply couldn't believe it.

And that made it all the more satisfying to watch.

Compared to this explosive revelation, his own Konoha Crush plan…

Felt small. Petty. Dull.

Though Orochimaru was fully aware that Naruto and others had somehow learned of his intentions and prepared in advance—

He no longer cared.

In fact—

He welcomed it.

If Uzumaki Naruto was going to stir chaos…

Then Orochimaru wanted to see just how far he'd take it.

Meanwhile, the First and Second Hokage, who had only recently been revived and faced the next generation in combat, were equally surprised.

They hadn't expected that the boy who fought them—

Was none other than the son of the Fourth Hokage.

A prodigy raised by a legend.

A student greater than the master.

"The Fourth Hokage has raised an exceptional son…" the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, said with genuine admiration.

But those words—

Stung like a slap to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Hashirama didn't know it.

He was merely praising the boy.

But to Hiruzen…

It felt like a blade twisting in his conscience.

Because he knew the truth.

Minato and Kushina had both died the very night Naruto was born.

They had sacrificed everything—entrusting their son to the village.

Entrusting him to him.

And what had he done?

Let the boy grow up isolated. Alone. Feared.

Hearing Hashirama's praise only deepened his guilt.

Of all those present, the one who felt the most emotional turmoil—

Was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

The nightmare he feared most—

Had suddenly appeared before his eyes.

He had once dismissed the possibility.

Thought he'd misheard things.

But now…

It was undeniable.

Naruto not only knew the truth of his parentage,

He had met Minato and Kushina—had spoken with them.

And clearly, from the way they interacted—

This wasn't their first reunion.

They had known each other for a long time now.

Behind his back.

The Third Hokage couldn't begin to imagine how it happened.

He didn't know that within Naruto, Minato and Kushina had left behind pieces of their chakra—

A part of their will—sealed within the Nine-Tails.

It was through that connection that Naruto had reunited with them.

That's why he alone had the power to call them forth into the world once more.

And now—

Naruto stood in the air above the stadium, overlooking the stunned crowd below.

A calm, confident smile spread across his face.

Then—

He spoke:

"Let me introduce myself properly."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto."

"I am the son of the Fourth Hokage."

"And I am this generation's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."

...

TN:

Yeah, I don't buy it. It's one thing if Hiruzen kept Naruto hidden from Tsunade and Jiraiya—they're rarely in the village and could plausibly be kept in the dark. But the other clan heads? I mean, they live in the village full-time. Naruto is blonde and has the surname Uzumaki. How did that even work? Did he have some kind of hidden power like Superman when he's pretending to be Clark Kent?

It didn't make much sense in canon either. There's literally a statue of the Fourth Hokage on the Hokage Rock, and surely most shinobi would remember what their leader looked like—and know the name of his wife. Even if most civilians didn't catch on, almost all the jonin should've recognized his appearance and the name Uzumaki. How can you hide him when there are so few Uzumaki in the entire ninja world?

You're telling me that an entire population of ninjas—whose jobs literally revolves around intel gathering—couldn't put two and two together and realize Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son?

Well, it's just one of those "this works because the plot demands it" moments, where common sense takes a backseat.

It's totally stupid—but what can we do?

...

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