Naruto: Stormborn Uzumaki

Konoha's streets were draped in black. The air hung heavy with grief as villagers gathered to honor Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Tsunade stood at the forefront, her face stoic but her fists trembling. Beside her, Konohamaru clutched Hiruzen's old hat, tears streaming silently.

Amid the somber crowd, a ripple of whispers spread. Minato and Kushina Uzumaki, flanked by their children Menma and Mito, stepped into view. Their arrival was met with icy silence.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as they approached. "You've got nerve showing up now."

Minato lowered his head. "We came to pay our respects… and to see our son."

Kushina's voice wavered. "We heard about the invasion. Is Naruto…?"

"Alive," Tsunade cut in coldly. "Thanks to people who stayed."

----

After the funeral, Tsunade summoned Minato and Kushina to her office. Naruto lingered outside his back against the wall, listening.

"You abandoned him," Tsunade snarled, slamming a scroll onto her desk. "For a prophecy from a senile toad. Look what it cost him—look what it cost us!"

Minato's hands clenched. "We thought it was the only way to protect him. Gamamaru's vision—"

"Gamamaru's vision?" Tsunade laughed bitterly. "You let a drug-addicted relic dictate your child's life? Naruto grew up alone, thinking he was nothing! And Hiruzen died cleaning up your mess!"

Kushina flinched as if struck. "We… we didn't know—"

"You didn't try to know," Tsunade hissed. "Get out. Start by facing what you've broken if you want to fix this."

-----

That evening, Minato and Kushina found Naruto at the training grounds, sitting beneath a tree, his tanto resting beside him. He didn't acknowledge them as they approached.

"...Naruto," Minato started hesitantly. "Can we talk?"

Naruto let out a slow breath, eyes fixed on the sky. "Talk."

Kushina knelt before him, her voice thick with emotion. "We… we made mistakes. But we never stopped loving you."

Naruto's lips curled into a humorless smile. "Love? You mean the kind of leaving your kid behind and raising his siblings like a happy family?"

Minato winced. "It wasn't like that—"

"Then what was it?" Naruto finally looked at them, eyes cold. "What excuse do you have for throwing me away?"

Kushina reached for his hand, but he pulled back. Tears welled in her eyes. "We thought we were protecting you."

"By pretending I didn't exist?" Naruto scoffed. "You weren't protecting me. You were protecting yourselves from the guilt."

Behind a tree, Menma clenched his fists, anger boiling inside him. He couldn't stand the way Naruto spoke to their parents. With a furious cry, he lunged at Naruto.

"You bastard! Stop talking like that about them—!"

Before Menma's fist could land, Naruto sidestepped effortlessly. A sharp chop to the back of the neck sent Menma crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

Naruto turned back to Minato and Kushina, his face blank. "Go home. You don't belong here."

Kushina sobbed, but Naruto didn't look back as he walked away.

-----

Naruto sat atop the Hokage Monument, staring at the sunset. Kakashi materialized beside him, mask hiding his expression.

"They're here," Kakashi said quietly.

"Don't care," Naruto muttered.

Mikoto Uchiha approached next, her Sharingan soft. "Pain doesn't vanish by ignoring it, Naruto."

"They ignored me," he snapped. "Why should I give them anything?"

Yuugao joined them, her kodachi glinting. "Because you're better than their mistakes. Always have been."

Naruto said nothing, but his grip on Hiruzen's old scarf tightened.

----

Mito found Naruto at a quiet training ground the next day, a determined look in her eyes. "Teach me."

Naruto raised a brow. "Teach you what?"

"Fuinjutsu. Kenjutsu. Everything you know."

Naruto studied her, then sighed. "Why?"

Mito hesitated before speaking. "Because… I want to be stronger. I want to understand you."

Naruto's gaze softened. "You want to learn?"

Mito nodded. Naruto tossed her a wooden training sword. "Show me how you stand."

She took a stance, slightly wobbly but determined. Naruto circled her, correcting her posture. "You've got a long way to go."

Mito grinned. "Good. That means I get to learn from the best."

For the first time in a long while, Naruto chuckled. "Alright, Mito. Let's get started."

----

Konohamaru found Naruto later, trailed by Enma, Hiruzen's grizzled monkey summon.

"The old man left you something," Enma rasped, tossing two scrolls. One bore Naruto's name, the other Konohamaru's.

Naruto unsealed his scroll. Pages spilled with Hiruzen's handwriting—sealing techniques, political strategies, notes on the Six Eyes, and a map to Uzushiogakure.

"He wanted you to reclaim your clan's legacy," Enma said. "Uzushiogakure holds answers… and power."

Konohamaru sniffed. "I'm gonna be Hokage, just like him! Right, Naruto-nii?"

Naruto ruffled his hair. "Yeah. Better than all of us."

----

Days later, Naruto stood at the village gates, pack slung over his shoulder. Tsunade, Kakashi, and Mito saw him off.

"You sure about this?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto glanced at Hiruzen's scarf around his neck. "He believed in me. Time I did, too."

Mito hugged him. "Come back safe, nii-san."

As he left, Menma watched from the shadows, fists clenched.

Konoha Fades Behind Him.