At night, while Sasuke slept in the bed next to him, Naruto remained awake, chatting with the members of the group chat.
Unfortunately for him, Haku and Zabuza were already aware of the group since other members had told them about it. So, unlike the Mist ninjas he had expelled earlier, he couldn't deceive them.
Although, in reality, he never intended to expel Haku and Zabuza in the first place.
Zabuza wasn't exactly a good person, but he wasn't as bad as many believed either.
That didn't mean he excused him. He still deserved death.
[Zabuza Momochi: Well? Are you going to kick us out? I don't think the Kyūbi's Jinchūriki would want to revive us after we tried to kill him and his team.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: You've earned it. If it were up to me, Naruto would revive you just so I could kill you with my own hands.]
[Madara Uchiha: Now I understand why they called you the Bloody Habanero.]
[Izuna Uchiha: Wasn't it because of her hair?]
[Minato Namikaze: Actually, Kushina earned her nickname because of her explosive personality and red hair. Those are the only reasons.]
[Mito Uzumaki: Yes. She gets angry easily and has a very strong temper.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: I don't get angry easily!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Yes, you do.]
[Kushina Uzumaki: NO, I DON'T!!]
[Madara Uchiha: Wow, the brat finally speaks.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I was busy.]
[Tobirama Senju: You forget that we can see everything you do. You spent the whole day lying on the grass, enjoying the sun.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: ...]
[Zabuza Momochi: If you're going to expel me, just do it already.]
[Haku Yuki: Zabuza-sama...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Don't you want to come back to life? I could do it.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Who in their right mind would revive their enemy? I can't believe you!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: The truth is, I don't hold a grudge against you.]
[Madara Uchiha: Would you hold a grudge against an annoying fly after a few days? You would simply forget about its existence.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I couldn't have explained it better.]
[Madara Uchiha: Finally, we agree on something, brat.]
[Haku Yuki: Are they comparing us to a fly?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: You died crushed like one...]
[Haku Yuki: ...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Besides, I have no intention of deceiving the Hero of the Hidden Mist Village.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Hero? Don't mock me! I'm a rogue ninja, a deserter of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: You were also a member of Kirigakure's ANBU division, the greatest specialist in tracking, silent assassination, and espionage. You planned a coup against the Land of Water, attempting to assassinate the daimyō and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki.]
[Haku Yuki: Zabuza-sama had many followers at that time! We fought against the oppressive regime of the Fourth Mizukage!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: That's why I call you a hero.]
[Zabuza Momochi: How the hell do you know all this?]
[Tobirama Senju: What happened in Kirigakure?]
[Zabuza Momochi: I always suspected that Yagura was secretly being controlled... Because of him, the village earned the name Bloody Mist Village.]
Naruto remained silent when Zabuza spoke about Yagura's mind control.
He didn't want to reveal that Obito Uchiha was still alive, nor Madara's plans.
After all, he was hoping Hashirama would pay him for that information sooner or later.
[Haku Yuki: Zabuza-sama saved me! Clans with Kekkei Genkai were hunted down and massacred, but he hid and protected me.]
[Zabuza Momochi: I only did it because you were useful as a tool...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Zabuza, you're such a tsundere.]
[Haku Yuki: Certainly... Hehe.]
[Zabuza Momochi: ...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Anyway, I consider you the hero of the Hidden Mist Village. I will bring you back to life in the future.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Do whatever you want...]
[Haku Yuki: What Zabuza-sama means to say is thank you.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Don't thank me just yet. You'll have to pay me for it.]
[Tobirama Senju: Took him long enough to say it...]
[Madara Uchiha: Saw it coming.]
[Hashirama Senju: He has a gift for getting what he wants from people.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Have the other members already explained how this works, or do I need to teach you how to pay me...?]
[Zabuza Momochi: No idea.]
[Haku Yuki: I've been researching, Zabuza-sama. At the bottom of the screen, there's an option called 'Give Everything to the Group Leader.']
[Zabuza Momochi: I've seen it.]
[Zabuza Momochi has granted the group leader all his strength, chakra, experiences, and techniques!]
[Haku Yuki has granted the group leader the Kekkei Genkai - Ice Release, all his strength, chakra, experiences, and techniques!]
[Minato Namikaze: ...]
[Hashirama Senju: ...]
[Fugaku Uchiha: ...]
[Sakumo Hatake: ...]
[Tobirama Senju: ...he didn't even have to ask for it.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I wasn't expecting that either.]
[Zabuza Momochi: There's no point in keeping it if we're dead.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING! EVERYONE, LEARN FROM ZABUZA AND HAKU!]
[Minato Namikaze: I already gave you all my techniques, son...]
[Naruto Uzumaki: That's true, but you could give me more.]
[Minato Namikaze: Like what?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: The Summoning Jutsu, the Chakra Transfer Jutsu, all your experience with Sage Mode... Oh, and all your knowledge of fūinjutsu!]
[Minato Namikaze: ...]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Your mother knows way more about fūinjutsu than your father!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Oh, thanks! I'll take that too!]
[Tobirama Senju: This kid is too greedy.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Greed is good… in this case.]
[Minato Namikaze has granted the group leader all his combat experience, chakra, techniques, mastery of natural energy, and fūinjutsu knowledge!]
[Minato Namikaze: With this, you're already as strong as or even stronger than me, Naruto.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Actually, I can revive you now.]
[Minato Namikaze: ?!?!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: I don't know why you're surprised. I've been saying for a while that I plan to revive all the group members...]
[Kushina Uzumaki: Then me too! I'm not staying behind!]
[Kushina Uzumaki has granted the group leader all her strength, chakra, experiences, and techniques!]
Naruto smiled.
He hadn't even claimed what Zabuza and Haku had given him yet, and his parents had already granted him all their power.
Once he did, he would become incredibly strong.
Kakashi was right when he told Naruto, the anime version, these words:
"In this world, there are people younger than you who are stronger than me."
And now, he himself would be an example of that.
[Naruto Uzumaki: I could bring you back to life now, but you'd have to stay hidden until after the Chūnin Exams, or just wait until afterward.]
[Minato Namikaze: What happens during the Chūnin Exams that makes it so you can't bring us back earlier?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: The death of Hiruzen Sarutobi.]
[Minato Namikaze: That just gives me more reason to return!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: The death of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, triggered several positive changes in the village. Jiraiya returned, Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage, and with her came a significant improvement in the medical system. She created the Medical Ninja System, reducing battlefield casualties. She also rebuilt the village after Orochimaru and Sunagakure's invasion. Konoha became militarily stronger, and with Orochimaru still a threat, the village reinforced its defenses and preparedness for future conflicts. Additionally, they started taking external threats like the Akatsuki organization more seriously. Under Tsunade, Root, the secret organization led by Danzo, lost power and its control over the village weakened. In my past life, with Tsunade as Hokage, I was able to leave the village with Jiraiya for two and a half years, where he trained me extensively and I became much stronger. Hiruzen would never have allowed that. He always ruled with a pacifist and traditionalist mindset, which made Konoha slow to react to changes in the Ninja World. With Tsunade in charge, the village became more strategic, less passive, and better prepared for the challenges ahead. And I could keep listing all the positive changes that came from Hiruzen's death...]
[Minato Namikaze: I... I get it, you can stop now...]
Even Minato understood the importance of those changes for the village.
[Hashirama Senju: My granddaughter is just as smart as her grandfather! HAHAHAHA!]
[Madara Uchiha: If that were true, Konoha would be doomed.]
[Hashirama Senju: You're so cruel to me!]
[Tobirama Senju: It seems little Tsuna will become a great Hokage, like me.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Yeah, except for the part where she doesn't die at the hands of two idiots.]
[Tobirama Senju: ...]