The atmosphere remained tense as the golden light of the summoning circle slowly dissipated. The form within the blazing soul fire gradually took shape—a tall, young man with golden hair, vibrant blue eyes, and a warm yet determined expression. Draped over his shoulders was a flowing white cloak inscribed with bold red kanji: "Fourth Hokage".
Shouta Kazuki watched intently as the man blinked in confusion, his gaze shifting between the legendary figures standing before him. Namikaze Minato, the famed Yellow Flash of Konoha, had returned.
The first to break the silence was Senju Hashirama. His bright, childlike curiosity immediately took over as he excitedly leaned forward, eyes twinkling with interest.
"Oi! Who are you?" he asked cheerfully, tilting his head. "You look familiar... Are you from Konoha? And what's with that fancy robe?"
Minato hesitated before offering a proud smile, flipping his cloak slightly to emphasize the title emblazoned on it.
"Oh, I see you don't recognize me! I am Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure!" He struck a confident pose, expecting admiration from the past Hokages.
However, the reaction he received was... not what he expected.
A strange silence fell over the group. Hashirama, Tobirama, and even Madara exchanged awkward glances. Meanwhile, Shouta Kazuki rubbed his temples, suppressing the urge to laugh.
Hashirama Senju had many questions, but one in particular gnawed at the back of his mind. It was an odd sight—Minato Namikaze had been brought back from the Death God's belly, something that should have been impossible under normal circumstances. How did he end up there in the first place? What could have driven the Fourth Hokage to such desperate measures?
But as he studied Minato's face, Hashirama hesitated. The man carried himself with confidence, but there was a deep pain in his eyes, one that even time couldn't erase. Hashirama didn't want to reopen wounds that had barely begun to heal.
Tobirama, however, wasn't one to hold back. He looked at Minato with an inquisitive gaze, his voice calm yet direct. "Fourth Hokage, you were in the belly of the Death God. That means you used the Reaper Death Seal. What could have forced you to resort to such an extreme measure?"
Minato's cheerful demeanor flickered for a brief moment, his signature bright smile vanishing like mist under the morning sun. His fingers curled slightly, his breath deep and controlled.
"Well..." Minato exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "There was a night... a night that changed everything."
His gaze drifted downward, eyes shadowed with sorrow. "That night, my wife, Kushina, was going into labor. She was the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails at the time. Everything had been planned carefully. The sealing barrier was in place, and I thought there wouldn't be any problems."
Minato paused, the memories replaying vividly in his mind.
"But… we never expected him to attack." His voice grew sharper, his fists clenching at his sides. "Madara Uchiha."
At this, all eyes in the room turned to the legendary Uchiha, who was standing with his arms crossed, an eyebrow twitching in irritation. But Minato, blinded by old hatred, pressed on.
"He attacked my wife and tore the Nine-Tails from her body. He took my newborn son hostage and forced me into an impossible choice. The village was burning, my wife was on the verge of death, and my son—my son—was in his hands." Minato's body trembled slightly, his Sage Mode fading as raw emotion took over. "I had to act. I fought with everything I had, driving him away, but the damage was done. The Nine-Tails was rampaging through Konoha. I had no other choice but to split its chakra in half—one part I sealed within myself, the other within my son."
Minato exhaled heavily, his shoulders sagging as if reliving that moment had drained him all over again. "And to ensure the beast would never threaten the village again, I used the Reaper Death Seal to take it with me to the grave."
For a long moment, silence filled the air.
Shouta Kazuki, who had been watching intently, felt a strange mix of sympathy and amusement. If only he knew the truth…
Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged glances, their expressions serious. Their beloved village had suffered even long after their deaths. But what truly stood out was the weight of Minato's claim.
All eyes slowly drifted toward Madara.
Shouta nearly laughed out loud at the situation. This was a disaster for the Uchiha legend. A massive pile of blame had been unceremoniously dumped onto his head, and from the way Madara's jaw tightened, it was clear that he was not happy.
For his part, Madara stood there, his fingers twitching slightly, his expression unreadable. But beneath the surface, his anger was bubbling like molten lava.
I have been dead for years, he thought, and somehow I'm still taking the blame for things I didn't even do?!
Minato, mistaking Madara's expression for shared outrage, spoke again. "Senior, it seems that you, too, are furious at what was done to my family! But I must apologize—I do not recognize you. May I ask for your name?"
A muscle in Madara's jaw twitched.
He lifted a single hand and dragged it down his face in exasperation before finally speaking.
"You blind fool. I am Madara Uchiha."
Minato blinked. Then blinked again. "...What?"
Shouta, meanwhile, could no longer contain himself. He burst into laughter, clutching his sides as he tried to breathe. "Pfft— Oh, this is too good!"
The moment was thick with tension. Minato Namikaze's piercing blue eyes burned with hatred as he glared at the man before him—the legendary Uchiha Madara. His emotions churned, raw and unfiltered, remembering the night his life had been torn apart.
His wife, Kushina, had been attacked. His son, Naruto, had been threatened. The Nine-Tails had been unleashed upon Konoha, leaving destruction in its wake. And the man who had orchestrated it all now stood before him as if none of it had ever happened.
With his hands clenched into fists, Minato's voice was dangerously cold. "I never thought we'd meet like this again, Uchiha Madara."
Madara, who had been watching the Fourth Hokage's outburst with a neutral expression, raised an eyebrow. "Yondaime brat, what are you even talking about? I don't recall ever meeting you before, let alone attacking Konoha."
Minato's eyes darkened. "You dare deny it?" His voice trembled with restrained fury. "That night… when my wife was giving birth… you attacked! You stole my son from my arms, unsealed the Nine-Tails, and sent it rampaging through the village! You forced me into a battle where I had no choice but to use the Reaper Death Seal to protect Konoha! You took everything from me!"
Madara frowned. For a brief moment, silence hung between them before he scoffed. "Hah, as if I would need to resort to such pathetic tricks. You think I, Madara Uchiha, would need to steal a child to achieve my goals? That I would need to hide behind illusions and manipulations? Foolish."
Minato's jaw tightened. "Are you saying it wasn't you?"
Before Madara could respond, Hashirama Senju, who had been observing silently, spoke up. "Wait. I think I understand what's happening here." His usual cheerful expression had been replaced by something far more serious. "Minato, you say that the man who attacked you had the Sharingan?"
Minato nodded. "Yes, without a doubt. His ability to phase through attacks, his control over the Nine-Tails—it was something only a true Uchiha could do."
Madara smirked. "Then I hate to break it to you, Yondaime, but the one who attacked you was not me."
Minato's body stiffened. "What?"
Shouta Kazuki, who had been standing quietly this whole time, watching the drama unfold, decided it was time to step in. "Minato," he began, crossing his arms, "that night… the person who attacked you called himself Uchiha Madara, right?"
"Yes," Minato said slowly, his anger now mixed with confusion.
Shouta nodded. "That man wasn't Madara. It was someone using his name."
Tobirama Senju narrowed his eyes. "Then who was it?"
Shouta turned to face Minato fully, his voice firm. "It was your own student… Uchiha Obito."
Minato's world seemed to freeze. His chest tightened as a cold chill ran down his spine. "No… that's impossible. Obito died during the Third Shinobi War."
Shouta sighed. "That's what everyone thought. But the truth is, he survived… and he was manipulated into carrying out that attack."
Minato shook his head violently. "No! That's ridiculous! Obito was—he was kind-hearted! He wanted to be Hokage! He would never—"
Madara chuckled darkly, causing everyone to turn their attention back to him. "How amusing. You placed so much faith in that brat, yet you were completely blind to what had happened to him." His expression grew cold as he continued, "He did die that day… or rather, the person you knew as Obito ceased to exist. What emerged was a broken shell, a weapon molded to carry out my will."
Minato's breathing grew uneven. "No… Obito would never—"
Madara's voice was like steel. "Would never what? Succumb to hatred? Fall into despair? You underestimate how fragile the human heart can be. I gave him a new purpose. I gave him power. And in return, he fulfilled his role… under my name."
Minato felt his knees weaken. His student. His beloved student had been the one to attack him? To tear apart his family? To bring destruction to Konoha?
Shouta could see the turmoil in Minato's expression. "Minato… I know it's hard to accept. But it's the truth. Obito was manipulated by Madara into believing the world was a cruel place. He was twisted into someone else entirely."
Minato's breath was shaky, his heart pounding against his ribcage. "Then… then I failed him. I failed my own student..."
Hashirama stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Minato's shoulder. "No, Minato. It wasn't your fault. There were forces at work beyond your control. You couldn't have known."
Madara let out an exasperated sigh. "Enough of this emotional nonsense. Now that you know the truth, I have no need to keep secrets anymore." His crimson eyes gleamed with power. "The plan was simple: gather the tailed beasts, resurrect myself, and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi. A world without pain. A world without suffering."
Tobirama scoffed. "A world of illusions. You would enslave humanity under a genjutsu?"
Madara smirked. "Is that so different from the world you created? A world ruled by war, deception, and endless suffering? At least my world would bring peace."
Shouta stepped forward, his voice unwavering. "Peace at the cost of free will isn't peace at all, Madara. It's just another kind of cage."
Madara's expression darkened. "And what do you know of war, boy? You have yet to witness the true depths of humanity's cruelty."
Shouta held his gaze, unshaken. "I know enough to understand that dreams built on force and manipulation will always crumble. Your Infinite Tsukuyomi isn't peace—it's an escape. A lie."
The room fell silent. Madara stared at Shouta for a long moment before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Hmph. You remind me of Hashirama. Idealistic to the end."
Hashirama grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Minato, still struggling with the revelation about Obito, finally spoke again. His voice was quieter now, tinged with regret. "If Obito was truly behind that attack… then it's my responsibility to stop him."
Shouta nodded. "And we will. Together."
Madara crossed his arms. "Hmph. You may try. But know this—if you stand in my way, I will not hold back."
Shouta smirked. "I wouldn't expect anything less."