The snow beneath their feet didn't crunch, didn't even shift. It was like walking through memory—soft, unburdened by gravity. Ahead, the stone path led to a shrine basked in soft golden light. It pulsed gently, like a heartbeat.
Naruto walked with a furrowed brow, his steps tentative. Iruka said nothing. This was Naruto's journey to make. He merely walked beside him, Enma swaying slightly at his hip, the black blade humming in sync with the strange chakra around them.
The world felt surreal. The snowy landscape stretched endlessly, frozen in time, and yet, despite the cold beauty of it all, there was no chill in the air. It was warm here. Safe. A kind of warmth that reminded him of home—a place he had never truly known, but was starting to feel like he could.
Iruka didn't hurry, his calm presence a constant anchor for Naruto. The weight of the blade at Iruka's side seemed almost like a distant memory now, but Naruto couldn't help but feel the gravity of it all. This was no ordinary man. Iruka was more than a teacher. He was something deeper—something Naruto still didn't fully understand but felt with every action Iruka took.
They stopped at the foot of the shrine, and Naruto's gaze lifted to the doors. A soft light spilled from the cracks, illuminating the polished stone steps. The shrine looked ancient—alive with history, though Naruto couldn't place why.
"…There's people inside," Naruto murmured, his voice filled with hesitation.
Iruka gave a subtle nod. "Yes. But not enemies."
The doors opened before them—no wind, no touch, just… understanding. And standing there, cloaked in the warm light of the inner sanctum, were three figures.
Two humans.
And a fox.
A very large, very fluffy, and very relaxed Kurama, who was sprawled out on a smooth stone platform like a lazy cat in the sun.
Naruto blinked.
"Uh… hey?" he ventured cautiously.
The red-haired woman gasped softly, covering her mouth. Her eyes shimmered, not with power—but with something more fragile, more emotional.
"You've grown," she whispered, voice trembling.
Naruto tilted his head. "Do I… know you?"
Minato stepped forward, calm and composed, like a mirror of Naruto with years behind his eyes.
"No. Not yet. But you will," he said softly.
Kurama chuckled from the back, his voice smooth but somehow carrying a certain playful mockery. "He's too polite. I'd have just said, 'Hi son.'"
Naruto froze. "…Wait, what?"
Kushina stepped down from the platform. Her expression was soft. Nervous, yet filled with an emotion that seemed almost too heavy for this moment. "Naruto, we didn't bring you here to scare you. This is your mind. A part of it—untouched until now."
Naruto's breathing quickened. "Mind? So I'm dreaming?"
"More like… connecting," Minato said, his voice gentle, almost as if he were trying to anchor Naruto to something he couldn't yet understand.
Naruto glanced between them, confused, then at Kurama. "You're not attacking me? No growling, no claws?"
Kurama gave a slow blink. "Nah. Done with that. Too much effort. Besides—you're like Ashura now. I can't snarl at the guy with my brother's presence."
Naruto blinked again. "Ashura…?"
Naruto's mouth went dry. "And who are they?" he asked, voice rising with desperation. "Why do they look at me like that? Like they know me?"
Kushina's voice cracked, barely audible in the still air. "Because… we do know you."
Minato placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder gently, as if grounding him in the space between reality and dreams. "You've lived your whole life without us. But we were always with you. We've been watching, waiting for you to reach this point."
Naruto's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his features.
Kushina smiled through her tears, her voice shaking but warm. "I'm Kushina Uzumaki. And this is Minato Namikaze."
Naruto's voice came out as a whisper, more to himself than anyone else. "The Fourth Hokage?"
Minato nodded slowly, his gaze steady and full of love. "Yes. And… your father."
Everything stopped.
Naruto staggered back, his breath hitching. "What—no, that can't—why would the Hokage… why would you—?"
Kushina stepped closer, her hands trembling as she reached out. "Because I was the jinchūriki before you. And when the fox attacked, we gave everything to protect you. To make sure you'd be safe."
Kurama rolled his eyes from his resting place. "You're welcome, by the way."
Iruka stayed silent, giving Naruto the space he needed to process everything. This moment was for Naruto to absorb, not for him to intervene. But still, he couldn't help the flutter of empathy in his chest.
Naruto sank to his knees, unable to stop the flood of emotions that overtook him. "You're… my parents?"
Minato and Kushina knelt in front of him.
Kushina's hands gently brushed his cheek, her touch so tender it felt like a dream. "I'm sorry we couldn't be there for the ramen, the bruises, the lonely birthdays. But we are here now."
Naruto trembled, his whole body shaking. "I-I don't know what to say…"
Kurama smirked from his spot. "Start with 'hi mom and dad,' maybe?"
Naruto let out a choked laugh, but it quickly devolved into tears. "Mom… Dad…"
Kushina wrapped him in her arms, her warmth enveloping him like nothing he'd ever felt before. Minato joined the embrace, and together they held him, not letting go. Not for a moment.
Minutes passed in a comfortable, wordless silence.
Then Kushina pulled back slightly, wiping a tear from her face as she looked at the blade that hung at Iruka's side.
"You use a sword?" she asked, her voice full of curiosity.
Naruto wiped his face, finally standing. "Yea like Iruka-sensei does."
Kushina turned to Iruka, her eyes narrowing in thoughtful appraisal. "That blade… it's not like I have seen anywhere."
Iruka nodded, feeling the weight of her gaze. "He is called Enma. He is like a family heirloom."
Minato raised an eyebrow. "You're not like other shinobi."
Iruka gave a small, rueful smile. "No, I'm not. But that's a story for another time."
Kushina grinned, a flicker of mischief dancing in her eyes. "So you're already learning swordsmanship, huh? Figures—must be in your blood. I wasn't too shabby with a pair of blades back in my day."
Kurama gave a lazy snort, rolling onto his side. "Yeah, she was loud—with two swords and one volume: always maxed out."
Naruto turned to Iruka, wide-eyed. "Iruka-sensei! Did you know they were my parents?!"
Iruka gave a small, understanding nod. "I suspected. But it wasn't mine to reveal. It had to come from them."
Naruto wiped his face again, trying to steady himself. "Thank you… both of you."
Minato stood up alongside him, giving his son a look filled with more understanding than words could convey. "We'll always be here now. In this place. You can return anytime."
Kushina gave him one more tight hug. "And next time, you're bringing ramen."
Kurama stretched, yawning. "And cookies."
Naruto looked around the serene shrine, overwhelmed, his emotions a whirlwind of joy, grief, and wonder. Smiling through his tears, he whispered, "This is… the best dream ever."
Iruka smiled softly, standing beside him with Enma resting at his side.
"It's not a dream, Naruto."
"It's your home," Iruka added quietly, his voice full of warmth.
Then, with a quiet exchange of looks between Minato and Kushina, a new understanding passed between them. They turned their attention back to Naruto.
"You're not alone, Naruto," Minato said softly, his voice full of love and resolve.
Kushina's gaze softened, her words tender. "And neither is Iruka. He's family, too. You're both our sons now."
Iruka's breath hitched.
"Wh-what…?" he managed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Minato smiled softly, the same gentle calm that Naruto so often fumbled toward but never quite knew where it came from.
Kushina's eyes glowed with certainty, her words unshakable.
"You heard me, Iruka," she said, stepping closer. "You didn't just teach our son—you protected him, believed in him when the world didn't. You chose him."
"And that makes you ours," Minato finished.
Naruto grinned, eyes still wet but glowing with something brighter than tears.
"Yeah, Sensei. You've always been my family. I just didn't know I'd get to share that with Mom and Dad too."
Iruka stared at them, overwhelmed. For a moment, the weight of a thousand quiet days, lonely nights, and buried burdens pressed on his shoulders.
But then… something lighter replaced it. Something warm.
He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and smiled.
"…Then I'll carry that name with pride."
Kushina stepped forward and pulled him into a sudden hug, fierce and full of love.
"No more standing in the background, Iruka. You're one of us."
To be continued...
Sorry guys for late update my exam were going on also my college ended ) . Am jobless now anyways ma bad for uploading this hope you like this chapter