I'm not that Naruto Uzumaki

"Who is it!?"

Kurama instantly retracted his fist, pressing his claws against the iron gate as he let out a loud roar at the figure of Namikaze Minato outside. His red eyes scanned the surroundings warily, searching for the source of the voice he had just heard.

He had been connected to Naruto when, out of nowhere, a voice seemed to echo from deep within him. This made him suspect that there was someone else inside the seal.

After all, the Fourth Hokage standing in front of him was proof that unexpected things could exist within the seal.

Kurama had been sealed inside Naruto's body for four years, yet it was only today that he discovered Minato had been here with him all along.

That made him feel a little embarrassed.

If there were others lurking in this seal without his knowledge, that was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

At that moment, Minato was still reeling from Naruto's earlier, indifferent response—his blatant disregard for Konoha's survival.

Seeing the fox suddenly become agitated again, Minato quickly shot Naruto a look, signaling him to step out and talk things over first.

Naruto, however, shook his head slightly, finding Kurama's paranoia amusing.

He quickly ran through the functions of the Mirror World in his mind, carefully weighing his options. Finally, he called out to Kurama, "Kurama! Don't be so tense. That voice—it's not from a person!"

Kurama tilted his fox head downward, suspicion flashing through his crimson eyes. "Not from a person?"

Naruto's deep blue eyes gleamed with an unusual light. "Stretch out your paw!"

Kurama's ears twitched, and his clawed hand once again clenched into a fist, pressing against Naruto's small, raised fist.

Their mental connection was reestablished.

[Warning! Your mental world is under intrusion. You can choose to forcibly expel or forcibly capture the invader.]

"Huh? Naruto, that voice—it came from you!"

"That's right, Kurama! It's one of my secrets. I can show you."

Naruto first transmitted a brief explanation of the Mirror World to Kurama, then used his authority to grant Kurama access for verification.

A series of emotionless mechanical voices rang in Kurama's mind, identical to the first voice he had heard.

[Permission authentication enabled. Access granted: Spectator Guest.]

[First guest binding in progress…]

[Binding successful. Guest identity: Kurama. Welcome to the Mirror World.]

As the last message faded, Kurama found himself standing in a vast, lush green forest beneath a cloudless blue sky. Naruto was right in front of him.

Meanwhile, outside the iron gate, Minato was stunned. He had just been about to analyze what had happened between Naruto and the Nine-Tails when, in the blink of an eye, his son and Kurama had frozen in place—like statues. It was eerily similar to the effects of the Reaper Death Seal, as if their souls had been extracted from their bodies...

"Where is this?" Kurama's gaze swept over the mountain peaks in the distance, his voice carrying a tinge of melancholy.

With a wave of Naruto's hand, an enormous, exaggerated dialogue box popped up in front of Kurama's field of vision. A mechanical prompt sounded again, and strings of characters began appearing, flashing across the screen…

"I knew it. What's here is just my consciousness. This world is an illusion, but it is exactly as you described—its capabilities are remarkable," Kurama mused.

"But being here reminds me of some unpleasant memories… of being controlled by genjutsu."

Naruto nodded. "Then let's go back. If you ever want to come here again, just let me know."

"Wait!" Kurama suddenly called out. He had learned from the system's explanations that Naruto only needed a thought to take him out of this space.

"What is it?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Aren't you going to tell your father about this?"

"The Minato inside the seal is just a portion of his chakra. He'll probably disappear soon. Telling him about this place is meaningless."

Naruto hadn't expected Kurama to ask such a thing.

Kurama grinned. "Heh! He's your father—the Fourth Hokage of Konoha! I know how powerful he is. Sure, this place can make you stronger, but if he trains you, your growth will be even faster!"

Naruto frowned. "I understand that, but he can't stay here long enough—"

"I have a way!" Kurama interrupted him. "I can make him stay in the seal for a longer period!"

Naruto's eyes flickered. "Even without my father's help, I can manage on my own. That extra time—"

"No!" Kurama cut him off.

"You have no idea how closely Konoha is monitoring you!"

Naruto's expression turned cold. "Of course I know. Ever since I was a child, there were people watching outside my door. Whenever I went out, there was always someone following me from a distance."

Kurama smirked. "Heh! But did you know that, starting this morning, someone has been tailing you from just one meter away?"

"And that person only left when you escorted that Hyuga girl home."

"Let me tell you something else—this person has been shadowing you since the very first day you set foot outside as a three-year-old. Sometimes, after you fall asleep at night, he even inspects your books and materials."

Moonlight Hayate!

Naruto's face darkened instantly. A trace of crimson flashed in his eyes before he fell silent.

There were very few in Konoha capable of something like this—only that guy with the Transparency Jutsu.

After a long pause, Naruto finally spoke. "Kurama, you're willing to help my father stay in the seal longer? I thought you despised—maybe even hated—him."

Kurama flicked his fox head. "I do hate him for sealing me away, but if he stays, he can help you grow stronger. And the sooner you get stronger, the sooner I'll be free!"

"Alright! Let's go back!"

With that, Naruto and Kurama's consciousnesses returned to the seal. Their fists were still pressed together as before, as if no time had passed. Naruto gave Kurama a slight nod before turning toward Minato outside the iron gate.

"Huh? Naruto, are you okay? Just now, you—"

Minato had been about to analyze the situation when, in an instant, his son came back to himself.

"Father, how much longer can you stay?"

Minato's face darkened. "Naruto, I was just a backup measure. At most, I can remain until tomorrow before I disappear."

"I see." Naruto's eyes sharpened. He turned to Kurama. "Kurama! I'm counting on you!"

Kurama glanced at Minato. "Come in, Fourth Hokage. I can make you stay a little longer."

"What do you mean?"

Minato looked bewildered, his face blank.

Kurama's expression grew impatient. "What are you staring at? Didn't you hear me? I said, get in here!"

"What? Are you scared? Less guts than your own son?"

Naruto shook his head, then walked straight through the gate. Under Minato's astonished gaze, Naruto grabbed his father's hand and pulled him inside, right beneath Kurama's claw.

Meanwhile, at the Hokage's office—

"Shikaku, you've reviewed Naruto's surveillance records since childhood. Don't worry, when the time comes, letting Shikamaru approach him won't be dangerous."

"It's all for Konoha's peace!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage, I understand. But from my analysis… I don't think Naruto will be so easy to befriend."

Nara Shikaku sighed.

By accident, he had once praised his son's intelligence and maturity. Now, the Third Hokage had assigned him the task of making Shikamaru befriend Naruto.

And it was non-negotiable.

The Third Hokage patted his shoulder, smiling. "I believe in you! And in Shikamaru! He can do it! Now, let's go over the details of today's meeting with the Kumogakure delegation…"

Naruto had no idea that the Third Hokage was once again setting plans in motion around him. At this moment, he had already used a transformation jutsu to leave home.

Strangely, Kurama pointed out something odd—there were no surveillance shadows trailing him today.

As he walked past a bustling commercial street, he stopped in front of a large building.

"This is the Ninja Academy?"

"Yes, Naruto. This is the back entrance. Your mother and I met here when we were young…"

Minato's nostalgia was about to spill over.

"Enough! Did I give you too much chakra, Fourth Hokage?! Will you ever shut up!?"

Kurama's furious roar rang through their minds.

"Uhh… Sumimasen…" Minato awkwardly apologized inside the seal.

Naruto was about to leave when he suddenly heard loud, mocking laughter from behind a fence.

"Hahaha! He's bleeding all over but still hitting the training post!"

"What an idiot!"

"Haha! That's right! The hot-blooded loser!"

Naruto looked through the gap in the fence and saw a boy with braided hair, his head covered in blood, leaning against a wooden training post.

A group of kids surrounded him, some picking up stones and hurling them at him.

Each time they hit him, they burst into laughter. Soon, all the onlookers were laughing along.

Is that Lee?

"Father, look how happy they are."

"Uh… Naruto, this…"

Naruto's eyes grew deep and dark.

"Laughter really is contagious, isn't it?"

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