Starting Over As Minato

A mechanical voice echoed in Minato's mind:

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in. Reward: One-Tomoe Sharingan and Fire Attribute Chakra."

A sudden sharp pain burned through Minato's eyes before fading, leaving behind a strange sensation. At the same time, a new energy surged within his body—fire chakra, most likely obtained from Sasuke.

Minato frowned slightly. **A single tomoe Sharingan?** That was barely useful. He had no Uchiha blood, meaning he couldn't even use it properly without draining his chakra reserves.

Before he could dwell on it, the system spoke again.

"Congratulations! Signing in on Uzumaki Naruto has triggered a critical reward—10 points earned!"

"Signing in on Uchiha Sasuke—5 points earned."

Minato's gaze flicked to the system store. A single-tomoe Sharingan cost only 2 points, while a two-tomoe version was just 5. With the points stacking up, he could upgrade it easily. But instead of wasting them on incremental upgrades, he considered saving up for something more valuable—perhaps a powerful skill or a bloodline from another world.

Still, the thought of getting only 5 points from Sasuke left him unimpressed. As one of the main characters, shouldn't he be worth more?

Deciding he had no further use for Sasuke or Sakura at the moment, Minato dismissed them. There was no system prompt to sign in on Sakura, which confirmed his suspicion—she really had nothing useful to offer.

As Sasuke and Sakura exited, Minato's eyes landed on Naruto. A realization struck him.

Wait… I've been overlooking something important.

Naruto wasn't just any ordinary person—he carried the **Nine-Tails** inside him. If the system recognized individual beings for sign-ins…

Minato's lips curled into a smirk. If I sign in on Kurama, the reward should be much better.

Sensing his father's gaze, Naruto turned and grinned.

"What's up, Dad?"

Minato shook his head, keeping his thoughts hidden. Then, with a more serious tone, he asked,

"Naruto, do you want to know why people call you a demon fox?"

Naruto's expression turned solemn. He nodded.

"Yeah… I heard from Kakashi-sensei that there's a Nine-Tails sealed inside me, but… I want to see it for myself."

Minato smiled at his son's determination. Without another word, he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. In an instant, they both vanished, diving into the depths of Naruto's consciousness.

---

When their surroundings came into focus, they found themselves in a dimly lit corridor, ankle-deep in stagnant water. The flickering light above cast eerie shadows against the damp walls.

Even though Minato had seen this place in the anime during his past life, experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.

The oppressive atmosphere, the echo of dripping water… It was like a prison.

Naruto grew up with this place inside him?

Minato sighed inwardly. No child should have to endure such isolation.

A few steps forward, and they reached it—a colossal iron gate, held shut by a massive paper talisman. From behind the bars, two enormous red eyes snapped open.

Kurama.

A menacing growl echoed through the chamber, thick with malice. A massive wave of red chakra surged forward, colliding with Minato's own chakra as he instinctively stepped in front of Naruto. Their energies clashed in an invisible battle of wills.

Then, Kurama's deep voice rumbled through the chamber.

"You…"

The massive fox bared its fangs, its pupils narrowing as it glared at Minato.

"Are you a ghost, or have you somehow crawled back from the grave? Didn't I kill you more than ten years ago?"

Minato simply smiled.

"Good to see you too, Nine-Tails."

Kurama snarled, slamming a massive paw against the bars of his cage. The entire chamber trembled.

"You didn't answer my question!"

"I don't have to," Minato said calmly. "Instead, I came here to discuss something with you."

Kurama's ears twitched.

"Oh? And what makes you think I'd be interested?"

Minato leaned against the bars, completely unfazed.

"Because I know your real name, Kurama."

The beast flinched. His eyes flashed with something almost nostalgic before suspicion clouded his features.

"And how would a mere human like you know that?"

Minato shrugged.

"Because I met the Sage of Six Paths."

Kurama's entire body tensed.

Minato continued, "After I sealed you into Naruto, I thought I was done for. But instead of being consumed by the Shinigami, I was saved. The Sage told me about all the tailed beasts—including you."

Kurama remained silent, his eyes searching Minato's for deception. Then, with a snort, he scoffed, "Hah! As if I'd believe such a ridiculous story. The old man has been gone for centuries. Whatever trick you're playing, it won't work on me."

Minato sighed.

Looks like convincing him won't be easy.

He turned to Naruto.

"Naruto, would you like to make a deal with Kurama?"

Naruto blinked in surprise. "A deal? What kind?"

Minato's expression turned serious.

"We can remove the seal."

The chamber fell into stunned silence. Even Kurama's breath hitched for a moment before he burst into laughter.

"Pfft—HAHAHAHA! Are you serious?! You're just going to let me out?"

Naruto hesitated, looking at his father. "Wait, Dad, is that really okay?"

Minato nodded.

"But only if Kurama agrees to cooperate."

Kurama's laughter stopped abruptly.

"And why the hell would I agree to that?"

"Because," Minato said, "you know better than anyone that this seal is nothing but a prison. If you continue like this, you'll remain caged for the rest of Naruto's life. But if you work with him, you could be free in a different way—by becoming his ally."

Kurama growled but didn't immediately dismiss the idea.

Then, Naruto stepped forward.

"I don't hate you, Kurama. Even if you did attack the village, I know it wasn't entirely your fault."

Kurama's ears perked up.

"You… you don't hate me?"

Naruto shook his head.

"I know what it's like to be seen as a monster. But if we work together, maybe we can change that."

Kurama stared at him, eyes filled with unspoken emotions.

Just as the moment seemed to soften, a voice interrupted.

"Naruto, STOP!"

A glowing figure materialized—a golden version of Minato, his body made of chakra.

"You can't remove the seal! If the Nine-Tails is freed, he'll destroy the village!"

Minato frowned.

Of course… his chakra imprint is still here.

Naruto looked between them, confused.

"But Dad said it's fine!"

Chakra Minato turned to the real Minato with narrowed eyes.

"Between Naruto and the village, you're still choosing the village, aren't you?"

Chakra Minato faltered, his hesitation clear.

Minato sighed. He had seen this version of himself before—a Hokage who put duty above family.

And he was done making that mistake.

Without hesitation, he dispelled his chakra imprint.

A golden light flickered, then vanished.

Minato turned back to Naruto and Kurama.

"Let's do this the right way."

Naruto stepped forward, reaching for the seal. Kurama's eyes burned with anticipation.

The future was about to change.

--

(A/N: Advance Chapters Are Uploaded On My Patreon)