The beginning
The cold and desolate cave was the first thing Minato felt, the second was the cold winter wind entering the desolate cave. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw how a seal was breaking down into small particles of fire while a slightly yellow barrier began to dissolve. Instantly, his pupils contracted as he remembered the few fragments before being sealed by his father.
His movements were erratic as he jumped to his feet. When he stood, the consequences of having been unconscious took their toll. He felt everything around him move, and he also felt his stomach churn, but even so, he did not give up. Step by small step, he advanced toward the exit. He didn't know how far he was from his home, but that didn't matter to him. His worry was more latent at that moment to concern himself with trivial things like dizziness.
His feet were clumsy as he ran, but that didn't stop him from moving as fast as a seven-year-old child with shinobi training could. His steps didn't even slow down when he saw his house. His mind was only full of denial at the cruel reality he was about to face.
Minato wasn't as clueless or dumb as a child his age should be. His parents were very surprised by his intelligence and logical thinking, which he had demonstrated from a very young age.
When he entered, almost knocking down the wooden door that was already in a deplorable state, his premonition was confirmed. A long time had passed since anyone had entered that small cabin.
For a moment, he doubted whether to open that door. If he opened it and didn't find the comforting scent of his parents, he would know what had happened. But the fear he was feeling, indescribable for a pup his age, consumed the bravery for which he was praised by the townspeople and his parents.
After a few minutes, he managed to gather courage and open that door.
He felt bile rise to his esophagus, threatening to come out of his mouth. His breathing caught, and he felt as if his lungs both lacked and overflowed with air at the same time. His eyes blurred, but he never felt the tears fall. His legs could no longer support the weight of his body when he collapsed to the floor, and for the next few minutes, he had no movement in any of his limbs.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his eyes. Within seconds, the disorientation he had disappeared, giving way to the understanding that what he felt was chakra flowing into his eyes.
He raised his eyes and found two red eyes with two tomoe staring at him intently.
He regained his senses while staring at the hooded man. He couldn't believe any of the words the man had said, especially the fact that the man was Madara Uchiha. After all, if Minato himself couldn't recognize his own father, it was an impossible fact.
Without any mercy, he gave all his intelligence to understanding the jutsu of that Uchiha shinobi. In the end, he managed to land a Rasengan with the help of the Second Hokage's technique. When he turned to look at the man again, he froze upon seeing how the man grabbed one of his arms, which began to detach thanks to the impact of his Rasengan.
Even so, Minato felt nothing seeing the state that man was in. He was just the man who hurt and almost killed his wife and pup—the man who tried to impersonate his father's identity.
When he came out of his thoughts, he felt a strange sense of recognition as he paid attention to the strange mass his arm had turned into. He felt as if he had seen it somewhere before, but he didn't know where.
After a few seconds, a disconcerting memory came to his mind.
He remembered seeing a white shadow with the same consistency stalking him and his father in the gardens of his former home and also seeing it while his father dragged him through the forest, away from the danger that attacked his house.
The sharpness of his senses increased exponentially, while an uneasiness grew in his heart. He was very grateful that Hokages were not allowed to go around without a scent blocker. Otherwise, he would be one hundred percent sure that the other man would have recognized his fear and unease.
Another confirmation came after hearing that impostor's speech. It was the same plan found in his father's abandoned scrolls.
He had confirmed one fact: his father had, at some point, been part of it. But from his conjectures, it was only for a moment because if not, his father wouldn't have hurried to hide him, and that being wouldn't have dared to kill his mother.
With his Sharingan hidden under a transformation jutsu he himself had improved (it had no name—Kushina said his way of naming jutsus was horrible), he studied every movement. He didn't risk lowering his guard against that man, even if he wasn't his father. He had proven to be a formidable shinobi with an incredibly strong Mangekyou Sharingan.
The monologue that man began to deliver left him completely frozen. Although one could say he had noble reasons, the things he had to do to carry them out were inhuman—capturing the nine-tailed beasts could only be done by killing all the jinchurikis of the villages.
Seconds later, that guy disappeared from the clearing, leaving behind a sepulchral silence, only interrupted by the desperate roars of the Kyuubi.
He soon left that man for later, along with the other being clinging to that man's body. He set out to return to the battlefield with only one thought in mind: stop the Kyuubi.
Of all the options that crossed his mind, only one could turn out "well" in the end—find a new jailer, a new jinchuriki for the Kyuubi.
The only people who could withstand such powerful and hate-filled chakra as that of the Nine-Tails would be an Uzumaki or someone with a part of Uzumaki blood running through their veins. Even if they only had the smallest amount of Uzumaki blood, their chakra could be immense. Only people with the necessary amount of chakra could endure all the Kyuubi's power.
He knew perfectly well that the only Uzumakis in the village were his pup and Kushina, but even so, he was in denial. His being refused to subject his son to endure the Kyuubi's hate-filled chakra. And he knew perfectly well that after this night, the villagers and shinobi would be left with a great mental and emotional wound. His son could never be treated like other children.
He knew all this because he had seen how Kushina's early kunoichi years were, and he knew she hadn't had it easy. Even with her position as Konoha's princess, she was still treated as a total danger. He had to beg both the Third Hokage, the Shodaime, and his master to let him spend time with her.
But inside him, a part had hope and faith in his little one, who was only an hour old. At that moment, a father's hope and faith in his child were sometimes unconditional.
Even with his chaotic thoughts, he had to keep moving forward. Every minute counted in this situation. He could still think while advancing toward where the chaos was happening.
Upon arriving, he found that the Kyuubi's eyes had returned to the two Sharingan. He was surprised, but almost instantly realized that the Kyuubi no longer made any hasty movements. Some Uchiha had to have restrained it, and he had a hunch.
While immobilizing the Kyuubi with Gamabunta, he could only thank Obito for his help, even when his student only had one eye—he could still maintain and control the Kyuubi.
Using the Hiraishin no Jutsu, he transported himself with the Kyuubi, along with Naruto and Kushina.
He knew what he was about to do. He knew Kushina would never forgive him for this—hell, he would never forgive himself for what he was about to do. He knew his wish for his little one to be seen as a hero instead of the fox would never be fully fulfilled. He only hoped, deep down, that their acquaintances would fill the void left by his and Kushina's absence in Naruto.
But still, he continued to trust in his son's future—that he would never succumb to the curse of hatred that plagued his family. Hope is what is never lost, especially when it comes to your own blood, flesh of your flesh.