Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Prank and the Betrayal – Part 2
Sakura beckoned the blond-haired boy to sit at the table. Her usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by an air of seriousness that Naruto immediately recognized.
"What I’m about to share with you, don’t go shouting from the rooftops. It’s a secret. An S-rank secret. Promise me," she said, her tone firm and unwavering.
Naruto, sensing the gravity of the situation, straightened up from his slouched position and sat at attention, his wide blue eyes meeting her emerald gaze. "Okay, okay, I promise, Onee-chan!" he said, giving a firm nod. "So, today you’re finally gonna tell me why everyone hates me?"
Sakura’s eyes softened for a moment, but she remained calm, her voice steady as she began.
"I was three when my mother abandoned me to the village," she started, her gaze distant, as though remembering a past she had long kept hidden. "And that’s when your parents, Kushina Uzumaki, and Minato Namikaze, took me in as their daughter. At that time, Kushina wasn’t yet pregnant with you. Minato hadn’t even been elected Hokage yet, and Kushina was busy being an ANBU."
Naruto’s eyes widened in disbelief as he absorbed the information. "Wait... my dad... the Fourth Hokage?!" he stammered, almost not believing what he was hearing.
"Yes," Sakura replied, her voice calm but filled with the weight of the truth. "When I was six, we had to leave the village when Kushina went into labor with you. You see, just like you, your mom was the previous Jinchuriki, a jailer for the Nine-Tails."
Naruto’s brow furrowed. "Jin... Jinchuriki... Living sacrifice?" he tried to pronounce, confusion clear on his face.
Sakura smiled faintly at his attempt, but the sadness in her eyes deepened as she continued.
"Jinchuriki contain chakra beasts called Bijuu—living weapons. Each major village has one or two of them. And you, Naruto, have the strongest. When a female Jinchuriki gives birth, the seal holding the Bijuu can break," she explained, her voice lowering as she picked up a sake bottle and poured herself a small drink. The mention of her adoptive mother’s past was never easy for her, and this conversation was stirring up memories she had long buried.
She watched as Naruto’s eyes grew even wider, his confusion turning to realization. "Oh, Kami... you mean... my mom and dad..." he whispered, his voice trembling as he pieced together the truth.
Sakura took a deep breath before answering. "Yes. On the day Kushina gave birth, a masked man calling himself 'Madara Uchiha' attacked us. That attack allowed the Kyuubi to escape, and your parents sealed it inside of you to prevent everyone from dying in the process. Unfortunately, some bastard leaked your Jinchuriki status to the village..."
Naruto’s hands trembled as his mind raced. "So... am I the Kyuubi?" he asked, his voice panic-stricken. The thought of being a living weapon, something feared by everyone, terrified him.
Sakura gently put down the sake bottle and reached out, patting his head softly, her touch warm and comforting. "No, Naruto. You contain it. You’re not the Kyuubi. You’re the one protecting us all from its dangerous nature," she said, her voice steady, but her heart aching for him.
Tears began to stream down Naruto’s cheeks as the weight of the truth settled on him. For years, he had known there was something different about him—something that made people look at him with fear and disdain—but hearing it all, hearing the truth about who he was, shattered something inside him. He had always felt like an outcast, but now, he understood why.
Sakura continued, her voice softening. "But... many can’t let go of the past. They still think you’re the Nine-Tails—the monster that wrecked the village," she said, her words heavy with sorrow. "But you’re not. You’ve never been."
Naruto couldn’t hold back anymore. His sobs echoed in the room, and he trembled as the emotional weight of it all came crashing down on him. Sakura stood up, her heart breaking for him, and without a word, she pulled him into a tight hug.
Naruto buried his face in her shoulder, his body shaking as the years of loneliness, pain, and rejection poured out of him in the form of bitter tears. For a long moment, Sakura just held him, letting him cry without speaking, giving him the space he needed to release all the hurt he had bottled up for so long.
She had promised herself she wouldn’t let him suffer alone. And she never would. She owed it to Kushina and Minato.
The next day, after a filling breakfast, Sakura rushed to the hospital while Naruto took his Genin test.
"Hm, nervous? I heard today is some sort of ninja graduation?" an elderly woman spoke up as she was tending to another patient next to her. Sakura chuckled.
"Is it obvious? My son is graduating today. Plus, I just recently adopted him, so being a homebody is... eh, weird for me," she replied, a small laugh escaping her. It was strange. The past few years, all she knew was missions, sleep, and training—repeat. Gone were the days when she was a child, spoiled by Kushina, Minato, and even Kakashi. Kakashi had distanced himself after the deaths of Kushina and Minato. She missed being with them, but the past was the past.
The elderly woman smiled warmly. "I bet he will do well if he has such a strong mother like you!"
They laughed, and Sakura ruffled her pink hair before making some rounds. After that, she ran to the academy. She saw many kids running to their parents and peers, bragging that they were now official ninjas. Among the crowd, she spotted Naruto, glaring at others as he waited for her. His headband, with the familiar metal leaf symbol engraved on it, was clenched tightly in his hand.
"I can’t believe they let the demon kid graduate!"
"Shhh! Quiet, it’s a secret... Pfft, you’re right, he’s such a failure."
"Who would love him?"
"I know, he’s just... urgh... and the whiskers..."
Anger surged inside Sakura, but she swallowed it down. She wished she could sucker-punch them to Suna, but she couldn’t.
Approaching Naruto, she gave him a heartfelt hug, picking him up and twirling him around. "Onee-chan, you’re gonna kill me!" Naruto squealed with joy.
Smiling, she knelt to his level. "Congratulations, Naruto... Icharaku?"
Naruto’s eyes widened at the mention of his favorite noodle shop. "REALLY?"
Sakura nodded, ignoring the speechless and jealous stares of others. As soon as they saw that Naruto had an adult Jonin with him, they went silent. Now, they were scared to say anything.
Pulling out a black headband with the familiar leaf symbol, she handed it to him. "It belonged to your father."
The next part she whispered only to him, as she wrapped it around his head. "He wore it when he was an ANBU and Hokage." Naruto patted the headband, feeling proud to wear something that had belonged to his father.
"Can you tell me more about... my parents?" he asked, his voice filled with longing.
Standing up, Sakura smiled as she grabbed his hand. Her green Jonin vest made people stop gossiping or whispering cruel things.
"Sure, brat!" she said warmly.
As they sat at Icharaku, Iruka joined them sheepishly. "I’m glad you managed to finally graduate, Naruto." He took a seat next to Sakura. His eyes wandered to the kunoichi’s muscular figure. No wonder she was voted as the strongest and most beautiful kunoichi in Konohagakure. She was truly beautiful, with pink hair and green eyes like the leaves, and her superhuman strength coupled with her wood release marked her as an exceptional Senju.
"Of course! Onee-chan taught me a suitable clone technique. My chakra is too much for the regular one..." Naruto grinned as his favorite noodles arrived. "Oh, Menma RAMEN YES!"
He started slurping. Sakura giggled and softly revealed, "Both your mom and dad loved this place. They were regulars here. Right, Teuchi?"
"Kushina inhaled my stuff... I miss her and her red hair... that sheepish husband of hers. He always used that annoying Arashi disguise," the ramen chef laughed, causing Iruka—who had no idea who Naruto’s parents were—to look confused. Naruto had parents, and Lady Senju knew them.
While eating, Iruka noticed Naruto glancing at the Hokage faces, especially the Fourth, with admiration. Hm, what was that about? It’s like Naruto was looking at a relative. Hmm, come to think of it, they do look familiar. He shook his head and focused on his ramen.
Clearing his throat, Iruka asked, "You’re kind for taking him in, Lady Senju—thanks for looking out for him." He picked up his noodles and slurped them.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Of course. I owe his parents. They helped me a lot when they were alive. Naruto and I would be siblings if they were still here..."
Iruka wondered who Naruto’s parents were but decided to leave it at that.