Prolog
Minato had always believed that death was final. He had no idea what awaited him after death, and honestly, he had never really thought about it. His only hope was to see the people he loved again. Other than that, he knew nothing about death and consciously avoided the topic.
Although he, as a shinobi, constantly embarked on life-threatening missions, Minato tried to push the topic of death away. He didn't want to think about his own death or that of his loved ones – it hurt too much. His only wish was that if he had to die, it would be knowing that he had saved others. Minato wanted to die as a hero, as a Hokage who protected his village and his family.
But he knew that life rarely followed one's wishes. It followed its own paths, and one had to face and accept their fate. He learned this bitter lesson when Obito died. Back with Kakashi and Rin, he heard Rin's account of the tragic events while holding the unconscious Kakashi in his arms. In that moment, he had to grasp that he couldn't protect everyone and that life was often cruel and unfair. Yet he promised himself never to lose anyone from his team again.
A fatal promise he regretted the moment he found Kakashi unconscious amidst a bloodbath. On the same clearing lay Rin, dead, with a gaping hole in her chest. Once again, life had taken another cruel turn, and Minato painfully realized how unjust it truly was.
After this painful event, he didn't want to make promises anymore, realizing that life was unpredictable. But when Minato learned he was going to be a father, everything changed. He made a new promise to himself: he would protect his wife and his son, once he was born, at all costs. Minato would do anything to ensure his child's well-being.
Unfortunately, he went further and promised to be there for his remaining student and help him. Yet he broke this promise immediately when he sent him to the ANBU. This time, it was solely Minato's fault.
It was Kushina who initiated this idea. One evening, while discussing Kakashi, she suggested adopting him and getting him out of the ANBU to give him a family. Minato was immediately enthusiastic about this proposal, and they began to prepare everything. Once their son was born and they introduced him to Kakashi, they wanted to adopt him into their family.
Minato was determined to keep his promise this time and do everything right...
Then came the day of birth, and Minato was filled with anticipation and nervousness. Everything went according to plan. It wasn't easy, but eventually, they welcomed their son Naruto. Minato had never been so happy and overwhelmed as in that moment. Seeing his little son for the first time was the greatest joy he had ever experienced.
But everything quickly changed. Feelings of happiness and pride quickly turned into anger and fear for his family. Minato was determined to protect them at all costs, as well as the entire village. But in the end, he had to admit defeat. He could only helplessly watch as Kushina addressed her last words to Naruto and couldn't prevent her from dying – just like himself.
Once again, life thwarted his plans, and fate had other paths in mind. But at least Naruto was alive and safe. Even though it deeply pained Minato to leave his son without parents.
At least there was something comforting in that moment, as his thoughts gradually faded and darkness enveloped him. He could at least fulfill part of his wish. Minato died to protect the village and its inhabitants – he died as a hero, as a Hokage.
**********
It seemed like an eternity since he last felt anything. So, it was all the more astonishing when suddenly a sensation returned. Slowly, his body began to come back to life, his consciousness returned. It felt like waking up from a long, deep sleep as his sensations and thoughts slowly returned to him.
Carefully, he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground. His forehead furrowed as he couldn't remember how he got here. What had happened before he fell asleep? Had he even fallen asleep? And where exactly was he?
The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and he couldn't see anything. Slowly, he propped himself up with his arms and rose to his knees. His gaze frantically searched the surroundings, but the darkness obscured everything. Determinedly, Minato went from his knees to squatting and then pushed himself forcefully onto his feet.
It felt like he hadn't used his body in ages. Every movement was unfamiliar, every touch unusual. Minato took a deep breath and felt the oxygen flowing through his lungs. A hand rested on his chest, and he could feel his heartbeat clearly. It was a strangely satisfying feeling, as if he hadn't felt so alive in a long time.
As he stood there, feeling the pulsation of life in his body, the question of where he was and how he got there nagged at him again. He tried his best to recall his memories, but they seemed to be unreachable, out of his grasp.
Minato stood there, not knowing how long he had been in this position. It felt like an endless eternity where nothing changed about his situation. A sigh escaped his lips as he realized he had no plan for what to do next.
Eventually, Minato noticed a flickering fire in the distance. The crackling of a campfire reached his ears, sparking his curiosity. Determinedly, he fixed his gaze on the fire and decided to approach it. The closer he got, the more intensely he felt the pleasant warmth emanating from the flames. Finally, Minato stopped in front of the campfire and sank into its hypnotic, flickering flames.
He felt the atmosphere around him relax, and he enjoyed the comforting warmth radiating from the fire. His gaze remained fixed on the flames as he tried to sort out his thoughts. Suddenly, he was interrupted from his thoughts as a voice echoed through the surroundings. "Hello, Minato Namikaze! It's nice to have you here," greeted a warm, friendly voice.
Immediately, Minato scanned the surroundings, but he couldn't see anyone. Confused, he furrowed his brow, sharpening his attention. "Who's speaking?" he asked coolly.
After a moment of silence, the voice sounded again, gently and soothingly: "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause harm, quite the opposite." The words were infused with a friendly intent. "I'm here to help you."
Minato's brow furrowed deeper as a feeling of distrust rose within him. "Help me? In what way?"
"I will grant you a new life!" the voice spoke enthusiastically.
Minato's eyes widened as suddenly a flood of memories rushed over him. The painful images of the death he and Kushina had suffered pierced his thoughts. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered that fateful moment: the attack during Naruto's birth, the fight for survival. The stranger had managed to take the Nine-Tails from Kushina and unleash it on the village.
In a desperate act of sacrifice, Minato and Kushina had chosen to sacrifice their lives for the village and the safety of their son, Naruto. The memory of that painful moment overwhelmed Minato as he staggered back, instinctively placing his hand on his forehead as he tried to sort out his thoughts. "This can't be happening, I died with Kushina. It's impossible for me to be here again." His voice sounded bewildered, unable to grasp reality.
The voice hummed softly in agreement. "Yes, you died a year ago," it calmly explained.
"Then what brings me here? And how exactly are you going to grant me a new life?" Minato asked, confused, as his hand slowly lowered from his face.
A moment of silence enveloped him before the voice gently continued: "I will grant you a second chance to experience life. You may return."
Minato shook his head incredulously. "Why me of all people? Why not Kushina?" A pang pierced his heart at the thought of having to live without her.
"Because I have chosen you. I believe in your ability to change everything and create a better world. You are a powerful shinobi and a wise Hokage. My trust in you is boundless." The voice sounded sincere and remained friendly.
Minato had to process the information for a moment. Admittedly, he was speechless. For him, death meant the definitive end, with no way out. It felt unfair that he should be given a second chance. Minato was aware that many other people deserved it more than he did.
Before he could think further, the voice interrupted his thoughts again. "But there's a condition. Life won't be granted to you just like that."
"And what condition would that be?" Minato's face took on an expression of confusion.
"You will be given a year to prove that you truly deserve this second chance. After that, it will be decided whether you may continue living or not," the voice revealed calmly.
Minato lowered his gaze to the ground. "This must be a dream," he murmured softly, then raised his gaze again. "If all this is true, what do I need to do to prove myself?"
The voice chuckled softly. "This is no dream, I'm telling you the truth," it reassured amusedly before becoming serious again. "You will have to find the right path yourself. You must walk your own path, and I will watch to see if you make the right choices."
Minato snorted amusedly. "That's impossible! Every step I take could be both right and wrong. Isn't that always a matter of perspective?"
The voice seemed to consider for a moment before responding. "There's some truth to that, but as I said, I have faith in you. Wouldn't you like to see your son again?"
Minato bit his lower lip. Of course, he wanted to see Naruto. He sighed and finally nodded. "Of course, I want to see him again," he admitted. "But I have no idea where to start."
The voice hummed softly, then fell silent for a moment. After a few seconds, it spoke again. "Alright, I will tell you where you can start," the voice began calmly. "First, you should help your student. He is in danger."
Minato jerked as adrenaline shot through his body. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. "Kakashi!? Take me to him immediately!" His voice sounded stern and determined.
The voice laughed briefly. "Good, your year starts now. Good luck, Minato Namikaze!"
With these words, everything around Minato brightened, and he felt the wind gently brushing through his hair. His eyes narrowed into narrow slits, full of determination. He was determined to save Kakashi. This time, he wouldn't allow himself to fail.
Life always took its own course, regardless of how much one tried to prepare for it. Everything turned out differently than planned. Minato knew it, yet he repeated the same mistakes every time. He was always too confident.
**********
Kakashi's team was dead. Once again, a team under his leadership had lost their lives. And this time, he had been the actual target. On their way back to Konoha, they fell into an ambush. Kakashi blamed himself. He hadn't been vigilant enough, had let himself be lulled into a false sense of security.
The mission didn't go as expected. Exhausted and battered, they just wanted to return home. But Kakashi should have known better – an attack could come at any time. He should have remained more alert.
But now it was too late. His team was dead, killed because of his carelessness. Kakashi himself was injured. At the last moment, he managed to dodge a deadly sword strike but was hit in the abdomen. Blood seeped from the wound, staining his clothes a dark red.
Blood ran down his forehead and continued its path narrowly past his left eye, further down his cheek. His right arm throbbed with pain, and Kakashi feared it was broken. Yet, he suppressed the pain and gritted his teeth.
During the fierce battle, he had lost his ANBU mask and his hitai-ate; his chakra was nearly depleted. He had to keep his left eye closed to avoid losing even more chakra.
Another enemy appeared before him as he leaped through the treetops. To Kakashi's surprise, his survival instinct urged him to flee. He knew he had no chance of fighting them all in his current state.
Skillfully, he dodged the enemy, emerged behind them, and thrust his kunai into their neck. Without hesitation, he pushed the body off the tree and continued his path through the treetops. More enemies relentlessly pursued him.
They wanted his Sharingan, no, Obito's Sharingan. But Kakashi wouldn't give it up without a fight. Even though he never wanted it himself, he would protect Obito's gift with his life. That was the least he owed him.
A sharp pain shot through his body as the enemy kicked him in the back. Kakashi was thrown to the ground, hitting hard and lying motionless. His strength was waning. Slowly, he felt several enemies gathering around him.
With all his might, Kakashi pushed himself up with his left arm and raised his upper body. He ignored the stabbing pain in his right arm as he reached for his weapons pouch. A look of concern creased his face as he realized only one kunai remained.
One of the enemies landed gracefully in front of him, looking down. "Give up, you don't stand a chance," his cool voice rang out, tinged with superiority.
A mischievous smile played under Kakashi's mask as he looked down at the ground before him. "I'm not giving up that easily!" he assured resolutely, fighting back to his feet. His hand tightly gripped the kunai in his pouch.
A frustrated sigh escaped the lips of the enemy. "I've heard you can be stubborn, but I didn't expect this. Watch out, kid. I'll grant you a quick death," he said with a hint of respect in his voice as he prepared to attack.
Kakashi looked at his enemy, sensing his seriousness. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad option. Was death really so bad? He had lost everything; everyone he loved was already dead. Everyone had left him alone. If he were to die now, maybe he could see them all again. That was comforting.
But with a determined smile, Kakashi shook his head and glared angrily at the enemy. "You'll pay for killing my team!" Kakashi declared firmly, his voice unwavering.
With a fluid motion, Kakashi drew his last kunai from the pouch and rushed toward the enemy. It wasn't an ordinary kunai; it was Minato's gift – the kunai he received when he was promoted to jonin.
The enemy drew his own kunai and blocked Kakashi's attack with skillful movement. "You asked for it!" he hissed, taking advantage of Kakashi's condition. With a precise kick to his knee, he threw him off balance and stabbed his kunai into Kakashi's upper arm.
Kakashi suppressed a hiss, staggered back a few steps, pulled the kunai out of his arm, threw it away, and sank back to his knees. Despite everything, he still held onto his kunai tightly, as if hoping Minato would suddenly appear and stand by his side. But Kakashi knew better – he wouldn't come.
Kakashi's vision began to blur as he looked up at the enemy standing directly in front of him. Without another word, the enemy drew another kunai and crouched down. "I admire your fighting spirit, but this is where your journey ends," he announced calmly, though with a hint of respect.
Kakashi closed his eyes as the man struck, expecting the pain, expecting death.
His eyes fluttered open and widened when he heard a painfully familiar voice. "I don't think so," the voice said coolly, carrying an unmistakable intent to kill.
"Minato-sensei?" Kakashi murmured in disbelief, watching as his former sensei flashed across the clearing, dispatching the enemies with impressive speed.
It took only seconds for Minato to land back in front of Kakashi. Kakashi's gaze remained fixed on his sensei, who bent down with a gentle smile. For a moment, Kakashi seemed frozen as he stared into his sensei's deep blue eyes.
The question of whether this was real pressed into Kakashi's mind. Maybe it was the blood loss and exhaustion making him believe that his sensei was really here. Or was he already dead, and Minato was here to take him away? But if he were dead, would he still feel pain, would he feel anything at all? Perhaps it really was Minato, crouching before him, looking at him with a warm smile.
But quickly, Kakashi realized that it was impossible for his sensei to truly be here. Adrenaline surged through his body, making him forget his pain and weakness. Instantly, he forced himself to his feet and moved resolutely away from the older man.
Minato rose from his crouch and raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Hey, take it easy, you're hurt," he said gently, taking a step toward Kakashi. "It's okay, I'm here to help you."
Kakashi shook his head in disbelief, unable to utter a single word. His hand gripped the kunai tighter as the trembling in his body intensified. But just as suddenly as the adrenaline had come, it left him again.
Slowly, Kakashi's vision blurred again, and he stumbled back a few steps. "You shouldn't be here," Kakashi whispered, feeling his legs give way.
But before he could hit the ground, Kakashi was caught by strong arms. Exhausted, he looked up at Minato, who smiled reassuringly at him. "You can rest now; I'll take care of you," he promised gently.
Immediately, Kakashi was enveloped in a familiar warmth, and the feeling of safety surrounded him. Familiar feelings he hadn't felt in a long time rose within him, making his eyes heavy.
Kakashi didn't know if it was real or if it was all happening in his head. Nevertheless, he decided to enjoy this warmth and security and let himself fall into it. He leaned his head against Minato's chest and murmured before darkness engulfed him: "I missed you so much, Minato-sensei!"