Naruto now knew he was no longer the 'demon fox' of unknown origin—he had parents!
He had parents who loved him, a home waiting for his return!
Outside the office, in the corridor—
Listening to the suppressed, finally erupting cry of a wounded cub inside, Jiraiya, that bold and unrestrained man, reddened at the eyes, fists clenched, nails digging deep into his palms.
'A sin…' Jiraiya's voice was hoarse, filled with endless remorse and heartache.
'Hmph!' Tsunade gave a cold snort, sharp as a blade. 'Now you say "sin"? Where were you earlier? The Old Man dithered, and you so-called "seniors"—every last one of you—if even one had the spine to stand up and take responsibility, that child wouldn't have… wouldn't have suffered all these years.'
The more Tsunade spoke, the angrier she became, her chest heaving as though to pour out every last drop of rage at the old era's inaction.
Jiraiya had no answer; pain was written across his face.
He leaned weakly against the cold wall, tilting his head back as if to keep the tears from falling.
'Minato… he was the Fourth Hokage, a hero who died to protect the Village… he was my student! Yet I… I…'
Jiraiya's voice choked.
'His son, under our silence and indulgence, was treated as… the demon fox… and lived that life… I…'
Words failed him; the crushing guilt nearly buckled his shoulders.
Watching him, Tsunade's fury slowly gave way to deep exhaustion and helplessness.
She rubbed her throbbing temples, her face full of irritation and a resigned absurdity.
'Hah… what kind of sin did I commit? Those old bastards left their shit for me to wipe, and now the whole mess is dumped in my lap!'
'The Uchiha affair, Uzumaki Naruto—every rotten problem lands on me! Damn it!'
Tsunade felt her role as Fifth Hokage had become Konoha's garbage collector and trauma surgeon.
Jiraiya shook his head in pain, his mind a tangle of guilt and a new dread—dread of facing Naruto.
'I… I don't even know… how to face that kid now…'
Jiraiya murmured, lost.
'What if… what if he asks me, "Pervy Sage, since you knew my dad and were his teacher, where have you been all these years? Why… why didn't you come for me?"'
He lifted his gaze to Tsunade, helpless, pleading for an answer.
'How should I reply? Tell him I was busy hunting the so-called Child of Prophecy while I turned a blind eye to my own student's son? Or admit I feared the Village elders and hadn't the courage to stand?'
The question pinned his conscience like a needle.
Tsunade drew a deep breath, forcing down her surging emotions, her eyes turning sharp and pragmatic again.
She shook her head, as if to fling off useless regret. 'Talking is pointless now! What's done is done. Konoha owes him—we owe him—that's iron fact!'
Her tone was decisive.
'Right now we don't wallow in guilt—we fix it!'
'Break the knot in his heart, proclaim his identity openly, then make amends with everything we have!'
She paused, a flicker of dread crossing her face, and muttered, 'I do not want to wait ten years and see that brat grown-up, standing on Konoha's ruins telling me he's going to "destroy the world"!'
'That would truly be… a sin!'
It wasn't a joke; it was the gravest fear born of the heavenly screen's prophecy.
Redeeming Naruto wasn't about him alone—it concerned Konoha and the entire Ninja World's future.
As Jiraiya listened, his pain hardened into grim resolve.
He straightened, eyes fixed on the closed door as though he could see the weeping boy inside.
'Right, I understand.' His voice steadied, promising. 'I will. I'll give everything… to make it up to him.'
He repeated it, as if to Tsunade, more as an oath to himself.
'I will not… leave him alone again.'
This time there was no levity in his words, only rock-solid determination.
After a long while, the sobs inside the office quieted to faint, restrained gasps.
A moment later the door opened from within.
Sharing a glance, Tsunade and Jiraiya knew the time had come.
Tsunade took a breath, composed her expression, and stepped inside.
Naruto stood there, clutching a red scarf, eyes and nose red from crying, looking a pitiful little rabbit.
The box beside him was packed again and set before him.
Tsunade walked up, looked down at him, and in her usual teasing, disdainful tone said,
'Hey, brat, finished crying? All that snot and tears—disgusting.'
Still overwhelmed by the news of his parents and his gratitude to Tsunade, Naruto jerked his head up at her words; blue eyes instantly brimmed again.
This time not from grief—Tsunade had made him cry in frustration!
He'd been grateful too soon; the old woman's tongue was poison.
'Y-you're the ugly one! Crone—Granny Tsunade!' He puffed his cheeks, red swollen eyes glaring in helpless indignation.
Seeing his half-brave, half-timid defiance, Tsunade's eyes flickered with the faintest amusement, though her face stayed impatient.
'Enough, enough. Look at you—here, wipe yourself.'
She held out tissues.
Though her tone was harsh, the gesture warmed Naruto's heart.
He sniffed and scrubbed his face.
Jiraiya entered too, looking at the boy's earnest, aggrieved face, feeling a bittersweet ache.
He knew Tsunade's tongue was sharp but her heart soft;
she was cutting short Naruto's sorrow and hauling him back to reality.
Now came the crucial part—time for Naruto to learn everything!