Naruto: The Avenger of the Uzumaki clan

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Konoha, the most powerful shinobi village in the world, boasts the largest gathering of ninja clans and an unrivaled mastery of forbidden and secret techniques. Its expertise in sealing jutsu, inherited and refined from the Uzumaki clan, is second to none. While other villages struggle to contain their tailed beasts, Konoha has long maintained control over even the most powerful—the Nine-Tails.

This supremacy is largely due to the Uzumaki lineage, whose members have often served as the village's Jinchūriki. The Uzumaki clan's natural affinity for sealing jutsu, combined with generations of research and refinement, has cemented Konoha's reputation as the pinnacle of sealing arts.

In Menma's generation, his father, Minato Namikaze, elevated the Four Symbols Seal to unprecedented heights. By innovating upon the traditional design, Minato created a superior version capable of more effectively suppressing the Nine-Tails' chakra. This ensured the Jinchūriki wouldn't easily succumb to the beast's influence, even in moments of weakness.

Yet, no seal is perfect. Whether in Naruto's original timeline or in Menma's reality, the Nine-Tails always finds ways to manipulate its host when its chakra is used. However, Minato's Eight Trigrams Seal significantly reduces this risk, earning its reputation as one of the strongest sealing jutsu ever created.

After all, we're talking about the Nine-Tails—the most powerful of the tailed beasts. Throughout history, only two shinobi, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, have truly subdued the Nine-Tails with ease. For anyone else, facing its wrath is a lesson in futility.

Minato's genius shines even brighter in this context. By his twenties, he had not only achieved Kage-level strength but had also mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique—a jutsu perfected by Senju Tobirama. Alongside this, Minato reached a level of proficiency in sealing jutsu that rivaled the legends of the ninja world.

And as if that weren't enough, he mastered Sage Mode.

Had he lived longer, Minato might have climbed to the same heights as Hashirama Senju himself.

But that's a realm of speculation. What remains certain is the challenge Menma now faces: unraveling the strongest sealing technique in existence—the Eight Trigrams Seal.

"Like before, monitor the readings and track any changes in the seal. If it fails, collect as much data as you can for our next attempt," Menma instructed, his voice calm yet resolute.

After a brief rest to recover his strength, Menma lay back down, preparing himself. Karin, seated beside him, nodded sharply.

"Got it! Don't worry, I'll make sure we don't miss anything."

Walking to the nearby instruments, Karin adjusted the settings and powered them on. As her fingers flew over the controls, a faint glow illuminated the room.

Menma took a deep breath, his skin tingling as the seal's energy interacted with the equipment. Closing his eyes, he let his consciousness sink inward.

"Buzz…"

"Drip…"

A soft, rhythmic dripping sound echoed as Menma opened his eyes. His inner world materialized around him—the familiar dim, cavernous room dominated by towering metal bars. Behind them, the Nine-Tails loomed, its massive form shrouded in darkness. Twin crimson eyes burned like embers, radiating indifference and power as they locked onto Menma.

"So, you're trying to break the seal?" The Nine-Tails' deep voice rumbled, laced with mockery. "You ready for that, kid? Once it's gone, I'll be free to take over your body. And in your current state, you won't last. Your body can barely handle even a fraction of my chakra."

Boom!

A surge of oppressive chakra filled the air, crashing against Menma like a tidal wave. Yet, he stood firm, unfazed by the overwhelming force.

"If you want to take over, Kurama, go ahead. Either I become strong enough to survive, or I'll be captured by them. Whether I die now or later doesn't make much difference," Menma replied, his tone calm and detached.

The Nine-Tails froze, its fiery eyes narrowing as it scrutinized Menma. There was no hesitation in the boy's voice, no hint of fear or deceit.

"You're serious," Kurama muttered, its tail flicking lazily behind the bars. "Hmph. You're a strange one. You're not like that other brat…"

Menma didn't flinch. He wasn't Naruto. He didn't have the ability to win over others with warmth and hope. Instead, he laid bare the cold, hard truth. Either they worked together, or they both faced destruction.

In this moment, there was no bluff, no pretense. Just a gamble.

The silence between them stretched, heavy with unspoken tension.

"Is it true that this organization is after the Tailed Beasts? And their leader possesses the Rinnegan?" Kurama finally broke the quiet, his voice measured and direct.

Menma head lowered slightly, his eyes gleaming with a rare seriousness. "There's no doubt," Menma said. "I've heard it from Orochimaru himself. You already understand what the Rinnegan means. The Mangekyō Sharingan alone grants control over the Tailed Beasts, but the Rinnegan? That power exists on an entirely different level."

Menma's gaze didn't waver as he met Kurama's. "I don't want to die, and you don't want to be locked up forever. We both know what's at stake here. We're in this together, Kurama. Help me, and you help yourself."

"Hmph." Kurama's eyes narrowed, its tail flicking behind it. "We'll see."

Though the Nine-Tails feigned disinterest, lying down with a huff, Menma allowed himself the faintest of smiles. He knew Kurama's words were merely for show. An unspoken agreement had already been reached. As long as Menma kept his end of the bargain, Kurama would lend its power. Cooperation cost the beast nothing, and it might even provide some amusement to break the monotony of its prison.

"Just remember," Kurama said, its deep voice resonating through the chamber, "if the seal breaks and you lose control of my chakra, it won't just be you who suffers. Don't make me regret this, boy."

Menma nodded, his resolve firm. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the center of his inner world, where the swirling vortex of sealing energy loomed. The overwhelming power emanating from it made his skin prickle.

Taking a deep breath, he brought his hands together in a precise hand seal. "Reverse Four Symbols Seal!"

A surge of chakra exploded outward as he completed the jutsu. A kunai materialized in his hand, its blade glowing faintly with sealing energy. With a swift motion, he drove the kunai into the heart of the seal.

"Crack!"

The talisman fractured slightly, its surface rippling like water. Menma pressed forward, his right hand reaching to tear the sealing paper free.

"Ding!"

A sudden chime echoed through the air, and before Menma could react, a golden figure appeared before him.

"Snap!"

The figure caught Menma's wrist effortlessly, halting his movements.

"Careful, Menma," a calm yet authoritative voice spoke. "You can't remove that talisman so recklessly. You need to prepare yourself first."

Menma's eyes widened fractionally as he looked up. Standing before him was a man with sun-kissed hair, and a face that mirrored his features almost perfectly.

There was no need for introductions.

The man before him was Namikaze Minato—the Fourth Hokage. His father.

But Menma's expression remained unreadable. No joy, no sorrow. Just a calm, detached gaze.

The Nine-Tails, however, reacted violently.

"The Fourth Hokage?!" Kurama roared, its chakra flaring in a storm of fury. The sight of the man who had sealed it away ignited a rage that had simmered for years.

"BOOM!"

The entire space trembled as Kurama's chakra surged, waves of raw malice crashing against the walls of Menma's inner world. Water churned violently beneath them, and the oppressive energy was suffocating.

Minato remained unshaken. His calm smile didn't falter as he glanced over his shoulder at the raging fox. "Still holding onto that grudge, I see, Kurama. But this isn't the time for your outbursts." He turned back to Menma. "Let's talk somewhere quieter, son."

"No," Menma said firmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "This is fine. The Nine-Tails is part of this, whether we like it or not. We'll discuss everything here, Father."

Minato blinked, momentarily taken aback by Menma's tone. He released his grip on Menma's wrist, though the subtle strength in his son's movements hadn't gone unnoticed.

There was something in Menma's eyes—cold, calculating—that unsettled him.

"Menma, you…" Minato began, but his words faltered. He hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

"You've been watching, haven't you?" Menma asked quietly, his voice devoid of emotion. "This is only a fragment of your chakra, but you've been able to observe my life. You should already know everything I've been through. The choices I've made. Why act surprised now?"

Minato's expression tightened, guilt flickering across his face.

The chakra fragments left behind by Minato and Kushina allowed them to appear before their sons at critical moments. Though limited in perception, the fragments could sense enough to grasp the lives their children had led.

And Minato had seen it all.

The betrayal by the village. The battles in the Valley of the End. The fight against Naruto that had nearly cost Menma his life.

Even for someone as steadfast as Minato, it was difficult to suppress the anger bubbling within him—anger directed at the Third Hokage, the man he had once admired.

As a Hokage, Minato understood the necessity of sacrifice for the greater good.

But as a father…

There was no justification for the suffering his son had endured.

"I'm sorry, Menma," Minato said at last, his voice low and heavy with regret. "I'm sorry for everything you've been through."

"Sorry?" Menma's lips curved into a cold smirk. "What good does that do me now? You don't owe me an apology, Father. You were just doing your duty as Hokage, weren't you?"

Though his words were calm, they carried a biting edge that cut deep.

Minato flinched, his guilt written plainly across his face.

The Nine-Tails, now calmer, watched the exchange with interest. Its malice had given way to an almost smug amusement.

"So," Kurama drawled, its deep voice rumbling with mockery, "even the great Fourth Hokage is just another human after all. Watching you squirm like this is almost worth the trouble you put me through."

Menma ignored the fox's taunts, his cold gaze never leaving Minato.

"You wanted to talk, Father. So talk. Explain to me why I should care about your regrets now."

Minato's fists clenched at his sides. There was so much he wanted to say, but the words refused to come.

And the Nine-Tails watched, its fox-like grin stretching wider.

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