Naruto POV
Eighteen days later
Naruto stood in the middle of a clearing, blindfolded, a single kunai held firmly in his hand. Around him, six more kunai lay scattered along the perimeter—each identical in shape, with the distinctive three-pronged design and Minato's sealing formula etched into the handle.
Minato circled his son silently, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as his feet barely made a sound on the grass.
"Alright, Naruto. You need to listen very carefully. Feel for the slightest disturbance—your reflexes will handle the rest."
The boy gave a small nod, muscles tensing in anticipation. He waited until he sensed his father slip away, his presence vanishing like the wind. The clearing fell into stillness.
Naruto focused.
Every sound pressed in on him—the rustle of leaves, the distant call of birds. He sorted through the layers of noise, tuning out the natural and zeroing in on the unnatural.
Then—he moved.
He pivoted sharply, spinning on one foot, and let the kunai fly. It cut through the air with precision, aimed purely on instinct.
Lifting a corner of his blindfold, Naruto peeked—just in time to see Minato standing a few feet away, holding the thrown kunai. The tip hovered inches from his throat.
Minato blinked, slightly startled. He coughed as he lowered the weapon, eyes flicking between the blade and his son.
"That was impressive, Naruto," he said, giving the kunai a second glance. "You've got a solid handle on sensing your environment."
He couldn't help the small gulp as he imagined what would've happened if he hadn't been the fastest man alive. That throw was sharp—too sharp for a six-year-old not even in the academy. A little too close for comfort.
Still, he smiled. There was no doubt now—this was his son, through and through. Though he did wish Naruto had inherited his blond hair. Maybe little Sukoru would.
"Your accuracy is spot on, too."
Naruto let out a cheer and did a tiny victory dance, his red hair bouncing as he grinned ear to ear. Minato chuckled.
"But remember—" his voice grew more serious, "—that's no reason to slack off. Always keep training, no matter the circumstances. If you're not at your best, how can you protect your friends..."
He knelt down, lifting Naruto onto his shoulders, earning a delighted squeal from the boy.
"...or your family?"
Naruto nodded, fire in his eyes. In that moment, he made a silent promise to himself—he would always train hard, and he would always protect the people he loved.
Suddenly—
"Minato!"
The Hokage spun, jostling Naruto slightly on his shoulders, which only made the boy giggle. Kushina was stumbling across the garden, one hand clutching her swollen belly, the other bracing herself against the doorframe.
"Kushi-chan?"
She didn't answer at first—only panted through gritted teeth. Then a sudden groan escaped her lips as she bent at the knees, instinctively falling into her practiced breathing rhythm.
"She's coming, Minato!"
Minato froze. His brain short-circuited.
Naruto, upon seeing his stockstilled father, bonked him on the head.
"Right!" Minato snapped out of it, vanishing in a flash of yellow after gently setting Naruto down.
He returned seconds later—this time with a flustered, slightly annoyed Biwako in tow. The midwife took one look at Kushina and immediately placed a hand on her shoulder, releasing a wave of calming chakra.
Kushina exhaled shakily, her muscles relaxing as she melted into her husband's arms, a sleepy smile spreading across her lips.
Minato lifted her gently, cradling her close, an enormous grin tugging at his face.
"Uhh... Tou-san?"
Minato paused and turned. Naruto stood nearby, looking up at him, puzzled.
"What's going on?"
Minato stepped back to him, careful not to jostle Kushina.
"Don't worry, Naruto. Everything's fine. Just wait inside the house, okay?"
Naruto nodded uncertainly, glancing between his father's beaming face and his mother's blissed-out expression.
Minato smiled and ruffled his hair.
"And hey... by the time I get back tonight—" he glanced down at Kushina's round belly, "—you'll have a little sister."
Naruto's face lit up like a sun. The confusion vanished, replaced by pure excitement.
Minato gave his head a final pat and vanished inside with Kushina in his arms. Naruto followed, stopping by the window as he watched his father carry his mother toward the safehouse.
For a moment, he frowned.
Why aren't they going to the hospital...?
But he shrugged it off. He didn't really understand where babies came from anyway.
Instead, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
The house was his for the next few hours.