"I like it when we don't get harmed while traveling. It's impressive what Naruto can do, even without powers."
Menma lay on the vast grassy expanse where they were thrown, unable to see beyond the surrounding trees.
"It seems we've landed in the Ninja universes - the lack of buildings is quite noticeable in this dimension," remarked Tasi.
"We shouldn't be far from Konoha. I just hope Naruto isn't on his training journey; Jiraiya is a tough nut to crack," Tasi spoke.
"We'll kick his butt as always! Just some bruises!" Maki spoke with a certain enthusiasm, enjoying a good fight.
Jiraiya was very distrustful. Many times, he had interrogated Menma with sheer brute force just to extract information. Menma couldn't blame him; if a stranger appeared out of nowhere and started chasing his student, he'd probably beat them up too.
"Stop wandering off; that won't get us anywhere," Menma said, jumping to the tallest tree around.
He climbed to the top, showcasing impressive balance. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he quickly spotted a familiar wall.
"It seems we're not far from Konoha, possibly in a 'Little Naruto' or 'Big Naruto' universe," Menma said to the voices in his head.
The walls looked ancient, ruling out the possibility of being in one of those Naruto junior or Boruto universes.
Menma jumped from tree to tree, moving swiftly. The sooner he arrived, the faster he could leave. He didn't like staying too long in a universe; he didn't want to develop emotional attachments.
"I still say, why can't we appear near a desperate milf five kilometers away?" Menma vented his frustration.
"How many times do I have to tell you that won't happen, at least not very often?" he whispered the last part to himself.
In an infinite universe, possibilities were endless. Once, he had to deal with a female Naruto who was also an adult. That's something that won't happen again, at least not for a while.
"I still miss that universe, but Mr. Morality couldn't just say yes to such an indecent proposal!" Maki exclaimed, annoyed by his friend's cowardice.
"I didn't feel right about it," blushed Menma. Memories of that incident came flooding back. "Besides, I was 12 at the time, and she was around 18. I don't think she was serious."
"In Konoha, you're legally an adult at 12. If you're old enough to kill, you're old enough for sex," Tasi spoke in his professorial tone.
"Coward! It's been a year and a half since that incident. You're almost 14 now, and you still blush when cute girls seduce you," Maki said, disappointed in his friend.
Menma stopped at Konoha's entrance. Many would say security was lax, with workers peacefully sleeping at the gate. But what almost no one knew was about the ANBU hidden at the entrance - nuisances in the rear end. Menma discovered them the first time he crossed the gates without waking both guards, but everything was resolved when he spoke with the Hokage, who could be both merciful and stern.
Although the ANBU sometimes had to withdraw due to external reasons, this wasn't one of those occasions.
"Hey! Wake up, you lazy bastards!"
"Five more minutes, Mom."
"I don't want to go to school today; Kotetsu always bothers me," Kotetsu and Izumo spoke half-asleep.
"Damn it! Wake up!" Maki spoke through Menma.
"What do you want?" Izumo rubbed his eyes with fatigue. "Can't you see we're resting?"
"I want to enter the village. I'll only bother you for a moment," Menma ignored their annoyance.
Although Maki was ready to punch both idiots, the insults his companion threw around echoed in his head.
Izumo just snorted.
Menma bid farewell to both guards, moving slowly toward the Leaf Village.
"You noticed, didn't you?" Menma merely nodded slightly.
"An ANBU has been tailing us since we crossed the gate." Tasi seemed somewhat calm.
"They always do, though this is the first time so many guards are tailing me." Menma put both hands behind his head.
"Maybe it's because of the stupid outfit you're still wearing!" Maki yelled in frustration.
"Oh, crap!" Menma mentally exclaimed.
Now that he realized it, all eyes were on him and his peculiar attire.
Menma rushed into the nearest alley, his embarrassed face turning red.
In the blink of an eye, Menma was already in his black trench coat and red gloves.
He headed to the Hokage's office. Most likely, the old man would be in his post. Minato's face was the last head on the monument; perhaps he could be in a world where Minato never died.
"Good morning, young one! What can I do for you?" An older woman with black hair was at the reception.
She was staring at him strangely, specifically at the three marks on his cheeks.
"Good morning! I'd like to speak with the Hokage, please!" Menma clapped his hands together.
"You make us look like idiots when you act like this," Maki spoke in a disappointed tone.
Tais nodded, agreeing with his companion.
Menma ignored them for the moment, not in the mood to deal with those idiots.
The woman peeked her head through the door, heard some murmurs, then pulled her head back and sat at her desk.
"The Hokage says you may enter," she extended toward the door.
Menma simply nodded at the indication, sighed before opening the door.
"Hokage-sama! Pleasure to meet you!" Menma did his best Naruto impersonation.
He always resorted to this; it worked when he wanted to garner some empathy from the old man.
Minato's eyes widened when he saw the young man. It seemed like he saw a ghost from the past.
"H-Hello," Menma found Minato's tone odd, somewhat shaken.
Possibly, he was surprised by the marks on the cheeks. This was one of the few universes where Minato was alive. These worlds were rare, and he said it in both senses. On one hand, these worlds didn't appear often when he traveled through the multiverse. On the other hand, these universes had new laws that deviated from what he knew about the ninja world, having almost absurd rules.
"I've never seen you around here. Are you new?" Minato seemed a bit calmer than a few seconds ago.
"Yes, that's right!" Menma said as energetically as possible.
Minato nodded slightly.
"By any chance, are you related to any clan?" Minato looked at the boy.
He had the appearance of an Uchiha, although he could see features of himself in the boy. It was eerie.
"Not that I know of. I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember."
"Alright. In any case, why did you come to me specifically?" Minato clasped his hands; something seemed off.
They might call him paranoid, but these days peace was hanging by a thread. The Akatsuki group was hunting the tailed beasts, and if things continued like this, he would have to safeguard his wife in a confined place.
They were like a double-edged sword. On one hand, nations were uniting to stop this threat, and on the other, distrust from past wars was causing many to send spies to ensure they wouldn't be betrayed.
The other Hokages were already suspicious of each other; a spy would only cut the fragile threads of peace that had formed.
"Well, I just wanted to see the great Yondaime Hokage! In my village, you're like a legend!" Menma scratched his head lightly.
He hoped Minato would buy that story. He didn't know much about the man; in almost every dimension, he was dead.
"I see," Minato leaned back in his chair. "It seems my greatness reaches even the remotest villages."
He wouldn't lie; the black-haired boy had a high probability of being a spy. A mysterious story, a strong and trained body, and very high chakra reserves for his age. A clear sign of being a ninja.
"If that's all, then you can leave," Minato turned around, looking at the large window behind him.
He would keep a close eye on the boy, and if he turned out to be a spy, there would be no choice but to make him disappear.
Menma gave a slight bow before attempting to leave through the door.
He turned the doorknob slightly; Minato only heard the door to his office opening.
He frowned slightly. The resemblance was so painful; the only thing different was the hair. He would be almost the same age as the boy if things had been different.
"Wait!" Minato shouted lightly.
Menma turned his head at the blond's shout.
"Wouldn't you want to come to my house for a meal? My wife makes godly ramen." Minato turned his head to look at the black-haired boy; his eyes were now devoid of any emotion.
Menma just smiled as he nodded. "I'd love to!" he exclaimed.
Minato chuckled lightly, wondering if this could have been his son if he hadn't died as a baby.
"I'm home, Kushi-chan!" Minato took off his sandals, a gesture Menma mimicked.
"Hello, Minato. Dinner will be ready soon," Kushina spoke from the kitchen.
"I brought someone with me; I hope you don't mind."
"Don't worry; I accidentally made a bit more ramen anyway," Kushina said nonchalantly.
"Pleasure to meet you; I'm Uzumaki Kushina..."
The eyes of the red-haired woman widened as she turned around, dropping the ladle she was stirring with.
Menma had more and more doubts about this universe. Not only was Minato acting strange, but Kushina was as well.
"Are you okay, Uzumaki-san?" Menma looked at the woman with some concern.
The redhead shook her head, quickly picking up the ladle from the floor. "Y-yes! I've been somewhat distracted lately. Please sit; dinner will be ready in a few moments."
Menma and Minato took their seats; it didn't take long for them to be served bowls of ramen.
Menma didn't have a strong taste for ramen like Naruto or the Uzumaki in general. He had to exaggerate his reactions a bit to gain some empathy from the Uzumaki matriarch, just as he would mimic Naruto almost perfectly after spending so much time with him. It's not like he was an actor.
"This is awesome! What ramen is this?" Menma devoured the ramen like Naruto would; living with him made it possible for him to imitate him almost perfectly.
"Right! It's miso ramen, the great food of the gods!" Kushina exclaimed, with stars coming out of her eyes.
"She talks just like the blonde idiot," Maki shouted from inside his head.
"By the way, where's Naruto? He shouldn't be here right now," Tasi spoke; he was confused.
"Minato mentioned the Akatsuki; Naruto is probably 16 by now. Maybe he was on a mission when we appeared here," Menma spoke internally.
"The problem is that we can't leave Konoha right now to look for Naruto; it would be suspicious. ANBU would be sent after us," Tasi wanted to stroke his chin, but he forgot he didn't have a body.
"Who cares! We'll kick all those ANBU's asses!" Maki spoke in his sadistic tone.
"Even with our strength, we won't be able to handle many at once. Minato is suspicious; we don't know when ANBU would be sent after us," Tasi looked at his companion Maki.
Maki just grumbled, angry.
"The most logical thing would be to stay; Naruto shouldn't take long to arrive. This wouldn't be the first time we've stayed in one universe for a few days," Menma nodded internally, agreeing with his more reasonable companion.
"Your name is Menma, right?" the mentioned one turned his head upon hearing his name.
Kushina was in front of him, and on his right side was Minato.
"Yes, Uzumaki-san," Menma nodded, being as polite as possible.
"I don't like formalities," Kushina waved her hand from side to side. "You can call me Kushina; it's more comfortable for me."
"As you wish, Kushina-sama," Menma nodded slightly.
"And where are you from?" Kushina asked as she handed out their three bowls of ramen.
"I'm from a small remote village, an orphan as far back as I can remember. Though I was trained by an old man who was a former ninja."
Menma summarized his false story as briefly as possible.
Kushina touched her chin, nodding to herself. It seemed like she was pondering something.
"Age?"
"I'm about 13, almost turning 14."
"You look a bit older to be only 13," Kushina paused her interrogation, already on the fifth bowl.
Impressive, he was barely finishing his first bowl.
"Thank you, Kushina-sama!" The woman only laughed at Menma's formality.
"Do you have a place to stay?" Kushina asked, lightly gripping her bowl.
"I was planning to stay at a hotel," Menma turned his head.
The sun was already setting, giving way to the evening before nightfall.
"I should hurry. Prices always go up the later it gets," Menma looked out the window before turning his gaze to the empty ramen bowl.
"Don't worry about that; you can stay in the guest room." Minato's eyes opened slightly, he choked on a noodle he was eating.
He didn't trust the boy enough to sleep soundly, knowing he would be under the same roof.
Menma found it odd. The few times he met Kushina, she seemed like a woman who wouldn't invite a stranger into her home. Something was going on, perhaps melancholy or some kind of familiarity. His cheek marks made him resemble Naruto a lot; maybe she was seeing Naruto through him.
Either way, he wasn't going to reject such a magnificent opportunity. It would be easier to find Naruto if he accepted.
"Sure, I'd love to!" Menma smiled like Naruto would.
Kushina laughed. Minato tried to reason with his wife, but she dismissed him with just a word.
"Excuse me," Menma got the attention of both parents. "Can you tell me where the bathroom is?"
"Of course. It's at the end of the hall, upstairs," Kushina said kindly. She fed more ramen noodles into Minato's mouth, preventing him from speaking.
Menma got up from his seat, ignoring the comedic scene that Kushina and Minato were starring in.
He climbed the stairs and soon spotted a door at the end of the hallway.
Although his eyes were drawn to a small sign on one of the doors.
"Naruto," that's all the sign hanging on the door said. It looked a bit dirty, as if it hadn't been cleaned in a while.
Perhaps Naruto was on his training journey; that would explain everything he had seen so far. But that didn't make sense; he appeared very close to the Leaf Village; he had to be near Naruto.
Menma bit his nail, a habit he developed over the years.
In any case, one day wasn't enough for the sign to accumulate dust, and he doubted Kushina wouldn't clean the house regularly.
"The longer we spend in this universe, the more confused I feel," Tasi spoke from his head.
"What are you doing?" he heard Minato's voice from the stairs.
"Just looking at the sign. You didn't mention that someone else lived here," Menma said the first thing that came to his mind.
Minato remained wary of him; it was natural for him to keep an eye on him.
The blond approached him, lightly touching the sign. He didn't mind that his hands got covered in dust.
Some tears of melancholy welled up on his cheeks, something Menma couldn't notice.
Menma left slowly, continuing his way to the bathroom.
The night fell, and nothing relevant happened in the following hours.
Except for Minato's shadow clone standing guard at the door of his room.
It was somewhat uncomfortable knowing that someone was watching you while you slept.
He also didn't have enough sleep to fall asleep right away. The schedules in the multiverse were very strange; in one world, it could be night, and in another, it could be day.
He got used to sleeping when night fell, but strangely, tonight he couldn't sleep.
He could sleep while feeling harassed by Minato.
He exited through the window and went straight to the roof. Looking at the stars always helped him fall asleep, even in his toughest moments.
From what he could sense, Minato's clone had gone to wake up the real one.
The blond wouldn't take long to arrive; Menma could take advantage of the time to ask him some questions.
He was still somewhat confused by the changes in this universe; he would try to disguise his questions as much as possible. He didn't want to give Minato more reasons to be suspicious of him.
"Don't you think it would be better just to infiltrate the Hokage's office?" Maki asked.
"Almost never have relevant information; it would be a waste of time," Tasi replied.
"I just hope Naruto arrives soon; I wouldn't want to develop an emotional attachment to this universe," Menma lay on the Namikaze house roof.
Once he had enough sleep, he would return to his temporary bed.
"Enjoying the view, Menma?" the mentioned one turned his head, looking at the older blond.
"Hello, Minato, what are you doing here?"
"Nothing really, I just like to look at the stars when I can't sleep. And you?"
"The same, just not something I do often."
Minato lay down next to Menma. If someone didn't know better, they would say they were father and son.
"When is that Naruto guy coming back?" Menma asked; he wanted to know how much time he would have to wait.
Searching for Naruto would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially without knowing exactly where he was.
Although Naruto's chakra would be very easy to locate, he wasn't a sensor with such a keen sense of chakra.
He looked at Minato, who seemed somewhat down. He wondered if he said something he shouldn't have.
"He's never coming back," Minato pulled his legs to his chest. "That room has been empty for over 13 years."
Menma opened his eyes in surprise. He hoped it wasn't what he was thinking.
"Don't tell me..." Menma covered his mouth, pretending some sadness.
Minato just nodded slightly, admiring the stars in silence.
"He was so small when I held him for the first time. So fragile, I thought my life would be pure happiness after that. My wife was even happier than me," Minato clenched his fists tightly.
Menma sat up, interested in Minato's story.
"But then he came," Minato's voice became angrier.
"The Kyuubi was very dangerous, so we decided that Kushi-chan would give birth in a cave, far from Konoha. I gave my baby to the midwives. Kushina is the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails, I don't know if you knew. I wanted to strengthen the seal; the Kyuubi could break free at any moment, and before I knew it, the midwives lay dead at my feet. A masked man had my son in his arms, threatening to kill him if I didn't stay away from Kushina. He tossed little Naruto into the air with explosive tags on his blanket."
Menma sighed; he had heard this story too many times. He pretended to be surprised and fascinated by the story, but he was more interested in knowing why exactly Naruto died in this reality.
"I managed to defeat the guy. They're not that strong when you figure out their intangibility technique; the Kyuubi is restrained by Kushina. I wanted to seal the fox in my son; I managed to convince my wife despite her protests. The fox realized what we were trying to do, neither I nor Kushina realized it until it was too late. We tried to run to our son; I wanted to become a human shield so he could live... But in the end... I saw my son die, pierced by the Kyuubi's claw. It was heart-wrenching," some tears were already coming out of Minato's eyes; it was hard for him to tell this story.
"I collapsed on the ground, feeling like a failure. What a damn father, unable to protect his own son! At that moment, I felt like everything was falling apart. I didn't care anymore about what happened to me, what happened to the village. I just wanted to cry," he wiped away some tears that were starting to come out of his eyes.
"I felt pathetic, even my wife, who was in a similar or worse state, was battling the Kyuubi. Sarutobi saw my condition; his wife was one of the midwives, so I think he knew his wife was already dead - he's a very intelligent man. Without asking many questions, he summoned the Shinigami and resealed the Kyuubi in my wife... He died in the process. Half of the Kyuubi went with him, and the other half went with my wife. He did everything a respected leader should do, not just break down in tears. I'm a pathetic person, don't you think?" Minato turned to look at Menma.
"After that, Kushi-chan and I were afraid to try again. Neither of us wanted to experience the loss of a child again."
Minato turned his head, finding more fascination in a leaf floating with the wind.
"Why are you telling me all this? We've only known each other for a day," Menma began to question the man's judgment.
"I don't know. Maybe because you resemble him, you resemble my son too much, but those marks on your cheeks make the difference between you and me. You look like I imagined my son would look at that age. Call it melancholy, I don't care."
Menma sighed; without Naruto, he had nothing to do here. It was disconcerting.
"This is the first time there's no Naruto. I have no reason to stay," Menma stood up.
Searching for Uchiha was an option, but he didn't want to spend another day in this universe, and as always, he knew nothing about the universe, apart from Naruto's death.
He heard a blade being unsheathed and pointed directly at his neck.
"Something already smelled fishy," Minato grabbed him by the head, while one of his hands held a kunai to his neck.
He had to admit it was careless to say that out loud, but it wouldn't hurt for them to know about the multiverse.
"Who do you work for? What do you want with my dead son?" Minato said in the driest tone possible.
"If you let me go, I promise to explain everything," Menma raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
Minato hesitated for a moment before sighing and lowering his kunai.
"Tell me what you have to say. If anything sounds like a lie, I'll kill you without saying a word," Minato crossed his arms, looking at the skeptical boy.
"How to explain it?" Menma rubbed his chin.
"First of all, I'm not from this universe, like your Hiraishin technique that allows you to move through space-time. My technique allows me to move through the multiverse. Can you imagine seeing what your life would be like if you had made a single decision? That's basically the multiverse," Menma repeated the same words Tasi was saying in his head; sometimes, hearing voices had its advantages.
"But there's a problem. My technique causes me incessant agony; it's as if your own existence is slowly destroyed, only to be rebuilt again in another reality. Naruto is the only component that can make my technique not cause me constant pain. Don't ask me how he does it because I don't even know the answer myself," Menma finished his explanation.
He looked at Minato, who had a thoughtful look.
"Very surreal to believe, but I didn't detect a hint of lie in your voice," Minato sighed somewhat tired.
He turned his head to the side; his mind began to connect the dots of Menma's explanation.
"He said Naruto helps you," Menma nodded. "My son is still alive in other universes, isn't he?"
Minato's voice became somewhat tremulous.
"Yes, he's a somewhat foolish boy. He doesn't usually change much from universe to universe; I could say I make a perfect imitation of him."
"It seems I was the only one who couldn't save his son," Minato turned around.
He looked at the bright moon at its highest point.
"Tomorrow is my son's birthday; Kushi-chan and I always have a small party with some friends to commemorate this date. Some villagers and Shinobi do the same as a show of respect," Minato turned his head, looking at the young black-haired man.
"Minato, you said you could do an almost perfect imitation of my son. I want you to do it here and now!" Minato demanded.
Menma sighed; his belongings were sealed in his arm, and Minato would cut off his arm before touching his seal. Being an actor was never his thing; he didn't even like acting.
Minato watched Menma hesitate before sighing. Menma opened his eyes, revealing a completely different look and changed body language. It was like seeing a completely different person.
"Hey, old man! I'm kinda hungry; you got some ramen stashed around here? I'm starving, dattebayo!" Minato couldn't help but laugh, tears streaming from his eyes.
"Even without knowing you... You're just as I imagined, someone as fun as your mother," Minato smiled.
"Why are you laughing? Don't mock the future Hokage of the village!" Menma shouted, a bit more irritated.
Minato laughed even harder, something he couldn't recall doing in a long time.
"Dattebayo!" Menma shouted to the winds.
He had never felt so humiliated before.
"I think that's enough. Are you satisfied, or do you want me to continue?" Menma sat back on the rooftop.
"He's just as I imagined, even inherited the twitch from his mother, though he changed the word to a similar one," Minato smiled. "It wasn't a mistake bringing you to my house after all; you brought me some peace of mind."
"Anyway, I have to go. I have nothing more to do here. Thanks for everything." Menma extended his hand.
A black portal formed out of nowhere.
"Is it safe? It looks like it could explode at any moment." Minato reached his hand toward the hole.
Menma did nothing to stop it. Minato was electrocuted when lightning struck his hand, throwing him backward.
"How can I do this?" Minato knelt, sparks still covering him.
"My body naturally produces Kyuubi chakra; it's like child's play. Although I don't even know exactly how it works," Menma looked at the portal, preparing to jump in.
"I'm not talking about that. How can you travel like that? A single lightning strike caused me a lot of pain; I don't know if I could pass through." Minato lay on the rooftop; the pain was already fading.
"As I said before... Naruto helped a lot with the portal; he made it painless. A shame to travel like this." Menma watched as Minato approached him.
"You said you used Kyuubi chakra; maybe my wife could help you with that." Minato placed a hand on Menma's shoulder.
Menma shook his head.
"I already tried. I thought Kyuubi chakra was the answer, but in the end, there were no changes." Menma lay on the rooftop; the portal disappeared after a few seconds.
"I absorbed so much Kyuubi chakra that these marks appeared on my cheeks." Menma pointed to his face.
"That reminds me of a story they used to tell us at the academy." Minato chuckled slightly.
That caught Menma's interest; he looked at Minato, who was beside him. The blond noticed Menma's intrigued expression.
"The story basically told about two brothers named Gold and Silver. They were tasked with capturing the Kyuubi."
Menma looked at Minato, his face both incredulous and puzzled.
Minato noticed this and just chuckled slightly.
"Yeah, I don't understand why there was a mission like that or why those two idiots accepted it. But as expected, the Kyuubi ate them both; they had to eat from the fox's stomach."
Menma made a disgusted face, something Minato did too.
"Very disgusting, I know. They did what was necessary to survive. After two weeks, the Kyuubi spat them out; they were probably hurting it by eating from its stomach. The story says that they both developed mystical powers by eating Kyuubi meat, like three marks on each cheek."
Minato gazed at the sky; the night wind tickled his nose.
"Tell me, Menma. Does my son possess any of those powers mentioned in the story?"
"No. Although he has almost infinite resilience and determination equal to or greater than his own resilience. It's only when he reconciles with Kyuubi that he finally gains otherworldly abilities."
"My son managed to control the fox? That's truly surprising." A proud smile formed on Minato's face.
"The fox is named Kurama, by the way. One could say he's somewhat good, although very hostile toward humans. You should talk to him; I know with some time, he could cooperate with you or your wife."
"I can't believe that; he acted quite hostile when he came out of the seal. I don't think I can trust him after what happened." Minato's gaze darkened.
"He just wanted to get out; being locked up can make you grumpy." Minato's face turned somewhat annoyed by the black-haired man's words.
"That doesn't justify what he did!" Minato shouted at Menma.
Tears adorned the man's face.
"He doesn't... I'm clear on that. But, like your son did once... You have to let go of what happened, even if it hurts you."
"I don't think I can do that... Kurama deserves to be locked up." Minato looked at Menma; his eyes only reflected repulsion.
"I'm not asking you to do it; it's your life. I have no right to tell you how to live it." Menma just sighed.
Minato sat on the rooftop, his knees close to his chest.
"Thank you." Minato stared into nothingness; the first rays of sun were appearing on the Hokage Mountain's horizon.
"Why exactly? I just talked to you; I don't see anything to be thankful for."
"For bringing me some peace of mind; knowing that my son is alive in another universe gives me some comfort." Minato smiled like he never had before.
A genuine smile, not the typical one he used to reassure everyone, a smile he only made to forget his infinite guilt.
Menma felt it, the same aura that Naruto emitted. A smile formed on his face as well.
He placed his hand on Minato's shoulder, instantly transferring all the energy he provided to him.
Minato was confused when he saw the black-haired man reach his hand into the air.
All his doubts were cleared when a portal opened again before his eyes.
It looked different. It no longer seemed dangerous. It went from being black to yellow. It no longer emitted lightning; instead, the lightning was under control, surrounding the portal.
"How did you do that?" Minato asked, confused.
As far as he remembered, Menma said Naruto was the only one who could help.
The black-haired man just stood up from the ground, proudly looking at the yellow portal.
"Thanks to your help. I think Namikaze blood is the answer; I'll investigate in other universes." Menma walked toward the portal.
Minato just watched him go; he had no reason to follow him, even though he wanted to see his son, he wasn't willing to abandon Kushina.
"Oh, almost forgot." Menma turned around.
In his hand, a piece of paper appeared out of nowhere; the object was folded, preventing the content from being seen. He threw the piece of paper toward Minato as if it were a shuriken.
"What is this?" He stopped the piece of paper with his fingers when he saw it heading towards him.
He opened the piece of paper, his curiosity at its peak.
"Consider it a thank you for your help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." Menma turned while waving goodbye.
Minato watched him leave; he only noticed when the light emitted by the portal closed.
All his attention was on the photo; some tears were on his face. Tears of pure happiness.
The photo was of his son Naruto, around 13 or 14 years old, standing next to Menma.
Both looking at the camera. The blond boy had a silly smile on his face, while Menma just looked at everything with some boredom.
Some drops of water fell on the photo.
"Kushina-chan will love this. Thank you, Menma; you gave me the best gift of all."
Minato looked at the sky as he closed his eyes, feeling the wind caress his face.
The sun's rays were already reaching his face; he couldn't remember the last time he felt this way.
End of chapter.
As always, leave your likes; it encourages me to keep writing.
Maybe I'll hold a vote for the next chapter, what do you think?
Choosing universes for the fic was quite challenging.
Thanks to kingo11 for being the first to give me a like.
Without further ado, goodbye.