Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 389

"Even she herself activated this spell unconsciously. She... she doesn't know how to undo it or how to switch it back."

The adult Naruto stared intently at Kawaki, trying to find a trace of lying or evasion in his eyes.

But all he saw was deep regret, pain, and a sense of bewilderment at the uncontrollable force.

He knew that Kawaki hadn't lied to him.

The method to remove this terrifying ability, which involves the level of causality and alters the entire ninja world's understanding, is probably far beyond their imagination.

His anger, heartache, and helplessness had nowhere to go but to turn into a long, heavy sigh that overflowed from the depths of his chest.

He leaned against the headboard, closed his eyes, his face filled with exhaustion and deep helplessness.

As the Hokage, he protected the village, but failed to protect his own family;

As a father, he watched helplessly as his son suffered, yet he couldn't even get his son back his most basic right to have a "name".

Just then, a warm hand gently landed on the back of his hand.

When the adult Naruto opened his eyes, he saw Boruto's face, which had lost its childishness and was marked by the hardships of life, yet remained resolute.

Boruto looked at him, and in his only remaining left eye there was no resentment, no grievance, only a kind of open-mindedness and resilience after going through hardships.

He smiled slightly, his tone calm yet powerful:

"It's okay, Dad."

"Identity and such... are not that important anymore."

"As long as you and Mom, and your sister, and..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the young Naruto and the bowed-headed Kawaki beside him: "And those who truly understand me and believe in me."

"If you remember who I am, and everything that happened between us... then that's enough for me."

Hearing his son's words, which were far beyond his years of maturity, he felt a sense of relief.

Looking at his smile, so similar to mine, yet tinged with a touch of world-weariness.

The adult Naruto was filled with mixed emotions.

Bitterness, relief, pride, heartache... all sorts of emotions mixed together like a spilled bottle of mixed flavors.

He reached out and grasped Boruto's hand tightly, as if he wanted to convey all the protection and warmth he had missed for the past three years in one go.

He raised his other hand and gently stroked the hideous scar on Boruto's face, his voice choked with emotion: "Boruto... you've grown up... you've really grown up..."

It should be the older generation taking on all the responsibilities.

But it forces children who should be running freely in the sunshine to bear such a heavy fate far too early.

Forced to use their tender shoulders to face a despair that even they found difficult to handle.

Looking at the undisguised worry and deep self-blame in the eyes of the adult Naruto.

The young Naruto standing to the side stepped forward and patted him hard on the back.

His movements carried a unique, slightly rough yet powerful sense of comfort.

"Hey, uncle, what are you so worried about!"

Young Naruto grinned, revealing a bright yet slightly arrogant smile: "Didn't you see? Boruto is incredibly strong right now!"

"You didn't see his Rasengan: Uzumaki Hikaru. Its power is even more terrifying than our Great Rasengan!"

"And then there's Kawaki, even though he took a wrong turn, he's back now, hasn't he? And he's not weak either!"

He put his hands on his hips, his tone full of self-assured confidence: "You can't always protect your chicks under your wings like a mother hen, can you?"

"Eagles must soar through the sky on their own! One day, Boruto will become stronger than you, and then it will be his turn to protect you, his father!"

"Isn't this normal?"

Young Naruto's words were simple and direct, even somewhat disrespectful.

But it was like a strong wind that dispelled some of the gloom that shrouded the adult Naruto's heart.

He turned his head and looked at this young, energetic "himself" whose eyes were free of any gloom.

It's as if I'm seeing that headstrong young man from many years ago who shouted, "I want to be Hokage!"

Yes... isn't overprotection sometimes a form of constraint?

Children will eventually grow up, they will have their own strength, their own path, and even... surpass their parents.

The heaviness on the adult Naruto's face gradually faded, replaced by a gentle smile that was both relieved and filled with endless emotion.

He nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Boruto again, filled with trust and expectation.

"yes……"

He responded softly, his voice carrying a quiet strength: "You're right."

He looked at Boruto, then at Kawaki and Himawari beside him, and finally his gaze met that of the young Naruto.

"The road ahead may be more difficult than we imagine. The Ten Luos, the Divine Tree People, and the mystery of the 'Omnipotent'... but,"

His voice gradually hardened, and the aura of the Seventh Hokage returned to him: "As long as we are together, as long as our faith has not been extinguished, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome!"

Because of this conversation, the atmosphere in the ward quietly shifted from heavy reminiscence and sadness to a determination and fighting spirit to face the future.

Past traumas need to be healed, but the current crisis requires them to work together to cope with it.

Chapter 411 The Seventh Hokage Officially Returns!

The news of Naruto's awakening spread like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, quickly creating ripples throughout and around Konoha Village.

A large number of ordinary people who had heard the news gathered outside the hospital.

Their faces were filled with anticipation and concern as they whispered among themselves, praying that the Seventh Hokage, who had once given them so much peace of mind, would truly recover.

For safety and order reasons, most people were politely but firmly dissuaded from entering by the secret police.

Inside the hospital, the floor containing the VIP wards saw a steady stream of visitors with special identities.

The first one to rush in was Uchiha Sakura with short, cherry-blossom-colored hair.

She hadn't even had time to change into her white coat; her face showed undisguised excitement and the meticulousness befitting a medical expert.

When she saw the adult Naruto sitting on the bed, weak but with clear eyes, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Naruto! You idiot! You finally decided to come back!"

Sakura's voice trembled slightly as she stepped forward and began checking his vital signs without a word, her movements professional and swift: "How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you? Is your chakra flowing smoothly?"

"Seriously... He disappeared for three years! Does he know how worried everyone was!"

Faced with Sakura's barrage of questions and the deep concern hidden beneath her reproach.

The adult Naruto could only give a signature apologetic, silly grin: "Hehe... Sakura, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Sakura carefully examined him and confirmed that he was fine except for being weak and not having fully recovered his chakra, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.

Her gaze then turned to Naruto, the young man in the ward who also had blond hair and blue eyes, but whose temperament was slightly different.

She paused for a moment, then nodded knowingly: "Shikamaru already told me briefly... Naruto from the past, right?"

Looking at the energetic young Naruto, she felt as if she were seeing Team 7 from many years ago.

A hint of nostalgia flickered in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "Anyway, it's good that you're awake. You two both need to get some rest, especially you. Don't even think about dealing with the documents right away!"

After Sakura finished her "lecture" as the attending physician, the other companions who had heard the news also arrived one after another during the break between missions.

Rock Lee, with his decades-long passion, gave a thumbs-up, flashing his gleaming teeth: "Naruto! Youth can't be easily defeated! It's so great to see you awake! Once you're fully recovered, let's have a long-awaited sparring match!"

She followed him around every day, smiling helplessly, and presented him with a bouquet of flowers to express her blessings.

Nara Shikadai, Yamanaka Inojin, and Akimichi Chocho, the new generation of "Ino-Shika-Cho," also came to visit on behalf of their family, showing respect and concern for their elders.

Kiba, carrying Akamaru, still boomed, "Naruto! You're finally awake! Without you, the village feels like something's missing!"

Aburame Shino offered her greetings succinctly, and though she didn't say much, the satisfaction in her eyes was clearly visible.

These comrades who once fought side by side have now grown into an indispensable backbone of Konoha.

They gathered around the hospital bed, talking about the changes over the past few years and chatting about interesting things in the village. The ward was filled with a long-lost warmth and liveliness belonging to their "peers".

As the adult Naruto looked at the familiar faces and listened to their words, his heart was filled with warmth.

This made him truly feel that he had returned to the "home" he loved so much and was willing to protect with his life.

Among these visitors, Sarutobi Konohamaru's arrival seemed somewhat special.

He walked into the ward and looked at the two Narutos sitting side by side.

One is calm and dignified, the other is still full of youthful vigor.

A complex expression appeared on her face. He first bowed respectfully to the adult Naruto: "Brother Naruto, you're awake, that's wonderful."

Then, his gaze turned to the young Naruto, and he appeared somewhat awkward and embarrassed.

"Um... Naruto... uh..."

Konohamaru scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed: "Before... I thought you were an imposter, so my attitude might have been... please don't mind."

Young Naruto looked at Konohamaru, who was already taller and more mature than himself, with a resolute and responsible look in his eyes.

He couldn't help but burst into laughter, patting him hard on the shoulder: "Hahaha, don't worry about it!"

"No matter what you are like now, you will always be like a younger brother to me."

"And seeing that you can now stand on your own and have become an outstanding Jonin, I'm overjoyed!"

His eyes revealed genuine emotion.

The power of time is so magical. The little devil who once needed his protection and guidance can now stand shoulder to shoulder with him and protect this home together.

Finally, in the evening, the door to the ward was opened again.

Nara Shikamaru walked in, still wearing the white holy robe that symbolized his Hokage status.

But his face was etched with fatigue, and the dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced than usual, as if he had just gone through a war without gunfire.

He first looked around the ward and breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that Naruto was in relatively good spirits.

Then, without any hesitation, he walked over to a chair, sat down, rubbed his temples, and let out a long, resentful sigh: "Ugh... those old foxes and the officials of Daming Prefecture, they're such a nuisance..."