Hiruzen Sarutobi had worn the title of Hokage for forty three years, yet the past month felt more chaotic than anything he had dealt with in years. What unsettled him was not only the weight of the problems, but the speed at which they crashed into one another. Every day felt like trying to hold back a river with his bare hands.
Danzo was the first big fracture. Hiruzen had believed he solved that problem years ago. After the Uchiha massacre, when Danzo's growing ambition finally crossed a line, Hiruzen cast him into banishment under guard. No Root, no council maneuvering, and no influence. At least, that had been the intention. Only when Hiruzen prepared to finish what he had delayed and deliver judgement once and for all did the truth surface.
Danzo had slipped from the leash long ago.
The man had never honored his exile, and had instead rebuilt his reach in silence. The Root Anbu network was alive and his objectives were unknown.
The moment that realization landed, Hiruzen felt older than his years.
Then came the Wave mission. On paper it was the sort of escort assignment a fresh genin team could handle without breaking a sweat. Instead it turned into a diplomatic nightmare that spread through the nations faster than fire through dry grass. Even now Hiruzen struggled to understand how one C rank escort unraveled into a dispute that tugged at every major power in the world.
At least Kakashi and Kurenai had managed to erase Konoha's fingerprints from the mess. Small mercy, but Hiruzen counted every mercy he could get.
Even that looked insignificant next to the crisis that followed.
Naruto's lineage leaked. Hiruzen still remembered the night Anbu burst into his office, Bingo Book pages in hand, their masks unable to hide the shock. Someone had packaged fragments of information into a neat narrative and hurled it into the world.
And the world had believed it.
Even if he tried denying the information, every hidden village now carried suspicion that Konoha's jinchuriki was not only Minato's son, but a twelve year old genin who had barely started real missions.
An inexperienced jinchuriki was bait for anyone who wanted a weapon they could mold. One with a bloodline like Naruto's was an even bigger prize, since killing him satisfied old grudges and gutted Konoha's strength in one move.
Reports from the other villages were already reaching Hiruzen's desk. None said it aloud, but their intent was clear. Naruto's existence was a point of great interest.
And Konoha itself refused to stay silent. Shinobi, civilians, even noble clans sent letters demanding answers. Some asked how the truth stayed hidden. Others demanded protection for the boy. A stupider minority refused to believe Naruto was anyone's child, claiming he was simply the Kyuubi itself pretending to be human.
Hiruzen spent a long night with Shikaku Nara. They went through every option, weighed every risk, and came to the same conclusion.
Denying the truth would do nothing.
Every village, even the ones that did not fully accept the leak, now carried enough suspicion to put a mark on Naruto. They would hunt him regardless. If the leak was true, killing him would weaken Konoha. If it was false, then the death of a single genin meant nothing to the shinobi world.
That concern only grew sharper when Kurenai delivered her report. The Kyuubi was gone from Naruto. Konoha was already weaker than anyone realized, and the rest of the world still believed the fox was sealed safely inside Naruto.
So what now?
What could he possibly do that would keep Naruto alive and keep the other villages from learning that the Kyuubi was gone?
Hiruzen gathered the Yamanaka clan at once and requested the Mind Transmission Jutsu.
The Mind Body Transmission Technique is a hidden jutsu utilised by members of the Yamanaka clan to telepathically communicate with entire groups at once. It was not a jutsu only used in moments of crisis or village wide defense ever called for it, and the announcement alone sent ripples of unease across Konoha.
Merchants shuttered their stalls. Civilians hurried toward the square. Shinobi leapt across rooftops to take their places among the crowd. Clans assembled in rows. Soon the space before the Hokage Tower brimmed with people, waiting in an uneasy silence that stretched from one street to the next.
When the jutsu activated, Hiruzen felt thousands of minds brush against his own in a single collective breath. He drew in a slow one of his own and began.
"Rumors have been spreading across our village this week. Many of you have wondered if they are true. As the Third Hokage of Konoha, I speak now to our citizens, to every shinobi here, and to the world beyond our walls." He paused only long enough for the silence to settle deeper. "Uzumaki Naruto is the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."
Hiruzen held steady as the shock rippled through the crowd.
If there is any hope of protecting this child, it must begin here, he thought, letting the emotion slip through the link. The world will turn on him now. And without the Kyuubi inside him, they will have even more reason to strike. But within Konoha, he can still be safe. Within these walls, he can be honored as a hero, protected as a child of this village. That much, at least, I can give him.
He continued aloud.
"Minato Namikaze was a hero of Konoha. He laid down his life on the night of the Kyuubi's attack. To protect our young, we told the next generation that he killed the beast. But that was a story meant to keep them from fear. The truth is one all shinobi know. The Kyuubi cannot be killed. It can only be sealed. And the only prison capable of holding it is a human."
A weight settled over the square.
"Through Minato's sacrifice, we survived. Through Kushina's strength, the seal endured. And through their newborn child, the Kyuubi remained contained. His small body held the monster that would have destroyed every one of us. It protected us from the beast and from the ambitions of other nations. That is what it means to be a hero."
For a moment, even the wind fell silent.
"Minato wished for his son to be honored. He wished for Naruto to grow knowing that he carried the gratitude of this village. Yet Konoha failed to uphold those wishes. We allowed fear to blind us. We allowed ignorance to speak louder than truth. We failed to see the child who walked alone. We failed to recognize the burden he carried for all of us while suffering hatred that should never have been his."
Hiruzen took a deep breath, letting shame flow through the link, honest and unfiltered.
"The First Hokage taught us that the foundation of this village is the Will of Fire. The Will of Fire is the belief that the entire village is like a large family unit and every Konoha shinobi with the Will of Fire loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village, as previous generations had done before them. But we forgot these ideals."
The crowd listened in a thick, heavy silence.
"When we should have protected our hero, we turned away. When we should have loved a child of Konoha, we let our fear speak louder. When we should have upheld the Will of Fire, we let it falter."
He straightened, letting his voice drop into a deeper register.
"And now, beyond these walls, other villages aim to erase the legacy of the Fourth. They seek to strike down the boy who kept this village safe. They hope we will look away a second time. I ask you now… will we let it happen?"
The village held its breath.
Then Hiruzen's voice rang out, carried by both the jutsu and the sheer force of his will.
"No."
The word struck every mind like a hammer. It rang across the rooftops, echoed through the streets, and rippled back in a cry from the people below.
"Konoha will not abandon Naruto Uzumaki. We will defend him. We will raise him. We will honor him as the child of two of our greatest heroes. From this day forward, he will face the world with Konoha at his side."
His voice swelled with a fire the shinobi had not heard from him in years.
"Konoha will shield him from every hand raised against him. Konoha will stand united against any nation that seeks to harm him. We will protect him not because he is a weapon, but because he is ours. This is our duty. This is our promise. And this is the Will of Fire."
And the roar that erupted from the crowd seemed to shake the stone beneath the Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen had hoped that the hatred for the Kyuubi had faded over the last decade. Enough years had passed that he believed Konoha could finally think rationally instead of reacting out of fear. To his relief, it seemed he had not been completely wrong. The majority of civilians and shinobi responded to the announcement with something close to celebration. They spoke Minato's name with pride again. They shared stories of Kushina, memories once whispered in private, now said freely. Many even lit small lanterns outside their homes in honor of the child of the Fourth.
Hiruzen watched all of it unfold over the next few days, quietly observing the shift in the air. Shops hung banners with Minato's likeness. Retired shinobi who once served under the Fourth visited the memorial stone to pay respects. Academy instructors began retelling the night of the Kyuubi with a different tone, one that no longer painted Naruto as the shadow of a monster but as the child of heroes.
But nothing in Konoha had ever been simple.
There were still civilians who could not let go of the hatred they had carried for years. Some glared at the boy's empty apartment whenever they passed it. A few families packed their belongings and requested permission to leave the village altogether. Hiruzen approved every request without hesitation. Better that they leave than stay and fester.
Others reacted in stranger ways. Within the first two days, Hiruzen received no fewer than sixteen letters from individuals begging to commit seppuku to atone for having dishonored the memory of the Fourth by treating his son poorly. Some were dramatic, others frighteningly sincere.
Hiruzen rubbed his forehead as he read them.
Konoha could be reasonable. Konoha could also be impossibly dramatic. He denied every request outright, and to ensure none of them took it upon themselves to make a public spectacle, he added a line stating that any such matter would be decided by Naruto himself upon his return.
Miraculously, that put an end to the worst of the foolishness.
Children in the Academy and the Genin Reserves were divided, some boasting that they were the future teammates of the Fourth's son, others suddenly intimidated by the boy they used to shove aside. A few restaurants that had once refused him now offered free meals in advance, though Hiruzen was certain Naruto would throw those gestures back in their faces when he learned the truth.
Among the shinobi, the shift was the strongest. Many who had served under Minato placed flowers at the Hokage Monument. Several veterans submitted reports offering personal protection assignments and apprenticeships for the boy. Others wrote apologies addressed to Naruto himself, which Hiruzen stored away, unsure how or when the boy should receive them.
But beneath it all, tension remained. Fear of what the other villages would do as Naruto's lineage was confirmed.
By the end of the week, Hiruzen sat in his office as the last of the paperwork settled. He looked out the window, fingers steepled.
Where is Team Seven… and where is Jiraiya? Did they figure out what happened to the Kyuubi? Did Jiraiya tell Naruto about his parents? A knock broke his thoughts. His secretary's voice followed. "Hokage sama, your twelve o'clock meeting with the Daimyo is ready."
"Ah."
Hiruzen composed himself as the chunins wheeled in the Communications Apparatus. A massive metallic construct resembling a polished vault fused with wires and panels. The device had been gifted by the Daimyo, engineered for long distance state communications. Though it was a marvel, Hiruzen was cautious of this tech and what it could mean for the shinobi world in the future.
The screen hummed, static flickering to life until the image sharpened; grainy, black and white, but clear enough.
Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
He was not a man given to extravagance but his eyes gleamed. He was no fool. He didn't need a sword. He had coin, armies, and the weight of the Fire Court behind him.
"Old friend, looks like this warless era has not been kind to your hair."
Hiruzen chuckled politely and gave a slow nod. "The peace may be quiet, my lord, but its silence hides many knives. I hope the season has been kind to your household."
Kaneko inclined his head. "As kind as any can hope, with the rumors flying through my court. I imagine you know the ones I speak of."
"Naruto Uzumaki," Hiruzen replied without hesitation. "The son of the Fourth."
"Confirmed by your own hand, I see. Bold."
Hiruzen let the tension settle.
Kaneko continued. "You must know what this means, Hiruzen. The nobility is already in motion. There are whispers about adoption, sponsorship, even talk of bringing the boy into the daimyo's court as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Some see a chance to claim legitimacy through his blood."
Hiruzen's fingers curled around the armrest of his chair, his knuckles pale beneath liver spotted skin. "He is still too young for the world of politics."
Across the screen, the Fire Daimyo gave a genial smile and said, "I see that you wish to protect the boy, old friend, but hiding him from the world does not serve him. Nor the Land of Fire. If he is to carry the legacy of his name, he must be prepared to wield it."
It was not a request. Underneath the silken words and cordial smiles was the weight of court expectation, veiled threat, and unspoken demand.
"Very well. What was the purpose of such a meeting, Lord Kaneko?"
"The Chunin Exams."
"Yes?"
"Alongside myself," the daimyo continued, "a few other daimyo intend to attend."
That alone made Hiruzen hesitate. Daimyo rarely involved themselves in shinobi affairs. They signed budgets, approved missions of significant political weight, and occasionally welcomed foreign envoys. But they never involved themselves directly in examinations meant for young shinobi especially due to the danger.
Kaneko did not stop there.
"And by that," he added with growing excitement, "I mean the daimyo of all five Great Nations. Along with a retinue of nobles, merchants, and diplomats. They all wish to witness this year's Chunin Exams in Konoha."
"That is unprecedented," Hiruzen said.
Kaneko smiled like a man savoring rare wine. "Indeed. It will be a spectacular affair. All five Great Shinobi Villages represented and there are whispers that even the smaller hidden villages plan to send candidates. The potential for treaties, trade, and alliances is enormous."
Hiruzen felt a chill crawl down his spine. He could already see the game the other villages were playing. The exams would become an international stage. A perfect chance to test Konoha's strength, humiliate, and weaken it publicly. And worst of all, it would be the perfect moment to target Naruto under the guise of competition.
But Kaneko continued, blissfully unaware or pretending not to be.
"This will bring great attention to the Leaf."
"And great danger," Hiruzen replied. "Never in history have this many powers gathered in one location. Such a convergence invites catastrophe."
He chose his words carefully, hoping Kaneko would understand. Konoha did not have the luxury to entertain political theatrics, not with enemies lurking in every shadow.
But the Fire Daimyo did not budge. His eyes remained bright.
"Or prosperity," Kaneko countered. "This could elevate our nation above all others. Influence is the currency of the age, Lord Third. Show them the strength of the Leaf, and we win that currency. Decline the opportunity, and we risk appearing weak."
That was a veiled threat. Not from Kaneko directly. The man was amicable enough. But behind him stood the whispering nobles, courtiers, and political leeches who circled the Fire Court like vultures. They would seize on any perceived weakness in Konoha to justify diverting funds, withdrawing support, or shifting influence to another hidden village entirely. The Leaf had enemies there too, though they wore silk instead of chakra.
"To accommodate such a large event," Hiruzen said, choosing his tone carefully, "Konoha will need significantly more time and resources. Security alone will be a nightmare. Foreign dignitaries, rival clans, hundreds of genin and chunin, spies, saboteurs. Preparing proper defenses would require pushing the exams back by at least a month. Possibly more."
He let the implication hang there and hoped it might frighten Kaneko into reconsidering.
Instead, the daimyo nodded pleasantly. "I am certain Konoha can manage. Especially with the generous support of multiple daimyo and dozens of noble families."
Hiruzen resisted the urge to bury his face into his desk.
Temptation whispered to him.
Funding from all five daimyo. Investment from wealthy nobles. Improvements to infrastructure, research, military readiness. Opportunities he had not seen… ever.
"We may be able to do it," Hiruzen admitted, though the words tasted like ash.
"Excellent. In return for our support, I want the Hidden Leaf to dominate the exams. I want to raise a cup to our supremacy in front of the other lords."
Hiruzen forced himself not to wince. "Then we will do what is necessary."
He bit his tongue before he could say anything foolish. The situation was spiraling out of his control. Still, he could find a way to keep Naruto safe. A long term mission outside the village. Something far away from the exams. It might work.
Then Kaneko leaned in, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"And of course," he said, "I will be eager to meet Minato's son. The boy has stirred much conversation among the nobles. I expect him to participate and prove himself worthy of his father's legacy."
Hiruzen felt the blood drain from his face.
Damn it.
"I am sure Naruto will surprise everyone."
When the call ended, Hiruzen reached for his pipe with fingers that trembled. The world outside his window spun faster with each passing hour, and try as he might, he could no longer hold it still.
He turned his eyes toward the photo of Minato that sat framed on the wall.
"You should have been here dealing with this mess while I spent time with my wife in retirement."
Hiruzen muttered the words toward the empty chair across from him, but no answer came.
He took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled through his nose, the smoke curling slowly upward.
"As a father myself… I think I would want my son to be ready," he said softly.
A faint, wistful smile pulled at the corners of his lips. For a moment he allowed himself to imagine personally training Naruto for the chunin exams. Perhaps he could still do what Minato never had the chance to do.
The thought barely had time to settle before a surge of chakra slammed against his senses like a wave. Hiruzen's eyes snapped open, his head jerking to the side as his body reacted on instinct.
Did one of the other villages actually send a jinchuriki to attack us?
Hiruzen immediately reached for the crystal ball on his desk.
Ninja Art: Telescope Jutsu!
The surface of the crystal shimmered, swirling with a pale blue glow as he focused on the massive chakra signature drawing closer to Konoha's borders. The image sharpened and then the figures walking along it came into view.
Jiraiya, unmistakable as ever alongside Kakashi. Sakura carrying something in her arms. Sasuke keeping pace quietly.
Hiruzen exhaled, tension loosening from his shoulders. But then another figure stepped into frame. A tall red haired teen, clad in elite knight armor.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
"That's Naruto?"
Hiruzen leaned forward, stunned.
The boy was taller now, his hair longer, and his chakra reserves surpassed those of grown Uzumaki adults.
The redhead paused as if sensing the crystal's attention. When he turned, Hiruzen saw those sapphire and blue crocodilian eyes. In that instant the old man felt that, despite all the chaos surrounding Naruto, the boy himself might be even more chaotic.
"Naruto, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, shifting Oscar in her arms.
"I don't know," he replied, catching the crystal lizard easily as they continued walking. "Felt like someone was watching me. Maybe I'm just anxious. We're almost at Ichiraku. I've been thinking about ramen for two days."
Hiruzen could not help the smile that tugged at his lips as Kurenai's report moved through his mind.
Perhaps Naruto would surprise the world in the chunin exams.
The gates of Konoha rose into view like a memory half forgotten. Team 7 slowed to a stop, each of them taking in the familiar walls with a quiet mix of relief and nostalgia.
"I forgot how much I missed this place," Jiraiya said with a laugh. "The streets, the food and the bathhouses."
Naruto shot him a warning glare.
Jiraiya bristled. "I still use bathhouses without peeping, you know."
Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Oscar all gave him the same flat stare that said they did not believe him for a second.
Jiraiya opened his mouth to defend himself when Kakashi called over from the guard station.
"Looks like our return papers hit a snag. Someone decided to come back looking like a different person."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Not my fault I need a new shinobi ID after everything."
Jiraiya walked over to Kakashi, frowning. "Can't you just flash your elite jonin status and sort it out?"
Izumo and Kotetsu stepped forward before Kakashi could answer.
"Jiraiya sama, there is no issue with your clearance," Izumo said carefully. "But…"
"You want an autograph?"
The grin vanished when Kakashi held up a Bingo Book. Jiraiya stared at Naruto's entry, then at Kakashi, then back at the book.
"How did this even happen?" the toad sage muttered. "I am going to check with my network. Something big happened while we were on the island."
Kakashi gave a single nod.
Team 7 meanwhile fell into their own conversation.
"So what is the first thing you are doing?" Sakura asked. "I think I will go home and surprise my mom."
"Sleep," Sasuke answered.
"Ichiraku," Naruto paused as shinobi at the gate were staring at him.
"What is with the eyes?" Sasuke asked, noticing too.
"No idea," Naruto said, shifting Oscar in his arms. "Maybe they like lizards now?"
"Or maybe they found out about the Arch of Providence," Sakura offered.
"So I am a celebrity?" Naruto asked, unsure of how to feel about it.
"More like someone who should start worrying about getting arrested," Sasuke said.
"Do not say that," Sakura scolded.
"Yeah, if anyone from Team 7 goes to jail first, it will be you," Naruto shot back.
"Hn?"
Before Naruto could answer, a pair of ANBU appeared in front of them. The masked operatives paused when they saw Team 7 instinctively shift into a ready stance, chakra flaring in an instant. Even experienced chunin struggled to react that fast, and the ANBU found themselves quietly impressed.
"Calm down, you three," Kakashi said.
"Team 7 and Jonin Kakashi, the Hokage requests an immediate meeting."
"Understood. Let's go," Kakashi said.
"Where is Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked, glancing around.
"He is off doing some research," Kakashi replied. "And no, it is not peeping."
Naruto gave a slow, doubtful nod as the group flickered away toward the Hokage Tower.
The receptionist at the front desk gave Naruto a lingering look, eyes flicking from his long crimson hair to the crystal lizard perched atop his head.
Naruto muttered under his breath, Why is everyone suddenly so interested in me?
"Probably the fact that you are taller, have long red hair, and your eyes look weird," Sasuke replied dryly.
"Pot calling the kettle black."
"And you have got Oscar on your head like some kind of glittering hat," Sakura added with a sigh, trying to keep the mood light.
Naruto reached up to pat Oscar, who gave a happy chirp.
"Oh, come on. I have not changed that much," Naruto grumbled, just as the door creaked open and Hiruzen stood to greet them.
The Third Hokage's eyes softened the moment they landed on Naruto. He removed his hat, setting it on the desk with a heavy hand. "Naruto… I still cannot believe that it is really you?"
Naruto ignored the smug looks sent by Sasuke and Sakura. "Yeah, it is me, old man. A lot happened on this mission."
"That much is obvious. Are you alright?"
"Never been better."
That simple sentence made something loosen in the old man's chest.
Kakashi stepped forward, placing a tightly rolled mission scroll on the desk.
"You might want to sit down for this," Kakashi said flatly.
Hiruzen gave a wry smile. "I already am." He undid the clasp, the scroll unrolling across the length of his desk like a snake slithering into place. As his eyes scanned the contents, they began moving faster and faster. His grip tightened with every paragraph, and soon he was yanking the scroll forward aggressively to read the next section.
He looked up, the room suddenly heavy with silence.
Sakura shifted uncomfortably.
Sasuke stood unbothered, hands still in his pockets.
Naruto just booped Oscar's snout.
Hiruzen cleared his throat and spoke. "Sasuke Uchiha. Kakashi has given me a glowing report regarding your actions. You followed orders, cooperated with your team, and even performed Kakashi's own Chidori technique under high pressure conditions. You are, in every way, operating at chunin level. If things continue like this, you will officially earn that rank soon. Keep up the good work."
"Hn," Sasuke grunted, clearly pleased but too proud to show it more.
"Sakura Haruno," Hiruzen continued, his gaze now gentler. "You led the defense line during a crisis. The shield you maintained protected not just your team but many civilians in the wave. You remained calm under fire and demonstrated a tactical awareness far beyond what we expect from a genin. Konoha is proud to have you."
Sakura bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hokage sama. I just did the best I could."
Then Hiruzen turned to Naruto.
"Naruto Uzumaki."
The name alone drew stillness.
Hiruzen's voice was measured. "Your report is… extensive. Anxiety inducing even. You acted without orders. You killed an entire criminal syndicate overnight. You escalated the situation so severely that Gato was forced to hire elite missing nin. You disappeared and reappeared from your summoning realm without warning. You allied yourself with a known criminal. You brought your friend, Hinata Hyuga, into a combat zone she was not ready for. And that is only scratching the surface."
Naruto did not flinch. "It worked out in the end, did it not?"
Hiruzen leaned forward, eyes piercing. "It did. But what if it did not? What if Zabuza betrayed you? What if Hinata had died? What if the enemy had overwhelmed you and there were no second chances?"
Naruto's eyes dropped for a moment. "I had a backup plan," he muttered.
"Do tell," the Hokage asked, genuinely curious now.
"I was going to have my clone use the Homeward Miracle on her," Naruto said, voice flat. "She would have returned to safety. And if I died in the process… well, that is not a big deal."
Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk. "It is a big deal, Naruto. You cannot just throw your life away."
Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but Sasuke cut in, leaning. "So wait… are you still immortal?"
The question froze Hiruzen mid scold. He stared at Sasuke, then at Naruto, then quickly formed a hand seal. The ANBU around the room snapped into motion, raising a barrier that sealed off the office from every sound and chakra trace.
Team 7 noticed it happening but none of them reacted.
"I do not know if the curse works outside Lordran. I never tested it."
Hiruzen blinked, completely lost. Kakashi cast a quick genjutsu to help Hiruzen catch up on everything Kakashi had pulled together from Naruto's earlier explanations about Lordran.
Hiruzen sat there for a moment with a thousand yard stare.
Before he could even begin sorting through the information, Naruto asked, "So should I, like… kill myself and see if I revive?"
Everyone in the room snapped out the same answer.
"No!"
"Fine."
Oscar gave him a flat reptilian stare.
"Do not look at me like that," Naruto muttered. "You are supposed to be on my side."
Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "Naruto, that is a terrible idea since your father is dead."
"Subtle as a bull in a china shop, old man."
"Lord Third is right though," Sakura said gently.
Sasuke nodded. "If your father went to Lordran and still died for Konoha, then the curse probably does not work outside of that place."
Hiruzen turned to Kakashi. "You told them?"
Before Kakashi could answer, the barrier rippled. A small toad appeared on the windowsill and leapt into the room, reversing into a puff of smoke that revealed Jiraiya.
"Nope," Jiraiya said. "The brat figured it out by himself."
For the next several minutes, Hiruzen was walked through everything that had happened in Uzushiogakure. By the end, Hiruzen sank back into his chair and took a long, steady pull from his pipe before exhaling.
Naruto immediately swept a hand through the air, using chakra to backhand the smoke away. The force scattered it right out the open window. "Be careful where you aim that smoke," he said. "Oscar does not like it."
"My apologies," Hiruzen said, clearing his throat. "I still cannot believe you told your teammates about your father."
"I told them the next morning after talking with Jiraiya," Naruto said proudly.
Sasuke stared at him. "That is not what happened."
Sakura shook her head. "Not even close."
"What? Yes it is."
"You barged into our tents before sunrise and yelled, Guys, my pops is the Fourth Hokage, and ran back out before we could ask a single question."
"…Okay, I might have done that."
Sasuke gave him a flat look. "Might?"
"It was early. I was excited. And it was funny."
Sakura sighed. "To you."
"Exactly." Naruto looked back at Hiruzen, face more serious. "Also… I do not like keeping secrets from people I trust."
"Yes. I take full responsibility for keeping those secrets. You uncovered most of them yourself, but the fault still lies with me."
Naruto crossed his arms, which was mimicked by Oscar. "Why keep those secrets from me in the first place?"
"Because you were young, Naruto. Too young. And loud. Very loud. The chances of you accidentally revealing something were much higher than the chances of you keeping it quiet."
Naruto clicked his tongue. "You could have told me something like, Hey Naruto, if you become a genin I will tell you about your parents. That is not hard."
Hiruzen shook his head. "That would have been worse. Tying the truth about your parents to a reward would have only made you more reckless. You would have pushed yourself into danger just to get answers. And if the wrong people learned you were desperate for information, they could have used that against you."
Naruto opened his mouth, closed it, then frowned.
"Besides, I thought it would be better for you to learn from someone who was close to your father. Someone who knew him well."
Naruto looked over at Jiraiya and sighed. "Yeah. In hindsight, that was a terrible idea. I had to force the pervert to talk."
Jiraiya lifted his hands in surrender.
Hiruzen watched them both, a small, tired smile forming despite the tension.
"Sensei… why did you not raise Naruto?" Sakura asked. The question slipped out before she could second guess it. She remembered Kakashi had been the Fourth's student. It felt natural to ask.
"You do not have to answer that unless you are ready," Naruto said quietly.
Everyone turned to him in surprise, Kakashi most of all.
"Why?"
Naruto shrugged with a small smile. "Because I trust sensei. You always told me the truth. You told me about Sakumo. You told me about the Uzumaki clan. You did not have to. You could have lied or brushed it off, but you did not. You always tried with me. That counts."
Kakashi exhaled through his nose, eyes softening. "Thank you for that, Naruto. But the question is fair. The moment seems right."
He paused, gathering the words he rarely said out loud.
"When you were born, Naruto, I was fourteen years old. Minato sensei was the closest thing I ever had to a father after losing my own. When everyone I truly cared for was gone… I convinced myself I was cursed. Anyone I cared about died. So I stopped caring or tried to."
He looked down, hands loosely clasped in front of him.
"I was not in any state to raise a child. I could barely take care of myself. I threw myself into ANBU work instead. Missions that numbed everything. A rank. S rank. Anything that was difficult enough to make me forget for a while. I thought if I stayed in motion, nothing could catch me."
He swallowed, voice rougher than usual.
"If I had taken you in, I feared that you would have died to my curse and I would have been truly broken, so… I stayed away."
Silence settled in the office.
Sakura stepped forward and gently took Kakashi's hand. Sasuke rested a hand on his back, quiet but steady.
Naruto held up Oscar, pressing the little lizard against Kakashi's face as the crystal lizard pressed his paws in a hug.
For a moment Kakashi froze, caught between surprise and something deeper. Then his shoulders eased. His posture softened. His eye shut for a second longer than a blink.
The kids understood him. Not the way adults pretended to understand. Not with empty words. They understood in the way that mattered.
Kakashi breathed out slowly. His voice, when it came, was soft. "Thank you."
Hiruzen watched with a warm smile. Jiraiya did as well, arms folded but eyes softer than usual.
Both men knew Kakashi had carried that weight in silence for far too long. And both knew he was finally starting to let it go.
"So how many missions have you done?"
Kakashi answered without hesitation. "One thousand one hundred and forty one. That includes one hundred ninety seven D rank, one hundred ninety C rank, four hundred fourteen B rank, two hundred ninety eight A rank, and forty two S rank."
Team 7's jaws dropped so hard Hiruzen almost heard the impact.
Sakura and Sasuke were already doing math in their heads.
A lot of math.
Naruto said with sparkling eyes, "So that means you saved entire nations forty two times, right?"
Kakashi shifted uncomfortably, but before he could answer, Jiraiya snorted. "Do not get dramatic, kid. Saving the Wave was a one in a million mess. Most S rank missions are just too dangerous, not too heroic. The only reason it even counts as S rank is because we do not have a higher category labeled."
"Huh. That is less cool."
"Welcome to reality," Hiruzen said with a low laugh. "The academy tells children stories to keep them interested. Actual fieldwork is a different matter."
He raised a finger and went down the list.
"D rank are odd jobs such as finding cats, babysitting, errands, digging for sweet potatoes."
"C rank are regular missions such as intelligence gathering, eradicating bandits, medical treatments."
"B rank are missions where combat against genin is to be anticipated."
"A rank are military missions where combat against one or more squads of ninja which include chunin."
"S rank are usually missions where combat against jonin and S rank ninja is expected."
Naruto stared at the old man. "So the ranking system is just… a warning label."
"Exactly," Kakashi said. "Mostly to tell you how badly you might die."
"Atleast Lordran is a fantasy."
Oscar gave a tiny chirp that sounded like agreement.
Meanwhile, Sakura cleared her throat. "I just calculated your earnings."
"You did?"
"Yes," Sasuke said. "You have approximately four hundred fifty one million ryo."
Sakura clutched her head. "Sensei, that is more money than an entire merchant district makes in a year."
Kakashi tilted his head. "Is it? I have never really checked the balance."
Naruto squinted at him. "Sensei. You are telling me you do not know you are stupid rich?"
Kakashi gave an eye smile. "I live simply."
Sakura sighed. "Sensei, I cannot even imagine that much money…"
"Do not worry," Sasuke said, trying to sound comforting while ignoring the fact he inherited several billion ryo in Uchiha assets.
Sakura stared at him. "I feel zero comfort from a billionaire saying that."
Naruto rubbed his chin. "Wait. If Kakashi is loaded… what does that make me?"
"Oh," Sasuke said flatly. "You are richer than Kakashi."
"I am?"
"You robbed Gato," Sakura reminded him.
Naruto thought about it.
Sakura looked between her teammates, slowly realizing she was the only one who did not have a fortune waiting for her somewhere.
Naruto did not notice. He was too busy thinking about something else. "Speaking of money. What happened to my heritage? I mean… my parents had to leave something behind, right? A house, savings, anything?"
The room grew still for a moment.
"Come on, old man. My dad was the Fourth Hokage. My mom was a Kyuubi jinchuriki trained by the First's wife. You cannot tell me they did not leave behind a mountain of money, land, scrolls or something. I want whatever they left."
"About that…"
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I already hate this."
Hiruzen clasped his hands on the desk. "During the Kyuubi attack, Konoha was devastated. Half the residential district was rubble. Entire neighborhoods burned. Hundreds of shinobi died. The economy had collapsed. Supplies were scarce. We did not have the funds to rebuild."
He took a slow breath. "To stabilize the village, the council invoked the Emergency Asset Requisition Statute. It allows the Hokage to seize unclaimed or unprotected estates of deceased shinobi for reconstruction. Your parents' estate fell under that law."
Naruto stared, then pinched the bridge of his nose to stop himself from releasing his killing intent.
Sakura raised her hand. "So… by that logic, Naruto should be entitled to compensation now that the crisis period is over. Technically the assets were only seized under temporary reconstruction rights. Once the emergency period ends, any surviving heir can petition for restitution, interest, or equivalent compensation. Especially if the estate belonged to high ranking shinobi."
"You know a lot for a genin."
Sakura nodded. "My mom stuffed my head full of legal codes and rights. She said if I became a kunoichi, certain clans would try to shove contracts in my face, so I needed to know how to shove the law back."
Kakashi looked proud. Sasuke gave a small nod of respect. Naruto mouthed the word nerd but with affection.
Hiruzen sat back, impressed. "Your understanding is correct. If we follow the law, Naruto is entitled to compensation. That includes any monetary value seized at the time, adjusted for inflation, plus interest."
"Interest?"
"Yes," Hiruzen said. "A considerable amount."
Naruto froze. "Define considerable."
"Your father was Hokage, one of the highest paid positions in the village. He also inherited the Uzumaki clan's partial holdings, and Kushina held ancestral rights tied to their lands. Your combined estate was… large."
Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Kid, you might be richer than Sasuke."
Sasuke side eyed him. "Unlikely."
Naruto rubbed his hands together. "So when do I get it?"
Hiruzen smiled tiredly. "The process will require paperwork. A lot of it. I need to reopen your parents' archived files, confirm what was seized, assign a financial officer to recalculate the value, and create a new account in your name."
Naruto nodded. "Okay. So when do I get it?"
"When the paperwork is done," Hiruzen repeated, looking even more tired.
Naruto slumped back in his chair. "Great. Bureaucracy. I survived Lordran for this."
Oscar chirped sympathetically.
Hiruzen chuckled. "I will handle it, Naruto. You will receive what belongs to you. That is a promise."
Naruto brightened a little. "Thanks, old man."
Sasuke muttered, "If you end up richer than me, I am not paying for lunch ever again."
"You never pay for lunch, Sasuke."
Sakura sighed. "Can we focus? Naruto just became the wealthiest idiot in the village."
Kakashi nodded solemnly. "It is a dangerous thing."
Jiraiya added, "Very dangerous."
Naruto frowned. "Why does everyone say that like I am going to spend it all on ramen?"
The room fell silent.
"…Okay, maybe some of it."
Naruto leaned back, trying to process everything. The idea of his net worth hit him first. Between Gato's stolen fortune, mission pay, and the interest he would receive from the village, he was practically rich.
"I mean, sure, being loaded is nice," Naruto said, waving a hand. "But what I really want is my parents' legacies. Their jutsu. Their skills. Everything they left behind."
His pulse quickened. He remembered Mito's words on the Nine Divine Beasts and the Uzumaki fuinjutsu.
"That will be difficult, Naruto. Your parents' estate was destroyed during the Kyuubi attack. Anything stored in their home did not survive."
Naruto's breath caught.
Gone.
He looked down, shoulders tight. Gran Gran Gran Mito tried so hard to keep the clan's legacy alive and it all burned. Maybe I can fix it with the repair spell's time manipulation. I just need to find some kind of ruins.
"Do not look so crushed," Jiraiya said. "You already have your father's Rasengan. That is no small thing."
Hiruzen gave a small, impressed nod. "Indeed. And while the Flying Thunder God technique does not belong to Minato personally, it is a jutsu held in Konoha's restricted archives as part of the Senju legacy. If you reach the rank of chunin, I can authorize you to learn it."
That brightened Naruto's eyes immediately. "Yeah, but I was really looking forward to learning my clan's techniques."
Hiruzen hesitated, then spoke carefully. "It may still be possible."
Naruto looked up with a spark of hope.
"I am planning to call Tsunade Senju back to the village," Hiruzen said. "She has access to the Senju archives, and she inherited several of Lady Mito's techniques. She may be able to teach you some of the clan's jutsu."
Jiraiya clicked his tongue. "Assuming she agrees. Tsunade runs from anything that even smells like responsibility."
"Which means I will probably have to pay her to teach Naruto."
Jiraiya gave a small grin. "Then let us split the cost. Half and half. She will bleed us dry, but if it helps the kid get what he deserves, it is worth it."
Naruto's expression softened. It was not everything, but it was something. "I guess that helps."
Kakashi raised a hand. "I might be able to add to that. Something from Lady Kushina's arsenal."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You know the Adamantine Chains?"
"No," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "But I did manage to copy the Uzumaki spear style and the Gungnir Henkei technique. I cannot use them myself due to chakra limitations. But I can put everything I have into a scroll. You will have to figure it out from there."
"Sensei… thank you."
As the moment settled, Naruto could not help the flicker of doubt that crawled up in the back of his mind. Danzo claimed he had pieces of the parents' legacy too. Was it true? Or had the old hawk lied like always?
"Anyway, what is the deal with this hawk?"
Hiruzen's eyes shifted toward Sakura and Sasuke, silently asking whether Naruto was comfortable sharing this much. Naruto just shrugged. He did not care who heard it.
"The hawk," Hiruzen said slowly, "or rather, the man behind that symbol, is Shimura Danzo. He was one of my teammates under Lord Tobirama."
Naruto watched him, expression unreadable.
"After I became Hokage," Hiruzen continued, "Danzo was appointed head of ANBU. From there, he created a secret division known as Root. They were shinobi conditioned to do anything necessary to keep the village safe during the wars."
Naruto nodded, waiting for the rest.
"Danzo always coveted the Hokage's seat," Hiruzen said. "He pushed for more radical changes, some of them behind my back. He was also the one who leaked the information that you were the Nine Tails jinchuriki. He wanted to give the village a scapegoat to direct their grief toward."
"Wow. What an absolute bastard. But I am guessing you did something about it."
"I made a law that forbade anyone from speaking of the Nine Tails," Hiruzen said. "It was my attempt to shield you from the consequences of Danzo's actions. While I wanted to punish Danzo, Konoha was drowning in problems with the other villages, and the village could not survive without someone handling the darkest tasks. For all the damage he caused, he was a necessary evil that I had to tolerate during those years until I banished him."
Naruto looked disappointed.
Sakura raised her hand. "Hokage sama… would it not have been better to execute a man that dangerous?"
"In a perfect world, yes. But Danzo is not foolish. He had safety nets everywhere."
Hiruzen rubbed his forehead, choosing his next words with care.
"Danzo and I go back decades. At the beginning, I trusted him. When he proposed Root, I approved it because I believed he was acting in the village's best interest. I let him expand without proper oversight because he was my comrade and friend. That was my failure."
Jiraiya nodded at one of sensei's personal flaws.
"By the time I realized the extent of what Root was doing, Danzo was too entrenched. He had agents planted across the world. Classified information. Alliances built in the shadows. If I executed him outright, he had the means to unleash enough secrets to destabilize the entire village."
Naruto stiffened. "So it was mutual destruction."
"Exactly," Hiruzen said. "Root itself had operatives outside the village with contingency orders. Removing him recklessly would have triggered all of them."
Sakura swallowed. "So… banishment was the safest choice."
"It was," Hiruzen said. "And it was not a simple banishment. It was a slow dismantling of everything he built. Root shrank each year. Contacts severed. Assets reclaimed. Influence chipped away. By the time he surfaced again, he was weaker than he had been in decades."
Sasuke frowned. "Then why not execute him once he was powerless?"
"Because when I finally moved to do so, I discovered that Danzo's banishment had been compromised. He was never truly confined. He has been moving through the shadows for years, doing only god knows what. He is branded a traitor now, but that does not erase the damage."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Did he release Naruto's heritage? That would explain why everyone in the village keeps staring at him."
Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Good detective work, kid."
"Unfortunately, we do not yet know who released the information. Danzo is one of the main suspects. Orochimaru is another."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, and Hiruzen subtly motioned that they would speak about it later.
Naruto had been quiet through all of this, expression blank in a way that made everyone uneasy. "What is this about?"
So; Hiruzen explained everything from the leak of Naruto's heritage, the uproar in the other nations, and the reaction inside the village.
Naruto listened without interrupting. When it ended, he let out a long, exhausted exhale. "Well… I am just glad I do not look recognizable right now," he said with a humorless grin.
Naruto stood up. "Thanks for the conversation, old man. There is a lot to think about. Feels like that has been happening a lot lately."
Hiruzen nodded gently. "Then I suppose we can call this matter settled between us."
"No," Naruto said plainly.
The firmness in his tone made the room still.
"Look, old man, I appreciate everything you have done. Really. But I am not taking words as payment anymore. You prove things with action. Once I get my legacy, including whatever land my parents had even if it is gone… then we can talk about bygones being bygones."
Hiruzen absorbed that in silence, then offered a slow nod. "…Very well."
He cleared his throat and shifted topics. "Before I let you go, we still need to discuss the rest of what you did in the Wave mission."
"There is more?"
"Quite a lot of the good," Hiruzen said. "You equipped your team with armor and weapons far beyond our standard issue. That alone gave them a fighting chance in a mission that should have killed every one of you. You continued training even after losing an arm and mastered one handed seals when most shinobi would have retired. You healed your comrades. Kakashi. Hinata. Even civilians who were wounded during Gato's attacks."
Naruto shrugged. "That is normal stuff."
"It is not," Hiruzen said firmly. "You protected your clients so well that they referred to you as a guardian. You became a local legend before the mission even ended."
Naruto shrugged.
"And above all," Hiruzen continued, "you never once ran from responsibility. Not when the mission turned deadly. Not when you were wounded. Not even when your team was on the verge of falling apart."
He held Naruto's gaze. "Uzumaki Naruto, you have grown into a remarkable young man. Not simply strong, but steadfast. Your parents would have been proud if they were alive. And Konoha is honored to have you in its ranks."
Naruto's face went red. He bowed low. "Thanks, Jiji."
Oscar hopped forward and mimicked the bow with a low chirp, which made Sasuke snort and Sakura giggle.
Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Alright, Team 7. Your mission payment will be processed after verification. Kakashi, I would like you to stay for a moment. The rest of you are dismissed."
Naruto gave a lazy salute, Sasuke gave a quiet nod, and Sakura waved politely as the three of them vanished in a flicker of motion.
The office felt quieter without them.
Suddenly the door swung open again as Naruto stuck his head in. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. I have Wood Release now."
Hiruzen froze.
His pipe slipped from his fingers onto the floor. For a moment he looked like a man who had been handed one revelation too many and chose to simply stop functioning.
Naruto closed the door again, savoring the stunned silence on the other side. He joined Sasuke and Sakura in the hallway with a smug grin. "The old man's brain just stopped working. I could hear it."
"You are awful," Sakura said, trying and failing not to laugh.
Naruto puffed his chest proudly. "I told you, we wait to tell him until I can drop it on him for maximum effect."
Oscar chirped in agreement, flicking his tail as if endorsing the chaos.
Sasuke shook his head. "So what now?"
"Well…" Naruto said, stretching his arms behind his head. "If you two are not busy, we can grab some Ichiraku ramen."
Naruto raised Oscar and rotated him like a performer on stage. "According to this very distinguished lizard, it is ramen time. He insists you two come along."
Sakura melted instantly. "Alright, alright. I could eat."
"Hn," Sasuke noised. "And let us stop by a shop on the way. I want a new bingo book. I want to see whether I have an entry."
Naruto grinned. "Oh, what if everyone in Team 7 has a bingo book entry?"
He tossed Oscar lightly into the air, catching him again as the little lizard chirped with excitement.
A lot had changed. More than Naruto could track at once. But as they walked toward the familiar stall, he found himself hoping one thing had stayed exactly the same.
A warm bowl of Ichiraku ramen.