After returning to his apartment, a deeply frustrated Naruto dragged himself into his room. His mind was still entirely occupied by the exhausting events of the day. Dealing with Ino, Ayame, and even Inoichi had proven to be far more tiring than any amount of physical training.
Acting was simply troublesome, and pretending to be a harmless, naive child was even worse. With an irritated click of his tongue, he threw himself onto the bed. His eyes could barely remain open before heavy exhaustion pulled him down into a deep sleep.
In his dream, Naruto found himself standing back in Konoha exactly as he was now. He watched his own earlier attempts at martial arts training play out before him. He remembered realizing early on that his current body was simply too weak, which forced him to give up on that path entirely.
This new vessel just wasn't capable of supporting the immense physical techniques he had once used in his previous life. Because of this, he had dedicated himself solely to the ninjutsu and chakra techniques of this world instead.
The dream shifted, moving forward at a rapid pace as days blurred into months, and months stretched into years. He watched himself study jutsu with relentless determination.
He mastered chakra control, learned powerful new techniques, and pushed his body far beyond its natural limits. His strength accumulated little by little until he finally stood as one of Konoha's absolute strongest jonin level shinobi.
Then, the dream-version of himself tried to leave the village. He tried again and again, yet every single attempt ended in failure. No matter what he did or how strong he became, he remained firmly tied to Konoha with his bonds in Leaf Village.
Eventually, he stopped trying to escape altogether.
'If I can't escape from Konaha clutches, I will just rule the Konoha.'
He decided that if he could not leave Konoha, then he would simply rule it.
The dream shifted once more, revealing that he had successfully become the Hokage. Having reached his ultimate goal of ruling the village, he had grown rather soft. His face was carved proudly into the mountain alongside the previous leaders.
Standing atop the great stone monument, he gazed down upon the peaceful village below. He comforted himself with the thought that he had at least achieved something meaningful in this world.
Suddenly, his vision darkened as a sinister shadow spread across the village. At first, it was small, but it rapidly grew high into the sky. It expanded larger and larger until the entirety of Konoha was swallowed beneath its massive shade.
A colossal figure materialized behind the Hokage Monument. Naruto recognized it immediately. It was the grand statue of Xuan Tian, his past incarnation.... as the Heavenly Demon.
The terrifying figure towered above the mountain like a divine being looking down upon mere mortals. An overwhelming pressure descended upon the world, and Naruto felt it pressing heavily against his body, forcing him down to his knees. He couldn't look away from the sight.
His own Hokage face, which had seemed like such a grand achievement only moments ago, now looked utterly insignificant beneath the towering shadow of the Heavenly Demon. The difference was like comparing a flickering candle to the blazing sun.
One represented the absolute limits of this current world, while the other represented the grand path he had once walked—a path that sought total domination over heaven and earth.
Naruto jolted awake with a sharp gasp. His body was completely drenched in sweat, and his breathing was heavy and uneven.
For a few long moments, he simply sat there in the dark. He silently stared into the room as he remembered the vivid details of the dream. He grabbed a cup of water from his nightstand and emptied it in one massive gulp.
As his mind raced to process the vision, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
"HAHAHAHAHAHHAAA"
His cold laughter echoed through the quiet room.
So, this is what I am missing, he thought.
I am losing my true self. My original self. The Heavenly Demon.
Since arriving in this strange world, he had unknowingly begun adapting to its narrow way of thinking. Trivial things like graduation, academy life, and becoming a shinobi and forming allies with shinobi, these had started occupying his precious attention.
The dream was a stark reminder of something incredibly important. His ultimate goal was never to become Hokage. His goal was power. Absolute, undeniable power.
The next morning, Naruto began his usual physical training with a renewed sense of purpose. He ran throughout Konoha, crossing busy streets, leaping over rooftops, and navigating training paths without stopping for a single break.
Sweat poured down his face as he pushed his weak body harder and harder. He knew that only by strengthening this fragile vessel could he fully walk the path he truly desired.
When he finally returned home, he found a package waiting outside his door containing his new outfit. After cleaning himself up and finishing his morning routine, he eagerly changed into the sleek black clothes.
Standing before his mirror, Naruto smirked in satisfaction. This dark attire suited him far better than his old orange outfit ever did.
Soon enough, it was time for the ninja academy's official photo session. Naruto arrived proudly wearing his new clothing. When his turn finally came, he stood before the camera with his arms confidently folded across his chest.
He turned slightly sideways and gave a small, dismissive scoff.
"Hmph."
The photographer felt strangely pressured under the young boy's piercing gaze and quickly snapped the picture.
The final photo captured Naruto: showing his headband tied casually around his arm, his arms folded, and his eyes looking sideways with a visible scoff etched onto his face.
After the photo session ended, Inoichi arrived to escort him directly to the Third Hokage's office.
Inside the spacious room, the Hokage greeted him with a warm, welcoming smile. "Naruto," he said kindly, "I just wanted to check on you. How have you been?"
Naruto simply shrugged. "I've been fine, old man. But there is something I wanted to ask you oldman."
He looked the Hokage directly in the eye, dropping all pretense. "I need the basics—clothes, weapons. None of the shops let me buy anything. I want you to make some arrangements so I can get these things."
The Hokage blinked in surprise at the highly straightforward request. Inoichi also looked visibly shocked by the boy's blunt tone.
After a moment of thoughtful silence, the Hokage nodded. "I understand, Naruto. I'll speak to the shop owners."
"There's a weapons store in Konoha you'll be able to access to buy armory at reasonable prices," the Hokage continued. "And I'll make sure there are ninja stores that will provide the essentials to any ninja, including you."
"Thank you, old man," Naruto replied smoothly.
Then, keeping his voice perfectly steady though his gaze remained intense, Naruto asked his next question. "I also want to clarify one thing. Is my father the Fourth Hokage? We both have the exact same resemblance, the same eyes, and the same hair color.....and my institution telling me he is my dad"
The Hokage froze completely.
For a tense moment, absolute silence filled the room. Finally, the old leader offered a heavy nod.
"Yes, Naruto. The Fourth Hokage was indeed your father. He sacrificed his life to save you and all of Konoha. He hoped you'd be honored as the hero who held the Nine-Tails back for the sake of the village."
Naruto scoffed bitterly, his blue eyes narrowing. "A hero, huh?"
He shook his head in disgust. "I think a hero shouldn't be getting the kind of treatment that I am right now."
The Hokage sighed heavily. "We wanted to keep the details of the Nine-Tails a secret, but somehow, the information spread throughout Konoha."
Reaching into his wooden desk, the Hokage pulled out a brass key and a small, sealed scroll. "Your father's house is still perfectly preserved. His belongings, his privacy... they are all intact. You, as his son, have every right to them."
"Here is the key and the location details," the Hokage offered. "We protected the house from robbers and preserved it just for you. Everything that house holds is yours to take."
Naruto accepted the key and the location scroll without hesitation. "Thanks."
Throughout the entire exchange, his expression remained entirely calm and unreadable. The Hokage watched him closely, feeling a deep sense of unease.
Most normal children would have shown intense happiness, sadness, anger, or deep resentment after learning something of this magnitude done by thier dad. Naruto showed absolutely none of those emotions.
The boy standing before him felt strangely distant, remarkably colder, and far more mature than any child his age should be.
As Naruto turned his back and casually left the office, a faint feeling of dread settled deep within the Hokage's heart. Once the door clicked shut, the old man slowly glanced toward Inoichi.
"Keep a close eye on him."
Inoichi nodded firmly. "Yes, lord hokage."
Outside the Hokage's office, Naruto looked down at the brass key resting in the palm of his hand. Minato's house meant very little to him on an emotional level, but a useful asset was still a useful asset.
If he was going to train the way he truly wanted to, he would need a secure place far away from the prying eyes of the village. His cramped little apartment simply wasn't suitable for the grand plans he had in mind.
Following the clear directions on the scroll, Naruto made his quiet way through the streets of Konoha. As he continued walking, he noticed that the path led outward toward a densely forested, secluded area.
A faint, knowing smirk appeared on his face. This new house would provide far more privacy than his current apartment ever could.
And privacy was exactly what Naruto really needed.