The Hokage's office.
On the ceiling above, a vast design was carved: a great leaf, its center swirling into a spiral. The Third Hokage sat in his chair, taking a long, slow draw from his pipe as if savoring its flavor. A few seconds later, he exhaled a ring of smoke. It grew larger as it drifted upward until it merged with the spiral carved into the ceiling.
He looked like a workaholic, carefully combing through the endless stacks of documents and intelligence reports flowing into the village.
To be Hokage did not mean mastering every matter personally. It meant appointing the right people, then overseeing them.
But because the Fourth Hokage had held this seat before him, power had been divided. Before his death, Minato had shared much of the Hokage's authority with the great clans of Konoha and with the three senior advisors, to keep the office checked and balanced.
Which meant the Fourth himself had held little true power.
Hiruzen had planned to retire, then gradually hand things down while retaining influence as a senior advisor. After all, the Sarutobi clan still stood behind him.
But everything had been destroyed on that night, four years ago.
Now power was too fragmented. Even though he had returned as Hokage, reclaiming what had been handed away was painfully difficult.
The thought gave him a headache.
Just as he set aside a file, a knock came at the door.
"Enter," the Third Hokage said calmly, though his voice carried authority.
The door opened, and two figures stepped in.
Hiruzen's eyes rose. "Shikaku, Hayate."
"Lord Hokage, I heard you wished to see me," said Nara Shikaku, his pineapple-shaped hair marking him as a clansman of the Nara.
Hiruzen nodded and passed him a folder. "Read this first."
Shikaku accepted it. His pupils narrowed the moment he noticed the red seal stamped across the cover: Top Secret, Jinchuriki. Thoughts flashed through his mind. He opened it and began to read.
It did not take long. Though there were many pages, the report was simply the surveillance records of Uzumaki Naruto from birth until now. Shikaku quickly skimmed it all, then returned the file.
"What do you think after reading this?" Hiruzen asked.
Shikaku was silent for a while. Finally, he said, "Possible precocity."
"Possible?" The Hokage's eyes sharpened.
Shikaku explained, "Yes. Precocious children are not rare. My own son Shikamaru, for example. But Naruto does not show the traits precocious children usually possess. He seems too calm, too composed.
"True precocity shows in three ways. A broad range of interests pursued with focus. A creative and original way of thinking, unusual imagination. And an endless stream of questions, never satisfied with shallow answers.
"From what I saw in your file, Naruto matches none of these. That is why I say only possibly precocious."
The Third Hokage said nothing. His gaze shifted to Moonlight Hayate. "Hayate. What of Naruto today?"
Hayate coughed twice, then drew a note from his pocket. He read aloud, "Target left home at 7 a.m., used the Transformation Technique, and entered the village center. He followed several streets he has walked before. Around 9 a.m. he reached Ninja Tools Full Point Hall. After pausing two minutes outside, he entered. Fifteen minutes later he exited.
"No trace of weapon purchases. Afterward he took his usual route home. Along the way he encountered Lady Hinata of the Hyuga clan, who had lost her way. Target personally escorted her home. According to my orders, I then sought out Shikaku. Meanwhile, other watchers reported target had returned home. No abnormalities detected."
Shikaku's eyes flickered at the sheer detail. Every step of a four-year-old child's day was reported with military precision. It was unsettling. Yet remembering who that child was, he could only sigh inwardly.
The Hokage said nothing. He rose from his chair, his eyes drawn to a frame on the wall.
The picture of the Fourth Hokage.
The medical reports had made it clear. Though Naruto had not inherited his mother's brilliant red hair, he had fully inherited the Uzumaki constitution.
A body with immense chakra and extraordinary vitality.
Just last night, Naruto had learned to refine chakra. This morning, he had already used the Transformation Technique. His gifts were his father's.
It must be controlled.
For not only did Naruto carry frightening potential of his own, but sealed inside him was another power far greater.
If the boy grew and lost control, if that power erupted, the disaster would be unimaginable.
"For Konoha's peace… forgive me," Hiruzen thought.
He looked one last time at the portrait of Minato. His expression hardened. A decision was made. He walked to the window, eyes dark and deep as they looked out over the village.
At that same moment, in the seal-space of the jinchuriki, father and son stood locked in tense silence.
"Naruto, you must believe me. The Nine Tails cannot be trusted. If you step beyond that gate, its will shall instantly seize your mind. You will lose your body."
Minato's eyes burned as he blocked his son's path, staring into the fox's red gaze.
"Keh keh keh. Brat, scared already? I told you, humans and tailed beasts can never truly trust each other. Just look at your father's face. Tell me, has there ever been a tale of a tailed beast breaking its word? Yet I have seen countless humans betray one another. Especially the tale of Uzushio's fall. Konoha, your so-called blood ally, was not so righteous then."
"Silence, Nine Tails!" Minato's eyes flared as he roared.
"Heh. Lies, am I?" The fox smirked. Seeing Minato seethe, nearly breaking with anger, pleased it. With a chuckle, it rested its head down and closed its eyes, refusing to say more.
Why had it come to this?
After Naruto's argument about tailed beasts, the three had spoken at length about the seal.
Minato explained that it was a modified version of Kushina's seal, strengthened into the Eight Trigrams Seal. It was designed for Naruto, so that as he grew, he could slowly draw on the Nine Tails' chakra.
But Naruto rejected such borrowed power. Too dangerous. If the fox did not cooperate, then he did not want it. Letting the beast be free would be better for both—so long as he survived.
The fox scoffed. Clearly this father and son were acting together to mock it, playing a trick so they could laugh at its expense. Freedom? How many centuries had humans coveted their power? Not one had ever offered release.
This boy was different, yes. But to trust him? Impossible. So it rolled its eyes and proposed a test. If the boy truly meant it, let him show his sincerity. Let him step through the gate. If he dared, then it would grant him the chance to prove trust.
"Father, stand aside. The root of hatred between humans and beasts began with humanity. To me, tailed beasts are no different from people.
"And even between people, before understanding comes trust. If it has invited me, then I must answer."
Naruto's tone was calm, but inside he was almost amused. He wanted to tell his father he had a trump card. The Mirror World had granted him a new function, one that shielded his very soul. If the fox tried to devour him, it would pay the price.
The fox's eyes opened suddenly at Naruto's words. In those blue eyes it saw a faint shadow of another memory. Its gaze softened for a heartbeat, then closed again.
Minato turned sharply. "No. Never. I will not let you go inside."
"No?"
Naruto's voice lost its patience. He looked directly at his father, expression solemn. "Father, you should remember what I said earlier."
Minato's heart sank.
"You are already dead," Naruto said, softly but firmly.
Shock flickered across Minato's face, then faded. He understood. He was nothing more than a fragment of chakra. He could not block the path forever.
"All things must have a beginning."
Naruto stepped forward, past his father.
Clack.
One foot crossed the threshold of the gate.
"This is my beginning."
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