The Sarutobi clan is a major clan, having been famous in the Land of Fire even before the establishment of Konoha.
They once had a brief collaboration with the Senju to seal away Uchiha Hikari.
Later, when the Senju and Uchiha founded Konoha, they took the initiative to join the village.
The area of the Sarutobi clan grounds was even greater than that of the Hyuga clan.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The steady, unhurried sound of knocking was particularly clear in the quiet night at the Sarutobi Residence.
This was the home of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. At this time, the Old Man had likely finished his official duties and returned home.
A set of slightly hurried footsteps came from the courtyard, accompanied by a deep and somewhat impatient male voice: "Coming, coming! Who is it, so late at night..."
The door was pulled open with a "creak."
Standing inside the door was none other than the son of the Third Hokage, Asuma Sarutobi.
He still had a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
The Third smoked a pipe, making him Konoha's number one old pipe-smoker; Asuma smoked cigarettes, making him Konoha's number one old smoker.
Just moments ago, Asuma had been in the study discussing the details of his upcoming marriage to Kurenai Yuhi with his father, the Third Hokage.
However, when he saw clearly the two people standing outside the door, the cigarette in his mouth nearly fell out.
The impatience on his face froze instantly, turning into a blank slate of astonishment.
"It's Nar..."
He subconsciously wanted to call out Naruto's name.
But the words were only halfway out when they got stuck in his throat.
Asuma's gaze was involuntarily and firmly seized by the sight before him.
Under the dim light of the porch outside the door stood two people.
The one in front had medium-length blonde hair, a clear and striking Konoha forehead protector on his brow, and blue eyes that remained bright even in the night—it was Uzumaki Naruto, whom he recognized.
But beside Naruto, the girl whose hand he was carefully holding, standing timidly a step behind... she had long red hair that looked slightly messy even in the dim light, a thin and small body wrapped in tattered clothes, and purplish-red eyes filled with unease and fear, yet also vaguely showing a resilient vitality similar to Naruto's.
One blonde, one redhead.
Two youngsters stood side by side. Although their temperaments were different and there was an age gap, that side-by-side posture, the sharp contrast of their hair colors, and Naruto's subconscious protective movements... Asuma's pupils dilated slightly. The scene before him produced a startling overlap with a certain image long engraved in the depths of his memory.
He seemed to see, from over a decade ago, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, who also had dazzling blonde hair and a warm, sunny smile, standing beside Uzumaki Kushina, whose hair was as red as fire and whose personality was spicy yet gentle. They stood together, smiling at him mildly... that was once Konoha's most brilliant and most regrettable sight.
"..."
Asuma opened his mouth, only to find himself momentarily speechless.
The dangling cigarette slipped out silently, falling onto the floor tiles at the entrance, and he didn't even notice.
Naruto, seeing Asuma's dazed state, asked, "Asuma-sensei, is Grandpa Third at home? I have a very urgent and important matter to discuss with him."
Karin, on the other hand, became even more uneasy under Asuma's direct stare. She subconsciously shrank behind Naruto, her small hand gripping Naruto's hand tighter.
Naruto's voice pulled Asuma back from his brief trance into reality.
He blinked hard and looked again. Before him were still Naruto and the strange red-haired girl, not the long-deceased couple.
But the shock in his heart caused by the overlapping images could not subside for a long time.
Asuma bent down to pick up the cigarette from the ground, took a deep breath to suppress his churning emotions, and stepped aside to clear the doorway. His expression became serious:
"He's here. Come in. The Old Man is in the study."
His gaze lingered on Karin for an extra moment, his eyes filled with inquiry and a trace of lingering complexity.
"And this is...?"
"Her name is Karin."
Naruto led Karin into Hiruzen Sarutobi's small courtyard, his tone solemn.
"She is an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan. Asuma-sensei, things are a bit complicated. I must see Grandpa Third immediately."
Asuma didn't ask further.
With Naruto's expression and wording, it was clearly no small matter.
He immediately nodded: "Alright, follow me."
He turned, gesturing for the two to follow, while calling out toward the house: "Old Man! Naruto is here, it's urgent!"
The interior of the Sarutobi Residence was in a traditional Japanese style.
But at this moment, no one was in the mood to spare it a second glance.
Asuma led the two through the softly lit hallway, heading straight for the closed door deep within the residence that belonged to the Third Hokage's private study.
Bright light spilled from the gap under the door, showing that the master had indeed not yet retired.
Arriving at the study door, Asuma stopped. He looked back at Karin, who was clinging tightly to Naruto's side and looking ill at ease, then at the determined-looking Naruto, and added in a low voice:
"The Old Man has been busy all day and just finished discussing some things with me. He's a bit tired, but since you're the one who brought her... he will definitely see you."
After saying that, he raised his hand and lightly knocked on the heavy wooden door of the study.
"Old Man, Naruto says he has something important to tell you."
Asuma's voice carried through the door panel.
Inside the study, the sound of flipping through documents stopped.
After a brief silence, the steady and slightly tired voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sounded:
"Come in."
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his somewhat sore eyes and cast a casual glance toward the study door, prepared to see what news the late-night-visiting Naruto had brought.
The door was gently pushed open from the outside by Asuma.
Naruto, holding Karin's hand, stepped inside.
When the two figures fully entered Hiruzen Sarutobi's line of sight.
This Third Hokage, who had weathered countless storms and had long since cultivated a composure that remained unchanged even if a mountain collapsed before him, suddenly froze.
The hand rubbing his eyes stopped in mid-air. He even forgot to puff on his pipe, which fell onto the desk.
His gaze, as if firmly pulled by a magnet, was fixed dead on the two children at the door, especially... that thin little girl with vivid red hair being carefully held by Naruto.
The torrent of time seemed to reverse at this moment.
That dazzling gold, that flame-like red... two figures stood side by side. Though they looked youthful, they overlapped with a certain incredibly precious and incredibly painful image deep in his memory.
Is it a hallucination?
Was it because he was too tired, or because his longing for those two outstanding juniors was too deep?
Hiruzen Sarutobi subconsciously and forcefully rubbed his eyes again.
This time, the movement was even a bit panicked.
However, when he looked again.
Naruto was still standing there, his golden hair shining under the bright lights of the study, his blue eyes clear and firm.
And the red-haired girl beside him also truly existed, her purplish-red eyes carrying a timid unease as she tightly gripped Naruto's hand.
It wasn't a hallucination.
They were two living, breathing youngsters.
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's throat moved, but no sound came out.
Supporting himself on the edge of the desk, as if wanting to confirm something, he suddenly stood up, his figure somewhat unsteady.