Because they had already experienced two screenings before,no one expected the darkened projection to suddenly start playing new content again.
Not just the genin gathered near the Central Tower,but also the shinobi from every village who had finished collecting intel and were preparing to return and analyze it.And even the civilians—wealthy merchants, nobles, and daimyo.
[Unlike before, this segment had no visuals—only sound!]
[???: "You couldn't even become Hokage. What right do you have to belittle the Hokage? And what's more… you have no right to insult my dad, who did become Hokage!! You bastard!!!"][
[The background noise was extremely chaotic, like an intense ninjutsu clash on a battlefield. From the voice alone, it was barely possible to tell that the speaker was a young man. With no image, no one could guess who it was.]
[???: "You really gave birth to a~ good son who respects his parents—"][
[This voice, however, was clear and powerful. Completely different from the young man's earlier voice, it sounded like it belonged to someone enormous in stature. Just hearing it was enough to feel overwhelming authority and strength.]
[Unfortunately, that was all. In an instant, both the sound and the projection screen vanished—as if the content had played beyond its limit, leaking out only a fragment.]
"..."
The first to react was the Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto.
"That was… my voice?"
Who was it? Who dared imitate the voice of him, the Nine-Tailed Fox—and spout that kind of nonsense?!
Hmph! As the leader of the tailed beasts, how could he ever praise humans?!
Naruto couldn't hear the Nine-Tails' voice yet, but he was the second to react—and he was immediately furious.
Naruto: "Who was that?! Who dares insult the Hokage?! I'll punch him into the sky!"
Shikamaru Nara: "The first voice definitely wasn't Asuma-sensei. And among the children of the Hokage… there's basically only one possibility."
"Right, right, it couldn't be Asuma-sensei," Ino said, waving her hand dismissively.
Choji kept stuffing chips into his mouth, nodding along with a muffled, "Mm, mm."
"Asuma-sensei?" Sakura imagined that bearded, rugged man for a second…
"Yeah, no way. Definitely not."
With a sigh, Shikamaru continued analyzing, "If that was a future projection, then it can only mean the son of a future Hokage."
"Yeah, that's possible."
Naruto: "Heh heh! Maybe it's after I become Hokage—"
Sasuke: "Don't get ahead of yourself, loser."
That voice in the projection sounded strangely familiar, but…
"What did you say?! You bastard, Sasuke?!"
Sasuke: "!!!"
Why did it sound a bit like that dead-last…?! No, impossible! Naruto was just an ordinary orphan in Konoha. After the Third Shinobi World War, plenty of orphans had been left behind.
Compared to Konoha, which knew its own internal situation well, Temari from the Sand trio looked at Shikamaru and asked, "Did the Fourth Hokage not have a child? I don't mean any offense, but with these three projections in a row…"
Shikamaru: That's right. In all three projections so far, the time points were almost the same—about three or four years into the future!
If the owner of that voice really was the child of a Hokage…
Then judging by age, the Fourth Hokage and the Fourth Kazekage were the closest in generation. Someone who would be around Gaara's age three or four years from now…
The most likely answer was obvious.
The son of the Fourth Hokage!
And moreover…
From their generation—
'Stop it, brain!' Shikamaru nearly smacked his own head, forcibly cutting off this dangerous line of thought.
While Shikamaru was thinking, Naruto answered Temari's question.
"Huh? The Fourth?" Naruto scratched his head. "When the Fourth Hokage died, he was still super young, dattebayo…" He looked toward the Hokage Rock. "He's the Hokage I admire the most. One day, I'll definitely surpass him and become an even greater Hokage!"
Temari: I didn't ask about your dream, thanks.
"Well, whatever. This kind of thing is for the intelligence divisions of each village to analyze," Temari said, smoothly changing the topic. "We've got the Earth Scroll too. Let's head into the Central Tower together."
"Oh!" A certain fox-like boy was brimming with motivation.
Land of Lightning · Kumogakure(hidden cloud)
Fourth Raikage A: "The Hokage's son? More intel related to Konoha again…"
Who was it? Insulting a Hokage right in front of the Hokage's son—now that took some guts.
Killer B: "Hokage's stupid son, stupid bastard~"
Gyuki: "Bee… that last voice—if I'm not mistaken… no, it can't be. There's no way it's that guy…"
The Nine-Tails always hated humans. Praising one didn't sound like something he'd ever do.
But that voice… it really was his.
Land of Fire · Konohagakure
Gathered in front of the Ninja Academy, many shinobi who knew Sarutobi Asuma all cast their gazes toward him…
Asuma, cigarette in his mouth, unconsciously took a step back. Beside him, Kurenai quietly stifled a laugh.
Asuma: "Hey, hey, there's no way it was me. That voice obviously isn't something a raspy-voiced old smoker like me could shout."
The Third Hokage snorted unhappily. "Hmph. You couldn't say something that nice anyway, you brat."
The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, of course remembered that voice. It was a segment from Naruto's battle against Uchiha Obito after he obtained the power of the Six Paths—specifically, the moment Tobirama himself had used Flying Thunder God to bring Naruto in for the first effective strike.
He glanced at that dark-skinned, burly Konoha jonin.
The monkey's son had grown this big already?
Come to think of it, this man…
Right. During the Fourth War, through the Yamanaka clan girl's jutsu, he had seen him in Naruto's memories.
…
It was Sarutobi Asuma's funeral.
Both father and son had sacrificed themselves for Konoha.
For this village.
For the flames of the village to continue burning, generation after generation.
The shadow of fire must always stand at the very front.
Using one's own will to illuminate the next generation.
Protecting them.
And then, when they grow up,
they become even more outstanding shinobi.
In the next era, they protect what they wish to protect,
and pass on the Will of Fire once more…
He and his elder brother had lived this way too, without regret.
He was glad.
Glad that these feelings could be passed on.
Tobirama Senju: "Enough. Since the projection is over, have the intelligence division analyze it. Dismissed."
At the Second Hokage's order, the shinobi who had gathered to watch the projection quickly dispersed. The civilians living in Konoha also returned to their daily routines.
Once most people had left, Tobirama followed the Third Hokage and the advisory council back to the Hokage Building.
He said, "Third, the invitations for the Five Kage Summit—have they been sent out?"
Being addressed without the nickname "Monkey," Hiruzen Sarutobi froze for a moment.
"They've already been sent, Second Hokage-sama."
"Good." It was about time to deal with Danzo as well. "Take me to see—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Tobirama's crimson eyes suddenly flicked to the side.
"If you have business, then don't hide in the shadows. Come out and speak openly—"
???: "Yes, Second Hokage-sama. Third Hokage-sama."
—