Hiruzen Sarutobi had seen him off, leaving Iruka behind at the mansion. He didn't mention the task of caring for Naruto again. After returning the Scroll of Seals to the storage room, Hiruzen stood with his hands behind his back in the hallway, speaking to the empty darkness.
"Tell me everything that happened tonight," he commanded. "And everything about Naruto's changes."
Although his Telescope Technique had allowed him to see clearly from a distance, he hadn't been there in person. He'd missed some details, and the conversation had been too quiet to hear. He needed an ANBU member who had observed the entire event to reconstruct what happened.
"Yes."
A masked figure emerged silently from the shadows. He knelt respectfully on one knee and began recounting the night's events. The first part was largely consistent with what Hiruzen had witnessed. But from the point where Mizuki had Naruto cornered, the ANBU's account made Hiruzen's brow furrow.
From his vantage point, Hiruzen had seen Naruto unleash a formidable attack on Mizuki, then torment the traitorous instructor. However, Naruto's voice had been too soft for him to hear clearly; he'd only caught Mizuki's groans.
But the ANBU described Naruto as a completely different person after being choked. Mizuki hadn't been ambushed—Naruto had crushed him head-on, ruthlessly. Later, Naruto toyed with his prey like a cat playing with a mouse, giving Mizuki hope before personally shattering it. This tactic was completely unlike an innocent schoolboy.
Of course, that wasn't the most important thing. The most important part was the two sentences Naruto uttered before retaliating.
"Is this the aura of the real world?"
"How nostalgic!"
These sentences contained a wealth of information, proving it wasn't Naruto himself at that moment. So what else was inside him? The answer was obvious: the Nine-Tails.
"Otherwise, it couldn't possibly be Minato and Kushina, could it?"
Thinking this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face grim, he asked, "Did you sense the Nine-Tails' chakra at the time?"
The ANBU member pondered for a moment before replying confidently. "No. Naruto only used taijutsu; we didn't detect any chakra fluctuations."
"No Nine-Tails chakra?"
Hiruzen's brows furrowed even deeper. However, having the information he needed, there was no need for the ANBU to remain. He waved a dismissive hand. "I understand. You can leave now."
"Yes."
The ANBU member bowed and vanished.
"No Nine-Tails chakra..." Hiruzen muttered to himself. "Could it be that the Nine-Tails' consciousness escaped the seal, but its chakra couldn't break through?"
Hiruzen was truly puzzled by Naruto's situation. However, the absence of the Nine-Tails' chakra was, overall, a good thing. At least there was no need to worry about the Nine-Tails breaking free and going out of control. It showed the seal was still secure, and there was nothing to worry about. Naruto, as the jinchuriki, could be released and used without concern.
Speaking of Naruto, Hiruzen suddenly remembered something. He turned and walked back to the desk in his office. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a thin envelope.
"I still don't know if Mizuki's words had any effect on Naruto," he muttered. "He died too easily—too good for him. And Iruka... utterly hopeless. He couldn't even handle a small task. Now I'll have to clean up his mess myself."
Muttering, Hiruzen put on his coat. But before leaving, he hesitated, clutching the thin envelope. A moment later, he returned to his desk, took a small stack of hundred-ryō bills from the drawer, and stuffed them into the envelope. This small stack contained about ten bills, plus the ten already inside. Finally, it no longer felt so thin.
Satisfied, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his Hokage hat and walked out the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
Naruto, still excited about being home, heard a knock at the door.
"Someone's knocking? Could it be time to collect my allowance again?" Normally, apart from Hiruzen Sarutobi sending someone to deliver the allowance, no one ever knocked on Naruto's door. "It should still be about two weeks, right?"
Muttering to himself, Naruto jogged over and opened the door. He saw Hiruzen Sarutobi with a kind smile on his face.
"Third Hokage!" Naruto exclaimed with delight. This was the kindest person to him in the village! He was also his closest relative, like a grandfather.
"Naruto, I've come to see you."
Hiruzen's tone was gentle, his eyes looking at Naruto as if he were his own grandson. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"
"No, no, please come in!" Naruto quickly stepped aside, overjoyed that his grandfather, the Third Hokage, had come to see him. It seemed his prank of stealing things tonight had successfully attracted attention!
Thinking of this, Naruto recalled Mizuki's words earlier. His surprise faltered, and his gaze toward Hiruzen Sarutobi became more complex.
Damn Mizuki! His death was too easy for him!
Seeing the change in Naruto's expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but curse Mizuki again in his mind. But his facial expression remained unchanged, instead showing worry and concern.
"Naruto, Grandpa heard about what happened tonight. Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with paternal concern. "If you're hurt, just tell Grandpa. I'll heal you even if it means going bankrupt!"
Hiruzen's words, combined with his expression, truly made him look like a grandfather worried about his grandson's safety. This filled Naruto's face with gratitude and joy.
"How hypocritical and disgusting," Menma observed from within his mindscape, feeling a pang of nausea.
However, he didn't intend to interrupt or reveal Hiruzen Sarutobi's true nature to Naruto. Not yet.
"Third Grandpa, I'm perfectly fine! Not a scratch on my face!" Naruto swayed, gesturing that he was very strong.
"That's good." Hiruzen Sarutobi gently patted Naruto's head. Then his expression darkened, his eyes filled with apology. "Naruto, you've suffered so much these past years. You're a big kid now, and there are some things you should know."
Hiruzen had come specifically to explain things to Naruto to avoid causing him any resentment. However, judging from Naruto's current behavior, he didn't seem to harbor any resentment or hatred toward him or the village. It seemed his previous brainwashing and manipulation of Naruto were quite effective. Far more perfect than Danzo's claim of controlling him with a cursed seal!
"Third Hokage, I don't believe Mizuki-sensei at all. Actually, you don't need to..." At this crucial moment, Naruto felt a pang of fear and worry. He feared that if this matter were exposed, the Third Hokage would change and stop being kind to him. Even if this kindness was feigned, he didn't want to lose him.
Naruto's reaction deepened Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile. However, now that the words were out, he wasn't going to take them back. So, with a solemn expression, he said, word by word:
"Naruto, you are not the Nine-Tailed Fox. You are a living, breathing person, a ninja of the Hidden Leaf."
---
Yo —
If you've made it this far, you already know this hits. So show some love — drop your Powerstones, takes two seconds and means everything for the rankings.
I've got more good stuff in the library waiting. The faster this climbs, the sooner we get there.
10 Bonus Chapters on the table. I keep my promises.
Vote and let's go.
— Rogue Soul