Kaede Kitahara had nothing else to do, so he stayed with Naruto until the sun dipped behind the rooftops before finally saying goodbye.
After an entire afternoon of practice, Naruto could now sprint all the way up to the treetops without slipping. His chakra control had improved dramatically.
Kaede Kitahara didn't plan to teach him water-walking next. Even just what he'd done today was probably enough for a bunch of people to take notice.
But that wasn't the real issue. The real problem was that if Naruto mastered chakra control too quickly and passed the graduation exam without trouble, he might end up derailing the plot where he stole the Scroll of Seals.
And without Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto might not even survive long enough to reach the later events.
This world still needed Naruto to save it. The last thing Kaede Kitahara wanted was to mess up the kid's growth path.
"
Just as he expected, that afternoon as the sun sank, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, ended the Telescope Technique. Seeing Naruto finish tree climbing brought a rare, gentle smile to his face.
As his student's grandchild, and a kid who called him "Hokage Grandpa," how could Hiruzen not care about him? He wasn't nearly as cold-blooded as people liked to imagine. But Kaede Kitahara's appearance today had reminded him that he'd been neglecting Naruto far too much.
Keeping him safe wasn't enough. He hadn't paid nearly enough attention to the boy's training. Naruto's mother had already possessed considerable strength at this age.
For civilian-born ninja, tree climbing was usually something they learned only after becoming genin, from their chunin or jonin squad leader. But for clan children, it was basic training from early childhood.
"Kaede Kitahara… his ancestors joined Konoha during its founding. His father's generation only produced one chunin, who died on a mission a few years back." Hiruzen muttered around his pipe, reading the documents Anbu had just delivered.
A chunin suddenly getting close to the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails was no small matter. It was enough to alert Konoha's highest authority.
The Nine-Tails was far too important, one of Konoha's only remaining deterrents after its strength had been badly depleted.
Thinking about Konoha's current situation gave him a headache.
All the Kage-level powerhouses the village once had were gone—some defected, some vanished, some betrayed, some died. Publicly, he was the only one left. It was unprecedented.
And he was already old. The younger generation—Kakashi, Guy, even his own son Asuma—were stuck at elite jonin level.
Kakashi had once shown the most promise, but the Sharingan held him back. Even though he'd earned the title Copy Ninja, for someone with his innate talent, that eye had actually weakened him.
The proper path for Kakashi should've been following Hatake Sakumo's footsteps, pushing the White Fang's swordsmanship to its peak. Instead, he'd become an odd, mismatched copycat ninja.
And thinking of Sakumo brought another twist of pain. Hiruzen couldn't help feeling that if Sakumo were still alive, things would be much better.
Back then, he'd considered Sakumo too dangerous. That was how he saw things in his prime. But now, as an aging Hokage desperately in need of a successor, Sakumo would have been perfect.
He continued reading. Anbu's evaluation report said Kaede Kitahara showed no suspicious behavior, likely met Naruto by coincidence.
Given his rank, he shouldn't even know Naruto was the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki. His family had been loyal villagers for generations. Low risk. Recommendation: continued observation.
Hiruzen remembered Naruto's cheerful expression as he trained all afternoon. Compared to other kids, Naruto really was starved for companionship. Even at the academy, classmates avoided him because of their parents.
With a sigh, Hiruzen finally made a decision. In the approval column, he wrote: continue observation, no intervention unless necessary.
Suddenly, the office door swung open. An elderly man stepped in wearing a traditional kimono. His right eye was hidden behind layers of bandages; only one cold eye was exposed.
"Daytime's over, and yet someone approached the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki today. Are you aware?" he asked bluntly.
Seeing the man not even bothering to call Naruto by name, Hiruzen's eyes chilled. "I know. Danzo, what are you trying to say?"
It was no surprise Danzo knew. He had eyes and ears everywhere.
"I'm saying that boy, Kaede Kitahara, is dangerous. He's never approached the jinchuriki before. Today he suddenly did. I suspect he's an enemy spy. Anyone bold enough to get close to the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki must have ulterior motives." Shimura Danzo said coldly.
"I don't think it's that serious. His family has been Konoha citizens since its founding. His background is clean. There's nothing to doubt." Hiruzen replied flatly.
He hadn't planned to punish Kaede Kitahara in the first place. And with Danzo barging in, acting aggressive, Hiruzen felt an even stronger urge to put him in his place. If Danzo wanted to be the Root of Konoha, then he needed to stay in the shadows and stop interfering with everything on the surface.
"You're too naive, Hiruzen. A clean family background doesn't mean he can't be a spy. If he dares get close to the jinchuriki, he's not an ordinary chunin anymore." Danzo said. "We need to strike hard."
Hiruzen's irritation grew. Danzo had been reaching farther and farther, constantly intruding where he shouldn't.
"I already told you, he's not a spy. And Naruto needs a friend. It's good for him, and good for the village." Hiruzen said.
"Hiruzen, jinchuriki don't need friends. They need to be obedient weapons. You've spoiled him too much. He should be handed over to Root. Look at him now. He's twelve and hasn't even done basic training like tree climbing or water walking. If war really breaks out, can you rely on this jinchuriki to win it for us?" Danzo snapped.
"I've already made my decision, Danzo. And let me remind you. I am the Hokage." Hiruzen said quietly.
"Hiruzen, you're going to regret this."
Danzo stormed out in anger.
Bang!
The Hokage's office door slammed shut behind him.