Inside the Hokage Building.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slowly opened the report Kakashi had submitted.
The contents were simple, but ridiculous enough to give any teacher a heart attack.
Naruto had already mastered chakra perception.
In combat, his strength was comparable to a chūnin.
And the Academy curriculum only went up to the sixth grade anyway.
In other words—
The kid had basically run out of things to learn.
So naturally, Naruto had come up with a bold idea.
Early graduation.
Hiruzen tapped his fingers against the desk.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound echoed like the countdown to another migraine.
"Kakashi," he said, glancing at the silver-haired jonin leaning lazily nearby, "you also graduated early. In your opinion, should Naruto stay in the Academy… or become a ninja now?"
Kakashi scratched his head.
"Based on experience? Staying longer is safer. Early graduates either become legends… or get killed early. Sometimes both."
He paused, then added more seriously,
"But Naruto probably doesn't want to graduate because he's eager to work. He just wants to know the truth about his past… and who his parents were."
After saying that, Kakashi looked straight at the Third Hokage.
No sugarcoating. Just facts.
Hiruzen stopped tapping the desk.
From a rational perspective, Naruto's background absolutely couldn't be revealed yet. He was still too young. If he accidentally leaked that he was the Fourth Hokage's son…
Congratulations.
Kidnappings, assassinations, enemy spies, and every lunatic in the ninja world would line up to cut his throat.
But…
He had promised Naruto.
When he became a ninja, he would tell him everything.
Yet if Naruto learned the truth now—
that he was Minato Namikaze's son but still treated like trash by the villagers—
He might resent the village.
Or worse… resent him.
The old Hokage suddenly felt ten years older.
"Raising kids is harder than fighting wars," he muttered internally.
After a long silence, he sighed.
"I can't tell him the truth yet. But early graduation is acceptable. He'll become a ninja sooner or later. It's better he adapts early and makes some friends."
Then he looked at Kakashi.
"Kakashi. Leave the Anbu and become Naruto's jonin instructor."
"…Huh?"
Kakashi blinked.
He came here to deliver paperwork.
How did this turn into a forced career change?
Was this some kind of Hokage trap?
After a moment, he replied carefully,
"I can do it. But according to regulations, a jonin instructor must lead three genin. This year's graduates are already assigned. I can't form a one-man squad just for Naruto. That's… a bit too special."
Even for Naruto.
Hiruzen nodded.
"That's true. Then postpone his graduation to next year. Spend this year training him personally. I'll leave it to you."
"…Understood."
Then Kakashi suddenly remembered something.
"Lord Third, Naruto's perception is already sharp enough to detect Anbu shadows. Should we change the protection arrangements?"
"Do as you see fit," Hiruzen said. "But keep him away from the Uchiha clan."
Kakashi quietly let out a breath.
At least Naruto would have more freedom now.
If he couldn't give his teacher's son the truth… he could at least give him some normal childhood time.
Even if the kid was a walking headache.
After Kakashi left, Hiruzen returned to his mountain of paperwork.
Recently, complaints had been piling up—most of them about the Konoha Military Police Force.
Which meant one thing.
The Uchiha were as unpopular as ever.
In a strange way… that was good news for him.
But the Anbu reports were less comforting.
The Uchiha had been buying supplies in bulk—detonating tags, kunai, shuriken—shipping them back to their compound like they were preparing for a small war.
This wasn't "maintaining law and order."
This was "stockpiling for doomsday."
Even a coup wouldn't need that many weapons.
Hiruzen rubbed his temples.
He knew what this meant.
The Uchiha were expressing dissatisfaction. Pressuring the village. Trying to gain more power.
But what they wanted wasn't just a few positions.
They wanted the Hokage seat.
And that…
Was absolutely impossible.
An Uchiha Hokage?
The other clans would faint on the spot.
Their extreme tendencies would isolate the village politically, and Tobirama Senju's policies to balance the clans would collapse overnight.
Worse, once they controlled the Hokage office, half the departments would probably turn into "Uchiha branches."
At that point, it wouldn't be Konoha anymore.
It would be Uchiha Village with extra steps.
Knock knock.
The office door opened.
Uchiha Itachi walked in.
Hiruzen's thoughts paused.
After Shisui's death, Itachi was the only Uchiha he could still communicate with calmly.
"Itachi," Hiruzen said gently, "any news from the Military Police?"
"My father is contacting other clans," Itachi replied. "He hopes to form alliances."
"Alliances…"
Hiruzen quietly exhaled.
That meant no immediate coup.
Good.
Because if the Uchiha stormed the Hokage Building directly, even if he survived, the Anbu and civilian staff would be slaughtered.
Power alone couldn't run a village.
Even Hashirama had needed Tobirama to handle administration.
Standing up, Hiruzen walked over and patted Itachi's shoulder.
"You've worked hard. Being caught between your family and the village… it can't be easy."
Itachi shook his head calmly.
"My father's current path will only harm both the clan and the village. It will only benefit other nations. But their vision never goes beyond the Uchiha name."
Hiruzen gave a tired smile.
"If only you were thirty-five already… I'd make you Hokage immediately. You'd handle this mess much better than me."
"Lord Hokage jokes," Itachi said quietly. "I still have far to go."
After delivering his report, Itachi left.
Watching his retreating figure, Hiruzen felt a trace of nostalgia.
He missed Shisui.
Shisui was simple. Straightforward. A pure believer in the Will of Fire.
But Itachi…
Itachi sometimes felt too much like Danzō.
Calm. Calculating. Impossible to fully read.
Hard to control.
And that worried him more than anything.
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