Chapter 4: The Old Man's Judgment
The atmosphere inside the Hokage's office was thick with the scent of old parchment and tobacco smoke. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat behind his desk, his fingers interlaced as he watched Naruto Uzumaki. Standing beside the boy was Kakashi Hatake, who had already given a brief, cryptic report about "unusual biological developments."
"So, Naruto," Hiruzen began, his voice weary but kind. "Kakashi tells me you've stumbled upon a power that isn't quite ninjutsu. He seemed... unusually insistent that I see it for myself."
Naruto fidgeted, his hand instinctively covering the black cord on his wrist. "Yeah, Gramps. It's hard to explain. But it's not the Fox! I promise. It's like... I'm borrowing the shapes of things from far away."
Hiruzen glanced at the ANBU hidden in the rafters. He signaled for them to remain back. "Show me, Naruto. But keep it controlled."
Naruto nodded. He closed his eyes and felt for the interface. He didn't want to use Four Arms—too destructive for the office. He didn't want Grey Matter—too hard to explain why a frog was lecturing the Hokage on village economics. He needed something that demonstrated precision and defense.
His mind settled on an icon that felt cold and solid.
Petrosapien, the Omnitrix whispered. Diamondhead.
He pressed the dial.
The office was suddenly bathed in a brilliant emerald flash. Where the young boy had stood, there was now a humanoid figure composed entirely of shimmering, pale-green crystal. Shards of organic diamond protruded from his back, and his eyes glowed with a sharp, yellow intensity.
The ANBU dropped from the ceiling instantly, swords drawn and chakra humming.
"Stand down!" Hiruzen commanded, his eyes wide. He stood up, walking around the desk to get a closer look. He reached out a weathered hand, touching the arm of the creature. It wasn't cold like ice; it felt dense, vibrating with a structural integrity that defied any Earth-style jutsu he knew.
"Fascinating," Hiruzen murmured. "The chakra flow... it's entirely integrated into this crystalline lattice. Naruto, can you speak?"
"I can, Gramps," Diamondhead replied, his voice echoing with a metallic, resonant quality. He raised a hand, and with a thought, his fingers sharpened into crystalline blades, then smoothed back into a hand. "I can also do this."
He pointed toward an empty training target Hiruzen kept in the corner for demonstration. With a sharp clink, Naruto fired a barrage of diamond shards from his forearm. They embedded themselves so deeply into the reinforced wood that they nearly passed through to the stone wall behind it.
"Physical manifestation without hand signs," Hiruzen noted, his tactical mind already spinning. "And the durability?"
"Try me," Naruto said confidently.
Kakashi, taking the cue, flicked a kunai with professional speed. It struck Naruto's chest and shattered into a dozen pieces. The crystal skin didn't even have a scratch.
"It's not just a defense," Kakashi added. "It's a complete biological shift. He's not 'transformed' into crystal; he is crystal. The Sharingan sees no hidden core. He is fundamentally changed for the duration."
The red light on the Omnitrix symbol—located on Diamondhead's chest—began to flash. Another burst of green, and Naruto was back, looking slightly dizzy but wearing a triumphant grin.
"See? I told you! I'm still me, just... with better skin!"
Hiruzen returned to his chair, exhaling a long plume of smoke. "Naruto, do you have any idea where this device came from?"
Naruto hesitated. "A... shiny person. He said he was a Weaver of something. He said the world needed more variety."
Hiruzen exchanged a look with Kakashi. In the world of shinobi, 'Gods' and 'Entities' were rare but not unheard of. The Sage of the Six Paths was a legend, and there were whispers of beings beyond the veil of their world. If a celestial being had taken an interest in the boy who held the Nine-Tails, it was a development that could either save the Leaf or destroy it.
"For now," Hiruzen said, his voice firm, "this remains an S-Rank secret. You are to tell no one, Naruto. Not even your classmates. If the other villages—or worse, the elders—find out you have access to an infinite library of forms, you will be hunted."
"But I want to use it to help!" Naruto protested.
"And you will," Hiruzen smiled. "Under Kakashi's supervision. You will continue at the Academy as if nothing has changed. But in your private training, you will master these forms. If you can pass the graduation exam in six months using only your own skills, I will allow you to use this... 'Omnitrix' on your missions."
"Deal!" Naruto shouted, pumping his fist.
As Naruto left the office, his head full of dreams of being a 'Crystal Ninja,' Kakashi lingered behind.
"Lord Hokage? You're remarkably calm about this."
Hiruzen looked out the window at the village. "The boy has spent twelve years being treated as a curse, Kakashi. For the first time, he looks at himself and sees a hero. I won't be the one to take that look away from him. Just... keep him safe. And keep that watch a secret."
The next day at the Academy was the true test of Naruto's patience. He had to sit through a lecture on basic shuriken arc-trajectories while his wrist literally hummed with the power to turn into a living fireball or a ghost.
He felt a pair of eyes on him. It wasn't Hinata this time.
Sasuke Uchiha was staring at the back of Naruto's head. The Uchiha's intuition was sharp. He had noticed Naruto's sudden lack of' "idiot energy." The boy wasn't pranking. He wasn't even sleeping. He was sitting perfectly still, his eyes focused, and his hand occasionally twitching toward his left wrist.
Something happened in the forest yesterday, Sasuke thought, his jaw tightening. That surge of power... I felt it from the village. If that loser is hiding something, I'm going to find out what it is.