The Hokage's Office :
The Hokage was the first to speak. "Now... what do you both truly think?"
Spying on Naruto and seeing him use the Transformation Jutsu just to interact with villagers without being harassed was shocking.
It rang alarm bells in all their hearts. If Uzumaki Naruto began to deny his own identity and distance himself from the village entirely, the consequences for the Jinchūriki—and the leaf—would be catastrophic.
But seeing him release the jutsu to speak with Teuchi, expressing his goals with such newfound clarity, brought a different kind of relief. For Hiruzen, it was the bittersweet feeling of a grandfather watching a child lose his innocence to gain maturity.
Inoichi broke the silence. "It's best to observe first. Unless he approaches someone himself, let's keep our distance. We need to ensure he doesn't waver in this decision or feel pressured by us."
Shikaku nodded in agreement. "It might just be a child's whim. In a day or two, he might go back to his old ways. Regardless, it's better not to interfere. Let him lead the way."
The Hokage puffed on his pipe, thinking deeply.
"Then I will not approach him for ten days, unless he seeks me out first."
The Hokage turned toward the empty space behind his desk where the ANBU commander waited. "Iruka do not to approach unless absolutely necessary. Increase the surveillance to two teams, twenty-four-seven. Keep a close watch on everything."
"Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!"
"Inoichi, you will be in charge of the daily reports."
"Understood."
"Dismissed."
As they filed out, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a weight of exhaustion heavier than the morning's paperwork.
If nothing went wrong, the day he dreaded—the day Naruto learned of his destiny as a Jinchūriki and the truth of his parentage—would arrive far sooner than expected. The Hokage felt a different weight on his shoulders .
The Weight of Guilt
==================================
Later, sitting in his own office, Shikaku Nara looked out over the streets of the village. He watched parents walking with their children, the sun shining on a peaceful Konoha.
"My kid should be just watching clouds or getting scolded by his mother," Shikaku muttered with a sigh. "Whereas Naruto... *haa.*.."
Inoichi, who was leaning against the doorframe massaging his temples, agreed. "Ino only has flowers and Sasuke in her head. Analyzing Naruto like this... I feel like I've let down Minato."
"That's the fate of a Jinchūriki," Shikaku said softly. "Minato and Kushina both knew the risks."
"I don't think they had time to think that far ahead at the end," Inoichi grumbled, his tone sharp with frustration.
"I know you feel guilty," Shikaku reassured his friend. "I do too. So does the Third. But this is what we must do—not just for the village, but for Naruto's safety. We keep watch because we have to."
Inoichi sighed, turning to leave. "I know. It's just... the life our kids live compared to the life he leads. The guilt just eats away at you from the inside."
Konoha Streets :
Walking through the streets, Naruto embraced the novel feeling of being invisible. To the crowd, he was just another face. To the 'Naruto' with memories of Earth, the hustle and bustle of a shinobi village felt like a living theme park, but he had work to do.
First on his list: Buying new clothes.
God knows why the 'old' me chose orange jackets in the middle of summer, Naruto thought. He had never bothered to get new essentials because he had always hoped Grandpa Hokage would take him shopping. No more.
He moved through the shops with efficiency, purchasing:
3 sets of new underwear and socks.
New shinobi sandals, shoes, and house slippers.
3 T-shirts (strictly no orange).
4 half-face masks (Kakashi-style).
3 sets of durable pants and shorts.
New toothbrushes and hygiene essentials.
New bedsheets and pillows to replace the grime-stained ones at home.
Basic groceries: bread, eggs, milk, and even some actual vegetables.
By the time Naruto finished, his frog wallet was significantly lighter—only 6,000 Ryo remained.
Naruto returned to his apartment and spent the afternoon scrubbing surfaces and arranging his new life. Exhaustion finally took over, and Naruto drifted into a deep sleep.
Naruto dreamed of becoming the "Big Boss President Hokage," kicking Madara's ass and dealing with Kaguya's booty .
Naruto woke up with a start around 7:00 PM, his stomach growling. Time for the "ground-breaking" invention of both worlds: Instant Cup Ramen.
(Can't stop the act completely yet,)
Naruto muttered, boiling water and adding two eggs to the mix for actual protein.
After eating, Naruto cleared the table. He had a goal.
Naruto remembered the importance of the basic Academy jutsus. Whether it was transforming into a Fuma Shuriken to save Kakashi, using the Sexy Jutsu to stun a Hokage, or the Reverse Harem against the mother of the Six Paths herself—the Transformation Jutsu was arguably more important than the Rasengan itself.
"Transformation Jutsu!" *Poof*. "Transformation Jutsu!" *Poof*
The living room filled with white smoke. Naruto tried to mimic the Hokage, Iruka-sensei, Teuchi, and his classmates. In the morning, it had been a partial success, but now he needed more: height, clothes, voice, and mannerisms.
Failure after failure. Time after time. But as he pushed his chakra, his "Passive Skill" began to kick in, smoothing out the rough edges of his control. He decided to focus on one target: The Third Hokage in his iconic hat and robes.
"Transformation Jutsu... again!"
The Hokage Office :
Back in the Hokage's office, the air was thick with tobacco smoke even at 11:30 PM.
Hiruzen gazed through the crystal ball, watching the boy's unyielding attempts to transform into him. The "God of Shinobi" didn't look away. As the Professor of Ninjutsu, he didn't just see the failures; he saw the frighteningly rapid progress.
"To think, even with the Kyuubi's chakra interference, he can come this far without advanced control exercises," Hiruzen whispered. It was the first time he had ever seen Naruto train with this kind of obsession instead of planning a prank.
Inoichi, who had stopped by on his way home from late dinner, watched the screen as well. He saw Naruto squandering chakra like a fountain, failing over and over, only to get slightly better each time.
"With this rate of progress, he'll hit graduate level two or three days," Inoichi noted, a small smile forming. "Minato and Kushina's child... that talent for chakra is finally waking up."
Inoichi felt a sense of relief and decided it was time to head home. He arrived at his front door, still smiling about Naruto's growth, only to find the lights on and a very angry wife waiting.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS, YAMANAKA INOICHI?! AND WHAT ARE YOU GRINNING FOR, HUH?!"
"Wait, dear, let me explain—"
"IS IT ANOTHER WOMAN? IS THAT IT?!"
"No! Listen to me! Put the frying pan down!"
*SMACK* Ting-ting-tiiiiiing.