"Yes. There are still good people."
Inside the Shinigami's stomach, Minato's lips curl slightly.
"Heh. I don't recall seeing a single person you once knew or cared for show up."
The Yin half of the Nine-Tails remarks coldly.
Minato's smile stiffens.
Then he shakes his head.
"Perhaps… because of the Third's arrangements."
"With such heavy surveillance… it wouldn't be appropriate…"
"Not even to look from afar?" the Yin Nine-Tails asks again.
…This conversation is going nowhere.
In the Pure Land, Kushina's eyes redden.
"It's Uncle Teuchi and little Ayame~"
"Little Ayame's grown up…"
Kushina loved ramen too.
Even while pregnant, after collecting rent, she'd always stop by Ichiraku.
Orochimaru: "Because he didn't lose consciousness, Naruto met Ichiraku Ramen earlier in this world."
Senju Tobirama: "Since he ate ramen, I suppose there won't be 'mysterious leftovers' appearing on the table tonight."
[When little Naruto leaves Ichiraku Ramen, his cute face is still beaming.]
["Bye~"]
[He waves and jogs home.]
[After getting soaked, he needs a hot shower.]
[Because the rain just stopped, the streets are mostly empty.]
[So his good mood isn't ruined.]
[He soon reaches home.]
[With nothing valuable inside, he didn't even lock the door when he left.]
[The window's open; water stains mark the floor nearby—but the musty smell is gone, washed away by the rain.]
[He closes the door—and the smile vanishes instantly.]
['Still following me… looks like they'll monitor me long-term.']
[He takes a deep breath, shuts the window, and changes out of his foul-smelling clothes.]
[He takes out the fishing line and hooks from his pocket.]
[The fishing shop owner's smile flashes through his mind—along with Uncle Teuchi's and Ayame's.]
[Little Naruto murmurs, "Not everyone's the same as those idiots."]
[He enters the bathroom and checks the heater—there's hot water.]
(The shinobi world's technology had always been strangely uneven.)
[Once inside the bathroom, the faint sense of being watched disappears.]
[Splash—]
[He turns on the shower, adjusting the temperature.]
["From now on… I have to learn to be self-sufficient."]
["I've got hooks and line. For a rod, a sturdy stick will do."]
["Fishing spot's the back mountain… tomorrow I'll check it out first thing."]
["You all want me dead? Then I'll live well—scare you to death!"]
Yamanaka Ino: "This Naruto is so cute~"
Hinata covers her flushed cheeks. "Naruto-kun's… Naruto-kun's…"
It was only a fleeting glimpse—and he's still just a little kid.
Little Hanabi tilts her head, confused.
Is big sister… embarrassed? Why?
Fourth Raikage: "What a waste. If only he were from Kumogakure."
Fourth Raikage: "But Gold-Frame Naruto isn't bad either. Uzumaki Naruto, you can hear me, right? If you want to come to Kumogakure, I'll personally welcome you at the gate!"
Ōnoki: "Tch. What's so good about that bad-boy village?"
Ōnoki: "Naruto, come to Iwagakure. You want to be Hokage, right?"
Ōnoki: "Come to Iwagakure—I'll take you as my disciple—your future position would be guaranteed."
The Fourth Raikage's eyes widen, curses about to spill—
Kurotsuchi: "Stinky old man! The Fourth Tsuchikage spot is mine, okay?!"
Everyone is stunned.
The Third Tsuchikage just publicly offered the position of Tsuchikage to Naruto—
in front of the entire shinobi world.
This wasn't empty bait.
He clearly meant it.
Rasa: "Naruto, I think highly of you. Come to Sunagakure—I have a beautiful daughter!"
???
Ōnoki: "Perfect! Once Naruto comes, he can help discipline Kurotsuchi!"
Fourth Raikage: "Hmph! Kumogakure doesn't stoop to such low tactics—though we're not lacking either!"
Mei Terumī: "Mm~ Naruto, don't listen to them. Big sister really likes you~ come to Kirigakure, okay?"
Mei: "I'll take you as my disciple—your future position would be guaranteed."
Senju Tobirama: "Hey, hey, hey! Do you think I don't exist?!"
This genuinely scares Tobirama.
Just Naruto's status as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki alone is enough for them to go all-in.
After all, the Nine-Tails is universally acknowledged as the strongest tailed beast.
A Nine-Tails Jinchūriki becoming Kage? No problem at all.
Other tailed beasts, though…
Take Shukaku, for example. When Gaara became Kazekage, the other villages' reaction was:
You let a Jinchūriki become Kage? Has Sunagakure fallen that far?
"Grampa Tsuchikage, Uncle Raikage, Sister Mizukage… and the dead Kazekage."
"Everyone…"
Naruto feels moved.
But in the end, he shakes his head.
"But… I just want to become Hokage—
I want everyone's recogni—"
Smack—
Hyūga Neji slaps him again.
Naruto: "..."
The scene continues.
[That day, little Naruto is exhausted.]
[He falls asleep shortly after lying down.]
[Late at night, outside his window—]
["My shift. You go report."]
[Whoosh—]
[Soon after, Hokage Building—Hokage's Office.]
[Sarutobi Hiruzen takes a puff of smoke.]
[He waves at the ANBU ninja who monitored Naruto all day.]
["Go rest."]
["Yes, Lord Hokage!"]
[After the ANBU leaves, Hiruzen picks up the submitted scroll.]
[After reading it, he lights another cigarette.]
[He turns his chair, gazing at the brightly lit Konoha.]
[The surface damage from the Nine-Tails disaster has mostly recovered.]
[But the internal wounds remain unhealed.]
["These are troubled times… let's leave things as they are for now."]
["Before that, let Naruto suffer a bit—let the villagers vent their emotions. With ANBU protecting him, a little temper is normal… after some time…"]
[Hiruzen shakes his head. Timing matters when visiting Naruto.]
[Best to appear when he's at his lowest—confused and lost.]
[Appear as a kind old grandfather. Use the Will of Fire to guide him.]
[Give the child a sense of belonging.]
[Stabilize the village and protect the Jinchūriki.]
["This is the only way."]
[Thinking this, Hiruzen glances upward.]
[Portraits of past Hokage hang there.]
[Looking at Namikaze Minato's portrait, Hiruzen gives a bitter smile.]
["Minato… you should understand. Everything is for Konoha."]
[Huff—]
[He exhales smoke.]
[Eyes closed, he silently counts ten seconds.]
[Ten… nine… one.]
[Bang—]
[The Hokage office door is violently thrown open.]
["Hiruzen!"]
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