"Hiruzen!"
At that moment, Danzō Shimura arrived together with the two Advisors. Without wasting time, he asked sharply,
"I heard the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki has returned. How is he—"
"Danzō!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off sternly, lowering his voice.
"Naruto is fine. We'll discuss the details in my office later. You two should leave for now."
Danzō's expression stiffened.
He glanced once more at Naruto, nodded stiffly, and let out a cold snort before turning away.
He knew exactly why Hiruzen had stopped him—the word Jinchūriki should not be spoken in front of Naruto. The realization left him displeased.
Still, the child had returned safely and appeared unharmed. For now, that was enough.
The two Advisors also cast brief looks at Naruto before speaking gently.
"Then we'll wait for you in the office."
Their thoughts mirrored Danzō's. As long as the Jinchūriki was intact, the rest could be addressed later.
"Mm."
Hiruzen nodded gravely. After watching them leave, he turned back to Naruto. The sternness faded from his face, replaced by a warm smile.
"Naruto, remember what I told you. If anything happens, you must inform me immediately. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Third Hokage."
Naruto nodded seriously. After hesitating for a moment, he asked,
"Third Hokage… that old man just mentioned something called 'Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.' Was he talking about me?"
Though he asked the question aloud, Naruto already knew the answer.
And for reasons he couldn't explain, Danzō's gaze earlier had felt… unpleasant.
"I'm sorry, little Naruto," Hiruzen said gently. "I can't answer that question just yet."
He had anticipated this.
"That matter involves Village secrets. If you want to know the answer, then first you must become a qualified ninja."
"I understand!"
Naruto's eyes lit up. He clenched his fists and declared loudly,
"I'll definitely become an even better ninja than you, Third Hokage! I'm going to become the Hokage!"
"Hahaha!~"
Hiruzen laughed heartily. He bent down and patted Naruto's shoulder.
"I believe in you, Naruto. You'll certainly become a greater ninja than me someday."
Then his expression grew thoughtful.
"But becoming Hokage isn't just about strength. You must also possess the Will of Fire…"
As he spoke, Hiruzen gently guided and encouraged Naruto, instilling his beliefs as naturally as breathing. He stayed until Naruto was finally coaxed to sleep, only then leaving quietly.
Back in the Hokage's office, Danzō Shimura and the two Advisors were already waiting.
"Hiruzen," Danzō demanded the moment he saw him, "what exactly is going on with the Jinchūriki?"
Hiruzen did not answer immediately.
He walked to his seat, sat down slowly, and only then spoke.
"This was the Fourth Hokage's doing."
Danzō's eyes narrowed.
"He left a Flying Thunder God formula within Naruto's seal. Under specific conditions, it will activate and send Naruto to a designated location—for special training meant to help him better control the Nine-Tails' power."
Hiruzen spoke with firm certainty, as though this conclusion had already been confirmed beyond doubt.
"The Fourth Hokage?" Danzō repeated sharply. "Then will the Jinchūriki continue disappearing in the future?"
"Unless something unexpected occurs," Hiruzen replied calmly, "yes."
He did not want this to continue—but he also could not stop it. Naruto's seal was too complex, and tampering with it blindly was out of the question.
"No. Absolutely not."
Danzō slammed his cane against the floor.
"The Jinchūriki is far too important to the Village! Even if this was the Fourth Hokage's arrangement, it's unacceptable. The Jinchūriki must be under our control!"
He turned his sharp gaze on Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen. Hand Naruto over to me. I will solve this problem."
Hiruzen would not dare touch the seal.
But Danzō would.
"No."
Hiruzen shook his head slowly, his eyes steady.
"I trust the Fourth Hokage. He would never harm Naruto, nor would he endanger the Village. His arrangements will only benefit the child—helping him better control the Nine-Tails. There is no need for us to interfere."
"And what if you're wrong?" Danzō pressed.
"I trust the Fourth Hokage as well," he said coldly, "but I refuse to entrust the future of the Village's cornerstone to a dead man's arrangements. What if Naruto's growth exceeds what the Fourth Hokage anticipated? By then, we may not even have the chance to correct it!"
His voice hardened.
"Hiruzen, I can train the Jinchūriki into the most useful asset the Village has. Handing him over to me is the best possible choice."
"No."
Hiruzen's tone did not waver.
"I will not hand Naruto over to you. Abandon that idea."
He continued quietly,
"As for Naruto's growth… I will personally oversee it."
"You—!"
Danzō's face flushed with anger.
"You will regret this, Hiruzen!"
Hiruzen met his glare without flinching.
"Danzō. I am the Hokage."
"...Hmph!~"
With a cold snort, Danzō turned and slammed the door shut behind him.
After he left, Utatane Koharu stepped forward to ease the tension.
"Hiruzen… Danzō is acting for the sake of the Village. Don't take it to heart."
"I know," Hiruzen said, sighing softly. "But his methods are too extreme. Naruto is Minato's child. I will never allow him to be subjected to Root's ways. That point is non-negotiable."
"That… is true."
Koharu nodded, then asked with concern,
"But we don't even know where the Fourth Hokage sends the Jinchūriki. Are you certain his arrangements pose no risk?"
"There is no problem."
Hiruzen said it calmly—though even he lacked full confidence.
"I trust Minato."
After a pause, he added,
"I'll have someone contact Jiraiya and ask him to return. He should know more about Minato's preparations."
"Jiraiya?"
Koharu and Homura exchanged looks, then nodded.
"If it's Jiraiya, then there's nothing to worry about."
Elsewhere.
After Naruto fell asleep, he suddenly found himself in a strange—yet familiar—place.
Before him stood a massive sealing gate.