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Half an hour later, Hiruzen brought his sentimental speech to an end.
"So, Tsukimi! To become Hokage, one must endure greater pain. Do you still hold firm to that goal so unwaveringly now?"
What worried Hiruzen the most?
He was terrified that Tsukimi would walk the same path as Kakashi, lost in his own world after the death of a loved one.
Most importantly, Tsukimi was the successor he had placed his hopes on.
Tsukimi's eyes were red and swollen, his gaze fixed on Minato's face.
After a moment of heavy silence, Hiruzen finally heard his voice.
"Lord Third, I have never feared pain or torment. What I fear is not having the power to protect the people I care about, to protect those who trust me!"
A sigh escaped Hiruzen's lips.
He understood this fear and worry all too well.
Many saw only the glory the Hokage's seat brought, but they ignored the crushing pressure that came with it.
"This is a pressure we all share!" Hiruzen exclaimed with feeling. "Yet it is precisely this pressure that drives us forward, to become better!"
He looked at Tsukimi with firm eyes.
Tsukimi managed a strained smile, but his eyes were sincere. "Lord Third, thank you for your guidance. I will not let this break me."
At this, Hiruzen breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled as well. "Seeing you like this… I'm sure Minato and the others would be glad."
…
The pain of the Nine-Tails' rampage was gradually replaced by whispers spreading through the village.
The malice of the entire village began to pour onto a single infant.
"It's all that demon fox's brat's fault!"
"Why is he allowed to stay in the village?"
"Why doesn't he just die?"
"He caused so many deaths, why isn't he killed?"
"Living in the same village as that terrifying, disgusting thing… how can we feel safe?"
From his home to the Hokage's office, Tsukimi had heard variations of this over a hundred times.
The smile on his face gradually vanished.
"Lord Tsukimi, please wait a moment. The Hokage is in a meeting with the elders."
Since Minato's death, the Third Hokage had been forced to abandon his retirement plans and resume his duties.
Tsukimi stood outside the door, but everything within had already reached his ears.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of the Third tapping his pipe. That rhythm was a clear sign of his impatience.
"Hiruzen, I will not agree to your request."
Opposite Hiruzen, Danzō's face was dark.
Hiruzen had started by demanding to transfer Tsukimi back to a regular jonin. How could Danzō accept that? Tsukimi might be single-minded at times, but he was undoubtedly the most useful asset under his command. His understanding of Root's will, his mission completion rate… Danzō was extremely satisfied. Now that he was finally comfortable using him, the Third wanted to just take him back? This was pure provocation.
Hiruzen looked at Danzō, his expression unmoving, radiating an unusual forcefulness. "I am informing you, not asking for your opinion."
"You—!" Danzō's hand clenched his cane viciously. "Tsukimi cannot leave Root!"
Danzō's reaction was expected. Hiruzen stared coldly, his voice resolute. "I am the Hokage. All personnel assignments in this village are my decision." Do you understand?
Danzō read the unspoken words in Hiruzen's gaze. For a moment, he was stunned. It had been a long time since he'd seen Hiruzen this assertive.
"…Fine. If you take Tsukimi, I want a replacement. A ninja no less capable."
Danzō's stance softened inexplicably.
"Uchiha Shisui will report to Root tomorrow," Hiruzen stated.
"Hmph!" Unwilling to leave it at that, Danzō shot Hiruzen a final glare before thumping his cane and storming out.
Danzō pushed open the door, his eyes meeting Tsukimi's.
The deep meaning in that look was for Tsukimi alone.
Tsukimi gave an almost imperceptible nod. Satisfied, Danzō left.
"Lord Hokage."
Tsukimi stood before Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's cold expression softened. He gestured to the chair opposite. "Sit. Let's talk."
Tsukimi sat, his expression a mixture of anger and helplessness he couldn't put into words.
Hiruzen saw the purpose of his visit in that gaze. He let out a heavy breath. "You're here about Naruto, aren't you?"
Tsukimi blinked in surprise, then nodded.
"Sigh." Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe. "After the Nine-Tails' rampage, the emotions of the villagers and shinobi have clearly changed."
"So they need to sacrifice Naruto as their emotional punching bag?!" Tsukimi cut in, his voice tight with agitation.
Hiruzen wasn't angry. With Tsukimi's character, this reaction was fitting. "The Nine-Tails caused countless villagers and shinobi to lose loved ones. Their accumulated resentment has no outlet. And Naruto's status as a jinchūriki cannot be hidden."
Too many had seen the sealing that day. As Hokage, he had the power to enforce silence, but… "Public opinion is the hardest thing to stifle." Noticing Tsukimi's confusion, he continued, "Hatred is something that can never truly be sealed away."
Ultimately, people were too cowardly, too hurt. Unwilling to bear their pain alone, they made Naruto a vessel, forcing him to shoulder all the agony, absolving themselves of their own guilt and self-blame.
"This is too cruel!" Tsukimi's fists clenched, his face a mask of anger and bitter helplessness.
"There's nothing to be done," Hiruzen sighed.
"Lord Third, how do you plan to handle Naruto?" Tsukimi asked abruptly.
Kushina's final plea echoed in his mind.
"Naruto…" Hiruzen pulled a document from a drawer, sliding it toward Tsukimi.
It was an orphan certification form.
An orphan.
How bitterly ironic. A hero gave his life to protect everyone, and his son was repaid with the labels 'orphan' and 'demon fox'.
"Lord Third. I want to adopt Naruto."
The words came out suddenly. Tsukimi met Hiruzen's gaze.
Hiruzen looked at him, genuinely surprised. "Tsukimi, do you know the village's attitude toward Naruto?" Despite being just a baby, despite having done nothing wrong, he was already treated like a rat in the streets for everyone to curse. At a time like this, almost everyone was scrambling to distance themselves from Naruto, terrified that any association would lead to them being ostracized too.
"Lord Third, I promised Minato-senpai and Kushina-senpai I would take good care of Naruto." Tsukimi spoke with a hint of guilt. "Allowing Naruto to suffer these rumors already fills me with shame. I cannot let Minato-senpai and Kushina-senpai rest uneasy."
Hiruzen's eyes softened.
He knew it. He hadn't misjudged the boy.
Unfazed by rumors, true to his word, unflinching in his duty… This Tsukimi was the ideal candidate in his heart.
"Good." Hiruzen took out the Hokage's seal and stamped it firmly on the adoption papers.
…
Tsukimi went to the hospital where Naruto was kept.
A newborn with no parents could only be sent there.
Yet when Tsukimi entered the room designated for Naruto, all the other cribs were empty.
Even the medical-nin avoided the area.
As if by some mystical connection, little Naruto, who had been quiet, burst into loud wails the moment Tsukimi appeared.
Tsukimi touched Naruto's shriveled little belly. A wave of pure, unadulterated anger surged from deep within him.
Whatever the reason, not feeding a baby is beyond wrong.
Half an hour later.
Tsukimi, with Naruto cradled in one arm, stood before an array of bottles and cans, utterly lost.
"How do you work these things?" He shook one can, then poked another. "Which one is the formula?!"
He earnestly sought help from the System.
The System was also stumped. It hadn't developed the 'babysitting' skill yet.
"[I will activate data analysis.]"
"Good," Tsukimi nodded rapidly.
[Ding! After system verification, the powder in this bottle is composed of carrot powder, forming a vitamin A supplement.]
[Ding! After system verification, the liquid in this bottle is a combination of cod liver oil and milk, forming a vitamin B supplement.]
[Ding! After…]
[Ding! After…]
After what felt like an eternity, the System finally pinpointed the correct formula bottle.
The baby in his arms had gone quiet at some point. Tsukimi looked down to see little Naruto happily gnawing on his own finger.
"Hurry up! Look how hungry the protagonist is!"
Tsukimi's heart ached with guilt.
You've really suffered, Naruto.
The System was helpless. It didn't have a 'mother and child' function. When it bound with Tsukimi, it hadn't known the host would end up raising a kid.
Two hours later, Naruto was so hungry he was about to swallow his own finger. At last, he drank the formula Tsukimi and the System had painstakingly mixed.
"Not easy…"
"Really, not easy at all."
Tsukimi wiped the sweat from his brow, finally able to catch his breath.
He watched the little guy gulping down the milk with desperate eagerness. A premonition settled in his heart.
His life from now on was going to be an absolute mess because of Naruto.
"[Sometimes, recognizing the truth too early is its own form of cruelty,]" the System chimed in, also seeming to take a metaphorical breath. Its core processor was still running hot.
Human infants are terrifying.
[Ding! Favorability of Target Character 'Uzumaki Naruto' has reached 100!]
…Huh?
Tsukimi and the System froze simultaneously.
"Did you hear that?" Tsukimi rubbed his ear. Was he so busy he was hallucinating?
The System paused for a full second. Was the core processor fried?
Three minutes later.
Tsukimi's laughter echoed through the entire hospital wing.
On the System's blue electronic screen, a shower of celebratory flower effects played.
"As expected of the protagonist!" Tsukimi pinched Naruto's chubby little cheeks, his eyes filled with genuine warmth.
He hereby declared: from this day forward, no one could replace Naruto in his heart.
This was a max favorability from the start existence!
Now, when Tsukimi looked at Naruto, everything about him was adorable.
…
Tsukimi packed up Naruto's things and, under the watchful eyes of everyone in the hospital, walked out with a serene smile on his face.
"Ah… Lord Tsukimi is truly noble," a medical-nin murmured, watching his back, stunned.
"Why is Lord Tsukimi holding that demon fox?"
"That thing is seriously creepy!"
A flurry of hushed discussions broke out.
"That is precisely why he is Lord Tsukimi!" the first medical-nin spoke again. Under everyone's gaze, he slowly gave his interpretation: "During the demon fox attack, it was Lord Tsukimi who protected us. He stood before us without hesitation, treating us as his closest comrades! For a great shinobi like him, it's not just people. Every blade of grass and every tree in this village is under his protection! So, even if it's the demon fox, he still treats it with kindness."
The expressions of those around him began to shift. Disgust slowly turned into contemplation.
"And most importantly, with such a dangerous existence, of course Lord Tsukimi would keep it by his side to keep it in check, for the safety of everyone else!"
"Ah! Lord Tsukimi is a shinobi worthy of boundless admiration!"
Leaning against the wall, the ninja's face was blank, yet his words grew more and more stirring.
"Yes, such resolve is truly moving!"
"Isn't it? We can all stand here safely, all thanks to Lord Tsukimi!"
"Lord Tsukimi is such a reassuring presence!"
"He is!"
"The greatest thing is actually Lord Tsukimi's bos—"
The ninja who had started it all paled. What kind of wild statement was that?!
"Bos—benevolence! The demon fox essentially… caused Lord Tsukimi's… loved ones to die. But… Lord Tsukimi… still put aside his… personal grievances!"
The slightly stuttering ninja finished, eliciting nods of agreement all around.
The one who had steered the conversation melted silently back into the crowd.
Tsukimi returned home.
The once lively house now felt hollow and empty. The little cat and dog had also died the night Takenouchi passed.
Little Green slid expertly from Tsukimi's wrist, returning with a hint of longing to its nest on the wall.
Tsukimi settled the sleeping Naruto on the bed, mentally listing things he needed to buy.
He paused. He felt it—the dispersion of one of his clones.
Right.
The ninja in the hospital had been him.
He wasn't the type to do good deeds in silence. He wanted his actions exposed, to soak up all that goodwill.
At noon, Tori, Shisui, and Hiashi came by.
None came empty-handed. A crib, baby clothes, formula…
They perfectly solved Tsukimi's most immediate and pressing problems.
When night fell.
Tsukimi and little Naruto stared at each other, wide-eyed.
"Why won't he sleep?"
"Is he not tired at all?"
Despair tinged Tsukimi's voice.
The System, with practiced ease, flipped through a book titled: 'Secrets of Baby Language: The Divine Realm's Super Nanny Teaches You How to Raise a Smart Baby.'
"[Infants not sleeping at night is often due to over-excitement before bedtime. As the infant's nervous system is not yet fully developed, over-excitement can easily lead to heightened sensory sensitivity, resulting in sleep refusal. It could also be a Vitamin D deficiency…]"
"Stop!" Tsukimi cut it off. He couldn't take the System's habit of reciting parenting manuals at every turn.
"Well, well. To think the Nine-Tails jinchūriki would end up in your hands."
A familiar voice sounded in the room.
Tsukimi turned.
Obito was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Right beside him was Naruto, still locked in a wide-eyed staring contest with Tsukimi.
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