This chapter has been rewritten.
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Time-skip; One year later;
The Elemental Nations are experiencing a period of unrest that is affecting everyone, especially the smaller Nations. Tensions on all of the Great Five Nations' borders had led to unease in all the population as it became known that the next shinobi war was imminent, but it was all a matter of when. Although the second shinobi war ended just a decade earlier, the still recovering great nations have an overflowing sense of greed, bloodlust, and thirst for revenge, especially against the last war's sole Victor, Konoha. The situation is like a large overflowing gunpowder barrel that only needs the tiniest of sparks to blow up in the face of everyone and everything.
.....
Meanwhile, in the fire capital;
In a relatively large traditional house on the edge of the capital, we see a one-year-old Naruto running around giggling while only wearing his diaper. We can also see a smiling Tsunade trying to catch him while carrying his clothes. She was able to catch him, making him giggle harder.
"Caught you, you little rascal," said Tsunade, smiling while enjoying his giggles.
"Hehe, mama," squealed Naruto in a cute voice. This word became Tsunade's favorite ever since Naruto first said it.
The last year was the happiest and most fulfilling year in Tsunade's life, even though it was a little exhausting. Ever since her little baby boy entered her life, her nightmare and bad memories went away, getting replaced by precious memories of her cute bundle of joy.
Every day was a new pleasant memory. Naruto wasn't a baby that needed 24/7 attention. He only cried when he was hungry or needed a diaper change, or missed his mom. That was for the first 5 months, then he learned how to crawl, and boy, was he fast.
This new way of limited movement allowed the very curious baby to follow his mother around or explore his surroundings. At about the end of his 8th month, he started to walk and said his first words, "mama," while walking slowly to his awaiting mother's arms.
That day was one of, if not the most, treasured memories of Tsunade. After that, the little boy gradually increased the number of words he could say and was quick on his feet before he was even one year old.
As for Minato, at first he came around every week, but later on he came once every month due to the increased activity on the border. But he did everything to be in Naruto's life. He played with him, brought him gifts and toys, and even read him bedtime stories. Which was rewarded by cute giggles, smiles, and an adorable "dada" each time baby Naruto saw him, these moments, the first time orphan father treasured deep in his heart.
Returning to the current scene, we find Tsunade dressing the giggling Naruto when Minato flashed inside the living room. Upon seeing his father, he squealed happily, and when his mother finished dressing him, he stood up and ran to his father while yelling "papa".
Minato, while smiling, caught his little boy and lifted him up into his arms, and started to play and tickle him a bit while saying, "Hey, little man, how are you?"
Naruto replied, giggling, "Good".
Tsunade had a small smile on her face, seeing the interaction between the father and son duo.
After playing with his son a bit, Minato put Naruto on his feet and then said to Tsunade with a serious tone, with a hint of sadness in it: "I won't be coming here again for at least 6 months, the situation on the border is becoming worse every day".
Tsunade's face darkened as she grimly said: "That bad, huh?"
Minato nodded with a serious face and said: "Yeah, it is, war is imminent, it's a matter of when".
The tense and grim atmosphere was broken by a sad Naruto pulling on his father's pants and saying, "Come back?"
Minato, while surprised, gave his son a warm smile and bent down to give him a head pat, then said: "Of course I will be back, nothing will ever stop me from coming to see you, Naruto".
That rewarded him with a big sunny smile from his little boy, who then proceeded to run cheerfully to the garden to play.
Tsunade, while appreciating the wholesome father-son moment, remembered something important that she wanted to discuss with Minato. She then proceeded to get his attention by saying, "Minato, there is something important I need to talk to you about".
Minato pulled his attention from the playing boy to give her a look that asked her to elaborate. Tsunade then proceeded to say: "I am thinking about telling Sensei about Naruto".
That had Minato collect his thoughts before giving an answer.
Tsunade's sensei is the well-renowned and current Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. That isn't the problem for Minato.
Telling the third Hokage could be a good thing, as he would protect the son of his student.
What worries Minato is the third Hokage's teammates and advisors, who are known for controversial decisions, especially the leader of Root, the war hawk Danzo Shimura.
After collecting his thoughts, he said: "I have no problem, but you need to tell him before the war finally breaks out, and to come here alone if you want him to come. When you tell him to make sure he keeps it to himself, can't have his advisors knowing, especially Danzo".
That made Tsunade's face darken and in a heated voice replied: "I will definitely do that. That old war hawk better keep his filthy hands off my baby boy or he won't be seeing the sunlight ever again". 'Well, Tsunade's mama bear is activated,' Joked Minato to himself.
After their discussion, Minato proceeded to spend the rest of the day with his son, as he won't be seeing him again for the next 6 months.
...
Time-skip, three months later;
In the Hokage's office;
Inside the office where you usually find the strongest shinobi in the village, we find the third Hokage in a miserable state, buried in his worst enemy, paperwork.
"I really need to find a successor, I can't take this anymore," muttered Hiruzen to himself.
While he was still cursing out the paperwork, he was taken out of his self-pity by a puff of smoke that revealed his student Tsunade's summon animal, Katsuyu, or just a small version of her. Surprised by her appearance, Hiruzen asked: "Hello, Lady Katsuyu, long time no see. How is Tsunade? Is everything all right?"
Hiruzen was worried as it had been quite some time since Tsunade contacted him, and he feared something had happened. Katsuyu cooled his nerves by saying, "Hello Hiruzen-Sama, it has been quite some time. Tsunade-sama is fine; she just wanted me to deliver you a message."
She then handed him the scroll she had and left in a puff of smoke.
Hiruzen was interested in what his student might send him, so he opened the scroll and started reading.
It read:
….
Hello Sarutobi sensei
I hope you are doing fine and in good health. I am fine and well. I am writing to you to ask you to meet me secretly at the Senju home in the fire capital. I need to tell you something very important, and it can't be said in the village. This is very crucial for my future.
P.S. I am serious about you coming alone; anyone else coming with you will return to Konoha in a body bag.
Signed,
Tsunade Senju
…..
After reading the letter, Hiruzen's sweat dropped at the end of the letter.
'This is definitely Tsunade,' he thought, chuckling to himself.
But quickly he became serious and very curious, what was so important that he needed to go see Tsunade in the fire capital in such secrecy. It must be highly confidential for her not to be able to come to the village. Knowing that Tsunade won't joke about something like this, he checked his schedule.
Finding that there is nothing important for the rest of the day and the following day, he made a shadow clone to take his place and made his way to the fire capital in secret, as he could make the journey there and back in almost a day, he also wanted to get away from the paperwork. Little did he know he was in for a surprise in the capital.
(Even though Hiruzen's nickname is the professor, he can't figure out that the shadow clones are his chance to defeat paperwork. 🤣)
...
Less than half a day later, early in the morning;
We find Hiruzen in front of the Senju home in the Fire Capital.
Shortly after he knocked, he was greeted by a surprised Tsunade opening the door. She then said to him in a surprised tone: "Sensei? Welcome, come inside. I didn't think you would come so quickly. I thought I would have to wait a couple of days."
Hiruzen chuckled and replied: "You said it was argent, and I also needed to get away from the office; the paperwork is going to kill me". He finished with a haunted look.
Tsunade laughed lightly and joked, "Well, you look older than the last time I saw you".
Hiruzen was quite surprised by Tsunade's cheerful mood. The last time he saw her, she looked like she had given up on life. It warmed his aging heart that his precious student is doing well for herself. He then asked her, intrigued: "So Tsunade, what's so important that I had to come here for?"
Tsunade looked a little nervous and said, "You may need to sit down first".
Now Hiruzen is worried. He asked, "Now you are making me worry. What is going on?"
Tsunade served him tea as he sat down and chuckled nervously while saying, "It isn't something bad. I think what you're about to hear and see may surprise you too much".
She then turned to inside the house and called in a soft yet loud enough to be heard: "Naruto, come here".
This puzzled Hiruzen, who was this Naruto, and why was Tsunade calling him softly?
He was even more confused when he heard footsteps coming from inside the house that sounded like a child's footsteps. The surprise and confusion became apparent on his face when what looked like a two-year-old redheaded child came into the room.
"Yes, mommy?" Naruto was curious about why he was called.
His eyes then fell on the surprised Hiruzen, who was a stranger to him, and he became a little cautious.
He stood near his mother with his eyes still on Hiruzen and asked his mother: "Mama, who is this?"
Tsunade replied with a soft tone: "This is my sensei."
That made a flicker of recognition appear in Naruto's eyes. His mom told him a story about herself and most of the people she knows.
The confused Hiruzen, who was sitting with his tea in his hands, had his eyes on the pair while trying to figure out what was happening.
He asked Tsunade: "Tsunade, can I have some clarity, please. What is so important and secretive right now? What I am seeing seems like an Uzumaki kid you either found or adopted."
He then sipped his tea to calm his nerves and continue thinking.
Tsunade sighed and said, " Sarutobi sensei, this is my son. My blood-related son".
There was a moment of silence that was broken by the sound of a teacup smashing on the ground. Hiruzen was as if someone threw a bijudama at him; his teacup slipped from his hand as he tried to process what he just heard.
To him, this was one, if not the most important, piece of major news he had ever heard.
His student, one of the last Senju, if not the last, and their princess had a male heir.
This was a surprising and wonderful piece of news, which was also worrying. As he was arranging his thoughts, they were broken when he heard Tsunade cleaning the place of the broken teacup.
He then asked in an astonished tone: "When? Where? With whom? Who also knows?"
Tsunade sighed as she finished cleaning and said, "I will tell you all the details, but first things first." She looked at her son with a soft smile and said, " Naruto, honey, come and introduce yourself".
Hiruzen looks at the approaching child with more attention this time.
He has a lot of features from his mother's beautiful face, though still very immature, with the most beautiful set of blue sapphire eyes, with a head full of vibrant red blood hair with black tips and highlights.
All in all, this is one beautiful and cute kid who would be extremely handsome in the future.
Naruto, now knowing who the stranger is, approached him enthusiastically with a beautiful sunny smile. Reaching in front of Hiruzen, he said: "Hey, grandpa saru(the nickname made Tsunade have a spit take while Hiruzen looked nostalgic), My name is Naruto Senju, and I am 1 year and three months old" while holding out his hands and showing one and three on each hand, looking proud of himself.
Hiruzen's face softened considerably from his surprise and gave the cute child a warm smile. That nickname "saru" brought him many fond memories, as this is what his sensei, the second hokage Tobirama Senju, and his older brother Hashirama used to call him.
He chuckled and smiled warmly at Naruto and said: "Nice to meet you, young man. I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third Hokage, and your mother's sensei. But you can call me grandpa saru".
Naruto smiled at him and said, "Nice to meet you, too, Grandpa Saru."
Hiruzen smiled while nodding, then asked: "Naruto, can you go play so I can talk to your mother?" Naruto nodded slowly after looking at his mother, who nodded to him. He then went to the garden to play.
Hiruzen turned to Tsunade and said, "Firstly, congratulations, Tsunade, but I really need you to answer my previous questions".
Tsunade sighed and sat down, then said: "Well, I got pregnant here in the land of fire, Less than two years ago. After I gave birth, I came and stayed here in the fire capital. And the only ones who know are me, his father, and now you".
Hiruzen, intrigued and wanting to know, asked: "Who is his father?"
Tsunade made up her mind to tell him and said, "Minato Namikaze."
Hiruzen blinked and asked, "Minato, as in Jiraiya's student?" He got a nod as an answer.
Hiruzen couldn't help but ask: "How did this happen?"
Tsunade sighed and told him everything from the beginning.
After hearing everything, Hiruzen understood and said, "Well, with all things considered, this is a blessing."
Tsunade looked at him with a bright smile: "Of course, he is my precious son, the most important person in my life".
Hiruzen smiled at the happy mother. Then said seriously, "Have you considered training him?"
Tsunade nodded sadly: "Although I wanted him to live in peace, that is nothing but a fantasy. His being my son and a male Senju heir already made him a highly valued target. I will open his chakra when he turns 4 and teach him anything afterwards. Right now, I am making him enjoy his childhood while teaching him simple things like reading, writing, and simple math".
Hiruzen nodded and said, "That is a solid plan. In the meantime, don't tell anyone about him; the fewer people who know, the better. When you start training him, you can ask me for anything for his training. When you are ready, and he is ready, you can come to the village for his genin evaluation exam."
Tsunade said, "That will do, sensei".
After further discussions, they sat for breakfast. After that, Hiruzen said goodbye to the mother and son and returned to Konoha.
To be continued.
Guys and gals, show me those powerstones.
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