The next morning, the sun had barely begun to light the streets of Konoha when a firm knock on the door woke Itsuki.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He jolted up from his futon, eyes still heavy with sleep, and quickly threw on his standard shinobi outfit: a black tunic with red accents, dark pants, and ninja sandals — the simple uniform of a newly graduated genin.
"I'm coming."
The Konoha headband, which he'd received only a few days ago, still rested on the table, but he didn't have time to grab it. Another knock echoed, more insistent, and Itsuki ran to open the door.
To his surprise, there stood the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his white and red Hokage robes, the ceremonial hat hanging down his back. His wrinkled eyes held a mix of kindness and burden, and his imposing presence filled the small room.
Itsuki froze for a moment, the memories of the body and those of his past life clashing. He knew who Hiruzen was — the leader of the Sarutobi clan, the "God of Shinobi," and the one responsible for assigning the mission that had led to his parents' deaths, just a week after his graduation from the Ninja Academy.
But he wasn't the same person anymore. He didn't dwell on it and bowed slightly. "Hokage-sama," he greeted respectfully.
Hiruzen cleared his throat, his voice soft but carrying natural authority. "Itsuki… Forgive me for coming so early, and for everything that has happened," he began, nodding his head in a gesture of respect.
"I know it's hard, but the life of a shinobi is like that. Your parents fell like beautiful flowers, making way for the younger ones to bloom. They were exemplary ninjas of the Sarutobi clan, and I know you carry the same potential…"
Itsuki listened, feeling a mix of discomfort and amusement.
In his past life, he had watched Naruto more than once — not just casually. He remembered the many opinions people had about Hiruzen Sarutobi. Outwardly kind, always talking about the "Will of Fire" and inspiring young ninjas with noble words. But he also remembered forum debates and analysis videos. Hiruzen had a darker side. Many saw him as a negligent leader, whose inaction had led to tragedies like the Uchiha Massacre and Naruto's lonely childhood.
He allowed Danzō to operate in the shadows, creating Root and bringing suffering to many. He had done little to protect Naruto from ostracism, despite promising Minato and Kushina he would.
Some fans defended Hiruzen, saying he was just a man overwhelmed, trying to keep Konoha together in crisis. Others called him the worst Hokage, the source of many of the village's problems.
If this had been the him from the past, he might have cried at the Hokage's "comforting" words. But not now.
Still, he decided to act like a slightly mature child, keeping things polite, just as the original Itsuki would have. "I understand, Hokage-sama," he said, lowering his head. "My parents died as shinobi, and I'll honor their name. Thank you for coming in person."
Hiruzen smiled, satisfied with the answer, but his eyes still carried a shadow of guilt.
He then pulled out a storage scroll from his robe, sealed with the Sarutobi clan's symbol. "Your parents left a legacy, Itsuki," he said, handing the scroll to the boy.
"These are copies of the jutsu they accumulated in their lifetime. The originals are in the Sarutobi clan's restricted library, but as their son, you have permission to learn them. For now, they're all techniques you can use — limited to B-rank — but when you're stronger, you may access the rest with my permission."
Itsuki took the scroll carefully, feeling the weight of the paper in his hands.
He unrolled it slowly, revealing a list of techniques — clones, Shunshin, lightning and fire jutsu — many of which he recognized as ones his parents had shown him before, encouraging him to train.
But something suddenly caught his attention:
Inside the storage scroll was another, smaller and much more elegant scroll. This one looked ancient, made of a silk-like material with golden borders and a texture that shimmered subtly in the light.
On the surface were unfamiliar letters, in a language Itsuki had never seen — not even in the memories of his past life. Stylized lightning symbols, drawn in glowing purple ink, lined the borders, giving the scroll an aura that felt mysterious and almost divine.
What is this? A forbidden technique? he wondered, confused.
Hiruzen noticed the boy's interest and frowned. "That scroll… I don't know what it is," he admitted, his voice tinged with curiosity and caution. "I couldn't open it, not even with Fūinjutsu, and I don't recognize the seals or writing. It might be something your parents found on a mission… or a special summoning contract. Whatever it is, it's in your hands now."
Itsuki nodded, gripping the mysterious scroll tightly. The lightning symbols glowed faintly in purple — but only at certain angles.
He ran his fingers over them. A slight static sensation ran across his skin, but he hid his reaction, tucking the scroll away inside his vest.
Hiruzen studied him for a moment, as if evaluating his emotional state. "Itsuki, I know you're going through a difficult time, and I'm truly sorry," he continued. "But due to your inactivity as a shinobi these past few days, I had to make a change. Naruto Uzumaki has been placed on Team 7 in your place, alongside Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, under the leadership of Kakashi Hatake."
Itsuki felt a twinge of disappointment, but he wasn't surprised. He knew, from the anime, that Naruto was destined to be on Team 7 — and that he himself was an anomaly in this world. Still, he listened carefully as Hiruzen continued.
"However, you have options," said the Hokage, crossing his arms.
"You may choose to continue your training alone, developing your skills however you prefer. Or, if you wish, I can assign you to a new Anbu trainee unit. It would be a chance to grow quickly, but there are conditions: as a member of Anbu, until you graduate, your identity must remain secret. You'll wear a mask at all times and choose a codename by which you'll be known."
Itsuki stayed silent for a moment, weighing the options. He knew the Anbu were elite, but also solitary and dangerous — especially for someone so young. Not to mention it would keep him away from the canonical events of the anime, distancing him from the original story.
Training on his own, on the other hand, would give him the freedom to explore the mysterious scroll and develop his strength without much oversight.
Both had pros and cons. He decided he would need more time to think before making a choice.
"I… I'll think about your offer, Hokage-sama," Itsuki said, bowing his head again. "Thank you for the scrolls, and for giving me a choice."
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied. "Take your time, Itsuki. If you need me, I'll be at the Hokage's office. And again, I'm truly sorry for your loss." With that, he turned and left, leaving Itsuki alone with his thoughts and the scrolls.
Itsuki closed the door and sat back on his futon, holding the mysterious scroll. He traced the lightning symbols with his fingers, feeling a subtle energy emanating from the paper. He knew it might be something special — he just didn't know how yet. He'd never seen anything like it — not with his parents, and not in any memory.
Shaking his head, he tucked the scroll back into the storage one and set it aside, letting it slip from his mind — for now.
What mattered now was deciding his next step: train alone and stay out of unwanted attention, or join the Anbu and embrace a darker, more structured path… one that could lead to great strength, but at a cost.