The atmosphere in the office had become suffocating.
Then, Iruka slowly took a deep breath. The haze in his eyes cleared, and his expression turned calm.
He looked at the slumped figure of the Third Hokage… then at Naruto, whose shoulders trembled faintly from holding back his emotions.
A glimmer of resolve appeared in Iruka's eyes.
Though the truth of Naruto's background had shocked him deeply, what he felt even more… was guilt.
If the one who sealed the Nine-Tails inside Naruto was the Fourth Hokage...
Then Naruto isn't just an innocent child he's a hero who carries that burden.
And he, Iruka, had misunderstood Naruto for so long.
If not for the Third Hokage's guidance and persuasion back then, if he hadn't come to terms with the past and let go of his resentment…
He wouldn't even have the right to face Naruto now.
Still, Iruka had always trusted that the Third Hokage must have had reasons for keeping things secret.
Now wasn't the time to question the past.
What mattered now… was calming Naruto down.
"Hey, Naruto."
Iruka forced a small smile and gently patted his shoulder. "Come on. Let's step out and get some fresh air."
Naruto blinked in surprise and looked up at his teacher.
Iruka gave him a reassuring nod, then placed an arm around his shoulder.
Without saying another word, he half-guided, half-gently pushed Naruto out the door.
"I'll treat you to a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, all right?"
Naruto wiped his eyes and slowly calmed down.
He sniffled, then gave a small nod.
Without resistance, he let Iruka lead him away from the Hokage's office.
Behind them, Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the two figures leaving.
He let out a long sigh… and closed his eyes in exhaustion.
The cold morning air brushed against Naruto's face as they stepped out of the Hokage Building.
The crisp chill helped clear his mind a little. The fiery emotion from earlier had faded, leaving behind a dull, lingering ache.
Naruto followed silently, not uttering a word.
Iruka didn't speak either.
He simply walked beside Naruto in quiet support, occasionally glancing over at him with worry in his eyes.
He knew that saying too much right now would only make things worse.
Sometimes… silence is the best comfort.
Before long, the two arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.
Iruka gestured to an open seat and motioned for Naruto to sit down.
Naruto quietly sat, his head lowered. He leaned forward onto the counter, arms resting on the table, his whole posture slumped.
Even the delicious aroma of his favorite ramen couldn't lift his spirits.
Iruka looked at him, heart aching with concern.
But for now, he had no idea how to ease the pain.
After all, Iruka himself hadn't fully digested the truth he had just learned.
"Hey, Naruto, Iruka-sensei, good morning!"
Just then, a cheerful voice called out.
A boy around fifteen or sixteen poked his head out from behind the kitchen curtain with a bright smile. It was Aren.
"You're early today! The usual two bowls of miso chashu ramen?"
He greeted them with his usual friendly tone.
Then he paused and tilted his head.
"Wait, Naruto, what's up with you? You look totally out of it."
Naruto forced a faint smile, his voice low and muffled.
"It's nothing… I'm fine."
Aren's brow creased slightly with concern.
"Hey, Naruto," he said warmly, "just order whatever you want today it's on me."
Iruka couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Oh? What's the occasion, Aren-kun? Did you win the lottery or something? You're treating us today?"
Aren scratched his head sheepishly.
"Nah, I just thought Naruto looks like he's having a rough morning. I figured I'd cheer him up a little."
He gave Naruto a light pat on the shoulder and added with a grin half joking, half sincere:
"C'mon, Naruto. It's my treat today, so don't hold back. Add two more bowls if you want. I'll even throw in some tamagoyaki and a big helping of extra chashu!"
Naruto lifted his head slightly.
He knew Aren meant well, and he appreciated the gesture from the bottom of his heart.
But right now, he just couldn't muster a genuine smile.
So he simply nodded and said softly,
"Thanks, Big Bro Aren…"
Hearing Naruto's quiet, polite response, Aren sighed inwardly.
As the one who orchestrated the dream the night before, he knew exactly what Naruto had seen and how deeply it affected him.
To learn that your father was a hero of the village, only to grow up misunderstood and ignored...
That kind of emotional blow wasn't something a child could recover from overnight.
Aren turned away and poured two cups of tea for them, placing them gently on the counter.
"Just hang tight," he said casually, "your ramen'll be ready soon."
With that, he went back behind the counter, no longer disturbing them.
But as he busied himself with the food, a thought crossed his mind.
In the dream, Iruka changed a lot too…
If I pull him in as a viewer next time, I might get a pretty decent emotional harvest.
And now that the system has upgraded and unlocked a new viewer slot… isn't this the perfect chance to use it?
Just as that idea sparked in his mind
The curtain at the shop's entrance suddenly swished open.
"There you are."
Aren looked up and saw Kakashi striding in, heading straight for Naruto and Iruka.
Naruto looked up in surprise.
"Kakashi-sensei? Why are you here?"
Kakashi walked over and quietly took a seat next to him.
He glanced at Naruto, then at Iruka, and only after confirming that Naruto was safe did his expression ease slightly.
As Naruto's jonin leader, Kakashi knew exactly how much of an impact learning the Fourth Hokage's identity could have on him.
He had rushed to Naruto's home at the crack of dawn… only to find that Naruto had already gone.
Remaining calm, Kakashi had searched nearly every place Naruto normally visited.
Thankfully, he finally found him here at Ichiraku Ramen.
When he saw Naruto's red, swollen eyes and his blank, exhausted expression, Kakashi let out a quiet sigh.
This kid must be hurting.
"Kakashi-sensei… sorry for making you worry," Naruto said softly, his head bowed.
He knew how lazy Kakashi usually was and yet here he was, up early for the first time ever, combing through the village just to find him.
That thought made Naruto feel even more guilty.
Kakashi shook his head. His gaze was warm and forgiving.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
Then he looked across the table and gave Iruka a polite nod.
Iruka had been surprised to see him too.
Kakashi was known throughout the village a genius jonin, once an elite captain of the Anbu. Iruka had heard countless stories about him back during his academy days and had always assumed he was a strict and distant person.
He'd even worried that Naruto wouldn't be able to handle someone like him in Team 7.
But seeing the care Kakashi showed for Naruto now… Iruka's opinion of him changed drastically.
Kakashi turned to Naruto again and spoke seriously.
"Listen, Naruto. I know you're confused right now. You've got a lot of questions."
"Finish your ramen first. Afterward, I'll take you somewhere… a place connected to your father."
"I'll tell you what I can. Maybe it'll help you understand the decisions the Hokage made."
Naruto looked up sharply. The surprise on his face faded, replaced by a quiet, unwavering determination.
His bright blue eyes locked onto Kakashi's with a faint but steady light.
"Thank you… Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi gave a small nod. A complex look flickered in his visible eye like there were countless thoughts behind it.
But in the end, he just curved that single eye into a soft smile.
Then he turned toward Aren, who had been standing by the counter.
"I'll have a bowl of pork bone chashu ramen too."
"One pork bone chashu, coming right up!" Aren called out with a grin.
He turned back to the stove and started cooking with practiced ease.
Soon, the mouthwatering aroma of ramen filled the air once again.
After their meal, Kakashi led Naruto and Iruka out of the ramen shop.
They walked slowly through the village until they reached the memorial stone.
The early morning light bathed the stone tablet in a gentle glow, like a soft veil had been drawn over the names etched into it names of countless heroes.
The surroundings were quiet, broken only by the faint sound of insects chirping in the grass.
Kakashi stood there silently, his gaze fixed solemnly on a certain spot.
His fingers brushed lightly across a familiar name, and a distant, wistful expression crossed his face.
Memories stirred within him of comrades lost, of a hero who had once stood tall beside him.
The voices and faces of his fallen comrades seemed to reappear before him lingering in his heart like a dream he couldn't wake from.
"I never planned to keep these things from you forever," Kakashi said quietly.
"I just… wanted to wait until you were older."
"But now that you've started to uncover the truth… I think it's time."
"There's a lot I need to tell you about your father Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage."
Naruto held his breath.
He didn't speak. He just listened eyes wide and full of anticipation.
Iruka, too, stood beside him in silence, focused and respectful.
"Before you were born," Kakashi began, "the entire ninja world was consumed by chaos."
"It was the time of the Third Great Ninja War. All the major villages suffered massive losses and Konoha was no exception."
"It was a dark and bitter era… Most of the names etched on this memorial stone are from that war."
Naruto looked at the tablet, suddenly realizing how much pain and sacrifice those names represented.
"And during that war," Kakashi continued, his voice carrying a subtle shift in tone, "your father rose to prominence across the entire ninja world because of his incredible performance."
"His missions… his speed… his impact they were unmatched. So much so that the mere mention of his name would terrify enemy forces."
"They called him…"
Kakashi's eye narrowed slightly with a glimmer of pride.
"The Yellow Flash of Konoha."
The moment the name was spoken, Kakashi's gaze softened.
There was pride there but also remembrance.
A memory of a man who was both his leader… and his teacher.