Tsunade finally spoke, her tone sharp and clipped—clearly displeased with Hiruzen's decision.
"Sensei, are you really going to tell him? Now?"
The room tightened. Tsunade's words landed heavy, but Raftra did not falter. He met her gaze with quiet certainty.
Hiruzen drew a long breath and looked at Tsunade.
"Tsunade, I understand your concerns. But there is a reason I want to be honest with this young man."
Tsunade crossed her arms, her expression cynical.
"A reason? You know this isn't an ordinary village secret. This is a truth that only a handful of people should know."
"And now you want to entrust it to a foreign teenager? Are you certain you haven't lost your mind?"
Raftra narrowed his eyes and replied firmly.
"Lady Tsunade, it seems you've forgotten—I've seen for myself how Naruto is treated."
"Every adult in this village seems to know the reason for that hatred. So tell me: why is someone like me, an outsider, considered unworthy of knowing?"
"Is it because I'm not part of your political games?"
Tsunade stepped forward and stood directly in front of Raftra.
"You're only staying here temporarily. Don't be insolent and meddle in matters even the shinobi themselves dare not question."
Raftra gave a cold chuckle. "Precisely because I'm an outsider, I can see this hypocrisy clearly. A child like Naruto is oppressed by his own village, and you grown-ups simply remain silent."
"And now you—someone who hardly cares about this village—act as if you do? That's strange, and… inconsistent."
Tsunade fell silent. Her eyes narrowed and her lips sealed. Inside, she cursed.
'This kid… from one meeting and a few words I spoke, he's already read my stance. He's too sharp. He notices things others typically miss.'
Hiruzen tapped the desk softly, breaking the tension.
"That's enough, Tsunade. I have made my decision."
Tsunade shot him a hard look. "What decision? You really intend to speak about this to a boy who's only lived here a week?"
Hiruzen looked directly at Tsunade. His face was calm, but his voice was heavy. "Yes. I will tell Raftra."
Shizune stiffened, glancing between her master and the Hokage, afraid to speak. Kakashi was similarly reticent, though his eyes flicked with guarded curiosity, as if trying to divine why the Hokage trusted this foreign youth so readily.
Tsunade sighed, bowed her head a little, and finally relented.
"Very well—then tell me. What reason makes you trust this boy?"
Hiruzen answered evenly. "Because I know him better than any of you. I know who he is. And I can guarantee one thing—Raftra harbors no ill will toward this village."
Kakashi fixed his gaze on the Hokage. Inwardly he wondered, 'What does he mean? Does Hiruzen-sama know something about Raftra he hasn't told anyone? What secret could justify such certainty?'
Tsunade stared at Hiruzen, full of questions. 'What does he know? Why do I feel he's hiding something about this boy?'
Raftra remained silent, but a sly smile slowly formed in his mind. 'Good. The situation is unfolding exactly as I want.'
Hiruzen inhaled deeply and began to speak in a grave voice.
"Seven years ago… on a night the village will never forget, Konoha was attacked by the Nine-Tailed beast."
"Called the Kyūbi. It razed houses, killed shinobi and civilians alike. The village was nearly wiped out in a single night."
The Hokage's chamber fell silent. Tsunade, Shizune, and Kakashi watched without interrupting.
"In the chaos, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife Kushina confronted the beast. They fought until their last breath."
"But to contain the Kyūbi, Minato had no choice but to sacrifice himself. He sealed the Kyūbi into a newborn infant… and that infant was Naruto."
Hiruzen paused and met Raftra's eyes, his look heavy with burden. "Naruto lost his parents on the day he was born. Since then, he has carried the Kyūbi's seal within him."
Shizune bowed her head, her face somber. Tsunade crossed her arms, stern but clearly restraining something. Kakashi remained impassive.
Hiruzen continued, his tone growing heavier.
"Somehow, that secret leaked. People learned the Kyūbi had not died, but had been sealed inside a baby. They did not pause to consider who Naruto truly was."
"They saw only the Kyūbi. Fear mixed with hatred. That is why the adults of this village despise him. They refuse to see that Naruto is an innocent child."
Raftra did not reply immediately. He feigned surprise—his eyes widened slightly, his breath subtle and uneven.
"So… the village treated a little child like that simply because he carried a seal the Fourth Hokage chose to place on him?"
"Because of the ignorance of people who cannot distinguish between human and monster?"
Hiruzen did not answer, he merely bowed his head.
Tsunade shot Raftra a sharp look. "Now you understand. The village has its reasons—even if you may deem them wrong."
Raftra turned to her and met her gaze coolly. "Reasons? Tormenting an orphan child is not a reason. It's a forced justification."
"And if the Hokage himself knew this from the start… and allowed it to continue… then I truly question the leadership of this village."
The mood instantaneously thickened. Shizune clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from speaking. Tsunade rose as if to argue but restrained herself. Kakashi stared at Hiruzen, waiting to see what he would do.
Hiruzen said, "You are bold, Raftra. But… I admit, none of your words are wrong."
Raftra exhaled and fixed his gaze on Hiruzen. "From the story you told, one point nags at me. Why did the Fourth Hokage choose to seal the Kyūbi into a newborn? The tale sounds… absurd. Forced."
The room quieted again. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes while Tsunade folded her arms, her expression sharp as if she awaited an error from Raftra.
"Let me guess," Raftra continued in a flat but pressing voice. "There is one part you did not fully explain."
"Namely, perhaps Naruto is the child of the Fourth Hokage."
Hiruzen's brows rose and his hand clenched reflexively. "Why do you draw that conclusion?"
Raftra answered analytically, folding his hands firmly.
"Let us follow the logic…"
"You said Minato and Kushina died that night. You also said Naruto's parents were gone. Isn't that too much of a 'coincidence'?"
"Two adults perished on the same night?"
Raftra pressed on, his tone sharpening.
"Furthermore, Minato's actions are suspicious. Why seal the Kyūbi into a newborn?"
"Why not into an adult shinobi—someone more prepared? Or even into himself? Of all choices, why Naruto?"
"The answer is simple…"
"…perhaps because Naruto was no ordinary infant. Perhaps he was Minato and Kushina's child. The Kyūbi attacked precisely when Kushina gave birth."
"Minato sought to protect the village, but at the end of his life he and his wife lay dying, and their baby was there."
"So Minato's only option… was to seal the Kyūbi within his own child."
Raftra finished coldly. "The result is the Naruto we see now—hated, discriminated against, treated as a monster. Yet he only inherited the burden of his parents' decision."
Those words seemed to electrify the air. Shizune lowered her face, curious and stunned. Tsunade glared at Hiruzen, silently demanding an explanation.
Kakashi gripped his own arm hard, trying to control the turmoil provoked by the mention of Minato. 'Minato-sensei…' he thought.
Hiruzen was silent for a long moment, staring at Raftra as if weighing whether to refute or let that analysis hang in the air.
"Your analysis… is correct," Hiruzen said quietly but firmly.
"Almost everything you said… is the truth."
Shizune covered her eyes with her hand in disbelief at the Hokage's admission. Kakashi stayed silent, his heart pounding at the confession.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, staring at Hiruzen with an accusing glare, as if accusing him of carelessly revealing too much.
Raftra nodded slowly. "Then there is one more question that bothers me. Who leaked the fact that the Kyūbi was sealed inside Naruto?"
He leaned forward, fixing Hiruzen with a steady look. "Because if Minato sealed the Kyūbi in front of the entire village, their reaction would have been different."
"They would have seen Naruto as a pitiable child. Not as a monster to be hated."
"So I assume… the sealing was done in private, with only a few people aware."
Hiruzen shut his eyes for a moment, then reopened them with a heavy gaze. "You are right. The sealing was conducted in private, only a handful truly knew the truth."
"But… somehow, the news leaked. From that point, the rumor spread, morphed, and became inherited hatred passed down from mouth to mouth."
Raftra tapped the table with his fingers, his expression earnest. "Then the leak is not Naruto's fault. It is the failure of the adults who could not keep the secret."
Tsunade crossed her arms, her stare piercing Hiruzen. Shizune bowed her head even lower, unable to meet anyone's eyes.
Kakashi thought, 'If only a handful knew… then the betrayal came from within the Hokage's inner circle.'
'And… who?'
Hiruzen finally spoke.
"I do not know who first spread the information. Since the night of the sealing, I forbade anyone from speaking about it."
"All official records were removed, only a select few truly knew. Yet somehow, the secret leaked. Once it spread… I could not take it back."
He paused, drew a long breath, and continued.
"At present, youths and children do not know the truth about Naruto. But the adults have passed down that hatred. They teach their children to avoid Naruto, to instill fear, as if he were the Kyūbi itself."
Raftra listened with a tightened face and then asked sharply, "Then did you do nothing to stop it? Were there no concrete steps to halt that hatred?"
Hiruzen fixed his gaze on Raftra and replied in a low voice.
"I tried. I investigated who had spread the rumor. But every trail led to a dead end. To this day, I have not found the answer."
Raftra sighed and pressed his forehead for a moment, his expression clearly frustrated.
"So this problem is far more complicated than I thought. I did not expect to learn of such a heavy burden just a week after arriving in this village."
He glanced briefly at Tsunade.
"Now I understand why Lady Tsunade reacted so harshly earlier. This is not simply the matter of an ordinary child, it is intertwined with politics and the village's wounded history."
Tsunade did not reply immediately, she kept staring at Raftra as if weighing every word. Kakashi watched silently, curiosity growing.
"Now the question is…" Raftra said, looking toward the window. "What was the purpose of whoever leaked this? Why do it? Did they intend for Naruto to be hated?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "I don't know. No one truly knows."
"Is that so…"
....
The room had been tense after the grave discussion. Everyone remained silent, breaths audible. Raftra gave a thin smile to break the tightness.
'It seems I overdid it. The atmosphere in this room has become tense. I need to lighten the mood before I lose control and the conversation takes a dangerous turn for me,' he thought.
"It seems… the mood here is too heavy," he said. "So, to lighten things…"
"…how about I invite Lord Hiruzen, Lady Tsunade, and Miss Shizune to dinner at Raftra Kitchen."
"That is the name of my shop, which will officially open soon. I will cook myself, and you may sample all the main dishes I have prepared."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, then smiled warmly despite the lingering awkwardness. 'And now Raftra is trying to divert the conversation... why would he do that?'
Tsunade merely crossed her arms and stared flatly, while Shizune appeared pleased but restrained. 'Trying to change the topic... huh?'
Raftra turned to leave. "Very well. I take my leave. Thank you, Lord Hiruzen, for your honesty and candor. That is more than enough for me."
As he reached for the door, Hiruzen's voice stopped him. "Wait, Raftra."
Raftra turned and met the Third Hokage with a serious look.
"Now that you know all this… what will you do about Naruto?" Hiruzen asked cautiously, gauging the young man's response.
Raftra inhaled and answered calmly, "I will not do anything extraordinary. I will act as I have—normally."
"Besides, my questions were born of curiosity, not from a desire to meddle in village affairs."
His reply returned the room to a hush. Hiruzen studied Raftra, searching for signs of deceit, but the youth's face remained composed.
"Very well…" Hiruzen said at last.
Raftra opened the door and stepped out, with Kakashi following quietly. Tsunade watched Raftra's back with a doubtful glare, while Shizune exchanged a look with her mentor.
…
When the Hokage's door closed behind them, Raftra immediately spotted Naruto waiting on the bench. The boy swung his legs back and forth, looking bored and awkward sitting alone.
When he saw Raftra, Naruto exclaimed, "You took forever!" His tone was slightly annoyed, but relief was clear—he was glad not to be alone.
Raftra let out a short breath and smiled faintly. "Yes, it took longer than expected. It was complicated."
He held out his hand to Naruto. "Come. Let's go back."
Naruto hesitated for a moment, a flicker of doubt in his eyes, as if afraid Raftra might pull away or tease him.
But finally, cautiously, he lifted his hand and took Raftra's. The grip was firm, Naruto's face flushed and a broad smile bloomed—he looked truly happy.
Raftra guided him away. Naruto's steps were light and quick, as if he had just gained something precious.
A few passing shinobi turned to look, surprised to see the usually shunned boy walking hand in hand so warmly. Naruto didn't care—he only focused on Raftra's hand in his.
Behind them, Kakashi walked calmly. From behind his mask his eyes analyzed everything.
Inwardly he murmured, 'Why did the Hokage open up like that to Raftra? It's odd…'
He remembered clearly. 'Several days ago, the Hokage ordered me to watch Raftra.'
'Not just to watch, but to find a flaw, to make the boy careless, to test for any malicious intent. That clearly shows the Hokage did not wholly trust him.'
'Yet now, the Hokage publicly explained the village's most sensitive secret to Raftra. A secret many jonin and high-ranking figures do not know.'
'And more strangely, Hiruzen declared he had no doubt Raftra meant no harm.'
'These two actions contradict each other—his order to me and his conduct today…'
Kakashi lowered his head as they walked, his thoughts churned.
'Perhaps the Hokage had reasons beyond suspicion for ordering surveillance. Something larger?'
'Or perhaps there is a political plan even I am not privy to?'
He exhaled softly. 'I don't know… my duty is to follow orders. But the more I watch this boy, the harder it becomes to see him as a threat.'
'I don't understand what the actual purpose of this mission is.'
Kakashi looked forward again. Raftra and Naruto moved like an older brother and his little sibling, Naruto's wide smile was unmistakable—something rarely seen on the boy.
…
Back in the Hokage's chamber, the atmosphere remained heavy after Raftra left. A long silence passed before Tsunade finally spoke. Her gaze cut to Hiruzen.
"What are you hiding? Who is that youth, really? Earlier you said Raftra has no ill intent because you know who he is…"
"What did you mean by that?"
Shizune turned quickly to her master, eyes full of curiosity.
Hiruzen drew a deep breath and, calmly, replied, "I do not intend to reveal that. If you are truly curious, ask Raftra yourself."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, clearly unsatisfied.
"You're evading. That boy is no ordinary youth. He's intelligent—too intelligent for his age."
"In only a week he deduced the village's deepest secret from observing the surroundings and hearing half the truth from you."
"That is not ordinary."
She paused, then added more sharply, "And he could read me from one or two brief encounters."
"He knows I don't truly care for this village—yet that's a conclusion no one should reach so quickly."
"Such analysis… it's unnerving."
Hiruzen did not deny it. He looked out the window at the village and, with a heavy tone, answered.
"If you knew what I know about Raftra… perhaps you would understand why I took this stance."
'Because Raftra… came from another world,' he thought.
Tsunade's brow creased, her suspicion deepened. She wanted to press further, but Hiruzen's expression signaled the conversation would not continue. Shizune remained quiet, bowing her head as though she sensed a great secret was being withheld.