The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, the image of Satsuki Uchiha—Fugaku Uchiha's second daughter—appearing in his mind.
He remembered clearly that before Satsuki was born, Fugaku, hoping this child would grow into a powerful ninja, had even planned to use his own father's name, "Sasuke." He hadn't expected to have two daughters in a row, so he had to slightly modify the name.
The first time he saw little Satsuki, the Third had to admit a pang of jealousy. Why could Fugaku have such an adorable daughter? Even at just three years old, the little girl's delicate features already showed the promise of a future beauty.
If only she weren't an Uchiha...
The Third had even entertained the thought of arranging an engagement between Satsuki and his own newborn grandson. Of course, this absurd idea was quickly dismissed by reality. A marriage between the Uchiha and the Hokage's line? He would be too ashamed to face the Second Hokage in the afterlife.
With that thought, the Third turned his attention back to Naruto, who was still gnawing on his apple. It was a good thing for this lonely child to form a bond, but the fact that it was with the Uchiha clan head's daughter... made the situation far too sensitive.
"Naruto," the Third began, trying to make his tone sound casual, "have you made any new friends lately?"
Naruto's movements paused slightly. Although the Third sounded like he was just making small talk, he knew exactly what this was about—he was probing about his meeting with Satsuki yesterday.
"Mhm!" Naruto swallowed the apple in his mouth, a bright smile spreading across his face. "I met someone really nice yesterday! She practiced shuriken with me for a long time! But..."
"But what?"
"Her personality is a little weird. How do I put it... she has this deliberate pride." Naruto pouted. "She'd say things like, 'Your throwing skills are passable,' even though she was just hiding behind a tree saying, 'That was amazing!'" "But it was my fault at first for using her training ground without asking."
The Third nodded thoughtfully. "I see. But... aren't there public training grounds in Konoha? Why practice so far away?"
"Because the people there don't like me. I don't know why, but the way they look at me... it's really uncomfortable. So, to not bother anyone, I had to go a little farther out."
The Third's hand holding the pipe tightened slightly. "...I see, Naruto." He deliberately slowed his speech. "And your new friend... did she agree to let you come find her again?"
A knowing smile curved Naruto's lips. He understood the hidden question—the Third was trying to confirm if Satsuki was deliberately luring him to the Uchiha compound.
"Yup! She said if we have the chance... we can practice together again in the forest outside Konoha. And after training, we can sit by the river with that awesome view, eat, and enjoy the scenery."
The Third let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. So it's in an area within the ANBU's surveillance range... He could now basically rule out the possibility that this was deliberately arranged by the Uchiha clan. The two children's meeting was likely just a coincidence.
"Naruto..." the Third said, shifting into a more relaxed posture to make the topic sound like a grandparent's concern. "About that friend... what do you think of her?"
Naruto gripped the apple core in his hand. He knew his next words would determine whether the Third would allow this friendship to continue.
"That girl..." Naruto feigned a look of annoyance. "Her personality is super weird, and she's always acting like she's looking down on people..." His voice gradually softened. "But..."
The Third raised an eyebrow with interest, watching Naruto's rare display of bashfulness.
"But..." Naruto scratched his head. "She's really pretty!"
The Third almost choked on his smoke. He hadn't expected such a pure and childlike answer. Seeing Naruto display an expression so fitting for his age, a complex emotion flickered in the old man's eyes.
I see... it's just a child's natural preference for "pretty things."
I should have a talk with Fugaku Uchiha later.
After tidying up his apartment, Naruto deftly tied his ninja tool pouch to his waist, double-checked that his bento box was packed, and stepped out into the sunlight.
I've made my intentions clear enough...
Naruto glanced towards the Hokage Rock. If that old man still planned to stop him from seeing Satsuki... then he shouldn't be blamed for being petty.
The small figure leaped nimbly between rooftops, his golden hair flying in the wind. This method of travel, which would seem dangerous to an ordinary person, was commonplace for a ninja—even a three-year-old one.
After a short run, the familiar training ground came into view. Naruto slowed his pace and looked around expectantly...
Satsuki isn't here. Did she not come today?
Just as Naruto thought he had made the trip for nothing, a soft poof sound, like a match being lit, came from the nearby riverbank. He curiously followed the sound.
Satsuki's small figure was standing by the river, her hands awkwardly forming hand seals. She frowned, her lips pressed into a thin line, looking utterly adorable in her concentration.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
With a childish shout, a fireball about the size of a soccer ball shot from her mouth, tracing an orange arc through the air, and then...
It fizzled out with a pathetic hiss.
There it is! The original's Fire Style: Matchstick Jutsu!
Satsuki stood by the river, her small fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. Her father's disappointed sigh replayed in her mind. "As expected, you can't do it like Itachi did..."
...Is the gap between me and my sister really that big?
She bit her lip and stubbornly shook her head, forcibly suppressing her disappointment. If talent isn't enough, I'll make up for it with hard work! Satsuki got back into the hand seal position. I will surpass my sister... and become a ninja the clan can be proud of!
"Yo! There you are! I came to find you, just like I promised!"
The sudden voice made Satsuki jump, nearly losing her balance. She whipped her head around to see Naruto's beaming face right next to her.
"It's you..." Satsuki said, forcing a calm expression as she turned her face away.
Naruto, completely oblivious to her embarrassment, eagerly leaned in. "Hey, hey~ That fireball just now, were you practicing ninjutsu?"
Satsuki's body stiffened. She realized he had seen her pathetic attempt at the Fireball Jutsu. A wave of shame washed over her—after boasting that the Uchiha were the strongest, she couldn't even perform the most basic Fire Style jutsu properly...
"That was so awesome!"
Unexpectedly, Naruto suddenly exclaimed, his eyes shining. Satsuki turned her head in surprise and met his sparkling blue eyes.
"You haven't even started at the Ninja Academy yet! But you're already practicing ninjutsu like a real ninja! You're so amazing!"
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