In the corridors of the Hokage's Office, ninjas turned to stare, giving the small, golden-haired figure strange looks. This wasn't a place for a child, but what was even more surprising was that while their gazes held distance and wariness, the usual disgust was missing.
Inside the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was puffing on his pipe while reviewing documents. Ever since his wife passed away, no one had tried to get him to quit smoking.
His thoughts drifted to the ANBU surveillance report from last night—the child's conversation with the Uchiha heiress, those words about "talent" and "paths"...
Could a three-year-old really say something like that? That level of understanding of a ninja's talent, that emotional intelligence so far beyond his years...
Was it because he was isolated for so long that he was forced to mature early?
Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open, and a childish voice broke his train of thought.
"Thanks, Mr. Ninja! The old man Hokage won't punish you, he's not that petty~"
"He comes to my place all the time, so it's normal for me to come find him, right?"
The young guard at the door blushed. "What do you mean, 'Mister'! I just came of age! And show some respect for the Hokage!"
Naruto chuckled, nimbly slipped inside, and closed the door behind him. He turned, his blue eyes looking directly at the Third Hokage behind the desk.
The Third Hokage slowly put down his pipe, a complex expression on his wrinkled face. "Naruto... coming to see me so early, are you in some kind of trouble?"
Naruto placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his small chest. "Of course, it's something important, Grandpa Hokage! My purpose for coming this time is super clear—give me the scrolls for the basic ninjutsu! I'm going to train and become a strong ninja!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.
He remembered, of course, that Naruto had made this request before, but he had refused without hesitation back then. It wasn't that he was stingy, but without a suitable teacher, letting a three-year-old train in ninjutsu alone? What if he messed up his chakra and damaged his pathways?
But this time, he hesitated. In recent ANBU reports, Naruto's words and actions were becoming less and less like those of a normal child.
The Third's fingers tapped gently on the desk. Instead of letting Naruto wander around the village aimlessly, or even sneak off to the Uchiha compound... perhaps...
Naruto looked at the Third in surprise. Is the old man actually considering it?
But he soon noticed that the Third's brow was still slightly furrowed, clearly still weighing the pros and cons. Naruto immediately changed the subject.
"Right, Grandpa Hokage!" he said with feigned innocence. "I was reading a book recently, and I saw that there's something in this world called a 'Kekkei Genkai,' right?"
The Third was taken aback for a moment, then a kind smile appeared on his face. He cleared his throat and answered in the gentle tone he used when explaining the basics of the ninja world to the village children.
"That's right, Naruto. A Kekkei Genkai is a special ability passed down through bloodlines, usually inherited only by specific clans."
Then came the standard official answer—
"Our Konoha is the most powerful ninja village in the world, with the most Kekkei Genkai clans! For example, the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, and also..."
Naruto cut off the Third's lengthy speech.
"So... Grandpa Hokage. You said before that my parents were heroes of Konoha who died on an important mission, right?"
The Third paused, then nodded. "Mhm, your parents were the pride of Konoha."
"I see. So, were they super strong 'Kekkei Genkai' ninja?"
This kid... what is he getting at?
The Third frowned. Minato Namikaze was a genius from a common background, and while Kushina Uzumaki was from the Uzumaki clan and possessed immense chakra and a powerful life force, that was a special constitution of the Uzumaki, not a Kekkei Genkai.
"Naruto, a Kekkei Genkai is a specific bloodline ability. Although your parents were great ninja, they didn't have..."
"That's not right!" Naruto grinned, gripping the edge of the Hokage's desk. "If it's passed down through blood, then what I've awakened can only be a Kekkei Genkai!"
"What?!"
The Third shot to his feet, his pipe clattering onto the desk. Naruto Uzumaki awakened a Kekkei Genkai?! How is that possible?!
Calm down... perhaps the child is just mistaking an ordinary ninjutsu for a Kekkei Genkai...
However, the next second, his train of thought was completely shattered by the scene before him.
"Look!" Naruto spread his arms, a triumphant smile on his face. "I can suddenly use this! Isn't it amazing?"
Shwa—!
Several brilliant golden chains suddenly extended from Naruto's back, dancing in the air like ethereal snakes. The fluctuation of chakra made the air tremble slightly.
This is—the Adamantine Sealing Chains?!
The Third instantly recognized the jutsu. The image of the First Hokage's wife, Mito Uzumaki, flashed in his mind. Back then, it was with this unique sealing jutsu of the Uzumaki clan that she was able to suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra and become the first jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.
Three years old... a child of only three has awakened the Adamantine Sealing Chains?!
As the Hokage who had lived through two Great Ninja Wars, he had seen countless geniuses, but one like Naruto—it was simply unheard of.
The Third's gaze shifted from the chains to Naruto's childish face. The golden hair, the blue eyes—although he hadn't inherited the Uzumaki clan's signature red hair, the dancing chains at this moment were an undeniable declaration.
Minato's son... the Uzumaki blood flowing within him is thicker than I imagined. No, it wasn't just thick.
It was... a monstrous level of talent.
He didn't dwell on why Naruto, with only half Uzumaki blood, could master the Adamantine Sealing Chains at such a young age. Bloodlines and talent were never simple arithmetic.
Just like the child of the First Hokage and Lady Mito.
The combination of the finest bloodlines of the Senju and Uzumaki clans—the father was the God of Shinobi, the mother was the pinnacle of sealing jutsu, yet their child ultimately became just...
An unremarkable ninja.
Fate's gifts never followed reason. Sometimes, the fusion of two powerful bloodlines would result in mediocrity, and sometimes, a seemingly ordinary combination could give birth to a monster that defied all logic.
"Great, I finally got them!"
Naruto returned to his small apartment and eagerly spread the ninjutsu scrolls he had just gotten from the Third Hokage on his desk. He rubbed his hands together excitedly, his fingertips gently tracing the characters that recorded the secrets of ninjutsu.
I didn't expect the old man to be so generous.
He had originally only wanted the most basic Three Academy Techniques—the Clone Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, and Body Replacement Jutsu—but the Third had also thrown in a bunch of other ninjutsu scrolls.
Naruto casually opened the topmost scroll. The words "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough" were clearly written on it.
"Wind Style, Water Style, Lightning Style..." he murmured to himself. "Water Trumpet, Earth Runner... Shadow Clone Jutsu... whoa, there's quite a variety."
What surprised him most was that tucked within the pile of scrolls was a thick volume titled "Secret Teachings of Sealing Jutsu." Naruto picked it up and flipped through it. It was densely packed with the basic theories and practice methods of sealing jutsu. It was like...
The sealing jutsu version of an exam prep book...
It seemed the old man Hokage really valued the sealing jutsu talent he had displayed. But, for someone who had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, was it necessary to learn such basic sealing jutsu?
The answer was, of course, yes.
Naruto discovered it was like playing the piano—even if you could perfectly play a difficult piece like the "Moonlight Sonata," you still had to practice to learn simpler tunes.
"Alright!" Naruto stood up abruptly. "Let's start with the most basic Three Academy Techniques..."
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