"The Fourth Hokage's name was Namikaze Minato. Naruto, don't forget it next time."
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, gently pressed a wrinkled hand atop Naruto's spiky head, lowering it a little.
Hidden beneath his calm expression, however, his eyes were full of nostalgia and sorrow.
"Namikaze… Minato?" Naruto repeated softly, committing it to memory. "Got it! I won't forget! I'm gonna be Hokage too, after all!"
For some reason, just hearing that name filled Naruto's heart with a strange warmth—an inexplicable sense of peace and familiarity.
It was odd, but… not unpleasant.
"Hahahahaha!"
Hiruzen couldn't help laughing, genuinely delighted by the boy's fiery determination.
"Then, Grandpa Third, tell me about the Fourth Hokage! Please!"
"Alright, alright."
He took Naruto's hand, leading him to the wooden balcony. The two sat side by side, the cool evening breeze brushing against them as they gazed out toward the monumental Hokage Rock.
"The Fourth's story is a long one," Hiruzen began with a smile. "Where do you want me to start?"
Naruto tilted his head, arms folded in thought. "Hmm… Oh! Did the Fourth Hokage have any weird quirks too?"
"Ah, so that's what you want to hear first." Hiruzen chuckled, stroking his beard. He closed his eyes in mock contemplation, then snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes—there was something!"
"Tell me! Tell me!" Naruto leaned in, eyes wide with anticipation.
He hadn't expected the "perfect Hokage" to have a weird side too—
Suddenly, being called the Nine-Tails didn't feel quite as bad.
"The Fourth Hokage was known as the perfect ninja," Hiruzen began, his voice warm with reminiscence. "But even so, he had one very strange habit."
"Even the perfect ninja had one?!" Naruto clasped his hands excitedly.
Hiruzen chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement at the memory.
"The Fourth had a bit of an… airheaded streak. He was obsessed with giving his jutsu ridiculously long names."
"For example…"
He paused, trying to remember the absurd mouthful of syllables. Then, with a deep breath, he declared solemnly:
"He named his signature move—Rasengan Flash Super Wheel Dance Roar Three-Style!"
"Rasengan… Flash… Super… uh, what now?" Naruto scratched his head. The name was so long—and so twisty—that it tied his tongue in knots just trying to say it.
Then, like a lightning bolt, realization struck him.
"I get it!" he shouted, slamming his fists together. "The Fourth Hokage did it on purpose! He yelled out that super-long name in battle so the enemy would get confused—and then BAM! He'd hit 'em with a sneak attack while they were distracted!"
"…."
A bead of sweat trickled down Hiruzen's temple.
Truly Minato's son… He's even making excuses for his father's weirdness.
Ah, well. Best to let the boy keep his hero shining bright.
"I have another story—would you like to hear it?" Hiruzen asked.
Naruto's eyes sparkled. "Yes! Tell me!"
"Once upon a time," Hiruzen began, "there was a new transfer student at the ninja academy. She had bright red hair and a round face—very rare features in Konoha. Because of that, the other children were afraid of her. They teased and excluded her, even calling her 'Tomato.'"
Naruto frowned, his hands balling into fists.
"But," Hiruzen continued, "that girl had a dream very much like yours. She wanted to become the first female Hokage."
"A girl Hokage? That's awesome! But I won't lose to her!" Naruto grinned, clenching his fist. So there were others who shared his dream? That only made him more determined.
Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Her name was Uzumaki Kushina."
"Uzumaki… Kushina?" Naruto blinked. "Hey, that's the same last name as me!"
The old man only smiled, saying nothing.
"I get it," Naruto said after a moment, his voice softening. "People called me 'demon fox,' and they called her 'tomato.' She wanted to be Hokage so people would accept her… just like me."
As the words left his lips, a wave of sadness welled up inside him.
His chest tightened.
His eyes stung.
He wiped at his face—and stared, bewildered, at the wetness on his hand.
"Grandpa Third… why am I crying?"
Hiruzen's heart twisted. He closed his eyes and gently pulled Naruto into an embrace.
"It's because you and she were so much alike," he murmured. "You can feel what she felt."
Naruto buried his face against the Hokage's robe, silent but trembling.
After a long pause, Hiruzen's calm voice drifted once more into the night air.
"Later on, ninja from the Hidden Cloud infiltrated Konoha. In the chaos, they kidnapped Kushina and tried to smuggle her out of the village…"
"Those jerks from the Cloud!" Naruto shouted angrily. "Did she get saved?"
Hiruzen nodded with a faint smile. "Their plan was clever, but not perfect. The young Minato—who was still a student back then—noticed something strange. He left a signal for help, then chased the kidnappers down alone…"
—
The moon hung high when the Third Hokage finally pulled a blanket over Naruto's sleeping form.
Quietly, he left the apartment, closing the door behind him.
As the hallway light faded, he called softly into the empty air:
"Come out."
A masked ANBU operative appeared instantly, kneeling on one knee.
"Yuugao," Hiruzen said in a low voice, "contact all ANBU who were assigned to Naruto's security detail today. Have them submit a full report of everything that happened."
He paused, then added, "And look into this child—Hyūga Seimi. No need for deep background. Just find out whether Root has ever approached him."
"Understood."
With a blur, the kunoichi vanished into the shadows.
Hiruzen began his slow walk through the sleeping streets of Konoha. Under the moonlight, villagers bowed respectfully as he passed.
When he finally reached the Hokage's office, he stood by the window, gazing up at the carved faces of the Hokage Rock.
He lit his pipe.
Whoosh.
White smoke curled toward the ceiling. The yellow lamp stretched his shadow across the desk, covering the unused Hokage hat.
"Minato," he whispered, "if only I had been the one to use the Reaper Death Seal that day…"
"The longer I sit in this chair, the more powerless I feel… cough, cough…"
He tapped his pipe against the desk twice, the glass before him reflecting a tired, wrinkled face.
And for the first time in a long while, Hiruzen realized—
"…I've grown old."
~~--------------------------
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