"Tch… those two really are something else."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.
In front of him sat a crystal-clear Water Crystal Ball, within which two figures were displayed.
Kusunoki Naraku and Hatake Kakashi.
Using the Telescope Technique, Hiruzen observed their movements—just as he often did to keep watch over Konohagakure.
His original intention in assigning Naraku and Kakashi as Uzumaki Naruto's temporary bodyguards was simple:
to observe their behavior and decide who should become Naruto'sJōnin-sensei—and, by extension, who was more suitable as a Hokage candidate.
But after watching for a while, he found that neither of them was particularly reassuring.
Naraku was leaning lazily against a tree trunk, clearly not taking the mission seriously at all.
Kakashi was even worse—his mind had long since drifted elsewhere.
Others might not notice, but Hiruzen could see it clearly. He understood Kakashi's mental state all too well.
At this moment, Hiruzen genuinely felt like eliminating both of them from consideration.
"It's one thing if Naraku doesn't take it seriously… but Kakashi's problem…"
With a troubled expression, Hiruzen set his pipe aside.
So many years had passed, yet Hatake Kakashi still hadn't truly walked out of his past.
That was a serious issue.
Even without the Hokage candidacy involved, Kakashi's current state of mind made him barely qualified to serve as aJōnin at all.
"Sigh… each has their strengths and flaws. I'll observe a bit longer."
…
Hidden within the dense canopy of a large tree, Naraku and Kakashi were completely invisible from below.
Leaning against the trunk, Naraku occasionally glanced at Naruto dozing off in the academy hallway, his thoughts drifting aimlessly.
Before long, he let out a silent sigh.
Kakashi was still trapped in his low, heavy emotional state, unable to pull himself out.
"This is ridiculous."
"Hey, Kakashi."
Naraku lightly pressed off the tree trunk, causing a faint tremor that finally snapped Kakashi back to awareness.
"I know what happened back then hit you hard," Naraku said seriously.
"But it's been years. If you keep going like this, it really won't work."
Kakashi looked at Naraku's stern expression.
He knew it himself—he couldn't keep sinking into the past forever.
But some things weren't so easily controlled by willpower alone.
"Enough of the gloomy thoughts," Naraku said.
"School's already out."
The dismissal bell rang at the Ninja Academy.
Children poured out, laughing, chasing one another, filling the area with lively noise.
Parents waiting at the entrance soon gathered up their children.
Yet most of them deliberately avoided the spot where Uzumaki Naruto stood, whispering harsh words and instructing their children not to play with him.
Gradually, the academy grounds fell quiet.
Naruto watched as one child after another was taken home, then turned and began walking back alone.
Watching that solitary figure bathed in the orange glow of sunset, Naraku frowned slightly and followed—Kakashi close behind.
"Gulp…"
The sight of steaming, fragrant street food made Naruto swallow unconsciously.
He reached into his pocket—only a few jingling coins greeted his fingers.
His enthusiasm immediately faded.
"Forget it. I don't even like that stuff anyway."
"I've got plenty of instant ramen at home. I like ramen."
He muttered to himself, trying to look away.
But the saliva gathering at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.
The stall owner noticed Naruto soon enough.
A look of obvious disgust and rejection crossed the man's face.
Naruto's expression dimmed. He turned and ran off immediately.
"He should have money," Kakashi said quietly.
Naraku and Kakashi stopped in front of the food stall.
Kakashi had seen everything clearly, but he was confused.
The village definitely provided Naruto with living expenses.
"You saw the owner's look, didn't you?" Naraku replied.
"And besides—he probably doesn't have any money right now."
"No money?"
Kakashi was puzzled—until realization struck.
The village did issue Naruto a monthly stipend.
Even setting aside his status as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Naruto was still the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage. No one dared embezzle that money.
Hiruzen Sarutobi personally delivered Naruto's living expenses at the beginning of each month.
But the problem was simple.
Naruto was still a child.
He didn't understand budgeting.
He didn't know how to save.
Once the money reached his hands, it was quickly spent—leaving only a few coins behind.
That was perfectly normal for a kid his age.
Later, as Naruto grew older and became a ninja, he would finally start saving money—
Right up until Jiraiya swindled him out of it to go drinking.
After finishing a simple cup of instant ramen at home, Naruto slipped back outside.
That apartment was far too quiet.
Too lonely.
Being there only reminded him of his isolation.
Only outside—among people—could he feel that the world still existed, even if those people often looked at him with hatred, fear, or rejection.
Click.
Naraku and Kakashi pushed open the door and stepped into Naruto's apartment.
Clutter piled everywhere.
An unmade bed.
An empty ramen cup with nothing left but broth.
The messy scene before them—
This was Uzumaki Naruto's home.
"It's a bit much," Naraku said, surveying the room,
"but he's only twelve. That much is understandable."
The apartment wasn't large, but the basic facilities were barely adequate.
There was even a refrigerator.
Kakashi silently walked inside.
He picked up an empty milk bottle from the table and immediately noticed something wrong.
"What is it?" Naraku asked.
"…The milk's expired."
Naraku froze for a moment.
Then he remembered—he'd seen this scene somewhere before.
"The Third Hokage's gone too far," Naraku said, opening the refrigerator.
Inside, it was filled almost entirely with milk.
"Naruto's life shouldn't be like this."
"This is because Naruto's identity is extremely important."
Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared, pipe in hand, walking slowly into the room.
"The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki cannot be allowed to come to harm."
Naraku turned toward him, his expression openly disapproving.
He gestured at the apartment.
"Naruto isn't just the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki."
"He's also the son of the Fourth Hokage."
"The child of someone who sacrificed everything for the village shouldn't be forced to endure this."
Hiruzen's expression gradually grew heavy.
This time, he didn't respond.
The three of them fell into silence.
To be honest, Naraku simply couldn't understand the shinobi world's attitude toward jinchūriki.
They were treated as weapons—
Yet never treated well.
Abused. Feared. Rejected.
It was absurd beyond words.
These were living disasters waiting to happen—
And instead of stabilizing them, the village constantly provoked them.
As if afraid the living superweapon wouldn't explode.
From Naraku's perspective, a jinchūriki losing control was the most natural outcome imaginable.
After all—
Treat someone like that, and stability would be the real miracle.
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