The Sarutobi clan estate was quiet once more.
After speaking with Iruka for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally sent him away. Not once did he bring up the matter of Naruto again—neither the task of watching over him nor the expectations he had once placed on Iruka's shoulders.
Some things, once broken, could not simply be forced back into place.
After personally returning the Scroll of Seals to its storage room, Hiruzen stepped onto the corridor outside his study. His hands were clasped behind his back, posture straight, his expression unreadable.
"Report," he said calmly into the darkness. "Everything that happened tonight. Especially Naruto's changes."
The Telescope Technique had shown him much—but distance always stole details. Tone, intent, subtle movements, quiet words. Those were things the crystal ball could not capture.
He needed confirmation.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
A masked ANBU shinobi emerged soundlessly from the shadows and knelt on one knee. His voice was steady as he began recounting the night from start to finish.
At first, everything matched what Hiruzen had already observed: Naruto's movements, Mizuki's pursuit, the confrontation in the Forest of Death.
But when the report reached the moment Mizuki seized Naruto by the throat, Hiruzen's brow slowly furrowed.
From the crystal ball's view, it had looked like a sudden burst—Naruto exploding with strength, turning the tables through sheer ferocity. Brutal, yes, but still explainable as desperation mixed with adrenaline.
The ANBU's account was different.
"After Mizuki grabbed him," the ANBU said carefully, "Naruto's demeanor changed completely."
"Changed how?" Hiruzen asked.
"He did not struggle," the ANBU replied. "Nor did he panic. His presence… sharpened. Mizuki was not taken by surprise. He was overwhelmed directly."
The ANBU paused briefly, then continued.
"It was not a fight. It was a hunt."
Hiruzen's fingers tightened slightly behind his back.
The ANBU described what followed in precise, professional detail—how Mizuki had been toyed with, how hope had been deliberately given and taken away, how fear had been cultivated before the end.
Methods.
Intent.
Control.
None of it resembled the actions of an impulsive academy student.
But that was not what truly concerned Hiruzen.
"There is more," the ANBU said.
Hiruzen turned his head slightly. "Speak."
"While Mizuki had Naruto by the neck," the ANBU continued, "Naruto spoke two sentences."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "What did he say?"
"'Is this the scent of the real world?'" the ANBU recited. "And after that: 'I've truly missed it.'"
The corridor seemed colder.
Those words did not belong to a child.
They did not belong to Naruto.
Hiruzen's mind immediately reached for the most obvious answer.
The Nine-Tails.
"What about chakra?" he asked. "Did you sense the Nine-Tails' chakra at that moment?"
The ANBU shook his head without hesitation.
"No, Hokage-sama. Naruto used only taijutsu. There were no abnormal chakra fluctuations. No trace of the Nine-Tails' chakra at all."
Hiruzen fell silent.
No Nine-Tails chakra.
That alone ruled out the most dangerous possibility—but it introduced a far more troubling mystery.
If it wasn't the fox…
Then what had spoken?
"You may withdraw," Hiruzen said at last.
"Yes."
The ANBU vanished, leaving the corridor empty once more.
Hiruzen remained where he was, staring into the night.
"No Nine-Tails chakra…" he murmured.
Could the fox's consciousness have surfaced without its chakra breaching the seal? That was theoretically possible—but unprecedented under such circumstances.
Still, the conclusion remained the same.
The seal was stable.
Naruto was not in immediate danger of losing control.
And that meant—
"He can still be deployed," Hiruzen said quietly.
Yet even as he reached that conclusion, unease lingered.
Turning back into the study, Hiruzen approached his desk and opened a drawer. From within, he took out a thin envelope.
"Mizuki spoke too much," he muttered. "And Iruka… failed at the worst possible moment."
If Naruto had been shaken—truly shaken—then words alone might not be enough.
Hiruzen weighed the envelope in his hand, frowned, then opened the drawer again and removed a small stack of bills. He added them to the envelope until it felt properly substantial.
Only then did he nod in satisfaction.
Placing the envelope inside his coat, Hiruzen picked up his Hokage hat and left the estate.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Naruto, who had only just returned home and was still riding the excitement of the night, froze mid-step.
"Huh?" he muttered. "Someone's knocking?"
That almost never happened.
Aside from the occasional delivery of his living allowance, no one ever came to his door.
"Isn't it too early for that?" Naruto scratched his head. "There should still be half a month left…"
Curious and slightly hopeful, he hurried over and opened the door.
The moment he saw who stood outside, his eyes lit up.
"Grandpa Third!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there, wearing a gentle smile, posture relaxed, eyes warm.
"Naruto," he said kindly. "I came to see you."
Naruto's face broke into a wide grin.
This was the person in the village who treated him best. The one who listened. The one who smiled at him without fear or disgust.
To Naruto, Hiruzen was family.
"Well?" Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Aren't you going to invite an old man inside?"
"Ah—yes! Please come in!" Naruto said hurriedly, stepping aside.
As Hiruzen entered, Naruto's excitement bubbled over.
It worked, he thought. He noticed me!
But then—unbidden—Mizuki's words echoed in his mind.
They raised you to use you as a weapon.
The smile on Naruto's face faltered for just a second. His gaze toward Hiruzen became complicated, emotions clashing beneath the surface.
Damn Mizuki.
Dying like that was far too easy for him.
Hiruzen noticed the shift immediately.
Internally, he cursed Mizuki once more—but his expression only grew gentler.
"I heard about what happened tonight," Hiruzen said softly. "Are you hurt?"
His tone turned earnest.
"If you are, tell Grandpa. Even if I have to bankrupt myself, I'll make sure you're treated."
The concern felt real.
Too real.
Naruto's chest tightened.
"Grandpa Third, I'm fine!" he said quickly, forcing a grin. "Look—I'm totally okay!"
He struck an awkward pose, flexing as if to prove his point.
Hiruzen smiled and patted his head.
"That's good. Very good."
Then his expression shifted—somber, apologetic.
"Naruto," he said quietly, "you've suffered a great deal."
Naruto's heart skipped.
"You're growing up now. There are things you deserve to know."
Inside the depths of Naruto's consciousness, Lock watched coldly.
Here it comes, he thought.
The performance.
The reassurance.
The careful framing.
"Truly hypocritical," Lock muttered. "And revolting."
But he did not interfere.
Not yet.
Naruto suddenly panicked.
"No—Grandpa Third!" he blurted out. "I don't believe anything Mizuki said! Really! You don't have to explain!"
His voice wavered.
He was afraid.
Afraid that once everything was laid bare, this kindness would disappear. Afraid that even this fragile warmth would be taken from him.
Even if it was a lie—
He didn't want to lose it.
Naruto's reaction made Hiruzen's smile deepen, just slightly.
The conditioning had held.
Still, Hiruzen did not retreat.
He straightened, expression solemn, voice steady.
"Listen carefully, Naruto," he said, every word deliberate.
"You are not the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox."
Naruto froze.
"You are a living person," Hiruzen continued. "A citizen of this village."
"And a ninja of Konoha."
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