On the outskirts of Konoha, the broad Naka River wound its way past the village edge, cutting through dense forests before eventually merging into the distant sea.
Within these woods, several trickling streams dotted the landscape, adding a touch of vitality to the lush greenery.
Menma, Naruto, and Hinata came to a halt by one such small river after their long run.
"This is my secret base!" Naruto announced excitedly, introducing the spot to his friends.
Menma surveyed the surroundings. The clearing, about the size of a basketball court, was enclosed by a verdant forest. Overgrown with weeds, it featured a long-extinguished campfire at its center.
Hollowed-out logs hung from nearby tree trunks, and small, pebble-sized stones were scattered across the ground.
It was clear Naruto practiced here often.
Naruto rummaged through a hollow tree and pulled out three makeshift fishing rods. They were simple branches tied with fishing line and small hooks fashioned from bent iron nails.
"Menma-niichan, Hinata, pick one!" Naruto offered them enthusiastically.
"I'll take this one," Menma said, picking the nearest one.
Hinata followed suit, choosing a rod at random.
Before casting their lines, the three began searching for earthworms under the withered trees.
"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered.
Veins bulged around her temples as her vision pierced the soil, pinpointing the exact locations of the worms.
Following her guidance, Menma and Naruto flipped over a piece of rotting wood to find several small burrows and began digging with sticks.
"Whoa! So many worms!" Naruto cried out in delight.
Back when he searched alone, he could go half a day without finding any. It had taken him a long time to learn that worms favored the soft mud beneath fallen logs.
Menma gave Hinata a silent thumbs-up of approval.
The three settled into their chosen spots along the riverbank, baited their nail-hooks, and cast their lines.
Under the cool shade of the trees, the clear river flowed gently. The children chatted as they waited for a bite.
Menma intentionally shared fairy tales and parables from his previous life, drawing the other two into a trance. They were so engrossed that they nearly missed the fish tugging at their lines.
Naruto scrambled to pull his rod up, revealing a fish only about the size of his palm. He somewhat sheepishly placed it in a small tide pool he had built by the bank, rebaited his hook, and settled back in to listen to Menma's stories.
"In a time of constant war, there was a country with a law: anyone who redeemed a fellow citizen from slavery abroad would be compensated by the state," Menma began, telling the story of Zigong. "One day, a man named Zigong redeemed a citizen but refused the compensation. When his teacher, Confucius, found out, he actually criticized him."
"Why?" Naruto's face was a mask of confusion.
The person was saved, Zigong didn't take the money, and the state saved resources. Wasn't that a win for everyone?
Menma explained patiently: "Because Zigong's act was one of personal morality. By refusing the reward, he achieved high personal virtue, but he unintentionally raised the standard for everyone else. If people who aren't as wealthy as Zigong save someone in the future, they'll be afraid to ask for the state's compensation for fear of being called 'selfish' or 'not as noble as Zigong.' This is called moral kidnapping."
Menma broke it down further for Naruto: "You cannot use your own high standards to demand the same from others. If you do, you raise the 'cost' of doing good so high that only a few can afford it. It kills the enthusiasm of ordinary people to do the right thing."
"If doing good becomes a burden, who will want to do it?"
"Morality is meant to restrain oneself, not to kidnap others," Menma concluded. "If a kind act becomes a weight, eventually, fewer and fewer people will be willing to help."
Little Naruto nodded, though he only half-understood.
Menma didn't push it; he just hoped the boy would remember the lesson.
Time slipped away quietly. They managed to catch several fish and started a fire to roast them.
Naruto volunteered to be the chef for their "grand feast," only to get slapped across the face by a flapping fish tail. Menma and Hinata burst into laughter.
Naruto didn't mind. He just scratched his head and joined in the giggling.
He cherished this idle time—this simple joy of being with peers.
Not far away, hidden in the shadows of a large tree, Hyuga Ko kept watch. Seeing them start their meal, he pulled out his own dry rations and began to chew quietly.
Suddenly, there was a faint rustle beside him.
Ko turned his head to find a small, elderly man standing to his right. He wore plain clothes, had spiky grey hair, and sported a distinct goatee.
Ko immediately dropped his rice ball, his body tensing into a combat stance.
"Relax," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, offering a kind, grandfatherly smile.
"Lord Third!" Ko recognized the Third Hokage, who also served as the head of the Academy. Despite his shock, he maintained his respect.
He couldn't fathom why the Hokage would be here.
"I'm just here to see the children. Take a break," Hiruzen said before leaping down from the branch.
"Yes, Lord Third!" Ko bowed slightly, but his eyes remained sharp, watching as the old man approached the group.
Hinata, sharp and alert, sensed the movement first. She looked up at the approaching elder.
Menma had actually sensed Hiruzen long ago but feigned ignorance, continuing to eat his fish until Hinata looked up.
Naruto, buried in his meal, finally noticed the change and followed Hinata's gaze.
"Eh? Old man, who are you?" Naruto had never seen anyone else at his secret base.
"Ah, I'm just a passing old man," Hiruzen said with a twinkle in his eye, internally surprised by Hinata's keen awareness.
The boy named Menma was a bit slower to react than her, but still a promising sprout.
Hiruzen had intentionally left his robes and hat behind, wanting to approach the children as a commoner.
However, he clearly didn't understand this version of Hinata.
As Hiruzen reached the campfire, just as he was about to strike up a friendly conversation, Hinata curled her lip and spoke words that shocked the air.
"Isn't this that old man, the Third?"
Pfft—
Hiruzen nearly choked on his own breath.
Wait, I thought the Hyuga girl was supposed to be extremely shy? he thought, utterly bewildered.
Up in the tree, Ko covered his face with his hand and sighed.
"Hey, let me introduce you," Hinata said, waving her roasted fish toward the boys. "This is our village's Lord Third Hokage."
"The Hokage!!!" Little Naruto's eyes instantly turned into shining stars, filled with pure adoration.
In his world, the Hokage was the strongest person alive!
Menma, meanwhile, continued eating his fish calmly. He reached out and offered a skewer.
"Old man, want some?"
Looking at the boy's sincere eyes and the offered fish, Hiruzen suddenly felt that these three little rascals were quite fascinating.
He let out a hearty laugh, took the fish, and sat down by the fire.