Early spring in Konoha saw the village gradually awakening from its cold winter slumber.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood by the window of the Hokage's office, watching the bustling streets of Konoha as wisps of blue smoke rose from his pipe.
As spring settled in, the villagers grew more active. The streets were filled with crowds; the cries of vendors and the laughter of children interwove into a vibrant tapestry of life. The wounds brought by war were slowly healing, and the gloom of the Nine-Tails incident from four years ago was quietly fading with the arrival of the new season.
'All of this has been achieved under my governance!' Hiruzen mused, rubbing his pipe. But suddenly, his gaze froze.
In the distance, something seemed to be happening on the street.
Squinting, he saw members of the Uchiha clan from the Military Police Force penalizing a merchant. The surrounding pedestrians instinctively moved away, creating a cold pocket of space around the interaction.
Under the Hokage hat, his brows furrowed slightly.
'If only the Uchiha could be a bit more... settled, it would be even better,' Hiruzen couldn't help but think.
"Hokage-sama." The sound of Shikaku Nara knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in." Hiruzen withdrew his gaze and looked toward Shikaku, who entered holding a scroll.
The latter placed the scroll on the Hokage's desk and said, "Hokage-sama, this is the latest intelligence regarding the Land of Bears. Please take a look."
"Oh?" Hiruzen sat down and opened the scroll to read carefully.
As he read, the old man's face grew increasingly solemn.
According to the news spread by the envoy from the Land of Birds upon his return, the Land of Bears had changed its name to the Land of Stars. The Land of Birds was the first to recognize this new regime. The nation's Daimyo system had been abolished, and a mysterious figure had become the "Sovereign" of the Land of Stars.
This new power, situated at a major trade hub in the western part of the continent, was establishing trade relations with neighboring countries at an astonishing speed.
"Sovereign..." Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and looked up at Shikaku. "What do you think?"
As Hiruzen's chief strategist, Shikaku had naturally processed this intelligence before reporting it.
"Well, the fact that the Land of Birds sent an envoy to the Land of Bears is suspicious in itself," Shikaku analyzed, stroking his chin. "It's a small nation without a ninja village, sandwiched between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. During the last war, it was a primary battlefield for the Sand and Stone."
"Therefore, I believe this move was not made by the Daimyo of Birds on his own. It likely carries the tacit approval or instruction of the Daimyo of Wind or Earth."
Shikaku's analysis accurately pinpointed the helplessness of small nations acting as pawns under the control of Great Nations.
Hiruzen nodded and continued, "Any word from the Daimyos of Earth and Wind?"
"Neither has made an official statement. They are still technically maintaining the blockade of the Land of Bears—now Stars." Shikaku hesitated for a moment before adding, "But strangely, they are allowing smaller nations to trade with the Land of Stars freely."
"Recently, merchants from the Land of Fire have frequently hired ninjas to escort them to the border cities of the Land of Stars. These are mostly B-rank escort missions. Many ninjas from our village have taken these tasks, delivering caravans to the border between Birds and Stars."
After the Third Great Ninja War, the various ninja villages had contracted their spheres of influence. When performing escort missions in other countries, as long as mission objectives didn't conflict, they generally avoided picking fights. Shinobi were human too; they were weary of war.
"Our ninjas' missions usually end at the border cities. From there, the ninjas of the Land of Stars take over the escort, taking responsibility for their safety. Furthermore, word is that the business environment in the Land of Stars is excellent; traveling merchants are full of praise for it."
When Konoha ninjas operated abroad, they brought back gathered intel—including the growing goodwill merchants felt toward this new nation.
"Is that so..." Hiruzen put down his pipe, lost in thought.
The embers in his pipe flickered. Hiruzen recalled the coup in the Land of Snow two years ago. Doto Kazahana, the leader of the Snow Ninja, had led a revolt, killing his brother Sosetsu to become the King. Doto was a ninja himself, ruling over his subordinates. Unlike other countries, the Land of Snow was resource-poor, and its ninjas were raised directly by the state. Sosetsu never imagined his brother would turn on him.
However, the Land of Snow's rebellion was strictly an internal power struggle among royalty. Doto was both a ninja leader and a member of the royal family with a claim to the throne.
The Third Hokage exhaled a ring of smoke. "Leave it for now. Closely monitor the Land of Stars and the Star Village. Remind the teams taking westward merchant escorts to stay vigilant."
"Understood!" Shikaku nodded.
5:00 PM.
After finishing his day's work, Hiruzen stretched his muscles. He opened a drawer and pulled out an envelope.
"It's time to give Naruto his living expenses again." Hiruzen counted the money inside, stood up, took off his Hokage hat, and changed into civilian clothes.
Arriving at Naruto's apartment, he was just about to knock when the door swung open from the inside.
"Eh? Grandpa Third!" Naruto's small hand gripped the doorknob. Seeing the Hokage outside, his eyes widened with pleasant surprise.
The Third Hokage was one of the few people who treated him well. Though not a relative, the old man seemed to know a lot about his parents.
"Where are you off to, little Naruto?" Hiruzen asked curiously.
"Just going to the park!" Naruto pushed the door wide, inviting the Third inside.
Hiruzen was well aware of Naruto's friends—an orphan named Menma and the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, Hinata. The three were very close and often played together.
Hiruzen thought to himself: they are just four or five-year-old children; it's natural to enjoy playing. After investigating Menma's background and Hinata's situation, he felt comfortable letting them play together, hoping peer companionship would give Naruto a normal childhood.
"I won't disturb you then. Here is your living expense for the month." Hiruzen didn't enter. He simply handed Naruto the envelope.
He reminded him, "Don't spend it all at once!"
As Hiruzen was about to leave, Naruto, clutching the envelope with both hands, suddenly asked, "Grandpa Third, did you know my mom and dad?"
Hiruzen stopped mid-turn. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why do you ask?"
'Is Danzo secretly trying to contact Naruto again?' The Third's first thought was of his old rival.
Naruto stood on his tiptoes, his face contorted with conflicted curiosity. " I'm just wondering... why does everyone else have parents? But I don't..."
"Menma doesn't have parents either," the Third said after a moment of silence.
"But..." Naruto wanted to say more, but the Third interrupted him.
"Your parents were both heroes." Hiruzen sighed with a heavy expression. "But, what is dead cannot return to life."
With that, he prepared to depart.
Whish—
"Hokage-sama!" An ANBU ninja wearing an animal mask suddenly landed on the hallway railing, dropping to one knee.
"Shura has left an Advance Notice at the Hyuga Compound!"