Chapter Text
Knock. Knock.
Soft footsteps crossed the floor and stopped just behind the door.
The doorknob twisted, and the door slowly opened, revealing a blond boy no older than seven, peeking shyly through the gap. When he saw who stood outside, relief softened his features, and a small smile appeared as he opened the door wider.
"Hokage-jiji," the boy said warmly.
"How are you doing, Naruto?" Hiruzen asked gently.
"I'm fine, Jiji," Naruto replied, stepping aside to let him in.
Once inside, Hiruzen settled onto the sofa. A few minutes later, Naruto returned, carefully carrying a cup and a kettle. He poured the tea with focused concentration.
"Thank you," Hiruzen said, accepting the cup.
After taking a sip, Hiruzen reached into his robes and handed Naruto an envelope. "Use this wisely."
Naruto nodded, clutching it carefully.
Hiruzen stood and smiled down at him. "Would you like to take a walk?"
Naruto's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly.
Moments later, they strolled through Konoha's streets. Villagers paused and bowed respectfully as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, passed by.
They eventually reached a quiet lake. There, Hiruzen patiently taught Naruto how to fish. Soon, a small fire crackled nearby as they fried their catch.
The cackling flames and the scent of burning wood filled the air, wrapping the moment in calm.
They ate in comfortable silence.
Every now and then, Naruto glanced toward Hiruzen.
Noticing this, Hiruzen asked, "Is there something you'd like to ask me, Naruto?"
Naruto hesitated, then nodded shyly. "Can I enter the Ninja Academy?"
Hiruzen smiled warmly. "Of course. I've been waiting for you to ask."
"Really?" Naruto's voice was bright with hope.
"The new batch starts in a few months," Hiruzen said. "All the kids will be your age. You'll have a great time."
Naruto nodded. "Is there anything I need to learn beforehand?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "No need. They'll teach you everything from the beginning."
Naruto nodded again, satisfied.
And the two of them continued eating quietly together.
Snow covered Konoha's streets, buildings, and parks, wrapping the village in a cold, quiet stillness.
Curious about his future, Naruto decided to visit the Ninja Academy to get acquainted with it. Inside, he approached a chūnin teacher and asked about admission details.
The moment the chūnin saw him, recognition flashed in his eyes.
The Kyūbi brat.
Not wanting to deal with him, the chūnin waved Naruto off dismissively.
"Kids your age aren't allowed to join the Academy."
Naruto frowned, confused. "But Hokage-ji-sama told me to come here and apply for the Academy."
At the mention of the Hokage, the chūnin stiffened. A moment later, he let out an awkward chuckle.
"Haha… I was just kidding. Of course you can join."
Without another word, he led Naruto into the office and quickly filled out the enrollment form.
"You're good to go," the chūnin said, handing it over. "The Academy starts in June."
Naruto nodded happily and left the room.
Moments later, another chūnin—one with a scratch across his nose—approached him.
"What happened? Why do you look so flustered?"
The man startled and turned around. "I-Iruka!"
His gaze drifted toward the hallway, where Naruto's small figure was disappearing.
Iruka noticed him too. "What is he doing here?" His voice carried a sharp edge of anger.
"That kid is joining the Academy."
Iruka stared. "Really? And you filled out the form?"
The chūnin nodded. "The Hokage said he could join."
Iruka fell silent, nodding slowly.
The whole village knew how close the Hokage was to Naruto.
Naruto exited the Academy, the cold air brushing against his face. As he walked away, his attention was caught by raised voices nearby.
Three boys were surrounding a girl about his age.
Naruto slowed and moved closer, hiding just enough to see what was happening. The boys were laughing and shoving her around.
"Monster," one of them sneered.
"Pale eyes freak," another added. "Show us your Byakugan!"
"Yeah! Byakugan monster!"
The girl shrank back, clutching her jacket, her eyes wide with fear.
Naruto's fists clenched.
Without thinking, he spun around and rushed back into the Academy.
Inside, he spotted the chūnin he had spoken to earlier, standing with another chūnin who had a scar across his nose. Naruto didn't care who they were talking to.
He ran straight up to them and stopped in front of them, panting lightly.
The chūnin frowned. "What are you doing here, kid?"
Naruto took a breath. "Outside… three boys are bullying a girl. They're calling her a monster—pale eyes—and telling her to show her Byaku something."
Both chūnin's eyes widened.
Without another word, they turned and rushed toward the exit.
Naruto followed right behind them.
The bullies shoved the girl, and she fell to the ground with a soft gasp.
The three boys stepped forward slowly, cruel smiles on their faces.
One of them reached down, his hand moving toward the scarf around her neck—
—and suddenly his wrist was caught midair.
"Enough."
The boy froze.
Iruka stood there, gripping his arm tightly, his expression dark with anger.
The boy's face went pale, like a deer caught in headlights. "I-Iruka-sensei…"
"How many times," Iruka said sharply, "have I told you not to pick on others—especially those younger than you?"
Nearby, the other chūnin gently helped the girl to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.
The girl nodded shyly.
Iruka's gaze never left the trembling boy. "Do you have any idea what would happen if her father found out what you did to his daughter?" His voice dropped dangerously low. "You would regret it for the rest of your life."
The boy visibly shuddered at the thought.
"I-I'm sorry!" he blurted out, bowing repeatedly before turning and running away. The other boys followed after him just as quickly.
Iruka turned toward the girl. "Are you alright, Hinata?"
Hinata nodded softly. "Yes… thank you, Iruka-sensei."
Iruka waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. If not for the boy who informed us, we wouldn't have known this was happening."
He glanced around, looking for Naruto.
But Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
After a moment, Iruka sighed and shrugged. "Come on. I'll escort you home."
Hinata nodded and followed him quietly.
Hokage Office
Hiruzen was already irritated when his advisors entered his office. He knew exactly why they were here.
"Hiruzen," an elderly woman began sharply, "we've heard that you enrolled the jinchūriki into the Academy."
Hiruzen's pipe clicked softly as he set it down.
"That boy has a name," he said calmly—too calmly. "It is Naruto. And he is not your personal tool."
A wave of killing intent leaked from him.
Koharu flinched despite herself.
"Hiruzen," another advisor spoke up, adjusting his glasses, "this is not the time to play favorites. The jin—"
Homura stopped mid-sentence.
The glare Hiruzen leveled at him was enough.
"—that Naruto boy," Homura corrected quickly, swallowing, "is the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. He should be monitored. What if the beast takes control of him?"
Hiruzen's eyes hardened.
"I don't recall you speaking like this when Kushina was chosen as jinchūriki," he said coldly. "You kept your noses out of her life—at least while Mito-sama was still alive."
The room went quiet.
"Tell me," Hiruzen continued, "did you ever see Kushina influenced by the Kyūbi? Or Mito-sama?"
Homura had no answer. He swallowed his words and looked away.
"That's not the point, Hiruzen," another voice cut in smoothly.
Danzo Shimura stepped forward, his cane tapping against the floor.
"Times were different. We need that boy loyal to Konoha. Do you think the academy will help him reach his full potential? Hand the boy over to me — I will make him the perfect weapon."
The room was instantly flooded with killing intent, directed at the three advisors.
Homura and Koharu flinched, their knees nearly buckling.
"Remember this, Danzō Shimura," Hiruzen said, his voice deadly calm. "I will say this one final time. If you ever bring this up again, I will end your life. Naruto Uzumaki is a citizen of Konoha and a future shinobi — not a weapon of Konoha."
A new wave of killing intent crashed toward Danzō.
Sweat rolled down his temple.
"Konoha won three wars without relying on its jinchūriki, while other nations used theirs — and still lost."
Hiruzen's eyes burned. "It does not matter whether one is a jinchūriki or not. A skilled shinobi decides the battlefield — not a tailed beast."
Hiruzen slowly withdrew his killing intent, but his gaze remained cold.
"If you ever speak of sabotaging that boy again, I will not tolerate your presence here. I don't care whether you are my advisor or not."
"Now leave."
The room fell silent.
One by one, they slowly left.
A few minutes later, the Hokage's secretary entered the office.
"Hokage-sama… Naruto Uzumaki was here."
Hiruzen looked up sharply. "Call him in."
The secretary shook her head. "He already left, Hokage-sama. He was outside the office until now. He left before the elders did. He was near the door… and then he ran away."
The color drained from Hiruzen's face.
Did he hear it? His jaw tightened. Thanks to my foolish advisors…
He released a long, tired sigh and rose from his seat.
"Call Inu," he ordered.
A few minutes later, an ANBU wearing a dog mask and sporting silver hair knelt before him.
"You called for me, Hokage-sama?" the ANBU asked.
Hiruzen nodded gravely. "It seems Naruto may have learned about his secret."
The ANBU stiffened. "Did someone tell him, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "No. My advisors came again, attempting to gain control over Naruto. After they left, my secretary informed me that Naruto had been outside the door—and ran off."
A pause.
"Is there a reason he came here in the first place?" the ANBU asked carefully.
Hiruzen's expression softened, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "He asked me if he could join the Academy."
Behind the mask, the ANBU smiled.
Sensing the shift in emotion, Hiruzen chuckled quietly. "I know, Kakashi. Once he graduates, I'll assign you as his jōnin-sensei."
The ANBU straightened.
He removed his mask, revealing a single visible eye—the other hidden beneath his headband.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said, bowing deeply.
Hiruzen's expression turned serious once more. "Now go. Find him. Tell him I wish to see him."
Kakashi nodded—and vanished.
Naruto was hiding in a quiet corner of the park, curled in on himself as snow drifted down around him.
His mind reeled with the words he had overheard.
Am I a weapon?
What is a jinchūriki?
A small whimper escaped his lips as fear crept into his chest.
"Hey… are you okay?"
The soft voice startled him.
Naruto flinched and turned around to see two girls about his age standing a short distance away. One had long blond hair, the other short pink hair. Both were watching him with concern.
Naruto quickly shook his head. "I-I'm fine."
The blond girl didn't look convinced.
She stepped forward and held out her hand.
Naruto stared at it, confused.
The girl waited a moment—then huffed impatiently, grabbed his hand, and pulled.
"H-Hey!" Naruto yelped as he was tugged forward.
Before he could protest further, he was forced up onto his feet.
The girl flashed him a confident smile. "Ino Yamanaka," she said.
The pink-haired girl smiled shyly beside her. "Sakura Haruno."
Naruto looked at Sakura—and immediately felt heat rush to his cheeks. He quickly turned his head away, suddenly very interested in the snow on the ground.
….
Ino tapped her foot, raising an eyebrow. "Well? You gonna tell us your name?"
Naruto jolted. "S-Sorry! Naruto… Naruto Uzumaki."
"Well, Naruto," Ino said brightly, "would you like to play with us?"
Naruto hesitated. "A-Are you sure…?"
"Of course!" Ino replied without missing a beat, grabbing his hand and pulling him along.
"H-Hey—!"
She dragged him across the park, where she introduced him to two other kids.
"This is Shikamaru Nara," she said, pointing to a boy lazily slouching nearby.
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered.
"And this is Chōji Akimichi," Ino added.
Chōji waved while chewing on a snack. "Hi."
Soon enough, they were all playing together—tag, pretend ninja battles, and running around the snow-dusted park, laughing and shouting without a care in the world.
From the shadows of a nearby tree, hidden among the branches, Kakashi watched quietly from behind his ANBU mask.
He observed Naruto laughing, shouting, and stumbling around with kids his own age.
A small smile formed beneath the mask.
He stayed where he was, choosing not to interrupt.
Let him have this moment, Kakashi thought.
They played until the sun began to dip low in the sky.
Exhausted, the kids eventually gathered on a row of benches, catching their breath.
Sakura glanced at Naruto. "Hey, Naruto… are you joining the Ninja Academy?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah."
"That's great!" Ino said.
Sakura tilted her head curiously. "Are your parents ninja too?"
Naruto went silent. "I… I don't know who my parents are."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh—Naruto, I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"
Naruto smiled softly, shaking his head. "It's okay."
The tension eased, and the group fell into a quiet, comfortable silence as evening settled over the park.
As the sun dipped lower, parents began arriving to pick up their children.
Mebuki Haruno was among them, coming to collect her daughter.
Sakura spotted her mother and ran toward her, a bright smile on her face.
"kaa-chan!" she called, throwing herself into her mother's arms.
Mebuki knelt down, wrapping Sakura in a warm hug. "Did you enjoy playing with your friends today, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura nodded eagerly. "Yes! And I made a new friend too!"
Mebuki smiled. "Oh? Who is it?"
"A boy named Naruto," Sakura said. "He has these… strange whisker marks."
Mebuki's smile faltered slightly. "Did he… do something to you?"
Sakura shook her head quickly. "No! When we first met him, he looked like he was afraid of something. Ino-chan noticed him, and we went over to talk to him. He's really nice… though he doesn't talk much."
Mebuki's expression turned serious. "Sakura-chan… you need to be careful around that boy."
Sakura tilted her head in confusion. "Why, Kaa-chan? He played nicely with us. He seemed like a good boy."
Mebuki sighed, softening her frown. "Alright, sweetie… just promise me you won't be alone with him."
Sakura's cheeks flushed. "Mom! What are you talking about?"
Mebuki quickly corrected herself, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "Sakura, you're too young to think about those things. What I mean is… if you meet him, meet him in the park, and always with your friends. Understand?"
Sakura nodded seriously. "Okay, Kaa-chan."
Darkness had fallen over Konoha, and the park was quiet, the snow crunching softly underfoot.
Naruto rose from the bench, brushing off his pants, ready to go home. For a moment, the heavy thoughts of the day—the words he had overheard about being a jinchūriki—slipped from his mind. He almost felt normal again.
Then, out of nowhere, a figure landed in front of him.
Naruto flinched and stepped back, his small body trembling.
The figure raised his hands slowly. "I'm not here to hurt you," the dog-masked ANBU said calmly. "Hokage-sama wants to meet you."
Naruto froze. Suddenly, the memories of what he had overheard flooded back—fear, sorrow, and confusion twisting inside him.
Kakashi's calm voice reached him through the mask. "Hey… relax. Hokage-sama just wants to talk to you. Will you come with me? I promise, I won't hurt you."
The ANBU extended a hand, steady and patient.
Naruto hesitated, then slowly stepped forward. Tentatively, he placed his small hand into the warm, reassuring hand of the ANBU.
Together, they moved through the darkened streets, heading toward the Hokage's office.
Hokage office
Hiruzen waited patiently in his office for Kakashi to return with Naruto.
An hour passed. Still no sign of the boy.
With a small sigh, Hiruzen decided to use his crystal ball.
Channelling chakra, he peered into its depths—and saw Naruto, laughing and playing with other children his age, the snow glinting around them.
Hiruzen's heart felt unexpectedly light. The heavy burden he carried—the worry, the secrecy, the fear for the boy's future—seemed to wash away at the sight of Naruto smiling, treated as just another child.
He continued to watch, letting the simple, joyful scene fill him with warmth.
Hours slipped by. Then, in the crystal ball, Hiruzen saw Kakashi approach Naruto.
I should have ordered Kakashi to return sooner, he thought, a twinge of guilt crossing his mind.
Naruto paused, and Hiruzen's heart clenched.
The boy's expression changed. His laughter faltered, and he looked down at his hands.
Naruto remembered.
The words he had overheard—the truth about being a jinchūriki, the warnings, the anger—returned in full force. Fear and sorrow swept over him like a cold wind.
Hiruzen's eyes softened, knowing that moment was inevitable.
A soft knock echoed in the office.
"Come in," Hiruzen called.
The door opened, revealing Naruto, small and hesitant, standing beside Kakashi in his ANBU mask.
Hiruzen smiled warmly. "Naruto-kun… did you fill out the form to join the Academy?"
Naruto nodded silently.
Hiruzen's smile deepened. "I heard you came to visit me today."
Naruto stiffened. "S-Sorry… I didn't mean to… spy."
Hiruzen felt a pang of guilt. "Naruto… I'm not angry at you for hearing it."
Naruto blinked, confused. "But… what is a jinchūriki? Am I one? Do you want me to… be a weapon?"
Hiruzen shook his head fiercely. "No, Naruto. I never intended for you to become a weapon. I wanted you to have a normal, happy life. And if you had never wanted to become a shinobi, I would have supported you. Since you asked me, I enrolled you on my behalf."
Naruto nodded slowly. "Then… what is a jinchūriki?"
Hiruzen sighed, choosing his words carefully. "A jinchūriki is someone who carries a powerful creature inside them. It's a burden—almost like a demon sealed within, for the sake of protecting others."
Naruto's eyes widened. "So… am I a demon?"
"No, Naruto," Hiruzen said gently, shaking his head. "You are not the demon. The demon is sealed inside you, but it is separate. You are yourself—and you will never be the demon."
Naruto absorbed this quietly. "Am I… born with it?"
"No," Hiruzen replied. "It was sealed in you, to protect both you and the village."
Naruto's small face relaxed into a soft smile. "Thanks, Jiji."
Hiruzen returned the smile, warmth in his eyes. "Inu… escort Naruto-kun to his house."
The ANBU nodded, and Kakashi led Naruto gently out of the office, taking him safely home.
Hiruzen looking at the place where Naruto stood. He took it better than I expected.