Naruto: If I ask you to be Naruto, you will become a yellow-haired person?

The small, dilapidated apartment on Konoha's main street.

“Naruto, I'm coming in.”

Sarutobi Hiruzen knocked on the door and entered.

The scene he imagined, of the little carrot-top Naruto with his exuberant blond hair rushing into his arms with enthusiasm and excitement, did not happen.

He looked around, the empty and monotonous room as quiet as he remembered.

On the open and bright rooftop, a delicate wind chime swayed in the breeze, producing melodious notes.

Naruto, wearing loose cotton pajamas, pushed open the bedroom door, looking as if he had just woken up, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Naruto, of course, wasn't waiting specifically for Sarutobi Hiruzen.

“Lord Hokage.”

Hearing the slightly polite and distant address, the smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face faltered.

“Naruto, why don't you call me Grandpa Hokage like you used to?”

“I'm already attending the Ninja Academy, and soon I'll be a real ninja, so I can't be like before…”

Naruto scratched his head, refusing with a straight face.

This was a reason he had simply made up to placate Sarutobi.

Before, he was alone and helpless in the village.

Only Sarutobi Hiruzen occasionally came to see and care for him, with ulterior motives.

But now Naruto had decided to latch onto another fair, soft, and fragrant leg.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's importance in his heart had plummeted, and there was no need to pretend with him anymore.

Before, he was a sweetheart; now, he was just an old flame.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's aged face showed the kind smile of an old grandfather, reaching out to touch Naruto's blond head, but Naruto subtly took a step back, avoiding him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression stiffened again.

Naruto, was that half-step back you took serious?

Such a small action, yet the hurt is so great!

A hint of guilt flashed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes, ultimately because he had been too busy with village affairs these past years, neglecting to care for Naruto.

He felt sorry towards Minato!

Looking at the blond boy who had gradually grown taller, reaching his waist, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed inwardly.

He recalled Tsunade's uncompromising words in the office, scolding them, the high-ranking Konoha officials.

Her sharp words, like a barrage of kunai, pierced his aging and shrinking heart.

Under Tsunade's pressure and reprimand,

he had finally decided, despite the opposition of the other high-ranking officials, to clarify Naruto's background!

To ease the relationship between the villagers and the Jinchuriki, and to try to eliminate that pitiful barrier from the past.

He rubbed the wrinkles on his forehead and looked at Naruto, slowly confessing in a heavy tone.

“Naruto… you are actually the child of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato!”

“Minato, he… six years ago, the village's Tailed Beast broke free from its seal, and the Nine-Tails Rebellion broke out.”

“Your father, as Hokage at the time, did not hesitate, and for the sake of the village's safety, he used a forbidden technique, ultimately dedicating his life to thoroughly implementing the Will of Fire for the village!”

Sarutobi Hiruzen's cloudy eyes drooped, and he tightly grasped Naruto's small hand with both hands, the veins bulging on his withered and powerful hands.

His voice trembled slightly, as if suppressing heavy sadness and pain.

“After Minato passed away, because of his outstanding achievements and great reputation in enemy villages, he had many enemies.”

“In addition, you, Naruto, are his only surviving child. If we were to announce that you are Minato's son,”

“if a ninja from the Cloud or Stone Village who had a grudge against Minato were to find out, and if they were to successfully infiltrate Konoha and take revenge on you, Minato's only child! Then…”

“If anything were to happen to you, how could I ever face your father, Minato!?

So, Naruto, you have suffered these years!”

Then came a whole story about how, after the Nine-Tails Night, he was ordered in a time of crisis, and Konoha faced multiple crises from all directions, both internal and external troubles.

The Cloud Village's coercion, the daimyo's dissatisfaction and suppression, and funding restrictions, the Stone Village's war threats, and other heavy and chaotic affairs,

He didn't have the time and energy to take care of and raise him. Only now did he suddenly realize that Naruto had suffered the injustice and exclusion of the village's treatment of the son of a hero!

Sitting on the sofa, two withered, bark-like hands tightly grasped Naruto's delicate hands, conveying the warmth of the palms.

At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen had none of the imposing manner of a Hokage who had been in a high position for a long time,

but rather the appearance of a kind and approachable old grandfather from next door, begging Naruto to forgive his past mistakes and the village's indifference.

Faced with Sarutobi Hiruzen's series of sincere revelations, with tears faintly rolling in his cloudy eyes,

Naruto's little face was calm, and his emotions were not fluctuating at all, nodding noncommittally.

Saying so much, the summary is just one sentence.

Hoping that Naruto would understand the difficulties of the village and him, and forget the pain of the past.

Inherit the legacy of Namikaze Minato and continue to serve the village!

“I understand…”

Naruto sneered at Sarutobi Hiruzen's familiar set of Will of Fire KFC.

And Sarutobi Hiruzen's clumsy excuses and reasons for neglecting Naruto.

For so many years, suffering all kinds of injustices in the village, even buying a bowl of instant noodles would be chased away, and a single glance at a fox mask would cause an explosion.

He didn't believe that Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been in charge of Konoha for decades and was proficient in the peeping technique and the Telescope Technique, was completely unaware of his situation!

What's more, every time after being coldly scolded by the villagers, Naruto, who was shrinking alone at home,

Sarutobi Hiruzen, this kind old grandfather, would come to care for him with a kind smile at just the right time.

The cold and indifferent crowd in the village who hated him, and the kind old grandfather Sarutobi Hiruzen, who cared for him everywhere with a warm spring breeze-like smile, formed a stark contrast!

How touching this was, who wouldn't be devoted to this old grandfather who was the only one to give him warmth in his childhood life filled with darkness!

Sarutobi Hiruzen wiped the tears from his eyes, touched by his own touching, sincere, and warm words.

He turned his head and looked at Naruto, who had a faint expression, yawning and looking sleepy.

A hint of confusion flashed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's old eyes, and a layer of haze shrouded his brow because things had exceeded expectations.

No, bro, this doesn't feel right!

In his expectation, shouldn't Naruto be excited and thrilled to learn that he was the son of the Fourth Hokage? And feel bewildered and confused because of the grievances of these years?

Then he would take the opportunity to comfort little Naruto, and the two of them, grandfather and grandson, would hug each other and cry?

Completely opening his heart and establishing the bond between the Jinchuriki and the village!?

…

“The first practical training of this academic year will be held in the next class. Students who perform well,”

“can be personally praised by Lord Hokage as outstanding representatives when Lord Hokage visits the Ninja Academy next week!”

Iruka announced the good news excitedly in class.

Like a fat man visiting Nagasaki, it immediately set off a clamorous craze in the classroom.

“To be able to face Lord Hokage!”

“Ah! I wouldn't even dare to dream of getting first place!”

Naruto twirled a pencil in his hand. It had to be said that Sarutobi Hiruzen's Will of Fire propaganda was quite effective. The strongest Hokage was deeply rooted in people's hearts.

As if sensing something, he turned his head and suddenly met a burning gaze with a hint of provocation.