The Third Hokage looked out at the growing commotion and sighed inwardly. This was not going as planned.
He had sent Naruto to the academy with the hope that the boy would form bonds with his fellow villagers. The rumors about the Nine-Tails had been spread intentionally to help Naruto understand pain early on, so he would come to value the village in the future.
Was this strategy wrong? Of course not.
After all, most of the great shinobi villages did things this way. Even Kushina had gone through a similar ordeal.
All for the village's sake, right? Sacrificing a Jinchuriki to maintain the village's unity—what could be wrong with that?
But...
The Third hadn't anticipated that Naruto would be completely unfazed by this approach.
Five years ago, when he began circulating rumors about the Nine-Tails demon fox, the first time Naruto experienced the villagers' hatred, the Hokage stroked his beard with satisfaction, believing everything was going according to plan.
Naruto had been insulted and despised, and after that, he locked himself away in his house, refusing to step outside.
The Third was initially concerned that Naruto might be too emotionally fragile to recover from the experience.
But then... things took a different turn.
Naruto had stayed in his house for an entire six months! And when the Third finally checked on him, he found the boy cheerfully playing with wooden toys on the floor. There wasn't a hint of weakness or sadness in him.
The Hokage thought, Surely as he grows older, he'll need to go out to buy things or explore the village more.
But then... Naruto awakened those strange, mysterious abilities, and from then on, the boy, fully self-sufficient, vanished from public view.
By the time he reappeared today, most of the villagers who once hurled insults at him had forgotten all about it.
And now? Instead of forging connections through hardship, Naruto had inadvertently revealed his identity as the son of the Fourth Hokage.
This was not what the Third had intended.
"Ahem, ahem!"
Standing on the stage, the Third Hokage cleared his throat repeatedly to draw the crowd's attention back to him.
He launched into a speech that lasted well over an hour.
During this time, Naruto, bored, noticed Hinata stealing glances at him. He smiled at her, and the shy girl immediately ducked behind her father, Hiashi.
Hiashi's sharp Byakugan glare met Naruto's, filled with warning. Naruto felt a moment of unease—after all, he did plan on "stealing" Hiashi's precious daughter one day.
Not right now, but eventually.
Glancing at Hinata, blushing furiously, Naruto couldn't help but grin mischievously. 'Why should I be afraid of that old man?'
He, Uzumaki Naruto, the blonde whirlwind, would one day make Hiashi acknowledge him. By the time he turned eighteen, he'd ensure that Hiashi saw the power of a blond Hokage. Too bad the Leaf didn't have a tradition involving flames, or else Naruto would've loved to stage a scene like—
"Does the fire burn brightly at your door?"
"Humph!"
Hiashi, seeing Naruto's increasingly bold smile, grew even more furious. If looks could kill, Naruto would've died a thousand times under the Hyūga's Byakugan.
Thus, what should've been a solemn entrance ceremony turned into an intense staring contest between Naruto and Hiashi.
Meanwhile, Sasuke stood not too far away, glaring at Naruto with red, jealous eyes.
The revelation that Naruto was the son of the heroic Fourth Hokage filled Sasuke with a strange sense of powerlessness. Standing before Naruto, he couldn't help but feel inadequate.
But as he recalled their previous battles, a fierce determination ignited within him. It wasn't like he didn't have a chance to defeat Naruto!
Clenching his fists tightly, Sasuke's eyes burned with resolve. 'Just you wait! I will defeat you and prove the strength of the Uchiha clan!'
Oblivious to Sasuke's fiery gaze, Naruto was too busy exchanging challenging looks with his "future father-in-law."
Throughout the Third Hokage's lengthy speech, he carefully avoided mentioning anything about Naruto's true identity.
Even when villagers and shinobi alike questioned him, he remained tight-lipped, offering only a stiff smile in response.
Those in the know—the shinobi clans—kept their silence, but many others, especially the civilian ninjas and villagers, were in the dark.
All they knew was that the Fourth Hokage had sacrificed himself to save the village during the Nine-Tails attack, and now, it seemed, his orphaned son had been right under their noses all along. This was huge.
"Third Hokage-sama, is that child really the Fourth's son?"
"Why did you keep it a secret for so long?"
"Is there something we don't know?"
The Third Hokage did not provide a direct answer, merely keeping his smile in place. Then, without engaging further, he turned to the children.
"That's enough for today," he said. "Remember, wherever the leaves of the village flutter, fire burns. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and the new leaves will sprout. Only when you seek to protect those dear to you does a ninja's true strength emerge."
With those final words, he wrapped up the ceremony and walked off, hands clasped behind his back.
The questions from the villagers, particularly about Naruto being Minato's son, had visibly darkened his expression. The entire way back to his office, his face looked as black as the bottom of a pot.
This only quickened his steps.
In his office, the Third Hokage mulled over how to deal with Naruto's revealed identity. This had come far sooner than expected.
He had planned to reveal Naruto's lineage once the boy had matured or fully embraced the Will of Fire.
Never had he imagined that on Naruto's very first day at the academy, the secret of his heritage would be laid bare for all to see.
How did no one notice he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
Back in his office, just as he was deep in thought, a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
Still resting his chin on his hands, the Third Hokage glanced up—and there stood Danzo.
Immediately, the Third understood why he had come.
Keeping his tone neutral, the Hokage asked, "Danzo, what do you want?"
"Hand over the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to me, Hiruzen. I will ensure—"
"Enough!"
Before Danzo could finish, the Hokage cut him off sharply.
His anger was clear—there was no way he would hand Naruto over to Danzo.
If Danzo got his hands on Naruto, it wouldn't be long before he controlled the Jinchuriki, likely plotting to usurp the Hokage position for himself.
This demand had crossed a line.
"Danzo, Naruto is off-limits!"
Slamming his hand down on the desk, the Third Hokage made his stance clear.
The tension in the room became palpable. It felt like the smallest spark could set off an explosion.
After a long silence, Danzo finally backed down, though he maintained a defiant tone.
"Hiruzen, you'll regret this."
"Danzo, I am the Hokage."
Reminding Danzo of his authority, the Third firmly reasserted his position.
Hearing the word "Hokage," Danzo's expression soured. Scowling, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
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