Orochimaru had a point.
The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique was created by the Third Hokage.
Except for his trusted inner circle, if he teaches it to outsiders, there must be a purpose and explanation behind it.
[Uzumaki Naruto's home...]
[Naruto looked at the approaching Third Hokage with doubt.]
["Little Naruto, I heard that you successfully performed the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique?"]
[Hearing this, Naruto's eyes moved slightly.]
[I wonder if the old man has developed clairvoyance.]
[I just succeeded once, and he immediately came over.]
[But after thinking about it, the other party is the Hokage of Konoha Village, the person with the highest rank.]
[Everyone in the village must follow his orders.]
[If he wants to know what happens in the village, it must be easy for him.]
[However, this way of thinking makes Naruto even more dissatisfied with the Third Hokage.]
["You obviously have time to deal with me, so why don't you order those annoying villagers to stop gossiping about me?"]
["Also, just giving me money is useless; I haven't even spent it yet."]
["Let's not even talk about your own identity."]
["It's not that I haven't asked, even when I asked directly, you didn't give an answer. What's up with that?"]
[Yet, in front of the Third Hokage, no matter how much Naruto complained in his mind, he just smiled and said, "Well, success is success, but it took a lot of chakra, and I almost passed out from exhaustion."]
["That's normal, completely normal."]
[The Third Hokage showed a typical kind smile, then his expression became extremely serious:]
["Naruto, do you know the special meaning of this ninjutsu you learned?"]
[Special meaning?]
[A ninjutsu with special meaning?]
[Naruto was puzzled. This ninjutsu is really cool and powerful, but what special meaning could it have?]
[Before Naruto could understand, the Third Hokage continued to brainwash him.]
["This Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique is not something many people have learned."]
["But starting from me, every Hokage after me will be able to use this ninjutsu."]
["Because this is part of the village's heritage, and each Hokage will pass on their knowledge and experience to the next Hokage."]
["Naruto, becoming Hokage is the dream of every Konoha Village ninja. I think you should work towards it as your dream too."]
Sure enough, Orochimaru was right.
The Third Hokage was indeed trying to persuade Naruto to aim to become Hokage.
["Also, the Hokage is the most respected and recognized person in the village."]
Orochimaru: "As expected of you, sensei. When it comes to persuasion, I can't match you."
Ohnoki: "It's a good tactic. Since Naruto is not accepted by others, the old man is subtly planting the idea of seeking acceptance through recognition."
Minato: "However, there is some truth in what the Third Hokage says. He did teach me a lot of things, like the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique."
Third Hokage: "Stop arguing and just admit that what I did was right. Naruto here is not yet mature and craves recognition. I don't want him to become isolated, so what's wrong with guiding him? Is there a problem with that?"
Orochimaru: "Stop misleading others. You want to keep Naruto under your control. I even suspect that you leaked his identity as a Jinchūriki, then took the chance to act like the good guy and create a bond with him so he would follow your lead in the future."
The Third Hokage, angered by Orochimaru's righteous tone, was about to lose his composure.
He stood up abruptly, but then realized he was restrained by an unknown force, unable to move.
"Orochimaru, are you serious?"
"You actually thought of attacking me? Maybe this is the movie viewing system's punishment."
"The old man would love to strangle you. You're talking nonsense."
"It's nothing, I just wanted to see you flustered. After all, my plan failed, so I can only achieve my goals through other means."
The Third Hokage felt defeated.
Letting Orochimaru go after his betrayal was the decision he regretted most in his life.
Fortunately, the others in the discussion group didn't join in the fight.
No one knows what might appear on the screen during this viewing.
The Third Hokage's methods and ideas are well understood by any village's higher-ups.
Be considerate and don't make enemies, because when the time comes to air out village secrets, this old man might not keep quiet.
However, the Genin who have been raised under the warmth of Konoha were dumbstruck.
The heated debates in the discussion group were simply eye-opening for them.
They couldn't even tell whose words to trust.
["Hokage..."]
[Naruto looked pensive at the sound of the word.]
["Where the leaves dance, the fire burns brightly...."]
[He remembered the entrance ceremony.]
[If he hadn't experienced suffering, he might have been moved by these words.]
[The Will of Fire is a beautiful ideal.]
[However, in reality, the old man who should be sacrificing for the younger generation is standing right in front of him, lively and well.]
[The so-called family, apart from excluding him, does nothing but curse him.]
[If the Will of Fire truly existed, then the current Hokage should be the Fourth or the Fifth...]
[After all, the Fourth Hokage died before the Third, and the younger generation perished before the elders.]
[Naruto, with his unique perspective, doesn't like to be led on.]
[The harshness of reality tells him that words are meaningless.]
[The Will of Fire, as it is spoken, doesn't exist in reality.]
[Naruto looked up at the Third Hokage, feeling wronged: If the person standing in front of me now was the Fourth Hokage, I might have had a different life—at least I wouldn't be abused on the streets.]
[Will of Fire? Heh...]
[Naruto sneered inwardly. What puzzled him most was that while the villagers shunned him, the Hokage treated him well. It was both logical and illogical.]
["Amazing! Third grandpa, can becoming Hokage really make everyone acknowledge you?"]
["But I can't, because to become Hokage, you have to be at least as strong as grandpa."]
[Naruto's innocent voice made the Third Hokage's eyes gleam with surprise.]
[As expected of Minato and Kushina's child, he has much more potential than other kids.]
[The Third Hokage squeezed out a satisfied smile on his wrinkled face: "Ho Ho Ho..."]
["Becoming a powerful ninja doesn't happen overnight. You're still young and have plenty of time to train hard."]
["Look at what I brought for you today."]
["The Shadow Clone Technique."]
["It's a very interesting ninjutsu..."]
["You should learn it just like you learned the Shuriken Shadow Clone."]
[... ]
Everyone was stunned by Naruto's hidden depth.
Since seeing his father's image, Naruto became even more skeptical of the Will of Fire.
Shrewd and alert, he used his acting skills to fool the Third Hokage.
Even the Third Hokage felt proud of his own methods.
Terumi Mei: "This is..."
Fourth Raikage: "That kid is terrifyingly smart, having such a mind at a young age."
Kushina: "How could you say that? Naruto went through so much unfair treatment. It's not strange that he would have thoughts about it."
Ohnoki: "True, but while suppressing his inner resentment, he managed to flatter the Third Hokage, making the old man very pleased."
Orochimaru: "Sensei, you're really getting old. Just some flattery, and you trust him so easily. It's time to step down."
Naruto: "No wonder the old man always wants to teach him ninjutsu. Turns out, this kid knows how to sweet-talk."
Ino: "..."
Sakura: "..."
Shikamaru: "How would a seven-year-old know how to flatter? I think that Naruto over there is just being genuine."
Chōji: "Shikamaru is right. I also don't think that Naruto over their just being genuine ."
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