"Grandpa!"
Naruto's face lit up with excitement as he spotted the approaching figure. He waved his arms enthusiastically in the air, a bright smile spreading across his face.
As the Third Hokage walked closer, he took advantage of the night to remove his Hokage cloak, folding it neatly and holding it in his arms. When Naruto finally recognized him, he saw an elderly man dressed warmly in a slightly bulky cotton coat, his demeanor kind and gentle.
"Naruto, it's been a while..." the Third Hokage said, ruffling Naruto's hair with a smile.
"Yeah, I haven't seen you for some time, Grandpa!"
"How have you been lately?"
"I'm doing great! But you should take care of your health too, Grandpa!"
"Ha ha, don't worry! Just because I'm getting old doesn't mean I'm fragile enough for you to worry about!"
The Third Hokage glanced at the frozen river. He noticed a small crack in the ice where Naruto had been standing, clearly made by stones being tossed.
Pondering this, Sarutobi chatted with Naruto for a few moments before shifting the topic.
"Naruto, it's pretty late, and it's going to get even colder at night," he said with concern.
"Eh heh, it's okay! I thought the fish would be asleep, so I figured I could catch them easily at this time. I'm not afraid of the cold... Ah! Wait, suddenly I feel really cold!" Naruto said, shivering and sneezing.
The little boy looked confused.
Seeing this, the Third Hokage smiled warmly.
"Um… Grandpa, why aren't you wearing your cloak?" Naruto asked shyly, rubbing his hands together.
Noticing Naruto's curiosity, the Third Hokage chuckled and replied, "I'm not cold! How about I give it to you?"
Even though he was asking, Sarutobi didn't wait for Naruto's response. He could see right through the little boy's thoughts and unfurled the Hokage cloak, draping it over Naruto's small shoulders.
To Naruto, the oversized cloak felt like a blanket wrapping him tightly. The somewhat distorted characters for "Third Hokage" covered his little head perfectly.
During the moment Naruto was putting on the cloak, the Third Hokage quickly checked Naruto's body in that instant.
There was no leakage of Nine-Tails chakra.
Everything seemed fine.
The Third Hokage reached a conclusion.
"Um, Grandpa, this cloak is really nice, but dragging it on the ground will get it dirty..." Naruto said, noticing the part of the cloak touching the ground and feeling a bit concerned.
"It's fine, it's fine! You see, the Hokage is like a grandparent to the villagers. In other words, my clothes can keep you warm, and if they get dirty, it's worth it," the Third Hokage laughed heartily. He then stood up, pulled out a pipe from his sleeve. "You want to roast some fish, right? You treated me to some before, so this time, let me treat you!"
With that, the Third Hokage squinted, spinning the pipe in his hand, and launched it toward the frozen river like a shuriken.
"Whoosh."
A crisp sound sliced through the midnight air of Konoha. As the ice shattered, Naruto quickly turned to look at the river.
He saw the pipe lodged in the crack he had made earlier, its sharp tip submerged in the water, piercing through an unsuspecting fish that happened to swim by.
"Wow, that's amazing..." Naruto said, his eyes wide in astonishment.
"Ha ha, looks like we're lucky today!" the Third Hokage said, still grinning. "Alright, Naruto, go grab the fish. I'll start the fire."
A fire sparked to life at the riverbank, and soon three unsuspecting fish were skewered over the flames, their skins sizzling as a delicious aroma wafted through the air.
The old man and the little boy sat side by side, not caring about appearances. But this time, Naruto didn't just stare at the roasting fish; he pondered thoughtfully while looking at the cloak enveloping him.
"Grandpa, what exactly is a Hokage?"
Finally unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he asked the Third Hokage about the term he had mentioned multiple times.
You finally asked.
Sarutobi thought to himself.
"The Hokage is like an elder in the village, or you could say the village leader," the Third Hokage explained gently. "The leader's duty is to protect the entire village, ensure the safety of all villagers, maintain order, and establish rules. In short, they manage everything in the village. But it's not a distant role; for example, like today, catching fish with you and filling your belly, a Hokage can participate in that because you're part of the village too, Naruto."
"Oh, I see..." Naruto said, somewhat understanding, gazing up at the towering buildings of Konoha.
Seeing Naruto's expression, the Third Hokage pondered for a moment before continuing with what he had planned to say.
"Additionally, the Hokage is the most trusted and respected person in the village. Only those whom everyone recognizes can become a Hokage, because they must protect the village's peace and everyone's lives..."
As expected, when the Third Hokage spoke of trust and recognition, a spark of light flickered in Naruto's eyes; that was exactly what he longed for.
Seeing his goal achieved, the Third Hokage stopped explaining and resumed wiping the fish blood off his pipe.
His primary reason for being there was to check on Naruto and ensure that there were no issues with the Nine-Tails within him. The safety of the Jinchūriki was crucial for the village, and on the way, he had also eliminated several of Danzo's spies.
The obsession Danzo had with the Nine-Tails made Sarutobi uneasy, reminding him of the aftermath of the Nine-Tails' attack years ago, when Danzo had also shown great interest in the Uchiha clan.
The Nine-Tails, which could only be sealed with a life, was now capable of being manipulated by the Sharingan... Sarutobi's mind raced with thoughts about what Danzo, who coveted the position of Hokage, might want.
But the Uchiha clan's suspicion was far too great; it was well-known that the Sharingan was the bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan. No one else could possess the power to control the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha.
So, Sarutobi tacitly accepted Danzo's harsh treatment of the Uchiha clan; the Second Hokage had done the same...
However, Sarutobi hoped that Naruto, as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, would grow to recognize and embrace the Will of Fire as a Konoha ninja. He had once heard from Minato that the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki from the Cloud Village could freely wield the power of the tailed beasts in battle, a power even greater than that of the current Raikage in his duel with Minato.
Thus, it would be best for Naruto to understand his dream of becoming Hokage from a young age.