It was a bright day in the Hidden Leaf Village, yet the atmosphere inside the Chūnin Exam venue was anything but cheerful.
High in the stands, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sat with a stiff expression. Beside him was a figure dressed in the garb of the Fourth Kazekage, but something was off. The man claiming to be the Fourth Kazekage had uttered strange words moments ago, and Sarutobi could not shake a gnawing suspicion.
"Who are you?" Sarutobi asked cautiously, his voice trembling slightly.
The disguised figure chuckled, a sinister edge to his voice. Slowly, he removed the mask covering his face, revealing the all-too-familiar visage of Orochimaru.
"I see you're still sharp, Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru sneered, his tongue darting out like a snake. "But it seems you've been out of touch with reality. I killed Rasa long before coming here."
Sarutobi's eyes widened in shock. "You… traitor! What are you planning this time?"
"Relax, old man," Orochimaru said mockingly, his golden eyes flickering with amusement. "I was just as surprised as you when that system appeared. It seems the entire ninja world has been wrapped in a power beyond comprehension."
He gestured toward the massive screen in the sky. "I don't know if this is ninjutsu or some form of advanced technology, but it intrigues me. And I'm not the only one."
As if on cue, voices began to echo across the sky.
---
A Strange Gathering
The first to speak was a booming voice full of authority.
"Is this some sort of quiz? And there are rewards?"
Sarutobi recognized the voice instantly. "First Hokage…?"
Another voice, colder and sharper, chimed in. "Brother, this phenomenon seems unnatural. Perhaps it's connected to Impure World Reincarnation?"
"Tobirama," Sarutobi murmured, feeling a wave of unease.
From another corner of the discussion, a familiar yet haunting tone emerged.
"How interesting," said Uchiha Madara, his deep voice laced with amusement. "It appears even death cannot silence us."
"Madara!" Hashirama exclaimed, his tone shifting from curiosity to excitement. "I thought I'd never hear your annoying voice again!"
"Annoying?" Madara retorted. "The only thing more irritating than death is your incessant chatter, Hashirama."
Before their argument could escalate, a gentle voice joined in.
"Why are only those of us in the Pure Land able to speak? Are there no living shinobi present?" asked Uzumaki Kushina.
"Alive and kicking here!" a cheerful voice replied. "It's me, Might Guy! And Kakashi is here too!"
"Guy, stop talking!" Kakashi hissed, clearly exasperated. But it was too late.
---
Family Secrets Unveiled
Kushina's voice became frantic. "Kakashi, is Naruto there? How old is he? What year is it in Konoha?"
Uchiha Mikoto followed suit, her voice trembling with emotion. "Where's Sasuke? Is Sasuke safe?"
Naruto, sitting in the stands, blinked in confusion. "Huh? Is someone calling my name? Who's that lady?"
Kushina's voice sharpened. "Naruto! I'm your mother!"
Naruto froze, his blue eyes wide. "My… mother?"
The crowd in the stands erupted into whispers. Orochimaru, watching with interest, couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, this is delicious. Sarutobi-sensei, did you really keep Naruto's heritage a secret all these years?"
Sarutobi's face turned pale.
"You deliberately concealed it, didn't you?" Orochimaru pressed. "You never told Naruto that he's the son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Kushina. What a betrayal of trust."
Sarutobi glared at Orochimaru but said nothing, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
Naruto, meanwhile, was overwhelmed. "The Fourth Hokage is my dad? But… I thought I was just…"
The Genin around him stared in shock.
"Naruto's the son of the Fourth Hokage?" Kiba muttered, dumbfounded.
Sakura blinked rapidly. "No way. He's just… Naruto!"
Shikamaru scratched his head, muttering, "What a drag. That's a pretty big secret to keep."
---
The Viewing System
Amid the chaos, the mysterious system's voice rang out again.
[Ding!]
[The viewing content has been loaded.]
[Playback will begin shortly…]
The white screen grew larger, while the black screen faded away. The countdown echoed ominously.
[Ten… Nine… Eight…]
As the numbers ticked down, everyone fell silent, their eyes glued to the screen.
[Three… Two… One…]
[The movie begins.]
The screen displayed a bright and sunny day in Konoha Village. The camera panned over the iconic Hokage Rock, where the faces of past Hokage watched over the village.
A young boy with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes appeared. His face was round and slightly chubby, with whisker-like marks on his cheeks.
He reached out a small hand toward the sky as if trying to grasp the sun itself.
---
Reactions from the Crowd
"Is that… Naruto?" Sakura gasped.
"Yeah," Ino agreed, her eyes wide. "That's definitely him. He looked so cute as a kid!"
Naruto's face turned bright red. "Stop looking at me like that!"
Terumi Mei's voice chimed in, soft and amused. "What an adorable child. He's the spitting image of his father."
"Thank you for the compliment," said Minato's voice, sounding both proud and emotional.
Naruto's eyes widened again. "Dad?"
The voices in the discussion group continued to express awe, amusement, and curiosity as the scene on the screen played out.
---
The Lonely Boy
The camera followed young Naruto as he wandered through the village streets. Children ran past him, laughing and playing, but none stopped to include him. Adults whispered behind his back, their gazes cold and wary.
Naruto's cheerful demeanor faltered. He clutched his stomach as it growled loudly, then headed toward a ramen stand.
The screen displayed a quiet, bittersweet montage of Naruto's early days—eating alone, training alone, and watching other families from a distance.
---
The End of the Playback
As the screen dimmed, the discussion erupted again.
"So that's what Naruto's childhood was like?" Kiba murmured, looking uncharacteristically somber.
Kushina's voice trembled with anger and sadness. "Sarutobi, how could you let my son grow up like that?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his head, unable to respond.
Orochimaru's smirk grew wider. "Oh, what a touching reunion. Sarutobi-sensei, it seems your secrets have come back to haunt you."
Naruto clenched his fists, tears streaming down his face. But despite his pain, he looked up at the screen with determination.
"I don't care what anyone says," he declared. "I'm still going to be Hokage one day!"
---
To Be Continued