The Hokage office was steeped in a heavy silence, broken only by the faint rustle of papers as a breeze slipped through the open window. The late afternoon light cast long shadows across the room, pooling around Tsunade's desk where she stood, arms crossed, her piercing gaze fixed on the doorway. Jiraiya lounged in a chair nearby, his bandaged arm resting awkwardly, while Kakashi stood at attention, his silver hair catching the fading sun. The air thrummed with unspoken questions, the weight of recent events pressing down on them all.
Kakashi had just returned from a failed mission, his voice steady but laced with frustration as he recounted the chaos. Sasuke's battle with Itachi had ended in victory—and tragedy. The younger Uchiha had been whisked away by a masked figure calling himself Uchiha Madara, vanishing without a trace. With no leads, Kakashi's team had been forced to abandon the pursuit and report back to Konoha. But it was Naruto's actions that had ignited the room's tension.
"He fainted mid-mission," Kakashi said, his lone eye narrowing. "Then he woke up… different. He took off without a word—didn't even grab his headband. Next thing we know, he's confessing to Hinata, kissing her in front of everyone, and bolting."
Jiraiya shot upright, a grin breaking through his exhaustion. "That's my boy! Bold as brass—takes after his teacher, huh?"
Tsunade's glare could've melted steel. Jiraiya shrank back into his seat, coughing awkwardly as she resumed pacing, her sandals clicking against the floor. "This isn't a joke, Jiraiya," she snapped. "Something's off. He shows up out of nowhere, saves you from Pain with Sage Art, Flying Thunder God, Rasengan—skills he shouldn't have—and now this? What's he hiding?"
Jiraiya rubbed his chin, his playful demeanor fading. Naruto had told him those abilities came from Minato, passed down through the chakra sealed in the Nine Tails. But the timing gnawed at him. How had Naruto known to find him in the Rain Village, arriving just as death loomed? It was too precise, too perfect—like he'd seen it coming. The thought sent a chill down Jiraiya's spine, and he met Tsunade's gaze. "We need to ask him. Straight up."
Kakashi shifted, his usually calm demeanor cracking with disbelief. As Tsunade's chosen successor, he'd been privy to the village's secrets—including Jiraiya's brush with death. "Sage Art alone puts him beyond most Jonin," he said, voice tight. "But Flying Thunder God? That's Minato's signature—space-time ninjutsu so complex even his guards could only manage it together, and just for movement. Naruto's wielding it like a master in combat. How?"
Tsunade stopped pacing, her hands clenching into fists. "That's what I want to know."
Downstairs, Naruto pushed through the Hokage building's entrance, Konohamaru and his trio trailing behind. The chatter of the village faded as a familiar voice called out, soft but clear. "Naruto-kun!"
He turned, his guarded expression melting into a wide smile. "Hinata!" Instinctively, he opened his arms, expecting her to rush into them as she had in that other life—countless moments of comfort and quiet strength. But this Hinata, still shy and unaccustomed to his boldness, skidded to a halt just out of reach, her cheeks flaming.
She glanced at him, then gestured nervously behind him. "Um… Naruto-kun, there are children here."
Naruto blinked, following her gaze to Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi, who stared with wide-eyed curiosity. "Oh, right!" He dropped his arms, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish laugh. "My bad, Hinata."
Behind her, Sakura huffed, arms crossed. "Smooth move, Naruto."
Shikamaru leaned against a wall, frowning. "Two of them, huh? That's a stretch, even for him."
Ino elbowed him, grinning. "Oh, it's true! He passed out, woke up, and bam—straight for Hinata like some lovesick hero!"
Shikamaru's jaw dropped. "You're kidding."
Kiba clapped Shino on the shoulder. "Tell him, Shino—back me up!"
Shino adjusted his glasses, nodding solemnly. "It happened exactly as they say."
Sai, ever the artist, pulled out a sketchpad and scribbled a quick drawing—Naruto mid-confession, Hinata blushing furiously. He held it up with a faint smile. "For clarity."
Kiba whistled. "Nice one, Sai!"
Shikamaru stared at the sketch, then at Naruto giggling with Hinata outside. He clapped his hands together with a groan. "What a drag. Absolute chaos."
Naruto tuned out the banter, piecing together the team's report. Sasuke's path mirrored his past life—Itachi's death, Obito's intervention as "Madara," the inevitable spiral toward the Eight Tails hunt. Time was ticking. He'd saved Jiraiya; now he had to steer Sasuke back before the darkness swallowed him whole.
With a quick wave to his friends, he climbed the stairs to the Hokage office, pushing the door open with a casual, "Yo, Granny Tsunade! You rang?"
He froze mid-step, spotting Kakashi leaning against the wall. "Whoa, Kakashi-sensei too?"
Tsunade sat behind her desk, elbows propped, chin resting on her laced fingers. Her stare bore into him, sharp and unyielding. "Naruto," she said, voice low, "don't you have anything to say about this mission?"
Naruto's eyes flicked to Jiraiya, hoping for backup. His teacher shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze—useless as ever when Tsunade was in charge. Naruto stifled a groan. Great. Henpecked already, and they're not even hitched. He plastered on an innocent grin. "Uh, what's there to say, Granny?"
Tsunade rose, crossing to lean against the desk, arms folded. "Cut the act. It's just us—me, Jiraiya, Kakashi. People you trust. Your changes are too sudden, too extreme. Sage Art, Flying Thunder God, saving Jiraiya from the Rain Village—how did you know he was there? How did you pull it off?"
Her tone softened, but the weight remained. "I'm not accusing you. As Hokage, I have to consider every angle. Help me understand, Naruto."
Jiraiya cleared his throat, finally chiming in. "She's right, kid. I'll always have your back, you know that. But Tsunade's worried—and frankly, so am I. Just give her something to ease her mind."
Naruto's smile faded, his jaw tightening. He'd dodged this question before, but they weren't letting it go. After a beat of silence, he met Tsunade's gaze. "I'm sorry, Granny Tsunade. No comment."
Kakashi stepped forward, his voice firm. "Naruto, this is the Hokage asking, not just 'Granny.' You get the difference, right?"
"I do," Naruto shot back, unflinching. "But everyone's got secrets. I've got mine. All I'll say is what I told Jiraiya-sensei—it's from my dad, the Fourth Hokage. That's it."
The room stilled. Tsunade's eyes narrowed, Jiraiya's widened, and Kakashi's disbelief broke through his mask. "The Fourth? You saw him? How—Minato's been gone for—"
Jiraiya cut in, piecing it together. "His chakra's in the Nine Tails seal. When Naruto went berserk once, it must've triggered. Minato talked to him, passed something on. That's the change."
Kakashi exhaled, stunned. "That… makes sense."
Naruto seized the lull. "Anything else, Granny?"
Tsunade's frown deepened. "What's with the rush?"
He turned to Jiraiya, his voice steady but edged. "Jiraiya-sensei, step outside. I've got a question for you."
Without waiting, he nodded curtly and strode out, the door clicking shut behind him. Kakashi reached after him—"Naruto, wait!"—but he was gone.
Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade, who gave a tight nod. With a sigh, he hauled himself up and followed, leaving Tsunade and Kakashi in a charged silence. Outside, Naruto leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his mind racing. Sasuke was slipping away, Pain loomed, and now his secrets were straining the trust of those he loved most. He needed answers—starting with Jiraiya.
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