A single "Thank you."
Those two simple words reached the softest part of Izumi’s heart.
"Tch..."
"Stop acting like such a little grown-up."
"If you want to pat my head..."
"I’ll let you."
Despite her tsundere words...
She reached out anyway, ruffling Naruto’s blond hair in playful retaliation.
The two laughed and bickered...
Enjoying grilled fish together beneath the warm afternoon sun.
For a brief moment...
Everything felt peaceful.
Then—
A figure suddenly appeared.
Shattering the tranquility.
"The Hokage has issued an order."
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"Come with me."
Izumi immediately stepped in front of Naruto.
Her eyes locked onto the ANBU with suspicion.
"What does Lord Hokage want?"
"The war is still raging on the front lines."
"Why would he suddenly summon Naruto now?"
Besides...
Whenever Hiruzen wanted to see Naruto...
He always came in person.
He had never once sent ANBU to fetch him.
An ominous feeling crept into her heart.
Then...
The ANBU’s next words froze her where she stood.
"The Hokage has ordered the Jinchūriki to report to the battlefield against Kumogakure."
Inside the seal...
Minato Namikaze’s fists clenched so tightly that they trembled.
His furious roar echoed throughout the prison.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"How could you?!"
"How dare you?!"
"How could you be this cruel?!"
"He’s only..."
"Three years old!"
Outside...
Izumi instantly pulled Naruto behind her.
A kunai flashed into her hand.
She glared at the ANBU with icy determination.
"Impossible!"
"Naruto is only three!"
"There’s no way Lord Hokage would send a child to war!"
"You’re forging the Hokage’s orders!"
"Are you trying to betray the village?"
The ANBU simply shook his head.
"Uchiha Izumi."
"Please don’t make this difficult."
"Step aside."
He didn’t blame her.
Deep down...
Even he knew sending a three-year-old child to a battlefield was absurd.
But...
A Hokage’s orders were absolute.
"I don’t believe it!"
"I want to see Lord Third myself!"
"Come on, Naruto."
"I’ll take you to the Hokage."
Still shielding Naruto behind her...
Kunai in hand...
Izumi slowly tried to move around the ANBU.
Behind her...
Naruto suddenly spoke.
"Mr. ANBU..."
"When you say ’Jinchūriki’..."
"You mean me?"
"...Yes."
The ANBU nodded.
Naruto continued,
"So..."
"A Jinchūriki..."
"Is someone like the fox demon?"
Izumi instinctively tightened her grip on Naruto’s hand.
She wanted to stop him.
But...
One day...
He would have to learn the truth.
The ANBU answered plainly.
"A person with the fox demon sealed inside them."
Naruto smiled innocently.
"So that’s why everyone calls me the fox demon."
Of course.
The ANBU knew.
Many villagers knew as well.
Yet...
They had all chosen to pretend otherwise.
Naruto tilted his head and asked with childlike curiosity,
"Will Grandpa Third come fight with me too?"
"The Hokage must remain behind to command the village."
"How could he risk himself on the front lines?"
"You’ve asked enough questions."
"Come with me."
"Uchiha Izumi..."
"Don’t make this harder than it already is."
He took a step forward.
Izumi immediately blocked his path once more.
"No!"
"We’re seeing Lord Third first!"
"Enough!"
"Stop being unreasonable, Uchiha Izumi!"
The ANBU’s patience was beginning to wear thin.
Tears welled up in Izumi’s eyes.
"Then send me instead!"
"I can fight too!"
"There are so many shinobi in Konoha!"
"Why does it have to be Naruto?!"
"He’s only three!"
"He’s only..."
"Three years old!"
By the end...
She was practically screaming.
The ANBU simply looked at her in silence.
A Genin...
Could never compare to the village’s Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Naruto gently tugged on Izumi’s sleeve.
He shook his head.
Then carefully wiped away the tears running down her cheeks.
Turning to the ANBU, he said,
"Mr. ANBU..."
"Please give us a moment."
"...Make it quick."
The ANBU disappeared a short distance away.
Turning his back...
Giving them a little privacy.
"Naruto..."
Izumi bit her lower lip.
Her eyes were filled with grief.
Naruto smiled.
"Don’t worry."
"I’ll come back."
"You wait for me in Konoha."
"Naruto!"
"Do you even know what a battlefield is?!"
"You think this is some kind of game?!"
"I know."
"I know."
"But listen."
"After I’m gone..."
"Don’t question Lord Third anymore."
"And don’t say things you shouldn’t in public."
"Ninja only need to obey orders."
"Isn’t that right?"
"The people around a Jinchūriki..."
"Will never be allowed to oppose the will of Konoha’s leaders."
"If you do..."
"You probably won’t be allowed to see me anymore."
"When I come back..."
"I still want to eat your cooking."
"...Even though it isn’t very good."
As he spoke...
A notebook appeared in his hands.
He calmly opened it.
Carefully tore out every page containing Fire Style techniques.
Folded them neatly.
Then quietly slipped them into the pocket of Izumi’s winter coat.
"Practice these in secret."
"Don’t let anyone see."
Then...
Standing on tiptoe...
Naruto gently patted her head.
A warm smile never leaving his face.
"Mr. ANBU."
The ANBU immediately returned.
He crouched down...
Lifted Naruto into his arms.
Then gave Izumi a silent nod.
The next instant...
They disappeared.
Watching Naruto vanish into the distance...
Izumi whispered to herself,
"So..."
"Naruto already knew..."
"He always knew."
He had known from the very beginning...
That he was a Jinchūriki.
He knew exactly why the village treated him the way it did.
He knew what Konoha’s leaders truly thought of him.
Yet...
He could only pretend to be an innocent child.
Protecting everyone around him.
Silently enduring everything.
A three-year-old child...
Forced to walk on eggshells every single day.
Wearing a mask.
Trying to survive in a world built on lies.
And even then...
Konoha still refused to let him go.
The battlefield...
Could a three-year-old really survive a place like that?
Could Naruto withstand the Nine-Tails’ corruption?
Would he...
Ever come home?
Was...
A village this rotten...
Really worth protecting?
At that moment—
Izumi’s eyes suddenly turned crimson.
The two tomoe within her Sharingan spun violently.
Then...
A third tomoe emerged.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan.