The door closed behind him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked into the room with his hands behind his back, his steps slow, his gaze habitually sweeping around.
Then he paused slightly in surprise.
He still remembered that the last time he came to this room, it was not only dirty but also extremely messy.
But things were different now.
The potted plants on the windowsill were lush and green, the tabletop was spotless, and the books were stacked in the upper left corner according to size.
The bedsheets were pulled flat, and even the floor showed signs of having been wiped clean.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s gaze lingered in the room for a good while before slowly moving back to the front.
“Grandpa Hokage?”
A voice yanked him out of his trance.
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a light cough, took the pipe out of his mouth, sat down on the chair by the table, and looked up at the blond-haired teenager standing two steps away, his mouth twitching to force out a smile.
“I heard you successfully graduated.”
“Congratulations, Naruto, you are already a Genin.”
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, nodded calmly, and did not reply.
Only then did Hiruzen Sarutobi take the straw hat off his head, place it on his knees, and forcefully maintain his smile.
“As for Mizuki…
the Anbu have already reported to me.”
“Mm.”
It was another crisp and neat response.
Naruto still didn’t sit down, standing just two steps away, neither urging nor evading.
The room was quiet for a few seconds.
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his fingers gently on the edge of the straw hat, leaned back against the back of the chair, softened his tone a bit, and asked gently, “Naruto, I heard that you used a…
golden rope to trap Mizuki.”
“Can you explain to Grandpa Hokage what that was?”
Naruto’s gaze flickered, moving away from the brim of the Third Hokage’s hat and landing on the patch of setting sun on the windowsill.
“It’s a Jutsu I recently learned, a bit different from ordinary Ninjutsu.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s brows raised slightly, but he quickly pressed them down.
Holding the pipe in his right hand without lighting it, he just rested it on his knees.
“Then…
where, and from whom, did you learn it?”
He asked softly, his tone carrying the concern of an elder for a junior.
But those eyes surrounded by wrinkles hid something else.
Naruto didn’t rush to answer; instead, he took half a step forward, meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes directly.
“Third Grandpa.”
“Hm?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s fingers stopped on the stem of the pipe.
“Who are my parents?”
Naruto asked very softly, so softly it was almost as if he was afraid of shattering something fragile.
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression slowly turned complex, his lips moved, and his voice lowered.
“Mizuki…
told you something, didn’t he?”
“He said information about my parents is recorded in the sealing scroll,” Naruto took over the conversation without any concealment in his tone, “and told me to steal it to take a look.”
“Besides that, it also contains intelligence on why the villagers avoid me.”
“Naruto,” Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s gaze took on something heavy, and his voice sank slowly, “I’ve told you before, your parents…
are heroes of Konoha.”
Naruto stood without moving.
“So you are also…
the son of a hero.”
“But for reasons concerning your own well-being, I cannot tell you…
their names.”
“For safety reasons?” Naruto blinked.
“Since I am the son of a hero…”
“Is everyone discriminating against and distancing themselves from me based on this reason as well?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression stiffened.
He opened his mouth, but the words he had long prepared suddenly became pale and feeble.
That’s right…
Naruto had grown up.
This matter could no longer be evaded.
How on earth should he explain it?
Tell him that there were actually conflicts and divisions within Konoha’s upper echelons, which ultimately led to the current situation?
Obviously, it was not yet time to explain this.
“It’s because of…
other reasons,” he slowly said, his voice so low as if he were afraid someone might overhear.
“Only when you truly grow into a capable Ninja who can stand on your own, and inherit the Will of Fire, will you have the ability to approach that truth.”
Naruto tilted his head slightly, his gaze meeting the old man’s lowered eyes.
Three words were clearly written on his face.
Dissatisfied.
Seeing the disappointment in those blue eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s mouth formed a wry smile, then he stood up and began to slowly form hand seals with both hands.
Summoning Jutsu!
A puff of smoke dispersed.
A huge scroll appeared out of thin air on the ground, almost as tall as half of Naruto’s body.
“Whatever Mizuki said,” he said while unrolling the scroll, “is sheer nonsense.”
Naruto looked at the unrolled scroll, which recorded many Ninjutsu.
Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Edo Tensei.
Spirit Transformation Technique.
There were even more Jutsu, densely packed across the scroll’s surface, with diagrams of hand-sealing gestures and precautions drawn beside each line.
“This is the sealing scroll.” Hiruzen Sarutobi straightened up, resting his hands on his knees, his gaze falling on the names of those forbidden Jutsu.
“It records the most dangerous Ninjutsu in the Village.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat, trying to make his tone more relaxed: “According to investigations, Mizuki has long been suspected of harming comrades.”
“You did an exceptionally outstanding job this time, seeing through Mizuki’s scheme and detaining him.”
“As a reward…”
He reached out and pointed vaguely above the scroll.
“You can freely choose a Ninjutsu from the sealing scroll.”
Standing beside the scroll, Naruto scanned the names of those forbidden Jutsu line by line and said softly, “Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze…”
“What was his signature Ninjutsu?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, then smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunching up to make his smile look exceptionally kind, and said in a nostalgic tone, “Him…”
“Naturally, it is the space-time Ninjutsu, Flying Thunder God.”
Naruto’s mind stirred slightly.
Space-time Ninjutsu?
The key to traveling to the Magic World…
Could it be this?
He didn’t know.
But Naruto knew one thing.
What lay before him right now was the only clue he could grasp.
“Grandpa Hokage.” Naruto raised his head, his gaze falling on that wrinkled face, his voice clear and affirmative, “Give me the Flying Thunder God.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s brows rose slightly, revealing a look of surprise.
“Is that so?” The old man tapped his fingers on his knee.
“This Jutsu is quite difficult.”
“Are you sure you want to choose it?
Not looking at something else?
Like Multiple Shadow Clone…”
“For a Ninja with a large amount of Chakra, this Jutsu is extremely practical.”
If he could use the Flying Thunder God Technique to temporarily keep Naruto from thinking about his parents’ matter, it would also be quite worthwhile.
Furthermore, if he really learned it, it would also be a blessing for Konoha.
“I know.” Naruto nodded without the slightest hesitation, “But I don’t want to learn other Ninjutsu.”
“I want the Flying Thunder God Technique.”