"Uh… sir? What exactly are you doing?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, subtly avoiding Akio's stare.
Akio grinned. "Kid, you've got good instincts and a sharp frame, perfect ninja material. Ever thought about learning to cook from me?"
Kabuto: "???"
Kushina tugged Akio's sleeve. "Grandpa, stop it. Ayame already told me what happened when you tried to boil dumplings — please don't pass that 'talent' on to anyone… actually, no, forget the cooking. Just stop teasing him."
"You're… Elder Uzumaki Akio?" Kabuto finally pieced it together. He bowed slightly. "There are many children relying on me here. I'm afraid I don't have time for cooking lessons."
Akio sighed dramatically. "Shame." Then walked inside.
Recognizing me without a flicker of panic… Doesn't seem like Orochimaru has recruited him yet. Or he's hiding it absurdly well. Whatever—he's barely twelve. We'll be seeing plenty of each other in the future.
Kabuto led the four deeper into the central orphanage building.
"Lord Fourth, Elder, Lady Kushina — please keep your voices down. Most of the kids are still asleep."
"Relax," Akio said, glancing down at little Naruto. Ever since their walk around the village, the boy had gone silent and sulky, face puffed like a kicked puppy. "If this brat isn't making noise, none of us will."
Everyone turned to stare at Akio.
"…Fine, fine," he muttered, expression blank — then frowned again. "Kabuto, why are you staring at me?"
"Elder… how do you know my name?" Kabuto pushed his glasses again, puzzled.
Akio gave a knowing smile. "Any kid with talent worthy of inheriting my cooking secrets — I remember them all."
Kabuto: "…"
A gentle woman's voice sounded ahead. "Lord Fourth, Lady Kushina, Elder Akio."
Kabuto visibly relaxed.
"Director," he said, bowing faintly.
She smiled at him. "Kabuto, how many times have I told you? You can call me Mom."
Akio narrowed his eyes. "Wait… you're…"
Kushina nodded softly. "Nonō — she used to be with the Intelligence Division."
Yakushi Nonō. Adoptive mother to Kabuto. Root operative… except Root shouldn't even exist right now, Akio recalled.
Nonō guided them into a quiet room and sent Kabuto to bring extra chairs.
"Director, I'll step out," Kabuto said. Akio's staring had him visibly uncomfortable.
Kushina tugged Akio's sleeve again. "Grandpa, seriously… what's wrong with that kid?"
Akio smiled faintly. "Nothing. Just thinking about how strange fate can be."
Nonō nodded gently. "You really do see right through people, Elder."
Akio blinked. "Huh? Oh—yes. Exactly."
Minato cleared his throat to steer things back. "Nonō, how many new orphans has the orphanage taken in over the past two years?"
"Orphans…" Nonō didn't answer directly. Instead she asked, "Lord Fourth, when you stepped down and went to help the Whirlpool Nation, most people understood. Only a handful spread ugly rumors. But once the crisis ended… why didn't you come back?"
"There's a lot behind that," Kushina murmured, eyes darkening.
"Was it because of Lord Danzō?" Nonō asked. "He came here once, requesting to take one of the children — said the boy would be good company for this little one." Her gaze shifted to Naruto.
Kushina stiffened. "Nonō? You…"
"He was a bright child. The whole situation felt wrong, so I warned him to trust his own judgment. If the orphanage had enough funding, I would never have agreed."
Akio froze, eyebrows knitting. This… isn't how I remember things happening…
"Saī told me…" little Naruto mumbled finally.
Kushina pulled him into her arms at once.
Akio nearly choked. That name alone was enough to derail his thoughts completely.
"Can someone explain to this old man what's going on? If it wasn't Danzō, then what caused all this? Don't tell me Naruto caused trouble all on his own?"
He was one frustrated breath away from summoning the huge cleaver he kept sealed for emergencies.
Minato gave a helpless laugh. "After we left, rumors spread. Naruto overheard people saying the Hokage abandoned the Leaf 'because of a woman' and—"
Kushina's murderous glare cut him off instantly.
She huffed, satisfied, then sighed softly. "Fine. They said it was because of me — that the Hokage left the Leaf behind for the Whirlpool Nation."
"Let me guess," Akio muttered. "Danzō again."
Kushina blinked. "Grandpa… I dislike him too, but blaming him for everything is…"
Akio waved her off. "So Naruto wanted to come back because of all that?"
"He wanted Minato to be Hokage again," Kushina said.
Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Hehe."
Akio laughed and opened his arms. "You sweet, misguided kid — come here and let your great-grandpa give you a hug… yeah, right there— SLAP!"
"OW! Why'd you hit me?!"
"That wasn't hitting. That was affection. Want more affection? SLAP SLAP!"
Kushina and Minato exchanged a resigned look and ignored the beating in progress, continuing their conversation with Nonō.
After some time, the room quieted — both the voices and the smacking sounds finally subsided.
Minato broke the silence, turning toward his son, whose backside was still throbbing. "Naruto, you saw how people reacted in the village. Do you still want me to be Hokage?"
Face squished against Akio's lap, Naruto mumbled, "If Dad can't do it… then I'll do it!"
SLAP!
Akio whacked him again. "Is the Hokage seat a family heirloom? You think you can just call dibs?"
Minato chuckled. "Naruto, listen. Nonō said that in the last two years alone, more than thirty children lost every single family member to the war. Add the ones who became half-orphans, and the number is well over a hundred."
"In that group, some kids will understand. Some will blame the war. And a few… will blame us."
"If you stay in the Leaf, you'll face their anger. If you want to become Hokage… it'll be even harder."
Naruto wriggled free and stood, rubbing his aching backside. "Then I'll change their minds! I'll be an even greater Hokage than anyone before me!"
The declaration was powerful — unfortunately delivered while grabbing his butt.
SLAP! "Good spirit!" Akio barked.
"OW! Why again?!"
Akio shrugged. "Reflex."
He watched Naruto with a faint, proud smile. The brat was finally showing signs of growing up.
After a moment, Akio squinted at him. "Hold on… you wouldn't have been messing with me on purpose earlier, would you?"
Naruto grinned. "Hehe… you share a name with that other annoying Akio. Not my fault."
Akio's face darkened instantly. He yanked Naruto back over his lap.
SMACK SMACK SMACK!
"I've had this name for a hundred-and-twenty years — you think I'm the one who got it wrong?!"
"AAAAH—!!"
---
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