Inside the Third Hokage's office, the night had fallen. The warm, gentle lights diligently held back the darkness pressing against the window, casting a shadow behind the small, frail old man who bore the weight of the village on his shoulders without complaint.
"Phew... This should be the last one, right? ...I really am getting old. Back in the day, work like this would've been wrapped up hours ago..."
After signing off on the final document of the day, the Third Hokage casually set the scroll atop a towering stack at the edge of his desk. With his now-free hand, he gently rubbed the bridge of his nose as he swiveled his leather chair to face the floor-to-ceiling window behind him. He quietly gazed out at the Hidden Leaf Village nestled in the dark, lit up by a smattering of glowing lights, its beauty and bustling liveliness on full display. His expression softened further with contentment as he murmured to himself:
"Ahh... No matter how many times I see it, the night view of the Leaf is always so beautiful..."
Just then, the tightly shut door to the office creaked open and slowly closed again. A tall, dark figure slipped soundlessly through the narrow gap and paused, as if unsure whether to proceed. He stood silently, hidden in the shadowy corner beyond the reach of the light.
'Even though everyone's been holding on and enduring these past three years, just seeing this thriving scene always makes me feel it was all worth it... What do you think?'
"...The night view of the Leaf, huh. It's not quite as dazzling as I remember, but this atmosphere of peace... it really is nostalgic."
The dark figure clearly understood from the Hokage's words that he'd already been noticed. He shook his head slightly, no longer hesitating as he stepped forward. As he drew closer, the bright lights slowly revealed a tall, powerfully built man with waist-length white hair and a massive scroll on his back. He stopped before the mountain of paperwork on the desk and crossed his arms, frowning slightly. He let out a pointed sigh.
"If only those who once swore to protect the village with their lives hadn't abandoned their humanity for selfish desires... If only they hadn't been blinded and corrupted by their lust for power... It would have been so much better. Those shameless fools don't deserve the peace that Minato and the others gave their lives to secure."
"That's the reason I had you summoned back urgently... My child, even after three years, do you still carry guilt over what happened back then?"
The Third Hokage had already received word from the village guards the moment this person entered the borders of the Hidden Leaf Village, so the late-night visit didn't catch him by surprise. He remained unguarded, his back still turned, but he clearly heard the deep resentment and regret in the man's voice. The Hokage's own eyes dimmed slightly, his earlier contentment washed away by sorrow. He sighed deeply, pressing his hands on the armrests as he slowly stood up and turned around, locking eyes with the man.
"Back then, the Nine-Tails' rampage came so suddenly, so unnaturally... Even I didn't expect it to happen under such seemingly smooth circumstances. It wasn't your fault—you weren't in the village at the time, and no one blames you. So why burden yourself with such guilt? Why even say such disheartened things like you don't have the face to return to the village?"
"But I do! I blame myself!"
The uninvited guest cut him off without hesitation. His fists were clenched tightly—he didn't even know when that had started. Lowering his head and closing his eyes, as if recalling something unforgettable, he said:
"If... If I hadn't gone after Orochimaru's trail back then... If I had been in the village... Minato and Kushina might not have... While my disciple was laying down his life to protect the village, I was out chasing ghosts like an idiot. As his elder, not only did I fail to help them when they needed me most... I didn't even get to see them one last time!"
In this man's heart, the Fourth Hokage couple—Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki—had long been like his own children. That deep familial bond, no less than one of blood, was a rare treasure for someone who had lived alone most of his life. So when he learned they had sacrificed themselves for the village, the crushing pain and guilt nearly broke him entirely. His breathing grew heavier and more ragged with each word, voice hoarse as he forced the words out.
"That day was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives... the day they welcomed a new child into their family! I still remember the joy on Minato's face, the happiness and anticipation in Kushina's eyes as she looked forward to becoming a mother... But I—! I did nothing! I protected nothing! I'm nothing but a complete failure, totally unworthy of the respect and trust those children have for me! Damn it... URGH!"
BANG!
Overwhelmed by emotion, his trembling fist suddenly slammed down hard onto the Hokage's solid desk—custom-made from wood as hard as steel. The force of the blow was so strong that even this reinforced surface bore a deep, visible fist mark.
"Huff... huff... huff... Sorry... sensei, I... lost control..."
The blow gave him the slightest bit of release. As his reason slowly returned, he gritted his teeth and retracted his fist, voice low and raspy with apology.
"No... I underestimated the depth of the bond you had with Minato and Kushina. Even after three years, you still haven't been able to move past it..."
The Third Hokage had watched this man grow up and could tell that the grief in his heart had not faded one bit. He had simply buried it deep down for the past three years to keep others from worrying. With a mix of amusement and pity, the Hokage's expression softened slightly. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"But now that I've decided to clean up the corruption within the village leadership... There's something I need to explain to you."
"...Now that you mention it, when you summoned me back, you said there was a very important secret I absolutely couldn't miss—otherwise I'd regret it for the rest of my life. That's why I returned. I know you never lie, sensei, but I still have no idea what you're getting at."
He scratched his head in confusion.
"What's this secret?"
"It's something you'll definitely want to know. Do you remember the child who was chosen to become the new Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails when Minato died?"
"Hmm? Ah... That poor kid who's always being rejected and discriminated against by the villagers? Of course I remember."
"You've always come and gone so quickly from the village, and because of the restrictions we put in place to protect the boy, I never got a chance to tell you the truth... That child's name is Naruto Uzumaki."
"Huh? Naruto Uzumaki? That's the big secret? I mean, sensei, don't tell me you're— Wait... Wait a second..."
The moment the Hokage said the name, the man froze, his eyes going wide like he'd been struck by lightning.
"Naruto Uzumaki... Uzumaki... Naruto... No way!"
"Yes," the Hokage said with a nod. "It's just as you're thinking. Right now, he goes by Naruto Uzumaki, but under pressure from Danzo and the others, we were forced to change it. His real name... is Naruto Namikaze."
"Naruto Namikaze... Naruto Uzumaki... Namikaze... Uzumaki..."
The man laughed, a little crazed, then broke into wild, loud guffaws.
"Ha! Hahaha! Hahahahahaha! So that's it! It's their child! Their child is alive! He's still alive! Hahahaha!"
Tears streamed silently down his face as he laughed, whispering over and over:
'I thought that child had died with Minato and Kushina... but he's alive. He's alive... that's all that matters...'
"Well? I wasn't lying to you, was I?"
"No... Sensei, you've always meant what you said. You haven't changed... If I'd missed this, if I let it slip by again like I did three years ago... I'd regret it even more. No—I'd be broken beyond repair!"
The truth the Third Hokage revealed about Naruto's origins lit a beacon in the man's life, long trapped in despair. Fighting to contain the overwhelming joy in his heart, he asked eagerly:
"Tell me. What do you need me to do? As long as it helps Naruto—even if it costs me my life—I won't hesitate!"
"Hmm. With that resolve... yes, I knew you were the best choice to secretly protect this boy."
Looking at his long-lost student, his fighting spirit reignited, the Third Hokage smiled even more warmly. In his heart, he silently praised Naruto for his innate ability to bring people together. Then, carefully choosing his words, he began to tell his student everything Naruto had warned him about... everything regarding Danzo's ambitions.
Of course, to make the story easier to accept, the Hokage left out one key detail—he never told him that all this information had come directly from Naruto himself.
But what the Hokage didn't know... was that by hiding Naruto's ability to see the future, he had unknowingly set the stage for a near-death encounter that would soon endanger the very student he was so proud of.