"I guess so." Iruka hesitated for a moment before replying, then asked as gently as possible, "But what I really want to know is, Why you gave up on your dream of becoming Hokage?"
"No reason, that kind of thing isn't my dream." Naruto shrugged, "Iruka-sensei, you said the Hokage is the strongest in the village, right?"
"Yes, I did say that." Iruka nodded.
"They're right; I'm just a dead-last. There is no way I can become Hokage, right?" Naruto asked back.
"You can't say that. As long as you are willing to work hard…" Iruka trailed off, feeling a bit at a loss. He roughly knew Naruto's situation, but due to the ban of the third Hokage, he couldn't say it clearly.
Naruto tilted his head and looked at Iruka with a confused look on his face.
"Iruka-sensei, I don't want to be the Hokage anymore. I want a more reachable dream."
"What dream?" Iruka's forehead broke into a cold sweat. He didn't know why he was getting wrapped up in a conversation with a child.
"Maybe retiring early, having a life in leisure and living like a normal adult." Naruto said while scratching his head.
Iruka was both surprised and a little frightened. For Naruto, a simple dream like that was far more unattainable than becoming the Hokage.
"Naruto, it is impossible for you to get married and have children in an ordinary way."
"Who said anything about getting married and having kids. I said I wanted a relaxing retirement. A wife and kids does not equal happy and relaxed. No its endless chores and lots of nagging filled with dirty diapers and loud screaming. I saw that poor Nara being berated at the street stall the other day and I can only pray he can still hear properly or he is not going to have an easy time outside the village when running a mission."
And it was true he really did see Shikamaru's dad being nagged the other day while the original Naruto was still in control.
These words Iruka wanted to say got stuck in his throat. He too saw that confrontation at the street stall yesterday. As for the idea that Naruto could have a normal life well when he thought of all the cold stares and exclusion aimed at the orphan, Iruka just felt uncomfortable.
After all, the Kyubi is sealed in Naruto's body. It can be said that Naruto made a great contribution by becoming the Jinchuriki for the rest of his life. Yet, Naruto, despite his contribution, is destined to have a life filled with struggle.
Iruka's parents had died in the Kyubi's attack, but he couldn't bring himself to hate the parentless boy in front of him.
After all, it wasn't Naruto who was wrong, it was Kyubi.
Naruto was turned into the container of the Kyubi when he was born, living a life of resentment and ostracism until now.
Suddenly, Iruka realized that Naruto might have grown up enough to understand the villagers' disdain and hatred ran so deep that only saving Konoha from a catastrophe, like a god descending and wiping out all the surrounding buildings, could get rid of the stain that is the nine tails reputation. When this thought formed in his mind, Iruka suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
'Once the seeds of hatred are planted in the heart of a Jinchuriki, the consequences will be disastrous!' For a moment, Naruto's face was shadowed, but when Iruka looked again, he saw Naruto's bright smile.
"Naruto, your dream…"
"What about it? It's great, right, Iruka-sensei? " Naruto's smile was still bright, " Iruka-sensei, you're so old and still don't have a girlfriend. Thats why you thought a relaxing life can only be obtained with the help of a beautiful lady. right?"
"Hey!" Iruka's composure shattered upon hearing this, and he yelled with clenched fists, "Naruto!"
"Help!" Naruto screamed and ran away.
As the two played around, Hinata, who had been forgotten in the background was furiously fantasizing about a life with Naruto this whole time. Her hands were tangled together, and she was mumbling something weird and incoherent.
"Alright, that's enough." Iruka said sternly, "Make sure you come to school tomorrow! Naruto!"
"Yes, Iruka-sensei." Naruto lowered his head, looking obedient.
Both of them then looked towards Hinata, who giggled weirdly in the background. When she noticed she quickly lowered her head in mortification. She uttered an 'ah' and her face quickly turned red again.
"Naruto, you should go home on your own. I'll take Hinata home first. Will you be okay on your own?" Iruka said, holding his forehead.
Just as Naruto was about to agree and make a run for his safety, the system interface suddenly popped up again.
[Option 1: Crush Hinata's hope and declare your undying love for Sakura Haruno. Reward: S-Rank Ninjutsu.]
[Option 2: Offer to take Hinata home without having her pass out on you. Reward: Access to the Kyubi's massive Chakra reserves]
[Note: Option 1 will grant you immediate mastery of a random S-Rank Ninjutsu (with a certain probability of obtaining a rare Wood Release Ninjutsu), while Option 2 offers progressive rewards based on your own efforts to gain control of the massive amount of chakra that belongs to the strongest tailed beast.]
'Do I even need to think about this? The power of the Kyubi is not comparable to an S-Rank Ninjutsu at all.'
'Besides, even if there is no reward, if I had to shout about lusting for a pink haired banshee to the world I would die of mortification.'
'I cant change anything the original did to show his embarrassing pursuit of the Haruno girl, but i can put a stop to it going forward.'
'Choose the second option!'
[Task successfully initiated. Please prioritize completion.]
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto suddenly interrupted, "Let me walk Hyuga-san home!"
"Ah!" Hinata turned beet red upon hearing this and immediately turned away.
She was on the verge of passing out as it is.
"Huh?" Iruka looked at Naruto with some confusion.
"I know where her home is. I've sent her there before." Naruto explained with a smile, "Iruka-sensei, it's not on your way and would be too much trouble for you, right?"
"This…" Iruka hesitated, but thinking about the cold demeanor of the Hyuga Clan's members, he agreed.
'Im sorry Naruto but better you than me' Iruka lamented in his inner world.
"Alright then, Naruto, make sure you protect Hinata and act like a true gentleman!" Iruka said with a smile. He turned and winked at hinata and gave her a thumbs up.
"Yes! I'll make sure nothing bad happens to Hyuga-san." Naruto responded with a bright smile.
After Iruka left, Naruto patted his hands and jumped off the log he had been perched on.
Hinata was startled, and she started fidgeting in place.
"It's okay, I'll walk you home, Hinata." Naruto smiled and his voice became much softer.
This seamed to have the opposite effect of calming her down so he looked away before she fainted and he forfeited the challenge issued by the system.
"Thank you, N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata's voice was very quiet.
She was anxious but determined not to let this opportunity go to waste.
When she refocused on Naruto he was already walking towards the Hyuga compound.
'What on earth am I thinking? Naruto-kun probably doesn't think of me that way.'
Looking at Naruto walking ahead of her, Hinata suddenly felt a wave of panic, 'Naruto-kun is truly a kind person at heart.'
Naruto, who was walking in front was completely unaware of Hinata's thoughts. Feeling the Kyubi's Chakra overflowing from his body and constantly circulating in his Chakra Pathway System, he couldn't help but feel delighted.
'Sure enough, it succeeded.'
Naruto sent Hinata to the gate of the Hyuga Clan's compound and stopped. Without a necessary reason, the Hyuga Clan didn't welcome outsiders, especially not him.
"T-Thank you for walking me home, Naruto-kun." Hinata bowed to Naruto, her ears red, and her neck flushed.
"No problem" Naruto waved at Hinata, "Have a good night's sleep, Hinata!"
After saying that, Naruto turned and ran off in the opposite direction, disappearing into the night.
Hinata lost herself in the calls of 'Hinata' and whispered softly while clinging to the wooden door.
"See you tomorrow, Naruto-kun."
Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine and looked around thinking he was being targeted.