It was well past midnight, and the Hokage sat in his chair, the soft glow of candlelight casting long shadows across his office. Wisps of smoke curled from his pipe, filling the room with tobacco's faint, familiar scent. Stacks of paperwork loomed on the edges of his desk, an ever-growing mountain of obligations that seemed to mock him in silence. Hiruzen exhaled deeply, his thoughts reverting to his earlier conversation with the eldest Namikaze-Uzumaki.
Something about the boy unsettled him.
Naruto hadn't lied—not outright, at least. His answers had been simple, his expressions guileless. Yet, the Hokage couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that there was more to the story. Could a mere nine-year-old truly deceive a veteran shinobi? He had spent a lifetime honing his ability to detect falsehoods, to pick apart the smallest of tells, and yet... Naruto's responses had been as convincing as they were frustratingly vague.
He tapped his pipe against the ashtray, emptying its contents before leaning back in his chair.
"What do you think, Kakashi?" Hiruzen asked, his voice thoughtful. "Was he truly so oblivious that he completely missed a severed arm lying in a clearing?"
The silver-haired shinobi barely looked up from his book, his lone visible eye flicking toward the Hokage before returning to the pages. "Most likely," Kakashi replied, his tone unreadable. "The kid's slow-witted at best. It wouldn't surprise me if he walked right past it without a second thought. But... if he's sharper than he lets on, and he did know about the arm, we should keep a close eye on him for the time being."
"Come now, Kakashi!" Might Guy's booming voice filled the room, the man balancing effortlessly on his hands as he pumped out a series of push-ups. "The boy is innocent! Do you truly believe he could have remained so nonchalant if he'd seen something so gruesome? A severed limb would have petrified him!"
Hiruzen stroked his beard, nodding slightly at Guy's words. There was truth in them, but doubt lingered in his mind. Before he could speak again, a firm knock at the door interrupted his musings.
"Come in," he said, straightening in his chair as he prepared for whatever news the late hour might bring.
✨🟣🔵🟢🟡🔴🟠✨
"Naruto," a gentle voice shook him awake. "Get up, young man. The sun has already risen and we're not getting any younger lazing about."
Naruto cracked his eyes open to find Namori smiling down at him while stroking his hair. The gentleness of her eyes warmed his heart, only if his mother looked at him that way. Shaking his head, he rose from his bed, rubbing his eyes while yawning up a storm. Several pops rang out in the room as Naruto stretched out.
"Breakfast is ready," she said, hands on her hips. "Get up before it gets cold." The scent of miso and freshly steamed rice drifted about.
Naruto groaned, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in his pillow. "Five more minutes..."
"Nope." Namori grabbed his blanket and yanked it off, exposing him to the crisp morning air. "If you don't get up now, I'm eating your portion."
That got him moving.
Dragging himself to the table, Naruto plopped onto the cushion, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His grumbling stomach quieted the moment he took in the spread before him.
At the center was a steaming bowl of white rice, fluffy and perfect, just waiting to soak up the flavors of the meal. Beside it, a small lacquered bowl of miso soup sat, the rich aroma of fermented soybean paste and dashi wafting up. Tiny cubes of tofu floated on the surface, alongside slivers of green onion and wakame seaweed.
A plate of grilled salmon rested nearby, the crispy golden skin glistening while the tender, flaky pink flesh promised warmth and satisfaction. Next to it, a neat stack of nori sheets lay ready to be wrapped around rice or dipped in soy sauce.
There were also pickled vegetables—crisp, tangy slices of daikon radish and cucumbers adding a pop of color. A small dish of natto, the infamous fermented soybeans, sat untouched for now, its pungent aroma lingering in the air.
But what caught Naruto's attention was the tamago-yaki, a beautifully layered, slightly sweet rolled omelet. He snatched a piece immediately, stuffing it into his mouth before Namori could scold him for not saying "itadakimasu" first.
"Oi, slow down," Namori sighed, pouring him a cup of green tea. "Chew your food before you choke."
Naruto grinned through a mouthful of rice and salmon, completely ignoring her as he shoveled another bite in. If this was how every morning started, then maybe waking up early wasn't so bad after all.
After stuffing himself with the delicious meal, Naruto leaned back with a satisfied groan, rubbing his now-round belly. He swore Namori had some kind of magic in her cooking—it was that good. If he could eat like this every day, he wouldn't mind waking up early.
Across the room, Namori moved efficiently, clearing away the dishes with practiced ease. Watching her work, Naruto couldn't help but think how lucky he was to have her in his life. She wasn't the warmest person, but she took care of him in ways that mattered. And when it came to food? Absolute perfection.
"Well, young man," Namori's voice cut through his food-induced haze, pulling him back to reality. She didn't even look at him as she wiped the table down. "What do you have planned for today? You're not planning to laze around all day, are you?"
Naruto sat up quickly, shaking his head. "No way! I'm going to train. I gotta get ready for the Academy."
Namori let out a long-suffering sigh and gave him a sideways glance. "Why don't you wait until an instructor teaches you? I don't like the idea of you running around and hurting yourself."
Naruto scowled, his lips twisting in frustration. "No way! I don't wanna be the only clan kid fumbling around like an idiot on the first day."
He crossed his arms, determination burning in his eyes. He'd seen how other clan kids got trained by their parents and passed down all kinds of cool techniques before they even stepped foot in the Academy. Meanwhile, he was stuck figuring things out on his own. No way was he showing up clueless.
Namori paused in her cleaning, her sharp eyes studying him for a moment before she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You're still just a kid, Naruto. There's no shame in learning at your own pace."
Naruto crossed his arms, puffing out his cheeks. "Yeah, well, tell that to the other kids when they're laughing at me for not knowing how to throw a kunai properly."
Namori let out a long sigh, muttering something about stubborn brats under her breath. She wiped her hands on a cloth and turned to face him fully. "Fine, fine. Just don't go overboard and come back covered in bruises, or I'll have to start force-feeding you natto as punishment."
Naruto gagged at the thought, dramatically clutching his throat. "Ugh, not the natto! That's cruel and unusual punishment!"
Namori smirked as she gathered the last of the dishes. "Then be careful. And don't forget to drink plenty of water. You hear me?"
Naruto grinned, jumping to his feet. "Got it!" He darted toward the bathroom door, but before he left, he hesitated. Turning back, he rubbed the back of his neck, a small, genuine smile forming. "Thanks for breakfast, Namori. It was really good."
Namori blinked, then gave him a rare, softer smile. "Of course, brat. Now go on—get stronger."
With that, Naruto entered the bathroom to get ready for the day. Excitement buzzed through his veins. Today was another step closer to proving himself—not just to the village, but to himself.
✨🟣🔵🟢🟡🔴🟠✨
After finishing his morning grooming routine, Naruto bolted out of the Uzumaki-Namikaze compound, eager to get to Training Ground 9. He barely spared a glance at the judgmental stares from his fellow clansmen. Let them glare all they wanted—he didn't care. They could think whatever they liked, but soon, he'd prove them all wrong.
With Vision guiding him, he'd grow stronger. Stronger than anyone expected. The thought alone made his grin widen as he sped through the village streets, dodging early-morning foot traffic before slipping into the woods.
Training Ground 9 was secluded, surrounded by towering trees that filtered the morning sunlight, casting dappled shadows over the clearing. At the far end, a small waterfall cascaded down jagged rocks into a tranquil pond, its surface rippling as the water flowed deeper into the forest. The center of the field held five weathered training poles, their wooden surfaces pockmarked with holes from years of use.
As Naruto reached the poles, a flicker of unease crawled up his spine. He wasn't alone.
"Who do you think it is?" he mind-linked Vision, his tone casual as he pulled out a few shurikens and lazily tossed them at the targets.
"Kakashi Hatake," Vision answered, shimmering into existence beside him. The synthetic being hovered slightly above the ground before drifting toward the treetops. "He's keeping an eye on you. Trying to determine if you're hiding anything."
Naruto barely held back a groan. He sent another kunai flying, but instead of embedding itself into the wood, it bounced off uselessly. His weapons were dull, their edges chipped from overuse. Scavenged from the compound's recycle bins, they were all he could afford on his measly 1,000 ryo stipend. Meanwhile, his siblings enjoyed the best training equipment money could buy, stuffing themselves with expensive meals while he had to ration his trips to Ichiraku. Just thinking about it made his fingers tighten around the next kunai.
"How long do I have to keep up this act?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes as yet another throw missed its mark. "I want to start training for real, but that idiot won't stop stalking me." A dark thought crossed his mind, and he briefly considered flinging a kunai straight at the cyclops' smug face.
"Not much longer," Vision assured him, his voice calm. "I'm using the Mind Stone to subtly alter his thought processes. Soon, he'll convince himself there's nothing suspicious to find."
Naruto huffed but kept training. It took nearly an hour before he finally sensed Kakashi's presence retreating. The moment the jonin disappeared from his radar, Naruto slumped in relief, rolling his shoulders before shooting a glare at the now-empty treetop.
"Thank Kami, he's gone," he grumbled, running a hand through his spiky blond hair. He turned toward Vision, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Can we begin now?"
Vision descended gracefully from the trees, a knowing smile on his face. "Yes," he confirmed. "The area is clear of any intruders."
Naruto grinned. Finally. Time to get to work.
*** End of Chapter 8 ***