In the year Konoha 63,
Inside the Hokage's office in Konoha Village, alarmed cries rang out: "Something's wrong, Lord Third!"
Sarutobi, casually smoking his pipe as he practiced calligraphy, turned and asked, "What's going on? Did that kid Naruto get into trouble again?"
"He actually defaced the statues of the previous Hokages."
Sarutobi let out a sigh and remained silent.
Across Konoha Village, several chunin were swiftly chasing after Naruto, who had caused mischief again.
Using a cover cloth as camouflage, Naruto successfully evaded capture, laughing proudly: "Hehe, you'll never catch me dressed like this."
"Hey, Naruto!" A furious shout exploded near his ear, immediately scaring him to the ground.
"Iruka-sensei, why'd you suddenly do that?"
"I'm the one who should ask—you know what you've been doing during class?"
The furious Iruka dragged Naruto back to school, while behind them, a tiny yellow bee floated through the air, following the pair.
In mid-flight, the small bee suddenly halted and darted into a deserted alley. After circling a few times, a figure appeared out of nowhere and grabbed it in his hand.
This man's face was smooth and fair-skinned, exuding cold sharpness from his distinct features. Long, thick white hair cascaded down to his waist. His dense eyebrows, high nose bridge, and perfectly-shaped lips radiated nobility and elegance. Up close, he even emitted a natural baby-like fragrance; his skin looked incredibly soft. Unfortunately, both eyes were covered by a black cloth, hiding their brilliance.
It's often said that unattractive people tend to look the same, but true beauty transcends gender. If this individual appeared openly on the streets, chaos would erupt—masses would gather, mesmerized. His looks could captivate anyone, regardless of gender.
"How hard Naruto must've had it as a child," he murmured softly.
As if responding to his own words, a voice soon came from the air: "It seems Lord Third hasn't told Naruto anything at all. Living alone in Konoha was indeed tough—I can sense his loneliness and helplessness. Sigh… What kind of father am I…"
"You must have known this would happen the moment you sealed the Nine-Tails inside him. Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to suppress knowledge about Naruto being a jinchuriki, many ninja died back then—anyone who thought carefully would figure it out."
Without a doubt, the two individuals speaking were none other than Anya and Minato, emerging from Shikkotsu Forest.
Minato, currently using the Spirit Transformation Technique, now has his soul separated from Anya, although he still can't perform attacks purely with spirit energy. Communication between them, however, posed no problem.
Concerned, Minato asked, "Lord First said you'd need at least ten more years to fully complete your transformation. Is leaving early really okay?"
"Ten years is too long—I can't wait that long. I decided to come out early," Anya replied regretfully, "but the cost was exhausting the power of my Mangekyo Sharingan. Now, even my new eyes have gone blind again."
Minato asked, "Can they recover?"
"No problem. It just needs time," Anya said without modesty. "Right now, I've already grasped the essence of life itself. Without exaggeration, once I reach my peak, there will be no one to rival me."
Minato wasn't fooled by Anya's domineering aura. He asked suspiciously, "What about now?"
"Aww, even a genin could get the better of me," Anya said bitterly. "This is the price I paid for showing up early. It's like borrowing time from the future, and my body is suffering serious deficits, unable to keep up with the demands."
Minato summarized, "So you're saying you're now a blind man who couldn't even beat a genin?"
"Don't talk nonsense," Anya retorted. "Don't forget my Spirit Transformation Technique either. And there's still my Sage Mode. Oh right, what did you name it again? I haven't memorized it yet."
Minato spoke enthusiastically, "[Sage Art: Amphibian Dragon Dance Hyper Wheel Roar Triple Sō]."
"Huh, right, that one. If push comes to shove, I can still pull it off. However, after using it, my body's recovery period will be postponed again."
Minato sincerely said, "Thank you, Anya."
"Don't misunderstand. It's not for you to reunite with your son. I just wanted to see this scene myself. Consider it a tribute to my previous life's Hokage career." Before Minato could process those words, Anya continued on his own, "Let's go. Let's take a look at another location."
Saying that, Anya put on his hat, half covering his face as he walked toward the Hokage Rock statues.
Here, Iruka was watching over Naruto as he scrubbed the paint off the rock face.
"I won't let you go back until it's thoroughly cleaned."
Naruto looked up and replied, "Whatever. There's no one waiting for me at home anyway."
Iruka was touched by Naruto's words. He thought for a moment and said, "Naruto, if you finish this today, I'll treat you to some ramen tonight."
Naruto smiled with delight, "Great! I'll work hard!"
"I hope you don't mind if there's one more person."
Anya approached leisurely and cut into the conversation.
"Huh? Who are you?" Naruto looked curiously at the sudden appearance of Anya.
Iruka jumped down from above and faced Anya, asking, "Are you a villager from Konoha? Why did you come here?"
"Yes, I am," Anya said, pulling out a comic book from his pocket. "My name is Kurotsuchi, and I'm the author of this book. After seeing the Hokage Rock defaced with paint, I came here specifically for some inspiration."
Before Iruka could reply, Naruto exclaimed, pointing at the book, "This is... Oub, the light bearer who can defeat all dark monsters. This book was written by you? Wonderful! Can I get your autograph?"
"Hahaha, so you're my reader after all," Anya chuckled, happily pulling out a pen. "Where should I sign it?"
Naruto looked left and right, then pointed at his shirt, "Right here on my chest — let everyone see I got your autograph!"
"Alright," Anya happily agreed and swiftly signed the two characters for 'Kurotsuchi' with bold strokes. The black ink on the orange shirt created a unique charm.
Naruto joyfully admired the autograph and thanked him, "Thank you so much!"
Anya asked deliberately, "By the way, I still don't know your name."
"Naruto. My name is Naruto Uzumaki."
After I finished introducing myself, I pointed to Iruka next to me and said, "This is my teacher, Master Iruka."
"Hello," Anya reached out her hand with a friendly smile.
"Oh, hello, hello..." Iruka grasped Anya's hand, clearly feeling both surprised and honored. He knew full well how popular the author Kurotsuchi was among children—even many adults read her stories at home.
"I got a lot of inspiration here today. How about we go get some ramen together later? My treat."
Before Iruka could respond, Naruto immediately said, "Sure."
Iruka sighed helplessly and said, "Then thank you for the meal."
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