Chapter 323: The Real Reason
"Uncle, what are you doing?"
Kabuto pushed up his glasses, slightly avoiding Masahiko's gaze.
Masahiko smiled. "Young man, I see your bone structure is extraordinary; you're a good seedling for a ninja. Do you want to learn how to cook from me?"
Kabuto: ???
"Great-Grandpa, stop joking around. Sister Sara told me about your dumpling boiling incident. You shouldn't teach anyone how to cook with those skills...
No, wait, this isn't about teaching him how to cook. Stop teasing this child."
"You are... Senior Masahiko Uzumaki?" Kabuto reacted and answered seriously, "There are still many children at the orphanage who need looking after. I'm afraid I cannot learn cooking from you."
"Oh, I see," Masahiko said with a look of regret as he walked inside.
"Even after recognizing me, he didn't show a hint of panic or hesitation on the surface. Is he not a spy for Orochimaru? Or is he just hiding it so well that I can't tell... Whatever, he's only a twelve or thirteen-year-old child right now. We'll probably be seeing a lot of each other in the future."
The group of four, led by Kabuto, walked into the building at the very center of the orphanage.
"Lord Fourth Hokage, Senior, please keep your voices down. At this time, most of the children haven't woken up yet."
"Don't worry," Masahiko said, glancing down at little Naruto. Ever since walking around Konoha, Naruto had put on a pouting face and hadn't said a word. "Even this little guy isn't making noise, who else would?"
The other four all looked at Masahiko...
"Hehe, fine." Masahiko remained expressionless, but then realized something wasn't right.
"Kabuto, why are you looking at me too?"
"Senior, how did you know my name?" Kabuto pushed up his glasses again.
Masahiko smiled. "Extraordinary bone structure. I know everyone who is capable of inheriting my cooking skills."
Kabuto: "..."
"Lord Fourth, Kushina, Senior Masahiko." A gentle female voice sounded from ahead, allowing Kabuto to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Director," Kabuto slightly lowered his head.
The woman ahead smiled. "Kabuto, how many times have I told you, you can call me Mother."
"This is..." Masahiko frowned.
"Sister Nonou," Kushina, who knew her, spoke softly.
"Nonou Yakushi, the Root intelligence kunoichi who adopted Kabuto, and later... wait, there's no Root anymore." Masahiko recalled.
Nonou led them into a room, instructed Kabuto to bring a few chairs, and invited them to sit.
"Director, I'll excuse myself first." Kabuto couldn't stand being stared at by Masahiko any longer.
Kushina gently tugged at Masahiko's sleeve. "Great-Grandpa, stop staring. Is there something special about that child?"
Masahiko smiled. "Nothing. I'm just sighing with emotion; human destiny is truly unpredictable."
"Indeed, Senior. You truly see through the human heart," Nonou chimed in.
Masahiko was startled. "Huh? Oh, yes, yes, yes."
Minato helplessly interrupted, "Senior Nonou, how many new orphans has the orphanage taken in over the past two years?"
"Orphans..." Nonou Yakushi didn't answer directly but asked instead, "Lord Fourth, most people could understand when you resigned as Hokage to go support the Land of Whirlpools, although a small minority started some rumors. But after the crisis in the Land of Whirlpools was resolved, why didn't you and Kushina return?"
"Many things happened..." Kushina's expression was complex.
"Was it because of Lord Danzo? He came to me back then and asked for a child, saying it was to be a playmate for this little guy." Nonou looked at Naruto.
Kushina was startled. "Sister Nonou, you..."
"He was a smart child. I felt something was fishy at the time, so I instructed him to decide for himself... If the orphanage wasn't in desperate need of funds, I wouldn't have agreed."
Masahiko looked bewildered. The more he listened, the more he felt something was wrong. This was quite different from the version he knew.
"Sai actually told me," little Naruto, who had been silent all along, whispered.
Hearing this, Kushina hugged Naruto tightly.
Masahiko was completely confused, not even paying attention to the familiar name he just heard.
"Can someone explain to your Great Ancestor what exactly is going on here? If it wasn't Danzo's fault, then what happened? Was Naruto just causing trouble on his own?"
Masahiko gritted his teeth, almost pulling out the 40-Meter Machete from his coat.
Minato smiled. "It's because after we left, Naruto heard the rumors in the village, saying that the Hokage of Konoha abandoned the village because of a woman... ahem."
Kushina shot him a murderous glare, stopping Minato from continuing.
She nodded in satisfaction, then sighed. "Yes, they said it was because of me that the Hokage of Konoha abandoned Konoha and defected to the Land of Whirlpools."
"It was probably Danzo spreading that again, right?" Masahiko subconsciously tossed the blame onto Danzo.
Kushina was stunned. "Great-Grandpa, although I also hate Danzo very much, for you to do this..."
Masahiko waved his hand. "So this little guy wanted to return to Konoha because of this?"
"He wanted Minato to continue being Hokage."
"Hehe." Naruto chuckled.
Masahiko also laughed out loud. "You child are truly sensible. Come here, let Great Ancestor give you a hug... Yes, come here, ah yes, smack!"
"Ah! Why is Great Ancestor hitting me again?"
"This isn't hitting, this is doting on you. Is it painful enough? Smack smack!"
Kushina and Minato exchanged a glance and shook their heads. Ignoring Naruto, who was getting beaten, they turned to chat with Nonou.
After a long while, the room quieted down. The chatting and smacking sounds both vanished.
Minato broke the silence, turning to his son whose butt was on fire. "Naruto, you saw everyone's reaction in the village just now. Do you still want me to continue being Hokage?"
Naruto lay over Masahiko's lap and pouted. "If Father can't do it, then I'll do it!"
Smack! Masahiko slapped him again. "Is the Hokage position owned by your family? You think whoever you say does it gets to do it?"
Minato smiled. "Naruto, don't rush. Your Auntie Nonou just said that there are over thirty war orphans from the past two years in the orphanage; they are children who have lost all their relatives. Adding in other children who became from single-parent households due to the war, the number might be over a hundred."
"Among these children, perhaps half will be reasonable, a small half will blame the war, and the remaining small half will hold onto... hatred!"
"If you stay in Konoha, you will have to face the hostility of these children. Wanting to become Hokage will be even more difficult."
Naruto puffed out his cheeks and broke free from Masahiko's grasp. "I will definitely change their minds and become an even greater Hokage than my predecessors!"
This declaration was very imposing, but unfortunately, he yelled it while rubbing his butt...
Smack! Masahiko delivered another slap. "Do your best!"
"Ah! Why did you hit me again?"
"Heh, just happened to be convenient, happened to be convenient."
Masahiko felt slightly gratified; this brat Naruto had finally grown up a bit.
With a slight hesitation, Masahiko asked again, "Earlier... you weren't intentionally messing with your Great Ancestor, were you?"
"Hehe, who told you to have the same name as that annoying guy Masahiko."
Masahiko's face darkened, and he pulled Naruto back onto his lap.
Smack smack smack! "I've been called by this name for over a hundred and twenty years! Are you telling me I got the wrong name?!"
"Ah!~"
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