The Third Hokage's eyes darkened as he looked at Naruto, his voice low and steady.
"But understand this once your true identity is revealed, you'll face countless assassination attempts. Missions abroad will carry hidden dangers, and enemies will target you simply because of your bloodline. Are you prepared for that?"
This wasn't a threat. It was reality.
Naruto straightened his back, his sapphire-blue eyes glowing with resolve.
"Yeah! If I'm the Hokage's son, then this is my responsibility. I'll bear it all!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's stern gaze softened. He saw the same determination that once shone in Minato and Kushina's eyes. His heart stirred with relief.
Watergate… Kushina… your son has grown. You may rest easy now.
When Naruto finally left the Hokage's residence, he carried several scrolls clutched to his chest. They were the legacy of his parents: powerful ninjutsu, sealing techniques, and even their personal savings.
To put it plainly Naruto had suddenly become wealthy. Even without ever taking another mission, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life.
"Hey, Naruto, are you okay?" Sasuke asked, waiting outside with Hinata by his side.
Konohamaru had already run off to train, desperate to master Naruto's Wind God Kick as quickly as possible.
Naruto waved his hand casually. "It's nothing. The old man just told me about my parents."
He flashed a bright grin. "Let's go home. I've got something important to tell you guys. Pretty soon, the whole village will know anyway."
The three of them headed to Naruto's place. When he finally dropped the news, Sasuke nearly lost control of his carefully constructed "cool guy" mask. His face twisted with shock.
"What?!" Sasuke stared at Naruto as though the blond had grown a second head.
Hinata gasped, her lips parted in disbelief, unable to close them for a long time.
"You're telling me you're the Fourth Hokage's son?" Sasuke demanded, still reeling.
Just moments ago, Naruto had been a fellow orphan with no clan and no name. And now? His status suddenly eclipsed Sasuke's own. For the proud Uchiha, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Tell me you're joking," Sasuke muttered, grabbing Naruto by the collar, eyes blazing. "You're lying, right? Lying ruins your integrity you wouldn't do that, would you?"
Naruto scratched his head, sheepish but firm. "Sorry, but it's true."
Sasuke's hand slowly fell away, his shoulders slumping. His voice cracked with despair.
"Then… fine. Let the world end already."
Naruto clapped him on the back with a booming laugh. "Cheer up! I'll treat you both to ramen tonight. My treat!"
He puffed out his chest proudly. After all, he had just inherited a fortune.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then I'll eat until you're broke."
Hinata giggled softly, covering her mouth with delicate fingers as she watched her two teammates bicker like brothers.
The following day, the Third Hokage publicly announced the truth:
Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, is in fact the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Uzumaki Kushina.
The revelation dropped like a boulder into a still pond. For one brief moment, silence gripped the village. Then came the uproar.
Whispers turned into shouts. Taverns, marketplaces, and street corners filled with stunned villagers.
"That blond brat… he's the son of the Fourth Hokage?!"
"All these years… we threw rocks at him, cursed him, treated him like a monster. And all this time, he was the child of our saviors!" one man said, collapsing against a wall, his voice trembling with guilt.
"No wonder his hair shines like Lord Minato's…"
Mothers wept openly, clutching their children. "Kushina gave her life for this village… and her son suffered because of us. Forgive us, Fourth Hokage…"
Guilt swept through Konoha like a plague. Where once there had been scorn, there was now shame. Villagers carried food and clothing to Naruto's tiny apartment, piling them by the door. The sight soon became overwhelming: mountains of offerings stood where once there had only been loneliness.
The vegetable shop owner once among Naruto's harshest critics now delivered the freshest produce daily, bowing deeply at the door before walking away in silence.
At the Memorial Stone, Kakashi touched Minato's name gently, his book unopened for once. Beneath the mask, his mouth curved into a bittersweet smile.
"Sensei… do you see him now? He's grown strong."
Even Guy was shaken. "So that fiery child… he was the son of the Yellow Flash all along!"
Rock Lee's eyes widened with astonishment. "That makes him my senior! Naruto-senpai is amazing!"
Neji Hyuga remained silent. He had long disdained Hinata for training with an "outsider orphan." Now, the truth mocked him. He recalled their spar months ago Naruto's three punches had forced him into bed rest for a week. At the time, Neji had dismissed it as luck. But now?
"I see. Fate cannot be defied after all," Neji muttered.
Hinata's father, Hiashi Hyuga, rarely allowed emotion to show. But when he heard the truth, even his stern face softened into a faint smile. Hinata's choice to train under Naruto no longer seemed shameful it was destiny.
Elsewhere, Shikamaru and his father Shikaku sat across a shogi board.
"So, the Third finally revealed Naruto's parentage," Shikamaru mused.
"You already knew?" he asked.
Shikaku gave a single nod, his eyes sharp despite his calm tone. "I wonder what pushed the Hokage to reveal it now…"
Then he remembered the massive crater outside the village the one no ordinary shinobi could have made. A chilling thought surfaced.
Could that have been Naruto's doing?
"Shikamaru," he said suddenly, "just how strong is Naruto?"
Shikamaru leaned back lazily, but there was respect in his voice. "Hard to say. He's… deep. So deep I can't see the bottom."
Shikaku's lips curved into a smile. "So, he's finally grown strong enough to ease even the Hokage's worries."
Deep underground, in the hidden Root headquarters, Danzo Shimura seethed.
"Damn that Hiruzen! Why would he reveal Naruto's identity now?" His voice shook with fury.
For years, he had schemed to bring Naruto under Root's control, molding him into a perfect weapon. It was why he revealed the truth of the Nine-Tails while hiding Naruto's lineage. But now? With Naruto's status exposed, his plans were ruined.
"Investigate," Danzo barked. "Find out what pushed Hiruzen into this reckless decision."
"Yes, Lord Danzo," a masked operative replied, kneeling.
That evening, Naruto strolled back from Ichiraku Ramen with Sasuke and Hinata. His stomach was full, his wallet lighter, but his heart oddly at peace. Yet everywhere they walked, villagers stared eyes full of complicated emotions.
Naruto sighed. "So fast, huh? The old man really spread the word already."
Just then, a figure lunged from the shadows. A kunai gleamed under the streetlight as it aimed straight for Naruto's chest.
The assailant was a Leaf chunin someone from his own village.
Gasps filled the street.
"Lord Naruto, watch out!"
"How dare you attack the son of the Fourth Hokage?!"
The villagers shouted in alarm, fear and anger mixing in their voices.
And as Naruto prepared to counter, one thing became clear his life as a nameless outcast was over. A new chapter had begun, one where every step forward would shake the very foundations of Konoha.
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