The smell of ash and ozone clung to the air, heavy and metallic. Dawn was breaking over Konoha, but it was a cold, alien light that filtered through the shattered timber and pulverized stone of the village's outer defenses. Kakashi stood on the perimeter of the sealed-off clearing, his ANBU mask lowered to his neck, his single visible eye taking in the devastation.
He wasn't wearing his typical flak jacket; instead, a loose, soot-stained tunic covered his body. He'd spent the night in a blur—fighting alongside Minato-sensei in the opening skirmish, dealing with the frantic evacuation, and then, the dreadful wait.
Now, the waiting was over.
A medical ninja, her face grim with fatigue, finally found him, delivering the official report with a mechanical drone. Minato and Kushina had succeeded. The Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed. The cost was absolute.
"They are gone, Kakashi. Both of them."
The words were redundant. Kakashi had known the moment the gigantic wave of Minato's chakra faded, replaced by the chilling, finality of the Reaper Death Seal.
He offered a curt, toneless nod, dismissing the medic. He didn't need platitudes. He needed quiet.
He turned and walked away from the triage tents and the rising smoke plumes, heading toward the Hokage Monument, where the stone faces silently watched over the ruined village. His mind was a wasteland of grief, but unlike the raw, uncontrolled agony that had defined the loss of Rin and the subsequent months after Obito, this was a deep, frozen core of pain. He had nothing left to lose.
Minato-sensei. Kushina-san.
They were the last anchors he had. The last link to a time when he hadn't felt the crushing weight of failure and solitude. Now, even that had been ripped away by the beast that had once been sealed in his sensei's wife.
He walked past the funeral preparations—ninja silently organizing piles of salvaged weapons and personal effects. The village was wounded, weakened, vulnerable. The strongest pillars had been swept away, leaving only a few remaining beams: Jiraiya, gone on his spy network; Tsunade, permanently self-exiled; Fugaku and the Uchiha, whose help had been minimal and whose loyalty was now more suspect than ever; Danzo, whose machinations were already stirring in the shadows.
That left Hiruzen, restored to the mantle of Kage by necessity, and a handful of Jōnin, including himself.
As he moved closer to the village center, a different thought began to claw its way out of the ice. It wasn't about loss; it was about what was left.
Minato and Kushina had a son.
Naruto.
The vessel. The Jinchūriki. The child who now carried the crushing weight of the village's hatred and the impossible legacy of its savior.
Kakashi stopped beneath the Fourth's smiling face carved into the mountain. He knew Konoha. He knew the Elders. He knew Danzo. That boy, the son of the great hero, would not be revered; he would be feared, isolated, and neglected. He would be raised as a weapon, or worse, left to starve emotionally while serving as a political pawn. Kakashi himself had suffered that exact isolation after Sakumo's death, and even worse after the deaths of his teammates. The village broke the loyal and the gifted equally.
A slow, terrifying resolve hardened his features. His visible eye narrowed, losing its lazy, disinterested look and becoming a shard of polished steel. He wouldn't allow it. Not this time. He was not strong enough to save Minato, or Obito, or Rin, but he could save this last fragment of their shared future. He owed them that much. He owed Minato the chance to have his son grow up knowing what it meant to be loved.
Kakashi adjusted his headband, the sharingan hidden beneath the cloth, and pulled his ANBU mask back up, though he left the face-covering scarf down. His stride, which had been aimless grief, became sharp, focused, and utterly devoid of hesitation. He was going to the Hokage's office, and he was not taking 'no' for an answer.
The Third Hokage's office was not the grand, comfortable room Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered. It was filled with emergency reports, maps crisscrossed with relief markers, and the grim silence of a man who had put down his pipe and taken up a heavy crown. Hiruzen, looking far older than his years, slumped in the chair behind the desk, his back aching, his mind reeling from the tactical, political, and emotional fallout.
He had just received the official reports from the council, led by the Elders Koharu and Homura. The summary was stark: the populace was traumatized, resources were depleted, and the power vacuum was already being exploited. Danzo had used the crisis to solidify his Root operations and was pushing for immediate, total state control over the Jinchūriki.
Naruto.
Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his temples. He needed time. Time to mourn, time to stabilize, time to figure out how to raise the last son of Minato Namikaze without letting him fall into the clutches of the very darkness Minato died protecting Konoha from.
A sudden, sharp sound—the slam of an outer door—jarred him from his thoughts. He frowned, recognizing the distinct, disciplined tempo of the approaching footsteps. Too fast for a civil servant, too direct for a messenger. It was a ninja on a mission, or a ninja who had decided his destination superseded protocol.
Before he could call out, the heavy wooden door to his inner office didn't just open—it barged through, slamming against the interior wall with an audible crack.
Kakashi Hatake stood in the doorway. He was not in his Jōnin vest, nor his formal ANBU gear, but the sheer force of his presence turned the dilapidated office into a tense confrontation room. His stance was rigid, his gaze cutting.
"Kakashi. You should be resting," Hiruzen said, trying to inject a tired warmth into his voice, though he felt a sudden, unwelcome chill.
"There will be time for rest when the boy is safe," Kakashi replied, his voice flat and precise, betraying none of his characteristic laziness. He crossed the room in three quick strides, stopping directly in front of the desk. He didn't bother with pleasantries or formalities.
"I am taking custody of Naruto Uzumaki," Kakashi stated. It was not a request.
Hiruzen blinked slowly, removing his Hokage hat and placing it gently on the desk. He laced his fingers together, contemplating the figure before him.
"Kakashi, I understand your feelings. You were closer to Minato than anyone, save perhaps Jiraiya. But this matter is… highly sensitive. Naruto is the Jinchūriki. He is a state asset, subject to the highest levels of classification and protection."
"Exactly," Kakashi countered immediately, his eye holding the Hokage's tired gaze. "And who is better equipped to protect and train a weapon than one of your strongest assets? Who knows the importance of Minato-sensei's legacy better than his last surviving student?"
"The Council and the Elders will never agree to such a move. They would insist he be placed in a fully secure, detached environment—an institutional upbringing, perhaps managed by Root."
"And you know what that means," Kakashi pressed, leaning forward slightly. "Isolation, emotional neglect, and eventual manipulation. He will either be broken or driven into the arms of hatred. Minato-sensei did not die so that his son could become a loyal automaton for Danzo."
Hiruzen sighed deeply. "I agree with your sentiment. But you, Kakashi, are an invaluable military asset. You need to be free to take missions—to secure the village's borders, to rebuild our strength. You cannot raise a child and execute S-Rank missions simultaneously."
"I can," Kakashi said, the firmness of his voice shocking Hiruzen. "And I will. If the choice is between continuing my duty as a soldier under the current arrangement, or resigning my commission entirely to ensure the safety and well-being of the Fourth Hokage's legacy, I choose the latter."
Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly. An ultimatum.
The silence in the office stretched, thick with unspoken threats and political realities. Hiruzen's mind, despite his exhaustion, whirred, processing the weight of Kakashi's ultimatum.
Resignation.
The thought sent a shiver down his spine. Losing Minato was a disaster. Losing Kakashi Hatake—the Copy Ninja, the sharingan wielder, the sole surviving student of the Fourth and one of the last true elite Jōnin left in Konoha—would be a catastrophic military blow.
He quickly reviewed the village's strategic assets:
Jiraiya: Unavailable, deep in the spy network, essential for external intelligence.
Tsunade: Gone. No hope of return.
Fugaku, however capable, was politically neutralized and strategically unreliable, facing deep suspicion regarding the attack.
Danzo and Root: A threat in themselves. Danzo was pushing for war footing and the annexation of Naruto.
Remaining Jōnin: Skilled, but few possessed Kakashi's unique combination of combat versatility, strategic mind, and legendary status.
Hiruzen leaned back, his gaze penetrating the single visible eye of the young ninja. He could not afford to lose Kakashi. The village was teetering on the edge of a new era of conflict and power struggles. Kakashi's presence was a necessary deterrent, both externally and internally against Danzo.
But there is a greater risk.
If he gave Naruto to an institution or worse, to Danzo, two things would happen: Naruto would likely suffer a miserable, weaponized childhood, and Kakashi would be permanently alienated, perhaps even becoming a rogue element dedicated to disrupting the state's control over the boy. He could not risk the rage of a desperate Hatake, nor the ethical cost of betraying Minato's trust.
Kakashi's demand is not a problem; it is a solution.
By placing Naruto with Kakashi, Hiruzen could achieve several key objectives simultaneously:
Retention of an Elite Asset: Kakashi remains a ninja, loyal, and motivated.
Ethical Oversight: Naruto will be raised with love and principle, honoring Minato's memory.
Political Buffer: He can present the decision to the Elders and Danzo as a temporary, highly specialized deployment. Kakashi is a known quantity, a perfect shield.
Accelerated Training: Kakashi would train the Jinchūriki to be a splendid ninja, loyal to the village, ensuring Konoha would gain a powerful, dependable warrior faster than any institutional upbringing could achieve.
Hiruzen made his decision. The tension in the room instantly lessened, though Kakashi did not relax his posture.
Kakashi watched Hiruzen, his own thoughts a furious torrent beneath the calm exterior. He felt no arrogance in the ultimatum, only a bone-deep necessity. He had already lost his father to the village's scorn, and his entire team to the bloody realities of war. He saw the path laid out for Naruto, and it was the path of his own suffering, magnified a hundredfold by the Kyūbi's seal.
I swore to Obito I would protect my comrades.
Minato and Kushina were comrades. Naruto was the most vulnerable comrade of all. He couldn't trust the Elders. He couldn't trust Danzo. He could only trust his own two hands and his own resolve. He was fully prepared to walk away from his rank, his home, and his life as a ninja, if it meant giving Naruto a chance at genuine happiness. His resignation was not a bluff; it was his future.
He saw the subtle shift in Hiruzen's eyes—the flicker of realization that Konoha could not bear another major loss.
"You have considered the severity of your demand, Kakashi?" Hiruzen finally asked, his voice low.
"It is not a demand, Hokage-sama. It is a fact," Kakashi countered, the steel never leaving his tone. "I am the last person in Konoha who can provide that boy with both loyalty and structure. I will teach him the will of fire and the cost of war. I will raise him as my own. Deny me, and you lose one of the few shields left guarding the gates."
Hiruzen inhaled deeply, retrieving his pipe from the desk drawer and lighting it slowly, the fragrant smoke twisting in the office's cold air. This pause was tactical, a moment to reassert his authority and set the terms.
"Very well, Kakashi," Hiruzen said, leaning forward. "I will authorize your custody. But this cannot be a simple adoption. It must be official, legal, and subject to the highest level of mission security. To the Council, this will be presented as a mandatory, long-term, S-Rank mission, codenamed: 'Guardian of the Kyūbi.'"
Kakashi finally dropped his guard slightly, pulling his mask back over his face, hiding the exhaustion in his eye. "I accept the terms."
"The mission parameters are as follows, and they are non-negotiable," Hiruzen continued, his voice regaining the familiar tone of the venerable Kage. "You are the primary operative, tasked with raising, guiding, training, and protecting the Kyūbi Jinchūriki, ensuring he grows into a splendid ninja, loyal to the Leaf. Your success is vital to the future of the village."
He tapped a finger on the desk, emphasizing the financial and logistical support. "To support this mandate, your ANBU salary will be replaced by a significant, monthly stipend, drawn directly from the emergency war chest. This is for the boy's expenses—food, clothing, health, and a comfortable, secure home environment. You will be able to request any materials, training resources, or specialized equipment required to aid in the boy's care and training."
Kakashi nodded, absorbing the details. Resources were good; it meant he could focus entirely on Naruto's development without the constant grind of missions for money.
"To address the issue of your field time, I will authorize two rotational support personnel," Hiruzen stated. "The first will be Jōnin Might Guy. He is a close friend and your primary rival; he will provide the necessary high-intensity physical training and the emotional balance you, Kakashi, often lack. This arrangement will be masked as a mandatory, long-term, competitive training assignment between the two of you."
Kakashi's visible eye curled slightly in a familiar expression of wry amusement. "Guy. Perfect. His endless enthusiasm will make up for my lack of enthusiasm for changing diapers."
"The second request for personnel, however, must be handled differently," Hiruzen continued. "You will undoubtedly require a female ninja for childcare and protection when you and Guy are simultaneously unavailable. I will assign a Chūnin, Kurenai Yūhi, on a rotating B-Rank protection detail. Her up and coming skills in Genjutsu are commendable and her empathetic nature will be invaluable. She will serve as a covert caretaker and guardian."
The Hokage then fixed Kakashi with a hard stare, the smoke from his pipe momentarily obscuring his face.
"Now, for the most critical clause: Secrecy and Identity. The Fourth Hokage's parentage of this child must remain an S-Rank secret, known only to a handful of trusted officials. We cannot afford the political backlash, nor the risk to the boy from Minato's many enemies. To ensure this secrecy, you will take full legal responsibility for him."
Hiruzen's voice dropped to a quiet command. "You will legally adopt him. From this day forward, he is not Naruto Uzumaki, the son of the Fourth Hokage. He is Naruto Hatake, your legal son and apprentice. His relationship to you provides the necessary cover and justification for his unique upbringing."
Kakashi finally allowed a sense of relief to wash over him. Naruto Hatake. It sounded right. It sounded safe. It was a chance at a new legacy, free from the crushing weight of Minato's fame and the Kyūbi's stigma.
"I will handle the paperwork immediately," Kakashi confirmed. "The adoption will be processed by the end of the day. Naruto Hatake. Understood, Hokage-sama."
"One final thing, Kakashi," Hiruzen said, extinguishing his pipe and looking utterly exhausted but resolute. "Your mission is not just to train him into a weapon. It is to let him live. To let him find happiness. Minato and Kushina gave their lives for that boy's future, not just the village's. Do not forget that."
"I won't. Minato-sensei taught me the importance of the Will of Fire better than anyone."
Hiruzen nodded, a single, weary gesture. "He is currently being cared for in the secure wing of the main Konoha Hospital, designated room 301. The staff are only aware of him as an orphan survivor. Go now, Kakashi. Go take care of your son."
Without another word, Kakashi executed a sharp, perfect bow—a formality he rarely offered—and turned. His quick, determined footsteps were the only sound in the office as he exited, leaving the Third Hokage alone to face the monumental task of rebuilding. For Kakashi, the world was still broken, but now, he had a single, tiny piece to focus on, and a lifetime of duty to redeem.