The Hokage Tower rose imposingly over the village, watching everything like an old tree that had seen entire generations of leaves come and go.
Naruto walked through its corridors with calm steps—far too calm for a child his age.
So this is the center of Konoha's power…
He had seen divine palaces, halls built of celestial jade, and thrones made from dragon bones.
And yet… that place stirred a strange feeling within him.
Familiar.
A ninja opened the door in front of him.
"Go ahead."
Naruto entered.
Behind a desk piled high with scrolls sat a short elderly man, with a white beard and a pipe in his hand. His chakra was calm and deep, like an ancient lake.
It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.
"Naruto Uzumaki," he said with a kind smile. "I'm glad to see you've recovered."
Naruto studied him carefully.
So this man is the pillar that keeps the village standing…
He was not the strongest Naruto had ever known, but his spirit was firm.
Worthy of respect.
"Thank you for your concern, Hokage-sama," Naruto replied with a slight bow.
Hiruzen blinked in surprise.
That was not typical of the Naruto he knew.
"I was told you've been acting a bit… different since you woke up," he commented, exhaling smoke. "How do you feel?"
Naruto thought for a moment.
He couldn't tell him that he had lived four hundred years, fought immortal saints, or destroyed his own spiritual core.
"I feel… calmer," he finally answered. "As if I had a very long dream."
Hiruzen looked at him silently for a few seconds.
"Dreams sometimes change people," he said at last. "But I'm glad to see you're still yourself."
Before the conversation could continue, the door burst open.
"Graaandpaaaa!"
A small boy with round glasses and a scarf rushed into the office, followed by two nervous ninjas.
"I want to be Hokage right now!"
Naruto turned his head.
…This kid?
Hiruzen sighed tiredly.
"Konohamaru… how many times have I told you not to enter like that?"
The boy puffed out his cheeks.
"If I want to be Hokage, I have to act like one!"
Naruto watched him with a deep gaze.
He saw no arrogance.
He saw loneliness.
Pressure.
A shadow similar to the one he himself had carried in another life.
"And who are you?" Konohamaru asked, pointing at him. "You look weird!"
Naruto smiled.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki."
The boy's eyes lit up.
"Naruto? The troublemaking kid everyone talks about?"
Hiruzen cleared his throat.
"Konohamaru…"
"It's fine," Naruto interrupted. "It's true."
Konohamaru looked at him curiously.
"Then… do you want to be Hokage too?"
Naruto fell silent for a moment.
In his mind passed images of divine thrones, cosmic wars, and shattered skies.
"Someday," he replied. "But not for the title."
That answer made Hiruzen look at him more closely.
Minutes later, Naruto left the Tower accompanied by Konohamaru, who insisted on following him.
"Teach me an awesome jutsu! I want something that'll impress my grandpa!"
Naruto sighed.
Kids… they're the same in every world.
"Alright," he said. "But just watch."
He formed hand seals with simple movements.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Poof.
Three clones appeared.
Konohamaru's jaw dropped.
"HOOOW DID YOU DO THAT?!"
Naruto tilted his head.
"Practice."
In truth, he had suppressed his control to the bare minimum.
If I use my refined chakra… this would be too much.
Later, as they walked across the rooftops, Naruto noticed something.
Konohamaru talked nonstop, but his energy was unstable, scattered.
A child who grew up under the shadow of a Hokage.
The weight of the name…
In a moment of carelessness, Konohamaru nearly fell.
Naruto grabbed his arm effortlessly.
"Hey," he said calmly. "You don't need to become Hokage for people to acknowledge you."
Konohamaru looked at him, confused.
"Then what do I need?"
Naruto smiled softly.
"To become strong for yourself."
That simple phrase etched itself into the boy's mind.
From a high window, Hiruzen watched the scene.
The wind stirred his robes as he narrowed his eyes.
"Naruto Uzumaki…" he murmured.
"Perhaps… destiny truly has changed you."
The sun slowly began to set over Konoha, painting the rooftops orange and gold. Naruto and Konohamaru stopped atop a building, from where almost the entire village could be seen. The bustle of the streets reached them as a distant, warm, living murmur.
Konohamaru sat down, swinging his legs over the edge, his eyes still shining from what he had seen.
"Hey, Naruto…" he said after a moment. "Are you… alone?"
The question was direct, without malice. Naruto didn't answer immediately. He looked over the village—the passing faces, the smiles, the indifferent gazes. In his chest there was no resentment, only ancient calm.
"Yes," he finally said. "But it wasn't always like that."
Konohamaru frowned.
"My grandpa is always busy… everyone respects him, but hardly anyone looks at me," he confessed quietly. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just 'the Hokage's grandson.'"
Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. Those words resonated more than they seemed. In another world, in another life, he had been "the heir," "the monster," "the chosen one." Different labels… same cage.
"The shadows of great people are long," he said. "But they don't last forever."
Konohamaru looked up.
"Really?"
Naruto nodded.
"One day, you'll walk with your own light. And when you do, it won't matter who stands behind you."
The boy clenched his fists, as if those words gave him new strength.
"Then I'll train! A lot! Until I'm stronger than everyone!"
Naruto let out a small laugh.
"Don't rush. Strength without direction only breaks itself."
Konohamaru blinked.
"You talk like my grandpa…"
"Maybe," Naruto replied. "Or maybe old men always tell the truth in the same way."
From the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen continued watching them. He had seen many children, many prodigies, many dreamers. But that Naruto… he didn't move like a child. He didn't look like one. It was as if he carried the weight of a story far too large for his body.
"That boy…" he whispered. "He hasn't just changed. He's come back different."
One of the ANBU appeared beside him.
"Do you wish us to watch him more closely, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"No. Let him walk. Some destinies should not be pushed… only observed."
Below, Naruto stood up and turned his back to the sunset.
"You should head back," he said. "Otherwise, you'll get into trouble."
Konohamaru hesitated, then smiled with determination.
"Next time I'll show you a jutsu that surprises you!"
Naruto looked at him approvingly.
"I'll be waiting."
The boy ran off, waving goodbye. Naruto remained there for a few seconds longer. The wind stirred his clothes, and for an instant, his chakra fluctuated… deep, vast, like a sleeping ocean.
Konoha…
A fragile village.
But full of seeds.
"Perhaps," he murmured, "this world still has something to teach me."
And with a light step, he disappeared across the rooftops as the sky slowly darkened over the Hidden Leaf Village.