Experience?
Why don't YOU experience that kind of "training"? Describing someone else's pain as valuable experience is utterly ridiculous!
Despite his internal reaction, Naruto maintained absolute calm while listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi's narrative. Regardless of what the old man said, nothing would change Naruto's decision to properly "befriend" him after achieving spirit, energy, and body unity.
The beating would come. Just not yet.
"Naruto, are you blaming Grandpa in your heart?" Hiruzen gazed at Naruto with searching intensity. "For not announcing to the entire village that you were the Fourth Hokage's child after your birth?"
Naruto smiled with apparent understanding. "No, not at all. I think the Third Hokage Grandpa didn't announce my identity because he was training me deliberately."
Hearing Naruto's response, Hiruzen visibly relaxed. He nodded with evident satisfaction. "Yes, exactly! It seems Naruto has truly matured. Your thinking has grown comprehensive and nuanced. You're definitely a qualified chūnin now."
Hiruzen's expression shifted toward something more theatrical, more emotional. "At that time, your father came to me specifically. He asked me to care for you, treat you as a hero's orphan, and ensure everyone in the village respected you properly. Initially, I genuinely intended to follow your father's dying wishes exactly."
His voice dropped to something more intimate, more confiding. "Until I saw someone at my own home. That moment shook me profoundly! Naruto, can you guess who I encountered?"
"Who?" Naruto arranged his features into curious interest. Can't let Hiruzen perform this stand-up comedy routine alone.
"It was Asuma. My own son." Deep memory flickered through Hiruzen's eyes. "I held you in my arms and returned to my residence. Before arriving home, I experienced no doubts whatsoever. But when I opened the door, I saw Asuma sprawled on the sofa smoking a cigarette. That sight immediately shook my resolve."
Hiruzen's tone grew heavy with disappointment. "Asuma is a child who never lived up to his potential. As Hokage's son, he enjoyed resources and various privileges that ordinary people could never access. However, everything possesses both advantages and disadvantages. Precisely because he was Hokage's son, those privileges harmed him fundamentally. They made him complacent, mediocre. He became less accomplished than children from ordinary families—shinobi like Kakashi and others who earned everything through merit alone."
The Hokage's gaze intensified with theatrical significance. "After observing Asuma, I looked down at you in my arms. Seeing your wrinkled newborn face, I suddenly made a decision in my heart. I refused to let you become a second Asuma."
"I decided to hide your true identity completely. I would let you rely on your own abilities to become self-reliant like any ordinary person. This approach would hone your willpower and make you grow genuinely stronger."
Hiruzen's voice carried the weight of calculated sacrifice. "For the first three years, I assigned people to care for you meticulously. After you turned three, I deliberately removed those caretakers. The purpose? Training you to handle solitude and grow strong through adversity."
"Afterward, I continually monitored your situation from a distance. Facts have proven my approach correct, Naruto. You're an exceptional child. Even after people stopped caring for you directly, you survived and thrived. Everything proceeded exactly as I anticipated."
The manipulation deepened with each sentence. "Regarding Danzo unintentionally leaking your Jinchūriki information—which caused villagers to misunderstand you and created even greater troubles—once I recognized the damage was irreversible, I reconsidered the situation. Perhaps this represented an even bigger challenge for you. A bad thing transformed into beneficial opportunity."
Hiruzen's smile widened with grandfatherly pride. "Indeed, Naruto didn't disappoint my expectations again. You overcame this challenge as well. The current you possesses tremendous strength and has completely escaped that lonely situation. You haven't become another Asuma."
His voice softened with false humility. "Grandpa told you all this not to claim credit, but simply to help you understand a fraction of Grandpa's good intentions toward you."
Hiruzen looked at Naruto with gentle warmth, perfectly mimicking an elder watching a junior succeed, radiating pride over their achievement.
Naruto remained silent for a long moment. Finally, he spoke with careful precision. "I understand the reasoning. But Third Hokage Grandpa, have you truly considered whether I actually WANTED the challenges you mentioned?"
"Haha..." Hearing Naruto's words, Hiruzen released genuine laughter. "It's good that you understand! As a young person, having some temperament is perfectly appropriate. However, the past will eventually remain past. What we must do is look forward toward a bright future."
"Look forward to a bright future?" Naruto repeated the phrase slowly, as though carefully tasting each word. Then he nodded. "Indeed, I will look forward to a bright future. But Third Hokage Grandpa, why are you telling me all of this now? Why not continue the training regimen?"
"Naruto has grown far beyond my expectations. There's no need to continue practicing such methods." After speaking, Hiruzen's expression transformed into something solemn and official. "Naruto, I plan to announce to the entire village that you are the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato's son. Now that you've matured properly, even enjoying this glory won't lead you astray."
"Announce my heritage publicly?" Naruto considered this for a moment, then addressed Hiruzen with careful politeness. "Third Hokage Grandpa, could you wait two days before making that announcement? I have something important to complete first. After I finish, then you can announce it."
"Waiting two days presents no problem." Seeing Naruto's request, Hiruzen raised no objections.
Naruto stood, preparing to depart. "Third Hokage Grandpa, if there's nothing else requiring my attention, I should return to the farm now. My friends are all gathered there. As their host, I shouldn't remain absent too long."
"Of course, Naruto. Handle your business. Two days from now, I'll announce your identity officially." Hiruzen's goal had been achieved. Naturally, he wouldn't force Naruto to stay longer.
Naruto walked out of the Hokage Building and looked upward. The sky stretched beautifully blue and transparent, without a single cloud for embellishment. He thought about some of Hiruzen's words just now and suddenly felt the entire performance was genuinely ridiculous.
Everything he said was empty talk. Complete manipulation.
Through actual life experience, Naruto only felt Hiruzen had been speaking sophistry, cleverly concealing truth beneath layers of justification.
Moreover, Naruto absolutely didn't believe Hiruzen possessed no knowledge about Danzo's apology letter beforehand. The coordination was too convenient.
As for announcing his identity publicly? Would that announcement somehow change the villagers' views of him? That kind of biased perspective had been deeply rooted in their hearts for over twelve years. They'd never willingly admit their own stupidity or deny a decade of wrongful judgment.
Therefore, announcing his identity was actually completely useless for changing hearts and minds.
The most critical point: Why didn't Hiruzen mention anything about my father's property and inheritance?
Hiruzen's performance was fundamentally no different from Danzo's apology letter. Both were fake, empty gestures without substance.
Therefore, when Hiruzen proposed announcing his identity, Naruto decided to request two days' delay before the revelation.
Because during those two days, Naruto planned to practice the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. That way, when his identity was announced publicly, he could simultaneously make friends with ALL the villagers at once. Learning Multiple Shadow Clone would simply save tremendous trouble.
Looking back at the Hokage Building one final time, having identified numerous logical holes in Hiruzen's story, Naruto departed without hesitation. He headed straight back toward his farm.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office chair, smoking his pipe. Smoke enveloped his aged features as he carefully recalled every conversation detail, every expression Naruto had displayed during their exchange.
"Naruto shouldn't blame me for this approach... should he?"
The question hung unanswered in the smoke-filled air, revealing doubts the old manipulator couldn't quite suppress.