Hello. This is Antonio Ro and welcome to
"A Promise of Trust"
A Naruto One-Shot that had been in my head for a while now. Taking place right chapter Episode one in the anime and chapter one in the manga. This is my take on a potential conversation between Naruto and Hiruzen after returning the forbidden scroll of sealing.
I hope you all enjoy.
"Normal Humans Talking"
'Normal humans thinking'
Chapter Quotes
There are no secrets that time does not reveal
By: Jean Racine
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters
By: Albert Einstein
Hiruzen stood up from his desk, rubbing his eyes in the process as he quietly made his way to his office window. Ignoring the sound of his stiff joints popping, reverberating throughout his body with each step taken. They were painful echoes that served to remind him of the price paid for his continued existence, as he quietly focused his elderly gaze out the window. Pushing away all thoughts of his fragile mortality, if only to enjoy this brief moment of peace between duty and work.
It was bright outside. The sun having just risen no less than an hour or two prior. 'It's a shame too,' He thought as he watch the people walking through the streets as more exited from their homes in order to begin their day. Being able to watch the sunrise had been of the few passed times that Hiruzen enjoyed greatly. A perk that he greatly abused when working overnights. The fact that he had missed it, well, it was disappointing to say the least. Perhaps it was a sign of some kind. An omen. Of good or bad, he could not say.
From his location he could spot a number of locations. The ramen joint that he sometimes frequents. Already dealing with the morning rush. The first of two that the workers there will have to deal with before noon. Further off in the distance, he could see various groups of children playing with one another. Chasing each other in a game of tag at the edge of a shinobi training ground. Training Ground 17 if he remembered correctly. There were other places as well, but it was all the same. Just people simply going about their day.
Hiruzen suddenly found himself frowning at what he was seeing. His eyes drifted back and forth. Catching the various things people did as they awoke. The calmness that they had as they went about their activities. Seeing this, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel as if his people were under some sort of genjutsu. Seeing the smiling face of a mother and her child walking their dog. On the other side of the road was a man dressed in a kimono made of the finest silk, walking in the opposite direction. It was as if they all felt for the lack of better terms. Safe.
"I see. That's what it was" He said as he narrowed his eyes. Coming to the realization of what had been bugging him all this time. His theory of the villagers being under genjutsu wasn't wrong per say. In a way, they were indeed under an illusion. Just one of their own makings. Created through years of peace rather than conflict. Hiruzen's eyes soften a bit. "If only things could always be like this," He said sadly.
Looking back towards his desk. The sight of the crystal orb that adorns the wooden table reminding him of the reason he was still here in the Hokage Tower working. Last night… last night had been bad. The theft of a powerful artifact had been one thing. Important as it was. The lost of the object itself would have been nothing more than an inconvenience had things played out differently than what they did. A bitter pill that served as a harsh reminder to the elderly man as he looked back out the window, that while his home was currently at peace. It was a fragile peace. One that had nearly been shattered by last night's events. A frightening thought to be honest.
A sudden knock on the office doors broke the Hokage out of his thoughts. "Come in," he ordered, not averting his gaze from the window view for even a moment as the left door open. A middle age woman walking in before gently shutting the door behind her.
"Forgive me, Lord Hokage," she spoke as Hiruzen's eyes shifted towards her. She was tired. He could tell that she was fighting with herself to stay awake from the bags under her eyes. The exhaustion clear in her voice. "Uzumaki Naruto has arrive. Would you like for me to send him in?" she politely asked, trying hard to keep her gaze focus on the elder.
Hiruzen's gaze shifted again towards the window. Taking one last look at the village before needing to address the issue at hand. "Please do Kaede," he respond as the woman nodded before exiting the room.
Nearly ten minutes passed when the door was suddenly kicked open. Had Hiruzen not been expecting company. He probably would have jumped out of his seat from the suddenness of it all.
"HEY OLD MAN," A boy in orange yelled as he walked in. "THESE GUYS SAID YOU WANTED TO SEE-ACK!" The boy nearly choked as he was suddenly grabbed and pulled back by his jacket collar by the man behind him.
The man had a white clay-like mask over his face. A large scroll that was tied over his shoulder, that Hiruzen assumed to be the Forbidden scroll of seals. Some good news, he guessed. The scroll being recovered after last night's incident was a good thing. Lord knows what kind of damage that thing would have brought to the village had someone… unseemly had gotten away with it.
"Uzumaki." The man said calmly, filled with an authority that seem to freeze the young boy solidly in place. "Relationship or not," He said glaring at the boy. "Respect the Hokage, Understood." It wasn't a question. Something that the boy in orange quickly understood as he vigorously nodded his head in response. Not trusting his voice to respond.
Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle at the display. Leave it to an anbu captain to set the village's number one, hyperactive troublemaker in line. Looking over to Kaede. He could see her shaking. On the verge of having a panic attack. The amount of killer's intent leaking from the masked man wasn't anything he couldn't deal with himself. But for the boy and his secretary. It was another matter altogether. As much as he wanted the little runt to suffer a bit longer for his amusement after everything the boy put him through the last couple of years. Last night especially. He supposed he should bring the situation under control again, before something he'll regret happens.
"That's enough." Hiruzen spoke as he raised his right hand. "I'll take it from here, Captain," He said, causing the anbu rapidly stopping his release of killer's intent at the words of his lord. The effect was slower, however, for both the boy and Kaede. The latter falling to her knees. "Captain, Please see that Kaede returns safely to her desk to recover, then proceed to secure the scroll back within the vault." He ordered.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," The captain said as he release the boy before moving to help the middle aged woman shakingly back to her feet.
As this occured, Hiruzen looked towards the boy who was still frozen stiff in fear. "Naruto," He said getting the boy's attention. "Please sit," He said pointing to the seat on the other side of his desk. It wasn't a suggestion. Something that Naruto was quick to understand as he pulled out the chair before sitting.
The silence was deafening as moments passed before Kaede was safely escorted out of the room by the anbu captain. It was only when the door shut behind them did Hiruzen release the breath he was holding. Breaking the silence for all but a moment as he look over the boy in front of him.
Naruto sat quietly. Staring down at the floor with a newfound interest that he didn't have before today. His guilt and shame preventing him from looking the Hokage in the eye as the elderly man stared him down. He knew he was in trouble. It didn't take a genius to figure that out the moment when he was grabbed and dragged here against his will. He just wanted this whole thing to be over honestly. Truthfully, he hoped that his relationship with the old man would be enough of a reason for him to go easy on him. Let him off with a simple slap on the wrist. But given his past history and new revelations. He wasn't too confident in this happening.
Hiruzen stared at Naruto. A frown planted firmly on his face. Looking at the boy filled him with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was glad that Naruto was okay after what occurred last night. Another part of him wanted to break his foot off in his ass for the stupid stunt that he pulled last night. The level of stupidity that he displayed in stealing the forbidden scroll. The Shinobi part of his mind told him to simply do his job and end the boy's life to ensure the safety of the villages. All valid ways of thinking and each with their own virtues and faults. Still, In the end, it was the human part of his mind that won out. The Hokage part.
"I'm glad to see you well Naruto," He said to the boy.
"Yeah," he said quietly. His voice sumber as he continue to look at the floor. A fact that Hiruzen quickly took note of.
'It isn't fair, is it?' He thought to himself as he inhale deeply through his nose. The boy must be going through a lot mentally at the moment. If Hiruzen had his way. Children like Naruto wouldn't be sitting here. Paying for not only his mistakes but the mistakes of those around him as well. God help him if Gai ever finds out that he felt this way, but children like him should be outside enjoy their springtime of youth. Playing, making friends. Hell even having underage sex would be better than this. Anything. Anything but what they have to go through now and in the near future.
And in the center of it all was Naruto. The boy had lost more than most. He had lost so much without even knowing what it was that he lost. Without even the chance to fight back. To decide his life for himself. Force to suffer the cruel hand that fate dealt him. As if punishing him for some great evil the boy committed in a past life. A casualty of duty more so than love. It was something that Hiruzen sometimes wondered whenever he looked after the boy from time to time.
If his father knew, would he make the same choice again?
It was hard to say. The situation had been dire that day. People were dying and the village faced oblivion. He knew that options were limited. However, the end results left a potential ticking time bomb in the care of angry monkeys. Given the man's relation to Naruto. He wouldn't fault him if he did decide not to go through with it again. He wasn't even sure if he, himself would have done it given what he now knows. Hindsight was 20/20 after all.
"I heard that Iruka was admitted to the hospital an hour ago," he said causing Naruto to flinch at the mention of his teacher's name. "His injuries were quite severe. Fortunately, he is expected to make a full recovery by the end of the week,"
Naruto seem to visibly relaxed upon hearing that. The emotions he felt from hearing about his teacher's good fortune were doing wonders for his mood. "That's good." He said. Smiling somewhat as he was trying to fight back the tears that were barely forming at the rim of his eyes.
"Yes," Hiruzen said, nodding in agreement. "A good thing indeed." he said as he reached for a drawer on his left. Pulling it open before retrieving his tobacco pipe from it. A simple fire jutsu allowed him inhale the herb's strong flavor. Clearing and easing his mind slightly. "I'm aware of most that transpired last night," He said after taking a second to gathered his thoughts before looking at Naruto.
"What?"
Hiruzen nearly facepalm at the confused look Naruto was giving him. Then again, considering what he knew about the boy's life. He should have accounted for this short-sightedness. He really should have. It didn't help that he knew exactly what word Naruto suddenly got lost on.
"It means that I know what happen between you and Mizuki," He explained. Ignoring the quiet "ooh" that came from the boy's scowling mouth. "Given what occurred last night. I would like for you to return that headband." He said shocking the boy.
"W-w-what… why?" He stuttered, not quite believing what he just heard. Naruto looked like someone who had been told that they had little time to live. He had been given his headband by his teacher, Iruka. A sign showing his achievement into becoming a shinobi. A step closer to his dream and here he was. Being told to hand it over like it was some sort of rental.
As much as it hurt Hiruzen to do this. He still had a job to do. One that he couldn't allow his emotions to get the better of him as he spoke up. Hoping to explain this in a way that everything ended peacefully. "That headband is only meant to be worned by th..."
"BULLSHIT!" Naruto yelled cutting off Hiruzen mid speech. "WHY DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY HEADBAND OLD MAN? I EARNED IT!" Naruto yelled at the old man. He was angry. Naruto always knew that he had a short fused. He had to endure many trials to get this thing. He had fought and defeated a traitor to the village, saved his teacher from death. Hell he even learn a fucking jutsu from that fucking piece of paper. He wasn't about to give the cloth wrapped around his forehead up without a fight. "I'M A NINJA NOW!"
"You are no ninja," Hiruzen coldly replied without missing a beat.
"HOW AM I NOT A NINJA?" he challenge. "I STOP THAT BASTARD MIZUKI."
"After putting the village in untold amounts of danger," the Hokage countered. Never once raising his voice. His tone and calmness causing Naruto to recoil slightly as if he was given a logical counterargument to his own ranting complaints.
"BUT IRUKA,"
"Was severely injured," Hiruzen cut him off as he stood up. "His mental state is questionable at best after having lost so much from his injuries" He said walking around his desk. "Injuries that he would not have suffered from had it not been for you." He said coldly as he stood in front of Naruto. Reinstating into the boy's mind just how bad the results of his actions were as he held out his hand.
"B-b-but," Unwilling to give up. Naruto tried to find some sort of counter. Anything to help plead his case. Yet the words wouldn't come out. Whenever something came to mind. His mind would simply blank it out. Leaving him back at square one. He was facing a losing battle.
Hiruzen remained cold. Years of being a shinobi. Fighting in wars. Doing things for the so-called protection of the village wouldn't allow his heart to break the ice that the job formed around it. But he if was anything then, he was lenient to a degree. For the boy in front of him. That was the best he could do.
"Be happy that this is all that I am asking for." He said calmly. Doing his best to ignore the tears threatening to break from Naruto's eyes. "Surrender the headband peacefully Naruto."
"No… PLEASE!"
"I'm sorry Naruto," He said despite the boy starting to cry. "Surrender the..."
"NO!" Naruto yelled out desperately as he drop to his knees. Grabbing onto the Hokage's robe. "PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!" He pleaded. "DON'T TAKE THIS FROM ME!" He begged, snot pouring down his nose and tears streaming down his face.
"Naruto," Hiruzen said firmly. "Give me the headband." He ordered more firmly. Getting somewhat annoyed with the boy's actions.
Hiruzen was caught off guard when Naruto slammed his head on to the ground. Planting it firmly into the wooden floor. "PLEASE OLD MAN! PLEASE, I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Naruto tried again. "I'LL STOP CAUSING TROUBLE, I'LL WORK HARD, I'LL EVEN TEACH YOU THE SEXY JUTSU!" He said trying desperately to bargain to keep his rank.
The sexy jutsu remark must have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Finally having enough. Hiruzen reach down, grabbing Naruto by the collar. "AND WHY SHOULD I?" He shouted. Lifting Naruto off the ground with a strength that no normal old man could muster. "FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN. YOU ARE NO NINJA! NINJA DON'T ENDANGERED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT LIVES!" He yelled. Fed up with the boy's stubbornness. "HAD I BEEN ANYONE ELSE. I WOULD HAVE YOU EXECUTED FOR TREASON. BOY I AM DOING YOU A FAVOR!" He scream at Naruto. Trying to drive home the point.
"PLEASE OLD MAN," Naruto cried.
"THEN TELL ME WHY!" He ordered as he began shaking Naruto
"I'm begging you, don't do this to me." He said. Defeat creeping into his voice.
Hiruzen began shaking Naruto again. "THEN TELL ME WHY!" He ordered again. "TELL ME WHAT WOULD POSSESSED YOU TO DO SOMETHING SO DAMN STUPID" The emotion barrier had broken. In his anger he threw Naruto back. Knocking over the chair that the boy had been sitting in moments earlier as he hit the ground with a loud thud. "TELL ME WHAT WAS SO DAMN IMPORTANT THAT YOU NEEDED TO COMMIT TREASON!" He asked, badly wanting to know the answer.
Naruto groan as he sat up. "I… I..." He wanted to say it. He wanted to tell the old man, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He was afraid. Afraid of being told that his answer wasn't good enough. That what he was told would confirmed some truth that he desperately wanted to be false.
"ANSWER ME BOY!" Hiruzen screamed as he stalked closer to Naruto. Rapidly closing the distance between the two despite only taking a few steps. "IS IT THE ATTENTION? ONE STEP CLOSER TO BECOMING SOME BIG SHOT HOKAGE LIKE YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT?" He criticized as he took another few steps. "IS IT ABOUT GETTING BACK AT THOSE WHO WRONG YOU?" He yelled again finally standing over the boy's fallen form. "WITH REASONS LIKE THOSE. I WOULDN'T EVER CONSIDER ALLOWING YOU TO EVER BECOME A SHINOBI."
"T-t-that's not it!" Naruto replied panickedly before he was suddenly lifted up into the air again.
"THEN WHAT IS IT!" Hiruzen yelled at him. "WHY IS BEING A SHINOBI SO DAMN IMPORTANT TO YOU?"
Finally having enough. "CAUSE I WAS DESPERATE!" Naruto snapped causing Hiruzen to freeze upon what he just heard. "I WANTED… I wanted..." The boy said sadly as he was gently let down by the Hokage, unable to fully say what he wanted.
Naruto brought a hand to his face. Wiping away what moisture he could before speaking. "I was desperate, old man." He said shakingly. Refusing to look at one of the few people who truly cared for him. "I-I couldn't passed th-that stupid clone jutsu." He explained despite being on the verge of crying. "They thought I couldn't hear the things they were saying about me. How they were happy a monster didn't passed."
Hiruzen turned away as Naruto continued speaking. Sounding as if he came to accept a sad truth that he couldn't run from. Hiruzen wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that the boy was forcefully confronted by a truth that Hiruzen hoped he would never learn or the fact that he was on verge of accepting the words of fools angry at him for unjust reasons.
"That's when Mizuki approached you wasn't it," It wasn't a question. Even if Naruto hadn't nodded in response. Hiruzen was smart enough to put two and two together. In Naruto's despair. Mizuki had told him about the scroll. Hiruzen knew that Naruto had a hard life. However, despite his difficulties. Naruto wasn't vengeful, or at least not to a wrathful degree. Sure he may be vindictive at times. Unwilling to allow injustices go without some sort of payback. Something several store owners and neighborhood bullies often found out the hard way. But never was he willing to stoop to killing those who wronged him. At least not from those within the village.
"He was talking about how unfaired it was," Naruto said as wiped his eyes again as he continued with his version of events. "How the test stops kids from being ninja. How some guy from last year couldn't use chakra… um I think he said his name was Pebbles or something."
Hiruzen nodded slowly at this. Pushing down the urge to laugh at the name Naruto gave the prized student of Konoha's Green Beast. Getting back to the issue at hand. It wasn't hard for Hiruzen to sympathized with what the boy may have been feeling at the time. Being confronted by a teacher and from the looks of it. One of the few; judging by Naruto's expression whenever he spoke of the man, had taken the time to build up some sort of relationship with him.
Years of looking after Naruto when he attended the academy had essentially made him infallible in his eyes. Someone he could trust wholeheartedly when it came down to topics involving class or even being a shinobi. Given the fact that Mizuki was aware; at least to some degree, as to how the current genin, Rock Lee became a ninja. It wasn't hard to see why Naruto would be willing to jump at the chance to take this so called "Test". Especially considering how unlikely it was for Naruto to not have seen the Lee, given how his teacher trains his team.
"I swear. I didn't know. I never would have done it if I've known."
Given how long he's been a shinobi himself as well as Hokage. Looking at Naruto, it was easy to forget the simple truth. Naruto wasn't like him. Sure he was training to become a killing machine whose loyalty was only towards the village. But where his training and Hiruzen's differ came down to when they were being training. Naruto didn't grow up in a time of war. What little moments of peace were often spent training to get better rather than playing with friends. Times now were different. Sure there were tensions between villages. But no one was on the verge of declaring war on one another. So the goal, the instinct, the drive to get better in the hopes of not waking up with a knife in your throat just wasn't there. Was that a sign of good fortune or an omen of dark times? Hiruzen honestly couldn't say.
"I see," He said taking a deep breath. Inhaling slowly for a few moments before exhaling just the same. He needed to figure out how to deal with this. "I'm assuming that he told you where the scroll was located and where to meet him at?" He asked.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. He told me that I had to get the scroll and learn some cool jutsu and I'll graduate." He explained, causing Hiruzen to frown.
Naruto's ninja status aside. This was worse than he thought. There were also several dummy locations located both within and out of the Hokage Tower alongside various storage locations where these items were kept at. They were built in order throw off would be thieves. The fact that many of these items were stored across various locations also help prevent losing everything considered too valuable to the village all at once. Since it was easier to recover two or three missing items rather than having to track down tens to hundreds that the village held within it.
The fact that Mizuki knew exactly where the scroll had also confirmed something that Hiruzen hoped hadn't been the case. There was a traitor within his ranks. Mizuki wasn't all that smart. At least when it came down to this sort of thing. His position as a teacher would have made it extremely difficult if not all but impossible for him to gathered that kind of intel. While he could simply be more skilled than Hiruzen gave him credit for. The fact that he had been easily defeated by Naruto near the end of everything more or less made that theory mute and void.
Still, he had to give Mizuki some credit. The meeting location that he chosen for them both had been quite brilliant. It was far enough outside the village that one wouldn't normally check. Combined with Naruto's natural stealth abilities. It wasn't hard for the boy to evade even his anbu forces and escape. Hiruzen made a mental note to have the anbu up their training program. If someone like Naruto, a boy dressed in an almost neon orange was able to get passed them. Then it begged to question who else had been able to get passed them as well. Ninja or not, the skill gap between ranks, especially between an academy student and an anbu was like ant hills to mountains.
"Hey old man."
"Hmm?"
"Is it true?" Naruto asked, refusing to look at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen didn't respond for a brief moment. Turning away from Naruto as he walked towards the window. "I assume that you are referring to what Mizuki said?" He asked as he stared out window. The village streets were now filled compared to before he had this meeting.
"Is it true old man?" Naruto asked again. Sounding more tired to the elderly man than anything else. "Am I really the Nine-Tailed Fox?"
When the Third Hokage didn't respond. Naruto found himself fearing the worst. That perhaps the hushed whispers and sly remarks of him not being human might have been more true than he was willing to accept. That Mizuki was right and the incident that had lead to the deaths of a number of villagers as well as his hero, The Fourth Hokage.
It made sense if Naruto thought about it long enough. Why he was treated different from everyone else. The hatred in the villagers' eyes. The fearful looks whenever he would approach some kid or random person he didn't know. The demeaning remarks about his so-called lack of humanity. If it was true, then it would explained a lot. Despite wanting to know. It was a question whose answer frightens Naruto. It was why the old man's lack of a viable confirmation hurts so much in that moment. In a way, it was almost like Hiruzen's silence was confirming what Naruto feared.
Maybe it was cause of him being tired, or perhaps he realized that that this was a conversation he couldn't avoid. One that he should've had with the boy years earlier. "Truthfully Naruto," He said without looking away from the window. "I don't know," It was an answer at least. Even if it wasn't what the boy wanted to hear.
Looking back on that day, twelve years ago. When Hiruzen had found Naruto in the aftermath of the battle between the fox and his successor. It had taken Hiruzen several days to find out what exactly the Fourth Hokage had done. Gifted as the Fourth was. Hiruzen had question if it was possible to seal something that powerful within a child. Let alone with limited knowledge of the sealing arts of the Hidden Whirlpool village.
Even with his own knowledge of fuinjutsu and with an expert secondary option in the form of Jiraiya of the Sannin. They still weren't exactly sure what all the Fourth had done to the sealing formula. Making it hard for Hiruzen to tell if the boy was really just a boy or simply a stripped down wolf, or in this case fox, in sheep's wool.
This was his own personal truth pained him so much. For as much as Naruto wanted to hear something else. NEEDED to be told anything, anything at all but the truth. He couldn't lie to the boy. He had enough experience on the job to know sometimes. It didn't matter how important or life changing some information was. Keeping it secret when it was clearly vital to either the success of a mission or the survival of a village was simply irrational and extremely stupid. His answer as painful as it was to admitted it to the both of them. Was simply the best he could do.
And for Naruto, It was something. It was more than most would have honestly gotten in his position.
"I'm sure Iruka went over this with you in class," Hiruzen started again. "How twelve years ago, the village was attacked by the Nine-Tailed Fox," He said, recapping a major part of the village's history to the boy.
"Then the Fourth showed up and kill it right?" Naruto asked cutting Hiruzen off.
Hiruzen nodded, somewhat glad that the boy had at least paid attention to a few of his classes. "Yes," He answered. "At least, that is the official story that is told to the younger generations now." Despite not looking at the boy. Hiruzen could see the confusion on the boy's face. While Hiruzen wouldn't say that the boy was stupid. Due to his upbringing, it would be more appropriate to say that he was ignorant. Not really developing the same common sense and deductive reasoning skills that others his age had long since formed and sharpened. "Unofficially Minato Namikaze, The Fourth Hokage gave his life sealing beast into you," He said turning around. Looking directly at the boy.
"So… It's true then," Naruto whispered. More so to himself than to the old man. "That's why everyone hates me. They think I'm that bastard fox, don't they?" He asked, getting a nod from the Hokage, confirming his thoughts.
"I'm afraid so."
"But why?" Naruto asked as he stood up. A feeling of anger and annoyance building up within his system the more his mind went over what he heard. "Why did he seal into me? Couldn't he beat that bastard fox?"
Hiruzen sigh before answering. "Make no mistake Naruto. The Fourth Hokage had it well within his power to end the beast,"
That was much true. Minato was incredibly powerful for one his age. He was able to face off against armies of the strongest shinobi produced in other villages single handedly. A feat very few could claim as truth. However, what made the Fourth Hokage so powerful wasn't his skills in battle. Rather it was his knowledge in Fuinjutsu or sealcraft. The ability to create various magic seals capable of altering the world around him. This in turn lead to the improved version of the Second Hokage's teleportation technique which Minato would dub as the Flying Thunder God technique.
Further adding to his words when imagine his surprise when he learned that Minato had found time to learn the Reaper's Death seal. A technique that summons a god of death in order to kill both the target it was summon for as well as the user. It's power and success being based on the condition of the user. The fact that Minato was forced to use that jutsu had only further added to the fact that there was more involved during that day than one would have thought
"BULLSHIT!" Naruto shout in defiance. "IF HE WAS SO DAMN POWERFUL, THEN WHY DIDN'T HE KILL THAT BASTARD" He yell. Unable to come to terms with the Fourth's reasoning nor how accepting the old man was about this. How was he supposed to believe that his hero could have killed the beast when he died and the monster still lived. "WHY MAKE ME GO THROUGH ALL THIS CRAP? WHY OLD MAN?" He continue shouting as slam his left fist on the Hokage's wooden table. "WHY… why me?"
.Hiruzen closed the distance between them. "I don't know Naruto," He said placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I don't know why he chose you for this task." He said. "Maybe he felt that you could handle it. Or maybe it was to give you a second chance at life." He continued softly as he hug Naruto who was wiping away some more of his tears.
"Then why lied?" Naruto ask suddenly. "Why lied about the Fourth? Why l-lied to m-me?" He clarify between sobs. "Why keep this from me?" Naruto was on the verge of crying again.
"To protect the village," He answered firmly.
Looking up, Naruto couldn't see any of sadness, nor doubt within the man's facial features. Despite the harsh realization, There were no lies within his words.
"Despite what your genin exam results says," He said peering into the boy in front of him. "You are currently one of the most powerful individuals alive in all the lands," He said, noticing the boy's mind stopping for a moment as a small grin began to form on the boy's lips. "Don't let my words go to your head Naruto," He said seriously. Stopping Naruto from saying anything as the boy slowly nodded his head in response before Hiruzen continue. "Powerful as you may be, You are also weak."
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN OLD MAN?" Naruto shouted out, somewhat grinding his teeth a bit in confusion and annoyance at having his moment of self praise being shut down immediately after being told how powerful he was. "I BEAT MIZUKI EASILY! I BET EVEN WITHOUT THE SHADOW CLONE JUTSU I..."
"Would've been killed." Hiruzen interrupted him with a glare. The finality within his words told Naruto that the old man wasn't just assuming his death. He guarantee it. "Don't be so arrogant Naruto. Academy Teacher or not, Mizuki is still a Chuunin in terms of rank and skill. Your only saving grace being the fact that Mizuki didn't expect you to master a jutsu as powerful as the Shadow Clone. If he had, he would have planned accordingly."
Seeing Naruto look away showed Hiruzen that the boy wasn't as arrogant as he tried to make himself out to be. While it was true that Naruto, when compared to his peers, was lacking in things such as common sense. He wasn't so far gone as to be consider completely stupid. The fact that Naruto had stopped for a moment and think about what he said more than proved this.
"Listen to me Naruto," The Hokage spoke getting the kid's attention. "You have to understand. The law wasn't meant to only keep the village safe but you as well." He said as he knelt down on his left leg. "With the death of the Fourth. The village's standing with other hidden villages was greatly shaken. With old grudges, it wouldn't be hard for villages like Stone or Cloud to attack. And while my return to the Hokage's Chair may have stalled their advances. There was one thing that all but guarantee an attack" He said looking naruto in the face. "You." He said pointing at Naruto's face
"M-m-me?" He asked.
"Yes," Hiruzen nodded. "As I said, You are currently one of the most powerful beings on the face of the earth. Within you lies the power to reduces fertile lands to deserts, level mountain ranges and bring about untold amounts of death. A baby only several days old, now a living, breathing weapon." He said pressing a finger into Naruto's stomach. "Truly a prize to get ahold of for any warlord and as Hokage. I couldn't allow that."
"So you lied," Naruto said with a calm voice. No doubt feeling betrayed by yet another person he had come to trust over the years.
"Yes, I lied," The Hokage confirmed. "They would have come for you. Escalating their attempts to the point of invading. As Hokage, I couldn't allow this. I needed to protect both you and the village. So to do so, I lied. I lied to both the village and the shinobi powers. I made sure to spread this lie as far and wide as I can. Then when I was sure that everyone would hear of this lie. I made it law, forbidding any and all who were there from ever exposing the truth of the event under the penalty of life imprisonment or death." He explained, causing Naruto to flinch at the severity of it all.
"Did it work?" Naruto asked concerned.
"Yes it worked," Hiruzen confirmed.
"Then… then why hide the truth from me?"
Hiruzen frowned when he heard Naruto's question. "The same reason I lied to the other villages about the Nine-Tails," He answered shamelessly.
Despite hearing this. Naruto felt like Hiruzen was using this excuse as a cop out from explaining why he wasn't allowed to know the truth. "But why keep it from me?" He asked, rewording his last question. "You could have trusted me with this." He said weakly.
"No… I couldn't," The Hokage replied, causing Naruto to stumble back a step. "You are still a child Naruto. Headband or not, children are stupid." Naruto flinched at blunt his words were. "Children are plagued with curiosity. The kind that would lead to disaster had you or another known about this,"
Hiruzen could the look on the boy's face. He wanted to dispute what the old man was saying. "Tell me Naruto. Given what you know now. Would you have been content enough to leave the seal alone? Say a year ago? Two? How about seven?" He said as he stood up before walking to his desk. "Given the way the villagers treated you at times. I couldn't risk it either."
Naruto quickly shut his mouth at the sudden line of questioning. While he wanted to say otherwise. He knew himself enough to know that the old man had a point. He was always curious about the world around him. Why wouldn't he be after how he was generally ignored by most of the villagers. Despite their close relationship. There had been a time when even Iruka was no different from those who would refuse to acknowledge his existence.
However, it would be a lie to say that was all he had to deal with. There times where he would be turned away from entering various shops. Overcharged for various items back before he knew how to read and do basic math. And while rare. Naruto was no stranger to the occasional unprovoked attack from drunks wandering the streets or the class bully looking to score some brownie points from some asshat of a teacher who didn't like him.
Naruto may have been a kid, but he had seen enough evil to add some grey to his perception of the world despite that happy mask he wore. It would be a lie to say that Naruto had never once wished harm on those who had wronged him at one point or another. It was to be expected; after all, he was only human.
Despite his strong front. Naruto felt himself at a loss for words upon hearing Hiruzen's question. Despite saying that he didn't want to be recognized as a monster. Had Naruto known about the fox. Would he have found a way to use that power? To harm those who refused him? It was difficult to say. However, for Naruto. It was that difficulty that scared him. The fact that he couldn't deny the part of him that truly wanted to take vengeance on the people of the Hidden Leaf Village.
What about now? Now that he knows the truth. Would he one day feel the urge to use that power for the same selfish reasons he felt before? Could he really blame the Hokage for doing his job? The job that Naruto dreams of one day inheriting from him?
"I'm sorry that this isn't what you wanted to hear," The Hokage apologize. "But it needed to be said." He said as Naruto nodded in response.
"Hey old man," Naruto called as he began undoing his headband. "Would you still allow me to attend the academy next year? I want to try again. For real this time." He asked as he held out the head band in his hand.
Taking the headband from Naruto. Hiruzen didn't say anything at first. Looking at the swirling leaf symbol that was etched into the metal place. "No," He answered as he tightens his grip on the item. "After last night. I don't think I can allow that anymore." He told the boy sadly.
"O-o-okay," Naruto replied. Tears starting to stream down his face in greater volume than before as he turned towards the door. His quiet wimpers echoing throughout the room.
Hiruzen stared intently at the headband that rested within his arms. He could feel it. The weight behind this piece of cloth, enhanced by the weight of his own guilt. Had he made the right choice. He did his job as the Hokage after all. Yet for reasons he couldn't explain. He felt as if he acted to rashly.
Looking back on it. Hiruzen had known the boy for all his life. The boy was an idiot but he was kind. While he may have doubt Naruto's humanity. He couldn't deny the kindness that boy radiates to those around him. Had the boy really been the fox. Why wouldn't he have seek revenge by now. Sure the boy pulled pranks and stuff. But never anything on the level of causing physical harm to his targets. Add in the decades of imprisonment it experienced having been sealed several times before. The boy simply didn't radiate the anger he would have expected from a Tailed-Beast.
Had he really been doubting Minato's effectiveness on his work or was it simply a case of there being more than meets the eye. No matter how he looked at the boy. He couldn't see a rampaging monster. Those eyes held too much love in them for him to be a monster. No rather than a demon, he saw a boy. One wishing for a chance to achieve something greater.
After all, would a monster help protect the village rather seek to destroy it after becoming aware that it had been tricked? No, no it wouldn't.
"Naruto," Hiruzen called out, stopping Naruto just as he was about to reach for the door knob.
Feeling the boy turn to face him. Hiruzen couldn't help the feelings brought about by his internal struggle for what he was about to do. He had made a choice and here he was about to go back on it. Those in a position of power will no doubt be in an uproar over what he was about to do. And the paperwork…
That goddamn paperwork.
"Here," He said as he tossed the headband to Naruto. He knew what he was doing was wrong. As someone who held the rank of Hokage for as long as he did. He should've known better. "I expect you to have the registration done within ten days time."
"W-what?" Naruto asked as Hiruzen smile at him.
There was sure to be a backlash to his decision. However, despite what they may claim. He was still the Hokage, and they held no claim to how he ran the village.
"It's true that you shouldn't be allowed to be a shinobi. Not after that stunt you pulled." Hiruzen replied.
"Why are you giving this to me then?"
"I've decided to take a gamble if you will." Hiruzen quickly explained. His tone fashioning it in too a simple whim rather than a choice that had been well thought out. "Listen to me Naruto," He said getting Naruto's attention as the boy shifted his eyes from the headband towards the old man. "In all my years that I've known you. You have been a beacon of hope for me. In many ways, I consider you family," he said to the boy. "While I can't say whether or not you are the fox. I can say without a shred of doubt that you are no monster." Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing this. Almost like he wasn't sure if he heard the man right.
"Wouldn't you get in trouble?"
Yes, he would. "I am the Hokage Naruto. What I do concerning the village's Shinobi forces is up to me and me alone to decide." And for better or worse. Whether the end results of his actions were good or bad. Hiruzen had resolved himself to take on the consequences himself. He had hope after all. Something that he had been lacking for some time now.
Walking up to the boy. Hiruzen took the headband from Naruto's hand. "I am taking a chance on you boy," He said as he began untying the knot on it. "To wear this headband is to make a promise." He explained as he move the cloth within his fingers. Finally undoing the knot.
"What promise old man?" Naruto asked as Hiruzen again kneel down in front of him.
"To live by the Will of FIre," He said as he placed the band on the boy's forehead. Making sure that the metal plate was firmly placed up against his forehead. "Protect the village, Naruto," He said as he began tying the headband around his head. "Consider the villagers family and keep them safe," He said as Naruto nodded. Knocking the piece of cloth out of his left hand. Forcing him to restart the tying process. But Hiruzen paid no mind to this as he continue talking. "But most of all Naruto. You must move forward and find a way toward a better future. One not ruled by the cycle of hatred that we are in right now." He finishes explaining as he tightens the knot behind Naruto's head. "Can you do this Naruto?"
For a few seconds, Naruto remained silent. Unsure of what to really say. Finally after several moments he finally spoke. "Yes old man. I won't let you down."
Hiruzen smiled at this. "I know," He said as he stood up. "One more thing Naruto." He said placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm taking a big risk allowing you to remain a shinobi. I'm trusting you to prove to everyone that I made the right decision my boy."
"I-I will old man," Naruto nodded resolutely. "You can count on me," He said jamming his thumb into his chest.
"Good, But I want you to promise me one more thing." Hiruzen said suddenly shifting Naruto's emotions from one of pride back to confusion.
"Sure old man. What is it?"
"Promise me that you will be better than me." He said. "Living by the Will of Fire isn't always about being the strong physically, but strong mentially. No matter what. Be good. Be better than me." He said.
Naruto suddenly grinned. "You bet old man, I promise. Because that is my nindo, my ninja way!" He said happily. "So keep that hat safe old man. I'm coming for it soon."
Hiruzen chuckle at Naruto's antics. "I bet," he replied before holding out a hand towards the boy. "Congratulations Naruto on your promotion to genin."
If Naruto's grinned had been wide before. It was nearly face splitting now as he suddenly jumped the old man. Wrapping him in the biggest hug he could. Hiruzen just as easily returned the hug as the boy laugh.
Hiruzen knew that Naruto shouldn't have became a shinobi. The incident with the forbidden scroll and Mizuki had all but prove that to him. But when faced with the tough choice. He ultimately decided to gamble on it. He had made the boy promise.
Whether good or bad. Hiruzen felt that the most he could do was to place his trust within Naruto. After all, the best person to make a promise of trust with was one who lived to complete them no matter the cost.
So there we have it. A promise of trust one-shot finally complete with… wow 30 pages. A bit longer than I had originally thought it would be. That explains why the last three weeks was a bit of a pain in my opinion. Still worth it.
Anyways. The reason I made this was simply due to the fact that I got tired of reading naruto fanfics that had this scene in them. Where Naruto and Hiruzen would speak about the nine-tails and all of that. Pretty much all of these stories always made Hiruzen out to be the bad guy.
Anyways, this is more or less my take on the conversation. Putting things in a way where Hiruzen isn't a bad guy but rather a good person forced to make tough choices due to events out of his control. How he wasn't only considering Naruto's safety but the village as a whole as well.
Anyways, Let me know what you think. I'll most likely be making more stories in the future. Maybe come back to this one in order to edit it or something. But after how long I spent doing this. I'll be taking several days to a week long break before working on my next fanfic.
With that said. If you like this story then consider leaving a review, favoriting and the rest of the nine yards.
And hey if you like what I do and wish to support me. Then consider donating to my pa TRE on at the following extension at
/antonioro
Until next time my friends. Good luck and Happy hunting.
Antonio Ro signing off.