To Become Hokage
Chapter 4 – To ignite an old flame
Chapter 4 let's do this! As always I own nothing. Naruto is not mine. Do not sue me. And thank you for everyone that has followed/favorited and commented so far, I appreciate it.
Hiruzen pov:
It wasn't often that Hiruzen felt such relief in his life with a position with so much responsibility he had always felt burdened. But as soon as he placed his hand on Naruto's slim shoulder he felt the tension in his muscle melt away and his mind sooth knowing that he would finally get to help the boy in front of him.
Hiruzen molded his chakra to carry both of them to his clan house located on the eastern side of the village not so far away from the Hyuga clan's compound. His 'Shunshin' left the both of them just outside the door of the clan leader's house, the dark wooden structure had been engraved to show the Sarutobi insignia. Hiruzen pushed through the doors and made his way into the house making sure Naruto was following, he brought the young boy to one of his clan elders Satomi and put him in her care. As much as he would have loved to stay with the boy and help him settle into his new environment there were things he had to do and certain people he had to thoroughly reprimand.
After instructing Satomi that he would be back in a few hours and that she was to tend to the young boy, he left the house and walked to his office in the center of the village needing the extra time to control his rising anger as with each step away from the boy reminded him of the horrific condition his late successors son had come to be in.
Walking along the corridor of the top floor of the Hokage's tower he met his assistant Taki san sitting at her desk located just to the right of his office.
"Hokage sama welcome back" said Taki bowing.
"Taki san I need you to clear the rest of my appointments today" replied Hiruzen looking at his assistants framed photo of a young child placed on her desk, "… also you have the rest of the day off, no point staying around when you can spend some time with your daughter."
"Ah thank you Hokage sama, I'll do that" said Taki san, a small smile making its way on her tanned face.
Hiruzen retreated into his office and made his way to his desk, leaning back into his seat taking a few long breathes before reaching down to open the second drawer of his desk his hand feeling around for that familiar blue folder containing all of Naruto's reports from the orphanage.
'Do they think I'm a fool?' Hiruzen thought as he read the blatant lies making up each report.
"Dog" Hiruzen called.
The ANBU dropped down from his hiding place and waited for his orders.
"I want you to inform council advisor Koharu Utatane that she is to meet with me immediately. I also want you to take the orphanages mother to Ibiki san where she is to be held until further notice. Deliver this scroll to chunin Iruka and his team, they are to take over all responsibilities of the orphanage until a new carer can be found." He ordered. "Any questions?" Hiruzen asked.
"None, Hokage sama" the ANBU replied.
"Dismissed" called Hiruzen
The silver masked ANBU bowed in acknowledgment and exited the office.
Hiruzen was sick of it, all of it. Sick of being lied to and being manipulated by the council and his advisors, he was sick of having to tiptoe through matters so that peace could remain. Seeing the state of his young charge was the last straw for Hiruzen, he was done with bending over backward for those who would happily watch him break his back.
Koharu pov:
Koharu was just about to sit down for some freshly made tea when an ANBU alerted her of a summons from the Hokage.
'What does that fool Hiruzen want from me now?' she thought to herself as she made her way out into the busy village street. Koharu used to respect her old teammate when they were younger. She used to believe that he would become a great ruler. Protecting the people of the village and punishing those who went against him, but she was wrong. Koharu had lived through wars, she had bled for the people in the village and she had watched family lose their lives to our enemies.
What has Hiruzen done?
Did he get revenge for those lost to our enemies?
No.
He was weak.
So weak that she took the side of their other teammate Homura who had always been secretly displeased by Hiruzen's presence, and in return, they had sought leadership in another…Danzo.
They had worked together to try and save the village from Hiruzen's weak leadership and to return the hidden village to its former glory. She had done things that she would have never condoned if she was younger, but times had changed, she had changed.
Orphanages mother pov:
Metaru used to love kids; she had always wanted her own with her beloved husband Torufu. They had agreed that they would start trying to get pregnant the day before the demon fox destroyed the village taking her husband's life in the process. It was his death that made her so bitter.
Life had seemed grey and fowl until the Hokage's advisor Koharu Utatane knocked on her door with a proposition. She would become the mother at the local orphanage and in exchange, she could seek her own revenge in the form of the child Naruto Uzumaki the demon who took her happiness away. How could she say no to such an offer? It would be wrong to decline when she would be getting revenge for her beloved husband and revenge for those in the village also affected by the demon boy.
So that's exactly what she did.
She starved the boy and watched as every good element in his petty life turned against him, and then when she found the abuse no longer gave her the feeling of gratification as it used to, she kicked the boy out.
With no survival skills, no equipment and no one that would help him she expected the boy would be found dead in a week. She would tell the authorities that the boy was a trouble maker and the run away on his own accord after picking a fight with another child, her hands would be clean.
Or at least that's what she thought would happen before the ANBU arrested her in front of all the kids in the orphanage. 'This is that damned demon brats fault!' she thought as she was dragged away.
Hiruzen pov:
Hiruzen looked up from the papers on his desk when he heard knocking on his door.
"Enter" he replied and watched in concealed rage as his advisor Koharu Utatane walked through.
"You summoned me Hiruzen?" asked Koharu.
"That I did Koharu that I did. Why don't you take a seat" Hiruzen said as he motioned to the seat in front of him watching as Koharu hesitated for a second as she eyed the familiar file in front of him.
"Today I came across a young boy who was stumbling around the village with no shoes, ripped clothes and had been severely starved and dehydrated, that boy was Naruto Uzumaki… now Koharu how would you like to explain this?" Said Hiruzen, his voice deathly calm.
Panicked she replied, "Hiruzen… there must be some mistake, from my knowledge the child has always been fairly treated. Have you talked to the mother of the orph.."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Shouted Hiruzen, "It was YOU who forced me to send the boy to that place, it was YOU who vouched for the woman who did this to the boy and now YOU expect me to believe you knew none of it. Do you think I'm a fool? That I wouldn't know I was being lied to by my own advisors? Enough is enough. I might not have enough evidence to get you charged right now but be aware Koharu I know of your betrayal and I will be closely watching your every move." Said Hiruzen as he slammed his hands against his dark wood desk making the stacks of files that lay atop fall and scatter.
Watching his advisors face pale as he caught his breath he knew everything he said was true, she did know and she was working against him. With no response to his accusations from his stunned advisor he decided to end the meeting, he could no longer stand the sight of her.
"Now, get out of my office!" Hiruzen commanded.
With nothing to say Koharu all but ran away. But this wasn't the end to this matter, no it was only the beginning.
Hiruzen stood from his desk sighing trying to shake off his anger as he had to get back to the young boy currently in his home. He harnessed his chakra to teleport him to just outside the entrance to his compound, walking into the house he came across a newly watched and clothed blond child sitting at his dining table. Hiruzen sat across from the boy as he tapped an erratic tune with his fingers and tried to avoid his gaze.
Hiruzen waited for Naruto to break the silence there was obviously something on the boy's mind.
"So … what is going to happen to me?" He finally asked.
A fair question indeed and Hiruzen had thought of an answer to that exact question and found the only answer if he was going to be able to legally take care of the boy without the council stopping him, "You're going to become my apprentice. You will live here with my family, you will have your own room and clothes and anything you require to train under me. In two days' time, you will start to join me in the Hokage's tower where I will overlook your academic studies. How does that sound son?" he asked.
"Why? Why would you do that for me? You don't even know me old man" said Naruto shocked
"You look like someone I used to know, he was an orphan too and with some help from those who respected him and a lot of hard work he became an incredibly strong shinobi. Sadly he is no longer on this earth… but he sacrificed himself to save the people of this village and to protect those he treasured. I see the same will of fire in you young Naruto, I believe you will become someone truly great and protect those you cherish too." replied Hiruzen deciding that he was going to be as truthful as he could with the boy who had already gone through too much.
"Will of fire? What's that?" asked Naruto with a shaky voice.
"It's the overwhelming strength and determination of a ninja who will do anything to protect this village and the people who live in it, you might not feel that way right now and I don't blame you but together we will change this village. Like a new leaf on a rotted tree, we will never give up and will always find a way to overcome those who would wish us harm." Said Hiruzen seeing the potential the boy had.
As Hiruzen watched the young boy eat his first decent meal in weeks he could see strength and passion in the boy's eyes, he could harness that and help grow the small child into a powerful shinobi. He owed that to the boy and the boy's parents.
He wouldn't fail, not this time.
If you like this story please follow/favorite or review so I know not to give up. Chapter 4 how are we all feeling? Should I keep the future chapters this length or go back to how it was? Let me know!
I will be uploading this story to Ao3 as well under the name AbsentSun, I know someone of you like their format better so feel free to read from whatever site floats your Naruto fic boats. Hope to see you all in Chapter 5!