"What, you don't believe me?" Cid crossed his arms.
"If you're my dad, where have you been?!" blonde kid, Naruto, cried out.
Well, yeah, how would you react if you suddenly found out about a parent who was absent from your life for so long?
"You see, Naruto," he started passionately, "There are…" think, think… "Otherworldly enemies that want to invade this world and consume its energy without regards to anything."
"What?" of course he didn't believe him.
"And as such, I have taken it upon myself to eradicate them. Unfortunately, that also meant that you… have been neglected," and sorry-sorry face.
"B-But…"
"Listen. I understand that if was… unfair from my side to just leave you out… However, I have placed faith in this world's denizens… Seems like my faith was misplaced, in the end."
The kid said nothing, only staring at him with teary eyes. Yeah, kinda sucks, if Cid is being honest. Even he felt genuine pity for Naruto, and that says something!
"So… you will not leave?…"
"Well, I do have a crusade to do, but otherwise I will stay here and watch you grow up," Cid shrugged. He was very interested in how the things will play out; the whole world's energy system was interesting, and the kid in question was even more interesting with his own anomalous energy system.
In response kid jumped onto him and held onto his clothes. Yeah, weird stuff…
Naruto slowly woke up.
He didn't want to wake up. In his dream, he finally found his father who turned out to be very strong someone that travelled the worlds (what does that even mean?) in order to protect them.
And now, he was back to reality.
He sniffed a bit.
It's fine, he will just make some ramen with milk… Though for some reason he didn't feel that hungry.
With sloppy steps, he walked towards the kitchen.
"Took you long enough to wake up, huh?" Naruto froze upon hearing familiar voice. He slowly turned around and saw the enigmatic dark figure sitting on the chair, "But honestly, I would change a lot of stuff here. How do you even live like thi-"
"Dad!"
"Are you sure everything you wrote in the report is correct?" old man in white clothes and hat with red symbol on it exhaled the smoke.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Down to the last detail," the masked man bowed, "However, I have to mention that the suspicious person frequently looked out of the window and stared exactly at the place where I have been at the moment."
"So an elite shinobi with infiltration specialization…" old man rubbed his beard.
"Hiruzen," old woman on the couch spoke with hoarse voice, "We cannot let the obvious spy of another village to go wherever he pleases, especially near village's weapon."
"I agree with Utatane," another old man with glasses grumbled, "Such audacity cannot be forgiven. If it continues like this, everyone will think Kohona is a pushover that allows potentially hostile elements to waltz in and out."
The last member stood in silence.
"I understand your points, councillors," Hokage slowly closed his eyes, "And yet, we cannot allow ourselves to be rash. Danzo, do you have anything to add?"
He stood in silence a bit longer, pondering on the next course of actions.
"This is what I propose," the one named Danzo started speaking, "We will send out someone Jinchuuriki is familiar with to ensure no hostility from him. If the infiltrator takes dangerous actions, it will be a quick disapproval of lies he built around village's weapon. If he doesn't, we would still have a trusted man near Jinchuuriki, inhibiting whatever actions the infiltrator could take."
"That is the problem, my old friend… He doesn't have anyone to trust, because everyone shunned him away," 'and you know whose fault it is'.
"Indeed, that would be a problem… Would be, if there wasn't one old man who was kind enough to a certain kid who just happened to be a Jinchuuriki," the hint was obvious.
"Then I will take this task upon myself. Decision is made. Disperse," Hokage commanded. Everyone except for councillors bowed and immediately exited the room.
Not long after the councillors followed. With a sigh Sarutobi Hiruzen placed his hands on the table and looked outside the window, where the prosperous village lived. The world that was unavailable to a certain boy that just so happened to be unlucky to become a Tailed Beast's container.
"His name is Naruto, not 'weapon'…" he whispered weakly.
The one who was called the God of Shinobi now could only look how the kid who was trusted into his care was being treated like feral beast by the very place that owed its life to him.
"What would you say, Minato?… Would you be disgusted that I allowed things to develop to this point?…"
He had to see this coming.
Like, you're coming to an orphan, not even a teen at that, introduce yourself as their parent and then promise to fix everything. Of course, at first you would be treated with mistrust, but once you prove yourself capable, the kid will surely cling onto you like you're their last hope… Because you are, in fact, their last hope.
Eh, nevermind. That's exactly the result he wanted, anyway, so he's the winner here.
"Hmm, this place will do," he decided after stopping near a tree.
"Huh? What are we doing here?" kid still was obviously a bit wary, but otherwise he trusted Cid way more than yesterday.
"Do you know how to control the energy inside your body?" Cid shot a question.
"Uhm, what?" Naruto only stared blankly at him.
"Nevermind…"
Yeah, what did he want to get with asking a six years old boy about such complex matters…
"Alright, then here's what we shall do…" Cid rubbed his chin, "I will inject some of my energy into you and try to move it with yours. Once you get a hang on feeling it, you will do the rest yourself."
"Uhm, yeah, sure?" kid was unsure.
That's fine. Once he realizes what, exactly, is going on, he will cling onto it with all his small prowess.
Cid gestured Naruto to sit down and placed a hand on his spine. Now, how does he proceed with that… He actually wanted to use the obviously superior energy system (superior to other denizens of this world, that is) as a reference to make his own, especially considering that this energy was way different compared to mana.
And, yes, he found a way not so long after. In fact, the whole principle was actually very simple: the energy itself was constantly moving around the body without stops. However, there were a lot of points where energy itself was, hmm, able to release? If Cid can say that? In short, it was weird and somewhat inefficient, but very interesting!
After finding the safest way to affect the energy, the case started going way better. Cid covered Naruto's inner channels with magic energy, making it quite clear where, exactly, kid's energy system was located.
"It feels… strange," Naruto spoke thoughtfully, "Like I suddenly feel something different…"
"That's fine; it only means that you can finally feel your energy. Now, try to move it."
"Move?…" kid's brows quirked, "How?"
"Concentrate on the feeling of my energy; it takes hold of your own. Break through it."
Cid continued watching with interest. Apparently, having completely foreign energy in his system caused Naruto to quickly develop something akin to an immune reaction. So amazing! He just came here and he already gets to see something so interesting!
Naruto huffed, but continued trying to do something. And in the end…
"I did it, dattebayo!" he jumped up… and got launched five meters into the air, "Huh? Ah?! WA-A-A-A-"
"You did well, Naruto," Cid couldn't stop smiling, allowing a part of his face to lit up in crimson light as his face was still shrouded by darkness, "Now rest. Soon the next part will come."
"Uff, yeah, sure, huff…"
Cid also could feel a strange structure near the organs of kid… This energy system has somehow merged with all the internal organs? Interesting, but considering that one part of it was lifeforce… Yeah, seems plausible.
And unlike magic, almost the whole energy reserve was slowly converging near solar plexus in something akin to his Shadow Core before it went into his Magic Layer… Hmm, how interesting… There was also this strange construct on kid's stomach, but Cid couldn't quite figure it out yet…
Hold up, who is that?
"Hey, old man!" Naruto jumped up despite his 'exhaustion' and started running towards a strange old man with large white hat with red symbol and in similarly white clothes.
"Hello, Naruto-kun," old man smiled warmly, "I assume you had some fun there?"
"Yeah, you won't believe it! My dad is finally back! He-he, you just won't believe what he has been through-!"
"Sure, Naruto-kun. Will you allow me to speak with this gentleman for a moment?" old man softly interrupted the kid.
"Uh? Oh, yeah, adult talks, right? I am not listening!" kid turned around and puffed his cheeks as if to amplify his point.
The old man gave one last warm look towards the kid before sending Cid a cold stare.
Slowly, but surely, he walked towards the Eminence.
"You assume to be his father, huh?" old man stood in front of him.
"Well, I am his father," or rather, Naruto seemingly became his kid. Adopted, sure, but who asks for full details?
"Quite a bold decision from your side, considering who his real father is."
"Is this guy who, you said, is actually kid's father so unpopular that all adults in the radius of three streets come up to beat a six years old boy?" Cid smiled back, seeing that old man had nothing to refute.
"…What goals do you have that it needs to involve a child?"
"If you have spied on us, as you probably did," he created a small wind with magic to make his coat wave around in a cool manner, "Then you already should know this."
"…And you expect me to believe in that?"
"I don't," Cid leaned in, red light blinking from the darkness, "But, do tell me… When my information turns out to be correct, what will you do?"
"Not 'if', but 'when'…" old man bit his lip, "And what do you intend to do with Naruto?"
"And why do you care?" no, really, from the looks of it the kid held a lot of respect towards that man. Why?
"Because…" old man closed his eyes, "I made a promise to his parents to care about him."
"…Well, things certainly don't go your way, considering…"
"That is one of my biggest mistakes that I regret to this day," old man took out the pipe, "I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, leader of military power of Konoha, hidden village of Fire Country. And if all that you said is true, then… I am willing to leave Naruto in your care for the time being."
Cid quirked his brow. That didn't go as expected. Also did that man really just use Japanese terms out of nowhere?
"If you look at it from my side, I have already lost. Tailed Beast can be re-sealed into someone else, granted we find a suitable container, but Naruto… You have Naruto on your hands. I would want to fight with you for him, but that would only result in death, either mine or yours. In both cases the child would be left traumatized, especially if he realizes you have fooled him."
"I did not fool him. I am his father."
"Sure. So long as it allows him to experience happiness… Not to mention…" old man placed the pipe in his mouth and inhaled, "You are quite strong by yourself, if Nara's technique is anything to go by."
"So you won't interfere into my business?" that was the most important part.
"So long as you won't harm Naruto or village."
"Then we have a deal."
Ahh, yiss! He actually managed to fool even the seemingly powerful guy of this place with his roleplay! His speeches in front of the window and on the open space didn't fail him!
"You did not tell… Who is that that goes after the energy of the world?" Sarutobi sternly looked at him.
"Correct. Listen to it one time, for repeating it more would bring disaster…" mysteriousness!
He slowly flared up his mana.
"The enemies of this world are…"
His eyes shone.
"Ootsutsuki."
Cid rolls the dice… Cid gets nat20!
Once again the made-up villains turn out to be true…
Why did Hiruzen believe Cid? Because he saw the summoning technique being used by Naru (hint, hint: peeking orb).