Tonight was one of the darkest nights in Sarutobi Hiruzen's long life. Not only had he lost his

successor in an event that wasn't even a war, but half of Konoha lay in ruins, devastated by

the beast that killed the Yondaime Hokage, the Kyūbi no Yōko. The smoke had barely

cleared, the flames still smoldered, and already Hiruzen could feel it: the hatred brewing in

the hearts of the grieving villagers. That anger would need an outlet. And he feared it had

already found one.

His eyes fell to the bundle resting on his desk, a small, swaddled infant. The boy's chest

rose and fell gently, his face calm despite the storm he had been born into. Uzumaki Naruto.

The jinchūriki of the Kyūbi. Minato wanted Naruto to be seen as a hero, a symbol of strength.

But Hiruzen knew better. The pain was too raw, the scars too deep. The villagers would not

see a savior when they looked at Naruto. They would see the monster that destroyed their

homes and families.

That was another reason he decided like he did. He would place Naruto under constant

surveillance by ANBU, his most trusted operatives. It was for the boy's protection, yes… but

also for something else.

A memory flickered in his mind, one that refused to fade.

Flashback

Hiruzen's fists slammed against the barrier, desperation coursing through him. "Minato!" he

shouted, voice hoarse. "Don't do this!"

He knew what the Fourth was planning. He had to stop it. A jinchūriki needed love,

support—without it, the child would descend into madness. Yet all he could do was watch as

the ritual continued behind the glowing seal.

The ANBU behind him stood in silence, their gazes filled with helplessness. The barrier was

impenetrable, and they all knew it. Then, in a flicker of motion, four more masked ANBU

arrived, accompanied by a man Hiruzen recognized instantly.

"Danzō," he growled, turning sharply. "Why are you here?"

Danzō Shimura, with his ever-present passive stare, met Hiruzen's gaze without flinching.

His right eye was bandaged, his dark robe concealing the arm that Hiruzen had long

suspected was not entirely his own. "I came for the same reason as you," he said calmly. "To

oversee the future of the Kyūbi's jinchūriki. The child must be trained, to become a weapon

for Konoha."

Hiruzen's hands clenched at his sides. "I won't let you turn him into one of your tools,

Danzō." Before Danzō could respond, the barrier fell with a soft pulse. In the distance, the

Kyūbi vanished in a haze of chakra.

"Shall we go see our jinchūriki?" Danzō said coolly, stepping forward with his men in tow.

Hiruzen followed closely, signaling his ANBU to be on guard. Danzō wouldn't hesitate to

exploit a distraction.

When they reached the sealing grounds, their breath caught in their throats. They saw

Yondaime Hokage along with his wife laying on the ground, presumably dead. But that

wasn't what held their attention. A man stood beside the altar, calm and unmoving. Naruto

lay swaddled on the stone, untouched and unharmed.

"Who are you? Identify yourself!" Hiruzen demanded, stepping in front of Danzō. The man

smiled faintly. Without a word, he raised a hand and flicked it in the air. Both squads of

ANBU collapsed instantly, no sound, no struggle. Hiruzen and Danzō stared, eyes

narrowing, readying for combat.

"I should have known," the man said with a low chuckle, "that I couldn't fool the Professor

and the Shinobi of Darkness so easily." His attention turned to the infant.

"What do you want with the child?" Hiruzen barked. "Are you after the Kyūbi?"

The man shook his head, his smile deepening. "Not at all. I've come to leave him a gift. A gift

that will change the course of this world." He turned to leave, but Danzō stepped into his

path. "What kind of gift?" he asked. "What did you give him?"

The man paused. "Let's just say," he murmured, "that this child's path was chosen long

before he was born. He will either become your greatest ally… or your worst enemy. Tread

carefully with the life you shape."

And with that, he vanished, without smoke, without chakra. As if he had never existed at all.

Flashback end

The memory left a chill in Hiruzen's bones, even now. He looked down at Naruto again, just

as the door creaked open. Danzō entered silently, hands folded behind his back.

"What are we going to do with him, Hiruzen?" he asked. "Even if that man's words were

nonsense, the boy is still the Kyūbi's jinchūriki. He will need training."

Hiruzen sighed, already feeling the headache coming for him. He knew that the boy needed

training, but he didn't want to take the childhood from him. "Yes," he admitted. "But not yet.

Let him have a childhood first. If something happens… we'll decide then."

Danzō frowned, but said nothing. Hiruzen had always viewed the world through the lens of

peace, never seeing what lurked in the shadows. Still, he knew how to wait. Danzō gave a

short nod. "You've assigned ANBU for his protection?"

"I have," Hiruzen replied carefully.

"Then allow me to contribute a squad from Root," Danzō said. "For extra security."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. He knew Danzō had never truly disbanded Root, despite the

orders. And for him to admit it outright…

After a long pause, Hiruzen nodded. "You may. But I will approve every operative, and I will

always know who is watching him. Do not test my authority. Understood, Danzō?" Danzō

inclined his head slightly, a glimmer of something unreadable in his lone eye. "Understood."

With a final nod, he turned and exited. Hiruzen looked once more at the boy, so small, so

unaware of what had just been decided.

Let him have peace, for now. He will face enough storms in the years to come.