Revealing Some Information

"Me? Hokage? Really? Uncle Hiashi, do you really think I can become Hokage?" Naruto still put on an innocent act. He was curious why Hyuga Hiashi dared to bring up him becoming Hokage so early.

"Of course, Naruto. This is something I deduced after considering many factors. Would you like to hear my analysis?" Hyuga Hiashi instantly assumed the air of a reclusive master.

The corners of Naruto's mouth were harder to suppress than an AK, but he still gave Hyuga Hiashi some face. "Sure, Uncle Hiashi. Tell me, what evidence do you have?"

Hyuga Hiashi immediately stood up, giving off the impression of, Watch closely, I'm about to show off. With his back to Naruto, he said, "Then listen carefully. First, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi thinks very highly of you. You could tell from the Ninja Academy opening ceremony."

Seeing Hyuga Hiashi turn around with a look of complete control, Naruto wondered, Are you Zhuge Hinata?

Naruto also wanted to see what brilliant insights Hyuga Hiashi had.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Naruto instantly became the perfect straight man and followed along with Hyuga Hiashi's words.

"You know, I was also present at the opening ceremony. From the moment the Third Hokage took the stage, I noticed that he often looked in your direction. That shows he cares greatly about you. That is the first point."

"Second, after the opening ceremony, despite being busy with government affairs every day, the Third Hokage did not immediately return to the Hokage's Office to deal with them. Instead, he stayed behind to chat with you. That shows he was very curious about your reaction."

"After that, he asked about your understanding of the Will of Fire. Normally, given the Third Hokage's personality, he would never ask such questions for no reason. It is very possible that he was assessing your abilities. And your understanding of the Will of Fire back then was enough to make even us older-generation ninjas feel ashamed of ourselves!"

"Not only was your understanding spot-on, but that line—'It is not by becoming Hokage that one earns everyone's recognition, but by earning everyone's recognition that one becomes Hokage!'—I can still remember it vividly."

"As someone involved, you may not have noticed it, but I saw it clearly from the side. The Third Hokage's eyes looked as though he had found a successor. That is why I think your chances of becoming Hokage are very high."

Hyuga Hiashi gave his analysis. Naruto had thought it would be something more impressive. He won over Hiruzen Sarutobi just by asking about the Will of Fire? Uncle Hiashi, you're still too naive! You have a long way to go!

"Uncle Hiashi, just because of my understanding of the Will of Fire, I can become Hokage? Isn't that a little too childish?" Naruto continued, wanting to know whether Hyuga Hiashi had any other ideas. It was rare to get such an opportunity to watch someone analyze people; as a spectator, he wanted to hear it all live.

"Of course there is more, Naruto. Since we may become family in the future, I'll reveal a few classified pieces of information to you!"

Hyuga Hiashi looked mysterious as he activated his Byakugan.

"Byakugan, activate!" He swept his gaze around, confirming that there were no ninjas within several dozen meters. The Anbu ninjas guarding the area in secret were several hundred meters away and could not hear Hyuga Hiashi and Naruto's conversation.

"Uncle, tell me. You're making it so mysterious—what exactly is this classified information?"

"It's like this. As far as I know, on a certain day, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi separately met with the clan heads of several families close to the Hokage's faction. I do not know what they discussed in private, but the general gist was that they should have more contact with you. When the Third Hokage came to me, he told me very simply that I could interact with you more, as long as I did not cross any lines!"

"I guessed those clans were most likely the Yamanaka Clan, Nara Clan, Inuzuka Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Aburame Clan. Later, I discovered that you got along very well with the younger members of those clans. That made me think my guess was correct. It should indeed have been those clans."

Naruto had not expected Hyuga Hiashi's guess to be so accurate.

Naruto had already sensed that members of those clans must have received instructions from Hiruzen Sarutobi. Only then would they dare to let their younger members associate with Naruto without worry and take the initiative to approach him.

Otherwise, given their good relationship with the Third Hokage, they would definitely not risk contacting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki on their own.

"But Naruto, don't overthink it. At first, they must have merely allowed their children to try playing with you. But for all of you to truly become friends later on, that could only happen because of your own personal charm. I hope you do not overthink it or see the heads of those great clans as villains!"

Although Hyuga Hiashi did not mention himself, the fact that he had allowed the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family, Hinata Hyuga, to befriend Naruto without worry indirectly showed that Hyuga Hiashi must also have received either explicit or implicit instructions from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He brought up everyone else while selectively hiding his own involvement. Hyuga Hiashi really did have a talent for speaking.

But it made sense. Given Naruto's reputation in the village, everyone knew he was connected to the Demon Fox and that he might even be the Demon Fox's incarnation. Yet for some reason, they had actually dared to keep badmouthing Naruto behind his back and even bully him to his face.

Were they really not afraid that he would get angry, undo the seal, and treat them to a few delicious Rasengan?

As the future heirs of their clans, if the younger generation of the great clans had been willing to approach Naruto voluntarily rather than despise or reject him, there had definitely been someone influential guiding them from behind the scenes.

But later, Naruto had still relied on his own charm to turn them all into his true friends. Did they understand the true value of the Konoha Succubus? The passive effect of Heavenly Mouth was no empty reputation!

"But Uncle, what use is that? Is having these friends really that impressive? Did they express any particular thoughts?" Naruto still asked as though he did not understand.

Since he had chosen to start acting, he had to see the act through to the end!

"Of course, Naruto. When those great clan heads initially let their children approach you, they would not have made their children shamelessly cling to your side and force themselves into friendship with you. Even as clan heads, they would not do something like that."

"Later, when their children became friends with you, they saw the changes that followed with their own eyes. So among the upper ranks of the Konoha Hokage Faction, their attitude toward you gradually changed. At first, they were simply following the Third Hokage's orders. Later, they actively wanted to get to know you."

"This also shows that the upper ranks of the Konoha Hokage Faction admire you greatly!" Hyuga Hiashi wore a satisfied expression.

It seemed that this logic made him feel rather pleased with himself.

"Uncle Hiashi, what you said does make sense. But I cannot become Hokage based on just that, can I?"

"Naruto, you are indeed very smart. Naturally, there is more than that. To become Hokage, besides strength, the most important thing is one's background. Naruto... sigh, for certain reasons, I cannot say it directly!"

Just as he was enjoying himself and speaking enthusiastically, Hyuga Hiashi seemed to remember something. He sighed and did not continue.

Hearing Hyuga Hiashi's words, Naruto understood what he meant.

Naruto thought about it. He now possessed Chakra reserves at the level of an Elite Jonin, along with the Rasengan and an improved version of the Flying Thunder God Technique. On top of that, if he could not win, Kurama could take over his body and fight for him. His future was truly bright.

If he did not show off now, when would he? He would stop pretending. Naruto decided to lay his cards on the table.

"It's because my background is special, right, Uncle Hiashi?" Naruto leisurely picked up where Hyuga Hiashi had left off.

"That's right! Naruto, could it be that you know about your background?" Hyuga Hiashi instinctively responded, but quickly realized something was wrong. Did Naruto really know?

"Naruto, how much do you know about your own affairs?" Hyuga Hiashi asked cautiously. He had no idea how much Naruto knew, but the Third Hokage had previously said at a Konoha high-level meeting that Naruto's identity absolutely had to be kept secret and that Naruto could not be allowed to learn his true identity.

If Naruto learned of the unfair treatment he had suffered all these years, his hatred for Konoha would surely reach its peak. At that point, it would not be something an aged Third Hokage and Danzo, who only knew how to take the blame, could withstand.

This was also what left Naruto rather speechless. They wanted to badmouth him, but if he actually got angry, they would not like it. What kind of bandit logic was that? Especially Danzo, who spread rumors everywhere—if Naruto really went berserk, what could he use to stop him?

Shisui was still alive at this time. Danzo had not obtained Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan, much less mastered Kotoamatsukami. It was also unclear how many Uchiha Sharingan he possessed. Over the years, when members of the Uchiha Clan went out on missions, some ninjas encountered accidents that looked like accidents but were very likely Shimura Danzō's doing.

All to collect the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. But at this time, Danzo had not gone through the large-scale Uchiha clan massacre, so naturally he would not have especially many Sharingan.

"Everything! Uncle Hiashi, whether it is that I am the Demon Fox's incarnation or my true identity, I know it all!" Naruto intended to use his Heavenly Mouth to pull Hyuga Hiashi completely onto his pirate ship.

"Naruto! Where did you learn that?" Hyuga Hiashi was instantly shocked.

It had to be said that the Third Hokage had done a good job keeping it secret. Although the entire village knew Naruto was connected to the Nine-Tails Demon Fox and might be the Nine-Tails' incarnation, Naruto's identity as the Fourth Hokage's son had indeed been kept very well hidden. Only a small number of Konoha's upper ranks knew.

Was this Schrödinger's secrecy?

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