Sasuke and Naruto's Situation

Hokage Building, office.

Knock, knock, knock!

A burst of knocking interrupted the Third Hokage, whose eyes had been fixed intently on the crystal ball as his face flushed red.

"Ahem..."

The Third Hokage coughed lightly, silently shut off the image on the crystal ball, and assumed a prim, upright posture.

"Come in."

As soon as he spoke, Iruka entered and respectfully said, "Lord Third!"

Huh?

Why was Lord Third's face so red?

Perhaps Lord Third was getting old, and his blood pressure rose easily.

"It's Iruka. Is there something you need to report?"

The Third Hokage spoke calmly, his tone brimming with warmth and kindness. He seemed less like the leader of a village and more like the benevolent old grandfather next door.

"Yes, Lord Third. It's been a month since school began, so I came to submit my class's student reports."

As he spoke, Iruka presented a document in both hands.

"Look at my memory. I'm getting old."

The Third Hokage shook his head with a self-deprecating chuckle, accepted the papers, and began reading. They recorded the students' grades and performance during their first month, along with Iruka's analysis of their situations.

"Has teaching been going smoothly lately?"

After flipping through the pages for a while, the Third Hokage casually asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Third. Everything in the class is going well!"

"Mm."

The Third Hokage nodded slightly and continued turning the pages. When he reached Sasuke's file, his hand paused, and his gaze grew more serious.

"How is Sasuke doing now?"

The Third Hokage looked at Iruka and asked softly.

After a long silence, Iruka said, "Lord Third, Sasuke's personality has changed somewhat."

"Mm."

The Third Hokage nodded slightly. He was not surprised at all. Anyone who had experienced something like that would change, more or less.

"Although Sasuke used to act proud and aloof on the surface, seeming as though he could not be bothered with the other students, it was clear that he was just a child using a tough, arrogant attitude to hide his shyness and embarrassment. But Sasuke now..."

The old Sasuke looked like he was trying to act cool, like a proud lion that was difficult to approach, but he was actually cold on the outside and warm on the inside.

Iruka sighed and continued, "Lord Third, I also suspect that Sasuke now has a withdrawn personality disorder."

The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe. "Go on."

"Sasuke feels far too calm now. It's completely unlike..."

At that, Iruka paused. After thinking for a while, he replied, "A withdrawn personality is one that lacks interest in the outside world and emotional experience. Although Sasuke responds when other students greet him and is very polite in how he treats others, he basically never takes the initiative to speak with his classmates, join activities, or interact with those around him. On the surface, Sasuke has become much more easygoing and courteous, but he has already closed off his heart."

Iruka could sense the deep distance hidden beneath Sasuke's outward politeness. There was no one in Sasuke's eyes—or rather, the person who was there was not here.

Thinking of what had happened to Sasuke, Iruka sighed inwardly.

Had he not been the same back then?

During the Nine-Tails Incident, he had watched his jōnin parents die together while protecting the village. His personality had changed drastically afterward. He was the cheerful one among his school companions, yet when alone, he often silently wept before the Konoha Memorial Stone.

Only the person involved could understand the pain hidden beneath that outward calm...

"Is that so?"

A faint ripple passed through the Third Hokage's eyes as he silently smoked, recalling Sasuke's behavior over the past two months.

He went to school as usual every day, never late and never absent. After school, he silently shut himself inside the Uchiha Clan Compound to train.

Even in his dealings with others, he had the air of someone handling official business.

Staring at the calm face in the file, the Third Hokage sighed and set the document down.

"Iruka."

"Yes, Lord Third!"

"Where the leaves dance, fire burns on without end. Back then, the First Hokage gathered the companions of all the great clans and founded the village. The Second Hokage inherited the First Hokage's aspirations and established the Ninja Academy. Besides teaching children the skills needed to become ninja, the academy must also teach them the meaning of understanding their companions. Just like the sea, an individual is like a drop of water within it. A single drop cannot become the sea, but when all water gathers together, it forms the sea."

The Third Hokage looked at Iruka and said seriously, "Sasuke has closed off his heart. What he is going through is very similar to when you were young. You will have to work harder from now on. I hope that under your guidance, Sasuke will one day become a true inheritor of the Will of Fire."

As he said this, the Third Hokage sighed inwardly, thinking of Kagami Uchiha, Uchiha Shisui, and Uchiha Itachi.

Guilt, remembrance, complexity, and conflict flashed through his eyes.

Iruka did not notice the Third Hokage's change. His expression turned solemn as he hurriedly replied, "Yes, Lord Third!"

The Third Hokage nodded slightly and continued, "What about that Naruto? How is he doing now?"

At the mention of Naruto, Iruka wore an expression somewhere between laughter and tears. "Lord Third, that kid Naruto is still just as troublesome as ever."

The Third Hokage chuckled. "Iruka, it seems you have accepted Naruto from the bottom of your heart now."

"Yes, Lord Third. I have you to thank for putting so much thought into this matter."

Iruka nodded, his expression complicated.

Because his parents had died at the hands of the Nine-Tails, and Naruto was the incarnation of the Demon Fox in the village rumors, Iruka had once been unable to face Naruto when he first became his teacher. He had even asked the Third Hokage to let him resign.

In the end, the Third Hokage gave him two choices: either teach Uzumaki Naruto and try to open his heart and accept him.

Or expel Naruto directly, so he would be out of sight and out of mind, forcing Naruto to drop out.

In the end, kind-hearted and gentle Iruka chose the first option.

"Although Naruto acts carefree on the surface, he is a very soft-hearted child. He is lonely and longs to be acknowledged by others. He may simply not have found a suitable way to do that yet."

As they spent more time together, Iruka discovered Naruto's inner loneliness and gradually accepted him. He also understood why Naruto wanted everyone's recognition, because Iruka had once held the same hopes for everyone when he was young.

Hahaha!

Hearing that, the Third Hokage nodded and laughed heartily.