Sarutobi Hiruzen Kneels

Disappointment—yes, nothing but disappointment, laced with a sense of "as I expected." This expression was what caused Shimura Danzō to wake up in the dead of night, screaming, "It's not like that! I didn't, Teacher, you have to believe me."

Yet, the only response he received was the pitch-black room and the grey, cold walls surrounding him.

Shimura Danzō shook off the memory and slowly returned to his seat, though his eyes remained fixed on the Hokage Haori.

Outside.

After Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the order, the villagers filed in like a swarm; the Anbu tried to get them to line up, but no one paid them any mind.

They had only one goal now: to ask their dear Hokage if the things written in the newspaper were true.

To ask why the Hokage would do such things, and if the deaths of those prominent figures were truly related to him.

Filled with doubt, the crowd arrived at the door of the Hokage's office, glancing at one another, signaling for someone else to push the door open.

In the end, no one took that final step. They were incredibly anxious; after all, the person they were about to face was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, the longest-serving leader, whose presence was not something an ordinary person could easily withstand.

Sarutobi Hiruzen gently pushed the door open. The crowd stepped back, but there was no sign of hostility; Sarutobi Hiruzen was looking at them with a smile.

"Come in, everyone. Whatever you want to know, I will tell you." With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned and walked toward the chair behind him.

His back left a sense of loneliness and sorrow, and the crowd followed him inside.

No one spoke, but their gazes remained locked on the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The next moment, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, placed his Hokage Hat on the table and said with an affable smile, "Ask away."

At this, Umino Iruka stepped forward. He was just an ordinary teacher at the Konoha Academy. His parents had died in the Nine-Tails Incident, and Naruto Uzumaki was his student, so his feelings toward Naruto Uzumaki were the most complex. It was only fitting that he be the one to ask the first question.

"Ho-Hokage-sama, I want to know, is Naruto Uzumaki really the son of a hero? And not a demon fox!" Umino Iruka's eyes were filled with doubt and confusion.

Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered for a moment. "Hmm, his true identity is the son of the Fourth Hokage. He should have been called Naruto Namikaze, but considering the status of Minato Namikaze and his role as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, I chose to hide his identity."

"However, the term 'demon fox' was not something I said, but something you all created," Sarutobi Hiruzen said calmly.

"I only ever said that he was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, that the most powerful Nine-Tails beast was sealed within his body. It was the villagers who spread rumors and eventually called Naruto Uzumaki a demon fox."

"If you wish to hold me accountable for this, I'm afraid that won't be enough." Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head.

Umino Iruka was stunned. It seemed the Third Hokage had indeed never called Naruto Uzumaki a demon fox on any occasion; it really did seem like the name had originated from the villagers themselves.

Because of the Nine-Tails Incident, everyone held a grudge against the Nine-Tails. Now, the adults of Konoha knew that the Nine-Tails was sealed within him.

They were the children or young people of the past, and most of their families had died in the Nine-Tails Incident; they hated the Nine-Tails.

Therefore, they also hated Naruto Uzumaki, who was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails!

Because Naruto Uzumaki's true identity was kept under wraps, many felt he had no power or influence, just a vessel used to seal the Nine-Tails.

So, they subjected him to every possible insult and verbal abuse.

It was as if only by doing so could they disperse some of the gloom that had settled over them years ago. Some parents even told their own children not to play with that "demon fox"!

Thus, Konoha rejected Naruto Uzumaki from top to bottom. If Sarutobi Hiruzen had done anything, it was that he had played a guiding role.

He had simply covered up Naruto Uzumaki's identity.

The crowd turned pale. Hearing the words of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, they wanted to retort, but when they recalled their own attitudes toward Naruto Uzumaki, they realized there was truly nothing they could say.

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled. "Naruto Uzumaki's tragic circumstances may have a part of me to blame, but the greater and more direct cause comes from your own hatred."

"Don't forget, when Naruto Uzumaki tried to buy things from you, no one would sell to him. Some even sold him expired milk to drink."

"Don't push the responsibility onto others just because you did something you shouldn't have. At the very least, I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, haven't done anything to wrong Naruto Uzumaki, have I? I even took a portion of my own salary every month to provide for him."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's aura returned! He crossed his legs and looked at the villagers with a smile in his eyes. The villagers lowered their heads in shame; no one dared to speak.

They realized the Third Hokage was right. Suddenly, a member of the Uchiha Clan hidden among the crowd spoke up: "Hokage-sama, as far as I know, Kushina had a villa and a commercial street in the most prosperous part of Konoha under her name."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression shifted. He looked toward the direction of the voice, but the person was hiding in the crowd, their face obscured.

"Who are you? Do you dare to show your face, or are you only capable of hiding in the shadows?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was agitated. He could sophistically argue his way out of his previous points, but he could not clean up the mess regarding Naruto Uzumaki's inheritance.

"Heh, Hokage-sama, don't be in such a hurry. It is said that the assets of Kushina and Minato Namikaze were taken by you for private use. Is this true?" the voice asked with a laugh.

"Hmph! I was merely keeping their inheritance safe for them. Naruto Uzumaki was still young; if it were exploited by those with ill intentions and the fortune was squandered, wouldn't that be a disservice to them?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said righteously.

At this moment, Naruto Uzumaki—or rather, Naruto Uzumaki possessed by Minato Namikaze—walked out with a smile.

"Third Hokage, since you say you were keeping the inheritance of Kushina and me safe, now that I have returned, shouldn't you return the money to our Naruto Uzumaki?" Minato Namikaze said calmly.

"Minato Namikaze, I... back then, because of the Nine-Tails Incident, many facilities in the village needed repairs, families needed to be comforted, and the village was poor, so I used some of your assets," Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes darted around.

Minato Namikaze said coldly, "Sarutobi, my wife and I died outside the village for the sake of the village, and not only did you swallow the inheritance we left for our child, but you also let him suffer for so many years."

"Is this what your Will of Fire is? If I had known you were this kind of person, I should have let you use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal back then!" Minato Namikaze's voice echoed throughout the entire office.

The crowd was in an uproar. Sarutobi Hiruzen's face turned ashen. He took a deep breath, then walked over to Naruto Uzumaki/Minato Namikaze and knelt down!

Thud.