Would the Fire Reach Their Doorstep Safe and Sound?

When the Third Hokage saw the commotion below, he felt awful.

He had sent Naruto to the Academy so the child could form Bonds with his companions in the village.

The rumors about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had also been meant to let Naruto experience pain early on, so that he would cherish everything in the village afterward.

Was there anything wrong with that?

Of course not!

After all, nearly all the major ninja villages operated this way.

Even Kushina had gone through the same process back then.

It was all for the village. What was wrong with sacrificing a Jinchuriki to keep the village stable?

But...

The Third Hokage truly hadn't expected Naruto to reject that entire approach.

He had started spreading the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox rumors five years ago. When Naruto first went outside and experienced those rumors firsthand, the Third Hokage had stroked his beard in satisfaction. Everything had been proceeding according to his plan.

After suffering the Villagers' insults and hatred, the child had shut himself away at home, never stepping outside again.

At the time, the Third Hokage had even worried that the child was too fragile to recover from it.

But... as time passed, the Third Hokage gradually realized something was wrong.

The child had locked himself at home for an entire half year!!

When he went in to check, that fool was happily lying on the floor playing with wood. How did he look fragile?

The Third Hokage had thought that once Naruto got a little older, he would have to go out to buy things or take a stroll, wouldn't he?

Then he discovered Naruto awakening all those strange Kekkei Genkai...

After that, Little Naruto, who never lacked food or drink, disappeared from everyone's sight entirely.

So when he appeared today, even the people who had once called Naruto the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had forgotten all about it.

Now, not only had Naruto failed to understand the importance of companions in advance, his identity as the Fourth Hokage's orphan had been exposed instead...

This was absolutely not the outcome the Third Hokage wanted!

"Ahem!"

Standing on the stage, the Third Hokage coughed several times in a row before drawing everyone's attention back to himself.

After that, he began a speech that lasted over an hour.

During it, Naruto noticed little Hinata sneaking glances at him and smiled at her. The girl was probably too shy, because she immediately hid behind Hyuga Hiashi.

When Hyuga Hiashi noticed that the Yellow-haired brat had improper intentions toward his daughter, he shot the boy a fierce glare with his Byakugan.

Sensing the hostile gaze of his future father-in-law, Naruto felt a little guilty.

After all, he really was planning to steal the man's cabbage.

Not now, perhaps, but it was only a matter of time.

He glanced at Hinata, whose face was flushed red, and suddenly broke into a wild grin.

That's right!

Why should I be afraid of this old fart?

He, Naruto, a blond-haired guy, would definitely visit the Hyuga clan once he turned eighteen and let that old fart witness the power of a blond-haired guy.

It was a pity there were no ghost flames in the world of Naruto. Otherwise, he would at least have put on a show...

Would the Fire Reach Their Doorstep Safe and Sound?

"Hmph!"

Seeing the Yellow-haired brat's increasingly brazen smile, Hyuga Hiashi's face turned livid with anger.

If the Byakugan could kill, this brat would have died beneath his gaze ten million times over.

Thus, a perfectly good opening ceremony was forcibly turned into a staring contest between Naruto and Hiashi.

Not far away, Sasuke's eyes reddened as he stared at Naruto.

The thought that the other boy was the hero Fourth Hokage's son...

Made Sasuke feel an inexplicable sense of powerlessness.

Standing before him, Sasuke even felt somewhat inferior.

But when he recalled their earlier fight, it seemed he still had a chance to defeat him!

He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes red, and silently swore, Just wait! I'll definitely defeat you and prove the strength of the Uchiha Clan!

Naruto spent the entire time being glared at by his future in-laws and never noticed Sasuke watching him from the side with Red Eyes.

Throughout the Third Hokage's speech, he did not offer even the slightest explanation for Naruto's identity.

Even when quite a few people spoke up to question him, he ignored them.

The ninja clans knew the inside story and did not ask, but many of the people present were ninjas and civilians who knew nothing of the matter.

They only knew that the Fourth Hokage had sacrificed himself during the Nine-Tails Rampage to save everyone in Konoha.

And the Fourth Hokage's orphan was the Child of Hero. This was a matter that shook the entire village.

"Third Hokage, that child is the Fourth Hokage's son, isn't he?"

"Yeah! Why didn't you tell everyone for so long?"

"Third Hokage, is there some hidden reason behind this?"

The Third Hokage did not answer them directly. He merely responded to their questions with a stiff smile.

Then, without taking up their questions, the Third Hokage turned to all the children and said,

"That will be all for today."

"Children, remember this: wherever leaves dance, fire will burn."

"The shadow of the fire will illuminate the entire village and make new leaves sprout. Only when one wishes to protect those they cherish will a ninja's strength truly reveal itself."

After giving a few final instructions, the Third Hokage turned and left with his hands behind his back.

When he heard the Villagers asking whether Naruto was truly the Fourth Hokage Minato's child, his entire face darkened like the bottom of a pot.

That made the Third Hokage leave even faster.

He still had not figured out how to handle Naruto's identity.

The Third Hokage had originally planned to reveal the child's origins only after Naruto became an adult, or after he had truly inherited the Will of Fire.

Who could have expected everyone to recognize him as the Fourth Hokage's son on his first day at the Academy...

How had they failed to recognize that the child was also the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki?