At the Hokage's Office.
The night was truly beautiful—calm and peaceful. It was the perfect, soothing atmosphere.
Hiruzen fell silent for a moment, then sighed.
"So what you said about Naruto, is it true, Iruka?" Hiruzen asked, narrowing his eyes.
He rested his chin on both hands.
Earlier, Hiruzen had been relaxing, enjoying the view. But suddenly, news about Naruto arrived from the Anbu who had been monitoring him. So he summoned Iruka, who was now standing before him.
"Yes, it's true, Hokage-sama. It all started when Naruto scored perfectly on his final shuriken throwing trial. After that, during sparring practice, he defeated Yamamoto, which shocked everyone—including me. Naruto's improvement this time made me feel proud," Iruka explained happily. But his expression darkened as he continued.
"However, when I was about to evaluate their performance, Ino requested a match and challenged Naruto. At first, I wanted to refuse, but then I considered their relationship—"
"Relationship?" Hiruzen interrupted, curious.
"Yes, Sir. It seems they have a relationship, and it all started this morning..." Iruka answered straightforwardly.
"Explain."
"Alright. It started during my class. Naruto and Ino arrived late together. I told Ino to return to her seat first since it was her first time being late. But after hearing Naruto's reason, which involved Ino, I had no choice but to punish both of them by making them stand at the front of the class during the lecture. I intended the punishment to show fairness..."
"You did well. That sets a good example for the other students," Hiruzen said with a nod. "Go on."
"They accepted the punishment. After class, we left to go to the training field. But outside—what I saw shocked me..."
Iruka hesitated, swallowing hard.
"What did they do?" Hiruzen asked, his eyes narrowing.
Iruka finally spoke. "Forgive me, Sir. They kissed."
Hiruzen's eyes widened. He was shocked.
"Are you serious, Iruka?"
"I'm certain, Sir. Though I didn't see it directly, many other students witnessed it. Plus, their behavior was strange afterward. Naruto seemed more composed, and Ino appeared upset by what happened, which may be why she challenged Naruto—to vent her anger."
Iruka explained eagerly, forgetting for a moment that he was speaking to the Hokage.
But Hiruzen didn't mind. Instead, his thoughts were beginning to wrestle with the implications.
Ino Yamanaka.
She is the only daughter of Inoichi, the heir of the Yamanaka clan—a clan with a crucial role in Konoha's politics.
Meanwhile, Naruto is the one I chose. The boy I've nurtured and guided, hoping that one day, he'll stand on the stage I've prepared for him.
If they have a relationship and it continues into adulthood, things could become complicated. Ino could bring the Yamanaka clan to side with Naruto, and if that happens, Konoha's political stability could be shaken. Each clan council has a voice in the village.
I have to talk to Naruto directly.
After thinking for a moment, Hiruzen returned to the conversation.
"Iruka, if what you said is true, then thank you. You've given me valuable information."
"Ah, Hokage-sama, you're exaggerating. I only told you what I thought was necessary," Iruka said, bowing slightly and scratching his head.
Hiruzen gave a slight smile.
"Alright then, you may go back to your duties."
"Yes, Sir. I'll take my leave now."
Iruka left the office. Inside, he felt a little regret for getting too excited while talking.
I hope Hokage-sama doesn't mind, he thought.
At first, Hiruzen had considered telling Iruka to keep the information confidential, but he changed his mind.
That information would easily reach certain ears anyway—especially Danzo, who was always watching the village.
But Naruto is still a child. He won't make any moves for now. Even if he does, then I will be the one to act.
"Naruto... I hope you don't disappoint me."
Hiruzen shifted his chair, gazing at the dark sky and the beautiful stars.
Meanwhile, in a small apartment...
Naruto was training intensely. He was doing basic exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
Right now, he was finishing his last set of pull-ups.
"19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25..."
Naruto let go of the doorframe he used for pull-ups.
Sweat dripped down, and every muscle ached. But he smiled in satisfaction.
"Hahahaha!"
Naruto laughed out loud. He was thrilled because he had pushed his limits.
Today, he completed 25 reps of push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups—twice each.
He actually wanted to continue, but after thinking it through, it wasn't good to push his body too far.
"Well... there's still time tomorrow."
Naruto paused for a moment.
"Ahh... how about going for a morning run tomorrow? Maybe I'll run into her..."
"Hahaha! Seriously!"
He clapped his hands.
"Alright. For now, it's time to sleep. This body needs rest to grow properly..."
Naruto reflected on his life so far—filled with poor nutrition and bad habits.
"I won't repeat that... and I won't ever go through it again in the future. And the future I know? I'll change it!"
"Hahahahaha! Hahahaha—"
He burst out laughing until he choked.
"Ugh... ugh..."
"Haah... whatever. I better take a bath. Then sleep."
In the Yamanaka clan's courtyard...
"Ino, control your chakra disk first. Then form the hand seal and focus your consciousness. Once your spiritual awareness is stable, immediately enter the target," Inoichi instructed calmly.
Ino tried. She stabilized her chakra flow, then formed the hand seal.
The hardest part came when she tried focusing her mind.
Sweat trickled down her forehead... and finally, she succeeded.
Good... it worked, Ino thought.
She attempted to enter her father's body but lasted only a few seconds.
Her consciousness returned to her own body.
"This..."
Ino clenched her fists, feeling frustrated that she could only hold on for a few seconds.
Inoichi noticed. He walked over and gently patted her head.
"Ino, you did well. I'm a jonin. But you still managed to enter my mind. In battle, even a few seconds of mental control can make a huge difference. I believe if you try it on someone closer to your level, you'll last much longer."
Hearing that lifted a weight off Ino's heart. She looked up at her father and nodded.
"Thank you, Dad."
Inoichi smiled.
"Of course."
"Now, let's head home. It's getting late. We better go before your mother gets angry," Inoichi joked.
Ino laughed. Even though her father was an important jonin in Konoha, he was still a husband who feared his wife.
"Yeah, let's go."
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What does Hiruzen mean by 'view'?
And also, this chapter was created because I'm in a good mood, so enjoy it...
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