Naruto waved his hands high. His smile was big. "Grandpa!" he shouted.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked closer. He held his Hokage cloak in his arms. The night hid his title. To Naruto, he was just a kind old man in a thick coat.
"Naruto, it has been a while," Hiruzen said. He touched Naruto's head and smiled.
"Yes, Grandpa! I missed you!" Naruto said.
"How are you doing?" Hiruzen asked.
"I am good! Grandpa, you stay healthy too!" Naruto said.
Hiruzen chuckled. "Do not worry. I am old, but strong!"
His eyes moved to the frozen river. A small crack marked where Naruto stood. Stones had broken the ice. Hiruzen thought for a moment, then spoke again.
"Naruto, it is late. The night will get colder," he said with care.
Naruto grinned. "It is fine! Fish sleep now, so they are easy to catch. I am not cold—achoo!" He sneezed. A cold wind hit him. "Why is it cold all of a sudden?"
Naruto looked confused. Hiruzen smiled warmly.
"Grandpa, why do you have a cloak?" Naruto asked. He rubbed his hands, shy.
Hiruzen smiled. "I am not cold. Want to wear it?"
He did not wait for an answer. He knew Naruto's thoughts. He unfolded the Hokage cloak and placed it on Naruto. The cloak was big for Naruto's small body. It covered him like a blanket. The words "Third Hokage" sat over his head.
As Hiruzen adjusted the cloak, he checked Naruto. No Nine Tails chakra leaked. Everything seemed normal. He nodded to himself.
"Grandpa, this cloak is nice, but it will get dirty on the ground," Naruto said. He held the cloak tight, worried.
"It is fine, Naruto," Hiruzen said. "Hokage are village elders. My clothes can keep you warm. A little dirt is worth it."
He stood and pulled a pipe from his sleeve. "You want grilled fish, right? You shared with me before. Now it is my turn."
Hiruzen squinted. He spun the pipe and threw it like a shuriken. A sharp sound cut the night. The pipe hit the river's crack. Ice broke. The pipe sank into a fish in the water.
"Wow, that is amazing!" Naruto said. His eyes were wide.
Hiruzen smiled. "We are lucky today. Get the fish, Naruto. I will start the fire."
A fire glowed by the stream. Three fish cooked on sticks. Naruto and Hiruzen sat across from each other. Naruto did not stare at the fish this time. He looked at the cloak, thinking.
"Grandpa, what is a Hokage?" Naruto asked.
Hiruzen's eyes lit up. *He asked,* he thought.
"Hokage is like the village chief," Hiruzen said. "They guard Konoha and keep everyone safe. They make rules and manage the village. But they are not above others. Like now, I fish with you because you are part of Konoha, Naruto."
"Oh, I get it," Naruto said. He looked at Konoha's tall buildings far away.
Hiruzen watched him. Then he spoke again. "Hokage is also the most trusted person in the village. Only someone everyone believes in can be Hokage. They protect peace and every life."
Naruto's eyes sparkled at "trusted." It was what he wanted most. Hiruzen saw this and stopped. He wiped fish blood from his pipe.
Hiruzen had come to check the Nine Tails in Naruto. The Jinchuriki's safety mattered to Konoha. He also avoided Danzo's spies on the way. Danzo's interest in the Nine Tails worried Hiruzen. Years ago, after the Nine Tails attack, Danzo targeted the Uchiha clan. The Sharingan, an Uchiha trait, could control the Nine Tails. This made the Uchiha suspect. Hiruzen allowed Danzo's harsh actions against them, as did the Second Hokage.
But Hiruzen wanted Naruto to be a true Konoha ninja, following the Will of Fire. He knew Kumogakure's Eight Tails Jinchuriki fought with tailed beast power, stronger than their Raikage. If Naruto dreamed of being Hokage, he could grow strong too.
___x___
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