Chapter 65: The Fourth Hokage's Former Subordinates and Naruto's First Meeting
Uchiha Douhuan eventually decided not to make everyone work overnight. After spending 100,000 ryo to invite Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen to personally make a luxurious bowl of ramen for each member working late, he ordered everyone to go home and rest.
The next day, in the Uchiha clan compound, a large open area of about 1,000 square meters on the eastern side was bustling with activity. Normally, this space was used for weddings of young Uchiha couples, but today it was being transformed for a grand banquet. The purpose was to honor the helpful ninja who had supported the Police Force during the operation to suppress the rioters spreading harmful rumors that threatened the purity of the Will of Fire.
From early morning, the entire Uchiha clan was busy with preparations.
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Meanwhile, at the Hatake residence, Kakashi was dragging a sleepy Naruto out of bed.
"Why are you waking me up so early, Kakashi-nii?" Naruto complained, rubbing his eyes. He had stayed up late the previous night, waiting for Kakashi to return home safely.
"We're going to have a feast today. If you don't want to get up, you can just stay behind," Kakashi teased.
"A feast?" Naruto instantly perked up, scrambling to get dressed at top speed.
Kakashi glanced at him with a smirk and then headed out with Naruto. After picking up Yamato, who lived nearby, the trio made their way towards the Uchiha clan compound.
As they walked, Naruto started to notice something odd. "Where are we going? Isn't this the direction where those Anbu guys always say I'm not allowed to go?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Kakashi replied. "Besides, from now on, there's no place in the village where you're not allowed to go."
"Really?" Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Of course. Just don't pull any pranks around here, or I'll be the one having to bail you out from the Police Force." Kakashi said half-jokingly.
After a while, they ran into Shiranui Genma and Raido Namiashi, along with a few other former subordinates of the Fourth Hokage.
Seeing Naruto's blonde hair, the men couldn't help but show a bit of nostalgia.
"It really is just like him…" Raido muttered, his expression complicated.
These men had once served as the Fourth Hokage's personal guards. After Minato's death during the Nine-Tails' attack, they were left in a precarious position. Without the Fourth to support them, and being mostly civilian or minor clan shinobi, they were gradually pushed to the sidelines when the Third Hokage reassumed power. Though they weren't openly suppressed, they certainly weren't prioritized.
Even though they knew of Naruto's existence, they couldn't openly protect him, especially given the sensitive nature of his identity. The best they could manage was secretly punishing villagers who harassed him, without letting anyone know why.
Now that Kakashi had finally taken a stand, they felt relieved, as if a burden had been lifted.
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Kakashi led Naruto up to them, and Genma immediately patted Naruto's head, ruffling his hair. This started a chain reaction, as each of the men took turns patting and ruffling Naruto's spiky blonde hair, leaving it a complete mess.
"What's the big deal? Who are you guys, anyway?" Naruto grumbled, clearly not pleased with the uninvited head pats.
Kakashi couldn't help but laugh. "Naruto, these guys were all subordinates of your father."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Really? You guys knew my dad?"
"Yes, your father was a great ninja," Genma smiled.
"Can you tell me who he was?" Naruto asked eagerly.
Genma glanced at the others, then grinned. "Of course… not!" he teased.
"Hey! You're just like the other adults, always saying I can't know because it's dangerous!" Naruto shouted in frustration.
"You're a smart kid, aren't you? Already predicting what we'd say!" Genma chuckled.
Though the men laughed, Naruto wasn't happy about being treated like a kid. "That's not funny! You guys are mean!"
Kakashi knelt down and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, your dad's story is complicated. One day, when you're ready, you'll learn the truth. For now, just know that you're surrounded by people who care about you."
Naruto pouted. "Yeah, but you keep saying that without telling me anything…"
"Oh, that story about your dad's enemies?" Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "That was just me messing with you. Nobody would dare harm you now. You've got too many people on your side."
Genma nodded. "That's right. One day, when you finally find out who your dad was, you might be so shocked you'll fall over."
As they spoke, Genma couldn't help but glance at the Hokage Rock, where Minato's face was carved.
"Hmph! You're all a bunch of liars!" Naruto huffed and dashed off toward the Uchiha compound, clearly annoyed.
Raido watched him go, a soft smile on his face. "He's got quite the energy."
Genma turned back to Kakashi. "Are you sure it's okay to bring him to the Uchiha clan compound? There's no problem, right?"
Kakashi gave a relaxed shrug. "No problem. The Uchiha are on our side."
Genma raised an eyebrow but nodded. After the recent events where the Police Force openly supported Kakashi, he was inclined to believe it.
"Alright. If you're confident, then I'm fine with it," Genma replied.
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