Chapter 68
Refusal
Naruto followed the Third Hokage all the way to the Hokage Building.
The afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the room, bathing it in a warm, yellowish hue.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down behind his desk.
Ever since he learned that Naruto had awakened some kind of sensory ability, he has never used the telescope technique to spy on Naruto again.
When he learned of Orochimaru's invasion, he used the telescope technique again.
All they saw was a devastated battlefield; they obtained no valuable information.
He is currently in a state of information blind spot regarding the specific events that occurred in the Death Forest.
Therefore, he called Naruto over, intending to ask about the specifics.
"There are only the two of us here now."
The Third Hokage exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze falling on Naruto:
"Naruto, tell me, what exactly happened in the forest?"
"Red Bean reported that you encountered that person... who is Orochimaru, and you drove him away?"
The Third Hokage put down his pipe, his aged face revealing little emotion.
"Yes, Grandpa Hokage."
Naruto stood in front of the table, his expression calm:
"His strength is immense, one could even say... like a monster."
"Moreover, the target is clearly Sasuke."
"However, his physical condition doesn't seem to be very good."
Plus, I was lucky, so after using explosive tags to keep him occupied for a while, he retreated on his own.
Naruto omitted the crucial details, attributing everything to luck and the opponent's weakness.
"Is that so...?"
The third generation nodded slowly, his tense nerves relaxing slightly.
This aligns with the information provided by Hongdou.
Both contain crucial information about Orochimaru's poor condition.
It seems Orochimaru's body is indeed experiencing problems, which is why he's targeting Sasuke?
Naruto's appearance disrupted his plans, preventing him from planting the talisman on Sasuke in time.
"Since Orochimaru has retreated, it means that he has no intention of breaking ties with Konoha for the time being."
"As long as everyone is alright, that's all that matters."
At this point, the third generation's expression was still relatively normal.
He sighed, preparing to say a few words of comfort to Naruto and then tell him to go back and get some rest.
"However, there is something I feel I need to be honest with you."
Naruto suddenly stepped forward, interrupting the Third Hokage's thoughts.
He unzipped the stand-up collar of his shirt, revealing three black curse marks on his neck.
The third generation's pupils contracted sharply, and he almost dropped the pipe in his hand.
"This...this is?!"
He stood up in shock.
What terrified him so much was not only Orochimaru's evil Heavenly Curse Seal,
He was even more shocked by the spells surrounding the curse seal, which clearly suppressed it.
"A variant of the Diamond Lock technique?"
"Naruto... you actually suppressed Orochimaru's cursed seal all by yourself?!"
The third generation's voice trembled with disbelief.
They've grown up so fast!
If Naruto's growth were merely linear, the Third Hokage would only be pleased.
They felt he had inherited Minato's talent and was a pillar of Konoha's future.
But this... is an exponential growth rate.
Six months ago, he was still struggling to climb trees, but now he can do it without any help from others.
How could he suppress the power left behind by the three legendary ninjas single-handedly?
This is not normal.
The Third Hokage sat back down in his chair, his expression shifting from shock to solemnity.
His talent is truly unprecedented and unparalleled.
Or... is he hiding something?
A sense of alienation and loss of control arose spontaneously.
"Grandpa, is this thing dangerous?"
Naruto, observing the Third Hokage's ever-changing expression, subtly revealed a hint of nervousness and asked.
The third generation took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the doubts in his heart.
He sat back down in his chair, trying to keep his tone gentle to mask his inner unease:
"...Don't worry, Naruto."
"It is indeed a dangerous thing, but since you have taken control of it, it means you have the ability to manage it."
"Go back and get some rest. The village will handle Orochimaru's matter."
"OK."
Naruto zipped up his jacket, but didn't leave immediately.
He adjusted his glasses and casually brought up the topic:
"Oh, right, Third Hokage, there's one more thing... about Kusagakure, that girl named Karin."
"She is an orphan of the Uzumaki clan and possesses exceptional medical talent."
Could we make her a Konoha ninja, or at least let her settle here?
Naruto had a smile on his lips.
Because in his view, this was simply a matter of course.
When Uzushiogakure was destroyed, Konoha was unable to provide timely assistance due to fighting on multiple fronts, which can be understood as a helpless situation.
But now that the situation has stabilized, they've taken in a talented orphan of an ally.
It is both reasonable and justifiable.
Moreover, it perfectly embodies the "Will of Fire" that Konoha has always promoted.
However, the third generation did not immediately agree.
He lit his pipe again, his brow furrowed, and fell into a long silence.
After a long silence, the third generation finally spoke, his tone tinged with difficulty:
"Naruto... this matter is probably going to be very difficult."
Naruto's smile froze slightly.
"Difficult to handle?"
"That girl used to be a member of the Uzumaki clan, but now she is a ninja from Kusagakure."
The third generation tapped his pipe, his voice somewhat muffled:
"As you know, although Kusagakure is just a small hidden village, it is also one of Konoha's allies."
"That child, as the possessor of a special physique, is a special strategic resource belonging to Kusagakure Village."
"If we detain her, it will likely cause a lot of diplomatic trouble."
"This is not in Konoha's interest."
Naruto looked at the Third Hokage in front of him, and his eyes behind his glasses suddenly turned cold.
Suddenly, he gained a deeper understanding of the old man.
So this is how the old man who keeps talking about "the Will of Fire" and "the bond between comrades" actually does things?
For the sake of so-called political stability and diplomatic face, can we disregard the blood ties of our former allies and allow them to be bullied at will?
This is... the Will of Fire?
Despite his inner rage, Naruto showed no outward sign of it.
He maintained his gentle, even somewhat naive smile and asked softly:
"Is there really no other way?"
The third generation slowly shook his head, took a puff of his pipe, and continued:
"I can use the organizer's authority to keep her in Konoha until the Chunin Exams are over."
"This... is the limit."
The Third Hokage looked at Naruto and sighed inwardly.
This is the world of ninjas, Naruto.
Although you have gained power, you are still too young and do not understand political compromise.
"I see. It seems that's indeed a difficult problem."
Naruto nodded, seemingly accepting this explanation.
Just when the Third Hokage thought the conversation was over, Naruto suddenly said in a relaxed tone:
"Well... if, I mean if..."
"Kusagakure suddenly disappeared from the map, and she became a homeless refugee..."
"Does this mean... Konoha will be able to take her in?"
"!!!"