Hokage's Office.
The Third Hokage looked up from his crystal ball.
"Naruto's Kekkei Genkai is developing well. It shows immense potential."
"Hiruzen, you really should hand Naruto over to Root. I could systematically develop his Kekkei Genkai. This isn't a simple one; if all goes well, we might even be able to mass-produce it," Danzo said, frowning from the side.
"Naruto is Minato's only son," the Third replied, his dissatisfaction clear.
"So what? You've already failed Minato's expectations," Danzo scoffed coldly.
"No, that was all your doing!" The mention of Minato, a sensitive topic, instantly riled the Third Hokage. "If you hadn't recklessly spread those rumors back then, Naruto wouldn't have grown up amidst such animosity. If he had grown up with the bonds I planned for him, with a happy childhood, he might have already fully inherited the Will of Fire and become a dependable ninja by now."
The mere thought of Minato filled the Third with anger. He had never intended for Naruto to bear the villagers' malice; he hadn't anticipated such a turn of events.
"Hmph. You didn't stop the rumors either, did you? You tacitly approved of my methods. Now that you regret it, you push all the blame onto me. Hiruzen, you're far too irresponsible for a Hokage," Danzo retorted, his own temper flaring, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"Enough. Let's drop the subject," the Third said, cutting off the conversation about Minato. He took a long drag from his pipe, as if hoping all his troubles would dissipate with the smoke.
A heavy silence subsequently fell over the office.
After a long while, Danzo finally spoke. "Everything is ready on that end, I presume?"
"Yes," the Third responded curtly. He gazed out the window at Konoha, shrouded in darkness, where ninja occasionally flickered through the streets. A hint of sorrow touched his eyes as he murmured, "So, it has come to this…"
"Enough with your sentimentality, Hiruzen! Traitors deserve their fate. All we're doing is setting things back on the right track—all for the sake of protecting Konoha," Danzo's voice grew sterner. "This is the Konoha our predecessors defended. Under our combined efforts, it will become better. If some rotten apples have appeared, then they must be culled."
"This was their choice. Our hands are forced."
Under the night sky, Danzo and the Third Hokage stared out at Konoha, a silent understanding passing between them as their expressions gradually hardened.
The purge would begin soon.
Back home, Naruto removed his training weights and quickly washed off the exhaustion.
Lying on his bed, he stared blankly at the ceiling. A year had passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. For now, everything was progressing as planned.
A smile touched Naruto's lips as he recalled the events of the past year.
First, there were the Nine-Tails and Minato, cooped up inside him. The two, who should have been mortal enemies, had unexpectedly become roommates. The internet-addicted evil fox spent his days engrossed in computer games, yelling and shouting, much to Minato's dismay. Minato had even protested to Naruto countless times. It was a classic case of tables turning; Minato, who had no interest in games, found himself endlessly harassed by the Nine-Tails.
Rock Lee's growth over the year had been remarkable. Under Naruto's influence and guidance, he was no longer the simple-minded boy he once was; he at least had some brains now. For Rock Lee, following Naruto was his ultimate goal. In his own words: "My brain isn't very good. If I can solve something with my fists, I'll never use my head. So, following Naruto is definitely the right choice. With Naruto around, I don't even need a brain."
Uchiha Sasuke's development was even more pronounced. Though still as proud and aloof as ever, Naruto could sense Sasuke's acknowledgment, perhaps even admiration. The tsundere brat would train with Naruto every day. Of course, if Itachi returned home from a mission, Sasuke would ditch training without a second thought to spend quality time with his nii-san.
Haruno Sakura continued to fawn over Naruto, which made him rather uncomfortable. As for Yamanaka Ino, she still had a crush on Sasuke, but her personality was quite carefree; if she could get him, great, if not, she wouldn't force it.
His other classmates were pretty much the same, without any major changes, and their relationships with Naruto were decent.
But the one who surprised Naruto the most was Hinata.
He vaguely remembered it was one morning about six months ago. Naruto was walking down the street, planning to buy some groceries. Having received knowledge from the Shinigami world, while not a master chef, he had achieved a fair degree of culinary skill. Whether it was the savory, spicy, and numbing flavors of Chinese cuisine or the exquisite presentation of Western dishes, he could handle them all with ease. Every so often, Naruto would prepare an elaborate meal for himself. In his view, life was already hard enough; without a little ceremony, he'd be doing himself a great disservice.
As he walked, Naruto suddenly heard familiar sounds of bullying. Following the noise, he discovered a group of brats picking on a girl. This filled him with rage. He had thought that after he'd taught them a lesson, those unruly kids would have changed their ways, but it seemed old habits died hard. He was about to step in.
Then, a figure suddenly appeared before the brats, and a fist slammed into the nearby wall. CRASH! A deep fist-shaped indentation appeared in the masonry.
Seeing this, Naruto ducked back into his hiding spot, watching quietly.
After the mysterious figure appeared, the brats all fell silent, trembling with fear.
"Are you bullying someone again?" A familiar, clear female voice rang out as the figure turned to face the troublemakers.
In that instant, Naruto saw the face.
It was… Hyuuga Hinata?! The timid, stuttering little girl?
"Hey, you lot." The Hinata standing there was a complete contrast to the shy, adorable image Naruto had of her. Her eyes had transformed into unnerving Byakugan, the veins around them bulging, adding a terrifying aura.
Hinata shielded the bullied girl behind her, cornering the brats. She slammed a hand against the wall, her face murderous as she glared at them. "If I ever see you bullying anyone again, this fist will land on your heads."
The brats, utterly terrified, scrambled away as fast as their legs could carry them, practically wetting themselves.
"Wow, big sister, you're so cool!" the girl Hinata had protected exclaimed, her eyes shining with admiration.
Hinata turned, a gentle smile just like Naruto's spreading across her face. She gently ruffled the girl's hair. "Are you hurt?"
"N-no, I'm fine! Big sister, you should join our Go-Go Gang! You can be our leader, okay?" The girl hugged Hinata, eyes sparkling.
"So, the little pushover has changed," Naruto mused with a soft chuckle, retracting his gaze. It seemed everyone was working hard, striving to become better.
"Everyone in this world is constantly changing. Only by continuously improving can one adapt to the world," he murmured to himself, a smile playing on his lips. He added silently in his heart, 'But I will transcend this world.'
Hinata's transformation was a great comfort to Naruto; it meant she was no longer a doormat.
In the following days, Naruto noticed that Hinata still maintained a gentle and slightly shy demeanor during school hours. However, she wasn't afraid to communicate; instead, much like himself, she was happy to listen and share. It was only after school that she would step in to right wrongs, her Gentle Fist ever ready to help.
In just a few short months, Hinata had won over all the local brats, becoming their revered "Big Sis."