Chapter 55: Paintless Image – Son of the Hokage
Because I've seen the movie twice before, I didn't expect this moment to surprise me.
No one anticipated that the darkened image would suddenly start playing new content again.
It wasn't just the Chūnin gathered near the central tower watching attentively. Ninjas from various major villages, who had already collected intelligence and prepared to analyze it, as well as commoners, wealthy merchants, nobles, and even daimyo, were all captivated.
Unlike before, this new content had no visuals, only audio.
> ???: "You, who failed to become Hokage, have no right to criticize the Hokage. And even more so... you have no right to insult my father, who did achieve that title! You b*****d!"
The audio came from a battlefield filled with chaos. The clash of ninjutsu was deafening. The speaker's voice was youthful but firm, hinting at a determined young man. Unfortunately, there were no accompanying images, leaving everyone guessing who he was.
> ???: "You've raised a fine son who respects his father~ah, ——"
The second voice was deep and imposing, vastly different from the young man's. Just from hearing it, the listener could sense it belonged to a powerful and commanding presence.
Abruptly, both the sound and image cut off, as though the content had been tampered with or stolen.
---
The Nine Tails Reacts
The first to respond was the Nine Tails fox sealed within Naruto's body.
"It's actually my voice?"
The beast's pride flared. Who dared mimic the great Nine Tails? This nonsense about praising humans was absurd! As the leader of the tailed beasts, the Nine Tails would never stoop to flattering mere mortals.
Naruto, unaware of the inner turmoil brewing within his tenant, reacted with his characteristic indignation.
Naruto: "Who's insulting the Hokage?!! I'll punch them into oblivion!"
---
A New Mystery
Shikamaru, ever the analyst, scratched his head thoughtfully. "If we're assuming the voice belongs to the Hokage's son, then there's only one possibility: the son of the Fourth Hokage."
Ino dismissed the idea of Asuma being involved, waving her hand. "That's impossible. He doesn't have any kids like that!"
"Yeah, it can't be Teacher Asuma," Chōji agreed while munching on a bag of chips.
Little Sakura, imagining Asuma's bearded face, shook her head. "Definitely not him!"
Shikamaru continued, "If this is a glimpse of the future, it can only mean that the Fourth Hokage's son has appeared. Considering the timeline, he would only be a few years older than us."
Naruto, now emboldened, shouted, "Maybe that's me after I become Hokage!"
Sasuke interjected, his tone dripping with disdain. "Don't flatter yourself, loser."
Naruto spun toward him, fists clenched. "What did you say, you b*****d Sasuke?!!"
Sasuke's face stiffened. Could it really have been Naruto's voice in the recording? No, that was impossible. Naruto was just an ordinary orphan, right? After the Third Ninja War, Konoha had been left with many orphans, and Naruto was no exception.
Meanwhile, Temari, observing the situation, turned to Shikamaru. "Does the Fourth Hokage even have children? I'm not trying to offend, but these images suggest... something."
---
The Fourth Hokage's Legacy
Shikamaru, still deep in thought, tried to piece it all together. The timeline of these three consecutive images seemed to be pointing toward the same period, roughly three or four years into the future.
If the voice did belong to the son of the Fourth Hokage...
Temari interrupted his thoughts. "Let the intelligence departments handle this. We've got the Earth Scroll—let's head to the central tower."
Naruto, full of energy as always, yelled, "Alright, let's go!"
---
Elsewhere in the Ninja World
The Land of Lightning – Kumogakure
The Fourth Raikage leaned back in his chair, frowning. "The Hokage's son? This is more information about Konoha than I like."
Killer Bee, always rhyming, added, "The Hokage's stupid son, stupid b*****d~"
Gyūki, the Eight Tails, grumbled. "Bee, that voice... No, it can't be... That sounded like the Nine Tails. But why would he praise humans? It doesn't make sense."
The Land of Fire – Konohagakure
In front of Konoha's Ninja Academy, a group of Jonin who knew Sarutobi Asuma exchanged glances.
Asuma himself, cigarette in hand, took a step back as he felt the sudden attention. Beside him, Kurenai teased him lightly.
Asuma: "It's not me, alright? My voice doesn't even sound like that."
Third Hokage Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Hmph, as if you could ever say something so dignified."
---
The Will of Fire
Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, reflected silently. The voice from the video was from a pivotal moment during the Fourth Great Ninja War, when Naruto had faced Uchiha Obito.
In his mind, Tobirama connected the dots: Sarutobi Asuma, his sacrifice for the village, and his role in passing on the Will of Fire.
The fire in Konoha must continue burning, illuminating the way for future generations.
Protect them. Teach them. Help them grow into better ninjas, so they too can protect what they hold dear.
---
A New Mission
As the crowd dispersed, Tobirama turned to Hiruzen. "Has the invitation for the Five Kage Summit been sent?"
Hiruzen nodded. "Yes, Second Lord."
Tobirama's crimson eyes glanced toward the shadows. "Good. Now, let's address the matter at hand."
From the darkness, a figure emerged. "Yes, Lord Second Hokage. Lord Third Hokage."
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