Chapter 15: A New Dawn

Chapter 15: A New Dawn

The Third Hokage sat behind his large desk, deep in thought. After a moment, he rose and made his way toward the village outskirts.

"It seems I arrived just in time."

His gentle voice sounded behind Kazama and the others.

They turned to see the Hokage emerging from the shadows. The firelight illuminated his face, making his aged features appear even more pronounced, yet somehow also kinder. In that moment, he looked exactly like an elder watching over the younger generation.

"Third Hokage-sama."

"Third Hokage-sama."

"Old Man Hokage!"

The three greeted him in unison.

The Third smiled warmly and sat down beside the fire. "Kosuke, won't you treat an old man to a meal?"

Kosuke chuckled. "It would be my honor if the Third Hokage enjoys my cooking." He quickly served him a bowl.

"I must say, Kosuke, your cooking is as good as ever. It's hard to resist." He took a bite, savoring the taste.

"Right? Right? Grandpa Kosuke's cooking is the best!" Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

"You like it too, Naruto?"

"I love it!"

"Hahaha, good! The love for good food is the greatest compliment to the chef."

"Mhm! Mhm!" Naruto nodded eagerly, watching the Hokage eat. Seeing that the most respected figure in the village enjoyed the same food he did made the meal taste even better.

Feeling emboldened, Naruto lifted his empty bowl. "Another serving!"

"You've already had two bowls. Eat too much, and you'll have trouble digesting," Kazama warned.

"I don't care! I want more!"

"Fine, fine. Here you go."

Mealtime passed quickly, and soon, Naruto—full and content—began to nod off. But while he fought sleep, the other three remained alert.

"Thank you for the meal," the Third said. Kazama suspected something had happened today. The most likely issue: Naruto.

"As long as you enjoyed it, Third Hokage-sama."

"In return for the hospitality, let me teach you a jutsu, Kazama."

"Really? Thank you, Third Hokage-sama!" Kazama was taken aback—he hadn't expected this surprise. Since his grandfather had refused to teach him any jutsu, he had been planning to find another way. Now, fate had brought an opportunity right to him.

The Hokage stood, clasping his hands behind his back, and stepped into an open space. "Watch carefully—Earth Release: Earth Clone Jutsu."

Slowly and deliberately, he formed each hand seal. From the ground beside him, a humanoid figure emerged, gradually taking on the Hokage's appearance.

Kazama observed intently. The Third had intentionally slowed down his movements, making each seal clear. At his level, he could likely create an earth clone with just a simple gesture, yet he had chosen to demonstrate it in full. It was a clear sign—he truly wanted Kazama to understand.

Kazama appreciated the gesture and focused with all his might.

"Did you catch that?"

"Yes, I did!"

"Good. Now, it's up to you to practice. If you have any questions, you can ask your grandfather."

"I will train hard!"

Kazama immediately moved aside to practice. He understood that the Hokage had something important to discuss with Kosuke and had intentionally given him a task to keep him occupied. A man as shrewd as the Third never acted without purpose.

"I taught Kazama ninjutsu on my own initiative. I hope I haven't interfered with your methods."

"I planned to wait until his fundamentals were more solid before teaching him any jutsu," Kosuke admitted. The older generation believed in strong foundations. The fact that Kazama had gone so long without learning a single ninjutsu spoke volumes about Kosuke's intentions. The Third's question was simply a way to reassure him.

"Young people are naturally curious about ninjutsu. We were the same once. Lecturing them isn't always effective. Sometimes, it's better to give them a taste of real training—let them experience the difficulty firsthand. Only after struggling will they understand. Nothing teaches better than hardship."

Kosuke pondered for a moment. "Perhaps you're right, Hokage-sama."

"Enough talk. The real reason I'm here is because of Naruto. You know his identity as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, don't you?"

Kosuke remained silent. He resented how the village treated the boy but was powerless to change it.

"The villagers have shown him too much hostility. But today, you welcomed him. You gave him kindness he hasn't felt in a long time. Because of that, he might visit often from now on—I hope you won't mind."

Kosuke was puzzled. "If his safety is a concern, why allow him to come here?"

"No matter how cruel or violent the world of shinobi is, we still hold onto our beliefs. We haven't lost ourselves because deep inside, there is always a small, pure place—a source of warmth and kindness that keeps our souls intact.

"The village has too much hatred toward Naruto. In the past, I gave him what little kindness I could. Now, he has found you. That is his fortune. I hope you won't turn him away."

Kosuke took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, Hokage-sama."

"Then I leave Naruto in your care."

With that, the Hokage donned his hat, picked up the sleeping Naruto, and disappeared in a flicker.

"Has the Hokage left?"

"Yes. How's your Earth Release training?"

"I have no clue what I'm doing. I think I don't have a talent for ninjutsu. If only there was a way to test affinities—it would be much easier to train in what I'm naturally good at."

Kazama said it absentmindedly, but Kosuke's eyes glinted. There was, in fact, such a method—chakra nature testing paper, which could reveal one's elemental affinities.

Technically, Kazama should have used it long ago. However, Kosuke had deliberately delayed it, focusing on strengthening his fundamentals first. But now, it seemed time to bring it out.

"Let's try it." Kosuke pulled out two small slips of paper.

"This is chakra testing paper. By channeling chakra into it, the paper will react based on your natural affinities," he explained.

Kazama had heard of it before but had never seen one in person.

"This is the famous chakra testing paper?" He took one, channeling a small amount of chakra into it. Immediately, the paper reacted—splitting into two halves. One side became soaked, while the other crumbled into dust.

Kazama's eyes lit up. "I have three elements?!"

"Wind, Water, and Earth," Kosuke confirmed. He remained indifferent. Chakra affinities didn't determine strength—only how a shinobi used them mattered.

Kazama, on the other hand, was thrilled. He had assumed he might have Wind Release, given his efforts in training, but having three elements opened up far more possibilities.

Now, he could truly begin his journey as a shinobi.