Chapter 8

Naruto didn't bother entering through the Hokage Mansion's door. Instead, he jumped to the window and yanked it open.

[Kushina Uzumaki: Naruto, that's rude!]

[Minato Namikaze: Are you sure you weren't raised by Jiraiya-sensei?]

Ignoring both comments, he waved at the Third Hokage, who frowned at him while smoking his pipe.

[Tobirama Senju: He looks very old. He shouldn't have remained Hokage for so long.]

[Minato Namikaze: He had no one to pass the title to after my death. I guess he's waiting for someone worthy to appear.]

[Kushina Uzumaki: Naruto, you should become the Fifth Hokage!]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Not interested. Besides, the Fifth Hokage will be Tsunade Senju.]

[Hashirama Senju: Tsunade? My dear granddaughter…?]

[Mito Uzumaki: How do you know that?]

[Tobirama Senju: I've been wondering the same thing. This brat seems to have knowledge he shouldn't. He talks about events that haven't happened yet as if he's certain they will.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Pay up, and I'll tell you.]

[Tobirama Senju: …]

"Naruto… you should use the door. It's not polite to come in through the window," Hiruzen scolded him.

Naruto ignored him and sat down in front of him.

The Third Hokage observed him with curiosity. At this moment, the boy should be feeling down after failing the academy graduation test.

"Grandpa, I have important information for you," Naruto announced.

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.

"And what's so important?"

Naruto remained silent, confusing him.

"What is it?"

"Well… All information deserves compensation. I like to get paid before I work, you know…"

A vein throbbed on Hiruzen's forehead.

[Tobirama Senju: Even outside this chat, the brat keeps trying to get something out of people.]

"Did you spend your monthly allowance on Ichiraku's ramen again…?"

Naruto pursed his lips. He remembered that the previous Naruto had done something similar before.

[Kushina Uzumaki: I miss Ichiraku Ramen!]

"Nothing like that, old man! I want you to give me the Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Even though he already knew it, he couldn't just use it without raising suspicion. Hiruzen would ask questions.

"How do you know about that technique, Naruto? And why do you need it? You should focus on mastering the three basic techniques so you can graduate next year."

"Forget those techniques! I learned them a long time ago!"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, openly showing his disbelief.

"From what I understand, you failed the graduation test because you couldn't make a single clone…"

"That… That's the Kyūbi's fault!"

The pipe in Hiruzen's mouth fell to the floor.

"How do you know about the Kyūbi?! Did someone tell you?!"

"A few days ago, I went to bed, and when I fell asleep, I woke up in a sewer. That's where I met the Nine-Tails."

Hiruzen frowned. He hadn't expected the Kyūbi to take the initiative.

"Did it tell you anything…?"

"It tried to get me to come closer and almost ate me in one bite."

Hiruzen didn't know, but everything Naruto was saying was a lie.

Hiruzen also couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"But let's not change the subject! The Kyūbi's chakra interferes with mine, and I can't perform the Clone Jutsu properly! I'll never graduate from the academy like this!"

Noticing Naruto's attempt to change the subject, Hiruzen decided to play along.

After all, he preferred to avoid talking about the Kyūbi with him.

If Naruto ever discovered that it had been his decision to keep the truth about the seal from him, he had no doubt the boy would hate him.

"So that's why you want to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu…" Hiruzen finally understood Naruto's request.

Though he still wondered where Naruto had heard about that technique, he decided not to press the issue.

"Alright, Naruto. I'll allow you to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu. With your chakra reserves, you shouldn't have any problems, though it would be dangerous for others."

Naruto smiled in satisfaction.

Even though the Third had been a terrible Hokage, at least he had never treated him badly.

"Now… about that important information…" Hiruzen reminded him.

"Oh, right. Mizuki is a traitor. He tried to trick me into stealing the Scroll of Seals. He told me that if I learned a technique from the scroll, I could graduate from the academy and officially become a Genin."

Hiruzen's face darkened.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Naruto?"

"Believe it!" he exclaimed with a big grin, giving a thumbs-up.

Hiruzen averted his gaze, and at that moment, a shadow moved swiftly, vanishing from the room.

Without a doubt, the Anbu were already on their way to capture Mizuki.

It would be interesting when they informed Hiruzen about his connection to Orochimaru.

[Madara Uchiha's three-minute silence has ended.]

[Madara Uchiha: Why has this kid changed so suddenly? He went from being a cunning scammer to a grinning idiot…]

[Naruto Uzumaki: You're about to earn another three minutes of silence.]

[Madara Uchiha: …]

[Tobirama Senju: The boy certainly has a knack for getting what he wants with just words.]

[Madara Uchiha: He reminds me of Hashirama.]

[Tobirama Senju: I was about to say the same thing.]

[Hashirama Senju: It's creepy seeing you two agree on something…]

[Izuna Uchiha: Certainly…]

"Grandpa Hiruzen, let's make a deal!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, jumping onto the table and stepping on a pile of papers.

Hiruzen sighed as he saw them get dirty. Now he'd have to make copies…

"Speak."

He found it amusing that Naruto was trying to negotiate with him.

"If I manage to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu before dawn, you'll let me graduate from the academy!"

Hiruzen smiled. He had expected this.

Thinking about it, it wasn't a bad idea. Naruto should be in the same generation as the children of the most important clans in Konoha.

As a Jinchūriki, he would need connections in the future.

"I accept. But it has to be before dawn."

Naruto nodded with a smile.

Of course, Hiruzen didn't know that Naruto had already learned the technique thanks to his father, Minato Namikaze.

If he did, he would probably have a heart attack.

"Maybe I should tell him…"