Chapter 2: Revelations and Reflections

The hug with Iruka-sensei ended, leaving me with the comforting, unfamiliar weight of the Konoha headband on my forehead. The relief on Iruka's face was palpable, but I also saw confusion and exhaustion swimming in his eyes.

"So, Iruka-sensei, what do we do now?" I asked, reverting to my more practical tone. The euphoria of the moment was fading, replaced by the need to handle the fallout.

"Now, Naruto…" Iruka began, his voice still a bit unsteady, "first, we need to report to the Hokage about… about all this." I detected a spike of nervousness in his chakra, a worry about how the village leader would react to the theft of the scroll, even with the favorable outcome.

"Understood. Let's go then. The sooner we get this over with, the better, right?" I replied calmly.

Iruka seemed a little surprised by my lack of apprehension, but he nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Hey, Naruto…" he added, trying to force a smile to lighten the mood, "after we talk to Lord Hokage, how about I treat you to a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku? To celebrate your graduation."

The offer was tempting. Naruto's memories screamed 'Yes!' with almost Pavlovian enthusiasm. But my own mind, the nineteen-year-old one, was buzzing. I needed time to process, to think about my next moves, not pretend everything was normal at a ramen stand.

"Well, Iruka-sensei… I think I'll pass this time," I said, letting out a sigh. "I want to rest a bit."

Iruka's mouth fell slightly open. "Huh? Naruto, are you feeling alright?" His astonishment was genuine. The Naruto he knew would never turn down free ramen, especially not from him.

It was an obvious deviation; I needed an excuse. "No, I'm fine, sensei, just… my head's spinning from everything Mizuki told me, you know? About… the Kyuubi and all that." I lied, using a half-truth as a shield. It was a perfectly logical reason for even Naruto to be affected and want to be alone.

I can't completely change my personality overnight, I thought. It would be too suspicious. But this has to start changing. My plan was simple: I'd use Mizuki's revelation and the 'awakening' of my supposed dōjutsu as catalysts to justify my change in attitude to the Hokage. Yes, I was going to tell him about the Six Eyes. Trying to hide something so fundamental, something that affected my perception and abilities so drastically (and also made my eyes glow), seemed like a recipe for long-term disaster. Better to reveal it now, on my terms, than be discovered later. I could use it as a cover story and, at the same time, avoid future problems.

Iruka seemed to accept my excuse. "Ah… yeah. Well, you're right, Naruto. It's been a very long night for you. You need to rest," he said with a resigned tone, perhaps feeling a bit guilty for not having been able to shield Naruto from that truth sooner. "We'll save the ramen for another day."

Just as we were about to continue talking, or rather, start walking towards the Hokage Tower, a figure appeared beside us in a silent swirl of leaves. An ANBU, with their expressionless porcelain mask.

"Lord Hokage requests your presence immediately," the ANBU said, their voice as flat and emotionless as their mask.

"Yes, of course. We're on our way," Iruka replied, instinctively straightening up.

I just nodded and followed Iruka and the silent ANBU. It didn't take long to reach the Hokage Tower. Once inside, the ANBU led us to the office door, opened it, and knelt just inside.

"Hokage-sama, Iruka and Naruto Uzumaki are here," they reported.

"Very well. You may leave," the deep, tired voice of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, resonated from behind the paper-laden desk. The ANBU vanished as silently as they had arrived.

"Well, look who we have here…" Hiruzen said, looking up from his paperwork. His eyes, though old, were sharp. "If it isn't the little thief Naruto. Tell me, boy, what were you thinking?" His tone was scolding, the expected dressing-down from the village leader.

Iruka immediately stepped forward. "Lord Hokage, it's not entirely his fault! It was Mizuki who tricked him into stealing the Scroll of Seals! He lied to him!" he said urgently, defending me.

The Hokage just looked at Iruka with serious eyes, assessing the situation. Then, his gaze fell on me. With my Six Eyes, I observed how his chakra, though vast and powerful, felt weary with age and the stress of his position. His gaze lingered on my face, and I noticed a faint flicker of surprise in his expression, barely perceptible. I was strangely serious and calm, very unlike the hyperactive, stubborn kid he knew. I could see the question forming in his mind, but he pushed it aside for the moment.

His eyes returned to Iruka. He sighed, the weight of the world seeming to settle on his shoulders. "Alright, Iruka. Calm down and tell me exactly what happened."

And so, Iruka recounted everything: Mizuki's deception, my flight with the scroll, the confrontation in the woods, the revelation about the Kyuubi, and my unexpected demonstration with the Kage Bunshin that ended with the traitor's capture. Hiruzen listened patiently, nodding occasionally, his face unreadable.

When Iruka finished, the Hokage remained silent for a moment, processing. "Very well, Iruka. I understand the situation. Thank you for your report and for protecting Naruto. You may leave. Get some rest."

Iruka bowed. "Yes, Lord Hokage." Before leaving, he shot me one last look, a mixture of concern and renewed pride, and then closed the door behind him, leaving me alone with the old leader.

The Hokage rested his elbows on the desk, laced his fingers together, and watched me intently. The atmosphere in the office felt heavier.

"Tell me, Naruto… what's going on in that head of yours? You're… different. Calmer than I expected, considering everything."

This was it. I took a deep breath. "Well, Gramps…" I used the affectionate term Naruto sometimes used, hoping it would soften the atmosphere a bit, "finding out I'm the vessel for the Nine-Tails was… weird. But, in a way, it was also an answer." I paused, organizing my thoughts and Naruto's fragmented memories. "An answer to all the years of cold stares, whispers behind my back, closed doors. I finally understand why the villagers treated me that way. And honestly…" I sighed, "part of me wants to yell at you, be angry with you for not telling me sooner. But I can't."

"Because, despite everything, you've always treated me well." My mind reviewed Naruto's memories, now filtered through my 19-year-old perspective. Contrary to many fanfics I'd read where Hiruzen was manipulative or negligent, the reality stored in this brain was different. Hiruzen gave him a generous stipend, more than enough. If Naruto ate poorly (instant ramen, expired milk), it was because many shopkeepers refused to sell him fresh food or gave him expired goods. That was the fault of people's ignorance and hatred, not directly Hiruzen's. In fact, Naruto vaguely remembered noticing shadows following him sometimes (ANBU protectors, I knew now) and even finding bags of fresh groceries left anonymously at his door occasionally. Hiruzen wasn't perfect; maybe he could have done more to combat the prejudice, but he wasn't the villain some stories painted him as. He was an aging leader doing what he could in a difficult situation. That understanding, that lack of deep betrayal from the Hokage, was one reason I decided revealing the Six Eyes was the best path. "So no, I'm not angry. Just… processing. And I'm more relaxed for another reason, Gramps."

I looked up to meet his questioning gaze. "Apparently… I awakened a power during the whole incident."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed slightly. "A power, Naruto? What are you talking about?" His tone became more serious, alert.

"My eyes," I said simply. "Apparently, I can see and control chakra much better now."

It was then Hiruzen seemed to recall. His gaze sharpened, focusing on my blue eyes, which probably still held that residual glow. I could see with my own Eyes how he connected the dots: my unusual calm, my sudden skill with Kage Bunshin, the intensity in my gaze he'd noticed earlier…

"Your eyes?" he repeated, leaning forward slightly. "I recall noticing something… different. I thought it was adrenaline or perhaps an influence from the Kyuubi… But you say it's a power. Explain, Naruto. In more detail. What abilities do these eyes grant you?" His voice held a note of restrained awe, the scholar in him analyzing the possibility of a new dōjutsu appearing out of nowhere in Naruto Uzumaki.

I braced myself. I needed to be clear, but not reveal its full potential or its transdimensional origin. "Well, for starters, my vision is… total. I can see a full 360 degrees around me, like I have eyes in the back of my head. I can also see through solid objects to a certain extent." I paused, letting him absorb that. "And the most important thing is chakra. I can see it with incredible clarity: the flows, networks, nature, quantity… even the intent behind it, to a degree. And controlling it… is much easier now. It's like… like chakra itself speaks to me, guides me. I understand how jutsu work on a fundamental level almost instinctively. That's why I could use Kage Bunshin so easily and with so many clones."

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his face a mask of deep concentration. I could see his mind working at high speed, comparing my description to known dōjutsu. "360-degree vision, ability to see through objects, detailed chakra perception… Sounds similar to the Hyuuga's Byakugan," he muttered to himself, "...but that ease of control and chakra comprehension… that's different. Far more advanced in that regard. Perhaps a unique mutation, a result of combining your Uzumaki genes with… the Kyuubi? Or something entirely new?"

I didn't answer, letting him draw his own conclusions. It was better for him to think it was a genetic quirk than an interdimensional gift.

Finally, Hiruzen sighed again, this time more due to the added complexity to his already long list of problems. "Naruto, this is… a lot to take in. And it's already very late." He glanced at a clock on the wall. "We'll talk about this more calmly tomorrow. I need to think, perhaps consult some old records."

I nodded. It was a reasonable response. "Okay, Gramps. Tomorrow I have to go to the Academy for team assignments and my ninja registration photo. I can stop by afterwards."

"Good," Hiruzen said, already turning his attention back to the mountain of paperwork, though I could sense his mind was still churning over my revelation. "Now go home and rest. It's been a… hectic day."

"Bye, Gramps." I stood up and left the office, closing the door softly.

As I walked through the silent hallways of the Tower and then through the nighttime streets of Konoha, I replayed the conversation. I didn't regret revealing the Six Eyes. Hiding it would have been a constant burden and a risk. Now, Hiruzen knew. I'd be under observation, no doubt, but it was better than being discovered and considered an unknown threat. I trusted, based on Naruto's memories and my own analysis, that Hiruzen wouldn't act rashly. And as for Danzō… well, Naruto's memories suggested Hiruzen had always kept Danzō in check regarding the Jinchūriki. My new ability would likely make Hiruzen reinforce that protection, seeing me as an even more valuable (and potentially volatile) asset that needed careful handling, not handed over to ROOT. It was a calculated risk.

I quickened my pace, heading for Naruto's apartment. Arriving and opening the door, I found a functional but spartan space. Like any basic bachelor pad: a small kitchen, a bathroom, a modest living area, and a bedroom. It had the necessities but lacked any personal touch beyond some childish drawings taped to the fridge.

My stomach growled. Hunger. I went to see what was in the refrigerator. Reality hit: instant ramen of various flavors and a carton of milk that smelled suspicious. Nothing else. Great, I thought ironically. Some things are just like the fanfics. With resignation, I put some water on to boil in a small pot.

While I waited, my mind drifted to the immediate future. Tomorrow, team assignments at the Academy. Team 7, almost certainly. Kakashi, Sasuke… and Sakura. A tic of annoyance flickered through me at the thought of her. Naruto's memories were full of her scorn and punches. In my previous life, I'd always disliked her for how she treated Naruto. She had no right. I'd make sure that in this life, she never treated me like her lapdog. I'd establish clear boundaries from the start.

On the other hand… Hinata. The shy Hyuuga heiress. Naruto's memories barely registered her consciously, but I, as a fan, knew about her feelings. And, if I was honest with myself, in my old life, I always had a soft spot for her. Her kindness, her inner strength, her quiet devotion… Yeah, I'd take advantage of this second chance. Winning her over would be a pleasant personal goal. A small chuckle escaped me at the thought.

The sound of bubbling water in the pot pulled me from my reverie. I turned off the heat, poured the boiling water over the block of dried noodles and seasoning in the styrofoam cup. I waited the three long minutes, my mind vaguely reviewing future events that I now had the chance to alter: the Wave mission, the Chunin Exams, Orochimaru's invasion…

When the minutes were up, I peeled back the lid. Steam with an artificial aroma filled the small apartment. I started eating. It didn't taste bad; it was the familiar flavor from Naruto's memories. But experiencing it directly was different. It was one thing to 'remember' the taste, quite another to actually have it in my mouth. It was… acceptable. Survival food. I looked forward even more to visiting Ichiraku Ramen soon and trying the real deal.

I finished quickly, tossed the empty container in the trash, and went to the bedroom. It was as sparse as the rest of the place: a single bed, a small closet, and a nightstand. Nothing else. I took off the ninja sandals, the orange jacket (which I'd probably stop wearing soon), and lay down on the bed. The mattress was a bit hard, but I was too mentally and physically exhausted to care.

I closed my eyes, the darkness filling with the swirl of possibilities and dangers awaiting me. I hope this isn't just an incredibly vivid dream, was my last coherent thought before exhaustion claimed me and pulled me into unconsciousness.

Well, I hope you like this second chapter. I'll try my best to give you one daily, but no promises. If you have any questions, leave them here, and I'll do my best to answer them. And if you're reading this, leave your power stones! It doesn't cost you anything.