met free Chapter 284 Naruto's identity...it's time to reveal it.
Chapter 284 Naruto's identity...it's time to reveal it.
Chapter 284 Naruto's identity...it's time to reveal it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a tightness in his throat.
He saw the battle that lasted only a few seconds clearly.
"—I've made a huge mistake."
He sighed bitterly to himself.
Last night in the dream theater, at the moment of making the choice, he should have actually figured this out.
If Minato or Kushina were to come, while they would certainly be powerful, they would have a broader perspective and a sense of responsibility, and might be able to make a difficult but rational decision between Naruto and Konoha.
But the Naruto standing before me, who has stepped out of a dream, is different.
He grew up under the protection of his parents and had seen Konoha before the Nine-Tails' attack, a prosperous, warm, and powerful village. His understanding of Konoha was different from that of everyone else in reality.
He knew better than anyone what Naruto deserved, and he was less willing to back down than anyone else.
When he chose Naruto last night, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought he had made a safe compromise.
Looking back now, it wasn't a compromise at all; it was digging a hole for ourselves.
"Getting old—"
His hand, which was holding the pipe, trembled slightly involuntarily, and the pride he had in himself regarding his judgment almost collapsed at that moment.
At the other end of the street, voices began to gather.
At the entrance of the alley, several early-rising villagers peeked out and saw three masked members of the Anbu lying haphazardly on the ground. When they saw the former Hokage standing there in person, they were all speechless with astonishment.
Some people gasped in surprise, some hurriedly retreated, and many more were drawn by the commotion.
The wooden door was pushed open, and a vendor poked his head out of the house. A housewife carrying a vegetable basket and holding a child stopped at the street corner. Two children who had just been released from the ninja academy were leaning on the fence, whispering about "Anbu," "Hokage," and "That guy looks like a fox spirit."
Whispers slowly spread through the quiet street.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression gradually darkened.
He knew very well that in this situation, it was impossible for him to make a move easily.
If he were to make even the slightest rash move, the events of today would be known to every corner of Konoha.
Worse still, he could feel more and more eyes focused on him, including many who had already recognized Naruto but dared not make a sound out of respect for the Hokage's authority.
"Damn it—"
On the other side, Naruto in his dream stood in the middle of the street, his expression still calm, but his heart was as taut as a bowstring.
He could feel the oppressive aura emanating from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This Hokage is indeed old, but his chakra reserves and ninjutsu reserves are still something he needs to be wary of.
Naruto looked up in his dream and met the old man's gaze.
The other party's expression was complicated, but he hesitated to make a move.
"He won't act now."
Naruto quickly made a judgment in his mind during the dream.
Many residents on both sides of the street had stopped walking, and Konoha ninjas also arrived in twos and threes, but they were all temporarily blocked by Hiruzen Sarutobi by raising his hand to block them from the outside.
The old fox knew exactly what bottom line he should uphold, and he wouldn't personally attack Naruto in this situation.
"Take them away now."
Naruto in his dream took a deep breath.
He turned to the side, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Naruto, who was still standing there in shock, and Xiang, who was nervously clenching her little fists.
Just as he was about to turn around and speak, whoosh!
A whooshing sound suddenly rang out between them.
A figure, as if falling from the sky, appeared out of thin air in everyone's sight and landed steadily between Naruto in the dream and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The newcomer had short, messy, silver-white hair standing on end, and half of his face was covered by a black mask; it was none other than Kakashi Hatake.
He didn't speak immediately, but quickly scanned the scene.
The first thing that catches the eye is Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose face is tense and solemn.
Next came the three unconscious members of the Dark Guard lying on the ground.
Further behind were two blond boys, standing one in front of the other. They looked almost identical, but exuded completely different auras.
And the red-haired girl who was half-protected behind them.
Kakashi raised his hand and scratched his silver hair.
"well-
'
He sighed, his tone languid, but his eyes were serious.
"Looks like there was already a huge commotion here before I arrived."
The fact that the three ANBU members lying on the ground were all elites among elites, yet they were all cleanly and decisively defeated, already speaks volumes.
Upon seeing Kakashi appear, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a long breath.
"It's finally here—"
In this village, there are not many people he can truly rely on from the bottom of his heart.
The one in front of us is this.
"Kakashi!"
He disregarded all pleasantries, pointed directly at the dream version of Naruto, and said urgently, "There's no time to explain, subdue them first!"
"Especially that Naruto who came from the dream!"
Kakashi's body stiffened abruptly.
At the same time, Naruto in his dream also turned his gaze to Kakashi in front of him.
In that instant, the relaxed smile that had been on his face vanished, replaced by a calm and serious expression.
"Control us?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly in his dream.
Although the Kakashi in front of me has a different temperament from the Kakashi-sensei in my own world.
He was too lazy, and his eyes looked frivolous.
But that composure and aura don't lie.
In his world, Kakashi-sensei was not only his father's student, but also one of his father's most reliable Jonin.
Along with Shisui-senpai, he was truly his father's right-hand man.
Their strength is exceptionally terrifying.
"Even if Kakashi-sensei in this world is different—he is definitely not a simple character."
Naruto took a deep breath. He knew very well that the level of battle he had just fought was nothing to a Jonin of Kakashi's caliber.
If Kakashi obeys and takes action, it will be another truly fierce battle.
"Oh no!"
Naruto's mind raced in the dream, his peripheral vision quickly scanning behind him.
Naruto stood motionless, his lips pressed tightly together, clearly still reeling from the battle.
There's nothing we can do.
In the dream, Naruto's gaze shifted from solemn to resolute.
I intended to leave this intact as a gift to Naruto.
That way, even if I lose my parents or leave this world, I'll at least have one more safety net.
But now it seems there's no chance.
Without the slightest hesitation, Naruto in his dream world suddenly raised his hands and slapped them against his chest.
The next moment, his chakra seemed to be suddenly ignited, and waves of energy spread out from him, causing the air to distort slightly.
Naruto and Kaori, who were standing closest, were the first to notice the change.
Xiang's pupils contracted, and her keen instincts as a sensory ninja sent a chill down her spine.
"Naruto, look—"
She was about to speak up to remind him, but Naruto didn't listen at all.
At this moment, Naruto's attention was completely focused on the white-haired figure in the middle of the street.
"Kakashi-sensei————"
His throat felt blocked, and his voice was dry.
In Naruto's mind, Kakashi-sensei was always lazy and late, and always casually spouting nonsensical nonsense.
Regardless, Kakashi has always been a trustworthy mentor.
The sense of security he felt when the other person stood in front of him, Sasuke, and Sakura never disappointed him.
So, when he first saw Kakashi appear between himself and Naruto in his dream, the weight that had been hanging over his heart was briefly lifted.
Until I heard my third-generation grandfather's command.
The teacher who had stood in front of me countless times to shield me from danger is now being asked to attack me.
Naruto felt a tightness in his chest, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
"Kakashi-sensei—are you going to attack us too?"
In the dream, Naruto's chakra was rapidly increasing, and that aura was clearly not from a simple ninjutsu.
At the same time, Naruto's wounded gaze pierced Kakashi's heart.
Kakashi gave a wry smile.
"etc."
He suddenly raised his hand casually, just like a student in class.
"Don't misunderstand, everyone calm down first."
He looked at the two Narutos and said, word by word, "I have no intention of fighting you."
His seriousness when he spoke was in stark contrast to his usual lazy and casual demeanor.
The surging chakra that Naruto was releasing in his dream was abruptly suppressed, causing him to freeze.
He stared at Kakashi, who was holding up his hands, his face filled with astonishment.
"—What?"
Is Kakashi-sensei not planning to carry out the Hokage's orders?
This completely overturned his understanding of Kakashi-sensei.
In his own world, Kakashi-sensei, though not as lazy as he is here, is still full of energy and unconventional, often making up absurd excuses to avoid trivial matters.
But when it comes to his father's orders and the village's tasks, he always carries them out strictly without the slightest negligence.
At the other end of the street, Hiruzen Sarutobi was dumbfounded.
"Kakashi? You—!"
He could barely hold the pipe in his hand.
Do you even know what you're saying?
Kakashi did not answer immediately, but slowly turned to face Hiruzen Sarutobi, his gaze calm as he said, "I know very well, Third Hokage."
"It is precisely because we know this that we must make it clear here."
"I'm sorry, but this time, I cannot obey your orders. I will not lay a hand on them."
That one short sentence completely shattered the deathly silence of the street.
The villagers who were watching were stunned into silence, and their murmurs turned into suppressed gasps.
"Kakashi—refused the Hokage's order?"
"That can't be right."
"What exactly happened?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi never imagined that one day he would be contradicted by Kakashi in front of everyone.
Kakashi, who prioritizes missions and the overall situation, is the kind of ninja that he trusts the most.
Why would someone suddenly act so emotionally at this critical juncture?
Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily speechless.
Kakashi didn't look at him again, and slowly walked towards the dream Naruto and Naruto.
With each step taken, the hustle and bustle of the street quieted down a little more.
In the dream, Naruto subconsciously tensed up, while Naruto himself was somewhat dazed, and Kaori nervously grabbed his sleeve.
Kakashi stopped a step away from the two of them.
He was taller than both Narutos, and he had to lower his head slightly to make eye contact with them.
Dozens of eyes on the street were focused on this small area.
Kakashi stared at Naruto for a long time.
His eyes were filled with complexity and apology.
He slowly raised his hand.
Naruto's muscles tensed slightly in the dream.
Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, Kakashi gently placed his hand on Naruto's head, his soft voice carrying a clear sense of guilt.
"Naruto, first of all, your teacher wants to apologize to you."
"?"
Naruto was stunned, his eyes wide open.
"Apologize? Kakashi-sensei, why should you apologize?"
Kakashi gently ruffled his messy blond hair.
"It's because of what happened last night."
An indescribable emotion flashed across his eyes, and his voice was somewhat low.
"I'm sorry I couldn't let you meet your mother."
As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto's expression darkened.
"Ah, so that's what it is—"
It must be about the vote last night.
A deep sense of loss welled up in his heart once again.
Seeing his mother in person was indeed one of his deepest desires.
In the end, it was neither the father nor the mother who was chosen, but the version of herself in the dream.
He knew that being able to see Naruto in his dream was already a rare opportunity.
But that's human nature; we can't help but crave a little more.
Kakashi felt increasingly uneasy as he watched the boy suddenly quiet down.
However, in this somber atmosphere, Naruto suddenly took a deep breath and shook his head vigorously.
He suddenly raised his head.
The gloom on his face seemed to have been forcefully shaken off, replaced by a bright and dazzling smile.
"It's alright, Kakashi-sensei!"
His voice was exceptionally cheerful: "Although it's a bit of a pity I didn't get to see my mother! But—!"
Suddenly changing the subject, Naruto's eyes lit up, and he reached out and hooked his arm around the shoulder of the dream Naruto who was still warily observing Kakashi.
"but!"
"It would be amazing to see another version of myself!"
Naruto boasted to Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, you have no idea, he's really amazing!"
Naruto in his dream, who was being embraced by him, was stunned for a moment and subconsciously turned his head to look to the side.
At such close range, he could clearly see the lingering regret in Naruto's eyes, but beside that regret, a new light was slowly rising.
"This guy—"
Naruto's expression in the dream returned to its previous calm.
Despite enduring so much unfairness since childhood, he can still laugh so freely.
Kakashi was also taken aback by Naruto's words.
His gaze naturally fell on the dream version of Naruto.
He was a boy who looked exactly like Naruto, but he stood more steadily and had a deeper gaze.
He doesn't show the panic that Naruto often has; instead, he has the gentle yet strong temperament of Minato and Kushina, as if he has inherited the best qualities of both of them.
"That's true."
Kakashi's lips curved slightly under his mask.
"Naruto like this—he's more than just amazing—"
He might even break his own record.
The last unspoken evaluation was Kakashi's highest praise for a young person to date.
At this moment, he thought, if there hadn't been the Nine-Tails' attack back then, if they hadn't made that choice, would Naruto in reality have grown into such a dazzling young man?
This is the kind of person Naruto should be.
Naruto in the dream met his gaze in silence.
He saw complexity in Kakashi's eyes, but not any hypocrisy.
Such an honest gaze somehow loosened the slight doubt in his heart about the world.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was extremely pale.
Kakashi not only defied orders in public, but also sided with the two Narutos, even his tone carrying a sense of natural intimacy.
"Do you even understand what you're doing?!"
"Have you ever considered what would happen to the village if we let him run wild and let that story out?"
As Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, his voice became somewhat hoarse.
"Of course I understand," Kakashi said bluntly. "But, Third Hokage, is revealing Naruto's identity really that bad?"
At one end of the street, a villager reflexively gasped.
"identity----"
"Could it be that one..."
Those watching were beginning to realize that this was far more than just a simple family matter.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a tightness in his chest from Kakashi's words.
"you"
Just as he was about to retort, a lazy and teasing voice suddenly rang out behind him.
"That's right, Kakashi."
As soon as the words were spoken, someone instinctively turned around.
"That voice is—"
Two figures appeared at the other end of the street.
A middle-aged man with disheveled white hair hanging down his back, wearing a red coat and wooden clogs, had an expression on his face that made it hard to tell whether he was laughing or serious.
The other woman, wearing a green short-sleeved shirt, had blonde hair and a stunning figure, with a faint purple diamond-shaped mark on her forehead.
Jiraiya, and Tsunade, the current Hokage of Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi shuddered and instinctively turned around.
"Jiraiya—Tsunade—"
Jiraiya looked at Kakashi.
The two nodded slightly, exchanging a knowing glance.
He then turned around and met Hiruzen Sarutobi's weary eyes.
At this moment, Jiraiya's smile faded considerably, leaving only an unusual seriousness.
"Old man."
"Naruto's identity—it's time to reveal it."