What Konoha Needs is Killer Bee
Naruto had no idea about the conversation happening inside Ichiraku Ramen, and even if he did, he probably wouldn't have cared much.
In Konohagakure, there were few who truly knew his identity, but they weren't nonexistent. However, the only one he could directly rely on was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
At this moment, Naruto was about to head home to rest when two peers blocked his path.
One of them was munching on potato chips, occasionally grabbing a handful and stuffing them into his mouth. The other extended his hand toward Naruto and said casually, "Hey, I'm Shikamaru Nara, and this guy here is Choji Akimichi. We want to be friends with you."
Shikamaru Nara? Choji Akimichi?!
Naruto was well aware of these names. They were members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, an important lineage among Konoha's young generation.
But wasn't this way of making friends a bit too straightforward? Shouldn't there be a reason?
Inside him, the Nine-Tails scoffed, "Brat, these kids must have a reason for approaching you."
Naruto studied Shikamaru and Choji for a moment before grinning and extending his hand in return. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. You're welcome to be my friends. From now on, we're close buddies."
With just a few exchanged words, the three of them seemed like old friends. They even made plans to meet in the woods the next day.
However, Naruto couldn't help but glance at Shikamaru a few more times, wondering what was going on inside the mind of the Nara clan's heir—the clan known for their intelligence and strategic thinking.
After they parted, Choji frowned in confusion. "Shikamaru, is this really how you make friends? Isn't it too direct? It's like we're telling Naruto outright that we were sent to befriend him."
Shikamaru sighed and glanced at Choji before watching Naruto's retreating figure.
"I thought of many ways to do this, but every other method felt too forced. It's better to just be upfront and tell him we want to be his friends. Besides, I've completed my father's request."
Choji hesitated, unable to refute his friend's reasoning. Instead, he stuffed another handful of potato chips into his mouth.
What Shikamaru didn't reveal was that, after observing Naruto for so long, he genuinely wanted to befriend him.
Despite being labeled a "demon fox," Naruto was just an orphan—a boy whose parents had died. There were hundreds of orphans in the village, but Naruto was the only one strong enough to endure the villagers' hatred and still stand tall.
Such a person would not be ordinary in the future. He was worth befriending.
---
The Next Day – In the Woods
At noon, Naruto met up with Shikamaru and Choji in the woods.
He couldn't be sure whether they were sent by the Third Hokage, but he was certain their fathers had instructed them. After all, Shikaku Nara and Choza Akimichi were both part of the Jonin Council and among the few who knew Naruto's true identity.
This, in a way, reflected Konoha's current stance toward him.
As the trio gathered, they naturally discussed what to do. Naruto grinned and suggested, "Let's play Ninja War! It's a popular game in the village."
The game involved role-playing as Hokage and battling as ninja.
Choji's face immediately fell. His idea of playing was to explore, eat, and enjoy himself—not sparring.
Why are we fighting? We're just kids who haven't even entered the Academy yet…
Choji shot Shikamaru a pleading look, but the lazy genius already wore a resigned expression. Fighting was just too troublesome.
However, they had been the ones to approach Naruto first, so they had no choice but to go along with his suggestion.
The "play fight" started off lighthearted, but as they got into it, the moves became sharper, more precise.
Naruto was secretly observing the gap between himself and his peers.
---
Inside the Hokage's Office
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the scene through his crystal ball, a small smile forming on his lips.
As he aged, he enjoyed seeing the younger generation brimming with energy. It kept his mind sharp.
He wasn't surprised that Naruto had befriended Shikamaru and Choji. This outcome was, after all, the result of discussions with the Nara and Akimichi clan heads. Shikaku Nara and Choza Akimichi had once been Minato Namikaze's comrades, and they welcomed the idea of their sons being friends with Minato's child.
However, Hiruzen had only one condition: Naruto's true identity was to remain a secret.
Looking at the crystal ball now, he saw that Shikamaru and Choji had carried out their task perfectly. They had befriended Naruto with ease and were already playing together.
But what caught the Hokage's attention the most was Naruto's combat ability—even in a simple game.
It had been less than two months since he'd given Naruto access to basic shinobi texts, yet the boy had already refined his chakra and demonstrated impressive taijutsu.
At this rate, Naruto could graduate from the Academy as soon as he mastered the Three Basic Jutsu.
Few in his memory had shown such talent at this age—perhaps only Kakashi Hatake and Itachi Uchiha. One became Konoha's youngest Jonin, while the other displayed exceptional potential from an early age.
And Naruto was Minato's son. Jiraiya's student. The village's Jinchuriki.
There was no doubt—he was Konoha's future.
But their bond…
Hiruzen sighed. His connection with Naruto wasn't strong enough yet. He had to ensure that Naruto remained loyal to the village.
As he pondered this, the office door creaked open.
An old man, wrapped in bandages with only one eye visible, stepped forward, leaning on his cane.
The moment he saw the lingering smoke in the office, he frowned.
"Sarutobi, slacking off again? Your smoking habit will only dull your senses on the battlefield."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, unfazed. "Danzo, I haven't been on the front lines in years. Tobacco helps me think. I leave missions to the younger generation now."
Danzo Shimura fell silent, his gaze shifting toward the crystal ball.
"So, this is the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki? He seems to be developing well, but I still believe Jinchuriki should be raised in the Root. Only through my methods can he reach his full potential."
Hiruzen's eyes darkened. "You mean turning him into a weapon?"
Danzo scoffed. "Jinchuriki are weapons. Training them to be obedient blades reduces casualties in war. If we had a properly trained Jinchuriki, we wouldn't have suffered so many losses in the war against Kumogakure. We wouldn't have been forced to negotiate."
Hiruzen's expression turned grim. "That's because we lost too many elite shinobi the night the Nine-Tails attacked…"
Danzo's lone eye glinted. "Which is why you should hand him over to me. In just three years, I can mold him into a Jonin—a true avenger for Konoha."
The Third Hokage's voice was firm. "Danzo, Konoha doesn't need another Han or Roshi from Iwagakure. What we need is a Killer Bee. And you can't train a Killer Bee."
Danzo stared at Hiruzen for a long moment before speaking in a low tone.
"Very well. At least you're still capable of making clear decisions. But the day you hesitate, Sarutobi… that day, I will take the Jinchuriki from you."
Hiruzen met his gaze with unwavering resolve.
"That day will never come, Danzo."
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