I'm not that Naruto Uzumaki

"Where the leaves dance, the fire will never cease. The flames will continue to illuminate the village, allowing new leaves to sprout..."

A large podium echoed with the signature voice of the Third Hokage—

Gentle, kind.

A voice that naturally made people feel as if they were listening to a benevolent elder.

Surrounding the podium was a crowd of excited parents and children, along with a steady stream of invited guests who had come to witness the ceremony.

This speech went on for two whole hours...

Finally, the moment the Third Hokage finished speaking, a wave of thunderous applause erupted like a tidal wave. The crowd went wild, and some people even raised their arms, shouting loudly as they rushed toward the stage.

The people surrounding the podium seemed to have been infected by some kind of terrifying virus. At this moment, their expressions were fervent, as if possessed. Whether adults or children, their eyes were filled with fanatical worship.

The Third Hokage was very satisfied with the response from the audience.

It was already mid-September, and today marked the official entrance ceremony for the new students of the Ninja Academy. He had deliberately set aside his office work to come and give an ideological speech. These children were the future of Konoha, and the Will of Fire had to take root in their hearts from the very beginning.

This was his greatest duty and responsibility as Sarutobi Hiruzen, the inheritor of the Will of Fire.

At this moment, Naruto stood alone on the outermost edge of the crowd, but he was also smiling and clapping. In situations like this, what mattered most was maintaining appearances.

More importantly, he had been personally invited by the Third Hokage.

When he woke up this morning, he had already sensed that many ninjas in the village were busy with something. Just as he took a bite of his breakfast, he noticed the Third Hokage approaching with his subordinates.

Naruto's current sensory range had already exceeded a five-kilometer radius, and as his chakra continued to grow, this range would only expand further in the future.

The Third Hokage had brought him here under the pretense of teaching him a new jutsu, but in the end, all he did was hand him a scroll before heading up to the stage.

He never even mentioned anything about attending a speech at the academy, so Naruto didn't bother using the Transformation Jutsu.

As a result, when he first arrived, he was still relatively close to the podium. However, as more people gathered, it was as if he were some kind of plague— the crowd naturally pushed him further and further away.

What made him slightly speechless was that even Hayate Gekko had stealthily followed him. Only after Naruto had smiled and clapped for a few seconds did Hayate finally leave his side and head toward the Third Hokage.

"Naruto, did you hear that? This is the Will of Fire passed down from the First Hokage!"

In the sealed space, Namikaze Minato's voice suddenly echoed.

Was the Will of Fire really that powerful? Naruto shifted his consciousness into the seal and looked at his father's excited expression, somewhat surprised.

"What's so special about it?"

Naruto asked, his gaze calm as he stared at his father.

Minato's expression grew solemn as he spoke:

"The Will of Fire is the foundation of Konoha's strength. It is a belief that has been passed down from the First Hokage to this very day. The Will of Fire is about protecting the people important to us, ensuring they do not come to harm."

"It tells us that the youth are the future, and that the older generation must trust and protect them, shielding them from the storm. The sacrifices of those who came before us are not meaningless— they serve as an inspiration, encouraging the younger generation to become the pillars of the future."

"Only the Will of Fire can ensure that children grow up in peace and do not perish due to war!"

By the time Minato uttered his final sentence, he was already quite impassioned.

Kurama, who had been dozing off nearby, lazily opened his narrow fox eyes. After taking one look at Naruto's expression, he let out a mocking smirk.

"Are you finished?"

Naruto's tone was clearly dismissive, his expression unchanged from before.

"Uh..."

Seeing his son's reaction, Minato suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

Naruto looked directly into his father's eyes and said,

"Father, have you ever considered that the person who created the Will of Fire might have actually been setting people up for failure?"

Minato's expression immediately became serious. "That's impossible!"

Naruto's eyes flickered as he continued,

"Do you remember Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo?"

At the mention of that name, Minato's body stiffened instantly.

"That genius ninja, whose name once echoed throughout all nations, someone even the Legendary Sannin respected— he faithfully upheld the ideals of the Will of Fire, abandoning his mission to save his comrade, only to be condemned by the village. In the end, even the very teammate he saved turned on him, and he took his own life, unable to bear the ostracization."

Naruto then recalled the most severe case of mental illness in the world of shinobi and continued,

"You just said that the Will of Fire allows children to grow up in peace, free from the threat of war."

"But when I looked through Konoha's historical records, that doesn't seem to be the case."

"During the Third Shinobi War, one of your subordinates died, right? Even though he was eventually buried in the Konoha Hero's Memorial, he was only thirteen."

Minato immediately understood who Naruto was referring to, and a deep guilt overtook him.

"And the funniest part? The First Hokage, the very founder of the Will of Fire— his own grandson, Senju Nawaki, died at the age of twelve during the Second Shinobi War."

"Also, there's something I've never quite understood, Father. Can you tell me why, ever since the Third Hokage took power, the Senju clan gradually dwindled until only Tsunade-hime was left?"

Minato, still trapped in his guilt, suddenly went blank at Naruto's question. He genuinely didn't know.

He had died too early— he never had the chance to uncover many of these truths. From the end of the war to his ascension as Hokage, he had less than a year.

"Heh! Naruto, give me your fist. I actually know a bit about the Senju Clan's situation."

Hearing Kurama's voice, Naruto immediately thought of its first Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Mito, and pressed his fist against the fox's.

Moments later, Naruto relayed everything Kurama had shared to his father.

Then, Naruto withdrew from the sealed space, leaving Minato looking as though he had lost his will to live— even though he was already dead.

Back in reality, Naruto's attention shifted toward a certain direction.

He sensed that more ninjas had arrived at the outskirts of the crowd.

But these individuals stood out— they weren't clapping, their expressions were blank, and their eyes were filled with cold indifference.

Yet deep within that indifference was a burning sense of unwillingness.

Naruto took one look at their standard-issue vests, which were different from the usual ANBU attire, and instantly recognized them.

Konoha's Military Police Force— a group of Uchiha.

He had no interest in them.

Compared to the living, the dead— if used properly— could be far more valuable in the shinobi world. But these people? They weren't worth the effort.

Glancing at the Third Hokage, who stood on stage surrounded by adoring villagers, Naruto pulled out the scroll he had been given.

Realizing that the Hokage wouldn't be coming to find him, he quietly stepped away to a secluded corner and unrolled the scroll.

Upon reading its contents, he couldn't help but smirk— it was a beginner-level taijutsu manual for academy students.

Fine, then. From today onward, he could openly display his taijutsu skills.

With that thought, he headed toward the Ninja Tool Store.

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