Chapter 241: Receiving the Inheritance
"If there's nothing else, we'll call it a day."
Kakashi gave the three Genin one final look.
Naruto nodded.
"Understood, Kakashi sensei."
Before Sakura could say anything, Sasuke had already walked over.
"Naruto."
His tone was as cool as ever.
"It's time to train."
Naruto glanced at him, then smiled.
"All right."
The two boys turned and left the training ground together.
Sakura stood where she was, staring at their backs.
Once again, she somehow felt like an outsider in her own team.
Even Kakashi's visible eye twitched slightly as he watched them disappear into the distance.
Those two certainly wasted no time.
Inside Naruto, Asuramaru's attention was elsewhere.
His Perception spread through the surrounding forest.
Four concealed chakra signatures.
There had originally been only two ANBU assigned to Naruto.
Now there were twice as many.
Asuramaru smiled slightly.
"So Hiruzen really has recognized Naruto's value."
That was excellent news.
The more important Naruto became in Hiruzen's eyes, the less Asuramaru needed to worry about drawing attention when increasing his strength.
With the Third Hokage actively protecting him, Naruto could afford to grow much more openly.
After considering it for a moment, Asuramaru turned his attention toward the system.
"System."
"Give me another ten pull."
The response came immediately.
[Ding! Consuming 100,000 emotion points.]
[Beginning ten pull.]
[Thank you for your patronage.]
[Thank you for your patronage.]
[Thank you for your patronage.]
[Independent Space]
[Capacity: 100 cubic metres.]
[Thank you for your patronage.]
The remaining results continued in much the same fashion.
By the end, the only useful reward was the Independent Space.
Asuramaru's expression darkened.
One reward out of ten.
Again.
He had long since learned not to expect too much from the system's draw, but somehow it still managed to irritate him every time.
At least the Independent Space was useful.
Asuramaru temporarily set it aside and turned his attention back toward Naruto.
The two boys had already reached their usual training ground near the abandoned Uchiha Clan compound.
Sasuke stood across from Naruto.
For once, he did not immediately draw a kunai or activate his Sharingan.
Instead, he remained silent.
There was hesitation in his eyes.
Naruto noticed.
"What is it?"
Sasuke clenched his fists.
The image of that man appeared in his mind.
His brother.
The corpses of his clan.
His parents lying dead.
The hatred in Sasuke's chest immediately overwhelmed his hesitation.
He looked directly at Naruto.
"Teach me that ninjutsu."
Naruto blinked.
"The one you used against Kakashi."
Sasuke's expression was completely serious.
"Flying Thunder God."
He took a breath.
"Whatever you want in exchange, I'll give it to you, as long as it's something I have."
Naruto could feel the determination behind those words.
But this was different from ordinary training.
He shook his head.
"Flying Thunder God is an S Rank forbidden technique."
Sasuke's expression tightened.
Naruto continued.
"I learned it from the Scroll of Seals. It belongs to the village."
"So before I teach it to anyone else, I need to ask Grandpa Third for permission."
Sasuke clearly disliked the answer.
For a moment, Naruto could see the struggle in his eyes.
But in the end, Sasuke restrained himself.
He still had his pride.
And his boundaries.
"Fine."
He turned slightly.
"I'll wait for your answer."
Naruto smiled.
"Good."
A moment later, the two were sparring again.
Kunai clashed.
Feet tore across the dirt.
Naruto continued guiding Sasuke through combat, while Sasuke pushed himself relentlessly to close the gap between them.
Hours passed.
By the time they stopped, night had already fallen.
As usual, the two went for ramen afterward.
Once they finished eating, they separated and headed home.
Naruto walked along the quiet street toward his apartment.
Then he slowed.
Light was shining through his windows.
Naruto stared for a moment.
He was certain he had left everything dark.
Someone was inside.
His expression remained calm as he quickened his pace.
Naruto reached the door and opened it.
Sitting inside was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage looked toward him with a warm smile.
"Naruto."
"You're back."
Naruto relaxed.
"Grandpa Third?"
He stepped inside and closed the door.
"What brings you here this late?"
Hiruzen rose from the chair.
Behind him, two scrolls rested on the table.
"There is something I wanted to give you."
He looked at Naruto for a moment.
"Kakashi reported what happened during your test."
Naruto immediately understood.
"The Flying Thunder God?"
Hiruzen nodded.
"I heard you've already learned it."
There was still a trace of amazement in his voice.
"So I brought you several things that should help."
He gestured toward the scrolls.
"Specially made kunai designed for the Flying Thunder God, as well as the training notes left behind by the Fourth Hokage."
Naruto's eyes brightened.
Hiruzen picked up one of the scrolls and released its seal.
Several documents appeared in his hands.
He handed them to Naruto.
"These contain his personal insights into the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Naruto accepted them carefully.
"Thank you, Grandpa Third."
Hiruzen did not immediately respond.
His expression gradually became serious.
"There is something else."
Naruto looked toward him.
"Go ahead."
Hiruzen remained silent for a long time.
The wrinkles on his face seemed deeper than usual beneath the dim light.
Eventually, he drew out his pipe, lit it, and took a slow breath.
Smoke drifted through the room.
"Naruto."
"What I'm about to tell you concerns your parents."
Naruto's eyes changed slightly.
Hiruzen watched him carefully.
"Your father was Minato Namikaze."
Naruto froze.
"The Fourth Hokage."
For the first time since entering the room, genuine surprise appeared on Naruto's face.
"My father... was the Hokage?"
Hiruzen nodded.
"Yes."
There was guilt in his expression.
"You are the son of the Fourth Hokage."
"A hero's son."
Naruto looked down at the papers in his hands.
So that was why Hiruzen had brought Minato's Flying Thunder God notes to him personally.
After a moment, he raised his head again.
Hiruzen continued.
"I kept your identity hidden because your father made many enemies during his lifetime."
"Especially during the Third Shinobi World War."
"If his enemies learned that Minato had left behind a son, there was no guarantee they wouldn't come after you."
His voice became heavier.
"So I concealed your parentage."
Hiruzen sighed.
"But because of that decision, you were forced to endure treatment that you never deserved."
"That responsibility is mine."
Naruto listened quietly.
"If I had told you the truth while you were still too young to protect yourself, I might have placed your life in even greater danger."
Hiruzen looked directly at him.
"But once you possess enough strength to defend yourself, I intend to make your lineage public."
Naruto remained silent for several seconds.
Had he grown up entirely alone, perhaps those words would have brought anger.
Perhaps resentment.
Perhaps even hatred.
But he had never truly been alone.
Asuramaru had been beside him for as long as he could remember.
Whenever the villagers insulted him, Asuramaru was there.
Whenever Naruto trained, Asuramaru taught him.
Whenever he failed, Asuramaru criticized him.
Whenever he succeeded, Asuramaru offered those painfully rare words of praise.
So Naruto did not feel the emptiness Hiruzen might have expected.
"I understand."
Hiruzen blinked.
Naruto gave him a small smile.
"You were trying to protect me."
Hiruzen's expression softened.
"There is one more thing you need to know."
Naruto waited.
"The reason some villagers call you the fox demon..."
Hiruzen paused.
"Is because the Nine Tails is sealed inside you."
Naruto's expression barely changed.
Hiruzen continued carefully.
"The Nine Tails attacked Konoha on the night you were born."
"Your parents gave their lives to stop it."
"And before they died, they sealed the Nine Tails inside you."
His voice softened.
"Please don't hate them for making that decision, Naruto."
Naruto almost found the concern unnecessary.
He had known Kurama existed for years.
He had even watched the fox get beaten half to death more times than he could count.
But he could hardly explain that.
So Naruto simply nodded.
"I don't hate them."
Hiruzen studied him.
Naruto looked down at the belongings before him.
"My father was the Fourth Hokage."
"My parents died protecting the village."
"And now I know why people treated me the way they did."
He smiled.
"That's enough for me."
"Thank you for telling me, Grandpa Third."
For a moment, Hiruzen said nothing.
Then he turned toward the second scroll.
"There are still things that belong to you."
He opened it.
Several unusual kunai appeared.
Each possessed three prongs instead of the standard single point.
Naruto recognized them instantly from the records he had studied.
Flying Thunder God Kunai.
Hiruzen picked them up and handed them over.
"These belonged to your father."
Naruto accepted them carefully.
"They were specially designed for his Flying Thunder God Technique."
Hiruzen then gestured toward the two scrolls.
"Your parents also left behind ninjutsu."
"Those techniques are sealed inside these scrolls."
"You may inherit them."
Naruto's eyes sharpened with interest.
"As for the rest of your family inheritance, I'll continue safeguarding it for the time being."
"When you come of age, I'll return everything to you."
"Is that acceptable?"
Naruto nodded without hesitation.
"Of course."
Money had never been especially important to him.
He had never lacked enough to survive.
Ninjutsu and useful ninja tools were far more interesting.
Hiruzen stayed a little longer.
Before leaving, he personally taught Naruto the hand seals and chakra control needed for the Summoning Technique.
Once he was satisfied Naruto understood the foundation, the Third Hokage finally departed.
The door closed.
Silence returned to the apartment.
Naruto stood alone before the table.
Two important scrolls were sitting in front of him.
His father's training notes.
His parents' ninjutsu.
He stared at them.
"Leaving something this important sitting around in my apartment feels dangerous."
Asuramaru's voice immediately sounded in his mind.
"Put your hand on the scrolls."
Naruto blinked.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Naruto had long since learned that there was usually a reason behind Asuramaru's strange requests.
He placed his palm on the scrolls.
The next moment, both vanished.
Naruto's eyes widened.
Outside the apartment, the ANBU assigned to protect him noticed as well.
One of them immediately disappeared from his position and headed in the same direction Hiruzen had left.
Asuramaru sensed the ANBU departing.
Exactly as intended.
Now that Naruto's importance had risen dramatically, showing Hiruzen that he possessed another mysterious ability would only make the Third Hokage value him even more.
The more precious Naruto appeared, the more tightly Konoha would protect him.
Naruto, meanwhile, was far more interested in what had just happened.
"Asuramaru."
"Yes?"
"You did that, didn't you?"
"Where did the scrolls go?"
"See for yourself."
Asuramaru opened the connection.
Naruto suddenly became aware of an unfamiliar space.
It was completely separate from the outside world.
A sealed storage area measuring roughly one hundred cubic metres.
Naruto stared in amazement.
"What is this?"
"An Independent Space."
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"You can actually store things somewhere outside the normal world?"
His curiosity immediately took over.
"How does that even work?"
Asuramaru ignored the question.
Naruto focused on the contents instead.
With a thought, one of Minato's specially made three pronged kunai appeared in his hand.
Naruto examined it eagerly.
Then he began carving his own Flying Thunder God formula onto the handle.
Asuramaru.
Once the mark was complete, Naruto smiled.
Now it truly belonged to him.
He thought about the Independent Space.
The kunai vanished from his hand and returned to storage.
Naruto summoned it again.
Then stored it once more.
His smile grew wider.
"This is incredibly useful."
No more worrying about carrying large scrolls.
No more leaving valuable items exposed inside his apartment.
Naruto finally relaxed.
He stored the remaining inheritance safely inside the Independent Space, then walked toward his bed.
There was still training to do.
Naruto sat down, closed his eyes, and settled his breathing.
A moment later, his consciousness sank inward.
Once again, he entered the mental world.
....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
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