Naruto: The Chosen Undead

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Chapter no.6 The Heart of the Village

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Hiruzen sat at his desk, staring at the stack of reports before him, but his mind was far from the words on the page. Today had been... chaotic, to say the least. His pipe rested between his lips, and he took a long puff, letting the smoke fill his lungs. He needed this. After the events of the night, he needed something to calm his nerves, something to help him think clearly.

Naruto Uzumaki, the Jinchuriki of Konoha—his grandson in everything but blood—had stolen the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Naruto had knocked him out with that ridiculous jutsu of his, an illusion of a naked woman. I've seen many things in my years as Hokage, but that... that was a new low. A small part of Hiruzen was thankful that no one knew about it. The last thing he needed was for the village to hear that the great "Professor" Sarutobi had been bested by such a... technique. Kami, the embarrassment would never end.

Another puff of smoke escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Naruto had been tricked, of course. Tricked by a rogue shinobi—Mizuki. Well, that explained how Naruto had managed to bypass the security and get his hands on the scroll. Naruto may be talented in his own way, but even Hiruzen knew the boy wasn't capable of pulling off such a feat alone. But Mizuki... How did a low-level chunin, who spent his days as an assistant teacher, know enough about the security patterns of my library to pull this off?

It didn't sit right with him. Not one bit. If he hadn't gone to check on his secret stash of Icha Icha novels—a guilty pleasure I'll take to the grave—he might not have even known Naruto was in the building.

But no, that wasn't the worst of it, was it? His headache wasn't just from the breach or the embarrassing knock-out. It was the fact that Mizuki had revealed that secret to Naruto—the truth about the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Oh, Kami. Hiruzen had wanted to wait. He had planned to tell Naruto himself when he was ready, when he was old enough, mature enough to understand the weight of the truth. But now? That plan was ruined, shattered by Mizuki's selfishness.

Damn it, Mizuki.

He took another drag from his pipe, letting the smoke swirl around him. Iruka had come in just in time, thank the gods. Mizuki had filled Naruto's head with lies, twisted his perception, and nearly pushed him down a dark path. It wasn't much better than what I'd done, though, was it? Keeping the boy in the dark for all these years, letting him grow up hated, shunned, without knowing the reason why.

I should've told him sooner. I should've prepared him. But no, Hiruzen wanted to shield him, to protect him from the harsh truth for as long as he could. And now? Now it's all come crashing down around him.

Normally, he mused, this chaotic night would have ended with a heartfelt conversation. Once everything had calmed down, they could've sat down, and he could've helped Naruto make sense of it all. But that was not to be.

No. Instead, Hiruzen had to deal with the fact that Naruto... killed Mizuki.

The pipe nearly slipped from his fingers as he thought about it again. Naruto had killed him. A twelve-year-old boy, his boy, had taken a life. Kami, what have I done? The weight of it all pressed down on him like a boulder. Naruto wasn't ready for that. He wasn't prepared to face the consequences of what it means to kill.

How do I even begin to talk to him now?

Oh, Kami, please give me strength, Hiruzen thought as he rubbed his goatee, his fingers tracing the familiar lines of worry that seemed to have deepened over the years. This was bad. Really bad. It was one thing for an average genin to kill, but for Naruto—a Jinchuriki—to take a life? That was a different matter entirely.

A genin's first kill was supposed to happen under the careful watch of a team. You were meant to have the support of your teammates and the guidance of a jounin teacher. It was a delicate moment, one that needed to be handled with wisdom. And, if necessary, the teacher could evaluate if the student had the right mentality to continue as a shinobi—or if they were teetering on a dangerous path.

I won't risk another Orochimaru.

But Naruto? He had killed without any of that support. No teammates to steady him, no experienced hand to pull him back from the edge. His mental state after this… it was unknown, and that scared Hiruzen more than anything.

Why? Because Hiruzen knew what it meant to be a Jinchuriki. He had seen it firsthand with Kushina. The Kyuubi would whisper to her, try to claw its way out, to seize control. He knew Naruto's seal was stronger—Minato and Kushina had made sure of that—but the fact remained that the seal was connected to Naruto's chakra system. There was always a chance, no matter how small, that Naruto could suffer the same torment his mother had.

I can't let that happen to him, Hiruzen thought gravely.

There was a knock at the door, and Hiruzen sensed Naruto's presence on the other side. His chakra, normally as bright and warm as the sun, felt… different this time. There was something darker, something unfamiliar swirling within it. Hiruzen's heart sank.

I need to get Inoichi to do a psych evaluation immediately. The boy needs help. Kami knows he needs all the help he can get right now, Hiruzen thought with concern.

He took off his Hokage hat, placing it on the oak desk in front of him. The desk had been with him for decades, long before he even dreamed of becoming Hokage. It had been crafted by the Shodaime himself, using his Wood Style jutsu. The grain of the wood was still beautiful, even after all these years. Hiruzen's fingers traced along the surface, feeling every ridge, every groove, each mark telling a story.

There was one particularly large gash, a scar on the otherwise smooth surface. Hiruzen smiled sadly, remembering that it had been carved by his sensei, the Nidaime, in a moment of rare anger. That anger had terrified the shinobi of Kumo, and indirectly, it contributed to the start of the Second Shinobi War.

A war that took Tobirama's life.

Hiruzen sighed, his fingers lingering on the worn wood. The desk was cluttered now, littered with papers—more than he cared for, even though he had secretaries and a functioning administration. But despite all the duties, despite all the tasks that came with this title, Hiruzen wasn't wearing the hat of the Hokage today.

No. Naruto didn't need the presence of the Third Hokage right now. He needed Hiruzen. The grandfather. The old man who could sit with him, talk to him. The one who would listen, not judge.

Hiruzen looked at the door, steeling himself for the conversation ahead.

The moment Naruto walked in, Hiruzen's heart sank. His expression was blank—not the usual fiery, emotional mask Hiruzen had grown accustomed to. No, it was as if Naruto's mind wasn't even here, like he was focused on something far away, something only he could see in the empty air before him. It made Hiruzen uneasy, a cold knot tightening in his chest. This was Naruto, the boy who wore his emotions on his sleeve, who had never been able to hide how he felt. Hiruzen expected anger, confusion—something—but not this. Not this hollow, distant look.

Everyone processes trauma differently, Hiruzen reminded himself, trying to steady the storm in his heart. But this… this was unsettling.

"Naruto, greet the Hokage," Iruka said gently, his voice strained. Naruto didn't respond. He just kept staring, as if the air between them was more interesting than the reality in front of him. Hiruzen didn't miss the way Iruka's hands were shaking. The academy teacher was visibly on edge. Hiruzen could only imagine what had transpired between them tonight.

How did Naruto kill Mizuki that even a chunin is afraid of him? The thought struck Hiruzen hard, like a stone sinking in water.

"Iruka," Hiruzen said quietly, drawing the man's attention. Iruka snapped to attention, standing rigidly upright.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"It has been a hard night for..." Hiruzen let his eyes drift to Naruto, lingering on the boy longer than he should have. Iruka caught his meaning immediately. Naruto had been the most affected tonight. More than anyone.

"For everyone," Hiruzen finished softly.

Iruka nodded, a hint of relief crossing his face as Hiruzen gave him his next order. "Your command, Hokage-sama?"

"Dismissed."

Iruka didn't hesitate, though Hiruzen could feel his reluctance to leave Naruto alone with him. Once the door closed, it was just Naruto and Hiruzen in the office. Well, not entirely alone, Hiruzen thought, knowing the ever-watchful eyes of the Anbu remained hidden in the shadows. But this was different. This moment needed to be personal.

"Naruto," Hiruzen said gently, trying to break through the fog clouding Naruto's mind. "Why don't you sit down?"

For a moment, there was nothing. And then, like a sudden jolt, Naruto snapped to attention, his eyes darting around the room, confused, almost startled. It was as if he had only just realized he was standing in the Hokage's office. Hiruzen watched him closely, noting the signs. He wasn't present. His mind was somewhere else. Detached. Was it shock? Disassociation?

"Is something wrong?" Hiruzen asked, keeping his voice as calm and steady as he could, though the knot in his stomach tightened.

"No, I'm fine," Naruto muttered, but it was clear he wasn't. His words were rushed, empty. "Can I leave now?"

He wasn't even trying to sit down. Why won't he sit down?

"Naruto, you aren't in trouble," Hiruzen said, trying to reassure him, trying to let him know that he was safe here, with him.

"Great, then can I leave?" Naruto's voice was quick, almost desperate, as he took a step back toward the door.

"Naruto, why are you in such a hurry to go?"

"I just..." Naruto paused, his face shifting with uncertainty, as if he didn't even know how to explain what he was feeling. He was struggling, and it hurt Hiruzen to see it.

"I'm busy with... some super important stuff," Naruto finally managed to say, but the way he said it—so hollow, so detached—made Hiruzen's chest tighten painfully. He was a child, trying to escape a conversation he didn't want to have. Trying to run from something he couldn't face. And worse yet, Naruto didn't seem angry at him for keeping secrets. He didn't even have questions about the Kyuubi, about the truth Mizuki had spilled. He wasn't seeking answers, wasn't demanding explanations.

Why wasn't Naruto mad? Why wasn't he furious with him? Why doesn't he want to talk?

Hiruzen's mind raced as he watched Naruto—this wasn't normal. This wasn't how Naruto reacted to things. Where was the outburst? Where was the energy, the fire Hiruzen knew so well? The Naruto who was always defiant, always pushing, always demanding to be seen and heard? This... this was something else. Naruto was pulling away. Avoiding. Running.

The boy who normally fought for every scrap of attention was now desperately trying to slip away unnoticed.

Is he afraid of feeling? Is he afraid of what's inside him right now?

"Naruto..." Hiruzen began, unsure of what to say, unsure of how to pull Naruto back from wherever his mind had gone.

"I want to talk about the Kyuubi no Kitsune," Hiruzen said, his voice steady, watching Naruto carefully for any reaction. This was a test—a way to gauge how deep Naruto's fear and trauma ran. If Naruto still tried to run, then Hiruzen would personally drag Inoichi and a team of medical ninjas to him if he had to.

But, to Hiruzen's surprise, Naruto paused. He hesitated for only a moment, then sat down.

Hiruzen blinked, confused. Wasn't he just trying to run away from this?

Naruto's words echoed in his mind. I'm busy with… some super important stuff. What could possibly be more important than seeking answers after what he had been through? What could be more important than facing his fear? Hiruzen didn't like not knowing, not having even a speculation. And he really didn't like that.

"You saw tonight one of the darker aspects of shinobi life," Hiruzen began, his tone as careful as he could make it. "Traitors come and go, and they all must be dealt with eventually. Despite your horrendous mistake, you've done a great service to the village by putting a stop to him." He waited for something, anything—a reaction. Naruto didn't flinch, didn't respond except for a small gulp.

"Oh, yeah," Naruto said suddenly, as if the thought had just registered in his mind. "I killed Mizuki."