Naruto: Limit Breaker

Chapter 76 - 76: "I’ll Be the Hokage When I Grow Up"

Chapter 76: "I'll Be the Hokage When I Grow Up"

Aside from the bell test, life during D-rank missions was... dull.

Hyuga Hiashi didn't return until the sun had completely set.

Since Ryosuke had promised to treat Naruto to a meal if he passed the graduation exam, Naruto had insisted on staying for dinner. Naturally, Ryosuke didn't refuse.

The Hyuga family's dinner table was usually quiet, but Naruto's presence changed that. As he dug into the food, he chatted nonstop about his recent experiences as a Genin.

"I guess the point is to build trust and teamwork," Naruto said between bites.

Ryosuke, as the host, couldn't just sit there silently.

"Yeah. Kakashi-sensei seems to value teamwork a lot."

Naruto nodded. "Even though the three of us can handle most D-rank missions by ourselves, he always insists we act together as a team."

He paused, his tone lowering. "But the one-month warm-up period is almost over. We just got a B-rank mission that'll take us outside the village. I'm not sure if we'll make it back safely."

Naruto looked up, his voice quieter. "I thought... if I didn't come back, at least someone would remember me. That's why I came to see you."

"You'll come back," Ryosuke said casually, chewing on a piece of meat. "Kakashi isn't your average Jonin. With his skills, he can easily guide you through a B-rank mission."

He continued, "Plus, your teammates aren't rookies. From what you've told me, they've had a couple of years of Genin experience. They've probably done B-rank missions before."

Naruto froze mid-motion with his chopsticks. "Wait... do you know Kakashi-sensei?"

Ryosuke noticed the subtle shift but didn't overthink it. "He's a well-known ninja. Talented, too. Hard not to know of him."

"I see..." Naruto slowly set his chopsticks down on the bowl.

He hesitated, then said quietly, "I get the feeling Kakashi-sensei treats me differently from the others."

Ryosuke didn't speak.

"It's not a bad kind of different," Naruto continued. "He's always professional, but the way he looks at me isn't the same as when he looks at Rin or Uesugi. There's something else. I don't know what, but... it's like he knows something about me."

Naruto stared at Ryosuke, watching his expression closely.

"Oh?"

Ryosuke didn't react much. His face stayed neutral, though he did pause before reaching for another bite.

The dining room fell into silence.

Hinata and Hanabi quietly ate the whole time, not daring to interrupt.

Now, Ryosuke and Naruto faced each other, unmoving.

Naruto watched carefully but saw no flicker in Ryosuke's eyes, no shift in emotion. Nothing.

Finally, Naruto took a breath and asked directly, "Has Kakashi-sensei known me for a long time... or does he know someone related to me?"

He'd carried the weight of that question for years.

Naruto had always wondered about his parents—who they were, what happened to them. He wasn't the kind of person to shy away from tough questions. Over time, he'd developed a habit of facing things head-on, no matter how painful they might be.

Even if the truth confirmed that he was abandoned, or worse, bred to be a Jinchūriki... he still wanted to know.

But no matter how many times he asked the old man—the Third Hokage—he always hit a wall. The answer was never given.

So now, he had to rely on himself.

Still, finding the truth was harder than he'd thought. When he was in the Academy, he was sheltered. Even now, as a Genin, he couldn't find anything. No trace of a past. It was like he'd just appeared—poof—out of nowhere.

He'd been dropped into Konoha's orphanage at the age of three. Just like that.

And now, because Ryosuke had once hinted at something, Naruto had come not only to say goodbye but to dig deeper—hoping that maybe, just maybe, Ryosuke could tell him something.

But Ryosuke simply looked at him with a faint, half-smile and shook his head.

"I shouldn't know anything."

Not don't. Shouldn't.

Naruto lowered his gaze, disappointment shadowing his face. "I understand."

He knew what Ryosuke meant—and what he didn't say.

But then Ryosuke added, "That said, there is something I can tell you."

Naruto looked up again, eyes full of cautious hope.

Ryosuke picked up a slice of meat and dropped it into Naruto's bowl. "The Third Hokage... his health isn't great. He might not stay in that seat much longer."

He looked Naruto dead in the eyes. "And he has high hopes for you. Seems like he wants you to succeed him one day."

Naruto blinked, stunned into silence.

"You're too young for now," Ryosuke said with a soft chuckle. "Whether you become the Fifth or the Sixth Hokage... it'll depend on how you grow from here."

Naruto sat there, stunned, processing everything.

---

Later That Night

Sarutobi Rin – Male, 14. Konoha Genin.

Proficient in Earth Release. Strong leadership skills. Considered an outstanding talent within the Sarutobi clan.

Uesugi – Male, 14. Konoha Genin. Orphan.

Proficient in medical ninjutsu. Has interned at Konoha Hospital.

Under the cover of night, Ryosuke sat alone in his room, flipping through files gathered by the Hyuga clan.

After dinner, Naruto had left.

Instead of diving into training right away, Ryosuke had decided to go over the profiles of Naruto's teammates.

"Three C-rank missions and now a B-rank," he muttered. "Rin's qualified enough to have taken the Chunin Exams last year... but it was delayed. Reassigned to Naruto's team."

He flipped the page.

"Uesugi's skills are average... but he's Utatane Koharu's adopted son. She personally taught him medical ninjutsu."

Just a few lines were enough to paint a clear picture.

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt guilty for something—either toward the Fourth Hokage or his legacy. Maybe even his failure to protect him.

So, he was grooming Naruto. Giving him the best teammates, clearing a path ahead of him.

With Naruto's talent and character, the road to Hokage was practically being laid at his feet.

Unless something drastic happened, Naruto's rise was inevitable.

The village was already placing its future on him. The Hokage's mantle—something countless ninja only dreamed of—was being quietly prepared for him.

Sure, there would be obstacles. But from the way things looked, Hiruzen was ready to remove them all for him.

But... that all depended on Naruto staying the same. On his mindset and heart not changing.

But will he?

Ryosuke chuckled to himself, thinking back to Naruto's probing questions at dinner.

In the end...

What kind of choice will that kid make?

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