To Naruto, like everyone else, the ANBU were a group of cool ninjas that everyone knew about, but little to no one ever saw them out in Konoha.

Mothers would scare their naughty children using the name of the ANBU.

Naruto could still remember how he would claim that once he became Hokage, he would make the ANBU prank all his classmates, which promptly got him laughed at.

Yet now, sitting here, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle.

He was going to join the ANBU.

But did he want to join the ANBU?

While the benefits of the ANBU were clear to everyone, it didn't matter that much since he had the system.

Naruto's hands trembled slightly as he rested them on his knees.

Naruto's thoughts shifted to his friends, to Hinata and Tenten. How would they react? Could he even tell them?

Even though he had asked Dragon if he could tell Hinata and Tenten, the thought of actually telling them and their reaction to it was daunting.

What if telling them hurts them in some shape, way, or form?

Then the next quest prompt from his system appeared, making Naruto's jaw drop.

[ Alert: Chain Quest ]

[ Quest Title: Trial by Shadows ]

[ Description: Engage in the rigorous ANBU initiation trial. This month-long training is a mandatory requirement for all new recruits to become official members of the ANBU. ]

[ Objectives: ]

- Accept Dragon-sama's proposal for the trial.

- Complete month-long training.

- Join an ANBU team.

- Earn your ANBU mask and codename.

[ Rewards: ]

- Title: "ANBU".

- Dungeon Key.

- Temporary removal of Chakra Imbalance status during training.

- 20,000 Experience Points.

- ANBU-grade equipment.

- Skill Stone Rune × 2.

[ Penalty for Failure: ]

- Potential removal from ANBU candidate status and other undisclosed consequences.

[ Action Required: ]

- Confirm acceptance or declination of quest.

Naruto wanted to rub his eyes as he saw the reward list. "Okay, I am so joining the ANBU," he thought. Technically, he could get all of these rewards individually by working his ass off for about a year, or he could just not look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Naruto," Hiruzen said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"I want to join the ANBU," Naruto said to Dragon, expecting something big, something grand to happen. Maybe the shadows would twist and turn as he was judged by the eyes of the abyss. Or perhaps a dagger where he would have to take a blood oath.

Naruto's fantasies were shattered as Dragon pulled out documents. Naruto could see Dragon and Hiruzen enjoying his defeated self a little too much.

"Boring ass paperwork," he thought as he began filling it out.

An hour later, Naruto was so frustrated he was seconds away from headbutting the nearest wall.

"Sign here," Dragon commanded, and Naruto begrudgingly began scribbling on the ANBU paperwork.

Why in the world does a group as secretive as the ANBU even need paperwork?

Are they planning to file it in a ninja binder somewhere?

"Formalities for the Hokage," Dragon replied, almost as if he had plucked the question straight from Naruto's brain.

Naruto shot a look toward the Hokage, who offered him nothing but a sheepish smile in return.

Naruto's glare intensified, silently asking.

Really?

This is what we're doing now?

"Sign here," Dragon repeated, snapping Naruto back to the task at hand.

Naruto couldn't shake off the feeling that this whole paperwork ordeal was some sort of bizarre punishment.

His hand felt like it was about to fall off.

He could barely lift it as Dragon vanished into the shadows with the stealth of a ninja cat, leaving Naruto and Hiruzen alone. Naruto glanced at his aching hand, then at Hiruzen, and couldn't help but wonder if all ANBU recruits were initiated through the dreaded trials of bureaucracy.

Naruto looked at Hiruzen and said, "I am angry at you, not the Hokage, but my grandfather."

Hiruzen could only hang his head in shame. Naruto's anger was rightfully so.

The Hokage could order the blond, now one of his ninja, to shut up, he could say he did not have to justify his decisions, he could throw a tantrum unbefitting of his age.

But all that would finish to alienate the boy and for reasons both personal and political, he could absolutely not afford that.

Dragon was right.

Hiruzen had to face his mistakes and assume them, as disagreeable as it was.

The Hokage looked up to see Naruto in a posture eerily reminiscent of his mother. His arms were crossed on his chest, his weight on his left foot, while the right one impatiently tapped the floor. But it was the piercing blue eyes that made Hiruzen feel like a child being scolded.

"So?"

Hiruzen sagged in his chair. "I have no excuse."

"I wasn't looking for excuses, I wanted answers," Naruto shot back.

Hiruzen nodded, taking a deep breath. "Ask away."

"The Uzumaki Clan," Naruto said.

Hiruzen looked surprised before asking, "What do you want to know?"

"Why didn't you tell me that I had a clan?" Naruto asked.

Hiruzen noted the use of "had" and asked, "How much do you know about the Uzumaki clan?"

"They were famous for their red hair, Kenjutsu, and Fuinjutsu. They had a village called Uzushiogakure, and they were the reason for the Third Shinobi War," Naruto said.

"They weren't the reason for the Third Shinobi War; they were the last straw that broke the camel's back," Hiruzen corrected as Naruto listened. "Uzushiogakure was the sister village of Konoha, both created around the same time. Unlike the majority of the ninja villages, Uzushiogakure was just one clan while the rest of the village were civilians, unlike Konoha, which was founded by the Senju by uniting multiple clans together." Hiruzen noted the starry eyes Naruto had, fascinated by the fact that the Uzumaki clan and some civilian families could be considered a ninja village, an indication of how strong the Uzumaki clan were.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Most of the stuff about the red hair, Kenjutsu, and Fuinjutsu is true, but what you might not know is that the Uzumaki clan had very dense chakra reserves," Hiruzen paused, seeing Naruto's undivided attention. "These dense chakra reserves meant that Uzumaki could live longer than most humans. This made the Uzumaki clan members focus more on their skills and craft rather than anything else, so the Uzumaki clan were few in numbers."

Naruto raised his hand for Hiruzen to pause as he processed the information and then motioned him to continue.

"After the Second Ninja War, there was a decade of peace but not for Uzushiogakure, where the civilian families revolted against the Uzumaki clan," Hiruzen said in a somber tone.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"We don't know the actual reason, but many have speculated that the civilians felt greed for power and jealousy of the vitality and ageless nature of the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki clan were, however, too strong for the rebels to do anything. During this time period, your mother was sent to Konoha," Hiruzen was about to continue when he was interrupted by Naruto.

"Why?"

"Pardon?" Hiruzen asked, confused by the question.

"Why was my mother sent if the rebels were not a threat?" Naruto asked.

"To become the next Kyubi jinchuriki," Hiruzen said, watching as Naruto's eyes widened in shock.

"M... Mom was also the Kyubi jinchuriki," Naruto muttered absently.

"Yes, the Kyubi isn't something that any normal person can hold. Only an Uzumaki is able to do so," Hiruzen explained.

Naruto smiled as he wiped a tear from his face.

"Guess I am now sharing my mother's burden."

"Naruto, I am sure your mother didn't want you to bear this burden, but I am certain she would have been proud of the strong man you have become," Hiruzen said, his heart aching as he saw Naruto tear up.

"Thank you..." Naruto paused, and Hiruzen wasn't expecting much, but his heart fluttered when he heard Naruto say it after a pregnant pause, "Jiji."

Hiruzen saw Naruto wiping his tears away, tears that seemed to not stop. For a moment, Hiruzen's heart longed to reach out and give the boy the hand that should have been there for him all along.

But could he do it?

This time, Hiruzen chose to muster all the strength he could in his old body.

He placed his hat down on the table.

This time, it wasn't the Third Hokage that gave Naruto a shoulder to cry on, but Hiruzen, Naruto's Jiji.

Hiruzen moved slowly but deliberately, his old joints protesting as he reached out and placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"It's alright, Naruto. I'm here for you," he said softly.

Naruto looked up, his tear-filled eyes meeting Hiruzen's. The boy's lips trembled as he fought to hold back his emotions. Seeing this, Hiruzen gently pulled him into an embrace. Naruto hesitated for a moment before collapsing into the comforting arms of the old man.

As Naruto cried, Hiruzen felt a mixture of sadness and regret. He had failed to protect this boy from the harsh realities of his life, but at this moment, he vowed to do better.

A few minutes later, as they separated, Naruto asked, "But this still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me about the Uzumaki clan?"

"I was slowly getting there," Hiruzen said as he sat down. "While your mother came to Konoha, a series of escalating attacks happened across Konoha's border. We thought the other nations were going to start a war, but it was a distraction. Three of the other villages attacked Uzushiogakure. Due to civilian rebels, the other villages were able to successfully infiltrate the whirlpools of Uzushiogakure, a natural defense. With how few the actual Uzumaki were, it was easy for the other villages to destroy the Uzumaki clan and indirectly Uzushiogakure because the Uzumaki clan was the only reason Uzushiogakure was able to stand. The destruction of Uzushiogakure was the last straw, and Konoha immediately retaliated, which caused the Third Great Ninja War. I am sure now you know why I didn't tell you," Hiruzen said.

Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah, telling a kid that his whole clan is gone decades ago and that he has no one."

"Well, I wouldn't say it like that, but yeah, there wasn't an Uzumaki clan to begin with in the present day. Most of the Uzumaki clan are either dead, hiding, or fake."

"Fake?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Yes, some of the Uzumaki clan members were able to escape, but that didn't mean they weren't in danger. The Uzumaki clan was powerful, and they were able to hide most of their fuinjutsu. Only a pure-blooded Uzumaki can access these treasures," Hiruzen said in a dark tone.

"The other villages targeted the remaining Uzumaki," Naruto replied.

"Unfortunately, yes. Your mother was actually targeted once by a squad of Kumo shinobi who planned to use her to access the legendary treasures of Uzushiogakure," Hiruzen said as Naruto's face contorted into one of anger. "Don't worry, she was saved before she could be kidnapped out of Konoha," Hiruzen added, and Naruto sighed in relief.

"So, because of this incident, the Uzumaki clan name was given to a lot of people—civilians, orphans, etc.—all to make sure that the actual Uzumaki members were safe?"

It made sense now that no one ever made a big deal about me being an Uzumaki or that I might be related to the S-rank Kushina Uzumaki because, to them, because of my blonde hair, I'm a fake Uzumaki.

Naruto sighed.

"Any more questions?" Hiruzen asked.

Naruto scratched his head and said, "Most of my questions were kinda solved by you retelling that story."

"Sorry, I have a habit of trying to make others figure it out the answer rather than directly telling them. Hence why I was always called the teacher," Hiruzen said with a tinge of pride in his voice, and Naruto nodded.

"Why did they know about me being the Kyubi jinchuriki and I didn't?" Naruto asked.

"The Fourth Hokage's dying wish was for you to be treated like a hero for protecting Konoha by holding the Kyubi back," Hiruzen said. Naruto was shocked.

"I was originally going to let that decision fall on you, Naruto," Hiruzen confessed.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"The jinchuriki's status is a very big secret. Unless they are a famous ninja, the information of who a village's jinchuriki is is kept a secret. This was especially important since the Kyubi had caused many deaths in Konoha. The Fourth's wish was pretty much a dream, so I was going to honor his wish by letting the decision fall on you—whether you wanted such a big secret to be known or not. But..." Hiruzen paused.

"Things didn't go as planned," Naruto continued.

"Indeed. A high-ranking member of Konoha leaked your identity when you were about six," Hiruzen said.

"The time I got kicked out of the orphanage," Naruto said as Hiruzen winced, remembering how he had to station an entire ANBU squad just to protect Naruto. The memories made Hiruzen shiver, recalling the utter desperation people would go to just for revenge.

"What happened to the leaker?" Naruto asked.

"Banishment. They were banished from Konoha, their rank and privileges stripped. The only reason the punishment wasn't harsher was because of the Daimyō," Hiruzen replied.

Naruto nodded, absorbing the information.

"So why did they know but I didn't?" Naruto asked.

"To protect you, I made a law that civilians aren't allowed to talk about you to anyone, not even amongst themselves, or else they would be publicly executed," Hiruzen explained.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably.

"Was that necessary?"

"Yes," Hiruzen said, his voice heavy. "The knowledge of the jinchuriki is very valuable. So I made sure that while everyone, in a sense, knew you were the Kyubi jinchuriki, they couldn't say it. I had hoped the civilians would be too afraid of death to do much to you physically and that it might give you a normal childhood."

Naruto snorted sarcastically.

"Well, look how much of a great childhood that brought me."

"I'm sorry," Hiruzen said, his shoulders sagging.

Naruto sighed.

"No, even if I want to be mad, I can at least say you tried to do your best, but things outside of your control made everything worse."

Hiruzen nodded, thankful for the boy's understanding. He watched Naruto, seeing a resilience and maturity that made him both proud and sad.

"Since you have been avoiding any mention of my father, I can assume that I'm not getting many answers about him," Naruto said.

Hiruzen slowly nodded.

"Can I ask why?" Naruto pressed.

"Someone else wants to tell you about your father, and I want to give them the honor," Hiruzen explained.

"That's bullshit," Naruto grumbled.

"I'm sorry, it's just that..." Hiruzen paused, unsure how to explain Jiraiya's wishes. He took a deep breath.

"Okay, I don't care enough at this point why this someone wants to tell me. A much more important question is when?" Naruto asked.

"Before the Chunin exams," Hiruzen replied.

Naruto gave a nod.

"Um, can I ask for something? Maybe it's a bit selfish, but... is there a book on the Uzumaki clan I can get? Like about some customs or traditions or culture?" Naruto asked, desperation clear in his voice. The boy wanted to connect more with his family than anything.

"I'll find a good book on this, don't worry," Hiruzen said with a smile.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto said as Hiruzen pushed down his frown.

"Since my mother is an S-rank, did she leave me something behind? Like, I don't know, her famous ramen recipe?" Naruto asked, and Hiruzen snorted.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just that you and your mother have the same love for ramen," Hiruzen said, chuckling.

"Well, it is the food of the gods," Naruto said, smiling at having something else that could connect him with his mother.

"Here you go," Dragon said, almost jumpscaring Naruto as he handed him a key and an address.

"This house belonged to your parents. While it has been cleaned out for a decade, it should take about a day or two to return the majority of the stuff," Dragon said as he threw the key towards Naruto, who looked at it with the same level of love he had for ramen, maybe even more.

"Thank you."

"I did what I had to. Rest up, recruit, because the next few days are going to be one where you are evaluated physically and mentally before your trial starts," Dragon said.

Naruto nodded, then looked at Hiruzen and said, "Thank you for your time, Hokage-sama. I will go now."

Hiruzen nodded as Naruto moved toward the door but stopped.

"I don't want to be mad at my Jiji, and even knowing the reasons, I don't think I can just forgive you like nothing ever happened. I... I just need time to think. Time to process everything."

"Take all the time you want, and I am sorry that I couldn't be better," Hiruzen said.

Naruto nodded and left, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of his years and the burden of his choices pressing heavily on him.

I hope you find what you're looking for, Naruto.

And I hope one day you can forgive me.

"I took the liberty to get Minato's house key," Dragon said as Hiruzen nodded.

"It's okay, and I am guessing Minato's items are going to be removed from the items that will be given to Naruto."

"Obviously, unless you convince Jiraiya to pop back in the next week or so," Dragon said.

"He is busy," Hiruzen said.

"Writing smut in brothels," Dragon joked.

"No, there was a sighting of Orochimaru," Hiruzen said, as Dragon shook his head.

"I doubt Orochimaru is dumb enough to get spotted," Dragon said.

"You want to convince Jiraiya on this?" Hiruzen asked.

"I would rather kill myself," Dragon said as Hiruzen chuckled, until he heard a knock on the door.

"You summoned Chunin Iruka, Hokage-sama?" Miki, the secretary, asked as Hiruzen looked at Dragon.

"I believe that Chunin Iruka's mission can help us find our mysterious saboteur."

To Hiruzen's ears, the message was clear. Whoever was behind the sabotage was also the current hidden enemy.

Hiruzen straightened in his chair, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

Looks like we have our first clue.