Naruto Dream Fulfillment Master!

Chapter 56: Besides apologizing, what else can be said?

The office door was ajar.

Just as Naruto was about to knock on the door, he heard a familiar voice faintly coming from inside the room.

"...They're still inexperienced newbies, isn't assigning them this task too difficult?"

The voice was filled with deep worry and anxiety. Naruto's heart skipped a beat; this was...

Teacher Iruka?

Naruto gently pushed the door open a crack and peeked inside.

The scene that came into view was exactly as he had expected.

In the spacious Hokage's office, the Third Hokage sat behind his desk, smoking a pipe and flipping through documents, while his teacher, Iruka, stood in front of the desk.

Iruka looked earnest, as if he was trying his best to persuade the Hokage about something.

"Everyone starts by accumulating experience from simple tasks."

"Lord Hokage, isn't assigning Naruto's team a C-rank mission too early for them?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened quietly, slowly putting down the document in his hand, about to speak.

Suddenly, he and Iruka both heard a faint sound coming from the doorway and looked towards it simultaneously.

Naruto stood by the door, cautiously peeking half his body inside.

Realizing he had been discovered, Naruto simply pushed open the door and strode inside.

"Naruto?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was slightly taken aback, not expecting the child to appear so suddenly.

He quickly waved with a smile, "Come in. What brings you here so early today? Is there something you need?"

Iruka, standing to the side, also looked puzzled.

"Naruto, what brings you here?"

Naruto opened his mouth, but did not answer immediately.

His gaze swept past Iruka and landed directly on the Third Hokage's face.

At that moment, the questions churning in his mind were almost bursting out.

However, the Third Hokage was unaware of Naruto's true thoughts, simply assuming that Naruto was just like always, running over to him whenever he felt like it.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "It's perfect that you're here. I have something to tell you. I've just picked a C-rank mission for your Class 7 to carry out. You can go out of the village and show off your skills!"

"A C-rank mission to leave the village?!" Iruka was taken aback, clearly not expecting the Hokage to actually decide to do this.

He instinctively wanted to dissuade them again: "Lord Hokage, they really..."

But halfway through his sentence, Iruka suddenly realized that Naruto was right next to him, so he had to swallow the rest of his words.

Hiruzen Sarutobi caught a glimpse of Iruka's expression and smiled helplessly.

He knew perfectly well that Iruka meant well and cared about Naruto.

However, since Class 7 has already carried out quite a few D-rank missions in the village, according to the rules, they can indeed try slightly more difficult commissions.

Moreover, Kakashi specifically mentioned in his written report yesterday that Naruto had been complaining for a long time that the mission was too easy.

As the Hokage, he wanted the new recruits to get some training and also wanted Naruto to be happy.

Therefore, the Third Hokage fully expected that this news would make Naruto cheer with joy.

"Naruto, didn't you always complain that the previous missions were too easy and boring?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said kindly, "This time you can finally leave the village for a mission, I think you should be very happy—"

"My third grandfather..."

Before the Third Hokage could finish speaking, Naruto interrupted him in a muffled voice.

Naruto's expression was indifferent; he showed neither surprise nor excitement, but rather a somewhat sullen mood.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Iruka were both taken aback.

Naruto's reaction was completely unexpected.

Naruto would normally be overjoyed at the prospect of leaving the village, but what's wrong with him today?

The atmosphere in the office suddenly became strange.

The Third Hokage, pipe in mouth, watched the boy's changing expression with puzzlement, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart; Naruto was behaving strangely today…

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly and asked cautiously, "Naruto, what's wrong? Is there something else?"

Naruto took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked directly at the Third Hokage.

After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Grandpa, I've come to ask you something."

Hiruzen Sarutobi met Naruto's burning gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.

The stubbornness and urgency in this child's eyes were unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Could it be...?

"My father's identity..." Naruto stared intently into the Third Hokage's eyes, asking each word slowly and deliberately, "Who exactly is my father?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the large office fell silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile froze.

Iruka, who was standing to the side, was also stunned for a moment, staring at Naruto in astonishment.

After a brief moment of shock, the Third Hokage had a bead of awkward cold sweat on his forehead.

really!

Naruto suddenly came to ask this, he must have learned something from that strange dream.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but secretly groan.

The decision to conceal Naruto's true parentage was made after careful consideration; they originally thought they should wait until the child was older before revealing it.

But little did they know that the bizarre dreams they had recently experienced would reveal many secrets ahead of time.

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed and slowly said, "Naruto, your identity is very complicated and special. This matter must never be known to anyone..."

"A complicated identity?!" Naruto looked at the Third Hokage with disappointment. The doubts in his heart had not dissipated, but had become even stronger. "Then my father... was he the Fourth Hokage?!"

Having said all that, Naruto simply laid out his guesses, his gaze fixed intently on the Third Hokage's face.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted slightly, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

But he didn't answer immediately; the silence on his face said it all.

Iruka, standing next to the Third Hokage, was completely dumbfounded.

He looked at Naruto in disbelief: "Naruto, don't be ridiculous!"

Iruka, sweating profusely, asked repeatedly, "Where did you hear this rumor?"

Iruka assumed that Naruto had been misled by someone and said such absurd things.

He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Naruto, don't think nonsense. The Fourth Hokage just... just sealed the demon fox inside your body."

Even though he said that, Iruka himself vaguely sensed that something was wrong as soon as he said it.

If Naruto is truly an orphan as rumored, then why did the Fourth Hokage choose him to seal the Nine-Tails?

Furthermore, the Hokage never explicitly denied Naruto's words...

In the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent.

He sighed and closed his eyes, not refuting Naruto's question.

Iruka was stunned when he saw the Third Hokage's tacit approval.

His eyes slowly widened, and his lips moved a few times, but no sound came out.

Could it be... could it be that what Naruto said was true?!

Naruto took in the changes in the Third Hokage's expression.

At that moment, his last glimmer of hope vanished like a bubble.

The suppressed emotions in her chest could no longer be contained, and her eyes immediately reddened.

He took a sudden step forward, his voice hoarse with excitement.

"Since I'm the fourth generation's son, why does everyone in the village hate me so much?! Why has everyone looked at me with hostility since I was a child?!"

His eyes were already red and his voice was choked with emotion as he said this, "I should have... should have..."

"Naruto!" Seeing that Naruto was almost out of control, Iruka felt sorry for him and quickly stepped forward to hold Naruto's shoulder.

"Calm down!"

Naruto was overwhelmed with grief and indignation, unable to utter a word. Instead, two streams of tears welled up in his eyes.

He lowered his head and bit his lip hard, desperately trying to keep the tears from falling.

The Third Hokage felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his entire body frozen in his chair.

Naruto's arrival was so sudden that he was completely unprepared.

Caught off guard, he didn't know how to respond and could only sigh repeatedly with guilt: "Naruto... I'm sorry..."

He didn't know what else to say besides apologizing.