Kizaru's thoughts

"Of course, I'm from this village. I just happen to enjoy this style of clothing," Kizaru chuckled before responding.

"Is that so? Well, you certainly have a peculiar taste in attire," the old monk nodded thoughtfully. With a warm smile, he continued, "Since you're from this village, could you be kind enough to guide me around?"

Kizaru hesitated, his reluctance noticed by the old monk. "Please, can you be my guide and help this poor old man? I'm actually lost, as I'm not familiar with this large place like the village of Konoha... I've come from the far Fire Temple."

Kizaru, pretending to be hesitant, nodded reluctantly.

The old monk, who was none other than the Third Hokage, smiled contentedly upon seeing Kizaru's agreement. He followed closely behind Kizaru as they walked, engaging in conversation on various topics.

Kizaru spoke with the Third Hokage, paying only partial attention. After all, based on the plot of Naruto that he had watched, Orochimaru would eventually confront and battle this old man, leading to his demise in defense of the village.

From the anime, Kizaru had formed an impression of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, as a warm and kind-hearted individual. However, upon sensing the old man's chakra signature and with the aid of his enhanced senses through Observation Haki, Kizaru realized that the Third Hokage's chakra was not as he had expected.

He had anticipated warmth and pleasantness in the chakra signature, but despite retaining its strength despite the effects of time, the Third Hokage's chakra lacked that warmth. It confirmed that the Third Hokage wasn't as benevolent as he appeared in the anime.

Continuing their conversation, Kizaru and the Third Hokage, disguised as an old monk, walked out of the forest and finally beheld the buildings and houses of Konoha village.

Leading the old man to his intended destination, which happened to be the Hokage building, Kizaru fulfilled his role as a guide. The old monk expressed his intention to request assistance from the village, requiring the aid of a ninja for a task.

"In your opinion, young friend, what are your thoughts on the village of Konoha?" the old man finally found an opportunity to interject his question amidst the conversation.

Kizaru, wearing a faint smile, replied, "The village, huh? Well, it was the home of my loved ones, so I still hold a deep connection to it. If I were to describe it, I would say the village is a place I am intimately familiar with."

The Third Hokage couldn't contain the satisfied smile on his face. As he played his part, Kizaru truly felt a strong attachment to this village. It was only natural for him to develop a positive sentiment towards it, considering his unique circumstances. From the moment he was reborn into this world, he was aware of his past life and his dismal existence as an ordinary individual with a mundane job, devoid of a loving family. In contrast, his adoptive father here in this world had treated him exceptionally well. While not his biological father, this man had raised him with care and affection. Furthermore, inheriting the powers and abilities of Kizaru Borsalino from the world of One Piece was a welcome bonus. With his newfound strength and abilities, he aspired to live a carefree and peaceful life, confident that his power would ensure a worry-free future.

With the impending attack from the Hidden Sand Village and Orochimaru, he was more than prepared to confront them. His power was more than sufficient to halt Orochimaru and thwart the assault from the Sand Village. Naturally, he was cautious and refrained from revealing the full extent of his strength. With limited knowledge of this world, Kizaru regretted not delving deeper into the Naruto series and finishing it instead of abandoning it. This world proved to be just as unusual as the world of One Piece, with its summoning contracts and the enigmatic white-haired old man who could communicate with a giant toad.

However, he intended to disclose only a fraction of his true power to contain the chaos that the Sand Village would unleash. From what he had gathered from his observations of Naruto Anime, the casualties inflicted by the ninja from the Sand Village outweighed those caused by Orochimaru. Although Orochimaru had sought to annihilate the village, he ultimately failed, but not without claiming the life of the Third Hokage, which was a significant accomplishment in itself.

As for saving the old man?

Kizaru decided against it. While he harbored no animosity towards the old man, he didn't feel any positive inclination either. Moreover, the Third Hokage had sent ninjas to spy on him relentlessly for a consecutive 48 hours. Kizaru could sense the hypocrisy in the old man's actions. If he were to save the old man and reveal the majority of his true power, which he estimated had already entered Kage-level, he might fall prey to the cunning manipulations of this elderly individual after rescuing the old man. In Kizaru's judgment, it simply wasn't worth it. He would rather support Tsunade's ascension to the position of Hokage.

Kizaru wasn't being cold; rather, he exercised caution in revealing too much of his true abilities, Moreover, he felt that the old man's fate was already sealed, and thus, it wasn't worth expending his efforts on someone who didn't deserve it. If his expectations of the Third Hokage had aligned with a benevolent and kind figure, he would have intervened and saved him, either by reminding the old man of the upcoming attack of Orochimaru or by concealing his identity and providing assistance. However, Kizaru's perception of the Third Hokage left him somewhat disappointed. In reality, the Third Hokage was neither too warm nor too cold; he was a hypocrite and cunning, embodying the typical traits of a deceitful politician.

While Kizaru had no intention of hiding his true identity when defending the village against the Hidden Sand Village, he opted to reveal only a portion of his strength. This revelation would undoubtedly shock some, including his adoptive father. However, it served a purpose—to secure a position within the village and make others aware of his considerable power. By doing so, he aimed to dispel any notion of his ordinariness and prevent the exact situation he currently found himself in.

Merely appearing alongside Kakashi and the others had prompted Kakashi to report him to the Third Hokage, who subsequently dispatched ninjas to spy on him. Hence, Kizaru chose the attack from the Hidden Sand Village as the opportune moment to unveil his power, or at least a fraction of it. This decision not only allowed him to assert his strength but also served as a means for the village to acknowledge him. In turn, he hoped this would diminish the vigilance of the higher-ups in Konoha. Once his strength was acknowledged, Kizaru wouldn't need to conceal himself as much, which would resolve some of the similar troublesome situations like the situation he is currently faced, such as the annoyance caused by the Third Hokage and his Anbu gathering information about him.

Lost in thought as he escorted the old monk, or rather, Hiruzen, to the Hokage building, Kizaru suddenly noticed a yellow-haired kid pointing excitedly in his direction and rushing towards him.