9 Chapter 9: The First Meeting of Whitebeard and Sarutobi Hiruzen!

*Slurp~ Slurp~*

 *Gulp, gulp, gulp!*

 *Burp...*

 "I'm so full!"

 After finishing the second bowl of ramen, Naruto contentedly patted his slightly bulging belly, his small face radiating happiness and satisfaction.

 It had been a long time since he had been this happy.

 When he was happy with Grandpa Hokage

Grandpa Hokage always lectured him, 

 It made him sleepy every time.

 But Whitebeard Pops was different!

 Pops never really lectured him. Naruto truly felt what it meant to have a "father's love" from Whitebeard.

 "Whitebeard is the only father I'll ever have in my life!" thought the five-year-old Naruto in his heart.

 "Gurararara! Naruto, can't you eat more?" Whitebeard chuckled.

"You need to eat more during your growing phase!"

"Huh? Pops, isn't this enough?" Naruto looked bewildered.

 The amount he had eaten today was probably equivalent to what he ate in a whole day yesterday. 

Naruto had never been this full before.

 Whitebeard slurped down a bowl of ramen like he was eating a jelly.

 He grinned, "If you don't eat more, little one, you won't grow to be three or four meters tall in the future!"

 "Three or four meters tall?" Naruto was astonished. "Can people really grow that tall?"

 Whitebeard ruffled Naruto's little head with his fingers and said,

"When I was your age, I could eat at least 200 kg of meat every day and could devour half a cow in a single day. If you can eat that much, you'll grow to be that tall."

 "200 kg?" Naruto blinked his blue eyes.

 He didn't have a clear concept of that amount.

 "Great!" Naruto was filled with determination. "I'll eat 200 kg of meat every day from now on, and I'll grow to be at least three or four meters tall!"

 Kakashi: "..."

 Listening to this "father and son" pair discussing such matters was quite something.

 Kakashi really wanted to interject with a comment: How could you teach a child like this? Can a person eat 200 kg of meat in a day?

 But Naruto and Whitebeard were having so much fun.

 He felt like a third wheel here.

 Listening to the bursts of laughter from Whitebeard and Naruto, Kakashi had a momentary hallucination. He saw the shadow of his father, Hatake Sakumo, in Whitebeard, which startled him.

 "Am I envious?" This thought crossed his mind.

 "No! Impossible! Why would I miss that man?"

 Kakashi quickly denied it.

 .....

 "Take them to Konoha Hospital, Do not notify the Uchiha clan for the time being, and when they recover, send all three of them to the Uchiha clan's headquarters."

 Outside Ichiraku Ramen, Sarutobi Hiruzen, holding a smoking pipe, spoke with a dignified voice.

 "Yes, Hokage-sama!" !

 Three anbu appeared, each with a different but somewhat similar mask and they obeyed Sarutobi Hiruzen's orders without question. 

 They picked up the unconscious Uchiha clan members from the ground and, with a few jumps, disappeared from the scene.

 Sarutobi Hiruzen paid little attention to the Uchiha clan members.

 He furrowed his brow and stared at Ichiraku Ramen.

 He noticed an exaggerated figure there, and the size of this figure's back was even more astonishing than "Enma," the Monkey King.

 It's worth noting that Enma is a spiritual beast!

 "What kind of clan emblem is that?" Sarutobi Hiruzen could clearly see the symbol on the back of Whitebeard's white cloak, and it was undoubtedly the emblem of Whitebeard's pirate crew.

 However, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't recognize it.

 "Who is he? Which ninja village does he come from? When Naruto called 'Pops' through his telescope technique, could he have been referring to him!?" 

 The thought sent a shadow of unease through Sarutobi Hiruzen.

 For the past five years, Konohagakure had been keeping a very close watch over the Jinchuriki.

 During these five years, nothing unusual had happened.

 The reason is that the Hokage appeared in Naruto's loneliest moments, becoming Naruto's only bond.

 In order to gradually make Naruto recognize the Hokage and also to make Naruto acknowledge Konohagakure!

 However, it seemed like the situation had suddenly changed. A stranger had forcefully inserted himself into the bond between Naruto and the Hokage, something Sarutobi Hiruzen could not accept.

 A Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails is too important.

 Konohagakure needed to firmly control this power.

 With this thought in mind, 

 Sarutobi Hiruzen concealed the shadow on his face and wore a smile he wasn't entirely willing to show.

 He walked toward Ichiraku Ramen.

 "It's so lively at Ichiraku Ramen today!" His sudden appearance attracted the attention of those in the ramen shop. "Oh? Naruto? Hahaha... What a coincidence!"

 "Hokage-sama," Kakashi wasn't surprised by the arrival of the Third Hokage.

 Naruto had almost been taken away by someone.

 If the Third Hokage hadn't appeared...

 That would have been strange!

 "Grandpa Hokage!" Naruto turned in surprise and saw the familiar and kind face of the Third Hokage. His eyes lit up.

"Have you finished your work today? I haven't seen you in almost half a month!"

 "Hahaha, I'm done! I came to see you right after I finished working. I really care about you, Naruto!" 

 Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Naruto's disheveled hair.

 He felt a slight pang in his heart.

 Usually, he was the one to ruffle Naruto's hair.

 Now, someone else was doing it...

 Clearly, he was the first to do that!

 Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a smile, "Naruto, what's going on outside? Why has this street turned into this? Also, who is this unfamiliar friend from another village, I don't think I've seen him before."

 He referred to Whitebeard as the "unfamiliar friend."

 Naruto couldn't sense the hint of tension in Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone. He said cheerfully, 

 "Grandpa Hokage you've come at just the right time! I have some good news to share with you, Grandpa Hokage!"

 At this moment, Naruto's words were nothing short of shocking. "Grandpa Hokage, I have a father now! I have a family!!"

 !

 *Crack!*

 Sarutobi Hiruzen's smoking pipe developed several cracks due to the pressure from his grip. The kindly smile on his face became somewhat rigid.

 "Naruto, I'm having trouble understanding what you're saying," 

 Sarutobi Hiruzen said. "I've told you before that you have parents. Your parents... were both heroes of Konohagakure."

 "But they're both dead!" Naruto muttered and then resumed his cheerful smile.

"This is my new father! His name is A... Ai... Um..."

 Whitebeard's name was a bit long.

 Naruto was a little embarrassed.

 "It's Edward Newgate!" Whitebeard exclaimed, dropping his head on top of Naruto's.

"You foolish son, you only remember your Pops's nickname, but you can't remember your Pops's name?"

 "Ahh! That hurts! I'm sorry, Pops!" Naruto clutched his head, quickly apologizing to Whitebeard.

 Whitebeard lowered his head and looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

 Their eyes met.

 "Gurararara!" Whitebeard sneered.

"Are you Naruto's irresponsible guardian? You look like a dog, you can't even take care of a little brat!"

 Sarutobi Hiruzen: "..."

 .....

 ..... 

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