Hokage-sama, There's Good News and Bad News

At this moment, Kakashi wished he could slap himself. If he hadn't talked so much, Naruto wouldn't have overheard and gotten the idea of leaving the village.

He had no idea how he would explain this to the Third Hokage.

Should he say that it was because he, Kakashi, accidentally talked too much?

What a joke?!

Kakashi realized he was facing a major professional crisis.

He quickly spoke to Naruto, "Naruto... I remember you're supposed to start at the Ninja Academy next year, right? If you leave the village, what if you miss the enrollment?"

Kakashi spoke earnestly, "Becoming a village's Hokage starts with becoming a ninja. If you can't become a ninja, you'll never be able to become Hokage."

"If Dad can get healthy, I'd rather never become Hokage!" Despite being only five years old, Naruto's resolve was unwavering.

This statement stunned Kakashi.

The bond between Whitebeard and Naruto had grown so deep that Naruto was willing to give up his lifelong dream.

Kakashi was shocked!

How long has it been?

He also realized that Naruto's bond with Whitebeard was stronger than his bond with the village or the Third Hokage.

Like a real father!

Kakashi even had a ridiculous thought—if Minato Sensei were to come back to life and stand before Naruto, his bond with Naruto wouldn't be as strong as Whitebeard's.

Clearing away this absurd notion, Kakashi looked at Whitebeard: "Lord Whitebeard, you must understand how important Naruto is to the village. The village won't let him leave."

"Gurararara!" Whitebeard didn't care: "My idiot son cares about his dad's health. What does that have to do with your lousy village?"

Uh-oh, Kakashi realized.

Whitebeard was even harder to persuade!

Kakashi could only explain the seriousness of the situation: "If you take Naruto away from Konoha, the entire village might see you as an enemy. You would be treated like a rogue ninja."

"The Third Hokage, Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado... the village elders won't stand by."

"So, I'd become a wanted man by Konoha?" Whitebeard looked slightly amused.

Kakashi nodded, "Possibly even a wanted man throughout the entire ninja world."

"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed. That doesn't sound too bad! Your currency is 'Ryo,' right? Just put a bounty of several billion ryo on me, Gurararara!"

Whitebeard didn't worry at all about being wanted by Konoha.

He even suggested a bounty amount.

Kakashi: "????"

When he tried to explain how serious being wanted by Konoha was, he noticed Whitebeard was no longer paying attention and was instead walking Naruto back home.

Watching the giant and the small figure walk away.

Kakashi felt his head aching.

"I wonder if the Third Hokage was spying." After some thought, Kakashi decided to run back and notify the Hokage.

This was serious!

...

Sarutobi Clan Compound.

Although Hiruzen was the Hokage of Konoha, he didn't live in the Hokage Tower, which was just his workplace.

Today, he had finished his duties early.

Returning home on time.

Preparing to rest.

But for some reason, he felt uneasy, unable to close his eyes while lying in bed. He didn't know if it was because he hadn't been resting well recently or some other reason.

Suddenly!

Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly. He reflexively sat up, grabbing a kunai from beside his pillow, ready to throw it at the source of the disturbance.

But then he heard a familiar voice.

"Hokage-sama, it's me!"

Seeing Hiruzen's reaction, Kakashi broke out in a cold sweat, marveling at the Third Hokage's strength.

Even at sixty-one, he hadn't lost much of his edge.

Kakashi felt that if he had spoken half a second later.

The kunai would've been at his throat.

"Kakashi?" Hiruzen squinted, then sighed in relief as he put the kunai away. "Aren't you supposed to be watching Naruto? Why are you here suddenly?!"

"Hokage-sama, I have some good news and some bad news for you."

Kakashi hesitated.

Good news and bad news?

Hiruzen's sense of foreboding grew stronger.

"Let's hear it."

He frowned.

"The good news is... Whitebeard acknowledges that he's old and won't be around Naruto for long, at most three years." Kakashi delivered the good news to Hiruzen.

"Is that so? Such a strong man, yet he feels his end approaching? Time spares no one!"

Hiruzen sighed.

Then he blamed, "How is that good news? Someone else's suffering is not good news to me as Hokage."

Whatever you say, old man!

Kakashi couldn't help but roll his eyes internally and continued, "The bad news is... Naruto wants to leave the village."

"Oh!" Hiruzen was still in his brief moment of hidden joy: "After all, the child is growing up..."

"Uh????"

Instantly!

Hiruzen snapped awake: "Naruto wants to leave the village?"

Crack!

His overwhelming chakra cracked the floor beneath him, showing just how turbulent his emotions were.

Kakashi smiled wryly, "Naruto knows Whitebeard's condition and wants to take him to find Lady Tsunade for treatment."

"Absurd!"

"Ridiculous!"

"No way!"

Hiruzen spat out three words, immediately pulling out his travel clothes and putting them on: "Naruto is the child of a hero, and the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki. How can he think of leaving the village at such a young age?!"

"Hokage-sama, the bond between Naruto and Whitebeard has grown so deep it can't be separated."

As Hiruzen quickly dressed.

Kakashi added, "Naruto said, 'As long as Dad gets better, I don't need to be Hokage.'"

"What?" Hiruzen nearly ground his teeth to dust.

Would he give up being Hokage for Whitebeard? He had spent so much time and effort instilling that goal in Naruto.

All wasted?

For Whitebeard...

And he just forgets about Hiruzen Sarutobi?

"Hokage-sama, Whitebeard gives Naruto something no one else can: a real familial bond." Kakashi saw it clearly: "That's why Naruto cares so much about Whitebeard, even at the cost of his dreams and ambitions."

"Does my bond with Naruto compare less favorably than Whitebeard's? You've seen how much I care for that child, Kakashi. Do I not care about Naruto?"

Hiruzen said sternly.

"…Hokage-sama, of course you care more about Naruto than Whitebeard does."

After that, Kakashi said nothing more.

He feared that if he continued.

The Third Hokage would be heartbroken.

The great ninja of his time...

Had finally aged.

...

...