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JST Chapter 370: How to Give a Hokage a Heart Attack
🕑 Added 2025-07-05 23:10:49 +0000 UTCThe knocking on Naruto’s door continued, firm and steady. It was as if, unless Naruto opened the door, the knocking would go on forever. [Th
The knocking on Naruto’s door continued, firm and steady.
It was as if, unless Naruto opened the door, the knocking would go on forever.
[Thump]
[Thump]
[Thump]
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood outside, narrowing his eyes. His left hand shifted from a fist to an open palm as he began pounding harder. With his right, he gestured through a series of tactical hand signs—then started forming seals.
He had sensed a faint trace of Nine-Tails chakra—one that was barely noticeable.
All around Naruto’s house, elite ANBU operatives had hidden themselves in key positions. As soon as they caught sight of the Third Hokage’s hand signals, they began concentrating their chakra and tightened their grip on sealing scrolls—ready to strike at any moment.
According to the intel submitted by Uchiha Itachi and several Academy instructors—Naruto had tapped into the Tailed Beast’s chakra, and his emotional state was unstable.
That meant there was a high probability Naruto was being influenced—manipulated—by the Nine-Tails.
If that was the case, then Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice: he had to take control of Naruto immediately and reinforce the seal left behind by Namikaze Minato.
“These bastards… they’re here to arrest you, Naruto.”
Kurama said coldly, “Malice—hostile intent is closing in from every direction. That damn Third Hokage brought a whole squad of shinobi. And none of them are pushovers…”
“Kazuki-sama, should we prepare for battle? This doesn’t look like something that can be resolved peacefully. These visitors… they mean harm.”
Naruto lowered his head in silence.
How cruel... Just because a so-called loser like him had shown a bit of progress at the Academy, Sarutobi Hiruzen now came—backed by a force of shinobi—intent on arresting him, under the authority of the Third Hokage?
Had it always been like this?
Back when Hiruzen delivered his living allowance, when they sat together eating grilled fish—was this same 'kind old man' surrounded by hidden shinobi, waiting in ambush? Just one wrong move, and they would’ve attacked him without hesitation?
“Naruto, I’m going to borrow your body now. Is that alright?”
Kazuki’s voice was calm, almost indifferent—as if he hadn’t noticed how suddenly the situation had escalated.
“Yeah… of course you can. But… Kazuki–nii-san…”
Naruto hesitated. “They’ve already come right up to our door. Can we really drive them off with just words? Kurama says we’re already surrounded…”
“Don’t worry.”
Kazuki gave a soft chuckle. “Just watch carefully. And learn well.”
And with that—
Naruto let go, handing his body over to Kazuki.
Kazuki, now in control of little Naruto’s body, walked steadily toward the front door with composed steps and slowly opened it.
What greeted him was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen, wearing that famously gentle smile—so honed it could even throw Uchiha Itachi off balance—radiating with the so-called Will of Fire.
“Little Naruto, I came to see you…”
Hiruzen beamed as he waved. “How have you been? Did you miss your old Grandpa Hokage?”
Kazuki smiled inwardly but didn’t say a word. He turned around and, without acknowledging Hiruzen, walked calmly back into the house and sat down at the table.
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart skipped a beat.
Naruto… didn’t respond?
That could only mean something was wrong!
Suppressing his unease, Hiruzen glanced around the newly cleaned and orderly home. The more he looked, the more uneasy he felt…
Still, he stepped inside and sat down across from Naruto at the table.
“Naruto, you’ve been…”
He had just started to ask, probing gently, when his words caught in his throat.
His entire body stiffened—as if even his breath had stalled.
Naruto was still Naruto.
The same childlike face, soft features, a pinkish complexion—just a typical kid at first glance.
But on closer inspection—
The eyes.
The subtle curve of the lips.
The sharpness in his brows.
The posture—arms folded calmly across the chest…
Sarutobi Hiruzen froze in horror.
Why does Naruto… look so much like my old sensei—Senju Tobirama?!
In this alternate timeline, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at Naruto—whose appearance bore an uncanny resemblance to Senju Tobirama—and felt his heart begin to race.
[Thump, thump, thump!]
It had been so long… far too long…
Nearly 40 years had passed since the death of Senju Tobirama in the First Great Ninja War.
Forty years—a timespan that, in the shinobi world, was enough to span two generations. Enough time for three or four ninja wars to erupt and for countless stories of joy and sorrow to unfold…
That man—Senju Tobirama, who held a special place in Hiruzen’s heart—hadn’t surfaced in his thoughts for a long time.
In truth, this was a subconscious defense mechanism developed by the aging Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The longer he held the title of Hokage, the more acutely he felt the immense gap between himself and Senju Tobirama…
When it came to the Uchiha issue, the Hokage Tobirama had once crushed the attempted rebellion in a single instant. With a mixture of hard and soft tactics, he founded the Konoha Military Police Force, firmly tethering those red-eyed wolves inside the village.
And beyond the borders—
When the four great villages united in an assault on Konoha, it was Tobirama who led the counterattack without the slightest retreat, ultimately securing an indisputable victory in the war.
Most of all, he had truly embodied the Will of Fire, giving his life to save his students—Hiruzen among them.
But it wasn’t just as a Hokage that Tobirama stood far above.
As a shinobi, his abilities were on another level as well.
Once, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been hailed as an undeniable prodigy by his peers—he had mastered all five chakra natures and could swiftly learn all forms of elemental ninjutsu.
In his youth, he brimmed with confidence. He believed that while his sensei, Senju Tobirama, was indeed powerful, his own talent might one day allow him to surpass him.
In private, the younger Hiruzen would sometimes wonder—
Was inventing jutsu really that hard?
After all, when it came to versatility in elemental ninjutsu, Tobirama seemed proficient only in Water Release… whereas he, Hiruzen, had mastered all five.
He truly believed he had a shot at outshining the previous generation.
But after becoming Hokage and inheriting the full archive of forbidden techniques Tobirama had left behind—everything from complex sealing techniques to rough drafts of jutsu that could annihilate humanity—
Hiruzen finally understood.
It wasn’t that Tobirama only knew Water Release. It was simply the style he was accustomed to using when dealing with the Uchiha.
The truth was… his knowledge was vast beyond measure.
And those forbidden techniques he’d begun crafting? They were utterly unhinged.
After reading through them, Hiruzen couldn’t help but feel, from the bottom of his heart, that it had truly been in the shinobi world's best interest that Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito had forbidden Tobirama from continuing his jutsu development…
And so, walking the path laid by Senju Tobirama—
Sarutobi Hiruzen had once tried to master the Flying Thunder God Technique. But after countless failed attempts, he eventually withdrew into himself.
Not only was he incapable of catching up with Tobirama’s progress in jutsu development—he couldn’t even fully grasp the techniques Tobirama had already created…
And as he governed Konohagakure—
The Uchiha Clan, once easily manipulated by Tobirama like pawns on a board, gradually began baring their fangs. During the Second Great Ninja War, just one Sunagakure army—along with some unknown upstart village called Amegakure—was enough to leave Hiruzen drenched in sweat and struggling to stay afloat.
Then came Shimura Danzō, whose ambition grew ever more uncontrollable… Koharu and Mitokado, who quietly encroached on the Hokage's authority… The Hyūga Clan, who ignored his orders… and the three disciples who refused to become his right hand…
All of it left Sarutobi Hiruzen mentally and physically exhausted—and led him to ponder a single question:
How had Senju Tobirama become such a flawless Hokage back then?
His sensei had even managed to outmaneuver Uchiha Madara in political warfare…
Faced with that overwhelming disparity, Hiruzen instinctively adopted a self-protective mindset. To keep from sinking further into shame, he avoided thinking of his sensei altogether and focused on patching up Konoha like a glorified handyman.
And this form of self-deception… actually worked.
By the time he had reached his peak, Hiruzen had trained himself to the point where even a casual glance at Tobirama’s portrait in the Hokage Office wouldn’t trigger any wandering thoughts. He could treat it like any other picture—like it wasn’t even there.
But today—
That illusion shattered completely.
Naruto’s smile… his mannerisms… all those subtle expressions and tiny details… they truly reminded him of Senju Tobirama.
Staring at Naruto, who was casually sitting by the table, Hiruzen struggled to suppress the storm of thoughts swirling inside him.
I must be missing sensei too much… Yes, that’s it! That has to be it!
But the moment Sarutobi Hiruzen sat down and locked eyes with Naruto—
Naruto looked back at him, his smile tinged with something unreadable, and said in a soft voice: “Monkey… you’ve gotten old.”
Hiruzen froze in place.
That tone… that expression—his heart was hit with the force of a tidal wave. Sealed-away memories came crashing back into his mind all at once.
Was this some new prank of Naruto’s?
No. Absolutely not.
Hiruzen stared at Naruto, wide-eyed in disbelief. The benevolent elder image he’d always maintained in front of the boy collapsed in an instant. His face twisted with shock—almost absurdly so.
“Impossible! What is this?!”
He jumped to his feet, completely losing composure.
“You’re not Naruto?!”
And in that moment—
The ANBU agents hidden outside the house sprang into action the moment they heard Sarutobi Hiruzen’s unusually alarmed tone.
