Back to the past, Believe it!

Ch. 63 The beginning of the end

Naruto looked out the window and sighed.

He was sitting at his desk, the third Hokage has him doing a lot of paperwork. He doesn't really know why, but it's better than doing nothing.

Naruto sat up and turned his head back to the window. Today, was the day the chunin exams took place. Well, they already took place.

But today is when Orochimaru is supposed to attack. Naruto rubs his chin and sighs. Thing is, it's not going to happen. Sasuke already confirmed it. Though, that doesn't mean Orochimaru is good like he was when the war started.

He is most likely still experimenting on things, more specifically people. Naruto walked over to the kitchen and grabbed some ramen out of the pantry.

He makes them a lot healthier now, putting in the effort to put in vegetables. He wanted to put an end to Orochimaru's experiments but Sasuke said that it was something we shouldn't meddle with.

Some bad things still need to happen, you know? Naruto grabbed himself some water before finally sitting down to eat.

He had a meeting with the Hokage today, which it probably even included the Elders. Time passed quickly and Naruto threw on a black coat and went to the Hokage tower.

It was particularly quiet albeit it's morning, but the only thing heard is the quieting crickets and the chirping birds. He could even hear a dog barking in the distance.

He opened the door to the Hokage tower. He greeted some Anbu as he walked up the stairs. He went through one door after another until finally he approached the room with no windows.

He opened the door and there in the room, as he expected, the Hokage and elders. Though, Inoichi was here and so was Shikaku.

"Ah there you are Naruto." The Hokage greeted. Naruto nodded in response and sat down. Then finally, the meeting began.

Most of it was talking about Village relations and border patrol or changes. After all of that though...

The elders nodded to the Hokage and the Hokage nodded in response. Hiruzen looked over at Naruto. "I wanted to tell you something." Naruto sat up straighter. An acknowledgement that he was listening. "Well as you know, a few years ago, the Pein attack that occured. I lost my arm." Naruto stayed still before nodding.

"Yes I recall, I was the one who found your arm." The Hokage laughed. "Yes you were!" Naruto smiled. "Well, there's not much a Hokage can do with just one arm. Not to mention my age." Naruto was silent.

He knew what the Hokage was saying. "I think it time I retired." Naruto stayed silent. "You were supposed to die today." The Hokages eyes widened. "But instead your retiring." The Hokage put on a sad smile. "Well things like this just happen Naruto."

Naruto smiled. "Don't mistake me as sad, you were supposed to be retired years ago." The Hokage looked taken aback that Naruto knew of that. "I met my father, you know." Hiruzen looked at Naruto with wide eyes. The elders couldn't maintain the usual straight face that they have.

"Though, it was edo tensei." The Hokage nodded. "Naruto." Naruto looked back at Hiruzen. "You are a candidate for the Hokage position." Naruto looked at the Hokage silently. Before the words finally reached his head. "What?" Naruto asked.

"You are a nominee for the next Hokage." Naruto looked at Hiruzen with wide eyes. He felt slightly embarrassed that he was staring.

"You said you never got the chance." Hiruzen continued. "Yet, everyone that met you, has said you would have been Hokage, or thought you were." Naruto felt his face turn red. "Were people really saying that?"

The Hokage smiled at Naruto's reaction. "Even Shikaku recommended you." Naruto turned to Shikaku being only met with a smile.

"I see." Naruto didn't really feel like talking right now. The Hokage finally stood up from his chair. "We should watch the final stage of the chunin exams." Naruto nodded and followed the Hokage out of the building.

Their walk was peaceful. "Hiruzen." Hiruzen turned to look at Naruto. "The 1 tail Jinchuriki is coming here, he does not have a grasp on his ability's." The Hokage was silent.

"I just thought to warn you. Though, I believe my younger self will be able to handle it, just as I did back then." The Hokage smiled.

"Thank you Naruto." Naruto looked at Hiruzen with a raised eyebrow. "For what?" Hiruzen shrugged. "For everything." Naruto stayed silent.

Naruto felt light, happy. He was exactly where he wanted to be.

Having a shorter life span sucks. He'd only be able to be the Hokage for so long.

He felt Kurama smile when he saw Garra, not smiling at Garra, but at Shukaku.

They always hated each other, but when the person you think you hate dies, your view can quickly change, just as Kurama's did.

When Shukaku was released in his full form still with Garra, Kurama took control and led Naruto to him.

He watched the fight with sadness that he couldn't talk to Shukaku, but there was going to be a time, when he would be able to speak with them again.

Naruto sighed tiredly as he brought the both unconscious bodies of Garra and Naruto to the medical bay.

............ .............

Naruto sat behind the Hokages desk. And looked over at all the paper work. "Thats why the Hokage was giving him paperwork." Naruto smiled and took off the white coat that he had been given. He didn't like it. He liked the idea of having something like his father's hokage cape. Shikamaru stared tiredly at his friend but helped him go through the paperwork. Most of it was for Shikamaru anyway. Naruto rested his hand on his chin as he looked up at the Hokage heads.

He had denied the building of his own. His younger self still strived to be the hokage, and no doubt would his younger self be the Hokage one day. So even if he won't get the chance to see it. He will always know that his head will one day be on there.
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There was a small clicking sound. The sound of a finished puzzle. The puzzle had the same image as before, birds in the sky a setting sun and long flowy green grass. But now that the puzzle is finished, there's another thing. A graveyard in the far corner. You couldn't see the engraved names. But you could see three of them. It only takes a small idea, to guess who these graves belong to. There were fresh flowers and even ramen as offerings. And on one of the graves you could see a large fan shape on it. A small lighter sat next to the grave in the middle.

And on the distant mountains that became apart of the picture early on, showed a face, a face... With whiskers.