Chapter 8: Naruto Learns The Analects
Konoha Year 54, December 20th, inside the Hokage's Office.
A man with silver hair, wearing a black mask, his forehead protector covering his left eye, stood before the desk.
It was Hatake Kakashi, also known as the "Copy Ninja" and "Konoha's Technician".
His pair of listless dead-fish eyes half-closed, he narrated little Naruto's daily routine in a tone devoid of emotion:
"Uzumaki Naruto wakes up at six in the morning, makes himself breakfast, then exercises while reading in his room, after which he sits by the window and stares blankly."
"He continues staring blankly like this until his stomach growls (gū gū), only then does he snap out of it to make himself lunch. Then, as usual, it's reading, exercising, staring blankly..."
"In the evening, when the sun begins to set and villagers start heading home, Uzumaki Naruto quietly slips out, avoids the busier streets, goes to that small stream to fish and exercise, and buys some daily necessities on his way home..."
This was the long-term mission assigned to him by the Third: protect the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and report on his daily activities periodically.
After all, Sarutobi also had administrative duties to handle and couldn't keep the "Telescope Technique" active constantly.
At such times, ANBU needed to conduct the "guardianship" on his behalf.
"Hooo~"
Sarutobi Hiruzen held his smoking pipe, slowly exhaling a puff of white smoke.
A trace of worry appeared on his face.
"Is Naruto still like this today?"
Aside from sleeping, he spent most of his time staring blankly. This lifestyle had already persisted for a month.
Sarutobi felt some heartache, but more than that, he was worried.
This guaranteed high-potential asset, could it end up being ruined?
A month ago, little Naruto had "discovered" his identity as the Third Hokage.
Little Naruto had pitifully begged the Third to explain to the villagers, to prove he wasn't the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
Sarutobi had agreed and indeed did so.
...Of course, the effect was likely a drop in the ocean.
Since then, little Naruto rarely went among crowds anymore.
He either stayed home reading and spacing out, or ran off to the woods to hunt and train, appearing completely solitary and withdrawn.
"Sigh!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh, then took a deep drag from his pipe, his wrinkled face seeming even older.
Actually, he knew where the problem lay, but he wasn't keen on changing the current situation.
If little Naruto was detested by everyone, then he would be the sole warmth and light in little Naruto's heart.
This greatly facilitated his "teaching" of the Will of Fire and allowed him to better keep the Jinchūriki firmly in his grasp.
"Sorry, Naruto. This is the fate of a Jinchūriki," Sarutobi sighed inwardly, standing up and walking to the window.
Looking down at the vast and prosperous village of Konoha below, the ambition long dormant in his heart actually stirred slightly.
When people grow old, they tend to become nostalgic and lack sufficient security.
The only things that gave him some sense of security now were the chair beneath him and the Konoha village he had spent his life protecting.
However, when he looked towards the Hyūga clan grounds in the distance, where preparations were being made with great fanfare, he paused.
"Kakashi, do you know what the Hyūga have been up to lately?"
Kakashi scratched his head: "Lord Third, the Hyūga are preparing for the third birthday of the main family's eldest daughter, Hyūga Hinata."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression cleared with understanding.
"If I remember correctly, there are still seven days until the Hyūga main family's eldest daughter's third birthday, right?"
"Yes."
The Hyūga clan always prioritized rules and tradition.
On the third birthday of a main family child, a batch of branch family children would be branded with the [Caged Bird] Cursed Seal.
Among this batch, the most outstanding few branch family children would have the chance to become the main family child's personal guards.
As the eldest and only daughter of the main family head's line, Hyūga Hinata was very likely to succeed as clan head in the future, so her third birthday was naturally taken very seriously by the Hyūga clan.
Hooo~
After pondering for a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen instructed Kakashi: "The Cloud Village delegation is coming soon to establish an alliance. Help me deliver a generous gift to the Hyūga clan."
"Yes, Lord Third."
Barely one-tenth of Konoha's top-tier combat strength remained. Hatake Sakumo died due to rumors, the Minato couple died in the Nine-Tails Rampage, the Sannin left Konoha one after another – it could be called the weakest period in recent years.
Those still in the village now were mostly the old, weak, sick, and disabled.
Now that the Cloud Village had taken the initiative to send people to form an alliance, it was rare good news for Konoha.
Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen attached great importance to this, even preemptively warning that fellow Danzō, fearing he might cause trouble again.
"Konoha can't afford any more turmoil now..."
...
Inside Uzumaki Naruto's seal space.
"Someone asked: 'What do you say about repaying injury with kindness?'"
"The Master said: 'How then will you repay kindness? Repay injury with justice, and repay kindness with kindness.'"
Little Naruto sat bolt upright at his desk, holding a copy of The Analects in his hands, reciting clearly and loudly.
Beside him were stacks of books taller than himself.
A glance revealed titles like Morality and Rule of Law, The Analects, Three Character Classic, History of Konoha, History of the Shinobi World...
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Menma had changed into rather traditional long-sleeved robes.
He held a discipline ruler in his right hand, tapping it against his left palm, making crisp slap-slap sounds.
Suddenly, he stopped pacing and asked directly: "Question! What is the specific meaning of that sentence?"
Little Naruto raised his head slightly, answering confidently: "This sentence means, if you repay evil deeds with good deeds, what will you use to repay good deeds? It's better to repay evil deeds with judgment, and repay good deeds with good deeds."
"Very good!"
Just as a smile appeared on little Naruto's face hearing Menma's praise...
Menma's tone shifted: "Do you still remember Morality and Rule of Law which I had you read yesterday?"
"..."
The smile on little Naruto's face froze instantly, but he still forced himself to answer hesitantly: "I should... probably... still remember... maybe?"
"Suppose someone robbed me of one hundred taels. As the judge, how should you handle this?"
Little Naruto pondered for a moment, then said in a voice as small as a mosquito's: "...Return the original amount to you?"
But with the sound of something whistling through the air, he instinctively ducked his neck.
Smack!
"Ouch!"
Looking at little Naruto pretending to clutch the back of his hand, Menma couldn't help but scold laughingly: "You blockhead who only knows rote memorization but not application! You can understand The Analects and Morality and Rule of Law separately, but put them together and you can't understand?"
"Applying this sentence from The Analects to the rule of law explains that repaying injury with justice is not a simple numerical equation. Actively robbing one hundred taels and being forced to return one hundred taels cannot cancel each other out. Besides returning the one hundred taels, there must be additional punishment for the evil act."
"The development of human society is not a zero-sum process where good and evil simply repeat themselves, but a process of suppressing evil and promoting good!"