POV: Hiruzen Sarutobi
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, the sweet smoke doing little to calm his turbulent thoughts. Before him stood Might Gai, ramrod straight and vibrating with a contained energy that threatened to crack the very plaster on the walls.
"Gai," Hiruzen began, setting his pipe down. "I've called you here to discuss your... unofficial apprentice, Naruto Uzumaki."
"Ah, Naruto-kun!" Gai's teeth flashed in a brilliant smile. "A true diamond in the rough! His flames of youth burn with the intensity of a thousand suns!"
Hiruzen held up a hand to stem the tide of youthful metaphors. "Indeed. I confess, I was surprised to learn you had taken him under your wing. His academic record is, to be blunt, abysmal. Yet, my sources tell me his physical conditioning is progressing at an astonishing rate under your tutelage. I require a report. Your professional assessment."
Gai's demeanor shifted instantly. The flamboyant showman vanished, replaced by the keen-eyed Jonin who had survived countless A-rank missions.
"Hokage-sama," he said seriously. "Naruto is a paradox. In class, he is easily distracted and struggles with the fine control needed for ninjutsu. But on the training field? He possesses a will of pure iron. I have never seen a child with his capacity for endurance. He absorbs every lesson on stance and form, and he never, ever gives up."
Gai paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "It is more than just effort. His body is... uniquely resilient. He recovers from exhaustion faster than any student I have ever seen, including Lee. He has a foundation of monstrous stamina that I am simply helping him shape."
"And as a person?" Hiruzen pressed, his gaze intent.
"He is a good boy," Gai said, his voice softening. "He is loud because he wants to be heard. He is lonely, but he does not let it poison him. When I put him with Lee, I saw no jealousy, only the excitement of finding a kindred spirit. He has the heart of a true competitor and a loyal friend. Whatever else he may be, Hokage-sama, Naruto Uzumaki is a good person."
Hiruzen leaned back, absorbing the report. It aligned with his own observations, yet hearing it from a teacher as dedicated as Gai was reassuring. "Thank you, Gai. That will be all. Continue his training as you see fit."
As Gai departed in a blur of green, Hiruzen was left with his thoughts. The boy was building connections. And that, more than anything, might be the key to saving him from the beast within.
POV: Kakashi Hatake
From the branch of a large oak tree, Kakashi watched. Below, two blurs, one green and one orange were engaged in a frantic sparring match. Gai was shouting encouragements, Lee was a whirlwind of precise kicks, and Naruto... Naruto was a brawling force of nature.
His form was crude compared to Lee's polished style, but his power was undeniable. He would take a kick that should have sent him flying and only stumble back a few feet before charging in again. He was resilient, relentless, and completely in his element.
A familiar pang of melancholy settled in Kakashi's chest. He should be down there. He was Minato-sensei's student. He was the one who should have been teaching Naruto, guiding him, helping him navigate the lonely path of a Jinchuriki.
But he couldn't. Every time he looked at Naruto, he saw the face of his sensei, and the grief was a chasm he couldn't cross. So he kept his distance, watching from the shadows, leaving anonymous gifts, and delegating the boy's tutelage to Anbu reports and the occasional crystal ball viewing.
And in his place, his eternal, insufferable rival had stepped up. Gai, with his open heart and ridiculously bright disposition, had broken through Naruto's loneliness in a way Kakashi never could. He was giving Naruto something Kakashi couldn't offer: genuine, public-facing affection and comradeship.
Perhaps it's for the best, Kakashi thought with a sigh, his single eye closing. A bright child like him deserves a teacher who isn't living in a graveyard of his own making. He watched as Naruto and Lee finished their spar, collapsing to the ground in a heap of shared exhaustion and laughter. The sound was so genuine it almost hurt.
POV: Naruto & Teuchi
"You were amazing today, Lee!" Naruto cheered, punching his friend lightly on the shoulder as they walked away from the training grounds, leaving Gai to his "cool-down routine" of a thousand one-handed push-ups.
"As were you, Naruto-kun!" Lee replied, his face earnest. "Your stamina is a fortress that I have yet to conquer! It is most impressive!"
Naruto grinned, a real, easy grin that wasn't for show. "Hey, I'm starving. My treat today. I know the best ramen spot in the whole world!"
Lee's eyes went wide. "Truly? You would honor me with such a generous offer?"
"Of course! That's what friends do, right?" Naruto said, the words feeling new and wonderful on his tongue.
A few minutes later, they pushed aside the flaps to Ichiraku Ramen.
"Old Man Teuchi!" Naruto yelled. "Two miso pork ramens, extra large!"
Teuchi looked up from the counter, a warm smile spreading across his face. He'd seen Naruto at his lowest for years—a lonely little boy putting on a brave face, his only comfort a bowl of hot noodles. But today was different. The boy standing next to him, dressed in an identical green jumpsuit, was looking at Naruto with pure, unadulterated admiration.
As Teuchi prepared the bowls, he watched them. Naruto wasn't just talking; he was laughing, a real, deep laugh that reached his eyes. He was animatedly describing some prank he'd pulled, and the other boy was listening with rapt attention. They weren't just two kids eating ramen. They were friends.
"Here you go, boys," Teuchi said, placing the steaming, fragrant bowls in front of them. "On the house today, Naruto."
Naruto blinked, surprised. "Really? Why?"
Teuchi just smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Because it's good to see you bringing a friend around. A growing boy needs good food and good company."
As the two boys dug in with gusto, their happy shouts filling the small ramen stand, Teuchi turned back to his work, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. The village might see a demon, but he just saw a kid who had finally found a friend. And that was a sight worth more than any bowl of ramen he could ever sell.