Naruto: Limitless Sage

But—

The inheritance left behind for Naruto...

Under the care of the Third Hokage, it was reduced to a mere one thousand ryō per month.

Even after Naruto officially became a genin—

He still didn't receive the full inheritance!

There was no doubt about it:

After Minato and Kushina's deaths, the Third Hokage took possession of their ninjutsu scrolls, the wealth they had accumulated through countless missions, and even their personal assets.

And in the end?

He gave Naruto scraps—

Something not even worth the weight of a single strand of hair.

A pitiful allowance.

All of this—

Had originally been left for Naruto alone.

At this moment, the anger and resentment in Minato and Kushina's hearts were beyond words.

Seeing his parents like this, Naruto understood.

To any parent,

Their child is their everything.

They entrusted Naruto to the man they had once believed in—the Third Hokage.

And this is what he did in return…

Who wouldn't be furious?

But now—

Naruto didn't want his parents to stay angry over that despicable old bastard.

To comfort them...

To celebrate their reunion as a family…

Naruto made a decision.

He would cook a god-level dinner for his parents!

This time, he'd showcase the peak of his god-tier culinary skills—

A feast worthy of their reunion.

"Mom, Dad, don't be mad. I'll cook dinner tonight," Naruto said with a warm smile.

As he spoke, he opened the fridge.

Thankfully, it was well-stocked.

Without wasting time, Naruto grabbed the ingredients and began cooking in the kitchen.

Minato and Kushina watched in quiet awe.

He chopped vegetables, heated the pan, drizzled oil—

Every movement was fluid, practiced, and confident.

Before the food was even ready, the aroma had already filled the room.

"Mmm… Naruto's such a good cook!" Kushina said, both surprised and pleased.

Minato nodded with a soft smile.

Neither had ever imagined they'd live to eat a meal made by their own son.

Before long—

Under Naruto's fast and clean prep—

Four dishes and a soup were placed on the table.

"Mom, Dad, it's time to eat," Naruto called out gently.

Minato and Kushina looked at the steaming dishes, then at Naruto.

Their expressions softened.

Their throats tightened.

They nodded—heavily and emotionally.

"Mm!"

"...Naruto."

This meal—

Was the very first they shared as a family.

Kushina's eyes sparkled with tears.

It felt like a dream.

Naruto felt the warmth in his chest.

In this world—

He finally had a place to call home.

That night, the three of them enjoyed the god-level dinner together.

Laughter and joy filled the tiny apartment, overflowing into every corner.

For the first time in a long while, Naruto's home felt alive.

He knew then—

When he returned at night,

There would always be a light left on for him.

The first day back in the Hidden Leaf Village…

Naruto and his family spent a wonderful, peaceful day together.

No one disturbed them.

Most importantly, that decrepit old man—the Third Hokage—didn't sneak around spying either.

Late at night.

Because there was only one bed in Naruto's apartment,

Minato and Kushina chose not to stay overnight.

Luckily, they had their ways.

They found an empty home in the village to settle in temporarily.

Naruto had nothing to worry about.

A peaceful night passed.

The next day.

As the head of the Uzumaki household, Kushina made a decision.

She would invite Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and the others over.

It was partly to thank Kakashi and Sasuke—

But also to give them a taste of what it meant to have a complete family.

After all, aside from Sakura,

Kakashi and Sasuke had both lost their families to tragedy.

Kakashi's father—Sakumo Hatake—had committed suicide long ago.

Sasuke's clan had been massacred in the Uchiha Incident.

Like Naruto before,

They too had lived alone for years.

Evening came.

As promised, Kakashi and the others arrived.

"These are some pastries I bought from the bakery," Kakashi said, scratching his head awkwardly.

In his other hand was a neatly wrapped box of sweets.

After all, this was his first visit.

To be precise—

His first visit since the day his teacher and Kushina had Naruto.

Kushina received the gift warmly, beaming with joy.

She invited Kakashi inside without hesitation.

Behind Kakashi was Sasuke.

Seeing Kakashi bring a gift, Sasuke immediately realized—he had come empty-handed.

He looked embarrassed.

Of course, Kushina noticed.

But she didn't mind in the slightest.

With a gentle smile, she urged him to come in quickly.

As Mikoto's close friend, she had long since decided to look after Sasuke like her own.

Sasuke nodded shyly.

"Sorry," he mumbled before removing his shoes and entering.

Then came Sakura.

She had told her parents earlier that she'd be visiting a friend's home.

They had prepared a gift for her to bring too.

Kushina accepted it happily and welcomed her inside.

Once everyone had arrived,

The apartment became filled with cheerful voices and laughter.

This time, however—

Naruto didn't cook.

Kushina, as a doting mother, insisted on preparing dinner herself.

Although she had a temper—

She was still a wonderful wife and mother.

Her cooking?

Flawless.

Soon, the savory aroma of freshly made dishes spread throughout the apartment.

Minato and Kushina brought out dish after dish, filling the table.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Sakura gasped, her eyes wide at the sight of the spread.

Kushina chuckled warmly, clearly pleased by Sakura's reaction.

"Do you like it? If you do, eat as much as you want," she said gently.

"Yes!" Sakura nodded shyly. "Thank you, Auntie… Thank you, Uncle!"

Sasuke's eyes lingered on the dishes laid out on the table.

His throat moved unconsciously as he swallowed.

Minato noticed it—

And couldn't help but laugh lightly.

"Let's eat," he said with a smile.

With the host's words, Sakura and Sasuke quickly responded,

"Itadakimasu!"

The moment the words left their mouths, they eagerly picked up their chopsticks.

Kushina, Minato, and Kakashi watched them quietly.

All three adults smiled.

Seeing children eat heartily and laugh like this…

Wasn't this the peace they had once risked their lives to protect?

Naruto, too, picked up his chopsticks.

It was his first time tasting a meal cooked by his mother.

As soon as he took a bite—

A familiar warmth spread across his tongue.

It was the taste of home.

Naruto knew—objectively—his cooking skill had long since surpassed human levels.

No one in this world could match the level of his god-tier cuisine.

But there was one flavor in this world that could never be surpassed.

The taste of home.

The taste of a mother's love.

So Naruto said nothing.

He simply lowered his head and ate quietly, spoonful after spoonful.

A lot, in fact.

Thankfully, thanks to the power of the Six Paths Sage Mode, his body could perfectly digest whatever he consumed.

Otherwise, he'd have walked away from the table with a belly like a balloon.

But just as Naruto and the rest of Team 7 were happily enjoying their meal with family and friends…

Naruto's eyes suddenly narrowed.

His expression turned serious in an instant.

"Mom, Dad," he said in a low voice. "The Third Hokage's perception is approaching. You need to hide for a while."

The table fell silent.

Minato and Kushina couldn't sense the incoming chakra like Naruto could,

But they knew—

Naruto never acted without a reason.

They nodded at once and quietly picked up their bowls and chopsticks.

Swish!

In an instant, the figures of Minato and Kushina vanished from sight.

Kakashi and the others blinked—startled.

Right then, the perception from the Third Hokage arrived.

At the Hokage Office

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat quietly, staring into his crystal ball,

Using the Telescope Technique to spy on Naruto's apartment.

When he saw Naruto eating dinner with his teammates,

He finally gave a faint nod.

"Hmph… Bonds, friendships…" the old man murmured.

Yes, this method of controlling Naruto was far superior to Danzo's harsh brainwashing.

Gentle manipulation,

Guided loyalty…

This was the way.

He allowed himself a small, satisfied smile and withdrew his perception.

Back at the apartment, Naruto immediately noticed the Hokage's chakra presence recede.

Through Kurama, he reached out to his parents—

And signaled it was safe to return.

Moments later—

Swish!

Minato and Kushina reappeared beside him.

But now—

An awkward, heavy silence filled the room.

Except for Naruto,

None of them had realized it before:

The Third Hokage… had been spying on Naruto this entire time.

Just… watching.

The quiet didn't last long.

Kushina's fists clenched. Her shoulders shook.

She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"That old bastard…" she hissed.

"The Third Hokage dares call this 'caring for Naruto'? Spying on him? Peeking in on a private dinner with his family and friends!?"

She began pacing, her chakra flaring with suppressed fury.

Her face was twisted with anger.

And what made it worse—

This wasn't just a one-off.

If he was monitoring Naruto like this now,

Then who knew how long he'd been doing it?

Who knew what else he'd interfered in?

Every false kindness... every excuse...

It was all his doing.

All along—

He had done exactly what he wanted to Naruto.

Kushina's disgust only deepened.

Back then, they had actually believed that that old man could take care of Naruto?

If they had known things would turn out like this,

They would've taken Naruto and left Konoha behind—

Left the Nine-Tails to that damn Hokage.

With Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique,

He could've taken their whole family anywhere in the world.

But…

Even Minato hadn't expected it.

He never thought Hiruzen would stoop this low.

Kakashi glanced at Minato-sensei and Kushina,

Their expressions cold and heavy.

He felt it too—that uncomfortable pressure tightening in his chest.

The Third Hokage's behavior toward Naruto was getting worse by the day.

Sasuke and Sakura also sensed the tension in the room.

The air had grown somber, weighed down by something invisible.

Fortunately…

They had just about finished their meal.

The moment hadn't been completely ruined by the Third Hokage's intrusion.

At that moment, Naruto looked around at everyone.

It was time.

He took a breath, his eyes steady and clear.

"Mom, Dad. Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke, Sakura…"

"I've already decided when we'll begin."

"There's no more waiting."

The moment he spoke, the room shifted.

All eyes locked on him—

Minato, Kushina, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura…

"When?" Minato asked calmly, though tension lurked beneath his tone.

Kushina was far less restrained.

"Anytime, son," she snapped. "Just give the word and we'll crush that old bastard!"

Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura nodded, each face filled with anticipation.

Seeing their determination, Naruto didn't keep them waiting.

He spoke directly:

"Kakashi-sensei, you already know what's coming next—the Chūnin Exams."

Kakashi's eyes lit up.

Of course.

The Chūnin Exams were approaching.

But this year's exams weren't like the previous ones.

With tensions rising between Konoha and Sunagakure,

The two villages had agreed to co-host the exams in Konoha.

It wasn't just a test—

It was a political performance.

A show of strength from each nation's next generation.

"Wait… Naruto, are you saying…?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto nodded.

"Exactly. There'll be shinobi from multiple villages gathered in one place."

"It's the perfect stage to confront the Third Hokage—fairly, openly."

"But more importantly…" Naruto added, voice deepening.

"This year's Chūnin Exams… won't go smoothly."

Those words struck a chord.

Minato and Kushina exchanged glances.

They remembered—

Naruto had once said he could see glimpses of the future.

Had he already seen what was coming?

Minato leaned forward slightly, hesitant but curious.

"Naruto," he asked, "can you tell us what's going to happen during the Chūnin Exams?"

He wasn't entirely sure if Naruto would—or could—answer.

But he had to try.

Kakashi listened to what Minato had just said to Naruto.

Unable to hold back, he turned to Naruto with a serious expression.

Naruto met everyone's gaze without hesitation and spoke clearly.

"Yeah."

"Orochimaru—one of the Legendary Sannin who defected from Konoha—is going to launch his Konoha Crush Plan during the Chūnin Exams."

"He's planning to assassinate his own teacher, the Third Hokage, during the chaos."

The moment the words left Naruto's mouth, silence fell over the room like a curtain.

After a few tense seconds, Minato broke the quiet, disbelief coloring his voice.

"Orochimaru… senpai? He wants to kill the Third Hokage?"

Kushina looked equally stunned. "Isn't Hiruzen—our Third Hokage—Orochimaru's teacher?"

Everyone present understood what that meant. In the shinobi world, a sensei wasn't just a mentor.

They taught you ninjutsu, how to survive, how to walk the path of the shinobi.

Sometimes, they meant more than a father ever could.

The bond between master and student wasn't just respected—it was sacred.

Kakashi's expression tightened.

"Orochimaru-sama… really intends to bring Konoha down during the Chūnin Exams?"

Even Sasuke and Sakura, still relatively new to the weight of village politics, were visibly shocked.

They hadn't expected someone else to be harboring such deep resentment toward the village.

Naruto wasn't surprised by their reactions.

"That's right," he said plainly. "Orochimaru planned to assassinate the Sandaime Hokage during the Chūnin Exams."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of it.

"Was it because the Third declared him a missing-nin? Is this all revenge?"

Minato and Kushina exchanged glances. They had heard that Orochimaru had become a traitor after their deaths—but not the whole story.

Naruto didn't leave them guessing.

"Think about it," he began, turning to his father. "After the Nine-Tails' attack, you sacrificed yourself as the Fourth Hokage."

"With the seat of Hokage vacant, someone had to take over."

"At that time, there were only three real candidates: the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Orochimaru—the only one of the Sannin still in the village."

"Danzo's reputation was shady. His strength wasn't enough, and the villagers didn't trust him."

"So Danzo was out."

"That left only two: Hiruzen and Orochimaru."

"Now think logically. Orochimaru was younger, still in his prime. Hiruzen had already stepped down once."

"Orochimaru had a solid record—he contributed heavily during the previous Great Ninja War. He was a decorated hero of Konoha."

"He was more than qualified to become the Fifth Hokage."

"But then…"

Naruto's tone sharpened, laced with cold clarity.

"The Sandaime, who was supposed to be acting Hokage only temporarily… turned around and labeled Orochimaru a traitor."

"Why do you think he did that?"

...

TN:

Either the original author is unaware, or this is an AU-verse, because I distinctly remember Orochimaru leaving under different circumstances. It's inconsistent in canon:

Version 1 — he left after being caught doing human experimentation, abandoning a young Yamato in the process. If that's the case, then Naruto couldn't have been born yet, since there's an 11-year age gap between him and Yamato.

Version 2 — he left because he was pissed about not being chosen as Hokage. I think I remember a scene where Danzo tried to push for his election, now that I think about it. But this version messes with Yamato's timeline too, since we see plenty of scenes of him as a kid, preteen, and teen. Not sure how many of those scenes are manga-canon though.

P.S: I think the original author is a bit confused about this too, since it says Orochimaru left after the Nine-Tails incident, when Hiruzen took over again.

...

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