Naruto: Limitless Sage

The preliminary rounds of the Chunin Exams had finally come to an end.

Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, Gaara, Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata, Temari, Dosu, and Inuzuka Kiba—

Nine genin had advanced to the final stage.

The Third Hokage stood before them and officially announced:

"The final round of the Chunin Exams will be held one month from now. At that time, leaders and dignitaries from many nations will be in attendance. The battles fought in that arena will not only determine your rank—but represent the strength and honor of your entire village."

His words carried weight. Every genin there could feel the pressure.

They would need to be stronger than ever before.

Meanwhile...

Jiraiya had returned to the Hidden Leaf. So had Tsunade.

No sooner had they settled in than they both received a message from Hatake Kakashi.

A familiar invitation:

"Meet me at the old barbecue place."

Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged glances and didn't hesitate.

After all, it had been a long time since they last shared a meal together.

In the cozy private room of the same old barbecue joint, the three of them reunited.

"Long time no see, Kakashi," Jiraiya greeted with a nostalgic smile.

After wandering outside the village for so long, it felt surprisingly good to be back.

Tsunade also gave a rare smile. She sat down with ease and poured herself a drink.

Kakashi looked at his two seniors—legendary Sannin both—and returned their smiles politely.

"Let's eat first," he offered.

Jiraiya and Tsunade didn't need to be told twice.

The sizzling of meat on the grill soon filled the air, accompanied by the rich aroma of roasted fat and charcoal.

It was enough to make anyone drool.

Kakashi watched silently as the plates stacked higher and higher, and the sake flowed like water.

They were clearly enjoying themselves.

But every time a new platter arrived, Kakashi winced just a little.

That was supposed to be my dinner too…

Yet the tower of empty plates kept growing.

He sighed inwardly.

His wallet would definitely feel this.

Still—he had a mission. He couldn't afford to hesitate.

This was for the plan—his and Naruto's.

By the time the meal wound down, Jiraiya leaned back with a flushed face, clearly a little drunk.

He wiped his mouth and asked casually:

"So, Kakashi. What's this about? Why call me back to the village?"

He smirked as he glanced at Tsunade. "And you brought her back too?"

Tsunade, cheeks also tinged red from the drink, raised an eyebrow.

She had wondered the same thing.

When she returned, she'd observed the state of the village—everything seemed normal. Peaceful, even.

Why had Kakashi summoned both her and Jiraiya back at the same time?

Kakashi looked at them seriously. Both were slightly tipsy, relaxed—perfect timing.

Then he spoke, his tone suddenly solemn.

"We're going to remove the Third Hokage from office."

The words fell.

Suddenly, the only sound in the private room was the soft sizzle of meat on the grill.

Tsunade and Jiraiya, who had been smiling and relaxed just moments ago, froze completely.

Even in their mildly tipsy state, they hadn't misheard Kakashi.

But the words he had just spoken…

Were too shocking.

"…What?" Jiraiya asked, voice sharp with disbelief.

Tsunade followed, frowning deeply. "Did I hear that right? Kakashi… you just said—?"

Kakashi nodded, calm and serious. "Yes. I said we should remove the Third Hokage."

For a second, time stood still again.

"WHAT!?"

Jiraiya bolted upright, the flush from the alcohol vanishing instantly.

Tsunade's eyes widened, all traces of relaxation gone.

Overthrow the Third Hokage?

That wasn't something you just said. Not in jest. Not in passing.

And yet those words had come from Kakashi of all people?

They exchanged a look, both thinking the same thing—Is this really Kakashi?

Without warning, Jiraiya leapt over the low dining table and grabbed Kakashi by the collar.

One quick tug—no transformation dispelled.

It really was Kakashi.

Jiraiya's expression turned grave.

Kakashi didn't flinch. "I know how this sounds. But I'm serious."

He looked both of them in the eye.

"Tsunade-senpai. Jiraiya-senpai. I'm not joking."

Their gazes didn't waver.

They could tell he meant it.

"…Kakashi, what are you thinking?" Jiraiya asked at last, still stunned.

Tsunade remained silent, her eyes narrowing.

They now understood why he had summoned them.

He was trying to win the support of two of the Legendary Sannin.

But why?

Rather than answer directly, Kakashi began to speak.

He started with the story of his father—Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha—who had taken his own life after being condemned by the village, with no defense from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He spoke of the Third Great Ninja War, and the countless misjudgments made by the Hokage's leadership.

He spoke of the Nine-Tails attack—how the village treated Naruto afterward—and of the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre.

He brought up the quiet destruction of the Senju clan, the political manipulation of the Hyuga clan, and the cover-ups hidden beneath the peace.

One by one, he laid it all bare.

In that private room, only the crackle of flames and the hiss of searing meat accompanied his words.

When he finally finished, the room was steeped in silence.

Tsunade and Jiraiya said nothing for a long time.

They had known… some of it.

Felt the rot. Seen the shadows.

But they had never faced it fully—not like this.

Both had their own reasons for leaving Konoha. Tsunade wandered, haunted by loss and bitterness. Jiraiya traveled, always chasing danger but avoiding the truth.

They had turned a blind eye.

Because the one behind it all… had been their teacher.

The silence lingered—until Jiraiya finally spoke, his voice low.

"…So what's wrong with Konoha now?"

"I saw the village when I returned. It looked fine. Peaceful."

Tsunade gave a small nod, equally puzzled. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Kakashi's expression darkened.

"That's exactly the problem."

He met their gazes squarely.

"Because of that peace, the people of Konoha have forgotten the cruelty of war."

"They've forgotten the price of the peace they enjoy."

"Tsunade-senpai. Jiraiya-senpai. You've traveled the ninja world—you've seen how the other villages haven't forgotten."

"Their hatred still burns. Their children still train for revenge."

"But ours? We're being lulled into complacency—by him."

Kakashi's voice was low, but the weight behind it was crushing.

"Konoha has the best resources in the entire shinobi world. Do you really think that peace will last forever?"

"The other great nations haven't forgotten the past. They're just waiting."

His gaze sharpened.

"When that day comes, when the winds shift and war breaks out again—who will protect Konoha?"

"Will we send the aging Third Hokage to the front lines again?"

"Or maybe… Danzo? Hiding beneath the village like a rat in his Root?"

As his words landed, the atmosphere in the room shifted drastically.

Gone was the warmth, the laughter, the nostalgia.

Jiraiya's expression turned grim.

Tsunade's brows furrowed in deep concern.

They had both lived through the wars. They knew what Kakashi meant.

Back then, Konoha had abundant talent—shinobi strong enough to fight and win against entire armies.

But now…

They did the math in their heads before they even realized it.

In today's Konoha, aside from Hiruzen Sarutobi—the aging Third Hokage—there were no confirmed Kage-level fighters left in the village.

No one who could go toe-to-toe with the other villages' top forces.

If the two of them hadn't returned…

If another village decided to launch a surprise invasion…

Who would stand against them?

Would Hiruzen alone hold the line against the combined might of the Five Great Nations?

Impossible.

Even if he was once called "The Professor" and lauded as the strongest Hokage of his era, he was no longer at his peak.

The other villages weren't so foolish as to place all their power in the hands of a single man.

And worse still—

Konoha had cut off its own lifeline.

The Uchiha clan—wiped out by the very leadership meant to protect the village.

A whole powerhouse family, gone.

Without them, Konoha had lost an entire arm's worth of battle strength.

Could the current Konoha, weakened and fractured, still stand equal to the other four great villages?

Both Jiraiya and Tsunade were quietly horrified by the realization.

They hadn't seen it before. But now…

Now they felt it.

Konoha was vulnerable.

But still, something didn't sit right.

Tsunade glanced at Kakashi, voice tinged with doubt.

"…Even if what you say is true, what does this have to do with overthrowing the Third Hokage?"

Jiraiya followed, suspicious.

"You've seen the danger, Kakashi. If that's the case—shouldn't you be bringing this to the Hokage himself?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Or is it that you want to become Hokage?"

Jiraiya looked at him as if he couldn't recognize the man in front of him.

Kakashi? Our Kakashi? The loyal, dependable shinobi with quiet eyes and thick eyebrows?

Tsunade, too, looked utterly bewildered.

But Kakashi remained unfazed.

He shook his head slowly.

"It has everything to do with the Hokage."

He spoke with clarity now, unwavering.

"And no—I don't want to be Hokage."

"I'm not trying to seize the position. I'm not the one trying to overthrow the Third Hokage for personal ambition."

"I'm simply acting… on behalf of someone else."

Kakashi continued, his voice flat but firm.

"Because, Tsunade-senpai, Jiraiya-senpai… there's something the two of you don't know."

"During the Nine-Tails' attack on the village, the Fourth Hokage—Minato-sensei—entrusted something incredibly important to the Third Hokage before he died."

"He and his wife… left behind a son."

The words hung in the air.

Silence.

Then—

"What!?"

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock. "Minato… had a child?! I thought Kushina was pregnant, but…"

He trailed off, stunned. He had assumed the child died during the Nine-Tails' rampage. That Minato and Kushina had perished with the unborn baby.

Tsunade was equally taken aback.

Kakashi nodded solemnly.

"Yes. Minato-sensei and Kushina left behind a son."

"And before he died, Minato entrusted his child directly to the care of the Third Hokage."

At that, Jiraiya sat upright, leaning forward anxiously.

"Then… Minato's son… he's still in Konoha?!"

Excitement flickered in Jiraiya's eyes. Minato had been his greatest disciple. Knowing his legacy lived on… of course he wanted to meet him.

He also felt a responsibility—as a mentor to Minato, as a comrade, as a godfather he never knew he was meant to be.

Kakashi gave a simple nod.

"Yes. He's here."

"But," Kakashi added, his tone darkening, "you've already heard of him. You just never knew who he truly was."

He looked at them, gaze unwavering.

"Before they died, Minato-sensei and Kushina sealed the Nine-Tails into their newborn son."

As those words fell, the room froze.

Jiraiya and Tsunade were left speechless.

Minato and Kushina sealed the Nine-Tails… into their own child?!

A single child.

And the boy they sealed it in…

Their son…

Was the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

They had both heard of the Jinchūriki in Konoha. The vessel of the beast that attacked the village over a decade ago. Both had known of his existence, of course.

But they had never connected the dots.

In other villages, Jinchūriki were shunned—hated, feared, treated like monsters.

Konoha was no different.

And now…

Kakashi finally spoke the name.

"His name… is Uzumaki Naruto."

The silence was thunderous.

"He's the one who wishes to overthrow the Third Hokage. He wants to become Hokage himself—and change Konoha."

Kakashi's voice was calm, but his words struck like lightning.

At last, the truth was laid bare.

He then went on to explain—clearly and methodically—how the Third Hokage had treated Naruto over the years.

How Hiruzen, despite promising Minato he would care for his son, had done the exact opposite.

How Naruto grew up alone, hated, isolated… never knowing his parents, never knowing why everyone looked at him with contempt.

How all records of his parentage had been sealed away.

As Kakashi laid out the facts, Jiraiya and Tsunade sat there, stunned.

Disbelief warred with anger on their faces.

This was their teacher. The man who had guided them through their youth. The man they had trusted.

And yet… this is how he had treated the son of the Fourth Hokage?

Minato—his successor. His comrade.

The very boy he had promised to protect.

Tsunade clenched her fists beneath the table.

The pain and fury in her heart were unmistakable.

As adults, they had experienced the darkness of Konoha firsthand. They had lived with its flaws, learned to look away.

But this?

This was too far.

The Third Hokage had taken that same darkness—and thrust it upon an innocent child.

Let him bear the pain of a whole village.

Let him suffer in silence.

As for Jiraiya, the truth cut even deeper.

He had never been told.

The Third had kept it all hidden. If Kakashi hadn't said anything today, Jiraiya might never have known.

He would've gone his whole life not knowing that his own disciple… had a son.

"…So it's Naruto who wants to overthrow the Third Hokage?" Tsunade asked at last, her voice low.

Kakashi nodded.

Tsunade frowned, thinking aloud.

"But the Nine-Tails' attack happened only around ten years ago. That means Minato's son is still just a kid… what, twelve or thirteen?"

Kakashi didn't deny it.

Tsunade's words weren't dismissive—just incredulous.

She meant what she said.

Even if it meant overthrowing the Third Hokage…

The real question still remained: Did Naruto have the strength to back it up?

He was still just a teenager.

Did he really have what it took to become Hokage?

After all, even Kakashi—widely regarded as a genius in his generation—had only become a Jonin at the age of twelve.

But—

Becoming a Jonin and becoming Hokage were two entirely different things.

Jiraiya was clearly thinking along those same lines.

Even if Naruto could gain the support of others… without true strength to prove himself, without the ability to protect and lead… he wasn't qualified to wear the Hokage's mantle.

He was still just a child.

Even if he had inherited Minato's talent, it was unthinkable that Naruto had already reached Kage-level combat strength.

But Kakashi only smiled in response to their doubts.

"As for that," he said calmly, "I think the two of you should come with me… and meet the real mastermind."

At those words, Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged a look.

They could see the curiosity reflected in each other's eyes.

They had come to investigate—but now, they wanted to know.

They wanted to see the son of Minato and Kushina with their own eyes.

Without hesitation, they followed Kakashi.

The three of them moved swiftly across the rooftops of Konoha, their presence concealed so expertly that not a single patrolling ninja noticed them.

Meanwhile…

At an abandoned training ground on the outskirts of the village…

Uzumaki Naruto was deep in training.

Following the Forest of Death exam, there was one month left before the final stage of the Chunin Exams.

Each of the remaining candidates was using that time to prepare.

Sasuke had focused on refining his Sage Mode and mastering more powerful ninjutsu techniques.

Naruto wasn't slacking either.

Power. Strength. He welcomed it all.

The more, the better.

Recently, Naruto had begun to feel a deeper resonance with natural energy—something different, something new.

It was as if something inside him had awakened… a sudden clarity, a mental breakthrough.

And with the help of the innate wisdom hidden within him—be it the Nine-Tails' chakra, or something more ancient—Naruto had begun to cultivate a new kind of power.

Something all-encompassing.

And he was learning it fast.

On this day—

He stood alone on the training ground as a chakra longbow suddenly appeared in his hand.

...

TN 😊:

It seems the author is going with the route where Jiraiya and Tsunade didn't know Naruto was alive, which is a pretty unique take 🤔. I mean, it's more likely they simply didn't bother with him because they had their own issues—Jiraiya chasing the 'Chosen One' ✨ and Tsunade being scarred by her experiences in the ninja wars ⚔️. But still, it's a fresh approach, and I'm kind of okay with it 👍.

That said, this direction only really makes sense if the Third Hokage is portrayed as actively malicious and a villain through and through.

Personally, I don't see him that way. In my opinion, rather than being outright evil, he's just old and indecisive—unable to act decisively against his close friends like Danzo and the two elders . He's not someone who chooses evil, but someone who can't put the good of the village above his personal bonds. Whether it was Orochimaru 🐍 or Danzo 🕶️, he couldn't bring himself to punish them even when he knew he absolutely had to 😔. And in a way, that failure can be seen as a betrayal of the village 🏯.

...

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