Naruto Dream Fulfillment Master!

Chapter 15 The Third Hokage, Master of All Ninjutsu

This time, the two kids misunderstood Kakashi again.

He usually arrives right on time, or he's an hour or two late, and he can make up all sorts of ridiculous excuses without batting an eye to get away with it.

But today is different.

Kakashi was late again today, but not as late as he usually is.

In fact, he got up earlier than usual.

Early in the morning, he mustered all his energy and headed straight for the Hokage Building.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand and knocked on the door of the Hokage's office on the top floor.

"Come in," came an old and dignified voice from inside.

Kakashi pushed open the door and entered.

Morning light streamed through the office windows, offering a clear view of the Hokage statues on the Hokage Rock and the thriving Konoha Village streetscape in the distance.

Behind the desk sat an old man with an old-fashioned pipe in his mouth, who looked like the kind old grandfather next door.

It is none other than the current supreme ruler of Konoha Village, the Third Hokage, known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu" and proficient in all ninjutsu—Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Upon seeing Kakashi appear, a hint of surprise flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

He put down the documents in his hand, looked up through the wisps of smoke at one of his most trusted subordinates, and asked gently, "Oh? It's Kakashi. What brings you here so early?"

Sarutobi was somewhat puzzled.

Logically, Kakashi should have led Team 7 on a basic assigned task today.

He should be with those three junior disciples right now, so why did he suddenly come here?

Kakashi didn't exchange pleasantries; his expression was exceptionally serious, even solemn.

He walked to the desk and solemnly said, "Third Hokage, I apologize for disturbing you. I have encountered some... strange and inexplicable situations, and it is necessary to report to you immediately."

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at Kakashi's unprecedentedly solemn expression.

He understood Kakashi's personality.

This kid usually seems lazy and carefree, but he is actually meticulous and observant. He would never lose his composure like this for no reason.

Something that Kakashi described as "bizarre" must be something extraordinary.

"Sit down and talk slowly, Kakashi."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured to the chair in front of the desk, indicating for him to sit down. He then put his pipe aside and became focused. "What exactly happened? Don't rush me, explain slowly."

"Yes."

Kakashi sat down as instructed, pondered for a moment, and then recounted to the Third Hokage in detail the incredible events that had occurred over the past two nights.

"...That's how it happened."

Kakashi's voice was deep and solemn: "Starting late the night before last, every night after I and my two subordinates, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, fall asleep, our consciousness is forcibly pulled into a dimly lit space, like a movie theater. In that space, we cannot move or use most ninjutsu; we can only watch, like audience members, the dream of Naruto Uzumaki playing on a huge screen in front of us."

"Watching... Naruto's dream?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows furrowed sharply upon hearing this, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Such a thing is possible?"

"Yes." Kakashi nodded solemnly. "Moreover, the content of the dreams we three saw was exactly the same. Afterwards, Sasuke, Sakura, and I carefully checked it and proved that it was not our individual hallucinations, but a real experience shared by multiple people. However, what's strange is that Naruto himself was completely unaware of it. When he woke up, he only remembered having some... well, dreams that were more in line with his personality."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

He took a deep drag on his pipe, his brow furrowing even more, as if trying to process this unbelievable intelligence.

Forcibly pulling the consciousness of multiple people into the same shared space...playing the dreams of specific individuals...and the person being played is completely unaware...

This... is simply unbelievable!

However, it was Kakashi who said those words.

Kakashi Hatake, who was exceptionally gifted from a young age, calm and rational, accomplished in many ways, and deeply trusted by him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew Kakashi's character well; he would never make things up or joke about his disciple and mission.

Therefore, everything Kakashi said must be true.

"What exactly was the content of the dream?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in a deep voice, his expression extremely serious.

His biggest worry was whether the mastermind had done something to Naruto through the dream, or was trying to uncover the secrets of the Nine-Tails.

Kakashi stiffened slightly upon hearing this.

Here it comes, the most crucial question has arrived.

The images from his dream last night flashed involuntarily through his mind.

Kushina-senpai's gentle smile, Minato-sensei's warm gaze, that cozy home that felt almost unreal...

And then there was Naruto's unprecedented expression of happiness, almost to the point of tears... and Sakura's innocent and naive comment...

Kakashi's throat bobbed, his heart filled with turmoil.

"How should we say it? Should we tell the Third Hokage directly that we saw the Fourth Hokage and his wife appear alive in Naruto's dream? That we saw their long-sealed home? That we saw Minato-sensei personally teaching Naruto the Rasengan?"

After a moment's deliberation, Kakashi took a deep breath, raised his head to meet Hiruzen Sarutobi's sharp gaze, and spoke as calmly as possible, omitting the most sensitive parts:

"The content of the dream... was quite bizarre. Naruto fantasized that he defeated Sasuke, became the strongest in Team 7, was confessed to by Sakura, and was deeply loved by the villagers... In short, it was just some... somewhat absurd and ridiculous beautiful dreams that were appropriate for his age."

Kakashi paused, then added, "Although the dream content seems harmless, even a bit comical, the ability to forcibly pull another person's consciousness into a shared dream space is extremely strange and dangerous. Moreover, the target is clearly Naruto! I'm worried..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened quietly without interrupting.

He noticed that Kakashi's eyes flickered and hesitated for a moment when he was describing his dream.

Based on his understanding of Kakashi, he must have been holding back some information.

However, he did not expose him on the spot.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe again, took two light puffs, and squinted his eyes through the wisps of smoke, a fleeting glint of light flashing in his sharp gaze.

After a moment's thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "This phenomenon... even your Sharingan can't detect anything at all?"

Kakashi shook his head and answered decisively, "Yes. From the moment I entered that space, I kept my Sharingan activated to observe. But neither the surrounding environment nor the images on the screen showed any trace of chakra flow, nor any signs of genjutsu. I tried using the Substitution Jutsu and the Body Flicker Technique, but both failed. It seems... that space itself has some kind of special rule that seals off our abilities."

He continued, "After the mission last night, I went to the Dark Division's archives to look up all the records on illusions, mental magic, space-time barriers, and even forbidden arts such as dreams and souls... but I found nothing. There is no known art that can explain what we are experiencing."

"Therefore... I have no choice but to consult the Hokage, who is the 'Professor of Ninjutsu'."

After hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into deeper thought.

He had a pipe in his mouth, his brows furrowed, and deep thought flickering in his cloudy eyes.

The phenomenon Kakashi described was indeed beyond his comprehension.

Forcibly pulling multiple consciousnesses into a shared dream space... playing the dreams of specific characters... even the Sharingan cannot see through it...

Such ability...

He exhausted all his knowledge, scouring his mind for records of ninjutsu, forbidden techniques, and even ancient legends...

I've never heard of it before.

"Could it be... some kind of unprecedented bloodline limit? Or... a mental technique even more bizarre than illusion? Or... some lost power related to the era of the Sage of Six Paths?"

One guess after another flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind, only to be rejected one by one.

Even this "ninja professor" felt helpless at this moment.

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his voice heavy with apprehension: "...It is indeed extremely bizarre. I have never heard of such a technique in my entire life."

He took a deep drag on his cigarette, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "So, what about Naruto? According to you, he seems completely unaware of it. Has he shown any unusual behavior these past two days? Such as lethargy? Chakra imbalance? Or... has the content of the dream affected his emotions and behavior?"

This is his biggest concern.

Regardless of the mysterious entity's purpose, as long as Naruto himself is safe and sound, there is still room for maneuver.

Kakashi immediately replied, "No. Naruto is perfectly fine!"

He thought for a moment and added, "Aside from... probably because I had a nice dream, I'm a little more excited than usual these past two days, but there's nothing unusual. My chakra is stable, and my mental state is very good."

This is also something that puzzled Kakashi.

What exactly does that mysterious being want?

"I see..." Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows relaxed slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as Naruto is safe and sound, that's all that matters.

He fell into deep thought again.

This matter is shrouded in too much mystery and uncertainty. It is indeed not advisable to act rashly before we understand the other party's background and intentions.

After a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi made up his mind and said firmly, "Kakashi, this is no small matter. Since we haven't detected any obvious malice yet, and their target seems to be only Naruto... don't make a fuss yet."

"You will continue to lead Team 7 in carrying out daily missions, but you must closely observe Naruto's every move in secret, and whether that dream theater will reappear, or if any new changes occur. Remember, observe quietly and do not alert him."

"As for the investigation..." A glint of light flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. "Leave it to me. I will use all my strength to find out what really happened behind this."

"Yes, Third Hokage!" Kakashi immediately accepted the order.

Although they couldn't get a clear answer from the Third Hokage, it was much better for the Hokage to personally investigate than for him to guess blindly.

He stood up, preparing to take his leave.

However, just as he reached the door and his hand was about to touch the doorknob—

"Wait a minute, Kakashi."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly called out to him.

Kakashi stopped and turned around upon hearing the sound.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had somehow gotten up and walked to the window, his back to him, gazing at the huge statue of the Fourth Hokage on the Hokage Rock. His back looked somewhat desolate and solemn.

Sarutobi slowly flicked the ash from his pipe, then turned around, squinted, and solemnly instructed:

"Kakashi, when I said 'don't tell anyone,' it wasn't a suggestion, it was an order! Remember, no one else but you and me should know about this! Especially... those unsettling 'images' you saw in your dream!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know what Kakashi was hiding, but he sensed that it was the key to the problem.

"Once we get back, immediately issue a gag order to Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Make them completely forget what happened these past two nights! They are not allowed to mention it to anyone, not a single word!"

"Konoha Village... appears peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. Once certain individuals with ulterior motives learn of this, they might seize the opportunity to do something detrimental to Naruto and the village!"