The village basked under the warm afternoon sun, its streets alive with laughter and chatter.
Vendors called out their wares, shinobi passed by with nods and smiles, and children played freely in the parks and open fields.
Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, stood strong, proud, and peaceful.
At the very heart of it all, rising above the tiled rooftops, was the Hokage Tower.
Inside, behind tall wooden doors, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat at his desk, surrounded by towering stacks of paperwork.
The faint scratching of his brush against parchment was the only sound that filled the spacious room.
Without warning, a swirl of motion disturbed the air, the soft whoosh of the Body Flicker Technique.
An ANBU appeared, masked and kneeling respectfully before the old Hokage.
"Lord Hokage," the ANBU intoned.
Hiruzen set down his brush, folding his hands over the desk.
"Report," he said, his voice calm but firm.
"All is well, sir," the ANBU replied.
"The twins were seen playing at the park. Some children attempted to bully Naruto, but it did not escalate. Johan intervened and led Naruto away without incident."
Hiruzen leaned back slightly, a small puff of smoke curling from the long tobacco pipe he brought to his lips.
"I see," he murmured.
He took a thoughtful drag, exhaling slowly as he considered the report.
His eyes, sharp despite his age, remained steady.
"Anything unusual about them?" he asked after a moment.
The ANBU shook his head.
"No, Lord Hokage. Nothing out of the ordinary."
Hiruzen nodded, the faintest smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Good. You may return. Good work," he said warmly.
The ANBU bowed deeply, vanishing as quickly and silently as he had appeared.
Left alone once more, Hiruzen rose from his chair.
He walked to the wide window that overlooked the village, pushing it open.
A fresh breeze swept into the room, rustling papers and carrying with it the vibrant life of Konoha.
The scent of blooming flowers and sun warmed earth filled his senses.
Hiruzen rested his hands on the windowsill, his gaze traveling upward, up the massive stone mountain where the faces of Konoha's Hokage were carved for all to see.
He lingered on the newest face, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage.
A pang of grief flickered through his heart.
"You should have been here with us," Hiruzen whispered under his breath, his voice tinged with sorrow.
He remembered Minato's easy smile, the fierce kindness in his eyes, the hope he had carried for the future.
He remembered the night it all changed.
His pipe hung forgotten at his side as he stared at the mountain.
Three years.
It had already been three long years since that night.
Three years since the twins, Naruto and Johan, were left in his care, burdened with a fate heavier than any child should bear.
"I'm sorry, Minato," he said quietly.
"For everything that's happened to them.
For everything they must endure.
They are precious to this village, more important than anyone realizes."
He closed his eyes for a moment, the weight of guilt pressing on his chest.
"It should have been me, not you," he said, the words a bitter confession to the dead.
The wind picked up slightly, lifting the papers on his desk, stirring the old man's robes.
When Hiruzen opened his eyes again, they were steady, resolute.
"I think it is time I paid them a visit," he said softly.
A decision made, one long overdue.
He turned away from the window, reaching for his Hokage cloak.
Outside, Konoha continued to thrive, blissfully unaware of the heavy burdens carried by a few.
And somewhere within it, two small boys, two small brothers, were quietly changing the fate of the world.