Oh, Boring Village
Konoha, Winter.
It started to snow in Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village, and the snowflakes fell like soft catkins, blanketing the ground like a quilt.
Braving the heavy snow, Naruto pulled up his hood, holding an umbrella to shield himself from the cold as he walked out of his apartment. Alone, he strolled down the street, glancing from side to side, carefully observing the passers-by.
If any villagers recognized him, he would have to endure their cold stares, their eyes filled with disdain.
Though Naruto had long grown used to these glares, they still made him feel uncomfortable.
Reaching the shop on the street, Naruto tucked his umbrella away, shaking off the snow before shouting inside: "Hey, Boss! I'll take some rice, bread, and milk."
The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man sitting by the stove to warm up, looked up from his work, his gloves still on to fight off the chill. He smiled as he noticed the small customer, no taller than the counter.
"Why are you here alone, kid? Where are your parents?"
"They're busy," Naruto replied, putting the money on the counter. "They asked me to get some food. It's for a family of three for a week."
The shopkeeper, having accepted the money, placed it in the cash box and began to gather the items.
At that moment, Naruto's hood slipped down, revealing his bright blonde hair, his vivid blue eyes, and the whisker-like markings on his face.
"Isn't that the demon fox?" the shopkeeper muttered under his breath, his expression darkening.
Naruto raised his gaze calmly, meeting the shopkeeper's eyes, before tugging his hood back into place. It was as if he was daring the man to say something.
The shopkeeper hesitated, his frown deepening, but said nothing. He quickly went about his work, preparing the goods.
Meanwhile, other villagers who had entered the store began to notice Naruto. They whispered among themselves, their voices low and filled with suspicion.
"That kid's the demon fox, right? I remember that the Fourth Hokage died fighting that thing… Konoha lost so much…"
"But he's just a child! How could he be responsible for all that?"
One villager was quick to interject, but was soon silenced by others:
"Don't you get it? That's the scary thing about the Nine-Tails. Even though he's just a kid, he carries that monstrous power. He could lose control any moment and destroy everything."
"He's a danger to the village. How can they still allow him to live here?"
"The Third Hokage is just trying to protect the village. But it's us who have to suffer."
"I don't get it. If I were him, I'd have ended it all to apologize for the destruction."
Their words stung, but Naruto didn't flinch. He simply stared coldly at them, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
Some villagers, unnerved by his intense stare, took a step back. They quickly fell silent, no longer daring to gossip so openly.
Naruto, growing tired of the hostility, turned back to the shopkeeper, his voice calm but firm:
"Hey, is there anything expired or rotten in there?"
The shopkeeper looked taken aback. "Of course not! Everything in this shop is fresh."
Naruto nodded, though his eyes held a hint of suspicion. "Make sure of it. If I find anything bad, I'll report you to the Hokage and the village security."
After those words, Naruto grabbed a box almost as tall as him and walked out, not looking back.
As he exited, the villagers hastily stepped aside, as if avoiding a plague. Once he was gone, they muttered curses like "bad luck" and "unlucky."
Once the shopkeeper had dealt with the remaining customers, some of them turned to him with disdain.
"Why did you sell food to that monster?" one said. "You're just enabling him to keep causing trouble in the village. It's better if he starves."
The shopkeeper sighed. "He's still a person. This is Konoha. Even the stray animals shouldn't starve."
One villager sneered, "You're just greedy. Always taking money from the demon fox. I've heard you've been selling underweight goods."
"I'm not doing anything wrong," the shopkeeper retorted, though his guilt was apparent. Everyone knew he had a reputation for overcharging.
...
At home, Naruto dropped the box on the floor with a thud before turning to grab his fishing gear.
He didn't bother opening the box. He already knew the food inside was leftovers, carefully picked out by the shopkeeper to make a quick sale. The items weren't expired, but they certainly weren't top quality either.
That was the reality for someone like him—someone born with the Nine-Tails sealed inside, labeled a "monster" by the villagers.
Naruto couldn't change their perceptions, but it still stung.
He shook his head and pushed forward. Even as a child, he had to deal with adult problems—like rising grocery costs and being bullied by other kids. Things that were tougher than just going hungry.
It was hard to smile in the face of such harsh treatment. It made him wonder how the original Naruto had managed to remain so cheerful despite all the malice directed his way. Was it his chakra? Or was he just stronger than most people could understand?
The cold wind bit at his neck as he stood by the river, the hook in the water.
If he caught nothing today, he would go another night without meat.
The chill made him shiver, and he rubbed his hands together for warmth. He sighed.
I'm Uzumaki Naruto, he thought. But inside, I'm a time traveler.
In his previous life, he had been an orphan who grew up in a similar situation, watching Naruto and Sasuke's adventures. He even stayed up all night to watch the Boruto finale, complaining when the Naruto Beast List changed hands.
But waking up in this world… he'd gone from one orphanage to another.
It wasn't so bad, except that Naruto's situation was harder than he'd expected.
In four years, he'd already faced a series of cruel experiences: the shopkeeper's refusal to sell him food, bullying from kids, and the pressures of dealing with a harsh society.
With his adult mind, it was tough to deal with these things. But his Uzumaki blood kept him going.
It was hard to believe the original Naruto could have kept his cheerful spirit with all the pain he endured. Could it be that his "Asura Chakra" really shaped his personality?
As he thought about this, the fishing rod jerked.
Naruto swung it hard, pulling the fish onto the snow. He knocked it unconscious with a nearby stick and tossed it into his basket.
"Fish soup tonight," he grinned.
With his catch in hand, Naruto quickly realized it was getting late. The sun was setting, and his stomach reminded him that staying out too long might affect his growth.
It wasn't that he was afraid of the dark; he just knew that staying up late would be bad for his health.
Nightfall was the perfect cover for him, though. With his hood down, he wandered the streets, breathing in the fresh air, not caring about what the villagers thought.
Suddenly, he stopped. In front of him stood a young girl—about his age, with lavender hair and eyes as white as snow. She looked lost, her face brimming with confusion, like someone at a crossroads in life.
Is this… Hinata?
Naruto wasn't sure, but the white eyes were unmistakable—she had to be from the Hyuga clan.
As he stared at her, a sense of unease washed over him. Why was she out here alone?
Then, he heard her voice—soft and hesitant. "Can you help me? I can't find my way home."
Naruto paused, his hand instinctively reaching out. "Of course," he said with a grin, his tone confident despite the situation.
Hinata raised her hand hesitantly. Naruto caught it gently, leading her along the street. "What's your name? Are you related to Hinata? Your eyes are so similar… I'll help you get back to the Hyuga clan."
Hinata nodded shyly, but said nothing.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at the outskirts of the Hyuga compound. Guards rushed toward them, confused by Hinata's sudden appearance.
Naruto held her hand a bit tighter out of instinct, feeling the sweat on his palms. He quickly let go, forcing a smile at Hinata.
"It looks like you're home now," he said. "I'll head back."
Hinata opened her mouth to say something, but Naruto had already turned away, leaving only a lonely silhouette in the dim light.
The guards, still uncertain, focused on getting Hinata inside, though one of them seemed to recognize Naruto and frowned.
After walking away, Naruto glanced back and noticed the Hyuga compound, decorated with colorful lights, buzzing with activity. The scene felt so full of life—yet, standing outside, he felt more alone than ever.
Liveliness belongs to others. Loneliness is mine.
But in that loneliness, he couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe things weren't so bad after all.
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