Naruto stood on the village's outskirts, tossing a kunai up and catching it, his grin wide as he chatted with a group of younger kids who'd wandered by. "You gotta practice if you wanna be a ninja like me!" he said, winking as he flipped the kunai with a flourish. The kids laughed, but Naruto's eyes were scanning the treeline. He'd chosen this spot for a reason—rumors said old shinobi sometimes met here to share stories, away from the village's prying eyes. If he could overhear something about the Nine-Tails or the Fourth, it might be the key to everything.His mask was perfect now. To the world, he was Uzumaki Naruto, the loud, goofy kid who dreamed of being Hokage. But inside, he was a shadow, watching, listening, piecing together the village's lies. The scrolls from the Academy had confirmed his suspicions: he was likely the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, sealed by the Fourth Hokage on the night of his birth. But why him? And why did the village keep it a secret, treating him like a curse instead of a protector?As the kids ran off, Naruto lingered, pretending to practice throws while his ears strained for voices. Soon enough, two older shinobi appeared, their voices low as they sat on a fallen log. Naruto kept his movements casual, tossing the kunai higher, but his focus was razor-sharp."...heard the old man's getting soft," one shinobi muttered. "Letting that brat run around like he's normal."Naruto's heart skipped, but he didn't flinch, catching the kunai smoothly. They were talking about him."Always been a problem," the other said, his voice gruff. "The Fourth should've picked someone else. Or not done it at all."Naruto's blood ran cold. Picked someone else. So it was true—the Fourth had chosen him to be the Jinchuriki. But why? What made him the one to carry this burden? He wanted to storm over, demand answers, but he forced himself to stay put, laughing loudly as if he'd missed a throw. "Whoops! Gotta work on that!" he called, his voice bright but his insides churning.The shinobi glanced his way, then ignored him, continuing their talk. "Hokage's orders," the first said. "No one talks about it. Keeps the kid in the dark, keeps the village calm."Naruto's grin faltered for a split second before he caught himself. The Hokage was behind it—the silence, the secrecy. The old man who'd watched him from afar, who'd smiled at him sometimes, was hiding the truth. Naruto's distrust deepened, a cold weight settling in his chest. Even the Hokage, the village's protector, was against him.He left the training grounds, his steps light and his smile wide, but his mind was a fortress. No one could be trusted—not Anko, not Iruka, not the Hokage. They all knew something, and they were all lying. He'd keep up the act, play the fool, but he'd dig deeper. There had to be more—maybe in the Hokage's own records, or with someone old enough to remember the Nine-Tails' attack.Back in his apartment, Naruto added to his hidden notes: Fourth chose me. Hokage hides it. Why? He tucked the paper away, his eyes narrowing. He'd keep smiling, keep joking, but he was done being the village's clueless scapegoat. The truth was out there, and he'd find it, no matter who he had to fool—or fight—to get it.
