"Get out of here! You're not welcome!"
"Ugh, what a disgusting sight first thing in the morning..."
Amid the shopkeeper's curses, Uzumaki Naruto clung to the doorframe, his face twisted into a pleading, tearful smile.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just wanted to buy a mask... I can pay! Double—no, triple the price!"
As if to prove his point, Naruto fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a handful of loose change, looking up at the man with desperate hope.
But the shopkeeper didn't even glance at it.
"I said I won't sell to you! Triple the price? Hah! Who would dare take the fox demon's money?"
With that, the shopkeeper shoved Naruto hard, sending him stumbling backward until he crashed to the ground. The coins scattered like shards of glass, some rolling into the gutter and disappearing with a faint splash.
The bystanders stepped back, as if afraid of being contaminated by his touch.
"That brat again... Why isn't he dead yet?"
"Tch, the murderer of the Fourth Hokage... Hurry up and leave! Good kids, don't go near him—he'll bring misfortune to your families!"
"I don't even know why the Hokage allows him to stay in the village..."
Cold, hateful gazes bore into Naruto as the small figure sat frozen on the ground, head bowed like a child who had done something wrong. His chest tightened with a suffocating feeling—something like humiliation, something like grief—but he didn't dare cry.
Past experience had taught him that would only invite more ridicule.
[Nameless: Fourth Hokage, what are your thoughts?]
The moment Naruto was driven out of the shop, Uchiha Hikari had activated the group livestream.
So the past few minutes had been witnessed firsthand by everyone in the chat.
Bulma was the first to speak up:
[Bulma: Wow, these people are disgusting! How can they say such cruel things to a kid? Aren't they afraid of karma?]
[Bulma: And he's the Eternal Hokage's son? Didn't the Fourth sacrifice himself to protect the village? Why is his child being treated like this?]
As the most free-spirited and curious member of the group, Bulma had chatted with Minato quite a bit over the past few days and knew a little about his life. So Naruto's treatment baffled her.
Even the gentle Tanjiro found it hard to stomach.
[Hardheaded Kid: No matter the reason, treating a child like this is too much!]
Only Minato remained silent—until Hikari directly called him out. Then, as if snapping out of a daze, he responded with mixed emotions:
[The Eternal Hokage: I...]
[The Eternal Hokage: I knew that a jinchūriki living in the village would face discrimination. Kushina went through the same thing... But Naruto is so young. How could these villagers...]
[The Eternal Hokage: Hikari-san, could you... please talk to them for me?]
"..."
Uchiha Hikari exhaled softly, then stepped forward.
Ignoring the cold onlookers, she crossed the street and approached the small blond boy.
Naruto noticed her coming and instinctively shrank back before he could even stand. His small hands, reddened from the cold wind, pressed against the ground, leaving a faint trail of blood—a wound from scraping against the doorframe when the shopkeeper shoved him. It showed no signs of healing yet.
Uchiha Hikari crouched slightly, extending a hand toward him.
"Need help?"
"!"
Naruto's head snapped up, his bright blue eyes widening in disbelief.
The bystanders, after a brief moment of shock, erupted.
"Girl, stay away from that brat! He's the fox demon—he'll bring you bad luck!"
"...Hmph, she doesn't look normal either, dressed so weird. Helping that monster in public... probably some orphan with no upbringing!"
"Disgusting! Freak!"
A boy around Naruto's age suddenly spat in their direction.
He was standing close enough that the spit nearly landed on Hikari's skirt. At the last second, she sidestepped, glancing down in disgust before lifting her gaze to the boy.
The kid flinched under her stare but, emboldened by his parents' presence, sneered.
"What're you looking at? That monster's a curse on the village—wherever he goes, bad luck follows! And you're helping him? Get lost, or I'll get someone to beat you up!"
"...Heh."
Uchiha Hikari smiled.
The next instant—
Her figure blurred.
Before the boy could react, she was in front of him, her hand lashing out in a vicious slap!
Crack!
The boy flew backward as if struck by a hammer, tumbling across the ground before spitting out a mouthful of blood and teeth. His face swelled visibly.
"You little bitch! How dare you hit my—"
The boy's father, after a stunned pause, erupted in rage.
But—
His curses died in his throat.
Killing intent.
A palpable, suffocating killing intent radiated from Hikari's icy glare. For a moment, the man felt as though he were standing in a sea of corpses. His body trembled uncontrollably, knees nearly buckling in instinctive surrender.
Two ANBU operatives, who had been observing from nearby, sensed it instantly.
Exchanging a glance, they leapt from their hiding spots, shouting in alarm:
"Stop!"
"This is Konoha! If you kill someone here, no matter who you are, you'll be thrown in prison!"
"Oh?"
Hikari tilted her head slightly, turning her gaze to the ANBU.
"When they were bullying a child, you did nothing. But the moment I discipline them, you jump out... What, do I seem easier to bully than them? Or... were you secretly enjoying the sight of this child being tormented?"
"..."
The ANBU stiffened, caught off guard. One gritted his teeth.
"This was just a fight between kids. Your response was too extreme—"
"Also."
Hikari cut him off coldly, her aura flaring as her dark hair lifted slightly.
"Who gave you the right to order me around?!"
"!!"
---
Hokage Building
Sarutobi Hiruzen, having just finished reviewing a stack of documents, took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling with satisfaction.