Familiar surroundings—Naruto returned to the small wooden house, the village's iconic rock faces looming through the window, and that ever-present aura of ill intent lingering in the air.
I, Uzumaki Naruto, have returned.
"Welcome home, Naruto." The Fourth—his clone—smiled at him. Even in Naruto's form, the Fourth's expression still held a gentle, infectious warmth as comforting as spring sunshine. Honestly, if the Naruto series were told from the Fourth's perspective, it wouldn't feel out of place at all.
I'll probably never manage that smile myself. Naruto had once practiced smiling in a mirror, but the reflection always looked off—right shape, wrong heart.
"You've worked hard," he said gently, "You haven't had any trouble lately, Fourth?"
He wanted to call him "father," truly, but… the word just didn't come naturally. Naruto had returned to Konoha alone; Karin stayed behind in the Uzumaki lands, cared for by Fugaku and his wife. Maybe hardened by hardship, Karin adapted quickly—reading people and knowing just how to charm—so much so that she'd grown dear to the Fugaku family in mere days. They even considered adopting her.
Though Naruto's influence helped, Karin's natural grace and tact were undeniable. She would thrive so long as people weren't like those horrible villagers of the Grass Village.
When he left the Land of Whirlpools, Karin had been reluctant to go, especially after finally seeing Naruto's true face. Karin was… a hardcore "face type," and Naruto knew this instinctively.
By the way, Naruto's skin was paler than in the original story—more like the Fourth's. His features, hairstyle—down to the slight mustache marks—looked almost identical to the Fourth's. If not for those whisker marks, he'd be a mini-Namikaze Minato.
"Rather than telling you, Fourth, see for yourself," Naruto said with a warm look as the Fourth's shadow clone released.
The clone's memories flooded back instantly—the Fourth's experiences during Naruto's absence. Naruto processed them slowly, then finally panted, "That upright soul of yours… you've done well."
---
In the days that followed, life returned to boring normality. On a whim, Naruto even visited school.
"Morning, Uzumaki!" A voice greeted him as he entered a classroom. Naruto blinked. He actually got a greeting.
A blonde, emerald-eyed girl stood there—a single long fringe covering her right eye, full of energy.
Ino?
Naruto raised an eyebrow. Despite sharing classes, he'd had little to do with her. If memory served, he'd knocked her down tears a few times—and never held back just because she was cute. A single punch that had left her sobbing was therapeutic.
Naruto paid her no heed, ignoring her and walking straight past.
"Ooh—so handsome!" faint whispers swirled from the girls. "He gave me a mischievous grin."
Naruto: ??? Why didn't I know???
Fourth, what did you do?
He checked the clone's memories. Attention had been elsewhere—but here were snapshots of everyday school life that he'd glossed over.
No shame in admitting it—Fourth's good, Naruto thought, impressed.
In his short absence, the Fourth had managed to shift opinions—some classmates warmed up to "Naruto," even making him a bit popular. First, the Fourth had dressed him well. Better than Naruto with just black and white basics, the Fourth pulled off balance and style effortlessly.
Second, the Fourth's choice of clothes—same colors, better cut—slayed. They say clothes make the man, and with a few smart changes, the Fourth transformed Naruto's image.
But Naruto was still Naruto—the class bully. That reputation doesn't vanish in days. Whether it was Minato's son or Tobirama's real brother, trust me, no one changes that fast.
So the Fourth took a different angle: a rebellious, mischievous rogue persona.
Not a bully, but a charming bad boy—some girls are irresistibly drawn to that. And that messy-haired, slightly bad-boy look? It worked like a charm.
Not sure if Sasuke notices? He's the "stoic cool guy" type—also a crowd favorite. The Fourth went the other direction. That glint of mischief in the eyes matched Naruto's natural looks… perfect for catching attention in class.
Some girls loved it—because they liked rebellious quirks. Not everyone thinks the same. Teenage girls especially—they're helpless against a handsome flirtatious bad boy.
Even if he were literally the Nine-Tails, possessed by a fox demon, as long as he's handsome, cool, mischievous… they'd love him.
These days, everyone judges by looks—values follow appearances.
Naruto wanted to tell the Fourth: I don't care what they think. Good or bad—it doesn't matter. He dislikes this world; it's too heavy. Like he said to Nagato, this world is sick. But he doesn't want or intend to be the Chosen One.
That's why he chose Nagato.
He just wants to challenge strong opponents and grow stronger. Maybe even fight alongside Earth's Z-Warriors someday.
You never taste the thrill of pushing your limits till you dedicate yourself to martial arts.
When body and spirit unite—it's intoxicating. Strength humbles you.
So…
"Ino." He mimicked the Fourth, adopting that roguish grin as he leaned in close. "Want a secret about Sasuke?"
"W-what?!" Ino, shocked by the mention, immediately perked up.
"I'll tell only you."
Sasuke likes girls with hair clips."
Ino's eyes widened.
Naruto's eyes narrowed, foxlike grin lingering.
As the Nine-Tails' incarnation—spreading chaos makes perfect sense, right?
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