Naruto suddenly jumped up from the bed and subconsciously covered his ears with both hands, as if the pain from being pulled hard still lingered.
He was breathing heavily, his golden hair was messy like a bird's nest, and there was even a layer of fine cold sweat on his forehead.
"It hurts, it hurts…"
Naruto blinked his azure eyes blankly and looked around.
What came into view was not the Konoha Street filled with the afterglow of the sunset in his dream, nor was it the blurry red-haired figure that flashed by and pulled his ears angrily.
Instead, it was… a small rental house filled with instant noodle bowls and sundries. There was a complex smell in the air. There were dirty clothes that had not been washed in the corner, and a few basic ninja books with worn covers were scattered on the table. The sky outside the window was just getting light.
"Huh…?"
Naruto was stunned. It took him several seconds to realize it.
"So… I was just dreaming…"
He put down his hands that were covering his ears with some disappointment and sat back on the bed. His excitement gradually calmed down.
But… this dream felt so strange.
Naruto scratched his messy blond hair and tried to recall the scene in the dream. Unlike the previous dreams that he vaguely forgot after waking up, every detail of this dream was extremely clear in his mind. It was as if he had experienced it personally.
He remembered that he used the super cool Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to beat Sasuke, who always acted like a fool, in the training ground. He also remembered that Sasuke actually admitted that he was better than him.
He admitted that he was the strongest in Team 7!
Thinking of this, Naruto couldn't help but giggle and felt happy.
And then! And what's even more amazing is!
Sakura actually… actually took the initiative to confess to him! She even called him "Naruto-sama"!
Then… he went shopping with Sakura, and the whole village, even those passers-by who always looked at him with strange eyes… everyone greeted him with a smile! They greeted him enthusiastically! They praised him! They cared about him!
Naruto closed his eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably, revealing a satisfied and happy silly smile.
It was… great!
Although at the end of the dream, it seemed that he was scolded by a fierce red-haired woman, and then he woke up suddenly.
But overall, this was definitely the happiest dream he had ever had!
Just when Naruto was still immersed in the aftertaste of the beautiful dream, rolling on the bed with a silly smile—
"Ring, ring, ring!!!"
The old frog alarm clock at the head of the bed suddenly made a deafening and sharp ring.
Naruto was startled and hurriedly got up from the bed to press the alarm. He glanced at the time on the alarm clock.
Seven fifty-five?
"Oh no!!"
The smile on Naruto's face disappeared instantly.
"We agreed to meet at eight o'clock! We're going to be late!"
Today was an unusual day. It was the first day that Team 7 officially began to carry out the ninja mission. It was an important step in his great journey towards becoming the Hokage.
He must not be late on the first day.
"Ahhh! It's too late!"
Naruto wailed and immediately jumped out of bed, rushing to the bathroom at the fastest speed in his life. He washed his face carelessly, not even bothering to brush his teeth.
He grabbed the orange sportswear that he had crumpled on the table and put it on. He also took out a box of milk that was about to expire from the refrigerator and rushed out of the house like a gust of wind with the milk box in his mouth.
"I'm going out!"
He shouted incoherently while running, even though there was no one else at home.
The streets of Konoha in the early morning were gradually becoming lively. The early-rising villagers greeted each other, and the shops opened one after another, and the aroma of breakfast floated in the air.
Naruto ran wildly on the street, nimbly dodging pedestrians and obstacles, and kept muttering, "I'm going to be late, I'm going to be late!"
Just as he rushed around a street corner anxiously, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of his eye.
"Huh?" Naruto subconsciously slowed down his pace.
Not far ahead, a young woman in a simple red kimono was walking towards him with a little boy who looked about five or six years old.
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly.
'It's her!'
The aunt from yesterday's dream who was so enthusiastic and asked her son to learn from me.
'That's right! It's them and her son!'
He remembered very clearly that in his dream yesterday, this aunt talked to him about family matters for a long time and kept praising him. Her son… seemed to be called… Koichi? Or Yuta?
'Unexpectedly… I actually met him in reality.'
Could it be that part of what happened in yesterday's dream was true?
An indescribable excitement and anticipation surged into Naruto's heart. The anxiety on his face was instantly replaced by a bright smile.
Seeing the mother and child getting closer and closer, Naruto's heart was filled with joy. He happily raised his right hand and was about to greet them enthusiastically, as in his dream.
"Good morning…"
However, he stopped abruptly after only half of his greeting.
Because, at the moment he raised his hand, the woman in red, who was originally smiling, also saw him.
Almost at the moment she saw Naruto's face clearly, the smile on the woman's face instantly disappeared without a trace. Instead, it was replaced by a complex expression of fear, disgust, and vigilance.
She seemed to have seen the most ominous thing in the world.
"Ah!"
The woman let out a short cry of surprise, subconsciously pulled her child tightly behind her to protect him, then turned around suddenly as if avoiding the plague, almost ran away, and walked away quickly in another direction without looking back.
As she walked, she sternly warned her child:
"Ryota, remember, if you see that guy next time, you must stay away from him! Don't get close to him! It will bring misfortune! Do you hear me?!"
"…"
"…"
The wind seemed to stop at this moment. The vague gazes of the surrounding villagers pierced Naruto's body like fine needles.
The smile on Naruto's face was like a lake frozen by ice and snow, solidifying and breaking bit by bit.
His right hand, which was raised high and ready to wave enthusiastically, stayed stiffly in the air, and then, as if it had lost all its strength, it slowly lowered bit by bit.
What happened just now?
Why… why is it like this?
In the dream… it's not like this in the dream…
In the dream, she was so enthusiastic and kind to him…
Why… in reality… is it like this?
A bone-chilling chill rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, instantly freezing the last bit of warmth that rose from his beautiful dream. The huge loss and unspeakable bitterness drowned him like a tide.
He stood there, watching the woman pulling the child away in panic, watching the villagers around him with their indifferent, evasive, or hostile eyes…
His throat seemed to be blocked by something dry and astringent, unable to utter a word.
After a long time, he whispered to himself in an almost inaudible voice, with endless bitterness and self-mockery:
"…Yes…"
"This is reality…"
"…Not a dream."
The morning sun shone through the clouds and fell on the bustling streets of Konoha, but it seemed that it could not shine into the depths of the blond boy's eyes, which dimmed instantly.