"Get lost, demon fox! I don't want your money!"
Just because Naruto lingered a moment too long at the red-and-white fox mask displayed at a stall,
the shopkeeper suddenly yanked it down and threw it at his feet with force.
The crowd around him immediately scattered, leaving an empty space with Naruto at the center,
as though avoiding some filthy, cursed creature.
From all directions came glares filled with hatred and cold indifference.
Their whispers were deliberately hushed but loud enough for him to hear.
"That boy… he's the demon fox."
"Yeah, the one responsible for the Fourth Hokage's death."
Naruto cast them a faint glance, then calmly picked up the mask and brushed off the dirt.
One moment he'd been brawling back in his old life,
and the next, he'd somehow woken up in the ninja world.
Even though he'd been here for years now, the suffocating atmosphere of isolation and rejection was something he could never fully ignore.
Humans were social creatures, after all.
He couldn't help wondering how the original Naruto managed to endure it all.
To grow up under this weight of scorn and still become the cheerful, optimistic bearer of the Will of Fire?
Wounds carved into a child's heart often lasted a lifetime. Healing them took far longer than growing up.
Maybe the so-called Will of Fire was just the ninja world's greatest illusion or maybe Naruto had been truly extraordinary.
Feeling the searing glares digging into his back, Naruto had the urge to snap.
He wanted to unleash every bit of rage and burn away their hatred,
to grab everyone who insulted him, everyone who shunned him, and crush them in an instant.
He was nothing like those self-sacrificing, forgiving protagonists from his old world.
"Minato, Obito has forgiven you! Don't laugh at Obito!"
That kind of saccharine nonsense? What a joke.
He hadn't crossed into this world to endure humiliation.
He was here to settle debts repay kindness, exact revenge, and live freely.
For now, though, he still had to endure. Strength ruled this world.
If he had the First Hokage's power, he could flatten the village with a single slap.
Patience today, power tomorrow.
Once he mastered the Flying Thunder God technique, he would be unstoppable.
The ninja world was vast Naruto would go wherever he pleased.
Cloud Village, for instance, seemed promising. At least they valued loyalty.
They had their share of troublemakers, sure, but compared to other villages, it wasn't so bad.
And besides… there was Samui.
The cold, sharp-eyed blonde beauty with flawless curves and fair skin.
Back in his old life, she had been one of his favorites alongside another famous blonde.
But all that was for later.
For now, he needed food. Ramen, specifically.
With that thought, Naruto ducked into a shop on the side of the street.
The middle-aged shopkeeper met him with a familiar look of cold disgust.
Arms crossed, expression dark, he stared as if Naruto were filth.
Naruto ignored it. He'd grown used to such looks long ago.
Too bad the guy wasn't a cute girl. At least then the scowl might have come with a pair of panties.
The villagers saw him as a walking disaster, a curse that should have been wiped out.
The Hokage's advisors had remained silent all these years.
Only the Third Hokage ever visited, quietly leaving him just enough money to scrape by.
Naruto scanned the shelves, searching for ramen packets.
"Brat. Get out. You're not welcome here."
The low, cold growl came from beside him. Naruto raised an eyebrow and looked over.
Seeing that Naruto didn't move but instead stared back with calm, steady eyes,
the fat shopkeeper's expression twisted in anger.
Of course he wouldn't listen he was a demon fox, a cursed omen.
The shopkeeper spat at Naruto's feet.
"You little bastard, didn't you hear me?!"
"Get out! My shop doesn't welcome freaks like you!"
[Choice One: "Everyone must die." Kill the shopkeeper. Reward: Senju Body (Incomplete).]
[Choice Two: Knock the shopkeeper down. Reward: Control over Nine-Tails' Chakra.]
[Choice Three: "Tuck your tail and leave." Walk away silently. Reward: Random A-rank Jutsu.]
A glowing panel appeared before him. A system? Finally!
Naruto's heart raced with excitement.
Power early, faster than the story itself.
Maybe now he could escape Konoha's suffocating cage.
His Uzumaki bloodline gave him monstrous vitality and chakra reserves.
And sealed within him was the strongest of all tailed beasts the Nine-Tails itself.
But right now, the Nine-Tails was more burden than strength,
its chaotic chakra constantly interfering with his control,
making even the simplest training impossible.
Still, the Senju Body… a remnant of the Sage of Six Paths' own vitality.
Even incomplete, it could transform him.
But killing a villager would likely put him straight into Danzo's dungeon.
An A-rank jutsu, on the other hand, was tempting though useless without chakra control.
Before Naruto could decide, the shopkeeper stormed forward, snarling curses.
"You damn brat! A kid daring to ignore me?!"
The man reached out to shove Naruto out the door
"Hey! Is that how you treat a customer?!"
A clear, youthful voice cut in.
A flash of pale gold darted past Naruto's vision.
A small girl with neat, shoulder-length blonde hair charged forward.
Too short to reach his chest, she swung a fist straight into the shopkeeper's stomach.
The man doubled over in pain, clutching his belly, face twisted in agony.
The girl planted her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed with indignation.
"You bully! Pick on someone your own size! You'd better apologize to him right now—"
"Or you'll regret it!"
The shopkeeper glared up through a sweat-soaked face.
He shot another hateful look at Naruto before turning his fury on the girl gripping his collar.
"You little brat are you his friend?! How dare you hit me—"
[Choice Two Completed. Reward Gained: Control over Nine-Tails' Chakra (Beginner: 1/10).]
At that instant, Naruto felt his body ignite with energy.
His chakra surged wildly through his veins, a vast, ancient power awakening inside him.
The Nine-Tails' chakra leaking through the seal had stirred.
Strength pulsed through every limb.
Suppressing his excitement, Naruto glanced at the girl.
For a moment, he was stunned.
That fearless, golden-haired girl with her sharp temper
he finally realized who she was.
The young heiress of the Yamanaka clan.