Creak. The door of the apartment opened from the outside.
The dim yellow light of the corridor cut into the entryway like a blade. Naruto's shadow stretched long, cast on the shoe cabinet, warped like a monstrous figure.
He lowered his head, changed shoes, and turned on the light.
Naruto stood on the balcony, letting the night breeze wash over him. Behind him, on a small table, instant noodles steamed. He had wanted to buy some vegetables, but it was too late, and the shopkeeper had driven him out with disgust.
If there had been more people, or if Naruto had gone earlier, maybe the shopkeeper's face wouldn't have carried such sour disdain.
He wasn't sure if ANBU were watching him now, or if the words he had said during the day had already reached the Third Hokage's ears.
After all, a jinchūriki was the village's strongest weapon. If his attitude toward the village shifted, something terrible could happen.
But Naruto didn't care. He wasn't thinking about revenge. He didn't even harbor much darkness in his heart. He just wanted to lie flat.
Lying flat was cool. With the System by his side, as the reincarnation of Asura. If the System's power was greater than the Nine-Tails, maybe even greater than any force in this world, then why not take the easy road?
To gain everyone's recognition, to become Hokage even if it meant struggling desperately, to protect the very people who once bullied and despised him... just to earn their approval.
How ridiculous. A person exists to express their own value, not to scrape it from others.
On the street, when people looked at him with eyes full of disgust, he'd feel inferior, sensitive, guilty, and lost. That was the people-pleaser mentality, craving acceptance.
But Naruto was no longer who he used to be. He knew now that being a pushover only earned contempt. There was no need to seek approval from others. He had to learn to reconcile with himself.
Just live as an ordinary ninja. Fill his life with meaning.
The ones in the wrong were them. Those who wanted to benefit from the Nine-Tails yet refused to pay the price.
They called it "protection," but in truth it was manipulation.
Becoming Hokage wasn't Naruto's dream. It was Sarutobi Hiruzen's dream. It was the ambition of the village elders. They wanted Naruto to serve Konoha like the Fourth once had.
The summer moonlight was soft, bathing Konoha. The night wind brushed the balcony, ruffling Naruto's bangs. His gaze grew clear.
He didn't want to be Hokage. He didn't want recognition. He only wanted to live a worldly life and become strong.
The instant noodles had cooled a little, but Naruto ate them without expression. After washing up, he lay on his bed and slowly closed his eyes.
The next day.
Not long after leaving his apartment, Naruto ran into a brat wearing a big white hat and blue scarf. It was none other than the Third Hokage's grandson, Konohamaru.
Konohamaru had a camouflage cloth draped over him and stood by the wall. When he noticed Naruto staring, he immediately shouted arrogantly:
"What are you looking at? Can't you see I'm training my ninjutsu? My grandpa is the Hokage! Get lost!"
Naruto froze for a moment at the scolding. Konohamaru felt a pang of disappointment. This guy was no different from everyone else.
The moment people heard he was the Hokage's grandson, they would obey him without question.
But Naruto smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few hundred-ryō bills, holding them out with both hands.
Konohamaru's face twisted with irritation. He waved his hand impatiently.
"Go away, I don't want your money!"
"This is for your medical bills and food. You're dead, brat!" Naruto said, and without hesitation, he beat him up.
As he struck, he cursed loudly.
"Being the Hokage's grandson makes you special? Everyone's got some relative of a Hokage!"
At the Ninja Academy, Naruto sat pale-faced in the back row, yawning.
No one came to bother him today, though when he entered the classroom, the looks of disgust still followed.
On the podium, Iruka set down his lesson plans, coughed, and announced:
"Tomorrow is the graduation exam. In the morning we'll review the Transformation Technique. In the afternoon, we'll review practical combat outdoors."
At once the classroom buzzed with excitement. Boys and girls whispered, some delighted, others nervous.
"Transformation, huh? I'm good at that. Do you think tomorrow's exam will pick that one?"
"No clue. The content is chosen randomly from the Three Basic Techniques. So... about a one-in-three chance."
"First place will be Sasuke again, obviously. He's good at everything."
"And the dead-last is obvious too! Haha!"
"True. He doesn't have a brain, always doing annoying stuff. I heard he's already been held back two years. Probably won't graduate this time either."
"Even if he did graduate, he couldn't be a real ninja. He'd fail wherever he goes. A pathetic, gray life. If I were him, I'd rather die than live like that."
Iruka, standing at the podium, heard the cruel words. His face darkened. But there was nothing he could do. He could only knock the desk, demanding silence.
"Everyone, outside. Line up. One by one."
As they waited in dull boredom, Naruto yawned again. Shikamaru noticed and asked curiously:
"Where'd you go last night?"
"The noodles were expired. Ate them and got a stomachache," Naruto said.
"You seriously can't cook even a little?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "At our age, you should at least manage simple meals."
"Don't act like what's easy for you is the same for me, you bastard!" Naruto bumped his shoulder. "At least the ramen shop guy doesn't glare at me."
"Buying groceries is too much of a hassle. Too many eyes."
Shikamaru froze, realizing what Naruto meant. The cold stares he endured daily... Things that felt trivial to him might be anything but trivial for Naruto.
"Sorry, Naruto."
"What're you apologizing for, idiot?" Naruto muttered, glancing away. His gaze drifted toward the girl now being tested, the pink-haired Sakura.
Haruno Sakura. Even cuter in real life than in manga. Her skin was pale, standing out among the other girls.
Crunch, crunch. The sound of potato chips broke the moment. Choji stood behind Shikamaru, his small eyes flicking between them, taking in everything.
Ino, with her long blond hair, was just ahead of Naruto. While searching for Sasuke in the crowd, she happened to catch Naruto glancing at Sakura. Her lips curled in a sly, gossiping smile.
"Naruto, what are you looking at?"
Naruto turned and saw her grin.
"Sasuke doesn't like girls."
"What!?" Ino's smile collapsed instantly, her eyes wide. The words pierced her heart like a spear.
"You bastard! What did you say!?"
"Hey, Ino, calm down!"
"Let go! I'm gonna kill that idiot!" Choji dropped his chips in a panic and rushed to restrain her.
"Let me go! I'll bite him to death! Damn it!" Ino thrashed, trying to punch Naruto.
Shikamaru hurried to separate them, just as Iruka's furious voice rang from inside the classroom:
"Quiet out there!"
"Next! Uchiha Sasuke!"
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