Twilight had just fallen, marking the onset of night.
At the entrance to the Hyuga Clan's residence, Naruto happily bid farewell to his classmates.
Lately, Naruto had been feeling quite cheerful. Though he couldn't pinpoint why, he sensed that his classmates had grown much friendlier towards him, especially Shikamaru and Choji, who now even invited him to join their playtime.
Just like this time, when Hinata, the class's de facto leader, invited everyone to her home, Shikamaru and Choji had specifically asked him to come along.
"Naruto, Shikamaru and I are heading home now. See you at school tomorrow!"
"Goodbye!"
After saying goodbye to Shikamaru and Choji, Naruto set off towards home, clutching his full belly in delight. It had been a dreamlike day. Hinata's mother hadn't treated him with disdain for being a monster. Instead, she had lavished him with so many delicious treats that his stomach felt pleasantly stuffed for the first time.
But dreams are always fleeting. As he left the Hyuga Clan's residence and walked about ten minutes into the bustling streets, the familiar gazes returned. People stared at him as if he were a freak, their faces twisted with hatred and disgust. They pointed and whispered, and when children tried to approach, their parents yanked them back.
Fortunately, Naruto had grown accustomed to such stares over the years. He walked down the street, ignoring the gazes, his mind dwelling on the joy of being acknowledged earlier that day.
But then, a discordant voice cut through the air.
"Hey, get lost, you Demon Fox!"
Naruto's expression darkened. Absorbed in his thoughts, he had veered off course and accidentally wandered near a fruit stand. The vendor immediately glared at him with loathing.
"I'm not the Demon Fox!" Naruto retorted, a glimmer of courage kindled by the day's earlier acceptance.
The vendor, caught off guard by Naruto's defiance, snarled, "What did you say, you Demon Fox? If it wasn't for you, the Fourth Hokage wouldn't have died, and the village wouldn't have been destroyed. So many lost their parents and children because of you, you monster! Get the hell out of here!"
If it had only been the vendor, it might have been tolerable. But as the man spoke, the surrounding crowd didn't come to Naruto's defense. Instead, they all stared at him as if he were a freak. Naruto's courage evaporated instantly.
His face pale, he fled the scene.
…
From a nearby building, Kushina watched in disbelief as the events unfolded.
For six years, she had endured endless humiliation from Hiashi, but the pain of witnessing her son Naruto being treated this way far surpassed anything she had ever experienced.
"Why is this happening?"
Having once been a Jinchuriki herself, Kushina understood the plight of those who carried the tailed beasts. Back then, she had Grandma Mito and Minato to protect her, but her son Naruto was alone. Even worse, from the words of the villagers, it was clear that the village had blamed Naruto for both the Nine-Tailed Beast's rampage and Minato's death.
This was something she could never accept.
At that moment, Hiashi's voice rang out beside her.
"This is Danzo's doing. After your deaths, he spread these lies, turning Naruto into the Demon Fox, hated by the entire village. The Third Hokage tacitly allowed it all."
Hiashi's words plunged Kushina into despair. She had placed her last hope on the Third Hokage. Though he wasn't family, she had always believed she could rely on him. But now...
With her final shred of hope, she asked-
"What about Jiraiya-sensei and Kakashi...?"
"Jiraiya? His heart belongs solely to Orochimaru. He hasn't returned to the village in years. As for Kakashi, he's in the midst of his own existential crisis, spending every day on missions for the Third Hokage's Anbu."
Hiashi's words systematically eliminated the few remaining people Kushina could rely on, leaving her utterly alone and without hope of escape.
She knelt there, drained of all strength, covering her face as she wept.
"Why... why is this happening to me?"
"So, have you decided, Kushina? Become my woman. If you do, I'll care for Naruto as I would my own child. I might even restore your status and let you return to his side."
Hiashi's words whispered like a devil's temptation. Kushina knew she must never yield, but the pain of what her son Naruto had endured after their reunion slowly began to unravel her resolve.
She pleaded desperately, "Can't you just let me go? There are so many younger, prettier women in this world. And you've already raped me for six years..."
Seeing Kushina in this state, Hiashi knew he could easily overpower her and take what he wanted. But after a moment's thought, he decided that to truly win her loyalty in the future, he should make a concession. "In that case, let's make an agreement."
"..."
Hiashi's sudden softening gave Kushina, who had been tormented and battered beyond recognition, a glimmer of hope for the first time.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, his words meant only for her ears-
"Give me a daughter. If you bear me a daughter, I'll grant you freedom ten months after she's born. I'll even give you a position that allows you to stay by Naruto's side and watch him grow up. But during that time, you must devote yourself completely to me—treating me as your husband and pleasing me in every way. How about it? Will you agree?"
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