After a month, Naruto finally regained the freedom to go outside.
Humming a little tune, he ignored the suspicious stares of the villagers and strolled down the street like he owned the place.
Even though the Third Hokage had issued an order forbidding anyone from calling him a demon fox, it couldn't erase the villagers' prejudice or their habit of giving him the side-eye. If anything, the order only made him more of an oddity.
But Naruto didn't care. He had always believed in treating others the same way they treated him.
Kyuubi, perched nearby like an unimpressed roommate, let out a smirk:
"Little ghost, looks like Grandpa Hokage's orders didn't change a damn thing. The malice from these humans is even stronger than last month. You should just accept my chakra, kid. I'd kill them for you and make them regret every lousy second."
Naruto ignored the Nine-Tails' tempting whispers and wandered on. He planned to use the allowance from the Third Hokage to buy condiments—he wasn't about to suffer through bland meals. The rest of the money? Saved for books. Knowledge, after all, was more delicious than rice.
He entered the store and, unsurprisingly, ran into the same profiteer who'd sold him last month's questionable food. The man was busy shooing the last customer away, but the moment he saw Naruto, his face hardened like a rock.
"Little devil, back again? Let me warn you—the price of rice has doubled since last time. You'll pay double!"
Naruto smiled sweetly, the kind of smile that could make a snake cry:
"I'm not here for your overpriced rice. I just want some condiments. But if you refuse, I'll tell everyone outside that your store is cursed by the demon fox. That's right… cursed, bad luck and all."
"The… curse of the demon fox?" The man froze mid-breath, realizing he'd opened a door he wasn't ready for.
Naruto nodded innocently, and the profiteer's mind raced. If word got out, business would tank. With no one watching, he hastily bagged the condiments and shoved them at Naruto.
"Damn kid… hurry, hurry!"
Naruto dropped the money on the counter, grabbed the bag, and stormed outside, shouting:
"Don't buy from this cursed store! It's haunted by the demon fox!"
By the time the man recovered, Naruto had vanished down the street.
Finding a quiet alley, Naruto collapsed onto his stomach, grinning.
Kyuubi, ever the commentator, snorted:
"Little ghost, honestly, that profiteer's malice wasn't extreme. He just hated that you interrupted his precious business."
"I know," Naruto said with mock solemnity, "but selling pre-delivery food at double the price is unforgivable. And besides, revenge is fun. His business should take a hit in the next few days."
With that, he hopped up and continued his hunt for the next "victim." Unlike the original timeline, Naruto had a vengeful streak.
After a few rounds, his hands were full of spoils. Kyuubi rested his chin on a paw, unimpressed:
"Smelly brat… I see you've embraced vengeance. Using Hokage's ban to punish villagers—clever, I'll give you that."
Naruto smiled. "I've always believed in repaying kindness with kindness… and grievances with straight-up payback."
Kyuubi scoffed. "Don't get cocky. Their opinion of you is probably even worse now. You're walking into tougher situations than before."
Naruto's half-smile was teasing. "Did smiling at them make them like me? No. If they won't change, I'll just follow my own rules."
Kyuubi tapped his claws on the ground, puzzled.
After his little revenge spree, Naruto headed for the forest. He always preferred the quiet woods to the bustling streets of Konoha. Under the trees, mushrooms, wild vegetables, fish, and shrimp provided a natural buffet. He also planned to collect flowers and herbs to impress the Third Hokage next time. After all, even the strongest Hokage could not poison him.
Passing a park, Naruto suddenly stopped.
"White-eyed monster… white-eyed monster… you're the white-eyed monster!"
Three boys, about Naruto's age, were tormenting a kneeling girl—Hinata—who clutched her head helplessly.
The boys laughed. "Not only a white-eyed monster, but a crybaby too! No wonder no one plays with you. What else do you do, cry?"
One boy grabbed a handful of snow and waved it at Hinata. "Wanna try this? Bet it'll make your eyes uglier."
Hinata shrank back, terrified.
Kyuubi hissed, impressed and slightly concerned. "Isn't this the girl you helped last time? Are you just… watching again?"
Naruto stayed calm, unmoved.
Confused, Kyuubi leaned forward, curious about what the brat was planning.
Then the three boys spotted Naruto. One shouted:
"Look! The fox is here to save the white-eyed monster! They're united! They'll destroy the village!"
Hinata's eyes widened with hope as the boys advanced, pumped with courage.
"The grown-ups are afraid of you, demon fox, so we'll fight instead! We'll protect the village, and beat you monsters away!"
The lead boy raised his fist—but a loud thwack later, he was on the ground, courtesy of Naruto's wicked grin.
Naruto turned to the remaining two boys, stepping forward slowly:
"So… I heard you call me a demon fox and want to chase me off? Cute. Let's see how brave you really are."
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