Uchiha Izuna: "Hahaha~ As expected of my good goddaughter!"
Uchiha Izuna: "That brat will definitely be provoked!"
Uchiha Izuna: "Nara kid, if you 'accidentally' climb a tree in front of that arrogant brat, he'll definitely come running over, try to join you, and put on that stiff face."
Nara Shikamaru: "Lord Izuna… that's the black-frame me."
Yamanaka Ino: "Honestly, I think black-frame Shikamaru would do exactly that."
Akimichi Chōji: "Agreed."
Temari: "Agreed."
...
The "Rookie Nine" started playing a chain agreement game.
Shikamaru rubbed his forehead helplessly and looked up at the black-framed giant screen.
Seeing his own expression there, he knew—
black-frame him really would do that.
"What a pain…"
—BANG—
Sasuke's fair face flushed red as he slammed his fist on the desk.
"How could I fall for something that simple?!"
"Provocation doesn't work on me!"
[Winter was nearing its end, yet snow still drifted over Konoha.]
[After getting properly dressed, little Naruto went downstairs.]
[The 'neighbors' had all moved away.]
[Little Naruto didn't believe the old man was suddenly that trusting.]
[More likely, they had been reassigned to the new Uchiha district.]
[During this period, little Naruto had seen members of the Konoha Police Force on the streets.]
[Their enforcement seemed rougher and more direct than before.]
[Because the Konoha Police Force—the Uchiha clan—had become the main focus of resentment.]
[Now, as long as little Naruto didn't deliberately draw attention, hardly anyone noticed him.]
[Perhaps in their eyes, that little fox demon hadn't 'committed evil' in so long that he'd already died somewhere in the winter.]
[This time, little Naruto went out to Ichiraku Ramen.]
[It had been a while since he'd gone.]
[He also wanted to ask Ayame's daughter to help him purchase vegetable seeds for early spring planting.]
["Hey! Hey!"]
["You're not really a Hyūga, are you?!"]
["If you are, show us your Byakugan!"]
[The trees were bare now.]
[Snow muffled sound, so people on the street normally wouldn't hear.]
[But little Naruto's hearing—and perception—were far sharper than normal.]
[He hadn't planned to intervene.]
[But when he sensed a familiar chakra and heard the word 'Hyūga,' he stopped.]
["Hinata?"]
[From afar, he saw three older kids confronting a short-haired girl.]
["Chakra… huh?!"]
[Little Naruto froze.]
[Hinata felt… strong.]
['Is it because of the Hyūga's special nature?']
['Hinata's chakra is even greater than Chōji's!']
[Thinking this, little Naruto walked over.]
["If you don't want to use the Byakugan, then don't look at us!"]
["Those eyes are creepy!"]
["What's the difference between you and a monster?"]
["Byakugan monster!"]
Uzumaki Kushina: "That's going too far!!"
Uzumaki Kushina: "How dare they bully my Hinata! Naruto, go! Beat those rotten brats flat!"
Ino blinked.
"Hinata… why does it feel like every time you appear, black-frame Naruto has to play the hero and save you?"
Hinata's face turned bright red.
"I… I don't know… I don't think I remember this happening…"
"Really?" Sakura looked at Hinata suspiciously.
Hinata covered her face and refused to answer.
The more she said, the easier it was to slip up.
"Those jerks! Big sister, hurry up and teach them a lesson!"
"They actually called you a Byakugan monster!"
Little Hanabi waved her fists angrily.
Tenten: "I'm so jealous~ When will I get screen time?"
Inuzuka Kiba: "Yeah! I want to be on screen too!"
Aburame Shino: "I—"
Shino talked at length.
No one listened.
Rock Lee: "At this time, I must have already met Guy-sensei!"
Might Guy: "Lee!!!"
Rock Lee: "Guy-sensei!!!"
Inuzuka Kiba: "I request both of them be muted for an hour!"
—Beep—
Inuzuka Kiba muted for one hour.
Rock Lee muted for one hour.
Might Guy muted for one hour.
["Byakugan monster~ Byakugan monster~"]
[The three older kids surrounded Hinata, chanting.]
[Hinata bit her lip lightly.]
[Finally, she couldn't hold it in anymore.]
[Her nose twitched. Her lips trembled.]
[Her pale lavender eyes filled with mist.]
["W–!"]
[Overwhelmed, Hinata covered her face, squatted down, and sobbed softly.]
["Hahaha~!"]
[The three kids burst out laughing at the sight.]
[Hinata cried harder, feeling utterly wronged.]
[Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded by her ear.]
["Why are you here?"]
["Lost again?"]
[She didn't dare raise her head, afraid of being called a Byakugan monster again.]
[But when she heard 'lost again,' she couldn't help glancing up.]
[Then she saw a blond boy, not shorter than those three bullies, looking at her.]
[A gentle, reassuring smile rested on his lips.]
['Na… Naruto-kun…']
[The blond boy before her overlapped with the special blond boy in her memories.]
["Hey! Who are you?!"]
["Wait—isn't this that fox demon our parents talk about?!"]
["That damn fox demon made my parents cry!"]
["The fox demon knows the Byakugan monster too?"]
["Perfect—send them both to hell!"]
["Fox demon! Fox demon!"]
["Byakugan monster! Byakugan monster!"]
[The three kids started chanting again.]
[Little Naruto glanced calmly at the fattest of the three.]
["Oh?"]
["You want to fight?"]
[The other two rushed forward, trying to grab him.]
[Bang!]
[To their shock, little Naruto didn't retreat—instead, he stepped past them and smashed his fist into the leader's nose.]
[Splat—]
["Do you know who you're dealing with?"]
["I'm the future Hokage."]
[Little Naruto turned back and smiled faintly at the two stunned kids.]
[He said it on purpose.]
[Even if the old man found out later, he'd have an excuse.]
[Besides, little Naruto figured that if the old man knew he'd said this while fighting, he'd probably laugh himself silly.]
["M–monster!"]
[One of the kids stumbled backward in terror.]
[With one punch, their leader had been floored.]
[Blood streamed from his nose, and in the snow lay one of his knocked-out front teeth.]
[Bang—]
[Without any suspense, little Naruto punched the other two as well.]
[Their noses bled just the same.]
["Stop pretending to be dead, or you'll freeze to death in the snow."]
["Ahhh!!!" x3]
[Little Naruto kicked each of them once, sending them scrambling away.]
["Wait."]
[As the fat kid tried to slip past, little Naruto stopped him.]
["W–what are you doing…?" he trembled.]
[Little Naruto simply grabbed him and wiped the blood from his own hand onto the kid's clothes.]
["Get lost."]
[The fat kid ran off as if pardoned, clutching his bleeding nose.]
[Defeating them had taken only a few breaths.]
[Little Naruto didn't feel proud.]
[He knew this level of strength was nowhere near enough to take revenge on the village.]
["Done crying yet?" little Naruto extended his hand.]
[Hinata froze.]
[The familiar words. The familiar scene…]
["Mm!"]
[Little Hinata nodded hard.]
["Waaah~!"]
[She grabbed little Naruto's hand and stood up—]
[Then, seeing his increasingly familiar smile, her nose stung.]
[And she burst into loud sobs.]
[Little Naruto: "..."]
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