At this time, "Uzumaki Naruto" might not have even possessed this name—others didn't know it, and he probably didn't know it himself.
It would likely be until he started school that this "Demon Fox" in people's mouths would reappear in the public eye under the name "Uzumaki Naruto." And the established concept formed by years of being the "Demon Fox" wouldn't make people think much of it: Konoha's Ninja all had a swirl emblem on their backs; an orphan using Uzumaki as a surname didn't seem "unusual" at all.
Perhaps... the villagers would think it was already a great blessing that the Third Hokage actually tolerated this Demon Fox growing up so big and even allowed him to attend the Ninja Academy.
The Sandaime is truly a benevolent elder... "Thud!"
Ino jumped down from the window sill, her little feet landing on the floor with a dull thud. "Princess Ino, please be careful, don't fall..." Nana and Kana were startled by her action... fearing that a single slip or bump might affect Princess Ino's brilliant brain. Ino rolled her eyes at Nana and Kana.
In her heart, however, she thought of Gaara—the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure—the third son of the Fourth Hokage Rasa.
Because the seal was incomplete when the Ichibi was sealed into his body, Gaara had been unable to sleep since he was a child.
And for the sake of Shukaku's power, Rasa tested him time and again... Although in Gaara's memories, Rasa had sent people to try and kill him more than once to test his ability to control Shukaku, eventually even forcing his uncle Yashamaru to accept the mission to kill him, which directly led to Shukaku losing control... Ino only believed half of this account. Though more stories about Jinchuriki were merely "hearsay."
But there was no doubt that for the nine Jinchuriki, each one's experience was more or less the same—
Being bullied, humiliated, marginalized, beaten, and verbally abused... if there was a difference, it was only in the "degree"!
The Sand Ninja could still find some excuses, such as Gaara being too young and unable to control his power, accidentally killing people, and thus being marginalized and hated. Rasa might also have thought of his wife who died because of him whenever he saw him, half of it being displaced anger—not treating the boy as a son, but only with hatred, treating him merely as a tool.
Konoha could also say that in the year 48, the Nine-Tailed nearly destroyed Konoha, so people hated the boy with fox whiskers on his face.
"Displaced anger" was also a reason—after all, they had all lost loved ones, and the memories were still fresh. Moreover, this boy was indeed like a jinx; wherever he went, he was like a street-clearing tiger, making it impossible for people to even do business properly.
But—
What about the other Villages?
...The Jinchuriki of other Villages were "unknown" until they possessed sufficient ability—but even as unknowns, they were still bullied, marginalized, and humiliated... Why was that? The reason could only be: because being a Jinchuriki meant needing to be coldly humiliated, marginalized, and bullied.
Then the result was self-evident.
"Anger, hatred... when a person is in extreme rage and loses their reason, they will unleash the latent power within their bodies. And the latent power of a Jinchuriki—that is undoubtedly the Tailed Beast within them—a Jinchuriki must, of course, master and use the power of the Tailed Beast. And anger, hatred, extreme emotions are the keys to unlocking this power."
"So..."
Having straightened out the cause and effect, Ino couldn't help but feel pity for the ordinary people in the Ninja Villages:
The hatred and resentment they gave were actually just a kind of key needed by the Village. The Village was subtly guiding them, letting them release their malice toward the Jinchuriki—
Those children about the same age as the Jinchuriki, the older children, and those adults... as tools to awaken the Jinchuriki's power, once the Jinchuriki's power was ignited and the Tailed Beast's power was triggered, it would be absolutely difficult for them to survive. These tools would be torn to pieces by the enraged Jinchuriki!
And when they were torn apart by the Jinchuriki, the dignified Kage might put on a face of sorrow, reciting a pre-written eulogy and handling their funeral arrangements.
But in the Kage's heart, they would absolutely be overjoyed, because the Jinchuriki had finally taken the first step in using the Tailed Beast's power!
The "first" outbreak would certainly be uncontrollable. But after the first time, slowly there would be a "second" and "third" time. After a few more rampages and letting more people provoke them, it would naturally become "practice makes perfect"—this was the clumsy method devised by the fools of various Ninja Villages.
It was cruel—but very effective.
Once the Jinchuriki's power was under control, this environment for stimulating the Tailed Beast's power would no longer be necessary. Things could be gradually improved, and eventually, the Jinchuriki could become part of the high-level leadership—both the Iwa Ninja and Kumo Ninja did it this way.
However... "Naruto's current state must be making the Sandaime very headache-prone and frantic, right? Holding a crystal ball every day, performing the Telescope Technique—waiting and hoping, wishing that under the provocation of anger, ominous Chakra would suddenly leak out of him..."
"What a pity, what a pity. This kid Naruto is only concerned with self-pity, hiding in a deserted corner to wipe away his tears..."
Ino couldn't help but want to laugh whenever she thought of the Sandaime's constipated, chrysanthemum-like face from the anime... Yeah, it really looked constipated.
He probably had a "second personality" born within him, clenching his fists and roaring in his heart: 'Just explode already, explode for this old man—why are you crying by yourself? Go hit them! Why are you running... I @#$%... Naruto, just show some spine! If you don't, and people find out later, they'll think I'm mistreating you and have some grievance against the Fourth Hokage...'
But:
Naruto could never cross this hurdle.
"Princess Ino, did you think of something fun?" Nana and Kana couldn't help but be curious as they saw Ino laughing.
Ino casually brushed them off: "I was thinking, that Demon Fox—since everyone hates him because of his whiskers, why doesn't he just pluck them out?"
"..."
The two felt they really couldn't keep up with Princess Ino's train of thought. However, they weren't discouraged—Princess Ino was such a genius; if they could keep up, wouldn't they be geniuses too?
Nana and Kana were quite self-aware.
At the same time, Naruto had run to a deserted corner, curling up his small body and sobbing incessantly.
He clearly hadn't done anything, so why did everyone scold him, drive him away, and hit him?
He couldn't understand why...
-------------------------------
Hope you enjoy this fanfiction if you do and would like to read the next 30 chapters in advance, pls do check out my Patreon.
patreon.com/TLScarlet
Also don't forget to give me a Power Stone if you do like this fiction. Your support really motivates me to continue doing my best in translating, Thanks!!
