Chapter 11: Your friends are truly cheap"Danzo! Isn't it enough that you caused Shisui's death! You actually want to desecrate his corpse!""You really deserve to die!"Itachi's eyes were filled with cold killing intent as he looked at Danzo.Danzo said in a deep voice: "Uchiha Itachi, that look in your eyes... are you trying to rebel?"As soon as Danzo finished speaking, the Root Ninjadrew their weapons one after another and surrounded Itachi."Elder Danzo, are you bullying us Uchiha because you think we have no one?"Fugaku appeared with a squad of Uchiha, confronting the Root led by Danzo.The atmosphere was tense and grim."How exciting..." Naruto looked back every few steps, anticipating a big scene.The two Anbu on the side were speechless. This brat... do you even understand the seriousness of this situation?"Hey, hey, you brat, stop watching, hurry up and leave here with us.""Let me watch for a while longer. Don't you think it's exciting... oh, wait, aren't you worried?"Hey! Brat, we just heard you say it was exciting.The two Anbu exchanged glances and reached a consensus.One of the Anbu bent down, picked up Naruto, and quickly left, while the other Anbu followed closely behind them.Naruto didn't resist: "Tsk, forget it, they definitely won't end up fighting anyway..."Fighting was impossible; after all, Fugaku was so cowardly, and the Third Hokage, a top-tier expert at patching things up, was also present...As expected, a clash did not occur.Konoha Village remained calm, yet beneath this surface calm, surging undercurrents were hidden.A single misstep, and one would be shattered to pieces if caught in it.Smart people had long since hidden far away, while those deeply trapped could not find release, only becoming increasingly desperate until they eventually turned to extremes.However, none of this had anything to do with Naruto; his daily rhythm remained unchanged: training in the morning, working his shift in the afternoon to earn money.One night, after finishing dinner and washing up, Naruto lay on his bed and fell peacefully asleep.Drip!The sound of water dripping."Where is this..."Naruto opened his eyes and found himself in a dim space.He looked around carefully—The ground was covered with water, a dozen centimeters deep. In front of him was a giant iron gate dozens of meters high, with a sealing tag stuck on it, and a huge fiery red fox lying inside the gate.He suddenly realized.'So this is the Nine-Tailed's Sealing Space; I've never been here before.'"Brat over there, come here."The Nine-Tailed's voice was as loud as a bell, making Naruto's ears ring."Hey, keep it down, big fox, you're bothering me."As he spoke, Naruto took two steps forward.Clang!The Nine-Tailed propped up its front limbs and stood up, its huge claws thrusting out suddenly, creating a shower of sparks against the iron gate that splashed all over Naruto, nearly sending him to follow in his parents' footsteps.Wiping away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, Naruto looked at the giant claws in front of him and fell into deep thought.Come to think of it... if you die in the Sealing Space, does the body outside die too?"Brat, stop spacing out, come a little closer and let me kill you."Hearing this, Naruto looked up at the Nine-Tailedwith a look of disdain, as if looking at an idiot."Are you stupid? I know you want to kill me, why would I still come over?"You dare call me stupid?The Nine-Tailed roared, an incredibly fierce aura scattering outward, pressing down on Naruto."Brat, come here, I will grant you powerful strength."The Nine-Tailed could see the situation outside and knew that its current Jinchuriki was diligent in training and was someone who craved power.After a long while, Naruto finally recovered from the Nine-Tailed's roar; he shook his head to clear his mind."What did you just say, big fox? I didn't hear you clearly, say it again."The Nine-Tailed suppressed its boiling malice and repeated what it had just said, its words full of temptation.However, Naruto, who had read the script in advance, didn't believe a single word.The Nine-Tailed could indeed grant people power, and very powerful strength at that, but only to those it deemed worthy.Like the Naruto of the future.As for the current Naruto...Go to hell!Naruto pondered and said: "Fox, you must have been trapped here by someone."The Nine-Tailed could barely suppress its malice: "So what? If you want power, hurry up and come over!"Naruto shook his head in refusal: "I'm not going over! I'll stand right here and talk. I don't believe you can grant me powerful strength... If you were really that strong, how could you be locked up here?""You detestable brat!"Naruto's words touched on the Nine-Tailed's sore spot.Back in the day, it was also a fox running free, but greedy humans coveted its power, causing it to fall to the point where it couldn't even intimidate a child."It's all because of you humans' despicable shamelessness, actually launching a sneak attack while I was sleeping."If it had known earlier that there were two perverts like Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara among humans in that era, the Nine-Tailed would definitely have hidden to the ends of the earth, waiting for those two perverts to die before appearing.By then, who could do anything to it?But now... alas, it's too late to say anything.Naruto expressed understanding: "Hmm, I get it. People who can't afford to lose or understand often say things like that. Even though you're a fox, the logic should be the same."The Nine-Tailed was furious: "I'm going to kill you!"I've never seen such an annoying brat.Boom! Boom! Boom!Its huge body kept slamming against the iron gate, the Nine-Tailed intending to break through and tear this brat who didn't know how to speak properly into shreds.But the seal created by the Fourth Hokage with his life was unbreakable; the Nine-Tailed rammed it for quite a while, but the gate didn't budge an inch.The Nine-Tailed said indignantly: "Damn Minato Namikaze, father and son are equally annoying."Naruto didn't hear this, because the commotion just now was too loud, and his hands were covering his ears.Seeing that the Nine-Tailed was no longer ramming the gate and had laid back down on the water-covered ground, Naruto lowered his hands, thinking it was really impressive—with so much water, it wasn't afraid of getting rheumatism."I should go out..." Naruto walked around the Sealing Space, couldn't find an exit, and returned to the front of the big iron gate."Hey, fox, let me ask you something, how do I get out?""Get lost!"The Nine-Tailed didn't even lift its eyelids.Naruto persuaded: "Hey, don't be like that, fox. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, what's your name?"You are not worthy of knowing my name.The Nine-Tailed ignored him and lay down to sleep.Naruto launched an emotional offensive: "Hey, fox, we can try to be friends. Friends should help each other, so, good friend, can you tell me how to get out?"You brat, your friends are truly cheap... The Nine-Tailed still ignored him, turned over, and continued to sleep."Friend, do me a favor..."You don't have any face.No matter what Naruto said, the Nine-Tailed didn't reply a single word."Forget it if you're not going to tell me, I'll figure it out myself."
Chapter 12: Are You Ready to Die?"Are you really not going to say it? Fine then, I'll figure it out myself."...The next morning, Naruto woke up and washed up listlessly.After tossing and turning for half the night, he finally found a way to leave the Sealing Space: focus his mind, hold a firm intention to leave, and he could leave whenever he wanted.The method for entering was similar to leaving.Focus his mind on the seal on his lower abdomen, hold a firm intention to enter, and he could enter whenever he wanted.Yawning while finishing breakfast, Naruto left home and went to the forest to train.He had a picnic for lunch, stood guard at the entrance of a milk tea shop in the Village in the afternoon, and ate Ichiraku Ramen for dinner...The day passed quickly. Night fell, and the bright moon gradually rose, hanging high above Konoha Village like a lantern.In his bedroom, Naruto lay on his bed to sleep, his consciousness entering the Sealing Space.Naruto waved and greeted politely, "Fox, good evening. We meet again."The Nine-Tailed didn't open its eyes or lift its tail, acting as if it were asleep."I suddenly realized something during the day. The reason people in the Village call me a demon fox is because of you, right?"The Nine-Tailed slowly opened its beastly eyes, "That's right, it is because of me. Brat, you can start hating me now."Anyway, that's how humans are—blaming others for their own mistakes. The Nine-Tailed was already used to it.Naruto asked in surprise, "Why would I hate you? Every debt has a debtor; if I were to hate anyone, it should be those people who scold me.""...Interesting brat."The Nine-Tailed became slightly interested in Naruto; this generation's Jinchuriki seemed a bit different.The Nine-Tailed rolled its eyes and coaxed, "Then do you want revenge? I can grant you power, allowing you to take revenge on those who scold you."Naruto said, "Thanks, but no need for help. I have my own plans."The Nine-Tailed wasn't disappointed; on the contrary, it became very interested, "Then what do you plan to do? My advice is to kill them all; otherwise, it won't be enough to vent your anger."The son of the Fourth Hokage killing villagers and becoming a rogue ninja... just thinking about this scenario made the Nine-Tailed incredibly excited.Minato Namikaze, Uzumaki Kushina, since you treated me that way back then, not only will I take revenge now, but I will also corrupt your child.Hehehe...Naruto didn't fall for it. He sighed, "Fox, I'm not a fool, so could you please stop giving me bad ideas?"Hearing this, the Nine-Tailed looked down from above and stared at Naruto for a while.The youthful face was full of composure, not at all like an ordinary five-year-old child; clearly, he was not easy to fool.How boring. So he's just a precocious brat. The Nine-Tailed suddenly felt uninterested and closed its eyelids to start sleeping.Naruto didn't disturb it, said "Good night," and left the Sealing Space.Winning over the fox was a long-term mission. Naruto wasn't in a rush; haste makes waste.Every night before going to sleep, he would enter the Sealing Space to chat with the Nine-Tailed for a few minutes.But most of the time, it was Naruto talking to himself—about happy things, sad things, things he liked, things he hated...Whatever came to mind, he would say it, treating the Nine-Tailed as a tree hole to pour out his heart and relieve stress.The Nine-Tailed usually slept with its eyes closed. Whether it was actually asleep or not, who knows, but it just didn't really pay him any mind.But, that's okay!Even if it didn't speak, the Nine-Tailed was a very qualified tree hole.Living alone all day, without friends, and surrounded by malice, Naruto appeared proud and indifferent on the surface, burying himself in earning money and training to get stronger.But—Humans are social animals after all. Deep down, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little lonely.But now he had the Nine-Tailed...That was good.As time went on, the Nine-Tailed began to get used to Naruto's arrival. Although its attitude still wasn't particularly good, well, occasionally when in the mood, it would reply with a sentence or two.Just like now, Naruto complained, "Xiao Jiu, I've always felt like I should have a pair of cool swirling eyes, but I don't know why I don't..."The Nine-Tailed opened its crimson eyes, baring its teeth fiercely, "That sounds terrible, you stinking brat, don't call me Xiao Jiu."Sigh, it finally spoke.Naruto was stunned and immediately asked back, "If not Xiao Jiu, then what? You won't tell me your name."Naruto had long known that the Nine-Tailed's name was Kurama.But it wasn't convenient for him to say it out loud; explaining the reason would be difficult and only lead to unnecessary trouble.It was best if the Nine-Tailed said it to him personally, because that would represent the Nine-Tailed's acknowledgment of him.However, gaining the Nine-Tailed's acknowledgment at this stage wasn't simple, at least... not possible at this stage.The Nine-Tailed snorted coldly, "Brat, you're still a long way from knowing my name."Naruto retorted, "You're acting like... a young lady from ancient times, afraid that others will find out your maiden name."Maiden name?!The Nine-Tailed was furious, feeling that its dignity as a Tailed Beast had been severely insulted."Roar! Are you looking for death?"Standing up, a terrifying aura radiated from the Nine-Tailed's body.Naruto's body stiffened. He was stunned for a moment before withstanding the pressure and saying, "It's just a joke between friends, don't take it seriously."The Nine-Tailed stared at him gloomily, saying nothing.Naruto felt a bit creeped out and probed, "Uh, aren't we friends?"The Nine-Tailed mocked, "Friends? Do you mean friends locked in a cage?"Treating each other as equals is what makes friends, but one locked in a cage... is at most a pet.Naruto understood the logic, but he couldn't change anything.It wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather that he couldn't.The seal wasn't placed by him, and he had no ability to undo it."What exactly am I expecting..."Seeing Naruto leave silently, the Nine-Tailedcouldn't help but mock itself. Expecting something from a human... as expected, it was still too naive.It decided... from now on, no matter what Narutosaid, it wouldn't reply with a single word....The next day.Nighttime.The Nine-Tailed woke up from its stupor and saw the gate was empty. The guy who should have been there talking to himself at this time hadn't appeared today."Now it seems that brat has some self-awareness..."The Nine-Tailed felt increasingly disappointed, closed its eyelids, and prepared to go back to sleep.Suddenly, it felt something unusual behind it.Turning its head to look, it saw a person lying on one of its tails, fast asleep."Bastard! How did you get in?! How dare you come in?!"The Nine-Tailed bristled and whipped its tail.The air whistled as Naruto was thrown into mid-air, crashing into the gate with a loud bang."I'm telling you, Xiao Jiu, you're really going too far..."Naruto stood up dizzily, rubbing the red mark on his face, looking full of complaints.The Nine-Tailed didn't care about Naruto's form of address. It held its huge, sharp claws in front of Naruto and said fiercely, "Brat, since you've come in, I suppose you're ready to die?"
Chapter 13: Ninja Academy"Kid, since you've already come in, I suppose you're ready to die?"Uzumaki Naruto looked up and said sincerely, "I don't plan on dying yet. I came in here to be friends with you."The best way to make friends is sincerity, and Uzumaki Naruto was being very sincere right now. The Nine-Tailed could also feel his sincerity.Risking his life just to be friends with it—how could he not be sincere?The Nine-Tailed was silent for a moment before saying, "You humans are all the same. I still don't want to be friends with you."Uzumaki Naruto said seriously, "Everyone is unique, so we will definitely become friends."The Nine-Tailed sneered, "Heh, are you trying to say you're different?"Uzumaki Naruto said, "Time will prove everything."The Nine-Tailed was noncommittal, "Then let's wait for time to prove it."After saying that, the Nine-Tailed retracted its claws and ignored Uzumaki Naruto.As expected of a tsundere fox...Uzumaki Naruto smiled, preparing to strike while the iron was hot. He walked over to the Nine-Tailed's tail."Then, as friends, it's only normal for you to let me take a nap, right?"Such a fluffy tail; it would be great to sleep on.Without waiting for the Nine-Tailed to agree, Uzumaki Naruto started climbing onto the tail to sleep."Get lost! Kid, don't get too cocky!"Give him an inch and he takes a mile. The Nine-Tailed couldn't stand it; its tail shot up high, nearly making Uzumaki Naruto fall flat on his face."Little Nine, you really are too shy... But considering it's your first time, I'll forgive you."Do I need your forgiveness? You hateful brat!The Nine-Tailed bared its teeth at Uzumaki Naruto, not looking like a fox, but rather like a puppy pretending to be fierce.I really want to pat that doggy head... Uzumaki Naruto suppressed the urge to court death, said "Good night," then turned sideways to pass through the gate and disappeared."...Good night, kid."The low voice echoed in the space, but unfortunately, no one heard it.Time passed, and half a year went by. Uzumaki Naruto and the Nine-Tailed's relationship gradually became more harmonious.Whether they counted as friends was another matter, but they could basically communicate normally; it was no longer just a one-man show by Uzumaki Naruto.He believed that as time went by, the day when the boy and the fox became friends would surely arrive.The only regret was that the Nine-Tailed still wouldn't let him sleep on its tail.How stingy!At noon that day, in the forest by the riverbank, Uzumaki Naruto was grilling fish when the Third Hokage suddenly arrived to chat and mooch some food.After eating the fish, the Third Hokage started smoking, exhaling a puff of white smoke, and said softly, "Little Uzumaki Naruto, you're six years old this year. It's time for you to go to school."The Third Hokage took out an admission notice. Uzumaki Naruto took it and looked; school started in one week."Mm, got it. Goodbye, old man.""...No rush. I still want to talk to you for a while longer."Fine, let's talk then.They chatted aimlessly for half an hour, after which the Third Hokage prepared to leave to handle official business.However, before leaving, he had a question he just had to ask."Does little Uzumaki Naruto dislike Grandpa?"Every time they chatted, the Third Hokage could feel Uzumaki Naruto's overflowing disdain.You actually have the nerve to ask that question? Do you have no self-awareness at all?Uzumaki Naruto was scornful inside, but looked surprised on the outside, "I don't dislike you. Why would you say that, old man?"The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and said gloomily, "You seem reluctant to talk to me.""You're overthinking it. I don't like talking to anyone; you're just one of them. That doesn't mean I dislike you."Thinking that he still needed the Third Hokage's protection and couldn't afford to offend him, Uzumaki Naruto reassured him, "Besides, if I think about it carefully, no one in the Village talks to me. The person who talks to me the most is actually you, old man. I don't have enough time to appreciate that, so how could I dislike you?"The Third Hokage fell silent, looking at Uzumaki Naruto with a guilty expression. I'm sorry, because of my selfishness...Uzumaki Naruto asked curiously, "Grandpa, why are you looking at me like that?"The Third Hokage snapped out of it and let out a deep sigh.He did not regret his actions; it was all for Konoha. He only felt bad for Uzumaki Naruto and sorry to Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina.Collecting his complicated emotions, the Third Hokage patted Uzumaki Naruto's head and said kindly, "Wait until you're at school to make friends. There are all good children there..."School? Well, since he had to go to school, his job of sitting at the post to earn money would naturally have to stop.It just so happened that Uzumaki Naruto had saved up quite a bit of money, enough to last until he became a Genin. He didn't feel reluctant about it at all.After all, if it wasn't necessary, he really didn't want to sit in front of other people's shops.It looked like a beggar, and he also had to face the strange looks of the unrefined villagers.It was all forced by money.On the day the Ninja Academy opened, Uzumaki Naruto arrived at his assigned classroom.As expected, he met many familiar faces.Nara Shikamaru, Ino Yamanaka, Akimichi Choji, Sakura Haruno, Uchiha Sasuke...They were all just children, which gave Uzumaki Naruto the feeling of being in elementary school.Elementary school — middle school — high school — university — elementary school.Sigh, how did he end up going backward in his education?Uzumaki Naruto sighed inwardly and went to sit in an empty seat in the back row.Not long after, a man wearing a green vest with a fierce expression walked into the classroom."Hello everyone, welcome to the Ninja Academy. I am your teacher, Iruka Umino..."After a simple self-introduction, Iruka Umino took out a notebook."Now, let's start roll call. When I call your name, please come up and introduce yourself: tell us your name, your hobbies, and your dreams.""First, Uchiha Sasuke."The voices of fangirls immediately rang out. They were clearly just a group of five or six-year-old little girls, so why did they seem to know so much?One can only say that the children in the Ninja World are a bit excessively precocious.Thinking of this, Uzumaki Naruto looked at Hinata. She was peeking at him, and upon noticing his gaze, Hinata's face immediately turned bright red. She hurriedly looked away, burying her head in her arms like an ostrich.This one was also precocious, and just like in the original story, she had fallen for Uzumaki Naruto.But the feeling of being liked by a little girl...Uzumaki Naruto had a strange expression; this life was becoming more and more criminal.On the podium, Uchiha Sasuke said coldly, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. My hobby is training, and my dream is to surpass my brother."The little girls screamed again, "Ah! It's Uchiha Sasuke! So cool!"Iruka Umino stopped them, "Alright, quiet down... Next, Akimichi Choji."The chubby little boy said, "My name is Akimichi Choji. I like eating grilled meat, and my dream is to have an endless supply of grilled meat.""Next, Inuzuka Kiba."The boy with red markings on his cheeks said, "My name is Inuzuka Kiba. I like raising dogs, and my dream is to become Hokage.""Next, Nara Shikamaru."Nara Shikamaru looked listless, "My name is Nara Shikamaru. I like playing Shogi, and my dream is to live a peaceful life.""Next, Sakura Haruno."The pink-haired girl stood up and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Sakura Haruno. My best friend is Ino Yamanaka, and my dream is to become a great female Ninja like Lady Tsunade~!""Next..."Soon, it was Uzumaki Naruto's turn."Next, Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka Umino's eyes were filled with anger; his parents...
Chapter 14: The Cheat Arrives"Next, Uzumaki Naruto."Most of the students in the class wore expressions of fear. People in the Village said that Little Blondie was a man-eating monster, and he ate every day—three meals a day.Now that they were in the same class, they wouldn't get eaten, would they?No way...Ignoring the anger and fear of others, Naruto, who was long accustomed to it, walked up to the podium unhurriedly."My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My hobby is sculpting, and my dream is..."Naruto paused. What was his dream again?Hokage? Not even a dog would want that!A bunch of unruly commoners—how could they possibly deserve someone as excellent as him to be Hokage?Gain everyone's recognition? That's even more impossible!He didn't care about the opinions of those unruly commoners at all.Naruto pondered for a long while and realized he had no grand ambitions; he just wanted to live a peaceful life without being disturbed, and without any brainless, unruly commoners nearby.So... actually, my dream is to move away. If I were to take it a step further, it would be to escape from this giant cage called Konoha.No, that's a bit dangerous. That's not something that should be said out loud.So Naruto said casually: "My dream is for my sculptures to come to life."And then become my wife.Watching the live broadcast through his crystal ball, the Third Hokage couldn't help but sigh. It seemed this child was so lonely that he had started making friends with imaginary people."I hope the Ninja Academy can change Naruto..."Self-introductions in the morning, textbooks handed out in the afternoon, and formal teaching began the next day.Iruka spoke eloquently."As everyone knows, the human body has 130 trillion cells... The physical energy and spiritual energy produced by these cells mix evenly to create Chakra.""And Chakra is the foundation of becoming a Ninja. I don't need to tell you all how important it is...""Here, I will explain the Chakra extraction process to you in detail.""Listen carefully. I know many of you already know this, but a review never hurts. Those who don't know it should listen even more carefully; this concerns whether or not you can become a Ninja in the future..."Naruto belonged to the group that needed to listen carefully.Although he had several 'Kakas' of Chakra in his body, that belonged to the Nine-Tailed, and he couldn't use it. He hadn't extracted his own yet.However, he wasn't worried about this.As a member of the Uzumaki Clan, even if only half-blooded, extracting Chakra was a piece of cake for him.There are no requirements for posture when extracting Chakra, but it is best to choose a comfortable and relaxed position; the specifics vary from person to person.Naruto went home after school, quickly finished dinner, and immediately lay down on his bed.For him, lying down was the most comfortable position.He gathered the spiritual energy and physical energy in his body to mix them...A quarter of an hour later.A strange sensation came over him as a peculiar energy flowed throughout his entire body."Success."Naruto sat up and looked at his hands; faint blue Chakra appeared in his palms.The next second, a sudden change occurred.The seed buried deep within his soul, stimulated by Naruto's Chakra, began to continuously absorb Chakra and broke through its seal.A sharp pain shot from his eyes."What's happening?! My eyes hurt so much... Wait, could this be..."The cheat that had been delayed for six years had finally arrived!Thinking of this possibility, Naruto jumped out of bed excitedly and ran into the bathroom to look in the mirror.'Right, I can't let the Anbu find out.'Closing the bathroom door and window tightly, Naruto looked at himself in the mirror.His blue eyes gradually disappeared, and what came into view were golden eyes with Rinnegan-shaped patterns.'Golden Rinnegan, it looks pretty good, but... it seems like I've got the same look as MomoshikiŌtsutsuki...'Having the same look isn't scary, but whoever is weaker is the one who will be embarrassed; the struggle for the Great Dao allows no retreat.Naruto understood that either he or Momoshiki had to die.At this moment, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind, making Naruto feel dizzy.After a while, he finally recovered, gently rubbed his brows, and organized the information in his mind."Rinnegan skill package..."Shinra Tensei, Bansho Tenin, Chibaku Tensei, Chakra Absorption, Preta Path, Rinne Tensei...In addition to the general Rinnegan skills, there were two exclusive skills.The left eye pupil technique, Ukanomitama, controls the soul, absorbing soul energy from heaven and earth, transforming it into soul essence to replenish the soul.It can be used on oneself, on others, or even on inanimate objects, granting them souls.The right eye pupil technique, Kamimusubi, controls life, absorbing life energy from heaven and earth, transforming it into life essence to replenish life.It can be used on oneself, on others, and even on inanimate objects, granting them life.I have to say, both pupil techniques are overpoweringly strong; perhaps they were enhanced by some unknown deity."Life and soul, granting them to inanimate objects..."Naruto couldn't help but widen his eyes.Isn't this a huge loss! Isn't this exactly the dream he mentioned offhandedly yesterday?If he had known, his dream would have been the manifestation of fantasies.It's just a pity...Sigh, it's too late to say anything now."Brat! What are you doing? Why is my Chakraconstantly flowing away?"The lost Chakra wasn't much—to the Nine-Tailed, it was merely a drop in the bucket—but the Nine-Tailed felt a familiar aura."Kurama."His consciousness entered the Sealing Space. Naruto called the Nine-Tailed by its true name and smiled, saying: "Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I want to be friends with you."He admitted that his previous attempts to befriend the Nine-Tailed were impure; beneath the superficial sincerity were full of schemes, plotting for the Nine-Tailed's power.Now, having awakened the Rinnegan and possessing the confidence to protect himself, Naruto could confidently say—I don't care about the strength of the people I make friends with, because none of them are stronger than me anyway.Actually, that was saying too much, too soon. After all, he had just awakened the Rinnegan, and he was still a long way from fully controlling it.Moreover, limited by his body, he could only maintain the Rinnegan for a few minutes. It might be enough to deal with a Jonin, but it would likely be very difficult against a Kage-level opponent.But it didn't matter; he was only six years old, and he had plenty of time to develop.The moment Naruto appeared in the Sealing Spaceand called out its true name, the Nine-Tailed was shocked. Its massive body stood up instantly, as if it had seen a ghost."You... are you the Old Man?! You've come back to life!"Only the Six Paths Sage had the Rinnegan, and only the Six Paths Sage knew its name.So, there was no mistake; Uzumaki Naruto was the reincarnation of the Six Paths Sage.The Nine-Tailed felt it had guessed the truth, and its eyes began to moisten.Old Man, it's been over a thousand years; little Nine has been bullied so miserably..."No!"Naruto flatly denied it, interrupting the Nine-Tailed's reverie: "I am Uzumaki Naruto, not some Old Man. Look clearly."The Nine-Tailed didn't believe him: "I've looked clearly. You are the Old Man. Otherwise, how would you have the Rinnegan, and how would you know my true name... I know! Old Man, your memories haven't recovered yet, right? Your name is Hagoromo, and the world calls you the Six Paths Sage. Have you remembered yet?"Naruto didn't want to be anyone's replacement, and refuted again: "I already said I'm not...""Still haven't recovered your memory? Then I will explain in more detail...""Explain your ass!"
Chapter 15: Ichiraku Ramen"Screw you!" Naruto really couldn't take it anymore. He rushed into the Sealing Space, grabbed the Nine-Tailed, and gave it a good beating.Using Shinra Tensei and Bansho Tenin alternately, the Nine-Tailed surprisingly didn't even resist.Bam!Bam!Bam!A minute later, the Rinnegan faded. Naruto looked at the Nine-Tailed lying on the ground, lifeless and dejected, and asked with a smile, "Do you still think I am the Six Paths Sage?""Kid, don't insult the old man. The old man had a heart full of great love; he is different from you."To actually beat me up... The old man would definitely never do such a thing, even if he were reincarnated, he wouldn't.But if the Six Paths reincarnation is ruled out, then this matter is very suspicious.The Nine-Tailed sat up, its huge slit pupils fixed intently on Naruto."Who exactly are you?"The Nine-Tailed asked: Where did your Rinnegancome from?Naruto answered: I got it from a lucky draw in a dream.Trying to fool a ghost? As a thousand-year-old fox, how could the Nine-Tailed not know the origin of the Rinnegan?That is exclusive to the Six Paths!So it would be more credible to just say that the Rinnegan was gifted by the Six Paths Sage.The Nine-Tailed also leaned towards this possibility; otherwise, there was no way to explain what was happening to Naruto.The Nine-Tailed asked again: How did you know my true name?Naruto answered again: I saw it with my eyes.This... is actually somewhat possible. The Rinneganis mysterious and unfathomable; it wouldn't be strange for it to possess some weird abilities.In the end, the Nine-Tailed snorted coldly and said with an arrogant look, "For the sake of the Six Paths old man, I will believe you for now. As for becoming friends... that will depend on your future performance."It was just like a goddess facing a simp.Naruto deeply agreed: "Well said. That is exactly what I wanted to say. I am very picky about friends; not just anyone can become my friend."The Nine-Tailed roared: "Bastard, who are you calling just anyone?""Yo, yo, yo, you're flustered, you're flustered...""Roar!"...When one possesses a sharp weapon, the desire to kill arises.After activating the Rinnegan, Naruto really wanted to find an enemy to fight.However, he was under surveillance. Let alone finding an enemy to fight, he didn't even have a chance to experiment.How frustrating!After thinking it over, Naruto could only return to the Sealing Space to experiment with the Rinnegan's abilities inside....The next day, in the morning, Naruto attended class seriously.In the afternoon, Naruto began his great undertaking of skipping class.Unlike the original story where he hated studying, the reason Naruto skipped class was that he thought the knowledge taught at the Ninja Academy was too shallow.The only useful things were the Three Basic Jutsu, Chakra extraction techniques, and other basic Ninjaknowledge.Genius Ninjas like Itachi graduated in a year, and even more so, like Kakashi, who graduated in half a year.It shows just how much fluff there was in the Ninja Academy.Naruto felt he had average talent. He didn't plan to graduate early, but he also wasn't prepared to study step-by-step for six years.It was simply too much of a waste of time!He planned to attend school in the mornings and leave the afternoons free to do other things.Mainly for training and planning for the future. Naruto's direction for the future was to focus on Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, with Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu as supplements, and to learn Senjutsu if the conditions allowed. But today was not for training; today he was going to the street to buy wood to make a figurine—Raiden Shogun!The Raiden Shogun he had at home was craftsmanship from two years ago.The wood was not good, and the craftsmanship was not good either.This time, Naruto wanted to make a lifelike Raiden Shogun, so naturally, he had to use the best materials...."Skipped class?"In the afternoon, the class bell rang.Iruka walked into the classroom, saw that Naruto's seat was empty, his face darkened slightly, and he asked the students below: "Do you know..."Pausing for a moment, Iruka suddenly thought.Isn't it just as well that the kid didn't come? It would prevent the Nine-Tailed from losing control and hurting his students, just like what happened to his own parents...Iruka smiled and said: "Let's leave it at that. Let's start the class."The class continued, and no one cared about Naruto's disappearance.Only Hinata.She looked at the empty seat with a worried face.Nothing happened to Naruto-kun, right...And the Third Hokage.He liked to use his crystal ball to monitor Narutowhenever he had nothing better to do.He saw with his own eyes what Naruto did after skipping class in the afternoon—go home to eat, go shopping wearing a mask, buy a piece of wood and tinker with it for two hours, then go to train.Cutting trees in the forest, running, practicing shuriken throwing...The second day, the third day, the fourth day, it was all the same. Attend class in the morning, tinker with the wood for two hours in the afternoon, sleep at night. His routine was very regular."This can't go on..."Being all alone, keeping to himself, having no friends, focusing only on his own things.As a Jinchuriki, this state is too dangerous.He must establish bonds. It seems I need to talk to Iruka....One month later.In the morning, the bell for the end of class rang. Naruto stood up, preparing to leave school as usual.Iruka suddenly said: "Naruto, please wait. I have some things I want to talk to you about."Naruto's expression was calm: "Talk about what?"The other students in the class were also quite curious about what Iruka-sensei wanted to talk to the weirdo about.Yes, that's right, a weirdo. This was Naruto's current image in the minds of the other students.After all, Naruto was always alone and never communicated with anyone else. If he wasn't a weirdo, then what was he?The reason he wasn't called a demon fox was because after a month of being together...Let's call it being together for now.Although they hadn't spoken, aside from that, Naruto behaved very normally in other aspects, and he didn't eat people like the rumors in the Village claimed...No matter how you looked at it, he seemed like a person, although a bit strange."Let's go to the corridor to talk."Iruka clearly had no intention of satisfying the students' curiosity and went to the corridor with Naruto.Afterward, he looked at Naruto, took a deep breath, bowed, and said in a voice full of guilt: "I'm sorry, Naruto. Sensei wants to apologize to you. I shouldn't have vented my personal resentment on you. You and I are both victims of that disaster..."Naruto was stunned. Shouldn't this be a scene that only happens six years later? Why did it happen ahead of schedule?"Why don't you make yourself clear?""Sensei asks for your forgiveness, Naruto. Give me a chance to make amends. Please forgive me, let's start over."It was just like what a toxic girl would say to an honest guy."Let me ask a question first. Sensei, how did you come to this realization?""Oh, that? That's thanks to Hokage-sama. After Hokage-sama's patient guidance..."One can only say, the Will of Fire is truly terrifying.Naruto understood, so Naruto chose to forgive.What else could he do? Wait around for the Third Hokage's meticulous "care"?Iruka was very happy: "Then what would you like to eat for lunch? Sensei will treat you, to celebrate our new beginning."Naruto pondered: "Then... Ichiraku Ramen."It wasn't because Ichiraku Ramen was so delicious, but because aside from Ichiraku Ramen, Narutoneeded to wear a mask to enter other restaurants
Chapter 16: The Pressure You're Under Is Quite HighIchiraku Ramen.The fragrant ramen was finished quickly.Naruto wiped his mouth with a napkin, threw it in the trash can, then stood up and waved, saying, "I have things to do, so I'll head off first. See you tomorrow, teacher.""Tomorrow… wait, no. What do you mean'see you tomorrow'? Aren't you supposed to go back to school for class this afternoon?"Iruka reacted quickly, hurriedly standing up to block Naruto's path, and asked, "Have you still not forgiven me?"Naruto didn't understand: "Teacher, why do you say that? Everyone knows I'm broad-minded; how could I not forgive you?""Then why aren't you going to class this afternoon?""Those are two completely unrelated things. I'm not attending class simply because it's useless. I've already learned what needs to be learned, and I just don't want to waste any more time in the classroom. I want to use that free time to train on my own.""Class is useless? A waste of time?"As a teacher, Iruka was naturally very angry when he heard this, and he put on a stern face to lecture him."Naruto, you are truly too arrogant. Being a Ninjaisn't as simple as you imagine. If you don't take it seriously, you will suffer greatly in the future. Besides, you aren't the best in the class; in combat, you're not as good as Sasuke, and in theory, you're not as good as Sakura…""But I've passed everything."Naruto smiled and said, "I've kept up with the learning progress and haven't held the class back, have I?"At the peak of the Ninja world, proud and supreme; with me, Naruto, the heavens exist!Even if I skip class every day and only spend half my attention in the classroom, I, Naruto, still pass my exams.Seeing that Iruka was preparing to persuade him again, Naruto added, "Third Hokage promised me this. Does teacher want to violate the Hokage's orders?"Iruka was speechless. Of course he didn't dare to defy the Hokage, but he couldn't help but complain inwardly—you get to be the good guy, and I have to be the bad guy. Hokage-sama, you can't just screw people over like this!After thinking for a moment, Iruka tried to persuade him earnestly: "Naruto, you still have a lot of room for improvement."Naruto immediately replied, "But I'm a gifted student."...At the shop entrance, Iruka watched Naruto's retreating figure and couldn't help but let out a troubled sigh.Why can't I convince him?"Are you Naruto's teacher?""You are…" Iruka turned around and saw that it was the shop assistant from earlier."I'm Ayame, and I'm a friend of Naruto's."Ayame introduced herself, then asked the previous question again. After getting an affirmative answer, she smiled and requested, "Could you tell me what Naruto is like at school?"This wasn't exactly a secret.The two went back into the shop and sat down. Iruka laid out Naruto's performance at school and then asked for help: "Miss Ayame, do you have any way to get Naruto to go back to school for class?"Ayame shook her head and said, "It's difficult. Although Naruto is young, he is unexpectedly stubborn. Once he has made up his mind about something, he won't change it easily."Seeing Iruka's distressed face, Ayame advised, "Iruka-sensei, why force it? It's better to respect Naruto's wishes. Besides, Hokage-sama has already agreed to it.""That may be so, but as a teacher, my duty…""Is the teacher's duty more important, or are Naruto's wishes more important?"The two were hard to compare, but Iruka was determined to become an excellent teacher and naturally put his students first."I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Miss Ayame."Iruka earnestly thanked Ayame, who replied that it was no problem, as long as he did her a favor."What favor?""That child was alone when he was small, and he is still alone now. It's too worrying… I hope Iruka-sensei can help look after Naruto at school, and it would be best if you could help him make a friend so he isn't always by himself.""That is a teacher's responsibility to begin with."...After leaving, Naruto arrived at his usual training spot as he always did. This was a clearing that very few people visited, which made it a pretty good place for training.Coming into view was a small stream, crystal clear, with pebbles clearly visible; one could even see some fish poking their heads out.Surrounding it were several tall trees, dozens of meters high, with lush foliage. Beside the stream was a very tall cliff face that looked quite dangerous. A height of several dozen meters was nothing for a Ninja; Naruto usually used this cliff to practice rock climbing, climbing up to the high ridge above.Naruto walked up to a large tree and began his usual training, starting to throw Ninja tools at the tree repeatedly.After finishing the throwing practice, Naruto began to rest.After resting, Naruto didn't push his body further; instead, he took out a fishing rod he had hidden away and ran to a spot a hundred meters upstream to fish.According to Naruto's observations, the fish were most abundant here, and soon Naruto had a full catch.Looking at the few fish he had caught in the bucket, Naruto smiled slightly. He carried the bucket to the base of a cliff a few dozen meters from the riverbank, where there was a small cave. It wasn't big, but it was enough to keep out the rain on wet days.He skillfully scraped the scales off the fish; thanks to years of practice, his cooking skills allowed him to handle these with ease.Soon, he had devoured the food."Mmm! My cooking skills have improved again!"Licking his lips, Naruto patted his stomach, stood up with satisfaction, and started running in the direction of home. The sun was no longer visible, and faintly, the moon had already come out. He sprinted quickly through the streets, where only a few people were present. Naruto dashed by, feeling a few gazes of disgust.He didn't pay them any mind; he had long since gotten used to these gazes over the years.After returning, Naruto washed off the sweat from today's training and soon fell into a deep sleep.— — The Next Day — —"Want to play Shogi?"During the break, Shikamaru brought a chessboard over to Naruto.Naruto's consciousness was in the Sealing Spacechatting with the Nine-Tailed, with only a small portion of his attention on the outside world.Seeing Shikamaru arrive, he didn't react for a moment, stunned for a second, before saying, "What did you just say?"I didn't say anything…That was, of course, impossible.Thinking of his father's instructions and his teacher's exhortations, Shikamaru couldn't help but complain inwardly.What a drag. It was clearly a problem caused by the adults, so why did they have to push it onto him, a mere child, to solve!Shikamaru repeated, "Want to play Shogi?"Naruto looked at Shikamaru strangely for a while. "This doesn't fit your personality of hating trouble."Seeming to see Naruto's confusion, Shikamarumade a bitter face. "I actually don't want to either.""Alright, I understand…" Naruto realized, his eyes covertly looking upward."Third Hokage, you old man are watching me, aren't you?!"Naruto spread his hands. "But I don't know how to play Shogi."His troublesome work had increased again. Shikamaru sighed, "It's fine, I can teach you."Naruto looked at Shikamaru in surprise for two seconds. "Looking at it this way, the pressure you're under is quite high."
Chapter 17: The Right Time"... Thanks."Naruto hesitated, then accepted Shikamaru's goodwill.He wasn't naturally antisocial, just didn't like initiating conversations, especially in this malice-filled Konoha Village; his desire for social interaction was extremely low.As the saying goes, the more one sees of people, the more one prefers foxes.But regarding Shikamaru...On one hand, Naruto didn't dislike him; he was a person with very high emotional intelligence.On the other hand, this was a "gesture of care" from the Third, and Naruto had to respond; after all, he still had to make a living under the Third's nose....During the second break, Shikamaru came to Naruto again, not with a shogi board, but bringing two friends: Inuzuka Kiba and Akimichi Choji."Hello, I'm Akimichi Choji."The little chubby boy greeted Naruto before continuing to eat his potato chips."Hello, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."Since they were going to be seeing each other constantly and would have to spend a long time together, he couldn't just never speak.Besides, this would make the Third more at ease.Thinking this, Naruto initiated the topic: "I remember you, Choji. You like grilled meat, right? And to tell you the truth, my grilling skills are quite good..."The little chubby boy asked in surprise: "Really?""Of course it's real. If there's a chance, I'll treat you to taste my skills."Having made the outdoor barbecue agreement, Naruto introduced himself to Inuzuka Kiba, and they got to know each other again."Woof..."Looking at the little puppy Akamaru, Naruto said seriously: "Your dog is really good. I want to raise one in the future too.""Thanks, Akamaru is my partner, of course he's the best."Inuzuka Kiba grinned, showing a very happy smile.For the Inuzuka clan, who are all dog lovers, praising their dogs made them happier than praising them personally.Inuzuka Kiba said enthusiastically: "If you want to raise a dog, ask me. I can give you professional advice."Naruto pondered: "I haven't decided yet. Actually, I also want to raise a fox, but unfortunately, my pockets are empty, so I can only choose one. But I want both... so, to compromise, I should raise a fox with the personality of a dog."Nine-Tailed:??!"Brat, who are you implying?"In the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tailed felt this matter couldn't just be let go, given this brat's habit of pushing his luck.If ignored this time, he would definitely become more arrogant in the future.He had to be given a lesson."Whoever feels offended is who I'm implying."Naruto replied calmly. A mere Nine-Tailed, he could suppress it with a flip of his hand.Ignoring the Nine-Tailed's roar, Naruto turned to explain to Inuzuka Kiba the reason for "why not buy a dog with a fox's personality."..."This guy... is unexpectedly good at chatting."Standing not far away, Shikamaru watched the conversation between Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba, and Akimichi Choji, unable to hide his surprised expression.I thought he was someone not good with words, but I didn't expect him to be better at chatting than the average person."But why didn't he speak for the past month?""Probably because he couldn't make money."The blonde little girl arrived quietly."It's Ino." Shikamaru turned his head and asked curiously: "That... what does it mean that he couldn't make money? Judging by your tone, you seem to have known Naruto before.""Just met once."Ino explained: "A year ago, that guy came to my family's flower shop to promote endorsements. We chatted a bit."A guy who only cares about money!After being rejected, he immediately ignored her. The speed of his change of attitude left a deep impression on young Ino.Shikamaru didn't know the inside story, but thinking of his mission, he suggested: "Why not go and get to know him? After all, we are all classmates..."Ino refused flatly: "No! I like handsome men."Shikamaru felt tired: "I know, so I'm introducing a friend to you, not a boyfriend.""Not interested. I only want handsome friends too."After saying that, Ino ran off to stand in front of Sasuke, bickering with her plastic best friend, Sakura.Shikamaru sighed: "Women are truly troublesome..."...The class bell rang.Inuzuka Kiba, Akimichi Choji, and Shikamarureturned to their seats for class. Naruto lay on the table, casting his gaze toward Hinata.The result was the same as before.Hinata, who was peeking at him, was like a startled rabbit, hurriedly lowering her head, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears."It's because of how you are that we can't talk..."Very cute, but also very troublesome.The example from a few years ago was proof; she couldn't even finish a simple sentence.It made Naruto not want to talk to Hinata now, fearing he'd be stressed to death by her."Speaking of which... should I start cultivating Hinata from a young age and then remodel her into the way I hope..."When behind the screen, Naruto loved Hinata's shy personality.But now in reality...She was too shy, and Naruto couldn't quite handle it.He didn't ask for her to be very bold, but at least be normal.Otherwise, Naruto felt that the goodwill he had accumulated for Hinata in his past life's anime would be consumed over time....During the break, Naruto came to Hinata, stretched out his hand and said: "Hello, Hinata. Do you still remember me? I'm Uzumaki Naruto."Hinata transformed into a steam girl, nervously saying: "I remember, I, I am... Eep!"Before she could finish, the moment her hand touched Naruto's, her brain overloaded, and she fainted.Looking at his palm, Naruto was speechless....Time flowed slowly as Naruto and the Konoha rookies became more familiar with each other.A month later, the exquisitely carved statue of the Raiden Shogun was completed, and the life energy and soul energy of the Rinnegan had also accumulated.It was time to execute the statue resurrection plan.The first step was to find a suitable birthplace for the Raiden Shogun.Naruto's first choice was the bathroom because the Anbu wouldn't follow him into the bathroom to monitor him.However, the old man, the Third, might not be the same. This old guy could be described as extremely perverted; he even peeked at the women's bathhouse. As for peeking at a little boy using the bathroom, that wasn't impossible.After thinking about it, Naruto entered the Sealing Space to seek help from the Nine-Tailed."Is there any way to avoid surveillance?"The shield that once protected Naruto's safety had now become a shackle restraining Naruto's actions."Kill everyone who is monitoring you."The Nine-Tailed proposed a simple and crude method.Naruto looked serious: "Stop joking, I'm being serious."The Nine-Tailed looked displeased: "Who is joking with you? I'm being serious too, okay? If it were me, I definitely would have done that."Whoever dared to monitor him, one Tailed BeastBomb, and they would all turn into slag.Naruto realized: "So that's why you've been locked up until now.""Brat! You are getting more and more arrogant!"Struck in a sore spot, the Nine-Tailed roared, and a terrifying aura spread out."Looks like you don't have a way either, then goodbye." Naruto ignored it and left after teasing the Nine-Tailed."Perhaps... I should find the right time."
Chapter 18: Raiden EiSitting cross-legged on the floor for a long time, Naruto muttered to himself, "Perhaps... I should find a suitable time, a time when it is absolutely impossible to be spied upon."[Remember this site's domain, Taiwan Novel Library has many books, ƚ ɯ ƙ α ɳ. ƈ σ ɱ is comprehensive]The night was dark and silent.Three-thirty in the morning.Naruto suddenly woke up from his sleep, bolted upright, clutched his stomach, and rushed to the bathroom.Immediately after, the sound of a toilet flushing echoed out.Outside the window, the two Anbu responsible for surveillance saw this and whispered to each other."This kid... has diarrhea?""It would be strange if he didn't, considering all the junk food he ate yesterday.""That's true..."The two Anbu didn't take it seriously, nor did they have any intention of following him in to peek; they even wanted to move further away to avoid the smell.In the bathroom."At this hour, the Third should not be peeking, right..."If he were still peeking at this hour, Naruto would admit defeat, and it would be deserved if his Rinnegan were discovered. After all, he was a normal person, and a normal person... cannot compete with a pervert.Naruto activated his Rinnegan and performed a dojutsu.—Kamimusubi!A green orb of light full of vitality appeared in mid-air and merged into the wooden carving of the Raiden Shogun.A few seconds later, in Naruto's expectant gaze, the wooden carving moved.It lifted its head, its hollow, lifeless eyes meeting Naruto's.After staring at each other for a few minutes, Naruto couldn't help it, "Could you at least move?"The wooden carving obediently moved once, then stopped, looking like a stiff puppet.Naruto blinked, seemingly understanding something, and said to the wooden carving, "Say something."The wooden carving said in a voice without any emotion, "Something.""Walk."The wooden carving walked forward, every step precise."Jump."The wooden carving jumped up."Do the Gokuraku Jodo dance."This seemed to exceed the wooden carving's comprehension, so it stood still, motionless."So that's how it is... Life, soul, it really doesn't work if one is missing."—Ukanomitama!A white soul orb appeared in mid-air, containing Naruto's memories of the Raiden Shogun, including but not limited to games, anime, and even fan fiction.The soul orb entered the wooden carving, and the first thing to change were its eyes.The hollow gaze became dazed, then lively and spirited, and immediately after, cold and ruthless.Subsequently, the wooden carving's gaze alternated between cold ruthlessness and lively spirit, leaving Naruto dumbfounded."What's going on?!"The wooden carving suddenly spoke in reply, "Creator, it is I who am contending with the Shogun for dominance.""Creator? Is that what you call me..." Narutorealized, then asked, "What do you mean by contending for dominance?""As the creator, you created two consciousnesses. I am Raiden Ei, Beelzebul, and the other is the Shogun, the puppet's consciousness. We are fighting over who will be in charge from now on."So it was my fault... No, that's not a fault; that's high-purity cosplaying. Only by combining Raiden Ei and the Shogun is it the Raiden Shogun in Naruto's mind."Then I'll call you Ei from now on. Ei, so you have gained dominance now?"The wooden carving, no, it should be called Ei now, nodded and said, "That's right. In the settings, I am the dominant consciousness; the Shogun overstepped."Naruto's eyes were deep in thought, "Settings? It seems you also understand your own nature... Then do you think you are the real Raiden Ei now?""I..."As a creation, Ei knew clearly that she was just a living being born a few minutes ago, not the most noble Narukami Ogosho.However, her memories told her unmistakably—you are the Raiden Shogun, the most supreme and noble body in the mortal world. The tearing between memory and reality left Ei bewildered and unable to speak.At this moment, the voice of the Raiden Shogunrang in her heart."Let me do it."Ei was stunned, then readily gave up the initiative. According to the settings, things she wasn't good at should be done by the Shogun. So she wasn't escaping; she was just following the settings. Yes, that's right, that's exactly it.In an instant, the Raiden Shogun came online, looked at Naruto, and said with an indifferent expression, "Creator, she may not be Raiden Ei, but I am definitely the Raiden Shogun, because..."She was a puppet before, and she is still a puppet now. Apart from the difference in strength, there isn't much difference. The Shogun couldn't finish this sentence because Ei pushed her away.Ei said angrily in her heart, "What are you saying? Weren't you supposed to come out to help? Why did you suddenly backstab me..."The Shogun replied calmly, "I did not backstab you; I was just telling the truth."Ei didn't want to deal with the Shogun anymore and turned to Naruto, "Creator, I believe I am the real Raiden Ei, at least... in this world, that is the case."When the original does not exist, the only copy in the world becomes the original. Moreover, Ei had figured it out; the meaning of her birth was to become Raiden Ei. Since that was the case, what was there to struggle with? It would only increase her troubles."That makes sense." Naruto nodded in agreement; a coser needs this attitude of believing it to be true. If you don't even believe it yourself, how can you expect others to?"By the way, don't call me Creator in the future, and don't be so respectful. It affects the immersion too much. Just call me Naruto and treat me like a normal friend."Upon hearing this, Ei recalled the memories in her mind and tentatively asked, "Naruto, are you an enemy of eternity?"Naruto was dissatisfied, "The tone is too soft. Be colder, the attitude should be superior, majestic, and inviolable..."Understood. So the Creator is a pervert. Ei indicated she understood. Her expression became indifferent and ruthless. She glanced at Narutocoldly and said aloofly, "The eternal path is magnificent, the Raiden Shogun is eternal! I am the Narukami Ogosho. Naruto, you who have offended the majesty of the gods, are you prepared to die?"Naruto was excited, clapping his hands, "That's right, this is the flavor. Let's do it again.""Na... Naruto-kun, um... did you not sleep well last night?"Looking at Naruto, who was yawning while slumped on the desk, Hinata looked worried. After more than a month of getting to know each other, the little girl had finally become a bit more normal. Although she was still shy and prone to fainting, at least she could say a complete sentence.Naruto nodded, looking lethargic, "Yeah, I didn't sleep well. I had to get up in the middle of the night because I had an upset stomach for a long time."It was his first time creating a person, so he was too excited and played until dawn before sleeping. He only slept for a little over an hour, and now he was dead tired.Hinata didn't know the inside story and became nervous upon hearing that Naruto had an upset stomach. She said with a blushing face, "Um... should we see a doctor? I have a doctor at home..."Go to your house? You filial daughter, don't try to trick me. If I go to your house, who knows who might die next.Naruto shook his head and refused, "Thanks, but no need. I'm already much better now, just a little sleepy. I need to take a nap."
Chapter 19: Eternity"I just need to take a nap."With that, he closed his eyes.Hinata's eyes were still filled with worry, but seeing that Naruto was going to sleep, she didn't want to disturb him.The class bell rang, and Iruka walked into the classroom. Seeing Naruto sleeping on his desk, he felt a headache coming on."What a problem student..."Although his interpersonal relationships with his classmates had improved, his attitude toward learning remained terrible.However, because of Naruto's special circumstances, Iruka found it difficult to discipline him strictly. Sigh!After sleeping until noon, Naruto left the Ninja Academy, went home to stir-fry two dishes, and then sat at the dining table to eat lunch."Naruto, can you take me out this afternoon?"A calm voice echoed in Naruto's mind. This was Ei's telepathic communication.Being able to do this... it wasn't that Ei had a special ability, but rather that as Naruto's creation, when the distance was within a hundred meters, they could innately communicate with Narutomentally.The Shogun could do the same, and her voice soon echoed in Naruto's mind as well. "I have the same intention.""I can take you out, but we must agree beforehand: do not move, lest people discover that you are alive."Naruto stood up, walked to the sofa, and placed the wooden carving of the Raiden Shogun from the sofa onto the dining table.While eating, he asked in his mind: "Are you bored staying at home all morning?"The Shogun said, "Bored? I do not have such emotions. I merely wish to understand the environment in which I live."Ei said, "A foolish question. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, it is naturally extremely boring.""Uh... I'm really sorry, but because of my status, I cannot let you be exposed yet."If Naruto were a Sand Ninja, the Raiden Shoguncould appear openly, and others would only regard the Shogun as a special type of puppet.Taking a step back, even if Naruto were still born in Konoha, if he were not a Jinchuriki and under no surveillance, the Shogun would still have plenty of room for activity.Unlike now, where he is constantly under surveillance; it is truly difficult to even move.In the afternoon, Naruto did not train; instead, he wore a mask and wandered around Konoha.The Raiden Shogun stayed in Naruto's pocket, with only her head exposed, remaining motionless to pose as an ordinary figurine. In reality, she took in everything she saw and communicated with Naruto in her mind.Ei asked curiously, "The style is somewhat like Inazuma... Is this place the Inazuma of this world that needs our protection?""No, Konoha is not Inazuma, and there is no Inazuma in this world. It does not need our protection."Respecting others' destinies and letting go of the desire to help, Naruto did not care about the future of Konoha or the Ninja World."There is no Inazuma?" Ei felt empty. In her memories, Inazuma was a very important part; without Inazuma, her life felt incomplete."There's nothing to be done about that. If it's not there, it's not there. I can't just conjure one for you... Wait, conjure? Can I really not conjure one?"Naruto stopped his steps and thought carefully. Creating an identical Inazuma was impossible, but creating a country with the name of Inazuma was not something he couldn't do."Ei, wait. Within ten years, I will create an Inazumafor you.""Mm, thank you, Naruto."At this moment, the Shogun suddenly said, "Naruto, I wish to pursue eternity."Naruto was stunned, but quickly understood the Shogun's meaning. He said with a wry smile, "I'm not Doraemon, so making wishes to me is useless... Besides, why do you want to pursue eternity?""Moving forward leads to loss. Only eternity can allow all things to remain still and keep Inazumafrom perishing for a long time.""That's just a setting, don't take it seriously.""It is a setting, but it is also the meaning of my existence.""But I remember that in the setting, you eventually changed.""But I have adopted the earlier version."Naruto was left speechless. You actually have several versions, and even I, the creator, didn't know that."...Why didn't you choose the final version?"The Shogun's indifferent voice echoed in Naruto's mind. "The final version is only a very small part of my settings. The version of me that pursues eternity is who I am most of the time."Very well, that's a strong reason."Good luck. Then I wish you achieve eternity soon. I will provide you with all support except for help."Time flew by, a year passed, and Naruto was seven years old.This year, Naruto's life was very regular. He went to school in the morning, occasionally chatted with classmates, but often daydreamed during class.Lying on his desk, his mind sank into the Sealing Space to play mahjong with the Nine-Tailed, and Ei and the Shogun, whom he had pulled in—three people and one fox.The mahjong was not a real physical object; real matter could not be brought into the Sealing Spaceat all.The mahjong in the Sealing Space... was made from pure Chakra sponsored by the Nine-Tailed, life energy provided by Naruto's Rinnegan, and a little bit of soul energy.The soul energy contained knowledge of mahjong and the Transformation Technique. The combination of these five elements resulted in the mahjong."Chakra, obey my command, transform for me!" As the command was given, the Nine-Tailed's Chakraautomatically transformed into a set of mahjong.Next, as long as Chakra was replenished in time, they could play without worry. Right, one couldn't use too much force either; using too much force would cause the mahjong to revert to its original form, turning back into a mass of Chakra.Yes, the Nine-Tailed had fallen in love with playing mahjong. More accurately, the Nine-Tailed had fallen in love with the atmosphere while playing mahjong.Lively and treating each other as equals, everyone treated him as a friend, neither coveting nor fearing his power.This made the Nine-Tailed, who had been lonely for a thousand years and suffered from human malice, quite touched. It was too rare!Therefore, although the Nine-Tailed was stubborn and wouldn't say it, he had actually come to treat Ei, the Shogun, and Naruto as friends.If Naruto proposed wanting to borrow the Nine-Tailed's power to fight, the Nine-Tailed would likely act reserved for a moment or two before lending it.As for the daily afternoon training tasks, running exercises were still continuing. As for shuriken throwing... feeling that he had practiced enough half a year ago, Naruto had stopped it.Anyway, passing was enough; he could practice slowly later when he had time, and there was no need to specifically set aside time to practice it.After all, no matter how fancy shuriken throwing got, it was just Uchiha-level; it was cool, but not very useful.Naruto spent more time practicing Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Chakra.Taijutsu... Naruto didn't chop trees; he switched to punching them.With the life force provided by the Rinnegan as a backup, plus the nourishment of the Nine-Tailed's Yang Chakra, Naruto could push himself hard. No matter how serious the injuries on his hands were, he could often recover completely after a night's sleep.Ninjutsu... The Three Body Technique went without saying; without the Nine-Tailed's interference, Naruto easily mastered them.In addition, there was the Rasengan. The original work explained it so clearly that Naruto followed the pattern and secretly learned it in the Sealing Space.Chakra... Chakra control—water walking and tree climbing; Naruto mastered them in two days.Chakra nature transformation—there was no need to practice it at all; the Rinnegan innately came with mastery of seven attributes.
Chapter 20: IncomprehensibleAlthough the Rinnegan innately comes with proficiency in all seven elemental attributes, this proficiency is only at the Jonin level. If he wants to become stronger... he needs guidance from a master and his own hard work, which Narutocannot achieve for the time being.There is also Chakra shape transformation—practicing the Rasengan is essentially practicing Chakra shape transformation.One morning, Naruto stepped out of his house, preparing to go to school.The Nine-Tailed suddenly reminded him: "Kid, four more people have been assigned to monitor you."Naruto remained calm, replying internally: "Mm, I sensed it too."By continuously strengthening his soul using the Rinnegan dojutsu Ukanomitama, Naruto's sensory perception grew increasingly powerful.The people monitoring him in the surroundings had long been unable to hide, and the Third's Telescope Technique was also detected by Naruto.It was precisely because he detected the Third's surveillance that Naruto understood how much the Third "looked after" him.At the very least once a day, and sometimes four or five times a day.But regardless of the frequency, there was at least once every day, rain or shine, without fail.It could be said that the Third wasn't even this attentive toward his own grandson.Fortunately, the Third had some bottom line; when Naruto was bathing or using the toilet, he would consciously avert his gaze.Otherwise, Naruto would have long been unable to bear it and would have defected from the village."What kind of look is that?" Ninja Academy, break time. Sasuke turned his head to look at Naruto, his face full of annoyance.Are you sick or something? Why do you keep looking at me with that sympathetic, pitiful gaze! And you've got the roles reversed, haven't you? I'm the one with a complete family; you're the orphan!"...Sorry, I wasn't looking at you, and I didn't mean any offense. I just suddenly remembered something else." Naruto was stunned for a moment, quickly collected himself, and apologized to Sasuke."Hmph!" Sasuke snorted coldly. Having no interest in asking what Naruto had remembered, he turned his head away, fully displaying his aloof demeanor."Sasuke is so cool!" The young girls in the class had hearts in their eyes, making lovestruck sounds."Women are so troublesome..." Shikamaru lay on the desk, glanced at Ino who had joined the lovestruck group, and sighed listlessly."He's really good at acting cool... that guy..." A hint of jealousy appeared on Kiba's face; he also wanted to be as popular as Sasuke."He's just deliberately showing off to attract the girls' attention... Don't you agree, Choji?" Kiba turned his head to seek support from his friend Choji.Crunch~ crunch~ Choji was eating potato chips. Upon hearing this, he paused, though his hands didn't stop. While eating, he said: "Mmph... what did you say... mmph..."Kiba had black lines on his face: "Never mind, keep eating.""Oh." Crunch~ crunch~Nearby, Shino adjusted his sunglasses and said profoundly: "I, on the other hand, don't think it's acting. If you ask why..."Kiba didn't listen to Shino at all and turned to seek support from Naruto."Naruto, do you think I'm right?""Uh... maybe. But I'm not really sure about the truth of it, after all, I don't know him."For the entire school year, Naruto hadn't spoken more than a few words to Sasuke. After all, Sasukewas aloof, and Naruto didn't take the initiative; it would be strange if they could actually chat.Class time. On the podium, Iruka was teaching with great enthusiasm. Below, Naruto had no heart for the lesson; he glanced at Sasuke, then averted his gaze, his eyes deep in thought.The Uchiha Clan... they are going to be wiped out in these next few days, right? The suddenly increased surveillance... it should be to prevent the Uchiha from going to extremes and taking him, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, hostage to start a rebellion.And the increasingly tense atmosphere in the village confirmed the approach of the night of the massacre. What can I do? What do I need to do?After thinking for a long while, Naruto shook his head gently.No, I cannot, and I don't need to get involved. What I need to do now is lay low and develop; there is no need to care about anything else. So... I'll just pretend I don't know anything.The night was cool as water. Naruto lay on the bed with the Raiden Shogun by his pillow. In the Sealing Space, the consciousnesses of Naruto, the Shadow, and the Shogun appeared.The Sealing Space had changed drastically; the original dark and damp sewer environment had disappeared, replaced by a beautiful landscape of grasslands and forests. Of course, the grasslands and forests were not real; their origin, like the mahjong, was created by the Nine-Tailed's Chakracombined with the Rinnegan dojutsu and the Transformation Technique.Seeing the three appear, the Nine-Tailedimmediately urged: "Come, come, let's play mahjong."Naruto deliberately scolded: "Useless fox, all you know how to do all day is play mahjong; you play during the day, and you play at night. Tell me... besides playing mahjong, what else can you do?"The Nine-Tailed was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that this guy was just looking for trouble. It was forcibly locked inside; besides playing mahjong to pass the time, what else could it do?The Nine-Tailed raged: "Kid, you are too insolent."Naruto modestly said: "Ah, it's alright."The Nine-Tailed was even angrier: "Bastard! I wasn't praising you!"Naruto replied perfunctorily: "Mm, mm, not praising."Roar! Amidst the noise, the three and the fox sat by the mahjong table and began to play.The Shadow was on high alert, preparing for battle. She had lost before, but as a warrior, what one loses must be won back.The Shogun was expressionless; she had no interest in mahjong, nor in winning or losing. If not for Naruto's request, she would rather be alone, quietly contemplating—how to practice the path of eternity in the Ninja World.The Nine-Tailed, meanwhile, was talking trash to Naruto while playing."Weak, weak, weak. Kid, you are truly too weak. I could let you have nine tails and still win against you."The Nine-Tailed won again and mocked Naruto. Facing mockery, the best way to respond is to ignore it. Naruto ignored the Nine-Tailed and turned to encourage the frustrated Shadow: "Don't be discouraged, it's all Kurama's fault. I'll help you win against it in the next round."The Shadow pulled herself together and refused: "No need. What I lost, I will win back myself."Naruto gave a thumbs up: "Heroine, what great ambition."Ten minutes later. The Shadow lowered her head powerlessly, her dark purple braided hair hanging to the ground, her aura gloomy and gray."As expected... I can't do anything."The Nine-Tailed and Naruto exchanged glances, looking at each other in dismay.——————The golden sun set in the west, the remaining sunlight like blood. Outside the Uchiha Clan Grounds, Root Ninjas silently set up a sealing barrier to ensure that nothing happening inside the Uchiha Clan Grounds would get out.Danzo leaned on his cane, looked at Itachi, and spoke indifferently: "Begin. I will take good care of your brother."Things had reached this point; words had no more meaning. Itachi just said indifferently: "Please remember your promise."After speaking, Itachi turned and stepped into the barrier."Lord, will he really lay a hand on his own clan members... just for the sake of his brother?" A RootNinja wearing a calico cat mask watched Itachi's departing back, his voice filled with a hint of incomprehension.