Reason, Sunk

"Wait, drink your medicine."

Tsunade caught Natsume as he tried to slip out the door.

"Big Sis, do I really have to drink it?"

Natsume wrinkled up his little face and said miserably, "I think my body is already strong enough. I don't need to drink any more tonics."

"Perhaps you have a special constitution, but this medicine is very helpful for increasing your Chakra. It's best if you keep drinking it."

Tsunade shook her head, refusing his request.

Although Natsume's expression made her soften, as his adoptive mother, she had to be strict when necessary. She still put on a stern face.

That was all thanks to Uzumaki Ena and the Wood Style Potion!

It had nothing to do with this tonic.

Unfortunately, Natsume didn't dare explain, so he could only drink it with a wronged expression.

Tsunade inexplicably felt as if she had committed some terrible sin, and guilt welled up inside her.

Looking at Natsume's pitiful appearance, she wanted to pull him into her arms and comfort him properly at once.

"Have some candy."

Tsunade's heart softened instantly. She unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into his mouth.

Afterward, she patted his head again.

At such close range, she had to struggle tremendously to restrain the urge to hug him.

Tsunade felt that being too intimate would make Natsume suffer even more after he grew up.

She had to get used to holding herself back in advance.

Natsume smacked his lips. The candy even still carried her body heat.

Not bad.

He suddenly noticed the look on Tsunade's face.

How should he put it?

It looked exactly like the expression he had seen on someone in his previous life when they spotted a figurine but hesitated because of its astonishing price.

Natsume didn't know what Tsunade had encountered, but he was extremely good at comforting people.

He rose onto his tiptoes, wrapped his arms around her neck, pressed his little face against hers, and said, "Big Sis, don't work yourself too hard. It'll make me worry."

He took advantage of his childlike appearance to act cute and please her.

He could also enjoy this soft pillow while he was at it.

A win-win situation.

Tsunade's defenses instantly collapsed.

Her reason was sunk.

She pressed her lips together, unable to stop herself from hugging Natsume.

You little rascal.

She clearly shouldn't have done this, yet she had gone and crossed the line.

Tsunade felt conflicted inside.

She hated herself for having such weak willpower, but as she held Natsume, she felt comfort, along with a faint, forbidden sensation that crossed the boundaries of their ages.

"All right, go on. Get outside."

Tsunade quickly pushed Natsume away. She had intended to use a harsher tone, but in the end, she couldn't manage it.

"Goodbye, Big Sis."

Natsume waved and turned to leave the residence.

A few minutes later, he arrived at Gunma Casino.

"Boss, Naruto is waiting for you inside."

Masahiro hurriedly spoke when he saw him.

Natsume nodded and opened the door.

"Big Brother."

Naruto Uzumaki was clearly not in very high spirits.

"What's wrong?"

Natsume sat beside him and asked.

"Why does everyone still hate me even after Grandpa Hokage said so?"

Naruto Uzumaki finally voiced the question that had troubled him for the past two days.

"Prejudice in people's hearts is an insurmountable mountain."

Natsume sighed and said, "The prejudice built up over so many years can't disappear because of a single statement from the Hokage. Besides, you're still suspected of being the demon fox. Do you understand? They need an outlet."

The real culprit behind the Nine-Tails Attack had never been revealed.

The villagers had nowhere to vent their anger.

At that moment, the news that Naruto Uzumaki was the demon fox's incarnation appeared, and he naturally became the outlet for their fury.

Even though he was only a child.

At its root, the problem still lay in Hiruzen Sarutobi's handling of the matter.

"Why does it have to be me? I didn't do anything wrong!"

Naruto Uzumaki puffed out his cheeks angrily.

"I don't understand either."

Natsume deliberately acted puzzled and said, "If we could find out who spread the rumor that you were the demon fox back then, perhaps we could clear you of the suspicion."

Naruto Uzumaki's pupils suddenly widened.

The Hokage's child had always been precocious, and his experiences since childhood had been especially different, so he was far more sensible than children his age.

The mischief he displayed later was actually just a way to attract attention.

When Natsume said this, Naruto suddenly felt as if a light had been switched on.

That's right!

Who had started the rumor?

"Big Brother, do you know?"

Naruto Uzumaki hurriedly looked toward Natsume and asked.

"I don't know who it was, but we can reason it out."

Natsume pondered and said, "Every action has a purpose. Whoever spread the news that you were the demon fox's incarnation must have wanted to gain some benefit. Think about it. Who benefits the most from this? Or rather, who is the ultimate beneficiary?"

Upon hearing this, Naruto Uzumaki immediately fell into thought.

Who benefited the most?

He was confused.

Because from his perspective, it seemed that no one had benefited.

He was just a child. What was there about him worth paying attention to?

The demon fox?

Come to think of it, what exactly was the demon fox?

What was so special about him?

Naruto Uzumaki's body suddenly stiffened.

Everyone treated him badly. Only Grandpa Hokage treated him well.

Naturally, he also believed that in all of Konoha, only the Hokage was the best and most worthy of trust.

What if he had been the one to spread the news that Naruto was the demon fox's incarnation?

As Hokage, he could spread the news throughout the entire village.

And he could have stopped it from happening, yet he had allowed it to drag on for three years.

Naruto Uzumaki's face unconsciously turned pale.

His thoughts became a tangled mess.

He didn't want to believe it, yet it felt like the most likely possibility.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the person who treated him best, was actually the culprit behind everything.

In this world, what was real, and what was false?

I can't tell anymore!

Seeing Naruto Uzumaki in this state, Natsume understood that under his patient guidance, he had probably guessed Hiruzen Sarutobi.

However, he wouldn't be able to believe it completely so soon.

But as long as the seed of doubt was planted, there would eventually come a day when it took root and sprouted.

"Big Brother, I..."

Naruto Uzumaki came back to himself, but he didn't know what to say.

"Naruto, you're still young, and you have a long life ahead of you."

Natsume patted his shoulder and said, "You have plenty of time—enough to verify every one of your suspicions."

Naruto Uzumaki's body trembled, and the confusion in his eyes gradually faded.

After all, he was the reincarnation of the Chakra of Asura, the second son of the Sage of Six Paths, and optimism came naturally to him.

But being optimistic didn't mean he was a saint.

In the original story, when the time came to act, Naruto would still strike without hesitation.

It was just that this time, who he would strike at was uncertain.

"Thank you, Big Brother!"

Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath. From then on, he would slowly observe Grandpa Hokage and see whether he truly treated him well.

Because of your actions, Naruto Uzumaki's fate has changed. You have obtained forty-six Destiny Points.

Natsume raised his eyebrows.

Not bad.

That meant his words had worked.

With those forty-six points added, he now had a total of five hundred and thirty-seven Destiny Points.

He was getting closer and closer to his goal.

Naruto was only three years old. It seemed he could harvest from him many more times.

"Goodbye, Big Brother."

After finishing his verbal persuasion, Naruto Uzumaki returned to normal, picked up a box of milk, and left.

He had always been carefree and thick-skinned, but that didn't mean he was clueless about everything.

Natsume, meanwhile, went to Tanzaku Street.

He had to tell Uzumaki Ena and Karin that they would be going on a mission the day after tomorrow, so they wouldn't worry.

And here's another three chapters for you, everyone. Make sure to keep following along.