The Dark Fiction Protagonist: Uzumaki Naruto

Land of Fire, pyramid scheme organization—Konoha.

"From today onward, this is your home."

A Sarutobi Clan ninja shot him a disgusted glance.

"This is your living allowance for the month. You are not allowed to come back again."

With that, the Sarutobi Clan ninja casually tossed down an envelope containing money.

With a whoosh, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from Naruto's sight.

The little house instantly fell silent.

Little Naruto suddenly shuddered all over.

Then, staring at the envelope thrown onto the floor, a trace of confusion filled his eyes.

After a long while, he picked up the envelope and shut the front door behind him.

His trembling little hands opened the envelope, revealing several coins of different denominations.

"One Thousand Ryo... How generous."

"So my cheap parents' inheritance is being saved for your grandchildren?"

A mocking expression appeared on Naruto's face.

Lying on the bed, he stared at the dim ceiling as the musty smell in his nostrils refused to fade.

"So I transmigrated... and I transmigrated into Uzumaki Naruto."

He only remembered staying up all night watching anime the night before.

The moment he opened his eyes, he had entered this world.

Only after hearing what that Sarutobi Clan ninja had said did he realize that he had transmigrated into the protagonist of a dark fic.

"Of all people, why did it have to be you... What a headache."

"Sigh... The ending is still decent, I guess. The Hokage's son became Hokage too. Unlike that poor genius—the son of a scapegoat was still a scapegoat."

Naruto subconsciously picked up the envelope containing One Thousand Ryo.

The corner of his eye twitched. "One Thousand Ryo... Judging by purchasing power, it probably only amounts to two hundred yuan."

"Two hundred divided by thirty... That's about seven yuan a day. Can I survive for a month on that?"

Naruto looked at his tender little hands and simply closed his eyes.

"Even elementary school kids could take me down with one punch each. With these short legs, I can't even run away."

"I just hope I won't grow up eating Kotoamatsukami like those people analyzed."

Just as Naruto was feeling hopeless, he turned over and saw that a fruit had appeared on the bed at some unknown time.

"This is... Masaka?!"

He had watched all three of the great shonen series in his previous life.

With one glance, Naruto recognized the fruit before him.

Those strange patterns... a Devil Fruit!

Inside the Hokage's Office.

"Lord Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto has already been sent back."

"And he was warned not to return to the clan."

The one reporting before the desk was the Sarutobi Clan ninja who had just left Naruto's home.

At that moment, Konoha F4 had gathered in the small Hokage's Office.

The head of the pyramid scheme organization—Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Pot Kage—Shimura Danzō.

The two ancient, immortal advisers—Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"Hmph!"

"Hiruzen, do you know how great a security risk this will bring to Konoha?"

"When he was driven out of the Sarutobi Clan this time, he did not act at all like an ignorant Brat."

"I fear he has already come to resent us."

"If you ask me, an unstable factor like him should be handed over to me."

"What the Villagers need now is not an outlet for their emotions, but a safe and stable living environment!"

"Is that why you sent people to monitor him in secret?" Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag from his pipe and looked expressionlessly at his best buddy, Shimura Danzō.

His calm voice instantly suppressed the angry one.

"I told you, I will handle this matter properly."

"With just a few Anbu Ninja?"

Shimura Danzō's expression immediately darkened.

"The Jinchuriki has already left the Sarutobi Clan. Naturally, I can also send Root Ninja to monitor this unstable factor."

The Jinchuriki does not belong to you alone!

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not argue. He merely Responded indifferently, "Call your people back."

"Danzō, I am the Hokage."

The moment those words were spoken, Shimura Danzō looked as though he had swallowed a fly, and the words at his lips were forced back down his throat.

"Hmph! Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

What else could he say?

He understood this shameless best buddy of his too well. Every time, Hiruzen only used those words to suppress him.

"Enough, this is not the time to discuss that."

"You may leave first."

The Sarutobi Clan ninja stood there awkwardly.

Mitokado Homura's words gave him a reason to leave.

He glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, and seeing him give a slight nod, immediately used the Body Flicker Technique and departed.

"The Uchiha Clan is at it again."

"Hiruzen, what do you think we should do this time?"

"Ugh..."

Naruto lay on the bed with his eyes rolled back, drool continuously spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"This is definitely the worst fruit I've ever eaten."

After a long while, Naruto wiped the drool from his mouth, two tear tracks hanging on his face.

When he saw the Devil Fruit, he hesitated again and again before ultimately deciding to eat it immediately.

The taste... naturally, was exquisite.

"Let bygones be bygones."

"I'll thoroughly investigate the fruit's ability tonight."

"If I stay at home the whole time, they'll get suspicious."

"Hmph, after all, there really aren't many people in Konoha who get monitored twenty-four hours a day."

Though he was extremely curious about which Devil Fruit he had eaten.

He was not stupid enough to start testing it the moment he got one.

If he vanished from sight for too long, the ninjas monitoring him might notice.

After washing his face, he looked at his petite, immature reflection in the mirror.

Naruto helplessly shook his head. "Short hair doesn't suit this face. I should grow it out."

Without the whiskers, he was a copy of Minato.

Taking the garbage from his room with him, Naruto stepped out the door.

On the streets of Konoha.

A group of unfamiliar Villagers soon arrived.

"Look! That's that Brat, right?"

"The whiskers on his face are so obvious. It must be him!"

"Careful, stay away from him! He's too dangerous!"

"Damn it! Give me back my Dad's life!"

"Onii-chan, today, I'll avenge you!"

"..."

With one or two people taking the lead, the Villagers immediately noticed Naruto's presence.

Then, dense malice rushed at him.

The curses were unending.

Yet no one dared approach him. Judging by their eyes alone, they were probably already close to losing control.

Naruto did not care. He had long prepared himself for this scene.

He wanted to run, but the road was already surrounded by Villagers.

With his tiny arms and legs, was he supposed to fly over them?

If not for disposing of the garbage left over from the Devil Fruit, he had not planned to go out in broad daylight.

At most, he would have stood on the balcony so the ninjas monitoring him could see his condition.

Seeing the situation grow increasingly serious, the two Villagers who had first spotted Naruto exchanged a glance.

They stood in front, shielding the continuously gathering Villagers behind them.

"I'll beat you to death, you demon fox!"

Whoosh—

A Rotten Egg flew through the air.

Smack—

The Rotten Egg struck Naruto on the head.

A pungent stench immediately spread.

Whoosh—

Another unknown object came flying at him.

Smack—

This time, it was not a Rotten Egg, but a hard Little Stones.

Naruto turned toward the direction the Little Stones had come from.

The two Villagers who had first spotted him were nowhere to be seen.

The view before his eyes suddenly turned red.

An inexplicable malice instantly filled his heart.

Naruto's eyes were bloodshot, stained red by the blood flowing from his forehead.

Not long after the malice appeared, it was suppressed by an unfamiliar Chakra that made his entire body feel warm.

"Stone him to death!"

Likewise, someone took the lead, setting off the crowd's imitation once more.

For a moment, Little Stones filled the sky as they rained down on Naruto.

He had no choice but to curl up on the ground and protect his head.

Crack—

A crisp sound rang out.

But only Naruto could hear it.

"Elemental Transformation... wood?"

But he absolutely could not expose it now, so he hurriedly suppressed that unfamiliar power.

"Beat him to death! Damn Fox Demon, you made my son die such a miserable death!"

"Fox Demon... Shouldn't this be wrong? He doesn't seem to have done anything wrong."

One Villager looked at Naruto's pitiful figure and felt somewhat unable to bear it.

But as soon as he spoke, an angry voice sounded beside his ear.

"What do you mean? If he isn't the Fox Demon, then who is?"

"Beat him to death!"

After a struggle flashed across that Villager's face, he too picked up a Little Stones from the ground.

He threw it at Naruto.

Bang—

It hit dead center, and Naruto, curled into a ball, even trembled.

The Villager's eyes widened. Then, the last trace of pity in his heart turned into endless exhilaration.

"Hit him! Beat that harmful Fox Demon to death!"