Patriotic Naruto?

With a "ding," the voice Naruto had been yearning for finally rang out.

"Standing at the crossroads of life, the system will now present the host with a second Life Choice. Your choice will determine your future fate."

"Faced with villagers full of malice, ignorance, and prejudice, your choice is:"

"Option one: As the reincarnation of Asura's Chakra, you deeply love everything about the village. Kneel before them now, admit your mistakes, beg for their forgiveness, and hope to earn their recognition."

"Reward: Wood Release."

"Option two: As the naturally evil Demon Fox, do whatever you want. Let these foolish people know exactly what they have provoked, and make Konoha's villagers fear you even more."

"Reward: Sharingan."

"Please choose carefully, host."

Once the system's voice stopped, Naruto's steadily growing hatred and malice came to an abrupt halt. He froze where he stood, lowering his head so no one could see the shock in his eyes.

As expected, anything produced by the system was extraordinary.

Though the first option was a little too disgusting, it did fit the personality of Asura's Chakra reincarnations. Both the original Uzumaki Naruto and Hashirama Senju had been the sort of people to do something like that. No wonder the reward was Wood Release.

Hashirama: For peace in the Ninja World, I'll kowtow to everyone!

Madara: For peace in the Ninja World, everyone kowtow to me!

Still, this was the Wood Release that had pacified the warring era, founded Konoha, and distributed the Nine Tailed Beasts. To be honest, Naruto was tempted. Though not all Wood Release was equal, he was different from Yamato. In a few years, his own Chakra combined with the Nine-Tails' would amount to half a Hashirama Senju. By then, he should possess at least a fraction of Hashirama Senju's strength.

But if he chose that, what had his year and a half of training been for? What had all the malice he had endured over the past few years been for?

He, Uzumaki Naruto, should do whatever the hell he wanted!

"Kurama, lend me some of your Chakra."

He could think of a way to explain things to Sarutobi Hiruzen later. Right now, he needed to make these people shut up first.

"Heh heh heh... Hahahaha! Take as much as you like. A bunch of trash actually dared to treat my Jinchuriki like this."

Violence, hatred, chaos, malice—Chakra brimming with every kind of negative emotion poured endlessly into Naruto's body, yet it had no effect on him whatsoever.

A blood-red Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak enveloped Naruto's entire body, and a Chakra tail slowly extended from behind him.

"W-What is that?"

"That's a tail!"

"This brat really is the Demon Fox!"

"Run! Run!"

"Run!"

"The Demon Fox is here to destroy Konoha again!"

The villagers who had just been pelting Naruto with stones were instantly scared out of their wits and fled in all directions. They had never imagined that Uzumaki Naruto, whom they had bullied for so many years, truly was the Demon Fox. They only wanted to vent their negative emotions; they had not actually come looking to die.

Before long, only a few terrified villagers and several Root ninja who had secretly stirred up the villagers' emotions remained.

Root ninja truly deserved their reputation as brainwashed ninja. Even facing Uzumaki Naruto in this state, they merely broke out in cold sweat before immediately assuming combat stances.

Naruto, meanwhile, appeared to have lost consciousness. His blue eyes had turned completely blood-red, and within them, black vertical pupils flickered with pinpricks of crimson light.

Naruto lowered his body, planted his limbs on the ground, and assumed an attacking stance. Enormous Chakra filled with malice erupted from him, instantly putting the Root ninja on high alert.

They might have been brainwashed, but their biological instincts remained. This was a genuine monster.

Bang!

"Fall back!"

At that moment, a cloud of white smoke exploded in the square. Two elderly men in combat gear and a group of ninja dressed in Anbu uniforms appeared before everyone. Shimura Danzō's face was grave, and a shadow darkened his single eye. He had only wanted the Jinchuriki to reveal his malice toward the village so he could lock him up. He had never expected the Jinchuriki to actually lose control. This was the center of Konoha.

He could already feel the burden on his back growing heavier.

He had proposed this test. If something went wrong, the position of Hokage would become even more distant for him.

He decided to strike first.

"Hiruzen, it seems the Jinchuriki truly should be cultivated as a weapon of war."

"Shut up, Danzo." Sarutobi Hiruzen cast his old friend a cold glance. "Root has crossed the line. After this matter is over, I will personally deal with your Root."

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not be bothered to waste any more words on Shimura Danzō.

Danzo's eye widened as he stared at his friend of decades in disbelief. The four of them had clearly agreed to this together, yet this man was going to dump all the blame on him again.

"We need to calm Naruto down first. Fortunately, it's only one tail."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked somewhat relieved. One tail was still something he could handle.

He then raised his right thumb to his mouth, bit open a wound, rapidly formed hand seals, and slammed his hand against the ground.

"Summoning · Monkey King Enma!"

After a burst of white smoke, a monkey wearing a tiger-striped sweater over a ninja uniform and a Konoha forehead protector appeared before him.

"Hiruzen, who are we fighting this ti—"

The monkey spoke in human words, but upon seeing the figure in the distance crouched on all fours, covered in the Nine-Tails' cloak with a single Chakra tail swaying behind him, he fell silent.

"Enma, Adamantine Staff."

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not waste words. Enma immediately transformed into a black staff in his hands.

"Naruto, calm down!"

Gripping the staff with both hands, Sarutobi Hiruzen leaped high into the air and smashed it down at Naruto.

That Old Fart got here fast.

Naruto cursed inwardly. He did not want to fight Sarutobi Hiruzen just yet. He had to act like he had lost control, and that was basically no different from taking a beating head-on.

Besides, he could not use much of the Nine-Tails' Chakra right now. One tail was not enough to beat that old Sarutobi bastard.

He exerted force through all four limbs at once, turning into a red streak as he shot toward a building to the side.

Boom!

Boom!

Two explosions rang out almost simultaneously. Sarutobi Hiruzen's staff smashed into empty air, while Naruto rammed headfirst into the building.

Yet he had not gone far before he felt himself slam into an incredibly solid wall of air. Stars burst before his eyes, and dizziness and nausea swept over him, leaving his footing unsteady.

Fuck, there's a barrier!

Guess I can't be Patriotic Naruto today.

Naruto's head was still buzzing, but the sound behind him quickly brought his mind back to clarity.

Damn it. This will have to do for now.

He had completed the option mission anyway, and those naturally evil Konoha villagers had already seen a real fox demon. With a barrier in place, he could not cause any destruction.

Naruto immediately sprawled on the ground, his face instantly twisting in pain.

When Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō arrived, all they saw was Naruto, covered in injuries, lying on the ground in agony.

"Naruto, how is your body?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with great concern, though he remained several meters away.

Hearing the voice, Naruto looked up and saw Sarutobi Hiruzen and a one-eyed old man. Tears and snot instantly streamed down his face.

He could not help it—it hurt. He had used the Nine-Tails' Chakra to slice open the skin all over his body. Otherwise, he could not fake the effects of losing control.

"Third... Third Grandpa, I-I'm sorry. I did something that hurt the village. Sob..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes lit up. Naruto had actually suppressed his rampage by himself!

He stepped forward and gently picked Naruto up, asking softly, "Can you tell Grandpa what happened just now?"

This Old Fart is in such a hurry. It hurts like hell.

In an instant, even more tears and snot poured down Naruto's face.

"Everyone said I was a monster, the Demon Fox. I felt wronged. I clearly wanted everyone to acknowledge me."

"Then... then that fox told me that if I gave it my body, it could help make everyone acknowledge me. But... but it wanted to hurt everyone instead."

"This..."

For a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not know what to say, though the relief in his eyes was impossible to conceal. Sure enough, the Will of Fire in Naruto's heart was purer than anyone's. Otherwise, he could never have suppressed the Nine-Tails' rampage on his own.

"Hmph! If he was deceived once, there will be a second time." Danzo, his face dark, could not help speaking up from the side.

"Shut up!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glared viciously at Shimura Danzō, leaving him only able to mutter under his breath. Sarutobi Hiruzen was truly angry this time. Luckily, Naruto had suppressed the rampage. Otherwise, Konoha would have suffered severe losses again.

"Naruto, what will you do if that big fox says something like that to you again?" Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to Naruto with a kindly expression once more.

This Old Fart really has no humanity. I'm bleeding all over—can't you send me to the hospital first?

"Third Grandpa, I'll never listen to that big fox again. It's a bad person. It only wants to hurt everyone. No matter what it says in the future, I..." Naruto tilted his head, his consciousness entering the Sealing Space as he fainted.

"This..." Sarutobi Hiruzen was somewhat stunned as he looked at Naruto, who had suddenly fainted. But when he saw the dense wounds covering Naruto's body, he immediately understood and realized that he had been too impatient.

"Someone."

"Hokage-sama."

Three Anbu figures appeared before Sarutobi Hiruzen at once and saluted in unison.

Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully handed Naruto to one of them and ordered, "Take Naruto to the hospital and treat his wounds."

"Yes." The three figures vanished simultaneously once more.

"It seems even the Nine-Tails cannot shake Naruto's Will of Fire." Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzō, a trace of pride in his voice.

"Even if the Jinchuriki suppressed his rampage, he has already caused harm to the village."

Danzo meant that Uzumaki Naruto had now confirmed the rumors that he was the Demon Fox.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression turned cold as well. He said in a deep voice, "Since this matter began because of you, you will be the one to eliminate its consequences."

"In two months, Naruto must enter the Ninja Academy. Otherwise, Root can solve its own funding problems from now on."

After saying that, Sarutobi Hiruzen vanished in a Body Flicker. He needed to comfort the frightened villagers.

Only Shimura Danzō remained, standing there with a face as dark as water. His body had grown somewhat hunched, as though something was weighing down on him so heavily that he could no longer straighten his back.

"W-Where did Naruto-kun go?"

Much later, when Hinata returned to the scene while panting heavily, all she saw was devastation and several villagers who were still gripped by fear.

Then, she noticed several familiar figures. They were the boys who had bullied her earlier, now gathered together and talking about something.

Hinata immediately ran over. Gritting her teeth, she gathered her courage despite her intense nervousness and asked, "Where did Naruto-kun go?"

"You're that Demon Fox monster's companion!"

"So you're a monster too!"

"Get lost!"

Already badly frightened by Naruto, the boys instantly began cursing like cats whose tails had been stepped on, making as if to attack Hinata again.

Hinata's eyes instantly reddened. Before her, Naruto's blood-covered face appeared once more.

Because of her weakness, Naruto-kun had been badly hurt.

Why?

Why was such a kind Naruto-kun called a monster?

"You're the ones who look more like monsters!"

Hinata shouted in a trembling voice. The weakness had vanished from her pure white eyes. Veins bulged around them, making her look incomparably fierce.