The next day.
Early morning.
Little Naruto stretched out with a big yawn.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Squinting at the sunlight that met his gaze, he looked a little dejected. "Was it a dream?"
Yesterday, he'd had a dream.
In it, he'd been lying across a strong, warm back.
It was so soft and cozy.
It was a warmth he'd never experienced in his four years of life.
For a moment, he hadn't wanted to wake up.
He'd even wanted to pull the covers over his head and go back to sleep.
Three minutes later.
After a long struggle, little Naruto finally made up his mind and got out of bed.
Pat.
But the moment he stood up, his bright blue eyes suddenly contracted.
Looking at the whiskers in front of him, he murmured, "What? I'm still dreaming after all. Then I'll keep sleeping..."
Three minutes later, he suddenly threw off the covers.
He jumped out of bed and looked around at the spotless room.
His face twitched. "N-no, this isn't a dream..."
"And there's ramen! Ahh, milk! There's milk too!"
Grumble—
His stomach started to growl.
The hunger made him dash straight over the moment he spotted the milk.
He opened the carton, tipped his head back, and took a drink.
Gulp, gulp.
"Huh? Why does it taste better than mine..."
Puzzled, four-year-old Naruto tipped his head back and drank it all.
He even licked the opening of the carton.
"This is so good. I have to let Uncle Ichiraku try some..."
Thinking of that, he clutched the two cartons of milk and pattered downstairs.
Outside the window.
Kakashi glanced over while looking at his newly published book, his expression perfectly calm.
But his right hand tightened slightly around the book.
He murmured, "So no one really taught this kid that you shouldn't drink expired milk..."
An indescribable feeling seemed to spread through his heart.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
"Ahhh! Get away! Stop chasing me!"
"Ruff—woof!"
"You jerk! Uchiha Jin, just wait until I'm grown up, and I'll—ahhh! No! Not there!"
Konoha.
As the village gradually settled into a peaceful mood following the peace talks with the Cloud Village, one figure—
Or rather, a whole procession of figures—began to draw everyone's attention.
At the front, a little boy in Uchiha clothes was running for his life.
Behind him, a pack of Shiba Inu were chasing after him at full speed.
They'd take a bite as soon as they caught up!
The villagers on both sides of the street couldn't help laughing as they watched.
"Oh my, that little Uchiha kid's being chased by dogs again."
"Heh, who'd have thought the great Uchiha Clan could be so... down-to-earth?"
"Right? Look at that kid. He's turning red."
"Looks like the Uchiha are no different from ordinary people after all! Hahaha!"
Sure enough, little kids chasing cats and teasing dogs were the perfect entertainment for all the village's middle-aged and elderly folk.
As this went on, the villagers' hostility toward the Uchiha seemed to gradually fade.
Some even started shouting out advice.
"Run faster! Watch out for the trash can!"
"Careful! There's a wall up ahead!"
"Go, go! Er Gouzi, pass him!"
A boy in a green bodysuit saw the scene and his eyes lit up.
"As expected of the great Uchiha Clan! They came up with such a method to train!"
"This is youth! Let's burn with the fire of youth together!"
With that, his little body charged straight into the pack of dogs.
And he quickly took the lead!
He passed Uchiha Sasuke!
Sasuke: "You passed me???"
He was still just a boy, after all.
The moment he saw someone overtake him, his temper flared.
"Today, I'll show you what a true genius looks like!"
With that, he stomped hard against the ground!
He leaped forward in a beautiful bound.
Sasuke even had time to look back and flash the green-clad boy a haughty grin.
It was as if he were saying: See? That's the pride of the Uchiha Clan!
He clearly saw the green-clad boy's eyes widen. His face even turned alarmed.
He opened his mouth as if to say something.
"Hmph! See? I barely lifted a finger, and you're already scared!"
Sasuke's smugness swelled. Then—
Thump!
Crash!
Smack!
"Ow!" ×2.
Two cries of pain rang out almost simultaneously.
Only then did Rock Lee manage to shout, "W-watch out! Someone—"
A black-haired and a blond-haired four-year-old collided, as if fate had brought them together.
Then they... started yelling at each other!
"You! You! Why don't you watch where you're going?"
"You're the one who should watch where you're going! Can't you see all these dogs?"
"Ahhh! My milk! You little brat! You're paying me back for my milk!"
"Hmph! I'm not paying you back! You still haven't paid me back for my clothes!"
"War Fan clothes? You're an Uchiha? So you're a naturally evil little Uchiha brat!"
"Hmph! You yellow-haired fox!"
The two stood in the middle of the road, pointing at each other and shouting.
Beside them, Rock Lee frantically tried to talk them down, waving his arms this way and that.
Unfortunately, he failed.
In the end, it turned into a three-way brawl...
Around the edges, the seven Shiba Inu exchanged glances and silently took a step back.
When the city gates caught fire, even the fish in the moat suffered.
But they'd barely backed away when they were caught up in the chaos too.
Three boys and seven dogs, all in a giant brawl.
Uchiha District, meeting hall.
Fugaku was discussing Konoha handing over Hizashi's body and making peace with the Cloud Village.
He poured himself a cup of tea and waved a hand. "Don't worry. As long as the Uchiha remain calm, things will—"
At that moment, a sudden cry rang out from outside.
"Clan Head! Clan Head!"
A clansman hurried over, looking anxious.
"Clan Head, you'd better come see! Young Master Sasuke is outside, fighting with..."
Clatter.
"Sasuke?! What's that boy done now?!
"The village is in a sensitive period. Even the slightest disturbance involving the Uchiha Clan will be magnified several times over!
"That boy... damn it!"
Fugaku's expression stiffened as he spoke, and his brow twitched.
Suppressing his anger and worry, he gripped his teacup and asked, "Who's he fighting? Is he winning?"
"Uh... no... I-I mean..." The clansman hesitated, then said with an odd expression, "He's fighting seven dogs, a Green Clothes Freak, and a blond-haired kid."
"Oh, good. At least he's not fighting one of the major clans—he... huh? What did you say? Sasuke's fighting who?!"
Uchiha Fugaku abruptly raised his head.
"Dogs? Seven of them?"
"And someone with a weird-clothes fetish and a blond-haired kid?!"
Realizing what had happened, he slammed his teacup upside down on the table!
"Urgh—! That wretched son!"
Tea slowly trickled across the tabletop in front of him.
Drip.
Drip.
A lot of it even splashed onto his trousers.
But Fugaku couldn't think about anything else now. All he wanted was to rush over and stuff Sasuke into a teacup!
On the wall.
"Did he... get into trouble?"
Hearing the commotion, Jin tossed Pakkun away, then cautiously edged closer to the wall.
He slowed his breathing.
His whole body pressed flat against the wall.
Then—he frantically activated the Weak Presence trait!
He thought to himself, I fought Sasuke, so you can't hit me too, right?
Before you continue