Me? Flying Thunder God?!

Hiss—!

The Anbu ninja in a fox mask sucked in a sharp breath. Looking at Uchiha Akira, who had come again and acted as if he were completely justified, he could hardly believe it. "Uchiha Akira? What are you here for? Do you really think no one in all of Konoha can deal with you?"

"Don't go looking for trouble!"

He could not help but feel a headache coming on.

"Why do you come looking for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki every day? Could you show a little respect for our work?"

Big brother!

The Uchiha were practically about to go to war with Konoha, yet he still came looking for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki every day.

What the hell was this?

Was Uchiha Fugaku not looking for him?

"Heh, are you telling me how to do my job?"

Uchiha Akira raised a brow. "I'm treating the hero's son to a meal. What, do you have a problem with that?"

"Uchiha Akira, are you kidding me?!"

The fox-masked Anbu let out a shrill cry. "You're an Uchiha, and he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Leave immediately, or I don't even want to imagine what I might do to you!"

His breathing quickened.

His eyes were filled with incomprehension. Was Akira playing dumb? As long as he was here, no Uchiha would get anywhere near the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!

"Oh? Wait here. I'll get someone else to talk to you."

Uchiha Akira clapped his hands.

"Hehe, someone else?"

The fox-masked Anbu sneered. "No matter who comes today, no one is getting close to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

Then—

He saw Asuma, the Hokage's son, walk up behind Uchiha Akira with an unhappy expression. "What? My big brother wants to treat the hero's son to a meal, and your Anbu need to approve it?!"

Before this—

Asuma had never paid attention to Naruto Uzumaki's living conditions.

But today, he saw it: a messy house, expired milk, cup after cup of instant noodles. Was that any way for a child to live?

He suppressed his anger.

"Naruto is the hero's son first, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki second. Whatever consequences there are, let the old man punish me!"

The fox-masked Anbu was stunned, his voice even stammering.

"I-I understand!"

He was an Anbu, sure, but this was the Hokage's son. To put it bluntly, he stood above everyone but one. Who the hell would dare pick a fight with Asuma?

"Big Brother Akira!"

Seeing Uchiha Akira appear in the doorway, Naruto Uzumaki's childish face filled with surprise and unease.

"Y-you came to play with me?"

This was the first time anyone had come to his home to play with him.

"Of course. But before that, we should fill our stomachs."

Uchiha Akira smiled and ruffled Naruto Uzumaki's smooth blond hair. It felt quite nice.

"Come on, my treat!"

Naruto Uzumaki's breath caught. Like a kitten longing to be petted, he froze for a moment before a smile as bright as sunlight bloomed across his little face.

Half an hour later.

After the three of them had eaten their fill at Ichiraku Ramen, they rubbed their stomachs with satisfied expressions.

It had to be said, Ichiraku Ramen was damn good. The more you ate, the better it tasted.

Of course.

Uchiha Akira had always felt that Ichiraku Ramen was popular not because of the ramen, but because of Ichiraku himself. He always insisted on using the best ingredients, and he always treated people warmly—whether they were ordinary civilians, ninja, or even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Huh? Isn't that guy the Demon Fox?!"

Just then, harsh laughter suddenly rang out. Three boys pointed at Naruto Uzumaki and said without any restraint.

"How does a Demon Fox have money for ramen? He must have stolen it! Beat that Demon Fox to death! Beat the Demon Fox to death!"

As they spoke, the three picked up pebbles from the ground and threw them over.

"I-I didn't!"

Naruto Uzumaki's little face was full of grievance. Normally, he would have endured it, but not today. He could not let Big Brother Akira think he was a child who stole money!

He hurriedly tried to explain.

"I've never stolen money! My grandfather gave me my money, and Big Brother Akira treated me to this meal today!"

"You? A Demon Fox? Who would give money to a monster like you?!"

The three boys did not care. Instead, they burst into even nastier laughter.

Naruto Uzumaki grew frantic and desperately tried to explain himself.

But it did no good. Even more pebbles came flying at him. He was like a drowning kitten—the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.

"H-how could this be?"

Asuma Sarutobi stared blankly, his eyes unfocused as the pipe hanging from his mouth drooped. They were both sons of the Hokage.

Yet their treatment was worlds apart.

"Hey!"

He shouted angrily, "Stop it! Naruto has never been a Demon Fox!"

The three boys shrank back. One of them stiffened his neck and shouted, "How is he not? Everyone says he's the Demon Fox! He doesn't deserve to live in Konoha at all!"

Trying to stop them had not halted the cruelty. It had only made them even more brazen!

Asuma suddenly felt exhausted.

Naruto was the hero's son, but the others were just children too. What... was he supposed to do?

Whoosh—!

Several kunai shot out, grazing the cheeks of the three boys with savage force, like the unavoidable scythes of death swinging down.

"Ah!"

The three boys collapsed onto the ground in terror, then scrambled away in panic.

"The Demon Fox is killing people! The Demon Fox is killing people!"

But even after the instigators had left, the pain they caused did not disappear.

"Big Brother Akira, am... am I really a Demon Fox?"

Naruto Uzumaki looked up, his azure eyes filled with sorrow and helplessness. In the end, he was only a five- or six-year-old child.

"Naruto, don't punish yourself for other people's mistakes. You have never been a Demon Fox."

Uchiha Akira rubbed his blond hair. His gaze turned distant as he looked ahead. "But remember this: at any time, weakness is the original sin. They dare bully you not because you did anything wrong, but because you do not yet have the strength to fight them."

Naruto Uzumaki's blue eyes were bewildered, as though he had understood something.

"So once I become strong, no one will bully me anymore?"

"Of course. As long as you are strong enough, no one will dare bully you."

Uchiha Akira patiently guided him.

"Once you possess enough power, not only will they not dare bully you, they'll even treat you very nicely. Even if they don't like the sight of you, they'll have to swallow it!"

Strength.

Was always the foremost rule.

Just like in his previous life: when people reached marriageable age, they thought the goddess they secretly loved or their girlfriend was being picky about their other qualities. In truth, there was only one reason—they were not strong enough. When strength fell short, one's words carried less weight, just as poverty brought endless sorrows to a married couple.

"I understand!"

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes lit up.

"Then, Big Brother Akira, c-can you teach me how to become stronger?"

Uchiha Akira's lips curved upward.

"Of course."

[Mission: Help Naruto establish proper values! Mission complete!]

[Mission reward: One random draw!]

[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Flying Thunder God Technique!]

[Oh my! Congratulations to Lord Hashirama for obtaining Lord Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique. If that little thief who throws kunai from three kilometers away appears before Lord Hashirama again, Lord Hashirama must make him pay!]

Damn it!

Uchiha Akira's eyes widened.

Hashirama Senju with the Flying Thunder God?

How was that any different from a mobile nuclear bomb?!

Mark each of the other four great ninja villages with Flying Thunder God, and if any of them refused to behave in the future, he could just unleash a Deep Forest Emergence on them!

"I don't eat beef!"