Me? Flying Thunder God?!

Hiss—!

The Anbu ninja wearing the fox mask sucked in a sharp breath, staring at Uchiha Siming, who had arrived again with an air of righteous indignation. He could hardly believe it: "Uchiha Siming? What are you here for? Do you really think no one in Konoha can handle you?"

"Don't bring trouble on yourself!"

He couldn't help but feel a headache coming on:

"Why do you keep coming to see the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki every day? Show some respect for our work, alright?"

Bro!

Your Uchiha clan is practically on the verge of war with Konoha, and you're still coming to see the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki every day.

What's the deal with that?

Isn't Uchiha Fugaku looking for you?

"Ha, are you teaching me how to do my job?"

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

"Uchiha Siming, are you joking?!"

The fox-masked Anbu let out a sharp shriek: "You're an Uchiha, he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Get out of here now, or I can't imagine what I'll do to you!"

His breathing was rapid.

His eyes were full of incomprehension—playing dumb, were they? As long as he was here, no Uchiha was getting near the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!

"Oh? Wait a moment, I'll get someone else to talk to you."

Uchiha Siming clapped his hands.

"Heh, someone else?"

The fox-masked Anbu sneered: "No matter who comes today, no one's getting near the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

Then.

He saw Asuma, the Hokage's son, walk up behind Uchiha Siming, his face full of displeasure: "What, my big brother wants to treat the hero's son to a meal, and he needs the Anbu's permission?!"

Before this.

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

But today, he saw it—the messy room, the expired milk, cup after cup of instant ramen. This was no life for a child.

He suppressed his anger:

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

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

"I, I understand!"

He was Anbu, sure, but that guy was the Hokage's son. To put it bluntly, he was above almost everyone but one person—who the hell would dare to cause trouble for Asuma?

"Brother Siming!"

Seeing Uchiha Siming appear at the door, Naruto Uzumaki's young face was full of surprise and nervousness.

"Are, are you here to play with me?"

This was the first time someone had come to his home to play.

"Of course, but before that, we need to fill our stomachs first."

Uchiha Siming smiled and ruffled Naruto's soft blond hair. The texture was really nice:

"Come on, my treat!"

Naruto's breath caught, like a kitten craving a pet. Then, a bright, sunny smile spread across his young face.

Half an hour later.

After the three of them had feasted at Ichiraku Ramen, they patted their bellies with satisfaction.

There was no denying it—Ichiraku Ramen was amazing. The more you ate, the better it tasted.

Of course.

Uchiha Siming always felt the reason Ichiraku Ramen was popular wasn't the ramen itself, but Ichiraku. He always insisted on the best ingredients, and he was always warm to everyone—whether ordinary people, ninja, or the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Huh? Isn't that guy, the demon fox?!"

Just then, a nasty jeer suddenly rang out. Three boys pointed at Naruto and said without restraint:

"How does a demon fox have money to eat ramen? That guy must have stolen the money! Beat the demon fox, beat the demon fox!"

The three of them picked up stones from the ground and threw them.

"I, I didn't!"

Naruto's young face was full of grievance. Normally, he would have just endured it, but not today. He couldn't let Brother Siming think he was a kid who stole money!

He explained anxiously.

"I've never stolen money! My money is all from Grandfather, and today Brother Siming treated me to a meal!"

"You? The demon fox? Who'd give money to a monster like you!"

The three were unimpressed, instead bursting into even more vicious laughter.

Naruto Uzumaki was frantic, defending himself with all his might.

But it was useless. More and more stones flew at him. He was like a drowning kitten—no matter how he struggled, he only sank deeper.

"W-Why is this happening?"

Asuma Sarutobi was stunned, his eyes vacant, the pipe drooping from his lips. Both of them were sons of a Hokage.

Yet their treatment here was worlds apart.

"Hey!"

He barked: "Cut it out! Naruto was never the demon fox!"

The three boys shrank back, but 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!"

The intervention didn't stop the bullying—it only made it more brazen!

Asuma suddenly felt weary.

Naruto was the son of a hero, but these were just children too. What could he do?

Whoosh—!

Several kunai shot out, grazing viciously past the three boys' cheeks like a death god's unerring scythe.

"Ah!"

The three boys yelped, falling on their backsides in terror before scrambling away in panic.

"The demon fox is killing people! The demon fox is killing people!"

But even with the instigators gone, the pain they caused didn't disappear.

"Brother Siming, am... am I really the demon fox?"

Naruto Uzumaki looked up, his blue eyes filled with grief and confusion. After all, he was still just a five- or six-year-old child.

"Naruto, don't punish yourself for other people's mistakes. You were never the demon fox."

Uchiha Siming ruffled his blond hair, his gaze toward the distance carrying a profound weight: "But remember this: weakness is always the original sin. They bully you not because you're wrong, but because you don't yet have the strength to fight back."

Naruto's blue eyes were dazed, as if he understood something:

"So once I'm strong enough, no one will bully me?"

"Of course. If you're strong enough, no one will dare bully you."

Uchiha Siming guided him patiently:

"When you wield enough power, they won't just stop bullying you—they'll be friendly to you. Even if they can't stand you, they'll have to swallow it!"

Strength.

That was always the first principle.

Just like in his past life—when it came time to marry, you'd think your secret crush or girlfriend was nitpicking your other qualities. But really, there was only one: your strength wasn't enough. When strength falls short, words carry little weight—just like 'poverty and love make a hundred sorrows.'

"I understand!"

Naruto's eyes lit up:

"Then Brother Siming, can... can you teach me to get stronger?"

Uchiha Siming's lips curled upward:

"Of course."

[Task: Help Naruto establish correct values! Task complete!]

[Task reward: One random draw!]

[Congratulations, host, for obtaining the Flying Thunder God Technique!]

[Oh dear! Congratulations to Lord Hashirama for obtaining Lord Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique! If that little thief who throws kunai from three kilometers away ever shows up in front of Lord Hashirama again, Lord Hashirama will make him pay!]

Damn it!

Uchiha Siming's eyes widened.

A Hashirama Senju who could use Flying Thunder God?

What the hell was that if not a mobile nuclear bomb!

The other four great ninja villages would each get a Flying Thunder God mark. From now on, anyone who didn't behave would get a direct Tree World Birth!

"I don't eat beef, damn it!"