Rashomon

The Anbu stood on the eaves, their faces full of loyalty as they guarded the surroundings, as if nothing had happened.

A knock came at the door.

Naruto Uzumaki opened it curiously. If it weren't mealtime, he really didn't want to go out, didn't want to face those hateful stares.

Who was knocking?

Was it Grandfather Third Hokage?

"Brother Siming!"

Naruto Uzumaki's face lit up with a delighted smile. "What brings you here? Come in, quick! I've got a gift for you!"

Saying this, he pulled Uchiha Siming into the room and, like presenting a treasure, held out a cup of ramen to him.

It was a cup of ramen unlike any other—with nice stickers on it and a larger capacity.

It seemed specially designed for adults.

"Brother Siming, try it quick!"

Naruto Uzumaki urged, his face full of anticipation.

"This is a collector's edition instant ramen I bought at great cost!"

He'd spent a lot of money on it.

Brother Siming would definitely be thrilled. Just thinking about Uchiha Siming's happy expression made Naruto start to feel happy himself—but the next moment, a chop landed on his head.

Bam!

Even with Naruto Uzumaki's tough physique, he couldn't help but feel a sharp pain.

He yelled, "Brother Siming, what are you doing!"

Uchiha Siming let out a helpless sigh. "Are you an idiot? Spending that much money on collector's edition instant ramen. This one cup could buy enough rice balls to feed you for three days, you know?"

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes went wide, as if he'd discovered a new continent, disbelief flickering in them.

So what had all those years of going hungry been for?

And what about buying collector's edition ramen every day?

"Alright, no more buying collector's edition ramen from now on. I bought some stuff—I'll cook you a meal."

Uchiha Siming lifted the things he'd bought, enough to make a simple meal.

He immediately started preparing. Half an hour later, as Naruto Uzumaki stared blankly at a bowl of black, mushy stuff, Uchiha Siming nodded. "Yeah, as I thought, I still have no talent for cooking."

"Come on, let's just eat out."

"Wait a sec, I need to call someone first."

Uchiha Siming looked at Naruto Uzumaki with an unreadable expression.

"You two might have some common ground."

A former genius and a former dead-last—what changes would come from bringing them together this time?

"Summoning Technique!"

Uchiha Siming pressed his palm against the wall. Summoning runes appeared in an instant, and a black crow materialized with a series of "caws."

"Go, call Neji to come eat."

After that, Uchiha Siming picked a highly rated barbecue restaurant. Thanks to his influence, even though the owner had issues with Naruto, he could only keep it to himself. Neji arrived as well.

The two kids stared at each other.

Looking at the cute-faced Naruto Uzumaki, Neji furrowed his brow.

Huh?

Was this the guy trying to steal my teacher? For some reason, he felt oddly familiar.

Seeing the clean, aloof Hyuga Neji, Naruto lowered his head.

Of course.

Everyone naturally liked clean kids, right?

"You two sit tight. I'll go order, okay~"

Uchiha Siming glanced at their contrasting expressions, a strange look on his face. Why did these two seem a bit at odds?

"Hey, you. Are you here to steal Teacher Siming?"

Hyuga Neji frowned, his kneeling posture leaning forward slightly, carrying a sense of pressure.

"I won't allow anyone to take Teacher Siming away!"

Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi were adults—that was different.

"No, that's not it."

Naruto Uzumaki's small face twisted with grievance, tears threatening to fall.

"See? No matter where I go, I'm never welcome. They always call me a demon fox. I... I just didn't want to be hated."

Huh?

No.

Demon fox?

Hated?

"You... you... you're Naruto Uzumaki?"

Neji remembered. He panicked all at once.

That kid always bullied by the villagers—if anything, Naruto had it worse than him. At least he never went hungry or lacked clothes. Naruto got chased out even when he tried to buy things.

Bastard!

And he'd just spoken to such a pitiful child like that!

"I... I was wrong, okay? I don't hate you."

Hyuga Neji's little face had lost all its cold aloofness. He stammered:

"From now on... from now on, I'm your friend. Nobody gets to bully you!"

He really didn't know how to comfort people.

So much so that after saying it, even he blushed a little.

"Really?"

Naruto Uzumaki stopped crying all at once. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he inched closer to Hyuga Neji's side.

"I... I have a friend too!"

When Siming came back, he saw Naruto Uzumaki enthusiastically hovering around Neji, and that perpetually cold little face of Neji's actually carried a hint of tolerance?

"What the hell."

He scratched his head, finding it absurd: "One thing really does conquer another, huh?"

Whatever.

As long as they got along peacefully, that was good. Naruto Uzumaki wolfed down his food, earning Uchiha Siming's admiration for his sheer capacity. After the meal, Uchiha Siming laughed:

"Alright, since you've eaten your fill, let's head home and start training to work it off!"

The three of them walked toward the Senju Clan.

"Training?"

Naruto Uzumaki followed close behind, his little face frozen in curiosity: "What's that?"

Hyuga Neji explained seriously: "It's a way to make yourself stronger. Siming-sensei is the one teaching me to get stronger. Becoming a powerful ninja means you can protect yourself, break free from all shackles, and not get bullied!"

Only by getting stronger.

Could there be a chance to break the Caged Bird Seal.

"Becoming strong means I won't get bullied?"

Naruto Uzumaki's azure eyes lit up. With a mix of nervousness and hope, he looked at Uchiha Siming: "Siming-niisan, can... can I learn from you too?"

He didn't want to be bullied.

He didn't want to go hungry every day either. He hoped to get stronger and become a normal person like everyone else!

[Ding! Request from the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Helping the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki grow stronger is Lord Hashirama's proper duty. Please, Lord Hashirama, help Naruto Uzumaki control the Nine-Tails and become a powerful ninja capable of standing on his own!]

[Quest Reward: Summoning Technique · Rashomon!]

[Summoning Technique · Rashomon: Summons the Rashomon from the underworld, usable to defend against powerful physical attacks!]

Rashomon?

Underworld?

Uchiha Siming stopped in his tracks. The three had already returned to the Senju Clan. His eyes flickered, and he nodded:

"Of course. But first, we need to deal with a little problem inside you, or your training speed will be too slow."

Naruto Uzumaki's little face was blank: "Deal with... a problem inside me?"

Slap.

Uchiha Siming placed his palm on the boy's shoulder, and his consciousness instantly entered his body.

When he opened his eyes again.

Before him was a cramped underground drainage tunnel. The murky water stretched forward like filth itself, leading to a massive prison gate. A pair of scarlet beast eyes radiated absolute malice and hatred!

"Damn Uchiha! How dare you set foot in this lord's territory!"

"I'll kill you!"

Uchiha Siming's lips curled upward. His Wood Release was already itching for action.