Dizzy.
So dizzy.
What was happening to me?
"I remember I was still at work just a moment ago. Then suddenly, my head started spinning."
Naruto was a little muddled, but the memories that came rushing into his mind soon brought him back to his senses.
"Did I reincarnate? As Naruto Uzumaki?"
The young Naruto frowned.
He couldn't help rubbing his head.
He thought back over Naruto's life:
His parents had both died when he was born.
He'd had a miserable childhood. The villagers ostracized him, and he often didn't even have enough to eat.
Fortunately, he'd never let go of his dream. At twelve, he'd met Iruka-sensei and received his forehead protector from him, becoming a Konoha Genin.
He'd met Kakashi-sensei and graduated from the Ninja Academy.
In the Land of Waves, he'd encountered Zabuza. A Kunai pierced his hand, and with pain and blood, he'd forged his path as a ninja!
During the Chunin Ninja Exams, he'd defeated Neji and made a name for himself. The Fox brat had officially made his debut.
Next, he'd defeated Gaara after his Tailed Beast Transformation and protected the village, earning some initial fame in Konoha.
After that, he'd trained under his master Jiraiya. At last, he had a teacher and someone to rely on!
He'd rescued Kazekage Gaara from the Akatsuki, preserved peace between Konoha and the Sand Ninja, and earned the recognition of most of the village.
At sixteen, in the form of a sage, he'd defeated the notorious Akatsuki and become Konoha's hero in one fell swoop, finally shedding the title of Demon Fox!
Later, with Killer B and the Eight-Tails' help, he'd trained in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!
He'd taken part in the Fourth Shinobi World War, become true companions with the Nine-Tails during the fighting, achieved Perfect Jinchuriki status, and become the hero who saved the world. In the end, he'd married the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter and had a family with children.
Looking at the outcome, his life had been happy and complete. But don't forget, Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son. Everyone had seen what his childhood was like. From another perspective, his whole life had been arranged for him before he was even born. Influenced by Asura Chakra, his conflict with Indra had been unavoidable, whether he wanted it or not. Without the strength to surpass Asura, he'd be influenced by Asura Chakra. He'd been born to serve as the vessel that sealed the Nine-Tails.
Everyone had hated him since he was little. He'd been bullied, isolated, and watched by the Third Hokage. The girl he liked didn't like him back.
Never mind the Nine-Tails. Weren't both of the previous Nine-Tails Jinchuriki stronger than Naruto himself? Naruto barely counted as half an Uzumaki. In the end, his father had expected too much of him. Fortunately, Naruto's protagonist aura had flared up in the end. Without the threat of Madara Uchiha, the Nine-Tails would never have helped him. If all he really needed was to talk his way out of everything, what was the point of having strength?
Simply put, he was the protagonist. But in his previous life, he'd been an ordinary person. As a child, he'd wanted to be a hero, but once he grew up and learned what happened to heroes, he'd changed his mind. And if Naruto hadn't been influenced by Asura, he would've turned evil long ago. Sasuke was a perfect example: without Naruto, there was no way Sasuke's fall to darkness could have been undone.
"This is a bit of a problem." Naruto scratched his head. He was a normal person. If he were bullied and isolated, even an ordinary adult would develop negative feelings, let alone a child.
"So should I follow the same path, or..." Naruto couldn't help scratching his head.
The Third Hokage and Danzo were two politicians, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop. Danzo genuinely wanted to control the Nine-Tails. As for the Third Hokage, he only guaranteed that Naruto would stay alive; he made no promises about what Naruto's life would be like.
While Naruto was still wondering what to do,
he suddenly noticed that something seemed to have appeared in his mind.
His cheat had arrived.
"Saint's Theft—in other words, the Six Thief Immortals, one of The Outcast's Eight Extraordinary Skills."
Seeing this ability, Naruto blinked.
This cheat seemed pretty powerful. As an ability from The Outcast, it might not look all that strong in the Ninja World, but it had one ability that tempted Naruto: immortality.
In a modern society, it might be difficult to master this technique. After all, that world was, strictly speaking, in an age of declining spiritual energy. There wasn't much to devour, to the point that the technique could make someone consider devouring humans.
But here... At the thought, Naruto glanced down at his stomach.
Inside the seal's cage, the Nine-Tails shuddered all over. He sensed a deep malice.
With this ability, who did he have to fear? Unable to wait, he immediately began practicing.
He crossed his legs and quickly got the hang of it, forming a perfect digestive system inside his body. In an instant, his body instinctively began absorbing the Natural Energy around him. If Jiraiya had been in Konoha, he would've noticed right away. Unfortunately, the people capable of sensing Natural Energy could be counted on one hand.
When the Nine-Tails sensed Naruto begin practicing, he instinctively tried to interfere. His method was to send his chakra through the gaps in the seal and into Naruto. The Nine-Tails' chakra was extremely unruly, making it difficult to use whether for training or in battle. Even Naruto in the later stages had to separate out his negative emotions before he could use it.
But Naruto, who was practicing right now, needed chakra badly. The moment the Nine-Tails' chakra appeared, the Six Thief Immortals inside Naruto absorbed and broke it down, converting it into Naruto's own chakra. With the Six Thief Immortals' help, Naruto instinctively no longer needed to suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. His chakra was instantly unleashed, filling his body.
At the same time, the Six Thief Immortals progressed rapidly as long as they could devour energy. And this world had no shortage of energy. Whether it was the Natural Energy between heaven and earth or the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, both could constantly supply him with energy.
The Six Thief Immortals used the large intestine, small intestine, stomach, triple burner, gallbladder, and bladder as its foundation, building a perfect system for absorbing and digesting.
While Naruto was still practicing, he suddenly sensed something.
In Naruto's perception, a dark world filled with chakra came into view. Those chakra signatures vaguely took the shapes of people.
"Did I awaken the Mind's Eye of the Kagura?" Having read the original story, Naruto knew this was the Uzumaki Clan's unique sensory technique. Only those with especially pure blood could awaken it. Now, with his chakra unleashed and the Six Thief Immortals' help, the power that had always existed in his blood was instinctively awakening too.
"Who is this guy?" As soon as he awakened, Naruto could sense almost all of Konoha. Unlike ordinary sensory techniques that required chakra, this bloodline-based perception was extremely difficult for others to detect. Still, Naruto didn't dare be careless. He quickly withdrew his perception. Never underestimate a powerful person's sixth sense.
"I didn't expect to get this as a bonus. My chakra is already worth a hundred and fifty Kakashis." The instant he opened his perception, Naruto had sensed Kakashi right outside his window. He'd known he was a Jinchuriki and that he'd been watched since childhood, but he hadn't expected Kakashi to be the one watching him.