Otherwise, the next crop would not grow.
Walking down the street, Genya's thoughts were in turmoil.
He thought it over carefully.
Several major events would take place this year in the original story.
First, Itachi would go out on a mission with his teammates when Uchiha Obito suddenly appeared, killing their Jonin leader and his two teammates, causing Itachi to awaken his Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
Genya's strength was still limited, while Obito possessed the Mangekyo and a spatial secret technique like Kamui. If Obito set his sights on him, Genya would be in great danger!
So he would not take the initiative to change any of it.
Second, Kumogakure would forcibly kidnap Hinata Hyuga in order to obtain the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai, only for Hyuga Hiashi to discover them and kill the culprit.
To keep the peace, Konoha would ultimately make Neji's father, Hizashi Hyuga, die in his place. After destroying his Byakugan, they would send his body to the Cloud Ninja for research. Neji would become an orphan, and his temperament would change drastically from then on.
The Hyuga clan was arrogant and cold-blooded, and they had longstanding conflicts and disputes with the Uchiha. They had even helped the Hokage faction suppress the Uchiha before.
Genya had no reason to interfere, nor any need to act!
Didn't Konoha constantly preach the Will of Fire?
Weren't the Hyuga loyal believers of the Hokage faction?
Then let the dogs tear each other apart!
Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen would discover Orochimaru's forbidden experiments, leading Orochimaru to defect from Konoha...
None of these three events had happened yet.
After thinking it over.
Genya decided he should quietly remain a spectator for now!
He would wait and see how everything unfolded.
At the same time, he had no idea.
Whether his existence.
Would cause things to change...
After a meal of grilled meat.
The two of them ate to their hearts' content.
One person, however, ate in utter misery.
After saying goodbye.
Genya walked down the street.
A barrage of curses suddenly reached his ears.
"Demon fox, get lost! You'll bring me bad luck!"
"It was all your fault three years ago! The village was destroyed, and who knows how many people died by your hand."
"I really don't understand why Lord Hokage didn't execute you. You're just wasting food in this village!"
Demon Fox?
"I'm not a demon fox!" In the center of the crowd stood a blond child barely over three years old.
He wore a black shirt beneath an outer garment embroidered with the Uzumaki clan crest at its center. He looked completely ordinary.
"The whole village knows you're the demon fox. Is there any point in denying it now?"
"In the natural disaster three years ago, do you know how many people died by your hand?"
"My parents were killed by you three years ago! Give my parents back!"
"Stinking demon fox, get out of the village!"
"Get out of the village!"
Seeing the villagers looking as though they wanted to devour him alive, Uzumaki Naruto felt so wronged that he wanted to cry.
But Naruto, stubborn by nature, held back his tears. He did not want the people around him to look down on him.
He was clearly one of the villagers.
How could he possibly be a demon fox?
Little Naruto could not figure it out no matter how hard he thought.
The more he thought about it, the more wronged he felt.
"Stinking demon fox, go die!" a villager roared, then hurled an egg at Naruto's head with all his strength.
If it hit him.
Naruto would definitely get a huge bump on his head!
Terrified, Naruto hurriedly shut his eyes, his body trembling involuntarily.
Just then.
Genya, a bystander until now, made his move.
He stomped on the ground and instantly rushed in front of Naruto.
His right hand reached out lightly.
And accurately caught the rapidly flying egg.
Just as Genya was about to throw what he held back the way it came, he seemed to notice it was an egg. Without showing any reaction, he slipped it into his backpack and coldly rebuked the man.
"You'd be this vicious even toward a child? Do you have no humanity!?"
"He's not human! He's a demon fox, a monster!" the young man shouted back, but when he saw Genya's icy gaze and the Uchiha clan uniform he wore, his confidence faltered.
Once Genya heard the words "demon fox," he roughly understood what was happening. The villagers hated Naruto and had begun bullying him again.
Everyone knew Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but no one knew he was the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, who had died fighting to protect Konoha.
Naruto's entire childhood had been almost entirely without family or friends. He had been all alone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had only ensured Naruto's basic material needs, while neglecting his emotional care.
That was why Naruto's childhood had still been so miserable.
The son of a Hokage who had sacrificed for the village had fallen to such a state. It was both laughable and tragic.
As for why Genya had acted? Looking across the entire world of Naruto, Naruto was one of the characters Genya admired most.
Besides, a child barely over three years old was called a "demon fox" everywhere he went, endlessly ostracized and hated by the villagers. Genya simply could not stand by and watch!
Genya also knew that, as an Uchiha, he should not become too involved with Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
But making Konoha's higher-ups unhappy was exactly what made him happiest, wasn't it?
After giving it some thought, Genya stepped in and saved Naruto.
He looked up at the stone visage of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, on Konoha's rear mountain and murmured inwardly.
"So this is the village you and Kushina were willing to give your lives to protect, Minato. This is how they take care of your child..."
Looking at the older brother in front of him who had protected him, Naruto, who had been strong-willed since childhood, felt what it was like to be protected for the first time.
Naruto had not cried even while everyone condemned him, but now his eyes were already slightly damp.
Still unwilling to show weakness, Naruto raised his proud little head and looked up at the sky, refusing to let his tears fall.
"Let's go." There was no point explaining anything to these people. Genya took Naruto's little hand and led him straight out of the crowd.
When the villagers saw he was an Uchiha, none of them dared say anything more.
"Kid, what's your name?" After arriving somewhere with fewer people, Genya asked with a smile.
Genya obviously knew Naruto's name, but he still had to ask symbolically.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'm going to become Hokage someday!" Naruto gave a thumbs-up, flashing a mouthful of white teeth.
Genya broke out in a slight cold sweat. He realized Naruto somewhat resembled Sarutobi Taro—both wanted to become Hokage...
"My name is Uchiha Genya. You can call me Big Brother Genya." Genya rubbed Naruto's head, his gaze full of concern.
"Wow, so Big Brother Genya is from the Uchiha clan? I heard your clan has produced lots of amazing ninja!" Naruto's eyes lit up at Genya's introduction, and he looked at him with great admiration.
Genya placed a finger to his lips. "Shh, keep it low-key!"
Little Naruto quickly covered his mouth.
Genya said slowly, "Have you eaten dinner yet? I'll take you to Ichiraku Ramen!"
Although Genya had just eaten plenty of grilled meat, his Sage Body digested it quickly, and he could still fit in a bowl of ramen.
Besides, Naruto had just been wronged. Taking him to eat something delicious would cheer him up.
"Ichiraku Ramen? The place that's said to have the best ramen in the village?" Naruto's eyes lit up, and drool unconsciously trickled from his mouth.
"That's right."
"Then let's hurry up and go!"
"Sure!"
Genya and Naruto soon arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.
"Boss, one tonkotsu ramen!"
"One special char siu ramen!"
"Coming right up!" The Ichiraku owner quickly served Genya and Naruto their respective bowls of ramen.
"Time to eat." Naruto pressed his hands together and made a gesture before digging in.
Less than ten minutes later.
The two had finished their ramen.
"I've never eaten anything this delicious before. I'm so full." Naruto let out a satisfied burp.
"I think so too!" Genya exhaled softly. Having a bowl of ramen after grilled meat to help digest it was not bad either.
"That'll be five hundred ryo total. Who's paying?" The Ichiraku owner wore a professional smile and rubbed his hands together.
Naruto looked at Genya expectantly.
Genya responded with a look that said, Weren't you joking when you said you'd treat me?
The two remained locked in a standoff.
In the end.
Young Naruto could not withstand the owner's bill-collecting gaze. Sulking, he took five hundred ryo from his frog wallet and handed it over.
The moment they left Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto angrily demanded, "Big Brother Genya, didn't you say you were treating me to ramen?"
Looking at his flattened frog wallet, Naruto looked utterly aggrieved. This was some of the little spending money he had left.
Genya rubbed his full stomach and asked with an innocent expression, "When did I say I'd treat you to ramen?"
Naruto was speechless.
It seemed.
Big Brother Genya had only said they would go eat ramen together.
He had never said he would pay.
On their first day of knowing each other.
Genya had taught Naruto a lesson about the dangers of society.
"Don't be mad. Next time, I'll definitely treat you to ramen!" Genya patted Naruto on the shoulder and comforted him with a cheerful smile.
"You said it. Don't go back on your word!"
"Of course." Genya smiled.
After taking Naruto back to his apartment, Genya headed toward his own residence.
"Stop right there!" A tall, silver-haired man wearing an animal mask stepped out from the shadows.
Before you continue