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At this moment, Uzumaki Naruto did not yet know that the future he was familiar with was undergoing a slow but massive deviation.

However, even if he had known, Uzumaki Naruto's actions would not have changed in the slightest.

This was not to praise his resolve as being as firm as a rock; it was simply because the current Uzumaki Naruto was far too weak. Never mind influencing the future, he was struggling just to get a grip on the present.

"Pork is a bit expensive. I should stick to chicken for protein intake. That way, I can save some money from my daily budget, and in a month, I'll be able to buy some new clothes and ninja tools..."

Inside the grocery store, Uzumaki Naruto was selecting items based on his budget, preparing to head home and make himself a fitness meal.

However, without any warning and caught completely off guard, a massive force suddenly struck his back.

"Get lost, you little brat!"

BANG!

Even though Uzumaki Naruto tried to maintain his balance, this unexpected blow caused him to land on his backside instead of his face. He looked up in astonishment; the person who had pushed him was actually a clerk at the store?

"What are you doing?!"

Although his mind had matured significantly, facing this sudden, baseless malice, Uzumaki Naruto could not hide his emotions and instinctively demanded an explanation.

Instead, the clerk who pushed him became even more agitated, acting as if he were the victim, and said with a face full of disgust:

"Why do you keep coming to our store! You jinx!"

"What jinx..."

Before Uzumaki Naruto could finish his sentence, his heart suddenly turned cold.

He remembered.

He had encountered similar things in the past: he would simply walk into a shop to look at a nice mask, only to be thrown out by the owner—yes, there were many such incidents. The reason he had mostly eaten instant noodles before wasn't just because he liked them; it was because whenever he stepped into a restaurant, he was met only with cold glares, harsh words, and blunt eviction...

But Uzumaki Naruto had spent too long in the cinema, causing him to momentarily overlook his situation and believe he could shop just like any ordinary person.

"We tolerated it when you came to buy groceries yesterday, so why are you here again today? Don't tell me you want to come to our store every single day from now on?!"

The clerk's anger continued, and the surrounding customers gradually gathered around, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far. Their faces wore the same cold indifference, staring at the Uzumaki Naruto sitting on the ground as if looking at something filthy.

Uzumaki Naruto's gaze slowly swept across the crowd. He did not lower his head in dejection as he once had; instead, he looked directly into everyone's eyes with great seriousness, as if trying to see what he looked like reflected in them.

"Don't come back, you...! If our store gets a bad reputation and it affects other customers, you'll be sorry!"

—That reflection must be wretched and repulsive.

Uzumaki Naruto suddenly smiled silently.

—Good grief, it really is true: as soon as a person wants to move forward, their past can't wait to jump out and trip them up in every way possible... but this routine is just too old-fashioned.

"You're actually laughing?" The clerk felt provoked. "Brat! Are you looking down on me?!"

Uzumaki Naruto stood up, ignored the clerk's barking, brushed the dust off his body, and walked straight toward the exit, passing the angry clerk with a calm expression.

"Hey! Don't get cocky, listen to your elders, you little brat with no fam—"

The thoroughly enraged clerk turned abruptly, reaching out to grab Uzumaki Naruto's shoulder. But in an instant, a sharp pain shot through his lower leg, as if it had been swept by an iron rod. His vision spun, and his cheek slammed heavily into the ground.

BANG!

"Ugh!"

The clerk groaned in pain, his brain buzzing. He could only manage to look up, gazing at the slightly thin figure.

The onlookers were in an uproar. Some instinctively wanted to point fingers and condemn him, but when Uzumaki Naruto looked back with that same icy gaze, they instinctively shut their mouths and pulled back their hands.

Uzumaki Naruto's clean, decisive kick, which had instantly floored an adult, finally made them realize a long-ignored fact.

No matter how young he was, a ninja was still a ninja.

No creature wants to easily challenge an existence at the top of its food chain. Even though they had insulted Uzumaki Naruto countless times, now that this young beast had finally stopped suffering in silence and begun to bare its fangs, everyone—no matter how unwilling—knew in their rational minds that it was time to shut up.

"Tit for tat." Uzumaki Naruto scanned the room, his gaze finally landing back on the wretched clerk on the floor, his voice flat and waveless. "Also, since you know someone has no parents, don't bring up family when you're hurling insults... otherwise, you're very likely to get beaten up."

"...!"

The clerk's mouth twitched, but seeing Uzumaki Naruto clench his fists as if ready to strike again, he finally gritted his teeth and didn't say a word.

Seeing this, Uzumaki Naruto couldn't be bothered to pay him any more mind and turned toward the door.

"I will definitely report your evil deeds to the Hokage! You bastard!" The clerk shouted from behind just as he was about to disappear outside. "Wait to be punished!"

Uzumaki Naruto thought to himself that as a Jinchuriki, he didn't give a damn. He didn't even bother to look back, simply raising his middle finger behind him:

"I don't change my name when I go, and I don't hide it when I sit. I am Uchiha Sasuke. If you have the guts, come and report me."

???

This time, it was the clerk and the onlookers who were stunned—everyone knew this guy was called Uzumaki Naruto, the most famous jinx in the village.

Seeing Uzumaki Naruto's back disappear completely into the street, the crowd began to grumble resentfully:

"That brat... he really has no upbringing."

"Exactly, and now he's even resorting to violence."

"Couldn't he have just walked away silently like he used to? He's getting more arrogant as he grows up."

"I heard the Hokage even approved him to become a ninja. I wonder what he was thinking."

"..."

The crowd chimed in one after another, their voices thick with malice. Yet, one young girl remained silent, having witnessed everything that had just transpired.

Naruto walked down the street with an expressionless face, brushing past several Hyuga members who moved with hurried, solemn steps.

After turning into a secluded corner, this Naruto transformed into a puff of smoke and vanished.

At the training ground.

Naruto, currently engaged in endurance mixed-aerobic training, suddenly froze, his breathing faltering for a few moments. But soon, he forced himself back into his rhythm. Sweat slid from his brow as he silently continued to complete every sprint and every turn.

It's fine.

It's not like this is the first time something like this has happened.

Naruto lightly pressed his dry lips together, his tongue tasting a familiar saltiness—this time, it was sweat.

It's fine.

When a problem arises, just find a way to solve it.

Living off instant noodles definitely won't work. Physical cultivation is thirty percent training and seventy percent nutrition, so he must cook for himself to ensure proper intake.

"..."

Right, I can just use the Transformation Technique to change my appearance when I go grocery shopping.

Yes, that's it.

Everything is fine.

Having thought of a solution, Naruto cast aside his distracting thoughts and turned his focus back to his training.

Across the vast training ground, dozens of Narutos were drenched in sweat. The sound of fists and kicks cutting through the air, the clashing of kunai, and the humming of chakra wove together into a scene of intense fervor, with figures flickering and noise echoing incessantly.

—As if he weren't all alone.