Cinnabar Mark

"Damn it, this is so frustrating. I really want to kill those few rats."

The feeling of being watched is incredibly unpleasant. If he were unaware, it would be one thing, but with Naruto Uzumaki's current strength, he can clearly sense those who are monitoring him.

Having his every move scrutinized under the eyes of others makes him deeply uncomfortable.

Yet, he is helpless. In an ordinary world, with his current ability to protect himself, he would have rebelled immediately, but this world is a bit special.

In this world, all ninjutsu are trash; what truly makes Naruto Uzumaki wary is sealing jutsu.

He feels this system is completely unreasonable.

At the lower end, it can seal water and fire; at the upper end, it can seal immortals.

And Naruto Uzumaki is very clear about his situation.

At the very least, in the eyes of those old fogies in Konoha, the son of Minato is definitely not as important as the Nine-Tails.

So, if he were to truly turn against them, it is very possible that the Nine-Tails would be extracted to replace him with another jinchuriki.

Such things have happened in other villages before.

People in the Ninja World value interests above all else.

Therefore, without absolute strength, it is better to play the part of a good boy.

He bent down and picked up a stone.

He threw it instantly.

To an outsider, it looked like a child picking up a stone and throwing it in a clumsy, crooked manner.

The stone traced a graceful arc and landed in the water.

It happened to strike a large fish.

Instantly, the white belly of a fish surfaced on the water.

"Hmm? Such good luck."

Kakashi felt something was strange, but he didn't think too much about it.

Naruto Uzumaki's little face lit up with joy, and he quickly ran over.

He grabbed a club and gave it a few more thumps before starting to gut and clean it.

In no time, the large fish was cleaned thoroughly.

"Finally, I don't have to eat instant noodles anymore."

Naruto Uzumaki let out a sigh of relief himself.

After all, he isn't a real child, so he doesn't like eating instant noodles that much.

Carrying the large fish on his back, Naruto Uzumaki headed home quickly.

At this time, there were far fewer people on the streets, so Naruto Uzumaki made his way home rapidly.

With this fish, Naruto Uzumaki won't have to go out for several more days.

And at this moment, Naruto Uzumaki is only three years old, the age of being carefree.

In the time that followed, Naruto Uzumaki lived a very regular life. Coupled with his low profile and lack of the mischief seen in the original work, he slowly faded from people's view.

At the same time, the atmosphere in Konoha began to grow tense.

The relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage faction became increasingly rigid.

Following the death of Shisui, this atmosphere became even more severe.

At the same time, the number of people monitoring Naruto Uzumaki increased from two to six.

Naruto Uzumaki noticed this change almost instantly.

What is going on? Could it be that I've been exposed?

Naruto Uzumaki's first thought was that he had been exposed.

However, he soon sensed the atmosphere in the village as well.

In particular, the Uchiha Clan members walking on the streets were all exuding a low-pressure aura.

Naruto Uzumaki realized in an instant that the Uchiha Clan was about to be wiped out.

No, in the original work, the Uchiha Clan was wiped out three years later.

He doesn't know about others, but Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke's generation all started school at the age of six.

And it was at that time that Sasuke became an orphan.

But Naruto Uzumaki is only three and a half years old now.

He and Hinata met when they were three.

So, there are still three years left.

However, none of that is important.

What a pity. I hope I can draw Twin Palms before then.

One must realize that after the Uchiha clan was wiped out, only Sasuke Uchiha remained.

The function of the Twin Palms is to modify both the physical body and the soul.

And what is most important in the Ninja World?

It is bloodline.

And the eyes of the Uchiha clan.

Thinking of this, it seemed he still had a chance.

An itch grew in his heart.

The atmosphere in the village was tense; even ordinary people could feel it.

But at this moment, both sides were very restrained, as Fugaku Uchiha of the Uchiha clan did not want to launch a rebellion.

For many considered reasons, he suppressed the voices of rebellion within the clan.

"Everyone, although Konoha is in its most vulnerable period, the power of the Hokage faction cannot be underestimated."

"Clan leader, now is the best opportunity."

"That's right, the Third Hokage is already old and muddled."

"If you become the Hokage, Konoha will surely return to its peak."

The Great Elder's faction were the radicals; or rather, those with strong strength now all supported the rebellion.

Idiots, if it could succeed, would I disagree?

Fugaku Uchiha cursed inwardly.

If he had overwhelming strength, he would also want to be Hokage.

However, their Uchiha clan was truly unpopular.

If they dared to stage a coup, he guaranteed that all the other clans would unite to annihilate the Uchiha clan.

As for Fugaku Uchiha's own Mangekyo Sharingan, he dared not tell anyone, fearing that his clansmen would become even more arrogant if they knew.

In this era, even within the Uchiha clan, no one knew the difference between the Mangekyo Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyo.

For a thousand years, only Madara Uchiha had possessed the Eternal Mangekyo.

After Madara Uchiha defected from Konoha, no one knew the method to evolve into the Eternal Mangekyo.

And when it came to the Mangekyo, the first person people thought of was the Asura of the Ninja World, Madara Uchiha.

Therefore, Fugaku Uchiha had not told anyone about his Sharingan.

"Enough, say no more. Now is not the best time. I have already had Itachi join the Anbu."

Fugaku Uchiha frowned as he looked at the crowd.

Everyone quieted down.

At the same time, they understood the meaning behind his words.

Although they all wanted to strike directly, they at least had some brains.

Being Jonin, the Uchiha clan was much stronger than other Jonin with the enhancement of the Sharingan.

But the most fatal weakness of the Uchiha was their numbers; very few in the Uchiha clan could awaken their eyes, and even fewer could reach the Three-Tomoe.

However, other clans had far more people, so it was almost impossible to succeed in a coup with just this many people.

Fugaku Uchiha was very clear about this.

Therefore, he did not want to stage a coup until the very last moment.

However, what no one would expect was that the next Uchiha clan leader would betray them and defect to the Hokage faction.

Itachi Uchiha had been influenced by Shisui, and coupled with the brainwashing of the Hokage, he successfully turned traitor and became a double agent.

He told the Hokage's side about the situation here, and upon learning that the Uchiha clan did not intend to stage a coup, the Third Hokage felt much more at ease.

Once relieved, the Third Hokage thought of Naruto Uzumaki again.

Calculating the time, it was time to go and deliver money to Naruto Uzumaki.

Putting on his Hokage hat, the Third Hokage walked slowly toward Naruto Uzumaki's home.

Along the way, everyone who saw him greeted him politely.

"Lord Third."

"Third Hokage."

The Third Hokage also smiled and nodded.

To the ordinary villagers, the Hokage was equivalent to a village chief; everyone respected and felt grateful toward him, but they were not afraid.

The Third Hokage arrived slowly at Naruto Uzumaki's home.

Just as he approached, he smelled a unique fragrance.

At this moment, inside Naruto Uzumaki's home, Naruto Uzumaki was preparing a stone-grilled meal.

Just as he was about to eat, he raised an eyebrow.

Damn it, that old man is here again.

Naruto Uzumaki was speechless; to be honest, the thing he hated most right now was superficial posturing.

He composed his expression and put on an innocent, smiling face.

A moment later, a knock sounded at the door.

Naruto Uzumaki immediately went to open it.

"Grandpa Third."

"Mm, little Naruto, are you eating?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a kindly expression.

"Yeah, I just finished making it. Would you like to join me, Grandpa Third?"

Naruto Uzumaki smiled brightly.

"Mm, that sounds good."

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought for a moment and agreed.

Naruto Uzumaki cursed him for being shameless in his heart.

He had no choice but to lead the man to the dining table.

The two sat down to eat and chat.

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked a few trivial questions and suggested that Naruto Uzumaki should go out and walk around more.

"..."

Go out to get scolded? Do I look that pathetic?

Naruto Uzumaki was speechless.

But on the surface, he nodded in agreement.

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't think much of it; at least for now, he was quite satisfied with Naruto Uzumaki's outward behavior.

After finishing the meal, Hiruzen Sarutobi left, leaving behind this month's living expenses.

Naruto Uzumaki was speechless and couldn't even be bothered to glance at them.

For the current Naruto Uzumaki, money was the most useless thing.

He had already experienced what it felt like to have money but be unable to buy anything.

Time flew by, and half a year passed.

Naruto Uzumaki was now four years old.

At this moment, Naruto Uzumaki was looking at the numbers on his panel with excitement.

Seeing the numbers on the panel hit zero, Naruto Uzumaki's eyes lit up instantly.

"System, start the card draw."

Nine cards appeared in the void in an instant.

Naruto Uzumaki thought for a moment and tapped directly on the second one.

The card rotated and enlarged.

Skill Card: Fire Style

Naruto Uzumaki was stunned after reading it.

For a moment, his brain couldn't process it.

Given that he was in the world of Hokage, he subconsciously assumed it was just spitting fire.

However, as the information from the card entered his mind, Naruto Uzumaki realized the truth instantly.

It was the Fire Style of the Fire Virtue Sect.

It belonged to a type of spatial ability.

It allowed one to use flames to perform spatial teleportation.

Damn it, I must have used up all my luck.

Naruto Uzumaki was speechless; although this ability was very strong, it was not what he had expected.

Name: Naruto Uzumaki.

Bloodline: Uzumaki Bloodline.

Technique: Triple Inversion.

Skill: Fire Style.

Draws: 0.

Opening the panel, he saw that a new skill had indeed been added.

Naruto Uzumaki felt speechless at this.

Still, it could be considered a means of self-preservation.

He just wasn't sure if the barrier could contain him.

He felt a bit disappointed; although the system was powerful, it didn't feel very reliable.

It seemed he would still need to cultivate diligently on his own.

However, Naruto Uzumaki was in no rush; he would spend his upcoming days practicing Triple Inversion and go fishing whenever he felt bored.

In Konoha, aside from the Third Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki didn't speak to anyone else.

He would usually go out to play or fish when bored.

Naruto Uzumaki's fishing gear was simple: a bamboo pole, a line, and a hook he had made himself.

The sky was clear and bright; it was another beautiful day.

Naruto Uzumaki was now four years old, and feeling bored, he prepared to go fishing again today.

He arrived at the small river and had just reached his usual spot with his fishing rod.

He saw a girl sitting there.

Naruto Uzumaki's brows furrowed instinctively.

At the same time, the girl noticed his presence.

"Hello."

Just as Naruto Uzumaki was about to turn and leave, the girl spoke up first.

Naruto Uzumaki was taken aback.

He looked at her.

"You don't know who I am?"

Seeing the look in her eyes, Naruto Uzumaki was somewhat surprised.

In Konoha, almost everyone knew of Naruto Uzumaki's existence.

The girl was Yakumo Kurama, and she looked at Naruto Uzumaki with a hint of curiosity.

Finally, she shook her head.

Ordinary people feared Naruto Uzumaki, but for those from the clans, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was no secret.

Seeing that she didn't recognize him and held no hostility in her eyes, Naruto Uzumaki stopped paying attention and began to fish in his usual spot.

It wasn't that he didn't want to move, but this location was more conducive to cultivation.

In the world of the Hokage, the pursuit was for destruction; while it appeared powerful, it had many fatal flaws—frail bodies, short lifespans, and no path to immortality.

The cultivation system of the Outsider was different; it emphasized the perfection of both nature and life.

Therefore, having strength wasn't enough; one also needed to temper their temperament, a task Naruto Uzumaki had to handle himself.

As for fishing, it was merely a means to divert attention.

Gaining insight into nature was Naruto Uzumaki's true goal.

Naruto Uzumaki paid no mind to the girl, though she kept looking at him with curiosity.

Naruto Uzumaki sat on the ground with his eyes closed, the fishing rod in his hand perfectly still.

Yet, everything within a hundred-meter radius was within his perception.

The moment a fish took the bait, Naruto Uzumaki flicked the rod.

A large fish leaped out of the water.

"Wow! That's amazing."

Yakumo Kurama's eyes lit up.

Naruto Uzumaki ignored her and continued fishing.

By evening, Naruto Uzumaki had already caught several fish.

He stood up, cleaned his spot, and prepared to leave.

"What is your name?" Yakumo Kurama couldn't help but ask.

After spending the afternoon together, she felt that this person was just like her, possessing a similar temperament.

Naruto Uzumaki stopped and frowned as he looked at her.

With her long, dark, lustrous hair and plain appearance, and since she wasn't anyone of importance, Naruto Uzumaki didn't recognize her for a moment.

Furthermore, Naruto Uzumaki had no interest in making friends with ordinary people; if they didn't have what he wanted, he would simply turn and leave.

"Stingy."

Seeing his attitude, Yakumo Kurama pouted.

The time that followed for Naruto passed in an ordinary fashion.

As for his own abilities, he hadn't used them even once.

Another year slipped by.

His lottery attempts had been restored.

Naruto's eyes lit up, feeling somewhat impatient.

Every lottery draw was a turning point in life.

Naruto couldn't wait to start the draw.

The cards began to spin.

This time, Naruto hesitated.

Looking at the nine cards, he didn't know which one to tap for a moment.

No, should I go wash my hands first?

Feeling a bit anxious, Naruto immediately turned and rushed into the bathroom, washing his hands and face thoroughly before coming back out.

He pressed his palms together, offering a prayer to every deity he could think of.

With a trembling finger, he reached out and tapped the card in the center.

The card enlarged and spun.

Restriction: Cinnabar Mark.

The moment he saw those three words, Naruto's vision went black.

"Damn it, what kind of ghost is this? This is absolutely ridiculous."

"What is this? Why does something like this even exist? Damn it, I don't want this!"

When he realized what it was, Naruto could no longer hold back his cursing.

At the same time, his body instinctively began to retreat.

But it was useless; once a card was selected, it was bound to be acquired.

The card transformed into a streak of golden light and rushed toward Naruto.

"Damn it, go away, go away, I don't want it!"

Naruto scrambled backward in terror.

Having a gun you don't use and having a gun you can't use were two completely different concepts.

Although Naruto wasn't particularly lecherous, he didn't want to be rendered useless.

Not to mention that his wife for this lifetime was already spoken for.

If he really ended up with this thing, how was he supposed to face her?

The commotion Naruto made attracted the attention of the Anbu outside.

But after a brief perception, they didn't care in the slightest.

Naruto watched in despair as the golden light entered his body.

His face turned ashen.

He pulled down his pants, and as he channeled his internal energy, a complex pattern flashed onto his little sparrow.

Cinnabar Mark.

For the first time, Naruto's composure was completely shattered.

He lay on the ground, his eyes vacant.

Damn it!!!

For a moment, he even felt like dying.

He was even contemplating whether he should just cut it off and use Triple Inversion to regenerate a new one.