The First Cry of the Sharingan

Days passed in apparent stillness for several weeks. The relief efforts in Konoha continued day and night, while Ling and Naruto were "maintained" within the orphanage, effectively cut off from the outside world.

Aside from the staff who delivered meals at fixed times and the occasional watchful gaze from afar, they saw no one. Naruto was even more at a loss; he would sleep after eating, and upon waking, he would grasp Ling's fingertips and babble. Ling, however, deeply felt the cold isolation and lack of trust hidden beneath this "protection."

One sunny afternoon, taking advantage of the temporary absence of the middle-aged woman in charge of their care, Mother Haruno (a local resident, not Sakura's mother), Ling carried Naruto into the small, weed-choked courtyard behind the orphanage, surrounded by high walls. It was a rare moment of movement.

Naruto seemed to enjoy the sunlight, squirming restlessly in Ling's arms and letting out giggles.

Just then, a discordant voice drifted in from outside a hole in the courtyard wall.

"Hey, look! It's in here!"

"Which one is the monster?"

"It seems to be the one with the yellow hair!"

"I heard he's the one who killed the Fourth Hokage!"

Three boys a few years older than Ling, dressed in commoner clothes, squeezed through the hole in the wall with expressions of malice and curiosity that belied their youth. They had clearly heard the rumors whispered throughout the village, projecting the trauma of the Nine-Tails incident onto an innocent child.

The ringleader, a chubby boy named Fuma Taro, stood with his hands on his hips and pointed at Naruto in Ling's arms as if no one else were there. "Hey! You Uchiha brat, hand over that fox demon! Let's see what he actually looks like!"

Ling's expression turned icy in an instant.

He had known this day would come, but he hadn't expected it to arrive so quickly, or so directly. The shallowness and fear of the villagers were like an epidemic, one that even children were not spared from.

He did not move, merely watching the three uninvited guests calmly while pulling Naruto tighter into his arms. Naruto seemed to sense the malice, his small face wrinkling as he burrowed into Ling's chest.

"Hey, you dare to hide him?" Seeing Ling ignore him, Fuma Taro grew frustrated and picked up a small stone. "I'll make you let go of him!"

The stone whistled through the air toward Naruto!

Just as the stone was about to strike, Ling thrust out a small hand, catching it with precision. The movement was so fast it left only a blur.

Ling slowly lowered his hand, and the stone slipped from his palm. He looked up, and for a fleeting moment, an eerie, blood-red glint flashed in his otherwise pitch-black eyes. Deep within his pupils, a single tomoe appeared silently before swiftly fading away.

The Sharingan! Under the extreme emotional turbulence—anger and the desire to protect—and his initial control over chakra, the Uchiha bloodline had finally begun to awaken within him!

[Ding! Detected strong mental turbulence and a determination to protect. Uchiha bloodline partially activated. Awakened: One-Tomoe Sharingan.]

The system's notification echoed in his mind, confirming his evolution.

"What... what are you doing?" Fuma Taro was startled by Ling's instantly cold gaze and instinctively took a half-step back. However, relying on his numerical advantage and age, he forced himself to remain composed. "You dare to protect this fox demon? You're a monster too!"

"A monster?" Ling finally spoke, his voice calm and devoid of intensity, yet carrying an invisible weight. "The monster you speak of is merely a toddler who knows nothing. And you..."

His gaze swept over the three boys, carrying an influence that made them involuntarily feel a sudden chill.

"Do you truly know the truth? Or is it simply that because you are afraid, you must find someone weaker than yourselves to bully just to prove your own 'strength'?"

As Ling spoke, he quietly channeled the newly awakened, albeit minuscule, ocular power. He did not use any grand illusions, as that would immediately draw the attention of the Anbu. He simply infused a trace of chakra into his voice and gaze, performing a subtle form of mental guidance and suggestion.

This guidance amplified the deep-seated fear within Fuma Taro and the others—a fear born from the Nine-Tails incident that they had been masking with "anger."

"I... I'm not afraid!" Fuma Taro shouted, though his voice trembled. He felt as if he saw a red, ominous shadow looming behind Ling.

"Look at his eyes! His eyes look like a fox's!" another boy pointed at Ling, his voice thick with tears. Under the influence of Ling's subtle ocular power, he experienced a brief hallucination.

"Waaah, Mommy, I want to go home!" the youngest boy burst into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

Fear is contagious. Especially under Ling's terrifying gaze, the fear within them grew like wild grass.

"Get out." Ling said only one word.

The word seemed to carry a magical force, shattering Fuma Taro's final psychological defense. He let out a strange cry and, forgetting everything else, scrambled toward the hole in the wall. The other two boys followed, screaming as if chased by demons.

The courtyard instantly returned to peace, leaving only the rustling of wind through the grass and a disgruntled whimper from Naruto, who had been held too tightly.

The icy chill in Ling's eyes faded, replaced by a trace of fatigue. Using the Sharingan, even for the most superficial mental interference, was a significant drain on his spirit and chakra. He gently patted Naruto's back and whispered, "It's okay now, Naruto. Big brother is here."

Naruto seemed to understand, calming down bit by bit, his large, azure eyes looking at Ling with trust.

[Ding! Successfully intimidated and drove away the provocateurs, maintaining the bond with Uzumaki Naruto. Reward: Slight increase in mental power, increased proficiency in Sharingan (One-Tomoe).]

Ling took a deep breath, feeling the slight increase in his mental power. This conflict, while trivial, was an important beginning. He had tested the current strength of this body and verified the hostility of Konoha's lower-class citizens toward Naruto (and himself).

He looked up, his gaze sweeping casually over the canopy of a distant tree. There, a blurred Anbu figure was silently fading away.

Did you see that? Ling thought with contempt. This is the result of what you want to 'protect.' If even such trash can bully their way in, what is this so-called 'protection' but a cage?

He knew the Anbu would report everything that had happened to the Third Hokage. He had displayed calmness far beyond his age, physical prowess (catching the stone), and a hint of the awakening of the Sharingan—all while keeping it subtle enough to avoid detection by those watching from afar.

This measured display of power showed he had the ability and determination to protect Naruto, without revealing all his cards too early, while simultaneously sending a message to the Third that they did not need this kind of restrictive "protection."

"I need more power," Ling thought, carrying Naruto back into the dim room. "Not just the power to kill, but my own sphere of influence."

Small characters like Fuma Taro were merely ripples on the surface of the lake. But beneath these ripples, the undercurrents were already surging. Danzo lurking in the shadows, the suspicion toward the Uchiha clan, the coveting of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—none of these would end because of this small confrontation.

But, perhaps, this was only the beginning.