The Fox Mask

"Boss, how much for this fox mask? I'll take it," Hyuga Gen asked, completely ignoring Naruto Uzumaki, whom the merchant had just shoved to the ground.

"Hehe, my lord, this mask is ten ryo," the merchant said with a grin, rubbing his hands together.

"Ten ryo? That's not too expensive." With that, Hyuga Gen paid the ten ryo, picked up the mask, and tried it on; it was indeed quite nice.

Seeing the mask had been bought, Naruto Uzumaki had no choice but to accept reality. He stood up, crestfallen, and muttered under his breath:

"I saw it first."

He looked up at the handsome man and beautiful woman in their fine attire, then turned to leave, feeling utterly dejected.

"Are you leaving already? Don't you want the mask?" Hyuga Gen called out.

"Y-you're talking to me?" Naruto Uzumaki asked. He noticed that this man's gaze was different from others; it lacked that look of disgust one might give a plague god.

"Who else would I be talking to?" Hyuga Gen replied, looking at Naruto Uzumaki with a gentle expression.

"Here, take it. Since you like this mask so much, I'll give it to you," Hyuga Gen said, handing the mask over.

"You... you're really giving this mask to me?" Naruto Uzumaki could hardly believe his ears or his eyes. Someone was actually giving him something, and it was the very mask he had wanted.

"Yes, take it. It's not like it's anything valuable," Hyuga Gen said firmly.

Naruto could tell the man before him held no malice and was being sincere. Besides, he had nothing worth anyone's interest, so he looked at the mask he had dreamed of.

Finally, he reached out with trembling hands to take it; the shaking of his fingers revealed that his heart was far from calm.

"Alright, I should be going. Keep working hard; I believe you will definitely become an excellent ninja." With that, Hyuga Gen left with Hyuga Natsu.

Naruto Uzumaki stood there, blankly watching their retreating figures until they vanished from his sight before he finally snapped back to reality.

Looking at the Demon Fox Mask in his hands, he felt as if he were in a dream. Aside from the Third Hokage, no one had ever been this kind to him.

"Thank you, big brother! I will definitely become an excellent ninja!" he said with gratitude, secretly making a firm resolution in his heart to become a powerful ninja in the future.

Many years later, people noticed that Naruto Uzumaki, now the Seventh Hokage, would often wipe down a tattered-looking fox mask. Everyone was quite puzzled by this.

Why would such a tattered mask be so cherished by the great Seventh Hokage? This sparked widespread discussion. Naturally, identical masks on the market were bought up instantly, but that is a story for another time.

Life is truly strange; just taking a stroll with Hyuga Natsu had led to running into Naruto buying toys.

"Brother Dongyi, that was the Demon Fox," Hyuga Natsu whispered to Hyuga Gen. Hyuga Gen, of course, had seen him too.

"Xia, are you scared?" Hyuga Gen teased as Hyuga Natsu tugged on his sleeve just as he was about to walk forward.

"Who's scared?" Despite her words, Hyuga Natsu clung tightly to Hyuga Gen's arm as they walked up to the stall.

That led to the scene that had just unfolded.

"Brother Dongyi, why did you buy the mask for him?" Hyuga Natsu asked curiously. Everyone in Konoha avoided him like a plague god, yet Hyuga Gen had given him a gift, which she found very strange.

Having grown up together as childhood sweethearts, Hyuga Natsu knew Hyuga Gen well. She had rarely seen him take the initiative to give anyone a gift, as he generally didn't think much of most people.

"I'm just making an early investment. Once he becomes Hokage, I can bask in his glory. Pulling strings will be much easier then," Hyuga Gen said casually.

"He could become Hokage? Brother Dongyi, stop joking with me," Hyuga Natsu said, looking at him as if he were a fool.

"What, you don't believe me?" Hyuga Gen countered.

"I wouldn't believe it if I died. You could have come up with a better lie, Brother Dongyi," Hyuga Natsu pouted.

"How about we make a bet? We'll bet on whether he becomes Hokage. The loser has to unconditionally grant the winner one request. How about it?" Hyuga Gen looked at her with a provocative grin.

"Hmph, you're on! You're definitely going to lose this time, Brother Dongyi," Hyuga Natsu said confidently. From every angle, she couldn't see the slightest possibility of Naruto Uzumaki becoming Hokage.

"Haha, Xia, don't come crying to me when you lose," Hyuga Gen said happily.

Seeing Hyuga Gen's expression, Hyuga Natsu began to feel a flicker of doubt. She thought about it again, but still couldn't find a single reason why he could become Hokage, so she set her mind at ease.

"Brother Dongyi, you're the one who should worry," Hyuga Natsu thought, realizing she had never seen him cry.

I'd actually like to see that, she thought, imagining Hyuga Gen crying, which seemed quite comical.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, an Anbu operative reported on Hyuga Gen's interaction with Naruto earlier that day.

"He bought a mask and gave it to him? Any other unusual behavior?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, asked with a frown.

"None."

"Very well. Keep him under surveillance for three more days. If there's nothing else, you can stop," Sarutobi Hiruzen added.

"Understood, Lord Hokage." With that, the operative vanished instantly into the shadows.

Great, looks like I'm being watched. I really should have less contact with Naruto; otherwise, being tailed by Anbu every day will be incredibly uncomfortable. After dropping Hyuga Natsu off at home, Hyuga Gen noticed something off while walking.

But are you sure tailing me is effective against the Hyuga clan? Lying in bed, Hyuga Gen activated his Byakugan, spotted the operative's location, and then immediately deactivated it.

Let them watch; Hyuga Gen didn't care much. He knew it wouldn't be long before the Anbu left.

Thinking of the Naruto Uzumaki he had just met—this was the first time he had spoken to him, though he had seen him at school before.

Naruto had started school quite early; the Third Hokage was probably too lazy to look after him and sent him off early so the school could keep an eye on him.

It was interesting that he and Naruto Uzumaki were schoolmates. However, graduation was coming up soon, and Hyuga Gen felt a bit of reluctance; after all, once he became a ninja, he wouldn't have such leisurely study days anymore.

Once he went out into the world, he would have to be even more cautious. One slip-up could cost him his life. Thinking of Tsunade's younger brother, who was killed by an Explosive Tag in Shippuden, Hyuga Gen shuddered. He must never follow in his footsteps.

On that same day, Uchiha Itachi joined the Anbu. Uchiha Fugaku was quite pleased, and the family even held a small celebration for it.

The shadow of Uchiha Shisui's death seemed to have finally been swept away.