Naruto's Recognition

Naruto's home.

After seeing Naruto home, Zhengye yawned and lay directly on Naruto's bed for a nap.

Kakashi was completely dumbfounded.

He had no idea what Zhengye was doing. Was he planning to live at Naruto's place?

"Zhengye, why are you sleeping here at Naruto's?"

Zhengye's eyes hurt terribly, and he did not open them. With his hands clasped behind his head, he said, "Isn't sleeping anywhere the same?"

"This place is about as safe as my clan compound."

Zhengye was right. This was in the heart of Konoha, right beside the Hokage Building.

Not only was Kakashi here looking after Naruto, but the Police Force and ANBU were guarding the outside of the house as well.

Kakashi was at a loss for words. "But there's no point in you staying here, Zhengye."

Zhengye glared at Kakashi irritably. "I'm waiting for Naruto to wake up so I can brainwash him, all right?"

"If you've got nothing better to do, clean up Naruto's house. He's had no father or mother since he was little, so he doesn't know how to do housework."

Kakashi was rather speechless at Zhengye ordering him around.

But when he saw that Naruto's house looked practically like a garbage dump, he helplessly rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Zhengye's earlier questions had still dealt Kakashi a heavy emotional blow.

Even now, whenever Kakashi looked at Naruto, he felt a faint sense of guilt.

Kakashi wanted to do something for Naruto too.

He quickly found some barely used cleaning supplies, transformed into a janitor, and began cleaning.

"Glug... glug..."

Hollow, dark, endlessly sinking.

The groggy Naruto arrived in a strange place.

The ground was covered in standing water, and the sky was completely dim.

In the distance stood a tightly shut prison gate that seemed to connect heaven and earth. A talisman was pasted on it, bearing a huge character: Seal.

"Where is this?"

Naruto scratched his little head, unable to make sense of the situation.

"It seemed like Big Brother Zhengye came to save me just now."

The name "Zhengye" seemed to stir something. A pair of blood-red eyes abruptly opened behind the prison gate.

"Ah!" Naruto suddenly opened his eyes and woke from his coma.

The moment he woke, he found himself back home, with hardly any injuries left on his body.

"Was I dreaming?"

Then Naruto noticed Zhengye lying on his bed, as well as Kakashi Hatake cleaning the room.

"Huh? Big Brother Zhengye, why are you here? And who are you?"

Zhengye yawned and opened his eyes. They were still painfully sore.

He forced his eyelids open. "No one in the village will ever bully you again."

Naruto was shocked. To him, that was simply impossible.

"Really?"

Zhengye ruffled Naruto's golden hair. "That's right. I promise."

"From now on, our Police Force will always be nearby to protect you. No one will bully you again."

"That's great! That's great! Thank you, Big Brother Zhengye!"

Naruto happily leaped up, hugging Zhengye so excitedly that his face turned red.

"As for this person, he's my classmate. His name is Kakashi, and the village sent him to protect you too."

"And he'll be responsible for your food and daily needs. If you're hungry from now on, go find him. He'll take you out to eat."

Naruto immediately jumped off the bed, ran over to Kakashi, and waved his little hand.

"Hello, I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

Kakashi's expression stiffened slightly as he nodded at Naruto. He did not refute Zhengye's words. As long as Kakashi had food to eat, Naruto naturally would not go hungry.

"He suffered a great deal of trauma in the past too, so he doesn't like talking. You'll have to get used to it."

Five-year-old Naruto did not know what trauma meant, but he nodded as though he vaguely understood.

"I understand, Big Brother Zhengye. Thank you for saving me."

Zhengye pulled out a bag of dorayaki from his clothes.

"I bought them on the street. Have some to fill your stomach first."

"Hehe, thank you, Big Brother Zhengye."

Zhengye rubbed Naruto's head. "All right, I have other matters to deal with. I'll come see you again later."

At the sight of food, Naruto's eyes lit up. He quickly grabbed a dorayaki and stuffed it into his mouth.

Zhengye flipped out through Naruto's window. As he looked back into Naruto's room, the second hand on the clock hanging on the wall seemed somewhat blurry.

Nara Shikaku moved quickly.

In just an hour, he had drafted an announcement explaining the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and posted it on major bulletin boards.

Not every villager could read, so people were stationed beside the bulletin boards to read it aloud.

"...The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is a human body used as a prison and vessel to contain the Nine-Tails."

"Therefore, Naruto is not a monster, nor is he the Demon Fox."

"Furthermore, to prevent the Nine-Tails from breaking free from its prison when Naruto is injured—"

"From this moment onward, all villagers are strictly forbidden from bullying Naruto Uzumaki. Any violator will be executed immediately, regardless of reason!"

"Ah... My goodness, so that's how it is?"

"That child is the prison helping to seal the Nine-Tails?"

"Then we hated him for nothing?"

"Who knows when the Nine-Tails inside him might come out."

"So we can't hit him anymore."

"Right, right, right... 'Executed immediately, regardless of reason.'"

"Didn't you know? More than twenty villagers on West Street were all killed for attacking Naruto."

"Ah!? Really?"

"Of course it's true. The blood on West Street hasn't even been wiped clean yet."

"I heard the Police Force did it all."

"Li San from West Street was cut in half at the waist!"

The villagers discussed it among themselves. Some regretted their actions, some were dismissive, but most were afraid.

After all, too many people had bullied Naruto. Now, they only prayed that no one would come after them to settle the score.

At the same time, they became even more terrified of the Police Force.

Suppressing the pain in his eyes, Zhengye returned to the Uchiha clan compound after saying goodbye to Kakashi and Naruto.

When people greeted him, he merely nodded perfunctorily.

The moment he returned to his room, he collapsed onto his soft bed.

He shifted his gaze to the second hand of the distant clock. That slender hand had already become somewhat blurry.

Zhengye laughed self-mockingly.

I used to mock Sasuke for burning through his eye power so quickly. Now that it's me, it hasn't even been a week.

Looks like I'll have to use it more sparingly in the future.

[Ding, Naruto Uzumaki's fate has changed. Lottery draws obtained ×3]

[Ding, Naruto Uzumaki's recognition obtained. Lottery draws obtained ×1]

Current lottery draws: 4

Naruto's childhood had been completely rewritten, so the course of his life would naturally be different as well.

Little Naruto was so easy to fool. He already recognized Zhengye.

Looking at the four lottery draws, Zhengye grinned. He wondered whether the four draws would be enough to make today worthwhile.

After all the running around today, Zhengye was feeling sleepy too.

He decided to start the lottery draws tomorrow.

Zhengye closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Yet the Healing Talisman on his body slowly began to glow.

A healing force began to gather around Zhengye's eyes.