Naruto's Tragic Childhood, the Gate of the Underworld Opens, the Konoha Crush Countdown Begins-Feel the Pain

"How could this happen? How could they do this?" Rin Nohara couldn't believe that the kind, kindly Third Hokage she'd always admired could be such a person—willing to do whatever it took for so-called power, even to wipe out fellow villagers.

"The Konoha High Command started plotting all this long ago. They slandered the Uchiha Clan as evil, deliberately ostracized them, and used baseless accusations to force them to the outskirts of the village. They built countless watchtowers around the area to monitor the daily lives of every Uchiha. Anyone would eventually break under that kind of surveillance, let alone the proud Uchiha. If they held a normal clan gathering, the High Command would claim they were plotting a rebellion. They spread rumors until everyone believed the Uchiha Clan wanted to rebel, giving them an excuse to exterminate the clan."

"Think about it. Konoha was founded jointly by the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan."

"Is there even anyone with the Senju surname left in Konoha today? For the sake of their power, they certainly carried out the First's policy of integrating the Senju Clan into the village to the letter! Now there isn't a single person named Senju left. For the sake of the so-called power of Wood Release, they even dug up the First's grave. Tell me, is that something a human being would do?"

(Snake Lady: I know you're talking about me. So I'm not human, huh?!)

"Now, they've launched a clan-wide extermination plan against the Uchiha Clan for the power of the Sharingan, too. These people are truly wicked. So I'm going to make them pay and avenge the Uchiha Clan."

"Rin, will you be too softhearted to stop me?" Uchiha Shadian asked, his gaze calm.

"Brother Shadian, I don't know what to do." Rin Nohara lowered her head. What she'd just witnessed had dealt a terrible blow to her kind heart.

"Do you know Naruto Uzumaki?" Uchiha Shadian asked.

Rin Nohara shook her head. Naruto Uzumaki hadn't even been born when she died!

" Naruto Uzumaki was the son of your teacher, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki. He was born not long after you died."

"And it was his birth that left Kushina Uzumaki weakened, giving the enemy an opportunity to release the Nine-Tails' seal and attack Konoha. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki both died sealing the Nine-Tails, leaving Naruto Uzumaki an orphan in Hiruzen Sarutobi's care."

"Naruto Uzumaki was the son of heroes. His father was the great Fourth Hokage, who sacrificed himself to save the village. His mother gave everything for Konoha, serving as the vessel that sealed the Nine-Tails and making an enormous sacrifice for the village."

"His parents gave everything for Konoha, even their lives. Naruto came into this world bearing their honor. He should have been showered with the village's love. But do you know what kind of childhood he had?"

Uchiha Shadian's Sharingan slowly turned. In an instant, Rin Nohara's consciousness entered an illusion.

A young child appeared before Rin Nohara.

"That's Naruto Uzumaki," Uchiha Shadian's voice sounded in Rin Nohara's ear.

At that moment, on a street in Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki ran toward a group of children, hoping to play with them. As soon as he reached them, they picked up stones from the ground and threw them at him, shouting insults like "Get lost, you damn fox!" and "Let's beat the damn fox to death!"

Kindhearted Rin Nohara stepped forward to stop them, but her hand passed right through Naruto Uzumaki's body.

Uchiha Shadian's voice rang out: "What you're seeing now is footage of Naruto Uzumaki as a child, recorded by my Sharingan. It's like watching a video. You can see it, but you can't touch it."

The scene continued.

Little Naruto was pelted with stones and insults. He could only cover his injured forehead and run away in shame, tears of sorrow streaming down his face as he fled.

"Why would the children in the village treat little Naruto like this?" Rin Nohara asked, confused.

Uchiha Shadian replied coolly, "Didn't you hear them call him a fox? Someone deliberately spread rumors in the village that he was the demon fox responsible for attacking Konoha, and that he'd killed countless people—including their beloved Lord Fourth Hokage."

The scene continued.

Outside the school gates after class, everyone kept their distance from Naruto Uzumaki. Adults and children alike looked at him with nothing but coldness and scorn.

"Damn fox, why didn't you just die already?"

"I wonder what Lord Third Hokage was thinking, letting a fox attend the Ninja Academy."

"Sweetie, stay away from that damned fox at school. Don't let his bad luck rub off on you."

The countless cruel remarks shattered Rin Nohara's worldview. She couldn't understand why Lord Third Hokage didn't do anything. Naruto was the son of her teacher, the Fourth Hokage! Why would he just stand by while Naruto endured countless glares, mockery, and insults?

Rin Nohara couldn't believe this could happen to the child of a Hokage. The villagers she'd once thought so kindhearted could unleash such hatred on a child who wasn't even seven years old.

Uchiha Shadian sighed. "Your teacher and Kushina died saving this pack of ungrateful wretches. They must be turning in their graves!"

Rin Nohara asked, utterly confused, "Why didn't Grandpa Third explain the truth to everyone? That little Naruto was the son of my teacher, Lord Fourth Hokage?"

"Who knows?" Uchiha Shadian didn't answer directly.

The scene continued.

Everything Naruto Uzumaki had endured in Konoha played out before Rin Nohara, piece by piece.

"Teacher's son is so pitiful!" Rin Nohara watched with tears streaming down her face. "Brother Shadian, where is Naruto now? I want to see him."

"He's somewhere safe. Come up here, and I'll take you to him." As Uchiha Shadian spoke, Rin Nohara's consciousness returned to reality.

When she came to, Rin Nohara saw two Uchiha Shadians. One was crouching, while the other stood.

The standing Uchiha Shadian said, "Rin, climb onto this Shadow Clone's back. He'll carry you and use the Flying Thunder God Technique to take you to little Naruto."

"Brother Shadian, aren't you coming too?" Rin Nohara asked, her cheeks a little red as she climbed onto Uchiha Shadian's Shadow Clone's back.

"I still have things to do."

"Once I've taken care of them, I'll meet up with you." Uchiha Shadian patted Rin Nohara on the head and nodded to his Shadow Clone. With a whoosh, the clone vanished with Rin Nohara.

"The Konoha Crush begins now. Feel the pain, Konoha!"

Uchiha Shadian thrust the sinister Cloud-Cluster Fang in his hand into the ground. "Open, Gate of the Underworld!"

As Uchiha Shadian's voice fell, an evil force poured out of Cloud-Cluster Fang and pierced straight into the earth.

Rumble.

The earth shook and split apart.

A dark passage, its end nowhere in sight, opened up.

A force of devouring spread from it, swallowing everything nearby into the cavern below.

In the depths of the cavern, countless spirits roared as they surged toward the surface.