Call Me Demon Fox? Heh, I Don't Eat Beef

Buzz—

Naruto's blood rushed to his head in an instant. His whole body froze in place, and even his breathing paused for half a beat.

"The system? It's the system!"

He had waited for a full two and a half months. At his most desperate moment, his cheat had finally arrived!

Naruto raised a hand to cover his forehead, the corners of his mouth stretching wide as a manic smile gradually twisted across his face!

"Ahahaha... System! You damn system! I finally got you! Tell me, what can you do for me?!"

"Greetings, Host."

"This system is the God-Tier Darkening System. Whenever the Host faces a choice, the system will provide corresponding options."

"If the Host makes a choice that aligns with the darkening path, it will be evaluated and the corresponding Darkness Value will be awarded."

"Darkness Value can be exchanged in the system shop for anything that exists in the Ninja World: ninjutsu, Bloodline Limits, Six Paths physiques, divine weapons, even the Ten-Tails and God Tree Fruit! If you can think of it, you can exchange for it! This system will help the Host ascend to the pinnacle of the Ninja World!"

Simple! Brutal! Direct! Effective!

Naruto's clenched fists would not stop trembling.

His wild joy crashed down like a tsunami, sweeping away every grievance he had bottled up over the past two and a half months!

His chance had come. His chance for revenge... had come!

Just then, the system's notification sounded again.

"Ding! The Host's current circumstances have been detected. Ultimate choice triggered! Please make a selection!"

Option one: "Stand by the light and remain true to your original heart."

Option two: "Choose darkening and sever your innocence. Completely abandon all fantasies, make absolute power your sole goal, and exact the most thorough revenge upon everyone who has humiliated and plotted against you—even the entire rotten Konoha!"

"System Notice: This is an ultimate directional choice. Once selected, the evaluation criteria for all subsequent options will be permanently locked. Please choose carefully!"

Looking at the two options in his mind, Naruto laughed. He laughed so hard he doubled over, laughed until tears streamed down his face, laughed until the hostility and madness in his eyes could no longer be concealed.

He remembered the villagers' curses and Hiruzen Sarutobi's hypocritical smile.

He remembered that fool from the original story, bound by the title of "Hokage" his entire life, working himself to death for others.

"Stand by the light? To hell with the light! Konoha's light has never shone on me, Naruto Uzumaki!"

He slowly rose to his feet, walked to the window, and pushed it open. A cold wind rushed in, tossing his golden hair.

Below, Konoha was ablaze with lights, and faint laughter and cheerful voices drifted through the streets.

That was someone else's world. It had nothing to do with him.

Without the slightest hesitation, he roared each word in his heart with absolute certainty:

"I choose option two!"

"To hell with the Will of Fire!"

"To hell with the villagers' approval!"

"From this day onward, I, Naruto Uzumaki, will live only for myself!"

"Ding! Choice successful!"

"Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the title: 'If We're All Darkening, Who Says I Can't Be Dark?'"

"The beginner gift pack has been issued. Please check it promptly!"

The system notifications rang out one after another:

1. Obtained the ninjutsu Multiple Shadow Clone Technique;

2. Obtained the divine weapon Nine-Life Demon Tail Blade.

3. Obtained Ultimate Talent Enhancement, granting immunity to the Nine-Tails' malicious chakra erosion!

The rewards have been deposited into the system space. The blade contains the Nine-Tails' lingering baleful aura, automatically amplifies its wielder when facing enemies, and is a growth-type weapon!

Naruto froze in place. The despair filling his body was instantly scattered by overwhelming joy, and the frustration and helplessness he had endured for two and a half months vanished without a trace.

He tried molding chakra. The Nine-Tails' malicious chakra, which had once rampaged wildly through his meridians, was now as docile as a lamb and unable to cause any trouble. His own pure chakra circulated smoothly, more naturally than breathing.

"Finally... I finally don't have to be dragged down by the Nine-Tails anymore!"

He clenched his fists, a savage light bursting from his eyes as he immediately formed hand seals—"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!

White smoke exploded in succession, and more than a hundred Narutos instantly crammed the tiny apartment until there was nowhere even to stand.

Naruto grinned, quickly formed more hand seals, and activated a group Transformation Technique. When the white smoke cleared, the entire room was filled with graceful, stunning beauties—the Super Harem Technique he had been working on for so long.

"Hehehe, just as I thought. Without the Nine-Tails holding me back, my talent isn't bad at all!"

"Now that I have the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, my life of cheating has officially begun!"

Naruto immediately assigned tasks, his tone crisp and decisive. "Ten clones, start mastering the Three-Basic Techniques from scratch. You must become proficient as quickly as possible. Everyone else will train the Rasengan. Take turns cultivating it, and don't stop!"

"Yes!"

Over a hundred clones answered in unison and immediately went to their respective tasks. The apartment was instantly filled with the sounds of training.

Naruto leaned against the wall, touching the wound on his forehead that had yet to fade. He recalled the food shop owner's curses and the sharp pain of the back of that knife striking him, and a cold curve formed on his lips.

As the sages said, a gentleman's revenge delayed even overnight is too late! If one hears the truth in the morning, one may die in the evening without regret!

"Then let's start collecting debts! Let Konoha's esteemed citizens see what the hell it means when I say I don't eat beef!"

At dusk, Konoha's streets gradually grew deserted. Naruto changed into dark clothes, avoided the eyes of the ANBU hidden in the shadows, and silently made his way to that food shop.

The shop had not closed yet. The owner sat behind the counter counting money, his face still carrying the disgust from earlier that day. When he saw Naruto at the entrance, he did not even lift his eyelids before cursing at him.

"You little Demon Fox bastard, you dare come back? I already told you, I'd feed my goods to dogs before selling them to you! Get lost! Don't bring your bad luck in here!"

Naruto said nothing. He walked into the shop step by step, head lowered, coldness radiating from his body.

The owner became even more enraged, convinced the brat was deliberately looking for trouble. He grabbed a wooden stool from beside his feet and swung it at Naruto's head without another word. "You don't know when to stop! I'll teach you a proper lesson today, you monster!"

With a loud crash, the stool smashed hard into Naruto's head. A dull pain shot through him, but Naruto did not even frown as he slowly raised his head.

There was not a trace of cowardice in those icy blue eyes. Only bone-chilling cold remained, stabbing straight into the owner's heart.

The owner's movements halted. An inexplicable terror surged up from the soles of his feet, making his entire body turn cold. He actually forgot to strike again.

"Good. Very good."

Naruto's voice was low. He did not roar or rage, yet it was more terrifying than any threat. "I was originally going to leave you a way out. I was naive. My apologies."

Those who humiliate others will inevitably be humiliated themselves.

Without wasting another word, Naruto's figure flashed forward, so fast that the owner could not see his movements at all.

A few crisp, muffled sounds of bone breaking rang out. There was no bloody spectacle, no vicious technique. The owner had not even realized what happened when agonizing pain suddenly erupted in his mouth. His teeth fell out, and his mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.

Then a piercing sensation of rupture shot through his right leg. The sound of shattering bone was faint, yet perfectly clear.

The owner collapsed to the floor at once, clutching his broken leg. Bloodied teeth littered the ground around him. His body convulsed in agony as his wails tore through the shop. "Ah! My leg! My teeth! It hurts! It hurts so much! Help!"

"Take a deep breath... Pain is normal. Your screaming is bothering me!"

Naruto stepped on his broken leg and pressed down lightly. The owner screamed again. "Make one more sound, and I'll shove swill down your throat right now."

Naruto had not wanted things to turn out this way. After all, he was the Hokage's son—noble and elegant. Naruto said nothing, merely continued stomping.

The owner stared into Naruto's eyes in terror, and his wailing came to an abrupt stop.

The owner trembled from head to toe in agony, yet he did not dare make another sound. The boy before him was no longer the child he could beat and curse at will, the child who humbly begged him. Naruto now radiated killing intent so intense it made him suffocate.

Naruto took out some crumpled loose change from his pocket and slammed it onto the counter. He said each word clearly, "Anything I want to buy, I will buy. And any money I want to give, you will take."

With that, he picked up a tuna rice ball from the counter and turned to leave, his back resolute and without a trace of attachment.

The moment he stepped out of the food shop, the system notification sounded again. "Ding! The Host has punished an abuser. Reward: 35 Darkness Value. The shop's basic exchange privileges have been unlocked. Please continue adhering to the path of darkening, and do not be softhearted."

Naruto clenched the rice ball and took a large bite. He felt no guilt whatsoever, only the exhilaration of revenge.

As soon as he reached the street corner, he ran into Iruka, who was carrying a lunch box and looking anxious.

Iruka saw Naruto, then glanced toward the commotion coming from the food shop not far away. He immediately ran over and grabbed him in concern. "Naruto! Are you all right? I heard you went to that shop again. The Third sent me to check on you."

Naruto looked up, and the coldness on his face instantly faded by more than half. Yet he thought, The ANBU's surveillance really is everywhere!

Naruto looked at Iruka, his tone serious. "Iruka-sensei, I didn't cause trouble. He hit me first."

He paused, his gaze firm as he spoke each word distinctly. "I only wanted to buy something to eat. He called me a monster and hit me with a stool. I was only protecting myself. Do you think we ninja are born to be bullied by them? We protect them, and they pull blades on us. How can that make any sense, right, Sensei?"

Iruka looked at the bruise on Naruto's shoulder and the stubbornness at the corner of his mouth. His heart ached, and he found himself unable to refute him.

He had always felt sorry for Naruto. He knew the villagers had treated him far too harshly. Naruto had been lonely since childhood and suffered too many grievances. Anyone driven to this point would resist.

"I know you've been wronged, and you did nothing wrong. I'll report that small-time merchant to the Third and have him dealt with." Iruka sighed, patting Naruto's shoulder in a gentle tone. "Just don't be so impulsive in the future. It wouldn't be good if you got hurt."

"I understand, Iruka-sensei." Naruto lifted his head. His eyes still held that seemingly sunny resolve, though calculation lurked beneath it.

"I won't give up. I'll still become a powerful ninja and become Hokage—not to earn their approval, but to become so strong that I, Naruto Uzumaki, never need to explain my actions to anyone!"

Iruka looked at him, shaken by those arrogant words that nevertheless carried honesty and strength!

His scalp tingled, and his heart was filled with complicated emotions. He only felt that the Naruto before him had grown up overnight. He was no longer the child who merely cried and caused a fuss for attention. There was now a resilience Iruka could not understand, along with a faint detachment that was difficult to notice.

At the same time, in the Hokage's office.

The ANBU had already reported every detail of the food shop incident, as well as Naruto's conversation with Iruka, to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk with smoke curling from the pipe in his hand. The haze concealed the emotions in his eyes as he remained silent for a long time.

"Become a powerful ninja, become Hokage, and never need to explain one's actions to anyone...!"

"How could he be so overbearing!"

He repeated those words softly, his fingers lightly tapping the desktop, his expression dark and unreadable.

Minato Namikaze's figure surfaced in his mind—the disciple who had died young, sacrificed everything for the village, and left behind his only son, only for that son to live like this in the village.

"Minato, tell me, what is Naruto really thinking?"

He murmured to himself, his fingertips tightening slightly. "He acted innocent and harmless before me during the day, yet at night he dared lay cruel hands on a villager. This patience, this ruthlessness—it is nothing like that of a twelve-year-old child."

"Does he truly want to become Hokage and protect the village, or... does he harbor other intentions?"

"The changes in him are becoming more and more wrong. If the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki develops rebellious thoughts, it will mean catastrophe for Konoha. He seems to have already slipped beyond my control."

"Minato... should I continue soothing him as before, or should I... take precautions before it is too late?"