Cowardly, Yet Longing to Grow Stronger

After finishing the grilled fish, Hiruzen Sarutobi and little Naruto sat beside the fire.

Together, they looked up at the moon and stars.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke. "Look at those stars."

Little Naruto raised his head toward them, and Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "Every one of those stars is like the sun in our world."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to little Naruto. "There are so many of them, aren't there?"

Little Naruto looked bewildered. "Is the sun that big thing that comes out during the day?"

"That's right," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied. "Did you know this world is so big it has no end?"

Hearing that filled little Naruto with admiration for the old man before him.

"You know so much, Grandpa," little Naruto said, gazing at Hiruzen Sarutobi in awe.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to face him and spread his arms wide. "You know, before a world this vast..."

"Human beings are still terribly small."

"And even though people are so small, each of them carries so many worries."

"But those worries are tiny, too."

Little Naruto studied the moon and stars.

"Really?" he said earnestly. "The world sure is big."

He gazed calmly at the night sky and murmured, "It really goes on forever."

"Are my mom and dad somewhere in this huge world too?"

At the mention of Naruto's parents, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes slowly dimmed.

He looked as though he was trying to avoid something.

Beside him, little Naruto noticed nothing amiss. His eyes shone with hope.

He kept telling himself one thing.

Someday, he would find his mom and dad.

Then he would ask them why they didn't want him.

The video faded to darkness once more.

Konoha

Hokage's office

Minato Namikaze seemed to have sensed something.

But nothing had been confirmed yet.

All Minato Namikaze could do was wait for the future Light Screen to give him an answer.

Deep down, Minato Namikaze suspected that the child named Naruto

might truly be his son.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched himself in the video.

His future self's guilty eyes and hesitant words stayed with him.

Could that child named Naruto be Minato and Kushina's son? Hiruzen Sarutobi wondered.

Did something happen to Minato and Kushina in the future?

But if he is their child, how could he...

How could he have such a hard life? And why would the villagers treat Minato's child that way?

I truly don't understand.

The more Hiruzen Sarutobi thought about it, the more helpless he felt.

But he could hardly voice his suspicions outright.

He could only wait in silence for the future Light Screen to give them an answer.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also wanted to know how his student's son could have ended up living like that.

Silence fell over the Hokage's office again.

At home, Kushina Uzumaki watched the child go without food.

The sight of him struggling to eat wild grass sent pain through her heart.

Then there was that strange look in the Third Hokage's eyes.

Blond hair, the Uzumaki name, and even the same name, Naruto.

The more Kushina Uzumaki thought about it, the more her head ached and her chest tightened.

Right then, Kushina desperately wanted an answer.

Was that child, also named Naruto, her own little Naruto, who had yet to be born?

Akatsuki

After watching little Naruto's miserable childhood, Konan could not hold back. "Nagato, once that child is born,

"could I go to Konoha and bring him back?"

"It's too late for that, Konan," Nagato replied calmly. "Everyone knows he's the future savior of the Shinobi World now."

"He may be the only one who can stand against that future Naruto Uzumaki with black hair and golden Rinnegan."

Nagato continued, "Getting our hands on him won't be so easy anymore."

"But Nagato," Konan asked, unable to bear it, "that child is the future savior of the Shinobi World."

"Anyone plotting harm against the Shinobi World will surely try to kill him before he grows up."

"After all, a savior who hasn't grown into his power is still just an ordinary person."

"Konan, our goal is to bring peace to the Shinobi World," Nagato explained patiently. "I'll find a way to protect that child."

"If we find him, we can have him join Akatsuki."

"If it comes to that, the two of us can raise the future savior of the Shinobi World ourselves."

Konan nodded, delighted.

Little Naruto's suffocating life struck a chord with Konan and Nagato, who had both been orphans themselves.

Nagato knew pain, and after watching little Naruto, he felt the boy was much like himself.

The Light Screen in the sky

changed once more.

This time, the title was no longer about little Naruto.

It had changed to: "Even I, a Coward, Long to Become Strong."

Kumogakure

Raikage's office

"Damn it! Every time, it stops just short!" Raikage A complained irritably.

Mabui, a book tucked against her as usual, adjusted her glasses. "Lord Raikage, please don't make such a racket."

Raikage A spun around in a rage, only to see that it was Mabui.

He could only let out a helpless sigh.

Sunagakure

The Fourth Kazekage's office

Rasa sat with his arms crossed and a stern expression. "Chiyo, have you noticed something about that thing in the sky showing the future?"

"It always cuts off right when things get important. Every time, we're left just short of an answer."

"Lord Kazekage, stop complaining," Chiyo replied calmly. "As I see it, the broadcasts from the future are probably random."

"There hasn't been any set schedule from the beginning."

"But I don't think that's a bad thing. Everyone wants information."

"Everyone wants to know who the savior of the Shinobi World really is."

"But to me, none of that is so important."

Rasa looked at Chiyo in confusion.

Chiyo noticed his curious gaze.

"I know what you're thinking, Lord Kazekage," Chiyo said calmly. "But please, don't rush."

Then Chiyo said without warning, "Withdraw our surveillance of Konoha."

Before Chiyo could finish, Rasa cut her off with an angry shout. "Be quiet! Chiyo, don't forget that I'm the Kazekage."

"Even without you, I'll find this so-called savior of the Shinobi World," Rasa said confidently.

"I'll obtain him at any cost. Sasuke Uchiha as well."

Chiyo turned away, looking desolate. "Lord Kazekage, if you insist on continuing down this path..."

"You'll bring a disaster upon Sunagakure that can never be undone. When that happens, you'll go down as a sinner in its history."

Chiyo's parting words struck Rasa as a bitter insult.

"Hmph. I, Rasa, am never wrong. Even without you, Chiyo, I can protect Sunagakure."

The Light Screen in the sky

began playing again.

The blurred image gradually came into focus.

Hyuga Main Family Clan Compound

An adorable two-year-old girl stood there.

She wore a pink kimono and had short, dark blue hair.

She was Hinata Hyuga.

Little Hinata's inner voice in the video seemed to reach everyone's ears, word by word.

My name is Hinata Hyuga. I was born into the Hyuga, Konoha's foremost clan.

My father is the clan head, Hyuga Hiashi. He's very strict with me.

Even at two years old, I have to start learning the clan's secret techniques and Gentle Fist.

Little Hinata's words faded.

The Light Screen went on to show her at two years old.

Under Hyuga Hiashi's stern gaze, she swung her fists with all her might.

They were such tiny fists, yet no matter how hard she tried,

her father was never satisfied. She saw the disappointment in his eyes.

Note: I never intended to follow the original story. If I had, I wouldn't have chosen to write fanfiction.

No one would go out of their way just to read the original plot again. I certainly wouldn't spend so much time every day putting myself through this when it pays so very little.

I'm already exhausted, but I truly need money. I have no choice but to keep working and thinking hard about this.

I just want to put my heart into bringing everyone a different kind of story.

I'm not going to make the characters act absurdly. The bad ones will be bad, and the good ones will be good.

I will never deliberately smear any character. Life is hard enough already. I don't want anyone reading my work

to feel frustrated or stifled. I want you to feel happy when it's time to be happy, laugh when it's time to laugh, feel moved when it's time to be moved, and cry when it's time to cry.

I really am saying this for the last time: if you like it, please stay. If you don't, please choose another book.

I've deleted the comments insulting and attacking me this time, but I won't delete them in the future. I'm tired of doing it.

I truly hate malicious words. My real life is in a terrible state, and I'm exhausted.

If you mean me harm, there's really no need to go out of your way to target me.

I'm just an ordinary person whom life has nearly crushed to the point where I can't breathe.

Just a woman on the verge of being crushed by life.

I'm not going to affect anyone else.

I only want to earn a living.

My health is poor, and I have to spend a lot of money every day.

I'm already worn out.

Please try to understand.

And a special thank-you to all you lovely readers who enjoy this story. I'll update faster. Thank you.