The Legendary Clan of Tyrants

He turned to the two lackeys behind him, and they started laughing too.

"Hey, Matsumoto, this little brat seems different today," the skinny one said with a grin.

"Different how? The Demon Fox is still the Demon Fox. No matter how he acts, he'll never be human," the fat one chimed in.

Matsumoto Daiki stepped forward and shoved Naruto.

Naruto stumbled back two steps, caught his balance, and did not fight back.

"Don't push it."

"Push it?" Matsumoto Daiki laughed. "What did we do? What did we say?"

He turned to the other children nearby and called out, "Did you hear us say anything?"

The children lowered their heads and pretended they had heard nothing.

Satisfied, Matsumoto Daiki turned back to Naruto.

"Tell me, what right does a Demon Fox have to come out and play?"

"Your dad's a Demon Fox! Your whole family are Demon Foxes! You're the son of a Demon Fox! You—"

He never finished.

Naruto's head snapped up.

His blue eyes blazed with the fury of someone whose deepest wound had been struck.

"What did you say?"

Naruto's voice shook.

His stare startled Matsumoto Daiki, but the boy quickly recovered his swagger.

"I said your dad's a Demon Fox! Your whole family are Demon Foxes! What, am I wrong?"

Naruto's face flushed red. His fists clenched tight.

He wanted to argue.

He wanted to say, My dad is the Fourth Hokage.

He wanted to say, My dad is a hero.

But when he opened his mouth, he had no idea how to begin.

The words stuck in his throat. There was no point saying them. In these people's eyes, he would always be the Demon Fox.

The adults nearby saw what was happening, but none spoke up.

Some lowered their heads and pretended not to see.