Time flies, and about three years have passed since the night of the Nine-Tails' Rebellion.
Although the hatred was buried, the pain and sorrow left to everyone still involuntarily surfaced during the memorial service.
This is why the anger, indulgence, indifference, and disregard of the incompetent make children, who are already sensitive to emotions, even more confused and bewildered.
"Look, that child, that's the one. I really don't understand why the Third Hokage would leave this menace in the village."
"Hey, you there, hurry up and get the salt! That guy's been here, quickly sprinkle some salt to ward off evil spirits!"
"Damn it, why did you have to come near here? Get lost, get lost! Don't come any closer, it's bad luck..."
Even a young child walking on the roadside would attract criticism and be driven away by others.
The undisguised disgust and malice in the eyes of every adult drove the already sensitive and vulnerable child to run away into the distance without a second thought.
The sky was a clear, deep blue, and those disgusted and hateful gazes had long since become familiar, even habitual, without my noticing.
The vicious words were like the wind in my ear, but deep down, I still felt a pang of sadness.
It is noon, the time of day when the breeze is at its coolest.
Little Naruto walked through the street and stood alone on the Hokage Rock. A gentle breeze blew, and loneliness and solitude filled his young heart with a mixture of peace and helplessness.
"What the hell? Who's that? My name is Uzumaki Naruto! Why are you looking at me like I'm a monster? I'm not a monster, I'm a human! You bastard!"
In a fit of pique, he threw the stones in his hand down below, not caring whether they would hit pedestrians. As soon as people saw him, they scurried away as if they were avoiding a monster.
Lying on the rock, gazing at the ever-changing, rolling white clouds, my eyes were filled with curiosity.
Do I have family? What are my father and mother like? Where are they now, and will they ever come back?
The wind howled, and flocks of swallows flashed by in the distance, making my already disappointed mood even more gloomy.
Even birds have friends, so where are my friends? Why did I come here? What am I living for? My life...
Before he knew it, Little Naruto closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
At this moment, the Eight Trigrams Seal hidden in the abdomen quietly revealed its existence, shining brightly alongside the distant edge of Konoha.
The sound of dripping water reached my ears, and in the distant distance, the faint cries of wild beasts could be heard.
When Little Naruto opened his eyes, he found himself lying in a damp stone passageway, with water of unknown origin flowing slowly around him.
"Where am I? Hey!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, but only his own echo reverberated. Unable to contain his curiosity, Little Naruto quickly walked through the forked paths and arrived at the end of the corridor.
A flash of light appeared, Little Naruto blinked hard. The mysterious scene before him filled him with shock.
"Where... where is this? A forest?"
Inside the vast space, lush green vines meander and climb, transforming the massive iron cage within them into a vibrant and magnificent landscape.
Inside the cage, a crimson fox about a hundred meters tall stared wide-eyed at the figure sitting on the throne of the forest, just like him.
The figure was dressed in Black Cloak, with nine pure white Tomoe on his back that were exceptionally eye-catching. The gust of wind stirred up by the large fox made a sound like a flag.
Then, the figure reached out and beckoned to him, signaling him to come over.
"Huh? Is it me? I really can..."
At that moment, Little Naruto felt as if he were in heaven!
She wasn't kicked out, she wasn't looked down upon; that handsome-looking guy was waving at her.
"Long time no see. No, in your opinion, this should be our first meeting, Naruto."
The short shout left Little Naruto somewhat confused, and he asked timidly.
Don't you hate me?
Why should I hate you?
Just then, Little Naruto, who had walked closer, keenly sensed that the mysteriously handsome man in front of him, who seemed aloof, didn't actually dislike him.
"But everyone else..."
"Time is of the essence, so choose the question that concerns you most. That old man really won't let up for a moment."
With her hand supporting her cheek, purple light shimmered beneath the Three-Eyed Demon Fox Mask as she gazed down into the innocent, expectant eyes of the people below. Huayue remained silent.
Indeed, all along, the people I've encountered have been hostile and malicious towards me. Even the nanny who takes care of me on a daily basis doesn't necessarily give me a kind look.
In such an environment, encountering someone of mysterious origin who doesn't feel any aversion towards you can easily lead to a kind of longing-like dependence.
Ever since Naruto could remember, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been secretly taking care of him from the shadows, had also been quietly observing Naruto's attitude towards the village.
As the village chief, such a choice is understandable. It is precisely because of this that the village has recently imposed a 'gag order' that forbids talking about the Nine-Tailed Fox, forcing the Konoha to use 'that' as a substitute.
"What do I care about what others do? It's just the anger of a bunch of cowards and incompetents. My first impression of you was neither liking nor disliking you. You are Uzumaki Naruto, nothing more."
Tears streamed down Little Naruto's face as he wept.
For the first time, for the first time, someone called me by my name instead of "that," and didn't look at me like I was a monster, but spoke to me in a normal tone.
"Waaaaah... That's right, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, brother, can you tell me your name?"
" Huayue, don't cry. You didn't do anything wrong. By the way, how about I introduce you to a new friend?"
His eyes flickered, and beneath the mask, a strange smile played at the corners of his lips.
It's rather cruel to combine the identities of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Child of Destiny, and the Son of the Hokage into one child.
He spent his whole life pursuing his so-called destiny, only to find that nothing had changed in the end. His promise to his senior brother and his efforts to maintain peace were nothing but a dream.
"Rather than becoming a useless member of the ninja system, let me lead you onto the path of true change."
Thinking of this, Huayue slowly stood up. Although he was being looked down upon by the giant fox in front of him, at this moment it seemed as if he was the god who ruled over everything.
"Really? I can really have a friend? Where is he?"
At this moment, Huayue raised his right hand and pointed forward. Little Naruto followed his finger and looked into the huge cage, where a fox with a dangerous glint in its eyes had its nine tails swaying slightly.
"Hey! Brother Huayue, could it be that this fox is the one who wants to be my friend?!"