The moment he stepped outside, a gust of cold wind hit him in the face. Perhaps because he was a Jinchūriki, he barely felt the chill despite the freezing weather.
It was winter in Konoha. Once winter passed, Naruto would turn six, old enough to attend the Ninja Academy.
After leaving home, Naruto headed straight for Ichiraku Ramen.
"Grrr, grrr..."
Naruto walked toward Ichiraku Ramen with a hand over his growling stomach.
He felt a little frustrated. He should have felt hungry when he first developed chakra, but he had eaten Roast Lamb Chops with Wolffy in the Sealing Space...
He hadn't felt hungry in the Sealing Space, but his stomach in the Real World refused to cooperate.
He wasn't an electronic device. He couldn't exactly receive a signal.
To Naruto, the Sealing Space and the Real World were essentially two separate worlds.
Only Naruto's soul-or rather, his consciousness-could enter the Sealing Space. Food he ate there made him feel full, but once he returned to the Real World, that fullness disappeared.
Still, this ability would be very appealing to gluttons who were afraid of gaining weight.
In the Sealing Space, they could eat whatever they wanted: hot pot, seafood, barbecue, all kinds of stir-fries...
They could savor all the flavors, then return their consciousness to their bodies, which would still be as though they hadn't eaten anything.
Along the way, quite a few villagers pointed at Naruto and whispered. Some even looked at him with hatred and disgust.
Although he hadn't left home in two years... the tales of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox still circulated in Konoha.
Sensing the emotions of those around him, Naruto felt irritated.
But even so, he didn't harbor any extreme thoughts about slaughtering all of Konoha once he became strong enough.
Honestly, as long as Naruto did nothing, these Muggles in Konoha would get themselves killed sooner or later.
Forget everything else. Just one visit from Pain to make Konoha "feel pain," and who knew how many of these Muggles would die.
Surely nobody actually thought these Muggles could withstand Pain's attack?
When that happened, if Naruto simply stayed out of it, Konoha could announce its resignation as the foremost of the Shinobi World's five great villages.
Like other transmigrators, Naruto had a goal of his own.
It just wasn't some grand ambition like destroying Konoha, killing Danzo, killing Madara Uchiha, or adding Ōtsutsuki Kaguya to his harem.
Instead... he wanted to find a way to resurrect his parents and live a life where they loved and cared for him.
He'd had no parents in his previous life. Having none even after transmigrating was honestly rather tragic. Fortunately, the Hokage world had ways to bring people back to life.
As long as Naruto grew strong enough, his chances of resurrecting his parents would be very good.
Even without the Rinnegan or anything like that, didn't he still have Wolffy, that cheat-level inventor?
Naruto believed Wolffy could create things like a Time Machine or a Cloning Machine if he wanted to. His very existence was that much of a cheat.
Having him build computers really was a waste of his talents.
Under those strange looks, Naruto finally arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.
A few ninja were chatting and laughing inside.
The moment they saw Naruto enter, their voices cut off, and they began eating their noodles a little faster instead.
Naruto knew what their deal was.
Ninja who didn't know Naruto was a Jinchūriki hated and despised him just like the ordinary villagers did. But because of the Third's orders, they couldn't show their hatred as openly as the villagers, so they could only ignore him.
Those who knew Naruto was a Jinchūriki were even less willing to approach him or act too friendly toward him.
After all, Naruto was a strategic weapon for Konoha, the equivalent of a nuclear bomb. Anyone who got involved with him might be invited in for a little "chat" with the Anbu.
Ignoring the ninja who were hastily eating their noodles, Naruto walked up to the counter, slapped down a large five-thousand-ryō note, and said, "Mister, start me off with one bowl of every flavor of ramen."
"Naruto, can you finish that much? You can't waste food!"
Teuchi spoke sternly, despite the smile that narrowed his eyes.
Looking at Teuchi's narrowed eyes, Naruto thought, As expected of the famous Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku of the Hokage world.
Teuchi, the owner of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop, appeared to be an ordinary ramen shop owner, but he was actually a hidden master, the greatest boss in the Hokage world. His true identity was Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's husband and the biological father of the Sage of Six Paths. He lived in seclusion in Konoha, concealing himself as a ramen shop owner, and had reached the terrifying age of one hundred thousand.
He only kept his eyes narrowed to conceal his blood-red Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan.
Naturally... all of that was nonsense.
Teuchi was really just an ordinary ramen shop owner. His ramen simply happened to be delicious.
Two years ago, Naruto had often come here to eat. During his two years holed up at home, he had also frequently asked the Anbu to bring him takeout from Ichiraku.
Speaking of takeout, Naruto had to give credit where it was due: the Anbu were incredibly efficient deliverymen.
With food like ramen, the noodles would turn soggy if left too long. But the Anbu delivered so quickly that when it reached Naruto's House, it was practically as fresh as when it had been made.
Naruto looked at Teuchi's narrowed eyes and said with a smile,
"Don't worry. Bring them out one bowl at a time, and I'll eat them one bowl at a time. I won't waste any!"
Since Naruto had said that, and had slapped a large banknote onto the counter, Teuchi said nothing more. He turned to prepare Naruto's noodles.
Elsewhere.
Upon receiving word from the Anbu that Naruto had actually left his home, the Third Hokage immediately returned to his office and took out his Crystal Ball to check on him.
"That boy Naruto finally decided to go outside!"
As he spoke, the Third Hokage took out his pipe and drew deeply on it.
Just then, a sinister-looking man entered the Third's office without even knocking.
Seeing the Third watching the Crystal Ball, the man frowned. "As the Third Hokage, how can you still indulge in such filthy behavior?"
"Oh, Danzo? Did you need something?"
The Third looked up and asked with some puzzlement.
Indeed, the visitor was the Darkness of Konoha, the root hidden beneath Konoha, and its reigning scapegoat, Shimura Danzō.
Danzo's accusation of peeping didn't faze the Third in the slightest. Was I peeping? I'm clearly checking on Naruto Uzumaki's physical and mental well-being!
"I came here to discuss the Jinchūriki..."
Before Danzo could finish, the Third Hokage's expression hardened. "I will not hand Naruto over to your Root!"
"Hmph! Hiruzen, your methods are far too gentle. Only by joining Root and receiving our training can he become a Jinchūriki who protects Konoha!"
Danzo had coveted Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, for a long time. He believed that as long as he obtained the Jinchūriki, with that power behind him, he would definitely become Hokage.
"Naruto isn't just a Jinchūriki. He's also Minato's child! Give it up, Danzo!"
"I've already planned the path Naruto will take!"
Seeing that the Third remained stubborn, Danzo angrily swept his sleeve and headed outside.
When he reached the door, he threw out one last remark. "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
"I've been hearing that from you for years!"
"Withdraw all the Root members watching Naruto. And... remember... I am the Hokage."
Before you continue