Naruto's home.
An ANBU squad stood on the tree trunks, watching a little blond boy lying in bed. He rolled around now and then, letting out bored groans.
Even without activating his Byakugan, Zou Hyuga knew who the boy was. No child that young could possess a Chunin's worth of chakra except Kushina's son, Naruto Uzumaki.
He was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, the son of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, and the Sage of Six Paths' own son.
Naruto had borne an enormous mission since birth, yet he had very few friends. Only the children of the Ino-Shika-Cho families were willing to approach him.
The reason was simple: young Naruto had been branded the Nine-Tails Fox and subjected to the villagers' hostile looks.
Zou Hyuga did not know where the rumor had first started, but in a single night, word that Naruto was the Nine-Tails had spread through every street and alley.
Had it been an order from that kindly grandfather, the Third, or the shadowy Root under Danzo? Or had it come from the ninja and political enemies the Fourth Hokage's reforms had offended?
Zou Hyuga had no way of knowing. After that, only an Uchiha who shared Naruto's plight dared to approach him.
That Uchiha was beside Zou Hyuga at that very moment, staring at Naruto. Sometimes, Oto even complained to him about the Third's heartlessness-he could not even spare a little attention for the Fourth Hokage's orphan.
Zou Hyuga had wondered about her behavior and once asked Oto about it in his spare time.
Back then, Oto had looked straight at him and explained that it was because of Naruto's mother, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina. During her time protecting Kushina, the woman she called her big sister had taught her a great deal.
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