> "It's him…"
> "Look! He hurt someone!"
> "I told you, something bad would happen with that around."
> "What's he gonna do now?"
> "You don't think he'll eat that boy, do you?"
> "He's bleeding! That's proof! That thing is dangerous!"
> "Someone call Lord Third—kick him out of the village!"
When Hinata was being bullied, the villagers had stayed silent.
But now?
They all stopped.
Turned.
Pointed.
Whispers became words.
Words became accusations.
And the accusations were gaining momentum.
> "No, no, that's not it—it's not like that!" Hinata cried, trying to defend him. But no one listened. No one cared.
No one ever did.
Most of them already knew what had happened.
But the truth wasn't what mattered.
What mattered was what they chose to believe.
And they believed it because…
> He was Uzumaki Naruto.
To them, he wasn't a boy.
He was the Nine-Tails in human skin.
Just like they had once driven White Fang to death with whispers and judgment, they now condemned Naruto with even less restraint.
> This village… disgusts me.
---
> "Lady Hinata."
A Hyūga shinobi appeared beside the girl.
The moment he did, the villagers' righteous energy fizzled out.
They were just civilians.
Shinobi were above their pay grade.
Especially ones with a flak jacket and a forehead protector.
But the first thing this Hyūga did?
He stepped in front of Hinata, shielding her—and then turned to Naruto with a glare full of pure venom.
> "Stay away from our lady. Monster."
That one word was a spark to dry leaves.
> "No—it's not like that!" Hinata sobbed. "Please listen—he didn't—!"
But no one heard her.
Not even the Hyūga, who simply picked her up and walked away.
Leaving Naruto alone.
Surrounded by hatred.
> "Hyūga…"
Naruto watched the direction they left.
> That shinobi's malice was the strongest of anyone here. Something's not right…
---
> "Get out! Get out of our village!"
Whack!
A rock slammed into Naruto's forehead, splitting the skin. Blood poured down his face.
A regular villager?
Naruto could've dodged with ease.
But if that was thrown by a shinobi…?
There wasn't time to think.
> "GET OUT!"
> "MONSTER!"
Eggs. Rocks. Clumps of dirt.
They rained down like a storm.
But no one dared step closer. Not really.
Even in their hatred, they feared him.
Feared the demon sealed inside.
Still, they hurled everything they could.
Eggs splattered on his clothes. Mud and rock caked his face.
Stones left bruises and cuts across his body.
And Naruto?
Just stood there.
Unmoving.
Not dodging.
Not arguing.
Not crying.
Just staring at them—eyes cold, expressionless.
As if he was memorizing every face. Every voice. Every insult.
His heart, slowly… steadily… began to freeze.
The ANBU watching him?
Didn't move.
They stood no more than 20 meters away, but made no attempt to help.
It was as if they were waiting.
Waiting for Naruto to strike back.
Then they could say: "See? The monster snapped."
But Naruto didn't give them that satisfaction.
> Fourth Hokage… you really failed.
> So many people praying for your child to die.
> So many of your friends and students… nowhere to be found.
> What exactly did you protect, Hokage-sama?
He wasn't some golden-hearted protagonist.
He wasn't the reincarnation of Asura's chakra.
He was just Uzumaki Naruto.
And they all wanted him gone.
> Fine.
> But not yet.
---
Suddenly—someone in the crowd snapped.
Unable to endure Naruto's cold, unwavering gaze, a man grabbed a hoe and swung it down toward the boy's head.
> "STOP!!"
A thunderous voice rang out.
CLANG!
A shuriken pinned the weapon to the wall mid-swing.
A tall figure stepped in front of Naruto, cutting through the crowd like a knife through mist.
On his back: a red-and-white fan-shaped symbol.
The Uchiha Clan.
> Wait—he was saved… by an Uchiha?
> "Intentional assault. Inciting violence. What do you think you're doing?" the man said coldly, eyes scanning the crowd.
No one could meet his gaze.
> "It's the Konoha Military Police!" someone muttered in fear.
The Police Force maintained order within the village, set and enforced laws, and had the power to arrest both civilians and shinobi.
And it was run by the Uchiha.
Powerful? Yes.
Hated? Also yes.
If there was anyone more unpopular than Naruto…
It was the Uchiha Military Police.
But no one dared mess with them.
Not yet, anyway.
> "Leave," the man ordered.
The villagers hesitated.
But slowly… reluctantly…
They dispersed.
---
> "It's alright now," a soft voice said.
A kind-eyed woman approached Naruto, kneeling down to gently clean the dirt off his face with a handkerchief.
She looked at him with warmth.
The same kind of warmth he'd only felt from two people in his life:
Granny Cat…
And his mother.
> "Thank you, big sister," Naruto said with a sweet smile. "You smell like someone I know… it's nice."
The woman's aura was gentle. There was no malice at all.
Just like Kushina.
> "Call me auntie," she said softly. "I'm the same age as your mother. She and I—"
> "That's enough, Mikoto," the man interrupted, face stern. "Time to go."
> "Take care of yourself," Mikoto said, giving Naruto one last gentle smile before standing up to follow.
> "Bye, Aunt Mikoto!"
> "Thanks, Serious Mister!"
Naruto waved cheerfully, then turned and ran toward his training grounds.
---
As his figure disappeared into the distance, Mikoto clutched her mouth, eyes trembling.
> "Fugaku… Kushina's child… he's suffering so much…"
Fugaku placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice low.
> "This is all we can do. The Uchiha aren't exactly welcome either."
He turned, eyes locking on a distant tree.
His Sharingan glinted crimson.
> "Hmph."
The tree shuddered.