At the same time, within the Uchiha Clan compound.
Sako's family had just finished dinner.
Itachi Uchiha noticed that his younger sister seemed unusually excited today. The smile on her lips was especially obvious.
Did something interesting happen?
So Itachi Uchiha stood up and called Sako aside to chat.
Of course, Sako's unusual mood had not escaped the notice of their parents either.
"Did something happen to Sako?" Mikoto Uchiha asked as she watched the siblings walk away.
Under the light in the living room, Fugaku Uchiha sat cross-legged with his arms folded.
"That child…"
He had already heard about what happened during the day from his subordinates.
In the bustling shopping street, Sako had stood up for that boy with a sensitive identity. Many villagers and shinobi had witnessed the scene.
"It was Naruto Uzumaki…"
When her husband spoke that name, Mikoto Uchiha paused slightly.
Last time, she had already suspected that the blond child Sako mentioned might be that boy.
Now it seemed… that was indeed the case.
"Kushina's… child…"
To Mikoto Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki was the orphan left behind by her close friend.
But to Fugaku Uchiha—and the entire Uchiha Clan—Naruto Uzumaki was the extremely sensitive Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
After the Nine-Tails Incident, the Uchiha Clan had fallen into a difficult situation.
And the order from Konoha's leadership that night—that the Uchiha Clan must remain stationed in place and were forbidden from approaching the Nine-Tails—had become a thorn stuck in the clan's heart.
Distrust had always existed in the shadows.
But that night had dragged it into the open.
Combined with the spreading rumors that the Uchiha Clan had somehow caused the Nine-Tails attack, the relationship between the clan and the village had become increasingly delicate.
Because of this, Fugaku Uchiha had repeatedly warned his clansmen not to approach Naruto Uzumaki.
Most of them followed that instruction.
They simply treated him like he didn't exist.
And yet now, his own daughter had become the first to approach the Nine-Tails…
Such a development…
"Fugaku… should I talk to Sako about it?" Mikoto Uchiha asked gently.
Even though Naruto Uzumaki was her friend's child, considering the political situation of the Uchiha Clan, it might be necessary to make Sako distance herself from him.
"No."
Fugaku Uchiha raised a hand, signaling her not to interfere.
His gaze turned toward the courtyard.
The sky outside had already turned completely dark.
"You mean…" Mikoto Uchiha understood instantly.
Recently, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha's leadership—perhaps even the village itself—had grown increasingly tense.
The dissatisfaction among the clansmen was rising.
Among them, the radical faction was gradually gaining the upper hand.
In the future… the Uchiha Clan might very well rebel.
If Sako had already come into contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, that could become an opportunity.
One day, the Uchiha Clan might have a reason to use the Nine-Tails.
"…"
Understanding her husband's meaning, Mikoto Uchiha fell silent.
She had always followed her husband's lead.
Her obedience to Fugaku Uchiha was no less than Hinata Hyuga's devotion toward Naruto Uzumaki.
After kneeling down quietly, Mikoto Uchiha nodded.
But would Konoha's leadership really ignore such a development?
—
In the backyard, the siblings practiced throwing ninja tools.
The sharp whistle of kunai cut through the air.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Every single throw from Itachi Uchiha struck the bullseye.
Sako's throws were slightly off.
Pouting, she realized once again that there was still a huge gap between her and her older brother.
"Did you make a friend?" Itachi Uchiha asked casually.
"Not a friend!" Sako replied loudly.
"He only passed my preliminary test! There are still many more evaluations ahead! Only after passing them all will he be qualified to be my friend!"
Watching his sister try to sound disdainful while her smile kept slipping out, Itachi Uchiha grew curious about this so-called "friend."
Who could it be?
A boy or a girl?
—Preferably a girl.
The overly protective older brother subconsciously thought so.
—
Time slowly passed.
Before long, most shops in the village were preparing to close.
However, the most popular ramen shop in Konoha—Ichiraku Ramen—usually stayed open very late.
This allowed shinobi returning from missions to eat a hot meal.
Tonight, Teuchi welcomed a familiar guest.
"Naruto, it's you…"
Seeing the lone figure standing in the cold wind, Teuchi smiled.
At some point, he had begun paying attention to Naruto Uzumaki, who often lingered outside his shop.
Naruto Uzumaki usually came extremely late at night to eat a bowl of ramen.
That was because other customers didn't welcome his presence.
So Naruto Uzumaki always came at this hour.
Even though Teuchi had repeatedly insisted that Naruto Uzumaki come during normal hours, the boy still kept his old habit.
Glancing at the clock, Teuchi saw that it was already very late.
Outside, even the barking of dogs had grown rare.
Teuchi quickly invited Naruto Uzumaki inside and began cooking.
"Naruto, aren't you cold?"
Ayame, Teuchi's daughter and the shop's cheerful face, asked as she looked at Naruto Uzumaki wearing short sleeves in the middle of winter.
Naruto Uzumaki simply shook his head and quietly watched the counter while waiting for his steaming bowl of ramen.
Before long, the ramen was ready.
The father and daughter stood behind the counter, smiling as Naruto Uzumaki finished the entire large bowl.
In the end, he even drank the soup clean.
"Boss, thanks for the meal."
Naruto Uzumaki paid and hopped down from the seat.
"Be careful going home!" Teuchi leaned forward, reminding him to watch his step in the dark.
As Naruto Uzumaki stepped into the night, the misty darkness swallowed him.
Only a few shops—including Ichiraku Ramen—still had lights shining along the street.
"A dark night with strong winds…"
Naruto Uzumaki looked up at the clouds racing across the sky.
The wind had picked up.
Wiping his mouth, the silly expression on Naruto Uzumaki's face gradually disappeared.
It became calm.
After all…
You need to eat first before having the strength to work.
"Kid… what exactly are you planning…?"
Kurama watched Naruto Uzumaki guard the area for so long only to suddenly go eat ramen.
Even Kurama couldn't understand it.
All he knew was that the sewer-like prison holding him had become darker and more rotten…
—
"Woof! Woof!"
The final bark of a dog echoed through the street.
Then came the rattling sound of metal shutters closing.
Another day had ended.
The entire shopping street had gone dark, illuminated only by distant yellow street lamps casting faint shadows of the buildings.
The mask shop owner, a single man, usually kept his shop open very late.
Closing early left him with nothing else to do.
As he pulled down the shutter and prepared to lock it, footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.
"Hm?"
He turned his head.
A familiar figure stood there.
"Stop!"
Already in a bad mood from earlier that day, the sight of the fox brat made him even angrier.
"Hey! You! I'm talking to you! Stop right there!"
Naruto Uzumaki turned around and met the mask shop owner's gaze.
"Mask shop owner, did you call for me?"
Since Naruto Uzumaki didn't know the man's name, he addressed him politely.
I'm quite polite, Naruto Uzumaki thought.
Unfortunately, the other man wasn't nearly as polite.
Especially when he noticed the mask Naruto Uzumaki was wearing—the very kind sold in his shop.
Naruto Uzumaki stood there with the mask perched on his head, his eyes narrowed into a thin line.
He still wore that orange short-sleeved outfit and cheap green pants.
In the middle of winter, the outfit looked ridiculous.
The mask shop owner's face twisted with fury.
Naruto Uzumaki tilted his head slightly and glanced toward the shop shutter behind him.
"Sir, do you have any more masks you could give me? I have a few friends…"
That sentence completely ignited the man's anger.
"You damn brat! Don't think the Uchiha Clan will protect you! Those red-eyed freaks were just passing by and sticking their noses into things!"
"I have a friend from the Uchiha Clan."
Naruto Uzumaki said calmly.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. It's getting late. Good night."
After saying that, Naruto Uzumaki turned and began walking away with an almost arrogant stride.
"Ha… ha…"
The mask shop owner's chest heaved violently.
His eyes had turned bloodshot with rage.
At last, he couldn't hold back anymore.
In his fury, he even forgot the order from Hiruzen Sarutobi forbidding villagers from speaking certain words to Naruto Uzumaki.
"Demon fox! Monster!"
He shouted the words everyone else only dared whisper behind Naruto Uzumaki's back.
Yet Naruto Uzumaki didn't respond.
It was as if he hadn't heard anything at all.
Or perhaps he simply didn't care.
Naruto Uzumaki only left him with a retreating back.
He even raised a hand and scratched the back of his head.
"Stop right there!"
The man rushed forward, reaching out to grab him.
But Naruto Uzumaki suddenly accelerated, causing him to grab nothing but air.
The furious shop owner didn't realize how shinobi-like Naruto Uzumaki's reaction speed had just been.
Even now, Naruto Uzumaki looked as though he wanted to avoid trouble.
Kurama also remained silent.
Watching the sealed world grow darker and more distorted, Kurama understood.
Something inevitable was approaching.
All that remained was the final straw.
Except Naruto Uzumaki was not the camel.
The other man was.
As the old saying goes—
Those who seek death will eventually find it.
"Stop right there, you monster! I told you to lis—"
The mask shop owner's words ended abruptly.
A streak like a venomous serpent suddenly shot forward.
The speed was so fast that even a Chunin, perhaps even a Jonin, might have struggled to react.
Shhhk!
The strike pierced straight through his skull.
Entering from the forehead.
Exiting from the back of the head.
Under the dim streetlight, Naruto Uzumaki's shadow sprouted demonic horns.
The shadow swelled grotesquely, its shape twisting like a demon.
From its back extended a serpent-like tail.
That tail had pierced the man's head.
The man convulsed violently.
His brain had suffered a fatal injury.
He couldn't even scream.
His eyes rolled wildly.
Then—
Thud.
He collapsed.
Within seconds, the injured man became a corpse.
Naruto Uzumaki's shadow slowly turned to face the body.
A kunai was embedded in the man's forehead.
It had pierced straight through his skull.
The grotesque demonic shadow wriggled slightly.
Its size returned to normal.
The horns vanished.
The tail disappeared.
Naruto Uzumaki reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a box of matches.
Looking at the wooden buildings surrounding the shop, he calmly struck one.
…
…
Soon, raging flames devoured everything.
Eventually someone would notice the fire.
But by the time the Uchiha Police Force arrived for the night patrol—
Everything would already be reduced to ashes.
With no evidence left behind.
Kurama silently watched everything unfold.
For someone killing another human being for the first time…
Naruto Uzumaki had been frighteningly decisive.
Strategy and strength woven together.
Even Kurama didn't know what to say.
The man had brought it upon himself.
But Naruto Uzumaki's manipulation…
Kurama didn't know that this tactic had a name.
Fishing.
Soon, Naruto Uzumaki turned and calmly left the burning street.
Not long after, the rising flames woke nearby residents.
While people rushed to extinguish the fire, villagers hurriedly contacted the night patrol of the Uchiha Police Force…