Help! Who knows this feeling—it's like your heart is caught up in your throat.
The Third Hokage is sitting on pins and needles, especially facing Kushina, who seems to be on the verge of madness. He really doesn't know how to respond to her anger.
"Hehe, it's really rare to see Mr. Sarutobi so nervous."
"Fortunately, Naruto-kun doesn't seem to have many childhood memories, so you were saved."
Orochimaru's teasing voice could be heard.
Naruto spoke again in the discussion group.
Naruto: "At that time, I was always excluded. I didn't know the reason at first, but later, I realized it was because I had a big fox living inside me. But it's much better now."
Naruto: "Iruka-sensei invites me to eat ramen every day, and Kakashi-sensei occasionally gives me fruits and vegetables. Although I still like instant noodles, I'm very happy with my current companions."
Hashirama: "Do you understand the importance of companions? What an amazing boy."
Tobirama: "Yes, Fourth Hokage, you seem to have a wonderful son."
Kushina: "..."
After watching for only a short time, Kushina, as a mother, was about to fly into a rage on the spot. As a Jinchūriki, she is aware of a Jinchūriki's tragic fate. She knew there might be more painful content to come, but as her own son, Naruto seems to be slowly moving beyond this shadow, and she no longer wants to pass her bad emotions on to him.
"That a**hole Third Hokage, it must be his fault."
"Naruto can't even eat a bowl of ramen when he wants to, woo woo woo..."
Kushina was so angry that her teeth kept chattering. The pain was indescribable.
On the high platform, the Third Hokage, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly felt a chill down his back. He couldn't help shivering a few times.
"Mr. Sarutobi, you must be getting old. You start shivering from just a little wind."
"I advise you to find a place with less wind."
"Orochimaru..."
"Shut your stinky mouth; you're talking too much today."
[Back in his small home.]
[Naruto is lying on the bed alone.]
[A few seconds later, tears wet his eyes.]
[But the hunger in his stomach made him extremely uncomfortable. He had no choice but to go out again.]
[The back mountain of Konoha Village...]
[The young Naruto has already learned to fish.]
[Looking at the three grass carp he caught, Naruto nodded in satisfaction.]
[When he went to the forest to look for firewood, the mushrooms in the forest made his eyes light up even more.]
[Soon, a sumptuous dinner appeared before him.]
[Naruto gathered the firewood, stewed the mushrooms in a small pot, and skewered the caught fish onto wooden sticks, placing them over the fire to grill.]
[Gradually, the sky grew dark.]
[Naruto ate the grilled fish.]
["Hm?"]
[A sudden voice startled Naruto.]
[Turning around, he saw a white-haired old man approaching him.]
["Ah! Who are you?" Naruto was frightened and leaned against the rocks by the shore.]
[The visitor smiled kindly: "Don't panic, I'm just a passing grandfather."]
[The "grandpa" was none other than the Third Hokage, who had "accidentally" come by.]
[He wrinkled his nose and looked at Naruto's grilled fish.]
[His stomach then made a "grumbling" sound.]
[Hearing this, Naruto's initially suspicious expression broke into a smile.]
["Hahaha..."]
["Hahaha..."]
[The sudden change made both the old man and the boy laugh.]
[The next moment, Naruto picked up a grilled fish and held it out to the Third Hokage: "Grandpa, you can have this one."]
["Really, thank you so much. This fish looks delicious."]
["Of course, I caught it myself. It has to be good," Naruto said proudly.]
[The night continued to deepen.]
[The night in Konoha Village was filled with stars.]
["Look at the stars in the sky," the Third Hokage said.]
["The stars, one by one, are just like the sun in our world."]
["Wow, there are so many of them."]
["The sun? It's that big thing that comes out during the day, right?" Naruto thought of the huge thing in the sky that he had once wanted to grab—it seemed to be the sun.]
["Yes, this world is vast and boundless."]
[After listening to the Third Hokage's words, Naruto became curious and looked at him with admiration: "Grandpa, you know so much."]
[Hearing this, the Third Hokage's expression gradually became smug, and he spread his arms, saying excitedly: "In front of the vast world..."]
[Then, he became dejected: "We human beings are very small."]
["Yeah..."]
["Are we humans really so small?"]
[Naruto held his head high, gazing at the stars in the sky.]
[Thinking a little.]
[Yeah, compared to this world, my small self...]