In Konoha Village:
Two unassuming men were walking along the street. One of them, with long hair and an air of nobility, carried himself in a reserved, dignified manner. The man walking beside him was tall, powerfully built, and exuded strength.
As they strolled, the two engaged in a quiet conversation.
"There are numerous branch members in the Hyuga clan, and I'm unsure of their allegiance. How about I extract your son first?" said the taller man to the one with long black hair. The two were, of course, Shin and Hizashi.
In fact, Shin had his own reason for not explaining everything to Hizashi. He harbored a slight disdain for the Hyuga clan.
After all, the Hyuga clan had limitations regarding their combat strength. As for their long-range reconnaissance abilities, they didn't compare to his observation haki. Somehow, the Otsutsuki bloodline seemed diluted in them. Just look at the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki—each possessed far more potential than the Hyuga clan.
Hizashi, naturally, did not argue. The internal relationships within the Hyuga clan were rigid—a stark contrast to the Uchiha, who shared a strong bond rooted in their sense of clan loyalty.
More precisely, the Hyuga branch members weren't known to be unyielding—they were compliant and submissive. In other words, they had resigned themselves to their fate.
No matter how talented a member of the Hyuga branch was, there was always the curse of the Caged Bird hanging over them. And once marked, any motivation for personal growth quickly faded.
Even if someone had exceptional talent, it mattered little. Should they grow too powerful, perhaps even to the level of a Kage, they could find themselves eliminated by the main family, who might view them as a threat.
As for the Hyuga clan's main family, few of them ever ventured onto the battlefield to preserve their special eyes. How, then, could they foster any true talents?
The Hyuga clan seemed to be shrouded in an air of resignation, or rather, a sense of subdued despair.
Considering that most clan members were only familiar with each other on a surface level. As long as Hizashi could save his son, why should he concern himself with the lives of the rest?
After making plans with Hizashi, Shin asked him to show him around Konoha.
"Where's the Ichiraku Ramen shop?" Shin recalling the familiar ramen stand with a hint of nostalgia.
Shin frequented the shop often in his youth. Ichiraku ramen wasn't exactly a gourmet dish, but it was large, filling, affordable, and far better than regular ramen.
Beyond that, the cheerful, welcoming owner had made the shop a beloved fixture in Konoha.
"Let's get some ramen." Shin took the lead, and Hizashi quietly followed behind as they entered the ramen shop together.
"Boss, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen! I'll take a large bowl." Shin glanced at the owner, noticing with surprise that he possessed a fair amount of chakra, at least at the level of a chunin.
'Is there really such a thing as a cooking ninja?' Shin mused, recalling an unreliable movie version of a cooking-nin. Still, the thought passed quickly.
This explained why the ramen owner had survived so many disasters over the years. His combat strength might not be remarkable, but it would suffice to evade the more chaotic battles.
'Good thing he's not some Otsutsuki like some fans speculate; that would truly be over the top,' Shin thought with amusement.
"Alright, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen!" Teuchi said cheerfully, bringing two steaming bowls to their table shortly after.
"Slurp!" Shin and Hizashi quickly devoured their ramen. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter Naruto, the future hero of Konoha, which left Shin with a slight sense of nostalgia.
But given that Naruto was only about three years old, it made sense that he wouldn't be eating ramen alone just yet.
In reality, Naruto's upbringing wasn't quite as bleak as often depicted. Though he experienced cold indifference from the villagers, he was never physically harmed.
Many villagers saw him as the fox demon, while others feared he might lose control of his powers. So, they simply avoided him. But it wasn't as severe as some fan stories suggested—he wasn't subjected to open scorn or violence.
Had he been treated that way, the Anbu would likely have intervened swiftly, as the risk of provoking the Jinchuriki was too great.
Naruto's childhood wasn't impoverished. He had a small apartment with basic amenities. While it's true that he ate poorly and dressed simply, that was primarily due to neglect, not deprivation. Besides, there wouldn't be expired milk in the market; if anything, he was just careless with groceries.
As for his finances, considering his preference for ramen and instant noodles, he likely spent more than if he had cooked for himself.
All things considered, Naruto's life in Konoha as a child wasn't affluent, but he was hardly deprived of necessities.
After finishing his meal and feeling slightly let down by the absence of the young Naruto, Shin paid the bill and prepared to leave.
As he reached the door, Shin brushed past a silver-haired, one-eyed ninja who seemed to bump into him deliberately, nearly stumbling.
With a faint smile, Shin looked at the young ninja. "Careful now; is this really how clumsy you are at your age?"
He didn't help the man up, simply turning and leaving.
The young ninja, of course, was Kakashi Hatake. He watched Shin walk away, a faint trace of cold sweat on his forehead.
"What's wrong, Kakashi?" asked his companions, Kurenai Yuhi and Might Guy, who were there to celebrate the two becoming special jonin.
As the three had been out on the town, Kakashi had spotted the two in the ramen shop. Although Shin and Hizashi had changed their appearances slightly using Shin's abilities, Kakashi had a special familiarity with Shin—his friend's eye-thief.
Though the transformation altered their looks, Kakashi's intuition wouldn't let him ignore their subtle mannerisms and aura.
Trusting his instincts, Kakashi had decided to test the man.
But the impact of their slight collision, like crashing into a mountain, made Kakashi certain he had encountered an old enemy. With a growing sense of unease, he prepared himself for the challenges that lay ahead.
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