The tension among the five great nations deepened, laying the groundwork for the Third Shinobi World War.
Although he had traversed time and space, not everything was favorable. Something had changed his body—he was now physically regressed to a child, appearing no older than seven or eight.
At this moment, the Land of Whirlpools, once feared for its sealing techniques, had been destroyed, leaving behind many displaced refugees.
Naruto was one of those refugees, now residing in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Carrying a basket of fish, Naruto walked along a dirt path until the street came into view.
The end of the war didn't mean peace had truly arrived.
Small nations remained unstable, with skirmishes breaking out intermittently. To gain more benefits, these smaller nations often turned to the larger ones for assistance.
This meant that the shinobi of Konoha, one of the great nations, were constantly busy—rarely seen on the bustling streets except for a few patrolling the area.
The lively streets were mostly populated by civilians, with only a few shinobi passing by, seemingly on guard duty.
"Boss, a bottle of soy sauce and a bag of cumin powder, please."
"Coming right up! That'll be 200 ryō."
Fortunately, Konoha's shops were well-stocked. Whatever you needed, you could buy.
Otherwise, Naruto might have had to eat raw fish tonight—an idea he quickly dismissed with distaste.
"What else do I need to buy?" he muttered to himself. "Canned fruit? No, I'm a child again; I need to pay attention to nutrition."
While pondering dinner, Naruto turned a corner and caught a glimpse of a boy sprinting toward him from the edge of his vision.
Naruto tried to dodge, but the boy was unexpectedly fast.
In a single breath, the two collided, and the impact sent Naruto tumbling to the ground, landing hard on the stone pavement.
"Ouch! Damn it!"
After a few moments on the ground, Naruto stood up, rubbing his sore backside.
It was then he truly felt how frail his child's body was. If it weren't for the resilience of the Uzumaki bloodline, he might have already succumbed to minor ailments like night blindness or malnutrition.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Are you okay?" the boy asked anxiously.
"It's fine, I—" Naruto tried to speak, but when he looked up, his sapphire blue eyes narrowed sharply. His throat tightened as if a fishbone was lodged in it, rendering him speechless.
The boy who had collided with him had dazzling blond hair and apologetic, gem-like blue eyes. His flustered expression revealed a kind-hearted nature.
"Namikaze Minato."
Naruto's tone turned cold as he spoke the name, then fell silent.
He picked up the scattered groceries, brushed past Minato without another word, and walked away, leaving Minato standing there, bewildered.
The boy seemed to recognize him, yet Minato had no memory of him at all. Scratching the back of his head, Minato muttered, "What a strange kid."
He turned and left.
Under the setting sun, their shadows crossed briefly before parting.
---
Residential District, Naruto's Apartment
The apartment wasn't large—just a one-bedroom unit of about forty square meters.
Still, it had all the essentials: a kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and balcony. For long-term living, it was barely adequate.
Naruto removed his signature orange outfit and changed into loose black clothing.
He entered the kitchen and opened the rice cooker, where the rice he had steamed before leaving was ready.
Grabbing the kitchen knife from its stand, he spun it lightly in his hand before skillfully slicing the fish. The sharp blade moved effortlessly, creating a mesmerizing rhythm.
Some time later, Naruto sat in silence, eating his meal. With no one else around, he had grown accustomed to eating without speaking.
After finishing, he washed the dishes and went through his usual routine—a monotonous existence.
Lying on his bed, Naruto muttered to himself, "System, open my personal attribute panel."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a holographic screen appeared before him, as if projected in 3D.
---
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Status: Refugee of the Land of Whirlpools; Resident of Konoha; Reincarnation of Asura (Sealed)
Birthplace: Konoha, Land of Fire
Occupation: None
Chakra: EX Rank (Sealed); Currently C+ Rank
Chakra Attributes: Wind, Water
Bloodline Abilities: Space-Time Affinity, Sage Body
Physical Resilience: D+
Blood Type: B
Strength Level: Genin
Overall Evaluation: Currently capable of basic activities in a starter village. Do not attempt anything rash.
---
Naruto glanced at the system's evaluation, his expression twisting slightly. His current strength was dismal.
"How can I ever achieve my revenge like this?" he muttered, clenching his fists tightly in frustration.
---
Ding!
The system's mechanical voice broke the silence:
"Detected a strong emotional fluctuation. Task panel activated."
Mission: Awaken the slumbering Nine-Tails.
Reward: One lottery draw.
Penalty for failure: None.
---
Naruto froze, stunned.
The system... was finally showing some initiative?
After taking over Naruto's body, he had unlocked something called the "Darkened System." Yet aside from viewing his own and others' information, it had been completely useless—so much so that Naruto had been perpetually irritable.
Shaking off his surprise, he focused on the task.
"So that's why the Nine-Tails hasn't stirred. It's been asleep this whole time."
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Naruto closed his eyes and calmed his mind.
When he opened them again, he found himself in a dim, narrow sewer. Metal pipes crisscrossed above, and water trickled below his feet.
Tilting his head slightly, Naruto smirked. "It's summer now, fox. Winter's long over. Time to wake up, you dumb beast."
====================
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