Land of Fire, Hidden Leaf Village.
Evening had settled over the Ninja Academy. The gates buzzed with activity as students poured out after the final bell.
A group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds laughed and joked as they streamed through the entrance.
"Shikamaru, Ino, Kiba—let's hit up the BBQ place! My dad loaded me up with cash today. My treat." A chubby kid with brown hair and perpetually squinted eyes slung his arm around a blonde boy's shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
"Naruto, you should come with us."
A lazybones with pineapple-shaped hair chimed in. "Yeah, Naruto, come on. Choji's buying."
"Come on, man!" Another kid—wild-haired, wearing a gray shirt with a cute white puppy perched on his chest and red triangular markings on both cheeks—called out enthusiastically.
The speakers were Shikamaru and Kiba. The chubby kid with his arm draped over Naruto, offering to treat everyone, was Choji.
The blonde they called Naruto kept his head down, silent.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Something wrong?" The sharp-eyed Shikamaru picked up on something, concern creeping into his voice.
His gaze lingered on Naruto with a trace of worry.
Naruto was usually bursting with energy—the biggest troublemaker in their four-man truancy crew. Especially when someone offered free food, he'd be pumped.
But for the past month, the normally hyperactive Naruto had been weirdly quiet and well-behaved. It didn't sit right.
"It's nothing. Just ate something bad recently—stomach's acting up." Naruto gave them a small smile. "You guys go ahead. I'm heading home. Thanks though."
He flashed them a faint smile and walked off alone.
Watching Naruto's retreating figure, Choji muttered, "Is he really okay?"
"Who knows?" Shikamaru replied, almost to himself.
一
Without the Academy's protection, walking through the crowded streets, Naruto heard it again—the hateful voices of passersby.
"Demon fox."
"Filthy monster."
"Stinking fox."
"Brat with no manners."
"Dead last."
"Idiot."
Over the past month, Naruto had gotten used to the villagers' attitudes.
Even though he'd stopped causing trouble, people still hurled insults and humiliated him constantly.
These were the Leaf villagers his parents had died protecting.
How pathetic.
It wasn't that Naruto didn't want to fight back—he knew someone in the village was watching him every moment of every day.
Returning alone to his cramped apartment, Naruto had finally started accepting his new identity.
That's right—the current Naruto wasn't the original at all. He was a human soul from Earth who'd merged with the original Naruto's memories to become "Naruto Uzumaki."
"System, daily check-in."
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. Successful consecutive check-in for one month. Reward: Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
As the System's voice faded, a satisfied smile spread across Naruto's face.
Naruto closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his bright blue pupils had been replaced by crimson pinwheel-shaped Sharingan.
The Sharingan—one of the most powerful dōjutsu in the shinobi world.
The bloodline of the Uchiha Clan.
Throughout the entire Uchiha Clan's history, those who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan could be counted on one hand.
The Eternal Mangekyō above it? Even rarer. In the entire shinobi world, only Madara Uchiha and later Sasuke Uchiha possessed it.
And now, this legendary Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan had fallen into Naruto's hands with ridiculous ease.
In just a moment, the Sharingan vanished. Naruto's pupils returned to their original bright blue.
"With this, I've got one of the three greatest dōjutsu in the shinobi world."
The Eternal Mangekyō Naruto possessed was none other than the absurdly overpowered Dual Kamui Mangekyō from the series.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as the image of a guy wearing an orange spiral mask flashed through his mind.
"Obito Uchiha. Just wait. I'm settling the score with you."
Of course, before that, he needed to deal with the tenant hiding inside his gut first.
It was almost funny—whether the System pitied him or what, this past month his daily check-ins had mostly rewarded living supplies and food.
Thanks to those rewards, Naruto's life this past month hadn't been great, but at least he wasn't going hungry anymore.
After scarfing down some instant ramen, Naruto sat cross-legged on his small bed.
Closing his eyes, he directed his consciousness inward. In the blink of an eye, he found himself in a dark underground chamber.
This was where the strongest Tailed Beast—the Nine-Tails—was sealed inside his body.
Unlike the sunny world outside, this place was dark and damp.
The long corridor was covered with deep standing water.
Naruto's expression remained unchanged as he walked with confident steps into the depths.
Ripples spread across the water-covered floor with each step.
Gradually, a sliver of light appeared from deep within the corridor.
Drawing closer, Naruto could finally make it out—a massive cage constructed from red pillars.
Inside, a colossal orange figure like a small mountain lay sprawled in the water, its head hanging low, nine enormous tails swaying lazily.
"Nine-Tails. We meet again." Naruto's steady voice rang out, his gaze bright and confident as he stared at the massive figure behind bars.
"Damn brat. What do you want now?"
The previously calm Nine-Tails suddenly exploded with rage. Its blood-red eyes snapped open as it lunged at Naruto, gaping jaws wide, razor-sharp claws striking out with all its might.
No matter how hard it tried, the massive red cage held firm.
"AHHH!!!"
"Damn Fourth Hokage! Damn brat...!"
The Nine-Tails roared with everything it had. The violent tremors made the standing water surge like a tidal wave, threatening to crash down.
As the water surged toward him, Naruto remained completely unfazed.
He ignored its fury and continued calmly. "Nine-Tails, I came here hoping we could work together."
"After all, you don't want to spend the rest of your life rotting in this pitch-black prison, do you?"
"You mock me? Have you grown tired of living, brat?"
The Nine-Tails was completely enraged! Waves like a tsunami surged toward Naruto once more.
Seeing its violent state, Naruto knew it wouldn't calm down unless he showed his hand.
His gaze sharpened. "Be quiet!"
His blue pupils bled into crimson red. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan blazed to life in Naruto's eyes.
With just one look, the Nine-Tails lost all ability to resist.
This was the power of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Mangekyō Sharingan... you..."
Unwillingness flashed in the Nine-Tails' eyes as its ruby-red vertical pupils were overtaken by the pinwheel Sharingan pattern.
"Can you settle down now?"
Watching the Nine-Tails collapse helplessly to the ground, Naruto sneered mockingly.
"Brat... why do you have those eyes?"
"You're not Naruto Uzumaki. Who the hell are you?!"
...
Drop some powerstones~