The cage of despair could not be broken, but one could always chip off some powder from the cracks in the walls.
Passively enduring humiliation was not a long-term solution; that precisely aimed "virgin pee counterattack," while bringing a twisted pleasure, also served as a bucket of ice water, awakening a deeper realization—power was the only voice.
And before acquiring power, survival was the sole objective.
I must disguise myself.
This thought was like a phosphorescent glow in the darkness, cold and clear.
A baby with an adult's mind, knowledge of the future, and the Nine-Tailed Seal within his body? This in itself was the biggest target.
Any behavior beyond the norm could invite deeper suspicion, stricter surveillance, or even… annihilation.
So, I would act.
Act like the most ordinary, or even… a slightly more annoying baby than ordinary.
With the strategy set, the instinct for survival instantly overwhelmed the remaining shame.
In those azure eyes inherited from Minato Namikaze, the sharpness and coldness of an adult were carefully hidden, replaced by a deliberate, wet cluelessness.
Saliva became the cheapest weapon and disguise.
Meaningless babbling was the safest background noise.
Thus, "Uzumaki Naruto" became an exceptionally noisy, energetic, and seemingly somewhat clumsy and slow baby.
Hungry?
He wouldn't just whimper softly; he would let out earth-shattering wails, his face turning crimson, his limbs flailing wildly, until the feeding bottle was shoved into his mouth, at which point he'd deflate like a punctured ball, instantly quiet, then emit satisfied and loud sucking sounds.
Sleepy?
He would never fall asleep quietly, but would whimper and toss and turn, occasionally accompanied by a few unannounced cries loud enough to startle anyone, as if protesting the uncontrollable fatigue of this body.
Bored?
He would babble "Ah ah ah" to the air, his saliva like an uncontrolled stream, flowing freely from his parted lips, dripping onto his clothes, his swaddling, and even the expressionless faces of "Crow" or "Kite."
"Tsk."
"Kite" frowned, roughly wiping the drool from my chin with a cold, wet cloth, her movements betraying obvious impatience.
The disgust in her eyes deepened, as if she were attending to a troublesome imbecile.
And this was exactly what I wanted.
*It's better to be stupid; stupidity is safer.
It's better to be annoying; no one wants to watch an annoying person for long.*
"Crow's" silence was as usual, but when she held me for our routine "airing out," her arm muscles tensed tighter, and her steps quickened, clearly wanting to complete this irritating task as soon as possible.
The gazes from the shadows around us, besides hatred, now also held undisguised disdain.
*See, the demon fox cub is not only a scourge but also a noisy, dirty idiot.*
The firmer this label stuck, the more concealed my survival space became.
The only variable was that old fox—Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He was like a precise clock, every three days, at dusk, he would push open that creaking wooden door as twilight descended.
His face always bore that carefully calibrated smile, a blend of benevolence and fatigue, like a well-worn mask.
"Little Naruto, how are you today?"
His voice was gentle, with the hoarseness unique to the elderly, echoing in the small room.
He would usually pull up a creaky wooden chair, sit beside the cradle, sometimes holding a scroll or document, his gaze seemingly on me, but in reality, it pierced through the surface, carrying a silent scrutiny, scanning the state of this "container" like an X-ray.
*Play dumb? Then play it to the end!
But playing dumb doesn't mean I can't test him!*
He had just sat down, placing an open document covered in dense writing on his lap, and hadn't even read two lines—
"Eee-yah!"
I immediately stretched out my two chubby little hands, aiming directly for his iconic goatee!
My movements were clumsy, with the characteristic incoordination of a baby, but surprisingly fast (thanks to the tiny, instinctual reaction I secretly mobilized, just enough to accelerate my muscles).
"Oh dear!"
The Third clearly didn't expect this sudden attack, or rather, he didn't expect "clumsy" me to so accurately grab his beard.
He instinctively leaned back, and the perfect benevolent mask on his face cracked, revealing a hint of genuine surprise and… a very subtle, offended displeasure?
But his reaction was incredibly fast; almost instantly, that hint of displeasure was replaced by a helpless smile.
"Heh heh, little fellow, you like Grandpa's beard so much?"
He gently grasped my wrist, his grip gentle yet firm, pulling my hand away.
His fingers were rough, with calluses from long-term use of kunai.
Good texture, old monkey.
Inside, I sneered, but on my face, I broke into a toothless, drooling, "brilliant" smile: "Ah! Giggles!"
Saliva dripped like broken pearls, accurately landing on the open document on his lap, spreading a small wet stain next to the still-wet ink.
The smile on the Third's face froze for a moment.
He almost instinctively reached to wipe it, but held back.
That document seemed very important.
He took a deep breath, maintained his smile, and simply moved the document away subtly.
"Little fellow, you can't let your drool run wild like that."
His tone was still gentle, but a flicker of imperceptible annoyance crossed his eyes.
Test successful!
*He really cares about these documents.
He dislikes my touch but has to tolerate it.
He's evaluating me, and I'm evaluating him.*
A few days later, he brought a scroll.
The material of the scroll was noticeably different; dark red Sealing Jutsu runes were faintly visible along its edges, emitting an extremely faint ripple that caused a minute resonance in the Nine-Tails Chakra dormant within me.
Sealing Jutsu? Or… a forbidden jutsu?
The Third seemed to just casually place it on the nearby low table, then continued to "chat" with me using his "benevolent grandpa" talk (mostly me drooling and making "ah ah" sounds, and him talking to himself).
My gaze, however, was drawn like a magnet, staring intently at the scroll, my little hand pointing at it, letting out a louder, more intensely longing cry than usual: "Ah! Ah—! Woo-wah!"
My body arched vigorously in the cradle, as if trying to lunge towards it.
The Third's "soliloquy" abruptly stopped.
He followed my finger to the scroll, his eyes suddenly sharpening like a hawk's; the previous gentleness was gone!
That gaze seemed to pierce through my skin, directly into the depths of my Soul!
The air instantly solidified, and even "Crow's" breathing in the corner seemed to halt for a moment.
*Oops! Too obvious?*
My heart gave a sudden leap.
But the next second, I immediately switched modes.
My finger, still pointing at the scroll, didn't retract, but my little mouth pursed aggrievedly, my eyes quickly filled with tears, and my throat let out the heartbroken whimpers of someone whose beloved toy had been snatched away: "Woo… woo-wah—!"
The tears came instantly, overflowing with the drool, crying with such genuine emotion, as if my heart were breaking.
My target instantly shifted from the scroll to a small, simply packaged bag of candy that the Third had brought, lying on the low table not far from the scroll.
Target diverted!
The Third's sharp gaze darted back and forth between my tear-streaked little face and the bag of candy, his brow furrowed, as if he was rapidly analyzing whether that instantaneous pointing was an accident or…?
Finally, seeing my "just want candy" foolishness, his tensed shoulders imperceptibly relaxed a fraction.
That sharpness was replaced by deeper fatigue and helplessness.
"Alright, alright, don't cry, don't cry, you want candy, right?"
He sighed, picking up the bag of candy as if resigned, and dangled it before my eyes.
My crying stopped abruptly.
With snot and tears still streaking my face, I broke into a big, silly grin, drooling even more profusely, my little hands eagerly reaching for the candy: "Candy! Candy!"
Inside, however, I was rapidly analyzing: *His reaction just now… that scroll is definitely not simple!
Is it related to Sealing Jutsu?
He became intensely wary the moment I pointed at it!
Old fox, you're definitely hiding something!*
The candy was in my hand.
I clumsily tore at the wrapper, shoved a sticky hard candy into my mouth, smacking my lips noisily, looking utterly content.
At the same time, my ears were like the most precise radar, catching every word from the Third.
"...The Village is still rebuilding, it's not easy..."
He seemed to be confiding in me, but more like talking to himself, his tone heavy.
*Rebuilding? Funds? Manpower?
It seems the trauma of the Nine-Tails incident is deeper than imagined.*
"...You must be well, grow up healthy..."
*Healthy? Is he worried about the container being unstable, and the Nine-Tailed going berserk?*
"...You will become a hero who protects the Village in the future..."
*Hero? Heh, empty promises, or political propaganda?*
Every word was greedily absorbed, dissected, and analyzed by me.
Information fragments, like scattered puzzle pieces, rapidly assembled in my mind.
*Konoha's finances are tight, and the higher-ups are under immense pressure.
My "health" is key to stability.
"Hero" is the pre-set direction for brainwashing.
Old fox, your words are full of traps!*
Just then, the Third, seemingly troubled by the challenges of rebuilding, frowned deeply, picked up the document I had defiled with drool, and once again lowered his head in thought.
The room was left with only the sound of me smacking my candy and the rustling of his turning pages.
Dusk deepened, and the atmosphere was oppressive.
*Want to think in peace?
Did you ask me first?*
A mischievous thought grew like a poisonous vine.
I focused my mind, not controlling, but "allowing" and "guiding" my body's instincts.
The little bit of milk I had just drunk in my stomach began to churn, stimulated by the candy… "Burp—!"
A loud, milky burp, like a sudden clap of thunder, exploded in the silent room!
Saliva even sprayed onto the document in the Third's hand.
The Third's body visibly jolted, his thoughts interrupted, and he looked up in surprise.
I innocently blinked my wet blue eyes, my little mouth slightly agape, as if startled by the sound I had made.
Before he could lower his head again—
"Pfft-lulu—!"
Immediately following was a series of loud, long, and unannounced farts!
The sound echoed in the small space, accompanied by an indescribable warmth, a mix of milk and candy scents.
"..."
The Third's hand, holding the document, froze in mid-air, his expression a kaleidoscope of emotions.
The carefully maintained benevolence, deep worry, political calculations… at this moment, were utterly shattered by this most primitive, most physiological noise.
The corner of his mouth seemed to twitch uncontrollably, and the veins on his forehead subtly throbbed.
An aura of embarrassment, helplessness, and intense annoyance emanated from him.
*Pfft—hahahahahaha!
Inside, I was already rolling with laughter.*
Old monkey!
Let you scheme!
Let you test!
Taste the baby-brand biochemical weapon!
Annoy you to death!
Annoy you to death!
On my face, however, was still that clueless, even slightly smug expression due to the "music" I had created, smacking the candy in my mouth, drooling even more profusely.
The Third took a long, deep breath, as if to inhale all the strange odors and noise in the room and then forcefully suppress them.
He put down the document, rubbed his throbbing temples, and said in a tone he had never used before, filled with deep fatigue and even a hint of discomfiture: "Little Naruto… you… sigh…"
He seemed unable to find the right words, and finally just shook his head helplessly and stood up.
"It's getting late, Grandpa still has things to do, you… be good."
His final instruction carried a sense of urgency to escape the scene.
He didn't even linger for a moment to observe, as he usually would, walking towards the door with slightly hurried steps.
The door closed, cutting off his heavy footsteps and the deepening twilight outside.
The room grew quiet, leaving only the sweet taste of candy melting in my mouth and the faint, lingering scent of embarrassment in the air.
I stopped smacking my lips, and the silly grin on my face slowly faded.
In the depths of my azure eyes, the deliberately maintained mist of cluelessness quietly dispersed, revealing the cold, clear awareness beneath, like a deep, still pool.
*Playing dumb?*
*Heh.*
This is an art of survival.
I licked the residual candy crumbs from the corner of my mouth, and a faint, icy curve, completely unsuited to my age, flashed and disappeared in the unseen shadows.
Old fox, I'll take today's "blackmail" and "interference fee."
*Let's play slowly.*