Absurd!
Damn it!
At this very moment,
many people on Konoha's side were completely stunned.
So it was really true!
If Kushina's earlier words had already thrown them into turmoil,
then now—
the hero who died protecting the village during the Nine-Tails Incident, the Fourth Hokage, had personally spoken.
That was enough to completely shatter the last bit of self-deception they had been clinging to.
He was the son of a hero—
why didn't you say so earlier?!
Watching the images on the golden-bordered screen,
it would be a lie to say there was no regret.
They all knew what scenes were about to appear next.
Why didn't you say it sooner?!
All we ever heard was "demon fox"—
something to vent our anger on, nothing more…
This massive, chaotic family-recognition scene finally came to a temporary halt.
Senju Hashirama: Uzumaki Naruto… is he from the Uzumaki clan?
Senju Tobirama: Big brother! Isn't that obvious?!
Who said Senju Hashirama was stupid?
See—once the Fourth Hokage couple suddenly went quiet,
he immediately stepped in to smooth things over.
No matter how dense someone was, they could tell—
this was Konoha's dirty laundry.
Tobirama quickly followed up, cooperating with his brother.
Terumī Mei: As far as I know, members of the Uzumaki clan usually have red hair. Uzumaki Naruto, however, has blond hair—just like the Fourth Hokage in the records.
Uzumaki Mito: Kushina was a pure-blooded Uzumaki. When this happens, it usually means the child inherited traits from the other parent.
Hashirama: Namikaze… After we died, did another major clan rise up in Konoha?
Orochimaru glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, then spoke in the chat.
Orochimaru: No. The Namikaze aren't even a small clan. Even if they did have the potential to rise… heh…
Orochimaru's words only intensified the tension on Konoha's side.
Hashirama: Tsunade's hair is also blond… hmm, in that case, it's pretty obvious.
What?!
The Fourth Hokage was actually the illegitimate child of one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade?!
The golden-bordered screen continued.
[After the Sarutobi clan shinobi leaves, little Naruto struggles to open the window and stands outside, waiting for the moldy smell in the room to dissipate.]
[He tilts up his small, adorable face and stares blankly at the sky.]
[He doesn't understand why everyone hates him.]
[He stands there alone until noon.]
[Little Naruto grows hungry, but the room is empty, and the smell hasn't fully faded.]
[He gathers his courage and goes downstairs, the small amount of living money in his pocket.]
[But everything is unfamiliar. He can't find any place selling food and wanders the streets aimlessly.]
[Soon, a sudden voice breaks the calm, drawing everyone's attention.]
[A man who clearly doesn't look like an ordinary civilian says, "Hey, look—this is him, right?!"]
[Another similarly suspicious 'civilian' chimes in, "Yeah, that's him. Look at the whiskers on his face!"]
[...]
[Their conversation quickly attracts more people.]
[Rumors like this had already been spreading among civilians days ago.]
[Moments later—]
[Little Naruto feels dense malice closing in around him.]
[His steps slow, and curses and murmurs fill his ears.]
["That's him!"]
["Damn it! That cursed fox!"]
["How does he still have the nerve to live?"]
["I'll kill him—avenge my big brother!"]
[Malice becomes tangible.]
[The smile fades from little Naruto's face.]
["Damn fox!"]
[Whoosh—]
[Without any warning, a small stone whistles past his ear.]
[Someone has acted.]
The camera focuses on the first man who spoke.
["Beat the fox to death!"]
[An old woman pulls an egg from her vegetable basket.]
[Whoosh—]
[Smack!]
[A perfect hit—right on Naruto's unguarded forehead.]
[Pain explodes. Egg yolk splatters. Naruto clutches his head, tears glimmering in his blue eyes.]
[Seeing him curl up on the ground, some people hesitate—]
[But most find an outlet for their rage, grabbing eggs from the old woman's basket and hurling them at him.]
["Die, fox demon!"]
[Objects of all kinds are thrown at Naruto.]
[He cries out in pain, tries to run—]
[But a stone slams into his leg. He collapses.]
[This sight only excites the crowd further.]
[The fox has fallen!]
[Wonderful!]
[More and more people join in.]
[They attack a child with no power to resist.]
[Naruto curls into a ball, his sobs drowned out by endless curses.]
[He doesn't understand why this is happening. This is his first time going out alone.]
["It's because of this fox! He killed the Fourth Hokage!"]
["Why?! Why did the Third Hokage let him stay in the village?!"]
[Whoosh—]
[This time, a kunai is thrown.]
[Clang—]
[At that moment, a masked shinobi appears and blocks it.]
[An ANBU operative, who had been secretly watching Naruto, intervenes just in time.]
[As the attacks stop, Naruto slowly opens his eyes.]
[A masked shinobi stands before him.]
[But even then, Naruto is still engulfed in malice—he can clearly sense it even through the ANBU's exposed eyes.]
[His vision blurs, then turns red.]
[Someone grabs his hand.]
[Roughly. Pain surges through his body; his hand is squeezed painfully tight.]
[But he doesn't dare make a sound.]
[In his blurred vision, he is being taken away.]
[After the first ANBU leaves with Naruto, another arrives late.]
["Stop!"]
["This ends here!"]
["By order of the Third Hokage!"]
["No one is to mention the demon fox in front of Uzumaki Naruto!"]
["No one is to attack Uzumaki Naruto!"]
["No one is to discuss anything related to Uzumaki Naruto!"]
[One prohibition after another is announced.]
[The crowd falls silent.]
[Hatred still lingers on their faces.]
[Many who arrived too late regret not coming sooner—missing their chance to kill the fox.]
[After the ANBU leaves, whispers spread.]
[Soon after, rumors once again spread quietly throughout Konoha.]
[Uzumaki Naruto—the blond boy with six whisker marks—is the demon fox responsible for everyone's suffering.]
Uzumaki Kushina: AHHHH—!!!
Uzumaki Kushina: Sarutobi Hiruzen, I'LL KILL YOU!!!
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