Chapter 35: Naruto
Konoha Main Street.
"Look, that's the one."
Ayame pointed toward a sneaky-looking little toddler.
Tonbo Tobitake looked over at the small child. He had spiky yellow hair like a pineapple and a tiny body. He was wandering down the street, and whenever he saw a couple walking together, he seemed to want to run up and hug them.
However, the moment the pedestrians on the street saw the blonde-haired toddler, their faces filled with terror. They moved away quickly.
"Huggy!"
Naruto opened his arms wide, seemingly looking for someone to hold him. But as long as he drew near, everyone pushed him away. After a while, he seemed to grow tired; he squatted on the ground, tears dripping one by one down his cheeks.
At such a young age, he had no idea why everyone hated him so much. They ran the moment they saw him. Yet, he saw those same adults hugging other children. He looked utterly, profoundly lonely.
Just then, a shadow covered him. Naruto looked up to see a scary-looking adult wrapped in bandages and a female adult with a gentle smile on her face.
"Tonbo, the people around here say he is the incarnation of the Demon Fox. Aren't you afraid?" Ayame asked curiously. She didn't have much of a concept of a "Demon Fox"; she only remembered Tonbo telling her about the Nine-Tails nearly two years ago. It had caused a massive stir back then.
But right now, she didn't see a fox; she saw a lonely child. She wondered what was wrong with his parents, letting such a small child wander the streets alone.
Looking at Naruto, Tonbo let out a light chuckle. "The Demon Fox? I wasn't afraid of it over a year ago, and I'm certainly not afraid of it now. Besides, he isn't a fox—he's just a little brat."
"Right, little brother?" He squatted down, leveling his gaze with Naruto's.
Naruto looked at Tonbo and felt that this person was different from the others, much like the Old Man Third.
"Huggy!" Little Naruto opened his arms.
Tonbo sensed several Anbu signatures in his perception. Nevertheless, he picked Naruto up. In his sensory mind, it felt like picking up a massive, concentrated orb of chakra. Under his powerful perception, he could feel the sea of chakra hidden beneath the sealing formula.
It's exactly the same as the Nine-Tails I saw before, just hidden under the seal. It's not as exposed, so the pressure isn't as heavy, Tonbo thought.
As for why Naruto—who was barely a year and a half old—was alone on the street, he didn't know. But judging by the hidden ninjas nearby, he guessed the Third Hokage had let him out for a stroll. That had to be it, otherwise the Anbu would have guided Naruto back long ago.
Looking at the restless Anbu who were ready to intervene at any moment, Tonbo shook his head. The Fourth sacrificed so much, yet the village gave Naruto this kind of environment. The Third was truly incompetent in this regard. Even with interference from others, it shouldn't be like this.
But he didn't intend to interfere too much. He had just happened to run into Naruto today. What was the harm in picking him up for a bit?
"Wow, he's so cute! Ayame, how about we have four of our own in the future?" Tonbo joked.
Ayame's face turned beet red. "If... if Tonbo-kun wants to, I suppose it's possible."
Ah! How could he say something so bold on the main street? And how could I answer so directly?
Still, the little kid really was cute. Ayame pinched Naruto's cheek. "My name is Ayame. You should call me Big Sister. What's your name, little one?"
Naruto was in a state of excitement. Hearing Ayame's words, he shouted happily, "Big Sister Ayame! Naruto Uzumaki!"
Clearly, though he was young, his awareness was already comparable to a six-year-old from Tonbo's previous world.
"I am Tonbo Tobitake. Remember that—I'm the one who held you." Tonbo handed Naruto over to Ayame to hold.
"It's the Demon Fox! They're holding the Demon Fox!"
"How terrifying... aren't they afraid to die?"
"I can still never forget the scene from over a year ago. One claw from that fox tore my house apart. It was horrible."
The surrounding residents, seeing how bold the two were, fled the area. If the Demon Fox erupted, they would be finished. Little Naruto clearly heard them, and his expression turned somber.
Hokage's Office.
"Lord Hokage, someone has picked up the Jinchuriki. Should we take specific measures?" An Anbu with a cat mask reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Who is it? And didn't I tell you all not to let Naruto out on the main street?" Hiruzen asked sternly.
The Anbu replied, "A ninja named Tonbo Tobitake. It seems he is off-duty today."
The Anbu grumbled internally: Weren't you the one who said not to have too much contact with the Jinchuriki so he wouldn't develop a dependency?
Hiruzen froze. Tonbo Tobitake? "He didn't do anything, did he?"
"He and a girl who appears to be his girlfriend are just playing with the Jinchuriki."
The Anbu hadn't expected anyone to dare hug Naruto given the rumors. Only those who had experienced the Nine-Tails' power knew how dangerous it was. Usually, such a person was either incredibly thick-headed or had designs on the Jinchuriki, which is why he had returned to report.
Hiruzen sank into thought.
"Hiruzen. Anyone approaching the Jinchuriki must have an ulterior motive. Hand the man over to me; I will make him cough up all his secrets."
An old man with a scar on his chin and a sharp, capable aura walked slowly into the room. His tone was arrogant, making the nearby Anbu break into a cold sweat.
"Danzo, you don't need to concern yourself with the Jinchuriki. What is the status on Orochimaru?" Hiruzen diverted the topic.
He trusted Tonbo Tobitake. This was a ninja who implemented the Will of Fire more thoroughly than anyone he had ever seen; every step the man took resonated with that resolve. Whether it was during the Third War, in the Analysis Team, or as a squad leader, he consistently upheld that spirit. Therefore, he would not allow Danzo to destroy Tonbo's talent.
"Hmph. It's your indecisiveness that let him escape. Otherwise, he would have been killed long ago," Danzo snorted coldly.
"A year ago, I thought he had merely strayed temporarily. I didn't expect him to have done so much. I will find him and capture him," Hiruzen sighed. Over a year ago, Orochimaru's defection had cost Konoha a top-tier combat asset, slowing the village's recovery significantly.
Danzo added, "Latest news: Orochimaru seems to have vanished in the Land of Bears. His whereabouts are unknown."
"Then let it be. Don't waste resources searching for him. With Orochimaru's abilities, looking for him abroad is a waste of time," Hiruzen ordered.
"That's fine. But there is one more thing." Danzo swept his gaze across the room. The Anbu took the hint and tactfully left the office.
"What is it?"
"The Uchiha clan... there has been a lot of unusual movement lately."
Danzo's words hit Hiruzen like a heavy bell. Due to the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha had been under constant surveillance for over a year, tying up a massive amount of Konoha's manpower. This had led to deep resentment within the clan, with some even proposing the terrifying idea of defecting. This was Hiruzen's biggest headache.
But after a year of investigation, they knew the Uchiha didn't even have the ability to control the Nine-Tails during the attack.
"The Uchiha matter will be set aside for now. I will have the spies continue their surveillance." After a long silence, Hiruzen decided not to act rashly.
"you will regret this Hiruzen." Not getting the response he wanted, Danzo slammed the door and left.
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