9th Floor [The One Who Stands Above The Heavens]:
"How truly hideous. Reading your words is like seeing an ant that only knows how to whine and shout, naive and foolish. I can even imagine the ridiculous sight of a clumsy brat constantly trying to grab attention."
The latest comment wasn't long, but every word felt like a sharp dagger stabbing Naruto's chest.
"So, all my actions have just been those of a clown? Is that why no one ever wanted to bother with me?"
Feeling a pang of sadness, Naruto continued reading:
"If you want to dominate the gaze of these people, then do as I say. First, immediately change into a presentable outfit. Since you have golden hair, pair it with a dark blue outfit. Second, immediately fix your hair. Third, close your mouth, learn to use a smile to mask your true feelings, and observe the world with condescending eyes. Want others to approve of you? Then you must first approve of yourself, instead of making yourself the butt of everyone else's jokes."
[Suggestion accepted: Change Appearance] [Mission Requirement: Change into dark attire, tidy appearance, maintain a smile and silence until others' impressions of you change] [Mission Reward: C-rank Treasure Chest]
The post ended there, but Naruto remained stunned for a long time. He subconsciously looked at his reflection in the mirror. Messy hair, a dirty face, and clothes that were not only filthy but also frayed at the cuffs. He truly looked like a clown.
"So, that's how it is?"
The confusion in Naruto's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a unique spark.
"Alright, then I'll start by taking advice!"
He took a deep breath, jumped off the bed, and ran to heat up some milk. Although he didn't know what this Advice-Heeding System meant, nor who "Wanting a Peaceful Life" was, since he chose to make taking advice his Ninja Way, he had to see it through seriously.
The heating milk started to bubble slightly. Naruto drank the warm milk, feeling a comforting warmth spread through his body. Afterwards, he awkwardly performed twenty minutes of stretching exercises on the floor, his bones occasionally popping.
"Is this cultivating body and mind? I feel like my body really is a bit lighter."
Carrying this strange feeling, Naruto set his alarm and fell into a deep sleep. That night, he felt a long-lost sense of peace...
The next day, in the early morning, the alarm rang. Sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains. Naruto opened his eyes on time, feeling an unprecedented sense of clarity.
[Daily Mission: Health Cultivation, Completed] [Received E-rank Treasure Chest. Would you like to open it?]
"Open it!" Naruto said excitedly.
[Reward Received: Physical fitness slightly improved]
"That's amazing!"
As the treasure chest opened, the last trace of drowsiness Naruto had instantly vanished, and his body felt full of inexhaustible energy. This made Naruto determined to seriously heed the advice of his predecessors!
Next up was the main event. He looked at the mirror, recalling the advice of "The One Who Stands Above The Heavens."
Step one: change clothes.
Naruto opened his closet and pushed aside the monotonous orange tracksuits. After searching for a long time, he finally found the dark blue short-sleeved shirt he remembered, tucked away at the bottom layer. Sandaime-jiji had given it to him before, but he thought it was too tacky, so he threw it in the bottom of the closet. He never expected it would come in handy now.
Putting it on, he found that the shirt, which was a year old, was surprisingly still a perfect fit, making him look much more capable. He took off his goggles, washed his face with cold water, and carefully smoothed out his messy hair. Looking at his reflection, Naruto himself was stunned. The dark blue shirt made his golden hair look even more dazzling.
"Next, the smile."
Naruto tried to pull up the corners of his mouth in the mirror. First, he unconsciously showed a smile that even he thought looked idiotic, then he started to restrain it. Finally, he merely pressed his lips together slightly, the corners of his mouth curving up.
"Disguise... gentleness..."
He finally managed to adjust his expression into a smile that was hemmed with a polite but distant air. Naruto looked at his reflection and felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Turns out, when I'm not grinning foolishly, I actually look pretty decent..."
For some reason, after tidying himself up and realizing his appearance had improved, Naruto's confidence also began to increase unconsciously. He glanced at the clock and realized he was almost late.
"Whatever, since I'm already late, I might as well go get a haircut."
Naruto shrugged and made a bold decision. He pulled out his beloved Gama-chan wallet from under the pillow. Looking at this small stash of money he had saved for a long time, a hint of pain flashed across Naruto's face. But the hesitation was quickly replaced by determination.
"You can't catch a tiger without entering the tiger's den. If I don't change, the money I save will just buy me a few more bowls of instant ramen!"
He stuffed the scattered money from the wallet into his pocket and pushed open the door with a look of resolution.
"Oh right, and the strawberry milk... It's strange, but I'll try it first."
...An hour later.
Konohagakure's streets were as bustling as ever. The early-rising villagers were either cleaning their shops or preparing goods. Some leisurely elderly women were chatting at the intersection. When the blonde boy walked out of the barbershop, the elderly women subconsciously frowned, intending to stay far away from that ill-omened presence.
However, when they clearly saw the boy's appearance, they all froze in place.
Is this... still the demon fox from before?
His previously messy hair was trimmed into golden choppy layers, and his blue attire made his skin look exceptionally fair. He wasn't running around boisterously like usual; instead, his hands were in his pockets, and his steps were steady.
In reality, Naruto's palms were sweaty. Whenever he felt the familiar gaze around him, the one that looked at him like trash, his instincts urged him to flee.
"Calm down... calm down. I am not that dead last anymore. I was born to dominate..."
If he was going to pretend, he'd see it through!
"..."
Even after Naruto had walked far away, the iki-gami elderly women remained frozen, their eyes wide.
"Hey, was that... the demon fox?"
"I think so? But how come he looks... completely different?"
"That face, why does it look kind of familiar..."
It must be said that people are visual creatures. When Naruto stopped shouting like a lunatic and instead displayed the handsome features inherited from Namikaze Minato, although prejudice still existed, the sense of disgust had noticeably diminished. If Sasuke had the Kyūbi sealed inside him, he definitely wouldn't have suffered the same treatment as Naruto, thanks to his looks.
Inside the Academy, the dismissal bell rang.
"Damn it! That brat Naruto skipped class on the second day of school!"
Iruka-sensei walked out of the classroom holding his lesson plan, his brow furrowed, wondering how he would scold Naruto later. Just then, a figure walked from the end of the corridor. Golden choppy hair, a blue short-sleeved shirt, and carrying a heavy box of strawberry milk.
Iruka-sensei subconsciously stepped aside. But when the boy's face came into view, he was momentarily stunned. That gentle smile, that golden hair... a powerful sense of déjà vu struck Iruka's heart like lightning.
The Yondaime Hokage-sama?
"Iruka-sensei, good morning."
The boy's voice interrupted Iruka-sensei's thoughts. Naruto pulled a carton of milk from the box and politely handed it over.
"I apologize for being late. I went to buy something. This is for you."
"Thank you."
Iruka-sensei accepted the milk inexplicably, still completely bewildered. It wasn't until the boy walked into the classroom carrying the box that Iruka-sensei suddenly realized.
"Wait... was that Naruto?!"
Iruka-sensei looked at the strawberry milk in his hand, sinking into deep self-doubt.