The Beginning of the Journey

Where am I? Why is it so dark? Why can't I move? Hey? Is anyone there? Let me out!

"Fourth Hokage, if you don't want your child to die, then leave this place!"

Huh? Fourth Hokage? Ah?

What is this? Why can't I make a sound?

"Clang!?"

I'm so dizzy, please stop spinning! I can't see anything!

"Hahaha! Come out, Nine-Tails!"

"Ahhhh!"

Nine-Tails? Ah? Why is the scream so agonizing?

"Damn it, I will never let you go!"

"Rasengan!"

"Boom!"

What is this? Why is it shaking so violently!? Rasengan? Why does it feel so familiar?

"You damn Fourth Hokage, you underestimated me!"

"Don't even think about escaping!"

Escape? Why would anyone want to escape?

What in the world is happening?

"No!!!"

What shouldn't happen? Ahhh!

It hurts, something seems to be entering! What is happening!

Why can't I move! Why is it so pitch black!! Let me out! I want out! Let me out!

"Must it be this way?"

"I'm sorry, for the village, for Naruto, you have to trust our child!"

Huh? Naruto? Fourth Hokage? Nine-Tails?

Could it be!? So painful! So uncomfortable! What is this!? Is it the Nine-Tails? No, this?

No!

Let me out! It's like a deep, primal shock in the depths of my soul.

As if a space torn apart in an instant, a bright light flashed in the sky.

The dispelled darkness.

The scene presented before me.

In that moment.

The intense scene of gold and blood intertwined.

Like a sky frozen in that moment forever.

Just a moment of confusion.

And then a tremendous force came again, and the returning darkness once again enveloped the entire sky.

Leaving only a low moan.

"I'm sorry, Naruto..."

And it was only at that moment of falling back into darkness.

He realized that he had come to an incredibly different world.

Fire Country, Konohagakure Village, Year 53 of Konoha, located at the center of the continent, as the only shinobi village in the most prosperous nation, Konohagakure Village was undoubtedly the leader among the five major shinobi villages. Even after going through three Shinobi World Wars and various other incidents, the strength of Konohagakure Village had been severely depleted. However, thanks to its deep heritage and the continuous support of the world's number one nation, the Land of Fire, Konohagakure Village still held the title of the leader among the five major villages, at least in name.

But in this tranquil country.

There was a figure that didn't quite fit in.

A young boy of about five years old with golden hair walked with his head down on the bustling streets of Konohagakure Village. Every resident he encountered on the way quickly avoided him, and every person who saw the young boy had eyes filled with extreme disgust, fear, and even a hint of hidden killing intent.

However, the golden-haired boy remained unfazed, as if he had long grown accustomed to it. He kept his head down, walked straight toward his destination, and after turning a corner, arrived at a bustling restaurant. Smelling the delicious aroma wafting from inside, the boy's stomach couldn't help but growl a few times. He leaned against the window, gazing at the various dishes inside, and his pupils couldn't help but reveal a strong desire.

Just then.

It seemed that the restaurant owner noticed the golden-haired boy. In that moment, a faint hint of killing intent even flashed in the depths of his eyes. However, the next moment, he waved his hand, and a middle-aged man with a scar on his left face, looking extremely fierce, came out with a lunchbox in hand.

"Hmph, this is for you, take it and get lost!"

He forcefully threw the lunchbox at the golden-haired boy.

As he opened the lunchbox in an instant, rice and dishes spilled out from inside. The golden-haired boy immediately crouched down and carefully pushed the spilled rice and dishes back into the lunchbox, then meticulously covered it. The middle-aged man who watched the boy's actions at this moment revealed a clear expression of disgust, resentment, and hatred in his eyes.

If it weren't for orders from higher-ups in the village to provide food to this golden-haired boy on time, this middle-aged man would have wanted to kill the boy a long time ago, let alone provide food for him. The faint killing intent emanating from him was no joke; it was a very real presence.

"Damn monster! Why haven't you died yet!"

Although it seemed like a quiet muttering, the tone was enough for the golden-haired boy to hear.

The boy trembled uncontrollably, his lips tightly sealed. After tidying up the lunchbox, he held it in both hands, turned and left the restaurant, and walked away in another direction along the shadows of the street. Along the way, the golden-haired boy tried to avoid crowded places as much as possible. Winding through obscure alleyways, he arrived at a run-down apartment building. This was where the golden-haired boy lived. He lived on the third floor, and originally, there were other tenants here. However, when the Third Hokage arranged for the golden-haired boy to move in five years ago, the other tenants had moved out one by one.

So now, this apartment building was the boy's exclusive territory.

He opened the door and entered the apartment. The interior was extremely dilapidated, with broken furniture, spider webs hanging from the corners, and a thick layer of dust everywhere. It was clear that no one had lived here for a long time.

The golden-haired boy placed the lunchbox on a rickety table and looked around the room with a complicated expression. After a long time, he sighed and took a few pieces of clothing from the closet. The clothes were also old and worn, but they were neatly folded, showing that the boy took good care of them.

After changing into clean clothes, the boy returned to the table, sat down, and opened the lunchbox. The lunchbox contained rice, vegetables, and a small piece of grilled fish, which was already considered a generous meal for him.

As he began to eat, the boy's eyes were still filled with a trace of sadness. He chewed the food slowly, as if savoring every bite, and ate every grain of rice without wasting a single one. He was very careful and didn't make a mess.

After finishing the meal, the boy closed the lunchbox and put it away. He then lay on the floor and stared at the cracked ceiling. His golden hair spread out behind him, and his eyes were filled with a deep, inexplicable sorrow.

He didn't know why he was treated like a monster by everyone in the village. He didn't know why he was abandoned by his parents. He didn't know why he had to live in this dark and lonely place. All he knew was that he was different from others, and that difference had brought him nothing but pain and suffering.

The golden-haired boy closed his eyes and tried to suppress the sadness and anger in his heart. He had long grown used to this kind of life, but that didn't mean he had accepted it. He still had a glimmer of hope in his heart, a hope that one day, he would find out the truth about his origins and the reason for his existence.

And on that day, he would prove to everyone that he was not a monster, but a human being with a heart and soul.

Little did he know that his journey to uncover the truth about his past and his destiny was about to begin, and it would lead him down a path filled with danger, challenges, and unimaginable power.

This was the beginning of the boy's epic adventure, a journey that would one day make him a legend in the world of shinobi.

To be continued...

(Note: This is a fan-fiction story and not part of the official Naruto series.)

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