Chapter 8: Uzumaki Naruto, A Ray of Light in the Darkness

After clearly realizing that he had no talent for throwing weapons, Tetsuya decided to lay off that path for now. His routine became consistent: he went to Konoha Hospital in the morning to improve his attributes, exercised in the afternoon, and refined his Chakra in the evening.

The days were monotonous but fulfilling. Hinata would come over from time to time, sitting quietly while Tetsuya trained. They gradually grew closer, although Hinata's shyness remained a constant.

While Tetsuya had some feelings for Hinata, his thoughts were more on the gentle and strong white-eyed princess she would become in ten years, not the current little girl. For now, his primary focus remained on improving his strength.

The system panel allowed Tetsuya to see his progress clearly, much like playing a game. Each increase in any attribute brought him a sense of accomplishment. He understood that the inability to see results often led people to give up.

Walking along the bustling commercial street, Tetsuya pondered where to get food for the day. He had a stroke of luck in the morning, earning ten points and learning the Great Fireball Technique from a ninja. Despite its nickname as the non-lethal fireball, it was powerful with a high potential ceiling. The only issue was that Tetsuya didn't yet have fire attribute Chakra. But he was confident that, given time, he would obtain all Chakra attributes.

"Get lost, you demon fox! I won't sell you anything!" An angry shout broke through his thoughts.

The crowd scattered as if they had encountered something dirty, leaving the street deserted. A small boy, three or four years old, stood there, holding money, trying to buy something. It was Uzumaki Naruto.

Tetsuya's eyes narrowed as he observed the thin, blonde-haired boy. This incident was a significant black mark on the Third Hokage's life, one that couldn't be erased. As the son of a hero, Naruto couldn't even have a normal life, let alone the treatment he deserved.

Some argued that the Third Hokage allowed the villagers to hate Naruto to give them an outlet for their anger. Tetsuya considered this nonsense. Konoha's residents knew the Nine Tails had caused the devastation. They could have been told that Minato and the Nine Tails perished together, enriching the image of the Hokage and appeasing the villagers' grievances.

Dark thoughts swirled, but Tetsuya couldn't change anything right now. Still, there were things he could do. He stepped forward.

"Hey! I forgot my wallet today. Can you lend me some money to eat?" he asked, addressing Naruto.

Naruto, feeling the disgust and hatred from the people around him, was startled by the voice. He turned to see Tetsuya, who was the same age as him but much healthier-looking.

"Are you talking to me?" Naruto asked, pointing to himself.

"Of course," Tetsuya replied calmly, looking directly into Naruto's azure blue eyes. "I forgot to bring money and want to eat at Ichiraku Ramen. I saw you had some money, so I thought I'd ask. If you don't want to, that's fine."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and relief. "Of course! I love Ichiraku Ramen! Do you want to go together? My treat!"

Tetsuya nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy. "Thank you. I'll repay you later."

Naruto's face lit up, and he grabbed Tetsuya's arm, leading him towards Ichiraku Ramen. As they walked, Naruto introduced himself. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. What's yours?"

"Tetsuya, Kamiyo Tetsuya."

"Tetsuya? That's a nice name!" Naruto said cheerfully.

Along the way, passersby avoided them, but Naruto didn't care. He was thrilled to have found a peer who didn't look at him with disgust. For Tetsuya, the opinions of ignorant people didn't matter. He knew there were Anbu or Root ninjas watching Naruto, possibly both. Soon, the news of his interaction with Naruto would reach the Third Hokage and Danzo.

But Tetsuya wasn't afraid. His mother was a student of Tsunade, and his father was a hero in the eyes of the Third Hokage. He was a true heir of the Will of Fire. This small act of kindness wouldn't be frowned upon.

As they arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, Tetsuya thought, "At least I can bring a little light into Naruto's dark childhood."

With this decision, he knew he was doing the right thing. And with every step, he felt a little closer to his goal of becoming a powerful ninja, capable of protecting those he cared about.