Iruka ended up agreeing to my request, which came as a huge relief. Thankfully, I had already mastered the Henge just enough to pull off this plan. Otherwise, I would’ve missed what I considered the perfect opportunity to show my friends how Naruto was actually treated.
Why perfect?
Well, if you asked why, there were three reasons.
First, it had only been around two months since the Uchiha Downfall, so I assumed Root and Danzo’s influence were still at an all-time low. Even with Hiruzen’s soft spot for his old teammates, there was no way he had already loosened his leash over Danzo that quickly, right?
I mean, the guy had just wiped out one of Konoha’s founding clans, after all.
Second, the massacre seemed to have shocked my friends into becoming more mature and empathetic. Helping Sasuke, even indirectly, appeared to make them far more aware of how cruel the reality could be, and more sympathetic because of it.
Lastly, it was still the holiday break. That made it much easier to find a place crowded enough for the demonstration while also allowing my friends to observe everything without drawing suspicion.
Like where me and the others are right now, at the market which is bustling with activity even under the harsh summer heat.
“Still unbelievable that you managed to master Henge this early.”
“That’s the fifth time you’ve said the exact same thing, Kiba.” I remarked wryly.
“Well… can you blame me tough?” he shot back while glancing at the others, who nodded in agreement.
I decide to ignore them for now.
“… Even I was surprised, Takeshi.” Iruka said softly, his first sentence since we leave the school’s training ground.
Now that, I couldn’t ignore.
“Sorry about that Iruka-sensei.” I smiled apologetically. “I did ask Ebisu-sensei to keep it a secret to surprise you. Though, I guess I succeeded in that, huh?”
It was Iruka’s turn to smile wryly. “That you did, Takeshi. But enough of that, we’re here.”
Iruka turned serious as he addressed the whole group after we were close enough to the market. “Now, observing with a group this big would only draw attention. So we will split; Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji in a group, then Hinata, Shino, and Kiba in another, with Sakura, Aki, and Sora in the third group.”
… Hang on.
“What about me, Iruka-sensei?” I asked him after not hearing my name among the observers.
Iruka and the others looked at me strangely. “Aren’t you the one who will pretend to be Naruto, Takeshi?”
“Actually, it’s my Kage Bunshin, Iruka-sensei.”
That raised everyone’s eyebrow. But I continuedbefore anyone could interrupt, “I thought it’d be safer to use a Kage Bunshin instead of my real body. That way, if something goes wrong and I need to escape for whatever reason, I can just run into a secluded corner and dispel the bunshin.”
“…Clever.”
“Thanks, Shikamaru.” I turned back toward Iruka. “So? What do you think, Iruka-sensei? Or would it still be better if I did it myself?”
Iruka immediately shook his head. “No, Takeshi. That plan is both smarter and safer, so we’ll go with it. Your real body can observe alongside me.”
He then looked around at the others. “Does anyone else have any questions or suggestions?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“Takeshi? Iruka-sensei?”
Just as Iruka was about to continue, someone called out.
We all turned toward the speaker and found Sasuke walking toward us.
…Huh. What a coincidence.
“Yo, Sasuke. Morning.” I greeted casually while raising a hand.
“Good morning, Sasuke,” Iruka added.
“Morning Takeshi. Good morning, Iruka-sensei. Good morning, everyone.” Sasuke greeted me back before he greeted the others, which returned his greeting as Sasuke approached.
Now, I honestly feel quite proud of myself. Because pretty sure in original timeline, Sasuke so early after the massacre wouldn’t politely greet us all back like this. So I one-sidedly conclude that the help means something for him.
“You heading to the market too? Stocking up?” I asked Sasuke after the greeting rounds over.
Sasuke shrugged. “Yeah, that’s the plan. Though first I wanted to stop by the place selling your recipe. So…” He trailed off while looking over the unusually large gathering.
I looked at Iruka. “Well, one more aboard should be fine, right?”
Iruka hesitated again, though this time I refused to give him the chance to overthink it. I glanced at the others, only to find them responding with indifferent shrugs.
Seeing no objections, I immediately took that as agreement.
I turned back toward Sasuke. “Two days ago, I saw something that is very disturbing for me. Very much so that I’m unable to focus in my training yesterday. That’s why, today I want to show them what I saw and I want to asks their opinion.”
Sasuke frowned. “Something disturbing? Around here?”
I nodded. “Correct. So if you’re not in a rush to eat yet, how about joining us? I’d appreciate hearing your opinion too. It won’t take long, I promise.”
With the frown haven’t left his face, Sasuke asked again. “Observation, huh? How are you going to do that?”
“I’m going to use Henge to disguise as Naruto, then have it walk around the market alone for a while.”
Sasuke blinked.
“Yes I have. And because Naruto is the subject of our observation.”
“…And what are we supposed to observe?”
I looked at him for a moment before looking toward the others. Most of them still looked almost equally confused, which is understandable since I’ve given zero explanation so far about the context.
Well, except Shikamaru and Iruka.
The Nara already looked like he had started suspecting something unpleasant, while Iruka looked uneasy.
“You’ll see. I’d rather have you all see it first rather than hearing it first from me.” I answered softly. “So, you’re in?”
Sasuke looked at me in silence before nodding, “Sure. Count me in.”
I nodded back with a smile at Sasuke before I looked at Iruka.
“Alright,” Iruka finally said after sighing. “Everyone spread out according to your groups. Sasuke, you’re with me and Takeshi. Do not interfere under any circumstances. Stay on the alleyways’ entrance to observe, use the alleyways and the backstreet to move around. If you’re understand, then let’s begin.”
The others nodded and then the group dispersed.
Shikamaru’s team headed toward an alleyway near a dango stall near the center of the market. Kiba’s group casually wandered toward an alleyway besides a butcher. And Sakura’s group positioned themselves in an alleyway across a row of fruits and vegetables stores.
All three groups ready to utilize backstreet and alleyway to move about.
Ideally, we should all be on the rooftops for better viewing. But when I asked, Iruka says he deemed us too young and inexperienced for that, making it dangerous.
Well, except me and Sasuke apparently, who were carried by Iruka to a rooftop where we can see the other 3 teams clearly.
Once everyone was in position, I took a slow breath before forming a hand seal.
<Kage Bunshin>
A single Kage Bunshin appeared beside me after a poof. And immediately afterward, the bunshin performed Henge. After another puff of smoke, Naruto Uzumaki appeared.
Whisker marks.
Blond hair.
Blue eyes white dra- Ahem… Focus, me.
Honestly, it was quite a decent henge, if I do say so myself.
I mean, even Sasuke stared a little longer than expected.
“… What is that jutsu?” he asked quietly.
I only flashed a thumbs up to Sasuke, refusing to elaborate, before I looked at my bunshin. “You know the plan.”
“Yes.” The bunshin answered seriously.
Then he dropped from the rooftop to a more secluded side of the building before casually walked toward the market crowd.
“… You can stick to the wall.” Sasuke muttered.
“Save it for later, Sasuke.” I retorted.
Sasuke obliged and continue watching.
And for around fifteen seconds… Nothing seems to happen.
Sure, some people glanced and a few shopkeepers paused. But otherwise, things seemed normal. Still, I activated my dojutsu ability to hear what I see.
Then came the first whisper.
“That brat…”A woman near a vegetable stall frowned openly.
Another customer beside her immediately stiffened after noticing.
“The demon.” Then the second whisper came.
“Why is the fox here again?”
“Keep your voice down.”
“Tch.”
The reactions spread like ripples as people began noticing him one after another.
Expressions shifted as conversations quieted. Some shopkeepers cast uneasy glances at him, their eyes filled with discomfort. While some parents immediately pulled their child closer after spotting him.
And Naruto—well, my bunshin—hadn’t even done anything. He was literally just walking.
Now that the first act done, I looked around at other observers’ reaction.
Kiba start to look pissed, Ino and Sakura frowned heavily, Hinata and Aki paled, Sora and Choji looked dazed which contrasted Shikamaru’s sharpened look, and Shino’s brow was furrowed deeply.
To my right, Iruka have that complicated look that I have seen one too many times today, while Sasuke have his gaze sharpened.
“…What the hell?” he muttered.
Time for the second act.
My bunshin approached a small skewer stall. The old man behind the counter noticed him and instantly his face tightened.
“Oi.”
The bunshin stopped.
“What?”
“We’re out of stock. Move along, kid.” Said the old man as he put “out of stock” sign on his stalls.
The bunshin stared silently for a few seconds, then scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Oh. Right.”
And just like that, he walked away without any argument. Because the present Naruto probably would react exactly like that.
Though immediately after the bunshin leaving, the old shopkeeper put down the “out of stock” sign and begin to retaking order like nothing ever happen.
“That old man refused service just because he thought that was Naruto?” Sasuke asked besides me.
“Looks like it,” I answered quietly while watching, again, the reaction of the others observers. Predictably, they became worse. Iruka’s face was practically all black lines now.
Then things continue with that theme as the bunshin wandered deeper into the market; more whispers, more glare or uneasy glance from the adult, more avoidance.
One woman muttered “monster” under her breath, completing the trifecta of keywords to bring up later.A fish seller closed his stall curtain shut when Naruto walked nearby, only to re-open it again after the bunshin passed by, not unlike the skewer stall before.
And the worst part?
None of this seemed abnormal to the villagers around them. Nobody defended the Fakeruto. Nobody reacted or even looked surprised, like it was normal for them.
And that, was EXACTLY the problem I want to show them.
… Okay then, one last act in the observation plan.
The bunshin eventually stopped near a drink stand when a little girl accidentally bumped into him while running.
“Ah—sorry!” she squeaked.
Then she looked up, saw “Naruto”, or probably the whisker thing on his face, and immediately froze.
Her mother rushed over.
“What happened?!”
The girl pointed shakily toward the bunshin.
The mother’s expression changed instantly.
She pulled the child behind her and glared.
“Stay away from her.”
The bunshin blinked.
“But I did nothing.”
“Just leave.”
The mother’s voice trembled slightly in apparent fear. Like Naruto’s mere existence nearby was dangerous.
“Sorry.” Said the bunshin in a dejected act as he quietly lowered his gaze before walked away again.
The bunshin walked away to a secluded alleyway, out of sight from where I observed. Not a minute later, memories appeared on my mind, the experience that the bunshin just had.
And… wow.
Experiencing that firsthand through memory feedback felt significantly worse than merely watching it. Even knowing logically that none of those reactions were aimed at me personally, it still left an unpleasant weight in my chest.
No wonder Naruto craved acknowledgement so desperately later on.
For now, he probably still thought that he could get some friends in school where adults’ presence are much fewer in numbers. That’s why he is yet a troublemaker and a prankster like his slightly older self from the start of the show.
Still, his friend-making prospects weren't looking good as far as I could tell, even after a whole year. That’s probably why he started acting out in class this term, turning into the classic class clown.
“The bunshin has dispelled, Iruka-sensei.” I informed after ending my muse, also cutting off Sasuke who looked about to fire off some questions or complain, or both.
Why? Well, because it looked like the girls among the observer looks like they are about to cry. His question and complain can wait.
“Shall we regroup?” I asked Iruka softly, my gaze still on the other observation groups.
“… Yeah, let’s regroup.”
Note
I kinda laying it thick in this chapter, eh? Honestly, it's quite hard for me to pinpoint the "amount" of isolation / ostracization that Naruto experienced.
I'm not going into villagers openly bullying him, obviously. But still, have I overdone it? Or have I underdone it?
Again, fingers crossed for this…