Konoha’s streets were as lively as ever.
“Brother, I want this little pinwheel!”
Hinata tugged at Tenriki’s sleeve, her voice carrying an unusual mix of excitement and shyness.
“Sure. If my Hinata wants it, she’s getting it.”
Dressed in an eye-catching golden outfit and looking every bit like a young master with money to burn, Tenriki casually paid for the pinwheel.
By now, Hinata already had an armful of little toys.
Tenriki had spent almost all his time training.
Training, training, and more training.
His obsession had reached the point where even Hiashi found it a little unsettling.
Eventually, he had encouraged Hinata to drag her brother out of the compound and make him relax for once.
Hinata rarely had a chance to wander around the village with him, so naturally, she had thrown herself into the outing.
Without the pressure of becoming the future head of the main family hanging over her, she was nothing like the gloomy, withdrawn Hinata Tenriki remembered from the original timeline.
She was still shy.
That part hadn’t changed.
But she was also cheerful, curious, and much more energetic.
After spending most of the morning wandering through shops, the two eventually stopped at Ichiraku Ramen and ate until they were full.
Tenriki leaned back in satisfaction and rubbed his stomach.
“That was amazing!”
He gave Teuchi an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Teuchi grinned.
“Come back anytime, young master!”
Not long after leaving Ichiraku with Hinata, Tenriki heard an angry, wounded shout from farther down the street.
“Just you wait! I’m definitely going to become Hokage someday! Then all of you will have to acknowledge me!”
A blond-haired boy stood in the middle of the street, glaring furiously at the adults and children whispering around him.
“There he goes again…”
“It’s that kid.”
“That damn Nine-Tails…”
“Shh! Don’t say that. We’re not supposed to talk about it.”
Tenriki’s expression slowly faded.
Naruto stood there like a child who had already grown tired of the world.
Tenriki sighed.
For all its talk about the Will of Fire, Konoha could be remarkably cold.
People’s kindness could be thinner than paper, and the world itself was a chessboard where no one seemed to understand the whole game.
Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son.
Yet Hiruzen had allowed him to grow up surrounded by contempt, isolation, and humiliation.
If Naruto hadn’t possessed that absurdly stubborn kindness of his—and if he hadn’t been Asura’s reincarnation with fate practically forcing opportunities into his hands—Tenriki wouldn’t have been surprised if the boy had eventually turned into someone more like Nagato or Obito.
Hinata looked up at him curiously.
“Brother… what’s the Nine-Tails?”
Tenriki gently ruffled her hair.
“Haha. You don’t need to worry about things like that yet.”
He glanced toward Naruto again.
“But he’s had a rough life. If I get the chance, I’ll treat him to ramen.”
Hinata nodded, though she clearly didn’t understand.
The two continued wandering until even Hinata finally began to tire.
“Brother, there’s a little park over there. Can we sit down for a while?”
“Sure.”
They had barely turned the corner when three children came racing toward them.
Tenriki immediately pulled Hinata behind him.
The three boys slammed straight into him.
It was like running into a wall.
They bounced backward and landed on the ground with three heavy thuds.
Tenriki looked down at them.
Then his eyes narrowed.
Wait.
He recognized them.
Aren’t these the three brats who bullied Hinata in the original story before Naruto tried to play hero?
They were remarkably easy to identify.
Another had “仁” printed across his clothes.
The third had “三.”
Tenriki’s expression immediately became unfriendly.
They actually delivered themselves right to me.
The three boys, meanwhile, stared blankly at the ice cream that had fallen from their hands.
Then their faces twisted with anger.
“Hey! You made me drop my ice cream!”
One of them suddenly noticed Tenriki’s eyes.
“Huh? Aren’t these two from the Hyuga Clan?”
“Whoa, you’re right. Look at their eyes.”
“Are they Neji’s little brother and sister?”
“They’ve gotta be!”
One boy’s face darkened.
“Neji’s beaten me up several times…”
Another glared at Tenriki.
“Look at this guy. Is he looking down on us?”
“He’s just as annoying as Neji.”
“They’re only special because they were born into some famous clan. If we had the same training and resources, we’d be just as good!”
The oldest of the three stepped forward and jabbed a finger against Tenriki’s shoulder like some little street thug.
“You knocked over my ice cream! Aren’t you going to apologize?!”
Tenriki answered with his foot.
Bang!
The boy flew backward and hit the ground.
“Ow!”
His brothers stared in shock.
Then rage took over.
“You hit him?! Get him!”
All three charged at once.
Tenriki didn’t even bother raising his hands.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Three kicks.
Three bodies hit the ground.
Against opponents this weak, using his hands would have been unnecessary effort.
“Let’s go.”
Tenriki gave them one last disdainful glance before turning away.
“Don’t… don’t leave…”
The three boys clutched their stomachs, groaning in pain.
None of them could even stand properly.
Tenriki suddenly looked back.
All three immediately froze.
That single glance terrified them so badly that they curled in on themselves like frightened quail.
Tenriki turned to Hinata.
“Hinata, when you’re dealing with little thugs like these, don’t be too gentle. Hit them hard enough that they remember the lesson.”
Hinata nodded obediently.
“Okay, Brother.”
Whatever her brother said, she listened.
The siblings walked away, leaving the three boys staring after Tenriki’s striking golden figure.
When they reached the little park, Tenriki immediately spotted someone familiar.
Naruto sat alone on a swing.
His head hung low.
The energetic bravado from earlier had vanished, leaving only a lonely little boy swaying quietly back and forth.
Hinata recognized him as well.
“Brother… it’s him again.”
Tenriki rubbed her head.
“Come on.”
Hinata blinked.
“Where?”
They had only taken a few steps when one of the Hyuga guards who had been secretly following them finally appeared.
“Young Master Tenriki!”
The guard hurried forward.
“You absolutely cannot approach that child!”
Tenriki looked at him calmly.
“He’s just a lonely kid. There’s nothing wrong with talking to him.”
“But—”
Tenriki’s eyes sharpened.
“Stand down.”
The guard froze.
For an instant, the pressure coming from the small boy in front of him made him forget just how young Tenriki actually was.
“…Yes.”
He reluctantly stepped back.
Young Master Tenriki had never been an ordinary child.
The guard knew better than to openly defy him.
Still…
That presence just now…
It had been frighteningly strong.
Tenriki ignored him and walked toward the swing with Hinata.
Naruto noticed them approaching.
He stared.
For as long as he could remember, people had avoided him like he carried some terrible disease.
No one willingly came closer.
His expression immediately became defensive.
“What? Did you come here to make fun of me too?”
He jumped off the swing, raising his voice before they could say anything.
“Well, I don’t care! I’m going to become Hokage someday anyway! Then everyone in the village will acknowledge me!”
The words were loud.
Defiant.
Angry.
But Tenriki could hear the fragility beneath them.
Naruto desperately wanted those people to acknowledge him precisely because their rejection hurt so much.
Tenriki smiled.
“I’m not here to make fun of you.”
Naruto paused.
Tenriki flashed him a bright grin.
“I’m here to buy you ramen.”
Naruto’s eyes widened.
“Ramen?”
His entire mood transformed almost instantly.
“You’re really treating me?!”
“Of course.”
Naruto looked delighted.
Then he suddenly stared at Tenriki more closely.
His expression changed.
“Wait!”
He pointed at Tenriki.
“Ahhhhh! I remember you!”
Tenriki blinked.
Naruto’s excitement grew.
“I remember you! When you were three, you treated me to ramen once!”
His voice slowly became unsteady.
“That was…”
Naruto’s eyes reddened.
“That was the first time anyone ever bought me ramen.”
Tears began slipping down his cheeks.
“I never forgot.”
And just like that, the boy who swore he would one day become Hokage stood in front of Tenriki and cried.