“Mmm…”
“That was delicious…”
After finishing every last bite of the bento, Naruto Uzumaki breathed a sigh of relief.
With his swollen stomach sticking out, he leaned against the trunk of a large tree.
“It was amazing.
As expected of Hinata, everything you make is especially delicious.
It even has a flavor that’s uniquely yours.”
Hinata’s face grew even redder.
She lowered her head, fidgeted with her fingers, and whispered softly, “Then I’ll make more tomorrow.
You need to eat plenty, Naruto, or you’ll get hungry.”
Naruto’s eyelid twitched.
She was going to make even more?
He stared at the three-tiered bento box and felt his scalp go numb.
However, he couldn’t bear to disappoint Hinata, so he forced himself to agree.
“All right.
I’ll make sure to savor all the delicious food you bring me.”
A delighted smile blossomed across Hinata’s face, and she nodded vigorously.
“Okay!
Then I’ll go home now, Naruto.
I’ll see you at the Academy tomorrow.
I’ll make lots of delicious food for you.”
Naruto smiled and nodded, watching until Hinata disappeared into the distance.
Once Hinata had vanished from sight, Naruto chuckled and rubbed his round, bulging stomach.
“I ate way too much.
Hinata’s appetite really is terrifying.
As expected of the future queen of competitive eating.
It sure won’t be easy keeping her fed.”
“I need to start making money.
Otherwise, I won’t even be able to afford to feed my wife.”
Naruto pulled himself together and clenched his fists.
When he closed his bright blue eyes, a black display case materialized inside his mind.
[Kekkei Genkai—Shikotsumyaku]
[Shikotsumyaku: The ability to freely manipulate every bone in one’s body for attack or defense.
By controlling osteoblasts, osteoclasts, calcium density, and other factors without restriction, the user can generate, break down, or harden their bones at will.]
[Discounted Price: 30,000 ryō]
[Kekkei Genkai—Crystal Release]
[Crystal Release: The ability to instantaneously crystallize any substance other than chakra.
The resulting crystals possess hardness comparable to steel.
Its weakness is infrasonic waves.]
[Discounted Price: 30,000 ryō]
[Kekkei Genkai—Adamantine Sealing Chains]
[Adamantine Sealing Chains: An ability unique to the Uzumaki clan.
When activated, numerous chakra chains extend from the user’s back.
They can serve as powerful offensive weapons, create barriers, and even restrain and seal tailed beasts.]
[Discounted Price: 30,000 ryō]
[Kekkei Genkai—Scorch Release]
[Scorch Release: A kekkei genkai created by combining Wind Release chakra with Fire Release chakra.
Its techniques can instantly evaporate all the moisture inside an opponent’s body and possess tremendous destructive power.]
[Discounted Price: 30,000 ryō]
“I really want to buy all of them…”
Unfortunately, these were the only four kekkei genkai in the display case currently being offered at a discount.
Every other kekkei genkai was being sold at full price.
The Sharingan, Byakugan, and Wood Release, for example, each started at five hundred million ryō.
More advanced ocular kekkei genkai such as the Rinnegan and Tenseigan were even more expensive, costing several billion ryō.
Naruto pulled out his frog-shaped wallet.
Looking at its bulging belly, he gently stroked it.
“Thirty thousand ryō.
It took me three years to save this much, and I scraped together every last coin by depriving myself…”
He slowly exhaled.
His expression returned to its usual calm as he declared:
“Purchase Kekkei Genkai—Scorch Release!”
The instant his words fell, the flame representing Scorch Release inside the display case gradually turned gray, indicating that the purchase had been completed.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Suddenly—
Naruto felt a wave of intense heat erupt inside his abdomen.
It was as though a roaring fire had ignited within him and was threatening to burn his entire body to ashes.
The process continued for approximately thirty seconds.
Once it ended, Naruto stared blankly at the flames rising from his hand.
“So this is… Scorch Release?”
The flames in his palm resembled two miniature suns, burning fiercely and radiating heat like the inferno inside a cremation furnace.
Under their scorching heat, the surrounding air rapidly climbed past one hundred degrees Celsius.
The leaves overhead turned yellow and looked ready to burst into flames at any moment.
“At last… I finally have some real power…”
A faint smile appeared on Naruto’s face.
He had been in this world for six years, growing up in an environment filled with malice while everyone around him deliberately targeted him.
Even after entering the Ninja Academy, he had no opportunity to learn advanced ninjutsu.
In the original future, while all his peers mastered their clans’ secret techniques or learned other ninjutsu, he possessed nothing but the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
But now, at long last, he had obtained a measure of strength with which to protect himself.
Naruto cautiously moved the flames in his hand closer to the large tree.
FWOOM!
The towering tree, whose trunk was so broad that even four or five adults joining hands could not have encircled it, ignited instantaneously.
Scorching flames slithered up the trunk like fiery serpents.
In the blink of an eye, the trunk, branches, and leaves were completely engulfed in a raging inferno.
“Not bad!”
Naruto smiled.
With temperatures this intense, it was no wonder Scorch Release could instantly roast someone into a desiccated corpse.
Before long, several villagers rushed over.
Upon seeing the raging blaze, they hurriedly began carrying buckets of water to extinguish it.
It took almost a hundred buckets before they finally managed to put out the flames covering the tree.
Even then, the inside of its trunk continued to burn.
“This is unbelievable.
How could such an enormous fire have started so suddenly?
Did the tree spontaneously combust?”
After leaving the Hokage Monument, Naruto followed the street toward the Forest of Death.
Every villager he encountered turned to stare at him with disgust before whispering among themselves.
“Why did that monster come here?”
“How disgusting.
Look—he even has whiskers on his face…”
“Exactly.
Why does he have to come out onto the street?
Just looking at him makes me sick…”
“Stay away from him.
Don’t speak to him.
That brat is the fox demon.
It would be best if he hurried up and died…”
“…”
Naruto remained expressionless.
With both hands tucked inside his pockets, he completely ignored the voices surrounding him.
He had been in this world for six years, and this was something he had experienced almost every day of his life.
He had long since grown accustomed to living amid words overflowing with hatred.
Right now, he still lacked sufficient strength and could only endure their wanton insults and abuse.
But once he became powerful enough…
He would not spare a single one of them.
Every humiliation he had suffered would be repaid a hundredfold.