Naruto emerged from the Mental Space and stood there, stunned for a moment.
The conversation he just had with the Nine-Tailed was still spinning in his mind.
The Mental Space is the key.
Obsession is the catalyst.
The first time he crossed over, it was because he wanted to escape Konoha; the second time he returned, it was because he wanted to figure out what was going on in Konoha.
If he wanted to go back, he would probably need the same conditions.
Naruto clenched his fists.
The conversation with the Nine-Tailed gave him new ideas about crossing over.
He would try again when he came back tonight.
Additionally, Naruto also realized that this big fox didn’t seem to be the Nine-Tailed Fox that brought disaster, as rumored.
But regardless.
He had to go to the park first.
He had to go do what he needed to do today.
Find clues.
Clues about the Uchiha Clan and the Masked Man.
And clues about the Uzumaki Clan.
He wondered if peers from the big clans would appear there.
…
The park was on the east side of Konoha Village, not far from Naruto’s home.
Before Naruto even got close, he heard the sounds of children playing.
Turning the corner, he saw a dozen or so children gathered in the open space.
Some were playing hide-and-seek, while others were playing Ninja games.
As soon as Naruto stepped into the park area, the noise died down.
A boy throwing a wooden shuriken saw Naruto, slowed his steps, and then turned to walk back to his companions.
“That person is here.”
“My mom said not to go near him.”
“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s play over there.”
Several children gathered together and walked to the other end of the park.
The remaining children also slowly dispersed.
Some walked past Naruto with their heads down, their steps quick.
A younger girl was about to walk toward Naruto when her mother grabbed her.
The woman bent down and whispered something in the girl’s ear.
The girl looked back at Naruto, her eyes filled with curiosity and confusion.
Then she was led away by her mother.
Naruto stood in place and looked around.
It was empty.
The park, which had been lively just a moment ago, was now completely deserted.
He sighed softly.
As expected, he couldn’t make any friends at all.
Naruto recalled the illustrations of family crests in his textbook.
None of the people just now had one.
Not far away, two kids, one fat and one thin, were quietly watching Naruto’s back.
After the fat one finished the last bit of potato chips in the bag, he said to the thin one beside him: “Shikamaru, that guy is pretty lonely…
Everyone in the Village seems to really exclude him, do you know why?”
These two were Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru.
“I don’t know.
As far as I know, he hasn’t seemed to have done anything.
What a drag…” Shikamaru said, hands behind his head, giving a deadpan look.
Among children of the same age, Akimichi Choji was also disliked, but after Shikamaru discovered his gentle personality, he took the initiative to befriend him.
Therefore, seeing Naruto all alone, Choji saw his former self again.
Choji asked: “Shikamaru, do you think we can be friends with him?”
Regardless of anything, Choji trusted Shikamaru deeply, so before deciding to do anything, he would always ask him.
Shikamaru yawned: “It doesn’t matter to me, but I still have to go home and ask first, otherwise I might get lectured by my mom and dad.”
Because Shikamaru had noticed that many children didn’t isolate or dislike Naruto from the start, but rather developed such behavior under the guidance of their parents.
Choji nodded: “I understand.
Look at the time, it’s almost time for dinner.
Let’s go home.”
“Mm.”
Naruto, who was sensitive to his surroundings and even people’s emotions, turned his head slightly and saw the figures of the fat one and the thin one walking away in the distance.
The fat one was constantly eating snacks, never stopping.
The thin one had his hands behind his head, his walking posture lazy and loose.
It was the Akimichi Clan and the Nara Clan.
Naruto recognized these two family crests.
Those two had been standing in the distance just now, without dodging like the others, nor had they shown expressions of disgust.
Naruto watched their backs and thought for a moment.
If there was a chance, maybe he could get to know them.
But not now.
He turned and walked in the other direction.
…
The Uchiha Compound was in the suburbs of the Village, neither far nor close to the park.
Naruto walked for over ten minutes, and the surrounding buildings became increasingly sparse.
Until he saw an area with dense housing, where the clan crest with the fan pattern could be seen everywhere on walls and doors.
That was the Uchiha Clan crest.
Naruto didn’t walk straight in.
Instead, he stood on the periphery of the compound, pretending to be passing by, and walked slowly.
His eyes, however, kept observing his surroundings.
There were a few people moving around inside the compound, all adults.
Some wore kimonos, others wore Ninja uniforms.
Naruto wanted to find a peer to ask something, but he didn’t see a single child.
After circling the area twice, just as he was preparing to get closer to take a look, he caught a glimpse of something flashing behind him out of the corner of his eye.
It must be someone monitoring him.
He might not have known before.
But now he was very clear about it.
It was the Third Hokage.
…
In the shadows, the Anbu who saw this scene was suddenly somewhat flustered.
Ever since the Nine-Tails Incident, the Konoha High Council had suspected that the Uchiha were responsible for the disaster caused by controlling the Nine-Tailed, and the tension between the two sides had grown increasingly intense.
Now seeing Naruto getting closer and closer to the Uchiha Compound, the Anbu did not hesitate and sped off in the direction of the Hokage Office.
Inside the Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was handling today’s affairs when he saw the Anbu responsible for monitoring Naruto flash into the room.
He frowned slightly and asked: “Did something happen to Naruto?”
“The Jinchuriki has appeared near the Uchiha Compound, with an unclear objective.” The Anbu responded immediately.
Hiruzen Sarutobi heard this, his brows furrowing deeper, and he muttered: “Why would Naruto go near the Uchiha Compound…”
“Should we take the Jinchuriki away from the Uchiha Compound?” The Anbu asked.
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand: “You continue monitoring first; I will handle this matter.”
“Yes!”
The Anbu disappeared at the sound.
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples, turned on the crystal ball beside him, and used the Telescope Technique to check Naruto’s movements.
He discovered that he was indeed near the Uchiha Compound, seemingly looking for someone or something.
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could take his next step, the door was violently pushed open by someone.
“Hiruzen, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is becoming increasingly undisciplined, actually entering the vicinity of the Uchiha Compound without authorization.
Do you know what this means?”
The newcomer wore a black-gray kimono, leaned on a cane, had his head and right eye wrapped in bandages, and had an X-shaped scar on his chin.
“I think you shouldn’t be involved in the affairs of the Jinchuriki, right?
Danzo!” After seeing who it was, Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted coldly.
Besides the Hokage’s direct Anbu monitoring Naruto, Danzo’s private armed force, Root, was also monitoring Naruto.
This did not surprise Hiruzen Sarutobi.
What was unexpected was that he had come over furiously, clearly plotting something else.
Danzo said coldly: “If the people of the Uchiha Clan take this opportunity to control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, it will be too late.
You had better hand Naruto over to me for discipline.”
“I have seen his grades at the Ninja Academy; they are quite good…”
“Rest assured, within five years, no!
In just three years, I will train him into a qualified weapon of war!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi said displeasedly: “Enough.
Don’t forget, I am the Hokage.”
“How to discipline Naruto is not something I need you to tell me!”
Danzo’s mouth twitched slightly, he struck the floor heavily with his cane, and said angrily: “You will regret this, Hiruzen!”
Having said that, regardless of Hiruzen’s reaction, he turned and left, slamming the door shut.
“Bang!”