Naruto did not understand why he had returned to Konoha Village in the Land of Fire.
But he was no longer the three-year-old child he was when he first transmigrated; after being educated by and spending time with Heiter and Sister Fern, Naruto was calm enough to handle such situations.
The Nine-Tailed inside his body suddenly transmitted a slightly suspicious voice: “Kid, is this the world you were talking about?”
Naruto asked in confusion: “You can see the outside world?
Before…”
“That’s because this time I am no longer obstructing the flow of Chakra between us, and the seal has loosened after twelve years, so I can see everything you see through your body,” the Nine-Tailed interrupted.
“The problem isn’t that; it’s that the Magic World you spoke of seems to be fake!”
Naruto’s tone weakened slightly: “I don’t know why either, but everything I experienced is real!”
Just like how Grandpa Heiter told the stories of the Hero Party; they aren’t fairy tales, but real people.
Grandpa Heiter, Sister Fern, and that elf Frieren, who has lived for who knows how many years, whom he met in that world…
Their words seemed to still be echoing in his ears.
The knowledge he learned was also still fresh in his memory.
It absolutely could not be fake!
Just as Naruto was about to go out to check the situation outside, he suddenly noticed that at some point, a wooden staff with a golden ribbon tied to it had been placed on the table.
This was the staff Grandpa Heiter had made for him!
Naruto’s eyes lit up instantly, and he shouted to the creature inside him: “Did you see this staff?
It’s the staff from the world I told you about!”
The Nine-Tailed paused, then said dismissively: “Isn’t this just a piece of ordinary wood?”
“This is not ordinary wood!” Naruto didn’t explain much to the Nine-Tailed, instead carefully sensing the flow of magic power within his body.
“Hmph.”
The Nine-Tailed snorted coldly, ignoring Naruto’s defense; in its view, it had been completely deceived by this child.
But Naruto had already confirmed one thing: the Magic World absolutely existed.
The only thing to consider now was why he had transmigrated and what the catalyst for it was.
As well as finding out the identity of his parents; were they truly dead?
And also…
Figuring out the purpose of the Jutsu on his stomach, as well as the principles of Chakra.
That way, Grandma Frieren wouldn’t have to waste time on him every day.
Of course, the title ‘Grandma’ was something Naruto had subconsciously called her after hearing that she had lived for hundreds, or even thousands, of years.
However, Frieren seemed to mind this title, so Naruto only called her that in his mind.
Thinking of this, Naruto asked the existence deep within him again: “What is your name?”
“Why should I tell you?” the Nine-Tailed responded impatiently.
It somewhat regretted reaching a brief ‘reconciliation’ with Naruto.
Naruto asked calmly: “I just want to understand some things about Konoha Village.”
“You shouldn’t come and ask me!”
The Nine-Tailed left this sentence and then severed the connection with Naruto.
Seeing this, Naruto sighed softly; he had gone to the Magic World and spent five years with Heiter and Sister Fern.
After Frieren arrived, they lived together for another four years.
In other words, had he already left Konoha for nine years?
But strangely, his body didn’t seem to have grown much.
At least it was much thinner and weaker than his self in the Magic World.
Naruto didn’t concern himself with this trivial matter; after all, his actual age had already reached 12.
What he was more concerned about now was how to explain leaving Konoha Village for nine years.
Never mind whether the villagers, who were cold and fierce toward him, would believe him; perhaps even the Third Hokage, whom he respected the most, wouldn’t believe such an absurd story?
While deep in thought, Naruto cleaned up the room.
Then, he grabbed some banknotes and carried bags of trash out the door.
Naruto ignored the distant gazes of the surrounding villagers, threw away the trash, and went straight to the nearest shop.
The food he had bought before was already near its expiration date, and after nine years, it was probably completely inedible.
As for that shop that always sold him near-expired food, Naruto didn’t want to visit it again.
“Hey, get lost, you’re not welcome here!”
The shopkeeper, seeing Naruto approach, immediately said in a tone of disgust.
Naruto was slightly taken aback.
He hadn’t experienced this kind of gaze and feeling for many years, but what really concerned him was…
Did these people not realize that he had disappeared for nine years?
Come to think of it…
Naruto only then realized that whether it was the decorations in his home or the appearance of the people around him, everything told the story that nothing had changed at all!
In other words, although he had transmigrated to the Magic World, time here, and even his body, had not changed; they were stagnant!
Or perhaps nine years had passed in the Magic World, but only nine minutes, or even ninety minutes, had passed in this world!
On the other side.
The shopkeeper didn’t care about Naruto’s inner thoughts; he just felt that this Demon Fox standing in front of his shop not only affected his business but would even bring bad luck and curses, so he raised his voice again:
“I said, are you deaf?
I told you to get lost!”
Naruto frowned slightly; the memories of Konoha Village were already too distant.
So distant that he had forgotten why the people in the Village hated him; it seemed to have been that way since he was old enough to understand things.
Therefore, Naruto asked neither humbly nor arrogantly: “Why?
I’m just here to buy things.
I give you money, you sell me the goods I want directly; it’s such a simple matter…”
At this point, Naruto even began to miss the Holy Capital.
There, he was not only not rejected or shunned.
But everyone was respectful and kind to him.
The reason was simple: he was Heiter’s ‘child’.
Heiter not only served as a bishop in the Holy Capital but was also a member of the Hero Party that defeated the Demon King.
Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that Naruto himself was a ‘descendant’ of a hero.
So, he was also very respected in the Holy Capital and had never suffered such rejection.
The shopkeeper didn’t care about such simple logic; he just said coldly with an undisguised expression of disgust: “But I just don’t want to sell to you; you’re the guy who brings disaster to the Village!”
If it weren’t for the fact that three years ago, the Third Hokage ordered everyone not to mention words like Demon Fox in front of Naruto, he would have cursed out loud long ago.
“Sorry, I have to eat, and…
I’m not refusing to pay, and I have never brought disaster to the Village!”
Naruto said, then slammed the remaining money in his pocket onto the table.
The shopkeeper was startled by Naruto’s sudden action, and the expression on his face changed from disgust to astonishment.
In all the years he had been running the shop, this was the first time he had seen this blonde kid dare to talk to him like that.
“You…
you monster…” the shopkeeper came to his senses, his face turning red, “you dare to talk back?!”
Naruto didn’t flinch; he just looked at the other person calmly.
He remembered what Grandpa Heiter had once said.
“No matter who the other person is, you must maintain your dignity.”
“I just want to buy food.” Naruto repeated it again, “This is the money, please give me the items, and I won’t bring any bad influence.”
His tone was neither rushed nor slow; it lacked the timidity and introversion of the three-year-old child from back then, and it had no aggression.
The surrounding villagers began to gather and whisper.
“How is this monster different from before?”
“He actually dared to resist…”
“As expected of a monster, he doesn’t know the rules at all.”
Naruto heard these words, but he didn’t lower his head like he used to; he just stood quietly at the shop entrance, waiting for the shopkeeper’s response.
The shopkeeper was somewhat embarrassed by his demeanor and was about to lash out, when an old but steady voice came from behind him.
“What’s going on?”
The crowd automatically made way.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, smoking a pipe, walked over slowly.