บท 23: Chapter 23: Uzumaki Naruto, Ran Away?

After school, Uzumaki Naruto walked alone on the road, unable to calm his turbulent thoughts.

The Fourth Hokage of Konoha Village, Namikaze Minato, had sacrificed his life heroically to save the village. His death, however, was never fully explained, though his accomplishments during the Third Ninja World War were widely praised. At the age of 20, he single-handedly repelled the Iwagakure forces that had nearly reached Mt. Kikyo, a critical point that would have allowed them to invade Konoha.

But despite knowing the historical significance of Namikaze Minato, Naruto's mind was elsewhere. Right now, he couldn't focus on the heroic tales of the man who had become the Golden Flash of Konoha. All he could think of was how much he resembled Minato. The blonde hair, the blue eyes – at first, Naruto had thought he had seen this person before, but then realized that it was himself. His appearance was exactly like the Fourth Hokage's.

There was no one else in Konoha with such golden hair and bright blue eyes. A thought began to form in Naruto's mind: could he possibly be related to Namikaze Minato? The resemblance was too striking to ignore. After all, they both shared the same clan – or at least, that's what Naruto thought. But then came the troubling question: Why am I called Uzumaki Naruto, and not Namikaze Naruto, if he's my father?

Walking home, Naruto's heart grew heavier with each step. He had no intention of going to the back mountain to practice today. He simply couldn't focus on anything other than his growing confusion.

Meanwhile, in a different world, Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, asked the others in the group, "Is it true that only father and son share this unique hair color and eye color in Konoha Village?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sighed deeply. "Yes, that's true," he said quietly, though the burden of the situation weighed heavily on him.

Shimura Danzō, who had always been sharp and calculating, scoffed at Sarutobi's response. "Hiruzen, how could you not know this? Do you even know the villagers' mindset? The First Hokage himself is asking you!"

The tension in the room grew as Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, added, "If even this isn't clear to you, something is definitely wrong."

Orochimaru, ever the provocateur, chimed in, "The Third Hokage has always been careless, hasn't he? It's so obvious that Naruto looks just like his father. Why hasn't anyone noticed this sooner? The villagers should have realized it long ago."

Yamanaka Ino, one of the villagers of Konoha, shook her head. "We really don't know. We've never seen the Fourth Hokage's face properly."

Haruno Sakura added, "Who even cares about the history of Konoha? We're more focused on the present. Why would we learn about a hokage who died so long ago?"

Back in the pure land world, Senju Tobirama was furious. "It's ridiculous that no one in Konoha seems to know that Naruto is the son of the Fourth Hokage. How could they not have figured it out by now?"

Onoki, the Tsuchikage, couldn't believe his ears. "It's clear as day. Naruto and Minato look exactly alike, and yet, the villagers continue to talk behind his back, blaming him for the Fourth Hokage's death."

As the debate continued, Sarutobi Hiruzen remained calm, though his thoughts were troubled. "I'm aware of my duties. This matter must be investigated. I will handle it carefully," he said, attempting to deflect blame and appease the group.

Shimura Danzō, however, was less convinced. He knew full well that Sarutobi was merely buying time. "What a tactic," he muttered under his breath.

As Sarutobi continued to make excuses, the discussions turned to Naruto. On his way home from school, Naruto felt the sting of the cruel words the villagers had been whispering behind his back. He heard them again today, blaming him for the death of his father. The words seemed to cut deeper than ever before.

"That damn fox. He's the reason Fourth Hokage died," they whispered as he walked past. Their words stung, but what hurt even more was that Naruto didn't understand why they felt that way. He was just a child, after all. He had done nothing wrong.

His mind raced, trying to piece together the mystery of his parentage. Why was he treated this way? What had he done to deserve this kind of treatment? Naruto stopped walking, his fists clenched at his sides. His mind was filled with a sense of despair and frustration.

"What did I do wrong?" he muttered quietly to himself.

The villagers who were gossiping about him noticed his sudden pause and immediately began to disperse, frightened by the change in his demeanor.

Naruto stood alone in the street, his head bowed, consumed by his confusion and anger. His feelings of isolation grew stronger as his thoughts spiraled out of control. But what no one noticed, not even Naruto himself, was the change that had taken place within him.

His eyes, once a soft blue, were now blood-red, and the Six Paths symbols on his face had begun to appear, becoming more defined. His canine teeth had grown longer, sharper, and his entire body radiated an eerie energy that was foreign to him.

At that moment, Naruto was far more than just a confused child. The power that lay dormant inside him was beginning to stir, and the consequences of this awakening would change the course of his destiny forever.

As Naruto stood there, overwhelmed by the swirling emotions and newfound power, the villagers remained blissfully unaware of the storm that was brewing within him. What they saw was simply a child who had been labeled as the cause of Konoha's greatest tragedy. What they didn't see was the burden that weighed on his heart, nor the incredible power that was now beginning to manifest.

The truth about Naruto's lineage, his connection to the Fourth Hokage, and the power he carried within him was still a mystery. But as his anger grew, so did the tension within Konoha, and soon, the entire village would be forced to confront the truth – whether they were ready for it or not.

And for Naruto, the journey ahead would be filled with unimaginable challenges as he sought to uncover the truth about his past, his family, and the dark powers that were awakening inside him.

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