"It went rather well," Sasuke responded. "Though I must confess that tree walking requires better chakra control than I currently have."
"Don't worry about that, Sasuke-kun. I'm confident that you'll have it mastered in no time," Sakura said, encouraging him.
"Actually, Sakura, I mastered it today," Sasuke corrected.
Sakura cheered, "That's great Sasuke-kun! I knew you could do it!"
Minutes later, Inari entered with a hostile look on his face as he looked up slightly to see the tired-out Genin and their sensei eating their dinner.
"Stop your foolishness," Inari said, his voice full of anger. "Why do you all continuously train, knowing you're fighting a battle none of you will win? None of you know anything about this place. None of you know what it means to suffer hardships-"
"Enough!" Naruto strongly ordered, immediately silencing the youth with a voice that grabbed everyone's attention as they all turned to look at him. "I know enough about hardships, boy...a lot more than you think!"
Naruto stood from his seat and walked over to Inari and stood in front of him, towering over the boy with a battle-hardened expression and cold blue eyes that pierced through his soul. Inari cringed in fear from the feeling that penetrated through him the moment he stared straight at him with those unbreakable blue eyes of his.
Tsunami and Tazuna had worried expressions on their faces, hoping Naruto wasn't going to do anything against Inari. Sakura and Sasuke watched while looking at Naruto's expression while they, too, felt Naruto's aura. Kakashi stayed silent as he waited to see what would happen next.
"You say we don't know anything about suffering hardships, right? Well, kid, that just shows how narrowed-minded and ignorant you are. The only one on my team that's lived a relatively peaceful life is Sakura. Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke lost their families early on in their lives. As for me, my parents were killed the day I was born.
"I grew up never knowing what it's like to feel parental love and discipline. I never had a father to teach and guide me or a mother to love and raise me. Since birth, I grew up being ignored, scorned, hated, and looked upon like unwanted trash by my entire village. Heck, I was even thrown out of the orphanage when I was six!
"Parents pulled their children away from me with hate-filled eyes, telling their children to have nothing to do with me, and that I was a monster. In time, that same poisonous hate corrupted their children, and they too scorned, bullied, and hated me. I've been called cruel and vicious names, and my very existence was spat upon. I spent countless nights crying alone, never knowing why everyone hated me so much, why they never wanted me around, why nobody wanted to be my friend. I grew up being lied to by those I trusted, and only recently did I learn the truth.
"During the early years of my life, I used to wonder why I never had parents, never had a family, and never had friends who cared about me. I had to learn to fend for myself while I was in danger of being consumed by the ever growing hate and bloodlust that was developing within my soul, wanting payback for how I was so terribly wronged by the people of the village, and even now I'm fighting to keep that hardened and darkened side of myself at bay.
"Thankfully, I managed to find important people who saved me from becoming the very monster everyone else thought me to be. So tell me, Inari, can you relate to my suffering and nightmares?" Naruto concluded with a cold and hardened tone.
Inari and everyone present was left speechless at Naruto's words. Sakura was in total disbelief at what she heard. All she knew about Naruto was that he was a perverted troublemaker and prankster who caused mayhem wherever he went. What she heard just a moment ago went against everything she thought she knew about Naruto. Sasuke had considered Naruto to be his rival ever since they were nine years old. He competed against Naruto not only to try to prove who the stronger and smarter ninja was, but also for the acknowledgment and affections of the Hyuuga heiress. Seeing this side of Naruto made the Uchiha put into question who Naruto really was.
Kakashi saw a pattern to Naruto: whenever that look in Naruto's eyes changed, the blond's personality and character completely changed to one that he and only he was familiar with, as though he was an entirely different person. Kakashi suspected that that was the true Naruto and that the other one they were used to was an intricate illusion.
You're a true deceiver and illusionist, Naruto, Kakashi thought. I wonder how long it'll be before you decide to drop the mask. Though I still wonder when and how your changes took place. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, but I'll try to make it up to you.
Inari got up and dismissed himself to his room upstairs.
"I never would have known you had such a bitter life, Naruto," Tsunami said sympathetically. "Why would people from your own village treat you so cruelly?"
"It's a long and dark story, and I'd rather not discuss it…I have my reasons," Naruto said. "By the way, I saw a picture of a man with a cross shaped scar under his chin in Inari's room. Where is that man?"
Sighing, Tazuna gave a detailed account to everyone about what had happened with Inari and the man who became his surrogate father, whose name was Kaiza. The old man explained how Kaiza saved Inari from drowning one day after the boy was bullied by the older boys of the village. Tazuna expanded, "From that day, Kaiza quickly became a hero in Inari's eyes, and the two were inseparable. My daughter too, became very close with the man especially after seeing how Inari loved him so much. Many others happened to regard Kaiza as a new hope for the people, seeing as he possessed such a carefree yet courageous heart and spirit.
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