Konoha, winter.
Snow began to fall in Konohagakure, the flakes drifting down like willow catkins, forming a quilt-like blanket on the ground.
In the heavy snow, Naruto pulled up his hood and stepped out with an umbrella. He walked the streets alone, occasionally glancing around at the passersby.
If the villagers spotted him, he'd have to face those indifferent expressions and the gaze reserved for a monster.
Although Naruto didn't care much about others' opinions, being stared at like that was still somewhat uncomfortable.
After successfully reaching a shop on the street, Naruto closed his umbrella, shook off the rain and snow, and called inside, "Boss, I need some rice, bread, and milk."
The shop owner was a middle-aged man sitting by a stove, wearing gloves against the cold. He looked around and spotted a customer not even as tall as the counter. Smiling, he said:
"Kid, why are you out buying things alone? Where are your parents?"
"They're busy. They asked me to buy enough food for a family of three for a week."
As he spoke, Naruto placed some assorted bills on the counter and scanned the dazzling array of goods on the shelves.
The shop owner glanced at the jumble of money and put it into the cash box.
Just as he was about to gather the goods, Naruto's hood slipped back, revealing his bright blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, and the faint, fox-like marks on his cheeks.
The fox brat from the village?
The shop owner recognized Naruto's identity and frowned.
Naruto calmly looked up, met the shop owner's eyes for a moment, then pulled his hood back up as if to say, What are you waiting for?
The shop owner hesitated, his face frosty as he looked at Naruto, then turned to prepare the order.
Meanwhile, Naruto stood by the door with his hands in his pockets, bored, continuing to browse the shelves and ponder what to eat that night.
Other villagers coming to shop also noticed Naruto. They avoided him as they entered, then began whispering.
"That kid's the demon fox's incarnation. I heard the Fourth Hokage died because of him... and the village suffered huge losses..."
"But he's just a brat. The Fourth Hokage was a war hero. How could he have that kind of power?"
Someone voiced such doubts but was quickly cut off by another:
"You don't get it. That's the scary part about the demon fox. Even though he's just a kid, he holds the power to destroy the world. He could go on a rampage and hurt people at any moment."
"Ah, such a dangerous monster... Why does the village keep him?"
"The Third Hokage is too kind-hearted. He's afraid the fox will wreak havoc outside the village if let go. But that just means we're the unlucky ones."
"So that's how it is. But how can a monster like that have the nerve to keep living? If I were him, I'd have killed myself to atone long ago."
The surrounding villagers gazed coldly at this "demon fox" who had destroyed the village, disgust in their eyes.
Three years had passed since the Nine-Tails attack that destroyed half the village.
People still hadn't forgotten the pain of that year, but they'd transferred their hatred onto the "fox," Naruto. Whether a young child like Naruto could even be responsible for the Nine-Tails incident was something they never considered.
Perhaps they just needed an outlet to vent the resentment built up in their hearts.
Listening to these heart-piercing words, Naruto remained expressionless, but when the discussion grew heated, he shot them a cold stare.
Some villagers, frightened by his fierce gaze, faltered, then kept their distance, not daring to speak openly again.
Naruto felt a bit bored. With a cold snort, he approached the shop owner, looked at the packed cardboard box, and said flatly:
"Boss, there better not be any expired or rotten food in there."
The shop owner was slightly taken aback but vowed, "No way! This store would never sell expired products."
"Better not. If I find any expired food, I'll report this store to the Hokage and the security forces."
With that, Naruto walked out of the shop without looking back, carrying a cardboard box almost as tall as he was.
The villagers nearby shrank back as if avoiding the plague, cursing "bad luck" and "unlucky" after Naruto left.
Those who'd been frightened by Naruto approached the shop owner and questioned him: "Boss, why are you selling food to that monster? Giving him strength to keep threatening us? A monster like that who can't even be properly cooked should just starve to death."
The shop owner glanced at them. "He's still a living being. This is Konoha. Even stray cats and dogs shouldn't be left to starve."
The villagers sneered. "That's not it. I bet you shortchanged him and gave him nearly expired stuff. You're just greedy for the demon fox's money. No wonder you're known as the village's biggest profiteer."
"How can you call charity profiteering?"
The shop owner defended himself guiltily. Laughter erupted around him—everyone knew he was a notorious profiteer.
...
Back home, Naruto slammed the cardboard box onto the floor, then turned and left with his homemade fishing gear.
As for the food inside, Naruto didn't need to open the box to know it was the "best" selection of soon-to-expire items carefully picked out by the profiteer boss.
It might not be rotten, but it was definitely the dregs of the batch—nothing good.
He had to tread carefully; if he offended the shop owner, next time the guy would likely just claim to be out of stock and shoo him away. What could a four-year-old kid do about it?
Who asked him to be the incarnation of the demon fox that destroyed Konoha? Born to be scorned and hated.
Even when facing unfair treatment, the villagers would side against him. He wondered how the Fourth Hokage and his wife would feel seeing this from the Pure Land. Probably quite relieved—after all, this was the village they'd protected.
By the river, the turbulent water hadn't frozen over yet. Naruto cast his hook into the current, watched the splashing water, and waited for the day's catch.
If he came up empty like the past few days, he wouldn't get to eat meat again.
Whoosh...
The biting wind made Naruto shrink his neck. Rubbing his hands together for warmth, he couldn't help but sigh.
It was true—he was Uzumaki Naruto, but inside him was the soul of a transmigrator.
In his previous life, he was a wage slave who grew up in an orphanage. He'd loved Naruto since childhood and grew up alongside Naruto and Sasuke in the story.
As an adult, after pulling an all-nighter binge-reading the finale and furiously complaining about the power rankings, he'd unexpectedly crossed over.
When he woke up, he witnessed the famous scene of Namikaze Minato using the Reaper Death Seal on himself... and became an orphan once again.
Being an orphan wasn't the worst—he'd grown up in an orphanage in his previous life and was used to solitude.
It was just that starting with Naruto's identity came with more pressure than he'd imagined.
In just four years, he'd experienced wet nurses refusing to breastfeed him, price gouging when buying groceries, and bullying by bratty kids.
These things were harder to bear than material lack.
With an adult's mind, it was difficult to endure this malice. He could only rely on the Uzumaki clan's physique to pull through.
It was hard to imagine how the original Naruto could maintain such a sunny, cheerful personality while bearing all this malice. Could Asura's chakra really influence his personality that much?
Anyway, he found it impossible to face those malicious villagers with a smile.
Even if the villagers didn't know the truth about his identity as the demon fox container, their malice had already taken its toll.
Lost in thought, a fish bit. Naruto grabbed the rod and swung hard. A fresh, arm-length fish landed in the snow.
"Fish soup for dinner tonight."
A smile finally appeared on Naruto's face. He was about to cast again when he noticed the sky darkening. Regretfully, he hurried home.
It wasn't that he was afraid of the dark—he just didn't want to stunt his growth by staying up late.
Night was the best camouflage. Under the dim streetlights, Naruto took off the hood hiding his identity and walked happily through the streets and alleys, breathing in the fresh air freely, no longer caring about others' eyes.
Soon, Naruto stopped. Someone was blocking his path at the intersection ahead.
It was a girl about his age, with lavender hair, pure white eyes, and tears glistening, as if she was struggling to breathe.
Right now, her small face was full of helplessness, like she was lost at a crossroads in life.
Hinata? Naruto wasn't entirely sure, but those white eyes definitely belonged to the Hyūga clan.
Frowning, Naruto glanced toward the ends of the dark street and any corners where people might be hiding.
The Hyūga clan's young mistress getting lost and running into the poor boy who was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... No matter how you looked at it, it seemed too coincidental, almost like a scripted setup.
After a moment's thought, Naruto was about to turn and leave when he heard Hinata's pleading voice: "Can you help me? I can't find my way home."
Naruto stopped, reached out his hand, and grinned a foxy smile. "Of course."
Hinata raised her small hand hesitantly, but Naruto grabbed it and led the way, asking, "What's your name? Are you from the Hyūga clan? Your eyes look just like theirs. I'll take you to the Hyūga compound."
Naruto didn't press further. Hinata kept nodding but hesitated to speak.
Over ten minutes later, Naruto brought Hinata to the outskirts of the Hyūga compound. The guards, spotting Hinata, rushed over in a panic.
Today's an important village festival—how did the young mistress leave the clan grounds?
Seeing the guards approach, Naruto instinctively tightened his grip on Hinata's hand, sweat dampening his palm.
Realizing this, he quickly let go and smiled at Hinata. "Looks like you're home. I'll head back now."
Hinata seemed to want to say something, but Naruto didn't give her the chance, leaving only a lonely silhouette behind.
Though puzzled, the guards' priority was escorting the young mistress home.
However, the lead Jōnin guard seemed to recognize Naruto's identity and frowned.
After walking a few hundred meters, Naruto heard noise behind him and turned. The Hyūga compound was brightly lit and decorated, as if celebrating some important festival.
Naruto's gaze swept over the clan grounds, finally settling on the outer wall of the Hyūga residence. The wall was three or four meters high, seemingly insurmountable. Inside and outside the wall separated the bustling from the desolate.
The liveliness belonged to others; only loneliness belonged to himself.
Those who couldn't have the liveliness could only enjoy the desolation alone.
Just then, a voice sounded in Naruto's ear:
"Hinata Hyūga's affection for you has reached recognition. You have obtained a pair of 'Winter Warm Gloves.' The girl you helped hopes her friend's hands will no longer be cold