"Good day, Yashiro-sama~"
"Yashiro-sama, what brings you here today?"
"Fresh fruit just came in—please have a taste, Yashiro-sama!"
The moment Yashiro appeared on the commercial street,the shopkeepers immediately lit up with enthusiasm, crowding forward to greet him.
After all—
Fully half of Konoha's commercial districts were owned by the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
As for how they acquired them…those who understood, understood.
And nearly all the buildings constructed afterward belonged to the two families as well—thanks to ROOT's very own architectural prodigy, Yamato,who could build houses like stacking blocks.
As a result, most of the merchants here were renting Sarutobi properties.
They had no choice but to be polite.
Yashiro didn't spare the shopkeepers a single glance.
At the same time, the merchants noticed Naruto walking behind him.
Suspicion stirred in their hearts,yet not a single one dared show even the slightest hint of disgust toward Naruto in Yashiro's presence.
Naruto, who had been feeling uneasy,looked at the smiling faces around him—smiles that felt almost servile.
It was a kind of expression he had never seen before.
Confused and unsure what to say,Naruto could only trail silently behind Yashiro.
Yet in his heart,an unfamiliar feeling quietly took root.
Before long, the two arrived at a barbecue restaurant.
A graceful figure was already waiting there.
"Yashiro-sama, everything has been arranged."
It was Uchiha Izumi,who had only just become Yashiro's personal maid.
Seeing how respectfully Izumi treated Yashiro,Naruto couldn't help feeling a wave of envy.
But very quickly,his attention was completely stolen by the sizzling meat on the grill,fat crackling and dripping as it roasted.
"Gulp…"
Naruto, who had never eaten barbecue before,swallowed hard again and again.
Watching him, Yashiro felt both amused and oddly pained.
"Go ahead. Eat."
"Huh? R-Really? You're actually treating me?!"
Naruto's eyes lit up at once,yet he still looked at Yashiro cautiously,as if wondering what he possibly had that was worth being treated to a meal.
It was like someone who had lived in darkness for too long—when light suddenly shone in,their first instinct wasn't to embrace it,but to test it carefully.
Yashiro saw through Naruto's guardedness and spoke casually.
"Eat. Didn't you want to be my friend?"
"What—scared now?"
Naruto scratched his head awkwardly, then laughed,before diving into the food with abandon.
His first time eating real barbecue—and with his very first friend.
As he ate,a glimmer of moisture flashed briefly at the corner of Naruto's eyes,only to be quickly hidden.
After all—
Just surviving to this age hadn't been easy for Naruto.
Aside from Ichiraku Ramen,almost no restaurants would serve him.
In shops, he could only buy food nearing expiration.He often went hungry,sometimes even fishing just to fill his stomach.
Thinking of this,Yashiro became even more determined to turn Naruto into his subordinate.
A kid who should have grown into a scheming, ruthless survivorsomehow ended up becoming the sun that saved the world—
It was completely unscientific.
After they had eaten their fill,Yashiro gave Izumi a subtle look.
She understood immediately and slid the private room door shut.
"Naruto," Yashiro said calmly,"do you want to know why the villagers hate you?"
Naruto's breath hitched.
"Why?"
Years of treatment like thishad left him desperate for an answer.
Seeing his reaction,Yashiro nodded toward Izumi.
In the next instant,her three-tomoe Sharingan spun to life.
The world twisted—
And Yashiro and Naruto were pulled directly into Naruto's inner world.
In the blink of an eye,they found themselves inside a dark, damp sewer.
"This place…?"
Naruto looked around, suddenly feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
It was as if a voice had always been calling him here.
Following that instinct,the two soon arrived before a massive iron gate.
Behind it—
A gigantic, crimson-furred fox slowly opened its eyes.
"Brat~"
"Come on… tear off the seal."
"Tear it off, and I'll give you the power to destroy everything."
"Kill everyone who humiliated you… everyone who bullied you."
The seductive whispers poured relentlessly into Naruto's ears.
His pupils reddened as his mind began to slip,his body moving forward step by step.
But to Yashiro,it was completely ineffective.
Watching Naruto's dazed state,Yashiro sighed and casually punched him in the head.
Thump!
"Ow!!"
"Why'd you hit me, Yashiro-bro?!"
Clutching the swelling bump on his head,Naruto looked utterly aggrieved.
Yashiro didn't even spare him a glance.
Instead, he walked straight up to the iron gate.
The Nine-Tails, furious that its manipulation had been interrupted,was about to explode—
when it saw Yashiro standing before the seal.
Thinking Yashiro was about to tear it off,the fox's mood flipped instantly.
"Kid—hurry!"
"Tear off the seal! I'll give you power!"
"Unparalleled power!"
Hearing the Nine-Tails' temptation,Yashiro couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Pfft."
"You got sealed by a bunch of mere ninja, and you think you can give me power?"
Those words sent the Nine-Tails into a rage.
Smoke practically poured from its seven orifices as it slammed its claws against the gate,the iron bars shaking violently.
"Damn brat!!!"
"Let me out and I'll tear you into pieces!!!"
"Oh?" Yashiro raised an eyebrow."Then I'll come in. Let's see if you can."
Before the Nine-Tails could finish roaring,Yashiro's figure suddenly appeared inside the gate.
The abrupt scene left the Nine-Tails frozen in shock.
Then—
As the strongest of the tailed beasts,it reacted instantly, delight flashing in its eyes.
"You're asking to die!"
With a single motion,a massive claw lashed out toward Yashiro.
BOOOOM—!!!
A terrifying impact rocked the entire sealed space.
Water surged across the ground like a tsunami.
Yashiro clicked his tongue lightly.
"Tch… worthy of the Nine-Tails."