Menma dried himself off with the towel he'd brought along, slipped into the fresh set of underclothes, and put his outfit back on. Just as he picked up his basket to leave the mountains and head home, he felt a shift.
That vague, almost imperceptible sensation of being watched completely vanished.
Is time up for today? Menma thought, keeping his expression neutral despite his internal monologue.
This surveillance from the void wasn't something he guessed at. He had discovered it two or three years ago during an accidental "awakening." Given his red hair, he figured this ability came from his mother's side—the Uzumaki clan's unique bloodline trait: the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
Even though Menma couldn't mold chakra yet, this innate ability allowed him to sense things ordinary people couldn't. He could detect the ANBU agents who were always lurking nearby to "protect" him, and he could even sense when the Third Hokage was using his crystal ball for the "Telescope Technique."
At his current level, he couldn't pinpoint exact locations, but he could feel their vague signatures. He knew when the technique started, when it ended, and roughly where the ANBU were shadowing him. He figured that as he got stronger and mastered his bloodline limit, his sensory abilities might one day rival Karin's, or perhaps even surpass her.
This ability gave him a sliver of security. At least he wasn't flying blind. He knew when he was being watched, so he knew exactly when he had to behave.
Especially when the Third Hokage was personally watching. Menma knew he couldn't afford a single slip-up then.
Of course, the Third didn't have time to watch a kid 24/7. He usually checked in every few days, and never for more than three hours at a time. The man was the Shadow of the Village; he had a mountain of paperwork to get through.
Since Menma had a dedicated ANBU squad trailing him within the village walls, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't need to worry too much.
---
Menma made his way down the mountain.
It was now around noon. Unlike his early morning departure, the return trip required caution. He stuck to the backroads and alleyways. Thanks to the Mind's Eye, he was much more sensitive to the malice of the villagers than Naruto was in the original story.
He didn't avoid them just because they hated him. He avoided them because he didn't trust his own poker face yet. He was terrified that if he felt too much of their directed hatred, he might slip up and let a look of resentment or rage cross his face.
That was the one thing he couldn't afford right now.
He couldn't pull off the "canon Naruto" act yet—the kid who acted out because he was lonely but desperately wanted acceptance. Menma wasn't going to pour gas on the fire.
Surviving childhood was the priority.
For the past five years, he had stuck to this code: Avoid people. If you sense someone coming, detour.
However, today was an exception.
He had taken the long way around, choosing a path that was usually deserted. But as he approached a vacant lot near his apartment, he saw a group of kids.
Normally, he would have turned around immediately.
But he froze. First, because the kids were his age. Second, because of the little girl they had surrounded.
She had silky black hair, crystalline white eyes, and a familiar, timid, and gentle face.
Hinata Hyūga...
Menma whispered the name in his heart.
The eldest daughter of the Hyūga main family. One of the most popular female characters from the original series. And, in his past life, Menma's personal favorite character.
He had always thought the original Naruto was incredibly lucky. When Naruto finally fell in love with Hinata, she had been loving him all along. As a die-hard "NaruHina" shipper in his previous life, he knew their history by heart.
And this... this was the moment.
This was the scene where they first truly connected. In the original story, Naruto stepped in to save Hinata from bullies. Even though he failed to beat them, that act of bravery left an indelible mark on Hinata's heart.
Seeing the scene play out in real life, exactly as he remembered it, Menma's heart raced. He instinctively took a step forward, ready to intervene.
But in that split second...
"Hey! Cut it out! What are you doing?!"
A bright, loud, and slightly angry voice rang out.
"A bunch of guys ganging up on a girl? Is that what you think men do?!"
In a flash of gold, a figure rushed past Menma, reaching the center of the conflict before he could.
The boy threw his arms out, shielding the small girl behind him.
Menma froze. He stared at the familiar spiky blonde hair and blue eyes—a profile that looked painfully similar to his own.
The bullies were stunned, too.
One of them was about to curse at the intruder, but the leader of the group—an older boy—recognized the blonde kid immediately.
He grabbed his dim-witted friend and yanked him back.
"Master Naruto! We're sorry! We were just leaving! We're going right now!"
The leader bowed frantically. His panicked apology sent a jolt through the other bullies. They suddenly realized who they were looking at.
This was the son of the Fourth Hokage, the hero who died saving the village. This was Master Naruto Namikaze.
The group immediately bowed in unison, terrified.
The social gap between them and Naruto was massive. If their parents found out they had messed with the "Young Master," they wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.
Naruto blinked, confused by their terrified reaction.
But his simple, carefree nature took over a second later. He grinned and waved his hand dismissively.
"As long as you know you're wrong! Real men don't bully girls, got it?"
"Yes! Yes, of course! We'll be going now, excuse us, Master Naruto!"
"Yeah, see ya!"