Although she had anticipated the strength of the blond boy with feline eyes, his actions exceeded her expectations.
The young Uchiha stood stunned for a moment, then her expression hardened.
After all, a proud Uchiha didn't need anyone to save them. It was time to remind him of the Uchiha's superiority.
But...
"What's wrong with you…?"
As she was about to speak, she noticed something strange about the blond.
His pants were oddly swollen, as if hiding a large fruit.
An outfit... rather unusual.
"It swelled up."
Naruto scratched his head.
"I must be sick. I was planning to go to the hospital today."
He looked down at his crotch with an innocent expression.
Nothing about his demeanor hinted that he had just tossed three kids around like trash bags.
Sako: "Then go get yourself checked out."
During their exchange, Kyūbi, lurking in Naruto's mind, watched the scene with rare intensity.
Kyūbi: "This brat Naruto possesses half the blood of the Uzumaki clan. He can more or less withstand my chakra, which makes him an acceptable jinchūriki. My chakra overflows with exceptional vitality, which also explains his physical changes. An excessive amount of this energy could even revive dead trees… If this brat became a perfect jinchūriki, like Asura once was…"
Kyūbi chuckled. Him, joining forces with a human? Never.
Times had changed.
Since Indra, that scum, was born, humanity had only declined.
Hell is empty, all the demons are here.
No human in this world was worth sparing!
"So, I can assume the reason this brat isn't affected by my negative emotions… is because he's hiding a true demon inside! Normally, a jinchūriki must endure the hatred of a bijū's chakra before becoming perfect. But him? Not only is he unaffected, but he grows stronger!"
That hypothesis sent a chill down Kyūbi's spine.
A jinchūriki radically different from Mito and Kushina.
A host capable of resisting a bijū's hatred…
What did that mean?
And if that theory was true… it would mean this kid was a demon from birth!
Is man born good?
No. Some are simply born evil.
"What's your name?"
Before leaving, the young Uchiha asked one final question.
"Naruto. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. And you?"
"Hmph! I don't make a habit of giving my name to just anyone."
She turned her head, offering Naruto her proud profile.
A light breeze lifted her bangs, highlighting her haughty air.
A tsundere, huh?
Naruto understood instantly.
Uchihas were often like that.
Sako: "Uzumaki Naruto… You're not too bad. Next time we meet, I hope you'll be worthy of facing me."
With those words, she stuffed her hands into her pockets and walked away coolly.
"…"
Naruto watched her silhouette fade into the distance, then turned to the three kids struggling to get up.
Naruto: "Guys… I'm a little short on cash right now."
His smile became even gentler.
"Could you lend me a bit of pocket money? When I become the 7th Hokage, I'll make you high-ranking dignitaries of Konoha…"
Kyūbi: "…"
---
"We hope to see you again soon."
A graceful woman exited the store, arms full of bags.
On the way, she spotted her daughter waiting for her.
Mikoto: "Sako."
Sako: "Mom."
She took the bags from her mother's hands.
Seeing her daughter so considerate, Mikoto couldn't help but smile.
"Sako, when you grow up, you must become an exemplary wife and mother."
"Never!"
She shook her head firmly, the bags bouncing.
"I want to follow in Father and Brother's footsteps. Join the Military Police and become an exceptional kunoichi!"
Mikoto smiled without replying.
She too had once had such dreams.
But people change.
Even a fiery girl like Kushina had become gentle after finding love…
At the thought of her late friend, Mikoto's gaze became distant.
"Mom, earlier I met a weird guy…"
She briefly recounted the encounter.
Neither she nor her mother noticed the observer hidden in the nearby alleyway.
Concealed in the shadows, Naruto recorded every detail of the scene.
Even after having two children, that woman was breathtakingly beautiful.
Time had left no mark on her, like a wine that only grew richer.
Her slender figure was highlighted by a conservative blue dress that couldn't hide her voluptuous curves.
Naruto's gaze slowly drifted… and settled on her heart-shaped hips.
Kyūbi: "This kid… he envies that woman for having a family, huh?"
Seeing only part of the scene, Kyūbi assumed Naruto was consumed by jealousy.
When Mikoto and Sako disappeared into the crowd, Naruto ended his observation.
"Not Sasuke♂… but Sako♀?!"
He let out a long internal sigh.
He was genuinely surprised.
"In that case… Sakura's role is kind of useless now, isn't it?"
If Sasuke was a girl…
Wouldn't that turn the story into a romantic quest, with the hero chasing his beloved across the world, torn between love and rivalry?
In that case, what role was left for Sakura, Ino, and the others?
"Besides… the attitude of those kids toward the Uchiha says a lot about how the Konoha council treats them."
Behind his airheaded appearance, Naruto was far from stupid.
As a Naruto fan and expert, he knew every detail of the plot.
The persecution of the Uchiha? He was well aware of it.
"If the story follows its course, in a few years, the Uchiha clan will be exterminated… If Sako loses her mother, she'll be devastated… I have to stop that. For that… I need POWER."
Thinking of the adorable Sako…
And the stunning Aunt Mikoto, with her alluring hips…
An intense heat surged through Naruto, like a volcano erupting.
This sudden fervor did not escape Kyūbi.
Kyūbi: "What's going on?!"
He couldn't understand the change.
But clearly, the seal had weakened further.
This evolution filled him with savage joy, sweeping away his questions.
Kyūbi: "Yes, that's it… Uzumaki Naruto, use even more of my power! And one day…"
You'll become the key to my resurrection!
Naruto: "Mmm…"
A burning sensation in his belly signaled another chakra leak.
With the influx of energy, his body changed again.
His pupils narrowed further.
The whisker-like marks on his cheeks turned scarlet.
His teeth sharpened, his nails lengthened…
Once the transformation stabilized, Naruto felt strangely… good.
A puddle reflected his current appearance.
If he went to the hospital like this, he'd surely cause a panic.
After a brief moment of thought, Naruto decided to return home.
— At least until these changes faded.
He turned around and ran, faster than ever.
His chakra had increased, his physical strength too… and his mind raced at lightning speed.
As he darted through the dark alleys, Naruto made a decision.
He had to stop the Uchiha massacre.
That was already one of his goals upon entering this world.
But now, with Sasuke becoming Sako♀, and after seeing Aunt Mikoto…
His determination only grew stronger.
Kyūbi: "You don't want others to see you like this? Why? You're so much stronger now…"
Ignoring Kyūbi's manipulations, Naruto quickly reached his apartment.
"Hmm?"
As he was about to open the door, he noticed something.
Some blond hairs lay on the ground, mixed with dust.
And the hair he had placed in the doorframe… was gone.
Naruto: "There's… a thief in my house?"
Being a jinchūriki, Naruto knew he didn't live in a completely safe environment.
He always took precautions.
So… who had broken in?
He stepped away from the door and climbed to the upper floor, preferring to enter through the balcony…