Prologue

A boy of about five years old sat on the roof of the house and looked at the clouds that floated smoothly and every now and then cast a shadow on the faces of the Hokage. The boy had sky-blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires and wheat-colored hair that swayed slightly from the light wind. There was also something on his face - something like a mustache, three whiskers on each cheek. But they looked as if they were drawn on with a marker. The boy had a rather sad expression on his round face. He sat cross-legged on the roof tiles and thought about many things: who his parents were; why everyone treated him with contempt; why they called him a demon.

But his thoughts were interrupted by an old man's voice from below. "Naruto!" The voice called out his name.

Naruto turned his head and saw an old man standing at the door of his shabby apartment. The old man had a long white beard that reached his chest and a red hat that bore the symbol of fire - the emblem of Konoha. He wore a white robe with red flames at the hem and a green vest over it. He carried a wooden pipe in his mouth and a scroll in his hand. He was Hiruzen Sarutobi - the Third Hokage - the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village and the strongest ninja in the land.

"What do you want, old man?" Naruto asked rudely as he jumped off the roof and landed in front of him.

"I brought you your money for this month." The Hokage said calmly as he handed him a small pouch.

"I don't need your pity money!" Naruto snapped as he pushed away the pouch.

"Naruto," The Hokage said gently as he tried to give him the pouch again. "Please don't be like that. You know I care about you."

"Yeah, right." Naruto said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"Naruto," The Hokage said firmly as he grabbed his shoulder and made him look at him. He smiled warmly at him. "You are a *special* boy, Naruto. You have a great destiny ahead of you."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked suspiciously as he shrugged off his hand.

The Hokage hesitated for a moment. He wanted to tell Naruto the truth about his past - about his parents - about the demon sealed inside him. But he knew it was too dangerous - too soon. He had to protect Naruto from his enemies - from himself.

"Never mind." He said vaguely as he turned around and walked away. "Maybe someday I'll tell you."

He opened the door and stepped outside.

"Wait!" Naruto called out as he ran after him. He grabbed his sleeve. "Don't go! Please tell me now! Who are my parents?"

"Naruto," The Hokage said softly as he stopped and looked back at him.

The Hokage hesitated for a moment. He looked into Naruto's sky-blue eyes and saw a mixture of curiosity, anger, and sadness. He felt a pang of guilt in his heart. (How long can I keep this secret from him? How long can I deny him the truth about his past? He deserves to know who his parents were - how they loved him - how they died for him. He deserves to know what he carries inside him - the power of the nine-tailed demon fox - the legacy of the Fourth Hokage.) But he knew it was too dangerous - too soon. (If I tell him now, he might not be able to handle it. He might lose control of the beast within him. He might become a target for those who seek to use him or destroy him. He might hate me for lying to him all these years.) He had to protect Naruto from his enemies - from himself. (I made a promise to Minato and Kushina. I swore to watch over their son and keep him safe. I swore to honor their sacrifice and their will. I swore to be a father figure and a mentor for him.) He took a deep breath and made up his mind.

He shook his head sadly. "I can't tell you that now. You're not ready to know."

He pulled away from Naruto's grip and continued walking, leaving behind a confused and frustrated boy.

After sometime He felt restless and bored in his apartment. He needed some fresh air and exercise. He put on his orange jumpsuit and black sandals and left his room. As he walked along the street, he felt the stares and whispers of the people around him.

"This is that demon," one woman muttered to her husband as they crossed the street.

"Remember, daughter, never approach this boy," one father warned his little girl as they walked past him.

He tried to ignore them and act as if he didn't care. But deep down, he felt hurt and angry. Why did they hate him so much? What had he done wrong?

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" one boy shouted as he bumped into him.

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled as he kept walking.

"Sorry? Sorry won't cut it! You owe me an apology!" the boy said as he grabbed his collar.

"Let go of me!" Naruto said as he pushed him away.

"What are you gonna do? Fight me?" the boy said as he smirked.

"No. I don't want any trouble," Naruto said as he backed away.

"Trouble? You are trouble! You're a monster! A freak! A curse!" the boy said as he spat at him.

Naruto felt a surge of anger in his chest. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He wanted to punch him in the face. But he knew better than that. He knew that fighting would only make things worse. He knew that violence would only prove them right.

He took a deep breath and turned away. He ran away from the crowd of people who were watching and laughing at him. He ran away from the insults and taunts that followed him. He ran away from the pain and loneliness that filled his heart.

He ran until he reached his favorite place to eat in the whole village: Ichiraku Ramen. It was a small shop that served delicious noodles in hot broth with various toppings. It was run by an old man named Teuchi and his daughter Ayame. They were always kind and friendly to him. They always welcomed him with a smile and a bowl of ramen.

He entered the shop and greeted them warmly.

"Hiya! Naruto!" Teuchi said cheerfully as he wiped his hands on his apron.

"Hello, Naruto!" Ayame said sweetly as she smiled at him.

"Hi, Teuchi! Hi, Ayame!" Naruto said happily as he sat down at the counter.

"Ooh, Naruto! Do you need three servings as always?" Teuchi asked jokingly as he prepared his food.

Naruto grinned and nodded eagerly. He loved ramen more than anything in the world. He loved the smell of the broth, the taste of the noodles, and the warmth of the service.

He reached into his pockets to get some money for his meal. But to his dismay, he found only 5 ryo in his pocket. He had forgotten to bring any money with him. He felt embarrassed and disappointed. How could he pay for his ramen?

Teuchi noticed Naruto's sad expression and guessed what was wrong. He felt sorry for the boy who had no family or friends in the village. He decided to give him a free meal as a gesture of kindness.

He cooked up a bowl of ramen with pork slices and green onions and placed it in front of Naruto.

"Here you go, Naruto. This one's on me," Teuchi said kindly as he smiled at him.

"Really? You mean it?" Naruto asked in surprise and gratitude.

"Of course I mean it. You're my best customer, after all," Teuchi said as he winked at him.

"Wow! Thank you so much, Teuchi! You're the best!" Naruto said as he thanked him profusely.

He dug into his ramen with gusto. He slurped the noodles and sipped the broth, savoring every bite. He felt happy and satisfied.

"Mmm! This is so good!" Naruto said as he licked his lips.

"I'm glad you like it, Naruto," Ayame said as she watched him eat.

"You know, Naruto, you're always welcome here. You're like family to us," Teuchi said as he patted his shoulder.

"Really? Family?" Naruto asked as he looked at them with wonder.

"Yes, really. Family," Teuchi said as he nodded sincerely.

Naruto felt a warm feeling in his chest. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. He smiled and hugged them both.

"Thank you, Teuchi. Thank you, Ayame. You're like family to me too," Naruto said as he sniffled.

They hugged him back and smiled.

After finishing his meal, he thanked them again and left the shop. He walked around Konoha, feeling more energetic and cheerful. He saw the sights and sounds of the village, the shops and stalls, the people and animals, the trees and flowers. He felt a sense of belonging and pride. This was his home.

He returned to his apartment, feeling tired but content. He put on his white pajamas and a cap with eyes. Sitting on the bed, he looked at the moon for a long time. It was a full moon and Naruto loved it very much on these days. It seemed so tempting and mysterious to him. He felt as if the moon was a living creature and was appearing to him as a relative or a substitute for the friends and parents he missed so much. But these were just his feelings and when he realized this, he felt sad. He was completely immersed in his thoughts when he fell asleep, without noticing it.

In his dream, he heard a soft and gentle voice that told him "Free me", "Save me". Naruto was not surprised by this because he often had dreams like this.