Chapter 1: The Word "Companion" Makes Me Sick

In the world of Naruto, it has been 60 years since the founding of Konohagakure.

"Get lost! You damn monster, don't come near here! Take this too!"

The shopkeeper of the mask store hurled a white fox mask onto the ground with all his might.

On the street beside the shop, a blonde boy of about ten years old sat on the ground, clearly caught off guard by the abrupt shove.

Villagers of Konoha passing by witnessed the scene, pointing and whispering among themselves.

Instead of offering help, they wore expressions of indifference and mockery, some even reveling in his misfortune.

"That kid is just disgusting.""Why doesn't he just go die?""Damn brat, just get lost already!"

The blonde boy remained oblivious to the scornful remarks, his expression blank and his silence profound. However, inside, a storm was brewing.

This was... a transmigration?

The unfolding scene felt all too familiar, and with the cruel words from those around him, he quickly realized: he had crossed over into the Naruto world, taking the place of the original protagonist, Uzumaki Naruto.

Regardless of how one felt about it, he had watched the Naruto series countless times and read numerous fanfictions. This world was like second nature to him.

But would he follow in the footsteps of the original character?

If he changed nothing, wouldn't his transmigration be in vain? What would readers have to enjoy?

"Get out of here! You're not welcome, and take that thing far away!" The shopkeeper was clearly irritable, as if he had been cursed by bad luck.

At this rate, if Naruto didn't leave soon, the shopkeeper looked ready to make a move.

"Can I ask a question?" Naruto spoke softly, his head lowered.

The shopkeeper, missing the shift in tone, snapped, "I'm not obligated to answer you! Just take that mask and get lost. If you don't leave, don't blame me for being rude!"

Were you ever polite?

Naruto scoffed internally, suddenly looking up, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes.

"You... you..."

The shopkeeper felt a chill run down his spine at the predatory gaze directed at him and instinctively stepped back, his face paling with fear.

After all, he was afraid that this damned fox spirit would suddenly unleash its power.

However, Naruto had always been the type to let others bully him, appearing foolish and harmless over time. Everyone simply viewed him as an easy target.

Because of this, the shopkeeper quickly became infuriated, feeling humiliated that he had been frightened by just a look. Wouldn't that just give others something to laugh about?

"You damn monster, how dare you glare at me? Go die!"

The shopkeeper grabbed a mop nearby and swung it at Naruto's head.

Swish!

But just as the mop was about to land, Naruto vanished from sight, causing the strike to miss entirely.

In the next instant, the shopkeeper's hair stood on end, his body frozen in place, eyes wide with shock, and his face drained of color.

A kunai glinted ominously against his neck, held silently in place.

"What I want to ask is: what kind of crime does one get for being pushed without cause? Now there's an added charge of attempted murder. So if I kill you now, wouldn't that be self-defense?"

Naruto's chilling voice came from behind him, and the shopkeeper's face turned ashen.

After all, he was a soon-to-be-graduate of the Ninja Academy; handling ordinary people was no challenge for him.

"N-no... I'm just..." The shopkeeper stuttered, scrambling for an excuse, but couldn't think of anything suitable.

Faced with the threat of death, he began to panic.

No one would have thought that this boy, who had always been bullied, would rise to fight back.

In the next moment, the surrounding villagers erupted in uproar.

"How dare he! This is outrageous!""I always said this monster was a ticking time bomb; he should have been eliminated long ago. Keeping him around is the biggest mistake!""Why isn't anyone stopping this? Where are the ninjas? The Anbu? Isn't anyone going to intervene?"

The image of Naruto that lingered in their minds didn't instill fear.

Besides, the kunai wasn't pointed at them, so they felt free to hurl insults without worry.

Some with darker intentions even sought to provoke Naruto further, hoping he would indeed kill the shopkeeper.

If that happened, Naruto would never be able to live peacefully in the village again; he would surely face retribution from the higher-ups.

Swish!

An Anbu member appeared just in time, his voice cold and commanding: "Uzumaki Naruto, I order you to release him! Pointing a weapon at your own village's companions is tantamount to betraying the village!"

With the Anbu stepping in, the villagers found their courage and began shouting in unison, "Let him go! Let him go!"

The shopkeeper felt a surge of relief and sneered, "I'm not sure what crime I've committed, but yours is severe. Didn't you hear what the Anbu said? That's an act of betrayal—now let me go!"

This was classic bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

The Anbu behind the mask frowned slightly; the shopkeeper was provoking him even when the kunai was still pointed at him. Did he want to die that badly?

However, the Anbu said nothing further, harboring deep-seated disdain for Naruto, never truly considering him a threat. He didn't believe Naruto would dare to do anything.

Yet, Naruto showed a trace of mockery, "How interesting. You didn't show up when he shoved me. You didn't show up when he swung a mop at my head. Now you come here to lecture me? Is the rule of Konoha really one of double standards? 'Companion'? That term only makes me feel sick."

As he spoke, he pressed the kunai forward, slicing the shopkeeper's neck, blood gushing forth.

"Ah! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" The shopkeeper's newly found bravado evaporated in terror, and he cried out, "Don't kill me! I... I apologize!"

The surrounding villagers, who had always been bullies themselves, fell silent at the sight of blood, no longer daring to speak up. Instead, they retreated in fear.

The Anbu's expression was grim; this brat with the Nine-Tails had just stripped away his authority, and it infuriated him.

What was all this about Konoha's rules? Rules were made for people, and could a Nine-Tails beast be considered a person?

But he was an Anbu, trained for this. Such thoughts could never be voiced aloud.

"Calm down, Uzumaki Naruto!" the Anbu finally said, trying to mediate, "I'll report this to Lord Hokage. He'll ensure justice is served. While we still can, let him go."

If the shopkeeper was released, the Anbu would act swiftly to subdue Naruto, possibly even beating him first to quell the villagers' anger.

"I'm perfectly calm!"

Naruto replied cheerfully, looking at the shopkeeper, "What did you just say? Apologize?"

"Y-yes, yes! I apologize! It was my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you or swung that thing at you!" The shopkeeper was near tears.

Faced with the threat of death, he wouldn't hesitate to apologize or even kneel.

At the same time, he cursed the Anbu inwardly. Wasn't the Anbu supposed to protect them?

How could they not even guarantee his personal safety? He resolved to lodge a severe complaint later!