Chapter 5: Who is he going to marry?

"Um, does it hurt?" When Naruto woke up, he realized he still couldn't move. The memories from last night came back to his mind—he was still tied to the wooden stake without being rescued. "Did I hurt you? I-I'm sorry."

Raising his head, he saw Hinata's somewhat worried face. She held a bottle of medicine and used a cotton swab to apply it to the areas where Naruto had been injured by Neji last night. When their eyes met, she blushed and lowered her head, holding the bottle of medicine in her hand, feeling a bit lost.

"Ah, it's just a minor injury. It's nothing."

"Naruto-kun, why did you come here in the middle of the night?"

"Of course, it was to fulfill your dad's test, but I think I messed something up." Naruto grinned, not suspecting that the Nine-Tails had tricked him, simply believing that he had made a mistake.

"Uhm, you just want to marry into the family, right?" Hinata bit her lip. She noticed that Naruto looked really cute when he smiled. Perhaps describing it as "cute" wasn't accurate, but she could feel strength and a comforting power from his smile.

"After I marry into the family, you will be my wife. I will treat you well, um... really well." Naruto pondered for a long time, realizing he didn't know what else to say. After all, he was still a child with a limited vocabulary. He stumbled for a while before expressing himself.

"Um... M-marry~" Steam seemed to rise from Hinata's head, and then she fell straight back, unable to withstand Naruto's straightforward words.

"Hinata, Hinata!"

"It's you again! What are you doing to Hinata?!" Naruto shouted at the unconscious Hinata lying on top of him, but there was no response. Instead, Neji was alerted by Naruto's shouting and appeared. Seeing the scene, Neji became furious once again, showing no mercy as he gave Naruto a thorough beating.

"You hit me again! One day, I'll hit you back!"

"Just you? If you have the guts, bring it on!"

...

Uchiha Family

"Sasuke, are you still angry?" Itachi looked helplessly at the sulking Sasuke, who sat on the corridor floor, staring blankly at the yard. Upon hearing Itachi's words, Sasuke pouted unhappily.

"I'm not angry. It's just that my brother became too busy after becoming a ninja."

"Forgive me, Sasuke. It would be nice if you had a playmate of the same age." Following the usual routine, Itachi gently tapped Sasuke's forehead, feeling both heartbroken and helpless. Sasuke was the youngest child of the Uchiha family, and even those born before him had already become ninjas. The children outside didn't dare to approach the Uchiha family, and the children of the clan were warned not to associate with the Uchiha. Sasuke was actually very lonely.

"Itachi-nii, I brought the delivery." As Itachi's words fell, Naruto entered the yard, carrying a box, and smiled.

"He's my brother! Don't call him that!" Sasuke was displeased with Naruto's address and held onto Itachi's arm to assert his ownership.

"You've worked hard, Naruto. Are you busy today?" Itachi raised his other hand and scratched his cheek a little sheepishly, asking kindly.

"Not really busy. I'll have nothing to do once I go back."

"If you don't mind, stay and have a glass of juice. I'll be going out later, and I'm worried about leaving Sasuke alone at home."

"Why are you keeping this guy here, Itachi!" Before Naruto could say anything, Sasuke disagreed, pointing at Naruto's nose, feeling unhappy.

"It's just for a drink. Is the head of the Uchiha family lacking such magnanimity?" Itachi patted Sasuke's shoulder, implying that Sasuke would be the next head of the Uchiha. Sasuke was also pleased with the coaxing and reluctantly agreed.

"Hmph, drink it and leave."

"Ah, this tastes good." Naruto quickly finished the drink poured by Itachi, then lay on the floor with no sense of dignity, staring blankly at the sky.

"Lack of manners, really." Sasuke looked down upon Naruto's lack of manners. He sipped his juice in small sips but actually wanted to communicate with Naruto, unable to let go of his pride, so he could only endure.

"Sasuke, I envy you. Having a house, parents, and an older brother."

"Speaking of which, you're working at such a young age. Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any. Ever since I can remember, people have been chasing and attacking me. I've been living a life on the run, but things have slightly improved recently."

"Is that so." Sasuke fell into silence and felt a bit sorry for Naruto. A kid like him had to work hard and take care of himself. Compared to him, Sasuke realized just how fortunate he was.

"By the way, do you have any girls in your family?"

"Huh?" Sasuke couldn't comprehend Naruto's train of thought. One moment he was melancholic, and the next moment his thoughts seemed to jump to a different place.

"A girl around my age who can marry me."

"Where did that come from? Does 'marry' mean what it literally means?"

"Yes, after marrying in, I would be called Uchiha Naruto. Isn't that great?"

"Not great at all. You're a wandering loser!"

"You're a wandering loser too."

"How can a man be bound by a woman and let her be the head? You might as well become a woman yourself."

"Speaking of being a woman, it seems like you can use Transformation Jutsu."

"...Get out!" Sasuke was speechless and choked. He grabbed a broom and forcefully chased Naruto out.

"Sasuke, see you later. Let's play together next time." Naruto waved goodbye to Sasuke. For some reason, Sasuke began to have a hint of anticipation at Naruto's words, looking forward to the next encounter.

...

"Nine-Tails, it feels so uncomfortable. Why are you making me watch these?" Naruto, who had finally managed to enter Naruto's body, was forced by the Nine-Tails to watch one bloody scene after another. It was basically people killing each other and being killed, with the whole scene filled with blood, making Naruto's stomach churn, but he couldn't vomit it out.

"Shut up and watch seriously."

"Nine-Tails! You've gone too far. Naruto is still a child. What do you want to achieve?" Minato's hands and feet were bound, and he could only helplessly watch Naruto being tortured, unable to do anything, and angrily stared at the Nine-Tails, asking.

"What am I trying to achieve? Everything I've shown him are facts from the ninja world. Can you point out anything I made up?"

"Even so, I don't want him to be exposed to these things at such a young age. I hope he can have a better childhood..." No matter how you looked at it, Naruto was just a child, and these things should have been told to him when he was older. But as he spoke, he couldn't continue.

"That's right. Ever since you sealed me inside this brat, he could never have a good childhood. It's all your fault. You forced him into this." The Nine-Tails revealed a malicious smile and continuously attacked Minato's heart with his words.

"I won't regret it. He is my child, and I believe he can overcome these difficulties! In the end, he will become a hero." There was a momentary crack in Minato's spirit, but it immediately recovered.

"Then let's make a bet. Let's see if he will eventually become a monster immersed in slaughter or a flower that blooms in the midst of slaughter." Looking at Naruto, who was gradually getting used to the scenes in front of him and no longer feeling nauseous, the Nine-Tails said with interest. Naruto had become his toy, and he could train him however he wanted. If Naruto became a monster who only knew slaughter, it would mean that he only had that possibility, and he would occupy his body at the earliest opportunity.

"Dad, why do people have to kill each other?" Naruto raised his hand, pointing at the people in the picture, still young and unable to understand the deaths of these people.

"Naruto, actually, none of these people are repeating meaningless slaughter. They are all fighting desperately to protect their villages."

"The village?"

"That's right. The world outside the village is not as peaceful as you see it. The people in the village can laugh together with their families because of the sacrifices made by these people. So, remember, you will also become a member of it in the future and fight to protect the village."

"Is it okay to kill these people to protect?"

"Yes!" Looking at his son's innocent face, Minato had no choice but to give the harshest answer. Naruto was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, and no matter what, he couldn't be an ordinary person. Minato could only teach him with a heavy heart.