Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too tsundere

This description struck a chord with Kurama. Its massive body visibly stiffened for a moment, even its breathing became rapid. The white robe, the strangely-looking old man, the teachings on mutual understanding between humans and tailed beasts... these details were too specific to be a coincidence!

"One day, the tailed beasts will understand each other and find their true home."

The Sage of Six Paths' words echoed powerfully in Kurama's mind. These were secrets known only to the tailed beasts who had personally experienced that era; they could never have been fabricated out of thin air by a mere three-year-old human child!

Nine-Tails' claws tightened involuntarily. "Kid... what else did that old man say?"

Naruto noticed the subtle change in Kurama's attitude and was secretly pleased. "Hmm... he also said some strange things, like 'the essence of chakra is connection,' and 'true power comes from understanding'..."

With each word spoken, Kurama's pupils contracted slightly. These words, these ideas, were none other than the core thoughts of the Sage of Six Paths!

Naruto scratched his head. "There's something really strange about that old man."

"What?" Kurama immediately asked, its voice filled with barely concealed urgency. Its brain was racing, trying to piece together the truth from these fragmented pieces of information, while also carefully discerning any possible contradictions in Naruto's words.

"In my dream," Naruto said, looking confused, "he kept calling me 'Ashura.' Isn't that strange? Did he mistake me for someone else?"

"Asura?!"

The name exploded in Kurama's ears. The Sage of Six Paths, its own true name, the old man's prophecy, plus this name... Could this brat before it be the reincarnation of Ashura?!

Naruto looked at Kurama, who had suddenly fallen silent. Kurama's orange-red eyes were fixed on him, yet it remained silent. It seemed the amount of information was too much for even this thousand-year-old tailed beast to handle.

"Hmm..." Naruto broke the silence. "Kurama, that's your name, right? My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" He patted his chest. "Now that you're inside my body, I look forward to working with you from now on!"

Nine-Tails was silent for a moment, then slowly lay down again, tilting its massive head to one side, and said in a low voice, "...Kurama."

Although it had come to believe most of what Naruto said, as a tailed beast that had witnessed too much hatred and fear, it was not so naive as to believe in humans based on just one conversation, much less foolish enough to immediately put into practice any ideal of "mutual understanding".

Let's observe first...

Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes, glancing at the blond brat out of the corner of its eye. It wanted to see if he was related to the old man... and... whether he truly deserved to be the person the old man had prophesied.

The Nine-Tails sensed Naruto's undisguised, burning gaze; those deep blue eyes flickered with an unsettling anticipation. It flicked its tail in annoyance.

"So, kid, what exactly do you want?"

Naruto sat cross-legged on the damp ground, a bright smile on his face. "Nothing special, it's just that I almost never talk to anyone. Do you always stay here too? Does that mean... I'm never alone?"

"Hmph, I'm not here voluntarily."

"Hmm... at least our 'involuntary' situations are quite compatible? If letting you out would be too dangerous... how about we temporarily become a slightly noisy neighbor until we find a suitable solution?"

"You certainly have a vivid imagination."

"Don't be so cold~" Naruto drawled, "Although that old man asked me to be friends with you, the reason I'm chatting with you isn't some high-sounding excuse."

Kurama did not reply, but simply stared at Naruto, waiting for him to continue.

Naruto's expression turned somewhat dejected. "Because... normally nobody pays any attention to me... having someone to talk to is really something to be happy about."

Naruto's smile turned slightly bitter. "Of course, if you don't even want to talk to me... I'll really be nothing but a shadow. So... thank you for listening to me."

"...Hmph, don't compare me to you."

Nine-Tailed Fox turned its head away, but its several bushy tails behind it swayed uncontrollably from side to side.

Naruto merely smiled at Kurama's indifference; he knew that this big guy was also a bit of a tsundere.

“Right now, I don’t know how to get out of here, nor do I know how to help you change this environment.” Naruto looked around.

"Nine-Ra, if you had to choose... would you like to stay here alone, or would you like me to chatter on and on, tell you some stories or something?"

"...Whatever you want."

Chapter 12 Sandaime

In the early morning, Naruto sat up in bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Although he had slept, he didn't feel mentally refreshed at all.

"Ah..." Naruto yawned widely, a few sleepy tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. Trying to get close to that arrogant big fox was more tiring than training.

Recalling the scene in the sealed space last night, he had spent the entire night plagiarizing novels he had read in his previous life, retelling them to the great fox in order to win over the Nine-Ratna. Now it seemed that his efforts had not been in vain.

【Ding! 】

[Congratulations, host! You have established an initial bond with the original character "Kurama"!]

[Reward: 400 points!]

"Wow!" Naruto jumped out of bed excitedly. "As expected of the first character to appear in the original Naruto manga! Although he has a hundred points less than Satsuki..."

With the remaining 100 points and these 400, I now have 500 points. I've already collected half of the 1000 points needed for the next ten-pull.

"At this rate, I'll be able to draw again soon!" Naruto clenched his fist, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

As for what story Naruto told Kurama last night... he had thought it through carefully. That big fox, imprisoned for so many years, must be filled with resentment and bitterness, right? So, he specifically chose a representative work of the "power fantasy" genre—

Will Xiao Huohuo encounter the old man with the ring in "Time Travel"?

Life on the Dou Qi Continent: Starting from Zero

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Fallen Genius

Abbreviated as "Dou Qi Hua Ma"... no, it's "Dou O Cang Qiong".

The arrogant fox initially adopted a haughty and superior attitude. "Hmph, since you insist on telling me, I'll reluctantly listen."

Naruto changed the fighting spirit in the story to chakra, the sect to ninja clans, and the pills to soldier rations... After this localization adaptation, Kurama quickly became engrossed in it.

As expected, the otherworldly fox was completely powerless against this kind of carefully designed, exciting web novel. As the plot progressed, Naruto even noticed that Kurama's tail was unconsciously swaying in rhythm with the plot.

As they parted, Nine-Tails spoke deliberately. "If you still want me to tell you stories... I'll reluctantly keep you company."

This extremely arrogant statement was clearly an invitation for Naruto to come again. But to achieve this level on their first meeting was far beyond expectations.

Naruto knew that to truly win over this tailed beast, which had been consumed by hatred for a hundred years, he needed to spend a long time with it. If he rashly uttered empty words like "I want to resolve the hatred in your heart," it would not only be ineffective but might also cause resentment.

"Take it slow..." Naruto bit into a slice of bread. He decided to use a gentle, subtle approach, spending time with Kurama and chatting with him to rebuild Kurama's trust in humans.

But what should I do today? Should I go find Satsuki? But thinking about the Konoha higher-ups' surveillance of the Uchiha, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

What if the Third Hokage and Danzo issue a warning, forcing that arrogant little girl to distance herself from him under pressure from her clan... Just imagining Satsuki pretending to be indifferent and saying "Let's not meet again" made Naruto feel annoyed.

at this time.

“Boom boom boom—”

There was a knock on the door, and Naruto paused for a moment. He knew who it was. In this village, the number of people who would knock on his door could be counted on one hand—no, to be precise, there was only one person.

"Coming, coming," Naruto replied. The moment the door opened, the familiar Hokage white robe and iconic straw hat came into view.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in the doorway, a kind smile on his wrinkled face. Behind him, several paper bags were neatly arranged, their contents—fresh vegetables, meat, and milk—were faintly visible.

"Naruto, I've come to deliver some supplies," the Third Hokage said gently. "May I come in?"

The amount of supplies wasn't much, but it wasn't because they were stingy; rather, these were all perishable fresh foods, and giving too much would be wasteful.

"Oh! It's the third-generation old man... the third-generation grandfather! You've come to visit me? Please come in, please come in!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead twitched noticeably, clearly having heard the "old man" address. But he simply shook his head helplessly and walked in carrying his bags.

【Ding! 】

The moment the Third Hokage stepped into the entrance hall, a crisp system notification sounded in Naruto's mind.

[Congratulations, host: You have established a bond (Level 2) with the original character "Hiruzen Sarutobi"]

[Reward: 300 points!]

"Oh?" Naruto was slightly surprised. It seemed that the Third Hokage did indeed have some genuine feelings for him... perhaps out of guilt? At least it proved that he didn't simply see Naruto as a vessel for the Nine-Tails, as some conspiracy theories suggested.

However, the bond level is only level two, and the reward points are not many. This number subtly reflects the Third Hokage's attitude—just like the living conditions he arranged for Naruto, it was passable, but only passable.

------

Hiruzen Sarutobi put the last carton of milk into the refrigerator, turned around, and asked gently, "Naruto, have you been eating well lately? Do you have enough money for living expenses?"

Naruto sat at the table, casually picked up a freshly delivered apple, and took a big bite. "Of course it's delicious! This is during my growth spurt. And my allowance is more than enough, since I hardly ever need it."

These words brought a pang of guilt to the Third Hokage's eyes. The child whom the Fourth Hokage and his wife had protected with their lives, the son of a hero of Konoha, now lived such a lonely life...

But the helplessness of being the Hokage quickly overwhelmed his guilt. He knew very well that it was extremely dangerous to make a Jinchuriki dependent on a specific individual. The person entrusted with taking care of Naruto... not only had to be absolutely reliable, but also able to withstand pressure from various forces.

If only Lake Biwa were still alive...

Moreover, Danzo was always watching the Nine-Tails' power from the shadows.

The Third Hokage stared intently at Naruto, who was munching on an apple. More troubling than the sufficiency of supplies was the boy's attitude towards Konoha.

From the time Naruto was learning to walk, the Third Hokage keenly sensed the child's unusual nature. He inherited Minato's precocious traits, and upon noticing the strange looks from those around him, instead of seeking attention like ordinary children, he quietly built an invisible wall, isolating the entire village from him.

Is this really okay...?

Ordinary children growing up in loneliness may become rebellious and crave attention. But Naruto chose the most worrying way of growing up, building up a complete psychological defense and treating the entire Hidden Leaf Village as "outsiders."

He couldn't find a trace of belonging to Konoha in the depths of Naruto's eyes. This child, who should have been carrying on the Will of Fire, looked at the village as if it were just a temporary stop, a chilling calmness.

...But that's normal. Human emotions need something to rely on. How can you feel a sense of belonging in a place where you don't even have anyone to care about?

But the real purpose of this visit was because of what happened yesterday. The contents of the ANBU surveillance report were still fresh in his mind. Yesterday, Naruto had contact with Uchiha Sasuke, the daughter of the Uchiha clan leader.

Satsuki... Fugaku's daughter...?

Reason told him that a three-year-old child couldn't possibly be a pawn of the Uchiha clan. Furthermore, the report didn't contain any suggestive words, and Fugaku wasn't an ambitious person; he wouldn't be foolish enough to use his own daughter to get close to a Jinchuriki—the price was far too high.

Chapter 13 Meeting Again

The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and the image of Uchiha Satsuki appeared in his mind—Uchiha Fugaku's second daughter.

He remembered clearly that before Sasuke was born, Fugaku held onto the hope that the child would grow into a powerful ninja, and even planned to name her after his own father, "Sasuke." However, both his children were daughters, so he had to slightly modify the name.

When the Third Hokage first saw little Satsuki, he had to admit that a pang of jealousy rose in his heart. How could Fugaku have such an adorable daughter? That little girl, only three years old, already showed the beginnings of a beauty in her delicate features.

If she weren't a child of the Uchiha clan...

The Third Hokage even considered arranging a marriage between Satsuki and his newborn grandson. Of course, this absurd idea was quickly dismissed by reality. A marriage between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage's lineage? He would have no face to face the Second Hokage in the afterlife if that were the case.

Thinking of this, the Third Hokage turned his gaze back to Naruto, who was munching on an apple. It was a good thing to help this lonely child build bonds, but the object of those bonds was none other than the daughter of the Uchiha clan head... This choice was far too sensitive.

"Naruto," the Third Hokage said, trying to make it sound casual, "Have you made any new friends lately?"

Naruto paused slightly upon hearing this. Although the Third Hokage seemed to be asking casually, he knew very well that this was a test to find out about his meeting with Sasuke yesterday.

"Mmm!" Naruto swallowed the apple in his mouth, a bright smile spreading across his face. "I met a really nice person yesterday who practiced shuriken with me for ages! But..."

"But what?"

"That person's personality is a bit strange, how should I put it, she has a deliberate arrogance." Naruto pouted. "Like, 'Your throwing technique is not bad,' even though she was just hiding behind a tree saying 'Wow, that's amazing.' But it was my fault for using her training ground without permission."

The Third Hokage nodded thoughtfully: "I see. But... doesn't Konoha have public training grounds? Why go to such a far place to train?"

"Because the people there don't like me. I don't know why, but the way they look at me...it's really uncomfortable. To avoid causing trouble for everyone, I had to go further away."

The Third Hokage's grip on his pipe tightened slightly. "...I see, Naruto." He deliberately slowed his speech. "So, your new friend...did she agree to let you go see her again?"

Naruto's lips curled into a knowing smile. He understood perfectly well the Third Hokage's probing words—he was trying to confirm whether Satsuki had deliberately led him to the Uchiha clan's territory.

"Hmm! She said if there's a chance... we can go to the forest outside Konoha for training together next time. After training, we can sit by the river with amazing scenery, eat while enjoying the view."

The Third Hokage breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. It was within the Anbu's surveillance range... Now, the suspicion of the Uchiha clan deliberately orchestrating it could be largely ruled out; the two children's meeting was likely just a coincidence.

"Naruto..." The Third Hokage shifted into a more casual sitting posture, making the conversation sound like the concern of an elder, "What are your thoughts on that friend, that child?"

Naruto gripped the apple core tightly in his hand. He knew that the next sentence would determine whether the Third Hokage would allow this friendship to continue.

"That guy..." Naruto deliberately feigned a look of disdain, "Although his personality is incredibly strange, and he's always acting like he looks down on people..." His voice softened, "...but..."

The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow with interest, watching Naruto's unusually coy demeanor.

"But..." Naruto scratched his head, "he is actually quite good-looking!"

The Third Hokage nearly choked on his smoke. He hadn't expected such a pure and childlike answer. Seeing Naruto's rare display of shyness befitting his age, a complex emotion flashed in the old man's eyes.

So that's how it is... Children have an instinctive preference for "pretty things".

Let's go and call Fugaku Uchiha over for a talk later.

------

After cleaning the house, Naruto neatly tied his ninja tool pouch to his waist, checked that the lunchbox was packed properly, and pushed open the door to step into the sunlight.

Everything that needed to be said has been made very clear...

Naruto looked towards the Hokage Rock. If that old man still intended to prevent him from associating with Sasuke... then he shouldn't blame him for being petty.