Naruto : Cruel Rebirth

Konohagakure had been rebuilt for some time. It was no longer a desolate place. Wooden, unfinished houses were scattered around, forming the beginnings of a village.

Ichiraku Ramen [temporary] was already open, and there was a steady stream of customers.

In an inconspicuous corner, an unremarkable young man stared at a big bowl of tonkotsu ramen, saliva dripping from his mouth. He, Naruto, with bandages on his left hand, brought his chopsticks together in a ceremonial manner and said: "One big serving, I'm starting~~"

Slurp~~! Slurp~~! 

He quickly broke apart the chopsticks and began to eat with gusto.

Yes, the boy who looked like a young ninja was Naruto.

Back in the day, after finishing his daily training, Naruto would always reward himself with a bowl of Ichiraku ramen. Even after becoming Hokage, he continued the tradition.

The taste had etched itself into his soul, becoming a part of his life.

No ramen, no Naruto! So even though he was now a rogue ninja, he couldn't resist the temptation of that flavor. He used a transformation jutsu just to sneak back into the village and enjoy that familiar taste again! Slurp~~~~! Slurp~~~~! 

At this moment, Naruto forgot about national grudges and personal vendettas. He was simply a customer, lost in the joy of the delicious food! He finished the whole bowl in just three minutes, even drinking every last drop of the soup!

"Ahh~ ahh~ [so full, so full~]"

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach, fully satisfied. As he casually turned his head, he spotted a familiar figure in the seat next to him!

Iruka-sensei... Naruto almost called out without thinking! 

But for some reason, Iruka had a troubled look on his face, and the steam from the ramen in front of him had already disappeared. He hadn't touched his chopsticks.

"..." Naruto's gaze grew dim as he slowly pulled his hand back.

A student he had high hopes for had become a rogue ninja hated by all. It must have been a heavy blow for Iruka.

Naruto couldn't bear to see Iruka so lost, so he decided to leave.

Just then, Teuchi, the ramen shop owner, was busy kneading the dough. He paused and wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes suddenly drawn to the figure leaving.

"Father, what's wrong?" His daughter, Ayame, asked.

That figure looked like Naruto. It must be a mistake, right? How could it be him...? 

"It's nothing."

Teuchi shook his head and went back to kneading the dough.

Naruto walked down the street at dusk. People were coming and going, with many familiar faces, but Naruto just quietly walked on, lost in his thoughts.

Before he knew it, he had reached the place he knew best.

When he saw the ruins in front of him, he suddenly snapped back to reality. 

"Right... It's already gone, isn't it? After the devastation brought by Pain, Konohagakure has been destroyed. How could that family still be left? I've really been careless." 

Naruto shook his head in self-mockery, about to turn and leave, when he suddenly noticed blood-red writing scrawled all over the ruined area! 

"Fox Demon, Rogue Ninja, Pigs and Dogs, Demon..."

These twisted words were full of hatred and malice! 

"..." 

Naruto's expression remained blank. He had long experienced the coldness of the world, and by now, people's misunderstandings and malice no longer affected him at all! 

He stepped on the rubble to examine the writing, noticing that it had been written recently, while some had been wiped away. 

"What's going on here?" 

Just as he was puzzled, Konohamaru, with bandage on his face and carrying a bucket and brush, walked over with Moegi and Udon. 

Looking at the fresh blood-red letters and the unfamiliar young man standing among the ruins, Konohamaru quickly shouted, 

"These words were written by you today, right?!" 

"..." 

Before Naruto could respond, Konohamaru shouted, 

"Listen up! brrother Naruto is absolutely not what you think! He is the strongest ninja and will become the Hokage one day!!!!" 

The little Konohamaru's gaze had a sharp intensity to it! 

"Konohamaru, don't act rashly..." 

Moegi nervously tugged at Konohamaru's clothes. 

"Ah, I know! As a ninja, I won't fight over something like this!" 

Saying this, Konohamaru's OK bandage seemed to betray him. Ignoring Naruto's presence, he took the paint and began to erase the words. 

Naruto smiled faintly, jumping down from the rubble, hands in his pockets, and turned to leave. 

In his eyes, a deep, profound light flickered: 

Actually, there's no need for this, Konohamaru. After going through so much, I won't be blinded by such small things... 

He made his way to Konohagakure's cemetery and looked from a distance. 

In front of the memorial stone under the setting sun, Kakashi was still mourning Obito, though his expression seemed a bit more sorrowful than usual. 

After mourning her lover and deceased sister, Uzuki Yugao walked over and greeted him, 

"Kakashi-senpai, are you talking to Obito about Naruto?" 

Seeing he had been noticed, Kakashi replied, 

"Yugao, sorry to make you laugh..." 

Yugao said, 

"Everyone is sad about what happened with Naruto. Now that Danzo holds the power of the Hokage, public opinion is even more against him. But I believe Tsunade-sama will turn things around once she wakes up." 

Kakashi replied, 

"I hope so..." 

From too far away, Naruto couldn't hear their conversation. He gazed at the memorial, thinking of his mentor, Jiraiya. 

After the negotiations with Nagato, Naruto had built a memorial for Jiraiya on his way back to the village. 

But this time, he didn't do that. 

Because in the future, during the conflict with the Kara organization, Naruto had already seen another Jiraiya. 

Kashin Koji. 

A clone created from Jiraiya's cells by Amado, the chief scientist of the Kara organization... 

Naruto muttered to himself, 

"Actually, if we look back at time, now isn't the most ideal moment. If it had been a month earlier, maybe the perverted sage wouldn't have had to die..." 

"But at this point, it doesn't matter. As long as I find the perverted sage's body earlier than 'Amado'..." 

Messing with time had always been considered a forbidden act for ninjas. 

"I have already defied the flow of time. What's wrong one more defiance?" 

As night fell, Naruto glanced at the newly carved outline next to Tsunade's face on Hokage Rock, then turned and walked toward the deeper parts of the village. 

"Up ahead is the Hokage's area for official duties. Unauthorized people are not allowed to pass!" 

Two Root members in white robes, wearing animal masks, blocked his path. 

Naruto's expression was unreadable: 

"Oh? The Hokage..." 

The man shouted, "Sixth Hokage, Danzo-sama!"

"I see, my apologies for the disturbance..." 

After leaving, Naruto made his way to an empty alley.

"Danzo's back in the village. Given the timing, it seems about right. The guards are tight, typical for someone on edge, but after losing his power, would Danzo stay in the village, waiting for Sasuke or me to come after him? It doesn't seem likely. Let me confirm..." 

Swish! Naruto entered Sage Mode. 

"Hm?" As his senses penetrated into the tent where the Hokage was, Naruto's expression shifted. He then smirked, "Heh, so it was like this..."

He placed his left hand on the streetlight pole and left a Flying Thunder God mark on it...

Whoosh! He vanished in an instant, leaving no trace.

Just after he left, several ninjas appeared, walking together—Shikaku, Inoichi, Chouza, and the older Ino-Shika-Cho trio from Konoha.

Chouza was drunk, with Shikaku and Inoichi supporting him on either side. 

As they passed under the streetlight, Shikaku suddenly stopped and stared at the pole.

Inoichi asked, "What's wrong, Shikaku?"

That mark... Could it be?

"Nothing," Shikaku said quietly, then turned his gaze away.

... 

Outside Konoha, in the forest, Konan, Orochimaru, and Kisame were standing in front of a pit.

Whoosh! Naruto reappeared using the Flying Thunder God technique, his transformation lifted. He stepped forward, asking, "How did it go?"

Before infiltrating Konoha, he had given them another task.

Kisame replied, "My Samehada really isn't suited for digging. That guy's really here, but it seems like he's already..."

Naruto walked to the edge of the pit and looked down. 

There, lying motionless at the bottom, was a dull, lifeless head. It was Hidan!

—Bansho Tenin! Whoosh! The gravity from below pulled Hidan's head into Naruto's hands.

Crack! Hidan suddenly opened his eyes, glaring fiercely at Naruto...

But without hesitation, Naruto shoved him into a box. 

Bang! Bang! The box shook violently, but Naruto remained unfazed.

Orochimaru looked at the box with an amused smile.

Konan stepped forward and asked, "What's next?"

Naruto said, "Let's go. We're heading back to Amegakure..."

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