[After Minato and Kushina died in battle, Naruto was placed under the guardianship of Sarutobi Hiruzen. However, Naruto's childhood was far from happy.]
[From a young age, due to his so-called "Demon Fox" identity, Naruto was treated by the villagers of Konoha like a cursed child. He was met only with scorn and abuse, and loneliness was his constant companion throughout his childhood.]
The screen rapidly flashed through images.
Villagers shoving Naruto. A shopkeeper throwing a mask at him, after which he ran away dejectedly.
Children being pulled away by their parents, told not to play with Naruto. Naruto sitting alone on a swing, swaying by himself.
There were even scenes of Naruto drinking expired milk, living in an empty, desolate room. Sometimes he didn't even have money for ramen, so he would go to the river to catch fish and roast them to eat alone.
---
[Konoha, Year 50. Hokage Office]
Tears welled up in Kushina's eyes.
"Naruto… my baby…"
She covered her mouth, her body trembling violently.
Those cold-toned images… the indifferent gazes of the villagers… and that child eating grilled fish all alone.
That was her child! Her son, who was not yet born but was more precious to her than her own life!
Minato stood beside her, his fists clenched tightly, his eyes also red—but he held back, refusing to let his tears fall.
"Where was the Third Hokage…?" Kushina gritted her teeth. "Is this how Konoha treated Naruto?"
"How could he… how could he let Naruto live like that?!"
Minato gently embraced her. "Kushina…"
Kushina sobbed on his shoulder, crying loudly: "Minato! Naruto… he was all alone… he was so young, all by himself…"
Minato didn't speak, simply holding his wife tightly and letting his own tears fall.
He had mentally prepared himself to some extent, but seeing how miserable Naruto's childhood truly was, still brought him unbearable pain.
---
[Konoha, Year 60]
Naruto watched the images on the Sky Screen in silence.
He remembered all those things, but he had never told anyone about them.
Sasuke turned to look at him, his gaze complex.
So the dead-last's childhood had been just as hard as his own.
Even… harder. At least Sasuke had happy memories from before the massacre. Naruto had nothing.
Sakura was already crying, "Naruto… you were…"
Naruto scratched his head and grinned, "It's okay! That's all in the past. I'm fine now, aren't I?"
But in Sasuke's eyes, that smile was piercing.
'This idiot, always like this. Always hiding everything behind a smile.'
Kakashi said nothing, but a deep sense of guilt welled up in his heart.
'Sensei… Kushina-senpai…'
'I'm sorry.'
'I couldn't take care of Naruto either.'
---
The reactions from the other hidden villages, however, were completely different. Some even felt this was the normal treatment for a Jinchuriki. After all, who wouldn't be afraid of an uncontrollable, walking nuclear weapon?
The only exception was Killer B, who, as a perfect Jinchuriki, could remain stable—yet even he had been discriminated against by the people of Kumogakure in the past.
---
[Land of Earth, Iwagakure]
Ōnoki floated in mid-air, his expression blank.
"This is the normal treatment for a Jinchuriki. What's so surprising about it?"
Kitsuchi, standing beside him, said cautiously, "Father… that child is, after all, the Fourth Hokage's son…"
"So what? A Jinchuriki is still a Jinchuriki. Konoha's actions are completely understandable."
---
[Land of Wind, Sunagakure]
Rasa stood expressionless, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
---
[To be honest, it was probably because Naruto inherited the Asura lineage's innate optimism and cheerfulness that he didn't fall into darkness countless times. Anyone else in his shoes probably would have turned evil long ago. Yet he managed to maintain that optimism throughout such a childhood and ultimately became the hero who saved the entire Shinobi World. If Asura's chakra really didn't play a role in that, no one would believe it.]
[What's even more impressive is that he accomplished something no previous Asura had ever achieved—he brought Indra back. He ended the thousand-year cycle of conflict between these two brothers, truly severing their destiny in his generation. On this point alone, he deserves our deepest respect.]
[It must be said—even among all the previous generations of Asura, known for their "Talk-no-Jutsu," Naruto is probably the most formidable one!]
---
[Konoha, Year One]
Madara and Hashirama were completely taken aback. They hadn't expected the Sky Screen to suddenly drop such big news.
Caught off guard, both of them froze.
'Asura!'
The brother entangled with Indra for a millennium, and there was even a so-called destiny between the two.
That meant… Asura was also a son of the Sage of the Six Paths.
"Generations of Asuras and Indras? Does that mean there were many Indras before me? What exactly does this mean?"
Madara's brow furrowed deeply as his thoughts raced.
"And… Asura's chakra can influence a person's character?"
"Then what about Indra? Does his chakra also influence one's character?"
He looked down at his own hands.
"Inside my own body… there is Indra's chakra?"
"No, impossible!" He suddenly looked up.
"This power is something I trained and built myself since young! How could it be influenced by some Chakra!"
Hashirama watched him in silence.
Madara was visibly conflicted and unsettled.
Moreover, the Sky Screen had said that Uchiha Sasuke was the next-generation Indra, and Uzumaki Naruto was the Asura of the same era.
Madara: 'I am the Indra of this generation…'
'Then who is the Asura of my era, the one skilled in Talk-no-Jutsu?'
Madara's eyes shifted, landing on Hashirama with a complex expression.
The Sky Screen had already revealed that if nothing changed, his future self would die at Hashirama's hands.
Was this the destined fate of Indra and Asura?
"Uzumaki Naruto…" Madara muttered thoughtfully.
"Impressive. To bring back the next-generation Indra… he managed something even Hashirama couldn't."
For the first time, Madara felt genuinely curious about that child on the screen.
Hashirama, sensing Madara's gaze, scratched his head. "Madara, why are you looking at me like that?"
Madara was silent for a moment, then said: "Nothing."
But in his heart, one thought grew clearer and clearer.
Could the destiny of Indra and Asura really be broken? And how had that kid done it?
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Training Ground]
Sasuke looked at the Naruto beside him in silence.
The Sky Screen had said he was this generation's Indra. And now it was saying Naruto was Asura.
'Severing a thousand years of destiny… what does that mean?'
*'And bringing me back…?'"
He recalled the Sky Screen's earlier mention of "Team Hebi" and the hints about his defection.
Could it be… that he really defected from the village in the future?
Kakashi, meanwhile, breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed that Naruto ended up bringing Sasuke back after all.
He looked at Naruto, a glimmer of reassurance in his eyes.
But then, his expression darkened.
If what the Sky Screen said was true, then Obito should still be somewhere in the outside world right now.
So how could he bring Obito back?
'Obito…'
*****
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