Naruto Uzumaki jogged home, beads of sweat dotting his forehead.
Yet the yearning to become Hokage kept exhaustion at bay.
Instead, a smile lingered on his face.
Opening the fridge, he found it nearly empty, save for a half-finished carton of milk.
Naruto grabbed the milk and chugged it down.
In no time, the meager amount was gone.
Patting his slightly bloated stomach, Naruto let out a sigh of relief.
He slipped off his clothes and shoes, then flopped onto the bed.
With his carefree personality, the villagers' hatred and disdain seemed to weigh a little less on him tomorrow.
As for why he went to bed just as the sky began to darken?
Well, Naruto was afraid his hunger would keep him awake later.
Better to sleep now than toss and turn with an empty stomach.
Within minutes, soft snores echoed through the small, sparse apartment.
[Naruto Uzumaki's carefree, naive personality is really a tough nut to crack.]
In the depths of his subconscious, a shadowy figure emerged.
This figure's voice rang out, observing the sleeping Naruto from within his subconscious space.
Chu Ran shook his head. It was he who had planted the idea of becoming Hokage in Naruto's mind earlier, subtly nudging him in that direction.
Even the path Naruto took while running was influenced by Chu Ran's subconscious manipulations.
For years, Chu Ran had existed as a presence within Naruto's subconscious.
From the moment Minato Namikaze died and the Nine-Tails was sealed within Naruto, Chu Ran had been there.
Equipped with a "Darkening System," he subtly shaped Naruto's thoughts, steering him toward a darker path.
[Watching the anime, it didn't feel this pitiful.]
[Reality is often far harsher. He's the son of a hero, yet treated like this.]
Chu Ran shook his head with a sigh, feeling a pang of injustice for the boy who deserved better.
Despite the entire village shunning him, Naruto faced each day with optimism.
He harbored no active hatred for anyone and, in the original story, grew into a hero who protected the Hidden Leaf and saved the ninja world.
Such a tale of returning kindness for cruelty might only exist in anime.
In the subconscious space, Chu Ran glanced at Naruto, then at the system interface beside him, a hint of sentimentality in his gaze.
[Host: Chu Ran]
[Bound Character: Naruto Uzumaki]
[Physique: 0.5]
[Soul: 3]
[Darkening Progress: 0.87%]
[Darkening Points: 210]
[Darkening Shop: Locked]
A normal person's physique ranged from 0.3 to 1.5, with ninjas typically higher.
Soul strength, meanwhile, ranged from 0.5 to 1. A stronger soul meant greater comprehension and willpower.
Physique represented physical strength and innate talent.
Chu Ran's physique was average for a normal person, but his soul was stronger due to his transmigration and binding to Naruto.
Crucially, his physique and soul stats could stack with Naruto's own.
In the original story, Naruto's early talent seemed lackluster, partly due to his lack of serious training and partly due to the Nine-Tails' chakra interference.
But with Chu Ran's attributes added, Naruto's potential, while not elite, was at least significantly improved.
Darkening Points could be spent in the Darkening Shop to acquire talents or abilities.
However, the shop required a minimum Darkening Progress of 10% to unlock.
This was Chu Ran's system: the Darkening Protagonist System.
It allowed him to subtly influence Naruto's thoughts from the subconscious, gradually pushing him toward a darker path.
The goal was to transform Naruto into a version unlike the original—a nightmare for the Hidden Leaf, or even the entire ninja world.
But at the current pace, that goal seemed distant.
Naruto's personality was too kind. Despite the villagers' rejection, he remained optimistic and yearned for their approval.
This was Chu Ran's greatest challenge. Early on, he had tried to make Naruto hate the villagers.
But it barely worked, nudging the Darkening Progress to just under 1%.
[The path to Hokage is the first step. Only with a goal will obstacles arise.]
[And with obstacles, the dark side of the Hidden Leaf will gradually reveal itself.]
Chu Ran looked at the sleeping Naruto, a faint smile curling his lips.
He had abandoned the idea of making Naruto actively hate the villagers. A new plan had formed in his mind.
He would let Naruto discover the Hidden Leaf's darkness step by step, on his own.
…
The next morning, as dawn barely broke, Naruto stretched lazily and climbed out of bed.
Slipping on his sandals, he glanced at the empty fridge before heading to brush his teeth.
After brushing, he happily dashed toward the Hokage's office building.
The start of each month was probably the happiest time for Naruto.
Every month, he could collect his living stipend from the Third Hokage.
It wasn't much, but it was enough for him to treat himself to a hearty bowl of ramen at the beginning of the month.
Ramen was Naruto's favorite food, and Ichiraku Ramen was a must-visit after getting his stipend.
After changing into fresh clothes, he jogged toward the village's central district.
Soon, he arrived at the Hokage's office building, entering with familiar ease.
But as he approached the Hokage's office, he was stopped.
"The Third Hokage is working and meeting with important guests."
"You can't go in."
The man was one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's ninja guards. Naruto didn't know his name.
He wasn't new here, and the guard recognized him.
Hearing the guard's words, a flicker of disappointment crossed Naruto's face.
He knew the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, was busy.
Sometimes, when things got hectic, Naruto wouldn't even get to see him.
But with his stomach growling from hunger, Naruto couldn't help but ask,
"How long will Grandpa Third be busy?"
The guard, hearing Naruto's question, showed no courtesy.
He grabbed Naruto by the collar and dragged him out of the Hokage's office building.
"Don't know. If you want to wait, wait outside."
The cold, heartless words doused Naruto's optimistic mood.
Looking at the symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto walked toward the streets, his spirits dampened.