Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura were strolling down the busy streets of Konoha.
To onlookers, the two looked like a young couple enjoying a date—arms loosely linked, smiles tugging at their lips. Just as Sakura shyly tried to take Naruto's hand—
At the corner of the street, a strange-looking man with face paint was holding a small boy by the collar.
Naruto didn't recognize the man, but he instantly recognized the boy—Sarutobi Konohamaru, the grandson of the Third Hokage.
Konohamaru was a well-known troublemaker in the village. But because of his prestigious background, people usually turned a blind eye to his antics and forgave him unconditionally. This was a stark contrast to how Naruto had been treated as a child.
Back then, no one had forgiven Naruto for anything.
It wasn't really their fault, Naruto thought. People just instinctively believed that this kid—Konohamaru—was destined to become Hokage someday.
Truth be told, Naruto didn't like that kind of person.
Even if Konohamaru got roughed up by some ninja from another village, Naruto thought it served him right. He had no intention of intervening.
Originally, Naruto planned to just walk away and act like he hadn't seen anything.
But...
Due to Konohamaru's status, several Konoha villagers had already gathered to watch the scene unfold.
And things were different now.
In Naruto's mind, Konoha wasn't just the village where he grew up. It was now the prospective foundation for the future Land of Whirlpools.
In other words, if things went as planned, Konoha would one day be absorbed into the Land of Whirlpools—his nation.
Of course, that would require the complete removal of Konoha's current leadership.
So, as far as Naruto was concerned, everything happening in Konoha now could be summed up in one sentence:
"Oh, well—it's all mine anyway!"
And saving Konohamaru right now?
That would be the first step in reshaping his image in the eyes of the villagers.
He noticed from the intruder's forehead protector that the man grabbing Konohamaru was a Sand Shinobi from the Hidden Sand Village—likely in Konoha for the upcoming Chūnin Exams.
"How dare a mere Sand Ninja act so brazenly in Konoha?" Naruto said aloud, drawing the attention of the surrounding crowd.
The villagers stared in surprise.
Was this the same boy they had once called a demon fox?
In that moment, he looked… different.
---
Orochimaru: "Naruto-kun's becoming a lot like Hiruzen-sensei. Learning how to play politics without anyone even teaching him."
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Orochimaru, I became Hokage with the village's approval. Don't twist history."
Orochimaru: "And now Naruto is gaining that same approval, whether you like it or not."
Hiruzen fell silent.
Whether or not Naruto truly cared about saving Konohamaru didn't matter.
What mattered was that the villagers' perception of him had started to change.
---
Fourth Raikage: "Rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools using Konoha as a base? I support it!"
Ohnoki: "Do your best, Naruto from that world. I hope the Naruto from our world can accomplish something similar before I croak… ahem."
Terumi Mei: "He's so charming. If Naruto truly rebuilds the Land of Whirlpools, it might even surpass the Land of Fire."
Fourth Kazekage (Rasa): "Sounds like you're planning to offer yourself up to him, Mizukage?"
Terumi Mei: "I wouldn't rule it out. Just wish Naruto-kun would grow up a little faster."
Uchiha Madara: "Very good. Konoha has outlived its usefulness."
Senju Tobirama: "I just praised Naruto a second ago, but now he's sounding more and more like an Uchiha!"
Naruto: "…"
---
"Oh? A Konoha ninja?" Kankuro muttered, eyes narrowing. "Looks like I've run into someone interesting."
Kankuro dropped Konohamaru and smirked. His fingers began subtly moving, manipulating invisible chakra threads aimed at Naruto.
Chakra threads like his were almost undetectable—unless one possessed special abilities like the Sharingan or Byakugan.
Unfortunately for him, the person he was up against was Naruto, a shinobi with nearly 20 years of chakra control experience and countless clone techniques.
He could sense chakra flows as easily as he could breathe.
Effortlessly avoiding the threads, Naruto darted forward and punched Kankuro squarely in the chest.
The impact sent Kankuro flying like a rag doll, crashing into the wall with a thud.
Without missing a beat, Naruto pulled out a kunai and threw it at Kankuro's arm as he walked away—intending to cripple him, not kill. After all, murdering a foreign ninja inside Konoha's walls wasn't the smartest move.
---
Deidara: "Brutal. Crippling a puppeteer's hand is basically like snapping a ninja's spine."
Sasori: "The younger generation of Sand Shinobi is pathetic."
Granny Chiyo: "Ugh, they've really declined. Disgraceful."
White Zetsu: "I like Naruto's attitude. He'd fit right in with Akatsuki."
Black Zetsu: "You mean, we should recruit him?"
White Zetsu: "If it were our world, I'd consider it."
Black Zetsu: "And what about the Ten-Tails plan? 'Hey Naruto, can you kill yourself so we can take your tailed beast?'"
White Zetsu: "Ahem… that could be tricky."
---
Kankuro watched the footage on the black screen, breaking into a cold sweat.
He was silently thankful that the Naruto in his world wasn't that terrifying.
As Deidara had said—losing a puppeteer's hand was like losing their entire identity.
Puppet technique turning into… foot technique? No thanks.
---
Kakashi Hatake: "I expected Naruto to beat Zabuza and Haku, but I didn't think he'd hit a foreign ninja so hard just for mouthing off."
Uchiha Madara: "That's how it should be! To establish dominance, you need to show power—so overwhelming it makes people afraid to even speak."
Madara would know. That's what he did, once upon a time.
Until Hashirama ruined everything by stabbing him in the back.
---
Back on the screen—
Just as Naruto's kunai was about to cripple Kankuro's arm...
"Wind Style: Kamaitachi!"
A fierce wind blew from the side, altering the kunai's trajectory and embedding it harmlessly into the wall.
Kankuro's scalp tingled as he stared at the weapon embedded beside his head.
If that had hit him...
He would've been finished.
Naruto, unfazed that his kunai missed, turned to see the person who deflected it—a blonde beauty wielding a giant fan.
She wore a Sand Ninja forehead protector and netted mesh under her clothes.
The outfit looked... surprisingly durable.
"Sorry. That's my brother," she said, stepping forward. "I apologize for his behavior."
She could sense it—the blond boy hadn't even used his full strength. If he had, she wouldn't have been able to save Kankuro.
Naruto simply shrugged, flashed a grin, and said:
"You're lucky to have such a good sister."
Then, without looking back, he walked away.
---
Temari stood frozen.
Her face flushed slightly.
"He… said I'm… a good sister?"
That simple phrase struck the most vulnerable part of her heart.
She had two younger brothers—Kankuro, the puppet freak, who spent more time with wooden dolls than people... and Gaara.
Gaara never acknowledged her as family.
No matter how hard she tried, he never gave her warmth or recognition.
So this was the first time someone had ever genuinely acknowledged her as a sister.
And it came from a stranger.
"Uzumaki Naruto…"
She learned his name from the murmurs of the villagers around her.
And she found herself… curious.
---
Haruno Sakura: "???"
Yamanaka Ino: "Wait… Temari from Sand Village... has fallen for him too?"
Tenten: "That's crazy! They just met!"
Kankuro: "Huh? Naruto's gonna be my brother-in-law? No way!"
Gaara: "Naruto? That's acceptable."
Princess Koyuki: "I wanna get hit by Naruto's kunai too!"
The gossip spread like wildfire through the group chat.
Only Temari remained quiet.
She knew best of all—
That Gaara and Kankuro's attitude toward her only began to change after the Konoha Collapse Plan…
After Gaara was defeated by Naruto.
Until then, she had never received their acknowledgment—not as a sister, not as a person.
So she fully understood why her alternate self in that world reacted so strongly—
When Naruto praised her...
As a good sister.
---