Chapter 34: Naruko's Daily Life
"Stupid fox, you... you're lying!"
Naruko's small face flushed red, the bills in her hand crumpled into a ball.
The Nine-Tails' mocking laughter echoed in her mind: "Think about those villagers' disgusted looks..."
"Those children shouting 'monster' when they threw stones at you..."
"And—"
The Nine-Tails' chakra suddenly manifested memory images: a scene from some deep night of the Third Hokage standing by her bed, sighing.
"Even that old man who pretends to 'care' about you..."
"Is just checking if the beast in the cage is behaving."
In the sealed space, the Nine-Tails' golden vertical pupils narrowed to slits:
"One bowl of ramen..."
"And you forget all your pain?"
Seeing Naruko fall silent, the Nine-Tails' voice suddenly became low and seductive:
"Come on, little girl..."
The iron bars of the sealed space rippled, transforming into floating charm ribbons. The giant fox's claws emerged from between the bars, claw tips lightly touching that seal:
"Just tear it off..."
"You'll possess the tailed beast's power"
"No one will dare look at you with disgust again"
"Everyone will bow before this power"
"Come on, just rip it off!"
Smack!
A crisp slapping sound exploded in the room.
Naruko clapped both hands hard against her cheeks, the burning pain instantly clearing her mind.
"Stupid dfox! Stop trying to bewitch me!"
She jumped up and "clicked" off the light, diving under the covers and rolling herself into an airtight cocoon.
She pressed the pillow tightly over her head, but the Nine-Tails' whispers still clung like parasites:
"You really don't need it?"
"Think about all the wrongs done to you..."
...
Naruko suddenly hummed a nonsense tune she made up, kicking her legs wildly under the covers, deliberately making the bed frame "thump thump" loudly.
As long as I make enough noise!
I can't hear the bad fox barking!
After a long while...
The writhing under the covers gradually subsided. A six-year-old's stamina ultimately couldn't fight off sleepiness.
Naruko's breathing became long and even, her small hand clutching the bills slowly relaxing.
In the darkness, the Nine-Tails' vertical pupils slowly closed.
This wasn't the first time it had tried to bewitch this girl.
Every time the little girl cried from being wronged, it thought its chance had come.
But this blonde brat was just like wild grass—
Get trampled flat, and after some sunshine she'd perk right back up.
Even more ridiculous, if others showed her even a little kindness, she'd give them her whole heart.
That Uchiha boy who bought her ramen was like this, as was tonight's ANBU kunoichi...
In the sealed space, the Nine-Tails' tail swished irritably.
Having experienced the deepest malice...
How could she still believe in such hypocritical kindness?
Truly foolish!
Just as dawn broke, Naruko "whoosh" pulled open the curtains.
For once, she seriously washed her face with soap, not even sparing the area behind her ears, and dug out a dress that was barely clean.
Konoha's streets remained full of malice.
"Look, it's that demon fox..."
"Stay away from her!"
Naruko walked past the whispering adults with her head high, sticking her tongue out at children throwing pebbles.
These hostilities she should have grown used to somehow couldn't stick to her heart today, like wet paper.
Naruko hummed an off-key song, her blonde twin tails bouncing in the sunlight.
Ichiraku Ramen became her daily destination.
Tonkotsu ramen for lunch, rice balls or sushi for dinner.
Uncle Teuchi went from initial surprise to eventually "accidentally" giving this loyal little customer an extra half slice of char siu.
"Mm!" Naruko slurped her noodles while her eyes stuck to every customer entering the shop.
Days passed one by one—
One day
Two days
Thirty days...
One evening at closing time, Teuchi finally couldn't help asking: "Are you waiting for someone, little girl?"
Naruko nodded with puffed cheeks, her oil-shiny mouth mumbling unclearly: "Black-clothed big brother... and his little sister..."
Teuchi's bowl-wiping hand paused. He remembered them.
After that pair of siblings left, important people wearing masks had come to question him.
"Those customers haven't come in a long time," he chose his words carefully. "Perhaps... my noodles don't suit their refined taste?"
Naruko's chopsticks suddenly stopped mid-air, a drop of broth falling "tap" onto the table.
"Probably... yeah."
She lowered her head, blonde bangs falling to cover her eyes, only her voice still forcing cheerfulness: "But Uncle Teuchi's noodles are definitely the best in Konoha!"
"Gulp gulp—"
The sound of drinking soup was louder than usual, as if trying to cover something.
"Thanks for the meal!"
Naruko jumped down from the high stool.
She bounced out of the ramen shop as usual.
Teuchi suddenly lifted the curtain, calling to that small retreating figure:
"Little girl!"
"If those siblings come again..."
"Uncle will tell you first thing!"
Naruko's steps paused.
She didn't turn around, just raised her arm high and waved.
After leaving the street where the noodle shop was located, Naruko wandered aimlessly, her steps gradually slowing, slower and slower, until she stopped in a pitch-black street.
"Foolish child."
The Nine-Tails' voice rippled through her heart. This time without its usual violence, carrying instead a trace of pity.
"I told you so long ago."
This time, Naruko didn't argue back. She just bit her lower lip hard, but tears still burst the dam.
Salty liquid slid past her mouth corner, mixing with the lingering taste of ramen in indescribable bitterness.
She slowly crouched down, burying her face in her knees.
Naruko counted possibilities over and over in her mind:
Maybe Yu-nii was training...
His sister might be sick and need care...
Or...
They just happened to miss meal times every time?
These bubble-like excuses rose and burst in her heart, but Naruko stubbornly continued blowing new ones.
Strangely, this time the Nine-Tails didn't mock or tempt her.
In the sealed space, the giant fox simply dozed with closed eyes, its tail occasionally sweeping across the cage.
When the last tear was wiped away with her sleeve, Naruko stood up with a "heave-ho," vigorously patting the dust off her small dress.
She'd go look again tomorrow...
For now, home to sleep!
Naruko looked around, only then realizing she'd wandered into a district she'd never set foot in.
The entire street was black as ink, all the shops tightly shuttered.
Yellow notices were pasted on the shop doors: [Sarutobi Clan Property - Temporarily Closed]
"Is anyone there..."
Her voice echoed through the empty street.
The only light source in the distance flickered dimly, like the sole firefly in the night.
Instinctively, Naruko ran toward that glimmer of light, her sandals making "patter patter" sounds on the stone pavement, particularly crisp in the silence.
Just as she was about to reach the light—
Swoosh
Space suddenly twisted as a figure stepped out.
"Naruko?"
The familiar voice made the little girl brake sharply, nearly bumping into the person's waist.
She looked up to see crimson Sharingan glowing faintly in the darkness.
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