The black frame world screen continued.
"Oh." Naruto replied indifferently.
"Uh..." Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile froze.
Seeing this, Naruto was suddenly startled.
'No, if I don't get sick... will That old man get angry and use other ways to scheme against me?'
Thinking of this, Naruto quickly said, "The Will of Fire is so amazing!"
"As long as I understand the Will of Fire, I can be happy... and everyone won't hate me, right?"
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up, and he nodded very affirmatively.
Then he added with more emphasis, "Naruto, do you know what those stone statues above the Village represent?"
Hokage?
The strongest person in the Village?
These two thoughts flashed through Naruto's mind, but he still shook his head.
He didn't act very interested, because the difference between his previous and current reactions would be too great.
"Hehe, Naruto, the people carved up there are all great heroes who protected the Village!"
"Really? Speaking of which, Old Man, you look like one of them ~" Naruto then said.
In Naruto's opinion, this was a subtle compliment to That old man.
However, what Naruto didn't expect was that the Old Man in front of him really was one of them.
"Hehe, you noticed that?" Hiruzen Sarutobi proudly lifted his chin.
He seemed to be affirming Naruto's insight.
"Where Konoha dances, fire will burn on."
Uh...
Naruto was truly surprised; how could such an Old Man be carved up there?
No, this Old Man really is the Third Hokage!
In an instant, Naruto glanced with some lingering fear at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was still chattering endlessly about the Will of Fire.
'I didn't expect this Old Man to really be the Third Hokage, the leader of those bastards... But he doesn't seem powerful at all!'
Naruto pondered for a moment and suddenly realized that the noise in his ears had stopped.
He looked up and saw Hiruzen Sarutobi smiling at him.
Naruto didn't even think, he just subtly adjusted his emotions, "So that's how it is, Old Man, you're really amazing!"
Upon receiving Naruto's compliment, Hiruzen Sarutobi lightly coughed twice.
"Do you want to become a person like that too?"
"Yes!" Naruto quickly replied.
Confirming that the person in front of him was the mastermind, Naruto's attitude changed.
"Very good, then, Naruto, you need to understand one principle."
"It's not about becoming Hokage to gain everyone's approval."
"Rather, it's about gaining everyone's approval first, then you can become a great hero and Hokage who protects the Village."
Naruto: "..."
"I understand!" Naruto quickly nodded.
"By the way, Old Man, are you the strongest person in the Village?"
"Hehe, of course."
"Not only that, I'm also the strongest of the four Hokage!"
Screech—
The scene on the black frame world screen stopped abruptly.
It was similar to the last scene on the golden frame world screen.
The Ninja World: "..."
This Old Man.
Whether it's the golden frame world or the black frame world, he's equally dark, equally thick-skinned.
Seeing himself verbally declare that he was the most powerful one again.
Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but blush.
Orochimaru burst out laughing.
He had originally planned to use Edo Tensei on the First Hokage and, in front of him, reveal Hiruzen Sarutobi's self-proclaimed title of god of shinobi.
Now, this could almost be considered Hiruzen Sarutobi saying it himself.
And not just once, but twice!
And in front of the entire Ninja World.
Buzz—
At this moment, a scene appeared on the golden frame world screen.
"Is this, continuing with the Naruto of our world?"
"It looks like it."
"It's getting late, I should go." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved at Naruto.
The seed of the Will of Fire had been planted, and Naruto also cherished him, his only true light; today's goal had been achieved.
"Goodbye, Old Man!" Naruto waved his small hand, bidding farewell to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, not long after sitting down.
Grumble—
Naruto's stomach rumbled.
He was at an age where he naturally ate a lot.
After a busy afternoon, he'd only eaten one skinny grilled fish, so it was no wonder he was hungry.
But Naruto's face was beaming with a smile.
"Gaining everyone's approval, huh?"
"I can definitely do it!"
Ōnoki: "See? The shameless Third Hokage!"
Mei Terumī: "Oh my goodness, how can there be such a shameless person?"
Ino Yamanaka: "You hateful Old Man, you have no worries about food and clothing, yet you steal the fish a child worked hard all afternoon to catch!"
Ino Yamanaka: "Quickly return Uzumaki Kushina's inheritance to Naruto!"
After receiving her mother's assurance and the reward from the Comparison Viewing System, Ino was clearly bolder.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face immediately darkened.
He glanced down at Inoichi Yamanaka's position.
However, Inoichi Yamanaka didn't look up at him at all. Instead, he chatted with Akimichi Choza and Nara Shikaku beside him, as if he hadn't heard anything.
'Even Shikaku has this attitude?' Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart sank.
At this moment, what surprised him was...
A mere commoner actually dared to talk back to him.
Encouraged by Ino, Sakura also spoke up.
Sakura Haruno: "Third Ho... Old Man, could it be that you embezzled the inheritance of Uzumaki Kushina and Fourth Hokage?"
Uzumaki Kushina: "Speak! Old Monkey!"
Seeing someone speak up for Naruto, Kushina was incredibly touched.
They are all good children!
Especially that girl named Ino Yamanaka... she also received a reward.
That hair color... could it be Inoichi-senpai's daughter?
She just said that Naruto was very bad, and she liked him very much... Well, alright, she wouldn't indiscriminately attack Konoha then.
Uchiha Mikoto looked at her good friend with some helplessness.
She had already guessed what Kushina was thinking.
But on second thought, she found it very normal.
Kushina subconsciously believed that she owed her son too much.
So, before everything was confirmed, she would try her best to make up for her child.
Mikoto shook her head and smiled; hadn't she also had such thoughts?
The golden frame world screen continued.
Time flew by, and soon, summer and autumn passed.
Naruto seemed to have gotten used to his identity.
Although he still felt sad and hurt every time those people cursed and reviled him.
But Naruto quickly managed to adjust his emotions, smiling as he faced them, hoping to gain their approval.
He was clearly very sad, but the next day he inexplicably felt fine, constantly grinning foolishly.
What made Naruto happiest was that he had finally made friends.
Two of them, one named Shikamaru and one named Choji.
They didn't dislike him, nor did they show disgust towards him like other children.
This day, Naruto was running around the streets as usual.
But today, the atmosphere in the Village seemed a bit off.
However, Shikamaru and Choji weren't playing in the park either.
Helpless, Naruto could only go back home and stay there.
Night fell, and heavy snow arrived as promised.
Naruto, full of energy, naturally couldn't sit still and snuck out again.
In reality, Naruto looked forward to the night.
Because at night, people wouldn't be able to recognize him immediately.
He could then wander the streets like a normal child.
However, today's streets seemed a bit deserted; even the usually bustling snack street had very few people.
Naruto just looked from afar and didn't go over.
Because the aroma there was too strong; if he stayed there for a while, not to mention whether he'd be recognized, if he saw delicious food, he'd have to endure the entire night.
Money was still not enough, and most merchants were unwilling to sell things to him.
In a blink of an eye, Naruto found himself 'owning' the entire street.
This was unprecedented; the little boy happily ran around in the snow.
However, playing alone, no matter how fun, quickly became boring.
Just as he was about to continue wandering, he suddenly noticed a child squatting under a distant street light.
Faint sobs reached his ears.
Hinata, who had just woken up, was stunned for a few seconds after seeing this scene, and then her brain, which had just cooled down, started smoking again.
....
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