Sarutobi Hiruzen read Naruto's diary with a cheerful chuckle. It was truly wonderful that the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki could possess such thoughts and awareness.
Minato, Naruto is indeed your child. Despite his young age, his heart that loves the village is exactly the same as yours.
The next day, Sarutobi Hiruzen personally took time out of his schedule again. He wandered around the village, bought some things, and then arrived at Naruto's door.
Naruto was sitting at his desk in a daze. He looked at the diary on the desk, which was placed exactly as it had been the night before, appearing untouched, and at the books stacked on the desk, wondering what he was thinking about.
Thump, thump, thump!
Naruto's shoes stepped on the wooden floor, making a series of crisp sounds.
"Grandpa Third, you're here again!"
Hearing the sound of Naruto's footsteps running happily out of the room to welcome him, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled slightly and took out the bag he had bought, which contained some school supplies.
"Child, the Ninja Academy is about to start. I prepared these for you."
"Really? Thank you, Grandpa Third!"
Uzumaki Naruto was very happy, an excited smile revealing itself on his face. He took the things, giggled foolishly, and then dashed straight back into his room, seemingly unable to wait to see the gifts Grandpa Third had bought him.
Seeing Naruto's innocent display, Sarutobi Hiruzen also chuckled and followed him inside.
He chatted with Naruto for a while, explaining some things regarding enrollment. Seeing that Naruto wasn't listening at all, but was instead excitedly imagining how he would become a great ninja, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled faintly.
"Naruto, when the time comes, remember not to be late!"
After saying goodbye to Naruto, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, left with a chuckle.
Inside the house, Naruto carefully wrapped up the things the Third Hokage had brought, then sat back down at his desk and began to stare into space again.
He hadn't gone out in a long time. The gazes of those people outside were truly unbearable.
Naruto could understand their pain and sorrow at losing their loved ones because of the Nine-Tails.
But he could not accept becoming the object of their misplaced anger.
However, without going out, aside from reading and writing books, Naruto didn't have many ways to pass the time.
"Should I go out and take a look?"
Naruto shook his head, abandoning the idea. His features were too easily recognized.
Those guys who held a hatred engraved in their bones for the Nine-Tails wouldn't forget his easily recognizable appearance so simply.
Naruto didn't want to have stones thrown at him again.
In that case, it would be better to go tease the fox!
Naruto lay on the bed, his consciousness beginning to sink, and soon, he arrived in the sealed space once again.
"You're here again!"
The Nine-Tails bristled upon seeing Naruto. You brat, you just came yesterday, why are you here again? aren't you annoying?!
"Hahaha, I'm bored alone outside, so I wanted to come find you to talk. Don't worry, I absolutely don't have any other ideas!"
Faced with Naruto's awkward smile, the Nine-Tails expressed complete disbelief.
"Nine-Tails, I am too weak. I have no way to conjure good food, fun things, or drinks for you in here. I can only tell you stories."
This old man doesn't want to hear them, and disdains to hear them! Hurry up and get lost!
Although the Nine-Tails didn't use abusive language, it opened its mouth and let out a ferocious roar.
Naruto wasn't afraid; you can't open the seal anyway.
He walked step by step to the front of the Nine-Tails, sat down with his back against the great seal gate.
"Once upon a time, there was a young man named Ah Bin. Ah Bin's grades were not very ideal..."
The Nine-Tails was about to go mad. It covered its ears in anger, wanting to shut out the stinking brat's voice.
But, as it listened, it lay down on the ground, no longer as violent as at the start.
It felt it was quite interesting.
For so many years, ever since that man told it, "You are too strong, sorry, I cannot allow you to roam freely in the Ninja World," the Nine-Tails had never had freedom again.
Suppressed, controlled, sealed, and then staying inside a Jinchūriki's body for who knows how many years.
Uzumaki Naruto was the first Jinchūriki who wasn't afraid of it, was as lonely as it was, and was now telling it stories in here.
Having not communicated with others for a long time, the Nine-Tails felt that Ah Bin's story wasn't too bad.
However, it still couldn't understand why humans were so enthusiastic about doing reproductive things with the opposite sex.
Nor did it understand why the women in the story, who didn't even grow much fur on their bodies but had protruding fronts and backs, would have such great attraction.
Humans are truly boring. They don't realize at all that a form like the Nine-Tails is the most beautiful and powerful in nature!
"Ahem, that's it for today. Nine-Tails, I'm about to start school soon, so I won't have time to come keep you company during the day. However, I will try my best to make more time to come and tell you stories! In the future, after I become a ninja, I will find a way to make this place more beautiful and more comfortable!"
Naruto waved his hand at the Nine-Tails with a smile and slowly walked away.
The Nine-Tails maintained that baring-teeth, exceptionally disdainful appearance.
"Boring, truly an extremely boring story. You'd best not come again, stinking brat!"
But, within its tone, there wasn't that aggressiveness from the very beginning.
When facing Naruto's wave goodbye, it even simply closed its eyes, not looking at him at all.
Only after Naruto had completely left did the Nine-Tails slowly open its eyes again, looking at the somewhat pitch-black space in front of it.
After a long time, the Nine-Tails let out a sigh.
A humanoid fox... is that really more... likeable than my current appearance?
The Nine-Tails turned its head to look behind it. Although it had changed back now, the feeling of being turned into that appearance by Naruto's chakra earlier was still branded on its heart.
Tch!
Damn stinking brat, wanting this old man to turn into that appearance... no way!
Giving this old man that 'Ah Bin's grades are not very ideal'... I'll watch you become that Ah Bin with not very ideal grades!
Time passed quickly. After making preparations, Naruto relaxed and entered the Ninja Academy, beginning his student life.
Wearing goggles on his head, he focused completely on avoiding the cold, fearful, and hateful gazes of those around him. He walked into the classroom, automatically found a seat in the furthest corner, sat down, and tried hard to lower his presence.
"I really didn't guess wrong. These guys... their memories are truly deep."
Although his absence from the face of Konoha for two years had caused many people's memories to blur a lot, there were still some who held great malice toward him.