Naruto's performance on the black-framed screen naturally drew admiration from countless eyes.
That child was obviously destined for something extraordinary. The way he had handled everything so far was no less composed than a fully grown adult. He was only five, yet his judgment, self-control, and sharp instincts had already left most people speechless.
"I really didn't expect him to figure out so quickly who was behind all of this."
"Tsk, tsk. I'm getting more and more curious about how Sarutobi-sensei will show up later."
"Shut up, Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed at his temples, his head pounding harder with every passing second.
Why was it that whenever something went wrong, people no longer looked at Danzo first? Why had suspicion started falling on him before anyone else?
Madara Uchiha snorted. "Hmph. This Jinchūriki clearly harbors thoughts of destroying Konoha. Hashirama, didn't you once say you'd stop anyone who tried to destroy the village? Go on, then."
Hashirama laughed awkwardly. "Haha... Madara, I'm already dead."
Tobirama Senju, however, was far calmer. "No. Naruto in the black frame won't go that far. But at the very least, a large portion of Konoha will have to pay a price in the future."
He continued coldly, analyzing every detail with frightening precision. "There is one obvious difference between him and the Naruto in the gold frame. On his way downstairs, he bought fishhooks and line, and he felt the shopkeeper's kindness. Later, when Danzo's men and the monkey's men provoked him, he also saw the hesitation in that same shopkeeper's expression."
"Didn't you notice?" Tobirama said. "When black-framed Naruto fought back, he avoided that shopkeeper."
Izuna Uchiha burst out laughing. "Senju Tobirama, what are you still daydreaming about? Rather than hoping that Naruto won't annihilate Konoha, why not pray that in that black-framed world, your disciple who inherited your will commits a little less stupidity—so Konoha won't die such a miserable death?"
The faces of everyone from Konoha turned ugly.
No one could refute him. The bloody truth had already been laid bare before them.
What surprised them even more was that Tobirama didn't argue back this time.
Instead, he said, "Naruto with the black frame is cautious and meticulous. In the world of the gold frame, Naruto also encountered people who weren't hostile to him. So I believe that, no matter what happens in the future, the black-framed Naruto will not uproot the entire Hidden Leaf Village. There are still people there who are not all the same."
Izuna only laughed harder. "Dream on! Even if that's true, I still think black-framed Naruto will find an excuse to send away the people he cares about first—and then, once they're gone, destroy Konoha and build a new village in its place."
"Tobirama Senju!"
"You disagree?" Izuna sneered. "Then let's make a bet."
The two immediately began bickering again, but the screen did not wait for them.
***
Just like the gold-framed screen had shown before, the story shifted to the hospital.
Three years ago, after the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails, the rumor of a demon fox reborn in human form spread through Konoha like wildfire.
Naruto Uzumaki—the blond brat with six whisker marks on his cheeks—had become the target of everyone's hatred, the "culprit" blamed for taking away countless loved ones. The fox demon. That was what they called him.
On the black-framed screen, Naruto lay on a narrow hospital bed.
His face was expressionless, but traces of blood still stained his skin and clothes. A medical ninja stood before him, hatred written plainly across his face. Even while treating him, the man's hands were rough, impatient, and full of barely concealed disgust.
"Hss—"
The movement tugged at Naruto's wounds, and pain shot through him. He sucked in a breath.
"Hmph." The medical ninja glared at him. "Stop squirming."
Bang!
Without warning, Naruto lashed out and kicked him square in the lower back.
"Hiss—!"
This time it was the medical ninja who grimaced in pain.
"If you don't want treatment, then get out!" the man snapped.
Naruto's face twisted with open hostility. "You want me to die?"
His tone was fierce, but those who looked carefully saw that his eyes were strangely calm.
Mei Terumī's eyes lit up at once. "What a smart child. That child is truly exceptional."
She did not hide her admiration. "His words clearly show that he's already guessed something. He's testing the medical ninja's attitude."
Then, with no attempt to conceal her envy, she added, "I wish he belonged to my Hidden Mist."
Hiruzen immediately seized the chance to strike back. "Come now. You're from Kirigakure. Hasn't your village already been through the Bloody Mist era?"
Mei fell silent.
And for the first time in quite a while, Hiruzen actually looked pleased with himself, as though he had managed to claw back a sliver of lost ground.
"Damn it!"
The medical ninja's face darkened with anger. Yet when he looked at Naruto's fierce expression, some instinctive fear rose in him. After a brief hesitation, he only snorted and said, "You'd better behave."
This time, when he stepped forward and used the Mystical Palm Technique again, his movements were much gentler.
Naruto ignored him completely. He had already gotten the answer he wanted.
His gaze dropped to his arm, and he froze.
The small wound there had already healed.
"A fox demon..." he thought. "Could I really be a fox demon?"
His little brows knit together tightly.
"But if I really am one... why do I know nothing at all?"
That question lingered in his mind.
A while later, the medical ninja packed up his tools, threw Naruto another disgusted glare, and turned to leave. Before that, the ANBU ninja who had brought Naruto here had only said one thing:
"Once you're healed, go home by yourself."
Naruto had no intention of staying in that place any longer than necessary. After resting for a little while, he got off the bed, washed the blood and grime from his face as best he could, and left Konoha Hospital on his own.
Yet even in a place meant for healing the wounded and saving lives, he was still met with countless cold stares.
At first Naruto ignored them. He couldn't be bothered to care.
But the moment those people saw he wasn't reacting, they became bolder. One insult after another was thrown at him, uglier than the last. Some were muttered under their breath. Others were spoken loud enough for him to hear on purpose.
Naruto stopped in his tracks and glared back.
Then, without saying a word, he turned and ran straight toward the washroom he had passed earlier.
When he came back out, a mischievous smile had already appeared on his lips.
"Come on," the child's voice rang out with provocative clarity. "If you dare, then kill me."
"Damn fox— what is this— ugh!"
"Blegh—!"
Slap! Slap! Slap!
The sound of a mop smacking into people's faces echoed through the hospital corridor one hit after another.
Kushina exploded with delight.
"Good!"
"My Naruto should've treated them like that from the start!"
"Since their mouths are already full of filth, this is perfect! Let them have a proper meal!"
A lot of women instantly covered their faces, too embarrassed to watch.
Sakura and Ino both slapped their foreheads at the same time.
Yet the corners of their mouths still twitched upward against their will.
Most people felt revolted. At the same time, though, they couldn't quite stop themselves from laughing.
The people of Konoha, on the other hand, had completely darkened expressions—especially the ones who recognized themselves in the scene.
In an unnamed tavern on Tanzaku Street, Tsunade laughed so hard she nearly slammed the table apart.
"I like this brat! Hahahaha!"
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes narrowed with genuine amusement.
On the screen, it took Naruto a full ten minutes to walk the short two hundred meters out of Konoha Hospital.
"Hmph!"
He even mimicked the cold snort those adults had thrown at him earlier.
Then he casually tossed aside the now only slightly less filthy mop, dusted off his hands, lifted his chin, and walked away in triumph. Behind him, the sounds of retching and vomiting still echoed down the corridor.
Then Naruto suddenly stopped.
He glanced toward a tree nearby.
Without hesitation, he turned around, jogged back, snatched up the mop from where he had tossed it, and hurled it straight at the trunk.
The ANBU ninja hiding behind the tree twitched at the corner of his eye. Almost by reflex, he dodged aside.
"How... how did he find that ninja?"
"Wait, why didn't that ninja leave?"
Naruto, watching all of this from below the arena, was naturally confused.
Those were the ANBU assigned to watch him.
"Those are the ANBU ninjas monitoring you," Neji said flatly.
"Really?" Naruto looked at him blankly. "Then why didn't I notice? And why are they spying on me?"
Smack.
Naruto clutched the back of his head and yelled, "What was that for?!"
Neji's face remained perfectly serious. "Didn't you hear what Shikamaru said earlier?"
Naruto frowned. "So you mean... the black-framed me kept his own self, while I became some kind of slave to my own confusion?"
"It seems you still remember."
Neji stared at him. "Then you should also remember what happened on the screen just now. When the other you got hit hard on the head, he suddenly became different, didn't he?"
Naruto nodded, then hesitated and shook his head.
Smack.
Neji slapped him on the head again.
"Damn it, Neji!"
Neji rubbed his own palm. It hurt a little too. "I'm helping with the experiment."
Then his voice turned unusually serious.
"Did you hear your mother just now?"
Naruto froze.
"Didn't you hear how happy she sounded?" Neji continued. "Every time she watches the you on the black-framed screen, she cheers for you. She sounds proud. Truly proud."
Naruto was silent.
That much was true.
Whenever Kushina Uzumaki saw black-framed Naruto fight back, think for himself, or refuse to be crushed, her voice would fill with joy, pride, and fierce approval. She sounded more alive in those moments than at any other time.
But...
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, looking at Neji's solemn expression, and suddenly felt like something was wrong here.
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
For some reason, it felt less like Neji was helping him—and more like Neji had already decided to use him for something.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Neji spoke again.
"If the other you can do it," he said slowly, "then maybe you can too."
Naruto stared at him.
And for the first time, those words did not sound encouraging.
They sounded like the opening move to something much bigger.