After a full day of chakra refinement, Uzumaki Naruto could feel the growing power coursing through his body.
Gurgle.
His stomach let out a loud protest, and Naruto looked up at the sky. It was time to go home.
Just as he turned to leave, a faint rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. His senses, now sharper thanks to his ample chakra reserves, immediately picked up on it.
"What's going on? Is someone trying to ambush me?" he wondered, narrowing his eyes.
But he quickly shook his head. That didn't make sense. There was no reason for anyone to set a trap for him now. Still, his curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously moved toward the source of the noise.
Tiptoeing closer, Naruto gently pushed aside some branches, hiding behind a tree as he peered through the leaves.
This version of Naruto is unusually cautious.
Bathed in moonlight, he spotted the figure of a young girl.
She wore black tights with a clan emblem embroidered on her right shoulder. Her face was round and delicate, her short hair framing her features. She looked to be about the same age as Naruto, but she was clearly more developed—unexpectedly mature for her age.
Naruto instantly recognized her.
Hinata Hyuga.
As expected of a noble's daughter, she was... well, let's just say she stood out.
But what caught Naruto's attention even more was the sight of her quietly crying, her face buried in her hands. She looked genuinely heartbroken.
Seeing the helpless Hinata struck a chord deep within Naruto. He saw his younger self in her—isolated, ridiculed, rejected. He, too, had often retreated to the back mountain to cry when no one was looking. Over time, he had become numb to it all, his pain dulled by repetition. But the memory remained.
Hinata's tears stirred something in him.
"Is this all the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan is capable of?" her father's scornful voice seemed to echo in the air. "You've disappointed me again, Hinata."
The Hyuga Clan—proud rivals of the Uchiha—was known for its strength and strict discipline. As the eldest daughter, Hinata had been burdened with immense expectations. Even at just seven years old, she was subjected to intense, relentless training.
But her talent didn't seem to meet her father Hiashi's demands.
---
Yamanaka Ino: "I didn't know Hinata was being pushed so hard since she was a child. That's really tragic. Compared to that, our Yamanaka Clan is so much more gentle."
Aburame Shino: "That's because your clan focuses on intelligence and support roles, relying on secret techniques passed down through generations. But the Hyuga Clan? They're an essential combat force for Konoha. Naturally, the bar is set higher."
Shino (continued): "Take our Aburame Clan, for example. We raise insects inside our bodies from birth. Some families even raise poisonous varieties. It's painful, but it's our way."
His words revealed a darker side of the ninja world.
Konoha's stability wasn't built on peace and prosperity alone—it was earned through sacrifice. Countless ninjas had paid the price to uphold it.
Even the Aburame Clan, for all its hardships, was considered one of Konoha's elite families.
And despite being one of the "Twelve Little Powerhouses" in the future, most ninjas didn't start out with greatness.
Many were like Iruka's parents—ordinary, without clan prestige. They had once said, "You stay home. We'll go protect Konoha." Then they left... and never returned.
Shino's words left the audience silent.
Three Shinobi World Wars had scarred the world. What appeared peaceful now was merely a fragile illusion.
What the world truly needed was a ninja who could reshape its fate and bring lasting peace.
Not even Senju Hashirama, the greatest shinobi to ever live, had managed that.
---
DING!
[Question]: When faced with the crying Hinata, what will Naruto from the black frame world do?
A: "I've suffered enough rejection. I don't care about this one."
B: "You're crying? Pathetic. The Hyuga Clan is on my list anyway. I'll take my revenge on their men, and as for the women..."
C: "I may hate Konoha, but Hinata's situation reminds me of my own. Maybe... we could understand each other."
Another quiz from the system appeared, with three choices. Just one was correct.
Viewers already had a strong sense of this black-framed Naruto's personality—cautious, cold, intelligent. And above all, he harbored resentment toward Konoha.
This version of Naruto was the polar opposite of the cheerful, naive boy everyone knew.
---
Ohnoki: "Based on how he's been acting, I think he'll just ignore her and move on."
Jiraiya: "I'm more curious why Option B trails off with an ellipsis. What exactly was Naruto going to do with the Hyuga women?"
Hiashi: "Master Jiraiya, please show some respect!"
Jiraiya (laughs): "Oh? So Hiashi's in the chat too!"
Orochimaru: "Naruto is acting just like me—grudge-driven and vengeful. Honestly, Option B seems likely."
Hinata (nervous): "I know this Naruto is a bit extreme, but I still believe he's kind deep down... just like our Naruto."
Kushina: "Who is this Hinata girl?"
Hiashi: "Ahem... my daughter. Why do you ask?"
Kushina: "No reason. I like her. How about she becomes my Naruto's girlfriend?"
Naruto: "..."
Minato (laughing): "Kushina, I like her too, but Hyuga marriages usually follow strict clan rules."
Kushina: "That's why I asked who her father was!"
Hiashi: "..."
Hiashi: "Maybe when you and Minato are resurrected, we can discuss it again?"
Kushina: "Deal!"
Kushina: "Anyway, I'm choosing C. I believe in Naruto, just like Hinata does!"
Hiruzen: "Where Konoha thrives, the fire lives on. We're all one family. I choose C as well!"
Orochimaru: "I'll go with B!"
The selection timer expired.
Most viewers had chosen to wait and observe. After all, this Naruto wasn't easy to predict.
---
[Back to the scene]
Naruto stood there, watching the weeping Hinata.
He turned to leave—once, twice, three times. But each time, he paused.
Finally, he walked over to her.
He dug through his pockets, searching for something to help. No tissues.
With a sigh, he removed the scarf around his neck. A deep red one, slightly worn. The last thing his mother had ever left behind.
Hinata, startled by a sudden presence, looked up through her tears to see Naruto holding out the scarf.
"Here, take it. Your snot's ruining your face," he said, grinning.
Hinata's cheeks flushed. "I—I don't have a runny nose!"
"Then I'll just take it back," Naruto teased, pulling the scarf slightly.
Hinata hesitated, then reached out and gently took it. "It's beautiful."
"If you like it, you can have it."
"But... this must have come from someone important to you."
"Someone important?"
Naruto went silent.
Who did he have? He'd never met his parents.
Even this scarf—he found it among their old belongings. It wasn't like they'd handed it to him personally.
He used to wear it in the freezing cold, and later it just became a habit.
---
Kushina: "Wait a minute! He didn't know that scarf was from me?! That's outrageous!"
Naruto: "So you really made that scarf for me, Mom?"
Minato: "Yes. Your mother learned to knit from Mikoto just to make it. She's clumsy, but she worked so hard—her hands were full of needle marks."
Kushina: "Minato, hush!"
Minato (laughing): "Right, right."
Orochimaru: "Ugh, stop showing off. I just want to say I miss my dear teacher Hiruzen... How will he explain this one?"
Hiruzen: "..."
Orochimaru: "Cat got your tongue, old man?"
Hiruzen: "Kushina, Minato... during the Third Shinobi War, Minato's exploits earned him enemies. If you'd been alive, it'd be fine. But dead? That left Naruto vulnerable to retaliation."
Hiruzen: "I hid his identity to protect him. As a child, he would've been an easy target."
Raikage: "That's fair. We fought Minato before. He was truly terrifying, but we would never stoop so low as to harm a child."
Ohnoki: "Exactly. Don't insult us, Third Hokage."
Terumi Mei: "No matter how bad it gets, harming a child is cowardice. We'd never allow that."
Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): "..."
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