Chapter 3 (Patreon)

“Go on. Drink it. I picked it out especially for you. You’ve been drinking this stuff for years. What’s a few more?”

The dog-masked Anbu spoke into Naruto’s ear, his short sword still pressed against the boy’s neck. His voice sounded almost monstrous.

He had not wanted to go this far. But two faces flashed through his mind, and whatever hesitation he felt disappeared.

Naruto trembled with fear and anger. After a moment, however, he forced himself to steady his breathing.

“You won’t kill me,” he said, keeping his voice as level as he could. “If you do, you’ll be killed too.”

He was a jinchūriki. The Anbu couldn’t simply murder him without facing the consequences. This was an attempt to frighten him into obedience.

Remembering that gave him a little hope.

“Hmph. You’re sharper than you used to be. What happened to that idiot who never thought about anything?”

The Anbu sounded surprised, but he soon dismissed it. He sheathed his sword, kicked Naruto to the floor, and planted a foot on his chest.

“Go ahead. Complain to the Third Hokage. What proof do you have?”

He took the carton from Naruto’s hand and held it up.

“By the time you get there, this will be gone. Even if Lord Hokage believes you, he’ll just assign someone else to watch you. Do you think I’m the only one who gives you expired food?”

His foot pressed harder against Naruto’s chest.

The pain was sharp, but it cleared the last of Naruto’s panic. His gaze grew cold.

The man could be telling the truth.

Even if the other Anbu hadn’t mistreated him themselves, they were unlikely to show him any kindness. If they cared, how could this man have continued doing this for years without any consequences?

Reporting him to the Third Hokage wasn’t going to solve anything.

The Anbu drove another kick into Naruto’s stomach. As Naruto curled up in pain, the man brought the milk to his lips, plainly enjoying himself.

“Drink it. Then I’ll tell you why we treat you this way.”

Naruto looked up at him coldly.

“And if I refuse?”

“You don’t get to refuse.”

That was enough.

Naruto looked at the interface in his mind and selected the second option.

[Option 2 — The Devil’s Choice: Kill the Anbu responsible and settle the matter permanently.]

‘You’re the one who pushed me this far.’

[Ding! Option 2 selected. Reward granted: Bloodline Upgrade Scroll ×1.]

[Complete the mission within twenty-four hours. Failure to do so will result in the reward being revoked.]

The [Bloodline Upgrade Scroll] strengthened the user’s kekkei genkai and special physical traits, while also improving the abilities and techniques associated with them.

A golden scroll appeared in Naruto’s hand. He tore it open immediately.

It dissolved into golden light, enveloping his body before quickly fading away.

The Anbu froze.

Warmth swept through Naruto’s limbs, muscles, and bones, leaving him feeling stronger and refreshed.

He could feel his grasp of [Adamantine Sealing Chains], [Heal Bite], [Mind’s Eye of the Kagura], and [Talent for Fūinjutsu] deepen. The abilities he had only just received now felt much more familiar, and his chakra reserves had increased considerably.

Naruto raised his head and gave the stunned Anbu a cold smile.

“Adamantine Sealing Chains!”

Several golden chains burst from his back. Before the Anbu could react, they lashed around his body and bound him tight.

A barrier formed around the room, concealing their confrontation from anyone outside.

This was an inherited ability of the Uzumaki clan, powerful enough to restrain even the Nine-Tails. An Anbu shinobi stood little chance against it.

Sealing formulas glimmered along the golden chains, suppressing the man’s chakra. He couldn’t use a jutsu or break free.

Naruto stood up and kicked him to the floor.

Then he drove his foot into the man’s chest and stomach, returning the blows he had received.

The Anbu writhed in pain. His mask hid his expression, but his movements betrayed both his suffering and his growing panic.

“You... What was that scroll, demon fox? How do you know the Uzumaki clan’s sealing technique?”

Disbelief filled his voice.

Naruto stood over him, ignoring his questions.

“Why did you give me spoiled food? Why have you been treating me like this? Did the Third Hokage order you to do it?”

The Anbu’s thoughts raced. None of this made sense. For a moment, he even wondered whether another shinobi had taken Naruto’s place using a transformation jutsu.

But that was impossible. Naruto was under Anbu surveillance around the clock, here in the middle of Konoha.

Then how had he suddenly learned the Uzumaki clan’s Adamantine Sealing Chains? Where had that golden scroll come from?

Naruto was hiding something enormous. The Third Hokage had to be told.

Naruto slapped him across the mask several times.

“Answer me! Why did you do it?”

Being struck by the boy he called the demon fox sent anger surging through the Anbu.

“Because you’re the demon fox,” he spat.

“Don’t give me that! You’re Anbu! Do you expect me to believe you know as little as those villagers?”

Naruto’s voice rose.

“Why are you watching me in the first place? Because I’m the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki! That doesn’t make me the fox!”

The Anbu stared at him, his eyes widening behind the mask.

“How... How do you know you’re a jinchūriki?”

“I also know my father was the Fourth Hokage! He died saving this village! And my mother was the Nine-Tails’ previous jinchūriki. They were both heroes of Konoha!”

The more Naruto spoke, the angrier he became. Years of hurt and humiliation pressed against his chest, and tears nearly spilled from his eyes.

In that moment, the original Naruto’s loneliness and grief felt like his own.

He struck the Anbu across the mask again.

“My parents were heroes, and this is how you treat their child? I’ve been insulted and mistreated since I was born! What did I ever do to deserve it?”

His hand struck again.

“Is it because I’m a jinchūriki? Mito Uzumaki and my mother both held the Nine-Tails before me! Why weren’t they treated this way?”

He didn’t wait for an answer.

“Because Mito was the First Hokage’s wife! My mother had Mito looking out for her, and later she had the Fourth Hokage! Who do I have? I’m an orphan! There’s no one to stand up for me, so the village can treat me however it likes!”

Two more slaps rang out.

The Anbu was utterly stunned. This was nothing like the Naruto he thought he knew. Worse, the boy knew secrets he should never have learned.

As his composure crumbled, the man finally shouted back.

“Your damned mother wanted a child! That’s why the Nine-Tails got loose! My father died in that attack! If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, none of it would have happened!”

Naruto went still for a moment.

He hadn’t expected that to be the reason.

Then he struck the man even harder.

“You idiot! Do you hear how selfish you sound? Was my mother supposed to give her whole life to Konoha and ask for nothing? Didn’t she even have the right to have a child?”

His anger was swallowing his judgment. He felt as though he might lose his mind.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out one of the clay ants left over from the previous night and threw it onto the bound Anbu.

The man began struggling desperately, but the chains held firm. The ant was already clinging to his body.

Just then, a heavy kick struck Naruto’s door.

The shopkeeper’s voice bellowed from outside.

“Open this door, you little bastard! You damned demon fox! My shop wouldn’t have blown up if you hadn’t brought your rotten luck near it! I’ve already asked the Third Hokage to have you executed, but I’m going to beat you first!”

Another kick shook the door.

Naruto turned toward it, his face twisted with rage and his eyes red. The door was about to give way.

He formed a hand seal.

“Die! Both of you!”

BOOM!

The explosion tore the Anbu apart, sending blood and flesh flying through the room.

The blast hurled Naruto backward. At that same instant, the shopkeeper kicked the door open and took Naruto’s body head-on.

The force carried them both out onto the landing and sent them crashing down to the floor below.

With Naruto’s weight adding to the impact, the shopkeeper struck the ground hard. He vomited blood and died.

Naruto had survived, but he was badly injured.

He lost consciousness.