vncnus Chapter 282 A promise is a promise! This is our ninja way!
Chapter 282 A promise is a promise! This is our ninja way!
Chapter 282 A promise is a promise! This is our ninja way!
In his dream, Naruto squinted, his gaze fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
His questioning tone was unlike that of a young man; it carried a sense of oppression that was incongruous with his age.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was standing to the side, was taken aback. Despite his extensive experience, he was momentarily speechless.
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Hiruzen Sarutobi's amiable smile froze for a moment before returning to normal.
He forced a dry laugh and said, "Heh, didn't I already say? I just happened to find these things yesterday when I was cleaning out the old warehouse."
"snort."
Naruto in his dream world let out an undisguised snort.
Organizing the warehouse?
Just happened to discover it?
He sneered inwardly; this excuse could only fool that naive Naruto.
Are you trying to fob me off with this excuse?
Do you think I'm a three-year-old?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's weak explanation not only failed to dispel Naruto's suspicions in the dream world, but also caused his opinion of Hiruzen Sarutobi in the present world to decline further.
Faced with Naruto's aggressive and even somewhat rude attitude in the dream world, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply, a question flashing through his mind.
Strange—how could this child's temperament have changed so drastically?
Isn't that Naruto from yesterday's dream?
According to Kakashi and Jiraiya's previous reports, Naruto in that world was an impeccable top student in terms of personality, conduct, and attitude towards elders.
This is also why Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to invite the dream version of Naruto into reality.
He had assumed that a Naruto who was more sensible than the Naruto of this world wouldn't cause any trouble.
But why did they end up being so hostile when they actually met?
The Naruto in the dream was completely different from the image in the report, and this huge contrast caught Hiruzen Sarutobi off guard for a moment.
Xiang, who had been silently watching from the side, took in all of this and was so nervous that she didn't dare to breathe.
She unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes with both hands, and her palms were covered with a fine layer of cold sweat.
Xiang stared wide-eyed at the cold-faced Naruto in the dream world, then glanced at the Third Hokage whose smile was somewhat strained, and felt her heart pounding.
How did the gentle and polite Naruto in his dream suddenly become so aggressive?
The other party is the Hokage, is it really okay to talk back like this?
[Ding! Xiang's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Xiang Xin was extremely anxious, almost breaking out in a cold sweat for Naruto in his dream.
Just as the atmosphere in the living room was becoming increasingly tense.
"Wow! Look! I found something amazing!"
An excited voice suddenly rang out from behind them, dispelling the tense atmosphere in the room.
It turns out that Naruto was completely absorbed in the joy of the treasure hunt and hadn't noticed the tense standoff behind him at all.
Even if they notice it, they probably won't realize it.
He was holding two oddly shaped trident kunai high in the air, and excitedly ran up to Naruto in his dream.
"Look! This, this—is that Dad's Flying Thunder God Kunai?!"
"I saw it in my dream! It's amazing! I wish I could use it too!"
He rubbed his hands together with anticipation, his face full of barely suppressed excitement.
In the dream, Naruto turned his head and saw that Naruto was holding two familiar three-bladed Flying Thunder God kunai high in his hands.
Naruto smiled smugly, his childlike, innocent expression like a ray of warm sunshine, instantly dispelling the heavy atmosphere in the living room.
Upon seeing Naruto's innocent smile and hearing his enthusiastic words, the icy expression on Naruto's face in the dream world melted away at a visible speed.
His tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and the sharp, cold light in his eyes quietly disappeared, replaced by a gentle warmth.
In his dream, Naruto's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile, and his voice softened.
"Hmm—this is a kunai left by my father. May I take a look?"
"sure!"
Without a second thought, Naruto readily shoved one of the two kunai into the hand of his dream version of Naruto, grinning broadly as he said, "Here you go! I have another one!"
Naruto in the dream quickly reached out and carefully took the kunai.
He lowered his head and gently stroked the Flying Thunder God Technique pattern engraved on the kunai handle. A familiar feeling welled up in his heart, and he sensed a familiar aura from the kunai.
Indeed, this is the father's "sword of forbearance and love".
Holding this special kunai that symbolized his father, Naruto's tense heart finally relaxed a little.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took in Naruto's sudden change of expression in the dream world, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.
The corner of his mouth, which was holding a pipe, twitched slightly, as if he was quite surprised by what he was seeing.
Meanwhile, Xiang, who had been on tenterhooks the whole time, secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quietly patted her chest, feeling half of her anxiety lifted.
Thank goodness, thank goodness —
She was genuinely afraid that the tense standoff they had just been in would continue.
In the dream, Naruto carefully examined the kunai in his hand, then looked up at Naruto.
Naruto was holding another kunai in both hands, looking at it with great interest, his face full of curiosity and satisfaction, completely like a naive child.
Looking at Naruto like this, the tension in Naruto's heart in the dream world involuntarily relaxed.
A smile, tinged with self-mockery and a hint of relief, unconsciously crept onto his lips.
Maybe I'm overthinking it?
At this very moment, a strange emotion is quietly growing in Naruto's heart within his dream.
He gazed thoughtfully at the boy in front of him, who was exactly like himself except that he was half a head shorter.
That face was clearly another version of myself.
But in Naruto's dream, the Naruto in front of him is less like another version of himself and more like an innocent and naive younger brother of Li Sheng.
As soon as this thought popped into his head, Naruto in his dream felt a slight warmth in his heart, and at the same time, a heavy sense of responsibility arose within him.
With his mind made up, Naruto in his dream slowly exhaled, his eyes regaining their clarity.
He glanced at the smiling old man beside him out of the corner of his eye and snorted inwardly.
Instead of wasting time trying to outmaneuver this old fox, we should do something more meaningful.
I still have some important questions that I must find answers to in this world.
Thinking of this, the dream version of Naruto quietly put the Sword of Love into his pocket.
Then, he turned to face Naruto, a gentle and natural smile on his face, and suggested, "Hey, Naruto."
"Huh?" Naruto, who was excitedly playing with his kunai, looked up at the sound. "What's wrong?"
Naruto in his dream world smiled and said, "Didn't you just say you were going to show me around Konoha Village? How about we set off now?"
"Shall we go now?"
Naruto paused for a moment upon hearing the suggestion, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face.
He scratched his messy blond hair, glanced somewhat awkwardly at Hiruzen Sarutobi who was still standing to the side, and said in a low voice, "But—Grandpa Third and the others are still here. It doesn't seem right for us to just leave like this, does it?"
"hehe."
Naruto in the dream chuckled softly, raised his hand and waved a finger in front of Naruto's eyes, half-reminding and half-urging, "Don't forget, I can only stay here for one day! Every minute and every second is precious."
"Don't you want me to see more of your proud Konoha?"
"Ah!" Naruto slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "That's right! You can only stay for one day!"
"That's right, that's right, time is of the essence! Let's get going!"
Naruto is a man of action, always doing what he says.
He had barely finished speaking when he turned excitedly to Hiruzen Sarutobi, waving casually and saying, "Third Hokage! Thank you for bringing Dad's things over! I need to take my other self out for a stroll first! He can only stay for one day, so I have to quickly show him around Konoha! See you later!"
The boy's voice was still echoing in the living room when he impatiently grabbed Naruto's wrist and rushed toward the door.
"Wait, wait for me! Naruto—"
—
Xiang was startled when she saw the two of them run away. She quickly shouted and chased after them.
For some reason, ever since Naruto and the Third Hokage clashed in the dream, the seemingly kind old man had inexplicably frightened her.
Xiang instinctively felt that it would be much safer to stay close to Naruto.
In the blink of an eye, only Hiruzen Sarutobi and his ever-present ANBU were left in the spacious living room.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared blankly at the doorway where the three had disappeared, his gaze complex.
His eyelids suddenly twitched uncontrollably.
A bad feeling welled up inside me.
Things seem to be spiraling out of control.
This Naruto from the dream world is deep-thinking and has a strong attitude, quite different from what I expected.
Leaving such an unconventional boy alone with Naruto, along with that perceptive Uzumaki clan girl—who knows what he might do to Naruto.
Thinking about this, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a surge of irritation.
He immediately frowned and ordered the secret agents behind him in a deep voice, "Let's follow them and keep a close eye on them."
"Yes!" The secret service member respectfully accepted the order.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked outside, still feeling uneasy.
He had a feeling that this dream version of Naruto would probably cause quite a stir in Konoha today.
This made him secretly regretful; perhaps his arrangements for today had been somewhat hasty.
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Early morning.
The streets were sparsely populated, with only a few early-rising vendors setting up their stalls and tidying up their shelves.
Everything seemed quiet and peaceful.
Naruto crossed his arms behind his head and swaggered around, looking incredibly dashing.
"Ah—" Naruto muttered to himself, "Where should I take you to look around first?"
He pretended to be troubled, but his tone was full of eagerness.
On Naruto's left, the dream Naruto maintained a composed and upright gait.
"Whatever makes you happy. I'm not familiar with this place, so you can make the decisions."
His speech was calm and gentle, with a reassuring quality.
However, unexpectedly, Naruto's initially high spirits changed in an instant.
He seemed to suddenly realize something, his once-proud eyebrows instantly fell, and he kicked a pebble at his feet in frustration, letting out a regretful sigh.
"Sigh—it's a pity that Sasgei isn't in the village right now, otherwise I could show you what Sasgei is like in our world."
"Sass-gei—?" Naruto in his dream world tilted his head slightly. "Isn't he in the village?"
Before the words had even finished, a sly glint flashed across Naruto's previously regretful face. He leaned closer to the dream Naruto, lowering his voice mysteriously, and said, "Hehe—you don't know yet, do you? Actually, you've already fought several times!"
"?"
Upon hearing this, Naruto's pupils contracted slightly, and he looked surprised. "They've already... fought several times?"
His mind raced.
As if fast-forwarding through a movie, he quickly recalled his several encounters with Sasuke.
In those battles, Sasuke did exhibit a different aura than usual on several occasions. His eyes were exceptionally cold and sharp, his tactics were more unpredictable, and he even occasionally revealed a kind of obsessive madness that was completely different from his usual self.
Could it be—a bold guess suddenly popped into Naruto's mind during his dream.
"There were indeed a few times when Sasuke suddenly seemed like a completely different person."
"Even more troublesome, even more difficult to deal with—could it be because what appeared back then was actually Sasuke from your world? But how come I didn't notice anything unusual at the time? That shouldn't be the case—"
He asked himself in a low voice, his brows furrowing.
"You guessed right!" Naruto nodded repeatedly, seeing that Naruto had guessed the truth in his dream.
"How about that? Isn't it super awesome?! Hehe!"
When talking about his friend's great achievements, Naruto's tone revealed an irrepressible pride, as if the more powerful Sasuke was, the more proud he felt.
"That's true."
Upon hearing this, Naruto in his dream world couldn't help but chuckle.
Naruto's pure emotions seemed contagious, and most of the lingering doubts in his heart dissipated in Naruto's hearty laughter.
"That's really impressive."
Naruto in his dream nodded solemnly and sincerely agreed.
This was not a perfunctory remark, but a heartfelt expression of approval.
However, Naruto in his dream glanced at the Naruto beside him who was so happy because of his praise that he was walking with his arms and legs slightly out of sync, and couldn't help but smile to himself.
Compared to Sasuke, who's covered in thorns, this cheerful, optimistic, and even a little goofy "Naruto's buddy" is definitely more likable.
Thinking of this, his gaze toward Naruto became even gentler.
Xiang, who had been quietly following behind the two, was in a particularly good mood as she listened to their back-and-forth conversation.
The three chatted and laughed, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
As I turned into a familiar intersection along the street, a traditional Japanese wooden door was being pushed open from the inside out not far ahead.
A young mother, dressed in an elegant light-colored kimono and with a gentle demeanor, was leading a chubby-faced little boy of about four or five years old out of the house, chatting and laughing as they walked out.
The little boy held a colorful windmill in his hand, which was spinning rapidly in the morning breeze, his face beaming with an innocent and carefree smile.
Naruto in his dream glanced casually at the mother and son, and the next second, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"It's Ryota and his mother—"
Naruto in his dream recognized the other person at a glance.
In his world, the lady who lived nearby was known for her enthusiasm.
Every time she met him on the street, this aunt would stop with a smile, hold his hand, and ask him about his well-being for a long time.
Out of habit, the smile on Naruto's face in the dream deepened unconsciously.
He raised his hand, ready to greet the other person.
However, in the next instant—
A sudden change has occurred!
The mother, whose face was still beaming with a gentle smile, froze instantly when her gaze inadvertently fell on the three people not far away.
Immediately afterwards, that smile shattered like a mirror, replaced by an undisguised panic and fear.
The young mother's rosy complexion suddenly turned deathly pale.
"Ryota!" The mother suddenly gripped her son's wrist, her voice sharpening abruptly, "We need to go back quickly!"
'
Before the little boy could react, she hurriedly grabbed him and dragged him into the yard.
The movement was so sudden that young Ryota almost fell over.
"Mommy! It hurts—it hurts!"
Xiao Liang cried out in pain, his chubby face full of confusion and grievance.
However, his mother had no time to respond and was pulling her child back into the yard.
boom! !
The wooden door that had just been opened was slammed shut with a thud, separating the mother and son behind it.
The previously relaxed and pleasant atmosphere on the street froze completely in an instant.
Before the smile that Naruto was about to greet in his dream could fully bloom, he was already frozen in place.
What happened?
Where is that familiar warmth and kindness?
Where is the caring greeting?
Why—why has it turned into this reaction, like avoiding a plague?
Why was her gaze filled with fear and disgust when she looked at us?
Countless questions flashed through Naruto's mind in the dream, and he couldn't figure them out for a moment.
Naruto, who was standing not far from the dream Naruto, saw his carefree smile gradually fade from his face at a visible speed.
Naruto's hands, which he had casually crossed behind his head, fell to his sides. He lowered his head silently, his blond hair concealing his expression, making it impossible to see his face.
Only his quietly clenched fist betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
He was used to such scenes, but when he encountered "another version of himself," an unprecedented sense of inferiority and embarrassment welled up in his heart.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Xiang lowered her head, her hands clenched into fists. She bit her lower lip, her thoughts a jumble of emotions—sadness, resentment, and unwillingness to accept defeat.
Even with an even more tragic childhood, she still couldn't understand why Naruto was treated this way.
After all, Naruto's father is the Hokage, and apart from being a little slow-witted, Naruto is a very kind person. His intuition is never wrong, so why does everyone have such a deep-rooted prejudice against him?
This inexplicable hatred puzzled Xiang.
Naruto finally snapped out of his dream, only to find himself speechless for a moment.
His usually calm and gentle eyes were now filled with astonishment and bewilderment.
What happened?
He stared at the tightly closed wooden door, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, before stiffly turning his neck to the silent Naruto beside him.
"Why did they run away?"
He needed an answer, desperately needed an answer to explain the absurd scene he had just witnessed.
"Oh, no, it's nothing serious!"
Naruto waved his hand hastily, trying to appear nonchalant.
He ignored Naruto's probing gaze in the dream world and forced a laugh, "Haha—come on, let's not stand here anymore, I'll take you to some other more fun place!"
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
He forced a smile, but his feet seemed impatient to get up and leave.
However, he had only taken half a step when a firm and powerful hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist!
"etc!"
Naruto was jolted by the sudden force and turned around in surprise to see the dream version of Naruto looking more serious and solemn than ever before.
The gentle, tolerant smile from just moments ago had vanished, replaced by an almost obstinate seriousness and sharpness.
In his dream, Naruto took a deep breath, stared into Naruto's eyes, and asked firmly, "Tell me the truth, Naruto, why did they run away? Why did they look at us like we were monsters? Were they afraid of us?!"
"What on earth is going on?!"
"I—" Naruto's lips moved a few times, but he found that he couldn't get away with lying at all.
He stood frozen for a moment, then finally seemed to deflate and sighed helplessly.
"Okay—" Naruto raised his hand and tapped his abdomen. "Because—the Nine-Tailed Fox is sealed inside my body. Because the Nine-Tailed Fox did a lot of bad things in the past, everyone in the village thinks I'm a monster."
"
As the last word fell, Naruto closed his eyes in despair; he didn't want to see the reaction of the Naruto in his dream.
"!!!"
The moment Naruto heard the words "Nine-Tailed Fox" in his dream, his pupils contracted sharply.
"You're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?!"
He exclaimed in disbelief.
He knew all too well what a Jinchuriki meant in the ninja world.
It is a shackle, a responsibility, and a danger.
No wonder----
In his dream, Naruto stared blankly at Naruto, the scene of their first meeting yesterday flashing through his mind.
At that time, he clearly sensed an aura in Naruto's chakra that was extremely similar to his mother's.
At first, he thought it was his imagination, but now he realized that it was not an illusion, but because the Naruto in front of him was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, just like his mother!
His thoughts raced, and Naruto quickly pieced together the reason in his dream.
But precisely because of this, the shock in his heart became even stronger.
After a brief moment of surprise, he quickly realized.
Even if Naruto really is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, this still doesn't make any sense!
"Even so—it shouldn't be like this at all!"
In the dream, Naruto clenched his fist, staring directly at Naruto, his brows furrowed with incomprehensible rage. "You're the son of the Fourth Hokage! The orphan of a hero! You deserve everyone's respect and love, how could you be treated like this?! This is utterly illogical!"
I don't understand, I don't understand at all. He grew up under the respect and care of everyone.
Logically speaking, even if the "father" sacrificed himself, shouldn't this respect and care be even greater?
"?"
Naruto was stunned by the sudden and intense reaction from the dream version of Naruto, and stood there dumbfounded, unable to react.
He stared blankly at the fiery eyes of the dream Naruto, scratched his head, and stammered, "The people in the village...they don't know who I am."
Upon hearing this, Naruto in his dream world was caught off guard and startled: "W-what?!"
Naruto lowered his head, his gaze somewhat unfocused, and added with a wry smile, "I—I only found out that my father was the Fourth Hokage after entering that dream."
This calmly stated sentence seems more absurd than any intense emotion.
After hearing this, Naruto in his dream felt his head buzzing.
Concealing one's identity?!
Naruto in the dream opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Why?!"
"I don't know either—"
Naruto was startled by the sudden outburst of anger from the dream version of Naruto, and involuntarily shrank back, his voice becoming even softer.
"My grandfather, who is three generations old, said—this is for my own good."
"For your own good?"
Naruto murmured these four words repeatedly in his dream.
He said those four words so naturally, as if they had become some kind of reason for self-comfort.
However, to Naruto in his dream, it sounded incredibly jarring.
He slowly released Naruto's hand, turned around, and cast a cold gaze at a shadow behind him.
"Third Hokage," Naruto in his dream spoke in a deep voice, his tone now unusually calm, "You've been following behind and listening for so long, don't you plan to show yourself and explain?"
The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds after he said that.
On the quiet street, only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard.
Both Xiang and Naruto were startled and looked in the direction that Naruto in the dream was looking.
A moment later, the sound of footsteps could be heard.
The old man who slowly walked out from around the corner was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi.
His face showed barely concealed embarrassment, and he coughed twice with a half-smile: "Hehe—I didn't expect you to find out so quickly."
Not far behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, an Anbu member wearing an animal mask silently followed and stood behind the Hokage, like a shadow.
"The Third Hokage?"
When Xiang saw Hiruzen Sarutobi appear, her eyes widened in surprise. She never expected that the Hokage would follow them all the way.
It seems the Third Hokage overheard Naruto's conversation with his dream Naruto.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gentle gaze lingered on Naruto for a moment. Seeing Naruto looking at him with shock and confusion, a look of guilt and complex emotions flashed in his eyes.
But in an instant, he shifted his gaze back to the cold-looking blond boy in front of him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was secretly alarmed.
This Naruto from the dream world not only has a completely different personality, but also has incredibly sharp perception!
Despite keeping a relatively close distance along the way, the boy still managed to discover their presence.
They are truly not to be underestimated.
After a brief silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat, maintaining the composure and dignity of an elder, and explained earnestly, "Ahem—concealing that Naruto was the son of the Hokage was indeed to protect Naruto."
"Protect?"
Upon hearing this, Naruto in his dream world narrowed his eyes slightly.
"No one knows the identity of the Hokage's son, but everyone knows the identity of the Jinchuriki. Is this protection?"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless for a moment.
Faced with Naruto's sharp questioning in the dream, he couldn't help but feel ashamed, and opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no way to refute.
More than a decade ago, he did personally order the sealing off of all news about Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, hoping that Naruto would grow up safely and carefree in an environment where no one knew his background.
However, the information that Naruto was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki somehow spread like wildfire, which is an indisputable fact, and he, as the Hokage, cannot escape blame.
Naruto in his dream glanced coldly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, then abruptly turned away, ignoring the silent old man.
He walked up to Naruto and stood face to face with him.
Naruto kept his head down, looking dejected and gloomy, as if he had shrunk a few sizes.
Upon seeing this in his dream, Naruto felt a surge of complex emotions, a mixture of sourness and unease.
"Raise your head, Naruto."
"Naruto in the dream world," Naruto said in a deep voice, while reaching out his hands and firmly supporting Naruto's slightly trembling shoulders.
Naruto's body trembled slightly, and he subconsciously looked up.
In the dream, Naruto was extremely close to him, so close that he could clearly see his own slightly bewildered face reflected in the other's pure and clear blue eyes.
Before Naruto could speak, the dream Naruto said with a piercing gaze, "You have absolutely no need to feel disappointed for such a ridiculous reason!"
Naruto froze, his pupils dilating suddenly as he stared unblinkingly at the dream version of Naruto before him.
In the dream, Naruto gazed intently into Naruto's eyes, more focused than ever before.
"Listen up, Naruto! Our father is Minato Namikaze! The Fourth Hokage who protected the village and saved Konoha from danger time and time again! He is a hero of Konoha!"
These words struck Naruto like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leaving his mind reeling.
Naruto in his dream took a deep breath and continued, his voice strong and clear: "And our mother was Kushina Uzumaki. She inherited the bloodline of the Uzumaki clan and was a great ninja who sealed the Nine-Tails for the village!"
Naruto was completely stunned.
He could almost see his parents' figures appear before him as Naruto spoke in his dream.
The father's golden figure shone like light, while the mother's long, bright red hair was as gentle as fire.
His eyes began to burn, and a wave of soreness welled up in his nose.
"The blood of these two heroes flows in our veins! As their children, what we should be doing is not wallowing in self-pity!"
"Instead, we should be proud of them and proudly show that pride to everyone!"
As the last word faded, Naruto froze on the spot, unable to move.
He stared blankly at the boy who looked exactly like him but radiated a dazzling light.
An emotion Naruto had never felt before was surging uncontrollably in his heart.
Pride, honor, emotion, and anticipation —
A mix of emotions welled up inside him, causing him to choke up.
In the dream, Naruto quietly looked at Naruto.
He looked at the blond boy in front of him, who was stunned and speechless, and felt both heartache and relief.
A bright and confident smile slowly bloomed on Naruto's face in the dream.
He gently patted Naruto's shoulder, his voice softening somewhat.
"Now I finally understand. My arrival in this world may not be accidental, and my only stay here for one day must have a special meaning."
As Naruto spoke in his dream, his gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, looking into the distance.
"My mission is to ensure that, within this single day, everyone in Konoha clearly knows your true identity!"
"Let everyone remember that Naruto Uzumaki is the son of a hero! He deserves everyone's respect and love!"
Xiang stared in disbelief at the scene before her, feeling as if her breath had stopped.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed drastically; his initial awkward and calm demeanor was gradually replaced by shock and confusion.
Hiruzen Sarutobi certainly understood what Naruto's words in the dream meant.
The thought of Naruto in his dream revealing the secret of Naruto's past to everyone and spreading it around made his heart leap into his throat.
If all the villagers really found out that Naruto was Minato's son, what kind of turmoil would that cause?
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead, and his face turned extremely pale.
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Naruto in his dream noticed Hiruzen Sarutobi's ashen face and changed the subject.
"Instead of silently enduring the disgust and rejection that shouldn't belong to you, as you are now!"
Naruto felt a jolt in his heart, and an indescribable surge of heat rushed to his eyes. He blinked hard to keep the tears from falling.
He didn't know why, but the determined, burning gaze in Naruto's eyes in his dream gave him a strange sense of familiarity.
"So cool!! As expected of Naruto!"
An excited scream suddenly rang out from the side, breaking the brief silence.
"Huh?!" Naruto was startled by the voice and looked in the direction of the sound in surprise.
Xiang's face had turned bright red, her hands were clenched into fists and pressed against her chest, and she was staring intently at Naruto in her dream with starry eyes.
She tilted her head back, looking both excited and adoring.
[Ding! Xiang's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
In fact, through Naruto's upright and confident figure in her dream, Xiang saw another equally familiar shadow.
That look in her eyes—Xiang's heart pounded wildly.
It's definitely true! Exactly the same as back then!
Her thoughts quickly returned to the Death Forest during the Chunin Exams.
In that despairing and helpless forest, he was abandoned by his companions and attacked by a giant bear.
Naruto stepped forward and saved her.
"Come with me, I'll protect you!"
When the boy reached out his hand to her and said those words, his eyes were filled with such firmness and warmth.
Without any disdain or doubt, just pure and passionate love, he illuminated her dark life.
Xiang was so moved that she almost burst into tears.
At this moment, the Naruto in her dream before her eyes perfectly overlapped with the Naruto who had rescued her from the dark abyss of Kusagakure.
Their resolute expressions and burning gazes were exactly the same.
Naruto came to his senses, and the excitement and emotion on his face gradually faded, replaced by hesitation and concern after regaining his composure.
"Um—is this really okay? Won't it cause any trouble?"
Thinking of this, Naruto's heart began to race again, and his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was inscrutable, as if he was deep in thought, and he did not express his opinion.
"There are no 'buts'!"
Naruto in the dream interrupted him without saying a word and patted Naruto on the shoulder.
He raised his chin, revealing his incredibly confident, bright white teeth.
Strangely, despite the incredibly familiar smile, this was the first time Naruto had seen it on his dream character.
"Naruto, do you believe me?"
"Huh?" Naruto was taken aback, then blurted out, "I—of course I believe you!"
"That settles it then." Dream Naruto smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits, and gave Naruto a thumbs-up. "There won't be any problems! Don't worry, it's alright!"
After saying that, he stretched out his fist, and Naruto, still confused, stretched out his fist as well.
In his dream, Naruto solemnly bumped fists with Naruto, revealing a sunny and confident smile: "We mean what we say! This is our ninja way!"
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
>