I'm not that Naruto Uzumaki

"Hey! Why isn't that human kid fighting back? So weak!"

Kurama had been watching, but it was getting hard to bear.

"Yeah, I also don't understand why he isn't fighting back."

Naruto thought back to the anime's storyline and realized—this really was how Rock Lee's childhood had been. The strength he later attained was entirely due to Might Guy's guidance.

After some thought, Minato Namikaze interjected, "Maybe it's because he can't win? So many people are bullying him—if he fights back and still loses..."

"I disagree, Father."

"Whether one can win or not is a matter of ability. Whether one chooses to resist is a matter of attitude. And a person's attitude determines their fate."

"Look at him. His silent endurance only makes others see him as weak."

"Silence is the fate of the bullied. Speaking up is the first step to changing destiny."

In Konoha, someone like Rock Lee could earn Might Guy's favor. But in the world Naruto knew, such a person would be devoured until nothing remained—not even bones.

Rock Lee had the potential to become a warrior even Madara Uchiha would acknowledge. But in the end, he was merely one of the twelve supporting characters, barely relevant to the plot.

Naruto took one last look at Rock Lee, who continued to endure in silence, then turned and walked away...

Inside the sealed space, Minato Namikaze was left speechless. That bullied boy reminded him of Kushina.

Kushina had also been bullied a lot at school. To avoid being looked down upon, she had once boldly declared in class that she would become the first female Hokage.

But unlike that boy, Kushina had fought back.

His fiery-tempered wife had beaten every single one of her peers into submission.

"Haah..."

Minato let out a long sigh.

He was starting to worry about Naruto's mindset. And when he thought about everything his son had endured in the village over the years, his frown deepened.

"Fourth Hokage, why do you look like that? That brat Naruto isn't wrong!" Kurama said excitedly from within the seal.

Naruto had just arrived at a ramen shop when his footsteps halted.

It was the legendary Ichiraku Ramen.

"Father, are you worried that I'll do something to Konoha?"

In his spiritual world, Naruto softly posed the question before continuing forward.

He didn't like ramen.

Minato forced an awkward smile. "Naruto, you wouldn't do anything to Konoha in the future, right?"

After turning onto the second road leading home, Naruto paused slightly and said, "It seems you still don't understand me, Father."

"Uh— I..."

Minato actually wanted to admit that he truly had no idea what his son was thinking.

"Relax. As long as they don't court death, I won't do anything to Konoha. Besides, I'm not even a Genin yet. What are you so worried about?"

"I'm not stupid. Why would I be some reckless radical? That would only make them feel threatened, and it would make it harder to conceal my true intentions."

Minato felt a chill at Naruto's words—because the premise behind them was crucial...

A gust of cold wind blew past, and heavy snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Since no one was tailing him today, it was time to go back and train.

Previously, after Kurama provided Minato with some chakra, Minato had immediately offered to train Naruto. But Naruto realized that he currently had a certain amount of daily free time to move about, and he didn't want to waste it.

He truly enjoyed the feeling of walking around. Sometimes, he even struggled to suppress the urge to run freely through the streets.

Kurama and Minato were both puzzled as they watched Naruto leave.

Before stepping out, however, Naruto made a special visit to the Mirror World to conduct an experiment with Kurama.

When he was within the seal, even if his body was still, and his consciousness was engaged in battle with a puppet, Kurama could communicate with him at any time through their chakra-linked mental connection.

But Minato couldn't.

Naruto tested this repeatedly. Even after binding Minato with a "guest" status, Minato couldn't relay any messages to him while inside the seal.

Kurama was quite smug about this. Minato, on the other hand, was left feeling rather dejected.

He couldn't accept the fact that his connection with his son was weaker than that of a fox...

After lunch, Naruto sat in a chair pretending to read while, in his mental world, Minato was giving him a lesson.

"Naruto, you should stop using your previous chakra refinement method."

Minato's expression darkened slightly.

"Hm? Is there something wrong with it?"

Naruto's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Minato quickly waved his hand. "The method itself isn't flawed! But it's one specifically designed for Konoha's civilian shinobi—it's inefficient for chakra refinement..."

"Heh, how meticulous of our dear Hokage."

Naruto sneered at Minato's explanation.

Kurama, though silent, gave the Fourth Hokage a look of contempt, feeling that humans were utterly unscrupulous.

Minato, looking embarrassed, began teaching Naruto a new method while inwardly fuming.

He had noticed this problem when the Third Hokage had first started Naruto's training. But what could he do? He was already dead.

Now, he was just grateful he had been able to meet Naruto early.

If no one had guided his son, with the Third Hokage's approach, Naruto would have been doomed to be dead last.

Unlike the technique the Third Hokage provided, Minato's method was surprisingly simple. It was actually a secret technique from Naruto's mother's Uzumaki clan—one perfectly suited for his physique.

As Naruto mastered the new chakra refinement technique, he immediately felt his body's energy surging more actively than before—completely different from the previous day.

With a thought, he entered the Mirror World.

When he checked the system panel, his chakra projection time had suddenly increased to thirty minutes.

Since he was here, he wouldn't waste time.

A voice in his heart seemed to urge him to seek greater strength.

He walked up to Izumo Kamizuki and issued a challenge.

This wasn't grueling training—though it might be mentally exhausting, he wasn't the kind of person who would choose comfort when he could strive forward...

The next morning, Naruto woke up feeling a little fatigued.

Kurama immediately informed him of something strange that had happened last night.

The usual watch shift for those monitoring him had completely withdrawn.

Naruto found this odd.

He asked his father, the former Hokage, but even Minato was clueless about the Third Hokage's intentions.

What was the Third Hokage planning?

First, he pulled back the operatives tailing Naruto outside. Then, he even withdrew the Anbu who were monitoring him 24/7.

Naruto didn't dwell on it. After freshening up and eating breakfast, he focused on digesting the rewards he had received from his previous night's efforts.

He reviewed Izumo Kamizuki's experiences from his Genin days.

But when Naruto transformed and stepped out, he realized that last night had not been peaceful at all...

As he reached a newsstand and picked up a newspaper, he overheard hushed conversations.

"Did you hear? I heard the head of the Kumo delegation was killed last night!"

"What? No way! Weren't they here to sign an alliance treaty with Konoha?"

"It's true! I heard he was killed by someone from the Hyuga clan!"

"Yeah, it was a huge deal! The people from the Land of Lightning were carrying the body to the Hyuga compound, demanding the killer be handed over, or they'd start a war!"

"What? A war? No way, the village doesn't seem like it's preparing for battle."

"Thanks to the Hokage! He preserved the peace!"

Naruto understood immediately—this was the infamous "Hyuga Affair."

The Kumo delegation had never come to form an alliance. They had come to extort and steal the Byakugan.

And in the end, Hyuga Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, sacrificed himself as a scapegoat...

Naruto pondered—the Third Hokage, what role had he played in this?

Konoha had lost a war?

Konoha feared war?

That was a joke!

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