Naruto: Curse Eater

!?

The air shifted.

A pulse of cursed energy rippled through the stillness, potent and sharp, like a tremor beneath his skin. It came from the outskirts—an area Akai rarely had reason to visit.

He paused mid-step, the training he was scheduled to was momentarily forgotten. His gaze flicked toward the source, hesitation lingering for only a breath before he turned on his heel.

Interesting.

He moved swiftly through the village's quieter streets, his pace steady yet deliberate. Along the way, the fox-like curses he had observed before began slithering from the shadows, drawn toward the same direction. Their chain-like tails dragged across the ground with a soft clinking sound, their unseen weight burdening the spirits they ensnared.

So they're leading me there.

How convenient.

The path stretched on, guiding him farther from the village until the distant roar of rushing water reached his ears. The trees thinned, revealing a river—a strikingly clear one, its surface shimmering beneath the midday sun. The current surged with unrestrained force, yet the water remained pristine, the riverbed visible even through the ceaseless movement.

But the river wasn't what caught his attention.

A boy—his age, perhaps—sat at the bank, a makeshift fishing rod in hand, the glow of a small bonfire casting flickering shadows around him. His posture was relaxed, his gaze lazily fixed on the water. But the moment Akai stepped forward, the boy's head lifted, as if sensing his presence.

Their eyes met.

Blue.

And those whisker-like birthmarks…

A fox.

The thought surfaced instantly.

Akai's gaze flicked between the boy and the surrounding curses. The fox spirits, once eager to latch onto grieving villagers, now lingered at a distance, their chain-like tails curling outward—hesitant, uncertain. They weren't bound to him, nor did they flee. They simply... watched.

Interesting.

He stepped forward, casual yet deliberate. The spirits, sensing an opportunity, slithered closer. One lunged, its tail snapping forward in an attempt to coil around his throat.

Annoying.

With a slight shift of his foot, Akai feigned a misstep on a loose stone. The movement seemed accidental, but the resulting shift in his cursed energy sent a sharp pulse outward. The fox spirit burst apart like mist under sunlight.

The remaining spirits stilled.

Good. Let them think twice.

Still, the boy had noticed.

Curious blue eyes locked onto him, cautious but not hostile. He seemed unsure, hesitating as if deciding how to approach.

Akai, on the other hand, was already forming his own conclusions.

What exactly am I looking at?

"Um... Hey?" the blond finally greeted, voice uncertain.

Akai blinked, pulled from his thoughts. His expression remained flat. He's fishing wrong.

"You're fishing wrong," he stated plainly.

The boy's face scrunched in immediate offense. "Huh?! What do you mean I'm fishing wrong?!"

Ignoring the outburst, Akai stepped closer and held out a hand. "Give it."

The boy hesitated, gripping his makeshift fishing rod—a crudely carved wooden stick with wire attached. But after a moment, he relented, handing it over with a reluctant pout.

Akai pulled the wire, watching as the hook emerged from the water, a writhing earthworm impaled at its end. Without hesitation, he plucked it off and flicked it aside.

"HEY!" the blond yelped, eyes wide with dismay. "I worked hard to hook that bait without even touching it, dattebayo!"

A single bead of sweat rolled down Akai's temple.

You hooked it without touching it? Because you didn't want to touch it?

His frown deepened. Why fish with it if that's the case? Just use fish food instead.

He didn't bother voicing that last thought. Instead, he adjusted his grip on the rod, fingers shifting with effortless precision. The wire spun in slow, deliberate circles, gaining momentum as his cursed energy pulsed through his eyes, sharpening his perception. Every movement, every ripple in the water, came into perfect clarity.

Then, in one smooth motion, he swung the rod forward.

A sharp swish cut through the air, followed by a heavy splash as the hook sliced into the river. The water surged, rippling outward from the impact. Moments later, another splash rang out as Akai yanked the rod back.

A massive freshwater fish erupted from the surface, twisting and flailing. But it wasn't hooked through the mouth. The metal had latched onto its tail mid-motion, securing it with an unnatural precision.

The blond boy's jaw dropped.

"WOAH! That was awesome! You gotta teach me that, dattebayo!"

Akai exhaled through his nose, giving the rod a small shake to dislodge the fish. "I told you. You were fishing wrong."

The boy remarked. "No, I'm pretty sure you're just not normal."

Akai didn't argue, simply handing the rod back. The boy studied him for a moment before his lips stretched into a grin—bright, unrestrained, like the warmth of the sun breaking through winter's chill.

"I'm Naruto!" he declared, voice brimming with an almost infectious energy.

Akai hesitated. There was something about the way he said it—unwavering, unguarded. No expectation, no hesitation. Just a simple, genuine introduction.

As Naruto kept smiling, the curses faded. Some slithered back into the shadows, their hissing silenced. Others simply… vanished.

Akai watched them go before turning back to the boy.

"Akai."

And that was their first meeting.

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Naruto bit into his fish—cooked, slightly burnt—and immediately hissed, sucking in air to cool his scorched tongue.

Akai, in contrast, ate his more steadily, methodically. The charred meat settled in his mouth, warm and rich, the slight bitterness of the burnt skin balancing the natural flavor. Occasionally, he felt the sharp poke of a bone and carefully separated it with his tongue, spitting it out without issue.

Beside them, a pile of fish lay cleaned and skewered, evidence of their earlier catch. Akai's gaze flicked toward it, an idle thought crossing his mind. Did I just throw off the river's ecosystem?

His musings were cut short when Naruto let out a satisfied sigh.

"Man, good thing you brought salt! This would taste so plain without it!"

Then, a pause. A slow blink.

"Wait... why do you even carry salt around?"

Akai stilled, his expression unreadable. Well… for a few things. Obviously, he couldn't admit that he sometimes poured it over cursed spirits just to see what would happen. Instead, he shrugged and took another bite.

"It's useful."

By the time they realized how long they had been talking, the sun had already set.

Their conversation had revolved mostly around food—neither of them seemed to have much else to share. Naruto eagerly told the story of how he had fallen in love with ramen, how a super nice old man had given him a free bowl at some stall in the village.

"It was the best thing I ever ate, dattebayo! I mean, the smell, the warmth—it was like a hug in a bowl!" he said, grinning as if reliving the moment.

Akai, on the other hand, mentioned the dango he had bought before coming here, suggesting that Naruto should try it sometime.

Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, for real? You wanna go eat together?"

Akai gave a small nod. "It's good. You should try it."

For a brief second, Naruto just stared, as if the idea had never even crossed his mind before. Akai could read the emotions on his face easily—confusion, surprise, maybe even a little hesitation.

Talking to him, watching his shifting expressions, it wasn't hard to tell. This was someone who had never really had friends. But unlike Akai, who had closed himself off by choice, Naruto seemed like a naturally extroverted, easygoing person. A lonely kid, waiting for someone to reach out first.

Then—

Something's there.

Akai didn't just sense it. He saw it.

From all the research he had done on cursed energy, he had reached the point where he could now use the Byakugan passively—at least, the 360-degree vision aspect. He could keep it active throughout the day without draining his reserves, an advantage he had gained as his cursed energy output grew stronger from consuming spirits.

 More importantly, using cursed energy instead of chakra had another benefit—it didn't constrict his veins or visibly mark his activation. He could use the byakugan without making it obvious.

And right now, he saw a figure.

Akai turned swiftly, body shifting into a ready stance.

An old man stood behind them. White hair. A spiky beard forming a downward triangle. His attire was simple—a plain robe with a scarf wrapped around his neck—but there was something distinct about him. He met Akai's gaze without hesitation, eyes sharp with quiet intelligence. Then, he chuckled to himself.

"Hoho?"

Akai didn't strike. There was no bloodlust. No hostility.

Even so, he remained wary.

The old man shifted his attention to Naruto, stepping closer.

Naruto instinctively leaned back, his expression caught between confusion and wariness. "Uh—who are you, dattebayo?" His voice was calm, but there was a clear edge of uncertainty.

The man merely withdrew slightly, a small smile curling on his lips before he let out a hearty chuckle. "Oh, I'm just a passing-through old man," he said, his tone lighthearted.

Naruto frowned, rubbing the back of his head. "Weird old man..." he muttered under his breath, then turned to Akai. "Hey, you know him or somethin'? You got that look on your face."

Akai's red gaze remained on the old man, unreadable. "Yeah, somewhat."

Though in his mind he thought, Lord third?

Naruto squinted, glancing between the two with growing suspicion. "Huh? That's not an answer, dattebayo..." he grumbled, crossing his arms.

The old man—Hiruzen—simply chuckled, folding his hands behind his back. "Hoho, you're an interesting one."

Then—

Growl.

A deep, unmistakable sound rumbled through the night air.

Naruto blinked. Slowly, his lips twitched before he burst into laughter. "Ahaha—!" His laugh started small, then grew louder, more carefree. For some reason, he found it hilarious.

The old man, amused by the reaction, soon chuckled along with him. His laughter carried the warmth of someone used to indulging children.

Akai, however, remained silent, watching the two with a neutral expression.

A fox and… a monkey.

"Old man! Eat this!" Naruto grinned, grabbing one of the skewers and handing it over. The way he did it—so naturally, so casually—it was as if offering food was second nature to him.

Hiruzen accepted it with a gentle smile, the kind that made him seem less like a stranger and more like a grandfather. "Oh~ Thank you. It looks delicious."

Naruto puffed out his chest. "Of course it does! We caught 'em ourselves, dattebayo!"

Akai, still chewing his fish, side-eyed him. I was the one who caught them all, though.

Naruto froze mid-brag, stiffening as if struck by lightning. Then—

He whipped around, flailing his hands dramatically. "B-But I was the one who made the fishing rod, so that means I helped!"

Hiruzen laughed, his amusement genuine. The way the two boys bickered—it was natural, unforced. The kind of conversation that only came when people felt comfortable with each other.

Akai exhaled, deciding it wasn't worth arguing over. He took another bite of his fish, chewing as Naruto continued half-muttering to himself. There was no real irritation in his voice—just the exaggerated grumbling of a kid who didn't like being called out.

The fire crackled softly as Hiruzen took a bite of his skewer, the glow casting flickering shadows across the ground.

After that, they talked. Nothing deep, just casual conversation that drifted like embers in the night air. Maybe it was the quiet of the forest, or the way the stars shimmered above—free from cursed spirits, free from watchful eyes.

Akai barely followed their words. His gaze had shifted upward, toward the sky, where fireflies danced lazily between the trees, their glow adding to the warmth of the moment.

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To be continued.