Menma stared at the box of milk in his hand, his expression darkening.
The date stamped on it was clear—it had been produced two months ago. But the shelf life of milk was, at most, half a month. That meant the milk had already expired long before Naruto had even left for the Land of Waves.
His grip on the carton tightened. What kind of unscrupulous merchants would sell expired milk like this?!
He turned to Naruto, his voice sharp with disbelief.
"You—when did you buy this milk?"
Naruto scratched his head, looking confused. He thought for a moment before responding.
"Hmm... Oh! I remember now. It should have been a few days before I left for the Land of Waves."
Menma's frown deepened.
"This means it was already expired when you bought it. Didn't you check the date?"
Naruto simply shrugged. "Shelf life…? I don't really understand those things. As long as it can be drunk, it should be fine, right?"
Menma's jaw clenched. This wasn't just about carelessness—this was deliberate exploitation.
"Maybe this is why you get diarrhea after drinking milk sometimes?" Kuro Kakashi muttered, folding his arms.
Naruto's eyes widened in realization. "Oh… That might explain it."
Menma felt his anger rising.
"Damn it. The shopkeepers saw you as an easy target! They deliberately sold you expired milk because they knew you wouldn't check."
His fists tightened.
This wasn't just negligence—this was cruelty.
The Life of the Fourth Hokage's Son?
Kuro Kakashi suddenly asked, "Naruto, looking at your house, it doesn't seem like you live very comfortably. Didn't your parents leave you any inheritance?"
Naruto's face darkened slightly.
"I didn't even know who my parents were before. The Third Hokage never told me."
Menma's heart sank.
"Then… how do you manage to survive?"
"The Third Hokage gives me living expenses every month," Naruto replied. "Maybe that's from my parents' inheritance?"
"How much?" Menma pressed, feeling an uneasy suspicion forming in his mind.
"A thousand ryo a month!" Naruto said brightly. "If I save up a little, I can afford to eat Ichiraku Ramen about ten times a month!"
Menma felt his world tilt.
A thousand ryo?
That was barely enough to survive! For the son of the Fourth Hokage?!
Kuro Kakashi shook his head.
"No. That can't be from the Fourth Hokage's inheritance."
Naruto frowned. "Then where does it come from?"
"It's probably just the standard orphan allowance," Kuro Kakashi muttered, his expression growing grim.
Menma's nails dug into his palm.
Naruto wasn't just an ordinary orphan. He was the son of the Fourth Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina. His father had been the most powerful shinobi of his time, and his mother came from a legendary clan. There was no way they had left nothing behind.
"I can't believe it," Menma murmured. "You were treated like this your whole life?"
He had once looked down on Naruto. Thought of him as a weak, pitiful version of himself. But now…
Now he realized just how much Naruto had suffered.
Orphaned at birth.
Hated by the villagers.
Denied even basic financial support.
Cheated by shopkeepers.
His own village had abandoned him.
Menma's stomach churned. If he had grown up in Naruto's place, would he have survived? Would he have been able to keep smiling, like Naruto did?
Naruto's Dream
Naruto suddenly noticed the heavy silence. He frowned.
"Why are you guys looking at me like that? I don't need your sympathy! If you really want to help me, then return Sasuke!"
Menma sighed. "That's impossible. Sasuke doesn't want to return."
Naruto's face twisted in frustration.
"I don't care! I'm going to bring him back no matter what!"
"Why?" Menma asked. "Why do you care so much about getting him back?"
Naruto clenched his fists.
"Because he's my friend! Because I don't want to lose anyone else!"
Menma shook his head.
"Even if he doesn't want to return?"
"That doesn't matter!" Naruto insisted. "He's my friend, so I have to save him!"
Menma suddenly realized something.
"Is this also part of your dream? Becoming Hokage?"
Naruto nodded.
"Yes! If I become Hokage, everyone will recognize me!"
Menma's eye twitched.
"You… You want to be Hokage just so people recognize you?!"
"That's right!" Naruto said confidently.
Menma stared at him in disbelief.
"You actually… want the approval of the people who treated you like trash?"
The Will of Ashura
Menma couldn't understand it.
These people had made Naruto's life miserable. Yet Naruto still wanted their approval?!
"This has to be Ashura's will," he muttered.
His Majesty had told him that Ashura's reincarnations were always like this. They sought peace. They sought understanding.
But Menma had been freed from that influence long ago. And now, looking at Naruto, he felt disgusted.
"Naruto," Menma said firmly. "Come with me. I want to test something."
Naruto frowned. "Test what?"
Menma reached out and placed a hand on Naruto's forehead.
"I want to experience what you feel when you walk through Konoha."
Then he vanished into Naruto's sealed space.
Inside the Seal
Menma stood before the great Nine Tails, who stared down at him with narrowed eyes.
"Oh? The Otherworld brat again."
Menma smirked. "Kurama, I need a favor."
Nine Tails scoffed.
"And why would I help you?"
"Because I know you want to," Menma said. "I want you to use your Malice Sense on me."
Nine Tails tilted his head. "Why?"
"I want to experience the hatred Naruto feels every day."
Nine Tails' ears twitched.
This was interesting.
"Hah. Fine, brat. But don't blame me if you break down."
Menma extended his fist.
"Let's cooperate."
Nine Tails let out a cold laugh but bumped his fist against Menma's.
Walking Through Konoha
Menma and Naruto stepped outside.
Menma immediately felt it.
An invisible wave of hatred.
He turned his head. A passing villager—an ordinary man—was looking at Naruto with pure disgust.
"Tch. The demon's outside again."
Another whispered.
"Why does he even exist? He should have died with the Fourth Hokage!"
Menma clenched his fists.
It was everywhere. The cold stares. The resentment.
The deep, seething hatred.
Menma's breath hitched. He had felt battlefields filled with killing intent before. But this was different.
This wasn't war.
This was daily life.
And Naruto had endured this every single day since he was a child.
His vision blurred. His heart pounded.
"This… This is what you go through every day?"
Naruto blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"This hatred—this malice! How can you stand it?!"
Naruto tilted his head. "I just got used to it, I guess?"
Menma's hands shook.
This… This was unforgivable.
For the first time in his life, he truly felt it—
Konoha didn't deserve Naruto.
And deep in his mind, a dangerous thought whispered:
"Maybe… Naruto doesn't need Konoha either."
To Be Continued...
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