Naruto's question left Fugaku feeling helpless. He could only keep his head down and continue picking at his food.
Sasuke, holding his chopsticks, hesitated for a moment before quietly complaining to his mother:
"Mom, why didn't you make tomatoes? They're my favorite vegetable…"
Mikoto silently ate her meal, her gaze soft as she looked at Naruto and Sasuke, lost in her memories.
If Kushina were still alive, Sasuke and Naruto would've become friends long ago. Naruto wouldn't have suffered discrimination in the village, and the Uchiha clan wouldn't be at odds with the higher-ups.
As a jōnin, she was fully aware of what had happened in the courtyard earlier, but she couldn't influence Fugaku's decisions.
All she ever dreamed of was being a housewife—taking care of her husband and watching her children grow up healthy. She had no grand ambitions beyond that.
Naruto felt a little uncomfortable under Mikoto's warm gaze.
Still, he had to admit—Auntie Mikoto's cooking was really good. The dishes were flavorful, the ingredients fresh. They were easily on par with his own efforts in the kitchen.
After watching Naruto finish an entire bowl of rice, Mikoto smiled and asked:
"Are you full? There's more in the kitchen if you want seconds."
Naruto nodded, then praised earnestly:
"Auntie, your food is amazing. If I had parents, I think their cooking would taste just like this."
Those words brought the room to a sudden silence.
Mikoto, Fugaku, and Sasuke all paused, their expressions tinged with melancholy.
If the Fourth Hokage and his wife hadn't died, the Cloud Village wouldn't have dared provoke a war. The Uchiha wouldn't be so isolated and distrusted. Everything would be different.
Fugaku had always respected Minato Namikaze, the man he considered a worthy rival. But life didn't allow for "what ifs."
Sasuke, for his part, simply sympathized with Naruto. Despite being better than him in so many ways, Naruto had no parents—no family at all. He had to live alone.
After dinner, Mikoto found an excuse to pull Fugaku into the kitchen while doing the dishes. She looked at him earnestly and said:
"Dear, don't you think we should talk to the Third Hokage about adopting Naruto? That poor child… he's never experienced a parent's love."
"You know that's impossible. Only the Hokage is allowed to adopt the jinchūriki."
"But the Third is clearly neglecting him! The whole village treats Naruto like a demon fox. If it were just any orphan, I might understand, but he's the child of Minato and Kushina—the son of the heroes who saved this village!"
"Stop dreaming. It's not going to happen."
Fugaku shook his head, then glanced toward Naruto in the living room. Of course he had considered it—if they could control the power of the jinchūriki, their path to becoming Hokage would be much more assured. It would fulfill the clan's long-held ambition.
As night fell, it was time for Naruto to leave.
The Uchiha family stood at the door, watching him go. There was no intention of inviting him to stay overnight.
Naruto understood why. As a guest, visiting was barely within the Third Hokage's tolerances. Staying the night, though? That would likely push things too far—ANBU and the Police Force might actually come to blows.
No matter how it played out, he'd end up in custody, never again free to move around on his own.
Walking alone through the streets of the Uchiha compound, Naruto observed the many clansmen passing by, wondering if another impulsive Uchiha would try something foolish.
If someone did attack and failed due to backlash, that would be manageable. But if anything actually happened to him within Uchiha territory…
The consequences could be catastrophic—possibly even as devastating as the Night of the Nine-Tails. The entire district could be plunged into chaos.
Shaking off the thoughts, Naruto was relieved to find no one else tried to challenge him.
Most Uchiha were radical, yes, but few were stupid. Most understood the stakes.
Without realizing it, Naruto exited the Uchiha compound. As he walked, he sensed the familiar presence of two ANBU operatives—plus many other chakra signatures lurking in the shadows, like a web of unseen watchers.
Even the proud and defiant Nine-Tails stayed silent under such heavy surveillance.
Naruto kept a steady pace until he returned to his rented apartment. Only then did the tension fade.
Lying on the couch, he stared at the ceiling and reflected on the day's gains.
Aside from mentally mapping the layout of the Uchiha compound, the biggest reward was probably the free meal—and the confirmation of his resistance to genjutsu.
So far, it seemed he could shrug off genjutsu from one-tomoe and two-tomoe Sharingan.
Even three-tomoe illusions, when paired with the Nine-Tails' assistance, weren't too threatening. But genjutsu from Mangekyō Sharingan… that was another story. He'd probably lose control.
So even as a near-perfect jinchūriki, I still can't let my guard down.
Just then, a crisp system notification rang in Naruto's ears:
"Uchiha Mikoto's favorability toward you has reached 'Acknowledgement.' You have received the skill: 'Domestic Mastery' — a set of household management and cooking skills developed by a former Uchiha jōnin who gave up her ninja career to become a full-time homemaker."
The sudden alert interrupted Naruto's thoughts.
He couldn't help but laugh a little at the reward.
What am I supposed to do with this?
Even without the system, his domestic skills were already decent—he could cook when hungry, do laundry without being told, and never let it pile up overnight.
Still, it wasn't a bad reward. A bit of icing on the cake.
At the very least, it meant that someone else in this world acknowledged him—even if it was just Sasuke's mom, after a single dinner together.
That was what made the system valuable to Naruto: validation.
Suddenly, Naruto glanced toward the window.
The Third Hokage had come to check up on him again.
He waited patiently until the knock came, then opened the door with a confused look and asked:
"Grandpa Hokage, didn't you come by just yesterday? Why are you here again?"
The Third Hokage looked a bit worn out. In truth, Naruto had caused him a massive headache.
Naruto entering Uchiha territory had nearly sparked a full-blown misunderstanding with the Police Force. Danzo had even mobilized Root agents to intervene.
If Naruto hadn't come out safely, Konoha might've erupted into internal conflict.
Had that happened, no one could predict the outcome. The Uchiha weren't actually planning a coup—but the Hokage certainly wasn't ready for civil war either.
Seeing the old man remain silent, Naruto asked cheekily:
"Don't tell me you heard I became friends with Sasuke and came to give me a gift?"
The Third Hokage's expression twisted oddly. He wanted to travel back in time and slap himself.
Yes, he had encouraged Naruto to make friends—but with the Uchiha? And in their compound, no less?
Did this kid really not understand who he was?
Then it hit him—Naruto truly didn't know. He'd always kept that part hidden from him.
"…I forgot to bring the gift," the Third Hokage muttered. "But Grandpa is curious—while you were at Sasuke's house, what did his parents say to you?"
(End of Chapter)
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