Naruto: Ant King Reborn

Chapter 1:

The orphanage doors slammed shut behind him. 

Naruto stood in the cold, his small frame barely shivering despite the icy wind cutting through the night. A tattered bag, a "parting gift" from the caretakers, hung over his shoulder, holding nothing but a few worn-out clothes and a stale piece of bread. 

The matron had made her stance clear: 

"You're unnatural, boy. You don't cry, you don't laugh, and you look at people like they're insects. The village barely tolerates your existence, and we won't have you bringing bad luck here any longer. Get out."

She hadn't needed to say more. He had known this day would come. 

Still, he found himself lingering. Not because he was afraid, no, fear was something he had never truly experienced, but because he was curious. Was this the limit of human kindness? Did they truly believe they were superior to him, despite their weakness? 

It was... disappointing. 

Without another word, he turned and walked away. 

--- 

Meeting the Hokage

The village at night was a different world, silent, watchful, hiding its ugliness beneath the mask of slumber. The people hated him, feared him, but Naruto had long since stopped wondering why. 

He had no destination, no shelter, but this did not concern him. The cold, the hunger, these were merely challenges to be overcome. If survival was a test, then he would pass it, like he always did. 

But then, he felt it. 

A presence. 

Unlike the pathetic civilians who cowered from him, unlike the weaklings who whispered behind his back, this presence was strong 

His violet eyes shifted, locking onto the old man standing beneath a streetlamp. 

Sarutobi Hiruzen. 

The Hokage. 

"Naruto..." the old man spoke gently, yet Naruto could sense the weight behind the words. A king recognizes another ruler, even if their thrones differ. 

"You were kicked out." It was not a question. 

Naruto tilted his head slightly, studying him. "Yes." 

Hiruzen sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before nodding. "Come with me." 

There was no hesitation. He followed.

--- 

The apartment was small, nothing more than a cramped room with a kitchen and a futon, but it was his.

Hiruzen had left after explaining a few things: how the monthly stipend worked, he will bring him food and other necessities, the importance of staying out of trouble. Naruto had listened, but his mind was elsewhere. 

This was a step forward. A foundation.

A king does not complain. A king does not whine. 

A king builds

That night, he lay on the futon, staring at the ceiling. His mind was already working, strategizing, planning. This world, this village, was flawed. But flaws could be exploited. 

He closed his eyes, and for the first time in his young life, he dreamed 

A throne. A kingdom. Beasts bowing before him. 

This is only the beginning.

--- 

The Byakugan Monster

Days passed. He learned the village's layout, memorized its patterns. He observed. 

And then, he found her

She was small, frail-looking, with pale eyes that held too much sadness for someone so young. Three boys surrounded her, their sneers filled with cruelty. 

"Freak." 

"Byakugan monster!" 

"Why don't you just hide your ugly eyes?" 

She didn't fight back. She just stood there, trembling, on the verge of tears. 

Pathetic. 

Naruto didn't understand it. She had power, he could sense it, even if she didn't know how to use it. And yet, she did nothing. 

A lesson was needed. 

He stepped forward. 

The bullies turned, startled. One of them scowled. "What do you want, demon?" 

Naruto ignored him. He simply walked past them, stopping beside the girl. His eyes met hers. 

Weak. But not beyond saving

"Stand up," he said. 

She blinked. "W-what?" 

"You are stronger than them. You should not cower." 

The bullies scoffed. "You think a freak like her... 

Naruto moved. 

His foot swept the legs out from under the nearest bully before the boy could react. The second flinched back, but Naruto's hand gripped his wrist, twisting just enough to send pain lancing through his arm. The third stepped forward, too slow. Naruto leaned, dodging the punch effortlessly before pressing two fingers against the boy's throat, just lightly enough to make him panic. 

It was over in seconds. 

The three boys scrambled away, fear now replacing their arrogance. 

Naruto exhaled through his nose, then turned back to the girl. "Next time, do not let them see your fear." 

She stared at him, wide-eyed, before hesitantly nodding. 

"...Thank you." 

Naruto said nothing. He had done what needed to be done. 

Still, as he walked away, he felt something. A presence behind him. 

He glanced back. 

She was following

--- 

The Academy was a joke. 

The instructors were weak. The students were even worse. Their movements were sloppy, their awareness pitiful. But Naruto was patient. 

He would learn their ways before he introduced his. 

And then there were the three. 

They were not like the others. 

From the moment he walked into the classroom, their eyes locked onto him, intense, almost hungry. Not in a hostile way, but something deeper. 

An instinctive recognition

The first was tall, with sharp, intense eyes that burned with hidden power. He radiated raw strength, as if he were constantly holding himself back. (Youpi...) 

The second was refined, his movements smooth, his gaze sharp yet almost worshipful. He carried himself like a noble, yet his attention was fully on Naruto(Pouf...) 

The third was... strange. A girl, but her energy was wild, untamed. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and devotion, her every movement calculated yet playful. (Pitou...) 

They did not speak to him that day. 

But they watched

They followed

And deep within Naruto's soul, something stirred. 

His subjects had returned to him.