Naruto: The Shadow of Uchiha

Naruto stared at Ryosuke in disbelief. Someone was being nice to him—really nice. Not only did this older boy not hate him, but he was also offering to buy him a meal. Naruto's eyes began to shimmer, tears threatening to fall.

Ryosuke was surprised by how deeply moved Naruto was. In his view, treating a child to a bowl of ramen was a small gesture. But clearly, for Naruto, it meant the world.

As Ryosuke and Naruto walked toward Ichiraku Ramen, two masked men hidden in the shadows watched them. One of them leaned over and whispered:

"Kakashi-taichō, isn't it dangerous for a member of the Uchiha clan to be interacting with the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki like that? Should we intervene?"

Kakashi shook his head calmly.

"No need. That boy—Ryosuke—is known more for his taijutsu. He doesn't pose a threat."

He recalled how Might Guy had mentioned this Ryosuke as a promising student and even called him a friend. If Guy vouched for him, Kakashi figured he couldn't be bad.

"Besides," Kakashi added, "we're only here to observe as per the Hokage's orders. Stay hidden. Don't draw attention."

And just like that, they continued their silent watch.

Back at Ichiraku, Ryosuke entered with Naruto and ordered two hearty bowls of ramen. He was planning to eat too—after all, you couldn't go wrong with ramen.

Teuchi, the owner, frowned slightly when Naruto entered, but it wasn't out of disdain. It was instinctive, maybe even concern. The whole village whispered that this boy was the Nine-Tails reincarnated. But Teuchi never believed such nonsense.

To him, Naruto was just a child—two arms, two legs, and a human heart. What kind of monster looks like that? Whoever spread those rumors, he thought, must've been truly vile.

Seeing the boy here with company, and not being shooed out of the store, Teuchi smiled and turned to prepare the ramen.

"It'll be ready in just a minute," he called out cheerfully.

Naruto visibly relaxed. For once, he wasn't being driven away. Even if Ryosuke was treating him, if the store owner had refused them, he would've walked away without protest. But now he could finally find out what ramen really tasted like.

Soon, Teuchi returned with two steaming bowls, placing one in front of each of them. Naruto's bowl had just a little more—Teuchi's way of quietly saying, You're welcome here.

"Eat up while it's hot," Ryosuke smiled. "It tastes even better that way."

Naruto needed no further prompting. He grabbed the chopsticks and began slurping down the noodles. The flavor exploded in his mouth—it was the best thing he had ever eaten.

His eyes sparkled with joy, and before long, he'd finished the entire bowl, even drinking most of the broth.

Ryosuke had been a little worried the boy would overeat and feel sick, but Naruto looked fine—clearly, he had a healthy appetite.

After finishing, they sat for a while, chatting and resting. Thankfully, the shop wasn't crowded, so they didn't have to leave in a hurry.

Before leaving, Ryosuke pulled out a thick wad of cash—far more than the bill required—and handed it to Teuchi.

Teuchi was stunned.

"That's… way too much! The total is just 120 ryō."

Ryosuke smiled.

"This is 1,920 ryō. From now on, let Naruto eat here freely. Just deduct the cost from this. If the money runs out, let me know when I come by—I'll top it up."

Teuchi was touched. Now he understood Ryosuke's intentions. The money wasn't a show of wealth—it was a safety net, a promise that Naruto would never go hungry again.

Teuchi wasn't like the other villagers. He didn't hold unfounded distrust for the Uchiha. On the contrary, the Uchiha police often helped enforce order and prevent thieves from scamming small shops like his.

Naruto was practically in tears. For the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged—like someone truly cared. This village, which had always felt cold, suddenly seemed warm.

After resting a bit longer, the two stepped outside and began walking down the street.

As they prepared to part ways, Naruto looked up at Ryosuke with genuine curiosity.

"Ryosuke-nii, why are you being so nice to me?"

They had only just met today. Why would anyone go this far for him?

Ryosuke looked down at the young boy and replied gently:

"Because you're the son of a hero. And a hero's child should never have to cry."

Naruto's eyes widened. Hero? Me?

He'd never thought of himself like that.

He'd always wondered who his parents were. Why did everyone hate him? Why did they call him a demon? He had no claws or tails. He looked just like any other kid. So why?

Ryosuke was just about to tell him the truth—who his parents really were—when a white-haired, masked man appeared silently beside them.

"Don't say another word."

Ryosuke narrowed his eyes at the newcomer.

Silver hair… mask… That's Kakashi from ANBU, isn't it?

So the village was guarding Naruto more closely than he realized. And Kakashi himself had been assigned to protect the boy? That said a lot.

But Naruto didn't recognize him, and he didn't appreciate the interruption.

He frowned and asked defiantly:

"Who are you? Why are you butting into our conversation?"

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