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A full week had passed since the appearance of the huge screen and the trailer that shook Konoha.
In the days that followed, talk in every corner of the village revolved around one thing.
Would they really see Naruto and others move?
Everyone knew the story. Seven volumes of manga had been published so far, the latest ending with the events of the second chunin exam in the Forest of Death, where Orochimaru's plot was revealed, his marking of Sasuke with the curse seal, and also the fact that Kabuto was a spy planted by Orochimaru in Konoha.
The readers knew everything about the story's beginnings, Naruto and his loneliness, his dream to become Hokage, the Kyuubi sealed inside him, him being part of Kakashi's Team Seven, their epic battle in the Land of Waves with Haku and Zabuza, all the way to the terrifying events of the Forest of Death.
But they had never seen any of these events in moving footage before, only drawings on paper. Previously, that had been enough, but seeing what was called the "trailer" a week ago had completely turned their understanding upside down.
They hadn't heard Naruto's voice shouting "Dattebayo!" after every meaningful thing he said. They hadn't seen Kakashi's silver hair move with the wind as he lifted his forehead protector to reveal the Sharingan. They hadn't felt the rhythm of the battles as they pulsed with life. They hadn't heard the voices of Sasuke and Sakura, and that future generation with whom they had been living every month in the manga volumes.
Therefore, when the evening of the seventh day arrived, and the screen of the Art Store began to glow with a warm orange color, the streets were completely packed.
That's right, Rob chose the evening, after five o'clock, to be the appropriate time to show the anime episodes. Because at this time, children and youths finish their studies, men and women finish their work, and shinobi often rest from their missions around this time. Even though shinobi would work at any time, generally speaking, this was the right time to show the anime episodes.
---
"To think that the Art Store possesses such a feature for broadcasting throughout the entire village... this is truly interesting."
"The technology of the Art Store has always been shocking."
"It can even heal all diseases and disabilities inside, so what's truly shocking about visual broadcasting?"
"Hehe~ It can even pull us inside against our will... I feel it's something out of this world."
"The food inside is the most awesome and best in the world, so what could be more important than that!?"
"Man, Choza has a point..."
"Hahaha! Man, I'm really excited for the first episode of Naruto... Seeing the world alive will be better than looking at still images and reading speech bubbles."
At Ichiraku Ramen, a shop that became famous primarily because of the Naruto manga, many familiar faces in Konoha gathered today. Among them were Minato and Kushina, Shikaku, Choza, Inoichi, Fugaku, Mikoto, and many others from the same generation (between 12 and 16 years old). They were all enjoying eating ramen while staring at the Art Store's screen.
Minato Namikaze, the fifteen-year-old elite chunin and student of Jiraiya, held a copy of the seventh volume in his hands, but his eyes were on the screen. His bright blond hair was flowing down as usual, and no one in the crowd paid him any special attention. Just a talented young man among many, since he wasn't fond of showing off his overwhelming talent.
(Author's Note: Minato's overwhelming reputation exploded during the Third Ninja War, which hasn't happened yet in the current timeline.)
Beside him sat Kushina Uzumaki, her long red hair cascading over her shoulders, her violet eyes watching the screen with anticipation. She was gripping the edge of her sleeve tightly, unknowingly excited.
"Do you think his voice will be as we imagined?" Kushina asked without looking at him.
"Naruto's voice?" Minato thought for a moment. "I don't know. In my head, his voice was always... loud. Like a small storm."
Kushina laughed. "Yeah, that suits him perfectly."
They talked about Naruto the way people talk about the hero of a great story. It didn't cross either of their minds that this blond child who carried the Uzumaki name might be... no. They already had their own thoughts about that, especially Kushina, who had become certain of her maternal instinct.
...
In the next moment, golden numbers appeared on the screen.
00:05
00:04
00:03
On the balcony of a house opposite the art store sat Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage. Thin smoke rose from his pipe. He knew the story well. He had read every volume himself. He was curious to see how the Konoha he didn't know, two decades from now... would look drawn in light and sound.
00:01
00:00
"Is that my voice?"
Hiruzen wondered, because the narrator speaking at this moment had his voice.
The bright white moon appeared in the sky, where nine tails were moving as if trying to catch it. They were the tails of the Kyuubi! The terrifying Tailed Beast quickly began wreaking havoc in the village as Konoha shinobi fought it like ants surrounding an elephant.
But adrenaline surged in the viewers' minds when a person appeared on the back of a giant toad... It was the Fourth Hokage.
...
Then the music exploded. It wasn't just background tunes. It was a full opening song with a fast rhythm and high energy, accompanied by quick animated scenes of the characters everyone knew from the manga: Naruto running through the streets of Konoha, Sasuke with his black hair and cold stares, Sakura with her pink hair, and Kakashi reading his orange-covered book.
"The beginning matches the first scenes from the manga exactly..."
Hiruzen nodded as he looked at the cinematic-quality screen.
"Without a doubt, it's Minato... he will be the Fourth Hokage."
From the blond hair alone, he already recognized the potential Fourth Hokage.
...
"Don't you think the Fourth Hokage resembles you?"
Kushina whispered into Minato's ear.
Her eyes were shining. Minato smiled without realizing it, "Maybe."
With the end of the strangely energetic opening song, the title appeared in large letters:
Episode 001: Enter: Uzumaki Naruto!
Then the episode began.
And it was almost a replica of what appeared in the manga, but unlike the manga, this episode was truly alive.
...
The first scene where Naruto was drawing random lines on the faces of the Hokage carved into the Konoha mountain, then running away, chased by angry chunin.
In the street, the crowd burst out laughing. They knew this scene. They had read it in the first chapter of the first volume. But seeing it moving, with cheerful music in the background, and Naruto's voice laughing victoriously... it was something completely different.
"His voice is louder than I expected!" Kushina shouted, laughing.
"But it suits him," Minato said. "He's exactly as Rubiro-san drew him in the manga... but more alive."
On the balcony, the Third Hokage smiled involuntarily as he saw his little grandson Konohamaru appear for a moment in the background.
'Even these small details... Rubiro hasn't forgotten a thing.'
Beside him were both his sons, Hajime and Asuma. Hajime was Konohamaru's supposed father.
'To think this annoying brat will be my son...' Hajime thought in despair.
...
The tone of the episode gradually changed. The scene shifted to the Ninja Academy, where Naruto sat alone after failing the Transformation Technique exam.
The crowd fell silent.
They knew this moment well. They had read it in the manga. They knew that Iruka-sensei was the only person who believed in him. But in the manga, the scene was drawn in two frames: Naruto's sad face, then Iruka and the Hokage looking at him from afar.
Now... now they saw Iruka's eyes silently aching. They saw little Naruto's shoulders trembling as he tried not to cry. They heard his broken voice whispering to himself, "Why does everyone always hate me?"
Kushina felt a lump in her throat. She knew Naruto was the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. She had read that in the manga. But hearing his voice asking that question made it weigh heavier on her heart.
Minato looked at her beside him. He saw her eyes glistening with tears. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. He just returned his gaze to the screen.
Then came the forest scene. Mizuki, the traitor, standing on a tree branch, reveals the truth to Naruto:
"You are the Nine-Tailed Fox! You are the monster that destroyed the village!"
The crowd knew this moment. But seeing Naruto's face freeze, his eyes widening in painful shock, and his trembling voice saying "No... that's not true..." made silence fall over the entire street.
On his balcony, the Third Hokage gripped his pipe tighter.
'This is the true power of what Rubiro does... not telling us the story, but making us live it.'
'I feel like the anime will make my reputation worse... How did my counterpart not take proper care of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki? Worse yet, if he really is the son of the Fourth Hokage who saved the village, and everyone treats him like shit...'
The next scene was truly iconic. Iruka-sensei jumped. He took the giant shuriken on his back. Blood flowing, his face pale, but he smiled at Naruto, who asked, "Why?" and said the words everyone had memorized by heart from the manga:
"Because you and I are alike..."
But this time, it wasn't just words written in a speech bubble. There was Iruka's voice, tired, pained, but filled with certainty. There was a single tear falling from Naruto's eye before he quickly wiped it away and flashed his wide grin.
And he remembered his own tragic past, similar in the same way to what Naruto was living.
"This... this is so much stronger," Kohari Umino whispered in a hoarse voice, trying to hold back her tears.
But she couldn't, as her husband, Ikkaku Umino, hugged her. Both of them firmly believed that this character represented their future son.
(Author's Note: It seems Iruka will be born any time soon now.)
...
Elsewhere, Kushina looked at Minato and found him staring at the screen with an extremely serious face. He was silent, but his eyes held something deep.
On the screen, Naruto appeared surrounded by hundreds of his clones, using the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique. The scene was visually stunning: hundreds of orange-suited clones filling the forest, running in every direction, shouting together in a single thunderous voice.
"Amazing..." Minato whispered. "In the manga, the scene was incredible, but here... look at the details! Every clone moves slightly differently!"
Then Naruto charged at Mizuki, and after that, defeated him easily.
...
The image gradually faded to black, then words appeared:
"Next Episode: My Name is Konohamaru!"
"Will be shown in seven days."
The screen returned to its faint white glow. The show was over.
...
Minato and Kushina exited Ichiraku Ramen together. The street was still crowded with people discussing passionately.
"Did you hear Naruto's voice saying 'Dattebayo'? It was louder than I imagined!"
"But Iruka's scene... I knew what was coming, and still I almost cried!"
"The Multi Shadow Clone Technique was the best scene! In the manga, it was awesome, but seeing it move..."
"I can't wait for the next episode! It'll have Konohamaru!"
Minato and Kushina walked slowly down the moonlit street.
"Minato..." Kushina finally said.
"Yeah?"
"Did you feel something strange?" She stopped and looked at the sky. "I mean... Naruto. I know his story from the manga. I know he's a Jinchuriki. I know he'll face many difficulties. But today... when I heard his voice..."
"You realized how lonely he is," Minato completed quietly.
She looked at him. His eyes were looking forward, but she saw something familiar in them. Genuine empathy.
"Yes," she whispered. "How lonely he is."
They walked the rest of the way in silence. But this time, there was something different. Their hands, which had always been close but never touched, moved slightly. Minato's pinky finger touched Kushina's finger, then their hands intertwined.
Neither looked at the other. But their hearts were beating a little faster.
...
Elsewhere in Konoha, Jiraiya sat on the roof of a building, watching the screen from afar as it dimmed. He had watched the entire episode. He wasn't very interested at first, since he knew all those events from the manga. But Naruto's voice... and the way he moved... reminded him of something.
"That kid..." he muttered to himself, rubbing his chin. "He really resembles Minato a lot."
...
In the Art Store, Rob sat on his chair, exhausted but satisfied.
Things went as they should. The first episode aired. People loved it. Not because they learned something new, but because they saw the story they loved come to life before their eyes.
More importantly, he was able to earn lots of Art Coins, even from an anime based on a manga whose events the viewers already knew!
He looked at the pages of the eighth volume scattered on his desk. It will be released in a week.
But before that, there was a whole week. A week where Konoha would continue talking about the first episode. A week where people would reread the first volume to compare the manga and the anime. A week where everyone would eagerly await the second episode.
"More coins on the way!"
He smiled a small smile, rubbing his hands together.
...
After days...
In the Mountain Graveyard cave, hundreds of miles away, it was pitch black. Madara Uchiha sat on his stone chair, connected to the statue's tubes. His eyes were closed, breathing with difficulty.
From the ground before him, half of Black Zetsu's body emerged.
"Madara-sama. The broadcast of the moving stories has begun."
Madara slowly opened his eyes. "Tell me."
"He's showing the same events as the manga, but as real scenes, as if adding confirmation that his prophecies are the exact future... The second episode is four days from now."
"Fine, let's see the recording..."
Black Zetsu took out a human eye and crushed it, then a strange thing happened: a display screen formed in the air, and Madara was able to see everything that eye had recorded in its entirety.
A long silence fell. Then Madara spoke in a rough voice: "Interesting."
Madara let out a dry laugh. "So this guy not only knows the future... he shares it with the whole world using two ways. What an interesting time."
"Do you want me to do something about him?"
"Not yet. Continue monitoring. I want to know more about this Uzumaki Rubiro and how he knows what he knows."
"As you command."
Black Zetsu disappeared into the ground. Madara remained alone in the darkness, his ancient Sharingan eye gleaming with deep curiosity.
'A future shown as a story... I wonder if it will show my plan as well.'
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 155: The Second Episode of the Naruto Anime!
Chapter 156: Volume 8 of the Manga Hits the Shelves After Two Anime-Filled Weeks!
Chapter 157: A replacement for war!
Chapter 158: Life-risking battles!
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