In the early morning, Naruto rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up from bed. Although he had slept, he didn't feel rested at all.
"Ah..." Naruto yawned widely, a few tears of sleepiness welling in the corners of his eyes. Getting close to that tsundere big fox was even more exhausting than training.
He recalled the scene in the sealing space last night. To win Kurama's favor, he had acted as a 'plagiarist' all night, retelling modified versions of novels he had read in his previous life to the big fox. Now, it seemed his efforts hadn't been in vain.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: You have established an initial bond with original character 'Kurama'!]
[Reward: 400 points!]
"Wow!" Naruto excitedly jumped out of bed. "As expected of the first character to appear in the original Naruto story! Although it's a hundred points less than Satsuki..."
With the previous 100 points and these 400 points, he now had 500 points. He had accumulated half of the 1000 points needed for the next ten-roll draw.
"At this rate, I'll be able to draw again soon!" Naruto clenched his fist, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
As for what story he told Kurama last night... Naruto had given it careful thought. That big fox, imprisoned for so many years, must be filled with frustration and resentment, right? So, he specifically chose a representative work from the 'power fantasy' genre —
"Will Transmigrator Xiao Huohuo Meet the Ring Old Man?"
"Life on the Dou Qi Continent Starting from Zero"
"About Me Reincarnating as a Fallen Genius"
In short, "Dou Qi Transformed into Horse"... No, it was "battle through the heavens".
That tsundere big fox initially put on a haughty facade. "Hmph, since you insist on telling this to this old man, this old man will reluctantly listen."
Naruto changed the 'dou qi' in the story to Chakra, the 'sects' to ninja clans, and the 'elixirs' to military rations... After this localization, Kurama quickly became engrossed.
Sure enough, the otherworldly fox had no resistance to this kind of meticulously designed web novel. As the plot progressed, Naruto even noticed Kurama's tail unconsciously swaying with the rhythm of the story.
When they parted, Kurama spoke with a deliberate tone. "If you still want to tell this old man stories... this old man will reluctantly keep you company."
This extremely tsundere statement was clearly an invitation for Naruto to come again next time. But to achieve this level of progress on their first meeting already far exceeded expectations.
Naruto knew that truly winning over this Tailed Beast, steeped in hatred for a century, would require long-term companionship. If he were to rashly utter empty words like, "I want to resolve the hatred in your heart," it would not only be ineffective but might also cause a backlash.
"Slowly but surely..." Naruto bit into a slice of bread. He decided to use a subtle approach, through repeated companionship and conversation, to help Kurama rebuild its trust in humans.
But what should he do today? Should he go find Satsuki? But thinking of the Konoha higher-ups' surveillance of the Uchiha, his brow furrowed unconsciously.
What if the Third Hokage and Danzo issued a warning, causing that tsundere little girl to distance herself from him due to clan pressure... Just imagining Satsuki feigning coldness and saying, "Let's not meet again," made Naruto feel a surge of irritation.
Just then.
"Knock knock knock —"
A knock sounded, and Naruto's movements paused. He knew who it was; in this village, those who would actively knock on his door could be counted on one hand — no, to be precise, there was only one person.
"Coming, coming." Naruto replied. The moment he pulled open the door, he saw the familiar white Hokage robe and iconic straw hat.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the doorway, a benevolent smile on his wrinkled face. Behind him, several paper bags were neatly arranged, faintly revealing fresh vegetables, meat, and milk inside.
"Naruto, I've come to bring some daily necessities." The Third Hokage's voice was gentle. "May I come in?"
The amount of supplies wasn't much, but it wasn't due to stinginess; rather, these were perishable fresh foods, and giving too much would be wasteful.
"Oh! It's the Third Hokage... Grandfather Third Hokage~ You've come to visit me? Please come in, please come in~"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead clearly twitched, having obviously heard the 'old man' address. But he merely shook his head helplessly and walked in, carrying the bags.
[Ding!]
The moment the Third Hokage stepped into the entrance, a crisp system notification sound rang in Naruto's mind.
[Congratulations, Host: You have established a bond (Level 2) with original character 'Hiruzen Sarutobi'!]
[Reward: 300 points!]
"Oh?" Naruto felt a slight surprise. It seemed this Third Hokage indeed harbored some genuine feelings for him... Perhaps out of guilt? At least it proved he wasn't purely treating Naruto as Kurama's vessel, as some conspiracy theories suggested.
However, the bond level was only two, and the reward points weren't many. This number subtly reflected the Third Hokage's attitude — much like the living conditions he arranged for Naruto, it was adequate, but only just adequate.
— — — — — —
Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the last carton of milk in the refrigerator, then turned around and asked gently. "Naruto, have you been eating well lately? Is your living allowance enough?"
Naruto sat at the table, casually picked up a freshly delivered apple, and took a big bite. "Of course I've been eating well, this is when I'm growing. And of course the living allowance is enough, because there's basically nothing to spend it on."
These words brought a hint of guilt to the Third Hokage's eyes. The child protected by the Fourth Hokage and his wife with their lives, the son of Konoha's hero, was now living such a lonely life...
But the helplessness of being Hokage quickly overshadowed this guilt. He knew very well that allowing a Jinchuriki to develop dependence on specific individuals was extremely dangerous. The candidates who could be entrusted with caring for Naruto... not only had to be absolutely reliable, but also capable of withstanding pressure from various factions.
If Biwako were still alive, it would be good...
Moreover, Danzo was always lurking in the shadows, covetously eyeing Kurama's power.
The Third Hokage gazed deeply at Naruto, who was gnawing on an apple. More than whether the living supplies were sufficient, what troubled him more was the attitude towards Konoha in the child's eyes.
From the time Naruto was learning to walk, the Third Hokage had keenly noticed the child's abnormality. He inherited Minato's precocious traits; after sensing the strange looks from those around him, he didn't seek attention like ordinary children, but quietly built an invisible wall, isolating the entire village.
If this continues... will it really be okay?
Ordinary children growing up in loneliness might become rebellious and crave attention. But Naruto chose the most worrying way to grow; he established a complete psychological defense, treating all of Konoha as 'outsiders.'
In the depths of Naruto's eyes, he couldn't find a single trace of belonging to Konoha. This child, who should have inherited the Will of Fire, looked at the village as if it were a temporary stopping point, with a chilling calmness.
...But this is also normal. Human emotions need a foundation. In a place where there isn't even a single person to care about... how could a sense of belonging be generated?
However, the true purpose of this visit was due to yesterday's events. The contents of the Anbu surveillance report were still vivid in his mind: Naruto had made contact with Uchiha Clan Leader's daughter, Uchiha Sasuke, yesterday.
Satsuki... Fugaku's daughter...
Reason told him that a three-year-old child could not be a pawn of the Uchiha. Furthermore, in the report, Satsuki did not say any guiding words, and Fugaku was not an ambitious person; he wouldn't be foolish enough to use his own daughter to approach the Jinchuriki. The cost was simply too great.