I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

After a month of confinement, Naruto was finally allowed to venture outside again. Humming a carefree tune, he strolled through the streets of Konoha, ignoring the cold stares and whispered insults of the villagers. Despite the Third Hokage's decree forbidding them from referring to him as a "demon fox," the villagers' disdain and alienation persisted. In truth, the Hokage's protective order had only deepened the divide, further isolating Naruto from the rest of the village.

Yet, Naruto didn't seem to care. He had long learned to treat others with the same energy they gave him. Feeling the waves of malice emanating from those around him, Kyuubi, locked within Naruto's mind, let out a mocking chuckle.

"Little brat, your so-called Grandpa Hokage hasn't done much for you, has he? The malice from these humans has only grown stronger. Why not take my chakra and let me wipe them out? They'll regret ever looking down on you."

Naruto ignored the fox's tempting whispers, focusing instead on his errand. With the living expenses the Hokage had given him, he planned to buy spices to improve his bland meals. Any leftover money would go toward books to expand his understanding of the world.

As he entered a familiar store, he saw the shopkeeper who had once sold him spoiled goods at an inflated price. The man, busy seeing off another customer, froze when he noticed Naruto. His expression turned sour.

"What do you want, brat? Prices have gone up. You'll have to pay double for anything you want," the man sneered.

Naruto smiled cheerfully. "I'm not here to complain about your rotten food. I just want some condiments and side dishes. But if you refuse to sell to me, I might start telling people outside that your store has been cursed by the demon fox. Who knows what that might do to your business?"

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. Realizing the potential damage to his reputation, he hastily glanced around to ensure no one overheard. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the requested items, bagged them, and shoved them at Naruto.

"Take it and get out! You're nothing but bad luck."

Naruto paid for the items, then paused at the store's entrance. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Don't buy from this store—it's cursed by the demon fox!"

The shopkeeper's face turned crimson with fury. He rushed to the door, but Naruto had already disappeared into the crowd, running down the street with a grin on his face. After ducking into an alley, Naruto leaned against the wall, catching his breath.

Kyuubi's voice echoed in his mind, brimming with amusement. "That shopkeeper's malice was mild compared to the rest of this village. He just hates that you interrupted his profits."

"I know," Naruto replied, his tone casual. "But that doesn't excuse him for overcharging me and selling spoiled food. A little revenge will teach him a lesson, and his business will suffer for a few days."

Satisfied, Naruto resumed walking through the village. Over the next hour, he pulled the same stunt at other shops, accumulating a variety of goods while exacting petty revenge on those who had wronged him.

Watching Naruto's antics, Kyuubi rested its massive chin on a paw, its tails swishing lazily. "Well, well. You're more vengeful than I thought, brat. Using that Hokage's decree as leverage to settle scores—how cunning."

Naruto grinned. "I believe in paying kindness with kindness and repaying grievances with justice."

Kyuubi snorted. "Justice? You're only making things worse for yourself. They'll hate you even more now."

Naruto's smile didn't falter. "Did smiling and playing nice ever make them accept me? Since they won't change, I'll do whatever I want."

Kyuubi fell silent, tapping a claw against the floor of its cage, deep in thought.

After tiring of the village, Naruto headed for the forest on the outskirts of Konoha. He had always preferred its quiet beauty over the bustling, hostile streets. Under the tall trees, wild mushrooms and vegetables grew abundantly, and streams teemed with fish and shrimp. Today, Naruto planned to fish and gather ingredients for a meal he could share with the Hokage. He even considered collecting flowers as a garnish. After all, if anyone could be trusted to taste his cooking, it was the "strongest old man" in the village.

As Naruto passed a park on the way to the forest, a commotion caught his attention. Three boys his age had surrounded a girl with pale lavender eyes, taunting her mercilessly.

"White-eyed monster! White-eyed monster!" they chanted, laughing as the girl, Hinata Hyūga, crouched on the ground, clutching her knees and trembling. One of the boys picked up a handful of snow. "Let's see what happens when we throw this in those weird eyes of yours."

Hinata flinched, retreating further, tears streaming down her face.

Watching from within Naruto's mind, Kyuubi spoke. "Isn't that the same girl you helped last time? What's stopping you now?"

Naruto remained still, his expression unreadable. For a moment, it seemed as if he would walk away. But before he could act, two of the boys noticed him.

"Hey, look! It's the demon fox!" one of them shouted. "The fox came to save the white-eyed monster! They're teaming up to destroy the village!"

The third boy dropped his snowball and joined his friends, emboldened by their numbers. Together, they approached Naruto, sneering.

"We're not scared of you, demon fox," the leader said. "The adults might be afraid to deal with you, but we'll be ninjas one day! We'll protect the village by getting rid of monsters like you."

The boy raised his fist to strike Naruto, but before he could land the blow, Naruto's fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. Smirking darkly, Naruto turned to the other two.

"You were saying something about driving me away?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.