Chapter 4: A Forehead Protector and a New Path
Morning sunlight streamed through the trees, painting golden lines across Naruto's sleeping face. He stirred against the bark of a tree, the massive scroll still rolled up beside him. His fists were lightly bruised, but his heart… it felt light.
He opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the weight on his forehead.
A familiar symbol gleamed in the light—the Leaf Village headband.
Naruto sat up straight. "Wh-What—?!"
Iruka stood beside him, smiling with tired eyes. "You've earned it."
Naruto's hands shook as he touched the protector again. "I'm… a ninja now?"
Iruka nodded. "You proved yourself. Not just with the jutsu… but with your heart."
Naruto's eyes shimmered, a grin spreading across his face. "Thank you… Iruka-sensei!"
Iruka ruffled his hair. "Come on, let's get you home."
{"He may not know everything yet… but you've taken your first step. Congratulations."}
Naruto walked through the quiet village streets with his head held high. Villagers gave him curious glances—some with confusion, others with wary eyes. But today, Naruto didn't care.
'They're still looking at me like I don't belong… but I don't care anymore. I'm going to prove them wrong.'
{"That's the spirit. Now that you've passed, your training will need to evolve. And we can begin working on something beyond clones—something unique to you."}
"Like what?"
{"Sealing techniques."}
Naruto paused mid-step.
"Sealing? Like the stuff in the scroll?"
{"Exactly. You are the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. That seal on your stomach is keeping it at bay. Understanding sealing is the key to controlling—and maybe even mastering—what's inside you."}
Naruto slowly raised his shirt, revealing the faint spiral seal etched across his abdomen.
"This thing… keeps the fox trapped?"
{"Correct. But more than that—it connects your chakra with the beast's. That's why you have so much of it. That's also why people fear you."}
Naruto's fingers hovered above the mark. "If I learn sealing stuff… I could stop people from fearing me?"
{"If you master sealing arts, you could do much more than that. You could protect others. Bind dangerous threats. Create space-time storage. Even change fate itself."}
Naruto's eyes widened.
'That sounds… amazing.'
{"We'll start small. For now, meet your new team tomorrow—Kakashi Hatake will be your jonin instructor."}
"Kakashi…? Never heard of him."
{"He's one of the most elite ninja in the village. He'll test you all soon. You'll need to impress him."}
Naruto gave a confident smirk. "Heh. I'll blow his mask off with my skills!"
{"Hopefully not literally."}
Naruto laughed.
As he made his way home, he passed by the academy one last time. The building stood silent, still soaked in his memories of loneliness and failure.
But today… he'd walked out a different person.
He looked up at the Hokage Monument—the stone faces of heroes watching over the village. His eyes landed on the Fourth.
'Who were you really?'
{"…That's a story for another day. When you're ready."}
Naruto nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll wait. But I'll get stronger… stronger than anyone."
{"And I'll help you get there."}
Naruto grinned at the sky. "Let's do it, partner."
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