"Sss~!"
As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window that morning…
yugao's training was coming to an end.
She knelt on the floor, leisurely rehydrating herself.
In the morning, it's good to drink a lot of milk—especially for girls. It helps keep the skin fair, enhances the figure… The benefits are too many to count.
The sound of satisfied sipping and the look of enjoyment on her face clearly showed her love for milk.
But if you walk by the river often, your shoes will eventually get wet.
"Mmm~!!... cough cough..."
yugao choked on the milk unexpectedly and started coughing.
At that moment, as the sunlight arrived, a shadow silently disappeared...
"Huff... huff..."
With one hand on the floor and her body slightly leaning to the side, yugao's dazed eyes and doll-like face were full of satisfaction.
Milk… really is delicious...
She stuck out her pink tongue and slowly licked the milk from the corner of her mouth, then leaned against the wall and fell into a deep sleep...
---
Early that morning, Naruto found himself blocked at his door.
Uchiha Itachi stood nearby, his face ice-cold—like someone owed him eighty million ryo.
Yesterday, while Naruto was training with the shrine maiden, Itachi hadn't been able to find him, so he had come early today on purpose.
Naruto stood in the crowd, amusedly watching Itachi's expression gradually shift.
Soon, Itachi, who had to work his job, left to enjoy the "benefits" of the ANBU.
Meanwhile, Naruto, having nothing to do, casually shoved his hands in his pockets and strutted home with a cocky, wide-legged walk like he owned the village.
He wasn't avoiding Itachi out of fear.
There was just no need.
No need to waste time engaging with him.
Since Naruto had already decided to walk the path of saving the Uchiha clan, he wouldn't waste any more time chatting pointlessly with the so-called geniuses: "Super Smart Shisui" and "Overly Loyal Itachi."
The recent event where Uchiha Izumi awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan had given Naruto new inspiration.
Saving the Uchiha clan didn't require Shisui or Itachi.
"With my brains, Naruto Uzumaki's genius, and a little support from Uchiha Izumi and the others..."
He could definitely turn the tide.
At home, he made some instant noodles and opened a bottle of Konoha-brand milk from '82.
After breakfast, he was ready to head back to the shrine maiden to continue leveling up his skills.
His progress with sealing techniques was advancing by leaps and bounds.
"I really do have a knack for this stuff," Naruto thought.
After all, he had half-Uzumaki blood and had inherited his parents' sealing talent...
When he left home and passed by the orphanage, he spotted the sneaky figure of Nono.
Where was she off to this time? What shady thing was she planning?
Just as Nono was about to leave, she sensed a gloomy gaze behind her.
Such a deep, haunting look—it instantly caught her attention.
"Naruto...?"
When Nono turned and saw Naruto, her expression changed.
She was a liar... She had deceived Naruto.
Facing his eyes, she lowered her head in guilt and confusion.
"Director..."
When Naruto's quiet voice reached her ears, the pain in Nono's heart made her face pale.
The children in the orphanage courtyard were happily playing,
Their laughter forming a kind of backdrop...
One that felt like judgment.
The more innocent their laughter sounded, the more torment she felt in her heart.
"Director... who are you planning to lie to this time?"
With that one sentence, Naruto nearly shattered Nono's emotional defenses.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry…
The sorrowful nun, overwhelmed by shame, was just about to confess...
When an unwelcome guest shattered the moment.
"Uzumaki Naruto..."
A low voice. Red eyes. Curly hair. Her body wrapped in bandages, oozing seductive danger—who else but Kurenai Yuhi?
"Tch..."
Naruto clicked his tongue. Bad timing.
Didn't she see he was building up some emotional weight here?
He was just about to make the nun crack, and now she had to show up and mess it all up?
Kurenai marched right up to him, her pale and serious face showing rare resolve.
"What do you want?"
Naruto looked at her. She hadn't been drinking today. Was she here to apologize?
Naruto found himself foolishly hopeful.
But reality didn't grant him that wish.
Kurenai coldly said, "I need an explanation."
She was referring to the time Naruto stomped her to the ground.
It had been humiliating.
"I need an explanation too," Naruto shot back.
Tension flared between them.
Seeing this, Nono took the chance to run away—who knew who she'd go bother next.
With no one left to interrupt...
Kurenai immediately began forming hand signs. She was going to teach this brat a lesson!
"Demonic Illusion..."
As the genjutsu was activated, Naruto suddenly realized—he'd been caught!
Which... wasn't too surprising.
So now the question was:
How do you break a genjutsu?
Naruto suddenly remembered—he actually did have a weakness.
Even in the original series, his weakness had always been genjutsu.
It wasn't until he became a perfect Jinchuriki that he overcame that flaw.
So...
"Kurama? Hello? Hellooo?"
---
Some time later.
Naruto was taken to Kurenai's home.
With a thud, she threw him onto the living room floor.
Her house was simple and modest—that was Kurenai Yuhi's residence.
In it, a certain photo on display stood out.
A thin-faced, stern-looking man in his 40s.
"Father..."
Kurenai greeted the photo solemnly.
Raised by her father to inherit the title of "Konoha's Greatest Genjutsu User."
And... before dying during the Nine-Tails attack, his final wish had been to have a grandson.
Two goals.
The first was taken from her—Uchiha Shisui stole the title of strongest genjutsu user.
Then that brat Naruto mocked her, dragging her reputation down even further.
The second?
Asuma had left the village. Who knew when he'd return.
"How frustrating!"
Naruto, tied up like a dumpling, realized:
When guarding against genjutsu, it wasn't just Kurenai he had to watch out for.
It was also Izumi... and even Shisui and Itachi.
This... was going to take some serious work.