When Team 7 tracks Orochimaru to a concealed stronghold after the Tenshi Bridge clash, a startling revelation rocks their world-Sasuke is not who they believed, and Naruto has kept his own secret in the shadows. As truths surface and masks shatter...
The following days found Naruto walking down the streets of Konoha, his footsteps steady and his expression distant. The usual whispers and stares from the villagers no longer had the power to affect him; he had long grown accustomed to their disdain and judgment. However, this time, the whispers carried a new weight, as they spoke of the revelation he had brought to light.
As he passed by, he overheard fragments of conversations that were like daggers to his heart:
Women: "He knew that the Uchiha was female."
Man: "Yeah, to think the demon brat knew all this time."
Women #2: "I wanted my daughter to marry the Uchiha. Now I find out she's a woman."
Man #2: "The demon doesn't deserve to have her."
Women #3: "He corrupted the Uchiha."
Man #3: "I guess I can have some fun with the female Uchiha when she returns."
Naruto halted his steps upon hearing the vulgar statement, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the villagers who were gossiping. The tension in the air was palpable, the villagers realizing that Naruto was no longer the child they could easily intimidate. The man who had made the crude comment smirked at Naruto, his taunts further fueling the fire.
Man: "What's wrong, demon brat? Afraid that I'll take your woman—"
Before the man could finish his sentence, Naruto's fist collided with his face in a swift and powerful motion. The impact sent the man crashing to the ground, his nose twisted and teeth broken. The villagers stared in shock, unable to believe what they were witnessing. Naruto's actions were a stark departure from the submissive child they had known, and his retaliation against their abuse was a shock to their system.
Yet, the confrontation was far from over. Another man approached from behind, wielding a wooden stool as a makeshift weapon. With a sneer of satisfaction, he swung the stool at Naruto's head, aiming to cause pain and suffering. However, Naruto's reaction was unexpected. Despite the blow landing squarely on his head, he remained standing, his gaze fixed on the man who had struck him.
Slowly, he turned to face his attacker, a wide smile forming on his blood-stained face. The blood trickling down his face seemed to accentuate his eerie grin. The villagers watched in horror as his eyes, once bright and full of determination, now held a chilling darkness—the gaze of a predator ready to pounce on its prey.
Naruto's voice, when it came, was laced with an unsettling calmness:
Naruto: "You shouldn't have done that."
Before the man could react, Naruto's fist shot forward once again, connecting with bone-crushing force. The man was sent flying upward, his clothes torn away in the impact, leaving him in nothing but his underwear. He crashed back down to the ground in a crumpled heap, unconscious and broken.
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