Son of the Great 3 (Yandere Various Naruto x Reincarnated Reader)

Chapter 22: Finally, a friend

Here we go, sorry for not updating last week.

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The sun hung high in the sky, radiating a heat that made (Y/N)'s skin tingle uncomfortably due to it not being used to the sunlight. It burned, but he ignored it, instead he shielded his eyes, squinting as he scanned the bustling playground in Konoha. Children ran around, their laughter ringing through the air, a stark contrast to the darker memories he carried. The scents of freshly trimmed grass, sweat, and the faint aroma of nearby food stalls mingled together. A light breeze brushed his cheeks, carrying the distant hum of cicadas.

His objective? Befriending the cannon cast, or at least some of them.

He knew it could make his life harder, more unpredictable if the relationship somehow drifted off from the cannon storyline. But it was his dream to have them as friends, even in his previous life when they were, but some characters that did not exist. By respect for his past self, he would do it. Consequences be damned.

Before examining the playground, the child decided to study his hidden observers. It would not do him any good if Orochimaru sneaked on him, or one of his minions. To get clearer intel, he lowered the mask on his face, a gift from Kakashi who was currently observing him from the shadows by his request, to gather the scents in his environment. He smelt the regular scent of the anbus, who were sometimes different but their odor correlate so he could always tell they were from that division, but...

There was also that same weird smell. The smell of humidity and dampness, like someone that was living underground.

'It reminds me of a basement... Could it be Root?' He wondered for a moment. It would make sense for Danzo to assign someone to watch him, considering his character. The news was not welcomed, but there was nothing to do about it. He sniffed again, narrowing his focus. The scent did not move closer, nor did it seem hostile.

'Whatever, as long as they don't approach me, it's fine.' He knew mentioning them would cause his life to be more difficult than it was already. Who knew what Danzo would do in order to shut him up? To ensure that he would not reveal his secrets? Root was, after all, not supposed to exist. It was better to ignore them, they were harmless for now. His gaze flicked to another presence further away, a much more familiar scent. It was Kakashi's. It had taken no small amount of convincing to get him to keep his distance. Still, the Copy Ninja remained nearby, his watchful eye ensuring no harm would come to (Y/N). A necessary evil. Turning his attention back to the playground, his brown eyes scanned the area for anyone he recognized from the show.

But he did not see anyone of them yet.

With a sigh, he sat back against the bench, watching the children play. Their carefree innocence was almost painful to witness. He envied how they did not know the cruelty of the world, how they could laugh and run without a care. His jealousy twisted into a tight knot in his stomach, his expression clouding as he folded into himself. After sometime, the jealousy was replaced with anxiety. Unconsciously, he began biting his nails. This nasty nervous habit he had developed while being in the wonderful care of Orochimaru.

'What if this was all a waste of time? I could be training instead, preparing to fend off Orochimaru if he ever comes for me again,' his thoughts spiraled. He was so absorbed in his feelings that the sudden raised voices nearby made him jump.