"What kind of nonsense are you talking about, kid."
Namikaze Kirito reached out and gently ruffled Naruto's ssy blond hair, then slowly lifted his gaze toward the drunks behind him.
"I don't want to do anything in front of him," Kirito said calmly.
"After all, it's hard to control the strength needed to crush an ant without killing it."
"So...get lost."
The words were flat. Casual.
But to the drunken n, they sounded like open provocation.
How could they just leave?
These n were genin and chūnin from Konoha. They didn't know the truth about the Jinchūriki. Earlier that day, their mission had failed, and they'd been harshly reprimanded by their superiors.
Drunk, frustrated, humiliated—
Now so unknown young man was insulting them in public?
The man who had spoken earlier squinted at Kirito.
"Boy," he sneered, "I don't care who you are. Take that demon fox and leave right now, or I'll teach you a lesson."
"This is Konoha. Don't get arrogant here."
Kirito's eyes sharpened.
"Teach ?"
"…You're really drunk on stupidity."
For an instant—
The air changed.
Hum—
A strange, invisible pressure swept through the ran shop.
The drunks' eyes rolled back.
One by one, they collapsed to the floor, unconscious, as if their spirits had been violently crushed.
Silence.
"What—what just happened?"
"I suddenly felt dizzy…"
"Why did they all fall down?"
"Did… did that boy do it?"
Panic spread instantly.
Faced with sothing they couldn't understand, most of the custors fled the shop in fear.
Only Yūhi Kurenai remained seated.
Her crimson eyes were fixed on Kirito.
That wasn't genjutsu…
I didn't sense any chakra fluctuation at all.
Just now, for a brief mont, the young man had felt like—
A king.
A presence so overwhelming it made her body tense instinctively.
If it's not ninjutsu… then what was that?
Can sheer presence alone knock people unconscious?
Before she could think further...
Shhh—
Several ANBU appeared instantly.
The captain stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Apologies, Kirito-sama. They were drunk. We'll handle this imdiately."
"Please enjoy your al."
Without another word, the ANBU lifted the unconscious n and disappeared.
Naruto's eyes sparkled.
"Big brother! Did you do that just now? That was amazing!"
Naruto's dream was to beco Hokage.
To be strong.
What he'd just seen shocked him more than any academy lesson ever could.
Kirito smiled softly.
"Don't worry," he said.
"You'll be able to do things like that one day."
"And when you do—"
"You might be even stronger than ."
He casually tossed a thick wad of money onto the counter.
"Boss, that's compensation for the trouble."
"And also—Naruto's als here from now on."
Naruto froze.
Uncle Ichiraku blinked, then smiled warmly.
"Don't worry, kid. You can co eat anyti."
Both he and Aya had always felt sorry for Naruto. There was little they could do but free ran was sothing.
Now, seeing soone openly care for the boy…
It ward their hearts.
"Big brother…" Naruto said hesitantly.
"I don't have money to pay you back…"
Kirito placed a fresh, steaming bowl of ran in front of him.
"Eat," he said gently.
"Your noodles got cold."
"And listen—if you call big brother, then you're my little brother."
"So eat properly."
Naruto didn't argue.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he ate.
No one had ever treated him like this.
"…Big brother," he whispered, choking slightly,
"Do I… have family?"
Kirito kept eating, not even looking up.
"Of course," he said casually.
"I'm your family."
Naruto's tears finally fell into the bowl.
Uncle Ichiraku and Aya exchanged smiles.
For a mont...
The world felt warm.
But nearby, Kurenai felt her thoughts spiral into chaos.
Kirito…
The ANBU's words echoed in her head.
The red hair.
That na.
She rembered now.
When she was young, she had visited the Fourth Hokage's ho with her father. Her father, Yūhi Shinku, had been close friends with Namikaze Minato.
She rembered Kushina laughing.
"Red hair suits him so well! Why don't we find our little Kirito a wife in the future?"
And her father jokingly replying—
"If it ans eating at the Hokage's house every day, I agree!"
It had been a joke.
But the quiet, sharp-eyed boy from back then had left a deep impression on her.
Now—
The cold ruthlessness when dealing with enemies.
The gentle warmth toward Naruto.
The overwhelming presence just monts ago.
All in one person.
Can soone really be like this?
That night, Minato and Kushina had died.
Her father had died as well.
She rembered seeing Kirito in the hospital bed afterward.
She had wanted to take care of him.
But between funerals, missions, and the academy—
He vanished from her world.
And now, here he was again.
She didn't even know how to approach him.
After finishing their al and thanking Uncle Ichiraku, Kirito and Naruto stepped out into the night.
Kurenai hurriedly stood and followed at a distance.
Under the lantern-lit streets of Konoha, one tall figure and one small figure walked side by side.
Naruto unconsciously held Kirito's hand.
When he realized Kirito didn't pull away...
Naruto's entire face lit up with happiness.
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