Konoha Village, once a bustling and lively street, was now deserted, with only a few pedestrians slowly strolling.
The throngs of people from the past were gone, replaced by tightly shut doors and a suffocating silence.
The entire village seemed to be shrouded in a thick haze, and the people's hearts were heavy, filled with fear and unease about the war.
The usually neat and clean streets now appeared somewhat messy, and even the fallen leaves on the ground were left unswept, scattered by the wind.
Not long ago, a shocking piece of news spread throughout the village: their beloved Hokage-sama had personally gone to the front lines!
This news was like a clap of thunder, plunging the already anxious villagers into even deeper panic.
The Hokage-sama had always been the pillar and spiritual backbone of Konoha Village.
He stayed in the village, bringing peace of mind and hope to everyone. However, now even this powerful and respected leader had to go to the battlefield in person, which undoubtedly meant that the war situation had reached an extremely severe point.
The villagers secretly speculated about how unfavorably the war was developing, and their inner anxiety became increasingly difficult to suppress.
Especially those families with children who were Ninja, they felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their faces filled with despair.
They knew the dangers of the battlefield, and their children's expedition this time was likely a matter of life and death; whether they could return safely became a distant luxury.
Every parent's heart was tightly clenched, silently praying for a miracle.
At the entrance of the all-too-familiar Ichiraku Ramen shop, Uncle Ichiraku's face, which always radiated warmth and kindness, was now covered with a faint melancholy.
He looked at the sparse pedestrians walking through the streets and alleys, sighing inwardly.
In the past few days, there had been very few customers visiting his ramen shop, fewer than ten in total.
Just as Uncle Ichiraku was frowning in distress, a clear and loud shout suddenly broke the silence: "Uncle! A bowl of ramen!"
Along with the voice, a dazzling head of golden-yellow hair came into view; it was Uzumaki Naruto.
At this moment, Naruto slowly walked to the front of the noodle shop, his steps appearing exceptionally steady and calm.
"Alright, alright! I'll make it for you right away!" Uncle Ichiraku looked over upon hearing the voice, and when he saw Naruto, he immediately forced a smile and replied.
However, deep down, he couldn't help but feel a few points of surprise and doubt. After all, the old Naruto was one of Ichiraku Ramen's most loyal fans!
As long as he had a little pocket money, he would eagerly run here to feast.
Even though it was a time of war, Naruto hadn't set foot in this noodle shop for almost a whole month.
What made Uncle Ichiraku feel even more unusual was that the Naruto in front of him seemed to have undergone a huge change compared to the past.
In the past, no matter what difficulties or setbacks he encountered, as long as he came to this small noodle shop, Naruto would always radiate a brilliant smile like the sun and greet him warmly.
But today, there was not a trace of a smile on Naruto's once vibrant and joyful face; instead, there was an unprecedented gloom.
When the steaming, fragrant bowl of ramen was placed on the table, Naruto softly thanked the owner, then eagerly picked up his chopsticks and began to devour it.
At this moment, Naruto's heart was filled with endless doubt and pain.
He really couldn't understand what he had done wrong. Why did everyone around him dislike him so much, not only speaking ill of him but even unwilling to sell him a simple meal?
This past month, even his Third Grandfather, who usually took good care of him, hadn't shown up, leading to a severe shortage of his living expenses.
He had to rely on the little pocket money he had painstakingly saved.
However, these savings were also about to run out. After finishing this relatively hearty ramen, he would probably have to go into the forest alone to find food to fill his stomach in the coming days.
Looking at the cold attitude of everyone in Konoha Village, Naruto, who had always silently endured this treatment, finally felt a raging anger and deep hatred ignite in his heart.
He thought indignantly, "I haven't done anything bad! Why are they treating me like this?"
At this thought, Naruto's hands unconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles slightly white from the exertion.
He had just entered school not long ago and hadn't yet made any true friends; now school was also suspended.
Sasuke, the only one he was familiar with due to some minor friction, was nowhere to be found.
All of a sudden, Naruto felt incredibly lonely and helpless, completely at a loss as to whom he could confide his grievances and dissatisfaction.
Just then, a clear and loud shout suddenly reached his ears: "Uncle, a bowl of ramen!"
Naruto subconsciously turned his head and saw a tall, handsome young man in black, smiling as he loudly called out to the noodle shop owner.
"Okay, please wait a moment." Uncle Ichiraku was a bit strange again; how could this person still be smiling? It was wartime.
"You are!" Naruto's eyes suddenly widened. He had seen this person before, the older brother who was with Sasuke back then!
"Long time no see, Naruto." Feng smiled, his gaze lightly sweeping over Naruto's stomach.
Just then, the Nine-Tailed Fox, sealed in the cage within Naruto's stomach, suddenly jolted. Its scarlet eyes snapped open, and a powerful, chilling Chakra aura instantly put it on alert. This Chakra... Uchiha Madara?!
"Big brother, where is Sasuke?!" Naruto's face was filled with anxiety and anticipation, his emotions very agitated.
"Sasuke, well, we've already moved. He's not in Konoha Village anymore." Feng replied casually.
"What?! Moved! Then where is he now?" Naruto's eyes widened, asking incredulously.
"In a very distant place. Do you want to come with me to see?" Feng said unhurriedly, chewing his ramen.
"Really?!" Naruto's face immediately lit up with joy when he heard this, his eyes sparkling with excitement. At this moment, Naruto had no good feelings left for Konoha Village.
"Of course. But, I also know some reasons why those people in Konoha Village dislike you so much." Feng's mouth curled slightly upwards, deliberately throwing out this sentence to entice Naruto.
"Nani!? I want to know! Why is it?!" Naruto could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and immediately stood up from his seat, his small face flushed crimson with indignation.
"I'll tell you everything once we get to Sasuke's place." Feng continued to eat his ramen unhurriedly.
"But, can I come back?" Naruto hesitated for a moment. Third Grandfather was still good to him, giving him money to spend every month, though not much.
"Of course you can, you can come back whenever you want." If you still want to come back after knowing the truth, Feng added in his heart.
"Then let's go quickly!" Naruto let out a long sigh of relief, a relieved smile finally appearing on his face. As he spoke, he excitedly bounced around.
Feng gently took Naruto's small hand and slowly walked towards the gates of Konoha Village.
The sunlight fell upon them, casting two long shadows. A gentle breeze brushed by, stirring Feng's hair and Naruto's clothes, making the scene exceptionally warm.
Just as the two gradually walked away, Uncle Ichiraku suddenly woke up with a jolt, as if electrocuted.
He widened his eyes, the red glow that had flickered in them instantly disappearing, replaced by a look of bewilderment.
"Who ate this?" Uncle Ichiraku looked at the two empty bowls on the table in front of him, frowning with a puzzled expression.
He tried hard to recall what had just happened, but his mind was only a blur.
And at this moment, atop a large tree not far from the ramen stand, two Ninja dressed in black bodysuits and wearing animal masks were quietly crouching.
Their eyes were in the shape of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, like burning flames, and they stood frozen in place, as if under a paralysis spell, not moving at all.
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