Naruto: Blacksmith

Konoha, January 1, Year 54

The streets of Konoha were alive with energy.

A torrent of people crowded the alleys, while shops and street vendors decorated their stalls with lights and colorful flags fluttering in the wind.

The blue sky and soft breeze added a special touch, swaying the vibrant balloons that seemed to dance above the crowd.

People wore new clothes, smiling and playing in the streets.

The festive atmosphere could be felt in every corner.

Naruto walked among the crowd, brimming with excitement. He stopped at every stall to look or play with the items. Sometimes he picked up something, examined it, and then set it down to run to the next booth.

Kuro followed him from a slight distance, a smile on his face.

It was hard not to be swept up in the energy of the scene unless someone carried bitterness or ulterior motives.

"Hey, Kuro! Look at this mask! It's so cool!" Naruto stopped in front of a mask shop, holding up a fox mask and turning it to admire the craftsmanship.

Kuro walked over leisurely, glanced at the mask, and nodded.

"Yeah, it's well-painted. Very detailed."

"Exactly! I want this one." Naruto, excited, asked the vendor for the price.

The man, busy organizing his stall, glanced up at the sound of Naruto's voice.

His smile immediately vanished, replaced by a scowl of anger.

He dropped what he was doing, rushed over, snatched the mask from Naruto's hands, and shouted:

"Who gave you permission to touch my merchandise?!"

Naruto froze for a moment, stunned.

When he looked up, he saw the hatred and disgust in the vendor's eyes. The raw emotion made him clench his fists tightly.

The vendor's outburst drew the attention of passersby, who gathered around to watch the scene. One by one, they began to murmur and curse.

Everyone looked at him with the same disdain, even voicing their contempt aloud.

"Why is that demon here?"

"The Hokage should keep better control over him—he shouldn't be wandering around, especially on New Year's."

"Get out of here! You killed the Fourth Hokage!"

Why…

Naruto lowered his head, trembling.

He didn't dare look at the people around him, but their words and hateful stares echoed relentlessly in his mind.

Why are they treating me like this? What did I do wrong?

A mix of anger and pain swelled within him, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

But just as he was about to lose control, a warm hand rested on his shoulder.

The resentment, anger, and frustration vanished instantly.

Naruto turned his head and saw Kuro looking at him with a calm expression.

"Kuro?"

"If you've decided to prove your worth to the world, don't complain about the challenges you'll face along the way. You chose this path, so you should already be prepared for it."

Naruto blinked, surprised by those words. Then, a smile returned to his face.

"You're right! Absolutely!"

With renewed confidence, he turned to face the people around him and shouted:

"Listen to me, all of you! I don't know why you treat me this way, but it doesn't matter. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and someday I'll be Hokage! I'll make all of you respect me!"

"What nonsense! We'll never accept you."

"You can't even be a normal ninja!"

"The Hokage would never let a demon like you become a ninja!"

But Naruto didn't flinch.

He stuck out his tongue, made a silly face, and ran off, laughing.

Kuro scratched his nose, watching the scene unfold.

He glanced at the vendor, who was still seething with anger at Naruto. Taking advantage of the moment, Kuro grabbed the fox mask, turned around, and started running.

"This is for the mask—here's the money!" he shouted, tossing a bill into the air.

The vendor caught the bill, trembling with rage. He crumpled it into a ball and hurled it back at Kuro.

"You're just as bad as that demon fox! I don't want your money, and I don't want you taking that trash!"

Kuro caught the bill midair and smiled at the vendor.

"Thanks for the mask, boss! It's top quality!"

"Don't thank me! That's trash!" the vendor roared, his fury escalating.

Kuro simply laughed, further stoking the vendor's outrage.

---

Yamanaka Flower Shop

Ino, dressed in a beautiful purple kimono, was helping out in the shop when she saw Kuro sprinting past the storefront, laughing heartily.

Her eyes lit up immediately.

"Mom! I have something to do. I can't help in the shop right now."

Without waiting for a response, she dashed out from behind the counter and hurried after him.

---

Kuro found Naruto at a nearby training field.

Because of the festival, the place—close to the city center—was completely deserted. Only Naruto was there, sitting on one of the wooden posts, staring blankly into the distance.

Kuro watched him from afar.

He knew perfectly well that, while Naruto tried to appear indifferent to people's attitudes, deep down, those things affected him greatly.

Naruto was uncomfortable, probably more than he wanted to admit.

Kuro sighed and walked over.

"This is why I told you to live for yourself and not care about what others think."

Naruto lifted his gaze to the sky, staring at the sun with eyes full of uncertainty.

"Kuro… It might be easier to live as you say, but I'm not willing to do that."

"Obviously, I'm not a demon fox. I haven't done anything wrong, but I have to endure insults, slander, and abuse... I have to accept everyone's rejection and hatred."

"If I just stay silent, ignore what they think of me, and live only for myself, it would be like accepting that I am what they say I am. Like I really am a demon."

Kuro frowned but didn't interrupt.

"That's why I can't stay silent. I can't ignore them!"

"If I want to prove my worth, I have to confront their thoughts and overcome them."

As he said this, a smile appeared on his face.

He jumped down from the post and looked at Kuro with confidence.

"Kuro, thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't know if I could stand firm in my beliefs."

Kuro shrugged and smiled.

"Don't say that. Even without me, you'd still stay true to your ideas." He crouched down and handed Naruto the fox mask. "Take this—you'll need it for the fireworks tonight. Now go buy some."

Naruto took the mask, his curiosity piqued.

"And you?"

Kuro pulled out his own mask and waved it in front of him with a grin.

"I've got mine. Let's go buy fireworks. If we wear these masks, what happened earlier shouldn't happen again."

"Got it!"

With a nod, they walked toward another street.

Shortly after they left, Ino arrived at the training field, panting after running all the way.

She patted her chest to catch her breath and looked around, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

But the training field was completely empty.

Ino's expression shifted, and a hint of disappointment appeared on her delicate face.

________

Time: If you're craving more (and I know you are!), I have just what you need. On my Patreon, you'll find exclusive chapters. Join our community and be the first to discover what happens next!

👉 [patreon.com/Athome790]

Your support fuels me. Thank you for the support! 💖