NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: 1
Prologue: The Bonds That Defy Fate
The Hidden Leaf Village was a place of contradictions. Within its walls, the people spoke of unity, yet there were whispers of division. They honored heroes but cast out a child who carried the weight of a demon. To Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha was home, but also a battlefield.
A battlefield where he fought every day, not with kunai and jutsu, but with loneliness.
It was one of those days again.
---
The Day Fate Intervened
"Get outta here, brat!"
Naruto sprinted through the crowded market streets, weaving between villagers who threw angry glares and occasional objects at him. A shopkeeper hurled a rotten apple, narrowly missing his head. His stomach growled at the wasted food, but there was no time to mourn the loss.
He didn't know what he'd done wrong this time, maybe he just existed too loudly. Maybe he smiled too much. Maybe he dared to laugh in a village that wanted him silent.
"Filthy demon."
"Why won't he just disappear?"
"He's a disgrace to the Fourth's legacy."
He had heard it all before.
Just when he thought he'd escaped, he turned a corner and, thud, collided with something solid. He stumbled back, expecting another angry adult, another cruel word, another…
But instead, he found himself looking up into blue eyes
---
Integra Senju stood tall in the center of the marketplace, her noble coat fluttering slightly in the afternoon breeze. A single glance was enough to silence the entire street.
Naruto barely had time to blink before she turned her gaze toward the shopkeepers. There was no immediate anger in her expression, no outburst, just a sharp, assessing stare that stripped them bare.
The villagers shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
"…Do you all have children?" Integra's voice was calm, yet the weight behind her words made it impossible to ignore. "Do you love them?"
The shopkeepers exchanged uneasy glances.
"Of course," one mumbled.
Integra nodded, her golden eyes narrowing. "Then tell me, what would you do if your child carried his burden?"
A heavy silence followed.
Naruto watched, stunned, as the people who always had something to say suddenly found themselves speechless.
"Would you chase them, throw garbage at them?" Integra continued, her tone like cold steel. "Would you shame them for surviving?"
The villagers paled. Some looked away. Others clenched their fists. None dared to meet her eyes.
She exhaled. "You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away. But she didn't go alone.
She took Naruto with her.
---
A New Home
The Senju Estate was unlike anything Naruto had ever seen. It was vast, quiet, and steeped in an ancient grandeur that felt almost out of place in Konoha. Compared to the cramped, peeling walls of his apartment, it felt like another world entirely.
"You live here?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.
"Yes," Integra said simply.
"Damn, lady, are you some kind of daimyo?"
She gave him an unimpressed look. "No, I am Integra Senju."
"…Oh." Naruto scratched his cheek. "Wait Senju. Senju? Like, the First and Second Hokage's clan?"
"Yes."
"…Whoa."
He thought she would send him away once they reached the estate. Maybe give him some food, pat his head, and then send him back to the streets. Instead, she gave him a room.
And for the first time in his life, Naruto didn't feel like a stray.
---
A Strange Friendship
It wasn't long before Naruto's presence at the Senju Estate became normal. He wasn't officially a part of the clan, nor did he belong to anyone, but somehow, he belonged here.
And in the middle of it all was Hinata Hyuga.
She had been visiting Integra when she first saw Naruto stumbling around the estate, poking at things he probably shouldn't.
At first, she had been shy, hesitant. She had heard the whispers about the "demon boy." But that wasn't what she saw. She saw someone kind, lonely, and full of a warmth that was rare in their world.
And Naruto, in turn, saw a girl who didn't look at him with fear.
That was enough.
---
Of course, not everyone approved.
Ko Hyuga, Hinata's caretaker, had several objections.
"My lady, please step away from him," he said the first time he saw Naruto and Hinata talking.
Hinata had blinked up at him, confused. "Why?"
Ko hesitated. "He's… He's not someone you should associate with."
Naruto scowled. "Oi, old man, you got somethin' to say, say it to my face."
Ko's expression darkened. "You..."
Before things could escalate, Integra's voice cut through the tension.
"Is there a problem?"
Ko stiffened, glancing at her. "Lady Integra, I only mean to ensure Lady Hinata's well-being. The Hyuga Clan would not approve of her spending time with..."
"With a child?" Integra interrupted, her voice cool.
Ko hesitated. "With 'him' "
Integra's blue eyes met his, and something unreadable passed through them.
"Hinata is not a prisoner," she said. "And I do not recall Konoha being a caste system."
Ko's jaw tightened, but he said nothing more.
Hinata, emboldened by Integra's presence, turned back to Naruto and smiled. "Do you like flowers?"
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
Hinata pointed at the garden. "I like watching them grow."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… I mean, they're okay?"
Hinata giggled.
Ko looked deeply troubled.
---
Hiashi's Displeasure
When word of Hinata's newfound friendship reached the Hyuga Clan Head, Hiashi Hyuga was not pleased.
Integra found herself summoned to a private meeting, where Hiashi regarded her with a calm but disapproving stare.
"You are allowing my daughter to interact with the jinchūriki."
Integra sipped her tea. "She seems happy."
Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "That is not the point."
"No, I believe it 'is' the point."
Hiashi folded his hands. "You should not encourage this. He is dangerous."
Integra set her cup down. "So am I."
A tense silence followed.
Hiashi sighed. "You know the village will never accept him."
Integra tilted her head slightly. "Then we will change the village."
Hiashi stared at her for a long moment, then exhaled. "You sound like Hashirama-Sama"
Integra smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
---
Despite opposition, Naruto and Hinata's friendship only grew. Under Integra's watchful eye, they learned and laughed.
They didn't remember their past lives yet. They didn't know what fate had in store for them.
But at that moment, none of that mattered.
Because for the first time, Naruto had a home.
For the first time, Hinata had a choice.
And for the first time, Integra, the last Senju, looked at them and saw hope.
Hope that, one day, the world might finally change.
---
Chapter 1: The Return of the Dog
The Missing Menace
Integra Senju was not a woman who worried easily. She had faced the pressures of being the last head of her clan, stared down the most powerful men in Konoha without flinching, and commanded respect wherever she walked.
But right now?
She was worried.
It had been days since Naruto last visited the Senju estate. That, in itself, was suspicious. The boy was practically attached to her ever since she had taken him in, always showing up unannounced, raiding her kitchen, annoying the staff, and generally being a menace.
His absence? It was unnatural
"…Maybe he finally got himself thrown in prison," she muttered, rubbing her temples.
A moment later, she sighed and grabbed her coat. Time to go find the brat before he causes an incident.
---
The Alley of Nightmares
It didn't take long to find him. All she had to do was follow the screams.
The stench of blood led her into a dark, narrow alleyway, one of those forgotten corners of Konoha where few dared to tread. The scene before her was… gruesome.
Bodies. Everywhere.
Some were still twitching. Others looked like they had been torn apart, blood painting the walls in grotesque splashes. The cobblestone ground was soaked in red, a nightmarish contrast to the peaceful moonlight above.
And in the center of it all…
A boy stood, bathed in crimson, his fangs glistening in the dim light.
He threw his head back, arms spread wide, and let out a mad, bone-chilling cackle.
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
Integra froze.
That laughter.
That damn laughter.
She knew it.
She knew it, too well.
"…Alucard."
At the sound of his name, the name of a monster long thought gone, the blood-stained boy slowly turned. His crimson eyes gleamed with unholy amusement, and when he grinned, his sharp canines were stained with fresh blood.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Naruto tilted his head and...
"Yo, Integra! What's up? Fancy seeing you here!"
Integra blinked. Slowly. Twice.
This little shit.
---
"You're joking," she said flatly, ignoring the carnage around them.
Naruto scratched his cheek. "I mean, you tell me? One moment, I'm this dumb kid eating ramen, the next, BAM!" He threw his hands in the air dramatically. "I'm suddenly remembering what it's like to be a terrifying, bloodthirsty, immortal killing machine! Isn't memories fun?"
Integra pinched the bridge of her nose. "Naruto."
"*Master~*" Naruto crooned, stretching the word out like an impudent child. Then, with a dramatic bow, he smirked up at her.
"It's been a while, Master Integra."
Integra exhaled sharply. This was… a lot.
Of all the things she had expected when she took Naruto in, finding out he was the reincarnation of Alucard was not one of them.
"Of course, it had to be you" she muttered.
Naruto straightened, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. "Now, now, no need to act so disappointed. We had such a good thing going last time! Remember the murder? The chaos? The absolute shitshow I made of our enemies?"
Integra gave him a withering look.
"…Okay, yeah, I see the problem now," he admitted, nodding at the massacre around them. "Bit much, huh?"
"Bit much?" Integra repeated dryly, gesturing vaguely at the literal bloodbath.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Alright, yeah, fair. But in my defense, they started it."
Integra crossed her arms. "And what exactly did these people do?"
Naruto grinned. "Tried to mug me."
A pause.
Integra's eye twitched. "You massacred* them for a mugging attempt?"
Naruto shrugged. "Listen, I was very hungry. "
---
"We need to hide this," she said. "No one can know what happened here."
Without further warning, his body morphed into a swirling mass of black shadows. The darkness slithered across the ground, engulfing the corpses, devouring every trace of the carnage. Within seconds, the alley was spotless, as if nothing had ever happened.
Naruto popped back up, looking extremely pleased with himself. "Tada~! Clean-up crew, at your service."
Integra exhaled. This was going to be a nightmare.
---
Once the scene was dealt with, they moved to the Senju estate.
Naruto sat cross-legged on the couch, grinning at her expectantly. "Sooo… now what?"
Integra rubbed her temples. "Now? We set some ground rules."
Naruto groaned. "Ugh, rules? Lame."
"Shut up and listen."
"Fine, fine," he sighed dramatically, waving his hands. "Hit me with it."
Integra's eyes narrowed. "First and foremost, no more massacres"
Naruto grinned. "Define 'massacre.'"
"No."
"Fine, fine," he huffed, pouting. "Killjoy."
"Second, you need to hide your abilities."
Naruto raised a brow. "What, you mean all of them?"
"Yes."
"…Even the fun ones?"
"Yes."
Naruto sighed, flopping over the armrest. "Ughhh, you're no fun."
Integra glared. "You cannot go around phasing through walls, summoning familiars, or regenerating in public. It'll cause chaos."
Naruto waggled his eyebrows. "Chaos is kinda my thing, Integra."
She deadpanned. "Naruto."
He groaned, finally sitting up. "Fiiiine. I'll play normal. But only because you asked so nicely."
"I did not ask nicely."
"Exactly." He winked.
She regretted everything.
---
A New Era of Madness
With Naruto's true nature hidden (for now), Integra knew she had only delayed the inevitable.
Alucard, Naruto was still a force of chaos. He could play normal for a while, but sooner or later, something would happen.
And when it did?
Well.
She'd just have to keep her dog on a tighter leash.
…If he didn't chew through it first.