Naruto uzumaki : The Will To Rise

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Naruto was dumbfounded when he first heard the attacker's words.

He asked himself, When did I provoke this middle-aged uncle so much that he wants to kill me?

At most, when the villagers bullied him, he fought back on an equal level. Even the Akatsuki organization and Konoha's Danzo had targeted him only because of his identity as a Jinchuriki—not for petty reasons.

But this guy? He attacked Naruto with reckless desperation as though it were a matter of life and death. It didn't make sense at all.

Moreover, the man's strength was unexpectedly weak, which surprised Naruto. How could such a weak assassin even think he had a chance? This clearly ruled out the Akatsuki's involvement.

Tianfeng, meanwhile, had pulled out his fruit knife and stared at Naruto in disbelief. In his mind, Naruto was just a brat who hadn't even attended ninja school yet and had no combat abilities. His plan had been simple: lure away the Anbu and finish the boy quickly.

But not only had Naruto detected him, but the boy had also set a trap in advance. Now, with his foot injured and paralyzed by poison, Tianfeng realized he was out of options. If he attracted attention from other ninjas in the village, he would undoubtedly face death.

As panic crept in, Naruto's voice broke through:

"Who are you? Are you a ninja from an enemy nation?"

Tianfeng hesitated, scanning the room for opportunities to fight back or escape. However, with shadow clones guarding the windows and door, his chances looked grim.

Naruto frowned at the silence. "Who sent you? The Third Hokage? Danzo? Or are you a spy from another village?"

Tianfeng's composure crumbled. How does this brat know about such figures, especially Danzo? Most chunin aren't even aware of him.

Looking closer, Naruto finally recognized Tianfeng as someone he had once seen at Ichiraku Ramen. Why would an ordinary chunin come after me?

Refusing to speculate further, Naruto quickly formed hand seals. More shadow clones appeared in the room, rushing toward Tianfeng. With precise soft fist strikes, Naruto incapacitated the man, leaving him defenseless.

When Tianfeng realized Naruto was using Hyuga clan techniques, his fear turned to bewilderment. Is this kid really the Fourth Hokage's son? Or is he possessed by the demon fox?

Interrogation revealed the truth: Tianfeng was not a spy or working under Danzo. He was simply a bitter chunin, blaming his inability to become a jonin on the Fourth Hokage's decision to seal the Nine-Tails into his son.

Driven by jealousy and resentment, Tianfeng had spread rumors that Naruto was a demon fox and fueled the villagers' hatred. When Naruto resisted their bullying, Tianfeng had tried to assassinate him out of spite.

Naruto's expression grew colder as he listened. What kind of person blames an orphan for his own failures?

Despite his frustration, Naruto focused on the bigger picture. Tianfeng couldn't have spread those rumors alone. Someone must have encouraged him.

Naruto sighed, his last bit of goodwill toward Konoha slipping away. These people don't resist their oppressive superiors—they gang up on an orphan instead. Some "Will of Fire."

With a final strike of the soft fist, Naruto ended Tianfeng's life.

As he stared at the lifeless body, Naruto felt no discomfort from killing. Years of enduring hatred and negativity had numbed him. But the knowledge that this man had once been his father's subordinate—someone who owed the Fourth Hokage his life—left Naruto with a bitter taste.

His body trembled slightly, as though reflecting the turmoil in his heart.

Sensing Naruto's distress, the Nine-Tails spoke abruptly:

"Hey, kid, don't let this nonsense get to you. You're my host. Weak emotions aren't allowed."

Naruto looked at the Nine-Tails and replied, "Killing doesn't bother me. It's just like gutting a fish."

The Nine-Tails paused before continuing, "It's not about killing. It's about what he said. Your father was the Fourth Hokage, and yet you're treated like a monster. Doesn't that bother you?"

Naruto chuckled. "You think I didn't know? The unique Uzumaki surname, my resemblance to the Fourth, and the way the Third treated me—it was obvious."

He added, "Besides, you tailed beasts have been treated like this forever, haven't you?"

The Nine-Tails fell silent. Naruto's words struck a chord, though the fox wasn't sure if the boy truly understood its pain.

While the Nine-Tails mulled over his response, Naruto picked up a kunai and slashed his own arm, blood pouring freely.

Looking at the wound, Naruto turned to the Nine-Tails and said calmly, "Big Fox, I've never asked you for anything before. But now, I'm asking for your help. Use your chakra and take control of my body."

"I need your strength."

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