My Name Is Namikaze Minato

CHAPTER WORDS :- 1318

Chapter 2: On the Path of an Actor

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Naruto had initially thought that at worst, he would be isolated and ostracized, and that his life might be a bit tough. After all, wasn't he the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage? Even if his identity couldn't be publicly revealed for various reasons, the higher-ups certainly knew who he was.

Numerous Konoha shinobi who had been helped by the Fourth Hokage weren't few in number. As the son of the Fourth Hokage and the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails—essentially Konoha's equivalent of a nuclear deterrent—surely his life couldn't be too miserable, right?

But Naruto was sorely disappointed. These past five years had completely shattered his expectations.

In Konoha, a village that supposedly embraced orphaned children from other lands with warmth and care—at least on the surface—Naruto faced inhumane treatment. He was hated, isolated, denied a stable and adequate living, and often had to venture into the forests east of the village to forage for wild vegetables and catch fish or shrimp just to stave off hunger.

This alone was a testament to how dire his life had been.Naruto couldn't help but wonder: Were the higher-ups in Konoha out of their minds?

Forget his status as the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage for a moment. Simply being the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki should have been enough reason to treat him better.

Didn't the village worry that treating him this way would breed resentment, pushing him to eventually take revenge on Konoha?

And truth be told, setting all that aside, Naruto found it baffling how the original Naruto from the manga managed to grow up after such a harrowing childhood and still proclaim things like, "I will inherit the Will of Fire," "I will become Hokage," "I will protect everyone in Konoha," and "I want to be recognized by everyone."

It felt like a cruel joke. For anyone with a shred of rationality, such thoughts would be unthinkable, right? In that moment, Naruto genuinely suspected that the original protagonist must have had something wrong with his head.

How else could anyone be that naive and overly optimistic?

Calling the original Naruto a simpleton or a saint felt like an understatement.

Of course, this Naruto wasn't concerned with whether the original protagonist had been a saint, influenced by Ashura's chakra inheritance, or outright brainwashed by Danzo's Kotoamatsukami after obtaining Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan post-Uchiha massacre.

This version of Naruto wasn't going to foolishly chase after recognition, dream of becoming Hokage, or vow to protect Konoha.

To Naruto, those ideas were nothing short of absurd.

Survival. And then revenge.

Those were Naruto's true goals.

Not just against external threats but also against certain individuals within the village.

However, Naruto was acutely aware that until he developed sufficient strength to protect himself, these thoughts were nothing more than fantasies. He couldn't afford to let even the faintest hint of his intentions or emotions leak out.

If they were discovered…

Naruto had no doubt that Danzo wouldn't even need to make a move. The seemingly kind and gentle Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would personally eliminate him without hesitation. For the sake of what Hiruzen considered the "greater good," and to maintain the peace and safety of Konoha, he would sacrifice anyone or anything.

Even if Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen would strike him down without mercy if it became necessary. Konoha's safety was paramount to the Third Hokage, above all else. Nothing else could compare or take precedence.

So Naruto understood that he needed to master the art of disguise. He might be able to take small, subtle steps to advance his goals, but in terms of personality, dreams, and thoughts, he had to remain as close as possible to the original Naruto's behavior.

It wasn't just the Third Hokage's occasional visits to "check in" on him. The constant surveillance of the Anbu assigned to monitor him was another pressing reason for this façade.

As for how Naruto was able to detect these Anbu agents?

Perhaps it was a slight perk of his reincarnation. From a young age, Naruto noticed that he had an unusually strong sense of perception, particularly when it came to detecting malicious intent. After he began refining chakra, this sense became much clearer. Even when the Third Hokage used his crystal ball technique to spy on him, Naruto could faintly sense a subtle but distinct unease, an indicator that he was being watched.

It wasn't always blatant, but the moment Naruto felt that slight sense of wrongness deep within, he knew the Third Hokage was observing him. The same applied to the Anbu.

Of course, Naruto's sensitivity was still quite limited due to his young age and lack of strength. The range and precision of this ability were far from satisfactory. However, since he was only a five-year-old child, the Anbu didn't bother employing advanced concealment techniques when monitoring him, which made their presence easier to notice.

Even so, Naruto had to act as if everything were normal.

He couldn't reveal even the slightest anomaly in his behavior. he had a feeling that this might be due to the Kyuubi's ability to sense emotions.

Until he grew strong enough to protect himself, the only person who could ensure his safety was the rigid Third Hokage. Naruto understood this better than anyone.

If what he theorises is true, the Third Hokage only withdrew the Anbu surveillance after Naruto officially became a ninja. This was partly because Kakashi became Naruto's Jonin instructor, and partly because the twelve years of observation finally convinced Hiruzen that Naruto posed no threat.

Until Naruto officially became a ninja—and, more importantly, until he could protect himself—he needed to maintain a low profile.

As for the path he would take afterward?

Naruto already had a clear plan.

He was just waiting for the right moment to execute it. For now...

"It's all about taking one step at a time and building a solid foundation."

While eating lunch, Naruto contemplated his plans for the coming days. Over the past two to three years, as soon as Naruto had gained enough autonomy to act independently, his top priorities were training his body and finding ways to fill his stomach. Thanks to Konoha's treatment, Naruto's diet was severely lacking—not just in quality but also in quantity.

This forced him to become self-reliant, whether it meant foraging for wild vegetables or catching fish and shrimp. These activities had consumed most of his time over the past five years, all in an effort to meet his basic nutritional needs.

Why had the original Naruto been so short and scrawny?

It was a direct result of chronic malnutrition. A ninja's body is the source of their strength. Naruto understood this principle very well. he had great examples such as Sukuna Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, whom starved themselves just to look good infront of the brooding Sasuke Uchiha.

Now, at the age of five, he had finally managed to secure a somewhat stable intake of nutrients. The next priority was clear: it was time to begin serious ninja training.

Not long ago, Naruto had successfully used chakra for the first time. This was the first, crucial step toward becoming a ninja.

"Now it's time to start training."

After finishing lunch and tidying up, Naruto opened the door and headed out once again. He made his way along the narrow alleys toward the eastern forests of the village.

Over the past few years, Naruto had often foraged for wild vegetables and fruit and caught fish and shrimp in this area. Because of the wild animals that roamed the forest, most villagers avoided it.

Although Naruto had previously lacked chakra and was just an ordinary child, he was fully aware of the Anbu surveillance around him. As long as they were there, he didn't need to fear the wild beasts.

(End Of Chapter)

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