Naruto: All depends on the Nine-tails Fox

Let's rewind time a bit.

After waking from yet another dream, Naruto let out a long yawn. He was starting to get used to dreaming every night.

Although he could never quite remember the details of his dreams, he always felt an overwhelming sense of comfort upon waking. It was as if someone were listening to his loneliness and sorrow, constantly encouraging him.

This feeling seemed to wash away the resentment brought on by the cold stares and mockery he faced daily. Strangely enough, while these dreams made him feel so good, Naruto never felt the urge to linger in them.

It was a difficult sensation to describe, almost as if each time he woke up, a new goal emerged in his heart that he wanted to achieve, like...

"Ah... the milk is expired!" Naruto shook the carton of milk in his hand. Today, he was unusually meticulous, carefully inspecting the food supplies in his home, only to find that not much was "safe" to eat.

It felt as if someone had specifically reminded him to check the food's expiration dates.

"Guess I'll eat out." He shoved the milk back into the cupboard, changed out of his pajamas, and headed out the door.

As he opened the door, the warm sunlight bathed Naruto's face, making him instinctively squint his eyes.

This had become routine; he often slept until noon, as if the time spent dreaming was more significant.

Fortunately, the October sun was gentle, offering warmth without being blinding.

Ah, speaking of which, today was a special day.

Within the Hyuga Clan.

"... Neji wins. That's it."

With the referee's call to halt, Neji's fierce palm strike stopped just shy of his opponent's forehead. Receiving the admiration in his opponent's eyes, Neji bowed slightly to signal the end of the match.

"Truly the genius Neji, his Gentle Fist has reached such heights that even the branch family elites five years his senior are no match for him."

"Forget the branch family; I doubt anyone from the main family can defeat this kid."

"Hinata's father raised a fine son."

Amid the praise exchanged among the Hyuga clan members, many of the words pierced through Neji's ears, given that he was only six years old.

These people always seemed to be complimenting him, yet they unwittingly emphasized the differences between the main and branch families, along with the fate of his father, who had died tragically.

It was as if they were warning him not to get too proud, reminding him that he was merely a...

Caged bird.

"Is it almost Hinata's turn now?" One of the already-tested contestants from the main family sighed and looked around. "Where is she?"

"Speaking of which, she hasn't been around since earlier."

Meanwhile, at the back door of the Hyuga estate, Hinata crouched in a corner.

As a prominent family in Konoha, the main family's etiquette prohibited a young lady from adopting such a disgraceful posture. But right now, Hinata couldn't care less about that.

She was terrified.

She had never understood the fighting spirit of her clan members. Why did those who usually treated her kindly become so serious during battles, risking pain and injury? What were they trying to prove?

Neji, who had once been so caring towards her, seemed to have developed a strong dislike for her. In their previous fight, he had been merciless.

Hinata feared pain, feared injury, and also feared hurting others. But even though she wanted to escape now, she knew she couldn't.

"It's so scary." The more she thought, the more her heart wavered. Crouching in the corner, she buried her head in her knees, curling up into a tight ball.

"Hey there! What are you doing?"

Just then, a childish voice, bright and innocent, called out to her.

"Huh?"

Hinata instinctively looked up at the voice and was greeted by a boy with bright yellow hair, flashing her a radiant smile.

It's... him?

Hinata was surprised to see Naruto. She recognized him from that winter when she had gotten lost and was bullied by some mean kids. He was the one who helped her find her way home.

Later, she had made an effort to learn his name...

"Uzumaki... Uzumaki Naruto-kun, you... hello... what are you doing here?" Hinata responded bashfully, her voice barely above a whisper. Naruto instinctively leaned closer to hear her better.

Thump.

Hinata's face flushed bright red as Naruto moved closer.

But for Naruto, this was a delightful moment.

Although he usually greeted people, very few responded to him. Most of the kids his age just mocked him for being an orphan.

"Ah, hi there!" Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto chuckled, "I'm just passing by to get some breakfast... or should I say lunch?"

The sun was high overhead, prompting Naruto to quickly correct himself.

"Oh, okay."

Hinata nodded, and they fell into a moment of silence, simply gazing at each other.

"Um, you still haven't said what you're doing here?" But Naruto, unable to contain his impatience, quickly redirected the conversation.

"I..."

"Whoa~ oh~" In the depths of his mind, the Nine-Tails watched the scene unfold, emitting a sound that suggested he was enjoying the show.

"What's up?" Minato, observing the Nine-Tails' reaction, asked curiously.

"...How do I put this?" The Nine-Tails glanced at Minato and pondered, "Naruto really is your son. He's just like you were as a child, oh wait, even earlier than you."

"What are you talking about?" Minato, thoroughly intrigued by the Nine-Tails' comment, set aside his work. In the spirit world, he could conjure many imagined scenarios, and as a being of chakra, he didn't need sleep. This allowed him to conduct various research on jutsu, even if he wasn't in Naruto's dream.

But any research could wait, as the Nine-Tails' statement piqued his fatherly curiosity.

"Just take a look for yourself." The Nine-Tails didn't tease him, slightly altering the chakra he provided so that Minato could temporarily see through Naruto's perspective.

Minato watched as the dark and cold sealing space faded away, replaced by the sight of Naruto talking with a girl he didn't know. The next scene made him understand what the Nine-Tails had meant.

"...It doesn't matter if others don't recognize you. I can be the only one who believes in you. You have to have confidence in yourself!" Naruto suddenly grabbed Hinata's small hands, which were tucked to her sides, and stared into her eyes with earnest encouragement.

"U-Um~~~" Hinata's face was so red she looked like she might burst into flames.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Seeing Hinata nearly fainting, Naruto looked puzzled, then suddenly realized, "Ah, I see you're still scared. That's okay! I'll go back with you and cheer you on!"

"Mmm... y-yeah..." Poor little Hinata could barely process what Naruto was saying. Overwhelmed by her shyness, her brain felt overloaded, and all she could manage was incoherent responses.