Naruto:Dark Return

Outside the Konoha Ninja Academy, Naruto sat on a swing, holding his head, lost in thought. The rays of the setting sun bathed his small, lonely figure in a golden glow, stretching his shadow long on the ground.

In the distance, parents and students slowly dispersed, heading home after the day's events. But even from afar, Naruto could still hear their whispered insults.

"Stay away from that monster at school."

"Why hasn't that thing been expelled yet?"

"I wish that monster would just disappear already."

"I heard he vandalized the Hokage Rock again today—so disgusting."

These murmured curses and the occasional glance of disdain were nothing new to Naruto.

On the swing, his small hands clutched tightly to the ropes, and he buried his face deeper in his knees. His expression was a mix of pain and confusion, silently asking the same question over and over.

"What did I ever do wrong?"

He didn't understand why, from the moment he could remember, he had been hated, isolated, and branded a monster. People wouldn't even insult him to his face; they avoided him entirely, muttering their contempt from the safety of distance.

But just as quickly as these emotions rose, they were suppressed and buried deep within. It was as though something invisible inside him silently bore the brunt of the pain.

This internal force shielded him, drowning the despair in an ocean of darkness. What was left behind was enough for Naruto to plaster on a grin and maintain his optimism.

He clenched his fists, standing from the swing, and shouted toward the empty streets, "I'll definitely become Hokage one day!"

"Then you'll all have to recognize me!"

His voice echoed briefly in the evening air, but there was no response. Everyone had already left.

The fire in Naruto's eyes dimmed slightly as he muttered to himself, "Where's Iruka-sensei? He said he'd punish me by making me clean the Hokage Rock…"

"Maybe he's mad because I used the Sexy Jutsu during training earlier," Naruto added with a mischievous grin.

That afternoon, Iruka had held a pre-exam ninjutsu test to prepare the students for the upcoming graduation exam. Knowing he was bad at the basic Three Academy Jutsu, Naruto had tried to distract Iruka with his Sexy Jutsu. It worked too well—Iruka had a nosebleed on the spot and had struggled to regain composure for the rest of the class.

"It'd be nice if he forgot," Naruto muttered. "Cleaning the Hokage Rock sounds like a pain..."

But the disappointment in his voice betrayed his true feelings. He wanted Iruka to show up, even if it meant punishment. Deep down, Naruto's pranks were his way of seeking attention—a desperate attempt to make people notice him, even if it wasn't in a positive light.

Within Naruto's subconscious, Ichiro watched from the depths of Naruto's mind. A frown creased his face.

"So... I was released just because the villagers were whispering insults behind Naruto's back."

Ichiro had thought he'd only surface during moments of extreme emotional turmoil. But it seemed even fleeting negative emotions were enough to bring him to the surface.

"If that's the case…"

Ichiro turned his focus to the void and shouted, "System, I want to switch personalities."

Personality switching...

Ding! Host's negative emotions are insufficient. Personality switch failed.

Ichiro let out a small sigh. He wasn't disappointed—he'd expected this outcome. For now, it seemed he could only observe the outside world and communicate with Naruto.

"Iruka punishing him for vandalizing the Hokage Rock... and using Sexy Jutsu," Ichiro muttered, piecing together the timeline.

"This must be the beginning of the original story," he concluded. "Tomorrow night is when Naruto steals the Scroll of Seals and unlocks the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

A sly smile crossed Ichiro's face.

"The timing couldn't be more perfect. Naruto doesn't have many people he can rely on right now. It's the perfect moment to step in."

"After all, Naruto is me, and I am Naruto. If he doesn't trust me, who will?"

Ichiro's expression turned serious. Naruto's mood was stabilizing, and Ichiro knew he'd soon be forced back into the depths of consciousness. He needed to act quickly.

"Time to let Naruto know he's not alone," Ichiro said to himself, reaching out toward the boy within the subconscious.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Ichiro called out.

In the real world, Naruto froze mid-step as a voice echoed in his mind.

"Who's there?!" he shouted, spinning around to look for the source.

The voice felt eerily familiar. It sounded exactly like his own.

"Did… did I just hear myself calling my own name?" he muttered, his brow furrowing in confusion.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and Naruto shook his head violently, trying to dispel the idea. But the more he denied it, the more it lingered.

Finally, he whispered his name aloud to test it.

"Uzumaki Naruto…"

Before he could finish, the voice responded again.

"Yes, it's me."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. His confusion morphed into outright terror.

"AHHHH!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs. "A GHOST?!"

He bolted down the path, yelling, "HELP! Grandpa Hokage! Ichiraku-oyaji! Iruka-sensei! I'M POSSESSED!"

Inside the subconscious, Ichiro rubbed his temples in frustration.

"I'm not a ghost, you idiot! I'm inside your head! I am you, Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Inside my head?!" Naruto's horrified voice echoed back. His panic only grew.

"HELP! SOMEONE GET THIS SPIRIT OUT OF ME!"

Ichiro sighed, feeling a metaphorical vein bulge. "Forget it. I'll let you feel it for yourself."

He activated his limited permissions, sending a fraction of his memories and emotions to Naruto.

End of the Chapter.