When Naruto opened her eyes, she realized she was lying in an unfamiliar bed. Looking around, she felt pain in her arm and saw that she was hooked up to an IV.
Seeing the bandages wrapped around her wrists, she realized she was in a hospital.
But anxiety gripped Naruto at the fact that she was not home. She got down from the bed to leave the room, but her legs had no strength in them, and she fell over.
The loud noise brought someone into the room.
"What was that?"
A woman who appeared to be a nurse entered, spotted Naruto on the floor, and clicked her tongue as she glared down at her with cold eyes.
"Tch. Of all things, I have to be assigned to a monster... Anyway, this is a hospital, so be quiet! Just lie there and behave!"
"Urgh...!"
"Honestly, I didn't become a nurse to look after monsters... What rotten luck..."
The nurse roughly lifted the fallen Naruto and tossed her onto the bed, then shook out her hands as though she had touched something filthy before leaving.
Naruto sank into depression at the nurse's attitude, but then she remembered meeting Kurama.
Was it a dream?
For an instant, her heart dropped at the thought that it might have been a dream. But then she felt a pulse deep within herself.
More precisely, she could feel Kurama's chakra, and realized it had not been a dream.
Relieved, Naruto remembered promising Kurama that she would not cry and wiped away the tears that had slipped out.
The simple fact that she was no longer alone made her heart, which had always felt so empty, seem full.
"I'm not alone anymore."
Naruto smiled as she tightly hugged her own stomach.
As she lay back in bed with her heart at ease, the sun had set before she knew it.
Then someone knocked and entered the hospital room. Naruto worried that it might be the nurse again, come to curse at her, but fortunately, the one who entered was not a nurse but Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.
"Sorry I'm late. Are you feeling a little better?"
"...Grandpa Hokage, why am I here?"
The reason Naruto was here was severe malnutrition and the wounds she had inflicted on herself.
The Hokage found it difficult to tell Naruto that outright. Instead of answering, he simply stroked her head.
Grandpa never tells me anything when I ask...
Naruto felt bitter at the Hokage's attitude, but she did not voice it.
He was one of the people in this village who spoke to her... No, now he was the only one.
Naruto was not confident she could endure it if even Grandpa left because she complained.
"You can go home now, but how about resting here a little longer?"
"No, I want to go home."
"..."
For Naruto, any place that was not home was simply dangerous. She could not rest comfortably there, so she wanted to return home as quickly as possible.
The Hokage smiled bitterly, did not press her any further, and took care of the discharge procedures for her.
After they left the hospital and walked toward her home together, the Hokage asked Naruto again.
"Is there anything you need?"
"..."
The Hokage had always asked Naruto this question from time to time, but Naruto had hardly ever properly answered it.
She did not know what she needed in the first place.
But this time was different.
Having spent time with Teuchi and Ayame, Naruto had learned many things. She had gained basic knowledge and common sense, and more than anything, there was now something she wanted.
"...Books."
"What did you say?"
"I want to try reading books."
The Hokage stared silently at Naruto, honestly surprised.
This was the first time Naruto, who had always remained silent, had said what she wanted.
After blanking out for a moment, the Hokage came to his senses, cleared his throat, and spoke.
"All right. What kind of books do you need?"
"I don't know."
"Hmm, you don't know?"
"I just want to read books."
Naruto had learned to read from Teuchi and had become able to read all sorts of books. For Naruto, who had always done nothing at home, books were the first new stimulation she had ever experienced.
Having felt enjoyment and interest for the first time, the very existence of books had remained vividly in her mind.
"I see, you need books... Hmm, all right. Then why don't you borrow books from my study? There are many different books there, so I'm sure there will be plenty you'll like."
Naruto quietly nodded at the Hokage's offer. Before she knew it, they had arrived at her home, so she said goodbye to the Hokage and went inside.
"Starting tomorrow, come take books whenever you want."
"Thank you."
Once Naruto went inside, the Hokage was about to leave when a question suddenly came to mind.
Come to think of it, did I ever teach Naruto to read?
It was a question born from the fact that he had been too busy lately with Danzo and the Uchiha to pay Naruto much attention.
She must have learned to read if she wants to read books.
Casually dismissing the question, the Hokage put a cigarette in his mouth and set off down the road again.
After that, Naruto read books every day.
She read during the day, talked with Kurama in the evenings, and cooked the dishes she had learned for her meals.
Perhaps because the Hokage had paid attention to the matter this time, the ingredients ANBU brought her were normal. As a result, Naruto no longer had any reason to go outside at all.
She did go outside when she went to the Hokage's study for books, but Naruto traveled at times when there were hardly any people around in order to avoid running into anyone.
She was gradually drifting further away from people.
She did speak with the Third Hokage occasionally, but only for very brief periods.
Naruto never learned how to live among people—how to function in society.
She did occasionally run into others, but every time, she was subjected to every kind of insult and harassment. Naturally, instead of coming to like people, Naruto grew to hate them even more.
"Kurama."
"What is it?"
"Do you know what chakra is?"
"Why are you suddenly asking about that?"
"It comes up a lot in the books, but I don't really understand what it is..."
"..."
"Don't tell me even you don't know, Kurama?"
"Hmph, as if! I'll explain it just once."
"Thank you, Kurama. I really like you."
Through such conversations, Naruto learned about chakra from Kurama. Going further, she also learned jutsu through books.
After living like that for two years, Naruto had already acquired skill beyond that of a genin.
By the time Naruto had read more than half the books in the Hokage's study, her hair had grown past her shoulders to her waist, and because she was always in places without sunlight, her skin was clear and flawless.
But because she had not been properly fed while growing up, she had a slight frame.
Even so, Naruto continued living as though it did not bother her. Being able to use chakra made it even easier for her to avoid people, and she lived a literally isolated life.
Kurama, who had watched her from the beginning, spoke to Naruto.
"Naruto, don't you intend to go outside?"
"I hate people. They're always cursing at me and tormenting me."
"Well, it doesn't matter to me, but isn't there no food left in the house?"
"..."
At Kurama's words, Naruto looked at the box of depleted ingredients and sighed.
For some reason, ANBU was late bringing ingredients this time. Naruto had already gone two days without food, but she still seemed more reluctant to go outside.
In the end, Kurama made another suggestion.
"Why not use the Transformation Jutsu?"
"I don't want to turn into someone else... It's disgusting."
For a moment, Naruto spoke with dead eyes, and Kurama replied as though he found it absurd.
"Ha, you really do hate people."
"...You're the same, Kurama."
"That may be true, but you do know that you're human too, right?"
"K-Kurama, do you hate me?!"
Naruto threw aside the book she had been reading and looked at Kurama in shock. Kurama gave a bitter smile as he answered.
"I've told you before. You're better than other humans."
"If even you hate me, Kurama, then I... I really... really..."
At Naruto's eyes, their life seeming to drain away so completely it was chilling, Kurama sighed and spoke.
"I don't... hate you. So stop making that face."
"Th-that's a relief. Kurama, you'll always stay by my side, right? You won't leave me, right?"
"That won't happen. Don't worry."
"Yeah! Thank you, Kurama."
Kurama inwardly sighed, never having imagined that he would say something like that to a human. Then there was a knock, and the Third Hokage entered.
"Hello, Grandpa."
"Yes. Have you been well?"
"Yes, thanks to you. More importantly, what brings you here?"
"Well... I was passing by nearby and came to see you for the first time in a while. Is there anything you need?"
"As it happens, I've run out of food."
"All right. I'll have ANBU bring some over soon. But..."
The Hokage looked at Naruto for a moment, seemingly considering something. Then he handed her a book and spoke.
"Naruto, would you like to attend the Ninja Academy?"
The title of the book the Hokage had given her was The Basics of a Ninja. He had brought it to send Naruto to the Academy.
"Do you want me to become a ninja?"
"That's right."
At the Hokage's proposal, Naruto failed to control her expression, and her face darkened.
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