Naruto slipped through the bustling market, his hood up and his grin wide, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Morning!" he called to a fruit vendor, who shot him a wary glance before turning away. The rejection stung, but Naruto kept the smile plastered on, waving like it didn't bother him. Inside, though, his mind was a storm. The library's revelations about Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki had lit a fire in him, but also a creeping paranoia. If he was the vessel for the Nine-Tails, who else knew? Who was hiding it from him? The Hokage? The Academy teachers? Even Anko?He couldn't trust anyone, not yet. But he couldn't let them see that. If the village sensed his suspicion, they'd close ranks, and he'd never get answers. So he played the part—loud, brash, carefree Naruto, the kid who didn't know when to quit. It was a mask he'd worn for years, but now it felt heavier, like armor he couldn't take off.His goal today was the training grounds. He'd overheard older shinobi swapping stories there, tales of past battles and village secrets. If he could blend in, maybe he'd catch something about the Nine-Tails or Jinchuriki. He moved carefully, sticking to the edges of the crowd, his eyes scanning for familiar faces. The shinobi from the alley were nowhere in sight, but that didn't mean they weren't watching.At the training grounds, a group of chunin was sparring, their kunai flashing in the midday sun. Naruto perched on a low wall, pretending to watch with wide-eyed awe, like any kid dreaming of being a ninja. "Whoa, that was awesome!" he shouted when one chunin landed a spinning kick, earning a few annoyed glances. Perfect. Let them think he was just a loudmouth brat. No one suspects a fool.Between cheers, he listened. The chunin were griping about missions, but one mentioned the Fourth Hokage, the hero who'd stopped the Nine-Tails. "Heard he sealed it away with some crazy jutsu," the chunin said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Cost him his life, though. Shame."Naruto's heart skipped. The Fourth. He'd read about him in the library—Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, a legend. But the book hadn't mentioned how he'd stopped the Nine-Tails, only that it was sealed. Into someone. Naruto's fingers tightened around the edge of the wall. Was that someone him? He wanted to ask, to demand answers, but he bit his tongue. Asking questions would draw attention, and attention would get him nowhere.Instead, he hopped off the wall, grinning like an idiot. "You guys are so cool! I'm gonna be a ninja like that someday!" The chunin ignored him, which was fine. He'd heard enough for now. As he wandered off, his smile faded, replaced by a cold determination. The Fourth Hokage was a lead. He'd dig into that—quietly.Back at his apartment, Naruto locked the door and pulled out a scrap of paper. He wasn't great with words, but he needed to keep track. He scribbled: Nine-Tails. Sealed by Fourth. Jinchuriki = me? He stared at the words, his stomach twisting. If it was true, the village's hero had made him a monster. Why? And why keep it a secret? He hid the paper under his mattress, his distrust growing like a shadow. No one could know what he was doing—not Anko, not the Hokage, not even his classmates. They could all be part of the lie.
