Leaving Nekobaa's hidden shop behind, Naruto headed towards Konoha Main Street.
He hated this part of town, frankly. The constant, pressing weight of malice from the villagers always set his teeth on edge. But it was the only route to his preferred training grounds on the outskirts.
"Can't pick up the new weights until tomorrow," Goku's voice echoed in Naruto's mind. "So, how about we learn something new today?"
Naruto's interest piqued. "Oh yeah? What is it?" 'Is this it?' he thought, a thrill shooting through him. 'Is he finally gonna teach me the Kamehameha?! My childhood dream from my past life finally comes to reality!'
"It's called Ki," Goku explained calmly. "Something I learned from Kami, back in the day."
"Ki?" Naruto thought, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby focusing on him, just standing there.
"Yeah. Think of it like... the energy inside everything living. Most folks in the universe can tap into it a little, but Kami and the martial artists back on my Earth? They turned it into an art." Goku sounded almost nostalgic. "That Kamehameha you keep asking about? Ki is needed for that. Flying, energy blasts... it all starts with Ki."
'Ki... like Chakra, but different,' Naruto mused. 'And you can use it to fly' The idea was intoxicating. Actually flying, free from gravity, soaring through the sky... In a world where almost everyone was bound to the ground, flight was an incredible, almost mythical ability. Only a handful of shinobi could manage anything like it.
"Your basic conditioning still needs a lot of work," Goku added, his mental voice taking on a slightly stern, teacher-like tone. Naruto could almost picture him standing before the seal gate, arms crossed, looking unimpressed. "But I suppose it's time you started learning the fundamentals of Ki."
Even Goku having reservations couldn't dampen Naruto's excitement. Based on his progress, he felt like he was already close to Rock Lee's level during the Chunin Exams, maybe even stronger. And Naruto was still just a kid.
"Okay, let's do it! Let's start now!" The thought of learning Ki, adding it to the explosive growth he'd already gained from the Turtle School basics, made him practically vibrate with energy. He couldn't wait.
Pushing the hostile glares and simmering resentment from the surrounding villagers out of his mind, Naruto broke into a trot, eager to reach the edge of town.
Just as he neared the end of the main street, a commotion up ahead caught his ear. He slowed, peering towards the sound.
Several bigger kids were crowding around a small girl dressed in white.
Normally, Naruto wouldn't stick his nose into other people's problems. He had enough of his own. But this... this felt different.
"Excuse me," the girl was saying politely, her voice trembling slightly. "Please let me pass. I... I got separated from my Clan." She looked delicate, with pale skin, rosy cheeks, and large, unnervingly pale lavender almost white eyes, making her look like a doll.
The kids blocking her path weren't impressed. One of them, a heavyset boy, gave her a rough shove. Caught off guard by the sudden aggression, the girl stumbled and fell backward into a muddy puddle. *Splat.* Brownish muck stained her clean white clothes.
The chubby kid pointed right at her face and laughed cruelly. "Haha! Look! Her eyes are all white!"
"Yeah, creepy!" another one chimed in.
"Like a ghost!"
"A monster!"
The group erupted in jeers, shuffling closer to the fallen girl. She flinched, her pale eyes – lavender, Naruto noticed up close – rapidly filling with tears. She looked small and helpless, huddled on the ground.
Her obvious distress only seemed to egg the bullies on.
"Hey, maybe she's like that one!" one kid sneered, jerking his head vaguely in Naruto's direction, though Naruto doubted they'd actually seen him yet.
"Yeah! A monster's friend!"
"Gonna cry, monster-eyes?"
One of the boys bent down, picking up a jagged-looking stone. "I'm gonna mess up her weird face," he declared, malice clear in his voice.
No one stepped in. Villagers passed by, glanced over, and kept walking. It wasn't their problem.
The kids grew bolder, their taunts becoming uglier. The boy with the stone raised his arm, aiming for the girl's face. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.
Suddenly, Naruto was there.
"Get lost!" he snapped. A swift, precise kick caught the rock-wielding boy off balance. The kid tumbled backward, dropping the stone, which bounced off the ground and clipped his own forehead. It wasn't a serious hit, just enough to break the skin and draw a trickle of blood.
The boy immediately burst into loud, wailing tears.
The other bullies froze, their eyes widening in recognition as they saw Naruto standing over their fallen comrade.
"T-That's... that..." The other kids pointed at Naruto, screaming.
"Mommy... he's gonna eat us!"
"Run! The monster's gonna eat ya!"
Scared witless, they scattered like frightened rabbits.
Naruto ignored them, turning to the girl still sitting in the mud. He offered her a hand. "Are you okay?"
She hesitantly took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. Her face was bright red, making her look surprisingly cute despite the tear tracks and mud stains.
"You know," Naruto said conversationally, tilting his head as he looked at her properly, "with skills like yours, you probably could've handled them yourself, right?"
From what he recalled, Hinata received special training since childhood and clan kids aren't allowed outside compounds without some training.
"F-Father says... strength is for p-protecting," Hinata stammered, lowering her gaze, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "N-not for hurting others."
If Naruto hadn't had sharp hearing, honed by years of listening for trouble, he might have missed it entirely.
He gently placed his hand on her head, ruffling her dark blue hair slightly. "That's good," he said softly. "Being gentle is good. But sometimes... sometimes people only understand force."
Hinata's blush deepened, spreading down her neck. Her eyes widened slightly, and she looked like she might actually pass out. 'Wow,' Naruto thought, a genuine smile touching his lips. 'I thought that was anime logic or something. I wonder if smoke will start coming out of her.'
Just then, the atmosphere shifted. Whispers started among the onlookers who hadn't fled. Low murmurs, growing louder, fingers pointing not at the dispersed bullies, but at Naruto. The familiar tide of malice surged back, thick and heavy in the air around him.