Chapter 225: Naruto Uzumaki
Shisui knocked on the door, the sound echoing through the empty hallway. A moment later, the door creaked open to reveal a small, blond boy with bright blue eyes that were wide with fear and uncertainty. Naruto had grown accustomed to being alone, and visitors were rare—especially those who looked like shinobi.
The reason for his fear was that sometimes, ordinary people would hit him to release their frustration, even when he had done nothing wrong. Since shinobi are far stronger than regular people, if they decided to hit him, it would surely hurt a lot. Fortunately, Kaida and Shisui did not hear his thoughts; otherwise, someone from the neighborhood would have gotten the beating of their life.
Shisui crouched down to Naruto's level, offering a gentle smile. "Hello, Naruto. My name is Shisui, and this is my brother Kaida. We've come to talk to you about something important."
Naruto stepped back slightly, his small hands gripping the doorframe as he eyed them warily. "Wh-What do you guys want?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Kaida, noticing the fear in Naruto's eyes, knelt beside Shisui. "We're not here to hurt you, Naruto. We're here to tell you that, from now on, you'll be living with us. We will be family from now on."
Naruto's eyes darted between the two, his mind racing. He had heard many things about the Uchiha—some good, some bad—but he had never expected them to come to him like this. His life had been filled with loneliness, the stares of the villagers like they were looking at some type of monster or a disgusting thing, the whispers behind his back, and the fear that always seemed to follow him. He didn't understand why they were here, why they cared.
"Why?" Naruto whispered, his voice small and unsure. "Why do you want me to live with you?"
Shisui's expression softened, and he reached out to gently place a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Because no one should be alone, especially not someone as small as you. You deserve to be loved and cared for, just like everyone else."
Kaida smiled warmly. For a moment, Naruto hesitated, his eyes still filled with doubt. But as he looked into Shisui's and Kaida's eyes, he saw something he hadn't seen in a long time—kindness, warmth, and genuine care. Slowly, the tension in his small body began to ease, and he let go of the doorframe.
He was just a small boy who had only suffered in his life until now. When someone said they would take care of him, his heart first doubted the reality, but seeing that they were actually showing so much genuine care for him, he simply let go of any doubt in his mind.
"Really?" Naruto asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shisui nodded. "Really. We're here for you, and we will always be with you from now on."
Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes, and before he knew it, he had thrown himself into Shisui's arms, clinging to him as though he were a lifeline. Shisui held him close, his arms wrapped protectively around the small boy, while Kaida gently patted Naruto's back, offering silent support.
"It's okay, Naruto," Kaida said softly.
Naruto sobbed quietly, overwhelmed by the kindness and warmth he had so desperately longed for. He had been so scared, so alone, but now, in the arms of his new family, he felt a glimmer of hope—a hope that maybe, just maybe, things would get better.
After a few moments, Naruto pulled back, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. He looked up at Shisui and Kaida, his eyes still red but now filled with a tentative smile.
"Thank you," Naruto whispered, his voice shaky but sincere.
Shisui smiled, ruffling Naruto's hair. "No need to thank us, Naruto. We're family now, and family takes care of each other." Kaida also smiled at Naruto.
"Come on, pack your bag. You're coming with us right now," Kaida said.
Naruto quickly nodded his little head and ran back inside to pack his belongings. Kaida and Shisui initially smiled at the sight, but as Naruto started packing, the smiles on their faces vanished.
He took out an old cloth bag, mostly used to deliver food, and placed an old bowl and chopsticks in the bag. Then, he took off his clothes, which were most certainly washed by him, as they were still dirty. He was about to place his clothes in the same bag when Kaida said, "Naruto, leave those things. You don't need them anymore."
"Why? Oh, don't worry, I'll wash them clean afterward. They won't dirty your house, believe it," Naruto said with a resolute expression.
Kaida and Shisui were speechless at Naruto's reply. Kaida just sighed and thought, 'Maybe Danzo deserved some more hours of torture. I may have released him too soon.' Shisui shared the same thoughts.
"No, since you're going to be the youngest member of our family from now on, I have to give you some gifts, right?" Shisui said, picking up Naruto like he was as light as a feather.
Naruto had a questioning look on his face. Shisui just smiled and took Naruto out of his house. Kaida gave a quick glance around the room to see if there was something important to Naruto. The most significant thing Kaida found that Naruto might miss was the bowl of noodles. He just sighed and followed behind Shisui.
They went to a nearby shop to buy some new clothes, but as soon as they entered, the shopkeeper gave Naruto a disgusted look, like he was seeing something rotten.
Seeing the look in the shopkeeper's eye, Naruto remembered how everyone usually behaved toward him. He quickly hid his face in Shisui's shoulder.
Seeing this, Shisui sighed and passed Naruto to Kaida. "Take him outside and buy him some candy. I have something to discuss with the shopkeeper."
Kaida nodded and went outside.
Once they were gone, the smile on Shisui's face disappeared. He turned to the shopkeeper, his eyes dark red with the three tomoe of the Sharingan spinning. He grabbed the shopkeeper by the collar.
"Listen, you piece of shit. That boy you just gave that disgusting look to is my brother, and if you ever, EVER do that again, I will personally show you what true hell looks like. Am I clear?"
The shopkeeper was so frightened that he couldn't even speak. He just frantically nodded his head. Even though he didn't know who the young man standing in front of him was, just seeing the three tomoe of the Sharingan was enough to instill fear.
A Jonin, and that too from the Uchiha clan—there was no way a civilian like him could even think of offending him.
"I don't want to have to tell everyone in this area. Make sure you inform them that Naruto is now Shisui Uchiha's younger brother, and I will not tolerate any rude behavior toward him. Am I clear?" Shisui asked again.
'Shisui Uchiha? THE Shisui Uchiha?' The shopkeeper finally lost it, and his legs gave out. Shisui let go of his collar and said, "Get up. I'm not going to do anything to you. Just make sure you don't mistreat him anymore."
"Yes, sir. I won't even do it in my dreams. As for getting up, please give me a minute," the shopkeeper said.
Shisui maintained his stern demeanor and went out to bring Kaida and Naruto back. After returning, Naruto was still a little scared of the shopkeeper but was shocked to see the shopkeeper smiling and treating them like esteemed guests.
'Is it because I have a family now?' Naruto thought.
Shisui and Kaida picked out some clothes for Naruto and then went on a shopping spree, buying everything from shoes, socks, and a toothbrush to toys. This was the first time in his four years of life that Naruto was this happy.