My Name Is Namikaze Naruto

In the original work, why did Naruto appear so small and weak? It’s obvious, even with just a bit of thought.

Malnutrition.

Or simply destroying his own health.

To grow up smoothly would indeed be strange!

Konoha Village couldn’t be relied upon.

So, Naruto had to fend for himself to get enough to eat.

And this forest became his first target.

In the beginning, before he had the ability to protect himself, he only picked some wild vegetables and mountain fruits from the fringes. Later, when Naruto first extracted his own chakra, especially after entering the Ninja Academy and continuously growing stronger, the range of food collection greatly expanded. This included live fish, shrimp, crabs, and certain wild animals in the forest. Even slightly ferocious beasts were no match for the current Naruto. He would even use these beasts as practice targets. Moreover, if he couldn’t win, he knew the Anbu were watching nearby. In the worst case, they would intervene, allowing Naruto to act without restrictions.

Thanks to this approach, Naruto never worried about food.

This method not only provided food but also served as training to some extent.

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

As for limitations? Naruto was confident. The Anbu monitoring him reported everything to the Third Hokage, who himself had a crystal ball that could monitor the entire Konoha. If there was no intervention initially, it meant the behavior was permitted.

Naruto caught fresh fish and made soup, the best way to retain the fish’s flavor and nutrition. Taste was never a priority for Naruto under such conditions. His main goal was to enhance his combat abilities. He chose the most nutritious and energy-sustaining methods for his training.

For necessary ninja training equipment, Naruto obtained some from the Ninja Academy. If he couldn’t buy something, he got it from Iruka. Despite Iruka’s mixed feelings towards Naruto—part pity, part worry, part hatred, and some confusion—he cared for Naruto due to the Third Hokage’s instructions and his own role as a teacher. Iruka often treated Naruto to better meals and bought training equipment for him, refusing Naruto’s offers to pay.

Even without Kurama’s chakra, Naruto felt warmth from Iruka, a rare sunshine in his shadowed heart.

This made Naruto’s life smoother and his training more stable over the past year. School days were better than expected. The children didn’t look at him with fear or disgust, not knowing his true identity. Unlike in the original work, this Naruto was quiet and composed, excelling in both theory and practice, often ranking in the top five, especially in theoretical exams where he was first.

Naruto was popular among the girls, though Sasuke Uchiha still held the top spot due to his looks, constant top ranking, and being the son of the clan leader.

Naruto didn’t care for the school’s fame. He hid his abilities to avoid attention, not out of fear but to avoid unnecessary problems. With the Third Hokage alive, Naruto felt relatively safe from threats like Danzo.

Naruto expressed his gratitude towards the Third Hokage internally, showing consistent performance to justify the Hokage’s interest in his training.

Naruto felt comfortable at school, not being the top but still a standout. Most people focus on the first place, not the second or tenth.

His training progressed smoothly. From tree climbing to water walking, Naruto’s learning pace was average by ninja standards, unlike the original Naruto who had a basic grasp of chakra use due to his mischiefs at the academy. With guidance from Kakashi and Ebisu, he learned quickly.

This Naruto relied more on intellect than instincts for learning, thinking through his training methods, naturally making his progress slightly slower without guidance.

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