Naruto sat on the cold stone at the pool's edge for a long while, watching the split-haired stranger in the water's reflection… until his own stubbornness kicked in.
No. He wasn't going to curl up in a hole and hide just because he looked weird now. He'd been called a demon before—hell, he'd lived with people calling him that since he was a kid. He knew how to walk into a room and smile like he belonged there, even when every glare said otherwise.
Still… he wasn't stupid.
Living in the forest forever? Sure, he could easily do it. He was a shinobi. He knew how to make traps, find food, sleep in a tree without falling out, hell, he could make a little log house if he wanted. But it was impractical. Staying out here meant no information about this world, no answers about how he got here, no clothes beyond a stolen blanket, and no chance at figuring out whether there was a way home.
He needed clothes.
He needed money.
He needed to talk to people.
Which meant blending in was the priority.
Naruto let out a sigh and stood, shaking water from his mismatched hair. He made the seal. "Henge no Jutsu."
With a puff of smoke, the stranger in the water vanished. The reflection was now him—blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker marks, normal. Normal enough to pass for just another traveler.
"Better," he muttered. Even if it was fake, it felt like slipping on a mask before a mission. No one had to see what was underneath.
For the rest of the day, he roamed the forest with that henge wrapped around him like a shield. He didn't sense anyone—no footsteps, no chakra signatures, not even the faint buzz of killing intent. Just the hum of the forest, deep and endless.
By the time the sun slid down behind the canopy, painting the leaves in shades of amber and blood-red, Naruto had found a high branch to perch on for the night. The blanket wrapped around his shoulders as he leaned against the trunk, eyes scanning the dark. He wasn't tired—not the way he should've been—but he closed his eyes anyway, letting the sounds of rushing leaves and distant owls fill the silence.
Morning came with pale sunlight cutting through the mist. Naruto climbed down, stretched, and started walking again—heading in the direction where the trees looked thinner.
It wasn't long before he found it: a narrow dirt road, cutting through the forest like a ribbon of brown. The edges were worn, with the occasional wagon track carved into the soil.
No one was in sight. No voices. No footsteps. Just the sound of wind curling through the trees.
Perfect.
Naruto adjusted his henge, smoothing his hair, straightening his "normal" features. He took a breath, stepped out of the treeline, and planted his feet on the road.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, hands slipping into imaginary pockets like he belonged here. "Time to blend in."
And with that, he started walking, just another traveler on an empty road in a world he didn't understand.
—OsO—
The road stretched on forever.
Naruto had walked for days now, his henge never once slipping. The forest had thinned out into rolling fields, patches of farmland, and the occasional crumbling stone marker on the roadside. At night, he found places to sleep under the open sky, pulling the blanket tight around him against the chill. He kept his chakra steady, the disguise never faltering—he didn't want to risk anyone seeing what was really under it.
On the fourth afternoon, he heard the slow clop clop of hooves behind him. Turning, he saw a cart rattling its way down the road—a simple wooden thing pulled by a tired-looking brown horse. The driver was an older guy, stocky with sunburned skin and a patched shirt. He had the easygoing air of someone used to the quiet life.
Naruto stepped to the side, waving casually as the cart drew closer. The driver nodded back, about to pass him—
That's when the road exploded.
A hulking shape burst from the ditch—a giant lizard, easily the size of the horse, its scales glistening like wet stone. Its mouth opened wide enough to swallow a man whole, jagged teeth glinting in the sunlight.
The horse screamed and reared back, the cart tilting dangerously. The driver was shouting, fumbling for something under the seat—but the lizard was already lunging.
Naruto didn't even think. His hands moved on their own.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Two clones popped into existence beside him, charging forward without hesitation. One leapt high, the other dove low, distracting the beast just long enough for Naruto to close the distance. Chakra swirled in his palm, pure and green in this strange world's air.
"RASENGAN!"
He slammed it into the lizard's side with a crack of force, the swirling energy blasting the creature off its feet. It screeched, tumbling through the dirt before scrambling upright, hissing at him with slitted eyes—then, deciding this wasn't worth the fight, it turned tail and bolted into the underbrush.
The road fell silent again, save for the horse's frantic breathing.
Naruto straightened, dispelling the clones. The driver was staring at him, mouth hanging open like he'd just seen the gods step down from the clouds.
"…What the hell was that?" the man finally managed.
Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Just something I picked up on the road. You okay, old man?"
The driver blinked, then let out a shaky laugh. "Okay? Son, you just saved my life. And the cart. And the horse." He jumped down from the seat, giving Naruto a look somewhere between awe and gratitude. "I don't know what I can give you to repay that."
Naruto waved it off. "Nah, it's fine. I'm just glad you're safe." Then, after a beat, he added, "But… if you really wanna help… you could give me a lift to the nearest city. I've been walking for days and my feet are killing me."
The man's face lit up. "Done! Climb aboard. Nearest city's about two days from here. Name's Dargan, by the way."
Naruto hopped up onto the cart, stretching his legs out with a sigh of relief. "Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. And… thanks."
As the cart rolled forward again, he leaned back, letting the henge mask his horns and mismatched hair, and thought about the fact that for the first time since he woke up in this world… he might actually be heading somewhere.
—OsO—
The cart rolled on at an easy pace, the steady rhythm of the horse's hooves almost hypnotic. Naruto leaned against the side, letting the cool breeze tug at his hair—well, at his henged hair—while he made small talk with Dargan.
Turned out the old guy was full of stories. He had a wife back in a little farming village two weeks east of here, four grown kids, and a couple of grandkids who, by the way he talked, might've been the center of the damn universe. His eldest son worked the fields with him, his second son had joined some city guard, and his two daughters were married off to blacksmiths in different towns.
Naruto found himself nodding along, throwing in the occasional "Uh-huh," or "No way!" the same way he used to with Iruka-sensei when he didn't want to get caught daydreaming.
Eventually, Dargan tilted his head at him. "So, what about you, boy? You out here alone? You look a bit young to be traveling by yourself."
Naruto shrugged, feigning a casual grin. "Yeah, I'm… uh… an adventurer."
The word felt foreign on his tongue, but he'd heard it tossed around once or twice in overheard chatter from passing travelers. Probably meant something like a mercenary, right? Or maybe a hunter? Either way, it sounded cool enough to pass.
Dargan raised an eyebrow. "An adventurer, huh? Guess that explains how you took down that lizard. Still, most adventurers I've met wear armor. Or at least proper clothes." His gaze flicked down to the blanket Naruto had wrapped toga-style around his henged body.
Naruto chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, about that… had a little campfire accident. Burnt my clothes to ashes. Wasn't exactly carrying spares, y'know?"
Dargan laughed, the sound deep and warm. "Hah! I've been there. Nearly set my beard on fire once when I was younger." Then, without another word, he rummaged in the back of the cart and pulled out a neatly folded bundle. "Here. It's nothing fancy—just a spare shirt and trousers I use when I travel. And… this old bag. You can keep it. Don't want the hero of the day wandering into the city looking like a lunatic."
Naruto blinked at him, surprised by the generosity. "You sure?"
"Son, you saved my life. Least I can do."
By the time the sun dipped low, staining the horizon in gold and rose, the city walls finally came into view—tall stone ramparts that caught the fading light, casting long shadows over the road. Towers jutted up at intervals, manned by guards in steel armor that gleamed faintly. Beyond the walls, Naruto could make out rooftops, banners fluttering in the wind, and the faint hum of a city winding down for the day.
Naruto adjusted the fresh clothes—slightly loose but comfortable—and slung the worn travel bag over his shoulder. The henge still covered his horns and mismatched hair, but even so, his gut tightened. Big crowds meant more eyes, and more eyes meant more chances for someone to notice something was off.
Still… this was why he was here.
As the cart rolled toward the gates, Naruto squared his shoulders. Time to see what this world was really about.
TBC