Chapter 4: Criticism"Holy crap!"Naruto woke up with a start, looking at the environment around him that had changed again."Did I dream of going back again? No, that's not right...""Maybe what just happened was the real dream?"Naruto's mind raced, involuntarily piecing together various "details."Recalling the girl in the mirror from his dream, Naruto hurriedly stopped his wild imagination."Don't think about it! Can't think about it! That seemed to be me, right?""If this dream-version of the Sexy Jutsu is really this 'realistic'..."Knock! Knock! Knock!The urgent knocking, accompanied by Hiruzen Sarutobi's shouting, abruptly interrupted Naruto's train of thought."Naruto? Still not up? Hurry and come with me to make a statement..."Naruto quickly got out of bed and opened the door; standing outside was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi."Make a statement? What kind of statement?" Naruto was stunned, and before he could react, he was dragged away by the other person without explanation.The sun was shining brightly today, casting a warm glow over the streets of Konoha.For once, Naruto calmed down and looked around.The scenes that once only existed on a screen were now unfolding vividly before his eyes, making him feel as if he were still in a dream.As his gaze wandered, the four familiar characters for "Ichiraku Ramen" suddenly struck his eyes, and his stomach chose that exact moment to growl.Thinking about it, he realized he hadn't had a proper meal since arriving in this world...Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed his thoughts and nodded with a smile: "We still have some time, let's grab a bowl of noodles together before we go."How could Naruto refuse? This was the real-deal Ichiraku Ramen in the flesh; he had to try it!There weren't many customers in the shop. Mr. Teuchi was busy behind the stove wearing an apron; seeing the two of them enter, he immediately beamed with a hearty smile:"Yo, it's Sandaime-sama! And Naruto is here too!""Sit down, sit down, the usual?"Naruto nodded in agreement, while Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled Naruto to a seat by the side and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table."We're going to the Hokage office building in a moment. The Konoha higher-ups and people from the Village will all be there. You just need to show your face with me; you don't need to say anything."Naruto didn't have the heart to listen to what Hiruzen was saying; his eyes were already glued to the noodles flying through the air in Mr. Teuchi's hands.As the bamboo chopsticks swished, the snow-white noodles drew sharp arcs in the air, sending the scent of the noodles straight into his nose.Before long, two steaming bowls of ramen were placed securely on the table.The milky white bone broth emitted swirling steam, and the already rich, savory aroma instantly surged outward.The fatty aroma of the chashu pork and the fresh scent of green onions were enough to whet anyone's appetite.Naruto's eyes lit up. He picked up his chopsticks and began to feast. Slurping sounds filled the air, and in the blink of an eye, the bowl was empty.He smacked his lips, muttering with lingering desire:"The taste is really not bad... It's just that I suddenly want a bowl of Hu-La Soup to fill the gaps...""Huh? Hu-La Soup? What kind of thing is that?"Mr. Teuchi, who was sitting opposite him, was taken aback. He stopped what he was doing and leaned over, full of curiosity.Naruto suddenly realized he had let slip a craving from before he transmigrated, and quickly waved his hands to smooth things over:"It's nothing, nothing! Slip of the tongue! Mr. Teuchi, your ramen is amazing; it's the best ramen I've ever eaten!"Hiruzen, sitting to the side, watched and chuckled: "Even if it's delicious, it's time to go."Naruto nodded, but in his heart, he was still thinking about Hu-La Soup...In Konoha, which was full of Japanese flavors, if he could eat a bowl of braised noodles, how intoxicating would that be?In the open space in front of the Hokage office building, many villagers had already gathered. The sound of whispering drifted on the wind, and the dense crowd exuded an inexplicable heaviness.Naruto's heart skipped a beat—given this situation, could it be that they were going to judge him in public?Just as he was muttering to himself, his wrist was gripped tightly by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who headed straight toward the center of the crowd.As his gaze swept across, familiar faces struck his eyes one after another:Kakashi wearing a mask, Might Guy in a green bodysuit, Asuma with a cigarette in his mouth.And Danzo, with that pair of gloomy, sinister eyes hidden in the shadows."Hokage-sama."Danzo was the first to step forward, his hoarse voice full of sarcasm."This matter has had a terrible impact. A-Gang is still lying in the hospital, unconscious!""I have already investigated the ins and outs of the matter." Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone steady."A-Gang was the one who provoked and attacked first; Naruto was only defending himself. This matter has nothing to do with him.""Self-defense?" A flash of cruelty appeared in Danzo's eyes, and his voice rose sharply, "Then this kid's attack was far too vicious!"As soon as he finished speaking, several villagers beside him immediately chimed in:"Exactly! He went too far!""What if he had killed someone?"The murmurs surged like a tide, and the gazes of many onlookers toward Naruto became more hostile.But Naruto suddenly froze in place, the astonishment on his face slowly turning into uncontrollable laughter?![Resentment points from Danzo +999][Resentment points from Zhang San +666][Resentment points from Li Si +555][From...]Dense prompts were flooding his vision like crazy. Although the resentment point values varied, the sheer number of people was overwhelming!Resentment points poured in like a flowing stream, ceaselessly.Every bit of dissatisfaction and every accusation from the surrounding villagers transformed into tangible resentment points, skyrocketing upwards.In just a moment, the total on the panel fiercely broke through the 200,000 mark!"Huh?"Naruto couldn't hold back a chuckle, his heart blooming with joy."So the big gift package Naruto-senpai left for me is only now officially arriving~""Heh~ heh~ heh~"This laughter was particularly abrupt in the heavy atmosphere, instantly attracting everyone's attention.Danzo's face darkened further, and the resentment points surged again."What are you laughing at?" Danzo's voice was as cold as ice, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.A prompt of [Resentment points from Danzo+1000] immediately popped up."Could it be that you have no remorse for hurting someone and instead feel proud?"His words were like lighting a fuse; the murmurs that had slightly subsided erupted again, and the villagers' hostility grew even stronger:"Too arrogant!" "He has no sense of guilt at all!"[Resentment points from Wang Er +777][Resentment points from Zhao Wu +888]The resentment point panel went crazy, skyrocketing by another 50,000 in the blink of an eye.Naruto was feeling great inside, but on his face, he deliberately put on a clueless expression and spread his hands:"I'm not laughing at anything; I just think it's quite moving that everyone is so concerned about Mr. A-Gang."He changed the subject, his eyes suddenly lighting up, and he deliberately raised his voice:"Besides, I was acting in self-defense. I couldn't just stand there and watch myself get beaten to death, right?""If I had gone easy on him, the one lying in the hospital right now would be me...""At that time, would everyone still speak up for me like this?"These words hit the mark, and many villagers were instantly speechless, their murmurs dying down.Asuma, with a cigarette in his mouth, raised an eyebrow, his gaze toward Naruto becoming a bit more playful;Might Guy clenched his fists, looking approving, as if to say, "This is how youth should stand up for itself."Danzo's face was livid. Clearly, he hadn't expected this kid to dare to talk back in public. Just as he was about to retort, he was interrupted again by Hiruzen Sarutobi:"I have already made a ruling on this matter. A-Gang attacked first; Naruto does not need to bear any responsibility.""Konoha will cover A-Gang's medical expenses. This matter ends here; no one is allowed to use this as an excuse to cause trouble.""Sandaime!" Danzo was anxious and wanted to argue, but was stopped by Hiruzen Sarutobi's cold, stern gaze.He glared viciously at Naruto, the resentment in his eyes almost overflowing.A prompt of [Resentment points from Danzo+2000] was particularly striking."Is it really necessary? Breaking a thousand the first time was one thing, but breaking two thousand? How much do you hate me?"Naruto grumbled to himself, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but sneak upward.Danzo, this walking resentment ATM, was even more effective than expected.Just as the villagers were dispersing and Danzowas gritting his teeth in forbearance, an old voice suddenly drifted down from the high platform of the Hokage office building:"Wait..."
