Naruto: Naruto started the Fourth Shinobi World War for me

With instructions from three generations, the police force naturally handled the matter officially, detaining those who needed to be detained and punishing those who needed to be punished. After that, Ningxia led Mingzi out.

"Um...big brother...why did you help me?"

In Xiaomingzi's memory, apart from her three grandfathers, no one had ever been so kind to her.

Ningxia smiled slightly, squatted down to help Naruko wipe the dirt off her face. His movements were very gentle, which made Naruko, who was used to being hit, feel a little uncomfortable.

"I am your father's friend. From today onwards, I will take care of you."

"My father's... friend?"

The word "father" was unfamiliar to Naruko. After murmuring it several times, she belatedly realized what it meant.

"Yes, I'll go and tell the Third Generation later. He'll give me face."

"Hmm... um!"

Having experienced a kindness from Ningxia that was different from that of others, Naruko quickly accepted this fact.

Afraid that Ningxia might suddenly leave, he couldn't help but reach out and gently grab Ningxia's clothes.

Seeing Naruto like this, Ningxia felt both heartache and anger, but he wasn't much better off himself. If only he could have come back sooner...

When Ningxia returned to the Hokage's office, she displayed her assertive side.

The third generation felt very guilty about all of this and accepted Ningxia's offer to adopt Naruko.

He had already planned to do this, and now that Ningxia had brought it up, he naturally went along with it.

"..."

Ningxia was a little surprised when he left, but he quickly understood what the Third Generation meant. However, he didn't care and immediately shared the good news with Naruto.

"Let's go to your house to pack our things first. From today onwards, you'll be living in my house."

Ningxia gently stroked Naruto's head. Since he hadn't watched Naruto and didn't know much about the plot, he wasn't too uncomfortable.

"Um!"

Naruko's home was an apartment building with various expressions of disgust and vulgarities about the fox spirit painted on the walls, which made Ningxia frown.

"This is my home."

Naruko's house was the dirtiest and most messy place. When you pushed the door open, there were small mountains of trash made of various instant noodles and milk cartons.

"..."

"I'm...I'm sorry...I...I haven't cleaned yet..."

Seeing Ningxia's unhygienic side made Naruko even more ashamed. Ningxia simply shook her head and told Naruko to tidy up her things.

Once things are resolved, I can go home with him.

Naruko didn't have much stuff: some instant noodles, three broken wooden kunai, and a homemade fishing rod. As for bedding and daily necessities, Ningxia didn't let Naruko take them; they could just buy new ones later.

"Is...is that okay?"

Naruko was a little at a loss, while Ningxia patted her head, indicating that he would be Naruko's older brother from now on, and she could ask for help whenever she needed it.

"Waaah..."

Feeling Ningxia's kindness, Mingzi wanted to cry, but she was afraid that Ningxia would be angry, so she could only try to keep her tears from welling up.

"If you want to cry, then cry."

Ningxia gently comforted her, and these words caused Mingzi's tears to burst forth like a broken dam, and she hugged Ningxia tightly and cried bitterly.

"..."

Ningxia gently patted Mingzi's back, picked her up lightly, and indicated that she would take Mingzi with her for the time being.

"Um……"

Naruko hugged Ningxia's neck tightly, pressing her whole body against him like a little koala.

"Miss Rabbit, thank you for your hard work this time too."

Ningxia looked at the ANBU member in charge of carrying the luggage and thanked her. Miss Rabbit simply shook her head, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke—a rare occurrence for her.

"Please don't call me Miss Rabbit, just call me Mao."

"Okay, Miss Rabbit."

"..."

On the way back, Ningxia's behavior of taking Mingzi with her caused a lot of discussion, with most people saying that Ningxia was an accomplice of the fox demon.

Naruko silently buried her face in Ningxia's chest. She was afraid that Ningxia would hate her because of these rumors.

Is she... really a fox spirit?

"Naruko".

Ningxia suddenly spoke, which made Mingzi's heart jump into her throat. She could only hesitate and look up at Ningxia.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you self-defense. I guarantee those guys who bully you will run away with their tails between their legs."

Ningxia smiled gently, like warm sunshine shining into Mingzi's heart, which was filled with darkness, pain, and sorrow.

No, this is brighter than sunlight. Does she... really deserve it?

Naruko felt inferior, but the only response she received was Ningxia's gentle question: what did she want to eat tonight?

"Can I have...instant noodles?"

"..."

Ningxia was somewhat speechless, then gently rubbed the little golden retriever, saying that children shouldn't eat instant noodles all the time, or they won't grow tall.

"Oh……"

Naruko felt Ningxia's care and warmth flowing through her body.

While passing by the meatball shop, Ningxia happened to run into a pair of beautiful women who seemed to be sisters.

The little girl, who was perched on her older sister's back, saw that Naruko was being carried and couldn't help but let out a disdainful snort.

Feeling inexplicably annoyed by this disdain, Naruko, even though she was being carried by someone else, mimicked the other person's behavior and snorted.

"snort!"

"snort!!"

"snort!!!"

"..."

Ningxia and the girl exchanged a glance, both feeling apologetic. The girl turned back and whispered a few words to the little girl, which made her pout and ignore Mingzi.

Do you know each other?

After the two women had walked away, Ningxia asked softly.

"I don't know her, but... I just feel like I really dislike her..."

Upon returning to the mansion prepared by the Third Hokage, Miss Rabbit appeared somewhat surprised. After pressing her for details, she learned that the Fourth Hokage's residence had been renovated.

"Ha...this old guy really knows how to use someone else's flowers to present to Buddha."

Ningxia made no attempt to hide her mockery, and then began helping Mingzi tidy up the house.

I also helped Miss Rabbit pack, since she will be his bodyguard throughout his life in Konoha.

"Actually, I can just sleep on the roof..."

Miss Rabbit was somewhat at a loss. She had undertaken several missions to protect nobles before, and the rewards were high, but those nobles were all difficult to deal with.

So she stopped accepting these assignments. If the third generation hadn't specifically asked her to come this time, she wouldn't have taken the mission at all.

"That won't do. If you don't sleep well, who will protect me?"

"..." Miss Rabbit was speechless for a moment. Despite being a noblewoman, Ningxia was surprisingly approachable.

"By the way, does Miss Rabbit have any dietary restrictions?"

"I'll just eat soldier rations..."

Seeing how insistent Miss Rabbit was this time, Ningxia didn't press the issue and Bai had already prepared three dishes and a soup.

"It smells so good..."

Naruko's eyes lit up. She had money, but the villagers of Konoha were unwilling to sell to her, so she had never eaten such a home-style stir-fry before.

"Eat up, I've prepared plenty."

As Ningxia spoke, she placed a piece of meat on Mingzi's and Bai's plates, indicating that they could start eating.

Miss Rabbit knelt quietly at the doorway, unable to stop swallowing as she smelled the aroma filling the air. Moreover, Naruko's loud, wolfing-down-food-sounding eating was impossible for her to ignore.

He forced himself to take out a soldier's ration pill, when suddenly a bowl of white rice appeared.

"Eat something. Soldier pills aren't good for your health. By the way, what's Miss Rabbit's name again? I don't think I know."