I, Naruto Uzumaki, don't need your approval.

At this moment, Naruto, who was idly looking around in the living room, examined the furniture and decorations in the living room and then focused his gaze on the artificial hill and water in the yard, where he met the eyes of a pair of Sharingan with a single tomoe.

"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"

Naruto has already experienced firsthand what it's like to be stared at by the Sharingan.

Under the influence of the genjutsu, his chakra and five senses experienced varying degrees of chaos, but this level of genjutsu felt more like a gentle breeze on his face—some sensation, but not much.

Is this the power of the Sharingan with a single tomoe?

The Uchiha clan doesn't even have this much patience. Are they already planning to control me and challenge the Third Hokage?

After being attacked by genjutsu, Naruto was not afraid at all; on the contrary, he was even looking forward to it.

Just as Naruto was about to thoroughly experience the genjutsu, the Nine-Tails inside the sealed space made its move, unleashing the malice within its chakra without reservation and pouring its negative emotions onto the Uchiha who had attacked.

Under such malicious influence, the other party suffered a backlash and fell directly to the ground.

“Naruto, at this level, I don’t even need to lift a finger. Even if you stand still, he can’t shake your chakra that I’ve trained.”

The Nine-Tails' triumphant voice rang in his ears, but Naruto was more concerned about something else:

"Big fox, what happened to the person who attacked me with illusion magic?"

Kurama composed himself and said calmly, "I don't know. I don't have the ability to kill someone with a single glance, but his chakra is in disarray, enough to keep him unconscious for several days. He'll have to rely on luck to use ninjutsu in the future."

This effectively ruined most of his ninja career.

Naruto sighed inwardly, not out of pity for the Uchiha who had attacked him, but because he had gained a new understanding of the Nine-Tails' power. Despite the Sharingan's restraint, it was still able to cripple a Genin-level Uchiha.

At that moment, Mikoto carried the dishes from the kitchen to the living room and said to Naruto and Sasuke, "Sasuke and Naruto, it's time to eat. Go wash your hands."

Naruto quickly got up and went to the kitchen to wash his hands, wanting to see how Sasuke's mother's cooking was.

At the same time, Fugaku moved from the backyard to the frontyard.

Upon seeing his unconscious clansman on the ground, Fugaku fell into deep thought, then bent down and grabbed the unconscious clansman's wrist.

After a brief examination, Fugaku guessed that the reason his clansmen were unconscious was due to the backlash of genjutsu. Genjutsu backlash is not uncommon, but it is very rare for an Uchiha to be affected by genjutsu backlash; it is an extremely low-probability event.

The reason for the backlash of illusion magic is even more worthy of deep consideration.

Was it the Nine-Tails inside the Jinchuriki that backfired, or the sealing technique on the Jinchuriki that backfired?

Unable to make a clear judgment, Fugaku sighed softly, thinking to himself that the Jinchuriki who offered themselves up were indeed not so easy to control. This was clearly a trap set by the higher-ups against the Uchiha clan, and he almost fell for it.

Handing the unconscious clansman over to the radical Uchiha, Fugaku said sternly, "The person has fallen unconscious. This is a trap set by the higher-ups, but there's no room for leniency. Don't cause any more trouble."

After saying that, Fugaku disappeared instantly, pretending nothing had happened, and walked out of the study to sit down at the dining table.

However, what Fugaku didn't know was that Naruto was aware of him the entire time from when he left the study to when he walked to the living room, including his meeting with the radical Jonin.

Before dinner, Naruto looked at Mikoto Uchiha and asked curiously, "Aunt Mikoto, I just saw someone climbing over the wall. Did your house get robbed?"

"Really?" Uchiha Mikoto asked, holding her bowl with a puzzled look on her face.

Fugaku Uchiha scratched his head and said with a smile, "There was a petty thief just now, but I've already taught him a lesson and sent him to the security building."

Naruto was filled with great confusion:

"Uncle Fugaku, Sasuke mentioned you, saying you are the captain of the security force. How dare these thieves even steal from the captain's house? When did the village become so unsafe?"

Fugaku's lips twitched slightly: "The security situation has been a bit bad lately. I'll take good care of things tomorrow."

Chapter 34 System Reward: Housekeeping Proficiency

Naruto's confusion left Fugaku feeling helpless, so he could only bite the bullet and pick up some food.

Sasuke hesitated, holding his chopsticks, and complained softly to Mikoto Uchiha, "Mom, why didn't you make tomatoes? They're my favorite vegetable."

Mikoto ate her meal quietly, watching Naruto and Sasuke with gentle eyes, lost in her memories.

If Kushina were still alive, Sasuke and Naruto would have become friends long ago, Naruto wouldn't have faced discrimination in the village, and the Uchiha clan wouldn't have clashed with the higher-ups.

As a Jonin, she was certainly aware of everything that happened in the courtyard, but she could not influence Fugaku's decisions.

Her dream was to be a housewife, take care of her husband, and watch her children grow up healthy; she had no other greedy desires.

Naruto felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by Mikoto's gentle gaze.

However, Aunt Mikoto is a good cook; she makes delicious meals using fresh ingredients, and her cooking is just as good as mine.

After watching Naruto finish a bowl of rice, Mikoto smiled and said, "Are you full? If you're not full, there's more in the kitchen."

Naruto nodded, then exclaimed, "Auntie's cooking is delicious. If I had parents, their cooking would taste just like this."

Upon hearing this, Mikoto Uchiha fell silent, as did Fugaku and Sasuke.

If the Fourth Hokage and his wife hadn't died, Kumogakure wouldn't have dared to start a war, and the Uchiha wouldn't be facing the same ostracism from the villagers and higher-ups as they are now; everything would be different.

Fugaku also respected Minato Namikaze, whom he considered his rival, but reality doesn't allow for "buts."

In contrast, Sasuke simply sympathized with Naruto's plight. Despite being superior to him in every way, Naruto had lost his parents and had no family to accompany him, leaving him to live alone.

After finishing her meal, Mikoto, under the pretext of washing the dishes, called Fugaku to the kitchen, hoping he would say:

“Honey, do you think we should talk to the Third Hokage about adopting Naruto? He’s so pitiful; he’s never experienced fatherly or motherly love.”

"You know that's impossible; only the Hokage can adopt a Jinchuriki."

"But the Third Hokage is so incompetent! Naruto is being treated like a demon fox in the village. If he were just an ordinary child, it would be one thing, but Naruto is the child of Minato and Kushina, the descendant of the heroes who protected the village!"

"Give up your illusions, it's impossible."

Fugaku shook his head, then glanced at Naruto in the living room. He also longed to adopt a Jinchuriki. As long as he mastered the power of a Jinchuriki, he would surely become Hokage in the future and realize his clan's dream.

After dinner, as night fell, it was time to leave.

Sasuke's family stood at the door watching Naruto leave, without any intention of asking him to stay the night.

Naruto was also aware of his own identity. Accepting the invitation to be a guest was still within the Third Hokage's tolerance range. However, if he stayed overnight, the Anbu and the police force might really start a war.

Regardless of the outcome, all that awaits him is imprisonment, with no freedom to go out at will.

Walking alone on the streets of the clan compound, Naruto looked around at the various Uchiha clansmen, wondering if any more foolish Uchiha would try to attack him.

If the backlash fails, that's one thing, but if something really happens to me inside the Uchiha clan's territory...

The village might be engulfed in turmoil no less than that of the Nine-Tails Night, causing the residents of the Uchiha clan's territory and the surrounding neighborhoods to experience the pain of war.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he realized that no foolish Uchiha had made a move.

Although most Uchiha are extreme, a minority are brainless; most are reasonable and know what's important.

Unbeknownst to him, Naruto had left the Uchiha clan's territory. The familiar ANBU duo appeared within his perception range, along with other people's chakra, densely packed in the dark corners.

With so many eyes watching, even the arrogant Nine-Tailed Fox obediently lay low and dared not make a sound.

Naruto slowly walked away from the Uchiha clan's territory, and everything returned to normal only after he returned to his rented apartment.

Lying on the sofa, Naruto stared at the ceiling, taking stock of what he had gained from the trip.

Besides memorizing the map of the Uchiha clan's territory, the biggest gain was getting a free meal and finding out just how much resistance I had to genjutsu.

Based on the current situation, I should be immune to both single-magatama and double-magatama illusions.

The three-tomoe genjutsu and the Nine-Tails' cooperation are not too much of a threat, but the genjutsu at the Mangekyou level is very hard to say, and it will most likely be controlled.

It seems that even if one becomes a relatively perfect Jinchūriki, one cannot let one's guard down.

Just then, a crisp system notification sounded in Naruto's ears:

"Uchiha Mikoto's affection level for you has reached the approval level. You have gained 'Proficiency in Housework and Cooking'. This is a domestic skill that an Uchiha Jonin mastered after giving up her ninja identity and becoming a housewife."

The system notification interrupted Naruto's thoughts, but the reward of housekeeping skills left him somewhat amused and exasperated.

What's the point of this reward? Even without it, his housekeeping skills are pretty good. He cooks when he's hungry and washes his clothes when they get dirty, instead of leaving them for the next day.

However, Naruto doesn't dislike these kinds of icing on the cake.

At least it lets him know that there is one more person in the world who acknowledges him, even if he has only met Sasuke's mother once.

This is also the greatest value the system holds for him.

Suddenly, Naruto looked out the window and saw that the Third Hokage had come to check on the Jinchuriki's condition.

Naruto patiently waited for the knock to sound before opening the door and looking at the Third Hokage with a puzzled expression: "Grandpa Hokage, didn't you just come yesterday? Why are you here again today...?"

The Third Hokage looked at Naruto with a slightly weary expression, thinking to himself that Naruto had caused him a lot of trouble.

Naruto's entry into the Uchiha clan's territory not only almost led him to believe that the security forces were staging a coup, but Danzo also brought the Root members to get involved.

If Naruto hadn't safely escaped the Uchiha clan's territory, the village would have been engulfed in internal strife.

Once internal strife breaks out, no one knows what the outcome will be. The Uchiha clan is not prepared for a coup, nor is it prepared to deal with a rebellion.

Seeing that the Third Hokage remained silent, Naruto took the initiative to say, "Grandpa Hokage, you wouldn't have already known that Sasuke and I have become friends, and you came here specifically to give me something, would you?"

The Third Hokage looked strange, as if he wanted to travel back to yesterday and slap himself hard.

He does want Naruto to make friends, but even if you befriend the Uchiha, there's no need for you to go to the Uchiha clan's territory. Don't you know your own identity?

Thinking of this, the Third Hokage was stunned. It seemed that Naruto really didn't know that he had been hiding something all along.

"I forgot to bring my things, but Grandpa is curious, what did Sasuke's parents say to you when you were visiting their house?"

Chapter 35 The past is the past.

"Grandpa Hokage, how did you know that Sasuke had invited me to be his guest?"

This caught the Third Hokage off guard, but Naruto didn't seem to dwell on it. He enthusiastically recounted his experiences in the Uchiha clan's territory, telling the Third Hokage everything except for the incident of being attacked by genjutsu.

After listening, the Third Hokage stroked his beard. He had heard a different perspective on the Uchiha clan from Naruto.

Naruto believed that the Uchiha were no different from the other villagers; they all had cold faces and a tendency to avoid each other.

After a moment's thought, the Third Hokage asked, "Then why did you go to Sasuke's house instead of Shikamaru's or Choji's?"

Naruto replied without hesitation, "They didn't invite me. If they had, I wouldn't have refused. But only Sasuke invited me, so I went."

"I see..."

The Third Hokage pondered for a moment, then said, "However, if Sasuke invites you to his home again in the future, you'd better refuse. It's not good to keep troubling his family."

"No, Sasuke's mother said I'm welcome to visit again next time."