Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

The winter sun pierced through the tangle of dead branches, casting rays that shimmered on the black-haired woman's body and reflected off her pale, pink feet.

A pair of white pantyhose slid up her delicate toes, brushed past her ankles and calves, and gently stretched over her thighs—lifting ever so slightly where they met the hem of her blue pleated skirt.

It was peach-colored underneath.

Dangerously tempting.

Click.

The high school girl uniform suited her perfectly, especially with her long, jet-black hair cascading down her back.

Naruto had retrieved this outfit from his spiritual space, a place filled with all sorts of clothing—though admittedly, most were novelty costumes or cosplay sets.

He'd searched for a long while before settling on one of the more conservative options.

Now dressed in white pantyhose and high heels, Uchiha Izumi stood and took a few steps. The outfit was a little snug, the skirt a tad short, and the undergarments downright embarrassing.

Thankfully, the pantyhose gave her a layer of modesty, and the shoes fit her feet perfectly. Despite the minor issues, the ensemble was comfortable enough overall.

After walking around and stretching a bit, Izumi turned and locked eyes with Naruto.

She lowered her head and gently clasped her hands over her stomach.

"Master... could you stop staring at me like that?"

What?!

Naruto blinked. What kind of accusation was that?

He was clearly admiring her with artistic appreciation—and now she was accusing him of staring?

Slander! Outrageous! I want to see my lawyer!

Scratching his chin thoughtfully, Naruto asked the question that had been nagging at him since she appeared.

"Why do you call me 'Master'? Can you explain?"

He was genuinely curious about the transformation process that had birthed Uchiha Izumi from the crystal orb.

"Hm~" Izumi blinked innocently and replied with natural grace, "Because you asked me to. Don't you remember?"

"?"

A question mark practically floated over Naruto's head.

He thought to himself: Why the hell would I tell you to call me that? I hadn't even met you before!

It must be that the orb had implanted memories into her—altering her perception of him.

Assuming a thoughtful pose, Naruto's eyes lingered just a moment longer on Izumi's sleek white-stockinged thighs.

"Izumi, tell me everything you remember about your life."

His gaze made her blush. Her cheeks colored, and she looked up at the sky to divert her attention.

Then she began, her tone soft:

"I was born eighteen years ago. I died six years ago. I specialized in Taijutsu and the Uchiha clan's Fire Style techniques. I had already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. After being killed by that masked man... you found me, Master. You nurtured my soul and gave me this second life."

So, in her memory, everything began after her death.

That confirmed it: the bead had altered or replaced her memories after she died.

Naruto now understood more about how the "human puppet" process worked. The orb likely contained a pre-constructed body. Then, through a series of selection filters, it located a soul to bind to it.

The first filter was fusion, which determined the soul's general category—like Uchiha for the Sharingan, or Hyuga if using the Byakugan.

Then it narrowed down based on gender, soul age, body type, and appearance.

Hiss~

This whole process felt a lot like some overpowered gacha game.

If I had selected "male" and specified a more powerful figure, could I have summoned Uchiha Madara directly?

As soon as the thought popped into his head, the system responded:

[Host, give it a rest. The jade bead can only capture souls weaker than the host. It cannot seize souls stronger than you.]

Figures.

A little disappointing—but still useful. The puppet was completely loyal to him. And if deployed properly, she could become a devastating strategic tool.

For example... Uchiha Itachi.

If Izumi appeared before him again—what would he do?

Naruto hadn't forgotten his grudge. Last time, Itachi's partner Hoshigaki Kisame had nearly beaten him into the ground.

That score still needed to be settled.

"Tell me, Izumi," Naruto asked casually, "What do you think of Uchiha Itachi—good or bad?"

"Itachi?" Izumi's expression softened, her eyes filled with concern. "He was my best friend. I don't know what happened to him. That day... did he also encounter that masked man?"

Best friend, huh?

So she still had no idea what Itachi had really done.

Just as Naruto was about to press further—

"Naruto, where are you?"

A voice called out from the distance. Sasuke had finally arrived.

"Over here!" Naruto shouted.

Izumi's ears perked up at the familiar voice. She turned toward the sound, curious.

Soon after, a tall boy with spiky black hair and a sulky expression emerged into the snowy clearing. Despite the chill, he wore short white pants, still prioritizing style over warmth.

"Seriously? You dragged me out here in the middle of a snowstorm?"

But as soon as he saw Izumi, he stopped cold.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all," Naruto grinned and waved him over. "You came at the perfect time."

They had just been discussing Itachi—so who better to bring in than his younger brother, Sasuke?

Time to see if Izumi could grow stronger by enduring a little emotional turbulence.

Izumi's eyes lit up with recognition. "Sasuke... long time no see."

There was a pause.

"...Long time?"

Sasuke stared at her, brows furrowed.

Where had he seen her before...?

He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

Then he muttered in disbelief: "Wait—you're... Sister Izumi?!"

"Mm-hm." She nodded gently, her gaze soft. "I didn't expect you to grow up so tall."

Sasuke stared between her and Naruto.

Something didn't add up.

Wasn't Izumi supposed to be dead?

How did she suddenly appear here—and why did she seem so comfortable with Naruto?

What the hell had Naruto done behind his back?

Izumi noticed Sasuke's long stare and shifted awkwardly. "Sasuke... is something wrong?"

"Sister Izumi... aren't you... dead?"

"Well, technically yes," she said with a slight frown, "but... not anymore."

She glanced at Naruto, unsure if she was allowed to say more.

In her mind, Naruto had saved her soul after death. He might not want that secret shared.

She wanted to ask about Itachi—if he was safe. If Sasuke was fine, then surely Itachi had survived too.

But would asking about Itachi offend her new master?

Naruto noticed the hesitation and smiled casually, leaning against a tree.

"You can say whatever you like. Don't worry about me."

He turned his head, playing the indifferent observer.

"Go ahead—talk. The deeper the love, the sharper the knife when the truth cuts in."

Relieved, Izumi beamed at him in gratitude. Then she turned back to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, where's your brother? He should be okay too, right? I really want to see him again!"

She imagined Itachi's shocked face when he saw her alive and now fully eighteen.

He'd be absolutely stunned!

Sasuke's face, however, turned grim.

"I don't have a brother. Only an enemy."

"What?!" Izumi blinked. "Did you two fight?"

Sasuke glanced sideways at Naruto and asked, "She doesn't know?"

Naruto shook his head.

Sasuke let out a complicated sigh.

"So... you called me here just to explain to her that Itachi massacred the entire Uchiha clan?"

"Not really," Naruto replied with a smirk. "I originally asked you to come train. I didn't expect to run into Izumi."

That part was half true. Naruto had called him here for ninjutsu—but this twist with Izumi was too perfect to pass up.

No one could explain the truth better than Sasuke, the only survivor of the Uchiha massacre.

"Sasuke... what did you say? Itachi... massacred the Uchiha?"

Izumi's voice trembled as the words sank in. She looked to Naruto for confirmation.

He nodded solemnly. "What Sasuke said is true. The masked man who killed you? He acted on Itachi's orders. Together, they wiped out the entire Uchiha clan—everyone except Sasuke."

His voice was calm—but the meaning was devastating.

Izumi was frozen.

(Note: In the anime, Uchiha Izumi was killed by Obito, not Itachi. She never met Itachi again before her death. This version follows that anime canon.)

The winter wind howled.

Sasuke clenched his jaw, voice low and cold.

"That monster killed everyone. My parents included. I saw them... with my own eyes. Lying in their own blood."

"No... that's not possible." Izumi's voice cracked. "Itachi was always kind... gentle... he would never..."

"I saw it with my own eyes," Sasuke snapped. "He's a madman. His grand ideal was slaughtering our clan—his own parents included."

His eyes burned crimson with his awakened Sharingan. Tears welled in his eyes but didn't fall.

"Someday, I'll kill him. And I'll avenge our parents."

He turned away.

Izumi stood frozen, mouth agape, unable to speak. Her pupils dilated with shock.

The truth shattered everything she remembered.

Her chest tightened.

Eyes trembling, she turned toward Naruto one more time—her only anchor.

Naruto nodded quietly, voice steady.

"It's true."