NARUTO: In the Shadow of the Clans

Naruto entered the room, his brows furrowed and still visibly annoyed by what had just happened. The red-haired woman and the violet-haired girl were already seated, clearly waiting for him. A faint smile spread across the woman's face as her eyes met his. Naruto groaned internally; she had probably guessed what had transpired.

He sat down silently, taking his place in front of a steaming bowl. The silence in the room was palpable, broken only by the soft clinking of utensils as the two women ate. Naruto poked at his bowl with his chopsticks, trying to shake off his frustration.

Finally, the red-haired woman broke the silence with a mischievous tone:

"So, playboy, did you manage to get what I asked for?"

Naruto's head shot up, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

"Playboy?! What are you even talking about now?!" he protested.

The violet-haired girl, who had been eating quietly until then, raised an eyebrow in curiosity, setting down her chopsticks.

"What's this about?" she asked calmly, though her voice carried a hint of suspicion.

The woman burst out laughing, waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh, nothing serious. I just sent him to talk to you, but it seems our future Hokage still has much to learn about women!"

Naruto sulked, crossing his arms.

"That's not it at all! I just wanted to tell you breakfast was ready, but you attacked me for no reason!"

The violet-haired girl gave Naruto an impassive look before turning back to the woman.

"You're incorrigible," she said dryly, resuming her meal.

Frustrated, Naruto lightly banged the table with his fist.

"This isn't fair! You both seem to know everything about me, yet I don't even know your names!"

The woman stopped eating, a faint smile still lingering on her lips. She studied him for a moment as if weighing her words, then sighed:

"True, we haven't introduced ourselves. Where have my manners gone?"

Feigning deep thought for a moment, she suddenly tossed her spoon in Naruto's direction. Caught off guard, he fumbled to catch it, nearly dropping it into his bowl.

"You're not exactly a gentleman either, Naruto," she teased. "How do you expect to get married someday if you can't even ask for a name?"

Naruto felt his ears heat up.

"I'll have you know, I'm still young!" he retorted, though his words lacked conviction.

"I'm Akane Himura," she finally said with a sly smile, "and this is my disciple, Ayame Tsubaki."

Ayame gave a small nod without looking at Naruto, her violet hair glinting under the soft light.

Trying to be polite despite his irritation, Naruto replied:

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you."

Akane laughed out loud.

"Are you an idiot or what? We already know your name! It's all we've been talking about since last night!"

Naruto pouted again, focusing on his bowl of rice to avoid responding.

The meal continued, punctuated by Akane's constant teasing. With every bite Naruto took, she found a way to mock him, whether about his eating style or his perpetually annoyed expression.

"Tell me, Naruto," she began with a mock-serious tone, "do you really plan to become Hokage one day? Because if you do, you've got a long way to go."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto protested, his voice slightly higher than usual.

"It means you're sorely lacking in patience, tact, and you should learn to read situations before charging in headfirst," Akane replied, her tone now more serious.

Naruto lowered his gaze. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew she wasn't entirely wrong.

"But hey," she continued, her tone lightening, "you do have one good quality: you don't give up easily. And that's rare."

Naruto looked up, surprised by her sudden sincerity.

After the meal, as the dishes were piled on the table, Akane stretched and sighed.

"Well, enough talk. I've got things to do."

She left the room, leaving Naruto and Ayame alone. The young girl, who had barely said a word throughout the meal, stood up to leave as well.

"Wait," Naruto said, standing up abruptly.

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Why did you attack me this morning?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.

Ayame slowly turned her head, her golden eyes piercing into his.

"Because you seemed weak. And weakness—I have no time to tolerate it."

Without another word, she walked out, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts.

Naruto clenched his fists. Weak?!

"What's wrong with that girl? Ever since our first meeting, she's been looking down on me, and it's infuriating!"

A mix of frustration and determination stirred within him. If these two knew something about his past or his parents, he had to find out. But first, he knew he had to prove himself worthy of their answers.