Naruto and Shindai were hiding in a corner of an alley outside the Hyuga clan compound.
Naruto asked curiously, "Brother Shindai, what are we doing here exactly? Are we going to find Hinata now? But isn't it too late?"
Shindai let out a faint smile as he replied, "I'm giving you the chance to be a hero and save a maiden in distress!"
Naruto scratched his head in confusion. "Huh? Hero and rescue someone? Rescue who?"
"That's right," Shindai continued. "Your Dad saved your Mom when he was little. That's how they ended up together, and that's how you came into this world. So…"
Before Shindai could finish, Naruto's eyes went wide with surprise. "Wait, are you saying Hinata is in danger? If I rescue her, will we stay together forever too? And then we'll immediately have a kid?"
Shindai awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Well… not exactly like that. It's kind of complicated. Also, kids come from being born, and you can only have them once you're at least my age..."
"Then when will Sasuke get into danger? I want to save Sasuke too! I want to be with Sasuke—"
Before Naruto could finish his sentence, Shindai quickly covered his mouth. "You better shut up! Get that idea out of your head right now! There's absolutely no way you two can have a kid—ever!"
Once he took his hand off Naruto's mouth, Shindai heard the boy pouting and grumbling, "Why can't me and Sasuke be together then? I believe we'll definitely end up together anyway!"
Shindai suddenly felt extremely flustered, like he'd lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot.
Shindai spoke seriously, trying to explain, "Naruto, you're only three years old—you don't understand how these things work yet. You're a boy, and Sasuke is also a boy. Boys can't have babies together. Only a boy and a girl can do that. Do you get it?"
Naruto nodded vaguely, half-understanding. "Okay... but why can girls and girls have babies then? Didn't you say before that Sister Pakura and Sister Hikaku..."
Once again, Shindai panicked and quickly covered Naruto's mouth. "Be quiet! How did you even know about that? Did you figure it out yourself?"
Naruto shook his head and pushed Shindai's hand away hard. "No! One day after Sister Pakura and Sister Hikaku went to work, you were looking for cigarettes and muttering complaints under your breath. I just happened to hear it."
Shindai's expression turned very serious and grim. "Naruto, I was just talking nonsense back then. Forget everything you heard! Don't ever let Sister Pakura or Sister Hikaku find out! Promise me, or else... I'm dead meat!"
Startled by how serious Shindai sounded, Naruto answered nervously, "I won't tell anyone!"
Looking directly into Naruto's eyes, Shindai said solemnly, "That's a promise. Don't forget what you said!"
Naruto nodded somewhat guiltily. In truth, he had already asked Pakura and Hikaku Uchiha about it long ago, but since that was something he had said earlier, it probably wouldn't count...
After waiting a bit, Naruto chimed in curiously, "Hey, spill it—what kind of danger is Hinata facing?"
Shindai's gaze remained fixed on the Hyuga clan compound as he answered Naruto, "You already know too, right? Ninja from Kumogakure have arrived in Konoha."
Naruto couldn't believe it, "Are ninja from Kumogakure going to attack Hinata? But weren't they here to be friends with us?"
Shindai snorted contemptuously, "Friends? You're way too naïve about the ninja world! You'll understand when you grow up. Anyway, remember the deal—we said earlier that once you become a ninja who can hold your own, whenever I point someone out, you go throw down with them! One day, it'll be your job to protect me, your bro Shindai!"
Naruto thumped his chest confidently, "No prob! Leave my bro Shindai's protection to me!"
"You're such a good kid. Well then, let's wait. Not sure whether it'll actually happen or not…"
Deep down, Shindai wasn't really sure either—after all, he couldn't guarantee whether Kumogakure would dare provoke Konoha at this time.
But ninja from Kumogakure were mostly hotheads. Who could predict what they might do?
It was a pitch-black night with a howling wind.
Inside the inn, the Kumogakure ninja had already armed themselves fully, dressed head to toe in heavy gear.
The leader among the Kumo ninja gave the order, "Our target is the daughter of the Hyuga clan leader. Once we succeed, get out of Konoha fast and hook up with our comrades waiting outside the village!"
"Yes sir!"
The Cloud ninja silently left the inn and headed toward the Hyuga clan compound.
Meanwhile, Shindai and Naruto were killing time by playing jan-ken. Whoever lost got their forehead flicked by the winner.
Although Shindai lost more often, Naruto's forehead turned bright red while Shindai looked totally fine.
Can't help it—Shindai just had way more power behind his flicks.
"No way am I doing this anymore! Shindai-bro, you're so unfair! I won way more times, and my forehead still hurts like crazy!"
Rubbing his reddened forehead, Naruto complained to Shindai unhappily.
Shindai grinned smugly, "That's just the power gap. Since you're weaker, even when you win, your flicks don't hurt me at all. But if I win even once, you're toast!"
"Hey! Shindai-bro, there's some beeping sound coming from you!"
Shindai heard it too. He took out a small screen from his ninja gear pouch—the red dot on its display was moving.
"Heh, so they finally made their move! Naruto, here! This'll be your moment to shine!"
Shindai handed an arm guard to Naruto.
Putting on the arm guard, Naruto worriedly asked, "But... Can I beat them?"
Shindai gave Naruto's shoulder a light pat, "Don't flatter yourself, kid. Of course you can't win! Even with this arm guard, you've got zero chance. Put it this way—you won't even get to throw a punch."
Naruto's expression soured. "So am I just going there to get beaten up?"
Shindai reassured him, "But I'll be right there with you! Your Aniki will secretly help you out. Act however you like!"
Naruto looked at Shindai suspiciously. "Is that so? But whenever you make Mom angry, you always run off and leave me behind!"
"That was just playacting with you," Shindai snapped. "How could I possibly abandon you in a situation like this?! Do you even want me to live?!"
"Really?"
Naruto kept giving him a very skeptical look, and a vein throbbed angrily on Shindai's forehead.
Just then, the beeping sound became slightly louder. Shindai looked toward the screen and noticed Hinata had already been taken away from the Hyuga clan compound and was now very close to them.
Shindai observed the direction of the red dot and spotted three Cloud Ninja wearing black cloth wrapped around their heads, their faces only revealing their eyes.
"They've shown up. It's your turn to go onstage, Naruto!"
Shindai grabbed Naruto and hurled him forward.
Naruto rolled across the ground twice before staggering back to his feet.
Angrily, Naruto loudly exclaimed, "Why'd you throw me out like that? I could've walked over myself..."
His voice gradually weakened as he noticed the three Cloud Ninja glaring at him maliciously.
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