Chapter 254 — I Like Hinata
Konan carried away the bodies of Nagato and Yahiko.
"Uncle…" Naruto murmured as he looked at the scene before him, unsure of what to say. In the end, he hadn't been able to save everything.
"Naruto, believe in yourself. There are far too many people in this world who need help. It's impossible to save them all alone. But if there is something you've witnessed with your own eyes… then act according to your heart," Yusuke said.
"Don't think too highly of yourself. You're just one person, and the number you can save is limited. So don't carry everything inside your heart," Yusuke continued.
Naruto nodded quietly. His eyes regained their light.
"Alright. Since the shinobi who died have already been revived… I'll help you one more time, free of charge."
Yusuke smiled faintly, and then his body began to shift. In the next moment, he had transformed into Naruto.
"Uncle?"
"Sensei, you…?"
Both Toneri and Naruto were confused.
"This village is the place your father protected with his life. But the villagers treated you like that. As your uncle, of course I must demand justice for you," Yusuke said.
Seeing someone with his exact appearance made Naruto feel oddly strange.
"Thank you, Uncle," Naruto said softly.
He didn't know what Hatake Yusuke intended to do, but he knew one thing clearly:
Uncle Yusuke was one of the very few in Konoha who truly cared for him.
"No need to thank me. After all, your father is one of the few people I recognize as a true friend," Yusuke said before his body vanished.
"Was that Naruto?" Shizune asked as she looked up at the floating figure.
"No. This aura… that expression… that isn't Naruto," Tsunade said, narrowing her eyes.
Only one person possessed such an overwhelming aura.
"Time Reversal."
Behind the "Naruto" appeared a faint, ancient sundial. Its hands spun backward.
Moments later, the flattened ruins of Konoha restored themselves. Homes that were destroyed returned instantly to their original condition.
(Reversing the time of non-living objects required little energy. But reversing time to revive humans was different—it required Yusuke's own chakra to fill the gap. Even Hatake Yusuke could not ignore the law of energy conservation.)
"I am Uzumaki Naruto—the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki you all despise," "Naruto" said, his gaze sweeping across the shocked villagers.
"I don't need your gratitude. The reason I restored Konoha is because this place is my home. This village is where I grew up… and it is the village my father, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, protected with his life. Because of that, I will protect it too."
He didn't shout, yet everyone heard him with perfect clarity.
"I know you hate me. But remember my name—Uzumaki Naruto—because I will become Hokage!" "Naruto" declared firmly.
Hearing that, the villagers who once scorned Naruto lowered their heads in guilt.
Meanwhile, the real Naruto heard everything, and tears streamed down his face.
All the pain he had endured swelled inside his chest.
"Uncle Yusuke… I will become Hokage. I'll surpass all the Hokage before me," Naruto whispered.
By the time he said that, the disguised Yusuke had already disappeared.
"Impressive… I didn't expect our Hatake Yusuke-sama to be such a good actor," Tsunade muttered as the real Yusuke stepped out from behind her.
Even though she couldn't find a flaw in his transformation, the overwhelming aura gave him away. No one else in this world carried such condescending calmness—an absolute belief that he was invincible.
"Hahaha, you noticed? Well, if it's you, Tsunade, I'm not surprised," Yusuke said.
"Stop joking," Tsunade glared.
"That was the debt they owed Naruto… and to Minato-nii and Kushina-nee as well," Yusuke said with a faint smile.
"Then why revive them?" Tsunade frowned. She knew reviving the dead would cost enormous energy.
"I didn't revive them. That was Nagato," Yusuke replied.
"The Rinnegan… truly an incredible ocular power," Tsunade said in awe.
"Well then, dear Hokage, it's your turn. The village just experienced a major attack. As Hokage, you need to reassure everyone," Yusuke reminded.
"Yes, I know." Tsunade shot him a brief look.
Later, Tsunade told the entire village that Naruto was their hero.
Naruto was finally acknowledged by everyone—some even knelt to apologize.
Naruto didn't hold a grudge; instead, he felt deeply happy.
That night, many people gathered at Hatake Yusuke's home.
Naruto, Sakura, Sai, the Hatake family.
Toneri, Hinata, and their companions were there as well.
"Alright, dinner is ready," Hatake Sakumo announced as he placed the final dish on the table. With Tsunade present, Kiba and the others seemed unusually tense.
"I can't believe something this big happened while I was away," Kakashi said, clearly displeased. Shizune almost died—his anger was understandable.
"Oh, stop sulking. Even if you were here, I wouldn't have let you interfere," Yusuke said.
Kakashi's droopy, dead-fish eyes shifted sideways in disbelief.
"I feel like Nii-san planned all of this from the beginning…" Kakashi muttered.
He didn't mean anything by it, but Tsunade—who knew Yusuke could glimpse the future—caught the implication immediately.
"Hahaha, I'm not that impressive," Yusuke said, wearing his completely unchanged, expressionless face.
Seeing that expression, Tsunade became certain he did know everything.
She glared daggers at him while Yusuke looked away innocently.
"Alright, let's eat," Yusuke said.
"Oh right, Naruto. How do you feel about Hinata?" he asked suddenly.
"Pfftt!"
Naruto, who had been eating with gusto, spit food all over Kakashi's face.
"Well… Hinata is a gentle and kind girl," Naruto said honestly, still flustered.
"Oh? Naruto, Hinata has already confessed to you, you know?" Yusuke said.
Hinata instantly turned as red as a tomato and shrank like a frightened ostrich.
Only then did Naruto remember—she had confessed during the battle.
But the girl he liked was… Sakura?
No… suddenly Naruto felt uncertain.
"Naruto, look inside your heart. Look at me. Answer my question," Yusuke said.
"I-I… I don't know…"
Naruto was utterly clueless about matters of love.
"Naruto, between Sakura and Hinata… with whom do you want to spend the rest of your life?" Yusuke asked.
"Saku—"
Naruto began to say Sakura's name, but the words stopped.
In his mind… he saw Hinata's face.
"Then let me ask again. When you feel happy, who is the first person you want to share that happiness with?" Yusuke asked gently.
"H-Hinata…"
"One more question. When you feel sad, who is the first person you want to talk to?" Yusuke asked.
"H-Hinata…"
This time, Naruto answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Then tell me. Who is the person you actually like?" Yusuke asked.
"Hinata. I like Hinata. The one I've truly liked… has been Hinata all along!" Naruto declared loudly.
To state it honestly—
That was his ninja way.
"Naruto-kun…"
Hinata looked at him.
Her embarrassment had vanished—
Now her face overflowed with tears that fell endlessly.
She had finally heard the words she had waited for over a decade.
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