Chapter 7: SnowmanAfter finishing the steaming hot ramen, fine beads of sweat broke out on the tips of the five children's noses.Choji patted his stomach with satisfaction: "Delicious!""Right?" Naruto smiled and looked at Hinata, "What do you think, Hinata?""It... it was very delicious..." Hinata said softly, her fingers still twisting the hem of her clothes, "Th-thank you, Naruto-kun..."Ino put down her chopsticks, her eyes scanning between the two, and suddenly spoke up: "Where are we going to play next?""Play?" Shikamaru yawned, "I want to go home and sleep.""No way!" Ino put her hands on her hips, "It wasn't easy for everyone to get together, let's go play in the snow in the forest!"Choji's eyes lit up: "Good idea!"Hinata looked timidly at Naruto, her eyes filled with expectation.Naruto looked at the four pairs of eyes—Ino's bright ones, Hinata's shy ones, Choji's simple ones, and Shikamaru's dead fish eyes—and laughed."Alright then." He stood up, "Let's go to the forest next to the Training Ground; the snow there shouldn't have been stepped on yet."Five minutes later, in the woodlands on the outskirts of Konoha.The snow here was very thick, deep enough to reach one's calves with a single step. Sunlight spilled through the bare branches, casting fragmented spots of light on the snow."Wow—" Choji was the first to rush into the snow, his chubby figure leaving a trail of deep footprints.Shikamaru followed slowly behind with his hands in his pockets, his face written with the words "what a drag."Ino deliberately quickened her pace by two steps and leaned in toward Naruto: "Naruto, do you know how to build a snowman?""Yeah." Naruto bent down to grab a handful of snow and squeezed it in his hands, "It's very simple."Hinata stood on Naruto's other side and said softly: "I... I've tried too... but I can never build them well...""Then I'll teach you." Naruto turned to her naturally.Ino: "..."The corners of her mouth twitched slightly.Naruto squatted down and began to roll a snowball. His movements were very skillful, and he quickly rolled a round snowball up to knee height."Hinata, come help.""O-okay!"Hinata trotted over and squatted beside Naruto, imitating him by adding snow to the snowball. Their hands occasionally touched, and Hinatawould pull back as if she had received an electric shock, her face turning so red it looked like it could bleed.Ino stood to the side watching, and the more she watched, the more unpleasant it felt.She grit her teeth, squatted down, and began rolling a snowball herself, deliberately making her movements very large, causing snow fragments to fly everywhere.Shikamaru leaned against a tree trunk, watching this scene, and sighed in his heart.This Shura Field... is it starting at age five?"Eh?" Choji leaned in, "Naruto, why does your snowman have hair?""Because I want to build a snowman with long hair." Naruto said with a smile, his hands not stopping.His fingertips were very nimble, and in a few strokes, he outlined the lines of waist-length hair, even pinching out a slight curl at the ends.Ino stared at that snowman, then looked at Hinata—that girl currently had shoulder-length short hair, but looking at this snowman's hairstyle..."I think the way Hinata looks with long hair," Naruto said softly, his voice as light as falling snowflakes, "will definitely be very gentle."Hinata's entire body froze.She stared blankly at the snowman, then blankly at Naruto; her lips moved, but she couldn't make any sound.The blush on her cheeks quickly spread to her ears and neck, and even her hands holding the snow began to tremble slightly."Na-Naruto-kun... he..."She murmured softly, her eyes clouding over with a layer of mist, her whole being feeling dizzy; her legs went weak, and she almost sat down in the snow.Naruto caught her shoulder just in time."Careful."His voice was very soft, carrying a hint of a smile.Ino: "..."She bit her lower lip, stared at the snowman, then at Naruto, and finally turned her face away: "Hmph.""What kind would Ino like?" Naruto looked up at her, his smile still gentle."I want long hair too!" Ino said immediately, "And it has to be curly! Like my mom's!""Okay."Naruto began building a second snowman.His movements were still so composed, his slender fingers moving flexibly in the snow, and soon he sculpted another snowman head with a curly hair outline.Ino stared at it for a while.Even though she got what she wanted, she felt even unhappier in her heart.Because when Naruto built the snowman for Hinata, he thought of it himself, but for her, it was because she requested it.It wasn't the same.She knew her thoughts were a bit unreasonable—they were all friends, and Naruto was good to everyone. But...A five-year-old girl's possessiveness is sometimes just that irrational."What about me, what about me?" Choji ran over, "I want a fat snowman!""Sure." Naruto laughed, "I'll build you a big snowball."Shikamaru sat on a tree stump not far away, arms crossed, watching this scene with his dead fish eyes.Tsk.What a drag.Shikamaru stared at the blonde boy's profile.The smile was innocent, the eyes were clear, and the movements were so natural it seemed like he really was just a five-year-old child playing in the snow with friends.But Shikamaru just felt that this guy knew exactly what he was doing."Truly a monster..." Shikamaru muttered softly.The snowmen were finished.Five snowmen stood in a row—a gentle Hinataversion with long hair, a lively Ino version with curly hair, a round Choji version, a lazily slumped Shikamaru version, and a small blonde Narutoversion."It actually looks like me." Shikamaru glanced at his own snowman, the corner of his mouth twitching.That snowman was indeed in a slumped sitting posture, its dead fish eyes replaced by two small pebbles, looking remarkably lifelike.Choji had already begun stuffing nuts he found in the woods into his snowman's mouth.Ino stood before her snowman, reaching out to touch the outline of the curly hair, then secretly looked at Hinata's snowman.Then she discovered—Hinata's snowman was the first one Naruto built.And the outlines were refined with the most detail."..."Ino turned her face away and kicked the snow on the ground.They played until the sun began to set, leaving the snow covered in footprints and seven or eight snowmen of various shapes.Choji pulled the last bag of potato chips from his backpack and shared them with everyone."Time to head back." Shikamaru looked at the sky, "Any later and our families will get worried.""Yeah." Naruto nodded, then naturally took Hinata's hand, "I'll walk Hinata home."Hinata's body froze again.But this time she didn't faint; she just lowered her head and followed Naruto with small steps.Ino looked at their joined hands and pouted.Shikamaru sighed and stood up: "Then should we split up too?""Yeah." Naruto looked back and smiled, "See you tomorrow.""See you tomorrow!" Choji waved.Ino didn't speak.She watched Naruto's back as he led Hinata out of the forest, standing there for a long while before murmuring softly: "...See you tomorrow."The road to the Hyuga Estate was very quiet; the snow had been cleared to the sides, revealing the bluestone pavement, and the Honeysuckle by the roadside had small flowers, showing bits of pale yellow amidst the snow.Hinata's hand was very cold.Naruto gripped it a bit tighter, slowly warming it with the temperature of his palm.After walking for about five minutes, Hinatasuddenly spoke in a low voice."Naruto-kun...""Hmm?""Do you... prefer lively girls... like Ino?"Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, and after she finished, she buried her head even lower, like an ostrich wanting to hide its head in the sand.Naruto didn't stop walking.He thought about it and answered honestly: "Ino is very cute; her smile is like sunlight."Hinata's shoulders slumped."But," Naruto paused, his voice becoming even softer, "Hinata is Hinata."Hinata looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears."The way you're shy is very cute, the way you try so hard to speak but can't is also very cute, even the way you blush when we're holding hands like this..." Naruto reached out and gently rubbed her hair.He paused, his voice softening."It's one of a kind."Hinata's breath hitched for a beat, and her face turned red at a visible speed, burning from her cheeks all the way to her neck, her head almost emitting steam."I'm serious." Naruto smiled, his tone half-joking and half-serious, "And also, does Hinata know?""Kn-know what?""I'm going to revive the Uzumaki Clan in the future."Naruto suddenly stopped, turned, and looked at her seriously, "If I really have to choose, I might choose 'all of them'.""Eh?""To revive the Uzumaki Clan." Naruto smiled, a smile that carried a child-like innocence yet revealed a certain self-righteous 'noble cause', "For the prosperity of the clan, the more cute girls there are, the better, of course."Coming from the mouth of a five-year-old child, these words should have seemed absurd.But when Naruto said it, his eyes were clear and his tone was serious, as natural as saying "the weather is nice today."Hinata's brain crashed again.She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she had no idea how to respond.This kind of self-righteous declaration that was almost like "I want a harem"...But...Deep in her heart, a strange emotion was quietly growing.Naruto-kun said "Hinata is Hinata."He acknowledged her uniqueness.And...And he was still holding her hand; the warmth from his fingertips was so real it made her heart skip a beat.Hinata opened her mouth, wanting to say "No," wanting to say "This isn't right," wanting to say "You can't do that."But in the end, she just blushed and murmured a small sentence."Th-that's too greedy..."There was no anger in her tone.Only shyness.Naruto smiled.He knew that for a girl with Hinata's personality, a direct, open, and even somewhat domineering declaration was more impactful than vague ambiguity.Before long, the gates of the Hyuga Estateappeared in their sight.A typical Japanese-style building with white walls and black tiles; a wooden plaque with the word "Hyuga" hung on the porch, and stone lanterns stood on both sides. Snow fell on the roof, making the entire estate look even more solemn and majestic.The heavy wooden door was tightly closed, with the Hyuga Clan crest hanging on the eaves, glinting coldly in the twilight. The area around the estate was very quiet, without even the sound of birds.Hinata's pace slowed down.She let go of Naruto's hand and said softly: "Um... sending me here... is enough..."Before she could finish, Naruto had already taken her hand again.He held it even tighter."If you're going to do a favor, you might as well see it through to the end." He said with a smile, pulling Hinata forward."W-wait..."Hinata panicked.She could imagine her father's expression seeing her being brought back while holding someone's hand.But Naruto was stronger than her.Or rather, she didn't use any strength to break free at all.The two of them walked right up to the main gate.And then—The door opened...A tall and upright figure stood inside.Long black hair was tied behind his head, his white kimono was spotless, and a Konoha Headbandwas tied around his forehead. Those pure white eyes held no emotion, only a cold scrutiny.
Chapter 8: Shocking the Father-in-law at First SightThe door opened.Hyuga Hiashi stood inside the doorway, his long black hair tied behind his head, his white kimono spotless. There was no emotion in those pure white eyes, only a cold scrutiny. When his gaze fell upon the little hand holding his daughter's, the temperature suddenly plummeted to freezing point.Hinata froze instantly.Her shoulders began to tremble slightly, and a blush crept from her ears all the way down to her neck. Her lips moved, but she couldn't make a sound. Her fingers instinctively tried to pull back, but Naruto held them even tighter.Naruto smiled.Instead of letting go, he took a step forward. He naturally released Hinata's hand, then put his arm around her shoulders, offering a smile so bright it was dazzling to the tall figure inside the doorway—"Father-in-law, good evening!"His voice was crisp, echoing through the quiet street.Hinata: "!!!"It was as if she had been struck by lightning; her eyes turned into swirls, her cheeks turned so red they looked like they could drip blood, and a visible puff of steam erupted from the top of her head—she had turned into a Steam Girl.Hiashi's lip twitched."Don't call me that."His voice was low, each word squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying obvious anger.Naruto tilted his head with an innocent expression, but a mischievous glint of a successful prank flashed in his eyes."Then... Dad?"When Hinata heard "Father-in-law," her face was already red down to her neck as she clutched the hem of her clothes tightly; when she heard "Dad," her whole body swayed, and her eyes rolled back—*Thud.*Hinata's vision went dark, and her body went limp as she slid down.Naruto caught her quickly—the little girl was as hot as a fresh-baked sweet potato. Her breathing was faint, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she had completely lost consciousness.Killing intent flared up in Hiashi's eyes.Veins throbbed on his forehead, his lips pressed into a cold, hard line, and his white kimono fluttered without any wind. Chakra fluctuations rippled around him like waves on water.The playful expression on Naruto's face vanished instantly as he gently handed the unconscious Hinata over."Hinata is a bit tired." His voice returned to the soft tone a five-year-old should have, his eyes clear. "Uncle Hiashi, I'll leave her to you."Hiashi took his daughter with a dark expression.His movements were a bit stiff, but his arms steadily supported Hinata's small body. He looked down at his dazed daughter in his arms, then looked up at Naruto. Complex emotions swirled in those Byakugan—vigilance, disgust, doubt, and a trace of... imperceptible scrutiny.Ultimately, he said nothing.He simply turned around with Hinata in his arms and slammed the door shut with a "bang."The sound was exceptionally piercing on the quiet street.Naruto stood there, looking at the closed Hyugagate, a slow curve forming on his lips."Geez, the old geezer's got quite a temper. As a clan head... he still needs practice."Inside the Sealing Space... it exploded..."Hahahahaha—"Nine tails thrashed wildly behind it as the giant fox's body doubled over with laughter. The water's surface splashed loudly, and the Nine-Tailed rolled around laughing—well, if it had ground to roll on."Brat! When it comes to tormenting people, I would call you the strongest!"Its laughter was deafening, its crimson vertical pupils filled with schadenfreude. "That Hyuga clan head's face was as black as the bottom of a pot! Hahaha—"Naruto sat cross-legged on the water, lazily picking his ear."Who do you think you are, the Dancing King of Konoha?" He rolled his eyes. "Calling me the strongest...""Dancing King of Konoha?"The Nine-Tailed's laughter stopped abruptly.It tilted its massive fox head, a hint of confusion flashing in its crimson pupils, which then turned into vigilance: "Who is that? Why haven't I heard of him?"Naruto looked up at it, a meaningful curve touching his lips.The smile was faint, but it made the Nine-Tailed's tails tighten instantly."That person..." Naruto said softly, his voice echoing in the vast Sealing Space, "You're very familiar with him."The fur on the Nine-Tailed's body stood on end.After a few seconds, it let out a "hmpf" from its nose."Playing the mystic."He said that, but he didn't dare to ask further.That meaningful gaze... made the fox instinctively feel uneasy.Naruto smiled and didn't continue the topic.That night, in the apartment.Naruto lay on the bed, eyes closed, breathing evenly, his consciousness sinking into the Sealing Space.The water was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the endless darkness above. The Nine-Tailed was pretending to sleep nearby, but the tip of one tail was still twitching—clearly still pondering the "Dancing King of Konoha" matter.Naruto ignored it.He began to organize his current abilities.First was the basic knowledge of Sealing Jutsu. The basics were fine; all that was left was practice.Adamantine Sealing Chains and Kagura Shinganhad been initially developed, leaving only gradual practice.Of course, he could first learn the Shadow Clone, the signature Ninjutsu of the "Prince" in the original story. Then he could let his Shadow Clones practice Ninjutsu like the Rasengan on AFK mode. Although his cheap dad was proficient in Wind Release, the Ninjutsu he left covered various releases. Most were D-rank and C-rank, but for now, they were enough.As for the Flying Thunder God...Naruto opened his eyes and traced a simple Flying Thunder God formula in the air with his fingertip.The construction of the sealing formula, the precision of coordinate positioning, the timing of the teleportation, the control of Chakraconsumption... he recalled the key points of the Flying Thunder God in his mind.Naruto was lost in thought, then carved a Flying Thunder God mark on the sealing gate. He retreated about ten meters from the mark and closed his eyes to sense it.Minutes and seconds passed. In the distance, the Nine-Tailed, still obsessed with the "Dancing King of Konoha," stopped its twitching tail.It's been this long; did he fail?The Nine-Tailed thought to itself.Just then, Naruto opened his eyes and created a Shadow Clone.The Shadow Clone nodded to the original and formed a hand seal in front of its chest.*Swoosh.*The Shadow Clone appeared in front of the sealing gate."He succeeded?" The Nine-Tailed stood up in surprise."Sort of," Naruto rubbed his temples. "But for me right now, the mental pressure is too great... though it's perfect as a trump card.""You're a real monster," the Nine-Tailedsuppressed its shock and adjusted to a more comfortable position to lie down again. "Your father spent several years learning this, and that was only with the help of your mother's Sealing Jutsu.""Who wasn't a genius when they were little?" Naruto shrugged. "But Kurama, can everyone train in their consciousness like this?""Heh, brat," the Nine-Tailed scoffed. "This Sealing Space was originally constructed by the Eight Trigrams Seal and my Chakra; you merely provided a patch of land.""As you grow older, the continuous reinforcement of your consciousness space by your Chakra and mine makes it sturdy enough to withstand your tinkering. Now, even you cannot break this space.""...Then, what if it is broken? What would happen?""Idiot...""Uh..."I get it. If the person is gone, this Sealing Space is gone. But if the sealing or consciousness space is gone, the person might not be gone; they'd probably be... a vegetable?However, considering the battle where the original Naruto and the Nine-Tailed fought for Chakra, where Rasenshuriken and Tailed Beast Balls were flying everywhere and it was fine, just practicing Ninjutsu should be okay. Especially with that AFK training device...Well then..."Shadow Clone Technique!"*Poof!*Three identical Narutos appeared in front of him.Their movements and expressions were identical. They looked at each other and grinned simultaneously.
Chapter 9: The Parents' Tacit Agreement to "Encircle and Suppress"The early morning light spilled in through the small window. Naruto opened his eyes and let out a yawn.His first reaction was—there was a bunch of extra memories in his head.Scenes of his three Shadow Clones messing around in the Sealing Space flooded in like a fast-forwarded video: gathering Chakra at the soles of their feet, stepping onto the sealing gate, falling after three steps up, getting back up, adjusting the Chakra output, and exchanging tips like "Too much Chakra at the soles this time" and "Your right foot wasn't steady just now"...After dozens of practices and mutual summaries, they finally dispelled with a "Poof.""Mm..."Naruto stretched. He felt a bit tired, but it was nowhere near the expected level of "Chakraexhaustion."He looked down at his small hands.Infinite Chakra is truly amazing... This bug-level cheat of having Shadow Clones train while AFK would have drained anyone else dry long ago.After a simple breakfast of two slices of bread, Naruto headed out toward the forest.Konoha was very quiet in the early morning. There were only a few villagers on the road, and their eyes shifted away with complex expressions when they saw him. Naruto didn't care; he hummed a tuneless little song and walked with a light step.Finding the woodland near where they built the snowman yesterday, Naruto picked the thickest tree.He looked up at the treetop—it was about twenty meters high, its branches and leaves swaying slightly in the morning breeze."Let's begin."Naruto formed a hand seal in front of his chest, took a deep breath, and began to gather Chakra at the soles of his feet.Just as the Chakra gathered at his soles—A hidden sense of being watched came over him.Here it comes.The corner of Naruto's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly before returning to normal. Pretending to be completely unaware, he clumsily stepped onto the tree trunk, intentionally letting his Chakra output fluctuate."Whoops!"He had just climbed about 1.2 meters—Narutocalculated internally; yes, a safe height, at most his butt would hurt if he fell—when the Chakra at his soles suddenly dispersed with a "pfft."Thud!Naruto fell flat on his back in the snow, kicking up a cloud of snow dust. He lay there blinking his eyes with a wronged expression, his small mouth pouting as if he were about to cry.Then he climbed back up, patted the snow off his clothes, and continued.Inside the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tailed rolled its eyes.This acting was way too over-the-top.In the Hokage Office.The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held his pipe in his mouth, his eyes fixed on the images in the crystal ball."This child..."He sighed, smoke rings slowly drifting from his mouth. "His talent for Chakra control is indeed mediocre."After watching for a few more minutes, the Third Hokage shook his head and waved his hand to dismiss the crystal ball's image.He tapped his pipe gently against the edge of the ashtray."Let's observe for a while longer..."He muttered to himself, turning toward his desk. New files had already piled up—Anbu reports, border outpost intelligence, the recent movements of the various clans...Naruto "struggled" under the tree for over ten minutes. His small face was smudged with dirt and his blonde hair was messy, making him look both pitiful and cute. Every time he fell, he controlled the height to stay within a safe range, his movements exaggerated like a real five-year-old making a clumsy attempt.Until that sense of being watched completely vanished."Finally gone."Naruto patted the dirt off himself. He formed the hand seal again, and this time, the Chakra at his soles adhered precisely to the tree trunk, neither too much nor too little.Rustle—His figure ascended lightly, his movements as fluid as a squirrel. In less than ten seconds, he was standing steadily on a branch over ten meters above the ground.Well, he couldn't go any higher, or he'd be spotted by other Ninja.Naruto sat down on a nearby branch, resting his chin in his hand as he thought."Tsk."Yesterday, he had called Hiashi "Father-in-law" to his face and even teased his daughter until she fainted... Hinata was likely grounded by now, probably hiding in her room crying, her little fingers poking each other again.Naruto walked down from the tree, patted his hands, and headed toward the Village....He had to go see her.At the same time, at the Hyuga Clan's training ground.Hinata was wearing a loose white training uniform, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She stood before Hiashi, her small hands moving slowly along the trajectory her father had demonstrated, a faint flow of Chakra at her fingertips."The foundation of the Gentle Fist is precision."Hiashi's voice was as cold and hard as stone. "Chakra must be struck into the opponent's pressure points with absolute accuracy. A fraction more is a waste; a fraction less is ineffective.""Ye-Yes..."Hinata responded softly, but her movements were somewhat stiff due to nervousness.Hiashi looked at her, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.Hinata's talent... was indeed somewhat mediocre. But what annoyed him even more was that blonde brat from yesterday."From today on," Hiashi suddenly spoke, his voice deepening, "you are not allowed to go and play with that child named Naruto again."Hinata's movements instantly froze.She lowered her head, her index fingers gently poking each other, her lips pressed tightly together. Her eyes felt warm, but she didn't dare cry—how could the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Main House shed tears over such a trivial matter?"...Why?"Her voice was so small it was almost inaudible.Seeing her wronged appearance, a flash of complexity crossed the depths of Hiashi's eyes.Of course, he wouldn't say, "Because that kid is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki," "Because the higher-ups' attitude is ambiguous," or "Because you... are too easy to fool."Those words were too heavy for a five-year-old child.Hiashi looked away, his tone returning to its icy state. "The clan is more important than personal feelings. This is your responsibility as a member of the Main House."Hinata's shoulders trembled slightly, but she didn't speak again.On the other side, in the Yamanaka family's living room.Ino sat cross-legged on the sofa, clutching a throw pillow, her small mouth pouting so much it could hold a jar."I don't believe it!" she said loudly. "Naruto isn't a bad kid!""Mom didn't say he was a bad kid either." Rino Yamanaka sat opposite her daughter with a gentle smile, holding a teacup. "Mom just said... that child is too clever."She set down her teacup and spoke softly."Think about it, Ino. Does an ordinary five-year-old child know how to talk like that? Does he know how to make girls that happy?"Ino dazed for a moment."He... he's just very gentle...""Gentleness is a good thing." Rino reached out and ruffled her daughter's hair. "But if gentleness is too precise, too perfect... then you need to be a bit more careful."She paused, her tone carrying a guiding intent."Someone who truly likes you won't make you sad, won't make you jealous, and won't make you... compete with other girls."Ino lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously picking at the fabric of the pillow.She thought back to that curly-haired snowman in the snow yesterday—she was the one who asked for it; Naruto hadn't thought of it himself.Then she thought of the first snowman Naruto had built, the long-haired one he had put the most effort into.That sour feeling surged up again."So," Rino Yamanaka's voice pulled her back to reality, "don't go looking for Naruto to play for a while. If he likes you too, he'll come looking for you."Ino didn't speak, only giving a muffled "Mm."Rino Yamanaka smiled with satisfaction.She stood up, walked over to her daughter, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Be good. Today, Mom will teach you flower arrangement, okay?""...Okay."Meanwhile, Naruto, who was walking toward the Hyuga Clan compound, had no idea that the parents of the two families had already begun a tacit "encirclement and suppression" operation.Before long, Naruto arrived at the main gate of the Hyuga residence and stepped forward to knock.The door opened, and two Hyuga Ninja with headbands on their foreheads appeared before him."Branch House?" Naruto thought to himself.He looked up at them. "I'm here to see Hinata."The two Branch House Hyuga Ninja looked down at him, their eyes filled with obvious disdain. "The Eldest Miss is not seeing guests. Please leave.""I am the Clan Head of the Uzumaki Clan," Narutopuffed out his little chest, his expression serious. "I have come to pay a visit to the Hyuga Clan Head."The air was silent for two seconds."Pfft."One of the Hyuga Branch House Ninja couldn't help but let out a laugh, then quickly stifled it, his face turning a bit red from the effort.The other one coughed, the mockery in his tone undisguised. "Kid, this isn't a place for you to play house."Naruto blinked.The next second, the serious expression on his face instantly switched to an innocent smile, his eyes curving into crescents and his voice as sweet as candy:"But I'm the Uzumaki Clan Head personally recognized by Grandpa Third!"The guards' smiles froze."Do you guys have a problem with Grandpa Third?" Naruto tilted his head, his expression so innocent it made one's teeth itch. "How about I take you to the Hokage Building right now and ask Grandpa Third in person?"He reached out his small hand, making a move to grab the sleeves of the two Hyuga Branch House Ninja."I'll just say the uncles from the Hyuga family don't believe what Grandpa Third said...""Wait, wait!"The faces of the two men changed instantly. They exchanged a look—One of them gritted his teeth. "You wait here."He turned around and walked quickly inside.Naruto stood there with his hands behind his back, looking up at the solemn lintel of the Hyuga house, a faint smirk playing on his lips.As expected... playing this card... feels great!Stopped🔊 Browser
Chapter 10: Testing and Secret TalksHyuga Hiashi walked toward the Hokage Buildingwith a solemn expression.The hem of his white kimono swayed gently with his steps. His pure white eyes showed no emotion, but his mouth was set in a tight line—whenever he thought of that blonde brat waltzing into his study this morning, he felt the veins on his forehead throb again.When he pushed open the door to the Hokage Office, a familiar scent of smoke wafted over. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind the large desk, holding a document, and looked up at the sound.The Third put down his pipe and looked up from the pile of documents with his usual amiable smile: "Hiashi, what brings you here today?""It's about Uzumaki Naruto," Hiashi said, getting straight to the point. "The boy came to visit me this morning as the 'Clan Head of the Uzumaki Clan'."Pausing, he carefully observed the Third's expression.The Third merely raised an eyebrow, his smile unchanged: "Oh? Just a child playing around.""It's more than just playing around," Hiashi's tone grew heavy. "He is clearly pestering Hinata, and...""That child can use the Adamantine Sealing Chains."The air in the office went still for a moment.The Third's expression didn't change, but his movement of holding the pipe stopped. A few bird chirps came from outside the window, and the distant sounds of Ninjas practicing Ninjutsu on the Training Grounds could be heard.A few seconds later, the Third laughed."I personally guided him to master that.""After all, he is the orphan of the Uzumaki Clan. There are some things he should know."Hiashi's fingers tightened slightly on his knees—if not for the sleeves hiding them, his knuckles would have turned white.His facial expression remained motionless, but he scoffed in his heart.It's one thing to boast in the Ninja Academy, but did he really think of himself as the strongest Hokage in history? Guiding a five-year-old to use the Adamantine Sealing Chains? Such nonsense would only fool Ninjas without a heritage.But he didn't let any of it show on his face.The Hyuga Clan had always been insular, and news of high-level trends always reached them half a beat slower than others—this was likely the price of being a "pure-blooded noble family"; they had the prestige, but their eyes and ears were dulled.The Third seemed to see through his thoughts and added with a smile: "He's just a child; having a playmate is a good thing. For Konoha, it's also a good thing for Naruto to have something to care about..."Hiashi understood the subtext: once Naruto had people he cared about, he would fight to protect them in the future and treat Konoha as his home."I understand," he said.The Third nodded in satisfaction, put the pipe back to his mouth for a puff, and suddenly changed the subject: "Speaking of which... I have always remembered the matter regarding Hizashi."Hiashi's fingers tightened slightly within his sleeves."Hizashi sacrificed himself for peace," the Third's voice lowered, filled with just the right amount of sentiment. "Everyone in Konoha will remember his contribution."Hiashi was silent for two seconds, then stood up and bowed solemnly to the Third."The Hyuga Clan," he said in a solemn voice, "will always be loyal to Konoha and will always remain united around Hokage-sama."The smile on the Third's face deepened."Good, good."After a few more pleasantries, Hiashi stood up to take his leave.As he pushed open the door, the Third whispered behind him, as if talking to himself."If only the Uchiha could be as sensible..."Hiashi didn't stop his pace; he nodded with his back to the office and then gently closed the door.The light in the hallway was a bit dim.He walked down the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the empty building. As he stepped out of the Hokage Building, the afternoon sunlight made him squint.Hiashi turned around and looked up at the building.Under the sunlight, the Hokage Building was solemn and majestic, but the deep red paint on the outer walls was already somewhat peeling, with small cracks spreading in the corners—much like this Village, glamorous on the surface but long since rotten within.He withdrew his gaze and walked toward the Clan Compound expressionlessly.Time jumped back to the morning.Hiashi sat in his study, a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of him, steam rising in curls."Hinata needs to begin her Chakra cultivation and Gentle Fist training."He had been sitting behind the desk then, looking at the five-year-old brat standing before him, his tone carrying the seriousness a clan head should have. "She will inherit the Main House in the future and has no time to waste on pointless play."Naruto looked up with his small face, his expression innocent, but the words he spoke were like knives:"Train my ass."The vein on Hiashi's forehead throbbed at that moment."The Uchiha and Senju produced Senju Hashiramaand Uchiha Madara," Naruto said, counting on his fingers, his voice childish, but his words pierced right to the heart."Did any powerful figure appear in the Hyugaduring that era? Has the Hyuga produced any geniuses since the founding of Konoha?""You—!"Hiashi stood up abruptly, killing intent almost materializing in his pure white eyes, and the air in the study suddenly tightened.Then Naruto smiled and stood up from the futon.In the next second, several strands of golden Chakra chains emerged from his abdomen, like little snakes with lives of their own, coiling around his fingertips and emitting a faint light.Adamantine Sealing Chains."Guess who taught me this?" Naruto tilted his head, his eyes curving into crescents. "And guess what else I know? Rasengan? Flying Thunder God?"Hiashi froze in place.He looked at those golden chains—the top secret technique of the Uzumaki Clan, something capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts...His anger was instantly extinguished, replaced by... calculation.Hiashi's gaze fell on Naruto's face.Blonde hair, blue eyes, a silhouette identical to the Fourth Hokage.Mastering the Adamantine Sealing Chainscompletely eliminated the risk of the Nine-Tailedgoing on a rampage. If he also mastered the Flying Thunder God... wouldn't he be the perfect fusion of the Fourth Hokage and his wife?Then the position of the Sixth or Seventh Hokagein the future would be a sure thing for this kid.Hiashi's breathing slowed down."The Hyuga don't need to do anything," Naruto's voice pulled him back to reality. The smile on the boy's face faded slightly, revealing a rare seriousness. "No need to pick a side, no need to make a statement, just wait quietly...""Wait for what?""Wait for me to grow up.""Before that, you can do one thing," he added. "Report the fact that I've mastered the Adamantine Sealing Chains to Hokage-sama."Hiashi didn't speak.He understood; this was a "statement"—handing over the intelligence to the Hokage voluntarily showed that the Hyuga Clan had no intention of hiding it, nor any intention of using this information for their own ends.Trust is a two-way street. The Hokage needed to know that the Hyuga "had no ulterior motives," and the Hyuga also needed to prove they were "trustworthy.""After that, you can let Hinata come play with me more," Naruto smiled innocently. "I'll also visit often."Hiashi looked into his eyes."I see."Hiashi finally said plainly.He didn't agree, nor did he refuse. After all, in the end, this was pushing his own daughter forward as a bargaining chip; any father would feel a bit of a knot in his heart.But he let the maid take Naruto to the Training Ground to see Hinata, whose eyes were red with grievance.
Chapter 11: An "Anti-Encirclement" Campaign Against the Parents?The maid left in a hurry as soon as she brought Naruto to the entrance, leaving him standing there alone.The Hyuga Clan's training ground was very quiet. Sunlight spilled onto the white stone-paved ground, and a bamboo water fountain in the distance made a crisp "thump" sound—followed by Hinata's small figure.Hinata was wearing a white training outfit, standing there with her head bowed, her eyes red. Her small hands were clutching the hem of her clothes, her knuckles slightly white."Hinata."The voice came from behind her, soft and smiling.Hinata turned around abruptly—Naruto was running towards her, his short golden hair shimmering in the sunlight, his blue eyes curved like crescent moons.The next second, she felt her shoulders being gently hugged."Don't be sad," Naruto's voice sounded right next to Hinata's ear, smiling, warm and gentle, "I've already talked it over with Father-in-law."Hinata froze for a moment.Her cheeks instantly flushed hot. She secretly looked up at Naruto—those blue eyes were full of gentle smiles, with no intention of joking at all."R-really...?""Of course it's true." Naruto let go, bent down to get closer to her, his eyes sparkling, "When have I ever lied to you?"Hinata's cheeks turned a bright pink. She lowered her head, her fingers starting to fidget against each other again, her voice as small as a mosquito's hum: "...Thank you, Naruto-kun."Yet, her body unconsciously leaned toward Naruto, like a little kitten that had finally found a warm corner; although she was incredibly shy, she instinctively wanted to get closer.At the edge of the training ground, Hiashi stood under the veranda watching this scene, his brow furrowing imperceptibly.In the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime.The Hyuga Clan's dining hall was spacious to the point of being empty, the floor polished so well it could reflect a person's image.At the far end was Hiashi's main seat, and Hinata's place was on the lower left side, with at least three meters between them—each person had a small red-lacquered wooden table in front of them, with the same dishes, but a distinct sense of distance."Tap, tap, tap."Naruto, with his short little legs, moved his table steadily next to Hinata's, amidst the astonished gazes of Hiashi and the maids, and then sat down with a fluid, practiced motion."This is what a family meal atmosphere should be like!"Naruto tilted his face up, his expression innocent, "Sitting so far away, it doesn't feel like a family at all."Hiashi's hand holding the teacup paused.He frowned slightly, looking at the two children sitting side-by-side—Hinata was so shy that the tips of her ears were red, but her small face clearly showed happiness that she couldn't hide.Hiashi eventually just gave a light cough and didn't say anything.This was probably the subtle mindset of an old father: he felt the kid was too unruly, but also inexplicably felt... his daughter did seem a bit happier.Naruto buried his head in his bowl, eating fast as if he had been starving for three days.Hinata, blushing, snuck a glance at Naruto—then at her father—and then cautiously picked up her chopsticks, eating in small bites, but the corners of her mouth quietly turned up.During the meal, Naruto called for "refill" four times.The maid went in and out with a tray, each time showing an expression of surprise when she saw Naruto's empty bowl. Hinata's appetite was actually quite a bit larger than other girls her age, but Naruto ate even faster and more than her."One more bowl!"When he called out for the fifth time, Hiashi finally couldn't help it: "You child...""Oh, I'm growing!" Naruto said, his mouth still stuffed with rice, mumbling vaguely, then suddenly turned to look at Hinata, "And Hinata is clearly the most talented in the Hyuga Clan, but she isn't eating enough. No matter how talented you are, if you're hungry, you can only be mediocre!"Hinata's little face turned bright red.She lowered her head to eat, but her heart was sweet—Naruto's appetite is the same as mine... We are the same kind of people.Hiashi didn't speak.He scanned between his daughter and that brat, his brow slightly furrowed. Is Hinata really a genius? Or is this kid intentionally...?"More rice!"Naruto held up his empty bowl, his voice crisp.The maid hurried over and filled it to the brim. Hinata also whispered, "I want some too...", the maid paused for a moment and looked at Hiashi.Hiashi nodded expressionlessly.After the meal, Naruto had eaten five bowls, and Hinata had eaten three. The two children sat side-by-side, eating with great gusto, their cheeks moving in sync; the scene was actually a bit... harmonious.When Hiashi put down his chopsticks, the slight prejudice in his heart was still there, but it had faded quite a bit.At least this kid knows how to look after Hinata.A few days later.The tantalizing aroma of grilled meat wafted from the Akimichi BBQ restaurant.Naruto pulled Hinata's small hand and pushed the door open to enter. The shop was very lively; several tables of Ninjas were eating meat in large bites, their laughter and chatter mixed with the "sizzling" sound of grilled meat."Excuse me," Naruto stood on tiptoes, leaning against the counter, "Choji—the one from the Akimichi family—do you know where he is?"The clerk looked down and smiled: "You mean Master Choji? He should be at the park with the boy from the Nara family right now.""Thank you, Big Sister!"Naruto smiled sweetly, turned around, and pulled Hinata outside.Konoha Park was not far from the BBQ restaurant. The afternoon sun shone down warmly, and the lawn was lush and green. Naruto saw two figures from a distance—one lying on a bench with his arm covering his face, and one sitting next to him eating potato chips with a "crunch, crunch" sound."Shikamaru! Choji!"Naruto waved and shouted.The one on the bench sat up lazily—it was indeed Shikamaru. He squinted toward them, his expression as troublesome as ever: "Ah... it's Naruto."Choji's eyes lit up, and he stood up holding his bag of potato chips: "Naruto! Hinata is here too?""Yeah!" Hinata responded softly, hiding a bit behind Naruto.Naruto briefly explained the idea of finding Ino to play, and Shikamaru sighed: "What a drag... but whatever, I don't have anything else to do anyway."Choji was quite enthusiastic: "I know where Ino's place is, let's go!"The four children—or to be precise, Naruto holding Hinata's hand, Shikamaru tagging along slowly behind, and Choji eating while walking—arrived at the entrance of the Yamanaka flower shop.The flower shop door was open, and a gentle female voice came from inside: "Ino, this bouquet should be arranged this way to look good..."Naruto poked his head inside: "Ino!"Ino, behind the counter, turned around abruptly. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Naruto, but then she saw Hinata following behind, and her little mouth pouted unconsciously."Naruto... and everyone?"Rino Yamanaka walked out from the back room, still holding a few flowers. Seeing the four children at the door, she was stunned for a moment, then revealed a gentle smile: "Oh my, are you all Ino's friends?"Naruto tilted his face up, his eyes curving like crescent moons, and said sweetly: "Hello, Big Sister! We came to find Ino to play!"Rino was taken aback by being called "Big Sister," then laughed out loud: "I am Ino's mother, you should call me Auntie.""But Big Sister is so young and pretty," Narutotilted his head, his expression incredibly sincere, "How could you be Ino's mom? You look just like Ino's older sister!"The corners of Rino's mouth curled up uncontrollably. She reached out to cover her mouth, her eyes and brows filled with smiles: "This child, he really knows how to talk."Outside the door, Shikamaru watched this scene, silently complaining to himself: This guy Naruto is too good at sweet-talking women...Meanwhile, by the window on the second floor of the flower shop, Inoichi Yamanaka was looking down with a dark face.He had been upstairs organizing documents just now and poked his head out when he heard the commotion—just in time to see his wife being sweet-talked by that blonde brat until she was beaming, and his daughter staring longingly at that kid...Inoichi felt a slight pain in his forehead.This kid is only five years old! He's like this at five, won't he be out of control by fifteen?!Downstairs, Rino had already agreed with a smile: "Go ahead, go ahead. Remember to be back before dinner.""Thank you, Big Sister!"Naruto responded with a grin and pulled Ino's hand—his left hand was still holding Hinata's... The five children happily headed to the park just like that.
Chapter 12: Lap Pillow and DeclarationIn the Konoha forest, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting patches of swaying light on the grass.Naruto was lying comfortably on Hinata's lap, his head sinking into a soft spot. His blonde hair spread across Hinata's white training outfit. Hinataleaned against a large tree, her small face as red as a ripe tomato. She looked down at Naruto lying on her lap, her fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of her light purple sleeve—Naruto-kun's hair is so soft, his breathing so light... Oh my, is this posture too intimate..."Don't be nervous."Naruto kept his eyes closed, but the corners of his mouth curled up. "No one's watching anyway."The tips of Hinata's ears turned even redder.The sounds of children playing came from the distance, likely local kids playing Ninja games. The spring breeze brushed through the woods, carrying the fresh scent of new leaves. A few tender green leaves fluttered down, landing on Naruto's forehead.Hinata instinctively reached out and gently removed the leaf.Only after finishing the action did she realize—she had actually touched Naruto's face so naturally. Her fingers pulled back as if burned, and her whole body felt like it was about to emit steam.Naruto clicked his tongue inwardly.This girl was still so easily embarrassed. But after a year, at least she dared to approach him proactively, which counted as progress."Hinata's lap pillow is the most comfortable," Naruto smiled with his eyes closed, his voice lazy. "It's much softer than the Third Grandpa's sofa.""As long as... as long as Naruto-kun likes it..." Hinata's voice was as quiet as a mosquito's hum, but her fingers continued to comb through his hair, and the corners of her mouth secretly curled up.A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the unique fresh scent of the forest, and the leaves rustled.Naruto took a deep breath.Hinata had a faint scent of soap on her, mixed with a bit of sweetness—probably the Red Bean Cakeshe ate this morning hadn't fully dissipated. Memories of the past year surfaced in his mind, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned upward.When the Ninja in charge of distributing living expenses handed over the money, his expression was a bit complicated—one hundred thousand Ryo per month was truly too much for a five-year-old child.Naruto squeezed the newly received money bag, stood in front of the Hokage Building looking up for a while, and then grinned.Half an hour later, an aroma ten times richer than usual wafted out of the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant."Sizzle—"Slices of meat with a mix of fat and lean happily sizzled on the iron plate. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat at the head of the table, his pipe set aside, looking at this "strange" combination before him with a slightly subtle expression.On the left was Choji, buried in his food, and on the right was Shikamaru, propping up his chin with a "what a drag" look on his face. Opposite sat Ino—the young girl had even specifically tied on a new hair ribbon today. Beside Ino was Hinata, who was taking small bites of the meat Naruto had placed in her bowl.As for Naruto himself, he was standing on his chair, tiptoeing to add more meat to the iron plate."Third Grandpa, eat more!" His voice was crisp as he deftly distributed the grilled meat onto everyone's plates. "Today is my treat!"The Third Hokage smiled, wrinkles bunching up at the corners of his eyes. "You child... suddenly so generous.""Because I have money now." Naruto sat down, his eyes curving into crescents. "And..."He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone at the table—Choji gave him a thumbs-up with bulging cheeks, Shikamaru sighed but had a smile at the corner of his mouth, Ino glared at him but didn't look away, and Hinata lowered her head to eat with a red face."I hate the feeling of being lonely the most."Naruto's voice was very soft when he said this, but everyone heard it.The Third Hokage's movement of picking up meat stopped for a moment."So?" The old man asked with a smile, his tone like he was teasing a child. "What do you want to do in the future?"The private room fell silent for a moment.Naruto's mouth was still stuffed with meat, his cheeks bulging. He swallowed, wiped his mouth, and then counted on his fingers, his eyes sparkling. "I like fragrant and soft girls, so I want to find several girlfriends! That way, everyone can always play together!"He paused and added, "And by the way... I can restore the Uzumaki Clan!""..."The private room was silent for a second.Everyone else was stunned too—the meat on Choji's chopsticks dropped back onto the plate with a "clatter," Shikamaru's eyes widened, Hinata's face turned completely red in an instant, and Ino...Ino stood up abruptly, her small face puffed up like a bun with anger. She reached over and pinched the soft flesh at Naruto's waist—"You, you big playboy!""Ow, ow, ow—!"Naruto grimaced and cried out, but his eyes were full of laughter.She reached out and pinched Naruto's waist."Ouch, ow, ow—" Naruto shrunk his neck to dodge, his expression aggrieved. "I'm being serious..."Hinata quickly reached out, gently rubbing the spot where Naruto was pinched, her voice soft. "Ino-chan, don't, don't do that... Naruto-kun will be in pain...""Hinata, you spoil him too much!" Ino let go huffily, sat back down with a thud, and crossed her arms, turning her face away.The Third Hokage watched this scene, the corners of his mouth slightly hooking up.He picked up his teacup and took a sip, his gaze sweeping across the three children—Narutogrimacing but with laughter in his eyes, Hinatarubbing his waist distressedly, and Ino turning away but still stealing glances with the corner of her eye.The slight, subtle wariness in the old man's heart melted away silently, like snow in the sun.Kids nowadays are really precocious—he sighed in his heart, but at the same time felt inexplicably relieved. At least this child had people he cared about and ties, and wouldn't go to extremes like certain clans.Naruto lay on Hinata's lap, the corners of his mouth curling even higher.After that BBQ gathering, the Yamanaka Familynever stopped Ino from playing with him again—though Ino's father always had a dark face whenever he saw him, he didn't say anything. As for Ino...Ino glared at him huffily at the time, but the next day she still ran over to play with him. It was just that every time she saw Hinata snuggling next to Naruto, her little mouth would unconsciously pout.But Hinata was too gentle.When Ino was angry, Hinata would hand her Red Bean Cakes; when Ino complained, Hinata would listen quietly and then whisper, "Naruto-kun is actually very good." One thing led to another...Now the two were already best friends who talked about everything.Thinking of this, Naruto gave a "heh" in his heart.A Gentle Knife—every cut is fatal, Hinata. This move of yours is more effective than any Ninjutsu."What is Naruto-kun thinking about?" Hinataasked softly."Thinking about how good Hinata is," Narutoopened his eyes, his blue eyes curving into crescents. "The best."Hinata's face turned red again, and her fingers gently twisted together.The sound of running footsteps came from the distance."Naruto—!"Tenten ran over from the other side of the woods, her hair in two buns, wearing a pink training outfit with fine beads of sweat on her forehead. She ran under the tree, panting with her hands on her hips. "I knew you were here!"Naruto sat up lazily, leaning against the tree trunk. "Tenten, why aren't you in school today?""It's the weekend, so we're off!" Tenten stood with her hands on her hips, only glaring at him after she caught her breath. "But you... bullying Hinata here again!""How am I bullying her?" Naruto looked innocent. "Hinata clearly volunteered to be my pillow."Hinata's face was already completely red, and she defended him softly, "It's... it's because I wanted to..."Tenten couldn't help but cover her face at the scene. "Naruto, you're really such a playboy! You already have Hinata and Ino, yet you're still hitting on girls everywhere every day!""I'm being framed." Naruto sat up, his blonde hair sliding off Hinata's lap. He brushed the grass clippings off himself, his smile bright. "I just want to give the beautiful girls of the Ninja World a warm home.""As for restoring the Uzumaki Clan," he blinked, "that's just a side benefit.""..."Tenten opened her mouth, for a moment not knowing how to respond.She held it in for a long while, finally blurting out with a red face, "You, you... you're too cunning!""Is that so?" Naruto tilted his head and suddenly leaned close to Tenten, his blue eyes flashing with a mischievous light. "Then does Tenten want to join too? Restore the Uzumaki Clan with me?""No way, no way!"Tenten instantly covered her face and backed away repeatedly, the tips of her ears turning red. "Naruto, you're too much of a playboy! I don't want to!"Naruto burst out laughing.Hinata watched from the side and couldn't help but purse her lips and smile—she knew Naruto was doing it on purpose. Every time he saw Tentengetting flustered, Naruto would laugh very happily.After Tenten regained her composure, she remembered the main reason she came. "By the way, where's Ino? Why didn't she come?""Enrollment is coming up soon." Naruto stretched, the sunlight falling on his face, making his skin look transparently pale. "Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino are all undergoing special training under their respective clans' guidance.""Ehh—" Tenten drawled. "No wonder I haven't seen them these past few days."As she spoke, her gaze fell on Naruto's face, and she suddenly remembered something. "Speaking of which... Naruto, you're about to enroll too, right?""Mhm.""Then..." Tenten's eyes brightened. "It's going to be lively at school then."
Chapter 13: The Hero Saves the "Beauty" and the Prelude to the Destruction of the Village Hidden in the GrassTenten sat on the grass nearby, plucking at a blade of grass and swinging her legs idly."Speaking of which," Naruto suddenly opened his eyes, a mischievous glint flashing in his blue eyes, "meeting Tenten for the first time was truly thrilling."Hinata looked down at him, "Eh?"Tenten remembered too, her face turning bright red, "Don't, don't bring that up!"Half a year ago."Whoosh!"A Kunai flew from her hand, tracing a crooked arc in the air.Tenten stood in front of the target, sweat on her forehead. She had only just enrolled, and her shuriken throwing class had only been going on for two weeks; her accuracy was truly disastrous."Swish!"The Kunai flew from her hand, tracing a crooked arc—directly missing the target and flying toward the bushes.In the bushes, Choji was facing away, squatting on the ground to open a bag of newly bought potato chips. His round back was completely unguarded, and he hadn't noticed the cold glint behind him at all.The tip of the Kunai flashed with a cold light in the sunlight, less than half a meter away from Choji's back—thirty centimeters—ten centimeters—"Clap."A hand reached out from the side and firmly grasped the handle of the Kunai.Choji turned his head blankly and saw Narutostanding behind him, his blonde hair slightly disheveled by the wind, holding the lethal weapon that had almost poked into his back.Choji was stunned for two seconds."Waaaah—!"Choji burst into tears after a delayed reaction, tears and snot streaming down, and the bag of potato chips in his hand dropped to the ground with a "plop.""It's okay, it's okay." Naruto gripped the Kunai in reverse, squatted down to pat Choji's back, his expression slightly helpless, "Look, didn't I catch it?"Tenten ran over from the other side of the training ground, her bun hairstyle coming undone, her little face flushed red, "I—I'm sorry! I missed the target! Are you okay?!"She ran up, saw Choji crying so hard that bubbles of snot were coming out, and was completely flustered."I—I'm fine..." Choji said, sobbing, but tears were still falling.Shikamaru, Ino, and Hinata ran over from the side. Hinata's face was pale as she grabbed Naruto's sleeve, "Naruto-kun, are you okay?""I'm fine." Naruto twirled the Kunai, blade pointing down, and handed it back to her, his eyes curving into crescents, "Just pay attention to the direction next time."Shikamaru squatted down to comfort the still-sobbing Choji, while Ino stared wide-eyed at Tenten, "You almost—!""I'm really, really sorry!" Tenten bowed deeply, "I'm truly sorry! Let me treat you all to dumplings as an apology!"Inside the dumpling shop, the five children sat around a table.Choji had stopped crying—there were three skewers of rice dumplings in front of him, his cheeks stuffed full.Tenten's face was red, and her voice was still a bit shaky, "Really... I'm really sorry...""I already said it's fine." Naruto took a bite of a dumpling and said indistinctly, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, what about you?""Tenten..." Tenten said softly."Then we're friends from now on!"Naruto smiled brightly and casually scooped the red bean paste off his own skewer of dumplings, putting it onto Hinata's plate, "Hinata likes sweet things, right?"Hinata blushed and thanked him softly.Ino watched from the side, grinding her teeth, "Naruto, you spoil Hinata too much!""Oh, girls are meant to be pampered." Naruto said righteously.Shikamaru rested his chin on his hand, watching this scene, and sighed inwardly: Women are so troublesome...Choji was eating the three-colored dumplings, his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, having long forgotten the fright from earlier.Tenten sat opposite, still scratching her head in embarrassment, "My Kunai throwing is just too poor...""Just practice more and you'll be fine." Naruto took a bite of a dumpling and said indistinctly, "Anyway, no one got hurt."Tenten's eyes lit up.That was probably the natural admiration a first-year Ninja Academy student had for a "senior"—although Naruto was actually a year younger than her, that instant movement to save someone was just too cool.From then on, Tenten became the new member of their little circle.In the forest, Tenten covered her face, "Don't say it, don't say it... It's too embarrassing...""How is it embarrassing?" Naruto sat up and stretched, "It was clearly a very cool way to meet.""You're still saying it!" Tenten glared at him, but her eyes held a smile.Back then, Tenten had just enrolled, and her strength was above average among her peers, but her mindset hadn't stabilized yet—the time the Kunai missed the target was less of a mistake and more of nervousness."Speaking of which," Naruto sat up and brushed the grass clippings off his body, "Tenten, how has your Kunai throwing practice been lately?""Hmph hmph, I hit the bullseye every time now!" Tenten puffed out her little chest, looking proud, "Want to see?""Sure." Naruto stood up with a smile, formed hand seals with both hands, and with two soft "poof" sounds, two identical Shadow Clones appeared beside him, "Perfect, let my Shadow Clones practice with you?"Hinata and Tenten were both stunned at the same time."Sha—Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Tenten's eyes widened, "Naruto, you can already do this?!""Just learned it recently." Naruto's original body retreated to the tree and leaned lazily against the trunk.Tenten was stunned for a second, then immediately got into a stance excitedly, "Then I won't hold back!"Hinata also stood up, blushing, "Ple—please go easy on me..."The forest clearing instantly became lively."Left! Watch your footing!" Naruto's original body sat on a tree stump acting as referee, munching on an apple picked from the tree while giving directions, "Tenten, lower your center of gravity a bit more—right!""Hinata, your punches can be faster; don't be afraid to hit me!"The two Shadow Clones only defended and did not attack, guiding the two girls' movements perfectly.The more Tenten fought, the more excited she became, the ends of her bun hairstyle flying about; although Hinata was still shy, her movements were gradually opening up.Dust flew, and laughter was constant.The sun gradually slanted to the west, stretching the tree shadows long."Alright, alright." Naruto clapped his hands, "Let's rest."The Shadow Clones disappeared with a "poof," leaving behind two clouds of white smoke. Tentenplopped down on the ground, panting heavily, "Ti—tired to death..."Hinata also walked over with a flushed little face, sat down beside Naruto, and leaned gently against his shoulder."You've improved a lot." Naruto reached out and ruffled her hair, "Tenten too."Tenten laughed "hehe," her eyes curving into crescents.The horizon was already dyed orange-red."Hoo... hoo..." Tenten panted while holding her knees, but her face held a satisfied smile, "So—so satisfying!"Hinata was also panting softly, her bangs stuck to her cheeks by sweat, her eyes shining brightly.The two Shadow Clones were dispelled with a "poof," and the memories and experience flowed back into Naruto's original body.He stood up and clapped his hands, "Let's go, my treat—let's go to Ichiraku Ramen!""Really?!""Yeah, to celebrate Tenten not missing the target anymore.""Naruto—!"The Ichiraku Ramen shop was steaming hot."Slurp—" Tenten held the big bowl, eating until sweat appeared on her forehead. Hinata sat next to Naruto, eating the char siu in small bites, stealing glances at him from time to time."Old man! Another bowl!" Naruto held up his empty bowl.Teuchi took it with a smile, "You have a good appetite today too, Naruto.""I'm growing." Naruto grinned.Ayame poked her head out from the kitchen, and seeing the three children sitting side by side, she couldn't help but smile, "You guys get along so well."Tenten nodded with puffed-out cheeks and said indistinctly, "Because Naruto is an idiot—""Hey, hey." Naruto glared at her in mock anger, and Tenten burst out laughing, almost spitting out the noodle soup.This meal took nearly an hour.When they left, it was already getting dark. The streetlights stretched the three people's shadows very long, and Tenten waved at the crossroads, "See you tomorrow!""See you tomorrow."Naruto held Hinata's hand and walked her to the gate of the Hyuga compound. Hinata stood by the gate and said softly, "Today... was very fun.""Me too." Naruto reached out and gently pinched her cheek, "Go inside quickly, don't let Uncle Hiashiworry."Hinata nodded, blushing, turned around, and jogged into the gate.Returning to that secluded little apartment, Narutoclosed the door, and the room suddenly quieted down.Naruto didn't turn on the lights and walked straight to the bed to sit down. Moonlight shone in obliquely from the window, casting a pale square on the floor.He reached under his pillow and pulled out a Kunai.Naruto twirled the Kunai, the blade flashing with a cold light in the lamplight.Over this past year, he had learned most of the Ninjutsu left behind by his father in the Sealing Space—Flying Thunder God, Rasengan, and even some forbidden techniques...More importantly, he had secretly left Flying Thunder God markers throughout Konoha Villageand the entire Land of Fire.It was time for a trip to the Village Hidden in the Grass...
in the Grass (Part 1)"Poof."The white smoke dissipated, and an identical blonde boy appeared in the room. The Shadow Clone blinked, stretched its limbs, and then consciously climbed into bed, lifted the quilt, and lay down.A few seconds later, the sound of steady breathing arose.Naruto took a deep breath and performed hand seals again."Transformation Technique."White smoke surged, and his figure grew taller and elongated within the mist. A few seconds later, the smoke dispersed, and a black-haired young man of about twenty stood in his place.He had an ordinary appearance, the kind that would be lost in a crowd, and an inconspicuous Ninja tool pouch hung at his waist.Naruto glanced at the mirror on the wall, confirming that even his hair color had been successfully disguised."Let's go.""Swish."The next second, the figure in the apartment completely vanished. The Shadow Clone on the bed remained "asleep," and the moonlight continued to shine on the empty floor, as if nothing had ever happened.The night wind suddenly turned cold.Before Naruto's eyes was a desolate hilly region. Sparse trees cast claw-like shadows under the moonlight, and the outlines of continuous mountain ranges could be seen in the distance—this was already the northwestern border of the Land of Fire, less than thirty miles away from the Village Hidden in the Grass.He looked up to identify the direction, his figure flickered, and he vanished silently into the night.The Village Hidden in the Grass was less of a "village" and more of a large settlement. Low wooden houses were crowded together, the streets were muddy, and a few oil lamps swayed in the wind, casting flickering, dim yellow halos.The medical unit was located in a wooden house on the east side of the Village Hidden in the Grass. While called a medical unit, in reality, it was just a few Ninja who knew a little bit about surgical suturing.Pushing open the door, a pungent odor rushed to meet him.A dozen or so makeshift hospital beds were filled with injured Grass Ninja.Those with broken legs, those with abdomens pierced by Kunai, those with half their faces charred—they were all Ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass injured during missions. Groans rose and fell, occasionally interspersed with curses.The smell of blood, herbs, and the stench of rotting wounds mixed together, making one nauseous. Dim oil lamps hung on the walls, their flames flickering, pulling the shadows in the room into twisted, eerie shapes."Damn it... it hurts like hell...""Where's the hemostatic medicine? Get me some more!""It's gone! We ran out last week!"The medical Ninja was a tall, thin man, currently frantically rummaging through a medicine chest, only to find a few rolls of yellowed bandages in the end. He gritted his teeth, turned his head, and shouted toward the door: "Hey! Go bring that 'human medicine' over here!"An impatient response came from outside the door.A few minutes later, two Grass Ninja roughly shoved a woman inside.The woman was about thirty years old, with messy long red hair and tattered clothes. Her exposed arms and calves were covered in overlapping new and old bite marks; some had scabbed over, while others were still oozing blood.Her face was terrifyingly pale, her steps unsteady, and she only remained upright because the two Grass Ninja were dragging her.Kana, Karin's mother.She was dragged to the center of the room, stumbling and nearly falling. The eyes of the wounded on the surrounding hospital beds instantly lit up.Seven or eight people surrounded Kana, roughly pulling at her arms, shoulders, and calves—wherever they could bite, they showed no mercy. The sounds of tearing and swallowing mixed with Kana's suppressed groans of pain.The flames of the oil lamp shook violently, and the shadows on the wall twisted into a tangled mass.Kana bit her lower lip hard, fighting back tears. She could feel her blood being sucked away from the wounds, and the weakness of blood loss made her vision go dark.The Grass Ninja nearby watched expressionlessly, as if this were the most normal scene."Not enough! This little bit of blood isn't enough!" The Grass Ninja with a huge wound on his abdomen took a few sucks, then suddenly pushed her away in a rage. "Damn it, your blood's effectiveness is getting worse and worse! Before, one bite could stop the bleeding, but now I've been sucking for a long time and the wound is still oozing!"Kana stumbled and fell to the ground, her forehead hitting the edge of a bed, drawing blood.A Grass Ninja who looked like a minor leader walked over from the corner. He was a man in his forties with several hideous scars on his face, his eyes cold as he looked down at her."Your blood," he said in a cold voice, "is becoming less and less effective."Kana opened her mouth, but could not make a sound."Last time, a severely injured person could stand up after two bites." The scarred man let go, stood up, and looked down at her. "What about this time? After sucking for so long, the wound has barely healed halfway."He paused and sneered."If this continues, I'll have no choice but to let your daughter take your place.""I, I'm sorry..." Kana propped herself up, her voice so weak it was almost inaudible. "I, I will try harder...""Try harder?" The scarred man sneered. "What are you going to try with? You are already useless."He paused and turned his gaze to the door."Someone go bring that girl, Karin, over here."Kana stiffened all over."No... don't..." She suddenly lunged forward like a madwoman, clutching the scarred man's leg tightly. "Please! Don't touch my daughter! She's still so young! Please! I, I can do it! Give me one more chance—"The scarred man kicked her in the chest.Kana flew backward, hitting the wall heavily and coughing up a mouthful of blood, but she still struggled to crawl up, her face smeared with tears and blood."Don't... please... don't..."A few minutes later, footsteps returned.A thin, small red-haired girl was pushed in.She looked only five or six years old, wearing old clothes that clearly didn't fit, her little face dirty, but her large red eyes were filled with terror—especially when she saw her mother slumped on the ground."Mom!"Karin screamed and wanted to rush over, but was grabbed tightly by the arm by the Grass Ninjabehind her."Let me go! Mom!""So noisy."The scarred man grinned at Karin: "Little girl, it's time for you to repay us—we've raised you this big, and now it's time for you to be useful."The injured man with the pierced abdomen nearby couldn't wait any longer. He struggled to crawl off the bed, one hand covering his wound, the other reaching out toward Karin—"Quick... quick, let me take a bite..."His fingers were stained with blood, his nails full of grime, and he was about to touch Karin's arm.Karin closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.Just then—A cold, clear voice rang out in the room without warning."How truly ugly."The voice was not loud, but it was like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing all the noise.The injured man's movements froze in mid-air.The scarred man turned his head sharply.Karin opened her eyes.Everyone looked toward the source of the voice—In the corner of the room, in the shadows that the oil lamp could not reach, a figure had appeared at some unknown time.A black-haired young man leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking at them coldly in the dim light.
Chapter 15: The Destruction of the Village Hidden in the Grass (Part 2)"You—"The scarred man's pupils constricted sharply, and his hand pressed against the Kunai pouch at his waist.But before he could even ask, "Who are you?""Puchi."A soft sound rang out.The black-haired youth still stood in the same spot, as if he had never moved—but a thin red line had appeared on the scarred man's neck, and blood beads seeped out along the wound. His eyes widened, a wheezing "hissing" sound escaped his throat, and he fell straight backward.The room fell into a dead silence for a second."Enemy attack—"The fastest-reacting ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass had barely shouted two words before Naruto moved.He swept across the room like a gust of wind, scooping up the paralyzed Kana with his left hand and lifting the stunned Karin with his right arm. Before Kana could even react, she was already being carried on Naruto's shoulder."Don't move."Naruto's voice was very soft, but it carried an unquestionable coldness and firmness.The next second—The figures of the three vanished into thin air.Several ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Grasslunged at the spot, their Kunai stabbing at nothing, and they looked at each other in dismay."Body Flicker Technique?""Chase!""He's carrying two people, he can't get far—"The five or six survivors struggled and rushed toward the door, two of whom with lighter injuries directly crashed through the wooden door and dashed out.Just as they stepped out of the room—"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.""Boom—!!!"A blinding flash of fire suddenly exploded outside the window.A massive fireball with a diameter of nearly twenty meters, carrying a scorching heat wave, slammed head-on into the wooden house. The flames instantly swallowed the walls, roof, hospital bed, and those ninjas who had just rushed out the door. Their screams were drowned out by the explosion, and the entire building twisted and deformed in the sea of fire, collapsing like it was made of paper.The firelight illuminated half of the Village Hidden in the Grass.Meanwhile, on a cliff at the edge of the Village Hidden in the Grass.Kana sat slumped on the ground, clutching Karin, breathing heavily. She held her daughter tightly, but her eyes were fixed on the black-haired youth standing at the edge of the cliff.Karin's small face was deathly pale, she clutched the corner of her mother's clothes tightly, and her body was still trembling."Mommy...""It's okay... It's okay..." Kana's voice was hoarse as she stroked her daughter's back, but her eyes vigilantly watched Naruto.Naruto didn't speak, he just raised his right hand."Clatter—"Golden chains extended from his abdomen, trembling slightly in the air. A faint aura of Chakraflowed over the surface of the chains, and the moonlight shone on them, refracting a warm golden color.Kana stared at the chains, her eyes widening bit by bit.Her breathing quickened.Tears welled up without warning, streaming down her face mixed with the bloodstains. She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound, only tightening her arms around Karin, her whole body trembling."Ada—Adamantine Sealing Chains..." Her voice trembled, and she reached out as if to touch them but dared not. Finally, she just tightly covered her mouth, big tears falling down, "Really... really a clansman..."A few seconds later, she choked out two words:"Thank you..."Naruto put away the Adamantine Sealing Chainsand pulled a few Military Ration Pills from his ninja tool pouch, handing them over."Replenish some Chakra first, your body can't hold on much longer.""Thank you..." Kana lowered her head deeply, her forehead almost touching the ground, "Thank you for saving us..."Kana took them, her hands still shaking. She ate one herself and carefully fed the other to Karin. The little girl hesitated for a moment but still obediently swallowed it.As the Military Ration Pill entered her stomach, a warm sensation spread from her gut. Her weak body finally regained some strength. Kana took a deep breath, and Chakra flowed slowly through her body—although still very weak, at least she wouldn't collapse at any moment like before.Naruto looked at the shocking bite marks on her arms and took a deep breath.Those ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Grassare truly..."Watch closely."Naruto suddenly spoke.Kana and Karin looked up at the same time."How the Village Hidden in the Grass..."The corners of his mouth curled into a cold arc."...is destroyed.""Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!"Dozens of Shadow Clones appeared around them."Let's begin."Naruto nodded toward the Shadow Clones.Subsequently, the Shadow Clones vanished instantly. When they reappeared, they were scattered around the edge of the Village Hidden in the Grass, with dozens of Shadow Clones surrounding the Village tightly."Earth Release: Multiple Earth-Style Walls.""Rumble—!"The earth trembled.On the outskirts of the Village Hidden in the Grass, several three-meter-thick earthen walls rose from the ground, like the closing palms of a giant, firmly enclosing the entire Village. The earthen walls connected with the mountain behind, forming a complete circular blockade.At the same time as the earthen walls rose, three Shadow Clones suddenly appeared in the center of the Village."Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave.""Whoosh—"A towering flood surged forth like a waterfall rushing backward, instantly submerging streets, houses, and the plaza. The waves swept away the ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Grass who couldn't escape in time, turning the entire Villageinto an ocean."Help—""Cough, cough... The water... is too much...""Climb to higher ground!"The chaos lasted less than a minute.The Shadow Clones that had just finished casting the Earth-Style Walls jumped onto the top of the walls, and simultaneously took a deep breath—"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.""Boom, boom, boom—!"Dozens of massive fireballs smashed from all directions into the Village soaked by the flood! The instant fire and water collided violently—"Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss—"Overwhelming white steam rose like an explosion! The entire sky was shrouded in steam, the high-temperature steam burning the skin painfully. The hiding ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Grasslet out shrill screams. Some tried to rush out but lost their way in the fog, crashing headfirst into the scorching earthen walls.The sky was covered by steam and smoke, becoming gloomy and oppressive. In the steam, one could vaguely see charred wood and floating corpses. Most of those who were lucky enough to survive also lost their combat ability, lying on the ground wailing.On the cliff,Kana held Karin tightly, and the mother and daughter were both stunned. Karin buried her little face in her mother's arms, while Kana bit her lower lip hard, her expression complex..."Wait here for me."Naruto's voice suddenly rang out.Kana snapped back to reality and realized that, without knowing when, another black-haired youth had appeared beside her. It was a Shadow CloneNaruto had left to protect them, and it was smiling gently at her."It will be over soon."The next second.Naruto's main body had already vanished from the spot and appeared on top of the earthen wall.Raising his right hand, blinding blue electric light danced at Naruto's fingertips."Chidori."The screeching of lightning tore through the night sky. Naruto looked up at the sky—dark clouds had gathered at some point, and lightning flashed faintly within the clouds."Boom—!!!"A pillar of lightning, as thick as a giant tree, was guided by the Chidori at his fingertips and crashed down from the clouds!"Lightning Release: Kirin."The lightning tore through the darkness, illuminating the entire night sky. Destructive energy poured into the steam-shrouded Village. Snakes of electricity spread wildly through the accumulated water; wherever they passed, houses collapsed, and people were electrocuted until their bodies were charred black, their screams drowned out by the thunder before they could even let them out.When the last trace of lightning dissipated, the Village Hidden in the Grass had gone completely silent.The steam dispersed, revealing the true face of the ruins—not a single intact building, not a trace of living presence, only charred earth and sporadic flames flickering in the night wind.