A crisis was averted thanks to Natsume's efforts.
Unfortunately, no one knew.
Hiding merit and fame.
Because of Samoya's actions, Hinata's birthday banquet ended there.
The guests left one after another.
Continuing the party at this point would be tactless.
Only the drunk Tsunade was clueless.
"More sake! Why aren't you all drinking?"
"Shizune-nee, help me take Sensei home."
Natsume sighed, supporting her on one side as they left the Hyuga residence.
Kabuto returned to the orphanage to rest.
Back home, Natsume placed Tsunade on the bed and said, "Shizune-nee, help Sensei change clothes."
He wanted to do it, but to avoid Shizune questioning life, he left it to her.
Natsume returned to his room and communicated with the slug for visual sharing.
He needed to deliver food to Hinata without being seen, or he'd have trouble explaining.
A few seconds later, he linked to the slug's vision.
It was a bit dark.
He scanned around and saw the slug was in the closet.
Hinata hadn't revealed that he'd been there tonight.
Natsume looked out through the closet gap.
What he saw was Rinka hugging Hinata.
The lady's face was full of lingering fear—just a little more, and she might have lost her daughter.
"It probably won't end anytime soon."
Natsume thought as he disconnected the visual share, then went out to the barbecue shop.
"Boss, open up!"
"Who is it? It's the middle of the night."
The boss opened the door grumpily and said, "We're closed. Leave!"
"100,000 ryo."
Natsume held up a finger. "Give me ten portions of barbecue."
"Oh, customer, please come in, come in!"
The boss instantly enthusiastic as if seeing a brother. "Please wait, I'll fire up the grill right away!"
Natsume smiled—money talks best.
An hour later, he left the barbecue shop with ten plastic bags in hand.
"Come again!"
The boss called out with a grin.
Natsume got home, summoned a second slug, and linked to the first one's vision again.
Rinka had left, leaving Hinata alone in the room.
Reverse Summoning Technique!
He vanished from his room.
Summoning Technique is when a ninja summons a summoning beast.
Reverse Summoning is when the summoning beast summons the ninja.
But this jutsu has major limitations; ordinary summoning beasts can't learn it.
Even in the three great holy lands, few can.
However, the Forest slugs are all one entity—the Slug Sage.
It naturally could.
With a puff of smoke.
Natsume appeared in Hinata's room.
She was sitting on the bed edge, her little head nodding off in drowsiness.
She should have been asleep, but because of Natsume's words, she'd been waiting.
"So obedient."
Natsume opened a plastic bag, took out a skewer of barbecue, and held it under Hinata's nose.
He thought she'd wake up startled, but she didn't.
In her sleep, Hinata licked her lips—the aroma was too strong, like it was real.
Saliva glands secreted, and it dripped down, forming strings.
Natsume couldn't help but laugh.
What kind of adorable creature is this?
"Hinata."
After calling a few times, Hinata woke up.
Seeing the barbecue in front of her, she realized it wasn't a dream—it was real.
"Come eat."
Natsume reached out and wiped the saliva from her mouth.
Hinata reacted, immediately steaming up and turning into the steam princess.
Both shy and embarrassed.
For an elegant young lady, being seen drooling in her sleep was too mortifying.
Natsume didn't mind; he quite liked raising a steam princess.
…
While Natsume played the feeding mini-game, the sleeping Sarutobi Hiruzen was woken by an Anbu.
"What did you say?"
The initially groggy Sarutobi Hiruzen instantly woke up.
"Lord Hyuga is escorting Samoya and the other twelve Cloud ninjas to the Hokage Building, waiting for you."
The Anbu ninja repeated.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared in disbelief.
Capturing the Hidden Cloud delegation—you want to start a war?
Is it because you didn't get merits in the last war and want another?
In those few seconds, Sarutobi Hiruzen's clever brain raced.
But he quickly dismissed the guess.
Play is play, but Hiashi wouldn't joke with war.
Sarutobi Hiruzen changed clothes and rushed to the Hokage office.
He glanced at Samoya and the others, asking, "Hiashi, what happened?"
Hiashi immediately explained.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.
At this critical moment of peace talks, how did this complication arise?
Troublesome.
In that moment, he wasn't thinking of Hinata's safety but the Konoha's peace.
After fighting so long, they couldn't continue; they needed rest and recovery.
But he couldn't ignore the Hyuga clan either.
"Samoya, is this the Hidden Cloud Village's sincerity?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with dissatisfaction.
"This was my momentary lapse; it has nothing to do with the Hidden Cloud Village."
Samoya, knowing he was at fault, took all the blame.
"But you're a Hidden Cloud ninja—how can you escape responsibility?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't believe his nonsense, slamming the table in anger. "Your village must give our Konoha an explanation!"
"For this peace talk, our Hidden Cloud Village is willing to concede and accept the Konoha's conditions. What do you think, Lord Hokage?"
Samoya had discussed with the Fourth Raikage before coming—what to do if caught.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was immediately tempted. Konoha's proposed conditions were excellent, enough to recoup losses handsomely.
He'd thought the Hidden Cloud wouldn't agree, as they'd been haggling for days.
Truly, heaven blesses the Konoha.
Sarutobi Hiruzen cleared his throat and said, "Hiashi, Hinata wasn't hurt, and now the Hidden Cloud has offered compensation, so let's end it here."
Hiashi was full of question marks.
What do you mean since Hinata wasn't hurt, we can end it?
Does it have to be a death to be serious?
In that moment, Hiashi felt disheartened.
He believed the Hyuga clan had been diligent and loyal since following Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But he hadn't expected this treatment.
"As Lord Hokage says."
Hiashi left listlessly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen warned, "Samoya, I don't want to see this happen again."
"Lord Hokage, I won't repeat it."
Samoya kept a low profile. "We'll sign tomorrow and leave immediately."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded satisfied.
Though it created a rift with Hiashi, exchanging it for such favorable terms was worth it.
He could just take better care of the Hyuga clan later.
With Hiashi's wisdom, he should understand that the Hokage must have a big-picture view and not let one clan affect the entire Konoha's safety.