Time flowed by like a quiet river. Soon, two very different major events occurred in Konoha.
The news of the first event swept through the entire village—an envoy from the Land of Lightning's Hidden Cloud Village had officially arrived, and the two nations began alliance negotiations.
The villagers on the streets were all smiles. They might not understand the political maneuvering involved in diplomatic negotiations, but the word "alliance" sounded like peace and stability to them. Shops hung up colorful flags, business in the izakayas was booming, and all of Konoha was immersed in a celebratory atmosphere.
The other event was insignificant in comparison—the Hyuga main family's eldest daughter, Hinata, celebrated her third birthday. It should have been a joyous occasion, but it was accompanied by a cruel tradition. Neji Hyuga of the branch family would be marked with the "Caged Bird" curse mark on this day. From now on, his life would no longer be his own; his sole purpose in life would be to protect the young lady of the main family.
When Naruto heard these two pieces of news, he knew it was about to begin. The Hidden Cloud's plot, Hizashi's sacrifice—everything was proceeding according to the original story's trajectory.
It's finally happening...
But then, a serious problem surfaced in Naruto's mind. Even if he hijacked the Hidden Cloud convoy and saved Hizashi, what if the Hyuga main family insisted on sacrificing him to settle the matter? With the tyrannical power of the Caged Bird curse mark, a single thought from the main family could kill Hizashi on the spot.
Should I sneak into the Hyuga compound and just knock out or kill the Cloud envoy? But would the Hidden Cloud let it go that easily?
Naruto ran his hands through his hair in frustration. If he could use the Adamantine Sealing Chains to temporarily suppress the Caged Bird's activity, perhaps he could buy Hizashi some time...
As he was deep in thought, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Major original story event detected: Main Quest "The Death of Hizashi" triggered]
[Mission Objective: Intercept the Hidden Cloud convoy and change the fate of Hizashi Hyuga]
[Mission Reward: Unlock the All-Worlds Lottery Channel and obtain the Stand ability "Crazy Diamond"]
A day later, news exploded in Konoha, sweeping through the entire village. The incident of the Hidden Cloud envoy's failed attempt to kidnap the Hyuga main family's young lady, resulting in him being killed on the spot by Hiashi Hyuga, had quickly escalated into a diplomatic crisis that could lead to war.
"Did you hear? Those bastards from the Hidden Cloud are blaming us!"
"They're saying we killed their envoy without reason..."
"That's shameless!"
On the streets, villagers discussed it with indignation. In the taverns, ninjas slammed their tables, and merchants complained bitterly. But beneath this wave of anger, an undercurrent of anxiety was flowing—people feared war, feared the threat the Cloud envoy had made before leaving.
After that came the meeting between Konoha's old guard and the Hyuga clan. The result was exactly the same as in the original story. Pressured by the two elders, Homura and Koharu, the Hyuga clan was forced to make a sacrifice. Then, the main family proposed that Hizashi be the scapegoat.
The Hidden Cloud's condition was clear—the culprit had to be handed over to the Raikage alive to "face judgment." Behind this sanctimonious rhetoric, everyone knew their true purpose: a complete Byakugan wielder.
When the blindfolded Hizashi was escorted out of the Konoha gate by the Cloud ninja, some of the onlookers sobbed, some cursed, but most just watched in silence. The procession grew smaller in the distance and finally disappeared down the road.
Konoha Village, Public Restroom
Naruto stood in a stall, his hands rapidly forming seals.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
With a soft poof, another identical blond boy appeared beside him. The Shadow Clone winked at him, gave a "thumbs-up," and then swaggered out the door.
Alright... it's all up to you now.
Naruto pricked up his ears. He could faintly hear the light footsteps of ANBU ninja outside—as expected, the ones responsible for monitoring the jinchuriki immediately followed the Shadow Clone.
Now's my chance!
He quickly formed the seal for the Transformation Jutsu. His form blurred, and in an instant, he had transformed into an inconspicuous villager—short black hair, a slightly weary expression, and dressed in ordinary coarse cloth. This kind of person was a common sight in Konoha and would attract no attention at all.
Outskirts of Konoha, edge of the forest
After confirming that no one was around, Naruto released the Transformation Jutsu, returning to his original form. He took a deep breath and retrieved the purple-glowing card from his system storage—the [Menma Uzumaki Template Trial Card].
The card felt warm in his palm, then seemed to melt into his skin. In an instant, a torrent of unfamiliar chakra swept through his body. Naruto felt his bones and muscles being reshaped, his body rapidly growing taller, and his clothes being replaced by that signature long robe.
This feeling... it's so strange.
He looked down at his hands—long, powerful, a fully adult physique. He reached up and touched his face, his fingertips brushing against a cold mask.
Even my hair turned black...
What surprised him even more was that the clear sensation of the Nine-Tails' chakra within him had completely vanished. It wasn't suppressed; it was as if it had never existed.
Is this the power of Menma...
Beneath the mask, Naruto's lips curled into a slight smile. Well then... time to teach those bastards from the Hidden Cloud a lesson.
Swoosh—
With a gust of wind, the black-robed figure vanished on the spot, leaving only a few leaves to drift slowly in the air.
-------
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