In the blink of an eye, another month passed.Winter had come, and snow blanketed the village.
"Everyone, prepare for the arrival of the Cloud Shinobi delegation."
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave the order with a heavy expression.
Right now, negotiating peace with the Cloud Village was the most important matter for Konoha. Everything else had to step aside.
But the pressure weighed on him.
Konoha was at its weakest point. Orochimaru had defected, Jiraiya had left the village, and Tsunade never returned. The great Hidden Leaf, once among the strongest of the Five Great Nations, now stood vulnerable.
No matter what, the negotiations had to go smoothly.
"Hiruzen, don't overlook something—the Hyuga clan has been in contact with the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki."
From the shadows of the office, a man with a bandaged head and a gloomy aura stepped forward.
"I already know. It's just children mingling. Nothing worth worrying about," Hiruzen replied.
"It would be wiser to warn the Hyuga. Big clans should avoid suspicion around the Nine-Tails' host. If possible, it's best to keep them apart."
Danzo's tone was cold, his voice sharp.
"Danzo," Hiruzen shot him a hard glare, "I've made my decision. This is not your concern."
He couldn't forget what Naruto had just gone through recently. If he forced the boy to sever his new bond with Hinata, what would become of him?
Danzo snorted, unimpressed. "Just advice. Don't come to regret it."
He turned and walked out without another word.
Hiruzen let out a long sigh. The Hyuga clan… maybe they needed watching.
"Why is everything so decorated today?"
Naruto strolled through the streets with Hinata, grinning from ear to ear.
He had used the Transformation Jutsu to disguise himself—his whisker marks were gone, his hair black, his features ordinary. To everyone else, he looked like just another villager's kid.
For once, no one stared coldly at him. Instead, the villagers were cheerful and friendly.
"You two, don't run around. The Cloud delegation is coming through!" someone warned.
"Cloud delegation?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah. They're here to negotiate peace with the Leaf. If things go well, there'll be no war."
Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand and pulled her to the side of the street, curious to watch.
Hinata's cheeks were pink as she quietly followed him, her heart warm just being by his side.
Soon, the Third Hokage and Konoha's elders gathered at the village gate.
A group of Cloud ninja strode in—tall, dark-skinned, and brimming with arrogance. They laughed among themselves as they looked down on Konoha villagers, pointing and sneering as though the Leaf were beneath them.
Their condescension was obvious to everyone.
"Hey, kid over there. Come here."
Naruto froze. The Cloud shinobi weren't looking at him, though. Their eyes were locked on Hinata, filled with greedy hunger.
Hinata shrank back, frightened, hiding behind Naruto.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you," Naruto said firmly, squeezing her hand. His gaze turned cold as anger welled up.
He didn't care if people insulted him. But Hinata? That was crossing the line. Anyone who tried to lay a hand on her was asking for death.
"You brat, didn't you hear me?"
The leader of the Cloud shinobi, one eye hidden beneath a cloth, glared at him with murderous intent.
Naruto smirked and turned away. "Hinata, let's go. Ignore these bastards."
He pulled her into a side alley, leaving the delegation behind.
As he left, he caught the faint sound of Hiruzen's voice—apologizing to the Cloud shinobi.
"Why? Why would Grandpa Third apologize to them?"
To Naruto, their behavior was shameless. They acted like arrogant guests barging into someone's home. They deserved to be thrown out, not bowed to.
And if memory served, Hinata's uncle had died because of these people.
His fists clenched. I'll need to keep an eye on them.
For the first time, he felt deeply disappointed in Hiruzen. This isn't how a Hokage should act.
Though only three years old, Naruto's mind was sharper and more mature than most adults'. His nightly dreams, filled with endless learning and training, had changed him.
"Hinata, don't leave the house for the next few days. There are bad people out there—people who might try to take you."
He spoke with unshakable seriousness, and Hinata nodded timidly, committing his words to heart.
"Bad people? After Hinata?"
From inside the Hyuga compound, Hiashi Hyuga listened with a frown.
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