After returning home, Naruto couldn't wait to open the gift. Inside was a pair of warm gloves, almost identical to the style he had obtained through the system before. Along with the gloves was a note full of blessings.
Too bad it was spring now—gloves weren't exactly necessary, so they'd have to wait for their moment.
Still… this was the first gift Naruto had ever received from a peer.
At that moment, Kyuubi's familiar, mischievous voice sounded, carrying its usual pungent attitude:
"Little ghost, what are you grinning at? Could it be… you like that little girl with the white eyes?"
Naruto shoved the gloves into his pocket and replied flatly, "Big Fox, have you ever been in love? Has anyone ever given you a gift? Stop acting sour."
Kyuubi blinked for a moment, then struck a pose like a wise old master.
"This old man is a tailed beast. Gender? Love? Ha! I've lived a thousand years and never felt true love or hatred. My experience in these matters is far superior to yours."
"If you beg nicely, this old man might reluctantly become your mentor and give you some advice."
Naruto stared at him in disbelief. Kyuubi actually offered love advice? This had to be a joke.
Kyuubi proceeded to deliver a stream of "romantic wisdom": hugging a beautiful woman under the moon, holding a woman in your arms to protect—or kill—whatever, and so on.
Naruto's jaw dropped. This guy has a lot of ideas… and none of them are legal.
Still, Naruto knew love advice from someone like Kyuubi was about as reliable as trying to learn cooking from a wolf.
Sensing Naruto's slight malice, Kyuubi slowed down, his words cautious. Naruto pretended to listen attentively, but his inner thoughts betrayed him—he was barely tolerating the lecture. Yet Kyuubi, as always, persisted.
Half an hour later, Naruto's patience ran out. Kyuubi finally stopped his endless pontification and settled back into the sealed space, waiting for Naruto to send chakra for the night.
After dinner, Naruto didn't bother bathing or reading. Instead, he stood by the window, looking out at Konoha in the night, the Hyuga Clan compound faintly visible in the distance.
"It's normal for young people to get gifts. Don't overthink it, don't get excited, go to bed early." Kyuubi's voice sounded again, like an overly responsible uncle.
Naruto shook his head. "No, it's not that. I feel… something might happen tonight. I just want to take a good position and watch the action firsthand."
"Watch the action?" Kyuubi snorted. "Do you mean some masked lunatic is going to appear again tonight?"
Naruto shook his head. "No, it's the Yunyin mission. They're in the village now, but I can feel it—they have more plans than just signing a peace treaty. Peace is never their goal."
"Yun Nin? Hah, a bunch of lunatics," Kyuubi said dismissively. "Two leaders named… something ridiculous—they tried to challenge the old man before. Pathetic. All attempts doomed to fail."
Naruto smirked. "Big Fox, you're so strong… how exactly did Konoha manage to seal you?"
Kyuubi's eyes narrowed. "I was sealed by the First Hokage. Back then, he was unstoppable—dominating the ninja world casually. Even Yun Nin wouldn't dare fart in his presence."
"Now look at you. Konoha's afraid of a few Yunyin scouts."
Naruto opened his mouth to retort, but then he noticed a few shadowy figures hopping along the distant city walls. "Big Fox, don't go crazy. Looks like the 'action' I predicted is about to begin."
Kyuubi extended his chakra senses and frowned. "So many ninjas… looks like tonight will be interesting. But… if you already suspected the Yunyin mission would act, why didn't you tell your Third Hokage?"
"Would he believe me? No. I'd just cause suspicion. Better to watch the fun unfold without causing extra trouble." Naruto shrugged, popping a potato chip he had saved from Choji.
Kyuubi observed him thoughtfully, still distant and wary. Naruto might be young, but his instincts were sharp. He wondered… did Naruto inherit more cunning from Kushina—or from that annoying Namikaze Minato?
…
While Naruto and Kyuubi calmly observed the developing scene, the ANBU tasked with protecting him couldn't stay idle. When they noticed unusual movement near the Hyuga compound, they debated whether to intervene.
Moonlight Hayate finally made a decision, addressing Uzuki Xiyan:
"Xiyan, keep watching. Hokage-sama and the other squads will handle it."
Hayate coughed a few times under his animal mask, the color drained from his face.
Xiyan frowned, worried. "Hayate, your lung disease… it's worse than before. Why not leave ANBU together?"
Hayate shook his head. "Only by staying here for two or three years can we reach Jōnin rank. Elsewhere, it's impossible. The Moonlight clan needs us to flourish."
Sighing, Xiyan was about to argue when she noticed sneaky figures nearby. Hayate also spotted them. "Those must be the envoys. Why are they near the Hyuga compound? Are they planning an attack?"
Xiyan guessed cautiously. "Hard to say. Keep observing. Don't let anything go wrong."
Hayate nodded. "You monitor. I'll find a way to inform Captain Kakashi. Right now, he's unavailable."
Meanwhile, the Yunyin mission was monitoring them too.
One Yunyin ninja whispered to their leader, "Captain… are we really supposed to attack the Jinchuriki? I didn't expect Konoha to treat the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki like a demon fox. He's still hated everywhere."
The captain looked at his young subordinates. He wanted to say: "It's the same back in Yunyin. Kirabi is treated like a ghost bull, and Renzhuli—Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—would be discriminated against no matter where he went."
But duty came first. "Attacking the Jinchuriki means starting a war. The village has no interest in escalating things. Our mission is to monitor Konoha ANBU and act for the boss. Opportunity must be seized carefully."
A few Yunyin ninjas exchanged glances, disappointed. If they could capture Renzhuli, it would strengthen their village—and they knew it.
Though the Yunyin also feared and discriminated against the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, they understood one truth: power commands attention. In Yunyin Village, Renzhuli would get the respect—and resources—he deserved.
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