85: Chapter 85 The Fall in the Land of Gentle Comforts, Asma's Regret.As the embers of the fireworks dissipated, only a faint smell of gunpowder and the damp scent of earth remained in the air.
Naruto carried Hinata on his back, his steps steady as he walked back to the apartment.
The streetlights stretched the two shadows into a distorted and intimate shape.
The girl on his back was very light, as light as a feather that could be blown away by the wind at any moment.
But the force with which those arms were gripping his neck was heavy, revealing a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve.
"Naruto-kun."
Hinata buried her face in the crook of his neck, her warm breath dampening that small patch of skin.
"Father…and the elders…must be furious."
Her voice was muffled, with an unconcealable tremor.
The Hyuga clan has strict family rules, and the authority of the main family cannot be challenged.
Tonight, she not only disobeyed orders but also openly injured a guard, which is an outrageous act in the history of the Hyuga clan.
"I might.never be able to go back."
"Then don't go back."
Naruto answered decisively and without the slightest hesitation.
He gently lifted Hinata's thigh, feeling the soft warmth of her palm.
"Those rotten mansions are good for nothing but suppressing humanity.If Hiashi Hyuga dares to cause trouble, I'll let him know who's really in charge of Konoha now."
Arrogant.
But to Hinata, it was the strongest fortress.
"But.my luggage."
"We'll buy a new one tomorrow." Naruto turned his head to the side.Although he couldn't see the girl's face behind him, he could imagine the conflicted and shy expression on her face."As for tonight, you can stay at my place."
Hinata's body stiffened instantly, like a red-hot iron plate.
Living together?
Although she had been mentally prepared, the shame she felt when she actually said those words almost made her brain shut down.
"No, no.that's too much."
"Too what?" Naruto chuckled, not stopping in his tracks."Do you want to sleep on the streets, or do you want to go back and receive your family punishment?"
Hinata fell silent.
She buried her face even deeper, leaving only one ear, which was bright red and bleeding.
The apartment door was pushed open.
The small space was filled with a cool and quiet atmosphere, but at this moment, with the girl's intrusion, this coolness was instantly broken.
Naruto placed Hinata in the entryway.
She stood barefoot on the floor, nervously twisting her fingers, her eyes darting around, but she didn't dare look at Naruto.
"Go take a shower first."
Naruto pulled a large white T-shirt from the closet and threw it at her head.
"The bathroom is over there.Don't keep me waiting too long."
This ambiguous statement almost made Hinata panic and rush into the bathroom.
Listening to the sound of rushing water coming from inside, Naruto leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest.
On the system panel, Sasuke's emotional value was still fluctuating sporadically, clearly indicating that the vengeful boy was undergoing some kind of painful transformation.
But none of that matters anymore.
The important thing is the plan for the future.
Twenty minutes later.
The bathroom door was ajar.
Hinata emerged from the misty air.
Naruto's T-shirt was so big on her it looked like a skirt, with the hem barely covering her upper thighs.
Her long, wet hair cascaded over her shoulders, water droplets sliding down her collarbone and into her neckline.Her timid yet expectant expression was enough to break even the most stoic heart.
Naruto opened his eyes, his gaze lingering on those two dazzlingly white legs for two seconds.
"come over."
Hinata obediently walked over and sat down next to him.
The bed is very narrow.
The two were so close they could hear each other's heartbeats.
Naruto took a towel, placed it on her head, and began to dry her hair in a rather ungentle manner.
The force was a bit too strong, making her scalp tingle, but Hinata felt extremely comfortable, like a cat being stroked by its owner, and she squinted her eyes.
"Go to sleep once your hair is dry."
Naruto tossed the towel aside and casually turned off the light.
Darkness descends.
Two bodies lay side by side in the blankets.
Hinata huddled at the far end of the bed, her back to Naruto, her body taut and straight, barely daring to breathe.
A rustling sound came from behind.
Immediately afterwards, an arm came across, forcefully wrapped around her waist, and pulled her backward.
A hot chest pressed against my back.
"Hmm!"
Hinata let out a short gasp and instinctively tried to struggle.
"Don't move."
Naruto's voice rang in my ears, tinged with sleepiness, "If you move around again, I can't guarantee you'll just be sleeping."
The effect of this statement was immediate.
Hinata immediately became obedient.
She nestled stiffly in Naruto's arms, feeling the warmth and strong heartbeat emanating from behind her.
This is.the taste of Naruto.
There was no fear as I had imagined; instead, I felt a sense of peace I had never felt before.
It's like a small boat that has been adrift on a stormy sea for a long time finally finding a safe harbor.
She gradually relaxed.
He quietly reached his hand behind him and grabbed the hem of Naruto's clothes.
Goodnight.Naruto-kun.
The only response she received was Naruto's steady breathing and the arm around her waist tightening around her waist.
In the darkness, Hinata felt that domineering body temperature, and the impulse in her heart finally overcame her shame.
She turned over, closed her eyes, and took the initiative to hug the blond boy.
She offered her lips to him.
"Hinata, if you keep being naughty, you'll be punished by your master."
"It's not off."
Before Hinata could finish speaking, Naruto's arm tightened around her.
He took turns gently stroking Hinata's smooth back with both hands.
It's like they're grooming her, trying to put her at ease.
Her lips parted perfectly, savoring the sweetness between them.
The boy and girl's hearts were closely intertwined.
The room was filled with little pink hearts, creating an atmosphere of ambiguity, warmth, and coziness.
The shy girl was speechless, silently thinking to herself, "If it were the boy in front of me."No problem.
Everything is fine.
The boy's hands no longer explored the unknown, but simply held her tighter and tighter.
The rustling sounds from the bedding continued until midnight.
The clash of hormones always makes one's heart race and lose their senses.
The next day, it was broad daylight.
Naruto took a rare break for himself.
Since that unlucky Asma hasn't set off yet, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the calm before the storm.
Konoha Commercial Street.
Although it was daytime, it was still incredibly lively.
Naruto, holding Hinata's hand, swaggered down the middle of the street.
Today, Hinata changed out of her usual training clothes and put on a light purple dress.
This is what Naruto picked out himself at the clothing store just now.
The skirt was cut very close to the body, perfectly outlining the girl's well-developed curves.The hem swayed gently as she walked, revealing a section of her snow-white calves.
With her delicate face flushed with rosy cheeks, she was guaranteed to turn heads.
"Isn't that the young lady of the Hyuga family?"
"How could she be with that fox demon."
Shh!Keep your voice down!Do you want to die?
The whispers by the roadside buzzed like flies.
The villagers looked at the couple with extremely complicated expressions.
There was disgust, fear, and regret that such a beautiful flower was stuck in cow dung.
Naruto ignored this.
This level of discussion didn't even warrant him frowning.
He stopped in front of a meatball stall.
"Boss, a string of red bean dumplings."
The shop owner was a middle-aged man.The moment he saw Naruto, he almost dropped the bamboo skewer in his hand.
He handed over the meatballs with trembling hands, not daring to accept the money.
Naruto tossed down a few coins, picked up a dumpling, and held it to Hinata's lips.
"Try it."
Hinata glanced shyly at the crowd around her, but still obediently opened her mouth and took a bite.
The sweet red bean paste melts in your mouth.
"So sweet."
She squinted, a little sauce on the corner of her mouth.
Naruto didn't use a tissue; instead, he extended his thumb, gently wiped the corner of the soft lips, and then put his finger in his mouth and sucked on it.
"It is indeed very sweet."
boom!
Hinata's face instantly turned bright red, and she looked like she was about to burst into flames.
Just then.
"That's.Naruto?"
A surprised voice came from ahead.
Class 10, who had just come out of "BBQ Q", bumped right into them.
Asuma had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Shikamaru had his hands in his pockets looking like he didn't want to bother with anything, and Choji was still stuffing potato chips into his mouth.
Ino, who was walking in the middle, stared wide-eyed at the scene before her in disbelief.
That guy who always wore tacky tracksuits and only knew how to yell and shout was now dressed in casual clothes, standing tall and exuding a cool and aloof aura.
Most importantly, he was holding Hinata Hyuga's hand.
Their intimate posture and the atmosphere of being oblivious to others made their relationship obvious even to a blind person.
"It really is Naruto!"
Ino subconsciously tidied her hair, wanting to go up and say hello.
Although she used to find Naruto annoying, there have been more and more rumors about his strength lately, and coupled with the cool aura he exudes right now, Ino, who is a sucker for good looks, felt a slight flutter in her heart.
"Hey Naruto!I heard you were up a few days ago."
Her words caught in her throat before she could finish speaking.
Naruto merely glanced at her indifferently.
The look in his eyes no longer held the infatuation he used to have when he saw a beautiful woman, nor the enthusiasm he showed when meeting classmates.
There was only indifference.
It's like looking at a stone or a weed by the roadside.
He didn't even pause for a moment, holding Hinata's hand, and brushed past Team 10.
"Naruto-kun."
Hinata felt a little awkward.She recognized him as a classmate from the same period and instinctively wanted to stop, bow, and greet him.
My hand was suddenly gripped tightly.
Ignore it.
Naruto's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.
"Irrelevant people only waste time."
He lowered his head and looked at the other stain on Hinata's lips.His eyes instantly softened and became affectionate, as if the cold-blooded demon from before was just an illusion.
"It's still a bit dirty, don't move it."
He wiped her again, his movements as gentle as if he were wiping a rare treasure.
Ino stood frozen in place, her outstretched hand awkwardly hanging in mid-air.
The humiliation of being completely ignored made her face turn pale and then red.
"What?What's with the attitude?"
Ino stamped her foot, but couldn't hide the hint of disappointment and envy in her eyes.
That idiot who used to revolve around Sakura now has eyes for another girl.
Moreover, that girl seemed to be more important to him than the whole world.
Asma exhaled a smoke ring, the bluish-white smoke blurring his solemn expression.
"That brat."
He watched Naruto's departing figure, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.
As a seasoned Jonin, his intuition was far sharper than Ino's.
In that brief moment when they brushed past each other, he felt as if he were being watched by a ferocious beast that was dozing off.
That sense of oppression was even stronger than any enemy he had encountered during his time as one of the "Twelve Guardian Ninja".
"The aura has changed." Shikamaru squinted, a glint of light flashing in his usually listless eyes.
"He used to be like a wildfire, but now.he's like a bottomless pool."
"And…" Shikamaru paused, looking at Asuma, "the way he looked at you just now was a little strange."
That look in his eyes.
It carries a compassion that already knows everything, and a cruelty that awaits its prey to fall into the net.
"It's probably just my imagination," Asuma flicked his cigarette ash, forcibly suppressing the inexplicable unease in his heart."Let's go, the mission is urgent."
The shadowy corner.
Sakura, clutching a thick stack of documents, leaned stiffly against the wall.
She witnessed the whole thing.
We saw Naruto's indifference towards Ino, but also his tenderness towards Hinata.
The hand that held Hinata's had reached out to her countless times, only to be ruthlessly slapped away by her time and time again.
The boy who used to follow her around calling her "Sakura-chan" has now given all his tenderness to someone else.
"Why..."
Sakura bit her lip, feeling as if her heart was being squeezed tightly by a hand, and she felt so bitter that she wanted to cry.
Sasuke's cold gaze and the words "Go to hell" flashed through my mind.
Then look at Naruto not far away, who, even in the bustling city, would protect the girl in his arms even if the whole world were against him.
The immense sense of loss overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
It seems she.lost something very important.
Moreover, it can never be found again.
dusk.
Above the Hokage Rock.
The setting sun, like blood, dyed the sky a poignant orange-red.
Naruto sat on the head of the Fourth Hokage's statue, his legs dangling in the air.
The evening breeze made his clothes flutter.
Hinata sat obediently beside him, hugging her knees with both hands, watching the village lights gradually illuminate below.
Are you afraid of the dark?
Naruto suddenly spoke, pointing to the forest in the distance that was about to be swallowed by the night.
That is the border of the Land of Fire, and also a place where darkness breeds.
Hinata looked in the direction he was pointing.
Darkness is like a giant mouth, slowly devouring the light.
In the past, she would have been afraid.
But now.
She turned her head and looked at the blond boy beside her.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on him, making him glow.
"I'm not afraid."
Hinata reached out and grasped Naruto's large hand, their fingers intertwined.
"Wherever Naruto is.there is light."
Naruto turned his head to look at those pure white eyes that reflected his image.
Pure, loyal, and unreserved.
"very good."
Naruto curled the corners of his lips into a smile, a strange red light flashing deep in his eyes.
Now that this bird has completely given her heart to him, he will naturally protect her.
Even if it means tearing a hole in the sky.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them.
Suddenly, a strange wriggling motion appeared in the shadow beneath Naruto's feet.
A crow, entirely black with scarlet eyes, did not descend from the sky, but instead slowly rose from the muddy ground of the shadows, letting out a hoarse cry.
It didn't open its mouth, but a cold message exploded directly in Naruto's mind.
[Jiro is dead; his body has been replaced by Jin.Asuma's squad is assembled and will depart immediately.]
It's finally here.
Naruto expressionlessly crushed the scroll in his palm, turning it into dust that drifted away in the wind.
The immortal duo.
That madman who worshipped an evil god, and that monster with five hearts.
Those were two extremely high-quality leeks, and a grand drama that could shake the entire Hidden Leaf Village.
"Naruto-kun?"
Noticing the change in Naruto's aura, Hinata called out with some concern.
"fine."
Naruto stood up and dusted off his pants.
He turned around, his back to the setting sun that was about to sink below the horizon.
A huge shadow was cast down, completely enveloping Hinata.
"I'll be very busy in the next few days."
Naruto leaned down and gently stroked Hinata's cheek with his fingers, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Stay home and cultivate obediently, don't go anywhere.The outside world is about to change, be careful."
Hinata didn't know what had happened, but she could tell from Naruto's tone that the situation was serious.
She didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded emphatically.
"I will wait for you.I will wait forever."
Naruto smiled.
He took one last look at the village below.
The sun completely sank below the horizon, and darkness descended.
At this boundary between light and shadow, the gears of fate begin to turn wildly.
On the other side of the screen.
As we were about to leave the village,
Asuma looked at his beloved, Kurenai Yuhi.
He hesitated, unsure whether he should go up and say hello.
In the end, Asuma decided not to disturb her and set off directly.
At the gate of Konoha Village.
Sarutobi Asuma finished smoking the last cigarette, threw the butt on the ground, and crushed it out with his toe.
The firelight flickered briefly in the darkness before going out.
"Let's go."
He waved to Shikamaru, Izumo, and Kotetsu behind him and stepped into the unknown night.
That is the road to death.
Behind him, two long shadows were stretched into pieces and eventually disappeared into the boundless darkness.
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