"Naruto Uzumaki…"
Natsu Hyuga stood at the entrance of the Hyuga Clan compound, glaring coldly at the figure spying from a distance.
The sneaky and clumsy way he was hiding only deepened the disgust in her eyes.
Naruto Uzumaki—the demon fox boy.
The culprit who had once brought catastrophic destruction to Konoha.
Like most villagers, Natsu Hyuga saw him as the embodiment of evil.
"Excuse me, big sister maid…"
After being discovered, Naruto Uzumaki cautiously stepped out from the bushes.
However, his timid behavior did nothing to soften Natsu Hyuga's expression.
As Naruto Uzumaki approached, the hatred in her pale eyes became almost tangible.
Shadows covered the face of the Hyuga branch family maid.
The coldness in her gaze forced Naruto Uzumaki to stop where he stood.
The difference in height and age made her look down on him from above.
Two years older than Yugao Uzuki, Natsu Hyuga had already grown into a graceful young woman with a well-developed figure.
Over her dark home kimono, she wore a pristine maid uniform.
Despite being extremely conservative—almost old-fashioned—the outfit accentuated her curves perfectly.
Combined with her extremely strict and disdainful expression, something in Naruto Uzumaki's mind began to shift.
"Hm?"
For Kurama, it was as if the dark sewer he lived in had suddenly become brighter.
This usually meant the host's adrenaline was increasing.
Or, in other words—
He was getting excited.
But why?
Even after living for a thousand years, Kurama still didn't understand many things about humans.
There existed a strange preference where the more someone showed disdain, the more excited the other person became.
Of course, Naruto Uzumaki had no intention of explaining that.
"Is Hinata home?"
Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head, pretending to be shy.
"The other morning, I saw you taking Hinata to the commercial street to shop—"
"Silence!"
Natsu Hyuga cut him off before he could finish.
Today was a special day.
Almost every villager in Konoha had gone to watch the arrival of the Kumogakure delegation.
Meanwhile, the Hyuga Clan was celebrating Hinata Hyuga's birthday inside their compound.
As a result, the area here was completely quiet.
Only the two of them stood at the entrance.
Natsu Hyuga had no intention of being polite.
After all, why would anyone treat the universally despised demon fox kindly?
"Lady Hinata's name is not something someone like you has the right to speak!"
Hinata Hyuga was the heir of the Hyuga Clan's main family.
What was Naruto Uzumaki in comparison?
He had no right to associate with her.
"Leave immediately! And from now on, you are forbidden from approaching Lady Hinata!"
"Huh? But…"
Naruto Uzumaki immediately acted confused and frightened.
Sweat appeared faintly on his forehead, making him look small and helpless.
"There are no 'buts'! Leave immediately! This is your final warning!"
With a swift step across the ground, Natsu Hyuga assumed the stance of the Gentle Fist.
A clear warning.
Her expression of disgust had reached its absolute peak.
Even Kurama, who had lived for centuries, had never seen someone display such pure disdain.
"Heh…"
Kurama yawned lazily, completely unconcerned.
Because from beginning to end, he knew Naruto Uzumaki was simply acting.
Pretending to be weak and luring people into traps.
He had done the same thing with Yugao Uzuki.
And now this human female named Natsu Hyuga had also fallen into the trap Naruto Uzumaki had set.
"She's finished…"
Kurama could already imagine how this would end.
"O-Okay…"
Naruto Uzumaki lowered his head as if discouraged and began to leave.
Perhaps because he was so "terrified" by the Gentle Fist warning, he even stumbled and nearly fell while running away.
Seeing Naruto Uzumaki's miserable appearance finally improved Natsu Hyuga's mood slightly.
"Hmph!"
She snorted and withdrew her stance.
With stiff yet elegant steps, she quickly left the area.
After walking a short distance away, Naruto Uzumaki casually crouched down behind a bush.
He planned to remain there until nightfall.
"This is called… waiting for the rabbit by the stump."
"What does that mean?"
Kurama asked out of boredom.
"Kurama, you should read more books."
Kurama fell silent.
—
"Clan head…"
"Congratulations…"
Inside the Hyuga Clan compound.
Between the residences of the main family and branch family lay a clear, invisible divide.
On the open ground between them, members of both families met.
Hiashi Hyuga's younger twin brother, Hizashi Hyuga, arrived wearing new clothes as well.
Together with several branch family members, he offered his congratulations to his older brother.
Standing beside Hizashi Hyuga was a young boy with delicate features.
The conversation between adults didn't interest him at all.
"Father… she's so beautiful…"
Neji Hyuga looked up at his father.
The person he was referring to was naturally the eldest daughter of the main family—
His cousin, Hinata Hyuga.
"…."
Hearing his son's words, Hizashi Hyuga's expression became extremely complicated.
Because—
"Hizashi, we will take Neji and the other children now."
Hiashi Hyuga spoke with a stern face, announcing the future of Neji Hyuga and the other branch family children.
These children would receive the Caged Bird Seal.
Once branded, they would permanently lose their freedom.
Still unaware of his fate, Neji Hyuga happily walked forward.
His smiling eyes remained fixed on Hinata Hyuga.
But Hinata Hyuga herself looked troubled.
Moments earlier, she had secretly activated her Byakugan and looked outside the compound.
She had seen Natsu Hyuga scolding Naruto Uzumaki.
At first she had been delighted by Naruto Uzumaki's arrival.
Then she had felt heartbroken watching him leave in humiliation.
"Natsu… why does everyone treat Naruto like that…?"
The sight had deeply hurt her.
Not long afterward, Neji Hyuga followed members of the main family into the residence.
Inside a special room, the Caged Bird Seal was placed upon his forehead.
A dark green curse mark permanently appeared on his skin.
After wrapping his forehead with white medical bandages, Neji Hyuga stepped outside.
There he met his father again.
Hizashi Hyuga brought his son to the main family training hall.
In the center of the dojo, Hinata Hyuga was practicing the Gentle Fist under the guidance of Hiashi Hyuga.
Watching the main family daughter—
Who possessed no talent yet inherited everything—
Hizashi Hyuga felt overwhelming resentment.
Meanwhile, his own son—clearly a genius—had just been turned into a slave.
Combined with his own life experiences…
A faint killing intent rose within Hizashi Hyuga.
That single trace of hostility was instantly detected by his brother.
Right in front of Neji Hyuga, Hiashi Hyuga activated the Caged Bird Seal.
Seeing his father collapse in pain, Neji Hyuga burst into tears.
At that moment, the seed of hatred toward the main family was planted within him.
One day, it would grow.
Outside the courtyard, the sky had already turned to dusk.
Within the range of Hinata Hyuga's Byakugan—
Naruto Uzumaki was still there.
From morning until evening…
He had been waiting the entire time.
—
Night.
After a round of celebrations, the birthday banquet for the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter finally ended.
Returning to her room, Hinata Hyuga felt even more depressed.
Darkness filled the room beyond the paper sliding doors.
When everything was completely silent and dark—
Hinata Hyuga could no longer restrain herself.
She quickly got up and ran toward the kitchen.
There, she grabbed a cloth bag and began stuffing it with food.
From morning to afternoon, and now until night—
Naruto Uzumaki had never left.
"Naruto…"
Wiping away a falling tear, Hinata Hyuga finished packing the food.
Then she hurried out of the kitchen.
In the courtyard, the silver moonlight suddenly disappeared as thick clouds gathered overhead.
Dark shadows covered the entire area.
After taking only a few steps, Hinata Hyuga suddenly bumped into a tall figure.
"Ah…"
Rubbing her head in pain, she steadied herself.
When she looked up—
She saw a pair of extremely sinister eyes.
A few seconds later, the cloth bag fell to the ground.
Food scattered across the floor.
When the clouds finally moved away and moonlight returned—
Both Hinata Hyuga and the shadow were gone.
Not long afterward, lights blazed throughout the Hyuga Clan compound.
Voices shouted in alarm.
Soon, several figures rushed out of the compound in pursuit.