Chapter 38
...Night.
For the New Year's preparations, Konoha's streets and alleys were adorned with lanterns and festive decorations.
The Hyuga Clan was naturally no exception.
This year, for the New Year, this rigid clan uncharacteristically used many vibrant colors.
This symbolized celebration and also the Hyuga Clan's change.
Suikeido stood on a ladder, hanging the last red lantern.
"A Xia~!"
He looked down and saw Aoba passing by with small steps.
"A Xia~~~!" xN.
The next second, the entire courtyard echoed with loud, multiple shouts.
There was a large group of young Hyuga clansmen of similar age, only a few years apart.
They all greeted Hyuga Natsu.
There was no other way; among their peers, only the most outstanding girls were qualified to be chosen as servants for the Main Family.
That is to say, for them, Hyuga Natsu was an object of aspiration for almost everyone.
At this moment, Hyuga Natsu, who was worried, looked up at the shouts.
Her gentle face immediately became serious.
"No loud noises!"
With that, she picked up her items and continued walking forward.
After she passed through the quiet courtyard, the clansmen's chattering voices finally resumed.
"A Xia looked at me when she spoke just now, which means A Xia likes me."
"Nonsense! A Xia was clearly looking at me when she spoke!"
"Me! It was me!"
"It was me...!"
Unlike the joyous Branch Family members, as the road stretched on, Hyuga Natsu's mood became increasingly low.
In her hand were the new clothes to be worn for the New Year.
Hyuga Hazuki had instructed her to personally deliver them to Naruto-kun.
It was already 10 PM.
Stars filled the sky.
The moonlight and the artificial lights on the ground complemented each other, brightly illuminating the Hyuga Clan's compound.
The New Year celebration was at 12 AM.
Hinata-sama was still sleeping because she was a child. After all, it was hard for children to stay up late. So she didn't come along.
Her task was to wake Naruto-kun, get everything ready before 12, and then invite him to the main living room to celebrate the New Year with everyone... As Hyuga Natsu thought about these things, she unknowingly arrived at the door of the room... Inside the room.
Naruto lay casually on the tatami, propping his head with one hand, bored.
His half-closed eyes flickered intermittently.
An unknown conversation was playing out in his mental space.
"You've offended Danzo Shimura, that guy, you'll have a tough time ahead..."
Nine-Tailed's Ninja World's darkness warning!
Danzo Shimura is the worst Ninja in the Ninja World today.
If you offend him, you're finished later.
—And you've dragged this old man down with you!
So... why did you go and offend him? After all, there's no such thing as guarding against a thief for a thousand days.
"Meet aggression with aggression, and adapt to circumstances."
Naruto was completely unconcerned.
"Besides... if I don't offend him, he won't actively look for trouble with me?"
Naruto casually spat out a watermelon seed.
In this world, one could still eat cultivated watermelons in winter. Big families were just rich and extravagant... "You think, who spread the rumor that I am the 'Demon Fox'...?"
It is clearly stated in the official novel "Itachi Shinden" that the Demon Fox rumor was indeed spread by Danzo.
"You mean..."
The Nine-Tailed immediately understood.
Meeting the four Konoha higher-ups today. Utatane Koharu and the others' reactions had already proven their stance.
So the problem lay with that old man, Danzo.
"Hmph! I haven't settled the score with him yet."
Even without mentioning the slander of the Demon Fox rumor, which made his situation difficult.
Danzo was also secretly planning to deal with the Hyuga, Uchiha, and then himself.
To save various tragedies, and to save Sako and Mikoto-auntie, he would definitely have to confront that old bastard Danzo.
Naruto hummed and got up.
"Someone's coming..."
Knock knock knock.
"Naruto-kun..." Hyuga Natsu's silhouette appeared on the shoji screen.
"Who is it?" Naruto called out.
"..."
A long silence.
From here, and the slightly trembling projection on the door, one could tell the Branch Family maid's mood at the moment.
"M-Madam asked me to bring new clothes, and once you're ready, we can go celebrate the New Year together..."
Hyuga Natsu added some details, trying to make her tone sound gentle.
Naruto: "Mm, please come in."
Whoosh.
The shoji screen opened.
Hyuga Natsu slowly looked up, relieved only after finding nothing unusual.
She held the clothes and slowly walked in.
Moonlight spilled in from outside onto the tatami, adding a touch of illumination to the dim room.
Normally, Hyuga Natsu would turn on the light at this time.
However, her expression at this moment was somewhat unusual, as if she was struggling.
Perhaps she was considering whether to apologize.
All of this was seen by Naruto.
And the Nine-Tailed, nestled in the mental space, keenly sensed the change in the environment.
Nine-Tailed: "It's... gotten dark in here..."
"..."
Naruto's gaze instantly swept over Hyuga Natsu.
At close range, he thoroughly scrutinized this pretty maid from the Branch Family.
Perhaps it was because of the moon.
The monster inside him began to tremble... Chapter 31. When apologizing... it's common sense!
Slowly setting down the new clothes, Hyuga Natsu's lips trembled a few times, pulling into an ingratiating smile.
But no matter how one looked at it, it was stiff.
"Naruto-kun, about what happened before... I'm very sorry!"
From hesitation to determination.
Then from slow to quick apology.
After saying this, Hyuga Natsu bowed deeply.
For her, this was the lowest possible posture.
She had put in a great deal of effort to make up her mind.
"Apology?"
The ambient temperature seemed to drop several degrees instantly.
Naruto's tone became chilling.
His blue eyes instantly turned into red vertical pupils, and needle-like gleams lit up in the darkness.
"I don't see any sincerity from you."
In the past, you ignored me; now I make it so you can't reach me?
Naruto felt he didn't have such thoughts.
Because this Branch Family maid's attitude had nothing to do with ignoring him.
Blatant hatred, disdain, and malicious expulsion were her true attitudes towards him.
Didn't this morally corrupt maid know that this would leave a deep childhood trauma for me, a little child?
If I went astray, who would be responsible?
I, Uzumaki Naruto, am destined to become the successor of the will of fire!
Hyuga Natsu: "!"
Before Hyuga Natsu could retort, Naruto quickly rattled off a string of sentences: "If merely saying a phrase counts as an apology, then what's the Police Force for? While I, Uzumaki Naruto, can be magnanimous and not retaliate against you, you wouldn't think... an insincere apology can earn my 'forgiveness,' would you!"
"S-sorry..."
Hyuga Natsu immediately looked up, directly meeting those terrifying eyes.
She was startled.
Because when she was with Naruto, such a situation had never occurred.
Connecting it to Naruto's identity as the Demon Fox, she naturally guessed that this was a manifestation of the Nine-Tailed's power, and thus she was truly afraid at this moment.
The immense destruction caused by the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's rampage that year, that scene, was still fresh in her memory.
If the other party went berserk... the crime of inciting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to erupt would surely become her responsibility.