Hyūga Clan Territory
The first rays of sunlight streamed into the dojo where Hinata and her father, Hiashi Hyūga, began their morning training.
As the heir of the main branch, mastery of the Jūken was paramount.
Even with the "Caged Bird Seal", an heir without sufficient strength could never truly control the branch family members.
That's why Hiashi was merciless in training his eldest daughter.
Pah! Pah!
Swirls of bluish energy burst from her fingers, palms, and even her chakra points.
Such was the essence of the Jūken—to attack and defend by manipulating the opponent's internal chakra flow.
"You left an opening!"
Hiashi's stern face showed no mercy as he struck without hesitation.
Pah!
A harsh blow echoed.
Hinata collapsed onto the tatami, her face twisted in pain.
"You have ten minutes to pull yourself together."
Hiashi loomed over her, his tone devoid of tenderness.
"Yes… Father…"
Hinata slowly got back up and left the training hall.
"Why did you lose focus, Hinata-sama?"
Hinata no Aka, a servant of the branch family, applied balm to the bruise on the young heiress's cheek.
Hinata lowered her gaze, her heart heavy with the memory of the day before.
"Aka… Why does everyone treat Naruto-kun like that?"
The servant froze in her actions.
After a moment of silence, she put away the balm bottle.
"In any case… Hinata-sama, I beg you, please stay away from that boy, Uzumaki Naruto."
A few minutes later, Hinata returned to her training.
As for Aka, she left to do some shopping in the market district.
Upon arriving, Aka immediately noticed the crowd gathered in front of the ruined mask shop.
Even though, as a servant of the Hyūga main family, she had been informed of the murder and arson, the extent of the damage still shocked her.
The place was completely cordoned off.
Only scorched debris remained as evidence of what had occurred.
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, Aka felt a heavy gaze on her.
"It's the Nine-Tailed Demon!"
Across the street stood Naruto, perfectly still, observing the scene.
The villagers, just like the day before, avoided him like the plague.
But this time, their faces showed not only disdain… but fear.
Aka understood immediately:
The townspeople believed the destruction of the shop was connected to "Uzumaki Naruto, the demon child."
Whether out of superstition or fear of a curse, they now saw him as a harbinger of misfortune.
Yet Aka knew one thing:
Neither the Uchiha Military Police, nor the ANBU, nor the village leaders suspected Naruto.
"Why does no one suspect him, when he's clearly the Nine-Tailed Demon?"
She didn't know Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage…
But unknowingly, she had stumbled upon the truth:
He was the culprit.
Before leaving, Aka locked eyes with Naruto one last time.
His blue eyes inspired no sense of beauty or purity in her—
Only a deep, visceral disgust.
Naruto began to follow her, always keeping a calculated distance.
Aka, growing irritated, was about to confront him when—
"—!"
Naruto suddenly turned his head and walked away.
"…Incomprehensible."
The servant frowned, her loathing for him reaching a new peak.
She didn't know that an unexpected intervention had just saved her from a far greater danger…
"ANBU-nii-chan~, we meet again."
Naruto smiled as he spotted Yūgao, the cat-masked kunoichi.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
Yūgao tried to sound cold, but couldn't fully mask her kindness toward the son of her heroes, Minato and Kushina.
"You heard about the mask shop?"
In this tense moment, the Third Hokage had given her a special mission:
Keep an eye on Naruto, in case the incident was a diversion aimed at the Jinchūriki.
"Yes." Naruto nodded.
"In that case, go home. Don't wander around."
The safest option was for him to stay indoors.
"But it's boring, being home alone…"
Naruto protested, his gaze still fixed in the direction Aka had disappeared.
"…Fine. I'll come with you."
Yūgao gave in, unaware that she had just walked into a trap.
"It's much warmer in here…"
Yūgao rubbed her exposed shoulders, grateful to escape the winter cold.
Naruto turned on the television, pretending to be absorbed by a pointless show.
Yūgao smiled under her mask:
"After all… he's still just a kid."
Curious, she opened the fridge.
"…Milk?"
Her eyes fell on the neatly lined-up bottles.
She reached for one in the back.
"Expired."
She suddenly understood the strange feeling she had last time.
"So that was it…?"
She closed the door quickly, pretending not to care.
But she didn't notice…
Naruto's eyes already devouring her from head to toe.
Dressed in her ANBU uniform, her pearly shoulders exposed, Yūgao had no idea…
That the beast inside Naruto was beginning to stir.