Under the moonlight, the leader of the Kumo ninjas, carrying Hinata under his arm, was running through the streets of Konoha.
He wasn't familiar with the layout of the village—unlike those white-eyed people.
Not to mention that the Hyūga's Byakugan allowed them to see through obstacles and detect chakra, making the night as clear as day.
Escaping them was nearly impossible.
But the Kumo ninjas were no amateurs.
His seven companions were tasked with slowing the pursuers down, giving him time to reach the village walls.
Once outside, no matter how strong Konoha's ninjas were, they wouldn't be able to catch up.
After all, there was no longer a second "Yellow Flash" in this era!
As he grinned, planning it all out, the smell of blood suddenly made him stop cold.
Hyūga Hiashi had also come to a halt.
The two men stood face to face in a narrow, straight alley.
Hiashi, his face grave, took the stance of the Gentle Fist.
His opponent was fast and could endanger Hinata at any moment.
So he bet on the Hyūga clan's fastest technique: the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm...
But a deep, childlike voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Hey, mister with the white eyes~, you don't need to do anything..."
Bathed in the pale moonlight, Naruto stood on the left wall, watching them from the far end of the alley.
"Naruto... kun..."
Weakly, Hinata raised her eyes.
Naruto said, "You shouldn't do anything either."
Hiashi: "??"
Unaware of the truth, Hiashi didn't know that by acting, he might spark an irreversible tragedy.
This thief dressed in black wasn't just some common criminal.
His true identity... was the leader of the Kumo ninja, who had come to Konoha under the guise of peace!
The man also looked up at Naruto.
Blood stains on Naruto's face gave him an eerie aura.
"Uzumaki... Naruto..."
Hiashi knew that Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
Unlike the average villager, as head of the Hyūga clan, he knew much more...
Of course, out of caution, he never spoke of it.
The Hyūga clan's mission was to protect the Byakugan—not to get involved in political schemes.
As for the Kumo leader, the presence of this kid filled him with an unexplainable dread.
"Boy, where are my seven companions?!" he growled.
"When I last saw them, they were all on the ground... Maybe they got heatstroke."
Naruto made a joke no one found funny.
It was December 27th, the heart of winter.
How could they have gotten heatstroke?
This wasn't Suna!
"Raiton!"
His face twisted with rage, the Kumo ninja launched a deadly attack.
Most jutsu required two-handed seals.
But some needed just one.
—And a few needed none at all: the so-called handseal-less techniques.
Crack!
A bolt of chakra cut through the night like a spear aimed at Naruto.
Watch out!
Hiashi didn't have time to shout.
The lightning hit Naruto, sending him flying over the wall.
Splash!
When his body hit the ground hard, a sly smile spread on his enemy's face.
But a second later...
An orange-and-red figure leapt back up and stood once again atop the wall.
Covered in a bijū chakra cloak, Naruto, under the stunned gazes of Hiashi, Hinata, and the Kumo leader, calmly declared:
"Now... it's my turn, isn't it?"
The orange chakra cloak clung tightly to Naruto's body.
A tail, fully formed from the bijū's energy, swayed behind him.
Draped in this beastly armor, Naruto's youthful face radiated a terrifying aura.
Though still a child, the Kumo ninja leader couldn't stop sweating profusely.
"A... jinchūriki?!"
Kumo possessed the Nibi and the Hachibi.
They knew full well the power and terror of human vessels.
Killer B, the Hachibi's jinchūriki, and Yugito, host of the Nibi, had left lasting impressions.
But seeing Naruto with only one tail reassured him.
"Just one tail... nothing to fear."
He had once commanded thousands of shinobi during the war.
One kid with a tail didn't scare him.
"This chakra... it's the Kyūbi's," murmured Hiashi, recognizing the demonic nature of the energy.
Hinata, still trapped under the ninja's arm, weakly raised her eyes.
Through her blurred vision, Naruto looked like a demon risen from the depths of hell.
The fight erupted.
SHUN!
Naruto lunged in a straight line—no tricks.
His charge kicked up dust, cracking the ground beneath him with its force.
The Kumo ninja quickly formed hand seals.
"Raiton..."
A lightning orb shot toward Naruto.
A cat, startled by the lethal energy, accidentally ran into the line of fire.
CRACK!
The animal was torn to shreds instantly.
The attack struck Naruto head-on.
BOOM!
He was blasted into a wall, which crumbled on impact.
But in the dust...
"Two tails..." observed Hiashi, concerned.
The Kumo ninja turned pale.
"T-TWO TAILS?!"
Now crouched on all fours, Naruto growled like a beast.
"Hinata... close your eyes."
She obeyed immediately.
The sweating ninja tried to protest:
"Wait—"
Too late.
SHLIK!
Naruto's claws pierced through his chest.
Heart ripped out, the corpse collapsed in a pool of blood.
Naruto caught Hinata and landed gently.
"You're safe now."
When she opened her eyes again, she was in his arms.
"Hinata... happy birthday."
BOOM — Her heart thudded loudly.
Her cheeks flushed red, and the tears she'd been holding back burst forth.
She nestled into him, whispering:
"Naruto-kun's arms... are so warm..."
Shortly after, the Hyūga clan finally arrived.
But Hiashi, his face pale, stared at the corpse.
Under the torn forehead protector...
"The head of Kumo's diplomatic delegation..."
It was a disaster.