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Chapter 17 - Chapter 17

"Got you!"

Troy's feral grin wouldn't stop twisting his face.

He could already picture Raikage-sama's wild delight when he brought this "princess" with the purest Byakugan back to Kumogakure.

The Hyuga bloodline would be bent to the Cloud's use.

And he, Troy, would be Kumogakure's greatest hero.

However—

When his hand-blade was less than a centimeter from the nape of Hinata's neck—

Change exploded.

His motion froze.

Not because he chose to stop, but because he couldn't move at all.

Shh! Shh! Shh!

Several chains of pure chakra, flashing with golden light, shot out without warning from the ground beneath his feet and even the air beside him.

Their speed was absolute—

Beyond even an elite jonin's reaction limit.

Before he could respond, those Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains) moved like living things, binding his limbs, his torso—even his neck—tight as a drum.

A vast, irresistible force surged through the chains and pinned him to the spot.

Worse, his chakra itself turned sluggish under their pressure—its flow slowed to a crawl, tenfold at least!

Fūinjutsu (Sealing Arts)!

A supremely advanced one that suppresses chakra flow directly!

"What?!"

The smile vanished from Troy's face, replaced by raw shock and stupefaction.

What was happening?

Where did the attack come from?

He strained to roll his eyes and stared around in panic.

On the courtyard wall, a woman stood quietly.

Long crimson hair whipped in the night wind.

Dressed in simple home clothes, arms folded, she looked down at him with an icy, garbage-disposing gaze.

Her beautiful purple eyes were cold enough to burn everything to ash with the fury inside.

"W-who are you?!" Troy stammered.

The woman didn't answer.

Her voice came down like a decree—brooking no dissent.

"Bastard."

"You dared kidnap me back then, and now you dare reach for Konoha's next generation?!"

"So the Cloud's trash only remembers the pain when it's beaten!"

"You really think the Namikaze family is easy to bully?!"

"You're thinking of breaking free? Can you do that—are you stronger than the Kyubi? I bound that fox so tight it couldn't twitch. Save your strength unless you're a reincarnated sage."

Her words cracked over Troy's skull like thunder.

Namikaze?

This woman was from the Namikaze family?!

Binding the Kyubi immobile—without at least Kage-class strength, impossible.

He jerked his gaze to the little girl frozen in fright, then remembered the Fourth's genius son…

A soul-chilling realization crawled up his spine.

Could it be…

The Namikaze already knew their plan?

This was a trap.

A trap set specifically for him—for the Cloud envoy.

As terror swallowed him, the woman on the wall moved.

Kushina dropped from the wall, landing with light grace.

She hurried to Hinata first, crouched, and soothed her with the gentlest voice. "Don't be afraid, little Hinata. Auntie's here. It's okay now."

Looking at the fiery, beautiful red-haired aunt who had shielded her, Hinata's white eyes brimmed with safety and awe. She timidly nodded.

Once Hinata was calm, Kushina rose.

When she turned back to Troy, the tenderness was gone.

In its place—wrath like a mother tiger, killing intent boiling off her in waves.

Step by step, she closed on the Troy wrapped like a rice dumpling in Kongō Fūsa.

"W-what are you going to do?!" Troy barked with false bravado. "I—I am the Cloud's peace envoy! If you touch me, that's a declaration of war on Kumogakure!"

He tried to hide behind his status; beaten or not, he had to gamble on survival now.

But he was talking to the hottest temper in the shinobi world—the "Crimson Pepper."

"Peace envoy?"

Kushina's cold chuckle cut him off before he could say more.

She raised a seemingly slender fist, monstrous strength gathering in it—

And slammed it into Troy's gut.

Thud!

His eyes bulged.

A pain beyond words detonated in his abdomen and raced through every nerve.

The force wrenched up everything he'd eaten at the banquet—plus last night's—bursting out in one dreadful heave.

Filth spattered the ground.

"Ugh—" He tried to curl up from agony but couldn't even bend; the chains held him straight.

Still not satisfied, Kushina grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his face close.

She leaned to his ear, her voice a blade of ice.

"Don't rush."

"That was just the appetizer. We'll take our time."

Footsteps pounded in.

Hiashi arrived with a crowd of Hyuga guards.

He froze at the sight.

His daughter Hinata stood unharmed to one side—shaken, but untouched.

And the Cloud's chief, the man who had been clinking cups a short while ago, now hung trussed in golden chains—vomit at his lips, a pitiful, disgusting mess.

"K-Kushina-dono?!" Hiashi blurted in disbelief.

He looked at his unharmed daughter, then at the Cloud head caught red-handed.

First came fury—then a chill raced up his spine, soaking his undershirt with cold sweat.

He knew: without hidden protection—had Kushina not arrived in time—

The Hyuga would have suffered a calamity tonight.

He, too, would be the sinner of his clan.

The thought left him weak-kneed with dread—

And filled his heart with deep gratitude toward the Namikaze.

He strode forward and bowed deeply to Kushina.

"Kushina-dono, thank you… thank you for saving her!"

Kushina cast him a sidelong glance, released Troy's hair, and snorted.

Her gaze swept over the bewildered Hyuga guards, her tone unvarnished and scornful.

"Clan Head Hiashi, they almost snatched your girl right under your eyelids."

Heat crawled over Hiashi's cheeks; shame crushed his chest.

He had no answer.

Kushina let it drop.

She knew the Hyuga weren't in a position to handle this publicly.

Without ironclad proof, a misstep could escalate into a dispute between villages.

Hiashi had too much to weigh.

But she—Kushina—did not.

And the Namikaze even less.

She looked to Hiashi and spoke like issuing a proclamation:

"Clan Head Hiashi, they nearly took your child."

"This touches Konoha and the Cloud; your Hyuga aren't suited to take the lead."

"Our Namikaze," her eyes flashed dangerously, "will get you justice."

(End of Chapter)

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