Since Uzumaki Naruto was already prepared for a bath, what did Hyuga Shiro have to be afraid of?
You, Uzumaki Naruto, are just a little kid whose feathers haven't even fully grown yet. Would I, Hyuga Shiro, be scared?
"You... you go in first."
After shooing Naruto into the bathroom, Hyuga Shiro undressed mostly outside, wrapped herself in a towel, and then walked in.
In Naruto's bathroom, there was only a small bathtub.
He was now inside it, soaking in the water with bubbles all over his head.
Seeing his innocent and carefree appearance, Hyuga Shiro couldn't help but laugh.
She was overthinking it. After all, Naruto was just a brat whose feathers hadn't grown in. What was there to be afraid of?
What bad intentions could a child possibly have?
*Splash!*
Suddenly, Hyuga Shiro saw Naruto get excited, slapping the water's surface with one hand, making a *splat-splat* sound.
"Shiro-nee, quick, sit beside me! Sit beside me!"
With her rich experience and having read the stuff written by Jiraiya that Naruto had, Hyuga Shiro's thoughts instantly went down a wrong path.
Sit beside you?
*Which* beside!
Naruto, you really are a little pervert!
...
"Foolish! Utterly foolish!"
Within the Root, Shimura Danzo learned about Sarutobi Hiruzen's latest arrangements for Naruto.
He was furious, believing everything Sarutobi Hiruzen was doing was so stupid.
Clearly, placing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in his Root, under his supervision, was the best choice.
In the end, not only did you, Sarutobi Hiruzen, disagree, but you actually arranged for a woman from the Hyuga clan to be by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's side.
Do you want the Hyuga clan to also gain some influence over the Jinchuriki?
Have you gone mad, Sarutobi Hiruzen!
A raging fire burned fiercely in Shimura Danzo's heart.
Don't you know, Sarutobi Hiruzen, that the Hyuga clan's loyalty to the village, to you, is not that firm?
When for the sake of the village's peace, for the larger picture, you had no choice but to let Hyuga Hizashi die to settle the incident, to give the real culprits, the Kumogakure ninja, no pretext for war, the Hyuga clan proved they are not that trustworthy!
Sarutobi Hiruzen, you've truly grown senile.
You'd rather trust a member of the Hyuga clan than hand the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki over to me for management.
The fire in Shimura Danzo's eyes burned even more fiercely.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
If I were the Hokage, none of this would have happened. Konoha would be on the right path.
Shimura Danzo looked at the intelligence report in his hand, gathered by Root ninja surveilling the Jinchuriki.
Today, the Jinchuriki had a serious conflict with academy students in the classroom.
Shimura Danzo felt this was a good point, a potential entry point.
Perhaps Sarutobi Hiruzen thought it was just a minor scuffle between children.
But Shimura Danzo didn't see it that way. From the surveillance reports of Naruto's actions provided by his Root ninja, he could sense that a fire also burned fiercely within Naruto's heart.
A fire of vengeance hard to extinguish, the anger and grievances Naruto deeply hid within.
If he could just completely ignite, detonate this fire, he believed that little brat would inevitably cause some major disturbance in the village.
If that happened, even Sarutobi Hiruzen would have no choice but to agree to let him manage the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, to thoroughly remodel him into a weapon loyal to Konoha, loyal to... the Root!
No, this matter might need to be postponed a little further.
Because now, whether for Konoha or for Shimura Danzo himself, there were more important matters to attend to!
The conflict between the Uchiha clan and Konoha had recently become increasingly acute.
While Shimura Danzo plotted to gain control of the Jinchuriki, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, also summoned Iruka.
The man he had personally requested to be Naruto's homeroom teacher just before Naruto started school.
After a good talk with Iruka, Sarutobi Hiruzen's Will of Fire deeply moved Iruka, who already harbored guilt in his heart.
Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that from now on, Iruka would surely get along well with Naruto, treat him properly, become a mentor on his growth path, and an important bond for Naruto within Konoha!
Having resolved the issue with Iruka, Sarutobi Hiruzen returned to the Hokage's office and began to personally handle the village's current, extremely delicate problem—the Uchiha clan issue.
Despite the late hour, the Uchiha matter was a huge event that could affect the entire village. He had to remain vigilant.
...
[Assist Hyuga Shiro in fulfilling her dream of gaining 'freedom'. Hyuga Shiro conquest progress: 25%!]
[Reward: 25% of Hyuga Shiro's chakra, 25% of Hyuga Shiro's Gentle Fist secret technique proficiency, and 25% of Hyuga Shiro's Byakugan ocular power.]
Having slept on the floor next to the... hug pillow in Hyuga Shiro's embrace, and teasing the Nine-Tails inside him all night—a case of eating from one bowl while eyeing the pot—much of the resentment in Naruto's heart had dissipated.
Waking up early, the feedback from the conquest ability surprised him somewhat.
He quietly got up and looked at the peacefully sleeping Hyuga Shiro.
Shiro-nee, is the 'freedom' you crave so insignificant?
Even if it's just leaving the clan you've always lived with, not forever, but moving out under the pretext of taking care of someone, could it bring you such satisfaction?
Naruto looked at Hyuga Shiro sleeping soundly and sweetly in bed and took a deep breath.
Compared to Shiro-nee's humble craving for freedom, oppressed by her Hyuga branch family status, the grievances he suffered at the academy seemed somewhat like making a mountain out of a molehill.
Right, getting angry over those unrelated people.
At this moment, Naruto felt his perspective broaden considerably.
...
"Thank you again, Uchiha Sasuke!"
Arriving at school, Naruto sincerely thanked Sasuke once more.
Not only had Sasuke helped him in front of Hyuga Neji, but yesterday he was also the first to speak up and help testify for Naruto.
It had to be said, although the proud second son was cocky, he was also an honest guy.
"Hmph, it was nothing!"
Uchiha Sasuke turned his head away. Such a small matter didn't require repeated thanks.
Seeing Uchiha Sasuke's awkward, strange demeanor, a strange thought suddenly occurred to Uzumaki Naruto.
If this ability could even target the non-human Nine-Tails for conquest and start a progress bar...
Then couldn't the second son also be...
No, he couldn't!
He, Uzumaki Naruto, did not want an Uchiha Sasuke molded completely in body and soul to his shape.
...Well, although he didn't want to mold Sasuke completely in body and soul, perhaps helping Sasuke achieve his dreams later on, accomplishing something, could also work.
Then he could obtain 50% of Sasuke's power.
...No, not 50% of Sasuke's current power, but 50% of the power of a Sasuke who grows stronger and stronger!