Chapter 595: Hinata Stands Up to Neji
"Hokage-sama, this is exactly what happened! Neji kidnapped Sakura and Hinata, then threatened Naruto, saying he had to use that... whatever Reverse Harem Technique on him for his enjoyment. Look! Just like this!"
After recovering from her shock, Ino, who had followed Kushina, immediately reported Neji according to the plan.
That's right.
This was Naruto's plan.
Instead of letting Neji slander him and trying to prove his own innocence afterward, he would strike first and accuse Neji instead!
"Hyuga Neji, just what are you doing?!"
Kushina had originally come to teach Naruto a lesson.
She never expected to witness this scene instead.
As someone who firmly despised bond-type ninjas, Kushina was furious.
She felt that her authority had been challenged.
She felt betrayed.
Neji, the tool who had sworn loyalty to her, had actually dared to secretly indulge in bonds!
And with Naruto of all people!
Thinking back to all of Neji's previous actions, Kushina couldn't help but wonder...
Had Neji's so-called loyalty to her merely been an excuse to get close to Naruto?
The more she thought about it, the more disgusted she felt.
Kushina looked like Empress Wu Zetian preparing to execute Lai Junchen.
"Hokage-sama, I'm innocent! It was Naruto! Naruto was the one who made the first move! The moment I got here, Naruto just..."
Neji desperately tried to defend himself and even wanted to kneel.
But both of his legs were being held down by Naruto's Shadow Clones, and so were his arms. He couldn't move at all.
In front of the Hokage, he didn't dare use Rotation or any other technique to break free.
The moment he resorted to violence, it would only make him look even guiltier.
"So you're saying Naruto is the bond-type ninja?"
Kushina frowned.
She didn't completely believe Neji.
The excuse, "He was the one who started it," was something she had also heard from Minato before.
It was a classic attempt at shifting the blame.
"Mom, I'm the one who's being framed!"
Naruto's real body finally appeared and immediately threw himself flat on the ground in a full prostration.
"Hokage-sama, I have proof! Send someone to Kakashi's house right now! One of Naruto's Shadow Clones is there, having a teacher-and-student free-for-all with Kakashi, Might Guy, and Lee!"
Neji panicked and immediately revealed the trump card he had originally prepared to threaten Naruto.
Only by proving Naruto was a bond-type ninja could he clear his own name.
"Oh?"
Kushina hadn't expected Neji to actually have evidence.
"Then let's go take a look."
With Kushina leading the way, Naruto dispelled his Shadow Clones, and the group headed to Kakashi's house.
During the journey, Naruto didn't say a single word.
He looked completely confident, making Neji begin to doubt himself.
But the arrow had already left the bow.
Neji kicked the front door open.
"Naruto, stop this at once! Hokage-sama has arri—"
Neji froze halfway through his sentence.
His original plan had been simple.
The moment he opened the door, he would claim Naruto had heard the commotion and immediately dispelled his Shadow Clone, then use Kakashi's testimony to pin the crime on Naruto.
That was why Neji hadn't activated his Byakugan before entering.
He knew perfectly well that Naruto wasn't inside.
But now...
Naruto really was inside!
That completely broke Neji's brain.
Then again...
That actually made things even better.
Now the evidence was absolutely undeniable.
"Hokage-sama, look! Naruto is right here! The evidence couldn't be clearer!"
Neji pointed excitedly at the Naruto inside the room.
"Neji, why don't you take a closer look?"
Naruto's real body stepped forward calmly.
"Naruto, what are you trying to do? Are you planning to dispel your Shadow Clone right in front of Hokage-sama and pretend nothing happened?"
Neji demanded.
"You're trying to frame me as a bond-type ninja, aren't you?"
Naruto grinned proudly.
"Well, you're wrong!"
He had already investigated his own records.
In this world, Sasuke had defected from the village long ago.
Without Sasuke around, Naruto's personal history was completely clean!
"Wrong? Then explain why you're here!"
Neji's expression darkened.
"Why don't you look at what's in my Shadow Clone's arms?"
"What's in..."
Neji looked over.
The Naruto Shadow Clone inside the room was holding...
A white dog.
And a female one at that.
Don't ask how Neji could tell it was female with just one glance.
"I'm not a bond-type ninja at all. I came here because I heard Kakashi-sensei had contracted several adorable dogs, and I wanted to trade this one for one of his."
Naruto proudly revealed the truth.
He openly admitted that what he liked were small animals.
He didn't like humans at all.
With that, how could Neji possibly accuse him of being a bond-type ninja anymore?
Hearing this, Neji completely turned to stone.
He stood there, utterly speechless.
Faced with this situation...
He had absolutely no moves left.
Like the criminal at the end of every Detective Conan episode, Neji dropped to his knees with a thud.
Background music should be playing at this moment.
Even Kushina was stunned by Naruto's self-destructive method of proving his innocence.
But strangely enough...
She accepted it almost immediately.
It actually made perfect sense.
Kushina knew that Naruto was, in truth, the Nine-Tails' child rather than a human, merely wearing a human body.
If Naruto wasn't human...
Then preferring small animals over humans was simply his instincts returning.
It was perfectly reasonable.
"Since you're not a bond-type ninja, Naruto, we'll let that matter go for now. Let's talk about what you did yesterday. Why did you..."
"Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"
Just as Kushina was about to question Naruto about why he had spread the family's dirty laundry to everyone, a familiar voice suddenly shouted from outside.
Kushina stopped questioning Naruto and waited.
A moment later, someone came running over.
It was Hyuga Hanabi.
"Hokage-sama, you're really here! This is bad!"
Hanabi rushed inside in a panic.
"Hanabi, what's wrong? You noticed your sister disappeared, didn't you? Don't worry. We've already captured the culprit, Neji. Your sister will be home very soon."
Kushina smiled and gently patted Hanabi's head.
She assumed Hanabi was so anxious because Hinata had been kidnapped by Neji.
"No, that's not it. Nee-sama has already returned home."
Hanabi shook her head vigorously.
"Oh? Hinata's stronger than I thought. She actually escaped Neji's kidnapping on her own? But if she's already home, then what's the problem?"
Kushina asked in surprise.
"Nee-sama considers being kidnapped by Neji-san to be the greatest humiliation."
"And before Neji-san swore loyalty to Hokage-sama, Nee-sama always made him kneel whenever he came to greet her."
"But now, Neji-san can not only stand while talking to her, he can even threaten the clan... threaten her... and today he even kidnapped her."
"Nee-sama couldn't take it anymore."
"She's decided to fight back."
"So..."
"Nee-sama has decided to wipe out the Hyuga Clan! As long as she destroys the Hyuga Clan first, Neji-san will never be able to threaten her by saying he'll destroy the Hyuga Clan again!"
By the time Hanabi finished speaking, she was practically in tears.
(End of this chapter)