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"Ino, stay calm."
After Ino finished recounting the events with breathless urgency, Shikaku slid a teacup toward her, his voice steady and unhurried. "Naruto isn't defecting—he's a good kid."
Shikaku's fingers drummed the table, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. "My guess? After Mizuki approached him, Naruto went straight to the Sandaime. Didn't you say he showed up at the Training Ground really late that day?"
Ino's eyes widened. She recalled that Naruto had indeed arrived nearly half an hour late, claiming Mizuki had "kept him chatting."
"Right now, Naruto's probably using the Scroll of Seals as bait," Shikaku said, a meaningful smile tugging at his lips. He tapped a shōgi board as if he had already seen the end of the match.
"But my dad..." Ino still worriedly twisted the hem of her skirt.
"Your dad likely guessed it too," Shikaku said, a sly spark dancing in his eyes. "He's probably just seizing the chance to teach the brat who keeps occupying his daughter's thoughts a little... lesson."
Ino's cheeks flushed scarlet, the color spreading all the way to her ears. She waved her hands in flustered panic. "Uncle Shikaku! W-what are you saying!"
"Hahahaha!" Shikaku laughed heartily. He leaned closer and lowered his voice teasingly. "Want Aunt Yoshino to give you a few tips on how to handle boys like him?"
"Uncle Shikaku!" Ino stamped her foot, her face nearly buried in her collar—though the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her relief.
When Hinata heard Hanabi's panicked news, her face went deathly pale. Without hesitation, she activated her Byakugan, veins bulging at her temples as her vision blanketed the estate.
After confirming their father had left, she caught Hanabi's hand and, in a rare display of rebellion, vaulted over the Hyuga estate's high wall.
Naruto-kun, please be safe! Hinata prayed. She knew how grave the crime of stealing the scroll was—and what it meant for her father to take action personally. She had to reach him first. Hanabi kept close behind, staring at her usually timid sister. For the first time, she realized that when someone precious was at stake, Hinata could explode with incredible courage.
"Yo, Naruto—looks like you've successfully grabbed the scroll."
Mizuki stepped from the forest shadows, his greedy gaze locked on the massive parchment in Naruto's hands. What infuriated him was that Naruto didn't even look up; he was still poring over the contents with total focus.
In reality, Naruto and Kurama were reading in sync. Naruto couldn't memorize it all—but a Tailed Beast with decades of experience certainly could.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Mizuki advanced, kunai in hand.
Right then, Kurama's lazy voice echoed in Naruto's mind: "All done, kid—I've got every last line burned into memory."
Only then did Naruto look up, flashing a brilliant, heartfelt grin. He snapped the scroll shut. "Mizuki-sensei, thanks a ton—the Ninjutsu in here are amazing!"
"O-oh… hahaha, sensei didn't lie, right!" Mizuki forced a smile, his hand trembling as he reached out. "In that case, let your teacher have a look too, okay?"
"Of course, Mizuki-sensei." Naruto slowly extended the scroll. "If it weren't for you, I'd never have known there was something this great."
Mizuki's heart screamed with triumph as his fingertips almost brushed the paper—then, the world exploded.
"Hakke Kūshō (Eight Trigrams Vacuum Shell)!"
A vicious palm-strike ripped through the air, slamming into Mizuki's chest and sending him crashing against a tree, coughing blood. Hyuga Hiashi and Yamanaka Inoichi strode from the shadows.
"Uncle Hiashi? Uncle Inoichi?" Naruto hugged the scroll, stunned. This isn't the script! Where is Iruka-sensei?
"Surprised?" Inoichi chuckled, though his eyes held a "kind" but dangerous glint. "We'll handle the traitor. As for you… we need to have a little chat about you stealing that scroll."
Naruto hastily tried to explain. "Actually, under the Sandaime's orders, I—"
"Inoichi—move!" Hiashi barked, dropping into a Gentle Fist stance. The Byakugan blazed coldly as he charged Naruto.
At the same moment, Inoichi's fingers flickered: "Ninpo: Shinranshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Disturbance)!"
Naruto's vision blurred, his consciousness wavering. In that split-second, Hiashi was on him, delivering a precise strike to the chest. Naruto grunted, flying backward into a tree. Inoichi was internally shocked—he sensed Naruto break free of the mental trap almost instantly. Mental resistance like that in a twelve-year-old?
"Damn you, Mizuki—how dare you try to control Naruto!" Hiashi declared righteously. He delivered another Vacuum Palm to the already unconscious Mizuki for good measure, then turned back to Naruto.
"Don't worry, Naruto—Uncle's pulling you out of danger right now! Eight Trigrams—"
"Dad, stop!"
Two small figures burst from the trees. Hinata and Hanabi threw their arms wide, firmly shielding Naruto.
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