During this mental dialogue, in reality...
Everyone present was stunned.
Then Hiruzen burst out laughing.
"See, Danzō?"
Danzō frowned, sensing a trap.
"Naruto is just a child!"
"Just a child..."
"A child..."
That sentence dealt Danzō a critical blow.
Realizing he would gain nothing more from Naruto and that Hiruzen would protect him, he stood up and left without a word.
Outside, he found his two subordinates unconscious.
The Hyūga, cautious, carefully avoided touching them.
"Sir, is something wrong?"
Naruto's cheerful voice rang out behind him.
"Your men fainted... Must be a heatstroke."
A cold wind blew.
It was December 31st.
Temperature: -3°C.
Danzō gripped his cane so tightly the wood cracked.
Then he left, fuming.
"Bring these two incompetents back!"
Hiruzen, amused, took a puff from his pipe.
"It's been a while since I last saw Danzō like that."
His gaze fell on Naruto, full of admiration.
His simplicity came from his parents.
His quiet strength, too.
And his ability to defeat two Root ninjas proved his talent.
"This boy... is much wiser than he seems."
...
With Danzō gone, the atmosphere relaxed.
"Hiashi, I won't bother you any longer... Happy New Year in advance."
The Anbu and the Root operatives withdrew.
Calm returned to the Hyūga district.
"Grampa Hokage..."
Naruto followed the village leaders as the Hyūga whispered among themselves.
Several members of the main clan looked at his back with gratitude.
"Hiashi, you should properly thank Naruto."
The elder gave a meaningful smile.
"I know."
Hiashi nodded.
(End of the chapter)
---
Chapter 30: I, Naruto Uzumaki, Am the Hyūga Clan's Benefactor!
"Naruto, how do you control Kyūbi's power?"
Hiruzen turned to him.
Thanks to Yūgao, he already knew Naruto could manage part of the demon's strength.
But to what extent? He wanted to hear it from him directly.
"Pretty well. For now, I can release two tails."
Naruto held up two fingers.
"Hmm..."
Hiruzen nodded, mentally estimating Naruto's power in that state.
But this casual conversation triggered a storm in Koharu and Homura's minds.
"The First Hokage had deemed Kyūbi too dangerous. He had sealed its power, forbidding its use."
That policy had influenced the two previous Jinchūriki: Mito Uzumaki and then Kushina.
Neither had ever tried to use the demon's strength.
But if...
If Naruto could truly control Kyūbi, like the Jinchūriki from other villages...
"Could the last three wars have ended differently?"
Of course, the ancestors' decrees were untouchable.
No one would dare question the First's will.
But if Naruto achieved it on his own...
In an instant, Naruto became a priceless treasure in their eyes.
"Even Mito and Kushina never did this!"
Even if he never became a perfect Jinchūriki like Killer Bee or Yagura, his experience would be invaluable to future generations.
"That guy from Kumo... the Raikage... what a bastard!"
Furious, Koharu decided then and there to stand against Kumo.
"They dared assassinate the Second Hokage... and now they want to steal our Jinchūriki?!"
She and Homura hurried off to prepare border defenses.
Hiruzen, left alone with Naruto, looked at him kindly.
"If only Asuma had even a third of his intelligence..."
"Naruto, where are you planning to spend New Year's Eve?"
"The Hyūga invited me to stay with them."
"Very well."
After a few more words, Hiruzen began to walk away, then turned back.
"Yūgao."
"Hokage-sama?"
"Watch over Naruto."
Yūgao, puzzled, didn't understand.
"Naruto doesn't need protection... Unless... it's because of Danzō?"
"No. Danzō wouldn't dare."
Hiruzen shook his head.
"I simply want him to feel surrounded. To know that he belongs to this family."
To him, Yūgao was perfect: she didn't hate Naruto like the other villagers.
The more kind people Naruto had around him, the more likely he was to become a perfect Jinchūriki... or even Hokage.
Hiruzen gazed at the clouds, soon pierced by rays of sunlight.
"A Hokage is one who is acknowledged by all."
...
Hyūga District.
All clan members, both main and branch families, had gathered.
Naruto walked back in with confidence, like a born leader.
Just as the Hyūga were starting to realize the crisis had passed...
— SMACK!
Before everyone's astonished eyes, Hiashi Hyūga knelt before Naruto, forehead to the ground.
"Naruto-kun, thank you for saving my brother... and our clan!"
"...!!!"
Hinata, mouth agape, was frozen.
"Even Father bows to Naruto-kun... He's truly amazing!"
Her face turned red.
Inside her, Kyūbi wanted to laugh at this exemplary filial devotion.
But inexplicably, he couldn't.
"This is... too... twisted."
"It's over. That girl is completely under his spell."
If Hagoromo, the Hyūga ancestor, saw this, he'd surely cry.
"Hiashi-sama, please stand up!"
Naruto, pretending to be embarrassed, helped him rise.
Tsukiyo, stroking her belly, smiled softly.
"The crisis is over... and we're close to the Fourth's son."
"If Hinata marries him one day... the Hyūga's status will skyrocket."
Her gaze toward Naruto grew even warmer.
She was one step away from calling him "son-in-law."
Joy filled the clan.
Well... almost.