Hinata clearly hadn't expected to wake up and immediately see this memory from deep within her heart.
Too embarrassing~!
Everyone's going to see it… ugh… Naruto-kun~
Wait!
Black-frame Naruto-kun…
Will he meet me too?
If black-frame Naruto-kun meets me… will he help me?
For a moment, Hinata felt scared.
But at the same time—she felt strangely expectant.
Not long after, her large eyes rolled back, and she fainted again from sheer embarrassment.
"Sis, what's wrong?"
Little Hanabi shook Hinata.
Seeing her sister faint again, she was completely confused.
[A few days earlier, Kumogakure had sent envoys to sign a peace treaty with Konoha.]
[That very night, the envoy suddenly attacked, evading ANBU surveillance and infiltrating the Hyūga compound, kidnapping Hinata from her sleep.]
[Before he could even leave the compound, he was killed by Hyūga Hiashi.]
[The incident immediately shook all of Konoha.]
[The Kumogakure envoy wasn't strong—how did he infiltrate the Hyūga clan?]
[The day after the envoy's death, Kumogakure sent people again.]
[This time, there was no negotiation. They arrogantly stormed into the Hokage's office, pointing at the Third Hokage and demanding blood for blood.]
[If the killer's body was not handed over, Kumogakure would not retreat—war would begin immediately!]
[Unexpectedly, Sarutobi Hiruzen backed down and agreed.]
[He even stated that Konoha would hand over the body of the Hyūga who acted.]
"What?!!!"
"There's more?!"
Yamanaka Ino's jaw dropped.
Yamanaka Ino: "That old bastard!"
Yamanaka Ino: "I'm telling you—he did it on purpose!"
Hyūga Neji: "Damn it!"
Ōnoki: "Third Hokage, you're not a Kumogakure spy, are you?"
Fourth Raikage: "Hahahaha~!"
Fourth Raikage: "I already said—our methods are dirty, but at least we're upfront!"
Fourth Raikage: "Back then, Kumogakure was also in trouble. If war really broke out, the outcome was hard to say."
Fourth Raikage: "But we never expected this Third Hokage to fold immediately!"
Senju Tobirama: My heart can't take this anymore!
Senju Hashirama: So, Monkey, you let a Hyūga die in his place?
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "In that situation, Konoha absolutely couldn't afford another war… there was no choice. Everything was for Konoha. We could only sacrifice the few."
Hyūga Neji: "Shut up!"
Hyūga Neji: "You old bastard—talking so nicely! The number one village in the shinobi world—damn old bastard!"
[Thus, a scapegoat appeared.]
[Hyūga Neji's father, Hyūga Hizashi, twin brother to Hyūga Hiashi, was born seconds later and branded with the Caged Bird Seal.]
[Sarutobi Hiruzen personally arrived, giving the Hyūga clan 'dignity.']
[Hyūga Hiashi wept bitterly and wanted to die in his brother's place.]
[But everyone present knew it was impossible.]
[Once branded with the Caged Bird Seal, a branch member was bound to protect the main family.]
[After Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived, Hyūga Hizashi slowly stood up and offered his brother a final bow.]
[He went to his death resolutely, hoping only that his so-called brother would treat his child well.]
[Today was the day Hyūga Hizashi died. His body was handed over.]
[Because of the Caged Bird Seal, the Byakugan Kumogakure coveted could never be obtained.]
[That day, the Hyūga clan also held a funeral for Hyūga Hizashi.]
[However—it was an empty coffin.]
[Young Hinata couldn't bear the atmosphere and sneaked out.]
[But soon, she lost her way in the snowy night.]
[She could only crouch helplessly by the roadside, sobbing softly.]
[As if by fate, the little blond appeared.]
["What are you doing here? Dattebayo~"]
[The little blond staggered over.]
["Why are you all alone in a place like this?"]
[Naruto grinned and swaggered over with his familiar careless stride.]
["Don't just cry."]
[Hinata looked up, her cute little face full of tears.]
["Where's your home?" Naruto asked instinctively, seeing how pitiful she looked.]
[Hinata blinked, her vision blurry, then shook her little head to fling the tears away.]
[Seeing this, Naruto smiled helplessly.]
["You don't know where home is?"]
["That can't be helped then. Come on—let's go."]
[Saying that, Naruto bent down and took Hinata's small hand.]
[He led her away.]
[After wandering back and forth, Hinata finally remembered the way home.]
[But she didn't dare speak. When Naruto walked the right way, she followed; when he went the wrong way, she quietly stopped.]
[In this manner, a short road took the two little ones half an hour to walk.]
[They arrived at the Hyūga compound.]
[Looking at the large characters 'Hyūga.']
[Naruto tilted his head—clearly his first time here.]
["You have such a big home. Why are you crying?"]
[Little Hinata blinked, not understanding why Naruto would say that.]
[Turning her head, she saw Naruto's little face flushed red from the cold.]
["Unlike me… there's no one around me at all."]
[Hinata, delicate in heart, heard the helplessness and longing in his voice.]
[It made her feel miserable too.]
["But I never cry, you know~!"]
[Naruto turned back toward Hinata and flashed a brilliant smile.]
["Bye~"]
[Without lingering, Naruto waved at Hinata.]
[He turned and ran toward the dark street.]
[It was getting late—time for him to go back and rest.]
[Hinata watched his small retreating figure.]
[That reassuring smile resurfaced in her mind.]
[After a long time, the tall figure in her eyes was swallowed by the night and vanished.]
[Time passed. Konoha returned to calm. On one quiet afternoon, Sarutobi Hiruzen visited and delivered an application for the Ninja Academy.]
—Everything stopped.—
The gold-framed screen stopped abruptly.
The girls were still a little unsatisfied.
"No wonder Hinata fainted~"
"So that's why—she definitely remembers this."
"But gold-frame Naruto just now was really cool."
"If I were like that as a kid… I might've fallen too~"
Yamanaka Ino teased the red-faced Hinata beside her.
"Yeah… when you look at it that way, Naruto can actually be pretty reliable," Sakura nodded.
"I ship it~!"
"Naruto and Hinata are such a good match~!"
Ino, of course, didn't mind stirring trouble.
Hinata's ears twitched.
Three seconds later—
steam rose from her head again.
Ino's eyes widened like she'd discovered a new continent.
Meanwhile, the chatroom exploded.
Even Danzō jumped in.
Shimura Danzō: "Hiruzen, you have truly disappointed everyone!"
Shimura Danzō: "Because of your wrong decision, Konoha lost such a loyal man!"
Shimura Danzō: "Hiruzen, regret is useless now! Do you know your crime?!"
Shimura Danzō: "Someone like you—how are you worthy of the Hokage position? Step down!"
Senju Tobirama: Shut up!!!
Senju Hashirama: I'm truly disappointed. How did Konoha become like this?
Uchiha Madara: You picked him yourself, idol.
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