In the blink of an eye, another month passed. The seasons changed, and Konoha Village was wrapped in the embrace of winter. Snowflakes floated gently from the sky, painting rooftops and trees in white. The village, usually vibrant with color and sound, now held a quiet serenity.
But beneath that tranquil surface, tension stirred.
"All units, prepare for the arrival of the Cloud Shinobi Village peace delegation."
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the order with a solemn expression. His aged hands, once firm and unwavering, now trembled slightly as they rested on his desk.
Negotiating peace with the Hidden Cloud Village had become the most critical task in Konoha. The entire village had been mobilized for it—resources redirected, shinobi reassigned, and the village's security restructured, all for the sake of this one meeting. The weight of it pressed heavily on Hiruzen's shoulders.
In truth, Konoha was in a fragile state.
Of the three Sannin, one had defected, one had vanished into self-exile, and the last refused to return. With Orochimaru gone, Jiraiya wandering the world, and Tsunade lost in grief and gambling, the once-proud title of "strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages" felt like a hollow boast.
And Hiruzen knew it.
Now more than ever, the peace talks needed to succeed. War was not an option. Not in Konoha's current condition.
Just as his thoughts grew darker, a figure stepped from the shadows of the office. Clad in black, face cold as frost, with a thick white bandage wrapped around his head.
"There's one thing you've overlooked," came the rasping voice of Shimura Danzo. "The Hyuga clan is making contact with the Nine Tails Jinchūriki."
Hiruzen didn't flinch. "I'm aware," he said calmly. "It's merely innocent contact between children. There's no reason to interfere."
Danzo's single eye narrowed. "Even so, the Hyuga are a noble clan. It's improper for such a powerful family to associate closely with a Jinchūriki—especially one as dangerous as Naruto Uzumaki."
His tone was frigid, each word laced with quiet malice.
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "Danzo, I've made my decision. This matter is not your concern."
Danzo scoffed and turned away, his footsteps deliberate and heavy. "I hope you won't regret it, Hiruzen. Bonds can be weakness. Emotions… liabilities."
As Danzo left, silence filled the room. Hiruzen remained still, staring out the frosted window at the falling snow.
"Maybe it's time," he muttered to himself, "for the Hyuga clan to receive a warning."
Meanwhile, on the bustling streets of Konoha, Naruto strolled with Hinata by his side, grinning ear to ear.
Everything felt magical.
He had used the Transformation Technique to hide his true appearance—his whisker marks were gone, his wild blond hair now a soft black, and his eyes a plain brown. To everyone around them, they were just two ordinary children enjoying a walk.
And it worked.
The cold stares and whispered insults that usually followed him were gone. Instead, shopkeepers smiled, and villagers offered greetings. One elderly woman even gave them each a red bean bun.
Naruto could barely contain his joy. He had grown so used to being treated like a ghost that this kindness—however artificial—felt like sunshine.
"Wow, look, Hinata!" Naruto pointed to the main avenue, which was bustling with activity. "Something big is happening today!"
Sure enough, bright decorations hung across the street, and villagers lined the roads in anticipation. Colorful banners flapped in the wind, and patrol shinobi stood at attention.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked a nearby vendor.
"Haven't you heard?" the man replied. "The delegation from the Hidden Cloud Village is arriving today. They're here to discuss a peace alliance with Konoha. If the talks go well, maybe there won't be another war."
"Cloud Shinobi…" Naruto repeated, brows furrowing.
Taking Hinata's hand gently, he moved with her to the edge of the crowd, staying just close enough to observe but far enough to avoid attention.
Hinata blushed deeply. Holding Naruto's hand made her heart pound. She didn't speak, but her small smile said everything.
Soon, the gates of Konoha swung open.
A procession of shinobi marched in from the Hidden Cloud. Their bodies were tall and broad, their muscles rippling beneath black and gold armor. Most had dark skin, white hair, and hard expressions. They walked with slow, deliberate steps, their heads held high and their eyes scanning Konoha with undisguised disdain.
They laughed loudly, pointing at buildings, commenting on architecture, and mocking the people they passed.
One even spat on the ground.
Their arrogance was unbearable.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Even the villagers, who were used to foreign visitors, could sense the disrespect in the air. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Why are they so loud?"
"They're supposed to be guests, right?"
"Where's the Third Hokage? Why is he letting them act like this?"
At that moment, a shinobi from the Cloud delegation paused, turning his head toward the crowd. His gaze locked onto Naruto and Hinata.
Specifically—onto Hinata.
He licked his lips.
"Hey, you," he barked, pointing. "Yeah, you. Come here."
Naruto froze, then stepped protectively in front of Hinata. The shinobi's eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed.
But Naruto wasn't afraid.
He'd seen eyes like that before. Greedy. Predatory. This wasn't curiosity—it was hunger.
Hinata trembled behind him, hiding her face in his back.
"Don't be afraid," Naruto whispered to her. "I'll protect you. No one's going to hurt you."
His voice was firm. It was a promise.
The Cloud shinobi growled. "Tch. Little brat. Are you deaf?"
The leader of the group, a man with a cloth covering one eye, took a step forward. His exposed eye radiated killing intent. But Naruto didn't flinch. He met the glare with one of his own.
Arrogant or not, these people weren't going to touch Hinata.
"Hinata, let's go," Naruto said coldly. "We're not wasting time with trash."
He pulled her into a side alley, leaving the stunned Cloud ninja behind.
As they vanished, Naruto could hear the voice of the Third Hokage nearby—calm, polite… apologetic.
"To think Grandpa Third would lower his head to people like that…"
Naruto clenched his fists.
"They barge into our village like they own the place. They disrespect everyone. And we're the ones apologizing? That's not how Hokage should act…"
His thoughts darkened.
"And if I'm right… Hinata's uncle—the one who died a year ago… it was because of them. These bastards."
A fire lit in Naruto's heart.
These were not just arrogant visitors. They were dangerous. Predators. And they were eyeing the people Naruto cared about.
As they neared the Hyuga compound, Naruto turned to Hinata, his expression dead serious.
"Hinata, don't go out for a while, okay? Just stay inside. There are bad people out there. They might be looking to take you."
Hinata blinked. "Bad people? Me?"
Naruto nodded solemnly. "Trust me. I'll keep watch. But until then, stay home. Please."
She nodded, her expression pale but obedient. "Okay…"
Unbeknownst to them, within the towering walls of the Hyuga estate, Hiashi Hyuga stood in silent contemplation.
He had overheard everything.
Naruto's warning, his firm tone, his protective instinct… all of it.
"'Bad people… trying to catch Hinata?'" Hiashi repeated to himself.
His brow furrowed deeply.
He walked to the window, gazing toward the village gates. Snow continued to fall, painting the scene in white—but Hiashi felt only ice in his veins.
The Cloud ninja were back.
And that could only mean one thing.
Trouble.