Chapter 23
That would be Uzumaki Naruto.
"I remember his name is Uzumaki Naruto, right?"
"Eh? Did I mention his name?" Sako scratched her head.
"That friend of yours… he seems quite extraordinary, very strong." Itachi began to probe.
"How could that be~!"
Sako immediately made an expression of disbelief.
Then she blinked, as if something had occurred to her.
"He's alright, pretty outstanding among his peers… But, he's actually a bit silly…"
Watching the unstoppable smile on his sister's lips, Itachi was now certain.
If what Shisui said was true.
Then it meant his sister didn't know Uzumaki Naruto's true strength.
Perhaps… he needed to personally visit that fox-demon boy.
"This is all for my sister's safety…"
Itachi muttered to himself… At the Konohaentrance.
At the huge building named the "Meeting Gate," which connected the massive city, it was already bustling with people.
Early in the morning, the roadsides were packed with civilians and low-ranking Ninja.
The Police Force personnel of the Uchiha Clan, led by Uchiha Fugaku, were nervously maintaining order.
Anbu outposts secretly stationed everywhere were also preventing any destructive crimes.
Ninja and residents from clans big and small, such as Uchiha, Sarutobi Clan, and Ino–Shika–Chō, also lined the streets, waiting for the Cloud Ninja Mission to arrive.
With such a crowded scene, Itachi had to tightly hold his sister's right hand to prevent them from getting separated.
Just as Itachi was observing his surroundings.
On top of a building, Naruto was also surveying everything.
The Cloud Ninja Mission would arrive in a little over ten minutes.
Everyone's excitement was continuously rising.
Naruto, determined to uncover the mission's true intentions, was staking out the area.
Once he memorized everyone's faces, he could respond at lightning speed if anything unexpected happened.
"A wise man does not stand under a tottering wall." Naruto uttered a famous cautionary saying.
"What does that mean?"
The completely different cultural core meant Nine-Tailed didn't understand the saying.
Especially since Naruto read it directly in Chinese characters, which sounded like scrambled code to Nine-Tailed's ears.
"Nine-Tailed, you're uneducated; you need to study harder."
Nine-Tailed: "…"
You, who pronounce Chakra as 'Cha Duo La,' dare to lecture this old man… I was taught writing and knowledge by the Six Paths Sage back in the day, you know.
While Nine-Tailed was silently criticizing Naruto, the scene changed again.
"Itachi-kun~!"
In the crowd, a beautiful girl suddenly appeared, waving at Itachi.
She had large eyes, like an elf.
A tear mole under her right eye added a unique charm to her.
The innocent girl exuded a youthful aura.
Her extremely dark long hair indicated her bloodline.
A Uchiha mixed-blood, Uchiha Izumi.
Her mother, Uchiha Hazuki, was a commoner of the Uchiha Clan.
Many years ago, she married an outsider man and received the blessings of the clan members.
During the Nine-Tailed Demon Foxs Attack, Izumi's father died protecting young Izumi.
She also awakened her Sharingan after witnessing her father's death.
When the Uchiha Clan collectively relocated, Izumi returned to the clan with her mother.
Although she was a mixed-blood, no one treated Izumi as an outsider.
This was not only because Izumi awakened the Uchiha Clan's iconic Sharingan, but it also signified the Uchiha Clan's unique warmth towards their kin.
During their Ninja Academy days, Itachi and Izumi were classmates in neighboring classes.
They had known each other for a long time.
Facing Izumi's greeting, Itachi, holding his sister's hand, hesitated slightly.
So, his best friend gave him a push.
"Itachi, a girl is being so enthusiastic; it wouldn't be right if you didn't respond."
With a teasing tone, Shisui nudged Itachi, making him walk towards Izumi.
"She is…" Sako, who had never met Izumi, couldn't help but blink.
With so many people in the Uchiha Clan, young Sako naturally couldn't recognize everyone.
"She's your brother's girlfriend. What do you think, Sako?"
Shisui patted Sako's head with his palm.
Sako was instantly stunned.
Girlfriend?
Doesn't that mean she could be her future sister-in-law?
"Youth is truly wonderful…" Watching her eldest son interact with Izumi, Mikoto couldn't help but show a kind smile.
Above everyone's heads.
Naruto was also watching all of this, his gaze fixed on the Uchiha girl.
Naruto, recognizing Uchiha Izumi's identity at a glance, immediately thought of many things.
"Hey! Uzumaki Naruto!"
Sako, who had moved Shisui's large hand, inadvertently looked up and saw Naruto standing above them, his face calm.
This unprecedented calm expression made Naruto's usually silly face appear uncommonly composed.
Sako blinked, a strange feeling stirring in her heart.
Was it her imagination?
Or… "Oh oh oh~~~!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar of collective cheers filled the entire city gate.
The arrival of the Cloud Ninja Mission caused the Konoha villagers to erupt in collective cheers.
The crowd surged.
Petals fell like a rain of drops from the sky.
The one-eyed Cloud Ninja leader was the first to step through the gate, raising his right hand to greet the people lining both sides of the road.
Although he was smiling, a fierce aura naturally emanated from him.
"…"
Naruto ignored Sako's call.
Or perhaps he pretended not to hear her.
His gaze quickly swept over the one-eyed man's face, then moved to the other Cloud Ninja MissionNinja and Land of Lightning officials.
"One, two, three…"
Including the Ninja leader, there were a total of 8 Ninja.
Including the leading official and his assistants, there were a total of 4 bureaucrats.
The Cloud Ninja Mission consisted of twelve people in total.
Naruto, having memorized everyone's faces, nodded slightly.
Then… he took off, flying across the rooftops of the various buildings.
"Hey! Uzumaki Naruto… Mmph…"
Sako, swayed left and right by the surging crowd, couldn't help herself.
By the time she finally pushed through the crowd, Uzumaki Naruto had completely vanished… At the same time, at the Hyuga Clan Residence.
Hinata, standing in front of a mirror, wore no makeup.
But she had been carefully dressed.
Her hair was neatly combed, and she wore a brand new kimono.
Hyuga Natsu was busy with these tasks, finally scrutinizing everything.
"Alright, Lady Hinata."
Today was the birthday of the head of the main house, Hyuga Hiashi's eldest daughter.
The entire Hyuga Clan was preparing for this event.
Therefore, the Hyuga were the only clan that did not go to welcome the Cloud Ninja Mission.
There was a special reason for this.
A group of children from the branch family had grown up and had not yet been branded with the Caged Bird Seal on their foreheads.
Using the opportunity of the main family heir's birthday, the branch family children would be subjected to arrangements befitting their status.
Since ancient times, this had been a tradition of the Hyuga Clan.
It was also a process for the main family to display its authority before the branch family.
"Naruto-kun~…"
Hinata, thinking of Naruto, didn't notice the maid's call.
Only after Hyuga Natsu spoke repeatedly did Hinata react.
"Lady Hinata, why have you been so distracted these past two days…"
Hyuga Natsu frowned.
"Please concentrate, otherwise if the Clan Leaderfinds out, you will be in trouble…"
"Oh, oh… Okay."
Remembering her father's strictness, Hinataimmediately nodded.
Then, she and Hyuga Natsu left the room together.