Naruto: If I ask you to be Naruto, you will become a yellow-haired person?

Root's base.

A dark and gloomy place.

An Anbu ninja appeared beside Danzo in a Body Flicker Technique and reported in his ear.

Danzo's expression changed, revealing shock. He hadn't expected to learn new information while vying with Hiruzen for the Jinchuriki.

The Jinchuriki was actually a genius in medical ninjutsu, a second Tsunade in the making!

Then he had to keep her firmly in his grasp!

Danzo's solitary left eye gleamed sharply, and a sinister smile crept onto his lips.

As for Yakushi Nonou…

"Hmph, trying to escape?!"

"Once a Root ninja, always a Root ninja!"

...

Earlier, Nonou had given a few instructions before hurrying off to the Hokage Building, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone.

"I'll take you home. What's your name?"

Although he knew her identity, Naruto still asked.

"Hinata."

Hinata's small face was flushed, and her two pale hands nervously poked at each other's index fingers.

Feeling the boy's presence so close, she felt weak and dizzy.

She didn't feel this way when practicing Gentle Fist with her older brother Neji…

But when she thought of Hyuga Neji, who had been as close as a brother to her since childhood,

and how he had inexplicably distanced himself from her in recent years, as if a tragic barrier had suddenly separated them,

pearly tears welled up in her eyes.

Naruto cursed inwardly, thinking he was really committing a crime. His days were numbered.

He gently patted Hinata's back and lightly wiped the corners of her eyes, saying softly, "Hinata is not so little anymore, yet she's still a crybaby."

From her small earlobes to her slender, fair neck, a delicate blush immediately spread, making her feel hot all over.

From a young age, her father had sternly told her to maintain the Hyuga heiress's proper etiquette, and she knew that such close contact with the opposite sex was forbidden.

But Naruto's fingers seemed to possess a strange magic that calmed her mind and filled her heart with a warm current.

Naruto didn't plan to go deep into the Hyuga compound when he dropped Hinata off, as he didn't want to be targeted by the Hyuga's Byakugan.

"Thank you very much, Naruto-kun."

Hinata folded her pale hands and bowed elegantly and impeccably, pleasing to the eye.

The Hyuga clan was indeed a noble clan of the ninja world, with strict rules and impeccable etiquette.

Naruto casually waved his hand and left.

Hinata's small face was flushed as she watched Naruto's small, lonely figure until it disappeared, then whispered, "Goodbye, Naruto-kun."

Naruto-kun is truly a kind and brave person. If only I were as strong as him,

Father wouldn't be so strict and disappointed in my weakness.

Naruto's appearance was like dawn quietly streaking across her dark sky.

Suddenly, a gentle female voice sounded beside her, "Young Mistress, Naruto-kun is indeed an excellent boy, isn't he?"

Hinata was startled and looked at Hyuga Natsu, who had suddenly appeared beside her wearing a white lace maid outfit. Her clear, round face was once again covered in a blush.

"Natsu-nee-san…"

Hyuga Natsu smiled at Hinata's adorable appearance, thinking that all of this had already been decided by the clan leader, but she sighed inwardly.

As a member of the branch family, she was bound by the Caged Bird Seal, never to be free in her life, like a servant.

But even the clan leader's heiress of the main family could not escape the cage-like fate of being controlled by others…

…

Yamanaka residence, entrance hall.

Yamanaka Ino supported herself against the entrance hall with one hand, her slender body slightly tilted, her waterfall of glass-like golden hair spread out,

and with the other fair hand, she lightly hooked the heel of her shoe, freeing her pink little foot.

Yamanaka Inoichi watched his daughter return home, a comforted smile on his face, but then he thought of something bad, his expression froze, and his face became complicated.

"Ino, have you made any new friends recently?"

Ino lightly stepped her fair sole into the indoor slippers, her rosy, silkworm-like plump toes spreading out.

Hearing her father's words, she paused for a moment and replied cheerfully, "Ah~ Naruto-kun…"

Mentioning this name, Ino's pretty face flushed slightly, and a bright smile appeared as she happily talked about what happened when she met Naruto.

Then her expression turned sour, and she complained, "Those villagers are too much! They're all comrades from the same village!"

"Naruto is a poor orphan! How can they ostracize him like that! He's so pitiful!"

Seeing that her father wasn't speaking, Ino was a little puzzled and asked, "Are you going to say something, Dad?"

Naruto!? She's calling him by his first name already?

Listening to his daughter's affectionate way of addressing him, Yamanaka Inoichi's expression was complicated. That kid also calls my daughter by her first name, Ino~?!

What's even more hateful is that the kid is a blondie.

Yamanaka Inoichi felt a mix of emotions when he thought of that little blondie calling his own beautiful daughter so sweetly, and his displeasure grew even more.

As the head of the Yamanaka clan, which was part of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, he naturally knew Naruto's true identity. Moreover, he himself had once been a close subordinate of Minato Namikaze.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had always been loyal retainers of the Hokage.

Of course, who the Hokage was didn't matter; they just wanted to be loyal retainers of the Hokage.

Due to the ambiguous attitude of the Third Hokage and the higher-ups, he didn't dare to interfere in any matters related to Naruto.

This was a slippery slope that he couldn't touch!

If his daughter was just friends and classmates with Naruto, that would be fine, but if the relationship went further,

then Yamanaka Ino, as the clan head's only daughter, might express the Yamanaka clan's mistaken stance to outsiders.

Without clear instructions from the Third Hokage, the Yamanaka clan was actually trying to get involved with the Leaf's Jinchuriki…

If that aroused the jealousy of the Third Hokage and the higher-ups, that would be terrible.

"Ino… it's best if you stay away from that kid in the future. Don't get too close!"

Yamanaka Inoichi said hesitantly but firmly,

Hearing her father's words, Ino pouted because her father usually doted on her and had almost never refused any of her requests.

At that moment, Ino wanted to argue and refuse by acting spoiled.

But in the next instant, Ino looked at his serious expression and understood his determination not to allow her to question this matter.

Her small face froze, and a heart sank as if it had fallen into the bottom of a lake. She moved her mouth twice but didn't make a sound and walked into the house sullenly.

Yamanaka Inoichi sadly watched his daughter Ino's slender figure and sighed.

He didn't know what the Hokage thought about the Jinchuriki in his heart…

As a loyal retainer of the Hokage, it was too difficult for him.

...

"I'm back!"

He said to the empty, small apartment while opening the door.

Naruto lay on the sofa, gazing at the familiar, simple living room, closed his eyes, and sank his mind.

Inside the dark, damp, and closed space, the sound of dripping water echoed continuously.

Naruto stepped on the damp underground waterway, and ripples spread out from his feet in circles.

"I've come to see you again, Nine-Tails."

As soon as the voice fell, two huge, lantern-like scarlet pupils suddenly lit up in the dark sky not far away.

"Evil human brat…"