The streets of Konoha, under the cold embrace of "Kite's" arm, still unfolded like a series of absurd plays. Ninja violated gravity on rooftops, giant Spirit Beasts yawned in training grounds, and Earth Release Ninja performed "infrastructure magic" on ruins... My internal commentary barrage was flying, and my drool, like a loyal projectile launcher, continuously provided free "humidification" to "Kite's" uniform.
That day, "Kite" carried me along a relatively clean street, lined with noticeably grander residences. The stale smell of decaying vegetables in the air faded, replaced by a faint, serene scent of pine and moss. The Hyuga Clan's compound? My heart stirred, and I tried to turn my little head to observe. High walls and deep courtyards, white walls and black tiles, exuding the unique aloofness and majesty of an ancient noble family.
Just as we passed an open space, seemingly a small playground on the outskirts of the compound for children, a suppressed giggling sound, tinged with obvious malice, entered my ears.
"Hey! Coward! Let us play with that Temari!"
"Exactly! What if she's the Young Miss of the Hyuga family? She can't even hold a shuriken steady!"
"Look at her, she's about to cry again, isn't she? Haha!"
At the edge of the open space, two boys, seemingly five or six years old and dressed in ordinary cloth, surrounded a smaller girl. The girl wore a simple, light purple kimono, with soft, black short hair. Her small face was pale, and her large, almost pure white Byakugan eyes were filled with panicked tears. Her long eyelashes trembled like startled butterfly wings. She tightly hugged an exquisite, brightly colored cloth Temari, her small body shaking slightly from fear, like a nestling with nowhere to hide in a storm. It was a young Hyuga Hinata!
A slightly chubby boy suddenly reached out and snatched the Temari that Hinata was clutching tightly!
"Ah!" Hinata let out a short gasp, her small hand grabbing at empty air in vain, and tears finally rolled down uncontrollably.
"Give it back to me... Please..." She whimpered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, full of helplessness.
The other lanky boy, with a malicious grin, deliberately pushed Hinata's shoulder!
"Thud!" The already unsteady Hinata was caught off guard by the push and fell directly onto the cold, hard ground. Dust stained her clean kimono hem, and the scrapes on her palms brought a burning pain. The immense feeling of injustice and shame made her unable to hold back any longer. Her small shoulders heaved violently, emitting suppressed, heartbreaking sobs. She curled up there, like a fragile flower petal knocked down by a fierce storm.
The two boys held the snatched Temari, laughing triumphantly, showing no intention of stopping. Instead, they crowded closer, seemingly wanting to continue teasing this defenseless "Young Miss."
A cold calculation, mixed with anger, protectiveness, and a certain "future investment," instantly rushed to my head! *Hyuga Hinata! My future wife... bah! She's one of the very few girls in the original story who genuinely cared for Naruto and possessed the powerful Byakugan Bloodline Limit!
*Opportunity! A god-sent opportunity!
*Gain favorability! Now! Immediately! Right away!
"Kite" had clearly seen the scene, but her steps, as she carried me, did not falter in the slightest. Her gaze didn't even linger on that small scene of bullying. Hyuga family matters? Two commoner children bullying the main family's Young Miss? In her eyes, this trouble had nothing to do with me, nor with her mission. She just wanted to leave this troublesome place as quickly as possible.
*Want to leave? No way!
Just as "Kite" was about to pass the open space with me in her arms, and the lanky boy, with a malicious grin, bent down and extended a finger as if to poke Hinata's tear-stained little face—
I, Uzumaki Naruto, the infant version of a "hero," made my move!
"Waaah————————!!!!"
An unprecedented, earth-shattering wail, imbued with all the pent-up frustration, anger, infant instinct, and... a faint Chakra disturbance that I could barely touch (attempting to condense and amplify the sound), suddenly erupted from my throat like a clap of thunder from a clear sky! This cry was so sharp, so sudden, so full of "accusation," instantly tearing through the laughter in the open space and Hinata's suppressed sobs!
Everyone was startled by this sudden high-decibel noise!
The two bullying boys flinched, their hands reaching towards Hinata froze in mid-air, and they turned their heads in astonishment towards the source of the sound.
"Kite" was caught off guard, sprayed in the face by my erupting airflow (and drool). Her arm, holding me, tightened sharply, and her steps came to an abrupt halt. For the first time, a crack named "bewilderment" appeared on her cold face.
Even Hinata, who had fallen to the ground and was teary-eyed, forgot to cry. She raised her small face, stained with tears and dust. Her pure, unblemished Byakugan, filled with bewilderment and surprise, looked directly at the golden-haired infant, held in "Kite's" arms, crying hoarsely, his small face flushed red.
The crying was just a cover! The moment everyone's attention was drawn to me, this "human alarm," the hard teething stick (courtesy of Ichiraku Teuchi, said to be carved from some hard wood) that I had been clutching tightly in my hand, covered in glistening drool and suspicious teeth marks, was thrown with all my might (and the arm strength I had developed during this time, far exceeding that of an infant)!
Target: The lanky boy's punchable head!
Whoosh—thwack!
A perfect trajectory, reflecting drool!
Direct hit!
"Ouch!" The lanky boy clutched the back of his head where he'd been hit, crying out in pain. The Temari in his hand almost dropped. He turned his head, angry and bewildered, and met my "heart-wrenchingly crying" but (in his eyes, "fierce") glaring small face.
"..." The air solidified again. The two boys looked at me, wailing, then at their companion clutching his head, and then at Hinata, who was sitting on the ground, but had forgotten her fear and was just staring blankly at me. Their faces were etched with "What the hell is this demon fox cub doing?" bewilderment.
"Kite's" expression completely darkened. She clearly hadn't expected me to suddenly "attack," and even precisely use a "biological weapon" (the drool-covered teething stick) for physical assault. She held me with one hand, while her other hand had instinctively pressed against her Ninja tool pouch. Her cold gaze swept over the two boys, carrying a silent warning.
How could two commoner children withstand the intimidating gaze of an Anbu (even in plain clothes) filled with Killing Intent? Coupled with the instinctive fear brought by my "demon fox" identity and the inexplicable "attack" just now, both of them turned pale with fright. They didn't even bother with the snatched Temari, dropping it with a "clank" on the ground, and ran away screaming like startled rabbits, without looking back.
The open space instantly fell silent. Only Hinata's suppressed sobs remained, and the "aftermath" of my crying, which gradually turned into a whimpering sniffle.
"Kite" looked down, staring at me with a cold, scrutinizing gaze, as if questioning what mischief I was up to again. I immediately put on my Oscar-worthy acting, my small mouth pursed, tears (squeezed out) hanging on my long eyelashes, my blue eyes misty, looking utterly "terrified" and "wronged," my small body cooperatively trembling in her arms.
"Kite's" gaze lingered on my face for a few seconds, then swept over the discarded Temari on the ground and the still-sitting, somewhat dazed Hinata. Ultimately, she seemed to attribute this to the "demon fox cub's" inexplicable madness. She coldly "hmphed," no longer paying attention, and turned to leave, carrying me who was still "sniffling."
The moment she turned—
My gaze, over "Kite's" shoulder, precisely locked onto Hinata, who had just gotten up from the ground, her small hands brushing dust from her clothes, tear stains still on her small face, looking timidly, with a hint of curiosity and gratitude, towards me.
Our eyes met.
I immediately dropped my wronged expression, working hard to manipulate my facial muscles, and broke into what I considered my most "sunny and bright," handsome smile after "rescuing the beauty"! Although, due to too much drool, this smile was inevitably accompanied by a glistening bubble of saliva that, with a "pop," formed and grew at the corner of my mouth, and then... "splashed" and broke, splattering a few drops on my face.
But this did not diminish my "charm" output in the slightest! My blue eyes tried to curve into crescent moons, and my small head nodded vigorously, as if to say: "It's alright now! I chased the bad guys away!"
Hinata was clearly stunned. Her pure Byakugan widened slightly, tiny tears still clinging to her long eyelashes, her small mouth slightly ajar. She looked at me, this golden-haired infant with a face full of drool (and a little dust), a snot bubble, yet smiling "incredibly brightly" at her. Her pale small face, at a visible speed, "whoosh," flushed from her cheeks all the way to her earlobes! Like a ripe cherry tomato!
She quickly lowered her head, her two small hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her toes anxiously scuffing the ground. The fear and injustice from earlier seemed to be largely washed away by this sudden "smile" with a drool bubble, replaced by a strange, extremely shy panic.
*Nice! First impression Get!*
*Blushing! She's blushing! Plan successful!
The little person inside me was already pumping his fists in victory. Although the image was a bit... er, not very heroic (the popped drool bubble version), the effect was outstanding!
"Kite's" steps didn't stop, and she quickly left the open space with me in her arms. I tried to twist my head, and through the gap in "Kite's" shoulder, I took one last look at Hinata, who was still standing there, her small face as red as an apple, secretly peeking up at the direction we were leaving.
In her pure Byakugan, the initial panic and fear had faded, replaced by a naive, curious, and slightly shy glow.
I contentedly buried my small face back into "Kite's" uniform, which smelled of gunpowder and a hint of drool, emitting a few unintelligible, slightly smug grunts.
Drool bubbles? Those are the medals of a hero saving a beauty!
Infant body? That's the perfect disguise for conquering the future!
Hyuga Hinata, favorability +1, successfully added to the strategic reserve list!
Uzumaki Naruto, deeply hiding his achievements and fame (and drool), in "Kite's" cold embrace, revealed a drool-filled smile that only he understood, full of "farsightedness."