Chapter 31: Naruto's Outer Disguise Basically Takes Shape
Clearly, after waking up, Naruto still carried some lingering side effects from this life experience game.
Although Naruto had intentionally restrained his killing intent in the milky-white space, the experience of fighting for his life while constantly injured over many years was not easily erased; his behavior indeed seemed somewhat inconsistent with his current physical age.
Even though this bit of pain didn't bother Naruto at all, he knew very well that at any time, only children who can cry and act spoiled get candy.
"Cough, cough, it hurts a bit, Big Sister..."
"Did the wound tear? Lie still, I'll peel back the bandage and take a look!" The young nurse was extremely nervous; the little hero before her was someone Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally instructed to be well-cared for!
Just as Naruto was naturally accepting the full-body examination from the nurse, Hiruzen Sarutobipushed the door open in a frantic rush, and the moment he entered, his eyes met Naruto's.
"Hokage Grandpa!" A brilliant smile appeared on Naruto's face, and his voice became much stronger as he spoke, "You've finally come!"
However, Naruto's expression soon took a 180-degree turn, instantly becoming aggrieved, fearful, and worried—all the expressions a child should have.
"Hokage Grandpa... I thought I'd never see you again..." Naruto seemed to suddenly remember something, and his expression turned terrified while his pupils constricted. He asked very nervously, "How is Hinata! Was she saved!"
Gratification, pride, worry, anger, joy...
Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face was like a dye shop, with many different expressions passing through it one by one, yet at this moment, he couldn't say a single word.
He slowly walked to Naruto's hospital bed and sat down. Hiruzen Sarutobi reached out and gently stroked Naruto's yellow hair, and before he knew it, his eyes grew moist.
The Naruto before him looked so much like the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze...
"Perhaps this is the inertia of fate..." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly. "This father and son are truly carved from the same mold; even the things that happened in their childhood are much the same."
Following Naruto's life-risking rescue of Hyuga Hinata, past events buried deep in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart resurfaced. When Uzumaki Kushina was kidnapped back then, Minato Namikaze had also been just as reckless, risking his life to save her.
"Good job, Naruto!" Too many words condensed into this one sentence. Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum. "Hinata is safe, but you almost died!"
Naruto's acting had reached the Transcendentlevel; even the old politician Hiruzen Sarutobicouldn't see any flaws.
"Phew..." Naruto let out a long sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good... It's good that Hinata is okay..."
"Aren't you concerned about your own body?"
"It's fine, it's fine!" A healing smile reappeared on Naruto's face. "Compared to protecting Hinata and seeing Hokage Grandpa again, those are small matters, small matters!"
Naruto made a show of trying to sit up to demonstrate his Physique to everyone, but suddenly let out a very theatrical cry of pain, his eyes instantly filling with tears.
"I know you have a good Physique, you brat!" Hiruzen Sarutobi flicked Naruto's forehead irritably. "But you've just woken up. You'd better lie in this hospital bed for a few days and wait until you're completely healed before you start acting up!"
"Hehe..." Naruto giggled foolishly. "Don't worry, Hokage Grandpa. Once I'm better, I'll definitely pester you every day!"
"Alright!" After confirming Naruto had awakened and that his consciousness hadn't been damaged by the premature Tailed Beast Transformation, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart finally settled. "Grandpa is relieved that you're okay. Recover well in the hospital; I'll come see you again after I finish today's government affairs!"
"Hokage Grandpa, please go to your work. My situation is just a small matter, it's no trouble!" Naruto nodded very obediently, his mouth as sweet as honey, making Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckle repeatedly.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others finished their visit, Naruto used the excuse of needing rest to send the nurse away. Covering himself with the quilt, Naruto's face instantly returned to a calm state, while traces of killing intent flickered in his eyes.
"I only know that the ones who kidnapped Hinataseemed to be Land of Lightning Ninjas who came to Konoha for peace talks, but I don't know the intricate conspiracy behind it..."
Naruto began to review the events of Hinata's kidnapping, unaware that a minor earthquake within Konoha had already concluded last night.
To remove the Land of Lightning's excuse for restarting the war, Hyuga Hizashi became a political sacrifice. The Hyuga Clan also became the biggest victim of this incident, and the long-standing conflict between the Main House and the Branch House officially erupted at this moment!
After Naruto woke up and Hiruzen Sarutobireturned to the Hokage Office, the first thing he did was dismiss all irrelevant personnel and call Danzo Shimura for a secret talk.
"Danzo, your shadow is behind this incident, isn't it?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi started with a direct interrogation. "Otherwise, how could the Land of Lightning's diplomatic mission have succeeded so easily!"
"Hiruzen, everything requires evidence." Danzo Shimura's face was dark. "Even if you are the Kage of the village, you can't just arbitrarily frame me with a baseless accusation!"
"I indeed have no evidence." Hiruzen Sarutobiregained his composure. "I called you here only to tell you one thing: all of Konoha's external wars have stopped now, and it is time for your hidden plans to stop as well!"
"Hiruzen, it seems you really have grown old!" Danzo Shimura said with feigned heartbreak. "I truly cannot believe that for the sake of a compromised peace, you could actually use the Hyuga Clan as a sacrifice!"
"Otherwise!" Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly exploded in rage. "Should we follow your plan and drag Konoha into the quagmire of war again, causing Konoha to suffer another massive loss!"
"Your plan has failed, Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobistood up abruptly and roared at Danzo Shimuraword by word, "If you conspire with outsiders again and take it upon yourself to do things harmful to Konoha, regardless of the original intention or the result! Don't blame me for ignoring our past friendship when the time comes!"
"Everything I do is for Konoha!"
"You aren't just doing it for Konoha; you're doing it for yourself!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious. "Danzo Shimura, this is the last time I will tolerate this. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
"After all, Konoha has entered a period of peace. Many deep-seated problems that couldn't be dealt with during wartime now need to be eradicated!" Hiruzen Sarutobi finally decided to purge Konoha's internal ranks. "Danzo, I don't want you to be the first person to be liquidated!"
"It could never be me!" Danzo Shimura was equally unyielding. "Clean up your own mess before you come to lecture me!"
"You!"
Although the exchange between Hiruzen Sarutobiand Danzo Shimura was fraught with tension, there was a mutual understanding between them. Many things were settled tacitly; now, all they needed to do was wait quietly...
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