306-310

Chapter 306: We Don't Start Trouble, But We Don't Fear It Either! 

Shindai and Naruto were walking home. Naruto, puzzled, asked, "Big Brother Shindai, why does Hinata's dad seem not to like her? Hinata even calls him 'Father-sama,' which sounds so distant." 

Shindai replied, "It's true, calling your dad 'Father-sama' sounds like you're not very close. But Hinata's dad really doesn't seem to like Hinata much because he wants her to grow up his way, and she hasn't. That's why he dislikes her and wanted me to help her change. The Hyuga clan... the whole Main House and Branch House thing is just ridiculous. It's totally a master and slave system. Anyway, future problems like these will be up to you, Naruto, to solve. My good days ahead depend on you too, you know." 

Shindai took Naruto home. Since they had said earlier they wouldn't be eating at home today, Kushina Uzumaki didn't say anything even though Naruto was still burping loudly. 

Days turned into weeks. It was now springtime, and Minato Namikaze received a letter from the Hidden Cloud Village. 

"The Hidden Cloud Village is sending a delegation to Konoha to discuss an alliance. This really surprises me." Minato looked at the letter in his hand, utterly bewildered. 

Since the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had formed alliances with the Hidden Stone and Hidden Sand villages, but not with the Hidden Cloud or Hidden Mist. Cloud ninjas still periodically caused trouble for Konoha along the borders, so this 180-degree change in attitude left Minato scratching his head. 

Inoichi Yamanaka speculated, "According to our intel, there's been intense friction between Cloud and Mist ninjas in the seas. That might be why they want to ally with Konoha." 

Shikaku Nara stroked the small mustache on his chin. "I don't think it's that simple. We've tried to form an alliance with the Hidden Cloud several times, but the Raikage always refused. The Hidden Cloud is a village of fighters; it's hard to make them back down. Moreover, if they're seeking an alliance because of the Hidden Mist, they'd see it as a disgrace." 

Minato grew slightly serious. "Are you saying... there's a trick involved?" 

Shikaku shook his head. "Not necessarily. It's just unusual for them to suddenly seek an alliance. Since they want to talk, let them come. After all, it's something we've wanted too." 

Minato nodded. "Okay, let's see what they're really after. If they're sincere about negotiating, then an alliance with the Hidden Cloud would be a good thing for Konoha." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent on the side, his expression one of satisfaction. Konoha's new generation had fully matured. Minato was now fully capable as Hokage, and Shikaku and Inoichi could gradually replace Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane as advisors. Moreover, Konoha was now brimming with talent. While not fully recovered, Konoha was developing the best compared to the other four great ninja villages. Indeed, choosing Minato as Hokage was absolutely the right decision. 

"Huh? Those hotheads from the Hidden Cloud are coming to Konoha? And they want an alliance?" Shindai asked, surprised, while eating dinner at Minato's house. 

Minato replied, "Yeah, I've already sent a reply. They should arrive in Konoha in about five days." 

Shindai grumbled, "Tch, back on the battlefield, the Cloud ninjas were arguably the last people you'd want to run into. They'd just rush in headfirst, no matter if they were at a disadvantage, like they had no brains. Oh, right!" Shindai looked at Kushina Uzumaki. "Auntie Kushina, you were kidnapped by Cloud Village once when you were little, weren't you? And Lord Minato rescued you?" 

Kushina recalled, "Yes, I was still in the Ninja Academy back then. After school, I was kidnapped by three Cloud jonin. I was so scared! To make sure someone found me, I secretly pulled out my red hair and dropped it on the road as a trail. But no one came to rescue me until I was almost at the border. I was starting to despair, but..." 

Kushina looked at Minato, a happy smile on her face. "Just as I was losing hope, Minato alone found my trail and followed it." 

Minato also smiled and said, "Kushina's red hair was so beautiful, it left a strong impression on me. That's why I was able to find Kushina so easily." 

Shindai's mouth twitched. What the heck? Seriously? He just asked a simple question, and they started being all lovey-dovey! Now his food didn't taste as good. 

"Wow, this is the first time I've heard that! Dad, Mom, I want to hear more about your past!" Naruto looked at Minato and Kushina with eager eyes. 

Since her son wanted to hear about their past, Kushina naturally agreed. "Alright, after dinner, I'll tell you all about Minato and my past. To be honest, I even thought Minato was an idiot back then!" 

Minato scratched his head, really wanting to tell Kushina there was no need to share that with Naruto, but seeing how happy Kushina and Naruto were, he just let them be. 

Minato looked at Shindai, Kakura, and Hikari Uchiha. Kakura and Hikari were focused on their food, while Shindai wore a super annoyed expression. 

Minato asked, confused, "What's wrong?" 

"You're an old married couple, your kid's three years old. Is all that really necessary?" Shindai grumbled, then picked up his bowl and started eating. 

Minato tilted his head, not quite understanding Shindai's complaint. 

While eating, Shindai suddenly remembered something: it seemed... like kidnappings were standard operating procedure for the Hidden Cloud Village. Not only had they kidnapped Kushina before, but it seemed Hinata had been kidnapped too, maybe more than once. 

Oh, right. Neji's dad, Hizashi Hyuga, died because Hinata was kidnapped. 

Shindai asked Minato, "Lord Minato, what if the Hidden Cloud Village is coming to cause trouble this time, looking to start a war with Konoha?" 

Minato asked, surprised, "Why do you say that?" 

"No reason, just asking. You know how those Cloud ninjas are, Lord Minato. Maybe they're planning something nasty this time? So... if something like that happens, what would you do, Lord Minato?" 

Minato thought for a moment, then said with a firm tone, "Konoha doesn't start trouble, but we don't fear it either!" 

Shindai's eyes shifted, and a grin unconsciously spread across his face. With Minato saying that, things would be easy! Time to go flirt with some girls with Naruto. 

Chapter 307: Scientific Ninja Tools 

Just like that, five days flew by. 

The Hidden Leaf Village held a welcoming ceremony for the Cloud Village's ninja delegation. 

Under a warm reception, the Cloud Village ninja delegation headed to the Hokage's office building. 

Minato Namikaze, as the Hokage, was there to greet them. 

After some pleasantries and polite back-and-forth, they moved to the conference room to get down to business. 

Meanwhile, elsewhere... 

Shindai met up with Naruto and Hinata. 

Shindai said to Hinata, "Hinata, can you take off your ring and give it to me for a moment?" 

"Okay." 

Hinata obediently took off her ring and handed it to Shindai. 

Shindai pulled out a tiny, round crystal chip and embedded it into the ring, then returned the ring to Hinata. "Alright, put it on. Make sure you wear it all the time, even when you're sleeping, okay?" 

"I know!" 

Seeing Hinata put on the ring, Shindai felt reassured. 

The round crystal chip Shindai embedded in the ring was a tracking device. As long as Hinata wore the ring, he wouldn't have to worry about her getting lost. 

After taking Naruto and Hinata to play around for a bit, Shindai sent Hinata home. 

Then, Shindai told Naruto, "Tonight, sneak out of the house. I'll take you to do something super fun." 

Naruto curiously asked, "What are we gonna play?" 

Shindai said mysteriously, "You'll find out then. For now, come with me to the Scientific Research Department. We need to get you ready." 

Shindai took Naruto to the Scientific Research Department. After greeting Kabuto, who they ran into, Shindai entered his own research lab. 

From a shelf in the lab, Shindai pulled out a high-tech-looking armored gauntlet. 

"This is a scientific ninja tool I'm currently testing in my research." 

"Scientific ninja tool? What's that?" 

While modifying the gauntlet, Shindai explained to Naruto, "As you know, ninjutsu requires chakra to be released. Even ninjutsu scrolls need chakra to activate them. This scientific ninja tool uses a special capacitor to store chakra, then automatically identifies and uses ninjutsu scrolls to release the ninjutsu within them. So, even if you don't have chakra, as long as you know how to use this device, you can still use the ninjutsu from a scroll." 

Naruto's eyes immediately sparkled. "So, if I put on this gauntlet, I'll be a ninja too?" 

From Naruto's mischievous glint, Shindai knew exactly what he was thinking. 

Shindai immediately poured cold water on his idea. "Don't get any wild ideas. This is just a ninja tool; it doesn't represent your own power. The chakra capacitor has limited capacity, and I haven't figured out how to miniaturize ninjutsu scrolls yet. The more powerful the ninjutsu, the larger the scroll, so the number of usable ninjutsu is extremely limited. This gauntlet is just a bonus, a fancy trinket. If you think you can become a ninja just by using this, you're dreaming. I was originally planning to use it on my puppets, but for now... there, it's done." 

Shindai had modified the gauntlet to fit Naruto's arm size. 

"For now, you can use it to play around. This gauntlet has three ninjutsu scrolls inside. The ninjutsu are Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu, Wind Style: Wind Cutter Jutsu, and Lightning Style: Lightning Ball. These three are low-level ninjutsu, so their power is naturally quite weak. The gauntlet has red, green, and blue buttons, corresponding to Fire Style, Wind Style, and Lightning Style. Just press the button, and it'll activate automatically. And just to be clear, I'm only lending it to you for now, I'm not giving it to you permanently." 

Naruto was beyond excited. He quickly said, "I know, Shindai-niichan, just give it to me already!" 

Shindai handed the gauntlet to Naruto, who eagerly put it on his right hand. 

Shindai warned him, "Remember, don't press it unless you absolutely have to... Whoa! Are you kidding me?!" 

Naruto had already pressed the red button, and the arm guard automatically released the Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu, sending out a straight line of fire. 

Shindai rolled to dodge, narrowly avoiding the flames. 

Shindai quickly used a Water Style ninjutsu scroll to extinguish the fire, then stared at Naruto with a dark expression. 

Naruto, knowing he'd messed up, lowered his head and dared not speak. 

The next second, a bump appeared on Naruto's head. 

Naruto rubbed his head sadly, looking longingly at the gauntlet Shindai had taken back. He pleaded, "Shindai-niichan, I promise I won't press it randomly anymore! Can I have it back?" 

Even though he'd caused trouble, the feeling of using ninjutsu just now was incredible! 

Shindai flat-out refused. "No way! I barely finished speaking, and you already caused trouble! This is Lord Orochimaru's domain; if you cause a commotion, I'll have to become a test subject! It's confiscated for now. I'll give it back to you when you actually need to use it!" 

Naruto pouted. "So, when can I use it?" 

"If things go smoothly, maybe tonight. Alright, let's head back." 

Shindai took Naruto home. 

Inside the Hokage's Office Building. 

Minato Namikaze's negotiations with the Cloud Village ninjas went remarkably smoothly. 

Minato had initially expected the Cloud Village to propose some harsh conditions, but they didn't bring up a single one. 

The smoothness of the talks made Minato and the others even doubt if these were truly Cloud Village ninjas. 

Although the talks went smoothly, things couldn't be concluded in just one day. 

"Everyone, please rest at the Leaf Village inn for the night. Tomorrow, we'll discuss the finer details of the alliance." 

Minato Namikaze dispatched two ninjas to escort the Cloud Village ninjas to the inn for rest. 

After the Cloud Village ninjas left, Minato and the others in the conference room didn't disperse. 

Minato said seriously, "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this." 

Shikaku Nara agreed. "Yes, it's true. They agreed to almost everything we proposed, and they barely made any demands themselves. It's almost like..." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi finished Shikaku Nara's sentence. "Like a defeated party's demeanor." 

Inoichi Yamanaka frowned. "So, you're saying they have some sort of scheme?" 

Homura Mitokado asked, puzzled, "But, after the letter from the Cloud Village arrived, there haven't been any movements within the Cloud Village. What kind of scheme could they have?" 

Minato Namikaze pondered in silence for a moment before saying, "If there's a scheme, they'll definitely make a move. Let's stay vigilant for now. We can't act unless they do. Shikaku, take a squad of Anbu ninjas to patrol outside the Leaf Village. Inoichi, tell Clan Head Fugaku to reinforce the patrols within the Leaf Village." 

Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka both said "Yes" simultaneously. 

Night quietly descended. 

Under Shindai's instructions, Naruto quietly slipped out of the house. Shindai was already waiting for him by the front door. 

Shindai whispered, "You didn't disturb Aunt Kushina or Lord Minato, did you?" 

"Nope! I was super quiet. Dad's not home, and Mom's still sleeping." 

"Okay, let's go!" 

Shindai and Naruto headed in the direction of the Hyuga clan compound. 

Chapter 308: You're Too Naive! 

Shindai and Naruto were hidden in a corner of a small alley outside the Hyuga clan compound. Naruto asked, "Big Brother Shindai, what are we even doing here? Are we going to find Hinata now? But isn't it too late?" 

Shindai grinned slightly and said, "To let you perform the 'hero saves the beauty' act!" 

Naruto's little head was struggling to catch up. "Huh? Hero saves the beauty?" 

"That's right, Naruto. Your dad saved your mom when they were little, and that's why they've been together ever since and even had you. So..." 

Before Shindai could finish, Naruto's eyes widened slightly, and he asked in surprise, "Does that mean if Hinata's in danger and I save her, we'll also be together forever, and then we'll have a kid right away too?" 

Shindai awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Well... you can't quite say that... it's a bit complicated. And kids are born, you know. You'd have to be at least my age to have a kid..." 

"Then when is Sasuke going to be in danger? I want to save Sasuke too! I want to..." 

Naruto's next words were cut off by Shindai clamping a hand over his mouth. "You shut it! Get that idea out of your head! You and Sasuke will never have a kid! Never!" 

After Shindai removed his hand from Naruto's mouth, Naruto pouted and grumbled, "Why can't Sasuke and I? I believe Sasuke and I could definitely be together forever too!" 

Shindai felt completely numb, like he'd lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot. He patiently lectured, "Naruto, you're only three years old, you don't understand. You're a boy, Sasuke's a boy. You and Sasuke can't have kids. Only boys and girls can, got it?" 

Naruto nodded, half-understanding. "Okay... But why can girls and girls have them? Big Brother Shindai, didn't you say Auntie Kakura and Auntie Hikari..." 

Shindai, horrified, clapped his hand over Naruto's mouth again. "Shut up! How did you know about that? Did you figure it out yourself?" 

Naruto shook his head, forcefully pulling Shindai's hand away, and said, "No, when Auntie Kakura and Auntie Hikari went to work, I overheard you muttering and complaining when you were looking for cigarettes." 

Shindai's expression became very serious and solemn. "Naruto, I was just saying whatever came to mind! Forget about it! You're not allowed to let Auntie Kakura and Auntie Hikari know! Got it? Otherwise... I'll die!" 

Hearing Shindai sound so serious, Naruto was startled and quickly said, "I won't tell!" 

Shindai looked earnestly at Naruto and said, "Then it's a promise. Remember what you said!" 

Naruto nodded guiltily. Actually, he had asked Kakura and Hikari Uchiha a long time ago, but that was what he said before, so it probably didn't count. 

After a moment, Naruto asked, "Speaking of which, what kind of danger will Hinata be in?" 

Shindai's gaze was fixed on the Hyuga compound as he answered Naruto, "Don't you know already? The Hidden Cloud Village ninjas are in Konoha." 

Naruto said incredulously, "The Hidden Cloud ninjas are going to attack Hinata? But aren't they here to be our friends?" 

Shindai scoffed, "Be friends? In the ninja world, you're too naive! You'll understand when you grow up. Anyway, like we agreed before, once you become a full-fledged ninja, whoever I point to, you go after them! From now on, your Big Brother Shindai will be relying on you for protection!" 

Naruto puffed out his chest and guaranteed, "No problem! I'll protect Big Brother Shindai!" 

"Such a good kid. Alright, let's wait. Not sure if it'll actually happen..." 

Shindai wasn't entirely sure himself. After all, he couldn't guarantee that the Hidden Cloud Village would provoke Konoha, given Konoha's current strength. However, Hidden Cloud ninjas were generally hotheads, so who knew? 

The night was dark and windy. Inside their inn, the Hidden Cloud Village ninjas were fully armed and dressed discreetly. 

The Hidden Cloud ninja leader gave his orders: "The target is the child of the Hyuga clan's Main House head. Once you've got her, escape Konoha immediately and rendezvous with our comrades waiting outside the village!" 

"Yes, sir!" 

The Cloud ninjas silently left the inn and headed towards the Hyuga compound. 

Shindai and Naruto were bored, playing rock-paper-scissors. The loser got flicked on the forehead. Shindai lost more than he won, but Naruto's forehead was red, while Shindai looked perfectly fine. It couldn't be helped; Shindai was much stronger than Naruto. 

"No more, no more! Big Brother Shindai, you're too mean! I clearly won more, but I'm the one who hurts!" Naruto clutched his reddened forehead, complaining to Shindai. 

Shindai said triumphantly, "That's power. If you're weak, even if you win against me, it's useless because you can't hurt me. But if I win just once, you're finished!" 

"Hey! Big Brother Shindai, you've got a beeping sound!" 

Shindai heard the beeping too. He pulled out a small screen from his ninja pouch, and a red dot was moving on it. 

"Heh, they made their move after all! Naruto, here! It's your time to shine!" Shindai handed Naruto an arm guard. 

Naruto put on the arm guard, worried. "But... can I beat them?" 

Shindai patted Naruto's small shoulder. "Hey, don't overestimate yourself. Of course you can't beat them. Even with this arm guard, you can't. In fact, you wouldn't even be able to fight back." 

Naruto's little face darkened. "So you're sending me out there just to get beaten up?" 

Shindai reassured him, "But I'm here, aren't I? Your big brother will be helping you from the shadows. Just act it out however you want!" 

Naruto looked at Shindai with suspicion. "Really? But every time you make Mom mad, you ditch me and run away first!" 

Shindai snapped, "That's just playing around! In this situation, how could I possibly abandon you? Do I want to live or not?!" 

"Really?" Naruto's gaze was still full of doubt, and a vein popped on Shindai's forehead. 

Just then, the beeping sound grew a little louder. Shindai looked at the screen and saw that Hinata had been taken from the Hyuga compound and was very close to them. 

Shindai looked in the direction of the red dot and spotted three ninjas with black cloths tied around their heads, only their eyes showing. 

"They're here! It's your turn, Naruto!" Shindai picked up Naruto and, with a powerful toss, threw him forward. 

Naruto rolled twice on the ground and shakily stood up. 

Naruto angrily yelled, "Why did you throw me? I can walk myself..." 

Naruto's voice trailed off as the three Cloud ninjas stared at him with ill intent. 

Chapter 309: I'm So Strong! 

Shindai tossed Naruto forward, leaving him alone to face three Cloud ninjas. Even though Naruto had mentally prepared himself, facing three jonin, whose combined aura made his legs tremble, he felt a strong urge to flee. 

Naruto mustered his courage, his voice trembling as he yelled, "Hey! Put Hinata down! Or else I won't go easy on you!" 

"Hmph, just a brat. Kill him and let's get out of here!" A Cloud ninja pulled out a kunai and charged at Naruto. 

Naruto was so flustered he completely forgot about the arm guard on his arm, freezing in place. 

In the shadows, Shindai had already formed his hand signs. 

"Magnet Release: Chaotic Magnetic Field!" 

The magnetic field in Naruto's immediate area became incredibly chaotic. Shindai used his jutsu to apply the chaotic magnetic field to the Cloud ninja charging at Naruto, causing his nervous system to go haywire. In other words, his limbs stopped obeying him. 

The Cloud ninja tripped over his own feet, falling face-first onto the ground and sliding right up to Naruto. Naruto and the ninja awkwardly stared at each other. The Cloud ninja tried to stand up and stab Naruto with his kunai, but the kunai was stuck to the ground and he couldn't pick it up. His limbs twitched uncontrollably, making it impossible to stand. 

Naruto then remembered his arm guard and quickly pressed a red button. The arm guard automatically unleashed Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu, a straight line of flames that directly hit the Cloud ninja's head. 

"Aargh!" 

The Cloud ninja, whose head was being incinerated by the flames, screamed. The fire rapidly spread throughout his body. 

The other two Cloud ninjas stared at Naruto in disbelief. It was already hard to believe a seemingly three or four-year-old kid could use ninjutsu, but it was also a hand sign-less jutsu?! 

The commotion here caused Hinata to wake up. Hinata was terrified to find herself being held by someone. Wasn't she sleeping? How did she end up here? There was also a burning smell. Hinata looked toward the source of the burnt smell and spotted Naruto. "Naruto!" 

Even though Naruto was still very scared, he couldn't show weakness in front of a girl. "Hey, Hinata! I came to save you!" 

The Cloud ninja leader was now in a difficult situation. The commotion here must have been heard, and Hyuga ninjas were probably already on their way. 

"The Byakugan is important, forget about this kid, retreat!" 

Naruto yelled, "Don't think you can run!" 

Naruto pressed the blue button, unleashing Lightning Release: Lightning Ball. A lightning ball sped towards the two retreating Cloud ninjas. However, the current of the lightning ball grew stronger and stronger, and branched currents appeared, their range expanding. This was caused by Shindai using Magnet Release: Electromagnetic Field. He used the lightning ball released by Naruto to trigger resonance between positive and negative charges in the electromagnetic field, generating powerful currents. 

Amidst these dense currents, the second Cloud ninja, whose nervous system was in disarray, suddenly stumbled while trying to escape. He was instantly struck by multiple currents, his body turning charred black, his hair becoming an afro. He fell to the ground, twitching. 

The ninja leader was not hit by the currents, as they were careful not to accidentally injure Hinata. 

Naruto stared dumbfounded at the scene. "I... I'm so strong!" 

The ninja leader ignored his two comrades and continued to run forward. Naruto pressed the third button on his arm guard. 

"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Jutsu!" 

A blade of wind shot towards the ninja leader. The ninja leader abruptly stopped, not because of Naruto's Wind Cutter Jutsu, but because Hiashi Hyuga had appeared in front of him. 

Hiashi Hyuga, a man of few words but fierce action, immediately activated his Byakugan and struck the ninja leader in a vital point. The ninja leader dropped to his knees, and Naruto's Wind Cutter Jutsu just happened to strike his back, creating a large wound on his spine. 

With Hinata out of danger, Naruto immediately ran to her and asked, "Hinata, are you okay?" 

Hinata was still scared, her face pale. After a moment, she replied, "I'm fine, thank you for saving me, Naruto." 

Just then, the remaining seven Cloud ninjas who had come to Konoha appeared, surrounding Hiashi Hyuga, Hinata, and Naruto. Hiashi Hyuga shielded Naruto and Hinata behind him, then glanced in one direction. Hiashi Hyuga took a stance in the Gentle Fist. 

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" 

A shimmering image of an Eight Trigrams diagram appeared beneath Hiashi Hyuga's feet as he counterattacked the three charging Cloud ninjas. Shindai, realizing Hiashi Hyuga had spotted him, simply revealed himself. 

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Coffin!" 

Shindai used iron sand to encase two Cloud ninjas. 

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Funeral!" 

The pressure from the iron sand crushed the two Cloud ninjas to death. Hiashi Hyuga also dispatched the three Cloud ninjas on the spot. 

Now only two Cloud ninjas remained. Just as Hiashi Hyuga was about to move, Shindai stopped him. 

"Let's leave two alive. Anyone who can infiltrate the Hyuga compound and take Hinata out must be quite important." 

Shindai subtly left iron sand marks on the two Cloud ninjas. He formed a hand sign, causing the iron sand to infiltrate their bodies, immediately paralyzing them and making them collapse. 

Hiashi Hyuga removed their masks, revealing Hidden Cloud village headbands. Hiashi Hyuga's brows furrowed. "It's the Hidden Cloud ninjas!" 

Then Hiashi Hyuga looked at Shindai, puzzled. "You knew they were Cloud ninjas all along?" 

Shindai shrugged. "How could I have known all along? These guys managed to infiltrate the Hyuga compound silently, so their skill must be impressive. And at this exact moment, Cloud Village ninjas have arrived in Konoha, so it's easy to connect the dots, isn't it? I was actually going to take Naruto for a late-night snack when I spotted some suspicious characters on the street, so I followed them. But I lost track of them. When I was about to go get help, I found them emerging from the Hyuga compound, with Hinata. Naruto, seeing Hinata captured, just rushed in without thinking to save her." 

Hinata looked at Naruto with gratitude. "Thank you, Naruto." 

"N-no need to thank me." Naruto awkwardly scratched his head. Late-night snack? Wasn't he specifically brought here for this? 

Hiashi Hyuga didn't think much of it. After all, if Shindai had known all along, he would have said something earlier. Why would he wait until the Cloud ninjas made their move? 

Many Hyuga clan members also arrived at the scene. Hiashi Hyuga told his clan members, "Quickly inform the Fourth Hokage! The Cloud ninjas tried to steal the Byakugan!" 

Hiashi Hyuga looked at the corpses of the Cloud ninjas on the ground, and the two Cloud ninjas paralyzed by Shindai's iron sand marks, his eyes filled with complex emotions. This incident was incredibly serious. The Hidden Cloud Village had used the pretense of an alliance to try and steal the Hyuga clan's Byakugan. 

Chapter 310: Makes Sense, Kinda 

Hiashi Hyuga and a group of Hyuga clan members gathered around the Cloud ninja corpses and the two incapacitated Cloud ninjas, waiting for Minato Namikaze to arrive. 

Meanwhile, Shindai was whispering to Naruto, "Naruto, you know what to say later, right?" 

Naruto asked, confused, "Say what?" 

Shindai cleared his throat and prompted him, "Say you got hungry and came looking for me to take you out for a late-night snack." 

Naruto grumbled, "Huh? How can I say that? I'll totally get yelled at!" 

Shindai tried to sweet-talk him. "If you get yelled at, at most Aunt Kushina will just give you a beating. But if I get yelled at, not only will Aunt Kushina beat me, but Pakura and Hikari will beat me too! Three people beating me, can you really bear to see that? Besides, this is all for Hinata. You and Hinata are best friends for life. You're standing up for your friend, so they won't beat you up. 

"And think about it, what you're doing now, isn't it just like what your dad did when he saved your mom back then? Maybe Aunt Kushina won't yell at you; she might even praise you!" 

Naruto's eyelid twitched. It actually... kinda made sense! 

Hinata looked at Naruto with eyes full of admiration. "Naruto, you're amazing! You can use three different ninjutsu! And they're all hand-sign-less ninjutsu!" 

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course! I'm a genius, believe it!" 

Shindai, completely lacking any sense of sportsmanship, immediately threw cold water on him. "What 'different ninjutsu,' what 'hand-sign-less ninjutsu'? Those were ninjutsu released by the scientific ninja tool I made!" 

Hinata tilted her head, confused. "Scientific ninja tool?" 

Naruto grumbled, "Shindai-niichan, why'd you have to expose me?" 

Shindai lectured Naruto, "You need to be honest, and you should learn from your big brother, me, on this one!" 

Naruto's eyes rolled upwards. 

Honest? That word didn't seem to have anything to do with Shindai, did it? 

Shindai then explained to Hinata, "Look at the gauntlet on Naruto's right arm. That's the scientific ninja tool I developed. As long as you know how to use the machine, even without chakra or ninjutsu training, you can activate the ninjutsu scrolls and unleash the techniques sealed within them." 

Hinata didn't really have a concept for this, so she listened, completely bewildered. 

Shindai glanced at Hiashi Hyuga and the others. He had originally intended to stay hidden in the shadows and assist Naruto. 

He hadn't expected so many Cloud ninjas to show up. But that wasn't the main problem; the main problem was being discovered by Hiashi Hyuga's Byakugan. 

Soon, Minato Namikaze arrived with his team. He looked at Shindai and Naruto, surprised. "What are you two doing here?" 

Shindai pushed Naruto, who made a face at Shindai, then said to Minato, "Shindai-niichan took me out for a late-night snack, and then we ran into all this." 

"Is that so? Well then, Shindai, Naruto, you two should head home quickly." Minato suspected it wasn't that simple, but now wasn't the time to deal with Shindai and Naruto; it was time to handle these Cloud ninjas. 

Minato then ordered the Anbu members behind him, "Secure the bodies, and keep those two living Cloud ninjas imprisoned. Then, have Shikaku, Inoichi, Fugaku, the Third Hokage, and the two advisors come to the Hokage's Office Building. Clan Head Hiashi, please come with me." 

Hiashi Hyuga nodded. "Alright." 

Hiashi Hyuga turned to Hinata, who was standing beside Naruto. "Hinata, go back to the compound and find your mother." 

Then Hiashi Hyuga looked at Shindai. "Thank you for your assistance tonight, Shindai." 

Shindai replied 'modestly', "It was just a small thing." 

Inside the Hokage's Office Building conference room. 

An Anbu ninja had just reported to Minato that they had found traces of Cloud ninjas outside the Leaf Village, but they had driven them away. 

Minato sat at the head of the table, his hands clasped, a serious expression on his face. "It's quite clear now why they accepted all our conditions. It's because the Cloud Village never intended to form an alliance with the Leaf. Their true objective was simply to seize the Byakugan of our Hyuga clan." 

Being deceived like this, even the usually good-natured Minato was furious. 

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were also enraged. They had welcomed these people as guests into their home and treated them well, only for these guys to turn out to be thieves. How could they not be angry? 

Inoichi Yamanaka spoke up. "If the Cloud Village does this, regardless of success, their relationship with the Leaf will plummet to absolute zero. The Cloud Village must be well aware of this, meaning they might be prepared for a conflict with us." 

Shikaku Nara speculated, "Although the Cloud Village might be prepared for battle, I believe they won't easily start a war. They are well aware of the Leaf's current strength. I think they'll likely try to use these killed Cloud ninjas to their advantage. I suspect they'll probably use the deaths of their own ninjas as an excuse to achieve their desired goals." 

Fugaku Uchiha frowned. "If that's the case, then they'll likely try to threaten us with war. After all, the Leaf's image in the ninja world is one of peace-loving, not seeking conflict." 

Hiashi Hyuga didn't offer his opinion, because the Byakugan was too important to the Leaf for Minato and the others to let this matter escalate. 

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Minato and asked, "Minato, what do you intend to do?" 

Minato thought for a moment before saying, "If we choose to let this go quietly, it will give the ninja world the wrong impression that the Leaf Village is easily bullied, and other villages might follow suit later. Therefore, we absolutely cannot compromise on this matter! The Leaf desires peace, but if some people use our desire for peace to harm the Leaf, I absolutely cannot allow such a thing to happen! This time, we must be firm! What do you all think?" 

Everyone present nodded in agreement. After all, what the Cloud Village did was completely outrageous. Did they really think the Leaf was a pushover now? 

Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed, "Minato, do whatever you think is best. We support you." 

The Leaf Village's overall strength was now far superior to the Cloud Village's, so even a war didn't faze them. 

Minato ordered, "Inoichi, have the Interrogation Unit interrogate those two living Cloud ninjas. Extract their plan. Then, we will take the initiative, demand accountability from the Cloud Village, and dispatch ninjas to the Lightning Country border, ready for battle at any moment. At the same time, give advance notice to the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand and the Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone to curb the possibility of the war expanding. Our only goal is to make the Cloud Village admit to their wicked deeds, and let all those with malicious intentions know the consequences of acting against the Leaf!" 

Minato's eyes were sharp. Although he was usually good-natured, it would be strange if he still had such a good temper after being bullied like this. 

His title of "Yellow Flash" was earned by fighting his way through countless ninjas.