Chapter 11: Moonlit Rescue
"I haven't seen Hinata in a while. Let's go find her today."
Ever since little Naruto had walked little Hinata home a few days ago, he hadn't spotted his one and only friend outside since.
As for why Hinata was his only friend?
*Don't Kurama and Hashirama count as good friends?*
That question came from Kurama, who was genuinely curious about its place in Naruto's heart.
"You two are my family," little Naruto said, blinking his big eyes and giving both Hashirama and Kurama a look of mild bewilderment.
Hashirama immediately grabbed him in a fierce bear hug.
"Yahaha! That's my student alright! That's right, we're your family!"
Hashirama wiped away a tear, then put Naruto on the back of a wood-style Susanoo carved into a hobby horse and the three of them went galloping cheerfully around the renovated seal space.
Kurama turned its nose up with a huff — then a small Nine-Tails quietly joined the galloping anyway.
"Fine. Playing along for a bit isn't the worst thing."
That sparked Hashirama's competitive streak, and just like that a horse race was underway. Hashirama won in the end, naturally, since his wooden mount was made of Wood Style — and when little Kurama was about to overtake him, Hashirama simply made the wooden shell underneath it sprout thorns.
Little Kurama let out a sharp yelp. Hashirama crossed the finish line first, Naruto came second, and Kurama came dead last.
Afterwards, little Kurama sat rubbing its sore backside, shooting Hashirama a murderous glare before retreating sulkily back into its cage.
*You think I don't want to smack this shameless man? If only I could win...*
But from that day on, the bond between the two of them and the fox grew even warmer.
Naruto thought back to the image of little Kurama's eyes practically popping out of its head when the wooden spikes hit, and laughed to himself without meaning to.
He had tried to visit Hinata a few times in the days since, but the Hyuga guards always blocked his way.
Something about the young lady not being permitted to leave the grounds for one month. Please turn around and go home. Their attitude toward him wasn't exactly friendly — though still considerably better than the villagers on the street who muttered curses under their breath when he passed.
Today, little Naruto decided to try a different approach: sneak over at night.
The moon crept up from the horizon, spilling silver light across the ground below.
Naruto quietly slipped out of bed, climbed out through the window, and left his apartment.
The ANBU stationed nearby didn't stir. Perhaps because Naruto normally fell straight to sleep and never woke until morning — a perfectly reliable sleeper — their nighttime vigilance had grown a little lax.
"Relax. None of them noticed you moving," Kurama's voice settled into Naruto's mind.
"Great, thanks Kurama!"
Naruto grinned. The plan was working. He had spent a long time convincing Kurama to keep watch for him, and it had finally agreed.
The Nine-Tails' sensory range was extraordinary, and combined with the natural sensory talent of the Uzumaki clan, scanning a ten-kilometre radius was effortless.
Kurama swayed a tail, and with Hashirama's help, one tail stretched outside the cage.
"As expected of the strongest Tailed Beast — my usefulness exceeds that of a certain vegetable."
"Hey, hey, hey! Nine-Spicy! Without me, could you extend out this far without damaging the seal?!"
Hashirama puffed up indignantly and started bickering loudly.
"Quiet. I'm trying to sense the surroundings."
Kurama gave the man who had once again gotten its name wrong a weary look, then turned its full attention back to scanning the area around Naruto.
Outside it was dark. The recently installed street lamps along the village paths cast only a dim glow, barely enough to light the narrow lanes. The houses along the road, however, were warmly lit from within.
Following the route he had memorised, Naruto made his way back toward the Hyuga compound.
Almost there.
He crouched down, found a cardboard box nearby, pulled it over himself, and poked two holes in the front to peer through.
Alright. Stealth mode — activated!
Shuffling slowly forward under his cardboard disguise, he somehow managed it. Naruto successfully slipped inside the Hyuga clan grounds.
"Hey. Hashirama. This one — he doesn't feel like a Konoha person."
Kurama had sensed someone whose emotional state was completely different from everyone else nearby. The person had suppressed their chakra signature down to almost nothing, but their inner emotional turmoil was enormous — tension, agitation, urgency, reckless resolve.
"Hm? Let me look."
Dark lines appeared at the edges of Hashirama's eyes as his sensory ability surged.
"Oh no. Naruto!"
"Your friend — someone's taken your friend!"
Hashirama's voice carried shock and fury straight into Naruto's ears.
"What?! What's happening?!"
Naruto had no idea what was going on. Hinata had been taken?! Then there was no time to waste — he had to go save her!
"Don't rush. Listen to me. She's to the east — go, hurry after them!"
"I'll guide you!"
Hashirama's mind caught fire, and he started directing Naruto straight toward the Kumo ninja's position.
"Got it!"
Naruto threw off his cardboard disguise and sprinted full speed in the direction Hashirama pointed.
Somehow, his pace matched that of the Kumo ninja concealing his movements in the shadows ahead.
"Mmph — mmm."
Little Hinata opened her eyes. This was not her familiar ceiling.
She was tied up.
She understood immediately — she had been kidnapped.
Panic flooded through her. Her father had never taught her what to do if she was kidnapped. Then again, why would he? The eldest daughter of the great Hyuga clan was surrounded at all times by Byakugan-bearing guards. Who would ever dare come into the Hyuga grounds and take her?
And yet, here she was.
Hinata strained against the ropes, pulling with everything she had.
Unfortunately, not every three-year-old had strength like Naruto's.
"Hey! Keep quiet, or I'll kill you!"
The Kumo ninja hissed at the now-awake Hinata, keeping his voice low.
In truth, killing the hostage was only a last resort — after all, this was the Byakugan. He needed to bring her back to the village in one piece if at all possible.
Hinata struggled harder. If she let this man take her away, she would never see her father and mother again, never see Neji, Hanabi — or Naruto.
Back at the Hyuga estate, the door to Hinata's room was pushed open by Hiashi.
"Little Hinata..."
"No."
He saw the broken window immediately and understood. He leapt out of the room and activated his Byakugan.
The veins around his eyes bulged and rose to the surface as the grey-white world expanded before him.
There — far away — he could see his daughter's chakra signature, already beyond the Hyuga grounds. Beside her was an unfamiliar chakra — wait, not entirely unfamiliar.
A Kumo ninja.
Hiashi ran, fury building with every step as he imagined what the Kumo ninja might intend for his daughter.
Then he noticed something. Another chakra — one he recognised — was closing in fast on that scoundrel.
That was... the Jinchuriki?!
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End of this chapter...