Chapter 141 (Patreon)

For Yujiro, helping the Hyūga clan had been little more than a simple favor.

Konoha was now stable and powerful. No one wanted to see unnecessary divisions forming within the village, especially when one of its oldest and most influential clans was involved.

With Yujiro’s intervention, a problem that had plagued the Hyūga clan for generations had finally been resolved.

From this day forward, the Hyūga clan and Konoha could truly stand united as one.

By noon, a banquet had already been prepared.

Now that the burden weighing upon them had been lifted, the brothers Hiashi and Hizashi were naturally in high spirits.

“Hahaha! Yujiro, you haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you? We decided long ago that once my daughter was born, she would be betrothed to you!”

After several rounds of sake, Hiashi had become slightly tipsy. He rose from his seat with his cup held high.

“Now that my daughter has grown up, why not have her move into your home tomorrow? What do you think?”

“I’m afraid that might be a little improper.”

Yujiro drained his cup and grinned.

Hinata sat quietly beside him.

The moment she heard her father’s proposal, her face turned red all the way to her ears.

“What could possibly be improper about it?” Hiashi declared. “Lord Hokage and members of several major clans knew about our agreement from the beginning.”

“I have no intention of going back on my word now.”

Yujiro studied Hiashi for a moment before turning toward Hinata.

“I-I’ll follow Father’s decision...” Hinata murmured, nervously pressing her fingers together.

“Hahaha!”

Hiashi burst into hearty laughter.

Hinata, your father is doing this for your own good!

As her father, Hiashi had long known how Hinata felt about Yujiro.

After all, Yujiro was immensely popular throughout Konoha.

“All right, then.”

Yujiro raised his cup and clinked it against Hiashi’s, formally accepting the arrangement.

His home was large enough. Having one more person living there would hardly make a difference.

That evening, Yujiro brought Hinata home with him.

“Hinata, from today onward, you’re part of our family.”

Yujiro smiled at her.

“Mm!”

Hinata’s face was filled not only with shyness, but also unmistakable excitement.

She could finally live under the same roof as Yujiro-nii, the person she thought about every day.

Seeing her excitement left Yujiro feeling somewhat helpless.

He could handle almost anything, yet he had never been particularly good at refusing situations like this.

In the end, all he could do was welcome Hinata into the household.

“What? Hinata is going to be living with us from now on?!”

Kurenai Yūhi stared at the two of them in disbelief.

Tsunade had also stopped by and happened to overhear everything.

“Yes.”

Yujiro spread his hands.

“Kurenai-sensei, please take care of me from now on...” Hinata said nervously.

She looked as anxious as a bride meeting her future family for the first time.

“Of course.”

A gentle smile appeared on Kurenai’s face as she walked over to Hinata.

“You don’t need to be so nervous.”

“If this is your father’s wish, then you’ll be part of our family from now on.”

“Come with me. I’ll show you upstairs and help you choose a room.”

Kurenai took Hinata’s hand and led her toward the second floor.

Only Yujiro and Tsunade remained in the spacious living room.

“Well, well. I didn’t realize you were this capable.”

Tsunade looked Yujiro up and down, an amused smile tugging at her lips.

“What exactly are you talking about?”

Yujiro sat down on the sofa.

“You managed to bring the Hyūga clan head’s daughter home this quickly!”

Tsunade sat beside him.

“Think whatever you like.”

Yujiro grinned.

There was no point trying to explain the situation. The more he said, the more suspicious it would sound.

He might as well let Tsunade imagine whatever she wanted.

After they had rested for a while, Yūgao and Izumi returned from the training grounds.

Everyone then worked together to prepare a large dinner to celebrate Hinata joining the family.

The evening was filled with laughter, and there was no trace of jealousy from anyone.

With his keen perception, Yujiro could tell that they sincerely welcomed Hinata.

Only then did he feel completely at ease.

In the blink of an eye, an entire week passed.

Every day, Yujiro’s home was filled with warmth and laughter.

However, an uneasy atmosphere had begun to spread across Konoha—and even throughout the entire shinobi world.

Early one morning, Yujiro’s eyes suddenly opened.

A sharp gleam flashed through his dark pupils.

“What’s wrong, Master?” Mei Terumī asked softly.

Yujiro gave a faint smile.

“We have guests approaching Konoha.”

He immediately rose and turned toward Mei.

“Tell the others. No matter what happens today, no one is to leave the house.”

“Yes.”

Mei sat up and nodded without hesitation.

Yujiro quickly dressed before vanishing without a trace.

Meanwhile, in the forest west of Konoha, more than a dozen figures wearing black cloaks patterned with red clouds were steadily approaching the village.

They made no attempt to conceal themselves.

Before Konoha’s defenses, any effort to hide their presence would have been meaningless.

According to the intelligence gathered by Black Zetsu and Kakuzu, attacking Konoha from this direction offered them the greatest chance of success.

At the front of the group walked six orange-haired figures.

Each possessed the Rinnegan, and black chakra receivers protruded from the joints of their bodies.

Those receivers connected them to Nagato’s true body in the distance, allowing him to control the Six Paths of Pain.

“If we continue any farther, we’ll enter Konoha’s territory,” Konan said quietly as she walked beside the Deva Path.

“Yes.”

The Deva Path gave a slight nod, his expression remaining completely indifferent.

“From this point onward, our primary objective is to invade Konoha and capture the Two-Tails and the Nine-Tails.”

The Akatsuki members behind him nodded.

“Then the operation to invade Konoha and seize the tailed beasts begins now,” the Deva Path announced coldly.

At that exact moment, a black-clad figure appeared directly in their path.

He wore a black martial arts uniform, with a black sword resting across his shoulder.

A faint smile lingered on his face.

“You sensed us already?”

The Deva Path showed no surprise at Yujiro’s appearance.

A shinobi who had risen to fame during the Third Shinobi World War and defeated the forces of the other four great nations could hardly have failed to notice their approach.

“You finally came.”

A confident smile spread across Yujiro’s face.

His gaze swept across the assembled members of the Akatsuki.

Almost the entire organization had come.

The Six Paths of Pain, Konan, Kisame Hoshigaki, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Orochimaru.

Obito and Black Zetsu were nowhere to be seen, but Yujiro knew they had to be hiding somewhere nearby.

He slowly stepped forward, the welcoming smile never leaving his face.

“It must have been a difficult journey coming all this way.”

“I’ve prepared plenty of surprises for you.”