Naruto: I, who didn't want to be hacked to pieces, saved the ninja world.

Hinata's eyes lit up as she ate her ramen.

Aside from the fact that she was genuinely hungry, the ramen was indeed delicious.

She usually eats nutritionally balanced meals at home, and most of them are very mild in flavor. She rarely eats such strongly flavored food as this ramen.

The bowl of noodles was quickly finished.

Then Hinata stared blankly at the now empty bowl.

Subconsciously, she licked her cherry-like, delicate lips, which were already coated with a layer of grease.

The thought of wanting another bowl had just crossed her mind when she quickly shook her head, banishing the idea.

You shouldn't do something so rude in public.

While still slurping her noodles, Shirokumo Aoba looked at Hinata, put down her chopsticks, and seemed to be deep in thought.

Hinata.

"Are you full?"

Baiyun Qingye asked softly.

"me……"

Hinata Hyuga paused for a moment, then timidly raised her head.

She wanted to say that she was already full, because she didn't eat this much at home.

Would it seem a bit abnormal to eat more?

But seeing Bai Yunqingye's serious expression, he became hesitant again.

Baiyun Qingye's expression became even more serious.

She really wanted to muster up her courage, but she was also a little hesitant.

Moreover, although she was shy, she felt somewhat happy for some reason, as this was the first time someone had noticed that she hadn't actually eaten enough.

"No, I'm not full."

Although the voice was very soft, Baiyun Qingye heard it and a gentle smile appeared on her face again.

"How many bowls are left?"

"..."

Hinata clenched her clothes again, wanting to say less, but afraid that Shirokumo Aoba would be unhappy.

Since there are no guards around, I might as well eat a little more. No one will notice, so it should be fine...

"Four, four bowls will be enough."

Chapter 4 Hiruzen and Danzo's Tacit Understanding

The Hokage's office was already filled with smoke.

The whole room is filled with secondhand smoke.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the instigator, showed no shame whatsoever and continued to puff away on his cigarette.

His deep gaze remained fixed on the crystal ball on the table.

Inside the crystal ball, there was a picture of a blond boy running around in the street, seemingly looking for someone.

Knock knock knock!

A knock came at the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi first took the crystal ball under the table before speaking.

"Come in."

A member of the Anbu ninja pushed open the door and walked in.

He handed a document to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hokage, these are the details of Shirakumo Aoba and his family."

Yes, Shirokumo Aoba only had a brief encounter with Naruto before Hiruzen Sarutobi set his sights on her.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took the document and quickly glanced through it.

He was somewhat surprised at first glance.

"So he's Ye Shan's nephew. No wonder the surname seemed so familiar."

"Were your parents also heroes who sacrificed themselves for Konoha? The name Aoba carries the Will of Fire from birth."

As Hiruzen Sarutobi continued reading, his appreciation for Aoba Shirakumo deepened considerably, as the background was remarkably clean and accurate.

After reading the rest of the content, he also found out why Shirokumo Aoba helped Naruto so much.

"He'll step in to help anyone who's being bullied, that's very much the Will of Fire, but he's a bit greedy, and his methods are sometimes a bit too extreme..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his chin and pondered for a while, seemingly considering whether or not to let Aoba Shirakumo continue to approach Naruto.

Born into a small, respectable family, and with a good personality...

"Let nature take its course. Naruto needs to make friends on his own, so I won't interfere."

Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the documents in his hand and then spoke to the ANBU ninja.

"Continue with the protection mission. Make sure to record any special circumstances and report them promptly."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

With the Anbu ninja gone, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped paying attention to Naruto's affairs and focused on handling other matters in the village.

At the same time.

In a dark and twisted corner.

"White clouds and green leaves?"

"Baiyun Yeshan's nephew?"

"Humph!"

Danzo slammed the document in his hand on the table with a "bang" and let out a cold snort, his expression extremely angry.

Hayama Shirakumo is an elite Jonin in the village, and is considered one of the village's top combat forces.

He has a resolute character, remains calm and composed even in the face of big situations, and is meticulous in his work.

He is equally capable of accurate analysis, has rich experience, and possesses excellent command skills when carrying out missions.

And that's why he understands the other person so well.

It's because he had invited the other party to join the Roots in the past, but the other party directly refused.

He had long forgotten about this matter, but unexpectedly, information about the other party's nephew was now in front of him again.

It brought back his memories.

However, Danzo was angry, but he didn't take the matter to heart.

If someone of unknown origin or from a powerful ninja clan comes into contact with a Jinchuriki, he can go and cause trouble for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Take this opportunity to get some benefits from the roots.

If it were the Uchiha clan, he would have even more reason to suppress them.

But Baiyun Qingye's background is too clean, and he is also the orphan of a hero with an upright character.

The key is that it is protected by Baiyun Yeshan.

There was no need for him to go and make a fool of himself by going to Hiruzen Sarutobi's place.

He was also hurt every time Hiruzen Sarutobi hit his sore spot.

"Continue with the surveillance mission."

"Yes, Lord Danzo!"

The Root ninjas withdrew.

Danzo Shimura, on the other hand, buried himself in his work again, continuing to ponder how to deal with the Uchiha problem.

The masked man had already spoken to him, but he was still unsure of Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude and dared not make a move.

-

Ichiraku Ramen.

Four large empty bowls were already stacked next to Hinata's seat.

As Hinata finished the last bite of noodles, a satisfied expression appeared on her little face.

The feeling of fullness in her belly made her feel incredibly happy.

At home, I wouldn't dare eat like this to maintain proper etiquette and image.

"Amazing!"

Ayame, who had been watching from the side, instinctively let out a gasp.

While adults can eat several bowls of noodles at once, it's rare to see such a young girl eat so much.

In particular, Ayame noticed that Hinata's belly hadn't swelled up much.

Where does the food go after you eat it?

After hearing Ayame's exclamation, Hinata suddenly realized that quite a few people in the noodle shop were looking at her.

Her big eyes blinked rapidly.

Then her whole face flushed red, as if steam would rise from it at any moment.

She was swaying unsteadily, and Bai Yun Qingye was worried that she would faint.

"Are you full?"

Shirokumo Aoba glanced at the empty bowl in front of Hinata and asked.

"I'm...I'm full!"