Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village.

His old buddy still held great power, while he had fallen to the lowest point in his life, which was one of the reasons why Hiruzen Sarutobi was so anxious.

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrangement, an elite squad of the Sarutobi clan quickly set off to meet the Kumogakure delegation.

The mission went very smoothly, and in just two weeks, the Cloud Village delegation arrived in Konoha without incident.

When the Cloud Village delegation arrived, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in his capacity as an elder of Konoha, immediately organized a grand welcoming ceremony. Many villagers even spontaneously took to the streets to express their goodwill towards the Cloud Village delegation.

People may dislike the Hidden Cloud Village, but they don't dislike peace!

Since the Third Shinobi World War, this war has lasted far too long. Now, the Hidden Cloud Village has come with a peaceful attitude. Even though the conflict was started by the Hidden Cloud Village, the villagers still expressed their friendliness towards the Hidden Cloud Village delegation because they really did not want the war to continue.

Hiruzen Sarutobi warmly received the Kumogakure delegation and stated that he was the plenipotentiary representative for this negotiation.

"It is an honor for us that the Third Hokage has come in person!"

The Cloud Village delegation showed no dissatisfaction whatsoever; in fact, they appeared flattered and were willing to follow Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrangements completely.

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi was overjoyed. He had been somewhat worried that these Cloud Village ninjas would be troublesome and difficult to deal with, but now it seemed that everything was under his control.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi also knew that negotiations could not be completed in less than ten days or half a month. So he didn't waste any more time and simply arranged for the Kumogakure delegation to stay in a luxury hotel next to the Sarutobi clan's territory.

The Cloud Village ninjas completely agreed and did not refuse at all, an attitude that made Hiruzen Sarutobi admire them even more.

Steady!

……

In the residence where the Cloud Hidden Envoy is staying.

The representative of the Cloud Village delegation, Jonin Lotoi, stared out the window with a furrowed brow, saying nothing.

Despite his smiling face and his relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was actually feeling extremely depressed, carrying a special mission in his heart.

Along the way, he discovered the vast number of barriers in Konoha. Moreover, the guards, who were originally thought to be confined to a corner, became extremely active in Konoha after Uchiha Fugaku came to power.

Every ten steps there's someone with conjunctivitis, aren't you scared?

In this situation, let alone taking action against the Hyuga clan, their whereabouts would probably be tracked by the Uchiha clan as soon as they left Konoha.

Even if they managed to evade the Uchiha Guards, the Hyuga clan's barrier was still a major headache for them.

"Damn it, which high-ranking person came up with this terrible idea? Stealing bloodlines? If bloodlines were that easy to steal, the Hyuga and Uchiha clans would have been completely robbed by other ninja villages by now!" Rott was furious.

There's really only one idea at the top, while those below are running themselves ragged.

“I can help you break the Hyuga clan’s barrier, and even help you block the Uchiha guards’ perception.”

Suddenly, a hoarse voice reached his ears.

Luo Teyi's expression changed slightly, and then she calmly attached her chakra to the window while forming hand seals to set up a small barrier around it.

After doing all this quietly, he frowned and said in a deep voice, "The Sarutobi clan is right next door. Aren't you afraid of being exposed by contacting me like this?"

"The Sarutobi clan is nothing but a bunch of trash. If I were afraid of even them, I wouldn't have bothered with you."

His hoarse, deep voice was full of confidence: "You just need to specify when to start, and I will take care of everything for you in advance."

"...What exactly are you doing this for? What are you plotting?!" Rote asked, unable to contain himself.

This guy approached him on the way here.

Its mystery and power terrified Rott. Although he was wary, Rott decided to cooperate with it in order to complete the "eye-stealing plan".

"I just asked you to draw some attention for me." The hoarse voice didn't try to hide it much and said calmly, "Now that this has happened, Konoha will definitely investigate and hold me accountable. With Kumogakure as my backing, I'll have it much easier."

"You... are you trying to use us, the Hidden Cloud Village, as pawns?!"

"It's just mutual assistance. Without me, you wouldn't be able to steal the Byakugan, let alone eat anything in Konoha or go to the toilet a few times. You wouldn't be able to escape the control of those Uchiha." The hoarse voice was full of obvious sarcasm, but it left Lotoi speechless.

It may sound harsh, but that's the truth.

If he wants to complete the task assigned to him by his superiors, then cooperating with this guy is undoubtedly the best choice.

Everyone gets what they need, there are no conflicts of interest, it's perfect.

"I hope you can do everything you said you would..."

"Hmph, that's for sure."

……

In the Hyuga clan's territory.

Minazuki Yoru watched Hinata practicing her Gentle Fist in the courtyard with remarkable skill, took a sip of tea, and looked relaxed and content.

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind him and said softly, "Fourth Hokage, the people from Kumogakure have arrived in Konoha and are staying at an inn next to the Sarutobi clan's territory."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wei paused slightly.

He was certainly aware of the abduction of Hinata by the Hidden Cloud Village, which was a significant event in the original story. Since the head of the branch family, Hyuga Hizashi, had died, leaving a seed of resentment like that of a caged bird for his son, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had further diminished the status of this good-for-nothing in the hearts of countless Naruto fans.

However, in this world, there is neither Hyuga Hizashi nor Neji.

As for Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had already stepped down long ago!

Moreover, Hinata is his disciple, and he naturally wouldn't allow anything to happen to his disciple.

But at the same time, he was also quite curious.

He also looked at the members of the Cloud Village delegation: two Jonin, six Chunin, and the rest Genin.

With this kind of setup, they actually thought of going to the Hyuga clan, thinking of stealing people from the second most powerful eye technique family in the world?

Calling you guys athletes is an understatement!

But most importantly, in the original story, the Hidden Cloud Village actually succeeded!

"Should we keep an eye on those guys?" Hozuki Mangetsu asked softly. He was a meticulous person, and he had keenly sensed something from the moment Yoru asked the Cloud Village delegation.

"No need."

Ye's eyes flickered slightly, and he realized that there were probably other people involved.

However, he has now taken double precautions for his precious apprentice. If anyone dares to reach out, he will want much more than just that hand...

Chapter 195 Uzumaki Naruto!

In the blink of an eye, another month has passed.

Within this month, Hiruzen Sarutobi, representing Konoha, conducted three large-scale negotiations with Kumogakure, finalizing 90% of the terms and details. Only a few minor details remained to be studied, but both sides had clarified their basic ideologies, and the signing ceremony of the peace agreement could be held soon.

Although the negotiations between the two sides lasted for a month, the process was initially smooth.

Regarding compensation, as long as Hiruzen Sarutobi proposes any terms, the Cloud Village will at most disagree on a small amount before agreeing.

Such a smooth process made Hiruzen Sarutobi exclaim in his heart, "That's it! The Sarutobi clan is saved!"

The elated Hiruzen Sarutobi became increasingly enthusiastic towards the group of Cloud Village representatives, even leading them on several tours of Konoha and telling them that even after the negotiations ended, they could still come to Konoha to play.

The members of the Cloud Village delegation smiled broadly at Hiruzen Sarutobi's enthusiasm, as if the two sides had never fought to the death on the battlefield just months ago, and were now on extremely good terms.

Two weeks later, all the details of the agreement were finalized, and the two sides formally signed a peace treaty.

Prior to the signing ceremony of the peace agreement, a large-scale peace celebration was held in the village to welcome the arrival of a new era of peace!

On this day, almost all the villagers took to the streets to enjoy the joy brought by peace. The streets were bustling with people, and the whole village was filled with laughter and joy.

Yoru and Hinata strolled leisurely through the streets, enjoying the tranquility and joy.

Hiashi was initially somewhat unhappy that Hinata was out having fun and relaxing.

As the eldest daughter of the noble Hyuga clan head and the future heir to the main family, how could she possibly party with commoners?!

But Yoru waved his hand dismissively and said directly, "Hiashi, the people are the foundation of everything. Whether it's the Fourth or Fifth Hokage, if they hadn't won the hearts of the people, how could they have come to power?"

"Even the foolish and utterly stupid Hiruzen Sarutobi did his best to win over the hearts of the people during his reign. Although your Hyuga clan has been passed down for thousands of years, if you cannot change your mindset, even if the position of Hokage is taken by the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, it will not be yours."

"Besides, Hinata is my disciple, and how I teach her is my business."

Upon hearing this, Hiashi stopped speaking abruptly, and stood frozen in place.

Night ignored him and, with Hinata who was somewhat reserved, scared, and embarrassed, left the Hyuga clan's territory to wander around Konoha.

Along the way, Yoru saw many familiar figures, such as members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the Aburame, Haruno, and Inuzuka ninja clans, and most of them were with children.

This kind of celebration is a carnival for children. On ordinary days, the inheritors of the ninja clan often need to undergo rigorous training in ninjutsu and secret techniques, such as chakra preparation. Only on such a large festival can they legitimately run out to play.

But they couldn't see the night, or rather, they subconsciously ignored it.

Even though they saw Hinata, the Hyuga clan's magnificent attire filled them with a sense of awe.

Fugaku Uchiha's rise to power elevated the Uchiha clan to the pinnacle of Konoha, and also gave the Byakugan clan, originally on par with the Sharingan, a special status.

The Uchiha clan reigns supreme, followed closely by the Hyuga clan, and then down the ranks are established clans known for their secret techniques, such as the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Inuzuka clan.

Yoru took Hinata around for a stroll, and Hinata was very happy. This was the first time she had done something like this. Although Hiashi had taken her out to play before, the feeling of going out with her teacher was completely different from going out with her father.

She can play in the various small shops along the way, and buy snacks at will, happily stuffing them into her mouth.

At first, she was a little reserved and even asked Ye if it was okay to do this, but Ye's answer made her completely open up.

"A celebration is a day of joy to commemorate the past. Why should you restrict your joy with all sorts of rules and regulations during this festival?"

"The teacher is right! The teacher is so kind!"

With a candied hawthorn in her left hand and a cotton candy in her right, Hinata followed behind Yoru with a happy expression.

As the two walked down the street, they passed by Ichiraku Ramen, where the long queue surprised Ye.

At a glance, he spotted a small, blond figure squeezing into the crowd, eager to get started.

He kept glancing ahead of him to see how many people were still in line, his hand clutching the coupons until they were deformed from being squeezed.

"Uzumaki Naruto..."

After recognizing the little guy's identity, Ye's lips curled up slightly. He could clearly feel the thick and powerful chakra within the little guy's body. The strength of that chakra was enormous, even among all the people Ye had ever seen.

Moreover, it is quite unique.

That was not just the power of the Uzumaki clan and half of the Nine-Tails, but a special power hidden deep within Naruto's soul.

"Asura's chakra has already begun to have an effect at this point?"

"She's even more malnourished than Hinata, yet she can accumulate this much energy within her body..."

Ye was incredibly surprised.

Naruto's living conditions were much more difficult than Hinata's, since the latter, although not full, at least had food to eat.

But what about Naruto?

Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi would send him some living expenses every month, but after Hiruzen Sarutobi was eliminated, that old guy only cared about his own power and the situation of the Sarutobi clan, and he no longer cared about Naruto's life or death.

Treated as the son of a fox demon, he truly suffered from hunger, eating only one full meal and going hungry for three!

If Kushina knew about Naruto's current situation, not only the Sarutobi clan, but the entire Hidden Leaf Village might be easily overthrown by the wrath of the Seventh Division Captain, Uzumaki Kushina!

"Even an Asura whose key is love doesn't necessarily have to grow up in such a harsh environment, Rokudo." Looking at the disheveled, severely malnourished blond boy with bright, sparkling eyes, Yoru smiled calmly, seemingly talking to someone.

Ichiraku Ramen was doing very well, but Uncle Tetsuya was also quick to serve the food, and it wasn't long before it was Naruto's turn.

When the people of Konoha around him saw Naruto, they all subconsciously showed expressions of disgust and contempt, and some even pulled away slightly in disdain.

Although Naruto was young, he noticed this and his eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly perked up and held up the crumpled coupon in his hand: "One, a special tonkotsu ramen!"

"Does the fox spirit also eat ramen?"

"This coupon has probably expired a long time ago. I remember it was given away by a ramen shop as part of a promotion when the Fourth Hokage took over the position. It was valid for a year, and it's been like that for ages!"

"If you don't have money, don't come here and hogging seats. Get out of here, you fox demon!"

"Exactly! We were having a great time at the celebration today, but then we ran into a fox demon. What bad luck!"

Naruto's voice seemed to flip a switch, attracting the attention of not only the people in line but also the customers eating ramen inside the shop, who all showed expressions of disgust.

Hearing the chaotic noises, Naruto was clearly flustered, but he ignored those people and immediately looked at the coupon in his hand.

"It's expired?!"

Naruto was struck dumb, frozen in place.

He found this coupon next to the trash can when he was taking out the trash last time. It could be redeemed for a discounted tonkotsu ramen at Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto treasured it as his most precious possession and couldn't bear to eat it.

Today's celebration is a joyous occasion for the whole village. Naruto also wanted to join in the festivities, so he took out the coupon, only to find that it had already expired!

Little Naruto didn't know many words, and the coupon was already full of wrinkles, with the expiration date section blurred, so Naruto hadn't noticed it.