Shikigami Summoning in Konoha

Chapter 26: Meeting Naruto Again!

Hiding behind a nearby tree, Katsuragi looked at Hinata, who was also hiding, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Alright, I really don't know why you had to come here instead of waiting somewhere else. Why did you have to come if you're not going to come out?"

"Because Brother Neji would definitely be unhappy to see me!"

Hinata whispered back and then looked in the direction of the Ninja Academy, curiously asking, "Katsuragi, when will we go to the Ninja Academy like Brother Neji?"

"Um, next year, I guess!"

Katsuragi thought for a moment and responded. According to the original plot, Neji is only a year older than Hinata, which means they should be going to the academy next year, along with the other eight rookies.

"Next year, huh!"

Hinata looked once more in the direction of the school, her eyes flashing with longing. In the Hyuga clan, aside from Katsuragi, she hardly had any friends, so she was quite fascinated by the school, a place full of peers.

"Alright, since you've come out today, let's go and have a good time!"

Seeing Hinata, Katsuragi suggested cheerfully. Due to Neji activating his Byakugan, Hiashi had been exceptionally strict with Hinata's training. If it weren't for Neji's school entry today, Hinata would probably still be training.

"Yeah!"

Hinata nodded happily, already delighted just to be out and about, and even more so to be with Katsuragi, making her look forward to the rest of the day.

As they passed a street, Katsuragi suddenly noticed a crowd gathered at the entrance of a shop nearby. Thinking there might be some event, he pulled Hinata over to take a look. But as they approached, he realized something was amiss from the whispers he overheard.

"Stay away from us, jinx!"

"Go away, you monster!"

"It's him, isn't it..."

"Yes, that's him, the demon..."

"Don't talk nonsense, the Third Hokage has forbidden it!"

Seeing the familiar figure with yellow hair, Katsuragi felt a bit helpless inside, wondering how Naruto, with such a tragic childhood, managed to develop such a cheerful personality.

"Katsuragi! Who is he? Why does everyone seem so afraid and hateful towards him?"

Looking at Naruto sitting on the ground, his head bowed as he silently endured the tears, Hinata asked Katsuragi with some distress.

"He..."

Katsuragi looked around at the fearful, hateful, and disgusted faces of the villagers and didn't know how to explain.

If the Fourth Hokage, who sacrificed himself to protect the village, knew his son was being treated this way, Katsuragi wondered if he would regret protecting Konoha.

"Decay of Konoha!"

Katsuragi inwardly sighed about the village's decay, which led to Neji losing his father, the future Uchiha clan massacre, and Naruto, who should have been treated as a hero's son, enduring hardships.

Seeing Katsuragi silent and not speaking, Hinata felt strange and slightly worried as she tugged at his sleeve and asked softly, "Katsuragi, are you alright?"

"Ah!?" Katsuragi came back to his senses, looking at Hinata's concerned face, he cleared his mind of other thoughts and shook his head with a smile, "I'm fine!"

"Why!? I just wanted to look at the clothes, why do they have to treat me like this!?"

Naruto shouted with a choked voice, looking around at the people keeping their distance from him, still unaware of what he had done to make everyone hate him so much.

Hearing Naruto's outcry, the shop owner took a piece of clothing from the stall and threw it towards Naruto, speaking with disdain, "Here, take this and get out of my shop. Don't come near here again! Stay away! Did you hear me!?"

"Why doesn't he just die!"

"Yeah! If it weren't for him, that year..."

"This kind of person, should just freeze to death!"

Looking at the dust-covered clothes and hearing the venomous words around him, Naruto could no longer hold back his tears. He picked up the clothes and pushed through the crowd to run outside.

"Katsuragi! He won't be okay, will he?"

Seeing the glinting tears in Naruto's eyes, the kind-hearted Hinata couldn't bear it and hesitated before saying, "Why don't we go check on him..."

"Um..."

Katsuragi pondered. If it were just him, making contact might be problematic, but if Hinata suggested it, it might be better. After all, she was the Hyuga clan's princess, and even if the Third was senile, he wouldn't suspect her of having ulterior motives in contacting Naruto.

"Alright!"

So, Katsuragi agreed, telling Hinata, "Actually, that boy just now is someone the village has ordered us not to contact, so Hinata, you must stay close to me, got it?"

Katsuragi wouldn't admit that he said this just to have Hinata stay closer to him.

"Yes!" Hearing Katsuragi's words, which sounded very dangerous considering the behavior of the people around, Hinata obediently nodded and moved closer to him, her cheeks blushing as she held his arm.

With no shame in deceiving the little loli, Katsuragi silently praised 'Long live the loli' in his heart and began leading Hinata in the direction Naruto had run off to.

Without looking at footprints, relying on the Three-Tails' sense of smell and the courtyard's sensitivity to the Nine-Tails' seal, Katsuragi could find Naruto.

Looking at Naruto by the riverside, holding the clothes and silently crying, Katsuragi suddenly felt a sense of being watched. This feeling had been sporadic ever since he summoned the Three-Tails, but now it seemed like someone was constantly watching him.

Katsuragi knew this must be the Third Hokage monitoring him and Hinata through his crystal ball. It seemed the incident just now had reached the Third, probably reported by a ninja watching Naruto in secret.

"Katsuragi! Katsuragi! Are you alright?"

Seeing Katsuragi freeze again, Hinata gently shook him, her eyes filled with deep concern. She felt that Katsuragi had been somewhat distracted since seeing Naruto.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!"

Katsuragi snapped back to the present, ignoring the Third's surveillance, then looked at Hinata, who was concerned for him, and whispered, "Hinata, when I was in the orphanage, the old director repeatedly warned me not to contact him, saying he was very dangerous, a monster. So after you go home, you must not tell anyone that we met him, okay?"

Actually, Katsuragi's words were not really meant for Hinata; he wanted the Third to think he was adhering to the village's orders but had approached Naruto simply out of a child's curiosity.

"Yes! I know!" Always obedient to Katsuragi, Hinata assured him earnestly, "I definitely won't tell anyone!"

"Thank you, Hinata!"

Seeing Hinata's adorable demeanor, Katsuragi couldn't help but reach out and pat her little head, then instructed, "Alright, you wait here for a moment. I'll go over and check on him."

"Or maybe we shouldn't!" Actually, after hearing Katsuragi's earlier words, Hinata regretted her decision, whispering, "Since everyone says he's dangerous, maybe you shouldn't go over there!"

Clearly, in Hinata's heart, Katsuragi's safety was far more important than that of a little boy who was sad because everyone hated him.(T.l : damn author really write it)

End of Chapter 26