Chapter 298: Hyuga
The Nine-Tails finally submitted under the combined pressure of Tonari and the Two-Tails.
Satisfied, Tonari left his inner world, leaving behind a small, fiery-orange fox and a sleek, blue-black feline, now freely playing in his room.
---
The moment he stepped outside, Minato immediately approached him.
"Tonari, you're finally awake! Do you have any idea how long you've been sleeping?"
"Two whole days and nights."
Tonari waved dismissively, yawning.
"No big deal. That fight drained me way too much."
He turned his head and noticed a table full of food, still slightly warm.
His stomach rumbled loudly, and without hesitation, he launched into a feeding frenzy.
Minato chuckled. "Reika wasn't sure when you'd wake up, so she kept the food ready for you."
"Mmfff… good… stuff…" Tonari's mouth was too full to speak properly.
Minato sighed, shaking his head.
"Just finish eating first, then talk."
After washing it down with a gulp of soup, Tonari finally spoke properly.
"How's Kushina? And my little niece?"
At the mention of his wife and child, Minato's face softened into a gentle smile.
"Kushina's stable now, thanks to Reika's care. She woke up before you did—she's still weak, but her life's no longer in danger. If she eats well and rests, she should recover fully in time."
Tonari nodded in relief.
The fate of Minato and Kushina had finally changed—they had survived.
Perhaps the moment things truly shifted was far earlier than this.
At some point, the butterfly effect of his presence had caused Naruto, originally a boy, to be born as a girl instead.
That was something he had never anticipated.
"Let's go see them."
---
Tonari pushed open the door to Kushina's room.
Inside, Reika was playing with the baby, while Kushina lay in bed, watching with a soft, loving smile.
For a mother, nothing was more precious than seeing her child safe and happy.
Watching this scene, Tonari felt a deep emotion stir within him.
He remembered that scene from his previous life—
Kushina's farewell words to Naruto in the original timeline.
The love and warmth in her voice, even in her final moments, had moved him deeply.
Now, she was alive.
Naruto was not an orphan.
Tonari had changed fate.
---
Hearing him enter, Reika's face lit up with joy.
"Tonari! You're awake!"
He nodded, smiling back.
Kushina turned her head toward him, her eyes misting over.
"Thank you, Tonari… Thank you…"
Tonari rarely saw her show weakness.
She had always been strong, but today, she let her true emotions show.
She wasn't just thanking him for saving her—she was thanking him for saving Minato, for saving their child, for ensuring their family stayed together.
Tonari grinned, trying to lighten the mood.
"Come on, Kushina, don't get all mushy on me. You're not one to cry."
Kushina's face turned slightly red.
"Shut up! I'm allowed to cry once in a while!"
Reika laughed, while Minato chuckled beside her, his hand gently holding Kushina's.
Tonari's gaze shifted to the baby—Naruto, or rather, Naruko.
Her tiny fingers curled around his as he gently held her.
Her hair was a mix of Minato's and Kushina's colors, and on her cheeks, six whisker-like marks stood out.
"Our little Naruko is going to grow up strong," Tonari teased, wiggling his fingers near hers.
Kushina smirked proudly.
"Of course! She's my daughter! I'll train her to be the strongest kunoichi ever."
Tonari raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Got your sights set on making her Hokage?"
"Damn right!"
Tonari laughed.
"Well… that's a problem. I plan to stay Hokage for a few decades. She might've been born a little too early for that, huh?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Even little Naruko, who had been quietly observing, suddenly burst into tears at the noise.
Rather than stopping, the laughter only grew louder.
---
After a while, Kushina glanced at Reika, then back at Tonari.
"You little bastard! You had Reika hiding her Uzumaki bloodline all this time?!"
Tonari scratched his head awkwardly.
"Well… considering how Konoha treated the Uzumaki Clan, I figured it was safer."
Kushina's expression darkened for a moment—she knew exactly what he meant.
Had Reika revealed her lineage too soon, she could've been exploited.
Especially by Danzo.
"Fair enough," she muttered. "Still, thanks for protecting her."
Reika blushed slightly.
Tonari waved dismissively.
"Alright, enough about that. You guys should stay here at the inn for a while. It's reinforced with my Wood Release, so even high-level jutsu won't break through."
Minato tilted his head. "You're not charging us rent?"
"Pfft. Consider it my first gift to my little niece."
Minato smiled gratefully.
"Where are you off to now?"
Tonari stretched his arms, then turned toward the door.
"There's still a lot of unfinished business in the village… and honestly, I've noticed some things in Konoha that really piss me off."
He began walking away, but Minato stood up.
"I'll go with you."
Tonari held up a hand to stop him.
"Not this time. Stay here, be with your family. I'll let you know if I need backup."
He smirked.
"I'll give you a month's vacation. Enjoy it while it lasts."
Then, he was gone.
---
Tonari's destination was one of Konoha's oldest and most prestigious clan compounds—
The Hyuga Clan.
Despite being considered one of Konoha's two great clans, their estate was located further from the village center than the Uchiha Compound.
This alone showed that the Hyuga were not treated as equals.
As he arrived at the Hyuga Compound's gate, two Byakugan-wielding guards immediately noticed him.
However, instead of blocking his path, they bowed respectfully.
"Lord Hokage."
Tonari smiled politely, observing their foreheads—
Both were branded with the Caged Bird Seal.
Hyuga had two factions—the Main House (Sōke) and the Branch House (Bunke).
The Main House ruled, while the Branch House protected—a system of absolute control.
The Caged Bird Seal enforced this, ensuring that Branch members could never rebel.
Tonari had always despised this system.
But today, he wasn't here to challenge it directly—not yet.
He smiled at the guards.
"I was invited to visit the Hyuga Clan. May I enter?"
One of the guards bowed again.
"You do not need permission, Lord Hokage. The Clan Head has instructed us to let you in immediately."
Tonari raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? That's convenient."
Without further delay, he stepped inside.
---
The Hyuga Main House was massive, far larger than necessary for a two-person household.
Traditionally, only one heir was chosen per generation, meaning the Main House was always small.
This generation, that heir was Hiashi Hyuga—the current Clan Head's eldest son.
His younger twin, Hizashi Hyuga, had been branded as a Branch House member purely because he was born a few minutes later.
That was the cruelty of Hyuga tradition.
After a few minutes, Tonari arrived at the main estate.
Waiting for him were three people—
The Hyuga Clan Head, Hiashi, and Hizashi.
The elderly Clan Head smiled warmly.
"Lord Hokage, what an honor! We are truly humbled by your visit."
Tonari smirked.
"Oh, don't be so formal. I'm just here to check on Konoha's greatest clans after the Nine-Tails' attack."
The old man's smile stiffened for a brief moment.
He knew exactly why Tonari was here.
And it wasn't just a casual visit.
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*