Land of Fire Royal Capital.
On the bustling streets, a boy in a black kimono and a girl in red-and-white shrine maiden robes walked slowly along.
Akishinomiya Yuri walked down the street, her eyes shining with excitement as she looked at everything by the roadside.
For Akishinomiya Yuri, who had remained in the Daimyo's Mansion ever since she was born, everything outside was so novel and wonderful.
Floating beside her, Grandma Shiori wore a smile as she continuously introduced the sights of the Royal Capital to Akishinomiya Yuri.
"Uncle, can I have one of these?"
Akishinomiya Yuri stopped in front of a stall, pointing with one hand at the tempura snacks being fried as she asked the owner.
"One serving, right? Please wait a moment, it'll be ready soon!"
The uncle making the tempura looked up and answered with a warm smile.
Hyuga Setsuna's steps also paused slightly.
As he watched Akishinomiya Yuri buy snacks, a star-like azure gleam quietly flashed through Hyuga Setsuna's eyes.
His expression calm, he looked around.
The sides of the street were lined with ordinary shops and food stalls, with the occasional small tree growing by the road as a street tree.
Yet in Hyuga Setsuna's vision, everyone around them was an ordinary person without Chakra. No ninja had blended into the crowd.
Was I being too sensitive?
Looking at the scene before him, there was not even the slightest sign of those who wanted to make a move against Akishinomiya Yuri—there was not even half a ninja in sight.
Still, this situation was within Hyuga Setsuna's expectations.
After all, his appearance was far too recognizable. As someone with the Byakugan, he was probably seen as the most troublesome person by that group.
If those people had really jumped out so easily, it would have worked in his favor.
A situation like this, where there was nothing at all, was instead disadvantageous to him.
Thinking this, Hyuga Setsuna discreetly made a hand gesture toward a corner beneath his gorgeous black kimono.
It was a gesture exclusive to Anbu ninja.
It meant that there was currently no danger, or that no ninja had appeared.
Kakashi, who had been secretly following the two of them from behind, also clearly saw the gesture beneath Hyuga Setsuna's kimono.
Akishinomiya Yuri came to Hyuga Setsuna with a bag of tempura snacks in her hand and said happily,
"Yagokoro, I bought one for you too. Here!"
As she spoke, Akishinomiya Yuri handed Hyuga Setsuna the second serving of tempura from her arms.
Taking the tempura snack she offered, Hyuga Setsuna said with a warm smile,
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Although he did not usually eat these kinds of snacks, having them once in a while was not a problem.
Akishinomiya Yuri enjoyed the delicious tempura in her mouth and said indistinctly,
"Yagokoro, let's go take a look outside the Royal Capital!"
Hearing Akishinomiya Yuri's words, Hyuga Setsuna froze for a moment before agreeing.
"All right, Your Highness!"
Since Akishinomiya Yuri wanted to go outside the Royal Capital, he naturally had no objections.
Rather, would those people lurking in the shadows be unable to hold back once they saw their target leave the Royal Capital?
After reporting their identities and guards, the two arrived at a forest outside the Royal Capital.
Looking at the lush green forest, Grandma Shiori's eyes carried a nostalgic look.
"Back then, this place was very lively. People often came to worship the Sacred Tree and pray for blessings upon themselves and their children's futures."
"Now, hardly anyone comes anymore. Perhaps only the elderly people in the Royal Capital remember that there used to be a Sacred Tree here!"
Upon hearing Grandma Shiori's words, Akishinomiya Yuri had just been about to speak when she caught sight of Hyuga Setsuna beside her.
Left with no choice, she could only look pitifully at Grandma Shiori, her eyes filled with anticipation and curiosity, hoping Grandma Shiori would take them there.
Grandma Shiori said with a gentle smile,
"Little Yuri, you need to ask your little boy. I can only take you there if he agrees!"
Seeing that Grandma Shiori had agreed, Akishinomiya Yuri immediately turned to Hyuga Setsuna and coaxed him,
"Yagokoro, do you want to go see the Sacred Tree?"
"I often heard the maids in the mansion say that there is a Sacred Tree in this forest, and that it's very miraculous!"
Hyuga Setsuna, who had been surveying the surroundings, smiled when he heard this.
"Since it's such a miraculous Sacred Tree, then let's go have a look, Your Highness."
After saying that, he glanced toward Grandma Shiori.
Once floating Grandma Shiori saw that Hyuga Setsuna had agreed as well, she floated ahead to lead the way, while Akishinomiya Yuri and Hyuga Setsuna followed behind her.
Looking at the peaceful yet lively forest, an unusual gleam flickered in Hyuga Setsuna's eyes.
He had been observing the surroundings all this time, yet he discovered that there was not a single ninja—or even a person—within five kilometers of this forest.
Were those people really that patient?
Or were they using some other method?
Putting those thoughts aside, Hyuga Setsuna looked at Akishinomiya Yuri, who was hopping about as she led the way ahead, and helplessness flashed through his eyes.
This mission really was troublesome!
With Grandma Shiori leading them, the two soon arrived at the Sacred Tree's location.
Looking at the Sacred Tree before her, covered in prayer plaques, Akishinomiya Yuri ran all the way beneath it. She raised her head to gaze at the magnificent Sacred Tree, her eyes full of excitement as she kept muttering,
"So many, so many prayer plaques!"
Looking at the Sacred Tree before him, which was far more majestic and enormous than ordinary trees, Hyuga Setsuna's eyes held a thoughtful look.
After all, in Naruto, anything associated with wood or trees was never simple.
However, the Sacred Tree before him was probably just a slightly older giant tree. There was nothing else strange about it.
At that moment, the sound of rustling grass came from deep within the woods beside the Sacred Tree. Hyuga Setsuna flashed in front of Akishinomiya Yuri and shielded her behind him, staring warily ahead.
"Yip yip yip!!"
"Yip yip yip!!"
Several fluffy black shadows leaped out of the woods, their small figures appearing before Hyuga Setsuna and Akishinomiya Yuri.
Looking at the foxes of varying sizes before him, Hyuga Setsuna frowned and shouted in a low voice,
"Byakugan, activate!"
The veins at Hyuga Setsuna's temples gradually bulged as the Byakugan's penetrating vision continuously swept over the foxes' bodies.
They aren't carrying Explosive Tags.
They aren't human bombs either?
And they aren't summoned beasts?
Seeing that the foxes before him carried no Explosive Tags, bombs, or Chakra in their bodies, Hyuga Setsuna slowly deactivated his Byakugan.
It seemed they really were just a few ordinary foxes.
Akishinomiya Yuri put both hands on Hyuga Setsuna's shoulders and poked her head out, looking at the foxes before them as she said softly,
"Yagokoro, they're only little foxes. You don't need to react so strongly!"
When Hyuga Setsuna had suddenly appeared in front of her and activated his Byakugan, Akishinomiya Yuri had truly been frightened. She had thought an enemy had really arrived.
Akishinomiya Yuri looked at the group of foxes before her, large and small, their pairs of green-glowing eyes fixed on them as they trembled on the ground. A few even covered their heads.
Clearly, the foxes had been frightened by Hyuga Setsuna's aura just now.
Hyuga Setsuna turned around and said apologetically,
"I'm truly sorry, Your Highness!"
La la la, second update!
Humble Qing Meng kneels and begs for follows, recommendations, monthly votes, and tips...
The older a Sacred Tree is, the more people seem to believe in it. How strange and fascinating! (*￣3)(ε￣*)
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