Konoha: Start from untying the caged bird

Page 195

Uchiha Izumi crossed her arms in front of her, her brows gradually furrowing, while Hyuga Kaoru pursed her lips, looking somewhat happy: "Goodnight."

"He...?" Uchiha Izumi was momentarily unsure if she was under a genjutsu. She never expected things to unfold this way. How could Hyuga Yuzuru, who had just gently accepted her kiss, now be so openly intimate with her...?

Isn't that going too far?

Hinata Kaoru paused, turned to look at her, and said with a satisfied expression, "Yuzuru-sama once promised me... that he would not abandon me."

I will not give up.

I don't even care whether I can marry Yuzuru-sama.

I just want to be with him like this forever.

spring...

Actually, it's better to give up sooner rather than later.

She smiled slightly and went to her room, leaving a deeply shocked Uchiha Izumi standing there in a daze.

After a long while, Uchiha Izumi finally let out a long sigh, his expression gradually becoming serious.

broken.

Neither the target nor the object of their struggle are normal people...

give up!?

How could that be...?

As the initial shock and sadness subsided, she gradually came to understand why Hinata Yuzuru had done such a thing.

Her face gradually turned cold. After a long while, she punched the wooden pillar by the corridor with a frustrated punch and walked to the window of the master bedroom.

He reached out and gently knocked on the window.

From inside, Yuzuru Hyuga's voice came: "What's wrong?"

"Don't think that I'll give up just because you're trying to do this..." Uchiha Izumi said, a hint of anger flickering across her usually calm and composed face: "I'm serious!"

After a while, a low and calm voice came from inside: "This is difficult, and it will be very tiring, Izumi."

"So what? It's better than regretting it after you've lost it, right?" Uchiha Izumi stared angrily at the vague figure inside the window until the other person opened it. Only then did she speak to Hyuga Yuzuru with unusual emotion, "I'm not joking, nor am I unthinking, and I'm not harboring any unrealistic fantasies... I know what I'm doing, and I know what I want, so..."

She reached out and gently stroked Hyuga Yuzuru's calm face for a moment, then punched him hard on the shoulder: "Don't underestimate me, you idiot Yuzuru!"

Seeing the girl in front of him looking both angry and serious, Hinata Yuzuru stared at her face for a long time before nodding.

He reached out and grasped her fair hand, which hadn't moved away after he'd pounded her shoulder, gently stroking the calluses on her palm: "Mmm."

Uchiha Izumi let out a heavy sigh, looking sullen, and said in a low voice, "Kiss me."

Hinata Yuzuru thought for a moment, then leaned over, only to be grabbed by the collar and not let go. She kissed him fiercely and roughly for a long time until her hands moved to Hinata Yuzuru's back and hugged him. Hinata Yuzuru's hands gently stroked her short hair and back.

Seeing Uchiha Izumi tilt her head back, a satisfied expression on her face, her eyes regaining their usual gentle luster, Hyuga Yuzuru cautiously spoke, "But it's still best to be mentally prepared..."

That scoundrel.

Uchiha Izumi rolled her eyes, a rare sight for her, realizing for the first time that he had this side to him, and laughed in exasperation: "I know!!!"

"Anyway..."

"Don't do that to annoy me like that again..."

"I'm...sad."

She slammed her head against Yuzuru's shoulder, then let go, stood up straight outside the window, sighed, and regained her composure: "I like you, Yuzuru."

Hyuga Yuzuru looked at her and slowly smiled: "Mm."

Seeing that the other party remained motionless, he pondered seriously for a long time before finally giving a definite answer.

"Me too."

A bright smile finally bloomed on Uchiha Izumi's face. She looked at him tenderly for a long time before reaching out and grabbing the window: "Goodnight, Mr. Playboy Hokage."

"Goodnight, Miss Anbu ninja who dared to defy you."

Hinata Yuzuru gently closed the window with her help.

She muttered to herself before closing the window.

"I learned it all from you."

Well...

Hinata Yuzuru was speechless.

Back in his room, half-lying on the bed, Hinata Yuzuru propped his cheek on his hand, lost in thought.

The process was unexpected, and the result was unexpected...

But in short...

A fire breaking out in the harem—who knows if it might be a blessing in disguise?

Having survived this difficult night, one can generally approach the two of them with a more relaxed attitude in the days to come.

This is why Hinata Yuzuru specifically brought the two of them along.

Although the method used was somewhat poor...

But if we don't do this, how can we make them realize the seriousness of the problem?

Rather than weaving a beautiful web of dreams that ensnares them, only to then reveal their perilous predicament, leaving them trapped and tormented, it is far better to...

As a genuinely bad man, he felt it was better to let them know from the beginning how much heartache they would experience if they fell for someone who wasn't faithful... If they could accept it, then they could talk about other things; if they couldn't, it was better than wasting someone's life.

However, after Izumi and Kaoru accepted the facts and faced this 'cruel' scene, they remained steadfast in their choice.

The pressure then fell on Hyuga Yuzuru's side.

broken.

How should I respond to these two gestures of affection?

He tossed and turned until dawn before he had to stop.

Matters of the heart should be put on hold for now.

This is because, starting today, he will officially return to Konoha and prepare to assume the position of the Fifth Hokage.

And today, he will personally draw back the curtain on a new world.

Chapter 145 Inauguration Ceremony: Opening Ceremony

"Don't push me! Line up properly, everyone can get in today. If you keep pushing, I'm going to report you to the Konoha ninjas for breaking the rules!"

Outside the gates of Konoha.

Long lines of people were crowded together.

The busy ninjas welcomed every guest with proud and enthusiastic smiles. No matter where in the Land of Fire they came from, or even from countries surrounding the Land of Fire, they would all be fortunate enough to enter Konoha today and witness and participate in the legendary inauguration ceremony of the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.

The entry and exit checks are not complicated. As long as you carry your ID and get a time-limited pass, you can enter freely.

Because of this inauguration ceremony, Konoha was unusually open to the public, with its gates remaining open for three days, allowing outsiders to freely move within the village and participate in this celebratory ceremony.

Those who came to join the fun or out of anticipation almost completely blocked the entrances and exits of Konoha. Fortunately, Konoha had anticipated this scene, and with the efforts of the ninjas, the situation was effectively brought under control.

The influx of tourists into Konoha was a novelty for the villagers, and what delighted many was that the influx of tourists brought an unprecedented sales boom to all kinds of shops.

Restaurants, hotels, and various shops were bustling with activity, and the place had been lively since early morning.

The village of Konoha features unique architecture and novel goods in its shops...

The streets, which were originally so spacious that they seemed almost unnecessary, were now packed with people, creating a sense of congestion that shouldn't exist in Konoha.

However, all this noise only lasted until the afternoon. By evening, everyone, guided by the ninjas, arrived in an orderly manner at the open space in front of the Hokage Rock. At this moment, the Hokage Rock was covered by a red curtain, and a temporary platform was erected in front of it.

But compared to these things, the huge screen on one side is still more eye-catching.

A huge screen that should never have appeared in this era was set up on one side of the square, causing many people to whisper among themselves.

"What a huge TV screen!"

"It looks different from a regular TV screen. Look, it's such a big screen, but the back is so thin."

"Are they going to show us a movie? That's great. I was just thinking about going to the movie theater in Konoha tonight."

"Look at what those ninjas over there are holding... Are they planning to film something here?"

"It feels a bit different from what I've seen before, and the thing that person is holding is something I've never seen before..."

The people being talked about were none other than Yakushi Kabuto and Nara Shikaku, who were rarely seen in public at this moment.

Nara Shikaku, a smile on his face, watched as Yakushi Kabuto was engrossed in studying the user manual, and proudly said, "How about that? This is the first set of equipment in history that can be used for 'live broadcasting'!"

Kabuto exclaimed in amazement: "I never thought you guys could actually research and develop such a live streaming device... The principle behind this signal is really interesting. According to you, it can really transmit images through base stations regardless of distance?"

Doesn't that mean your communication equipment...?

Nara Shikaku smiled contentedly, though his dark circles were hard to hide. He said proudly, "Our communications agency, which we've partnered with the Yamanaka clan, hasn't been just for show all these years... If it weren't for the Hokage saying that such things should either remain silent or make a big splash, we would have had stable communication equipment by now."

"It seems that Lord Yuzuru will soon have his own Konoha TV station, which he has been longing for for so long." Kabuto Yakushi smiled and pushed up his glasses, while Shikaku Nara kept it a secret.

He smiled and crossed his arms in front of him, saying, "Hmm."

Kabuto glanced at the other person, couldn't help but smile, and then said, "I heard that Shikaku-senpai's child, Shikamaru, has also joined the communications department?"

"Yeah, after the Chunin Exams, this guy finally figured it out... Before, when we asked him to come, he kept saying things like it would be troublesome, but after witnessing the Hokage's true power, he felt that being a researcher was more in line with his... life philosophy."

Nara Shikaku had a slightly disgusted look on his face, but soon he couldn't help but smile with pride: "This live streaming equipment is thanks to Shikamaru's important contribution—in Yuzuru-sama's words, Shikamaru's breakthrough is completely groundbreaking."

"Indeed, Shikamaru's theory and supporting facilities for 'chakra wire transmission' have completely solved many problems that had been troubling Lord Yuzuru."

However, given Yuzuru-sama's personality... Shikamaru will probably find it hard to stay idle any longer.

"Hahaha, isn't that right? That kid is crying and regretting it every day, saying he wants to go back to being a field ninja, but he still has to go to the lab to work early every morning."

Lu Jiu smiled extremely happily.

Shikamaru's high regard for the Hokage is one aspect, but another is that working in such a research department is safe, respectable, and of a high status. He can even lead research projects independently. Compared to his previous status as an ordinary Chunin, this is a leap of a whole class.

She's definitely a confidant of the next Hokage!

No one understood the Fifth Hokage's emphasis on scientific research better than Nara Shikaku. This was evident in the presence of Yakushi Kabuto, who, despite his young age, had already become the head of Konoha's research department, enjoying substantial annual funding and a status comparable to that of the clan heads. This, combined with his orphanage background and his experience serving in Root under Danzo's leadership...

This is simply a prime example of Naruto's unconventional and meritocratic approach.

"Do you think the Hokage withheld so much of the results just to give these people a good shock today?" Nara Shikaku said this with a smile on his face. Yakushi Kabuto understood and chuckled softly as well.

"The Hokage is human too..."

Everyone knows perfectly well that, aside from the strategic significance involved, another reason why Hyuga Yuzuru kept many of his research results hidden and did not expand production or release them for sale, but instead waited until today to showcase them... is that he wanted to use these things to give his official appointment a successful start.

Upon closer reflection, this is indeed the case. The rapid technological advancements and groundbreaking inventions that Konoha has made over the years, if they could truly be promoted worldwide, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they have changed the world.

"It's the daimyo of the Land of Fire!"

"The Daimyo has come too?"

"My God... Look, isn't that the Fifth Hokage?"

"Wow, so handsome! But I heard that the Hyuga clan all have white eyes, so why does the Fifth Hokage have white hair?"

"You just don't understand! That's the Fifth Hokage's Eye of God!"

"As expected of the God of the Ninja World..."

No one knows how many exaggerated nicknames and descriptions are given to the current fifth generation leader among the common people.

But without a doubt, within the Land of Fire, Hyuga Yuzuru's personal prestige far surpasses that of the Daimyo—one can only imagine just how terrifying his influence on Konoha and the Land of Fire is now.

As the night wore on, the crowds had filled the large square, and even the residential buildings in the distance were filled with people. Some ninjas wanted to join in, but they didn't want to compete with the civilians for a spot, so they could only watch from a distance.

Many ordinary people, who were lucky enough to have a good view, even opened up their balconies or, after discussion, their roofs.

People were leaning on railings, gathered on the rooftops of houses, and holding binoculars by their windows...

This was undoubtedly the most solemn and grand ceremony in Konoha's history!

What's even more terrifying is that, despite this, a large number of people were unable to witness this scene and were anxiously pacing around the streets. However, they were guided by Konoha ninjas to another plaza, where another huge display screen was currently dark, leaving everyone puzzled.

It was 7 p.m. when the time came.

Bright lights.