Chapter 19: Chapter 4: The Clan’s Concern!
A month had passed since Yuto started at the academy, and he found himself growing increasingly bored with the daily lessons. Even physical education, which was once a challenge, had become trivial compared to the intense training he underwent with Guy-sensei. On weekends and any free time they had, Yuto and Naruko would meet with Guy to push their limits.
Yuto sighed as he walked through the streets of Konoha, his mind wandering. 'I didn't expect this academy to feel like normal school,' he thought. The subjects were interesting at first—geography, history, physical education—but they quickly became too easy. And with the Uchiha massacre mission hanging over his head, everything else felt... insignificant.
While deep in thought, Yuto was pulled out of his reverie by a sudden message. A clan elder had sent word that Inoichi Yamanaka, the head of his clan, wished to speak with him immediately. Yuto felt a chill run down his spine. He wasn't sure what this was about, but it didn't feel like a simple chat.
As Yuto made his way to the Yamanaka compound, his thoughts drifted. 'It's probably about Naruko,' he guessed. He was aware that his closeness to her wasn't exactly popular with the village, and even within his clan, people had started talking. But Yuto didn't care about the rumors. He knew Naruko was different from what everyone else thought because he knew everything about her from the anime,and even if he didn't know the anime,he was still willing to stand by her.
When Yuto arrived at the main house, he was escorted to the meeting room where Inoichi sat, waiting for him. The atmosphere was heavy, and Yuto felt the weight of the clan head's gaze as he approached.
"Yuto," Inoichi greeted, motioning for him to sit. His tone was calm, but there was an underlying tension in his voice. "I'm glad you came so quickly."
Yuto nodded and took a seat, trying to remain composed. He didn't want to show his nerves.
Inoichi wasted no time in getting to the point. "We've been watching you at the academy. Your progress has been... exceptional." He paused, studying Yuto's reaction. "However, there's a matter we need to discuss. It's about Naruko."
Yuto stiffened slightly, confirming his suspicions. 'Of course it's about her,' he thought, preparing himself for what was to come.
Inoichi continued, "You're aware of the way the village perceives her. The other clans, the civilians... they all have their reasons, and whether justified or not, those feelings exist. You've become very close to her, Yuto. And that raises concerns."
Yuto clenched his fists under the table but kept his expression neutral. "I know what people think of her," he replied carefully. "But Naruko isn't what they say. She's not a monster."
Inoichi raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Yuto's firm stance. "You're very sure of that."
"Yes," Yuto replied without hesitation. "She's just like us. She has dreams, goals. She wants to become Hokage. She's not the Kyuubi. She's Naruko." Yuto cursed himself internally. He just said he knew about her status as a jinchuriki!
Inoichi studied Yuto carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're very sure of what you're saying. How did you come to know about Naruko's... situation?"
Yuto hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know for sure, but the villagers... they always call her a demon fox behind her back. And her birthday is the same day the Fourth Hokage defeated the Kyuubi. I put two and two together, and figured the Kyuubi was either sealed inside her, or she's the reincarnation of the fox, maybe without memories, because of her whisker marks."
Inoichi listened intently, surprised at Yuto's deduction. "That's quite an observation for someone your age," he remarked.
Yuto shrugged. "It's just a theory. But... I don't care what she has sealed inside her. She's still Naruko."
Inoichi leaned back slightly, his gaze softening, though his expression remained thoughtful. "You believe in her dream to become Hokage?"
Yuto nodded. "I do. And I've made it my goal to support her. She's going to need people by her side if she's ever going to achieve that dream. And I want to be one of those people."
The room was silent for a moment as Inoichi regarded Yuto with a mixture of surprise and admiration. The boy's loyalty and conviction were unmistakable.
"You've chosen a difficult path, Yuto," Inoichi said quietly. "Associating with her... it may bring you trouble. But I see that your heart is in the right place. You're not like the others who judge her out of fear or hatred."
Yuto met his gaze, feeling more confident. "I know it's not going to be easy. But Naruko needs someone to believe in her."
Inoichi sighed, folding his hands on the table. "Very well. I won't tell you to stay away from her. But you must be careful, Yuto. Your actions have consequences, and the people you associate with will shape your future. As long as you understand that, I won't interfere."
Yuto felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Thank you, clan head."
Inoichi gave a slight nod, standing up to signal the end of the conversation. "Just remember, Yuto, loyalty is a powerful thing. But it can also be dangerous. Make sure your decisions are guided by wisdom, not just emotion."
Yuto stood and bowed respectfully before turning to leave. As he exited the room, his mind was racing. The conversation had gone better than he expected, but the warning was clear. His relationship with Naruko wasn't going unnoticed, and he had to be prepared for whatever consequences that might bring.
Later that afternoon, Yuto headed toward the training grounds where he and Naruko were supposed to meet Guy-sensei. His mind was still swirling with thoughts of his mission and the conversation with Inoichi. The pressure he was feeling was immense—between supporting Naruko, protecting Hitomi from tsukuyomi due to this mission involving the Uchiha massacre, he barely had a moment to breathe.
As he neared the training grounds, Yuto was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts when he bumped into someone. He stumbled back slightly, looking up to see none other than Hitomi Uchiha standing in front of him.
"Watch where you're going, Yamanaka," Hitomi snapped, glaring at him. Her tone was sharp, as usual, but there was something different in her eyes this time—something almost conflicted.
Yuto blinked, a bit taken aback by her reaction. "Uh, sorry, Hitomi," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. He wasn't used to talking to her much, despite being in the same class. She usually kept her distance from him, especially after Yuto had broken the academy records and has constantly taken first place in every class.
Hitomi crossed her arms, looking away as if she was trying to hide her annoyance—or perhaps something else. "Whatever. Just... be more careful next time."
Yuto raised an eyebrow, noticing the unusual tension in her voice. For a brief moment, he considered asking if something was wrong, but he hesitated. This wasn't the time to pry into Hitomi's life, especially with everything going on.
"Yeah, sure," Yuto muttered before walking past her, his thoughts now even more jumbled than before. He could feel her gaze on him as he walked away, but he didn't turn back.
'I have enough to worry about,' he thought to himself. 'The last thing I need is to get involved in more drama...'
But little did Yuto know, his path was about to become far more entangled with the Uchiha heiress than he ever expected, because she decided to follow him while he was deep in thought.
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Naruto:eye system)