Chapter 226: Chapter 225: The Night of Konoha's 59th Year (Part 1)
To the right of the main gate of the Hyuga clan's compound, there was a small hole, hidden beneath dense weeds, making it rather inconspicuous. In a sense, this was the Hyuga clan's "secret spot" — a place where the Hyuga children would stash their toys, and where innocent little notes would be passed through.
For the strictly disciplined Hyuga clan, playing was something that wasn't allowed.
Every child knew of this "secret base," and every child would eventually grow up. Therefore, every Hyuga knew about the small hole's existence.
But strangely enough, the hole was never covered with cement; it remained there, witnessing the growing up of generation after generation, storing all kinds of toys.
—All the children who grew up quietly forgot about this place.
Two hours before sunset.
Sae bent down, stuffing a marble he had made into the small hole. He glanced at the guards stationed at the gate of the compound and then sprinted off.
He ran along the perimeter of the compound, made a full circle, and returned to the gate, panting heavily before walking inside as if nothing had happened.
The two Chunin guards at the gate stifled their laughter, keeping their eyes forward.
"Operation Marble Stealth: Success... hehe."
Sae was secretly delighted as he casually made his way home.
"Mom, I'm back!"
He pushed open the door and called out. As he took off his shoes, the smell of food wafted into his nose.
A woman holding a spoon peeked her head out from the kitchen:
"Sae, wash your hands first; wash up before eating!"
"I know~" Sae replied, his voice still carrying a bit of a childish tone due to his young age.
After washing his hands, he went to the kitchen, tiptoeing to watch his mother work. At three and a half years old, Sae didn't yet know that for shinobi, slicing tofu into thin strands wasn't very difficult. He just thought his mom was amazing, wielding the kitchen knife with such skill that the tofu turned into thin strands with a flash of white light.
Soon, all the dishes were ready, and Sae and his mother brought them to the table.
"Mom, aren't we waiting for Dad?"
"Well, your father is on duty with the Anbu tonight."
"Eh~ Dad has been working overtime for three days straight..."
"I heard that Kushina-sama is about to give birth, so the village is tightening security. Your father is a Jonin after all; he carries a lot of responsibilities."
"Mom, what does 'giving birth' mean?"
"It means having a baby... now hurry up and eat!" The woman lightly tapped Sae on the head with her chopsticks.
In this small family of three, there was no rule against talking at the table. Sae chatted with his mother as they ate, and when he spoke about "winning Takahiko's marble," he gestured animatedly.
However, the young boy didn't notice that when they reached this topic, his mother's expression suddenly changed, her fair cheeks becoming a bit ashen:
"Takahiko Hyuga... the young master of the Main Family... he's old enough to play marbles now..."
"Yes, Mom, but he's much worse than me!"
His mother silently reached out, brushing aside her son's bangs, her expression somber.
There was no unsightly mark on the young boy's forehead, a symbol of freedom for the Hyuga clan.
But... once the Main Family's young master Takahiko turned three, Sae and the other children of the appropriate age would undergo the "Rite of Honor," engraving the caged bird seal, and from that moment on, their lives would be in the hands of the Main Family.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Sae's cheeks were puffed up like a frog's in the fields.
"It's nothing..." His mother quickly retracted her hand as if she had been shocked:
"Hurry up and eat."
Sae blinked, unable to understand his mother's actions, but he obediently nodded and finished eating all the grilled fish and tofu.
Even in the illustrious Hyuga clan, a three-and-a-half-year-old child didn't have too many heavy studies. Under his mother's guidance, Sae reviewed the "vital points of the human body" and then washed up before going to his room to sleep.
Roar... howl!!!
Suddenly, a roar more terrifying than thunder shook the earth. Sae woke with a start, clutching his body in fear. A heavy, suffocating "feeling" nearly drowned him on the spot. Sae gasped for air, writhing in pain.
At this moment, he didn't know that this "feeling" was the chakra of the Nine-Tails, filled with hatred and fury!
*Roar!*
A howling gale shook Sae's house, the windows shattering instantly, and the wind blew in with shards of glass, sharp as knives.
"Sae!"
In a moment of crisis, his mother burst through the door, throwing herself over Sae. The glass shards could easily kill a child but weren't enough to be fatal to an adult shinobi.
Rustle, rustle...
Blood splattered, and his mother's back was drenched in blood as the glass pierced her flesh, reaching the bone.
She let out a muffled groan, hugging her son even tighter.
"Mom, Mom, blood..."
"Sae, it's okay." His mother raised her head, smiling at him despite the pain, "Mom is a tough adult, you know."
At this moment, the Hyuga clan's extraordinary physical strength came into play. She flexed her muscles, forcing out the glass shards, and huddled with her son in a corner.
Through the torn wall, the mother and son caught sight of the Nine-Tails, looking like a god.
The Orange-tailed beast, the panicked clan, the roaring ninjutsu—screams and anger filled the peaceful village of Konoha. On this night, the blood was destined to stain the Hokage Rock.
"It's alright, Sae." His mother moved again, finding a safer spot, holding her son close. An infinite amount of courage erupted from this Hyuga shinobi's body.
"The Hokage-sama is there, and so are Hiruzen-sama, Yuto-sama, and Tsunade-sama. And no matter what happens, Mom will always be by your side..."
Sae's trembling body gradually calmed down. He felt that his mother's embrace was the safest harbor in the world, and that terrible fox wouldn't harm him.
He didn't know how much time had passed when the storm gradually subsided, and the terrifying chakra, as deep as the ocean, suddenly disappeared. Even in the distant Hyuga clan compound, mother and son could hear the cheers of "It's the Hokage-sama's Flying Thunder God!"
After a while, realizing that the Nine-Tails had indeed left the village, his mother finally put Sae down.
"Stay here, Sae, Mom is going out to check the situation... don't worry about me; your mom is a very strong adult."
She laughed, taking out a small teddy bear and placing it in his arms.
"I was planning to give this to you as a surprise for your birthday next week, but Sae was so brave just now; you're already a real little man... Brave boys deserve a reward."
Before Sae could say anything, he saw his mother rushing out.
He clutched the teddy bear, anxiously trying to follow, but how could a child of his age keep up with an adult shinobi?
In the blink of an eye, he was left behind, and Sae, feeling helpless, could only return to his room, nursing his recent injuries and hoping his mother would return soon.
He was too young and had been hit by the Nine-Tails' chakra, leaving him mentally exhausted. At first, he just nodded off, but eventually, he fell asleep while sitting.
Time passed slowly in his dreams. Suddenly, he felt his body burning up. He groggily opened his eyes, and before he could see what was happening, he was blinded by a dazzling light.
—The Hyuga compound was engulfed in flames.
(End of Chapter)
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