Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 322 Hinata Kumokawa: I object!

Meanwhile, in the corridor on the second floor of the ninja academy, the air seemed to suddenly drop to freezing point, and Kazuma's usual smile had completely disappeared.

"May I ask, when will the Sarutobi clan be able to learn the Adamantine Sealing Technique, which belongs to the Uzumaki clan?" he asked.

"..." Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single syllable for a long time, and his face was filled with embarrassment.

Even though he had weathered many storms and his skin was thick enough, he still felt a burning pain when he was caught red-handed lying.

"Lord Hokage."

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless, Kazuma frowned deeply, making no attempt to hide his disappointment and anger: "If you didn't trust His Highness the Daimyo from the beginning."

"If you're reluctant, or rather, if you're not comfortable sending Konoha's students to the Daimyo's residence for training, you can simply and frankly bring it up directly!"

"I believe that His Highness, a man of great understanding and righteousness, would never harbor resentment over such a trivial matter or force someone to do something against their will, but..."

At this point, his tone abruptly shifted, becoming sharp: "Why would you use such a clumsy lie to deceive me and insult His Highness's sincerity?"

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been opening his mouth to try and explain, suddenly felt as if he had been choked, all his words stuck in his throat, and his face turned from pale to flushed red.

You won't mind? You won't force me to do anything?
What a joke!
If he actually believed this nonsense and directly admitted that he "couldn't bear to part with talented people" and "didn't trust Da Ming," then he would be a real fool!

Given the daimyo's personality, all the aid terms that were painstakingly agreed upon beforehand will be immediately nullified, and may even lead to a serious crisis of trust!
With the ninja world in such turmoil and chaos, and facing various external threats, Konoha desperately needs the Daimyo's aid and support.

If a rift or conflict arises with the Daimyo, and without the Daimyo providing resources, it will be difficult for Konoha to act freely.

However, now that the lie has been exposed on the spot, the situation has become even more embarrassing and passive!

This made him look exactly like what Kazuma had described: a narrow-minded, suspicious, and even treacherous politician who would resort to lies to cover things up!

But his true predicament, the top-secret identity of Naruto as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, was something he could not reveal to Kazuma under any circumstances.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted rapidly, a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and helplessness leaving him speechless and unable to find a reasonable explanation to break the deadlock.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's embarrassed state, Kazuma's last bit of politeness vanished, replaced by a gloomy expression.

"Hmph!" He snorted coldly, his voice tinged with icy malice. "His Highness the Daimyo made this proposal with great sincerity, intending to get closer to Konoha and deepen the bond and communication between the two sides."

"For this reason, he even went so far as to send the future daimyo, His Highness's eldest son, to Konoha to live and study. However, the Hokage seems to be particularly resistant to this goodwill and full of doubts."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face. He said, slowly and deliberately, "Since Konoha has no such intention, why force it?"

"The cooperation we discussed earlier will be put on hold for now. Please allow me to inform His Highness the Daimyo before we discuss it again!"

Having said that, Kazuma gave Hiruzen Sarutobi no chance to explain further. He abruptly flicked his wide sleeves, turned around, and was about to leave, his demeanor resolute and without the slightest hint of lingering affection.

This flick of the sleeve seemed to slap the faces of all the Konoha leaders, and it also meant that the reconstruction assistance Konoha desperately needed might just vanish into thin air.

"It's really troublesome..."

Nara Shikaku also felt a headache coming on, and opened his mouth to call out to Kazuma...

"Please wait! Mr. Kazuma!"

An old, steady voice rang out first, stopping Kazuma, who was about to leave.

The person who spoke was Mitokado Yan.

Kazuma stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around, clearly still angry.

"Lord Kazuma, you have misunderstood." Mitomon Homura said sincerely, "We have no intention of belittling the Daimyo's sincerity, and Hiruzen is not deceiving us either."

"That child is indeed the orphan of a hero; his father is a member of the Uzumaki clan."

He glanced at the silent Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him and continued to explain, "It is absolutely true that his parents sacrificed their lives for Konoha and entrusted their child to Hiruzen's care before they died."

“Hiruzen has spent many years with that child. Although they are not blood relatives, they have long been like grandfather and grandson. That is why Hiruzen is so worried.”

"That child, having lost both parents at a young age, is indeed somewhat withdrawn and doesn't like to interact with others. Hiruzen is afraid that this child will suddenly enter the strict rules of the daimyo's mansion."

At this point, Mitokado Homura sighed, a perfectly measured look of worry on his face: "What if I say or do something inappropriate and unintentionally offend His Highness the Daimyo or a nobleman in his household..."

"His concealment just now was not because he didn't trust His Highness, but because he was genuinely concerned and afraid of causing trouble for His Highness. It was by no means an intentional deception."

Hearing this explanation, Kazuma's shoulders relaxed a little. He slowly turned around, his icy expression softening slightly, and he frowned slightly, saying, "Is that so?"

Mitokado Yan subtly nudged the stiff-standing Hiruzen Sarutobi in front of him with his elbow.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was jolted awake from his complex emotions by the touch. Seeing the look that Mitokado Homura gave him, he instantly understood his old friend's intention.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his heart, and following Mitokado Homura's words, he forced a look of helplessness and worry onto his face and slowly nodded.

“What Yan said is exactly what I was worried about,” he sighed. “That child’s personality is indeed somewhat withdrawn…”

Upon hearing this, Kazuma's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and the anger on his face finally dissipated, replaced by a hint of understanding.

"I see." He bowed slightly. "I was being presumptuous and failed to appreciate the Hokage's deep affection for his son."

"If that's the reason, I can understand Hokage's concerns."

After saying that, he changed the subject and said, "However, this matter is not without a solution."

"If His Hokage is truly worried, he can send a reliable and steady subordinate to accompany the child to the Daimyo's residence."

"On the one hand, we can take care of and guide the child nearby to prevent him from making mistakes in his words and actions; on the other hand..."

He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said meaningfully, "Just as we discussed before, Konoha was going to send a number of elite ninjas to help protect the capital."

"Isn't it?"

This was a voluntary concession, allowing Hiruzen Sarutobi to place spies in the Daimyo's capital.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression stiffened again.

He hadn't expected that the other party would value Naruto Uzumaki so much...

No, perhaps it has nothing to do with Naruto anymore, but rather it's about establishing the Daimyo's authority.

—I've spent so much money and given so many people, all for you alone. I've even made concessions time and time again, but you still won't agree. Where does that leave my pride?
"What?" Kazuma's face darkened instantly, his tone filled with obvious impatience and suppressed anger. "Lord Hokage, do you have other concerns?"

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he was in a bind, Hyuga Kumokawa, who had been standing silently behind him, tightened his grip on the hilt of his ring-pommel sword.

An invisible chakra quietly flowed into the blade, and then spread out with extremely subtle fluctuations.

— Cognitive dominance.

The consultant standing to the side, Koharu Utatane, glanced at him slightly, as if she had thought of something, and a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

Then, she stepped forward, leaned close to Hiruzen Sarutobi's ear, and whispered, "Hiruzen, it might not be impossible."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed, and gave him a puzzled look.

"Have you forgotten that the Akatsuki's target is the Tailed Beasts?"

Koharu Tsurugi lowered her voice even further and analyzed, "Last time, their frontal assault failed, so they are very likely to resort to more covert methods!"

"Our barrier cannot be reset in a short time, and they already know that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is Naruto Uzumaki. If they attack in secret, we will be unable to defend against it, and the risk is too great!"

She paused for a moment, a glint of light flashing in her eyes: "But if we send Naruto to the heavily guarded Daimyo's residence, where the Fire Temple's barrier protects him."

"On the contrary, it might be safer than staying in Konoha."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered, and he suddenly thought of the threat posed by the Akatsuki organization, his expression gradually becoming serious.

“But…” he whispered, “if Naruto’s chakra goes berserk again, and his identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is exposed…”

“Let Tenzo accompany him,” Koharu Utatane immediately said. “His Wood Release was inherited from the First Hokage, giving him a natural ability to suppress Tailed Beasts.”

"With him closely monitoring and guiding Naruto, any signs of him getting out of control can be suppressed immediately."

"At worst, once the Daimyo's aid arrives and the Akatsuki threat is eliminated, we can have Tenzo bring Naruto back. It will only take a year or two." In the original story, this is exactly what they did to ensure Naruto's safety.

First, he left Naruto at Mount Myōboku during Pain's invasion, and then later, after Obito announced the Fourth Shinobi World War, he left Naruto and Killer Bee on Turtle Island in the Land of Lightning.

It's important to understand that Kumogakure and Konoha are mortal enemies. They dared to hand Naruto over to Kumogakure when faced with the threat from Akatsuki, let alone the Daimyo, with whom they actually had a good relationship.

Therefore, Xiaochun, who was turning over to her dorm, had no doubt as to why this idea had appeared in her mind.

She genuinely felt that this was her idea and the right thing to do.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also fell silent, engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

If Hinata Kumokawa had said these words, he definitely wouldn't have agreed, but it was Utatane Koharu who said them...

Hiruzen Sarutobi was easily swayed by his three old friends; otherwise, he wouldn't have tolerated Danzo's underhanded tactics so many times.

Koharu Utatane's analysis is not without merit; placing the most dangerous target in a place the enemy does not expect is sometimes indeed the best strategy.

Moreover, with Tenzo's Wood Release, the risk of Naruto going berserk can indeed be greatly reduced.

If the goal is to ensure Naruto's safety and obtain assistance from the Daimyo, this seems to be the only option at present.

"Mr. Kazuma, I have one more question before making a decision."

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly raised his eyes, looked at Kazuma, and asked, "Why are you so obsessed with that child?"

This question was clearly unexpected by Ma.

He paused for a moment, then frowned again, puzzled, and said, "I am also very curious. Sending a child to Daming Prefecture for training is not harmful to either the public or the private sector."

"Hokage, why are you so resistant?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer the question, but simply looked at Kazuma with a deep gaze.

After exchanging glances with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kazuma seemed to realize from the other's resolute attitude that without a reasonable explanation, it would be difficult to achieve his goal.

"That's all."

He sighed, his expression softening slightly, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Since the Hokage has asked, I may tell you."

"The reason is actually the technique that child displayed today: the Vajra Lockdown."

"The Vajra Lockdown?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened, and a multitude of guesses flashed through his mind.

“Exactly.” Kazuma nodded, his tone becoming serious. “The Hokage should know very well that the capital of the Land of Fire, as the center of the country, is densely populated and a melting pot of all sorts of people.”

“In recent years, the emergence and invasion of ‘void’ have become more and more frequent. These monsters are invisible and intangible, and ordinary samurai’s swords are unable to inflict effective damage on them.”

"It must be restricted by sealing techniques or traps, and then its mask must be broken to completely eliminate it."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked somewhat embarrassed. After all, protecting the stability of the Land of Fire was also Konoha's responsibility, but they had clearly failed to do so.

Kazuma continued, "However, those who are proficient in sealing techniques are already rare, and most of them serve in various ninja villages. Those who reside permanently in the capital are even rarer."

“Every time a ‘false alarm’ occurs, it is necessary to issue temporary orders for hiring, which often delays the opportunity and causes a lot of losses and panic.”

"His Highness is extremely troubled by this matter."

Kazuma couldn't help but sigh again, looking down at Naruto's figure below: "And the 'Diamond Sealing Technique' that the child used is a powerful sealing technique passed down in the Uzumaki clan."

"His ability to bind and suppress Tailed Beasts and Hollows is unparalleled in the ninja world. If he can help us eliminate the Hollow threat, it will undoubtedly greatly alleviate our pressure."

At this point, Kazuma's true purpose seems to be quite obvious.

What he valued was not Naruto Uzumaki himself, but the Adamantine Sealing Technique that Naruto could unleash.

This explanation was reasonable, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had no doubts.

Ultimately, Konoha and the Daimyo's residence are not enemies. Compared to the Daimyo of the Land of Wind and Sunagakure, the relationship between the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and Konoha has always been very close.

The reason he didn't want Naruto to go was because he was afraid of exposing his Jinchuriki identity, not because he was worried about what the Daimyo would do to Naruto.

And now, it seems there's no reason to refuse.

So, after a moment's hesitation, he turned and glanced at the people behind him, especially the strategist Nara Shikaku.

Nara Shikaku frowned slightly, his eyes flashing rapidly, clearly weighing the options in his mind.

He met Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, nodded almost imperceptibly, and his eyes revealed that "this plan is feasible."

At this moment, several high-ranking members who knew Naruto's true identity, in a very tacit and unanimous manner, thought of the potential threat posed by the Akatsuki organization.

Konoha has just suffered a major blow, and its defense system needs to be rebuilt. Temporarily relocating the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki outside Konoha might actually serve a protective purpose.

Seeing their expressions, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt reassured. He took a deep breath and turned to look at Kazuma, preparing to discuss details such as specific security arrangements and the selection of accompanying personnel...

"I object."

A deep voice suddenly broke the atmosphere that had just eased.

Everyone was taken aback and subconsciously looked in the direction of the voice, only to be surprised to find that the speaker was none other than Hinata Kumokawa.

Hinata Kumokawa, who had remained silent throughout, now had a slightly somber expression.

“I understand your considerations.”

Facing the surprised, puzzled, and even slightly scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, he said in a deep voice, "However, I think we should at least ask him what he himself wants to do first."

"After all, that meant leaving his familiar village and going to a completely unfamiliar environment for him."

"He has the right to know about this decision and the right to express his own thoughts."

"If he himself is unwilling, how can we, as elders, force him to do so? That would probably go against His Highness's kind and benevolent intentions, wouldn't it?"

Unexpectedly, someone would hinder his plans. Kazuma frowned and cast a cold glance at Hinata Kumokawa.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up.

By the way! It's my own wish!
He was so focused on weighing the pros and cons that he subconsciously ignored Naruto's own wishes, only remembering it after Hinata Kumokawa's prompting.

Ma Ke personally promised that he would respect the child's wishes!
Given Naruto's dependence on me and his feelings for Konoha, how could he possibly be willing to leave the village and go to a strict, law-abiding daimyo's mansion where he has no relatives or friends?
"As long as Naruto refuses himself, Kazuma will have no reason to make trouble over it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was very excited, but he quickly calmed down. Looking at Hyuga Kumokawa, whose face was slightly gloomy, the suspicious string deep in his heart was plucked again.

Was this guy genuinely objecting out of respect for Naruto's wishes?

Or is this something Danzo instructed us to do?
What is Danzo up to now?
Could it be that they want to keep Naruto in the village so they can secretly do something, still coveting the power of the Nine-Tails?
For a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his mind was in complete chaos, unable to decide whether it was better to keep Naruto or send him away.

"Lord Kazuma, what Yun Chuan said is indeed reasonable."

In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Kazuma and said sincerely, "This is also a consensus we reached before; we must respect the child's own wishes."

"How about we call the child over now and ask him what he wants?"

Kazuma's eyes kept flashing, but he couldn't think of any excuse.

Unexpectedly, the words she casually uttered at the meeting in an attempt to dispel Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicions have now put him in a dilemma.

Now, the only thing we can do is try to set conditions and get that brat to agree.

If that doesn't work, we'll have to resort to "stealing." At worst, we can just shift the blame to the Akatsuki later.

Thinking of this, Kazuma nodded and smiled as he met Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, "Of course, this is also His Highness the Daimyo's original intention."

Upon seeing this, a faint smile flickered deep in Hinata Kumokawa's eyes.

(8k words. I paid back 4k of the 1k words I owed, and I've finally reached one million words! Please give me your monthly votes QAQ)

　I overslept for my follow-up appointment at noon, and the hospital called me when I woke up. They asked when I could come, and I said 1:30. There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then they said, "It's already 2:00!" QAQ
　　I couldn't go today, so I've rescheduled for Monday QAQ
　　
　
(End of this chapter)