Naruto: I have an attribute panel

Chapter 444 The Nine-Tailed Fox is Also a Fox

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was heavy.

The addition of the Otsutsuki clan from the moon represents a leap forward in Konoha's overall strength. The millennia-old secret techniques and puppetry skills they carry are priceless treasures.

However, within this enormous "gift" lies an extremely sharp thorn—those Byakugan eyes that are no different from those of the Hyuga clan!

What cruel price did the Hyuga clan pay to protect the bloodline limit of these eyes from being leaked?

"The Caged Bird," this curse mark engraved on the forehead of a family member, controlling life and death, is a cold shackle forged from a thousand years of blood, tears, and fear.

It is not just control, but the most extreme form of "protection" that Hyuga-senpai could find after countless painful lessons of having his Byakugan coveted and plundered.

Now, a group of outsiders who also possess the Byakugan and are quite powerful have entered Konoha openly and might even become official members of Konoha!

This poses a fundamental challenge to the absolute authority and bloodline monopoly that the Hyuga main family has maintained for thousands of years.

The silence weighed heavily on Hiashi's heart. He knew that everyone present was waiting for his opinion, or more precisely, for the opinion of the Hyuga clan.

Hiashi Hyuga lowered his eyes, staring at the polished floor as if trying to see through it. Beneath his wide sleeves, his hands quietly clenched into fists, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

How can a decision concerning the very foundation of a clan's survival be made lightly?

After a long silence, he slowly raised his head, his pure white eyes sweeping over everyone present. His voice was deep and steady: "Hokage-sama, Third Hokage, and all advisors. This matter—concerns the very foundation of our Hyuga clan's thousand-year heritage; a single hair can affect the whole situation. I cannot make a decision immediately; I must return to the clan, summon the elders, and discuss it together before I can give the village a final answer."

"That's only right." Minato immediately chimed in, his tone gentle and understanding. "As for Chief Katsuya, the relocation, adaptation, and eventual settlement of the clan members all require time and careful planning."

The Hyuga clan head doesn't need to rush; he has ample time to discuss a sound plan with the elders.

Rizu nodded slightly, but his heart was filled with bitterness.

He appreciated Shuimen's good intentions, but he knew better than anyone that the village's higher-ups, especially the advisors and elders, probably already had their own preferences deep down.

Time? It seems plentiful, but in reality, there isn't that much.

The conflict between the Uchiha and the village was an internal grudge that could be suppressed and delayed. Now, the Hyuga is facing an external force that is directly impacting its core system. There is no way to avoid it. How many more days can they delay?

Just as the atmosphere was gloomy and everyone was frowning, Taiyi, who had been standing with his arms crossed as if he were detached from the situation, suddenly let out a not-too-loud sneer.

The laughter sounded particularly abrupt in the quiet office, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

He glanced around, finally settling on Hiashi's face, his tone blunt and uninhibited: "Hey, Hiashi," he scratched his head, a "what's there to be conflicted about" look on his face, "you Hyuga clans can do whatever you want with your main and branch family system, I have no problem with it. But—"

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes sharpening. "That caged bird," he scoffed, "isn't all that great. The main family can decide the fate of the branch family with a single thought? Who wouldn't feel disgusted by such a thing?"

I think you Hyuga should put some effort into improving that sealing technique. Remove that deadly "life-or-death" function! Turn it into a purely protective seal!

This way, not only will the Byakugan of the branch family be safe, but the Byakugan of your main family will also receive the same protection. Wouldn't all the trouble be resolved then? Why make such a fuss like the sky is falling!

After he finished speaking, you could hear a pin drop in the office.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, paused almost imperceptibly in the fingers holding his pipe, a subtle hint of admiration flashing deep in his cloudy eyes.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado instinctively avoided the gaze that Hiashi had cast at them, as if they were studying the patterns on the Hokage Rock on the wall.

Minato's smile remained gentle, but his eyes clearly conveyed the meaning that "though these words are rough, they resonate deeply with me."

Only Taichi Matsushita would dare to say such a thing.

He possessed extraordinary strength and prestige, yet he remained outside the specific power structure, free from all taboos.

Even if any of the high-ranking officials present were to agree with it wholeheartedly, they would never so bluntly comment on the inherited secrets and fundamental systems of an ancient and powerful clan.

Hiashi Hyuga's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly, then turned into a helpless, bitter laugh.

He didn't immediately refute Taiichi, or even look at him. Instead, his gaze swept over the Third Generation and the advisors, finally settling on Minato's face.

Taiyi's words were direct and sharp. The silence and evasiveness of the higher-ups at this moment had already silently demonstrated the collective will of the village—it was time for the caged bird to make a change.

The village can accommodate the Hyuga clan, and it can also accommodate the Otsutsuki clan. However, when two different clans with the same bloodline are in the same village, it will inevitably lead to a situation where two tigers fight each other.

The best solution, of course, is to merge the two into one, and the caged bird that Taiichi mentioned earlier is the biggest obstacle here.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the bitterness and pressure, and slowly said to Taiyi and all the high-ranking officials present, "Taiyi-kun, you are a man of few words. I will take your opinion back to the clan word for word for the elders to consider."

His tone regained the composure of a clan leader: "The rules of the Hyuga clan are ancient and have their own reasons and considerations for existence. Change cannot be accomplished overnight and requires utmost caution. I only hope that the village can give the Hyuga more time."

These words, ostensibly addressed to Taiichi, were in reality a request to the entire Konoha leadership: please respect our traditions and pace, and don't push us too far.

Minato understood immediately and solemnly promised, "Hyuga clan leader, rest assured, Konoha respects the traditions and choices of every clan. Time is not an issue."

The meeting ended in a tense atmosphere. The high-ranking officials filed out, each with their own thoughts. Taiyi stretched, preparing to go home and take a good bath to wash away the lunar dust and his fatigue.

"Taiichi, wait a moment." Minato's voice rang out just in time, stopping him.

Koharu and the others, who had already reached the door, paused and glanced back. Seeing that Minato didn't say anything and the Third Hokage nodded slightly, they knew that this matter was none of their concern and quickly left the office.

The heavy doors closed, leaving only the two Hokage, Taichi, and the furry fox that seemed to sense something was wrong and was trying to play dead.

Taiichi raised an eyebrow, looking at Minato and the Third Hokage, whose expressions revealed a hint of embarrassment, and a doubt arose in his heart.

What could possibly require both Hokage to leave him behind? And why is the atmosphere so strange?

Minato and Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged a glance, both seeing the awkwardness on each other's faces, a feeling that "this is really hard to bring up."

In the end, Minato cleared his throat, steeled himself, and described Tsunade's various "abnormal" behaviors after Taichi left in as calm a tone as possible.

"—That's how it is. Shizune checked him, and there were no signs of poisoning or injury. Orochimaru-senpai also went to see him, only vaguely saying that he should abstain from alcohol and reflect on his actions," but this change—it's too big, too sudden.

Minato frowned. "We can't judge whether this is good or bad, nor do we know the root cause. Tsunade-senpai is your closest mentor, and both out of courtesy and reason, you need to go and see her current situation."

The more Taiyi listened, the more his brows furrowed.

It's not surprising that Tsunade gets anxious or even throws tantrums and drinks alone when she's away on missions. But to become so "well-behaved" and "quiet"—it's like she's become a completely different person?

This is absolutely abnormal!

Almost instinctively, Tai turned his head to look at his shoulder, and sure enough, the red fox was trying to curl up into a ball, its fluffy tail tightly wrapped around its body, and its fox eyes were looking around nervously, not daring to meet Tai's gaze!

The only difference from before is that this foolish fox stole and drank all of Tsunade's favorite drink.

But isn't this a bit too much of a shock?

He slowly turned his head, no longer looking at the stupid fox, but the low pressure emanating from him made the nine-tailed fox's fur stand on end even more.

"Hokage-sama, Third Hokage, I cannot judge this matter at the moment. Let me go and see the teacher's condition with my own eyes before making a decision."

"Yes, go ahead." The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sighed almost imperceptibly. He added casually, "Tsunade—she should be at Konoha Hospital right now. She'll be easy to find."

This statement completely exposed his deep-seated worries. The fact that Tsunade could stay at the hospital so "well" and work was the biggest abnormality!

Tai nodded, then turned and left without a word. Stepping out of the Hokage Building, the afternoon sun was somewhat blinding. He paused for a moment in front of the building, gazing at the sunlight in the direction of his home, but ultimately turned resolutely and strode towards the familiar Konoha Hospital building.

In the end, I still couldn't put my mind at ease.

The silence continued. The nine-tailed fox on his shoulder wriggled restlessly, its claws unconsciously gripping the fabric of Taiichi's clothes.

As it neared the hospital entrance, it finally couldn't hold back any longer and cried out in a guilty, high-pitched voice, "Ah! That—Taiyi! I remember now! Those little brats must have missed me terribly after being out for so long!"

I'm going to play with them first! I'll be home later!

He was about to jump down when he said that.

"Heh," Taiyi sneered, not turning his head, but precisely raising his arm to pin down the restless ball of fur. "What? Now you know you want to run away? Too late."

"Who—who's trying to escape?" The Nine-Tailed Fox instantly bristled, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Its entire body swelled up, its crimson fur stood on end, and its large tail swept wildly behind Taiichi in agitation.

"I—I only—had a tiny bit of her drink! Just a tiny bit! She got drunk and forced me to drink, how can you blame it all on me? What does her bad mood have to do with me!"

It spoke louder and louder, as if it could cover up its wrongdoing.

Tai turned his head to the side, glancing sideways at the blustery but cowardly furball on his shoulder, a cold smile curving his lips, and uttered two meaningful syllables from his nose: "Heh."

That "heh heh" was more lethal than any question. The Nine-Tailed Fox was so angry that it stood upright on his shoulder, waving its little claws, and was about to enter its "I'll fight you to the death" mode of unreasonable arguing.

"Alright." Taiichi was too lazy to waste words with it, so he shoved it back onto his shoulder and said in an unquestionable tone, "Stop arguing with me. We'll talk about everything when we see Tsunade-sensei." He deliberately emphasized the words "Tsunade-sensei."

Nine-Tails instantly wilted, like a deflated balloon, and obediently lay back down.

The human and the fox noticed something unusual as soon as they entered the hospital.

This is not a time of war, and with the hospital focusing on training medical ninjas, the hospital has a sufficient number of personnel.

But now, the number of patients hasn't decreased much, but there are hardly any doctors or nurses. The few medical staff in front of us are practically being used as three people.

Taiyi crossed his arms, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Strange," he muttered, his gaze sweeping over the closed consultation room doors and the empty nurses' station. "Where is everyone?"

The question was quickly answered. A young nurse carrying a clipboard rushed out from around the corner, almost bumping into them.

"I'm sorry!" the nurse apologized hastily, her tense expression relaxing slightly when she saw it was Taiichi. "Matsushita-sama?"

"Where are the medical staff? Why are there so few?" Taiichi asked directly.

The nurse sighed, a hint of complaint in her voice: "Don't even mention it, Mr. Matsushita. A large group of seriously injured patients were just brought in, their injuries are extremely severe! Some have broken limbs, some have internal organ damage, it's terrifying to look at. Almost all the doctors and nurses who can move have been urgently transferred to the intensive care unit to help, and even some of those on leave have been recalled."

3

She paused, then added, "Lady Tsunade is personally overseeing things over there."

Taiichi and Kurama exchanged a knowing glance. There was no need to ask any further; those seriously wounded could only be members of the Otsutsuki clan who had returned with them.

"Okay, go ahead and get busy. Be careful and don't rush around anymore," Taiyi instructed, showing no remorse whatsoever for being the one who caused all of this.

The young nurse blushed, nodded shyly, and ran off with her record board in her arms, her figure quickly disappearing into the shadows of another passageway.

Following the nurse's directions, the closer we got to the intensive care unit, the stronger the smell of disinfectant became in the air.

Taiyi walked quietly outside an observation area not far from the entrance to the intensive care unit.

Through the huge glass window, the scene inside was clearly visible. Several hospital beds were placed against the wall, and Tsunade stood beside one of them.

Opposite Tsunade sat a man, none other than Katsuya, the one-armed Ōtsutsuki clan leader.

His only remaining left hand was clenched into a fist and placed on his knee. His back was straight, but it revealed an undisguised stiffness and tension. Judging from their lip movements, they seemed to be confirming the possibility of restoring his severed arm.

What truly made Taiyi's pupils shrink and the Nine-Tails on his shoulder instantly stand on end was Tsunade's expression.

She was actually laughing.

The smile on Tsunade's face was so gentle it was almost eerie.

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, forming a soft arc, and her eyes seemed to carry a hint of warmth.

"Hiss—" A gasp came from Nine-Tailed Fox's shoulder as its tiny, sharp claws instinctively gripped his clothes. "Taiyi—she, she—"

The fox's voice trembled violently, filled with immense horror, "How could she—how could she smile like that at a patient?"

In Kurama's memories, Tsunade was always cold and aloof, and her aura was oppressive, when she faced patients, especially their families.

She needed that authority to suppress the wailing, questioning, and even hysteria that might have driven her to lose her mind due to grief or anxiety.

Her cold demeanor was for the sake of more efficient treatment.

Taiyi did not immediately respond to Kurama's panic. He carefully observed Tsunade's every move and compared it with her usual habits.

finally----

"Little Nine!" Taiyi's voice was extremely low, with an almost gloating sigh as he gently patted the trembling ball of fur on his shoulder. "Looks like I was right on the way. You might really be in trouble this time."

Tsunade-sensei's condition—it seems she really is quite ill.