Chapter 256: Your Daughter is Cute~

In the middle of the night, Konoha Village seemed peaceful.

However, due to the lingering impact of the attack on the village four years ago, many Konoha Police Force ninjas patrolled the streets even at this late hour. The painful losses suffered back then served as a constant reminder to the village's leadership.

Because of this heightened vigilance, the security of the various ninja clans within Konoha was exceptionally strong, far surpassing other areas of the village.

Uzumaki Raiden followed the mysterious Cloud ninja from a distance, curious about what this intruder was planning by infiltrating the Hyuga clan's compound.

Leaving aside their defensive capabilities, the very name "Hyuga" was enough to deter many would-be troublemakers. The Hyuga clan, renowned for their Byakugan and Gentle Fist techniques, commanded fear and respect throughout the ninja world. Raiden was eager to see what gave this Cloud ninja the confidence to challenge them.

Shrouded in the darkness, the black-clad figure swiftly moved through the village, skillfully evading the patrolling police forces. After a series of detours, he finally arrived at the outskirts of the Hyuga compound. Near the outer wall, he suddenly stopped, as if waiting for something.

"He avoided the patrols effortlessly. He must have strong sensory abilities."

"His movements are quick, and he's familiar with the village layout."

"Did the Cloud delegation that arrived today gather intelligence this fast? Or... was the information provided by a spy?"

From several hundred meters away, Raiden used Kagura's Mind Eye to lock onto the target's position. Concealed behind several buildings, he ensured his presence remained undetected. However, just as he pondered the situation, the Cloud ninja's chakra signature suddenly vanished from his perception.

"What's going on?! His chakra disappeared?"

Slightly surprised by this development, Raiden immediately leaped into action, heading toward the Hyuga compound.

Inside the Hyuga Compound, young Hyuga Hinata had fallen asleep early. In her dreams, she saw the blond boy she had encountered a few days ago—the one who had stepped forward to defend her when others mocked her eyes. Since then, Hinata had often dreamed of him, wishing they could be friends.

Unfortunately, her family's guards strongly disapproved of her interactions with that boy, referring to him as a monster.

"Huh?"

Half-asleep, Hinata suddenly felt herself being lifted off the ground. As her eyes fluttered open, she saw a stranger carrying her out of the room.

Startled, she tried to scream, but before she could, a sharp pain struck the back of her neck. Her vision darkened, and she lost consciousness.

"I didn't expect it to be this easy," the Cloud ninja muttered, glancing at the lifeless maid lying in a pool of blood in the corner of the room. The maid, who had been caring for Hinata, had been silently disposed of.

With Hinata unconscious in his arms, the intruder swiftly left the room, carefully closing the door behind him. Skillfully, he scaled the compound's high walls and landed on the streets outside.

However, just as his feet touched the ground, he noticed a man in a kimono standing calmly in the middle of the street, blocking his path.

"Who are you?"

"Put the child down!"

Hyuga Hiashi stood with his arms crossed inside his sleeves, his sharp gaze locked onto the intruder. Though he appeared calm, his heart pounded with fear—never in his wildest dreams did he expect an intruder to infiltrate the Hyuga estate.

If he hadn't been staying up late to handle clan affairs, the intruder might have succeeded without anyone noticing. Despite his fear, Hiashi remained alert; the fact that the intruder had slipped past the Byakugan's surveillance was deeply troubling.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

The Cloud ninja wasted no time with words, launching a lightning jutsu at Hiashi and attempting to retreat.

But before he could take two steps, his attack was effortlessly dispersed, the lightning dissipating into the night air. In an instant, Hiashi closed the gap, striking the intruder's lower abdomen with a Gentle Fist technique. Chakra surged from Hiashi's palm, disrupting the enemy's chakra network completely.

"Ugh... h-how...?"

The Cloud ninja gasped, his body going limp. He had severely underestimated Hiashi's strength.

Hiashi quickly retrieved his unconscious daughter from the intruder's grasp and checked her condition. Realizing she was merely unconscious, he sighed in relief.

Turning his attention to the fallen enemy, Hiashi nudged the body with his foot and tore off the black cloth covering the ninja's face. To his surprise, the intruder was someone unfamiliar. Scanning his memory, he confirmed he had never seen this individual before.

Hiashi gripped Hinata's hand tightly, preparing to alert the Konoha Police Force. But before he could move, a strange, hoarse voice spoke from behind him.

"Your daughter is quite cute."

"You'd better report this directly to Minato rather than the police force."

Hiashi's body tensed instantly. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching him, and the realization sent a shiver down his spine. If this mysterious figure had been an enemy, he would have been dead already.

Cold sweat dripped down his face as he spun around, holding Hinata in one hand while forming a hand seal with the other, his stance ready for battle.

Standing before him was a tall man, around 190 centimeters, with long hair covering most of his face. As the clouds above shifted, moonlight illuminated the figure.

The sight of the man's bright red hair made Hiashi's pupils contract sharply. There was something familiar about him.

"Long time no see, Hiashi. Don't you recognize me?"

Uzumaki Raiden chuckled, brushing his crimson hair aside to reveal his face.

"You... you're... Raiden?!"

Hiashi stared in shock, unable to believe his eyes.

News of Uzumaki Raiden's return hadn't spread throughout the village. Since Minato's ascension to Hokage, Hiashi had withdrawn from political affairs to focus on his clan duties, leaving him out of the loop on village developments.

"Did it take you this long to recognize me? That hurts a little, Hiashi." Raiden smirked.

(End of this chapter)