Chapter 591: Hinata Takes Neji Head-On

"Lady Hokage, this is exactly what happened! Neji kidnapped Sakura and Hinata, then threatened Naruto and demanded that he use that Reverse Harem Jutsu for him. Look! This is exactly what I was talking about!"

After recovering from her initial shock, Ino—who had followed Kushina here—immediately seized the opportunity to report Neji according to Naruto's plan.

That was right.

This had been Naruto's entire strategy.

Instead of letting Neji frame him and then desperately trying to prove his innocence, why not turn the tables and accuse Neji first?

"Hyūga Neji, what exactly do you think you're doing?!"

Kushina had originally come here to punish Naruto.

She had never expected to walk into a scene like this.

As someone firmly opposed to bond-type shinobi, Kushina was furious.

She felt that her authority had been challenged.

Worse, she felt betrayed.

Neji—the tool who had personally sworn loyalty to her—had dared indulge in suspicious bonds behind her back!

And with Naruto, of all people!

Kushina began replaying Neji's past behavior in her mind.

Could it be that all his supposed loyalty to her had merely been an excuse to get closer to Naruto?

The more she thought about it, the more disgusted she became.

Right now, Kushina looked like an empress preparing to execute a corrupt official with her own hands.

"I've been framed, Lady Hokage!"

Neji desperately tried to defend himself.

"It was Naruto! Naruto started it! The moment I arrived, he—"

Neji almost wanted to drop to his knees.

Unfortunately, Naruto's shadow clones were clinging tightly to both his legs, while others restrained his arms.

He couldn't move at all.

And in front of the Hokage, he didn't dare recklessly use Rotation to break free.

If he responded violently now, it would only make him look even guiltier.

"So what you're saying…"

Kushina narrowed her eyes.

"…is that Naruto is the bond-type ninja?"

She didn't completely believe Neji.

Kushina had heard the classic excuse—

"They started it."

—from Namikaze Minato far too many times before.

"Mother, I'm the one being framed!"

Naruto's real body suddenly emerged from the crowd and immediately threw himself flat on the ground.

"Lady Hokage, I have evidence!"

Neji panicked and immediately revealed the trap he had originally prepared to use against Naruto.

"Send someone to Kakashi's place right now! One of Naruto's shadow clones is there with Kakashi, Might Guy, and Rock Lee!"

Neji needed to prove Naruto was a bond-type shinobi.

Only then could he clear his own name.

"Oh?"

Kushina hadn't expected Neji to have actual evidence.

"Fine. Let's go take a look."

She took the lead.

Naruto dispelled the shadow clones restraining Neji, and the group headed toward Kakashi's residence.

Throughout the walk, Naruto remained completely silent.

His calmness made it seem as though victory was already assured.

The longer Neji watched him, the less confident he became.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring.

There was no turning back.

The moment they arrived, Neji kicked the door open.

"Naruto! Stop what you're doing immediately! Lady Hokage is—"

Neji froze halfway through the sentence.

His original plan had been simple.

After opening the door, he would claim that Naruto had heard them coming and immediately dispelled his shadow clone.

Then Kakashi's testimony would be used to pin the accusation on Naruto.

That was why Neji hadn't bothered activating the Byakugan before entering.

He already knew Naruto supposedly wouldn't be inside.

Except now—

There really was a Naruto in the room.

For a moment, Neji had absolutely no idea how to react.

Then his eyes lit up.

Actually, this was even better.

Now the evidence was undeniable!

"Lady Hokage, look!"

Neji pointed straight into the room.

"Naruto is right there! The evidence is irrefutable!"

"Neji."

Naruto's real body stepped forward with complete confidence.

"Why don't you take another look?"

"Naruto, what are you trying to pull?"

Neji glared at him.

"Do you plan to dispel the clone right in front of Lady Hokage and pretend nothing happened?"

"You're trying to frame me as a bond-type ninja, right?"

Naruto grinned smugly.

"Well, you're wrong!"

He had already researched his own records.

In this world, Sasuke had defected from Konoha very early.

Without Sasuke around, Naruto's personal history was absolutely clean!

"Wrong?"

Neji frowned.

"Then explain why your shadow clone is here."

Naruto pointed into the room.

"Take a good look at what my clone is holding."

"What is it…?"

Neji looked.

The Naruto shadow clone inside was cradling a small white dog.

A female one.

There was no need to ask how Neji could tell at a glance.

"I'm not a bond-type ninja at all."

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly.

"I came here because I heard Kakashi-sensei had contracts with some really cute ninja dogs. I wanted to bring this one over and trade with him."

Naruto had chosen the most extreme possible way to prove his innocence.

He simply admitted outright that his interests lay elsewhere.

If he wasn't interested in people in the first place, then how could Neji possibly accuse him of being a bond-type shinobi?

Neji completely petrified.

He had no counter left.

Like the culprit at the end of a detective show after every trick had been exposed, Neji's knees gave way.

Thud.

He dropped to the floor.

At a moment like this, there really should have been background music.

Even Kushina was briefly stunned by Naruto's self-destructive method of clearing his name.

Strangely enough, though, she accepted it rather quickly.

It actually made a certain amount of sense.

Kushina knew that Naruto was technically the Nine-Tails' child in this world.

He wasn't truly human at all.

He merely had the appearance of one.

If Naruto wasn't human to begin with, then him not being particularly interested in humans and instead feeling more comfortable around animals could simply be considered a return to instinct.

Perfectly reasonable.

"Well, if you're not a bond-type ninja, then we'll leave that matter aside for now."

Kushina turned toward Naruto.

"Instead, let's talk about what you did yesterday. Why did you spread—"

"Something terrible happened! Something terrible happened!"

Before Kushina could question Naruto about airing the family's dirty laundry across the village, a familiar voice came shouting from outside.

Kushina stopped and waited.

A moment later, a figure came rushing in.

It was Hyūga Hanabi.

"Lady Hokage! You really are here! Something terrible happened!"

Hanabi ran in breathlessly.

"Little Hanabi, what's wrong?"

Kushina smiled and gently patted her head.

"Did you notice your sister disappeared?"

"Don't worry. We already caught the culprit, Neji. Your sister will be home soon."

Kushina naturally assumed Hanabi was panicking because Neji had kidnapped Hinata.

"That's not it!"

Hanabi shook her head hard.

"Nee-sama already came home."

"Oh?"

Kushina looked mildly surprised.

"Hinata's stronger than I thought. She managed to escape Neji on her own?"

Then she frowned.

"But if she's already home, what's the emergency?"

"Nee-sama considers being kidnapped by Neji-nii a humiliation."

Hanabi's expression grew increasingly anxious.

"And before Neji-nii swore loyalty to you, whenever Nee-sama saw him, she used to make him kneel to greet her."

"Now Neji-nii can stand in front of her and speak as an equal."

"He can threaten the clan."

"He can threaten her."

"And today, he even kidnapped her."

Hanabi's eyes began to water.

"Nee-sama couldn't take it anymore."

"She decided she had to fight back."

Kushina stared at her.

"So…"

Hanabi's voice nearly broke.

"Nee-sama decided she's going to wipe out the Hyūga clan herself!"

"If she destroys the Hyūga first, then Neji-nii won't be able to threaten her with destroying the clan anymore!"

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