In the hospital room, Naruto woke up not long after.
"How are you feeling, Naruto?"
Before the Third Hokage could speak, Xiyan rushed over, gripping Naruto's hand with an anxious expression.
If she weren't afraid of hurting his injuries, she would have hugged him tightly.
Naruto grimaced, inhaling sharply as he replied, "It hurts a bit, and I feel weak, but other than that, I'm okay."
After being injured, he had relied on unconsciousness to dull the pain. Inside the Nine-Tails' seal space, he felt nothing at all.
But now that he was awake, discomfort flooded over him.
Furthermore, to more thoroughly sow discord between Xiyan and Kageyuki, he couldn't let his injuries heal too quickly.
"You lost a lot of blood, so feeling weak is normal. Over the next few days, I'll make sure to prepare some tonics to help you recover," Xiyan said, her eyes filled with concern as she gently caressed his cheek.
Hearing that Naruto was only weak relieved her greatly.
As long as he was otherwise fine, that was what mattered.
"Cough, cough!" The Third Hokage finally couldn't hold back and cleared his throat.
After all, he was the Hokage, and being ignored was not something he appreciated.
Only then did Xiyan remember the Third Hokage was present. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she moved aside a bit.
She whispered to Naruto, "Lord Third heard you were injured and rushed over. He's been waiting here for quite a while."
The Third Hokage felt a sense of satisfaction at Xiyan's words. He smiled warmly at Naruto and said, "Naruto, seeing you safe puts my mind at ease. You should rest well over the next few days. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'll do my best to fulfill your requests."
Before Naruto could respond, Xiyan couldn't help but interject, "Lord Third, I'll take good care of Naruto, so you can rest easy. But he didn't deserve this disaster. Shouldn't there be some accountability?"
It was clear she genuinely cared for Naruto and was even willing to confront her own lover for his sake.
The Third Hokage, surprised, felt more assured about leaving Xiyan by Naruto's side.
"Xiyan!"
Kageyuki, who had been silent in the background, spoke up with a dark expression. "Are you really so heartless? Are you that eager for Lord Third to take action against me?"
He cared more about Xiyan's attitude towards him than about the truth behind Naruto's injury.
Xiyan opened her mouth, not wanting to come off as cold-hearted. But Naruto's unprovoked suffering truly broke her heart.
If the one who attacked him had been anyone else, she would have already sought vengeance.
Leaving it to the Third Hokage to handle was the last courtesy she could extend.
Yet Kageyuki had helped her a great deal; she still held some affection for him.
Seeing the hint of despair in Kageyuki's eyes, Xiyan ultimately hesitated.
"Xiyan, it's okay."
Naruto shook his head, weakly squeezing her hand. "I don't want to cause you trouble because of my situation. I've grown accustomed to it over the years. Just having you by my side and genuinely caring for me is enough."
A flicker of surprise crossed the Third Hokage's face. The mischievous young ninja could actually articulate such feelings?
"Naruto, you've grown up!" the Third Hokage mused softly.
Indeed, love was a powerful catalyst for growth.
The Third Hokage had no idea how Naruto had managed to reassure Xiyan.
But given that Xiyan had been spending so much time with him lately, he couldn't possibly be unaware.
He simply wanted to see how their relationship would develop, which was why he hadn't intervened.
Now, it seemed like leaving Xiyan by Naruto's side was the right decision.
While the Third Hokage felt relieved, Xiyan felt a pang of discomfort.
Accustomed to what, exactly?
Naturally, it was being treated like a monster, a demon fox, and facing cold hostility!
She had initially intended to give Kageyuki a final chance, but hearing Naruto's words reignited her anger toward him.
"Since you call me 'sister,' I certainly can't let you suffer in vain!"
Xiyan stood up, turning to glare coldly at Kageyuki. "Kageyuki, I thought you were an upright and reliable person, which is why I agreed to be with you. But it seems you're just an ordinary man."
"True, Naruto's identity is unique, but that's precisely why I want to be by his side, care for him, and protect him as he grows up happily. Isn't that what the Will of Fire is about?"
"However, I cannot agree with your thoughts and actions. We're fundamentally different; you needn't seek me out again."
The Third Hokage nodded in approval at Xiyan's words. "What Xiyan says is right. It's our responsibility and duty as elders to protect the next generation and help them grow strong; that is the essence of the Will of Fire. So, Kageyuki, you still have much to learn."
He had picked up on Xiyan's meaning and recalled their previous conversation, quickly piecing together the chain of events. Now, he was offering a response to his earlier words.
"Kageyuki, do you really want to do this to me?" he stammered, retreating a step with a pale face. "For that little brat... No, I never actually injured him. This is all a trap he set for me!"
Kageyuki finally reacted, pointing at Naruto and shouting, "This brat isn't as innocent as he seems! He approached you with a purpose; earlier..."
"Enough!!" Xiyan interjected, her face darkening as she exclaimed, "Lord Third, I don't want to see him again."
She never imagined Kageyuki would try to shift the blame onto Naruto; it was utterly disgraceful.
The Third Hokage shared her disappointment, sighing, "Kageyuki, I brought you out of the Anbu because I wanted to train you as an elite ninja for the village, but I never expected..."
"Kageyuki, attacking fellow villagers is unacceptable, and you used excessive force against Naruto. Effective immediately, I'm revoking your Special Jonin status. You'll be confined at home for a year to reflect on your actions."
The Third Hokage was too disappointed with Kageyuki's reaction to say anything more; he made a decisive ruling.
No matter how much Kageyuki resisted, it was futile. The Third Hokage summoned two Anbu members to take Kageyuki away, and they would keep a 24-hour watch on him.
This punishment could be seen as neither overly harsh nor too lenient for Kageyuki.
However, whether he would regain his previous position after a year would depend on his performance.
"Naruto, the medical expenses will be fully covered by the village. Also, I'll teach you a ninjutsu that's perfectly suited for you. Would that satisfy you?"
The Third Hokage smiled as he handed over a scroll containing a ninjutsu technique.
Naruto opened it to find the Shadow Clone Jutsu!
It seemed the old man had been plotting this all along.
Unfortunately, Naruto had already learned the Shadow Clone technique.
Reluctantly, the Third Hokage had to switch it out, eventually handing him the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu instead.
**********
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 60 at patreon.com/Esei01