Chapter 198

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Dak had an idea but knew he couldn't act on it immediately. These two little ones, especially Hinata, wouldn't trust him enough to follow him to another world.

There was another factor too.

Dak shifted his gaze to the blonde boy.

Although Naruto appeared lively and bold, Dak's psychic perception revealed a complex inner world filled with worry, fear, and other emotions.

He worried that Dak might see him as a monster like the others or that Dak might harm him and Hinata.

"Hmmm... what time is it now?" Dak looked up at the sky instead of answering the blonde boy's question.

Snowflakes fell steadily from the gray sky, making it hard to judge the time. Since the two children were out, it couldn't be too late, probably the afternoon.

"Around four o'clock," Naruto guessed, glancing at Hinata, who kept her head down. He remembered seeing a clock in a shop window earlier.

"How about we go eat?" Dak suggested, deciding to try the local cuisine in Konoha.

Ichiraku Ramen and the Akimichi Clan's barbecue were famous throughout the ninja world. If they were as delicious as rumored, Dak might consider convincing the chefs to move to Alliance City.

"I... I don't have money," Naruto said.

"I need to go home," Hinata added.

Naruto wanted to go. He was hungry and rarely had company for meals. The prospect of someone treating him made him happy.

Hinata, on the other hand, still felt wary of Dak.

Dak found it puzzling. He had helped Hinata earlier and didn't think he looked threatening. Was it because she had seen him talking to Darkrai?

"I'll treat you. You're young and should enjoy life. What's the rush to go home? Come on, your guardians have been taken care of by my friend," Dak said, glancing at his shadow.

He had decided to change the futures of these two children, making their lives more vibrant. Not for any grand reason, just because it seemed fun.

As the leader of the Pokémon Alliance and the creator god of Pokémon Island, he felt entitled to do things he enjoyed.

"Yay! You're a good guy, big brother!" Naruto cheered. "Sorry I thought you were a bad guy earlier."

"Huh?" Hinata was still processing Dak's words.

Suddenly, she found herself being picked up by Dak, who also scooped up Naruto.

She knew Naruto's name. They were classmates, and his reputation—though not great—was known to her. But until now, she had never spoken to him or even exchanged glances.

This was supposed to be the moment Naruto's heroic act won her heart, but Dak had disrupted that timeline.

Now, who knew what the future held for them?

"Let's go," Dak said, carrying the two kids toward the bustling part of the village.

With his Observation Haki and psychic abilities, he could sense the entire village. Four people had been put to sleep by Darkrai—two Anbu watching Naruto and two branch members of the Hyuga clan guarding Hinata.

"Dak..." Darkrai's voice echoed faintly in Dak's mind.

"I am not kidnapping them, just taking them for a meal and then returning them," Dak clarified mentally.

Naruto was ecstatic, unconcerned about being carried, while Hinata was tense, occasionally glancing up at Dak's chin, looking on the verge of tears.

Dak swiftly reached Konoha's main street. Despite the gray, snowy weather, the village was lively with many people around.

"Isn't that..."

"Shh! The Hokage said not to talk about it!"

"Who's that man? He doesn't look like he's from here."

"And isn't that the Hyuga princess?"

Dak's keen senses picked up the villagers' whispers. He glanced at Naruto, who continued cheerfully pointing out shops, hiding his inner turmoil.

Dak understood why some psychic Pokémon chose to isolate themselves. Hearing others' thoughts all the time wasn't always a blessing.

Dak could clearly sense Naruto's embarrassment, frustration, and sadness. As an Uzumaki, even without psychic abilities, Naruto's heightened senses made him keenly aware of his surroundings and the emotions directed at him.

It was no wonder some psychic trainers developed unusual behaviors. If his psychic abilities had developed naturally, Dak might have ended up with some odd traits too.

Understanding Naruto's inner world made Dak feel a strange sense of discomfort. Knowing what the boy would become in the future only added to it.

For now, Dak didn't plan to remove Naruto's Asura chakra. The boy needed it to cope with his overwhelming negative emotions, something an eight-year-old couldn't handle alone.

Hinata, sensing the atmosphere, clung to Dak's shirt and shrank back, finding more comfort with him than the hostile villagers.

"How revolting," Dak muttered, his interest in exploring Konoha's cuisine waning.

He had thought he could remain indifferent, having anticipated this reaction, but the reality was worse than expected.

Anime had omitted many unpleasant details and dialogues, and now he was seeing them firsthand.

"Sorry, big brother," Naruto apologized, mistaking Dak's disgust for anger at him.

"It's not you," Dak reassured, looking at Naruto thoughtfully.

What if he sent Naruto to live with Whitebeard? What would the Whitebeard Pirates do to Konoha if they knew how Naruto had been treated?

Shaking off the thought, Dak knew Whitebeard would definitely retaliate.

"Hey, you're not from our village. Put the kids down," an Anbu member demanded.

Four Anbu surrounded Dak, with more ninjas converging on the area.

Understandable, given who he was holding—the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Hyuga clan princess, not just Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga.

If he were holding Rock Lee and Sakura Haruno, the Anbu likely wouldn't have cared.

"Why is that kid still in the village?"

"That green-haired man is definitely an outsider. I've never seen him before."

"Is that kid causing trouble again?"

Hiruzen had forbidden discussing Naruto's status, but many had still shared the secret, leading to widespread ostracism.

Danzo had a hand in it, aiming to control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki completely. Hiruzen only prevented Danzo from directly harming Naruto.

"Big brother?" Naruto turned to Dak, feeling his grip tighten. "Big brother isn't a bad person. He helped Hinata. I saw it."

"Mm." Hinata, usually shy, nodded in agreement, her face flushing. Although Dak seemed odd, he had indeed helped her.

(End of Chapter)