Shy Hinata

Uzumaki Naruto carried Little Hinata beneath a large tree, adjusted into a comfortable position, and let her rest her head on his lap as she fell soundly asleep.

Little Hinata rubbed hard against Uzumaki Naruto's leg in her sleep.

As if she had dreamed of something, Little Hinata's little face turned bright red as she murmured softly, "Naruto-kun, I... I like you too..."

Seeing how adorable Little Hinata looked, Uzumaki Naruto smiled faintly and poked her cheek.

Little Hinata's face reddened even further as she murmured in her sleep, "Naruto-kun, don't do that..."

Uzumaki Naruto could not help laughing. He stopped disturbing Little Hinata's dreams, took out the three brats' money pouches, and counted them briefly, raising his brows slightly.

"Four thousand ryo? How many people did they extort!?"

Still, the money was his now. Uzumaki Naruto casually slipped the four thousand ryo into his pocket.

Suddenly, Uzumaki Naruto noticed some movement on his lap. Looking down, he was surprised to find that Little Hinata had already woken up.

Little Hinata lay on his lap with a flushed face, holding out her small hand and offering him a large pile of coins.

"Naruto-kun, do you really need money?"

"This is all I have right now. If it isn't enough, I'll go home and get more."

Looking at Little Hinata's rosy cheeks, Uzumaki Naruto could not help laughing as he explained.

"I only taught those brats a lesson. Now that they've lost so much money, they probably won't dare bully you again."

Little Hinata nodded as though she understood.

Then, Little Hinata looked disappointedly at the coins in her hand and said quietly, "Actually, it's fine. I still have plenty of allowance money. If Naruto-kun wants it..."

At this point, Little Hinata's cheeks turned scarlet.

"I can support Naruto-kun..."

Uzumaki Naruto: "..."

Was he... about to be kept by a rich woman!?

Did Little Hinata have the potential to become a rich woman!?

Uzumaki Naruto did not know whether to laugh or cry. He poked Little Hinata's chubby cheek. "You're too young to be thinking about keeping a man. Besides, I'm not a man who can be bought with money."

Little Hinata looked even more disappointed and withdrew her hand. "I thought Naruto-kun was really short on money."

"Then I'll put these ten thousand ryo away first..."

Uzumaki Naruto froze slightly.

Wait!!!

How much!?

Ten thousand ryo?

"Smack!"

Uzumaki Naruto grabbed Little Hinata's wrist and looked sincerely into Hinata's eyes. "Little Hinata, from today onward, I'm the man you're keeping."

As he spoke,

Uzumaki Naruto took the ten thousand-ryo coins from Little Hinata's hand before her dazed eyes.

Ten thousand ryo was equivalent to a month of his living expenses.

And this was only Little Hinata's allowance. The Hyuga Clan was ridiculously wealthy. Fortunately, Little Hinata was the girl he liked.

Thinking of that, Uzumaki Naruto smiled and kissed Little Hinata's cheek.

"Thank you, adorable Little Hinata."

Little Hinata: "..."

"Poof!"

A puff of white smoke burst from above Little Hinata's head. Her face became redder than an apple, and she swayed dizzily before collapsing into Uzumaki Naruto's arms.

"Naruto-kun... kissed me, mm..."

"..."

For the third time, Little Hinata collapsed into Naruto's arms, losing consciousness from embarrassment.

Uzumaki Naruto smilingly escorted Little Hinata back to the Hyuga Clan.

Even the unfriendly looks from the Hyuga Clan's ninja did not ruin Uzumaki Naruto's good mood. He happily returned home.

"Clatter..."

Uzumaki Naruto poured all the coins on him onto the table and carefully counted them. The corners of his lips curled into a subtle smile.

"A total of fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty ryo!"

A man could not grow rich without unexpected wealth, just as a horse could not grow fat without night grazing.

Murder and arson brought golden belts.

This was more than fourteen thousand ryo. If he had tried to save it himself, he would have needed at least a month and a half without eating or drinking.

"Mm, so this is what it feels like to be kept!?"

"This really is... Little Hinata is just too adorable..."

Uzumaki Naruto smiled.

Under the night sky,

Uzumaki Naruto sat cross-legged, closed his azure eyes, and focused his consciousness on the system in his mind.

This was not the Kekkei Genkai display case.

It was the learning display case.

Taijutsu Mode: Taijutsu Training

Taijutsu Training: Allows the host to gain one month of taijutsu training memories, strengthening the host's physical constitution.

Price: 1,000 ryo

...

Ninjutsu Mode: Clone Technique

Clone Technique: Allows the host to gain one month of ninjutsu training memories, improving the host's use of the Clone Technique.

Price: 1,000 ryo

...

Weapon Mode: Kunai Training

Kunai Training: Allows the host to gain one month of kunai training memories, improving the host's kunai throwing and strengthening the host's physical constitution.

Price: 5,000 ryo

...

Uzumaki Naruto briefly surveyed the dazzling array of learning products in the display case.

This was his first time purchasing learning products.

Previously, he had been too poor, so he had no choice but to save all his money and buy a powerful Kekkei Genkai.

Thinking of that, Uzumaki Naruto subconsciously glanced toward the mirror.

In the mirror, his golden hair was dry, his body was thin and small, and his face carried a sickly yellow pallor.

"To save money, I ate ramen for all three meals every day. Even if I occasionally supplemented my nutrition with protein, there was no way to make up for what my body had lost."

Uzumaki Naruto shook his head slightly.

"It seems like I'm the shortest in the entire class."

Turning his gaze to the learning display case again, Uzumaki Naruto said, "Purchase Taijutsu Training!"

The words "Taijutsu Training" on the display case turned gray.

One month's worth of memories surged into Uzumaki Naruto's mind.

Within those memories,

In an empty training ground, an expressionless Uzumaki Naruto mechanically performed the most standard exercises.

One thousand push-ups!

One thousand sit-ups!

One thousand handstand runs!

Ten mad laps around Konoha!

Over that month of memories, Uzumaki Naruto endured training that could be called the cruelest in the world.

Even a hellish training camp could not compare to the intensity of Uzumaki Naruto's training in those memories. It was practically inhuman torture.

Yet the effects were obvious as well.

The yellowish pallor on Uzumaki Naruto's face gradually gained some color.

His slender arms gradually gained a little muscle.

The muscles in his arms and thighs increased the most noticeably.

Even his height, which had been stunted by malnutrition, increased somewhat.

In only a brief moment,

Uzumaki Naruto transformed from a boy enduring hunger into a boy with a strong body.