Steam Princess Hinata Hyuga

Hinata Hyuga stopped thinking.

Her head spun, and she felt only an unprecedented warmth and sense of safety.

She didn't know how long passed before she finally snapped back to reality.

Like a startled rabbit, Hinata Hyuga quickly stepped back twice, steadied herself, then dropped her head, her face so red it seemed to be steaming.

"You're really cute."

Beizawa smiled and said, "Wait for me a moment."

He turned and walked north, soon stopping.

In front of him lay the scarf Toranosuke had discarded.

The white scarf was half-buried among the leaves, covered in dust, having lost its original cleanliness.

Beizawa frowned slightly.

If it were just dirty, that wouldn't be a problem, but the scarf had several tears in it.

Beizawa bent down and picked up the scarf.

Current Mission: Help your desk mate Hinata Hyuga retrieve her scarf.

Mission Reward: Konoha Whirlwind.

The host has completed the mission. Reward issued.

Konoha Whirlwind was a taijutsu technique developed by Might Guy.

Beizawa's mind stirred.

He'd been worrying earlier about where to learn a C-Rank Ninjutsu, but now he had an idea.

Go find Might Guy.

Taijutsu counted as ninjutsu, and in theory, it didn't require a Chakra Nature.

Beizawa had considered learning genjutsu from Kurenai Yuhi, but that required the Yin Attribute; otherwise, it would be very slow.

His mission required him to master Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique faster than Sasuke Uchiha.

Genjutsu wasn't suitable, but taijutsu fit his needs perfectly.

Especially now that he had Konoha Whirlwind.

He already had a goal: find Might Guy and learn the upgraded version, Konoha Great Whirlwind.

The only difference between the two was that the latter added a spinning motion.

"Hinata."

Beizawa glanced at the scarf and said, "This scarf is no longer usable. I'll buy you a new one."

"Huh?"

Hinata Hyuga froze, then quickly shook her head. "No... no need!"

"Consider it my apology for deciding on your behalf."

Beizawa smiled and said.

"What apology?"

Hinata Hyuga asked, confused.

"Toranosuke challenged you to a one-on-one spar in a month. I accepted for you."

Beizawa explained.

"Me? Fight him?"

Hinata Hyuga's voice trembled. "I... I can't..."

"Why say you can't before you've even fought?"

Beizawa crouched down to meet her eyes. "Hinata, you're stronger than him. You just don't know how to fight back."

Hinata Hyuga stared at him blankly.

Just then, four lines of text appeared before Beizawa's eyes.

Unity is strength. As the Class Leader, you should help a classmate being bullied by another class.

Current Mission: Help your desk mate Hinata Hyuga defeat Toranosuke.

Mission Reward: Water Release: Water Colliding Wave.

Accept?

Beizawa narrowed his eyes.

This system's mission rewards were all over the place—every kind of ninjutsu imaginable.

But thinking it over, it made sense.

This system was called the Strongest Hokage Development System.

To surpass all the previous Hokage, you'd need to master every jutsu, including Kekkei Genkai.

"It's fine. We've got a month. I'll give you special training."

Beizawa tucked away his scarf and cracked a smile.

Hinata Hyuga blushed and nodded.

"I'll walk you back."

He took her small hand and led her out of the grove.

"Goodbye, Teacher Beizawa."

Hinata Hyuga stood at her doorstep, watching him disappear into the distance.

Only after he was gone did she reluctantly turn and enter the courtyard.

Beizawa bought a similar white scarf at the shopping district before heading home.

He swung the door open and started business at the General Store.

"Teuchi, send over a bowl of Chashu Ramen, please."

Beizawa called out to the Ichiraku Ramen Shop nearby.

"Got it!"

A reply came quickly.

Beizawa sat at the counter, chin propped on his hands.

He was mulling over what excuse to use to approach Might Guy.

But after a few seconds of thought, he decided it wasn't necessary.

With Might Guy's personality, no reason was needed—just the right password.

Like youth.

"I'm coming in, Brother Beizawa."

A pleasant voice rang out.

A girl in a white chef's uniform stepped through the door.

It was Ayame, Teuchi's daughter.

"Thanks."

Beizawa took the Chashu Ramen and said.

"You're welcome."

Ayame beamed.

As she left, she stole a couple more glances at Beizawa.

Like Ino Yamanaka, she was a sucker for good looks in the original story.

Beizawa finished dinner, returned the bowl, and paid.

When he came back, he found an extra figure in the shop.

Kurenai Yuhi leaned against the counter, her long legs straight, her rounded hips pressed against it.

She had her arms crossed, a smile on her lovely face.

Bathed in the dim yellow sunlight, she looked like a quiet painting.

"Kurenai, what do you want to buy? I'll give you a discount."

Beizawa smiled as he walked up.

"Then I'll take a soda."

Kurenai Yuhi reached out and grabbed a bottle.

"One soda's not worth the breakfast you gave me. It's on the house."

Beizawa waved it off.

"Thanks."

Kurenai Yuhi took a sip of soda and said, "I just came back from the Kurama Clan."

"Did the advice I gave you work?"

Beizawa asked curiously.

"A little."

Kurenai Yuhi nodded, then sighed. "But the real problem isn't me—it's Yakumo."

"Her genjutsu talent isn't up to par?"

Beizawa asked, knowing the answer.

"It's not that. It's that she's too good."

Kurenai Yuhi explained, "Her body can't handle her illusion talent."

"I see."

Beizawa thought for a moment, then asked, "Can you teach her taijutsu?"

"Hard."

Kurenai Yuhi shook her head. "She's naturally frail. There's no way she can learn taijutsu."

"That really is a problem."

Beizawa frowned slightly.

In the original story, the solution was to eliminate the Yin Release monster Ido inside Yakumo Kurama.

But right now, Ido hadn't fully manifested yet.

"Blocking is worse than guiding."

Beizawa volunteered, "I can try teaching her taijutsu."

In the original story, Ido was born precisely because Yakumo Kurama's parents and Kurenai Yuhi stopped her from becoming a ninja.

"Too much trouble, no need."

Kurenai Yuhi refused. "Besides, I can teach her taijutsu myself."

"It's no trouble at all. We're friends. And under normal circumstances, she would've been my student anyway."

Beizawa smiled. "I've been a teacher for five years. I know how to adjust the lessons to fit her physical condition."

"You still have work. Where would you find the time to teach her?"

Kurenai Yuhi paused, then asked.

"That's easy to solve. Let her come to the Ninja Academy for classes."

Beizawa said, his expression calm.

"Classes?"

Kurenai Yuhi's face showed hesitation. "Her parents won't agree, and her body can't handle it."

"She doesn't need to attend a full day of classes."

Beizawa thought it over. "I can arrange for her to only take the practical combat lessons."

Kurenai Yuhi fell silent.

Today, following Beizawa's advice, she had spoken to Yakumo Kurama as an equal, from the standpoint of a friend.

During that conversation, Kurenai Yuhi had learned about her dream of becoming a ninja.

Maybe letting her go to school wasn't a wrong decision.

"When do you have time? Come with me to the Kurama Clan."

Kurenai Yuhi finally gave her answer.