Hinata was half-convinced, half-dubious, but she did not ask any more questions.
Still, Naruto's words had indeed given Hinata hope. That was how you comforted a little girl—you did not necessarily need a practical solution. All you had to do was offer constructive advice from a lofty perspective. As for how her father would abolish the Caged Bird, or what obstacles he would face, none of that mattered.
At the very least, the girl's worries had flown away for now, and a smile returned to her face.
"Thank you, Naruto."
"You're welcome. As long as Hinata is happy again, that's all that matters."
At those words, Hinata's face inexplicably turned red again.
Pursuing Hinata, Nine-Tails' Recognition 14.2%.
Naruto really wanted to pinch Hinata's cheek, but he ultimately kept his composure. Scratching his head, he said, "Hinata, you should go back inside first. I'm leaving."
"Naruto, aren't you going in to watch the matches?" Hinata asked, somewhat confused. "Sakura and Ino's match should be starting soon, right?"
"I'm not going." Naruto said awkwardly, "I forfeited, so I can't go back in."
Even if I could, it'd be awkward. Who would I cheer for? Cheering for Sakura would make sense, but completely abandoning Ino feels kind of harsh too. If I cheered for both, wouldn't that make me a fence-sitter?
"Naruto..." Hinata hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and murmured shyly, "You can take over my body."
"Like just now. It might be a little uncomfortable, like my brain is about to break. But if it's not a fight and you're only watching, it probably won't be like that."
"I can't possess someone twice. I can only do it once." Naruto did not know whether to laugh or cry. "This isn't some body-swapping game."
"Is there really a