The Third Hokage's Teaching Philosophy!

When he met the Third Hokage for the first time, Fuyuki didn't learn anything from him. The whole afternoon, the Third Hokage just chatted with them about everyday things and their interests, occasionally asking Fuyuki and Hinata what they thought of the Gentle Fist and how they understood it.

The Third Hokage knew about Fuyuki and Hinata, but he had no idea what their foundations in the Gentle Fist were like.

After a brief chat, he had a preliminary understanding of their abilities.

"That's enough for today! I'll be waiting here for you tomorrow afternoon. Starting tomorrow, Grandpa Third won't go easy on you, so be ready!"

Having promised Hiashi that he would teach the Hyuga Clan, the Third Hokage would take his guidance seriously. He wouldn't just go through the motions.

"Okay, Grandpa Third."

Fuyuki nodded, stood up, and bowed before heading home with Hinata and the maids. He didn't ask anyone to pack up the picnic blanket or plates, because the Third Hokage's posture made it clear he had no plans to leave.

The Third Hokage was probably staying to enjoy some grandpa-and-grandson time with Naruto.

"Hinata, if you can help it, don't talk to that blond kid from earlier unless he comes over to talk to you first."

After they'd walked some distance from Kage Rock, Fuyuki suddenly spoke as he walked beside Hinata.

Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Konoha's Hokage had an ambiguous relationship with the Nine-Tails.

Simply put, the Nine-Tails was the Hokage's forbidden treasure!

By the twisted standards of adults, if Hinata and Naruto got too close, people might suspect that the Hyuga Clan had given them some sort of mission to win over the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

The Third Hokage might not think that way, but the two Konoha High Command elders and that old schemer Danzo were another matter.

To avoid any complications, Fuyuki gave Hinata a heads-up, lest he wake up one morning to find the Immortal Duo of Konoha and Hiashi sitting in the living room, drinking tea.

"Oh." Hinata nodded without asking why.

Her mischievous little brother was so secretive, and he often managed to leave their father and the elders speechless with arguments from the most unexpected angles.

He was also more outgoing and had seen more of the world. If her little brother told her not to play with the blond kid, he must have noticed something bad about him, right?

Actually, rather than calling Fuyuki Hinata's little brother, it would be more accurate to say that he was like a humble old father, worrying himself sick over her.

At home, he protected Hinata. When they went out, he often chased down the jerks who bullied her all over the streets.

At night, he even helped Hinata study the Gentle Fist. He was practically a more dutiful father than Hiashi—except this troublesome little brother, who read as "younger brother" but wrote as "father," had been born seven minutes after Hinata, making him younger than her.

"Grandpa, why'd you stop me? If you hadn't held me back, I would've knocked that black-haired, Byakugan jerk flying!"

Naruto chewed on the dango Fuyuki had left behind, his face full of indignation. He thought he could've beaten that black-haired, Byakugan jerk all by himself. It was the old man holding him back that had made him miss his chance to attack.

"Hahaha!"

The Third Hokage laughed aloud. "All right, Naruto. You'll have to work harder if you want to beat Fuyuki."

Beat him? With that hard head of yours? You can't even be bothered to train when I teach you. He's the Hyuga Clan heir and has been sparring with Jonin since he was little. You, who train for a day and slack off for three, would be lucky not to get pounded.

"Tch."

No matter how much anyone said, nothing could change Naruto's belief that he was strong.

"Naruto, you're about the right age now. What do you think of Fuyuki and Hinata?" The Third Hokage suddenly asked a completely unexpected question.

Naruto was a total blockhead and didn't even consider what the Third Hokage meant. He answered directly, "One's a jerk, and the other's a really nice girl!"

Naruto had met Hinata before, during the Kumogakure incident two years ago.

At the time, Hinata had gone out for a walk. Her strange knack for attracting jerks had gotten her into trouble with a bunch of them.

Naruto had rushed in to play the hero, only to nearly get beaten to death by the bullies. In the end, Hinata had used the Gentle Fist to help him, then kindly taken him home and bandaged his wounds.

It had been a while, and Naruto hadn't recognized Hinata at first. But after a few trips down to the river, his wooden head finally remembered where he'd seen her.

His first impression of Hinata had been very good, because she was the first person who hadn't looked at him with disgust.

"Mm."

The Third Hokage replied, took out his pipe, and began to smoke, while inwardly plotting a little drama.

As an old lecher, Sarutobi Hiruzen had always believed an old saying: when a girl appeared, boys would become like peacocks spreading their feathers, competing to show off in front of her!

That was how the Sannin had been taught, after all.

Fuyuki clearly cared a lot about Hinata, and now it seemed Naruto had feelings for her, too.

Then why not throw them all together? Teaching one was teaching; teaching three was teaching, too. Having a girl among them might even stir up Naruto's competitive spirit.

That was what the scheming old lecher, the Third Hokage, thought.

Time flew by, and the next afternoon arrived.

Fuyuki and Hinata were already waiting at Kage Rock. Naruto showed up late, and when he saw Fuyuki sitting on the rug reading, his expression changed at once, as if possessed by a demon. "There you are, Byakugan sissy! Come out and fight me one-on-one, Naruto the Great! I'm getting revenge for that sneak attack!"

Fuyuki paused. He didn't care at all about Naruto mocking his looks. Closing his book, he smiled and said, "I'm a sissy? Then what does that make Naruto the Great, who I threw into the river three times yesterday? A young lady waiting to be married off?"

"..."

Naruto was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

Naruto's Talk no Jutsu didn't activate when his enemies were at their peak. In the Ninja World, if you couldn't beat someone, you had no right to flap your gums. Naruto's Talk no Jutsu was a passive skill that only activated after he'd knocked his opponent down!

"I don't care! One-on-one!"

Unable to win with words, Naruto started insisting that might made right, ready to fight Fuyuki before saying anything else.

Fuyuki let out a breath and looked at Naruto. "A one-on-one fight is fine, but what ninjutsu can you use?"

Fuyuki was only asking what Naruto had learned from the Third Hokage.

That way, he could hold back enough to keep from sending the old man's foundling to the hospital on his very first lesson.

Duang!

Naruto staggered, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Fuyuki's words had struck a nerve. He hadn't learned a damn thing. All he did with the old man was grill fish and roast mushrooms.

The only jutsu he knew—and had mastered—was the Transformation Technique!

"Of-of course I can! My ninjutsu is devastatingly powerful! Prepare to die!"

Catching sight of the street below Kage Rock, Naruto had a sudden inspiration and formed the hand seals for the Transformation Technique. "This technique! It's an ultra-A-rank ninjutsu I developed after understanding human nature's weaknesses! Byakugan, black-haired sissy, take this!"

Fuyuki raised a hand to stop Natsumi and Fei from stepping in. It was only a hand seal for the Transformation Technique. Naruto made it sound like he was using a Tailed Beast Rasengan.

"Poof!"

A cloud of smoke burst out, and Naruto transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman. Her toned muscles and the six whisker marks on her cheeks gave her a wild beauty that stirred a desire in men to conquer her.

Fuyuki said, "Getting my hopes up for you was my mistake. Neither you nor the world did anything wrong. I was the one who was wrong."

"Th-this..." Hinata was completely flustered, unsure whether to cover her own eyes or her little brother's.

"Come on! Hit me!"

Naruto wore a shameless grin, but somehow, paired with the Transformation Technique, the words even seemed alluring.

Unfortunately for him, he'd run into Fuyuki.

As Naruko approached, Fuyuki expressionlessly held out a hand and summoned a Water Spirit. He had the Elemental Spirit spray water all over her, making her let out a series of shrill, ghostly wails.