This Was a Deal

No one knew how much time had passed. Hinata Hyuga sat quietly in the corner of the room, her gaze gradually growing clear and resolute.

"I've already succeeded in changing the fate of the Hyuga Clan once. This time... I can definitely succeed, too."

She took a deep breath and was about to close her notebook and put it away when new words suddenly appeared on the page.

[Detecting...]

[Life Simulator upgrade complete. New feature: Simulation Rewards]

"Simulation rewards?"

Her eyes were fixed on the page, afraid she might miss even a single word.

[Based on the overall assessment of this simulation, the host may choose one of the following two rewards]

[Option One: Obtain all of your own insights into the Gentle Fist Technique from three years into the simulation]

[Option Two: Inherit your own training progress in the Gentle Fist Technique from three years into the simulation]

[Please choose carefully. Only one reward may be selected per simulation]

Hinata's breathing nearly stopped. So... the simulator could not only reveal the future and offer her a chance to change it, but also grant her real, tangible power?

If that was true, then... changing the fate of the Hyuga Clan was...

Hinata wasn't foolish. She knew that the better she performed, the more likely she was to gain her father's support. The more she resembled a capable heir to the Main Family, the more trust she would earn from the clan.

And at this very moment, this power that had fallen from the heavens was exactly the help she needed most.

The two options each had their advantages and disadvantages.

The first option meant she could master the techniques and their essence more quickly, making up for her lack of talent. But if her physical training couldn't keep pace with her understanding, she would feel powerless in actual combat.

Choosing the second option would be like skipping the hard work and going straight to the result. But even if she could use knowledge learned by rote, she would struggle to adapt it flexibly.

"What... am I actually lacking?"

She thought of the years of hard training she had done every day since she was old enough to remember. No matter the weather, no matter how many times she fell beneath her father's disappointed gaze, she had always forced herself back to her feet.

"I think... I'm not lacking in effort."

Hinata pressed her fingertip against the first option.

In an instant, a warm current flowed from the page into her palm, then surged through both hands and straight into her mind. The brief ache of pressure faded, and an indescribable clarity flooded in.

Hinata opened her eyes, feeling as if everything had suddenly become clear. "So this is what I did wrong when sparring with Father today. If I improve it, all I need to do is..."

The Gentle Fist Technique was actually this simple?!

So the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms could be used this way?!

So... this was the world as Neji saw it!

Excitement shone in Hinata's eyes, but new words slowly appeared on the page, cooling her enthusiasm.

[Important notice: Life Simulator mechanics improved—simulation duration and cooldown time are directly proportional]

[Duration of this simulation: three years]

[Corresponding cooldown time: thirty days]

"One month?"

Hinata froze for a moment, then accepted it. If every simulation could grant her such powerful abilities, a month-long cooldown was understandable.

"I'm not the same person I used to be."

Hinata closed the notebook and put it away, then took out paper and a pen to make a brief plan.

"When something happens, I can't just sit back and do nothing. Just like Kiyonari taught me, I need to set a goal first... Change the fate that's already been decided for the Hyuga Clan."

"Next, I need to decide on a direction. Right... investigate the truth about the border. Break the big goal into smaller ones and start where I can make progress. Lady Tsunade is in charge of the border, so..."

"I still need to go find Kiyonari."

Elsewhere, Hyuga Kiyonari opened his eyes, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Finally... she took the bait."

He had actually wanted to add a reward feature to Hinata's Life Simulator for a long time, but he'd had to put it off because he didn't have enough Correction Points.

Why?

Because in any world, power was necessary to get anything done.

Ideals might be beautiful and plans might be perfect, but without enough power to put them into action, they were castles in the air.

For Hinata, power was more than just a means of fighting. It was a catalyst for her inner growth, the confidence she needed to act.

A child who had been dismissed and overlooked from a young age didn't need other people's encouragement as much as she needed achievements she could be proud of. Only when she truly grew stronger and earned recognition would her insecurities and doubts gradually fade.

Besides, Kiyonari knew very well that if he wanted to keep working behind the scenes, simply talking wouldn't be enough.

He could point Hinata in the right direction, help her avoid mistakes, and let her see the possibilities that lay ahead. But the one who truly stood in the spotlight and faced those challenges would always be Hinata herself.

Rather than turn Hinata into a puppet who only acted on his instructions, he would be better off truly nurturing her and helping her become capable of standing on her own.

Only when she grew strong enough, with sufficient confidence and conviction, could she become the key figure in changing the Hyuga Clan—or even the entire Shinobi World.

He only needed to give her a push at the critical moment and show her the right path. That was enough.

Although the road would be difficult, Hinata would also discover a whole new self as she played her part in this script.

She would become the person she wanted to be.

That was the promise Hyuga Kiyonari had made to her. And behind the curtain, he, too, would become the person he wanted to be.

This was a fair deal.

"Now, let's see how you do."

Hinata...

Kiyonari closed the system panel and lay back in bed, closing his eyes in the darkness.

The next morning, he was woken by a clear, pleasant chime.

When he opened his eyes, his head still felt heavy. He rolled over and squinted out the window. Dawn was just breaking, and the sun had only begun to peek over the horizon. The whole of Konoha was still shrouded in the morning mist.

So early? Who would come at this hour? Hinata?

Kiyonari yawned, grabbed the clothes beside his bed, and pulled them on. Then he padded barefoot to the bathroom.

The moment he splashed cold water on his face, most of his drowsiness vanished. After a quick tidy-up, he looked much more presentable in the mirror.

Kiyonari headed for the door and opened it. The person standing outside made him pause in surprise.

It was Hinata Hyuga.

But... she was wearing a light purple hoodie. Her fair face looked especially clear in the morning light, and what stood out most was her smile—bright and radiant, with an ease that suggested she already had everything under control.

"Good morning, Kiyonari."

Hinata's voice was soft, but it carried more energy than usual.

"Good morning, Hinata."

Kiyonari replied, though his mind was already racing.

He had imagined all sorts of ways Hinata might appear: nervous, upset, or asking him for help the moment they met... But he had never imagined this.

My script!

Hinata raised her head. Her face, usually so quick to flush with embarrassment, looked remarkably composed now.

"Would you take a walk with me?"