Hinata's Talent, Ryusuke's Experiment

Just as he had with Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha, Ryusuke had never spoken a single word to Hinata in class over the past year.

That girl was far too shy. Even Ryusuke did not know how to become friends with her.

Moreover, the game system had not awakened back then, so Ryusuke did not dare get too close to Hinata.

Otherwise, who knew whether word would reach Hyuga Neji or the Hyuga Clan, making them think he had ulterior motives toward Hinata and come to warn or teach him a lesson?

After all, Ryusuke was not the Nine Tails Jinchuriki. He had no backing whatsoever.

It was not until his golden finger awakened, he saved the beauty again, and the Top Student title was practically his already that Ryusuke began to have new ideas.

Now, he was barely qualified to be friends with Hinata.

Though as a civilian, he still was not qualified to invite Hinata out to play.

But the "Ino" of the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho had that qualification.

As fellow supporters of the Hokage, Hyuga Hiashi would definitely agree to Hinata becoming friends with Ino.

Although disappointed in his eldest daughter, Hyuga Hiashi had not completely given up on Hinata.

Among the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, only Ino was a girl.

As long as Hinata became friends with Ino, it meant that the Hyuga Clan and Ino-Shika-Cho would become friends in the future. That was an extremely important connection.

The sight of Ino and Hinata walking toward him also showed that Ryusuke's plan had gone smoothly. Hyuga Hiashi had indeed allowed it.

"Mission accomplished. I brought Hinata out."

Returning to stand before Ryusuke, Ino spoke with a proud expression.

"Impressive. Just as expected of Ino."

Ryusuke did not hesitate to give her a thumbs-up. Then, looking at Hinata, who stood beside Ino and was secretly watching him, he smiled. "Hello, Hinata."

Meeting Ryusuke's gaze, Hinata instinctively lowered her head again.

But remembering what Ino had told her before leaving home, she finally gathered the courage to raise her head and look at Ryusuke as she nervously said, "R-Ryusuke-kun, th-thank you!"

After voicing this belated gratitude, which had become incredibly intense recently after three years of being held back, Hinata suddenly felt lighter inside.

"You've been secretly looking at me lately just to thank me?" Ryusuke knowingly asked.

"...Yes."

Feeling relieved, Hinata shyly lowered her head again.

"Alright, I accept your thanks."

Ryusuke smiled as he invited her, "We're going to train. Would you like to join us?"

Hearing that, Hinata looked up in delighted surprise. "C-Can I?"

"Of course. You're very welcome."

Ryusuke nodded firmly.

Having already seen through Hinata's personality, Ino put an arm around her shoulders and said in the manner of an older sister, "From now on, we're friends, Hinata."

"Please take care of me, Hinata." Sakura also smiled gracefully.

Looking at the friendly and enthusiastic trio of Ryusuke, Hinata's beautiful white eyes suddenly misted over beyond her control.

The sudden happiness left the girl, who had always longed for friendship but could never obtain it, somewhat overwhelmed.

But she also knew that she could not let this opportunity slip away.

She nodded hard and made a choked sound. "...Mm!"

With Ryusuke bringing them together, three of the new generation's Four Golden Flowers became friends ahead of time.

"Ryusuke, look! I can already climb to the top of the tree!"

After arriving in the familiar woods, Ino deliberately found the tree covered in little footprints and eagerly showed off the results of her practice.

Freeing herself from gravity and running up the trunk, Ino easily reached the top of the tree, whose branches had not yet grown lush.

"Impressive!"

Looking at Ino showing off from the treetop, Ryusuke once again gave her a generous thumbs-up.

From constantly falling to reaching the top in one go.

Clearly, Ino must have put in tremendous effort at home.

That showed just how competitive Ino was.

That competitive spirit was a good thing. As long as she kept it up, perhaps Ino would not be left so far behind by Sakura and Hinata as she had been in the original story.

"Hinata, do you want to give it a try?"

After coming down from the tree, Ino looked at the astonished Hinata, formed the Boar Sign with her hands, and smiled. "Gather Chakra in your feet, stick to the trunk, and climb upward. This is a technique Ryusuke taught us."

"My father said this is a technique not even taught at the Ninja Academy."

"S-So amazing."

Hinata was even more astonished, and she admired Ryusuke even more.

Then, she nodded. "Mm... I want to try too."

Raising her index and middle fingers, Hinata formed a hand sign and mobilized her Chakra, gathering it in her feet.

Then, she stepped toward the tree.

A sight that dealt a heavy blow to Ino's heart and inflicted massive damage on her slowly unfolded.

On her very first attempt at climbing a tree with her feet, Hinata walked across the trunk as if on level ground, just like Sakura.

Very quickly, Hinata reached the spot where Ino had just been standing.

On her first attempt alone, Hinata reached the top of the tree.

Even Sakura had needed several attempts before reaching the top.

"S-So amazing."

This time, it was Sakura and the emotionally conflicted Ino's turn to marvel.

Ryusuke, however, was not surprised in the slightest.

Among the Four Golden Flowers, the most talented was not Sakura, but Hinata.

Not to mention that among the four girls, only Hinata possessed a Kekkei Genkai.

Born into the Hyuga Clan, Hinata had practiced the Pressure Point Fist since childhood, a Gentle Fist technique that injected Chakra into the body's acupoints.

Like climbing trees with one's feet, this technique was also Chakra Control.

Having practiced the Pressure Point Fist since childhood, Hinata's foundation was much better than Sakura's.

In the original Shippuden, she had also mastered Medical Ninjutsu and Barrier Technique.

During the Three-Tails Incident, Shizune, Sakura, Hinata, and Ino formed a Sealing Squad. Ino was the only one holding them back.

Before Sakura became Tsunade's disciple, Hinata was likewise the strongest among the Four Golden Flowers.

If not for her personality, Hinata could definitely have become one of the academy's most prominent figures.

Even so, she was currently among the top five in her grade.

Watching the three girls master tree climbing in their first year, Ryusuke was sincerely happy for them, but he also finally began his own plan.

Looking at Hinata and the other two girls, he smiled. "Since you've all learned how to climb trees, I'll teach you the Body Flicker Technique next. We can also practice combat techniques together."

"Sure, sure..."

Ino immediately raised her hand and cheered. "Body Flicker Technique—I wanted to ask you about it yesterday, Ryusuke."

"Mm-hm..."

Sakura agreed, "The way you defeated Sasuke yesterday was really cool."

Hinata nodded in agreement as well.

Judging from their reactions, all three girls seemed to have overlooked the mention of combat techniques.

That was exactly what Ryusuke wanted to see.

What they viewed as the incidental combat techniques were actually Ryusuke's true objective.

Because he wanted to conduct an experiment with Hinata and the other two girls!

As long as one item dropped from them, Ryusuke would be able to determine whether the "items" dropped by defeated enemies were completely lost or merely "copies."

If they were not completely lost, Ryusuke would not have to worry that after defeating someone, their Kekkei Genkai might suddenly drop, only for them to discover they had lost it and suspect Ryusuke possessed the ability to take away Kekkei Genkai.

That way, Ryusuke could act without restraint.