Cloud Village Ninja

It was only after this damn day-after-day of training that Hyuga Ning and Hyuga Yuki suddenly realized their child was only three years old.

Was the intensity a bit too extreme? At the same time, they realized their child was indeed incredibly gifted.

So, the two of them hit it off immediately, deciding to take a few days off to take their child out for some fun.

"Alright, that's enough training for today." Hyuga Ning clapped his hands together, interrupting Ning Xue's practice.

"Oh, okay, Father." Ning Xue responded flatly.

But seeing his son act so nonchalant, Ning felt an inexplicable fire rise up for no reason.

Unable to help himself, he reached out and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Come on, why is a kid acting so gloomy? Give me a smile!" As he spoke, his hand moved toward the boy's face.

The couple had actually realized long ago that their child seemed a bit too mature; he didn't like to smile or talk. At first, they thought it was because he was being discriminated against by some children in the clan due to his hair color.

But later, they discovered that the child simply didn't like to smile. He lacked the liveliness of a child and was mature in a way they couldn't quite put into words. Sometimes, when the couple was in the next room, they could vaguely hear him muttering things like, "Amaterasu?" They had no idea what that was.

(In reality, Ning Xue had often heard his best friend say it, and he felt it sounded incredibly cool, so he would secretly mutter it a few times.)

Furthermore, they noticed he was abnormally resistant to certain things, such as fish and seafood. Once, when they tried to force-feed him fish, he vomited for a long time.

The couple was quite puzzled. Logically, they both liked eating it, so Ning Xue shouldn't have been unable to stomach it, right?

The recollection ended here.

Seeing this, Ning Xue could only manage to force a smile.

Seeing Ning Xue smile, Ning stood up, put his hands on his hips, and said to him.

"That's more like it. Kids should smile more. Don't train for the next few days; our family is going out to have some fun and grab a meal. Besides, the city is quite lively right now, and a lot of outsiders have come in."

Ning Xue was a bit surprised, but he agreed and asked.

"Alright, where are we going?"

Hearing the question about where to go, Hyuga Ning thought for a moment before deciding.

"Hmm... let's go to Konoha Plaza first, then to the Hokage Rock platform, and then to the... Yakiniku restaurant? How does that sound?"

"I have no objections."

Hyuga Ning's large hand rubbed Ning Xue's hair, leaving his originally smooth white hair looking a bit messy. Ning Xue helplessly let his father do as he pleased, the forced smile on his face becoming a bit more natural.

"Good, it's settled then!" Hyuga Ning stood up in high spirits and shouted toward the house, "Yuki, get ready, we're heading out!"

Shortly after, the family of three walked out of the Hyuga compound. This was the first time since Ning Xue had transmigrated that he was observing this ninja village called Konoha in such a relaxed state.

It wasn't that he hadn't been out before, but he was simply a homebody, and when he was younger, he had always been carried.

Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, and the streets were bustling with people. Ninjas in green flak jackets walked by in a hurry, and there were plenty of civilians and merchants, all filled with the vitality of daily life.

Ning Xue's white eyes curiously scanned his surroundings.

They first arrived at the lively Konoha Plaza.

The Hokage Rock statues stood majestically in the center. Ning Xue tilted his head back, looking at the faces from the First to the Fourth.

He couldn't help but linger on the face of Minato Namikaze. Was this the "Minato Namikaze without a shred of masculine energy" that his friend had always rambled about?

"Look, those are the past Hokage," Hyuga Ning introduced from the side, his tone filled with respect.

Ning Xue nodded, though his mind was on something entirely different. This must be the guy who gets nerfed by plot armor, right? His gaze shifted to the right. The God of Land Warfare, the Third Hokage? My friend never played with him.

Next, they followed the mountain path up to the platform above the Hokage Rock.

Looking down from here, the entire village of Konoha was laid out before them. Endless buildings, massive training grounds, the forest in the distance, and the rock walls further out... This was a real, living world.

A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the fresh scent of the distant forest.

Hyuga Yuki held his hand gently, pointing out some of the landmark buildings, while Hyuga Ning stood behind them with a rare, relaxed smile on his face.

It looked much larger here than it did on a game interface.

Finally, when it was time for dinner, Hyuga Ning waved his hand.

"Let's go! Time for yakiniku!"

The Yakiniku Q restaurant was packed with people, and the rich aroma of grilled meat instantly captivated everyone's senses.

They found a seat, and Hyuga Ning skillfully ordered plenty of meat and vegetables.

When the grill heated up and the fat dripped down with a tempting "sizzle," Ning Xue's eyes brightened slightly. As a homebody in his previous life, yakiniku was one of the best ways to reward himself.

"Come on, Ning Xue, try this. Grilled pork belly is best with this sauce." Hyuga Ning used his chopsticks to place a piece of charred, fragrant meat onto Ning Xue's plate.

Hyuga Yuki carefully helped him blow on it to cool it down, saying softly.

"Be careful, it's hot."

Ning Xue mimicked his parents, wrapping the meat in a lettuce leaf, dipping it in a bit of sauce, and taking a cautious bite.

In an instant, the richness of the meat juices, the salty-sweetness of the sauce, and the crispness of the lettuce exploded in his mouth—a simple yet ultimate taste of happiness.

"Is it good?" Hyuga Ning asked expectantly.

With his mouth stuffed full, Ning Xue nodded vigorously, this time revealing a genuine, satisfied smile that belonged to a three-year-old child.

"Mmm! Delicious!"

Seeing his son finally reveal a smile befitting his age, Hyuga Ning and Ning Xue exchanged a glance, the weight in their hearts lifting slightly; at the very least, their child seemed normal enough.

Just then, the curtain of the barbecue restaurant was lifted, and several muscular, dark-skinned ninjas wearing the distinctive attire of the Cloud Village walked in.

They chatted and laughed loudly, their booming voices clashing with the other Konoha residents in the shop, instantly drawing Ning Xue's attention.

"Those are ninjas from the Cloud Village," Hyuga Ning explained in a lowered voice. "They are here to conduct peace negotiations with the village."

But Ning Xue knew nothing of any Cloud Village; he only understood that these were outsiders here to negotiate.

(If you were talking about the Land of Water, he would certainly know it, but the Cloud Village? Sorry, he really wasn't familiar with them.)

He secretly sized the men up, unable to help but marvel that they were truly prime candidates for picking cotton.