The Actor's Self-Cultivation

On the other side.

Uzuki Yugao, locked in a fierce exchange, saw that Uchiha Izumi made no move to stop them and allowed Sasuke to be carried off. She spoke up, "Aren't you afraid they'll kidnap the second young master of your clan?"

With the "dead weight" of Sasuke gone, Uchiha Izumi shifted from passive defense to active offense, retorting proudly, "No disguise can escape my eyes. Sasuke's status is special; the people of the Hyuga clan would never dare lay a hand on him."

"Oh?" Yugao slashed out with her blade, raising an eyebrow. "You trust the Hyuga clan that much?"

"Of course." Uchiha Izumi's voice rang out without hesitation. Yugao had expected her to say something about trusting the Hyuga, or perhaps that she had recognized Hyuga Hizashi, or even guessed they were the examiners.

Instead, while launching a sudden counterattack, Izumi stated as if it were a matter of course, "Because the Hyuga clan cannot afford the wrath of our Uchiha clan!"

Yo, she's quite arrogant. Truly an Uchiha... Yugao raised an eyebrow, but she couldn't suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Taking advantage of a lull in the combat, she glanced toward Hyuga Hizashi and Hyuga Natsu, clearly wanting to see her teacher and teammate's reaction to the jab.

"..." Not far away, Hyuga Natsu felt a bit awkward upon hearing this.

Hyuga Hizashi, however, chuckled. "The little girl is quite proud, and she has quite the temper."

As the head of the Hyuga Branch Family who had seen it all, he was naturally not going to be provoked by a young girl's words, nor would he make a mountain out of a molehill over a single sentence. After all, she was a genius; pride was expected. It would be more concerning if she lacked it.

Besides, the other party was an Uchiha... well, that was understandable.

"Eh?" Hyuga Natsu looked puzzled.

Hizashi explained with a straight face, "She likely guessed our identities, so she's been attacking us at every turn out of resentment for startling Master Sasuke."

As he spoke, he glanced at Sasuke.

Ah, what resentment? That was just me accidentally blurting out the truth... Sensing the gaze, Sasuke, who had immediately switched to a nervous expression, muttered inwardly.

Once Hizashi looked away, Sasuke turned his attention back to the two young women.

Well, he had to admit.

Hyuga Natsu, with her black kimono lining and maid outfit, looked obedient, quiet, and dignified, while Uchiha Izumi, who wore bright red lipstick despite her young age, possessed a cold yet subtly wild aura. These two girls with such contrasting styles provided him with quite the visual treat.

Five minutes passed quickly.

Hizashi's voice rang out: "Alright, stop there, Yugao."

Clang! The final sound of blades clashing echoed. Both of them used the force of the recoil to leap backward, ending their offensive.

Clearly, the Hizashi Squad had underestimated Uchiha Izumi at the start.

So much for lasting five minutes; she hadn't even used a single ninjutsu, holding her own against Yugao with swordsmanship alone.

While a large part of that was due to Yugao being cautious of the Sharingan, which left her somewhat restricted and unable to display her full strength, that was no excuse. After all, a Bloodline Limit was also a manifestation of one's strength.

Yugao stepped forward and smiled. "Congratulations, Uchiha Izumi. You've passed our assessment."

"At the same time, I apologize for my recklessness earlier." She bowed slightly. "I'm sorry."

Uchiha Izumi was stunned. This Uzuki Yugao isn't the type of person who's hard to get along with, she thought, then feigned surprise. "Eh? Wasn't that part of the assessment?"

"The vigilance test, protecting the mission objective, identifying friend from foe, and the final live combat—did I misunderstand?"

"Pfft~" Watching her adorable, serious expression as she counted on her fingers, Yugao pursed her lips and smiled. She couldn't help but think that this Uchiha Izumi wasn't the type of arrogant Uchiha who looked down on everyone.

She smiled and extended a hand. "We'll be teammates from now on, so let's get to know each other. I'm Uzuki Yugao, a senior two years above you, and I specialize in Konoha-Style Swordsmanship."

"Yes!" Uchiha Izumi reached out, introducing herself. "I'm Uchiha Izumi. I specialize in Fire Style, Uchiha Swordsmanship, and Sharingan Genjutsu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior Yugao."

"Please look after me in the days to come, Senior Yugao."

She really is proficient in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu... Yugao felt a stir in her heart and smiled. "Right, we're comrades now. Let's exchange swordsmanship pointers when we have time."

"Yes!" Uchiha Izumi nodded firmly, smiling. "Okay!"

"Very good." Watching the two of them warm up to each other, Hyuga Hizashi smiled. "It seems you both have a certain understanding of one another. This is a good start."

He reached out toward Uchiha Izumi. "I am Hyuga Hizashi, your instructor. I specialize in the Hyuga Gentle Fist. Welcome to our ninja squad."

"Hyuga... Hizashi?!! Ah~" Uchiha Izumi covered her mouth in feigned surprise, then, acting as if she had just realized it, hurriedly extended both hands. "I never expected my instructor to be you, Lord Hizashi. It is a great honor."

She's quite the little actress herself!

As ninjas, they had already mastered "disguise," a fundamental skill of the trade.

Yugao and Natsu exchanged a smile, recalling how they, too, had been overjoyed when they first learned Hizashi was their instructor. They hadn't expected Uchiha Izumi, from a great clan, to be no exception.

She had just been spouting off about how the Hyuga couldn't afford the Uchiha's wrath, never imagining that one of them was Hizashi, the head of the Hyuga Branch Family.

At this moment, Hyuga Natsu stepped forward with a sweet, endearing smile and extended her hand. "Hello, Izumi. I'm Hyuga Natsu. Um... I'm barely proficient in the Gentle Fist, I suppose."

"Because my strength isn't high, I'm mainly responsible for reconnaissance in the squad."

"I saw your strength, and I'm very happy you've joined us. I'll have to rely on you and Yugao for the assault missions in the future."

She seemed a bit embarrassed when speaking of her own strength, but her eyes shone with a hint of admiration when talking about Izumi's. Finally, she clasped her hands together in a "please take care of me" gesture.

Every support ninja has the heart of a damage dealer; clearly, this maid-like girl, Hyuga Natsu, was no different.

"Yes!" Uchiha Izumi reached out and nodded firmly. "Please rest assured, Senior Natsu, I will do my best."

"Also, please don't sell yourself short!"

"The Byakugan's reconnaissance ability is peerless in the ninja world. It doesn't just allow us to anticipate the enemy; it increases our mission success rate and bolsters the squad's survival."

"Having someone like Natsu-senpai around really puts a rookie like me, fresh out of the academy, at ease."

"I suspect it must be the painstaking efforts of Hizashi-sensei, always filling in the gaps during reconnaissance missions, that has led you to misjudge your own capabilities and importance, Natsu-senpai."

"Believe me, Natsu-senpai, no matter how mediocre one might think they are, no ninja squad in Konoha would ever turn away a member of the Hyuga clan. You absolutely must have more confidence in yourself!"

"Eh?" Hearing Uchiha Izumi's words, Hyuga Natsu covered her mouth in astonishment, thinking to herself, Am I really that important?

My presence is actually enough to put someone at ease?

Is it truly because of Hizashi-sensei's thoughtful guidance that I've misjudged my own abilities and importance?

As a member of the Hyuga clan, can I really be that confident?

A few sentences left her feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and her favorability toward Uchiha Izumi skyrocketed.

Even Hyuga Hizashi and Uzuki Yugao were left looking completely shocked and dazed.

Good heavens, could words like these really come from an Uchiha?