Hinata's Smile

This explosive news spread like wildfire, faster than—speak of the devil, and he appears.

Jin and Naruto had eaten until they could not swallow another bite. Naruto was the first to collapse. Then Jin smiled. "Haha, looks like Naruto isn't all that impressive!" After saying that, he collapsed too.

Just then, Hiashi Hyuga rushed in, drenched in sweat, and shouted, "What happened?"

Itachi said, "Lord Hiashi, I think they ate too much and overstuffed themselves. We need to take them to the hospital immediately."

Hearing this, Hiashi Hyuga's already trembling heart shook even harder. This can't be happening. I invited them to a meal—if I stuff an Uchiha Clan child to death, what will happen to the clan? It's over, it's over! Why is the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki here too? This is serious. "Itachi, hurry and carry Naruto to the hospital!" By then, he had already scooped up Jin and Hinata and rushed away. Itachi looked at Naruto, then at Sasuke. Helplessly, he tucked one under each arm and ran for the hospital. There was no choice—he was still too small.

A voice called out from behind them, "Lord Hiashi, you haven't paid yet!"

The onlookers immediately erupted.

Passerby A said, "So it really is true! The Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan are forming a marriage alliance."

Passerby B said, "Yeah, looks like the reliable news really was reliable! The look of panic on Lord Hiashi's face definitely wasn't an act. What a waste of the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter! How did that Uchiha Clan idiot and glutton get so damn lucky?"

Passerby C said, "I just can't figure it out. Let's go. I need to hurry home and tell my distant cousin. This news is worth a lot of money."

The crowd dispersed, and rumors sprang up everywhere. Several people chuckled darkly in some shadowy place.

The hospitalization of Uchiha Jin and Naruto Uzumaki was a major event, and all sides soon learned of it. Afterward, the various clans came to visit without prior arrangement.

Jin had been jostled awake by Hiashi Hyuga on the way there. When he opened his eyes and saw Hinata looking at him, he winked at her before continuing to play unconscious. Whenever people were around, Jin only displayed level-one strength—nine levels short of a level-ten genin. No matter how skilled an expert was, they could not discover his true strength.

The Third Hokage puffed away at his pipe. A seductive female medical ninja said, "Lord Hokage, smoking is prohibited in the hospital."

The Third Hokage smiled awkwardly. "Oh, all right."

Itachi asked, "Excuse me, is my younger brother in any danger?"

The seductive female medical ninja smiled. "Lord Itachi, please rest assured. Your younger brother has already woken up. He needs to stay here for a few days."

Uchiha Fuchiu said to the clan heads who had come to visit, "Thank you, everyone, for coming to see my son."

The Third Hokage said, "I heard the villagers saying that Uchiha Jin of the Uchiha Clan and Hinata Hyuga, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan, are engaged. Is that true?"

The heads of the various clans all looked toward the stunned Uchiha Fuchiu and Hiashi Hyuga. The two exchanged glances and saw the confusion in each other's eyes. Was this Lord Hokage's intention? Did he gather all these clan heads to confirm it? Or to pressure us? Our two clans are powerful, so it seems we have drawn much jealousy. If we join together, no one will be able to shake our foundations! The two of them nodded.

The Third Hokage's expression turned extremely ugly. Has it really come to this? Is Konoha going to be destroyed under my watch? Forget it. I'll watch how things develop. Maybe it isn't what I think. "Then congratulations to you both."

The heads of the other clans hurriedly offered their congratulations as well.

Uchiha Fuchiu quickly said, "Today is a joyous day. Please be sure to visit my humble home and witness this engagement."

Everyone hurriedly replied, "Of course, of course."

Jin lay on his bed, grinning wickedly at Naruto, who was lying in the bed across from him.

"Big Brother Jin, you're amazing!" Hinata said as she lay beside Jin.

"You don't know this, but I trained desperately just so I could defeat that glutton Naruto. I gave up several times because I was so stuffed I thought I would die. But today, my wish finally came true. Naruto is no longer my match," Jin said happily. I'm going to break every record in Naruto. This feels so good!

Hinata smiled faintly. "I'll have to work hard too."

Jin stroked her hair and said, "It would be even better if your hair were longer. It would feel nicer to touch. Hehe, just kidding! Have you started practicing taijutsu?"

The two began chatting, unaware that the outside world had already exploded.

The news that the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan had joined forces had been announced, and every corner of the Naruto world received it in succession. Forces everywhere began speculating about Konoha's move. Normally, only marriages within one's own clan could preserve the purity of bloodlines and make bloodline limits easier to awaken. No one knew what would happen if two different clans intermarried. Would a new bloodline limit be born? Would both bloodline limits perish at once? Or would only one remain? No one knew. All forces quietly watched and waited.

Half a year later, at the Uchiha Clan training ground.

"Jin, you're so stupid! You've been extracting chakra for half a year, and you still can't manage something this simple. I really should classify you as an idiot," Sasuke said from the side.

"Sasuke, he's your brother! Watch your words," Itachi said.

"I'm done. I'm not learning ninjutsu anymore. I'm going to learn taijutsu," Jin said impatiently.

"You want to practice taijutsu when you form hand seals so slowly? Won't you just get beaten to death?" Sasuke burst out laughing.

Without another word, Jin turned and left, heading for the Hyuga Clan. At that moment, his nine clones were busy in the Forest of Death.

"Hinata, I'm here! Keep it up," Jin said as he watched Hinata train hard. Then he went to play with ants nearby—no, he should have been practicing genjutsu.

After practicing for a while, Hinata was drenched in sweat. She came over to Jin and watched him play with the ants. "Why do you always play with ants? Are ants better than me?"

Jin staggered at once and stood up. "I'm not playing. I'm training. Who do you know that squats on the ground all day watching ants? You have to keep this secret. It's our shared secret. You're exhausted too, so relax a little. I'll teach you how to make ants fight."

A few minutes later.

"Hehe, I won, Big Brother Jin!" Hinata laughed, jumping up and down.

"All right, as we agreed, whoever wins gets to kiss the other person once. You won, so kiss me," Jin said. My genjutsu training wasn't for nothing!

"Muah! Let's play again!" Hinata said with a smile.

"Nothing would please me more! Hehe!" Jin was overjoyed.

Hiashi Hyuga watched the two children playing, and many feelings welled up in his heart. He smiled in relief before turning and leaving.

Jin glanced at the departing Hiashi Hyuga and secretly rejoiced. Hehe, sooner or later, I'll win your daughter over! My genjutsu is finally about to reach the highest level.

Hinata watched Hiashi Hyuga's receding figure, smiled faintly, and went back to making ants fight.