Hinata: This Dream Was Far Too Bold

The next instant, the panel lit up:

[Dream Master System upgrade successful!]

[Please choose one of the following enhancement effects:]

[1. Dream target limit +1]

[2. Dream Instance Expansion Pack Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!!]

[3. All store items permanently 5% off]

Shigure's gaze swiftly swept across the three options.

"Target limit +1, expansion pack, store discount..."

He murmured as he quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

When he saw the second option, Shigure could not help rolling his eyes and immediately mocked, "What the hell is Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!!?! I'm in the Naruto world—who would pick that?!"

He could even picture Naruto running through the streets clutching a Cyclone Magnum, and his face darkened with disbelief.

Obviously, that one was an instant pass.

Then there was the third option: a 5% discount on store items.

The discount sounded tempting, but after weighing it up, Shigure felt it was far less worthwhile than increasing the number of Dream targets.

Thus, Shigure selected option one without hesitation.

[Enhancement effect "Dream target limit +1" selected successfully! Dream Master System upgraded to Level 2!]

Along with the system prompt, Shigure's panel data updated accordingly:

[Current Dream Level: Level 2 (100450/200000)]

[Dream Target Limit: 2]

[Viewer Count: 3]

[Dream Instance Limit: 1]

[Current Dream Instance: Undying Flash]

"Level 2!"

Shigure looked at the number behind "Dream Target Limit," now changed to 2, and felt a surge of satisfaction.

He carefully studied the new function again. "I can bind two Dream targets at once, but only one of them can enter a dream each night... In other words, I can now choose one of two people to be the protagonist every day."

Shigure nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. More choices now."

"Who should the second Dream target be?"

Shigure's eyes shifted, and a smile soon appeared on his face.

"It has to be Second Pillar."

It was not as though Shigure had not considered other potential targets.

There were actually quite a few major sources of emotional value in Konoha Village, such as Danzo and Kakashi.

But he had tried back when the system was Level 1 and discovered that his authority simply was not enough to pull them in.

Even now that he had reached Level 2, he still could not arrange for Danzo or Kakashi to enter a dream.

At most, they could serve as viewers in a role similar to "relatives."

So all things considered, Sasuke was the only suitable new target.

"Besides, Second Pillar isn't bad either!" Shigure's lips curled upward as he cracked his knuckles. "Naruto's emotional value was enough to get me to Level 2. If I throw Second Pillar into the Uchiha family home in the Undying Flash instance this time... how much emotional value can I harvest?"

Sasuke had once been a young master with a complete family.

Having witnessed the tragic deaths of his closest loved ones with his own eyes, his longing for home and pain could not possibly compare to Naruto's, who had never experienced familial love.

The intense emotions of regaining what had been lost were surely deeper than those of never having possessed it at all.

If Sasuke got to experience the happiness of being reunited with his family in a dream...

Shigure could almost foresee it. That kid's emotional fluctuations definitely would not be any weaker than Naruto's—perhaps they would be even greater.

Uchiha Clan District ruins.

The sky had not fully brightened yet, and only a pale strip of dawn had appeared on the eastern horizon.

Before the dilapidated Uchiha residence, the young Sasuke had spent the entire night training relentlessly in the empty courtyard.

Holding a kunai in one hand, he repeatedly thrust and slashed at imaginary enemies.

Sweat ran down his face from his forehead, yet Sasuke seemed utterly unaware of it. Hatred burned in his eyes.

To him, as long as it made him stronger, pain and exhaustion meant nothing.

Kill that man!

He would never waver from that conviction.

The night had been long, but Sasuke Uchiha had forced himself to stay awake through sheer obsession.

He trained without stopping so that he would not be tempted by that false dream.

Only when the eastern sky turned pale and the first ray of morning sunlight broke through the darkness and fell upon his face did Sasuke finally stop, gasping heavily.

"Whew... It's morning."

Sasuke watched the slowly rising sun, and his taut nerves finally relaxed slightly.

"The night is over... I didn't fall into that strange dream again!"

He slowly turned and glanced at the empty, ruined Uchiha residence behind him.

The dawn light stretched his shadow across the dust-covered ground.

Sasuke put away his kunai and briefly loosened up his muscles.

Though he had not slept all night, he had no intention of resting. He merely splashed some water on his face before heading toward the village.

The Uchiha ruins were still some distance from the center of the village. If he left now, the timing would be just right.

Konoha Village, Hyuga Residence.

Soft sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the room, casting mottled patches of light over the tatami mats.

Hinata Hyuga lay in her small bed. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly before she finally slowly woke.

She opened her hazy eyes and stared blankly at the familiar ceiling beams for a while. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she abruptly sat up.

"En-engagement?!"

Hinata let out a soft cry, her pretty face instantly burning red as the scenes from last night's dream flooded into her mind like a tidal wave.

She covered her heated cheeks with both hands, flustered and embarrassed, wishing she could crawl back under the blankets and hide. "How could I dream of... getting engaged to Naruto-kun... H-how could I have such a dream?!"

Hinata was mortified. That dream had been far too... far too bold.

She had actually... dreamed of giving Naruto-kun a gift, and even dreamed that her father wanted to arrange her engagement to Naruto-kun?

As she recalled the details of the dream, she hugged her blanket tightly and rolled around on the bed, so embarrassed that she had no idea what to do.

After tossing and turning in regret for quite a while, Hinata's little head gradually calmed down.

No... those things from last night didn't seem to be my dream?

Recalling the bizarre experience in the dream, she murmured in confusion, "Last night... last night, it seemed like Naruto-kun was dreaming, and I... I watched Naruto-kun's dream?"

Hinata lightly furrowed her brows, unable to tell whether everything from last night had been her own dream or whether she had dreamed of being inside Naruto's dream.

Many of the feelings in that dream had been far too real, especially that strange dark space, the enormous screen, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei watching the "movie" with her...

Those were not things she would normally dream about.

"Right, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei!"

Hinata suddenly remembered that Sakura and Kakashi-sensei had indeed appeared beside her in that strange viewing area last night.

They had also been surprised by her sudden appearance. Sakura had even thoughtfully explained that they were watching Naruto's dream...

As Hinata recalled every detail from the dream, her delicate brows could not help drawing together.

If that had not been an ordinary dream, but some event that had truly happened, then Sakura and Kakashi-sensei would definitely remember it too.

Perhaps she could go ask them about what happened last night?

After all, the two of them surely understood what was going on better than she did.

With that thought, Hinata scrambled out of bed.

No longer caring about her embarrassment, she quickly changed clothes, lowered her head, pushed open the door, and ran outside.