Welcome Luncheon

Meanwhile, at the Ninja Academy graduation exam.

I can definitely do this! Just watch! Naruto Uzumaki formed a hand seal and drew out a huge amount of chakra in one breath. "Clone Technique!"

'Poof!'

"Failed!" After taking one look at the thing Naruto had produced that could supposedly be called a clone, Iruka unhesitatingly marked him down as failed.

"Iruka-sensei." Mizuki, who was proctoring the exam beside him, spoke up to plead for Naruto. "This is already his third attempt, and he did make a clone. Just let him pass..."

A flicker of hope appeared in Naruto's eyes as he looked at Iruka.

Unfortunately, Iruka merely shook his head and rejected Mizuki's suggestion. "Mizuki-sensei, how could that be acceptable? Everyone else makes three clones, but Naruto only made one... and it looks like that, completely useless!" After speaking, Iruka shook his head again. "He can't pass."

Leaving aside the Ninja Academy graduation exam, after bidding Anko farewell, Yuun returned to the Hyuga household, where Hiashi had already prepared a welcoming banquet for him.

Since there was still some time before noon and the kitchen was still preparing the meal, Yuun followed a servant to the study.

"Lord Hiashi." Seeing Hiashi already waiting in the study, Yuun greeted him.

"Yuun, you're back early," Hiashi said with a smile.

"I have something I need to ask Lord Hiashi about." Yuun sat down before Hiashi and recounted, in full detail, how the Third Hokage had asked him to lead a team.

"It's not a major issue." Hiashi pondered for a moment. "Shibi Aburame is an outstanding clan head. Having served under him, you know his ways well enough. As for the Inuzuka clan, although they are somewhat closer to the Hokage's side, that doesn't matter. Finally, this is a good chance for you to develop your relationship with Hinata Hyuga. Once she graduates, the two of you can get engaged first."

"So soon?" Yuun hesitated. He did not particularly mind, since it was only an engagement, but whether Hinata would be willing was another matter.

"It's only an engagement, not some great affair." Hiashi waved his hand, signaling Yuun not to argue further. "As for marriage, wait a few more years. I've made the decision. There is no room for discussion."

"Yes." Faced with Hiashi's deliberately overbearing stance, Yuun could only nod helplessly.

"Oh, there is one more matter." Hiashi turned and took the Hyuga Secret Scroll from the bookshelf behind him. "You have already cultivated the Gentle Fist Aura, which means you are qualified to leave your own contribution within it. Congratulations. In the past thirty years, you are the first clansman to record your insights in the secret scroll."

"This..." Yuun hesitated. It was not that he feared others learning his cultivation insights and surpassing him. The Aura of the Gentle Fist was ultimately a reflection of one's mastery of the Gentle Fist. If the skill was lacking, then even if the entire cultivation process were written out in full, those incapable of learning it would still remain incapable. Besides, such records were not absent from the secret scroll. One more entry from Yuun would not make much difference. "I've only just cultivated the Aura. Is it really appropriate to leave a record so soon?"

"That does not matter. Whenever you feel the time is right, just write your insights into it." Hiashi directly tossed the secret scroll to Yuun. "I'll leave it to you."

"This..." Yuun froze after catching the secret scroll, then hurriedly placed it before Hiashi. "Lord Hiashi, it would be better for you to safeguard it. I truly do not have much confidence in my ability to protect it."

"What are you worried about?" Hiashi pushed the secret scroll back toward Yuun. "This is merely a copy. The original will not be handed to you until you come of age. As for leaks, there is even less reason to worry. Do you think no one has ever set their sights on the secret scroll? To tell you the truth, aside from our clan's Byakugan, which can read it directly, other ninja would only see an incomprehensible book without words."

"Then I'm relieved." Yuun let out a breath and opened the secret scroll in front of Hiashi, beginning to read. When he had looked through it before, his level had not even matched Hiashi's, so naturally he had been unable to discern much. But now, he had surpassed Hiashi and become the strongest of the Hyuga clan. Like the ancestors who had written the secret scroll, he had cultivated the Gentle Fist Aura. Reading it again naturally felt entirely different.

Seeing Yuun absorbed in the scroll, Hiashi had no intention of disturbing him. He turned and left the study, closing the door behind him so Yuun could examine it at his leisure. Knowing that Yuun had cultivated the Aura, it would be impossible to say Hiashi felt no envy. After all, the Hyuga clan had not produced a ninja with the Gentle Fist Aura for generations. Who could have imagined that the first to achieve it would be a young man not yet twenty?

However, Hiashi did not develop much negative emotion because of it. On one hand, he had served as clan head for over a decade, and his self-restraint and composure were both solid. On the other, he knew that cultivating an Aura depended half on talent and half on luck, and he seemed to possess neither advantage.

Most importantly, cultivating the Gentle Fist required a calm and peaceful mind. Excessive emotional fluctuations and overly intense feelings would both affect one's use of the Gentle Fist. In fact, the Hyuga clansmen were generally well-mannered for precisely this reason.

Immersed in the insights of the Hyuga ancestors, Yuun failed to notice how quickly time passed. Only when a servant came to invite him to the dining hall did he realize it was already noon.

"Sorry, I'm late." Upon entering the dining hall, Yuun saw that Hiashi seemed to be saying something to Hinata, so he could only speak up to announce himself.

"Heh heh, you should indeed be punished." Hiashi pointed to a seat that was almost pushed together with Hinata's table. "But not now. Sit there."

Glancing at Hinata, who had lowered her head with her face entirely red, Yuun awkwardly sat down beside her. He wanted to say something, but did not know how to begin. Under normal circumstances, a twelve-year-old girl would still understand nothing, but ninja matured early. Moreover, a close female servant had surely explained certain matters to Hinata, so it was only natural for her to feel shy around Yuun now.

"Now that everyone is here, let's eat." Looking at the still-stiff Yuun and Hinata, Hiashi felt somewhat troubled as well. He wanted them to relax, but his status made it inconvenient to say so directly. He could only speak indirectly. "We are all family here today, so just relax."

Yuun was fine. As a man, he was naturally a little thicker-skinned. He was merely curious why Hiashi seemed so eager to shove Hinata at him. He was not some idiotic harem protagonist. Hinata, however, was not doing so well. Her face had already been flushed red, but upon hearing Hiashi call them family, her little red cheeks became so hot they practically seemed ready to burn.

The welcoming banquet thus ended in an odd atmosphere. Just when Hinata thought the day's events were over, one sentence from Hiashi nearly made her faint on the spot...