Late at night, Hyuga Xiao sat cross-legged on the tatami in the Branch House dormitory.
Moonlight streamed through the paper window onto his face, reflecting those pure white eyes that had quietly changed. Ever since his Byakugan purity had risen to 6%, the world in his eyes had become increasingly clear—the texture of the walls, the ants crawling through the courtyard, even the faint sound of a Branch House ninja turning over in sleep next door, all of it lay within his perception.
But at that moment, his attention was fully focused on the system interface floating in his mind.
[Destiny Points: 150] [Current Interception Progress: Hinata Hyuga (Trust: 65%, Obsession State)] [Bloodline Purity: Hyuga Byakugan 6%] [Caged Bird Seal Removal Progress: 0.1%]
"Still too slow," Xiao muttered soundlessly.
A removal rate of 0.1% meant the Caged Bird Seal was still like a sword hanging over his head. The Main House needed only a single thought to leave him brain-dead. The terror of having his life beyond his own control gnawed at his nerves day and night like a venomous snake.
Just then—
[Ding!] [New Fate Node detected]
The cold mechanical voice exploded in his mind, and Xiao's breathing stopped instantly.
[Target: Kurenai Yuhi (8 years old)] [Fate Node: In the Ninja Academy graduation examination three days from now, she would suffer a genjutsu casting error and be ridiculed by all her classmates, leaving behind severe psychological trauma. This would cause her genjutsu training to stagnate for the next three years.] [Interception Opportunity: Before or during the examination, alter this course of fate.] [Basic Reward: Illusion Talent Fragment ×1 (Collect three to synthesize the "Genjutsu Mastery" talent)] [Additional Reward: Depending on the extent of the alteration, 50–300 Destiny Points may be obtained.]
Xiao's pupils contracted slightly.
Kurenai Yuhi.
Of course he remembered that name—an Elite High Ninja of Leaf Village in the original story, a master of genjutsu, and Asuma's future wife. A woman who lost her father in the Third Shinobi World War, whose character was resilient, yet who still could not escape a tragic fate in the end.
But according to the system prompt, she was only eight this year.
"So that's how it is..." The corner of Xiao's mouth curled into a faint arc. "The system's so-called 'women of great fortune' aren't limited to the Hyuga Clan, nor are they restricted by age."
What did that mean?
It meant his path of growth had suddenly expanded from the narrow internal struggles of the Hyuga Clan to all of Leaf Village, the entire Shinobi World!
Those female ninjas who had important roles in the original story, yet ultimately suffered unfortunate fates—Tsunade, Mei Terumi, Konan, Samui... even Kaguya Otsutsuki—could theoretically all become targets for his interception!
Every successful interception meant increased bloodline purity, further removal of the Caged Bird Seal, and another step toward the Tenseigan and power at even greater heights!
"This is the system's true value." A burning light flashed through Xiao's eyes.
But his excitement lasted only a few seconds before cold reality extinguished it.
He was now a member of the Hyuga Branch House, a "caged bird" who theoretically needed to report even before leaving Leaf Village. How was he supposed to approach Kurenai Yuhi, an eight-year-old still attending the Ninja Academy?
More importantly, the graduation examination was only three days away.
He needed a reasonable identity, one that would allow him to appear openly at the Ninja Academy and even intervene in the examination process.
Xiao's gaze returned to the system interface.
[Shop (Temporarily Open)]
With a thought, the shop list unfolded in his mind. Most items were grayed out with "Insufficient Permissions," but several options at the top were lit up:
[Temporary Ninja Academy Assistant Qualification (One Day)]: 100 Destiny Points [Leaf Village Genin Standard Equipment Set]: 30 Destiny Points [Basic Ninjutsu Scroll (Detailed Explanation of the Three Body Technique)]: 50 Destiny Points [Chakra Refinement Efficiency Potion (Beginner)]: 200 Destiny Points
"Assistant qualification." Xiao stared at that option.
One hundred Destiny Points was nearly two-thirds of his current savings. But this was currently his only chance to approach Kurenai Yuhi reasonably.
"Exchange."
[Ding! 100 Destiny Points consumed. Exchanged for "Temporary Ninja Academy Assistant Qualification (One Day)." The item has been issued to the system space. Upon use, a temporary record will be generated in Leaf Village's archives. Valid for 24 hours.] [Remaining Destiny Points: 50]
Xiao did not hesitate and immediately chose to use it.
The next instant, he felt a weak stream of information pour into his mind—that was the implanted false memory of "Hyuga Xiao being temporarily assigned to the Ninja Academy to assist in maintaining order during the graduation examination." The implantation was very shallow and would not alter anyone's deep cognition, but it was enough to pass routine inspection.
"Next, I need to understand Kurenai Yuhi's current situation."
Xiao stood and walked to the bookshelf in the corner of the room. Some old ninja tools and scrolls were piled there, while a copy of the <Leaf Ninja Academy Yearbook (Leaf Village Year 47 Edition)> lay pressed beneath them on the lowest shelf.
He had dug it out of a pile of discarded items in the Branch House warehouse. He had only kept it casually at the time, never expecting it to come in handy now.
Opening the yellowed yearbook, Xiao's finger stopped on the page for the "Genjutsu Specialty Class."
[Kurenai Yuhi, female, 8 years old] [Father: Shinku Yuhi (Elite Ninja, killed in the Third Shinobi World War in Leaf Village Year 46)] [Genjutsu Talent Rating: A (Theory), B- (Practical)] [Remarks: Due to her father's death in battle, she is introverted and poor at communicating with others. Her genjutsu theory is solid, but in actual combat, nervousness easily causes chakra control errors.]
Xiao's gaze lingered on the words "father killed in battle" for a moment.
A war orphan.
There were far too many children like that in Leaf Village. Without their parents' protection, they either rose above the brutal competition or became mediocre Genin, eventually turning into cannon fodder on the battlefield.
Kurenai Yuhi belonged to the former—she became an Elite High Ninja in the original story. But the system's mention of "psychological trauma causing three years of stagnation" showed that her growth had not been smooth sailing.
"A genjutsu error... ridicule..."
Xiao closed the yearbook, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
He knew that feeling all too well—in the Hyuga Branch House, children with mediocre talent were viewed as "scraps" by the Main House, excluded by their peers, and ignored by instructors. Those contemptuous looks everywhere were enough to destroy a person's confidence.
The difference was that he had the system, memories of another life, and the ambition to break fate.
And eight-year-old Kurenai Yuhi had nothing.
"So, what should I do?"
Xiao sat back down on the tatami and began to work it out.
Should he directly approach Kurenai and tell her, "You'll make a mistake during the examination"?
No. Leaving aside whether an eight-year-old would believe him, explaining the source of that information would be a major problem. More likely, such a prophecy would only increase her mental burden and cause the mistake to happen sooner.
Should he secretly interfere with the examination and make her genjutsu "accidentally" succeed?
The risk was too high. Elite Ninjas supervised the Ninja Academy's examinations, and no chakra fluctuation could escape their senses. If he were discovered, a Branch House member interfering with the Main House's educational system would bring unimaginable consequences.
That left only one path—
Before the examination began, improve Kurenai Yuhi's control over genjutsu and let her pass through her own strength.
"But there are only three days." Xiao frowned.
For an eight-year-old child, breaking through a bottleneck within three days was nearly impossible. Unless...
His gaze fell on the 50 remaining Destiny Points in the system shop.
[Basic Genjutsu Insights (One-Time Infusion)]: 45 Destiny Points [Chakra Stabilization Potion (Beginner)]: 40 Destiny Points
Two options.
The former could directly improve Kurenai's understanding of genjutsu, but force-feeding knowledge into an eight-year-old's mind would place a heavy burden on her spirit and might backfire.
The latter could stabilize her chakra control. It treated the symptoms rather than the root cause, but at least it could ensure she would not lose control from nervousness during the examination.
"Exchange the Chakra Stabilization Potion."
[Ding! 40 Destiny Points consumed. Exchanged for "Chakra Stabilization Potion (Beginner)." The item has been issued to the system space.] [Remaining Destiny Points: 10]
A thumb-sized glass vial appeared in the system space, filled with a pale blue transparent liquid.
Next came the question of how to get the potion into Kurenai's hands and make her drink it.
Xiao looked out the window.
The night was deep, and there were still three hours until dawn.
Enough.
At four in the morning, in the residential district behind the Leaf Village Ninja Academy.
Xiao's figure moved between rooftops like a ghost. His 6% purity Byakugan glimmered faintly in the darkness, making the flow of chakra throughout his field of vision crystal clear—the patrolling ANBU, the breathing rhythms of sleeping residents, even the tracks of rats crawling through underground tunnels, none could hide from him.
This was the initial manifestation of the Byakugan's penetrating vision.
He was still far from seeing through the body's chakra pathways or discerning changes in chakra nature, but for infiltrating at night, it was more than sufficient.
Kurenai Yuhi's home was easy to find—a standalone cottage with a "Yuhi" nameplate at the entrance and several red maple trees in the yard that had already begun to wither.
There were no barriers, no traps.
The orphan of an Elite Ninja killed in battle could only receive the protection of the village's overall security patrols. As for whether someone was secretly watching this child's talent, whether someone wanted to control her before she grew up...
A chill flashed through Xiao's eyes.
He knew Leaf Village's upper ranks all too well. Danzo's Root loved taking in war orphans with no one to rely on, brainwashing them with slogans of "for Leaf Village," and raising them into tools that obeyed only him.
The fact that Kurenai Yuhi would become a regular Elite Ninja rather than a Root member was probably already a stroke of luck.
Landing silently beneath the maple tree in the courtyard, Xiao took out the pale blue potion and a note he had prepared long ago.
The note contained only one sentence:
"Drink this before the examination. It will stabilize your chakra. Do not ask where it came from, and do not tell anyone. —Someone who does not want to see you ridiculed"
There was no signature, and the handwriting was crooked, written with his left hand.
Wrapping the potion and note in oil paper, Xiao turned his gaze toward the second-floor window.
His Byakugan vision pierced the walls, revealing the sleeping little girl in the room—her dark red hair scattered across her pillow, her brows faintly furrowed even in sleep, an old rabbit doll clutched in her arms.
There was a photo frame on the bedside table. Inside was a picture of Shinku Yuhi holding a young Kurenai. The man in the photo wore a gentle smile, while the girl's eyes sparkled brightly.
Xiao fell silent for a moment.
For an instant, he seemed to see another version of himself from another world—the "original owner," who had struggled under the exclusion of the Hyuga Branch House and eventually died an unremarkable death on some mission.
But the next second, that weak sympathy was crushed.
"Pity can't change anything," Xiao muttered silently. "Only power can."
He gently pushed open the window—it was unlocked, proving the child's awareness of safety was indeed still weak—and placed the oil-paper bundle on the desk by the window, pressing it beneath a copy of Basic Genjutsu Analysis.
After doing all that, Xiao did not linger. He flipped out through the window.
But before leaving, he looked back at the room once more.
Within his Byakugan vision, the little girl's chakra flow was somewhat unstable, at times hurried and at times sluggish. It was a typical symptom of long-term emotional repression and training with too much impatience.
"See you in three days, Kurenai Yuhi."
Xiao's figure vanished into the morning mist.
By the time he returned to the Branch House dormitory, the horizon had already begun to pale.
Xiao had just changed out of his night clothes when someone knocked on his door.
"Xiao, are you awake?" It was Tokuma Hyuga's voice.
Xiao opened the door, already wearing that gentle, respectful expression. "Senior Tokuma, is something the matter so early?"
Tokuma stood outside, looking at him with a complicated expression. "An order came down from the Main House. Starting today, you don't need to take part in regular training for the time being."
Xiao's heart stirred, but he showed just the right amount of confusion. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, it's a good thing." Tokuma sighed. "Lord Hiashi personally approved it. In light of your performance during the mission to rescue the young lady, you have been specially permitted to serve as a temporary assistant at the Ninja Academy for one day. Consider it... a reward, as well as experience."
Just as expected.
The system's "Temporary Ninja Academy Assistant Qualification" had taken effect, and it had been issued in Hiashi's name. That meant the Main House had noticed his "value" and had begun trying to win him over with these minor favors—or rather, control him.
"I understand." Xiao lowered his head, his voice trembling with "overwhelmed gratitude." "Thank you to the Main House for its cultivation."
Tokuma patted his shoulder and lowered his voice. "Xiao, I know you saved the young lady, but... don't stand out too much. The Main House's 'favor' can sometimes be more dangerous than hostility."
The words were subtle, but Xiao understood.
Tokuma Hyuga, this veteran Chunin of the Branch House, was warning him not to become a pawn the Main House used to balance the other Branch House members, not to be pushed into the spotlight.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior." Xiao spoke sincerely. "I'll be careful."
Tokuma nodded and turned to leave.
After closing the door, the humility vanished from Xiao's face in an instant, replaced by cold calculation.
"A temporary assistant... perfect."
At the graduation examination three days later, he would appear as an official representative.
If Kurenai Yuhi passed the examination successfully, he could approach her openly and begin establishing contact under the pretext of "appreciating your talent for genjutsu."
If she still made a mistake...
A cold glint flashed through Xiao's eyes.
Then he would use a more direct method—appearing when she was at her most desperate and becoming her only "salvation."
No matter the outcome, he would not miss this opportunity to intercept her fate.
"System," he called silently in his heart. "Check Kurenai Yuhi's current Fate Node status."
[Target: Kurenai Yuhi (8 years old)] [Fate Node Countdown: 2 days, 23 hours, 47 minutes] [Current Intervention Progress: Potion delivered, awaiting target consumption] [Estimated Probability of Fate Alteration: 42%]
Still not enough.
Xiao walked to the window and looked at the gradually brightening sky.
He needed to add more fuel to the fire.
For example, before the examination began, he could make some child who enjoyed mocking others "accidentally" unable to attend.
For example, he could make the Elite Ninja examiner "just happen" to loosen the assessment standards for the genjutsu class.
For example...
A cold curve lifted at the corner of Xiao's mouth.
"If I'm going to intercept her fate, I'll do it thoroughly."
He changed into a clean Branch House training uniform, pushed open the door, and walked into the courtyard shrouded in morning mist.
A new day had begun.
And there were less than three days left until his second interception.
Before you continue