Three Great Sage Lands

Half an hour later, Kanami arrived at the Hyuga residence with Hinata on his back.

Creak—

Hanabi Hyuga happened to push the door open, startling Kanami so badly that he hurriedly set Hinata down.

"What are you two doing?!"

Hanabi Hyuga puffed out her cheeks and demanded an explanation.

The moment she opened the door, she noticed their flustered movements. She now seriously suspected that they had been doing something improper.

Kanami shot her a glare. "You little brat, you scared me."

"It's nothing, Hanabi. Go inside first."

Hinata pushed Hanabi Hyuga back toward the gate.

Hanabi Hyuga was too small to resist, and Hinata easily picked her up despite her unwillingness to go inside.

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she grinned mischievously. "Sis, you don't want Dad to find out about the Red-Haired Rascal, do you?"

At those words, Hinata immediately covered her mouth, signaling for her not to tell their father, Hyuga Hiashi.

If her father found out that they were still seeing each other, then given how strict he was, Kanami would definitely be put in a difficult position.

Hanabi Hyuga pulled away the hand covering her mouth.

"I won't tell Dad if you answer one question, Sis."

"Okay, ask."

Hinata agreed without hesitation.

However, Hanabi Hyuga asked a question that made her mind go blank.

Hanabi Hyuga leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Sis, are you dating the Red-Haired Rascal?"

Hinata's little face instantly turned red, and she shook her head quickly.

"No."

Hanabi Hyuga puffed out her cheeks. "Sis is lying!"

"I'm going to tell Dad about the Red-Haired Rascal."

Just as she turned around, Kanami used a Body Flicker to rush forward, grabbed the back of her neck, and lifted her away from the entrance.

"Who are you calling a Red-Haired Rascal?"

"Hmph, you're the only redhead here. Who else could I mean?"

"That's rude. Call me Big Brother."

Kanami lightly tugged at her chubby little cheek.

Hanabi Hyuga bared her teeth and cried, "Sis, save me!"

Kanami said with a grin, "Now you know to call your sister for help? Weren't you just about to tattle on her?"

Hinata stepped closer. "Kanami, she really won't tell."

The sisters usually had a very good relationship. Although Hyuga Hiashi made them fight each other, it had not affected their bond.

Kanami stopped teasing Hanabi Hyuga and set her down.

"Your sister saved you. If it were anyone else, I definitely wouldn't let go until you called me Big Brother."

Once Hanabi Hyuga was down, she kicked at his leg.

Kanami easily dodged and flicked her forehead at the same time.

"Ow."

Hanabi Hyuga clutched her forehead and ran behind Hinata with tears in her eyes.

"Bad guy, aren't you leaving yet?"

Kanami smiled and raised his left hand in a forehead-flicking gesture, knocking it through the air.

Hanabi shrank her head back in fright.

"Hanabi, who's outside?"

Hyuga Hiashi's voice rang out.

All three of them jolted in alarm.

The next second, Hyuga Hiashi stepped over the threshold.

Before he could speak, Kanami, who had no time to slip away, spoke first.

"Good evening, Uncle. You're still awake this late?"

With you around, how could I sleep? How could I possibly sleep? My precious daughter is about to be tricked away, and you expect me to sleep? Sleep my ass.

That was what he thought, but not a trace of it showed on his face.

Hyuga Hiashi said blandly, "You're Kanami, correct? I heard no teacher was willing to take you?"

Starting with such a pointed question... looks like I left a terrible impression on my future father-in-law.

I need to find a way to get rid of that bad impression.

Kanami composed himself. "That was true before, but now Teacher Kurenai is training me together with Team 8."

Hyuga Hiashi nodded. "I see."

No wonder Hinata is always with this brat. They're in the same class.

No. Tomorrow, I'll go see Kurenai Yuhi and have her kick this brat out. If this continues, it'll be too late once the two of them truly develop feelings for each other.

He's a dead last. If I put a little pressure on her as the head of the Hyuga clan, Kurenai will definitely agree. Then I can arrange for the brat to train under another Jonin, so Hinata won't have to worry about him either.

Hinata silently watched the two of them converse without interrupting.

Last time, Hyuga Hiashi had clearly stated that he did not want her associating with Kanami.

Although she had made her position clear last time, she still panicked when her father discovered them so soon, not knowing what to do.

Hanabi Hyuga beside her noticed Hinata's state.

She stood on tiptoe and leaned toward Hinata's ear. "It's okay, Sis. Dad definitely won't make things difficult for the Red-Haired Rascal."

Hinata bit her lip, hoping that would be true.

Kanami scratched his head. "Then I'll be going, Uncle."

Hurry up and leave. Every extra minute you stay, my daughter is in danger for another minute.

Hyuga Hiashi nodded and forced out a friendly smile. "All right. Goodbye."

Kanami waved in Hinata's direction.

"Hinata, I'm leaving. See you tomorrow."

"Ah, okay. See you tomorrow, Kanami."

Hinata, lost in thought, absentmindedly raised her little hand as well.

However, when she saw Hyuga Hiashi giving her a sidelong look, she lowered the hand she had wanted to wave.

The three of them then entered the house and sat on the floor.

The house was so quiet that they could hear their faint breathing.

This doesn't look good, and it has nothing to do with me. I should sneak away.

Hanabi Hyuga shifted her body, attempting to slip away.

Just as she had moved the slightest bit, Hyuga Hiashi spoke.

"Hanabi, what was your sister doing outside just now?"

Hanabi Hyuga pouted. This obviously has nothing to do with me, yet I'm being caught in the middle. On one side is my caring sister, and on the other is my strict father.

Even without turning around, she could feel Hinata's burning gaze on her.

Hanabi Hyuga cursed Kanami in her heart.

"It's all that Red-Haired Rascal's fault!"

Meanwhile, Kanami returned home and eagerly continued investigating the discovery he had made during the day.

As he guided Yin-natured chakra into the Fengchi acupoint, he entered that lucid, crystalline state again.

He began absorbing Natural Energy to balance the fusion of Yin and Yang.

This time, the duration was not long. After only one hour, he voluntarily exited the state.

"Why is the Ninja World's Natural Energy so scarce? Do I really have to search for those Sage Lands to absorb large amounts of Natural Energy?"

Kanami did not want to go to the Three Great Sage Lands. It was not because he did not want to learn Senjutsu, but because the human-sized toads were slimy all over. Just thinking about them made him restless.

As for Shikkotsu Forest and Ryūchi Cave, the world setting of Hokage had introduced too little about them. He had no idea where either place was.

"Should I look for Orochimaru?"

The moment that thought arose, he abandoned it.

Orochimaru and Danzo basically did nothing human in the early days. If he went there, he would probably end up locked inside a cultivation tank. At the very least, she would definitely plant a Curse Mark on him.

It had not been easy to make a breakthrough with his Kekkei Genkai, and he did not want to give it up just like that. But for now, he could only set it aside.

He spent another half hour studying the genjutsu on the scroll before finally going to sleep.