Konoha: Starting with the Tenseigan and Taking Charge of Team 7

As someone who had crossed into this world, he knew most of what happened here. His arrival had changed the course of many events.

But plenty of things had stayed the same.

Jiraiya stared hard at Aogetsu Hyuga, his expression grave. "Cangyue, tell me about Orochimaru."

During his travels, all Jiraiya had heard was that Orochimaru would make a move soon. Orochimaru was meticulous and had let no useful information slip.

For now, Jiraiya could only guess that Orochimaru meant to destroy the village.

Aogetsu Hyuga swirled his wine bottle. "What should I do? You know me pretty well. I like to keep interesting things to myself and savor them slowly. Even with you, I hate sharing."

Aogetsu Hyuga crossed his legs and regarded Jiraiya coolly. "Old pervert, if you want a favor, ask properly. Even between us, business is business."

He hated sharing what he knew. It felt too good to have the whole picture while watching others act on only the pieces they had.

Then, at just the right moment, he could reveal an enemy's secret plan and watch the surprise on their face.

The feeling was fantastic. Nothing beat that rush of superiority!

Jiraiya's mouth twitched. He tossed Aogetsu Hyuga his wallet, looking pained. "Dinner's on me."

Of course he knew Cangyue. Appealing to their bond would get him nowhere, but everything was negotiable.

He just had to pay more!

"And a copy of Icha Icha Paradise that hasn't gone on sale yet." Before Cangyue could refuse, Jiraiya produced a book with a pink cover.

"You're too kind, Uncle. This place is expensive, you know." Aogetsu Hyuga's attitude changed at once. Grinning, he got up and sat beside Jiraiya, draping an arm around his shoulders. To anyone watching, they looked like a close uncle and nephew.

"Expensive? That's fine. It's been so long since we last met. Treating you to dinner is only natural for an elder." Jiraiya glanced at the price list, and his pained expression deepened.

That expensive?

Is this place a rip-off?

An hour with a hostess cost fifty thousand! Most ordinary B-Rank Missions only paid around fifty thousand!

And the wine Cangyue had ordered... a hundred thousand!

What the hell kind of wine costs that much?

Ouch. That hurts like hell!

That little brat Aogetsu Hyuga really knows how to waste money!

"Why look so miserable? Money exists to be spent." Aogetsu Hyuga patted Jiraiya's back. "Your money bought me a good time. I'd say that makes it money well spent."

"At least spending money to make a woman happy would do something for me." Jiraiya was speechless. Cangyue had fleeced him, then had the nerve to comfort him with that conceited nonsense.

Spend money to make Cangyue happy?

What good does making a grown man happy do me?

Jiraiya dropped his pained look and turned serious. "Let's get to the point. Do you know what Orochimaru's planning?"

"That effeminate creep plans to destroy the village and kill the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi with his own hands. He's probably skulking around Sunagakure like a rat right now." Aogetsu Hyuga gave him a teasing look. "One is your former teacher, the other your former friend. What will you do?"

"Ah." Jiraiya let out a long sigh. He seemed to age several years in a moment.

"Going to avoid the problem?" Aogetsu Hyuga asked. "I suppose running away may be shameful, but it works."

"What are you planning to do?" Jiraiya asked.

"Other people's problems are theirs. I'll enjoy the show, no matter who wins, who loses, who lives, or who dies. This is between you, your teacher, and his student," Aogetsu Hyuga said.

"Things only got this far because that old man was too weak to act. If he'd had the nerve to deal with Orochimaru back then, would any of this be happening?"

"At his age, the Third Hokage is still that naive. He can clean up his own mess. I have no interest in wiping that old man's filthy backside."

"He made grand speeches about how a Hokage must protect the village. Then he went soft and let a hate-filled Orochimaru escape, leaving the village to face this crisis."

A mocking smile curled Aogetsu Hyuga's lips. He took a drink, then sneered. "So that's what a Hokage is? What a joke."

He remembered perfectly what the Third Hokage had said back then.

Anyone who threatens the village is an enemy, even if they're family, a student, or a friend!

And in the end?

In the end, the Third Hokage had gone soft and let Orochimaru, who had endangered the village, walk away.

He said one thing and did another.

"And the so-called Will of Fire is one big joke. He hasn't even figured out what he wants to protect, yet he keeps trying to brainwash the whole village."

"Hahaha! Now that's funny." Aogetsu Hyuga laughed derisively and glanced at Jiraiya. "Come on, old pervert, laugh a little. You don't see something this funny every day."

Cangyue liked people with conviction. If the Third Hokage had been a zealot who dealt with anyone threatening the village without a second thought, Cangyue might not have disliked him so much.

But the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi talked about protecting the village while letting Orochimaru remain a threat to it.

That was laughable.

Whether a decision was right or wrong could be judged later. At the very least, a person had to stand firm.

The Uchiha kid was doing well on that front. He said he wanted revenge, and he meant it. He was almost fanatical in his pursuit of power, but at least his resolve was firm.

Of course, there was no telling what he might become later.

Jiraiya lifted his cup and drained it. "Cangyue, I'm leaving Naruto Uzumaki in your care. I'll be away for a while."

While traveling, he had heard rumors of a mysterious organization that intended to capture every Tailed Beast in the Entire Shinobi World.

He was worried the organization would come for Naruto Uzumaki.

He also had an important task of his own: finding the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage, the one who would save the world!

"Is that so?" Aogetsu Hyuga replied casually.

He knew the old pervert had decided not to get involved in the conflict between the Third Hokage and Orochimaru.

"Anyway, I have things to do, so I'm off. Little Hinata is waiting for me at home." Holding Icha Icha Paradise, Aogetsu Hyuga stood and vanished into thin air with a whoosh.

Troubled, Jiraiya sighed and muttered, "Orochimaru..."

"Here's your bill. Please take a look." The middle-aged proprietress respectfully placed the bill beside Jiraiya's hand.

Jiraiya picked it up. His mouth twitched as he read through the hefty charges, and he scratched his head with an awkward laugh. "Can I pay next time?"

He had plenty of money in his pocket, but it seemed he was still a little short.

Jiraiya rose, tossed his long white hair, and struck an absurd pose. "Madam, I'm Jiraiya, the Toad Sage and one of the Legendary Sannin! You have my word I'll pay you later!"

"Lady Tsunade, also one of the Legendary Sannin, still hasn't paid what she owed from years ago. She said to put it on Lord Cangyue's tab." The proprietress smiled. "You're covering Lord Cangyue's bill, aren't you?"

Jiraiya froze, his face twisting into a look worse than tears.

That brat!

Cangyue must have known all along and deliberately set me up!

Sobering up with Hinata in My Arms Felt Amazing!

At the Hyuga Clan estate.

In its old-fashioned courtyard.

I finally worked hard enough to become a Ninja. Big Brother Cangyue will be happy, won't he?

Hinata Hyuga sat beneath the eaves in a black yukata, holding her steel Forehead Protector. A shy smile lit her cute face as she happily swung her pale little feet.

Because of her timid nature, she had once considered giving up on becoming a Ninja. In the end, Cangyue had shown her the way forward.

Just as Hinata Hyuga was lost in her happy thoughts...

"Hey, Hinata." Aogetsu Hyuga appeared out of thin air.

Hinata Hyuga jumped and nearly flung her Forehead Protector away. She looked up shyly at the confident Cangyue before her. "B-Big Brother Cangyue."

"Waiting for me?" Aogetsu Hyuga sat beside Hinata and openly looked her over from head to toe.

Her skin was fair and soft, her figure petite, and her cute face flushed with shyness. Though she was small, she was developing well where it counted.

Mm. Perfect.

Little Hinata was adorable today, too.

Any lolicon who saw Hinata would surely leer at her.

"Mm." Hinata Hyuga nodded and held up her steel Forehead Protector. "B-Big Brother Cangyue, look... I'm a Ninja now too."

Aogetsu Hyuga lifted Hinata onto his lap and stroked her head. "Is that right? You worked hard."

As someone who had crossed into this world, he knew how many events would unfold. He had won Hinata's affection long ago.

After all, blindly trying hard was no way to win a girl over. Timing mattered enormously.

Long ago, when Hinata had felt most helpless, Aogetsu Hyuga had chosen the perfect moment to appear!

The right approach was how you won someone's heart!

"I-It's thanks to you, Big Brother Cangyue." A blush spread across Hinata Hyuga's cute face. Feeling Cangyue's warmth, she could barely think.

She was so embarrassed that her mind had gone blank.

B-Big Brother Cangyue was holding me!

Oh my gosh!

This is so embarrassing.

Holding Hinata, Aogetsu Hyuga looked up at the vast sea of stars and smiled faintly. "You're the one who worked hard. Your efforts might not always be rewarded, but they can still help you move forward."

Holding a little girl while gazing at the stars was a nice way to sober up after drinking.

This simple, quiet life felt amazing.

"Cang... huh?" Hinata Hyuga sniffed, then took Cangyue's hand and gently smelled his sleeve. Confusion flashed in her eyes.

That smelled nice.

How strange.

It smelled like a woman.

Hinata Hyuga's smile faded. She lowered her head slightly, her dark hair hiding her eyes and making her expression impossible to read. Yet her voice remained soft as she asked, "B-Big Brother Cangyue, m-may I ask where you just went?"

She was still young, timid, and soft-spoken, but she was clever enough to know what Aogetsu Hyuga had just been doing.

Still, she wanted to hear him say it.

Rather than answer, Aogetsu Hyuga smiled and teased her. "Jealous? We aren't even married yet, and you're already acting like the lady of the house. At this rate, you'll have me wrapped around your finger."

"W-What?" Hinata Hyuga's face turned bright red. "N-No! I wasn't!"

M-Married?

Marry Big Brother Cangyue...? He's so mean. He's always saying things that make me blush.

She was so embarrassed that she forgot all about the question that had bothered her moments before.

Aogetsu Hyuga ruffled Hinata's hair until it was a mess and praised her with a smile. "That bashful side of yours is wonderful. Nothing beats a girl's shy blush."

"B-Big Brother Cangyue, you're mean." Blushing, Hinata Hyuga lowered her head and lightly nudged her bottom backward, as if getting back at him for teasing her.

Hinata Hyuga felt something hard and rod-shaped pressing against her bottom. In a soft, reproachful voice, she said, "T-The Kunai in your pocket is poking me. You shouldn't keep a Kunai there, Big Brother Cangyue. You might hurt yourself."

"Uh... how do I put this?" Aogetsu Hyuga scratched his cheek. Looking at Hinata's cute, innocent expression, he felt a pang of guilt.

It was as though he were luring a little girl astray.

Aogetsu Hyuga leaned close to Hinata's ear and put on a deliberately seductive expression. "There's no Kunai. That's..."

After hearing him out, Hinata Hyuga's cute face turned red in an instant, and her small body went stiff.

So what her bottom had just pressed against was Big Brother Cangyue's... that.

Hinata Hyuga looked ready to steam. Her head tipped to one side, and she fainted from embarrassment.

"Haha, she's adorable." Aogetsu Hyuga pulled a scroll from his pocket. He had teased Hinata Hyuga on purpose because she looked so cute when she blushed.

Ah.

Drinking now and then and teasing a little girl—what a wonderful life.

If only I didn't have to teach those brats in Team 7.