Knock knock knock.
The crisp and regular knocking on the door broke the rustling sound of the pen tip scratching the paper in Principal's Office.
Behind the desk, Hyuga Hiashi is immersed in a large pile of documents. His expression is focused and serious, and he is reviewing quickly and steadily with the pen in his hand.
Looking carefully, those documents are not limited to the school's academic arrangements, student evaluations and budget applications. There are many documents with Hokage's Office mixed in among them.
Yes, even in a relatively quiet school, Hiashi still cannot truly "hide away from leisure." Hokage Building's work is often assigned to this principal, who is known for his rigor and efficiency.
Hearing the knock on the door, Hiashi was still busy with the work at hand. "Please come in."
Before coming in the morning, Hanabi said that he wanted to try cooking in the evening. When he thought of having dinner prepared by his little daughter in the evening, Hiashi wanted to finish the work at hand and get off work as soon as possible.
Office's door was gently pushed open.
The first thing that poked in was a small head, with soft black Long Hair spread out, and a pair of clear and pure white eyes on the fair and delicate face with a little excitement and expectation. It was Hanabi Hyuga.
Behind her, followed Blond-Haired Boy with a bright smile.
Young Naruto, with a smile on his face that seemed to be able to dispel all the gloom, walked in naturally holding Hanabi's hand.
"Dad!"
Hanabi saw his father and immediately called out sweetly.
However, Hiashi's eyes still stayed on the document, and the pen in his hand did not mean to stop. He just corrected in a business-like tone without raising his head. "Hanabi, it is dad's working time now, please call me your job title."
This is not because Hiashi is rigid or unkind, but because of his usual behavior style, especially in the workplace, he pays attention to rules.
"Okay, Principal Hyuga."
A smiling and hearty male voice took over and responded instead of Hanabi.
As soon as this sound sounded, the tip of the smooth writing pen in Hiashi's hand immediately stopped.
He frowned slightly as a reflex.
This voice was too familiar to him.
He is so familiar that as soon as he hears it, he can immediately think of the "bastard Kid" who "kidnapped" his two precious daughters, and who is also his current boss Sixth Hokage.
Hiashi finally raised his head, his sharp eagle-like white eyes accurately locking the two people walking in from the door.
Sure enough, it was the blond Kid, holding his little daughter's hand, with a bright smile on his face that made him happy and a little inexplicably angry.
"Hyuga Principal, good afternoon."
Naruto smiled and said hello, his attitude was very natural, even a little close to a junior.
Hiashi did not respond to the greeting, but glanced between the two of them, finally settling on Naruto's face, and asked in a deep voice, "Lord Hokage, at this time, I brought Hanabi to Principal's Office, what's the matter?"
Naruto was a little confused about Hiashi's different attitude from usual, but he still kept a smile, Gate of Opening said straightforwardly:
"I came here to ask for leave for Hanabi. It will probably take a few days."
"Ask for leave?"
Hiashi frowned deeper and looked at Naruto sharply, "The school classes are not over, and Hanabi is not sick or has urgent family matters. Even if you are Lord Hokage, I will never allow it!"
In fact, he already had a vague guess in his mind.
Naruto scratched his head, his smile remained unchanged, but his tone was more serious. "Not as Hokage, but... well, as a family member. There is indeed something important that needs Hanabi's help."
Hiashi's heart sank, he was almost sure of his guess.
He put down his pen, leaned forward slightly, folded his hands on the table, showing a posture of defense and opposition, and his voice became deeper:
"No."
"Don't worry, I can protect them well."
them?
Do you mean you want to take Hinata with you?
Hiashi looked directly into Naruto's eyes with unquestionable determination:
"You're dreaming!"
After realizing that his wording was too harsh, Hiashi quickly adjusted it and continued:
"Ahem... I mean, Lord Hokage, please think about it calmly."
He considered the words and his eyes moved between Naruto and Hanabi:
"What you are going to deal with must be no small matter, and may even involve extremely high risks. Hanabi is not even Genin. I don't think she can go on the mission with you yet."
"Uncle Hiashi, I understand your worries. No father in the world is willing to see his children in danger. Hinata and Hanabi are more important to you than anything else. I completely understand this feeling."
He first confirmed Hiashi's concerns, and then changed the subject:
"But, Uncle Hiashi, Konoha... is not everything in this world."
Naruto continued, his gaze seemed to penetrate Office's wall and cast it to a more distant place:
"This world is very big. There are places we have never set foot on, ancient wisdom we have not yet understood, power systems and ways of survival that are similar to ours, and potential threats and opportunities far beyond our imagination.
If they are kept protected in the relatively safe 'greenhouse' of Konoha, their vision, their cognition, and their future possibilities will be invisibly limited."
Hiashi doesn't know that Isshiki exists secretly, but Naruto knows.
Therefore, he must find ways to improve the strength of the people around him, not only to be able to deal with the enemy with him, but as long as they can protect themselves.
Only by owning Tenseigan can Hanabi and Hinata have the ability to protect themselves in the future.
Naruto looked at Hanabi, who was listening quietly beside him, with gentle and expectant eyes:
"Hinata and Hanabi, they both have extraordinary potential and talent. What they need is not just the step-by-step Training and learning within the clan and school.
Only by improving our strength can we have the confidence and ability to respond independently and make the right choices in crises that may arise in the future that even we cannot predict."
"You're right..."
To Naruto's surprise, Hiashi responded to him after a moment of silence.
His voice was a little deep.
Hiashi slowly leaned back in his chair, looking away from Naruto's face, looking out the window at the young figures running and playing on the Konoha Ninja Academy playground, and seemed to be looking into the longer past.
He thought of his experiences in his youth, the cruelty and growth of the war years, and the difficult choices he had to make as a patriarch...
He had to admit that what Naruto said did make sense.
Over-protection is sometimes another form of restraint and harm.
"Konoha is indeed not everything... knowledge and experience are crucial to the growth of Ninja. I cannot deny this."
"But...Naruto."
He no longer called "Lord Hokage", but directly called his name. At this moment, he was more like the simple father of Hanabi and Hinata.
"I understand the truth. Knowledge is important, growth requires tempering, and they may be needed in the future... I understand all of this."
He paused, his hands on the table slowly clenched into fists, his knuckles turned slightly white from exertion, and there was a suppressed tremor and unchangeable determination in his voice:
"But, as you said, what father would be willing to watch his daughter take risks?"