At Naruto's words, Hanabi immediately hopped off the bench and ran over to them, an excited smile on her face.
"Sure!"
Her voice rang out clearly. Without a moment's hesitation, she assumed the standard opening stance of the Gentle Fist, then darted forward, launching a fierce attack at Naruto.
She was nothing like her hesitant, bashful older sister, Hinata.
Hanabi's moves were sharp and decisive, without a trace of hesitation, carrying the fearless spirit of a youngster who had yet to learn fear.
Naruto carefully observed the patterns of Hanabi's Gentle Fist as he calmly blocked and dodged, silently approving of the little girl's talent and courage.
To get a clearer view of Naruto's chakra flow, the veins around Hanabi's eyes suddenly bulged as she activated the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai-the Byakugan!
Through the Byakugan, the complex network of pathways inside Naruto's body was instantly laid bare, blue chakra flowing slowly through it.
Once she could see the chakra flowing through Naruto's pathways, Hanabi's attacks became more precisely targeted.
Each fierce palm strike aimed for a chakra point on Naruto's body, trying to block his chakra flow.
As Naruto defended himself, he could also clearly see the blue chakra gathering at Hanabi's fingertips, as sharp as needlepoints.
The instant Hanabi launched another palm strike at a vital point on his chest, he seized his chance. His hand shot out like lightning, catching her wrist with precision and stopping her attack.
Hinata quietly approached the edge of the training ground. Watching Naruto and Hanabi's swift, fierce exchange, she understood perfectly.
Naruto-kun was definitely holding back, yet even so, Hanabi could not land a hit on him despite giving it everything she had.
And Hanabi's performance-her courage in battle, her decisive moves, and her use of the Byakugan-was indeed far better than Hinata's own.
That realization left Hinata feeling even more bitter.
As the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family, she had carried great expectations since childhood, receiving far more education and stricter training than Hanabi.
Her stern father and the weight of the entire clan's expectations were like two invisible mountains pressing down on Hinata's young shoulders, leaving her unable to breathe or even straighten her back.
Yet she was kind by nature, even somewhat timid. When sparring with Hanabi during clan training, she always hesitated because she could not bear to strike her sister too hard, leaving her unable to bring out her true strength.
Her father Hiashi's attitude only made things worse.
Hiashi often sighed in disappointment right in front of Hinata, only to turn around and praise Hanabi's talent and boldness.
Such stark comparisons and rejection battered Hinata's already fragile confidence again and again, making her increasingly timid and withdrawn, both in training and in her dealings with others.
There was also another crucial reason, one that was easily overlooked.
Hinata actually had an enormous appetite, and her body needed a great deal of energy.
Yet in the rigidly disciplined Hyuga Clan, especially in front of her father, she never dared to eat much. Following their inflexible etiquette, she always had to eat a little less than he did.
Those portions fell far short of her body's needs, leaving her chronically short of energy.
How could a body that was not even allowed enough food to feel full sustain intense training and fierce combat?
Together, all of these things formed the heavy shackles that bound Hinata.
Before long, Hanabi's young age caught up with her. Her stamina and chakra were limited, and after a flurry of attacks, exhaustion set in. Her little body swayed, about to crumple.
Before she could fall, Naruto swiftly bent down and caught her, holding her steady.
"Let's stop here for today. You're already very good, Hanabi."
Naruto praised her with a smile, then helped the somewhat exhausted Hanabi, whose cheeks were still flushed with excitement, over to Hinata, who stood at the edge of the training ground looking worried.
Looking at the sisters, particularly Hinata's still somewhat pale face, he gave them a warm smile and invited them over. "We've been training for so long, and Hanabi's tired too. Let me treat you both to a meal!"
He made a point of adding, "It's still early, so we won't go to Ichiraku Ramen. I'll cook for you myself today."
At those words, Hinata, who had instinctively been about to politely decline, hesitated with the words on her lips. In the end, she simply gave a small nod.
An indescribable feeling welled up inside her, mingling shyness with immense curiosity.
Naruto-kun... was going to cook himself?
Just imagining that scene brought a hint of sweetness to her heart.
I... I couldn't wait!
Naruto left Hanabi in Hinata's care, then quietly formed hand seals and dispelled the three remaining Shadow Clones at home.
Supporting Hanabi, whose legs were still a little weak, Hinata followed Naruto all the way to his home on the top floor of the apartment building.
The sisters stepped inside somewhat self-consciously, quietly looking around at this unfamiliar setting.
The furnishings were simple, even plain, but the place was surprisingly clean and tidy, with everything neatly arranged.
"Hinata, Hanabi, take a seat on the couch and wait a moment."
As he spoke, Naruto deftly opened the refrigerator, first taking out three bottles of milk and some steamed buns, then ducked into the kitchen and got to work.
Soon, sounds drifted out of the kitchen.
Naruto first placed the milk and steamed buns on the steaming rack with practiced ease, then turned on the heat, put the lid on the pot, and began preparing the actual dinner.
From the refrigerator's chilled compartment, he took out a large piece of pork tenderloin, bright red and beautifully grained. A few days earlier, he had specially asked Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen to help him buy it through his suppliers.
Naruto knew perfectly well that, as a ninja, his daily training demanded plenty of protein and energy. Going without meat simply was not an option.
But the villagers would not sell it to him.
His knife rose and fell. He cleaned the tenderloin with flour, pounded it with a rolling pin, then cut it into finger-width strips. He added cooking wine, salt, a little white pepper, and an egg, mixing everything thoroughly.
He put it in a large bowl and set it aside.
Soon, he began preparing the other dishes.
The sisters sat quietly on the couch. Hinata rested her hands on her knees somewhat stiffly, while Hanabi looked around the simple little home with curiosity.
Before long, a rich, enticing aroma of fat and spices began drifting through the gap in the kitchen doorway.
"It smells so good, sis!"
Hanabi sniffed hard, her eyes sparkling. Unable to keep herself from swallowing, she tugged at Hinata's arm, eager for a taste.
Hinata nodded gently as well. The aroma filling the air unwittingly eased much of her nervousness, leaving her even more eager for the dinner to come.