Rapidly growing strength!

Yemu Hyuga couldn't help taking a few more looks at Qingxue Uchiha.

Only then did he realize that he didn't seem to understand this so-called underworld heiress.

In his previous life, he had seen the luxurious estate where Qingxue Uchiha lived.

That, combined with the trauma of the basement incident, had led Yemu Hyuga to believe she was nothing more than an unreasonable, domineering young lady.

Now, though...

Perhaps what Qingxue Uchiha had gone through was different from what he had imagined.

"Is something wrong with your head? You're living at my place from now on."

Yemu Hyuga helplessly touched Qingxue Uchiha's forehead, genuinely unable to understand what she had to be proud of.

All she had needed to do was ask.

He would have let her stay at his house.

Why hadn't she said anything?

"R-really?" Qingxue Uchiha's eyes lit up, and she even dropped the braised pork she had been so eager to eat.

"Why would I lie to you?"

Yemu Hyuga nodded.

"D-don't you hate me?" Qingxue Uchiha blinked, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

Images that would need censoring began surfacing in her mind.

"Oh, stop it. I don't like you. I just don't want you living in such a dump."

Yemu Hyuga rolled his eyes.

He knew Qingxue Uchiha had probably misunderstood him.

"Oh? So that's it. Thank you, Yemu."

Disappointment flickered through Qingxue Uchiha's heart, but she still excitedly threw her arms around Yemu Hyuga.

Yet almost immediately...

Panic rose within her.

Yemu didn't like physical contact with her.

At that thought...

Qingxue Uchiha reluctantly released him, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, I'm sorry, Yemu. I got too excited. Please don't mind."

Qingxue tilted her chin up, cautiously studying Yemu Hyuga's expression.

Yemu Hyuga rubbed the tip of his nose, looking rather uncomfortable. "Ahem. Pack your things. Let's get you moved first."

Before long...

The two finished moving her belongings.

Still, Yemu Hyuga had one question.

How exactly had Qingxue Uchiha been washing up over the past month?

Every day, Yemu Hyuga had noticed that Qingxue Uchiha seemed to smell nice.

"Oh, that? I asked the lady who runs the shop for help."

Qingxue Uchiha emerged from her room and explained.

The next day.

After their academic lessons ended...

Neji took the initiative to approach Yemu.

"Yemu, are we training again this afternoon?"

Yemu Hyuga shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, Neji. I've already made plans for this afternoon."

Neji looked baffled. "Plans?"

He glanced at the somewhat aloof Qingxue Uchiha sitting beside Yemu Hyuga.

For the past month, he had been training with Yemu every day.

Now Yemu suddenly said he had other plans.

Honestly, he wasn't used to it.

"All right."

Neji nodded helplessly and left the classroom.

Surely that Uchiha brat wasn't the reason Yemu couldn't train with me?

Once Neji had left...

Yemu stood, said a few words to Qingxue Uchiha beside him, and headed out.

Then Qingxue Uchiha followed Yemu Hyuga of her own accord.

Sitting in the middle of the classroom, Hinata Hyuga parted her lips, her eyes filled with envy.

Disappointment welled up inside her.

She wanted to muster the courage to speak to Yemu, but couldn't bring herself to do it.

Over the past month, Qingxue Uchiha and Yemu Hyuga had been far too close.

None of the other girls had a chance.

"Yemu, have you finally discovered how charming I am?"

Qingxue Uchiha saw that Yemu Hyuga had brought her to a deserted little patch of woods.

Hearts practically shone in her eyes as she tried to snuggle up to him.

Unfortunately, a merciless iron grip greeted her instead.

He grabbed her face, stopping her from moving even an inch closer.

"Don't get any ideas. I brought you here to teach you how to train."

"Strength is everything in this world. If you aren't strong, you'll be in danger in the future."

Yemu Hyuga offered a brief explanation.

"B-but don't I have you?" Qingxue Uchiha fiddled with her fingers, her face flushed.

"Me?" Yemu Hyuga paused. "I can't stay by your side forever."

Qingxue Uchiha's gaze turned fierce. "W-whoever dares split us up will have to answer to me!"

Under Yemu Hyuga's astonished gaze...

Qingxue Uchiha's eyes turned red, activating her one-tomoe Sharingan.

A full year earlier than Sasuke.

"All right, enough joking. Today, I'll teach you chakra control."

Yemu Hyuga's tone was serious.

"Okay~" Qingxue Uchiha knew how powerful Yemu Hyuga was.

She had seen Yemu Hyuga train. With a single punch, he could shatter a tree so thick it took several people to encircle it.

That left Qingxue Uchiha utterly mesmerized every time she watched Yemu train.

"I'll demonstrate first."

As he spoke, Yemu Hyuga gathered chakra in his legs.

He began walking up a tree trunk, eventually hanging upside down.

"After that comes water walking, using chakra to move across the surface of water. If you can do that, it means you've basically mastered chakra control."

Yemu Hyuga began teaching Qingxue Uchiha things she would normally only learn after graduation.

"Oh? Like this?"

Qingxue Uchiha gathered the chakra in her body into the soles of her feet, imitating him quite well as she walked up the tree trunk.

But soon...

A mischievous idea occurred to Qingxue Uchiha, and she suddenly fell from the tree.

Strangely enough...

She didn't cry out at all, as though she had already accepted that she would hit the ground.

Helplessly, Yemu Hyuga used the Body Flicker Technique to reach her and caught Qingxue Uchiha securely in his arms.

"What are you doing? Was that on purpose, or an accident?"

Yemu Hyuga looked down at Qingxue Uchiha in his arms, his brow faintly furrowed.

"Of course not, Yemu. That was really scary, you know." Qingxue Uchiha blinked.

She playfully stuck out the tip of her tongue.

Seeing that Qingxue Uchiha had indeed done it on purpose...

Yemu Hyuga looked utterly speechless and let go, showing her no mercy whatsoever.

"Ow~"

Qingxue Uchiha rubbed her bottom and let out a cry, looking at Yemu with a trace of resentment.

Yemu Hyuga glanced at her. "Don't do that again."

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Qingxue Uchiha walked over to Yemu Hyuga and apologized sincerely.

Seeing her behave so obediently...

Yemu Hyuga was momentarily dazed.

Perhaps she really had changed a little.

Before long...

Several hours had passed.

Having awakened her Sharingan...

Qingxue Uchiha was actually already capable of controlling her chakra. With just a few pointers from Yemu, she could apply what she learned to other situations and grasp everything, improving rapidly.

And so, as Yemu Hyuga sparred with Qingxue Uchiha and taught her whenever he had time, another month passed.

Over that month...

Yemu Hyuga and Qingxue Uchiha fought dozens of taijutsu sparring matches.

Every punch struck flesh.

Yemu Hyuga didn't hold back at all, leaving Qingxue Uchiha bruised, swollen, and bleeding profusely.

Fortunately, Yemu Hyuga possessed the Medical Master trait.

With his medical ninjutsu, Qingxue Uchiha would be back on her feet, full of energy, by the next day.

As a result, Qingxue Uchiha's overall strength...

Rose at a truly terrifying rate.

Until one day...

Yemu Hyuga was preparing to take Qingxue to train as usual, but just as they left the Ninja Academy...

He saw a cute, short-haired girl with the Byakugan blocking his path.

"Um... Yemu... I... I'd like to train with you too."

Hinata Hyuga's eyes flickered, her face flushed, and her fingers trembled. She seemed to have summoned an enormous amount of courage.

Only then had she managed to voice that timid question.

Yemu Hyuga had intended to refuse, but the sight of the Hyuga Clan guards nearby made him abandon the idea.