The courtyard

"Toru!" a clear little voice rang out. Three-year-old Hanabi Hyuga broke free of Hinata's hand and fluttered toward Toru Kujyo like a little butterfly.

Toru Kujyo caught her with a smile, his gaze sweeping over little Hanabi.

[Name: Hanabi Hyuga]

[Bloodline: Hyuga bloodline (purple)]

[Talent traits: Princess of the Byakugan (gold), Gentle Fist Master (red), Chakra Control (purple)...]

Toru Kujyo drew a sharp breath inwardly. A gold trait! [Princess of the Byakugan (gold)]! Her potential was even more terrifying than Hinata's had been back then! No wonder she would grow into a genius who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her sister-and even surpass her in some respects.

"Toru, I want rice dumplings!" Little Hanabi clung to Toru Kujyo's neck, wheedling. Her pure white Byakugan blinked adorably. "And a shoulder ride!"

"All right, all right. Anything you want." Toru Kujyo smiled and gently flicked her little nose before settling her securely on his shoulders. Then he looked at Hinata, who was watching them fondly from beside him. "Come on, Hinata. Let's go to the shopping street."

Since Hinata's mother had passed away, the bond between Hinata and Toru Kujyo had gradually deepened. Toru Kujyo had long since grown accustomed to taking Hinata and Hanabi out together. The three of them were just like an ordinary family.

Watching her little sister giggle happily on Toru Kujyo's shoulders filled Hinata with warmth. It was precisely so Hanabi could keep growing up happy and carefree that she trained even harder to become stronger. In her eyes, Toru Kujyo was clearly better at looking after children than her stern, unsmiling father.

The three chatted and laughed as they headed toward the bustling shopping street. Sunlight spilled over them, painting a warm, tender scene.

Inside a secret cave beneath the Naka River waterfall.

Toru Kujyo's shadow clone had begun to look slightly indistinct, his chakra almost exhausted. He formed hand seals, and a basketball-sized ball of energy swelled violently in his palm, giving off a low hum. Electricity danced across its surface, while a miniature volcano seemed to lurk within.

"Explode!"

With a low shout, the shadow clone thrust the energy ball toward the cave wall. A thunderous blast shook the cave, sending shattered rock flying and blasting a deep crater into the wall. The shock wave swept up the dust and drove the shadow clone's small frame back step after step.

This was no simple chakra explosion. The energy ball was the result of two years of Toru Kujyo's work, an initial attempt to combine Chakra Nature Transformation with the Rasengan. It was already approaching the size of the Big Ball Rasengan, yet its power was greater: the embryonic form of the SS-rank ninjutsu, Super Hurricane Multi-Ball. Toru Kujyo's goal was to incorporate small spheres of all five nature transformations-fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water-into the technique, creating an ultimate killing move beyond S-rank.

"Still not enough." The shadow clone wiped the sweat from his forehead, an unyielding light flashing in his eyes. The cave had been widened a little more, but it was still far from his ideal training ground.

His chakra exhausted, the shadow clone vanished in a puff of white smoke.

At the same time, on Konoha's shopping street, Toru Kujyo's real body suddenly shuddered as he bought sugar-roasted chestnuts for Hanabi Hyuga. Crushing fatigue and a flood of training experience surged into his mind, making his vision go black. He almost collapsed.

"Toru, what's wrong?" Three-year-old Hanabi tilted her little face up, blinking her pure white Byakugan as she tugged worriedly at his clothes.

Toru Kujyo took a deep breath and quickly recovered, a gentle smile returning to his face. "Nothing, Hanabi. I just thought of something funny."

He was used to it. To avoid Hiruzen Sarutobi spying on him through his crystal ball, Toru Kujyo had entrusted all intense training that consumed large amounts of chakra to his shadow clones. His real body took part in light sparring or, as he was doing now, enjoyed a little leisure. He always felt that Anbu ninja were secretly watching him. Though he had no proof, that wariness kept him cautious at all times.

He regularly fought Sasuke Uchiha, giving his all every time and pushing Sasuke into desperate situations. It helped Sasuke improve while also testing his own strength.

"The chestnuts smell so good!" Hanabi giggled as she accepted the paper bag Toru Kujyo handed her. Her little hands deftly peeled a chestnut, and she popped it into her mouth, narrowing her eyes in satisfaction.

Hanabi's innocent smile melted Toru Kujyo's heart. He spent the day shopping with her, then bought a bag full of fresh vegetables and meat at a grocery store toward evening.

We'll have hot pot tonight, he decided.

The sun sank in the west, its golden afterglow spilling over the deserted streets of the Uchiha Clan Compound and making them seem even lonelier. Holding Hanabi's little hand, Toru Kujyo passed one closed doorway after another before finally stopping outside Sasuke's home.

"Sasuke, I'm here!" Toru Kujyo called.

The door creaked open, revealing Sasuke's lean figure and deep, unreadable eyes. "You're here." He glanced at the ingredients in Toru Kujyo's hand, then at Hanabi, who was looking around curiously beside him. "Come in."

Steam from the hot pot filled Sasuke's kitchen, dispelling the chill emptiness of the house. Hanabi excitedly picked up slices of meat with her chopsticks, while Sasuke ate in silence. Occasionally, he looked up at Toru Kujyo, a trace of complicated emotion flashing in his eyes.

"You can't lose to me again in today's fight!" Hanabi said indistinctly through a mouthful of meat. "Otherwise Toru will win, and then he gets to read your family's ninjutsu scrolls!"

Sasuke's chopsticks paused, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. He knew this was his agreement with Toru Kujyo: after each fight, the winner earned a chance to enter the Uchiha Clan's ninjutsu archive. But how did this little girl even know about that?

"Don't worry, Hanabi. He won't beat me." Sasuke snorted, his gaze brimming with fighting spirit as he looked at Toru Kujyo.

Late that night, when all was quiet, two figures darted like phantoms through the forest outside Konoha.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Sasuke struck first. A huge fireball roared forth, its scorching blast instantly sweeping through the surroundings.

Toru Kujyo darted aside, evading the fireball as his hands swiftly formed seals. "Wind Release: Wind Cutter!" Invisible wind blades tore through the air straight toward Sasuke.

Blades flashed and ninjutsu collided. Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan, its three tomoe spinning rapidly as he tracked Toru Kujyo's every movement with precision. His taijutsu and Fire Release ninjutsu had improved by leaps and bounds over the past two years. Every punch carried the fury of his desire for revenge; every hand seal held his thirst for power.

"Lightning Release: Chidori Blade!" Sasuke growled. Crackling lightning gathered in his palm as he shot toward Toru Kujyo like an arrow loosed from a bow, thrusting straight at him.

A flicker of admiration crossed Toru Kujyo's eyes. Sasuke really had grown stronger. Both his speed and the power of his ninjutsu far surpassed what they had been two years ago. But it still wasn't enough.