Chapter Summaries

Ruri reassured Mei Ling Hyuga about his upcoming Anbu mission to the border and promised to return safely. He hugged her before leaving, but she held him so tightly that he could barely breathe.

• Mei Ling Hyuga asked Ruri if he was leaving on a mission the next day, and he confirmed that his Anbu squad would head to the border.
• Ruri told Mei Ling Hyuga that his team was strong and promised to be careful, but she warned him about ambushes and urged him to put his life first.
• Ruri hugged Mei Ling Hyuga, having come to accept her and Hizashi Hyuga as his family.
• Mei Ling Hyuga hugged Ruri back and held him until he could barely breathe, then released him after he patted her shoulder.

Ruri reassured Mei Ling Hyuga that he would return alive from the battlefield and planned to rest before fighting the next day. After cleaning up lunch, Mei Ling sat down to rest, and Ruri noticed how tired she looked.

• Mei Ling Hyuga apologized for accidentally smothering Ruri and asked him to return alive from the battlefield.
• Ruri promised Mei Ling Hyuga he would come back alive, then sat with Neji Hyuga and wondered who they would face the next day.
• Mei Ling Hyuga cleaned the dishes and food, then sat down on the sofa to rest.
• Ruri saw Mei Ling Hyuga looking tired and walked behind her.

Ruri helped Mei Ling Hyuga relax with a back massage, then watched over Neji while she slept. After waking, Mei Ling said she would rest more and take better care of herself.

• Ruri massaged Mei Ling Hyuga's shoulders and back until she fell asleep on the sofa.
• Ruri covered Mei Ling with a blanket and asked Neji Hyuga to play quietly so they would not wake her.
• Ruri sat with Neji and played with him on and off for nearly three hours while Mei Ling slept.
• Mei Ling woke and told Ruri she had recovered after resting.
• Ruri urged Mei Ling to take better care of herself, and she promised she would.

Mei Ling Hyuga woke refreshed, and Neji told her he was hungry after spending the afternoon running around. Mei Ling went to make dinner and insisted that Ruri eat a little too, leaving him to accept despite still feeling full from lunch.

• Mei Ling Hyuga said she felt relaxed after sleeping and thanked Ruri for caring about her.
• Neji Hyuga told Mei Ling he was hungry, and Ruri realized he had used up energy playing all afternoon.
• Mei Ling decided to make a light dinner, while Ruri asked her to prepare only enough for Neji.
• Mei Ling insisted Ruri eat a little for his health and growth, and Ruri agreed.
• Mei Ling went to the kitchen, and Ruri recalled that no one used to care whether he ate.

Ruri cared for Neji Hyuga at home, reflecting on his own childhood before stopping Neji from gulping down water too quickly. Neji apologized and promised not to do it again.

• Ruri felt unusually tired and sore, then decided to rest early before assembling with the Anbu the next day.
• Ruri offered Neji Hyuga a snack and set a glass of water in front of him.
• Ruri thought about how carefree Neji was compared with his own childhood spent practicing the Eight Trigrams Palm.
• Ruri handed Neji the water after he finished eating, then took the glass away when Neji gulped it down too quickly.
• Neji told Ruri his mouth had been dry and promised not to drink so quickly again.

Ruri scolded Neji for drinking water recklessly, then reassured him that he would teach him Ninjutsu when he was older. Mei Ling Hyuga called them to dinner, leaving Ruri and Neji to wash their hands and eat.

• Ruri warned Neji that drinking water carelessly could make him choke and upset his family, and Neji promised not to do it again.
• Neji declared that he would stay alive and become Konoha's strongest ninja.
• Ruri told Neji not to speak of dying and promised to teach him Ninjutsu when he was older.
• Mei Ling Hyuga finished cooking and called Ruri and Neji to wash their hands and eat.
• Ruri stopped playing with Neji, and Neji stood up, still hungry, to get ready for dinner.

Ruri and Neji Hyuga enjoyed Mei Ling Hyuga’s cooking after washing up, while Mei Ling watched them instead of eating because she was dieting. Ruri praised her porridge, which she said had been a favorite of Uncle Hizashi when he was young.

• Neji Hyuga praised the aroma of Mei Ling Hyuga’s cooking, and Ruri joined in.
• Ruri washed his and Neji Hyuga’s hands in the bathroom before they went to the table.
• Mei Ling Hyuga told Ruri she was dieting and would not eat dinner.
• Ruri tasted the porridge and praised its fragrance and smooth texture.
• Mei Ling Hyuga said the porridge had been something Uncle Hizashi loved as a child.

Ruri and Neji shared a meal with Mei Ling Hyuga, who reassured Ruri that Hizashi’s distant mission was easy and well paid. Ruri relaxed at the thought that Hizashi was enjoying a trip, and Mei Ling suggested the three of them travel together someday.

• Ruri praised Mei Ling Hyuga’s cooking as he ate porridge with her and Neji.
• Mei Ling told Neji to slow down while he ate, and he obeyed.
• Ruri asked Mei Ling why Hizashi had been away so long, and she explained that his mission was far from Konoha and the journey took about ten days each way.
• Mei Ling reassured Ruri that Hizashi found the mission easy and was treating it as a trip to relax and improve his strength.
• Ruri felt relieved, and Mei Ling suggested that the three of them take a trip together in the future.

Ruri and Mei Ling Hyuga agreed to go on an outing together someday, where Ruri would grill meat for her. After explaining to Neji why he had been so hungry, Ruri washed the dishes while Mei Ling Hyuga played with Neji.

• Ruri and Mei Ling Hyuga agreed to go on an outing together and share Ruri’s grilled meat.
• Ruri explained to Neji that running laps had used up his energy and made him hungry.
• Neji played with his toys by the sofa while Ruri and Mei Ling Hyuga cleared the dishes.
• Ruri took the dishcloth from Mei Ling Hyuga and began washing the dishes as she went to play with Neji.

Ruri finished the dishes and prepared to leave early the next morning for an Anbu mission. Mei Ling promised to wake him and make him a hearty breakfast, and Ruri assured her he would return safely.

• Ruri washed the tableware, put it away, and told Mei Ling Hyuga he had finished.
• Ruri told Mei Ling Hyuga that he needed to wake at six thirty and assemble at the Anbu at eight.
• Mei Ling Hyuga promised to wake Ruri and make him breakfast before he left.
• Mei Ling Hyuga asked Ruri to return safely, and he hugged her and promised he would.
• Ruri asked Mei Ling Hyuga to make her rice porridge, and she promised to prepare it with something extra for his mission.

Ruri worried about Mei Ling Hyuga’s health and urged her to rest after cooking for him. He planned to spend more time with her after his mission, having come to regard her as his own mother.

• Ruri accepted Mei Ling Hyuga’s offer to cook him a proper meal before his mission.
• Ruri asked Mei Ling Hyuga not to exhaust herself by getting up early, and she promised to sleep after cooking and take a nap at noon.
• Ruri told Mei Ling Hyuga to take care of her health, and she agreed.
• Ruri reflected on how Mei Ling Hyuga cared for him and Neji Hyuga despite the strain of looking after them.
• Ruri resolved to return after his mission and help Mei Ling Hyuga recover so he could leave for future missions without worrying.

Ruri stayed with Neji while Mei Ling Hyuga went to buy supplies for Ruri’s mission the next day. Neji said he wanted to become a great ninja to protect his mother, and Ruri promised to supervise his training.

• Mei Ling Hyuga told Ruri she needed to go shopping and asked him to wait before packing his equipment.
• Ruri agreed to watch Neji, then played with him after Mei Ling left for the supermarket to buy compressed food for his mission.
• Ruri asked Neji what kind of person he wanted to become, and Neji said he wanted to be a strong ninja who could protect his mother.
• Ruri promised to supervise Neji’s training, and Neji vowed to become strong enough for them to protect their mother together.

Ruri reassured Neji Hyuga that they would grow stronger together and protect their mother, Mei Ling Hyuga, who had not yet returned home. While waiting, Ruri planned his gear for the next day and named his shape-changing, chakra-absorbing short blade Thousand Mechanisms.

• Ruri and Neji Hyuga promised to grow stronger together and protect Mei Ling Hyuga.
• Neji Hyuga wondered why Mei Ling Hyuga had not returned, and Ruri reassured him that she was likely still busy.
• Ruri thought about preparing his ninja tools, explosive tags, and short blade for the next day.
• Ruri named his shape-changing short blade Thousand Mechanisms.

Ruri named his short blade Tianji and looked forward to testing it in battle on the next day's mission. Mei Ling Hyuga returned home with food for Ruri, who had been waiting and worrying about her.

• Ruri named his short blade Tianji and imagined fighting alongside it on the battlefield.
• Ruri wondered where the next day's mission would take him and decided the Third Hokage would not assign the team a difficult task.
• Mei Ling Hyuga bought compressed food for Ruri and returned home.
• Neji Hyuga greeted Mei Ling Hyuga and told Ruri that she was back.
• Ruri welcomed Mei Ling Hyuga and asked what had kept her away, and she explained that she had gone to buy food for his mission.

Mei Ling Hyuga brought Ruri nutritious food she had bought during a crowded supermarket promotion, and they agreed he would take some on his mission and leave the rest at home for her and Neji. Ruri went to pack his equipment for the mission, while Mei Ling Hyuga told him she would wake him the next morning.

• Mei Ling Hyuga told Ruri she had bought him extra food during a supermarket promotion.
• Ruri worried that she had gone out just to buy him food, but Mei Ling Hyuga explained that the Anbu's mission rations lacked nutrition.
• Mei Ling Hyuga rested at Ruri's home and described the crowds and the goods she had passed up because they were close to their expiration dates.
• Ruri said he could not finish all the food and suggested leaving some at home for Mei Ling Hyuga and Neji.
• Mei Ling Hyuga agreed, and Ruri went to organize his equipment before bed.

Ruri prepared for a mission that would begin the next day, packing his clothes, weapons, and compressed food. He looked forward to fighting on the battlefield but hoped the mission would not involve a Jinchūriki.

• Ruri decided to pack extra clothes because he did not know where the mission would take him.
• Ruri praised his short blade, Thousand Mechanisms, and packed it with shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags.
• Ruri finished packing and said he was excited to return to the battlefield, especially with Uchiha Itachi joining the group.
• Ruri hoped they would not encounter a Jinchūriki, then went to pack the compressed food Aunt Meiling had bought.

Ruri asked Mei Ling Hyuga to choose compressed food for him to take, and she explained how to eat the different varieties. Curious about the compressed fruit, Ruri took a packet to the kitchen to prepare for everyone to try.

• Ruri asked Mei Ling Hyuga for some compressed food, and she agreed to choose packets for him.
• Mei Ling Hyuga selected meat, vegetable, and fruit packets and told Ruri to eat them in combinations.
• Ruri suggested that they try the compressed fruit because he was hungry, and Mei Ling Hyuga handed him a packet.
• Ruri took the packet to the kitchen and called Neji Hyuga to join them for fruit.

Ruri opened a package of compressed fruit and found that its contents matched the description and looked fresh. He brought the fruit to Mei Ling Hyuga and Neji Hyuga so they could taste it and decide whether to buy it again, but the chapter ended before anyone tried it.

• Ruri opened the compressed fruit package and found several kinds of fruit inside, just as the description had promised.
• Ruri arranged the fruit on a plate and remarked that it looked juicy and freshly packed.
• Ruri invited Mei Ling Hyuga and Neji Hyuga to try the fruit and decide whether they should buy it again.
• Ruri set the plate on the coffee table, fetched forks, and handed one to each of them.

Ruri, Neji Hyuga, and Mei Ling Hyuga enjoyed the compressed fruit Mei Ling had bought in Konoha. Mei Ling went to sort the remaining compressed foods into portions for Ruri while he and Neji continued eating.

• Neji Hyuga and Mei Ling Hyuga thanked Ruri and began eating the fruit with him.
• Ruri praised the fruit’s taste and juiciness, and Mei Ling said she would shop for more compressed foods in the future.
• Mei Ling explained that the supermarket sold many other kinds of compressed food, including unusual mixed varieties.
• Mei Ling went to sort and label balanced portions of compressed food for Ruri, who promised to eat them as arranged.
• Ruri asked Neji Hyuga if he liked the fruit, reminded him to drink plenty of water, and reflected that Konoha’s products matched their packaging.

Ruri, Mei Ling Hyuga, and Neji Hyuga wrapped up their evening and went to bed. Ruri planned to rest before heading to the battlefield the next day, and the night passed peacefully.

• Mei Ling Hyuga finished sorting food for Ruri to pack in his backpack.
• As it grew late, Ruri and Mei Ling Hyuga agreed it was time for bed, and she promised to wake him when breakfast was ready.
• Ruri said good night to Mei Ling Hyuga and went into his bedroom.
• Mei Ling Hyuga carried Neji Hyuga to bed, while Ruri prepared to rest before going to the battlefield the next day.
• Ruri, Mei Ling Hyuga, and Neji Hyuga fell asleep peacefully.