Teaching

By the time Tianyun Hyuga leisurely made his way to the Konoha Ninja Academy, it was already three in the afternoon. His entire class had gone outside for a lesson, leaving the classroom empty, so he simply found a seat and rested his head on the desk, planning to wait until school ended at five before going home.

Tianyun Hyuga was not actually sleeping as he rested in the classroom. He kept thinking about where he could earn more money.

His current agreement with Tenten's father was to enhance ten kunai a day. At a price of over six hundred thousand each, after deducting the two-hundred-thousand enhancement fee, Tianyun Hyuga earned around two million a day.

Two million a day meant sixty million a month, but that was still a little too little for Tianyun Hyuga. Enhancing his Byakugan required five hundred million, and he would need a full ten months to save that much. That was unacceptable to him.

Tianyun Hyuga wanted to reach at least the level of a jonin within a year. At his current earning rate, that was impossible, so he needed to find other ways to make more money.

But after thinking it over for ages, Tianyun Hyuga realized that making money really was not his specialty. He could not think of any way to earn money outside his system's abilities. Frustrated, he simply stopped thinking about it.

Tianyun Hyuga could supply Tiesheng with more enhanced weapons every day, but that would draw attention from a lot of outsiders. Without enough strength, he would not be able to protect the money he earned, so he could not increase the number of enhanced weapons at will.

In the end, Tianyun Hyuga realized that everything depended on strength. If he already had the strength of a jonin, he could earn a fortune by enhancing people's bodies, ninjutsu, and chakra. He would not have to hold back in everything he did, as he did now.

"Strength..." Tianyun Hyuga sighed, stood up, and walked out of the classroom, deciding to head home first.

At four that afternoon, the Third Hokage received a report in the Hokage Office from the Anbu that Tianyun Hyuga had spent two hours hanging out with Naruto Uzumaki.

Naruto Uzumaki's identity was no trivial matter. A little surprised, the Third Hokage asked the Anbu ninja, "How did those two meet? Was there anything else behind it? Could Tianyun Hyuga be deliberately approaching Naruto Uzumaki?"

The Anbu ninja answered, "Lord Hokage, Tianyun Hyuga met Naruto Uzumaki the night before last. Tianyun Hyuga was resting outside the academy gates when Naruto Uzumaki ran over to play. Tianyun Hyuga called him over and asked him to buy ice cream for him. He even made Naruto Uzumaki pay for it..."

"That brat really is a miser..." The Third Hokage was rather speechless. Then he asked, "What about today? How did they end up together today?"

The Anbu ninja said, "Naruto Uzumaki went to find Tianyun Hyuga on his own. Tianyun Hyuga was heading to Ichiraku Ramen alone, and when Naruto Uzumaki spotted him on the road, he followed him straight there..."

After finishing, the Anbu ninja added, "Naruto Uzumaki ended up paying for the ramen, too."

The Third Hokage shook his head, at a loss for words, and sighed. "Let it go. Since Tianyun Hyuga wasn't deliberately approaching Naruto Uzumaki, leave them be! Naruto Uzumaki needs a friend, even if that friend is a shrewd, stingy little brat."

The Anbu ninja had always been responsible for following Naruto Uzumaki, so he naturally knew his identity as well. Now that the Third Hokage had given his orders, he nodded and left to continue following Naruto Uzumaki.

When Tianyun Hyuga leisurely returned to Meicun Hyuga's Residence, Meicun Hyuga was unexpectedly absent. She had only left him a note saying she was going to train and telling him to eat out.

Meicun Hyuga really was something. After learning that her son was both a genius and clever, she could not even be bothered to cook for him anymore. Was Tianyun Hyuga still her son or not?

After grumbling for a while, Tianyun Hyuga simply grabbed a few things to eat at home. Hinata Hyuga would soon be coming over to train in the New Gentle Fist Technique, and he had no time to go out for food.

Of course, the only reason Tianyun Hyuga had no dinner was that he had assumed Meicun Hyuga would cook at home, so he had wasted time strolling back. Otherwise, the hour he had spent getting home would have been enough to go out for a meal.

At six that evening, after eating a little, Tianyun Hyuga lay on the steps outside the front door, watching the sunset. Just then, a Hyuga Clan guard arrived at his gate with Hinata Hyuga, right on time.

The guard was very polite to Tianyun Hyuga. Drawing the timid Hinata Hyuga over in front of him, the guard said, "Young Master Tianyun, the young lady has arrived. Please guide her carefully in her training."

Tianyun Hyuga curled his lip as he lay on the steps, then stood up and said lazily, "Let the young lady come inside with me! You can wait outside. From now on, training will last one hour each day. I don't have time to teach her any longer than that. Do whatever you like during that hour!"

The guard felt rather annoyed. Tianyun Hyuga put on even more airs than the clan head, making the guard want to teach him a lesson. But remembering the clan head's instructions, the guard could only endure it and say respectfully, "I'll wait here and take the young lady home in an hour."

"Suit yourself. Hinata, come inside with me!" Tianyun Hyuga said.

With that, Tianyun Hyuga walked straight into the residence. Hinata Hyuga glanced at the guard, and only after receiving a nod did she follow nervously behind Tianyun Hyuga, slowly entering the residence.

In a clearing beneath a large tree inside the residence, Tianyun Hyuga saw Hinata Hyuga approaching and called to her as she walked slowly toward him, "Hurry up! My time is precious."

Hinata Hyuga felt wronged. Her upbringing was very strict. She had to maintain a dignified bearing when walking and could not skip and hop like ordinary people, so this was her normal walking pace.

Now that Tianyun Hyuga had urged her on, she could only trot over to him, feeling wronged. With her head lowered, she said quietly, "Teacher Tianyun, please teach me..."

Hinata Hyuga's attitude left Tianyun Hyuga speechless. After inwardly squirming for a moment, he said, "First, I'll demonstrate the entire sequence once. Remember all of it. Then you'll practice on your own, and I'll gradually correct your mistakes in posture."

"Okay..." Hinata Hyuga gave only that one-word reply, without even raising her head to look at Tianyun Hyuga.

Tianyun Hyuga frowned. "Stop keeping your head down. I'm about to start teaching you. Raise your head and watch carefully..."

Hinata Hyuga raised her head, only for Tianyun Hyuga to see tears swirling in her eyes and the wounded look on her face. For a moment, he felt as though he had committed a crime.