Little Naruto held Hinata's sleeve and followed her to the Hyuga Clan Compound.
"Young lady!"
A Hyuga Clan Shinobi spotted the missing Hinata and hurried over anxiously to check on her.
"Is this your home?"
Little Naruto stared at the enormous residence in surprise. It was much bigger than his apartment.
"Who are you, and why are you approaching our young lady?"
Hyuga Tōru separated Hinata from Naruto and questioned Naruto in a scolding tone.
"Um, Uncle Tōru, he's... my friend."
Little Hinata worked up the courage to introduce him.
"I got lost, and he brought me home."
Even after hearing that, the look Hyuga Tōru gave Naruto did not change.
"Young lady, you're tired. Hurry inside and rest."
"Hey, hey, what gives you the right to make decisions for Hinata?"
Naruto was very unhappy with this man's dirty looks. Why was he sending Hinata straight inside?
He had not even said goodbye to her yet.
"Naruto-kun..."
Hinata's voice was very quiet, but he could hear how torn she was.
"Forget it. Goodbye, Hinata. Make sure you sleep well."
Naruto did not intend to keep arguing with this man. After waving goodbye to Hinata, he headed home.
On the way, Naruto experienced an entirely new feeling.
A look even dirtier than all the dirty looks before, ๑ŏ ﹏ ŏ๑.
Hinata watched Naruto's retreating figure, her gloved hands clenched tightly together.
"Goodbye, Naruto-kun!"
That was the loudest Hinata had spoken lately.
"Young lady."
Hyuga Tōru tried to stop Hinata, but failed.
"Come inside."
Hyuga Hiashi's voice reached them.
"Yes, Lord Clan Head."
Hyuga Tōru led Hinata into the residence.
"Little Hinata, why did you go outside during today's ceremony?"
Although Hiashi's tone was not particularly harsh, it carried a strong note of interrogation.
"I... I accidentally ran outside."
Hinata lowered her head, not daring to look at her father's face.
"You... sigh. You're not allowed outside for the next month."
"That child just now... never mind. Forget I said anything."
Ignoring Hinata, who still wanted to speak, Hiashi left the hall in disappointment.
If only this child had half of Neji's talent.
I'll have to explain to Lord Third why we came into contact with the Jinchūriki later, too. Sigh...
Tears slid from the corners of little Hinata's eyes, and she wiped them dry with the gloves Naruto had given her.
I'll work hard. I'll work hard to make Father proud.
Hinata thought to herself.
Meanwhile, Naruto returned home, and his mouth watered when he saw the two piping-hot dishes on the table.
"Thank you, big sis!"
Little Naruto shouted toward the place next door.
How did the Anbu monitor-pfft, look after little Naruto in winter?
The Third had thoughtfully prepared a little room for them, where they took turns keeping watch.
(Yugao: I'll keep stalking you! Forever!)
(ಥ_ಥ)
Still, Naruto had grown fond of the big sister who appeared at night. After all, who would not like a big sister with a stunning figure who also cooked fish for them?
After eating, little Naruto stood on a stool and washed his bowl and chopsticks.
"All right, another wonderful day."
Lying down on his bed, little Naruto started reading the books Grandpa Third had given him.
?
How to extract chakra?
How is the Will of Fire cultivated?
Three things children living alone must learn?
How to exercise healthily?
He had always been too lazy to read them before, but now that he looked, Grandpa Third really had given him quite a lot.
Naruto simply took the books into the Sealing Space.
"Teacher! I made a friend today!"
Little Naruto happily threw himself into Hashirama's arms, telling him about the first friend he had ever made in his life.
"Yahaha, that's wonderful."
Out of concern (nosiness), Hashirama and the Nine-Tails had tacitly watched the entire process of Naruto making a friend.
Still, they had not expected her to be the Hyuga Clan's young lady.
The Hyuga, huh...
Back then, he had put considerable effort into persuading Tenjin, only succeeding in the end with Madara's assistance.
In fact, back then, Hashirama had been bowing his head to the ground while Madara stood behind him with Susanoo activated. Was Tenjin moved, you ask?
He had not dared move an inch. If Tenjin had harbored any ulterior thoughts, Madara might well have wiped out the Hyuga Clan after Hashirama left.
Although everyone said that with Susanoo-Clad Kurama, the two could destroy the five nations.
Either Susanoo or the great Buddha alone could destroy the five nations, too.
But although the Hyuga agreed, they insisted on retaining their system of Main Family and Branch Family.
Seeing that they had agreed to join Konoha, Hashirama had not intended to keep pressuring them. He wanted to take it gradually and slowly persuade them to abandon the Caged Bird Seal system.
Then he had fallen out with Madara and been injured as a result, and in the end, he had never seen the Caged Bird Seal abolished.
From the look of things now, Tobirama had not fulfilled his dying wish either.
"Let me tell you, she's a girl, and her name is Hinata Hyuga."
"Her house is really, really big. Much bigger than mine."
"She has lots and lots of relatives, but they all gave me dirty looks."
"They all seem to have white eyes."
Naruto excitedly shared his experiences with Hashirama and Kurama.
Hashirama also told Naruto what he knew about the Hyuga Clan.
"It's that cruel?"
"Good thing Hinata belongs to the Main Family."
"No! A system like that shouldn't exist, believe it!"
Little Naruto was very unhappy with a system that restricted other people's freedom.
"Yes, that's what I think, too."
Hashirama nodded in satisfaction, then picked up the books Naruto had brought in.
"How to extract chakra?"
That seems so familiar.
Hashirama flipped to the last page, where the author's name was written.
Written by Tobirama Senju.
No wonder. That stuffy wording, those flowery but empty passages-one look told me they came from my foolish little brother.
Oh, it even includes instructions for the three basic techniques.
Let me think. It's been ages since I used those three ninjutsu.
The three basic techniques referred to the Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique, and Clone Technique. Mastering them could greatly improve one's chances of staying alive on the battlefield.
That was also why Tobirama had made the three basic techniques mandatory learning at the Ninja Academy.
But Hashirama had rarely used those three ninjutsu since Konoha's founding. After all, they required hand seals.
Were there really Shinobi who still needed hand seals?
When he fought Madara, he simply clapped his hands together, released his chakra, and the technique naturally took shape.
Although Madara occasionally formed a seal and released a little fire (Majestic Destroyer Flame) or something, he mostly just swung his fan or used Dōjutsu. There was no time for hand seals at all.
Tobirama was the same. He simply threw a kunai, used Flying Thunder God to get there, and killed his target with one slash. He did not need hand seals at all.
"Little Naruto, let's keep learning the Force Application Method today. I'll teach you the three basic techniques later."
Hashirama lied!
He had actually forgotten how to perform the three basic techniques and needed time to recall the knack of using them.
"Okay! I'll work hard! Let's go!"
Little Naruto shouted, brimming with enthusiasm.
Before you continue