This boy really was special. He would not look down on her, would not scorn her for being weak and timid.
In fact, sensitive as she was, she could feel the affection and care in his words.
Hinata was just about to say "I do" when a clear, childish cry suddenly rang out.
"Big sis!"
Otsutsuki Toneri froze, then turned his head. A small, cute girl with loose black hair was running toward the two of them.
After seeing the girl clearly through his Rinnegan, Otsutsuki Toneri kept his expression calm, but a strange feeling rose within him.
This girl was none other than Hinata Hyuga's younger sister, Hanabi Hyuga, but wasn't her age wrong?
No matter how he looked at her, this girl was six or seven years old. But wasn't Hanabi Hyuga supposed to be five years younger than Hinata Hyuga?
Perhaps there had been some unexpected changes and a bit of a butterfly effect?
That was the only explanation Otsutsuki Toneri could come up with.
"Big sis, who's this?" Hanabi Hyuga ran to Hinata Hyuga's side and helped her up, then looked at Otsutsuki Toneri with a hint of wariness.
Although she looked delicate, her personality was far more outgoing than Hinata Hyuga's, and she had an extremely strong sense of pride.
Hanabi Hyuga understood her older sister's timid nature very well. Although she was the younger sister, she was actually the one protecting Hinata Hyuga more often than not.
"..." Hinata Hyuga paused at the question. Although Otsutsuki Toneri seemed to have introduced himself earlier, all her attention had been on the words "be my wife" at the time...
"Toneri. My name is Otsutsuki Toneri!" Facing them with his eyes closed, Otsutsuki Toneri gave a faint, gentle smile.
Although this was somewhat unexpected, Hanabi Hyuga alone could hardly cause much trouble. Besides...
The Rinnegan in Otsutsuki Toneri's palm secretly watched Hanabi Hyuga. Those eyes were Byakugan of exceptionally high purity!
In the original story, Otsutsuki Toneri had awakened the Tenseigan by transplanting Hanabi Hyuga's Byakugan, so he was somewhat tempted now!
But...
Now was not the right time. Hinata Hyuga and Hanabi Hyuga seemed extremely close. If he gouged out Hanabi Hyuga's eyes, Hinata Hyuga would probably never forgive him for the rest of her life.
At his introduction, Hanabi Hyuga looked Otsutsuki Toneri up and down. This boy really was handsome, but why did he keep his eyes closed?
"Hinata, are you two the only children around your age in the Hyuga Main Family?" After pondering briefly, Otsutsuki Toneri asked Hinata with feigned curiosity.
This was extremely important. If those two really were the only children their age in the Hyuga Main Family...
Then Otsutsuki Toneri would have to consider taking Hanabi Hyuga's Byakugan, or seizing the eyes of someone else in the Hyuga Main Family.
He would have to see whether there were any Byakugan of exceptionally high purity.
After all, Otsutsuki Toneri could not simply settle for an ordinary pair of Byakugan. Awakening the Tenseigan required Byakugan with a highly pure bloodline.
Ideally, the eyes would belong to someone roughly the same age as Otsutsuki Toneri. That would be the most suitable choice.
(I hope everyone won't get hung up on Naruto and Sasuke... making friends now is only meant to make their battles later more exciting... just imagine Naruto's expression when Toneri turns out to be the big boss! Still asking for all kinds of support.)
Chapter 24: This Is... Lord Third Hokage, Isn't It? Fourth Update!
"Of course not, but why are you asking?" Before Hinata Hyuga could answer, Hanabi Hyuga looked at Otsutsuki Toneri in confusion and asked.
What a strange person, asking how many children their age there were in the Hyuga Clan.
Wasn't that question a little too bizarre?
"Nothing. I was just curious. Since your sister is here, Hinata, I'll see you next time. Remember what I said." Otsutsuki Toneri shook his head, then smiled at Hinata Hyuga.
Hanabi Hyuga's words had already given him quite a bit of information.
Next, he only needed to find a target to act on. That would still require some preparation.
Unless it was necessary, Otsutsuki Toneri was not yet ready to openly break with Konoha.
After all, there was actually no tangible benefit to it. Was he out of his mind, picking a fight with Konoha for no reason?
"..." Hearing this, Hinata Hyuga immediately remembered what Otsutsuki Toneri had said earlier. Her little face flushed again, and she hid behind her younger sister.
When she remembered how she had nearly blurted out "I do" in the heat of the moment, she felt she was about to faint from embarrassment.
That really would have been far too forward of her.
Seeing this, Otsutsuki Toneri smiled faintly, then nodded to Hanabi Hyuga before turning and leaving with Otsutsuki Quxian.
"Hey, big sis, did that person say something to you earlier?" Once Otsutsuki Toneri had left, Hanabi Hyuga turned to the bashful Hinata Hyuga and asked curiously.
Judging by her older sister's expression and the look in her eyes, something must have happened between those two before she arrived.
"N-no, nothing..." Hinata Hyuga shook her head gently at the question, her small hands gripping the buttons of her clothes.
She was easily embarrassed. How could she possibly share Otsutsuki Toneri's words with Hanabi Hyuga?
"All right, let's go. It's getting late." Hanabi Hyuga pursed her lips, then urged Hinata Hyuga along.
She understood her older sister all too well. She liked to keep practically everything on her mind to herself rather than reveal it to others.
So she did not keep pressing Hinata Hyuga to satisfy her curiosity.
"Young master, I actually think you could gouge out a pair of Byakugan from the Hyuga Clan to restore your sight," Otsutsuki Quxian suddenly said as she followed behind Otsutsuki Toneri elsewhere.
The matter of Otsutsuki Toneri's eyes had always weighed on her. After all, in her view, someone as outstanding as Otsutsuki Toneri having no eyes...
Was simply far too regrettable. To her, how could heaven be so unfair?
But after seeing those two girls from the Hyuga Clan today, this idea had suddenly occurred to her.
If she seized a pair of Byakugan from the Hyuga Clan and transplanted them into Otsutsuki Toneri, wouldn't her young master be able to see again?
"Your thoughts happen to align with mine, but there's no hurry." Otsutsuki Toneri chuckled, a thoughtful look on his face.
There was no question that he had to obtain the eyes, but the process required careful planning.
The two of them were not yet strong enough to crush Konoha, even though Konoha was very weak at the moment.
But an ultimate beast was currently hidden within Konoha!
Might Guy with the Eight Gates!
He was a fearsome fighter who had nearly kicked Six Paths Madara to death!
Besides, even if Might Guy did not open the Eight Gates, the still-young Otsutsuki Toneri and Otsutsuki Quxian were no match for all of Konoha.
Enough ants could bite an elephant to death. Besides, in their eyes, Konoha's ninja were more than mere little ants.
Against Toneri and Quxian as they were now, Danzo and the Third could already be considered evenly matched opponents, or even a cut above them.
But once Otsutsuki Toneri awakened the Tenseigan!
At the very least, he would be able to roam the Shinobi World unchallenged. Awakening the Tenseigan would make his strength grow exponentially, leaping into an entirely different league!
But the Tenseigan would not awaken immediately upon transplantation. It still needed some time to merge with the bloodline within his body.
It would not take long, only a little over a day.
But that would still be enough time for Konoha to organize a counterattack.
When that happened, things would probably become rather troublesome, and both of them would be left in a very sorry state.
The two then returned to Kurenai Yuhi's home. As soon as he entered, Otsutsuki Toneri noticed that Asuma was there too, along with a kindly-looking old man.
He wore a white outer coat over casual red clothes, with a head of silver hair and a white beard.
It was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!
"Toneri, you're back?" Seeing Otsutsuki Toneri return, Kurenai Yuhi, who had been standing beside the Third Hokage, immediately called out to him with a smile.
Asuma and the Third Hokage also looked over.
"Hey, Toneri, looks like you enjoyed your outing." Asuma teased him with a smile too. After all, they had already been waiting here for over an hour...
Indeed, he and the Third Hokage had arrived not long after Otsutsuki Toneri went out.
After all, the Third really wanted to meet these two children whom Asuma had praised so highly. And their strength...
Concerned him greatly!
"Asuma? That cloak... this must be Lord Third Hokage?" With a gentle smile on his face, Otsutsuki Toneri walked unhurriedly over to the three of them, then looked toward the now-aged Third Hokage.
Although it was somewhat unexpected, it did make sense.
The Third Hokage looked kind and approachable, but in truth, he valued Konoha more than his own life!
He would tolerate nothing that could threaten Konoha, and he would do anything that benefited it!
(Please support me! There will be more tonight!)
Chapter 25: Hiruzen Sarutobi's Dilemma! Fifth Update!
Not everyone who lived a long life was wise, but those who lived long had certainly weathered hardships and gained experience of the world.
And someone like the Third Hokage, who had witnessed almost everything since Konoha's founding and survived from the First War until now, could be called a living fossil of Konoha!
"You must be Toneri? You really are an outstanding child." Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up, walked over to Otsutsuki Toneri, and studied him carefully before smiling kindly as he smoked.
Unflappable and composed.
He really was an outstanding child, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought, his slightly narrowed eyes studying Otsutsuki Toneri's tightly closed ones.
And he really was blind!
There were no eyes inside. Hiruzen Sarutobi could sense that, and he could also sense the calm chakra within Otsutsuki Toneri's body!
In fact, that enormous quantity of chakra was simply unbelievable to him!
And this one, too!
Out of the corner of his eye, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced toward Otsutsuki Quxian, who was quietly following behind Otsutsuki Toneri.
Before you continue