The dismantling of Danzo Shimura did not result in the quiet, convenient disappearance of a political rival, rather, it triggered a seismic shift in the very bedrock of Konohagakure's governance. The vacuum left by the Root leader was immense, filled not with silence, but with a deluge of questions from a populace and a military force that had suddenly realized how much of their history had been dictated from the shadows. To address the instability, the Fifth Hokage chose a strategy of transparency, a maneuver that transformed the investigation into a village-wide reckoning.
For an entire week following the raid on the Root headquarters, Tsunade mobilized a vast and diverse coalition of Konoha's forces to sift through the wreckage of Danzo's legacy. When the initial forensics were complete, she initiated a grand conference unlike any in the village's history. It was not a closed-door meeting of the elite, but a sweeping assembly that included the heads of every clan, representatives from the smaller civilian-born shinobi families, and the senior directors of every functioning institution within the Leaf. The principals of the Academy and the Orphanages sat alongside the commanders of the Intelligence Division, the Torture and Interrogation Corps, ANBU, the Hospital, and the Logistics Department. It was a gathering designed to ensure that the truth could not be buried again.
Inside the great hall, the atmosphere was heavy with horrified realization. The atrocities committed by Danzo, the kidnapping of children, the illicit experimentation, the collaboration with Orochimaru, hostile actions against other countries, were laid bare detail. Files recovered from the destroyed bases were declassified and circulated. Even the most conservative faction leaders, those who had historically supported the hardline stance of the Elders, found their stomachs turning at the evidence. The perversions and the systemic culling of Konoha's own assets for "the greater good" stripped Danzo of any lingering martyrdom. He was exposed not as a protector, but as a parasite that had gorged itself on the village's vitality.
The conclusions drawn from this three-day marathon were sweeping. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were permitted to retain their titles as advisors to the Hokage, primarily due to their intricate knowledge of international relations, but their political fangs were drawn. Their executive power was stripped away, redistributed into a newly formed, wider council comprising department heads and clan representatives. This act effectively democratized the Hokage's advisory body, ensuring that no triad of old shinobi could ever again dictate the village's moral compass.
Simultaneously, the administrative framework of the village underwent a ruthless overhaul. The fragmented, labyrinthine bureaucracy that Danzo had exploited to hide his operations is going to be dismantled. In its place, a streamlined, standardized system was proposed, one that integrated multiple working branches into a single coherent network. While framed as a security measure to prevent future embezzlement, the glimmer in Tsunade's eyes suggested a secondary motivation: the drastic reduction of her own administrative paperwork.
The shadow of the Uchiha clan, however, loomed largest over the proceedings. The investigation into Danzo's involvement necessitated a re-examination of the massacre. The resulting consensus was a complex, uncomfortable dual condemnation. The gathered leadership unanimously condemned the Uchiha clan's planned coup d'etat as treason, a violation of the village's unity that required suppression. Yet, in the same breath, they declared the method of its resolution, the total genocide of families, non-combatants, and children, as a moral atrocity that violated the Will of Fire.
The blame for the execution of this atrocity was placed squarely on the shoulders of Danzo Shimura and Itachi Uchiha. Itachi's status as an S-Rank criminal remained unchanged. Regardless of his motivations or the orders he received, the slaughter of innocents was deemed an unforgivable crime. Sasuke Uchiha's status was left in a dangerous gray area. While the conference acknowledged that his instability was a direct product of trauma, his alignment with Orochimaru, a hostile power actively threatening the village, and his willingness to treat with Konoha's enemies made him a continued threat. His designation as a missing-nin with high capture priority was upheld, a decision driven by security rather than malice.
This left the Uchiha assets, the sprawling, ghost-filled compound, the vast land holdings, and the treasury, in a state of legal limbo. Heated debates erupted regarding the future of the bloodline. Some argued that the clan's history was ancient enough that dormant carriers of the lineage might exist outside the main family, potential heirs who could be reintegrated to claim the clan's legacy. Others vehemently opposed this, citing the risk of infiltration or further instability. Suggestions to seize the assets for the village were met with resistance from other clans, fearful of setting a precedent for state seizure of property. Ultimately, no consensus could be reached. The Uchiha district would remain sealed, a frozen monument to the village's greatest failure.
And at the end of this conference, a new spark of innovation emerged. The conference concluded with the authorization of a new joint industrial initiative. Inspired by the advanced manufacturing capabilities discovered in the Hyuuga compound, a new branch of military development was chartered. It would be a collaborative effort involving artisans from multiple clans and civilian sectors, led by the Hyuuga, to modernize Konoha's equipment and weaponry. It was a signal that the village was preparing for a new era of warfare.
For three days, the hall buzzed with these heavy, history-defining decisions. And for three days, deep within the mind of the Jounin, a distinct, alien consciousness writhed in agonizing boredom. To Venom, the endless drone of human politics, the shuffling of papers, and the nuances of bureaucratic reform were a torture far worse than any physical pain. The symbiote spent the entirety of the conference providing a running, vitriolic commentary in Hinata's mind, lamenting the lack of action, the scarcity of snacks, and the sheer inefficiency of human communication, begging for a fight, a meal, or literally anything other than another report.
As the conference finally adjourned, the participants dispersed, carrying the weight of the new order back to their compounds and homes, leaving the hall silent once more.
The sliding doors of the main meeting hall within the Hyuuga compound had been closed for hours. The air inside was stale, heavy with the scent of old tatami, incense, and the palpable tension of a dozen high-ranking individuals holding their breath.
The room was dimly lit by traditional paper lanterns, casting long, flickering shadows against the shoji screens. The members of the main branch sat in perfect seiza, legs folded beneath them, forming a rigid semi-circle facing the head of the clan. Among them sat the Elders, men whose faces were etched with decades of tradition and unyielding pride.
Yet, tonight, that pride seemed brittle.
Hinata sat to the right of her father, Hiashi. Even in a seated position, the difference in scale was jarring. She towered over every other participant, a monolith of muscle and alien grace amidst a gathering of ordinary humans. Her casual clothes, a dark, sleeveless jacket and trousers, did little to hide the terrifying reality of her body. In the low light, the silver Klyntar weave beneath her skin hummed with a soft, bioluminescent pulse, tracing intricate, tribal geometries across her neck and bare arms. Her cerulean eyes, flecked with silver-lilac, glowed with a predator's low-light vision, cutting through the gloom.
The silence was broken by the eldest member of the council, a man with thinning grey hair and deep lines bracketing a mouth that was currently turned down in a grim frown.
"I remember," the Elder began, his voice rasping slightly. "Years ago, Fugaku Uchiha and I would share tea. We discussed village politics. Our children's futures." He paused, shaking his head slowly. "I never suspected… not once… that he was plotting to put a kunai in my back. That he planned to abduct the heir to this clan as a bargaining chip."
He looked down at his hands, resting on his knees. "The destruction of the Uchiha… it was a tragedy. But to hear the extent of it confirmed so openly in the Hokage's conference… it is difficult to process."
The Elder raised his head, his pale Byakugan locking onto Hinata. He hesitated, his gaze flinching slightly as it met the alien intensity of hers. "Hinata. When you investigated Shimura's hidden bases… the things that were described. The harvesting. The storage. Is it true?"
The room went deathly still. Every eye turned to Hinata. She did not shift. She did not fidget. She sat with the absolute stillness of a mountain.
"It is true," she answered.
The sound of her voice caused several members to visibly stiffen. It was a doubled, harmonic resonance, her own alto fused with the deep, gravelly baritone of the symbiote, that seemed to vibrate in the listener's chest cavity.
"We found extensive cryogenic storage facilities," Hinata continued, her face impassive, the glow of her skin flaring slightly with the memory. "They operated as industrial mortuaries. Shelves upon shelves of preserved cadavers, ranging from the elderly to infants. Some of the participants of this investigation had identified Uchiha clan members among them. But they were not alone. There were bodies of other people, from other clans."
A ripple of unease passed through the room like a cold wind. The Elders exchanged nervous glances. The reality of Danzo's actions, that no clan had been safe, settled heavily upon them.
Hiashi Hyuuga cleared his throat. The sound was sharp, commanding attention back to the center.
"The fate of the Uchiha, and the monstrous ambition of Danzo Shimura, must serve as a lesson," Hiashi said, his voice level but hard as iron. "A terrifying one. If we continue to isolate ourselves, if we continue to prioritize our secrets over our survival, we risk everything."
He looked around the room, meeting the gaze of each Elder. "The Fifth Hokage's reforms are opening the doors of governance. Power is being redistributed. If we do not step through those doors, if we remain separated behind these walls, we will be displaced. Other clans, even the civilian-born shinobi, will rise to fill the void. And we will fade, just as the Uchiha did."
"What are you suggesting, Hiashi?" another Elder asked, his tone wary.
"I am suggesting that the main branch is too small," Hiashi replied instantly. "We lack the numbers to exert the influence we require in this new time. We must include the branch families. We must unify the clan in truth, not just in name." He paused, letting the weight of his next words hang in the air. "We must stop the application of the Caged Bird Seal."
Hinata blinked, her internal equilibrium momentarily disrupted. She looked at her father, genuinely surprised. She knew the hatred he harbored for the seal, it had cost him his twin brother, but to say it here, to this audience?
She braced herself for the outrage. She expected shouting, accusations of heresy, the gnashing of teeth.
Instead, there was only a heavy, stunned silence.
Hinata scanned the faces of the Elders. They weren't angry. They were surprised. And beneath the surprise, she smelled the distinct scent of fear. The conference had shaken them more deeply than she had realized. The fall of the Uchiha and the exposure of Danzo had terrified them into pragmatism.
"It is… dangerous," one Elder finally ventured, though his voice lacked conviction. "The secrets of the Byakugan… without the seal, our eyes are vulnerable to theft."
"There are other ways," Hiashi dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "Danzo stole Sharingan eyes despite the Uchiha's secrecy. If absolute security is required, we will commission seals that protect the eye without enslaving the bearer. We have resources. We can petition Jiraiya-sama, or even his apprentice, for fuinjutsu expertise."
Hiashi leaned forward. "There is a greater crisis looming. Look at our numbers. The youngest of our clan is Hanabi. Below her? Nobody. The branch families are refusing to bear children. They would rather let their lines die out than bring another generation into servitude. If this continues, in twenty years, there will be no Hyuuga clan left to protect."
The other participants shifted uncomfortably. Someone opened their mouth to argue, perhaps to cite tradition or duty, but the words died in their throat as their gaze drifted to Hinata's glowing, imposing form.
Look at them, Venom hissed in the back of her mind, his voice dripping with dark amusement. They search for an excuse, a way to cling to their petty power. But they are terrified. They do not want to oppose us. They smell the power in the room.
Hiashi waited, letting the silence stretch until it became suffocating. When no valid objection was raised, he nodded once.
"Then it is decided," he declared. "While we cannot safely remove the seals from the current branch members without risk, the practice ends today. Starting tomorrow, no child born to the Hyuuga clan will receive the Caged Bird Seal."
A collective exhale went through the room. It was done. Centuries of tradition, dismantled in a few minutes of fear and necessity.
The silence was broken by a younger member of the main branch, a man with sharp eyes who seemed eager to move past the uncomfortable topic of slavery.
"Regarding the… industrial initiative," the man started, smoothing his robes. "The armor manufacturing. It is a Hyuuga invention. We are providing the technology to this joint venture."
"Correction," Hiashi interjected smoothly. "It is Hinata's invention. Hers, and her partner's."
"Yes, yes, of course," the man said quickly, glancing nervously at Hinata. "But while we possess the technology, we lack the infrastructure for mass production. We need the village's investment. However… we must ensure that the executive positions within this new enterprise are held by Hyuuga. We must control the flow of this new wealth."
Hinata watched him, noting the gleam in his eyes. The moral weight of the Caged Bird Seal had vanished instantly, replaced by the prospect of new wealth. The speed of their agreement was greased by greed.
Fascinating, Venom mused. They are quick to claim ownership of the honey, yet none of them ask to meet the bee.
It was true. Years ago, there had been whispers, about using Hinata's contract to empower other Hyuuga. But tonight? Silence. They looked at her glowing skin, her towering height, the sheer otherness of her existence, and they wanted no part of it. The trial of Klyntar was lethal without any exceptions, and the idea of sharing their mind and body with a sentient creature terrified them more than death.
"Speaking of the initiative," an older Elder spoke up, leaning forward. "I was at the Hokage Tower recently. I saw the… workforce. That Uzumaki boy."
Hinata's attention sharpened.
"I saw hundreds of his shadow clones handling the administration," the Elder continued. "Rumor has it he was the one who uncovered the Danzo's schemes. Is this true, Hinata?"
Hinata raised an eyebrow, surprised by the direction of the inquiry. "It is. Naruto-kun utilized his clones to cross-reference thousands of documents simultaneously. It led directly to my mission in the capital."
The Elder stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I see. And the reforms the Hokage is pushing… the standardization of bureaucracy… I hear he is assisting with that as well. He was trained by Jiraiya. He stands at the right hand of the Godaime. He is a Jounin now."
The Elder looked up, his eyes narrowing calculatingly. "It appears that the two Sannin are grooming a successor. You have been on many high-ranking missions with him, haven't you?"
Hinata narrowed her eyes slightly. "We have fought together many times."
"Good. Good," the Elder nodded. "You should… keep yourself close to him. Perhaps pull him closer to the clan. A connection like that could be advantageous."
Hinata blinked. The implication hung in the air, thick and cloying. He was suggesting she seduce Naruto, not for her own happiness, but as a political maneuver to secure influence with the future leadership of Konoha.
A low, dangerous growl vibrated in her chest, audible only to those closest to her.
"I will decide whom I pull close," Hinata said. The harmonic distortion in her voice dropped an octave, becoming a rumble of pure threat. "And I will decide why."
The Elder recoiled as if slapped. He opened his mouth to stammer an excuse, to frame it as duty, but Hiashi cut him off.
"My daughter speaks correctly," Hiashi said coldly. "Her personal affairs are her own. Do not overstep."
The Elder looked from the stoic Clan Head to the glowing, terrifying visage of his daughter. He bowed his head quickly. "My apologies. I spoke out of turn."
The tension in the room was brittle enough to snap. Hiashi sensed it.
"This meeting is adjourned," he announced.
The relief was palpable. The attendees stood, bowed hastily, and filed out of the room with uncharacteristic speed, eager to escape the heavy gravity of the heiress.
Within moments, the room was empty save for Hiashi and Hinata.
The visual was striking, the average-sized, stern man sitting beside a woman who looked like a goddess carved from obsidian and moonlight. Hinata turned to her father.
"That was… easier than I expected," she admitted. "They agreed to the abolition of the seal almost immediately."
"It has been brewing for a long time," Hiashi said, staring at the empty seats. "But the conference… the horrors it revealed… it was the tipping point." He turned his head to look up at her. "But the main reason they agreed, Hinata… is you."
Hinata frowned. "Me? I have barely spoken to them."
"Exactly," Hiashi said. "Look at yourself. You have become something… beyond them. A force of nature. And they are terrified of you."
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "When we heard what Itachi did… the Elders looked at you, and they saw a mirror. They know how they treated you when you were younger. They know how they treated me when they demanded your uncle's life. They are afraid that you harbor a grudge. They are afraid that you possess the power to judge them, just as Itachi judged his clan."
Hinata sat back, absorbing this. She remembered the anger she used to feel. The burning resentment at her weakness, at their cruelty.
We could have crushed them, Venom whispered. It would have been easy.
"I did have grudges," Hinata said softly. "Once." She looked at her hands, where the silver weave pulsed gently. "But my life… it is full now. I have become strong. I have you. I have… him. I have won so much that their pettiness seems… small. Insignificant."
Hiashi nodded slowly. "That is good. And secondly… your invention. The wealth it promises. Greed is a powerful motivator for change." He looked her in the eye. "Thank you, Hinata. For giving us a way forward."
Silence stretched between them, but it was not uncomfortable. It was the silence of a bridge finally being built.
"I am aware," Hiashi said suddenly, breaking the quiet, "of your relationship with the Uzumaki boy. Rumors travel fast."
Hinata choked on air, her breath hitching. She stiffened, the reddened hue threatening to bleed into her markings. She opened her mouth to defend Naruto, to explain…
"When the time is right," Hiashi interrupted, his expression unreadable, "you should invite him to the compound."
Hinata froze. "You… approve?"
"He is strong. He is loyal. And he clearly holds you in high regard," Hiashi said. "And if he can survive you… then he is worthy."
The patriarch submits! Venom crowed in delight. He recognizes our main male partner! Excellent!
A small, genuine smile touched Hinata's lips. "I will. Thank you, Father."
She stood up.
CLACK.
Her head collided with one of the hanging paper lanterns, sending it swinging wildly.
"Ah." She reached up to steady it.
Hiashi watched her, a faint, rare smile ghosting his own face. "Go on. Get some rest."
Hinata bowed, maneuvering her massive frame carefully through the sliding doors, leaving her father alone in the shifting shadows of a changing world.
The morning sun hung high and bright over Konoha. The streets were surprisingly sparse, the population slowly drifting back into their daily rhythms after the upheaval of the last week, but the quiet suited Hinata just fine. She walked down the center of the main street, her strides long and fluid, heading towards the Hokage Tower.
She appeared to be wearing her standard casual attire: a deep lavender jacket left unzipped, a dark, form-fitting top that clung to her torso, and grey trousers that tapered down her long, muscular legs. However, the fabric did not rustle as she moved. It did not fold or crease with the friction of cloth against skin. It moved with the seamless, liquid perfection of a second skin.
A subtle, sinister glint danced in her cerulean eyes. The intricate, tribal network of the Klyntar Weave visible on her neck and hands glowed with a steady, brilliant blue light, a sign of her being calm.
She felt ecstatic. The weight that had pressed on her shoulders since childhood had evaporated overnight. Danzo Shimura, the rot at the village's core, was dead. The Akatsuki remained a distant storm on the horizon, a threat to be managed later, but for now, the sky was clear. More importantly, the chains of her clan had been shattered. When her father had announced the cessation of the Caged Bird Seal that morning, the reaction had been stoic on the surface, but her enhanced senses had tasted the overwhelming, weeping relief pouring off the Branch members. She had felt the tension leave Neji's body as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his spine.
Fear of fading into obscurity, the undeniable allure of new wealth from her industrial initiative, and the terrifying reality of what Hinata had become had forced the Hyuuga into the future.
And then, there was Naruto.
The thought of him caused the blue light in her subdermal markings to deepen, shifting into a hungry, pulsing violet. Her father had given his approval. The final barrier was gone. There were no more excuses, no need for secrecy or hiding within the compound walls. The last few weeks had been a blur of violence, investigations, and high-stakes politics, leaving no room for the intimacy she craved. They both needed comfort. They both needed release.
Involuntarily, her tongue, long and thic, slid out to wet her lips, savoring the anticipation. Inside her mind, she felt Venom vibrating, a purring hum of approval that rattled in her bones. The symbiote was just as eager as she was.
Ostensibly, she was heading to the Tower for a preliminary discussion regarding the new manufacturing plant, a formality to schedule the actual meetings that would take place months from now. It was a thin excuse, transparent to anyone who looked closely, but it served its purpose. She wasn't walking to the Tower for permits. She was going for him.
She reached the base of the Hokage Tower. The structure was still scarred from the recent battle, surrounded by scaffolding and tarps. The usual bustle of construction was absent. The workers were evidently on break, leaving the area quiet.
As she approached the main entrance, the doors swung open. Sakura Haruno stepped out, clutching a thick folder to her chest, followed closely by a beaming Naruto.
"Hey! Hinata!" Naruto shouted, waving his arm the moment he spotted her.
Hinata's lips curled into a smile that was just a fraction too wide, a little too predatory for a casual morning greeting. She closed the distance.
"Good morning, Naruto-kun. Sakura-san," Hinata greeted, her voice a doubled harmony that seemed to resonate from the air around them rather than just her throat.
Sakura stiffened slightly. She looked up at Hinata, her green eyes narrowing as she scanned the Hyuuga's figure. There was something... off. A vague sense of unease pricked at the back of Sakura's neck, an alarm warning her, but she couldn't articulate why.
"Oh, uh, good morning, Hinata," Sakura replied, shifting her weight. "You look… energetic today."
Naruto, completely oblivious to the tension, grinned up at her, a light blush dusting his cheeks.
"Are you here to see Granny Tsunade?" Naruto asked eagerly. "We just finished dropping off some boring reports."
"Yes. I have some… administrative matters to discuss," Hinata purred, her violet-pulsing eyes locked onto Naruto's face.
"Well, you're gonna have to wait a bit," Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Granny kicked everyone out. It's lunch break! Me and Sakura-chan were just gonna go grab some food." He looked at her with wide, hopeful blue eyes. "You should come with us! You can go to the meeting after!"
Hinata observed him. He looked relaxed, the tension of the investigation and the grim reality of the Danzo raid fading into the background. He was happy. And looking at her, he seemed genuinely, adorably excited.
"That sounds… wonderful," Hinata said, the violet light on her neck pulsing once, hard. "I would be delighted to join you."
Sakura led the way, setting a brisk pace that took them away from the dust and scaffolding of the Hokage Tower. They weaved through the village streets until the looming administrative building was a safe distance behind them. Sakura stopped at a small, unassuming tea cafe that had set up a few wooden tables on the sidewalk.
She claimed a table, placing her thick folder down with a heavy thud. Naruto slid into a chair quickly, his movements loose and energetic. Hinata moved to join them, but the simple act of sitting became a challenge.
She lowered her massive frame towards the small, spindly wooden chair. The moment her weight began to settle, the wood let out a sharp, agonized creak that sounded like a warning shot. Hinata frowned, straightening back up. She adjusted her angle and tried again, but the chair's dimensions were simply too narrow for her wide hips.
As she maneuvered, shifting her weight and bending slightly, she felt a gaze burning into her. Her enhanced peripheral vision caught Naruto staring, absolutely mesmerized, at the curve of her hips and the swell of her buttocks as she struggled with the furniture. His eyes were wide, tracking the movement of her muscles under the fabric. Sakura was watching too, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the sheer density and scale of Hinata's physique, her expression reading as a mix of suspicion and baffled curiosity.
Finally, Hinata spotted a stack of reinforced plastic chairs near the shop window. She grabbed one, the material flexing under her grip, and brought it to the table. She sat down. The plastic groaned in protest, the legs bowing slightly outward under the weight of dense muscle, but it held.
Sakura picked up the laminated menu. "I'm just going to get an iced tea and a sweet bun," she announced, glancing at Naruto. "You want your usual? A miso ramen?"
Naruto hesitated. His face scrunched up in deep thought, looking unusually conflicted.
"Nah," Naruto said, waving his hand awkwardly. "I'm… uh… I'm not really hungry for ramen right now. I just want… um… an orange juice. Yeah. A large one. With lots of ice."
Sakura blinked, lowering the menu. "You? Turning down ramen? Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine!" Naruto insisted quickly, a little too loud. "Just… thirsty. Really thirsty."
Hinata watched him, the blue lines on her neck pulsing softly. She understood the requirements of hydration, though she suspected his motivation lay elsewhere.
"That sounds refreshing," Hinata said, her voice a low, harmonic thrum that caused the plastic table to vibrate slightly. "I will have a large orange juice as well. My system requires liquids."
The waitress took their orders, eyeing Hinata's size warily before retreating. The street around them was surprisingly quiet, the usual midday rush absent, leaving them as the sole occupants of the outdoor seating.
When the drinks arrived, tall, condensation-slicked glasses of bright orange, Hinata took a delicate sip, the straw looking tiny against her lips.
"So," she hummed, placing the glass down. "What have you two been working on?"
Naruto grabbed his glass and downed a third of it in one massive gulp, his throat working visibly. He slammed the glass down, wiping his mouth. "We're helping Granny Tsunade with a mountain of boring stuff. It's endless!"
Sakura sighed, tearing a piece off her sweet bun. She glanced at the thick folder next to her elbow. "It's mostly formalizing the reports from the conference. And… other things." Her expression darkened, her eyes distant. "After everything that came out about… it's going to take a long time to process everything. The village is changing, but the paperwork has to catch up."
"Yeah," Naruto chimed in, his tone shifting to something more enthusiastic to break the sudden gloom. "But hey! Me and Pervy Sage finally finished resealing that nasty chakra thing Sora had! He's finally free of it!"
Hinata nodded slowly. "I saw Sora-san at the conference. He seemed… out of place."
"Oh man, you should have seen him!" Naruto laughed. "Because Granny Tsunade wanted every high-ranking shinobi connection there, and Sora was the only monk from the Fire Temple in the village… he basically became the accidental ambassador! He was sweating bullets the whole time!"
Naruto grinned, leaning back. "He was totally overwhelmed. But now he's heading back to the Fire Temple to report everything. He's carrying a backpack full of scrolls from Granny Tsunade."
Sakura rolled her eyes, stabbing her straw into her tea. "Good riddance. I still hate that ill-mannered jerk."
"Aw, come on, Sakura-chan," Naruto teased. "After you kicked his ass that one time? I bet he's gonna be super polite around you now!"
Sakura let out a short, sharp laugh. "He better be."
Naruto turned his attention fully to Hinata. His blue eyes darted down to her chest before snapping back up to her face. "So, what have you been doing, Hinata? We haven't seen you since the… you know."
Hinata leaned forward slightly, the sinister glint returning to her eyes.
"Mostly clan meetings," she replied, her doubled voice smooth. "My father has initiated… changes. The Hyuuga clan will not be the same." She paused, knowing Sakura's presence prevented a full explanation of the Caged Bird Seal's abolition. "It is… a good direction."
As she spoke, she noticed Naruto's gaze drop again, lingering blatantly on the way her top stretched across her large breasts. He didn't even seem to realize he was doing it.
Sakura checked the position of the sun and downed the rest of her tea in one long pull. She stood up, grabbing her folder.
"I need to get this to the Hospital before Shizune-san yells at me," Sakura said. "Then I have to head back to the Tower. Are you guys staying?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna finish my juice," Naruto said.
"See you later!" Sakura waved and hurried off down the street, her sandals clacking against the stone, leaving them alone in the quiet street.
Naruto turned back to Hinata. He seemed unaware of the predatory aura radiating from her.
"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you," Naruto said, pointing a thumb at his back. "I finally fixed my kanabo! It's good as new. Now I can smash stuff way faster than before!"
Hinata blinked, the glowing lines on her neck flaring briefly. "Is that why you did not use it against Danzo? Because it was damaged?"
"Yeah," Naruto admitted, looking sheepish. "During the mission at the Fire Temple… I kinda went overboard fighting Sora when he went berserk. The handle cracked. But I swapped it up! No problems now!"
He fell silent then, his eyes darting around the empty table. He pursed his lips, his brow furrowing as if he was trying desperately to keep the conversation alive, terrified of the silence.
It was cute.
"And, uh… Yūkimaru is doing good!" Naruto blurted out. "He's really liking the village. He made some friends at the academy."
Another awkward pause stretched between them.
Naruto suddenly sat up straight. He swept his gaze around the street, checking the rooftops, the alleyways, scanning for any sign of eavesdroppers. Seeing only the bored café staff inside the building, he made his move.
He dragged his chair noisily across the pavement, scooting around the small table until he was right next to her. His knee bumped against her thigh, a solid wall of muscle that didn't yield an inch.
He leaned in close, his face invading her personal space, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. His cheeks were dusted with a distinct flush, but his eyes were clear and determined.
"So… things at the Tower aren't super urgent right now," Naruto whispered. "Granny said we could take a break."
He hesitated, then placed his hand over hers on the table. His hand was warm, calloused, and dwarfed by her own.
"Do you… wanna spend some time together? Just us?" he asked, his voice thick with hope.
Hinata felt a jolt of pleasant surprise. Up close, her enhanced senses picked up new details. He smelled of fresh soap and rain, his hair looked fluffy and recently scrubbed. He had prepared for this.
The blue lines on her skin began to shift, a tinge of violet bleeding into the azure. She turned her hand over, interlacing her fingers with his.
"The last few weeks have been… tense," she murmured, the second voice in her throat vibrating against the air between them. "I would like that very much, Naruto-kun."
Naruto's face lit up, a grin threatening to split his face. He looked like he was about to cheer, but he caught himself, clamping his mouth shut. He glanced around one last time, checking for spies again.
He leaned even closer, his lips inches from her ear.
"I… I wanna show you something at my place," he whispered, the words rushing out. "I got… I got everything prepared. At home."
His expression was a mix of eagerness and intense embarrassment, his blue eyes pleading with her to understand the subtext without him having to say it out loud.
Hinata remained outwardly calm, her expression serene, but inside, a furnace roared to life. She had planned to hunt him down, to initiate this herself, but the realization that he had been planning this, that he was trying to do that of his own, was intoxicating.
At last, Venom's voice rumbled in the back of her skull, sounding deeply satisfied. The primary male partner is fulfilling his function. He has prepared the nest. Excellent.
The glowing filigree on Hinata's neck and hands shifted completely, pulsing with a deep, hungry violet light. Venom stirred within her, the biomass shifting in anticipation of the physical connection to come.
"Lead the way," she purred.
Hinata stood up. The plastic chair groaned in relief as her weight lifted.
Naruto practically launched himself out of his chair. He didn't let go of her hand. His grip tightened, and he began to walk, pulling her along with an urgency that bordered on haste. They moved down the street, Naruto leading the towering, glowing woman toward his apartment, his steps quick and eager, racing toward the afternoon.