Hokage's Office.
Kurenai Yuhi was chatting idly with Natsume about recent amusing happenings.
She didn't know when it started, but she'd come to enjoy sharing her daily life with him.
"How's Yakumo doing lately?"
Leaning back in the Hokage's chair, Natsume looked at the smiling Kurenai and asked.
"Pretty well."
Kurenai's smile didn't fade. "After you told her to keep being a ninja last time, she's become a lot more cheerful."
"Remind me next time."
Natsume looked a little embarrassed. "I meant to tell her I'd help fix the issue in her body, but I got sidetracked and forgot."
"That's fine."
Kurenai shook her head. "Her condition hasn't worsened. It won't be too late to handle it when you're free."
A knock sounded.
"Should be Hinata."
Natsume raised a brow. "I called her over. I plan to take her with me to the Land of Demons."
Kurenai immediately stood, tugged at her suit skirt, and straightened herself up.
In a moment, she reverted to her neat, capable secretary look.
She gave Natsume a small nod, then opened the door.
"Sister Kurenai."
Hinata Hyuga paused briefly, then bowed slightly.
The Hyuga clan's ninja were always impeccable with etiquette.
"Come in."
Kurenai smiled and stepped aside.
Hinata walked forward a few steps, stood before the desk, looked at Natsume with obvious delight on her face.
"Natsume-nii."
She called out shyly.
Mainly because she noticed Kurenai staring at her.
It made her a bit uncomfortable.
But fortunately that discomfort passed quickly.
Kurenai left the room and closed the door.
"Hinata…"
Her brows knit.
Though Hinata was young, Kurenai felt a strong sense of crisis.
Just like with Yamanaka Ino.
She sighed inwardly.
Being too outstanding really is troublesome.
Kurenai felt she had a long way to go to win Natsume over.
"Hinata."
Natsume stood, took her hand, and the two sat side by side on the sofa.
"How's the bow I gave you? Getting used to it?"
He naturally held her hand.
"Mm."
The warmth seemed to ignite a heater inside Hinata, bringing a blush to her cheeks.
But not too obvious.
She'd gotten used to these slightly intimate gestures.
"How about Empty Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Strikes?"
Natsume asked again.
"S-sorry."
Hinata lowered her head, guilty. "I haven't learned it yet."
"What's there to apologize for? How could you master it in just a few days?"
Natsume reached out and ruffled her hair. "I just wanted a progress update."
Hinata sighed in relief. "Give me a few more days—I should have it fully down."
"As expected of Hinata. Great job."
Natsume praised sincerely.
After Kaguya's modifications, this technique's power had shot up, and it was tougher than the original.
For her to get a preliminary handle on it this fast was already quite good.
"N-no way…"
Hinata didn't dare meet his eyes, but a smile quietly bloomed on her face.
She was happy to be praised by Natsume.
"So cute."
Natsume couldn't help pinching her cheek.
Hinata's body stiffened slightly, and her blush deepened.
"Business."
Still lightly pinching her face, Natsume said, "I called you over for a mission. An S-rank one."
Hinata wanted to nod but it was inconvenient, so she hummed in response.
To her, S-rank missions were just… that. She didn't have much of a concept.
"We're going to the Land of Demons to help the priestess seal otherworldly creatures. Very tricky, very dangerous."
Natsume let go and smiled. "Wanna come?"
"Whatever Natsume-nii decides."
Hinata had no opinion of her own—or rather, willingly ceded control to Natsume.
"Then let's go together."
Natsume looked down at her. "Let you try the bow."
He naturally wouldn't have Hinata face Moryo, but rather that so-called Ghost Army.
He suspected that army's essence was souls or Yin Release.
A bow made from the Box of Ultimate Bliss was undoubtedly its nemesis.
And it could even absorb them in return, strengthening the bow.
"Mm."
Hinata nodded subconsciously, then asked, "Natsume-nii, what's this bow called?"
Natsume froze. Good question.
He hadn't thought about it.
Call it the Bliss Bow?
Felt a bit off.
"Let's call it Demon-Breaker."
He'd linked it to going to the Land of Demons to deal with otherworldly monsters.
Hinata's eyes lit up—clearly satisfied with the name.
"Let's head out now."
Natsume stood. "Anything you need to do?"
"I didn't tell Father when I came out."
Hinata hurriedly said, "I want to go back and say goodbye."
"I'll take you."
Natsume used Flying Thunder God.
In an instant, they appeared in the Hyuga compound's courtyard.
After steadying herself, Hinata headed for the study.
Natsume followed along.
"Father."
Hinata knocked. After hearing a response, she opened the door.
She took off her shoes at the threshold, moved forward a few steps, and sat kneeling.
From where Natsume stood, he could only see her little feet in turned-down white ankle socks.
Cute.
Hiashi looked up with a stern expression, then suddenly paused as he noticed Natsume outside the door.
He immediately stood, forced a smile onto his face. "Lord Hokage, please come in."
Hinata widened her eyes in surprise.
Her father's masterful face-changing skills impressed her.
But that thought was disrespectful, of course.
Hinata quickly gathered her thoughts.
"No need."
Natsume waved a hand. "Uncle Hiashi, go about your business."
Hiashi understood the hint, turned back to sit across from Hinata.
He instinctively wanted to put on a stern face and show his authority as clan head and father.
But then he noticed Natsume again.
Ahem—better not.
"Hinata, what did you need?"
Hiashi's expression softened; his tone was calm.
Hinata still wasn't quite used to it.
"Father, I'm going to the Land of Demons on a mission. I won't be back for a while."
The Land of Demons? That's a bit far.
Hiashi's instinct was reluctance.
The Hyuga main family had no Caged Bird; going out on missions was quite dangerous.
In the original story, Hinata was assigned to the recon team—not necessarily without the Hyuga clan's orchestration.
Hiashi glanced at Natsume. "Are you going with Lord Hokage?"
Hinata nodded. "Yes."
Hiashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
With Natsume's protection, her safety was more assured.
Though he still wasn't entirely at ease, it was reasonable and he couldn't refuse.
"Be careful. Go early and come back early."
Hiashi advised, "Don't act on your own outside. Obey Lord Hokage in everything."
"Yes."
Hinata bowed and stood. Seeing Natsume, she gave a shy smile, then walked to the door.
One hand on the frame, she put her shoes back on.
Then she jogged to Natsume.
Her steps were light—quite different from the usual elegance of the Hyuga heiress.
Maybe because it was a rare trip far from home.
"Lord Hokage, I'll trouble you to look after Hinata."
Hiashi stood at the door and bowed slightly.
Natsume nodded, then took Hinata to the Land of Snow.
He planned to bring Kaguya along.
After all, he'd just, well, done that with her—he couldn't start something and abandon it.
Of course, most importantly, he wanted Hinata to become her disciple.
With that mountain at her back, the Hyuga main vs. branch family issue would be nothing.
Another day, he'd have Kaguya take her to the moon, take down Toneri, and awaken the Tenseigan.
Perfect.
…
Hinata looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, a bit dazed.
Soon, the door opened.
She turned instinctively—and froze.
Such a beautiful big sister.
No—wait.
Why did she feel both an unprecedented suffocating pressure and a bloodline-deep sense of kinship?
A Hyuga clanswoman?
Hinata frowned.
With such obvious traits, if she were Hyuga, Hinata should have seen her before.
Kaguya didn't even look at Hinata; all her attention was on Natsume.
She stepped forward and grabbed his collar.
Seeing the look in her eyes, Natsume immediately panicked.
Again?
He quickly grasped her wrist. "Let me introduce you. This is Hinata Hyuga, my student."
Only when she heard "student" did Kaguya react. She tilted her head and looked at the white-eyed girl.
"H-hello."
Hinata felt completely seen-through.
She was startled, but restrained the strangeness in her heart and greeted politely.
"Hinata, she's Shinobu—a jonin of Konoha's ANBU operating outside the village."
Natsume improvised casually. "Like you, she comes from the same clan, but her identity must be kept secret—tell no one, not even your parents."
He said "same clan," not "Hyuga clan."
Not wrong.
Hinata assumed she was a Hyuga clanswoman.
Though she'd never seen her, she trusted Natsume.
After all, Konoha had many hidden ninja unknown to the public.
"Okay."
Hinata nodded.
After a brief exchange, the three left the Snow Country palace for the Land of Demons.
Natsume didn't use Flying Thunder God, but took a train.
Because the Land of Demons was just south of the Land of Snow—neighboring countries.
And on the train, Hinata could practice Empty Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Strikes.
For Natsume's sake, Kaguya casually gave her a couple of pointers.
Her progress soared.
Natsume found a chance to pull Kaguya into the next carriage.
"Kaguya, what do you think of her bloodline?"
"No good."
Kaguya was merciless.
Natsume realized he'd asked a silly question.
In her eyes, even Hagoromo and Hamura's bloodlines were probably just average.
"Sleep."
Taking advantage of his momentary daze, Kaguya's soft body wrapped around him like vines.
"…"
Natsume blurted, terrified, "No using Amenominaka!"