If she returned empty-handed, she would almost certainly be scolded again.
Hyūga Ginka hated excuses more than anything.
"I'm a regular there."
Raizen said with a faint smile.
The people at that sushi shop practically begged him to come every day....preferably to bring the whole shop back to Kumo.
"Let's go."
Raizen took a few steps forward, motioning for her to follow.
Hyūga Natsu hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Whether Raizen was really a regular or not, she had to at least check if the shop was still open.
The two walked together and soon arrived at the sushi shop.
The staff inside were preparing to close up. When they saw customers approaching, they were about to politely tell them to come back tomorrow.
But when they got closer and recognized Raizen, they immediately changed their tone, greeting him warmly and asking what he and Hyūga Natsu wanted.
Raizen glanced at the person serving them.
It wasn't Samui.
It was someone else he had seen in the back room, though he didn't know their name.
"One order of squid sushi."
Raizen said.
"You're a regular, of course. We'll prepare it right away."
The attendant, Yasukawa Yukiya, led Raizen and Hyūga Natsu to a private room.
"I prefer quiet places."
Raizen added just as Yasukawa was about to leave.
The unspoken meaning was clear: he didn't like being watched here.
"Please rest assured, our shop guarantees soundproofing."
Yasukawa Yukiya smiled, closed the door, and returned to the back room to report to Samoto.
"Let him be."
Hearing that Raizen had brought a girl, Samoto readily agreed.
Young people at this age were naturally curious about the opposite sex. Samoto understood.
This spy outpost had already been exposed to Raizen. Samoto had no intention of risking his life to offend him.
At least not here.
" By the way, Samui hasn't come back yet?"
Yasukawa Yukiya shook his head.
"She took Atsui out. Probably going to be a while."
"Alright. Tell her not to come back so late next time."
Samoto frowned slightly.
They were closing in half an hour. Samui was clearly cutting it close again, just so Atsui could get more accustomed to life in Konoha.
…
Not long after Yasukawa left, Raizen felt the sensation of being watched gradually fade.
He disliked being observed.
Last time, no one had been watching because Samui was present. This time, Samui wasn't here.
"Sorry for the trouble, Raizen-kun."
Hyūga Natsu sat down. Her slender fingers gently brushed aside her falling dark-green hair as she patiently waited for the fresh squid sushi.
The squid here had to be freshly killed and prepared to ensure quality, so there was a short wait.
Raizen sat across from her, lifting his gaze to study this minor character who had only appeared briefly in the original story.
"Hyūga Natsu, I've heard the Hyūga clan has a main house and a branch house system, right?"
Raizen brought it up casually.
The Hyūga clan was divided into the main house and the branch house.
Those in the main house were never branded with the Caged Bird Seal, while branch members were forced to bear it.
Once the seal was implanted, the life and death of every branch member rested entirely on the whim of the main house
...they could activate the seal at any moment and kill them.
In short, if you were born into the branch family of the Hyūga clan, your fate was sealed for life.
Hyūga Natsu paused for a moment, then nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Her voice was almost devoid of emotion. As her dark-green hair swayed, the bandaged forehead protector came into view.
This wasn't exactly a secret. Many people in the village knew about it.
But knowing didn't change anything.
No one could change it.
Thinking of this, Hyūga Natsu only hoped the sushi shop would hurry up. After this, she still had to buy dessert.
If she could get back early, perhaps she wouldn't be scolded again.
"I see."
Raizen nodded.
The entire Naruto world seemed to revolve around defying fate, yet at its core, it was thoroughly ruled by **destiny**.
The son of a hero remains a hero. The son of a savior remains a savior. And the son of a sacrificial pawn… remains a sacrificial pawn.
Naruto often spoke of effort and perseverance, of never believing in fate.
Yet Naruto himself was one of destiny's greatest beneficiaries....and he never realized it.
Not until Neji's dying words.
The shuriken Naruto threw during the Chūnin Exams struck him hard in that moment.
Read 80+ Advance Chapter and Support Me
patreon.com/HeavenlyYinYang